365 More Ways to Cook Chicken (365 ways) (48 page)

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large Dutch oven, cook onion and bell pepper in olive oil and 2 tablespoons of broth, covered, over medium-low heat, stirring often, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, uncovered, 1 minute. Add chicken, ham, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and cayenne. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add remaining broth, stewed tomatoes, all 3 types of beans, and half of cilantro.

2.
Cover chili and bake 50 minutes. Uncover and bake until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

3.
Stir in remaining cilantro. Season with salt to taste before serving.

Prep: 20 minutes Chill: 3 hours Cook: 40 to 45 minutes Serves: 6

A tagine is a Moroccan stew that often begins by marinating some of the main ingredients in part of the aromatics used to flavor the recipe. Here, chicken on the bone is used because it adds even more character to the finished dish.

• 4 bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned
  

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  

• ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  

• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  

• 1 teaspoon salt
  

• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
  

• 4 garlic cloves, minced
  

• ½ cup orange juice
  

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  

• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
  

• ¾ cup chopped parsley
  

• ½ cup chopped cilantro
  

• 2 cups chicken broth, preferably reduced-sodium
  

• 1 (14½-ounce) can stewed tomatoes
  

• ¼ cup chopped dates
  

• 1 small eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  

• 1 medium zucchini, sliced ½ inch thick
  

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• 3 cups cooked couscous
  

1.
Season chicken with cumin, ginger, cayenne, cinnamon, and
½
teaspoon salt, rubbing spices into meat. Place chicken in a medium bowl. Add onion, garlic, orange juice, lemon juice, orange zest, and half each of parsley and cilantro. Cover and refrigerate 3 hours.

2.
Transfer chicken with all of its marinade to a large flameproof casserole. Add broth and stewed tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

3.
Stir dates and eggplant into casserole and simmer 10 minutes. Add zucchini and simmer until tender, 10 to 15 minutes.

4.
Stir in remaining parsley and cilantro. Season with remaining salt and pepper to taste. Serve ladled over couscous.

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 20 to 21 minutes Serves: 6 to 8

Kasha is roasted buckwheat, and it can be found in the rice section of large supermarkets and in health food stores. To bring out its nutty goodness, I toss it in the hot pan before adding the liquid.

• 1 medium onion, chopped
  

• ½ pound mushrooms, sliced
  

• 1 medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
  

• 1 celery rib, thinly sliced
  

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• 3 cups chicken broth, preferably reduced-sodium
  

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast thighs or breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
  

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press
  

• 1 cup thawed frozen green peas
  

• 1½ cups kasha
  

• ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
  

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• Salt
  

1.
In a large nonstick frying pan, combine onion, mushrooms, carrot, and celery in olive oil and ¼ cup of broth. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until vegetables are just softened, about 4 minutes. Add chicken and garlic and cook, covered, 3 minutes. Stir in peas and remove from heat.

2.
Heat a large frying pan with a lid until a drop of water sizzles. Add kasha and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in remaining chicken broth, coriander, pepper, cooked vegetables, and chicken.

3.
Cover pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until kasha is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Season with salt to taste and serve.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 20 minutes Serves: 4

Elephant garlic, which has enormous cloves, has a mild flavor and, when roasted, it takes on a pungent sweetness. Regular garlic will also work perfectly well: use 6 large cloves in place of the 4 elephant garlic cloves.

• 4 elephant garlic cloves (about 1½ ounces), peeled
  

• 4 large shallots, peeled
  

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• ¾ cup chicken broth, preferably reduced-sodium
  

• ¾ cup dry white wine
  

• 1½ teaspoons dried marjoram
  

• ¾ pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
  

• ¾ pound penne
  

• ½ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  

• 2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
  

• Salt and freshly ground pepper
  

1.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Lay garlic and shallots on a piece of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap to enclose completely. Roast until garlic is softened, about 20 minutes. Remove garlic and shallots from foil and finely chop or mash them both.

2.
Meanwhile, in a nonreactive medium saucepan, bring broth, wine, and marjoram to a boil. Boil 3 minutes. Add chicken, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, until chicken is white throughout, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in roasted garlic and shallots.

3.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook penne until tender but still firm, 10 to 12 minutes; drain. In a large serving bowl, toss hot pasta with chicken and sauce, parsley, cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

Since none of these recipes takes longer than 10 minutes to cook, this chapter could be subtitled “Instant Suppers.” That is the nature of stir-frying, where a small amount of oil is heated in a wok or heavy frying pan over high heat and the food is cooked with constant stirring.

Most stir-fry ingredients are cut into small pieces and a sauce is usually added to finish the dish. Because the cooking time is so fast, it is important that all of the ingredients and the sauce be prepared ahead of time and set out within reach before the quick cooking begins.

All but one of these recipes call for skinless and boneless chicken parts; in most cases, breasts and thighs are interchangeable. Where an option is given, I’ve put my preference first. All of the recipes can be cooked either in a wok or a heavy frying pan about 12 inches in diameter, though in truth, the tossing around appropriate for high temperature stir-frying is much more easily—and neatly—accomplished in a wok.

In either case, to keep the chicken from sticking to the pan, be sure the oil is hot and almost smoking before beginning to cook.

Most of these dishes are best spooned over rice. Choose your favorite variety.

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 6 minutes Serves: 4

• ½
  cup chicken broth
  

• 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
  

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  

• 2 tablespoons lime juice
  

• 1 or 2 jalapeño peppers, minced
  

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  

• ¾ pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into thin strips
  

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  

• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced on a diagonal
  

• 4 ounces snow peas (about 1 cup), trimmed and halved if large
  

• ¼ cup shredded fresh basil
  

• ¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
  

1.
In a small bowl, blend together broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, and jalapeño pepper. Set sauce aside.

2.
In a wok or large frying pan, heat oil over high heat. Add chicken and stir-fry 2 minutes. Add garlic and carrots and stir-fry 1 minute. Add snow peas and stir-fry 1 minute longer.

3.
Add peanut butter sauce to wok, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook 2 minutes. Stir in basil. Serve at once, garnished with chopped peanuts.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 8 to 9 minutes Serves: 6

• 1 cup chicken broth
  

• ⅓ cup Chinese oyster sauce
  

• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
  

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white wine vinegar
  

• 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
  

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  

• ¼ cup vegetable oil
  

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into thin strips
  

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
  

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  

• 4 cups (about 8 ounces) mixed fresh vegetables, such as broccoli florets, sliced bell pepper, zucchini, carrot, and/or celery
  

• ½
  pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced
  

1.
In a small bowl, stir together broth, oyster sauce, sherry, vinegar, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Set sauce aside.

2.
In a wok or large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil over high heat. Add chicken and stir-fry 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove from pan.

3. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, ginger, vegetables, and mushrooms to wok. Stir-fry 3 minutes. Return chicken to pan. Stir sauce briefly to blend cornstarch and add to wok. Cook, stirring, until vegetables are crisp-tender and sauce thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve at once.