Tag: chicken

Chicken, Recipes

Ginger Chicken with Avocado

Sarah

ginger chickenHappy Spring! Yesterday in Bloomington on the first day of spring we experienced the best and worst spring has to offer–in the morning, rain, wind, and 45 degrees, followed by 60 degree temperatures and sunny skies in the afternoon. Today  is supposed to be much of the same. And while rain is not my favorite thing ever, I must admit that I prefer it to snow and certainly prefer it to ice. Whether winter will make another appearance before summertime arrives is a mystery, but one thing that is not a mystery is how wonderful my new favorite way of preparing grilled chicken is! I realize I have new favorites all the time, but this recipe is just fabulous. You have got to try it. We loved the contrast between the slightly spicy chicken and the creamy avocado sauce, bursting with fresh flavors. Serve it with a bright, fruity spinach salad and welcome spring tonight!

Ginger Chicken with Avocado [from Eat Cheap but Eat Well by Charles Mattocks]

Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves [~1 pound]
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 medium avocado, peeled and diced
  • 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt or sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons lime juice
  • 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:

Mix together ginger and cumin and rub over chicken. Cook in a hot skillet with oil or on the grill [we used our George Foreman] until the juices run clear and internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

While chicken is cooking, prepare the avocado sauce. In the bowl of a food processor, combine avocado, sour cream/yogurt, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic. Puree until smooth. Spoon sauce on top of chicken and enjoy.

Click here for the printable version: Ginger Chicken with Avocado

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

Winner + Lemon Brown Sugar Chicken with Israeli Couscous

Sarah

What a winner of a chicken dinner! This has been one of my most favorite chicken creations as of late.

I first saw the recipe that is the amazingness of Lemon Brown Sugar Chicken on Eat Live Run and then saw Iowa Girl Eats make it, and I knew I had to try it. With the rave reviews floating around the internet, I knew I wouldn’t be steered wrong. It took me a couple months to get around to trying it, but now I am hooked… hooked I say! I’m in love with the easy prep, the tangy lemon melding with the molasses-y brown sugar which caramelizes all over each piece of juicy chicken. Amazing! Served atop tender Israeli Couscous, this is one winner of a chicken dinner. I can’t wait to make it again.

Speaking of winners, I am happy to announce the winner of the $35 gift certificate to CSN stores!

I used Random.org to select the winner….

Congratulations! I wish I could give all of you a prize, but you’ll just have to keep reading because I’m sure there will be more fun giveaways in the future. 🙂 But as for now… enjoy this winner of a chicken dinner!

Lemon Brown Sugar Chicken [from Eat Live Run and Iowa Girl Eats]

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound chicken tenders [original called for chicken breasts, pounded thin]
  • juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 cup flour
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar [I used dark brown sugar…but either would be fine.]
  • 2 cups cooked Israeli couscous

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir together flour and paprika in a shallow dish. Pat chicken tenders dry with a paper towel, then place in flour mixture and toss to coat.

In a large skillet, heat a little oil over medium high heat. When hot, brown each piece of chicken on both sides, then remove and place in a large baking dish.

Pour the lemon juice into the hot skillet and stir to get up all those leftover chicken bits. Pour juice on the chicken, then top with brown sugar and lemon zest. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

Serve with Israeli couscous cooked in chicken broth if you like. 🙂

Click here for the printable version: Lemon Brown Sugar Chicken

Chicken, One Tablespoon Testosterone, Recipes

OTT: Chicken Parmesan

Sarah
BEn
another Pajama Chef in action!

This is a guest post from my husband, Ben. Periodically, he has agreed to share some of his favorite recipes with you in a guest post column entitled One Tablespoon Testosterone, or OTT for short. Enjoy!

———-

Ah, Italian food.  The stereotypical style for dinner dates.  I have no problem with that, and evidently  neither does my wife.  So on this past Valentine’s Day, I decided to make her some Italian food.  For those of you who are regular readers of her blog, you understand that it is no easy task to cook for someone like her.  The standards are high, and I have to be at the top of my game to please (okay, that may be andinner exaggeration, she is pretty appreciative of the mere fact that she doesn’t have to cook for a meal).  But I enjoy the occasional kitchen adventure, so rather than just take her out to some overcrowded restaurant, I decided to have one of those adventures.

Chicken Parmesan [from Eat Live Run]

Ingredients:

  • 4 chicken breasts halves, beaten into oblivion (okay fine, pounded)
  • 2 c Panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 c flour
  • 1/4 c milk
  • 1 c shredded mozzarella
  • 2 oz pepperoni
  • 1/4 c parmesan cheese
  • 1 jar marinara or pasta sauce
  • 1/4 c canola oil
  • spaghetti or fettuccini noodles, cooked

Directions:

As always, begin by preheating the oven.  In this case, to 450 degrees.  Combine the eggs and milk in a shallow dish.  In another shallow dish, spread out the bread crumbs.  In yet another shallow dish, place the flour.  Arrange the dishes in a neat little line.  After pounding the chicken breasts (don’t go overboard or it’ll break into small pieces), dunk one breast at a time in each dish, starting with the dairy blend (not to be confused with store brand yogurt) and so on and so forth.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Place the chicken breasts in the oil and fry them until they are delicious-looking golden brown and cooked through.  Drain the chicken of any excess moisture (if there is any, I had no need for it).  Lay the fried chicken breasts in a greased casserole dish.  Smother them in the pasta sauce, parmesan, and mozzarella cheeses.  Last, but certainly not least, place the pepperoni on the top.  Bake for 15 minutes and serve with spaghetti or fettuccini noodles.  Enjoy.

Click here for the printable version: Chicken Parmesan

dinner

African Peanut Pineapple Stew | The Pajama Chef
Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

African Peanut Pineapple Stew

Sarah

So, once upon a time [actually, two once upon a times], I studied abroad in Africa. Specifically, in Cameroon and Lesotho. This is NOT a recipe from either country. No sirree. In fact, I didn’t have any peanut-based stew in either country. And being an Africana Studies major in undergrad and an African Studies graduate student, I have some beef with people who just label things “African,” because Africa is not one monoculture! But this blog is not my place to rant about the politics of names or culture or geography… it is the place to share and celebrate delicious food! As such, I can look past the unfortunate name for this delicious dish and rejoice in its tasty splendor.

African Peanut Pineapple Stew | The Pajama Chef

In all honesty, I don’t re-make recipes very often. Classics of my mom’s get made over and over again, as do a few hits I’ve found on my own, but I love experimenting and trying new recipes. This stew is an exception: I have made it several times in the past year and enjoy every single bite. We love how the flavors melt together–everything, from the onions to the peanut butter to the ginger to the hot sauce to the kale and beyond, mixes into one filling, flavorful stew. It’s comforting and unique at the same time… familiar enough to be family-friendly, exotic enough to be interesting. And vegetarians–just leave out the chicken… I did at first, but added it to satisfy my husband. 🙂 Enjoy!

African Peanut Pineapple Stew

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Print

adapted from The Way the Cookie Crumbles

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup yellow or white onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bunch kale or Swiss chard, chopped coarsely with large stems discarded
  • 1 pound chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch cubes
  • 1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple in its own juice, undrained
  • 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
  • 1 teaspoon ginger
  • 1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 cup peanuts, regular salted or honey roasted
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • olive oil
  • rice prepared with chicken broth

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken and season with salt and pepper as desired. Stir constantly until chicken is fully cooked, then add onions and garlic and saute until soft and fragrant. Add pineapple to the pot and bring to a simmer, then add the greens and cover. Simmer for about 5 minutes until tender. Stir in the peanut butter, ginger, and hot sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes or until flavors are blended. Fold in cilantro just before serving. Serve over rice and top with peanuts.

Notes:

I usually serve this dish on top of brown rice cooked in chicken broth, but feel free to be creative! Also, feel free to omit the chicken–my meat-lover of a husband requested that addition! 🙂

Question of the Day: [And I realize this is a long shot…] Have you ever been to Africa? If so, what kind of food did you eat there? If you haven’t been… have you been to any “African” restaurants? What did you eat?

Chicken, Main Dishes, Recipes

Crispy Honey Ginger Chicken

Sarah

Sometimes my family calls me the chicken finger girl. Yes, I am that kind of person: one who always gets the same thing at restaurants, time after time. What can I say? I know what I like. And I like chicken fingers. [Not actual fingers of a chicken, as you can find with your roasted chicken in places like Cameroon, where I studied abroad. (Click at your own risk.) No joke. You can make restaurant-quality baked chicken tenders at home! Crazy, huh? This Crispy Honey Ginger Chicken is incredibly good! But the crispy, flavorful, unhealthy breaded chicken popular in most American-style restaurants today. Ooooh yes, the good stuff.]

I’ve tried to make my own at home from time to time, but never with much success. Not having a deep fryer makes crispy chicken difficult. Until I tried Jessica’s recipe. Panko bread crumbs make all the difference, I’m tellin’ ya! Panko breadcrumbs mixed with spicy ginger and savory garlic coat lucious, tender chicken bites… and made at home, these little chicken tenders aren’t exactly a health food, but they are definitely more nutritious and satisfying than any fried chicken tenders at a restaurant. Plus, they’re really simple too, and you probably have almost all the ingredients at home already, so as long as you plan ahead for the marinating, this is a perfect dinner for a busy night! Enjoy!

Crispy Honey Ginger Chicken

  • Servings: 4
  • Print

from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenders [or sliced chicken breasts], cut into bite sized pieces [halfs or thirds]
  • 2 cups lowfat buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 2 cups panko bread crumbs
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons ground ginger, divided
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder, divided

In a baking dish, whisk together buttermilk, honey, 1 tablespoon ginger, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Add cut-up chicken and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place a wire rack on a large baking sheet. Grease wire rack with cooking spray. In a small bowl, stir together panko, remaining garlic and ginger, seasoned salt, and flour. Coat chicken pieces in mixture, then lay on wire rack. Spray each piece with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, flip, coat with cooking spray, and bake again for another 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve with honey and barbecue sauce.

Question of the Day: Are you one to always try new things at restaurants or do you find a favorite and stick with it?