Category: Chicken

Chicken, spring, Vegetables and Salads

Roasted Chicken and Vegetables with Mustard and Tarragon

by Lynda Balslev8 Comments on Roasted Chicken and Vegetables with Mustard and Tarragon
Roasted Chicken and Vegetables with Mustard and Tarragon

There is something intrinsically satisfying about roasting a chicken. Versatile, economical, forgiving, and consistently delicious: a roast is perfect family dinner fare, and also worthy of casual entertaining. Expecting guests? Roast 2 chickens and double up on the ingredients. Variations abound.  In our case, roast chicken often involves a rub, as minimal as simply salt or more embellished with olive oil, garlic, lemon, mustard. Add an Asian twist with grated ginger, or head to north Africa with coriander and cumin. A favorite preparation is to roast the bird nestled in a pan with seasonal vegetables. As the chicken cooks, the vegetables brown and baste, adding to the flavor to the pan juices.

Roast Chicken and Spring Vegetables with Mustard and Tarragon
Serves 4-6

This recipe takes advantage of spring’s new vegetables. Feel free to mix and match with what’s available. I used thick purple spring onions, white carrots and baby turnips. Onions, fennel and potatoes are also a sure thing. For a rustic family-style presentation, return the carved chicken to the skillet in which it roasted, amidst the vegetables and pan juices.

1  3-4 pound whole chicken
Salt
Juice of one lemon
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh tarragon sprigs, coarsely chopped, plus extra for garnish

1 pound (6-8)  baby turnips, ends trimmed, halved
1/2 pound baby carrots, ends trimmed
6-8 thick red spring onions, ends trimmed, halved crosswise

Preheat oven to 400 F. Rinse and pat dry the chicken outside and inside the cavity. Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, mustard, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper together in a small bowl. Stir in the tarragon. Rub the 3/4 of the marinade all over the chicken – inside the cavity, outside, and between the skin and breast meat.
Place turnips, carrots and onions in a bowl. Toss with remaining marinade. Dump the vegetables into a large cast iron skillet or roasting pan. Nestle the chicken, breast-side up, in the middle of the vegetables. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove; using tongs turn chicken over, breast-side down. Return to oven and roast 20 minutes. Remove; turn chicken one more time. Continue roasting until chicken is cooked through and juices run clear when a knife is inserted in the thigh, 20-30 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and tent with foil. Let rest 15 minutes. Carve the chicken and return to the skillet with the vegetables and juices. Serve.

Appetizers, Chicken, Soups and Stews, spring, Vegetables and Salads

Spring Chicken and Vegetable Soup

by Lynda Balslev13 Comments on Spring Chicken and Vegetable Soup
Spring Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Here is another soup recipe that sings spring. Spring Chicken and Vegetable Soup is filled with seasonal vegetables including green garlic. Appearing in the markets right now, green garlic is the younger rendition of the ubiquitous papery garlic bulb. Like any youngster, this version  is sassy, sharp and full of swagger. But with a little heat, all of that bravado fades away. The green garlic softens, mellows and loses its pungency, resulting in a smooth aromatic backdrop to this light and healthy soup.

Spring Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Serves 4 to 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped green garlic, white and pale green parts
Salt
1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, thinly sliced
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup orzo
1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken meat (optional)
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped

Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add green garlic and 1 teaspoon salt. Sauté until garlic softens and its aroma loses its sharpness, 5 minutes. Add fennel and carrots and continue to sauté until the vegetables brighten in color and begin to soften, 2 minutes. Add stock, orzo and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered until orzo is cooked through and vegetables are tender, 15 – 20 minutes. Taste for salt. Stir in chicken and parsley; continue to cook until the chicken is warmed through. Serve immediately in warm bowls.

Appetizers, Barbeque, Chicken, Food Blog Events, Football, Grilling, Meat, Poultry

Red Hot and Low-Sodium Chicken Wings

by Lynda Balslev21 Comments on Red Hot and Low-Sodium Chicken Wings


Red Hot and Low-Sodium Chicken Wings

This week, I jumped on board a food blog event hosted by Jessica, who has the wonderful blog SodiumGirl. The challenge? To create a favorite salty recipe with low-sodium content. While this obviously prohibited the use of salt, it also required the use of products with no more than 40 mg of sodium per serving. I was eager to give this a try, but a little apprehensive, since I love salt.

It was quite eye opening as I rummaged through my refrigerator and pantry in search of ingredients containing no more than 40 mg of sodium per serving. I am not only referring to staples such as mustard, cheese, sriracha, ketchup, mayonnaise, even Greek style yogurt.  As I scrolled a database for more nutritional references, I discovered that many proteins have a generous amount of natural sodium. My goal, then, was to select a protein with a relatively low amount of salt and devise a recipe around it using low or no-sodium ingredients.

Happily, dark chicken meat came in at a respectable sodium level, with drumsticks and thighs packing 46 mg per serving. This got me thinking about one of my favorite salty foods best associated with bars and football games: spicy wings. So, I decided to try and make a low sodium version of spicy wings.

An important factor in making this recipe is the use of lots of spices. I rubbed the chicken with a blend of paprika, coriander, cumin and cayenne and let the wings marinate for several hours. Then I roasted them in a hot oven for an hour, basting them with a spicy sauce which was a simplified cross between a buffalo wing and a BBQ sauce. Normally a generous squirt of sriracha would play a role in a recipe like this, but weighing in at 100 mg per serving, I improvised. Instead, I  whipped up a basting sauce with Tabasco, tomato paste and brown sugar. The results were excellent. The wings were crunchy, sticky and spicy – just the kind of finger-licking appetizer I imagined, minus any salt. And you know what?  I didn’t miss the salt at all.

Red Hot and Low-Sodium Chicken Wings

I use drummettes, which are the largest part of the chicken wing, because I prefer their relative meatiness. Serves 4 as an appetizer.

Wings:
3 pounds chicken wings or drumettes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-4 tablespoons Tabasco (to taste)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Spiced Sour Cream Sauce:
1 cup sour cream
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Dash of Tabasco
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro sprigs

Prepare the wings:
Whisk oil, paprika, cumin, coriander, cayenne and black pepper together in a large bowl. Add drummettes and toss to evenly coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. 30 minutes before roasting, remove chicken from refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 425 F. (210 C.) Arrange drummettes on a oven grill pan. Roast 20 minutes. Turn chicken. Roast 20 minutes more.
While the chicken is roasting, make the basting sauce. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and whisk in tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar and lemon juice. Keep warm.
Remove chicken from oven and brush with tomato sauce. Return to oven and roast 10 minutes. Remove chicken and turn. Brush again with tomato sauce. Return to oven and roast until golden brown and cooked through, about 10 more minutes. Serve warm with Spiced Sour Cream Sauce for dipping.

Prepare the sauce:
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.

 

Chicken, Main Course, Poultry

Roasted Chicken with Cardamom and Yogurt

by Lynda Balslev15 Comments on Roasted Chicken with Cardamom and Yogurt
Roasted Chicken with Cardamom and Yogurt


Roasted Chicken with Cardamom and Yogurt

Did you know that cardamom is referred to as the Queen of Spices? It makes sense, then, that this regal spice will behave like proper royalty, restrained yet in charge, when teamed with a slick of spices in a potent paste for roast chicken. As the chicken marinates for some hours, the heady aromas of garlic and ginger will waft about and you may think that cardamom’s perfume is all but lost. Don’t be fooled. These bold flavors are all swagger, and will be suitably tamed and smoothed with roasting. As their sharpness mellows, the elegant cardamom will gracefully step forward, shining through in the finished flavor of the meat and crispy skin.

Roasted Chicken with Cardamom and Yogurt

Butterflying the chicken ensures quick and even roasting. The yoghurt will tenderize the meat and contribute to the browning of the skin.  Serves 4-6.

6 cardamom pods, seeds removed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup whole milk greek style yogurt
1 tablespoon ground fresh ginger
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 3-4 pound chicken, butterflied

Grind cardamom seeds and peppercorns in a mortar with pestle to a powder. Add cumin, coriander, salt and garlic and smash together. Add olive oil to form a paste. Stir in yogurt, ginger and lemon juice.  Smear spices between skin and breast and all over the chicken, front and back. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. 3o minutes before roasting, remove chicken from refrigerator.
Preheat oven to 425 F. (210 C.) Place chicken breast-side up in a baking pan or cast iron pan. Bake in oven until thoroughly cooked, 45  minutes – 1 hour. Remove from oven and let rest 15 minutes. Carve and serve.

Chicken, one-pot, Poultry, Soups and Stews, Wine, Winter

Coq au Vin

by Lynda Balslev9 Comments on Coq au Vin

Coq au Vin is cozy winter food. It’s meant to slow cook and, like many stews, tastes even better the day after it’s prepared. I’ve come across recipes for quick Coq au Vin. This option sounds ideal for a busy weekday night, but, if you ask me, I would rather save my Coq au Vin for the weekend when it can simmer away, filling the kitchen with warmth and the aromas of wine and herbs, while building anticipation for dinner to come.

Traditional Coq au Vin required slow cooking, since it called for using a tough rooster as its main ingredient, which benefited from a long cooking process to tenderize the bird. Nowadays, chicken is commonly used, and the length of cooking time is shortened. Nonetheless, the dish is best when left to simmer over low heat, and the sauce is allowed to reduce and thicken into a luxuriously rich stew.

In this version, I omit the bacon and use a generous amount of brandy to deglaze the pan. Tomato paste is added to round out the sauce with a touch of sweetness. I like to slow-cook the stew in the oven at a lower temperature, freeing up the stove top for other needs. In the meantime, I am free to get on with other tasks, or relax with a book and a cup of tea or gløgg.  This is the epitome of winter weekend food, preferably when the weather is cold and dismal outside.

Coq au Vin – Chicken Braised in Red Wine

As an option to butchering a whole chicken, purchase 2 whole legs and 2 to 3 breasts with skin and bone intact. Serves 4 to 6.

1 tablespoon olive oil
One chicken, cut in 8 pieces
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup brandy
4 garlic cloves, smashed
3 large carrots, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1 large onion, chopped
8 ounces white mushrooms, halved (quartered if large)
1 (750 ml) bottle full-bodied red wine
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon brown sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. (170°C.) Heat the oil in an oven-proof pot with lid or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces, skin-side down, in batches. Brown on all sides, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a platter.
2. Carefully add the brandy to the pot (it will steam) and stir to deglaze the pot while you let the brandy reduce by about half.
3. Add the garlic, carrots, onion, and mushrooms, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the wine, tomato paste, thyme, and bay leaves. Return the chicken to the pot and nestle the pieces in the wine. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
4. Transfer the pot to the stove top. Remove the chicken and vegetables with a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. Boil the sauce over medium heat until reduced by about half and thickened to a sauce consistency, skimming the fat, about 20 minutes. Add the sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken and vegetables to the pot, and gently simmer to thoroughly heat through.
5. Serve warm in low bowls with mashed or roasted potatoes.

Chicken, Curries, Main Course, one-pot, Poultry, Soups and Stews

Curry Chicken Stew

by Lynda Balslev10 Comments on Curry Chicken Stew
Curry Chicken Stew

When I lived in Geneva for 10 years in the nineties, there was no shortage of cheese and French haute cuisine. There is nothing wrong with that.  However, from time to time I found myself craving exotic, spiced flavors from further corners of the world. Short of the falafel truck outside of La Placette, there were few alternatives. The few available ethnic restaurants were often overpriced and underwhelming – Swiss interpretations of the real gritty deal. So, I quickly learned to make my own versions of curries, satays, and spring rolls at home. They were hardly authentic, but I was able to satisfy my wistful taste buds.

One day, I came across a recipe for Country Captain in a cooking magazine. It was a sweet tomato-based chicken stew, studded with apple and infused with curry. It seemed easy to prepare with ingredients I could readily find in the Swiss suburbs, so I made it. The stew was light and fresh, pleasantly balanced with the acidity of tomato, sweetness of fruit and a nice kick of curry. For no real reason, I didn’t make it again. The recipe was filed, and over time I forgot about it – until recently, when I stumbled across a recipe for Country Captain in Saveur Magazine. As soon as I read the name, I was transported back to Geneva when I first made the stew and reminded of how much I enjoyed it.

Country Captain is a dish that originated in the American south. Influenced by the flavors of India and introduced to the U.S. by British officers, it’s a mild stew, usually garnished with currants and almonds and served with rice. It’s not overpowering and it’s heat may be adjusted according to taste, which makes it a great family dish. This recipe for Curry Chicken Stew is inspired by Country Captain, however, in my version I add more vegetables and omit many of the extra garnishes.

Curry Chicken Stew

This recipe calls for chicken off the bone, which shortens the cooking time and makes it easy to prepare as a weeknight dinner. Serves 4-6.

Olive oil
4 boneless chicken thighs, with skin
2 large boneless chicken breasts, with skin
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 large carrots, sliced
1/2 large head of cauliflower, broken into 1 inch florets
1 poblano pepper, cut in 3/4 inch pieces
1 annaheim or serrano chile pepper, stemmed seeded, sliced
3 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons grated ginger
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 – 28 ounce can Italian plum tomatoes with juices
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Basmati rice
Parsley cilantro

Preheat oven to 325 F. (170 C.) Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a deep skillet or Dutch-oven over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper the chicken pieces. Add chicken in batches to the skillet without overcrowding. Cook until brown, about 3 minutes each side. Transfer to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet. Add onion and sauté 2 minutes. Add carrots, cauliflower and peppers. Saute until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add curry powder, ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring, until fragrant and the vegetables are thickly coated with the curry powder, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, bay leaf, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer 10 minutes.
Return chicken to the skillet and partially nestle the pieces in the stew with the browned skin exposed. Cover with lid or foil and transfer to oven and bake, 15 minutes. Remove lid and continue to bake until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes more. Serve stew in bowls or deep dishes, spooned over basmati rice. Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro leaves.

Autumn, Fall, Chicken, Main Course, one-pot, Poultry

Sriracha Marinated Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables

by Lynda Balslev10 Comments on Sriracha Marinated Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables

Sriracha chicken tf

Why is it that when it’s super hot outside, spicy food is the best antidote? The theory lies in the chile peppers. Their heat winds up our endorphins, radiating heat to our skin and causing us to sweat, which, in turn, cools us down. And, despite the calendar date, this is just what I need. The Bay area is presently in the midst of a record breaking heat wave. Triple digit temperatures are making up for the summer that did not happen this year. It’s hot hot hot, and I am craving spicy food.

This recipe attempts to remedy that. Consider it an Ode to an Autumn Heat Wave. Sriracha Marinated Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables takes a quintessential fall dish and ramps up the heat with a douse of sriracha. It’s homey, rustic and firing on all pistons. So, if you will excuse me, I need to go and sweat a little.

Sriracha Marinated Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables

Spicy, fragrant and hearty with seasonal root vegetables, this is best served with couscous to soak up the juices.

For the marinade:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sriracha
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the roast:
1 3-4 pound free range organic chicken
6 baby sweet peppers, or 2 bell peppers, cut in 2 inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, smashed
2 large yellow onions, quartered
2 medium sweet potatoes, cut in 2 inch chunks
1 medium cauliflower, broken in 2 inch florets
1 large fennel bulb with fronds, ends trimmed, cut in 1 inch chunks
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all of the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400 F. (200 C.) Rinse the chicken and pat dry, including inside of the cavity, with paper towels; place in a large bowl. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Coat all over the chicken, including inside the cavity and between the skin and breast meat. Transfer chicken to roasting pan, breast-side up. Add vegetables to the same bowl along with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Scatter the vegetables around the chicken in the roasting pan. Bake in oven 30 minutes. Remove pan and with tongs, carefully turn chicken over in pan, breast-side down. Continue roasting 20 minutes. Remove pan and turn chicken over once again, breast-side up. Continue roasting until thoroughly cooked, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer chicken to cutting board. Tent loosely with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving. Stir vegetables in the pan with the juices and keep warm. Serve chicken with vegetables and couscous with reserved juices.

Barbeque, Chicken, gluten-free, Grilling, Main Course, Poultry, Roasted Chicken

Roasted Lemon Cilantro Chicken

by Lynda Balslev6 Comments on Roasted Lemon Cilantro Chicken
Roasted Lemon Cilantro Chicken


Cilantro Lemon Chicken

The grill is on. Every day. And at least once a week this involves a whole chicken for a family dinner. In the winter we do it in the oven, and in the summer we do it on the grill. Both methods are similar, while grilling adds a smokier flavor to the chicken meat, especially when using a charcoal grill. Cilantro is also a family favorite, and the marinade for the chicken is chock-a-block full of it. For those who are faint of heart when it comes to cilantro, you can substitute rosemary or thyme with great results (be sure to omit the saffron from the paste). 

Roasted Lemon Cilantro Chicken
Serves 4-5

2 large garlic cloves
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro sprigs
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 teaspoons sea salt, divided
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 whole 3-4 pound chicken
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Make the paste:
Combine garlic, cilantro, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, lemon zest and saffron in a mortar with pestle or bowl of a food processor.  Smash or grind to a paste.  Stir or pulse in 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Rub chicken between skin and breast meat and inside cavity with the paste. Rub the outside of the skin with one tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Place on tray or platter, breast-side up and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 6 hours.  Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting.

Prepare Chicken:
Prepare grill for indirect medium heat or preheat oven to 450 F. (225 C.)
 Place chicken, breast-side up on the grill with a pan below to catch it’s juices. (If roasting in the oven, place chicken in a roasting pan). Close the lid of the grill and roast for 20 minutes. Carefully turn chicken over with tongs. Roast, covered, another 20 minutes. Turn chicken over once more, breast-side up. Continue roasting, covered, 20 minutes. Check to see if chicken is done by carefully cutting skin between breast and thigh. If meat is pink, continue roasting additional 10 – 15 minutes. Chicken is cooked when meat is no longer pink, and clear juices run from the thigh when pierced with a knife. Remove from heat, cover loosely with foil and let rest 15 minutes before carving.

Autumn, Fall, Chicken, Main Course, one-pot, Poultry

Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Fricassée

by Lynda Balslev4 Comments on Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Fricassée
Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Fricassée

Chicken Leek Mushroom Fricassee

Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Fricassée
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 chicken breast halves, with skin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lb. (250 g.) assorted mushrooms (such as white, crimini, shiitake) stems trimmed, halved
3 leeks, white and pale green parts, cleaned, sliced in 1/4″ pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh
1/4 cup (60 ml.) dry white wine
1/2 cup (120 ml.) chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream

Heat one tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Salt and pepper chicken all over.  Add chicken to skillet, skin-side down.  Cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes.  Remove chicken from skillet.
Reduce heat to medium and add one tablespoon olive oil to skillet.  Add mushrooms and leeks and cook, stirring, over medium heat until leeks are vibrant and vegetables are tender but not too soft, 3-4 minutes.  Add thyme and sauté one minute.  Add white wine and simmer until most of the wine is evaporated.  Add chicken stock and return chicken to pan.  Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through, 5-8 minutes.  Remove chicken from pan and tent with foil to keep warm.
Add cream to vegetables and simmer until cream and stock reduce by a third and begin to thicken.  Arrange chicken on serving plates or platter.  Spoon sauce over chicken.  Serve with rice.

 

Autumn, Fall, Chicken, Main Course, Poultry

Skillet Chicken with Rice and Vegetables

by Lynda Balslev6 Comments on Skillet Chicken with Rice and Vegetables

Chicken Rice Vegetables

“This tastes like chicken soup without the soup,” declared my daughter as she tucked into a weeknight dinner of chicken and rice.  It was cool and cloudy outside, an unusual event in Northern California, where any rain in September warrants breaking news on the television.  As many of you know, I am a New England girl at heart.  Even when I was living in Europe for nearly 2 decades, I managed to end up in countries and regions where fog, rain, and cold weather featured prominently in the weather report, and I didn’t mind at all.  I married a Dane whose country prides itself on its dismal weather 9 months of the year.  Autumn weather brings out the best in my mood.  The finicky, blustery, invigorating climate sends me outdoors for cool fresh air and the spray of rain and then back inside for cozy clothes, warm fires and comfort food.  Inclement weather, to me, is like the proverbial other shoe to drop.  It balances out the sunshine and warmth of summer, and shows off the other side of Mother Nature.

So, now that I find myself living in California, otherwise known as the land of eternally blue skies and incessantly bright sunshine, I must seize my fall moments when I can.  This brings me to Chicken with Rice and Vegetables.  Due to the wild and unexpected display of crazy weather and freakish nature last week in Marin County (a.k.a. sprinkles and clouds) I embraced that other shoe, so to speak.  After taking a brisk run outside in the forest, I lit a fire in our fireplace, donned fluffy houseshoes and a fleece pullover, and proceeded to make a cozy one pot dish for a family dinner.  The result was what I would consider a compliment in the comfort food category by my daughter and an apt description of this homey skillet chicken and rice dish.  The other result was the hot flashes I experienced due to overdressing in fleece and fluff for the 10 F.  temperature drop in the air outside.

One Pot Chicken

Chicken with Rice and Vegetables
Mild and comforting, this is food that will please children and adults alike.The results will be more dry like a paella, not a stew.

Serves 4-6

4 large chicken breasts, with skin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, cut in 1/4″ slices
2 celery ribs, cut in 1/2″ slices
1 poblano pepper, or green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, cut in 1/2″ pieces
2 vine ripe tomatoes, halved, stem and seeds removed, cut in chunks
1 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 turkish bay leaf
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup shelled peas or frozen peas
Thyme sprigs for garnish

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.  Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken skin-side down.  Cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes.  Turn and cook 2 more minutes.  Remove from skillet and set aside on plate.
Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet.  Add onion and sauté until tender over medium heat, 2 minutes.  Add garlic and sauté one minute.  Add carrots, celery, pepper.  Sauté until colors brighten and vegetables begin to soften slightly, 2 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, thyme, oregano, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.  Add rice and cook, stirring, one minute.  Add stock.  Return chicken to pot and arrange in one layer over rice and vegetables.  Cover, reduce to simmer, and cook until chicken is cooked through, 12-15 minutes.  Remove chicken from skillet.  Place on plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
Add peas to rice, cover and continue to cook until rice is tender, approximately 5-8 more minutes.  Add additional salt and pepper, to taste.  Fluff rice and vegetables with a fork and return chicken to skillet.  Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs and serve.