Roasted Chicken and Mixed Vegetables

Tonight's recipe is inspired by photos a friend took of her dinner last night, and posted on facebook. I was all but drooling as I looked at them, and went out today to buy chicken so I could make it tonight!

I joined a CSA for the first time this year, and have loved getting weekly deliveries of fresh, organic and mostly local produce. Many of the items I've been getting are new to me, so it's been fun to be coaxed out of the rut it's so easy to settle into, and rise to the challenge of experimenting with new foods. Tonight's dish uses most of my usual staples, but it's exciting to know that every vegetable in the dish is supporting my local farming community. How cool is that?

This dinner is so easy, it's almost embarrassing. I used a huge, deep roasting pan and filled it with chunks of zucchini, summer squash, carrots, celery, onion, asparagus spears, whole garlic cloves and button mushrooms, all tossed together with olive oil, rosemary, oregano, salt and pepper. Then I laid pieces of bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts, legs and thighs on top, drizzled with a little more olive oil and herbs. It roasted, covered with foil, at 425 for 1 hour, another 20-30 minutes with the foil off, then a few minutes under the broiler to crisp up the chicken skin. You might be able to get by with less roasting time, but I'm kind of paranoid when it comes to undercooked chicken, so I cooked it longer just to be on the safe side. This really couldn't be easier, and my house smells incredible!

If I were to do this again, I'd roast the chicken for the first 45 minutes, then add the veggies at that point. The veggies were way overcooked and mushy. They still tasted incredible, but I'd prefer they have a little bite to them next time -- and believe me, there will be a next time. This dish is fantastic!

I also whipped up some lightly sauteed red chard and garlic scapes, also from this week's CSA delivery, cooked in sesame oil and seasoned with ginger, kimchee, salt and sugar. Weird combination of flavors, I know, and a totally different palate from the roasted chicken and veggies, but it's seriously yum! I'm sorry I don't have a picture of it, but I scarfed it down while I was waiting for the chicken to finish roasting. ;)

Tomato-Feta Chicken Tofu with Couscous

This has been one of my go-to recipes for over ten years. I found this recipe in a magazine when I was pregnant with Lydia, and it's been a menu staple ever since! There are only 5 ingredients, and it cooks up in minutes. You can't beat that!

It's one of Brad's favorite things that I cook, so I wanted to try to vegetarianize it for him. Instead of browning chicken breasts in a skillet, I grilled tofu on the Foreman Grill. I also used plain couscous instead of the parmesan variety, and I left the feta cheese off of my serving, but Brad happily smothered his with it. I can't blame him. I love (and miss) feta cheese!

The verdict? It was good. I do prefer chicken to tofu when it's cooked this way, but the tofu was still a fine substitution, and one I was glad to make. And I missed the feta, but there was still plenty of flavor in the tomatoes, so it was still good without it. I'll count this one a success!



Tomato-Feta Chicken with Couscous

4 chicken breasts
1 can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 box parmesan couscous
1 bag fresh spinach
1 pack tomato-basil feta cheese

Pan-fry the chicken breasts in a little olive oil till nicely browned on both sides, then add the can of diced tomatoes (juice and all). Cover and simmer till the chicken is done.

Meanwhile, prepare the couscous and steam the spinach.

To serve, make a bed of spinach on each plate, then top with a piece of chicken and spoon some tomatoes and sauce over top; serve the couscous on the side. Sprinkle a little tomato-basil feta cheese over all.

Hot Wings

We decided to have a carnivorous day today, since Brad has been wanting to try his hand at making hot wings. He developed his own wing sauce today, broiled up the wings, and tossed them in the sauce. They were fiery hot, tangy and delicious, but definitely not for the faint of heart. Our mouths were burning afterwards. We love hot wings!

Hot Wings

Sauce:
4 Tbsp butter, melted
1 bottle Louisiana Hot Sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp oregano
4 tsp vinegar
1 tsp mirin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Simmer 5 minutes. Set aside.

Wings:
20 chicken drumettes

Preheat broiler. Move top rack to 6 inches from heat. Line a baking sheet with foil, and arrange chicken drumettes evenly. Broil chicken about 20 minutes total, turning chicken every 4 to 5 minutes. Drain juices and drippings midway through, to ensure that chicken stays crispy. When chicken is thoroughly cooked and juices run clear, remove from oven. Toss in sauce, and serve hot.

Brad's Sausage & Chicken Jambalaya

When I first met Brad seven years ago, I was thrilled to find out that he enjoyed cooking. A match made in heaven, no? We had been dating for about two weeks when he first cooked for me -- a fabulous dinner of lasagna from scratch. I didn't know any other 24 year old guys who not only cooked their own pasta sauce from scratch, yet alone an entire lasagna. He even cooked the lasagna noodles in garlic and olive oil infused water. I tell you what, I was smitten. I mean, I liked him already, but when I walked into his apartment that day, with the Barenaked Ladies playing on the stereo, and Brad finishing up his sauce, sleeves pushed up on his long-sleeved gray t-shirt, splattered here and there with sauce...yeah, that's the definitive moment when I looked at him and thought "Holy shit. I love this guy." And I still do. ; )

Lasagna's not the only thing he cooks, though. He's an impressive force in the kitchen, never using recipes, just winging it as he goes, adjusting ingredients and seasoning until everything is just right. I wish I could cook with such abandon, but I am, as I've said before, much more of a by-the-book girl. We used to cook dinner together most nights, but kind of fell off that habit when he worked nights for the better part of our first year in Japan, and then -- when he wasn't deployed to Afghanistan -- had a job that often didn't get him home from work in time to pitch in. I think it's something we need to start again, though. I miss cooking together.

This dinner tonight is one of his specialties. He was born and raised in southeast Louisiana, so jambalaya is near and dear. This is another one of the regional dishes I'd never tried before I met him (along with grits, crawfish, red beans and rice, muffalettas, catfish, salty cornbread, sweet tea, and the like), but it quickly became a favorite, and I love when he makes it! Tonight his mom and little brother came over for dinner, so he tackled the entree and I handled French bread and brownies (scroll down for those blog entries).

I've done my best to transcribe his process into a written recipe, and I think this is pretty close. I don't have actual amounts for the cajun seasoning and Tabasco sauce, so you'll just have to taste and tweak as you go, but this is pretty hard to mess up.







Oh, baby!








Brad's Sausage & Chicken Jambalaya

Smoked sausage or andouille sausage link, about 8"
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cloves garlic, separated
1 to 2 green bell peppers
1 onion
2 to 3 fresh jalapeno peppers
2 Tbsp olive oil
cajun seasoning
oregano, basil, thyme, crushed red pepper, 2 bay leaves
Tabasco sauce
2 cups rice, uncooked
1 can beer
chicken stock, enough to make 4 cups of liquid when combined with beer


Prepare all ingredients before you start cooking, as follows: slice sausage in half lengthwise, then slice into ½-inch pieces; cut chicken into chunks; dice bell pepper and onion; finely dice jalapenos; mince garlic. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add chicken, sausage and 1 clove of garlic; add liberal amounts of cajun seasoning, spices and Tabasco. Cook and stir until cooked through and fairly blackened. The majority of the spices for this dish are added at this point in the recipe, so be sure to check and adjust seasoning as necessary. Remove meat from skillet with a slotted spoon, and set aside, leaving all pan juices and drippings in the skillet.

Add bell pepper, onion, jalapeno and remaining cloves of garlic to the hot skillet, cooking and stirring to get the yummy blackened bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook vegetables until softened and lightly browned. Add dry rice and stir for several minutes to brown. Add chicken stock and beer, stirring well to combine thoroughly.

Cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, or until rice is cooked through. Serve with crusty French bread and a green salad.

Chiang Mai Curry Noodles

Chiang Mai Curry Noodles

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 Tbsp red curry paste
3/4 lb chicken breast, cut in chunks
2 cups unsweetned coconut milk
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2 tsp ground tumeric or curry powder
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1/3 cup coarsley chopped shallots
1/3 cup coarsley chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
4 to 6 servings hot rice or noodles

Heat the oil in a medium sauceepan over medium heat, and then add garlic. Toss well and add the curry paste, mashing and stirring to soften it in the oil, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook 1 to 2 minutes, tossing now and then to brown it evenly and mix it with the curry paste. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, turmeric, soy sauce, sugar, and salt and stir well. Bring to a gentle boil and adjust heat to maintain a lively simmer. Cook about 10 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Stir in lime juice and remove from heat.

Ladle curry over rice or noodles, and sprinkle each serving with shallots, cilantro and green onions. Serve hot.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 1/2 cups chicken broth
6 corn tortillas, cut into 1/2 inch strips, divided
1 can green enchilada sauce
1 can red enchilada sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
½ cup whole milk or half & half
Sour cream
Diced avocado

Combine chicken stock and half of the tortilla strips in a large pot. Cook over medium heat until strips soften and broth thickens slightly. Most of the tortilla strips will dissolve away. Stir in green and red enchilada sauces and cumin, and remaining tortilla strips. Stir in chicken and milk; heat through but do not boil.

Divide soup among four bowls and garnish with sour cream and avocado, if desired.

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

1 quart chicken stock
1 stalk lemon grass, white part only, cracked open with the flat side of a knife
3 kaffir lime leaves, hand torn
1 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2 small Thai chilies, halved lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 13-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2 Tbsp Thai fish sauce
1 ½ tsp sugar
1 8-ounce can straw mushrooms, rinsed
4 limes, juiced
1 ½ c shredded cooked chicken
Salt & pepper
¼ c chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Bring the stock to a boil over medium heat in a soup pot. Add the lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, ginger, chilies and garlic. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover and gently simmer for 10 minutes to let the spices infuse the broth.

Uncover and stir in the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, mushrooms, lime juice and chicken. Simmer for 5 minutes to heat the chicken through; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro. Be careful to avoid chewing the lemongrass, ginger or lime leaves.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp chili powder
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp butter
½ c Tabasco Sauce
Lettuce leaves
4 crusty rolls, split
2 c sour cream
4 scallions, thinly sliced
½ lb blue cheese, crumbled

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt, pepper, paprika and chili powder. Drizzle breasts with a little olive oil to coat. Pan grill chicken breasts 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through.

Melt butter in a small saucepan and add hot sauce to the butter to combine. When the chicken breasts are done, remove from pan and add to the bowl and coat evenly with hot sauce mixture.

Combine sour cream, scallions and blue cheese, and spread on rolls. Top with chicken breasts and lettuce.

BBQ Salad

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked as desired (grilled, broiled, poached, etc.)
4 c shredded romaine lettuce
½ medium red onion, diced
1 8.75-ounce can corn, drained
¼ c chopped cilantro
¼ c barbecue sauce
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1/2 cup french fried onions

Chop chicken into bite-sized chunks. Toss together chicken, lettuce, onion, corn and cilantro. Whisk together barbecue sauce and mayonnaise; toss with salad. Sprinkle with french fried onions. Serve immediately.

Note: To make this recipe vegetarian, substitute one can black beans, rinsed and drained, for the chicken.

Chinese Chicken Salad

1 3-ounce pkg ramen noodles
¼ c slivered or sliced almonds
2 Tbsp sesame seed
3 c shredded Napa or green cabbage (about half of a ½-lb head)
2 c chopped cooked chicken
¼ c thinly sliced green onion
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp sesame oil

Preheat oven to 350.

Reserve seasoning packet from noodles for another use. Break up the noodles; place on a cookie sheet along with the almonds and sesame seeds. Bake at 350 for 5 to 8 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven.

In a large salad bowl, combine cabbage, cooked chicken and green onions; toss to mix.

For dressing, in a screw-top jar, combine oil, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and sesame oil. Cover and shake well. Pour over cabbage mixture. Add toasted noodle mixture; toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Note: To make this recipe vegetarian, replace chicken with fried cubes of tofu.

Mandarin Pasta Salad

Dressing
1 tsp finely chopped fresh gingerroot
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/3 c rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/4 c orange juice
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
2 tsp sugar

Whisk together all dressing ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Salad
8 oz cooked bowtie pasta
1/2 cucumber, scored, seeded and sliced
1/2 c diced red bell pepper
1/2 c coarsely chopped red onion
1 package (6 oz) fresh baby spinach leaves
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges, drained
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 c sliced almonds, toasted

Combine all salad ingredients in a large salad bowl, drizzle with dressing, toss and serve.

Chicken Enchilada Dip

Chicken Enchilada Dip

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded/finely diced
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
1 can Rotel tomatoes & chiles
1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix all ingredients together. Spread in a medium baking dish.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown

Serve with Fritos, tortilla chips, and/or veggies for dipping.

Chicken Yakitori

3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup Tamari dark aged soy sauce, available on the Asian foods aisle
2 tablespoons light oil, such as wok oil or vegetable oil
1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut in half on an angle
5 scallions, cut in half

Preheat coals for tabletop hibachi or preheat grill pan over medium high to high heat.

Combine sherry, sugar, dark soy and oil in a shallow dish. Turn cut chicken and scallions in marinade and let stand 10 minutes.

Cook chicken pieces and scallions in a single layer over hot coals or on hot grill pan for 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken and scallions to a serving plate and set several bamboo skewers on the edge of the plate for spearing meat and scallions.

Hot Wings

2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp cayenne pepper
40 to 50 chicken wings
1 bottle Frank’s hot sauce
¼ cup butter, melted
Bleu cheese dressing
Carrot and celery sticks

Preheat oven to 425.

Combine flour, salt, pepper and cayenne pepper in a plastic, sealable bag. Shake the wings 6 at a time until well coated. Shake off excess flour and place on a baking pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 425 for 35 minutes.

While chicken is baking, combine melted butter and Frank’s hot sauce; set aside.

When chicken has cooked for 35 minutes, remove from oven and brush sauce generously over wings. Return to oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and turn wings. Brush with sauce and return to oven for 5 minutes. Serve with bleu cheese dressing and carrot and celery sticks.

Virginia's Chicken Ribbons Satay

½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup water
¼ cup soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, pressed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
sliced green onion tops for garnish

Combine peanut butter, water, soy sauce, garlic, lemon juice, brown sugar, ginger and red pepper flakes in small sauce pan. Cook over medium heat 1 minute or until smooth; cool. Reserve half of the sauce for dipping. Cut chicken lengthwise into 1 inch wide strips. Thread onto 8 metal of bamboo skewers.

Oil hot grill to help prevent sticking. Grill chicken on covered grill until chicken is cooked through. Baste with sauce once or twice during cooking. Serve with reserved sauce, garnished with sliced green onion tops.

Cheryl's Chicken Enchiladas

4 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I usually poach them)
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, finely diced (leave the seeds in if you want it spicy, or take them out before dicing if you want them mild)
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 cans green enchilada sauce, divided
12-16 corn tortillas
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, cream cheese, onion, jalapenos, and half of the cheddar cheese; set aside.

To prepare tortillas, place one on a microwave safe plate, and spray on both sides with cooking spray. Place another tortilla on top, and spray the top side with cooking spray. Continue with remaining tortillas. Once all tortillas have been sprayed, microwave on high for 1-2 minutes, or until heated through.

Spread 1/2 can of enchilada sauce in bottom of 9x13 baking dish.

Fill tortillas, using about ¼ cup of filling for each. Roll up and place seam-side down in a baking dish. Pour remaining 1-2 cans sauce evenly over enchiladas, and sprinkle with remaining cheese.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly. Remove foil and bake 10 minutes more to melt cheese.

Robbie's Chicken Casserole

1 can cream of chicken soup
4 small chicken breasts, cut into chunks
2 c cooked rice
1 c grated cheddar
1 c sour cream
1 c mayonnaise
3 c broccoli florets
1 c corn flakes

Preheat oven to 375. Spread rice on bottom of large casserole dish, then place chicken chunks on top. Layer broccoli florets on chicken. Combine soup, cheddar, sour cream and mayo, and spread mixture on top of broccoli layer. Cover with foil. Bake 45 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove foil; sprinkle corn flakes on top of casserole and bake until flakes are crispy. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Note: This is also good if you substitute french fried onions for the corn flakes

Mom's Chicken with Tomato & Pepperoni

2 Tbsp oil
1 8-ounce tomato sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/8 tsp oregano
1 tsp lemon juice
4 slices mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese
2-inch slice of pepperoni, grated
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Pound chicken between plastic wrap to 1/3-inch thickness. Mix tomato sauce, lemon juice, sugar, oregano and bouillon. Set aside. 10 minutes before serving, heat oil over high heat. When hot, add chicken; fry 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Do not overcook. Remove to a serving platter. Cover with cheese slices. Add sauce to hot pan. Simmer 2 minutes. Add pepperoni, and stir together. Serve over chicken. Sprinkle with parmesan and serve.

Alice Springs Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 cup prepared mustard
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
6 thick slices bacon, cooked and cut in half
3 cups shredded Colby cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Rub the chicken breasts with the seasoned salt, cover and let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, honey, corn syrup, mayonnaise and dried onion flakes. Mix together well and set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the breasts in the skillet and saute for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned. Remove from skillet and place the breasts into a 9x13 inch baking dish. To each
breast, apply the honey mustard sauce, then layer each breast with mushrooms and bacon, and then top with the cheese.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly and chicken juices run clear. Garnish with parsley and serve with the extra honey mustard sauce.

Fresh Fettcuine with Pulled Rotisserie Chicken, Pesto and Roasted Peppers

2/3 cup basil pesto
9-ounce package fresh fettuccine
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups pulled cooked chicken meat
2 cups sliced roasted red bell peppers
1/2 cup pitted olives, halved lengthwise
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for the table

Put the pesto in a large bowl.

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water. Whisk the pasta water into the pesto.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until soft and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken, peppers, and olives and cook, stirring until hot, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the pasta and cheese to the pesto and toss to combine. Add the chicken mixture and combine. Divide the pasta among 4 bowls and serve immediately. Pass Parmesan at the table.