Sheet-Pan Supper : Balsamic Chicken with Baby Potatoes And Carrots

I love the ease of sheet pan suppers. Dorie's Sheet-Pan Supper is simple, easy, quick to put together, with just a few ingredients for flavour ; garlic cloves, rosemary and thyme, salt, black pepper, and balsamic vinegar. The main ingredients are, of course chicken, potatoes, onion and mushroom. But I could not find any brown or white button mushroom on the day that I plan to make this dish for dinner, so I grab a couple of carrots instead.

I did not use thyme, using only rosemary, from my garden pot. And instead of using only 4 garlic cloves, I use all the cloves from one large bulb.  And I have added an extra 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar to the chicken. Mix everything and bake!

Bake for 1 hour at 220C, the chicken was perfectly done, and the potatoes and carrots are tender. We enjoyed this sheet-pan supper very much. Delicious! 

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Cookbook Countdown #50

Gingered-Turkey (Chicken) Meatball Soup

Gingered-Turkey Meatball Soup is one of the recipe selected for this month, from Everyday Dorie, at Cook The Book Fridays. Ground turkey is not an easy ingredient to find, so I have used ground chicken meat instead.

This is a fairly easy dish to prepare. To make the meatballs, mix together egg, yoghurt (I've used sour cream), chopped onion, fresh cilantro, dry bread crumbs, chopped garlic, grated fresh ginger, lemon zest, salt and pepper. This mixture is then scooped (I used a heaping tablespoon )and shape into round meatballs. Drop them into the pot of boiling broth, and add veggies of your choice. I've used spinach and carrots. Then add the drained noodles (which was cooked in boiling water earlier), heat through and ladle into bowls to serve.  

The meatballs are tasty. With it's name Gingered-Turkey Meatball Soup, I cannot taste the ginger at all, and the taste of the lemon is a little strong. I may make the meatballs again, as they are rather tasty, but I'll skip the lemon, perhaps pan-fry them as small patties, to enjoy them with chilli sauce.

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Cookbook Countdown #48

Vietnamese Caramelized Ginger Chicken

This week at I Heart Cooking Clubs, the theme is November Cuisine Spotlight : Asian Food! We can cook any Asian food recipe from any of the 19 featured chefs, full list can be found at IHCC.

I've cooked from Diana Henry's cookbook, A Bird In The Hand, Vietnamese Caramelized Ginger Chicken. I've used 3 whole chicken legs, cut to bite-sized pieces. The chicken pieces are marinated with fish sauce, crushed ginger and garlic, sugar and sliced chilli, for at least 4 hours, covered in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before cooking. Fry the chicken in some oil until they are browned all over. Remove and keep aside. Add sliced onion to the pan and cook until they are beginning to brown, remove and add to the chicken. In the same pan, place sugar and water, and let boil until caramelize, then add some chicken stock and lime juice. Let it come to a boil, then add the chicken and onion. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or so, until the sauce has reduced and the chicken is cooked through. Stir in sliced chilli, spring onions and coriander. Serve immediately with rice.

A flavourful chicken dish. We had it with rice, along with some stir-fried cos lettuce.

Vietnamese Caramelized Ginger Chicken
(A Bird In The Hand, by Diana Henry)
"It's important here to get the sugar to caramelize, otherwise you miss the depth of flavour this dish is supposed to have and will also end up with a bowlful that is rather too sweet"
Serves 4
6 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
3 tbsp fish sauce
4 tbsp caster sugar
8 garlic cloves, crushed
50gm root ginger, peeled and grated
2 red chillies, 1 sliced with seeds, the other halved, deseeded and sliced
1 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
1 onion, halved and cut into small crescent moon-shaped wedges
400ml chicken stock\
juice of 1-2 limes
2 spring onions, finely sliced on the diagonal
small handful of coriander, roughly chopped
2 tbsp ginger, julienned (my addition)

Remove the excess fat and skin from each thigh and cut each in half, through the bone. Put these in a bowl with the fish sauce, 1 tbsp of the sugar, the garlic, ginger and the sliced whole chili. Turn everything over to make sure the chicken gets coated. Cover with cling film and put in the fridge to marinate. It ideally needs four hours, though overnight is even better. Bring it to room temperature before cooking.

Heat the oil in a saute pan and fry the chicken over a medium heat on all sides to get a good colour (reserve the marinade). Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion to the pan and fry until it is just beginning to get a good colour. Add it to the chicken.

Drain any excess oil from the pan, but don't clean it. Add the rest of the sugar and 2 tbsp of water and heat until the sugar turns to caramel, you must take it far enough so that the sugar caramelizes (otherwise you will just have a sweet sauce), but no so far that it burns. The colour and smell should tell you wen you get there. Immediately add the stock and the juice of 1 lime. Bring to the boil, then add the chicken, onion and reserved marinade. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the juices are nice and glossy round the meat.

Stir in the rest of the chilli, the spring onions, and the coriander (and julienned ginger). Check to see  whether you need more lime. Serve immediately with rice and stir-fried greens.

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Cookbook Countdown #47

Chicken and Salad Milanese Style

This is the second chicken recipe which we, at Cook the Book Fridays, have made, from Everyday Dorie. And like the first recipe, Sweet Chili Chicken which we've tried back in January, this Chicken and Salad Milanese Style is just as delicious.

Chicken breast halves are pounded with the flat side of a meat tenderizer to flatten them, coat in seasoned bread crumbs, dipped in seasoned beaten egg, then coat again with seasoned bread crumbs. At this point, I placed them in the fridge uncovered, in parchment lined baking tray, for a couple of hours before cooking.

For the salad, veggies used are celery, cucumber, bell pepper, fresh cilantro, a mix of baby greens. The dressing is a mixture of extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Toss the veggies with the vinaigrette just before serving.

The breaded chicken are fried in a non-stick pan with some butter and oil on both sides until golden brown and chicken is cooked. Serve immediately with the salad on the side.

Both the chicken and the salad are delicious! Perfect pairing!

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Cookbook Countdown #46

Baked Fried Chicken

Craving for some fried chicken? We love fried chicken, but the thought of frying which can be a greasy mess, makes me think twice about frying them. And the leftover oil, kinda waste.

This easy peasy recipe would take care of your fried chicken craving. The chicken pieces are dipped in egg white, then coat with the crumb coating which is a mixture of dried bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, cornmeal, ground red pepper, and a pinch of salt. Place the pieces in a greased baking tray, then spray lightly with some cooking spray. Bake in a preheated oven until the chicken is done. 

The skin are so crispy, with moist tender juicy meat. The cornmeal really gives a crunchy texture. Delicious!

Baked Fried Chicken
(Sheet Pan Cooking by Good Housekeeping)
1/2 cup plain dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 egg white
salt
1 chicken, cut into pieces
green onions, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Spray 15-1/2x10-1/2-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. On waxed paper, mix bread crumbs, cheese, cornmeal, and ground red pepper. In pie plate, beat egg white and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Dip each piece of chicken in egg-white mixture, then coat with bread-crumb mixture. Place chicken in pan; spray lightly with cooking spray.
4. Bake chicken 35 minutes, or until cooking is crisp and juices run clear when chicken is pierced with tip of knife. Garnish with spring onions if you like.

This post is linked with Cookbook Countdown #44

Chicken And Bean Stew

It is June Potluck week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). We get to cook from any of the featured chefs at IHCC, using any of their recipes. I've made Jacques Pepin's, Chicken and Bean Stew.

According to Jacques Pepin, this stew is satisfying, hearty, and inexpensive, ideal for a family meal. He's right, of course! 

The recipe uses meaty chicken bones and parts, but I've used two whole large pieces of chicken legs. As for the beans, I've used black-eyed beans since I have some frozen ones stashed in my freezer, and added them during the last 30 minutes of cooking. According to the recipe, whole carrots and celery stalk are simmered until the end of cooking time, after which, they are removed and chopped coarsely to be added back to the stew. I merely chopped the carrots and celery before cooking, so i don't have to chop them up later. 

The stew was delicious. Very tasty and flavourful. We've enjoyed bowls of it with my homemade Ciabatta bread.

Chicken and Bean Stew
(Essential Pepin by Jacques Pepin)
4 pounds meaty chicken bones and parts (including backs and necks, if available gizzards and hearts)
1 pound (about 2-1/3 cups) navy beans, picked over and rinsed
2 medium onions (about 12 ounces0, each studded with 3 whole cloves
3 medium to large carrots, peeled
1 celery stalk
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
4 bay leaves
8 cups cold water
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped (2 teaspoons)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Put the bones in a large pot, add the beans, onions, carrots, celery, salt, thyme, bay leaves and water, bring to a boil; skim off foam that rises to the surface. Cover, reduce the heat, and boil very gently for 1-1/2 hours; stir every 15 to 20 minutes to prevent the beans from sticking to the bottom. Pour the mixture into a large roasting pan.

When the bean mixture is cold enough, remove the bones and vegetables from the beans and put the beans back into the pot.

When the bones are cool enough to handle, pick off the meat and discard any skin. (You should have at least  2 to 2-1/2 cups of meat). Remove the cloves from the onions and discard them. Coarsely chop the onions, carrots, celery, and gizzards and hearts, if you have them. Add to the pot, along with the meat, and mix with the beans.

Add the tomato, garlic, and parsley and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat, simmer for 5 minutes, and serve.

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Cookbook Countdown #42

Chicken with Lentils and Rosemary

It's April Showers week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), dishes to enjoy on rainy days. 

I made Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's, Chicken with Lentils and Rosemary. Accordingly to him, this is an easy one-pot supper for a cold night. Well, our cold nights here are usually our rainy nights, though not necessarily cold on rainy nights. Warm shower nights? 😄

I was reading through his recipe, and thought how easy it is! Cook in one pot! With only a few ingredients. How tasty can it be? 

To cook this dish, using an oven safe pot, saute sliced onion in some oil till softens, about 6 to 8 minutes, then add chopped garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Stir for a further 5 minutes or so, then stir in the red lentils and stock. Season the chicken pieces with some salt and pepper, then place them skin side up, on top of the  lentils mixture, and place the pot in the preheated oven, uncovered, for about 1 hour until the chicken is cooked through and the skin has browned.

I baked the dish for 1 hour 15 minutes, the last five minutes with the broiler on, just to brown the skin a little more. The chicken is moist, tender and so delicious ! The red lentils turned yellow upon cooking, became soft, mushy and so tasty. We had this dish with rice and some stir-fry french beans. We really enjoyed this dish! There were no leftovers!  So delicious! Yum! 

Coincidentally, it started to rain when we had this at dinner time. I did not see that coming, as it was blasting hot and humid the whole day! 

Chicken with Lentils and Rosemary
(River Cottage Light & Easy, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall)
serves 4
2 tablespoons rapeseed or olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
leaves from 2 sprigs of rosemary
200gm red lentils, well rinsed
500ml chicken or veg stock
8 skin-on, bone-in, free-range chicken thighs, or 1 medium chicken, (about 1.75kg), 
    jointed into 6-8 pieces
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
flat-leaf parsely, chopped, to finish

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Choose a flameproof casserole dish or a wide, ovenproof pan that will hold all the chicken pieces snugly but comfortably.

Put the casserole on a medium-low heat. Add the oil, then the onion and cook, stirring regularly, for 6-8 minutes until it begins to soften. Add the garlic, rosemary and some salt and pepper. Cook gently for a further 5 minutes, then stir in the lentils and stock.

Season the chicken thighs and place skin side up in the casserole. You want most of the chicken skin to remain exposed above the liquid in the dish so it can brown in the oven. Bring to a simmer on the hob, then transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 1 hour. Check that the chicken is cooked through and the lentils are soft. If not, return to the oven for 10-15 minutes and test again. Skim off any excess fat from the surface.

Taste the lentilly liquor and add more salt or pepper if needed. Serve, scattered with chopped parsley, just as it is or with steamed broccoli or spring greens on the side.

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I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC)
Cookbook Countdown #40

Liuyang Black Bean Chicken

One of my favourite dish from Fuchsia Dunlop's cookbook, Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook. Made this dish a few times already.

The recipe uses  a whole head of garlic, fermented black beans, ginger, rice wine, rice vinegar, chili flakes and soy sauce. I've used boneless chicken thigh without the skin. Scallions are picked fresh from my garden pot. The chicken pieces are stir-fried until they change colour, remove and then fried  second time until they brown a little. The chicken are then removed, and stir-fry with the rest of the ingredients. 

Simple and delicious, great with white fluffy rice.

Liuyang Black Bean Chicken
(Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook, Fuchsia Dunlop)
1 lb boned chicken thighs with skin
salt
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1 head garlic
2-1/2 in piece fresh ginger
4 scallions, green parts only
4 tbsp black fermented beans, rinsed
1 tbsp clear rice wine or Shaoxing wine
2-3 tsp dried chilli flakes
2 tsp clear rice vinegar

1. Cut the chicken into bite-size chunks. Put the chunks in a bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon salt and the soy sauce and mix well; set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
2. Peel the garlic cloves, cutting any very large ones in half. Peel and slice the ginger. Cut the scallion greens into 1-1/2 inch pieces.
3. Heat the oil for deep-frying over a high flame until it reaches 350-400F. Add the chicken and stir-fry until it has changed colour, then remove from the wok with a slotted spoon and allow the oil to return to 350-400F. Return the chicken to the hot oil and deep-fry again until tinged golden, remove and set aside.
4. Drain off all but 3 tablespoons oil from the wok, then return it to a medium flame. Add the ginger and garlic and stir fry for a few minutes until they are fragrant and the garlic cloves are tender. Add the black beans and stir-fry until fragrant, splashing in the rice wine as you do so. Add the chili flakes and stir-fry for a few moments until they have lent their heat and red colour to the oil.
5. Return the chicken to the wok and toss it in the fragrant oil, splashing in the vinegar and adding salt to taste. When everything is sizzly and delicious, throw in the scallions, and stir a few times until barely cooked. Then, off the heat, stir in the sesame oil and serve.

Join us at Cookbook Countdown #38

       

Sweet Chili Chicken Thighs

Cook the Book Fridays, is currently cooking through Dorie Greenspan's latest cookbook, Everyday Dorie. This month's selection is Sweet Chilli Chicken Thighs, pg 114.

I have all the ingredients to make this dish. I don't even need to go to the store, well, except to buy some chicken thighs from the market. Such a simple and easy dish to cook,  and it was delicious. Ingredients used are ; onion, garlic, white wine, pepper, Thai sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, Dijon mustard, Sriracha. I did not expect there will be much sauce, but was really happy when the dish was done, there was a fair amount of sauce, which I knew my sauce-loving family will love. We had the chicken thighs with basmathi rice and a simple stir-fry of green beans. Every piece of thigh was gobbled up including the sauce. This dish goes to my "make-again list"! Yum!

Roasted Cajun Chicken with Spicy Tomato Salsa

Made this delicious Roasted Cajun Chicken with Spicy Tomato Sauce, with some short-cuts thrown in! Firstly, the recipe uses small whole chickens, butterflied, rub with the marinating spices and barbecued over low heat until cooked through. I have used whole chicken legs, marinated them for an hour and then roast in a preheated oven for an hour until done.

For the Spicy Tomato Salsa, instead of cooking fresh tomatoes over the grill plate, which are then to be chopped coarsely, I have used canned chopped tomatoes with chillies in tomato juice. Omitted the red wine vinegar as the canned tomatoes are already sour, so I have added about a tablespoon of sugar and some salt to taste.

Both the chicken and the tomato salsa are delicious. I've made some potato salad (not pictured) and with some fresh salad greens served alongside, this is one yummy meal! Happy faces at the dinner table! 

Barbecued (Roasted) Cajun Chicken with Spicy Tomato Salsa

(Perfect Roasts, The Australian Women's Weekly)

6 small chickens (3kg) (I use 6 chicken legs)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small brown onion (80gm), grated coarsely

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons sweet paprika

2 teaspoons each ground cinnamon and fennel

2 teaspoon dried oregano

salt to taste

Spicy Tomato Salsa :

6 large plum tomatoes (540gm), halved (I use canned chopped tomatoes with chillies in tomato juice)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium brown onion (150gm), chopped finely

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar (omitted)

1 fresh long red chilli, chopped finely

1. Discard neck from chickens. Rinse chicken cavities and pat dry with absorbent paper. Using kitchen scissors, cut along each side of backbones; discard backbones. Turn chicken skin-side up; press down on breastbone to flatten (I use 6 chicken legs)
2. Combine remaining ingredients ; rub all over chickens. (Marinate for an hour, keep refrigerated. Arrange on baking tray and drizzle some olive oil over chicken pieces).
3. Cook chicken on heated oiled covered barbecue, over low heat, 35 minutes or until chickens are cooked through. (Roast in a preheated oven, at 200C for an hour, basting the chicken with the juices accumulated in the roasting pan, a couple of times).
4. Meanwhile, make spicy tomato salsa.
5. Serve chicken with salsa.

Spicy Tomato Salsa :

Cook tomato on heated oiled grill plate, turning, until softened ; chop tomato coarsely. Heat oil in a medium saucepan; cook onion and garlic, stirring, until onion softens. Add spices; cook, stirring, until fragrant. Stir in tomato, vinegar and chilli; cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes or until salsa thickens. 

(I've used 2 cans of chopped tomatoes with chillies in tomato juice, omitted the vinegar as canned tomatoes are usually a little sour. I've added about 1 tbsp of sugar to balance out the sourness)

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #33 

Spicy Chicken Masala

A spicy dish, from the generous amount of dried chillies and peppercorns. I like it the way it is, spicy! If a moderate or mild spicy taste is preferred, use a lesser amount of both the dried chillies and peppercorns. But if you can take heat pretty well, I urge you to go for it, as the chillies really make the dish! I used more than the amount of dried chillies called for, as I love really spicy dishes. 

I've used desiccated coconut instead of fresh grated coconut. During simmering, I've added a couple of tablespoons of water at a time, as the dish appears dry. Not too much of water, as the chicken pieces are supposed to be coated with the thick gravy when done. I have omitted the last step with toasted fennel seeds. I'm sure it will be extremely fragrant from the fennel seeds but I was too lazy, maybe the next time.

Spicy and delicious dish. Great with white rice.

Spicy Chicken Masala (Chicken Perattal)
(Step-by-step Indian Cooking, Dhersini Govin Winodan)
1/2 cup cooking oil
3 stalks curry leaves
2 onions, peeled and sliced
1 chicken, about 1.5kg, cut into serving pieces, washed and drained\
salt to taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
3-4 potatoes, peeled and quartered (optional)
2 tsp fennel seeds

Paste :
1 tbsp cooking oil
20 dried red chillies
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
5 pods cardamom
7 shallots, peeled
2 stalks curry leaves
7 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2-inch knob ginger
2-1/2 tbsp grated coconut
1/2 cup water

1. Prepare paste : Heat oil in a wok and fry dried chillies, coriander, peppercorns and cardamom for 5 minutes. Remove and fry shallots, curry leaves, garlic, ginger and grated coconut until shallots brown lightly.
2. Put all paste ingredients except water into a blender. Add water bit by bit and blend mixture until very fine.
3. Heat oil in a wok. Add curry leaves, then onions. Cook until onions are brown. Add paste and fry until fragrant. Add chicken pieces and stir-fry to coat completely.
4. When juice start sizzling, add salt and turmeric powder. Mix well. Add potatoes now if using.
5. Cover wok with a lid and allow chicken to cook gently. Remember to stir occasionally. Cook until sauce is reduced and thickened.
6. Toast fennel, then grind onto a powder using a mortar and pestle. Sprinkle over chicken and serve hot with rice or breads.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #32 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray
Theme for August 2018 : Cooking With Spice!

Mum's Curry Chicken (Meera Sodha)

This is Meera Sodha's ultimate comfort food, her Mum's Curry Chicken. When she left home to go to university, she constantly dream of her mum's curry chicken. Since her mum has taught her how to make it, it has become her favourite dish to share with friends. And I am glad that she has shared it in her lovely cookbook, Made In India.

From the list of ingredients, and the amount used, I can see that there would not be much sauce, and since we love sauce, especially any curry sauce, I have doubled the amount of the spice ingredients for the sauce, with the exception of the yoghurt (to taste) and the ground almonds (to taste). 

We had it for dinner with some basmathi rice cooked with some fresh curry leaves, and a side dish of Simply Spiced Spring Cabbage, from my previous post. A delicious curry dish, one that I would cook again.

The full recipe can also be found at Meera Sodha's website.

Mum's Chicken Curry
(Made In India, by Meera Sodha)
serves 4
2 tablspoons ghee or unsalted butter
1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2x4cm cinnamon sticks
2 large onions, finely chopped
6cm ginger, peeled and grated
6 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 fresh green chillies (or 1 teaspoon chilli powder)
salt
200gm tomato passata
2 tablespoons tomato puree
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 tablespoons whole-milk yoghurt (plus extra to serve)
1.2kg skinless chicken legs, or 800gm skinless, boneless chicken thighs
3 tablespoons ground almonds
1 teaspoon garam masala

Put the ghee and oil into a wide-bottomed, lidded frying pan on a medium heat and, when it's hot, add the cumin seeds and cinnamon sticks. Let them infuse in the oil for a minute, and then add the onions. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, put the ginger, garlic and green chillies into a pestle and mortar with a pinch of salt and bash to a coarse paste.

Add the paste to the pan and cook gently for 2 minutes, then pour in the passata and stir. Cook the passata for a few minutes until it resembles a thick paste, then add the tomato puree, ground cumin, turmeric and 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste).

Whisk the yoghurt and add it slowly to the curry. Cook it through until it starts to bubble, then add the chicken. Pop the lid on the pan and continue to cook on a gentle heat for around 30 minutes. Add the ground almonds and the garam masala and cook for another 5 minutes.

Serve with a tower of chappatis, hot fluffy naan bread or rice, and offer yoghurt at the table.

kitchen flavour notes :
I have doubled the amount of spices and other ingredients for the sauce with the exception of the yoghurt (to taste) and ground almonds (to taste). The recipe above is the actual recipe from Meera Sodha's website and from her book, adjust accordingly if more sauce is desired.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #32 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray
Theme for August 2018 : Cooking With Spice!

Kung Po Chicken

I first tried this recipe from Kylie Kwong's cookbook, My China and have made this dish a few times since then. I love this version. At first I was rather surprised to see this rather light version, from the photo in the book, as the Kung Po Chicken that I am familiar with is coated with dark thick sauce. When eating out at Chinese restaurants, Kung Po Chicken would be one of the frequently ordered dish, cooked with the signature ingredient, dried chillies, and usually with cashew nuts or peanuts.

According to the author, "Although I have eaten several versions of Kung Po Chicken in Chinese restaurants around the world, none of them prepared me for this lip-smacking authentic version". 

I have made this dish with both chicken breast fillets and chicken thigh fillets, both are delicious, but we prefer the thigh fillet. I have omitted the peanuts as we do not care for peanuts in the dish. This dish has no sauce, but it is moist and delicious. Good with white fluffy rice, served alongside some stir-fry greens and a bowl of herbal soup. It has now secured a place in my list of "everyday dishes"! 

Kung Po Chicken
(My China, by Kylie Kwong)
600gm chicken thigh fillets, cut into 1cm (1/2 inch) cubes
2 tablespoons cornflour (cornstarch)
2 tablespoons Shao Hsing wine
2 tablespoons peanut oil
10 small dried chillies
2 tablespoons peanut oil, extra
5cm (2in) piece ginger, cut into thin strips
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Chinese black vinegar
pinch Sichuan pepper and salt

Combine chicken with cornflour and Shao Hsing wine in a bowl. Cover, place in refrigerator and leave to marinate for 1 hour.

Place oil and chillies in a cold wok and then turn heat to low. Cook for about 1-1/2 minutes or until chillies begin to darken slightly. Using a slotted spoon, immediately remove chillies and drain on kitchen paper.

Leaving chilli-infused oil in wok, turn heat up to high and stir-fry half the chicken cubes for 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add extra oil to wok with remaining chicken and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Return all chicken to wok, along with ginger and reserved chillies and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Add sugar and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add peanuts, soy sauce and vinegar and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Serve immediately, sprinkled with Sichuan pepper and salt.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #30 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Spanish Chicken

This is another tasty recipe from Rachel Allen. Chicken, peppers and rice cooked in one pot, with the touch of Spanish, from the smoked paprika and peppers. I love one pot meals such as this, especially when there's rice cooked together with all the other ingredients.

Simple, easy and delicious.

Spanish Chicken
(Rachel's Everyday Kitchen by Rachel Allen)
serves 2-4
25gm (1oz) plain flour
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
4 chicken thighs, with the skin on
75ml (3fl oz) olive oil
1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed or finely grated
1 yellow or orange pepper and 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into 2cm (3/4 in chunks)
500ml (18fl oz) chicken stock mixed with 2 tbsp tomato puree
200gm (7oz) basmati or paella rice
200gm (7oz) large peeled prawns (preferably raw) (optional) (I did not use any prawns)
2 tbsp chopped parsley

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, paprika, black pepper and salt. Add the chicken thighs and toss in the mixture until well coated.
Place a large saucepan or casserole dish on a medium-high heat and pour in 50ml of the olive oil. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until crisp and deep golden brown. Remove from the pot and set aside.
Pour the remaining oil into the same pan or dish and add the onion and garlic. Saute, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until almost softened and a little golden around the edges, then add the peppers and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Add the mixed stock and tomato puree and the rice, stirring to mix. Return the chicken to the pot, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 20 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked (the flesh white all the way through). If using prawns, add them just before the end of cooking time - 5 minutes for raw prawns or 2 minutes for cooked prawns. Scatter with the chopped parsley and serve with a slice of lemon if you like.

I'm linking this post with Cookbook Countdown #30 hosted by 

Kitchen Flavours and Emily's Cooking (Makan2) Foray

Chicken and Garlic Soup

A quick and easy garlicky chicken soup.

We had the soup with my homemade sourdough bread for a simple weeknight dinner. 

Chicken and Garlic Soup
(Home Cooking by Rachel Allen)
50gm butter
1 onion, peeled and diced
10 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast (about 200gm) finely diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
600ml (1 pint) chicken stock
300ml (1/2 pint) milk
300ml (1/2 pint) double or regular cream
1 tbsp finely chopped chives
4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped

Melt the butter in a large saucepan on a medium heat and fry the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes or until soft but not browned. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook for a further 4-5 minutes,
Pour in the stock, the milk and cream and bring to the boil. Stir in the chives and spring onions and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the spring onions have softened. Check the seasoning, adjusting it if necessary, and ladle into warm bowls to serve.

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Three Cup Chicken

The three cup as in the name of the recipe is originally from one cup each of sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice wine. This savoury dish is very tasty with the flavours from the amount of garlic used, as well as the use of Thai basil leaves which gives this dish a very different taste from other braised dishes.

I however, did not use 1 cup of soy sauce as the recipe indicated. I thought that it will be extremely salty even though the soy sauce I use in my kitchen is the less salty ones. I use only 1/4 cup and thought that this dish is pretty salty! I have also used less sesame oil, but I did use 1 cup of rice wine. 

The dish turns out pretty tasty, only slightly salty but goes great with white hot fluffy rice. Do not omit the basil leaves, as the unique taste of the dish comes from the basil leaves which contributes both the taste and fragrant of the final dish. 

Three Cup Chicken
(The Food Of Taiwan, Cathy Erway)
3/4 cup sesame oil (1/3 cup)
1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into 12 or 15 thick discs
12 to 15 while garlic cloves
4 whole scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 to 3 small, fresh red chillies, halved or sliced
2 pounds bone-in chicken legs, thighs and wings, cut into roughly 2-inch pieces
1 cup rice wine
1 cup light soy sauce (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons sugar (omitted)
2 cups packed fresh Thai basil leaves

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ginger, garlic, scallions, and chillies, and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken pieces and lightly brown, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice wine and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until the chicken pieces are cooked through and the sauce has slightly reduced, about 15 minutes. Stir in the sugar until just dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Serve immediately.

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Arroz con Pollo

An easy one pot meal. Recipe uses saffron threads, I have omitted that, and replace with 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder for the lovely yellow. Chicken thigh is first browned in a little oil. Onions and garlic are sauteed until the onions are translucent, then chopped tomatoes are added in, stir for a few minutes until softened, stir in wine-saffron mixture (or turmeric powder), bay leaves, salt and pepper. Cook until wine is nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add in rice, broth and olives. Place chicken onto rice, bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to the oven, baked for about 30 minutes. 

A delicious one pot meal. Yum!

Arroz con Pollo
(One Pot, Martha Stewart Living)
1/2 cup dry white wine
pinch of saffron threads (I use 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder)
6 bone-in chicken thighs (about 6 ounces each)
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 large tomato, chopped
2 dried bay leaves
1-1/2 cups short grain rice, preferably Valencia
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, plus more if needed
1 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, drained

Preheat oven to 375F. In a bowl, combine wine and saffron.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven or braiser, heat oil over medium-high. Add chicken, skin-side down; cook until browned, 6 to 7 minutes. Flip and cook a minute more; transfer to a plate.

Drain all but 2 tablespoons fat. Add onion and garlic, cook, stirring often, until translucent, 4 minutes. Add tomato and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine-saffron mixture, bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook until wine is nearly evaporated, 5 to 8 minutes.

Stir in rice, broth, and olives. Nestle chicken into rice, skin-side up. Bring to a simmer, cover, and transfer to oven. Cook until liquid is absorbed and chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

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Spanish Chicken & Peppers

This is a simple "one pot", or rather sheet pan meal. Great for busy weeknights. Made this when I did not have much time to spend in the kitchen one evening. Bought some really beautiful sweet peppers the day before, and the next evening, simply arrange the chicken parts and the peppers, in a baking tray, seasoned with just salt and pepper, with a drizzle of olive oil. Bake until the chicken is cooked and the skin crispy, about 50-60 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken parts.

Love the sweet red peppers, very sweet and fragrant. There's really no need of any other ingredient for the chicken, a simple seasoning of salt and lots of black pepper is all it takes to make a really tasty baked chicken. A simple, delicious and satisfying meal. I have omitted the garlic-mayo as suggested in the recipe, preferring to serve with some greens instead, which I've used broccoli.

Spanish Chicken & Peppers
(Sheet Pan Cooking, Good Housekeeping)
2-1/2 pounds assorted small chicken parts (cut breasts into halves)
1 pound mini sweet peppers
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
baguette, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 450F. In a large bowl, toss chicken and peppers with oil and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Arrange chicken and vegetables on a baking sheet. Roast in oven for 35 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (165F).
2. While the chicken and peppers cook, stir together mayonnaise, garlic and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Serve chicken and peppers on a baguette with garlic mayo.

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Chicken and Chorizo Salad

A simple, easy and very delicious lunch of Chicken and Chorizo Salad.

I've used only cannellini beans, omitted the barlotti beans (did not have any). Instead of using sliced red chilli, I have used 2 teaspoons of chilli flakes. Did not have rocket leaves either, so I have used baby romaine lettuce leaves. This plate of salad makes a very nice and tasty lunch.

Chicken and Chorizo Salad
(Pronto, by Gino D'Acampo)
serves 4
100gm can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
100gm barlotti beans, drained and rinsed
20 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 medium hot red chilli, deseeded and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
8 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1cm strips
100gm hot chorizo sausage, cut into thin round slices
60gm rocket leaves (I've used baby romaine leaves)
salt, to taste

1. Put all the beans in a large bowl with the tomatoes, chilli and garlic. Pour over the lemon juice with half the olive oil, season with salt, toss all together and set aside.
2. Place a large frying pan over a high heat and pour in the remaining oil. Add the chicken strips and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
3. Season with salt, add the chorizo and continue to fry for a further 2 minutes over a high heat.
4. Toss the rocket leaves through the bean salad and transfer to a large serving plate. Top with the crispy chicken and chorizo and serve immediately.

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