Roasted-Grilled Barbecue Chicken →

Every grill-master has his/her own preferred way to grill chicken. For cooks who prefer to grill boneless, skinless chicken, the most common method is to season the chicken and cook it on a hot grill over direct heat, turning it frequently to avoid burning it. This method requires attention and timing to prevent undercooking the chicken, or turning out carbonized, dry chunks of what was supposed to be delicious, juicy grilled chicken. For cooks who prefer the flavor of bone-in chicken with skin intact, another popular way to grill chicken is to sear the chicken on a hot grill over direct heat and then move the pieces to a part of the grill with indirect heat, essentially roasting the chicken in the closed grill before finishing it over direct heat to crisp up the skin and caramelize the barbecue sauce. This method is time-consuming, but with much attention and practice, it will produce excellent barbecue chicken. For those of us who prefer the flavor of skin-on, bone-in grilled chicken and want to spend more time visiting with our guests rather than tending to flare-ups on the grill, try seasoning the chicken and roasting it ahead of time in a 400 F. oven for about 40 minutes until the skin is crispy.  Brush on the sauce and finish the chicken on the grill in less than 10 minutes. Easy peasy with reliable results! Your dinner guests will appreciate you. (Note: If you don’t grill in cold weather, brush the sauce over the chicken while in the oven and remove once your Insta-read thermometer reaches 160-165 F. and the sauce has begun to caramelize. Remove from the oven and tent for 5-10 minutes.)

Ingredients
·   1-2 pieces of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and breasts per person (preferably air-chilled chicken)
·   Salt and pepper to taste
·   Garlic powder
·   Fresh lemon juice
·   Asian Barbecue Sauce (see below) 

Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400 F.
1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and garlic powder. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice.
2. Place the chicken pieces on a grate on a sheet pan and roast for about 40 minutes or until the skin is crispy and brown. Preheat your grill.
3.  Once the skin is nice and crispy, remove the sheet pan from the oven and brush on your barbecue sauce of choice. Cover the sheet pan with tin foil and set aside for up to an hour. Finish the chicken on the preheated grill turning and brushing on more sauce as desired until the sauce is caramelized on both sides. (3-5 minutes per side)

Asian-Style Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
-3/4 cup ketchup
-3/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
-1 cup packed brown sugar
-1/3 cup sake (you can sub dry-sherry if you don’t have sake)
-3 teaspoons sesame oil
-1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root (use a micro-plane, or finely mince by hand)
-2 teaspoons grated garlic 

Preparation
1. In a small bowl, mix the ingredients. Reserve 1 cup for basting; cover and refrigerate the extra sauce. (This recipe yields more sauce than you will need to barbecue chicken for 4-6 people. The extra sauce will keep refrigerated in a closed glass jar for at least a week.)

Wine:
White wines: Grüner Veltliner, Vermentino, Pinot Gris, Albarino, Viognier; Red wines: Beaujolais, Pinot Noir, Gamay , Rosé

Baked Chicken and Orzo →

Here’s a one pot Mediterranean inspired baked chicken and orzo recipe that is sure to be a hit with your family or dinner guests. Reminiscent of Spanish paella, this recipe replaces rice with tender flavorful orzo. Although the ingredients list is a bit lengthy, the actual preparation of the dish comes together quickly, and you and your family or guests will be richly rewarded. Serve accompanied by a green salad dressed with a light vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Baked Chicken and Orzo
Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 skin-on chicken breasts or thighs (skin-on preferred, but sub skinless if you prefer)

• 2 tablespoons of chopped pancetta

• 1 cup orzo

• 1 ½ -1 ¾ cups chicken broth

• ¼ cup white wine

• ½ medium onion chopped

• 3 tablespoons crushed tomatoes

• 2 cloves of minced garlic

• ¼ cup olive oil

• ½ teaspoon ground coriander

• ½ teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• large pinch of saffron

• ½ cup of green peas

• 1/3 cup Spanish olives with pimento sliced in half

• ½ sweet red pepper coarsely chopped

• parsley for garnish 

PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 375 F

1. Pat the chicken thighs dry. Mix the thyme, salt and pepper, vinegar, olive oil, and coriander. Coat the chicken with the mixture, cover, and set aside for at least 30 minutes.

2. In a Dutch oven or other heavy bottom, oven-proof pan, brown the pancetta. Remove the pancetta and reserve. Pour off all but a tablespoon or two of the pancetta fat.

3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and wipe off excess marinade. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides. Remove and tent the browned chicken.

4. If the pan is too dry add two tablespoons of olive oil. Over medium heat, sauté the garlic, onions, and red pepper for a minute or two before adding the orzo. Stir until the orzo begins to brown and the onions are tender.

5. Add 1 ½ cups chicken stock, wine, tomatoes, and saffron, and bring to a boil. Nestle the chicken thighs into the orzo and sprinkle the sliced olives around the chicken. Sprinkle the reserved pancetta over the chicken and place the pan in the preheated oven. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until the orzo is tender and the internal temperature of the thighs reaches 165 F. If the orzo is too al dente, add the remaining ¼ cup of chicken stock. Stir in the green peas for the last 10-15 minutes in the oven. (Waiting to add the peas at the end will ensure that you have bright green peas, not over-cooked gray peas.)

6. Serve garnished with chopped parsley. 

   Wine pairing: Medium-bodied white wines like Albariño, lightly oaked Burgundy, Vernaccia, Soave, Viognier, or dry Riesling will complement the complex, subtle flavors of this dish; for those who don’t drink white wine, a Rosé or a light Pinot Noir or Beaujolais would be a good choice. For this dish, avoid wines with heavy tannins.

Roast Tarragon-Cognac Chicken →

When people ask me what my favorite roast chicken recipe is, I often say, “The last one I cooked...” and there are probably enough out there to last me a lifetime of cooking. Having said that, my favorite method to roast a chicken is on the grill in a hot, pre-heated cast iron skillet. This recipe is adapted from a French inspired recipe by Melissa Clark and Christiane Baumgartner on the NYTimes Cooking website. Fresh tarragon and cognac… how can you go wrong? Bon appetite!

Roast Tarragon-Cognac Chicken
Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS
Yield: 4 servings

• 1 (4-pound) whole chicken (preferably air chilled chicken)

• 2½ teaspoons kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

• 1 bunch fresh tarragon, leaves and tender stems coarsely chopped (about ¾ cup); reserve two tablespoons for gravy or pan sauce.

• 2 tablespoons Cognac

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

PREPARATION
Preheat a cast iron skillet on the grill to 400 F.

1. Pat the chicken dry and salt the bird inside and out. Transfer to a plate or baking dish, preferably on a rack, and refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour or overnight.

2. When ready to cook the chicken, heat the oven or grill to 400 F.

3. In a small bowl, combine butter, tarragon, 1 tablespoon Cognac, and pepper. Rub the mixture inside the chicken cavity and over and under the chicken skin. Alternatively, you may find it easier to melt the butter mixture and brush it on the chicken.

4. Once the grill reaches 400 F., place the prepared chicken onto the hot skillet and roast, breast side up, until the skin is golden and crisp, and the juices run clear when you insert a fork in the thickest part of the thigh (165 degrees), about 1 hour. Alternatively, preheat your oven to 400 F. Place the chicken on a rimmed sheet pan, or in a large, ovenproof skillet and roast, breast side up, until the skin is golden and crisp, and the juices run clear when you insert a fork in the thickest part of the thigh (165 F. on an insta-read thermometer), about 1 hour.

5. Turn off the grill or oven — don’t skip this step, or the Cognac may overheat and catch fire — open the grill, or if using the oven, transfer the pan with the chicken to the stove top. Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon Cognac over the bird and baste with some of the buttery pan juices. Immediately return the chicken to the turned-off grill or oven and close; let rest there for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

6. For pan sauce: pour off the juices from the pan and allow the fat to separate. Skim off the fat, stir in a tablespoon of fresh tarragon (to taste), and spoon the pan juices at the table. If you want to make gravy, deglaze the pan with a half cup of white wine. Reduce by a half and add a cup of chicken stock and two tablespoons of chopped fresh tarragon; reduce by half. Using two tablespoons of the fat from the pan, add a tablespoon of flour and stir to make a slurry. Slowly add the slurry to the simmering stock, stirring constantly until well incorporated. Add the reserved pan juices; adjust the salt and pepper and simmer for about 5 minutes. 

Wine pairing: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Soave, Rueda, Viognier, Dry Riesling

Adapted from a recipe by Melissa Clark and Christiane Baumgartner

Satay Ayam Madura (Madura Style Chicken Satay) →

Most anyone reading this post has tasted Chicken Satay, often in a Thai restaurant or served as an appetizer at some catered event. While in college, I had the opportunity to live and study in Indonesia and Malaysia where I became addicted to satay (“saté” in Indonesian language). I probably ate chicken or pork saté street food grilled over coconut shell charcoal accompanied by steamed rice, nasi goreng or nasi campur (fried rice mixed with various vegetables and condiments) at least every other day. A national dish of Indonesia, saté probably originated in Java as a result of the influence of Arab traders centuries ago. The popular Middle Eastern “kabob” (grilled meat on a stick) was adopted by Javanese cooks and adapted to local palates using popular local spices and condiments resulting in the numerous regional variations of saté in Indonesia. Over time, this popular Indonesian street food spread throughout Southeast Asian countries and evolved to reflect the regional culinary preferences of countries including Malasia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam to name a few. This recipe typifies “saté ayam Madura” (chicken saté from Madura Island off the north-east coast of Java) and is included in a cook book titled “Coconut and Sambal: recipes from my Indonesian Kitchen” by Lara Lee whose extended family lives on Madura. It is best grilled over charcoal (especially if you can find coconut shell charcoal), but it is still delicious when done over a gas grill. If you’re familiar with Thai style satay, expand your satay appreciation and give this authentic recipe a try. You may never order satay out again! Enjoy!

CHICKEN SATAY MADURA STYLE (Saté Ayam Madura)
Makes: About a dozen skewers
Serves: 2–4

INGREDIENTS:
>1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
>2 tablespoons coconut oil for brushing on the grill
For the marinade:
> 3 tablespoons kecap manis, sweet dark soy sauce (available in Asian markets)
> ¼ teaspoon salt
> ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
> Zest of 1 lime
Combine the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the chicken, toss to coat the pieces evenly, and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least an hour (or longer).

For the glaze
> Juice of ½ lime
> 3 tablespoons kecap manis
Place the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan over high heat and reduce until thickened. Set aside. You will use this to baste the chicken on the grill.

PREPARATION:
You will need about a dozen bamboo skewers soaked in water for at least 30 minutes before use so they do not burn during cooking.
The chicken:
Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge 15 minutes before cooking to let it come to room temperature. Thread 4–5 chicken pieces (or more) onto each of the soaked skewers. Brush lightly with coconut oil. When ready to cook, brush the grill with coconut oil, then add the chicken skewers.
Place the skewers so one end of the skewer is not over direct heat. Cook the chicken for 6–8 minutes or until cooked through, rotating the skewers every couple of minutes. While it cooks, brush it with the glaze. Once cooked, tent and rest for 5 minutes.
To serve, pour a generous puddle of peanut sauce (recipe follows) on the middle of the plate. Arrange the skewers on top of the peanut sauce. Alternatively, drizzle the sauce over the chicken skewers, or use the sauce as a dipping sauce in a separate bowl.

Peanut Sauce (Sambal Kacang)
Makes: about ¾ cup
Ingredients:
>2 long red chiles, deseeded and very finely chopped
> 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
> 4 tablespoons kecap manis
> 2/3 cup smooth peanut butter (preferably unsweetened and unsalted)
> 2 teaspoons tamarind paste (or 2 teaspoons lime juice mixed with 2 teaspoons brown sugar)
> Large pinch sea salt
> Sunflower oil, for frying

PREPARATION:
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat, add the chiles and garlic, and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
Place the fried peanuts or peanut butter in a small food processor along with the cooked garlic and chiles, kecap manis, tamarind paste (or lime juice+brown sugar), and salt. Pulse briefly, then add a splash of water to loosen the sauce and pulse again. Gradually add water (about 4 tablespoons) and continue to pulse until the sauce is a pourable consistency. Season with salt or more kecap manis as needed.

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

Peanut sauce will last for up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer. Add a small amount of water to the sauce when you reheat it.

Serve with steamed rice and veggies. I like to use a sweet-sour-spicy carrot and cucumber salad as an accompaniment.

Wine pairing: a white wine that will stand up to the complex spicy-sweetness of the peanut sauce, like a dry Riesling, dry Pinot Gris, or Viognier. You could also try Pinot Grigio or softer white wine from the Loire Valley in France.

Source: “Coconut & Sambal: Recipes from my Indonesian Kitchen”: Lara Lee, Bloomsbury; 2020
https://heated.medium.com/simply-satay-9ab8737fe388

Tarragon Chicken Pot Pie →

What do you do with left-over roast chicken or turkey? This recipe is a riff on a classic French recipe: Tarragon Chicken (Poulet à l'Estragon) made into pot-pie comfort food. The slight anise flavor of tarragon pairs beautifully with chicken or turkey, but feel free to substitute more traditional poultry seasoning herbs like thyme and rosemary. Although the list of ingredients is a bit lengthy, the recipe comes together very quickly. Use a good quality store-bought puff pastry or pie crust to save time, or if inspired, make your own pie crust or biscuit recipe. If you use biscuit dough, roll the dough to ½ inch thickness and cut the dough into individual biscuits to bake atop the chicken and sauce.

Tarragon Chicken Pot Pie
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of cooked chicken (or turkey) cut into ½ inch cubes

• 2 medium carrots ¼ inch dice

• 1 stalk of celery ¼ inch dice

• ½ medium onion chopped

• ½ cup green peas

• 1 ½ cups chicken stock

• ½ cup crème fraiche

• 2 teaspoons dried tarragon

• ¼ cup dry sherry (or dry white wine)

• 2 tablespoon flour

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• 1 tablespoon oil

• 1 package of puff pastry made with butter (or use a more traditional pie crust or biscuit recipe)

• 1 egg yolk + 1 tablespoon of milk for the pastry wash (optional)

Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 400 F.

1. Saute the onion, carrots, and celery in a tablespoon of oil until the onion is tender.

2. Add the flour and stir for a minute to coat the veggies.

3. Over medium-high heat, slowly add the stock and sherry stirring constantly. Bring to a slow boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and add the chicken, tarragon, crème fraiche, salt, and pepper. Continue to simmer over low heat for 5 minutes while you prepare the puff pastry.

4. Roll out the cold puff pastry lightly with a rolling pin. (Best to use the pastry while still cold before it reaches room temperature.) Using a fork, pierce the central area of the pastry a few times.

5. Pour the chicken and sauce into a 9 x 9-inch Pyrex baking dish (I used a 9 ½ x 7-inch oval baking dish)

6. Drape the pastry over the baking dish and using a sharp knife trim pastry around the edges of the baking dish. Using a fork, pierce the pastry a few times. (See *Note)

7. Brush on the egg wash with a fine-bristled pastry brush and place in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. When done, the crust should be puffy and golden and the sauce bubbling. Serve while hot and enjoy!

   *Note: Alternatively, trim the pastry to the size of your baking dish; pierce a few times with a fork. Place the pastry on a sheet pan and bake until light brown. Once baked, carefully place the crust on top of the baking dish with the chicken and sauce and bake, monitoring, until the sauce is bubbly and the crust is golden brown. (less than 30-40 minutes) This will ensure a crunchy crust without any sogginess.

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

Wine pairing: white wines that have enough body to stand up to the rich sauce. Good choices would be White Burgundy, White Rhone Wines, Viognier. A good quality Rosé would also work.

Marinated Grilled Chicken →

Here’s a great summer recipe for savory juicy grilled chicken. I prefer bone-in thighs with skin-on, but you can use skinless, boneless breast or thigh meat if that’s your dietary preference. For boneless breasts, cut the breast in half, place the meat between two layers of plastic wrap or parchment paper, and using a meat mallet or rolling pin, pound the meat to an even thickness (about 1/2 - 3/4 inch) so it cooks evenly. Reduce the cooking time for boneless breast meat so it doesn’t over-cook and dry out. Serve with Lemony Orzo Salad with Asparagus, or a green salad. A chilled Rosé or soft Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc will pair well with this dish. You might even want to try a slightly chilled light Beaujolais Nouveau.

Ingredients:
Serves 4-6

• 6 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (air-chilled preferred)

  For the Marinade:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce

• ¼ cup olive oil

• ¼ red wine, sherry, or balsamic vinegar

• 1 teaspoon oregano (see note)

• ½ teaspoon sweet basil (see note)

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder or two cloves of garlic crushed, finely minced, or grated with a micro-plane

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (optional, but recommended)

*Note: substitute 1 ½ teaspoons Herbes de Provence for oregano and basil, or 1 teaspoon each of ground dried thyme and dried rosemary.

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, combine the marinade ingredients and add the chicken pieces; marinate for at least two hours, preferably 4 hours.

2. Preheat your grill to hot.

3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and wipe the excess marinade off each piece.

4. Place the chicken pieces on the grill over indirect heat and cook covered for 3 minutes per side, turning three times. Finish the chicken over direct heat to crisp the skin. (Note: when done the internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 F. for thighs or 160 F. for breast meat.)

5. Remove from the grill to a platter and tent for 5 minutes before serving.

Cast Iron Skillet Roast Chicken →

For many, roast chicken is quintessential comfort food. This is the easiest, best roast chicken recipe you will find. If you don’t already have a cast-iron skillet, you need to go out and buy one! It will quickly become one of your most useful kitchen tools. A follow-up recipe to my Spice Rubbed Roast Turkey Breast , the advantage of using the hot preheated cast iron skillet to roast your chicken is that you end up with beautiful crisp browned skin all over the bird including the skin on the underside of the chicken. The typical cast iron skillet can accommodate a bird in the 4-5 pound range which will feed four people. Highly recommended recipes for cast iron skillet cooking: Cook it in Cast Iron by Cook’s Country/America’s Test Kitchen.

Cast Iron Skillet Roast Chicken
Serves 4 with leftovers

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2020

Ingredients:

• 4-5 pound chicken (preferably air-chilled)

• olive oil

• Herbes de Provence or equal measures of dried thyme, rosemary, oregano, basil, and fennel seed.

• salt and pepper

• 1 small onion

• 3-4 cloves of garlic

• canola oil

• wood chips for smoking on the grill (optional)

Preparation:
Preheat your oven or grill to 400-425 F. with the cast iron skillet in the oven or grill. You want the skillet to be very hot so it sears the skin on the underside of the chicken.

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2020

1. Pat the chicken dry inside and out. You do not have to rinse your chicken to clean it.

2. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and dried herbs inside the bird’s cavity.

3. Place a small onion and a few cloves of garlic in the cavity and tie the legs.

4. Brush or rub the bird with olive oil and sprinkle salt, pepper, and the dried herbs evenly all over the bird.

5. Add a tablespoon of canola oil to the hot skillet and carefully place the bird breast side up on the skillet.

6. Close the grill or oven and cook for 1 hour before you check the temperature of the bird with a meat thermometer. You may have to continue cooking for another 15-20 minutes until the finished temperature reaches 155 F.

7. Remove the bird from the skillet to a cutting board and tent. The temperature will continue to rise about another 10 degrees to the recommended safe temperature of 165 F. for poultry.

*Note: while the tented chicken is resting, you can make a simple delicious pan sauce by adding a tablespoon of flour to the skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until the fat in the pan and flour combine to make a roux. Once the roux begins to turn light brown, slowly add a cup of chicken broth and ¼ cup of dry white wine stirring constantly and scraping up the rich browned bits (fond) on the bottom of the pan until the sauce forms. Simmer and reduce the sauce for a few minutes to intensify the flavors and add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard (optional) and adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Any accumulated juices on the cutting board can be added to your sauce.

Wine pairing: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Rueda, White Cotes du Rhone, Dry Riesling

Grilled Chicken with Raspberry Sauce →

It’s summer and the fresh farm produce is coming on strong including fresh raspberries. Friends picked five pounds of the luscious berries and gifted us a good size bowl of the beauties. After gorging on the delightful red juicy morsels, there were enough left for me to try this savory sweet-and-tart raspberry sauce to pair with summer-time grilled chicken or Cornish Hen. It would also work with grilled pork tenderloin. Grill-on!

Grilled Chicken or Cornish Hen with Raspberry Sauce
Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 small chicken split in half or 2 Cornish Hens split

• Chicken Marinade

• Savory Raspberry Sauce

  Steps:

  1. Make the marinade and marinate the chicken for 4 hours or more.

  Chicken Marinade:

• ¼ cup Sherry Vinegar

• ¼ cup soy sauce

• ½ cup olive oil

• 1 teaspoon ground dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon ground dried rosemary

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper (or more to taste)
  

  2. Make the raspberry sauce

  Raspberry Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 cup raspberries (preferably fresh, but frozen will work)

• ¾ cup chicken broth

• ¼ cup Sherry Vinegar

• 1 tablespoon minced shallot

• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme (or a heaping ½ teaspoon dried thyme)

• 2 tablespoons honey (divided)

• 1 teaspoon cornstarch (optional)

  Preparation:

  1. In a small saucepan, saute the shallot until just translucent (before it begins to brown)

  2. Add the chicken stock, vinegar, raspberries, thyme, and 1 tablespoon of honey and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a hot simmer and reduce by 2/3.

  3. Remove from heat and strain through a sieve to remove the solids.

  4. Return the reduced liquid to the saucepan over low-heat. Adjust the sweetness if needed by adding the reserved 1 tablespoon of honey.

  5. If the sauce is too thin, mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water or chicken stock and add the slurry to the hot liquid while stirring.

  6. Add a pinch of salt and pepper if desired.

  7. Set aside. You can rewarm the sauce just before serving it with the chicken.

  3. Grill the chicken

• preheat the grill to hot

• remove the chicken from the marinade and wipe with a paper towel. This will help prevent flare-ups on the grill and will produce a crispier skin.

• With the grill top open, reduce the heat to medium and sear the chicken skin side down for 2 minutes; turn over and repeat.

• Close the grill and reduce the heat to low and cook for about 25-30 minutes turning twice.

• Remove the bird to a plate and tent

  *Note: grill time will vary depending on the size of your bird. Use an insta-read thermometer to check the final temperature at 165 F.

  4. Reheat the sauce, plate, and serve

• Rewarm the sauce

• If you cooked a chicken, cut the chicken halves in half again so you have four servings. You don’t have to cut Cornish Hens in half again unless you want to.

• Plate the chicken and pour sauce around the pieces. You might want to put a small bowl of sauce on the table to spoon extra sauce over the chicken.

• Garnish with fresh raspberries. (optional)

  
  Serve with a fresh summer salad, or Gingery Grilled Vegetables, and rice.

  Wine pair: a refreshing chilled rosé, a white wine from the Rhone Valley, Chablis, White Burgundy, or not too oaky Chardonnay will pair nicely.

Crispy Chicken with Red Thai Curry →

Being a great fan of Duck, when I saw @emsfood post for Crispy Duck Breast with Red Curry Sauce, I knew I had to try the recipe. I’ve adapted the recipe to make the ingredients a bit more accessible substituting chicken thighs for the duck breasts, lemon zest for lemon grass, and a bay leaf and lime zest for the kaffir lime leaves. If you don’t like duck, or the cost of duck is prohibitive, chicken thighs are a good substitute in any recipe that calls for duck. If you can’t find Red Thai chiles, an acceptable substitute is Serrano or Jalapeño chile although neither is not as hot as the Red Thai chile. You can adjust the heat up by increasing the red curry paste to 1 1/2-2 tablespoons, or by adding an 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne powder at a time until you reach the desired spiciness. Remember it’s easier to add heat (spiciness) in small amounts than it is to take it away once added to a dish. If you can’t find a Red Thai chile, substituting a Serrano or Jalapeño chile for the Red Thai chile yields a curry sauce that is is very flavorful with mild heat. For lovers of duck recipes be sure to check out the link to @emsfood for Crispy Duck with Red Curry Sauce.

Crispy Chicken Thighs with Red Thai Curry Sauce
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of peanut oil (or coconut oil or canola)

• 4 chicken thighs, skin on

• 2 teaspoons of Chinese 5 Spice Powder (available in the Asian foods aisle of the supermarket, or your local Asian foods market. See *Note)

• 1 teaspoon of sea salt

• 1 tablespoon of grated ginger

• zest from ½ lemon

• 1 tablespoon of red curry paste

• 14 ounce can of coconut milk (light if you prefer)

• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce

• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar

• 2 teaspoons lime zest

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 long red Thai chili, finely sliced (seeds removed optional; substitute 1 large Serrano chile)

• 1/2 cup of cilantro

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

1. To prepare the chicken thighs, pat the breasts dry with a paper towel. Place the 5 Spice and sea salt in a mortar and pestle and grind until the salt has broken down. Sprinkle evenly over the thighs and then rub in so they have a fine powdered coating. (Alternatively sprinkle with 5 Spice and then salt and rub in.) Set aside.

2. Heat a medium-sized saucepan, add a tablespoon of oil and lightly fry the ginger and one-third of the chile. Add the curry paste and fry for a further 60 seconds before pouring in the coconut cream. Season with the fish sauce, lemon zest, bay leaf, lime zest, lime juice, and brown sugar and stir well to combine. Allow to simmer on a very low heat for 10-15 minutes stirring occasionally.

3. Heat a large oven-proof fry-pan (cast iron) slowly until it is really hot and add a tablespoon of oil. Place the thighs skin side down and fry for 3-5 minutes until the skin is golden brown and beginning to get crispy. Turn skin-side up and fry for another 3-5 minutes.

4. Place in the oven skin-side down for 5 minutes; turn-over and cook in the oven skin-side up for 5 minutes. (or until an insta-read thermometer reads 160-165)

5. Plate and spoon over the sauce and garnish with chopped cilantro; lime wedges are optional.

Serve with steamed rice and sauteed baby bok choy, broccoli, or veggie of choice.

Wine Pairing: serve with an off-dry wine like a dry Riesling, Chenin Blanc (Vouvray), or Gewürztraminer

Adapted from: https://emsfoodforfriends.com.au/crispy-duck-with-red-curry-sauce/

*Note: 5 Spice Powder Recipe:
Yield ¼ cup
Ingredients:
• 6 Star Anise pods
• 1 ½ teaspoons whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns (or sub 3 teaspoons regular peppercorns)

Instructions: Place all ingredients in a spice grinder (or coffee grinder) and grind until smooth.

Chicken Rollatini with Mushroom Marsala Sauce →

Eggplant Rollatini (also called Eggplant Involtini) is a classic Italian dish made with thin slices of eggplant rolled around a stuffing of ricotta and spinach; fried or baked and served with tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. This Chicken Rollatini recipe uses thin chicken cutlets rolled around a stuffing of Fontina cheese, Prosciutto, and Sage. The slightly nutty-sweet mushroom-marsala wine sauce provides a nice compliment to the chicken, rich runny Fontina, and the slightly bitter Sage. I love toasted Sage, so I garnish the dish with crumbled toasted Sage. Easy and satisfying to make for the family and elegant and delicious enough to serve for a dinner party. Buon appetito!

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise (be careful!) and flattened so you have 4 chicken cutlets about ¼ inch thick

• 3 tablespoons flour

• ½ cup of shredded Fontina cheese

• 1/3 cup + 2 teaspoons chopped sage leaves

• 2 thin slices of Prosciutto cut in half and folded in half so you have 4 pieces of prosciutto

• 8 or 10 ounces of mushrooms of your choice, sliced, stems removed (I prefer wild mushrooms, but button mushrooms work as well.)

• 1 cup dry Marsala wine

• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

• 2 cups chicken broth

• salt and pepper

• 6-8 large sage leaves for optional garnish (see *Note below)

Preparation:

1. Pound your chicken cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap with a meat mallet or rolling pin so you have 4 cutlets about a ¼ inch thick.

2. Lay out the cutlets and put about 2 tablespoons of shredded Fontina on each cutlet.

3. Put 2 or 3 teaspoons of chopped sage over the Fontina and cover with a piece of the folded Prosciutto.

4. Carefully roll up the cutlet and tie snugly in the middle with a length of cooking twine; trim off any extra twine once tied.

5. Salt and pepper the rolled cutlets (rollatini) and dredge in the flour, shaking off extra flour.

6. Brown the rollatini on all sides over medium high heat in a cast iron or other heavy bottomed pan; remove the rollatini from the heat and cover to keep warm.

7. Add the sliced mushrooms and 2 teaspoons of sage with a little of the Marsala or chicken broth and scrape up any brown crusty bits stuck to the pan.

8. Once the mushrooms have released their moisture and begin to brown add the Marsala, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, and cook over medium high heat until reduced by a half.

9. Add the broth and reduce by half.

10. Return the rollatini to the pan and coat with the sauce while cooking for about 3-4 minutes more until fully heated through.

11. Optional: garnish with crumbled toasted sage leaves.

(*Note: save 6-8 large sage leaves and fry them in a hot pan with a little olive oil. They will cook very quickly so pay attention; turn them once and remove to a paper towel; sprinkle with coarse salt and set aside. This takes about 3-4 minutes total. Do this before you start cooking the main dish.)

Serve over buttered egg noodles accompanied by the vegetable and/or salad of your choice. For wine, a balanced, crisp, not too buttery Chardonnay, or a Chablis, or ever-food-friendly dry Riesling or Viognier matches nicely with this dish.

Chicken Marsala →

Marsala wine is a fortified wine made in Sicily that is most commonly used in cooking to create nutty, rich caramelized sauces. It’s an amazing addition to the chef’s kitchen. This Chicken Marsala is an elegant, easy to make dish with a sauce that combines mushrooms in a creamy sauce flavored with shallots, dry Marsala wine and fresh sage. The slightly bitter, nutty flavor of the sage combines nicely with the nutty, fruitiness of the Marsala. A dash of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of lemon zest just before serving brighten the dish. Serve over rice or egg noodles with green beans or sugar snap peas.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz)

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced

• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (about 2 lb total)

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry Marsala wine

• 2/3 cup heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

• ½ teaspoon lemon zest

• 4-6 large sage leaves toasted and crumbled as a garnish (optional)

Preparation:

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.

2. Bring broth to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, then boil, uncovered, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.

3. Cook the shallot in 3 tablespoons butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until the shallot begins to turn golden (about 1 minute). Add the mushrooms, sage, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid and they begin to brown (6 to 8 minutes). Remove from heat.

4. Gently pound the chicken to 1/4 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap using the flat side of a meat pounder or a rolling pin.

5. Pat the chicken dry and season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, 1 piece at a time, shaking off excess. Transfer to sheets of wax paper, arranging the chicken in 1 layer.

6. Heat 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté half the chicken, turning over once, until nicely golden and just cooked through (about 4 minutes). Transfer the cooked chicken to a large heatproof platter, arranging in 1 layer, tent and put the platter in a warm oven. Wipe out the skillet with paper towels and cook the remaining chicken in the same manner. Transfer to the warm oven arranging the cutlets in 1 layer.

7. Add 1/2 cup Marsala to the skillet and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits for about 30 seconds. Add reduced broth, cream, and mushrooms, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened (6 to 8 minutes). Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and remaining 2 tablespoons wine.

8. Serve the chicken topped with sauce. Garnish with toasted sage (optional).

Some wines that would stand up to the creamy richness and pair well with this dish are white Burgundy, or a Viognier or Marsanne based white wine from the Rhône region of France. Other options would be Pouilly Fume or a not-overly oaked California Chardonnay. Avoid overly minerally and acidic whites.

Source: Gourmet Magazine June 2005, https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chicken-marsala-232152

Chicken Piccata with Shitake Mushrooms →

Satisfying, quick and easy, this briny-buttery-lemony-rich chicken recipe is a take on the classic dish Chicken Piccata but made a bit softer and less tangy with the addition of umami-rich shitake mushrooms and chicken stock instead of water. Serve over egg noodles or bow-tie pasta; a side vegetable or a green salad completes the meal.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts

• 3 ½ oz. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

• Kosher salt

• black pepper

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• ⅓ cup dry white wine

• ½ cup chicken broth

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (no bitter white pith)

• 1 Tbsp. drained capers, coarsely chopped

• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces

• 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice (or more to taste)

• Chopped parsley and lemon wedges (for serving)

Preparation:

1. Slice chicken breasts in half crosswise into 4 cutlets and lightly pound each piece between sheets of plastic wrap until an even thickness (about ½" thick or less). Season lightly with salt and pepper.

2. Place flour in a medium shallow bowl. Working one at a time, place cutlets in a bowl and toss to coat in flour. Knock off excess flour and transfer to a plate.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed to avoid overcrowding the pan, cook cutlets, without moving them, until deeply browned underneath, about 2 minutes. Turn over and cook on the other side just until chicken is nearly cooked through, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a clean plate and tent with aluminum foil.

4. Add the shitake mushrooms and a tablespoon of oil to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat until the mushrooms release their water and begin to brown. Transfer to the same plate with the browned chicken.

5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and sliced garlic to the skillet and cook, reducing the heat and stirring often until golden brown, keeping the garlic from scorching and becoming bitter. (about 2 minutes)

6. Add wine, lemon zest, and capers and cook, swirling pan and scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the skillet, until liquid is almost completely evaporated. (about 3 minutes)

7. Add ½ cup chicken broth followed by the butter. Stir or swirl the pan vigorously while the butter melts to help it form an emulsion with the chicken stock. (about 1 minute)

8. Return chicken and mushrooms to the skillet with the sauce and simmer for about 2-3 minutes until chicken is cooked through and sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Remove from heat and stir lemon juice into the sauce; season with salt starting with ¼ teaspoon and adding more to your taste. Transfer chicken and sauce to a platter and top with parsley; serve with lemon wedges.

*Note: choose a medium bodied white wine that is not too minerally and acidic. A soft white wine from the Loire Valley, a Viognier, or a lighter style Chardonnay that is not too full bodied and oaky will pair well with this dish.

Adapted from a recipe by Chris Morocco @ https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chicken-piccata-2

Sticky Grilled Chicken Wings →

Tired of dried out, tough, burned, grilled, tomato/molasses-based barbecue sauce wings? Par-boiling the wings is well worth the minimal effort it takes to produce delicious, sticky, finger-liking-good, juicy, grilled wings. Try this delicious savory-fruity basting sauce on parboiled wings that take less than 10 min. to cook on the grill. The glaze will caramelize on the wings as you grill them. The wings will be tender and juicy and deliciously sticky-messy.

Serves 6
Total prep/cooking time less than an hour

For the Sauce-

Ingredients:

• 10 garlic cloves, forced through a garlic press, grated on a micro-plane, or minced

• 1 Tbsp grated peeled ginger

• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander

• 3/4 tsp ground cumin

• Rounded 1/8 tsp cayenne (or to taste)

• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil

• 2 cups bottled unsweetened pomegranate juice or cranberry juice

• 1 cup duck sauce (available in Asian section of your supermarket), or smooth apricot jam

• ½ tsp. sesame oil

• 1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

• 1 chopped scallion for garnish; tender, pale green, and white parts only (optional)

Preparation:

1. Cook garlic, ginger, spices, and 1 tsp. kosher salt in oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

2. Add pomegranate (or other) juice and boil until reduced to 1 cup, 12 to 19 minutes.

3. Remove from heat and add the duck sauce and sesame oil and stir until well mixed.

4. Cool (it will thicken slightly).

5. Transfer 3/4 cup sauce to a bowl and reserve for serving.

*Note: while you cook the sauce, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
While the sauce cools, par-boil the chicken wings.

For the Chicken:

1. Boil 3 lbs.chicken wings in salted water for 15 minutes.

2. Drain and pat dry with a paper towel

3. Toss wings and a cup of sauce in a large bowl

4. Grill wings over low-heat on gas grill, or indirect over charcoal 3-5 min. per side

5. Turn wings over and baste with sauce. The sauce will caramelize on the wings as they cook.

6. Remove from grill and plate

7. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped scallions

8. Serve with reserved sauce on the side

Basting sauce recipe adapted from: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/sticky-chicken-apricot-glaze

Tarragon Chicken with Mushrooms →

Another French inspired chicken dish with a luscious, creamy sauce and a hint of anise from the tarragon. Serve it with egg noodles and a colorful steamed or sauteed vegetable, and/or a leafy, green salad. Bon appetit!

4 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 small-medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts or two large breasts cut in half, trimmed of fat (1-1 1/4 pounds total) (or 4 boneless, skinless thighs)

• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste

• 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil or canola oil, divided

• 6 ounces of stemmed sliced cremini or shiitake mushrooms

• 1 medium shallot finely chopped (approximately 3-4 tablespoons finely chopped shallots)

• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

• 1/2 cup dry white wine

• 2 tablespoons brandy (optional)

• 1-2 tablespoons. reduced-fat sour cream, or crème fraiche (optional)

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon, or 2 teaspoons dried tarragon (you can also substitute thyme and/or rosemary)

• a few squeezes of fresh lemon juice (optional)

Preparation:

1. Place each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and use a kitchen mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken to a uniform thickness of about 1/2-3/4 inch thick. Season chicken on both sides with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Dust the skinless chicken lightly with flour.

2. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sautee the sliced mushrooms until they have given off their water and begun to brown. Remove from heat and reserve.

3. Add the chicken and cook until well browned, about 3 minutes per side. After browning the first side squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the browned chicken. After browning the second side, transfer to a plate and tent with foil.

4. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to pan. Add shallots; cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. At this point you can add the 2 tablespoons of brandy and reduce until almost evaporated. (optional)

5. Add broth and wine and bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced by half, about 3-5 minutes. Stir the reserved mushrooms, mustard (optional), sour cream (or crème fraiche), and tarragon into sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan; spoon the sauce over the chicken and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes.

7. Plate and spoon the sauce over the chicken.

*Notes:

If you are not concerned about the extra fat, and you want optimum flavor, choose air-chilled chicken breasts or thighs with bone-in and skin, and skip dusting with flour.

If you choose not to thicken the sauce with the sour cream and mustard (classic French cooking), you can squeeze a little lemon juice over the chicken while you brown it and thicken the sauce with flour like a roux or gravy. (Mix 2 teaspoons flour with 2 tablespoons of melted butter until smooth and slowly add to reduced wine/broth stock, whisking constantly to avoid clumps.)

If you don’t have fresh tarragon, you can add 2 teaspoons of dried tarragon to the stock as it reduces.

It helps to pound the chicken breasts between plastic wrap to an even thickness….this avoids overcooking and helps tenderize the breasts. Or, you can use chicken tenders.

As with all recipes, experiment and make it your own.

Adapted from a recipe in EatingWell Magazine

French Style Chicken →

Our friend in Montreal is a fabulous cook. For years I have tried to replicate the sauce she serves with chicken or game hens. The sauce from this recipe comes close to the rich pan sauce Jeannot makes so effortlessly.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1⁄2 cup flour

• 3-lb. skin on chicken parts (I use thighs, or you can substitute 2 Cornish Game Hens, quartered)

• 2 slices bacon, roughly chopped

• 3 tbsp. olive oil

• 5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

• 1 cup chicken stock

• 1⁄2 cup dry sherry

• 3 Tbs. Brandy or Cognac

• 2 tbsp. roughly chopped fresh Rosemary

• 2 tbsp. butter, cut into 1⁄4" cubes

• 1 tsp Dijon or Brown Mustard

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Heat oven to 350°.

1. Place flour in a bowl (or paper bag); set aside.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and dredge in flour; set aside.

3. Heat bacon in a 12" ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring, until its fat renders, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a bowl; set aside. Leave the flavorful bacon fat in the skillet.

4. Add olive oil to skillet, and working in 2 batches, add chicken, and cook, turning once, until well browned on both sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a plate and tent with aluminum foil and set aside.

5. Pour off excess fat and save.

6. Add garlic to the skillet along with 2 Tbs. reserved chicken fat and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

7. Add stock and sherry, and return chicken to the skillet, skin-side up; sprinkle with reserved bacon along with parsley, and then dot with butter.

8. Transfer skillet to oven, and cook, basting twice during cooking, until chicken is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes;

9. Remove chicken from sauce and tent

10. Strain sauce; reserve sauce and separate grease

11. Use reserved chicken fat and 1 Tbs. flour to make a roux; mix well until roux is the consistency of thick sauce and slightly browned.

12. Add strained sauce to roux whisking constantly to avoid clumps in the sauce; add a bit of chicken broth if sauce is too thick.

13. Add 3 Tbs. Brandy/Cognac and bring to a boil

14. Add 1 tsp mustard; mix well; bring to a boil while whisking; pour over chicken; serve.

Recipe adapted from https://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Dolores-Brokenhearted-Chicken/

Inspired by my dear friend Jeanne Renaud.