Recipe: Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Food & Wine Magazine, Sep 2022, p. 42

4.6 stars

Not a pretty dish which is why I didn't include a photo here, but delicious and relatively easy to make. We do prefer America's Test Kitchen's (ATK) Chicken & Dumplings Recipe (I realize I haven't written about it in this blog) as it has a bit more flavor, but this one was good for in a pinch and didn't take too long to cook. I'll need to take a look at the ATK one to see if we can merge their recipe with this super easy one to get the same flavor but in less time.

Ingredients: chicken thighs, yellow onion, carrots, celery, chicken stock base, all-purpose flour, self-rising flour, buttermilk, unsalted butter, thyme, Kosher salt, black pepper, water

Recipe: Light & Bright Chicken Potpie

Light & Bright Chicken Potpie

Martha Stewart Living, Mar 2022, p. 56

4.5 stars

Usually we make Thomas Keller's Chicken Pot Pie recipe, but we decided to give this one a try especially since we had some pie dough left over from another dish. There are two different toppings for this -- either a pie crust or phyllo clusters as you can see from the recipe link.

This recipe is much easier and involves a number of different ingredients. It was good, but not as good as Thomas Keller's recipe where the bechamel and herbs give it a great flavor. This was a good pot pie recipe for a weekday meal.

I did like the addition of leeks and artichoke hearts!

Ingredients: chicken, leeks, carrots, celery, Yukon Gold potatoes, peas, artichoke hearts, dry vermouth or dry white wine, low-sodium chicken broth, flour, tarragon, unsalted butter, Kosher salt, black pepper; either phyllo clusters or pie crust

Tip:

• Used rotisserie chicken to get that rotisserie flavor and to cut down on time
• Used the Dutch Oven for ease instead of a pie dish

Recipe: Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad

Honey Mustard Pretzel Chicken and Avocado Bacon Salad

HalfBakedHarvest.com

4.7 stars

Restaurant-worthy salad. I think the dressing was better than any honey mustard dressing I've had at restaurants.

Ingredients: mixed greens, boneless chicken tenders, cherry tomatoes, shaved parmesan, avocados, bacon, pretzel twists, eggs, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper

Honey Mustard Dressing Ingredients: honey, dijon mustard, tahini, apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, extra virgin olive oil

Tips:

• Use 1 egg instead of 2
• Make sure to use very crispy pretzel twists; might consider mixing it with panko to make sure it turns out crunchy 
• Also, 1 cup was a little too much pretzel

Recipe: 30 Minutes Coq Au Vin Chicken Meatballs

30 Minutes Coq Au Vin Chicken Meatballs

HalfBakedHarvest.com

4.6 stars

My new favorite chef is Tieghan Gerard from HalfBakedHarvest.com. Her recipes are for one, GREAT, and they just all look incredibly delicious (see her Instagram account). I've been going to her site more often than Bon Appetit or Food and Wine's magazines and sites.

We had ground chicken in our freezer so this recipe caught my eye especially during these semi-cold winter days. Loved this dish -- good flavor!!! While it took a little bit more than 30 min, it doesn't taste like a simple, 30 min dish.

Ingredients: ground chicken, egg, carrots, mushrooms, Panko bread crumbs, bacon, yellow onion, garlic, tomato paste, red wine, chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, Parmesan cheese, Kosher salt, pepper

Serve with mashed potatoes.

Tips:

• Because I was craving polenta, we made polenta instead of mashed potatoes; we'll do mashed potatoes next time. 

Recipe: Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad with Tomatoes and Burrata

 

Pesto Chicken Caesar Salad with Tomatoes and Burrata

HalfBakedHarvest.com

4.2 stars

This salad was good, not amazing compared to some others we've made. However, it's pretty fast to make and uses up pesto (which we usually have on hand) and has burrata as the cheese (one of our favorites!). The dressing tastes almost like a Caeser dressing but without the umami that comes from anchovies.

Salad Ingredients: chicken breasts, basil pesto, ciabatta bread, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, burrata cheese, garlic, red pepper flakes, extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, black pepper, fresh herbs like chives, thyme and basil

Parmesan Tahini Dressing: tahini, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, grated Parmesan, lemon, extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper

30 Minute Spicy Sesame Noodles with Ginger Chicken

30 Minute Spicy Sesame Noodles with Ginger Chicken

HalfBakedHarvest.com

5 stars

This is the first recipe I've made from Half Baked Harvest -- a site my co-workers recommended to me. Her dishes for one, look amazing... and from reading the recipes themselves, they look GOOD (meaning flavorful).

This dish was just that, flavorful! Despite forgetting to buy green onions and hubby not realizing that I'd bought pomegranate juice and pomegranate seeds, this was a dish that while it doesn't look super amazing in my photo, tasted great. We'll definitely be making this again.

Ingredients: Chinese egg noodles or ramen noodles, ground chicken, kale or green cabbage, shiitake or cremini mushrooms, low sodium soy sauce, pomegranate juice (optional), honey, raw sesame seeds, peanuts, peanut or sesame oil, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, orange or clementine peel, green onions and pomegranate for serving

Tips:

• Double the amount of kale
• Used marcona almonds instead of peanuts
• Used Rotisserie chicken instead of ground chicken
• Used 1/2 shiitake and 1/2 baby bella mushrooms

Recipe: Barbecue Chicken Pizzas

 

Barbecue Chicken Pizzas

Us Weekly, 8/31/2020, p.34

5 stars

This is a Rachael Ray recipe that was in Us Weekly a month ago. Wow on flavor -- my mouth is watering as I think about this restaurant quality pizza. I couldn't find the recipe online to link to so if you need the recipe, contact me via the comment box. Can't wait to make this again.

Main ingredients: chicken, combination of cheeses, green onions, basil, cilantro, jalapenos, pickles

BBQ Sauce Ingredients: onion, tomato sauce, garlic, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, light brown sugar, hot sauce, mustard, olive oil or canola oil, salt, pepper

Tips:

• We made 2 pizzas using Tyler Florence's pizza dough recipe (that we've made many times)
• Sauteed chicken to put on top vs. using it as the base of the pizza
• Used smoked cheddar and mozzarella - YUM!
• Didn't put pickles on top

Recipe: Chicken-and-Gnocchi Bake with Broccolini

Chicken-and-Gnocchi Bake with Broccolini

marthastewart.com

4.4 Stars

Really good easy weeknight GNOCCHI dish! We've had some gnocchi fails so this was an "in-a-pinch" gnocchi dish using pre-made (fresh/frozen ones) -- with Gruyere, one of my favorite cheeses. The dish was bubbling (as you can see) coming out of the oven. Great ski dinner recipe!

Ingredients: Broccolini, fresh or frozen gnocchi, cooked chicken, Gruyere, Parmigiano-Reggiano, butter, garlic, all-purpose flour, chicken broth, Kosher salt, pepper

Notes:

• Used Rotisserie chicken

Recipe: Sheet-Pan Chicken Meatballs and Charred Broccoli

 

Sheet-Pan Chicken Meatballs and Charred Broccoli

Bon Appetit Magazine, p.16, March 2019

4.7 Stars

This recipe had so much flavor -- just take a look at the ingredient list (ginger, garlic, honey, soy sauce and more). It was delicious! Generally, ground chicken is a bit dry, but these meatballs were incredibly moist. Also, although it looks like a lot of sauce, make it all as the sauce goes great on the broccoli and rice.

Meatball and Assembly Ingredients: rice, ground chicken, broccoli, egg, scallions, garlic, ginger, panko, toasted sesame oil, vegetable oil, Kosher salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes

Sauce Ingredients: ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, rice cooking wine, honey, soy sauce, ginger, black pepper

Recipe: Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken

Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken
Food & Wine Magazine, Sept 2018, p. 68
4.5 stars

Easy weeknight Asian stir-fry meal. This recipe comes from Charles Phan, the chef at The Slanted Door (been there!) in San Francisco. We had the chicken for dinner with steamed rice and broccoli. The sauce was amazing drizzled over the broccoli -- it had a really nice heat from the Thai chiles.

This recipe was in the "40 Years of Food & Wine" issue back from September 2018 (they selected this has a top recipe from 40 years of recipes!)

Ingredients: chicken, shallot, fresh Thai chiles, cilantro, dark brown sugar, fish sauce, canola oil, water, rice vinegar, garlic, fresh ginger, ground pepper

Tips/Notes:

• Fish sauce has a strong flavor so we used less than the 1/4 cup
• Used chicken breast instead of chicken thighs

(Find paper recipe under: Entree - Pasta with Sausage, Mustard and Basil)

Recipe: Crispy Baked Chicken Flautas

Crispy Baked Chicken Flautas
MarthaStewart.com
5 stars

This dish was so delish.  And easy, easy, easy, easy for a weeknight meal.
The chipotle in adobo always adds complexity to dishes we've made and takes this recipe to the 5 star level.

Ingredients: tortillas, ground chicken, chipotle in adobo, cilantro, Monterey Jack cheese, tomato paste, lime juice, extra-virgin olive oil, Kosher salt, pepper; pico de gallo and sour cream for serving

Tips:

• Use 2.5 Tbsp of chipotle in adobo next time
• Great with chips and also guac on the side too

Recipes: Magic Crispy Chicken

Magic Crispy Chicken

4.5 stars

Bon Appetit Magazine, June/July 2019, p.38

I was craving fried chicken -- this recipe didn't satisfy my craving 100% but was really delicious and pretty fast for a weeknight meal.  It's a better version of "Shake and Bake."  The side sauce was delicious!

Ingredients: chicken, panko, egg yolk, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, extra-virgin olive oil,  honey, cayenne pepper, chives, Kosher salt, black pepper

Tips:

• Our cayenne pepper has lost its oomph -- didn't taste any heat so may add red pepper (or get new cayenne for next time)
• Served this with Cheddar Chive Mini Popovers and Skillet-Roasted Cauliflower with Panko

Recipe: Fettuccine with White Chicken Ragu

Recipe: Fettuccine with White Chicken Ragu
Food & Wine Magazine, Jan 2019, p. 99
4.5 stars

A simple-looking dish with a depth of flavor.  Restaurant-worthy.

This recipe calls for quite a few ingredients, including the making of a sofrito, and there's a reason for it -- FLAVOR!  With every bite, there's this depth of flavor that made me think, "Where is this flavor coming from?" since you don't necessarily see it.  The flavor is coming from the chicken stock, wine, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, sofrito, pancetta, garlic....

Ingredients: chicken thighs, pancetta or guanciale, leek or scallions, frozen peas, Parmesan cheese, rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, bay leaf, garlic, dry white wine, chicken stock, heavy cream or half-and-half, butter, lemon zest, fresh parsley, sea salt, black pepper, olive oil

Sofrito Ingredients: celery, yellow onion, carrot, parsley, olive oil

Tips:

• Never want to burn or overcook garlic so add it all later with the sofrito, not with the chicken
• Instead of using rosemary and thyme sprigs and "bundling" them up, chop up the rosemary, thyme and scallion and leave in the dish vs. removing later (but DO remember to take out the bay leaf!)
• Need to use heavy cream instead of half-and-half next time to produce a thicker sauce

Recipe: 12-Minute Saucy Chicken Breasts with Limes

12-Minute Saucy Chicken Breast with Limes
Bon Appetit Magazine, Dec 2017
4 stars

This is a great weekday recipe that's incredibly flavorful (note that you must like the cumin/turmeric/paprika type of flavor profile) and would go great with the Golden Rice recipe.

Ingredients:  chicken, ground cumin, ground turmeric, paprika, olive oil, Kosher salt, limes

Tips:

• Used boneless chicken breast and sauteed the chicken vs. baking it -- it turned out great!  The chicken was moist and there was delicious sauce to spoon over the chicken.

Recipe: Chicken Parmesan Pot Pie

Chicken Parmesan Pot Pie - recipe from Fabio Viviani
People Magazine, Feb 2, 2015 issue, p.82
5 stars

I'm sometimes wary of recipes in non-food magazines but decided to try this chicken pot pie recipe -- with an Italian twist that was in this week's issue of People Magazine.  Really great recipe (winter comfort food), and we would definitely make it again!

Tips:

• Cook the vegetables less so that they remain their texture.  (Remove vegetables from the pan temporarily while cooking the chicken in the pan; then add the vegetables back.)
• Cook the potatoes just a tad less
• Add red pepper
• Cut the amount of flour down by at least 1/3 so the overall texture is less "thick"
• Add thyme
• As you can see -- we baked this in a large casserole dish vs. in individual ramekins

Recipe: Coconut Rice Salad

Coconut Rice Salad
Food and Wine Magazine, March 2015, p. 60
3.5 stars

I wouldn't necessarily call this a 'salad.'  The recipe was ok -- we had to really "up" the flavor on it.  I'd make this again but increase the heat/add more spices.

Ingredients:  unsweetened coconut milk, jasmine rice, sugar, salt, chicken, Kirby cucumbers, scallions, canola oil

Tips:

• Used basmati rice instead of Jasmine rice
• Added Thai red curry paste to the chicken, but the chicken still needed more flavor even with that
• Added sriracha on top to add some heat
• Used extra-virgin olive oil instead of canola oil
• Cut the cucumbers at a diagonal or chop them vs. half moons next time

Recipe: Honey-ginger Chicken with Lime

Honey-ginger Chicken with Lime
Food and Wine Magazine, July 2014, p. 113 (photo), 114 (recipe)
4 stars

Tired of the same old ho-hum chicken?  Feeling like chicken tonight, like chicken tonight?

This recipe has so much flavor!

Check out the ingredient list:  chicken, ginger, jalapeno, honey, balsamic vinegar, garam masala, coriander, cumin, cayenne, lime zest, lime juice, butter, canola oil, sugar, salt, pepper

An easy dish that we'll definitely make again.  As you can see from the photo above, we served this with green beans and brown rice.

Also, we used chicken breasts instead of drumsticks and thighs.
Note to self:  Need to brine the chicken next time.

Recipe: Sambal Chicken Skewers

The cover photo of the July 2013 issue of Bon Appetit Magazine has Sriracha-Glazed Chicken Skewers (aka Sambal Chicken Skewers - recipe is on p. 69).  This recipe is hot, hot, hot!  It was really easy to make -- it just takes 7 ingredients that I've listed below -- but beware of the heat (note that I love spice and found these HOT).  We served these with rice and a refreshing salad.

• light brown sugar
• rice vinegar
• hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek which you can find in the international aisle of your grocery store)
• fish sauce
• sriracha (go easy on this -- a quarter cup is a lot)
• ginger
• chicken

Recipe: Chicken Dijon

I made the Chicken Dijon recipe (Food and Wine Magazine, Oct 2011, p.118) this past weekend.  Very easy, and it turned out great -- nice and flavorful.  The ingredient list is pretty simple:

• coriander seeds
• EVOO
• chicken
• s&p
• onion
• garlic
• chicken broth
• whole-grain mustard
• either creme fraiche or sour cream
• tarragon

It's so much better than the Shake 'n Bake Honey Mustard mix I used to use when I didn't know how to cook.

Next time, I'm going to try chicken breasts instead of the drumsticks.

Recipe: Chicken and Dumplings

It was chilly this past weekend, and we were looking for a hearty, healthy dish to make.  America's Test Kitchen's Chicken and Dumplings Recipe was perfect after a long day of working out in the yard!  We've made this recipe before, and it turns out great each time.  We added more vegetables than it called for and so need to remember to add more chicken stock and water next time we make the recipe.