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Category Archives: Poultry

What Would the Colonel Think? Is This Really the KFC Fried Chicken Recipe?

29 Aug

Okay, I know I just posted a fried chicken recipe recently on the blog, but when I saw the recent story about how the original “secret” recipe to KFC’s 11 herbs and spices may have been accidentally leaked to the public in an interview with the Colonel’s nephew, I figured I would check it out. Granted, I am not a big eater of KFC chicken myself. I have nothing against KFC; I just think there are better recipes out there for fried chicken to try. That being said, I wanted to check it out and see just how close it actually was to what you get at KFC. The spices all seemed like they would make up a good mix for the coating for the chicken and other than that the recipe that the Chicago Tribune tried to imitate KFC chicken seemed pretty basic, so I cut up a chicken and set to work on it.

Perhaps the KFC Fried Chicken Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 tablespoon salt

1/2 tablespoon dried thyme leaves

1/2 tablespoon dried basil leaves

1/3 tablespoon dried oregano leaves

1 tablespoon celery salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon dried mustard

4 tablespoons paprika

2 tablespoons garlic salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

3 tablespoons ground white pepper

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg, beaten

1 chicken, cut up, the breast pieces cut in half for more even frying

Canola oil, for frying

Mix the flour in a bowl with all of the dried  herbs and spices; set aside the spice mixture.

Mix the buttermilk and egg together in a separate large bowl until they are combined. Soak the chicken in the buttermilk mixture at room temperature for about  20 to 30 minutes.

Remove the  chicken from the buttermilk, allowing any excess to drip off. Dip the chicken pieces in the herb-spice-flour mixture to coat all sides of the chicken pieces, shaking off any excess. Allow the chicken to sit on a rack set over a baking sheet for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat about 3 inches of the oil in a large Dutch oven or similar heavy cast iron pot with high sides over medium-high heat  until the oil registers 350 degrees on an instant-read thermometer or candy thermometer. When the correct temperature is reached, lower the heat to medium to maintain it at 350 degrees. Fry 3 or 4 pieces of the chicken at a time, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry the chicken until it is medium golden brown, turning each piece once, about 15 to 18 minutes total. Transfer the chicken pieces to a baking sheet covered with paper towels. Allow the oil  in the pot to return to the right temperature before adding more chicken pieces. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken.

Okay, a couple of things about this recipe. First, as is indicated in the article, KFC adds MSG to their chicken to give it added flavor. If you want to add it, you can purchase it as Accent or other like brads in the store. Personally, I do not use MSG or have it in the house, so I left it out. The article indicates they only sprinkled a little on each piece before it was eaten and it seemed to help mimic the proper flavor, but I think it was fine without it. Secondly, KFC uses pressure frying to make their chicken so they can cook it faster. Whether or not this has an actual effect on the product that you eat versus what you can make at home I am not sure of, but for my purposes I just fried the pieces in my cast iron pan. Here’s what I think – it’s a good recipe, giving you nice, crunchy coating that has some good spice flavor. To me, it’s about as labor intensive as other fried chicken recipes I have made before. The spice mix tastes good, and there is a lot of paprika and white pepper in there and both come through in the taste. Is it KFC chicken? Both Sean and Michelle, who eat KFC chicken sometimes, said it was close but not exact, which is okay with me. I did like the spices, but I think I have had crunchier fried chicken. I am sure you could amp up the crunch by double dipping the chicken if you wanted to.

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 on August 29, 2016 in Dinner, Poultry, Uncategorized

 

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Honey I Changed the Wings – Try Honey Ginger Chicken Wings!

25 Aug

I am a lover of chicken wings. While I do not eat the killer hot wings that use the spiciest sauces imaginable so all you feel is burning in your mouth, I do like a little bit of heat on them to go along with a really nice crunch. I often order wings from the local places around here or make my own and while Michelle will eat wings with a little bit of heat, Sean tends to turn them down. This means when I make wings at home I have to come up with alternatives to Buffalo wings and the classic sauce. I have tried a few different kinds, including the honey mustard wings recipe I posted here not that long ago, but when I saw a sale on chicken wings at the local grocery store not that long ago I thought I would try something different one night for dinner while Michelle was away. I came across this recipe from the Cooking Channel (it’s actually a Tiffani Thiessen recipe) for honey-ginger chicken wings that you bake in the oven so you can avoid all of the frying and make something a little better that still tastes great.

Honey Ginger Chicken Wings

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup lime juice plus 1 tablespoon grated lime zest, plus more zest, for garnish

1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce

3 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 scallions, thinly sliced (about 3 tablespoons)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

16 chicken wings (about 4 pounds), tips removed, drumettes and flats separated

In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, lime juice and zest,tamari or soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, scallions, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. Reserve 3/4 of a  cup of the marinade for later use. Pour the remaining marinade into a 2-gallon zip-top bag. Add the chicken wings and seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible; massage the bag to distribute the marinade over all of the chicken wings. Marinate, refrigerated, for at least 6 hours, or preferably overnight.

Remove the chicken wings from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place a rack inside the baking sheet.

Put the wings skin-side down on the rack in the baking sheet and spoon half of the marinade from the bag over the wings. Cook the wings for 20 minutes, then flip the wings, baste the wings with the remaining marinade from the bag, rotate the pan and cook until the honey has caramelized and the skin on the wings is a dark amber, about an additional 20 to 25 minutes.

Pour the reserved 3/4 cup of marinade into a small saucepan and bring  it to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the marinade until the liquid is thick and syrupy and turns into a glaze, about 4 to 5 minutes. Coat the wings with the thickened marinade. Transfer the wings to a serving platter and garnish them with lime zest.

It is a little bit of work to get the wings done but it is worth the effort you put into it. The marinade tastes great and you get excellent flavor from the honey, soy and ginger. The sesame oil has a very distinct taste as well so if you are not a fan of sesame oil you might want to cut the amount back or eliminate it altogether. To me, 3 tablespoons of sesame oil was a lot to add and I only put one in because I thought it would overwhelm the taste of the wings. For me, they came out perfectly. Sean really loved the wings and they came out with crisp skin (not as crisp as when you fry them of course) and good flavor. They can be great to have as an appetizer for any type of get together or as the main dish. I served them with some yellow rice and zucchini and it was a nice meal.

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 on August 25, 2016 in Appetizers, Cooking, Dinner, Poultry, Sauce, Snacks

 

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Bust Out the Bacon – Bacon Honey Bourbon Turkey Meatballs

19 Aug

Even though the weather is still pretty warm around here, I know that summer is starting to wind down, school will be starting up in a few weeks and before you know it the fall weather will be upon us again. Cooler weather means turning back to using the oven more for meals, but it also can mean things like parties on the weekends for football games and get-togethers and you may even start thinking about your holiday parties for the year. Whether you are looking for a new snack option to try out or want something a little different for dinner, meatballs can be the perfect option for you. Meatballs can be much more versatile than just the standard ones you might throw into some tomato sauce. You can make Swedish meatballs, sweet and sour meatballs or make meatballs using other proteins like pork, sausage, lamb or turkey. I came across this recipe on a blog called Gal on a Mission and the original recipe calls for using ground chicken, but I thought ground turkey would work out just as well and tweaked it a bit to make it my own.

Bacon Honey Bourbon Turkey Meatballs

For the Meatballs:

6 strips of bacon

8 ounces button mushrooms, washed and dried

16 ounces ground turkey

1 Italian sausage link (mild or hot), casing removed

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoons chili powder

3 garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

3 fresh basil leaves, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

½ cup breadcrumbs

For the Honey Bourbon Barbecue Sauce:

½ cup water

1 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce, homemade or store-bought

3 tablespoons bourbon

1 tablespoon honey

fresh chopped parsley, to garnish (optional)

For the meatballs, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray or grease a large skillet. Set the pan aside.

 

Pulse together the bacon and button mushrooms in the food processor until they are well blended. Place the mushroom and bacon mixture, the ground turkey and the Italian sausage, salt, pepper, chili powder, and garlic, and breadcrumbs into a medium mixing bowl and mix until all of the ingredients are well combined. Scoop the meat mixture using a medium cookie scoop or roll the mixture by hand and place the meatballs onto the baking sheet or in the skillet. Repeat the process until all of the meat has been used.

Bake the meatballs for  about 20 to 25 minutes in the oven until they are golden brown.

For the honey bourbon barbecue sauce whisk together the water, barbecue sauce, bourbon, and honey in a large skillet. Simmer the skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, add the cooked meatballs to the sauce, coat each meatball, and simmer the meatballs over low-to-medium heat for about 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.

Garnish the meatballs with the fresh parsley, if desired,  and serve.

It’s a pretty simple recipe that combines some great ingredients so you end up with meatballs that have excellent flavor. The turkey, combined with the bacon and sausage, give great texture and taste to the meatballs and provide some of the added fat the meatballs need when you use turkey to boost the flavor. the mushrooms help to provide some extra texture, but if you’re not a mushroom fan, I think you could leave them out and the recipe would be fine.  I really liked the sauce for the meatballs. You get the sweetness of the honey with the hint of flavor from the bourbon and your barbecue sauce for a thick, rich sauce that everyone will love. I made the meatballs a little bigger since we were having these as a dinner, but if you make them smaller I think they are perfect to use for any type of party appetizer you might be looking for so you can offer something a little different this year. For dinner, I served them with some rice but they might go really nicely with some German potato salad or roasted potatoes.

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 on August 19, 2016 in Appetizers, Dinner, Poultry, Sauce, Sausage, Turkey

 

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A Fitting Feast Anytime – Make Ahead Fried Chicken

18 Aug

Fried chicken is one of those things people love to eat but hate to make. Granted it is not the healthiest way to eat chicken but to me it has to be one of the tastiest. I may not make it very often because of all the oil it uses the big cleanup that typical follows making fried chicken, but if you can make the time to make a big batch of it (provided the weather is cool enough in your kitchen in the summer to do it), it can be great to have for outdoor parties, picnics or as your favorite meal. Fried chicken is one of those things that tastes great anytime you want it, whether it is for dinner that night, cold for lunch the next day, re-heated or even as a late night snack. I have tried a bunch of fried chicken recipes in the past but recently i have found myself returning to this one from Melissa Clark at New York Times Cooking for make ahead fried chicken. It seems to strike the perfect balance of spices, good coating and great taste.

Make Ahead Fried Chicken

FOR THE MARINADE:

1 quart buttermilk

2 torn bay leaves

2 thinly sliced shallots

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons hot sauce

1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 teaspoons cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon honey

12 drumsticks or a mix of chicken pieces, about 2½ to 3 pounds of chicken

FOR THE COATING:

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cayenne

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon good chile power such as chipotle powder

Corn, grapeseed or vegetable oil, for frying

Make the marinade: Whisk together all the marinade ingredients, except the chicken, and place the marinade in a large bowl or plastic bag. Submerge the chicken in the marinade, cover the bowl or seal the bag, and let the chicken rest in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or, better, overnight.

Make the coating: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cayenne pepper, salt and chile powder. Place a paper bag inside another paper bag (this is to prevent seepage, use large bags or several small ones) and transfer the flour mixture into it. This is so you can shake the chicken pieces. (You can also just mix the flour in a large bowl and dredge the chicken parts in it, or use a heavy-duty plastic zipper bag for shaking.)

Take a piece of chicken out of the marinade and place it in the bag with the flour mixture. Close the bag and shake it so the chicken is fully coated. (Or, if you are using a bowl, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture.) Remove the chicken piece and place it on a plate or sheet pan. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken pieces, one by one. Let the chicken rest for 30 minutes so it can come to room temperature. Reserve the coating mixture.

In a large Dutch oven or heavy cast iron skillet with a lid, heat the oil until it reaches 350 degrees on an instant-read thermometer or candy thermometer. Just before frying, shake the chicken pieces in the coating mixture once again, one by one.

Fry the chicken for about 6 to 8 minutes in a covered pan, then uncover the pot and flip the chicken with tongs. Continue frying the chicken for about another 6 to 8 minutes, or until the coating is dark golden brown and the juices run clear when the meat is pricked with a fork.

Place chicken on a wire rack set over a paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain and cool. Serve the chicken within  8 hours, but it’s best to serve within 4 hours.

The recipe indicates that you could leave the chicken at room temperature for 4 hours, and while you probably could I personally don’t feel right about and refrigerate it. I like cold fried chicken anyway so it’s fine with me and you don’t have to worry about any potential bacteria from leaving the food out too long. I made a mix of chicken pieces – wings, legs, thighs and breasts I had cut in half – and found that the timing worked out well, though I did make the chicken in batches and kept the finished pieces on the rack in a sheet pan in a warm 250 degree oven so that they kept warm. I also checked the temperature of the chicken along the way with my instant-read thermometer to make sure the pieces were at 165 degrees just to be safe. Keep a close eye on your oil and the temperature as you go along if you cook in batches to make sure it stays at the right temp so you can get an even crust on the chicken. The chicken was very flavorful and juicy thanks to the marinade and the double coating you put on the chicken really helps to give it a nice crunch. For the marinade I actually do not always use the Old Bay as Michelle finds it a bit overpowering, so I do occasionally leave it out and the chicken still tastes great. I still use other fried chicken recipes, but this is one that always seem to fall back on as a good go to recipe everyone likes. It tastes just as good the next day for lunch as it does the day you cook it.

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 on August 18, 2016 in Dinner, Leftovers, Lunch, Picnic Fare, Poultry

 

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Better Than Store-Bought – Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Ranch Coleslaw

09 Aug

Chicken fingers are one of those things that you probably have a love/hate relationship with. They make a great snack or party appetizer and without a doubt are one those things that most kids love to eat. I remember when Sean was little and went through a phase that no matter where we were – at home, visiting family or out to dinner – he just wanted chicken fingers. The problem is that so many of the chicken fingers you get in the store, from fast food restaurants or even casual family restaurants just do not taste get, at least to adults. There are lots of different chicken finger recipes you can try out there, but this one from Epicurious.com for buttermilk fried chicken fingers was a big hit. They are easy to make, have great flavor and everyone will love them. And what better pairing to make it a good lunch or dinner item than putting it with some ranch coleslaw from Bon Appetit?

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers

For the buttermilk marinade:

3 1/2 cups buttermilk

3 1/2 cups milk

1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices

2 medium jalapeños, sliced (optional)

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon hot sauce

2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2×4-inch strips, or 2 pounds chicken tenders

For the seasoned flour:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons granulated garlic

2 tablespoons onion powder

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons ground sage

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Canola oil, for frying

Homemade or store-bought ranch dressing, for serving (homemade recipe below)

In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the buttermilk, milk, onion, jalapeño, salt, and hot sauce. Add the chicken pieces, cover the bowl and refrigerate it for 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Set 2 cooling racks over rimmed baking sheets lined with aluminum foil. In a large bowl, combine the flour, granulated garlic, onion powder, thyme, sage, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper.

In a large cast iron pot or Dutch oven, pour in enough oil to come up to 2 inches. Set the pot over medium-high heat until the oil registers 350 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches of 4 to 5 pieces, remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking each piece to remove any vegetables and excess liquid, and dredge the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour. Fry the chicken pieces, turning once, until they are golden and cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes total per batch. Transfer the chicken to the wire racks and warm them in the oven while frying the remaining batches.

Serve the chicken fingers with the ranch dressing, if desired.

Ranch Coleslaw

For the Ranch Dressing:

¼ cup buttermilk

¼ cup sour cream

¼ cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons finely chopped dill

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 teaspoons garlic powder

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

For the Coleslaw:

3 cups thinly sliced red and green cabbage

1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

½ cup Ranch Dressing

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

To make the ranch dressing, stir together the buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, vinegar, and garlic powder in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper.

To make the coleslaw, toss the cabbage and carrot with the ranch dressing in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate the coleslaw for 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld before serving.

For the chicken fingers recipe, I actually cut the amounts in half for the recipe I was making because it seemed like a lot both for the marinade and the flour and I was only making 1 pound of chicken. It worked out well for me as I did not end up with a lot of leftover flour and the marinade did its job very well. The chicken fingers picked up great flavor from the buttermilk marinade and the seasoned flour and had a nice little zing to them from the hot sauce. For the coleslaw, I actually doubled the recipe for the dressing so I could use some with the chicken fingers and have plenty leftover for the slaw. The taste of the dressing is spot on in terms of the ranch you would expect to get and it really makes the coleslaw stand out. I used the food processor to cut up the cabbage and carrots so they would be really fine, but you could easily slice it yourself or even buy a store-bought coleslaw mix to use instead. I just happened to pick up carrots and cabbage at the farmers’ market this weekend and it was a good use for them. The chicken fingers are better anything you can buy in the frozen section of your supermarket or what you will get at restaurants and you get to control the ingredients going into them so you can make them taste how you or your kids will like them best. The coleslaw is a perfect side dish for sandwiches, burgers, ribs, pulled pork (which I will be making this week) and just about any summertime lunch or dinner. I got a picture of the coleslaw but forgot to get one of the chicken fingers. I will make them again to get another picture and post it here.

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 on August 9, 2016 in Appetizers, Condiments, Cooking, Dinner, Dressings, Lunch, Picnic Fare, Poultry, Salad, Sandwiches, Side Dishes, Snacks

 

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50 Easy Weeknight Summer Dinners, So You Can Relax – Bon Appétit

22 Jul

It’s summer and it’s hot out so avoiding the elaborate dinner becomes almost a necessity for most of us. Bon Appetit is here to help you out with 50 easy weeknight summer dinners so you don’t have to slave in the kitchen to have a good meal. Check it out!

Source: 50 Easy Weeknight Summer Dinners, So You Can Relax – Bon Appétit

 
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Posted by on July 22, 2016 in Beef, Cooking, Cooking Websites, Dinner, Grilling, One Pot Meals, Pasta, Picnic Fare, Pork, Potatoes, Poultry, Produce, Rice, Salad, Sandwiches, Sausage, Seafood, Slow Cooker Meals, Stir Fry, Vegetables

 

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A Honey of a Wing Recipe – Honey Mustard Chicken Wings

16 Jul

I have a real affinity for chicken wings. Whether you have them as an appetizer or as your entrée for a meal they can be perfect. I like to try all different types of wings and sample them in different places when we go out to eat. While I may not like them fiery hot like some people do, I do like them with some heat sometimes. Sean, on the other hand, is not a big fan of spicy hot wings or even wings that are medium hot so when I make them for just the two of us when Michelle is away, I usually have to find another way to cook them. I have tried barbecued wings and teriyaki wings in the past, but this time I thought some nice honey mustard wings would be a good compromise for the both of us. We get a little bit of heat for me, the sweetness for him, and we are both happy. I came across this recipe from Food52 for honey mustard chicken wings and it seemed simple to make, so I thought I would give it a try.

Honey Mustard Chicken Wings

3 pounds chicken wings, separated into drumettes and flats

Salt and pepper

Cooking spray

2 tablespoons butter

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons bourbon

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon Sriracha (add more for extra spice)

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line the bottom of a rimmed cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Put a cooling rack (usually used for cakes and cookies) onto the cookie sheet. This allows the heat to circulate better and helps the wings to develop a crispy skin. Lay the chicken wings out on the rack and season them with a bit of salt and pepper and a quick spray of cooking oil.

Put the wings into the oven, cook for about 20 minutes, flip them over, and cook the wings for another 20 minutes. Turn on the broiler and cook the wings another 5 minutes on each side. This will give them a nice, rich brown color and crispy skin. Keep an eye on them so that they don’t burn.

Return the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the butter, honey, mustard, bourbon, soy sauce and Sriracha. Simmer the mixture for just 2 to 3 minutes so that all the flavors come together. Brush the chicken wings with the sauce and put them back in the oven for about 5 to 8 minutes. Flip the wings over, brush them with more sauce, and cook them for another 5 to 8 minutes. The chicken should be pulling away from the bones and the sauce should have a great glaze going. Serve the wings garnished with scallions and additional sauce on the side.

The honey really shines through in this recipe. It seemed like a lot to me when I was making the recipe, but the sauce was not as sweet as I had worried about. The combination of the Dijon mustard, bourbon and soy sauce really help to set it off and the hot sauce gave the wings just that hint of heat that I liked and Sean did not even notice. He remarked to me several times that I needed to remember this recipe and make them again as he really liked them. He even had the leftovers for lunch the next day to polish them off. It is a great alternative for wings for those that may not like hot or Buffalo-style wings.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. I will be vacationing in the Outer Banks starting tomorrow through next Sunday the 24th so I’ll be posting some links to other sites for recipes you might like. Until the next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by on July 16, 2016 in Appetizers, Cooking, Dinner, Poultry, Sauce, Snacks

 

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Make it Yourself – Not-Quite Chili’s Chicken Fajitas

15 Jul

No matter where you happen to live today the odds are pretty good that there is a Chili’s restaurant somewhere near you. They seem to get more popular all the time and there are always plenty of commercials on TV telling you about what you can get there. We have one that is about 2 miles from our home and ever since Sean was little he has been a Chili’s fan. In fact, whenever Michelle goes away on business, Sean and I have a ritual that we have done for years where we go to Chili’s one night to have dinner while she is away. The menu has changed quite a bit over the years but one thing that has remained constant are the fajitas. Chili’s became quite popular thanks to this signature dish, serving it in a sizzling cast iron dish or skillet with all of the fixings to go along with it. While I do like the fajitas there and some other things on the menu, the fajitas themselves are not that hard to make on your own. However, I wanted to duplicate the flavor that they have with the fajitas so I had to do some searching on the Internet. I found several different copycat recipes to try, and I combined a few of them to make the recipe I tried out, taking he bulk of the idea from Todd Wilbur.

Not-Quite Chili’s Chicken Fajitas

For the Pico de Gallo:

2 medium tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup diced onion

2 teaspoons chopped fresh jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed

2 teaspoons finely minced fresh cilantro

For the Chicken Marinade:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/3 cup water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Dash onion powder

2 boneless, skinless chicken halves

1 onion, sliced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons water

1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice

Dash ground black pepper

Dash salt

1/2 cup pico de gallo, for serving

1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Mexican blend cheese, for serving

1/2 cup guacamole, for serving

1/2 cup sour cream, for serving

1 cup shredded lettuce, for serving

6 to 8 6-inch flour tortillas, for serving

Salsa, for serving

For the pico de gallo, combine the diced tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and salt together in a small bowl until they are blended. Cover and chill the bowl.

For the marinade, combine the lime juice, water, vegetable oil, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, liquid smoke, salt, chili powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper and onion powder together in a large bowl. Place the chicken halves in the marinade and toss the chicken to coat it with the marinade. Cover the bowl and chill, allowing the chicken to marinade for 2 hours.

Pre-heat a grill pan to high heat. Pre-heat a separate large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion slices and saute the onion for about 5 minutes until it is softened. Combine the soy sauce, water and lime juice together in a small bowl and pour the mixture over the onions. Add the black pepper and continue to saute the onions until they are translucent and dark on the edges, about 4 to 5 minutes longer. Salt the onions to taste.

While the onions are sauteing, grill the chicken in the grill pan until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 to 5 minutes per side. When the chicken is done, remove it from the grill pan and slice it into thin strips. Add the chicken strips into the pan with the onions and toss the two together. Serve the chicken with the pico de gallo, shredded cheese, guacamole and sour cream arranged on a separate plate on top of a bed of the shredded lettuce. Serve the salsa on the side, if desired. Steam the tortillas in a moist towel in the microwave for about 30 seconds to heat them through and serve them on the side as well.

I also added some yellow, orange and red peppers to the onions and sautéed them together as Chili’s often does, but if you are not a fan of the peppers feel free to leave them out. Also, you could easily substitute beef or shrimp for the chicken if you prefer. The beef can hold up to marinating overnight if you wanted to make it while the shrimp could follow the standard recipe. Also, if you want to get really fancy and serve it all in a sizzling pan like Chili’s does, you could always heat up a separate cast iron skillet or pan in the oven while you are cooking and dump the chicken and onions into it when you are done so you get he nice sizzle to go along with the meal. Overall, I think the flavors of the fajitas were pretty close to what you get in the restaurant. The soy sauce and liquid smoke seem to make a difference in the flavor of the chicken over other fajitas I have made in the past. Other than those two ingredients I didn’t see anything that was different from what I have done before so I think they must be the key to the taste. Sean really enjoyed them and said they tasted great, so you can save yourself a trip to the restaurant and some money and make them cheaper on your own. I would try this one again as a good alternative to the standard way I make fajitas.

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 on July 15, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, Eating Out, Poultry

 

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Let’s Get Wild! Creamy Lemon Chicken with Wild Rice

11 Jul

For a lot of people, when you are deciding on a side dish to make with your dinner, the easy fallback is always to go with white rice or a potato. They are great sides to make, no doubt about it, and you don’t have to think much about them to make a baked potato or cook up some white rice. However, once in a while you need to have something different. It can get pretty boring if you eat just plain white rice all of the time. We eat a lot of rice in our house so I actually always have a few different options available that we can use for rice. There is always white rice, but I also have brown rice, jasmine rice, arborio rice for risotto and wild rice. I also try to keep a good selection of beans and other grains like quinoa or couscous around for those days when we really want something different. Now not everyone is a big fan of the wild rice option. Sean would prefer I didn’t make it since he doesn’t really care for it, but Michelle and I both like the flavor and texture it provides to a meal. Technically, wild rice is a combination of four separate grasses and the grain that is harvested from them. There are three species that are grown in North America – Texas wild rice, Northern wild rice, and wild rice – and one species that is grown in China. If you want to learn a little bit more, the Wikipedia entry on wild rice is interesting.

In any case, you can find wild rice pretty readily in most supermarkets. The great thing about is, that like other grains, when it is uncooked it can last almost indefinitely so you can get some to keep in your pantry and always have it available. I find that it goes particularly well with chicken dishes and fish and takes to a sauce really nicely, so this recipe from Delish for creamy lemon chicken with wild rice seemed like a great dinner to cook.

Creamy Lemon Chicken with Wild Rice

6–8 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc) or water

1  chicken stock

2 lemons

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup wild rice

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Preheat a large cast iron skillet on high heat. Rinse the chicken and pat dry the chicken thoroughly with paper towels; season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Cook the chicken skin side down in two batches until the skin is crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a dish skin side up and set it aside.

Reduce the skillet heat to medium-high. Add the garlic, onion, 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and chicken stock; scrape the bottom of the pan and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the zest and juice of one lemon, then cut the remaining lemon into wheels and add it to the sauce. Stir in the heavy cream; bring the mixture to a boil and place the chicken in the skillet skin side up in a single layer. Bake the chicken in the oven for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the wild rice according to the package directions.

Add the cooked wild rice to the skillet to absorb the sauce. Garnish the dish with parsley and serve in the skillet immediately.

The wild rice can take anywhere from about 25 minutes to close to an hour depending on what type you buy, so I started my rice the same time I started the chicken and had both done at about the same time. If you like lemon sauce this one is certainly for you. The lemon really stands out and the sauce goes well with the chicken and the rice. You could make this an almost one pot meal if you put some vegetables in alongside the chicken when you bake it, like peas, asparagus, broccoli (it seems to need something green to me) or any other vegetable you prefer that will take well to baking and the lemon sauce. The dish thickens up nicely when you add the rice into it and it makes for a nice hearty meal during the week that is easy to make. I used chicken thighs because that is what the recipe called for and I always have them on hand in the freezer since they are inexpensive, but you could use any type of chicken pieces that you like best; just adjust your cooking time to be sure it is cooked through all the way or not overcooked (as could easily happen with boneless breasts).

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 on July 11, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, Poultry, Rice, Uncategorized

 

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Get in the Swing of Summer- Arnold Palmer Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs

08 Jul

Whenever we do happen to go out someplace to eat, if I am not getting a cocktail (I prefer a Grey Goose martini on the rocks with olives) or a beer (I try different beers but I am a Guinness fan myself), I stay away from sodas and the like. I’ll have a soda every now and then at home but it is not my first choice. Instead I find that I very often like to have an Arnold Palmer – a mix of iced tea and lemonade. There is something about the flavor combination I really enjoy, with the sourness of the lemonade going nicely with the distinct flavor of the iced tea. It is a particularly refreshing drink in the summertime as well. I can remember Michelle and I having them while we watched the horse races at Saratoga Springs years ago. So what could be better than having a cold, refreshing Arnold Palmer in the summer? Bringing that flavor to your dinner table of course!  I found this recipe from The Kitchn for Arnold Palmer pan-roasted chicken thighs that was the perfect combination of flavors and ease that made it right for trying out.

Arnold Palmer Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs

For the brine:
4 cups water
4 black tea bags, like Lipton or Twinings
3 (2-inch) slices of lemon peel about an inch wide
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons lemon juice

For the chicken:
2 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on, about 4 to 6 (or a combination of chicken pieces you like)
Olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Turn off the heat, add the tea bags and the lemon peel, cover the pot, and let the tea steep for 10 minutes. Uncover the pot and remove the tea bags. Stir in the sugar and the salt and let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Place the chicken thighs in a large zip-top bag and pour in the tea and lemon juice. Refrigerate the chicken for 2 to 4 hours.

Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Remove the chicken from the brine, pat it dry with paper towels, and season it with pepper.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large cast iron or oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the chicken to the skillet, skin-side down and evenly spaced apart. Cook the chicken until the fat is rendered and the skin is crisp and golden-brown, adjusting the heat if the skin begins to burn, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Carefully flip the chicken, skin-side up, and scatter over the lemon slices, tucking a few slices underneath the chicken. Place the skillet in the oven and cook the chicken for another 10 to 12 minutes. Brush the skin with honey and cook for 1 to 2 minutes more or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees registered on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken pieces.

This recipe does take a little bit of planning ahead so that you can brine the chicken, but it is certainly worth the little bit of effort to do it. I used a mix of chicken pieces when I made it because that is what I had on hand, but I think you could do this one pretty well with just thighs, drumsticks, breasts (bone-in or boneless) and even chicken wings. The chicken had the nice lemony flavor along with the sweetness of the honey and the hint of iced tea from the brine. The brining also helps to keep the chicken moist and plump, making it taste even better. You could serve this with just about any type of sides that you want, but it goes great with some rice (use some of the sauce from the chicken to flavor the rice) or even a nice salad on the side. It’s definitely one I will keep in my chicken rotation.

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 on July 8, 2016 in Cooking, Dinner, Poultry

 

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