Chicken

Thai Curry Noodle Soup with Chicken

September 14, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

Lately I can’t get enough of Thai curries! The balance of savory and fresh ingredients make Thai food one of my favorite meals. This curry is a soup with rice noodles and a savory broth. The base is flavored by red curry paste and coconut milk. It’s surprisingly easy and quick to throw together yet the broth tastes like it has been cooking for hours. The chicken is very thinly sliced so it cooks in a few minutes in the hot broth. You can find red curry paste at local Thai markets or make it from scratch. I garnished this dish with plenty of fresh Thai basil, fish sauce, lime juice, green onion and cilantro.
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Lemon and Cajun Roasted Chicken

August 8, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

Roasting a whole chicken is one of the simplest solutions to weeknight meals. This recipe uses a standard Cajun spice rub that is easy to mix together. For maximum flavor I used fresh thyme, lemons and garlic in addition to the spice blend. A trick I use to get the seasoning under the skin is by cutting two slits on each side of the chicken breast and rubbing the spices in under the skin. I used Meyer lemons because their flavor is a little bit milder and sweeter than the average lemon. The chicken was so tender and juicy with great flavors. Goes great with corn on the cob and grilled summer vegetables!
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Thai Red Curry with Chicken and Peanuts

July 21, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

Curries are one of my favorite things to make. Besides being fairly easy to prep and cook, the results are often outstanding! This curry combines thinly sliced chicken, butternut squash and peanuts in a red curry sauce. You can’t really get much better than that! The best thing about this recipe is the layering of the flavors that come from the coconut milk, peanuts and red curry paste. When I’m in a pinch I buy a pre-made red curry paste from a local Thai market but when I’m in no hurry I just make it from scratch. The sauce is rich but refreshing at the same time–perfect for a cooler summer night’s dinner. I served the curry with rice and garnished each plate with green onions, fresh mint and plenty of peanuts and lime juice.
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Moroccan Chicken Soup with Chickpeas and Preserved Lemons

June 15, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

This recipe combines the heartiness of classic chicken vegetable soup with the flavors of roasted Moroccan chicken and curry flavors. For the freshest and most nutritious soup I use homemade chicken stock. Preserved lemons might be hard to find at your average grocery store which is why I just make them ahead of time. I had also found that roasting a chicken in the oven with spices and olive oil allows for the most tender, shredded meat for the soup. If you don’t have any chicken stock on hand, you can use the bones from the chicken and make your own. If you already have some ready, that’s great, because you can then freeze the bones and have it ready to go for next time! The recipe uses a whole butternut squash, carrots, red potatoes and chickpeas for heartiness and flavor. A few tablespoons of spicy Moroccan Harissa paste and a curry spice blend is all that it needs to take this soup to the next level! I was very happy with the results and will be incorporating it into my weekly meals! The recipe yields a lot of soup so it makes a perfect weekday dinner.
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Thai Green Curry with Chicken and Eggplant

May 31, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

I simply can’t get enough of Thai curries. The combination of fresh herbs with creamy coconut milk and layered spices can be transcendental and delicious. This curry combines thinly shredded chicken with eggplant, red peppers, coconut milk in a fresh green curry broth. I usually make all my curry pastes from scratch but I found a pre-made version from a local Thai market that I like a lot. I recommend finding your own local asian or Thai market that has all the ingredients you need, no substitutes needed! If you do go for the homemade version, recipes can be readily found online. This recipe is easy to throw together and doesn’t require much prep or cooking time. Serve with rice and if you want to make the meal vegetarian, substitute one package of extra firm tofu for the chicken and switch out chicken stock for vegetable stock.
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Italian Chicken Parmesan Soup

April 27, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

Italian food excels at using great ingredients to elevate humble meals. This couldn’t be more true with a recipe like this soup. It combines a whole roasted chicken, seasoned with only sea salt and pepper, shredded in a savory tomato based broth with beans and veggies. The soup is peasant style with zucchini, great northern beans, fresh herbs and rotelli noodles. I used homemade chicken stock for added flavor and nutrients. Since the noodles tend to absorb a lot of the broth I don’t add them into the soup beforehand. Instead, I cook them separately and add a handful to each bowl. I would recommend using only fresh herbs since it made a big difference in the flavor of the broth. Add a big handful of parmigiano reggiano or romano cheese to each bowl for melted cheesy goodness! I served the soup with a warm crusty baguette and garnished each bowl with fresh basil.
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Roasted Chicken Tacos with Chipotle Salsa and Oaxaca Cheese

April 20, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

Tacos are one of my favorite foods and I’m always looking for different combinations to try out! This recipe combines tender, shredded chicken with a smokey Chipotle salsa and melty Oaxaca cheese. I roasted the chicken in the oven with fragrant spices, garlic and honey. The nice thing about roasting the chicken is that it produces plenty of juice in the pan to incorporate back into the meat once it has been shredded. This results in the juiciest, most tender meat for the tacos. The Oaxaca cheese melted easily over the tacos and had a mild flavor that complimented the other ingredients. The salsa can be made up to two days beforehand to save time on preparation.

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Chicken Vegetable Soup with Acorn Squash and White Beans

March 3, 2014 by The Partial Ingredients

Spring is around the corner but in many places winter is still raging. This soup is loaded with healthy veggies but is still hearty enough to combat the winter chills. For the stock I used my go to recipe for Homemade Stock. You can either use what you have pre-made or make it for the soup–either way works fine and instructions will follow. I packed this recipe with tons of veggies such as acorn squash, spinach, corn, peas, carrots and cabbage. The recipe is surprisingly hearty and flavorful. It has been one of my favorite go-to winter soup recipes over the past few weeks!
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Homemade Chicken Stock

November 28, 2013 by The Partial Ingredients

Hopefully I won’t sound too dramatic by saying there’s something a little magical about chicken stock. To me, taking leftover bones and inedible parts and transforming them into a healthy and flavorful broth is kind of amazing. It’s also an easy way to improve the flavor of any recipe that requires chicken stock. Not only does it taste amazing, it has been shown to have a number of health benefits. It turns out your mother was right serving you chicken soup when you were sick because studies have shown that chicken broth does help boost the immune system. It is rich in minerals like calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus which promote teeth and bone health. Broth is also high in collagen which helps promote hair, skin, nails and joint health. It is high in the amino acids proline and glycine which assist in ligament and connective tissue health. So I don’t think I’m being too hyperbolic in saying this stuff might be magical. If anyone needs to go through a medical procedure like surgery I highly recommend making a batch and freezing it in portions for when you need it. For added nutrients I recommend using a mineral rich sea salt like Celtic or Himalayan. I also add a teaspoon of turmeric which aids in controlling inflammation. I like to make stock in bulk so I seal a few jars in the refrigerator and freeze the rest in bags.

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Korean BBQ Chicken Tacos with Coleslaw and Sriracha Sour Cream

July 27, 2013 by The Partial Ingredients

What draws me to taco recipes is the symphony of flavors from the meats, condiments and sauces. I have never eaten Korean tacos from a food truck but I would hope that they might be like something like this: barbeque style chicken with crunchy coleslaw and spicy sour cream.

These tacos kick everything up a notch in terms of flavor and texture. The chicken is marinated ‘Dak Bulgogi‘ style with a sweet and savory sauce, grilled until caramelized. The coleslaw is a play on American coleslaw, using Napa cabbage (as used in Kimchi) with fish sauce, green onion, sriracha, and mirin. As the chicken is marinating in the sauce, prep the coleslaw and sriracha sour cream and leave it to chill. That way you’ll have everything you’ll need to assemble the tacos after grilling the chicken. The best way to make tacos is just having everything done so that you can time your dinner perfectly and not be scrambling at the last minute! I loved these tacos and will definitely make them again soon.

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