Tagged: chicken

March 13, 2017

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Lately I’ve been feeling like I’ve been on cruise control for weeknight dinners. After busy days for all of us, including our three-year-old, the most I can muster for our family meal is pasta. Don’t get me wrong—we absolutely love noodles, but even they get a bit old when you have them more than two times a week.

Pizza is another one of our routine favorites. I usually stick to just plain cheese to keep things simple, but last week I decided to revamp my recipe for barbecue chicken pizza. This time I balanced off the sweetness of the barbecue sauce with tomato sauce, and I mixed mozzarella cheese with smoked Gouda.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Makes 1-12-inch pizza

For dough
2/3 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon dry active yeast
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon olive oil plus more for bowl and brushing pizza
1-1/2 cups bread flour plus more for work surface
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For chicken
1-8 ounce boneless skinless chicken breast
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon barbecue sauce

For pizza
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/3 cup tomato sauce
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly slices into rings
2 ounces shredded mozzarella
1 ounce shredded Gouda
Cornmeal for pizza stone

In a small bowl, combine the water, yeast, sugar and olive oil. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour and salt. Add the yeast mixture and process until a ball of dough forms. Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in volume, about 2 hours or up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F with a pizza stone inside the oven. Place the chicken on a foil-lined sheet pan and drizzle both sides with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes before smearing with 1 tablespoon barbecue sauce. Continue baking the chicken for 10-15 minutes until cooked through. Once the chicken is finished, increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Wait 10 minutes and then thinly slice the chicken breast.

In a small bowl, whisk together the barbecue sauce and tomato sauce.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the pizza dough into a 12-inch diameter circle. Sprinkle the preheated pizza stone with cornmeal and place the dough on it. Spread the sauce mixture leaving a 1/2-inch border. Top the pizza with chicken, scallions, red onions and cheese.

Bake the pizza for 12-15 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling.

January 23, 2017

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
By now I know I could make chili in my sleep. I’ve had a vegetable & bean-heavy version, along with a few variations that deviate from my standard recipe, on repeat since the first chill in the air a few months ago. I think I’ve been on such a non-stop chili kick because I can whip up a big batch on Sunday and be set for the week with healthy, filling meals.

Yesterday I thought it was time for a change. I left the fire-roasted tomatoes and black beans in the pantry, and I made slow cooker chicken chili with cannellini beans and corn. It could not have been any easier. A little chopping and everything went into the slow cooker. About 4 hours later I had a spicy bowl of hearty white chili and plenty of leftovers.

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili
Adapted from The Kitchn

Serves 6 to 8

1 large yellow onion, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
2 4-ounce cans diced green chili peppers
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 to 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or both
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 bay leaf
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 13.5-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup frozen corn
Shredded monterey jack cheese, sliced-jalapenos, cilantro for serving

Combine the onions, celery, diced green chili peppers and garlic, in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Nestle the chicken into vegetables. Add the cumin, coriander, oregano, salt and bay leaf followed by the chicken stock. Cook on high for 4 hours. In the last 30 minutes of cook time, add the beans and corn.

Take the chicken out and shred it with a fork before returning it to the slow cooker. Divide the soup into bowls and top with cheese, jalapenos and cilantro before serving.

May 9, 2016

Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken
I know this sounds ridiculous, but I feel responsible for our neighborhood Chinese restaurant going out of business. For a long time when I walked by I noticed they were never full. I figured they must have had a booming takeout business to balance out the handful of occupied tables. Clearly I was wrong. Of course I don’t know what happened, but the lack of orders, including me, must have led to the shut down.

Now that I don’t have Chinese food right outside my door, I’ve been craving it A LOT. Instead of finding somewhere else to order from, I decided to take matters into my own hands. Besides cashew chicken, kung pao chicken is one of my favorites, so I made my own version of this spicy, sweet and salty classic. Served with brown rice, it turned out to be an easy weeknight stir-fry that was healthier than ordering takeout.

Kung Pao Chicken

Serves 4

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 scallions, sliced thinly, white and green parts separated
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 dried red chilies, halved
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 ounces broccoli florets
1 cup salted roasted peanuts
Cooked brown rice for serving

In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, peanut oil, salt, pepper and cornstarch. Add the chicken and marinate for 30 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Cook the chicken in a single layer until it has browned and is almost cooked through, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the wok and transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining vegetable oil to the wok. Sauté the white parts of the scallions, ginger, garlic and chilies until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the peppers and broccoli sautéing until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chicken, peanuts and remaining soy sauce simmering until it has thickened, about 2 minutes. Toss in the scallion greens and serve with rice.

May 2, 2016

Grilled Chicken Nachos

Grilled Chicken Nachos
When I did my weekend shopping run, I saw bins of avocados, piles of tomatoes and stacks of tortilla chip bags all on sale. I couldn’t figure out why, and then it hit me. Cinco de Mayo is this Thursday. People might be feeling extra festive, but I don’t need a holiday to get me in the mood for Mexican food. I have a constant craving for tacos & burritos, so I am never without salsa, black beans and cilantro.

I braved the rain on Saturday and took my cooking outside, umbrella in hand, to make grilled chicken nachos. The chicken marinated in a mixture with cumin and lime juice. I grilled the chicken and corn at the same time before layering chips, cheese, black beans, jalapenos and everything else in a cast iron skillet. After a few minutes on the grill, the cheese melted. I sprinkled cilantro on top followed by salsa.

Grilled Chicken Nachos
Serves 4

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 boneless skinless chicken breast
2 ears corn, shucked
6 ounces tortilla chips
1/2 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
1 cup finely shredded Mexican cheese blend
1 handful cilantro, roughly chopped
Salsa for serving

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, cumin, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Marinate the chicken 1 hour up to overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill on medium high heat. Grill the chicken for 10-12 minutes, turning once, until cooked through. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before shredding with a fork.

While cooking the chicken, grill the corn, turning occasionally, until lightly charred, about 8-10 minutes. Let the corn cool slightly before cutting the kernels from the cobs.

In a 10-inch cast iron skillet, layer the chicken, corn, chips, black beans, jalapenos and cheese. Place the skillet on the grill and close the lid for a few minutes until the cheese has melted. Top with cilantro and salsa before serving.