Dishfunctional Designs: chicken

Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts

Thursday, January 13, 2022

Make It At Home: Roots Bowls Copycat Recipe

When my daughter arrived home from college for Christmas break she raved to us about her new favorite food that she had found while at college - Roots Bowls.

Famous from the Roots restaurant chain, these filling bowls are full of fresh, healthy ingredients and an amazing mix of bright flavors. Unfortunately there are no Roots restaurants anywhere near our home, but she was determined that we recreate her favorite Roots bowl at home...and we did!

Although it may seem that there are a lot of different ingredients needed to create this bowl, you probably already have many of them at home, and everything actually comes together pretty quickly. Plus, if you make a lot, you get a few meals out of them. I encourage you to try out this recipe, you won't be disappointed! Here are the directions...

You will need:

Fresh kale
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 1/2 cups raw)

Brown rice
2 fresh avocados

16oz bag frozen corn

15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

Olive oil

Red onion, chopped

White vinegar
Pita chips

Feta cheese, crumbled

Lime juice
Chipotle Tabasco sauce

Cilantro lime dressing or marinade
Spices: coriander powder, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, cumin seeds, salt, pepper

Wash and chop 3-4 cups of fresh kale and place into a bowl. I chop mine so the pieces are on the smaller side. Drizzle the kale with 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil and massage the oil into the kale. Set aside.

Prepare 1.5 cups of uncooked dry brown rice according to package directions and then set aside. This should make 3 cups of cooked rice.

Pit, peel, and dice two fresh avocados, transfer into a bowl and set aside.

Prepare corn by charring in oven:

Pour a 16 ounce bag of frozen corn onto a large baking sheet with a lip. Drizzle the corn with a little bit of olive oil (about one tablespoon,) then sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread the corn on the baking sheet in an even layer and broil for a just a few minutes to lightly roast the corn. It should look just slightly brown in just a few areas. Remove from oven, allow to cool for a few minutes, and then transfer the corn into a bowl.

Open a can of black beans, rinse, drain, and put into a bowl.

Dice a small red onion, transfer to a bowl and then add about four tablespoons of vinegar. Put on a lid and shake to coat. Set aside. (good to do this a few hours before for the best effect.)

To prepare the chicken:

Prepare the spice rub by mixing these spices together in a small bowl (note: we use Indian spices but standard spices can work as well) These measurements are appropriate, you can use a bit more or less according to your tastes. We like it a bit on the spicy side:

1 T Coriander powder

1/2 T spicy chili powder

1 T Oregano

1 T Garlic powder

1 T Paprika

1T Cumin seeds

Dash each of salt & pepper

Cut 3 halves (about 2.5 cups uncooked) of boneless, skinless chicken breasts into 1" to 1.5" pieces and place into a large bowl.

Toss the mixed spice mixture with the raw chicken pieces until thoroughly coated.

Using a medium to large sized pan, add a drizzle of olive oil, heat to medium, add the chicken, and cook, stirring sparingly, until cooked through. You want to try to brown the chicken without it becoming too wet, so stir only occasionally so that the pieces get a chance to cook evenly, but allow to lightly char in areas. Total cooking time: about 6-8 minutes

Once chicken is cooked, assemble all ingredients in bowls as shown in photos.

Also assemble these items:

Cilantro lime marinade or dressing

Lime juice from a bottle or 1 to 2 limes, quartered

Pita chips, lightly crushed

Crumbled feta cheese

Chipotle flavor tabasco sauce

To assemble:

In the following order, add all of the ingredients into a large bowl with a lid, adjusting the amounts to your personal tastes. This makes one generous serving:

A handful of kale

A scoop of rice (about 1/3 cup)

A scoop of corn and black beans (about 1/4 cup of each)

A spoonful of red onion

A scoop of cooked, seasoned chicken

A few pieces of sliced avocado

A sprinkling of feta cheese

A small handful of lightly crushed pita chips

Drizzle the above with 1-2 teaspoons of lime juice
Add a shake or two of chipotle tabasco sauce

Dress with about 2-3 Tablespoons of cilantro lime dressing or marinade

Add the lid to the bowl and shake well until completely coated, then transfer to an individual serving bowl. That's it! Enjoy!

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Wednesday Comfort Food Recipe: Easy Chicken Paprikash

With my daughter coming home from college tomorrow for the first time since she went away in August, the homecooked meal requests started rolling in weeks ahead of time!

My (quick and easy) chicken paprikash was first on the list and figured while I cooked up a batch for her I might as well share the recipe here as well. This recipe is easy enough for a beginner and only calls for a few ingredients. Even better, you can prepare it a day ahead of time since it thickens overnight and tastes even better the next day!

You will need:

1 medium onion

1 1/2 Tablespoons butter

2 boneless chicken breasts (1 & 1/2 to 2 cups uncooked)

1 cup chicken stock or chicken broth

16oz container Sour Cream (you will use less)

2 heaping Tablespoons flour

1 Tablespoon cold water

1 Tablespoon Paprika

Fresh ground black pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Prepared rice, mashed potatoes or egg noodles for serving.

Directions:

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan and add the copped onion, cooking on low while you prep the chicken.

Use a serrated knife to butterfly slice your chicken breasts through the center creating two thin pieces. Do this with both chicken breasts.

Note: I buy my chicken in the large family packs, so when I am going to make a recipe I clean and prep the entire package of chicken at one time. Then I set aside what I need for the recipe and freeze whatever is left. I'll show you how I do that too.

After you cut one breast and separate the pieces, this is what it will look like.

If you like, you can cut the tendon or any fatty or cartilage out with kitchen scissors and discard

Here is what it looked like once I butterflied and cleaned the entire family-sized pack of chicken! I will set a few pieces aside (about 1 & 1/2 to 2 cups) for my paprikash and bag the rest for the freezer. Family packs save you a lot of money and are worth the little bit of work!

Note: I always use the smaller pieces to cut up for the recipe and freeze the nicer filets for a later recipe when I want larger pieces such as for chicken Parmesan or Marsala.

Use your kitchen scissors (or knife) to cut the chicken into one to two-inch sized pieces and add to the onion and butter mixture.

Here is what I did with the rest of the cleaned chicken: I put it in one flat layer in freezer bags, sealed, and then put into another bag and then into my freezer for use at a later date.

Cook the chicken & onion on medium heat until cooked though, stirring occasionally. If a lot of moisture comes out of your chicken you can pour some away if you like. I do this.
Next add 1 cup of chicken broth to the chicken.

Put a little bit more than 3/4 of your sour cream into a bowl and then add the 2 Tablespoons of four. Add one Tablespoon of water and mix well with a whisk until all lumps are gone and the flour is completely combined with the sour cream. Then pour the sour cream mixture into the pot with your chicken and stir to combine.

Next add one Tablespoon of paprika and mix well.

I usually throw an extra pinch of two of paprika in because I like to really taste the paprika, but be careful to not add too much or it will taste bitter. Add the salt and black pepper and stir to combine.

Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or egg noodles. Serve with steamed broccoli or peas. Refrigerate leftover for up to three days. That's it! Enjoy!

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Laura

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Article copyright Laura Beth Love 2021 and may not be republished in print or other media without express written permission from the author. For any link updates or corrections leave correct info in comment area.

Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Enchiladas Suizas Recipe

Hands down, Enchiladas Suizas is one of my all time favorite recipes. Creamy, cheesy, and mouth-wateringly delicious, this recipe combines tender shredded chicken with mild cheeses and green chiles for an enchilada that will quickly become a family favorite.

In a pinch you can switch out the cooked chicken for a precooked rotisserie chicken, but be sure to use corn tortillas and not flour, and don't skip frying the tortillas!

This recipe is easy to make and when I make them, I make a lot, since they disappear quickly, so I use a large casserole dish.

Ingredients:

To cook the chicken you will need:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1 Tablespoons butter or olive oil

To make the salsa verde sauce you will need:

1 medium onion, chopped

2 Tablespoons butter

3 Tablespoons flour

4 cloves garlic, pressed/minced

32 ounce chicken stock, homemade or store bought

8 ounces canned green chiles

1 & 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 dash cayenne pepper

To fry the tortillas you will need:

Canola oil

15 white corn tortillas (about 6" diameter)

To complete the recipe you will need:

1 & 1/2 cups Shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 cup shredded Mild White Cheddar Cheese

1 cup heavy cream

4 green onions, chopped

Optional: 1 thinly sliced jalapeno pepper

Directions:

If using large, thick chicken breasts, cut them into smaller pieces before cooking to shorten cooking time and for ease of shredding later.

Cook the chicken breasts in 2 T of olive oil or butter in a large pan on medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes until they begin to turn white. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and then turn chicken over to cook other side. Cover and allow the chicken to cook on medium low heat for another 8 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Then turn the stove down to low heat, and allow chicken to cook in its juices with the lid on while you prepare the salsa verde sauce. This additional time cooking will allow your chicken to become nice and tender.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat melt the 2 Tablespoons of butter and then add the chopped onion, stirring to coat. Put the lid on the pan and turn to medium low, stirring occasionally, cooking until onion is soft.

Add the minced garlic and stir to combine, cooking for another two minutes to allow the garlic to slightly soften.

Add the 3 Tablespoons of flour and mix to combine.

Slowly add the chicken broth about one cup at a time, whisking to combine. Once all chicken broth has been incorporated, next add the (undrained) green chiles. Add the salt and cumin and allow to simmer and thicken for 10 to 15 minutes while you shred the chicken.

Use to forks to shred the chicken, or do as I do and place chicken pieces in upright mixer and very briefly mix for a few moments until shredded.

Shred the cheeses, toss together to combine, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit

Spray a large casserole dish with cooking spray and put a ladle of sauce (about 1/2 cup) at the bottom of the casserole and spread it around. Set aside while you fry the tortillas.

Assemble a frying station for frying the tortillas:

Have a plate with many paper towels ready for when you take the tortillas out of the hot oil. You will place a paper towel in between each fried tortilla to help absorb excess oil.

Heat 2-3 Tablespoons canola oil in a heavy, medium-sized frypan. Once oil is shimmery and hot, add one tortilla at a time and fry for 10 to 20 seconds per side, until tortilla just begins to become slightly golden in spots. Then remove tortilla from pan and place on plate on paper towel. Repeat with each tortilla. Do not overcook the tortillas.

Assemble a station for filling and rolling the enchiladas: Put a ladle or two of sauce into a one-cup liquid measuring cup with a tablespoon and have the chicken, cheeses, tortillas, and a plate ready to work on.

Set one cup of the cheeses aside to use as a topping before baking.

Working one at a time, place a fried tortilla on the plate and add about 2 tablespoons of cheese, 2 heaping tablespoons of chicken, and one to two teaspoons of sauce in the center of the tortilla. Fold one side of the tortilla over the filling and then fold the other side over the filling and holding it closed, place the enchilada seam-side down in your casserole dish. Repeat with each tortilla until they are all filled. If you have any of the chicken left after filling all of the tortillas, just tuck it in around the enchiladas in the pan.

Pour the rest of the salsa verde sauce over the enchiladas.

Pour the heavy cream over the salsa verde.

Sprinkle remaining cheese over top of the enchiladas and then top with chopped green onions. Optional: For extra spice, add a thinly sliced jalapeno pepper on top of the green onions.

Bake uncovered in 350 oven for 35 minutes or until all of the cheese has melted and casserole begins bubble around edges. Remove from oven and serve with refried beans and fresh pico de gallo. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.