Tag: chicken thighs

Greek Style Crispy Chicken Thighs

4 to 6 bone-in chicken thighs with skin on
Salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Marinade/Sauce

Juice of 4 lemons
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, grated
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons salt

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl and keep aside.

Marinate the chicken thighs in ¼ cup of the marinade and another teaspoon of salt for 2 to 3 hours in the fridge. Take out of fridge half an hour before cooking.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat a heavy frying pan or a cast iron pan with the 2 tablespoons olive oil till very hot. Place the chicken thighs skin side down and cook on medium high heat for about 12 minutes while moving around the chicken thighs a bit. Transfer to the oven and bake for another 12 minutes with the skin side down. Take out of oven and flip over the thighs and bake for another 5 minutes until the skin is super crispy and the chicken is cooked through.

Serve right away with a teaspoon of sauce over the thighs.

Paella with Chorizo and Chicken

This was a great hit at a get together I had recently at our home. I love making paellas, especially because they fit the ‘one pot meal’ category really well. This particular one is very flavorful with lots of chorizo and smoked paprika. The great thing is I was able to make it in advance and it actually tastes better as it sits.

4 to 5 chicken thighs, with bone, skinless
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons smoked paprika

Sprinkle the salt and smoked paprika all over the chicken thighs and let sit for 2 to 3 hours.

2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ cup dried chorizo, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon Spanish saffron
½ cup tomato puree
2 cups short grain rice
4 cups chicken broth
Salt
1 cup frozen peas
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a paella pan. Brown the chicken thighs on both sides, about 3 to 4 minutes each. Take out and add the chorizo. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, pepper and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 3 to 4 minute. Add the bay, saffron and tomato puree. Saute for a minute. Add the chicken thighs and cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes or till the chicken is cooked through. Take out and let cool. Add the rice and mix well. Add the chicken broth and check seasonings. Add salt. Bring to a boil and in the meantime, take the chicken meat off the bones and shred. Add the shredded chicken to the pan and mix well. Cook the rice on a simmer for 5 minutes, lower the heat and cover till rice is almost cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the peas and tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes till the peas are warm. Stir in cilantro and parsley and serve warm.

Chicken Curry with Roasted Onion and Garlic

This is a very different way of making a curry- usually, the onion, ginger, garlic and tomato and cooked to death to achieve a deep, deep flavor. I like to cook simple food that doesn’t take me forever to cook… but I want to get the cooked to death flavor- so I roasted the onions and garlic…. it created an amazing, amazing flavors…

1 large yellow onion, cut in half with skin on
3 garlic cloves, intact
2 inch piece of ginger
1 14 ounce can of fire roasted tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wrap the garlic and ginger in a piece of aluminum foil. Place the onion and the aluminum packet on a lined cookie sheet and roast in the oven for 40 minutes. Take out and let cool and transfer to a blender. Add the canned tomatoes and blend till a smooth sauce is formed. Keep aside.

2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
2 tablespoons butter or ghee
2 pounds chicken thighs, skinless and boneless and cut into 2 inch pieces
Sprinkle with salt
2 teaspoons black cumin or regular cumin
1 cinnamon stick- 3 inches
3 cloves

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt. In the meantime, heat a heavy saucepan with the oil and butter/ghee. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides on a medium high heat. Take out of pan and keep aside. Add the cumin, cinnamon and cloves. Saute for 30 seconds on medium heat. Add the onion and tomato sauce and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the chicken pieces, a cup of water and bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat covered with a lid for 30 minutes. Take the lid off and adjust seasoning as desired. Serve with rice or roti.

Chicken and Mushroom Ragu on Herb Polenta

Delicious chicken stew over polenta…

1 pound chicken thighs, skinned
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup pancetta, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Heat a saucepan with the olive oil on high. Add the pancetta and sauté for a minute. Brown the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes of each side. Sprinkle salt while browning. Take the chicken pieces out and keep aside.

2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 large shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup red wine
2 cups chicken broth
Salt

Add the herbs in the pancetta mixture with the mushrooms. Saute on high heat till the mushrooms have cooked down including the excess liquid. Add the shallot and garlic. Saute for a minute and add the flour. Cook the flour for a minute and add the red wine. Scrape all the brown bits off the bottom and add the chicken broth. Add the chicken pieces and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes with the lid on. Take the lid off and make sure the chicken is tender and juicy. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil and cook till the dish reaches desired consistency.

Herb Polenta with Gruyere

1 cup fine polenta
1½ cups milk
1½ cups chicken broth
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig rosemary
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup aged Gruyere cheese, grated

Bring the milk and broth. Add the herbs and salt. Slowly add the polenta whisking at the same time, stirring till it thickens. Turn the heat off and add the cheese. Mix well and check for seasonings. Serve with the chicken and mushroom ragu.

Mexican Stew with Chicken and Shrimp

This is a yummy, one pot meal that is a bit reminiscent of a deconstructed paella… I have delicious sauce that I serve with yummy chicken and shrimp…

2 cups tomato sauce, homemade or store bought (14 ounces can of tomato sauce)
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 jalapeno chili, sliced in half and deseeded
1 medium onion, chopped
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup fish stock
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon olive oil

Transfer the tomato sauce to a medium saucepan. Add the garlic, jalapeno, onion, nutmeg and salt. Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer for 10 minutes or till the vegetables are soft. Transfer to a blender and add the fish stock and blend till smooth.

Heat the same saucepan with olive oil and add the tomato sauce and sauté for a minute. Turn heat lower and simmer, covered for 15 minutes, till the sauce is thickened. Add the heavy cream, mix well and check for seasonings. Keep aside.

1 pound chicken thighs, skin off with the bone
3 to 4 links chorizo, casings off and crumbled
1 pound medium shrimp
2 tablespoons extra light olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Salt
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, ground
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped

Heat a heavy saucepan with the olive oil and butter. Brown the chicken thighs on high heat on both sides, for about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Sprinkle salt on both sides. Take the chicken out and add the chorizo and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cumin seeds, onion and garlic and sauté on medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken back to the pan and the tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and simmer with the lid on for 20 minutes. Take the lid off and check for seasonings. Add the shrimp right before serving. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes making sure shrimp does not overcook. Serve with arugula rice.

Chicken Curry with a South Indian Twist

I concocted this dish for a dinner party we had. I wanted to make a traditional chicken curry but with a twist… a South Indian twist.. which meant I used curry leaves and mustard seeds… it was delicious…

1 pound chicken thighs, skinless and cut into 2 inch pieces
¼ cup Greek yogurt
3 garlic cloves
2 inch ginger piece, chopped
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon salt

Process the garlic, ginger and cilantro. Add to a small bow with the yogurt and salt. Mix well and add to a large zip lock bag with the chicken. Marinate over night or at least 2 to 3 hours.

1 14 ounces can diced fire roasted tomatoes with chilies
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cardamom pods
2 cloves
1 cup chicken broth

Transfer all the ingredients to a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Take off the heat and transfer to a blender and blend till smooth. Keep aside.

3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
8 to 10 curry leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt

Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the curry leaves, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Saute for a minute and add the chicken with the marinade. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes on high heat. Add the blended tomato mixture. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Take the lid off and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes. Check for seasonings.

Roast Chicken with Orzo and Kale

This is a great, yummy, one pot meal to make through the week- doesn’t take very long but it tastes like you have spent hours cooking it!

5 to 6 chicken thighs with skin on
1 lemon, cut into wedges
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
3 garlic cloves, smashed
2 teaspoons salt

Marinate the chicken thighs in an oven-proof pan with the lemon, dill, oregano, garlic and salt. Mix well with fingers and keep aside for 3 to 4 hours in the fridge. Take out of the fridge 30 minutes before roasting. Preheat oven on 400 degrees. Roast for 30 minutes. Turn the broiler on and broil the chicken pieces until they are golden brown. Take out of the oven and keep aside. It is okay if the chicken is not cooked through.

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1½ cups orzo
3 cups chicken broth plus more if necessary
5 ounces baby kale
Salt

Heat a saucepan with butter and oil. Add the orzo and sauté on medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer and add the chicken pieces including the lemon pieces and let simmer for about ten minutes or till the pasta is cooked and the chicken is cooked through. Add the kale slowly till all is wilted. Add more broth if necessary. Take the lemon pieces out. Mix and check for seasonings. Serve warm.

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