Curried Chicken with Cauliflower, Apricots and Olives

Serves 4 to 6

Recipe Sheet Pan Suppers

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This dinner is fun to make because it’s done on a sheet pan.  We loved the taste of the sweet fruity apricots and the briny olives along with the roasty chicken.  We thought it tasted even better the next day for a leftovers lunch.

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 lbs. total)

4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 teaspoons curry powder, divided

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika, divided

½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon Kosher salt, divided

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces

¾ cup chopped dried apricots, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes and drained

1 cup pitted green olives, halved

Here's what the dish looks like just before popping it in the oven.

Combine the chicken thighs with 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons curry powder, the cayenne, ½ teaspoon of the paprika, the cinnamon, vinegar and ½ teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl.  Cover and leave in the fridge for at least 45 minutes or overnight.  When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425F.  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.  Place the cauliflower on the sheet pan.  Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons curry powder, ½ teaspoon paprika and ½ teaspoon salt.  Scatter the apricots and olives over the cauliflower.  Toss to combine.  Spread into a single layer.  Remove the chicken from the marinade and place them atop the cauliflower, spacing them evenly apart.  (See photo)  Discard the remaining marinade.  Roast, rotating the pan halfway through the cooking time, until the cauliflower is slightly charred and the chicken is cooked through (165F), about 45 minutes.  Serve over brown rice or whole-wheat noodles.

Slow-Cooked Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans

Serves 6

Recipe from Everyday Food Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This is so easy to make, but really has lots of flavor and is packed with a whopping 13 grams of fiber per serving.  For this memorable fix-and-forget chicken stew, use a high-quality salsa to save time without skimping on flavor; choose a jar with a short ingredient list.  I used "Green Mountain Gringo Salsa" medium heat which is found at Lost River Market & Deli.  It also comes in mild heat for those who shy away from anything spicy.  This salsa has no preservatives in it; it's all natural.  Chipotle Chilies in Abobo Sauce are smoked jalapeño peppers.  A little goes a long way.  You'll only need a small amount, so put the leftover from the can in the freezer in 1 Tablespoon dollops for when you make this dish again.  Serve this chicken stew on its own or over Easy Brown Rice or even tortilla chips.  Make a batch of homemade Guacamole and it’s a party!  Add a crisp salad for a complete meal!

1 cup dried pinto beans, rinsed

1 jar (11 ounces) mild or medium salsa (1½ cups)

2 Tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (I used whole-wheat flour.)

1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 8)

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper (ribs and seeds removed), chopped

¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream, for serving (You can also use plain Greek yogurt.)

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, for serving

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, stir together beans, salsa, chilies, flour, and 1 cup water. Season chicken with salt and pepper; arrange on top of bean mixture. Scatter onion and bell pepper on top of chicken.

Cover and cook on low heat for 7½ to 8 hours. (Do not open lid or stir.) (I've made this a few times and when I got a new slow cooker recently, I noticed that the beans began to stick at 7 1/2 hours, so I turned off the cooker at that point.)

Using two forks, shred into large pieces. Serve topped with sour cream and cilantro.

Chicken and Brown Rice Cakes

Makes approx. 12 to 15

Recipe from http://planningwithkids.com/kid-friendly-recipes/

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Here’s a budget-friendly recipe that you can make in advance for the family’s lunch boxes or even for a picnic.  The original recipe called for cooked white Jasmine rice, but I used brown Jasmine rice to make it more healthful.  Brown basmati or any long or short brown rice will work as well. This recipe seems quite forgiving.  I used a leftover chicken breast for this.  To make this even more budget-friendly, you can use a couple of chicken thighs.  To spice it up a bit, mix in a minced clove or garlic and/or some hot pepper cheese and/or hot sauce.  You could even add some barbecue sauce. I bet you could even replace the shredded carrot with some chopped cooked broccoli or chopped spinach. The original recipe said it yielded a dozen, but I was able to get 15 “cakes” out of this recipe. I would say 2 “cakes” make one serving.  Adding a crisp green salad and a piece of fruit would make this a great light lunch or dinner.

3 cups cooked brown jasmine, basmati, or long grain rice (about 1 cup uncooked)

1 cooked chicken breast or 2 chicken thighs (shredded)**

1 large carrot, shredded (1 cup)

3 spring onions stalks, sliced or ¼ cup shallots, minced

1⅓ cups grated mozzarella cheese

3 large eggs, beaten

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 375° F.  Mix all the ingredients well in a large bowl.  Spray muffin trays with cooking spray and then spoon mixture into the trays. (To help with clean up and easy removal, use paper muffin liners and spray them with cooking spray.) Place in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops turn golden brown.

**Leftover chicken works just fine, but you could also cook a whole chicken or a package of chicken thighs in the slow cooker and set aside 2 cups of cooked chicken for this recipe. 

Kimchi Stew with Chicken and Tofu

Martha Stewart Living Magazine

Adapted and Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves
4

Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean side dish made with pickled cabbage and other vegetables.  It is the national dish of Korea. I first tasted kimchi stew in a restaurant and I loved the intense but balanced flavors.  I then searched for recipes and found this one, which uses ingredients that are easily found at our little community-owned grocery store.  This stew was quite easy to put together and tasted great!  The heat and spiciness will of course depend upon the kimchi that you use.  I omitted the salt called for in the original recipe because kimchi can be high in sodium.   

Ingredients

4 cups cups homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock or vegetable broth

2½ cups water

2 chicken thighs

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon minced anchovy fillets

1 jar (16 ounces each) kimchi, undrained

8 ounces extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into small cubes

3 scallions, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced diagonally

Directions

Bring stock, water, chicken thighs, garlic, ginger, anchovies, and salt to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

Transfer chicken to a plate, reserving broth. Let chicken stand until cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bone and skin, and shred into bite-size pieces.

Add chicken, kimchi to the cooking broth in pan, and place pan over low heat. Add tofu to pan, being careful not to break it. Gently shake pan to submerge tofu. Bring to a very gentle simmer, and cook until tofu is heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Divide soup among bowls.  Add scallions.