Chicken Tacos with Creamy Chipotle Slaw

See what I mean? Tacos. The best part is that this was the leftover chicken from two nights earlier and the rest of the cabbage from the Vietnamese Pork Salad. This isn't a recipe but we loved it so I'm putting it in to remind myself. Lazy dinner and emptying out the fridge...yessss.

Spice rubbed chicken thighs (or any leftover chicken)
Handful of shredded cheese (mexican blend or cheddar or jack)
1 cup cole slaw mix
1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 tbsp sauce from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce (or more if you like it spicier)
Avocados, sliced if you have them

1. Combine the slaw, sour cream, and adobo. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat the chicken and set aside. Heat the tortillas and melt the cheese in them. Add chicken, slaw, and avocado. That's it!!

Spice Rubbed Chicken Thighs with Jalapeno Guac

We eat tacos all. the. time. What else would I do with all of that leftover chicken? But because we have them, ahem, at least once a week, I try to change them up as much as possible...which includes serving them tortilla-less.

1 package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp garlic powder
Salt & pepper
Enough kale or other greens for a salad
1 cup or more of black beans
1 cup or more of corn
1 cup or more of diced tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp honey
1/8 tsp dijon mustard
2 avocados
2 - 3 jalapenos, seeds and veins removed, finely diced
Juice of one lime
2 tablespoons of sour cream or plain yogurt (if you have it)

1. Combine the chili powder through the salt and pepper and rub thoroughly into the chicken thighs. Given them 30 mins if you have it, otherwise, do everything else before you grill them.

2. To make the salad dressing, combine the olive oil thorugh the mustard to make your dressing, or use store bought dressing if you have it.

3. To make the salad, combine the kale, beans, corn, tomatoes and dress salad.

4. To make the guacamole, combine avocados, jalapenos, lime juice, and sour cream/yogurt and salt & pepper.

5. Grill the chicken and serve over the salad with guac on the side.

Vietnamese Style Pork Chops with Kale and Cabbage Salad

I don't usually get excited about pork chops. Tenderloin - yes. Chops? Not so much. And Paddy [usually] tries to hide his disappointment when I make pork in general. But we eat A LOT of chicken and sometimes you gotta change up the routine a little. I made this a few weeks ago and we were both blown away. I used boneless chops and marinated the hell out of them. The sugar caramelized when these were on the grill and they were incredibly tasty over this salad. Adapted from Food and Wine.

1 large shallot or a small onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup fish sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp black pepper

4 pork chops - bone in or out

2 scallions, thinly sliced

Salad greens (I preferred kale for this)

1/2 English cucumber, sliced

1 cup cabbage or cole slaw mix
Fresh basil and mint if you have it (or either)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp lime juice

1/2 tsp honey

Salt & pepper

1. Mix the ingredients through the black pepper (blend or put in food processor if you can). Transfer to a ziplock, add pork, and marinate for 1 - 12 hrs. I highly recommend doing this first thing in the morning for dinner.

2. Heat grill to medium high. Remove chops from marinade and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chops turning once until lightly charred, about two mins per side.

3. Combine your greens and cabbage with the scallions and cucumber. Make the dressing by mixing the olive oil, lime juice, honey and S&P. Toss salad with dressing and serve the pork, sliced, on top.

Crunchy Vegetable Salad with Warm Peanut Dressing and 7-Minute Egg

Jack's been on a peanut butter and toast breakfast kick lately so peanut butter's back on my radar. It's some pretty messy stuff when you mix it with a 1.5 year old. No matter how well I wash his face and hands after breakfast, I swear I still smell peanut butter on him at the end of the day. Where is he saving it??  In his hair and behind his ears. Anyway, the weather's warming up and my dutch oven is going into summer hibernation. It's time for salads and the grill! This is from Bon Appetit. There are a lot of peanut sauce recipes out there but this is the best one I've had in a long time. The salad is delicious and can keep for days - it's also really filling and makes a great dinner. You could easily add chicken or shrimp to this.

Sauce

2 green Thai chilis or jalapenos, seeded, cored, minced
1 clove of garlic
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup coconut milk
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp fish sauce

Salad

4 eggs (or as many people you're serving)
1/4 head of Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/3 cup peanuts, chopped
4 cups cooked brown rice

1. Add all sauce ingredients to a small sauce pan with 1/4 cup of water. Heat over medium-low, whisking often until hot, about 5 minutes. If it gets to thick, add a little more water.

2. Add eggs to a pot of boiling water and cook for 7 minutes. Transfer eggs to bowl of ice water until cooled. Gently peel and set aside.

3. Toss the cabbage, scallions celery, cucumber, cilantro, mint in a large bowl. Serve over warm or chilled brown rice with peanut sauce on top and halved eggs on the side.

Faster Roast Chicken & Gravy with Bacony Brussels Sprouts

Yes, yes, more chicken. But roast chicken, people, it's a different food group. You know how you think about making it but then don't because you don't have two hours and don't want to deal with picking all of the chicken off the carcass and cleaning up the mess? This is my weeknight solution. Substitute the veggies, serve with roasted or mashed potatoes and get into the comfort zone. And do not skip the gravy - please folks.


Roast Chicken

2-3 bone-in chicken breasts (whatever will fit in your cast-iron or oven proof skillet)
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp fresh thyme, rosemary, or sage (if you use dried, use 1/2 tsp)
Salt and pepper

Brussels Sprouts

1-2 lbs brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2-3 strips of bacon (cooked or uncooked), chopped
2 tbsp chicken broth
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. If you're using uncooked bacon for the sprouts, cook the bacon in the pan that you plan to cook the chicken in. Set bacon aside and drain most (not all!) of the bacon fat from the pan into a small dish and set aside.

3. Salt and pepper the chicken and place skin side down in a hot pan with a bit of olive oil or bacon grease. Cook until skin is browned, then flip and put in the oven for about 30-45 mins depending on the size of the breasts.

4. When the chicken is almost done, heat another skillet over medium high heat and add a little bacon grease or olive oil. Place the sprouts cut side down and cook until lightly browned. Flip and add the stock and vinegar, salt and pepper, and bacon and cover. Cook for about 10 mins while you make the gravy.

5. When chicken is done, remove the chicken from the pan and heat the pan with its drippings over medium high heat until it starts to bubble. Sprinkle the flour into the drippings and whisk until incorporated. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and add the herbs, salt and pepper as needed. Gravy's done when it's thickened up slightly. If it gets too thick, add a little more broth.

Arroz con Pollo with Avocado-Pea Salsa

This is a one pot wonder from Food & Wine that takes only an hour. It's a good Sunday night dinner and there's leftovers for lunch and more dinners during the week. It includes both wine and beer - a really wholesome meal. I won't judge if you want to round it off with a margarita or two...you gotta cover all the bases.

Arroz con Pollo

2 tbsp olive oil
One chicken cut into pieces (or, a couple of thighs, breasts, and legs)
1 onion, minced
2 serrano chilis or jalapenos, seeded and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 plum tomatoes, cored and finely diced (or a 14oz can of crushed tomato)
1 tsp ground achiote (if you can find it)
1/2 tsp cumin
Pinch of saffron
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup light beer
2 cups rice (uncooked)

Avocado-Pea Salsa

1 cup peas
1 small red onion
1/4 cup lime juice
3 avocados finely diced
1/4 cup olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 400. In a very large dutch oven, heat oil over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and cook in the oil skin side down first until nicely browned. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add the onion, chilis, and garlic to the pot with a little salt and pepper and cook until softened. Add the tomatoes, achiote, cumin, and saffron and cook until the tomatoes start to break down.

3. Add the wine and simmer until slightly reduced. Add stock and beer and bring to a boil. Stir in rice and bring to a boil. Nestle the chicken into the rice and bake uncovered in the lower third of the oven for 30 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and chicken cooked through.

4. While the chicken and rice are in the oven, blanch the peas in a pot of boiling water for about a minute. Drain under cold water. Mix the onion, lime juice and salt and pepper. Let stand for 10 mins and then mix in the avocados and peas.

5. Remove the chicken from the pot when done. Fluff the rice and serve with chicken and salsa on top.

Grilled Egg & Eggplant

Not a combo I would've thought up. But these days I'm going for meals that are high in flavor, healthy, and fast as hell to make. This is from Bon Appetit. The spicy sauce in this recipe could be used in a million other ways but it really works with this. You can pan cook the eggplants but the smokey char from the grill is like another ingredient. Serve this on its own, over some sauteed kale, or rice, both...whatever.

2 jalapenos, seeded and de-veined
1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
4 Japanese eggplants or 1 lb of regular eggplant(s) - cut lengthwise about 1/2" thick
4 tbsp olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cups cilantro
1/4 cup fresh dill
2 eggs

1. Toss chiles, garlic, and a large pinch of salt on a small bowl and let sit until softened - about 10 mins. Stir in vinegar and honey and set aside.

2. Drizzle eggplants with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill or cook in a large skillet until lightly charred and tender. When finished, cut on a diagonal and toss in a large bowl with scallions and half of the hot sauce, cilantro and dill.

3. Heat remaining 2 tbsp of oil in a skillet over medium and fry the eggs until yolks are just set. Remove eggs from pan and cut into strips. Arrange over the eggplant and drizzle with remaining hot sauce, cilantro and dill.