Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinade:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup whole milk yogurt
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• Bamboo or wooden skewers

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped finely
• 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons turmeric 
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• 10 ounces water 
• 9 ounces cream

Chopped coriander, to garnish
Basmati rice and naan, to serve

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.


Directions:

Slice the chicken into chunks, then combine the chicken with the rest of the chicken marinade ingredients in a bowl.  Mix until evenly coated, cover with plastic, and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.  Soak bamboo skewers for a half hour.

Skewer the marinated chicken pieces on bamboo skewers, then place them over a baking dish with sides high enough to hold the chicken off the bottom of the pan to help distribute the heat more evenly.  Bake for about 15 minutes until slightly dark brown on the edges and the meat has reached 160 degrees.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat, then sauté the onions.  Once the onions are translucent, add both the ginger and garlic and continue cooking until fragrant.  Do not let the garlic burn.  Add in the spices for the sauce and cook for a short while to release their aromatics and flavor, stirring constantly.  Then, stir in the tomato paste.  Finally, add the tomato sauce and water, then bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes.

Add the cream and stir thoroughly.  Add in the chicken and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Serve with Basmati rice and naan!

Myrtle's Note: Oh, my!  Was this ever a pleasant surprise!!  I was a bit surprised at all the garlic I needed, but it does not overwhelm the dish.  What I like most is the layering of flavors in it between the seasoning of the chicken and the seasoning of the sauce.  A dish that made me think that I was in a restaurant!

Yield:  8 servings

Source:  https://www.buzzfeed.com/alvinzhou/this-homemade-chicken-tikka-masala-is-perfect-for-dinner?utm_term=.ke5MpQ40QZ#.pvRAv7Gj7X

Chicken Shawarma

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts)
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs (4 large thighs)
• 6-8 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon allspice
• 3/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of cayenne
• Salt and black pepper
• Nonstick cooking oil spray

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.


Directions:

Slice the chicken breasts into 5-6 pieces each and the thighs into 3-4 pieces each and set aside.

In a glass bowl large enough to marinate the chicken, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, the spices, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Then add the chicken pieces and stir until all of them are evenly coated in the marinade. Cover the marinating dish with plastic wrap. Place chicken in the refrigerator and let it marinate at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.

Line a large baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking oil. Place the chicken pieces on the sheet, evenly spaced.  

Place the chicken in the oven. Let it roast for about 15 minutes till cooked through (reaches 160 degrees), turning the chicken pieces once with tongs halfway through the cooking period.

Take chicken out of the oven and let it cool slightly. Use a sharp knife to slice the meat into small, thin shawarma-like pieces.

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop over medium. Pour one third to half of the chicken into the skillet and sauté several minutes till the smallest pieces of chicken turn brown and crisp. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste, if desired.  Repeat the process, adding more oil when needed, with the next batch of chicken.  And with the third if you divide it that way.  Whilst working, put the sautéed chicken pieces in foil to keep them warm.

Serve warm with dishes such as chicken tikka masala, baba ganoush, toum, labneh, lemon basil humus, and naan.


Myrtle's Note:  This was part of my 50th birthday celebration meal that I cooked with two of my friends.  True shawarma is made by roasting meat on a spit, but this gives you the feel of the dish in a rather tasty manner.  The recipe author is adamant about using a combination of boneless, skinless chicken breast and boneless chicken thighs instead of just the breast meat to add some fat to the recipe.  I am not a thigh meat gal, but I followed the instructions and all who consumed the meal agreed that this mock shawarma was mighty tasty.  We were so very intent on eating all the tasty food, I forgot to take a photo of just the chicken shawarma.  But we did grab a shot of my friends plate before she started chowing down!


Yield:  8 servings

Source:  http://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/2012/08/chicken-shawarma/

Sun-dried Tomato Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground chicken
• 3.5 oz. sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil
• 1 slice bread (suggest Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse Sourdough)
• 1/3 cup whole milk ricotta
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 3-4 large cloves of garlic
• fresh rosemary (~1 large spring)
• fresh thyme (~6-8 stems)
• fresh sage (~5-6 leaves)
• 1/2 teaspoon Redmond's® Real Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon McCormack's® Peppercorn Medley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Directions:

Mince garlic and set aside.  Strip rosemary and thyme leaves and mince them, along with the sage, and set aside.  Pulse the bread in a food processor to make fine breadcrumbs and set aside.  Lightly beat egg and set aside.  Drain (but preserve the oil) and rough chop the sun-dried tomatoes.

Put the tomatoes and garlic in the food processor and pulse.  Add in the bread crumbs and pulse.  Put this mixture to a large mixing bowl.  Then add the rest of the ingredients, except for the saved oil and mix well.

Shape into 21 meatballs and place on a large metal pan.  Brush with the olive oil from the sun-dried tomatoes container.  Bake until done (165 degrees), approximately 16 minutes.

Myrtle's Note:  I have wanted to try chicken meatballs for a while and went looking for a recipe.  This was close to what I wanted, although I changed the herbs and switched to fresh breadcrumbs.  Since the original recipe called for 1.5 pounds of chicken and I wanted to have a recipe for a 1 pound container, I had to work out reducing some of the ingredients.  The mixture feels really wet and I was worried, as I rolled out the meatballs, that they would not set, but the end result were really tasty, firm meatballs.

Yield:  6 servings

Source:  adapted from http://www.bhg.com/recipe/chicken-meatballs-with-sun-dried-tomatoes/

Poached Chicken (Forgotten)

Ingredients:

• chicken breast
• Redmond's® Real Salt
• McCormack's® Peppercorn Medley
• aromatics of your choice
• water (or liquid of your choice)

Directions:

If your chicken is not even thickness, pound it a bit, but do not over do it and end up with thin chicken.  Salt and pepper each side.

Place chicken breast(s) in a lidded pot.  If poaching several breasts at a time, use a pot that will hold them in a single layer. Add your aromatics and enough cold water to cover the chicken by two inches.

Bring to a simmer then cover and simmer for 1 minute only.  Remove from heat and leave to cool for 90 minutes without removing the lid. 

When ready to use, strain poaching liquid and reserve for later use as stock.

Myrtle's Note:  I was initially worried about this method, because when I tried it the first time, I thought the meat looked pink on the bottom.  However, it was ever so slightly brown from resting on the bottom of the pan, I guess.  Anyway, I panicked and poached it some more using the traditional method.  The second time, I put one of the two sprigs of thyme that I used beneath the chicken and actually brought it to a hard boil before turning the heat back down.  I am sure that was probably not necessary.  I am calling this method the forgotten method because it sits in the warm water for so long.  I think I prefer the traditional method, but this would be helpful when you have lots of other things to cook since you can set it aside and forget about it for a long while.  This method does result in the most aromatic chicken of the three methods.

Source:  http://www.annabel-langbein.com/recipes/aromatic-poached-chicken/491/

Poached Chicken (Traditional)

Ingredients:

• chicken breast
• Redmond's® Real Salt
• McCormack's® Peppercorn Medley
• aromatics of your choice
• water (or liquid of your choice)

Directions:

If your chicken is not even thickness, pound it a bit, but do not over do it and end up with thin chicken.  Salt and pepper each side.

In a lidded pot large enough to have your chicken in one layer, lay the chicken on the bottom.  Add your aromatics.  [Again, I used lemon slices, smashed garlic, and sprigs of fresh thyme.]  Gently cover the chicken until the water is a good one inch above your chicken.  [Another cook I watched suggested the liquid be two knuckles.]

Put the pot on the stove on high heat and bring to a boil.  As soon as it is boiling, cover the pot and turn the temperature down to low.

Let cook until the chicken reaches 165 degrees in the thickest part.  Depending on how many breasts you are poaching, this might be 10-14 minutes.

Remove from the poaching liquid and let rest on a plate for 5 minutes before cutting or shredding.

You can save the poaching liquid for a broth or stock.  Bring back to a boil and let it reduce a bit before saving.


Myrtle's Note:  I think that I might like this method better.  I had trouble bringing it to a boil on medium-high, so I plan to go straight to high next time (instructions are adjusted).  I have an electric, flat top stove and the constant cycling of the burner drives me nuts.  I like that there is no outer layer to the chicken, as opposed to the slightly rougher texture there was on the outside of the Inside Out Poached Chicken.  I also think it is a tad bit more flavorful, although by flavor I mean the essence of flavor.  I will say that with my struggle to get the chicken to boil, I clearly over-cooked this in the fact that it was 192 degrees when I checked it at 8 minutes.  I do like Inside Out Poached Chicken because it is a bit more precise in method.  Even so, I found this poached chicken the closest to that which you get on Panera salads.  I very much enjoyed it!


Source:  (the recipe, not the video) http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-poach-chicken-breasts-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-28367

Poached Chicken (Inside Out)

Ingredients:

• chicken breast(s)
• olive oil
• Redmond's® Real Salt
• McCormick's® Peppercorn Medley
• Aromatics of your choosing

Directions:

You will need a pan with a lid in which the number of chicken breasts you choose to cook fit in one layer.

If your chicken breast is not even thickness, pound it, but do NOT keep pounding it until it is thin.  Salt and pepper each side.

Heat your pan on medium high.  Once it is really hot, drizzle in some olive oil.  Turn the heat down to medium and put your chicken in the pan.  Cook for about a minute, until the chicken is a little golden, no more.  Turn the chicken over.  Put your aromatics in the pan.  [I chose smashed garlic, fresh thyme, and lemon slices.]  Cover with the lid.  Turn the heat down to LOW.  And cook for 10 minutes.  Do NOT lift the lid.

Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for an additional 10 minutes.  Do NOT lift the lid.

Remove the chicken from the pan and let rest for 5 minutes before cutting.

Works well when making chicken salad or putting chicken on a salad.


Myrtle's Note:  This is one of three different methods of poaching chicken that I wanted to learn.  The link below is to a different method, but in the middle of the page is a video advertisement that is this method.  All I did was add aromatics, since the other two poaching methods include them.  I had read that cold will set the flesh, so I was worried refrigerating it would change the outcome.  I used half the breast on my salad and put the other half in the refrigerator, dripping the juices from the plate onto the remain chicken pieces and putting them into the refrigerator whilst still warm so there would be some condensation in the container.  When I ate the leftovers later, they were incredibly moist.  I was well-pleased with this method.


Source: http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-poach-chicken-breasts-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-28367 (video on the page, not the recipe)

Chili Lime Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

• Juice of 3 limes
• Zest of 2 limes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon McCormack® Peppercorn Medley
• Extra chopped cilantro for garnish, optional

Directions:

Zest two of the three limes and set aside.

Place lime juice, cilantro, and chicken breasts in a glass bowl.  Make sure the chicken breasts are covered in the mixture.  Let marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes, turning the meat half-way through to redistribute the lime juice mixture.

While the chicken is marinating, make the rub.  Mince the garlic cloves.  If you have a large zester (makes curls), mince the lime zest together with the garlic.  Then, in a small bowl, combine the lime zest, garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, sugar, salt, and black pepper.

Remove the chicken breasts from the bowl and discard the marinade.  Place the chicken on a plate and cover breasts generously with the rub mixture.

Brush cold, clean grill lightly with oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Grill chicken breasts until chicken is cooked through, about 5-8 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chicken.  Remove from the grill and let the meat rest for a minimum of 5 minutes, tenting with foil to keep warm.  Garnish with cilantro, if using.  Serve warm.

Myrtle's Note:  I have the Oxo zester that makes curls, so I always mince my zest before I use it.  Here, I minced the garlic along with the zest.  This was my first time of making a rub and the recipe turned out rather succulent.  I am very impressed.  The changes I made were to add a clove of garlic, use dried cilantro, and to switch out my favorite ground pepper.  Next time, I might use Ancho Chili Pepper or Chipotle Pepper instead.  This will most definitely be a regular on my menu.  Finally, I used the chicken to make a Southwest Chicken Salad.  I plan to use my leftovers in tacos, too.

Yield:  4 servings

Source:  http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/chili-lime-grilled-chicken/

Coconut Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs chicken breast 
• 4 medium red potatoes
• 1 can (14 ounces) coconut milk
• 1/4 cup yellow curry paste
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 onion
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 large dollops Gourmet Gardens® Ginger
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of Redmond's Sea Salt

Directions:

Dice chicken and set aside.  Cut potatoes into small cubes and set aside.  Mince onions and garlic and set aside.

In a large sauteuse pan, melt the butter on medium low.  Add the curry paste and cook for approximately five minutes.  Add onions and cook until translucent, approximately 10 minutes, adding in garlic, ginger, and brown sugar mid-way through.

Add in the chicken and cook until the outside is white (approximately 10 minutes), adding potatoes in mid-way through.  Add coconut milk and stir thoroughly.  Once a vigorous simmer is reach, cover and simmer for approximately 30-35 minutes, turning the heat to low if need be.

For a thicker sauce, after 25 minutes, remove cover and let simmer for 10 more minutes (the photo below was taken before reducing the sauce).

Myrtle's Note:  I read and read and read about curries, but never found exactly the recipe I wanted.  Having bought the yellow curry paste some months ago, I decided I would start with that and followed suggestions I found in the comments of recipes I browsed.  The repeated advice is to cook your spices (in this case primarily the curry paste).  I found it interesting that, in curries, the spices and onion mixture is considered to be the broth.  Traditionally, this would also have fresh tomatoes in this, but I am not a huge fan of tomatoes.  Be warned, yellow curry paste is spicy!


Yield:  4 servings

Source:  Myrtle (ideas gleaned from reading commentary on making curries)

Spicy Pulled Chicken 2.0

Ingredients:

• 5 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 24 ounces orange juice
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon coriander
• 1/2 tablespoon Mexican Oregano
• 1 teaspoon Kulp's smoked salt
• 1 teaspoon Redmond's® Real Salt
• 1 teaspoon McCormick® Chipotle Chili Pepper 
• 1 teaspoon McCormick@ Ancho Chili Pepper
• 1 teaspoon McCormick@ Peppercorn Medley
• 2 large dollops Gourmet Gardens® Minced Garlic
• 1 red onion
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat oven to 325 degrees


Directions:

Wedge and then split into layers the onion and set aside.  Mix together all the dry ingredients and set aside.

Line the bottom of a cast iron pan with the onions.  Lay the chicken breasts atop.  Smear the garlic atop the chicken breasts.  Then rub in the dry ingredients.  Cover with plastic and let sit for an hour in the refrigerator.

Remove the cast iron pot from the refrigerator and gently pour in the orange juice atop the chicken breasts.  Allow to sit for a few minutes and gently stir the orange juice.

Cover and cook two and a half hours.  Turn the chicken after the first hour and then the second hour.

Remove from the oven and allow chicken to rest for 5 minutes.  Carefully move the chicken breasts to a bowl.  Then, put the cast iron pot on the stove and boil the sauce until it is reduced by half, stirring frequently and scraping the spices off the side of the pot.

While the mixture is reducing, use two forks to pull apart the chicken breasts.  If you taste the sauce before it reduces and then while it is reducing, you can taste the flavors concentrating. Once the sauce is reduced, pour it over the pulled chicken using a strainer to catch any bits of meat that would have been overcooked during the reduction process.  Stir thoroughly and enjoy!


Myrtle's Note:  The first time I tried pulled chicken, it just didn't turn out the way I wanted.  I ate it several different ways, the best being as a chalupa topping.  The second best was to simply eat it on a bun with some barbecue sauce.  It has flavor, but not stand alone flavor, not enhancing a dish flavor.  I wanted chicken that could compete with the most lovely Spicy Dr Pepper Pulled Pork, so I radically bumped up my choices of spices and herbs.  Also, by reducing the sauce, I got back a hint of the orange juice, the spices, and concentrated the heat a bit.


Yield: 10-12 servings

Source:  Myrtle Bernice Adams

Chicken with Bourbon Mustard Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Redmond's® Real Salt
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

In a large, shallow bowl, mix together the mustard, bourbon, dark brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and sea salt.

Halve the chicken breasts to create two fillets per breast.  Place in the marinade and refrigerate for at least two hours.

In a large sauteuse pan, melt the butter and olive oil on medium heat.  Then lift the chicken fillets out of the marinade and cook them approximately 4 minutes per side.  Set the chicken on a plate to rest.

Pour off the remaining fat in the pan and then scrape all the marinade from the bowl into the pan.  Bring to a rapid boil before pulling the pan off the heat.

Myrtle's Note:  The original recipe called for minced green onions. Of course I left those off!  The recipe also gave the option of either two or three chicken breasts.  Being a sauce-a-holic, I opted for just two (four chicken servings).  However, I can safely say that even with three breasts (six chicken servings), you will still have plenty of sauce per serving.


Yield:  6 servings

Source:  http://southernfood.about.com/od/chickenbreastrecipes/r/blbb383.htm

Spicy Pulled Chicken

Ingredients:

2.5–3 pounds chicken breasts
12 ounces beer (Honey Brown Lager)
12 ounces orange juice
1 vidalia onion
5-6 cloves of garlic
2 heaping tablespoons honey
2–3 chipotle peppers and all the adobo sauce from the can
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.


Directions:

Mince garlic and set aside.  Peel and quarter onion and set aside.

Dump the can of chipotle peppers and adobe sauce into a small bowl (or 2-cup glass measuring cup). Pour about 1/3 of the beer over the peppers to wash off the adobe sauce.  Then, pick out all but 2-3 chipotle peppers.  Two are plenty spicy to me.  Three makes your mouth burn and long for drink.  If you are brave, feel free to use more.  Using a mini-food processor, puree the peppers with a bit of the beer adobe liquid.

In a dutch oven, lay in the chicken breast.  Tuck the quartered onions in the open spaces.  Top with minced garlic.  Pour in the orange juice and the rest of the beer.  Add salt, pepper, cumin, and honey.  Add the adobo/beer liquid and the puréed peppers.  Use a rubber spatula to swirl everything around a bit. Cover and place into the oven.

Cook for two and a half hours, turning the chicken in the pot after an hour and then again after a second hour.   Remove and allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes, before pulling apart.

I recommend serving as tacos with sour cream, grated cheese, shredded lettuce, and topped with applewood smoked bacon.  You could also serve with diced tomatoes for those out there in the world who believe eating tomatoes is actually something good to do.


Myrtle's Note:  Since I am near addicted to the Spicy Dr Pepper Pulled Pork tacos I've been eating, I have longed for a chicken option ...  mostly because I wanted to have bacon on my tacos.  My problem is that the rest of the world believes that using a slow cooker will not result in culinary disaster and seemingly everyone else also believes that you should use thighs for pulled chicken. I am a white meat kind of gal and so had to work out a recipe for myself. I also had to try and figure out the cooking time, since I figured chicken breasts would cook far sooner than a pork sirloin roast.  I used 24 ounces of liquid because the pulled pork recipe did.  I think it would be interesting to try it with straight orange juice, but I have enjoyed cooking with beer.

Yield: ~10  servings (filling for two tacos or one bun)

Inspired from:  http://www.homesicktexan.com/2013/09/chilorio-mexican-pulled-pork.html and http://www.cookingandbeer.com/2014/06/ipa-honey-chipotle-slow-cooker-chicken/

Chicken with Mustard Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

• 4 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• 1 cup brandy (or white wine)
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) grainy mustard
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Mince the garlic and set aside.  Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise so that you have eight smaller, thinner chicken cutlets.

Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place cutlets in to pan and then immediate flip.  Salt and pepper the cutlets, flip, and repeat.  Cook the cutlets on both sides until nice and golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from the skillet and keep on a plate.  [I cooked them in batches.]

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the pan and saute it for a minute, stirring to make sure it won't burn. Next pour in the brandy (or wine if using), being careful if cooking over an open flame. Then just let the booze bubble up and cook until it is reduced by half.

Throw in the mustards and stir to combine, then pour in the cream. Stir in chicken broth and cook until thickened.   When the sauce is close to thickening, sdd chicken breasts back to the pan, nestling them into the sauce, scrap the juice from the resting plate into the pan. Allow sauce to cook for another few minutes, shaking the pan if needed to move things around.

Serve chicken with the sauce spooned over the top.
Myrtle's Note:  The original recipe has some fluidity to the cream and broth, but I wrote what worked for me in my pan on my stove.  I also added a fourth (fat) garlic clove.  I did not have brandy, so I used Barefoot Moscato.  I cannot wait to have it again with brandy!  The thickening took a long time (more reduction), so next time, I might also increase the cream a bit.

Yield:  4 servings


Source:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/02/chicken-with-mustard-cream-sauce/

Chipotle Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 whole vidalia onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 bottle good beer
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 2-3 whole chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced 
• 1 can pinto beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup masa harina
• 1 lime
• sour cream
• grated sharp cheddar cheese
• lime wedges

Directions:

Dice (or mince) the onion.  Mince the garlic.  Cut the chicken into pieces the size of large dice.

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat then add the onions and garlic. Cook for a few minutes until the onions soften. Add the salt, chili powder, and cumin and continue cooking until the spices begin to smell strongly.  Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned.

Unless you have a really spicy tongue, open the can of chipotle peppers and use just three of the large ones.  Maybe four tops.  I recommend using a bit of the bear to wash off the adobe sauce from the peppers you are discarding and then use that small amount of liquid in a mini-processor or blender to purée the chilis, adobe sauce, and the onions in the can.  Pour the purée in with the chicken.

Pour up to 8 ounces of beer (including what you used to rinse the peppers) in with the chicken, reserving 4 ounces for later use.

Drain and rinse the beans.  Add them, the tomatoes (plus juice), beans, chili powder, cumin and salt to the pot. Stir to combine, then cover the pot and cook for one hour.

Combine the masa harina with the rest of the beer and stir to make a paste. Add this into the chili, along with the juice of one lime. Stir and cook for 10 more minutes or until thickened.

Serve with sour cream, cheese, and another squeeze of lime!


Myrtle's Note:  This is so good I am utterly torn between my favorite chicken dish, now: Vietnamese Curry with Sweet Potatoes or this!  Update:  I have been learning to cook the spices as a part of recipes, so I started doing that with the cumin and chili powder and subsequently altered the recipe above.


Yield:  8 double-ladle servings

Source:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/11/chipotle-chicken-chili/

Vietnamese Chicken Curry with Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
• 2 pounds skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped shallot
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon garlic chili sauce
• 3 tablespoons Golden Mountain® Seasoning Sauce
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar
• 3 dollops Gourmet Gardens® Lemongrass 
• 2 dollops Gourmet Gardens® Ginger
• 1 1/2 cups fresh chicken stock 
• 24 baby carrots cut on the diagonal 
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 red onion, cut into wedges
• 2 medium-large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions:

Combine 2 tablespoons of the curry powder and the salt in a bowl. Cut the chicken breasts into thigh-sized pieces. Add to the bowl, turning to coat evenly. Set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a medium pot over moderate heat. Add the shallot, garlic, chili sauce, and the remaining 1 tablespoon curry powder. Stir until fragrant, Braise the chicken in batches, approximately 2-3 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Place on a plate and set aside.

Add the fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, ginger and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Add the carrots and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, onion, and sweet potato into the pot.  Then place the braised chicken on top, cover, and cook covered approximately 15 minutes.  Remove the lid and cook an additional 10-15 minutes.

[Optional:  Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with Asian basil, cilantro and scallions before serving.]


Myrtle's Note:  This is incredibly delicious!  Oh, my!  In order to accommodate my seafood allergy, I substituted Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce (after much Googling to determine the best substitute).  I also could not track down chili paste, so I substituted a Vietnamese Chili Garlic Sauce and cut the amount in half.  I doubled the sweet potatoes, because I wanted it to be a bit more hearty.  And, given my love of Gourmet Gardens®, I used their lemongrass and ginger products.

Yield:  6 servings


Adapted from:  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chicken-Curry-with-Sweet-Potatoes-233843

Thai Honey Peanut Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 2 dollops Gourmet Gardens® Garlic (or approximately 2 large cloves minced)
• 2 heaping tablespoons natural peanut butter 
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha (optional)

Directions:

Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a wide, shallow bowl.  Cut up the chicken in bit-sized cubes.  Put the chicken in the marinade and stir thoroughly until completely coated.  Cover with plastic and refrigerate for  an hour (or longer).

Sauté over medium heat until cooked, approximately 7-8 minutes.

Serve over Jasmine rice.


Myrtle's Note:  So authentic!!!  Simply great!  Since I just love Thai peanut sauce, I doubled the sauce ingredients for the next time I make this.

Yield:  4 servings


Source:  http://tastykitchen.com/blog/2010/11/a-tasty-recipe-thai-honey-peanut-chicken/

Israeli Chicken Sofrito

Ingredients:

• 4 large chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 medium russet potatoes
• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 large red onions
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 4-5 cloves garlic
• 3 bay leaves
• Sea salt
• McCormack® Peppercorn Medley

Directions:

Wash, pat dry, cut in half, and dredge the chicken breasts.  Set aside.  Peel and cut the potatoes into 1 to 1 1/2 inch chunks.  Set aside.  Mince onion.  Set aside.  Mince garlic.  Set aside.

Heat one tablespoon each olive oil and butter in a dutch oven until very hot.  In two batches, braise the chicken for about 7-8 minutes, turning half way.  Set aside on a plate.  In the leftover olive oil and schmaltz, sear the potatoes, also for about 7-8 minutes, turning to brown all sides.  Set aside.

If needed, add additional additional olive oil and butter and sauté minced onions and garlic. Once they have browned, add all the spices.  Salt and pepper to taste.  I used 1 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt.  Continue cooking for a bit, scraping the bottom of the pot to mix in all the browned bits. Then, add the stock (stirring well), bay leaves, and chicken.  Cover and simmer for 35 minutes.  Add the potatoes back and cook for about 30 more minutes.


Myrtle's Note:  The original recipe called for thighs with skin. I am a white meat girl.  So, I cut in half and dredged the breasts I used so there would be browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. I also switched the recipe from garlic powder to minced powder.  My enameled stock pot, even on the lowest stove setting, keeps up a rather vigorous simmer that is mostly akin to a boil.  That means I  sometimes cut the cooking time, as I did here.  Finally, I am hard pressed to figure out why this is not simply called chicken stew!  Tasty, though.  Very tasty.  Subtle, but flavorful.

Yield:  4 servings


Source:  http://theshiksa.com/2013/07/31/israeli-chicken-sofrito/

Lemon Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki and Feta

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon McCormack® Peppercorn Medley
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 16 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• Feta
• Chopped lettuce
• Tzatziki Sauce
• Gyro Flatbread
• Lettuce
• Onions (optional)
• Tomatos (optional)

Directions:

In a small bowl, whisk together the oregano, thyme, garlic, pepper, lemon juice, and olive oil.  Put the chicken in a wide, shallow bowl, cover with the marinade, toss thoroughly to coat well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Remove the chicken from the bowl and saute in a large frying pan for about 5 minutes per side, until the pieces are no longer pink in the center.  Set on a plate and cover with foil.

Cook the gyro flatbread.  Slather tzatkiki sauce on the flatbread.  Add chicken, feta, lettuce, and optional ingredients.

Myrtle's Note:  I did not like the sauce the cook had on this particular recipe, so I used one from another.  However, the marinade was fantastic!  Suggested sides are Labneh and Baba Ganoush.

Yield:  4


Source:  http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2011/04/10/lemon-chicken-gyros-with-tzatziki-and-feta/

Myrtle's All-But-The-Kitchen-Sink Lentils

Ingredients:

• 1 bag brown lentils
• 1-1/2 pounds cubed boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 4 cups broth
• 4 cups water
• 1 onion
• 2 large dollops of Gourmet Gardens® minced garlic
• 1 large dollop of Gourmet Gardens® minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon curry
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon cardamon
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:

Purée an onion into a fine mush.  Place the stick of butter, onion, ginger, and garlic in a large pot.  Sauté until the onion mush starts to turn brown.  Add all the spices and continue to simmer until the liquid from the onions is nearly gone and the mixture starts to look more like a paste.

Add broth, water, cubed chicken, and lentils.  Cover, bring to a hard boil, and then turn down to a vigorous simmer.  Cook for approximately 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cook an additional 15 minutes to reduce down the liquid.

Myrtle's Note:  I am not a spicy person, so I am very careful with hot pepper.  If you like a kick, then double the cayenne.  It is also my very decided opinion that lentils get better the longer they "stew" once they are cooked.  So, it is my habit to freeze the lentils for a few days before starting to eat them.  I freeze them in mason jars, three quarters full.  By the time I get to the final jar, I am beside myself with how good they taste!  Finally, as to spices.  I really do vary them.  You can add a bit more curry and turmeric than everything else to get one flavor or up the cinnamon and garam masala a bit to get another.  My lentils come out a bit different each and every time I make them because my habit is to stand over the pot and just shake spices into it, until I believe the surface is nicely covered.  This once, I went ahead and measured exact amounts because my friend Marie likes my lentils.

Yield:  6-8 servings

Everything in the pot starting to cook...

Cooked...

Cooling before going into the freezer...

Baked Apple Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 large chicken breast
• 1 large Granny Smith apple
• 1 pat butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon real maple syrup
• Sea salt
• McCormack® Peppercorn Medley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees


Directions:

Peel and cube one Granny Smith Apple.  Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, and syrup. Place chicken breast in individual French Oval baking dish.  Salt and pepper the top and then brush with mixture.  Flip and repeat.

Place the apple pieces around the side and over the top of the chicken.  Cut the pat of butter into tiny pieces and disperse in-between the apple pieces along the top of the chicken.  Brush with remaining mixture.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Myrtle's Note:  I really like baking in the individual French Ovals.  You can cook and serve in them.  Plus, when you serve the dish in them, all the juices/sauce stays with the dish.  In this case, the chicken was incredibly moist.  Even so, I cut it up into bits so the bits could sit soaking up the sauce as I ate my way through it.

Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (4 pieces)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons basil paste
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; shaved
• 1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Directions:

Heat skillet over medium high heat and add butter.

Place 1/4 cup cream and bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls.  Dip the chicken in the cream and then coat with bread crumbs.

Cook the chicken until approximately 170-175 degrees, turning the chicken every five minutes or so.
Remove the breasts, stack them on a small plate, and cover with foil to keep them warm.

Add broth to skillet bring to boil over medium heat, until reduced by half.  Stir in cream and continue to boil until thickened.  Stir occasionally, but do not be afraid to let it really bubble so it will reduce down.  After the cream has started to thicken, add the basil paste and ground pepper.  Continue cooking until thickened.

Serve the chicken breast topped with a generous, heaping, near gluttonous serving of basil cream, i.e., drench the breast. 

Myrtle's Note:  The recipe called for pimientos, but I am not a pimiento fan.  The recipe also called for adding butter part way through the cooking of the chicken.  I forgot to do this, but clearly the extra butter was not needed. So, I adjusted the amount a little bit.  I used Italian bread crumbs since the sauce has basil in it.  And I also switched dipping the chicken into milk to using cream, since the recipe has lots of cream as well.  I increased the cream for the sauce.  And I used my beloved basil paste instead of fresh minced basil in a larger quantity.  Finally, I mucked about with the directions for making the sauce so it was a better reduction result.


Yield: 4


Source:  http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/192234/Chicken-in-Basil-Cream-(9)