Category Archives: CHICKEN, TURKEY, GAME HENS, DUCK, ETC. RECIPES

SPICY FRIED CHICKEN THIGHS

HOT PEPPER CHICKEN BITES WITH CILANTRO SOUR CREAM SAUCE

This recipe is based on a Tom Douglas recipe for Hot Pepper Wings with Cilantro Sour Cream. My good friend Jim told me about the recipe, but already having the perfect wings recipe I decided to use the marinade in a different way. (I can’t ever just leave well enough alone.)

So I decided to use bite sized chicken breast pieces, stay faithful to the rest of Tom’s recipe (who really wants to mess too much with one of his recipes anyway) and serve as an appetizer. The chicken was an instant hit. In fact, to this day I think this recipe is on our good friends Nich and Steve’s top 10 favorite foods list.

Now at first glance you might think the chicken would be way too spicy hot. Not the case. Now granted, it does have heat, but it’s really not over the top spicy unless you really don’t like or are supper sensitive to spicy food. In that case, you might not appreciate this recipe. But remember, I don’t like food that is overly spicy either, and I adore this chicken appetizer!

So for those of you who love spicy food with a lot of flavor, this is the recipe for you. It is just wonderfully tasty. And the sauce? All I can say is – it is magic. And if you have never heard of Tom Douglas, chef extraordinaire, look him up on the internet. He is legendary in these here parts.

2/3 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. Dijon mustard
1/3 c. water
¼ c. Sriracha (Asian chili sauce – red bottle, green top)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp. chopped fresh sage
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
3-3.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces

Whisk the soy sauce, mustard, water, Sriracha, garlic, and fresh herbs together in a large bowl. Add chicken pieces and marinate for several hours or overnight. Remove pieces from marinade and place in a single layer on a large, lightly greased baking pan or pans. (Cookie sheets with short sides work the best.) Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the chicken is just done. Do not overbake. Serve with Cilantro Sour Cream Sauce.

Note: This makes a wonderful main dish too. When I serve it as the entrée I cut the pieces a bit larger. (Makes people feel more grown up when they get to cut their own meat.)

Another Note: You can bake the chicken ahead and just re-heat before serving.

Cilantro Sour Cream Sauce:

1 c. sour cream
¼ c. heavy cream
4 tsp. chopped cilantro or more to taste
¼ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CHICKEN AND WILD RICE SALAD

BAKED CHICKEN FAJITAS

HUNGARIAN PAPRIKÁS CSIRKE (CHICKEN PAPRIKA)

This is one of Mr. Cs favorite dishes. The original recipe came to me from my dear friend Dodie. Her in-laws had immigrated to America from Hungary. And apparently Dodie’s mother-in-law was an amazing cook. I of course had to mess with the recipe to get it down to a manageable size, since the original recipe started off with 12-14 meaty whole pieces of chicken. All the original ingredients are still in my version, but several steps have been eliminated to allow for a more manageable preparation time. But my dear husband, whom I regard as a “chicken paprika connoisseur” is adamant that none of the flavor demonstrated in the original recipe has been sacrificed in the reconstruction.

So ladies and gentlemen, I give you a very easy and delicious recipe for the Hungarian classis – Chicken Paprikash. Hopefully you will enjoy it as much as we do.

And about the 1 hour of letting the finished dish sit before re-heating and serving it. Well the only thing I can say is that I have always adhered to this step offered in the original recipe and have no idea what the results would taste like if I served the dish before it had that hour to sit and mellow. I suppose it would be alright if you chose to give it a go before the resting period. But for me, I’m not going to mess with the original recipe any more than I already have. I’m not so sophisticated as to believe that spirit’s might not actually exist. So the last thing I want to experience, if only in a dream, is the spirit of the fine woman who’s recipe I have altered to come after me with a live chicken in one hand and a meat cleaver in the other. I’m sure even spirit’s have their “that’s it” point. So needless to say, I do not wish to garner any more disfavor by eliminating even one more tiny little insignificant detail from the original recipe. Enjoy!

3 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
¼ small onion, finely chopped
1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized cubes
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 c. chicken broth
1/3 c. milk or more
2 T. flour
1 T. Hungarian paprika, or more to taste
¾ c. sour cream, or more to taste

In a heavy sauce pan, fry the bacon until very crisp. Remove from pan and place in a small bowl. Add the onion to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes or until the onion is translucent. Add the chicken pieces and sprinkle very lightly with salt and a goodly amount of fresh pepper. Stir fry until the chicken is just done. Remove to the same bowl with the cooked bacon.

Meanwhile whisk together the chicken broth, milk, flour, and paprika. After removing the chicken and onion, pour the liquid mixture into the pan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and let gently burble for about 5 minutes, stirring the whole time. Whisk in the sour cream. (If the sauce seems too thick, add a little additional milk.) When thoroughly heated, but not boiling, add the reserved bacon, chicken, and onion mixture. Adjust seasoning. Continue to heat until just before ingredients reach a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour. Reheat and serve over rice or wide egg noodles.

Perfect with fresh green beans, a chunk of hearty bread, and a chilled Fume Blanc.

Note: This recipe doubles, triples, etc. beautifully.

CHICKEN FAJITAS

Well once again I have proven to one and all that my photographs of food will never make the rotogravure section of the Sunday Chronicle. Whoa Nellie – that was a thought blast from the past! Maybe I thought about the long gone rotogravure* section of Sunday papers because I have been going half mad all day trying to get Irving Berlin’s melody for the song Easter Parade out of my head. (There is a reference to the rotogravure in the song lyrics.) Whatever the reason, the truth of what I said remains. I am simply a lousy food picture taker (can’t even refer to myself as a photographer) and I want to take this opportunity to apologize for my ineptitude.

OK, I got that off my chest; on to better and tastier subjects.

I don’t know about you, but I love fajitas. What I don’t appreciate is when fajitas are so highly seasoned that you can’t taste the flavor of the meat. (Just my old hang-up of wanting a blend of flavors in whatever dish I eat or prepare!) I also don’t like buying seasoning packets when I can jolly well produce a better and less expensive product at home! Of course, my spice blends don’t have the likes of monopotassium glutamate, disodium guanylate, or disodium inosinate (not making these names up folks), but I don’t really feel I’m missing anything by their absence!

So the following recipe is my answer to a not overly spiced fajita that can be made with chicken, beef** (skirt steak works great), or shrimp**. This mélange of herbs is perfect for Mr. C and me. For those who prefer spicier fajitas, I recommend using a hot salsa to ramp up the heat.

*According to the Free Dictionary website, rotogravure is an intaglio printing process in which letters and pictures are transferred from an etched copper cylinder to a web of paper, plastic, or similar material in a rotary press. i.e. printed material, such as a newspaper section, produced by this process.

1 T. cornstarch
1 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. granulated garlic
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
scant 1/8 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
¼ c. water
3 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1/3-inch strips
1 green pepper, thinly sliced (or half green, half red pepper)
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 T. fresh lime juice
8 warm flour tortillas
shredded lettuce, grated cheddar cheese, salsa, thin avocado slices, and sour cream (preferably Mexican) for serving

Note: Remember – you don’t have to buy your spices in those darling little jars at the grocery store. Buy your spices in bulk and save yourself mucho dinero (well we are talking fajitas here you know!)

Combine the cornstarch, chili powder, ground cumin, onion powder, granulated garlic, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Place in an airtight container for storage. (I make about a triple batch at a time.)

When ready to prepare fajitas, whisk together the water, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and the chili powder mixture together in a small bowl. (If you have made a larger amount of the spice mixture, use about 4 tablespoons for this recipe.) Add the chicken, and stir together until the chicken is evenly coated. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes. **

After the chicken has had a chance to marinate, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet until shimmering. Carefully empty the chicken into the skillet along with the green pepper and onion. Cook over medium high heat, stirring continually with a heavy spatula to remove browned bits off the bottom of the skillet, until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the chicken is just cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice. Serve in warmed tortillas, with lettuce, cheese, salsa, avocado slices, and sour cream.

** 15 minutes for shrimp and about 1 hour for skirt steak

CHICKEN PARMESAN

A couple of days ago I asked Mr. C. what he would like for dinner. He usually responds with either “whatever you feel like fixing” or “anything is fine with me” or words to that effect. But this time he said he would love some Chicken Parmesan. No problem. I could just look up the recipe in one of my own cookbooks and be on my merry way. Well low and behold; I had never written out a recipe for Chicken Parmesan. (Out of 888 recipes contained in those 2 cookbooks, you would think there would be a recipe for Chicken Parmesan.) But no cigar! So that meant I had to do some research. So I started by looking in my 2 favorite sources for all food Italian – Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking (Marcella Hazan) and The Splendid Table (Lynne Rosetto Kasper). Nothing. Turns out Chicken Parmesan is not an Italian classic. In fact it’s about as American as apple pie! Hmph!

So never being one to be afraid of a challenge, I took the bold step of going online. My exploratory journey took me far and wide. But it finally came to rest on this recipe by Giada De Laurentiis. (Well the chicken part is Giada’s, with a few minor changes, but the Marinara Sauce is my very own.)

I liked the look of Giada’s recipe immediately because there was no breading action required. Not that I’m lazy or don’t appreciate a nicely breaded and sautéed cutlet, but with all the other rich ingredients cuddling up to the partially fried chicken, I felt it totally unnecessary to add more steps and not coincidentally more calories to an already very rich dish.

So the following recipe is my answer to the age old question – what would you like for dinner dear? I hope the next time I ask Mr. C. that question I will again be required to do some research. For me, a lot of the pleasure associated with cooking is in trying new recipes. (One of the reasons I never wanted to be a cook in a restaurant. I’d be forced to cook the same things over and over. I’d go stir crazy, both literally and figuratively!) So for me, most of the pleasure of adapting or creating new recipes is in the hunt. No guns required!

I hope you enjoy the recipe. Lovely served with a green or a Caesar salad and a side of buttered pasta.

2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
½ tsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
½ tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
½ tsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 c. Marinara Sauce, recipe follows, or purchased marinara sauce
1/3 c. shredded mozzarella
¼ c. grated Parmesan
1 T. unsalted butter

Whisk 1 tablespoon of the oil and herbs together in a small bowl. Set aside. Cut each chicken breast into three pieces. First cut off the thinner end. Then slice the thicker end in half horizontally. (Or if the chicken breasts are fairly small and of uniform thickness, just slice in half lengthwise.) Dry off the chicken pieces with paper towels if necessary and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Brush both sides of the cutlets with the herb oil. Heat a large heavy oven-proof skillet containing the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over high heat. Carefully whirl the pan so that the oil coats the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken pieces and fry just until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Spoon the Marinara Sauce over and around the cutlets. Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over each piece of chicken. Cut the butter into very small bits and scatter over all. Bake in a pre-heated 500 degree oven for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese melts and the chicken is cooked through.

Marinara Sauce:

2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
½ c. chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (28-oz.) can chopped or diced tomatoes (Italian tomatoes preferably)
1 bay leaf
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 T. chopped fresh basil leaves
1-2 T. butter, optional

In a large covered sauce pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes. (Take the lid off part way if the sauce is too thin.) Remove from heat, remove bay leaf, add basil and adjust seasoning. If the sauce tastes acidic, add butter 1 tablespoon at a time to round out the flavor.

Note: this is a very basic marinara sauce that can be used in a myriad of recipes. Leftover sauce freezes beautifully.

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE LO MEIN STIR-FRY

So, for 10 years (1970-1979) I worked at the International Branch of Seafirst Bank. (Way back before Seafirst became part of The Bank of America (the California based bank that is), which was then subsequently devoured (they called it a “merger”) by what is today known as Bank of America, I had the very great pleasure of working in what was then known as “China Town”. And along with working in the International District, I got to eat there! (Those were the days my friends!) And that meant that often on a Friday night my husband and kids would drive into town and join me for dinner after work at Tai Tung, our favorite Chinese restaurant.

Now for those unfamiliar with Tai Tung, established in 1935, and I swear, no changes have been made to either the décor or the menu since inception, it was the perfect place to take a family. The food was inexpensive, relatively good, and the atmosphere was perfect for a family with 2 tired parents and 4 hungry children. We all loved going there. So I feel a lot of nostalgia for both the restaurant and Asian food in general.

These days however, I have a slightly higher standard when it comes to the flavor and amount of fat and salt contained in an individual dish. And I find that my new standards can mostly only be attained when I cook the dish at home. (Don’t get me wrong, I still go out for dim sum every chance I get).

So this recipe is my answer to a meat and vegetable chow mein. Of course, it’s not nearly as greasy, is packed with more flavor and vegetables, less meat and sodium, and no MSG. Other than that, it’s just like the chow mein with soft noodles we used to get at Tai Tung. Anyone want to go out for Chinese?

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into small bite sized pieces (or you can use pork, beef, or shrimp)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
3 T. butter, divided
1 T. sesame oil
3 c. bite sized pieces of fresh broccoli
½ red pepper, diced
10-12 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 bunch or 8 green onions cut on the bias (white and green parts)
1 c. snow peas cut in two on the bias
2 tsp. finely minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
pinch red pepper flakes
1 can sliced water chestnuts, opt.
1/3 c. good soy sauce (I use GF Tamari)
½ c. dry sherry
2 c. packed fresh spinach or napa cabbage, opt.
8-oz. lo mein noodles, cooked according to package directions (I use Roland brand Organic Lo Mein Noodles)
½ c. toasted slivered or chopped almonds

Lightly sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. In a large fry pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown on all sides. Make sure chicken is cooked through, but do not over-cook. Remove from pan and set aside. Add the broccoli, red pepper, and mushrooms. Sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the green onions, snow peas, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and water chestnuts. Cook for another minute or two. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, soy sauce, and sherry. Simmer one minute. Add the spinach, reserved chicken, and using a pair of tongs, lift the cooked lo mein noodles directly into the pan with the chicken, noodles and sauce. Toss all together with the tongs. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds and serve immediately.

General rule of thumb when preparing a pasta dish that incorporates cooked noodles into a sauce: Never cook pasta ahead of time and let it sit around while the sauce finishes cooking. If anything, have your sauce ready before the pasta has completed cooking. Pasta is always best when cooked just before adding to a sauce and then eaten immediately.

CHICKEN ALA ROCK

Since July of 2008, Mr. C. and I have been hosting vocal jazz artists from around the world in our home. Often the artists stay the night with us, as was the case with Chris McNulty in May of 2009. And the next morning over coffee and a lingering breakfast, Chris and I started talking food. (Well, of course we did!) She shared with me her amazing and truly unique recipe for just about the best chicken you could ever hope to taste.

She and her husband Paul Bollenback, the fabulous jazz guitarist, had to leave shortly after breakfast so that left me plenty of time that afternoon to gather the recipe ingredients for this dish including one perfect garden variety rock. (Excuse the pun.) Yep, you heard right! A plain old fashioned, just the right size, good and heavy rock.

So that very evening I prepared this incredible dish for the first time. I must say, I was a bit skeptical about the peperoncini, and I worried about the chicken burning, but my fears turned out to be completely unfounded. (Notice the use of a big old rock from the yard didn’t worry me at all!) The chicken came out ultra tender and moist, and the flavor from the mustard, peperoncini, and roasted red peppers was divine.

So go on out in your yard or take a walk in the woods and find yourself a rock. (I suggest you measure the pot you are going to use to contain the rock before you go a gathering.) And then give this recipe a try. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. Oh, and wash your rock before you use it. You just never know where that rock has been during the last several million years!

1 whole fryer, cut into 8 pieces or 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs*
2 T. grainy mustard
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 frying pan large enough for chicken (single layer)
¼ c. peperoncini rings, with a little juice
2 roasted red peppers cut into large pieces
aluminum foil
1 very heavy pan that fits in frying pan
1 very large rock (yes the kind you find in your yard) that fits in heavy pan
chopped fresh parsley, opt.

*if you use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, I suggest you do what I do. Using a pair of kitchen shears cut away most of the skin and fat. I leave just enough skin to barely cover the chicken with just a little of the meat showing around the edges. There will still be plenty of skin to brown nicely and you will have eliminated a great deal of calories totally unnecessary to the enjoyment of this dish. (Actually I cut away most of the skin anytime I use chicken thighs.)

Combine mustard, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slather all over the chicken pieces and place them skin side down in cold frying pan. Sprinkle the chicken with the peperoncini rings and the roasted red pepper pieces.

Cover with a piece of aluminum foil large enough to fit down over the chicken and extend over the sides of the frying pan.

Place frying pan on stove. Place the very heavy pan on top of the aluminum foil. Place the rock in the pan. (Actually you can place the rock in the pan before putting it on the chicken.)

Turn the heat on medium low and walk away for 30-35 minutes. Remove the pan and rock. Carefully remove the aluminum foil (as the steam first escapes it is very hot) and gently turn the chicken. (If there is liquid, remove 98% of it before browning the second side of the chicken.) Turn up the heat and cook chicken for an additional 5-10 minutes. (Don’t turn the chicken at this point and don’t worry that the second side is not the amazing brown of the first side.) Just sprinkle it with fresh parsley and serve it to anyone you truly love.

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CHICKEN PICCATA

And yes, I know I post a lot of recipes for chicken! But we eat a lot of chicken, so continue reading as I explain why that is so.

Besides being a delicious and versatile culinary ingredient, according to the fitday website, “chicken is a great source of protein. One 6 oz. serving of chicken contains 48 g of protein. It is also rich in potassium, calcium, and contains no carbohydrates. The nutritional makeup of chicken makes it a healthy, filling food option. By eating healthy cuts of chicken, you’ll consume only a small amount of calories and your stomach will stay full for hours. This decreases your likelihood of snacking on unhealthy foods later in the day”.

Also, according to fitday (and I paraphrase) “dark meat, which sometimes gets a bad rap because it contains more calories than white meat, isn’t quite as unhealthy as you may have been led to believe. Dark chicken meat is rich in myoglobin, a compound packed with iron found in muscle cells. The dark meat parts of the chicken, like the chicken’s legs, are rich in myoglobin, whereas white meat chicken contains no myoglobin at all. Dark chicken meat also contains more zinc and B vitamins than white meat.” Bottom line: dark chicken meat contains more calories and fat than white meat, but packs greater nutritional value. White meat is less caloric and to my mind, a more adaptable ingredient.

So if you are like me and trying to cook with healthier ingredients, start adding more chicken to your diet. And for a couple of recipes that feature dark chicken meat, try my recipes for Green Pozole with Chicken and Oven Chicken Fricassee.

So give this quick and easy recipe for the indomitable Gallus domesticus a try. The sauce is a snap to prepare and tastes absolutely lovely. Serve with a side dish like Lemony Guinoa with Fresh Herbs or simple mashed or boiled potatoes and a green salad or green veggie, and you will make everyone in your household happy campers.

And if you wonder why I mostly write my recipes as if I am only serving 2 people with perhaps a planned over or two, it’s because I mainly cook for just Mr. C. and myself. And remember – it’s just really all about me! But fear not; in most cases my recipes can be doubled or tripled with absolutely no problem. And if in doubling or tripling a recipe there should be a problem, I am a decent enough person to tell you so in advance! If I remember to do so, that is!

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 T. flour
1 T. vegetable oil
¼ c. dry white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
1 garlic clove, minced
½ c. chicken broth
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1 T. capers
2 T. butter
3-4 thin Lemon slices
1 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley

Cut each chicken breast into three pieces. First cut off the thinner end. Then slice the thicker end in half horizontally. Dry off the chicken pieces with paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Place the flour in a bag, add the chicken pieces and shake well to coat. When the chicken pieces are evenly coated, place them in a medium sized frying pan that has been heated and the bottom coated with the vegetable oil. Add the chicken pieces and cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until light brown and done. Do not overcook. Remove to a plate. Tent the chicken with aluminum foil to help retain heat. Deglaze the pan with wine and add minced garlic. Cook until garlic is slightly brown and liquid is nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add broth, lemon juice, and capers. Reduce to about 1/4 cup. Add butter and sliced lemons. Once butter melts, pour sauce over cutlets and garnish with parsley.

CHEZ CARR CUISINE

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