Posts Tagged ‘chicken’

Each of us have those certain dishes that never require following a recipe. The flavors mingle in your mind – they’re just part of you and what you know. Out of habit and familiarity, the dish materializes before your eyes. Kind of like a dance you’ve always danced. You don’t think about it. You just do it.

No precise measuring. No fancy techniques. No strict timers or guidelines. And then it’s complete.

Dishes like these are usually our comfort foods. Food we’ve grown up with. Comfort derived not just from the enjoyment of eating the food itself but from the process of doing something routine, regular and familiar.

This dish of Chicken and Rice is that kind of comfort food for me. Having grown up with it, watching my grandmothers and mother make it, and now being able to share it with my family is a pleasure. It’s special. Not to mention super yummy. My daughter requests this along with the White Bean Chicken Chili regularly. One day she’ll learn to make it for her family too.

Growing up around here, rice was a daily part of our menu. Of course, we now try to keep our carb intake in check but this Chicken and Rice will always be a welcome meal – especially during the winter months.

Chicken and Rice is a regional favorite and there are as many versions as there are different southern accents. Here in the south, particularly in the Low Country, Chicken and Rice may be referred to as Chicken Bog or Chicken Pileau (or perlow, or pilau, or perlieu?). While each may have a slight variation in ingredients – some recipes may include sausage and/or wine – all have two things in common: chicken that’s been cooked in a pot of it’s own broth until it’s falling off the bone and rice added to soak up all the brothy goodness.

I don’t know what the higher ups in all things food would call this version, but we call it Chicken and Rice. And that suits me just fine.

I’ve been cooking this for years, and, as I said, I don’t really follow a recipe. But the last few times I’ve made it I’ve taken notes so it could be shared with you. The recipe follows but please make it your own. It’s a basic rendition but sure to please. The ingredients are simple. A whole chicken, rice, celery and onion are the main ingredients with the addition of a few seasonings. The process is pretty simple as well. I put mine together similar to a risotto.

After the chicken has cooked until the meat is falling off the bone (at least an hour – the mo’ the bettah), remove the chicken and let cool to de-bone. While the chicken is cooling I usually let the broth reduce a bit more. When chicken is de-boned, I remove all of the broth (or use another large pot) and put about 6 cups of broth back into the pot with 3 cups of rice and the de-boned chicken. Add additional salt and pepper, cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Stir rice and add another cup of broth, cover and cook an additional 5 minutes. Continue the process by simmering covered and stirring in more broth every 5 minutes or so, until rice is done. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.

You should end up with a smooth, creamy and tasty Chicken and Rice. And a wonderful smelling house!

Chicken and Rice Recipe
(serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

• 4 quarts (16 cups) water approx. (enough to cover chicken)
• 1  4 lb. (approx.) whole chicken
• 3-4 stalks celery; rough chopped
• 1 large sweet onion; diced
• 1 teaspoon pepper – divided
• 1 teaspoon salt – divided
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley – divided
• 3 cups long grain white rice

Directions:

- In a large stock pot bring water, chicken, celery, onion, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, oregano, celery salt, 1 teaspoon parsley to boil, cover and reduce to a simmer for at least an hour (2-3 hours would be preferable).

- Once simmering is complete, remove chicken to cool in order to de-bone. Let broth continue to simmer and reduce.

- When cool enough to handle, de-bone chicken.

- Remove all broth from pot (or use another pot) and put approximately 6 cups broth back into pot along with the rice, chicken, remaining pepper, salt and parsley. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

- After 15 minutes stir in another cup of broth. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

- Continue to add broth, stir, cover and simmer for 5 minutes at a time until rice is done.

- Salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

For the third installment of The Bodacious Bean we’re changing colors. The past two weeks the black bean has dominated with Black Bean Dip and Black Bean Hummus. This week it’s a delicious white bean, the great northern bean, for use in this White Bean Chicken Chili recipe. You could certainly substitute cannellini or navy beans.

This chili has become a family favorite over the past year. Hearty and full of flavor, it’s a nice change from the regular tomato based chilis. It was inspired by Paula Dean’s White Bean Chili recipe but since first making it, I’ve deviated a bit and have come up with my own plan of attack.

That’s the beauty with chilis, soups or stews – you can use what you have, add to or take away, to make it your own. So don’t get hung up on exacts. If you only have 3 cans of beans, go for it. Is a half a pound of chicken the only thing you can scrounge up? Make it work! It’s not like baking. As I see it, it’s similar to that old saying “as long as you have gas in the tank you’re not lost.” So as far as cooking goes, as long as the pot’s hot, keep going until you get what you like. You can always find a way to rescue it or head in another direction if it’s not to your liking. Who knows, you may invent a new favorite recipe along the way.

Ahem. Excuse me for my little soap box… back to this recipe.

A few notes… other than starting with the chicken stock and beans, all other ingredients can be added in whatever order. If your chicken isn’t thawed, proceed with the onion, garlic and so on. Also, I’ve made this chili with and without the cilantro. My daughter isn’t a big cilantro fan… yet! It’s yummy both ways. To me the cilantro gives it more umph but I do like cilantro.

White Bean Chicken Chili Recipe
(makes 8-10 servings)
Adapted from Paula Dean’s White Bean Chili

Ingredients

• 7 cups chicken broth
• 4 – 15.8 oz. cans of great northern beans (cannellini or navy beans could be substituted)
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon paprika (optional, I don’t always use paprika – just when I’m in a paprika-y mood)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (or ground cayenne pepper)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
• 1 1/4 pound chicken breast, cubed ~ 1″
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon jalapeno, chopped (about one jalapeno)
• 1 cup cilantro leaves, packed

Directions

1. In a large stock pot bring chicken broth and beans to a boil.
2. Add all seasonings (parsley, cumin, oregano, paprika, red pepper, black pepper, salt). Reduce heat to medium and let simmer.
3. In a saute pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and saute about 3-5 minutes then add to pot.
4. In saute pan heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and jalapeno and saute until softened, about 5 minutes.
5. Rough chop 1/2 cup of cilantro and add to onion, garlic and jalapeno mixture. Saute for a few seconds then add all to pot.
6. Let chili simmer at least another 30 minutes, but the longer, the better. To thicken up chili a little use a potato masher to mash some of the beans up. A few mashes should do the trick. You could do this before adding the chicken if the beans are nice and soft.
7. Before serving, add the rest of cilantro.
8. (Don’t forget the cornbread!)

Enjoy!

Lettuce wraps have been a popular menu item around here for awhile. And thankfully a few friends have made their own version that I’ve had the pleasure to test out. So when I started thinking of ways to cut back on calories, but not flavor, lettuce wraps were one of the first things that came to mind.

Lettuce wraps are a good combination of savory, spicy and crunchy that I just love. Plus they’re easy. And I always like easy.

This is a simple recipe for Chicken Cashew Lettuce Wraps. Top it off with your favorite hot sauce, basil or more cashews and you’ll have a winner for sure. And while most restaurants offer them as appetizers, I think they’re perfect for the main course.

Chicken Cashew Lettuce Wraps (makes 6-8 lettuce wraps)

Ingredients for Chicken Cashew “Filling”

• 2 chicken breasts (about 3/4 lb. total), diced
• 8 leaves of greenleaf or iceburg lettuce
• 3 tablespoons canola oil (or oil of choice)
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup cashews, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for stir fry sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

For stir fry sauce mix all ingredients making sure to dissolve brown sugar. Set aside.

Heat canola oil in pan over medium to medium high heat. Add diced chicken and brown (about 4-5 minutes). Remove chicken from oil. Add onions, garlic and 1 teaspoon soy sauce to pan; brown. When onions and garlic are brown and tender add stir fry sauce, browned chicken and cashews. Saute mixture for a few minutes and remove from heat.

Spoon chicken mixture into individual lettuce leaves. Add your favorite hot sauce, more cashews or basil.

Enjoy!