Cajun Chicken Carter

I like a little bit of spice, but not to the point of eating habanero peppers. Sweating and eating at the same time is just is not my thing.

I was in the mood for Cajun but did not want all the cayenne heat that it usually has.  I found this recipe for Chicken Carter that foot the bill.  It is flavorful but on the mild side.

The cookbook, Fork in the Road, offers up recipes that are a bit healthier than traditional Cajun cuisine. The first thing I noticed was that this recipe had quite a number of spices in it but it did not include cayenne.  Also, the roux (typically made with oil) is replaced with flour that is browned in a pan.  While being more healthy, the absence of roux makes this dish easier to prepare.

Cajun Chicken Carter
courtesy of  A Fork in the Road Cookbook

Ingredients
1 whole chicken ( skin removed and cut up but skip this for the wings)
3 cups cooked long grain rice
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups sliced, chopped mushrooms
1/2 tsp minced garlic
2 cups chicken stock
2 tbs flour

Seasoning Ingredients
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp dried majoram
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground sage
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika

After all your prep work of chopping the vegetables is done, take out a heavy, non-stick skillet and preheat over high heat (350 degrees) for about 3 minutes.  Add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon to get out the lumps.  Once the flour starts to brown, turn down the heat to low-stirring constantly.  In about 4 minutes, you should have a toasty, brown looking flour.  It should be about the same hue as chocolate milk. Flour has a tendency to reach a point where it can burn easily, so you must be careful in this process.  Remove pan from heat and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk all the seasoning together so it is evenly dispersed.  Then take out a 5 quart pot (preferably non stick)and place over 350 degree heat to for about 4 minutes.

For the seasoning, measure out half and rub on all the chicken pieces..  Place the chicken in the pot to brown.  Let each side cook for about 3 minutes without moving and then turn.  Remove and set aside chicken.

Pour in 1/2 cup of chicken stock to the pot and scrape up all the brown bits from the side and bottom of pan.  Measure out half of the chopped onions and place in the pot.  Then add the celery, garlic and the rest of the seasoning mix.  Continue to stir a few times while the mixture is cooking.  Cook until  there is no more liquid in the pan. That should take about 4 minutes.

Pour in another 1/2 cup of the stock and let it come to a boil.  Add the browned flour and keep stirring until the flour turns into a paste.  Then cook for an additional 2 minutes.  Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot.  Add another 1/2 cup of stock and stir until there are not any clumps sitting on the bottom inside of the pot.

Add the rest of the vegetables (tomatoes, mushrooms, remaining onions) and the last half cup of the chicken stock.  Mix together.  Lastly, put the chicken pieces back in the pot and cover.  Bring the mixture to a boil, cooking for at least 4 minutes.  Reduce heat and simmer for an another 15-25 minutes.  Once done, plate servings by putting chicken pieces on a bed of rice and ladle with the vegetables and sauce.

Orange Chicken

This may look like my previous recipe for three cup chicken, but it is quite different. The interesting thing about this recipe is the short cut method of frying.  With a little oil and a whole lot of heat from your oven, you can make this chicken just as crispy as fried.  However, you must be very careful in sliding the pan of oil in and out of the oven.  I used the bottom pan of the broiler that came with the oven.  This is a good choice if you do not want to mess up a baking sheet and the pan is a little deeper.

The ginger and the fresh orange juice really make a tasty sauce. Also, the measure of cayenne is just right. It is enough to add a little heat while letting the other flavors come through. So, if you are craving Chinese take out, try making this at home instead. To really round out the meal, consider steaming some snap peas or broccoli florets to add to the sauce with the chicken.

Orange Chicken
courtesy of Cooks Illustrated via Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Ingredients/Marinade
2 tbs cold water
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup and 2 tbs vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 2 oranges)
1 tbs grated ginger (about 1 inch piece)
1 tbs minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 cup dark brown sugar (packed)
1 1/2 lbs of chicken tenderloins, diced in 1 1/2 in pieces
1 tbs plus 2 tsp corn starch
1 1/2 tsp grated orange zest

Ingredients/for chicken dredge & frying
1/2 cup canola oil
3 egg whites
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch

First, you will need a saucepan to mix up the marinade. Mix together orange zest, orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar, cayenne pepper, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and chicken stock in saucepan.  Continue to mix until brown sugar is evenly distributed.

Take a ladle and spoon out 3/4 of a cup of marinade into a gallon zip lock storage bag. Then add the chicken pieces and seal bag.  Place bag in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and no longer than 1 hour.

In a small bowl, mix together cornstarch and water until cornstarch has dissolved.  Place the saucepan of the remaining marinade over medium high heat and let it come to a boil.  Then pour in the cornstarch mixture and whisk.  Let the mixture cook for about 1 minute and remove from heat.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  Take out two plates or pie plates for the coating mix.  In one, beat 3 eggs whites with a fork until frothy.  In the other, sift together flour and cornstarch.

Once the chicken has completed the chilling process, remove the bag of chicken from the fridge.  Pour all of the ingredients into a colander to drain.  Then dry chicken pieces by pressing in a paper towel.

Take each piece of chicken and dredge in egg whites, letting excess drip off.  Then coat in the dry mixture and put all the coated pieces on a plate. Set aside.

Put the empty baking pan inside the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove and pour canola oil into pan. This is where things get a little smoky and very hot, so use caution. Return pan to the oven and set timer for 5 minutes.  When the timer goes off, remove the pan.  Add chicken pieces to the pan, spacing evenly.  Bake in oven for 7 minutes, then turn with tongs and bake the other side of the chicken for 5 minutes. Turn off oven.
 
Remove pan and take the tongs and put chicken pieces in the pan with the sauce. Place pan over medium heat and stir, making sure all the chicken is evenly coated.  The sauce should reach the desired temperature again after 3 minutes.  In the meantime, cook up some minute rice according to directions.

Ladle chicken and sauce over the rice to serve. Enjoy!

Three Cup Chicken

I am out of the sweet mode today due to making several very rich and decadent cupcakes for donation.  All of you craving something sweet and chocolate need not fear, that recipe is coming up this friday.

This is one of the favorite dishes of Chinese take-outs on the east coast, but I have yet to see it on the menu at places here in Texas. This is not really an issue, because it is very easy to make at home. This combination of soy sauce, rice wine and dark sesame oil really turns chicken into something special. An easy and delicious meal is just the ticket on a busy day. This recipe was adapted from Scent of Spice, which is a blog that is currently in maintenance mode.

Three Cup Chicken
Ingredients
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup (low salt) soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine
1/2 cup dark sesame oil
1/4 cup fresh basil
6 slices of ginger
10 cloves of peeled garlic or minced garlic
8 deboned chicken thighs

In a saucepan or wok, stir fry the ginger at a medium temperature in the sesame oil until the ginger becomes dry.  Then add the chicken pieces and stir until done, when all pieces have no trace of pink.  Put in the garlic and the first 4 ingredients listed above, continuing to stir.

Once mixed, turn heat down to simmer and cover.  Mixture should be cooked until the liquids become thick, which should be about 15-20 minutes.  Then mix in the basil.

Serve hot over a bed of rice with an egg roll or spring roll on the side.

Chicken Avocado Parmigiana

 Don't let the title fool you, this recipe does not have any Parmesan cheese in it.  This is a recipe from Australia, who apparently is very addicted to chicken parmigiana.  Also, it is perfect for those that do not have the time nor the interest in spending very much time on dinner.  It is simple, yet satisfying. There are six servings to the recipe below.

Chicken Avocado Parmigiana
adapted from taste.com.au 
Ingredients
3 chicken breasts, halved lengthwise, pounded to 1/2 to 1/4 inch thickness
2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
3 eggs
3 tbs milk
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup marinara
Olive oil cooking spray
2 sliced avocados
3/4 cup grated mozzarella

Prepare a baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 395 degrees.

Line up three bowls for dredging. The first will be with flour, second with eggs and milk and third with breadcrumbs.

Take each piece of chicken and coat with flour.  Then dredge in egg mixture and coat in breadcrumbs, pressing to make sure all areas are covered.  Place all pieces on lined baking sheet and lightly spray with cooking oil.

Place baking sheet(s) in oven.  This bakes in two phases.  The first baking time should be between 5-10 minutes,depending on how thick your pieces are.  Mine took about 8 minutes.  Once this phase is completed, take out of oven and cover each chicken piece with 3 tbs (or more) of marinara sauce.  Place avocado slices over sauce.  Sprinkle with cheese and return to oven.  Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Take out of oven and serve.

Also, presenting the meal with a big sigh is not required to convince your husband it took hours to prepare, but it always helps! This chicken is best served on top of cooked angel hair pasta with a Caesar salad. Enjoy. 


 

Zesty Carminized Chicken Scarpariello

 I was craving something Italian that was on the lighter side.  That meant that there would be no cheese or pasta.  I flipped through a cookbook book called Carmine's and found the recipe for this chicken.  The two step cooking process keeps the chicken from being dry and it has a slightly sticky, garlicky coating.  I know "garlicky" does not sound like a real word, but trust me, it is. You will understand this word more once you have tasted the chicken-it calls for 4 tablespoons of minced garlic.

The recipe states that it is for 2-3 people, but the two eating here had leftovers for another dinner.  Also, it starts with a marinade, so you will need to begin 24 hours prior to cooking.

Chicken Scarpariello
adapted from Carmine's Family Style Cookbook

Ingredients:
One cut up chicken, weighing about 3 1/2 lbs
1 tbs kosher salt
2 tsp each of chopped herbs as follows: sage, rosemary, oregano.
black pepper
3 lemons
1 cup of vegetable oil
2 tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs finely chopped shallots
4 tbs minced garlic
1/4 cup white wine
salt
lemon wedges for garnish

Day before:
In a large zip lock bag, mix salt, pepper and 1 tablespoon each of sage, rosemary and oregano.  The remaining tablespoons of the 3  herbs may be mixed together and set aside for later use. Squeeze the juice of 2 lemons and pour in bag with herbs.  Then add your chicken pieces and seal the bag while keeping out excess air.  Once sealed, your bag should be flat except for where the chicken is. Then flip the bag over several times and move chicken pieces around in bag so all is coated.  Fold over bag and place in fridge to marinate for 24 hours.  During the 24 hr period flip the bag every so often so chicken can fully soak in marinade.  I turned about once every 4 hours, outside of my sleep time of course.

Next Day:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees and prepare a roasting pan for your chicken.  I prepare my pan by lining it with foil and spraying the foil with olive oil.  This will keep your pan from being difficult to clean after the meal.

Now you will need to saute your chicken in a pan.  To control the heat, I used an electric skillet on 350 degrees but you can saute on the stove top using medium temperature.  Put the vegetable oil in your pan and wait for it to get hot or start to smoke.  Then remove your chicken from the marinade, patting off excess liquids with a paper towel.  Add your chicken to the pan, placing carefully.  You will leave the chicken to cook 5-8 minutes without moving it, giving it time to get golden brown.  Then turn the pieces over, again cooking without moving another 5-8 minutes.  Most of my chicken did not stick after 8 minutes, so it was able to be turned without losing the golden crust.  You do not want it to burn, but you want to give it enough time so it will not stick either.  Continue to cook the chicken another 5-10 minutes so all sides are browned.

Then transfer chicken to your roasting pan and put it in the oven for another 15-20 minutes until it is cooked through.

While the chicken is baking, you need to prepare the glaze.  You can either clean the original saute pan or pull out another one.  If you use another pan, just make sure it can hold all of the chicken.  On medium heat, melt one tablespoon of butter in pan.  Add the remaining herbs (rosemary oregano and sage) along with the garlic and shallots.  Cook the mixture for about 3 minutes until the garlic and shallots start to brown.

Add the wine and increase the heat.  Take a wooden spoon to mix and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze it.  Cook the mixture until most of the wine evaporates, which should take about 2 minutes.  Then stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter.  After that, you will season the mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Lastly, you will finalize the mixture by squeezing in the juice of the remaining lemon.  The book called the recipe a sauce, but mine had more the consistency of a pesto. That difference did not seem to affect the end result.

Anyhow, toss your chicken back into the saute pan, making sure the herb mixture is evenly distributed.  Serve on platter garnished with lemon wedges. 
 
This can be served with Cesear salad and crusty Italian bread.  Also, if you are looking for an appetizer,you might try this with just using chicken wings.