Archive for Chicken

Grilled Lemon-Oregano Chicken Drumsticks

October 21, 2010 · Filed under Chicken, Nutritious meals for kids · Tagged , , , , , ,


When you have less time to marinate but still want to enjoy the full flavor, these drumsticks will hold the flavor to the very end, delicious and very quick, eat them hot off the grill or at room temperature, making them a great picnic meal, also these are super kid-friendly, guaranteed to make them messy but who cares as long as their tummy is happy.
I have made these with a side of grilled asparagus and grilled bread sprinkled with extra virgin olive oil and salt

GRILLED LEMON-OREGANO CHICKEN DRUMSTICKS

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh oregano
3 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
8 chicken drumsticks

SERVES
4

PREP TIME
15 minutes

COOK TIME
15 minutes

DIRECTIONS
Whisk first 6 ingredients in small bowl. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Pour marinade into 1-gallon resealable plastic bag; add chicken and seal. Turn bag to coat chicken. Marinate at room temperature 30 minutes or in refrigerator up to 2 days, turning occasionally.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Place chicken, with some marinade still clinging, on grill rack ( you can also use a stove-top grill pan for this; grill chicken until cooked through and golden brown on all sides, turning frequently, about 15 minutes. Transfer to plates, squeeze some lemon juice on the drumsticks and serve on a bed of grilled onions.
Grilled onions – slice 2 onions, add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, add salt and pepper and lemon juice. grill them for about 4-5 minutes.

CREDIT
Bon Appétit – August 2009
by Maria Helm Sinskey
epicurious.com

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Ginger Catfish / Ginger Chicken / Ginger Tofu

October 21, 2010 · Filed under Chicken, Fish, Got to love them - Vegetables, Nutritious meals for kids · Tagged , , , , , ,

I first tasted the Ginger Tofu at this small Cambodian restaurant in San Jose called “Chez Sovan”, It is a small dingy place, very much a hole in the wall but the food is just amazingly delicious, The chef not only prepares the food but also serves it right to you with a big smile on his face, The spices are just right and immediately hit the right spots.
I have since then been looking for a recipe which comes close to his food and i think the recipe below comes very close.

This is such a versatile recipe, I have made it with catfish, chicken and tofu at separate occasions and it just tastes great with either of them. Ginger is the STAR of this recipe so it goes without saying that if you don’t like ginger then this is not for you. Ginger being the theme of this mouth-watering recipe needs to be added not just to flavor but in a much bigger quantity hence making this dish much more suitable for a chilly fall or winter evening and it also works wonders if you have the sniffles, The ginger root relieves cold and cough symptoms. So there, now we have more than just the taste to look forward to in this recipe.

GINGER CATFISH

INGREDIENTS
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1.5 cups peeled, julienned ginger
1 1/2 pounds catfish fillets, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips (Replace this with either chicken or tofu)
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce (omit if making a vegetarian version with tofu)
1 large Spanish onion, thinly sliced
1 big red bell pepper, julienned
1/2 bunch scallions or green spring onions, cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
Salt and black pepper to taste

SERVES
4

PREP TIME
10 minutes

COOK TIME
20 – 25 minutes

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and cook, stirring, until brown and crisp, about 7 minutes. Add the fish, stir gently until thoroughly mixed with the ginger and cook for about 7 minutes. Add the sugar, soy sauce, fish sauce and salt and stir well. Stir in the onion and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the red pepper and scallions and cook for another 2 minutes, then serve.

COMMENTS
If using chicken, after adding to the ginger, cook for about 10 minutes.
If using Tofu, In a separate pan slightly fry tofu in 2-3 tbsp oil to make it brown from both sides. When ginger is ready, add the fried tofu and let it cook for about 3-4 minutes

CREDIT
Longteine de Monteiro and Katherine Neustadt
The Elephant Walk Cookbook

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Thai red curry with vegetables and chicken/ tofu

June 10, 2010 · Filed under Chicken, Got to love them - Vegetables, Thai food · Tagged , , , , ,

One of the most popular thai dishes here is the Thai Red curry, The spicy and rich curry has a unique taste, The vegetables and chicken / tofu make it a complete healthy meal. Try it with steamed rice and it is just perfect. Thai curry can be made as hot or mild as you like, add 1 tbsp red curry paste for mild and more for more heat.

THAI RED CURRY WITH VEGETABLES AND CHICKEN / TOFU

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp oil
2 – 4 tbsp red curry paste ( thai red curry paste is easily available at most Asian grocery stores, adjust the tbsps according to how hot you like your curry)
1 tbsp fish sauce ( skip if making vegetarian version of the curry)
1 tbsp lite soy sauce
1 tsp minced or finely chopped garlic
1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz)
1 can thinly sliced bamboo shoots ( 8 oz)
1 – 1.5 cup mixed vegetables like broccoli, sliced carrots, sugar snap peas, eggplant etc
1 lb chicken breast thinly sliced ( if using tofu – 1 cup firm tofu cut into cubes)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup chicken broth ( replace it with vegetable broth if making vegetarian version)

SERVES
3-4

PREP TIME
15 minutes

COOK TIME
15 – 20 minutes

DIRECTIONS
In a wok, heat the oil and fry the garlic until golden brown. Add the chicken strips and cook for about 7-8 minutes till fully cooked, season with salt and black pepper. Add the curry paste and cook for another minute, Add the coconut milk and stir in all the vegetables along with the soy sauce and simmer and let it cook for 5-8 minutes
Add the chicken/ veggie stock, soy sauce, sugar and fish sauce, cook for another couple minutes, taste the curry and adjust the salt/ pepper as per taste.

CREDIT
Adapted from “Gourmet Thai in minutes”

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Pineapple fried rice with chicken

May 27, 2010 · Filed under Breads and Rice, Chicken, Got to love them - Vegetables, Nutritious meals for kids, Thai food · Tagged , , , , ,

Pineapple fried rice are not only a favourite with grown ups but also very well appreciated by kids, My 17 months toddler thoroughly enjoyed this today so i am inspired to put this especially for them. If you omit the black pepper and the red chilli slices, the rice has a very mild sweet and savory taste, the pineapple is especially very popular with kids.
Feel free to get a little creative by adding your choice of veggies to this dish, You can also replace the chicken with tofu or shrimp.
This dish tastes great even at room temperature so you could try it at your next picnic.
Serve it by itself or in combination with a salad or a curry.

“

PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE WITH CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 cup skinless boneless chicken cut into cubes (For a VEGETARIAN version, Please see “Comments” at the bottom of the page)
1 cup cooked rice
1/2 tsp fish sauce – Please omit or use vegetarian fish sauce when making the vegetarian version
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 small onion finely sliced
1/2 medium size green or red bell pepper cut into 1 inch squares
1/2 cup diced carrots
1 cup pineapple cut into small cubes ( if using canned, use only pineapple which is in pineapple juice not the ones which have sugar syrups)
1/2 cup green peas
Salt – to taste
1/2 tsp of black pepper powder – Please omit when making this dish for children
Handful of roasted cashews
1 large fresh red chili, finely sliced
1 tbsp cilantro chopped

SERVES
2-3

PREP TIME
15 minutes

COOK TIME
10-15 minutes

DIRECTIONS
In a wok or frying pan, heat the oil and fry the garlic until golden brown. Add the onion slices and fry for 3-5 minutes. Add the bell pepper, green peas, carrots and cook for about 5-6 minutes, add salt and black pepper, add the chicken and cook for about 5-7 minutes till opaque. Add the cooked rice and stir thoroughly. Add the light soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, pineapple cubes, red chilli slices, stirring after each addition. Cook together for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked.
Garnish with cilantro and roasted cashews.

Serve in Pineapple shell

COMMENTS
For a vegetarian version of this recipe, omit the fish sauce, replace the chicken with fried tofu (take some oil in a pan and shallow fry cubes of tofu, turn sides till each side is brown, carefully, making sure not to break the cube)

CREDIT
Adapted from “Gourmet Thai in minutes

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Spicy curried fried rice with pineapple and chicken

May 27, 2010 · Filed under Breads and Rice, Chicken, Got to love them - Vegetables, Thai food · Tagged , , , , , ,

I had first eaten this dish at a small restaurant right behind our home in Chicago. This place was completely low profile, very much a hole in the wall but the food was out of this world, the best thai food i have ever eaten. We used to eat there all the time, the place used to be open till 1 am on weekdays and 2 am on weekends Now that i am in the bay area, i really miss it, Chicago is one of the best city for food in the US, It has these amazing restaurants, the food, the service, everything is just so homely. Well food in Chicago is a whole another topic and i will definately get down to writing my experiences sometime, for now its back to this delicious recipe.

The curry powder is the star of this recipe, the pineapple gives it the sweetness, the veggies and chicken enhance the taste of the dish, Feel free to replace the chicken with Tofu or shrimp. This dish is a sure winner and can be served by itself or with some mango salad.

SPICY CURRIED FRIED RICE WITH PINEAPPLE AND CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp oil
1 big garlic clove – finely chopped
1/2 tsp curry powder ( Currry powder is an authentic blend of many spices ground together, it is easily available at most asian grocery stores, do not replace it by any other spices, Curry powder brings a unique taste which is important for this dish)
1 cup skinless boneless chicken cut into cubes (For a VEGETARIAN version, Please see “Comments” at the bottom of the page)
1 cup cooked rice
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1/2 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/2 small onion finely sliced
1/2 medium size green or red bell pepper cut into 1 inch squares
1 cup pineapple cut into small cubes ( if using canned, use only pineapple which is in pineapple juice not the ones which have sugar syrups)
1/2 cup green peas
Salt – to taste
1 pinch of black pepper powder
Handful roasted cashews

SERVES
2-3

PREP TIME
15 minutes

COOK TIME
10-15 minutes

DIRECTIONS
In a wok or frying pan, heat the oil and fry the garlic until golden brown. Add the onion slices and fry for 3-5 minutes. Add the bell pepper and green peas and cook for about 2-3 minutes, add salt and a pinch of black pepper, add the curry powder, stir and cook for a few seconds and then add the chicken and cook for about 3-5 minutes till opaque. Add the cooked rice and stir thoroughly. Add the light soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and pineapple cubes, stirring after each addition. Cook together for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked. Garnish with roasted Cashews.

Serve with lemon wedges and sliced cucumber

COMMENTS
For a vegetarian version of this recipe, omit the fish sauce, replace the chicken with fried tofu ( take some oil in a pan and shallow fry cubes of tofu, turn sides till each side is brown, carefully, making sure not to break the cube.

CREDIT
Adapted from “Gourmet Thai in minutes”

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Chicken Greek Tikka Salad with Parsley-Feta Pesto

April 23, 2010 · Filed under Chicken, Salads · Tagged , , , , , ,

Even though the name of this dish sounds like a mouthful, it takes very little time to prepare and the end result will be beyond tasty. This is a perfect salad with great greek flavored grilled Chicken tikka served with some Pita bread on the side. I love to make such meals on Friday evenings, it sets the right tone for the weekend.

CHICKEN GREEK TIKKA SALAD WITH PARSLEY-FETA PESTO

INGREDIENTS
4 flat breads or pitas, any flavor or variety
1 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon grill seasoning (recommended: McCormick Montreal Seasoning)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 to 2 1/2 pounds white meatchicken, cubed into bite size pieces
1 heart romaine lettuce, chopped
2 vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 seedless cucumber, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives
6 pepperoncini hot peppers, chopped
1 lemon, juiced
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and pepper
Special equipment: metal skewers

Parsley Feta Pesto:
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/2 cup feta crumbles
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

SERVES
4

PREP TIME
15 minutes

COOK TIME
12-15 minutes

DIRECTIONS
Combine yogurt and next 5 ingredients. Coat chicken in mixture then thread meat onto metal skewers. Brush grill pan with oil and grill meat 5 to 6 minutes on each side.
Combine chopped lettuce, chopped veggies, olives and hot peppers on a large platter or in a serving bowl. Dress the salad very lightly in lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil and salt and pepper.
Place all ingredients for pesto in the food processor except extra-virgin olive oil. Turn processor on and stream in extra-virgin olive oil.
Remove bread from oven and cut into wedges.
Place grilled meat on salad and top liberally with pesto. Grill the Pita for a minute or so on each side, Place cut pita wedges around the platter or serving bowl and serve.

CREDIT
Rachel Ray

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Chicken Shish Kebab

April 19, 2010 · Filed under Chicken · Tagged , , , ,

This last weekend even though the weather was just beautiful but it was still too hot for me to grill in the sun, so i decided to make my mediterranean spread indoors on my grill pan. This combination of chicken Shish Kebabs are best when served with the veggie kebabs and yogurt sauce with warm toasted Pita bread and Cous-Cous. It was a big hit with all the grown-ups as well as the little ones. A very simple but delicious meal for entertaining company.
Grill away!!!!!

CHICKEN SHISH KEBAB

**Marinate chicken overnight**
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon dried oregano or marjoram
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons grill seasoning, (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning by McCormick)
2 pounds boneless chicken breast and thigh, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

THE VEGGIE SKEWERS
1 large onion, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Special equipment: metal skewers

SERVES
4-5

PREP TIME
20 – 25 minutes

COOK TIME
Grilling time – 15- 20 minutes

DIRECTIONS
Combine 1/4 cup olive oil, just eyeball the amount, with spices and grill seasoning in a shallow bowl or dish. Add chicken to seasonings and coat evenly in the mixture. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator if possible, else Marinate for atleast an hour. Skewer the meat on metal skewers and let sit for 10 minutes. Cook on a hot grill for 5-6 minutes on each side or under the broiler for 7 to 8 minutes for medium-rare. Once done, add lemon juice and serve with the grilled veggies.

GRILLED VEGGIES ON SKEWERS
Drizzle the veggies with oil and sprinkle salt and pepper.
Thread the onions and peppers onto skewers. Place on grill or under the broiler for 12 to 15 minutes or until tender.
Thread the cherry tomatoes onto seperate skewers and place on grill or under the broiler for 4-5 minutes.
Sprinkle lemon juice once done.

FOR THE YOGURT SAUCE
2 cups Greek plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, peeled and grated or minced
1/4 cup finely chopped mint leaves, a handful
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves, a handful

Combine yogurt with garlic, mint and parsley. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

COMMENTS
Serve with warm Pita bread, Warm the Pita bread on the grill for less than a minute on each side.
Cous-Cous goes extremely well with this meal also. ( Please see Cous Cous recipe under “Breads and Rice” category.)
CREDIT
Adapted from 30 minute meals

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Orange Balsamic Glazed Chicken

March 2, 2010 · Filed under Chicken

Well when i first saw this recipe on TV, i was so inspired, i just had to make it and it did turn out to be delicious. The citrus flavor with the Balsamic vinegar makes the most delicious sauce.

ORANGE BALSAMIC GLAZED CHICKEN


INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts or any combination of light and dark meat
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves chopped
1/3 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 scallions, whites and greens, finely chopped
4 cups baby arugula

SERVES
4

PREP TIME
5 minutes

COOK TIME
15 minutes

DIRECTIONS
In a large pan, heat the extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high to high heat.

Season the chicken liberally with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. When the oil is hot and ripples, add the chicken and brown for 5 minutes, then turn and sprinkle with rosemary. Cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 5 minutes more.

In a small bowl, stir together the marmalade, vinegar and stock and pour over the chicken. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and becomes a thin glaze. Add the scallions during the last minute of cooking time. Arrange on a serving platter and serve topped with arugula greens.

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Chicken Noodle Soup with Veggies

February 21, 2010 · Filed under Chicken, Nutritious meals for kids · Tagged ,

What is the most comforting food when you have a cold – I think Chicken soup gets a unanimous vote on this one. Every family has their own way of preparing this warm comforting soup , I found this recipe on the internet and I have tried several others but this one really stuck, firstly it is a very simple recipe – who wants to spend hours making soup when you are feeling low, secondly it uses a unique combination of vegetables especially meant for faster recovery…..i love it and it TRULY WORKS.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP WITH VEGGIES


INGREDIENTS
2 cup cooked, diced chicken(Supplies zinc; a University of Michigan study shows that the mineral can reduce the symptoms and duration of a cold.)
½ cup chopped carrots (Beta-carotene in the carrots helps make immune-system cells better at fighting off infection.)
½ cup chopped celery (Celery contains a large amount of vitamin C which may help reduce cold symptoms or severity of cold symptoms
2 medium onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced(Onions and garlic are potent antivirals. “Compounds in garlic and onions are readily passed to the lungs and respiratory tract, where they can be most effective against cold viruses,” says James Duke, Ph.D., author of The Green Pharmacy.)
1 cup enriched egg noodles(They’re a good source of selenium; too little selenium makes it easier for the cold virus to multiply and mutate.)
1 red bell pepper, chopped (Peppers are packed with salicylates–the active ingredient in aspirin.)
*2 tsp cayenne pepper (Supplies more salicylates, and the heat acts as a decongestant.)
SERVES
8 – (1 cup servings)
PREP TIME
8- 10 minutes
COOK TIME
40 – 45 minutes
DIRECTIONS
Pour 8 cups of water into a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the chicken, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic, and boil for half an hour or until the carrots are tender. Add the remaining ingredients and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.

COMMENTS
The recipe asks for pre-cooked chicken but I have almost always just cut raw chicken in small pieces and put them in the boiling water and let it cook for about 5-8 minutes before I put the carrots and onions.
Also, I have used whole wheat spaghetti or even whole wheat elbow pasta on occasion and it has come out to be equally tasty
*I have made this soup for my daughter every time she has had a cold for the past three years, just skipped the cayenne pepper and instead added ½ tsp of black pepper.
RECOMMENDED SPECIAL EQUIPMENT
I happen to be a proud owner of a “ Pressure cooker” – it is big pot with a lid which is locked when ready to cook, The food is cooked by the steam under pressure inside the pot. This reduces cooking time drastically. It is most useful for cooking stews, soups, beans etc.
If you own this, please use it for this soup coz it takes only 10 minutes in the pressure cooker on medium heat for the soup to fully cook and the chicken is way more tender and soft.

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