Tag: chicken

Khoresh-e Loobia Sabz – Chicken and Green Bean Stew

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A pot of khoresh, a Persian stew, simmering with chicken, green beans, and tomatoes in a rich sauce.

Persian cuisine is a world class tradition that deserves more recognition. While I don’t believe its diverse flavors and styles are as widely known as they should be, this classic khoresh offers a perfect introduction. It’s a foundational dish instantly recognizable to any Persian family and one of my personal favorites, refined over many years.

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless Chicken Thighs. 

3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil, I like avocado oil. 

1 lb Green Beans, ends removed, cut into 2-inch pieces

1 large yellow Onion, finely chopped

3 large Garlic cloves, minced

1 cup Tomato sauce or Passata

1 cup sliced Cherry Tomatoes 

1-2 Tbsp Tomato Paste 

1 Tbsp Fenugreek leaves 

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon Cumin powder

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

2 tablespoons fresh Lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the chopped onion, saute until soft. 

Add the minced garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add turmeric, stir well. Add the chicken pieces, salt and pepper, cumin, and cayenne pepper, cook until the chicken is no longer pink.

Add the chopped tomatoes, the tomato sauce and fenugreek, mix well. Add enough water or broth to cover. Add tomato paste and bring to a gentle boil for a few minutes. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook on low heat for 45-50 minutes.

In the meantime, in a large frying pan sauté the green beans lightly for a couple of minutes in 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add the beans to the pan, add cinnamon, the lime juice, add additional hot water if necessary, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Cover and cook for another 15-20 minutes on low heat until the chicken pieces and green beans are tender, most of the water evaporated and the tomato sauce thickened. If you feel it is not as thick as you’d like, you can simmer it uncovered for this last 15-20 minutes.

Serve with steamed basmati rice or tahdig.

One-Pan Chicken and Vegetable Recipe

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Sometimes it’s nice to have a dish that allows you to clean out the fridge and use up the bits and pieces. Having a one pan meal is always an advantage for easy clean up

This recipe is perfect for that, as you can substitute any root vegetable and change the herbs by whatever’s around. I’ll share my recipe here, but feel free to experiment.

A glass baking dish filled with cooked chicken drumsticks placed on a bed of halved baby Yukon Gold potatoes and chopped parsnips, seasoned with herbs.

Ingredients:

1-2 lbs of Chicken, bone in. Whatever you prefer, but I had drumsticks. Thighs would also be very good.

Potatoes, halved. I used one bag of baby Yukon Gold.

3-4 Parsnips, peeled and chopped roughly. Carrots could work as well.

2-3 cloves of Garlic

1 cup Riesling. Again, you can sub wines here, but I find a slightly sweeter profile works well.

4 Tbsp Butter

5-6 springs of fresh Thyme. Rosemary or tarragon would be a good sub here.

Sat and Pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400F/204C. Arrange the potatoes and parsnips in the pan and arrange the chicken, skin side up, on the top. Add generous salt and pepper.

A glass baking dish filled with seasoned chicken drumsticks on a bed of halved baby Yukon Gold potatoes and chopped parsnips, garnished with fresh thyme.

Melt the butter garlic and thyme together and pour over the chicken. Bake for 60-100 minutes until the chicken is done and nicely browned. Remove the chicken and give the vegetables a good stir and serve.

Note: If you feel the pan is getting too dry, just add bit more wine.

Cajun Gumbo

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Gumbo can be made so many different ways and books have been written about the different combinations. However, this is one of my favorite versions as it is smoky and dark. The flavor needs time to develop, so don’t try and rush it. The slower it cooks the better it will be.
 

A pot filled with a smoky, dark gumbo featuring chunks of sausage, chicken, and various vegetables, simmering on a stove.

The key to a great gumbo is the roux. Making a good roux is easy, if you follow the steps exactly and again don’t rush. Check back to the previous post on making a roux.

Always serve with freshly steamed white rice. I like to medium grain, as it gets nice and sticky. It seems to hold up better with gumbos and jambalayas.

Ingredients: 

3/4 cup of Vegetable Oil

3/4 cup of All Purpose Flour

2 large Onions, chopped

1 large Green Pepper, chopped

1 cup of Celery, chopped with the leaves included

1 lb. of Andouille or other smoked sausage, sliced into 1/2 inch pieces.

1 lb. Chicken, boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2 inch cubes.

6 cups of hot Water or broth

1 Tbsp Salt, or to taste.

½ tsp. Cayenne pepper

3 Bay leaves

1 tsp. Thyme, or 3-4 sprigs of fresh Thyme

Lots of freshly ground Black Pepper

1 cup finely chopped Green Onions

1 Tbsp File Powder

Preparation:

Make a medium or dark roux, then add all the vegetables and spices and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. When the smell starts to fill the kitchen it’s ready.

Then add the sausage, and cook for another 5 minutes. Now add the hot water and bring it to a boil and then turn it down to medium low for 30 minutes.

Add the chicken and bring it back to a gentle boil and cook for an additional 1-3 hours. When the fat comes to the surface skim it off, otherwise your gumbo will be greasy.

Here’s a simple trick. Use a paper towel folded in half and then again and gently lay it on the surface and let it absorb the excess oil. Use tongs to take it out. Do as often as needed.

When you’re ready to serve it, take it off the heat and add the file powder and green onions. Let it sit for a few minutes and rest, then spoon into bowls on top of your white rice.

Gai Yang- Thai Grilled Chicken

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This is the most wonderful marinated grilled chicken dish. It is a staple in Thailand on most any street corner and it is delicious. It is super easy to prepare and goes great with a salad and steamed rice.

I have also used it on pork (Moo Yang) and beef and it is just as good. The key is to use the best ingredients and make sure to let it marinade overnight.

Ingredients:

2 lbs of Chicken. I prefer boneless skinless thighs.

½ cup Coriander/Cilantro Roots or Stems. Roots can be hard to find, so stems will work perfectly.

6 cloves Garlic

1 Tbsp freshly ground Black Peppercorns

3 Tbsp Thai Fish Sauce

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

2 Tbsp Oyster Sauce

1 Tbsp Sugar

1 Lime, juiced.

Dash of Vegetable Oil, helps the marinade adhere to the meat.

Preparation:

Grind your black peppercorns and then combine all ingredients into a mini food processor and blend into a smooth mixture. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also use a mortar and pestle.

Pour over the meat and refrigerate for at least overnight. Then remove from marinade and grill until done. You can also roast them in the oven and an air fryer is particular good. Air fryer timing is 16-20 minutes at 375F. Turning once half way through cooking.

Serve with Thai Jasmine rice and Nam Pla Prik sauce or sweet Thai chili sauce.

Homemade Chicken Stock

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Yes, stocks can be time consuming, but there are so many variations and the quality is vastly better than anything from the market. It is liquid gold indeed.

You will need a large heavy grade stock pot for this to work properly. If you don’t have one, then it’s a good time to invest.

Every time I chop vegetables like carrots, onions and celery, I always tend to cut a bit off, or peel them, but I save the scraps and freeze them for making stock. Yes, even the onion skins. Any left over chicken bones can also be frozen. The addition of the onion skins gives the stock a beautiful golden color.

A large stock pot filled with simmering chicken stock, including chunks of chicken, onion, garlic, celery, and black peppercorns.

In this recipe, I roasted a whole chicken and then after stripping away the meat, I used the carcass to make the stock. Literally, I got roasted chicken for dinner for one night, meat for chicken salad or sandwiches and now stock.

Ingredients: 

1 Whole Chicken, keep the neck, but remove the giblets if included. As mentioned, I like to roast the chicken to really bring out the flavor.

2 Carrots, roughly chopped

2 Celery stalks, leaves and all, roughly chopped

2 medium Onions cut in quarters. Skins on.

3-4 cloves of Garlic, left whole.

2 Bay Leaves

10 Black Peppercorns

A few springs of fresh Thyme

Preparation:

If you’re using a roasted chicken, when you’re ready to make your stock, strip off all the meat and set aside for other uses. pull apart the chicken carcass into pieces and put all ingredients into the stock pot, adding any of the frozen bits (vegetable scraps and random bones) you’ve stashed away.

Add enough water to cover the chicken. Bring to a low boil and then drop the heat and gently simmer covered with the lid slightly ajar for 8-14 hours. Throughout the process, it helps to skim off the scum that comes to the surface. The longer you can cook the better and richer your stock will be.

A close-up of a large stainless steel stock pot filled with homemade chicken stock, featuring pieces of meat, vegetables, and herbs floating in the liquid.

After allowing the stock to cool, strain it. I find two mesh strainers work well, or you can also use a strainer with some cheesecloth.

A close-up image of a clear chicken stock in a glass bowl, with a slight sheen on the surface, resting on a kitchen countertop.

Then cool thoroughly before either freezing or refrigerating in a covered storage container. I find that removing the excess fat that gathers on the surface really keeps the stock clear and gives a better mouthfeel.

Chicken alla Cacciatore(Pollo alla Cacciatore)

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This is a very old school Italian dish. It means a dish prepared in the “hunters style”. Historically it was made with rabbit or other game, really whatever was available, but I feel chicken is easier to find and just as good. 

It may seem like a lot of ingredients but it really comes together quickly. It’s a simple one pot meal. And, even better the next day. 

There are two schools of thought regarding the chicken. I use boneless skinless chicken thighs, but some prefer a bone-in thigh or an entire chicken cut up to add flavor. While I understand this, I find it very messy as the chicken falls off the bone and the bones end up in the final dish and I feel it’s hard to eat. If that’s not an issue for you, then go for it.

Ingredients: 

2 lbs Chicken Thighs, boneless skinless. 

1/2 cup of Pancetta

3-4 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Onion, chopped 

1 Red Pepper, chopped 

1 Carrot, chopped 

1 stalk Celery, chopped 

5 cloves Garlic, minced

1/2 cup Marsala or white Wine

1/2 cup pitted Kalamata Olives. 

2 Tbsp Capers 

2 packages Mushrooms, sliced – optional. 

2- 28oz can Crushed Tomatoes or suitable fresh tomatoes. I like to use cherry tomatoes sliced in half.

1 sprig fresh Basil

1 tsp Oregano

1 Bay Leaf

1 tsp Thyme 

1 tsp Chili Flakes

Salt and Pepper

Parmesan Cheese

Preparation:

Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken thighs and into the fridge. Take it out a bit before cooking to take the chill off. Cook the pancetta until lightly brown and gently brown the chicken on both sides. 

Finely mince your onion, red pepper, carrot, celery and garlic and then sauté in the same saucepan. Add olive oil as needed. Deglaze with your Marsala wine.

Add your tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients, and simmer gently for 1-2 hours. It just gets better. 

Spoon into bowls and grate Parmesan cheese on top. It’s very good on it’s own like a stew, with some crusty bread, but feel free to serve with pasta or extra vegetables if you choose. If you choose pasta, use a tube or shaped pasta, like penne or rigatoni.

Chicken Fricasse, Poulet a’ l’Ancienne

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Another French classic which has many variations. This is the kind of food French grandmere’s have perfected over generations. It’s a bit of a cross between a sauté and a stew, but the real key is the braising sauce.

It utilizes that workhorse of the French kitchen, the mirepoix. A mix of onions, carrots and celery. Gently sautéed in butter and a bit of oil, it’s magical.

I’d suggest that the classic recipe for fricassee is from Julia Child. I’ve made her version and it is very good, but very involved. This modified version from Martha Stewart is excellent and vastly easier to prepare. I’ve changed it a bit, but essentially the same.

Both recipes call for a whole chicken cut up, but I find the consistency of the boneless skinless thighs work very well, feel free to use either.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs Chicken Thighs, boneless skinless. Trimmed of excess fat.

4 Tbsp Butter

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Carrot, minced

1 Onion, minced

1 Celery stalk, minced

2 cups Mushrooms, quartered

2 Tbsp Flour

1/2 cup White wine

2 cups Vegetable or Chicken Broth

1/2 Tbsp Thyme

1- Bay Leaf

2 Egg Yolks

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1/2 Lemon, juiced

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 350F. Heat your butter and oil in your oven proof Dutch oven and begin by lightly browning the chicken on both sides. Brown only a few pieces at a time, or they will steam rather than brown. Remove and set aside.

Add your mirepoix(onion,carrot and celery) into the pan and gently sauté as you scrape away any browned bits. These are packed with flavor.

Add your mushrooms and sauté until they give up their water. Add your flour and stir until the mixture starts to thicken. You are basically making a roux, to thicken the fricassee.

Add in your wine and cook until it reduces and begins to thicken. Add your broth and simmer gently. Then, add your thyme and bay leaf.

Put the chicken into the Dutch oven and gently stir to coat the chicken and into the oven uncovered for 40 minutes.

Just before the chicken is done, whisk together your egg yolks and heavy cream.

Remove the chicken from the oven and carefully add a few tablespoons of the sauce to the egg yolk/cream mixture, one at a time to temper it and then fold the mixture into the chicken to finish the sauce. Give it about one minute to thicken. Finish with lemon juice.

Hainanese Style Chicken Rice

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Hainanese Chicken Rice is a traditional dish originally from Hainan Island, in which the chicken is gently poached and then served with rice and a dipping sauce. The dish was originally derived from a dish called Wenchang Chicken and was taken by Chinese immigrants to Singapore and Malaysia. Once there, it evolved into the dish we know today. 

This is not a traditional preparation, but I wanted a dish that had the wonderful flavors, but was faster to prepare and could be done in one pot. Using the rice cooker is perfect. If you don’t have a rice cooker, any sturdy pot with a lid will work. 

Ingredients: 

4 -5 Chicken Thighs, bone in

2 Tbsp Oil

4 -5 Scallions, chopped

4 cloves Garlic, minced

3 inch piece of Ginger, minced

1 1/2 cups brown Jasmine rice, see note. 

3 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth

1 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Fish Sauce 

1 Tbsp Sesame Oil 

Salt and black or white pepper 

Dipping Sauce:

Finely chopped scallions, soy sauce, ginger, rice vinegar and sesame oil. This is optional, but it really does add a lot of flavor.

Preparation:

Begin by salt and peppering your chicken on both sides and letting it rest in the refrigerator. I like to toast the white peppercorns lightly, before I grind them. 

Chop finely or use a mini prep for your scallion, garlic and ginger and set aside. Wash and drain your rice and then prepare your dipping sauce if using.

In a medium size skillet heat up your oil and sear your chicken thighs on both sides and set aside. You want them just slightly browned. If you want the skin to be more poached and velvety, then feel free to skip this step. 

Add in your scallion, garlic and ginger to the same pan and sauté gently. Do not allow them to brown, then add in your rice and sauté for about a minute until it’s well coated. 

Add this rice mixture to your rice cooker, add in your broth, soy sauce , fish sauce and sesame oil and mix it up. And then gently lay your chicken skin side up on top and put your rice cooker for normal cooking time for the type of rice you’ve chosen.

After the rice cooker has finished, allow it to set covered for 10 minutes. 

Note: I’ve suggested a 2 to 1 ratio of broth to rice, because I used brown jasmine rice and that is the ratio my rice cooker calls for. If you choose to use white jasmine rice, a ratio on one to one should be fine or just follow the directions for your rice cooker.

Georgian Chicken – Shkmeruli

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Georgian food was a cuisine that I just hadn’t had a chance to explore. After hearing a lot about it and having a few Georgian bakeries and restuarants opening up nearby, I decided to do a deep drive and I was impressed. It’s rich cuisine with influences from many cultures.

This is a one pot meal that’s packed with flavor and is even better the next day. While not a totally traditional classic Shkmeruli, it’s very good and quite a bit lighter as I did not add the cream. Although I must say I’m sure it would have been even better with it.

Ingredients: 

Chicken, I used 5 bone in thighs.

Flour, for dusting. 

3 Tbsp Butter

1 1/2 Tbsp Khmeli Suneli spice blend, 1/2 for chicken, 1/2 for flour. See note.

6-8 cloves Garlic, minced

3 medium Carrots, chopped 

1/2 cup Celery, chopped.

1 Onion, chopped

5-6 Baby Potatoes, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 

1/2 cup White Wine 

1/4- 1/2 cup Chicken or vegetable broth

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup Heavy Cream, optional 

Preparation:

Season your chicken with spice blend and salt and pepper. Allow to rest in the fridge. 

Preheat your oven to 350F. Coat the chicken in the flour and spice blend and brown in your oven proof pan and set aside. 

Add the garlic, vegetables and potatoes into the Dutch oven and wilt slightly. Deglaze with your wine. Add back your chicken, remaining spice mix and veggie stock. 

Cover and into a 350F oven for 35-45 minutes. Remove cover and add cream if using and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and adjust for salt as needed. 

It is traditionally served with Georgian bread to soak up the sauce. You can sub warm pita if the traditional bread is not available.

If you need to make this gluten free, you can skip the flour coating and just brown the chicken directly in the pan.

Note: You can find many Khmeli Suneli spice blends online, but I particularly like this one from Mariko. Very balanced and incredible flavor. You can order it on Amazon from their storefront. They are a small business and they ship directly.

Tom Yum Koong, Thai Hot and Sour Shrimp Soup

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This is a traditional Thai soup. To make it properly, you need to layer the flavors, rather than throwing everything into the pot at one time.

I have heard from a few people that some of the ingredients are somewhat hard to find. If you have a local Asian market, they often keep the galangal and kaffir lime leaves in the freezer section. Both freeze very well.

Barring that, here is a great Thai produce site to find everything you need. Use what you need of the lemongrass, galangal and kaffir lime leaves and freeze the rest. https://importfood.com

Ingredients:

6 cups low sodium Vegetable Broth
1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
1/2 – 3/4 lb Shrimp, shelled and deveined with shells, heads and tails retained.
3 pieces of sliced Galangal, softened with back of your knife.
2 stalks Lemon Grass, peeled and tough ends cut off and softened with back of your knife.
3 cloves Garlic, peeled and mashed.
3-5 fresh Thai Chilies, sliced in half.
8 Kaffir Lime leaves
1 Tbsp Chili Paste with Soya Bean Oil, see picture and note below.
1 cup Fresh Oyster Mushrooms, chopped into bite size pieces.

2 Tbsp Fish Sauce
3-4 fresh Limes, juiced
Fresh Cilantro for garnish.

Preparation:

Begin by heating up your oil in a medium to large stock pot. Then add in your galangal, garlic, chilies and lemon grass and retained shrimp shells and sauté them briefly until the aroma starts to release.

Add in your vegetable broth and kaffir lime leaves  bring it up to a soft simmer. Allow this to gently simmer for about 20 minutes.

Then strain the broth and return to your pan. Add your chili paste and oyster mushrooms. Simmer for 3-4 minutes and then add your fish sauce and shrimp. Cook just until the shrimp turn pink. This will take only a minute or so.

Add your lime juice, adjust to taste, top with fresh cilantro and remove from the heat and serve.

Note: Sugar is often added to Tom Yum Koong, but I found the chili paste I used was quite sweet, so I omitted any additional sugar. If you can find Thai Nam Prik Pao (Roasted Chili Paste) then you might need the sugar. If so, 1 tsp would be suffcient.