Chicken & Broccoli Pasta

Wow it's been a long time since I've posted. I know I've cooked, but nothing has been noteworthy. I'm surprised I've never posted this pasta dish before. I've kind of been perfecting the sauce though and my technique varies. Here's what I did the other night:

Chicken & Broccoli Pasta

1/2 lb. pasta (can use whole wheat), we prefer small shapes that hold the sauce

florets from 1 bunch broccoli (may use half cauliflower)

1 lb. chicken breast, cubed

Sauce:
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
salt & pepper to taste
2 cups milk
4 ozs. shredded parmesan
nutmeg

Put on water to cook the pasta, cook until nearly done.

Get chicken started in a skillet with some olive oil. Season with salt & pepper.

For the broccoli, there are options. Usually I throw the broccoli in for the last 4 minutes with the pasta. The other night I put it in the skillet with the chicken after the chicken had browned a bit but was still pink in the middle. The chicken and broccoli were all cooked through at nearly the same time. I added a bit of water to add a little steam to help the broccoli along at the end.

For the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan with the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the garlic and cook about 30 seconds, until you start smelling it. Add the flour and salt and pepper to taste. After about a minute stir in the milk. Cook until it starts to thicken. Add the cheese. At this point you can probably turn off the sauce and let the cheese melt, stirring once in a while. Add a little nutmeg at the end to round out the flavor.

Once everything is cooked, add the pasta to the skillet with the chicken and broccoli reserving some of the pasta liquid. Add the sauce to the skillet. Stir and let come together for a couple minutes. If it gets too thick, add some of the reserved pasta liquid.

Serve with a salad and you've got a meal. If there are leftovers, add some of the reserved pasta water to the dish when you put it away. The extra liquid with help keep it from getting too dry when reheating.

Herbed Lime Chicken

I found this recipe many years ago in an issue of Light & Tasty. It's very easy to throw together and is wonderful on the grill. I have found that there is plenty of marinade to do more than 1 lb of chicken. I usually make a full batch and put half of it on 1 lb of chicken and put the other half back in the dressing bottle for another time. We also skip the basting step. It grills up quickly and doesn't really need it.

Herbed Lime Chicken

• 4 Servings
• Prep: 5 min. + marinating Grill: 10 min.

Ingredients

• 1 bottle (16 ounces) fat-free Italian salad dressing
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1 lime, halved and sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 pound)

Directions

• In a bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Remove 1/2 cup for basting; cover and refrigerate. Pour remaining marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 8-10 hours.
• Drain and discard marinade. Grill chicken, uncovered, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn chicken; baste with the reserved marinade. Grill 5-7 minutes longer or until juices run clear, basting occasionally. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals 162 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 67 mg cholesterol, 718 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 0.55 g fiber, 27 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 4 very lean meat.

Herbed Lime Chicken published in Light & Tasty June/July 2001, p29

Black Bean & Chicken Soft Tacos

We've used this recipe for years. It came from one of the early issues of Quick Cooking. Using leftover cooked chicken makes it really quick, but doesn't take much more time if you cook the chicken fresh, just dice before cooking.

Soft Chicken Tacos

"I came up with this healthy chicken and bean filling for tacos since my husband needs to watch his cholesterol level," relates Ruth Peterson of Jenison, Michigan. "Sliced radishes make a unique crunchy topping."

6 ServingsPrep/Total Time: 20 min.

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 6 fat-free flour tortillas (8 inches), warmed
• Shredded lettuce, shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese, sliced radishes, chopped tomatoes, sliced green onions and fat-free sour cream, optional

Directions

• In a large skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken over medium heat until no longer pink. Stir in the beans, salsa and taco seasoning; heat through.
• Spoon the chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla; roll up.
• Serve with the toppings of your choice if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 taco (calculated without toppings) equals 271 calories, 2 g fat (0 saturated fat), 42 mg cholesterol, 1,077 mg sodium, 39 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 23 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 starch, 2 very lean meat.

Barbecue Chicken Meatballs

Tonight I made Barbecue Chicken Meatballs kind of like the recipe suggested on Epicurious. It used grated onion, but I just don't like grating onions, so I finely minced them and the cooked them in a skillet just until softened. There were a bit difficult to work with. They didn't hold together all that well, but it may have just been the ground chicken. That is just not something I have worked with often. They were really good though, so we'll probably have them again.

Barbecue Chicken Meatballs

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 2/3 cup corn-bread crumbs or bread crumbs (I used 3 saved bread heels)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 small onion, grated and drained (I minced and sauteed until softened)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (optional)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce (we like Sweet Baby Ray's)
• 1/2 cup water

1. Combine the first 7 ingredients. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls.

2. Place the oil in a wide frying pan. Add the meatballs and brown them on all sides until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Add the barbecue sauce and water. Cook until it reduces and sticks to the meatballs, about 1 minute. Serve.

Andouille and Chicken Jambalaya

Over the weekend we had some friends over, so JB wanted to make "his" (Emeril's) signature Jambalaya. We found this recipe many years ago and make it every year for Superbowl. This may be the first time we've made it during the rest of the year. And it makes for great leftovers. In this area we do have trouble finding Andouille or Chorizo (the smoked variety), so we have made it with Kielbasa or the fresh ground chorizo that we are seeing more often in the stores. But we did find the Andouille at the World Market. I think the hardest part may be not stirring while the rice is cooking. I always want to mess with it.

Andouille and Chicken Jambalaya
Recipe Courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped bell peppers
3 teaspoons salt
1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne
1 pound andouille, chorizo, or other smoked sausage cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
1 1/2 pounds boneless white and dark chicken meat, cut into 1 inch cubes
3 bay leaves
3 cups medium-grain white rice
6 cups water
1 cup chopped green onions

Heat the oil in a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, 2 teaspoons of the salt and 1 teaspoon of the cayenne. Stirring often, brown the vegetables for about 20 minutes, or until they are caramelized and dark brown in color. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pt to loosen any browned particles. Add the sausage and cook, stirring often for 10 to 15 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles. Season the chicken with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne. Add the chicken and the bay leaves to the pot. Brown the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes, scrapping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned particles. Add the rice and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to coat it evenly. Add the water, stir to combine, and cover. Cook over medium heat for 30 to 35 minutes, without stirring, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the green onions and serve.

Fool-Proof Classic BBQ Chicken

For my inaugural post, I though I should mention that all of the grilling I do is on a gas grill. I do not have any real experience in cooking over Charcoal, but may give it a go when my current gas grill dies. All of the recipes I post will thus be based upon a gas grill, but are easily adapted to charcoal.

Last night, I made my BBQ chicken. This recipe is really a conglomeration of several different recipes and procedures, but it turns out really well. The only place where this recipe can really go wrong is if you are over-zealous with the heat when trying to get the chicken completely cooked through, so be careful and your patience will be rewarded.

Fool-Proof Classic BBQ Chicken

1 Whole cut-up chicken (8 pcs.)

Rub:
1 1/2 t. Sweet Paprika
1 1/2 t. Kosher salt
1 1/2 t. Brown Sugar
1 t. Black Pepper
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. onion powder
1/4 t. celery seed.

2 C Wood chips or chunks

1 1/2 C. BBQ sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's)

1. Dry the chicken and apply the rub, reserving 1T of the rub. Let set in the fridge for an hour.
   
2. Soak wood chips (I prefer Hickory for chicken) for 30 minutes
3. Use a smoke box, or a beggar's purse made out of aluminum foil and put the soaked wood chips in. Put this on one side of the grill and turn all burners of the grill on high, until smoke starts.
4. Turn off one side of the grill.
5. Clean and oil the grill grates
   
6. Place chicken on the cool side of the grill, away from the heat. Cook for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken begins to brown.
7. Mix the reserved rub into the BBQ sauce.
8. Move the chicken as close to the hot side of the grill as possible, without actually being on the hot side of the grill. Slather the Chicken pieces with the BBQ sauce every 5 minutes for 20 minutes.
9. Move the chicken over the hot part of the grill (I just turn the cold burner back on to Medium-Low) and continue slathering with BBQ sauce every 5 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches required temperature (White Meat ~160, Dark Meat ~170)
10. Remove chicken from the heat and tent with foil for 10 minutes before serving.

Our six year old greets nearly every meal, whether we have had it or not, with a rousing "I don't like that." Last night, he could barely contain himself and did not say a word, except asking for napkins, until the thigh he was eating had been completely disassembled. He really loves this chicken.

Blackened Chicken

Tonight we had Blackened Chicken. This is a summertime go to recipe from Quick Cooking (now Simple & Delicious). I make at least a double batch of the rub and keep it in a spice jar in the cupboard. I even printed out the ingredient list on a sticker on the side of the bottle so it's easy to mix up some more. The mayonnaise sauce is really tasty and goes well instead of sour cream on potatoes. I keep some on hand in the refrigerator. I usually only start with about 1/2 cup of the sauce for basting. We usually have some grilled potato wedges (quartered length-wise, oiled, seasoned with salt and pepper; grill, covered 9-12 minutes; turn twice).


Blackened Chicken

This spicy standout from Stephanie Kenney packs a one-two punch of flavor. The grilled chicken is basted with a peppery white sauce. "Plus there's plenty of extra sauce left over for dipping," writes the Falkville, Alabama reader.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon paprika
  
• 4 teaspoons sugar, divided
  
• 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
  
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  
• 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
  
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  
• 1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons pepper, divided
  
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
  
• 1-1/3 cups mayonnaise
  
• 2 tablespoons water
  
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  
  DIRECTIONS
  
  In a small bowl, combine paprika, I teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic powder, thyme, lemon-pepper, cayenne and 1/2 to 1 teaspoon pepper; sprinkle over both sides of chicken. Set aside. In another bowl, combine mayonnaise, water, vinegar and remaining sugar, salt and pepper; cover and chill 1 cup for serving. Save remaining sauce for basting. Grill chicken, covered, over indirect medium heat for 4-6 minutes on each side or until juices run clear, basting frequently with remaining sauce. Serve with reserved sauce. Yield: 4 servings.
  
  

Foolproof Barbecued Chicken

Last Sunday we made one of our summer favorites, Foolproof Barbecued Chicken from Steven Raichlen's BBQ USA. We pretty much follow the recipe, but we use cut up chicken instead of cutting down the bird ourselves and we use Sweet Baby Ray's regular sauce instead of the optional Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce. This chicken is far better than any roadside cooker you'll find.

Foolproof Barbecued Chicken

Method:
Indirect grilling

Advance Preparation:
1 to 2 hrs for curing the chicken

For the Chicken and Rub:
3 - 4 lbs. cut up chicken
1 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. celery seed

For the Mop Sauce:
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. rub reserved from above

2 cups prepared barbecue sauce

You'll also need:
2 cups wood chips or chunks (preferable hickory), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained

1. Blot dry the chicken pieces with paper towels.
2. Make the rub: Combine the salt, paprika, brown sugar, pepper, onion and garlic powders, and celery seed in a small bowl and stir to mix. Set aside 1 tbsp. of the rub for the mop sauce. Sprinkle the remaining rub over the chicken on both sides, patting ti into the meat with your fingertips. Let the chicken cure in the refrigerator, covered, for 1 to 2 hours.
3. Make the mop sauce: Combine the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and remaining 1 tbsp. of rub with 1/2 cup water in a nonreactive mixing bowl and stir until the salt and brown sugar dissolve.
4. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. (Gas grill)Place the wood chips or chunks in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium.
5. When ready to cook, place the chicken halves in the center of the hot grate, skin side up, away from the heat. Cover and grill until cooked through, 40 to 60 minutes. The dark meat should read 180 degrees. After the first 20 minutes of grilling, baste the chicken with the mop sauce every 10 minutes while it cooks. Be sure to baste both sides of the chicken.
6. During the last 3 minutes brush the chicken with 1/2 cup of barbecue sauce. Move the chicken pieces directly over the fire to sizzle and brown the sauce on both sides.
7. Transfer the chicken to a platter and let rest 3 minutes. Serve with remaining sauce.
   

Chicken Salad and Chicken Mole Enchiladas

Saturday we tried the Chicken Mole Enchiladas from Kirsten's Home Cooking Adventures. They were pretty good. I think they might need a bit of salt but otherwise a good recipe. I think we could have used 2 cups of chicken and made closer to 12 enchiladas. I got 9 out of it and they were well filled. There was plenty of sauce for more enchiladas.

I had some extra chicken left over from the enchiladas so I decided to make some chicken salad for lunch the next day. I didn't actually measure anything for the chicken salad, but this should be about what I did:

Chicken Salad

1 cup cooked chicken
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayo
1 1/2 tsp. mustard
1 stalk celery, diced
salt & pepper to taste

Mix together and serve on bread of your choice. If it's too dry, add some more mayo.

We sometimes add a chopped hard boiled egg too.

General Tso's Chicken

The first Chinese dish I actually had that I liked was General Tso's Chicken. When we were first married, we used to get some from a now closed place in Muncie, Ind. We found a recipe online probably 10 years ago and tweaked it until it suited our liking. Then Cook's Illustrated put out the recipe for Orange-Flavored Chicken (see prior post) and we used that procedure and modified the sauce/marinade to make General Tso's Chicken.

General Tso's Chicken
Serves 4

Marinade and Sauce
1 1/2	pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs , trimmed and cut in 1-inch pieces
3/4	cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4	cup pineapple juice
6	tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1/4 1/4	cup soy sauce chili sauce, from the Asian foods isle, not the ketchup isle
1/2	cup packed dark brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
3	medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1	piece fresh ginger (about 1 inch), grated (1 tablespoon)
1/2	teaspoon cayenne pepper
1	tablespoon cornstarch , plus 2 teaspoons
2	tablespoons water (cold)
8	small whole dried red chiles (optional)
Coating and Frying Medium
3	large egg whites
1 1/2	cup cornstarch
1/4	teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2	teaspoon baking soda
3 1	cups peanut oil bunch broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces, steamed

1. FOR THE MARINADE AND SAUCE: Place chicken in 1-gallon zipper-lock bag; set aside. Combine chicken broth, pineapple juice, vinegar, soy sauce, chili sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, and cayenne in large saucepan (with at least 3-quart capacity); whisk until sugar is fully dissolved. Measure out 3/4 cup mixture and pour into bag with chicken; press out as much air as possible and seal bag, making sure that all pieces are coated with marinade. Refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes, but no longer.

2. Bring remaining mixture in saucepan to boil over high heat. In small bowl, stir together cornstarch and cold water; whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in chiles (sauce should measure 1 1/2 cups); set sauce aside.

3. FOR THE COATING: Place egg whites in pie plate; using fork, beat until frothy. In second pie plate, whisk cornstarch, cayenne, and baking soda until combined. Drain chicken in colander or large mesh strainer; thoroughly pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place half of chicken pieces in egg whites and turn to coat; transfer pieces to cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly. Place dredged chicken pieces on wire rack set over baking sheet; repeat with remaining chicken.

4. TO FRY THE CHICKEN: Heat oil in 11- to 12-inch Dutch oven or straight-sided sauté pan with at least 3-quart capacity over high heat until oil registers 350 degrees on instant-read or deep-fry thermometer. Carefully place half of chicken in oil one piece at a time; fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning each piece with tongs halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to large plate lined with paper towels. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken.

5. TO SERVE: Reheat sauce over medium heat until simmering, about 2 minutes. Add chicken and gently toss until evenly coated and heated through. Add steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.

Orange-Flavored Chicken

So the other night we made Orange-Flavored Chicken. This recipe was taken from Cook's Illustrated (May 2005). We made slight modifications in cutting the chicken smaller and increasing the cornstarch for coating the chicken and adding steamed broccoli at the end. (I like to steam the broccoli in the microwave with a couple tablespoons of water. Cook on high for 4 minutes.) This is a fussy recipe, but it's well worth the effort. To save some time, I cut up the chicken when I get it home from the store before freezing. Then when I want to make this dish (or General Tso's Chicken) I just pull out a bag the night before to thaw. It doesn't seem like much, but with all that is going on it helps a lot. I like to serve this with Not-Fried Rice. It has veggies like fried rice, but it's not fried.



Orange-Flavored Chicken
Serves 4

Marinade and Sauce
1 1/2	pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs , trimmed and cut in 1-inch pieces
3/4	cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4	cup orange juice , plus 1 1/2 teaspoons grated zest, and 8 strips orange peel (each about 2 inches long by 1/2 inch wide) from 2 oranges
6	tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1/4	cup soy sauce
1/2	cup packed dark brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces)
3	medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1	piece fresh ginger (about 1 inch), grated (1 tablespoon)
1/4	teaspoon cayenne pepper
1	tablespoon cornstarch , plus 2 teaspoons
2	tablespoons water (cold)
8	small whole dried red chiles (optional)
Coating and Frying Medium
3	large egg whites
1 1/2	cup cornstarch
1/4	teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2	teaspoon baking soda
3 1	cups peanut oil bunch broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces, steamed

1. FOR THE MARINADE AND SAUCE: Place chicken in 1-gallon zipper-lock bag; set aside. Combine chicken broth, orange juice, grated zest, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, and cayenne in large saucepan (with at least 3-quart capacity); whisk until sugar is fully dissolved. Measure out 3/4 cup mixture and pour into bag with chicken; press out as much air as possible and seal bag, making sure that all pieces are coated with marinade. Refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes, but no longer.

2. Bring remaining mixture in saucepan to boil over high heat. In small bowl, stir together cornstarch and cold water; whisk cornstarch mixture into sauce. Simmer sauce, stirring occasionally, until thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in orange peel and chiles (sauce should measure 1 1/2 cups); set sauce aside.

3. FOR THE COATING: Place egg whites in pie plate; using fork, beat until frothy. In second pie plate, whisk cornstarch, cayenne, and baking soda until combined. Drain chicken in colander or large mesh strainer; thoroughly pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place half of chicken pieces in egg whites and turn to coat; transfer pieces to cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly. Place dredged chicken pieces on wire rack set over baking sheet; repeat with remaining chicken.

4. TO FRY THE CHICKEN: Heat oil in 11- to 12-inch Dutch oven or straight-sided sauté pan with at least 3-quart capacity over high heat until oil registers 350 degrees on instant-read or deep-fry thermometer. Carefully place half of chicken in oil one piece at a time; fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning each piece with tongs halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to large plate lined with paper towels. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken.

5. TO SERVE: Reheat sauce over medium heat until simmering, about 2 minutes. Add chicken and gently toss until evenly coated and heated through. Add steamed broccoli. Serve immediately.