Posole-inspired Stewed Chicken

The hubby and I have made several trips to Mexico, where we discovered some very tasty food.  I like to recreate many of the things we've eaten, and have never met a recipe I can't make, tho I often alter them to suit my family's tastes.

Posole is typically a chicken soup made with tomatillos, green chiles and hominy.  My husband's not a fan of hominy, so I substituted sweet corn I got at the farmer's market.  I also wanted it to be less of a soup and more like a thick sauce over the meat.  The result is thick, sweet and a bit spicy.

Here's what you'll need:
1 chicken, cut into 8 or 1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts
salt & pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 lb tomatillos, quartered
4 poblano peppers, stems removed & cut in half
1 jalapeno, stem removed
1 bunch green onions, white and light green parts only
4 cloves garlic
1 bunch cilantro
1 - 1 1/2 c water or chicken stock
juice of 2 limes
1 tsp salt
2 ears sweet corn

Preheat oven to 400.

Arrange the tomatillos, peppers, onions and garlic on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake until the tomatillos break down, about 20 minutes.

Using a gas burner or grill, char the 2 ears of corn.

Turn when they show color, until evenly charred.  Remove from heat.

When cool enough to handle, slice the kernels from the ears with a sharp knife.  Set aside.

Heat about 1 TBSP olive oil in a large skillet.  Sprinkle the chicken with salt, pepper and cumin.  Quickly sear them in the skillet, about 1 minute on each side.  Remove from the heat.

When the vegetables are done transfer them to a blender or food processor.  Add the cilantro and 1 c water.

Pulse until the mixture is smooth, adding enough remaining water to make a sauce.  Stir in the lime juice and salt.

Pour the sauce over the chicken in the skillet.

Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer.  Cover and let cook about an hour, until the sauce thickens and reduces.

Stir in the corn kernels.

Bring back to a boil.  Cook 1-2 minutes, until the corn is warmed through.

Serve with steamed rice or warmed tortillas.

Enjoy!

Easy Parmesan Chicken

Sometimes, people are intimidated about frying chicken.  I'm not talking about the double-battered, soaked in grease Southern-style chicken.  I'm talking just plain breaded chicken, like you'd use for chicken Parmesan or Marsala.    Setting up a breading station ahead of time will make the job easier, saving time and helping prevent the chicken from overcooking.   This chicken is flash fried for a crispy exterior, then finished off in the oven for a moist, juicy piece of meat.

Here's what you'll need:

1 3-oz skinless, boneless chicken breast per person
1 1/2 c flour
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 c bread crumbs (I used panko)
salt and pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder, divided
1 tsp oregano, divided
1/2 tsp basil, divided
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 300.  Line a sheet pan with paper towels; put a cooling rack on the pan.  Set aside.

Now, set up your breading station.  You'll need three bowls, each large enough for the chicken breast to lay flat.  Put the flour in one, the egg in another and the bread crumbs in the last one.

Season each one with salt and pepper.  It's important to season each layer so the breading has an even flavor, too.  Divide the garlic powder, oregano and basil between the flour and bread crumb bowls. Add the Parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs. Stir to mix.

Set aside.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet (I used cast iron) until it melted and just begins to smoke.

Dip the chicken into the flour, then the egg, then the bread crumbs.  Gently place into the hot pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan.  If you do, the chicken won't be crispy.  It needs space for the oil to circulate around the meat.

Cook the chicken about 1 minute,  then turn.  The chicken should look golden brown.

Cook one more minute then place on the rack in the preheated oven.

Bake for about 10 minutes, until the juices run clear when you stab it with a fork.

Enjoy!

Chicken and Dumplings

Is there anything better on an incredibly cold, snow-covered day than comfort food?  There's just something about a meal that has taken time to be prepared, filling the whole house with it's aroma, to make us feel loved and important.  So, I whipped up a BIG pot of chicken and dumplings to help me counter the winter-weather blues.

Here's what you'll need:
4 chicken breasts, bone-in, skin on
olive oil
salt and pepper
dumplings:
2 c flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 c buttermilk
sauce:
2 TBSP butter
2 TBSP oil
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 c flour
6 c chicken stock
1/4 c half-n-half
salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375.
Place chicken, skin side up, on a sheet tray.  Drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for 45-60 minutes, until the juices run clear.

Cool slightly.  Remove meat from the bones; tear into large pieces.  Set aside.

Next, melt the butter with the oil in a large pot.

Add the carrot, garlic and onion.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of flour.  Stir well, to coat all the vegetables.

Cook 2 minutes, until thick.

Add chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.

Keep cooking, over medium heat, until sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, about 15 minutes.  While this is cooking, make the dumplings.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Whisk together.  Make a hole in the center.

Pour the eggs and buttermilk into the hole in the flour mixture.  Stir with a spoon until it looks like thick cake batter.

When the sauce has thickened enough, add the half-n-half.  Return to a simmer.
Drop the dumplings onto the surface of the sauce.  Do not crowd them!

Cover; cook 10 minutes.  Uncover and cook 10 minutes more, until dumplings are fluffy and firm.

Season with salt and pepper before serving.  Serves 6-8.

Enjoy!

Chicken & Green Chile Enchiladas

I can't get enough Mexican food.  I like to joke that I could eat it every day of the week.  But the fact is, that's true!  The food is simple and the flavors complex. These enchiladas are a delicious mix of tender chicken breast and smoky green chiles.

Here's what you'll need:
10 large flour tortillas
2 TBSP olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can roasted green chiles, chopped
1 TBSP garlic, minced
1 14oz can petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro
3 c cooked chicken, shredded
1 10 oz can green Chile enchilada sauce
2 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
salsa and sour cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease a 9x13 baking dish.

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add onion and cook until it begins to soften.  Add the green chiles and garlic. Cook until the onion is tender.

Stir in the tomatoes and seasonings.  Bring to a boil; simmer 10 minutes.

Add the chicken to the skillet.  Cook until the chicken is armed through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Microwave the tortillas until pliable, 30-45 seconds.  Lay tortilla on a flat surface.  Put about 1/2 c chicken mixture in center of tortilla.

Fold up the bottom to cover the filling, then fold over the sides.  Roll tightly to completely cover the filling.
Place in the greased baking dish.

Pour the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas.  Spread the cheese over the top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese is melted.

Garnish with sour cream and salsa.

Enjoy!

Green Chile Chicken Pockets

I'm not big on frying foods, but once in a while I just get a taste for it, especially if there's Mexican flavors involved.  So last night I decided to put together two of my favorites: chicken and green chilies.  They taste a little like what Chi Chi's used to call chimichangas.  Oh so good!

Here's what you'll need:
1 whole chicken breast, poached and shredded
1 small can green enchilada sauce
2 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
10 lg flour tortillas
oil for frying

Line a baking sheet with paper towels then place a cooling rack on top.  This will serve to both drain off excess oil and keep them crisp while in the oven.  Preheat oven to 250.

Heat 1 inch of oil in a cast iron or heavy bottomed skillet over medium high heat.  You'll not it's hot enough when you stick the end of a wooden spoon in the oil and bubbles immediately for around it.

In a bowl, combine the chicken with the enchilada sauce.  You may not need all the sauce.  It will just depend how large the chicken breasts were.  You want the meat to be coated, but not dripping with sauce.

Heat the tortillas in the microwave 20-30 seconds, just until they are pliable.
Place on tortilla on a flat surface.  Place roughly 1/4 c chicken on the bottom third of the tortilla.

Sprinkle with 2-3 TBSP cheese.

Fold bottom third of the tortilla up over the filling.  The fold in both sides.

Roll tightly, until all the filling is covered.

Continue with each tortilla until all the filling is used.  These cook best if allowed to sit an hour or so first; refrigerating helps, too.

When the oil is ready, gently place one pocket into the skillet, seam side down.  I found 2 fit well without cooling the oil too much.

Cook about 2 minutes, until golden brown.  Carefully turn (I used tongs) and cook the other side.

As each is finished browning, place on the rack over the paper towels, and keep warm in the oven until all are cooked.  Serve with sour cream, salsa and any remaining enchilada sauce.

Enjoy!