Matt’s Chicken ‘n Rice

4 Servings / Cook time 25 min /

2lbs skinless boneless thighs

Salt and Pepper

Montreal Chicken seasoning (don’t sub this one – it’s key)

1 Tbsp Paprika

2 Tsp Chicken Boullion

1 Tsp Garlic Powder

1 Tsp Onion Powder

1/2 Tsp ground oregano

1/4 Tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp Cayenne

1 Tbsp veg. oil

2 C. low sodium chicken broth  (yes low sodium – or it will be too salty)

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 C uncooked Basmati Rice (don’t sub this either – flavor is key)

Pat chicken dry and season both sides with salt, pepper and Montreal seasoning

In a small bowl combine the paprika, chicken bouillon, garlic powder, oregano, chili powder and cayenne

Heat pan with oil over medium heat.  Brown chicken on both sides.  Set chicken aside

Turn the heat off and add the spices.  Mix well scraping up the browned bits.

Turn the heat back onto medium and add the stock fully deglazing the pan.  Whisk in the tomato paste and add the rice stirring to combine.  Bring to a boil.  Tuck in the chicken, cover and cook for 25 minutes.  Once the rice is done I typically  turn it on high for a minute to get the bottom bits of rice crunchy.  Don’t walk away or you’ll burn it.  And if you don’t care about crunchy rice then just eat it up as is.  We like to serve with baby carrots.

Lettuce soup

Hearty flavorful soup that’s not too heavy.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil (cooking)
  • 2 tablespoons of your best olive oil (drizzling)
  • 1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 medium russet potato, chopped (not a large russet)
  • 5-6 cups chicken broth
  • 6 ounces arugula
  • 6 ounces fresh spinach
  • 1 ounce cilantro
  • Greek yogurt, for serving

Process:

  1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in large pan.
  2. Saute onions for 5 mins, add garlic, and saute 2-3 more minutes
  3. Add turmeric, salt, pepper, nutmeg and allspice and saute 3 more minutes
  4. Add stock and potatoes and simmer for about 10 mins or until potatoes are tender
  5. Add spinach, cilantro and arugula. Simmer for 10 more minutes
  6. Toss into blender. Puree nicely.
  7. Serve with a large dollup of yogurt, a sprinkling of arugula and a drizzle of your best oil

don’t: use too much potato

Davids caper and garlic chicken

Our favorite flavorful and simple chicken dish brought you by the Times with a bit of Irish flourish.

Ingredients:

  • 5-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  •  Pinch o pepper
  • 5 garlic cloves, smashed 
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons anchovy paste
  • 2 tablespoons capers, drained and dry
  • 1 hearty pinch chile flakes
  • 1/2 lemon

Process:

  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in large cast iron (or other oven proof) skillet
  3. Heat 2 tbsp oil in small pan
  4. Salt and pepper the chicken and cook on medium heat in large skillet, 4 min each side (ish) get a little crispness going (not a lot)
  5. Simultaneously over low heat cook the garlic for a bit, then add the anchovy paste, capers and chile. Let cook stirring occasionally for the duration of the chicken skillet process.
  6. Once chicken is done, spoon the love on to the chicken and put skillet in oven.
  7. Cook for 7-10 minutes or until not quite done… no need to flip unless u r bored
  8. Once chicken is done, remove the chicken to a separate vessel. Knock any capers or garlic back into the cast iron when u do this.
  9. Place cast iron  back on low heat. Add juice from a half a lemon and cook until it reduces a bit (less than a minute) scrape the brown bits into the juice
  10. Add chicken back on and finish at high heart for about a minute on each side. The idea is to crisp but not burn the garlic and capers and to give the chicken a final crispy sear.

Boom!

do: make sure you crisp the capers during last phase

don’t: burn the garlic up front

Bloody Mary Mix (Juan’s Famous)

A simple and effective remedy to anything that ails you.

Mix all ingredients for a batch that’s good for about 8 bloodies:

  • (1) 64 oz. Clamato (original not spicey)
  • (1) 8 oz. Clam juice
  • (3) limes, you can do 4th if you like lime
  • 2 large tablespoons of “Morehouse prepared”  or a bit less of the straight stuff
  • 2 tsp Celery Salt
  • 3 tablespoons of soy sauce (not low sodium)
  • 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon (or more) of Tabasco or any other acidic hot sauce.
  • 1/4 cup of Olive Brine
  • 1/8 cup of pickle juice
  • pinch of cayenne if you like hot

For garnish, meat sticks, celery, olives and cheese rounds. bacon if you got it. Add two ounces of premium vodka to each 8-10 oz glass filled with good cocktail ice

 

Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken

Ingredients

  • 4 – 6 skinless chicken breasts or skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasonings
  • 1 cup cremini mushrooms , sliced
  • 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce (not low sodium)
  • ¾ cup  unsalted chicken stock
  • 4  garlic cloves , minced
  • 1/2 cup julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1-2 cup spinach
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ – ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Thickener:
  • 3.5 tablespoons (32g) cornstarch
  • ¼ cup (63ml) cold water

Method

  • Brown Chicken Thighs or Chicken Breasts: Heat up Instant Pot using Sauté More function. Wait until it says HOT. This prevents chicken from sticking to the pot. Pat dry chicken and season one side gently with salt + black pepper. Add in unsalted butter. Quickly add in the chicken to prevent butter from burning. While one side is browning, season the other side with more salt + black pepper. Brown first side for 3.5 minutes, then the other side for 2 minutes. Set the chicken aside.
    • *Pro Tip: For better browning results, brown chicken in 2 batches using the same cooking times.
  • Saute Garlic & Mushrooms: Add minced garlic, then saute for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add sliced mushroom, season with salt + black pepper, then saute for a minute. Add Italian seasonings, then saute for another minute.
  • Deglaze Instant Pot: Mix soy sauce + unsalted chicken stock together, then pour in Instant Pot and deglaze (scrub all the flavorful brown bits off the bottom). Give it a quick mix.
  • Pressure Cook Chicken: Add in browned chicken + meat juice. Pressure cook chicken at:
    • Chicken Thighs: High Pressure 5 minutes + Natural Release 10 minutes
    • Chicken Breasts: High Pressure 4 minutes + Natural Release 10 minutes.

      After 10 minutes, release remaining pressure. 
  • Create Tuscan Chicken Sauce: Set aside chicken, bring the liquid mixture back to a boil (Saute button). Add in spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, then cook for 30 seconds. Give them a quick stir. Mix in heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
  • Thicken Tuscan Chicken Sauce & Seasoning: Mix 3.5 tbsp (32g) cornstarch + ¼ cup (63ml) cold water together in a small mixing bowl. Add the cornstarch mixture one third at a time to thicken the Tuscan Chicken sauce until desired thickness.
  • Serve Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken: Place chicken back in Instant Pot and give it a quick mix. Then, serve! 

Creole Fusion Chicken Marinade

Ingredients: 

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 6 thighs
  • 1/4 cup cooking oil
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1-2 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1-2 teaspoon creole seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1-2 green onions, diced.

Method: 

  1. Add all the ingredients to a Ziplock bag, , marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 48 hours in refrigerator.

Tarragon Butter

Ingredients: 

  • 1 teaspoon blended oil
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallots
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup fresh tarragon
  • 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temp
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • Salt

Method: 

  1. In a saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and cook the shallots until translucent, 3-4 minutes. Add the white wine and tarragon. Reduce the liquid to 2 tablespoon and cool
  2. In a food processor, whip the butter and add the tarragon mixture, lemon juice, and salt to taste.
  3. Mound the butter on a sheet of plastic wrap and roll into a log 1.5 inches in diameter.
  4. Refrigerate or freeze until needed.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

  • 3-4 overly ripe bananas 
  • 1/4 cup melted butter 
  • 1 cup raw sugar 
  • 1 1/2 cup flour 
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 beaten egg
  • 1 tsp baking soda

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Mash the bananas in a bowl 
  3. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon 
  4. Bake in a buttered loaf pan until a toothpick stuck into the bread comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes 
  5. slice and serve 

Momos

A lovely Tibetan dumpling recipe. Labor-intensive but delicious

Ingredients: 

  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20) 
  • 1/2 cup minced onion 
  • 1/2 cup minced cilantro stems 
  • 3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger 
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil 
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic 
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt 
  • 48 round dumpling wrappers 

Method: 

MAKE THE FILLING:
  1. In a bowl, combine the beef, onion, cilantro, ginger, oil, garlic, salt and 2 tablespoons of water. Using your hands or a spoon, mix lightly but well. Set aside, from 30 minutes to 2 hours, to develop the flavors.
MAKE THE DUMPLINGS:
  1. Lay 6 wrappers out on a work surface. Spoon about 2 teaspoons of filling onto the upper half of each wrapper. With a damp cloth, lightly moisten the edges of each wrapper and fold up and over the filling into a half-moon, gently pressing the edges to seal. To pleat the sealed edges, start at one tip of the half-moon and make small folds in the dough, pressing them flat as you work your way along the edge. There should be space for about 7 folds. Place finished dumplings on a nonstick surface and cover lightly with damp paper towels. Refrigerate if not cooking immediately.
  2. When ready to cook, boil water in the bottom of a large steamer. Spray the steamer tray lightly with nonstick spray and gently add the dumplings, making sure they do not touch. Steam in batches for 10 minutes, until the wrappers are slightly translucent, and serve immediately.

One Skillet Lemon Chicken Orzo

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 5 chicken thighs
  • kosher salt and pepper
  • 1 Meyer lemon, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 clove garlic, minced or grated
  • 1 cup orzo pasta
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 2 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 1/2 a bunch kale, roughly torn
  • zest + juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons of capers

Method: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet set over medium high heat. Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken and sear on both sides until golden, about 3-5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the skillet.
  3. To the same skillet, add the butter and lemon slices. Sear the lemon until golden on each side, about 1 minute. Remove the lemon from the pan and add to the plate with the chicken. 
  4.  To the same skillet, add the garlic and orzo. Cook until the garlic is fragrant and the orzo toasted, about 2-3 minutes. Add the wine to the skillet and de-glaze the pan. Add the chicken broth, kale, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir. Slide the chickens, lemon slices, and any juices left on the pan back into the skillet. Transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
  5.  Serve the chicken topped with capers and lemon zest