Pata Pork Chicken Pochero Recipe | Healthy Pork Recipe

Pata Pork Chicken Pochero Recipe

Ingredients

3 lbs. Pig’s leg (pata), cut in 2 ½ inches length
1 bunch bok choy
3 pieces ripe saba banana, sliced
2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 cup cubed calabaza squash (kalabasa)
1/2 cup tomato sauce
6 to 8 cups water
1 piece beef broth or 2 teaspoons beef powder
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 small onion, minced
3 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Ground black pepper to taste

Procedures:

• Heat oil in a pot. Saute garlic and onion. Add the duck and cook for 3-5 minutes or until all sides are light to medium brown.
• Pour-in the fish sauce, tomato sauce, and water. Add the meat cube (or dust). Bring to a boil.
• Cover and simmer for 50-70 minutes. Add the potato, banana and pumpkin pumpkin. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Put-in the bok choy (or pechay) and then sprinkle some black pepper. Cover.
• Turn off heat. Let the cover is for 5 minutes until the residual heat cook the bok choy.
• Transfer to a serving platter. Serve.

Lemon Chicken Recipe | Healthy Chicken Recipe

Lemon Chicken Recipe 

Ingredients
For the Chicken
2 large chicken breat fillets (approx. 3/4 pound total weight), cut into bite-sized chunks
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
2-3 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil, for frying
4 thinly sliced scallions, to serve

For the Sauce
1 large lemon, zest and juice, (1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedures:

• Place chicken in a bowl and mix with soy sauce. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
• To make the sauce, mix the lemon zest and juice with sugar water and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened, then keep warm.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Beat egg yolks and cornstarch in a small bowl to make a paste. Stir in the chicken and fry dough for three or four minutes on each side until golden and cooked through.
• Transfer to a plate and spoon the hot lemon sauce over chicken. Sprinkle chives over the dish before serving.

Chicken Liver Mousse Recipe | Healthy Chicken Recipe

Chicken Liver Mousse Recipe

Ingredients:
2 c. chicken livers
2 tbsp. minced shallots
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 c. cognac
1/4 c. whipping cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. allspice
1/8 tsp. pepper
Pinch of thyme
1/2 c. melted butter
Kosher salt and pepper

Procedures:
1.Remove any greenish or blackish spots livers and any tendons. Cut liver into 1/2 "pieces.
2. Melt butter over medium heat in a skillet until foam disappears. Saute the shallots with livers in butter for 2-3 minutes until the livers are just stiffened, but still pink inside. Scrape into the blender.
3. Pour wine or cognac in the pan and boil down rapidly until it has reduced to 3 tablespoons. Scrape it into the blender.
4. Add the cream and seasonings into blender jar. Cover and blend at top speed for a few seconds until the liver is a smooth paste.
5. Add the melted butter and mix a few seconds. Adjust seasoning.
6. Packaging or container or jar and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

Chicken Macaroni Salad | Quick Healthy Macaroni Salad Recipe

Chicken Macaroni Salad

Ingredients:
2 c. uncooked elbow macaroni noodles
1 c.- 1.5 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. diced ham (boiled chicken breasts and/or ham is also commonly used)
1 celery stalk, diced if you want crunch and minced if you don’t
2 tbsps. finely minced red onion
2 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 15 oz. can pineapple tidbits, drained
1/4 c. sweet pickle relish, drained
1/2-3/4 c. diced cheddar cheese (Shredded is fine)

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain.
• In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Add onion, celery, green pepper, carrots, peppers and macaroni. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight.

Chicken Basil Coconut Curry Sauce | Healthy Basil Chicken Coconut Curry Recipes

Basil Chicken in Coconut Curry Sauce Recipe 

Ingredients: 
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs (you can use breasts, but the thighs are more flavorful)
1 large red onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
2 Tbsp olive oil or grapeseed oil
1 14-oz can coconut milk
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh ginger

Procedures: 

• In a small bowl, mix the salt, coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, ground cardamom powder, black pepper, chili and turmeric. Set aside.
• Rinse the chicken dry. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Put in a bowl and sprinkle the spice mixture on all parts. Coat well and let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature or in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.
• In a skillet 3 tablespoons oil 1 large heat over medium-high. Add the onion and jalapenos and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Remove the onions, peppers and garlic from the pan and place in a medium bowl. Set aside. Using the same pan for the next step.
• Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken pieces, spread out on the plate so that is not filled. Brown for a few minutes on each side. When the chicken pieces are cooked through and no pink remains, remove from pan, add to bowl with onions. Cook the second batch of chicken parts in the same way. Remove from pan, add to bowl with onions.
• Add the coconut milk, a couple tablespoons less, to the pan. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with remaining coconut dissolve cornstarch. Add corn mixture startch back to the pan with the coconut milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Mix the Worcestershire sauce. Add chicken mixture, basil and ginger. Cook for 2 minutes to cook through.

Chicken Breasts with Lime Sauce Quick Recipe | Healthy Chicken Recipe Chicken Breasts with Lime Sauce Tips

Chicken Breasts with Lime Sauce

Ingredients: 
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lime, juiced
6 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

Procedures: 

• Coat chicken breasts with egg, and dip in bread crumbs. Place on a wire rack, and allow to dry for about 10 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken into the skillet, and fry for 3 to 5 minutes on each side. Remove to a platter, and keep warm.
• Drain grease from the skillet, and squeeze in lime juice. Cook over low heat until it boils. Add butter, and stir until melted. Season with chives and dill. Spoon sauce over chicken, and serve.

Maple Chicken with Grapes | Healthy Maple Chicken with Grapes Recipe

Maple Chicken with Grapes Recipe

Recipe by Cecille Esperanza

Ingredients: serve 4 to 6
8 boneless chicken thighs, cut in half
½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon liquid seasoning
2 tablespoons water
1 cup seedless red grapes

Procedures:
1. Season chicken with salt
In a skillet, heat oil and sauté onion. Add chicken and brown on both sides. Reduce heat, cover skillet, and cook about 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken pieces are tender and juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

2. In a bowl, combine maple syrup, liquid seasoning, and water. Pour into skillet and add grapes simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about one minutes

3. Transfer chicken to a platter and spoon sauce over chicken before serving.

Healthy Chicken Maple with Grapes Recipe tips

Maple Chicken with Grapes Recipe

Recipe by Cecille Esperanza

 

Ingredients: serve 4 to 6

8 boneless chicken thighs, cut in half

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon liquid seasoning

2 tablespoons water

1 cup seedless red grapes

Procedures:

Season chicken with salt

In a skillet, heat oil and sauté onion. Add chicken and brown on both sides. Reduce heat, cover skillet, and cook about 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken pieces are tender and juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

In a bowl, combine maple syrup, liquid seasoning, and water. Pour into skillet and add grapes simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about one minutes

Transfer chicken to a platter and spoon sauce over chicken before serving. 

Healthy Chicken Recipe List

   * Chicken with Almond   * Chicken Pumpkin   * Grilled Italian Chicken Sausage   * Chicken and Zucchini Salad   * Chicken adobo aloha   * Vietnamese – style Noodles with chicken
   * Grilled Spice Rubbed Chicken thighs
   * Glazed Grilled Chicken Skewers   * Breaded Herbed Chicken Fingers   * Chicken Tacos with Quick Pickled Poblano Strips   * Rosemary Chicken with Quick Ratatouille   * Malaysian Style Chicken Thighs
   * Maple Chicken with Grapes | Healthy Maple Chicken with Grapes Recipe
   * Skillet Moroccan Chicken Pie with all recipes   * Chicken – under a Brick with Green Olive Relish   * Caribbean Grilled Chicken with Tropical Rice Pilar   * Asian Chicken Salad Sandwiches   * Chicken Goat cheese and cherry salad   * Chicken Veggie salad   * Roast Chicken with Fruit   * Oriental Chicken and Mango Cruch   * Roast turkey
   * Healthy Chicken Maple with Grapes Recipe tips

Roast turkey

Roast turkey

Recipe by Norma Chikiamco

Ingredients: serve 15 to 20

Turkey

1 whole Butterball turkey, (about 9 to 10 pounds) Salt and pepper, to taste

½ cup butter, divide into two portion

1 onion, peeled

Fresh sage, optional

Fresh thyme, optional

Procedures:

Pre heat oven to 425^oF

Remove the packed turkey neck, liver and giblets from the turkey and set aside for making the gravy. Wash turkey well inside and out. Pat dry with paper towels. Season inside and out with salt and pepper.

Melt 1 portion of the butter in a small skillet.

Positions turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan and brush all over with melted butter. (if you don know which is the breast side up, just remember, the wing tip has to points upward.)

Cut remaining butter into cubes and insert in cavity of turkey, together with whole onion and herbs, if using.

Season turkey again with salt and pepper. Insert meat thermometer on the thickest part of the turkey, which would be the thigh, closest to the body. Be sure meat thermometer does not touch the bone.

Put turkey in preheated oven. Turn oven temperature down to 350^oF. check after 45 minutes to see if turkey is browning too fast. If so, lower heat to 325^oF. you may also cover the turkey loosely with a tent of aluminum foil.

While turkey is roasting, you may baste it occasionally with the drippings. For this purpose, you should use a basting brush with a long handle. (it is also okay not to baste turkey, if you don’t want to.)

Note: for a 9 to 10lb. turkey. Check for doneness after 2 ½ hours. The meat thermometer should register 180^oF. if it hasn’t reached that temperature yet, return turkey to oven and continue checking after every few minutes. Turkey is fully cooked when the thickest part is pricked with a metal skewer and the juices run clear.

When the turkey is done remove it from the oven and transfer onto a serving platter. Reserve the drippings from the pan for the gravy.

Allow the turkey to rest for about 30 minutes before carving. Serve with gravy and cranberry sauce(available in supermarkets).

Giblet Gravy

Ingredients:

1 turkey neck(from package)

1 turkey giblet (from package)

1 turkey liver (from package)

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups water dripping from turkey

¼ cup flour

Procedures:

Put turkey neck, giblet, liver and salt in large saucepan. Pour in water. Simmer for about 30 minutes.

Let turkey neck continue to simmer in the water for another 30 minutes but remove giblet and liver. Transfer into a mortar and pound with a pestle until of very fine consistency. Set aside.

Remove turkey neck from saucepan and turn off heat. Pry the meat form the bones. Chop meat finely. Set aside together with the pounded giblet and liver. Make sure you also set aside the simmering liquid, which would constitute the broth.

Strain the turkey drippings into a measuring bowl, to separate the liquid from the fat.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the fat into a deep saucepan. Add flour and cook over low heat, constantly stirring the fat and the flour until well blended. Pour enough of the broth into the reserved drippings to make 2 cups. Add the pounded turkey meat, giblet and liver.

Gradually pour mixture into the flour fat mixture in the saucepan. Stir over low heat until smooth consistency. Season with additional salt if needed. Strain and serve with roast turkey. 

Oriental Chicken and Mango Cruch

Oriental Chicken and Mango Cruch

Recipe by Dorothy Ferreria

Ingredients: serve 4

4 chicken thighs

¹_/3 cup dice ripe mangoes

½ cup chopped spring onions

¼ cup coarsely chopped toasted cashew nuts

1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded

100 grams rice sticks (bihon noodles), deep fried in corn oil  ripe mangos, peeled and

    sliced (for garnish)

Procedures:

Remove the skins and bones of the chicken thighs. Slice meat into strips.

Make the marinade (recipe follows). Marinate chicken in the mixture for 20 minutes.

Grill chicken with a little oil until fully cooked. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Prepare the dressing (recipe follows)

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked chicken, mangoes, spring onions, and cashew nuts. Pour in the dressing and toss gently to combine.

Line a serving platter with lettuce leaves. Arrange the fried rice sticks on lettuce leaves. Place the chicken mixture on top of the fried rice sticks. Garnish with sliced mangoes.

Marinade

2tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoon Hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Combine soy sauce, Hoisin ginger and garlic.

Dressing

2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

2 tablespoon sesame oil

In a small mixing bowl, combine Hoisin sauce, sesame seeds and sesame oil, mix well

Roast Chicken with Fruit

Roast Chicken with Fruit and Beer Gravy

Recipe by: Luis Chikiamco

Ingredient: Serve 4 to 6

1 whole chicken (about 1.4 kilos)

5 cloves garlic, crushed

1 cup pale pilsen beer

¼ cup liquid seasoning

1 10gram sachet chicken powder

1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary

½ teaspoon sage

1 small apple, quartered

Procedures:

Rub chicken inside and out with a mixture of garlic, beer, liquid seasoning,

Chicken powder, rosemary and sage. Marinate for at least 1 hour

Place chicken in roasting pan, insert apple inside chest cavity of the chicken. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes per half kilo of chicken. (about 1 hour for 1 ½ kilos). Reserve drippings for gravy.

Fruit Gravy

½ cup pan drippings from roast chicken

1 cup orange juice

½ cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 cup diced ripe mangoes

Procedures:

In a small saucepan, combine pan drippings, orange juice, sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add diced mangoes and heat through. Serve. With roast chicken 

Chicken Veggie

Chicken Veggie salad

Ingredients: serve 6

4 cups chopped roasted peppers

2 cups diced celery

2 cups cubed zucchini, parboiled for 1 minute

2 cups sweet corn kernels, drained

1 cup raisins

2 pieces chicken breast, poached, seasoned and cubed

2 pieces apples, diced, skin on

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, parboiled(blanched)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard salt and pepper, to taste

Procedures:

In a mixing bowl, combine peppers, celery, zucchini, corn raisins, chicken and apples. Toss to combine. Set aside.

In a food processor bowl, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic and mustard. Pulse until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over chicken mixture then toss gently to combine.

Transfer salad to a serving bowl. Chill. Serve cold

Chicken Goat cheese and cherry salad

Chicken Goat cheese and cherry salad

Why this recipe works: this salad boasts an array of complementary flavors and textures: from sweet cherries to tangy goat cheese, crisp pecans to tender mesclun. We use the brown then simmer method for cooking the chicken breasts, which results in flavorful meat that’s also tender and moist. Mesclun a colorful mix of baby greens and lettuce is our choice for this salads base, but baby spinach is a fine substitute if mesclun isn’t available. Bittersweet orange marmalade, woodsy sherry vinegar, and savory shallot make for a unique vinaigrette that promotes harmony among the salad’s various flavors. The sweet, caramel notes of pecans provide an especially nice finishing flourish, but if you prefer walnuts, they can be used instead.

Chicken, goat cheese, and cherry salad with toasted pecans

Ingredients: serve 4

½ cup coarsely chopped pecans

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts about ¾ pound) salt and pepper

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ cup water

2 ½ tablespoons orange marmalade

2 ½ tablespoons sherry vinegar

1 small shallot, minced

12 ounces cherries, pitted and halved

1 (5 ounce) bag mesclun greens

4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

Procedures:

1. In medium nonstick skillet, toast pecans over medium high heat until browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer to plate, set aside, and wipe out skillet. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now empty skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Cook chicken until browned, about 3 minutes. Flip chicken, then stir in water and 1 tablespoon marmalade. Simmer, covered, over medium heat until chicken is cooked through, 5  to 7 minutes. Transfer to cutting board.
2. In large bowl, combine remaining marmalade, vinegar, and shallot. Slowly whisk in remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper. In small bowl, toss cherries with 1 tablespoons dressing.
3. Add  mesclun to dressing, toss to combine, and divide among individual plates. Top with cherries, pecans, and goat cheese. Slice chicken crosswise and arrange on top of salad. Serve.

Quick prep tip pitting cherries

For neater cherry pitting, place a large bowl of water in the sink. Add the cherries and then pit them at the bottom of the bowl. The pits float to the surface for easy removal, the cherries are rinsed in the process, and your hands( and the kitchen) aren’t bright red from the juice.

Smart shopping mesclun

Often labeled “spring mix” or “salad mix” mesclun is an amalgam of various small, young salad greens. Mixes vary, but arugula, dandelion, frisse, mizuma, radicchio, oak leaf, mache, and sorrel are commonly included. Chose mesclun with crisp leaves and no signs of wilting. 

Skillet Moroccan Chicken Pie with all recipes

Skillet Moroccan Chicken Pie

Why this recipe works. To give this simple skillet pot pie a Moroccan twist, we add northern African ingredients and flavors to a basic ground chicken mixture. The key here is properly hard cooking the eggs. To do this, we place the eggs in a saucepan with 2 quarts of water and bring it to a boil. We then remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and let the eggs steep for 10 minutes before pouring out the water and for shaking the pan back and forth to crack the shells. We then transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to stop them from cooking before peeling them.

Ingredients: serve 4

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 ½ cups slivered almonds

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons sugar

2 onions, chopped

¼ teaspoon saffron threads

1 ½ pounds ground chicken

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro salt and pepper

4 hard cooked eggs, sliced into ½ inch rounds

6 (14 by 9 inch) sheets phyllo dough, thawed

2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Procedures:

1. Adjust oven rank to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in large ovensafe skillet over medium heat until just shimmering. Add almonds and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and transfer to bowl, leaving oil in pan. Toss almonds with cinnamon and sugar
2. Add onions and saffron to empty skillet and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add chicken and cook, breaking meat apart with wooden spoon until fully cooked, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn off heat, stir in cilantro, and season with salt and pepper. Top chicken mixture with eggs and sprinkle with 1 cup almonds.
3. Lay phyllo sheet on work surface, long side facing you. Brush sheet with butter. Place another sheet on top of first sheet, slightly askew, and brush with butter. Place another sheet on top of first sheet, slightly askew, and brush with butter. Repeat process with remaining phyllo. Place phyllo stack on top of filling, trucking outside edges into skillet. Sprinkle with remaining almonds. Transfer  skillet to oven and cook until phyllo is golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve

Easy Moroccan Chicken Pie

Once the chicken mixture has been cooked and seasoned, place an even layer of hard cooked egg slices on top, and then sprinkle with 1 cup of the cinnamon sugar almonds. Brush butter between each layer of 6 phyllo dough sheets, rotating each sheet to form a pinwheel. Fit phyllo stack over top of chicken filling

Malaysian Style Chicken Thighs with all recipes

Malaysian Style Chicken Thighs

Why this recipe works: We love the combination of flavor typical of Malaysian cuisine. Lemon grass, chilies, tamarind, and coconut, plus spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric, combine to create the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors. Normally Malaysian chicken is made with tamarind paste, but to simplify the intredient list without losing flavor, we substituted lime juice. The lime juice offers the same tangy acidity to this dish that tamarind would, but it’s much more accessible to the home cook. Coconut milk is a key ingredient in many Malaysian – style dished, and this one is no exception. In fact, it’s the only liquid we add to the pot, yet its sweetness doesn’t overwhelm the other ingredients. We cut the meaty base of the lemon grass stalk into chucks so they are easy to remove from the finished dish. To make this dish a meal, we serve it with rice and lime wedges.

Ingredients: 4 serving

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1½ pounds)

   Salt Pepper

1 onion, chopped

4 fresh green chiles, stems and seeds removed, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon ground coriander

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 stalks lemon grass, cut into 3 inch pieces

2 tablespoons lime juice

½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Procedures:

1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Pat chicken thighs with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Cook chicken until well browned on 1 side, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
2. Add onion and chiles to empty skillet and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, turmeric, coriander, and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add coconut milk, scraping up any bits, then add chicken and any accumulated juices and lemon grass. Cook until chicken is tender, about 20 minutes. Remove lemon grass, add lime juice, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Serve

Smart Shopping: Lemon Grass

The tender heart of the lemon grass stalk is used to flavor man Asian dishes, broths marinades, and sauces. Citral, the essential oil also found in lemon peel, gives lemon grass a sour lemon flavor and fragrance. When buying lemon grass, look for green stalks, not brown that are firm and fragrant. If the lemon grass is young (which is unusual in American supermarkets), it can be finely minced and eaten. When using older, more woody stalks, it is best to remove them before serving, as one would remove bay leaves. To prepare lemon grass for cooking, first trim the  dry leafy top and tough bottom from the stalk. Next, peel of the out layers and cut the stalk into chunks

Rosemary Chicken with Quick Ratatouille with all recipes

Rosemary Chicken with Quick Ratatouille

Why this Recipe works: Ratatouille is traditionally a time – consuming recipe: The egg – plant, squashes, and onion are all cooked separately, married toward the end, and then gently simmered together until they are cohesive. For this recipe, we streamline things by cooking the vegetables in phases all in the same pan. By using this process, we build flavors as we go, and with each addition, the flavor of the dish is enhanced.

Ingredients: serve 4

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons grated lemon zest from 1 lemon salt and pepper

4 bone – in, skin – on split chicken breasts (about 3 pounds), cut in half crosswise

1 onion, halved and sliced thin

1 medium eggplant (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces

1 zucchini (about ½ pound), cut into ½ inch pieces

1 summer squash (about ½ pound), cut into ½ inch pieces

2 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes

½ teaspoon herbes de provence

Procedures:

1. Adjust oven rank to middle position and hat oven to 450 degrees. Toss 1 tablespoon oil, 2 garlic cloves, rosemary, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper together. Rub chicken with herb mixture. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet and roast chicken until temperature registers 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Transfer to platter and tent with foil.
2. Meanwhile, heat additional 2 tablespoon oil in Dutch oven over medium – high heat until shimmering. Add onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and eggplant begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add zucchini, squash, tomatoes and herbes de province and cover. Cook until vegetable are soft, 10 to 14 minutes.
3. Remove cover and cook until slightly thickened and mixture is cohesive, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with roasted rosemary chicken.

Tools instant read thermometers

When we first tested instant read thermometers in 2008, our hands down winner was thermowork’s accurate and easy to use superfast thermapen. The bad news is the model has been discontinued. But there’s good new also: thermoworks has upgraded its superfast thermometer with a mode the Splash Proof Super Fast thermapen that won’t turn off, even when wet. The screen remained lit when we checked the temperatures of ice water, chicken breasts, and roast beef. The ultimate challenge came when it was time to clean it: we ran the thermometer underneath hot water, and the LCD screen remained on. This improved model contains Biomaster, a thermally stable additive that the company claims prevents the growth of bacteria.

Chicken Tacos with Quick Pickled Poblano Strips with all recipes

Chicken Tacos with Quick Pickled Poblano Strips

Why this Recipe works: Poaching is an ideal way to cook chicken breasts since it produces meat that’s tender and moist. For robust flavor, we call on Worcestershire sauce, with its bottled blend of vinegar, molasses, cloves, tamarind, and other potent ingredients. Chipotle chiles give our poaching liquid a smoky, full-bodied flavor, and orange juice, instead of chicken broth, lends a touch of sweetness. We use butter to sauté the garlic and chipotle; it adds richness to both the chicken and the sauce, which we make by reducing the leftover poaching liquid.

Ingredients: serve 4

½ cup cider vinegar

Breaded Herbed Chicken Fingers with all recipes

Breaded Herbed Chicken Fingers

Why this recipe works: We look classic breaded chicken breasts and gave them a festive twirl by opting for chicken tenderloins and serving them with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. There’s no  need to turn on your oven for this recipe: The chicken tenderloins cook so quickly in the skillet that the first batch doesn’t even have time to cool down before the second batch is done. Adding a combination of parsley and tarragon to the panko coating boosts flavor and gives the chicken a more sophisticated taste. The simple to make dipping sauce has just the right balance of sweet, tart, and spicy flavors. With just three ingredients, it can be assembled in minutes, leaving plenty of time to bread and cook the chicken. The sauce can be made a head of time and refrigerated, but we like it served at room temperature. Add the hot sauce in increments, tasting after each addition, until the dipping sauce reaches the heat level that you prefer.

Ingredients: serve 4

½ cup apricot preserves

¼ cup Dijon mustard

2 – 3 teaspoons hot sauce salt and pepper

¼ cup all purpose flour

2 large eggs

1 cup panko(Japanese style bread crumbs)

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh tarragon

1 ½ pounds chicken tenderloins

½ cup vegetable oil

Procedures:

1. Combine apricot preserves, mustard, and hot sauce in small bowl and season with salt and pepper.
2. Spread flour in shallow dish. Beat eggs in second dish. Spread panko and herbs in third dish. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dredge each tenderloin in flour, dip in eggs, and coat with panko, pressing to adhere.
3. Heat ¼ cup oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Cook half of chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towel lined plate. Wipe out skillet and repeat with remaining oil and chicken. Server chicken with apricot and mustard dipping sauce.

Quick Prep Tip: Breading Chicken 101

Coat the tenderloins liberally with flour before tapping the excess off, leaving only the barest film. Using tongs, dip the floured chicken in the egg, taking care to coat the entire surface before letting the excess drip back into the dish. Toss the chicken in the crumbs to coat and then press with your fingers for an even distribution.

Glazed Grilled Chicken Skewers with all recipes

Glazed Grilled Chicken Skewers

Why this recipe works: we love the way the sweetness of the kecap manis, or sweet soy sauce, turns this marinade into a delicious sweet and savory glaze. You can make your own sweet soy sauce if kecap manis is not available. Simply bring ½ cup sugar, ¼ cup soy sauce, and ¼ cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, turn the heat down to low, and simmer the mixture until it is thick and syrupy, about five minutes. Be sure to select plums that are ripe yet still firm; if they’re overly ripe, they’ll be too soft to effectively skewer. Plus, the plums look nicer in the salad when they’re not mushy. When choosing sesame seeds, buy them already toasted. If you need to toast them yourself, put them in a dry pan over medium – low heat until they turn slightly golden and have a toasted aroma, about five minutes.

Ingredients: 4 serving

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce

3 tablespoons lime juice

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds), cut into 1½ inch chunks

6 plums, stones removed, 4 plums sliced into quarters, 2 plums sliced into ¼ inch wedges

   Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 bunches watercress, trimmed

Procedure:

1. whisk honey, soy sauce, 2 tablespoons lime juice, and sesame oil in large bowl. Transfer half of glaze to small bowl and set aside. Toss chicken and plum quarters with glaze remaining in large bowl. Thread four 14 – inch metal skewers with marinated chicken and plums, reserving glaze. Transfer skewers to plate and season with salt and pepper.
2. Grill skewers over hot fire until chicken is just cooked through, about 8 minutes, brushing frequently with reserved glaze from large bowl. Transfer skewers to platter. Sprinkle skewers with sesame seeds and tent with foil.
3. whisk remaining lime juice and vegetable oil into reserved small bowl of glaze and season with salt and pepper. Toss watercress and remaining plums in dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with chicken and plum skewers.

Smart Shopping: Sesame Seeds

Sesame sees are considered to be the world’s first recorded seasoning, mentioned in Assyrian records from 300 B.C. The seeds were brought to America by African slaves, and they subsequently became popular in Southern Cooking. Sesame seeds come in a variety of colors, from creamy white to black, through the creamy white ones, and the toasted versions of them, are more common in our supermarkets. When they are used whole in cooking, their high oil content contributes a rich, nutty flavor; they are also sometimes ground into a paste, such as tahini. Sesame seeds also yield sesame oil commonly used in Asian cuisines. When used whole, they can be baked into or onto foods, such as hamburger buns, or sprinkled on top as a garnish. Because of their high oil content, sesame seeds turn rancid relatively quickly. They can stored in an airtight in a cool, dark place for up to three months, refrigerated for up to six months, or frozen for up to a year.