Crispy Fried Chicken Wings with Asian Dipping Sauce

• Adapted from Davidi Lebovitz
• Printable Recipe
• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Actifry time:35 minutes
• Serves 4 as appetizer, 2 as main with lots of coleslaw

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch or potato starch
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes
• 10 chicken wings, tips removed, then each wing cut into two pieces
• 1- 1 1/2 tbsp frying oil (I use olive or canola)
• Glaze/dipping sauce:
• 1/2 cup water or beer ( used water, but David suggested beer, so choice is yours)
  3" (7 cm) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
  1/2 cup (packed) light or dark brown sugar
  3 tbsp rice vinegar
  1/2 cup corn syrup or maple syrup
• Directions:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, starch, egg, salt and 1/2 teaspoon ground chili pepper until it’s a thick paste. Add the wings and mix with your hands until they’re thoroughly coated.  This step is very messy and the "batter" very thick.   Also know that the chicken pieces will not be totally covered with the batter.

2. Put the coated wings in the T-fal ActiFry Low-Fat Healthy Multi-Cooker  and drizzle with the oil. Close the lid and cook for 35 minutes, until brown and crispy.

David's other suggestion: Or the deep-fry the wings in a pot of hot oil (Maangchi recommends 350º-380ºF, 177º-193ºC) twice, in batches. Then drain well.

Sauce/glaze:3. In a large pot or wok, bring to a boil the water, ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, chili pepper flakes and corn or maple syrup. Let cook until the mixture becomes syrupy and thick, and starts to foam. It should be about as thick as honey.

My Honey is not a fan of sticky food, so I stopped here and used the syrup as a dipping sauce.  For David' Lebovitz's recipe:  Turn off the heat and stir in the cooked wings, peanuts, sesame seeds, and chili flakes, until completely coated.

Citrus & Herb Chicken Kebabs

This is another one of those impromptu "add a bit of this, bit of that" recipes

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes
Marinade time: 30 minutes to overnight
Wooden skewer option: need to soak for at least 30 minutes
Grill time: 8-10 minutes

Ingredients:  I like to double up the recipe since cooked kebabs make for great pastas and frittatas

boneless skinless chicken breasts (figure one per person), cut into 2" chunks
Marinade:
2 long garlicscapes,  finely chopped (about 1/4 cup) No garlicscapes- use 2-3 large cloves of garlic instead
Juice & finely grated zest of 1 each - lemon, lime, orange
1 tbsp good quality olive oil
1-2 tbsp each:  finely chopped fresh herbs - this time: cilantro, mint, oregano, chives - or whatever you favor
1 long hot red chili, seeded and finely chopped (about 1 tbsp)
Vegetable choices:
whole cremini mushrooms
Sweet Spanish onion cut in wedges
Sweet red, yellow, orange peppers, seeded and cut into chunks
1 preserved lemon, cut into chunks (optional, but delicious)

Directions:
1. If you are using wooden/bamboo skewers they need to be soaked for at least 30 minutes before adding chicken and vegetables and grilling.

2. In a large bowl, whisk all the marinade ingredients together and add the chicken chunks to marinate.  30 minutes on the counter or up to overnight in the fridge.

3.  Cut the vegetables into similar shapes and add to the chicken mixture while heating the BBQ.

4. Prepare the skewers, trying to repeat the pattern.  I like to have onion wedges at each end for a crisp char.   Use all the vegetables for a last skewer.

5. Grill for 8-10 minutes, flipping the skewers every 3 minutes or so.

Honey Lime Chicken Kebabs with a Kick

Adapted from Kitchen Meets Girl

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes
Marinating time: 2-24 hours
Grill time: 10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:
Vegetables:  the amount and variety depend on you, but here are my choices this time:
Sweet Vidalia onion wedges
Whole Cremini mushrooms
Sweet red, orange & yellow pepper chunks
Marinade:
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp canola oil
juice of 1-2 limes (in my experience, the amount of juice differs from lime to lime)
zest of 1/2 lime
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tsp Siracha or other hot sauce
pinch or more of red pepper flakes

1 lb/450g boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 2" chunks (I prefer breast, but feel free to use dark meat)
NOTE: this would be great with jumbo shrimp, peeled & uncooked instead of chicken.  Just remember that shrimp cook faster than chicken.
2 tbsp cilantro

Directions:
1. Combine all the marinade ingredients into a large zip lock baggie.  Add the chicken, toss well and massage the marinade into the chicken.  Marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight in the fridge.

2.  Cut the vegetables or leave whole, depending on the size and set aside.  (This can be done ahead of time so that all you really need to do is prepare the skewers while the BBQ is heating up.

3. Prepare the skewers:  If you're using bamboo, then soak for at least 30 minutes before grilling so they won't burn.   Alternate chicken chunks with vegetables.  I usually start and end with onion because I like them sort of charred, but that's just me.

4.  Grill for 5 minutes over medium high heat, turn and repeat.  It might take an additional few minutes.  To test for doneness - cut into a large chunk in the center of the kebab.  It's ready when it's no longer pink.

Serve with salad, over rice or couscous or quinoa and sprinkle with cilantro.

Middle Eastern Pan fried Chicken with Harissa & Rose Water Sauce

Adapted from Jerusalem A Cookbook  (a book I MUST get)

Printable Recipe 

Prep time: 10 minutes
Marinate: 2 hours
Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients: 
3 tbsp harissa paste (from Middle Eastern stores and many supermarkets)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 boneless chicken breasts, pounded so they are the same thickness throughout.
1 egg beaten with a little olive oil
Mazto meal or panko crumbs for coating
enough olive oil to just coat the bottom of a large skillet
1 large onion, finely chopped
6-7 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup water
1 1/2- 2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp rose water
1/2 cup dried currants
2 tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions:

1. Mix together half the harissa, cumin in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Pound the chicken breasts flat and then cut across the breasts into 1- 1 1/2" strips. Rub the paste all over the chicken strips and leave them to marinate for 2 hours in the fridge.

3. In another bowl, beat the egg and olive oil.  Place a layer of matzo meal or panko on a large plate. 

4.  "Bread" the chicken: - dip the chicken strips into the egg wash and then lay them on the breading, pressing lightly.  Flip and repeat the process. Coat with more crumbs if needed.

5. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium-high heat and fry the fillets for 2-3 minutes on each side, until the under side is crispy. You may need to do this in two batches. 

6. Remove the strips from the pan and set aside, leave the oil in the pan and add the onions. Stir as you cook for about 8 minutes, until the onions are golden.

7. Add the remaining harissa, vinegar, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt and plenty of black pepper. Pour in the water, lower the heat and let the sauce simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes, until quite thick.

8. Add the honey and rose water to the pan along with the currants and simmer gently for a couple more minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings and then return the chicken to the pan. 

9. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and leave to warm up in the simmering sauce for 3 minutes; you may need to add a few tablespoons of water if the sauce is very thick. 

Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with cilantro.  I served it over quinoa.   The authors actually made the dish with sea bass fillets.  That's on tap for next week.

Broiled & Asian Spiced Chicken Wings

From epicurious iPad app

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

3 lb chicken wings, split

Spice mixture:

2 -3 cloves  garlic minced

1 ½ tsp Chinese 5 spice powder

1 tsp salt

1 ½ tsp soy sauce

Directions:

1.       Preheat broiler and place rack 6-7” from heat.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup

2.       Rinse & pat dry wings

3.       In a large bowl, combine  spice mixture and toss in wings to coat.

4.       Arrange wings in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. 

5.       Broil turning once or twice until browned and cooked through (15-20 minutes)

Light Chicken Schnitzel - herbs & cheese make it special

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes plus time in the fridge – up to 1 hourBake time: 8-10 minutes or until no longer pink inside – don’t overdo or it will be very dry)

Serves 2 

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded flat to even out the surface
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup Panko crumbs (or whatever kind of bread crumbs you like)
1 tsp dried herbs (I used Epices de Cru Dionysios Wild Herb Blend)
½ tsp garlic powder
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp olive oil
olive oil to drizzle over fillets before baking
Fresh lemon juice to drizzle before serving
Sliced lemon, for serving
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C degrees. Line a lipped baking sheet with parchment paper. 

2. Butterfly chicken: starting at the thickest edge of the breast, cut through most of the chicken and open the flap.  The piece should now be twice as big but only half as thick. Cover with  parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound it out to ¼- inch thick and even all around. 

3. Mix the breadcrumbs, cheese, herbs & garlic powder in a bowl and transfer to a large plate or cutting board large enough to place the breasts flat.  In a medium sized bowl, beat the egg  and 1 tablespoon oil. 

4. Dip each chicken breast first in the egg mixture and then lay on the bread-crumb mixture.  Coat both sides of the chicken fillets well. 

4. Let the breaded chicken rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to keep the coating on the chicken. 

5. Transfer the chilled chicken to the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil.

6. Bake the chicken for 8-10 minutes or until still juicy but no longer pink inside.  The outside should be golden.  If not, place under the broiler for a minute or two.

Serve one chicken breast on each plate, drizzle with lemon juice and serve with sliced lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Lemon Rosemary Balsamic and More... Roasted Chicken

from fineCooking via my Pinterest Chicken Board

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 20 minutes

Marinating time: 4-24 hours (refrigerated)

Counter time: (to come to room temperature before roasting) about 1 hour

Roasting time: about 1 hour

Serves 4

Ingredients:
For the marinade:
5 large cloves garlic, peeled
Kosher salt
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. packed finely grated lemon zest
2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
For the chicken: I actually used a whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces - drumsticks and wings separated from breast and thigh
2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt
 2" sprigs fresh rosemary (6 to 8)
1/2 large lemon, thinly sliced into half-moons
4 sprigs fresh rosemary, for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Make the marinade:
1. fC suggests -Crush the garlic cloves, sprinkle with a little salt, and mince finely into a paste; you should have 1-1/2 to 2 Tbs. Set aside. Note:  next time I'd just use a mini chopper to whiz it into a paste. 

2. In a small bowl, combine the mustard, brown sugar, vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, and chopped rosemary and whisk until thoroughly combined.  Set aside

Prepare the chicken:
3. Wash and dry the chicken pieces thoroughly. Press down on the chicken breasts with the palm of your hand to flatten slightly (allowing rib cartilage to pop away or break in half). 

4. With a sharp knife, poke three or four slits in both sides of each piece of chicken to help the marinade penetrate. Put the chicken in a large nonreactive bowl. Add the garlic paste to the bowl and toss to coat the chicken. Note: don't be afraid to use your hands and massage the garlic into the chicken.

5. Scrape the marinade into the bowl of chicken and toss to coat (use your hands to distribute evenly). Add the rosemary sprigs and lemon slices, and toss to combine. Wrap the bowl well with plastic or place in a ziplock baggie or container - less chance of dripping accidents in the fridge.

6. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.

Roast the chicken
7. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and pour the chicken and marinade (scraping the bowl) into one 10x15-inch or two 7x11-inch Pyrex baking dishes. 

8. Adjust the chicken so it’s skin side up and the pieces are evenly spaced. Tuck the marinated rosemary sprigs and lemon slices under and around the chicken pieces.

9. Let the chicken sit for at least 20 minutes or up to an hour to warm up a bit so it will cook more evenly. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.

10. Put the chicken in the oven to roast. As it cooks, the marinade will bubble and begin to reduce. After 30 minutes, baste occasionally with the pan juices to help brown the skin and keep the chicken moist. The chicken is done when it turns deep brown and the pan juices have reduced (the sides of the pan will be very dark brown and look almost burned, and a paring knife will slide easily into a thigh), about 1 hour. The pan juices may separate, meaning the fat will be floating on top of the juices, which will be very thick.
Make the pan sauce.

fC Tip: Make the pan sauce while the pan is still hot; if you get delayed, use hot water to make the sauce, or put the pan back in the oven briefly to warm it.

11. Transfer the chicken pieces to a cutting board and tent with foil. Discard the rosemary sprigs but transfer the lemon slices to a small bowl and reserve.

Hold one end of the pan with a potholder and gently tilt the pan to let the juices run into one corner. With a large, shallow spoon, spoon off as much fat as possible but leave any savory juices and pan drippings behind (they may look clumpy). Add 2 Tbs. water to the pan (or 1 Tbs. to each of the two pans) and use a wooden spoon to scrape off enough of the baked-on pan drippings from the sides and bottom of the pan to form a slightly thickened, deeply colored, rich-looking sauce (you won’t need to scrape the whole pan). Taste the sauce— if it’s too intense, add a little more water; if it isn’t flavorful enough, keep scraping and stirring.

Garnish each serving with some of the roasted lemon slices and a fresh sprig of rosemary, if you like.  Use your favorite carb to sop up the extra sauce.  Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice...

Chicken With Garlic, Lemon & Capers

From David Rocco's Made in ItalyQuickest, easiest recipe on the planet... not to mention the tastiest too!

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5-6 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts\

flour for dredging
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 whole garlic cloves (I peeled and lightly bashed them just enough to split them a bit)
2 tbsp capers, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 cup white wine

1-2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 lemon - juice and zest

fresh Italian/flat leaf parsley, chopped (I used about 1/4 cup)

Directions:
1. Flatten the chicken breasts... there are two methods - 1) butterfly the chicken, which means- place chicken breast skin side up on the cutting board. If the piece has no skin on it, place the shinier, smoother side up. Start at the edge of the breast that is slightly split (the filet). Work toward the opposite edge but don’t go right to it, making a cut through the thickest part of the breast, creating a much larger, thinner piece of chicken. The idea is to end up with a piece of chicken of almost even thickness and about twice the original size; or 2) place the breasts between sheets of waxed paper and using a mallet, flatten the thickest part of the breast so that the entire breast is even.

2. Dredge the chicken with flour and sprinkle with a little freshly ground pepper.  

3.  Heat the oil to a skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic and capers and cook for a minute or so.  

4.  Add the chicken breasts and cook until the chicken is lightly brown on one side (about 2-3 minutes). Flip the chicken. Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the chicken breast is no longer pink inside.

5. Just before the chicken is ready add the white wine, butter, lemon juice and zest and let it reduce to create a syrupy sauce.

Chicken Breasts with Crispy Rosemary & Chili

From David Rocco's Made in Italy which really doesn't give actual measurements for this recipe, so make it your own.  This is just a guideline.

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5-6 minutes

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 boneless chicken breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2 whole garlic cloves
1/2 -1 hot red pepper, thinly sliced ( leaving seeds in makes it spicier, so in-out is up to you)
1 tbsp rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup white wine

Directions:
1. Flatten the chicken breasts... there are two methods - 1) butterfly the chicken, which means- place chicken breast skin side up on the cutting board. If the piece has no skin on it, place the shinier, smoother side up. Start at the edge of the breast that is slightly split (the filet). Work toward the opposite edge but don’t go right to it, making a cut through the thickest part of the breast, creating a much larger, thinner piece of chicken. The idea is to end up with a piece of chicken of almost even thickness and about twice the original size;  or 2)  place the breasts between sheets of waxed paper and using a mallet, flatten the thickest part of the breast so that the entire breast is even.

2. Heat the oil to a skillet over medium high heat.  Add the chicken breasts and whole garlic cloves (they season the oil).  Cook until the chicken is brown on one side (about 2-3 minutes).  Add the rosemary and chilies and flip the chicken.  Continue to cook for another 3 minutes or until the chicken breast is no longer pink inside.

3.  Just before the chicken is ready add the white wine and let it reduce to create a syrupy sauce.

Best Ever Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Garlic & Thyme

Minimally adapted from AllRecipes.Com

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Roasting time: 1 1/2  hours or so

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 (3-4 pound) whole chicken, fat removed, rinsed and patted dry

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 large lemon, thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 6-8 sprigs thyme (depending on how young or mature they are... the older (woodier) is more potent so you need less).  This time around I had young sprigs, so I used a handful... not sure exactly how many sprigs in all.

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325°F/160°C

2. Place a large sheet of parchment paper into the middle of a roasting tray. The parchment must be large enough to completely envelop the chicken. 

3. Season the chicken cavity  with pepper, stuff with half of the lemon slices, half of the garlic and half of the thyme sprigs.  

4. Place breast side up in the middle of the parchment paper. Use the rest of the garlic slices, and  evenly over the chicken. Lay a few of the the remaining lemon slices under the chicken and the rest over the breast. Place a thyme sprig or two under the chicken and the rest on top.

5.  Fold the parchment over the chicken forming a loose parcel. Bake in the preheated oven until the chicken has cooked, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. A meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of the thigh should reach 180°F/82°C

Note: once you've devoured the chicken.. and I'm sure you will, save the bones to make the most wonderful chicken broth.  I keep my roasted bones in a baggie in the freezer until I'm ready. 

Thai Style Chicken Mushroom Udon Stir Fry

With inspiration from FineCooking

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 packages Udon noodles
4 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup dried Chinese Shitaki mushrooms
8oz/226 g cremini mushrooms, sliced
Swiss chard leaves (or other greens like beet greens, kale...), stalks removed, coarsely chopped) amount is up to you.  Just remember the leaves wilt down a lot.   I filled a large salad bowl with leaves, then chopped them - brought it down to half )
Peanut Sauce:
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large or 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tsp brown sugar
Pinch cayenne
Directions:
1. Soak the dried shitaki in boiling water for at least 30 minutes.

2.Once the mushrooms are soft, drain them well and reserve the mushroom liquid.  Slice the shitaki mushrooms and set aside.  

3. To prepare the peanut sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan, stirring occasionally, and gently cook over low heat for 5 minutes to "melt" everything together.   Set aside.

4. Prepare the rest of the ingredients - slicing the chicken breasts across into 1" strips and coarsely chopping the leafy greens.

5. In a large non-stick skillet, over medium high heat, add a little oil and sauté all the mushrooms until the cremini mushrooms golden (about 5 minutes). Push the mushrooms to the sides of the pan, add a little more oil and add the chicken strips and half the peanut sauce and toss.  Cook for about 2 minutes per side or until the chicken is no longer pink.  You might have to do this in two batches.  Remove from pan and set aside.

6.  Place the udon noodles in the same pan and add the mushroom liquid (should be at least a cup, if not, add some boiling water) and rest of the peanut sauce.  Toss to separate the noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Then add the greens and toss until wilted (2-3 minutes).   Return the chicken and mushroom mixture back to the pan and add any seasoning you might like... soy sauce to salt it, chili pepper flakes to provide some heat.  

7.  Once the noodles are tender and the chicken is hot, remove from heat and serve.   NOTE: you might need to add a little water during the process. 

Boneless Chicken with Ginger Marmalade Balsamic Glaze

Printable Recipe


Prep time: 5 minutes
Roasting time: 15-20 minutes
Grill/Broil time: 5 minutesServes 4  

Ingredients: 
2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup ginger marmalade

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes

1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 400F/200C oven and spray your baking dish (large enough for all the chicken pieces to fit in one layer) with a little oil.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and the marmalade. Add the balsamic vinegar, chili pepper flakes and rosemary and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the sauce in the prepared baking dish and place the  chicken breasts over the thin layer of sauce.   
4. Ladle more sauce over the chicken and bake until cooked through (no longer pink or temperature reading 175F/80C.  
5. Raise the rack in the oven to the top third and broil the chicken breasts to bring out the golden color and add a bit of stickiness. 

Another option would be to grill the chicken on a BBQ and brush with the sauce/glaze during cooking.  (5 minutes per side). 

Roasted Chicken & Butternut Squash Fusilli

Total time: 20 minutes 
Serves 4 


Printable Recipe


Ingredients Your favorite short pasta…I like something small and that will hold the sauce, this time I used multi-grain fusilli. (1 cup per person) 
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil 
1 – 1 ½ cups roasted chicken, cubed (I like breast, but obviously dark meat is lovely too) 
1- 1½ cups roasted butternut squash, cubed (this time I roasted it with fresh thyme & sage leaves) 
1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced 
Splash or two of balsamic apple cider vinegar 
Salt & pepper to taste
Garnish: fresh sage or parsley, chopped 


Directions 
1. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente (check the package for time – usually 7-8 minutes) and drain. Save ½ cup of pasta water –in case you like your “sauce” a little thinner. The pasta water makes it silky. 


2. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sauté the mushrooms until they are golden (about 4 minutes). Add the cooked chicken and sauté another 2 minutes. Add the cooked squash, toss and cook just until the cubes are heated through (1-2 minutes). Keep on very low heat, covered until the pasta is cooked. 


3. Once the pasta is cooked, drain, reserving ½ cup of cooking liquid, and add to the skillet. Toss and drizzle with balsamic apple cider vinegar. Add some pasta water if you feel it needs more liquid. Taste and add salt & pepper as needed. 


 4. Place in a serving bowl and garnish with fresh herbs

Skinny Shepherd's Pie

From Joy Bauer's Food Cures

Printable Recipe

Hands on time: 25 minutes

Bake time: 35 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ¼ lb ground turkey (I used ground chicken)

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp dried thyme

¼ tsp paprika

1 cup low-sodium beef broth

Kosher salt

Ground pepper

1 ½ lb (2-3 large) sweet potatoes (cubed & boiled or softened in the microwave (my preference… since it cooks while you’re doing something else with no need to peel or dice)

½ cup buttermilk (since I didn’t have I used milk plus 1 tbsp lemon juice – just let it sit for a few minutes to thicken)

2 egg whites

 2 tbsp shredded reduced fat cheddar or Swiss cheese

1 tbsp grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and lightly coat a glass or ceramic gratin/casserole dish with oil spray.

2.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the onions and garlic and sauté, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes or until the onions are softened and translucent.  Add the ground turkey or chicken and crumble as you drop it into the pan.  Increase the heat to high and cook, stirring for 4 minutes or until the meat is browned.

3.  Stir in the tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, thyme and paprika.  Cook, stirring  for 2 minutes to form a sauce.  Add the broth and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and a light sauce forms.  Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.

4.  In a large bowl, mash the cooked sweet potatoes (if you used a microwave, just scoop out the flesh and toss the peel) with the buttermilk until smooth.  Season with salt and pepper.

5.  In another bowl, preferably metal, since it retains the cold, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on high speed for 4 minutes or until the mixture is “stiff but not lumpy”  (I only needed 2 minutes, so it depends on your mixer).   They should hold firmly to the side of the bowl when tilted.

6.  Fold the egg whites, one third at a time gently into the sweet potato mixture until all the egg whites are just incorporated and not deflated.

7.  Spread the meat mixture into the prepared casserole dish and top with the sweet potato mixture.  Sprinkle with the cheeses and bake, uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until the potato topping is puffed and browned around the edges. 

Serve immediately   (Ruth’s note:  my Honey loved the cheese topping, I’d make mine without cheese next time.  Otherwise… delicious.)

Chicken Satay with Peanut Coconut Dipping Sauce

From Bittman's Kitchen: What I Grill and Why (Kindle Single)

Printable Recipe

Prep Time: 10 minutes + 20 minutes to soak bamboo skewers
Marinating Time: 30 minutes – 2 hours
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

Serves 2 ( Sauce will do for 4, so you might want to double up on the chicken. I just saved more for another batch

Ingredients:
8-10 bamboo skewers (10- to 12-inch)
1 lb/450g boneless chicken breasts
Marinade/Dipping Sauce:
½ cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
½ cup smooth peanut butter
1-2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice (I used more – juice of 1 lime)
1 tsp sugar
¼ - ½ tsp Sriracha sauce ( or ¼ tsp cayenne pepper)

Directions:
1. Soak bamboo skewers for at least 20 minutes in cold water to prevent them from burning.

2. Combine the marinade ingredients in small bowl. Taste for seasoning and consistency. You might need to add more coconut milk or water to thin it if it seems too thick. It should be thin enough to brush on the chicken. Set aside one half of the sauce for dipping.

3. Cut the chicken into strips about 1 inch wide, 3-4 inches long, and ¼ - ½ inch thick (I cover the breasts with waxed paper and pound with a mallet). Thread them on the skewers and brush the chicken all over with some of the marinade. (I just tossed the chicken in the marinade before skewering, which is obviously messier… too bad I didn’t read carefully the first time I made this).

4. Marinate for a few minutes at room temperature to an hour or more in refrigerator. The longer you marinate, the more flavorful the chicken.
5. Preheat the grill to medium high. (Ruth’s note… if you don’t have a BBQ, use an indoor electric grill, stove top grill pan or the broiler of your oven). Cook the chicken skewers until they are lightly charred on one side (about 2 minutes) and flip. Cook until they are no longer pink inside (usually just another 2-3 minutes).

Mark’s important note: “Chicken cut this thin can get rubbery if it’s overcooked, so don’t let it go too long.”

Serve the chicken with reserved Peanut-Coconut dipping sauce.

Roasted Herb & Garlic Spatchcock Chicken

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated Summer Grilling issue

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 35-40 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 (3½-4 lb/1½ - 2kg) whole chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4-5 large cloves of garlic, peeled
Zest & juice of 1 lemon
Large pinch of red chili pepper flakes
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1-2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
½ tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 500°F/260°C with rack in middle.

2. In a food processor or mini chopper, pulse the garlic, lemon zest & juice, herbs and red chili pepper flakes to form a paste. Set aside.

3. To “spatchcock” a chicken: lay the bird on the breast (back up) and cut out the spine from neck to tail, using kitchen shears. Lay the bird breast up and press down on the breast bone to break it and flatten the chicken more evenly. You might even want to cut out the top of the breast bone, leaving the skin and meat intact.

4. Rinse the chicken under cool water, pat dry and season the cavity side with salt and pepper. Turn the skin side up and gently slip your fingers under the skin from the neck and form a pocket as far as you can. Stuff with herb & garlic paste evenly under the skin. Repeat for the thigh starting from close to where the backbone used to be.

4. Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add the sliced onions down the centre forming a bed for the chicken. Place the chicken, skin side up over top and use the remaining herb paste over the skin.
Note: I place the backbone in as well so that I can save all the roasted chicken bones in the freezer for future stock making.

5. Roast at 500°F/260°C for about 35 minutes & test with a meat thermometer. The chicken is ready when the thigh registers 170-180°F/76-80°C. Be forewarned… it will get very smoky, but well worth it.

Spatchcock Pesto Chicken

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 35-40 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
1 (3½-4 lb/1½ - 2kg) whole chicken
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Drizzle of olive oil for the pan plus some to coat the chicken
¼ - ½ cup pesto

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 500°F/260°C with rack in middle.

2. To “spatchcock” a chicken: lay the bird on the breast (back up) and cut out the spine from neck to tail, using kitchen shears. Lay the bird breast up and press down on the breast bone to break it and flatten the chicken more evenly. You might even want to cut out the top of the breast bone, leaving the skin and meat intact.

3. Rinse the chicken under cool water, pat dry and season with salt and pepper. Turn the skin side up and gently slip your fingers under the skin from the neck and form a pocket as far as you can. Stuff with pesto and spread evenly under the skin. Repeat for the thigh starting from close to where the backbone used to be.

4. Drizzle a little olive oil in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add the sliced onions & lemon down the centre forming a bed for the chicken. Place the chicken, skin side up over top and drizzle a little more oil over the skin.
Note: I place the backbone in as well so that I can save all the roasted chicken bones in the freezer for future stock making.

5. Roast at 500°F/260°C for about 35 minutes & test with a meat thermometer. The chicken is ready when the thigh registers 170-180°F/76-80°C.

Greek-Style Grilled Chicken

From Healthy Starts Here

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 5 minutes
Marinating time: 1 hour to overnight
Cooking time: 10 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 165F/°74°C
Serves 4

Ingredients
6 large cloves garlic, crushed/minced
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp canola oil (olive oil would work well too)
1 tbsp dried oregano leaves (I prefer Greek variety)
½ tsp cracked black pepper
1 lb/450g boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

Directions:
1. Whisk together everything except the chicken.

2. Place the chicken in a ziplock bag and add the marinade. Seal the bag and massage the chicken to make sure it’s well coated on all sides. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

3. Preheat your grill (this time I used my Cuisinart Griddler since it was too rainy for the BBQ). Take the chicken out of the fridge while the grill is heating up to allow it to come to room temperature before grilling.

4. Remove chicken from the marinade (discard the rest of the marinade) and place on the grill. Cover (or in my case with the Griddler, I just pressed the chicken with the top part of the Griddler) and cook. No need to turn the chicken if using a Griddler, but for BBQ, turn the chicken after 5 minutes. It should take about 10 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 165F/°74°C.

5. Remove from grill and allow the chicken to sit for 5 minutes to rest.

I like to serve this with a simple salad.

Chicken Shnitzel

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes plus time in the fridge – up to 1 hour

Frying time: 2 minutes per side

Bake time: 10 minutes or until no longer pink inside – don’t overdo or it will be very dry)

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 split (2 whole) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded flat and even
½ cup matzo meal or flour
½ tsp paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
½ tsp garlic powder
3 large eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups matzo meal for coating or (try Panko crumbs for an even crisper coating)
2-3 tbsp olive oil for frying
Juice of ½ to 1 lemon to drizzle before serving
Sliced lemon, for serving
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C degrees. Line a lipped cookie sheet with parchment paper and place a cake rack over the paper.

2. Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound it out to ¼- inch thick.

3. Mix the matzo meal/flour, paprika, thyme & garlic powder in a large zip lock baggie. In a medium sized bowl, beat the eggs and 1 tablespoon oil. Place the breadcrumbs on a plate.

4. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shake off the excess, and then dip in the egg and then the bread-crumb mixture.

4. Let the breaded chicken rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to keep the coating on the chicken.

5. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 chicken breasts and cook for 2 minutes on each side, until browned. Place them on a rack on the cookie sheet while you cook the rest of the chicken.

6. Bake the chicken for 10 minutes or until still juicy but no longer pink inside.

Serve one chicken breast on each plate, drizzle with lemon juice and serve with sliced lemon and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

David Lebovitz' Chicken Mole

Chicken Mole
From David Lebovitz's The Sweet Life in Paris

Printable Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 90 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 chicken cut into 8 pieces (or bone in chicken breasts or thighs – your choice)
1 tbsp coarse salt
2 bay leaves
2 cups Chocolate Mole ( half the batch)
Some toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Directions:
1. Put the chicken in a large pot (I use my stock pot for less splatter) and cover with water. Add the salt and bay leaves. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest in the pot, covered for 20 minutes.

2. Transfer the chicken to a platter to cool. Reserve the cooking liquid. Once the chicken is cool, remove and discard the skin, leaving the chicken on the bone for the next step.

3. In the meantime preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.

4. Place the chicken pieces in an oven proof dish just big enough to hold all the pieces in a single layer with no spaces between them.

5. Add the mole, you might need to add some of the chicken cooking liquid (David L suggests ½ cup) – the consistency should be that of “runny chocolate pudding”. Spoon the mole over the chicken and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken is heated through. Don’t let it dry out though, You’ll want to have lots of mole to pour over the chicken and rice.

Another David L tip: if you’re going to serve it with rice, cook the rice in the chicken cooking broth rather than water.

Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds and serve.