Spiced Chicken Salad

Sometimes those random ingredients in your refrigerator can come to a fortuitously delicious conclusion.  I knew I wanted to make chicken for dinner, but I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do with it.  We had arugula, a couple of stray potatoes, lots of carrots and half a cucumber.  We had herbs, and the usual spices, oils, and vinegars.  We also had a chunk of feta.

Voila!  All of these items came together to form a filling and delicious salad.  The chicken breast is marinated for a mere 10-15 minutes in yogurt and spices, then cooked in a cast-iron skillet and placed atop a salad of mixed veggies and boiled potatoes.  It's simple and filled with flavor. 

This is a basic formula that could work with any number of variations.  Cook a piece of marinated chicken breast and you can put it on top of just about anything, and then call it spiced chicken salad.  This particular combination works wonders, but if you have some mixed baby greens and tomatoes, you could use those instead of the arugula and potatoes.  You could ditch the feta and opt for fresh mozzarella, cubes of sharp cheddar, or no cheese at all if you like. 

Once again, I invite you to take my recipe and do whatever you like with it.  That's what playing in the kitchen is all about.

And speaking of which, I am thinking about changing some things up on this blog.  Is there anything you'd like to see more of?  Anything new you'd like to see besides recipes?  I promise to consider any serious suggestions.  Thanks!

Spiced Chicken Salad

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup plain lowfat yogurt

pinch of ground cinnamon

bigger pinch of ground cumin

salt to taste

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley, divided

2 skinless boneless chicken breast cutlets

2 medium red-skinned potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 cups baby arugula

1/2 hothouse cucumber, cut lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

cooking spray

1 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup diced feta cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a shallow dish, combine yogurt, cinnamon, cumin, a pinch of salt, and about half the parsley.  Place the chicken cutlets in the dish and turn to coat well with the yogurt mixture.  Let marinate for 10-15 minutes. 

2.  While the chicken marinates, place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cool water by about 1 inch.  Place on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat slightly and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside to cool.

3.  While the potatoes are cooking and the chicken is marinating, put the arugula, cucumber, and carrots in a large salad bowl with the remaining parsley. 

4.  Heat a cast-iron skillet, sprayed well with cooking spray, over medium-high heat.  When it's hot, shake the excess marinade off the chicken and add it to the skillet.  Cook for about 4 minutes on each side, or until browned and cooked through.  

5.  Drizzle the vinegar and oil over the salad and toss.  Add feta and toss again.  Divide the salad among two plates and add the potatoes around the perimeter.  Place a cooked chicken cutlet on each salad and serve.

Enjoy!

Crunchy Garlic Chicken

I crack jokes about it now, but when I was a kid, I actually liked Shake 'N Bake.  Now I wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole, as I'm sure it is loaded with hydrogenated oils and whatnot.  Along came Jamie Oliver to teach me that you can make a home-made version that tastes absolutely fantastic!

Jamie's new TV show and book are all over the place right now, and his message is something I also feel passionate about.  He is all about teaching people the value of real, whole foods that are not processed and messed about with.  On top of that, he is teaching people that eating real food is actually easy and inexpensive, contrary to popular belief.  This recipe is a great example.  I made a few changes to make it healthier, but even Jamie's slightly naughtier version is still much better than pre-prepared chicken strips you might buy in the freezer section, or boxed bread crumb coatings that are loaded with junk.

This is a simple and incredibly flavorful recipe that will make your kids or picky husbands or wives very happy.  I made a simple potato-asparagus salad (simply boiled the potatoes, added the asparagus for the last minute of cooking, drained it all and tossed it with a simple vinaigrette) to go alongside and it was a wonderful meal.

Crunchy Garlic Chicken

adapted from Jamie's Food Revolution

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 clove garlic, peeled

zest of 1 small lemon

6 plain whole wheat crackers

1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

leaves from 5 sprigs of fresh thyme

salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons flour

1 large egg, beaten

2 skinless chicken breast cutlets, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Combine the garlic, lemon zest, crackers, olive oil, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor.  Process until very fine.  Transfer to a bowl.

2.  Preheat oven or toaster oven to 450.  Sprinkle flour onto a small plate.   Dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour to coat completely, then dip them into the beaten egg to coat completely.  Finally dredge them in the cracker mixture until thoroughly coated (you may have to help out a bit with your hands).

3.  Place the chicken cutlets on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, flipping over about halfway through.  If the crumb mixture starts burning reduce heat slightly.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Marinated Chicken and Grape Skewers (CEIMB)

This week's Craving Ellie in my Belly recipe comes from her newer cookbook, So Easy.   It's a very original grilled dish, combining sweet-tart green grapes with a beautifully marinated chicken.  I can't say this is something I would have thought to try on my own, but I'm glad someone did.

The chicken is marinated in a combination of citrus, garlic, and far eastern spices, giving it an exotic flavor that pairs nicely with the surprising tang of the green grapes.   The book recommends serving it with a simple warm lentil and spinach salad, made up of sauteed onions and spinach with cooked lentils, parsley, mint, basil, and lemon juice.   The salad complements the skewers  nicely, but of course I think most side dishes would.

I found that making both the lentil dish and the chicken skewers was a bit of work for a weekday, but it didn't take that long.  And it was definitely worth the trouble.  The skewers alone were quite easy to do, so if you want to pick a simpler side dish to make your life a bit easier, that might be a good idea.

Food on skewers is inherently fun to eat, so you could probably convince children and adults alike to give this a try.  It's different, delicious, and healthy. 

Marinated Chicken and Grape Skewers
adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy
serves 2


INGREDIENTS:


1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
pinch of salt
1/2 pound skinless boneless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4 10-inch skewers
12 or so seedless green grapes
cooking spray
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves


DIRECTIONS:


1.  Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, cumin, coriander, and salt in a bowl.  Toss the chicken pieces in the marinade and let marinate for at least 20 minutes, or up to 4 hours.    If using wooden skewers, soak them in water during this time.


2.  Preheat a grill pan over medium-high.  Thread the chicken pieces onto the skewers, alternating with grapes.  Spray the grill pan with cooking spray, then lay the skewers onto the grill pan.  Cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through.


3.  Serve the skewers topped with the scattered mint leaves, two skewers per person.

Enjoy!

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

This is a simple and quick soup to pull together.  You just need a couple of interesting ingredients in your pantry (namely Thai curry paste and coconut milk), and you can whip this up in no time!  It also just happens to be yet another great way to use up some leftover roast chicken.

I made home-made stock in my slow cooker and used a good amount of it for this soup.  You can, of course, use the stock in a box - it's what I use for most of my soups, and it does just fine!  The result, whether you use home made or store-bought stock, is a slightly spicy, exotically flavorful broth with some tasty chicken and veggies floating throughout.  And I discovered to my great delight that it is extra delicious the next day!  So definitely make more than you can eat in one sitting, as the leftovers are even better.

It's light, it's healthy, it's good.

Thai Coconut Chicken Soup

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons canola oil

2 tablespoons Thai green curry paste

3 cups chicken stock

one 14 oz. can of lite coconut milk (unsweetened)

juice of 2 limes

2 tablespoons crushed lemongrass

2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

pinch red pepper flakes

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced

2 cups cubed/chopped cooked chicken

salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a soup pot over medium heat, heat the oil.  When it's hot, add the curry paste.  Stir and cook until fragrant.  Add the chicken stock, coconut milk, lime juice, lemongrass, ginger, and red pepper flakes.  Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Let simmer for about 5 minutes.

2.  Stir in the scallions, bell pepper, and chicken and continue to simmer for 5 more minutes, or until chicken is heated through.  Salt to taste and serve.

Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

Fun idea for using up leftover roast chicken #1:  chicken enchiladas!  We love enchiladas.  Seriously.  Love.  It seemed only natural to take some of the leftovers from yesterday's perfect roast chicken and turn them into a delicious platter of saucy, cheesy tortillas filled with goodness. 


I will admit, without (too much) shame, that this is barely a homemade recipe.  Enchilada sauce from a jar?  Come on!  Well, if you have the time and the will to make your own, please do.   It's easy enough.  But today I came home from work wanting enchiladas, and wanting them fast.  I had a jar of Trader Joe's enchilada sauce in the cupboard.  It was meant to be.

I experimented with a healthier preparation technique gleaned from the fabulous Simply Recipes blog - rather than frying each tortilla in oil, you stretch a small amount of oil among many tortillas just to soften and warm them.

These came out delicious.  Make sure you use a good enchilada sauce, because it will make a difference - buy one you trust, or go ahead and make your own.  You can, of course, make any kind of enchiladas following this method - double the cheese to make cheese enchiladas, or substitute a different type of meat or vegetable for the chicken.

Easy Chicken Enchiladas

serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

8 ounces of red enchilada sauce, divided

1 1/2 cups shredded leftover roast chicken, white and/or brown meat

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar, divided

2 teaspoons canola oil (more if necessary)

10 white corn tortillas

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 350.  In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce with the chicken and half the cheddar cheese.  Stir to combine.  Set aside.

2.  In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, warm up 1 teaspoon of canola oil.  When it's hot, add the first tortilla.  Move it around to spread the oil, then flip with tongs after about 5 seconds.  Immediately stack another tortilla on top of the oily side of the first.  This will absorb some of the oil into the second tortilla.  Flip over both tortillas after about 5 seconds.  Repeat this process, gradually adding each tortilla to the oily side of the previous tortilla.  Add additional oil to the pan as oil is absorbed.  When all the tortillas are warmed, transfer them to a plate.

3.  Put a 1/4 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of a small baking dish and spread.  Build the enchiladas one at a time - take a tortilla and spoon about 2 tablespoons of the chicken mixture in a line across the middle.  Roll the tortilla around the chicken mixture and place seam-side down in the baking sheet, on top of the sauce.  Repeat with all 10 tortillas, tucking them in to fill up the baking dish.

4.  Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas in the baking dish, trying to distribute it evenly.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar and 1/4 cup mozzarella.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until sauce is starting to bubble.  Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Enjoy!

Perfect Roast Chicken

There is really no excuse for the fact that it took me this long to try roasting a whole chicken.  I know it's not hard, and I know people who cook far less often than I do who have roasted many a chicken in their lives.  I blame the fact that my husband and I are both white meat people, so a whole chicken never seemed like the smartest idea.  But it has always been on my to-do list, a goal I wanted to achieve, simple though it may be. 

So finally, I did it.  And I will be doing it again.  And again.  And again.  I warned my husband (if you can "warn" someone something that is such good news) that this is going to become a tradition.  He seemed okay with that.

But first, a word from our ethics committee (i.e. me).  I consider myself to run a pretty sustainable kitchen.  That is, I don't cook that much meat, and when I do, I try to make it as environmentally friendly as possible.  So if I was going to roast a whole chicken (and I was), I needed to make sure it was from a good source.  Hence a special trip to Whole Foods, where I do not ordinarily shop, to go to their butcher counter and buy a rather pricey (but worth every penny) organic, free-range "Rosie" chicken from Petaluma, California.  If you have access to organic, free-range chickens that are truly humanely raised, I implore you to get one for this recipe rather than a factory farm raised bird.  Yes it costs more, but when you divide the cost by the number of meals you're going to get out of the chicken, it is actually really cheap.

But of course, you can do whatever you want.  I just recommend you try this recipe, tweaked from Martha Stewart's oh-so-educational book, Martha Stewart's Cooking School.  I thought it would be a good starting point for my first attempt at roasting a whole bird.  And was it ever.  I added halved fingerling potatoes and quartered fresh carrots to the roasting pan, and they got golden and crispy and fantastic in the chicken drippings.  Best. Veggies.  Ever.

The result of this recipe was a fantastic, succulent bird, and quite possibly the best chicken I've ever tasted.  Definitely the best that's ever come out of my kitchen. You will be seeing a couple of fun leftover chicken recipes in the week.

Perfect Roast Chicken

adapted from Martha Stewart's Cooking School

serves 4 (or 2 with leftovers to be used for other meals)

INGREDIENTS:

1 fresh (organic, free-range) whole chicken, about 4 pounds

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 lemon, cut into 1/4-inch rounds

5 sprigs fresh thyme

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Prepare the chicken.  Remove the bag of giblets and discard (or save for another use).  Let chicken come to room temperature for at least an hour, up to two hours.  Rinse the chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.  Get the cavity as dry as you can.  Trim excess fat from the cavity.

2.   Preheat oven to 450.  Season the chicken cavity with salt and pepper, then stuff with lemon, thyme, and garlic.   Rub the skin with the 2 tablespoons of butter.  Tuck some under the skin on the breast if you feel like it (it will add amazing moisture and flavor).  Season all over with salt and pepper.

3.  Put the chicken in a large ovenproof skillet or a small roasting pan with a rack.  Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding bone) registers 160-165, about 55-60 minutes.  Remove chicken to a platter or carving board.  Let rest for 10 minutes.

4.  While the chicken rests, make a pan sauce in the roasting pan.  Spoon and discard fat from juices in pan (or separate in a gravy separator).  Pour accumulated chicken juices from the cavity into the pan.  Place pan over medium-high heat.  Pour in wine or stock to deglaze the pan, stirring and scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon.  Cook until reduced by about half.  Pour the sauce through a fine sieve into a liquid measuring cup.

5.  Carve the chicken and serve with the pan sauce.  

Enjoy!

Avgolemono Soup (CEIMB)

When I was in law school, we often went to a Greek restaurant called Taverna Tony for lunch.  It was right down the street, and it had (free!) excellent bread and taramasalata dip. There was one menu item that we always had to get.  It was the lemony, creamy soup known as avgolemono - or chicken lemon soup.  It was my favorite soup of all time, and I still get the hankering now and again to drive up the coast to Malibu for a bowl.  No other Greek restaurant makes it quite as well as Taverna Tony, and believe me, I've looked.

It just so happens that this week's Craving Ellie in my Belly recipe is for avgolemono soup (or "Lemon Chicken Soup with Orzo," as Ellie calls it).   I was so excited that this was the pick of the week!  I have to say that it is remarkably like the version I grew to know and love in law school, only with thyme instead of parsley.  I think next time I make this recipe (and there *will* be a next time), I will use parsley and see just how close to Tony's recipe this one is. 

This is a magical, lemony soup that tastes creamy and decadent, but the source of its creaminess is tempered eggs, rather than cream, flour, or any other typical soup ingredient.  It's a rather unassuming variation on chicken noodle soup, but it is so incredibly good, you can't even believe it until you try it yourself.

Avgolemono Soup

adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave

serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into small chunks

pinch of salt, plus more to taste

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

leaves from 3 sprigs of thyme

3 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup orzo

1 large egg

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat.  Season chicken with the salt, add to the pot, and cook, stirring often, until just cooked through, about 4 minutes.  Transfer the chicken to a dish and set aside.

2.  Add remaining teaspoon of oil to the pot.  Add onion, celery, carrot and thyme and cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes.  Add 2 1/2 cups of the broth and bring to a boil.  Add orzo and let simmer until tender, about 6 minutes.  Turn heat down to low to keep the soup hot but not boiling.

3.  Warm the remaining 1/2 cup broth in a small saucepan until hot, but not boiling.  In a medium bowl, beat the egg.  Gradually whisk the lemon juice into the egg.  Then gradually add the hot broth to the egg-lemon mixture, whisking all the while.  (You are tempering the egg, as opposed to cooking it).

4.  Add the egg-broth mixture to the soup, stirring well until the soup is thickened.  Do not let the soup come to a boil.  If any bits of scrambled egg form, fish them out, but this shouldn't happen if you have the heat all the way down.  Add cooked chicken to the soup, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Enjoy!

Sweet and Spicy Chicken and Couscous

It's time for a special Friday night dinner.  This recipe will pretty much knock your socks off.  It seems complicated, but it really isn't.  Every bite is like a big pat on the back congratulating you for trying something new.  It's spicy, tangy, sweet, and savory all at once.  Somehow this array of flavors comes together in harmony, like a hybrid between Indian and Moroccan cuisine that is simply delicious.

I first made this recipe a few years ago for Valentine's day with my husband.  I am kind of shocked I've shelved it this long, as it was amazing.  I particularly love the herb yogurt sauce that gets drizzled over the top.  I can definitely foresee using it for other purposes, like a crudite dip, sandwich spread, or salad dressing.  Yum.

If you're looking for something different to wake up your palate, this is it.  I know the ingredient list seems long, but you probably already have most of them in your kitchen.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken and Couscous

adapted from Rachael Ray's Book of 10

serves 2-3

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 cups low sodium chicken stock

1/4 cup mango chutney

salt and black pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

1/2 large onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger

zest and juice of 1/2 small lemon

3/4 cup plain (or whole wheat) couscous

1/4 cup plain lowfat yogurt

handful fresh mint leaves

handful fresh cilantro leaves

1 scallion, coarsely chopped

juice of 1 small lime

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a small pot over medium-low heat, combine 1 cup of the chicken broth with the mango chutney.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a bubble, then reduce heat to low.  Let sit while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

2.  In a large skillet with high sides, or a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the coriander, cumin, and red pepper flakes.  Cook and stir to toast the spices for just a few seconds.  Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat in the spices.  Spread out in an even layer and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Cook until just browned on each side.

3.  Add onion, pepper, garlic, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the grated ginger.  Cook about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add remaining 1/4 cup of chicken stock and continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes.

4.  Scoot the chicken and veggies to the edges of the pot to make a well in the center.  Pour in the chicken broth / chutney mixture and bring to a bubble.  Add lemon zest and juice, then add the couscous to the well in the middle.  Press it down gently with a spatula or spoon to get it into the liquid, but try to keep it in the well.  Cover the pan tightly with a lid and remove from heat.

5.  While the couscous cooks, combine yogurt, mint, cilantro, scallion, lime juice, and remaining ginger with a splash of water in a blender or food processor.  Process until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.

6.  After couscous has been sitting for five minutes,  remove lid and fluff the couscous with a fork.  Just about all of the liquid should have been absorbed.  Stir couscous with the chicken and veggies.  Serve with a drizzle of the yogurt sauce.

Enjoy!

Open Face Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

I try not to post too many recipes of the semi-homemade variety, but this one is just too good to keep to myself.  It's so ridiculously easy, half the work is already done before you even start.  Just buy yourself some good quality items so it doesn't taste like you didn't make it. 

Chicken parmesan is a delicious yet decadent proposition, so I had to try Ellie's healthy version and see what it was like.  To be honest, I don't know that the die-hard chicken parm fans (like my husband) will be fooled, but it covers the biggest criteria in my opinion - the cheese and the marinara sauce.  The spinach is a nice touch to round out the meal.  Bottom line is, it will work in a pinch, and it's tasty.

Open Face Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 whole grain Italian loaf or baguette

1 cup jarred marinara sauce

2 cooked chicken cutlets (I poached mine - grilled would be great)

2 cups baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat broiler and place foil on the broiler tray.

2.  Slice the bread in half lengthwise to make two pieces.  Scoop out the bread to remove the soft inner portion and save for another use (like breadcrumbs).  Place the bread scooped side up on the broiler tray.

3.  Spoon 1/4 cup of sauce into each piece of bread.  Lay a piece of chicken on top and cover with 1 cup of spinach leaves.  Pour another 1/4 cup of sauce over the spinach, then sprinkle each sandwich with 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1 tablespoon parmesan.

4.  Broil until spinach is wilted and cheese is bubbly and browned, 4 to 5 minutes.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Havarti Chicken

This is a simple yet interesting chicken dinner that can easily be thrown together on a weeknight.  It's elegant, it's different, it's good.  A crunchy bread crumb crust combined with an ooey melty cheese center?  What's not to like?  Top it all off with some creamy avocado slices and you have a meal fit for company.


Be cautious about your cooking time - this is basically an extra thick piece of chicken after you roll it up, so you want to make sure it is completely cooked through, but not overcooked. 

Havarti Chicken

adapted from The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for the dish

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

2 quarter inch thick slices Havarti cheese

1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup dry white wine

avocado slices for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Drizzle a little bit of olive oil in a baking dish and spread it around.

2.  After pounding chicken breasts to even thickness, sprinkle with seasoned salt.

3.  Combine the olive oil with oregano and parsley.  Drizzle about 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture over each chicken breast.  Top each with a strip of cheese at one end.  Roll up the chicken breast, starting at the end that has the cheese, adn tucking in the edges so the rolls are the same length.

4.  In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs with salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle the chicken breast roll-ups with remaining oil/herb mixture, then dunk in the bread crumbs to coat all over.  Place in the baking dish, seam side down.  Drizzle with wine.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.  

5.  Serve topped with avocado slices.

Enjoy!

Curried Chicken Salad (CEIMB)

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly pick was this fantastic chicken salad.  I like chicken salad sandwiches on occasion, but I really am not a mayo fan.  So when I saw that this version had barely any mayo, I decided to cut it out altogether and see how it came out.  And it was delicious!  To top it off, there's a gorgeous hint of curry spice, fresh juicy grapes, and crunchy toasted almonds to provide a wealth of flavor.

The salad is meant to be served over lettuce with pita chips, but I opted to serve it with fresh whole wheat pitas and make little sandwiches out of it.  I can't even express how delicious it was.  Yum. 

So here it is, the seemingly mythical healthy, mayo-free, curried chicken salad.  It's the figure friendly counterpart to that menu item that seems to be popping up in restaurants everywhere.  What a great pick!

A note: I left out the cilantro merely because I didn't have it, but I think it would be an excellent addition, so I've included it below.

Curried Chicken Salad (CEIMB)

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

1/4 cup lowfat plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 1/4 cups cubed cooked (and cooled) chicken breast

1/2 cup halved grapes (I used green, Ellie uses red)

handful finely chopped cilantro

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

3 cups lightly packed mixed salad greens

2 whole wheat pitas, warmed and cut in half

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Toast almonds in a small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to turn golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

2.  In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt and curry powder.  Fold in the chicken, grapes, almonds, and cilantro and season with salt and pepper.  This salad will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

3.  Serve over a bed of lettuce along with pita bread; or pack the pita halves with lettuce and chicken salad.

Enjoy!

Walnut Chicken Paillards with Arugula Sweet Potato Salad

The one question I get from my fellow attorneys more than any other when they hear about my blog is, "How do you have time?"  It makes me laugh every time, because the fact is that I would make time even if I didn't have it, since cooking brings me more joy than most things.  However, the trick is that the recipes I make really aren't that time-consuming.  Those of you who actually have tried some of them can attest to this.  I'm not making slow-roasted pork shoulder or hand-made ravioli every night. 

Take this meal for instance.  I realize this doesn't look or sound like a weeknight meal.  But I pulled it together really quickly, and without too much effort.  The walnut sauce on the chicken has only three ingredients, but tastes absolutely fantastic - nutty and delicious.  The arugula sweet potato salad is as tasty as it is beautiful.  The entire meal is rich and elegant, yet filled with healthy elements.

So go ahead, shock and awe your guests when you make this for them.  They'll marvel at how much time you must have spent in the kitchen. 

Walnut Chicken Paillards with Arugula Sweet Potato Salad

adapted from Martha Stewart's Dinner at Home

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

for the salad

1 sweet potato, cut into 1-inch-thick rounds (unpeeled)

1 leek, white and pale green parts only, halved length wise, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

1/2 tablespoon sherry vinegar

2 cups loosely packed baby arugula

for the chicken

1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil

2 chicken cutlets, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness

handful of walnut pieces

1/4 cup low sodium chicken stock

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Combine sweet potatoes and leeks on a rimmed baking sheet, and toss with 1 tablespoon oil, a pinch of salt and pepper.  Roast for about 20 minutes, tossing halfway through, until sweet potatoes are fork tender and leeks are golden brown.  Cool for 10 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, whisk together mustard and vinegar, then slowly whisk in remaining tablespoons of oil.  Season with salt and pepper and toss the arugula with the dressing.  After cooling the roasted veggies, toss them with the rest of the salad.

3.  While the veggies are roasting you can start on the chicken.  Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with salt and pepper.   Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes per side until browned and cooked through.  Remove to a plate and keep warm.

4.  Reduce heat to medium-low and add walnuts to the pan.  Toast, stirring constantly, until fragrant and golden, about 3 minutes.  Raise heat to medium and add the chicken stock and vinegar to the pan.  Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until reduced by about half.

5.  Place the salad on plates, top with the chicken, and drizzle the sauce on top of that. 

Enjoy!

Pan-Seared Chicken with Orange & Grapefruit Sauce

Most people think of winter as a time of year when fresh produce is severely lacking.  We mustn't forget, children, the wonderful world of citrus.   Citrus is at its peak in the winter, and there is such a fantastic variety of options.  This recipe features two of the more common citrus fruits, available at any and every farmers market this time of year - orange and grapefruit.

This is a refreshing, elegant meal with a bevy of beautiful flavors.  It might help drag you out of the winter weather funk.  We're even dealing with that here in Los Angeles.  We need something bright and beautiful for dinner to make it all okay.

So grab an orange and a grapefruit and whip up this meal.  We had ours with steamed broccolini, but anything green will do nicely to round out the plate.

Pan-Seared Chicken with Orange & Grapefruit Sauce

adapted from Eating Well in Season

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 small ruby red grapefruit

1 small navel orange

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed

2 teaspoons canola oil, divided

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1 tablespoon orange marmalade

1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Segment the grapefruit and orange over a bowl, using a sharp knife to remove the skin and pith, then cutting out each segment carefully, leaving membrane behind.  Let the bowl catch all the juices.  Squeeze out the membrane to get all the juice into the bowl.  Strain the fruit segments to separate them from the juice.  Reserve both and set aside.

2.  Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish.  Lightly dredge the chicken in the flour mixture.

3.  Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook until golden-brown and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.  Remove chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. 

4.  Add remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan.  Reduce heat slightly and add the onion.  Cook, stirring, until softened and slightly browned, about 3 minutes.  Add reserved fruit juices and wine and bring to a boil.  Boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

5.  Reduce heat to low and add marmalade, reserved fruit segments, mint/parsley and pepper to taste.  Return chicken to pan and reheat gently.  Serve the chicken topped with the fruit, onion, and juice. 

Enjoy!

Chicken Paillard with Watercress & Tomato Salad

This meal is extra special, not just because it is delicious and incredibly easy.  It's extra special because it was made by the lady herself, my culinary heroine, my favorite celebrity chef, the woman I admire and aspire to eat like and cook like - the one and only Ellie Krieger.

For my birthday, my sister got us tickets to go see Ellie Krieger do a culinary demonstration and book signing at a local cooking school in the LA area.  Right before our eyes, Ellie made breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert.  And we got to sample all of it.  She was so utterly charming and likeable, funny and charismatic - the superlatives know no bounds, folks.  It's so nice to admire someone on television and in books, and then to meet her in person and realize she's just as awesome as you imagined she would be.

And her food was delicious too.  Here I am featuring the lunch recipe she made, though of course it would do just fine for dinner.  It's fresh and tasty, and remarkably easy to pull together.  It also looks elegant and beautiful, much like Ms. Krieger herself.

So here is the recipe for you to make yourself.  Now I will go bask in the afterglow of having met one of my favorite people.

Chicken Paillard with Watercress & Tomato Salad

from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 4

That's Ellie making me lunch.  Okay, so it wasn't just me.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pounds thin cut skinless boneless chicken breasts

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 large bunch watercress, tough stems removed, coarsely chopped

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

8 slices whole-grain baguette

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Combine chicken, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a bowl and toss to coat.  Preheat a grill or nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat.  Grill chicken until grill marks form and meat is just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.  Remove and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

2.  In a large bowl, toss watercress and tomatoes, with their seeds, with remaining olive oil and lemon juice, and remaining salt and pepper.  Distribute chicken among 4 serving plates and top each with 1 1/2 cups of salad and 1 to 2 tablespoons of accumulated liquid from the salad.  Serve with baguette slices.

Enjoy!

Italian Chicken Pie

Once in a while, we come upon a recipe that we want to mentally bookmark, dogear, put a gold star on, or somehow put a permanent reminder to come back to it.  Again, and again, and again.  This is one of those recipes.  It is easy, delicious, and would please just about anyone.  This is one that I want to remember to make for my kids some day.  It's going to be one of those go-to Friday night family dinner recipes. 

Okay, have I sold it enough?  My husband described this as a cross between chicken parmigiana and deep dish pizza.  Only guess what?  It's not nearly as unhealthy as either of those things.  It has all the yummy flavors you associate with Italian food - tomato, garlic, oregano, basil - plus cheese and chicken, and a tender crust.  Yum!

I reduced the recipe, as I often do, but if you double it for a larger group, make it in a 9-inch pie dish and get the whole pie experience. 

Italian Chicken Pie

adapted from The Best Casserole Cookbook Ever

serves 3-4

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

1 cup diced cooked chicken breast

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, divided

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 cup of canned diced tomatoes with their juice

1/4 cup whole wheat (or all-purpose) flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup nonfat milk

1 large egg

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Coat a small baking dish (size isn't that important - go with a fairly shallow rectangular one if you have it, or divide among ramekins) with cooking spray.  Sprinkle the parmesan cheese in the bottom of the dish.

2.  Scatter chicken over the parmesan.  Top with 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella, the oregano, and basil.  Mix garlic with diced tomatoes and juice, and spread evenly over all. 

3.  Make the topping: in a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Add oil, milk, and egg, and continue whisking until the mixture is smooth like pancake batter.  Pour over the chicken mixture in the pan.

4.  Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, until set and golden brown.  Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella.  Let sit 10 minutes before serving. 

Enjoy!

Stir Fried Chicken with Baby Bok Choy

It seems almost ridiculous to share a recipe for a stir fry.  Stir fries, by their very nature, don't really require a recipe.  But this is one that is particularly easy, quick, and delicious, so I thought I ought to share.

I think we all can agree that the only hard part about a stir fry is all the chopping that has to be done before the heat comes on.  Well, in this one, there is barely any chopping at all.  If you have a garlic press and a microplane, then the only chopping you have to do is to the cut the stem bottoms off the bok choy.  And you can use kitchen shears to cut up the chicken.   This is the lazy man's stir fry, my friends.  And it tastes pretty great.

Serve over steamed brown rice, or go crazy and make some yummy noodles.

Stir Fried Chicken with Baby Bok Choy

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or other Asian chile sauce)

1/2 pound baby bok choy

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Mix together the sherry, soy sauce, and Sriracha, and set aside.  Chop the stem bottoms off the bok choy and separate the leaves.

2.  Heat one teaspoon of oil in a wok over high heat.  When it's hot, add the bok choy and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until just wilted and still crisp tender.  Remove from wok and set aside in a bowl.

3.  Add remaining teaspoon of oil to the wok and heat over high heat.  When hot, add the garlic and ginger and cook for only about 10 seconds, stirring, before adding the chicken.   Stir fry until chicken is browned and nearly done.  Add the sauce and bok choy to the wok and toss everything together, cooking about one additional minute.  Serve.

Enjoy!

Tomato-Basil Chicken over Polenta

This is a similar concept to a recipe I posted fairly recently, but trust me.  It's quite different.  My love affair with polenta continues, and I went back to making it the old-fashioned way just for kicks.  If you want to make it the brilliant oven-baked way (see link above), please be my guest. 

This is a simple, comforting and tasty meal that should please just about any palate.  Traditional Italian flavors of tomato, basil, and garlic rest atop a slightly spicy chicken breast, on a bed of creamy polenta.  What's not to love?

Also, a note - when I say two chicken breast cutlets, I mean one large chicken breast butterflied through the middle and then cut into two pieces, creating two thinner pieces of chicken breast.  I just want to be clear, here.

Tomato-Basil Chicken over Polenta

adapted from Rachael Ray's Book of 10

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup polenta (coarse ground cornmeal)

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 chicken breast cutlets

salt and pepper

pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 red onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1/2 pint red grape tomatoes

handful fresh basil, coarsely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1.  In a small pot, whisk together 1 1/2 cups broth with the polenta and butter.  Place over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, whisking occasionally.  Reduce heat to a bare simmer and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, whisking occasionally, until polenta is a thick porridge-y texture.   Season with salt and pepper just before serving.

2.  Meanwhile, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.  Season chicken cutlets with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.   Add to skillet and cook for about 2 minutes each side, until lightly browned.  Add onion and garlic to pan and cook for about 2 more minutes, until onions are lightly browned.

3.  Add remaining chicken broth to the skillet and cook until reduced by about half, approximately 3 minutes.  Turn the chicken occasionally.   Add tomatoes and cook about one minutes, or until they are heated through and just starting to burst.  Stir in basil, and serve chicken with tomatoes and sauce over a bed of polenta.

Enjoy!

Karahi Chicken

My sister and I took an Indian cooking class a few months ago taught by the lovely and talented Neelam Batra.  She told us about her published cookbooks, and I immediately fell in love with one of them.  It's called Chilis to Chutneys, and it features an assortment of recipes that combine Indian flavors with more western style dishes.  And thank heavens, it does NOT refer to itself as "Indian Fusion." 

The fact is, I love Indian food.  With most of my heart.  An even bigger portion of my heart, however, I use to love my husband, who does not dig the Indian food.  So this cookbook is a great solution - it brings Indian spices within his comfort zone.  Case in point with this dish.  At first glance, it's just your typical stir fry.  But when you take a bite, it surprises you with some bold Indian spices that you weren't expecting.  He definitely liked it.

It also features one of my favorite flavors, cilantro.  I realize there are cilantro haters out there - and they will want to skip this dish.  But it reminds me of a delicious cilantro chicken my mother always made that is one of my all time favorites of her recipes.  Something about cilantro and tomato - it's just a beautiful combination.

I improvised a bit with what I had on hand, so this is my version of Ms. Batra's recipe.  Feel free to change up the spices to use whatever Indian goodies you have in your cupboard.

Karahi Chicken

adapted from Neelam Batra's Chilis to Chutneys

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, grated

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 14.5 oz. can unsalted diced tomatoes, drained

1 generous cup finely chopped cilantro leaves

1/4 teaspoon garam masala

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

salt and pepper to taste

1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook the onion and ginger, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Mix in the garlic and tomatoes, and cook, stirring, until a cohesive sauce starts to form, about 5 minutes.

2.  Add cilantro, garam masala, cumin, salt, pepper, and chicken.  Cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is mostly cooked, about 5 minutes.  Add bell pepper strips, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes to marry the flavors.  Serve over rice, or with naan.

Enjoy!

Chicken Paella with Sausage and Olives

Paella is one of those fabulous meals that is a little bit different every time you have it, but always comforting and hearty.  This variation includes no seafood whatsoever, so I was excited to try it for my husband's sake.  It comes from the brand spanking new Ellie Krieger cookbook, So Easy.  And it really is.

This meal is genuinely fun to make.  It's one of those science-experiment-in-the-kitchen recipes, only it requires little effort.  It just comes together as a fantastically spicy and rich, yet nutritious and easy on the waistline, one pot meal.  The warm spices are perfect for this cool fall evening.  I always thought of paella as a labor of love, but this one can easily be served as a weeknight meal.

Chicken Paella with Sausage and Olives

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

3 oz. chorizo sausage, casing removed, chopped

1 lb.  skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice

1 large ripe tomato, chopped

1/4 cup chopped green olives

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of ground turmeric

small pinch of saffron threads

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or a medium-large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the chorizo and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes.  Add chicken pieces and cook until browned on all sides (not necessarily cooked through), about 4 minutes.  Transfer chicken and chorizo to a plate.

2.  Add remaining oil to pan.  Add leeks and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook, stirring, about one minute.  Return chicken and chorizo to the pot and add broth, peas, rice, tomato, olives, salt, pepper, turmeric, and saffron.  Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to oven. 

3.  Cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Chicken Orzo Casserole

I think I've found my culinary calling, and its name is the casserole.   Something about the cooler (relatively speaking) fall weather makes it so enticing.  This casserole comes from the current issue of Everyday Food, publication of the matriarch Ms. Stewart, and constant source of easy and delicious recipes.  Case in point:  a smooth, creamy casserole without any cream, featuring a medley of Greek flavors.

You may think you don't like feta cheese, but if you buy the fresh stuff in a block from your grocery store and make this casserole, you will grow to appreciate just what it can do.  It marries with dill and lemon so well, it's like they were born to be together forever.  They envelop tender, delicate little orzo pasta pieces and the whole thing just melts in your mouth.  Delicious.

You know a recipe is great when you're already looking forward to eating the leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Chicken Orzo Casserole

adapted from Everyday Food

serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 pound chicken tenders, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 cup orzo

2 oz. feta, roughly chopped (or crumbled)

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

juice of 1/2 lemon

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the broth, 1/4 cup water, butter, salt and pepper to a boil.

2.  Meanwhile, combine chicken, orzo, feta, dill, lemon zest and juice in a shallow 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.  Pour the hot broth mixture over it and stir once, gently, to incorporate.

3.  Bake until bubbling and starting to brown, and the cooking liquid is creamy, about 30 minutes.  Let stand 5 minutes prior to serving.

Enjoy!