Chicken Caesar Salad

Different people get fixated on different things. A few weeks ago, I became very curious as to how hard it would be to make Caesar salad from scratch. I'd stopped myself from embarking upon said endeavor multiple times in the last few months, convinced a salad with no actual "substance" would not be filling and that it would be hard to make the dressing without a legit food processor or a wooden bowl to mix everything in. If you've ever seen Ina Garten make a salad, you understand why the wooden bowl is such an important competent to salad making. If you haven't, then you probably are wondering at what age I slipped on black ice and lost my mind. 

Anywhos, the most difficult (if you call it that) part of this was the dressing, but even that was pretty simple. The main way to ensure the salad is super tasty is to mix all the components separately with the dressing, then toss with a little more right at the end. This way everything is evenly coated. And just use your hands to toss - I find that a set of well washed hands is the best way to get that dressing into every nook and cranny of the lettuce. 

Chicken Caesar Salad 

Make croutons but cutting some crusty bread into cubes and frying in a pan over medium heat with a little olive oil and butter at the end. Set aside.

Season some chicken thighs (factor 1/person) with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Then roast at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes. I use thighs because they are tasty, cheaper than the breasts, and almost impossible to overcook. Cut into cubes once they are cooked and set aside.

Chop romaine lettuce (factor one chunk per person) into bite-sized pieces. 

Slice a carton of cherry tomatoes in half and place in a separate bowl. Add the chicken and about 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan. I like shaved and not grated because I personally think the cheese becomes more an ingredient in the foreground than the back as a binder. I actually found a yummy mix of Parm, Fontina, and Asiago at Kroger of all places. And it looked super fresh. A little pricey, but hey, I saved all that money buying chicken thighs.

Make the dressing by combining in a bowl the following: 2 Tbs dijon mustard, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, 5 cloves super diced garlic, a splash of balsamic vinegar, the juice of half a lemon, and 2 Tbs anchovy paste. I highly suggest getting the paste - especially if you don't have a food processor - it mixes in so smoothly! Mix all this together then slowly and steadily stream in 1/2 cup olive oil, whisking the whole time to create an emulsion. Some people add an egg yolk to help with this. Some add mayo. I like the mustard/oil combination. 

Add some dressing to the tomato/chicken/cheese mix and stir to coat. Do the same with the lettuce then mix everything together with a little more dressing. This amount of dressing gave me enough to feed 3 people, generously. Serve with croutons arranged prettily on top.

By the way...I was 14. And I'm almost positive the effects have worn off ;)

Red Pepper Risotto

Risotto is notoriously one of the most intimidating kitchen undertakings for new cooks. Or seasoned ones, actually. I know I was terrified of making it, especially after going to Italy and eating it all the time. First, I was scared to know how much butter and cream was it it. Second, I knew there was a definite serving temperature requirement: if it got cold it'd be a gelatinous blob of ice. Thirdly, I assumed it'd take hours to make.

These thoughts were incorrect. Risotto is actually creamy because of the starches that develop when the rice cooks. The temperature requirement is kind of true, but if you serve it hot, everything is fine. And the entire process took about 30-40 minutes - including chopping/prep time. Not to shabby.

I had some roasted red peppers and chicken thighs in the fridge so I decided to plan the risotto around that. Just chop everything into about the same sized pieces, fry the chicken in olive oil until it is cooked through - then add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chili flakes. Then I added the red pepper and set this aside until the rice was ready.

For the rice, make sure you purchase "arborio." In a saucepan, heat 6 cups of chicken stock - don't let it boil or even simmer...just warm it through. In a nonstick pan, melt 2 Tbs olive oil and fry 1/2 of a finely chopped onion until it's translucent. Add 1 1/2 cups rice and fry until the rice is coated - about 3 minutes.  Pour in 1/2 cup white wine and a pinch of salt. Now, start incorporating the stock, 1 cup at a time and making sure it absorbs completely before adding the next increment. This should take about 25 minutes and you might not need all 6 cups of stock. The end consistency is going to be a little looser than rice pudding - the rice shouldn't be super mushy or have a bite to it. I add 1 tsp fresh thyme right at the end for flavor. Turn off the heat, stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan and 2 Tbs butter.

Serve up your risotto with a nice helping of the chicken/pepper mixture on top:

Home Cooking = Mom's Persian Chicken with Yogurt, Raisins, and Almonds

Usually when I go home dinner it something we come up with at the last minute. Don't get me wrong, it's always tasty, but it's still some sort of creation we make with leftovers. When I went home for spring break though, my mother told me she was going to make my favorite Persian chicken dish - and boy did she deliver...

Why do I love this meal so much? Because it is a) easy b) inexpensive and c) full of flavor

We used to use chicken legs, but my mom has switched over the thighs. A little dark meat never hurt anyone; feel free to use chicken breasts if you want, but it probably won't be as juicy.

Fry off one sliced onion until it is golden.

Sear the thighs in a skillet with turmeric, pepper, salt, and cardamom, cinnamon, and a little cumin. Add the onions and set aside.

Fry the almonds and raisins. Set aside.

Combine 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt and 1 cup sour cream with a pinch of salt. Taste to be sure the sour cream flavor is more prevalent and add more accordingly if you have to. Set aside.

Place the chicken mixture in a Pyrex dish and pour in about a cup or a half cup of boiling water. This creates a juice for the chicken to cook in. Cover with the sour cream mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 300 for about 15-20 minutes. The chicken is essentially already cooked, so you just want to give everything time for the flavors to meld together. Take out and put the almonds and raisins over it, along with another fried onion - this time fry it till it is pretty dark.

Serve over rice!!!

*Note: this is the chicken component to a Persian dish called Shirin Polo, or sweet rice. It is traditionally served at happy occasions, like weddings. You serve the chicken alongside rice that you have covered with sweet carrots and more fried almonds (or pistachios) and raisins. To make the carrots, fry about 1 bag of pre-julienned carrots in grapeseed oil. Add salt and 1/4 tsp cardamom and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. And continue frying till the carrots have just a little crunch left. Put this over the rice, then add the nuts and raisins.

Fiesta Time! (this isn't what you think it is)

Some of the best things I have ever eaten I never would have known about had it not been for word-of-mouth. Kuba Kuba, Tastebuds, and Bev's come to mind. Chicken Fiesta, on Broad Street, is my latest addition to the list.

I don't exactly know where to begin - let's start with a little back story. I heard about Chicken Fiesta from a friend in my program and so we, along with another food-loving friend, decided to plan a trip over after class one day. I owe my friends a lot, since I'd have no means of getting to these places without their offers of transportation.

Chicken Fiesta is in a little strip mall and a bit unassuming. To be completely honest, I would never have gone in had I not heard such good things; the chicken on the front looks a little, um, chain-store-esque... The place is super chill - wooden tables and benches and a food counter to order. When you walk in, there is a rotisserie chicken fire pit and this, my dears, is why Chicken Fiesta has such a great reputation.

I don't know what the spice rub is, but their chicken is sinful. The skin is crisp and flavorful and so is the chicken meat itself. It's not low-cal for sure, and your fingers turn shiny moments after you pick it up, but we all deserve a treat once in a while. I ordered a half chicken which came with 2 sides and it cost a little over $8. The sandwiches are about the same price and quite tasty - my friend let me try some of hers. Side note: Emilija, thank you so much for always letting me sample for blogging purposes.

So, as far as sides go, I got the pinto beans and yucca fries, which the reviews were raving about. They did not lie - I am hooked on yucca fries. So crispy on the outside, a nice soft interior, and more filling than you'd think. The beans had huge chunks of slow-roasted pork and were super flavorful. Chicken Fiesta is also known for a famous yellow sauce which comes in a tiny dipper container. It was really yummy, but I think it might have been mayo and Dijon - with a little citrus, maybe lemon. But who knows, it was delish. And they also gave a little green chili sauce which I was a HUGE fan of. We also got a side of plantains which were sweet and had a little crust, just the way I like them! I could have eaten a whole plate of them, but I contained myself.

So, I realized I basically just broke down a really, really good "fast food" restaurant, but hopefully I convinced you to try it for yourself - and feel free to take me with you ;)

Happy Birthday To A Very Special Lady

Mom, I am sorry I can't be home for your birthday this year but I am thinking of you and sending my love and hugs :)

In honor of YOU I made your delicious Chicken Casserole.

Dear readers, here's the dealeo with this dish: in grade school when my class was asked, "What's your favorite food?" the answer was a primarily, "PIZZA!"...except for one little girl who raised her hand proudly and proclaimed, "My mom's chicken casserole." I don't know what it is about this dish that makes it so wonderful, but it truly is comfort food and it really will make you feel close to home on a day when you need it most. I actually don't know where my mom got this recipe, or even if she made it up herself. But I am thinking the former because my mom is Persian and Campbell's Mushroom Soup isn't exactly a prevalent ingredient in that type of cuisine :)

What to do - Gather your ingredients:

1. Chop and blanch two heads of broccoli OR defrost one large bag of frozen broccoli
2. Boil and cut into slices 4 or 5 potatoes - any kind will do but my mom used Russet so that's what I did, too
3. Poach and shred 3 chicken breasts or shred one rotisserie chicken: To do this, fill a pot with water to cover the raw chicken, add some salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and allow the chicken to cook through. DON'T throw away the juice because now you've made some lovely stock to use for soups later on.

Liquid Gold!!!

1. Made the topping/sauce by combining 1/2 cup milk, 1 can of soup, and 1/2 cup mayo in a bowl. Add a couple ladles of chicken stock and whisk together.

To prepare, place a layer of potatoes on the bottom of a Pyrex dish.

Now, here's where I differ from my mom - I top these with a few ladles of the sauce. She waits until the end and pours all of it on at once, but I like to do it this way so the entire dish stays moist.

Then put on the broccoli.

Next the chicken. Pour over the rest of the sauce.

Cover with shredded cheddar cheese and croutons. Put a piece of aluminum foil over the top and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. Take the foil off and bake until the cheese gets bubbly and melty and ooey-gooey.

You can actually put this in the fridge and bake it the next day if you want to turn it into a make-ahead meal.

Thank you, mom for the many ways you've made my life better and for all the sacrifices and hugs and tears and love that have laid the foundation for this new, better life we will share from this day forward. You deserve everything good in this world, mama, and I will always be here for you - just like you've been there for me.

Love,

Your Popsicle

Childhood Chicken

The other day I was describing to a friend a chicken dish I frequently make. She asked me where I got the recipe and I said I just made it up based off the flavors of something my mom used to make when I was little. And since I've been feeling more than a little homesick, below you will find the recipe to my own version of my mom's chicken because, understandably, I was too young at the time to carefully observe what she put in it. It's funny how certain smells and tastes can remind you so distinctly of a specific time in your life. This meal reminds of a very good one, so when I'm lonely I make it and think of the people who I care about many, many miles away.

What You Need:

2 pounds chicken, defrosted and cut into small cubes

4 Tbs cream cheese

crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic powder

1 small onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1/3 cup cooking sherry

3-5 Tbs milk, cream, or half and half

What You Do:

Saute the onion and garlic in a skillet until golden brown

Add the spices

Add the chicken and saute until the chicken is almost cooked through

Add the sherry and stir

Add the cream cheese and stir to combine

Add milk/cream as needed according to how dry the mixture is

You can finish the dish off with chopped chives if you'd like

Serve With:

You can serve this meal over rice or with warm Italian bread...

... but perhaps a lovelier treatment (and a more impressive one) would be to package it into rounds of puff pastry - forming a pocket. Brush the tops with egg wash and a little salt and bake according to the directions on the puff pastry package. This makes for a gorgeous entertaining meal. You can form the pockets into any shape you want - I like triangles because I think they look super classy. Don't forget to cut air holes into the top so they don't burst from the steam in the oven!