Recipe Swap - Chili Lime Tofu with Rice and Spinach

I have a food confession. Until I made this recipe I had never cooked tofu. I'd eaten it a handful of times, mainly when my vegetarian aunt visits and we get Chinese food to share. I was missing out.

I've mentioned several times that I'm trying to cook healthier meals, but lately we've been tossing around the idea of going mostly vegetarian. We won't cut out all meat, but we've decided to make a concerted effort to eat meat less often, maybe twice a week. This goes for everything from red meat to chicken.

Enter the humble tofu. All I really know about tofu is that it tastes like whatever you cook it in. I've had my eye on this Chili Lime Tofu with Rice and Spinach for awhile now, so when it was submitted for the last recipe swap I knew I had to make it. As luck would have it, I was given Stefanie's blog for this swap and the stars aligned. Stefanie really enjoyed the dish and Heather, the blogger that gave the recipe to Stefanie, loves it so much so that she puts it on her weekly menu every other week. That's a serious recommendation, so I figured what better recipe to try for my first tofu experience.


We loved this. Absolutely loved it. SP said if this is the kind of stuff he needs to be eating to stay healthy it wouldn't be as hard as he thought. The flavors from the sauce were outstanding. I doubled the sauce and I'm glad I did. There wouldn't have been nearly enough otherwise. The crispy tofu was delicious, although we decided I needed to cut the slices thicker. The thinner pieces were too chewy while the thicker ones were just right.

I also had a minor mishap with the tofu due to my own ignorance of how to prepare it. I started slicing the tofu, marveling at the amount of water that was coming out of the brick and wondering how it was going to get crispy in the skillet. Then I reread the directions and realized I needed to press and drain it. A quick Google search led me to instructions. I've added the steps to the ingredient list below for other tofu novices.

Chili Lime Tofu with Rice and Spinach
As seen on Kickin It in the Kitch, originally from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

1 cup jasmine, basmati or white rice
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 limes
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons sugar
6 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons garlic chili pepper sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 package extra-firm tofu
2 cups fresh spinach
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

In a medium sized saucepan combine the rice, water, salt, zest of 1 lime, and nutmeg. Cook according to the package directions.

In a small bowl combine the sugar, soy sauce, garlic chili pepper sauce, garlic cloves, and juice of both limes. Mix well and set aside.

Unwrap the tofu. Place on a plate lined with 4 paper towels. Cover with 4 more paper towels and weigh down with a plate or skillet topped with heavy cans. Allow to press and drain for 30 minutes - 1 hour. Once drained, slice the tofu into 4 slices lengthwise. Cut each rectangle in half then each square into two triangles. Spray a skillet with cooking spray and cook the tofu for 10 minutes on each side or until it is golden brown.

Lower the heat and pour the chili lime sauce over top of the tofu. The sauce will bubble up, reduce, and form a glaze. Watch carefully so the glaze doesn't become too thick. Remove from heat once the sauce is at your desired consistency.

In a medium pan sauté the spinach, sesame oil, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes or until the spinach is wilted but still green. Serve the rice topped with spinach with the tofu on top.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry

My friend Melissa recently raved about a stir fry recipe she had thrown together one weeknight. I'm a sucker for a good stir fry and I'm trying to make more of them because they're so simple. Unfortunately I've made plenty of stir fries that don't have very good flavor, but since Melissa only blogs recipes that are fantastic I knew this Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry would be great.


As expected, this was truly outstanding. Garlicky, gingery, and just slightly spicy (I can't believe I'm saying this but it could have used a tad more kick). The chicken was tender and moist and the broccoli was still crispy. It tasted like the best version of chicken and broccoli I've ever had from a Chinese restaurant. I couldn't believe I made it at home, it was that good. SP felt it needed something, maybe more spice, and I suggested water chestnuts, but he said we need to stop putting so much pressure on the poor water chestnut to solve all our problems. Ha. I still think they'd go well with the dish.

Try this soon. You won't be disappointed.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
Alosha's Kitchen

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
6 scallions, whites only, thinly sliced on an angle (slice and reserve all the tops for garnish)
4 cloves garlic, grated or minced divided*
1 1/2-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, grated or minced, divided*
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tablespoon + 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 tablespoon + 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
2 tablespoons xiaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
About 1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons neutral oil
5 broccoli crowns, chopped, separated into florets and stems
1-2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce (chile sauce)
2 tablespoons oyster sauce

In a medium bowl, toss the chicken with the scallion whites, half the garlic and ginger, soy sauce, sugar, 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch, 1/2 tablespoon Kosher salt, xiaoxing wine, and sesame oil. Marinate at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. Mix the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/2 cup water and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over high heat. Add the broccoli stems, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the florets and the remaining garlic, ginger, 1/4 cup water, 1/4 teaspoon salt and chile sauce. Stir-fry until the broccoli is bright green and tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. You may need to add a tablespoon more water (or two or three) to make sure it stir fries without sticking or searing too much. Transfer to a plate.

Pour another 2 tablespoons oil in the pan and add the chicken mixture. Stir-fry (stir, stir, stir at this point!) until the chicken is brown and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the oyster sauce, stir, then return the broccoli to the pan and toss to heat through. Stir in the reserved cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil to thicken (add a couple, few more tablespoons of water to make a bit more sauce, if desired - I did).

Serve over rice, with the reserved scallion greens and extra chile sauce on the side.

Taco Rice

I feel like a broken record when I say I found a recipe on Cassie's blog. As I've said before, she and I share a similar cooking style so it's only natural that we'd make each others recipe often. Whenever I make tacos SP wants rice on the side, so when I saw this Taco Rice I figured it was a win-win.


I promise the rice is in there somewhere. Not my best food styling moment but I was experimenting with the lights from my new light box and ended up overdoing the plate a bit.

I was a little disappointed by this dish. It lacked oomph. There wasn't any sauce, which is a big no-no in our house since we love our sauces. And SP told me he really missed the taco shells. After talking it over with Cassie she said her husband often adds crushed tortilla chips to his serving, so I modified the directions below to reflect that. I also changed the ingredient list a bit so there'd be some sauce. I'll definitely try this one again because I think it has potential.

Taco Rice
Cassie Craves

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
1 pound ground beef
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup salsa
1/4 cup sour cream,
4 cups steamed rice
Shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, crushed tortilla chips and shredded mozzarella for topping

Heat the vegetable oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute until the onions are barely soft. Add the ground beef and break it into small chunks. Add the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper and tomato paste. Let this simmer for about 5 minutes. Combine salsa and sour cream. Stir into the ground beef.

Spread 1/2 to 1 cup of the steamed rice on each plate. Top with the seasoned beef. Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, crushed chips and cheese.

Cheesy Zucchini Rice

I'm always looking for new side dishes, especially ones that combine starch and vegetable. This recipe for Cheesy Zucchini Rice sounded like a perfect way to use zucchini before the season ends.


When I told SP what we were having he was more than a little skeptical. I think he wasn't sure what to expect, but as soon as he tasted it he proclaimed he would eat an entire bowl of just the rice. And yet the man claims not to like risotto. Go figure. Baby Girl was also a big fan. Not for moms of picky kids, this is a great way to sneak in veggies.

Don't be shy with the salt and pepper in this dish. Because of the zucchini the rice needs a good amount of salt. I've also realized I'm disappointed in my supermarket brand cheddar cheese. Our store brand is pretty stellar in most instances, but their cheese is just bland. Make sure to use a nice, sharp cheese that actually packs some flavor.

Cheesy Zucchini Rice
Very Slightly Modified from Pink Parsley

1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium zucchini, grated on the large holes of a cheese grater then wrung dry in a clean kitchen towel
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the rice, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from heat, add the butter and zucchini, and cover. Allow to stand 5 minutes, then stir to incorporate. Stir in the cheese, season liberally with salt and pepper, and serve.

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhini)

I love cooking Indian food at home. It doesn't usually compare to the rich, bold flavors of restaurant cooking, but it satisfies the craving. I'm always looking for new curry recipes, so I was excited to try this one for Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhini).


As we've found with all curries, they seem to taste better the next day once the flavors have a chance to fully meld. Unfortunately the dominant flavor was lemon. One lemon was way too much and overpowered the dish. I've cut it down to half a lemon in the recipe below. This was pretty good but not one of our favorites.

Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhini)
Prevention RD

Chicken Marinade:
1 pound chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 lemon, juiced and zested
1 onion, diced
2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced finely
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Butter Sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
2 cups canned tomato pureed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 cup heavy cream
salt & pepper to taste
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped (garnish)

At least 24 hours before, place the chicken marinade ingredients in a large Ziploc bag, shake gently to toss together and close tightly. Place in the Ziploc bag in a large bowl. and place in refrigerator until ready to use

Remove the chicken from refrigerator, and heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan, and add the chicken marinade into the pan. Cook the chicken until no longer pink, about 7 to 8 minutes

In a small skillet, add a tablespoon of butter, cinnamon stick, and cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

In the large Dutch oven, add the butter spice mixture, tomatoes, tomato paste and reduce heat to a slow simmer. The sauce will start to thicken, and let it cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

Stir in the honey, fenugreek leaves (if using), turmeric, 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, and heavy cream and let it simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes. Remove cinnamon stick and discard. Taste for seasonings, add salt and pepper if needed.

Serve over basmati rice and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Chicken Sriracha Stir Fry

As I've mentioned recently, we are on a restaurant hiatus right now. Eating out really adds up and we realized that the meals we were getting out were rarely worth the cost. SP is excited to get back in the kitchen so look for posts featuring his cooking soon.

Stir fry is something that has always intimidated me for some reason. I've tried it a handful of times and the flavors were never right. It's such a simple thing, but if the sauce isn't good then the whole dish flops. My friend Katie over at So Tasty, So Yummy had this Chicken Sriracha Stir Fry on her menu recently so I thought I'd give it a try since I trust her to make a good dish.


I really wish the photo was better but I lost daylight early because of the thunderstorms. This picture doesn't do the recipe justice. It was utterly delicious. SP and I both cleaned our plates and wished we didn't have to save the leftovers for lunch the next day. The Sriracha packs a spicy punch, but it isn't overwhelming at all. The good news is you can increase or decrease the amount in the sauce to suit your spice tolerance. One tablespoon was perfect for us.

I can't wait to make this a regular part of my menu rotation. SP said it was better than any Chinese take out we've ever gotten.

Chicken Sriracha Stir Fry
So Tasty, So Yummy

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

Marinade for chicken:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Sriracha

1 tablespoon cornstarch
6 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce

1 cup green beans, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, chopped

Transfer chicken to a plastic food storage bag. Add marinade ingredients and toss to coat thoroughly. Let stand for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

In a separate bowl, mix cornstarch, water, Sriracha, soy sauce and oyster sauce.

In a wok heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat, add vegetables. Stir-fry for 5 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Remove to a plate.

Wipe wok out with wet paper towels. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the wok. When hot, add ginger and garlic; after a few seconds, add chicken mixture. Stir-fry for 2 to 4 minutes until chicken is fully cooked. Pour in the sauce. Stir until thickened. Return vegetables to the wok. Serve over rice.

Orange Chicken

I love Chinese food. I usually shy away from making it at home because I can never get the flavors quite right, but this recipe for Orange Chicken has been making its way around the blogosphere and getting rave reviews, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Boy am I glad I did!


I don't usually order breaded and fried chicken at Chinese restaurants because most of them use mystery meat that's mostly breading anyway. This version has juicy chunks of breast meat. As SP pointed out, restaurant versions are much sweeter whereas this was tangy and spicy, which I preferred. I think I'll add some honey for SP the next time I make it, though. I served the chicken with rice and steamed broccoli.

Orange Chicken
Cooking at Home With America’s Test Kitchen

For the marinade and sauce:
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
6 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar (dark or light)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 lbs. boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
8 thin strips orange peel (optional)

For the coating and frying:
3 large egg whites
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cups peanut or canola oil

To make the marinade and sauce, combine the chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper in a large saucepan; whisk to blend well. Measure out 3/4 cup of the mixture and transfer it to a large zipper lock plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces to the bag, pressing out the excess air and sealing well. Refrigerate and let marinate 30-60 minutes, but no longer.

Place the saucepan with the remaining mixture on the stove and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Add the mixture to the saucepan with the sauce. Continue simmering until the sauce is thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the strips of orange peel, if using.

To prepare the coating, place the egg whites in a pie plate and whisk until frothy. In a second pie plate combine the cornstarch, baking soda and cayenne pepper; whisk to blend. Drain the chicken in a colander and pat dry with paper towels. Place half of the chicken pieces in the egg whites and turn to coat. Transfer the pieces to the cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly, shaking off the excess. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

To fry the chicken, heat the oil in a Dutch oven until the oil reaches 350 degrees. Carefully place half of the chicken pieces in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through cooking. Remove from the oil with a skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Reheat the sauce and toss with the cooked chicken pieces. Serve over rice.

Thai Coconut Curry Chicken

After the success of the Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp I decided to try the dish with chicken and vegetables.


I steamed chopped onion, red pepper, asparagus and green beans before adding them to the sauce, along with mushrooms and scallions. The veggies were a welcome addition, but I made a mistake - I had SP buy light coconut milk instead of the full-fat version. This version lacked the creaminess the shrimp curry had. Next time I won't make that mistake.

Thai Coconut Curry Chicken

1 tablespoon oil
1 lb chicken, thinly sliced
2 scallions, whites and greens separated, chopped
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
2 big cloves garlic, minced
1 can coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Chopped/sliced vegetables (ex. red pepper, onion, mushrooms, green beans, asparagus, bamboo shoots)
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, steam vegetables until crisp tender.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add scallion whites, red curry paste and garlic. Saute one minute. Add coconut milk, and fish sauce and mix well. Simmer about 2-3 minutes, then add chicken and vegetables to the pan. Allow to simmer 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked. Remove from heat and mix in scallion greens. Serve over basmati rice.

Spicy Pork with Asparagus and Chili

Brianna over at Oishii recently posted this recipe for Spicy Pork with Asparagus and Chile. It looked great and was a departure from our usual meals so I put it on this week's menu. The same day I was planning to make it someone posted about it on my cooking board, prompting a discussion about the dish. As it turns out, the recipe (which came from Bon Appetit) lacked a little something according to those who had made it. Suggestions were thrown out about how to make it better so I ended up modifying the recipe.


The result was really good. I don't usually cook with ground pork and I liked the flavor, plus now that asparagus was in season I was happy for an excuse to use it.

Spicy Pork with Asparagus and Chili
Modified from the April 2011 issue of Bon Appetit

3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine or dry sherry, brandy or Madeira
2 teaspoons cornstarch
12 oz. ground pork
3 teaspoons Asian sesame oil, divided
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 bunch thin to medium asparagus, trimmed, cut diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces
1 red (or green) jalapeño, minced with seeds
2 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 green onions, thinly sliced on diagonal
Salt and pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, rice wine/brandy/sherry/Madeira, and cornstarch. Add the pork and toss to blend.

Heat 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy large wok or deep skillet over high heat. Add asparagus, chili, and ginger. Toss until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer asparagus mixture to plate.

Add remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil and 1 tablespoon olive oil to wok. Add pork mixture and stir-fry until browned, using wooden spoon to break up pork into small pieces, 2 to 3 minutes.

Return asparagus mixture to wok. Add oyster sauce, honey and rice vinegar. Stir-fry until pork is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Add water by tablespoonfuls if it becomes too dry. Add green onions; toss to incorporate. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve over steamed rice.

Recipe Swap - Arroz con Pollo

This recipe for Arroz con Pollo, submitted by Amanda, was my recipe swap from a few weeks ago. I was very, very late making it because my grandmother was admitted to the hospital while she was in town visiting a few weekends ago. She's perfectly fine and back home resting, but it threw off my entire meal plan for the week. I finally made this for Sunday dinner this week and it was tasty. Definitely something new and different for us.


While I was cooking I had an episode of America's Test Kitchen on in the background. They happened to be making a no-stir risotto so I stopped to listen to the method. They recommended toasting the rice in the pan, then adding the liquid all at once and only stirring a few times. I decided to modify the Arroz con Pollo recipe so I could toast the rice with the vegetables and spices before adding the liquid. My changes are reflected below. I also added peas for color and because other recipes I've seen included them.

Arroz con Pollo
Modified from Epicurious

Note: The original recipe suggested using wine if you used sweet sausage and beer if you used hot.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. chicken parts (I used two bone-in breasts)
1 lb. sweet or hot Italian sausage, cut in 2-inch pieces
1 small onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 cups medium-grain rice (I used arborio rice)
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine or beer
1 bay leaf
2 1/4 cups water
1 cup frozen peas, thawed

In a deep, heavy-based pot (such as a Dutch oven), heat the oil on medium high. Pat the chicken dry and liberally season with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Saute the chicken, in batches if necessary, until golden on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter. Saute the sausage until browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer the sausage to the platter. Pour off and discard the excess oil, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the pot.

Reduce the heat to medium and saute the onion, pepper, and garlic until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cumin, paprika, chili powder, and turmeric, if using, stirring to distribute the spices. Add the rice and toast until the edges become translucent, about 3 minutes.

Return the chicken and sausage to the pot then add the tomatoes, wine (or beer), bay leaf and water. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the rice is done and the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent the rice from sticking. Add peas and allow to warm through. Give a toss and then let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe Swap - Indian Chicken Curry

Want to see what other chicken dishes were made during the swap? Here is the link for the Chicken Recipe Swap Roundup.

I've been enjoying the recipe swap I've been participating in so much I decided to see if the women on the cooking board I frequent wanted to start one. The response was overwhelmingly positive so off we went. I hosted this week's swap and chose chicken as the theme. I don't know about you, but I'm always looking for new and exciting chicken recipes, like this one for Indian Chicken Curry from J Bean Cuisine.


I knew SP would love this dish and it didn't disappoint. I served it with basmati rice and store-bought naan. The only change I made was to use dry spices for the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom since that's what I had on hand.

We've found that, for some reason, curry dishes tend to taste better the next day. We had the leftovers for lunch the next day and it was outstanding - nice depth of flavor and everything came together. Next time I'll make this dish the day before we want to eat and reheat before serving.

Chicken Curry
JBean Cuisine

Marinade:
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp grated ginger
2 tsp grated garlic
1 tsp grated green jalapeño
3 tsp garam masala
3 tsp cumin
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp salt
3 lbs of chicken (thighs and breasts), chopped into bite-sized pieces

Sauce:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cardamoms
2 cloves
4 black peppercorns
3 medium onions, diced
1 cup of water
1 medium tomato, diced
1.5 cups of plain tomato sauce

In a large glass or metal bowl, make a paste by mixing 3 tbsp of olive oil with the ginger, garlic, jalapeño, garam masala, thana jeeroo, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt.

Add chicken pieces to the paste and mix very well, ensuring that each piece of chicken is coated with marinade. Cover and marinade in fridge for 2hrs.

In a large dutch oven, heat remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil for one minute over medium heat. Add the cassia sticks, cardamoms, cloves and black peppercorns. Allow spices to infuse the oil for 2–3 minutes. Add the chopped onions to the oil mixture and sauté until translucent (about 10 minutes). A bit of color on the onions is fine.

Add the marinated chicken and stir well. Cover and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Be careful not to have the heat too high, as your chicken will stick.

After 20 minutes, add 1 cup of water to the chicken. Give a good stir and scrape any bits of flavour off the bottom of your pan. After a minute or so, add tomato sauce and diced tomato to the chicken curry.

Cover again, lower heat to a simmer and cook for an additional 20 – 30 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve with basmati rice, naan, roti or paratha.

White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

I've been on a Mexican food kick lately. I love that most of the recipes are easy to make but still have great flavor. This recipe for White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce was no exception.


I actually cooked the chicken and made the green chile sauce over the weekend so all I had to do was assemble the enchiladas and put them in the oven alongside the Mexican Sour Cream Rice, which I also made over the weekend to save time during the week.

The only thing I'd change next time is add some of the sauce to the chicken filling. They were a little dry and really needed the sauce to bring everything together.


White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce
Cassie Craves

8-10 soft taco size flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey jack cheese, divided
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 7-ounce can diced green chiles
Cilantro for garnish, if desired

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a skillet or saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Stir in sour cream and green chiles.

Mix together 1 cup of the cheese, 1 cup of the sauce and the chicken. Place an equal amount of the mixture into each tortilla, roll up and place seam side down into a 9 x 13-inch pan. Pour remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas; sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro, if desired.

Ginger, Garlic, Scallion Shrimp

One of our favorites, Ginger, Garlic and Scallion Shrimp:


I was going to make a different dish with the shrimp but at the last minute decided to go with an old favorite. It was delicious, but spicy!

Crunchy Chicken with Sesame Rice and Green Beans

Lately I've been disappointed with the recipes in Everyday with Rachael Ray (anyone else feel like she's run out of ideas and the new ones are just plain bizarre?), but this one for Crunchy Chicken with Sesame Rice and Green Beans was just a jazzed up version of chicken and rice so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Holy cow...it was just incredible.





I subbed panko for the breadcrumbs and they got gorgeously crispy after frying. Delicious. I think the mayo and soy sauce drizzle was what made the dish. Such a simple combination that packed a lot of flavor. And you can't go wrong with rice and green beans sprinkled with sesame seeds. I can't wait to make this one again.



Crunchy Chicken with Sesame Rice and Green Beans

Modified from Everyday with Rachael Ray



1 cup rice

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 cup panko

2 eggs

1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for frying

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips

1 pound green beans

Preheat the oven to 200°. In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/4 cups water, the rice and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until the water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, soy sauce and 1 tablespoon water. Put panko on a plate. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs.

Fill a large skillet with enough olive oil to reach a depth of 1/4 inch and place over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper; dip into the eggs, then into the panko. Working in 2 batches, add the chicken to the pan and cook, turning once, until cooked through, about 5 minutes; drain on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Transfer to the oven to keep warm.

Wipe out the skillet and fill with enough water to reach a depth of 1/2 inch; add 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil and bring to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Drain; season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sesame seeds. Serve with the rice and chicken. Drizzle the chicken with the sauce.

Rustic Chicken

I originally saw this recipe for Rustic Chicken on my friend Colleen's blog. It sounded great, but I never have luck with crockpot meals so I decided to improvise.





My version of the recipe is below. I loved it and even SP said it was delicious. If I remember correctly (I made this quite awhile ago) it was easy to make and a one-pot meal if you don't count the rice I served it over. Defintely a make-again meal.



Rustic Chicken

Modified from Sweat Tea in Texas




6 slices of bacon, chopped

1 onion, chopped

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts cut in 1 inch strips

1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained


1 15 ounce can artichoke hearts, quartered


1 packet dry chicken gravy mix


1/4 cup white wine

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup stuffed green olives



Cook bacon in a large pot over medium heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on paper towels. Turn the heat to medium-high and add the onion. Cook until tender, then add the mushrooms. Push the mushrooms and onions to the side and add the chicken. Cook until the chicken browns, then mix together and add the rest of the ingredients. Cook until the chicken is fully cooked and the ingredients have had a chance to meld. Serve over pasta or rice.

Chicken in Coconut Milk

I'm sure this recipe for Garlic Shrimp in Coconut Milk, Tomatoes and Cilantro would have been better with shrimp but we haven't been splurging on shrimp lately so I subbed in chicken:


I love the smell of coconut milk...mmmmm. This was a good recipe but it felt like it needed something. Maybe the shrimp would have been the right pairing, or maybe it needed some curry flavor (as was suggested by someone before I made it).

Chicken with Chile Cheese Rice

This is one of my favorite recipes - Chicken with Chile Cheese Rice:


It's always a winner, provided the spice level is right. After a lot of trial and error I finally perfected the recipe.

Chicken Tacos with Avocado Cream and Mexican Sour Cream Rice

During my maternity leave I saw Sunny Anderson make this recipe for Chicken Flautas. They looked amazing but I couldn't be bothered actually making the flautas for dinner for just the two of us (I would for a party, though). I made the filling and asked SP if he'd prefer quesadillas or tacos. He said whatever was easier so I chose tacos.


We spooned the filling into warm flour tortillas (sorry, no photo), and topped it with shredded cheese and avocado cream (included in the flauta recipe link above). We're obsessed with this Mexican Sour Cream Rice:


It's easy to make and always delicious. If we have a Mexican-themed dinner SP always asks if I'm going to make the rice.