Pad Thai Fried Rice & Cilantro Thai Chicken

I think I’ve made this meal 3 times in the last month, because it’s beyond good!  I have a weakness for Thai food, especially Thai food infused with citrus…and then you add some salty peanuts and cilantro on top and I’m sold!

This dish is extremely flavorful with crisp, clean flavors. It’s one of those dishes that are so good you need to stop yourself from hunching over your plate while shoveling it in!

Cook’s Note: This recipe calls for Ponzu (pictured below), which is basically soy sauce infused with citrus juices. I have personally fallen in love with the product and now prefer it over soy sauce. If you don’t have Ponzu on hand or can’t find it at your local grocer (I found mine at Food Lion, and also noticed that my local Target carries it), then you can substitute it for soy sauce. 

If you want to add some veggies to this dish, add some bean sprouts atop the rice after you take the rice off of the heat to steam.

Pad Thai Fried Rice & Cilantro Thai Chicken

 

Ingredients:

2 C Jasmine rice, uncooked
2 T brown sugar
2 T fresh lime juice, plus wedges for serving
3 T Ponzu (*see Cook’s Note above)
1-2 t Sriracha Chili Sauce
2 t vegetable oil
3 green onions, white and green parts, separated and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 large eggs, light beaten
1/2 C fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 C chopped roasted, salted peanuts

Directions:

Cook the Jasmine rice according to the package, fluff and set aside.

While the rice is cooking make the sauce, whisk together brown sugar, lime juice, Ponzu, and Sriracha Chili Sauce in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a Wok or deep, large skillet (like this one), heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the whites of the green onions and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

Add the eggs and cook, scramble until the eggs are almost set (they should still be a little wet), about 30-60 seconds. Transfer egg, onion and garlic mixture to a small bowl.

Next add the fluffed rice, the green parts of the onions, and sauce to the skillet. Cook, tossing/stirring constantly until the rice is well coated with the sauce (about 1-2 minutes). Add the egg mixture and toss to coat, breaking up the eggs gently as you go.

Serve the rice with lime wedges, and topped off with chopped cilantro and peanuts.

Serves 4

Source: A Food, Folks and Fun Original

Cilantro Thai Chicken

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 C cilantro
2 T soy sauce or Ponzu (*see Cook’s Note above)
1 T toasted sesame oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, or 8-10 boneless skinless chicken tenders

Directions:

To make the marinade place the garlic, cilantro, soy sauce or Ponzu, and sesame oil in a food processor and process until smooth.

Pour marinade over chicken breast and let flavors sink in for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator.

Prepare your grill or broiler. Cook until temperature registers 165F on the meat thermometer. Let the chicken breasts rest for 5 minutes before serving, this prevents the meat from drying up.

Serves 4

Source: adapted from Artsy-Foodie

Chicken Pie

Yum, yum, and YUM! This is some serious comfort food! I had never heard of chicken pie until an Oprah episode, so when I saw this recipe in Cook’s Country I knew I had to try it!

Mmm Hmm!

Pin It

I made this chicken pie for my hubby and he LOVED it—so much that while he was still in the process of eating it he asked “when are you making this again?” Luckily I had a hunch he’d love this pie so I made two of these pies at the same time and froze one for later! I really do suggest making two of these pies at a time and freezing one for later because this is a time consuming recipe, but when you make two at once, it only takes a few extra minutes.

Cook’s Note: If you do make two and freeze one for later, prepare the pie that is to be frozen up until it needs to go into the oven. Double wrap the pie in plastic wrap and then with foil. When you want to bake the pie, take it out of the freezer and allow it to come to room temperature before placing in the oven (I took mine out of the freezer in the morning and it was ready to be popped in the oven in time for dinner).

I get a lot of questions from readers about what kitchen equipment and specific ingredients I use in recipes. I will try to list any specific ingredients & specific/super helpful kitchen equipment before each recipe. I hope this helps! J

Here’s specific equipment and/or ingredients I used in this recipe:
9-inch Pie Plate
Adjustable Rolling Pin
Silicone Pastry Mat
Cook’s Country Magazine

My unbaked Pie

The finished product--so pretty!

Moravian Chicken Pie

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

1/2 C sour cream
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 1/2 C all purpose flour
1-1/2 t salt
12 T cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

For the Filling:

2 (10- to 12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed and halved crosswise
3 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
Salt and pepper
1 T vegetable oil
3 C low-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 C all-purpose flour
1/4 C half-and-half
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

For the Crust:

Stir together sour cream and egg in small bowl, set aside.

Process flour and salt in food processor briefly. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, and pulse until the butter is pea-sized.

Add sour cream mixture to flour mixture, half at a time, pulsing after each addition until combined. Mixture should start to form into a dough about 10 pulses after final addition.

Transfer to floured surface and knead briefly, just until dough comes together. Divide in two and form each half into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour.

After chilling, remove 1 dough disk from refrigerator and let sit 10 minutes, then roll into 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Transfer to 9-inch pie plate.

Roll second disk of dough, and transfer to parchment-lined sheet. Cover both and return to refrigerator for 30 minutes.

For the Filling:

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook chicken until browned all over, about 10 minutes; transfer to plate. Pour fat (you should have 2 tablespoons) into small bowl; reserve. When chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard skin. Add broth, chicken, and bay leaf to now-empty pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, until breasts register 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 14 to 18 minutes. Transfer chicken to bowl. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-size pieces, discarding bones. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer into second bowl and reserve (you should have about 2¾ cups); discard bay leaf.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450°F. Heat butter and reserved fat in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of reserved broth and half-and-half and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer gravy until thickened and reduced to 1¾ cups, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Combine 1 cup gravy with shredded chicken; reserve remaining gravy for serving.

Transfer chicken mixture to dough-lined pie plate and spread into even layer. Top with second dough round, leaving at least 1/2-inch overhang all around. Fold dough under itself so that edge of fold is flush with outer rim of pie plate. Flute edges using thumb and forefinger or press with tines of fork to seal. Cut four 1-inch slits in top. Brush pie with egg and bake until top is light golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue to bake until crust is deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let pie cool on wire rack for at least 45 minutes.

When ready to serve, bring remaining ¾ cup reserved gravy and remaining ¾ cup reserved broth to boil in medium saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat until slightly thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve pie with gravy.

Source: Cook’s Country December 2011/January 2012 issue

 

I’m linking this post up at:

Metamorphosis Monday, Menu Plan Monday , Skip to My Lou, Tip Me Tuesday, Today’s Creative Blog

Day 4 of 12 Days of Christmas Fun: Cranberry-Pecan Chicken Salad

♪♫ On the 4^th day of Christmas Food, Folks, and Fun gave to me…♪♫

Cranberry-Pecan Chicken Salad

CHRISTmas Subway Art Printable

Thick & Chewy Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Christmas To-Do List Printables

I am a part of a fabulous group of ladies called “The Craft Addicts”. We recently put on a crafting event and I made some of the food for it. Among the things I made was this chicken salad recipe and it was a hit! A lot of people gave me compliments, and I think it’s the perfect recipe for a holiday luncheon. I served it on sliced croissants from Costco.

Cranberry-Pecan Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

4 -12.5 oz can of chicken, drained (I get mine from Costco)

2 t olive oil

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

¼ C Miracle Whip

¼ C Non-Fat, Plain Greek Yogurt (I like the FAGE brand from Costco)

½ C cream or whole milk

2 t poppy seeds

1 C celery, chopped

1 T butter

½ C chopped pecans

1 C dried Cranberries

Directions:

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Drain the chicken and cook in skillet until all the pink is gone (you may have to do this in batches depending on how big your skillet is).  Place cooked chicken in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until cool, about 1 ½-2 hours.

In a small bowl, mix Miracle Whip, Greek yogurt, cream/milk, and poppy seeds until combined. Pour the mixture over the chicken and season to taste with salt and pepper again. Add in the chopped celery and mix until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

In a small pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the nuts and stir them often until they are toasted, about 4 minutes (they should be a little more than lightly browned and you’ll begin to smell them).

Add the toasted nuts and dried Cranberries just before serving, and mix until combined. Serve with split croissants.

Makes about 8-10 servings.

Source: A Food, Folks, and Fun original!  

I’m linking this post up at:
Metamorphosis Monday, Menu Plan Monday , Skip to My Lou, Tip Me Tuesday, Today’s Creative Blog

Quick Southwestern Chicken Barley Chili

I told you barley was my new favorite ingredient to add to soups… J I made this for dinner the other night, and everyone loved it…especially my 18-month-old, Mia. At one point she resorted to eating it with her hands because she couldn’t shovel it into her mouth fast enough!

Overall this recipe was quick, east, and pretty darn healthy, enjoy!

Quick Southwestern Chicken Barley Chili

Ingredients:

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2 C salsa

1 can (14.5 oz) fat-free chicken broth

1 C Quaker® Quick Barley

3 C water

1 T chili powder

1 t cumin

1 can (15 oz ) black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup frozen whole kernel corn

1/2 C chopped green pepper

3 C cooked chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces(about 1-1/2 lbs

       boneless before cooking)

Directions:

In 6-qt saucepan, combine first 7 ingredients. Over high heat bring to a boil; cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans, corn, pepper and chicken; increase heat to high until chili comes to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for another 5 minutes, or until barley is tender. If upon standing the chili becomes too thick, add more chicken broth or water until chili is desired consistency.

Makes 4-6 Servings

Source: Quaker Oats

Honey Dijon Chicken Tenders with Zucchini Rice

This was such an amazingly delicious and easy dinner. From start to finish it took all of 30 minutes! The honey mustard mixture you dip the chicken into before breading is so tasty…I think the next time I make it I’ll use a vegetable puree instead of the mustard just to add some extra vitamins and nutrients. The zucchini rice is SO delicious, so be sure to make more than you think you’ll need—trust me on this one!

Honey Dijon Chicken Tenders with Zucchini Rice

I didn’t alter the recipe at all, so head on over to The Comfort of Cooking for the recipe!

I’m linking this post up at:
Metamorphosis Monday
Menu Plan Monday
Skip to My Lou
Tip Me Tuesday
Today’s Creative Blog

Balsamic Strawberry Pizza with Chicken, Sweet Onion & Bacon

While living in Crystal City, Virginia, my husband and I would frequently go out to eat. There was a plethora of amazingly diverse restaurants within walking distance to our apartment and it would have just been wrong to not try them out.  ;) But the main reason we’d go out so often was because I worked late almost every night (P.S. It’s an urban myth that teachers work only from 9-3).  By the time I got home it would usually be 7 or 8 PM and I wouldn’t feel like cooking—especially when I was pregnant! One restaurant we would go to periodically was California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) and there was one visit in particular to CPK that I will never, ever forget!

It was the Friday after winter break so it was especially hard getting back into the swing of things, and at the time I was also 6 months pregnant. I had just gotten home late (again) from work and there was no way I was about to stand on my swollen, pregnant feet to make dinner. So naturally we decided to go out. I suggested CPK because it was relatively close (only about 150 yards from our apartment) and they had that yummy Spinach-Artichoke Dip I was craving. We leisurely walked to CPK, hand-in-hand while discussing our day/week. Once we were seated at the restaurant I suggested we share an appetizer and an entrée (something we did quite frequently), I then proceeded to say I was pregnancy-craving the Spinach-Artichoke Dip so I’d pick the appetizer and he could pick the entrée. Without skipping a beat Curtis looked me square in the face and said “No”.

………………Whaaaaat?!?!?!?!?........................

I was like a deer in the headlights! I proceeded to turn and look all around because surely Curtis didn’t say no to me! To date he had said no to me maybe 2 other times…and certainly never while I was pregnant! But I was mistaken, he definitely said no! Once I was able to pick my chin up off of the table and gather my thoughts I probed him for answers. As it turns out, Curtis had just finished his first week of Professional Negotiations and was testing out some techniques he had learned on me…so not cool to do to a pregnant lady! (And to set the record straight, we ended up ordering the Spinach Artichoke Dip and 2 entrees and left with a lot of leftovers.)

Anyhow, this Strawberry Chicken Pizza totally reminds me of something you’d get at CPK (and the unforgettable “no” I received from my hubby while there). The combination of flavors is so right-on and delicious. To speed up the pizza-making process, I suggest picking up a dough ball from your local supermarket. I picked mine up at Safeway, and I know other stores like Trader Joes and Whole Foods sells them as well.

Balsamic Strawberry Pizza with Chicken, Sweet Onion & Bacon

Ingredients:

For the Sauce:

½ C strawberry jam or preserves

¼ C balsamic vinegar
1 t sriracha chili sauce, or any other chili sauce(chipotle would be yummy)

For the Rest of the Pizza:

1 ball pizza dough, your favorite recipe or on purchased form the store
1 C diced or shredded chicken breast, from rotisserie chicken or left over chicken of any kind
½ C bacon, cut in 1 inch pieces, cooked until crispy and drained

½ C thinly sliced sweet onion
12 ounces shredded Italian blend cheese
¼ C fresh cilantro, finely chopped
¼ C fresh strawberries, diced

Directions:

Place pizza stone or an inverted sheet pan on middle rack of oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Place balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 4-5 minutes, or until reduced to half the original volume and the mixture is thick and syrupy. Add strawberry preserves and sriracha chili sauce and mix well. Set aside to cool.

Pat or roll out pizza dough on a lightly floured surface to approximately a 14 inch circle. Place a piece of parchment paper, slightly larger than your dough on a pizza peel or an upside down sheet pan. (The parchment paper will make your transfer of the pizza to the oven so much easier!) Sprinkle parchment paper lightly with cornmeal. Fold dough in quarters and place on parchment paper, then unfold.

Combine chicken with 2 tablespoons of the balsamic-strawberry mixture and mix to coat all chicken with sauce. Pour rest of sauce onto pizza dough and spread to cover. Leave a 1 inch border all around the edge.

Place about 3/4 of the cheese on top of dough and spread to cover sauce evenly. Scatter chicken, bacon and sweet onion over cheese to distribute evenly. Scatter remaining cheese over this layer.

Slide parchment paper with pizza on top onto stone or cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and crust is golden brown. Watch carefully, at this temperature it is easy to burn the pizza!

Remove from oven and let cool slightly, 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and fresh diced strawberries.

Source: Adapted from this recipe

I’m linking this post up at:
Metamorphosis Monday
Menu Plan Monday
Skip to My Lou
Tip Me Tuesday
Today’s Creative Blog

Hawaiian Grilled Chicken & Coconut Rice

Recently we celebrated my mom’s 60^th birthday by having a luau-themed murder mystery dinner. I picked up a murder mystery kit at a local games store and it included everything that was needed for the game: the premise, character descriptions with costume ideas, scripts, evidence cards, etc. It was SO much fun!

So, to match the theme of the party I decided to make Hawaiian grilled chicken with coconut rice. Both dishes were amazing, especially the coconut rice…it was so easy to make and so yummy!

My fam all dressed up as their characters for the murder mystery dinner.

Hawaiian Grilled Chicken & Coconut Rice

For the Chicken

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (I didn’t have thighs on hand

   so I used breasts)

2 C soy sauce (I used Kikkoman’s low sodium, if you use the original, then

   do 1 ½ C soy sauce and 2 ½ C water) )

2 C water

1 1/2 C brown sugar
1 bunch of green onions, chopped (reserve some for garnish)
1/4 C of a white onion, chopped
1/2 t minced garlic
1 t of sesame oil
1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk

Directions:

Trim chicken thighs of any visible fat. Mix soy sauce, water, brown sugar, onions, garlic, sesame oil, and coconut milk in a large bowl. Add the chicken and marinade for at least 4 hours or overnight to make sure the flavor gets infused.

Grill chicken at a low heat so that the marinade does not burn for 5-7 minutes per side or until done. If you do not have a grill you can use a indoor grill pan.

Garnish with sliced green onions and serve.

For the Rice

Ingredients:

Your favorite rice (Basmati, Jasmine, long-grain, etc)

Coconut milk

Water

Toasted Coconut (optional)

Directions:

Basically you follow the direction on your rice package, but replace ½ the water with coconut milk. Garnish the toasted coconut.

Source: adapted from The Girl who Ate Everything

I’m linking this post up at:
Metamorphosis Monday
Menu Plan Monday
Skip to My Lou
Tip Me Tuesday
Today’s Creative Blog

Skillet Chicken Vesuvio - An Easier, Lighter, and Healthier Recipe

I made this recipe for dinner last night and everyone (including little Mia) loved it. It tasted fresh and light yet filling at the same time. The best part of the whole dish is that each serving has only 420 calories and 10 grams of fat!

Skillet Chicken Vesuvio – An Easier, Lighter, and Healthier Recipe

Cook’s Note: Be sure to use potatoes about 1 inch in diameter. If your potatoes are larger, cut them into 1-inch pieces before cooking.

Ingredients:

4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (I actually used chicken tenderloins because that’s what I had on hand)

Salt and pepper

4 t canola oil

10 small red potatoes (about 1 14 pounds), halved

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 t minced fresh rosemary

½ t dried oregano

1 T unbleached all-purpose flour

1 ½ C low-sodium chicken broth

½ C dry white wine (I used cooking wine)

1 C frozen peas (4 ounces), thawed

1 T unsalted butter

2 t fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Pat the chicken breasts dry with paper towels and season with 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Carefully lay the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook until golden brown on the first side, about 5 minutes. Flip the breasts and continue to cook until lightly browned on the second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate.

Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in the pan over medium heat until shimmering. Arrange the potatoes evenly in the pan, cut side down, and cook until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic, rosemary, oregano, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the broth and wine to the pot, scrape up any browned bits, and bring to a simmer.

Nestle the chicken breasts into the potatoes. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the chicken registers 160 to 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken and potatoes to a platter and tent loosely with foil.

Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until the sauce is reduced to 1 cup, about 5 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Off the heat, whisk in the butter and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and potatoes, and serve.

Serves 4

Source: America’s Test Kitchen Light & Healthy 2011

Chicken Fajitas

I love chicken fajitas and thanks to this recipe I am slowly getting over my fear of the grill. This was an easy week-night meal that came together quickly, and thanks to ATK’s (America’s Test Kitchens) spot-on instructions I was able to grill the chicken to perfection! Please note that grilling times vary according to your grill, and cut/thickness of meat. The fajitas went really well with my sweet corn cakes.

The onions and peppers before they hit the grill.

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:

1 t pure chile powder

1 t kosher salt

1/2 t ground cumin

1/2 t onion powder

1/4 t garlic powder

2 whole skinless, boneless chicken breast (about 1 pound each)

2 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 very large onion , peeled and cut into half-inch slices

2 very large red bell peppers or green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into large wedges

8 flour tortillas, warmed in the microwave

Shredded cheddar cheese, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream, for serving

Directions:

For Charcoal Grill: Ignite about 7 quarts charcoal and burn until coals are completely covered with thin coating of light-gray ash, 20 to 30 minutes. Pile coals on one-half of grill bottom, position grill rack and heat until very hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill surface for 2 seconds).

For Gas Grill: Turn all burners on gas grill to medium-high, close lid, and heat grill until hot, 10 to 15 minutes.

In a resealable plastic bag, combine the chile powder with the salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, and olive oil. Add the chicken, bell pepper and onion, seal and knead gently to coat. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Place chicken breasts directly over coals or on gas grill grate and grill until well-seared on first side, 5 to 7 minutes (4 to 6 minutes, covered, on gas grill). Flip chicken using tongs; continue grilling on second side for 3 to 5 minutes (4 to 6 minutes on gas grill) depending on heat of fire and thickness of chicken.

Transfer meat to cutting board; cover loosely with foil, and let rest 5 to 10 minutes. Slice into ½ inch strips.

When charcoal fire has died down to medium or gas grill burners are adjusted to medium (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill surface for 4 seconds), grill onions and peppers, turning occasionally, until onions are lightly charred, about 6 minutes, and peppers are streaked with dark grill marks, about 10 minutes. Remove onions and peppers from grill and cut peppers into long, thin strips; set aside.

Serving Fajitas

Arrange sliced chicken and vegetables on large platter; serve immediately, with tortillas, salsa, cheese, sour cream and guacamole.

Source: Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen & Food & Wine

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

These were quick, easy, and super yummy. I used leftover rotisserie chicken and it made it even easier. Now they didn’t turn out as pretty as I’d like, but I believe that’s because I crowded the pan with too many enchiladas. Next time I’ll only have 8 in each pan instead of 10 and see what happens.

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

Ingredients

8-10 soft taco size flour tortillas
2 C shredded Monterrey jack cheese, divided
2 C shredded cooked chicken
3 T butter
3 T flour
2 C chicken broth
1 C sour cream
2 (4 oz) cans diced green chiles
Chopped, fresh cilantro for garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix together 1 cup of the cheese and the chicken. Place an equal amount of the chicken mixture into each tortilla.  Roll up and place seam side down in a lightly greased, 9 x 13-inch pan.

In a skillet or saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Stir in the sour cream and green chiles. Pour sauce over the top of the enchiladas; sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

Source: Adapted from Let’s Dish

Healthier Orange Chicken

This recipe is so yummy and smells divine while cooking on the stove. Now, if you’re looking for something that tastes exactly like the orange chicken you get from Panda Express, this isn’t your recipe. I actually think this chicken tastes better—I’d say this recipe is the adult palate version of Panda’s orange chicken. This recipe is also exceptionally delicious with my fried rice.

Healthier Orange Chicken

Ingredients:

3/4 C low-sodium chicken broth 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 1/2 t finely grated orange zest

6 T white vinegar

1/4 C soy sauce

1/2 C dark brown sugar

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T fresh ginger, grated

1/4 t cayenne pepper

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 1/2 T corn starch

2 T cold water

8 small whole dried red chilies (optional)

8 thin strips orange peel

1 T peanut oil

Directions:

Place the chicken in a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, orange juice, grated zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and cayenne until the sugar is fully dissolved. Measure out 3/4 cup of the mixture and pour into the bag with the chicken. Refrigerate 60 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, in a large saucepan, bring the remaining orange juice mixture to a boil over high heat. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and water until combined and add to the sauce. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the orange peel and chilies; set aside.

Heat peanut oil in a wok or large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken until browned and cooked through; remove from heat and set aside. Reheat the sauce over medium heat until simmer, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken and gently toss until evenly coated and heated through. Serve over rice.

Yields: 4 servings

Source: Adapted from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen

Chicken Pot Pie with Savory Crumble Topping

I am so excited to write about this recipe because this was the best dinner I’ve made in a while. I recently saw this recipe featured on America’s Test Kitchen and immediately knew I needed to make it. This pot pie substitutes a pie crust for crumble topping and it is beyond better! The crumble topping tastes similar to biscuits, but crispier with a hint of cheese…so yummy! And luckily this recipe doesn’t skimp on the crumble topping either!

Chicken Pot Pie with Savory Crumble Topping

Ingredients:

Filling

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs

3 C low-sodium chicken broth

2 T vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped fine

3 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices

2 small celery ribs, chopped fine

Table salt and ground black pepper to taste

10 ounces cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed, caps wiped clean and sliced thin

1 t soy sauce (see note)

1 t tomato paste (see note)

4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/2 C unbleached all-purpose flour

1 C whole milk

2 t juice from 1 lemon

3 T minced fresh parsley leaves

3/4 C frozen baby peas

Crumble Topping

2 C (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

2 t baking powder

3/4 t table salt

1/2 t ground black pepper

1/8 t cayenne pepper

6 T unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1/2 cup)

3/4 C plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream (see note)

Directions:

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Bring chicken and broth to simmer in covered Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook until chicken is just done, 8 to 12 minutes. Transfer cooked chicken to large bowl. Pour broth through fine-mesh strainer into liquid measuring cup and reserve. Do not wash Dutch oven. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.

2. FOR THE TOPPING: Combine flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in large bowl. Sprinkle butter pieces over top of flour. Using fingers, rub butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in Parmesan. Add cream and stir until just combined. Crumble mixture into irregularly shaped pieces ranging from 1/2 to ¾ inch each onto parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until fragrant and starting to brown, 10 to 13 minutes. Set aside.

Crumble Topping Before Baking



Crumble Topping After Baking



3. FOR THE FILLING: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, carrots, celery, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. While vegetables are cooking, shred chicken into small bite-size pieces. Transfer cooked vegetables to bowl with chicken; set aside.

4. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released their juices, about 5 minutes. Remove cover and stir in soy sauce and tomato paste. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated, mushrooms are well browned, and dark fond begins to form on surface of pan, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to bowl with chicken and vegetables. Set aside.

5. Heat butter in empty Dutch oven over medium heat. When foaming subsides, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in reserved chicken broth and milk. Bring to simmer, scraping pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, then continue to simmer until sauce fully thickens, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and 2 tablespoons parsley.

6. Stir chicken-vegetable mixture and peas into sauce. Pour mixture into 13 by 9-inch baking dish or casserole dish of similar size. Scatter crumble topping evenly over filling. Bake on rimmed baking sheet until filling is bubbling and topping is well browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon parsley and serve.

Makes 6 servings

*Note: This recipe relies on two unusual ingredients: soy sauce and tomato paste. Do not omit them. They don’t convey their distinctive tastes but greatly deepen the savory flavor of the filling. When making the topping, do not substitute milk or half-and-half for the heavy cream.

Source: America’s Test Kitchen