GRILLED THAI CHICKEN BREASTS

    

Photo courtesy of The Yummy Life.

There is a great blog I follow called The Yummy Life. Her recipes are always fantastic and she goes into great detail on how to prepare her dishes. I spotted this grilled chicken recipe on her blog recently and since I'm a Thai food nut I knew this would be good. It was way better than good. This was one of the best grilled chicken breasts that I have ever made. The coconut milk and salt work like magic making these breasts tender and juicy. Thai ingredients and herbs really pack in the flavor. You can marinate it for 2 hours or up to 24 hours. I recommend overnight for the best results.

GRILLED THAI CHICKEN BREASTS

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Marinade:

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems)

3/4 cup canned coconut milk

10-15 fresh Thai basil leaves

1 large jalapeno or 1 small Thai chili, stem, seeds, and membrane removed

3 garlic cloves

2 slices fresh ginger (approximately 1/8" thick)

1 1/2  TBSP. kosher salt

1 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3/4 tsp. ground coriander

2 tsp. packed brown sugar

Lime wedges for garnish

Put all the marinade ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.

Arrange the chicken in a single layer in a glass dish and pour marinade over. Flip chicken to be sure marinade completely coats it. Cover and refrigerate for 2-24 hours. The longer the better.

Remove from marinade and grill. 

Serve with lime wedges.

Recipe slightly adapted from The Yummy Life.

VEGETABLES AU VIN WITH COQ AND ROASTED GRAPES

It's week 8 of our Food Matters Project. Evi + Sam of Fifth Floor Kitchen chose the recipe this week. 

Vegetables au Vin with Coq.

While deciding if I should use thigh meat or breast meat I thought why not both? A small Cornish hen halved would accomplish that. 

I used shitake mushrooms for their meaty, chewy texture and a few brown mushrooms. While I was reading the ingredients I came to the wine. It called for a fruity red wine and it was at that moment that  I knew what I was going to do to make this recipe my own.

ROASTED GRAPES!!!

They were the star of the dish.

 I coated seedless red grapes with olive oil and roasted them at 375 for about 20 minutes, until they started to pucker and shrivel.

I stirred them in at the end just to warm them.

The roasted grapes added a depth of flavor that complimented the fruity Pinot Noir in the sauce. It was a flavor burst that was incredible.

I pretty much followed the original recipe here. I added a tablespoon of tomato paste for a little richer flavor and served the sauce over my Cornish hen.

This was a great recipe and the next day the sauce was even better. Tonight I'm serving the sauce over spaetzle.

Thanks Evi and Sam for a great pick.

ROAST CHICKEN BREASTS WITH GARBANZO BEANS, TOMATOES, AND PAPRIKA

  

This is a fantastic recipe. The roasted chicken is moist, spicy, and flavorful. The chicken is cooked with garbanzo beans and tomatoes. What a treat! For a wonderful side dish or vegetarian meal, roast the tomatoes and garbanzo beans with the spiced oil and leave out the chicken. The beans and tomatoes were awesome. I used Sweet Grape Tomatoes from Trader Joe's. Give this dish a try. Ron said it was one of the best fusion meals he has ever had. I thought so too. The dish has some spice to it but the yogurt sauce is just the right compliment.

 

The bone in, skin on breasts are coated with a spiced oil mixture. Garbanzo beans and tomatoes are tossed in the same oil, and topped with chopped cilantro.The chicken is roasted at 450~ for about 20 minutes for a nice crispy skin. When it is served it is topped with more fresh cilantro and topped with a yogurt sauce.

ROAST CHICKEN BREASTS WITH GARBANZO BEANS, TOMATOES, AND PAPRIKA

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, pressed

1 TBSP. smoked paprika

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. dried crushed red pepper

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

4 chicken breast halves, skin on and bone in

1 15oz. can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained

1 12 oz. container cherry or grape tomatoes

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided in half

Preheat oven to 450~.

Mix first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Pour 1 tsp. spiced oil mixture into small bowl; whisk in yogurt and set aside for sauce.

Place chicken on large rimmed baking sheet. Rub 2 TBSP. spiced oil mixture over chicken. Add beans, tomatoes, and 1/2 cup cilantro to remaining spiced oil mixture; toss to coat. Pour bean  mixture around chicken. Sprinkle everything generously with salt and pepper.

Roast until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cilantro. Transfer chicken to plates. Spoon bean mixture over. Serve with yogurt sauce.

Recipe from Bon Appetit

BRAISED LIGURIAN CHICKEN

Another winner from The Essential New York Times Cook Book. Sharon made it this week with rave reviews.

The chicken pieces are browned in olive oil and then simmered in a broth of rosemary, garlic, anchovies, olives and tomatoes.

BRAISED LIGURIAN



2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

4-5 sprigs rosemary

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 ½ cups dry white wine

4 anchovy fillets

½ cup Calamata olives (not pitted)

3 ripe plum tomatoes halved, seeded and coarsely chopped

1.)     Combine the flour with salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl.  Add the chicken pieces and toss until evenly coated.

2.)    Place a large casserole over medium-high heat and heat the olive oil.  Add the chicken pieces and fry until golden underneath, about 5 minutes.  Turn the chicken, add rosemary and garlic, and fry until the garlic is softened but not colored, about 3 minutes.  Add the wine.  When it comes to a boil add the anchovies, olives and tomatoes.  Partially cover the pan and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Simmer until the chicken is cooked and tender and the broth is reduced to a rich sauce, 15-20 minutes.

3.)    To serve, discard the rosemary sprigs, and season the sauce well with salt and pepper.  Place a piece or two of chicken on each plate and top with a spoonful of sauce. 

Serves 4

Recipe from The Essential New York Times Cook Book

CHICKEN PICCATA

Ron made this great dinner last night while I caught up on my favorite blogs.  Chicken Piccata, what a treat! He served it with spaghetti and a caprese salad.

Look at the color and richness of our heirlooms. Our tomatoes are still producing and better than ever. These heirlooms have been worth the wait. We have had an abundance of tomatoes this year begining in June. They have been the best tomatoes we have ever had. There is still some basil on the plants, but we know it's getting time to say good bye to summer and start to harvest from the fall and winter garden.

                           CHICKEN PICCATA

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

3 TBSP. butter, room temperature

1 1/2 TBSP. all purpose flour

Additional all purpose flour

2 TBSP. olive oil

1/3 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup low salt-chicken broth

1/4 cup drained capers

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Lemon slices for serving

Place chicken between  2 large sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat pounder or rolling pin, lightly pound chicken to 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Mix 1 TBSP. butter and 1 1/2 TBSP. flour in small bowl until smooth. Place additional flour in shallow baking dish. Dip chicken into flour to coat; shake off excess.

Heat 1 TBSP. oil in each of 2 heavy large skillets. Add 2 chicken breasts to each skillet and cook until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to platter; tent with foil to keep warm.

Bring wine, lemon juice, and broth to a boil in 1 skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk in butter-flour mixture and boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in capers, parsley, and remaining 2 TBSP. butter.

Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Serve with lemon slices

Makes 4 servings

Recipe from Bon Appetit

CHICKEN ROASTED WITH SOUR CREAM, LEMON JUICE, AND MANGO CHUTNEY

This week Sharon and I chose recipes from the  Poultry and Game chapter of The Essential New York Times Cook Book. I decided to make Chicken Roasted With Sour Cream, Lemon Juice, and Mango Chutney. This was really good. The sauce was tasty, creamy, and tangy with a little heat from the curry. The sauce came together in about 5 minutes and the cooking time was about 15 minutes making this a great dinner when you are short on time.

All you do is whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chutney, curry powder, and lemon juice. Pour the sauce over the chicken breasts and cook for 15 minutes. That's it!

           CHICKEN ROASTED WITH SOUR CREAM, LEMON JUICE, AND MANGO CHUTNEY

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts (8 ounces each), cut in half.

1/2 cup Best Foods or Hellmann's mayonnaise

1/2 cup sour cream

2 TBSP. Major Grey's mango chutney

1 tsp. curry powder

Juice of 1 lemon, preferable a Meyer lemon

Freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 450~. Lay the chicken in a medium baking dish (either Pyrex or enameled cast iron).

Whisk together the mayonnaise and sour cream in a small bowl. Add the chutney and curry powder and whisk until smooth. Add the lemon juice a little at a time, tasting as you go. It should taste quite tangy. Stop when it is to your liking.

Spoon sauce evenly over the chicken. Place in the oven and roast until the chicken is just cooked through, about 15 minutes. Season with pepper and serve.

Serves 2

Recipe from The Essential New York Times Cook Book

BOMBAY CHILI-AND-CILANTRO CHICKEN

This was my pick from the poultry and game chapter of The Essential New York Times Cook Book and
it did not disappoint. It was spicy, vibrant, and packed with flavor. I served it with tamarind paste, cilantro sauce and raita. I didn't think the tamarind paste was all that good but the cilantro sauce and the raita was the perfect accompaniment to the chicken and the garlic naan.

The chicken is is coated with a spicy puree, chopped cilantro, and marinated for 6 hours. Then grilled giving it a nice smoky char.

 

I served it with garlic naan from Trader Joe's and a broccoli slaw mixed with lentil pilaf. This dish was a winner.

 

 

                                                     BOMBAY CHILE-AND-CILANTRO CHICKEN

 

1 1/2 TBSP. coriander seeds

2 tsp. black peppercorns

1 tsp. cumin seeds

6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

One 2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

3 TBSP. vegetable oil

1/4 cup water, or as needed

1 TBSP. cayenne pepper or hot paprika

2 TBSP. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

4 whole chicken legs (2 1/4 pounds), skinned, or one 4 pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces and skinned

 

Cilantro sauce (recipe follows)

 

Toast the coriander seeds, peppercorns, and cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Transfer to a coffee or spice mill or mortar and pestle and grind to a fine powder.

 

Combine the ground spices, garlic, ginger, oil, water, cayenne, lemon juice, and salt in a blender and puree to a paste. Transfer to  a bowl and stir in the cilantro. Add the chicken and thoroughly coat with the spice paste. Marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours.

 

When ready to cook, prepare a charcoal fire (or use a gas grill set to medium). Grill the chicken, turning once, until done, 10 to 15 minutes per side. Serve with cilantro sauce and nann bread.

 

 

CILANTRO SAUCE

 

1 cup chopped cilantro

3 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno pepper/halved and seeded

1/2 cup walnuts

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from about 2 lemons), or to taste

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. kosher salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup water

 

Combine the cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, walnuts, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and pepper in a blender or food processor and blend to a puree. Add the water, and pour into a serving container. Add salt or lemon juice to taste.

 

I served this with Trader Joe's raita. It is really good.

 

 

Recipe slightly adapted for The Essential New York Times Cook Book.

HERB-ROASTED TURKEY BREAST

This turkey breast was fantastic. It was juicy, moist, tender, and flavorful. I split a boneless rolled turkey breast with Sharon. I think mine weighed about 2.5 pounds. First I brined it for 4 hours and then I rubbed it with mustard and fresh herbs. I'm always going to brine my birds, it adds so much flavor.

Before roasting I put the breast in a brine of 1 quart water, 1/2 cup kosher salt and 1/2 cup sugar. You mix the ingredients together until the salt and sugar has dissolved and then you cover the bird with the brine. You can brine a turkey breast with the bone in for longer but you only want to brine the boneless for 2-4 hours.

After brining I unrolled the breast and spread an herb-mustard paste on it. Rolled it back up and then rubbed the paste under the skin and all over the breast.  Poured some wine in the bottom of a roasting pan and roasted for about 1 hour.

Note to self....don't split the breast with anyone. Roast the whole breast because this is so good you will want lots of leftovers.

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 1/2 to 7 pounds

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup dry white wine

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.

I adapted this recipe for a boneless breast. Brined it first and then followed the recipe but only cooked it for about 1 hour.

Recipe from Ina Garten

STAFF MEAL CHICKEN WITH SALSA VERDE

Sharon made this chicken dish from The Essential New York Times Cook Book. This was delicious and the salsa verde was wonderful.

                                            The lemon juice and spices are combined to make a paste.

The chicken is coated with the paste and marinated for at least 1 hour but you can do it overnight as well.

Jalapenos, tomatillos, cilantro, and chicken broth is cooked together until soft.

When the tomatillos and the jalapenos are soft then they are pureed until slightly chunky and topped with cilantro.

The roasted chicken is removed from the oven and topped with the salsa verde.

                                                       Staff Meal Chicken with Salsa Verde

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 heaping tablespoon granulated garlic (not garlic powder)

1 heaping tablespoon granulated onion (not onion powder)

1 tablespoon plus ¾ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

3 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon to ¼ cup crushed red pepper flakes, depending on desired heat

½ cup olive oil

One 3-3 ½ pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces

Salsa Verde (recipe follows)

1.)  Combine the lemon juice, garlic, onion, pepper, paprika, salt, red pepper flakes, and olive oil in a large bowl and whisk to blend into a paste.  Add the chicken pieces and turn until well coated on all sides.  Marinate for at least 1 hour, or as long as overnight; if marinating more than 1 hour, cover the bowl and refrigerate.  Turn pieces occasionally.

2.)  Heat the oven to 400 degrees.  Arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer on a large foil-lined baking sheet, leaving ample space between the pieces.  Roast for 30 minutes.

3.)  Reduce the oven heat to 300 degrees and continue cooking for 15 to 20 minutes or until the skin is crisp and the meat is tender.  Serve hot or at room temperature, with the salsa, and, ideally, with the rice.

Serves 4

Salsa Verde

¼ pound jalapeno peppers (3-4 large). Stems removed (not seeded)

2 to 3 cups chicken broth

1 ¼ pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed

1 small bunch cilantro, leaves and stems chopped (1/2 cup)

1 teaspoon salt

1.) Place the jalapenos in a medium saucepan and add enough broth to cover.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the jalapenos are slightly tender, about 6 to 8 minutes.

2.) Add the tomatillos and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatillos have lost their brightness and the vegetables are soft but not mushy.

3.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a blender or food processor, and process until chunky, adding cooking liquid as needed to make a thick but loose puree.  Transfer to a bowl and stir in the cilantro and salt.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe from The Essential New York Times Cook Book

CHICKEN AND RASPBERRY SALAD WITH APRICOT VINAIGRETTE



The raspberries at the Farmer's Market were beautiful this week. I brought a basket home and then started thinking about what to do with them. A nice salad came to mind so I tried out this recipe using rotisserie chicken from the store, toasted almonds, goat cheese, mixed greens, raspberries and a apricot preserve vinaigrette. The combination of flavors were really good and this came together in a flash. A perfect, light, summer salad.

                         CHICKEN AND RASPBERRY SALAD WITH APRICOT VINAIGRETTE

Mixed salad greens

Cooked chicken breast (I used a cooked rotisserie chicken from Gelsons)

Raspberries

Toasted sliced almonds

Goat Cheese

Mix together and dress with Apricot Vinaigrette

                                                              APRICOT VINAIGRETTE

Combine 1 TBSP. apricot preserves, 1-1/2 TBSP. red wine vinegar, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. black pepper. Whisk in 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive.

Recipe from Cooking Light

                                   

PAN-SEARED CHICKEN WITH TARRAGON BUTTER SAUCE

Tarragon is one of my favorite herbs. I was so excited a few weeks ago when my tarragon plant started growing in leaps and bounds. I thought it was an annual and I was about ready to replace it when it started growing runners. I googled it and it is a perennial. Woo hoo! I guess it just needed some TLC.

I had some organic chicken breasts from Trader Joe's. I'm a convert. I don't like Foster Farms any more. I don't like those frozen breasts from Costco that I always have in my freezer. I only like the organic from Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Lazy Acres and the Farmers Markets. What a difference in taste.

My friend Dennis told me one day that chicken doesn't taste like chicken anymore. I looked at him with disbelief. Isn't chicken, chicken? The only difference I thought was the cook. Cook it right or cook it wrong.

Fast forward a few weeks later, I was at Whole Foods. They had a tasting of Mary's Free Range, organic chicken. Wow! I had my first taste of REAL chicken. It makes a big difference. No more big breasts pumped with who knows what. I've gone organic.

                                 PAN-SEARED CHICKEN WITH TARRAGON BUTTER SAUCE

Serves 4

1/4 cup finely chopped shallot (1 large)

1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes

1/3 cup dry white wine

2 pounds boneless, skinless (organic) chicken breasts, pounded very thin

3/4 tsp. salt

3/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

3 TBSP. olive oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon

1 TBSP. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tsp. lemon juice

Cook shallot in 1 TBSP. butter in a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add wine and boil until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Pat chicken dry and sprinkle all over with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Saute chicken in batches , turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, about 2 minutes each. Transfer to a platter and keep warm, loosely covered with foil.

Return shallot mixture to moderately low heat and add remaining 3 TBSP. butter, one cube at a time, whisking until incorporated. Remove from heat and whisk in tarragon, parsley, lemon juice, and remaining 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve.

Recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine.

JALAPENO CHICKEN SAUSAGE WITH GOAT CHEESE

When time is short and you want something tasty give these a try. Keep a package of Trader Joe's jalapeno or habanero sausages in the fridge. Check the sell by date, you can usually keep these for a month or more. Give them a quick grill to heat them and spread some goat cheese on top.

CHICKEN PANANG

I had an open can of the Panang curry in the fridge from the salmon dish I made. I decided to use it with chicken. It was so good. I found a large bag of spinach that needed to be cooked so I added it to the chicken and it was delicious. No recipe, I winged it but this is what I did.

I made the Panang curry sauce from the salmon recipe. It really only takes a few minutes but it tastes like you worked really hard. Then I sauteed a large bag of spinach in grapeseed oil. When it was cooked I put it on a plate added more grapeseed oil (a TBSP. or so) to the pan and sauteed two boneless-skinless chicken breasts that I cut into small pieces. When the chicken was almost cooked I put the spinach back in the pan and added the curry sauce. It is a little bit spicy so I served it with rice and it was perfect.

I sprinkled some fresh Thai Basil leaves from my garden on top. Please make this...you will purr.