Category Archives: Chicken

Roasted Herbs de Provence Chicken

Roasted Herb de Provence Chicken
Roasted Herbs de Provence Chicken

I love roasting whole chickens. They are kind of like a blank palette. By just putting your favorite flavors together and following some basics, it becomes almost fool proof. I like to try new things all the time, but this is pretty much my basic standard roasted chicken. It’s herby and flavorful, but not overpoweringly so.

If you are not familiar with Herbs de Provence, you should give it a try. Herbs de Provence was first combined in the seventies. It was a mixture of herbs usually found in the Provence region of France. There is no standard recipe for Herbs de Provence. There are many variations as there are with curries. The mix can include any or none of the following: thyme, basil, savory, fennel, rosemary, oregano, marjoram or tarragon…and sometimes lavender. If you shop around and read ingredients, you’ll find no two bottles include the same variations. I always look for the ones that include lavender. Lavender may be the ingredient that drew me in the first time I ever opened a jar and smelled it. The funny thing is, the original mixture did not include the lavender. Lavender was added later to mixtures sold in the US. It appealed to our image of the fragrant fields of lavender in Provence. My personal favorite blend is this one from Williams-Sonoma.

Roasted Herbs de Provence Chicken

1 whole roaster chicken, 5 to 7 pounds, giblets removed, rinsed and dried well
1 T. olive oil
2 t. Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 t. onion, finely minced
1 t. Herbs de Provence
1/4 t. poultry seasoning (optional)
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Place the dried chicken in a large roasting pan.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Gently slide a spoon between the breast meat and the skin to separate the two. Do this on each side. Then using about 1 or 2 teaspoons per side, put some of the mixture under the breast skin and rub it around (this is totally optional). Use the remaining mixture to rub all over the rest of the bird. Also optional, you can tuck the wings under the bird so that the tips don’t burn and tie up the legs with some kitchen twine to cook more evenly (trust me…it’ll be just as wonderful if you skip that step)!

Put the chicken in the oven and reduce the temperature to 375 degrees. Cook about 20 minutes per pound. For a 6 to 6.5 pound chicken, roast for about 2 hours. To test doneness, I’m terrible about using a meat thermometer. I just grab the end of the leg, wiggle it a bit and if it wiggles…it’s done. That’s how technically savy I am!

When the chicken is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to sit for at least 15 to 20 minutes. Trust me…waiting even a bit longer is better. The chicken will be moist and it will be so much easier to carve.

 

Notes:

  • So, carving? I’m no expert, but I do think there is a really great way to carve the breast. I like to remove the whole breast by cutting down along the body, then slicing the whole breast in slices on the cutting board. It looks much nicer that way.
  • Use the pan drippings to make an awesome gravy and serve with mashed potatoes and your favorite veggies!
  • If you like your chicken with a crispy skin, this recipe will make you happy! Starting off with a dry chicken and that high heat of the oven will ensure crispiness!
  • The poultry seasoning is optional in this. I sometimes add it…or not. It adds a little more of an earthy-herby flavor.
  • Go ahead and toss some bay leaf, lemon peel or onion into the cavity if you like. It all adds a bit of flavor. Just don’t stuff it too much, that will change your cooking time.

 

 

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Roasted Balsamic Chicken with Artichoke

Roasted Balsamic Chicken with Artichoke served with Baby Potatoes and Arugula

This is one of those dinners that looks like you fussed, but…you didn’t. You probably already have a lot of these things in your cabinets and fridge. There is a lot of flavor in this dish, but they all compliment each other. I love the bits of sweetness from the currants and the sun dried tomatoes with the tartness from the vinegar. I serve this with the simple potato dish below because it doesn’t need anything more than that.

Roasted Balsamic Chicken with Artichoke

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 12 to 16 boneless, skinless thighs
1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
2 t. wholegrain mustard (Dijon is fine too)
1 t. honey
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/4 t. dried oregano
3 T. extra virgin olive oil
6 sun dried tomatoes, finely sliced
1/8 C. currants
1 8 oz can quartered artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
4 -5 fresh basil leaves, torn

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse the chicken breasts or thighs and dry them well.  Place them in a large baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients up to the currants.  Pour over the chicken pieces.  Using tongs, flip each piece over a few times to make sure they are coated well. Place in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.

Scatter the artichokes over the top of the chicken.  Continue to roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches about 160 degrees. Garnish with fresh basil.

Baby Potatoes with Arugula

1 lb. Trader Joe’s Teeny Tiny Potatoes (seriously, that’s what they are called!), or any small potato
2 T. olive oil
4 C. arugula
salt and pepper

Boil the potatoes in a medium pot over high heat for about 8 minutes or so. Check tenderness with a fork.

Once done, drain the potatoes into a sieve and allow to sit. In that same pot over medium high heat, add the olive oil and the arugula. Sauté until tender, just a couple of minutes, then add the potatoes back to the pot. Stir to coat with the oil, add salt and pepper, then serve.

Notes:

  • When using canned artichoke hearts, it’s important to rinse them a bit or your dish will be really salty.  You can use frozen artichoke hearts instead of canned.  Just remove them from the freezer, rinse under cold water and drain well in a sieve.
  • If you do not have shallots, you can use about 1 tablespoon of finely chopped onion and a small clove of garlic, minced.
Roasted Balsamic Chicken with Artichoke
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Tortilla Soup

Tortilla Soup

I’m not sure which part of this soup is the best part, the soup itself or the toppings. I don’t think either could shine as brightly alone. This soup is spicy, smokey and flavorful, but when topped with the richness of avocado, saltiness of Cotija cheese, freshness from lime and cilantro and crunch of the tortillas…it’s like an explosion of flavors and textures in your mouth that all compliment each other.

This tortilla soup is so hearty and satisfying. It’s a perfect dinner that you can make ahead of time, then just top off before serving. You can add shredded chicken or just keep it vegan. Either way, it’s really delicious. I can attest to that. See the second bowl of soup in the background? Yeah, I ate both of them!

Tortilla Soup

1 T. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 – 4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. cumin
1/4 t. fresh thyme leaves, stems removed
1 T. chipotle in adobo (see note)
1/2 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped, seeds and veins removed
8 C. vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 14.5oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 29oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
6 – 8 corn tortillas, sliced in about 1/2″ wide strips
handful of freshly chopped cilantro or parsley
shredded cooked chicken (if using)

Toppings
1 corn tortilla, sliced into fine strips
vegetable oil spray (I use a Misto)
dash of salt
1 – 2 large avocados, diced
1/2 C. crumbled Cotija Cheese or vegan cheese shreds
1 lime, for squeezing a bit and zesting
the other half of the jalapeño pepper if you’d like more heat

In a large heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion,
celery and carrots. Sauté until the onions have softened, then add the garlic. Cook for a minute then add the cumin and thyme. Stir for a second until fragrant, then add the chipotle and jalapeño. Cook one more minute then add the broth and the tomatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer for about 20 – 25 minutes.

Add the black beans and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.

Just before serving, add the tortilla strips and the handful of cilantro or parsley, give it a stir and removed the pot from the heat. Allow to sit for a few minutes while you prepare the toppings.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place the tortilla that you cut into fine strips on a baking sheet and spray with the vegetable oil spray and a dash of salt. Toss to coat and bake for 4 to 5 minutes or until just golden and crisp.

To serve the soup, put some of the shredded chicken (if using) at the bottom of the bowl, ladle the soup over the chicken, top with the avocado cubes, a squeeze of lime, the Cotija crumbles, some crunchy strips of tortilla then add a bit of lime zest and more cilantro or parsley if desired.

Notes:

  • For the chipotle in adobo, I buy a 7oz. can of it, then using a blender, processor or hand blender, I puree the whole can. Use just what you need, one tablespoon in this case, then store the rest in a labeled sandwich size zipper bag in the freezer. Try to spread it out thinly in the bag so it’s easy to just break some off next time you need it.
  • I know I’ve said this before, but jalapeños can be unpredictable. Start with a small amount in the soup and work your way to your degree of spiciness. I love heat, but between the chipotle and the jalapeño, this soup can get pretty hot!
  • If you’ve made your own chicken broth, just use the shredded chicken from that for this soup. It’s awesome!
  • Cotija Cheese is a hard white cheese made of cow’s milk. It crumbles really well. It is not huge on flavor, but it adds a nice bit of saltiness to this. It is primarily used as a topping.
    •
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Chicken Cacciatore with Soft Polenta

Chicken Cacciatore served with Soft Polenta

Welcome to my first post!  I have been reluctant in choosing my first recipe.  I wanted to introduce myself to you with something exotic and impressive.  Chicken Cacciatore?  Exotic?  Well, maybe not so much (unless you pronounce it with a really thick Italian accent).  Impressive?  Actually, yes!  This fairly simple recipe has so much flavor and it really is so delicious.  I truly believe you will be impressed!

It hit me the other night, on the heels of a fairly cool October day.  I wanted to prepare something hearty for my family to come home to.  This is one of their favorite comfort foods.  I love how tender the chicken becomes and how the many flavors come together for a perfect cool weather meal.  I realized then that this represents the type of recipe I want to share with you through this blog.  It is nothing complicated, it’s nutritionally healthy, and a perfect recipe for a weeknight family meal (it reheats perfectly the next day) or for entertaining on the weekend.

Buono Appetito!  (Yeah, still working on that exotic factor)

Chicken Cacciatore

8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, rinsed, dried and trimmed of excess fat
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 C. flour
4 T. olive oil, divided
1 C. mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 large carrot, sliced
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
4-6 thinly sliced sun dried tomatoes (optional)
1 C. dry white wine
1 (28 oz.) can whole San Marzano tomatoes
1 C. chicken stock
1/2 t. dried oregano
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme, stems removed
2 T. drained and rinsed capers
2 T. chopped fresh basil
Grated Parmesan for servingLay the chicken thighs out and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then dredge them in flour.  Shake off the excess.

Using a large and heavy pot, heat 3 T. olive oil over medium high heat.  Sear the chicken thighs, 4 at a time, just until brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side.  Transfer the thighs to a plate.

Add the other tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and sauté the mushrooms until they begin to brown, then add the onion, celery, pepper and carrot.  Continue sautéing until the onion becomes translucent.  Add the garlic and the sun dried tomatoes, if using.  Sauté for one more minute.

Add the white wine.  Simmer and reduce for about 2 minutes.

Now, this part is messy…but well worth it.  You may want to wash your hands first.  Fish out the whole tomatoes from the can one at a time and crush them over the pot.  I usually pull off any hard stem end of the tomato and discard that.  Continue until you’ve crushed them all, then pour any of the juices left in the can into the pot as well.

Add the chicken stock, oregano, thyme leaves, capers and the chicken pieces.  Reduce the heat to a low simmer, cover the pot and continue cooking for 40 to 45 minutes.  Stir in the fresh basil just before serving.  Serve with grated Parmesan.

This dish is perfect over whole wheat spaghetti or a soft polenta (recipe below).

Notes:

  • Sometimes, when making this dish for guests or when I’m not too worried about a little extra fat, I use pancetta in this recipe.  Just use one thick slice, cubed quite small.  Brown it up before you brown the chicken.  Remove the browned bits onto a paper towel and use that fat to brown the chicken.  You can throw in the pancetta bits with the chicken for braising.
  • The sun dried tomatoes are not necessary, but I think they add a richness to the flavor of this dish…I love them.
  • I specify San Marzano tomatoes because they are really amazing.  They seem sweeter and less acidic than regular tomatoes.  Honestly though, if you’ve got a can of any other tomato…they’ll work just fine.

 

Soft Polenta

1 1/4 C. milk
1 1/4 C. chicken stock
1/2 C. quick cooking polenta
1 T. butter

1/8-1/4 C. grated Parmesan

In a medium pot over medium high heat, bring milk and stock to a boil.  Pour the polenta in a thin stream into the pot while whisking briskly.  Reduce heat to low, cover the pot and simmer for 3 minutes.  Whisk in the butter and Parmesan.  Serve immediately.

                                                     

Caroline
Submitted on 2013/01/21 at 10:24 am | In reply to Anonymous.
Andrea, that is the sweetest compliment! You’ve made my whole day! Thanks so much for coming back here to tell me that. I’m so glad you and your family liked it!

Anonymous
Submitted on 2013/01/20 at 7:23 pm
I found your recipe on Pinterest and made it tonight – it was delicious! Thanks so much – it was a hit and I will definitely be making it again!
Andrea

Caroline
Submitted on 2013/01/03 at 8:33 pm | In reply to Anonymous.
Nancy, you’ve made my day! I’m always thrilled to hear when someone has made one of my recipes! So glad you liked it…that’s one of my favorites. Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know. That was so sweet!
Happy New Year!
 Caroline

Anonymous
Submitted on 2013/01/03 at 4:56 pm
thanks for this recipe. I made it yesterday and it was delicious. Just what I was looking for.
Nancy
Montreal, Canada

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