Appetizers · Poultry · Salad

Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

Recipe from blog “Just a taste”
I love Caesar salad and I love pasta, so what’s not to like about this?

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Serves 8-10

FOR THE DRESSING:
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup good quality mayonnaise
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 tsp anchovy paste
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

FOR THE PASTA SALAD:
8 oz. uncooked pasta, such as rotini or penne
2 hearts of Romaine
Shredded rotisserie chicken or chopped cooked chicken breasts or thighs
Croutons (optional)
Parmesan cheese, for serving

MAKE THE DRESSING:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire, mayonnaise, minced garlic and anchovy paste until well combined. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese and 1/4 teaspoon pepper then set the dressing aside while you make the salad.

MAKE THE PASTA SALAD:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large serving bowl.

Cut the Romaine hearts into 1-inch pieces then add them and your protein of choice to the bowl with the pasta.

Add the prepared dressing and toss to combine. Add the croutons (optional) and garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Poultry

Easy ginger-lime chicken

Though this may look like regular old chicken, don’t be fooled: It’s buzzing with the bright flavors of ginger and lime. Mayonnaise is the secret ingredient in this recipe, which is a trick J. Kenji López-Alt has written about. When slathered on boneless chicken and cooked, the beloved condiment carries flavor, sticks to the meat well, encourages browning and prevents the pieces of lime zest and ginger — or whatever seasonings you choose — from burning. Try this technique first with ginger and lime zest, then experiment with grated garlic, jalapeño, lemon, Parmesan and whatever else you can imagine. Serve with a pile of white rice and a fresh green salad topped with thinly sliced avocado.

Recipe from the New York Times Food section

1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

Kosher salt and black pepper

 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lime zest (from about 2 limes), plus lime wedges, for serving

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger (from a 3-inch piece of peeled ginger)

Pat the chicken dry and season all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, lime zest and ginger; season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the mayonnaise mixture and stir to coat. (The chicken can sit in the marinade for up to 8 hours in the fridge. Let come to room temperature before cooking.)

To grill: Heat a grill to medium-high. Grill the chicken over direct heat until cooked through and juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side for thighs and about 4 minutes per side for breasts, turning as necessary to avoid burning.

To cook in a skillet: Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Cook the chicken until juices run clear, about 5 minutes per side for thighs and about 4 minutes per side for breasts.

Serve chicken with lime wedges, for squeezing on top.

Asian flavors · Poultry

Easy chicken teriyaki

An easy and very tasty dish from Nigella Lawson

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Serves: 4

2 x 15ml tablespoons(1 fl oz) sake (Japanese rice wine)
¼ cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp soft light brown sugar
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
splash of Asian sesame oil
1¾ lbs chicken thigh fillets (no skin or bones), preferably organic, cut or scissored into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp peanut oil
2½ cups sushi rice (cooked according to packet instructions)

Mix the sake, mirin, soy sauce, sugar, ginger and asian sesame oil in a dish that you can steep the chicken in: I use a 23cm/8-in square Pyrex, but anything similar would do.

Add the prepared chicken pieces and leave for 15 minutes.

Heat the peanut oil in a large, shallow frying pan or casserole (that has a lid) and, using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken pieces from their dark marinating liquid to the pan and saute until they look cooked on the outside.

Pour the marinade over the chicken pieces in the pan and bring to a bubble, then turn down the heat to a gentle simmer, put the lid on and cook for about 5 minutes – cut into a piece of chicken to make sure it’s cooked through.
Remove the cooked pieces with a slotted spoon (you could keep them warm in a bowl covered in foil) and turn the heat up under the pan to let the liquid boil down to a thick, dark syrup.

Return the chicken pieces to the pan, stir well so that they are all coated in the sticky, savory syrup, then serve with a comforting pile of sushi rice and perhaps some steamed pak choi or greens of your choice.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Poultry

Easy one-pot chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

This is a great one-pot recipe and the garlic gets so soft, sweet and squishy, you can spread it over the chicken

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SERVES 6

6 whole chicken legs
2 tsp kosher salt
40 cloves garlic (you’ll need about 3 bulbs), peeled
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly ground nutmeg
4 sprigs Italian parsley
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1/3 cup (homemade or low sodium) chicken stock
Crusty bread or toast for serving

Heat the oven to 375F.
Season the chicken legs all over with the salt.
Arrange them, skin side up, in a single layer in an ovenproof baking dish with a tight-fitting lid.
Scatter the garlic and celery into the gaps between the chicken pieces, and then drizzle everything with the olive oil.
Grind some black pepper and a bit of nutmeg over the chicken and vegetables and arrange the parsley on top.
Pour in the vermouth and the chicken stock.
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and put on the lid.
Bake the chicken for an hour to an hour and 15 minutes, without removing the lid until the hour mark. When the chicken is really tender, and the garlic is soft enough to spread, remove the dish from the oven.
Serve the chicken in shallow bowls with plenty of the fragrant sauce; spread the softened garlic on the bread and then dunk it into the sauce as you eat your chicken.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry

Moroccan-Spiced Chicken with Dates, eggplant and pistachios

A fabulous recipe from the wonderful Diana Henry.
You just chuck everything into one pan and put in the oven! How easy is that?
No browning the chicken either

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Serves: 4-6

8oz (225g) basmati rice
1 large onion (roughly chopped)
1 eggplant (cut into cubes)
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
1 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp ground cumin
4 tsp harissa paste
finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
8 chicken thighs with skin on and bone in
12 Medjool dates (pitted and sliced)
20 fl oz (600 mls) boiling chicken stock
sea salt flakes
black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
1 oz (15g) chopped toasted pistachios

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.

Put the rice into a sieve and wash it in running water until the water runs clear. Tip it into an ovenproof dish which will hold the chicken in a single layer (I use a heavy-based shallow casserole,12in in diameter).
Add everything else, except the oil and pistachio nuts, and toss around to mix, leaving the chicken pieces skin side up and sprinkling them with salt.
Drizzle on the oil. Cook in the oven, uncovered, for 40-60 minutes.
The top should be golden and the chicken cooked through. Sprinkle on the pistachio nuts and serve with a green salad.

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry

Malaysian coconut chicken curry

Recipe c/o Yotam Ottolenghi

“My mum’s favorite cookbook was Myra Waldo’s The Complete Round-The-World Cookbook from 1954. It would take her to all corners of the globe, and we were her guinea pigs. This sweet, coconutty dish became her favorite, and ours, too. It’s not one bit authentic, but it is addictive.
Serve with plain or sticky rice.

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Prep 30 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 4

4oz (100g) fresh coconut, finely grated
2oz (50g) piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
6 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
3/4oz (20g) fresh turmeric, peeled and roughly chopped (or ½ tsp ground turmeric)
1 red chili, roughly chopped, seeds, pith and all
2 tsp ground star anise
1 tbsp coriander seeds, roughly crushed in a mortar
2½ tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped (150g net weight)
1kg boneless and skinless chicken thighs, each cut into 4 pieces
Salt and black pepper
1-2 limes – zest grated, to get 1 tbsp, and juiced, to get 1 tbsp
2½ tbsp plum (or apricot) jam
4.5 fl oz (130ml) full-fat coconut milk, plus 1 tbsp extra to serve
2 tbsp coriander leaves, picked

Put a large saute pan for which you have a lid on a medium heat and, once hot, dry-fry the grated coconut, stirring often, for about 20 minutes, or until golden. Tip into a bowl, and set aside one tablespoon to garnish.

Meanwhile, put the ginger, garlic, turmeric, chili, star anise, coriander seeds and three tablespoons of water in the small bowl of a food processor and blitz to a coarse paste, scraping down the sides a few times as you go.

Heat the oil in the same saute pan on a medium-high flame and, once hot, fry the onion, stirring now and then, until softened and lightly browned – about seven minutes. Add the spice paste and cook for another two minutes, until fragrant. Add the chicken, a teaspoon and a quarter of salt and a good grind of pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink on the outside – another seven minutes or so – then stir in the lime zest, jam, coconut milk, 120ml water and the toasted coconut. Bring the mix up to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and leave to cook for 40 minutes. Remove the lid, turn up the heat to medium and cook, stirring now and then, for seven minutes more, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce is thick and rich. Stir in the lime juice.

Transfer to a shallow serving platter and drizzle with the extra coconut milk. Sprinkle with the reserved toasted coconut and the coriander leaves, and serve warm.

Poultry

Braised creamy tarragon chicken

Another beauty from “Delicious” Magazine

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Serves 8
2 tbsp olive oil
12 free-range skinless, boneless chicken thighs, halved
8 oz smoked bacon lardons
11 oz baby shallots, peeled and trimmed
3 celery sticks, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 oz plain flour
7 oz dry white wine
1 lb baby potatoes, halved if large
3.5 cups chicken stock
2 tbsp dijon mustard
3 tbsp crème fraîche
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon

* You will need a cast iron (flameproof) braiser or casserole dish

Heat the oven to 350F/180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in the cast iron braiser/casserole dish over a medium heat.
Add the chicken and brown for 5 minutes on each side until golden all over. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Add the lardons to the pan and fry until crisp. Transfer with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the chicken.

Add the shallots, celery and garlic to the pan, fry for a few minutes, then stir in the flour with plenty of salt and pepper. Stir in the wine until the sauce is smooth, then add the potatoes, stock and mustard. Stir well and return the chicken, bacon and any resting juices to the pan.
Cover with the lid and transfer to the oven for 45 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove the lid and return to the oven for 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven, then stir in the crème fraîche and most of the tarragon. Adjust the seasoning and serve sprinkled with the remaining tarragon and cracked black pepper.

Poultry

Roast chicken thighs with pomegranate molasses

A lovely and easy recipe from “Delicious” magazine

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Serves 4 – 6

8 organic, skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
4 fat garlic cloves, crushed
3 tbsp pomegranate molasses, plus extra to drizzle (optional)
1 lemon, sliced
2 small red onions, sliced
2 tsp Mediterranean-type seasoning
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Large handful each fresh flat-leaf parsley, mint and coriander, chopped
3oz (80g) pomegranate seeds

Put the chicken, garlic, pomegranate molasses, lemon, onions, Mediterranean seasoning and oil in a mixing bowl with 1½ tsp fine salt and some freshly ground black pepper.
Set aside, covered, to marinate for 2 hours (or longer, in the fridge, if you have the time – see ** below.
Heat the oven to 400F/200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
Transfer the chicken and its marinade to a shallow roasting tin, then roast for 40-45 minutes, until the chicken has turned sticky and caramelized.
Combine the herbs and pomegranate seeds in a bowl. Drizzle the chicken with a little more pomegranate molasses (optional), then scatter with the herbs and pomegranate seeds.

**Marinating the chicken for least 2 hours will help keep it moist and tender, as well as maximizing flavor.

Chocolate · Poultry

Spicy chocolate milk-braised chicken

Your inner-child is screaming “YASSSS”!!

Recipe is from the website Food 52

1. Chicken poached in milk is absolutely wonderful, as evidenced by chicken potpie or any creamy chicken dish for that matter.
2. Chicken in a sweet sauce is totally a thing. See American Chinese food classics, like sweet-and-sour chicken, General Tso’s chicken, and orange chicken.
3. Chicken, chili and chocolate have a long and beautiful history in the form of mole, from the state of Puebla, Mexico.

So accept that this chicken may just be one of the most interesting things. After poaching the chicken (and I promise the milk will not curdle, and the chocolate will help keep it emulsified and beautiful. Pull the meat out of the liquid and put it over quinoa with some sautéed zucchini for a solid weeknight meal. Or stuff it in corn tortillas with a spoonful of the braising liquid and Greek yogurt.

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Serves 4
1 cup (240ml) full-fat chocolate milk
2 tbsp chili powder (I prefer the one made from ancho chiles)
2 jalapeños, stemmed and split lengthwise
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 1 1 ⁄ 2 pounds (680g)
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 zucchini, sliced into 1 ⁄ 2-inch-thick (1.3cm-thick) rounds
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups Cooked quinoa, for serving

In a saucepan, combine the chocolate milk, chili powder, jalapeños, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and the chicken thighs. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is very tender.
While the chicken is cooking, add the oil to a large sauté pan over high heat. When the oil just starts to smoke, add the zucchini and the remaining 1⁄2 teaspoon salt, and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini is caramelized and soft, though not so soft that it’s turning to mush. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until the garlic starts to caramelize a little.
Serve the chicken and zucchini over cooked quinoa.

Chocolate · Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Poultry

Sweet and smoky Mexican chicken

Chicken meets chocolate in this rich and distinctive dish by Ottolenghi

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Serves 6-8

2 medium red peppers
3 small cinnamon sticks, freshly ground (or, failing that, 1½ tbsp ground cinnamon)
4 chipotle chillies, soaked in boiling water for 30 minutes, drained, seeds and stalks removed
3 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2.5 tbsp white wine vinegar
2.5 tsp soft brown sugar
2.5 fl oz olive oil
Salt and black pepper
4 lbs (1.75kg) whole chicken legs (ie with both drumsticks and thighs), skin-on
1 oz (20g) dark chocolate, finely grated
1.5 lbs (650g) baby maris peer potatoes (or other roasting potato), peeled and halved
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into 2cm x 6cm wedges
2 medium red onions, peeled and quartered
1.5oz (10g) cilantro leaves, roughly chopped

Heat the oven to 200C/390F/gas mark 6.
Put the peppers on a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, until the skin has blackened.
Transfer to a small bowl, cover with cling-film and set aside. Once cool enough to handle, peel the peppers, and discard the skins, seeds and stalks.
Put the pepper flesh in the small bowl of a food processor, and add the cinnamon, chili, garlic, vinegar, sugar, three tablespoons of the oil, a teaspoon and half of salt and three tablespoons of water.
Blitz for a minute, until smooth, then transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken legs and chocolate, and mix to coat.
Put both types of potato in a separate large bowl with the onions, the remaining oil, half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper.
Mix well, combine with the chicken, then tip everything on to a large 12″ (30cm) x 16″ (40cm) baking tray.
Arrange the chicken skin-side up and roast for about 50 minutes, until the chicken and vegetables are cook