chicken Archives - Page 4 of 5 -

January 20, 2015

White Bean Chicken Sausage Soup

With cold winters come so many things that I love- quiet snowfalls, warm cozy sweaters, steaming hot cocoa by the fire, and skiing season. Skiing season was practically nonexistent for us while our kids were so small, but we’ve finally reached the stage when family ski outings are possible. And now it’s better than ever. I find great joy in watching a child persevere with fierce determination in learning stops and turns and then in seeing a triumphant smile after riding the chairlift for the first time. With many of our Saturdays being away at the ski slopes, I’ve been relying on hearty soups such as this white bean chicken sausage soup to warm us after a day in the cold outdoors. It always feels good to come home to a home-cooked meal without actually cooking and this soup is perfect for making ahead of time and reheating. Pureed cannellini beans impart a rich creaminess without all of the butter, flour, and cream which are usually added to chowder-type soups. A touch of heavy cream is added at the very end to round out the creaminess, but this is certainly optional. This soup is scented with rosemary and thyme and contains a healthy dose of vegetables, although next time I might add some chopped greens at the end to make it even more nourishing. Add a loaf of whole grain bread to this savory soup for a simple, yet complete and satisfying meal.

White Bean Chicken Sausage Soup

Serves: 6

Ingredients

1 Ib dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
8 cups water
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, 1 smashed, 2 minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 medium carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
2 celery stalks, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound chicken Italian sausage, casings removed
¼ cup heavy cream

Instructions

In heavy pot, combine beans, 8 cups of water, 1 tablespoon oil, smashed garlic clove, rosemary, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered until beans are tender, about 1½ hours.
Drain beans and reserve cooking liquid. Discard bay leaf.
In the same pot, heat remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, salt, and pepper. Saute until onion starts to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Add minced garlic and 1 teaspoon thyme and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth, 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid, and beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer partially covered until beans are very soft, about 40 minutes. Remove from heat.
In a heavy skillet or sauté pan, cook chicken sausage over medium heat until no longer pink, breaking up into small pieces. Set aside.
Remove 1½ cups beans with a slotted spoon. Puree remaining soup with an immersion blender or by working in batches with a regular blender. Return reserved beans to the soup and add the chicken sausage, remaining thyme, and cream. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Heat over medium until warmed through. Garnish with additional thyme leaves, if desired.

Notes

adapted from Bon Appetit

November 24, 2014

Chicken Rosemary Parmesan Meatballs

A few weeks ago when I had wanted to make these Olive and Rosemary Breadstick Twists, I went for buying an entire rosemary plant, rather than a small bunch of rosemary that cost almost as much as a whole plant. The lady at the store promised that as long as I was careful to soak the roots with water everyday, the plant would last for at least several months. It did not. (sad face) There are now only a couple branches that are still alive and green and I am getting ready to toss it and move on. This is why I am not a gardener.

In my determination to get one last use out of my quickly fading rosemary plant, I decided to make these Chicken Rosemary Parmesan Meatballs. So perfect for dinner on a snowy day! I used this recipe from Annie’s Eats, except I swapped out the dried basil for fresh rosemary. It made a delicious substitute and I am so glad that I could find one last use for my rosemary plant. We enjoyed this served over polenta along with a crusty baguette, but it would also go well with pasta. Now that the snowy weather is here, it’s time for comfort recipes like this!

Baked Chicken Rosemary Meatballs

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

For the sauce:

1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, liquid reserved
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup finely chopped onion
1½ tablespoons tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
⅓ cup heavy cream

For the Meatballs:

1½ pounds ground chicken
½ cup whole wheat panko crumbs
⅓ cup finely minced onion
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large egg lightly beaten
¾ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

To Finish:

4 ounces shredded mozzarella, about 1 cup
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
2-3 tablespoons minced fresh basil or parsley, for garnish

Instructions

For the sauce:

Place the whole tomatoes in a blender or food processor, reserving most of the liquid. Puree tomatoes until smooth, adding some of the reserved liquid if necessary.
In a cast iron skillet or large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and sauté until onions are softened and begin to become translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic, and red pepper flakes and mix together until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the pureed tomatoes and cook over low heat until sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the cream.

For the meatballs:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken, panko, onion, parsley, rosemary, parmesan, garlic, eggs, salt, and pepper. Use hands to mix ingredients together until well combined. Form meatballs about 1½-inches in diameter.
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook meatballs in one or two batches, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Add meatballs to tomato mixture.

To finish:

Preheat oven to 400. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese and parmesan on top and bake until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley or basil. Serve warm.

Notes

To make this ahead of time, I assembled the meatballs and sauce together and left off the cheese. About 30 minutes before I was ready to serve, I reheated the meatballs and sauce over the stove before adding the cheese and baking.

slightly adapted from Annie's Eats, originally from Dinner, a Love Story

November 6, 2014

One-Pot Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya {with Brown Rice}

Jambalaya is one of those comforting meals I remember my mom cooking for our family as I was growing up. She mostly cooked Chinese food for us, but she also adventured into other types of cuisine, one of those being Cajun. After our first baby was born, she made huge batches of gumbo and jambalaya as freezer meals for us. (Thank you, Mom!) Jambalaya is a hearty one-pot meal that usually includes rice, vegetables, and protein. Most recipes I’ve seen use white rice, but I’ve adapted this particular recipe to use brown rice by adjusting the amount stock and cooking time. There are two types of jambalaya- Cajun and Creole. Creole jambalaya is tomato-based, Cajun is not, and the Creole version will often include seafood. This Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya is of the Cajun variety and is seasoned with a spice mix of chili powder, paprika, oregano, cayenne, black pepper, and garlic powder. It takes some patience to reduce the stock as the vegetables and meats are being cooked, but after one bite of deliciousness it will all be worth it! The reduction of the chicken stock is essential for developing the deep flavor of the jambalaya, so try not to take shortcuts. I try to make this on chilly days when standing by the stove is warming and comforting. This makes a fairly large quantity so it’s great to serve at gatherings and the leftovers taste even better the next day after the flavors have had some time to meld.

One-Pot Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya {with Brown Rice}

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

1 (3½- to 4-pound) chicken, roasted (I used a rotisserie chicken)
2 medium onions, 1 quartered, 1 diced small
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound nitrate-free smoked sausage
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 jalapeño, diced (optional)
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
5 bay leaves
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1½ teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2½ cups uncooked brown rice

Instructions

Remove meat from the chicken and discard skin. Save the accumulated juices and fat from the chicken. Use hands or two forks to shred the meat into pieces. Set meat aside in the refrigerator.
In a large pot or cast iron Dutch oven, place the carcass, quartered onion, and any vegetable trimmings with 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 1-2 hours. Strain pot and discard solids. You should have at least 7 cups of chicken stock.
In the same pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and sear until sausage starts to brown. Transfer sausage to a plate and set aside.
Return the pot to heat and add the butter. After butter melts, add the diced onion and sauté until onion starts to become golden, about 8-10 minutes. Add ¼ cup of chicken stock and scrape any brown bits loose. After the onions are mostly dry, add another ½ cup of stock. When stock is almost reduced again, add the peppers, scallions, celery, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, sea salt, black pepper, chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and tomato paste. Cook the vegetables for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until they begin to stick to the pot. Add another ¼ cup of stock and reduce until dry. Next add the shredded chicken, another 1 cup stock, and the accumulated juices from the chicken. Reduce the liquid by half.
Add the brown rice and 5 cups of chicken stock. Cover and cook on low heat for about one hour, until rice is evenly cooked.

Notes

This works best in a cast-iron dutch oven if you have one.

Save the trimmings from the vegetables and add them to the stock for more flavor.

adapted from Real Cajun: Rustic Home Cooking from Donald Link's Louisiana