Poultry | onedadskitchen

Saturday Takeout at Home – General Tso’s Chicken

Friday and Saturday nights all over seem to be the nights that people really go for takeout, at least in my neck of the woods. I think most people do not feel like cooking when it comes to the weekend after a long week of work, school, afterschool activities, chores and everything else you need to take care of on a daily basis. While simply calling the local pizza place or Chinese takeout is a great option that everyone turns to now and then, you can make some of your favorite takeout items right at home without spending a lot of time or money and they will taste even better than what you are paying for at a restaurant. One of my personal takeout favorites has always been General Tso’s chicken at the local Chinese restaurant here. You get the combination of a sweet and spicy glaze and sauce coating breaded chicken that tastes amazing and you would never think it is something you could duplicate at home – but you can quite easily. I found this recipe from Saveur for General Tso’s chicken that is easy to make and tastes just as good if not better than what comes in those little white containers.

General Tso’s Chicken

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chicken stock

7 tablespoons cornstarch

6 tablespoons rice vinegar

6 tablespoons tomato paste

5 tablespoons light soy sauce

4 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce

2 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

3 1/2 cups plus 9 tablespoons peanut, vegetable or canola oil

3 egg yolks

2 tablespoons minced ginger

2 tablespoons minced garlic

16 chiles de arbol

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Thinly sliced scallions, to garnish

Whisk the chicken stock, 1 tablespoon of the cornstarch, the rice vinegar, tomato paste, 3 tablespoons of the light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of the dark soy sauce and 3 tablespoons of water in a bowl; set the sauce aside.

Place the remaining cornstarch and both of the remaining soy sauces, the chicken pieces, 3 tablespoons of the oil and the egg yolks in a large bowl and toss them together. Pour 3 1/2 cups of the oil into a large skillet, flat-bottomed wok or Dutch oven. Heat the over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees. Working in batches, add the chicken pieces, tossing them occasionally, until they are cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to paper towels to drain and set them aside. Repeat the process until all of the chicken is cooked. Discard the oil in the pan and wipe the pan clean.

Return the pan to high heat and add the remaining oil. Add the ginger, garlic and the chiles; fry, stirring constantly, until the mixture is fragrant and the chiles begin to change color, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved sauce; cook until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken and fry, tossing constantly, until the chicken pieces are evenly coated with the sauce, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Transfer the chicken to a serving plate and top with the sliced scallions.

I have to say that the sauce was spot on as far as taste and texture. It was just like what you get with your takeout order, even though instead of chile de arbol, which I did not have on hand and rarely see around here, I used some Thai garlic chili sauce instead. I think you would get a more authentic flavor with the chile de arbol if you use them, but this was pretty close. The only difference I made from the recipe other than that was that I was using breaded chicken thigh pieces that I had left over from a meal earlier in the week so it was a bit of a cheat for me but I think it worked well. The difference with leftovers was that the coating of the chicken did not go all the way around the chicken pieces as it would if you followed this recipe exactly, but it was still good. Serve this with some white rice or fried rice and you have a great takeout meal all of your own.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on September 27, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Eating Out, Poultry, Sauce, Stir Fry

Tags: General Tso, general Tso's chicken, homemade General Tso's chicken, homemade takeout meals, Saveur, stir fry General Tso's Chicken

From Butternut Squash to Faux Pho, Soups to Make This Season – Bon Appétit

19 Sep

From Butternut Squash to Faux Pho, Soups to Make This Season – Bon Appétit. As the fall weather gets closer and closer I start to think more about making some, warm,comforting meals for dinner. This very often includes making an array of different types of soup that are perfect for the season and are great for dinners, lunches and leftovers. Bon Appetit has put together 31 soups that are great for this time of year. Take a look at the recipes and find your favorite one to try. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on September 19, 2014 in Beans, Beef, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Leftovers, Lunch, One Pot Meals, Pasta, Pork, Poultry, Rice, Slow Cooker Meals, Soups & Stews

Tags: 31 soup recipes, 31 soup recipes for fall, bon appetit, Bon Appetit 31 soup recipes for fall, soup recipes, Soups, soups to make for the fall

Dine in Central America with Ariran Guisou (Chicken Stew)

18 Sep

Finding new and different things to do with the chicken is always an adventure because you can come across so many great recipes from different cultures around the world that you may never have thought of even trying before. Since I buy a lot of whole chickens and chicken pieces, I always want to try new and interesting ways of cooking chicken that are going to bring new flavors to the table. I found this recipe for ariran guisou, a dish from Honduras that is a chicken stew, on the Saveur website and it had a great mix of spices and flavors and seemed very easy to make, so I knew I had to give it a try.

Ariran Guisou (Chicken Stew)

2 pounds skinless chicken legs and thighs

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons dry mustard powder

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, sliced

Kosher salt, to taste

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced

1 cup chicken stock

Combine the chicken legs and thighs, the lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, mustard powder, black pepper, turmeric, cumin, garlic, onion and kosher salt in a large bowl. Mix all of the ingredients well to coat the chicken. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Heat the vegetable or canola oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook, turning the pieces once, until the chicken is browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set it aside. Add the onions from the marinade and the bell pepper to the skillet. Cook until the onions and peppers are soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved chicken and any accumulated juices back into the skillet along with the chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium. Cover the skillet and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through and the pieces run clear when pricked with a fork, about 15 to 18 minutes.

What you end up with is an incredibly flavorful chicken that is tender and tasty. The marinade for the chicken is great and you get the wonderful spiciness of the cumin and the turmeric along with a delightfully sweet flavor as well and the lime juice just adds the right amount of tarn flavor and aroma to the overall dish. We all really liked it and I served this with some white rice and the resulting sauce of the chicken went really well with the rice. Once the chicken is marinated, the whole meal took less than 30 minutes to make so it is a great option for you when you want to try out something new with some chicken pieces.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on September 18, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Poultry, Sauce, Soups & Stews, Spices

Tags: Ariran Guisou, chicken stew, Honduras chicken stew, Saveur, Saveur ariran guisou

Take a Turn at Turkey Black Bean Chili

17 Sep

Very often when I make chili I only use ground turkey to do it. We like the flavor of the chili and there is less fat and grease to deal with during the cooking process. I was looking for a recipe that would be just a little bit different from the standard recipe I have been using for years for chili when I cam across this one at myrecipes.com. There are just some slight differences in this recipe from the one I normally use, but you can adapt this recipe to make it as hot or as mild as you would like.

Turkey Black Bean Chili

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 yellow or orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 poblano chile, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound ground turkey

2 cans (28 ounces each) diced tomatoes

2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained

3 tablespoons tomato paste

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons agave nectar or 2 teaspoons sugar

Juice of 1 lime

Kosher salt

Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Sour cream (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the oil is shimmering. Saute the onion, bell pepper, poblano chile and the garlic, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the ground turkey, increase the heat to high and cook, stirring often and breaking the meat into chunks until the meat is no longer pink, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir in the diced tomatoes, the black beans, tomato paste, chili powder, ground cumin and the agave nectar or sugar. Bring the chili to a boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cover, stirring occasionally, and cook until all the flavors are blended, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Stir in the lime juice. Check the seasonings and add kosher salt if desired or necessary. Serve the chili with shredded cheese and sour cream.

This recipe carries a little more heat to it than the one I had made in the past, thanks to the poblano pepper, but I really liked it and so did Michelle, who is the real chili lover in our family. You can always leave out the poblano if you prefer to have it a little milder. I used the sugar instead of the agave nectar because that is what I had on hand and it did help to cut down the acidity of the tomatoes. The lime juice really adds to the dish as well. I also seasoned the ground turkey before putting it in the chili with some Montreal chicken seasoning for some extra flavor because I find that ground turkey alone can be kind of bland, even in chili, but you can always season it in another manner if you choose or not at all and I think you will still get pretty good flavor out of this recipe. Of course, the flavor gets even better after a day or two and it has been great for lunches or even just as a snack with some tortilla chips.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on September 17, 2014 in Beans, Cooking, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Poultry, Soups & Stews, Turkey

Tags: ground turkey, myrecipes.com, turkey black bean chili, turkey chili, turkey chili recipe

The Best Slow-Cooker Recipes : Cooking Channel

14 Sep

The Best Slow-Cooker Recipes : Cooking Channel.

It’s getting into the Fall time of year where you want to make some housewarming meals at home but may not have the time to do just everything you want during the week. This is where your slow cooker can really come in handy and Cooking Channel has put together 26 of their best slow cooker recipes for you to tryr so you can make some great meals with just a little bit of work and have everything ready when you get home. Check it out!

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Posted by MikeG on September 14, 2014 in Beef, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Pork, Poultry, Slow Cooker Meals

Tags: 26 slow cooker recipes, best slow cooker recipes, Cooking Channel, Cooking Channel slow cooker recipes, slow cooker recipes

Never Mind the Mall! Make Your Own Bourbon Chicken in the Slow Cooker

11 Sep

If you have spent any time at all in any mall, you have more than likely ventured into the food court once or twice. While you may typically find fast food options that everyone is familiar with, you are also likely going to find some type of restaurant offering you up free samples of the famous bourbon chicken seen in malls everywhere. I had been thinking about trying to replicate this on my own at home recently and after reading many of the recipes I found online I realized that a lot of these recipes do not actually use any bourbon at all in them and the name actually comes from Bourbon Street in New Orleans and not the content of the recipe. While this made sense, I was kind of looking forward to using a little bit of bourbon in a recipe because you can get some great flavor from it. I did finally come across a recipe from Betty Crocker that makes use of bourbon and is made in the slow cooker, allowing me to put everything together quickly and just let it cook until dinner time.

Slow Cooker Bourbon Chicken

1/2 cup bourbon

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup chopped green onions

Spray the slow cooker insert with cooking spray to prevent any sticking from occuring during the cooking process. In the slow cooker, mix the bourbon, the honey, the soy sauce, the rice vinegar, the ketchup, the chopped onion, the chopped garlic and the grated ginger until it is combined. Add the chicken breasts to the mixture and toss to coat the chicken.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on the Low heat setting for 6 to 8 hours. Remove the chicken from the slow cooker to a cutting board or platter. With 2 forks shred the chicken breasts or break the chicken into bite-size pieces, whichever you prefer. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and toss it to coat it in the bourbon sauce. Place the chicken in a large bowl or on a platter and sprinkle the green onions over the top before serving.

There is not much to this recipe at all and it is a great slow cooker option when you want to try something different. The bourbon sauce is full of flavor and not too sweet, making it just perfect for your meal. I served this with white rice to keep things very simple and the meal was all put together very easily. You can start this one before you leave for work or school in the morning and it can be done waiting for you when you get home. If you are looking to make this without the bourbon, you can use chicken broth or even Apple juice instead for flavor.I think it tastes better than anything they serve you at the food court in the mall and you may never look at those free samples the same way again. This will even be great as a pulled chicken option to serve on buns with some coleslaw.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on September 11, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Poultry, Sauce, Slow Cooker Meals

Tags: Betty Crocker, bourbon chicken, bourbon chicken recipe, bourbon sauce, slow cooker, slow cooker bourbon chicken, slow cooker recipes

An Elegant and Quick Weeknight Meal – Herbed Roasted Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Red Onions

10 Sep

Who says you can’t have a nice looking dinner that doesn’t take forever to cook on a weeknight? Sometimes you want everyone to come to the table with a meal that not only tastes great but looks great, the problem is that most of us just do not have enough time to put this together after a full day. This recipe from Williams-Sonoma for a herbed roast chicken with lemon, garlic and red onions looks fantastic, tastes great and can all be put together in just over hour thanks to some high temperature roasting so you can have a whole chicken on the table for your family in no time at all.

Herbed Roast Chicken with Lemon, Garlic and Red Onions

1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 lemons, halved

1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped, plus 2 garlic heads, halved crosswise

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature

2 small red onions, halved through the stem end

2 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat it dry well with paper towels. Season the chicken inside and out with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and place two lemon halves inside the chicken cavity. Tuck the wing tips behind the back and tie the legs together with kitchen twine.

In a small bowl, stir together the chives, thyme, oregano, parsley, tarragon, lemon zest and chopped garlic. Add the butter and stir until the herb mixture is well incorporated with the butter.

Starting at the cavity, slip your fingers underneath the chicken skin and loosen it all over, being careful not to tear it and reaching as far as possible into the thigh area of the chicken. Using your fingers, rub the butter mixture under the skin, distributing it as evenly as you possibly can,

Place the chicken, breast side up, in a large, oven-safe saute pan or skillet and add the remaining lemon halves, the garlic heads and the red onions to the pan. Drizzle the contents of the pan with the olive oil. Roast the chicken until the skin is well browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, away from the bone, registers 170 degrees, about 50 to 60 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a carving board, cover it loosely with aluminum foil and allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes. Carve the chicken and serve immediately with the roasted lemon halves, garlic and red onions alongside the chicken.

The compound butter that you put under the skin of the chicken adds all of the great flavors of the herbs along with the lemon zest and garlic to give you a great flavor boost to the moist chicken you get. The whole house smelled of lemon and garlic as it the chicken was roasting, which I enjoyed, and the taste of the chicken was spot on perfect. You could always use dried herbs instead of fresh if that is what you have on hand, but just remember to reduce the amounts used as dried herbs tend to have more intense flavor to them. This meal is perfect with some roasted potatoes, mashed potatoes or even wild rice and your choice of vegetables so you can have it as a great weeknight meal or even a nice, elegant meal when you have guests over without spending a lot of time in the kitchen.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on September 10, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Herbs, Poultry

Tags: herbed roast chicken, herbed roast chicken with lemon garlic and red onions, roast chicken, roast chicken recipes, Williams-Sonoma herbed roast chicken, Williams-Sonoma roast chicken

Gobble Down These Kickin’ Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Spicy Sweet Mayo

04 Sep

I have been on something of a turkey burger kick lately, wanting to try out different recipes that can bring flavor to a healthier alternative to the regular beef hamburgers. I have tried a few different things, and then I found this recipe at allrecipes.com for a very easy turkey burger that makes use of two things I really like on a burger – caramelized onions and a nice, spicy mayonnaise. The recipe itself can’t get much easier than this and you can make the mayo ahead of time so you have it ready to go when you put the burgers on the table.

Kickin’ Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions and Spicy Sweet Mayo

For the Spicy Mayo:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup coarse-grain mustard

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

Hot sauce, to taste

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Turkey Burgers:

1 1/4 pounds ground turkey

1/2 onion, grated

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 tablespoon Montreal Chicken seasoning

1 teaspoon dry mesquite seasoning

For the Caramelized Onions:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 onion, sliced

Hamburger buns, for serving

For the mayonnaise, combine the mayonnaise, coarse-grain mustard, honey, horseradish hot sauce and cayenne pepper in a bowl until it is well blended. Adjust seasoning with the hot sauce to suit your tastes. Cover the mayonnaise and refrigerate it until the burgers are ready.

For the turkey burgers, combine the ground turkey, grated onion, jalapeno pepper, barbecue sauce, Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, Montreal Chicken seasoning and the mesquite seasoning together in a large bowl. Form the mixture into 5 or 6 patties.

For the caramelized onions, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet set over medium heat until it is shimmering. Add the sliced onions and cook and stir the onions until the onions have softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue cooking and stirring until the onions are very tender and dark brown, about 15 to 20 minutes more.

In a large skillet set over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and heat until it is shimmering. Add the turkey patties to the skillet and cook, turning them once, until they reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into the middle of the burger, about 5 to 6 minutes per side. Serve the turkey burgers on the hamburger buns and top each burger with caramelized onions. Pass the spicy mayo around the table for additional topping.

You can always add any of your own favorite toppings to the burgers as well, such as any type of cheese, pickles, tomato, lettuce, bacon or anything that you might like. The spicy mayo turned out really well and added great flavor to the burgers. I have even used it on other sandwiches for topping it tastes great. The burger itself was moist and flavorful and had a really nice smoky taste with a hint of heat from the jalapeno and the mesquite seasoning. Of course, everyone in my house loves caramelized onions and that just made the burger even better for everyone. It’s definitely a great recipe to try when you want to jazz up your turkey burgers. The tropical slaw recipe from yesterday would quite nicely with these as a side dish.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on September 4, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Grilling, Lunch, Poultry, Sandwiches, Sauce, Turkey, Vegetables

Tags: allrecipes.com, caramelized onions, kickin' turkey burgers with caramelized onions and spicy sweet mayo, spicy mayo, spicy sweet mayo, turkey burger recipe, turkey burgers

31 Great Labor Day Grilling Recipes | Kitchen Daily

31 Aug

31 Great Labor Day Grilling Recipes | Kitchen Daily.

Planning on doing some grilling on Labor Day but what to go beyond the usual hamburgers and hot dogs? Kitchen Daily has put together 31 great grilling recipes for you that cover everything from your appetizers and main courses to side dishes and dessert so you can grill every part of your meal and make the most of that last unofficial day of summer. Check out the recipes and find one to try this weekend!

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Posted by MikeG on August 31, 2014 in Appetizers, Beef, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dessert, Dinner, Fruit, Grilling, Lamb, Pizza, Pork, Potatoes, Poultry, Salad, Sandwiches, Seafood, Side Dishes, Snacks, Vegetables

Tags: 31 great labor day grilling recipes, ideas for grilling on labor day, Kitchen Daily, Kitchen Daily 31 great Labor Day grilling recipes, labor day grilling recipes, Labor Day recipes

A Fast Dinner on Friday (or Any Day) – Chicken Fried Rice

29 Aug

Sometimes you just want a meal that you know you can pull together in just a few minutes and without much of fuss. Maybe you can even make use of some of those leftover items you have in the fridge for the last few days and don’t really know what to do with them. That is when a meal like this can really come in handy. Making any type of stir fry is always a great way to use items, and having fried rice is always a favorite, but sometimes you would like the flavor without having the extra oil and fat involved in frying the rice itself. This recipe for chicken fried rice is originally from Food Republic, but I did modify it just a little to make it fit better with what I had on hand and what we like. It is still just as easy and tasty.

Chicken Fried Rice

2 cups long-grain riced, cooked and cooled completely

Nonstick vegetable oil spray

4 scallions, finely sliced

1 onion, thinly sliced

1 green pepper, seeded and cut into strips

1 red pepper, seeded and cut into strips

1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

4 ounces green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/3 cup frozen peas, defrosted

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken (breast or thigh), diced or cut into thin strips

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2 tablespoons chicken broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce

1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a shallow baking pan with a sheet of parchment paper. Turn the rice out onto the parchment paper, breaking up any lumps, and spray the surface with the nonstick vegetable oil. Place the pan in the oven and cook the rice for 12 minutes, it should be crisp on the surface. Season the rice to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and set the pan aside to keep the rice warm.

Meanwhile, in a large, nonstick skillet with a good coating of vegetable or canola oil set over high heat, fry the scallions, green pepper, red pepper, onions, carrot and green beans for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Add the peas and the chicken and fry to give the chicken a little color and cook it through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle over the brown sugar and then add the rice, breaking up any lumps along the way. Add the chicken broth, soy sauce and chili sauce and mix to blend everything well. Stir fry everything for about 3 to 4 minutes. Toss in the cilantro and serve.

Of course, as with any stir fry you can add just about any type of vegetable or protein that you like or have on hand. This would work well with shrimp, pork, beef or even just with the vegetables if you like. The rice does come out nice and crisp without having to deal with all of the frying of it. You do want to make sure that the rice is dry before you put it in the oven so that it doesn’t just steam once it is in there. The whole dish comes together very easily, gives you a great one pot meal and has some great flavor with the chicken stock, chili sauce and soy sauce. This is an easy one you can use anytime.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!