Category: Chicken

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Scallion Fried Rice (add Rotisserie Chicken for #5 in the Series One Rotisserie Chicken – 50 Meals)

Scallion Fried Rice

4-6 fresh scallions (green onions)
2 eggs
Salt and black pepper, to taste
3 T canola cooking oil
3 cups cooked rice (leftover and cold American Basmati)
2 tsp sesame oil

  1. Slice and separate white and green parts of scallions.
  2. Heat cooking oil in a nonstick wok over heat.  Coat pan with the hot oil by twirling.
  3. Add white parts of the scallions and saute about 1 minute.
  4. Add rice and stir-fry while breaking up the clumps until rice is heated through.  Add more canola oil to prevent sticking, if needed.
  5. Turn heat down to medium-high.  Push the rice to the sides of the wok, creating a well in the center.  Crack in the eggs and stir constantly while not allowing the egg to completely set up.  Gradually incorporate the rice until the egg is blended in well with the rice.
  6. Season with salt and pepper. Add sesame oil. Garnish with the remaining green tops of the scallions.

 

There have to be as many versions of Fried Rice as there are cooks.  Everyone has their favorite recipe and somewhere along the Path I started making this simple fried rice.  This rice makes an excellent side dish and can be made ahead of time and gently reheated.  The original versions I remember from my childhood had bits of dried Chinese sausage or char siu in the dish.  I’ve also encountered versions made with tiny bits of ham or bacon.  Here I present the ovo-lacto veggie version.

Tips – The rice needs to be cold, preferably leftover from the previous day.  Make fried rice with hot or warm rice and you will make a Giant Clump Fried Rice Ball.  Any white rice will do fine; we prefer the taste of American Basmati.  Better yet, use Texmati American Basmati.  I’ve tried other rices and it’s just not the same.  Now if you want to make a meal out of this fried rice, add some diced Rotisserie Chicken and you have Chicken Fried Rice.

That was easy.

Update 08.23.14

Two eggs, not one.  I’ve also changed the Tips to reflect the type of rice I use.

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One Rotisserie Chicken, 50 Meals – #4 Pasta Primavera with(out) Chicken

Pasta Primavera with Chicken

Grated Parmesan cheese (lots)
3 medium carrots
2 small zucchini
1 small head of broccoli florets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lb cooked, drained pasta (fettuccine, bow ties)

One Rotisserie Chicken, carved off the bone, cut into pieces that match your pasta shape.

  1. Cut carrots and zucchini lengthwise into thin slices. Add carrots, zucchini and broccoli to 1 inch boiling water in medium saucepan. Cook until crisp-tender.
  2. Drain; set aside.
  3. In the same saucepan add olive oil, onion and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
  4. Gradually stir in broth, cream, grated Parmesan (min. 1/2 cup) and seasonings; simmer 5 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
  5. Add vegetables and heat thoroughly, stirring occasionally. Add pasta to vegetables and lightly toss.  Add chicken if desired.
  6. Top with more grated Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

 

Back in my 20’s I started making Pasta Primavera.  This was always the dish made to celebrate the bounty of fresh, seasonal vegetables during the summer months.  I recall using copious amounts of butter and heavy cream.  Low cholesterol and heart friendly were not in anyone’s vocabulary at that time.  Along the Path I came across a recipe called Pasta with Fresh Vegetables in Garlic Sauce on http://www.theculinarychase.com  It was the first time I had seen someone use a combination of chicken stock and cream in a Pasta Primavera type dish.  Over the years I began using chicken stock with half and half with good results.  Then I started tossing in cooked rotisserie chicken.  The kids ate it so I kept making it.

Tips – try different vegetable combinations.  Mushrooms and red bell pepper are a good addition.  So too are a handful of fresh spinach leaves. A dash of red pepper flakes will add some zip.  If you want less fat in your sauce, cut back on the half and half, increase the chicken stock.  Or if you want a richer sauce, more half and half, less stock.  Toss in a pat of butter.  This dish freezes well.  Don’t make the mistake of using a full pound of pasta.  You’ll end up with enough pasta for 8 people.  Depending upon the size of the chicken, you might need only a half chicken for this dish.

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One Rotisserire Chicken, 50 Meals – #3 Sour Cream Chicken Enchillada Casserole

Updated 10.13.13

Son:  “Whenever I make one of your recipes it never quite turns out the same.”

Me:    “So?”

Recipes change with time and repeated preparations.  So when the usual crew showed up to to be fed this weekend I made a conscious effort to pay attention to what I was doing and the quantities while making this dish.  Sure enough, quite a few things were different from the original recipe.  The changes are in bold.  The original recipe is in the cookbook mentioned below.  But you don’t want the original recipe.  You want this one.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1/4 C butter
2 T. flour
2 C. sour cream
3 C. chicken broth
1 small can mild green chiles
1 medium onion, chopped

Saute onions in butter, add flour then broth.  Cook over medium heat until thickened.  Add chiles and sour cream and heat.  Be careful to not let the sauce boil.  Set aside.

One rotisserie  chicken, meat taken off the bones, cubed
 8 oz cheddar cheese, 8 oz Monterrey Jack cheese grated
18 corn tortillas

1.  Butter  a 9 x 12 casserole dish.

2.  Put a little sauce in the bottom of the dish.

3.  Layer 3 corn tortillas.  Layer chicken.  Cover with jack cheese.  Sauce.  Repeat two more times.

4.  Bake 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes covered until bubbly.  Remove cover, add cheddar cheese to the top.  Return to the oven to allow cheese to melt.

5.  After cheese has melted, remove from the oven and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving.

 

And yet another recipe whose origin is kind of fuzzy.  I think this recipe kind of morphed from Delicioso! Cooking South Texas Style.  But when I go to the book, the recipe is different, calling for Monterrey jack cheese and jalapenos.  If this is the source of the recipe, then somewhere along the Path I subbed mild chiles and cheddar.  But pretty much the recipe is from this classic cookbook.

Tips – Cut up the chicken first.  If you use pre-shredded cheese make sure it the kind that will melt (if you know what I mean and I think you do).  Use more sour cream if you like a rich casserole.  Use more chicken stock if you like your casserole “juicy” as in fall apart and spread all over your plate “juicy”.  Go ahead and use the hot pepper of your choice if you don’t have kids.

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One Rotisserie Chicken , 50 Meals – #2 Spinach Salad

Spinach Salad

1 C canola oil
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c ketchup
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp salt
1 c chopped sweet onion

Mix the above ingredients together to make the dressing.

3 hard boiled eggs
1 can water chestnuts (optional)
6 strips bacon fried and crumbled ( NOT optional)
1 lb bagged spinach, baby and organic (if you can find it)

Toss the above ingredients together and pour the dressing over and mix

The date stamp on the electronic file for this recipe was 2007.  Friends of ours across the street served this salad one night and we thought the spinach salad was the best we had tasted.  This simple salad is a staple in our home for five years according to the date stamp

A couple of weeks ago we were at the same friend’s house for a rousing Friday evening of cards.  I said we’ll bring dinner.  We bought some prepared potato and corn salads, spinach salad, and one carved up rotisserie chicken.  The reaction was somewhat surprising:

“We’ve never put chicken on this spinach salad before.”

And another simple supper recipe is born.

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One Rotisserie Chicken, 50 Meals – The Concept

I like to cook.  But let’s be honest, cooking is work.  During my exploratory twenties, I seriously entertained the idea of becoming a professional chef.  I researched the topic extensively.  My sights were set on the CIA (Culinary Institute of America).  But the more I learned about the profession the more I realized that I wanted cooking to remain fun.  So I let that dream die.

During the same time frame I got the best compliment ever about my food.  My roommate told me,

“You’re the best everyday cook I’ve ever known.”

Joe was a good business manager and a better motivator.  I seem to recall he didn’t fix another meal the rest of the time we lived together.  Just another one of those things that make you go hmm….

But I didn’t mind because I like to cook.  And one of the things I learned was there is nothing wrong with shortcuts.

One of the greatest time savers for the cook is the rotisserie chicken.  It’s already cooked and the perfect starting point for many dishes.  I’m not quite sure I have 50 recipes that use rotisserie chicken but it sure will be a lot of fun getting there.  Check ’em out.

One Rotisserie Chicken, 50 Meals – #1 Salad

One Rotisserie Chicken , 50 Meals – #2 Spinach Salad

One Rotisserire Chicken, 50 Meals – #3 Sour Cream Chicken Enchillada Casserole

PS. Yes, there’s just 3 recipes in the series…for now.

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One Rotisserie Chicken, 50 Meals – #1 Salad

Image

Rotisserie Chicken Salad

One fully cooked rotisserie chicken

One bag salad

Salad dressing

  1. Carve the chicken off the bones. Set aside.
  2. Open one bag of salad into a large serving bowl.
  3. Add sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, etc.
  4. Arrange the chicken on top.
  5. Serve with your favorite bottled salad dressing.

 

It’s been an interesting week.  I really didn’t cook that much.  When it’s hot outside, you don’t feel like cooking and you just want something light.  With this recipe I’m starting two new Tags:

  • One Rotisserie Chicken 50 Meals and
  • Super Simple

Every grocery store now sells Rotisserie Chickens.  It’s cooked.  All you have to do is cut it up.  Bagged salads are the greatest food invention since sliced bread.  You should always have several different varieties of salad dressing in the house.   Add a few chopped fresh vegetables.  Grab a loaf of bread, a nice Chardonnay and you have dinner.

Yes, the picture was taken with a cell phone.  Super simple like this recipe.

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Iki Marinade

Iki Marinade

1/4 C. olive oil

1/4 C. soy sauce

2 T. brown sugar

2 T. apple cider vinegar

2 T. ketchup

2 garlic cloves, smashed

Dash red pepper flakes

Makes enough marinade for 1 to 1.5 pounds of meat.  Double the marinade recipe if you are cooking larger quantities.  Works well with chicken and beef, but was originally crafted for pork.

The Story Behind Iki

A long time ago when the kids were small we had wonderful neighbors with a pool.  Naturally I befriended them.  We got into this entertaining rhythm where during the cooler months we would fix suppers befitting the season.  And during the summers we were over to the neighbor’s backyard for grilling poolside.  Our friends had friends from whom they got this marinade recipe.  I remember these people well.  Sam was from Venezuela and in the oil business.  His wife was from the Philippines.  Her name was Iki.

We really didn’t know what else to call this recipe.  It was Iki’s marinade recipe.  Over the years it just got shortened to Iki.

How about some Iki tonight?  Certain to become a family favorite.

Tips

Flatten boneless chicken breasts so that the pieces cook evenly on the grill.  If the breasts are large, halve them, then flatten.  I prefer boneless thighs with this marinade.  Again, flatten a bit before grilling.  Marinate your meat at least one hour before cooking and bring the meat to room temperature before grilling.

Boneless country style pork ribs are wonderful with Iki.

If you’re not grilling, try marinating chicken breasts or thighs on the bone and roast in the oven.

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