Chicken | Simple By Cindy

Roasted Carrot, Chicken Quinoa Bowl

Aug. 19
2015

Tonight, I prepared a meal that is a little bit lighter than usual. I saw this in an issue of Cooking Light magazine and modified the ingredients to my families taste. For example, I substituted provolone cheese for goat cheese, knowing my family would prefer that.

I chose this recipe because it seemed fast, easy and healthy. I am usually right with my assessments. Not this time! It was easy and healthy, but it took much longer to prepare than I had anticipated. Give yourself time to prepare this one. Cooking and shredding the chicken takes time.

It was worth it! The result was delicious and my family loved it! The dressing was delicate and gave the salad just the right flavor. The quinoa added a nice texture. I hope you try this one!

Ingredients for the Salad

2 cups diagonally cut carrots (sliced thin)
2 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt plus another 1/2 set aside for the dressing
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
1 1/2 cups shredded skinless boneless chicken breast
1/2 pound provolone cheese
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Ingredients for the Dressing

5 tbsp. plain reduced fat greek yogurt
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp honey
3/4 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper

Combine yogurt, salt, lemon juice, honey, cumin and pepper into a bowl and whisk together. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 450.

Combine carrots, oil and 1/2 tsp. salt and toss.

Lay out onto flat baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Place in oven for 15 minutes until tender. Set timer! If they brown and carmalize, even better!

Lower oven heat to 350.

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Place in oven for 20-25 minutes, depending on the thickness of each breast. Set your timer! Reset timer for 5 minutes increments if they are not fully cooked until they are ready to come out. Remember they will continue to cook when you remove them from the oven, so allow time for that or you will have overcooked chicken breasts!

When they have cooled, shred chicken into small pieces.

Cook quinoa according to package directions. allow it time to cool.

Todays hint: When you are washing any kind of salad greens, put them into a bowl filled with cold water and a teaspoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let them sit for a while. All of the dirt will fall down to the bottom of the bowl. Gently lift greens out of bowl. Rinse them one more time under water. Set greens on paper towels and gently roll the greens up in the towel to dry. Make sure you dry the salad greens well because any wet ingredient in a salad will make it soggy!

Combine all ingredients into a large bowl.

Dish out each serving separately, and add a small amount of dressing to each dish.

Now this may have taken some time as I said, but it was worth it!

Enjoy!

It’s that simple! Phew!

Chicken Thighs and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Aug. 14
2015

When it comes to chicken, you are either a dark meat or a white meat person. I prefer the dark meat on the bone because it is always juicy, tender and sweet and is easier to make than white meat. I had my butcher prepare boneless chicken thighs for me with the skin on for this recipe but bone-in would work great too! You can substitute chicken breast for chicken thighs, but remember to buy them with the skin on so you can brown them. The skin is what soaks up the sauce and makes this recipe delicious!

The brussels sprouts need to be cut in half and roasted flat side up so they get really brown. The brown parts of anything you cook are the parts that have caramelized and taste the best. So don’t be afraid when they start browning…that is the part that will be the most favorable!

Ingredients for the Chicken thighs

Preheat oven to 250

6 boneless chicken thighs, skin on
4 tbs. olive oil
2 tbsp. margarine or butter, plus 1 more set aside
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup good white wine
1 cup chicken broth
Juice of 1 lemon
4 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped (or 2 tbsp. dried)
4 sprigs oregano, chopped (or 2 tbsp. dried)
4 tbsp. fresh parsley (or 2 tbsp. dried)
2 tbsp. Kosher salt, plus 1 tbsp. set aside
1 tbsp. pepper, plus 1 tbsp. set aside

In a pan, (one you can also use in the oven) heat 4 tbsp. olive oil and 2 tbsp. butter on medium heat. Sprinkle 2 tbsp. kosher salt and 1 tbsp. pepper on both sides of chicken thighs. Place in pan skin side down.

Set timer for 7 minutes. Do not move chicken thighs! When timer rings, turn thighs set timer for 5 minutes. Remove thighs from pan. Set aside.

Pour out all except about 3 tbsp. olive oil and set pan back on stove.

Add extra 1 tbsp. butter and garlic. Brown garlic for less than 1 minute (oil will be very hot so garlic will cook very fast).

Add white wine and let it reduce for about 2-3 minutes.

Pour in chicken broth, lemon juice, 1 tbsp. salt and 1 tbsp. pepper.

Bring to a boil and add thyme, oregano and parsley. Turn heat to low and cook for 8 minutes.

Take pan off the heat, place thighs back into pan, skin side up.

Place in oven for 20 minutes.

Ingredients for the Brussels Sprouts

Preheat oven to 500

1 package Brussels Sprout, washed and cut into halves
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. pepper

Mix brussels sprouts with all the ingredients.

Place on pan, flat sides facing up. Put pan into oven.

Cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until you see brussels sprouts start to brown.

It’s that simple!

“My Essence”

Jul. 31
2015

I always have “My Essence” ready to go anytime I need it. This is a combination of my favorite ingredients. You can make your own “Essence”. Just take a combination of your favorite ingredients, mix them all together and save it for when you need it. Now you have it ready when you want to get a meal on the table fast! Instant “dry rub”! Here is my formula:

Ingredients for “My Essence”
5 tbsp garlic powder
8 tbsp onion powder
4 tbsp paprika
4 tbsp oregano
4 tbsp thyme
2 tsp Kosher salt (you can add more if you taste it and think it may need it)
2 tsp pepper

Put all the ingredients in a ziploc bag. Shake it and mix it well. You can even keep it in the ziplock bag, though I find that pouring it from the bag is difficult.

Transfer the ingredients to a sugar shaker. You can keep any extra in the ziploc bag for storage.Use it on any meat or poultry you are preparing. If you don’t have time to marinade, then just shake this onto whatever you are cooking. It always tastes great!

It acts as a dry rub and is delicious every time. Use any ingredient that you like. Just sprinkle on and it is ready!

What’s your “Essence”?

I would love to know!

When cooking, just remember to “Set your timer“!

It’s that simple!

Chicken Cutlets and Broccoli

Jul. 29
2015

This is about as easy as it gets! The chicken cutlets don’t take a lot of time to cook and the broccoli is ready in minutes! I love the way broccoli looks after it cooked. If it is sautéed correctly, this beautiful bright green vegetable looks scrumptious!

You have to be very careful with the timing!

Take it off the heat as soon as it turns that radiant color because it will continue to cook after you take it off the stove. Nothing is more unappetizing to me than dark green, sad looking broccoli, so be careful and follow the directions!

Ingredients for Broccoli
Rinse broccoli and dry it very well. Drying thoroughly helps to keep it crisp.
1 bunch broccoli, chopped
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
5 cloves garlic, chopped very small
1/2 onion, chopped
Juice of 1 small lemon
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Todays Hint: Just to let those of you who do not like the stems of the broccoli, I have a suggestion. Peel the stems like you would peel a carrot. Taste!! It is amazing how different the stems taste when they are peeled! They are sweet and delicious! You might change your mind and use them from now on! Maybe even use them as a snack!

Add olive oil to pan. When heated, add onions, a little salt and pepper (save some for later).

Cook onions until they are translucent about 8 minutes.

Add lemon, red pepper flakes and garlic.

Cook garlic only one minute. It is important that you do not burn the garlic. Remember you have other ingredients to add and the garlic will continue to cook.

Now add the broccoli, and some more salt and pepper.

Mix ingredients well.

Cook until broccoli turns bright green about 10 minutes. Immediately take the pan off the heat. The broccoli will continue to cook after you take it off the heat. You want the broccoli to be crunchy, not soft and mushy. Taking it off the heat when it turns bright green will ensure that you have the perfect consistency and a beautiful side dish.

Ingredients for Chicken Cutlets
6 small boneless chicken thighs
2 cups flour
2 tbsp. garlic powder
2 tbsp. onion powder
2 tbsp. oregano
1 tbsp. basil
2 tbsp. Kosher salt
2 tbsp. pepper
3 cups bread crumbs
3 eggs
1/2-cup olive oil.
Set oven to 350.

Mix flour, garlic powder onion powder, oregano, basil salt and pepper together in a plastic bag. Shake well to mix.

Make sure chicken cutlets are dry. Drop them into bag and shake well.

Beat eggs into bowl.

Place bread crumbs onto a paper plate.

Drop each cutlet into egg bowl, then into breadcrumb mixture. Make sure cutlets are evenly coated with bread crumbs

Heat olive oil in pan medium heat until sizzling. Drop cutlets into pan.

Each cutlet should take about 5-7 minutes to brown. Set your timer.

Do not crowd cutlets in pan. Do it in batches if you need to.

When you get to the second batch watch carefully. The oil is very hot the second time around, and the cutlets may take only 3-4 minutes to brown. You need to watch them so they do not burn.

Take chicken cutlets out of pan and place them on paper plate or board covered with paper towels. Let them sit a while to absorb the oil.

Place in aluminum pan and put in oven for 20 minutes. Set your timer!!

It’s that simple!