Skillet Chicken Fajitas

When I received my America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook several years ago, I came across this recipe for Skillet Chicken Fajitas.  I was hesitant to try them at first because I already have a favorite fajita recipe (Grilled Chicken Fajitas), but during the winter the last thing we want to be doing is grilling in the dark and in the cold, so I was hoping to have a good stove-top fajita recipe for the winter months. We love this recipe and welcome the different flavors not present in our go-to fajitas.  The orange juice and chipotles in adobo make a great sauce that flavors the chicken, and I love the addition of the tomatoes and green onions at the end for some freshness.

Skillet Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons canola oil
2 red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded and sliced thin
1 red onion, halved and sliced thin
salt and pepper
3 - 4 chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup orange juice
3/4 cup cilantro, minced (divided)
2 teaspoons chopped chipotles in adobo sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
*** 1 - 2 cups chicken broth (optional)
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped
3 green onions, sliced thin

tortillas (I prefer Tortillaland brand)

Optional toppings:
sour cream
cheese
salsa

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet. Add the sliced peppers and onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and well-browned, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl or plate and cover with foil, store in warm place.

2. Combine the orange juice, 1/2 cup of the of the cilantro, the chipotles, Worcestershire, and garlic in a measuring cup, then add to the skillet. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the skillet. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-low heat, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken over, cover, and cook until the chicken registers at least 165F on an instant-read thermometer.  This may take 10 - 12 minutes, or longer depending on the thickness of your chicken. You will need to keep an eye on the liquid during this step. Often, mine evaporates and starts to burn in areas, so I add chicken broth to the pan when this begins to happen.  This is not in the original recipe, but I have this issue every time - perhaps my pan is too large or the heat is too high, I'm not sure. Regardless, keep an eye on it because you don't want the sauce to burn on the bottom of the pan because of the sugar content.

3. Transfer the chicken a plate and shred. If necessary, simmer the sauce until reduced to 1/4 cup (I never have to do this step as my sauce is naturally reduced while the chicken cooks). Return chicken to pan. Off heat, stir in mustard, tomatoes, green onions, and remaining 1/4 cup cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Serve the chicken mixture with the peppers/onions and warm tortillas (and toppings if desired).

Source: America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Soy-Free Chicken Fried Rice (MSPI)

As I've mentioned here and here, when I was eating dairy/soy-free (MSPI diet), I had to completely revamp our meals. Several of the dairy/soy-free dinners were so good that they have stuck around as staples in our rotation. This Chicken Fried Rice is one of them. You can serve it with soy sauce on the side if you don't have a sensitivity to soy, or if there are members of the family that can tolerate it.  Bob usually puts soy sauce and sriracha sauce on it.

Authentic fried rice is made from day-old rice. Since I usually serve the Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs with rice, I make a double batch so I have leftover rice for this recipe the next night.

I prefer chicken thighs for this recipe but have used chicken breasts before and they work too; it's just a matter of personal preference.

Soy-Free Chicken Fried Rice (MSPI Friendly)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons Canola oil, plus extra for cooking chicken
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper to taste
coarse salt
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons water
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
4 cups cooked rice (day-old leftover rice is best)

Directions:

1. Drizzle Canola oil in a large nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and place in pan "pretty" side down.  Cook until starting to brown and then flip to finish cooking completely. Remove chicken to a plate until cool enough to handle, shred, and set aside in a warm place.  Set pan aside for use in step 3.

2. In a smaller (medium-sized) nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-low heat; swirl to coat pan. In a small bowl, lightly beat together eggs, 2 teaspoons water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pour into pan; cook, pulling in egg from edge of pan, until set, about 2 minutes. If desired, carefully flip over for a few seconds. Transfer to a plate; when cool enough to handle, cut into strips.

3. In large skillet, heat remaining tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add scallions and garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add rice; season with salt to taste. Cook, stirring often, until very hot, about 5 minutes. Add vinegar, peas, eggs, and shredded chicken; cook until very hot, about 2 minutes.

Source: Adapted from Martha Stewart

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs (MSPI)

I mentioned in this post that I had to be dairy-free soy-free for several months when Ella was a new baby. One of our favorite dinners that I found when searching for MSPI Friendly recipes is this recipe for Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs. We all love these, and I continue to make them despite no longer having to be dairy/soy-free.  I usually serve them with plain, steamed rice and sautéed sugar snap peas. I will soon post my favorite MSPI Friendly Fried Rice recipe that I make using the leftover rice from this dinner!

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika (I used smoked paprika)
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne - can reduce if sensitive to spice)
~ 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs
Canola cooking spray (that does not contain soy) or Canola oil
6 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Directions:
1. Preheat broiler. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray with Canola cooking spray or brush with Canola oil.

2. Combine first six ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on pan.

3. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side.

4. Meanwhile, combine honey and vinegar in a small bowl, stirring well.

5. Remove chicken from oven; brush half of the honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute.

6. Remove chicken from oven and turn over. Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture. Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.

Source: MSPI Mama, adapted from Cooking Light

Garlic-Braised Chicken Thighs with Roasted Carrots

I found this recipe on Pinterest when searching for ways to use the carrots in our garden. This recipe was actually a meal from a Whole30 plan.  While a Whole30 is not exactly my style, I do appreciate some of the Whole30-friendly recipes. The whole family eats this dinner every time I make it. The girls LOVE these carrots! They typically will not eat carrots, but they can't get enough of these. We did compare the grocery store baby carrots to those we grew in our garden, and the ones from our garden do taste better, but any carrot will do. The garlic thyme pan sauce here really elevates the dish, so don't skip that part!

Braised Chicken Thighs with Garlic Pan Sauce and Roasted Carrots

Ingredients:
olive oil
1 - 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper to taste
bunch of fresh thyme, leaves removed and coarsely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock/broth, divided
1 pound baby carrots or 5 whole carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or skillet that has a lid (set the lid aside for now).

2. Line a baking sheet with foil and place carrots on the foil. Toss with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake the carrots for 20 - 25 minutes, turning and mixing them every 5 - 10 minutes so they brown evenly.

3. Meanwhile, place chicken “pretty side” down in hot skillet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sauté for 5 - 8 minutes, until browned on one side. Flip chicken and cook until brown on the other side, then add 1 cup of the chicken stock/broth to the pan.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and place the lid on the pan to allow the chicken to cook through. The stock will begin to reduce.

4. When chicken is cooked thoroughly (registers at least 165F with an instant-read thermometer/Thermapen), remove to a plate and set in a warm place (I put mine in the microwave NOT turned on!).

5. Add thyme, garlic, and remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock/broth to pan sauce, turning heat to high. Cook uncovered for about 5 minutes, or until the liquid thickens into a gravy.

6. Add the cooked chicken thighs back to the pan with the sauce.  Spoon sauce over the chicken.

7. To serve, pour sauce over both chicken and carrots. Sprinkle extra fresh thyme if desired.

Source: Adapted from Eat the cookie!

Sonoma Chicken Stew

In the fall of 2011, Panera Bread featured a Sonoma Chicken Stew. It was pricier than their typical soups, but it was served with Dry Jack Cheese Biscuits on top. This stew was very similar to their cream of chicken and wild rice soup, which has been one of my favorites since I was in high school. It is a creamy base with chicken and vegetables, but perhaps my favorite part was these small round carrots. I was completely baffled by them. They were so tasty and has a perfect texture. Each had a marking where a stem would be, so it wasn't just small pieces of carrot that were rolled around to form balls. I did some research and found that they are actually called thumbelina carrots and are sometimes grown in Sonoma, California.

I loved this stew so much that Bob and I often went to Panera while I was pregnant with Ava just to get this stew. Sadly, in the fall of 2012, the stew did not return to the fall menu! I was crushed and knew I had to come up with a way to recreate this stew.  My sister Lisa and I set out to do just that. We pulled components from recipes for Chicken & Dumplings, and added in what I remembered being in the Sonoma Chicken Stew. Of course, I couldn't find thumbelina carrots anywhere, so we made do with regular carrots. The stew turned out amazing!  Funny thing, shortly after we made the stew, I found "Parisian Carrots" in the freezer section of Trader Joe's- and they are the same little round carrot balls!  I stocked up!  

Sonoma Chicken Stew

Serves 4-6 dinner-sized portions

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1.25 - 1.5 lbs chicken breast, cut into small pieces
3 carrots, peeled and chopped (or thumbelina or Parisian carrots if you can find them!)
1 leek, quartered and sliced thin
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 pound red potatoes, skin-on, diced small
1/2 cup baby peas (or more)
Fresh thyme, several sprigs
1/2 - 2/3 cup heavy cream

Directions:
1. Melt butter over medium high heat in a large Dutch oven. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken and cook until browned or opaque and cooked through, about 4-6 minutes. Remove chicken and keep warm.

2. Add carrots, onion, and leek to the Dutch oven. Season with salt and pepper and cook until vegetables begin to soften, 4 - 5 minutes. Add flour and cook for 2 minutes.

3. Add chicken broth slowly and bring to a boil.

4. Add potatoes, peas, and thyme, reduce heat and simmer uncovered until cooked through. If stew is getting too thick, cover while continuing to simmer. Add cooked chicken back to the Dutch oven and cook just until warmed.

5. Add heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if necessary.

Source: Lisa & Meghan Original Recipe :-)

Harvest Chicken Salad

Several years ago, Subway introduced a chicken salad that had grapes, apples, raisins, and dried cranberries. I really liked the idea of this salad, although I felt like a homemade version would be much better. I love the sweet and savory balance of this chicken salad. I've served it on bread or in a dish. It's the perfect lunch or light dinner in early fall!

Harvest Chicken Salad 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt and pepper
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grapes, cut in half
1 apple, diced (I like Fuji)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup craisins/dried cranberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F.

1. Rub chicken with olive oil and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper and bake until cooked through. Set aside to cool.

2. Cube cooled chicken. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, grapes, apple, raisins, and craisins. Add chicken and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Chill until ready to serve.

Source: Inspired by the Orchard Chicken Salad from Subway, portions of chicken salad recipe from Barefoot Contessa

Ultimate Chicken Fingers

I found this recipe on Pinterest and while making it, I realized the recipe was on the back of the Bisquick box!  I don't often use mixes like Bisquick, but this sounded too good to pass up. I've seen recipes for homemade Bisquick before that I would like to try.

We really loved these chicken fingers.  The girls couldn't get enough, and I started making them almost weekly for a while because it was a sure-fire way to get them to eat some protein!  I've even doubled the recipe before and just made sure to use two separate resealable bags, otherwise the dry mix starts to get too sticky from the egg-coated chicken.

Ultimate Chicken Fingers

Serves 4

Ingredients:
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips
2/3 cup original Bisquick mix (store bought or homemade)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt or garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika (I used Sweet Hungarian Paprika)
1 egg, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450F.

1. Line a jelly roll pan with foil, spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag, mix Bisquick, cheese, salt, and paprika.

3. Dip half the chicken strips into the egg and place in the bag. Seal bag and shake to coat chicken. Place the chicken on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken.

4. Drizzle melted butter over chicken.

5. Bake 12 - 14 minutes, turning halfway through bake time, until chicken is thoroughly cooked (I use my Thermapen and make sure they are at least 165F; they usually end up around 170-180 but are still juicy).

Source: Bisquick box

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

These fajitas have been one of our favorite dinners for years. They are perfect for spring when the warmer weather is the perfect invitation to get outside and grill, but we enjoy them year-round. I have even braved the snow and grilled these outside in January - they are that good!  Sometimes we serve the chicken & veggies with tortillas, but most often we make fajita bowls by placing the grilled food in a bowl and topping as desired. Tossing the cooked chicken and veggies in the reserved marinade is the secret to the bright and tangy flavor of these fajitas, so don't skip that step. Every time I make these, I go searching my blog to pull up the recipe, rather than dig out the enormous ATK cookbook, and every time I realize that I have yet again failed to post the recipe.  Since I'm making these tonight, I've decided to finally post it! And just in time for Cinco de Mayo :-)

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/3 c. lime juice from 3 to 4 limes

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

½ tablespoon brown sugar

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

1 ½ tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon pepper

For the chicken:

All but 1/4 cup of marinade

1 teaspoon salt

3 (7 to 8 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness

For the veggies:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (do not separate rings)

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and quartered

1 large green bell pepper, seeded and quartered

Salt and pepper

Optional:

Flour tortillas

Shredded cheese

Sour cream

Salsa

Cilantro

Directions: 

1. Mix marinade ingredients in a glass measuring cup.  Remove and set aside 1/4 cup of marinade.  

2. Combine the remainder of the marinade with an additional 1 teaspoon salt and the chicken, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. 

3. Brush both sides of the onion rounds and bell peppers with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper. 

4. Using a charcoal or gas grill, cook chicken over high heat until well browned and internal temperature reaches at least 165 degrees.  

5. Meanwhile, grill the onions and peppers (skin side down first) over lower heat until spottily charred and crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes, turning every 3 to 4 minutes. 

6. If using tortillas, you may warm them on the grill for about 20 seconds per side. 

7. Separate the rings of onion and place in a medium bowl (I like to cut the rings in half). Slice the peppers into strips and add to the bowl. Toss veggies with 2 tablespoons of the reserved (unused) marinade.  

8. Slice the chicken into 1/4-inch strips and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons reserved marinade in a separate bowl. (Alternatively, toss chicken and veggies together with the entire 1/4 cup portion of reserved marinade). 

9. Serve with toppings as desired, and enjoy!

Source: The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook

Simplified Chicken Tortilla Soup

I first posted this Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe in the summer of 2009. I have consistently made it since then, and over the years I have slightly modified the recipe to make it more simple and quick. This soup is a staple for us during the winter months, and I often immediately freeze half the batch so we can have it ready for a quick weeknight dinner. The soup itself is quite healthy - it's a tomato broth based soup unlike many of the creamy/cheesy restaurant versions of Chicken Tortilla Soup. The toppings are certainly not optional for us - they really elevate this meal to something amazing. As Baby Sister is due to join us two weeks from today (!!!), I feel more at ease knowing there's a container of this soup in my freezer :-)   

Simplified Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

5 vine-ripened tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup water

1 or 2 jalapeño peppers (depending on your spice preference), ribs and seeds removed and roughly chopped 

1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

salt and pepper, to taste

2 cooked, shredded chicken breasts

Optional toppings:

Crushed tortilla chips/tortilla strips (you can find these at the store near the croutons)

1 Roma tomato, diced

Chopped fresh cilantro

Shredded cheese (Monterey Jack, Cheddar, etc.)

Light sour cream

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°.

1. Slice the tomatoes in half. Spread 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on a foil-lined baking sheet and arrange the tomatoes on top, skin side up. Drizzle the tomatoes with another 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Roast the tomatoes for 35 minutes, until the skins wrinkle and the tomatoes are slightly brown around the edges.

2. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed, 4-qt. soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and bell pepper and sauté about 5 minutes, until the vegetables become soft. Stir in the chili powder and cumin and cook for 1 minute.

3. Add the chicken stock and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then cover, decrease the heat and simmer 10 - 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, place the chopped jalapeños, the canned tomatoes with their juices, and the roasted tomatoes (included all the juices and browned tomato bits) in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Puree the jalapeño-tomato mixture about 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to the soup and continue simmering, covered, about  30 – 60 minutes.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste along with the cooked shredded chicken. Simmer a few minutes until chicken is heated through.

6. Ladle the soup into bowls. Top as desired and serve immediately.

Source: Adapted from You're Gonna Bake It After All, from Annie’s Eats  

Chicken Lettuce Wraps - Revisited

\\

Just over a year ago I posted a P.F. Chang's copycat recipe for Chicken Lettuce Wraps, but I already feel it's time to revisit this recipe. First of all, this has become one of Bob and my favorite dinners, and we've adapted the recipe to suit our tastes and rewritten it in a more logical way. Second of all, I was never happy with the picture I took. I was using a new light box I had made and the coloring was off. Since getting my new camera, I decided to re-photograph these wraps, and I'm much happier with the outcome. These wraps are seriously delicious, and I highly recommend the recipe!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:
For the wraps:
2 tablespoons Canola oil, divided
1 package (1 pound) ground chicken breast
1 can sliced water chestnuts, minced into the size of peas
2/3 cup mushrooms (I usually use 1 package fresh mushrooms), minced into the size of peas
3 tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4-6 iceberg or butter lettuce leaves

For the special sauce:
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoons soy sauce (we use reduced sodium)
1 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
dash of sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon hot mustard
1 teaspoon hot water
1/2 - 1 teaspoon garlic and red chile paste

For the stir fry sauce:
4 tablespoons soy sauce (we use reduced sodium)
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

Directions:
*Before beginning recipe, have mushrooms and water chestnuts chopped, have stir fry sauce prepared.

1. Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in the water in a small bowl. Add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, and sesame oil. Mix well and set aside until ready to serve. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.

2. Bring 1 tablespoon oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan. Saute ground chicken until cooked through.

3. With the pan still on high heat, add the other tablespoon of oil. Add the garlic, onions, water chestnuts, and mushrooms to the pan. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes.

4. To complete the "special sauce," add your desired measurement of the mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to reach preferred spiciness.

5. Serve the chicken mixture in the lettuce cups and top with "special sauce" as desired.

Chicken Francese

When looking for a main dish to go with the Mashed Potatoes and Root Vegetables, Bob and I decided on Chicken Francese - a lightly coated chicken with a lemony sauce. In the words of Ina Garten, "How bad could that be?" Well, it's delicious! The chicken has a nice coating, and the sauce is very flavorful. I pretty much knew by reading the recipe that I'd like this chicken, and it definitely delivered. This was a great main dish to go with the potatoes, and one we'd like to make again and again.

Chicken Francese

Serves 4

Ingredients:
For the Sauce:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 very small onion, minced (about 1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1/3 cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Table salt and ground black pepper

For the Chicken:
1 cup all-purpose flour
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each), tenderloins removed, breasts trimmed of excess fat, halved horizontally, and pounded to even 1/4-inch thickness
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

Directions:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack on rimmed baking sheet and place sheet in oven.

2. For the sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon butter in medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour and stir until light golden brown, about 1 minute. Whisk in wine, lemon juice, and broth; increase heat to high and bring to boil, whisking constantly. Lower heat to medium-high and cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Strain sauce through mesh strainer, return to saucepan, and set aside.

3. For the chicken: Set second wire rack on second rimmed baking sheet on counter. Whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk eggs and milk until combined. Season both sides of each cutlet with salt and pepper. Using tongs and working with 2 cutlets at a time, coat cutlets in seasoned flour; shake off excess flour. Transfer cutlets to egg mixture; coat evenly and let excess run off. Return cutlets to seasoned flour; coat evenly and shake off excess flour. Place coated cutlets on wire rack on counter.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon each butter and oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, place 4 cutlets in skillet. Cook until well browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Carefully flip cutlets and continue to cook until lightly browned on second sides, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer chicken to wire rack in oven. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Repeat, using remaining 1 tablespoon each butter and oil to cook remaining cutlets in now-empty skillet. After transferring chicken to oven, wipe out skillet with paper towels.

5. To finish sauce: Transfer the sauce to now-empty skillet and set over low heat; cook until the sauce is heated through, about 1 minute. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter; add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve: Remove baking sheet with chicken from the oven; transfer 4 cutlets to the skillet, turn to coat with sauce, then transfer each serving (2 cutlets) to individual plates. Repeat with the remaining cutlets. Spoon 2 tablespoons additional sauce over each serving and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately, passing extra sauce separately.

Source: The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce

Last month we had my parents over for a Sunday dinner, and I decided to make a Chicken Enchilada recipe I had my eyes on for a long time. I was pretty sure it would be great since it's from my America's Test Kitchen Complete TV Show Cookbook. At one point as I was making them, I worried that the amount of chicken (12 ounces) would not be enough to feed all 4 of us - especially with 2 men! I thought for sure the amount of filling would not stretch to fill all 10 corn tortillas. I soon realized that cheese is a major component of these enchiladas (bonus!!) I actually ended up having a little extra filling at the end that I baked in a separate dish!

These were really phenomenal! The sauce was the perfect blend of spices, and there was a distinct sweetness to these enchiladas. Bob and my mom actually thought I may have added some our dessert (to be revealed on Thursday) to the dish. The pickled jalapenos gave them a nice, slightly spicy kick. Everyone agreed that these were a success and should be added to the dinner rotation.

Thursday I will post a delicious side dish/dessert that completed Mexican Night!

Chicken Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce

Serves 4 or 5

Ingredients:

For the sauce and filling:
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil or corn oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast meat (or thighs, approx. 4), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
2 cans tomato sauce (8 ounces each)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4 ounces pickled jalapenos, drained and chopped (about 1/4 cup)
8 ounces Monterey Jack (or sharp cheddar) cheese, grated (2 cups)

For the tortillas and toppings:
10 corn tortillas (six-inch)
Vegetable cooking spray
3 ounces grated Monterey Jack (or sharp cheddar) cheese (3/4 cup)
3/4 cup sour cream (I use light)
1 avocado, diced medium (optional)
5 leaves romaine lettuce washed, dried, and shredded
2 limes, quartered

Directions:
1. To make the sauce and filling, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and sugar; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until coated with spices, about 30 seconds.

3. Add tomato sauce and 3/4 cup water; stir to separate chicken pieces. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and flavors have melded, about 8 minutes.

4. Pour mixture through a medium-mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing on chicken and onions to extract as much sauce as possible; set sauce aside.

5. Transfer chicken mixture to a large plate; freeze for 10 minutes to cool, then combine with cilantro, jalapenos, and cheese in medium bowl and set aside.

6. Adjust oven racks to upper and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 300F.

7. Place tortillas on two baking sheets. Spray both sides lightly with cooking spray and bake until tortillas are soft and pliable, about 4 minutes. Then increase oven temperature to 400F. Meanwhile, spread 3/4 cup enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.

8. To fill tortillas, add 1/3 cup filling to each and roll tightly. Place into baking dish side by side, seam-side down.

9. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas and use a spoon to spread the sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle 1/4 cup grated cheese down center of dish. Cover baking dish with foil.

10. Bake enchiladas on lower-middle rack until heated through and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and serve immediately, passing sour cream, avocado, lettuce, and lime wedges separately.

Source: Adapted from the America's Test Kitchen Complete TV Show Cookbook

Huli Huli Chicken

pictured with Cilantro Coconut Rice!

When Bob and I were in Maui on our honeymoon in 2007, we drove the famous Road to Hana. This winding, sometimes precarious road is peppered with waterfalls and some of the most amazing flowers and plants we have ever seen. We felt like we were in some alternate universe. The colors are so vibrant, and the sheer size of the trees and plant leaves was humbling - it's truly a magical place. This journey was definitely one of the highlights of our trip. Along the way, we stopped at a tiny road-side barbeque that served Hawaiian chicken - right in the people's front yard! They had a small tent set up with a few tables and that's where we ate. And it was soooo delicious!

When I saw Elly post this Huli Huli Chicken, I was taken right back to Hawaii. I was so excited to try to recapitulate this dish at home. When we had our good friends Jenny and Jeff over for dinner several weeks ago, I decided it would be Hawaiian night - a fruity salad, Cilantro Coconut Rice, and this Huli Huli Chicken. I was so happy with how it turned out, which was very similar to the chicken we had on the side of the road in Maui. This is one of the many, many times where having a leave-in digital meat thermometer makes cooking meat a breeze; it totally takes the guess-work out of the equation. We will definitely be having this again!

Bob and I on the Road to Hana

The amazing flowers

A whole cluster of those flowers

Only in Hawaii???

Huli Huli Chicken

Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2/3 cup pineapple tidbits/chunks
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 knobs ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (or 4 bone-in, skin-on leg quarters or 8 - 12 thighs)
2 - 4 teaspoons Canola oil

Directions:

Preheat the broiler.

1. Add the soy sauce through the Worcestershire sauce to a food processor and pulse until smooth.

2. Rub the chicken with the canola oil and then broil skin side up, about 6″ from the element, for 8 minutes.

3. Flip and broil for another 8 minutes.

4. Brush the chicken with the glaze mixture and broil for an additional 16 minutes or so, flipping and basting every 4 minutes or until a digital meat thermometer registers between 165 - 180F (depending on what you're comfortable with).

Paired with Cilantro Coconut Rice, this makes a great tropical meal!

Source: Adapted from Elly Says Opa!

"P.F. Chang's" Lettuce Wraps

Years ago, I started hearing about the lettuce wraps at P.F. Changs. I believe the first time was when I was at a salon chatting with the girl who was washing my hair. She got really excited when she spoke of the P.F. Chang's lettuce wraps. I thought this was really odd because a "lettuce wrap" sounded so unappealing to me. I figured it was a fallout from the Atkins/South Beach craze.

When we moved in May, we received a coupon for free lettuce wraps at a nearby restaurant Pei Wei, which we soon discovered is a sister company of P.F. Chang's. Importantly, Pei Wei's lettuce wraps are the same as the popular ones from P.F. Chang's!

We quickly made a stop there for for dinner, and I was blown away by the lettuce wraps! They are SO good - very flavorful with a nice balance of crunch. We then went back again...and again...and each time I ordered the lettuce wraps as my meal. Now that we've moved and are no longer close to Pei Wei, I knew I had to devise a way to get in my lettuce wrap fix. Also, as delicious as they were, it was obvious that they use a heavy hand with the oil, as is true for most restaurants.

This copycat of P.F. Chang's/Pei Wei's lettuce wraps is really delicious, and nearly spot on. The restaurant uses ground chicken; whereas, this recipe simply has you cut chicken breast into small pieces, which I prefer anyway. The flavors are very similar but being able to control the amount of oil (and salt!) is the great benefit of making it at home. I just love the combination of ingredients - chicken with chopped mushrooms and water chestnuts. I usually hate mushrooms, but I think because they are chopped so small and sauteed in a sauce they impart more texture than flavor. The water chestnuts add some crunch, which I love. We will definitely be making these again, especially now that I've purchased several of these condiments!

"P.F. Chang's" Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

For the wraps:

2 tablespoons oil of choice, divided (we used Canola)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup water chestnuts

2/3 cup mushrooms

3 tablespoons chopped onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

4-6 iceberg lettuce leaves

For the special sauce:

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons soy sauce (we use reduced sodium)

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon sesame oil*

1 tablespoon hot mustard*

2 teaspoons hot water

1 - 2 teaspoons garlic and red chile paste*

For the stir fry sauce:

2 tablespoons soy sauce (we use reduced sodium)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

*I found all of these in the Asian section of my grocery store

Directions:

1. Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in the water in a small bowl. Add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, and sesame oil. Mix well and refrigerate sauce until ready to serve.

2. Combine the hot water with the hot mustard and set this aside as well.

3. Bring 1 tablespoon oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan. Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side until done; remove from pan to cool. Keep oil in pan and keep hot.

4. While the chicken cools, mince the mushrooms and water chestnuts to the size of small peas.

5. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.

6. Mince the cooled chicken to the sized of small peas.

7. With the pan still on high heat, add the other tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts, and mushrooms to the pan. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes.

8. To complete the "special sauce," add your desired measurement of the mustard and garlic chili sauce to the special sauce mixture to reach preferred spiciness.

9. Serve the chicken mixture in the lettuce cups and top with "special sauce" as desired.

Source: Adapted from Food.com

Lemon Chicken

Hello out there!! With all of the hoopla involved in relocating to a different city, it's been a long time since I've actually cooked anything. We have been in our new place for a week now and are starting to settle in. I'm trying to get back into the groove of cooking and baking, which is nice, but we still don't have internet! I'm hopeful that it will be connected this week, so regular blogging can resume :)

This is the first real meal I cooked in my new kitchen. I served this Lemon Chicken over brown rice with a mixed green salad topped with strawberries, grated mozzarella, sliced mushrooms (for Bob), and creamy poppy seed dressing. It was such a flavorful, summery meal!

I used 2 chicken breast halves instead of 4 and half the amount of corn flake coating but kept the amount of egg wash and sauce the same. I'm just providing the full recipe as it was originally written. I also think a little bit of salt on the chicken before the egg wash is necessary, the small amount of soy sauce did not do the trick for me. I also don't think it's necessary to slice the chicken before putting it on the plate. Sure it looks pretty, but I think this made the chicken get cold faster, so I wouldn't recommend it.

Lemon Chicken

Serves 4

Ingredients:
For the chicken:
¾ cup finely crushed corn flakes cereal
½ teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste
1 egg white
1 teaspoon soy sauce
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

For the sauce:
½ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon ketchup
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tesapoon grated lemon peel
2 green onions, sliced

Directions:
1. Line a baking sheet with foil; place in oven. Heat oven to 450F.

2. In a pie plate, combine crushed cereal, ginger, and pepper; mix well. In a small bowl, beat egg white, water, and soy sauce until frothy. Lightly salt each chicken breast half as desired, and dip in the egg white mixture. Place in pie pan; spoon cereal mixture over chicken to coat evenly.

3. Remove hot foil-lined baking sheet from oven; arrange coated chicken on sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches at least 165F.

4. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine broth and cornstarch; blend until smooth. Add honey, lemon juice, ketchup, and garlic powder; mix well. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in lemon peel.

5. To serve, cut each chicken breast half crosswise into 6 or 7 pieces (or leave whole), arrange on 4 individual plates (over rice if desired). Spoon sauce over chicken; sprinkle with green onions.

Source: Adapted from Pillsbury’s Best Chicken Cookbook

Breakfast Chicken Sausage Patties

I received the KitchenAid mixer food grinder attachment for Christmas and finally tried it out to make these chicken sausages. It was great to be able to grind my own chicken. I am very suspect of what's actually in the ground chicken from the grocery store, not to mention it is so expensive (more than ground turkey at my store!) That being said, you can certainly make these using pre-ground chicken!

These chicken sausage patties were fantastic! Bob and I had them with waffles for breakfast one Saturday, and we loved them. They are so flavorful and have a great blend of spices. I didn't have allspice for some reason, so I added a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. I might omit these next time to give it a more savory flavor, or I'll get some allspice and try that. I used only chicken breasts, but you can certainly use dark meat or a combination of the two. I halved the recipe but will post the full - I wished I had made more! :)

Breakfast Chicken Sausage Patties

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chicken

1/2 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

heaping 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, optional

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

about 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 garlic clove, finely minces or pressed

1/2 Tablespoon real maple syrup

2 - 3 teaspoon olive oil

Directions:
1. Lightly mix all ingredients together until the herbs and spices are well-incorporated. Do not overmix.

2. Divide the mixture into 4 equal parts, then make 4 patties out of each portion for a total of 16 1-ounce patties.

3. Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat and add 1 teaspoon oil. Fill the pan with as many patties as will fit, and cook about 2 minutes per side or until browned and cooked through. Repeat with remaining batches, adding an additional teaspoon of olive oil per batch.

Source: Adapted from Elly Says Opa!