Broccoli and Chicken Stir Fry with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Disclaimer: this recipe sounds strange. The first time I stumbled across this dish I was so confused - broccoli and peanut butter... together?? Ew. But alas, it is a delicious combination! The peanut sauce is salty, spicy, and slightly sweet and paired with the broccoli and chicken it makes a (surprisingly) delicious dish. Trust me! Oh, and you can easily make this vegetarian by leaving out the chicken and using vegetable stock, so that's always a bonus.

After making chicken satay the other night we found ourselves with some extra peanut sauce (never a bad thing) and I figured I would give it a try as a stir fry sauce and it ended up working perfectly! I think I will always meal plan to have these two dishes in the same week so I can make the sauce once and use it for two recipes... hooray for laziness. Give this recipe a try. It might sound a little weird at first, but it's truly delicious, not to mention very healthy! Enjoy :o)

Broccoli and Chicken Stir Fry with Spicy Peanut Sauce

serves 2

Ingredients

1 tsp. vegetable oil

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes

3 cups broccoli florets

1/2 red or orange bell pepper, cut into 1 inch strips

1/4 cup stock (chicken, beef, or vegetable all work fine)

1/2 cup peanut sauce

red pepper flakes to taste (about 1/4-1/2 tsp)

salt and pepper to taste 

cooked rice for serving (optional)

In a large wok or non-stick skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the chicken and season with a little salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through. Remove to a plate. Add the broccoli, bell pepper and stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 5 minutes or until the broccoli is crisp-tender. Return the chicken to the pan and add the peanut sauce and red pepper flakes, stirring to coat everything evenly. Cook until everything is heated through, 2 minutes. Serve the stir fry on its own or over rice. Enjoy while hot. Yum!

Chicken with Peanut Satay Sauce

Ok ok before all you know-it-alls get antsy, I realize this isn't a "traditional" satay sauce. I didn't grind my own peanuts, I omitted the ginger, and I'm fresh out of lemongrass, but this is still a delicious peanut satay inspired dish. For those of you unfamiliar with satay, it is basically meat that has been marinated and grilled, then dipped in a sweet and salty peanut butter sauce. It's divine. This version is no exception. 

After researching a variety of satay recipes, I found some common ingredients and decided to venture off on my own to make a simplified, yet tasty version using what I had on hand (gosh that seems like a problem of mine). I am happy to report that the experimenting paid off! I wasn't planning to blog this dish, but halfway through dinner I forced Andy to stop eating so I could snap a few photos to add to the blog. He got a little grumpy, but I succeeded. The flavors of this dish are appealing to both adults and kids alike, and this could easily be served as a main dish protein along side a veggie and some rice (edamame in our case), or it could be served room temperature as an appetizer. Whatever floats your boat. Enjoy!

Chicken with Peanut Satay Sauce

Serves 2 main dish portion

Ingredients

Marinade

1/4 cup coconut milk

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. curry powder

1 tsp. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips

Peanut sauce

1/2 cup coconut milk

2 tsp. curry powder

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (the "natural" peanut butter is better than a Jif or Skippy type of peanut butter, but use what you have on hand)

1/3 cup chicken or beef stock

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. lemon or lime juice

1 tsp. fish sauce

1 tsp. soy sauce
dash of cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

Other

wooden skewers (1 per chicken strip) soaked in water for 30 minutes

non-stick cooking spray

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients for the marinade except the chicken. Add the chicken strips and toss to coat the marinade evenly over each. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, skewer the chicken strips onto the soaked wooden skewers. Discard any remaining marinade.

In the meantime, make the peanut sauce. In a small saucepan over medium low heat, whisk together all ingredients for the peanut sauce. Once it begins to simmer, cook for 5 minutes until smooth and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and transfer to a small serving bowl.

Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Grill the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked through. 

Serve the chicken skewers along with the peanut sauce. Yum!

Chicken in Mustard Cream Sauce

Mustard is one of those ingredients that I underestimate. As far as condiments go, I'm likely to reach for ketchup for my burger, or mayonnaise for my sandwiches, so mustard kind of takes a back seat. However, this meal is really all about the mustard. It's not overpowering, but it adds just enough tangy mustardy flavor to make boring-old-chicken into something much tastier. This will certainly be added to our rotation of chicken dishes as it was a huge hit! Enjoy :o)

Chicken in Mustard Cream Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, boneless/skinless, cut in half into two thin cutlets

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

salt and pepper

1/4 cup minced onion or shallot

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tbsp. whole grain mustard

1 tbsp. smooth dijon mustard

Directions

Heat the butter and oil in a large sautee pan over medium high heat. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the sautee pan and cook until they are golden brown, about 2 minutes (resist the urge to move them as they will stick).  Turn the chicken over and cook on the second side for about 3 minutes longer, or until the juices run clear when poked with a knife. Remove the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.

In the same pan, make the mustard sauce. Keep the heat on medium high and add the onion. Cook for about 2 minutes until slightly softened, then add the wine. Scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan, and raise the heat to high to bring the wine to a simmer. Continue cooking for 2-3 minutes or until there is about 2 tbsp. of liquid left in the pan. Add the chicken stock and simmer until reduced by half. Stir in the heavy cream, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/4 tsp. of pepper,  and bring to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer until the sauce coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Shut off the heat and stir in the mustards. Return the chicken to the pan and allow them to heat through before serving. Be generous with the sauce when serving! Yum! :o)

Adapted from The Williams Sonoma Cookbook and Smitten Kitchen

Roasted Lemon Herb Chicken

Growing up, my mother frequently made us rosemary chicken for dinner. That's all she called it... rosemary chicken. It was simple, yet oh-so-delicious and fall off the bone tender! She used chicken drumsticks and pan roasted them on the stovetop with oil, butter, and rosemary, and that was pretty much it. No fancy frills, no time-consuming preparation, and best of all it only made one pan dirty! I have been playing around with making roast chickens lately, but they always cost more than just buying one of those pre-roasted chickens at the grocery store so it was hard to justify all that effort for a more-costly end result that wasn't all that much better. I decided it was time to change my plan. Inspired by Mom's rosemary chicken, as well as the frequent sales and great bargains I see on chicken drumsticks and thighs, I decided to roast only dark meat pieces of chicken that would be flavored with rosemary. Feeling the need to put my own "twist" on it (you must be used to that by now, Mom! Nothing personal, it's just how I roll) I decided to add some of my other favorite chicken flavor combinations that I enjoy such as lemon and garlic. I also know that thyme pairs incredibly well with chicken, so I threw that in there too for good measure. To reduce my efforts in the cooking process itself, I decided that roasting the chicken in the oven instead of babysitting it on the stove would be the way for me to go. The end result is supremely flavored chicken that is juicy and tender. If you're looking for a new chicken recipe to add to the rotation, give this one a try. Enjoy! :o)

Roasted Lemon Herb Chicken

Makes 2-4 servings

Ingredients

2-3 pounds of chicken drumsticks or thighs (bone-in, skin on)

zest of 2 lemons

juice of 2 lemons (about 1/3 cup)

4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

3 sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped off (about 1 tbsp.)

1 sprig of rosemary, leaves stripped off (about 1 tbsp.)

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:

In a large resealable plastic bag, mix together the lemon zest, juice, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper. Add the chicken and seal the bag, then turn to coat everything in the marinade. Refrigerate and let marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a 13x9 baking pan with parchment paper (I found aluminum foil reacted with the lemon juice in an unpleasant way. If you don't have parchment, just spray the pan well and hope it doesn't stick!). Arrange the chicken in the pan, skin side up, with a little space between each piece if possible. Brush the chicken with the melted butter. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour the remaining marinade over the chicken to baste, then continue roasting for about 40 minutes or until the chicken is browned and cooked through.

Let rest for 10 minutes or so before serving. Yum!

Inspired by: Mom :o)

Chicken Parmesan Burgers

Chicken Parmesan Burgers... yum! I read about this idea online but had a tough time finding a recipe that was easy and had enough flavor for me, so I just made up my own version! I took the best parts of chicken parmesan and the best parts of a delicious burger and smooshed them together into one glorious concoction. The best part about this burger? You get the flavor of chicken parm without the deep frying, so they are (almost) guilt free. I hope you enjoy these :o)

Chicken Parmesan Burgers

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients

2 tbsp. olive oil

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced

3 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped (divided)

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

pinch cayenne pepper

1 lb ground chicken

1 egg

1/2 - 1 cup breadcrumbs

4 slices provolone cheese

4 ciabatta rolls

1/2 cup marinara sauce, heated

Melt 1 tbsp. of the olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the onion and sautee over medium heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sautee 2 minutes longer. Stir in the parsley, 1 tbsp of the basil, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, mix the chicken, egg, 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, and onion mixture with your hands until well combined. If the mixture is too wet, add more breadcrumbs until the mixture stays together enough to form patties. Split the mixture into four equal parts and form each one into a patty 1 inch thick. Put on a plate in the fridge for 30 minutes for the flavors to meld.

To cook: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Heat the remaining oil on a grill pan or large skillet over medium high heat. Cook the burgers until golden brown on each side, approximately 4-5 minutes and then transfer to a cookie sheet. Finish cooking the burgers in the oven until they are cooked through and juices run clear. When the burgers are nearly done, distribute the remaining basil over each burger, then top with a slice of provolone and place under the broiler for 2 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

To assemble you can either spread the marinara on the rolls, or use it as a dipping sauce on the side. Either way works great! Yum! :o)

Indian Butter Chicken

Well, I'm well on my way. This is my first successful recipe that I can check off of my 30 by 30 list. Yay!  (I also attempted the naan to go with it, but that recipe will require a little experimentation before it makes the list.) One of my favorite parts of the recipe is how little butter there actually is in it - I was mentally prepared to be using much more, so being able to use a small amount made me happy. This Butter Chicken recipe closely rivals that of our old local Indian restaurant in the South End, and I'm pretty sure I could eat all of it by myself. :o) Enjoy!

Indian Butter Chicken (Chicken Makhani)

Serves 4

 Ingredients

1 tbsp. peanut oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

¼ cup white onion, chopped

2 tbsp. butter

2 tsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger root

1 tsp. garam masala

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 bay leaf

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)

½ c. plain yogurt

¾ c. half-and-half

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

¼ c. water

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp. peanut oil

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into bite-size chunks

1 tsp. garam masala

1 pinch cayenne pepper

3 tbsp. golden raisins

3 tbsp. slivered almonds

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and shallot and sauté until the onion is translucent and softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in butter, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, garam masala, chili powder, cumin bay leaf, and cayenne and cook for one minute until fragrant.

Add the tomato paste and water, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the yogurt and half-and-half. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about ten minutes until slightly thickened.

In the meantime, heat 1 tbsp. peanut oil in a large skillet. Add the cubed chicken and sauté until cooked through, about 5 minutes. To the chicken, add 1 tsp. garam masala and 1 pinch cayenne pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken to the tomato sauce mixture and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes until flavors are blended. Add the golden raisins and almonds. Remove the bay leaves and adjust seasoning. Serve over basmati or jasmine rice, alongside naan bread.

Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Andy adores mexican food.... a lot! Because of his crazy work schedule lately, we wanted to make a delicious home-cooked Mexican meal on Sunday, and these enchiladas sounded great. I have never made enchiladas before, so I did a lot of research - this particular dish is a blend of several recipes, primarily one by Tyler Florence. This makes a pretty big batch (10 enchiladas) and they reheat really well for lunches or meals several days later. Next time I make these, I will make a double batch of the tomatillo salsa because it was very good and it would be delicious with chips as an afternoon snack! Enjoy :o)

Chicken Enchiladas with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Makes 10 enchiladas

Tomatillo Salsa
Ingredients

1 pound tomatillos, husked
1 white onion, peeled and quartered
4 garlic clove, peeled
2 jalapeno, halved and seeded
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 lime, juiced 

For the salsa: pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a baking sheet lined with foil, put the tomatillos (halve or quarter any bigger ones), onion, garlic and jalapeno. Roast for 15 minutes, then transfer vegetables and any accumulated juices to a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and pulse until ingredients are blended well and the salsa is still a little chunky. Set aside.

Enchiladas

Ingredients
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups chicken stock, storebought

Chopped cilantro leaves

1 deli roasted chicken (about 3 pounds), boned, meat shredded

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

10 large corn tortillas

1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded 

To make the enchiladas: pre-hear the oven to 350 degrees F.  Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan. Add the onions and cook over medium-low heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and cook 2 minutes more. Whisk in the flour until there are no lumps, then gradually whisk in the stock, stirring to prevent lumps from forming. Increase the heat and continue stirring until the mixture comes to a simmer, then remove from heat. Add the shredded chicken, 1 cup of the tomatillo salsa, and cilantro and stir well to combine. Season filling to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread a spoonful of the tomatillo salsa onto the bottom of a large casserole dish (13"x9") and also pour some of the salsa onto a separate plate. Warm the tortillas over the flame of the stove for about 10 seconds per side (if you don't have a gas stovetop just put them under the broiler in the oven for a minute or so). Once warmed, put the tortilla on the plate with the salsa and turn to coat both sides of the tortilla with the salsa. Spoon a tenth of the chicken mixture down the middle of the tortilla and top with a little Monterey Jack cheese. Roll like a cigar and put into the casserole dish seam side down. Continue with the remaining 9 tortillas. Top the enchiladas with some more tomatillo salsa and more cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Serve with cilantro lime rice and black beans for a delicious Mexican-inspired meal! Yum :o)

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

It's a new year, and just like every other January I have decided to try to live a little healthier. This usually doesn't last very long, but it's worth a shot! Keeping the new, healthy mentality in mind, the first recipe of 2011 is chicken lettuce wraps. I figure that any dish that comes wrapped in lettuce has to be healthy, right? These delicious bites are actually inspired by a P. F. Chang's appetizer of the same name, but with some extra additions to suit our own taste. I have been experimenting quite a bit with this recipe, and it is finally share-worthy. I have found that Boston Bibb lettuce in the fancy plastic container works the best because it has flexible leaves and usually doesn't have holes, but iceburg could also work.

Serves 4-6 as appetizer portions, or 2-4 as a meal

Ingredients

Cooking Sauce:
¼ c. Hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp dry sherry
2 Tbsp oyster sauce
1/4 c. water
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. cornstarch

 

Marinade:
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp dry sherry
1 tbsp water

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 pounds ground chicken (or 1 lb chicken breast cut into small cubes)

½ oz. dried mushrooms such as shiitake or porcini (or 4 oz. fresh)
5 Tbsp oil
1 tsp fresh minced ginger, or ¼ tsp dried ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, minced

½ tsp. red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)

8 oz can water chestnuts, minced
Packaged Chow Mein noodles (or something crunchy)
lettuce "cup" leaves, bibb or iceburg

Directions:

If using dried mushrooms, cover with boiling water, let stand 30 minutes then drain. Cut and discard woody stems. Mince mushrooms. Set aside. 

Mix all ingredients for cooking sauce in bowl, and set aside. In medium bowl, combine all ingredients for marinade, and chicken. Stir to coat chicken thoroughly and let sit 15 minutes to marinate. 

Heat wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add 3 Tbsp oil, then add chicken and stir fry for about 3-4 minutes. Set aside. Add 2 Tbsp oil to pan. Add ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and onion; stir fry about a minute or so. Add mushrooms and water chestnuts; stir fry an additional 2 minutes. Return chicken to pan.

Add mixed cooking sauce to pan. Simmer for 15-20 minutes on low heat until sauce is thickened and most of the liquid has evaporated. Spoon into lettuce leaf, top with crunchy noodles and roll. Yum!