Green Chicken Chili Ramen

The last couple of weeks I've been craving something gingery for dinner. And as last night was the first frost warning of the season, it seemed like a great night to try to put something together with the fresh noodles I had sitting in the fridge and the finger of ginger I had purchased earlier in the week. Something soupy and hearty, perfectly suited to warm up on a cold night.

I spent a few minutes trying to figure out what ingredients I wanted to combine and in what order. I loosely based this recipe off the Wagamama Chili Beef Raman recipe I found and made last year (which is also very delicious!).

We had some garlic (and I mean GARLIC) haricot verts left over from dinner earlier in the week which I thought I could use up along with a small head of Napa cabbage I had recently purchased. Fresh cilantro ties the flavors together perfectly. So hence the name of Green Chicken Chili Ramen.

In the ingredient list you'll see ginger and garlic twice. It's not an error; there is some garlic & ginger used for the marinade and then some used in the base of the broth. I suppose you could simplify it and only add it at one place but I think that you get some more complexity of flavor having it layered. That part is totally up to you.

And of course, you can play with veg and spiciness to your tastes as well. Give it a try.

Green Chicken Chili Ramen

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. chicken (I use breasts or tenders because I prefer white meat)
• 1-2 garlic cloves, grated
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 TBSP ginger, grated finely (I like to use a fine microplane)
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, minced
• 4 TBSP teriyaki sauce
• 2 TBSP oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 small head Napa cabbage, shredded
• 1 big handful haricot vert or green beans, diced or whole
• 32 oz chicken broth
• salt & pepper
• 18 oz fresh or dried asian Noodles (I used something called "Chinese noodles" that I found in the refrigerated section at my grocery store, but this is a good list of different asian noodles that could work
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1-2 tsp sriracha sauce
• 3-4 slices of jalapeno or other fresh chili
• 1/4-1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

METHOD:
1) Marinate chicken in 1-2 grated garlic cloves, 1 TBSP grated ginger, and 4 TBSP teriyaki sauce
2) Add 2 TBSP oil to a dutch oven/pan you'll use for making the soup. Once heated, add chicken and marinade. Once cooked, take out chicken (cover & set aside), leaving any garlic & ginger in pan.
3) Add butter, sliced shallot, 2 minced garlic cloves and minced ginger. Saute for 3-5 minutes.
4) Add 3/4-1 small head of Napa cabbage that has been shredded/sliced and good handful haricot verts or green beans and saute until cabbage is slightly softened.
5) Add chicken stock and then salt, pepper, red pepper flake, sriracha, and optional chili pepper slices to taste. Bring to a boil.
6) Meanwhile make noodles according to directions on package & set aside.
7) Dice chicken that had been set aside and add it and the cilantro to soup. Check seasonings and make any adjustments. Simmer for 10 minutes.
8) Place noodles in bowl for serving. Top with soup. Garnish with more cilantro & enjoy.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Chicken Gyros & Tzatziki

When you want something fresh and healthy, a great choice is choosing the gyro. Often mispronounced (proper pronunciation here), it's a great way to get protein and vegetables. Served with tzatziki, a yogurt-based sauce, it's also full of flavor.

The word gyro literally translates to turn in Greek. Typically the dish is made of meat (usually beef, veal, mutton, pork, or chicken) cooked on a vertical rotisserie served in a pita with tomato, onion, and tzatziki sauce.

A couple months ago I discovered a gyro food truck near a job I was working. The next day I was on the web seeking out a gyro recipe to try at home. I don't have a rotisserie or spit on my grill so it needed to be something I could do easily.

I stumbled across Tide & Thyme's recipe and gave it ago. DELISH! I even followed her recipe for tzatziki. I've now made it a few times and really the only changes I've made is what I put into the sandwich. As you can see in the photo, I included some shredded red cabbage to the shredded lettuce, and omitted the cucumber since there was already a good amount in the tzatziki. I warmed the pita on the stove (as you would for tortillas for tacos) to help wake up the bread (you could even toss it on the grill for a couple seconds). The other trick I did was to tear off a square of foil and build the sandwich on it and then use it to roll the gyro up nice and tight. It makes eating it a lot easier, plus you get that food truck feel.

Listing this here for posterity, but check out Tide & Thyme's blog - there are some other great things there too!

Tide & Thyme's Chicken Gyros

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 lb. chicken (I use breasts or tenders because I prefer white meat)
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• salt & pepper
• tzatziki sauce
• sliced tomatoes
• shredded lettuce
• shredded red cabbage (if desired)
• sliced cucumber (if desired)
• 4-6 pitas

METHOD:
1) Combine garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt & pepper with whisk or fork in bowl or ziplock bag. Add chicken, thoroughly coat with marinade, and place in fridge to marinate for at least an hour.
2) Grill or cook in pan until browned and cooked through. After resting, slice into strips or shred.
3) Warm pita then top with chicken, tzatziki, and veggies.
4) Enjoy.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Tide & Thyme's Tzatziki Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 32oz. container of plain greek yogurt
• 2 regular cucumbers or 1 english cucumber, peeled & seeded
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed (use a garlic press or microplane)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp dried dill or fresh (I use fresh)
• salt & pepper to taste

METHOD:
1) Shred or grate cucumber (I like to use my food processor). Then place them in a clean kitchen towel and squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible.
2) Mix yogurt, cucumber, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, dill, salt & pepper together and refrigerate to let flavors blend together.
3) Enjoy. It makes a lot, but if you have leftover from gyros, it's a great dip for veggies too.

Pesto Chicken Orzo

I've been trying to bring my lunch to work and eat less frozen, packaged meals. Granted the ones I tend to eat are organic, GMO free, etc. But still. Cooking food gives me control of what I'm eating. Sunday as I was making my list for the grocery store this week, I tried to think about what would be good to bring. Pesto popped into my head, which it tends to do this time of year when the basil in the garden is abundant (I didn't make fresh pesto for this, instead I purchased some, but either works!)

I looked at Pinterest for some ideas and created my own dish that works hot or cold. Rather than cooking up chicken breasts, I "cheated" and grabbed one of the roast chickens from the store, which allowed me to simply pull off the white meat and not have to dirty another dish while cooking. Zucchini have looked good and are healthy and easy, so I picked up a few of those that were locally grown from the grocery store (mine have yet to produce more than flowers, so far). Mushrooms seemed like a nice pairing with the zucchini. And of course onion and garlic had to go in.

As I was cooking, I realized I had some shredded mozzarella and I added a handful of it which helped give the dish an almost risotto-like consistency. I kept the seasoning simple since pesto flavor was what I was after. I'll definitely even try this with rice as well. Because, pesto is good on EVERYTHING.

You can play with the veggies you include as well to suit your tastes or clean out your fridge.

Chicken Orzo Pesto

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cooked chicken, shredded or cut in bite size pieces (for this I got a oven-roasted one from the store to speed up time)
• 3-4 medium zucchini cut in bite-size rounds
• 1 package orzo
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1- 1 1/2 cups mushrooms, sliced
• 2-4 garlic cloves, diced
• about 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded (optional)
• about 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated (optional)
• 1 package (7oz) pesto (or make your own fresh)
• 2-3 TBSP olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

METHOD:
1) Cook orzo according to box instructions/al dente.
2) When done, reuse pot. Add olive oil, onion, garlic. Saute until onion starts to soften.
3) Add garlic, mushrooms. Cook down a little.
4) Add zucchini, salt & pepper to taste, and cook until veggies are tender, browned and water is evaporated.
5) Turn off heat. Taste for seasoning & adjust as needed.
6) Add cooked orzo.
7) Add cheese. Stir.
8) Enjoy.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Rice

A few weeks ago, broccoli at the supermarket looked great. I had to buy some. But then what to do with it? My hubs only likes it if it's smothered in cheese. And that got me to thinking about broccoli & cheese with rice and chicken for some protein. Topped with a crust that provides a little crunch in contrast to the savory cheesy center.

In my head it sounded more simple but when I made it it did take a bit because all the pieces need to be cooked together. If I figure out a more efficient way to cook everything, I'll definitely update this recipe. But it's good, freezes well and is worth sharing now. Plus, if you do some of the parts in stages, it's totally manageable.

Cheesy Chicken & Broccoli Rice

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1 1/2 pounds of chicken, cut in bite size pieces
• 1-1 1/2 pounds broccoli (fresh or frozen), cut in bite size pieces (could also mix with roasted cauliflower)
• 1 1/2-2 cups uncooked rice
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2-4 garlic cloves, diced
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1-2 TBSP flour
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp mustard powder
• 1 TBSP djon mustard
• 1/4-1/2 cup milk (add a little at a time until consistency reached)
• 2 TBSP butter
• salt & pepper to taste

METHOD:
1) Boil broccoli in water until cooked and tender.
2) Start water to boil in another pan for rice. Once at a boil follow instructions on package.
3) In another pan (do this while broccoli cooks), add butter, onion and garlic. Saute until fragrant.
4) Add chicken and brown (doesn't have to cook all the way through).
5) Add oregano, salt, pepper, mustard powder, and djon mustard and stir well to coat.
6) Sprinkle flour over everything and stir well until combined.
7) Add cheese. Stir.
8) Add milk a little at a time until a good consistency forms for the cheese sauce.
9) When broccoli is done, drain it and set aside in large bowl.
10) When rice is done, add to same bowl as broccoli.
10) Add chicken and cheese sauce to broccoli and rice, then stir well to combine.
11) Pour/place mixture into 13x9 casserole dish.
12) Top with grated parmesan or pecorino romano and breadcrumbs. (can also add French's onions, etc)
13) Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Moroccan Spice Rub

1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 handful fresh cilantro sprigs
Simple Roast Chicken

Before roasting the chicken, combine the cumin, curry, ginger, salt, and cayenne in a small bowl. Add the oil and combine.

Use your fingers to carefully loosen the skin from the breasts, thighs, and drumsticks. Spread the spice mixture evenly under the skin. Place the cilantro inside the cavity. Roast the chicken according to the recipe.

Yield: Seasons 1 chicken

NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 678; FAT 50g ; SUGAR 3g; PROTEIN 50g; CHOLESTEROL 214mg; SODIUM 639mg; FIBER 0g; CARBOHYDRATE 4g; SAT FAT 13g

Coriander Teriyaki Marinade

Heavenly Marinade for Coriander Teriyaki (original marinade via epicurious.com)
Ingredients:
* 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, coarsely ground in a spice grinder
* 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
* 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
* 1 pound flank steak, steak tips, chicken, or your favorite meat

1. Press coriander onto both sides of meat and put on a large plate.
2. Stir together soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and oil and pour over meat, turning meat to coat. Marinate, turning occasionally, 10 minutes.
3. Cook it up! (Grill it, pan fry it, etc.) Great over wild rice or brown rice.

This works well with steak (pretty much any type- I did it with steak tips and oh it is good) or chicken (also delicious!). Super delish! I didn't have any coriander seeds when I first made this dish, so I left that out but increased the amount of fresh cilantro by doubling it, and it was still amazing (although slightly different in flavor). I also love garlic and tend to put in at least 2-3 good sized cloves. I'm not a fish eater but, I bet this would be great on fish as well.

Another thing that is lovely to do with this is to make a pizza with chicken cooked in the marinade. Cook up the chicken in the marinade, or do it the next day with leftovers (which is what I usually do.) Get either pizza dough or some sort of pizza bread. Spread some of the sauce of the marinade and the bits of fond/carmelized bits from the pan (which I try to save when cleaning the pan of leftovers) on the bread or dough. Add some pizza sauce, only enough to lightly coat the dough or bread (too much and the dough will be too soggy when cooked). Top with shreaded mozzarella and bite sized pieces of chicken cooked in the marinade. Add olives, mushrooms or veggie of your choice (or none at all). Bake at 425F for about 15 minutes or until the crust is brown and the cheese is melted.

I've tried this with whole wheat pizza dough and it's rather good too.