Sun-dried Tomato and Chicken Fettucini

From time to time (or maybe all the time), I love some good comfort food. While my waistline says that I should, I really can't turn down some good pasta. Pasta dishes can be your worst enemy when ordering them at a restaurant because of all the extra stuff put into the dish that you don't know about. I'm not saying that this pasta dish is healthy but at least I know that I didn't throw two sticks of butter in there. And I love the flavors on this one!

Sun-dried Tomato and Chicken Fettucini

Ingredients:
3/4 lb. chicken breast (boneless/skinless)
salt
pepper
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
2 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced
8 oz. fresh fettucini (from refrigerated section at your grocer - at Whole Foods this is in the cheese section)
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup half and half
1 cup chicken broth

Steps:

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Cook in a pan over medium-high heat until done (165 degrees).  Slice and set aside.

2. Boil water for the pasta. Then, start sauteeing the sun-dried tomatoes and bacon in another pan until bacon browns. 

3. Cook pasta according to package directions. Then throw the chicken, garlic, and red pepper into the bacon mixture and cook for one minute.

4. Pour wine into the pan to deglaze and scrap brown bits off the sides. Next, stir in the half and half and the broth. Bring to a simmer. Add pasta to the pan and let the sauce thicken before serving. 

Peanut Chicken

This recipe seems like it has to have a lot of protein in it. So there's that and it also tastes good. I served it with a cuban style whole grain rice and beans. But I think it would also be good with plain rice or noodles. It's quite easy as well.

Peanut Chicken
Serves 2 people

Ingredients:

1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 (or more if you like some heat) of a serrano pepper, minced
1/2 small tomato, chopped
1 Tbsp peanut butter (smooth)



Steps:


1. In a large bowl, stir together lemon juice, thyme, black pepper, curry powder, salt and garlic. Toss the chicken pieces with the mixture. Cover bowl and refrigerate for a few hours in order to marinate.

2. In a large pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. When hot, cook onions for 5 minutes or until softened. Toss in the chicken and cook for 10 minutes.  Stir to cook all sides. Stir in the pepper and tomatoes.

3. Add peanut butter to the pan with about 225 ml of warmish water.  Stir and let simmer for 28 minutes.
 

Chicken and Shrimp in Tomato-Coconut Sauce

Apparently, this is a Brazilian dish which threw me for a loop even though I'm not any sort of an expert on the Brazilian culture. With the coconut milk, I thought it was an Asian dish. But my assumptions were also based on my previous experiences with Brazilian food which consisted of their steakhouses (churrascaria) or bakeries with meat-filled pastries and wonderful cakes. Which by the way, you must go to the Brazilian Bakery on Powers Ferry in Marietta and try some of those cakes. They are incredible.

This was a nice flavorful dish without a ridiculous amount of prep. I did cheat a little and used canned diced tomatoes (one 14.5 oz. can) instead of fresh ones. But I didn't do this because I'm lazy. I just don't really like cooking fresh chopped tomatoes because the skin always comes off in the pan.

Chicken and Shrimp in Tomato-Coconut Sauce
Serves two.
Source: Cuisine At Home

Ingredients:
Basmati or Jasmine rice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breast ( 5-6 oz. each), seasoned with salt and pepper
1 cup onion, diced 
1 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 cups tomatoes, chopped
1 cup coconut milk
6 shrimp peeled, deveined
1/4 cup scallions, sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
Garnish with:
Chopped fresh cilantro or lime

Steps:

1) Cook rice according to pkg. directions, keep warm

2) Sauté seasoned chicken in oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until browned on both sides. Add onions, bell pepper, garlic and pepper flakes. Cook covered until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.

3) Stir in tomatoes and coconut milk, cover and cook until tomatoes begin to break down, 5-6 minutes.
Add shrimp, scallions, cilantro and lime juice, cover and simmer until shrimp are cooked, 2-3 minutes.

4) Spoon rice onto 2 serving plates, then divide chicken and sauce between them. Garnish with cilantro and lime.

Comfort Soup

Okay, I can admit that the picture of this soup doesn't look super appetizing. But it does taste good and feels wonderfully comforting going down. So if you are in the mood for some creamy comfort soup, give this one a try, Hey, and there weren't any disasters with this one. Win! FYI: I left out the fennel seeds and parsley. Also, I found it easier to pick up some already cooked chicken from the rotisserie section at Whole Foods and just take the skin off and chop it up.

Cream of Chicken and Fennel Soup
Makes 4 servings
Source: Sunday Soup

Ingredients:

2 medium fennel bulbs
4 cups chicken stock 
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups light cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon kosher salt 
1 cup fresh snow peas
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped



Steps:


1. Cut off stalks from fennel (if attached) and reserve feathery tops for garnish. Halve bulbs lengthwise; cut out and discard tough cores. Chop enough fennel to yield 1 1/2 cups.

2. Bring 4 cups of chicken stock to a simmer in a large pot set over medium-high heat. Add fennel and carrots, and cook until vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife, about 12 minutes.

3. Drain the fennel and carrots, setting aside about 1 1/2 cups of stock. Put the fennel, carrots and diced chicken in a bowl and set aside.

4. Melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or less. Gradually whisk in cream and reserved stock. Whisk until mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon, for 4 minutes or longer. Stir in lemon juice, fennel seeds and salt. Stir in chicken, fennel and carrots. If the soup is too thick, thin it with additional stock as needed. The soup can be prepared to this point a day ahead; cool, cover and refrigerate. Reheat over medium heat.

5. When ready to serve the soup, trim and discard ends from snow peas. Cut the snow peas on the diagonal into thirds. Add them to the soup and cook just until tender, about 2 minutes. Taste soup and season with salt, as needed.

6. To serve, ladle soup into 4 soup bowls. Garnish each with a sprig of fennel or the parsley.

Spicy Chicken Pasta

I'm just stopping by for a minute to link you up to another recipe I tried lately. I thought it was pretty good and best of all quick and easy. It can be found here: Spicy Chicken Rigatoni. A few adjustments were made on my end. For one, I halved the recipe and had more than enough for two people. Also, I used whole wheat penne instead of the rigatoni. For whatever reason, I couldn't find any whole wheat rigatoni and I wanted to be a little healthier. The only other change I made was using a jar of Bertolli's Four Cheese Rosa sauce in place of both the marinara and the Alfredo. Enjoy!

Tequila in My Salad?

So I made another awesome soup. And this one definitely had a kick to it so I was glad I made the pepper salad. I think the zestiness of the salad complimented the spice factor nicely. It was an unusual salad but excited me for the use of tequila alone!

"Cool Nights" Chili with Chicken, Corn, and Chipotles

Source: Sunday Soup

Ingredients:

5 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil or 5 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups chopped onions
1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon grd cumin
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups chicken stock
1 (28 ounce) can italian-style plum tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
3 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, coarsely chopped
3 1/2-4 cups fresh corn kernels (or frozen corn kernels, thawed)
2 (19 ounce) cans dark  kidney beans, rinsed and drained 
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
lime wedges

 Steps:
Heat 4 tablespoons oil in a large, deep-sided pot (with a lid) set over med-high heat. When hot, add the chicken and saute until light golden, for 4-5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and drain on paper towels.

Add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the pan; when the oil is very hot, add onions and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, for 3-4 minutes. Return sauteed chicken to the pan.

 

Stir together the flour, chili powder, cumin, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small bowl; sprinkle the mixture over the onions and chicken, and cook, stirring 1 minute. Add in stock, tomatoes, and chipotles; bring mixture to a simmer. Decrease heat, cover, and cook until chicken is fork-tender and mixture has thickened slightly, for 25-30 minutes. Add in corn and beans; cook for 10 minutes. Taste chili and season with salt, if needed.

 

Garnish each serving with a generous dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro. Squeeze lime over the top.

 

Red, Yellow, and Orange Pepper Salad with Tequila-Lime Dressing

Source: Sunday Soup

 

 

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon grated lime zest

1 1/2 tablespoons tequila

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled

 

1 medium red bell pepper

1 medium yellow bell pepper

1 medium orange bell pepper

mixed greens

2 teaspoons chopped cilantro

kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

 

 

 

Steps: 

 

Whisk together the olive oil, lime juice and zest, tequila, salt and red pepper flakes in a small, non-reactive bowl. Add the smashed garlic clov.

 

Stem the peppers and halve them lengthwise. Remove and discard the seeds and membranes. Cut halves into 1/4 inch thick julienne strips. Put peppers in a large nonreactive bowl and toss with the dressing. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.

When ready to serve, remove and discard the smashed garlic clove from the marinated peppers. Add the lettuce and cilantro to the bowl and toss to combine. Season salad generously with salt and pepper.

 

 

Time for Soup Once Again

The other thing I get more excited about in the fall is soup. With soups, there are so many options to choose from. Besides, I need to work on making dinners that aren't so heavy right now. This means that you can expect to see soup recipes here a little more often starting with this one:

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Makes 6-8 bowls

Ingredients:


2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded (should amount to about 2 cups)
2 onions, diced and then divided
8 hard taco shells, broken into little pieces
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp green chilies, diced
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup canola oil
Optional: hot sauce, cilantro, fresh lime juice

Steps:

1. Cook chicken and then shred with a fork. Set aside
2. Using a blender or food processor, pulse half of the onions with all of the taco pieces, egg, milk, water, and garlic. Make sure it's fairly well blended. Pour it into a bowl and let sit at room temp for 10 minutes.
3. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a saucepan and cook the rest of the onions for about 4 minutes. Add the chicken, chilies, and broth. Simmer.
4. While the broth is simmering, heat the canola oil in another pan. Form patties with the tortilla mixture and cook in the oil for 3 minutes on each side. You will need to do this in batches. When each batch is done, set on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. 
5. Add tortilla patties to soup as you serve. I like to squeeze some fresh lime juice and plenty of hot sauce over the top.

Raw Egg?

Usually if I see "raw egg" anywhere, I run the other way. I'm just not a risk taker when it comes to raw stuff even though I love sushi. But I decided to give this recipe a try.  But technically, the egg isn't really raw when you eat it. You see, the egg cooks when you throw it together with the piping hot pasta. And the breadcrumbs you see? I took the easy route. Remember those crostinis I bought at Whole Foods from my last entry? Yeah, I crumbled those up and tossed in some red pepper flakes and kosher salt to use as garnish. If you don't have access to those, you could do the same thing with some fresh breadcrumbs and just toast them with a little olive oil.

Whole Wheat Fettucini Carbonara
Two heaping servings

Ingredients:
Breadcrumb mixture (explained above)
1 egg
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
1/8 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 slices bacon, diced
1/2 lb. chicken tenderloins
half a package of whole wheat fettucini 
1/8 cup chicken broth
1/8 cup dry white wine
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup frozen peas

Steps:

Prepare breadcrumb mixture and set aside.

Start boiling a large pot of salted water to use later.

In a bowl, whisk together egg, cheese, cream, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Saute bacon pieces until they crisp. Transfer to a plate and drain with paper towels.

Add chicken pieces to the pan and cook 4 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to bacon mixture.

Cook pasta according to package instructions.

While pasta is cooking, throw broth, wine, and lemon juice to deglaze the pan. Scrape bits off the sides of the pan.

Drain pasta in a strainer over the peas to quickly defrost them.

In a large serving bowl, mix pan mixture, chicken/bacon, sauce, and pasta with the peas. Garnish with breadcrumb mixture before serving. 

Healthier Pasta Dish

Last night, I took a simple dish that I've made before (I can't remember if I posted it here?) and made a few tweaks.  I switched the regular pasta to whole-wheat and the pork sausage to chicken sausage. I thought it had a great flavor. But it's all in the wine. I used to be one of those people who picked up whatever wine was cheap if I was just planning to cook with it. That was a mistake. Using a cheap wine (unless it's one that you know you enjoy) can break a meal especially when the flavors come through like with this recipe. I know it seems like such a waste to buy a good wine when you are throwing it in the pot/pan, but really, splurge a little on what you like. Then, plan on drinking the rest of the bottle. You won't regret it.

Healthier Pasta Ragu
Serves 2

8 oz. Whole-Wheat Fusilli Pasta
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp EVOO (e-v olive oil)
1 really small or 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 links of uncooked Italian Chicken Sausage, casings removed (I like the spicy variety)
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup Parmesan, grated
fresh parsley


Steps:

Heat butter and oil over medium-low heat. Add onions, garlic, and pepper flakes. Cook for about 5 minutes.



Meanwhile, boil salted water and cook pasta according to directions. Save 1/2 cup of pasta water.

While the pasta is cooking, Add sausage to onion mixture and turn up the heat slightly. Break up the sausage with a spoon. Cook for about 10 minutes stirring every so often.

Add the tomato paste to the meat and mix together. Add wine to deglaze pan and let reduce.

Remove the pan from the heat, mix in the pasta and reserved water. Last, toss with the cheese and fresh parsley before serving.

Skip The Takeout

...and make your own Thai food! It's really not that hard. Try it!

Thai Basil Chicken with Coconut Rice
Source: Cuisine At Home

Coconut Rice

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup coconut milk (not cream of coconut)
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup basmati or jasmine rice 
2 Tbs fresh lime juice
1 Tbs unsalted butter

Bring broth, coconut milk, sugar, and salt to a boil. Stir in the rice and cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the rice from heat and let sit for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork and then adding the lime juice and butter.


Thai Basil Chicken

 Combine for the Slurry Mixture

3/4 Cup Coconut Milk 
1/4 Cup Chicken Broth
2 Tbs. Oyster Sauce
2 Tbs Fresh Lime Juice
1 Tbs Soy Sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp anchovy paste (optional)

Season: Stir-Fry in 2-4 Tbs Vegetable Oil

1 lb raw boneless chicken breast cut into pieces
1 1/2 Cup of green beans, blanced (boil them briefly and then cover with ice water)
1 Cup red bell pepper, diced
1 Tbs Garlic, minced

Stir in; Garnish with

1 cup sliced basil leaves
1 jalapeno thinly sliced with seeds
1/2 Cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

Combine all ingredients for the slurry and set aside
Season chicken with salt and pepper and then stir fry in 2 T oil over high heat for 5-8 minutes flipping halfway through. Remove and set aside. Heat 1 T oil in same pan add green beans and stir fry 1-2 minutes, add bell pepper and garlic and stir fry another 2-3 minutes. Add chicken and any juices and stir fry 1 minute. Stir in slurry mixture and cook 2 minutes allowing sauce to thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in basil and jalapeno and garnish with peanuts. Serve over Coconut Rice

Healthy Mexican Chicken in Slow Cooker

This recipe is so easy and so tasty! I didn't plan on blogging it originally so there is no picture. But I will definitely make it again so I wanted to document it.

Ingredients:
2-3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 Tbsp red chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2/3 cup salsa
1ish Tbsp cornstarch
1/3 cup low-fat sour cream


Steps:
Spray slow cooker with cooking spray.
Rub spices onto both sides of chicken breasts and place in the slow cooker.
Pour salsa over the top of the chicken.
Set slow cooker to HIGH and cook for 3 to 3.5 hours.
Remove chicken and place on plate or shred into tortillas.
Add cornstarch and sour cream into the liquid in the slow cooker. Mix to create sauce.
Spoon sauce over the chicken.

Almond Crusted Chicken Salad w/ Teriyaki Dressing

I'm not usually into salads for dinner unless they are a side item. But an entree-type salad like this can sometimes hit the spot. This one was pretty good. It was also quick and easy to prepare.

Almond- Crusted Chicken Salad w/ Teriyaki Dressing
Serves 2.

Ingredients:
 1/2 lb. chicken tenders, uncooked
black pepper
1 egg
1 Tbsp teriyaki sauce (I like to use Soy Vay Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce. I've seen it at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs (found in the Asian section of your grocery store)
1 1/2 Tbsp canola oil
mixed salad greens
1 small can mandarin oranges 

Dressing:
1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest
1/8 cup teriyaki sauce
1 Tbsp honey (I used a mix of Tupelo and Wildflower types. This is up to your preference)
1 Tbsp vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil


Steps:

1. Season chicken with pepper.
2. Mix egg with teriyaki sauce. Pour flour into a separate dish. In a third dish, mix almonds and crumbs.
3. Dredge chicken in flour. Next, dip chicken through the egg mixture before coating in the almonds/crumbs.
4. In a large pan or skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for approximately 12 minutes flipping half way through.
5. Serve tenders over lettuce mixed with orange sections. Pour dressing over.

For dressing:
Whisk all ingredients together.

 

Grilled Rosemary Chicken with Sweet & Sour Sauce

I'm trying to incorporate more chicken in my life to get over my fear of handling raw chicken. I think I've done other rosemary recipes before that were good. This one was no exception. It was delicious. While I really liked the dipping sauce, the chicken is also good without it.

Grilled Rosemary Chicken

 Ingredients:

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp. dark brown sugar 
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp canola oil

Steps:

Toss the chicken in oil to lightly coat.
Combine rosemary, pepper, salt, brown sugar, and red pepper.
Rub chicken with the mixture.
Grill chicken on medium-high on a gas or charcoal grill.
Cook until done and grill marks appear on both sides. The timing will vary per grill.
Dip chicken in sauce. 



Sweet & Sour Sauce

  Ingredients:

1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/8 cup rice vinegar
1/2 fresh chopped rosemary 


Steps:


Heat marmalade, vinegar, and rosemary in a saucepan over medium heat until warm.  Whisk the marmalade and vinegar together and let sit on low heat until chicken is ready to be served.

 

Mmm...Buffalo Chicken and Pasta?!?

I found this recipe here. For someone that loves both cheesy pasta and wing sauce, this one was a win! I halved the recipe since it appears to make a lot but it still made more than enough for two people. Next time I make it, I might try chorizo instead of chicken or even do a vegetarian version.

Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta
see original recipe and picture here 

Ingredients:

1 lb Orecchiette pasta
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
4 oz monterey jack cheese, shredded (use additional cheese for topping)
1/3 cup sharp cheddar, shredded (use additional cheese for topping)
1/3 cup buffalo wing sauce
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into chunks
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste

for garnish: 3/4 cup chopped green onions, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, 1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese, additional buffalo wing sauce

Steps:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook pasta to al dente.

While pasta is cooking, heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter, and once it’s melted and bubbly add the flour. Whisk together to create a roux and cook for 1-2 minutes until mixture gets a bit golden in color.

Add milk, stir and turn down heat to low. Continue stirring until milk thickens. Add in shredded cheeses and continue to stir until mixture is smooth.

Stir in buffalo wing sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.

Add pasta and chicken, then pour cheese sauce over and mix throughly until everything is coated.

Sprinkle with additional cheese and bread crumbs.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and immediately top with gorgonzola, green onions and cilantro. Drizzle with buffalo wing sauce.
 

Chicken Pomodoro

This chicken dish gives off lots of good flavors and is pretty easy to make. There isn't a ton of prep involved.

Chicken Pomodoro

Ingredients:

3-4 chicken cutlets
Kosher salt
pepper
flour
nonstick cooking spray
1 1/2 Tbsp. canola/vegetable oil
1/4 cup Vodka
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/3 cup sliced scallions

Steps:

Season cutlets with salt and pepper before dredging through the flour to lightly coat.
Spray pan with cooking spray and then add oil.
Saute cutlets on both sides over medium-high heat until they are thoroughly cooked (abour 165-170 degrees).  Transfer chicken to a plate. Drain pan if needed.
Deglaze the pan using the vodka AWAY FROM THE HEAT.
Return pan to heat and add broth and lemon juice.
Return chicken to the pan and cook on each side for one minute. Transfer chicken to a warm plate.
Stir cream and tomatoes in the pan. Mix in the scallions before pouring over cutlets.

Chicken Piccata and Wine Of Course

Hopefully everyone had a nice weekend and enjoyed the great weather after those terrible storms. I have a couple of wines to report on... Over the weekend, we opened one of the wines we ordered on our Sonoma trip, Robert Young Scion. It was a treat for my taste buds for sure! We enjoyed it on it's own but it would also be great with a meaty dinner.

With the chicken piccata that I made last night, we opened a white wine. I actually bought it mainly for cooking not drinking but since I had a lot left, I figured why not. For the price, it made a nice white table wine. However, I don't think it would stand up to some of the pricier wines. It was $10.99 at Whole Foods.

The dish was both delicious and simple to make! In an effort to save money and suit my own tastes, I left the capers out. However, a traditional piccata would have capers.

Chicken Piccata
(2 Servings for small eaters, 1 for big eaters)

Ingredients:

2 chicken cutlets
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
all-purpose flour
nonstick cooking spray
2 Tbsp of canola or veg. oil
1/4 c white wine
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/2 c chicken stock
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 lemon, sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
Parsley


Steps:

1) Season the chicken with salt and pepper. 
2) Pour flour in a shallow dish. Dredge the chicken through it to coat and then shake off the excess.
3) Spray a pan with cooking spray, add oil and turn on to medium-high heat. 
4) Cook cutlets 4-5 minutes on each side or until slightly golden. Transfer chicken to another pan on low heat.
5) Add wine and garlic to original pan to deglaze. Cook 2-3 minutes. 
6) Add stock and lemon juice. Place chicken back into the pan to cook with sauce (one minute on each side.)  Transfer chicken to plates.
7) Add the butter and parsley to the sauce. Cook until melted before pouring over the chicken and serving.

Orange Sesame Chicken

Orange Sesame Chicken

Ingredients:

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 navel orange
1/8 cup Honey
1 tbsp. Soy sauce
1/4 cup Sweet orange marmalade
1/2 tbsp. Canola or peanut oil
1/4 tsp. Asian sesame oil
2/3 tsp. Thai chile sauce ( Sriracha)
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 cups Toasted Breadcrumbs (use fresh crumbs not the pre-crumbled kind on the shelves)
1/4 cup Sesame seeds, lightly toasted

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 450.  Break bread into tiny pieces and pulse until you have rough crumbs. Then toast them over the stove in olive oil until golden.  Set aside.

With a meat pounder, lightly pound the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap to even out the thickness of the breasts.  

Grate the zest from half of the orange. Then, cut 2 very thin slices from the center of the orange to use later.

In a large bowl, combine the zest with honey, soy sauce, marmalade,  canola oil, sesame oil, chile sauce, and salt. Add the chicken and toss to coat well.

In a large shallow dish, toss the breadcrumbs with the sesame seeds. Working with one piece at a time, transfer the chicken to the dish of crumbs, scoop some crumbs on top, and press well a couple of times so the breadcrumbs adhere to both sides. Transfer to a rack on an aluminum-lined baking sheet. Dip the orange slices in the leftover marmalade mixture to coat both sides and set on the rack.

Bake until chicken's temperature reaches 165 degrees (about 20 minutes). Be aware that the crumbs may start to burn because of the high temps so adjust as needed. When finished, top the breasts with the orange slices. I served it with jasmine rice. 

Feeling Like Some Chinese?

This dish usually hits the spot for me with it's sweet and savoriness. I've been making it for years. It's actually an old Weight Watchers recipe. So those watching your figures, don't fret too much about eating this one. I think each serving is 7 points if I remember correctly. I didn't actually do the diet, I just borrowed some recipes. I'm not a big fan of diets in general. People pretty much always gain the weight back. I think it's more about lifestyle changes (eating healthier and exercising) if you want to keep it off.

I served this in a bowl over brown rice.

Chinese-Pineapple Chicken with Black Bean Sauce
(Source: Weight Watchers)

Ingredients:
 cooking spray
4  scallions, chopped (green and white parts)
1 Tbsp ginger root, fresh, chopped or the minced kind in the jar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
20 oz canned pineapple chunks or tidbits, packed in juice, 
1/4 cup black bean garlic sauce
Cornstarch (optional)
2 cup cooked brown rice

Steps:

1. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set pan over medium-high heat. Add scallions, ginger and garlic; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned on all sides, stirring often.
   
   
2. Add pineapple (with its juice) and black bean sauce to skillet; bring to a simmer. Simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. The sauce will be thin. If you prefer a thicker sauce, you can add about a Tbsp of cornstarch to the pan and let it thicken. Serve over rice.
   
   

Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes

I'm not a huge fan of cooking chicken but when good recipes come along, I'll give them a try. This one is pretty simple and tastes great. It was passed on to me from my mom. Whenever I see my mom, she somehow manages to put all kinds of things in my bag like recipes, newspaper clippings, magazine for cities that I don't live in. I make fun of this but some of these things I actually keep. Does your mom do this or is it just mine?

Rosemary-baked Chicken and Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp freshly chopped rosemary leaves
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
8 boneless skinless thighs (I prefer to use about a pound and half of chicken breasts instead)
2 lbs. small red potatoes cut into bite-size pieces 


Steps:

Preheat oven to 425.
In a large bowl, combine oil, paprika, rosemary, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Add chicken and potatoes. Toss to coat.
Arrange potatoes on a nonstick foil-lined baking pan. Bake 15 minutes.
Push potatoes to the side and place chicken on the pan. Bake 30-35 minutes longer or until chicken is fully cooked.
Occasionally turn potatoes throughout cooking.
Serve with crusty bread and olive oil!

 

Not Your Mama's Chicken!

Tonight I made a Jalapeno Cheddar Crusted Chicken from a recipe I found in a magazine. I served it with fresh guacamole and refried beans. I didn't actually do anything fancy with the beans. They were the canned variety that I found at the wonderful Buford Highway Farmer's Market. This is a great place to wander around if you get a chance! I can find any excuse to make some guacamole. I LOVE it! But I like mine fresh, the store bought kind just doesn't cut it. It's also fun to make it when you have a mortar and pestle. This isn't your usual breaded chicken. There are a lot of flavors in this mix. It's kind of like a flavor explosion in your mouth...not for those with simple tastes. The only thing that I would do differently next time is to serve it with some sort of a sauce, perhaps a poblano sour cream. Please excuse the messy pictures!

Beans, beans, the musical fruit...

Guacamole

 Ingredients:
 4 Hass avocados
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley or cilantro
1/4 onion, diced
1 to 2 (depends on the level of spice you like) jalapenos, seeded and minced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 dashes of hot sauce
1/4 tsp coarse kosher salt

Place avocado slices in the stone bowl and mash. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Season to taste and serve with thick/durable tortilla chips.

Crispy Cheddar & Jalapeno Coasted Chicken Breasts
Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup plain yogurt (I used nonfat but whole milk is preferable)
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh Thyme
1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
2 tsp. red chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 cups toasted breadcrumbs (recipe below)
1 1/3 cup coarse crushed tortilla chips
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
1/2 to  2/3 cup jalapenos, chopped and patted dry (the canned kind is fine)
1 lime

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Put a flat rack on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet.
User a meat pounder to lightly pound the chicken breasts between two sheets of saran wrap.
In large bowl, combine the yogurt with half of the thyme, chili powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, salt, and pepper.
In a shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs, jalapenos, cheddar, remaining thyme and chips.
Take one piece of chicken at a time and coat well with yogurt mixture before dredging through the crumbs. Be sure to coat well and press the crumb mixture firmly onto the chicken. 
Transfer chicken to the rack.
Bake chicken until it reaches 165 degrees (about 25 minutes).
Squeeze lime over the finished chicken.

Toasted Breadcrumbs
1/2 lb. fresh white bread (or 4 cups of fresh bread crumbs)
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp kosher salt 

Tear apart bread and crumble in food processor into coarse crumbs.  Pour crumbs into large mixing bowl. Toss with oil and salt.

Pour crumbs into a large saucpan and heat over high heat until browned. Reduce heat to medium low and cook for another 6 minutes. Cool before using to coat chicken.