Chicken with White Wine Sauce

Every single time I make this my husband says "Is there going to be a crust of bread to soak up the sauce?" And the answer is always yes. This sauce is so good that I've considered using the recipe as a springboard for a soup. You're going to read this recipe and think "This sounds so easy" - and it is! This is one of my go to quick dinners when I've had a long day. I like to make it with broccoli, kale or broccoli rabe tossed with butter, lemon and mustard.

And don't forget - reposting this recipe on your Facebook or blog will automatically enter you in our Food Network Cookbook contest! So keep sharing!

4 Chicken Breasts, butterflied
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
3/4 cup Chicken Broth (Use the good stuff here. Seriously.)
1/2 cup White Wine (Again, if you wouldn't drink it - don't cook with it.)
1 tsp. Fresh Thyme
2 tbsp. Butter
1 tbsp. Capers
3 tbsp. Minced Shallots
2 Cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
Fresh Rosemary (garnish)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté garlic and shallots until shallots are almost transparent. Salt and pepper chicken on both sides and sauté until golden brown on both sides. You're going to need high heat for this part so turn it up and don't be afraid. You want a crisp browning (also known as the Maillard Reaction). Remove chicken from the pan and add broth and wine. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Whisk in butter and add thyme. Pour over chicken and top with capers and fresh rosemary.

It's time to eat!



A Chinatown Adventure

We recently decided to increase our cookbook library and the addition of Bee Linn Low's Easy Chinese Recipes required us to stock our kitchen with items like black vinegar, chili oil, and sesame oil. Most of these things can be found in a large enough supermarket with a whole 'ethnic foods' aisle. But where is the fun in that? So this weekend Richard and I set out on a grand adventure to Chinatown. If you are lucky enough to have a Chinatown or Asian market in your city, it is certainly worth the trip.

Chinatown is a festival for the senses. Tourists waddle slowly through the streets while locals gracefully weave through the throng. Street vendors clang spatulas and shout their wares in a sing-songy tune. Bins and baskets outside small markets overflow with colorful mushrooms, chilis, dried fruits, and dried fish.

If you could stand in the middle of a Chinatown market blindfolded (You couldn't. You'd be run over by the masses.) the smells alone would be enough to send you digging into your imagination for something familiar.

As a lover of new adventures, I browsed the aisles all wide-eyed and curious. I must have looked like a small child as I bombarded Richard with "What's this?" and "What's that for?" every three seconds. I don't know why, but I believe he knows everything - even when he doesn't. ;)

After a long day of shopping, we came home and got right to work on our first recipe out of the book - Sichuan Chicken! We instantly changed some of the ingredients to suit our palates. First, we switched out Sichuan peppercorn oil for sesame oil since the recipe already calls for chilies and chili oil and we wanted to control the heat. We also added green bell pepper for some crunch. You could just serve it with steamed veggies, but I really liked the textural addition of a crunchy veggie. Be warned, if you do not like spicy food, this is not the recipe for you.

Sichuan Chicken

4 boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 tbsp Chinese rice wine or sherry
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
oil, for frying
1 tbsp chili oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
20 dried red finger-length chilies, deseeded and cut in half
1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
1/4 tsp sugar
3 green onions (scallions), chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, diced

In medium bowl, combine cornstarch, rice wine and salt. Mix with a fork until fine and crumbly. Toss chicken in mixture and coat well. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes.

Heat 2 inches of oil in a wok or pot to 350 degrees. Gently drop the chicken into the oil and loosen them up with a spatula. Fry until golden brown. Remove from the oil and allow to drain on a dish lined with paper towels.

In a wok or skillet, heat chili oil and sesame oil over high heat. Add garlic, green pepper and chilies. Stir-fry until you can smell the aroma of the chilies.

Add the chicken, bouillon powder, sugar and green onion. Stir quickly with a spatula to combine all ingredients. Allow to cook for another 2 minutes. Serve with rice.

Goat cheese goes with everything!



This week I had a serious craving for goat cheese. I think I tried putting it in everything. And everything was delicious! Goat cheese and honey on toast? Yes please! Goat cheese omelet? Oooooh yeah! It is one of the world's most perfect foods.

 

On a side note, I very gently forced Richard to try beets this week. It didn't go well for the beets. More beets for me!

 

In an ode to this creamy, smooth creation, today's recipe is asparagus and goat cheese stuffed chicken.

 

Asparagus and Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken

 

Ingredients

 

2 chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin

2 tbsps goat cheese

10 asparagus spears

1/4 tsp mustard powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

 

1. Spread goat cheese across inside of chicken.

2. Lay 5 asparagus spears across the spreaded goat cheese.

3. Roll breast so both ends overlap.

4. Stick wooden toothpicks along the seam of the chicken.

5. Using a pair of sharp scissors, cut the toothpicks to fit. (Don't forget to remove these before serving!)

6. Combine all spices and sprinkle over all sides of rolled up chicken.

7. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a very hot skillet.

8. Sear chicken, seam down, for 3-5 minutes.

9. Turn chicken and cook another 3-5 minutes. Sear on all 4 sides.

10. Let chicken rest for 3-5 minutes.

11. Cut in half and serve.



We're back!

It is hard to believe that it has been almost a year since our last post. Between two milestone birthdays, a graduate school graduation, our wedding and a long honeymoon, the break was just what we needed to recharge our batteries.

And now we are excited to be back in a very big way. Check out these new additions to the site:

What's Good Now? Learn what produce is in season right now and how to use it.

Meatless Menu - Our five day menu offers completely meatless meals and a new downloadable shopping list.

5 Ingredient Meals - Sometimes you just can't be bothered to put too many things together. Every week we'll provide 2 recipes that require only 5 ingredients.

Kid's Kitchen - Getting your children involved in the kitchen is a great way to spark interest in new and exciting foods. Every week we'll provide a hands-on experiment for you to explore.

DIY Kitchen Decor - We'll share what is inspiring us now. From repurposing unexpected items to creative combinations.

New feature! All recipes will now offer a downloadable shopping list.

And with that, we get right to our newest recipe. Living in NYC, we have the wonderful opportunity to experience new foods in the heart of a cultural melting pot. Kimchi tacos have become the hot new food truck item and we could not resist the urge to try our hands at it.

Kimchi is a delicious concoction of pickled cabbages in Asian spices. It is extremely hard to make and I don't have that kind of patience. And after our first go at it, Richard decided he preferred the mixture on rice and I preferred it on a tortilla. So try it however you like! :)

Kimchi Chicken

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts

16 ounces kimchi, chopped

4 tortillas (optional)

2 cups shredded cabbage

1/4 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil or olive oil

1 tbsp rice vinegar or white vinegar

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 cloves of garlic, minced

For Slaw:

1 tsp lime juice

3/4 tsp soy sauce

1/2 tsp mayonnaise

pinch of granulated sugar

1. In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, oil, garlic, vinegar and red pepper flakes. Allow chicken to marinate in this sauce for at least 2 hours.

2. Saute chicken until cooked through. Allow to cool slightly.

3. Once cooled, use your hands to pull the chicken into shreds.

4. In a saucepan, heat kimchi. Drain and reserve juices.

5. Combine kimchi and chicken and cover to keep warm.

6. In a large bowl, combine cabbage, lettuce, lime juice, soy sauce, mayonnaise and granulated sugar. Coat well.

7. Serve chicken and slaw over rice or in a warm tortilla and spoon kimchi juice over the top.

Shopping list for this recipe





Turkey Pot Pie

Thanksgiving is over and the leftovers abound! You can only eat so many Thanksgiving sandwiches! Why not throw some of that turkey into a delicious and flaky turkey pot pie?

Savory pies were very popular in Colonial America and have remained so ever since. Flour was a precious commodity in Colonial America and pie doughs use less flour than bread. And pie was a great way to stretch what might be considered a meager amount of ingredients to feed more mouths.

If you've finished off your Thanksgiving turkey already, then make it a chicken pot pie! Now that the chill of Winter is upon us, indulge yourself with this warm comfort food.

Turkey Pot Pie

Ingredients

Crust:

2 cups unbleached flour

1 tsp salt

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened

4-5 tbsp ice water

Filling:

2 1/2 to 3 cups cooked turkey or chicken, shredded

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans)

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 cups flour and 1 tsp salt. Cut in 2/3 cup plus 2 tbsp butter using two knives or a mixer. Mix until the butter is incorporated in pea-size crumbles. Add water one tablespoon of water at a time, mixing between each until the crust is slightly sticky. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

In a large pan, melt butter and bring to a light bubble. Add onion and saute for about 1 minute. Add flour and combine well.

When the flour and butter mixture begins to bubble a little, add chicken stock a little at a time and make sure to mix thoroughly between additions.

Add salt and pepper.

Simmer until thickened. Add remaining ingredients and set aside.

Remove dough from refrigerator. Cut dough in half.

Turn out onto lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough very slightly. Then fold it in half and roll it out a little again. Repeat this four or five times. Then roll the dough out completely and place it in a 9" deep dish pie pan. Repeat the folding and rolling process with the other half of the dough.

Pour filling into pie crust and top with the other half of the rolled dough. Trim edges and fold under. Pinch the edges to seal the dough. Brush the top with an egg wash for a shiny crust.

Egg wash should be one beaten egg and about 2 tbsps of cool water.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving so that filling has time to set up.



Video Post: Classic Chicken Marsala

Classic Chicken Marsala

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, halved

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup marsala wine

1/4 cup yellow onion, diced

2 -3 cups mushrooms, sliced

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup unbleached flour

2 -3 cups egg noodles

Melt 2 tbsps butter in a large pan. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, thyme, garlic powder, salt and black pepper.

Dredge chicken in flour mixture and add to hot pan. Saute on medium heat until golden brown, about 4 minutes on each side.

Boil egg noodles and strain.

Remove chicken from pan and transfer to skillet in warm oven. Add remaining butter to hot pan. Add onion and saute until almost transparent. Add mushrooms and saute until browned. Slowly add wine and chicken stock. Simmer for 8 - 10 minutes.

Add chicken back to pan and simmer another 4 -5 minutes.

Serve chicken over noodles and pour sauce on top.

Summer Souvlaki: Ohpa!

This dish is the result of my love of Mediterranean food and a desperate craving one night. Traditional souvlaki is made on a skewer with roasted vegetables and is served with pita. I am not a big fan of pita and I prefer thinly sliced chicken or lamb.

The joy of cooking is finding your own twist on dishes you love. I serve this with a nice garnish of pepperoncini and cucumber slices.

Summer Souvlaki with Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts or 1/2 lb leg of lamb, sliced thinly
2 pieces of flatbread
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 cup tomato, diced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup kalamata olives
1/4 cup spanish olives
2 cups shredded romaine or spinach
1 roasted red pepper, julienned

Wrap bread in foil and keep warm in the oven.

In a large bowl, combine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, thyme and pepper. Whisking constantly, add oil (pour slowly so the mixture has time to emulsify).

In a separate bowl, combine cucumber, tomatoes, onion, feta, olives and lettuce. Coat this mixture with 2 tbsp of the vinaigrette mixture and refrigerate.

Coat the chicken (or lamb) with the remaining vinaigrette mixture and grill. (This only takes about 3 or 4 minutes if sliced thinly.)

Remove flatbread from the oven.  Pour some tzatziki sauce over the flatbread (see recipe below) then top with vegetable mixture and chicken. Top with roasted red pepper and a little more tzatziki. Voila!

For tatziki sauce:

2 cups greek yogurt
1 cup cucumber, seeded and diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1tbsp lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, pressed
salt
pepper
fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine All ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend well. Chill for 1 hour before serving.



Go Nuts: Pecan Crusted Chicken with Honey Mustard Sauce

There is nothing better than the sweet, buttery taste of pecans. Traditionally used in desserts, these versatile nuts are quite underestimated in the world of savory dishes. But they make an excellent addition to fish and chicken dishes.

"Pecan" is from an Algonquian word, meaning a nut requiring a stone to crack. The antioxidants and plant sterols found in pecans reduce high cholesterol by reducing the "bad" LDL cholesterol levels. Pecans are a good source of protein and unsaturated fats.

Whether you pronounce it "Peh-kahn" or "Pee-can", these tasty little devils are just what you need to change up your family dinners.

Pecan Crusted Chicken with Honey Mustard Sauce

Ingredients

For Chicken:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup pecan halves
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 tsp salt
3 - 4 tbsps peanut or olive oil
1 egg white
1 tbsp water

For Sauce:
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

Using a meat tenderizer, pound chicken breasts to about 1/2 inch thick. (Or you can butterfly the breasts if you're feeling fancy.)

In a small bowl, whisk together honey and mustard.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. In a food processor, combine bread crumbs, pecans and salt and pulse until you have a fine crumb mixture. Pour the mixture into a large, shallow bowl.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together egg white and water.

Dip chicken in egg white mixture and then in pecan mixture. Place in the pan and cook until brown on both sides and juices run clear.

Serve with honey mustard sauce on the side or drizzle it on top.

Tips For This Recipe:

*Don't let your oil get too hot! Burned pecans are not tasty.
*Taste test your honey mustard sauce. Adjust your amounts if you like it more spicy or more sweet.
*Be careful when chopping the nuts in your food processor. If you overblend, you'll end up with a paste.
*You can add more seasonings to the bread crumb mixture if you like, but don't go crazy. Let the natural richness of the pecans do the work.



Ciao Bella! Southern Italian in your kitchen.

When I went to Italy, I probably ate enough food to sustain a small village. But my favorite Italian food experience was visiting a little restaurant in the middle of nowhere. These farm-based restaurants are called Agriturismo - a combination of the words for "agriculture" and "tourism" in Italian.

Starting in the 1950s and continuing through the 1970s, small scale farming in Italy became less profitable, and, as one might predict, farmers abandoned many farms to search for work in larger towns. But Italians value highly the traditions and produce of small scale production of food, and by 1985 a law defined Agriturismo, and many abandoned buildings and estates were restored, some for vacation homes, and many for agritourismo. These agritourismi allowed the small farmer to augment the income from the farm, and for vacationers to sample the bounty of a rural life in Italy.

There is rarely a menu, as they typically serve whatever is pulled from the garden that day. It is the freshest culinary experience I have ever had.

Parmesan Chicken Tartine

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, butterflied
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup fresh grated parmesan
1 egg, beaten
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with chiles
6 ounces tomato paste
1 can (14 ounces) tomato sauce
1 cup fresh basil
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, diced
2 tbsps dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 slices of provolone cheese
1 baguette
5 tbsps olive oil

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tbsps of olive oil. Saute garlic and onion until onion is transparent. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer for 15 minutes, until tomatoes break down. Add basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer for at least 45 minutes, stirring ocassionally.

In a large skillet, heat 3 tbsps olive oil on medium high heat. In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Dip chicken in egg and then coat with bread crumb mixture. Place chicken in the skillet and cook until browned on both sides and cooked through.

Slice the baguette and toast it in the oven or a toaster oven. Drizzle the bread with olive oil then place chicken on top of the bread and cover with a slice of provolone cheese. Pour hot tomato sauce over the chicken and top with a sprinkle of cheese and a couple pieces of fresh basil.

Mangia!

Let's turn up the heat!

My fiance and I love Indian food. If you have been scared off by the unfamiliar smells and difficult names associated with Indian fare, give it another try. Americans tend to be most familiar with northern Indian dishes. But if you're adventurous, southern Indian dishes are spicy and full of flavor.

Chicken Tikka Masala is one of the most popular Indian dishes in the U.K. and U.S. It is basically, roasted chicken chunks in a rich and fragrant red or orange colored sauce. Masala means 'mixture of spices' so there are a wide variety of masala recipes and the flavor of the dish can vary dramatically from one restaurant to another.

After extensive experimentation, I have come up with a recipe that I really love. It has a good amount of heat, but you can certainly play around with quantities and ingredients. Serve it over rice to soak up all that sauce.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, cut into 1" chunks

Marinade:
6 ounces greek yogurt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsps cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground ginger

Sauce:
1 tbsp butter
1 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsps cumin
2 tsps paprika
1 tsp salt
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsps cilantro, finely chopped

In a tupperware, mix together all ingredients for marinade. Add chicken and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for two to five hours. (If you're in a pinch, you can skip this and just cook the coated chicken right away.)

Cook marinated chicken in a medium skillet until no longer pink in the middle.

In a large skillet, melt butter and saute onion and garlic until onion is transparent. Add turmeric, cumin and paprika and stir constantly. Cook until spices become very aromatic (about 1 minute). Stir in tomato sauce, cream and salt. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring constantly. Add chicken and cilantro and simmer another 10 minutes.

Servings: 2