Tag: chicken

Chicken and Broccoli in White Wine Sauce

This recipe was inspired by a French chef’s cookbook, but it isn’t French. It’s sort of Italian. He called it scarpariello, but it’s unlike any other dish of that name I’ve seen, as it has no peppers and no sausage. And that includes one elsewhere on this very blog. But, since it’s not really authentically Italian, we can do with it what we like. And call it what we like. Whatever it’s called, and wherever it came from, chicken and broccoli in white wine sauce is a great weeknight meal. It’s all in one pot, for one thing. And it takes well under an hour to cook.

In the original dish, the chicken is browned, and then perked up with white wine, lemon, and garlic. He used fresh broccoli as a side dish.  I used frozen broccoli to cut down the cooking time even more, and tossed it in with the chicken. One less pan to clean!







 

More Chicken Recipes

Peruvian roast chicken with green saucePeruvian Roast Chicken in Green Sauce Recipe

I just love, love, love this. The green sauce is a bit spicy, rich, and utterly delicious. Great on chicken, or on boiled potatoes, or even as a veggie dip.

 

roast chicken with plumsRoast Chicken with Plums

Simple, sweet, tangy, and easy to make. But, it packs a lot of flavor.

 

stovetop coq au vinStovetop Coq au Vin Chicken with Red Wine Sauce

A casual, weeknight-friendly version of a French classic. No need to fuss to get a delicious meal. And, it is fancy enough for company.

 

chicken mushroom skillet recipeChicken and Mushroom Skillet Recipe

Another one pot meal with chicken, mushrooms, and onions. Just the thing when you don’t feel like fussing (or cleaning) too much.

 




Skillet Lemon Spinach Chicken

Bright, colorful, and oh so easy. Skillet lemon spinach chicken is bursting with flavor from lemon, tomatoes, fresh spinach, and a touch of white wine.  And, it all comes together in a single pot, ready in about 35 minutes.  Make yourself some rice and you’re ready to eat.

It’s perfect for weeknights when you’re hungry and haven’t got a lot of time to cook. And since it doesn’t cook for very long, it won’t heat up your kitchen too much. Great for summer, especially when tomatoes are in season.

This recipe was inspired by an online friend. He posted a photo and listed the main ingredients. It looked so good I decided to try it myself, and added my own spin with some oregano, a bit of chicken broth, and a pinch of red pepper flakes to brighten the flavor.

I used sauvignon blanc for the white wine (since that is what I had handy). A pinot gris would work too. You want something citrusy and aromatic, but not too sweet.

I had a package of mixed grape tomatoes (yellow, orange, red, and dark red), so I just popped in a few of those. But regular grape or cherry tomatoes are fine.



Skillet Lemon Spinach Chicken Substitutions and Variations

  • Swap the tomatoes for some red bell pepper (about 1/4 cup)
  • Add a sliced crimini mushroom or two
  • Don’t want wine? Add more chicken broth, or substitute some cream




More Chicken Recipes

shoemakers chickenShoemaker’s Chicken for One

A one pot “Italian” classic, spruced up with a tangy sweet-sour sauce.

 

honey sticky garlic chickenHoney Sticky Garlic Chicken

Craving Chinese food? Make this classic dish right in your home, without the wait.

 

roast chicken with plumsRoast Chicken with Plums

Sweet, tangy, with just a hint of savory warm spiciness. And super simple to make.

 

chicken with basil, peaches, and gingerChicken with Peaches and Ginger

Fresh, sweet peaches, plus savory ginger, and summery basil. One bowl, one pan, and you have dinner.

 

 




Small Batch Matzo Ball Soup

You can’t have Passover really without matzo ball soup.  It’s a rich, hearty soup made with chicken, lots of vegetables, and matzo balls. Matzo balls are dumplings, but made with matzo meal instead of flour.  My mom and great-grandma used to make this in enormous batches. Mom was feeding 20 or so at a time, and my great-grandma about 40-45 people (big family). That, of course is way too much for one person. So small batch matzo ball soup it is! My version makes about 5 or 6 servings.

Now, the usual way to make the soup is to boil the chicken, then add the veggies, bring to a boil, and simmer. However, if you do it that way, the chicken ends up fairly tasteless. So, I lightly cook the chicken first, then add the veggies, and finally the water. Doing it this way allows the chicken and veggies to caramelize a bit and gain added flavor.

The best way to do this, is to make the soup first. That way, if you get fat from the top, you can use that to make the matzo balls the next day. The matzo balls need to be refrigerated to firm up, so start them either in the morning or at night so they have time to chill.

Also, make sure to store the finished soup and matzo balls in different containers. Put them together and the matzo balls will absorb a lot of the liquid (leaving you with very little soup left!)

One more thing, there is (as usual) a big debate over the “proper” texture of matzo balls. Some say that they should be fluffy. Others insist they should be firm. My family comes firmly (ha ha) down on the firm side. They should have body and substance! Just say no to wimpy matzo balls!




More Passover Recipes

homemade small batch matzoHomemade Small Batch Matzo

Store-bought matzo tastes like, well “hemstitched cardboard.” Make it yourself instead and get something with actual good flavor

 

small batch charoses

Small Batch Charoses

It’s not Pesach without charoses. This mixture of apples, wine, nuts, and cinnamon is meant to remind us of the bricks our ancestors were forced to make while building Pharoah’s cities. Unlike actual mortar, this tastes good!

Cinnamon Sugar Brandy Bananascinnamon sugar bananas

End the festive meal with this easy banana dessert. They’re gently cooked in brandy and then sprinkled with cinnamon.  Ready in minutes.  Brandy is OK (check the label to make sure if you are observant).]

single serving double dark chocolate pudding recipeSingle Serving Double Dark Chocolate Pudding Recipe

One serving of rich, decadent chocolate pudding. Cook it less and you get thick, European-style hot chocolate. So, it’s really two recipes in one!

 




Arroz Con Pollo for One

In case you’re wondering, arroz con pollo just means chicken with rice. It’s a favorite Latin American dish, roughly similar to paella (but with a lot fewer steps and ingredients). I’ve adapted this from a Jacques Pépin recipe. I know what you’re thinking, isn’t he French? He is. But his wife is Puerto Rican and she taught him a thing or too.

Besides reducing the quantities, I’ve changed this recipe a bit. He used chickpeas  and bacon ((I never have chickpeas, so I went with beans instead and I usually get chorizo, more versatile).  He also put in cilantro stems. I like the dried version (coriander), but not fresh. And I’d never use it all anyway. So dried it is.

It’s all ready in about an hour. And, it only uses a single pot. Less cleanup is always a bonus as far as I’m concerned!







More Recipes with Beans

tuna cannellini bean saladTuna Cannellini Bean Salad Recipe for One

Want a quick meal? Just open a few cans and you’ve got an easy lunch. No actual cooking needed.

 

pasta e fagioli soupPasta e Fagioli (Bean) Soup

An Italian classic that’s filling and easy too. It’s flavored with pancetta and rosemary, for a meal that’s both both aromatic and delicious.

 

Brazilian chicken paprika stewBrazilian Chicken Paprika Stew

This is chicken paprikash that went south and stayed.  The cream is gone, replaced with sausage, lime, and beans. It’s rich and satisfying, and all in one pot!

 

black beans and rice recipe one personBlack Beans and Rice Recipe for One Person

Two meals in one! This can be an entree or a soup. It’s also pantry friendly. Just cook the beans slowly with garlic, onions, and two surprise ingredients. Cook it longer for a side dish/entree, or a bit less for soup.

 

Shoemaker’s Chicken for One

Shoemaker’s Chicken (or Chicken Scarpariello) is a classic Italian dish that isn’t really Italian at all. The true story goes something like this: Italians come to America and start adapting and creating new recipes, they become popular, a new tradition is born.

“Authentic” or not, it’s still delicious, flavored with a sweet/sour pan sauce that cooks right with the chicken.  One pan, minimal cleanup. Always a good thing.

There, are (naturally) plenty of variations on this dish, from just simply cooking it with olive oil, wine, and lemon to adding sausage and peppadew peppers.  Well, I didn’t have any sausage. I also didn’t have the right peppers, and since a) I didn’t want to get some for one meal or b) burden you with getting a whole jar of something for one meal, I used ordinary bell peppers instead. Then I added a bit of vinegar and a pinch of sugar to approximate the peppadew flavor.

Also, I used two different recipes as a starting point. The first one, from Bon Appetit,  called for browning the chicken in a skillet and then transferring to the oven to finish, The second one, from Pierre Franey’s 60 Minute Gourmet cookbook, cooked it all entirely in the skillet. My skillets are old, and I’m not entirely sure how oven-safe they are.  So, all-on-the stove top it was!

I did, however, make the potatoes suggested in Bon Appetit’s recipe.  That was just simply heating the oven to 450, then cutting a large Yukon potato into chunks, tossing it with 1 T of olive oil, salt and pepper and baking for about 20-25 minutes.

Order of operations: If you’re making the potatoes, preheat the oven first, then start the chicken, cut up the potatoes, put them in to cook, and finish the chicken.






 

More Chicken Recipes

stovetop coq au vinStovetop Coq au Vin Chicken with Red Wine Sauce

A streamlined version of a French classic (with an “easy” button).  Ready in under an hour, with only one pan to clean.

 

chicken mushroom skillet recipeChicken and Mushroom Skillet Recipe

The perfect solution when you want food fast.  It makes its own sauce, right in the pan.

 

roast chicken with plumsRoast Chicken with Plums

Perfect for summer, bathed in a sweet, tangy sauce with just a hint of savory warm spiciness. And super simple to make.

 

chicken with mushrooms and tarragonChicken with Tarragon and Mushrooms

Fancy French food (without going out, or paying a big bill). Increase the recipe, make it for company, and they’ll think you’re a food genius.  Or, keep it all to yourself.

 




Chili Citrus Avocado Chicken Salad

It’s a rare treat for me to get avocados at a decent price here in NY.  We always see them during the Super Bowl (for guacamole), but really the best time to buy them is now. But, I got a great deal at Imperfect Foods on both limes and avocados the other day. So, I decided to take advantage and create a chili citrus avocado chicken salad.

I must say it was a smashing success. The sweet limes, velvety avocado, bright and crunchy veggies, and the spicy chicken combine for a carnival of flavor and color.

The chili citrus chicken recipe is one I already had (here on the site).  Adding the veggies and the dressing transformed it into a completely different meal.

Great for hot weather.  Make extra chicken the night before for dinner and you don’t have to cook at all the next day.




 

Chili Citrus Avocado Chicken Salad Substitutions and Variations

  • Mix together whatever greens you like: spinach, leafy green lettuce, romaine, red lettuce, etc.
  • I used cucumber, carrots, and tomatoes as veggies, but feel free to substitute bell pepper, mushrooms, snap peas, cooked corn, or whatever other salad veggies strike your fancy
  • Add some orange segments to punch up the citrus flavor

More Entree Salad Recipes

leftover roast lamb eggplant spinach saladLeftover Roast Lamb Eggplant and Spinach Salad

Transform your lamb breast leftovers into a second meal (or make extra).  The creamy eggplant and the spinach balance the strong flavor of the lamb, all topped with a garlicky easy aioli dressing.

smoked salmon artichoke saladSmoked Salmon Artichoke Salad

A feast for both the eyes and the taste buds, this salad is both colorful and delicious.   It’s got sweet citrus, earthy spinach, and smoky salmon, all topped with a savory dressing.

 

cold leftover steak saladCold Leftover Steak Salad with Goat Cheese and Red Wine Vinaigrette

Forget the classic steak sandwich for a minute and use your leftovers to make this salad instead.  Chop some veggies, add goat cheese, and make a quick red wine vinaigrette. A full meal with no cooking! Ta da!

mixed greens egg potato chicken saladMixed Greens Egg Potato and Chicken Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Another great entree salad that’s easy and flavorful (without a lot of work). Use spinach, mixed greens, chicken, or tuna. It’s flexible and easy. All you have to cook is the potato and the egg.




Roast Chicken with Plums

Once summer rolls around, it’s hard to think about cooking too much. Complicated dishes, with lots of steps have very little appeal. On the other hand, something like this roast chicken with plums just hits the spot. It’s sweet, tangy, with just a hint of savory warm spiciness. And super simple to make.

My first thought the day I made this was to go for chicken with peaches and ginger, Then I had an idea. I had some fresh plums. Why not use those instead? Since plums are more tart than peaches, it needed something to balance the flavor, and add some sweetness. A bit of googling, and some reverse-engineering from a recipe I couldn’t see completely, and ta da!

All you have to do is cut up the ingredients, mix everything together, and bake it. You don’t have to fuss, or make a separate sauce, or hover over the stove.

I recommend using firmer plums as the riper ones are too soft to cut easily and tend to just collapse into mush (delicious mush, but still mush).




Roast Chicken with Plums Substitutions and Variations

  • make a spice rub with cumin, garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon, salt, and olive oil and marinate the chicken overnight
  • add ginger and lemon to the sauce
  • put the plum sauce on the bottom of the pan and layer the chicken over it (so the juices drip down)

More Chicken Recipes

Vietnamese baked chicken with limeVietnamese Chicken with Lime and Ginger

Ginger for warm spiciness, plus lime for a citrusy tang, and a bit of a kick from chili garlic sauce.

 

crispy lemon chicken thighCrispy Lemon Chicken Thigh Recipe for One

Great hot or cold, and perfect for picnics. Three kinds of lemon pack a big, citrusy punch, balanced by brown sugar.

 

feta brined roast chickenFeta Brined Roast Chicken Recipe for One

You’ve heard of brining turkey in salt? This is better. Brining with feta adds more flavor, and keeps the chicken moist and juicy.

 

peruvian roast chicken with green saucePeruvian Roast Chicken in Green Sauce Recipe

The sauce! Oh the sauce! It’s tangy, garlicky, and soooo good. Great on the chicken and also as a veggie dip.

 




Apple Almond Chicken Salad

Apple almond chicken salad is an easy lunch that’s full of flavor, without a lot of bother.  You can either start with rotisserie chicken from the store, or roast your own.  The flavor comes from sweet apples, crunchy almonds, and tangy sour cream.

Switching from all mayo to half sour cream and half mayo adds more zing, and makes the salad a lot less heavy. I don’t just mean calories.  I find all mayo is just too greasy.  If you don’t have sour cream, Greek yogurt works really well too.

This recipe was inspired by an online food group I belong to. There are themes most months and this time it was apples. So I decided to switch my usual chicken salad up a bit.  Goodbye grapes and hello apples!

Use a rotisserie chicken and this recipe is done in five minutes. Or, do it yourself (think of this as two recipes in one). The roast chicken is delicious for dinner too.

If you want to roast the chicken yourself, mix up 1 tsp olive oil, a small clove of garlic (chopped), and 1 tsp rosemary in a small ramekin. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and then coat it with the olive oil mixture.  Roast at 400 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Then let it cool, and remove the skin. Eat the skin as a chef’s treat (this is an important step!). Shred the chicken, and prepare the rest of the salad. Roasting at a higher temperature keeps the meat juicy while the skin gets crispy and golden brown.







Apple Almond Chicken Salad Substitutions and Variations

  • Use chopped almonds or other nuts, like walnuts or pecans
  • Try switching the rosemary in the roast coating with tarragon instead
  • If you use rotisserie chicken, add some fresh rosemary or tarragon to the salad
  • Go back to the grapes
  • Toss in some craisins (sweetened cranberries)

More Chicken Salad Recipes

chicken caprese salad paniniChicken Caprese Salad Panini Sandwich

Think of this as sophisticated grilled cheese for adults.  Crispy, golden brown, gooey, and delicious.

 

chicken salad recipe with yogurtChicken Salad Recipe with Greek Yogurt and Dried Currants

A twist on the standard chicken salad. This one has yogurt instead of mayo and sweet currants.

 

mixed greens egg potato chicken saladMixed Greens Egg Potato and Chicken Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

This is the “everything” salad. Toss in whatever veggies you like, hard boiled egg, chicken, and potatoes. It’s a full meal in one bowl.

 

chili citrus avocado chicken salad

Chili Citrus Avocado Chicken Salad

A great summer salad with leftover chicken, citrusy sweetness, and rich, smooth avocado.  The chicken comes with a kick, so it’s a festival of sweet/tangy/spicy flavors.

 

 




Honey Sticky Garlic Chicken

This honey sticky garlic chicken recipe is brought to you by two online recipes, and my awful cold. I can barely talk, so I wanted something spicy and zippy to clear my head. But, since I’m not feeling well, it also had to be pretty easy. And only use pantry ingredients, since I’m not going out unless I absolutely have to!  I was stuffy before I ate this, but not after! Yay!

I found two recipes online that were not quite right on their own, so I combined them.  The first one was a bit bland. The second required boneless breasts and said to dip the chicken in eggs and panko and then bake.  I never buy chicken breasts (no flavor), I didn’t want to bother deboning the chicken thigh I had, and I sure wasn’t in the mood for all that dipping and cleanup. Four bowls! No no no.

So, this chicken dish is super-simple to make. Just brown the chicken, and make a quick sauce. The honey and rice vinegar add a touch of sweetness, while the garlic, chili garlic sauce, and a bit of jalapeño pepper deliver a spicy kick (just perfect when you have the creeping crud).  Then there’s sesame seeds for a bit of crunch.

You can adjust the heat downwards by using sriracha instead of the chili garlic sauce and substituting bell pepper for the jalapeño.

Another option is to toss in some fresh or frozen veggies while the chicken is cooking. That makes it a heartier meal, and adds some extra color and vitamins.  Also good for colds.  A more colorful plate somehow looks tastier, I think..




 

Honey Sticky Garlic Chicken Substitutions and Variations

  • Add broccoli, snow peas, bok choy, or other veggies to the chicken about half way through the cooking process (fresh) or 15 minutes in (frozen)
  • Add extra chiles
  • If you don’t have rice vinegar, try apple cider vinegar (you want something with sweetness to balance the tartness)
  • If you have time and patience, cut the chicken up, dip in egg, and then in panko crumbs




More Chinese Chicken Recipes

stir fry chicken peanut sauce recipeStir Fry Chicken with Peanut Sauce

Why go out for chicken with peanut sauce when you can make it easily at home?  This recipe is ready in about 15 or 20 minutes, less time than you’d wait for takeout or delivery.

sichuan chinese chicken and eggplant with garlic sauceSichuan Chinese Chicken and Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

My brother was raving about the version of this at his local restaurant. So naturally I had to make my own.  Tender eggplant, a jolt from chili garlic sauce, and salty sweet hoisin sauce pack a lot of flavor. And it’s ready in minutes.

chinese chicken noodle cabbage soupChinese Chicken Noodle Cabbage Soup for One Person

Fragrant with garlic, spicy chili, and a hint of sweetness from honey, this Chinese chicken noodle cabbage soup tastes good and knocks out germs too.

Turkey Pot Pie for One Person

I’ve always loved chicken and turkey pot pie, likely because my mom does and she passed it on.  But I never made it myself, thinking it required a lot of fussing and that a turkey pot pie for one wasn’t terribly practical. I think it was the crust that scared me. However, I’ve started making more pies lately, since my brother has decided I am the designated holiday cook. And he really likes apple pie. 

So, for Thanksgiving, I made an apple pie, and the turkey, and then grabbed the remaining crust scraps, as well as turkey leftovers, and took it all home.  The pie scraps (from the all-butter crust) made the perfect topping for this turkey pot pie.  The bones were the basis for homemade stock, and the leftover cooked turkey became part of the filling.  If you don’t have turkey stock and/or leftovers, use chicken instead. 

I made my own crust and stock, but if you don’t have the time or inclination, store-bought will work just fine. If you can, get made in store stock, not the stuff in the can or box (it tastes better).  You could even get some cooked turkey from the deli counter. Then you have a semi-homemade dinner, without a lot of work.

Don’t be intimidated by the way, by the idea of making stock. It’s really easy. You just need bones (from turkey, chicken, beef or whatever kind of stock you want to make), water, salt and pepper, carrots, onions, and a bay leaf. Toss it all in a pot, bring to a boil, and then let it simmer for a couple of hours. I like to caramelize the bones and veggies in a bit of oil first, for more flavor.

I have adapted this from a Food Network recipe. I reduced the quantities and eliminated the celery and parsley.  If we were meant to eat celery, it would taste better and not get stuck in your teeth! 

It takes about an hour overall, in two stages. First make the filling, then add that to a six inch casserole dish, top it with the crust, and bake until golden brown.




Turkey Pot Pie for One Variations and Substitutions

  • Reduce the chicken broth to 1 3/4 C and add 1/4 cup of half and half
  • Add some sherry (about a tablespoon)
  • Add herbs, such as sage, thyme, and rosemary to the onions when you cook them
  • Substitute corn for the peas
  • Sauté some garlic with the onions

More Turkey Recipes

sweet and sour jelly turkey meatballsSweet and Sour Turkey Meatballs with Jelly and Chili Sauce

Classic comfort food that’s grown up and gotten sophisticated. Spicier, and not as sweet. You may lick the plate (my dad did).

 

quick spicy turkey soupQuick and Easy Spicy Leftover Turkey Soup

Use up that leftover holiday turkey with this south-of-the-border take on standard turkey soup. Tangy lime, spicy cayenne, and cool sour cream make the soup flavorful, rich, and satisfying.

Cranberry Chipotle Turkey Burritocranberry chipotle turkey burrito

Earthy/spicy chipotle, and sweet tart cranberries combine for another Mexican-influenced treat. Use up the extra turkey, and the cranberry relish, all at once!

 

easy leftover turkey soupEasy Leftover Turkey Soup Recipe

Haven’t got the ingredients for something? Improvise! Swap the veggies, fake some Herbs de Provence, add some Riesling, and simmer. Ta da! Soup!