Saffron Chicken, Boiled Lemon and Green Bean Salad

I know that I have been posting a lot of salads lately, and yet I have one more that I need to share.. This one is absolutely incredible. One of the ingredients is a cooked lemon peel which is absolutely great with the saffron flavored chicken. Additionally, there are green beans in this salad, but no other ingredients really. Make this salad for your next party and it will for sure be a hit.

Saffron Chicken, Boiled Lemon and Green Bean Salad
(from Ellie Krieger)

Makes 4 servings

1 lemon, preferably unwaxed
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste, divided
Pinch saffron
2 tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1  1/4 pound skinless boneless chicken breast, pounded to 1/2-inch thick
1 pound green beans, washed and trimmed
Cooking spray
2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon honey
Freshly ground black pepper

Prick the lemon in 3 or 4 places with a fork and place in a small pot with 1 teaspoon of salt and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 50 minutes or until the lemon is very tender. Drain and set aside to cool.

In the meantime, mix the saffron, mint, garlic, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a small bowl. Pour the marinade into a sealable plastic bag, add the chicken and let it marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.

Steam the green beans for 4 minutes and set aside to cool. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Preheat a large skillet or grill pan which has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cook the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until cooked through. Set aside to cool. Cut into bite-sized chunks.

Slice the ends off of the lemon and slice it in half lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp. Slice the peel thinly and then again into 1/4-inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, lemon, green beans and thyme. In a small bowl combine the rest of the lemon juice and the honey, whisk in 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.

Chicken Marbella

This is a recipe that I have to pass out whenever I make the dish. It is a great party dish, easy to prepare for a crowd, and I love it because of its simplicity and wonderful sweet-sour taste.
The chicken gets incredibly juicy and tender and the prunes and olives add a sweet and sour taste. The chicken is brined over night and the next day simply finished in the oven. It couldn't be easier. It can be served cold or warm.

Chicken Marbella
(source: unknown)
serves 8

To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in the cooking juices before transferring the pieces to a serving platter. If the chicken has been covered and refrigerated, reheat it in the juices, then allow it to come to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juice over the chicken.


12 boneless chicken breast halves, cubed
1 head garlic, peeled and chopped
¼ cup dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
½ cup pitted green olives with pimiento (small size, or chop larger ones)
½ cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup white wine
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped (optional)


1. In a large nonreactive (glass or stainless steel) bowl, combine chicken, garlic, oregano, pepper, vinegar, oil, prunes, olives, capers, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange chicken in a single layer in shallow baking pan, and spoon marinade over it. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and pour in white wine. Bake 35-40 minutes, uncovered, basting frequently with pan juices. Place in a bowl, sprinkle with parsley. Best served at room temperature. Can be made ahead (a couple of days); this dish improves with age!

Notes
Don't skip on the sugar

Chicken Tajine with Preserved Lemons

Lately, I have been a little obsessed with Moroccon recipes. Maybe because I got a beautiful Tagine for Christmas? Or maybe because a friend gave me some home made preserved lemons (Thank you Kathy)? Either way, this dish from Jamie Oliver is made with Fennel, Saffron, the above mentioned preserved lemons and olives. It is mainly a very mild stew with a deep and lovely flavour. If you happen to have a Tagine or a Claypot you should use it and you will be impressed how juicy and tasty the chicken will get.

Chicken, Olive and Preserved Lemon Tagine

(Jamie Oliver "Jamie does")

Serves 4-6


1 whole chicken (approximately 1.5kg), preferably free-range or organic, skin-on, jointed 
into 4 (get your butcher 
to do this for you)

Olive oil

1-2 large bulbs of fennel


2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped


A small bunch of fresh coriander


4 cloves of garlic, peeled 
and sliced


2-3 small preserved lemons, deseeded and chopped


80g black and green olives, stoned

A good pinch of saffron


500ml hot organic chicken stock




For the spice rub
1 heaped teaspoon coriander seeds, bashed up
1 level teaspoon ground cumin
1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix all the spice rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Put your chicken pieces into a large bowl, massage them with the spice rub, then cover with clingfilm, and put into the fridge to marinate for a couple of hours or, even better, overnight. When you’re ready to cook, heat a generous lug of olive oil in a tagine or casserole-type 
pan, and fry the chicken pieces over a medium to high heat, 
skin side down first, for about 
5 to 10 minutes until gorgeous and golden brown.

While your chicken fries, chop each fennel bulb into 8 wedges, and add these to the pan along with the onions, coriander stalks 
and garlic. Stir well and fry for a couple more minutes, then mix in the preserved lemons, olives and saffron. Pour in the hot stock, give everything a good stir, then cover with a lid or foil, and simmer on a low heat for 1½ hours, or until the meat starts to fall away from the bone. Halfway through, have a check and give it a good stir. Keep an eye on it and add a splash of water if it looks dry. When the time’s up and your chicken looks perfect, stir gently. If it’s still a bit liquidy, leave it to blip away with the lid off until thickened slightly.

Have a taste, season with a pinch of salt and pepper if you think it needs it, then sprinkle with the coriander leaves. There’s enough love and care in the tagine for it not to need anything fancy, so serve it simply, with a large bowl of lightly seasoned 
steaming couscous.

Kung Pao Chicken

My Family loves to go to PF Changs. PF Changs is a Chinese restaurant or Bistro here in the US, nothing fancy, but good food and it happens to be right around the corner from our house. One of our favorit dishes there is Kung Pao Chicken. Kung Pao Chicken is an exemplary example of Szechwan cuisine due to its combination of sweet, sour, salty and hot tastes.
I decided to look for a recipe to make this dish on my own since we don't always feel like going out to eat and was very satisfied how this recipe from Cooks Illustrated turned out. Serve with rice and a hearty dark beer.

Kung Pao Chicken

(from Cooks Illustrated)

Serves 4.     

While we prefer this dish made with chicken thighs rather than breasts because the dark meat has richer flavor and is less prone to drying out, if you prefer, you can replace the thighs with chicken breasts. You can substitute plain rice vinegar for the black rice vinegar (available in Asian markets), but we prefer the latter for its fruity, salty complexity. If you prefer roasted unsalted cashews over peanuts, substitute an equal amount. Do not eat the whole chiles in the finished dish.

INGREDIENTS

1	pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs , trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch pieces
1	tablespoon dry sherry or rice wine
2	teaspoons soy sauce
3	medium cloves garlic , pressed through garlic press or minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2	inch piece fresh ginger , peeled and minced (about 2 teaspoons)
3	tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil
1/2	cup roasted unsalted peanuts
6	small whole dried red chiles (each about 1 3/4 to 2 inches long), 3 chiles roughly crumbled, or 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
3/4	cup low-sodium chicken broth
2	teaspoons black rice vinegar or plain rice vinegar
2	teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1	tablespoon oyster sauce
1	tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 1/2	teaspoons cornstarch
1	medium red bell pepper , cut into 1/2-inch dice
3	medium scallions , sliced thin

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 1. Toss chicken with sherry and soy sauce in medium bowl; marinate until thighs have absorbed flavors, about 10 minutes. Mix garlic, ginger, and 1 tablespoon oil in small bowl; set aside. Combine peanuts and chiles in small bowl; set aside. Mix chicken broth, vinegar, sesame oil, oyster-flavored sauce, hoisin sauce, and cornstarch in small bowl or measuring cup; set aside.
2. 2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until just beginning to smoke. Add chicken and cook without stirring for 2 minutes, allowing chicken to brown on one side; stir and cook 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more, until no longer pink; stir peanuts and chiles into chicken and continue cooking until peanuts have darkened slightly, 30 to 40 seconds longer. Transfer chicken, peanuts, and chiles to bowl; set aside.
3. 3. Return skillet to burner and reheat briefly, 15 to 30 seconds. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, swirl to coat pan, and add red bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 45 seconds. Clear center of pan, add garlic-ginger mixture, mash into pan with spoon or spatula, and cook until fragrant, 10 to 15 seconds; stir into peppers until combined. Stir broth mixture to recombine, then add to skillet along with reserved chicken, peanuts, and chiles; cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits on bottom of pan, until sauce has thickened to syrupy consistency, about 45 seconds. Stir in scallions and serve.

Coronation Chicken

Coronation chicken is a dish that was prepared for the banquet of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. It is a combination of precooked cold chicken meat, herbs and spices and a creamy mayonnaise-based sauce. Over the time it has become a great British classic. It can be eaten as a salad or used to make sandwiches. The original dish it is flavored with curry powder because fresh curry spices were almost unobtainable in post-war Britain. This version from Gordon Ramsay uses Mango Chutney, Garam Masala and fresh Mango. A friend recently brought it to a Potluck and everybody loved it, thank you Beth, for passing on the recipe. 

If you read my last post, this chicken goes great with the flat bread and makes a great snack during the day or is a great addition to a healthy dinner.

Coronation Chicken

(adapted from Gordon Ramsay)

• Ingredients
• 4 free-range chicken breasts, with skin on
• 500ml chicken stock
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
• 125ml  crème fraîche
• 100ml mayonnaise
• 1-2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon mango chutney
• Flesh of 1 fresh mango, finely diced
• Freshly ground salt and pepper
• Flat-leaf parsley, to garnish
• Walnuts, to serve
• Note:
• I added the juice of 1/2 lime and 1 teaspoon of a mild Curry Powder

Remove any excess fat or sinew from the chicken breasts. Bring the stock to the boil, add thyme, bay leaf and coriander seeds and then poach for 5 minutes. Lift the breasts from the stock and allow to cool. The stock can be reserved for another use.

Mix the crème fraîche, mayonnaise and garam masala. Add the chutney and mango and season well. The dressing needs to have a subtle kick without becoming overpowering.

Skin chicken breasts and cut into bite- size pieces. Add to dressing, cover and chill in fridge for 2-3 hours or overnight. Garnish with flat- leaf parsley and walnuts before serving

Chicken Adobe

Last week, my husband found a recipe that he thought I had to try. He kept talking about it the whole weekend and described it so appetizing that I immediately bought the ingredients and started cooking.

This dish is called Adobe Chicken. It is the national Philippine dish and many people argue about how to cook it the "right way". Some serve it as a stew, some people add pork, some broil it at the end, etc. 

This recipe is from a restaurant called Purple Yam, it is very easy to make and absolutely tasty.

I planned the meal for six, but actually there were only four of us because one of our visitors got a terrible cold and wasn't able to come unfortunately. Everyone was so impressed with how great the flavors worked together that we ended up eating all of it! 

I would describe this dish as an "Asian Sauerbraten". There is a lot of rice vinegar involved, the vinegar is mixed with soy sauce and coconut milk. The chicken has to marinate over night and will then be cooked in the marinade. Finally the whole dish gets broiled to get a nice crust. In my case, the crust didn't really work out, but that is because I used skinless chicken breasts instead of chicken legs as indicated in the recipe.

Chicken Adobe

(Adapted from  Amy Besa and Romy Dorotan, Purple Yam Restaurant, Brooklyn)

serves 4

1 1/2 cup rice vinegar

1 cup coconut milk

1/4 cup soy sauce

12 garlic cloves, peeled

3 whole bird's-eye chilies or other fiery chili

3 bay leaves

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

3 to 4 pounds chicken thighs

1. Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a large, nonreactive bowl or resealable plastic freezer bag. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours.

2. Place chicken and marinade in a large lidded pot or Dutch oven over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and tender around 30 minutes.

3 Heat boiler. Transfer chicken pieces to a large bowl, raise heat under the pot to medium-high, and reduce the sauce until it achieves almost the consistency of cream, about 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves and chilies.

4. Place chicken pieces on a roasting pan and place under broiler for 5 to 7 minutes, until they caramelize. Remove, turn chicken, baste with sauce and repeat 3 to 5 minutes more. Return chicken to sauce and cook for a few minutes more, then place on a platter and drizzle heavily with sauce. 

Note:

If you are using chicken breast, reduce the cooking time or it might get too dry.

Chicken Tagine with Sweet Potatoes and Prunes

This recipe is another hit out of Dorie Greenspan's book "Around my french table". A sweet-spicy tagine with chicken, prunes and sweet potatoes. You can smell and taste the cinnamon and slight hint of the star anise. The vegetables will get very soft and the cayenne will give it a nice kick. I brought this dish to a Potluck, and everyone loved it, even though it was not completely gone; which I think was due to the other 6 chicken dishes we had at a Potluck for only 24 people.

Chicken Tagine with Sweet Potatoes and Prunes 
(adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Around my French Table cookbook)

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour and a half

Ingredients: 

1/4 cups of olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup of water
salt
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 large pinches of saffron threads, crushed
1/4 teaspoon of ground cinammon
1 bay leaf
4 tablespoons of honey
1 cup of chicken broth (preferably homemade)
12  prunes
1 pound of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes

Pour two tablespoons of vegetable oil in the bottom of a dutch oven or cast iron casserole over medium-low heat. Now add the onion, stirring to coat it with oil, then add 1 tablespoon of water, season with a little salt, and cover the pot. Cook the onions gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft but not brown.


In a separate skillet, brown the chicken. Heat a tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat. Put the chicken in the pan, skin side down, and brown for 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer it to a plate.


Once the onions are soft, add the saffron, honey, bay leaf, chicken broth, and the rest of the water. Throw in the dates, and then the chicken. Toss the sweet potatoes on top and bring the mixture to a boil.


Reduce the heat to medium, bringing the liquid to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 45 minutes to an hour. Resist the temptation to lift the lid before the 45 minute mark. The steam is what makes this dish so good. The dish is done once the sweet potatoes are soft.
Feel free to reduce the liquid once the chicken is cooked. Just remove the chicken and sweet potatoes and boil the liquid until it is a consistency to your liking. 

Chicken Pot Pie

Here is the good thing. This Chicken dish is not only fast, but you can top it with almost anything you like. Mashed Potatoes, Biscuits (home made or not), Savory Crumbles, Puff Pastry or just leave it like it is and serve it with Pasta or Rice. Or Bread. Or Potatoes. You get it...

30 Minutes Chicken Pot Pie

2 lbs   Chicken Meat (Thighs or Breast), skinned and deboned ½ cup Flour ½ cup Cream, half & half 3 cups Chicken Stock 1 cup Onion, medium diced, about 1/2 onion 1 cup Celery, medium diced, about 3 small stalks 1 cup Carrots, about 3 ½ cup frozen Peas 1 Bay Leaf Worcestershire Sauce ¼ cup White Wine Salt & Pepper 2 Tablespoons Vegetable or Olive oil In a large, heavy bottomed saute pan, heat the Olive Oil and add the chicken meat. Brown from all size until almost cooked. Add the cut up vegetables and stir until softened about 5 minutes. Add the flour to the pan and cook for about 3 - 5 minutes on medium heat. Add the liquids, peas and the bay leaf. Let cook over low heat until the mixture thickens and the chicken is cooked through about 10 minutes on low heat. Stir every now and then so it doesn't stick to the bottom. Taste with Salt, Pepper, Worcestershire Sauce (lots off)  and Wine.