Tag Archives: main meal

Chicken with Wine and Mustard Sauce

Posted in chicken, main meal, Weeknight Meal by

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 55 minutes Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes 

Servings: 4 -6 (Adapted from chef Julia Frey’s classic recipe)

Instructions

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 lbs chicken thighs ((bone in or boneless skinless)
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 shallots sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3-4 thyme sprigs
  • 3 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1/2 cup/125ml white wine
  • 1 cup/250ml chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup/125ml 1/2 and 1/2 (Optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F/180C
  • In a large oven proof frying pan or casserole dish (ie enameled cast iron) heat one tablespoon of olive oil and brown chicken parts seasoned with salt and pepper on each side until golden but not cooked all the way through. Remove temporarily to a plate/dish and set aside.
  • To the same pan add shallots, garlic and thyme leaves and cook over low heat for 5 minutes without getting any color on them.
  • Add wine, dijon mustard and chicken stock, stir to combine and bring to a boil, then add chicken back to the frying pan, spoon the sauce all over chicken pieces.
  • Put in the oven uncovered and cook for approximately 45 minutes for bone in thighs or until almost done. (Reduce the time to approximately 25-30 minutes if using boneless skinless chicken).
  • Take out of the oven add 1/2 and 1/2 to the sauce. This is an optional step if you prefer a richer, creamier sauce. I prefer to forgo the cream and the extra calories but I like to splurge if we are having guests. Once again baste the chicken in the sauce, put back in the oven and cook for 5-10 minutes longer.
  • Serve with rice, potatoes or roasted vegetables.

Notes

The sauce is not thick as classic French sauces never are. However, if you like your sauces thicker, add 1 tbsp of flour in step 3 right before you add wine, mustard and chicken stock.

If you don’t have an oven proof pan, you can use a 2 dishes, a frying pan and a roasting pan.

Nutrition

Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 52g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Cholesterol: 258mg | Sodium: 405mg | Potassium: 640mg | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 530IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2.2mg

Ina’s Creamy Chicken Thighs with Lemon Leaks and Thyme

Posted in AP's Favorites, chicken, comfort food, entertaining, main meal, Weeknight Meal by
The leeks are the secret ingredient!
  • PREP 15 minutes
  • COOK 1 hour and 10 minutes
  • TOTAL 1 hour and 20 minutes
  • SERVES 3

Ingredients

2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (3-4 thighs)

Extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons (¼ stick) unsalted butter

1½ cups chopped yellow onion (1 large)

1½ cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks) rinsed well to remove any dirt

2 teaspoons minced garlic (2-3 cloves)

½ cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade

½ cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

½ cup crème fraîche

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ small lemon, sliced in thin half-rounds

8 to 10 sprigs fresh thyme

Cooked basmati rice or quinoa for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Place the chicken on a sheet pan, skin side up, and dry with paper towels. Rub with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Roast until cooked through and the skin is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) ovenproof skillet (Ie enameled cast iron) over medium heat. Add the onion and leeks and sauté until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and wine and simmer for about 5 minutes. Whisk in the crème fraîche, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and taste for seasoning.

4. Nestle the chicken thighs into the sauce in the sauté pan. Tuck the lemon slices among the thighs and strew the thyme sprigs on top. Place the pan in the oven and roast uncovered for 15 minutes. Serve hot with the sauce over rice or couscous.

Arroz con Pollo

Posted in AP's Favorites, chicken, comfort food, main meal, mexican, Weeknight Meal by

Arroz Con Pollo in a Dutch Oven

Ingredients

For chicken:

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon dried Greek oregano

For dish:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (or ½ stick unsalted butter)
1 medium onion, small dice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups long grain rice like Mahatma brand
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1-2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
½ cup pitted green olives
½ cup roasted red pepper strips

Salt and pepper to taste

Optional garnish: chopped cilantro or parsley leaves

Preparation

Put chicken thighs in a nonreactive bowl and season with a pinch of salt, a grind or two of black pepper and the olive oil, red wine vinegar and oregano. Let marinate while you’re organizing the rest of your ingredients, no more than half an hour.

Melt butter or heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large lid pot then sauté onion over medium heat until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and cook just until you can smell its characteristic aroma and it turns opaque. Add the rice and stir well so the grains are coated with the fat. Let it sauté for a minute. Add the tomato paste and the broth. Stir well to mix. Add the remaining condiments (olives, capers and roasted peppers). Taste the liquid. It should have a piquancy from the capers and olives. Add salt now if you think you need it (maybe 1/4-1/2 tsp).

Nestle the chicken thighs into the rice, adding any reserved marinade or juices. Bring the liquid to a simmer, cover the pot and cook either on top of the stove over low heat or in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until rice has absorbed all the liquid and chicken is cooked through. Taste for seasoning.

Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley leaves.

Serves 4-6.

30-Minute Coconut Curry Chicken

Posted in 30 minute meals, asian, chicken by

Super Simple and Super yummy! This recipe mimics the traditional Thai curry but without so many hard to find ingredients. It’s so easy that it is perfect for a weekday meal.

Ingredients:

10 oz. of Organic Jasmine Rice (found in a 3-pack in the freezer section of many grocery stores like Trader Joe’s)

13.5 oz. can coconut milk

1 Tbsp. curry powder

2 Tbsp. fish sauce

2 oz. butter or ghee

1 lb. skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized chunks

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus four sprigs

1-2 mini red peppers, sliced (optional for garnish)

Procedure:

  1. Place a large frying pan over medium heat and add coconut milk and curry powder. Stir until combined, then add the fish sauce and butter. Stir until the butter is melted.
  2. Add the chicken and bay leaves. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. After the chicken has simmered for 10 minutes, remove the lid and simmer for an additional 15 minutes until the liquid had reduced by 50% and the chicken is cooked through (no longer pink in the middle).
  4. Stir in the fresh cilantro and remove pan from heat.
  5. Pop the bag of rice in the microwave for 3 minutes or as directed on the package.
  6. To assemble, add 3/4 cup of the cauliflower rice and 1/2 cup of the curry mixture to individual bowls and place a fresh cilantro sprig on top.

Italian Marinated Chicken

Posted in AP's Favorites, bbq, chicken, main meal by
This moist and delicious chicken is marinated in yummy Italian flavors and is perfect for both grilling on the BBQ or pan roasting on the stove.
IMG_3728

ITALIAN MARINATED CHICKEN 

PREP TIME: 10 mins
COOK TIME: 10 mins
TOTAL TIME: 20 mins
SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS

  • 1.5 lb. (around 6 pieces) chicken thigh fillets, skinless and boneless
  • 4 1/2 Tbsp. grapefruit balsamic vinegar  (I like 41 Olive)*
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Black pepper
  • 2½ tsp mixed Italian dried herbs (either a packet mix or mix herbs like basil, parsley, oregano, rosemary and thyme)
  • 1 tsp dried red chili flakes (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Place all ingredients except for the chicken, in a small jar and shake well to combine.
  • Put the chicken in a ziplock bag and add the Dressing Marinade. Massage / mix to coat the chicken. Set aside to marinate for at least 20 minutes. Ideally it should marinate for 3 hours or overnight.
  • Grill/BBQ Method: You shouldn’t need any oil, but if you are concerned, brush your grill with oil. Heat the grill on medium high and cook the chicken for around 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
  • Stove Method:  Preheat ½ tbsp oil in a large non stick fry pan over medium high heat. Add the chicken and cook each side for around 4 to 5 minutes, or until dark golden brown and cooked through.
  • When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the grill/fry pan onto a plate, loosely cover with foil and set aside for 10 minutes.
  • Serve the chicken with your favorite tossed salad and toasted bread.
* You can substitute with chardonnay or apple cider vinegar, or even lemon juice if you prefer.

Note: This can be made with breast fillets too, but just be careful with the cooking time as you don’t want to overcook it.

 

Spicy Mexican White Chicken Chili

Posted in AP's Favorites, comfort food, mexican, soup by
mexican chicken chiliGrowing up as a kid, the definition of chili was both a  small pepper with a very hot flavor and a spicy stew of ground beef usually with beans too. Both meant yummy goodness.  Now chili in our family seems to be synonymous with Monday Night Football.  Our version is a chicken variety with savory mexican spices.  It’s always a hit, even when our team doesn’t win.

Spicy Mexican White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

2-3 cups shredded chicken (I use rotisserie chicken from the deli section at Sprouts)
2 (15 ounce) cans great northern beans or 2 (15 ounce) cans navy beans
2 cups roasted corn (I use frozen from Trader Joe’s)
1-2 ounces taco seasoning mix (I use part of the envelope from Trader Joe’s)
1 (7 1/2 ounce) can of chopped green chilies (use less if you like a milder chili)
1 (10 3/4 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (14 ounce) can low sodium chicken broth

TOPPINGS

1/2 cup sour cream
chopped green onion (optional)
Monterey jack cheese (optional)

Directions:

Pour beans, corn and chicken in large pot.

In a medium bowl, combine taco seasoning, chiles, condensed soup, and chicken broth.

Pour over top of ingredients and stir together over medium heat.

Simmer for 15-30 minutes.

Serve topped with green onions, sour cream, and jack cheese, if desired.

Ras El Hanout Chicken with Cucumber and Tomato Tabbouleh

Posted in main meal, side dish by

Chicken and tabouleh
I only recently discovered  ras el hanout, the dynamic spice blend from Morocco. I found a jar of this flavorful blend at Williams-Sonoma.  I seasoned the chicken with this and just a little salt and pepper…Oh so good!  This recipe pairs the chicken with a yummy sauce of greek yogurt, shredded cucumber, lemon and garlic along with a simple but classic tabbouleh.

Ras El Hanout Chicken with Cherry Tomato & Cucumber Tabbouleh

Makes: 2 Servings

Calories: About 700 Per Serving

Cooking Time: 25 to 35 minutes

Ingedients

  • 2 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
  • ½ Cup Plain Low-Fat Greek Yogurt
  • 4 Ounces Cherry Tomatoes
  • 1 Clove Garlic
  • 1 Lemon
  • 1 Cucumber
  • 1 Large Bunch Mint
  • 1 T. Ras El Hanout (found at Williams-Sonoma)
  • 1/4 cup quinoa
  • 1 T. Pistachios (optional)

Instructions

Cook the quinoa:

Add 1/4 cup salted water and the quinoa to a small pan and boil on high.  Once boiling,reduce heat and cover and cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

Prepare the ingredients:

Prepare the ingredients:

While the quinoa cooks, wash and dry the fresh produce. Quarter the tomatoes. Pick the mint leaves off the stems; discard the stems.  Peel and finely mince the garlic or use a zester so it resembles paste.   Use half of the cucumber for the tabbouleh and half for the yogurt sauce.  For the tabbouleh, medium dice 1 half and  for the yogurt sauce, grate the other half and squeeze if out to remove excess water and prevent yogurt sauce from being too runny. Quarter and deseed the lemon. In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, grated cucumber (water removed), half the garlic paste and the juice of 2 lemon wedges; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the chicken:

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels; season with the ras el hanout, salt and pepper on both sides. In a large pan, heat 1 T. of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned chicken and cook, loosely covering the pan with aluminum foil, 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a cutting board and set aside to cool slightly. Wipe out the pan.

Make the tabbouleh:

While the chicken cooks, to the pot of cooked quinoa, add the tomatoes, diced cucumber, half the mint (cut into small strips with scissors just before adding), remaining garlic paste and the juice of the remaining lemon wedges. Drizzle with olive oil (optional) and stir to thoroughly combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Finish and Plate your dish:yogurt sauce chicken and tabboulehWhen cool enough to handle, thinly slice the cooked chicken on an angle.  Top with the remaining mint and pistahio pieces if desired. Serve with the tabbouleh and yogurt sauce on the side. Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Tilapia Meunière with Moroccan-Spiced Lentils & Rainbow Chard

Posted in main meal, vegetarian by

Tilapia and Moroccan-spiced Lentils And Rainbow chard

Tilapia Meunière with Moroccan-Spiced Lentils & Rainbow Chard*

Ingredients:

2-3 Tilapia Fillets
½ Cup Black Beluga Lentils
2 Cloves Garlic
1 Bunch Rainbow Chard
1 Red Onion
1 Lemon
2-3 sprigs of  Parsley (for garnish)
4 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Capers
2 Teaspoons Ras El Hanout (moroccan spice blend of cardomom, nutmeg, anise, mace, cinnamon, ginger, various peppers, and turmeric)
⅓ Cup Panko Breadcrumbs

Directions:

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Best Vegetable Chili Ever

Posted in Dani's Favorite, low-carb, main meal, soup, vegetarian by

best vegetable chili ever

Vegetable Chili

Serves 8

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil
2 zucchini, cut into ½ inch dice
2 onions, cut into ½ inch dice
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 large bell peppers, cored and cut into ¼ inch dice (I like to use one red and one yellow)
1 large can Italian plum tomatoes, w/ juice
1 ½ lbs. ripe tomatoes, cut into 1-inch dice
2 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
1 T dried basil
1 T dried oregano
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fennel seeds
½ cup fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley, chopped
1 can canned dark red kidney beans, drained
1 can canned chick-peas (garbanzos), drained
½ cup fresh dill, chopped
2 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
1 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, grated (optional)
4 scallions (green onions), white bulb & 3  inches green, sliced diagonally (optional)

 Directions

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