Poultry Dinners

 

Summer Vegetable Chicken Sauté

Submerging the green beans in ice water immediately after blanching them helps
the beans maintain their color and crispness by halting the cooking process
until you’re ready to finish the recipe.

Start to Finish: 40 minutes Makes: 4 servings 

2
cups fresh green beans, cut into
2-inch-long pieces
1
tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1
pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1
tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or thyme
2
cups sliced yellow summer squash and/or zucchini
1
15-ounce can cannellini beans (white kidney beans), rinsed and drained
1⁄4
cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
6
cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon minced)
1
cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1
tablespoon chopped fresh basil or flat-leaf parsley
1⁄4
teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄<4
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

    

  1. In a covered medium saucepan cook green beans in a small amount of salted boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain; submerse beans in enough ice water to cover and let stand until cool. Drain again; set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, in a very large skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. In a large bowl toss chicken with oregano. Add chicken to hot oil in skillet; cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until no longer pink, stirring frequently. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
  3. Add squash to the skillet; cook and stir over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Stir in chicken, green beans, cannellini beans, chicken broth, and garlic. Bring to boiling. Add tomatoes, basil, kosher salt, and pepper. Cook about 1 minute or until heated through.

Nutrition facts per serving: 257 cal., 5 g total fat
(1 g sat. fat), 66 mg chol., 388 mg sodium, 24 g carbo.,
8 g fiber, 35 g pro.

 


 

Chicken, Tomato, Basil, and Penne Salad

Start to Finish: 20 minutes, if using leftover pasta Yield: 4 servings (1½ cups each)

1 tablespoon
extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon
garlic, sliced
3 cups
whole-wheat penne pasta or Barilla Plus Pasta, cooked
3 tablespoons
red wine vinegar
2 cups
tomatoes, seeded, diced
1 cup
chicken, cooked, shredded
1½ cups
baby spinach, cut in 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons
capers, rinsed, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon
basil, chopped
2
scallions, chopped              
  1. Place olive oil and garlic in a small pan. Cook over low heat until garlic is tender, about 5 minutes. Place cooked penne in a bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon vinegar. Add cooked garlic and oil.
  2. Add tomatoes, chicken, spinach, capers, basil, and scallions. Add the remaining vinegar and toss well. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Culinary Notes:

Use leftover pasta and chicken.

If using freshly cooked pasta, after the pasta is drained, toss it with the vinegar and garlic while it is still warm. 

Other pastas can be used in place of penne. Orzo, riso, gemelli, and macaroni all work well for this salad.

If the salad is prepared in advance, combine all ingredients but the spinach. Add the spinach just before serving. Also, adjust the season just before serving as the pasta will absorb a lot of salt and acid as it sits. 

Variations:

Add ½ cup feta cheese after the remaining vinegar is added. Do not overmix. The cheese will break apart. 
Replace diced tomatoes with cherry tomatoes cut in half.
Replace baby spinach with arugula or spinach cut in 1-inch pieces. 
Replace chicken with water-packed tuna.

Nutrition Facts per Serving:
157 calories, 11 g protein, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 14 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 25 mg cholesterol, 240 mg sodium, 3 glycemic load

 

Chicken and White Bean Chile Verde with Sonoma Pesto

Start to Finish: 55 minutes Yield: 6 to 8 servings

 

1 pound
tomatillos
½ pound
poblano chiles
2 teaspoons
olive oil
1½ cups
yellow onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon
garlic, minced
1 teaspoon
Mexican oregano
3 cups
chicken stock
2 15.5-ounce cans
cannellini beans, with liquid
2 tablespoons
chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups
cooked, shredded chicken
4 cups
chard, stemmed, cut in 1-inch-wide strips

Salt and black pepper, to taste

            

  1. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400°
  2. Place tomatillos and poblano chiles on sheet pan. Roast in oven until peppers have blistered and tomatillos are soft. Remove from oven. Place tomatillos in blender. Once poblanos are cool enough to handle, remove seeds and skins. Add to blender; blend until smooth.
  3. Heat olive oil in a sauté pan. Add onions and cook until caramelized, approximately 5 minutes. Add garlic and oregano; cook until aromatic.
  4. Add tomatillo mixture; cook for 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
  5. Add stock, beans and their liquid. Bring to simmer; cook for 20 minutes.
  6. Add cilantro, chicken, and chard. Bring to a simmer; cook for 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

 

*Optional topping

 

Sonoma Pesto

1 bunch
fresh cilantro
1
serrano chile
1 tablespoon
pine nuts or peanuts
1 clove
garlic
2 ounces
extra-virgin olive oil
1
lime, juiced, with zest
 
Salt and black pepper, to taste

 

Combine all pesto ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Drizzle the pesto on top of the chile verde and finish with 2 tablespoons of salsa verde (purchased), as desired.

 

Culinary Notes:

Baby spinach may be substituted for chard.

For a less spicy chile, Anaheim peppers may be substituted for poblano peppers.

For a special local flair, try the small tomatillo variety named Milpero. It is flavorful and fruity with a concentrated flavor of the green tomatillo.

Nutrition Facts per Serving:

380 calories, 24 g protein, 15 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 41 g carbohydrate, 13 g fiber, 30 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 7 glycemic load

 

Roast Chicken, Garbanzo Bean, Red Pepper, and Caper Salad

Start to Finish: 30 minutes Yield: 4 servings

(Gluten-Free Option)

¼ teaspoon
garlic, mashed
⅛ teaspoon
ground cumin
2 teaspoons
Spanish paprika
¼ cup
Red Wine or Sherry Vinaigrette (pages {TK})
1 pound
chicken, cooked, cute in ½-inch by 1-inch pieces
2 cups
garbanzo beans, rinsed; reserve liquid
1 cup
bottled roasted red pepper, cut in strips
2 cups
spinach, cut in 1-inch pieces, or baby spinach
2 tablespoons 
capers, rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste

  

  1. Combine garlic, cumin, paprika, and vinaigrette in a small bowl.
  2. Place remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add vinaigrette mixture and mix well.

 

Culinary Notes:

If the salad is too vinegary, add some of the canned bean liquid. 

This salad will become more delicious as it sits. You can prepare it the day before but leave out the spinach. Add the spinach just before serving.

Cook Once/Eat Twice:

Use leftover roast or grilled chicken.

 

Variations:

Replace garbanzo beans with white beans.

Replace chicken with roast pork.

Replace spinach with shredded romaine lettuce or arugula. 

Nutrition Facts per Serving:

390 calories, 36 g protein, 14 g fat (2.5 g saturated fat), 27 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 85 mg cholesterol, 850 mg sodium, 4.5 glycemic load

 

Tandoori Chicken

Start to Finish: 30 minutes, plus 24 to 48 hours for chilling and 1 to 3 hours for marinating Yield: 4 servings

 

½ cup                plain fat-free yogurt

4                        skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 to 1¼ pounds total)

⅛ teaspoon       kosher salt

⅛ teaspoon       freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup                lemon juice

3 cloves             garlic, minced (1½ teaspoons minced)

2 teaspoons      paprika

¼ teaspoon       cayenne pepper

⅛ teaspoon       ground cinnamon

⅛ teaspoon       ground cumin

 

  1. To make yogurt cheese, line a yogurt strainer, sieve, or small colander with three layers of 100% cotton cheesecloth or a paper coffee filter. Suspend lined strainer over a bowl. Spoon yogurt into lined strainer. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours. Discard liquid.
  2. Sprinkle chicken with kosher salt and black pepper. Place chicken in a self-sealing plastic bag set in a shallow dish. In a small bowl combine the yogurt cheese, lemon juice, garlic, paprika, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and cumin. Pour over chicken. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.
  3. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. For a charcoal grill, place chicken on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 10 to 12 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170° F), turning once halfway through grilling. For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place chicken on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.

 

Culinary Notes:

You can substitute shrimp or salmon for chicken in this recipe, but marinate for a maximum of 15 minutes. The yogurt will make the shrimp mealy in texture if overmarinated.

Be sure to use yogurt that contains no gums, gelatin, or fillers. These ingredients may prevent the curd and whey from separating to make the yogurt cheese.

If you want leftover chicken to use for another meal, double this recipe.

Nutrition Facts per Serving: 152 calories, 28 g protein, 2 g total fat (0 g saturated fat), 5 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 66 mg cholesterol, 144 mg sodium, TK glycemic load

 

Toasted Bulgur, Chicken, and Almond Salad

Start to Finish: 15 minutes Yield: 4 servings (1¼ cup each)

 

1½ cups          cucumbers, peeled, seeded, diced

2 cups             cooked coarse bulgur

1 cup               chicken, cooked, shredded

1½ cups          baby spinach, julienned

2                      scallions, chopped

2 tablespoons  parsley, chopped

4 tablespoons  Simple Lemon Vinaigrette (page {TK})

3 tablespoons  toasted almonds, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

 

  1. Place cucumbers in a bowl. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes.
  2. Add the bulgur, chicken, spinach, scallions, and parsley. Mix well. Drizzle with lemon vinaigrette. Add toasted almonds. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

 

Culinary Notes:

When preparing salad with grains, remember that grains and starchy ingredients will absorb seasoning and need to be re-seasoned just before serving. 

Cook Once/Eat Twice: Use leftover bulgur pilaf and leftover chicken.

 

Variations:

Add ½ cup diced roasted red peppers.

Replace the bulgur with toasted cooked quinoa, spelt, barley, or farro (the quinoa substitution will make it gluten-free).

Replace chicken with canned tuna packed in water. Leave in chunks. It will break up as it is mixed.

Nutrition Facts per Serving:

250 calories, 16 g protein, 10 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 24 g carbohydrate, 7 g fiber, 30 mg cholesterol, 50 mg sodium, 6.5 glycemic load