Sesame Chicken and Noodles

I'm not quite sure where to begin, as my love for these recipes is overwhelming.  Katie first posted the sesame noodles over at Good Things Catered, and I was instantly smitten.  Then the sesame chicken appeared and the two recipes immediately went on the menu.  I knew they would be great, because a) they are from Katie, and b) hello, sesame anything is awesome!   

 

 

Little did I realize the joy that would befall me when I had the first bite of this chicken.  It was out-of-this-world-good!  There is something magical about this simple combination of ingredients, and I happily made the same chicken again the very next weekend! 

 

Sesame Chicken

Source: Slightly adapted from Good Things Catered

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 heaping Tbsp Chinese garlic chili sauce (I improvised with 1 tablespoon good quality hot sauce and 1 clove worth of grated garlic)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (Katie lists 1 cup, but I found it was way more than I needed)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 1 Tbsp black sesame seeds
• 1 tsp olive oil

Directions:
-In medium bowl, combine chicken, sesame oil and garlic chili sauce.
-Toss to combine well and place in fridge.
-Marinate chicken for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.
-Remove from fridge when ready to cook and place a nonstick pan on stove over medium heat.
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-Place olive oil into pan and heat until almost smoking.
-Meanwhile another shallow bowl, add bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt, pepper, sesame seeds and toss to combine.
-Using tongs, place chicken breast into bread crumb mixture and coat well.
-Place into hot pan and repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
-Cook until golden in color on one side, about 2-3 minutes and flip.
-Cook an additional 2-3 minutes and place pan into preheated oven.
-Bake until internal temperature of 160 is achieved (do not over cook) and remove, about 10-15 minutes.
-Place chicken on warm serving plate, let rest for at least 10 minutes and serve.

 

 

Sesame Noodles

Source: Slightly adapted from Good Things Catered

• 1 (8oz) package whole wheat thin spaghetti (we use Barilla Plus)
• 1 large carrot, ends removed and sliced into thin matchsticks
• 1 cup snow peas, rinsed
• 1 heaping Tbsp tahini
• 1 Tbsp creamy natural peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp good quality sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 6 green onions, sliced thinly, dark green ends removed
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 cup reserved pasta water

 

Directions:

-Cook pasta according to package directions.
-Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine tahini, peanut butter, sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce and green onions.
-Stir to combine well and set aside.
-In last 2 minutes of cooking time, add carrots and snow peas to boiling water.
-Remove 1 cup pasta water from pan and set aside.
-Drain pasta and vegetables, and place into large bowl along with other ingredients.
-Add 1/2 of reserved pasta water and toss to combine all ingredients.
-Add sesame seeds, let sit for 1 minute and add additional pasta water to obtain desired consistency

-Serve warm or cold.

 

Orange Saffron Chicken with Coconut Saffron Risotto

I've been in love with saffron in risotto since Ina's butternut squash risotto. Something about that combination is nothing short of fantastic to me. With a little leftover coconut milk, I was scouring my Google Reader subscriptions for ideas, and came across this dinner from Jenn Cuisine.



 I thought all the flavors in this dish came together nicely.  I especially liked the little bite from the toasted almonds (which I chopped since I didn't have slivered ones) among the soft spinach.  The coconut in the risotto is subtle, or perhaps mine was just overpowered by my heavy handed measure of saffron. ;-)


Coconut-Saffron Risotto
Source: Reworded from Jenn Cuisine

• 3 tbs. canola oil (EVOO may not mix well w/ coconut flavors)
• 1 shallot or onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup arborio rice
• splash of sherry
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 2 cups veggie broth
• 1/2 tsp saffron
• salt to taste

Directions:
1. In a pot with a large surface area, saute the onion in oil (med-high) until translucent. Then add in the rice for about 3 min until turns golden. Meanwhile, add coconut milk and broth to a saucepan and start it heating but keep it just under a boil so it is steaming.

2. Add in a splash of sherry to the rice and while stirring, let the sherry get absorbed into the rice.

3. Reduce heat down to medium. Add in 3/4 cup broth and saffron, stirring to let the rice soak up the broth until it is nearly all absorbed.  Repeat with remaining broth until the rice is plump and soft.  Add in salt to taste.


Orange Saffron Chicken with Orange and Almond Spinach
Source:  Jenn Cuisine

• 2 tbs. canola oil
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp. saffron
• 1 orange
• salt and pepper
• 1 lb. spinach
• 1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds

Directions:
1. Squeeze orange juice (don’t toss the orange just yet!) and saffron in a small pot, and heat for a few minutes (but don’t boil it like crazy, there isn’t much liquid).

2. Take off the burner and let cool a bit to near room temp. Then add the chicken in an airtight container and set in the fridge for a good half hour.

3. Meanwhile, saute the spinach with 2 tbs. canola oil in a skillet on med-high heat. Once wilted, add in meat of orange and toasted almond slices, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from burner and set aside.

4. Using same pan (adding more oil if needed), add chicken and orange/saffron juice to the pan at med-high heat. Saute until chicken is thoroughly cooked and browns on the outside.

To serve, plate risotto on the bottom, then top with spinach and chicken. I garnished with a couple of saffron threads, almond slices, and orange zest.

Chicken Tortilla Pie

This is a fabulous dish that was easy to throw together with cooked chicken. The green salsa was fabulous, and the whole dish had great flavor and was a great comfort meal!



Chicken Tortilla Pie
Source: Everyday Food magazine
* 12 corn tortillas (6-inch), toasted (I used homemade whole wheat tortillas)
* 2 cups cooked, shredded dark-meat chicken (I used chopped cooked chicken breast)
* 1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chiles (I used fresh jalapenos)
* 1 1/2 cups Green or Red Salsa (recipe follows)
* 1 cup sour cream or greek yogurt
* 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (6 ounces)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In an 8-inch square baking dish, layer 4 tortillas, 1 cup chicken, cup chiles, 1/2 cup salsa, 1/3 cup sour cream, and 1/2 cup cheese; repeat once. Top with remaining tortillas, salsa, sour cream, and cheese. Bake until top is browned and bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes.

Green or Red Salsa

* 8 tomatillos (for Red Salsa, substitute 6 plum tomatoes, halved)
* 1 onion, halved
* 1 to 2 jalapenos, halved (ribs and seeds removed, if desired)
* 2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
* Coarse salt

Directions

1. On a rimmed baking sheet, broil tomatillos, onion, jalapenos, and garlic until lightly charred, 4 minutes. Puree in a blender until smooth. Thin with 1/2 to 3/4 cup water, and season with salt.

Chicken Shawarma

This was a more involved meal, that took some time, but in the end I definitely thought it was worth it! I had a bag of lentils since a disasterous attempt at a crockpot lentil concoction, and finally felt like I could attempt them again after seeing this recipe.



Everything went together so well, and the spicy tomato sauce was fantastic.  I wished I had more to cover everything in it.  :-)   I opted to shift the ratio of quinoa to lentils, since I was still a little afraid they were going to be gross, but ultimately I thought the lentil stew would be great in its intended ratios.  The chicken was moist and had a great complex flavor from the myriad of spices. 

Kushari with Chicken Shawarma
Source: Clean Eating Magazine, May/June 2009
(Makes 6 Servings)

Ingredients: Lentil Stew and Caramelized Onions
3 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup lentils, cleaned and rinsed
1/2 cup quinoa
1 oz whole-wheat spaghetti or vermicelli (about 1/2 cup), broken into 1 to 1 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)

Ingredients: Spicy Tomato Sauce
1 tsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups tomatoes, crushed
1/2 tsp red bell pepper, crushed (assume this is 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper)
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp ground black pepper

Instructions:
Lentil Stew: Heat stock and 3 cups water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until it comes to a roiling boil. Add lentils, lower heat to simmer and cover. Cook for 25 minutes, until lentils are tender but not completely soft. Mix in quinoa, let cook for about 6 minutes. Then add spaghetti, cook for another 6-8 minutes. If the mixture seems dry, add another 1/2 cup water. Cover and set aside. (Tip: To break up spaghetti, simply wrap it in a clean dish towel and holding the towel by each end, carefully run pasta over the edge of a counter or table a few times).

Caramelized Onions: While lentils are cooking, heat 1/2 tsp oil in a small saute pan over low heat. Place onion in pan and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until onion is soft and beginning to brown.

Spicy Tomato Sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Mash garlic with salt together in a small bowl to form a paste, then add to oil in saucepan and cook until soft and lightly brown, about 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes and bell pepper, mixing occasionally until sauce reduces and thickens, about 5-10 minutes. Add vinegar, cumin, and black pepper. Continue cooking until sauce thickens again, about 10-15 minutes. Prepare chicken shawarma.

To Assemble: Place 1 cup lentil stew in a bowl, pour 1/4 cup tomato sauce over top, then add 2 oz chicken shawarma and add 1 Tbsp caramelized onions.


Chicken Shawarma
Clean Eating Magazine, May/June 2009
(Makes 6 Servings)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp onion powder
12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced into paper-thin strips

Instructions:
In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients except chicken. Then add chicken. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 3 hours. Cook in non-stick pan over medium heat until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. (Time-saving Tip: To make slicing easier, freeze chicken for 20 minutes beforehand).

Nutrients per serving: (1 cup lentils, 1/4 cup tomato sauce, 1 Tbsp caramelized onions and 2 oz chicken): Calories: 310, Total Fat: 5g, Sat Fat: 5g, Carbs: 40g, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 8g, Protein: 27g, Sodium: 440mg, Cholesterol: 35mg.

Chicken Chile Verde

We have enjoyed this dish many times in our almost 7 years of being together, and it's another favorite of mine from my mother-in-law's kitchen. I finally sat down and watched my husband with notepad and pen in hand while he made this, so it could be recorded somewhere other than his brain, and so I had a remote shot at being able to make it myself. It's a wonderfully comforting dish with great flavor from the tomatillos and cilantro. 

Chicken Chile Verde

• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
  
• 2 jalapenos, stem removed (and seeded if necessary to reduce the heat)
• 10 tomatillos, husks removed and rinsed
• 1/2 of a large white onion, quartered
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, rinsed
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 5-6 small boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1" cubes

1. Place garlic, jalapenos, tomatillos, and onion in a large stock pot with just enough water to cover.  Bring to a boil (see step 3) over medium heat, and cook, uncovered, for about 25 minutes. 
2. Add contents of the pot to a blender along with 1/2 cup water and cilantro.  Puree until smooth, being  careful to allow steam to escape while blending or you will end up with a newly decorated kitchen in a wonderful shade of green!
3. When tomatillo mixture reaches a boil, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Brown chicken until no longer pink, then drain skillet.  Add pureed tomatillo mixture to skillet, then add salt, to taste.  With the lid cracked, simmer over medium low heat for 30 minutes.  Serve with mexican rice and tortillas, garnished with lime for juicing. 

Ginger Sesame Chicken with Bok Choy

I've been holding onto this recipe for probably 6 years. Truthfully, I had copied this recipe because it was on the same page as a different one that I wanted to make (but never did). I'm thankful that my tastes and experience has changed in the last few years, and I decided to make this recipe instead of whatever else was on that page.

Tempted as I was to grab my standby, shiitake mushrooms, I decided to be adventurous and get the oyster mushrooms. I still like shiitake better, but I am glad I branched out and tried them in this dish.



This recipe was quick to throw together, and I thought it would be great with soba noodles instead of rice. The flavors were great together - a little sweet and a little heat!

Ginger-Sesame Chicken with Bok Choy and Mushrooms
Source: Slightly adapted from Food and Wine
Servings: 4

•  1/2 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
•  3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
•  1 tablespoon sherry
•  1 tablespoon sugar (agave nectar, maple syrup, honey, or sucanat would work well for clean eaters)
  
•  1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
•  1/2 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
•  1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
•  1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
•  3 tablespoons canola oil
•  3/4 pound oyster mushrooms, thickly sliced
•  3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
•  Salt and freshly ground pepper
•  3/4 pound bok choy, thickly sliced crosswise
•  1 small red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
•  2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
•  1 garlic clove, minced 
•  1/2 to 3/4 pound cooked soba noodles
  

Directions

1. In a medium jar, combine the chicken stock with the soy sauce, sherry, sugar, dissolved cornstarch, rice vinegar, sesame oil and crushed red pepper and shake well.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the canola oil until shimmering. Add the oyster mushrooms and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a large plate.

3. Add another 2 teaspoons of canola oil to the skillet. Season the chicken breast pieces generously with salt and pepper, add them to the skillet and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until they are golden and just barely cooked through, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken pieces to the plate with the oyster mushrooms.

4. Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil to the skillet along with the bok choy and red pepper and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer the vegetables to the plate.

5. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons of canola oil to the skillet along with the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Return the chicken and vegetables to the skillet. Shake the sauce and add it to the skillet. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a bowl over noodles and serve.



Nutritional Information (without noodles or rice, I'm assuming)
Calories: 265
Total fat: 13.3 g
Saturated fat: 1.1 g
Carb: 12 g

Soba Noodle Salad with Chicken and Scallions

I've been putting in some extra hours at work, and as a result, I'm trying to focus on recipes that are quicker to prepare. I'm a big fan of soba and trying new ingredients, so this recipe seemed perfect. I've never purchased red cabbage (or any cabbage, for that matter) before, so I'd be charting new territory there. I couldn't have asked for an easier way to prepare the cabbage for the first go-around... thinly slicing is something I can definitely handle!



As promised, this came together easily and quickly. I sauteed the chicken the night before when I was preparing something else, so that was already chopped and in the fridge. A rotisserie chicken would work in a pinch, too. The dressing and vegetables were prepared while the water boiled and the soba cooked. Then just toss it all together! Quick and delicious - perfect after a ragged week.

Soba Noodle Salad with Chicken and Scallions
Source: Everyday Food, November 2009
Serves 4-6

• 3/4 pound soba (Japanese buckwheat noodles)
• 1/4 soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar (or sugar)
• 1 garlic clove, minced or grated
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
• 3/4 pound shredded cooked chicken
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 1/4 cups thinly sliced red cabbage

1.  In a large pot of boiling water, cook soba according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, oil, agave, garlic, and ginger.
2. Drain soba, rinse with cold water, and drain again.  Transfer to bowl with soy mixture and toss.  Add chicken, scallions, and cabbage and toss to combine.

The magazine includes the nutritional information per serving, but fails to mention how many servings the recipe makes (I added my own 4-6 serving estimate above).  Typically, one serving of pasta is 2 ounces, in which case, this recipe makes 6 servings.  I'm guessing that's what they are referring to as a serving.
Nutritional Information (per serving):
Calories: 505
Total Fat: 8.2 g
Sat. Fat: 1.3 g
Carbohydrates: 72.1 g
Fiber: 5.7 g
Protein: 37.6 g

Roasted Tomatillo Enchiladas

Enchiladas is usually a dish my husband prepares, as he learned from his mother. I saw this recipe at Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations and figured I'd give him a treat, and make the enchiladas myself.  I've become somewhat obsessed with tomatillos lately, so I couldn't wait to try this take on enchiladas.  I made some modifications to the filling, using avocado to keep the chicken from drying out, and it worked great! I also decided to go with homemade whole wheat tortillas, which turned out to be really easy to make, and delicious!  The enchiladas were absolutely fantastic, and perfect when topped with fresh pico de gallo!




Roasted Tomatillo Enchiladas
Source: Slightly adapted from Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

For the chicken: 

• about 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 jalapeno, chopped
• 1/3 bunch of cilantro,
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tbsp cumin (we use coriander)
  
• 1 tsp Mexican oregano
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp lime juice - added about an hour before cooking

For the enchiladas:

• 4-5 strips roasted red pepper (from jar), diced
• 1 avocado, peeled and fruit diced
• 1/4 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese, plus more cheese for topping the enchiladas
• Creamy Roasted Tomatillo Sauce (recipe follows)
• 7-8 corn or flour tortillas, warmed (recipe follows)
  

Directions:

1. Combine chicken with marinade ingredients (except lime juice) in a large ziplock bag or bowl. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, adding the lime juice during the last hour.  After removing the chicken from the marinade, saute it until golden brown on all sides. Shred the chicken, or chop it up into rough cubes.
2. In a bowl, combine cooked chicken, red pepper, avocado, and 1/4 cup Mexican blend cheese. 
3. Coat the bottom of a baking dish with some of the tomatillo sauce.
4. Take a tortilla shell, dip both sides in the tomatilla sauce, then add some of the chicken mixture.  Roll it and put into the baking dish, seam side down.
5. Continue until you have filled the casserole dish, making sure the enchiladas are tightly packed together (but not overlapping).
6. Spoon the tomatillo sauce over the enchiladas, and finish with a sprinkling of shredded cheese.
7. Cover and bake on 375 for about 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Creamy Roasted Tomatillo Sauce

• 10 small/medium tomatillos; remove husks and wash; cut into halves or quarters
• 2 jalapenos, roughly chopped
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• Olive oil
• Salt
• 1 cup cilantro, thoroughly washed
• 1/2 cup 2% cottage cheese, blended thoroughly
• 3 oz Monterrey Jack cheese
• Dash of salt

Directions

• Combine the first 5 ingredients in a baking dish. Roast on 450 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until tomatillos are tender.
• In a pot, add roasted veggies, cilantro, and the salt. Mix everything together and then puree. I used my handheld immersion blender, but if you don't have one you could use a blender.
• Add the cottage cheese and stir thoroughly. 
  
• Add the cheese and stir until melted.
• Let lightly simmer until you are ready to assemble your enchiladas, stirring occasionally.

Homemade Whole Wheat Flour Tortillas
Source: Slightly adapted from The Homesick Texan/The Border Cookbook by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison
Makes 8 tortillas

• Two cups of whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil
• 3/4 cups of warm milk

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and oil.  Slowly add the warm milk.  Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.  Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft.  Place dough in a bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.
2. After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover balls with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. (It’s very important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will be like elastic and won’t roll out to a proper thickness and shape.)
3. After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. (If you roll out pie crusts you’ll have no problem with this.) Don’t over work the dough, or it’ll be stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.
4.  In a dry iron skillet or comal heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done.  Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat.

Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame or in the oven wrapped in foil.  While you probably won’t have any leftovers, you can store in the fridge tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so.

Easy Herbed Chicken

I was in need of another quick, but delicious, idea for chicken breasts. I am constantly trying to reinvent them in my house, because it's our main source of protein. I found this on Recipezaar.com, and it sounded both delicious and easy.

I baked the chicken in the oven instead of grilling, and it was perfect! Delicious, juicy chicken that is prepared and ready in no time.

Easy Herbed Chicken
Source: Recipezaar

• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 4-6 chicken breasts

Directions

Combine all ingredients except the chicken in a large Ziploc bag and mix. Add chicken breasts.

Marinate in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes, no longer then that.

Grill, or bake at 350 degrees F until no longer pink.

Baked Coconut Chicken Curry

I've been moderately afraid of trying dishes with curry. I was afraid I wouldn't like it. Many months ago, I made Ina's curried cous cous and fell in love. I decided it was finally time to make something else, now that I knew it wasn't so scary, and went with this baked chicken curry.
This dish only intensified my love for curry.  I went with 2 teaspoons of cayenne and the full 2 tablespoons of curry, and it was fantastic!  A perfect blend of heat and flavor.  My husband and I were fighting over the leftovers! 

Baked Coconut Curry Chicken
Source: Slightly adapted from Check it out

• 2 1/2 pounds chicken (I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
• 1 can coconut milk (I use light coconut milk)
  
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2-3 teaspoons cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you like your food)
• 2 tablespoons curry powder (again depending on how much you like curry)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar (alternative sugars, such as agave nectar, work fine!)
  
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2-4 carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias
• 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
• white or brown rice, for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Wash and pat dry the chicken with a paper towel. Pour the chicken broth, coconut milk, and jalapenos in a baking dish then lay the chicken in the broth. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle the rest of the spices and squeeze the lime all over the chicken and broth. Add the carrots.

Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the dish from the oven, carefully remove the foil and mix up the broth mixture so the coconut milk breaks up. Put the baking dish back in the oven uncovered for another 30-45 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and very tender.

Once you remove the baking dish from the oven, carefully pour the sauce into a saucepan and add 1 tablespoon butter (optional - I made it without the butter and it was delicious!). Mix using a whisk, bring the sauce to a boil and whisk till smooth and reduced. Taste the sauce to make sure it is spicy enough for your liking. If not, add more cayenne pepper and curry powder. Serve chicken and carrots over rice and add the reduced sauce.

Mediterranean Chicken Packets

This meal had all the flavors we love, so I knew it would be a hit.  As a bonus, it is easy to prepare and bakes up quickly.  Between the capers, olives, and feta, I decided there was enough salt and omitted it from the recipe, along with the oil.

Mediterranean Chicken Packets
Source: Slightly adapted from Everyday Food, April 2009
Serves: 4

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each)
• Ground pepper
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
• 4 artichoke hearts (from a 14-ounce can), quartered
• 12 Kalamata olives, halved and pitted
• 4 teaspoons capers
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta (2 ounces)
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place four 12-inch squares of parchment paper or heavy-duty foil on a work surface. Place a chicken breast on one half of each square, leaving a 2-inch border; season with pepper.
2. Dividing evenly, top chicken with tomatoes, artichokes, olives, capers, and feta. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Fold parchment over ingredients, and crimp edges to seal.
3. Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until chicken is opaque throughout, 20 to 22 minutes.

Nutritional Information, per serving with 1 tablespoon oil per recipe
Calories: 344
Total Fat: 14.1 g (I'm guessing this goes down to around 11g with omission of the oil)
Sat. Fat: 4.3 g
Carbohydrates: 9.3 g
Fiber: 1.8 g
Protein: 44.1 g

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Buffalo chicken-anything is one of my husband's favorite foods. Left to his own devices with some chicken and a grill, and you are getting one of two things for dinner: BBQ chicken-something or Buffalo chicken-something. When I saw this recipe for Buffalo chicken pizza from Bridget, one of my most trusted recipe sources, I knew it would be an instant hit! 

Normally, I am not as big of a Buffalo chicken fan as my husband, but I totally fell in love with this pizza!  The combination of flavors is just perfect!


Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Source: The Way the Cookie Crumbles
Serves 3-4

• 1 large bone-in skin-on chicken breast (about 12 ounces)
• salt
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ¼ cup Frank’s hot sauce
• ½ teaspoon packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon buttermilk or plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• pinch of sugar
• pinch of garlic powder
• 2 ounces (½ cup) mozzarella, shredded
• 1 ounce (¼ cup) blue cheese, crumbled
• ¼ cup red onion or scallions, diced very fine
• 12-16 ounces pizza dough (one third of a recipe calling for about 4 cups of flour), stretched out to 9-12 inches (Whole wheat pizza dough recipe here)
  

1. For the chicken: Stir 2 tablespoons salt into 2 cups cold water until it dissolves. Add the chicken; refrigerate for 30 minutes, then remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry. Adjust an oven rack to the middle-low position and heat the oven to 450ºF. Heat a small oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan; place the chicken breast in the pan skin-side down. Cook without moving until well-browned, about 5 minutes. Turn the chicken over and move the pan to the oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken measures 160ºF or the juices run clear when small cut is made in the chicken. Remove the pan from the oven and set aside. When the chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove and discard the skin (or eat it, because it’s crisp and delicious!) and shred the meat with your fingers or two forks. (If you’ve used good chicken, brined it, and pan-roasted it like this, I dare you not to resist stealing bites of the shredded chicken. It’s delicious.) Increase the oven temperature to 500ºF.

2. For the buffalo sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the brown sugar, hot sauce, and vinegar. Mix the sauce with the shredded chicken.

3. For the white sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the buttermilk or yogurt, mayonnaise, sugar, garlic powder, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.

4. Assemble the pizza: Place the pizza dough on a wooden paddle that’s been liberally coated with cornmeal. (Or use parchment paper instead of the cornmeal, or the back of a baking sheet instead of the paddle.) Spread the white sauce evenly on the pizza dough; top with the chicken, then the cheeses, and finally the onions.

5. Bake the pizza for 8-10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is browned. Let the pizza rest about 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Buffalo Wings

Somewhere over a year ago, we discovered a place serving up buffalo wings near our house. Things started out innocently enough, as we ordered wings for the first time when my parents were visiting. Over the course of the next year, there were one or two more meetings with this lovely buffalo wing joint (no pun intended). Recently, my husband has been requesting it more and more often. I caved one night and agreed. Then he said, "We should do this every Thursday!"  Hold the phone. Definitely not! I had to find a way to make good wings at home, because once a week wing ordering was NOT going to happen here!

Tucked away in the back of my mind, for quite some time now, was Alton Brown's buffalo wing episode of Good Eats (The Wing and I). It was definitely time to bring up that recipe and put it to good use! After waiting over a month for the darn wings to go on sale at the store, I finally was able to pick some up and prepare wings, at home, for my buffalo-adoring husband. The method, although not at fast as picking up the phone and driving a mile down the road, worked out quite well and produced wonderfully moist and flavorful roasted wings. I ended up using a bottle of buffalo sauce we got from the Anchor Bar ages ago instead of Alton's sauce, but when that bottle runs out I will surely be trying Alton's.

Buffalo Wings
Source: Alton Brown

• 12 whole chicken wings
• 3 ounces unsalted butter
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup hot sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. Place a 6-quart saucepan with a steamer basket and 1-inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.
2. Remove the tips of the wings and discard or save for making stock. Using kitchen shears, or a knife, separate the wings at the joint. Place the wings into the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry. Lay the wings out on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
4. Replace the paper towels with parchment paper. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook another 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.
5. While the chicken is roasting, melt the butter in a small bowl along with the garlic. Pour this along with hot sauce and salt into a bowl large enough to hold all of the chicken and stir to combine.
6. Remove the wings from the oven and transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve warm.

Walnut Crusted Chicken with a Cinnamon Sage Sauce

I came up with this recipe to accompany the risotto and Pumpkin Spice Chardonnay from these lovely people.  We absolutely loved the walnut crusted chicken, and this was the first time I'd done this type of coating.  The sauce turned out great as well, and the hint of sage and cinnamon complemented the other components of the meal so well.












Walnut Crusted Chicken with Cinnamon Sage Sauce
Serves: 4

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)
• 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 egg whites (1/3 cup)
• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs or oat bran
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped finely
  
• 8 leaves of fresh sage, divided
• 2 Tablespoons minced shallot or onion
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 dry white wine (use low sodium chicken stock here to keep it clean... or say "the hell with it!" and use the wine anyway!)
  
• 1 cup low sodium chicken stock

1. Rinse chicken and pat dry.  On a small plate, combine the flour, salt, and pepper.  On a second plate, add the egg whites.  On a third plate, add the walnuts and bread crumbs or oat bran. 
2. Dredge chicken in the flour, shaking off excess.  Follow with egg white and walnut mixture, pressing to adhere mixture to chicken.  Transfer to a platter.  Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.  Place chicken in refrigerator for 20 minutes to set the coating.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  When chicken has chilled, heat a large stainless steel oven safe skillet over medium heat.  Add oil once the pan is heat.  When oil is hot, add chicken to pan and cook until browned, about 5 minutes each side.  Place one sage leaf on top of each piece of chicken, then place pan the oven and bake chicken until the internal temperature reached 165 degrees, about 15 minutes.
   
4. Transfer chicken from pan to serving platter while returning sage leaves to the pan, cover chicken with foil to keep warm. 
5. Add shallot and cinnamon stick to pan, saute until shallot is soft. 
6. Add wine and deglaze the pan, til wine is almost evaporated.
7. Add chicken broth, simmer until reduced by half.  Strain sauce and serve over chicken.  Garnish with a fresh sage leaf.
   

Chicken Divan

I've never had Chicken Divan before, but after a quick Google search I discovered that is was basically a baked dish with broccoli, chicken, and commonly, canned creamed soup. The first I heard of it was the May/June 2009 issue of Clean Eating Magazine. Their version sounded delicious, so I decided to give it a try.

This isn't a quick recipe to make, but the flavors are great. A medley of sauteed leeks and mushrooms, white beans, and chicken broth are blended together to make a very flavorful and healthy substitute for the canned cream soup.




We loved the flavors in this dish, but I made it in a large corningware dish that was nowhere near 9x13, and I thought there was not enough broccoli and chicken, but too much sauce. Next time I'll keep the corningware dish, but reduce the amount of sauce.




Chicken Divan
Source: Clean Eating Magazine, May/June 2009, page 58
Serves: 4 to 6

• 2 cups low fat, low sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 leeks, sliced very thin and cleaned
• 1/2 pound cremini or button mushrooms (8 ounces, about 15), sliced and roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 pound broccoli, florets and stems cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 cup cooked cannellini beans, or 1 15-oz can, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup parmigiano reggiano cheese, freshly grated
• 2 tbsp fresh chives
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 lemon)
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 ounces reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a wide, medium saucepan with a tightly fitting lid, bring broth to a boil.  Add chicken, cover pan and reduce heat so broth and chicken simmer for 5 minutes.  Then remove pan from heat (do not uncover) and poach chicken in hot broth for 12-15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
3. While chicken poaches, heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add leeks and mushrooms. Cook stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender and liquid has cooked out, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds before removing pan from heat and setting aside.  
4. When chicken is done, lift from the both and transfer to a cutting board.  Cover saucepan and return broth to a boil.  Cut chicken into 1/2 inch cubes and set aside, keeping warm.  Add broccoli to boiling broth, cover pan again and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook broccoli until it is fork tender, not mushy, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Lift broccoli from broth with a slotted spoon and distribute it onto the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish.  Set aside.  Reserve broth. 
5. Add beans, cottage cheese, parmigiano-reggiano cheese, chives and thyme to a blender or food processor.  Add cooked leeks, mushrooms and garlic.  Carefully pour broth into blender or food processor and puree mixture until very smooth, taking care to avoid escaping steam or hot liquid splashes.
6. In a bowl, mix lemon juice and pepper together with chicken.  Pour half of puree over chicken and stir to combine.  Spread chicken across broccoli in baking pan and then pour remaining puree over top.  Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and transfer to oven.  Bake for 15 minutes and then, if desired, broil for 5 additional minutes to brown the top of the casserole.
7. Serve a heaping spoonful of casserole on top of steamed grains, like brown rice or barley pilaf. Be sure to ladle the flavorful juice from the bottom of the pan onto hot cooked grains.  

Chili Chicken Kabobs

My husband requested chicken kabobs over the weekend, but while he was imagining these, I was trying to think of what else I could make to avoid the sugar and soy sauce. A quick search led me to this recipe for chili chicken kabobs from the Eat-Clean Diet for Men book... how perfect! I knew the flavor profile was one my husband would love, so I was excited to make them.

I did cut the amount of oil down by half, and still found the sauce to be thinner than I would like. Perhaps I'm just a really good lime juicer? Either way, the kabobs came out great, not too spicy for me, but great flavor for him.

Chili Chicken Kabobs
Source: The Eat-Clean Diet for Men™, via Fitness Freak

• 3 Tbsp best-quality olive oil
• 1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Juice of one fresh lime
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 large onion, chopped into thick pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• Sea salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

1. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and lime juice. Season with chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper and pressed garlic.

2. Place the chicken in a shallow baking dish with the sauce and stir to coat.

3. Preheat the grill to medium high. Thread the chicken onto the skewers, alternating with chopped onion pieces. Discard the marinade.

4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill the skewers for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken juices run clear.

Chicken Piccata

I've made chicken piccata before, but that recipe didn't call for capers (blasphemy!) and no longer fits in my clean eating lifestyle. I was very excited to see a new version in the Sept/Oct issue of Clean Eating Magazine - capers included!

This recipe turned out to be fantastic. I had some leftover artichoke hearts so I threw them in - what a great addition that turned out to be! Surprisingly, and thankfully, I didn't miss the butter in the sauce at all!

Chicken Piccata
Slightly Adapted from Clean Eating Magazine, Sept/Oct 2009, page 49

• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, divided
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 4, 4-oz boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thick
• 3 tsp olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsps capers or olives, rinsed and coarsely chopped
• 1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped (I omitted)
• 1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped (I added)

1. Reserve 1 tbsp flour for later use. In a shallow dish, combine remaining flour with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken to pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Remove chicken from pan and transfer to plate.

3. Using the same pan over medium high heat, add remaining 2 tsp oil, garlic, and reserved 1 tbsp flour. Heat mixture, stirring constantly for about 1 minute, scraping up any brown bits from pan. Add stock, lemon juice, artichokes and capers. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium high and simmer for about 3 minutes, until sauce thickens. Add chicken back to pan and continue to simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Herbed Balsamic Chicken

With a few more desperate attempts at using our great grilling weather before the cold sets in, I pulled this recipe from the depths of my Google Reader. It sounded fabulous... balsamic vinegar and Herbs de Provence? What's not to love?

This was very easy to throw together, but I didn't have high expectations because I seem to have trouble getting marinades to really stick to the meat and stay on for the grilling process. Needless to say, it's disappointing to feel like you are leaving all the good flavor behind in the bowl. When my husband pulled these off the grill I was ecstatic to see how great they looked! Definitely no loss of flavor here. This recipe really delivers - one bite and I was pouring over my menu to figure out when I could make it again. We loved it! I paired this chicken with simple grilled eggplant for a great dinner.

Herbed Balsamic Chicken
Source: Adapted from Bon Apétit, June 2009, seen on Cook Like a Champion

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
-In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
-Place chicken in a resealable bag and pour marinade on top. Refrigerate for at least two hours, turning the bag occasionally.
-Preheat a grill pan to medium-high heat and add chicken.
-Sprinkle with herbes de Provence, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
-Grill until chicken is cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.


Simple Grilled Eggplant

1 medium eggplant
kosher salt
olive oil
pepper
garlic powder

Slice the top and bottom off of eggplant. Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place a layer of paper towels down on counter or cutting board. Lay eggplant slices on paper towel, generously salt both sides of eggplant. Cover with more papertowels, then another cutting board or cookie sheet. Place something heavy (book, etc) on top of the stack to weight it down. Let sit for 30 minutes, then rinse eggplant slices.

Spray both sides with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Lay slices on heated grill for about 10 minutes per side.

Lemon Oregano Chicken

This recipe is a nice contrast to some of the other grilled chicken recipes I've tried lately. This one is simple. It doesn't even require fresh herbs, or marinating! Make a paste, slather it on the chicken, and grill. Easy! The flavors here are great, even with the dried herbs. We found that pasta with a simple marinara paired quite well with this chicken. The only problem I saw was that there wasn't quite enough lemon/oregano to cover both sides of the 3 pieces of chicken that I cooked. I will definitely at least double those ingredients next time.



Lemon Oregano Chicken
Source: Cooking Light, July 2004

* 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 5 teaspoons grated lemon rind
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 teaspoon water
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* Cooking spray
* 4 lemon wedges
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Prepare grill.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.

Combine lemon rind and next 6 ingredients (through minced garlic); rub evenly over both sides of chicken. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill 3 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Remove from heat. Squeeze 1 lemon wedge evenly over each chicken breast half. Sprinkle parsley evenly over chicken.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 226 (22% from fat)
Fat: 5.6g (sat 1g,mono 3g,poly 0.8g)
Protein: 39.6g
Carbohydrate: 2.2g
Fiber: 0.7g
Cholesterol: 99mg
Iron: 1.8mg
Sodium: 465mg
Calcium: 38mg

Grilled Chicken with a Tequila Orange Marinade

This recipe is a little more work that I am used to for a marinade. I typically like the easy throw-together-a-few-ingredients kind. I saw this one from Cooking Light and I thought I'd see if it was worth the extra trouble.


We loved this recipe and I definitely thought it was better than any other tequila based marinade I've made before. It's definitely worth the extra work!

Grilled Chicken with a Tequila Orange Marinade
Source: Cooking Light, May 2001
Serves 4

For the marinade:
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 2 cups chopped onion
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 4 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
* 4 oranges, peeled and sliced
* 1 cup orange juice
* 1 cup tequila
* 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
* 2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro
* 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Chicken:
* 2 pounds chicken pieces, skinned
* 2 teaspoons chili powder
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon black pepper
* Cooking spray

Preparation

To prepare the marinade, heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 3 minutes. Add jalapeño peppers and oranges; cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add juice; cook 2 minutes. Add tequila; cook 3 minutes. Add rosemary, cilantro, and vinegar; cook 1 minute.

Place marinade in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Discard solids. Reserve 1/2 cup marinade. Place remaining marinade in a large zip-top plastic bag.

To prepare the chicken, pierce with a fork. Add the chicken, chili powder, salt, and pepper to marinade in bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove the chicken from bag; discard marinade. Place the chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cook 12 minutes on each side or until chicken is done, basting frequently with reserved marinade.

Note: For chicken pieces, use a combination of chicken breasts, thighs, and drumsticks. Look for packages labeled "pick of the chick" in the butcher case.

Nutritional Information (per serving)
Calories: 324 (45% from fat)
Fat: 16.3g (sat 3.7g,mono 7.7g,poly 3.2g)
Protein: 34.1g
Carbohydrate: 11.9g
Fiber: 2.4g
Cholesterol: 120mg
Iron: 0.4mg
Sodium: 324mg
Calcium: 29mg