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.

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

Pollo Scarpariello (Shoemaker's Chicken) →

Food is so connected to our deepest memories. When I read chef Mario DiBiase’s Instagram post for Chicken Scarpariello (Shoemakers Chicken), I was instantly transported to my grandmother’s kitchen when I was a kid. I didn’t know the name of the dish, she learned the recipe from her southern Italian neighbors, and she just called it “Chicken, Sausage, and Peppers”, but I still remember the fragrance of the dish! Chef Mario’s recipe is a bit more complicated with more heat than some of the simpler ‘scarpariello recipes I researched, but the extra ingredients are well worth it and add to the rich, tangy, spicy complexity of the sauce. Whatever you choose to call it, this fragrant, colorful, and delicious piquant Italian chicken dish is a great recipe to add to your kitchen repertoire. You can adjust the heat by increasing or decreasing the hot vs. sweet peppers. The recipe does require vinegar from pickled peppers. Serve with roasted potatoes or atop a wide fresh noodle like Pappardelle with sautéed Romano beans on the side to make it a true feast! Don’t forget the crusty bread to sop up the truly wonderful sauce. Buon appetito!

Pollo Scarpariello (Shoe Maker’s Chicken)
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 bone-in thighs with skin (or 6-8 wings separated at the joint, wingtip removed)

• Salt and pepper

• 3 links sweet Italian sausage

• olive oil

• 6 cloves garlic-crushed

• 2 large onions-large dice

• 6 pickled hot cherry peppers cored and quartered (optional sub pepperoncini if you can’t find hot-cherry peppers)

• 12 pickled sweet cherry peppers +1/4c vinegar from jar cored and quartered (sub any mild pickled pepper like Peppadew)

• 1 red bell pepper-cored and large dice (for more color use a combination of small red, yellow, and orange sweet peppers- 2 each)

• 1 green Poblano pepper-cored and large dice (optional sub an Anaheim or the milder Cubanelle/Italian frying pepper)

• ½ cup small marinated artichoke hearts

• 1 teaspoon dry oregano (sub a sprig of rosemary when you place the pan in the oven)

• 2 cups wine

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 F

1. Season the thighs with salt and pepper.
2. In a heavy oven-proof pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and garlic until just beginning to brown. Remove the garlic and set aside.
3. Add the chicken and sausage to the pan. Brown well on all sides. Remove and set aside. Slice the sausage into ½ inch coins. Tent the chicken and sausage.
4. Add the onions, fresh peppers, and garlic to the pan. Sauté until tender and browning.
5. Add white wine to the pan. Deglaze, scraping up the fond as wine reduces to about 2/3.
6. Add the vinegared peppers along with the juice and the artichoke hearts. Season with oregano (or rosemary) and adjust the salt. Add chicken and sausage, fold into vegetables to coat.
7. Place the pan in the center of the oven. Let roast, turning pieces as they brown. Cook until chicken reaches 160 F in the thickest pieces.
8. Plate and top with chopped fresh oregano.

Wine pairing: a fruit-forward white wine like a Dry Riesling or Gewurztraminer would work with the spiciness of the dish. Pinot Grigio or Viognier are also good choices. For red wine try Pinot Noir, Nero d’avola, or Zinfandel. William Seibert from Shelburne Falls Cork recommends an Andre Blanck Grand Cru Riesling Schlossberg Vineyard.

Adapted from a recipe by #mario.cooks
Chef Mario DiBiase, SottoVoce Restaurant, Brooklyn, NY

Grilled Wings with Thai Curry Dipping Sauce →

Not your average grilled chicken wings recipe, the wings marinate overnight in a delicious coconut milk curry sauce before grilling them. The results are exceptionally succulent wings with beautifully caramelized skin, and the mildly sweet and spicy dipping sauce will be a winner with anyone who loves Thai curry. Serve with rice or an orzo salad to soak up every drop of the delicious coconut curry dipping sauce.

Grilled Chicken Wings with Thai Curry Sauce
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• ½ cup finely chopped shallots (2 large)

• ¼ cup vegetable oil

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced

• 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger

• 2-3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste (2 tablespoons makes a mildly spicy sauce)

• 2 (14-oz) cans of unsweetened coconut milk (I used Thai Kitchen brand)

• 1 ½ teaspoons packed light brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce

• 24 chicken wings separated at the joints; wingtips discarded (6 pieces per person)

• Garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs or fresh basil.

Preparation:

1. Cook the shallots in oil in a wide 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened. (4 to 5 minutes)

2. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally. (2 minutes)

3. Add the curry paste and cook, mixing the paste with the oil and garlic; stirring constantly for about 3 minutes.

4. Add the coconut milk, brown sugar, and salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3 cups. (approximately 25 to 30 minutes)

5. Remove from heat, stir in the fish sauce, and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. (about 30 minutes)

6. Reserve 1 ½ cups of curry sauce in a bowl for serving. Cover and chill in the fridge.

7. Separate each wing at the joints so you have a wingette, a drummette, and a wingtip. Discard the wingtips.

8. Coat the wing pieces with the remaining curry sauce in a large bowl or large ziplock bag. Place in the fridge and marinate for at least 12 and up to 24 hours.

9. Let the wings stand at room temperature 30 minutes before grilling.

10. Preheat your grill and oil the grates lightly. You want a medium-hot grill.

11. Remove the wings from the marinade, shaking off excess, and transfer to a large platter. Discard the marinade.

12. Grill the wings, turning every 2-3 minutes to prevent burning until the skin is caramelized and the wing is cooked through about 12 minutes total. *Note: depending on your grill adjust the heat under the wings to prevent burning.

13. Heat the reserved curry sauce in a small saucepan, stirring over moderate heat until hot. Serve the wings with the curry sauce.

14. Garnish with cilantro or fresh basil.

Wine pairing: a Chenin Blanc, Vouvray, Viognier, Dry Riesling, or Rosé

Adapted from https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/grilled-cornish-hens-with-coconut-curry-sauce-232153

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.

Mediterranean Grilled Game Hens →

One of my most memorable meals was in Montreal when I was served a pan-seared and roasted game hen with a simple pan sauce of wine, garlic, and herbs. I had never tasted chicken like that and knew it had to become part of my kitchen repertoire. In truth, a Cornish Game Hen is nothing more than a variety of young chicken that is processed at about 5-6 weeks when it weighs between 1 ½ and 2 pounds. The French call such a bird “poussin”. The comparison between veal and beef, lamb and mutton, game hen, and chicken follows: the younger version of each is more tender with a more delicate flavor. This simple recipe for grilled game hen uses the classic Mediterranean flavors of olive oil, lemon, garlic, and rosemary processed into a flavorful paste that is spread over each bird. To complete the Mediterranean cooking experience, I served the hens accompanied with saffron fragrant yellow rice and a simple tomato avocado salad. A bottle of white Burgundy completed the experience. I could almost smell the Mediterranean, I was back.

Two game hens serves 4
Prepare the Game Hens:
Spatchcock the hens by cutting along both sides of the backbone with a pair of kitchen scissors or a sharp knife. Lay the bird spread open, bone-side down, and press down firmly to completely flatten the hen. This technique allows you to cook a whole bird in less time and yields more crispy skin. (See *Note below)

Marinate the Game Hens:
For the marinade paste:

• ¼ cup olive oil

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon each of chopped fresh rosemary, parsley, and garlic

• 2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Process ingredients to smooth paste and spread over the bird. Marinate for a couple of hours in the fridge or better yet overnight.

Grill the Hens:

1. Preheat your grill to about 450 degrees.

2. Lightly oil the grill grates and grill the hens over indirect heat breast side down for about 10 minutes, or until lightly charred. Turn the hens over and grill for about 15 minutes longer, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh registers 160°. If necessary, you can finish browning and crisping the skin over direct heat for a minute or two.

3. Transfer the hens to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes, then cut them in half so each person is served half a hen.

Wine pairing: serve with a white Burgundy or white Cotes du Rhone, Chardonnay, Viognier, or softer not too minerally Sauvignon Blanc.

*Note: Cornish Game Hens can be had from your local butcher, or found frozen at your super-market. If you can’t find game hens the marinade works equally well on chicken.