Chicken Posolé Soup

With the arrival of fall and the cooler temperatures - I’ve definitely been in a soup kind of mood.  So, one day I came up with the idea to use Green Enchilada Sauce as the base for a chicken soup – and I wanted it to be on the hearty side – so in went a couple of cans of golden hominy.  This soup comes together very quickly but tastes like it was cooked for hours.  It’s slightly spicy, although you could make it spicier if you prefer, really tasty and will warm your belly!

 

Ingredients:

 

5 or 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1” pieces

1 white onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz. can diced green chilies, liquid included

28 oz. can green enchilada sauce (I like Las Palmas brand)

2 cups chicken stock

2 Tbls. dried oregano

1 ½ Tbls. ground cumin

2 – 15 oz. cans golden hominy – rinsed and drained

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

Serve with your choice of garnishes.  Jack Cheese, Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, Green Onions, Cilantro and/or Crushed Tortilla Chips.  Basically, anything you’d like.

 

Directions:

 

Drizzle olive oil directly into the soup pot you will be using.  Fry chicken in batches, approximately 5 – 6 minutes per batch, in order to not over crowd the pan.  You want the chicken to brown slightly.  Season with salt and pepper as you’re cooking.  Remove chicken to a plate and cook the next batch, until all of the chicken is done and on the plate.

Add the onions and garlic into the pan.  Cook, until the onions start to become translucent, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.  This is what adds a depth of flavor to the soup

Add the green enchilada sauce, chicken broth, green chilies, oregano and cumin.  Cook until it begins to bubble. 

Add the hominy and chicken and simmer for at least 30 minutes.  You can cook longer, if you’d like.  However, be careful you don’t overcook the chicken. 

Serve in bowls with garnish of your choice.  I recommend putting a chunk of cream cheese in the bowl and ladling the hot soup on top of it.  Stir until the cream cheese melts.  Makes the soup very creamy! Then put your garnishes on top.  

Click here for printable recipe.

Chicken with Lemon Caper Sauce and Pasta

This is very close to Chicken Piccata; however, it’s not breaded and fried. That said, it’s full of lemony goodness and so much delicious flavor. I decided to serve with rotini pasta, but you could use spaghetti or linguini if you prefer. 

Ingredients: 

¼ cup flour 

¼ tsp. black pepper 

¼ tsp. garlic salt 

2 large chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise to make them thinner 

1 Tbls. Olive Oil 

1 Tbls. Butter 

8 ounce of pasta, cooked until done. Reserve some of the cooking liquid. (Rather than draining my pasta, I typically remove it from the boiling water using a stainless steel spider/strainer – and add the pasta directly to the sauce. The pasta water retains some of the starch and helps to thicken your sauce.) 

1 ½ cup chicken broth 

¼ cup dry white wine 

3 Tbls. Fresh lemon juice 

Clove of garlic, minced 

Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes 

2 Tbls. Capers, drained 

Additional 1 Tbls. Butter 

Parmesan Cheese and Fresh Parsley for garnish 

Directions:

Begin boiling your water for the pasta. 

Butterfly and cut the chicken breasts in half for four servings. 

Mix the flour, pepper and garlic salt in a dish/bowl for dredging the chicken. 

Heat a skillet over medium flame, add the olive oil and butter. 

Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. Reserve the flour, as you will use a bit of it when making the sauce. 

Add the chicken to the skillet after the butter has melted. 

Cook the chicken on one side for 5 minutes. 

Add the pasta to the boiling water when you flip the chicken and cook chicken for an additional 5 minutes. 

Remove chicken from skillet and reserve on a plate, keeping it warm. 

Add the additional tablespoon of butter to the skillet, along with 1 tablespoon of the reserved flour mixture. 

Cook the butter and flour mixture for a minute or two, making a roux. 

Check your pasta, it is likely just about done. 

Add the lemon juice and wine to the skillet, scraping up any cooked bits from the skillet. 

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. 

Slowly add the chicken broth to the skillet. Stir until the mixture begins to thicken. 

Add the capers at the last minute, heat through and turn off the flame. 

Remove approximately a ½ cup of the sauce to use as a topping for the chicken. 

Add the pasta directly to the remaining sauce in the skillet, cook until all liquid is absorbed. You can add a bit more wine and lemon juice if necessary – along with salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve the chicken on top of the pasta. Spoon some of the reserved sauce on top of each chicken breast. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

Click here for printable recipe.

Moroccan Chicken Kebabs with Mint Yogurt Sauce

At my son’s work they have a food calendar that indicates different food holidays.  Who knew that July 9^th was kebab day!!??  (Or that the 24^th is Tequila day!!)  So, he asked if we could make kebabs yesterday.  I said SURE!  It’s not something that we normally have – so I thought this would be a delicious experiment and great idea for the blog.  I took bits of several recipes that I found online.  These turned out better than I expected.  So much flavor!  The combination of the sweet red onions and tomatoes with the delicious basmati rice, hummus and yogurt sauce was fantastic.  

Ingredients:

2 lbs. of chicken thighs, boneless/skinless and cut into approximately 2” pieces for threading onto skewers

1 red onion, cut into wedges (again think of sizes appropriate for the skewers)

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes

8 ounces plain Greek yogurt

3 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced

2 tablespoons Moroccan spice mix (recipe follows)

2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley leaves, chopped

1 lemon, juiced

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the yogurt, garlic, spice mix, mint, parsley, lemon juice and salt and pepper.  Mix well.

Add the chicken chunks and stir well to combine.  Place in refrigerator for at least an hour, and up to four.

Remove the chicken from the fridge, thread onto skewers alternating with the pieces of onion. Fire up your grill – or heat a grill pan on the stove.

I was concerned that the tomatoes would over cook on the grill if I added them to the skewers. So, once all the chicken was out of the bowl I added the tomatoes and tossed them around to cover with the yogurt spice mixture.  Then, I added them to a skillet and cooked them on the stove top until they started to blister. Turned them off and let them sit until the kebabs were ready to serve.

Cook the kebabs on the grill until done, turning occasionally to avoid burning.  Our grill was at about 400 degrees, so it only took about 15 minutes. 

Take the meat and onion off the skewers.  Serve with basmati rice, hummus and mint Greek yogurt sauce - recipe follows.

Moroccan Spice Recipe (makes about ¼ cup)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground allspice

2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp ground cardamom

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp turmeric

½ tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp ground cloves

Mix all the spices together.  Place into a container. 

Mint Greek Yogurt Sauce

This is a great accompaniment to Mediterranean or Moroccan inspired meats and meals.  I’m serving it with the chicken kebabs.  But, it would also be great with lamb or beef, gyros or as a dipping sauce for pitas.

Ingredients:

1 cup full fat plain Greek yogurt

½ cup finely chopped mint leaves

1 clove garlic, grated (I use the micro plane to grate my garlic – opposed to mincing it.  I also use the micro plane to zest the lemon)

Zest of one lemon

1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl.  Mix well.  Taste and season accordingly.  But, don’t get over zealous.  The flavors will develop as the sauce sets.

Cover and leave at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.  Mix again and taste again for seasoning.

Place the sauce in the fridge until ready to use.  The longer it sits – the more the flavors will develop.  I make this about five hours before I’m ready to use it. 

Click HERE for printable recipe.

Sunshine Chicken with Rice

I found this recipe on the Cooking Professionally website.  I’ve adjusted it slightly by adding ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes and lime juice to it.  Also, I fry the chicken breasts first, then add the rice and remaining ingredients to the pan.  I feel like this gives me more control over the doneness of the chicken – and gives plenty of time for the rice to cook thoroughly.  Additionally, by frying the chicken first it adds more depth to the flavor of the rice.  This dish is just the right combination of sweet and savory – with the perfect amount of tang!

 

Ingredients:

2-3 teaspoons curry powder

1 ¼ teaspoons salt, divided

¼ teaspoon pepper

6 (5-ounce) chicken breast halves, boneless and skinless

Drizzle of Olive Oil

1 ½ cups orange juice

¼ cup lime juice

1 cup long-grain rice

½ cup water

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground mustard

1 ½ tablespoons of minced ginger (I sometimes use the ginger that comes in a tube.  Timesaver for sure!)

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (optional)

fresh parsley, chopped, optional, for topping

Directions:

Combine the curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the pepper.

Rub the curry powder mixture over the chicken.

Drizzle the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat on the stove.

Fry the chicken breasts in the skillet for four minutes per side.

Remove the chicken breasts from the skillet and place on a plate.

Add the orange juice, lime juice, rice, water, brown sugar, mustard, ginger, garlic and the remaining salt to the skillet.

Stir and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to simmering and cover the skillet. Cook until the liquid is almost absorbed.  

Return the chicken pieces to the skillet.  Turn off the heat and let stand, covered, until all of the liquid is absorbed.  About 5 minutes.

Serve topped with parsley.

Click HERE for printable recipe.

Pizza Stromboli

 I found this recipe here: https://charisseyu.com/pepperoni-stromboli/#recipe

It’s easy to make and super delicious.  I’ve posted the recipe “as is”, but you can definitely mix things up by using different ingredients.  I’ve made it a few times and changed the fillings – all to equal raves. 

Ingredients:

1 ready-made pizza dough (I used a garlic herb dough from Trader Joe’s.  Loved it)

⅓ cup marinara

6 ounces salami

6 ounces pepperoni

½ cup shredded mozzarella

1 cup fresh greens spinach, chard, kale or greens mix

1 teaspoon olive oil

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon grated parmesan

Optional-Fresh herbs or cheese for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or non-stick spray.

Place the pizza crust on the baking sheet.  Roll it/spread it out into rectangle and spread a layer of marinara onto it.

Layer salami and pepperoni on top of the marinara base.

Next sprinkle mozzarella and your fresh greens.

Carefully roll up the dough horizontally placing the Stromboli seam down on the prepared baking sheet.

Brush the olive oil along the top and sprinkle with garlic powder and parmesan.

Bake for 20-22 minutes.

Let it rest for a few minutes.  Slice into individual pieces.

Serve with extra marinara sauce for dipping - and enjoy.

Click here for printable recipe.

Turmeric-Black Pepper Chicken with Asparagus

This recipe is from the New York Times and it is a keeper!  By using chicken thighs, opposed to breasts, the meat is very juicy. The turmeric and black pepper provide so much flavor and the honey adds just the right amount of sweetness. I served this over white rice and the family raved about it. I’ve made three times so far. It’s definitely going to be on the dinner table often. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons honey
¾ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon coconut or canola oil
12 ounces asparagus, trimmed and thinly sliced on an angle
1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar or soy sauce
1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)

Directions:

In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together 1/4 cup water with the honey, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt; set honey mixture aside.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the chicken and toss until coated.

In a medium (10-inch) nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook until the turmeric is fragrant and the chicken is golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Add the asparagus, season with salt, stir to combine and cook until crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the honey mixture and cook, stirring, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the vinegar, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with lime squeezed over top, if you like.

Click HERE for Printable Recipe