walton_eats | Entries tagged with chicken

2 tblsp olive oil
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tblsp dried basil
2 Bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock
4 cups chopped kale
4 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cooked and chopped
1 14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 cup cooked green lentils
2 tblsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute carrots, onions and garlic in olive oil, 3-4 minutes until onions are soft. Add herbs and stir and sauté for an additional minute. Add chicken stock and kale, bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover, simmering for 10 minutes. Add chicken, tomatoes and lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until kale is tender. Add vinegar and simmer for a couple of minutes, uncovered. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Makes 2 servings.

So very very very very good.

1/2 chicken breast, roasted, cooled and thinly sliced
1 Colombo MIni-Twin Brown&Serve loaf, baked (or equivalent), ends trimmed, cut in two, split and some of the the fluffy middle bit removed (reserve for bread crumbs for another recipe).
2 thin slices provolone or swiss cheese
1 roasted red pepper (see following recipe)
1/2 thinly-sliced beefsteak tomato
Mayonnaise
Fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil

Preheat a panini press. Spread mayonnaise on cut sides of bread. Layer with basil, roasted peppers, cheese, chicken, tomato, salt and pepper. Brush olive oil on outside of sandwiches. Place in panini press, moosh (hey, that's a technical term) and cook until bread is browned and crispy on the outside and cheese melts on the inside. Let rest a minute or two, cut each sandwich in half and serve.

Oh. My. Goodness. So good. Next time I'll probably add a bit of Dijon mustard. Maybe some thinly-sliced ham or a couple of slices of bacon.

Roasted Red Peppers

Preheat oven to 375F. Wash and dry some red bell peppers. Brush with a bit of olive oil. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Place peppers on sheet pan and roast, turning peppers every 20 minutes, for about an hour. Lift aluminum foil with peppers onto a cooling rack and let cool for 30 minutes. Carefully remove peel, pull stem out, open peppers and gently scrape seeds and membrane from inside. Slice peppers. Use what you need for sandwiches, then store the rest in refrigerator. I love them sprinkled with salt and pepper and a little olive oil. So sweet and mellow and good.

These are so much better than peppers scorched on an open flame (the way I used to make them). Silky and sweet and not at all bitter.

I cubed them and marinated them in lime juice, Penzey's fajita seasoning and a smidge of vegetable oil. I made guacamole with two avocados, a good squeeze of lime, a bit of minced onion, a couple of dashes of Tabasco, a pinch of salt and a spoonful of Pace Mild Chunky Salsa. I made pico de gallo with Roma tomatoes, minced jalapeno, finely chopped sweet onion, minced cilantro, a squeeze of lime and a bit of salt. I pulled a package of Sargento 2% 4-Cheese Mexican Blend out of the fridge. I chopped up some more sweet onion and mixed it with a bit of minced cilantro. I steamed some small corn tortillas. I sauteed the chicken in some olive oil, then added a cup of chicken broth and cooked it all down until the liquid was gone and the chicken browned.

I assembled the tacos with a couple of corn tortillas each, chicken, cheese, guacamole, onion and pico de gallo. For a side dish I simmered canned black beans with some canned diced tomato and its juice, some cumin and some cayenne pepper.

There's still a layer of ice on m y swimming pool. Meals, these days, are leaning towards warming comfort food. Chicken necks and backs and wings had reached critical mass in my freezer, and I'd just made several gallons of chicken stock. We've been eating a lot of soup, and I wanted something more substantial. And so? Chicken Pot Pie.

This recipe is geared towards individual pies. I bake them in my classic onion soup bowls, which hold 16 fl oz and are 5" in diameter. This recipe will make six. I use chicken thighs instead of breasts; the result is very tender chicken with a lot more flavor than using breasts, but breasts can, of course, be used. Six half-breasts would do it.

This is an adaptation of Ina Garten's recipe.

These can be made to the point of baking, then frozen. When ready to bake, place them in a cold oven, set the oven temp to 375F, and give them about 90 minutes.

Pastry (Pâte Brisée)
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter
3 tbsp shortening
5-6 tbsp ice water

In bowl of food processor fitted with metal blade, combine flour, salt, butter and shortening. Process with 12-15 1-second pulses until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, processing for a few seconds after each addition until mixture begins to come together. Let processor run and add water, about 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together in a ball. Remove from processor and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate. Let rest at least an hour. I usually make it the day before I use it, letting it chill overnight.

Filling

10 chicken thighs, roasted, skin removed, meat removed from bone and cut into bite-size pieces
5 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons chicken demi-glace (chicken base or bouillon cubes can be substituted, but in that case taste for salt before seasoning)
12 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups chopped yellow onion (2 medium or one large)
2 stalks celery, medium dice
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tbsp dry sherry
2 cups carrots, medium dice (around 5 medium)
10 oz frozen peas
1-1/2 cups frozen pearl onions
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp water)
Salt and pepper for top of crust

Preheat oven to 375F.

Heat chicken stock. Dissolve demi-glace in hot stock. Cover and keep hot.

In large heavy saucepan or dutch oven, melt butter. Sauté onion and celery in butter until onion is translucent, 10-15 minutes. Blend in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in hot stock and bring to a simmer; let simmer for a couple of minutes. Add cream, sherry, chicken, carrots, peas, pearl onions, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer for a few more minutes. Taste for and adjust seasoning.

Divide mixture evenly among 6 oven-proof bowls. Divide the dough into six pieces. Roll each piece into a 7-inch circle. Drape over the tops of the bowls, slightly crimping at the bowl edges. Brush the tops with egg wash and make 2-3 slits in the pastry. Sprinkle with a bit of kosher salt and black pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until golden brown and bubbling.

I've tried several recipes for this dish. This is the absolute *best*. So simple, so savory, so *good*.

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 - 3/4 cups dry white wine
10 sprigs fresh thyme
40 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350F. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in wide fry pan or braiser over high heat. Add chicken and brown on both sides (do in two batches if necessary). Remove chicken and add garlic, tossing in hot oil. Add wine and deglaze pan. Turn off heat and add chicken back to pan, skin side up, in one layer. Tuck thyme between chicken pieces. Cover and bake for one hour. Remove cover, increase heat to 375F and bake an additional 30 minutes, until chicken is done and skin is crispy.

Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve with crusty bread to spread the wonderful soft garlic on, and with mashed potatoes or rice dressed with the pan juices.

Comfort food Heaven!! I didn't change a thing from the recipe as written. *So* good.

From The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Serves 6-8
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes (includes 1 hour braising time)

Don't use lowfat or nonfat milk for this dish. Also, make the dumpling dough only when you're ready to top the stew with the dumplings. The chicken fat rendered during the browning provides additional flavor in the dumplings.

STEW
5 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 ribs celery, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 onion, minced
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry sherry
4-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
or 1/2 teaspoon dried
2 bay leaves
1 cup frozen peas
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

DUMPLINGS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat
or unsalted butter

1. For the stew: Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-hight heat until just smoking. Add half of the chicken and cook until golden on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and remove the browned skin. (Feed chicken skin to dog with big brown eyes - kw) Pour off the chicken fat and reserve. Return the pot to the heat and repeat with the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and the remaining chicken. Pour off and reserve any chicken fat.

2. Add the butter to the Dutch oven and melt over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until onion and celery are softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the sherry, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the broth, milk, thyme, and bay leaves. Nestle the chicken, with any accumulated juices, into the pot. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked and tender, about 1 hour.

3. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Discard the bay leaves. Allow the sauce to settle for a few minutes, then skim the fat from the surface using a wide spoon. Shred the chicken, discarding the bones, then return it to the stew.

4. For the dumplings: Stir the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Microwave the milk and fat in a microwave-safe bowl on high until just warm (do not overheat), about 1 minute. Stir the warmed milk mixture into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon until incorporated and smooth.

5. Return the stew to a simmer, stir in the peas and parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Drop golf-ball sized dumplings into the stew about 1/4 inch apart (you should have about 18 dumplings). Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the dumplings have doubled in size, 15 to 18 minutes.

No pictures. Like most autumn food, it's not exactly bursting with color anyway, and we were way too hungry for anyone to wait for me to take lovely photographs. But OMG, this was *good*.

Whole Chicken Braised with Pears

1 - 4 1/2 lb chicken
salt & pepper to taste
dried thyme to taste
4 just-ripe Bosc pears
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 large leek, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Tear off any large chunks of fat from the chicken and discard. Remove the giblets from the chicken and set aside, except for the liver which you should discard (or cook for your cat!). Cut off the last two joints from each wing of the chicken and set aside with the giblets.

Wash the chicken inside and out and pat dry. Salt and pepper it inside and out. Sprinkle dried thyme inside. Cut one of pears in four pieces and put it inside the chicken. Truss the chicken.

Heat the oven to 325 F.

Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a pot large enough to hold the chicken or a Dutch oven. Brown the chicken on each side. Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the giblets and wing tips and brown. Remove and set aside with the chicken. Pour off the fat from the pot and discard.

Melt 1 tbsp of butter in the pot. Add the chopped leek and shallots, salt, pepper and about 1 tsp of dried thyme. Sautee until the vegetables are soft. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the broth and vinegar and boil for 2 or 3 more minutes. Remove from heat.

Return chicken to the pot, setting it on top of the vegetables. Put giblets and wings around the chicken. Cover the pot with wax paper, pressing down so it almost touches the chicken. Cover with the lid and put in the oven. Cook until the chicken reaches 170 degree, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Every 20 minutes, baste it with the juices.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the garnish. Peel the remaining pears, core them and cut them in slices. Melt 2 tbsp. of butter in a skillet and add the pears. Toss them to coat them with butter. Add the sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Sautee until the pears start to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar, stir and cook for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and set aside.

When the chicken is ready, remove from the pot and keep warm. Strain the braising liquid into a small saucepan and discard the vegetables. Boil the braising liquid until it acquires the consistency of a thick vinaigrette, about 15 minutes. Add the pear garnish to the sauce and mix well.

Slice chicken and arrange on heated platter. Top with the pear garnish.

Napa Cabbage and Leeks

4 slices applewood smoked bacon (I use Neiman Ranch), diced
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 small or 2 medium leeks; trimmed, halved, washed and sliced in 1/2" slices
1 head Napa cabbage, cored, washed and sliced in 1/4" slices
Salt and pepper to taste
Freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
3/4 cup dry white wine

Melt butter in large pan or dutch oven. Saute bacon until crisp and bacon renders its fat. Saute leeks until soft. Add cabbage, salt and pepper, and nutmeg, then turn heat down to medium low and cover tightly. Let cook for 15 minutes.

Turn heat up to high and add wine. Cook and stir until wine nearly cooks off. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Brown Basmati Rice

1-1/2 cups brown basmati rice, rinsed
3 cups chicken broth or stock

Bring chicken broth to a boil. Add rice, stir and cover. Turn heat to low and steam for 40 minutes. Turn heat off and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork.

Oh my goodness. From Patricia Wells' Trattoria: Simple and Robust Fare Inspired by the Small Family Restaurants of Italy.

Served with pan-roasted red potatoes and steamed green beans. Wine was Bonny Doon Pacific Rim Dry Riesling.

I'm posting the recipe as written, but note that I added about 1/2 cup dry white wine (specifically Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc) to the pan during Step 5.

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
28 fresh sage leaves
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, halved, for garnish

1. Place chicken breasts in a glass baking dish. Add the lemon juice, 3 tablespoons of the oil and the sage leaves. Turn the chicken to coat evenly, cover, and set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.

2. Remove the chicken from the marinade and pat dry. Strain the marinade into a small bowl; reserve the sage leaves separately.

3. In a large skillet, melt the butter in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over moderately high heat until hot and bubbly. Add the chicken breasts, smooth side down, and cook until evenly browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the breasts, and season the cooked side generously with salt and pepper. Tuck the reserved sage leaves around the chicken and cook until the chicken is browned on the bottom and just white throughout but still juicy, 5 to 10 minutes more. Do not scorch the sage.

4. Remove the skillet from the heat. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and season the bottom side with salt and pepper. Slice the chicken breasts on the diagonal into thick slices, and arrange on a warmed serving platter. Place the sage leaves over the chicken.; Cover loosely with foil.

5. Discard the fat from the skillet. Heat the skillet over moderately high heat until hot. Add the reserved marinade and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. (It was at this point that I added the wine.) The sauce will boil almost immediately. As soon as it reduces to a brown glaze (less than one minute), pour the sauce over the chicken. Garnish with the lemon halves. Serve immediately.

(This is a portion of my personal journal entry from a couple of days ago, but I wanted to put it here because recipes are a helluva lot easier for me to find here than in that unweildy, chaotic mixed bag I call my personal journal.)

From July 9:

food_porn was all about bulgogi today, and I started getting a craving. Trouble was, I had some boneless, skinless chicken breasts that really needed to be used up. So, instead of steak, I used chicken.

You know what? Chicken is *perfectly* wonderful. Which does not mean that I'm not going to try this with a nice bit of steak some time soon.

Anyway, dinner tonight. No pictures this time. Maybe next time.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons sake, or rice wine, or sherry
2 tablespoons sesame oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, minced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Slice chicken breasts into 1/4" strips. Combine the rest of the ingredients, mixing until sugar is dissolved. Place chicken strips in ziplock bag. Add marinade to bag, pressing most of the air out before closing. Marinate chicken 1-4 hours (I marinated for 4).

In the meantime, soak nine wooden skewers in water. Thread chicken onto skewers. Grill over high heat, or broil, about four minutes per side or until chicken is done. Serve with steamed white rice, stir-fried broccoli and dipping sauce (below).

Dipping Sauce

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon (or more) Hunan Red Chile sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
Ground black pepper to taste

O.M.G. So good.

Moroccan Chicken with Olives and Preserved Lemons
Mostly adapted from a recipe in Fine Cooking.

This recipe can also be made using a tagine.

Serves 4
( click here for recipe and pics )

My cooking philosophy, for the most part, is "keep it simple". I tend to stay away from the idea of gilding the lily. Often, when it comes to food, especially when made with fresh, wonderful ingredients, I find that less is more.

Then there's my curried chicken salad.

I find that I just keep adding stuff to it. I can't help myself :).

So, my curried chicken salad. Measurements are vague to non-existent.

I baked six boneless, skinless, chicken breasts for about 40 minutes. If you want to poach them, you can do that instead. After they cooled to room temperature, I chopped them up and tossed them in a big bowl. I chopped three ribs of celery and two Granny Smith apples and added them into the bowl. Next came three green onions, thinly sliced, a handful of dried cranberries and a handful of desiccated coconut (dried, unsweetened). A handful of slivered, toasted almonds, a bunch of seedless grapes (red, green or black - whatever you fancy) cut in half, and some minced yellow onion (half of a small one) followed.

The dressing:
Enough mayonnaise to bind the solid ingredients, a good squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a good squeeze of honey (or a tablespoon or two, if you don't have a squeeze bottle), kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste and a couple tablespoons of sweet curry powder (I use a combination of Penzeys Sweet Curry Powder and Penzeys Maharajah Curry Powder - about a 3:1 ratio), the curry powder toasted in a dry saute pan until fragrant. Mix together and let stand for a few minutes. Fold into the solid ingredients.

Chill for a few hours, until cold and flavors blend and mellow.

It's *so* good to be cooking again!

Last night was Chicken Cacciatore.

1 pkg chicken breast halves, each cut in half to make six pieces
1 pkg chicken thighs (6)
flour
salt
pepper

Several tablespoons olive oil
1 large or 2 medium yellow onioins, sliced
1 large or 2 medium red bell peppers, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
dried basil
dried oregano
kosher salt
sugar
red wine
1 large can whole roma tomatoes w/basil
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 lb button or crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 lb pasta (I usually use penne)

Freshly grated parmesan cheese

Mix a good cup or so of all-purpose flour with a generous amount of salt and a good grinding of black pepper. Dredge chicken in flour mixture. Brown well in olive oil on both sides, 3 pieces at a time, in a large pot or dutch oven. Set aside each batch as it is browned. When chicken is browned, saute onions and peppers until soft, then add garlic and saute until fragrant (don't allow to brown). Add chicken back to pot, then add crushed tomatoes. Moosh the whole tomatoes with your (clean) hand then add to pot. Add a good splash of red wine, some dried basil and oregano to taste, a tablespoon or two of sugar, and salt to taste. Stir well so everything is mixed well and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for about 25 minutes until chicken is done. Add mushrooms and simmer until mushrooms are tender.

Keep warm while cooking pasta. Serve chicken and sauce over pasta and finish with a good grating of parmesan.

**************************************************

Tonight was stir-fried pork.

1 lb pork tenderloin, cut into strips

Marinade
2/3 cup mirin
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder (I use Penzey's)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp powdered ginger
2 tblsp peanut oil
4 or 5 drops Mongolian Fire Oil
pinch ground cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2 tsp corn starch

Mix the marinade ingredients together and marinate the pork strips for at least an hour. Pour pork and marinade into a sieve over a bowl so that marinade drains into bowl. when meat has drained, whisk cornstarch into marinade.

Peanut oil
3 large carrots, sliced on the diagonal
3 ribs celery, sliced on the diagonal
1 large yellow onion, cut into chunks
1 large red bell pepper, cut into strips
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, sliced
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
A good handful of mung bean sprouts

Steamed rice

Heat a wok on high heat and add the peanut oil, heat until almost smoking. Stir-fry the pork until almost done and remove from wok. Add a little more peanut oil, then stir-fry yellow onion, celery and carrots for about five minutes. Add the garlic, green onions and red bell pepper and stir-fry for another minute. Add a tablespoon or two of water, cover, and let vegetables steam for about five minutes. Add mushrooms and stir into mixture, cover again and cook at high heat until mushrooms are tender and release their moisture. Remove cover, push vegetables to one side, and let juices cook down somewhat. Return pork to the wok and add bean sprouts and cook until bean sprouts are heated through but still crispy. Push mixture aside and add marinade-cornstarch mixture to juices in wok. Bring to a boil and let sauce thicken, the mix into stir-fry until everything is coated with sauce. Serve immediately with steamed rice.