Indian Butter Chicken

adapted from From Away

I love Indian food. It's so spicy and completely exotic. I would love to travel to India someday and go on a food tour - just to try out the range of spices and new flavors. Ahhh... someday! 

This recipe was good and easy to make. If you are into Indian food at all, or are wanting to try something new - give it a whirl! It could easily be made vegetarian as well by substituting the meat with eggplant or another veggie.

Serves 4-6

2 lbs chicken, cubed
8 cloves of garlic
2 tsp fresh ginger
2 Tbsp coriander powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper
salt (to taste)
vegetable oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, chopped
2 cups water
1/4 cup cashews
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 fresno chile, seeded and diced (If you like spice!)
1/2 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup or 112 grams)
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
1/2 cup cream
1 Tbsp garam masala
1/4 cup parsley, chopped, for a garnish

In a large bowl, toss chicken cubes, half of the garlic, 1 tsp of ginger, 1 Tbsp of coriander, 1 tsp cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt. Toss until well coated and set aside.
Heat a slash of oil in a wok, then add the marinated chicken. Cook for about 5 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In the same skillet, add the cumin seeds, the onion, remaining garlic and ginger and saute for 20 minutes on low until the onions are soft. Then add water and stir. Add cashews, remaining coriander powder, remaining chili powder, tomatoes, the chile and stir well.
Let the sauce cook slowly over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes, until everything has mingled. Transfer the sauce to a blender (CAREFULLY!) and blend until smooth. Pour the sauce back into the wok, add the butter, tomato paste, sugar and stir will.
Finally, add the cream and reserved chicken to the sauce. Cook the chicken for a few more minutes, making sure it is cooked all of the way through. Add the garam masala and stir well. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve over rice.

Roasted Turkey Breasts

from Betty Crocker

I love turkey, but am not always in the mood to roast a whole bird. When turkey breasts came on sale a few weeks ago, I jumped at the chance to have a nice turkey dinner without all of the fuss.

Serves 6-8

1 whole turkey breast, bone in (thawed if frozen) about 4-5 lbs or 1.75- 2 kilos

1/2 cup butter (113 grams)

1/4 cup white wine or apple juice

2 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 tsp salt

1 tsp paprika

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp cold water

Preheat oven to 325 F (176 C). Place turkey, skin side up on a rack in a large, shallow roasting pan. Roast uncovered 1 hour.

Mix butter, wine, thyme, salt , paprika and garlic. Brush turkey with half of the butter mixture. Roast 30 minutes; brush with remaining butter mixture. Roast about an hour longer or until your meat thermometer reads 165 F (73 C). Remove turkey from the oven and let it stand for 15 minutes. In the meantime, take the pan drippings and skim the fat off of the top. Add enough water to drippings to measure out about 2 cups. Heat water and drippings in a saucepan until boiling. In a small cup, mix in cornstarch and 2 Tbsp cold water and once they are thoroughly mixed, add to the drippings. Boil and stir for 1 minute, serve gravy with turkey.

Chicken Tikka Masala

adapted slightly from Jamie Oliver

I love Indian food but find it so intimidating! I guess I hate the fact that I never really know if I'm doing it right because it is so unfamiliar... So when my friend Janine wanted to try out this Tikki Masala recipe I thought it would be the perfect time to tackle the challenge. By the end of the hour the house smelled like a spice market and our mouths were all watering.

Serves 4-6

1/2 fresh red chili, deseeded (more if you want it hotter)

1 clove garlic,

1/2 oz (15 grams) fresh ginger

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 pinch paprika

1/2 Tbsp garam masala

1 tsp tomato puree

a bunch of fresh cilantro (coriander)

about 14 oz (400 grams) chicken breast, diced into pieces

1 small onion, peeled and sliced

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped into pieces

1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped into pieces

1 pinch of ground cinnamon

1 pinch of ground coriander

1 pinch of turmeric

14 oz (400 grams) plum tomatoes

3.5 oz (100 ml) plain yogurt

3.5 oz (100 ml) sour cream

The day before: (or at least a few hours before)

Put the chili, garlic, ginger, vegetable oil, paprika, garam masala, tomato puree, and all of the cilantro stalks into the food processor and puree to form a paste. Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl, coat them with marinade and put them in the fridge over night.

When ready, add a little vegetable oil in a large wok or fry pan on medium heat. Fry the onion, peppers and remaining spices in a large saucepan. Cook gently for about 10 minutes, then add the can of tomatoes and yogurt. Finally, add the chicken pieces and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. Just before serving, stir through the double cream and chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve with fluffy rice and a leafy green salad.

How to Roast a Whole Chicken

While I love the convienience of bags of frozen chicken breasts, it's much more economical to buy the whole chicken and to roast it yourself. Plus, it makes the whole house smell great!

1 shallow pan

1 whole chicken

salt

rosemary

pepper

parsley

sage

oil

onion

garlic

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C)

Take the chicken out of the trappings, remove giblets, rinse thoroughly and pat completely dry with a paper towel. Then place the chicken in the center of an oiled baking dish. You can stuff the bird's cavity with a roughly chopped onion or garlic cloves if you like. Then, in a small bowl, mix spices together. Brush chicken with a thin layer of oil and sprinkle the spice mixture evenly all over the chicken.

Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until juices run clear. The cooking time really depends on the size of the bird; for anything over 3.5 pounds, cook for about 8-10 minutes per pound (about 8-10 minutes every 500 grams). To be completely sure it is baked through, you may want to use a meat thermometer and make sure the internal temperature gets to 165 F (73 C).

Let the chicken rest for a few minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Happy Meal

Ben right now is in this cooking group at work, and he always comes home with these really interesting recipes from all over the world. This is one is from a colleague of his whose mom would make it back home and they called it "the happy meal" because it was so good. I was impressed with it because of the strange combination of savory and sweet, I would have never thought to mix bananas and bacon but it turned out quite delicious.

Serves 4

1 onion

14 oz turkey, cut into chunks (400 g)

3.5 ounces bacon (100 g)

1 cup of cream (250 ml)

1 Tbsp curry

1 beef bullion cube

1 banana

1 cup mandarin oranges

1 1/2 cup pineapple

rice

Chop bacon and onion into small pieces and saute with strips of turkey in a large frying pan. Once they are cooked, add cream, beef bullion cube, curry and salt if needed. Last, drop in banana, pineapple and Mandarin oranges. Let them all simmer together for several minutes, and serve immediately with rice. Don't let the fruit simmer for too long, or the fruity flavors will overpower the meal (known from experience!).

Sweet and Sour Baked Chicken

adapted slightly from Heat Oven to 350

It's so easy to get in a cooking rut. I looked at our menu last week and realized we had been eating meatballs and sandwiches for almost every meal and so I decided to try something new. This was a great meal; a healthy and delicious twist on the asian classic. I loved the tangy sauce and it was even better the next day! Feel free to experiment with different vegetables.

Serves 4-6

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

8 1/2 ounce pineapple chunks in their own juice

1/2 cup jellied cranberry sauce (I used lingonberry jam)

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp rice vinegar or cider vinegar

2 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate (I used regular orange juice + 1/2 tsp orange concentrate)

1 tsp soy sauce

1/4 tsp ground ginger

2 Tbsp cornstarch

2 Tbsp water

1 medium green bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 medium zucchini, cut into thin slices

Heat the oven to 350 degrees (176 C). Pat chicken pieces dry with a paper towel, place them in a medium sized baking pan and set aside.

Drain juice from pinapple into a small saucepan and set pineapple asie. Put pan over medium heat and whisk in cranberry sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, orange juice concentrate soy sauce and ginger. Cook, stirring often until the cranberry sauce has melted and the sauce is warm. Put cornstarch in a cup or small bowl. Add water, whisking to dissolve. Whisk into juice mixture. Increase heat to medium-high and cook for about 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Add pineapple chunks and pour over chicken.

Bake, covered for 35 minutes. Add bell pepper and zucchini and baste the chicken with sauce. Bake uncovered for an additional 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

Mom's Chicken Noodle Soup

from Mom

I remember my mom making this growing up, always from scratch and always telling us how simple it was to put together and haw much better homemade was compared to the canned stuff. How right she was! This soup is so delicious and comforting.

Serves 6-8

8-10 cups chicken broth

2 cups carrots, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped

1 onion, diced

2 cups cooked chicken, cut into chunks

1 package of egg noodles

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp flour

1 cup milk

1 Tbsp lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Cook chicken pieces through and set aside. In a large soup pot, boil vegetables in broth until they are just beginning to soften.

Meanwhile, in a separate pan create a light roux by melting the butter over low heat, and then gradually adding flour, mixing constantly until incorporated. Then slowly add milk, stirring to get rid of lumps. Once the mixture is smooth, pour into the soup. Add chicken to heat through, and just before serving add the noodles and let simmer until they are just soft. Don't let the noodles sit for too long or they will get mushy. Serve immediately with fresh bread.

Lime Chicken Soup

Adapted from Sea Salt with Food

This soup was so light and fresh tasting. An amazing soup if you are on a diet but want something special and filling. This will be a soup I'm going to make again and again!

Serves 6

For the Broth

2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

8 cups chicken broth

2 limes, juiced

salt

1/2 cup rice

For the Garnish

2-3 tomatoes, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 small cucumber, diced

2 jalepeno chilies, minced

4 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1/2 tsp salt

2-3 limes, cut into wedges

Bring the chicken broth to a boil, add rice, chicken, salt and lime juice and reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

In the meantime, chop up your garnish ingredients and mix together in a bowl.

Once the broth is done, ladle it into serving bowls and spoon a generous 1/2 cup of garnish on top. Season with lime wedges and top with cilantro.

Chicken Véronique

Ben made this for dinner the other night and it was AMAZING. So good I wanted to lick my plate clean! These pictures really don't do it justice. It's basically chicken in a white wine sauce, cooked with grapes and eaten over rice. The chicken is tangy and the grapes are sweet and juicy. It's an incredible combination.

serves 4

2 Tbsp butter

4 chicken breasts

1-2 cups green seedless grapes

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 tsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder

2 tsp parsley

1 Tbsp dried rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and pepper and sear both sides until they are slightly browned. Then transfer the chicken to another plate.

2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the second tablespoon of butter to the skillet. Saute the shallots until they are translucent. Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping any bits off of the bottom, add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer until the volume of the liquid is reduced by half.

3. Add the cream, cornstarch (mix with a Tbsp wine so it will be smooth), and spices and let it remain on low heat until it has begun to thicken up, then return the chicken to the sauce. Poach the chicken until it is cooked through. (about 5-10 minutes)

4. Finally, add the grapes for just a few minutes before taking the pan off of the stove. Leave them in just long enough to become hot. Serve over rice.

Rosemary Chicken and Potatoes

adapted from impurrfections

This is an easy way to throw together dinner. I loved the combination of rosemary and chicken and the potatoes were a perfect side.

4 chicken breasts or thighs

4-6 medium red potatoes, cut into wedges

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp fresh rosemary (2 tsp dried)

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 (176 C) and prepare a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss potatoes and chicken with olive oil and arrange on the baking sheet. In a small bowl mix together rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, salt and pepper and sprinkle liberally on potatoes and chicken.

Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes, then use a brush to baste the chicken in some of the pan juices. Bake for an additional 15 minutes and serve.

PF Changs style Lettuce Wraps

Adapted from PF Changs

Ben and I first tried these lettuce wraps on a date, and we were hooked! Being students we couldn't afford to go out every time we had a hankering for them so we learned to make it ourselves through trial and error. The chicken has great flavor, the dipping sauce is hot and spicy and it is a great contrast to the cool, crisp lettuce leaves.

3-4 chicken breasts, diced into small pieces

1 cup water chestnuts, diced

green onion, diced

mushrooms, diced

2-3 chilies (optional, depending on how hot you like it)

oil

2-3 Tbsp soy sauce

2-3 Tbsp brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

1 head iceburg lettuce

rice

Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

4 Tbsp soy

4 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

4 Tbsp ketchup

2 Tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp oil

Hot chinese mustard and chili paste to taste

Carefully peel off individual leaves of lettuce from the head, wash and place in the fridge to chill. Chop up and combine the chicken, water chestnuts, onion, mushrooms and chilies. Heat the oil on the wok and once hot, stir fry chicken mixture together.

In a separate bowl, combine all ingredients for the dipping sauce and mix well.

Eat by spooning the chicken into lettuce cups with a little dipping sauce, wrap it up and enjoy!

Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

Adapted from Mom

Enchiladas are one of my favorite meals. It reminds me of mom and living in my childhood home, and it is great comfort food. I have changed her original recipe over the years to add more spice and heat, but it still has the same elements and tastes great.

Serves 4

1 Tbsp butter

1 onion

2 garlic cloves

2 tsp chili powder

1 Tbsp dried cilantro (or 1 bunch of fresh), divided

1 can green chilies

2 cups cubed chicken

1 can of Cream of Chicken soup *

16 tortillas

1 cup cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1 can green enchilada sauce

1 bell pepper, diced

Preheat the oven to 350 (176 C)

Saute onion, garlic, chili and half of your cilantro in butter until clear and fragrant. Add chicken pieces, cook through. Add cream of chicken soup, can of green chilies and sour cream, stir until smooth.

Pour 1/2 the can of green enchilada sauce on the bottom of your baking dish (I ended up using one 9x13 inch casserole pan). Take one tortilla at a time, add a scoop of creamy chicken filling and roll it up inside of the tortilla. Start lining up the filled and rolled tortillas in the casserole dish and keep squeezing them in until they are packed tight and you are out of sauce. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce on top of the dish and sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese, the rest of your cilantro and diced bell pepper.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with fresh salsa.

*if you need to make your own cream of chicken soup like I do in Finland, here are the ingredients:

4 Tbsp flour

4 Tbsp butter

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk

1 cup chicken stock

Melt butter in a sauce pan and whisk in flour. Then add salt, milk and broth slowly and heat until liquid is smooth.

Thai Cashew Chicken

Adapted from a Mingling of Tastes and Allrecipes

This spicy stir fry was an attempt to start labor after being almost a week overdue. It didn't work, but it was delicious and packed with healthy veggies.

2 cups chicken pieces
1 Tbsp oil
6 Tbsp ketchup

6 Tbsp oyster sauce

2 Tbsp soy sauce

3/4 cup chicken broth

3 tsp white sugar

2 Tbsp Thai chili paste (adjust this to your tastes, it can make it very hot!)

1 Tbsp flour

1 large onion, chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

3-4 large carrots, julienned

1 red pepper, chopped

1 head broccoli, chopped

*dried red chilies (optional, for additional heat)

1/2 cup cashews

Steamed rice, for serving

Mix together the ketchup, oyster sauce, soy sauce, chicken broth, sugar and chili paste. Reserve half of the sauce and marinate the chicken in the other half in the fridge for at least 1/2 hour (the longer the better).

While the chicken is in the fridge, prepare all of the vegetables, cook rice and set aside.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken plus chopped onion and stir fry for several minutes until meat is cooked through. Lower the heat to medium, add in the reserved sauce plus 1 Tbsp flour to thicken, the rest of the veggies and cook for 4-5 minutes until the vegetables are just beginning to become tender, but still have bite. Remove from heat, mix in the cashews and serve immediately over rice.

Grilled Huli Huli Chicken

adapted from Elly Says Opa

I wanted to try a recipe using a glaze, and this chicken recipe was perfect. It would be ideal on a real grill in your backyard but since we are backyard-less right now the oven worked just fine. This Hawaiian luau chicken turned out sweet and tangy and would be perfect with some grilled pineapple and red peppers.

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup pineapple chunks

2 Tbsp brown sugar

2 Tbsp ketchup

1 Tbsp rice vinegar

1 knob fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp powder)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2-3 chicken legs (or 5-6 skinless breasts)

1 tsp oil

Preheat the broiler or grill. Combine soy sauce, pineapple, brown sugar, ketchup, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce in a small bowl. Rub the chicken with oil, and then broil skin side up about 6 inches (15 centimeters) form the element for 8 minutes. Flip the chicken and broil on the other side for an additional 8 minutes. Then brush the chicken with the glaze and cook on one side. Brush and repeat 3 times (total of 16 minutes)

You can use other cuts of chicken (or meat for that matter) and just adjust the cooking time to how thick the cut is. Keep reapplying the glaze for a nice golden outside and keep flipping every few minutes until juices run clear.

Serve with rice, red peppers, and pineapple slices.

Baked Chicken with Dijon and Lime

adapted from Gina's Recipes

This chicken was excellent. It came out of the oven beautifully golden and the mixture of lime and Dijon mustard was a surprise hit.

3-4 large chicken thighs

3 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp light mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 lime, juice and zest

3/4 tsp pepper

salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 (204 C), rinse the chicken and remove the skin and fat. In a small bowl combine dijon, mayonnaise, lime juice and zest, garlic, pepper and salt to taste. Mix well. Pat chicken dry and pour sauce over it, tossing well to coat. Marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Spray a baking pan with pam to prevent sticking and place chicken to fit in a single layer. Bake until cooked through and juices run clear (about 40 minutes) then move the pan up to the broiler and finish the chicken until it is a golden brown.

You then use the pan juices to make a delicious tangy sauce. Pour the drippings in a saucepan and skim off the fat as best as you can. Turn up the heat to medium and add in 1 Tbsp flour and 1 cup of chicken broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly for several minutes until sauce is thickened.

Serve chicken with rice and sauce.

Oven Fried Chicken

adapted from Weight Watcher Recipes

I had a hankering for fried chicken, but I am trying to avoid all fried foods on this blog so I found this pseudo-fried baked chicken and gave it a whirl. I was a little skeptical about using bran flakes, but it turned out great and was so easy that I can't wait to try it again.

Tip: I put this on the top rack and the legs in the back cooked pretty fast and almost burned so maybe put it one the middle rack or lower to prevent this from happening.

6 medium bone-in, skinless drumsticks (I used 3 legs)

2 1/2 cups bran flakes (corn flakes would also work well)

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

4 Tbsp light mayonnaise

3 tsp mustard

Preheat oven to 400 (204 C), line a baking sheet with foil and place beneath a wire rack to catch the drippings. Spray the rack with a little oil.

Crush the bran flakes into a grainy powder. In a bowl mix crushed cereal with salt, paprika, garlic powder, and peppers. In another bowl, combine mayonnaise and mustard. Using a cooking brush, brush the mayonnaise lightly on the chicken and then coat the chicken with the crushed cereal mixture. Place the chicken on the rack and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the juices of the chicken run clear.

Hawaiian Haystacks

This is one of those dinners that goes by many names (Chinese sundays, chicken sundays) and is made differently in every house. I love it because it is so versatile and you can add or subtract ingredients according to your tastes. I have eaten this meal with green onions, diced peppers, diced celery, water chestnuts, different cheeses, chow mein noodles, slivered almonds, shredded carrots and soy sauce. So experiment to find the best combination for your family. This is our favorite:

Usually there is lettuce in there too, but I forgot to buy it at the store...

Serves 3-4

3-4 baked white fish filets (or 3 cups of cubed cooked chicken, or in a pinch two cans of drained tuna)

4 cups cooked rice

2 large onions

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

shredded coconut (I lightly toasted ours with salt and sugar)

3 large tomatoes, diced and seeds removed

2 cups pineapple, cut into chunks

1 head lettuce, torn into small pieces

1 can (about 2 cups) of cream of chicken soup

Cook rice, set aside.

Chop onions into rings and place them in a hot frying pan with 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt. Turn the heat down to medium and saute, stirring frequently until the onions are soft, and caramelized (about 10 minutes). Remove from heat and set aside.

Prepare tomatoes, chop lettuce and those and the coconut, pineapple, and onions in separate small serving bowls. Heat 1 can of cream of chicken soup in a pot and once it is warm, begin to serve.

Use rice as the base, and add heaping spoonful of each of the ingredients, topping with the fish or chicken. Pour a few tablespoons of soup on top, and serve.

Rosemary Lemon Chicken with Olives

adapted from Chez Us

The rosemary in this dish has such great flavor and is paired perfectly with the bright, tart lemons and salty olives. This photo doesn't begin to describe how delicious this chicken was.

3-4 chicken thighs

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 jar olives

1 handful of fresh rosemary (I used 1 Tbsp dried)

1 lemon, sliced into rounds

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan and saute onion, garlic (and rosemary if it is dried, not fresh). Wash chicken thighs and pat dry, season with salt and pepper and add legs to the frying pan until they are brown on all sides (about 6-10 minutes).

Put chicken legs in an oven safe dish and pour onion/garlic mixture on top. Add olives, lemon slices and rosemary (if using fresh) on top. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes or until cooked through and the juices run clear.

Cari Poulet

My sister Kate has lived on a small island off the coast of Madagascar for the past year and a half. The food on her island was a bizarre blend of French food, Creole, Malagasy and Indian cuisine. On her way home to the USA, she visited us here in Finland and we made this traditional creole dish:

Cari poulet is French for curry chicken, but everything sounds prettier in French, so cari poulet it is. The dish was great and it was fun to experiment with the local spices she picked up from the island. What really knocked it out of the park was the hot sauce and beans, so be sure to make the complete meal.

1-2 Tbsp oil

3-4 chicken legs (skinless)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

5-6 tomatoes, diced

1/2 tsp curcuma (Tumeric)

enough water so the chicken is mostly covered in the pot

salt and pepper to taste

Hot Sauce: (combine into a bowl)

1/2 onion, finely minced

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 tsp salt

2-3 finely diced tomatoes

chili paste to taste (we used Pimo from Reunion island, use as much as desired...)

Beans: (Saute oil, onion and garlic in a pan until soft, add beans and cook until heated through)

1 Tbsp oil

1/2 onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup kidney beans, drained but not rinsed

In a large pot, sear the chicken legs in olive oil on high until cooked. Then add minced garlic and diced onion, and stir until fragrant. Then add tomatoes, curcuma, enough water to cover the chicken and salt and pepper. Cook on medium-low for 45 minutes, then serve on rice accompanied with hot sauce and beans.

Honey Balsamic Chicken

adapted from Home Cooking in Montana

I changed this recipe a tiny bit to bake whole chicken legs, but in the original recipe she used chicken pieces, skewered them, and cooked them in a frying pan. The marinade is very tasty and I'm sure it is great either way.


4-5 chicken thighs

Marinade:
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp honey
1 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp oil

Extra honey for drizzling

Mix the marinade and pour over the chicken. Let rest in the fridge for several hours. Preheat oven to 350 and place chicken plus the marinade in a baking dish, covered with a lid or tin foil for 1 1/2 hours. Then take the foil off, drizzle honey on the legs and put them back in the oven for thirty more minutes, until the skin is golden.