chicken

Chicken Pot Pie

If you have any leftover chicken from a roast or rotisserie bird this is an excellent way to use it up. You will need two cups of chicken to make this delectable entrée: chicken pot pie.  My version tracks pretty close to that you can find in a 1970’s Betty Crocker Cookbook.  Gluten free though…because I must! You can toss it together in about 30 minutes and it bakes in 35 more. Your tummy will thank me. I put some celery seeds in the pie crust for extra flavor.  I generally make it with just a top crust which is less calories. If you want the full deal; double the crust ingredients and make a bottom crust too. Your creation will be a delicious and substantial meal for sure! This crust bakes up flaky and delicate; perfection for a pot pie.

Notes: you can use light or dark meat or combo. I used baby carrots this time; cut them across into 4 little nibs; they were organic and had a delicious tender flavor.

Chicken Pot Pie

Crust:

1 c plus 2 Tbsp. brown rice flour mix (at bottom of recipe)

2 Tbsp. sweet rice flour

1 tbsp. sugar (You will never know it is in there; it makes the crust more flakey)

½ tsp xanthan gum

¼ tsp salt

6 Tbsp. cold butter cut into 12 small chunks

1 large egg

2 tsp fresh orange or lemon juice

Directions: Mix dry ingredients in bowl of stand electric mixer.  Add butter and mix until crumbly and resembling coarse meal.  Add egg and juice.  Mix until it comes together into big chunks.  Shape into a ball with your hands. Put it on a crust sized piece of wax paper (14 x 14 inches more or less), flatten the crust ball some; put on top of it another piece of wax paper and chill it all in your fridge 15-20 minutes.

Pie filling

1/3 cup butter: I used ¼ cup plus some canola oil to reach 1/3 cup

1/3 cup white rice flour (or another gf flour)

½ cup finely chopped onion

½ tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

1¾ cup good quality gluten free chicken broth

2/3 cup whole or two percent milk

2 cups diced cooked chicken

4 large carrots, diced or 16 plus baby carrots

¾ cup frozen peas (or a ten-ounce bag of frozen carrots and peas)

½ to 1 tsp. celery seeds (optional)

Heat butter/oil in large frying pan, add onion, cook 5-7 minutes until soft and translucent. While it cooks, cook the diced carrots for 4-5 minutes in a ¼ cup of water in a saucepan, lid on. Then turn off the heat, uncover it and throw in peas, set aside.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees.

Add flour, salt and pepper to the fry pan with the butter and onions, cook 2-3 minutes, stir often. Add broth (I held back about 2 tbsp. to make sure it wasn’t watery) and while it heats keep stirring. Add the milk when the mixture is hot but not boiling, stir well until it boils and then let it boil one minute, still stirring.  Add the chicken and then the drained carrots and peas, Stir well. Add rest of broth if needed.

Roll out the pie crust thick; just big enough to cover the top of your 9 inch pie pan [about 11 inches] (I always use a glass pan but I am pretty sure you can use a metal one). I like to roll it just 2/3 of the way out and then sprinkle with about ½ -1 tsp. celery seeds. Roll it the rest of the way and the seeds will be embedded in the crust. I like the subtle flavor they add, a touch of really old-fashioned tastiness my mom would approve of!

Pour the hot chicken mixture into the pie pan and top with the crust. Make sure no crust hangs down; trim to look nice. If you want to go super rich just double the crust recipe and roll half so you can put a bottom crust in before you pour in the filling. Top with your celery seed crust, seal to bottom crust (if you used one) and do cut a few gashes for venting… place pie on a pie drip catcher.  My pie pan is always very full, and that pie drip pan is wonderful for keeping the filling from dripping on my oven. You could use a cookie sheet or a sheet of aluminum foil to catch drips.

Bake 30-35 minutes until crust is light brown and the pie is bubbly.

Let the pie cool five to ten minutes before serving.

All you need is a salad, and you have a wonderful balanced meal. Enjoy!

Brown Rice Flour Mix  (same as King Arthur basic blend)
2 c brown rice flour

2/3 c potato starch

1/3 c tapioca flour

The crust is from Annalise Roberts’ great cookbook: Gluten-Free Baking Classics.

Kung Pao Chicken

I had a lot of peppers harvested from my garden and wanted a delicious chicken dish for supper which highlighted them. This is exactly that sort of recipe. I altered one I found on line at Eatingwell and want to share it with you; fall is a great time for peppers! It turned out tender, flavorful and addictively flavored. I will definitely make this again and again.

Notes: I used boneless chicken thighs as they are more flavorful and tender than breasts, the original recipe used a pound of sliced chicken breast so I used 3 large chicken thighs, boneless and skinless. I added more pepper chunks and several other veggies. The recipe I adapted had 2 Tbsp. dry peanuts sprinkled over it at the end. I didn’t have any and I don’t generally put peanuts on my food but you sure can add them. I served it over long grain brown rice made in my Instant Pot pressure cooker; it makes great rice with no fuss. Enjoy!

Angie’s Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients

3 boneless chicken thighs

2 tsp. gf soy sauce, divided

1 tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. dry sherry, divided

2 tsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

2 Tbsp. gf chicken broth

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

1 -2 tsp. chili-garlic sauce

2 Tbsp. canola oil, divided

3 slices fresh ginger, smashed

2 medium green peppers cut into 1 inch cubes

1 medium red pepper cut into 1 inch cubes

1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1 inch diagonal slices

1 medium onion cut into skinny vertical slices

1 cup pea pods

4 scallions – white part sliced into rounds and green cut on diagonal into 1 inch slices

1/4 tsp sea salt

Directions: Slice chicken across into 3 or 4 strips and cut them up into 1 inch squares more or less; mix with 2 tsp. soy sauce, a tsp sherry and the cornstarch. Mix until blended and add sesame oil and stir to coat chicken. Let sit while you cut up veggies and mix the following sauce. In a small bowl put rest of soy sauce and sherry, broth, balsamic vinegar, chili sauce (I used one tsp.). Stir to blend.

Heat mini wok over med-high heat; add 1 tbsp. oil and swirl around pan. Add ginger slices and cook about 10 seconds. Push to side and add the chicken pieces; try to get in one layer. Cook without turning for 3 minutes. turn over and cook about 3 more minutes. Transfer them to a medium bowl. Stir in rest of oil and add the veggies you had cut up except the green parts of the scallions. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes. or until they are mostly cooked. Add back the chicken, stir well, sprinkle with green scallion sticks and cook 3 minutes more on med high heat until chicken is done. I actually stuck my instant read thermometer into one of the larger chunks; make sure it is over 165 degrees.

I served this over steamed brown rice but of course, you can do white rice or even rice noodles. Enjoy!

Coconut Chicken and Rice

This yummy recipe is great for hot summer days as it is made in an Instant Pot. It doesn’t warm up the kitchen and allows me to do other things while my IP works hard to make a great dish that is quick, delicious and healthy. It is from my favorite Instant Pot cookbook The Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cookbook by Laurel Randolph. There are many excellent recipes in this book and most of them can be gluten free; either naturally or with a little tweeting of the ingredients. I highly recommend it for great recipes and it is well designed for easy use.

My notes: I do not like cilantro so I just sprinkled some parsley in the pot and it was fine. It has a lot of curry powder but I found it to be well balanced and not too spicy; if you really want to, cut it back by a third. I used frozen ginger as it keeps so well and chops/grates easily. Don’t forget the lime to squeeze over the plate; really adds a fresh note.

Yummy Coconut Chicken and Rice

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. EVOL

1 large onion sliced vertically into 1/4 inch strips

a 1 inch length of ginger, peeled and sliced into fine sticks

2-3 garlic cloves minced

1 Tbsp curry powder

1 tsp. ground tumeric

kosher salt

ground black pepper

1 14 oz can light coconut milk

4 chicken thighs; bone in, skin on

1/2 cup water

1 1/3 cup jasmine rice

1-2 Tsp. parsley or cilantro leaves, chopped fine.

1- 1 1/2 tsp. sugar

1 lime cut in wedges

Directions: set IP on sauté, add EVOL. When hot add the sliced onions, stir for a minute, add the ginger, cook 2 minutes, add garlic, cook 30 seconds and add the two spices, stir well. Add the chicken thighs, turn over to coat with spices. Add salt and pepper to taste; I did 1/2 tsp. salt and just a few turns of pepper. Add the water and coconut milk, stir around, put the lid on and set for 13 minutes. When timer goes off, set to quick vent. Remove chicken to a plate and add the rice, parsley and sugar, stir. Close lid and set to 4 minutes. When done hit cancel and let stand 10 minutes, then vent and open. I served mine in a wide shallow bowl; removed the skin and squeezed lime juice over it all. Enjoy!

Lemon Garlic Instant Pot Chicken

This is one of those handy Instant Pot recipes that you can do minimal prep and work on other stuff as it cooks. I love that it has no weird or very expensive ingredients, I had everything on hand having just gotten a pack of chicken thighs. No long stirring or baking. One pot does it all. And it was literally finger licking good; the sauce is the bomb! Unless you don’t like lemon; in that case you could simply leave off the lemon; it goes in at the very end but honestly the lemon is what makes it so delectable! I think you could use navel oranges and it might be quite tasty.  Or skip the lemon slices and just use zest and juice for less lemony flavor. I have to say that the garlic complements the lemon and the spices very well. This is that rare case where I find it needs the fresh parsley; it is not just decorative; fresh parsley really adds to the wonderful flavor.

This is a great weeknight meal; add a side salad or a veg and you are set. I used a Wegman’s Rice Pilaf which wasn’t spicy but made an above average accompaniment to the chicken. It is definitely a recipe to hang on to. Winner winner, chicken dinner! Enjoy!

Lemon Garlic Instant Pot Chicken

I know! Way too dark…bad kitchen lighting…. another mediocre photograph but luckily the food in this picture was delicious!

Ingredients:

4 decent sized chicken thighs, remove the skin (Or 6 smaller ones)

Rounded half tsp. garlic powder

Rounded half tsp. paprika

½ tsp. sea salt

¼ tsp black pepper, freshly ground or 1/8 white pepper ground (I was out of black so white worked fine)

2 Tbsp. mild olive oil

1 medium onion cut in long strips

1 medium to large carrot cut in rounds

3 big garlic cloves (or 4 smaller ones)

2 lemons, wash and let dry while you brown chicken

1-3 Tbsp butter

1/3-1/2 cup chicken broth

1 Tbsp corn starch and 1 Tbsp cold water; mixed together in a tiny bowl

2-3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions: Mix the dry spices including salt and pepper and rub over the chicken pieces (could use 6 smaller thighs).  Heat the olive oil and 1 Tbsp. butter in your Instant Pot. Carefully place chicken thighs in and cook 3 minutes on each side. I did 2 at a time as they were too large to all fit. While they brown zest one lemon and then juice it. Slice the other lemon into very thin slices, removing any seeds you see. Chop the parsley and make some rice. I used a Wegman’s rice pilaf. My goddaughter gave me a package of it; has baby garbanzo beans and dikon radish seeds. Cook for the time the box says. It went very well with this chicken. Or plain rice or perhaps noodles?

As you finish the browning place them in a bowl or on a plate. Someone told me to keep moving them every 30 seconds and they won’t stick; it works!  Add the onions to the pan and more butter as needed (up to 2 Tbsp) and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the carrots and cook one minute. Then add the minced fresh garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth and scrape the pan bottom with a wooden spoon to stir up the browned bits sticking on the bottom so they don’t burn. Add back the chicken pieces. Close up your IP and set it for 9 minutes. When the timer goes off give it 3 minutes to naturally decompress and then lift up the steam button and let it completely de pressurize.  Open and remove the chicken thighs, set it on saute mode. Add the cornstarch slush and stir for one minute. Turn off and add back the chicken pieces, the lemon juice and the zest. Stir and add fresh parsley and stir again. Turn off and serve with rice.

Rice pilaf cooked up and ready to serve. No added ingredients except water. Super easy to make.
I served a side of very thinly sliced zucchini sauteed in butter and olive oil with sliced leeks.

Moroccan Chicken and Chickpea Tangine

I was craving chicken and chickpeas. My older sister used to make a casserole of them, but I have lost the recipe. And worse, I cannot remember the seasoning of it. So, I decided to make something totally different than that special memory. This has a lot of healthy eating habits in it; chickpeas, garlic, turmeric, fresh garlic and fresh spinach. It is delicious over steamed brown rice; double starch; gives a lot of protein and healthy things. Frankly a healthy powerhouse of stuff so no guilt and you will feel better for it! Plus it is very filling. I love a tangine; it is basically a Moroccan casserole. I have 2-3 chicken ones; this is definitely a keeper; first time enjoying it tonight. Couldn’t wait to share it and didn’t want to forget this new recipe’s proportions.

I combined bits of several recipes together to make it with what ingredients I had and what I wanted in the flavor profile. You could change out the carrots for green beans or some other veggie like cauliflower. Swap the spinach for kale or just leave out the fresh spinach if you wish. Serve over the rice, on mashed potatoes or by itself.

It is rather brothy; I kinda wish I had plated it differently; in a shallow wide bowl; that broth is amazingly flavorful. I used a can of chick peas, you can cook your own if you wish; I didn’t have time for that. I used chicken thigh, boneless. You could use breast meat if you prefer. Go with what you like. Enjoy

Ingredients

4 Boneless chicken thighs

2-3 Tbsp sunflower oil

1 large onion, halved, sliced and halve the slices

2 large garlic cloves minced

3 thin rounds of fresh ginger minced

1/2 cup coarsely chopped carrots (I used up some baby carrots but I would suggest one carrot diced)

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. tumerick

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. sea salt

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes

1 1/4 c chicken broth; heated

1 can chickpeas, drained

4-5 cups fresh spinach (be sure to wash it)

Directions: Dice the chicken; cut into inch wide strips and then across to make 1 inch squares. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add half the chicken; brown on both sides. Remove to a plate; do second half of chicken; you may need to add another tbsp. oil. Remove browned chicken to plate. Add onion and cook 2 minutes, add garlic cook another 2 minutes. Add ginger, stir, add all dry spices, stir well and cook another minute. Add the tomatoes, salt and stir. Add broth. Cook 15 minutes, Add chickpeas, stir well. top with the fresh spinach/ Be sure to wash the spinach; even if it says triple washed it still could have bacteria or grit in it. Let it all cook a minute and then start folding in the spinach, so it cooks quickly. taste and adjust the salt. Serve over steamed brown rice. Enjoy!