Category Archives: Chicken

Sandwich of the Month: Chicken Schnitzel

It has been nine days since I last updated my blog and the reason is that I recently switched jobs. I had trouble adjusting to my previous nine-to-five, but since my new position is at a start-up, the hours are basically nine-to-question-mark, which is a whole new ball game. I don’t mind putting in extra hours - I love my new job! - but I so don’t want my blog to suffer. Hopefully after I get more used to the new schedule, I’ll find a way to manage my time better and restore balance to my life.

Anyway, let’s talk about this sandwich, shall we?

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

Simple chicken Schnitzel (or cutlets - not really sure if there’s a difference between the two) are something every cook should be able to execute seamlessly. They come together quickly and are delicious enough to please regulars and special company alike. Over the years, finding the three-step dredging process a bit annoying, I have experimented with other methods - like dredging in only flour, or only in bread crumbs. These shortcut alternatives have failed to result in that crispy outside-juicy inside combo that’s so characteristic of schnitzel, so now I know for sure that the three-step method is essential, and dirtying two extra dishes is so, so worth it.

(Yield: 4 sandwiches)

Schnitzel:

3 tbsp olive oil
3/4 lb chicken breast cutlets (organic, if possible)
3/4 c all-purpose flour
1 c plain breadcrumbs
3/4 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
2 eggs
Salt + pepper

Sandwiches:

4 soft rolls, sliced in half
1 large vine tomato, thinly sliced
Greens of your choice (spinach, arugula, romaine, iceberg lettuce)
3 tbsp mayo
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tbsp brown mustard
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Procedure: Prepare three shallow dishes - place flour in one, bread crumbs in another, and beat eggs with a tablespoon of water in the third. Season flour and eggs with pinches of salt and pepper, and gently stir to combine. Season bread crumbs with salt, pepper, parsley and garlic powder, and stir.

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

Heat olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Wash and pat chicken dry with paper towels. Pound each cutlet with a meat mallet until 1/4″ thick. Working with one piece at a time, dredge cutlets in flour, egg and then bread crumbs - shaking off access after each dip.

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

Place into skillet and cook 3-4 min per side, flipping once, until golden brown. (Be sure not to over-crowd the skillet; cook chicken in 2 batches if necessary.)

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

To make the sauce, combine mayo, sour cream, mustard and lemon juice in a small bowl. Assemble sandwiches while chicken is still warm and serve immediately.

Chicken Schnitzel Sandwich

 

Breaking the vicious chicken cycle.

Chicken is one of those ingredients that we all get stuck with. My immediate instinct with chicken breasts is to saute them, bread and fry them, or bake them in the oven. That’s not to say those are my preferred methods, they’re just ones I’m used to. Ironically, chicken is one of the best ingredients to experiment with. It’s cheap, relatively healthy (if skinless), it doesn’t take long to cook, and doesn’t have an overpowering flavor of its own so it can be seasoned with almost any variety of things.

I was defrosting some chicken tenders the other day and was in the mood to be creative. I worked my magic and voila, this easy, delicious, crowd-pleasing recipe was born. Sure it’s no surprise that tomatoes and parsley work well together, but it’s the lemon juice that makes this dish stand out. It highlights the tomatoes’ tang and gives the dish a clean flavor that’s perfect for summer.

Chicken tenders in a tomato lemon sauce

Chicken tenders in a tomato lemon sauce

(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

1 lb chicken tenders

1 small onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes

3/4 tsp sugar

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 large handful parsley, chopped

Salt + pepper

Procedure: Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Cook chicken 4 min per side, until golden brown. Remove from skillet and set aside. Turn heat down to medium-low. Add onion and garlic and cook for 3 min, until softened. Then add tomatoes, sugar and lemon juice, and bring sauce to a simmer. Add the chicken back into skillet, nestling it into the sauce. Cover tightly with a lid and cook for 10 min. Then turn heat off, stir in the parsley, taste and re-season if necessary. Serve over a starch of your choice.

Chicken tenders in a tomato lemon sauce

Mango and chicken quinoa salad

By now we all know how healthy quinoa is - here’s a quick recap: it’s a seed, not a grain, and it comes from South America. It is gluten-free, and high in protein, magnesium, iron and fiber. The only downside is that on its own it tastes like bird food and needs quite a bit of assistance from other, more fun and exciting ingredients to really shine. I had previously shared this information along with a Quinoa Garden Salad w/ Feta Cheese recipe in a post last year.

Chicken and mango quinoa salad

Mangoes are currently on my list of favorite foods. And although it seems that this sweet, tropical fruit really belongs in a blender with tequila or in a fruit salad, it actually makes a fantastic addition to savory dishes, like this Malaysian mango chicken, for instance. And turns out, it is also the perfect thing to liven up the lackluster stuff that is quinoa.

Chicken and mango quinoa salad

(Yield: 4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

1/2 c red or white quinoa

1 mango, peeled and cubed

3 tbsp chopped cilantro

1 lb cooked, shredded chicken* (preferably roasted)

2 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salt + pepper

*To keep this dish vegan, swap out the chicken for chick peas.

Procedure: Cook quinoa according to package directions and let come to room temperature. Then combine with remaining ingredients in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

Chicken and mango quinoa salad

Tikka Masala-ish chicken stew

In case you haven’t noticed, I love stewing things - there’s lamb curry stew, ground turkey stew, chick pea stew, beef stew, Italian sausage and vegetable stew, and of course let’s not forget the infamous French peasant classics, coq au vin and bouef bourguignon. Stew is a comforting, unpretentious, feel good food. If the list above is any indication, stewing is my go-to cooking technique - I’m pretty sure that at this point I could stew an old shoe and make it taste good.

Tikka masala-ish chicken stew (3)

The other day I was thawing out some chicken but had no idea what I was going to do with it. I looked up a recipe for chicken tikka masala and it looked good but seemed a little laborious, and plus I didn’t have any yogurt. So I kept the elements of the recipe that I liked and ditched the rest, edited some things around, and thus this recipe was born. The stew is fast and easy to make, and it goes well over quinoa.

(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ cubes

1 tomato, finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp sour cream

1/2 tsp cumin

1/3 tsp cayenne pepper

1/3 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp sugar

1 tbsp flour

A handful of white raisins

Salt + pepper

Chopped scallions or cilantro for garnish, if desired

Procedure: Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add half of the chicken and cook until browned, about 4 min, turning occasionally. Remove chicken and set aside, and repeat with other half of chicken. When all chicken is browned and removed from the pan, turn heat down to low and add tomato and garlic. Stir and deglaze the pan for about 1 min. Then add sour cream, spices, sugar and flour. Stir until combined and add chicken back to pan. Stir to coat and cover tightly with a lid. Cook for 15 min, stirring occasionally. Then stir in raisins. Taste and re-season if necessary. Serve hot over quinoa; garnish if desired.

What is your favorite type of stew?

Beer roasted chicken w/ potatoes

Life is so unfair. Not only did a chicken have to die a gruesome death for my selfish benefit, but I also shoved a mason jar of beer up its… um, cavity.

Roasting chicken on a bottle or can of beer is a tried-and-true technique. The beer creates steam in the chicken while it cooks, which prevents the meat from drying out. I was thinking about what to serve alongside my poor little bird when I realized that I can roast potatoes in the same pan and they will come out all awesome after mingling with those glorious chicken juices. Then I thought to throw in some garlic. Because it’s garlic.

(Yield: 4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken

4 tbsp olive oil, divided

Salt/pepper

About 6 oz beer (lager or ale)*

4-6 medium potatoes, cubed

5 whole garlic cloves, peeled

*I tried to place the chicken over a half-full beer bottle but the throat of the bottle surfaced at the top of the bird which would defeat the purpose of the steam. To prevent this, it is best to use a can of beer - just remember to pour out/drink half of it. I poured my beer into a mason jar and it worked out well too.

Procedure: Take chicken out of fridge 30 min prior to cooking and let come to room temp. Preheat oven to 350F. Rinse well and pat dry. Place beer can/jar in a large baking dish and place chicken on top. Evenly coat the chicken with half of the oil and season generously with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, toss the potatoes and garlic cloves in remaining oil with salt and pepper.

Scatter potatoes around chicken and roast until golden brown. The chicken is done when you pierce it with a knife and the juices run clear. (My chicken weighed 3 lbs and it cook 1 hour and 20 min to cook through.) The potatoes will be done at the same time. Let the chicken rest for 15 min before slicing, to let the juices redistribute.

This was my first time roasting a chicken and I was satisfied with the results. Next time, I think I’ll season the bird with some herbs and use a variety of vegetables for roasting.

Honey lime grilled chicken w/ cucumber salsa

The idea for this salsa came from the June 2012 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. It was a featured recipe from a restaurant called Citizen Public House in Scottsdale, AZ, as a suggested garnish for seared tuna. But, since I’m always looking for new ways to dress up grilled chicken, I decided to do this instead.

Since the chicken was lightly coated in honey, it caramelized and charred quite nicely, which made it the ideal canvas for the tangy, fresh salsa.

(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken cutlets

1 heaping tbsp honey

2-3 tbsp fresh lime juice

Sriracha, to taste

3/4 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp black pepper

Procedure for chicken: Whisk together marinade in tupperware dish. Wash and dry chicken and place in dish. Massage chicken with marinade until it is evenly coated. Close and place in refrigerator - marinate for at least one hour, or up to six. Then, grease a grill pan with oil or spray and place on high heat. Place cutlets on grill and cook for 2 min. Rotate 45 degrees and cook for another 2 min. Then, turn over and repeat (this cooking time is for cutlets of about 1/3″-thickness). Take off grill and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Salsa (adapted from this recipe):

2 peeled, finely diced medium cucumbers (about 2 c)

2 tbsp finely diced red onion

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Fleur de sel to taste (or the regular ol’ iodized kind)

Procedure for salsa: Combine all ingredients. Use as garnish for seared meat/fish of your choice.

I know you’re probably dying to know the recipe for those delicious looking noodles too, but you’ll have to wait for a later post to find out!

The easiest baked chicken ever.

This recipe yields delicious, juicy chicken with a crispy, salty crust. Most of the cooking time is inactive so you are free to go wash your hair, feed your cat, or call your friends and discuss last night’s Mad Men finale.

I served this chicken with a pesto potato salad the recipe of which I meant to share but realized it needs some work.

(Yield: 4-6 servings)

Ingredients:

2 lbs/about 8 drumsticks

Salt

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3/4 tsp black pepper

1 tsp poultry seasoning

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp garlic powder

Procedure: Preheat the oven to 400F. Wash chicken and pat dry. Season generously with salt on both sides and place into baking dish. Place the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and set over low heat until butter melts and mixture becomes fragrant, about 1-2 min. Pour mixture over chicken and massage evenly throughout.

Roast for 1 hour, until it’s golden brown.

P.S. You may have noticed that I’ve added a Facebook button on the right panel so please ‘like’ my page!

Homemade baked chicken tequitos

Well obviously these are homemade because this is a blog where I share my recipes but I thought it best to specify since the only tequito experience I’ve personally had prior to this were the 7-Eleven variety. This recipe has been floating around the blogosphere for some time now and enough is enough, I thought – It’s my turn!

If there’s anything I learned while making these is that a rotisserie chicken and I cannot be in the same room. I’m pretty sure I devoured at least a third of it (and that’s just before I started cooking). Yeah… my thighs will thank me later.

This tequitos are really easy to make and perfect for a cocktail party (Margaritas, anyone?) The coolest thing is that the tortillas seal themselves during the baking process, making them into perfectly crunchy tubes of creamy goodness.

From what I gather, THIS is the original source. This recipe is my adaptation.

(Yield: about 10 pieces)

Ingredients:

3 oz cream cheese, at room temp

1 tomato, finely diced

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp chili powder

A pinch of salt

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 scallions, chopped

2 c cooked shredded chicken (Rotisserie is best)

1 c grated Mexican queso blanco

10 6” tortillas (I used whole wheat)

1 tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 425F.

In a large bowl, combine everything except tortillas and oil (duh) together. Spread 2-3 tbsp of filling in the middle of each tortilla.

Tightly roll up tortilla and place seam side down on a baking sheet.

Brush tequitos with oil.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden and crispy.

Fred was impatient and decided to snack on my boyfriend’s feet

Serve with sour cream.

Skillet-fried chicken w/ sriracha mayo

As soon as I found the February issue of Bon Appetit in my mailbox, I knew I’d absolutely have to cook the cover. Just look at how gracefully this crispy, golden drumstick floats over the white background – it just… says so much by saying so little.

Click photo for full recipe

I’d made this chicken at my friend’s house twice (except that we skipped the marinating overnight step) and it was a great success. The chicken was as crispy and lovely as promised by the minimalist magazine cover.

Then I decided to make it again, at home this time, using skinless, boneless chicken breasts. The results were moist and delicious but not nearly as crispy as when I had used drumsticks, which can probably be attributed to the lack of the fatty skin. Also, I can’t remember whether or not I used an egg in the batter when I cooked the chicken over my friend’s house.

Either way, I’m kind of on the fence about this recipe now. I guess I’m just gonna have to test it out again. And then maybe once more ;)

I served the chicken with sriracha mayo: 1/3 c mayo, 1 tsp sriracha, 1 tsp lemon juice. You can’t go wrong with sriracha, by the way; it’s my new favorite condiment. If you’re still living a sriracha-less life, I suggest you get off your pretty little behind right this minute and purchase a bottle ASAP!

The best chicken salad ever.

I happen to love chicken salad. I usually make it with apples, pineapple and/or dried cranberries or cherries. This time I wanted to jazz things up so I decided to add one of my favorite things - yellow curry powder. I thoroughly enjoyed the result and I’m pretty sure I’ll never make chicken salad without it again.

Curry fun fact? It has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. And, studies show that it may aid in the prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.

(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1 boiled chicken breast, diced

1/2 c finely diced apple (like Gala or Pink Lady)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp finely diced white onion

3/4 tsp yellow curry powder

3 tbsp mayo

Chopped cilantro for garnish

Salt + freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. In a larger bowl, combine chicken, onion, curry, mayo and apples. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with cilantro.

I like chicken salad with toast but this can be served in a sandwich, wrap, with a side dish or by itself.

Coq au vin

I’ve attempted making Coq au Vin (for help pronouncing this French name, click here) once before and it was alright, but this time, it was truly lovely. This is because I’ve acquired a Dutch oven since then and was able to braise the chicken the way it was meant to be. The meat was super tender – it literally fell off the bone – and the sauce thickened to a perfectly rich consistency.

*The preparation of Coq au Vin usually starts with the rendering of bacon fat but I skipped this step. I know, I know, this is nuts and totally unlike me but I recently found out I have high-ish cholesterol, which doesn’t come to me as much of a surprise as I’d like it to, so I’m trying to be less of a fatass now.

*I served this dish simply, with buttered Stelline pasta – “tiny stars” – the combination of which I found to be pretty dope. In her book, Julia Child suggests serving Coq au Vin with buttered boiled potatoes. It is Julia Child, so that must be a pretty good idea, too.

(Yield: about 4 servings)

Ingredients:

3 tbsp olive oil

1.5 lbs (about 6 pieces) chicken legs, bone in, skin on

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 medium carrots, roughly chopped

1 stalk celery, roughly chopped

10 oz crimini mushrooms, stemmed, halved

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 dry bay leaves

2 oz cognac

2 tsp all-purpose flour

About 1.5 c (half a .75L bottle) dry red wine

About 1.5 c low-sodium chicken stock

Salt/freshly ground black pepper

Fresh parsley for garnish

Procedure: Place a Dutch oven over high heat and add oil. Wash and pat dry chicken and season both sides with salt and pepper (remember to season each layer hereafter). Add to pot. Cook for about 4 min, until golden brown, turn, and cook for 3-4 more min. Remove from pot and set aside. Lower heat to medium-low and add onion. Sauté until translucent, about 4 min, and add carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic and bay leaves.

Sauté until softened, about 8 min, stirring frequently (make sure to scrape chicken bits off of the bottom – that’s the good stuff). Turn heat off and pour in cognac. Light a long match and hold over cognac. Turn heat on and a flame should appear – keep extremities and loose clothing away! (This is a good time to start preheating the oven to 325F). When the flame subsides, stir in flour and cook for 60 sec. Then add wine and bring to simmer. Simmer for 4 min, to evaporate alcohol, and add chicken stock. When the mixture is boiling again, nestle chicken pieces pack into pot. Chicken should be totally covered in liquid; if it isn’t, add more wine or stock.

I used this awesome, clean and tart Cono Sur Pinot Noir. It’s one of my favorites and it’s super cheap.

Cover pot tightly with lid and place into preheated oven. Take it out 90 impatient minutes later and garnish with parsley. Serve warm, preferably with the same wine you used for cooking. Bon appetit!

So how’s your weekend going? Have you done/eaten anything exciting? Share below!

Pumpkin Curry w/ Chicken

This idea came from… Wait, I’m gonna let you guess…

Why yes, it was Bon Appetit magazine! But I only used it for inspiration this time, the recipe is entirely mine. I should just rename this blog “Bon Appetit-Inspired Recipes by Sasha.”

Also, note this beautiful, asymmetrical serving dish, which was another part of my birthday present. My friends sure do know me well.

(Yield: 4 servings)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 orange bell pepper, diced

1/2 tsp cumin

1 heaping tsp yellow curry powder

Cayenne pepper, to taste

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree

2 1/5 c chicken stock

1 13 oz can coconut milk

1 chicken breast, thinly sliced

A generous pinch of saffron (soaked in 2 tbsp water 10 min prior to use)

Chopped scallions for garnish

Cooked white rice

Procedure: Heat oil in heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add onion, pepper and garlic with a pinch of salt. Saute, stirring frequently, for 10 min. Add stock, pumpkin, curry, cumin and cayenne, and bring to a simmer. Cover loosely with lid and simmer for 5 min. Then take off heat and puree with immersion blender (or food processor, with the chute left open!) until smooth. Return to heat and add coconut milk. When it’s back at simmering point, taste and re-season if necessary. Then stir in chicken and saffron (in its water). Cover loosely and simmer for 10-12 min, until chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Turn heat off and re-season again if necessary. To serve: ladle into bowls and top with rice and scallions.

I’m quite proud of myself for executing this dish perfectly on the first try, considering I’ve never made curry before. I’ve also done some research since my first saffron run and concluded that it should be soaked in a little water 10 minutes prior to use to better release the bright orange color and slightly metallic flavor.

Final words: This dish is easy to make and the flavors and textures are maaahrvelous. Try it!

Saffron Chicken

For my birthday, which passed this week, my girlfriends got me this beautiful Dutch oven. Some people would be offended at a birthday gift like this but not me - it was exactly what I wanted! Thank you, ladies!

I decided to Christen it by making this Indian-style saffron chicken. A Dutch oven is so not necessary for this recipe, but you understand, I was excited.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb chicken breasts (about 2), cut into 1″ cubes

1 large yellow onion, sliced

8 oz chicken stock

1 tsp corn starch

1 pinch/ 1/2 tsp saffron strands

Salt + pepper

A large handful of cilantro, chopped

Procedure: Heat a Dutch oven or large pan over high heat. Add oil and half of the chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Brown for about 3 min, stirring once. Remove from pan and repeat with second batch of chicken. Set browned chicken aside. Turn heat down to medium and add onion, seasoning with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened, about 4 min, and add chicken back to pan. Combine corn starch and chicken stock in a cup until dissolved, and add to pan. Stir in saffron. Turn heat down to low and cover tightly with a lid. Simmer for 25 min, stirring occasionally. Then turn heat off and stir in cilantro. Re-season if necessary. Serve over white rice and garnish with more cilantro.

How do you use saffron?

Rosemary roasted chicken breasts

I had some chicken breasts to make for dinner and wanted to try something new. I really love this idea but it would’ve turned out exponentially better had I used bone-in breasts with skin.

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken breast cutlets

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 sprigs rosemary, chopped

1 tsp lemon zest

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 425F. Line a baking sheet with foil.

In a small bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients.

Evenly coat cutlets with marinade and place on baking sheet.

Roast for about 20 min, or until they look like this.

If you have leftover chicken the next day, slice it up, and make a sandwich with white bread and mayo.

Malaysian Mango Chicken

Remember this post? Even though Nyonya was kind of blah, the mango chicken dish was awesome. I’ve been meaning to recreate it since I went there and today I finally did. I kind of winged it with the recipe and ended up hitting the nail right on the head.

This dish is absolutely divine - the mango provides just enough sweetness, as well juice which makes for a richer sauce, and the curry powder gives the chicken a great kick. If you are the type that is always searching for new and interesting ways to prepare chicken (like me), you’ve found your match.

*Purely for esthetic value, try to cut the chicken, mangoes, peppers and carrots into pieces of the same size.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, thinly cut into 1″ pieces

2 small white onions, sliced

1 red bell pepper, sliced

2 mangoes, peeled, cut into 1″ pieces

2 medium carrots, peeled, cut on a diagonal

3 garlic cloves, chopped

3/4 tsp yellow curry powder

About 1/3 c low-sodium soy sauce

Salt/black pepper/cayenne pepper, to taste

2 tbsp fresh chopped cilantro

Place a wok on high heat and add oil. Add chicken, season with salt and black pepper, and brown, for about 5 min, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from wok, add onion and bell pepper, and sauté for 2 min. Add mangoes, carrots, garlic, chicken, curry, cayenne to taste and soy sauce to wok. Cook for 2 min, stirring frequently. Taste and re-season if necessary. Turn heat off, stir in cilantro and serve immediately.

*I meant to serve this with white rice until I realized I had run out of it, so I opted for cous cous instead.