Tag Archives: chicken

Sep2

Happy Labor Day! Summer Recipe Recap

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It’s been the hottest weekend of the year in L.A., and although Labor Day traditionally marks the “end” of summer, it still feels like it’s in full swing here.

It’s been a busy summer, and this poor blog has been sadly neglected. Even though I haven’t managed to post along the way, we’ve made some delicious summer meals and I have to share a few pictures/links:

Grilled Bacon Salad with Arugula and Balsamic, courtesy of Smitten Kitchen:

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Vietnamese Summer Rolls:

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Beef Lettuce Wraps, courtesy of The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook:

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Biscuits and Gravy (not exactly summery but we used chicken sausage to lighten it up):

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An Argentine-inspired parrillada, with grilled chicken, sausage, vegetables, and chimichurri:

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Here’s to a memorable summer and an even more delightful fall!

 

Feb10

Pho Ga (Chicken Pho)

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I was never partial to chicken pho until we tried it in Hanoi. We had it at our hotel for breakfast, and it had a very clear but complex broth, with only the tiniest slivers of chicken meat. It was amazing.

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I used the recipe from Steamy Kitchen, and I was very pleased with the results.  Paco had three bowls! Today is also the beginning of Chinese New Year, so the noodles that we had are good luck because they represent long life. Winner winner chicken dinner! 😉

Pho Ga (Chicken Pho)
Adapted from Steamy Kitchen

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces, or 3-4 lbs of chicken pieces (I used 2 leg/thigh pieces, 4 wings, and a bunch of extra wing tips)
1 onion, halved
3-inch piece of ginger
1 packet of pho spices (or coriander, cloves, star anise, and fennel)
2 T fish sauch
2 T sugar
1 small bunch of cilantro stems, tied

For serving:
dried pho noodles, boiled and drained
bean sprouts
cilantro
jalapeno, serrano, or Thai chilis, thinly sliced
green onions, sliced finely
lime wedges

Begin by preheating your broiler to high.  Put the onion halves and ginger on a baking tray on the top shelf, and broil for 15 minutes, turning at the halfway point.  The onion skin will brown and both the onion and the ginger will soften.  When they are done, remove the skin from the onion and ginger, and slice the ginger into thick slices.

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Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add the chicken pieces, and boil for 5 minutes.  There will be a lot of frothy scum that rises to the top. Drain the pot, rinse the chicken in cold water, and rinse out the pot.  This is how you make sure that your broth stays clear.

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Fill the pot with cold water, and add the chicken, dried herbs, fish sauce, sugar, cilantro stems, onion, and ginger to the pot.  Bring to a boil then immediately reduce the heat to low and cover. You want the broth to continue cooking at the most gentle simmer possible.

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If necessary, skim the broth every 20 minutes, removing any impurities that float the top.  After 30 minutes, remove the meatiest pieces of chicken. (For me that meant the legs, but if you used the whole chicken it will be the breasts.)  Set them aside to cool.  Continue to simmer the broth for another hour (90 minutes total).  Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. (Mine required some more fish sauce and quite a bit of salt.)

When you are ready to eat, remove the solids from the broth, reserving as much of the liquid as possible.  Shred the chicken that you set aside earlier.  Assemble the individual bowls with noodles, broth, and chicken.  Serve with bean sprouts, lime wedges, and fresh herbs.  Enjoy!

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Nov10

Korean Tofu Stew with Chicken and Mushrooms

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This is the perfect quick meal for a cold night. I used ground chicken because I had it on hand, but thinly sliced beef would be more traditional.  This could easily be vegetarian, as well, just add some extra mushrooms.

Korean Tofu Stew with Chicken and Mushrooms
Adapted from The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook

1 T vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb ground chicken (or thinly sliced beef, ground beef, ground pork)
kosher salt
black pepper
4 oz fresh shiitake mushrooms (about 10)
4 oz crimini mushrooms
2 T red chili flakes (or Korean chili flakes)
1 T soy sauce
4 c chicken or beef broth
1 block (14 oz.) silken tofu, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 tsp sesame oil
4 eggs
2 green onions, sliced

Heat the oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Brown the meat and season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and mushrooms, and saute for a minute or two. Add the chili flakes, soy sauce, and broth. Bring a boil, reduce to a simmer, and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning.

Add the tofu and stir.

Gently crack the eggs into the pot, lightly basting each with hot broth. When the whites are cooked, gently ladle the stew out into individual portions over rice. Drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle green onions over the top.

Sep12

Chicken Torcello

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Paco came home exhausted from a business trip, and could not possibly motivate to go out. I started flipped through cookbooks and decided to try this simple, comforting recipe. We served it over buttered egg noodles, and it was the perfect meal for a quiet night at home.

Chicken Torcello
(Adapted from Company Fare by Ronald Johnson)

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
kosher salt
black pepper
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 T garlic, minced
1/2 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 shallot, minced
1/2 c dry white wine
1/2 c half-and-half
1/2 c sun-dried tomatoes, slivered
2 T minced chives, for garnish

Rinse the chicken thighs, pat them dry, and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat, and brown the chicken on both sides. When the chicken is cooked most of the way through, remove it from the pan.

Add the garlic, mushrooms, and shallots to the pan, and saute until softened. Add the wine, increase the heat, and reduce it by half. Reduce the heat, stir in the half-and-half, and simmer until the sauce has thickened. Add the tomatoes and chicken back to the pan, and heat until the chicken has finished cooking.

Serve over buttered egg noodles and garnish with chives.

Aug24

Arroz con Pollo

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Chicken and rice is a great comfort food (other favorite chicken-rice combinations include chicken rice, chicken adobo, and ground chicken and basil).  My version was a little bit greasy because I did not drain off the excess fat as I should have.  I’ve included that step below so that you won’t suffer the same fate!

We had ours doused in Marie Sharp’s hot sauce and apple cider vinegar.

Arroz con Pollo
(Adapted from Melissa d’Arabian)

6 chicken thighs
2 T vegetable oil
kosher salt
black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder/salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 serrano or jalapeño pepper, minced
1 1/2 c rice
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 c chicken stock

Season the chicken with salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder/salt, and cumin. (I used garlic salt so I didn’t use much regular salt, but if you are using garlic powder you should adjust the amount of salt accordingly.)

Heat oil in a dutch oven or large skillet (that has a tightly fitting cover) over medium high heat. Place the chicken in the pot, skin side down.  Brown the chicken on all sides, in batches if necessary. Do not flip the chicken until it releases easily from the pan; this ensures that you will have a nice crust and that you will not tear the skin.

Remove the chicken from the pot when browned. Drain off some of the fat, leaving about a tablespoon of oil in the pot.

Add the bell peppers and onions to the pot and saute until softened. Add the garlic, serrano/jalapeño pepper, and rice, and saute for one minute, coating the rice in the oil and rendered chicken fat.

Add the tomato sauce and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. When the liquid is simmering, nestle the chicken into the liquid and cover.

Simmer for 25-35 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Turn off the heat and allow to rest, covered, for 10 minutes.