Jalapeno Lime Chicken

Let's continue with our lime theme. However, we'll put the lime syrup on hold until our yogurt cubes are ready.

With jalapeno in the name you might think it would have some kick to it, but it is a very mellow flavor since the ribs and seeds are removed before dicing. The lime is the star of the show.

This recipe is pretty straightforward. Toss it together in the morning to marinade, then grill it up in the afternoon.

Jalapeno Lime Chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced (wear a latex glove to avoid skin irritation)
1 teaspoon cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

In a small bowl, combine everything but the chicken. Place your chicken in a bag or plastic container, then add the marinade mixture and shake to evenly coat the chicken. marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to 8 hours.

Preheat grill to medium high. Grill chicken 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in the center.

Makes 4 servings. We served ours with rice and steamed broccoli and carrots

Semi-Homemade Chicken Primavera Risotto

This is one of my favorite dishes from Pampered Chef. It's a creamy and lemony dish of rice and veggies. Using a flavored pre-cooked rice substantially decreases cooking time and adds, well, flavor. ;)

I want to try using some leftover white/brown rice to see how much flavor I actually lose. If the loss is tolerable then I can avoid buying the prepackaged stuff. That's good for two reasons: the prepackaged stuff has soy bean oil & it would decrease the cost.

cooking oil spray
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 ounces each)
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
olive oil
 1 lemon, cut in half crosswise
 1 medium onion, chopped
 1 large garlic clove, pressed
 2 packages (8.8 ounces each) buttery or roasted chicken flavor pre-cooked rice
 1 medium carrot, peeled & julienned
 1 medium zucchini, sliced
 2 plum tomatoes, seeded & diced
 2 - 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated Asiago cheese
 1/4 cup snipped fresh basil
 2 ounces mascarpone cheese or cream cheese (optional)

Flatten chicken to 1/2-inch thickness, then season with salt and black pepper. With cooking oil spray,  lightly coat a large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat 1-3 minutes or until hot. Arrange chicken and lemon halves, cut sides down; cook 3-4 minutes on each side or until center of chicken is no longer pink (do not turn lemon halves). Remove chicken and lemon. Cool slightly; slice chicken into 1/2-inch pieces.

Lightly spray the skillet again.  Add onion and a pinch of salt, saute for about 5 minutes. And garlic, cook  until fragrant.

Add the rice; juice caramelized lemon halves into the rice. Cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until juice is completely absorbed into rice. Add vegetables and 2 cups of the broth:bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 4-5 minutes or until broth is slightly thickened. Stir in chicken; cook until heated through.

Remove risotto from heat. * Add Asiago cheese and basil; stir until cheese is melted and sauce is thickened (adjust sauce consistency with additional broth, if necessary). Stir in mascarpone cheese, if desired.

Popover w/ Lemon Chicken Sauce

Popovers are an interesting pastry. They're not leavened by yeast or chemicals, but by water evaporating into steam, so it's important to put them into a very hot oven so they poof up right. That poofiness makes for a large cavity that is great to fill with both sweet and savory sauces. In addition to the way described here, you could also pour the batter into a popover pan to make individual servings.

Ingredients

Popover

• 4 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 cup milk
• 6 eggs
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  

Filling

• 1 tablespoon butter
  
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cup green beans, chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  
• 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 12 oz chopped cooked chicken breast
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
  
• 2 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Instructions

Popover:
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Put 2 tablespoons butter in a 9x9 glass baking dish and let it melt in the hot oven. Meanwhile, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and add to a blender bowl with milk, eggs, and salt. Blend for 30 seconds on high until well combined and frothy. Carefully add flour. Blend on low for 30-60 seconds, just until there are no lumps left (over-mixing the flour will make for bad popovers). Pull the baking dish from the oven and swirl around so the butter coats the bottom. Pour in the batter and return to oven. Bake for 20 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 350 and bake for 10-15 minutes more, or until poofy and golden brown.

Filling:
Melt the butter in a large skillet on low heat. Sweat the carrots, onion, bell pepper, and green beans with a heavy pinch of salt for 10 minutes, or until the veggies are softened. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for 2 minutes until cheese is melted and the sauce is completely mixed. Pour filling on top of popover, cut into wedges, and serve.

Pan-Roasted Chicken

Do you know what the problem with roasted chicken is? The dark meat should cook to 175 but I never want to cook white meat past 160. I've seen many inventive ways of dealing with this: upside-down cooking, foil breastplates, dark voodoo incantations - but none of them ever work. However, I think I have had a revelation: just don't cook the white meat! Now don't get me wrong, breast meat is great for grilling hot and fast, especially after a marinade or brine. But when you want the rich, savory flavor of roast chicken, I find that everybody fights over the drumsticks and thighs while leaving the breasts to get cold. Besides, since everybody wants to grill the "boneless, skinless chicken breast," that leaves meat counters with family packs of leg quarters at ridiculous prices (for example, I just saw a pack of them sell for 59 cents per pound)! Additionally, the method described here (adapted from a recipe I found in Cook's Illustrated) is fast and very easy - great for a fancy dinner or a weeknight supper.

Our recipe served with a lovely stuffed bell pepper and salad

Ingredients

• 4 chicken leg quarters, thighs and drumsticks separated
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• salt and black pepper
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 shallot, minced (you could also use red onion)
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into thin pads

Directions

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat a the oil in a large fry pan over medium-high heat until it just starts to smoke. Lay the chicken pieces skin side down in the pan. Fry the chicken without touching or moving it until the skin is deep golden brown, 5-8 minutes (a splatter shield is a good thing here, but do not cover with a solid lid). During this time, the chicken skin may release quite a bit of fat (4-8 tablespoons). When the skin is brown, drain off the fat (reserving for later), flip the chicken pieces skin side up and add the chicken broth. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the thickest parts of the chicken pieces temp at 170, around 6-10 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pan and pour the broth into a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl. Off heat, wipe out the pan with a handful of paper towels (use tongs so you don't get burnt!). Put the pan back on medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of chicken fat collected from the browning stage. Put the chicken back in pan and fry until the skin becomes crispy, 3-5 minutes. Once the skin is very crisp, place the chicken skin side up on a serving platter and loosely tent with aluminum foil (make sure steam can escape so the skin stays crisp).

Using the same pan (do not clean out) sauté the shallot over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, skim the fat off of the chicken broth in the 2-cup measure. Once the shallot has softened and started to turn brown around the edges, sprinkle on the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until it is slightly browned. Whisk in the defatted broth and simmer over medium heat until the liquid has reduced by about half. Remove from heat and add the basil, parsley, and lemon juice. Still off heat, whisk in the butter pads one at a time until fully integrated into the sauce. Serve chicken and sauce immediately, being careful to pour the sauce around the chicken so as to protect the crispy skin on top.

Chicken Enchiladas

I hope everybody had a great holiday season! I am not much of a "Holiday" cook, so I took some time off from blogging :) Now that the holidays are over, I feel good posting a recipe in my favorite style: Mexican! This recipe can be made from what are normal pantry staples along with a few fresh ingredients, making it a great weeknight meal - unlike some "traditional" Mexican dishes, which require a visit to a Latino grocery store and two hours of prep work!

Ingredients

For the Enchilada Sauce

• 1 can (14 ounces) stewed tomatoes
• 1 can (14 ounces) plain tomato sauce
• 1 can (7 ounces) diced green chiles (mild or hot, your choice)
• 1 small onion, cut into quarters
• 1 fresh jalepeno chile (remove the ribs and seeds for a milder flavor)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 canned chipotle chiles (optional - they give the sauce a subtle, smokey heat)
• 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro, thick and leafless stems trimmed off

Other Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)
• 1 tablespoon each cumin and coriander seeds, toasted, cooled, and crushed
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 lemon, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (or just Cheddar and/or Monterrey Jack cheeses)
• 12 medium (or "enchilada size) flour tortillas
• Nonstick cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the chicken breasts in a large saucepan with the cumin, coriander, salt, and lemon. Add enough water to cover everything. Bring to a boil and gently simmer over low heat, covered, for 8-12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the middle. Meanwhile (while the chicken is cooking), put all the Enchilada sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse 10-15 times until smooth. When the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat, remove the chicken from the liquid and shred into bite-sized pieces with forks. Discard the cooking liquid, or strain and use as you would chicken broth (although it might be a little too salty, depending on how much water you added). In a large mixing bowl, add the shredded chicken, half of the sauce and half the cheese. Stir to combine.

Spray a large baking dish with nonstick spray. Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. Place about a 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture in a line across the middle of a tortilla and roll it up. Put the enchilada seam-side down in the baking dish and repeat with remaining tortillas, packing them in as snugly as possible (you may have to experiment with the exact layout depending on the size of your tortillas and the dimensions of your baking dish). Spread the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is bubbly. Remove the foil for the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Chicken Parmesan

Traditionally, Chicken Parm is pan-fried. This puts a lot of people off of it because of the mess and extra fat content that comes with it. However, it doesn't have to be that way. It is possible to bake a delicious and juicy Chicken Parm that has very little mess and only a fraction of the fat.

Ingredients

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, "enhanced" or brined*
• 1 1/2 cups course seasoned bread crumbs (homemade or store bought)
• 1/2 cup ground good Parmesan cheese, with the rind cut off and reserved
  
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup flour
• kosher salt
  
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
  
• 1/2 cup finely minced onion
  
• 1 clove garlic, minced fine
  
• 1 14-ounce can tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped fine
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove chicken from brine, rinse thoroughly, and pat dry with paper towels (or thaw and dry enhanced chicken breasts). Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Mix the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese in a pie pan or other wide, shallow dish. Mix the eggs and water in another similar dish. Put the flour in one more dish. Dredge a chicken breast in the flour, shaking off any excess. Coat with the egg mixture and then move to the bread crumbs, coating all sides and pushing firmly to adhere. Put the breaded chicken on the baking sheet and repeat with the other pieces. Put the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and a heavy pinch of kosher salt. Sweat for 5-7 minutes, or until the onions are soft and translucent (do not brown them, if they start to sizzle or jump around, turn the heat down). Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the tomato sauce, chili flake, black pepper, and Parmesan cheese rind. Simmer very gently over low heat until the chicken has baked for 20 minutes. When there are 5 minutes left, remove the rind and discard. Add the basil and gently simmer for the remaining baking time.

Remove the chickens from the oven. Place a thin layer of sauce over each one (2-4 tablespoons, as you like it). Put 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese on top of each one and return the baking sheet to the oven for another 10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the chickens have an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Serve with pasta marinara and garlic toast.

*Enhanced chicken breasts have been injected with a salt solution that makes them juicier and more tender. They are usually sold individually quick frozen (IQF) in bags labeled "Chicken enhanced with a solution..." or something like that. If you don't have (or want to buy) enhanced chicken, you can brine your own (which will probably taste better anyway, but takes more time). Mix 12 ounces of pickling salt, 1/4 cup sugar, and 2 quarts of water in a 2 gallon plastic tub (or clean picnic cooler). Whisk until the sugar and salt are dissolved and add the chicken breasts. Brine for 6-12 hours in the refrigerator, or add a pound of ice in a tightly sealed zipper bag if doing in a cooler (changing the bags every 4 hours or whenever it melts, making sure the ice water doesn't leak and dilute the brine). Back to ingredients

A blast from the past: Chicken & Kale Roulade

One of the recipes from last week's cooking demo was one of my favorites that I've posted on this blog before. In case you missed it last time, here it is again!

A roulade is a meat burrito - a flat piece of meat that you top with filling, roll up, and cook. It's a great way to turn a boring piece of meat (a boneless, skinless chicken breast) and turn it into something more elegant. This version is baked with a crispy crust on the outside, but you could just as easily braise the chicken in a savory sauce if you wanted to.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of any rib meat or fat
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 cup sliced white or cremini mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano)
  
• 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced fine
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups stemmed, washed, and chopped kale, packed
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• kosher salt
  

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, onions, and a pinch of salt. Saute for 3-5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft and the onions have browned. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add vinegar, broth, oregano, pepper, and kale. Cook, stirring frequently, until the kale has cooked down and the the liquid has almost completely evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a medium glass or ceramic baking dish with nonstick spray. Using a meat mallet (or a aluminum pie tin and a heavy can of food), pound the chicken breasts to a thickness of half an inch. You may want to butterfly the breast if it is very thick (i.e. more than 1 inch). Lubricating the mallet with water or vegetable oil can help prevent tearing (as will using the minimum amount of force necessary). Spread the kale mixture on the chicken and roll up in to as compact a package as you can make it. You may want to use toothpicks to secure the rolls (if you are gentle about handling them, that may be unnecessary). Put the breadcrumbs onto a dinner plate or other dish. Brush as much of a chicken roll as you can with mayonnaise and turn upside down onto the breadcrumbs. Finish coating the chicken with mayonnaise and (gently) roll to coat with breadcrumbs. Place seam side down in the baking dish and repeat with remaining chicken rolls. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Rest uncovered for 5 minutes and serve with rice and steamed vegetables.

In our Cooking with Hearty Greens booklet, we also included another family favorite: the meatball sub.

Jicama Summer Salad

When I saw that jicama was on sale at Sunflower, I immediately thought of this delightfully tasty and easy salad.
3 cups cooked white rice, chilled
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups diced red/yellow/orange bell peppers
1 large tomato, chopped
1 cup diced jicama
1 cup cooked chicken or turkey breast
3/4 cup slice green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup thick and chunky salsa
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 large romaine lettuce leaves
lime wedges (optional)

Combine rice, beans, bell peppers, tomato, jicama, chicken, green onions, and cilantro in large bowl; mix well.

Combine salsa, lime juice, oil, and salt in small bowl. Add to salad; toss well. (Salad may be served immediately or covered and chilled up to 8 hours before serving. Serve salad over lettuce leaves with lime wedges, if desired.

Chicken & Raspberry Sauce

Raspberry sauce? Yes! This dish is quite nice with a side of rice and some roasted asparagus.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons regular olive oil
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons prepared mustard (yellow or brown - your choice)
• 1/4 cup raspberry jam (with or without seeds, as you like it)
  
• 2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

Season both sides of the chicken with the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large stainless steel saute pan over medium heat until it just starts to smoke. Add the chicken and cook without stirring about 5-6 minutes per side, or until the chicken is golden brown on the outside and the middle reaches 150-155 degrees. Remove the chicken to a warm plate and cover with aluminum foil.

Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth, stirring to remove any browned bits. Add the mustard and vinegar and simmer over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid reduces by about half. Add the jam and reduce the heat to low, simmering until the jam has melted. Remove from heat and stir in the cold butter, one piece at a time until it is all integrated. Put the chicken back in the pan along with any accumulated juices. Toss the chicken in the sauce. Serve the chicken with the remaining sauce on the side (for rice or veggies).

Chicken & Kale Roulade

A roulade is a meat burrito - a flat piece of meat that you top with filling, roll up, and cook. It's a great way to turn a boring piece of meat (a boneless, skinless chicken breast) and turn it into something more elegant. This version is baked with a crispy crust on the outside, but you could just as easily braise the chicken in a savory sauce if you wanted to.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of any rib meat or fat
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 cup sliced white or cremini mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano)
  
• 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced fine
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups stemmed, washed, and chopped kale, packed
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• kosher salt
  

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms, onions, and a pinch of salt. Saute for 3-5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft and the onions have browned. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add vinegar, broth, oregano, pepper, and kale. Cook, stirring frequently, until the kale has cooked down and the the liquid has almost completely evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a medium glass or ceramic baking dish with nonstick spray. Using a meat mallet (or a aluminum pie tin and a heavy can of food), pound the chicken breasts to a thickness of half an inch. You may want to butterfly the breast if it is very thick (i.e. more than 1 inch). Lubricating the mallet with water or vegetable oil can help prevent tearing (as will using the minimum amount of force necessary). Spread the kale mixture on the chicken and roll up in to as compact a package as you can make it. You may want to use toothpicks to secure the rolls (if you are gentle about handling them, that may be unnecessary). Put the breadcrumbs onto a dinner plate or other dish. Brush as much of a chicken roll as you can with mayonnaise and turn upside down onto the breadcrumbs. Finish coating the chicken with mayonnaise and (gently) roll to coat with breadcrumbs. Place seam side down in the baking dish and repeat with remaining chicken rolls. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Rest uncovered for 5 minutes and serve with rice and steamed vegetables.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice

One way to save time and make your life easier with a busy schedule is to use a slow cooker. The meal can be prepared hours ahead of time and served with little effort during the busy dinner hour. Using a ready-made product (seasoned rice from a box), makes it even easier, with very little measuring or searching for spices and other flavorings.

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 pounds chicken thighs (depending on how many people you're trying to serve)
• 2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil, divided
• 2 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 box seasoned rice (such as Rice-A-Roni)
• water
• salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions

Rinse and pat dry the chicken thighs. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium high heat and add the chicken. You are not cooking it through, just browning the surface. Work in batches, if necessary, to ensure the chicken cooks in a single layer on the bottom of the pan with plenty of space around each piece. Move each to the slow cooker as they finish browning. When all chicken is browned and removed to the slow cooker, add remaining tablespoon of oil and vegetables. Saute until the onion and celery start to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any brown bits. Pour vegetables and broth into the slow cooker with the chicken. Add the seasoning packet from the rice mix. Make sure there is enough liquid in the slow cooker to keep everything moist by adding a little water or broth if necessary (do not cover or submerge everything in the water - you probably won't add more than 1/2 cup depending on the size of your slow cooker). Put the lid on the slow cooker and turn on low. Cook for 6-8 hours or until the carrots are tender and the chicken has an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and put on a clean cutting board, loosely tented with aluminum foil. Turn the slow cooker to high and add the boxed rice and as much water as the instructions say to use for standard stovetop cooking. Stir the rice into the vegetables and cover. Cook for 20 minutes. When there is about 5 minutes left, debone the chicken with your fingers (use clean latex or vinyl gloves if it's still to hot to handle). Stir the chicken meat back into the rice mixture, cover and cook until the chicken is hot and the rice is tender, about 3 more minutes.

Garlic & Ginger Soy Marinade

Full of Asian flavors like sesame, ginger, and soy, this marinade is a great way to add both flavor and moisture to more boring cuts of meat like pork tenderloin or chicken breasts. You can also use this for steak or shrimp that you are going to grill. Steaks and chops should probably marinate 30 minutes to 2 hours. Larger cuts (like roasts) can go up to 12 hours. It's a good idea to shake up the bag and stir things around every couple of hours to make sure the meat marinates evenly. This makes enough marinade for 2-4 steaks or a 1-2 pound pork tenderloin roast - double or triple it for larger amounts of meat.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons chili sesame oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
  
• 2 tablespoons ginger, minced or chopped

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a one gallon zip-top bag. Add the meat, squeeze out as much air as possible, and seal the bag. Place in a leak-proof container and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes, up to overnight.

Serving Suggestion

Marinate a 1-2 pound pork tenderloin roast for 2 hours (up to all day) in the fridge. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Thickly slice 1 onion, 1 bell pepper, and 2 small zucchini and place in a baking dish or small roasting pan. Remove the roast from the marinade, put on the vegetables, and roast for 20-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 135 degrees. Remove pan from oven, tent with aluminum foil, and rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving with white rice.

Asian Sliced Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing

Today we conclude with a final recipe using Monday's roast chicken breasts: a refreshing salad!

Salad Ingredients

• 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce leaves
  
• 2 leftover roasted chicken breasts from Monday (3/2), sliced on the bias
• 1/2 cup matchstick cut carrots
• 1 small can sliced water chestnuts, drained
  
• 1 small can mandarin orange slices, drained
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup chow mein noodles

Dressing Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
  
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Mix all dressing ingredients and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, distribute other ingredients over 4 chilled salad plates (or wide bowls). Add dressing and serve with garlic toast.

Asian Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Today, we continue with this week's theme of meals made with Asian-Style Roast Chicken.

Ingredients

• 1 leftover Asian roast chicken breast from Monday (3/2), diced
• 2-4 tablespoons mayonnaise (depending on how "wet" you like your salad)
  
• 2 tablespoons diced mandarin orange segments
• 2 tablespoons shredded carrot
• 1 tablespoon water chestnuts, diced
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped cashews, toasted
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
• 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

Serve on toasted wheat bread with chow mein noodles or lettuce.

Asian Marinade Roast Chicken

You can double or triple this recipe to have leftovers that can be used in the other recipes that will be posted this week. It's nice to have 3 meals taken care of with only a small amount of prep.

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil (or chili sesame oil)
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients except chicken in a medium bowl. Add chicken breasts and marinate, refrigerated, for 30-60 minutes. Flip breasts over halfway through the marinading time.

When marinating is done, place chicken in a baking dish (discard marinade). Cook for 20-30 minutes, or until the chicken reads 160 degrees in the thickest part. Immediately place on a plate and rest for 5 minutes before serving with stir-fried vegetables and rice. Save leftovers (or make extra) for Asian-style chicken salad (coming Wednesday) and/or Sesame Chicken Salad Sandwiches (on Friday).

Leftover Chicken: Asian Panini

If you're returning to the blog from Wednesday's post, you'll remember that we did Asian-Style grilled chicken. If you had any leftovers (and you should have if you read my note/hint), you can do today's recipe! If you didn't do Wednesday's chicken, just make it specifically for this recipe - it'll just take a little longer (OK, a lot longer, but it's worth it).

Ingredients

• 1 Asian-style grilled chicken breast from Wednesday's blog post
• 8 slices hearty sandwich bread (whole wheat or sourdough would be nice)
  
• 1/4 cup baby spinach, washed and dried
• 1 sliced tomato
• 2 ounces sliced Monterey Jack cheese

Directions

Distribute 1/4 of a sliced chicken breast over 4 slices of bread. Top with spinach, tomato, cheese, and remaining bread. Bake in a 300 degree oven or toaster oven for 3-5 minutes (or grill on a skillet or panini press) or until bread is toasted and cheese is melted. Slice in half diagonally and serve. Makes 4 sandwiches.

Asian-Style Grilled Chicken

Although this dish seems simple, it's very flavorful. The Buddhist religion so popular among Asian cultures emphasizes balance - the yin and yang - and this dish is no exception. We've got salty and sweet, spicy and tangy all in one dish. One might say that it is culinary nirvana*!

Ingredients

• 4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 large or 4 small garlic cloves, minced fine or pressed in a garlic press
• 2 tablespoons chili sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (red, white, or cider vinegar would also do)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons honey
• juice of 1/2 lime

Directions

Combine soy sauce, garlic, chili oil, vinegar, and pepper in a small baking dish (one big enough to hold all the chicken). Add the chicken, making sure the mixture coats both sides of all the pieces.
Let stand at room temperature while the grill heats up, about 30 minutes. If not all the chicken is completely submerged, turn the pieces over halfway through the marinading time.

Meanwhile, whisk together the honey and lime juice, set aside.
When the grill is ready, place the chicken over direct heat. Grill, covered, about 5 minutes. Flip and brush the honey mixture onto the cooked side. Cook another 5 minutes, brushing on about half the honey mixture over two or three bastings. Flip the chicken back to the first side and brush on the remaining honey mixture over two or three bastings. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of at 150-160 degrees, or until the juices run clear. Serve with jasmine rice and stir-fried oriental vegetables.

Note & Preview: If you save one of the chicken breasts, you will be able to make Friday's recipe - Asian Chicken Panini!

* I have the greatest respect for the Buddhist religion - I do not intend to mock, trivialize, or denigrate their beliefs in any way.