Category Archives: Chicken

Chicken Piccata

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Chicken PiccataI’m not sure why this dish makes me think of spring…maybe it’s the bright flavors of the lemon and capers? Not sure, but it’s such a nice, simple dish. I made it last night in celebration of the new season.

2 large chicken breasts (about 1.25 lbs tot.), pounded to 1/4 inches in thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp white wine
1 1/4 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp drained capers
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

In a 9 X 9 inch baking dish, combine flour, salt and pepper.

Heat oil and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, and place in the skillet. Saute 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove from the skillet.

Add the wine, lemon juice, capers and parsley to the skillet and bring to a boil, then remove from heat after about 1 minute, or until sauce thickens slightly. Season with a bit of additional salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over the chicken. I like to serve with either steamed white or wild rice, and a green vegetable, such as asparagus.

Serves 4.

Nasi Goreng (Indonesian Fried Rice)

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Nasi GorengNasi goreng literally translates to “fried rice.” It’s another common dish in Indonesia, and believe it or not, they like it so much, they eat it for breakfast there! This dish is easy to make, but plan ahead, as you must use leftover rice (or cooked rice that’s been refrigerated for 4 hours).

1 medium boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup water
4 cups (give or take) steamed jasmine rice — use cold leftover rice, or rice that’s been in the fridge for a few hours
2 Tbsp canola oil
3 eggs, beaten in a small bowl
1 medium onion, diced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 leek (white part only), finely chopped
4 tsp sambal ulek
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp Laos powder (or 1 1/2 tsp peeled, minced, fresh galangal)
1/2 lb shrimp (prawns), shelled and deveined
3 Tbsp kecap manis

Trim the chicken breast, and poach in turmeric water. To do this, combine the water, salt and turmeric in a small pan. Bring to a boil. Add the chicken breast (water should come up to half way on the chicken; must not be fully submerged). Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 8 minutes. Flip breast over, then simmer, covered, for an additional 8 minutes. Remove from heat and dice (rather finely). Set aside.

Heat a small frying pan that has been coated with cooking spray on low heat. Cover and cook until Fried Eggthe eggs are set (like an omelette, but don’t flip or turn). Remove from pan and cut into small cubes.

Heat oil in a large wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, leek and sambal ulek. Stir fry until the onions are soft, about 2 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin and Laos powder, and stir for another minute. Season with a bit of salt. Add the chicken and shrimp, and fry until the shrimp are no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add the rice, egg cubes and kecap manis. Turn the heat up to high, and stir fry for another 5 minutes, until all ingredients are well mixed. Serve hot.

Serves 4.

Quinoa and Chicken Casserole

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Quinoa CasseroleQuinoa is a wonderful grain (or “pseudocereal,” because it’s not really a grain) that is light and fluffy when cooked, and has a nice mild, nutty flavor. Quinoa is related to beets, spinach and tumbleweeds, believe it or not! It is commonly used in South American dishes, and is fast becoming popular in the U.S. Following is a recipe for a great quinoa dish that I tried last night for the first time. I’m never afraid to try recipes that are featured on pantry item packaging — you know it’s got to be good if the manufacturer put it there! I got this recipe off the carton of my favorite chicken stock by Kitchen Basics — it was delicious and simple to make (think weeknights).

  • 2 cups Kitchen Basics Original Chicken Stock
  • 1 large onion, peeled and diced
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 8 cremini (or white) mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 2/3 cup acorn squash, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 lb ground chicken
  • 2 tsp poultry seasoning (or dried sage)
  • 1 tsp salt (I added 2 tsp, which was about right)
  • 1/3 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups quinoa, uncooked, rinsed
  • 1/3 cup parsley, chopped
  • 1 1/4 cups reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a skillet, saute onion in olive oil on medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes or until translucent.

Add mushrooms, squash and garlic, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add chicken, breaking it into small pieces as it browns, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Add poultry seasoning, salt, pepper, stock and quinoa, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer ingredients from pan to a bowl, and stir in parsley and 3/4 cup cheese.

Turn mixture into 9″ x 9″ casserole dish or baking pan (lightly coat the dish first with cooking spray).

Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of casserole. Bake in oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

Recipe adapted from “Cozy Quinoa Casserole,” Kitchen Basics

Opor Ayam (Indonesian Chicken Curry)

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Opor AyamI love this recipe. It has all the Indonesian flavors I love (especially trassi and kecap manis — please see the glossary). Opor Ayam is a chicken stew that is common in Indonesia. It is rich and aromatic, and some would consider it a curry. It’s simple, and it’s a dish that I do on weeknights.

Ingredients

1.5 – 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tbsp canola oil
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp terasi
3 oz chicken stock
1 14oz can reduced fat coconut milk
1 tbsp gula jawa (or brown sugar — see glossary)
2 tbsp kecap manis
3 tsp sambal ulek
2 kaffir lime leaves, very thinly shredded

Spice Mixture

4 kemiri nuts
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp Laos powder (see glossary)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper

Preparation

Combine coconut milk, chicken stock, lime leaves, gula jawa, kecap manis and set aside.

Combine spices for spice mixture and set aside.

Combine the onions, garlic, sambal ulek and chicken and set aside.

Heat oil on medium-high in a heavy sauce pan or wok. Add the chicken mixture, and saute for 5 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink.Cooking Opor Ayam

Add the spice mixture, cook for 2 minutes, then add the terasi and cook for another minute.

Add the broth mixture, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for another 45 minutes, until the liquid is reduced to about half (or a little more, as Indonesian sauces are fairly dry). Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Serves 4.