Tomato Coconut Chicken Curry

1 onion, chopped


3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

½ T. butter

1 T. garlic olive oil

Salt & pepper

1 t. fresh basil

½ t. cumin

1/8 t. ground ginger

1 T. lime olive oil

2-3 T. white wine

1 can tomato sauce

1 can diced tomato with oregano, basil & garlic

1 can coconut milk

½ T. butter

3 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally in discs

5 frozen chicken tenderloins

Basmati rice, cooked

Cilantro, roughly chopped



Sauté onion and garlic in melted butter and olive oil over medium heat until softened and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper and then add basil, cumin, ginger and a splash of lime olive oil. Stir and cook for 1 minute or so. Add wine and cook a minute or so while scraping lovely bits from bottom of pan. Pour in cans of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and stir well. Add shaken can of coconut milk and ½ T. butter. Stir until combined (I had to use a whisk to break up clumps of coconut solid). Add frozen chicken and carrots and cover pot with a lid. Cook on medium-high heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium and cook an additional 10 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and shred, then return to pan and cook 10 minutes on low-medium heat.



Serve over basmati rice with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro on top.



Josh felt it needed a bit more salt & pepper as it was slightly sweet and mild, but I liked it as it was though it probably would taste good with some additional spice. This was a quick throw-together meal that I made up and was happy to find tasted pretty good.

Sesame Chicken

Just catching up on posts - this one is easy and yummy. Laurel wouldn't eat it - too many "seeds" on it - but I had to agree with her.

Sesame Chicken

Two things:

1. Double the sauce recipe - I wanted some to spoon over my rice and, as is, there isn't enough.
2. You have to cook your chicken in small batches. I did mine in three or four. You want it nicely browned, and if you crowd the pan, it's just a steamy, gluey mess.

Four Step Chicken - Fool-Proof Fantastic!

Easy-peasy and super tasty! I make this at least twice a month.

Flexible 4-Step Chicken

I've been serving mine with rice - spooning those awesome red onions and the sauce over the rice is heaven to me. Enjoy it - we do!

Poached Chicken & Veggies in Garlic Lemon Broth

2 frozen chicken breasts
4 medium potatoes, peeled & quartered
4 carrots, peeled & quartered
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 sticks salted butter, sliced
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 can chicken broth
Dash of pepper

Preheat oven to 375

Pour lemon juice and chicken broth into a 13x9 baking dish. Add chopped garlic and stir around. Add chicken, flipping over once so that liquid gets on both sides. Add veggies. Place slices of butter all over veggies and chicken and then add fresh ground pepper. Place in oven and cook for 25 minutes. Flip chicken breasts and cook another 25 minutes. Flip chicken breasts again and cook another 20 minutes. Serve in pasta bowls with liquid over chicken and veggies – DELICIOUS!

Tortilla Soup

I made this last night for dinner and it was delicious - enjoy!

4 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 large stalks celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
cooked chicken (I used about 1/2 lb. or less of leftover shredded chicken)
1 - 16 oz. can tomato sauce
1 - 16 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 - 16 oz. cans diced tomatoes w/green chilis
1 small can diced green chilis
1-2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 carton chicken broth (4-6 cups?)

Heat large pot over medium-high heat and add olive oil, carrots, celery and onion. Cook for 3-5 minutes until vegetables are softened. Add chicken, tomato sauce, tomatoes, kidney beans and green chilis then stir. Add seasonings and stir again. Add chicken broth and stir once more. Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook an additonal 20 minutes. Taste and check if additional seasoning is needed.

Toppings:
diced avocado
chopped fresh tomato
chopped green onions
shredded pepper jack cheese
cilantro
sour cream
limes for squeezing
olives
tortilla chips

Serve bowls of soup and add any or all toppings as desired. Soup was delicious and very filling.

Chicken with Lemon Risotto and Asparagus

Nothing here is mine - so here are all the links!

Chicken (didn't do the veg)

Lemon Risotto

Asparagus

Loved the asparagus. The chicken recipe is my go-to, easy dinner recipe. Really tasty, and very versatile. And risotto. YUM!

Chicken Potpie - Martha Stewart

Use a little extra seasoning while preparing this potpie; the flavors mellow as it cooks. Topping a potpie is easy when you use your rolling pin to set the pastry crust over the filled baking dish. Be sure to chill the dough before and after rolling it out, then curl it around the pin, and unfurl to cover the pie. Tuck the overlapping edges of pastry inside the dish to create a thick, rustic rim of crust.

Ingredients
Serves 6.

1 chicken (3 or 4 pounds)
4 cups Homemade Chicken Stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth, skimmed of fat
1 large yellow onion, cut in half
2 dried bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 small bunch fresh thyme
1 rib celery, cut into thirds
1 cup plus 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 7 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large egg yolks
9 ounces red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
12 pearl onions, peeled and cut lengthwise if large
1 medium leek, white and light-green parts only, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and washed
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
6 ounces button mushrooms, quartered if large
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions
Combine chicken, chicken stock, yellow onion, bay leaves, peppercorns, 3 thyme sprigs, and celery in a stockpot, and add enough water just to cover the chicken. Bring stock to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Pick enough thyme leaves to make 3 tablespoons. Combine 1 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon thyme leaves in the bowl of a food processor, and set remaining 2 tablespoons thyme aside. Add 10 tablespoons chilled butter cut into small pieces, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. While the food processor is running, add 3 tablespoons ice water and 1 egg yolk, and process until the dough holds together. Turn dough onto plastic wrap, flatten into circle, and wrap well; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Drain chicken, and reserve the stock. Remove the skin from the chicken, and remove all the chicken from the carcass. Shred the chicken into bite-size strips, and set aside. Strain the stock, and set aside 2 cups. Reserve the remaining stock for another use.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add red potatoes and pearl onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes begin to turn golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Add leeks, carrots, and mushrooms, and cook 4 to 5 minutes more. Add the remaining 5 tablespoons flour, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Stir in reserved chicken stock and milk, and bring to a simmer. Cook until thick and bubbly, stirring constantly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add reserved chicken pieces, parsley, remaining 2 tablespoons thyme, lemon zest, remaining 2 teaspoons salt, and the ground pepper; transfer to a large casserole dish. Set aside.
Roll out the dough until it is 1/4 inch thick, and transfer to a baking sheet. Allow to chill 15 minutes. Make an egg wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining yolk and heavy cream. Working quickly, place the dough over the top of the chicken mixture, and tuck extra dough around the edges. Cut slits on top to allow steam to escape. Brush with the egg wash, and place on a baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve hot.

This was amazing - Aaron declared it the best homemade dinner ever. Really easy to do in stages so you're not in the kitchen for hours at a time. I cooked the chicken this morning while we were having breakfast, then let it cool all morning. I made the crust and put it in the fridge. I cut up the veggies and put them in ziplock bags and in the fridge until it was time to cook everything. It came together pretty fast. This makes enough for two 8-9 inch pies. Make one, freeze the other!

Chicken Lemon Pasta with Green Beans

I modified my earlier post with the pancetta and broccoli to use what I had on hand. This was pretty tasty. So pardon the repeat (sort of) and lack of picture (I forgot!).

2 thin chicken breast pieces
1/2 bag frozen green beans
Thin spaghetti
5 cloves garlic
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 T. finely grated lemon peel
2 t. fresh lemon juice
pinch of dried thyme leaves
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper chicken. Heat olive oil in medium pan and saute chicken until cooked through but not dry. Remove and let stand on cutting board. Transfer to paper towels.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted (VERY salted) water until firm. Add green beans and cook until green beans are heated through. Drain pasta. Add garlic to oil in pan (you might need some more oil). Saute until light golden brown. Add butter, lemon peel and juice and thyme leaves to pan. Add pasta and toss to coat. Add sliced chicken and cheese; toss to blend. Season with pepper and serve.

Keri's Chicken Casserole

I tweaked a recipe I'd found in a magazine last night to make this for dinner. It was really simple to make and tasted really yummy.

1 lb. cooked shredded chicken
1 can kidney beans, drained
1 can diced tomatos & green chilis (Ro-tel)
1 small can diced green chilis
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cups crushed tortilla chips
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar)
sour cream, to serve

Preheat oven to 375.
In a bowl, mix together the chicken, kidney beans, Ro-tel tomatoes, green chilis and onion. Grease a 13x9 inch dish, and layer one cup of crushed tortilla chips along the bottom. Layer half the chiceken mixture over that, followed by half the cheese. Add another layer of chips, then the rest of the chicken and cheese and top with the final cup of tortilla chips. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until cheesy is melted and bubbly. Serve with a dollop of sour cream on top - it tastes good if you mix it into the casserole before eating.

The recipe actually called for adding 1 cup of sour cream to the chicken mixture before cooking, but I forgot which is why we added it on top after cooking. Next time I make it I will try mixing it in. You could also add corn or sauteed veggies to the casserole which would probably be yummy as well.

Hope you like it as much as Josh & I did. :)

Chicken with Vinegar

How often have I said that "it looks complicated but it's really easy" about a recipe? Well, I'm saying it again.
This was delicious. Aaron and I are really liking sauces with our foods - no dry meat around here, thank you.
Serve with mashed potatoes, roast potatoes - whatever you want - and a vegetable.


chicken with vinegar
Gourmet January 2006; originally published 1974

Makes 4 servings.

1 (3 1/2- to 4-lb) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2 medium)
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine - I used white grape juice and cut the sugar
1/2 cup red-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (8 fl oz)

Garnish: fresh thyme sprigs

Cook chicken:Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a 10- to 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then brown chicken in 2 batches, turning over once, 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken as browned to a small (13- by 9-inch) flameproof roasting pan, arranging it in 1 layer. Once all chicken is browned, roast, uncovered, in oven 15 minutes.

Make sauce while chicken roasts:Discard all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet, then add garlic, shallots, carrot, thyme sprigs (2), and bay leaves and cook over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until vegetables are browned, 3 to 6 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine, vinegar, sugar, and remaining teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and boil, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 5 to 10 minutes.Finish sauce and chicken:Add chicken broth to sauce along with any juices from roasting pan and bring to a boil. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve onto chicken in roasting pan, pressing on and then discarding solids. Continue to roast chicken, uncovered, until just cooked through, about 15 minutes more.Transfer chicken with tongs to an ovenproof serving dish and keep warm, uncovered, in turned-off oven.Meanwhile, boil sauce in roasting pan over high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a scant cup, then remove sauce from heat and swirl in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper and pour sauce over chicken.

Make sauce while chicken roasts:Discard all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet, then add garlic, shallots, carrot, thyme sprigs (2), and bay leaves and cook over moderately high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until vegetables are browned, 3 to 6 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add wine, vinegar, sugar, and remaining teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and boil, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 5 to 10 minutes.Finish sauce and chicken:Add chicken broth to sauce along with any juices from roasting pan and bring to a boil. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve onto chicken in roasting pan, pressing on and then discarding solids. Continue to roast chicken, uncovered, until just cooked through, about 15 minutes more.Transfer chicken with tongs to an ovenproof serving dish and keep warm, uncovered, in turned-off oven.Meanwhile, boil sauce in roasting pan over high heat, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a scant cup, then remove sauce from heat and swirl in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season with salt and pepper and pour sauce over chicken.

Garlic Chicken from Memory

I apologize but I can't find my recipe and its been about 2 years since I've made this dish...so amounts are approximate...

1 large roasting chicken
Garlic - chopped (how much depends on how much you like garlic...I would say...a minimum of 6 cloves...but I think I've used 12)
Rosemary - to taste but probably about 5 sprigs?
Olive Oil (or canola if you'd rather)
1 lemon
1 onion

In a bowl mix the chopped garlic with 2 (?) sprigs of rosemary (chopped finely) and the olive (or canola oil). Thoroughly coat the outside of the chicken with the mixture (so use however much olive oil you need to coat the chicken well). Wrap the chicken in saran wrap..let it sit for at least 2 hours but up to 24 hours. Unwrap. Cut the lemon and onion into quarters and stuff them inside the chicken...also place a couple sprigs of rosemary in the cavity.

Roast the chicken...I think I roast at 375...but roast it at whatever temperature you normally roast chicken.

Serve with small potatos or rice (we like rice)

Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

I made these last night and they were really tasty. The kids even liked them and it's a fast dinner if you broil them open face in the oven.

Pesto Chicken Sandwiches

1 package mushrooms, sliced
2 chicken Breasts, sliced
1 onion, sliced
White Bread or Ciabatta Bread
Mozzarella cheese
Pesto Sauce (I just bought mine, but you could make it)

Cook chicken, onions and mushrooms together until done. Spread pesto on each slice of bread. Place mozzarella cheese and chicken mixture on bread then grill in a panini grill or like grilled cheese or broil open face in oven until cheese is melted and golden brown. Enjoy!

I ended up broiling them because the ciabatta bread I bought was full of holes and I didn't know how else to make it sort of work. Plus that went much faster than cooking them in a pan one or two at a time. I had the last minute thought that tomatoes would be a nice addition to this sandwich so I got some from the garden and it was very yummy.

Chicken Vindaloo

My brother Geoff got us all started on Indian-style food, but I've never attempted it at home before. This was super easy to make and tasted great. Once again, I have to add that Laurel ate the chicken and liked it - helped that I told her that it was cinnamon chicken. She avoids tomatoes, but at least she liked to flavor of it. Will didn't touch it, but he's entering that picky stage - I served it this time with just rice but next time I'm going to make some naan, although I hear you can buy it frozen too.

1/3 cup white wine vinegar
6 large garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon (generous) dried crushed red pepper
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs (about 10), cut into 1-to 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 14 1/2- to 16-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Place first 8 ingredients in blender. Add 1 tablespoon mustard seeds and blend until smooth. Transfer spice mixture to large bowl. Add chicken and 2 tablespoons oil and toss to coat well.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes. Add chicken mixture and stir 3 minutes to blend flavors. Add tomatoes with their juice and cinnamon stick; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken is tender, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Season chicken mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in remaining 1 tablespoon mustard seeds. Simmer uncovered until liquid is slightly thickened, about 8 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick. Stir in cilantro and serve.

This serves 4, but I have leftovers for lunch tomorrow since my kids didn't scarf it. And I only had about 1.5 pounds of chicken. I think you could go with even less and add some potatoes to it to stretch the meat and add some veg. It didn't take long to make - the most active part of cooking was cutting up the meat and onions. I like these ones I can throw together and walk away from. I started the rice about the time I added the tomatoes.

Chicken with Lots of Garlic

Made this one on Wednesday night. Aaron rated it one of the best meals ever. It's perfect for a cold, rainy (or snowy) day. A very hearty meal. I served it with mashed potatoes and a veg (can't remember which veg, but something green). To make your life easier, buy the chicken already cut up and prep the garlic ahead of time. I mean, all you're doing is peeling it - not tough, really. Get your kids to help - Laurel peeled a few cloves for me.

1 (3- to 3 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. olive oil
20 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup dry white wine or 1/4 white wine vinegar and add 1/4 cup more chicken broth
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (you may need more than this)

Pat chicken dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess.
Heat oil n a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown chicken in two batches, turning over once, about 5 minutes per batch. You're not cooking the chicken through right now, just browning it. Transfer to a plate.
Add garlic to skillet and cook, stirring, until just golden, about 2 minutes. Add wine (or vinegar) and boil 1 minute. Add broth, then cover skillet and simmer until garlic is tender, about 15 minutes.
Return chicken, skin side up, to skillet and simmer, covered, until just cooked through, 20-25 minutes. You have to watch closely, adding chicken broth as needed.
Transfer chicken to a platter. Mash 8-10 garlic cloves into sauce and season with salt. Spoon sauce and garlic over chicken.

This will serve 4-6 people and it took me about 1 hour to make - but that is not 1 hour of active cooking time. I made the mashed potatoes while the chicken was simmering. It really does help to have everything prepped and measured out ahead of time. In our house, Aaron will prep things for me during the afternoon and then I'll put it all together.