Also from the Healthy Family Cookbook, this recipe uses thin chicken cutlets and oven-baked chicken to cut the fat and calories.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups panko
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 oz)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
3 large egg whites (6 tbsp store-bought egg whites)
1 Tbsp water
vegetable oil spray
6 (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken cutlets, pounded 1/4-inch thick (you can slice thicken breasts in half horizontally and then pound between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to accomplish this).
2 cups tomato sauce, warmed (recipe follows, or use jarred)
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella (about 3 oz)
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees. Combine the panko and oil in a 12-inch skillet and toast over medium heat, stirring often, until golden, 10-12 minutes. Note: This step can seem unnecessary, but it really does make things taste better. Just do it.
2. Transfer the crumbs to a shallow dish, let cool, then stir in teh Parmesan. Combine the lfour adn garlic powder in a second shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, whisk the egg whites and water together. You're basically making an assembly line of flour, egg white, panko.
3. Spray a wire rack with vegetable oil spray and place over a rimmed baking sheet. (DO NOT SKIP THE WIRE RACK--it is the secret to getting this chicken crispy on both sides without frying). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken cutlets in flour (shake to remove excess), then dip into egg whites, and then coat with toasted crumbs, pressing on them to adhere. Lay the breaded chicken on the prepared wire rack.
Busy parent note: You can prep the chicken to this point, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
4. Spray teh tops of the chicken lightly with vegetable oil spray. Bake until the chicken registers 150-160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 8-10 mins (longer if you prepped/refrigerated the chicken, 10-12 min).
5. Top each cutlet with 2 tbsp of the sauce and 2 tbsp of the mozzarella. continue to bake until the cheese has melted adn the chicken registers 160-165-degrees, 3-5 minutes. Sprinkle with basil and serve, passing the remaining sauce separately.
Per serving (1 chicken breast prepared as directed): 330 cal, 10g fat, 3g sat fat, 80mg chol, 20g carb, 38g protein, 2g fiber, 750mg sodium. (8 pts plus per serving)
Sauce (this is the sauce used in calculating points. A jarred sauce would change points value):
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp olive oil
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1Tbsp minced resh basil
Salt and Pepper
Pulse the tomatoes with their juice in a food processor until mostly smooth, about 10 pulses (or use a handy dandy immersion blender). Cook the garlic, tomato paste, oil, adn red pepper flakes in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 2 min. Stir in the processed tomatoes and cook until the sauce is thickened and measures 2 cups, about 20 min. Off the heat, stirin teh basil, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Per 1/2 cup serving (included in pts above): 40 cal, 1 g fat, 0 sat fat, 0 cholesterol, 5 g carb, 1 g protein, 1 g fiber, 310 mg sodium, 1 pts plus.
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Penne with Chicken, Asparagus, and Lemon
From The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook.
This cookbook has some of the recipes from the best light recipes book that I love, but not all of the recipes are light. Most are quick and family-friendly. I also like that it's in a binder and so lays flat when you're trying to read them/cook.
This will be a new recipe for me this week.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2-3), trimmed and sliced thin
1 leek, whte and green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp minced fresh thyme
2 tsp all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 oz)
2 tsp grated lemon zest plus 1/4 cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
1 bunch medium-size asparagus (about 1 lb), tough ends trimmed, and sliced on the bias into 1-inch lengths
12 oz whole-wheat pasta
2 tbsp shredded fresh basil
1. Heat 1 1/2 tsp of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken, break up any clumps, and cook until lightly browned but not fully cooked, about 3 min. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tsp oil to the skillet and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the leek and cook until softened, about 5 min. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 min. Slowly whisk in the broth and wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up and browned bits. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 15 min.
4. While that is cooking, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the asparagus and 1 tbsp salt and cook, stirring often, until the asparagus is crisp-tender, 2-4 min. With a slotted spoon, transfer asparagus to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Return the water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
5. Return the chicken with any accumulated juice to the skillet. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 min. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add the chicken-broth mixture, asparagus, and basil to the pasta and toss to combine. Before serving, add the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce.
Per 1 2/3 cup serving: 380 cal, 7g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 50 mg cholesterol, 44g carb, 29 g protein, 8 g fiber, 540 mg sodium. 9 pts plus.
This cookbook has some of the recipes from the best light recipes book that I love, but not all of the recipes are light. Most are quick and family-friendly. I also like that it's in a binder and so lays flat when you're trying to read them/cook.
This will be a new recipe for me this week.
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2-3), trimmed and sliced thin
1 leek, whte and green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp minced fresh thyme
2 tsp all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 oz)
2 tsp grated lemon zest plus 1/4 cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
1 bunch medium-size asparagus (about 1 lb), tough ends trimmed, and sliced on the bias into 1-inch lengths
12 oz whole-wheat pasta
2 tbsp shredded fresh basil
1. Heat 1 1/2 tsp of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the chicken, break up any clumps, and cook until lightly browned but not fully cooked, about 3 min. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the remaining 1 1/2 tsp oil to the skillet and return to medium heat until shimmering. Add the leek and cook until softened, about 5 min. Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 min. Slowly whisk in the broth and wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up and browned bits. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 15 min.
4. While that is cooking, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the asparagus and 1 tbsp salt and cook, stirring often, until the asparagus is crisp-tender, 2-4 min. With a slotted spoon, transfer asparagus to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Return the water to a boil, add the pasta, and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
5. Return the chicken with any accumulated juice to the skillet. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 min. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add the chicken-broth mixture, asparagus, and basil to the pasta and toss to combine. Before serving, add the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce.
Per 1 2/3 cup serving: 380 cal, 7g fat, 1.5 g sat fat, 50 mg cholesterol, 44g carb, 29 g protein, 8 g fiber, 540 mg sodium. 9 pts plus.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Sam's Casablanca Chicken
I love Facebook. I mean, where else can you find out what happened to that person from high school, get parenting advice from an old college friend, AND get recipes from someone you don't often see "in real life." That's where I got this recipe: a facebook friend posted it with thanks to someone I don't know--presumably a friend of hers.
I held onto it for a while because it doesn't seem all that kid-friendly and I wasn't even sure The Big Geek would eat it. Well, as it turns out the little geeks ate the chicken and the noodles, and TBG and I really enjoyed it. By the time everything cooks you don't even realize there is eggplant in it, and the flavors combine to make something pretty darned tasty. I had prepared myself for a struggle at dinner but it turned out just fine.
The other great thing about this recipe is you make it in the crock pot--perfect for long days, because you come home to a prepared meal and only need to boil some noodles or cook some rice to be ready to eat.
Ingredients:
8 skinless chicken thighs (recipe calls for bone-in but I used boneless as it's what I had and it turned out fine)
1 large eggplant (1.5 lbs), peeled and cubed
3/4 lb plum tomatoes, in 1/2 inch chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, in 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup red onions
8 marinated sun-dried tomato halves, drained and cut into strips (dried ones are ok if you can't find the marinated ones--mine came in strips so I guessed on the amount)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 large crushed garlic cloves (or the pre-minced kind if you're lazy like me)
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can rinsed & drained chick peas (aka garbanzo beans)
2 Tbsp peanut butter (I must confess I used more than this)
Trim fat from chicken (mine didn't have much). In crock pot, combine eggplant through red pepper flakes and mix well. It will look as if there isn't enough liquid, but there will be when it's finished cooking. Place chicken on top, bone side up (if bone-in). Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours (or on high 2 1/2-3 hours, but I didn't try this). Stir in chick peas and peanut butter. Let stand 5 min. Serve with chopped peanuts as a garnish if desired (I didn't have any so I skipped this, but it would be tasty).
The recipe suggests serving it over egg noodles, which was good, but I also think it would be good with rice or quinoa. This makes A LOT of food. TBG said he thought the chicken should be shredded and mixed in, which you certainly could do if you wanted. I liked being able to make the little geeks plates of chicken and noodles, NOT touching, that they would actually eat. Neither of them would eat the veggie mixture.
Give it a try. I know it sounds weird, but it really is tasty!
I held onto it for a while because it doesn't seem all that kid-friendly and I wasn't even sure The Big Geek would eat it. Well, as it turns out the little geeks ate the chicken and the noodles, and TBG and I really enjoyed it. By the time everything cooks you don't even realize there is eggplant in it, and the flavors combine to make something pretty darned tasty. I had prepared myself for a struggle at dinner but it turned out just fine.
The other great thing about this recipe is you make it in the crock pot--perfect for long days, because you come home to a prepared meal and only need to boil some noodles or cook some rice to be ready to eat.
Ingredients:
8 skinless chicken thighs (recipe calls for bone-in but I used boneless as it's what I had and it turned out fine)
1 large eggplant (1.5 lbs), peeled and cubed
3/4 lb plum tomatoes, in 1/2 inch chunks
1 yellow bell pepper, in 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup red onions
8 marinated sun-dried tomato halves, drained and cut into strips (dried ones are ok if you can't find the marinated ones--mine came in strips so I guessed on the amount)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 large crushed garlic cloves (or the pre-minced kind if you're lazy like me)
1 tsp tumeric
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can rinsed & drained chick peas (aka garbanzo beans)
2 Tbsp peanut butter (I must confess I used more than this)
Trim fat from chicken (mine didn't have much). In crock pot, combine eggplant through red pepper flakes and mix well. It will look as if there isn't enough liquid, but there will be when it's finished cooking. Place chicken on top, bone side up (if bone-in). Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours (or on high 2 1/2-3 hours, but I didn't try this). Stir in chick peas and peanut butter. Let stand 5 min. Serve with chopped peanuts as a garnish if desired (I didn't have any so I skipped this, but it would be tasty).
The recipe suggests serving it over egg noodles, which was good, but I also think it would be good with rice or quinoa. This makes A LOT of food. TBG said he thought the chicken should be shredded and mixed in, which you certainly could do if you wanted. I liked being able to make the little geeks plates of chicken and noodles, NOT touching, that they would actually eat. Neither of them would eat the veggie mixture.
Give it a try. I know it sounds weird, but it really is tasty!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Chicken, Lemon, and Dill with Orzo
This is another dish I tried during our trip to Oklahoma this summer. I've been waiting for it to be cool enough to make for dinner, and since it's currently 71 I'd say we've hit the right time. The recipe is originally from PBS Everyday Food.
This is quick to toss together (although it needs 40 minutes to cook) and has a nice, lemony flavor. If your kids refuse to eat anything "combined," as mine currently do, then just make the chicken a bit larger and serve it as "chicken and rice." They'll never know. :)
The recipe calls for chicken tenderloins, but I had some boneless, skinless thighs I needed to use instead.
Ingredients:
This is quick to toss together (although it needs 40 minutes to cook) and has a nice, lemony flavor. If your kids refuse to eat anything "combined," as mine currently do, then just make the chicken a bit larger and serve it as "chicken and rice." They'll never know. :)
The recipe calls for chicken tenderloins, but I had some boneless, skinless thighs I needed to use instead.
Ingredients:
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth. I used the broth I made from trash and froze in 1 cup portions.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (I left out 1/4 tsp salt and used salted butter)
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 pound chicken tenderloins, cut into 1-inch pieces (used chicken thighs, left them whole)
1 pound orzo
2 cups crumbled feta (4 ounces)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup grated Parmesan
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a saucepan, bring broth, 3/4 cup water, butter, salt, and pepper to a boil. Spray 3 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- While the liquid is coming to a boil, combine chicken, orzo, feta, dill, lemon zest and juice in the baking dish. Pour boiling broth mixture over orzo and stir once to incorporate.
- Bake until orzo is tender and cooking liquid is creamy, about 40 minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan on top and let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Parmesan Chicken Paillards with Cherry Tomato Sauce
I had chicken breasts defrosted the other night and wasn't sure what I wanted to do with them. I went to Cooking Light's website and searched through their chicken recipes until I found this. I had most of the ingredients (or acceptable substitutes), so I decided to try it.
I'm so glad I did! The chicken is moist and flavorful, and the "sauce" (which is really more like a chutney) is delicious. I ate the leftovers for lunch AND dinner the next day (and I had other options for dinner--I just wanted this)!
4 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I made 6)
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I doubled this part b/c I wanted to press the mixture into both sides instead of just one as originally suggested)
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (see above)
2 tsp olive oil, divided (basically, EVOO for the pan for every 2 breasts you cook)
cooking spray
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove (my addition, not in original recipe)
1/4 cup fat=free, less sodium chicken broth (I didn't have any homemade and didn't want to open a can for 1/4 cup, so I used white wine instead)
2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap and pound to 1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Doing this makes the chicken cook faster (it is thinner) and more evenly (it is the same thickness for the entire piece). Don't skip this. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
2. Combine cheese and flour in a shallow dish. Dredge 1 side of each chicken breast in cheese mixture. I decided to dredge both sides because it is delicious.
3. Heat 1 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 chicken breast halves, cheese side down. Cook 2-4 minutes each side or until done. Repeat procedure with remaining oil/chicken. Remove from pan and keep warm.
4. Coat pan with cooking spray (this is what the recipe said to do and so I did it. However, I don't know why I'd do this step now and not before the chicken. Seems to me you should do it both times). Add onion and saute 1 minute. Add garlic (if using) and saute another minute (be sure to cook the onion a total of 2 minutes). Stir in broth/wine and vinegar; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Add tomatoes, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, remaining 1/4 tsp pepper, and oregano. Cook 2 minutes.
Serve each chicken breast topped with tomato sauce and enjoy. This is also delicious the next day!
1 Tbsp sherry vinegar (didn't have any, so used balsamic
I'm so glad I did! The chicken is moist and flavorful, and the "sauce" (which is really more like a chutney) is delicious. I ate the leftovers for lunch AND dinner the next day (and I had other options for dinner--I just wanted this)!
4 (6 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I made 6)
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I doubled this part b/c I wanted to press the mixture into both sides instead of just one as originally suggested)
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour (see above)
2 tsp olive oil, divided (basically, EVOO for the pan for every 2 breasts you cook)
cooking spray
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove (my addition, not in original recipe)
1/4 cup fat=free, less sodium chicken broth (I didn't have any homemade and didn't want to open a can for 1/4 cup, so I used white wine instead)
2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap and pound to 1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Doing this makes the chicken cook faster (it is thinner) and more evenly (it is the same thickness for the entire piece). Don't skip this. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
2. Combine cheese and flour in a shallow dish. Dredge 1 side of each chicken breast in cheese mixture. I decided to dredge both sides because it is delicious.
3. Heat 1 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 chicken breast halves, cheese side down. Cook 2-4 minutes each side or until done. Repeat procedure with remaining oil/chicken. Remove from pan and keep warm.
4. Coat pan with cooking spray (this is what the recipe said to do and so I did it. However, I don't know why I'd do this step now and not before the chicken. Seems to me you should do it both times). Add onion and saute 1 minute. Add garlic (if using) and saute another minute (be sure to cook the onion a total of 2 minutes). Stir in broth/wine and vinegar; cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates. Add tomatoes, remaining 1/4 tsp salt, remaining 1/4 tsp pepper, and oregano. Cook 2 minutes.
Serve each chicken breast topped with tomato sauce and enjoy. This is also delicious the next day!
1 Tbsp sherry vinegar (didn't have any, so used balsamic
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Word of Mouth's Crunken Chicken
A college friend shared a link to Word of Mouth's blog, which included this recipe for Crunken Chicken. Mine is currently in the oven, but I can tell you the sauce is out of this world. I can't wait for dinner tonight! I particularly like that it is so versitile--it can be an appetizer, you can bake it, or you can grill it. I made mine on a broiler pan in the oven (10 minutes each side, brushing with sauce on both sides when flipping the chicken). I also think this sauce would be pretty kick-ass on appetizer meatballs (the kind you make in a crock pot) or on pretty much anything. Pour it over a pork tenderloin, use it with flank steak--you really can't go wrong.
Ingredients:
Marinade:
1/4 cup bourbon
1 12oz. bottle dark brown ale
1 tbl. cayenne powder (if making for little geeks, omit this or cut it down a bit)
1/4 cup molasses
1/2 tsp. salt
Sauce:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 cup minced onion
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons (packed) brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons dry mustard
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (included in original recipe but I left it out accidentally and didn't miss it)
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1/4 cup bourbon
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (whole or cut into 1” nuggets)* (I made 6 breasts b/c that's what was in the package)
Marinade: Combine beer, bourbon, ¼ c. molasses, cayenne and salt in a large bowl. Add chicken, cover and marinate for ½ hour or up to 4 hours.
Sauce: Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion; sauté until soft, about 6 minutes. Add ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, ¼ c. molasses, dry mustard, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and chili powder (unless you forget like me). Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Stir in ¼ c. bourbon; cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
Cook:
In oven--Preheat oven to 425. Drain marinade from chicken. Add chicken to a 9 x 13 baking dish coated with cooking spray or broiler pan. Brush generously on all sides with bbq sauce, reserving some sauce for the table. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, turning and basting after 10 minutes.
To Grill: Grill the boneless breasts or add the nuggets to a skewer. Grill over medium heat, turning to cook all sides, about 20 minutes. Brush with BBQ sauce and cook until glaze is formed – about 3 more minutes. Serve all with reserved sauce.
My kitchen smells amazing. I could eat this sauce with a spoon! Check out Word of Mouth and be prepared to spend some time looking at recipes. YUM!
I think that we may be eating Crunken Chicken Pizza tomorrow night here at Chez Silicon. I bet it's awesome!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Chicken Cutlets Milanese with Butter Beans and Gnocchi
I think this came from a Rachel Ray magazine. I'm trying to make some of the recipes I have in my no-cookbook recipe stand, and this was on the list, so we had it tonight. I have to say, I thought it was tasty and easy (and fast), which makes for a good weeknight meal in my book. And it was pretty. I even had The Big Geek take a picture, which hardly ever happens around here.
Salt
Pepper
Two 8-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I cooked 3 breasts, but they were from a package so I don't know their individual weights)
2/3 cup instant polenta or cornmeal
3/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (I believe mine was just Parmesan, but I am not positive. I didn't have quite enough grated so I used shredded for the gnocchi.)
Flour, for dredging (about a handful)
1 large egg
2 Tbsp EVOO, plus more for drizzling (add a Tbsp for every additional breast you cook)
12 oz gnocchi pasta
3 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
One 15-oz can butter beans, drained and rinsed
2 springs rosemary, leaves chopped (or some dried rosemary--maybe 1 tsp?)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (I forgot to halve them, then thought, "this would be better if the tomatoes were halved")
2 cups arugula leaves
Juice of one lemon
First, fill a large pot with water and put it on the stove to boil.
While that's warming up, place the chicken breasts on a work survace and, slicking with a knife parallel to the chicken, cut in half to make 4 cutlets. Pound the cutlets between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.
On a plate (or in a shallow dish, like a pie plate), combine the polenta with half of the cheese. Fill another plate with flour. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with a splash of water. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Set up your assembly line: chicken, flour, egg, polenta mixture, clean plate.
In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp EVOO over medium-high heat.
Dredge each cutlet in the flour, then the egg, then the polenta mixture.
About this time your water is probably boiling. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water (salt the water).
Place 2 cutlets in the heated skillet and cook, turning once, until crisp and golden, 6 to 7 minutes.
Before these are done, your gnocchi will be floating. Drain them into a bowl and return the empty pasta pot to the stove. Place the butter in the pasta pot and melt over low heat.
While that's melting, remove the first cutlets, add another Tbsp of EVOO, and put 2 more cutlets into the skillet.
Stir the butter beans and rosemary into the melted butter. Add the gnocchi adn remaining cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Flip your 2nd batch of cutlets and, when cooked, remove them from the skillet. If you're cooking more, add another Tbsp EVOO and repeat.
In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with the arugula, lemon juice, and a drizzle of EVOO. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, place cutlet on plate. Top with the salad and serve butter beans and gnocchi on the side.
Yum!
This would have been good with white wine. Damn, why am I only just thinking of that??
The little geek and baby geek liked the gnocchi and chicken. Actually, so did The Big Geek. He thought the butter beans were "chalky" and he doesn't like cherry tomatoes. I, however, thought the entire thing was delicious. I'm sure we'll have it again, and they can just pick around the butter beans.
Salt
Pepper
Two 8-oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I cooked 3 breasts, but they were from a package so I don't know their individual weights)
2/3 cup instant polenta or cornmeal
3/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (I believe mine was just Parmesan, but I am not positive. I didn't have quite enough grated so I used shredded for the gnocchi.)
Flour, for dredging (about a handful)
1 large egg
2 Tbsp EVOO, plus more for drizzling (add a Tbsp for every additional breast you cook)
12 oz gnocchi pasta
3 Tbsp butter, cut into small pieces
One 15-oz can butter beans, drained and rinsed
2 springs rosemary, leaves chopped (or some dried rosemary--maybe 1 tsp?)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved (I forgot to halve them, then thought, "this would be better if the tomatoes were halved")
2 cups arugula leaves
Juice of one lemon
First, fill a large pot with water and put it on the stove to boil.
While that's warming up, place the chicken breasts on a work survace and, slicking with a knife parallel to the chicken, cut in half to make 4 cutlets. Pound the cutlets between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.
On a plate (or in a shallow dish, like a pie plate), combine the polenta with half of the cheese. Fill another plate with flour. In a shallow bowl, beat the egg with a splash of water. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Set up your assembly line: chicken, flour, egg, polenta mixture, clean plate.
In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbsp EVOO over medium-high heat.
Dredge each cutlet in the flour, then the egg, then the polenta mixture.
About this time your water is probably boiling. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water (salt the water).
Place 2 cutlets in the heated skillet and cook, turning once, until crisp and golden, 6 to 7 minutes.
Before these are done, your gnocchi will be floating. Drain them into a bowl and return the empty pasta pot to the stove. Place the butter in the pasta pot and melt over low heat.
While that's melting, remove the first cutlets, add another Tbsp of EVOO, and put 2 more cutlets into the skillet.
Stir the butter beans and rosemary into the melted butter. Add the gnocchi adn remaining cheese and season with salt and pepper.
Flip your 2nd batch of cutlets and, when cooked, remove them from the skillet. If you're cooking more, add another Tbsp EVOO and repeat.
In a bowl, toss the tomatoes with the arugula, lemon juice, and a drizzle of EVOO. Season with salt and pepper.
To serve, place cutlet on plate. Top with the salad and serve butter beans and gnocchi on the side.
Yum!
This would have been good with white wine. Damn, why am I only just thinking of that??
The little geek and baby geek liked the gnocchi and chicken. Actually, so did The Big Geek. He thought the butter beans were "chalky" and he doesn't like cherry tomatoes. I, however, thought the entire thing was delicious. I'm sure we'll have it again, and they can just pick around the butter beans.
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Quick & Easy: African Chicken-Peanut Soup
This soup is one of my favorites for many reasons, mostly that it's good, quick, and easy. If you have little geeks, prep the veggies while they nap, then throw together dinner about 20 minutes before you're ready to eat. From the ingredients, you might expect this to be spicy, but the peanut calms it down and makes it easy for all the geeks to enjoy. Baby geeks can have sweet potato chunks. ;)
It should be noted that I rarely (if ever) measure the veggies. I just put them in the pot. I put how many of each veggie I use in parenthesis.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled sweet potato (I like a little more, so I usually do 3 sweet potatoes)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 small)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (1 pepper)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (1 large breast)
1 cup bottled salsa
1/2 tsp cumin
2 (16-oz) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (4 cups)
2 (15-oz) cans low-sodium chicken & rice soup (I use Healthy Choice)
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
Place large dutch oven coated with cookign spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add vegetables and saute 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients (through the beans). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add peanut butter, stirring with a whisk, and cook 2 minutes.
Enjoy!
I know it sounds weird, but it's REALLY filling and good--perfect for a fall or winter night.
You can alter the vegetables as suits you (although you really should leave the sweet potato and red bell pepper). I've tossed in a can of corn, extra carrots (in addition to the carrots in the pre-made soup), extra celery--whatever you have that you need to use.
Vegetarian option: throw in some extra sweet potato, use veggie & rice soup and vegetable broth. You could also use tofu in place of the chicken if you like.
Yield: 11 1-cup servings
From Cooking Light
It should be noted that I rarely (if ever) measure the veggies. I just put them in the pot. I put how many of each veggie I use in parenthesis.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups cubed peeled sweet potato (I like a little more, so I usually do 3 sweet potatoes)
1/2 cup chopped onion (1 small)
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper (1 pepper)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (1 large breast)
1 cup bottled salsa
1/2 tsp cumin
2 (16-oz) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (4 cups)
2 (15-oz) cans low-sodium chicken & rice soup (I use Healthy Choice)
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
Place large dutch oven coated with cookign spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add vegetables and saute 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and next 5 ingredients (through the beans). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add peanut butter, stirring with a whisk, and cook 2 minutes.
Enjoy!
I know it sounds weird, but it's REALLY filling and good--perfect for a fall or winter night.
You can alter the vegetables as suits you (although you really should leave the sweet potato and red bell pepper). I've tossed in a can of corn, extra carrots (in addition to the carrots in the pre-made soup), extra celery--whatever you have that you need to use.
Vegetarian option: throw in some extra sweet potato, use veggie & rice soup and vegetable broth. You could also use tofu in place of the chicken if you like.
Yield: 11 1-cup servings
From Cooking Light
Monday, October 5, 2009
Christina's Easy Cheesy Garlic & Rice
My friend Christina shared this recipe, and I've made it twice so far. This is my adapted version, which is a big hit with all the geeks and is so easy that I'll probably make it often, even though it's not exactly diet-friendly. I did what I could to move it that direction. :)
1 jar Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan sauce (I've also used a store brand, which was ok)
1 can petite diced tomatoes, NOT drained
1 can chicken broth
1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken (original recipe calls for 1 can, but I like using leftovers)
1 cup uncooked brown rice (original recipe calls for long grain)
2 cups shredded 2% Italian-blend cheese (or full-fat)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a baking dish and cover with foil.
Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes covered. Remove from oven, uncover, stir, and cook for an additonal 10-15 minutes (brown rice takes longer--sample some when you take it out and decide how long it needs at that point). If you want to be "fancy" you can save about 1/4 cup of the cheese and sprinkle it on the top at that point, or just sprinkle some additional parmesan or something.
The original recipe said to cook "until the top is brown and bubbly," but mine never got to that point (perhaps b/c of the 2% cheese). The first time I made it it cooked for absurdly long before I finally just tasted it and decided it was actually done.
This has to be the easiest casserole ever, and it takes about 5 minutes to throw together and then you can just walk away from it for 45 minutes. AWESOME for those nights when you just.can't.do.anything.else. Add a salad and you're good, and the leftovers are yummy the next day. Plus you can use up some leftover chicken.
1 jar Ragu Roasted Garlic Parmesan sauce (I've also used a store brand, which was ok)
1 can petite diced tomatoes, NOT drained
1 can chicken broth
1 cup shredded or diced cooked chicken (original recipe calls for 1 can, but I like using leftovers)
1 cup uncooked brown rice (original recipe calls for long grain)
2 cups shredded 2% Italian-blend cheese (or full-fat)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients in a baking dish and cover with foil.
Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes covered. Remove from oven, uncover, stir, and cook for an additonal 10-15 minutes (brown rice takes longer--sample some when you take it out and decide how long it needs at that point). If you want to be "fancy" you can save about 1/4 cup of the cheese and sprinkle it on the top at that point, or just sprinkle some additional parmesan or something.
The original recipe said to cook "until the top is brown and bubbly," but mine never got to that point (perhaps b/c of the 2% cheese). The first time I made it it cooked for absurdly long before I finally just tasted it and decided it was actually done.
This has to be the easiest casserole ever, and it takes about 5 minutes to throw together and then you can just walk away from it for 45 minutes. AWESOME for those nights when you just.can't.do.anything.else. Add a salad and you're good, and the leftovers are yummy the next day. Plus you can use up some leftover chicken.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Bill's Lemon Chicken
Every now and again we get a magazine, courtesy of our realtor, Bill. It's mostly ads and some articles about home stuff, but it also includes recipes. That's where this came from, so although Bill didn't write it, I'm calling it Bill's Lemon Chicken anyhow.
The Big Geek LOVES lemon chicken. That's pretty much the only thing he ever orders from Chinese restaurants. I figured that if I could learn how to make it, he'd worship me.
I didn't read the recipe carefully, because if I had I'd have noticed the part where you fry the chicken in oil. I don't generally fry stuff. It's messy, and it's not all that healthy, and I always assume it will be greasy. Well, this was not that messy, and it didn't taste greasy at all. In fact, I liked it better than most of the Chinese take-out I've had. And it was really quick and easy to make.
You need:
For the chicken:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (you could easily use more chicken--there was PLENTY of the flour mixture--but then you might need to add oil before you got all of it cooked)
About 1/3 cup vegetable oil (for frying--enough that you have maybe 1/4 inch in the pan)
For the sauce:
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger (or the kind in the tube if you're lazy like me)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in large ziplock bag or bowl. Cut chicken breasts into strips. Coat with flour (I put mine in the bag and shake). Set aside.
2. Pour oil in large pan/skillet and heat over medium heat while you make the sauce. Up it to medium-high when you're about finished.
3. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine chicken stock, sugar, ginger, soy sauce, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, and stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Stir in the lemon juice, and as soon as the sauce is boiling again add the cornstarch (stir it again just before adding it). (note: this is a good time to up the heat on the oil.) Cook, stirring often, about 1 minute until sauce thickens and shines. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm while you cook the chicken.
4. Test the oil by placing a pinch of flour in it. It should "blossom." Shake excess flour from chicken and place pieces into oil (it should sizzle instantly), with enough space to turn pieces. Cook 1-2 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (yes, it really only took a couple of minutes per side and mine was cooked through). Remove to plate/serving platter and continue to cook chicken. I had plenty of oil for my chicken (I used 3 breasts). I don't know if I'd have had to add more if I'd cooked more chicken, but I probably would have.
5. Pour lemon sauce over chicken. Serve with rice/grain.
Amazingly easy and VERY good. The Big Geek did NOT worship me, but I had to remind myself that "good dinner, dear" is the most excitement he ever demonstrates over food. Plus, this is the man whose only response, if we ever win the lottery, will probably be a slight smile and one word: "sweet."
Since it's fried, we won't have it that often, but I bet this sauce would be good on a grilled or broiled chicken breast, too.
The Big Geek LOVES lemon chicken. That's pretty much the only thing he ever orders from Chinese restaurants. I figured that if I could learn how to make it, he'd worship me.
I didn't read the recipe carefully, because if I had I'd have noticed the part where you fry the chicken in oil. I don't generally fry stuff. It's messy, and it's not all that healthy, and I always assume it will be greasy. Well, this was not that messy, and it didn't taste greasy at all. In fact, I liked it better than most of the Chinese take-out I've had. And it was really quick and easy to make.
You need:
For the chicken:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (you could easily use more chicken--there was PLENTY of the flour mixture--but then you might need to add oil before you got all of it cooked)
About 1/3 cup vegetable oil (for frying--enough that you have maybe 1/4 inch in the pan)
For the sauce:
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon corn starch
1 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger (or the kind in the tube if you're lazy like me)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in large ziplock bag or bowl. Cut chicken breasts into strips. Coat with flour (I put mine in the bag and shake). Set aside.
2. Pour oil in large pan/skillet and heat over medium heat while you make the sauce. Up it to medium-high when you're about finished.
3. Combine water and cornstarch in a small bowl and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine chicken stock, sugar, ginger, soy sauce, and salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, and stir to dissolve sugar and salt. Stir in the lemon juice, and as soon as the sauce is boiling again add the cornstarch (stir it again just before adding it). (note: this is a good time to up the heat on the oil.) Cook, stirring often, about 1 minute until sauce thickens and shines. Remove from heat, cover, and keep warm while you cook the chicken.
4. Test the oil by placing a pinch of flour in it. It should "blossom." Shake excess flour from chicken and place pieces into oil (it should sizzle instantly), with enough space to turn pieces. Cook 1-2 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (yes, it really only took a couple of minutes per side and mine was cooked through). Remove to plate/serving platter and continue to cook chicken. I had plenty of oil for my chicken (I used 3 breasts). I don't know if I'd have had to add more if I'd cooked more chicken, but I probably would have.
5. Pour lemon sauce over chicken. Serve with rice/grain.
Amazingly easy and VERY good. The Big Geek did NOT worship me, but I had to remind myself that "good dinner, dear" is the most excitement he ever demonstrates over food. Plus, this is the man whose only response, if we ever win the lottery, will probably be a slight smile and one word: "sweet."
Since it's fried, we won't have it that often, but I bet this sauce would be good on a grilled or broiled chicken breast, too.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Buffalo Chicken Dip
If you like Buffalo wings, here's a twist--Buffalo Chicken Dip (sure to confuse Jessica Simpson).
2 bricks cream cheese (low fat is fine)
1 small jar chunky blue cheese dressing (low fat is fine)
2 cups (or so--add more or less to your taste) of shredded cooked chicken
1/2 to 1 cup of hot sauce (depending on how hot you want this--I use 3/4 cup). I use Frank's RedHot.
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 400.
Combine cream cheese, dressing, and hot sauce in mixing bowl. Mix with mixer until ingredients are well combined. Stir in shredded chicken. Pour into greased square casserole dish (or other small casserole--not 9x13, that will be too big unless you doubled the recipe).
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbling.
Serve with celery sticks, carrot sticks, fritos, pita chips, tortilla chips, or anything else you like. My favorite is celery sticks.
I have decided this dip might also be good on pasta. I'm going to try to put together a Buffalo Chicken Pasta recipe at some point.
2 bricks cream cheese (low fat is fine)
1 small jar chunky blue cheese dressing (low fat is fine)
2 cups (or so--add more or less to your taste) of shredded cooked chicken
1/2 to 1 cup of hot sauce (depending on how hot you want this--I use 3/4 cup). I use Frank's RedHot.
cooking spray
Preheat oven to 400.
Combine cream cheese, dressing, and hot sauce in mixing bowl. Mix with mixer until ingredients are well combined. Stir in shredded chicken. Pour into greased square casserole dish (or other small casserole--not 9x13, that will be too big unless you doubled the recipe).
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbling.
Serve with celery sticks, carrot sticks, fritos, pita chips, tortilla chips, or anything else you like. My favorite is celery sticks.
I have decided this dip might also be good on pasta. I'm going to try to put together a Buffalo Chicken Pasta recipe at some point.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Jerk Chicken
For pretty much every special occasion, the Big Geek wants red meat, and this Father's Day was no exception. Except that he also wanted to make jerk chicken from a recipe he found online, but realized on Saturday afternoon that the chicken was supposed to marinate overnight. So we had steak Saturday and jerk chicken for Father's Day instead.
I have to say that it was worth the wait.
1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons salt
1/4 cup muscovado or dark brown sugar (we used dark brown)
3 to 9 Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, seeded and chopped (we used 5 habanero)
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 bunches scallions, finely chopped (green and white parts)
1/2 cup oil
Zest and juice of 4 limes
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup dark rum
1 (4- to 6-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces (We used some thighs I already had in the freezer, but you can use any chicken you like. I suggest bone-in but skinless. We left the skin on and it was kind of soggy, not crispy, so I'd have preferred the chicken without it.)
Combine all ingredients except chicken in a large bowl. Dip each piece of chicken into the mixture before placing it in a large ziplock (depending on how much chicken you are making, you may need more than one bag). Pour marinade into the bag with the chicken, squeeze out air, and seal bag. Marinate overnight (at least).
Remove chicken from marinade and cook on the grill like you would any other chicken (I never do this part, so I really can't be more specific, but if you know how to grill chicken you should be fine).
Enjoy!
I have to say that it was worth the wait.
1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
3/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 tablespoons salt
1/4 cup muscovado or dark brown sugar (we used dark brown)
3 to 9 Scotch bonnet or habanero peppers, seeded and chopped (we used 5 habanero)
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 bunches scallions, finely chopped (green and white parts)
1/2 cup oil
Zest and juice of 4 limes
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup dark rum
1 (4- to 6-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces (We used some thighs I already had in the freezer, but you can use any chicken you like. I suggest bone-in but skinless. We left the skin on and it was kind of soggy, not crispy, so I'd have preferred the chicken without it.)
Combine all ingredients except chicken in a large bowl. Dip each piece of chicken into the mixture before placing it in a large ziplock (depending on how much chicken you are making, you may need more than one bag). Pour marinade into the bag with the chicken, squeeze out air, and seal bag. Marinate overnight (at least).
Remove chicken from marinade and cook on the grill like you would any other chicken (I never do this part, so I really can't be more specific, but if you know how to grill chicken you should be fine).
Enjoy!
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Chicken Enchilada Casserole
This is another fast and easy weeknight meal that uses leftovers and hardly any effort on the part of the cook. I adapted it from a recipe in Cooking Light, although I'm pretty sure it's not THAT light this way. But it's not too bad if you use the 2% cheese.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (tonight I used leftover roasted chicken, which was good, but any leftover chicken will do)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 28 oz jar of enchilada sauce (I like verde, but use whatever you have/like)
about 12 small corn tortillas
2 cups reduced-fat shredded mexican cheese blend, or sharp cheddar if that's what you can find.
Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat over to 350.
In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender (about 4 min), then add garlic and saute another minute. Add chicken, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin and heat through; remove from heat. Note: You can play with the spices you add, or leave them out altogether, especially if you have a flavorful enchilada sauce. This would also be a good place to toss some leftover veggies. If you chop them up, it's possible no one will notice them.
In baking dish, spread about 2/3 cup enchilada sauce on bottom of pan. Cover with tortillas (I use two whole, then two broken in half, and then I break one of the halves into "fourths" and cover the holes). Place about half the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas. Top with a layer of cheese (about 1/3 of it). Add another layer of enchilada sauce, then tortillas, then chicken mixture, then cheese, then enchilada sauce, then tortillas. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Super easy, super good, and you can assemble it in advance if needed.
The Big Geek and I like this. Well, actually, I LOVE it. The little geek is not a huge fan. She had broccoli for dinner.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 to 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (tonight I used leftover roasted chicken, which was good, but any leftover chicken will do)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 28 oz jar of enchilada sauce (I like verde, but use whatever you have/like)
about 12 small corn tortillas
2 cups reduced-fat shredded mexican cheese blend, or sharp cheddar if that's what you can find.
Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray. Preheat over to 350.
In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender (about 4 min), then add garlic and saute another minute. Add chicken, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin and heat through; remove from heat. Note: You can play with the spices you add, or leave them out altogether, especially if you have a flavorful enchilada sauce. This would also be a good place to toss some leftover veggies. If you chop them up, it's possible no one will notice them.
In baking dish, spread about 2/3 cup enchilada sauce on bottom of pan. Cover with tortillas (I use two whole, then two broken in half, and then I break one of the halves into "fourths" and cover the holes). Place about half the chicken mixture on top of the tortillas. Top with a layer of cheese (about 1/3 of it). Add another layer of enchilada sauce, then tortillas, then chicken mixture, then cheese, then enchilada sauce, then tortillas. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Super easy, super good, and you can assemble it in advance if needed.
The Big Geek and I like this. Well, actually, I LOVE it. The little geek is not a huge fan. She had broccoli for dinner.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Island Chicken with Grilled Pineapple
I've been busy. I could not tell you what I've been busy doing, but it hasn't involved updating this blog. The way this usually works is that I post nothing for a while, and then I come and post a bunch of stuff. This is going to be one of those days.
1/4 cup dark rum
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper sauce
8 chicken drumsticks (or whatever you have)
Fresh pineapple (optional, but I suggest you opt for it)
Mix rum, chili powder, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, and pepper sauce. Pour over chicken (or put all of it in a ziplock, add your chicken, seal, and shake/massage the bag to coat). Cover and refrigerate at least one hour (the longer the better). Remove chicken. Grill chicken 5-6 inches from heat 15-20 minutes. Turn chicken. This is when you could turn/brush on the extra marinade that I suggest you make as often as you like. Keep cooking until chicken is done (about 30 min).
Grilled Pineapple: Cut top off pineapple. Core and cut in 1/2 inch slices (leave the rind on). Cut slices in half (so you kind of make little "watermelon" pieces). Grill pineapple 5-6 inches from heat for 15-20 minute. Make sure you have lots of napkins when you eat this.
I tried this after the bourbon chicken, once I'd gotten the Big Geek to bring home some rum. I thought it was tasty, but there wasn't enough flavor. Next time, I will double the marinade, reserve half, and use it to baste the chicken while it's cooking.
The little geek ate 3 pieces of chicken (!!!) and at least 3 pieces of grilled pineapple.
1/4 cup dark rum
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp packed brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper sauce
8 chicken drumsticks (or whatever you have)
Fresh pineapple (optional, but I suggest you opt for it)
Mix rum, chili powder, lime juice, brown sugar, garlic, and pepper sauce. Pour over chicken (or put all of it in a ziplock, add your chicken, seal, and shake/massage the bag to coat). Cover and refrigerate at least one hour (the longer the better). Remove chicken. Grill chicken 5-6 inches from heat 15-20 minutes. Turn chicken. This is when you could turn/brush on the extra marinade that I suggest you make as often as you like. Keep cooking until chicken is done (about 30 min).
Grilled Pineapple: Cut top off pineapple. Core and cut in 1/2 inch slices (leave the rind on). Cut slices in half (so you kind of make little "watermelon" pieces). Grill pineapple 5-6 inches from heat for 15-20 minute. Make sure you have lots of napkins when you eat this.
I tried this after the bourbon chicken, once I'd gotten the Big Geek to bring home some rum. I thought it was tasty, but there wasn't enough flavor. Next time, I will double the marinade, reserve half, and use it to baste the chicken while it's cooking.
The little geek ate 3 pieces of chicken (!!!) and at least 3 pieces of grilled pineapple.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Cajun Bourbon Chicken
from Cooks.com
1 cup bourbon
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp paprika
pinch red hot pepper flakes
1 Tbsp molasses
3 cloves garlic smashed (or minced)
2 tbsp freshly grated ginger (or the jarred/tube kind)
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
12 pcs bone-in chicken (skin optional)
Combine all ingredients except chicken for marinade in ziplock bag. Pour out and set aside 1/2 cup of marinade to use later for basting. Add chicken to ziplock and marinate for 6-12 hours in refrigerator, turning occasionally.
Remove chicken from marinade, discard marinade. Grill over medium high heat with the grill open for 5 min., then close grill and reduce heat. Continue cooking over low heat for 15-20 min. or until chicken is done. Baste with reserved marinade every few minutes, turning chicken to cook both sides evenly.
We had this tonight, and it was good. The original recipe had 1 cup of soy sauce, but The Big Geek and I felt that the soy sauce over powered the other flavors, so I've reduced it to 1/2 cup. I don't think you'd need to make up for that 1/2 cup liquid, but if so, you could add 1/2 cup water, chicken broth, or vegetable oil.
1 cup bourbon
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp paprika
pinch red hot pepper flakes
1 Tbsp molasses
3 cloves garlic smashed (or minced)
2 tbsp freshly grated ginger (or the jarred/tube kind)
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
12 pcs bone-in chicken (skin optional)
Combine all ingredients except chicken for marinade in ziplock bag. Pour out and set aside 1/2 cup of marinade to use later for basting. Add chicken to ziplock and marinate for 6-12 hours in refrigerator, turning occasionally.
Remove chicken from marinade, discard marinade. Grill over medium high heat with the grill open for 5 min., then close grill and reduce heat. Continue cooking over low heat for 15-20 min. or until chicken is done. Baste with reserved marinade every few minutes, turning chicken to cook both sides evenly.
We had this tonight, and it was good. The original recipe had 1 cup of soy sauce, but The Big Geek and I felt that the soy sauce over powered the other flavors, so I've reduced it to 1/2 cup. I don't think you'd need to make up for that 1/2 cup liquid, but if so, you could add 1/2 cup water, chicken broth, or vegetable oil.
Buttermilk Chicken
It's been a while. My semester was ending, and I had assignments to complete, and somehow, posting recipes here didn't seem like a good use of my limited time.
However, we have been eating. My sister came to visit, and I managed to pull off some pretty tasty meals in between the pasta and tacos The Big Geek prepared while I was busy studying. This chicken recipe, for example.
I don't make it that often, because it requires such advanced planning and the purchase of buttermilk (you really do need actual buttermilk), which I don't usually keep on hand. However, every time I make it I wonder why we don't have it more often. Seriously, it is the best chicken EVER. You should make it tonight. Or tomorrow. Or even better, in two days, so it has a good long time to sit in the brine.
Grilled Buttermilk Chicken
from Sunset
1 quart Buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 Tbsp chopped garlic (or minced, whatever)
2 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp pepper
6 chicken thighs
6 chicken drumsticks
(or whatever bone-in chicken you like. You can leave the skin on or take it off--it's good either way.)
1. In a large bowl, mix buttermilk, shallots, garlic, salt, sugar, cumin, and pepper.
2. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk brine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, up to 1 day (I did 2 days because things changed, and it was REALLY good).
3. Lift chicken from brine, discard brine.
4. Lay chicken pieces on a barbecue grill over medium coals or medium heat on a gass grill (you can hold you rhand at grill level only 4-5 seconds); Close lid on gas grill. Cook, turnin frequently, until browned on both sides and no longer pink at the bone (cut to test, 20-30 minutes).
Serve hot or cold.
This is probably my favorite grilled chicken recipe. Make it!
I served it with salad and grilled veggies (cut up some squash, red bell pepper, onion, whatever you have, place it on a metal baking pan sprayed with cooking spray, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and whatever spices you want, cook at 400 for about 15 minutes). YUM!
However, we have been eating. My sister came to visit, and I managed to pull off some pretty tasty meals in between the pasta and tacos The Big Geek prepared while I was busy studying. This chicken recipe, for example.
I don't make it that often, because it requires such advanced planning and the purchase of buttermilk (you really do need actual buttermilk), which I don't usually keep on hand. However, every time I make it I wonder why we don't have it more often. Seriously, it is the best chicken EVER. You should make it tonight. Or tomorrow. Or even better, in two days, so it has a good long time to sit in the brine.
Grilled Buttermilk Chicken
from Sunset
1 quart Buttermilk
1/2 cup chopped shallots
2 Tbsp chopped garlic (or minced, whatever)
2 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp pepper
6 chicken thighs
6 chicken drumsticks
(or whatever bone-in chicken you like. You can leave the skin on or take it off--it's good either way.)
1. In a large bowl, mix buttermilk, shallots, garlic, salt, sugar, cumin, and pepper.
2. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Submerge chicken pieces in buttermilk brine. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours, up to 1 day (I did 2 days because things changed, and it was REALLY good).
3. Lift chicken from brine, discard brine.
4. Lay chicken pieces on a barbecue grill over medium coals or medium heat on a gass grill (you can hold you rhand at grill level only 4-5 seconds); Close lid on gas grill. Cook, turnin frequently, until browned on both sides and no longer pink at the bone (cut to test, 20-30 minutes).
Serve hot or cold.
This is probably my favorite grilled chicken recipe. Make it!
I served it with salad and grilled veggies (cut up some squash, red bell pepper, onion, whatever you have, place it on a metal baking pan sprayed with cooking spray, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and whatever spices you want, cook at 400 for about 15 minutes). YUM!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Cornish Game Hens with Mustard and Herbs, plus Blue Cheese Muffins
I'd never made Cornish Game Hens before, but they were on sale at my supermarket and I am getting more and more frugal, so I figured they couldn't be that difficult and went ahead and bought two. Then I came home, and with the help of my friends at Google, I found several possible recipes. Of course I chose the easiest one (from about.com). Here it is:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375.
2. Remove giblits from game hens, rinse and pat dry.
3. Rub about a tablespoon of Dijon mustard over each game hen.
4. Sprinkle with tarragon, oregano, and basil (dried).
5. Bake for about an hour or until they reach 170.
If you like, you can deglaze the pan with about 3/4 cup of dry white wine (2 buck chuck, I love thee), and use that as a sauce for the hens. I thought this was a good addition. The Big Geek thought it was better without the sauce. If I'd had rice, it would have been good on top of the rice.
I must confess, I apparently did not put the thermometer thing all the way in to the base, so it didn't go off, and when I noticed and put it all the way in, the hens were all the way at 197. Oops. I figured we'd be eating super-dry hens, but they were moist and juicy. One hen was good for The Big Geek, and the little geek and I shared one. She's 3, so she didn't eat much of it.
If these are on sale again, I'd buy them again. The article on about.com had about 10 different glazes/rubs to try, and they all look pretty good. You could probably do this to a regular chicken as well. Of course, you don't really NEED to since you can just use salt and pepper and get the yummiest roast chicken EVER, but that was a different post.
I also made these YUMMY blue cheese muffins from a weight watchers recipe.
cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp table salt
1 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup fat-free milk
5 oz blue cheese, crumbled (extra-sharp cheddar, shredded, would work as well)
Preheat oven to 375 (convenient if you're doing the game hens as well).
Coat a 12-hole muffin tin wiht cooking spray (or line with muffin liners).
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and paprika.
Create a well in the flour mixture with a spoon and place butter, egg, and milk into well. Mix until just blended (just use a spoon, no need for a mixer). Do NOT beat until smooth.
Fill each muffin cup with a Tbsp of batter (you'll have about 1/2 the batter left after this). Divide cheese evenly over center of each muffin, saving just enough cheese for a sparse topping. Divide remaining batter among muffin so each is 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle muffins with remaining cheese.
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. They are best served warm, but even if they cool off they are YUMMY!
We also had steamed green beans, and after dinner the little geek and I used leftover marshmallows from the bunny cake to make rice krispy squares. I was so productive today. . .
1. Pre-heat oven to 375.
2. Remove giblits from game hens, rinse and pat dry.
3. Rub about a tablespoon of Dijon mustard over each game hen.
4. Sprinkle with tarragon, oregano, and basil (dried).
5. Bake for about an hour or until they reach 170.
If you like, you can deglaze the pan with about 3/4 cup of dry white wine (2 buck chuck, I love thee), and use that as a sauce for the hens. I thought this was a good addition. The Big Geek thought it was better without the sauce. If I'd had rice, it would have been good on top of the rice.
I must confess, I apparently did not put the thermometer thing all the way in to the base, so it didn't go off, and when I noticed and put it all the way in, the hens were all the way at 197. Oops. I figured we'd be eating super-dry hens, but they were moist and juicy. One hen was good for The Big Geek, and the little geek and I shared one. She's 3, so she didn't eat much of it.
If these are on sale again, I'd buy them again. The article on about.com had about 10 different glazes/rubs to try, and they all look pretty good. You could probably do this to a regular chicken as well. Of course, you don't really NEED to since you can just use salt and pepper and get the yummiest roast chicken EVER, but that was a different post.
I also made these YUMMY blue cheese muffins from a weight watchers recipe.
cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp table salt
1 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup fat-free milk
5 oz blue cheese, crumbled (extra-sharp cheddar, shredded, would work as well)
Preheat oven to 375 (convenient if you're doing the game hens as well).
Coat a 12-hole muffin tin wiht cooking spray (or line with muffin liners).
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and paprika.
Create a well in the flour mixture with a spoon and place butter, egg, and milk into well. Mix until just blended (just use a spoon, no need for a mixer). Do NOT beat until smooth.
Fill each muffin cup with a Tbsp of batter (you'll have about 1/2 the batter left after this). Divide cheese evenly over center of each muffin, saving just enough cheese for a sparse topping. Divide remaining batter among muffin so each is 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle muffins with remaining cheese.
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. They are best served warm, but even if they cool off they are YUMMY!
We also had steamed green beans, and after dinner the little geek and I used leftover marshmallows from the bunny cake to make rice krispy squares. I was so productive today. . .
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Three (or Four) for One: Smokey Orange Chicken
I got this recipe from some food network show where the host cooks once and preps a bunch of stuff for 3-4 meals. I've seen the show several times, and it generally works like this: roast chicken of some variety, then a chicken salad (duh--did I need your show to tell me that?), then something else with chicken.
Honestly, this recipe is not my favorite, but I do like the "cook once eat lots" aspect of it. So here you go.
Smokey Orange Chicken:
1 cup orange marmalade
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke
salt
pepper
a bunch of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (at least 8, or whatever you can fit in the roasting pan)
cooking spray
Heat oven to 400.
Spray roasting pan/baking dish with cooking spray.
Salt/pepper chicken on both sides and place in baking dish.
In bowl, mix marmalade, soy sauce, and liquid smoke.
Pour mixture over chicken.
Bake 30-35 minutes.
Meal 1: Chicken breast with a veggie and a starch of your choice.
Meal 2: Garden Chicken Quesadillas. Slice chicken breast, green onions, zucchini, bell peppers, or whatever else you have (green onions really should be part of this). Place on one half of a flour tortilla. Top with cheese and fold tortilla in half. Heat on skillet on both sides until tortilla is browned and cheese is melted. These are surprisingly yummy for something so simple.
Meal 3: Chicken Enchilada Casserole. Heat some olive oil in a skillet. Add 1 chopped onion and cook until soft, then add 1-2 cloves of minced garlic and cook 30 more seconds. Add 1 1/2 cups shredded (or cut up) chicken and 1 tsp cumin. Cook until heated. In casserole dish, pour 1/4 cup enchilada sauce (I like green, but you can use red, too). Top with corn tortillas (tear them to make them fit if needed). Top with half of chicken mixture and a layer of cheese. Then pour another 1/4 cup enchilada sauce over that and repeat a tortilla, chicken, cheese layer. Top with tortillas, remainder of sauce, and a layer of cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Meal 4: Chicken salad. Do you really need me to tell you how to make a salad? :) I think this particular chicken is good with a vinaigrette dressing (citrus would be good), and some almond slivers and mandarin oranges.
You could also use this chicken in a soup, or in any number of casseroles. Whenever I have chicken that will expire soon, I go ahead and roast it or boil it (sometimes just with salt and pepper), shred it, and freeze it for later use.
Honestly, this recipe is not my favorite, but I do like the "cook once eat lots" aspect of it. So here you go.
Smokey Orange Chicken:
1 cup orange marmalade
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke
salt
pepper
a bunch of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (at least 8, or whatever you can fit in the roasting pan)
cooking spray
Heat oven to 400.
Spray roasting pan/baking dish with cooking spray.
Salt/pepper chicken on both sides and place in baking dish.
In bowl, mix marmalade, soy sauce, and liquid smoke.
Pour mixture over chicken.
Bake 30-35 minutes.
Meal 1: Chicken breast with a veggie and a starch of your choice.
Meal 2: Garden Chicken Quesadillas. Slice chicken breast, green onions, zucchini, bell peppers, or whatever else you have (green onions really should be part of this). Place on one half of a flour tortilla. Top with cheese and fold tortilla in half. Heat on skillet on both sides until tortilla is browned and cheese is melted. These are surprisingly yummy for something so simple.
Meal 3: Chicken Enchilada Casserole. Heat some olive oil in a skillet. Add 1 chopped onion and cook until soft, then add 1-2 cloves of minced garlic and cook 30 more seconds. Add 1 1/2 cups shredded (or cut up) chicken and 1 tsp cumin. Cook until heated. In casserole dish, pour 1/4 cup enchilada sauce (I like green, but you can use red, too). Top with corn tortillas (tear them to make them fit if needed). Top with half of chicken mixture and a layer of cheese. Then pour another 1/4 cup enchilada sauce over that and repeat a tortilla, chicken, cheese layer. Top with tortillas, remainder of sauce, and a layer of cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Meal 4: Chicken salad. Do you really need me to tell you how to make a salad? :) I think this particular chicken is good with a vinaigrette dressing (citrus would be good), and some almond slivers and mandarin oranges.
You could also use this chicken in a soup, or in any number of casseroles. Whenever I have chicken that will expire soon, I go ahead and roast it or boil it (sometimes just with salt and pepper), shred it, and freeze it for later use.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Quick Coq au Vin
This recipe calls for mushrooms. SIX CUPS of mushrooms. Which would be fine, except that I don't like mushrooms. It's a texture thing. When they are raw, they are spongy, and when they are cooked, they are slimy. The flavor of mushrooms is quite good, but the texture is not for me.
So when I make it, I make it with more carrots and throw in some pearl onions. I'll include the mushrooms in the recipe here for those of you who are less weird than me, but rest assured that you can make it without the fungi and it turns out just fine. I'm sure the flavor with the mushrooms is even better.
from Cooking Light
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
6 (4 oz) boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 cups quartered cremini mushrooms (optional if you are like me)
2 cups sliced carrots (or 3 if you leave out the mushrooms)
1 cup pearl onions (frozen is fine--this was not in the original recipe but I think they are good)
1/3 cup slices of Canadian Bacon, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry red wine (2 buck chuck works well)
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp tomato paste (I confess I sometimes use ketchup b/c I don't want to open a whole thing of tomato paste)
Combne flour, thyme, and salt in a ziplock bag. Add chicken. Seal and shake to coat (I shake, and Mom bakes--remember that commercial?). Remove chicken from bag, shaking off excess flour.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook 8 minutes or untill browned, turning frequently. Remove chicken from pan.
Add mushrooms (if you use them), carrots, onions, and bacon to pan. Saute 2 minutes.
Stir in wine, broth, and tomato paste (or ketchup). Cook 9 minutes.
Return chicken to pan. Cook 8 minutes or until chicken is done, turning at least once (so the wine gets on both sides).
When you are finished there won't be much (if any) sauce left, but the chicken will be tender and taste AWESOME.
I like to serve this with rice (you can add the rest of the chicken broth to the water you cook it in).
The Big Geek likes the chicken but isn't a fan of the carrots. Of course, he's not a fan of anything that resembles a vegetable, except green beans and corn. And since neither of those would go well in this recipe, he's out of luck. I just eat his carrots.
He also told me the pearl onions were "weird" and "like grapes." I think they are good, and since I'm cooking, he can just pick around them.
I have no picture of this because I was really hungry. I plated the food, then thought, "I should take a picture." Then I thought, "screw that, I'm hungry." So you'll have to make do without one this time. :)
So when I make it, I make it with more carrots and throw in some pearl onions. I'll include the mushrooms in the recipe here for those of you who are less weird than me, but rest assured that you can make it without the fungi and it turns out just fine. I'm sure the flavor with the mushrooms is even better.
from Cooking Light
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
6 (4 oz) boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 Tbsp olive oil
6 cups quartered cremini mushrooms (optional if you are like me)
2 cups sliced carrots (or 3 if you leave out the mushrooms)
1 cup pearl onions (frozen is fine--this was not in the original recipe but I think they are good)
1/3 cup slices of Canadian Bacon, coarsely chopped
1 cup dry red wine (2 buck chuck works well)
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp tomato paste (I confess I sometimes use ketchup b/c I don't want to open a whole thing of tomato paste)
Combne flour, thyme, and salt in a ziplock bag. Add chicken. Seal and shake to coat (I shake, and Mom bakes--remember that commercial?). Remove chicken from bag, shaking off excess flour.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook 8 minutes or untill browned, turning frequently. Remove chicken from pan.
Add mushrooms (if you use them), carrots, onions, and bacon to pan. Saute 2 minutes.
Stir in wine, broth, and tomato paste (or ketchup). Cook 9 minutes.
Return chicken to pan. Cook 8 minutes or until chicken is done, turning at least once (so the wine gets on both sides).
When you are finished there won't be much (if any) sauce left, but the chicken will be tender and taste AWESOME.
I like to serve this with rice (you can add the rest of the chicken broth to the water you cook it in).
The Big Geek likes the chicken but isn't a fan of the carrots. Of course, he's not a fan of anything that resembles a vegetable, except green beans and corn. And since neither of those would go well in this recipe, he's out of luck. I just eat his carrots.
He also told me the pearl onions were "weird" and "like grapes." I think they are good, and since I'm cooking, he can just pick around them.
I have no picture of this because I was really hungry. I plated the food, then thought, "I should take a picture." Then I thought, "screw that, I'm hungry." So you'll have to make do without one this time. :)
Friday, April 3, 2009
Garlicky Mexican Chicken with Ancho Peppers and Crispy Polenta
I've had this recipe for a long time and finally got around to making it last night. It was relatively simple, and now that I've made it once I know that I SHOULD have done this during nap-time (or even before), because you could do a lot of it in advance. To clarify, it's not so difficult that I needed to do things during nap, but you can without impacting the result and why not make your life easier by doing things in advance?
from Weight Watchers
1 lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/8 oz cilandro, fresh, plus more for garnish (about 2 sprigs)
4 large garlic cloves, not peeled
2 dried ancho peppers, stems and seeds removed
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 cup uncooked cornmeal (aka polenta)
cooking spray
6 medium radishes, red, sliced (optional)
2 medium scallions, sliced (optional)
Place chicken (about 2 breasts) in a single layer in a large nonstick skillet and cover with water. Add cilantro sprigs and 1 clove of unpeeled garlic. Cook chicken breasts over medium heat until no longer pink in center, about 10-15 minutes.
Remove chicken from pan to cool. Pour reserved cooking liquid into a bowl and add ancho peppers. Cover and soak peppers about 10 minutes to soften.
Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 3 garlic cloves and roast in pan, turning frequently, until blackened in spots. Remove cloves and allow to cool. When cool enough, peel garlic.
Place peppers, roasted garlic, tomato sauce, and cumin in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Shred chicken.
Note: You could do all of the above in advance.
Place shredded chicken and blended sauce in a medium saucepan and heat through, stirring occasionally. You may want to save some of your shredded chicken without sauce for the little geeks.
To make polenta, bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Add salt. Then slowly add cornmeal, stirring until smooth, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Coat a 9 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray and pour polenta into pan. Smooth with a spatula and allow polenta to firm up, about 1-2 minutes (or longer if you choose to do this in advance as well).
When polenta is firm (or you are ready to make dinner), cut polenta into 4 slices (I did 6, but you could do 4). Coat a larege nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. Spray polenta with spray and place in skillet (you may need to do this in batches). Allow polenta to cook for 2-4 minutes, then spray top with cooking spray and flip to cook for 2-4 minutes on the other side.
This was the trickiest part, because I had no clue what I was doing or when to flip the polenta. It got easier by the 2nd batch, and was WAY better by the 3rd batch. Spraying the polenta with cooking spray helped. I think it's just going to take practice.
The Big Geek, apparently, does not like polenta. He thinks it has a weird texture, and I don't know how to get it crispier for him. I thought it was good, though, and the little geek liked her "corn mashed potatoes."
I topped it with Monterey Jack, but it didn't need it (when I had seconds I forgot about the cheese).
I hear you can buy pre-made polenta at the grocery store and then just slice and cook it. However, since cooking polenta basically involves boiling water, I'm not sure why you'd do that. . .
Quick, yummy, and easy to prep in advance--that's what I call my kind of meal!
from Weight Watchers
1 lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/8 oz cilandro, fresh, plus more for garnish (about 2 sprigs)
4 large garlic cloves, not peeled
2 dried ancho peppers, stems and seeds removed
1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 cup uncooked cornmeal (aka polenta)
cooking spray
6 medium radishes, red, sliced (optional)
2 medium scallions, sliced (optional)
Place chicken (about 2 breasts) in a single layer in a large nonstick skillet and cover with water. Add cilantro sprigs and 1 clove of unpeeled garlic. Cook chicken breasts over medium heat until no longer pink in center, about 10-15 minutes.
Remove chicken from pan to cool. Pour reserved cooking liquid into a bowl and add ancho peppers. Cover and soak peppers about 10 minutes to soften.
Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 3 garlic cloves and roast in pan, turning frequently, until blackened in spots. Remove cloves and allow to cool. When cool enough, peel garlic.
Place peppers, roasted garlic, tomato sauce, and cumin in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Shred chicken.
Note: You could do all of the above in advance.
Place shredded chicken and blended sauce in a medium saucepan and heat through, stirring occasionally. You may want to save some of your shredded chicken without sauce for the little geeks.
To make polenta, bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Add salt. Then slowly add cornmeal, stirring until smooth, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Coat a 9 x 9-inch pan with cooking spray and pour polenta into pan. Smooth with a spatula and allow polenta to firm up, about 1-2 minutes (or longer if you choose to do this in advance as well).
When polenta is firm (or you are ready to make dinner), cut polenta into 4 slices (I did 6, but you could do 4). Coat a larege nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. Spray polenta with spray and place in skillet (you may need to do this in batches). Allow polenta to cook for 2-4 minutes, then spray top with cooking spray and flip to cook for 2-4 minutes on the other side.
This was the trickiest part, because I had no clue what I was doing or when to flip the polenta. It got easier by the 2nd batch, and was WAY better by the 3rd batch. Spraying the polenta with cooking spray helped. I think it's just going to take practice.
The Big Geek, apparently, does not like polenta. He thinks it has a weird texture, and I don't know how to get it crispier for him. I thought it was good, though, and the little geek liked her "corn mashed potatoes."
I topped it with Monterey Jack, but it didn't need it (when I had seconds I forgot about the cheese).
I hear you can buy pre-made polenta at the grocery store and then just slice and cook it. However, since cooking polenta basically involves boiling water, I'm not sure why you'd do that. . .
Quick, yummy, and easy to prep in advance--that's what I call my kind of meal!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)