A Quick Chicken Curry

Don't let the thought of a complex Indian curry daunt you.  A nice chicken curry can be prepared fairly quickly on a weeknight, which has plenty of flavor and richness.  Use individual spices, or simply your favorite curry powder mix - there are lots of great mixes out there!
4 chicken thighs
1 orange pepper, sliced
1 small sweet onion, sliced
1 stick cinnamon (or 1/2 tsp ground)
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp fenugreek powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp cardamom powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 can coconut cream or milk (trader Joe’s)

fresh cilantro for garnish
1/4 cup roasted peanuts for garnish
1 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes for garnish

Brown the chicken thighs in a non-stick skillet on both sides in a dash of coconut oil or canola oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Remove the chicken to a plate.

Add the pepper and onion to the pan along with the cinnamon stick. Sauté for 5 minutes.

Then add the mushrooms and turn up the heat to high. Cook , stirring often, until the mushrooms release what water they will and begin to brown up a bit.

Add the fennel, cumin, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes and cook 2-3 more minutes.

Then add the powdered spices (and powdered cinnamon if using) and cook another minute. Add the coconut cream or milk and return the chicken to the skillet. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

Serve over rice with lemon wedges, and garnish with cilantro, peanuts and coconut flakes.

Serves 4.

Cook’s Note: If you don’t have the foundational Indian spice powders (as many don’t - I’m just a curry geek) just use 1-2 Tbsp of your favorite yellow curry powder, and you will have your favorite chicken curry!

Braised Chicken with Caramelized Summer Squash

Squash makes a nice bed for chicken thighs.
4 chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
1 leek, trimmed, cleaned and diced
1 zucchini, sliced1/4-inch
1 yellow squash, sliced 1/4-inch
1/2 purple Bermuda onion, sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine

Preheat oven to 375F. Add leak plus 2 tablespoons water to a large oven-going non-stick pan.

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook leak, stirring often, until the water is all evaporated and the leek begin to color slightly. Remove leek to a bowl.

Brown the chicken thighs in a dash of olive oil for about 5 minutes per side, until nicely browned.

Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove to a plate. Add the squash and onion to the pan along with a dash of olive oil.

Allow the squash to brown nicely, and the onions to caramelize over medium high heat. Higher heat allows browning to occur without completely softening the squash. I like a good deal of caramelization for flavor, but you can cook your squash to your taste.  Remove the squash to a bowl.

Now return the leeks to the pan and place the chicken thighs on top. Add the wine and bring to a boil.

Place skillet in oven and cook about 20 minutes, until the wine has evaporated and the chicken is cooked through.

If necessary, reheat the squash briefly in a microwave oven and scatter about chicken and leeks on a serving platter.

Serves 4.

Arroz Polo Camarón

Spanish Chicken with Pork and Shrimp

This is a hearty chicken and rice dish of Spanish origin; much like a paella, but done on the stovetop in a large pot.  There's something in this for everyone, and feeds a hungry crowd.
1/2 lb pork, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 chicken thighs (bone-in with skin)

1 small red pepper, diced (about 1-1/2 cups
1 leek, cleaned and diced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves, minced
1 Tbsp fresh oregano leaves, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 oz frozen quartered artichokes, thawed (I used Trader Joe’s)

1 short grain white rice (like Valencia)
1/2 cup short grain born rice
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pimenton, Spanish smokey paprika
3 cups water

1 dozen large shrimp, shelled and deveined

Brown the pork in a large pot with a dash olive oil.

Remove to a bowl. Add the chicken and brown on both sides, about 3-5 minutes per side. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove chicken to a separate bowl.  Now add the leek and red pepper into the pot and cook about 5-8 minutes to soften. Add the thyme, oregano and garlic, and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Stir in the artichokes and heat through.

Remove veggie mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Return the pork to the pot and add the rice. Add a dash of olive oil and toast the rice for about 5 minutes with the pork.

Stir in the cumin and pimenton and cook another minute. Return the chicken and veggies to the pot and fold in gently with the rice mixture.

Add the water and bring to a gentle boil.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook about 20-30 minutes, until all the water has been absorbed.

Top the dish with the shrimp and cover again.

Cook over the lowest heat possible for about 5-10 minutes just to cook the shrimp through. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Cook's Note:  I used Valencia rice, but you could use whatever favorite rice you have on hand.  You could also use short grain brown rice but I would not recommend long grain brown rice as the chicken will probably overcook by the time the rice is done.

Chicken Braised with 20 Garlic Cloves

Cooking from my library

I tried to cook Ina Garten’s Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic and ended up with a fantastic result - but not the one depicted in the picture in her cookbook ‘Barefoot in Paris’. Her pic showed chicken much more browned and crispy than I was able to achieve (twice I tried!) by braising in the wine as she specifies. Nonetheless, she remains one of my heroes and I will continue to tweak this recipe to see if I can achieve the dry browned crispiness depicted.

This is basically a Coq au Vin Blanc with lots of garlic - but no worries. As Ina says, the garlic is braised first to lighten it up and it is soft and sweet - not sharp as it is sautéed fresh.

A delicious dish and thanks to Ina. Here is my version.
6 chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
20 cloves garlic, peeled
1 Tbsp fresh lemon thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 cup cream sherry
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp flour

Preheat oven to 375F. Set two cups of water in a small pot to a boil. Toss in the garlic and cook for 60 seconds. Drain and set aside.

Heat a dash of olive oil in an oven-going pot or Dutch Oven. Brown the chicken thighs, about 3-5 minutes on each side until nicely browned.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove chicken to a plate.

Add the blanched garlic and the thyme to the pot and brown the garlic just a bit - about 3-5 minutes. 

Add the cream sherry and cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Add the chicken thighs back to the pot along with the white wine and chicken broth.

Bring to a gentle boil and cover. Place pot in the oven and cook for about 30 minutes.

Remove pot from oven when the chicken is done. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon to a plate and cover to keep warm. Remove 1/2 cup of the sauce to a small bowl and cool just a bit.

Bring the sauce in the pot to a very gentle boil. Whisk the flour into the cooled sauce in the small bowl, then whisk into the pot. Bring back to a gentle boil and allow the sauce to thicken a bit.

Serve the chicken with the sauce and garlic. Serve over rice and favorite vegetables, garnished with toasted sesame seeds, if desired.

Serves 4.

Joe’s Warm Chicken Chef Salad with Apples

My good friend Joe is a healthy eater indeed.  He told me of a lunch he brings to work each week, using the microwave to cook diced chicken.  He serves the warm chicken over a cold salad.  I added a few more veggies, apple, and - sorry - a bit of vinaigrette; I couldn't help myself.  But Joe doesn't use vinaigrette - he just pours the chicken cooking juices over all for flavor and moisture.  Nice idea.
1 generous boneless skinless chicken breast half, diced
2 cups broccoli flowerets
1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 cup baby carrots, sliced at a bias
4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves or mixed spring greens
1 green apple, cored and sliced
palmful fresh cilantro (or parsley) leaves

Favorite vinaigrette
crushed dried red pepper flakes for garnish

Toss the broccoli and cauliflower together in a medium glass bowl with 2 tablespoons water. Pop into the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir and cook another 30 seconds. Drain.

Add the chicken to the bowl with just a dash of water. Season with just a dash of salt and pepper. Cook in the microwave 30 seconds and stir. Repeat this 2-3 times until the chicken is just cooked through. Do not drain.

Make a bed with the greens on two large plates. Divide the broccoli, cauliflower and carrots evenly onto the greens. Top with the apple and cilantro. Stir the chicken and spoon evenly onto the two plates, pouring any juices accumulated over the chicken. Dress with your favorite vinaigrette and red pepper flakes.

Serves 2.

Go Patriots Thai Sweet Chili Wings

Watch the Patriots win with these sticky sweet spicy wonderful wings!
10 whole chicken wings, cut in half
1 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and mined
1 cup Thai sweet chili sauce

Mix the chicken wings with the coriander and chili flakes.

Season lightly with salt and pepper and add the garlic and ginger. Mix well and allow to marinate for a good hour or so in the refrigerator, if you can.

Preheat oven broiler (or grill to high). Mix the chili sauce with the wings. Tip out onto a large rimmed baking sheet.

Broil wings about 3-4 inches from heating elements for about 20 minutes total, turning once or twice. Otherwise grill outdoors about 20 minutes, turning twice.

Makes 20 wings.

Fanny’s Slow Chicken Stew

I have very fond memories of my mother-in-law, especially her cooking!  I remember the fun evenings coming to visit my wife at her parent's very large home in rural Connecticut.  Fanny would make this stew for a crowd in a huge pot.  She'd look back and forth at the pot and the crowd in the living room, and ask - now what else can I put in here!?  There was always plenty.
4 bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
2 bone-in chicken breast halves, cut in half
1 lb Italian sausages, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 large sweet onion, peeled and diced (about 1-1/2 to 2 cups)
3 carrots, peeled and cut at a diagonal, 1-1/2 inch
2 Tbsp rosemary, crushed
2 tsp fresh lemon thyme, minced, or 1/4 tsp dried thyme

1 lb fresh button mushrooms, washed, dried and sliced thickly (1/4-inch)
4-5 Russet potatoes, or the equivalent (peeled unless very young and small), about 2 lb, I used a combination of Russet, peeled, and baby red, unpeeled

1 lb Polish kielbasa, cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 quart chicken broth
2 cups dry white wine
water as needed

I will refer to the “pot” as a direct browning slow cooker, but it could be a Dutch oven or a pot on the stove.

Brown the chicken pieces with a dash of olive oil in the pot, over medium high heat for about 15 minutes, turning several times.

Remove chicken to a large bowl and keep warm.

Add the onion, carrot and sausage to the pot and brown for about 10 minutes, gently stirring, every once in a while.

Add the rosemary, thyme and garlic and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Remove the sausage mixture to the bowl with the chicken.

Heat a dash of olive oil in the pot set to high. Add the mushrooms. Let them cook until they release what water they will and then brown up a bit. This should take about 10 minutes, with regular stirring.

Return the chicken and sausage mixture to the pot and add the kielbasa, potatoes and tomatoes. Add the broth and wine, and just enough water (if necessary) to almost cover the meat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook on low for 4 hours in the slow cooker. Otherwise bring to a gentle boil on the stove, reduce to a simmer, and cook for about an hour.

Serve in bowls. Serves 6-8.

Cook’s note: I prepared the dish the night before and let sit in the refrigerator. The next morning I placed it in the slow cooker and cooked on low for 4 hours. The I returned from work that day it was steaming and ready to go.

Thai Coconut Chicken on Greens

Three strata - greens, noodles, and chicken and pecans, build layers of flavor and texture in this chef salad.
1/2 lb Pho rice noodles, or angel hair pasta
2 carrot, peeled into ribbons
palmful cilantro leaves, chopped

Noodle dressing:
4 Tbsp sweet Thai chili sauce
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
2 Tbsp canola oil

1-inch ginger, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 chicken thighs, sliced
2 Tbsp grated coconut
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp asian fish sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp pale dry sherry
1 tsp sesame oil

6 cups fresh baby greens
1/2 cup pecan halves
1 red chili pepper, finely sliced

Heat a quart of water in a medium pot to boiling. Salt generously for the pasta. Cook the pasta until al dente.

Meanwhile, whisk together the noodle dressing in a medium bowl. Drain the pasta when cooked and allow to cool off a bit, tossing it with tongs.

Toss pasta into bowl with dressing and add carrot and cilantro. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Heat a dash of canola oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the ginger and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Mix the chicken in a small bowl with coriander and season with freshly ground black pepper.

Add the chicken to skillet and brown one side a bit. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce, sherry and sesame oil to the pan and stir the chicken.

Allow the chicken cook through and the liquids to evaporate. The chicken should have a syrupy coating.

Distribute the greens evenly on four plates. Distribute the noodle salad onto the four plates evenly. Top with chicken, evenly distributed on the noodle salads. Garnish with pecan halves and red chili pepper.

Serves 4.

Slow Cooker Mushroom Risotto with Chicken

Risotto usually takes an hour or so of constant stirring - a true act of love if you have time.  But did you know you can also do a nice risotto dish with a slow cooker while you're away at work.  It'll cook on low for 4 hours, and then keep warm until you're home and ready to eat.

Here's a slow cooker mushroom risotto cooked with chicken.  I'm lovin' my new All Clad slow cooker with a brown-in, non-stick,  removable aluminum crock.  Finally can brown right in the cooker pot!  But if you have a traditional ceramic crock, you can do the browning on the stove.

6 chicken thighs, trimmed
2 leeks, trimmed, cleaned and diced
1 lb button mushrooms, sliced
1 red Serrano chili pepper (or jalapeño), finely diced
3 cloves garlic
1 cup short grain brown rice
1 quart chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Brown the thighs well in a dash of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove to a plate. In the same pot (I used a brown-in slow cooker) add the leeks, mushrooms and chili pepper. Sauté the veggies for about 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.

Add the water and wine and stir. Return the chicken thighs, nestling into the rice. Cover and cook in slow cooker for 4 hours on low.  (I did this the night before and put the crock in the refrigerator overnight.  I returned the crock back into the cooker and set to low for 4 hours, and went to work.  I returned 10 hours later).  When ready to eat, uncover chicken and turn slow cooker to high.

Remove chicken thighs to a plate and keep warm (for example in a warm oven).

Stir rice well and add the peas. Cook for about 10 minutes.

Stir well and add the butter and parmesan cheese.

Stir well and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Adjust thickness with a dash of water if needed. Serve chicken thighs on a bed of risotto.

Serves 6.

Cook's Note:  I used short grain brown rice, but you could certainly use arborio or other short grain white rices as well.