Spicy White Chicken Chili

March 22, 2014 Leave a Comment

Spicy is a bit of an understatement for this chili…but it will warm you to the core on a chilly day!  We actually like a lot of heat in our chili so we used the whole Serrano, seeds and all…if you like your chili milder substitute jalapenos and be sure to remove the seeds.  This is really tasty with corn bread or white tortilla chips on the side!

Loaded White Chicken Chili

Loaded White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

2 cans great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 Tbsp. olive oil or butter

1 large onion, chopped

2 Serrano peppers, seeded and minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound ground chicken thighs

1⁄2 pound ground chicken breast

2 cups organic chicken broth, low sodium

16 ounces green chile salsa

4 ounces chopped green chiles

1 lime, juiced

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ancho chile powder

1 1⁄2 tsp. coriander

1⁄2 tsp. white pepper

1 tsp. Celtic sea salt (or to taste)

sour cream, avocado, tomato and cilantro for serving

Directions:

Drain and rinse the canned beans. In a medium bowl, mash half of the beans with a potato masher until chunky. Set aside until needed.

Add the oil (or butter) to a large Dutch oven and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the peppers, onions, and garlic and saute until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Crumble in the ground chicken. Add the cumin, coriander, and chili powder and continue to brown until the chicken is no longer pink. Stir in the chicken broth, green chili salsa, green chiles and lime juice and bring to a simmer. Add the beans and continue to simmer for 20 more minutes.  Season with the white pepper and sea salt to taste.

After simmering, taste for seasoning, and adjust if necessary.

Serve the chili in individual bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream, cubed avocado, diced tomatoes and chopped fresh cilantro.
Serves 6-8.
Here is the chili still in the pot without all the good stuff on top!

Here is the chili still in the pot without all the good stuff on top!

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , ,

Spicy Stuffed Poblano Peppers

March 8, 2014 Leave a Comment

photo 4

Ingredients:

  • 4 large poblano chiles
  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 medium white onion, chopped
  • 1 large clove garlic, chopped
  • 1 Serrano pepper, chopped
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 ⁄8 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 2 cups cooked quinoa
  • 6 oz. grated sharp Cheddar
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 Tbsp. lime juice
  • black pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Slit the chiles from stem to tip and carefully remove the seeds, leaving the stems intact.  Set aside while you prepare the filling.

Purée the tomatoes, onion, garlic, Serrano, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a food processor or high-speed blender. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the purée and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture looks thick and pulpy, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the chicken and quinoa, and then half of the cheese, the cilantro, and the lime juice. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Divide the filling evenly among the peppers.

Place the stuffed peppers into a 9×13 glass baking dish, pour about 1/2″ of water in the bottom of the baking dish and cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 40-50 minutes or until peppers are tender.  Remove the foil and top the peppers with the remaining 3 oz. of cheese…bake until golden and bubbly.

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , ,

Chicken Wings…Spicy, Savory and Sweet!

September 23, 2012 5 Comments

Chicken Wings…

Hello Lover…

I hate to admit it but I’m hopelessly addicted.  It started innocently with a fabulous recipe from Paleo Comfort Foods for Spicy Chicken Wings and then I branched out to a second wing recipe, Garlic Parmesan and now I’ve added a third wing recipe to the mix…Honey Dijon.  Holy cow…what’s next?

This past week as my husband and I were diving into a huge plate of wings (I was still only in the two recipe mode) we commented on how long we’ve been on the path in search of the perfect “home-made” wing.  We reminisced about the countless ways we’ve tried to make them…we’ve grilled them, deep-fried them (breaded and not), shallow pan-fried them, roasted them…in glass pans, foil pans and on baking racks, we’ve steamed them, chilled them and then baked them (courtesy of Alton Brown)…Oy Vey!

I’m happy to report that I have finally settled on the best way to make chicken wings…OFTEN.  But, in all seriousness, I have found that my favorite way is to pat them dry (this is necessary for a crispy skin so don’t skip it!) and bake them at a high temp on a parchment lined baking sheet for about 30 minutes…they are juicy and crispy with very little mess!

Classic Hot Wings…my current favorite.

Spicy Chicken Wings

1 pound chicken wings

salt

2 Tbsp. butter

1/4 cup hot sauce (I like Franks Red Hot)

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp celery seed

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Rinse the wings and then transfer to paper towels and pat them dry.   Sprinkle with salt and place skin side up onto the lined baking sheet.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.  While the wings are baking combine the remaining ingredients in a large sauce pan and heat over low heat until butter is melted and sauce is combined.  Remove the wings from the oven and toss in the sauce to coat.  Serve immediately.

A perfect compliment to the hot wing…

Garlic Parmesan Wings

1 pound chicken wings

1 tsp. Mexican oregano

1 tsp. rosemary

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cumin

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. basil

1 Tbsp. chopped garlic

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Rinse the wings and then transfer them to paper towels and pat them dry.  In large bowl, whisk together oregano, rosemary, cumin and salt. Add chicken wings and toss to coat, making sure that all wings get some of the herb mixture.  Place skin side up onto the parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.  In another large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, basil, chopped garlic and Parmesan cheese. Add cooked wings and toss well to coat.  Serve warm.

The newest addition…we call this one “dessert”

Honey Dijon Chicken Wings

1 pound chicken wings

salt

2 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 cup honey

dash of cayenne

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Rinse the wings and then transfer to paper towels and pat them dry.   Sprinkle with salt and place skin side up onto the lined baking sheet.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.  While the wings are baking combine the remaining ingredients in a large sauce pan and heat over low heat until butter is melted and sauce is combined.  Remove the wings from the oven and toss in the sauce to coat.  Serve immediately.

Serve wings with ranch or blue cheese for dipping along with a nice side of raw carrot and celery sticks for good measure!

This recipe is shared at:

 Tasty Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Fat Tuesday, Whole Food Wednesday, Allergy-Free Wednesdays, Fight Back Friday, Fill Those Jars Fridays

Filed Under: Appetizers, Main Dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Easy Summer Salads Series…Carnitas Ensalada

July 19, 2012 Leave a Comment

I love salads.  Summer is the perfect time of year for them, too.  I live in Colorado and I do not have air conditioner in my home (when we built the house the builders assured us we didn’t need it, they were wrong!!!)  so there are several weeks during the hot months that I just don’t want to turn on the oven… A refreshing summer salad is just the way to go!

Here is the next summer salad I am loving, how can you go wrong with pulled pork (my favorite recipe coming soon!)…

Carnitas Ensalada

This recipe is adapted from Paleo Periodical.

Ingredients for 4 salads:

1 lime, juiced

1/4 cup olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup pickled jalapenos, chopped (optional)

salt and pepper, to taste

6-8 ounces mixed green salad

4 ounces red cabbage, finely shredded

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

12-16 ounces shredded pulled pork (3-4 ounces per salad)

2 avocados, sliced

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, lightly toasted

  • In bottom of large salad bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, garlic, jalapenos and S&P. Add lettuce greens, cabbage, and cilantro. Toss to combine.
  • Divide the tossed salad evenly between 4 salad bowls or plates, top with warmed shredded pork, avocado and pumpkin seeds.  Enjoy!

This recipe is shared at:

Fight Back Friday, Summer Salad Sundays

Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Fat Tuesday

Tasty Tuesday, Gluten-Free Wednesdays

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Easy Summer Salads Series…Classic Cobb Salad

June 6, 2012 7 Comments

I love salads.  Summer is the perfect time of year for them, too.  I live in Colorado and I do not have air conditioner in my home (when we built the house the builders assured us we didn’t need it, they were wrong!!!)  so there are several weeks during the hot months that I just don’t want to turn on the oven… A refreshing summer salad is just the way to go!

In the next few posts I’m going to share a few recipes for my favorites right now…

Classic Cobb Salad

This recipe is adapted from Food Network.

Ingredients for 4 salads:

8 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 scallions, sliced

24 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half (or 1 large tomato, seeded and chopped)

1 large avocado, chopped

4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

8 ounces, cooked chicken breast or thighs, chopped

1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

8 ounces chopped lettuce

Dressing of choice… I like cheater homemade ranch (recipe to follow) or if you eat dairy the traditional dressing for a Cobb salad is blue cheese (recipe to follow).

  • Prep ingredients as instructed in the above ingredient list.
  • In a large bowl toss the lettuce with your dressing, season with salt and pepper and then divide evenly between 4 plates.
  • To garnish each salad, make a row of each on top of the lettuce; avocado, chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, bacon and eggs.
  • Serve immediately.

Cheater Homemade Ranch Dressing:

1/4 cup homemade mayonnaise

1 T. Penzey’s Sunny Paris Seasoning

2 T. cold water

In a small bowl combine seasoning and water and allow to set for 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes, pour reconstituted seasoning into 1/4 mayo and mix until well combined.  Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Classic Cobb Blue Cheese:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

4 ounces blue cheese or Gorgonzola

In a medium bowl whisk together the olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.  Whisk in blue cheese until well combined.

This recipe is shared at:

Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Fat Tuesday, Tasty Tuesday, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Whole Foods Wednesday, Beyond the Peel, Tastetastic Thursday, Fight Back Friday, Summer Salad Sundays

Filed Under: Main Dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Green Chile Chicken Fajita Frittata

February 23, 2012 9 Comments

A Frittata by definition is an egg based dish similar to an omelette or Quiche, enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses, vegetables and pastas.  It may also be flavored with herbs.  Unlike an omelette, which is traditionally made to order for one, a frittata can be made in a larger pan, sliced and served family style.  Frittatas are extremely versatile, they are classically made for breakfast or brunch but are also great for a light supper.  I like my frittatas hot, however they are great at room temperature or even cold out of the refrigerator.  The possibilities are endless for ingredients and flavors…

Green Chile Chicken Frittata with Avocado Slices

Green Chile Chicken Fajita Frittata (serves 2 generously)

4 eggs

1 Tablespoon water

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

pinch of black pepper

1 – 4 oz can green chiles

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

4 medium mushrooms, diced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

4 ounces cooked chicken (breast, thigh or rotisserie)

Butter, coconut oil or lard

Sliced avocado, salsa and chopped cilantro for garnish

Preheat broiler.  Whisk eggs, water, chili powder, salt, pepper and green chiles in a medium bowl until frothy and set aside.  In a 10″ oven safe skillet melt fat over medium heat, add onions, peppers, mushrooms and garlic, cook until vegetables are soft.  Add chicken and stir to combine with vegetables.  Lower heat to medium-low.  Pour egg mixture evenly over chicken and vegetables.  Cook the frittata slowly until the eggs are set almost all the way through.  Shake the pan occasionally during cooking to ensure the frittata isn’t sticking to the bottom.  Place the pan under the broiler for 3 – 5 minutes to set the top of the frittata completely.  Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.  Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.  Garnish with avocado, salsa and chopped cilantro.

This recipe is shared at:

Fight Back Friday, Allergy Friendly Lunchbox Love, Make Ahead Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Gluten-Free Wednesdays

Filed Under: Breakfast, Main Dishes, Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,