Chicken and Kale Soup

I made this wonderful soup today. Well, this sounds like your regular soup but with a hint of cumin and ginger.  The flavors really come together well in this dish.  I also added some dirty rice in it.

Ingredients

Chicken breast, cubed
Carrot, cubed
Kale
Zuchini, cubed
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
Ginger
Onion, cubed
Garlic, minced
Chicken broth
Salt and pepper

Directions

Marinate the chicken cube with chili powder, salt and pepper.

In a pot add olive oil and saute ginger, garlic and onion.  Add the marinated chicken.  Cook till slightly browned.  Add the carrots, kale, zuchini and cumin.  Stir for a bit and add the chicken broth and dirty rice.

Add seasoning according to taste and let cook until rice and vegetable soften.

Cauliflower rice with Chili Lime Grilled Chicken

I am right now on my journey to losing couple of pound before New Year and I think I am on the right track.    It sad because I do love my cakes and cookies and all things sweet but this is a personal goal that I needed to do before the year ends.

I think once you get the hang of it, you will not miss the carbs and sweets as much.  Anyway today my lunch was something that I have been seeing over the websites...its cauliflower rice.  To think how to treat cauliflower as rice when I am sooo used to having Jasmine rice, it was a little hard but after using is as a replacement for rice dishes, its not bad after all.

This can be easily adapted to vegetarian buy just using tempeh or tofu instead of chicken !

Ingredients for Cauliflower Rice

1 cup cauliflower ( pulse in food processor till it resembles small crumbs like rice)
2 tb coconut milk powder or coconut milk
2 tb water
2 tb coconut oil ( no need if using coconut milk)
1 tb fresh cilantro, chopped
Fresh lime zest
Pinch of salt

Combine all ingredients except lime zest and cilantro and microwave for about 7 minutes.  Stir and if its still hard, microwave another minute or so.

Stir in lemon zest and cilantro.


Lime Chili Chicken

Ingredients

2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp brown sugar  ( I used honey 1/2 tsp)
Grated lime pee
Salt
Garlic Powder
Ground Red Pepper
Skinless Boneless breast
Olive oil

Method

Combine all the ingredients and rub on the chicken breasts.

Grill and serve with lime wedges on the side.


Use own judgement on the spice level and also how much needed.  I never measure when I cook.  Just taste as I go along.

Chicken Balls

These chicken balls are super tasty and quite easy to make.  Mine did not actually turn out round but it still tastes great.  I used chicken breast and a tiny bit of pork but you can totally omit that.

Ingredients

500 gm chicken breast, cut to smaller pieces
100 gm pork, optional

½ cup (125ml) icy cold water
1 Tbsp fish sauce
½ tsp salt
½ Tbsp sugar
½ Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp cornflour
1 tsp baking powder


Method

• Mince the meat in a food processor until a paste is form. Add 5 Tbsp water (a Tbsp of water at a time) to get a smooth paste.
• In a separate cup, mix together the remaining water, fish sauce, salt, sugar, oil, cornflour and baking powder.
• Remove the chicken paste from the food processor and put in a big bowl. Pour the liquid mix to the paste and stir well slowly until the liquid is absorbed into the paste (use either your hand or a fork).
• Cover bowl with clingwrap and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
• Boil a pot of water. Once the water has boiled, remove the pot from the heat.
• Add pepper to the paste and stir to combine. Scoop the paste onto your wet hand. Push the paste through your thumb and 2nd finger by making a fist. (Best to refer to the video below for a visual). Use a wet spoon to scoop and drop it into the hot water. To prevent the paste from sticking to your hand and spoon, wet the spoon and hand with water.
• Continue until the chicken balls form a layer in the water. Now turn on the heat but do not let it boil. Just simmer slowly without bubble....if not your chicken balls will not have 'bounce'. While cooking the chicken balls, any leftover paste should be kept in the freezer.
• Fill a big basin with icy cold water. When the chicken balls starts to float, leave for a few more seconds. (Cut one in half to see if it is cook. The inside should not be pink). Scoop out and let it cool in the cold water.
• After the chicken balls have cooled, use as required or freeze

Apricot Chicken Breast

I was thinking of using a different kind of marinate for my chicken and then I saw that I had some leftover apricot preserves.  So I made the marinate and I was amazed how tasty the chicken turned out.  Usually I never use recipes when i am cooking except when I bake.  Listed below are list of things I used but taste wise is whatever you please.

Ingredients ( approximate measurement)

2 whole bone-in chicken breast with skin
2 tbsp Apricot Preserves
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes ( more if you like heat)
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp paprika
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Method

In a small bowl, add all the spices except the oil.  Mix and taste.  Rub some olive oil on the chicken and the the mixed spices on and under the skin.  Let marinate for about 1 hour.
Bake at 425 degrees for about 40 minutes.  Save the juice to make gravy.

Gravy

In a small saucepan, add 1 tsp olive oil and 1 tsp of flour. Cooked the flour for a minute or two. With a whisk add about 1 tbsp of apricot preserve and the juice from the cooked chicken and some chicken broth. Salt and pepper to taste.  Depending on how thick the gravy you need, take it off the heat and pour on top of the chicken breasts.

Chipotle Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients

Juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup Canola Oil
Salt
3/4 tsp Chili Powder
3/4 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/4 tspCayenne Pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 chipotle in adobo, minced
1 lb chicken breast/ chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2 in pcs
Minced fresh cilantro

Method

• In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice, oil, spices, garlic, brown sugar, and chipotle. Whisk together to combine. Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, and mix well. Cover, refrigerate, and let it marinate for 30-60 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the grill to medium heat, and oil it. When the chicken is done marinating, thread the pieces onto skewers. (if it's wooden skewers, make sure you soak it in water to prevent it from burning) Dispose of extra marinade. Place the kebabs on the grill and let it cook, turning it at least twice, until the sides are slightly browned. Once it's done, remove it from the grill and place it on a plate. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes, then sprinkle with minced cilantro (if desired).

Spiced Roast Chicken

Ingredients

1 greek yogurt with fruit at the bottom ( I used pineapple)
1 lemon, juiced
12 pieces of chicken wings or drumsticks
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt
Coriander powder
Fennel powder
Chili powder
Paprika
Honey
Few dash of hot sauce

(I do not measure all this ingredients because every individual has different taste.  I just eyeball them)

Mix everything throughly and taste.  If need more lemon , add juice.  Then mix the chicken pieces in nicely.
Let it marinate for couple of hours.

Roast in the oven for 50 min at 425 degrees.

Roast Chicken

Ingredients

1 whole Chicken, Rinsed And Patted Dry
4 tbsp butter, Softened
2 whole Lemons
2 sprigs Rosemary
Salt And Pepper, to taste

Method

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
• Zest two of the lemons. Strip the leaves off of one of the rosemary sprigs and chop it up finely.
• In a bowl, combine softened butter, lemon zest, rosemary, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil and lay the patted-dry chicken on the foil, breast side up.
• Use your fingers to smear the butter mixture all over the chicken, under the skin, and inside the cavity. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze the juice of one lemon all over the chicken. Place the lemon halves) and the remaining rosemary leaves into the cavity of the bird.
• Place the chicken into the oven and roast it for 1 hour 30 minutes or until done. Skin should be deep golden brown and juices should be sizzling.

Chicken Madeira

I always have this whenever I go out with my girlfriend to the Cheesecake Factory.  Although this dish is usually served with asparagus, I did not feel like going out in the cold to just buy the asparagus so I opted to use steamed broccoli.  The sauce itself is sweet and nice with a hint of reduced Madeira wine. Usually the sauce is little brown but i just added some cream of mushroom since the kids could taste the wine and was complaining about it. Otherwise I would be making this often....such a delightful dish.

Ingredients


4-6  pieces of split boneless chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/2 cup of cornstarch
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper
4-5 tablespoons of butter
1/4 cup of olive oil
12 ounces of  mushrooms, sliced
2  cups of Madeira wine
1  cup beef broth
8 ounces of mozzarella, sliced
1 tablespoon of water
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Split chicken breasts in half, put into a plastic bag and use a mallet to pound the breasts. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large frying pan or saute pan.  In a shallow dish, mix together 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.  Dredge the chicken in the mixture and  cook the chicken in batches until brown and cooked through.  Dish out and set aside.
• To the same pan, add mushrooms.  If the pan is very dry, add another 1 tablespoon of butter.  Cook the mushrooms over medium heat for about 8 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender, scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan and stirring occasionally.
• Add wine to the pan with mushrooms and bring to a boil. Add beef broth.  Simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. At this point if sauce is too watery, add some cornstarch mixed with water to thicken sauce.
• While the sauce is cooking, top chicken pieces with slices of mozzarella.  Heat in oven for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the chicken is heated through.  
• When the chicken is done, remove to a plate and serve topped with wine/mushroom sauce.  A big scoop of mashed potato and asparagus. ( In my case, I used broccoli) 

Chicken Soup

Chicken soup like how mother makes it....

Chicken

Cinnamon stick

Peppercorn

Star Anise

Cloves

Ginger, pound slightly

Onion, cubed

Potato

Carrot

In a medium pot, add little bit of oil, put in the spices and garlic, onion. Add chicken and brown it a little.  Add water to just cover the chicken.  Add salt. Let chicken cook for about 20 minutes then add the vegetables and cook till vegetables are soft.  Taste seasoning.  Sprinkle with cilantro and some fried onions.

Done....

Chicken Enchilada

I will tell you, once you bake this...you will absolutely make this again and again.  My children who have eaten the beef version of Enchilada, was really surprised that the chicken enchilada tasted even better.  The chicken breast cooked in the red sauce, gives the meat so much flavor.  The cheese use here was Monterey Jack and Mozarella since I did not have any other on hand.  I am surely gonna make this again ...

I am so glad to find this version of Enchilada.  This is the best so far.  Thanks Annie.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped fine
1 tsp. canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. chili powder ( taste before adding more)
2 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. sugar
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce ( Muir Glen is what I used)
1 cup water
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper
4  boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
½ cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas ( I used flour tortilla)
Cooking spray

Method

• Combine the onion, jalapeno and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar, and cook just until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Mix in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through (160˚ F on an instant-read thermometer), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool.
• Strain the sauce through a large mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing down on the onions and tomatoes to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the reserved solids to a large bowl and set aside. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.
• Shred the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the bowl with the onion mixture. Add in ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, ½ cup of each of the shredded cheeses, and the cilantro. Stir to combine.
• Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Oil a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Stack the tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 40-60 seconds, until warm and pliable. Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla around the filling tightly, and place in the prepared baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.
• Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until the tortillas start to brown slightly.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 400˚ F. Remove the enchiladas from the oven and pour the sauce oven the top. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is browned. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Annie's Eats

Roast Chicken

Thanksgiving is just round the corner.  Its been a year since we were in Colorado visiting family.  We had too  much of fun and really cannot wait to go back there to see them and also to visit the beautiful landscape. Its feels so peaceful up there in the mountains where you can see the peaks of the mountain covered with snow.

Since we are here and just to get the festive mood in, instead of roasting turkey, which my kids hardly eat, I roasted chicken for dinner. I know Thanksgiving is Thursday but we will be at a friends place so I thought it would be a good idea for me to just roast a chicken this week. I got this wonderful prepacked spice which will be my first time trying it.  I am glad I gave it a try..the spice pack was awesome. I also added some potatoes and onion mixed with the spice.

Ingredients

Mc Cormick Spice pack
1 Roasting Chicken
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
4 potatoes, cut into fourth
1 yellow onion, cubed chunk

Method

Wash and pat dry the chicken.  Place on a roasting pan and rub liberally with the mixture of olive oil, salt and spice pack. Use any balance of the spice for the potatoes and onions too.  Place them around the chicken.  Bake at 450 degrees for about 1 hour. Check if chicken is cooked through by inserting a knife in the thickest part of the thigh, if juices run clear then it done. Enjoy...

Moist chicken just out of the oven

This is how my son likes his chicken served :)

Turkey Meatball Curry

I spoke to a cousin of mine who constantly comes up with ideas on making curry for her family. She gave me this idea on making meatball curry which tastes almost like chicken curry with meatball version which I think is clever when you have little ones trying to eat on their own.  

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp ground coriander

1 egg

1/4 cup of either breadcrumbs or oats ( use only if the mixture is too soft)

salt and pepper

1 small potato, cubed

1 tomato, cubed

1 onion, sliced

Cinnamon stick

Anistar

3 cloves

2 tbsp curry powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 cup water or more

Method

• Mix the cumin, coriander, ginger garlic paste, oats, egg, salt, pepper and turkey together and set aside.
• In a medium heat, lightly oil a pot and throw in the cinnamon stick, onion, cloves, anistar and stir till fragnant.  Add the tomatoes and potatoes.  Stir and let it hang out for about 1 minute then add the curry powder, chili powder and water. Stir and let it come to a boil. Cover and let the potatoes cook. 
• Once the potatoes are almost fork tender, drop the meatballs one by one. Do not stir, just leave them to cook.   If you stir the meatballs will break apart.  Once the curry comes up to a boil again, slowly turn the meatballs and let the other side cook.  At this point you can adjust the seasoning. Whether you need more liquid or more curry powder.  It depends on your taste buds.
• After the meatballs are fully cooked and the seasoning is just right, sprinkle some coriander leaves and dish out.



Chutney Chicken Breasts

This grilled chicken breast is a simple twist to our regular grilled breasts.  Adding mango chutney makes this dish a little tangy and some spice to it. For a refreshing and flavorful accompaniment, grill thick slices of pineapple when you grill the chicken.


Source:  Cooking Light


Ingredients

4 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 1/2 lbs)
1 jar mango chutney, coarsely chopped
1 can (8-8 1/4 oz) crushed pineapple, drained
1 tbs curry powder
1 tbs fresh lime or lemon juice
1 tbs vegetable oil
lime slices for garnish

Method

• Prepare grill. With tip of knife, cut a horizontal slit in thickest part of each chicken breast half to form a pocket
• In a medium bowl, mix chutney, pineapple, curry powder, and lime juice. Transfer half of chutney mixture to bowl to serve with chicken later
• Stir oil into remaining chutney mixture. Place 1 tablespoon chutney-oil mixture in each chicken breast pocket. Coat chicken breasts with remaining chutney-oil mixture
• Place chicken on grill over medium heat and grill, turning occasionally, until chicken loses its pink color throughout, 10-12 minutes
• Arrange chicken on 4 dinner plates. Garnish with lime slices and serve with reserved chutney mixture. 

Makes 4 main-dish servings.

Chicken Salad with Blueberries

I came across this recipe as I was browsing around and when I saw that it has blueberries added to it; I was thinking hmmm thats odd but I am so happy that I tried it out.  It has some crunch from the celery and onion, sweetness from the corn and tad bit sour from the blueberries.  The dressing is a combination from sour cream and mayonaise and a hint of lemon juice. This wonderful salad is such a treat on a warm day.  

Source:  Pioneer Woman's Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• Olive Oil, For Drizzling
• 3 stalks Celery (inner Light Green Stalks), Finely Diced
• 2 ears Fresh Corn or canned corn ( drained)
• ¼ whole Medium Red Onion, Finely Diced
• 1-½ cup Blueberries
• 3 Tablespoons Fresh Dill, Minced
• 3 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
• 3 Tablespoons Sour Cream
• ¼ cups Half-and-half, optional
• 1 whole Lemon
• 1 teaspoon Sugar (more To Taste)
• Salt And Pepper (additional) To Taste
• ¾ cups Crumbled Feta

Preparation Instructions

Place chicken breasts into large plastic storage bag. Pound with a mallet or rolling pin to flatten to 1/4 inch uniform thickness. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Heat grill and drizzle chicken with olive oil. Grill chicken on both sides until done, about 7 minutes per side. (Rotate halfway during grilling each side to ensure pretty grill marks.) Remove from pan. Allow to cool.

With a very sharp knife, shave kernels off each corn cob. Combine with the onion and celery. Set aside.

Mix together mayonnaise, sour cream, feta, and half-and-half. Stir in sugar, squeeze in lemon juice, and add salt and pepper. Stir, then taste. Add more salt if necessary; do not undersalt!

Slice chicken on the bias to create flat, randomly shaped pieces. Throw into a bowl with celery, onion, and corn. Stir to combine. Pour half the dressing over the ingredients and toss gently. Add more as desired, but don’t overcoat the salad; should be light!

At the end, toss in the blueberries to lightly coat them in the dressing. Serve, then sprinkle individual helpings with feta.

Chicken and Dumplings

This is the best comfort meal whenever its cold outside or if you just need a simple dish on a busy weekday.    I must say that I am not a particular fan of dumplings but its just how I feel. The soup on the other hand is just perfect with seasoning and thickens as you add the dumplings in.

Source:  Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients

1 large roasting chicken
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
2 bay leaves
Salt
3 celery stalks, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6 boiling onions (smaller than regular onions, larger than pearl onions), peeled and halved
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, or chicken fat from the cooked chicken
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 Tbsp of heavy cream (optional)
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Ground black or white pepper

Dumplings

2 cups cake flour (can sub all-purpose flour)

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tbsp butter, melted

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup minced fresh herb leaves such as parsley, chives, and tarragon (optional)

Method

1 Make the stock.
Heat olive oil in a deep (at least 4-inch high) large skillet or 6-qt Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add hacked up chicken pieces - the back, neck, and wings - and onion chunks (not the boiling onions). Sauté until onions soften and chicken pieces lose their raw color, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue to cook for about 20 minutes. (While chicken stock pieces are cooking, bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a kettle.) Increase heat to to medium-high, add the 6 cups of hot water to the chicken pieces.

2 Poach the chicken in the stock.
Add skinless chicken parts (legs, thighs, breasts), 2 bay leaves, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt to the stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat; continue to simmer, partially covered, until broth is flavorful and chicken parts are just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken parts from the pan and set aside. When they are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones in 2-inch chunks or strips. Place a strainer over a large bowl and pour the broth through it, straining out the solids from the broth. Discard the solids. Skim and reserve the chicken fat from broth and set aside 5 cups of broth, reserving extra for another use.

3 Make the dumpling batter.
While chicken is cooking, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add (optional) chopped fresh herbs. Add melted butter and milk to the dry ingredients. Gently mix with a spoon until mixture just comes together. (Note: do not overmix! or your dumplings will turn out too dense.) Set aside.

4 Make the stew base, assemble the stew.
Heat reserved chicken fat (or butter) in the pan you had used to make the stock over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and thyme; cook, whisking constantly, until flour turns golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add sherry or vermouth, then slowly add the reserved 5 cups of chicken stock; simmer until mixture thickens slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the vegetables, simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and optional cream; return to a strong simmer. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

5 Add the dumplings.
Drop dumpling batter into the simmering stew by heaping teaspoonfuls, over the surface of the stew. Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Once you have covered the pan, do not uncover while the dumplings are cooking! In order for them to be light and fluffy, they must steam, not boil. Uncovering the pan releases the steam. If after 15 minutes they are still not cooked through (use a toothpick or skewer to test) cover pan again, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.

Gently stir in peas and parsley. Ladle portions of meat, sauce, vegetables, and dumplings into soup plates and serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8.