The Apartment Kitchen » chicken

Simple Taco Salad

admin — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 23:35:50 +0000

Wow – what a week. Matt and I moved into our new house on Sunday, and (after a host of problems), we’re pretty much settled. During the packing and the loading and unloading, we were on the moving diet of cereal and sandwiches. So on our first real night, I wanted to cook, but it was a tad on the hot side.

By a tad on the hot side, I mean over a hundred degrees. All day long. And our wonderful new house is without A/C. So as I poured a glass of champagne to celebrate our first night in the house, all I could think of was how I couldn’t make anything that would make the house even hotter. As I thought about it, guacamole sounded like the perfect solution. I did turn on the burner to saute some chicken, mushrooms, and spinach, then I piled it all on top of some chips loaded with cool, delicious guacamole. It was easy, quick, and didn’t have me in the kitchen for long. I know it’s nothing special, but it felt good to cook (even in the heat) and eat in our new dining room in our new house.

Simple Taco Salad

Served 2.

Leftover Potential: Keeps well – though the guacamole will oxidize if it’s not directly covered.

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 thin chicken breasts

salt and pepper, to taste

taco seasoning, to coat

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 cups mushrooms

2 or 3 handfuls spinach

salt and pepper, to taste

1 red onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 jalapeno, seeded, minced

2 avocadoes

salt and pepper, to taste

chips, as needed

1. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and taco seasoning. Saute the chicken until it’s cooked through, about 3-5 minutes. Dice the chicken.

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and saute until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the spinach and saute until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Combine the onion, garlic, jalapeno, and avocadoes with a fork until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Arrange the chips on a plate. Top with the chicken, mushrooms and spinach, and guacamole.

Chicken and Onions with Creamy Cashew Gravy

admin — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 01:56:10 +0000

What do you make when half the kitchen is wrapped in brown paper and lying all over the dining room table? That was the question before me as I scrolled through my massive “To Cook” list on the desktop of my computer. I peruse this list every so often for ideas and to remind myself of things I’ve seen or tasted that I want to try.

When I hit the recipe for cashew gravy, I stopped for a moment. This recipe has been on the list for a long time – it’s one of those delicious, comforting foods I love to eat at Indian restaurants. Tender meat and vegetables simmered in a nut-based gravy. As I read over the instructions, I wondered why I hadn’t made this earlier – it seemed shockingly simple. Could it be that only a handful of ingredients and 20 minutes stood between me and this fabled gravy?

YES! I made a few adaptations, of course, but this gravy is flavorful (and can be seasoned with any of your favorite spices) and would be great with almost any meat (lamb, beef, pork) or paneer! As Matt gobbled it down, he took note of the recipe – this will be a quick go to meal for many nights to come.

Chicken and Onions with Creamy Cashew Gravy

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: Reheats well – makes a great lunch the next day!

1 (14 oz) can chicken or vegetable broth

1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves

1/2 cup cashews

salt, to taste

1 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp coriander

1/3 tsp cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

1/3 cup Greek yogurt

2 Tbsp oil

1 red onion, roughly chopped

1 lb chicken, chopped

salt and pepper, as needed

cilantro, as needed for garnish

1. In a small pot, bring the broth, pepper, garlic, and cashews to a simmer. Cook until the peppers are very tender, about 8-10 minutes. Puree until smooth.

2. Season the gravy with salt, cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Stir in the yogurt and keep warm.

3. Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and saute until tender, about 4-5 minutes.

4. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and add to the pan. Saute until beginning to brown, about 4-5 minutes. Add the gravy and bring the mixture to a simmer.

5. Cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 2-3 minutes more. Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice.

Barbeque Chicken Pizza with Red Onions and Avocadoes

admin — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 23:51:04 +0000

I feel like I’ve fallen off the face of the blogging earth! I’ve been in a whirlwind of busy. I took two fantastic classes (a butchery class and a fish and seafood fabrication class) that were amazing – but have had me working long, strange hours. I’m not going to lie – it was an even toss up between cooking (simple, standby meals) and take-out.

And on top of it all, I’m moving next weekend. A new, and fantastically large apartment kitchen awaits me and I am terribly excited. Once I get in and get organized, I’ll share some pics and tips on how I moved into and organized my new kitchen!

For now, enjoy one of the simple meals I made last week – barbeque chicken pizza. I got the idea from a fellow blogger who put avocadoes on top of her pizza – love it! The result was different and more exciting than a plain old cheese or pepperoni pizza -and still made great leftovers (minus the avocado).

Barbeque Chicken Pizza with Red Onions and Avocadoes

Serves 2.

Leftover Potential: Reheats well, keeps for 1-2 days.

2 skin on chicken breasts

salt and pepper

1 recipe pizza dough

1 1/2 cup barbeque sauce

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup grated mozzarella

olive oil, as needed

salt and pepper, to taste

1 avocado, thinly sliced

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Roast the chicken in a 375 degree oven until cooked through, about 30-35 minutes. Let it cool enough so you can shred it.

2. Roll out the pizza dough very thin – about 1/4 inch thick. Spread the barbeque sauce evenly on the surface. Scatter the onions, garlic, chicken, and mozzarella.

3. Brush the edges of the dough with olive oil, and season the pizza with salt and pepper. Bake in a 450 degree oven until the crust is browned and the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes.

4. Let the pizza cool slightly, then top with the avocado and serve!

Chicken with Sausages, Artichokes, and White Wine

admin — Thu, 27 May 2010 00:17:17 +0000

One more great Food52 inspired recipe to share before moving on to new things – this chicken dish is simple to prepare, but fancy and flavorful enough to make for a special occasion. For me, the special occasion was a weekend supper (my favorite because I’m not limited by the time constraints I often face mid-week when it comes to grocery shopping and cooking) for Matt and I. Simmering the dish gives it a nice slow-cooked flavor, but it doesn’t take long to make. I also love the flavors together – they are a natural combination that will always work!

Chicken with Artichokes, Sausage, and White Wine

Adapted from Merrill on Food52.com

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: We didn’t have any, but the chicken should re-heat well in the oven.

1/2 cup flour

salt and pepper, as needed

3 pounds chicken breasts (bone in, skin on)

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 spicy sausages, cooked and sliced

2 shallots, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

pinch red pepper flakes

1 cup white wine

1 sprig rosemary

1 cup chicken broth

1 twelve oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1. Place the flour in a shallow bowl. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and dredge it in the flour.

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausages and saute until they are very crisp, about 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken and saute until browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve.

3. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan, and saute until the shallots are translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Season with red pepper flakes. Deglaze the pan with the wine, and add the rosemary. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook until the wine has reduced by half.

4. Stir in the chicken broth, and artichoke hearts, and add the chicken back to the pan. Continue to simmer, turning the chicken pieces once, until cooked through – about 15-20 minutes.

5. Finish the chicken with the lemon juice and zest, and serve.

Make-Ahead Meal: Ginger Chicken

admin — Sat, 22 May 2010 15:23:11 +0000

I discovered this make-ahead meal on Food52, and I’m so glad I did. It’s super fast, but has incredible flavor and tastes like it took hours. Make the marinade the night before and get the chicken a-marinatin’. Then bake it and voila! Dinner in a flash.

Ginger Chicken

Adapted from Waverly on Food52

Serves 4-6.

Leftover Potential: The chicken reheats well, and is especially good cold and shredded on a salad.

1/2 cup honey

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup minced garlic

1/2 cup grated ginger

pinch red pepper flakes

4 chicken quarters

1. Combine the honey and soy sauce in a small pot, and stir over medium low heat until well combined. Remove from heat and stir in the garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes.

2. Place the chicken in a shallow dish, and poor the marinade over it. Cover, refrigerate, and marinade overnight (turn once or twice if you get the chance).

3. When ready to serve, bake the chicken at 350 degrees skin side up for 30-35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. During the last 5 minutes of cooking raise the temperature to 375 and bake until the skin is crisp. Serve with rice!

Chicken Dupiaza

admin — Wed, 19 May 2010 19:11:37 +0000

Have you been to Food52.com? No? But I’ve written about it before! You must not have been listening! Well, move that mouse up to the navigation bar and take a trip over there. It’s a fabulous food community made up of all kinds of great cooks who write delicious recipes.

The site is centered around it’s weekly contests, from which recipes are recognized – but there are hundreds of absolutely delectable recipes that have never entered a contest that you can peruse. My favorite thing about the site is how absolutely inspiring it is. A few nights ago, I was randomly scrolling through and found this delicious recipe. It’s a curry (of which I’ve made many before), but it’s got a tasty twist I couldn’t resist.

The curry is made with an onion puree as the base of the sauce. What? Genius! I love onions, and this curry was incredibly flavorful and ultra-simple to make. The onion flavor isn’t overpowering at all – it’s almost sweet rather than pungent. I made a few changes in my version, and it turned out lovely. Vegetarians – just switch over to vegetable broth and add tofu and you’re all set!

Chicken Dupiaza

Adapted from mtlabor on Food52.com

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: Reheats relatively well, but we had very little left!!!

4 onions, chopped

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 Tbsp oil

2 sticks celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 Tbsp grated ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp tumeric

4 tsp curry powder

1 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp garam masala

2 Tbsp tomato paste

3/4 cup Greek yogurt

3 chicken breasts, cubed

chopped cilantro, as needed for garnish

1. Place half of the onions in a small pot. Cover with just enough the chicken broth, and bring to a simmer. Cook untilthe onions are very tender, 12-15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.

2. Puree the onion mixture until smooth. Set aside.

3. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add remaining onions, celery, and carrots, and saute until tender, 6-8 minutes.

4. Add the ginger and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Stir in the spices, and mix to combine.

5. Deglaze the pan with the tomato paste, and stir in the onion puree and Greek yogurt. Bring the mixture to a simmer.

6. Add the cubed chicken and stew until the chicken is cooked through, 12-15 minutes. Serve with rice, garnished with cilantro.

Chicken Fried Rice

admin — Mon, 17 May 2010 13:54:03 +0000

I have never (before this post) made chicken fried rice. This is primarily because we never (and I mean never) have leftover rice. So when I made waaaaay too much rice last week aside some chicken, I excitedly got out my wok and made the first fried rice my kitchen has ever seen (outside of a takeout container).

Like most of the things I make, this can be customized with your favorite (read: leftover) meats and veggies. The result was delicious and so easy, I will be making too much rice from now on, just so I can make this the next day!

Chicken Fried Rice

Served 4
Leftover Potential: Reheats well and is pretty good cold – like leftover takeout!

2 bone-in chicken breasts (with skin
salt and pepper, as needed

1 Tbsp oil
1 1/2 cups diced Chinese sausage
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 stalk celery, minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
1 cup mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced

2 1/2 cups leftover rice
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp garlic-chili sauce, or more to taste
1 tsp Oyster sauce

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Roast it in a 350 degree oven until cooked through, about 35 minutes. Let cool completely. Remove the skin. Dice the meat and reserve.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a wok or large saute pan. Add the diced sausage and saute until the sausage is on the crisp side and the fat is rendered. Remove the sausage and reserve.
3. Add the green onions, celery, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Saute until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute more.
4. Add the rice to the pan and stir to combine. Add the chicken and sausage back to the pan, and toss to combine. Stir fry until the rice is heated through.
5. Season the rice with soy sauce, vinegar, chili sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir well to combine.

Beer Battered Chicken Tenders

admin — Tue, 04 May 2010 11:48:06 +0000

I was a little dazed when I logged onto my computer this morning and saw that today is May 4th. May 4th?!?!? At some point over the last week, April has gone from “almost over” to “long gone” and I barely even noticed. Part of this has had to do with my house – the air conditioning is broken and my roommates and I have been cramming ourselves into the basement in an effort to stay cool. Needless to say, turning on the oven in a house that was reading 91 degrees at all times was not an option.

Luckily, Matt and I made these chicken tenders last week before the heat wave struck. This is a rare occasion for us – we rarely deep-fry, though we both have a weakness for fried foods. Matt was craving his favorite beer battered chicken tenders, so on a rainy afternoon, we whipped up a batch. They were delicious, and he taught me the true secret – double battering. Serve these yummies with honey mustard or any other of your favorite condiments.

Beer Battered Chicken Tenders

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: Like most fried things, these are best consumed immediately.

1 lb chicken tenders

salt, as needed

1 bottle beer (ale)

1 egg white

1 1/4 cups flour, or more as needed

pinch salt

flour, as needed to coat

oil, as needed for frying

1. Season the chicken liberally with salt. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine the beer, egg white, flour, and salt until a smooth batter forms – the batter should be thick enough to evenly coat the chicken, but not so thick that it resembles paste. If the mixture appears too thin, add more flour a few tablespoons at a time. If it is too thick, thin it with water a few tablespoons at a time.

3. Place an even layer with flour in a shallow bowl or pan. Heat the oil in a large pot until it reads 350 degrees on a thermometer.

4. Dip the chicken into the batter, then toss it in flour to coat, then return it to the batter for one more coat.

5. Fry the chicken until evenly browned on both sides and it floats to the surface, about 3-4 minutes per side.

Baked Chicken and Green Chile Taquitos

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 00:36:31 +0000

I’ve come across the ideas of baked taquitos on a few blogs, and I was eager to try them. To my surprise, they got wonderfully crispy in the oven, but they didn’t feel heavy at all. You could use a variety of different fillings, but since the we were taking the healthy route, I made a spicy chicken filling. Needless to say, this was a big hit in our household. I’ll be making it again, and mixing up the fillings inside (I’m thinking refried beans, mushrooms, and cheese).

Baked Chicken Green Chile Taquitos

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: The taquito filling is great on a taco salad, and the assembled taquitos can be re-crisped in the oven.

1 Tbsp oil

1 bunch scallions, minced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp tomato paste

1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

salt and pepper, to taste

1 lb shredded or ground chicken

1/2 cup shredded pepperjack cheese

corn tortillas, warm

guacamole, for dipping

sour cream, for dipping

1. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Stir in the tomato paste, chiles, spices, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken (if ground, saute until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes). Remove the filling from the heat, and stir in the shredded cheese.

3. Place a few tablespoons of the filling into a warm tortilla. Fold in the sides, and roll it up tightly. Place it onto a baking sheet seam side down. Repeat with remaining filling.

4. Bake the taquitos until crisp and browned on the outside, about 10-12 minutes. Serve with guacamole and sour cream for dipping.

Make Ahead Meal: Grilled Lemon Chicken with Garlic Edamame Puree

admin — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 21:04:37 +0000

After getting back from a trip to Kansas, I was met with a smattering of appointments and after work activities that kept me super busy all week. On weeks when I know I’ll be busy, or not getting home until later in the evening, I always try to plan out my meals in advance. This makes everything easier – I know what I’m going to cook, and I can usually have it all prepped and ready to go.

This was one of the best make ahead meals I’ve made in a long time. It was easy, and was made totally in advance – the chicken marinated overnight and the puree was finished and ready to go the day ahead. All I had to do when I got home was grill the chicken. Best of all, I made extra chicken and puree and layered on a toasted baguette, it made an awesome sandwich!

Grilled Lemon Chicken with Garlic Edamame Puree

Served 4.

Leftover Potential: The edamame puree is great with crackers, or on sandwiches, and it keeps for up to a week.

4 Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp lemon zest

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

black pepper, as needed

4 chicken breasts

2 cups edamame, cooked

1 Tbsp lemon juice

3 cloves garlic, smashed

1/3 cup olive oil, or more as needed

salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, zest, mustard, garlic, olive oil, and pepper. Place the chicken into a large plastic bag, and pour the marinade inside. Toss the chicken into the marinade to coat, and place the bag in the refrigerator (flat) overnight (or at least an hour).

2. In a food processor or blender, puree the edamame, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil together. Add more olive oil (or water) as needed to make a smooth puree. Season with salt and pepper. It can be used immediately or stored until ready to use.

3. Grill (or saute) the chicken on a hot grill until cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. (You can also bring the marinade to a simmer and use it as a sauce). Serve the warm chicken with the puree.