Chicken Pot Pie

     Although, I didn't eat chicken pot pie much as a child, I have come to love this southern comfort classic.  Most recipes are loaded with butter, flour, and heavy cream, but these are not ingredient options for me.  To thicken the pot pie filling, I relied on a blend of homemade chicken stock, organic cornstarch, and unsweetened almond milk.  For the crust, I used a combination of gluten free flour, cornmeal, and coconut oil, to lend a buttery, sweet dough.  Do not let the long list of ingredients and steps fool you.  The filing is slightly loose, making it easy to moisten the crust with extra juices when serving.

Ingredients

For the filling:

• (1) 3 ½ to 4 pound chicken
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 5 ½ teaspoons celtic sea salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper, divided, plus additional for seasoning the chicken
• ¾ cup celery, chopped
• 1 ½ cups carrots, chopped
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 3 cups (1-14 ounce package) frozen green peas
• 2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• ¼ cup organic cornstarch
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk

For the topping:

• 1 cup multi-grain flour blend
• ½ cup cornmeal
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons celtic sea salt
• ½ cup extra-virgin coconut oil
• 1 ¼ cups unsweetened almond milk
• 2 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place the chicken on the prepared baking sheet and season generously with 1 teaspoon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and rub the seasoning and oil into the meat.  Roast for about an hour, or until the internal temperature of the meat registers at 180 degrees.  After the chicken has cooked, remove it to a plate to rest for 30 minutes.  
2. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the celery, carrots, and onion and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.  Stir in the peas, 2 teaspoons of sea salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.  Cook for 5 minutes.  Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.  Whisk together the cold milk and cornstarch until no lumps remain.  Gradually whisk this mixture into the simmering stock.  Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.  Off the heat and set aside.  
3. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones.  Using your hands, shred the meat directly into the pot.  Season with 2 ½ teaspoons sea salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and stir to combine.  Pour the filling into a large (9 x 13 inch) casserole dish.  
4. To make the topping, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and sea salt in a medium bowl.  In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the coconut oil, milk and egg.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combined.  Pour the batter directly on top of the filling.  Bake at 425 degrees for 40 minutes.  Cool for 10 minutes before serving.  

Make ahead:  The filling can be prepared up to two days before serving.  While the oven is preheating, place the casserole dish with the filling into the oven.  Once the oven reaches 425 degrees, remove the filling from the oven, pour the batter on top, and cook for 40 minutes. 

Chicken & Rice Soup

 It may seem as though I have disappeared from the blog world, but I am still here.  I, along with many other people, have come down with a horrible, nasty sickness that manages to linger around for days.  I started feeling bad last Wednesday night and have progressively gotten worse.  My sweet mother took me to the doctor Friday afternoon, once I finally decided that I needed some help.  J.T. was still at school and I knew he wouldn’t be able to leave for another hour, so my mother flew over immediately and drove me to a local walk-in doc in a box.  As I waited in the hot and stuffy waiting room I only seemed to feel worse.  Mama filled out all my paper work and helped me to the back when the doctor was ready to see me.  There was a brief moment where I thought I might die on the paper lined table, but I made it out alive.  The doctor ran tests for both the flu and strep throat.  Both of these tests came back negative.  I have actually had both of these illnesses before and I would personally diagnose myself with strep throat.  I am being treated as though I have strep with a wonderful 10 day round of antibiotics.  I still feel awful, but I managed to move off of the couch today for a little while.  My sweet husband made this soup for my lunch yesterday.  It was so yummy and exactly what this sick girl needed.  I made the recipe up based on what I knew we already had in the kitchen and J.T. did a great job preparing it.  I am so thankful for a family that takes such good care of me when I am sick.  Even Otis (our dog) has been my constant bedside buddy J I made it to the grocery store very early on Friday morning.  I hope to get my grocery post up tomorrow!

Ingredients

·         1 large chicken breast, bone-in and skin on

·         Extra-virgin olive oil

·         Kosher salt and coarse ground black pepper

·         1 cup brown rice

·         10 ¼ cups water, divided

·         ½ large onion, chopped

·         1 cup chopped carrots

·         1 cup chopped celery

·         ½ teaspoon dried thyme

Directions

1.      Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Rub the chicken with olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Place on the prepared baking sheet and roast for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the juices run clear.  Set aside to cool.

2.      Meanwhile, bring 2 ¼ cups water to a boil in a small sauce pan.  Add the brown rice and return to a boil.  Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 40 minutes. 

3.      Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven.  Add the chopped onions, carrots, celery, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon of thyme.  Sauté the vegetables until tender, about 15 minutes. 

4.      Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, chop into bite-sized chunks, discarding both the skin and the bones.  Add the chopped chicken, cooked rice, and remaining 8 cups of water to the sautéed vegetables.  Season with 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.  Simmer uncovered for an hour.  Serves 4.  

“Buttermilk” Roast Chicken

 

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 ½ - 3 pounds chicken parts (I used legs and thighs)
  
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice plus enough almond milk to make 2 cups of liquid (or you can use 2 cups of buttermilk here)
  
• 1 tablespoon table salt
  
• 1 tablespoon sugar
  
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons paprika, plus more for sprinkling
  
• 5 cloves smashed garlic
  
• Kosher salt
  
• Olive oil
  

Directions

1. Whisk together the lemon juice and almond milk. Let sit for about 10 minutes to curdle.
   
2. Meanwhile, combine table salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and garlic cloves. Pour in the milk mixture and whisk together. Arrange the chicken in a glass baking dish or a Ziploc freezer bag. Add the chicken and coat thoroughly with marinade. Let marinade for 24 to 48 hours, flipping once.
   
3. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with aluminum foil. Remove the chicken from the marinade and arrange in baking dish. Sprinkle with kosher salt and paprika. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees.

Chicken Jambalaya

Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts, cut into 2-inch chucks
  
• Kosher salt and black pepper
  
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
  
• 12 ounces of rope smoked turkey sausage, sliced into rounds
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
  
• ½ cup celery, diced
  
• 1 garlic clove, minced
  
• 1 cup gluten-free brown rice couscous
  
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  
• ¼ to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  
• 2 cups boiling water
  
• 1 (14 ½ ounce) can diced tomatoes, in their juices
  
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
  
• 1 bay leaf
  

Directions

1. In a large, deep-dish skillet, heat canola oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken, turning often, for about 10 minutes. Add the sausage and cook an additional 5 minutes. Drain the chicken and sausage on a plate, reserving 3 tablespoons of drippings in the skillet.
   
2. Add the onion, celery, and garlic to the skillet. Season with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes.
   
3. Add the couscous, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes. Stir together and cook for 1 minute. Add the water, tomatoes, thyme, bay leaf, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Uncover and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.
   

Note: You can substitute long-grain white rice in place of the gluten-free brown rice couscous.

Chicken Fricassee with Garlic and Red Wine Vinegar revisited

My first attempt at this recipe was almost a year ago – back in the day when I didn't have a Dutch oven or know how to properly cut up a whole chicken. The first time I made this I followed the recipe variation, using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. However, the second time around I stuck with the original version, using a whole chicken. I highly recommend always using a whole chicken. The meat practically falls of the bone. 

Ingredients

• 1 (4- to 5-pound) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
  
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
  
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
  
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
  
• 1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, crushed, with liquid
  
• 1 cup chicken stock or reduced-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
  
• 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
  
• 2 sprigs of flat-leaf parsley
  
• 2 sprigs of thyme
  

Directions

1. To cook the chicken, season with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil and canola oil over medium heat in a large, straight-sided skillet or saucepan (not cast iron, as it will interact with the acidic tomatoes and vinegar). Add the chicken, skin side down, without crowding the pan. Cook without crowding until a rich, golden brown on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a plate.
   
2. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 45 to 60 seconds. Add the vinegar and scrape with a wooden spoon to loosen any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stand back when adding the vinegar, because when it hits the hot pan it will produce strong vinegar fumes. Return the chicken to the skillet. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, chicken stock, bay leaf, parsley, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear, an additional 30 to 45 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.
   
3. To make the sauce, remove the chicken pieces to a warm serving dish. Increase the heat to high, and cook the sauce until reduced and lightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove and discard the herbs. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.
   
4. Variation: You can make this recipe with boneless, skinless breasts instead of bone-in pieces. Simmer the breasts as directed on top of the stove along with the other ingredients, but just until the juices run clear, only 8 to 10 additional minutes. Remove the breasts to a warm plate and cover with aluminum foil. Let the sauce continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon. Return the breasts to the sauce and finish as directed.
   

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, Y'all
 

Chicken Paprika (Paprikas Csirke)

Ingredients

• 3 ½ to 4 ½ pounds chicken parts, skin removed
  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
  
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 3 cups onions, very thinly sliced
  
• ¼ cup paprika
  
• 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
  
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
  
• 1 cup almond milk
  
• 3 tablespoons brown rice flour
  
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  

Directions

1. Heat oils in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces to the pan, browning about 5 minutes per side. Do not crowd the pan; browning chicken in separate batches if necessary. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm. Set aside.
   
2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions. Cook about 10 minutes or until onions begin to brown. Sprinkle with paprika, garlic, chicken broth, bay leaf, kosher salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the reserved chicken along with any accumulated juices to the pan. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until chicken thigh or leg registers 180 degrees.
   
3. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover to keep warm. Discard the bay leaf and allow the sauce to sit briefly. Skim off any fat and whisk in the almond milk and brown rice flour. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened. Add lemon juice and stir. Top chicken pieces with sauce and serve. Serves 4. 

 

Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking

Chicken Pot Pie with Crunchy Brown Rice Crust

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
  
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
  
• 1 chicken leg quarter, skin on
  
• 2 teaspoons chopped thyme, divided
  
• 2 large carrots, chopped
  
• ¼ teaspoon celery seeds
  
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  
• kosher salt
  
• black pepper
  
• ¼ cup brown rice flour
  
• 1 ½ cups low-sodium gluten-free chicken broth
  
• 1 cup almond milk
  
• ¾ cup frozen peas
  
• 2 cups cooked brown rice
  
• ¼ cup gluten-free bread crumbs
  
• ½ teaspoon sweet paprika
  
• Parmesan cheese for sprinkling, if desired
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Salt and pepper boneless, skinless chicken breast and chicken leg quarter. To season the leg quarter, rub salt and pepper underneath the skin. Spray both pieces of chicken with canola oil cooking spray. Roast the chicken breast for 15 minutes and the chicken leg quarter for 30 minutes, or until 165 degrees. When done, remove skin from chicken leg quarter and place both pieces of chicken on a plate to cool. Set aside.
   
2. Spray 4 large ramekins with cooking spray and set aside on a large baking sheet.
   
3. Heat canola oil and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, celery seed, onion, 1 teaspoon of thyme, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Let sauté for 6 to 8 minutes. While the vegetables are cooking, use your hands to shred the cooked chicken. Add the chicken to the vegetables and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the brown rice flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the chicken broth and almond milk. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until very thick, about 10 minutes. Add the peas and stir. Pour the filling into prepared ramekins.
   
4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
   
5. In a small bowl mix together cooked rice, bread crumbs, paprika, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Sprinkle on top of filling in prepared ramekins. Bake for 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Sprinkle with cheese if desired.  Serves 4 to 6. 
 

Recipe adapted from Whole Foods

 

Oven-Fried Chicken Breasts

 Ingredients

• ¼ cup kosher salt
  
• 2 tablespoons sugar
  
• 1 tablespoon sweet Hungarian paprika
  
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
  
• 2 bay leaves
  
• 4 cups almond milk + 4 teaspoons vinegar
  
• 4 to 6 (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
  
• ½ cup gluten-free bread crumbs
  
• ¾ cup brown rice flour
  
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  
• Freshly ground pepper
  

Directions

1. In a 4-cup glass measuring pitcher pour 4 teaspoons of vinegar. Fill pitcher to 4 cups with almond milk. Let sit for 10 minutes to allow almond milk to curdle.
   
2. For the brine, combine salt, sugar, paprika, garlic, and bay leaves. Add milk-vinegar mixture and stir until salt has dissolved. Immerse the chicken breasts in the brine and allow to marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes (do not marinate any longer or the chicken will become too salty).
   
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a wire rack on top of the lined baking sheet. Set aside.
   
4. Meanwhile, in a shallow dish combine the bread crumbs, flour, canola oil, and ½ teaspoon black pepper. In another shallow dish whisk together the eggs, mustard, thyme leaves, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
   
5. Working with one piece at a time, lift the chicken breast from the brine and allow any excess liquid to drip off. Immerse the chicken in the egg mixture, coating on both sides. Place the chicken into the bread crumb mixture and sprinkle crumbs on both sides to cover, pressing crumbs in to ensure they adhere to chicken. Place coated chicken breasts on prepared baking sheet with wire rack. Repeat process with remaining chicken. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until chicken is 165 degrees.
   

 

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, Y'all

 Chicken Paillard with Sauteed Mushrooms

recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, Y'all

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown rice flour
• course salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast, pounded to slightly over 1/4 inch thick
• 2 tablespoons of canola oil, plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of dry white wine
• 3/4 cup of chicken broth
• 1 pound of white button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

 Directions

1. Place the flour in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper.  Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. To cook the chicken, in a large cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon each of canola oil and olive oil over medium-high heat until very hot.  Working with 2 pieces at a time, dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour, then shake off the excess flour.  Without crowding, add the 2 pieces to the skillet, and brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.  Transfer to a warm platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.  Repeat with the remaining 1 tablespoon each of canola oil and olive oil.  
3. To make the sauce, pour all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the skillet.  Return the skillet to the heat.  Decrease the heat to medium.  Add the wine, using a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bit from the bottom of the pan.  Add the chicken broth, mushrooms, thyme, and parsley.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.  Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper.  Spoon the mushrooms over the chicken and serve immediately.