Cast Iron Skillet Chicken

If there is one cooking technique everyone should have in their toolbox it is "how to roast the perfect chicken."

Most recipes call for roasting chickens in a pan on a V-shaped rack--starting out with the chicken breast down, and then turning breast-side up to finish cooking. This is good for cooking the chicken on all sides; but what we are really looking for is browning the chicken on all sides. Using a very hot cast iron skillet accomplishes this goal with less effort.

Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Recipe
1 broiler/fryer, 3-5 pounds
Everyday Spice Blend
1/2 onion, cut in half
1/2 lemon, cut in half
5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and whole
6-7 fresh oregano sprigs (or your favorite herbs)
Olive oil

Put a cast iron skillet into the oven and heat oven to 500F.

Wash chicken, pat dry and season inside and out. Insert onions, lemon, garlic and herbs into cavity of chicken. Rub all over with olive oil. Truss legs and fold wings under chicken.

Remove hot skillet from oven and transfer the chicken to the skillet. Return the skillet to the oven and cook 15 minutes. Lower heat to 350F and cook an additional 40-45 minutes, or until temperature, on an instant-read thermometer, reaches 165 degrees. If chicken is browning too fast, loosely tent with foil.

Remove skillet from oven and transfer chicken to a cutting board. Let rest 15 minutes before cutting.

Chicken and Orzo Soup

Never thought I would see the kind of snow we had here in South Carolina the past two days!  Nothing to do but to stay inside and try to stay warm.  I will admit that I love looking out the window at the snow; but having grown up in Chicago, I was not too anxious to go out in it.  One way to stay warm while dealing with the boredom, is to make a big pot of soup.  Chicken soup really is good for the soul, especially during sub-freezing weather!

Chicken and Orzo Soup Recipe

(Serves 4)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 rib celery, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 bay leaf
1 sprig fresh thyme
5 cups chicken broth
fresh ground black pepper
1 cup orzo
4 cups baby spinach
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped, for garnish

Preparation
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and salt; cook until tender, about 8 minutes. 
Add the chicken, bay leaf, thyme, black pepper and broth to the vegetables, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the orzo to the soup and cook until al denté, about 8 minutes.
Add the spinach and cook for an additional minute.
Remove bay leaf and thyme sprig.  Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with fresh parsley.   

Spicy Chicken Mac and Cheese

I am still in a comfort food frame of mind. and what says that better than mac and cheese?  But this is not my mama’s mac and cheese - no elbow pasta here.  I prefer the more bolder  pastas like ziti and rigatoni, especially with the addition of the overly spicy chicken tenders to this version.  And the provolone cheese definitely holds its own against the heat.

Spicy Mac and Cheese Recipe

(Serves 3)

Ingredients

1/2 pound chicken tenders

Sriracha Chili Sauce

all-purpose flour

salt
cayenne pepper

canola oil, for frying

1/2 pound rigatoni pasta

3-1/2 tablespoons butter, unsalted, divided

2 cups milk

1/2 medium onion, stud with 1 clove

2 cloves garlic

1 small bay leaf
1 1/2 sprigs thyme leaves

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

pinch nutmeg

salt, to taste

white pepper, to taste

1 cup gruyere cheese, grated

1 cup provolone, grated

1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 cup parmesan, divided

2 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Preparation

Marinate chicken tenders in Sriracha overnight or four hours.  Drain.  Combine flour, salt and cayenne and coat chicken.  Heat oil and fry 3-4 minutes per  side.  Set aside until cool enough to slice.

Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente, about 5 minutes.  Drain and toss with 1 tablespoons of the butter.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put milk into a saucepan and add the clove studded onion, garlic, bay leaf, thyme and mustard.  Warm over medium low heat until the milk starts to steam, about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and let the flavors infuse while you make the roux.

In a large pot over medium heat add 2 tablespoons butter and add the flour.  Cook, stirring, for about 3 to 4 minutes.  Do not let brown.  Strain the milk and whisk into the roux to avoid lumps.  Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat and season with salt, white pepper, nutmeg and cayenne pepper.  Add the pasta to the sauce and stir.  Add half of the gruyere cheese, provolone, cheddar and parmesan and stir until cheeses are melted.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

Coat three au gratin baking dishes (or one 8x8 casserole) with the remaining butter.  Divide the pasta/sauce mixture into the baking dishes and cover with the sliced chicken and remaining gruyere, provolone and cheddar.  Combine the remaining parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs, and sprinkle on top.  

Baked until golden brown, about 35-45 minutes. 

Chicken Paprika

Recently I was asked to evaluate a product line,  Alder “Some Like It Hott” Smoked  and Non-Smoked Paprikas.  While I like the moderately spicy taste of paprika, I’ve always thought of it as a finishing spice - something to sprinkle on after the fact to add color.  So I was really hard-pressed to come up with a dish where the paprika could take center-stage.  Then I remembered Chicken Paprika, a Hungarian specialty made with onions, tomatoes, bell peppers and sweet and hot paprika.

I used the Alder Red Jalapeno paprika in my version of the recipe.  The result was a dish that was hot, without being too hot; and the paprika really did steal the show! It tasted extremely fresh - maybe because it is produced in small batches - and the smoke and spiciness added lots of zip to otherwise bland chicken.  I can’t wait to work my way through all six flavors.  

Chicken Paprika Recipe

(Serves 4)

Ingredients 

4 ounce chicken breast, bone-in
Salt
fresh ground black pepper
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
14.5 ounces canned tomatoes, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons sweet paprika, preferably Hungarian
1 teaspoon hot paprika (Adler Red Jalapeno)
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons flour, or cornstarch
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped fresh, garnish

Directions
Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When hot, pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels and place them in the pan. Let the chicken pieces cook 4-5 minutes on each side, until well browned.  Remove the chicken from the pan to a platter and set aside.

Add the sliced onions to the sauté pan and cook them, stirring occasionally, scraping up the browned bits from the chicken, until lightly browned, about  5-7 minutes. Add the garlic, peppers and cook an additional 2 minutes.  Add the paprika; cook and stir 1 minute.  Stir in the tomatoes and broth and return chicken to the pan.  Simmer, uncovered, until chicken in thoroughly cooked, about 5-10 minutes longer.

Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.  Combine flour with cool water and stir into the sauce to thicken.   Then slowly stir in the sour cream and adjust seasoning.  Add the chicken back to the pan and coat with the sauce.  Serve with dumplings, rice, egg noodles or potatoes. 

Piri Piri Chicken

The first time I tried piri piri anything was when I lived in South Africa.  There was a fast-food chain named Nandos and piri piri chicken was their specialty.  A West African red chili pepper, piri piri is commonly used in African, Portuguese and Brazilian cuisines.   Extremely spicy - one of the hottest chili peppers, according to the scoville scale - this piri piri chicken is not for the faint of heart.  But I think some things are just worth the suffering.

Piri Piri Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

1 chicken, spatchcocked

Everyday Spice Blend

1 piece of ginger, thinly sliced

3 scallions, sliced

piri piri sauce, recipe below

Preparation:

Season chicken with Everyday Spice Blend.  Brush with half of the piri piri sauce.  Sprinkle with the ginger and scallions.  Marinate in the refrigerator overnight or at least 4 hours.

Cook the chicken on an outdoor grill or broil in the oven.  As it cooks, turn the chicken and baste it with the remaining sauce.  Remove the chicken from the grill or roasting pan.  Check for doneness with a meat thermometer - 180 degrees in the thigh or 165 degrees in the breast.

Piri Piri Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:
6 piri piri chili peppers (can substitute with 2 Tablespoons dried Thai chili peppers)

1/4 cup cider vinegar

5 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon cayenne (or 1 teaspoon paprika, for less heat)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 Tablespoon chopped parsley, optional *

1/4 cup olive oil

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients, except olive oil, in a food processor until smooth. 

Once the sauce begins to get smooth, drizzle in the oil slowly while the machine is running. Once it is all incorporated, put the sauce in a glass jar and let stand at room temperature for up to a day.  For longer storage, seal in a jar and keep in the fridge up to a month.

*Use of parsley could result in a greenish-colored sauce

Chicken Salad Revisited

I have to admit I have not eaten chicken salad in years.  Maybe it is because it seems to have disappeared from most lunch menus. On the rare occasion it is offered, it usually contains mayo; and I am allergic to eggs.  As I reflected on what I like and do not like about chicken salad, I started from scratch and am pleased to offer this recipe.  The oil and vinegar dressing is lighter than mayo, and is especially refreshing for summer.  The currants provide a touch of sweetness without the use of sugar; and the pecans add crunch and texture.

Chicken Salad Recipe

Ingredients:

1 roasted chicken, shredded 

2 shallots, chopped

2 Tablespoons tarragon leaves, chopped

1 Tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped

1 celery rib, chopped

1 cup pecans, chopped

1/2 cup currants

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

6 large tomatoes

red leaf lettuce, for plating

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients, except tomatoes and lettuce, in a large bowl.  Cut the tops off the tomatoes and scoop out the insides.  Fill each tomato with a large scoop of the chicken salad.

Serves 6.