Chicken – Kara Cooks and Eats

Sausage, white bean, and kale soup

Recipe

Recipe Notes

I saw this recipe in one of the Whole Foods coupon books (yes, I find recipes everywhere I go) and decided to give it a go. Though I thought it was a little bit heavy on the beans (7 cups!) and sausage so I used it more as recipe inspiration. Unfortunately I lost my notes the first time I made it so I had to make it again.

I really liked the way the bean puree helps to thicken up the soup a bit. I used fully cooked chicken sausages and sliced them in half lengthwise and then sliced them to make little half moons.

Photos

Maker:S,Date:2017-9-21,Ver:6,Lens:Kan03,Act:Lar02,E:Y — Tuscan kale, all chopped up and ready for soup

Harissa chicken with leeks, potatoes, and yogurt

Recipe

Recipe Notes

This is a recipe that my mom cut out of the Sunday Parade magazine and saved for me with a note that said “Sounds yummy!” It did sound yummy and I was glad to finally get around to trying it.

However, it was whoa salty, even after decreasing the amount of salt in the original recipe (it called for 3 teaspoons total!). I’ve decreased it even further here…I’d suggest being careful with the salt and err on the side of less is more. I also decreased the amount of olive oil.

Harissa is a Tunisian hot chili pepper paste and I found it on the very top shelf of the grocery store in the aisle with the Asian ingredients (in case you don’t like to ask for directions like me). I loved the flavor of the fiery harissa paired with the coolness of the yogurt sauce…the potatoes and leeks on their own would make a great side dish on their own!

Photos

*Chicken and potatoes, resting with harissa mix*

2017-10-03 20.04.29 — *Dinner is served!*

Thai basil stir fry

Recipe

Recipe Notes

I had some leftover rice from Indian takeout, a basil plant that I didn’t kill this summer, and a lime. There was fish sauce already in the cupboard. All I needed to pick up was the onion, carrot, and meat…and voila, dinner is served. The original recipe had more fish sauce in it, but in these types of recipes I prefer less fish sauce and more umami so next time I’d definitely decrease it (and I wrote the recipe to reflect that already).

Recipe adapted from Good Housekeeping, September 2016.

Photos

2017-09-11 00.55.10 — Thai basil stir fry

Cashew chicken

As you know, I like easy recipes, and this one pan chicken recipe definitely fits the bill! The broccoli and bell peppers also make it quite colorful and fiber-ful.

If you’re feeling ambitious, you could toast the cashews separately, but it’s really not necessary. I like to stir in the cashews at the end so they keep their crunch.

Cashew chicken
Source: Adapted from the Recipe Critic
Serves: 4

Ingredients

For the sauce:
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp hoisin
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup water, plus more as needed to thin out sauce

For the chicken and vegetables:
2 medium skinless boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1″ pieces
Salt and black pepper, to taste
1 head broccoli, cut into pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into pieces
1 green bell pepper, cut into pieces
2/3 cup roasted unsalted cashews

2017-05-09 17.40.48 — Chicken with sauce, ready for the oven

Directions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk together all of the ingredients for the sauce. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens and bubbles. Remove from heat and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or foil coated with cooking spray and set aside.
Season chicken with salt and black pepper then drizzle about one-third of the sauce over the chicken, coating well on both sides.
Cook chicken in preheated oven for 8 minutes then remove the pan.
Arrange the broccoli florets and bell peppers in a single layer around the chicken. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and drizzle about one-third of the sauce and toss everything to coat. Return to the oven and cook for another 8-12 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear.
Remove pan from oven and stir in cashews and the remaining sauce. Serve over rice or quinoa and enjoy!
Sheet pan chicken with cashews

Dijon-rosemary chicken thighs with butternut squash

I got a new cookbook for Christmas (thanks Battenfelds!) and it’s all about the sheet pan. Cooking your protein and veg together on the same pan is definitely a win for me!

Even when I make a list for the grocery store, I seem to always manage to forget something. This time it was the maple syrup, so I improvised and subbed in brown sugar. The original version also uses sugar pumpkin but suggests butternut squash or sweet potatoes as an alternative. I think sweet potatoes would cook faster than the chicken (the butternut squash kind of did), though it depends on how you cut it. If you’re using sweet potatoes or small pieces of squash, you could add them to the pan after the first 10-15 minutes of cooking the chicken.

Dijon-rosemary chicken thighs with butternut squash
Serves: 3-4

Prepping the squash

Source: adapted from Sheet Pan cookbook

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 large loves garlic, chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
4 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
1/2 butternut squash, cut into wedges or large chunks
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon chili powder

Ready for the oven

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil (I use nonstick foil).

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, 2 Tablespoons of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, and rosemary. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Set aside.

Roasted chicken and squash goodness!

3. In another large bowl, mix together the butternut squash, brown sugar, chili powder, and 1 Tablespoon of olive oil.

4. Arrange the squash on one half of the prepared pan. Place the chicken, skin side up, on the other half of the pan. Season both the squash and the chicken with salt and pepper.

5. Roast the chicken and squash for about 45 minutes, giving the squash a stir about halfway through, until the chicken is opaque throughout and the squash is soft. Enjoy!

Chicken and bok choy soup

Last weekend was cold, rainy, and perfect for soup in the slow cooker. While I usually like a “dump and cook” approach to the slow cooker, I decided to do a quick saute of the veg prior to the slow cooker to add a bit more depth of flavor. Also, I did this the night before so the next morning I just had to dump everything in and turn it on.

Bok choy!

I used udon noodles, which I also cooked separately and then added at the end to prevent overcooked, soggy noodles. The worst!

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2-3 bunches of bok choy, washed and chopped

Slow cooker, before adding liquid

1 Tablespoon roasted red chile paste
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
1 hot pepper, optional
6 cups chicken broth
Cooked rice or noodles, optional

Directions

Soup’s on!

1. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute garlic, onion, carrot, and celery until just starting to soften. Add in bok choy, chile paste, and soy sauce and cook for additional 3-5 minutes. The veggies do not have to be cooked through.

2. Spray ceramic pot of slow cooker with cooking spray. Add chicken breast, bok choy mixture, hot pepper, broth, and 2 cups of water. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

3. Remove chicken breast and shred. Stir shredded chicken and rice or noodles into soup and continue to cook until heated through. Remove hot peppers before serving, then mangia!

Chicken and mushroom soup

Mushrooms and garlic

Dear Kara Cooks and Eats,
I am so sorry for neglecting you for such a long time. I will do my best to make it up to you, starting with this delicious chicken and mushroom soup!

I have been a little obsessed with chicken thighs and baby bella mushrooms recently. I have made this soup twice already. It’s been great for lunches during the week. To make it a bit heartier, you can add some rice when you add the broth…just simmer it until both the chicken and the rice are cooked through.

I am still working on a roasted chicken recipe…the sauce still needs some work as I have been trying to use yogurt (instead of cream) and it keeps curdling.

Chicken thighs with brown and crispy skin

Chicken and mushroom soup
Serves: 4

Ingredients
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 bone-in chicken thighs
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks of celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 jalapeno pepper (optional)

Directions

Chicken cooking in the broth

1. Heat olive oil in a medium stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs to pot, skin side down and cook until browned, about 7-8 minutes. Turn chicken and cook 7-8 minutes until browned on other side. Remove chicken from pot and set aside. The chicken does not have to be cooked through.

2. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic to pot and saute until softened, 3-4 minutes. Add parsley and thyme and stir until combined. Add chicken broth, jalapeno pepper, and place chicken thighs back into pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

3. Remove cooked chicken from the pot, remove skin, shred, and return to soup. Remove jalapeno pepper. Stir to combine and enjoy!

Chicken with mango and ginger

Mixing the chicken

With the help of Leap Day I am managing to get one single post up for this month! And it’s in real time…this is what I made for dinner tonight. It was pretty yummy, though I have to admit that I forgot to add the ginger. I bet it would be even tastier with the ginger that will now probably hang out in my vegetable drawer until it gets moldy.

Chicken with mango and ginger
Serves: 3
Source: adapted from Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2010

Prepping the parchment

Ingredients
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 medium jalapeno, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Juice from 1/2 lime, plus lime wedges for serving
1 teaspoon dried cilantro (or 1/3 cup fresh, chopped)
1 pound boneless chicken tenders
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Chicken with mango and a side o’ sweet potatoes

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together ginger, jalapeno, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, and cilantro. Add chicken and mix well. Season with salt and pepper and allow to marinate for a few minutes (or longer in the refrigerator).

3. Place mango pieces in the center of three square pieces of parchment paper. Top each with chicken mixture. Fold parchment into a twist or envelope shape.

4. Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet and baking until packets are puffed up and chicken is cooked through, 18-20 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

Greek chicken gyros

The most exciting thing about this recipe is that I didn’t overcook the chicken! This is super exciting in the life of a food nerd :). I cut each chicken breast into three pieces to speed up the cooking time.

Grillin chicken

I also enjoy any excuse to eat tzatziki. I am a big fan of the tzatziki at Whole Foods, but it seems to be a hot commodity, aka it was sold out, so I settled for Cedar’s brand. If you want to make it yourself, there’s a recipe here, and also one on Recipe Tin Eats, which inspired this post.

Greek chicken gyros
Serves: 2-3
Source: adapted from Recipe Tin Eats

Ingredients
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoons nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 Tablespoon dried oregano

Fillin’ up a pita

1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces if large
1 large tomato, diced
1 cucumber, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
Tzatziki
2-4 whole wheat pitas

Directions

All wrapped up and ready to eat

1. To a quart-size ziploc bag, add the garlic, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, Greek yogurt, oregano, salt, and pepper and mix together. Add the chicken to the ziploc bag. Seal the bag and make sure the chicken gets evenly coated with the marinade. Place the bag on a plate in the refrigerator and marinate for at least 2 hours (and up to 24 hours).

2. Preheat grill on medium high, then cook the chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side or until browned and cooked through (juices will run clear). Remove chicken from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

3. While the chicken is cooking, mix together the tomato, cucumber, and red onion and set aside.

4. To assemble the gyros, warm the pitas, then place each on a piece of parchment paper or foil, making sure there is some extra paper/foil on one side of the pita. Spoon some of the tomato mixture in the middle of the pita, then top with chicken and tzatziki. Roll the wrap and wrap the parchment paper around it, then twist the end with the extra paper/foil (this can help prevent losing your filling, but it doesn’t always prevent leakage).

Smoky peanut chicken tacos

Who doesn’t love taco night? The sauce for these chicken tacos is super tasty, and easy! I prepped it ahead of time and blended it up in my single-serve Ninja cup. Since I stored it in the fridge overnight, I had to add a little extra water to thin it up a bit. The extra sauce made a pretty good dip for chips too!

Just add your favorite taco toppings – I used extra sharp cheddar, cilantro, and shredded red cabbage and dinner is d-o-n-e.

Pretty peanut chicken tacos

Smoky peanut chicken tacos
Serves: 4
Source: Good Housekeeping, November 2015

Ingredients
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
1 Tablespoon melted butter
2 cloves garlic
1 chipotle chile in adobo
1/4 cup adobo sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
Tortillas
Sharp cheddar, shredded
Cilantro leaves, washed
Red cabbage, shredded

Directions
1. Puree peanut butter, water, butter, garlic, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, and salt until smooth. Adjust water as necessary to achieve a sauce-like consistency.

2. Pour the sauce into a 2-quart baking dish and add chicken breast, turning to coat. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked (165 degrees F).

3. Slice chicken then drizzle with 1 Tablespoon of lime juice. Serve with tortillas, cheese, cilantro, and red cabbage. Enjoy!