Chicken-and-Sweet Potato Stew

This is my version of this stew recipe from The New Southern Garden Cookbook. The flavor combination is unusual—it’s a little Southern, a little African, and a little Asian. Whatever you call, it’s delicious, and it tastes even better as leftovers.

4 bacon slices, chopped
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. peanut or canola oil
1 onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. garam masala
2 cups chicken broth
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in cubes
1/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup lite coconut milk (about half a can)
1 tsp. red curry paste
1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Hot cooked rice
Toppings: additional chopped peanuts; chopped fresh cilantro; cooked, crumbled bacon

1. Cut chicken into cubes, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Cook bacon in Dutch oven until browned and crispy; remove bacon from pot, and set aside to use as a garnish. Sauté chicken in bacon drippings for about 5 minutes or until pieces are lightly browned on all sides. Remove from pot, and set aside.
3. Heat peanut oil in Dutch oven. Sauté onion and next 3 ingredients in pot for 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour and garam masala, and cook 1 minute. Gradually add in chicken broth, scraping bottom of pot to remove browned bits and cooking until mixture begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Stir in chicken and sweet potatoes, and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender. Stir in peanut butter and next 3 ingredients. Cook 5 more minutes or until thoroughly heated. Taste and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve over hot cooked rice and with toppings.

Cashew-Crusted Chicken

This recipe would also be delicious with pecans or almonds.
3/4 cup cashews, chopped

1 cup toasted breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper

Zest from 1 lemon

1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp. cornstarch
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins

1/4 cup olive oil

1. Combine cashews, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in a pie plate. Combine egg and next 2 ingredients in another pie plate. Dip chicken in egg mixture, and then dredge in cashew mixture, coating thoroughly. Place chicken on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken tenderloins. Chill chicken in fridge for 30 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken 4 to 5 minutes per side or until crisp, golden, and done. Serve immediately.

Pasta, Pesto, and Peas With Grilled Chicken

1 1/2 lb. bowtie pasta
1 1/2 cups pesto
Zest and juice from 2 lemons
3/4 mayonnaise (I use a little less than this.)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
1/3 cup pinenuts, toasted

1 lb. chicken, grilled and cut into chunks

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. Combine pesto, lemon zest and juice, and next 4 ingredients. Toss with pasta and grilled chicken. Serve at room temperature, or chill until ready to serve.

Chicken With Broccoli and Carrots

My sister made something similar to this dish a couple of weeks ago. She and her husband really liked it (full disclosure: her daughter AC didn’t, but she’s hard to please), so I decided to make it from memory. How can you go wrong with chicken, bacon, carrots, and broccoli? Andy and I ate it over pasta. Another idea: Thin out the mixture with additional chicken broth, and you have a terrific soup. Enjoy!


Chicken With Broccoli and Carrots
3 bacon slices, chopped
1 onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
3 carrots, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. chicken, cut into chunks
Salt

Pepper

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried tarragon

2 cups broccoli florets

2 oz. cream cheese

2 cups chicken broth
Hot cooked pasta

1. Cook bacon in a hot Dutch oven until crisp; remove from pan. Sauté onion and carrots in bacon drippings 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 more minute. Stir in chicken; season with salt and pepper. Stir in thyme and tarragon. Cook for 10 minutes or until chicken is done. Stir in broccoli, cream cheese, and chicken broth. Cook for 10 more minutes or until done; stir in bacon. Serve over pasta.

Moroccan-Style Chicken Stew

I was looking for a new way to cook chicken and came across this recipe in my Cook’s Illustrated The Best International Recipe cookbook. My dish is a little different from the original because I added a can of tomatoes and made a few seasoning changes. Also, I used boneless chicken tenderloins, which cook much faster. The flavor is warm and slightly spicy, with a little acidity from the tomatoes and lemons. We ate ours over bulghur that I cooked like couscous. On the side we had naan, hummus, and Greek yogurt.

Moroccan-Style Chicken Stew

Olive oil

1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, halved and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. dried cilantro
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins

Salt and pepper

Zest and juice from 1 lemon
2 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp. honey
1(15-oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

1. Place oil in a Dutch oven, and sauté onions for 5 minutes or until slightly tender. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Combine paprika and next 5 ingredients. Place chicken in pot with onion mixture, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and half of paprika mixture. Cook chicken for 2 minutes, and then turn over. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and remaining paprika mixture; cook 1 minute. Stir in lemon zest and juice, broth, and next 3 ingredients. Top with lemon slices. Cover pot with lid, and place in oven.
2. Bake at 300° for 1 hour. Serve chicken mixture over bulghur or couscous.

Creamy Chicken-and-Rice Soup

The inspiration for this soup came from the chicken-and-veggie mixture that I make for chicken pot pie (this was originally what I had planned to make for dinner). After sautéing the veggies and making the velouté sauce (the flour-thickened broth mixture), I decided to add in more chicken broth and some rice to turn it into a soup. It seemed like just the thing for a cold winter night. Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken-and-Rice Soup

1/4 cup butter
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced

2 celery ribs, sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

Salt and pepper

2 tsp. herbs de Provence

1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 (32-oz.) cartons chicken broth, divided
1 lb. chopped cooked chicken or turkey

1 (10-oz.) box frozen green peas

2 cups rice

1. Melt butter in Dutch oven. Add chopped onions and next 2 ingredients, and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add in garlic, and cook 1 minute. Stir in salt, pepper, and herbs de Provence. Stir in flour, and cook 2 minutes. Gradually whisk 4 cups chicken broth into flour mixture; cook, stirring often, until mixture is thickened. Stir in chicken, peas, rice, and remaining 6 cups chicken broth. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 25 to 30 minutes or until rice is cooked through. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken and Waffles

Andy and I are members of a house church that meets in our neighborhood. This is definitely a new experience for us, but God has been faithful to show us this is where we belong. Because we meet in homes, we have the privilege of eating a potluck meal together each week. This is our month to host our group, which means that I plan the theme for the meals. One of our friends suggested we have chicken and waffles today. Several folks signed up to make waffles, and we had traditional slightly sweet ones as well as some savory beer-flavored ones. My contribution was the fried chicken. I had planned to make my usual recipe but replaced the panko with a little cornmeal in the flour dredge. The texture of the cornmeal was a delightful addition. Everyone agreed that the chicken-and-waffle experiment was tasty—I think we’ll have them again. Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Fricassee

Don’t be intimidated by the name—this is simple to make and delicious. I saw a recipe for this traditional French stew in the October issue of Martha Stewart Living. The directions and the ingredients list were pretty extensive and not conducive to a weeknight meal. Following is my streamlined version. We enjoyed our stew with a buttered, toasted baguette and yummy brussels sprouts. Egg noodles or rice on the side would also be delicious. Enjoy!

Easy Chicken Fricassee
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
8 oz. baby portobello or white mushrooms, quartered
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. chicken breast, cut into chunks
2 tsp. herbs de provence
2 tsp. dried tarragon
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white wine
1 (32-oz.) carton chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
Zest and juice from 1 lemon

1. Sauté onion and next 2 ingredients in hot oil for 10 minutes or until vegetables soften. Season with salt and pepper, and add in garlic. Cook 1 more minute. Add in chicken, and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until chicken is almost done. Stir in herbs de Provence and tarragon; sprinkle with flour. Cook, stirring often, 1 minute. Gradually add in white wine and chicken broth, stirring constantly. Cook for 10 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken. Stir in cream, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cook for 5 more minutes. Serve immediately.

Chicken Parmesan and Eggplant Parmesan

Tonight two friends from church came for dinner, and I decided to serve chicken Parmesan and eggplant Parmesan. But it was time to update my original recipe, posted in 2008. The simple tomato sauce that tops the main dish has a new twist as well. On the side, we had risotto and roasted broccoli (omit the nuts and cheese), which were a nice complement. Enjoy!

Chicken Parmesan
All-purpose flour
Salt and pepper

Buttermilk

1 lb. chicken tenders, pounded flat

Canola oil
Simple Tomato Sauce (see below)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Pour buttermilk into another dish. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and then buttermilk; repeat procedure.
2. Cook chicken in hot oil 5 minutes on each side or until crispy and done. Drain on paper towels, and keep warm in a 200° oven. To serve, top each piece of chicken with tomato sauce, and sprinkle with cheese.

Eggplant Parmesan
Salting the eggplant and letting it stand removes the bitter taste sometimes associated with the vegetable.

1 eggplant, sliced

Salt

All-purpose flour

Homemade breadcrumbs

Pepper

Buttermilk

Canola oil

Simple Tomato Sauce (see below)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Place eggplant on a layer of paper towels; sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes; rinse eggplant. Place, opposite side up, on another layer of paper towels, and sprinkle with salt. Let stand 30 minutes; rinse and pat dry. 

2. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Pour buttermilk into another dish. Dredge eggplant in flour mixture and then buttermilk; repeat procedure.

3. Cook eggplant in hot oil 3 minutes on each side or until crispy and done. Drain on paper towels, and keep warm in a 200° oven. To serve, top each piece of eggplant with tomato sauce, and sprinkle with cheese.

Simple Tomato Sauce

1 onion, chopped

Olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano

1 Tbsp. sugar

Salt and pepper

1. Sauté onion in hot oil, stirring often, 10 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, and cook 1 more minute. Stir in balsamic vinegar and next 4 ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Use immersion blender to puree mixture until smooth. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve with chicken and eggplant.

Enchilada Lasagna

This recipe is one of our favorite meals and served as my inspiration for dinner tonight. I had some tomatillo salsa, shredded chicken, and seasoned ground beef left over from our make-your-own quesadillas on Friday night and originally thought about making a variation of the enchiladas. However there were only three tortillas in the fridge, so lasagna it was. Andy was skeptical but ended up really liking the dish. He requested that I write down the recipe so we could have it again. Enjoy!

Enchilada Lasagna
This makes enough for 4 servings, but it’s easily expandable.
2 cups roasted tomatillo salsa
1 cup shredded chicken
3 flour tortillas
1 cup cooked and seasoned ground beef
Sour cream
Shredded colby-Jack cheese

1. Spread some of the salsa in the bottom of a baking dish. Top with shredded chicken; spread chicken with sour cream, and sprinkle with cheese. Top with 1 1/2 tortillas. Repeat layers, substituting beef for chicken. Combine some sour cream and remaining salsa; spread salsa mixture over tortillas. Sprinkle with cheese.
2. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly and cheese melts.

Lemony Chicken Florentine Pasta

Andy loves this pasta recipe, but because it has so much cream, it’s too rich to have often. (Don’t get me wrong—it positively delicious and worth the fat on occasion!) So when I saw a recipe for chicken florentine pasta on The Pioneer Woman’s blog, I had to try it. The recipe that follows is my version. Because the ingredients are so similar to Andy’s favorite pasta, I decided to add in some lemon juice and zest. The result is fantastic, and Andy declared that the taste is comparable to his fave. Enjoy!

Lemony Chicken Florentine Pasta

1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into chunks
Salt and pepper

1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 (6-oz.) bag baby spinach
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

Pinch of crushed red pepper

Zest and juice from 1 to 2 lemons (depends on size)

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

12 oz. pasta, cooked (I used radiatore, but any type will work.)


1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Melt butter in oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until cooked through and browned. Remove from pan.

2. Add garlic to pan, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in wine and next 2 ingredients. Season with salt and peppers; stir in lemon zest and juice. Return chicken to the pan. Reduce heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes or until mixture thickens slightly. Stir in 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Toss with pasta, and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Pan-fried Chicken With Tomatoes and Artichokes

This is my version of a recipe from Giada on the Food Network. It is similar to this. The main difference is that the chicken is dredged in flour and then cooked in the pan first, so that it develops a crust. I added artichoke hearts because there were some in the freezer. This is the perfect chicken dish—fast, flavorful, and adaptable to whatever ingredients you have on hand. Enjoy!

Pan-fried Chicken With Tomatoes and Artichokes
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup flour
Salt and pepper
4 chicken tenderloins, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup kalamata olives, chopped
1/2 cup frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and chopped
1/3 cup white wine
Zest of half a lemon
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1. Melt butter in olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and pepper. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour mixture. Cook the chicken 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until golden and done. Remove to a serving platter, and tent with foil to keep warm.
2. Add tomatoes and next 4 ingredients to skillet. Scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Cook until thoroughly heated, about 10 minutes. Stir in parsley. Spoon sauce over chicken on platter. Serve immediately.

Chicken and Waffles

Andy was very skeptical about this meal. However, in the end, it won him over. Salty, crispy chicken paired with buttery waffles and sweet maple syrup—delicious! I used leftover chicken from the Publix deli and made this basic waffle recipe. If you want to make homemade fried chicken, that would be even better. This is a great dinner in a pinch—enjoy!

Pantry Chicken

 I make many variations of this dish and have an equal number of names for it. Tonight I finally decided what to call it. “Pantry Chicken” is the perfect descriptor because I basically use whatever ingredients are on hand. Recently I have been pounding chicken tenderloins between sheets of plastic wrap so they will cook more evenly. This only takes a couple of extra minutes but is worth the time. If you have capers, substitute 1 Tbsp. for the olives. However you make it, the results will be tasty. Enjoy!

Pantry Chicken
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil
Salt
2 tsp. dried basil
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 lb. chicken tenders, pounded flat
1/2 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
1 (15-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped olives
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper

1. Sauté bell pepper and garlic in hot oil 5 minutes. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper, and place chicken in pan. Cook 3 minutes on each side. Add in basil and next 6 ingredients, and cook for 20 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Our super-cute date—he didn’t like the chicken though!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Dinner tonight had an Asian spin: pork dumplings, noodles with peanut sauce, and this recipe. (Note: To cook the dumplings, I steamed them for 20 minutes; then tossed them with a small amount of oil, and baked them at 400° until crispy, about 10 minutes.) The meat mixture for the lettuce wraps has a lot of ingredients, but the flavor makes it worth the effort. I tossed the leftovers with noodles and peanut sauce for a great next-day meal. Enjoy!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sesame oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp. lite soy sauce
1 lb. ground chicken (I used my food processor for this.)
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger

2 tsp. sriracha

2 tsp. chile-garlic sauce
1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup unsweetened lite coconut milk

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 1 lime
Boston lettuce leaves

1. Sauté carrots, bell pepper, and jalapeño in hot oil for 10 minutes or until carrots begin to soften. Add garlic and soy sauce, and sauté 1 minute. Add in chicken, and cook, stirring often, 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Add in ginger and next 2 ingredients. Stir together cornstarch and broth; add to pan with coconut milk, stirring often, until mixture begins to thicken. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve in lettuce leaves.

Happy Birthday, AC!

It is so hard to believe that our niece AC is turning 8 tomorrow! The cliché is true—time does fly. For dinner at our house, the birthday girl wanted “pancakes, butter, and syrup.” None of the adults in attendance wanted pancakes followed by cake and ice cream, so we had these delicious enchiladas, homemade tortilla chips, guacamole, pico de gallo, and pinto beans. As you can imagine, the table featured an eclectic cornucopia of food. We had such a great time celebrating with AC and her family!

Chicken Cacciatore

We needed to have a quick dinner tonight, so I came up with this recipe. I’m not sure if it’s truly cacciatore, but it tastes good and has similar ingredients. We had ours with risotto, garlic bread, and fried cauliflower. Enjoy!

Chicken Cacciatore

1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins

Salt and pepper
Olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 lemon
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Cook in hot oil for 2 minutes on each side; remove chicken from pan. Add in additional olive oil, if needed, and sauté onions and next 2 ingredients for 10 minutes or until tender. Return chicken to pan, and stir in tomatoes, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta With Chicken and Artichoke Hearts

Sun-dried tomato pesto is one of my favorite staple ingredients (you find it by the basil pesto at the grocery store). Most often, Andy and I use it instead of tomato sauce on pizza; the dried tomato flavor is more intense. Tonight I decided to toss it with pasta. Enjoy!




Sun-dried Tomato Pasta With Chicken and Artichoke Hearts
8 oz. pasta, cooked
1 cup reserved pasta cooking water
1 jar sun-dried tomato pesto
1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2 cups chopped grilled chicken
Salt and pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Toss pasta with reserved cooking water and pesto. Stir in artichoke hearts and chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with cheese.

Greek-Style Chicken

The inspiration for tonight’s dinner came from this tilapia dish that Andy loves. In addition to the tomatoes and olives, I decided to add white beans to give the dish a creamy taste and texture. I used chicken tenders because they cook quickly, but chicken breasts would work equally as well. Our side dish was risotto, but grits are another option. Enjoy!

Greek-Style Chicken
1 onion, halved and cut into slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
Greek seasoning
1 lb. chicken tenders
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 (15-oz.) can cannellini or Great Northern beans
Salt and black pepper to taste

1. Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil in a large skillet for 5 minutes; stir in balsamic vinegar. Season chicken with Greek seasoning; place in skillet. Cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until chicken begins to brown. Stir in oregano and next 4 ingredients. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Menu 35: Chicken Enchiladas

We celebrated the October birthdays of Andy’s mom, our niece Savannah’s, and yours truly with a family dinner. For the occasion, we had Chicken Enchiladas With Roasted Tomatillo Salsa, Citrus Black Beans, and yellow rice. Mimi made brownies and the most delicious apple cake. A good time was had by all!