Sauteed Chicken with Tomato Pan Sauce

Since I could cook, I have been pan frying chicken.  The most basic one I ever did was frozen chicken breast pan fried with a little oil or butter...just enough so it wouldn't stick and then fried until there was a delicious pan sauce.  Since I have learned a bit more since then I have discovered that this is a great way to cook to make an even better sauce to serve with the chicken, but I use more than just chicken to achieve it.  I am particular to adding wine to get all those good cooked on bits up and keep their flavor for the sauce.

This recipe is yet another based on one from the book Keepers by Kathy Brennan and Caroline Campion.  I have made quite a few things from their book, but I want to try even more.  As I have mentioned before, they are great meals to cook during the week as they come together quickly and most don't have a ton of ingredients.  I love a quick meal which tastes great too, which is my ideal during the week.

Sauteed Chicken with Tomato Pan Sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 -1 1/2 pound chicken breast cut into portions or smaller pieces (as you like)
salt and pepper
1 sweet onion, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 pint cherry tomatoes (I used cherub sunsweet tomatoes)
1 1/2 teaspoons chives, chopped (or fresh basil, oregano, thyme)

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter over medium high heat.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Once the butter has melted, add the chicken until it is golden brown (depending on thickness about 4-5 minutes).  Turn the chicken over, reduce heat to medium and cover the pan until the chicken is cooked through (again depending on thickness about 5-7 minutes).  Remove the chicken to a plate and cover while you make the pan sauce.

Pour off all, but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the chicken and return the heat to medium.  Add the onion and cook until fragrant.  Add the wine and scrape any caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the diced tomatoes.  Once heated through, remove from heat and add the chives (or fresh chopped basil, oregano, thyme) and the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter.  Check seasonings and add salt or pepper if needed.  Serve the chicken with the pan sauce over it.

Not really red chicken curry

I am an avid collector of cookbooks.  I have well over 150 of them, but I have cooked out of most of them and one of my goals is to go back through them and cook more things out of each of them.  Sometimes they just get a random recipe or two made from them.  Sometimes, I really find a lot of recipes to love in them and I want to make many so cook from it for some time.  I was never all that interested in Jamie Oliver's cookbooks until a friend of mine sent me two of them for my wedding.  I sat down with one of them and read it nearly cover to cover.  These are the cookbooks that I remember what is in them and come back to them frequently.  The other one is where is recipe is based off of - Meals in Minutes.

One thing I like about this cookbook is that is doesn't give you just one recipe at a time, but three to five so you can coordinate a whole meal during one time and don't have to think about what to do next as it is all integrated.  I don't think any of my other cookbooks are like this.  Sometimes I still pick and choose, though I don't think I have ever made all the things from one of the recipes either as it is a lot of food.

This recipe is titled Thai Red Curry, but there is not any curry in the recipe hence my name no really red curry.  Curries generally have turmeric in them in addition to a lot of other spices.  This recipe has the lots of other spices hence the name curry, but it does not have turmeric.   The blend is delicious, and I encourage you to try it out.

Thai Red Curry Chicken
2 lemongrass stalks (or 1 -2 tablespoons lemongrass powder)
1 fresh serrano chile, seeds removed
3 cloves garlic, peeled
cilantro
2 roasted red peppers (I bought a jar and used the equivalent)
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon fish sauce (buy a good quality one)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 inch piece of ginger (peeled)
1 pound of chicken, cut into 1 1/2 inch sized pieces
about a handful sugar snap peas
5-6 stalks of asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 can (14oz.) coconut milk
olive oil
salt
pepper
2 limes for serving, cut into wedges
Serve with rice (cook while making the sauce)

In a food processor blend together the chile, lemongrass powder (or stalks), garlic cloves, the bunch of cilantro, roasted red peppers, tomato paste, fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and ginger.  Mix until like a pate.  Put a frying pan over medium heat.   Add a few tablespoon olive oil and heat until shinny.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and fry over medium heat just until it is no longer pink.  Add 1 -2 tablespoons of the paste you just made.  Remove to a bowl and set aside.  Add more oil to the pan and add the asparagus and sugar snap peas.  Cook just for a minute and then add the rest of the spice mixture to the pan.  Cook for an additional minute and then add the coconut milk.  Once incorporated, turn the heat to medium low and simmer.   Add the chicken back to the pan and simmer until heated throughout.  Season as needed.  Serve over rice and with the lime wedges.

Chicken Enchiladas

I live in a state with a lot of Mexican food.  I am also lucky enough to have eaten Mexican food prepared by Mexicans (and not just eaten Americanized Mexican food).  One of the things that shocked my husband was ordering a chicken burrito at a Mexican restaurant.  He looked at me and said there is only chicken inside.  I laughed and said that it was the way Mexicans eat Mexican food.  It isn't filled with all sorts of things that we Americans can possibly think to add to make it not really Mexican food anymore.  This version of chicken enchiladas is definitely Americanize as there are things added to just the meat.  It is based on a recipe found on Food Network, but modified to spice it up a little more.  If you have not used chipotle peppers before, you might want to start with one or two as they add heat quickly.

Chicken Enchiladas
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 - 1 1/2 pounds chicken breast (boneless)
salt and pepper
2 teaspoons cumin powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chile powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2-3 green chilies, finely chopped (I used a combination of serrano and jalapeno)
4 chipotle chilies (from a canned), chopped
1 28oz. can stewed tomatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
about 16 corn tortillas
1 28 oz can green enchilada sauce
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Garnish: scallions, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, lettuce




Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat a large pan with olive oil.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Brown chicken over medium heat (about 7 minutes each side) until no longer pink.  Sprinkle chicken with powdered spices above before turning over.  Remove chicken to a platter to cool.

Saute onion and garlic in the chicken drippings until tender and clear.  Add the chiles.  Stir to combine.  Add canned tomatoes and saute for about a minute.

Pull the chicken apart....the easiest way to do this is to put it in the mixer and turn on a lower speed.  My KitchAid does this in about a minute.  Add the shredded chicken to the saute pan with the vegetables.  Dust with corn starch to help set.

Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds (this prevents them from breaking).  Coat the bottom of a 9x12 inch pan with enchilada sauce.  Dip the tortillas in enchilada sauce and fill with chicken mixture.   Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.  Bake for about 15 minutes or until cheese melts and mixture is hot throughout.  Serve garnished with cilantro, sour cream, lettuce, scallions and chopped tomatoes.   Serves about 8 (2 enchiladas per person).

Piri Piri Chicken

I tend to eat a lot of chicken because if cooked right, it can have a lot of flavor.  On the other hand if not cooked well it can be dry, tough and without much flavor.  This chicken has a lot of flavor which come from the piri piri sauce that the chicken is cooked in.  (This recipe is based off Piri Piri chicken from Jamie Oliver's Meals in Minutes.)  I also tend to use a lot of boneless, skinless chicken which makes it all the more important to have good flavor infused into the chicken.  This method uses a bit of cooking on the stove top as well as finishing in the oven so it gives you enough time to work on other things to serve with this chicken.

Piri Piri Chicken
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast
olive oil
1 red bell pepper, sliced or cubed
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced or cubed
6 sprigs of thyme
cilantro leaves
1 red onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic
1 serrano chile, stalk removed
1 jalapeno, stalk removed
2 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 lemons, zested (1 lemon also juiced)
1/4 white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
fresh bunch of basil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Put a large pan on to heat (to cook the chicken).  Place the chicken on a cutting board and season it with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.  Place the chicken into the preheat pan and cook until golden on each side.  (The first side should take about 5-6 minutes, then turn over.)

In the meantime, make the piri piri sauce.  Add the chopped red onion to a blender with the garlic, chiles, paprika, lemon zests, and juice from one lemon.  Add white wine, Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of salt and pepper, the bunch of basil and a little water.  Blend until smooth.

Add the red and yellow pepper to the chicken.  Turn the heat down to medium and stir the peppers.  Pour the piri piri sauce into a baking dish, add the peppers then the chicken (and any cooking sauce).  Next, add the sprigs of thyme and place in the oven on a middle rack.  Bake for about 15 minutes or until everything is baked through (and hot throughout).  Chicken will be cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 160F.  Remove chicken from oven the serve with the cilantro leaves sprinkled on top. 

Indian Creamed Spinach with Chicken (Saag)

As long as I can remember, I have loved trying foods from different places.  I can't remember when I first tried Indian food, but I do remember trying creamed spinach.  Since that day I have been searching for a recipe to make at home that is as delicious as I have eaten in a restaurant.  (Next, I will have to master naan bread, but that is a recipe for another day.)  I stumbled upon a recipe that included tomatoes.  I have no idea what they would add to the dish, but I found that I love the complex flavor that they added to the recipe.  It was a pretty good recipe, but it wasn't as good as I remembered eating in a restaurant.  I continued the search until I found this recipe in Anjum's New Indian.  My recipe is adapted from this cookbook.  I recommend this book if you are interested in making Indian food.  This recipe freezes well and reheats well, too.

Creamed Spinach
Serves 6

12 oz. spinach
5 tablespoons olive oil
3 cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons cinnamon or 1 cinnamon stick
4 green chiles, pricked
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
12 garlic cloves, peeled
3 large tomatoes, cut into quarters to remove core
1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes
salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoon garam masala
3 tablespoon plain, unsweetened yogurt

Use a blender or food processor, make a puree of the spinach.  Add a few tablespoons of water to help to make the puree.  Set aside.  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil.  Add the spices (cinnamon, bay leaves and cardamom pods) and cook for 15-20 seconds or until fragrant.  Add the green chiles and onion and cook until they are browned.

Using the blender to make a paste of the ginger, garlic and tomatoes.  Add this to the cooked onion.  Add the remaining spices (coriander, garam masala and salt to taste).  Cook for about 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.  Stir occasionally.  Add the chicken and continue to cook over medium heat until the masala releases oil into the pan, about 10 more minutes.  Add the yogurt and cook until the sauce has evaporated a little.  Taste to ensure that the masala sauce has cooked through.

Stir in the spinach puree and cook for another 15-20 minutes over medium heat until the chicken has been cooked through.  Cover the pan and stir occasionally.  Taste and adjust seasonings.   Serve with rice or naan bread.

Chicken Pot Pie Version 2

I have long been obsessed with a good chicken pot pie.  On this site I offer two...this one I am now writing about and another which I recently published (http://invitedtodinner.blogspot.com/2013/12/chicken-pot-pie.html).  These are two very different pot pies.  This one is not your regular, traditional pot pie.  First, it is topped with a biscuit crust instead of a traditional pastry topping.  Second, the meat portion of this pie is the main ingredient.  It also has a lovely cream sherry sauce which is added to the chicken so the flavor is unbelievable, but again not your traditional sauce.  I will have to make this a few more times to get used to the not your regular pot pie flavor.  Plus, I added a bit too much chicken so the portion was off a bit.  Another great thing about this is the it reheats well and the flavors continue to come together.  The biscuit is also very good and I really like the toasty crunchy bits.  This recipe is adapted from Pam Anderson's Perfect One Dish Dinners.

Chicken Pot Pie
1 cup chicken broth
1 can evaporated milk (you will use 6 oz.)
4 tablespoons butter, unsalted
2 large leeks, chopped as far up as the stalk isn't too firm (mainly the white and light green parts)
1 medium granny smith apple thinly sliced
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 cup cream sherry
salt and pepper to taste
fresh parsley

Biscuit Dough
1 cup flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Heat chicken broth and evaporated milk for about 3 minutes in the microwave.  Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add leaks and apples and cook until tender.  Remove from heat and set aside in a bowl with the shredded chicken.  Heat additional 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet.  Whisk in flour and sage.  Mix and then add the heated chicken broth and evaporated milk mixture.  Once the sauce thickens, turn off the heat and add the cream sherry and season with salt and pepper.  Stir this mixture and parsley into the chicken and leek mixture.  Adjust seasonings.  Pour mixture into a 9 inch pie plate.

For the biscuits mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cheddar cheese.  Mix in cold butter until small crumbs of butter appear. (I use my fingers.)  Mix buttermilk into dry ingredients until the dough just comes together.  Place biscuit dough over the chicken mixture in the pie plate.  It is sticky so I pulled it out in small bunches.  Bake until the biscuits are golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 30-40 minutes.  Serve hot.

Serves 4-6

Easy French Chicken

I stumbled upon this recipe while reading through cookbooks I had checked out from the library.  My husband didn't even know the library had cookbooks, let alone the number they actually do have on their shelves!  So my quest started to try to not buy very many cookbooks, but really that is a lost cause.  It became a way for me to preview a cookbook to see if I would be interested in cooking any of the recipes in the cookbook.  It does pay off as I can decide how many recipes I would like to try and decide if it really is worth buying the book.  This recipe for French Chicken comes from one such trip to the library.  This recipe I made before I even bought the cookbook.  I figured this and the other recipes in this book was well worth as easy and very tasty chicken recipe for an easy weeknight meal.  The book is called The Bonne Femme Cookbook by Wini Moranville.  I look forward to trying more of the recipes from this book.  The ingredient lists are not intimidating and the directions not extensive.  I think this book will bear more recipes which this ones shares...very good, easy and quick.

Chicken Francese (French Chicken)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh parsley or chives
2 tablespoons  unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, pressed
3/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Pound chicken breasts between plastic wrap to about 1/4 inch thick or butterfly them.  Season both sides with salt and pepper.  Dredge chicken in flour, removing any extra.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook, turning once until no longer pink inside (7-8 minutes).  Transfer chicken to a platter and sprinkle with parsley or chives.  Cover to keep warm.

Drain off any fat from the skillet.  Add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the skillet.  When melted, add the garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).  Add the wine and lemon juice,  stir to remove any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Bring to a boil and boil until reduced by half (about 2-3 minutes).  Reduce heat to low and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon at a time to thicken the sauce.  Arrange the chicken on dinner plates and spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Makes 2-4 servings, depending on the size of the chicken breasts.

Chicken Pot Pie

The finished product! Doesn't it look delicious?

One of my goals in cooking for me and my husband is to make sure I use enough vegetables.  My husband doesn't like vegetables or at least that is what he is always telling me.  So my challenge is to get him to eat vegetables in a way that he doesn't realize he is eating as much as he does.  The good part is that he is always willing to try something at least once, which makes experimenting with new recipes easier than it could be.  There are a number of recipes I can now get him to eat that don’t include meat, which at times I find too heavy.  This recipe from Ad Hoc at Home, while a little time consuming was a winner as far as including aromatic vegetables, but also in getting them to go along well with some meat.

Before the sauce is added...

This recipe is not for the faint-hearted because I have never had all four of my burners working at the same time for just one recipe.  However, it was only for a short period of time and the job was done - to get flavor into raw vegetables without overcooking them.  Also, because it was a pot pie, there is of course a part of the recipe in which you have to make dough.  I have never liked working with dough and used to avoid recipes with them at all cost.  I never bought store-made dough as I didn't want to give in to a partially homemade dish.  In the past five years though, I have not only begun working with dough, but have also mastered the basic dough recipe.  As much as I dislike rolling out dough, it likes me and without fail the crust (or cookies) turn out great.

Bechamel Sauce for the pot pie.

Chicken Pot Pie

Pie Crust:

2.5 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

10 ounces unsalted butter, cold

About 5 tablespoons cold water

Combine flour and salt in a bowl.  Add the butter and use your hands to mix into pea-sized lumps.  Add the 5 tablespoons water until it forms a ball.  Add more as needed for the flour mixture to come together.  Divide dough into two (one should be slightly smaller as the top will need less than the bottom crust).  Refrigerate for about an hour.  Roll out dough into a round about 13-14 inch bottom for a 9 inch pie plate.  Add flour as needed, but don't incorporate too much.  Put the first piece into the bottom of the pie plate and roll out the second for the top.  Refrigerate while ingredients are cooking.

Filling:

1 cup red potatoes cut into 1/2 inch pieces

1 cup carrots cut into 1/2 pieces

1 small onion cut into 1/2 pieces

3 bay leaves

3 thyme springs

24 peppercorns (black preferably)

1 cup celery cut into 1/2 pieces

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

Sauce:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons flour

3 cups milk

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon parsley

1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme

pinch of cayenne pepper

Glaze:

1 egg, beaten

Put the potatoes, carrots, and onions in separate small saucepans with water to cover and 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig of thyme, and 8 peppercorns for each pan.  Simmer for 8-10 minutes until just tender (med-high heat).  Drain vegetables, discard thyme, bay leaves and peppercorns.  Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Fill a medium bowl with ice and cold water.  Blanch the celery until just tender, but still crisp (about 1 minute).  Drain and transfer to the ice water bath.  Drain and add to the baking sheet.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in flour and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Whisk in milk and lower the heat to keep the sauce at a gentle simmer.  Whisk often until the sauce has reduced and thicken to about 2 cups (about 35 minutes).  Don't let the sauce burn.

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Strain sauce through a fine mesh colander.  Season with salt, pepper, parsley, thyme and cayenne pepper.  Remove the rolled dough from the refrigerator.  Scatter the vegetables and chicken into the pie plate with the crust.  Pour the sauce over them.  Moisten rim of dough with the beaten egg.  Place the top crust onto the pie plate filled with chicken and vegetables.  Press the edges to seal the dough.  Remove any extra dough from edges.  Brush the top of the dough with the beaten egg.  Cut a small vent in the top of the dough to let steam escape.

Bake on the lower oven rack until the crust is golden brown about 55 minutes.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.  Cut into wedges and serve.  Serves about 6.

Tea Smoked Chicken

This is another recipe based on David Tanis' heart of the artichoke.  The smoking of the chicken was a rather unusual concept to me, but as I worked my way through this recipe, I kept coming back to smell the ingredients used to smoke the chicken.  Days later my garbage still smelled great....not that I would recommend smelling your garbage after using chicken, but I usually dispose of anything that will rot immediately.   I am working on making a compost which the ingredients to smoke the chicken would be a welcome addition.

I highly recommend this tea smoked chicken.  I am going to continue to experiment with this recipe and try other pieces other than bone-in chicken legs.  Though I think any part with skin would work well in this recipe.  You do need a close pan like a roaster with a lid to properly smoke the chicken else all the smoke will leave and not absorb into the chicken.

Tea Smoked Chicken Legs
1/2 cup tea leaves (I used a black tea blend)
1/2 cup rice (I used brown rice as that was what was in my cupboard)
 1/2 brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon star anise
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon whole cloves, though I used some powdered as well
6 cooked chicken legs

Precook the chicken in broth with ginger, garlic and scallions.  This will take about an hour of simmering.  Line bottom of your container with aluminum foil.  Place all ingredients (minus the chicken legs on the aluminum foil.  Place a roasting rack over the spices and place chicken on the roasting rack.  Put the lid on.  Preheat oven to 400F.  Put the roasting pan on the stove over high heat.  At this point you cannot open the container or else you will loose your smoke.  Leave on high heat for about 2-3 minutes.  You should hear the spices (sugar) crackling and you should smell the spices begin to smoke.  Turn off heat and put in oven for 10-15 minutes.  It is suggested you open the pan outside to release smoke, or near an open window so as not to set off the smoke alarms.  These chicken legs are great cold as well.  Serve with a salad and additional veggies for a full meal.

Chinese - Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken
 
I am not a big fan of Chinese food...well not the traditional American Chinese take-away which seems to take 30 seconds to make and doesn't capture the flavors which you can experience in Hong Kong (as Hong Kong food is closer than other traditional Chinese flavors to American Chinese take-away).  However, my husband is a BIG fan of Chinese food and would eat it every week.  So the compromise was for me to find some traditional Chinese food which I could make at home relatively easily and which we would both like to eat.

I found both of these things in Easy Chinese Recipes by Bee Yinn Low.  This recipe for Kung Pao Chicken is adapted from the recipe in this book, which also contains wonderful recipes for dim sum of which I need to try out.  If you have never eaten dim sum, I encourage you to try it out for a brunch some Saturday or Sunday morning as it is quick and delicious bite sized food in a variety of flavors.

Kung Pao Chicken comes from the Sichuan area of China.  It is known for food which is spicy which can be tempered by rice if you so desire.  I didn't eat Kung Pao Chicken when I was in China, but I had some other Sichuan food which was spicy and filling.  This recipe serves two with only 8oz of chicken.  I like to double the chicken as it is so tender I don't want to stop eating it.  However, this does not reheat very well as the peanuts become chewy and the onions wilted.  Note: I use an electric wok to cook with as the temperature is much higher than using the stove regardless of whether it is electric or gas.  The wok heats up quickly and efficiently and everything cooks much better than on the stove top.

Kung Pao Chicken
16 oz. Chicken, boneless chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
2 teaspoons sherry
3 tablespoons cornstarch (really I make sure that the chicken has been covered lightly)
4 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons sichuan peppercorn oil (made from soaking sichuan peppercorns in oil)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thin
About 2 inches of ginger, peeled and sliced thin
30 dried chiles
peanuts (raw or slightly baked to make more crunchy)
2-3 green onions, cut into 1-2 inch pieces

Sauce:
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
pepper (white is better, but I use black when I don't have white on hand)
4 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Method:
(Be sure you have put the rice on before beginning to stir fry the chicken.)  Tenderize chicken before beginning, if you desire.  Marinate the chicken with sherry (or rice wine) and cornstarch for about 10 minutes.  Mix all the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.  Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in a wok and stir fry the chicken until they are half-cooked.  Remove from wok and set aside.  Heat remaining peanut oil and peppercorn oil.  Add garlic and ginger, stirring quickly.  Add the chiles until you smell the spicy aroma of the chile peppers (don't breathe in too much!)  Return chicken to the wok and stir with spatula.  Add the sauce and stir until chicken is well coated.  Stir in peanuts and green onions until everything is well combined.  Serve immediately with rice.  Serves 2-4 large portions.


Breville Hot Wok, BEW600XL - stainless (Google Affiliate Ad)

Chicken Enchiladads Verde

Since I am still stuck on Pam Anderson's Perfect One Dish Dinner cookbook, here is another easy to prepare recipe for chicken enchiladas. I really love enchiladas and though this is simple to prepare, I think I need to tweek it a little next time as I like it spicier than this version. I should have tried out the salsa verde before I made it with them, but oh well. You can always spice it up afterward with some lovely chipotle tabasco sauce or just some spicier salsa which is what I did. I also think that if the chicken is cooked in advance, letting it sit in salsa over night or for a little while before throwing it all together would help the flavors mesh together better.

4 cups cooked chicken

4 cups green chile salsa

1 can diced tomatoes with green peppers and onions

8 ounces cheese, I prefer sharp cheddar for more flavor, but you can use a milder one as well

Fresh cilantro (I like a sprinkle, but you can add more if you like the flavor)

Corn tortillas (16 or more to fit your pan)

½ onion, chopped

Sour cream for garnish

Heat oven to 400F. Mix chicken with diced tomatoes and onions. Add half the green chile salsa and stir together well. Add 1 ½ cups cheese, sprinkle of cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. Spread one cup salsa in baking dish.

Wrap tortillas in a damp paper towel and microwave on high until warm, about 30-45 seconds. Spoon in chicken filling and roll. Place seam side down into your baking pan. Fill the rest of the tortillas. Spread another 1 1/2 cups salsa over the tortilla rolls, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking oil to prevent sticking. Bake for about 30 minutes or until heated throughout. Sprinkle onion slices and a little more cilantro. Let stand for a few minutes and then serve with sour cream and salsa.

Chicken Biryani American Style

Yet another cookbook with delicious recipes...this one came from Pam Anderson, Perfect One-Dish Dinners.  The recipe I based it on was Chicken Biryani American Style, though like most of my cooking I modified as I went along.

The recipe called this dish distinctly spicy, which I have to disagree with as I tend to like things spicier.  Next time I make this I will definitely make it spicier by  adding more red pepper flakes or add some other chile for more spice.  I would also recommend not adding the cashews as they do not reheat well and are rather chewy.  It is much simpler to add what you would like to each portion.

Serves3-4

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1 inch chunks

2 Tablespoons butter

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 Tablespoon grated gingerroot

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 Tablespoon curry

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 cup basmati rice

1/2 teaspoon saffron threads

1/2 cup light coconut milk

1 cup chicken broth

1/4 roasted cashews

Generously sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; set aside.  Heat half the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add half of the onion, ginger and pepper flakes and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder and continue to cook until fragrant, about 1 more minute.  Add chicken and stirring constantly and until it looses its raw color.  Add yogurt and lime juice and cook until juice thicken slightly.  Transfer chicken mixture to bowl.  Wipe out pan and return to heat.

Heat other half of the butter, remaining onion and cook, stirring until soft (about 5 minutes).  Stir in rice and saffron.  Then stir in coconut milk, 1/2 of the chicken broth and a little salt.  Cover and bring to a simmer, about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Heat oven to 375F and pour about 1/3 of the chicken mixture into a medium bowl.  Spread remaining rice evening over the bottom of the skillet.  Pour chicken and juices over rice in skillet and then top with remaining rice.  Pour second half of chicken broth over rice and cover the pan with foil.  Bake until heated through and rice starts to crust around the edges, about 30 minutes.  Remove from over, sprinkle with cashews and serve.

Cold winter meals - White Chicken Chile

When the weather turns cold, it makes me want to cook and bake good hearty soups and roasts.  Yesterday, it turned colder, becoming more like Christmas type weather and I decided after all my errands, I should cook up a hearty chili.  So this is a twist on a recipe my aunt gave me for White Chili.

White Chili is comprised of:
2 pounds of chicken
3 cans white beans (like canelli, great northern, kidney)
12 oz. drained green chilies (3 x 4oz. cans)
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1-2 Tablespoon cilantro
1 1/2 teaspoon oregano
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1 medium onion chopped
2 tsp garlic
about 1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 cups chicken broth
1 tsp salt
6-8 oz sour cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream (or evaporated milk)

Saute chicken, onions and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink.  Add beans, chicken broth, chilies and seasoning.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and add cream (or evaporated milk) and sour cream.  Serve immediately.  Serves 4-6.

It looks thinner than it is.  It is a hearty, slightly spicy chili.  Because I had leftovers from Thanksgiving, I used leftover turkey instead of the chicken in this version and it was also very good.  The sour cream adds a thickness and creamy texture that fills and satisfies you.  I also used fresh roasted green chilies.  I was not sure how spicy they would turn out to be as each chili is a little different, but the spiciness will be cut with the addition of the milk products.

It is delicious with bread or tortillas as well.  Enjoy!