BBQ Tacos with Roasted Pepper Relish

These tacos are an homage to some we had this past weekend at my brother-in-laws house.  Smoky BBQ chicken with sweet grilled pineapple is an amazing combination.  The sweet balances the salty smoke for a taste bud explosion.

Here's what you'll need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
1/2 c BBQ sauce (I used mesquite smoked)
1/2 fresh pineapple
1 red bell pepper
1 c corn (I used left-over)
1/2 c chopped tomatoes
1/4 c cilantro leaves
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper
flour tortillas, to serve
shredded cheddar, to serve
sour cream, to serve

Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Cook on a hot grill 3-4 minutes, until it easily releases from the grate.  Turn over and spread with half of the BBQ sauce.   Cook 3-4 minutes on opposite side (depending on size) or until juices run clear.  Spread with remaining BBQ sauce.  Flip once more, and cook just long enough to caramelize the BBQ sauce.

Remove to a plate.  Cover with foil and set aside.  Thinly slice the chicken.

Cut the pineapple into 6-8 spears.  Arrange on a medium-high grill.  Cook just until it easily loosens from the grate.

Turn.  Cook 2-3 minutes more.  You still want the pineapple to be firm, but have a smoky taste.

Remove and coarsely chop.  Set aside.

Place the whole bell pepper on the grill.  When it begins to blister, turn it over.  When the whole pepper has blistered, remove to a bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 5 minutes.

With hands or a paper towel, remove most of the charred bits and the seeds from the pepper.

Coarsely chop the pepper.

Now, assemble the relish.

Combine the corn, pepper, tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir well.

To serve, spread a warm tortilla with sour cream.  Top with cheese, chicken, pineapple and relish.

Serves 3-4.

Enjoy!

Strawberry Basil-glazed Chicken Salad

During the summer heat, my hubby lights to eat lighter.  That means more salads.  So, I'm forever on the hunt to make new and interesting salads.  I found some strawberries and basil in the fridge, both needing to be used in the near future.  I thought they'd make a light, refreshing salad dressing.  After a little tweaking-- and puckered faces from the hubby-- I got it right.

Here's what you'll need:

2 c strawberries, stems removed
1/4 c fresh basil leaves
juice of 2 limes
1/2 c olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 head mild lettuce, like butter or bibb, torn
4 asparagus spears, shaved
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped or sliced
2 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 TBSP roasted pumpkin seeds
1/2 c shaved smoked mozzarella cheese

Make the dressing first.  I used some of it to marinade the meat, so it needed some time.

Combine the strawberries, basil, lime juice, salt and olive oil in a blender or food processor.

Pulse until smooth.

If using for a marinade, place 1 cup of the dressing in a bowl.  Put the rest of the dressing in a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Put the chicken in the bowl with the marinading part of the dressing, turning to coat.

Cover with plastic wrap.  Keep in the fridge up to 8 hours.  Longer than that and the lime juice with start to turn to the chicken into mush, and no one wants to eat that.

Preheat a grill or grill pan.  Cook the chicken until the juices run clear, about 10 minutes depending on size. Allow the chicken to rest a few minutes while you assemble the salad.

Arrange the lettuce on 2 dishes.  Use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus spears.

Put the asparagus on top of the lettuce, then add the eggs, cheese and pumpkin seeds.

Slice the chicken on the bias and arrange on the salad.  Serve with extra dressing.  Any remaining dressing can be kept in the fridge for up to one week.

Enjoy!

Chicken Corn Chowder

Nothing beats a thick, creamy chowder on a blustery day.  This chicken and corn version is pretty quick, and really delicious.  You can even make the stock ahead of time and freeze it, which will speed up the prep even more.

Here's what you'll need:
2 chicken breasts, on the bone
3 carrots, quartered
1 onion, quartered
3 celery ribs, quartered
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
8 c water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
3 large potatoes, diced
1 bag frozen corn
1/2 c flour
1/3 - 1/2 c water
1/2 c half & half
salt and pepper, to taste

In a large pot, combine the chicken, carrots, onion, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, water, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil.  Reduce to simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 30-40 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a plate.  Pour the broth through a colander put over a bowl.  This will separate the vegetables and aromatics from the broth, while keeping the broth.

Return the broth to the pot.  Add enough water to measure 8 cups.

Add the potatoes and cook 5 minutes.

Add the corn.  Return to boil, then cook until potatoes are tender.

In a small bowl combine the flour with enough water to make a smooth slurry.

Stir the slurry into the soup, stirring well so that it thickens the sauce without forming little dough balls.
Add the half & half.

Heat through. Adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.  Serves 6.

Enjoy!

Pepperoni-stuffed Chicken Breasts

I love chicken.  Especially breast meat.  It's so moist and juicy!  But it can also get boring if I make it the same way too many times.  I made Stromboli earlier in the week and I had some things left-over, so I decided to see how they would taste inside a chicken breast. It wasn't hard, didn't take much time, and my family loved it.  Sounds like a hit all around.

Here's what you'll need:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 lb thin sliced pepperoni
1/4 lb thin sliced smoked provolone
1/2 c ricotta cheese
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper

Combine ricotta with onion, garlic and oregano.  Set aside.

Lay the chicken breast on a cutting board, with the "fat" side toward you.  Use a sharp knife to slice a pocket into the breast.  Season with salt and pepper.

Continue to cut, folding the chicken open like a book as you go, being careful not to cut the whole way through.

Cover with plastic wrap.  Use a meat mallet to flatten out the breast to a uniform thickness of about 1/2 inch.

Remove the plastic.  Place smoked provolone on the chicken.

Top with sliced pepperoni.

Spread with about 2 TBSP ricotta mixture, but not going too close to the edge or the fold.

Fold the breast in half.  Use toothpicks to secure the edges.  Cover with plastic and chill 30 minutes (longer is OK).  This lets the cheese get cold, and helps prevent it from seeping out when cooking.

Heat 1 TBSP oil (or bacon grease) in a heavy skillet.  I used cast iron.  When the oil is hot (smoking), add the chicken, being careful not to crowd the pan.

Cook the chicken 2-3 minutes, until it is seared and easily releases from the skillet.  Turn and cook 2-3 minutes more.

Put the chicken in a 400 degree oven to finish cooking, until juices run clear, about 20 minutes.

Let the chicken rest 5-10 minutes, to allow the cheese to cool a little.  Serve with pasta or loaded mashed potatoes.

Enjoy!

Poaching Chicken

Do you ever get tired of just boiling meat?  I mean, it serves it's purpose to quickly cook or tenderize meat, but it can leave tender cuts of meat, like chicken breasts, with the consistency of mush.  Who wants to eat that?  Next time, try poaching.  Poaching is a method of cooking used for tender items, like fish or fruit, while also infusing them with flavor. Since chicken breast is a tender piece of meat, it seemed like a good idea to me to try it.

First, prepare your poaching liquid.  Since I know I will be using my chicken for tacos, it was easier for me to choose the flavor choices.  Here's the ingredients:
3 c chicken broth
1 small onion, sliced
1 TBLS minced garlic
1 rib celery, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 bay leaf
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 handful cilantro leaves

Bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce to low, allow to simmer 5 minutes so the flavors blend.  Then place 2 chicken breasts in the pot.  I used boneless & skinless, but on the bone would be fine, too.

Bring back to boil, them reduce the heat.  Simmer, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.  Remove the chicken.

The meat is now ready to use in tacos, salads, chicken salad, etc.  But what do you do with that wonderful poaching liquid?  Pour it through a strainer placed over a large bowl.  This will separate the the broth from the solids.

This broth can be used in soups or other recipes calling for chicken broth.  It will keep in the fridge for up to a week.  It can also be frozen and used at a future time.  Be sure to label the container with the flavor profile so you don't end up with mixed flavors.

 
Enjoy!