Tag: chicken
Second Day- Tokyo- The Asakusa Area
We went to the old part of Tokyo today, better known as the asakusa area. We saw the Senso-ji temple which is one of the oldest and most popular temples. It is surrounded by a line of small outside shops full of trinkets, snacks and clothes- did I mention the snacks?? My husband was a bit concerned since we had no idea what we were eating- but I just wanted to try everything. The snacks were mostly rice based and even the sweet stuff was not too sweet. We also had a cup of delicious, chilled green tea- probably not the kind you get in the bottled stuff back home.
As we walked, we kept looking at all the restaurants. Japanese food is very visual- most places have pictures of all the dishes served- good for people like us who don’t know the language. We finally ended up at this crowded, small restaurant and were quickly ushered upstairs. As we climed up, we were given a choice of sitting on the stools or mats on the floor. We quickly took our shoes off and sat down to rest our tired feet.
A friendly man came over and said hello. He explained there were no food photos- I waived my hands indicating ‘never mind’. We ordered rice and shrimp tempura with miso soup for my husband and a bowl of soba noodles with pork in a curry broth.
My husband enjoyed his beer as I ordered sake- actually it is called nihonshu. He suggested I enjoy it hot- and it was delicious.
We finished our leisurely lunch and decided to check out the Imperial gardens. Turns out they are huge. To get to the gardens, we walked through the financial district and stumbled upon a little square full of people and restaurants. We sat down in the shaded area and saw a French bakery. I got a madeline for my husband and a burnt milk (caramel) ice cream- one of the best ones I have had.
After an hour rest back in the hotel, we decided to head back to the Shinjuku area to have dinner. There are restaurants on multiple floors of buildings, so you have keep looking up and down to see where you want to go. We decided on a place on the third floor- completely random- the pictures looked good. It turned out to be a place that serves grilled chicken (different parts) and a few other things.
We took our shoes off and were lead into a dark, loud eating area. We sat down and were given a menu with some English- very helpful. We ended up getting a bunch of things- it was tapas style.
Most of the dishes were good- the tofu was exceptional. So were the chicken meatballs. We left there quite happy and picked up a pastry on our way back to the hotel. I didn’t realize how prevalent bakeries are in Tokyo- full of them. The pastry was delicious and so was the good night sleep. Tomorrow we are off to the fish market- stay tuned for my adventures there…
Tamarind Chicken with Green Beans
One of my favorite ingredients to have in my pantry is tamarind. I have the regular dried tamarind that I get from the Indian store but I also have the tamarind concentrate which is available at most grocery stores like Whole Foods. The concentrate is always in my fridge and I use for a lot of things including dressings, sauces, etc. It is easy to use and a little goes a long way. I love the earthy, tangy flavor it imparts to all the dishes- especially when it is paired with honey or sugar.
In this dish, I wanted to make a quick stir fry and wanted to use the tamarind concentrate to replicate a few Thai dishes I enjoy at Khun Thai– one of our favorite restaurants. I love the mixture of flavors in my mouth- sweet, sour, spicy and savory- my mouth waters as I write….
I marinated the chicken pieces and mixed up a quick sauce for the stir fry. I had green beans in my fridge and I thought it would be a great combination with the chicken and the tangy sauce. I made brown rice on the side and it was a perfectly balanced and delicious meal.
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Moroccan Style Chicken with Spinach Cilantro Couscous
This dish takes the mundane chicken dinner to a whole new level. We had our usual Friday get together with Sia’s friend, her sisters and their Mom. It started off as a pizza party and as far as the kids are concerned, that is what we should serve every week. Most times I don’t feel like ordering pizza and would rather cook something at home.
So when the day came, I decided to make a chicken dish- something different (I usually say that in my mind- I really do). I was either watching or reading something- I can’t remember, but Moroccan chicken came up. That was it- I couldn’t think of anything else. I bought the chicken and – everything else was in the house. Couscous comes to mind when I think Moroccan food. Instead of making a salad on the side, I decided to make a spinach and cilantro sauce and cooked the couscous in it. The colors were amazing- the orangish red chicken against the light green couscous was beautiful. The taste wasn’t so shabby either.
We all enjoyed the chicken with the couscous and some red wine- yes I am drinking wine- just on the weekends for now and Friday is part of the weekend. I do plan to incorporate wine back into the week but since I am doing a cleanse, I feel I should detox and stay away from it for a while. I digress- the evening was very enjoyable and delicious!
- 2 tablespoons white whole-wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1½ pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large white onion, sliced thin
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon schug (hot red pepper mix)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 (16 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1/3 cup slivered almonds
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
Toss the flour and salt with the chicken in a bag to coat. Heat a non-stick skillet with the olive oil and brown the chicken on both sides, about 4 minutes each. Transfer to a plate.
Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes on medium heat. Add cinnamon, ginger, cumin, schug and salt. Add the tomato, honey, raisins, chickpeas and chicken. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the chicken is tender. Sprinkle the almonds and cilantro. Serve with couscous.
Spinach Cilantro Couscous
- 1 cup baby spinach
- 1/2 cup cilantro
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 green onion
Blend the spinach, cilantro, garlic and onion with some water until a smooth paste is formed. Keep aside.
- 1 cup whole wheat couscous
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 cup spinach paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Heat a medium sized saucepan and add the oil. Add the spinach paste and saute for a minutes on medium high heat. Add the chicken broth and salt. Bring to a boil and add the couscous and place the lid and turn the heat off. Fluff the couscous in 5 minutes once it is cooked.
Rice and Beans with Shredded Chicken
I have started the new year with yet another one pot meal. How great is a one pot meal??- I love them. With this particular one, I served a salad and some store bought green salsa and it was a huge success.
I love not having to clean multiple pots and pans and not spending extra time cooking side dishes. This is a perfect week night meal.
Since I talked about brown rice yesterday, this dish would be ideal with brown rice. I would increase the cooking time, of course- but the flavor won’t be compromised at all. Especially in this dish, since there are lots of strong flavors going on, this dish might be perfect to experiment with- your family may not be able to tell the difference at all.
As most of you know, I love shopping at Trader Joes- especially for the new and fabulous ingredients they keep coming out with. I found a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes with green chilies recently. I picked it up immediately and decided to use it for a south western style dish. I loved the flavor in this dish- it brings a smoky kick to the rice dish- really delicious. Please try it…
- 1 pound chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium white onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 14.5 oz can of diced and fire roasted tomatoes with green chilies (Trader Joes)
- 1 15 oz can of pinto beans
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1½ cups chicken broth
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. In the meantime, sprinkle paprika and salt on both sides of the chicken pieces. Place the chicken pieces in the heated oil and brown both sides- about 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Add the onions and garlic. Saute on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and add the rice and salt. Continue boiling till the broth begins to evaporate and bubbles form on the surface. Lower the heat to low and cover the saucepan half way. Once the all the broth has evaporated, cover all the way and cook for 20 minutes or till the rice is done.
Take the chicken pieces out and shred with a fork. Put back in the pan and mix with the rice and beans.
Serve with a green salad and freshly made guacamole.
Zucchini Pesto Pizzas with Fresh Mozzarella Cheese
Okay, so this is a delicious concoction. While we were in Umbria at a very small yet great restaurant- we were served a variety bruschetta. One of them was green and tasted like heaven. We asked about it and found out it was made out of freshly picked zucchini. It was processed simply with extra virgin olive oil and salt.
So, that is what I did. I bought some lovely looking zucchini from the farmer’s market. This pesto is so simple yet delicious. I made it and wasn’t sure what to do with it. My daughter had been complaining about me not making pizza at home. That is what gave me the idea to use the pesto for the pizza.
As usual I bought pizza dough from our local pizzeria and decided to make individual ones. I had leftover chicken which I decided to use for the topping. I spread the pesto on the rolled out dough and topped it with fresh mozzarella cheese and chicken pieces.
The pizzas were delicious! My neighbors were outside and I decided to give them a taste. Even the kids loved it! I told the parents that the pesto was made out of zucchini and that they should keep the main ingredient to themselves! All in all it was a great experiment. Try it, I bet your kids will love it too…
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Easy Chicken Recipe: Moroccan Chicken with Apricots
Sometimes I get into a rut and make the same chicken dishes time and time again. I had chicken thighs in the fridge and I wanted to make a different preparation for a change. Nothing was coming to mind until I was flipping through a William Sonoma catalog. They were featuring a tagine and had a recipe for a chicken cooked in the contraption. I noticed the recipe included olives and apricots- I had both in the fridge- so I started cooking.
I sprinkled salt and pepper on chicken thighs- my favorite part of the chicken. Thighs are great to use in such dishes- they can be cooked for a long time and not get tough on you, plus they have great flavor. I made a simple spice mix with cinnamon and coated the chicken. I then browned the pieces and sauteed them with garlic and onions. I decided to add some grated carrots- to add some veggies- no one was able to detect anything healthy!
The olives and apricots really gave the chicken an incredible flavor and texture. I love the two ingredients together… The sweetness and chewiness of the apricots complimented the saltiness of the olives really well. I went to a few local stores to find preserved lemons (often used in Moroccan dishes) but was not able to. The olives I had were marinated with lemons- so that is what I used. It worked really well but I am sure using the actual preserved lemons would have been delicous too.
The dish was yum- I made cumin couscous with it. My daughter until recently didn’t care of couscous, but once I told her it is pasta in another form- she was a little more receptive. I made a green salad with our dinner and opened a bottle of red wine. Delicious!
A Southwestern One Pot Recipe: Roasted Salsa Chicken with Red Beans
This is another one pot meal I am proud of. I love when I come up with something that is enjoyed both by adults and kids. My daughter loved it even though she is not a fan of salsas or any tangy sauces. It started with me having tons of cherry tomatoes in the house. I decided to roast them with an onion and garlic and make a roasted salsa. My husband loves salsa with chips- so I thought we can consume the tomatoes in a tasty way. Once the salsa was made, I realized that it is essentially a sauce, with a lot of flavor- and I can cook with it! So I decided to make a rice dish with chicken and beans. I bought my favorite part of the chicken- thighs- I love cooking with them. They have so much more flavor than chicken breasts and they are a lot more forgiving in terms of cooking. Chicken thighs are perfect for curries, stews or really any dish- you can cook the heck out of them and they still taste delicious.
I sauteed them in some olive oil, salt and pepper. I then added the salsa and sauteed it with the chicken for a few minutes as I wanted the chicken to impart some delicious flavor into the sauce. I then added a can of red kidney beans and basmati rice. The beans added a delicious creaminess to the savory dish. I always cook my rice with chicken broth. I love using it- definitely one of my favorite ingredients to have around all the time. It’s a great way to add extra flavor to rice, sauces or curries. I buy the big case of organic chicken broth boxes from Costco- there are six in one big case and I go through them very quickly- since I use it in almost everything I make. If you are a vegetarian, I would recommend using vegetable broth instead.
The dish is easy to make since the salsa has all the flavor. You can also buy your favorite salsa from the store and cook this dish- definitely a quick ‘go to’ meal. It doesn’t take very long at all- the key is to have the staples at home- rice, chicken broth and some cans of your favorite beans.
The dish was a big success. I gave some leftovers to a friend. We ate as a family with a green salad and of course some wine.