Chicken Saltimbocca

I had chicken saltimbocca one time at my favorite local Italian restaurant. I thought of that meal when selecting and making this recipe. Their recipe includes some spinach, prosciutto, and a layer of melted fontina. Mine just had prosciutto. It was delicious, though.

Taken from Cook’s Illustrated, March 2008

Serves 4

Prep and Cook Time: about 30 minutes

1/2 C flour (unbleached, all-purpose)

1 tsp ground black pepper

8 thin-cut boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (about 2 pounds)

1 Tbsp minced fresh safe leaves, plus 8 large leaves (optional)

8 thin slices prosciutto, cut to match chicken (about 3 oz)

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/4 C dry vermouth or white wine

2 tsp juice from 1 lemon

4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces and chilled

1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves

Salt, to taste

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil and set wire rack inside.

Combine flour and pepper in shallow dish.

Pat cutlets dry with paper towels. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off any excess. Sprinkle cutlets with minced sage. Place 1 prosciutto slice on top of each cutlets, pressing lightly to adhere; set aside.

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to shimmer. Add sage leaves and cook until leaves begin to change color and are fragrant, about 15 to 20 seconds. Use slotted spoon to remove sage; place on paper towel; reserve.

Add half of cutlets to pan, prosciutto-side down and cook until light golden brown; 2 to 3 minuts. Flip and cook on other side until light golden brown, about 2 minutes more.

Transfer to wire rack set on baking sheet and keep warm in oven.

Repeat with remaining 2 Tbsp oil and cutlets, then transfer to oven to keep warm while preparing sauce.

Pour off any excess fat from skillet. Stir in vermouth or wine, scraping up any brown bits, and simmer until reduced to about 1/3 C, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Turn heat to low and whisk in butter, 1 Tbsp at a time. Off heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.

Remove chicken from oven and place on platter. Spoon sauce over cutlets and garnish with a sage leaf before serving.

Notes:

Chicken cutlets should be about 5 to 6 inches long. If the tip is too thin, trim the cutlet to make the thickness uniform. You can make your own cutlets by slicing and pounding an 8-ounce chicken breast.

Whole sage leaves (fried as part of the initial steps in the recipe) are only part of the presentation. This step can easily be skipped.

It is also important that the prosciutto is very thinly sliced, not shaved. Slices that are too thick will not stick to the chicken.

This was a great dinner! Despite the many steps, it was actually a relatively easy dish to prepare. I would go a little lighter on the salt next time, though. The prosciutto seems to add more than enough. I might also experiment with adding a slice of cheese - maybe on top of the prosciutto. I could slap it on while the chicken is still in the pan and melt it in the oven.

TX Chicken (A Favorite)

This recipe is a Sunday favorite around our house. I will say that the amount of prep and long baking time do not make it a great weeknight meal.

Prep time: about 20 minutes
Cook time: about 60 minutes

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Makes 4 servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, butterflied
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced
4 jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 (1 oz) package dry Ranch-style dressing mix
2 C shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
1 can (4.25 oz) chopped black olives
8 slices bacon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay chicken breasts out flat and sprinkle with Ranch-style dressing mix. Sprinkle a bit of cheese onto each half of each breast. Place two tomato slices and a chopped jalapeno into each one, and spinkle more cheese over the tomoato and pepper. Fold each piece of chicken over, and wrap with two slices of bacon. Secure with toothpicks. Place wrapped chicken into a baking disha nd cover with aluminium foil.

Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until he chicken is no longer pink, and the juices run clear.

My Notes:
I can never get the bacon to get crispy, and I don't like bacon that isn't crispy. So, I make Brad peel off the bacon and take out all the toothpicks before I eat this.

Mexi-feast: White Chicken Enchiladas

And, today - the main course of the Mexi-feast.

Here were the contenders for main dish. . .
White Chicken Enchiladas
Benchiladas
Enchiladas Verdes
Sourcream Chicken Enchiladas

In the end it was Pioneer Woman's white chicken enchiladas that won out.

White Chicken Enchiladas
Taken from Pioneer Woman

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6

2 1/2C cooked, shredded chicken
2 C chicken broth
3 Tbsp canola oil
12 whole corn tortillas
1 whole large onion, diced
3 cans (4 oz each) whole green chilies, diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 tsp paprika
1/2 C heavy cream
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 C sour cream
2 1/2 C Monterey jack cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste

Heat 2 Tbsp canola oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas for no longer than 20 seconds, just to soften (do not allow to become crisp.) Place tortillas on a large towel or stack of paper towels to drain.

Heat 1 Tbsp canola oil in separate skillet over medium heat. Add onions and jalapenos and saute for 1 minute. Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and 1/2 tsp paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 C chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.

In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in 1 1/2 C chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 1/2 C grated cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 tsp paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.

Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra cheese if you’d like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

My notes:
Delicious! I'm not a huge fan of corn tortillas, though. Next time, I will just use flour tortillas. That will save me a step and a frying pan.

Chicken Provencal Soup

Fall = Soup. This recipe from Beth seemed perfect.

Adapted from Chicken Provencal Stoup
by Rachael Ray

Prep time: less than 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes 4 servings

 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced in 1/4"
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium zucchinis, halved and sliced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced in 1/4"
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 lb small red skinned potatoes, cut in thin wedges
1 C dry white wine
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 qt + 1C chicken stock
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

GARNISHES
2 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 small jar olive tapenade (4 oz)
Crusty bread


Heat medium soup pot over medium heat. Add olive oil, carrots, garlic, zucchini, pepper, and onion. Season with salt and pepper and sage, rosemary, and thyme. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Add wine to vegetables and reduce for about one minute.

Add tomatoes, potatoes, and stock to the pot. Cover and raise heat to high. Bring to a boil.

Add chicken and simmer 8 to 10 minutes until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked.

Serve in shallow bowls topped with olive tapenade and parsley. Pass bread around at table.

My Notes:
I channeled my inner Rachael Ray when I made this and gathered all the ingredients first. It was quite the pile; there's lots of stuff in this soup! It tasted great, though. I was thinking that it would end up being more of a stew than a soup. It was definitely a soup, though. It's something I would make again.

Week 52: Loaded White Cheddar Garlic Pasta

I find recipes now and then that just scream "girl." I just don't think that food is gender neutral. I save up these recipes for when Brad takes a fishing or hunting or biking trip or goes to play cards or works late. Barb-only dinners.

Taken from Annie's Eats

Makes 4 servings
Cook time: less than 10 minutes

Note:
Prepare garlic paste, chicken, broccoli, and noodles ahead of time.


8 oz shaped pasta (penne, bowties, or your favorite), cooked to package directions
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1/4 C roasted garlic paste (made from 2 heads of garlic)
1 1/2 Tbsp flour
1/4 C dry white wine
1 C low-sodium chicken broth
1 C shredded white cheddar cheese
1 pound of broccoli, cut into florets and steamed until crisp-tender
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, grilled and cut into bite size pieces
Salt and pepper, to taste

Ahead of time:
(Takes about 75 minutes to cook, cool, and mash.) Make roasted garlic paste. Peel outside papery skin off two heads of garlic, leaving the heads still intact. Slice about a quarter off of the top of each head so that all the cloves are party exposed. Wrap the heads in foil and bake at 350 F for one hour. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool enough to tough, squeeze the garlic cloves out of the peels and smash with a fork to make roasted garlic paste.

Just before eating:
(All ingredients take less than 10 minutes to combine)


Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the roasted garlic paste and cook just until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.  Whisk the flour into the mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to turn golden brown, 1-2 minutes.  Stir the white wine and broth into the pan.  Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and stir until melted.  Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Mix in the broccoli florets and chicken pieces, and cook just until heated through.  Mix in the cooked pasta until evenly coated with the sauce. Serve warm.

My Notes:
This was pretty good. The flavors were great; the garlic wasn't over-powering at all. It really did taste best immediately after cooking, though. It's not a great left-over.

Week 49: Chicken Alfredo Pizza

I have a love-hate relationship with the Neelys. Their show is on nightly at a time when I'm around the house and the television. They make many recipes that appeal to me, but their lovey-dovey attitude makes me a little nuts.

Nevertheless, I tried this one out.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Makes 8 servings

1 (3/4 lb) boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
1 C heavy cream
1/4 C grated Parmesan
1 (16-oz) ball pizza dough
2 C baby spinach, well washed and dried
1 C grape tomatoes, red and yellow
1 C grated mozzarella
Olive oil, for brushing crust

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Adjust racks to the middle of the oven. Put pizza stone in the oven to preheat while you begin the sauce.

Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant. Add the flour and cook until light blonde in color. Whisk in the cream, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan and season lightly with salt and pepper, to taste.

Flour your work surface and roll the pizza dough into a 13-inch diameter. Carefully remove the pizza stone from the oven and put the dough on top. Ladle the sauce to cover the bottom of the pizza. Evenly top with the baby spinach, grape tomatoes, grilled chicken and the mozzarella. Brush the edge of the crust with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bake the pizza until crisp and golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately top with another handful of spinach. Slice and serve.



My Notes:
Due to my own poor planning, this was way more stressful than it needed to be. The pizza dough took two tried because it turned out way too watery the first time. Then, I accidentally bought half-and-half instead of heavy cream. Then, I realized I didn't buy any mozzarella.

All the stress made it tough for me to really enjoy the pizza, but Brad really liked it. Apparently, it is something we will try again. Maybe next time I will buy pre-made Alfredo sauce to save some of the stress.

Week 45: Mushroom Marsala Pasta with Chicken and Artichokes

I made this in the comfort of a fabulous friend's kitchen to celebrate her 31st birthday. The evening couldn't have been more perfect.

And, that was more than a month ago, and I haven't made it since because I'm the only mushroom lover in my house. It might just be time to cook dinner for someone else.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Serves 4 to 6

1 lb chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 sml onion, finely chopped
1 lb mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned and chopped into small bits
1 tsp kosher salt, plus 1 tablespoon for pasta water
1 C dry Marsala wine
1 lb shaped pasta
1 can medium artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and chopped
3/4 C grated Parmesan
1/2 C cream
1/2 C chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Heat large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken about 8 minutes per side or until juices run clear. Set aside, slicing into bite-sized pieces when cool.

Meanwhile, place the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for one minute. Add the mushrooms and one teaspoon of the salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until all the moisture has evaporated and the mushrooms have cooked down, about 10 minutes (though this took me much less time). Add the Marsala and continue cooking until almost all the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Stir in remaining salt. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Drain pasta and add it into the mushrooms, Marsala and onions Add the artichoke hearts, Parmesan, chicken, and cream and cook until the artichokes are heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and pepper, then adjust seasonings to taste.

Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

And, in case you were wondering what we enjoyed with this. . . steamed baby zucchini (totally adorable!). . .

 . . . and Tiramisu (artfully arranged by Carmella's in Stephanie's martini glasses).

My Notes:
At one point, I was concerned that the sauce to noodles ratio was going to be off. It wasn't. The proportions above yielded a perfect bowl of pasta. I would be able to add this to my permanant rotation, if I could just get Brad to love mushrooms.

Week 45: Chicken Enchiladas

Enchiladas are a dinnertime favorite around here. I love these beef enchiladas. I've tried to find a cheese enchilada recipe to love, but I haven't yet.

We do chicken enchiladas in a "cheater" sort of way with canned sauce, black olives, and onions. Super simple. They're delicious enough, but I don't like having to rely on someone else's sauce. That led me to this recipe. . .

Taken from Annie's Eats
Prep: 1 hour
Cook and Cool: 40 minutes
Makes 12 Enchiladas (dinner for 2 hungry adults + 1 lunch)

1 med. onion, chopped fine
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped fine
1 tsp canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp sugar
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 C water
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C green olives, sliced
1 C shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided
1 C shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
Cooking spray


Combine the onion, jalapeno and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar, and cook just until fragrant, less than 30 seconds.  Mix in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato.  Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken and green olives into the sauce.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through (160˚ F on an instant-read thermometer), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a large mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing down on the onions and tomatoes to extract as much liquid as possible.  Transfer the reserved solids to a large bowl and set aside.  Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Shred the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the bowl with the onion mixture.  Add in ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, ½ cup of each of the shredded cheeses, and the cilantro.  Stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  Oil a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray.  Stack the tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 40-60 seconds, until warm and pliable.  Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of a tortilla.  Roll up the tortilla around the filling tightly, and place in the prepared baking dish, seam-side down.  Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray.  Place in the oven, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until the tortillas start to brown slightly.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400˚ F.  Remove the enchiladas from the oven and pour the sauce oven the top.  Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.  Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is browned.  Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

My Notes:
We made this on a Tuesday night and didn't start until 6:00. We didn't eat until after 7:00. That was a little late and a little labor intensive for a weeknight meal.

This made enough for a next-day lunch, but it didn't taste real great the next day. I didn't like the way the corn tortillas reheated.

I would make it again, though.

Week 41: Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese

I never would have thought to add hot sauce to macaroni and cheese. The combination of cheeses in here also appealed to me.

Taken from Noble Pig

 

7 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Salt
1 lb elbow macaroni
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 C shredded chicken

2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 C Frank's Buffalo Wing Sauce, divided
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tsp dry mustard
2-1/2 C half-and-half
1 lb extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 oz pepper jack cheese, shredded
2/3 C sour cream
1 C panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 C crumbled blue cheese
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes.  Drain.

Meanwhile, melt 3 Tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute.

 

Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in the flour and mustard with a wooden spoon until smooth.  Whisk in the half-and-half, then add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes.  Whisk in the cheddar and pepper jack cheeses, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth.

Spread half of the macaroni in the prepared baking dish, then top with the chicken mixture and the remaining macaroni.  Pour the cheese sauce evenly on top.  Put the remaining 2 Tablespoons butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave until melted.  Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley.  Sprinkle over the macaroni.  Bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes.  Let rest 10 minutes before serving.  Drizzle with some wing sauce for color.

Garnish with even more wing sauce, blue cheese and sour cream if you like!

My Notes:

Like every macaroni and cheese recipe I try. . . this made way too much food. And, it didn't reheat well. Next time, I either need to invite a crowd or make a half batch.

Week 37: Corn and Chicken Chowder

It's still cold here. No sandals or capris for this girl! Bring on the soup. . .

This soup was a totally new experience for me. The only kind of chowder I've ever had is clam chowder. I made it for a Sunday lunch with BLTs.

Corn and Chicken Chowder
taken from Noble Pig

Makes 4 servings
Prep and Cook Time: Less than 30 minutes


12 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
4 fresh ears of sweet corn
1 32 oz. container chicken broth
1 small green sweet pepper, chopped
1 C whole milk
1-3/4 C instant mashed potato flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper, optional

In a Dutch oven combine chicken, corn and broth. Cover; bring to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat. Simmer 12 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken and corn to cutting board.

Add half the sweet pepper to broth in Dutch oven. Stir in milk and potato flakes (if you want the chowder thicker, continue adding potato flakes in 1/4 cup increments until you get to your desired thickness).

Shred chicken using two forks. Return chicken to Dutch oven.

Using a kitchen towel to hold hot corn, cut kernels from cobs. Place corn in Dutch oven; heat through.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle each serving with remaining sweet pepper and crushed red pepper.



My notes:
I've never really thought of soup as a summer food, but this tasted like summer. It would taste even more like summer with fresh corn from the farmers' market (instead of frozen cobs of corn).

Week 36: Tequila Lime Chicken Marinade

Like I said earlier this week, I'm always looking for great marinades to make my chicken taste like something more than just chicken.

This one was delicious, especially with Brad's mad grilling skills.

I served this with some Spanish Rice (from a box) and steamed green beans - nothing special.

Tequila Lime Chicken Marinade
Taken from Ina Garten for Food Network



Prep time: 10 minutes
Marinate time: Overnight
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings

1/2 C gold tequila
1 C freshly squeezed lime juice (5 to 6 limes)
1/2 C freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp minced fresh jalapeno pepper (1 pepper seeded)
1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic (3 cloves)
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 whole (6 split) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1. Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, jalapeno pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken breasts. Refrigerate overnight.

2. Remove the chicken breasts from the marinade, sprinkle well with salt and pepper, and grill them for about 5 minutes, until nicely browned. Turn the chicken and cook for another 10 minutes, until just cooked through.

3. Remove from the grill to a plate. Cover tightly and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

My Notes:
This is another recipe that I will make again and again. It would go great with margaritas!

Week 33: Barbecue Chicken Pizza

I'm usually pretty traditional and habitual about my pizza (sausage and mushroom), but I wanted to try something a little different.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

taken from Pioneer Woman Cooks

Prep Time: 2 Hours
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Servings: 12 (2 large pizzas)



1 whole recipe For pizza crust (makes 2 crusts)
2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C barbecue sauce
Olive oil, for drizzling
Salt, for sprinkling
16 oz (weight) fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced thinly
1/2 whole red onion, cut in half and sliced very thin

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Salt chicken breasts on both sides, then place in an ovenproof dish. Pour BBQ sauce over the breasts and turn them over to coat. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is done. Remove from oven and cut into a fine dice. Set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees.

Roll/stretch out one pizza crust. Lay it on a sheet pan drizzled with olive oil. Drizzle a little olive oil on the crust, then sprinkle on a little salt.

Spoon a couple of tablespoons of extra BBQ sauce on the crust and spread it evenly. Top sauce with half the sliced mozzarella. Sprinkle on half the diced chicken and thinly sliced red onion.

Sprinkle again with a little salt, then bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and toppings are bubbly.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle on plenty of chopped cilantro. Cut into squares and serve immediately. Repeat with other crust and other ingredients, or save for another time.






My Notes:
We only made one pizza but still used the amounts of chicken, cheese, onion, and barbecue sauce listed above. What can I say? We like our pizza covered with stuff.

Week 33: Risotto with Chicken, Spinach, Lemon, Leeks, and Garlic

I love risotto. I really do. And, this one made me think of spring. It was really, really green.



Taken from Cook's Illustrated (published May 2010)

Makes 6 side dish servings



5 C low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 C water
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves, each cut in half crosswise
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium leek , finely chopped white and light green parts
Table salt
3 large garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press
2 C Arborio rice
1 C dry white wine
2 oz grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
1 tsp juice from 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
Ground black pepper
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach , thawed and squeezed of excess moisture

Bring broth and water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain gentle simmer.

Heat olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until just starting to smoke. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook without moving until golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Flip chicken and cook second side until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer chicken to saucepan of simmering broth and cook until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to large plate.

Once chicken has cooled, remove and discard skin and bones from chicken, and shred meat into bite-size pieces.



Add 2 tablespoons butter to now empty Dutch oven set over medium heat. When butter has melted, add leek and 3/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring frequently, until leek is softened but not browned, 4 to 5 minutes.

Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.



Add rice and cook, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around edges, about 3 minutes.



Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Ladle in the simmering chicken broth 1 C at a time, stirring often. Let the rice absorb most of the broth before adding the next cup, usually about 5 minutes between additions.

Stir in Parmesan.

Gently stir shredded chicken, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, lemon juice, parsley, and chives into risotto. Season with salt and pepper to taste.



My notes:
I will definitely make this again.

I had a hard time getting the chicken to cook before I needed the broth; it took way more than the 15 minutes listed in the recipe. But, I just realized I didn't cut the chicken in half - like the recipe suggested.

The lemon tasted absolutely fabulous in here.

Week 28: Caesar Club Sandwich

I've become a big Ina Garten fan. If I get home from work on time I can catch an episode, and my DVR is programmed to tape the new episodes on Saturday.

I recently found the Barefoot Bloggers and decided to cook along with their Ina Garten choices for March.

Caesar Club Sandwich
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa
And inspired by Barefoot Bloggers

2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts (bone in and skin on)
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
4 oz thinly sliced pancetta
1 large garlic clove, chopped
2 tsp dried flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tsp anchovy paste
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 C mayonnaise
1 large ciabatta bread
2 oz hearts of romaine, washed and spun dry
2 to 3 oz Parmesan, shaved

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan skin side up. Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until cooked through. Cool slightly, discard the skin and bones, and slice the meat thickly. Set aside.





Meanwhile, place the pancetta on another sheet pan in a single layer. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to drain on paper towels.



Place the garlic and the parsley in a food processor and process until minced. Add the anchovy paste, mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise and process again to make a smooth dressing. Refrigerate if not using immediately.


Slice the ciabatta in half horizontally and separate the top from the bottom. Toast the bread in the oven, cut side up, for 5 to 7 minutes; cool slightly. Spread the cut sides of each piece with the Caesar dressing. Place half the romaine on the bottom piece of the bread and layer in order: shaved Parmesan, crispy pancetta, and sliced chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and finish with another layer of romaine.



Place the top slice of ciabatta on top and cut in third crosswise. Serve at room temperature.



My notes:
The original recipe used arugula. I replaced it with romaine because it is what I had. The original recipe also included sundried tomatoes. I'm not really a fan and meant to replace them with fresh tomatoes but completely forgot once it was time to actually assemble and eat the sandwich.

This also marks my first experimentation with cooking chicken with skin and bones. I survived and the chicken tasted great - much juicier and more flavorful than the boneless, skinless chicken breasts I normally use.

Week 24: Southeast Asian Fried Rice

Thought I'd continue with the Asian cooking theme this week. . .

I get sucked into magazines while I wait in line at the grocery store. I browsed Cooking Light last time, found this recipe, and decided to take it home.

from Cooking Light January / February 2010 (p. 176)

Makes 4 servings (1 1/2 C each)
Prep and Cook time: 60 minutes

1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tsp sambal oelek (ground fresh chile paste), divided
1/4 tsp salt, divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 bunch green onions
2 Tbsp peanut oil, divided
2 1/2 C cooked and cooled brown rice
1/4 C vertically sliced shallots
14 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 C broccoli florets
1 C julienne-cut red bell pepper
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
Cooking spray
2 bacon slices, cooked and crumbled
4 lime wedges



Combine first four ingredients, 1/2 tsp sambal oelek, and 1/8 tsp salt in a small bowl. Combine eggs and remaining 1/2 tsp sambal oelek in a bowl; set aside. Separate green tops from green onions, and diagonally chop; set aside.Cut green onion bottoms into 1" pieces; set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tsp oil to pan, swirling pan to coat evenly. Add rice; stir-fry 1 1/2 minutes stirring constantly. Transfer rice mixture to a large bowl.

Heat 2 tsp oil in pan. Add shallots to pan; stir-fry 30 seconds or until tender.

Add chicken; stir-fry 1 1/2 minutes or until lightly browned.

Add brown sugar mixture to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 1 minute or until liquid thickens slightly, stirring occasionally.

Add chicken mixture to rice.

Wipe pan clean with a paper towel; return pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining 2 tsp oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add broccoli and bell pepper; stir-fry 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add the remaining 1/8 tsp salt, green onion bottoms,a nd garlic; stir-fry 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the chicken mixture to pan, cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heat; return chicken mixture to large bowl.

Return pan to medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add egg mixture to pan, swirling to coat pan; cook 30 seconds or until egg is set. Transfer egg to a cutting board; chop. Stir egg and bacon into rice mixture. Top with green onion tops; garnish with lime wedges.



Notes:
I made some changes to the ingredients. The original recipe called for 8 oz skinless, boneless chicken thighs and 6 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast. I just used 14 oz of skinless, boneless chicken breast. I also used more than 2 cups of broccoli. I love broccoli. And, I didn't garnish with the green onion tops. Oh, I should also confess that I used 4 bacon slices instead of 2. I love bacon.

I won't lie. . . this was time-intensive. I didn't make the rice ahead of time, so it took about an hour for this dish to make it from my countertop to the table. There were times when I thought, "Ugh. This is so not worth it!" But, the finished product was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. We garnished with lime juice, soy sauce, and some more chile paste. Really, really good. Two thumbs up.

Week 24: Thai-Style Chicken with Basil

There is a great little Thai place in the super-adorable downtown of my city. (It's called Cy's Asian Bistro. They don't have a website but do have a menu online.) I love to get take-out from there when Brad is out of town. Thai basil chicken is my dish of choice. (And, I like to supplement it with a different appetizer each time.) It's not that Brad doesn't like Thai; he does. It's just sort of become this thing I do by myself.

I found this recipe in Cook's Illustrated and decided to experiment. The end result isn't quite the same as the take-out - me, in pajamas, eating take-out on the couch, watching TV on DVD - but it made for a really great dinner.

Thai-style Chicken with Basil
Taken from Cook's Illustrated February 2010
Servings: about 3 (or 2 hungry adults)
Prep and Cooking Time: about 40 minutes



2 C fresh basil leaves, tightly packed
3 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 serrano pepper, seeded
2 Tbsp fish sauce, plus extra for serving
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp white vinegar, plus extra for serving
1 Tbsp sugar, plus extra for serving
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 medium shallots, peeled and thinly sliced (about 3/4 C)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
Red pepper flakes, for serving

Process 1 C basil leaves, garlic, and peppers in food processor until finely chopped, 6 to 10 one-second pulses, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula once during processing.

Transfer 1 tablespoon basil mixture to small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon fish sauce, oyster sauce, vinegar, and sugar; set aside.

Transfer remaining basil mixture to 12-inch nonstick skillet. Do not wash food processor bowl.

Pulse chicken and 1 tablespoon fish sauce in food processor until meat is chopped into approximately 1/4" pieces, six to eight 1-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl and refrigerate 15 minutes.

Stir shallots and oil into basil mixture in skillet. Heat over medium-low heat. Mixture should start to sizzle after about 90 seconds; adjust heat accordingly. Stir constantly, until garlic and shallots are golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.

Add chicken, increase heat to medium, and cook, stirring and breaking up chicken until only traces of pink remain, 2 to 4 minutes. Add reserved basil-fish sauce mixture and continue to cook, stirring constantly until chicken is no longer pink, about 1 minute. Stir in remaining cup basil leaves and cook, stirring constantly, until basil is wilted, 30 to 60 seconds.

Serve immediately, passing extra fish sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, and vinegar separately.

The original recipe called for six green or red Thai chiles, stemmed. I checked two stores and could not find even one - much less six - Thai chiles. Upon reading the recipe closer, I learned I could substitute two serranos or one medium jalapeno. I'm indecisive like that, so I opted for a small jalapeno and one serrano. It worked.

Also, I didn't wilt the full cup of basil leaves called for in the final steps. Finding two entire cups of basil that actually looks edible in Wisconsin in January is quite a feat, and I fell a little short of the goal. I wilted only 1/2 C in the final step. The basil flavor was still strong enough. The whole cup might have been too over-powering.

I was a huge fan of the condiments (sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, and hot sauce) with the dish. It was fun to experiment at the table with ways to change the flavor.

We served the chicken with brown rice and broccoli. I'm super glad we added the vegetable. I like vegetables with my stir fry.

We will make this again. It will (like the Spaghetti Puttanesca and the Stroganoff Hamburger Helper) become part of our regular rotation.

Week 2: Chicken and Bacon Pasta

Let's get one thing straight right off the bat. This is NOT, I repeat NOT a healthy cooking recipe.

I present to you Exhibit A:

A stick and a half of that butter went into this recipe. Along with 3 cups of cream and a pound of bacon. Light and tasty this is not! In fact, if you are currently on a diet, it is possible just reading this recipe might cause weight gain.

Another thing you need to know about this recipe: to quote my friend Barb, it is very "dish intensive." Exhibit B:

This would be my sink full of all the dishes that would not fit in my dishwasher after preparing dinner. I used: my crockpot, my broiler pan, a pasta pot, a colander, a large pot, a large casserole, two mixing bowls, and a cutting board.

So now that you know this recipe will make you fat and result in lots of dishes, I'll share one more tip. When a recipe say it makes "a lot" or "serves a crowd" it is probably NOT a good idea to make it on the night before the only other adult in the house leaves on a business trip. There is NO WAY I will finish an entire casserole dish myself, even if I did eat it for lunch and dinner for the rest of the week.

Chicken and Bacon Pasta
from the blog: Taste and Tell

erves 8 - 10

6 chicken breast halves
1 12-ounce bottle Mesquite Marinade
1 lb bacon, cooked and diced ( I used slightly less than 1lb...the dog stole a couple slices)
3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons pepper
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
3/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for the top
1 pound small cut pasta, cooked and drained (I used penne)
a few handfuls of frozen peas (I used 1/2 a small bag)

Put the chicken breasts and the marinade in a crockpot. Cook until chicken is done, then cut into bite sized chunks. (This took about 3 hours in my crockpot on high. I think next time I would just marinate the chicken in the fridge and then bake the breasts. Dragging out the crockpot just seems to be one extra step)

In a large pan, combine the cream, pepper, butter, garlic and Parmesan cheese. Whisk over medium heat until combined and thickened.

Combine the pasta, bacon, chicken and sauce. Toss in the frozen peas and stir to combine everything. Pour into a baking dish, top with more Parmesan, and cook in a 350F oven until the cheese is melted. (I baked mine for about 4o minutes so the top was nice and crispy.)

A funny little side note about this baking dish: It was a wedding gift from a nutritionist I used to work with in my former life as a tv producer. I'm pretty sure she would have a panic attack if she knew I used her gift to make such a NOT healthy dish.

This one definitely gets filed under "everything in moderation." Consuming it more than once a year may be detrimental to your health! Enjoy!