No-Fuss Blackened Chicken

I made some most delicious blackened chicken.  

I also made cat shaped polenta.  But that's not really relevant.

This is super easy and pretty fast.  Just rub the seasoning on, and bake. The longer you leave the rub on, the more the flavors will permeate the chicken.  Rub it on the night before for big flavor.

I didn't plan ahead for that myself, just rubbed it on and threw it in the oven. 

It was finger-lickin good.  Just a bit spicy, but not too hot.  You can adjust the heat by adjusting the cayenne.  The chicken was so moist, the skin nice and crispy. Just simple, healthy, and delicious!

For summertime this would be awesome grilled! It would make a great addition to a BBQ or picnic. :)

Blackened Chicken

Serves 2

1 lb chicken parts, skin on (I used drumsticks and thighs)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Blackened Seasoning:

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped (or 1 tsp dried thyme) 

1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 tsp dried oregano)

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)

2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp salt

Mix all the spices together to make the blackened seasoning.  Rub on the chicken.  Place in fridge to marinate, if desired.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle the chicken with the olive oil, and place skin side down on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Flip the chicken over, and bake another 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Easy Chicken Stock

Non-cookers think homemade chicken stock is the most amazing thing.  They think it takes, I don't know, weeks to make! And you have to be some professional chef or something...

Let's put this to rest right now.  

It's so easy.  All you need is time.  

So do yourself a favor on a rainy or lazy day.  Make some chicken stock.  Then freeze some in an ice cube tray.  Freeze some more in larger containers for larger meals, like soups, stews.  

But what do I DO with all this chicken stock?

1. Use to make Creole Shrimp Risotto or maybe Sage Chicken Chili.

2. Cook your veggies (like peas, asparagus, brussel sprouts) in chicken stock for added flavor.  I  add some oil to a pan, saute veggie for a few minutes, add 3 or 4 chicken stock ice cubes to pan, and let cook until tender.

3. When cooking rice, couscous, quinoa, etc, you can use chicken stock in place of water.  

4. Use to make sauces, like marinara or alfredo.

5. Use in mashed potatoes as a partial replacement for butter and cream.

Ancho Rubbed Roast Chicken stuffed with Mexican Stuffing, Poblano Corn Pudding, and 'Calabacits Guisada' with Edamame

Hello!  How I've missed blogging.  And cooking!

In case you don't know, I've moved from PA to CO.  The Boyfriend and I lived here for a week out of backpacks.  Literally.  No dishes. ONE skillet, paper plates and cups, plastic silverware.  For a WEEK!  

Now that we're all settled in, I thought my first blog out here should showcase Colorado's food scene.  

Which is Mexican.  

Makes sense right?  Colorado really doesn't do their own thing

 (Philly- cheesesteaks, soft pretzels... Whole state of Colorado- meat and potatoes I guess!) 

I'd be willing to estimate that the restaurants here are 30% American food, 30% Asian food, and 40% Mexican food.

Quick breakfast:

 Philly-  Grab a Wawa sandwich or Dunkin Donuts.

Colorado- Grab a breakfast burrito

Quick lunch: 

Philly- grab a Wawa sandwich or a hoagie

Colorado- Grab a lunch burrito

:)

Not that I mind, the Mexican food here is SO MUCH better than on the East Coast.  

So for you, I made a Mexican dinner.  A Mexican feast.  

Suitable for a non-conventional Thanksgiving or Sunday night dinner.  I can't say how authentic it is, I have to check out more of the Mexican places around here.  But man was it good. 

The showstopper on this meal is was the Proscuitto and Poblano Corn Pudding. Trust me on this.  This recipe is one of the BEST things I ever ate.  I kid you not.  The bite from the poblano's, the salty bits of proscuitto, the sweetness of the corn, and the manchengo cheese....  you just don't understand.    It would be a great side dish to many, many meals.  If you make nothing else here, I'm telling you....

The Ancho Rubbed Roast Chicken was also amazing.  The skin was so crispy, with a bit of heat from the ancho chile powder (but not really spicy), the meat so juicy.  The Mexican stuffing I made at the last minute, as I had a bunch of bread-butts I wanted to use up.  I wasn't sure how it was going to turn out, but it was pretty darn good.  Maybe next time I'd add a little chicken stock for a little added  moisture.

'Calabacitas Guisada' is Mexican Stewed Zucchini, only I forgot to buy zucchini!  I had some shelled edamame in the fridge that worked pretty nicely though.  

All-in-all, a great meal!

Sage Chicken Chili with Lentils and Garden Vegetables

Here's a nice fall meal for you!

My parents recently gave me an organic homegrown squash that was almost as big as me.. maybe a mild exaggeration.. but look:

They also gave me homegrown peppers and tomatoes, and with this beautiful fall weather and football season starting, OF COURSE I'M GOING TO MAKE CHILI!

This is a healthier chili- made with chicken, protein packing lentils, and lots of vegetables.  It's mildly spicy, though of course you can adjust it to your own tastes.  If you want less spicy, skip the jalapeno and reduce the chili powder to a teaspoon or none at all. For more spicy, increase chili powder to 2 tbsp, and if you really want it hot add another jalapeno!

This is a one-pot meal- no rice required!  The lentils are way healthier than rice, and make the chili a bit more hearty and filling.  Afraid of lentils?  Don't be- they really don't taste like much- they soak up the flavor of the chili, and The Boyfriend didn't even know they were in there.  He still doesn't.   :)  

This chili would make for a perfect vegetarian chili too- just skip the chicken, increase the lentils, and use vegetable stock in place of chicken stock.  The recipe is very forgiving- add and subtract vegetables as you desire.

As with any chili, this can be made in the crockpot or on the stovetop. I wrote down both methods for you. 

Serve with a dollop of sour cream if you like, maybe a Gorgonzola Sage Popover, and voila! Dinner is served. 

Chicken Salad with Pecans, Grapes, and Green Peppers

A little sweet, a little crunch.. this chicken salad has it all.  I made this to bring to a BBQ, and unfortunately it never made it there.

Why, you ask?

Not because it got gobbled up ever-so-quickly.  No.  Because on the way to the car the container slipped from my fingertips in slow-motion fashion as I (in slow motion) yelled a inappropriate curse word at the top of my lungs, resulting in a super dramatic chicken salad explosion.

I would've taken a pic of the Chicken Salad with Mulch, but didn't think you all would be into that recipe. Here's what it looked like in my house before the explosion:

Luckily I had already tried the chicken salad, so I know it was good.  I liked the green pepper in place of the celery.  I also enjoyed the different textures of sweetness from the dried cranberries and sliced grapes.

The Boyfriend got to eat some too, since I had a little container of it stashed in the fridge just for him, the Most Excellent Girlfriend that I am.

This was very much a contents-of-the-fridge-and-pantry chicken salad.  The original recipe calls for tarragon vinegar, walnuts, shallots, and celery.. none of which I had.  I would've liked to use the tarragon vinegar though.  But I made due, and it turned out great.

Chicken Salad with 

Pecans, Grapes, and Green Peppers

Recipe adapted from Epicurious

Makes 4-6 servings

4 cups cubed (1/2 inch) cooked chicken (about 1 3/4 pounds)

1 cup pecans, chopped

2 large or 3 small garlic cloves

1 small onion, minced

1 green pepper, diced small

2 cups red seedless grapes, sliced in 4 or 5 slices each

1/2 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup mayonnaise

3 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tsp dill week

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

Throw all ingredients in a bowl and mix.

Special note:  Make sure you use a grip of steel when carrying to your car.  

A few other fave summertime recipes:

Zucchini Spaghetti with Spring Vegetables

Grilled Shrimp and Smashed Avocado

Strawberry Salad with Halloumi and Cucumber