I’ve got something a little different for you today. My friend Stacie Billis has a new cookbook out, called Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner*. I thought it would be fun—and helpful—for you all to meet her. She’s made a pretty cool offer: If you tell us what’s in your pantry right now, she’ll help you figure out how to turn it into a chicken dinner. That assumes you’re not a vegetarian, of course. If you are, this probably isn’t the cookbook for you…
So, what have you got that needs using? Stacie’s really good at this, so feel free to challenge her with that jar of whatever you bought on a whim ages ago and never found a way to use. Comment below!
One lucky commenter will receive a copy of the book, too, so let’s get talking. The winner will be chosen randomly on Thursday and notified by email.
* That’s an Amazon affiliate link, so if you buy a copy I’ll receive a small percentage.
Roast the sweet potatoes (cubed) with a little olive oil + salt + garlic powder + chili powder; set aside. Then make a burrito bowl type thing with quinoa as the base... top with the leftover chicken, roasted potatoes, shredded cabbage (either quick pickled or lightly dressed with some oil + lime juice + salt + pepper) and avocado. If you have cilantro, I'd make a quick cilantro vinaigrette. You can also use the canned tomatoes to make a salsa if you've got the other stuff: fresh jalapeno (roast on the stovetop), red or white onion, cilantro, lime, salt. Otherwise, cook the canned tomatoes in the quinoa (add to cooking liquid and reduce cooking liquid by a little bit: https://staciebillis.com/how-to-cook-quinoa-perfectly/).
Jessi, the book has a whole chapter on using and creating leftovers. If you want chicken, but your family doesn't, you should poach chicken, shred it and then keep in the fridge for quick and easy lunches. Tacos, quesadillas, chicken salad, tossed with beans + herbs + a vinaigrette, etc. People talk about poaching bone-in, skin-on pieces and that's great, but you can poach ANY cut - I explain how!
Chicken breasts, spinach, parmesan cheese, tomato sauce, random veggies like bell peppers and brussel sprouts and string beans. I have soy sauce and sesame oil.
Tons of rice and pasta. I have some avocados too. There was no chicken at the store except frozen breasts so that’s what I have despite it not being my preference. Urgh! I can’t seem to figure out how to get food delivery in time without running out since we are very much in the eye of the pandemic storm and have limited grocery store runs completely so I feel like it’s random ingredients all week long!
I hear you about the grocery store. I'm in NYC and it's been a challenge getting all my ideal needs met in one, safe shop or delivery (if I can get a slot). This is definitely a time to flex!
Do you have cream cheese and/or mozz? The first thing I thought of was to make a spinach stuffed chicken breast. Make the filling with spinach, cream cheese, Parm + mozz, if you have (plus some fresh garlic or garlic powder, salt and pepper). Cut a slit in the breast making sure not to cut all the way through and stuff it with the filling. Dust breast with s+p and maybe some more garlic powder and saute. You can finish with tomato sauce if you want to use that up — or not. These are yummy plain, too. Maybe serve with a quick pasta primavera to get carbs + veggies in one complimentary side dish?
With out the stuff to make a spinach stuffing, I'd make a Pasta Primavera, but not with the tomato sauce. Instead, do a light butter (or cream) lemon sauce (I have an IGTV of Lemon Pasta that could be a great guide: @staciebillis). Then, butterfly the breasts, dust with s+p and garlic powder, saute cutlets in olive oil and use to top the pasta!
Thank you so much, this is incredibly helpful! I don't have the ingredients for option one but do have them for option 2. I will definitely do the stuffed breasts next week though so now I have two ideas I can use. I really appreciate helping me get out of the rut of the cooking routine, so thank you thank you thank you! And...now I'm starving and it is not even 11 am. So yum:)
I have 14oz of beautiful chicken thigh meat cooked in the slow cooker. It's pretty bland, because I forgot and used water instead of stock. But I'd like something faux Mexican for Cinco de Mayo.
I've got avocados, rice, kidney beans, black beans, chipotles in adobo, canned tomatoes, salsa, jarred jalapeños, a decent spice collection, garlic, onions, leeks etc. Veg includes lettuce, tomato, beets, acorn and butternut squash, broccoli, a very small amount of asparagus, carrots, beets (but maybe not enough time to cook the beets unless I start nowish). We have no lime or cilantro, but have lemon, orange and clementine for citrus.
I also have corn and flour tortillas and lots of cheeses (pepper jack, mozzarella, cheddar, Monterey Jack, feta, gouda, gruyere, part).
Well, seems you were hoping I could get to you last night since Cinco de Mayo passed — sorry about that! BUT... sounds like you have the perfect meal! Next time you want to IP thigh meat for a Mexican-style meal, consider adding a bay leaf, using a combo of chicken broth and OJ and throwing in halved jalapeno or cilantro stems. You can dump after cooking is done, but they imbue flavor. Also, if you have an extra 5 minutes and the wherewithal, salt/pepper/cumin the thighs before putting them in and brown quickly using the saute function. Then go into IP mode with all that cooking liquid and the aromatics.
Okay, Stacie, here's a toughie! I bought Trader Joe's Amba Mango Sauce on a whim a few months back (https://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/amba-mango-sauce). Their rec is to make a falafel wrap with it, which sounds doable but the problem is that I don't really...love??...the sauce. It's far more fermented tasting than I expected (yes, I read the package when I got it!). The real question is how do I temper that fermented taste? I tried a few squirts in a salad dressing and it totally overpowered everything. Any recommendations?
This is a tough one not having tried the sauce personally. Fermentation doesn't lend a universal flavor like sweet, for example, but rather enhances the fermented food's natural umami flavor. What happens when you ferment a mango - I don't know (but am certainly curious now!). Is the sauce sweet too? This sounds like something you'll want to use sparingly. I wonder if you add it to a marinade? Maybe it can lend flavor to the chicken then, once cooked, mellow out? In general, I wonder if cooking this will mellow what you're not enjoying from this sauce straight out of the package. I also noticed that the description mentions encountering the sauce on a fried eggplant sandwich — fry could also balance this out. I have a recipe for an Indian-Spiced Fried Chicken Sandwich in the book and am wondering if it could work in the marinade and/or as a drizzle sauce. Good luck!
Fun! I have chicken breasts, green lentils, coconut milk, and a garlic ginger paste that seem like they should go together but I'm not sure with what. Also have tomatoes, onion, pepper, and sweet potatoes
I love green lentils! Check out this recipe for coconut braised lentils, which is what I immediately thought of: https://food52.com/recipes/63393-curried-lentils-with-coconut-milk. Adding cubed sweet potato will totally work too! Then, I'd butterfly the breasts to make cutlets and dust them with salt, pepper and if you want, a teeny bit of garlic powder +/or a little cumin + /or a little curry powder and quick saute. I have a recipe for something similar using five spice powder in the book -- quick, lightly seasoned sauted cutlets like this are great topped with a salad (the five spice cutlet is topped with a quick Asian cabbage slaw) or served alongside something hearty like a lentil stew!
I bought a bag of dried yellow split peas and have no idea what to do with them! I'd love to turn them into a meal with some of the chicken thighs I have in the freezer. I have a pretty well stocked pantry, so probably have anything you can suggest!
How about a yellow split pea & chicken soup/stew (thighs are perfect for that!). You can go with classic flavors (onion + carrot + garlic +/or celery if you have too) OR try an Indian flavor profile and use curry + coconut milk along with broth. Yum! Either way, I'd fry shallots and top the whole thing with frizzled, crispy shallots.
True quarantiner here, thanks for looking out for us Staci! I've got Chicken, chickpeas, potatoes, diced tomatoes and beets. Thanks again for your help!
I feel you! We're still deep in quarantine life here in Brooklyn. So let's do this!
Chicken + chickpeas + potatoes (diced) + tomatoes = curry for me! Do you have curry paste? If not, dried spices + cream or coconut milk or even plain yogurt works. My Butter Chicken recipe in the book calls for marinating chicken in yogurt + garlic + turmeric + garam masala + a little lemon juice. You can use yogurt + curry powder. Or cumin + ginger + a little cinnamon. When ready to cook, butter + a little ginger if you have it + garlic + tomato paste if you have. Add chicken and brown, then add diced tomatoes and coconut milk to simmer. If you don't have coconut milk, skip it and finish with a big splash of cream. I'm sure you can look up a million easy curries if you want a good step-by-step.
Thanks so much! I am lacking on the creams such as curry paste, coconut milk and yogurt, so I'll try it with the dry spices! Cheers to new adventures! Thank you Stacie. :)
Beets, potatoes, broccoli, broccolini, onions and a heck of a lot of cilantro! Black beans, diced tomatoes and rice in the pantry. So fun and adore your podcast!
Given the rice and black beans + diced tomatoes (cook 'em together, add washed cilantro stems for added flavor and fish them out before serving), I want to go Mexican here. I'd probably marinate chicken in a lime cilantro marinade (you can do a riff on my Lemony Oregano marinade in the book using lime and cilantro: 1/2 cup lime juice + 1/4 cup water + 1 tablespoon fine sea salt + 1 tablespoons cilantro/or more to use it up! + 1 teaspoon lime zest + a splash of tequila for fun if you want!). Serve chicken with rice, beans, and roasted beets on the side. I LOVE roasted beets with avocado if you have them — that goes with the vibe. But even plain, or tossed with a lime cilantro vinaigrette + a dollop of sour cream works too!
Cubed/roasted beets, rutabagas, parsnips, russet potatoes, 2 heads of celery (yes I got an end-of-winter produce box...). Congrats on the book, Stacie!
I'd turn the beets and celery into a salad. You can either roast the beets and then toss with celery or if you have a mandolin and can do it easily, cut thin slices, then julienne the beets and toss with julienne celery (https://www.finecooking.com/article/how-to-cut-julienne-strips). Then I'd roast the chicken with all that end of winter goodness! I'd keep it simple and roast the chicken and veggies with a simple compound butter (I share several recipes in the book!) - think shallots or garlic and whatever herbs you've got lying around. You can also just do salt, pepper, and olive oil and then finish the last 10 min of roasting with olives and/or canned artichokes, which is a take on a recipe for Oliver's Chicken from the book (https://thefeedfeed.com/staciebillis/roasted-chicken-with-artichokes-and-olives).
I would throw this together as a sheet pan meal. Whether you've got bone-in, skin-on pieces or boneless, skinless pieces, you can marinate the chicken for 20 min to 1 hour in my Lemony Oregano marinade from the book (1/2 cup lemon juice + 1/4 cup water + 1 tablespoon fine sea salt + 1 tablespoon dried oregano/which can be skipped, honestly + 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Then, throw on a sheet pan with prepped onions (cut into wedges), potatoes and asparagus (trim them all / cut into approx same size pieces / toss with olive oil + salt + some fresh lemon juice). Roast til done and serve with a cucumber salad. I'd go greek dressing (olive oil + a little red wine vinegar + lemon juice + whatever combination of tomatoes OR chickpeas OR feta if you have). BOOM!
This sounds like fajitas to me! I'd, personally, choose one of the potatoes, though I bet you could combine them. Either way, I'd cut the potatoes into into 2"-thick wedges and cut the carrots into halves lengthwise. I'd cut the chicken breast into 2"-thick strips. Toss all of the above with chili powder + garlic powder + salt + cumin. Roast and serve in warmed tortillas!
My daughter delivered an assortment of Thai seasonings - tamarind paste, curry, lime leaves, basil, hot sauces, etc. Other than my go-to Panang Curry, what can I make? I always have chicken thighs in the freezer. Help me use the pantry!
Oh my goodness - so much deliciousness!!! Honestly, if I was experimenting with new-ish ingredients, I'd start with a stir fry over a curry b/c you don't waste too much time. Ha! Chicken thighs are FANTASTIC in stir fries and I LOVE chicken + holy basil stir fry. If you want a recipe to work off of, try looking for a Thai Basil Chicken stir-fry - lots of options, as this is a pretty classic pairing. Tamarind is also FANTASTIC for marinading and rubbing chicken that you want to grill. Tamarind grilled chicken served with lettuce and basil leaves on the side + hot sauce - YUM!
Oh! I love this... I have two small chickens, both around 2.25 lbs I got in my CSA in place of one larger bird. What's the best way to deal with smaller chickens? I have a bunch of carrots. Rice. Thanks!
I talk about this in the book: small chickens are a sign of chickens that were more likely to have grown up "naturally" and free, if that's something you care about. I never buy chicken over 4 lbs, because above that means that the chickens were likely mass produced to be big and, hence, less flavorful. Flavor is key!
You can roast them side by side! Or spatchcock them and throw those lil babies on a grill! I show how to spatchcock in the book (step-by-step photos for all the home butchering) - it's basically cutting the backbone out so that you can lay the bird flat on your cooking surface.
I also talk in the book how it's okay not to have a roasting rack - just be okay with the chicken skin that's been resting on the pan to not crisp up. But again, if you spatchcock (for roasting in the oven), you can get crispy skin all over even without a rack!
SO much can be done here! You can do sheet pan asparagus and chicken, then add the white beans to the sheet pan for the last 5-7 min of cooking + crumble feta on top before serving. OR you can toss the beans and feta as a side with your sheet pan chicken + asparagus. Either way, season the veg and meat with just olive oil + salt + pepper OR you can do the Lemony Oregano marinade I keep mentioning from the book: 1/2 cup lemon juice + 1/4 cup water + 1 tablespoon fine sea salt + 1 tablespoon dried oregano/which can be skipped, honestly + 1 teaspoon lemon zest (marinade for 20-60 min).
But here's another thought entirely (depending on what cut of chicken you have; this will work best with bone-in, skin-on pieces): Make a Greek-ish version of Arroz con Pollo. I give directions in the book for how to do chicken-and-rice arroz con pollo style with any flavors. The gist: brown the chicken pieces/put aside, sautee garlic and cut up asparagus in any rendered fat + a little drizzle of olive oil, add 1 cup chopped tomatoes and 2 cups cooking liquid (think stock or white wine or a combo) and cook for 2 min, then add 1 cup rice. Stir, return chicken to pan skin side up, make sure heat is at med-low and cover the pot, cooked until chicken is cooked through/about 30 minutes and rice is tender and has soaked up all the cooking liquid. Add the white beans for the last 5 minutes or so of cooking. Garnish with feta before serving.
OMG how amazing is Stacie? Thank you so much for all your inventive ideas!
I'm thrilled to be here! xo
Leftover chicken, cabbage, sweet potatoes, quinoa, avocado, canned tomatoes. Dairy free a plus!
Roast the sweet potatoes (cubed) with a little olive oil + salt + garlic powder + chili powder; set aside. Then make a burrito bowl type thing with quinoa as the base... top with the leftover chicken, roasted potatoes, shredded cabbage (either quick pickled or lightly dressed with some oil + lime juice + salt + pepper) and avocado. If you have cilantro, I'd make a quick cilantro vinaigrette. You can also use the canned tomatoes to make a salsa if you've got the other stuff: fresh jalapeno (roast on the stovetop), red or white onion, cilantro, lime, salt. Otherwise, cook the canned tomatoes in the quinoa (add to cooking liquid and reduce cooking liquid by a little bit: https://staciebillis.com/how-to-cook-quinoa-perfectly/).
Sounds delicious! Thank you so much!!
My family doesn’t really like chicken, but I prefer it to other meats. I’d love to use this book to meal prep for lunches for myself
And I love stacies podcast “Didnt I just feed you?”
Jessi, the book has a whole chapter on using and creating leftovers. If you want chicken, but your family doesn't, you should poach chicken, shred it and then keep in the fridge for quick and easy lunches. Tacos, quesadillas, chicken salad, tossed with beans + herbs + a vinaigrette, etc. People talk about poaching bone-in, skin-on pieces and that's great, but you can poach ANY cut - I explain how!
And so happy you love DIJFY! xo
Chicken breasts, spinach, parmesan cheese, tomato sauce, random veggies like bell peppers and brussel sprouts and string beans. I have soy sauce and sesame oil.
Tons of rice and pasta. I have some avocados too. There was no chicken at the store except frozen breasts so that’s what I have despite it not being my preference. Urgh! I can’t seem to figure out how to get food delivery in time without running out since we are very much in the eye of the pandemic storm and have limited grocery store runs completely so I feel like it’s random ingredients all week long!
I hear you about the grocery store. I'm in NYC and it's been a challenge getting all my ideal needs met in one, safe shop or delivery (if I can get a slot). This is definitely a time to flex!
Do you have cream cheese and/or mozz? The first thing I thought of was to make a spinach stuffed chicken breast. Make the filling with spinach, cream cheese, Parm + mozz, if you have (plus some fresh garlic or garlic powder, salt and pepper). Cut a slit in the breast making sure not to cut all the way through and stuff it with the filling. Dust breast with s+p and maybe some more garlic powder and saute. You can finish with tomato sauce if you want to use that up — or not. These are yummy plain, too. Maybe serve with a quick pasta primavera to get carbs + veggies in one complimentary side dish?
With out the stuff to make a spinach stuffing, I'd make a Pasta Primavera, but not with the tomato sauce. Instead, do a light butter (or cream) lemon sauce (I have an IGTV of Lemon Pasta that could be a great guide: @staciebillis). Then, butterfly the breasts, dust with s+p and garlic powder, saute cutlets in olive oil and use to top the pasta!
Thank you so much, this is incredibly helpful! I don't have the ingredients for option one but do have them for option 2. I will definitely do the stuffed breasts next week though so now I have two ideas I can use. I really appreciate helping me get out of the rut of the cooking routine, so thank you thank you thank you! And...now I'm starving and it is not even 11 am. So yum:)
YAY! So glad this was helpful. And I agree: I get in ruts all the time and sometimes it just takes hearing *somebody else's* ideas to get a jumpstart.
Silly question but how do
I see your lemon pasta recipe? I see you said IGTV but can’t figure out how to get it?
Not silly. They weirdly don't make it easy (IGTV even has it's own separate app!). Here's a direct link: https://www.instagram.com/tv/B--EhBVDnRb/
I have 14oz of beautiful chicken thigh meat cooked in the slow cooker. It's pretty bland, because I forgot and used water instead of stock. But I'd like something faux Mexican for Cinco de Mayo.
I've got avocados, rice, kidney beans, black beans, chipotles in adobo, canned tomatoes, salsa, jarred jalapeños, a decent spice collection, garlic, onions, leeks etc. Veg includes lettuce, tomato, beets, acorn and butternut squash, broccoli, a very small amount of asparagus, carrots, beets (but maybe not enough time to cook the beets unless I start nowish). We have no lime or cilantro, but have lemon, orange and clementine for citrus.
I also have corn and flour tortillas and lots of cheeses (pepper jack, mozzarella, cheddar, Monterey Jack, feta, gouda, gruyere, part).
Well, seems you were hoping I could get to you last night since Cinco de Mayo passed — sorry about that! BUT... sounds like you have the perfect meal! Next time you want to IP thigh meat for a Mexican-style meal, consider adding a bay leaf, using a combo of chicken broth and OJ and throwing in halved jalapeno or cilantro stems. You can dump after cooking is done, but they imbue flavor. Also, if you have an extra 5 minutes and the wherewithal, salt/pepper/cumin the thighs before putting them in and brown quickly using the saute function. Then go into IP mode with all that cooking liquid and the aromatics.
Okay, Stacie, here's a toughie! I bought Trader Joe's Amba Mango Sauce on a whim a few months back (https://www.traderjoes.com/digin/post/amba-mango-sauce). Their rec is to make a falafel wrap with it, which sounds doable but the problem is that I don't really...love??...the sauce. It's far more fermented tasting than I expected (yes, I read the package when I got it!). The real question is how do I temper that fermented taste? I tried a few squirts in a salad dressing and it totally overpowered everything. Any recommendations?
This is a tough one not having tried the sauce personally. Fermentation doesn't lend a universal flavor like sweet, for example, but rather enhances the fermented food's natural umami flavor. What happens when you ferment a mango - I don't know (but am certainly curious now!). Is the sauce sweet too? This sounds like something you'll want to use sparingly. I wonder if you add it to a marinade? Maybe it can lend flavor to the chicken then, once cooked, mellow out? In general, I wonder if cooking this will mellow what you're not enjoying from this sauce straight out of the package. I also noticed that the description mentions encountering the sauce on a fried eggplant sandwich — fry could also balance this out. I have a recipe for an Indian-Spiced Fried Chicken Sandwich in the book and am wondering if it could work in the marinade and/or as a drizzle sauce. Good luck!
Fun! I have chicken breasts, green lentils, coconut milk, and a garlic ginger paste that seem like they should go together but I'm not sure with what. Also have tomatoes, onion, pepper, and sweet potatoes
I love green lentils! Check out this recipe for coconut braised lentils, which is what I immediately thought of: https://food52.com/recipes/63393-curried-lentils-with-coconut-milk. Adding cubed sweet potato will totally work too! Then, I'd butterfly the breasts to make cutlets and dust them with salt, pepper and if you want, a teeny bit of garlic powder +/or a little cumin + /or a little curry powder and quick saute. I have a recipe for something similar using five spice powder in the book -- quick, lightly seasoned sauted cutlets like this are great topped with a salad (the five spice cutlet is topped with a quick Asian cabbage slaw) or served alongside something hearty like a lentil stew!
I bought a bag of dried yellow split peas and have no idea what to do with them! I'd love to turn them into a meal with some of the chicken thighs I have in the freezer. I have a pretty well stocked pantry, so probably have anything you can suggest!
How about a yellow split pea & chicken soup/stew (thighs are perfect for that!). You can go with classic flavors (onion + carrot + garlic +/or celery if you have too) OR try an Indian flavor profile and use curry + coconut milk along with broth. Yum! Either way, I'd fry shallots and top the whole thing with frizzled, crispy shallots.
Thank you! That sounds delicious. I do have some coconut milk so I think I'll try that. Yum.
True quarantiner here, thanks for looking out for us Staci! I've got Chicken, chickpeas, potatoes, diced tomatoes and beets. Thanks again for your help!
I feel you! We're still deep in quarantine life here in Brooklyn. So let's do this!
Chicken + chickpeas + potatoes (diced) + tomatoes = curry for me! Do you have curry paste? If not, dried spices + cream or coconut milk or even plain yogurt works. My Butter Chicken recipe in the book calls for marinating chicken in yogurt + garlic + turmeric + garam masala + a little lemon juice. You can use yogurt + curry powder. Or cumin + ginger + a little cinnamon. When ready to cook, butter + a little ginger if you have it + garlic + tomato paste if you have. Add chicken and brown, then add diced tomatoes and coconut milk to simmer. If you don't have coconut milk, skip it and finish with a big splash of cream. I'm sure you can look up a million easy curries if you want a good step-by-step.
Then... beets on the side! Roast 'em with cumin seed, if you have, and some of the same spices from your curry and toss finish product with a little yogurt and cilantro and lime. This is a fun recipe to riff off of: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013864-roasted-beets-with-chiles-ginger-yogurt-and-indian-spices
Thanks so much! I am lacking on the creams such as curry paste, coconut milk and yogurt, so I'll try it with the dry spices! Cheers to new adventures! Thank you Stacie. :)
Beets, potatoes, broccoli, broccolini, onions and a heck of a lot of cilantro! Black beans, diced tomatoes and rice in the pantry. So fun and adore your podcast!
Given the rice and black beans + diced tomatoes (cook 'em together, add washed cilantro stems for added flavor and fish them out before serving), I want to go Mexican here. I'd probably marinate chicken in a lime cilantro marinade (you can do a riff on my Lemony Oregano marinade in the book using lime and cilantro: 1/2 cup lime juice + 1/4 cup water + 1 tablespoon fine sea salt + 1 tablespoons cilantro/or more to use it up! + 1 teaspoon lime zest + a splash of tequila for fun if you want!). Serve chicken with rice, beans, and roasted beets on the side. I LOVE roasted beets with avocado if you have them — that goes with the vibe. But even plain, or tossed with a lime cilantro vinaigrette + a dollop of sour cream works too!
So glad you love Didn't I Just Feed You! xoxo
Cubed/roasted beets, rutabagas, parsnips, russet potatoes, 2 heads of celery (yes I got an end-of-winter produce box...). Congrats on the book, Stacie!
I'd turn the beets and celery into a salad. You can either roast the beets and then toss with celery or if you have a mandolin and can do it easily, cut thin slices, then julienne the beets and toss with julienne celery (https://www.finecooking.com/article/how-to-cut-julienne-strips). Then I'd roast the chicken with all that end of winter goodness! I'd keep it simple and roast the chicken and veggies with a simple compound butter (I share several recipes in the book!) - think shallots or garlic and whatever herbs you've got lying around. You can also just do salt, pepper, and olive oil and then finish the last 10 min of roasting with olives and/or canned artichokes, which is a take on a recipe for Oliver's Chicken from the book (https://thefeedfeed.com/staciebillis/roasted-chicken-with-artichokes-and-olives).
I hope this helps!
That chicken sounds delicious! Thank you!
We have onions, yukon potatoes, asparagus, cucumbers! :) Congrats on the new cookbook, Stacie!
I would throw this together as a sheet pan meal. Whether you've got bone-in, skin-on pieces or boneless, skinless pieces, you can marinate the chicken for 20 min to 1 hour in my Lemony Oregano marinade from the book (1/2 cup lemon juice + 1/4 cup water + 1 tablespoon fine sea salt + 1 tablespoon dried oregano/which can be skipped, honestly + 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Then, throw on a sheet pan with prepped onions (cut into wedges), potatoes and asparagus (trim them all / cut into approx same size pieces / toss with olive oil + salt + some fresh lemon juice). Roast til done and serve with a cucumber salad. I'd go greek dressing (olive oil + a little red wine vinegar + lemon juice + whatever combination of tomatoes OR chickpeas OR feta if you have). BOOM!
Yes! Sounds delicious! Love those sheet pan meals - always turn out so great. Thank you!
Sweet potato chicken breast carrots potatoes
This sounds like fajitas to me! I'd, personally, choose one of the potatoes, though I bet you could combine them. Either way, I'd cut the potatoes into into 2"-thick wedges and cut the carrots into halves lengthwise. I'd cut the chicken breast into 2"-thick strips. Toss all of the above with chili powder + garlic powder + salt + cumin. Roast and serve in warmed tortillas!
My daughter delivered an assortment of Thai seasonings - tamarind paste, curry, lime leaves, basil, hot sauces, etc. Other than my go-to Panang Curry, what can I make? I always have chicken thighs in the freezer. Help me use the pantry!
Oh my goodness - so much deliciousness!!! Honestly, if I was experimenting with new-ish ingredients, I'd start with a stir fry over a curry b/c you don't waste too much time. Ha! Chicken thighs are FANTASTIC in stir fries and I LOVE chicken + holy basil stir fry. If you want a recipe to work off of, try looking for a Thai Basil Chicken stir-fry - lots of options, as this is a pretty classic pairing. Tamarind is also FANTASTIC for marinading and rubbing chicken that you want to grill. Tamarind grilled chicken served with lettuce and basil leaves on the side + hot sauce - YUM!
A tamarind rub grilled chicken -- YES! Thank you.
Oh! I love this... I have two small chickens, both around 2.25 lbs I got in my CSA in place of one larger bird. What's the best way to deal with smaller chickens? I have a bunch of carrots. Rice. Thanks!
I talk about this in the book: small chickens are a sign of chickens that were more likely to have grown up "naturally" and free, if that's something you care about. I never buy chicken over 4 lbs, because above that means that the chickens were likely mass produced to be big and, hence, less flavorful. Flavor is key!
You can roast them side by side! Or spatchcock them and throw those lil babies on a grill! I show how to spatchcock in the book (step-by-step photos for all the home butchering) - it's basically cutting the backbone out so that you can lay the bird flat on your cooking surface.
I also talk in the book how it's okay not to have a roasting rack - just be okay with the chicken skin that's been resting on the pan to not crisp up. But again, if you spatchcock (for roasting in the oven), you can get crispy skin all over even without a rack!
Asparagus, chicken, feta cheese, and white beans!
SO much can be done here! You can do sheet pan asparagus and chicken, then add the white beans to the sheet pan for the last 5-7 min of cooking + crumble feta on top before serving. OR you can toss the beans and feta as a side with your sheet pan chicken + asparagus. Either way, season the veg and meat with just olive oil + salt + pepper OR you can do the Lemony Oregano marinade I keep mentioning from the book: 1/2 cup lemon juice + 1/4 cup water + 1 tablespoon fine sea salt + 1 tablespoon dried oregano/which can be skipped, honestly + 1 teaspoon lemon zest (marinade for 20-60 min).
But here's another thought entirely (depending on what cut of chicken you have; this will work best with bone-in, skin-on pieces): Make a Greek-ish version of Arroz con Pollo. I give directions in the book for how to do chicken-and-rice arroz con pollo style with any flavors. The gist: brown the chicken pieces/put aside, sautee garlic and cut up asparagus in any rendered fat + a little drizzle of olive oil, add 1 cup chopped tomatoes and 2 cups cooking liquid (think stock or white wine or a combo) and cook for 2 min, then add 1 cup rice. Stir, return chicken to pan skin side up, make sure heat is at med-low and cover the pot, cooked until chicken is cooked through/about 30 minutes and rice is tender and has soaked up all the cooking liquid. Add the white beans for the last 5 minutes or so of cooking. Garnish with feta before serving.