Southwestern Pot Chicken

In college, my roommate Mark and I tag-teamed all the cooking for our house. We were always looking for new recipes, and one time, Mark found a recipe for "One Pot Chicken" in a cookbook. The problem was, neither of us wanted to go to the grocery store, so we decided to make the dish with what we had. The result was the bastardized-- but completely delicious-- Pot Chicken. It may not be gourmet, but it's definitely not difficult. We made it once a week or so after its discovery.

For a vegetarian/vegan option, just leave out the chicken (this will only serve two).

4 small chicken breasts
1 can Amy's black bean soup (or refried black beans, or just black beans drained of their liquid)
1/2 cup salsa
2 cups rice, cooked*
1 cup corn
1 bell pepper, diced
1 clove garlic (or 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
ground cayenne pepper, to taste
1 tsp onion powder (or sub in 1/4 cup chopped fresh onion)
1/4 tsp chipotle chili powder
sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
cilantro (to garnish)
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1. Saute chicken in olive oil in 3 quart saute pan (or similar) with garlic, onion, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
2. When chicken is browned on both sides, add black bean soup, salsa, cooked rice, and veggies. The resulting mixture should have the consistency of a thick stew. If it doesn't, add 1/4 cup water. This will cook out.
3. Cover and simmer for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Do not let the mixture dry out; add a little water if necessary.
4. Remove from heat and uncover. Sprinkle with cilantro, and serve.

*We used one of those packets of "Mexican" rice at the time, but I recommend whole grain brown rice or quinoa. For quick, delicious rice with healthy options in mind, try one of the Seeds of Change varieties.

Serves three to four.

Oh... so not a flower pot?

Quesadillas

My Aunt Judi taught me this recipe last summer. It's pretty quick and easy, and the salsa, avocado, and zucchini give the quesadillas this amazingly fresh, healthy taste while the whole grains and mushrooms keep it filling. Plus, it's super tasty.

The only thing that takes a while is roasting the bell pepper and waiting for it to cool. If you like, you can roast and peel it beforehand and save it in the fridge until you're ready, but it's way better fresh, in my opinion.

If you have a meat lover in your life (like my Uncle Norm) or just want a protein boost, you can throw in some sliced or shredded cooked chicken, but otherwise, this recipe is vegetarian. That's one of the nice things about quesadillas-- pleasing picky eaters is easy, just swap out the fillings.

4 whole grain tortillas
3/4 cup shredded cheese (I like sharp cheddar)
1 zucchini
4 cremini mushrooms
1/4 c fresh salsa
1 orange or red bell pepper
cilantro, fresh or dried
1 cooked chicken breast, seasoned and sliced or shredded (optional)
fresh sliced avocado or guacamole (optional)

1. Cut the pepper in half and remove the stem and seeds. Place on aluminum foil and roast in an oven or toaster oven at 450 for about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool. Once cool, peel off the skin of the pepper and slice the flesh.
2. Meanwhile, remove the stem from the mushrooms and slice the caps and the zucchini (about 1/4 inch thick).
3. Once all veggies are prepped, heat a skillet over medium-high heat on the stove until a drop of water sizzles in the pan.
4. Place a tortilla in the pan and sprinkle half of its surface with cheese. Add zucchini, mushroom, bell pepper, and chicken (if desired) in a single layer on top of the cheese.
5. Drizzle with salsa, sprinkle with cilantro, and then add a second layer of cheese over the top. Carefully fold tortilla closed, and flip to the other side with a spatula. Cook for 30-60 seconds longer, allowing cheese to melt. The tortilla should be golden brown on both sides.
6. Remove quesadilla from pan and slice. Repeat 3 times.
7. Optional: Top with fresh avocado or guacamole.

Serves two.

I want fish in mine!

Happy Birthday, Tessa!

Brontosaurus (Chicken) Burgers

I used to crave nice, meaty hamburgers on a regular basis until Tessa introduced me to the chicken burger at PYT in Philly. I was totally hooked, and when we moved out of reach, chicken burgers (or Brontosaurus burgers-- so named because of the newfound relation between birds and dinosaurs, and, you know, the Flintstones) became her number one dinner request. I found one we both love, originally found here. A friend's boys (age five and seven) also love it. Plus, it's a moist, delicious, healthy alternative to beef patties.

I also tried to find a sauce that came close, and while it's not a perfect match, this simple caramelized onion sauce (which I found here) adds a richness and depth of flavor that really makes this recipe. It's a little time consuming (the sauce, I mean), but it's soooo worth it. Its sweetness balances the (slight) heat from the red pepper and garlic in the burger. It makes around two cups, which leaves a lot of extra to spice up chicken or pasta.

10/12/11 EDIT: I made this recipe tonight with ground turkey instead of chicken, without breading the patty, and, herbed goat cheese in lieu of the caramelized onion sauce, and it was fantastic. This was a nice, quick-fix option, and the turkey patty, though made from a slightly leaner protein, was equally juicy and delicious.

Caramelized Onion Sauce

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken stock

1. In a large saute pan or cast iron skillet, over medium heat, add the oil and butter. When the oil is hot, add onions. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Saute until caramelized (approx. 30 minutes), stirring every few minutes to allow browning but prevent burning.
3. When onions are caramelized to your liking, add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and using a food processor, puree until smooth. Taste, and re-season if necessary. Set aside to cool.

Brontosaurus Burgers

1 lb ground white meat chicken (you can get it at the butcher counter in most grocery stores)
2 cups fresh bread crumbs, divided (toast bread/extra buns, break into chunks, and pulse in food processor)
1/2 cup milk (I use almond milk)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Fresh baby spinach

Whole wheat hamburger buns

1. Put chicken in a mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold in milk, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Warning: the mixture will be very wet which means the patties will be hard to form. Place remaining 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs on a dinner plate or cookie sheet.
2. Divide chicken meat into 5 equal portions, and using your hands, shape into patties. Coat each patty with bread crumbs.

3. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet (I use the same one from the onions) over medium heat and "grill" until golden brown and cooked through (3-4 minutes per side).
4. Toast the top and bottom of the hamburger bun in a toaster or oven. Spread caramelized onion sauce on bottom bun, add bronto patty, and spread more sauce on top. Finish it with spinach and the top bun, and enjoy!

Serves five, plus a lot of extra sauce.

Psst... I think I know what I want for dinner!

Chicken in White Wine Reduction

An excellent main course to go alongside that roasted summer squash is this simple, delicious chicken recipe. I usually serve the chicken over a mixture of brown rice and quinoa. Tessa and I have taken to calling this "wine chicken," and it makes the whole house quite fragrant. Although the sauce takes a while to reduce, you don't have to baby it, so put up your feet and have a glass while it does all the work!

2 small chicken breasts
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup dry white wine (I use chardonnay)
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1/4 tbs garlic or one clove, finely chopped
1 tbsp butter
sea salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
1 cup cooked brown rice, AND
1 cup cooked quinoa, mixed together (alternately, two cups of either grain)

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Sautee the chicken until browned, then set it aside to rest.
2. Deglaze the skillet by adding the wine, then the chicken stock. Season with garlic, salt, and pepper, and allow to reduce over medium-high heat.
3. (optional) In the meantime, shred the chicken using two forks. This will allow the chicken to absorb more of the flavor of the sauce.
4. Once you can slide a spatula across the bottom of the pan and it leaves a "clean" trail behind it, add the butter and return the chicken to the pan for 2-3 minutes. Sauce will still appear thin. (10/23/11 note: My mom told me that when she made this dish, she allowed the sauce to reduce too much, and there wasn't enough to properly sauce the chicken and rice. If this happens, don't worry. Just add a little broth, water, or wine, until there is enough sauce.)
5. Ladle chicken and sauce over mixed rice and quinoa, and serve hot with roasted summer squash or steamed vegetables.

Serves two.

I didn't know wine could be for eating!

Roasted Summer Squash

Tessa and I are huge fans of squash, and why not? It's both nutritious and scrumptious. I've tried cooking summer squash several ways, but none come out as delectably as this recipe, modified from one I stumbled across when looking for a new way to cook the crooknecks I'd gotten from our local farmer's market. It was an instant favorite. The squash just melts in your mouth, and it's also quite simple to make. This recipe works well with yellow squash, zucchini, and crookneck, so pick what looks good or mix and match.

2-3 fresh summer squashes

freshly ground black pepper

sea salt

cooking spray

1. Preheat the oven to 425.

2. Trim the stems off the squash. If the squash has a slender neck (as a crookneck does), cut it off and slice it in half. Otherwise, cut the squash from end to end into long slices no more than half an inch thick.

3. Lightly coat a sheet pan or the bottom of a glass casserole dish with cooking spray. Lay the squash slices in the pan. Do not layer.

4. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the bottoms of the squash have begun to brown. Season with fresh cracked black pepper and sea salt, then turn each piece over. 

5. Continue baking for about 15 more minutes, until the bottoms are browned.

Serves two alongside chicken, pasta, or just about anything.

Mmm... squashy.