Curried Chicken Breast With Zucchini

Adapted from NYT Cooking https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/3209-curried-chicken-breast-with-zucchini

Serves 2

Ingredients

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste if desired
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 zucchini, about ½ pound, ends trimmed
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots or onions
½ cup skim milk

1 tsp chicken bouillon/powder

Directions

Put chicken pieces in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon of the oil, salt and pepper.

Trim off the ends of the zucchini and cut it into 12 rounds, each about ½-inch thick. Add zucchini and curry powder to the chicken and blend well with the fingers to coat the pieces evenly.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in a heavy skillet and add the chicken pieces in one layer. Scatter the zucchini rounds between the chicken pieces, preferably in one layer. Cook over moderately high heat until chicken pieces are nicely browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces and the zucchini rounds and cook over moderately low heat about 5 minutes. (If the zucchini and chicken don't lie flat in the skillet, cook the chicken first with some of the zucchini, then remove the cooked chicken and zucchini to a plate and cook the remaining zucchini.)

Transfer chicken pieces and zucchini rounds to a warm serving dish.

Add the butter to the skillet. Add shallots and cook, stirring, about 30 seconds. Add milk and bouillon and cook until reduced to about ⅓ cup, then bring to a boil. Return chicken and zucchini pieces to the sauce and turn the pieces in the sauce. Cook about 2 minutes.

Porcini Ragù

Adapted from NYT Cooking https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026610-porcini-ragu

Yield:2 to 4 servings

Ingredients 

1½ ounces/40 grams dried porcini mushrooms
Boiling water, for soaking the porcini
Fine salt and black pepper
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for serving
3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (or less, if you prefer)
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley stems and leaves, plus more for serving
1½ tablespoons tomato paste
About 9 ounces/250 grams dried tagliatelle nests
1½ ounces Parmesan, very finely grated (about ¾ cup, loosely packed), plus more for serving
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions

In a medium bowl, cover the mushrooms with boiling water and let soak for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 5 tablespoons of the soaking liquid. Very finely chop the mushrooms, aiming to mimic the consistency of ground meat, then set aside. Heat a medium pot of salted water to a boil.

Put the oil, garlic, crushed red pepper, parsley and heaping ¼ teaspoon salt into a cold, large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Very gently fry for 5 minutes until soft and lightly golden, turning the heat down if the garlic starts to brown.

Increase the heat to medium-high, then add the chopped mushrooms, tomato paste and plenty of freshly ground black pepper (about 50 twists, 1 to 1½ teaspoons). Stir-fry for 3 minutes, then set the pan aside while you boil the pasta.

Cook the pasta in the salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving 1¾ cups of the pasta water.

Return the sauté pan with the mushroom mixture to medium-high heat, then stir in 1½ cups of the reserved pasta water plus the reserved porcini soaking liquid. Bring to a simmer. Once simmering, let it bubble away for 3 minutes.

Add half the Parmesan, stirring until it has melted before adding the rest. Lower the heat to medium, then stir in the cream, followed by the drained tagliatelle. Toss over the heat until the pasta and sauce have emulsified, 1 to 2 minutes, adding a splash more pasta water if the pasta looks dry.

Remove from the heat and serve at once, finished with as much olive oil and Parmesan as your heart desires, plus a sprinkling of parsley.

Chicken all’Arrabbiata

Adapted from NYT Cooking https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1026159-chicken-allarrabbiata

Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6 thighs)
Salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
¼ cup chopped jarred Calabrian chiles or hot cherry peppers
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 (28-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
Pasta or polenta

Fresh parsley, for serving

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2. On a plate, pat chicken thighs with a paper towel until the skin is dry, then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper all over. Set an oven-proof skillet or pan over medium heat and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add chicken thighs skin-side down and cook, untouched, for 9 minutes. When the skin is crisped and releases from the pan, return thighs to the same plate and set aside. (The chicken will not be cooked through at this point.)
3. Add shallot, garlic, crushed red pepper, chopped chiles and a pinch of salt to the pan. Cook until the shallot is softened and the garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomato paste, stirring until the paste darkens, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, their juices and a big pinch each of salt and pepper and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits, for about 5 minutes.
4. Remove the pan from the heat. Tuck the chicken thighs into the pan, skin-side up, ensuring they are covered in tomato sauce. Bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
5. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning and spice level as necessary. Serve warm, over polenta, and garnish with fresh parsley.

Stir-Fried Shrimp With Snow Peas and Ginger

Adapted from the NYT https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/7036-stir-fried-shrimp-with-snow-peas-and-ginger

Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus ¼ teaspoon salt
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
⅓ cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons dry sherry
1½ teaspoons soy sauce
1½ teaspoons cornstarch
¾ teaspoon sugar
⅛ teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons garlic-infused vegetable oil
1 teaspoon minced ginger
12 ounces pole beans or sugar snap peas, washed and dried
1 scallion, chopped (optional)

Preparation

1. In a large bowl combine 2 cups cold water and 1 tablespoon salt, stirring until salt is dissolved. Add shrimp, and let stand five minutes. Rinse shrimp under cold running water, and set to dry on paper towels. With more towels, pat shrimp dry.
2. In a bowl, combine broth, wine, soy sauce, cornstarch, sugar and pepper.
3. Heat a wide pot over high heat. Add beans/peas and 1/2 cup water. Cover and steam for 4 minutes.
4. Move the beans/peas to the outer edges and add 1 tablespoon of the garlic oil to the pot, then the shrimp, spreading them in a single layer, so they have contact with hot metal. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or just until pink. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil and ginger, and stir-fry 1 minute.
5. Stir cornstarch mixture, swirl it in around sides of wok, and bring to a boil. Stir-fry just until shrimp are cooked through and sauce has thickened, about 30 seconds more. Stir in scallions, and serve immediately over rice.

Easy (and Tasty) Baked Chicken Breast and Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed
• 2 tbsps olive oil (garlic infused for low FODMAP)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning*
• 1 tsp paprika*
• 1/2 tsp salt*
• 1/4 tsp black pepper*
• 2 cups of broccoli florets, or 2 small zucchini cut into 1"-thick slices

*or more, to taste; also, feel free to add garlic powder if FODMAP isn't a problem

Tools

• sheet pan
• aluminum foil
• medium bowl

Directions

1. Move rack to middle of oven and heat oven to 400 F
2. Line sheet pan with aluminum foil
3. In medium bowl, mix 1 tbsp oil and spices
4. Add chicken breasts and turn to coat all sides
5. Place chicken breasts on one side of sheet pan and cook for 10 minutes
6. Add 1 tbsp oil to bowl, and add more spices if desired
7. Add vegetables to the small bowl and stir to cover with spices and oil
8. After chicken has cooked for 10 minutes, open oven and add vegetables to the other side of the tray (you may want to spray foil with non-stick spray before adding veg)
9. Cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked (if you have a meat thermometer, the thickest part of the breast should be 165F; if no thermometer, slice and check for clear juices)

Miso Garlic Chicken

Ingredients

For the Chicken

1 tablespoon fine sea salt, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons plain whole-milk yogurt or whey
4 cups cold water
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick), melted, or olive oil
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons chipotle powder
1 teaspoon black pepper

For the Miso-garlic Sauce

¼ cup unsalted butter (½ stick), cubed
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon red miso
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons minced scallions or chives

Directions

Step 1

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch high-heat baking dish with aluminum foil. In a large bowl, stir 1 tablespoon salt and the yogurt into 4 cups cold water. (The brine helps the chicken retain its moisture, for juicier breasts.) Add the chicken and let sit for 15 minutes.

Step 2

In a small bowl, mix together butter, onion powder, garlic and chipotle powders, and black pepper until they form a paste.

Step 3

After 15 minutes, drain the breasts, discarding liquid. Pat dry, transfer to the baking dish, and spread the paste all over the chicken.

Step 4

Roast until the top is golden brown and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 30 minutes. If chicken is darkening too quickly, tent loosely with foil. Let the chicken cool, covered, for 5 minutes. Reserve the pan juices.

Step 5

About 10 minutes before the chicken is done, prepare the miso-garlic sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in garlic, lemon zest, black pepper and miso. Return to the heat and add the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water, then mix until a velvety sauce forms. Remove from heat and stir in the reserved pan juices from the chicken. Taste and season with salt as needed.

Step 6

To serve, either slice the chicken breasts across the grain or keep them whole. Pour the sauce over the chicken and garnish with the minced scallions or chives. Serve immediately.

Panang Chicken Curry

Adapted from the New York Times

Ingredients

Curry paste:

• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 cup dry-roasted peanuts (preferably unsalted)
• 2-4 tbsp red curry paste, to taste

Curry:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
• 2 tsp soy sauce or fish sauce
• 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
• lime juice (a few tbsp), makrut lime leaves, and/or lime zest, to taste
• 1 1/2 tsp brown or granulated white sugar
• 1 zucchini
• 1 spicy pepper (optional)
• basil leaves, preferably Thai basil (optional)

Jasmine rice for serving

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix the spices and red curry paste. Chop the peanuts as fine as you can, then add to the paste.
2. Halve the zucchini lengthwise and then cut into very thin half-moon slices, no thicker than 1/4 inch each.  If using a pepper, slice it thinly.
3. Slice the chicken into very thin (1/4" or so), 1 1/2-inch-long pieces. Place in a medium bowl, drizzle with soy (or fish) sauce, and mix until coated.
4. Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high. Scoop 4 tbsp of the thick cream off the top of the coconut milk and add it to the pan; it will immediately sizzle. Stir until thickened and bubbling on the sides, about 30 seconds. Stir in the curry paste and reduce to medium. Cook the paste, continuously stirring, until a thick paste forms and the coconut oil separates (the sauce "breaks"), about 2-3 minutes. If it starts sticking, add a splash of coconut milk and scrape up anything from the bottom of the pan. 
5. Add the lime (juice, zest, or leaves) and sugar. Cook, continuously stirring, to dissolve the sugar and infuse the flavors, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining coconut milk and the zucchini (and pepper) slices, increase the temperature to medium-high, bring to a boil, and cook, continuously stirring, until the zucchini is barely tender, about 4 minutes. The curry should be at a lively simmer; adjust the heat as necessary.
6. Add the chicken and cook through, stirring frequently, until cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Taste and add more soy/fish sauce and sugar, if needed. (This is not a sweet curry; the sweetness should take a backseat to the spice.)
7. Garnish with sliced basil and serve with jasmine rice.