Category — Chicken

Monday, Monday.  Hope you all had a good weekend and are revved up for what the week brings . . . for us, it’s the last week of school, which makes L. very sad . . . yes, my girl LOVES school.  If you have kids, this is a CRAZY-making time.  There are so many end-of-year events/gifts/tributes/cards/etc. it can make your head spin.  I’ve said it before, but I’m gonna say it again, when times get tough, it’s even more important to eat well and take care of your body.  Whether you have kids or not, if you’re under stress and start shoveling too much junk in your face, you’re going to succumb to sickness.  Trust me on this one.  Garbage in, garbage out.  Eat those greens, friends!  [Read more →]

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This spring and summer, I have the pleasure of being part of the Picadilly Farm CSA.  Each week, I get to pick up a box of goodies, grown organically in New Hampshire.  This past Wednesday was my first pickup, and the box was packed with salad greens, radishes, hakurei turnips, cilantro, bok choy, pea tendrils and some lovely red Russian kale. 

I started getting creative from day one – I love the challenge of being presented with ingredients and having to dream up recipes.  I had a rotisserie chicken in the fridge and so we had whole wheat rollups with lettuce, cilantro, chicken, grated sharp cheddar and enchilada sauce.  The next night was steamed tofu with bok choy and pea tendrils over rice, with a sauce made from low-sodium soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, tabasco and chopped cilantro.  It was tasty, and it was pretty:

Saturday night, I sauteed the kale and added spicy Italian chicken sausages, tomatoes and garlic and served that over whole wheat penne with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.  Delicious comfort food – and the kale was tender and sweet.

And last night, it was giant salads.  Red leaf lettuce topped with halved cherry tomatoes, sliced radishes and salad turnips.  I added some buffalo chicken meatballs from Trader Joe’s (pretty good and heat ‘n’ eat to boot!) and this delicious ranch dressing, inspired by a recipe in Eating Well magazine:

Combine all those in a jar and shake it up – preferably a little bit before dinner so that the flavors have some time to mesh . . . it’s creamy, tangy and a great compliment to the spicy meatballs and crisp lettuce.  Here’s what the final creation looked like:

 So hearty, and healthy . . . and once you start making your own ranch dressing, you’ll never long to go lookin’ for that hidden valley again!

Eating veggies this fresh spoils a girl . . . even for premium produce the likes of Whole Foods’.  There is just no substitute.  I’ll keep filling you in on what I’m doing, and for even more inspiration, check out this great blog, A Bushel of What? 

Do you belong to a CSA?  What’re you whipping up from your spring share?

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I love salads, but for me, salads need heft if I’m going to have one as a meal.  This one’s got it goin’ on:  A great mix of greens and protein, with sweetness from the mango, savory flavor from the chicken, a wonderful peppery bite thanks to the arugula . . . . all wrapped up with an easy, super-flavorful dressing and the surprising crunch and flavor of cumin seeds.  If you’d like a bit of starch with this, serve warm naan (which you can even get at Costco, now – wow!) on the side.

Arugula Salad With Chicken & Mango (adapted from Bon Appetit)

Whisk the oil, chutney, lemon juice and curry powder in a bowl to blend.  Add the water to thin it out – if you need more water, that’s fine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Put the arugula in a large bowl and toss with 1/2 of the dressing.

Divide the arugula between plates and scatter the chicken and mango over each.  Drizzle with remaining mango dressing (to taste, you may have extra).  Top each serving with a dollop of the yogurt and sprinkle with the cumin seeds. 

Serves 2 – can easily be scaled up.

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When I received the latest Everyday Food Magazine in the mail just a few days ago, I flipped through it and found this recipe . . . and I knew immediately I had to make it – and tweak it, of course.  This utilizes one of my favorite short-cut ingredients, the rotisserie chicken, and highlights a new veg for us, asparagus.  Yes, that’s right – until last spring, D. wouldn’t touch the stuff.  But he manned-up and tried it again last year and whaddaya know?  He liked it!  (For the record, I have always loved asparagus – now I am hoping he reverses his salmon, cucumber and zucchini aversions.  Oh, and then there’s the tuna, hard-cooked eggs, not-so-crazy-’bout-cabbage issues to sort out . . . .)

But I digress.  This got a “wow!” from D. on Wednesday night - it’s that good.  A bit more of a treat than some of my recipes, because it includes butter, but the indulgence is worth it.  This is so fresh-tasting, light and lemony.  It screams “SPRING!”  It’s a super-quick (approximately 20 minutes) one-pot weeknight meal that will have your family begging for more!

Couscous With Asparagus, Peas & Chicken (adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food Magazine – recipe is not available on line at this time)

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat.  Add the white parts of the scallions and cook, stirring constantly, until softened (approximately 3 minutes).  Add the lemon zest and the broth and season with a little salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, then add the asparagus and peas.  Return to boiling and stir in the couscous and the chicken. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 7 minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice, green parts of the scallions, and the parsley and season with salt and pepper.  Serve!

Serves 4.

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Hey sweet readers . . . . do you know what today is?  My 200^thpost!?  I can hardly believe I’ve been squawking at you this long, but the numbers don’t lie.  Let’s raise a cup of quinoa to 9 months of sharing, and here’s to many, many more.  I couldn’t keep this up if it weren’t for the kind “atta-girls” I get from you guys.  Thanks for reading me! 

Today I’ve got another “transitional” recipe for you . . .  one that’ll bridge the gap between winter and summer (a.k.a. spring) if you’re in a Northern clime.  It also utilizes one of my favorite foods, Greek yogurt, to make a creamy sauce, without adding lots of fat and calories. This’ll take you 30-45 minutes to get to the table, depending on how long your chicken takes to cook.

Greek Chicken & Kale (adapted from Donalyn Ketchum’s blog, dlyn)

Prepare your chosen starch according to its package directions.

Sprinkle both sides of each chicken breast generously with salt, pepper, thyme and oregano.  Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet and cook the seasoned breasts until no longer pink in the middle – approximately 7-10 minutes on each side.  Remove to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. 

Add the onion and garlic to the pan with a little salt. Sauté over medium-low heat until the onion is translucent.  Add the kale to the pan in batches, stirring to incorporate and wilt the kale.  Add the chicken broth, 1 t. oregano, ½ t. salt and a few grinds of pepper, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender; approximately 10 minutes.  Taste for seasonings and remove from heat.  Stir in the yogurt.  Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back into the pan and sprinkle the cheese over the top.  Cover and let sit for 5 minutes to the cheese get a little warm – but don’t put the heat back up or your yogurt will curdle.  Serve the kale and chicken over rice or orzo, and pass a plate of lemon wedges – squeeze a little lemon over the lot just before eating. Enjoy!

Serves 4. 

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It’s very cold again here in Boston.  And rainy.  And it might actually snow a little bit tomorrow.  Not the stuff that dreams are made of . . . no no no.  These antics definitely throw a body off food-wise.  I mean, not too many days ago it was close to 90 degrees here!?  What to do?  While you may not feel like heading for the salad bar in times like these, try moderating your cravings for rich food with more vegetables and fruits.  I made this easy braise the other night and D. and I both loved it.  It’s comfort-food, but not too heavy.  Perfect for the wackadoo springtime weather in New England.

Braised Chicken & Polenta (adapted from Everyday Food Magazine)

In a large pot over medium-high heat, heat the oil.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown it on both sides, approximately 5 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate.  Add the garlic, tomatoes and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add the wine/vermouth and cook until almost evaporated, another minute.  Stir the beans into the mix for 2-3 minutes to let them thaw.  Add 1.5 c. of the broth and return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot.  Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer.  Cook an additional 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the beans are tender.  Season with salt and pepper and squeeze in the lemon juice.

Meanwhile, for the polenta, combine 4 ½ c. of broth, 1 ½ t. of kosher salt, and ¼ t. of pepper and bring to a boil.  Add the cornmeal as you constantly whisk the broth.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, whisking frequently, until the polenta has thickened, approximately 20 minutes.  Whisk in the butter.

Serve the chicken and veggies over the polenta in large bowls.

Serves 4.

A note:  Did you know that you can substitute vermouth for white wine in most any recipe?  I can’t remember where I learned this years ago – but it has revolutionized my life.  We don’t drink a lot of white wine here, so it’s rarely around.  So who wants to use a little bit of a bottle and have it go to waste?  Vermouth’ll keep forever in your cupboard so you’ll always have it on-hand for recipes like this one.

Happy weekend, everyone – I hope the weather is better where you are!

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Today’s recipe is born of fridge-cleanup and a need for speed.  All the ingredients can be purchased at Trader Joe’s, but feel free to sub your favorites.  Although the sauce for the spinach is “creamy,” it’s healthful because it’s made with Fage 0% Greek yogurt.  Make sure that your mixture isn’t still simmering when you stir in the yogurt, though, because the yogurt will curdle.  This is super-speedy – ready in about 20 minutes, and could easily be scaled up to serve more people.

TJ’s Lemon Chicken With Creamy Spinach Sauce

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Cut chicken into strips. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, stirring to warm it through. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and stir. Add spinach and toss with tongs until it’s just beginning to wilt. Remove pan from heat and cover to wilt spinach completely, approximately 1 minute more. Remove the lid, stir in yogurt and lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Serve spinach sauce over pasta.

Serves 2 to 3.

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What do you eat when you eat alone?  Do you pick and nibble and eat at the counter or in front of the t.v.?  Or do you make yourself a full-on meal?  Although we all need an occasional junk-food feast, I advocate eating a real meal, even if you’re by yourself.  Chances are, you’ll feel more satisfied and that you’ll eat better if you do.

Although we’re a family of 3, I make a lot of meals just for me.  D. travels a lot, and L. won’t eat anything interesting or reasonable (most of the time), so I’m stuck eating makeshift suppers or else biting the bullet and cooking a meal for myself.  In the wintertime, I do big batches and eat them during  the week, but now that the weather’s getting nicer, I want lighter, fresher fare. 

Last night’s dinner was so fast, and so tasty, I had to share it.  I had everything in the pantry or the freezer, and in fewer than 30 minutes I’d whipped up a lovely, healthful meal for myself (along with leftover noodles and plain chicken plus an apple for L.).  The Lemon-Tarragon chicken has a sunny taste and cooks up super-fast thanks to pounding it out.  The salad is fruity and bright as well – and can you say “antioxidant blast?”  Spinach, beets, oranges, walnuts . . . this’ll set you up right.  Better than that bag o’ Doritos you were thinking about,  for sure.

Lemon-Tarragon Chicken (adapted from Cooking Light)

Place the chicken breast in a heavy-duty Ziploc bag, or between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thickness with a meat mallet or a heavy skillet.  Sprinkle the chicken with salt.

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice and tarragon in a small bowl and whisk to combine. 

Coat a small skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium heat.  Once hot, add the chicken and cook for approximately 3 minutes on one side.  Turn the breast over, and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side, or until no longer pink.  Drizzle the lemon-tarragon mixture over the chicken and turn to coat in the pan.  Serve.

Serves 1.

Spinach Salad with Beets & Oranges (adapted from Cooking Light)

Peel the orange, segment, and cut each segment into 4 pieces.

Place the spinach in a salad bowl.  Arrange the beets and orange pieces over the spinach. 

Combine the oil, vinegar and pepper in a small bowl and pour over the salad. Top with walnuts.  Serve.

Serves 1.

If you’re cooking for 1+, I’m sure the recipes as written would be terrific.

What’re your favorite solo meals?  Share them in the comments!

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