PaleOMG's Chicken Bacon Bowl

Original recipe here.

I made mine pretty well the same was as the original PaleOMG recipe, but I cut my bacon into pieces and cooked it with onions and mushrooms. For the assembly, I mashed the sweet potato slightly with a fork, placed it in a bowl with a handful of spinach, then topped it with the bacon & mushroom mixture and a chicken thigh. To finish it off, I added a bit of fresh cracked pepper and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

The original recipe is scaled for one serving but I made mine for 4 servings using 4 chicken thighs, 1 large sweet potato cut into quarters and 4 slices of bacon. It worked out fabulous as left overs for lunch.

Thai Chicken and Cashew Nuts

This is one of my ultimate favourite Thai dishes. The chicken recipe is adapted from Six Sister's Stuff. The chicken is cooked in a slow cooker but you could very easily adapt the recipe to be straight stir-fry. You can also omit the chicken to make a delicious Thai vegan stir fry.

Serves 2-4

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup gluten free soy sauce or Bragg's Aminos
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons tomato paste or ketchup
1 tablespoon sucanat
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or Thai chili paste
1/2 cup water
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup whole cashews
2 green onions, chopped
handful of cilantro, rough chopped

1. Trim fat off chicken and place in slow cooker.

2. In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, vinegar, tomato paste, sucanat, garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and water. Pour sauce over chicken.

3. Cook on low for 3 hours for breasts and 3 1/2 to 4 hours for thighs.

4. Once chicken is cooked, remove from slow cooker and set on a plate to cool slightly. Once cooled, roughly chop chicken into cubes. Reserve sauce.

5. In a walk over medium heart, stir-fry onions and peppers for 2-3 minutes. Pour in sauce from the slow cooker and bring to a boil to reduce slightly. Cook for another 4-5 minutes.

6. Add chicken and cashews to wok and mix together. Remove from heat and mix in green onion and cilantro. Serve immediately with rice or quinoa. If you aren't serving immediately, do not add the cilantro until just before serving.

If you plan to modify the recipe so it is not a slow cooker recipe, I would cut the chicken into small pieces and stir fry it in a small amount of sesame oil. Once chicken is browned, remove from wok and set aside, then begin with step five.

To make this recipe vegan, omit the chicken and use extra veggies or tofu in the stir fry (step five).

Tropical BBQ Chicken & Mango Salsa

Excuse the crappy cell phone picture.

Trying to eat more protein and veggies can be very boring, especially when one is too busy to get creative and there isn't much time to prepare a meal. This recipe is a modified version of the "Caribbean Chicken" recipe from The Eat Clean Diet: Recharged. It's very tasty, easy to make and can be served in many ways. I cook a few chicken breasts at a time and save them for lunches and even snacks throughout the week.

Ingredients:

- 1 orange

- 1 lime

- 1 tbsp agave nectar

- 1 tbsp sucanat

- 1 tbsp minced ginger

- 4 gloves garlic, minced

- pinch ground cinnamon

- pinch ground nutmeg

- 1 tsp hot sauce of your choice

- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

- 1 tbsp ketchup

Directions:

1. Remove the zest from the lime and orange, setting aside for later use, then juice each fruit.

2. Add juice, agave, sucanat, ginger, garlic, cinnamon and nutmeg to a jar and shake well.

3. Place chicken in a shallow dish. Pour marinade over top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

4. When ready to cook, remove from marinade and place chicken in grill pan or over BBQ until cooked through.

5. While chicken is cooking, pour marinade into a small sauce pan with citrus zest and heat over medium-high heat. Boil until sauce has reduced slightly. Lower heat and add ketchup. Bring to a boil again and boil for 5 minutes.

6. Pour sauce through a fine mesh strainer, using the back of a spatula to squeeze out the liquid. Discard the solids.

7. Once chicken is cooked, remove from grill and baste with the strained sauce.

Eat hot off the grill topped with mango salsa and grilled veggies, or slice and serve warm or cold over spinach salad. Top your salad with the left over Tropical BBQ sauce.

For an easy Mango Salsa, chop 1 fresh mango, 1/2 a small red onion and 1 handful of fresh cilantro. Toss together in a bowl with lime juice, salt, pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes or hot sauce.

Leftover Turkey Rice Soup

Wondering what to do with your left over turkey? The easiest thing to do is make soup! Remember back in October when we brined and roasted a chicken then made stock with the carcass? No? Well, go here and refresh your memory. If you're not up to making your own stock but still want to make soup, stay here and let's continue.

Ingredients:

8 cups chicken, turkey or vegetable stock.
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped celery
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 tbsp parsley flakes (and any additional seasonings you like)
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup rice, cooked (any variety)
2 cups cooked turkey, chopped (great way to use up all that dark meat no one eats!)

1. Add stock to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add carrot, celery, chickpeas, tomato, parsley and salt & pepper. Simmer on medium-low for 15 minutes.

2. Add rice and turkey. Simmer for another 15 minutes.

Food Labelling - What does it all mean?

I was talking with a co-worker about organic food sources yesterday. She was told to always chose organic when it comes to dairy, meat and poultry. What she didn't realize is that organic doesn't guarantee a humanely raised, healthier animal. Organic does not equal free-range. Free-range does not equal organic. Free-range does not equal pasture raised. Food labelling terms are so confusing and there is little in the way of regulation to standardize the meanings. What's a conscious consumer to do?


Poultry & Eggs:

When it comes to poultry and eggs, we often see terms like "cage free", "free range" and "free run". What does it all mean?

"Cage Free" simply means the chickens were raised outside of a cage. This doesn't mean it was raised in a humane environment, or that it had access to the outdoors. Cage free is the most meaningless term of all of them. As well, a Globe & Mail article from 2009 stated that uncaged chickens "exposed to higher levels of bacteria, parasites and viruses that put them at greater risk for disease and infection".

"Free Run" is basically the same as Cage Free. The birds are kept loose in large barns, with no access to the outdoors.

"Free Range" implies to most consumers, that the animal is raised "free on the range", but that isn't always the case. In the United States, the USDA decrees that poultry certified as "free range" must have access to the outdoors but it doesn't necessarily mean the animal actually goes outdoors (Source). Free-range chicken eggs have no legal definition in the United States. In Canada, the term "free range" is not legally defined and could mean anything.

A new term has popped up in recent years, Pastured Poultry. Pastured poultry is raised on pasture and eats a natural diet of grass and bugs (chickens are not vegetarians!).


Beef & Other Meat

"Free Range" - When it comes to beef and other meat products, there is even less regulation. The USDA has no specific definition for "free-range" beef, pork, and other non-poultry products (Source). Generally when it comes to ranching, free range implies that livestock is allowed to roam around without being fenced. It doesn't guarantee the animals were raised entirely outdoors, or that they were raised on a diet of grass and hay (you know, the stuff cows are supposed to eat!).

"Pasture Raised" and "Grass Fed" generally mean the same thing. The livestock is raised on pasture, eating a natural diet of grass or hay (in the winter months). Some farmers raise their animals on pasture but then "finish" them on grains (to fatten them up before slaughter). It is believed that grass fed livestock is healthier than conventionally raised (factory farmed) animals because they have more nutrients and less fat. It is also believed that pasture raised animals contribute to the environment by building up the top soil, since their manure is spread over a large area. This provides a source of natural, organic fertilizer (Source). As with Pastured Poultry, pasture raised livestock may not be certified organic.

Seafood:

This should be obvious, but there is no such thing as organic fish! I only say this because I read another blog where a woman was gushing about the benefits of eating organic salmon. Just think about it for a moment and ask yourself, how!?! When it comes to fish, you want to look for "Wild Caught" or "Wild". With shellfish, farmed (rope grown) is okay because the practice is much different than with farmed fish. You also want to purchase and consume sustainable seafood and limit your consumption of seafood high in mercury. If you are in the US, the Monteray Bay Aquarium has a great chart (and App!) here. If you are in Canada, check this PDF chart from SeaChoice. SeaChoice also has an App that is available from the App Store.

Organic:

When it comes to poultry and other meats, the term "organic" is the only term strictly regulated in both the United States and Canada. For something to be labelled organic or partially organic, it must meet specific criteria and be subject to inspection. When it comes to poultry products, organic means that the animal has been fed organic, non-genetically modified food (free of pesticides and herbicides) and has not been given any hormones or antibiotics. Organic does not guarantee the animal has been raised outdoors and organic doesn't always mean healthier or better.


Photo: Nanaimo Downtown Farmers Market

Bottom Line:

When it comes down to it, it's important to "know thy farmer". Know where your meat and poultry products are coming from rather than just shopping based on a label. Ask questions! Remember, you have a right to know where your food is coming from and how it was grown. I get my beef products at the farmer's market, direct from a farmer and his wife. When I can't make it to the weekly market, I go to a farm shop in a neighbouring city. I did research and found their animals are raised in a humane and sustainable way. Neither of these suppliers are certified organic, but that's okay with me. My food beliefs put sustainable, local and humanely raised above organic. It's up to your to figure out which is more important to you.

This post is part of Fight Back Friday.

Chicken Stock

You brined a chicken. You roasted a chicken. You carved and ate a chicken. Now it's time to deal with the chicken remains. Why waste a perfectly good chicken carcass when you can boil it with aromatic vegetables and create a simple and delicious stock. If you aren't ready to make your stock the day after your chicken dinner, put the bones in a bag and freeze them until you are ready.

Ingredients:

Carcass and bones of a 2-3 pound chicken
4 litres water
1 large whole onion, ends trimmed, cut in half (skin left on - adds colour!)
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3-4 fresh or dried celery leaves (optional - but adds a great deal of flavour)
1 bay leaf (optional)

Directions:

1. Add everything to a stock pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Reduce to low and cover. Simmer on low for at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours or overnight.

3. When you have simmered your stock for the desired length of time, remove bones and vegetables using tongs or a slotted spoon and discard. Pour stock through a fine strainer. Pour strained stock into jars. Leave overnight or in refrigerator until fat congeals at the top. Remove congealed fat with a spoon and discard or save for later use (chicken fat is referred to a Schmaltz. It is used in Jewish cooking, in place of butter or lard, as it is considered kosher).

4. Pour stock into ice cube trays and freeze. When frozen, pop out of trays and store in ziplock bags in the freezer. Most standard ice cube trays will produce a 1 ounce portion of stock, ready for use when needed. You could also measure one or two cups of stock into ziplock bags and freeze for times when you need larger portions. DO NOT freeze your stock in glass canning jars as the stock expands when it freezes and may cause your jar to crack and leak (as mine did, duh!). The fresh stock will keep in your refrigerator for 2-3 days. Use stock in soups, stews, sauces and stir fries.

*Seasoning your stock with salt and pepper is optional. I generally do not season my stock as it gives me more freedom to season later on when I use it in my cooking. Overly seasoned stock may interfere with the flavour and seasoning of the dish you are creating. Sometimes I will add a bit of fresh cracked pepper, but I never salt my stock.

Basic Roast Chicken & Gravy

See part one - Brining a Chicken.

Your chicken has been brined and it is at room temperature. You are ready to roast! Start by watching this video, from CHOW, on how to truss your chicken. Trussing ensures the wings and legs are firmly attached to the body so that the bird cooks evenly and the small extremities don't dry out. Trussing also allows the bird to be turned easily during cooking. Prior to trussing, salt and pepper the inside of the cavity.

Once your bird is trussed, you are really ready to roast!

Ingredients:

2-3 lb whole chicken, brined and trussed
2 tbsp butter at room temperature
1/4 cup butter, melted (or olive oil, or a mixture of the two)
salt and pepper
1 large carrot, cut into large chunks
1 onion, cut in quarters
1 celery stalk, cut into large chunks

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees (F).

2. Smear 2-3 tablespoons of room temperature butter over the outside of the bird. If you prefer, you could also brush olive oil all over.

3. Generously salt and pepper the outside of the bird. If you'd like, you can also sprinkle with dried herbs of your choice. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Arrange vegetables around the bird in the bottom of the pan. Here's a tip: I don't have a rack for my roasting pan so I propped my bird up ON TOP of the vegetables. As long as the bird doesn't sit on the bottom of the pan, anything goes!


4. Place pan in pre-heated oven and roast at the high heat for 15 minutes to get the top nice and brown. After 15 minutes, turn chicken and roast the other side for 15 minutes. Baste with melted butter. Turn back to breast side up, baste again and lower heat to 350 degrees (F).

5. Baste every 15-20 minutes. It may take up to 1 hour and 30 minutes to cook, but test for doneness after 50 minutes. The general rule of thumb is 30 minutes per pound. Stick a meat thermometer in the fattiest part of the thigh. The internal temperature should register 165-170 degrees (F). Any less and your chicken is undercooked. Any more and you risk a dried out bird. Remember that the chicken will continue cooking after you remove it from the oven. While cooking, if the legs, wings or breast start to get too browned, cover those bits with small pieces of tin foil to avoid burning.

6. Once proper internal temperature is reached, remove your bird from the oven and set on a plate or chopping board, covered with foil and leave to rest for 15-20 minutes. When ready to cut, check here for a tutorial on how to carve your chicken.


Serve with mashed potatoes, gravy and steamed veggies. A 2-3 pound chicken will adequately serve 2 or 3 people with a bit of left overs for soup, a stir fry or a casserole!

Chicken Gravy:

For gravy, try this White Wine Gravy from Martha Stewart. For a more simple gravy, try this one, like I used:

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken stock
1 heaping teaspoon cornstarch mixed with a splash of warm water
salt & pepper

Directions:

1. While chicken is resting, remove vegetables from roasting pan and discard. Scoop out and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Place roasting pan on a burner over high heat (if pan is large, place across two burners).

2. Add chicken stock to hot pan and using a wooden spoon, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom (this is called de-glazing the pan). Bring to a boil.

3. Pour in cornstarch and bring to a boil, stirring continually. When sauce has thickened to your desired consistency, it's ready. Season with salt and pepper. Strain sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a gravy boat or glass bowl.

Next time... homemade chicken stock using the left over carcass and bones.

Brining Poultry

I just finished week 8 of my Surf & Turf cooking class over at CHEESESLAVE. This week we learned about roasting and braising meats and sauce reductions. Recipes included pot roast with gravy, braised short ribs, Moroccan chicken, lamb chops, pulled pork and roast duck, among many others! Also included in this class was a video about how to roast a chicken. Ann Marie doesn't cover brining in the videos, but briefly mentions it and includes some direction in the recipes.

Last year when I cooked my first ever Thanksgiving turkey, I brined my turkey in a mixture of water, salt, honey and citrus zest. Brining poultry before cooking leads to juicier and more tender meat. My turkey was a huge success. My brother-in-law declared it was the best turkey he had ever eaten. I would like to think it was just because I cooked it, but I'm quite certain the brining had something to do with it.

The problem with brining is that it takes time. A large bird (10lbs or more) requires 12-24 hours to brine then an additional 12-24 hours to "dry" (a wet bird won't cook or brown well). A smaller bird can be brined adequately in 3-12 hours and left to "dry" for 6-12 hours. Basically, if you want to brine your bird, you should start 2 to 3 days in advance of cooking. It's not as much of a pain as it sounds. Preparing the brine takes minutes and once the bird is in the solution, you don't have to do anything until you take it out of the brine! Don't forget you also need at least an hour (for a small bird) before cooking so the bird can come to room temperature before putting it in the oven!

A basic brine includes salt and a sweetener. More advanced brines will include flavour enhancers like citrus zest or dried herbs. The one I used for my turkey last year included lemon and orange peel, cardamom pods and dried thyme. For my roast chicken though, I wanted something very simple and very basic.

Cooks Illustrated has a great PDF with loads of info and tips on brining. They recommend the following ratios for a basic brine:

Per 1 litre (1 quart) of water add 1/4 cup of fine kosher or sea salt (1/2 cup if salt is course) and 1/2 cup of sweetener. One litre (1 quart) of liquid is required per pound. They also say it should not exceed 2 gallons of brine, but you need enough to cover your bird so if you are cooking a large chicken or turkey, you may need as much as 3 gallons of brine. They also say to brine for one hour per pound, but for no more than 8 hours.

My brine didn't follow the Cooks Illustrated model exactly but it was close. I adapted my brine from the Healthiest Meals on Earth cookbook. It looked something like this:

2.5 lb whole chicken
2 litres warm water
1 cup sea salt
1 cup unpasteurized, raw honey

The brine was mixed together in a stock pot and the chicken placed inside. The chicken was brined in the refrigerator overnight, for about 12 hours. After that, I drained the pot, rinsed the chicken and placed it in the empty stockpot, and left it in the refrigerator for another 6 hours.

And contrary to what you may have read online, you CAN use a metal pot to hold your brine - just make sure it is stainless steal or enamelled cast iron (like Le Creuset). Do not use aluminum or straight cast iron as metal can leech into your brine and affect the taste. You can also use glass or plastic container or a plastic brining bag. Do not use a garbage bag as they are not food safe. You may need to weigh your chicken down with a plate to ensure it is completely submerged.

When you are ready to cook your bird, take it out of the refrigerator and leave it to sit, covered, at room temperature for at least one hour.

Next time... Basic Roast Chicken

Chicken in Apricot Sauce

Apricots are in season locally so how about apricots for dinner tonight?

Adapted from Eating Well Magazine

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (preferably pastured & organic)
salt & pepper
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp coconut oil
3/4 cup white wine or vermouth
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
1 shallot, minced
1 yellow pepper, cut into small squares
3 fresh apricots, pitted and chopped (for about 1 cup chopped apricots)
2 tbsp homemade apricot preserves
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1. Place chicken breasts between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until flattened and an even 1/2 inch thickness. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Add flour to a shallow pie dish. Dredge chicken through flour, coating both sides. Shake of excess flour.

3. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. You will probably need to cook chicken in batches. Add more coconut oil between batches.

4. De-glaze the pan by adding wine and scraping up any brown bits left from cooking the chicken. Add shallots and peppers and cook until wine is slightly reduced. Add white wine vinegar and Dijon mustard and stir together.

5. Add apricots and cook until fruit begins to break down, 2-3 minutes. Stir in preserves and season with salt and pepper. Add 1/4 cup warm water to pan and stir.

6. Cut the chicken breasts in half and return them to the pan. Spoon sauce over chicken to coat. Reduce heat to low and simmer chicken in sauce for 5-8 minutes while you prepare your side dishes. Sprinkle fresh thyme over top.

7. Serve chicken with extra sauce spooned over top. Grilled vegetables or sautéd spinach make good side dishes.

If you find the sauce too sweet, add more white wine vinegar and Dijon mustard.


This post is part of Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist.

Chicken Hekka

Another tropical recipe from Sam Choy. Mr. Choy says while growing up, his family always made Chicken Hekka for mainland guests. He describes this dish as being "comfort food" and a "cornerstone recipe" in his cookbook.

But what the heck is Chicken Hekka? There isn't much about it online. Hekka is apparently a Hawaiian word but when I played around with Hawaiian/English translators, I found no entries. Other blogs claim Hekka is based on Japanese cooking and is pretty much the same as Japanese sukiyaki - a one pot meal made with thin sliced vegetables and meat.

Regardless of what it is, Chicken Hekka is easy to make and it's pretty good.

Marinade:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into cubes
1/4 cup soy sauce*
1/4 cup sesame oil
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp sucanat

1. Combine marinade ingredients in a shallow dish. Add chicken and toss well to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Sake Sauce:
2 tbsp agave syrup
1/2 cup soy sauce*
1/4 cup chicken broth*
1/4 cup sake or Chinese cooking wine

1. Mix everything together in a small bowl and set aside.

Hawaiian cooking does not involve spice. You may wish to add a dash or two or Sriracha to spice things up, or leave as is for a mild flavour.

Stir Fry:
marinated chicken (as above)
1 tbsp sesame or peanut oil
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and smashed
1 can sliced bamboo shoots
1 carrot, julienned
1 stalk celery, julienned
3 stalks green onion, cut in 1 inch lengths
1/2 onion, sliced thin
1 cups watercress leaves
1 bundle (2 oz) thin rice noodles, cooked, drained and cut into 1 inch lengths
prepared Sake Sauce (as above)
1/2 block firm tofu, drained and cut into 1" cubes (optional)

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add ginger and chicken. Brown chicken.

2. Add bamboo shoots, carrot and celery. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes. Add onion and green onion and stir fry for another minute or two.



3. Add 1/2 cup Sake Sauce and rice noodles. Let simmer for 5-8 minutes. Sauce will absorb into noodles.

4. Gently stir in tofu and watercress. Mix everything together well. Remove from heat. Serve with rice, more rice noodles or as is.



*Use Gluten Free, if needed.

Un-breaded Chicken Parmesan

Can you tell I bought a club pack of chicken last week? Every meal is chicken, chicken and more chicken.

Today I am in the mood for Italian. I love Chicken Parmesan but don't need the breaded, fried, fatty part of it in my diet. Thankfully, Giada saved the day!

I had to make some changes because I didn't have all the fresh herbs. I learned you can sub dried herbs for fresh on a 3:1 ratio. In other words, 1 tablespoon of fresh herb would equal 1 teaspoon of dried herb. But since my dried herbs aren't quite fresh, and dried herbs lose their potency with age, I did a 2:1 ratio (1/2 as much dried to fresh).

While this recipe only uses two chicken breasts, it could easily serve four people. Once the chicken is pounded out, the piece is quite large. I ate half a chicken breast and it was plenty... and the recipe ended up feeding me for two lunches and two dinners!

Recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentis on Everyday Italian.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning (If using fresh, use 1 tbps of whatever fresh Italian herbs you'd like. Giada uses parsley, thyme and rosemary.)
pinch sea salt & fresh cracked pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups A Little More Than Five Minute Tomato Sauce or any simple tomato sauce you have on hand.
2 tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese
4 tsp grated Parmesan cheese

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Place chicken breasts between two pieces of waxed paper or in a large ziplock bag. Pound each chicken breast, using a mallet, to 1/4 inch thickness to create chicken cutlets. (If serving four, you may want to cut the chicken breasts in half before pounding.)

3. Add oil and herbs to a small bowl and stir together. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Heat an oven-proof skillet over high heat. Brush both sides of the flattened chicken with herb oil. Add the chicken to the hot pan and cook 2 minutes per side, just to brown. Remove skillet from the heat. If you wanted to prepare this meal for a dinner party, you could do the first four steps earlier in the day, then complete the rest shortly before serving your meal.

5. Spoon tomato sauce over top of and around chicken. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of mozzarella and 2 teaspoons of Parmesan over each piece of chicken.

6. Bake in hot oven until cheese is melted and chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

7. Serve chicken over cooked pasta of your choice, topped with more warm tomato sauce.

Curried Lemongrass Chicken

The chicken marinade comes from Food & Wine Magazine. Their recipe calls for stir frying the chicken with a calorie rich caramel sauce. I can do without the excess sugar so I just went with the marinade portion of the recipe then stir fried the chicken with aromatics and vegetables. I served it over plain vermicelli noodles and topped it with left over Spicy Almond Dressing. The finished dish was very spicy. If you aren't into spice, omit the chili peppers where you see fit.

Marinade:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small cubes
2 tbsp fish sauce
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Thai chili pepper, cut in half & seeded
1 stalk of fresh or jarred lemongrass, cut in half and smashed (If using fresh, see here on how to prepare it. Follow directions on preparing for soup.)
1 tbsp mild curry powder
2 tbsp sucanat
1 tsp salt

1. Add everything, except chicken, to a shallow bowl and mix together well. Add chicken and toss to coat.

2. Marinate in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours.

Stir Fry:

splash of cooking oil
1 piece lemongrass, minced
1 green onion, sliced thin
1 Thai chili, seeded and sliced thin
1/2 red onion, minced
marinated chicken, marinade discarded
1/2 medium zucchini, sliced thin then cut into quarters
1/2 large red pepper, diced



1. Add oil to a wok and heat over medium-high heat.

2. Add lemongrass, green onion, chili and onion and stir fry for a couple minutes.



3. Add chicken and stir fry until all sides of chicken are no longer pink. Place lid over wok and let chicken cook for about 5 minutes.

4. Add zucchini and red peppers. Stir everything together. Place lid back on the wok and cook for another 5-8 minutes until chicken is cooked through. (Internal temperature should be at least 165 degrees.)



5. Pour contents of wok over cooked rice or noodles. Top with fresh cilantro.







This recipe was featured on the front page of Tasty Kitchen on July 16, 2010!

Tequila Lime Chicken

This recipe is from The Pioneer Woman. I used the marinade on chicken for Fajita Night while on vacation and my cousin declared they were the best fajitas she'd ever eaten! The marinade is a keeper and since I hate drinking Tequila I might as well cook with it!

Tequila Lime Chicken:

3 tbsp fresh lime juice (3-4 whole limes)
Zest of 1 lime
5 cloves garlic
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tsp salt
large handful fresh cilantro
1/2 cup Tequila
1/4 cup olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1. Combine lime juice, zest, garlic, jalapeno, salt, cilantro, and tequila in a blender and pulse until all blended. Add olive oil and pulse again to combine.

2. Place chicken in a heavy-duty plastic zip lock bag and pound to an even thickness using a mallet. Pour marinade into bag and seal. Massage marinade into chicken breast. Place in fridge and marinate for a few hours, or overnight.



3. After marinating, remove chicken from bag and place on hot grill. Discard marinade. Cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

4. Slice chicken to use as fajita or taco meat or serve the whole breast, topped with grated Monterey Jack cheese and fresh salsa as the PW does.



I used my chicken for soft tacos! Fresh Pico De Gallo, sliced avocado and shredded Jack cheese.

Delicious!

Poached Chicken Salad with Spicy Almond Dressing

I'm back from Vacation and in need of a diet detox. Twelve days of pure indulgence: brisket, baked beans, crab, steak, bacon & eggs, pancakes, butter, chips, candy, pop, alcohol, FRIED PICKLES! It was heaven. Unfortunately, a week and a half of heaven is reflected on my scale this morning. No fear! A few weeks of clean, healthy cooking and I should be back on track. Fingers crossed. :)

This recipe is adapted from "The Eat Clean Diet - Recharged". It's Fresh, wholesome, filling and tasty.

Serves 2 lunch sized salads. For entree size, use one whole chicken breast per person.

Chicken:
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 Thai chili pepper, cut in half and seeded
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

1. Add stock, ginger and chili to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Add chicken and let cook for about 10 minutes until inside is no longer pink.

2. Remove chicken from stock. Place on cutting board and shred chicken using two forks or cut into thin slices. Set aside.

Dressing:
2 tbsp almond butter
1 tbsp honey
1 Thai chili pepper, seeded and sliced
1/2 inch piece fresh ginger, chopped
1/4 cup stock used to cook chicken

1. Add all ingredients to a blender. Pulse until well combined.

Salad:
Chicken
Dressing
1 x 3" section English cucumber, seeded and cut into matchsticks
1/2 medium carrot cut into matchsticks
2 green onion, sliced into 1" thick pieces
4 handfuls romaine lettuce, chopped
handful fresh cilantro
crushed peanuts or sliced almonds (optional)

1. Split romaine lettuce between two plates. Top each with half the cucumber, carrots and green onion.

2. Top each plate with half the shredded chicken. Drizzle with as much dressing as desired and sprinkle fresh cilantro and nuts over top of everything.



Cook extra chicken for left overs and use the left over chicken stock to make soup! Use the left over dressing over soba or vermicelli noodles, topped with veggies.

5 Factor Chicken Yakatori

This recipe is from the 5 Factor Wold Diet cookbook. The book is actually quite interesting. Trainer to the stars, Harley Pasternak analyzes the traditional lifestyles, culinary habits and diets of ten of the healthiest countries in the world (based on life expectancy and obesity rates), then bases his recipes and meal plans around them. It should be no surprise that four of the top 10 countries are in Asian and five are around the Mediterranean (the tenth is Sweden, praised for it's "rustic and practical" diet, which includes a great deal of fish). The 5 Factor Diet itself isn't much of a diet at all. The principles making up the "5 Factors" are kind of "no-brainers" to healthy living;

1. Eat 5 small meals a day.
2. Follow 5 specific nutritional criteria for each meal (protein, complex carbs, fiber, healthy fat & a non-caloric beverage).
3. Each meal should contain no more than 5 core ingredients and take only 5 minutes to prepare (this isn't so much for health as it is for convenience).
4. Work out for a minimum of 25 minutes, 5 days a week.
5. Enjoy one "free" day a week.

I bought the book mainly for its recipes for healthy, quick and easy Asian dishes. So far I am quite pleased.

Chicken Yakatori

Serves 2

Slightly modified from the original recipe.

1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp agave syrup
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut vertically into 1 inch strips
8 wooden skewers, soaked in water at least 20 minutes

1. Whisk together mirin, soy sauce, agave, rice vinegar and ginger in a deep glass bowl. Reserve 1/4 cup of marinade for basting. Add the cut chicken pieces to the marinade and toss well to coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to a couple hours. Once marinated, thread chicken pieces onto skewers.

2. Pre-heat grill or non-stick grill pan over high heat. Place the skewers on the grill and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through. Brush chicken pieces with reserved marinade.

3. Serve over warm brown rice with a side of marinated cucumber salad or serve as an appetizer.

Marinated Cucumber Salad:

1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp agave syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1 English cucumber, sliced very thin
1/2 red onion, sliced very thin
1/4 Thai red chili pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp black sesame seeds

1. Combine vinegar, water, salt and agave syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat.

2. Cook until boiling then set aside to cool.

3. Place sliced cucumber, onion and chili pepper in a bowl. Pour vinegar over top of vegetables.

4. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.

5. Using a slotted spoon, scoop vegetables onto plate. Top with course fresh ground pepper and black sesame seeds.

Cornmeal Crusted Chicken Schnitzel

This recipe is adapted from Canadian Living. It's tough craving chicken strips while trying to avoid wheat and gluten... Until I found Glutino Gluten Free Bread Crumbs. Hallelujah! Then I read the ingredients: Milled corn, evaporated cane sugar and sea salt. What? I just paid how much for jazzed up corn meal?! If you don't have or can't find gluten free breadcrumbs, corn meal and a pinch of sea salt works just the same.

Schnitzel:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp gluten free all purpose flour
1/8 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1 egg
1/3 cup gluten free bread crumbs
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine

Gravy:
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup chicken stock
splash lemon juice
2 tsp corn starch mixed with a bit of water

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. and lightly grease a baking sheet.

2. Between sheets of waxed paper, using meat mallet, pound chicken to 1/4-inch thickness.

3. In shallow dish, mix together flour, salt, pepper and thyme. In separate shallow dish, whisk egg with 2 tbsp (25 mL) water. In third shallow dish, combine bread crumbs with half of the parsley.

4. Dip chicken into flour mixture to coat both sides. Dip into egg mixture, letting excess drip off. Dip into bread crumb mixture, patting to coat evenly. (Use Michael Smith's tip of using one hand for the wet bath and one hand for the dry bath. Save you from breading yourself.)

5. Place prepared chicken on greased baking sheet and put the sheet into the hot oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until appropriate internal temperature is reached and the crust is crispy and just turning golden brown.

6. While chicken is cooking, saute mushrooms with olive oil in a sauce pan. Cook until golden. Remove from heat and wait until chicken is cooked.

7. Once chicken is cooked through and the crust is crispy and browned, remove from baking sheet onto a plate and cover with foil. If there are any brown bits on the baking sheet, add a tablespoon or two of broth and scrape up the bits with a spatula. Add the drippings to the mushrooms. Add the garlic, remaining broth and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat.

8. In small bowl combine corn starch a few teaspoons of warm water. Stir into sauce and cook until sauce thickens into a gravy. Season well with salt and pepper.

9. Serve over chicken and garnish with remaining parsley.

I served my Schnitzel with sauteed beet greens and roasted red potatoes!

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Sorry I've been MIA. I was sick, out of town and then my internet connection crashed for an entire week! Health and internet are all better now. This recipe emerged while I was sick and in need of a quick fix comfort dish. Easy peasy.

1 carton chicken stock
1 carrot, peeled and diced small
1 celery stalk, diced small
1/2 of 1 white or red onion, diced
1 chicken breast, pre-cooked & diced*
pinch of salt & fresh cracked pepper
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup macaroni noodles, pre-cooked**

*Cook your chicken breast in a 350 degree F. oven for 10-15 minutes.

**Ensure to pre-cook your noodles! Adding uncooked noodles to your soup will reduce the broth amount as well as release starches and thicken your broth. That's bad news!

1. Add everything to a soup pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Top with fresh chopped parsley if you'd like.

Et Voila!

Grilled Chicken with Roasted Beet & Sweet Potato Pies

There is no recipe for this dish.

Last night I had a Roasted Beet & Sweet Potato Salad for dinner. This time, I topped it with a bit of grilled chicken (quickly marinated in lemon juice, olive oil and Epicure Herb & Garlic Dip Mix). I made some extra veggies and chicken so I would have lunch for today.

This morning while looking through the fridge, I found left over puffy pastry from when I made Turkey Pies.

Et voila!

Roll out your puff pastry into a rectangle. Place beets, sweet potatoes and shredded chicken on half. Add some feta if you have it. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Fold over, pinch closed to seal, cut a few slits in the top, brush with egg wash, and bake in oven at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes. Everything inside is already cooked so it was just the pastry that needed a quick bake & brown.

These pies (as well as the Turkey Pies) freeze well too so they make a quick and easy re-heatable dinner.

Chinese Chicken and Snow Peas over Ginger Rice

This is another recipe inspired by my dad. He will often make this using shrimp instead of chicken or with bell peppers instead of snow peas. I can't eat bell peppers and I don't have shrimp so this will have to do!

Serves 3-4

Chinese Chicken and Snow Peas

Chicken Prep:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp baking soda

Sauce:
2 tbsp gluten free oyster sauce
2 tsp gluten free soy sauce
2 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/3 cup fresh chicken broth
1 tsp sucanat
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp corn starch

Stir Fry:
1/4 cup cashews
1 1/2 cup snow peas, washed and trimmed
1/2 small onion, diced medium
1/2 can sliced water chestnuts

1. Place chicken in a shallow bowl and coat well with baking soda. Let rest for 15 minutes.

2. While chicken is resting, combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.

3. Rinse chicken well and pat dry. Cut into small cubes. Place chicken in a bowl and coat with 1/4 of the sauce mixture. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

4. While chicken is marinating, blanch snow peas. Heat 1-2 cups water in wok over medium high heat. Fill a bowl with water and ice and set aside. When wok water is boiling, toss snow peas in and leave for 30-60 seconds. Remove immediately with a slotted spoon and place them in the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Remove from ice bath and set snow peas aside until ready to use.

5. After 30 minutes of marinating the chicken, heat a small amount of peanut or sesame oil in a wok over medium high heat.

6. Add marinated chicken and stir fry until meat is nearly cooked. Remove from wok and set aside.

7. Add onion to wok and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until onions are slightly translucent. Reduce heat to medium.

8. Add chicken back to the wok along with the snow peas, cashews and water chestnuts. Stir together.

9. Pour remainder of sauce over stir fry and mix well to coat. Stir and simmer until sauce is thickened, chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender crisp.

10. Serve over Ginger Rice.

If you are in a time crunch, skip the baking soda step. The baking soda helps make the chicken tender by breaking down the tissues, sort of like brining. It isn't absolutely necessary though.

Thai Chicken Meatballs

I had some extra meat mixture from my Thai Chicken Burgers, so I figured I would put it to use a re-invent one of my sister's signature appetizer recipes. She makes Thai Turkey Meatballs in Peanut Sauce. I love her dish but it has much more mild flavours and was never spicy enough for my tastes. My chicken burger mixture is just the right amount of spice and doubles perfectly as a meatball recipe. Just shape into small balls and cook in a fry pan. Pour some peanut sauce on a platter and place meatballs on top for a quick and easy appetizer. Or serve over noodles and top with peanut sauce for a Thai inspired pasta dish. You can even pop them in your mouth for a quick and delicious snack like I did today!