Posts Tagged ‘chicken’

December 9, 2010 0

restorative chicken noodle soup with greens

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‘Tis the season for sniffles and sneezing. I like to think I’m immune to all illness because I ride San Francisco public transit everyday. But when Cory got sick last week, it was only a matter of time before I succumbed to illness. I probably could have avoided getting sick, had I not insisted on kissing and cuddling with him despite all his coughing and fluids coming out of his nose (humans are gross!). Oh wait. I want you to make this soup, maybe I should stop with the bodily fluid talk.

We only seem to get sick about once a year or so, and when we do come down with the sniffles we always make chicken noodle soup. My version of chicken noodle soup doesn’t deviate too much from the classic chicken noodle soup, but I do add lots of chopped herbs and greens – preferably the king of greens, kale. Because really, you can never have too much kale. I also tend to make chicken noodle soup in large batches, so we can spend more time recovering back to health and less time cooking.

Tip: If you prefer a soup that’s more on the brothy side, add two more cups of chicken stock or water.

restorative chicken noodle soup with greens

Restorative Chicken Noodle Soup with Greens
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2 tablespoons cooking oil or butter
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups celery, chopped
2 cups carrots, chopped
8 cups chicken stock
4 cups cooked chicken meat (I usually use chicken breast, but you can use the meat from a whole chicken, if you’d like)
2 bay leaves
8 ounces egg noodles
salt & pepper, to taste
1 bunch of kale (or spinach), rinsed and torn into small pieces
1/4 cup fresh herbs (any of the following: parsley, mint, cilantro, thyme)

In a large stock pot over medium heat, add oil or butter. When hot (or melted), add the onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, or until translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for another addition 30 seconds. Saute the celery and carrots for another 5 minutes.

Pour the stock and chicken into the pot and toss in the bay leaves. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the egg noodles and continue cooking until the noodles have softened, about another 10 minutes. Once the noodles have softened, stir in the kale (or spinach) and freshly chopped herbs and cook for another minute or two. Add salt and pepper to taste and season to taste.

Serves 10-12

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October 30, 2010 9

spicy chicken meatballs

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spicy chicken meatballs

I promised a recipe for a pumpkin latte in my last post, but that was before I knew the remaining pumpkin puree in my fridge had been ravaged by the Mold Monster.  Oops.  No worries, though.  I have something equally satisfying to share – but savory.  These spicy chicken meatballs are based off Ellie’s chiftelute.  Once I got into the kitchen, I improvised quite a bit and the recipe took on a life of its own.  If you’re anything like me, then fried foods represent the ultimate comfort food.  I used peanut oil for frying because its high smoke point makes it ideal for frying, but peanut oil is also my everyday cooking oil of choice (I also really like cooking with coconut oil and ghee. I usually only use olive oil for dressings and baking, not for stove top cooking).  The peanut oil you’ll find in your everyday grocery store in the States has been heavily filtered and doesn’t have much of a peanut taste.  If possible, seek out peanut oil from an Asian grocery store.  The peanut oil you’ll find there has a deeper, richer color and has a distinct peanut taste.

paprika parsley cumin

Spicy Chicken Meatballs
(adapted from Home Cooking in Montana)
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1 large potato, peeled and boiled
2 tablespoons milk
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons cumin
cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
salt & pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 lb ground chicken
1 egg
1/3 cup to 1/2 cup flour
oil, for frying (I used peanut oil)

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, wash and peel the potato. Cut the potato in four large pieces. When the water reaches a boil, toss the potato in and continue to cook until done, about 8-10 minutes. When the potato is ready, drain into a colander and transfer the potato to a large mixing bowl with the milk. With a potato masher or fork, mash the potato until smooth. Now, add the garlic, paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt, pepper, and parsley to the bowl and mix. Mix in the ground chicken and egg.

Add a half cup of flour to a bowl. With floured hands, take a tablespoon or two of the mixture, dredge it in the flour, and roll the mixture into a ball. Place each meatball on wax paper on a large baking sheet. Repeat this process until you’ve used up all the meat.

Heat an inch worth of oil in a large pot. When ready, add the meatballs to the pot. After a couple minutes, turn the meatballs over and cook on the other site. Continue frying until golden, or about 7 minutes. Serve with tomato sauce, yogurt, ketchup, or enjoy plain.

Serves 4-6

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October 21, 2010 3

spicy chicken stew

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I rarely plan meals ahead of time anymore.  Now when I roll up my sleeves and head to the kitchen, I never know what I’m going to make until I open up the pantry and fridge.  This almost always works out pretty well, if I do say so myself.  Well, save for the fact that this stew was originally going to go in the oven after the chicken was browned, but then wouldn’t turn on (living in an old timey building not only comes with old timey charm, but also old timey inconveniences.  Who knew!).  The spice mixture for this stew reminded me of a dish I once had at an Ethiopian restaurant.  Don’t let the long ingredient list deter you – it’s mostly spices.  I’m not the type who thinks you should run out and buy ground coriander, asafoetida, fenugreek, and cardamom just for this recipe.  If you have some curry powder on hand, just use that instead of the long spice list and add a little extra cinnamon and cumin.  I served this dish with brown rice, but lentils and/or flatbread would also work well.

Spicy Chicken Stew

Spicy Chicken Stew
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1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 tablespoon butter
4-6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
pinch of asafoetida (hing)
3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1″ piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
28-oz can tomatoes, crushed
2 large potatoes, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon clove
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
pinch of fenugreek
cayenne pepper, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons heavy cream, half & half, or whole milk
parsley or cilantro, for garnish (optional)
rice, lentils, flatbread (for serving)

Heat the cooking oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken thighs. Cook on both sides until lightly browned. Add the asafoetida, garlic, and ginger and stir for about 30 seconds.

Stir in the canned tomatoes into the skillet, along with the spices. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, and turn down the heat a little. Let the mixture continue cooking for about an hour, or until the chicken and potatoes have cooked through. Stir the stew often and turn the chicken over every few minutes. If the stew gets too thick, stir in a couple tablespoons of water. In the last few minutes of cooking, stir in the heavy cream. Garnish with cilantro or parsley. Serve with rice, lentils, or flatbread.

Serves 4-6

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September 28, 2010 1

sweet curried chicken salad in radicchio cups

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It’s not everyday that radicchio di Treviso – a long, elongated radicchio shaped like Belgian endive – shows up at my local produce market.  I was originally drawn to the radicchio not only for its shape, but also for its exquisite magenta color.  Radicchio doesn’t make its way into my diet very often.  I usually only ever have it in thin strips, when it comes in packaged salads.  If you’re unfamiliar with radicchio, keep in mind that it’s bitter and a bit of an acquired taste.  To contrast its bitterness, I made a sweet curried chicken salad and served it in radicchio “cups”.  The salad is sweetened with mango puree, so it doesn’t need any added sweeteners – so like as you’re using a ripe mango.  Not a mango that slightly gives to the touch, but a very soft melt-in-your-mouth sort of mango.

Sweet Curried Chicken Salad in Radicchio Cups
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salt & pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 chicken breasts, shredded or chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 small red onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 cup fresh herbs, chopped (I used a mix of parsley, cilantro, and basil)
1/4 cup almonds (or cashews), chopped
1/4 cup (very ripe) mango, pureed in food processor or blender
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dried cranberries
juice of one lime
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons curry powder
cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
more salt & pepper, to taste

1 head of radicchio rosso di Treviso, about 12 torn leaves rinsed and patted dry (Belgian endive would also be a good substitute)

Rinse and pat dry chicken, cut off any excess fat.  If the breast is really thick, cut in half width-wise.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, when hot add the chicken and saute on both sides until cooked through (about three minutes on each side).  Transfer the chicken to paper-towel lined plates and set aside.

Meanwhile, gently mix together the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl.  When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred it or chop it into bite sized pieces.  Fold the chicken into the bowl, season the salad to taste, and serve in radicchio “cups” or on its own.

Serves 4-5

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September 15, 2010 0

greens soup with quinoa and chicken

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Unlike my dad, I’m not an expert gardener.  Several months back, Cory and I made a trip to a nursery and picked up a rosemary plant.  Then it rained for a month and the rosemary soon died.  Soon after, a weed started to grow in the pot and we just continued watering it.  Why?  I don’t know.  Our lease doesn’t allow for us to keep a cat or dog in the apartment and we can’t even keep a rosemary plant alive.  So we have a weed that hangs onto dear life on the fire escape.  His name is Carl Sagan (no particular reason, I just love Carl Sagan.  A lot).  I really wanted to grow fresh herbs on the fire escape (our lease forbids that too, but shh!) since I cook with herbs everyday, but alas.  I’ll try again some other day.  In the meantime, I’ll continue buying them.  Lots of them.

This is the sort of soup I often find myself drawn to in the fall.  Or anytime, really.  Easy to prepare, belly-warming, and filling.  I’ve made variations of this soup several times before, but with couscous and other small pastas.  I don’t cook with quinoa very often because I don’t like the taste on its own, but it worked well in the soup (if you have any favorite quinoa recipes, please share!).  I used parsley, cilantro, mint, and dill in this soup, along with spinach and kale.  That’s a good amount of green.  If you don’t want to use all of those, the soup will be just as delicious.  However, I suggest keeping the mint and cilantro (or parsley, if you hate cilantro) for the fresh taste they bring and the kale for its heartiness.

greens soup with quinoa and chicken

Greens Soup with Quinoa and Chicken
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1 pound boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut into bit-sized pieces
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 red onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
28-oz can of whole plum tomatoes, with their juices
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon thyme
red pepper flakes or cayenne, to taste
salt & pepper, to taste
6 cups of chicken broth
1 cup quinoa
2 cups kale, chopped
2 cups spinach, chopped
1 cup parsley, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup mint, chopped
1/4 cup dill, chopped

Wash and pat dry chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and chop into bite sized pieces. Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat, when hot add the chicken and cook until done. Transfer the chicken to a paper-towel lined plate and set aside.

Drain most of the fat from the stockpot, add a little more cooking oil and add the onions. Continue cooking the onions until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring often.  Add the tomatoes and all the spices to the pot and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring often.

Pour the stock into the pot and bring to a gentle boil. Add the quinoa and chicken and lower the heat slightly and simmer for 20 minutes. Once the quinoa is done, stir in the kale, spinach, parsley, cilantro, mint, and dill. You’ll probably have to work in several batches. Season again with salt, pepper, and heat. Ladle into bowls and serve.

Serves 8

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