Andong Jjim Dak�Andong-Style Chicken

While in Korea, my cousin made a delicious chicken recipe for me that I immediately asked her about. Of course she didn�t give me exact measurements, but I copied her dish to the best of my abilities and I think it came out pretty well. I have to admit though that my cousin�s tasted better. Maybe it�s just me, but I always prefer someone ELSE�S cooking to my own. =P Although I had half a

Chicken escalopes stuffed with olives and capers / Escalopes de poulet farcies aux olives et aux c�pres

For 2 / pour 2 personnes

2 chicken breasts or escalopes / escalopes de poulet

100 gm black olives, chopped / olives noires, h�ch�es

2 cloves garlic, chopped / gousses d�ail h�ch�es

1 small bunch of parsley, chopped / poign�e de persil, h�ch�e

1 tablespoon capers, chopped / cuill�re de c�pres, h�ch�es

2 tablespoons breadcrumbs / cuill�res de chapelure

salt, pepper / sel, poivre

olive oil / huile d�olive

250 ml tomato sauce / sauce de tomate

Cut a slit in each of the escalopes and open out. / Couper une fente dans chaque escalope et les ouvrir.

Mix the other ingredients with a little olive oil and use to stuff the escalopes. / M�langer les autres ingr�dients avec un peu d�huile d�olive et faire farcir les escalopes.

Close, using cocktail sticks to hold the edges together. Fermer, en utilisant des piques � ap�ritif pour tenir les bords ensemble.

Oil an oven proof dish and put the escalopes in it with the tomato sauce. Cover with aluminium foil and bake in the oven at 180 degrees C for an hour. / Mettre de l�huile dans un plat � four, mettre les escalopes dans le plat et ajouter la sauce de tomate. Couvrir du papier d'aluminium et les faire cuire au four pour une heure � 180 degr�s C.

Serve with rice. / Servir accompagn� du riz.

Spicy Chicken Gizzards � ?? ??? ??

I started this recipe a couple weeks ago, but never had the time to finish up the post. I�ll attempt to finish it now from my memory. =P I�m reusing the pictures from my older post on Fried Chicken Gizzards because I completely forgot to take pictures during this stage. Basically, cut your gizzards up wash in some flour/salt and then boil it for about 10 minutes to rid of all impurities

Chicken Porridge with Vegetables

I haven�t made this type of jook in so long�since Munchkin was a baby? Ingredients Needed: 1 small chicken breast 1/2 CUP white rice, 1/2 CUP sweet rice 6 CUPS of various chopped vegetables 1 can vegetable broth 1 32 OZ box of chicken broth 2-3 CUPS water We are a small family of three, so we hardly ever eat whole packs of any type of meat. As soon as I get

Spicy Chicken BBQ � Dak Galbi � ? ??

I had all the ingredients for Dak Galbi conveniently on hand, so I decided to give it a go tonight. I was going to save this post for later, but decided what the heck - I�ve been on a blogging binge eh? =P Ingredients Needed: 2 small chicken breasts - I buy the thin breast filets at Ralphs and saran wrap each individual breast and store them in bags in the freezer � I will take a

Chicken Gizzard Stir-fry - Dak Ddong Jjip - (??? ??)

Our lives have been so busy these last two weeks now that Munchkin is officially a Kindergartener. I know it�s such a clich�, but it seriously seems like just yesterday that he was born and look at him now - all grown up and going to school to LEARN. Munchkin has been in preschool since he was 2.5 years old, so this adjustment has been pretty easy for him�so far. He�s bringing home homework

Maze - {Sriracha Chicken}

With one leg extended, rocking the porch swing, I'm contemplating a single question. Because reminders of it's complexity are evident everywhere, it's one that runs through my head daily, whether I want it to or not. If you fall into the latter party, you may, of course, chose to distance yourself from the issue, but you can never truly escape. Whether you care or you don't, this one question

Grilled Chicken Adobo

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 lb)
1/2 cup cane vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
10 cloves garlic, smashed
2 bay leaves

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a resealable bag or marinating container. Marinate in the refrigerator up for 5 hours but at least 2. Prepare grill to manufacturer's instructions. Meanwhile, pour the chicken and marinade out into a saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the mixture starts to reduce. Remove the chicken from the sauce and grill until cooked through and slightly caramelized, flipping once and periodically basting with the marinade.

My thoughts:

I have been sort of "off" chicken for a while but I always enjoy chicken adobo. Normally I make it the traditional way but it was great grilled, the smoky flavor added some depth and the outside caramelized nicely.

You could make it using chicken breasts but in my experience, thighs are much less likely to dry out on the grill even when they are boneless and skinless. Just take care to cook them all the way through, thighs can be thick and since they are darker, it can be tricky to tell then they are finished cooking.

Chicken with Potatoes � DakDoriTang - (????)

I�m about to have a heart attack watching this Lakers game. I know true sports fanatics will say THIS is the way to play and that the excitement is what makes it real sports, but honestly I wish it could be a simple repeat of Game 6! Anyhow, I�m sure I�ve mentioned before that there are various ways to make the same dish. There�s no right way and no wrong way. Whatever tastes best to you,

Drunken Noodles

Ingredients:

10 oz dried wide flat rice noodles
10 oz gai lan
10 oz shrimp
6 cloves garlic, minced
3-5 Thai bird peppers, minced
3/4 cup torn holy or Thai basil leaves

for the sauce:
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons black soy sauce
3 tablespoons golden mountain sauce or dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon palm sugar


Directions:
Prep the dry noodles according to package instructions. Set aside. Whisk together sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside. Heat a small amount of oil in a wok. Stir fry the garlic and chiles until fragrant. Add the shrimp, gai lan and sauce and stir fry, until it is nearly fully cooked. Add the noodles. Stir fry until the shrimp is fully cooked then stir in the basil. Serve immediately.

My thoughts:

Drunken noodles are a Thai restuarant staple. The origins of the name is somewhat cloaked in mystery but the most popular seems to be that these noodles are so spicy that you'll want to drink a lot. I've also heard that they are a good dish after you've had too much to drink. Frankly, I don't think you need an excuse to eat these noodles. My favorite version, which I reproduced here, has gai lan (Chinese broccoli) in it to make it more of a full meal; some versions are basically just sauce, protein and noodles. The trick to drunken noodles is using the correct sauce and if you can find it, holy basil or at least Thai basil. You can swap out the shrimp with an equal amount of chicken, pork or tofu. Ground meats work well too.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken cut into bite sized pieces
pizza dough (with or without the garlic/pepper)
1 red onion, thinly sliced
8 oz smoked Gouda, shredded
3 oz mozzarella, shredded


for the barbecue sauce:
1 large shallot
12 ounces tomato paste
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons mustard powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon ground chipotle
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
salt

Directions:
For the barbecue sauce: Pulse all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan and simmer on the lowest setting until heated through. Allow to cool.

For the pizza: Place the chicken in a resealable bag with about 1/4 cup of the sauce. Refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. Heat oil in a skillet. Saute the chicken until just cooked through. Mix the two cheeses together in a small bowl. Spread about 1/4 cup of sauce on each pizza. Top with the cheeses then onion and chicken. Follow the pizza directions for baking. Sprinkle with cilantro prior to serving if desired.


Yield: 2 pizzas

My thoughts:

When I was in college I loved this barbecue chicken pita this one locally owned restaurant served. It had a not too sweet sauce, red onions, Gouda and a sprinkle of cilantro in a homemade pita. I must have eaten that at least once a month (and often more) for a year or two. The place also sold a lot unusual pizzas (and oddly, Egyptian food) and had a similar pizza version on the menu but I didn't like it as much as the sandwich. I think their ratios were slightly off. I stopped ordering the sandwich after a there was some staff turnover and it just wasn't as good any more. But I've sort of missed it. I was going to try and recreate the sandwich (but better!) but I thought I'd try to make the pizza instead. That really stuck out as something I thought would be amazing but was kind of sub-par. I knew I could do a better job! I started with homemade barbecue sauce that was slightly thicker than what I might want to use on say, ribs, as both a sauce and marinade for the chicken. I also used smoked Gouda instead of regular for extra depth of flavor. Gouda isn't the meltyest cheese so I mixed with with a bit of mozzarella to ensure maximum pizza coverage. The perfect barbecue chicken pizza.

Chicken & Broccoli

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
3 cups broccoli florets
8 oz button mushrooms, thinly sliced
canola oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
cooked rice to serve (I made ours in my rice cooker and added a drop of sesame oil, some sesame seeds and chives prior to cooking)

for the marinade:
1 tablespoon shaoxing
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced

for the sauce:
1/4 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon shaoxing
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon hoisin


Directions:
Place the chicken and marinade ingredients in a resealable bag. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients. Set aside. Steam the broccoli until just crisp. Heat some oil in a wok. Add the chicken and cook until nearly cooked through. Add the sauce, mushrooms and broccoli. Bring to a boil. Stir in the cornstarch and cook until it thickens, just a minute or two. Serve over rice.

My thoughts:

While chicken & broccoli is a pretty popular Chinese takeout choice, I really wasn't too interested in (it seemed too plain) but once a friend ordered it and had them add mushrooms that I tried it and got slightly hooked. I haven't had it in years but when I found myself in possession of chicken, broccoli and a bunch of button mushrooms on the verge of spoiling I thought I'd try my hand at making it myself. It was super easy and so much lighter and fresher tasting than I remember. I personally like it a lot more with the mushrooms than without but the mycophobic could leave them out and it would be just fine. You could also sub in an equal amount of firm or fried tofu, beef or pork for the chicken.

Pad See Ew

Ingredients:
3/4 lb thin cut boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bit sized pieces
8-10 oz dried or fresh wide flat rice noodles
1 bunch gai lan (Chinese broccoli), sliced diagonally
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons black soy sauce
1 tablespoon mushroom flavored soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 egg, beaten

marinade
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons black soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Thai bird pepper, minced
1/2 teaspoon palm sugar
salt
white pepper

Directions:
Place the chicken and marinade in a resealable bag. Marinate 30 minutes. Prep the dry noodles according to package instructions. Set aside. Whisk together the sauces. Set aside. Cook the egg in a single layer in a nonstick skillet. Break into strips. Set aside. Heat a small amount of oil in a wok. Stir fry the gai lan until fragrant until bright green. Remove to a bowl. Add the garlic and stir fry until fragrant. Add the chicken (discard the marinade)and stir fry until almost cooked through and slightly charred on both sides. Add the fresh or prepped dried noodles and half of the sauce. Stir fry 1 minute, the noodles should char slightly around the edges. Add the egg and gai lan. Stir fry and toss with remaining sauce. Serve immediately.

My thoughts:

Pad see ew is a staple at many Thai restaurants. It has a balance of sweet-savory that is really appealing even if you are, like me, a spicy food lover. I had a lot of fun developing a recipe that mirrors what I've had at my favorite restuarant. Cooking each bit individually is key to this recipe's success. Marinating the chicken infuses it with flavor and helps the chicken stay juicy. Take care not to let too much of the actual marinade into the wok or the final dish will be too saucy. The bit of sugar in the marinade helps achieve the "wok char" on the noodles and chicken that adds a smoky flavor and complexity to the dish. It tasted fresher and better than what I've had out and I made it in less time than it takes to get to the restuarant and park.


Note: The really wide fresh (or dried) rice noodles needed for this dish can be difficult to find. Substitute the widest noodles available.

Spaghetti with Sopressata Sauce and Chicken Meatballs

Ingredients:
for the meatballs:
1 lb ground chicken
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, grated
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon minced basil
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 egg
salt
pepper

for the sauce:
1 onion, chopped
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 oz finely chopped thin cut sopressata
30 oz canned diced tomatoes
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
1 tablespoon minced basil
1 tablespoon minced oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt
pepper

to serve:
1 lb spaghetti, cooked to package instructions

Directions:
Start the sauce first. Heat the olive oil in a medium sized saucepan. Add the sopressata, shallot, onion and garlic. Saute until the onions are softened. Add the remaining sauce ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally.

In a medium sized bowl, add all of the meatball ingredients. With a gentle hand, combine all ingredients and form into 1 to 2 inch meatballs. Place on a (oiled or nonstick) broiler pan and broil for about 5 minutes or until just starting to brown. Add to the sauce. Continue to cook until the meatballs are fully cooked and most of the liquid has been cooked out of the sauce. Serve over hot spaghetti.

My thoughts:

My husband has a tendency to go a little crazy at our local Italian shop. For some reason, every time he picks up ingredients for panini, he overbuys the sopressata. It is a pretty strongly flavored sausage so you only need a couple of slices on a sandwich so we always end up with lots leftover. Sopressata is generally served in sandwiches or on crackers but we had so much of it, I didn't see any reason not to use in a pasta sauce. I hate to waste food and couldn't really see the point in buying new Italian meats to accompany it on still more sandwiches when I had some good Italian canned tomatoes and pasta in the cabinet. I noticed I had a pound of ground chicken in the fridge that was nearing the expiry date so the idea of a sopressata-tomato sauce with meatballs was born. I really liked how it came out; the sauce was rich and spicy. Chicken meatballs, while generally tasty, aren't always the most exciting thing in the world but when mixed with this sauce they really come alive. Using chicken also kept the dish from being overwhelmingly heavy despite the bits of sausage in the sauce. Beef would have been pushing it over the edge I think.

The leftovers were exceptional, both the pasta and the meatballs absorb some of the sauce and the whole thing reheats really well. I let it sit out about 15 minutes before reheating so the meatballs weren't quite so cold going in. Is there anything worse than mushy pasta and meatballs that are still cold inside?

Rachel's Ultimate Chicken Pot Pie

3 cups cubed, cooked chicken breast
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 3/4 cup milk
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup peeled, diced Klondike Goldust potatoes
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup peeled, cubed rutabaga
1/8 cup dried porcini mushrooms
2 carrots, cut into coins
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 parsnips, cut into coins
1 onion, diced
1 shallot, minced
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
1 tablespoon minced dill (or sage)
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 bay leaf
1 egg, beaten
salt
freshly ground black pepper


puff pastry (if using defrosted frozen, you will only need one sheet)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Rehydrate the mushrooms in hot water. Drain, dice and set aside. Melt the butter in a large skillet with high sides, a large saucepan or a stove top and oven safe 2 quart casserole. Add the onion, garlic, shallot, celery, carrots, potatoes and rutabaga. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the flour and cook for one to two minutes. Add the milk, bay leaf, and stock. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces and thickens a bit, about 10-15 minutes. Fish out the bay leaf. Add the chicken, mushrooms, peas, herbs and spices. Stir to evenly distribute all ingredients. Cook for 2 minutes. If you reduced the liquid too much and it now looks dry, add a bit of white wine or the water leftover from re-hydrating the mushrooms or broth to the mixture. Divide into 6 10 oz ramekins or pour into a 2 quart casserole dish. Leave only about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of room at the top.



Top with a layer of puff pastry. Pierce with a knife. Brush with egg. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

My thoughts:

I never gave pot pies much thought until I had a really good one with puff pastry and a hint of truffle at a restuarant this winter. I liked the lack of a bottom crust and while there were not quite enough vegetables for my taste, it was saucy but not soupy or too rich.

After that meal, I kept the idea of making a puff pastry topped pot pie in the back of my mind. Roasters went on sale this week so I roasted one for dinner with an eye on having lots of leftovers so I could make a pot pie later in the week.

The leftover meat was really flavorful and juicy so I knew it would make a great pot pie. With such a simple dish, you really need to use flavorful ingredients to avoid blandness. I added a lot of fresh winter friendly vegetables to make it an even more encompassing one dish meal.

Using puff pastry makes the dish much quicker to make than using a traditional homemade pastry crust and I like the texture contrast between the flaky crust and the creamy filling. Matt chopped up the rutabaga, parsnip, onion, shallot, garlic, carrot and celery the night before and we refrigerated them overnight in an air tight container which really speed up the process when I went to actually make the dish. Of course I had already roasted, cubed and measured the chicken earlier in the week. I am glad I took the time to assemble the ingredients because I ended up with a totally delicious meal that required little effort. It really was the ultimate chicken pot pie.



Bonus recipe: my secret for easy, juicy roasted chicken. Preheat oven to 325. Rub a 5-8 lb roasting chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with Montreal Steak Seasoning (also available generically as "Canadian" Seasoning but I like McCormick's because you can buy it in very large shaker containers). Roast until the chicken is fully cooked. Allow the chicken to cool until it can be handled. Dust off most of the spices and discard the skin. Remove the meat. I like to cube it and store white and dark meat separately.

Chicken & Mushrooms with Rice

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
12 oz evaporated milk
8 oz diced crimini mushrooms
2 cups cooked long grain rice
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1/2 cup diced green onion
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 shallots, minced
2 eggs
1 stalk celery, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 2-quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Set aside. In a small skillet, heat the oil. Add the shallot, chicken and mushroom and saute until the chicken starts brown and the shallots, celery and mushrooms are soft. Pour into a bowl and add rice, cheese, green onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the spices, egg and evaporated milk. Pour over the rice mixture. Stir to evenly distribute all ingredients. Pour into the casserole dish. Cover and bake for about 45 minutes or until the the chicken is fully cooked and the dish looks "set".

Note: If the dish is still runny looking but looks otherwise fully cooked, remove the cover and cook until some of the excess liquid evaporates. This is mostly an issue if the lid of your dish is very tight fitting.

My thoughts:

Recently a reader emailed me asking if I had a chicken and rice casserole recipe that that didn't use condensed cream of mushroom soup. Now, I didn't grow up in a casserole eating family so I actually haven't eaten too many casseroles much less made them but I had a good idea what I was up against. My husband is just getting over a bout of illness so I thought it would be the perfect time to make this comforting dish. I used undiluted evaporated milk because it tastes much creamier than milk but isn't nearly as high in fat as cream or half and half or even whole milk. I sauteed the chicken, shallots and celery to add a depth of flavor that canned soup just can't deliver. Using cooked rice (you can even leave leftover rice from another meal) eliminates the "will this dry out before it is finished cooking" issue that baking raw rice often runs into and gives the dish a creamy, more risotto-like texture.

Chicken Chili Burgers

Ingredients:
1 lb ground chicken
1/2 cup drained dark red kidney beans, very slightly mashed
1 small onion, very finely minced
1 chipotle pepper in adobe
1 teaspoon hot Mexican style chili powder
1/2 teaspoon hot paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
juice of 1/2 lime


Directions:
Place the chipotle pepper, lime juice in a blender or food processor and pulse until fairly smooth. Pour the mixture into a medium bowl. Add the ground chicken, onion, chili powder, paprika and garlic powder. Gently mix together to evenly distribute all ingredients. Gently add the beans. If the mixture is overly wet, add a sprinkle of breadcrumbs. With lightly greased hands, form the meat into four 1/4 inch thick patties. Oil the rack of your grill. Cook the burgers over medium heat, covering as needed to insure that they are fully cooked through.

My thoughts:

Instead of simply pouring chili on plain burgers, these low fat burgers are actually chili in burger form. They have all of the ingredients, beans, peppers, onions, chili powder etc as chili made to fit on a bun. Ground chicken absorbs flavors wonderfully so these burgers are anything but bland. Serve them with chili toppings like cheese, avocado or even sour cream on top.

It's Game Time! Vote For the Winner!

I challenged my fellow blogger, Kaloo, to a duel.  The idea is that our readers will vote for which of the following MS paint creatures would win in a battle to the death.  

This week we have Fire-breathing Spiky Unicorn versus Kung Fu Chicken.  

When voting, please take into account each creature's strength, agility, size, intelligence, special powers and basic awesomeness.   

Okay.   The power is in your hands now.   Will it be Kung Fu Chicken or Fire-breathing Spiky Unicorn?  Go!

Tea-Chile Smoked Grilled Chicken with Korean Spices

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lb chicken thighs and legs

for the marinade:
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 shallot, grated
1 inch ginger, grated
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Korean malt syrup
1 tablespoon coarse-ground Korean red pepper (kochukaru)
1 tablespoon sugar


for the tea-chile packet:
3 tablespoons loose white tea
8 dried red chiles
1/2 teaspoon water

Directions:
Place the chicken in a nonreactive container. In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade directions. Pour over the chicken. Seal and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Place the chiles and tea in the middle of a medium-sized rectangle of foil. Sprinkle with the water. Fold the sides up to form a packet. Poke holes in the packet with a fork. Place on the hot coals. Arrange the chicken on a greased grill. Cook covered and vented until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through, turning halfway through the cooking time.

My thoughts:

This is some flavorful chicken. It isn't terribly spicy but the spices permeate the chicken pieces making every bite as tasty as the last. The tea-chile packet adds a subtle smoky-spice flavor to the meat that really sets it apart from other grilled chickens. The best part? Despite the intense flavor, it really isn't any more difficult to make than any other method of grilling chicken.

Spicy chicken rissoles / Rissoles de poulet aux �pices

for 2-3 servings / pour 2-3 personnes

250 gm cooked chicken / poulet cuit

25 gm breadcrumbs / chapelure

1/2 onion / ognion

1 clove of garlic / gousse d'ail

bunch of thyme / bouquet de thym

1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp paprika / 1 càc cumin moulu, 1 càc piment doux

juice of half a lemon / jus d'une moitié de citron

salt, pepper, olive oil / sel, poivre, huile d'olive

Mince the chicken and mix all the ingredients (apart from the olive oil) together / Hacher le poulet et mélanger tous les ingrédients apart de l'huile d'olive.

Form the mixture into rissoles and fry in olive oil until browned.  / Faire des rissoles et les poeler jusqu'à elles soient dorées.

Serve with tomato sauce and bulgur or rice and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. / Servir à la sauce tomate et le bulgour our le riz, garnies de feuilles de coriandre.