Poultry

so good. simple harissa chicken

March 8, 2020 by Becky Spoon

This harissa chicken recipe was in the Food and Wine magazine issue for March 2020 and I just had to make it! I’m so glad I did because it is delicious!

Harissa is a North African hot chili pepper paste, the main ingredients of which are roasted red peppers, Baklouti peppers or serrano peppers, spices and herbs such as garlic paste, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, cumin and olive oil to carry the oil-soluble flavors.

I purchase it in a tube, however; I’ve seen it also in jars. Here’s a link to the brand and tube I buy. You can order it online or I am seeing it in grocery stores, like my local HEB now, so it is available in larger stores. https://amzn.to/2TGdxP8

so good. simple harissa chicken

Food and Wine Magazine had dried edible rose petals scattered over the finished chicken. i didn’t have any, but they made a beautiful presentation.

I wanted to serve these with something creamy to absorb the wonderful dishes. I thought about scalloped potatoes would be perfect and they were.

The potatoes were delicious. I used Yukon gold potatoes, sharp cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese and lot’s of thyme in this recipe. Oh, don’t forget the onions too. Here’s a link for the delicious potatoes. you won’t regret making them. https://the2spoons.com/easy-cheesy-scalloped-potatoes/

so good. simple harissa chicken

Here’s the recipe for the chicken. Enjoy!

Harissa Chicken

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course

CuisineMoroccon

Keywordchicken, dinner, harissa, Harissa chicken, leg quarters, main course, moroccon, spicy

Servings servings

Ingredients

3/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp plus 2 tsp harissa paste, divided
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
2 tsp grated garlic
1 tbsp black pepper, divided
4 10 oz chicken leg quarters
2 large shallots, halved
1 garlic head, halved crosswise
1 small lemon, halved
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp paprika

Instructions

Whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons harissa paste, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, thyme leaves, grated garlic, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Place chicken quarters in a large ziplock plastic bag. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken, and seal bag. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally.
Preheat oven to 375°F with oven rack in upper third of oven. Let chicken stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Scatter shallots, garlic, and lemon halves, cut sides down, in a heavy-duty roasting pan or 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Add thyme sprigs. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 2 teaspoons salt and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper; arrange chicken, skin sides up, in a single layer in roasting pan. Add 1/4 cup water to pan.
Roast chicken in preheated oven until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 140°F, 30 to 35 minutes. Turn broiler to high. Baste chicken with pan juices, and sprinkle chicken with paprika. Broil, basting chicken with pan juices every 2 to 3 minutes, until thermometer registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a channeled cutting board; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, squeeze 1 roasted lemon half and 6 roasted garlic cloves into pan juices; reserve remaining lemon half for serving and remaining garlic cloves for another use. Mash shallots and garlic with a fork. Pour pan juice mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing to extract liquid; discard solids. Whisk in remaining 2 teaspoons harissa paste. Pour accumulated juices from cutting board into harissa mixture in bowl, and stir. Pour pan juice mixture onto a serving platter, and top with chicken. Serve immediately with reserved lemon half.

Delicious Chicken Paprikash, Fast or Slow Cooking

March 3, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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This Chicken Paprikash can be made in your Instant Pot pressure cooking or you can set it on the slow cooking mode or use another slow cooker. I used the pressure cooking method and the entire dish was complete in less than 30 minutes of which 10 of that was allowing the chicken to rest after 10 minutes of cooking.

Even my husband loved this. He loves the Hamburger Stroganoff that’s loaded with sour cream over egg noodles, so I thought he’d love this because the sauce also has sour cream and lots of dill. Love both of those flavors. The tartness of sour cream mixed with fresh dill is delicious.

I saw this recipe in the January-February 2020 issue of the Milk Street publication. By the way if you are’t familiar with the milk Street publicaton, check it out!

Fast or Slow Cooking – Chicken Paprikash

This recipe calls for a sweet paprika. I had a sweet smoke paprika on hand so that is what I used. If you can’t find sweet paprika in your local grocery store here is a link of some that I’ve purchased before. https://amzn.to/39h8vyZ

This is a Hungarian dish, so the sweet Hungarian paprika is a good choice. Make sure you use fresh paprika, because a stale paprika that’s been in your pantry for years will taste flavorless and dull.

You also want to use regular sour cream. The low fat will make your dish lack richness and will result in a watery dish.

Here’s the Hamburger Stroganoff for you to try also. My husband loves the stroganoff and it is such an easy dish for a weeknight and the kids love it too. Add a green vegetable and you have a perfect meal for your family.

Fast or Slow Cooking – Chicken Paprikash

Here’s the recipe for the Paprikash! Hope you try it soon and enjoy!

Chicken Paprikash

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course

CuisineHungarian

Keywordchicken, chicken paprika, egg noodles, hungarian, paprika, sour cream

Servings servings

Ingredients

2 tbsps salted butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 lbs bone in, skin on chicken thighs, skin removed and discarded after cooking
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp cornstarch
4 tbsp chopped fresh dill, divided

Instructions

START: On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select More/High Sauté. Add the butter and let melt. Add the onion, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add the paprika and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in ½ cup water, scraping up the browned bits. Nestle in the chicken in an even layer, slightly overlapping the pieces if needed.
Cancel, lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; make sure the pressure level is set to High. Set the cooking time for 10 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, allow the pressure to reduce naturally for 10 minutes, then release the remaining steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.
SLOW: Press Cancel, lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Venting. Select Slow Cook and set the temperature to More/Low. Set the cooking time for 3 to 4 hours; the chicken is done when a skewer inserted into the largest thigh meets no resistance. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.
FINISH: Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a dish and tent with foil. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and cornstarch. Stir the mixture into the pot, then select More/High Sauté and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce begins to simmer and is lightly thickened. Press Cancel to turn off the pot, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons of dill. Using potholders, carefully remove the insert from the housing and pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons dill.

Easy Buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce Marinated Chicken Tenders

February 18, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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Buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce Marinated Chicken Tenders
These easy buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce marinated chicken tenders are so good! Doesn't everyone love chicken tenders? Honestly so tender and the best for making this kind of a recipe. You could use chicken breast that you slice which I have done many times, but the tenders really are so good. — Buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce Marinated Chicken Tenders

These easy buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce marinated chicken tenders are so good! Doesn’t everyone love chicken tenders? Honestly so tender and the best for making this kind of a recipe. You could use chicken breast that you slice which I have done many times, but the tenders really are so good.

I served these with my cream gravy that I added a splash of Franks Red Hot sauce for dipping! These would be great with a ranch or blue cheese too. So, the Ranks Red Hot Sauce is not real hot and I used it in the marinade to add that delicious flavor. These are not hot. I could have easily tossed these in straight sauce after frying them, but I didn’t want that intense heat like in a wing, just the flavor. I don’t know I’m just fond of a creamy gravy with chicken, but you choose the sauce you prefer.

Buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce Marinated Chicken Tenders

I love Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. This is the original. here’s a link if you aren’t familiar with this brand: https://amzn.to/37EpOIO. Frank’s has several different sauces but this is the cayenne sauce. I happen to love cayenne.

The other day I made steak fingers, similar to the tenders! Here’s the link for those: https://the2spoons.com/texas-chicken-fried-steak-fingers/.

Easy Buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce Marinated Chicken Tenders

To save time you can actually marinate these the night before. Just throw them in a zip lock with some buttermilk and Frank’s Hot Sauce and stick them in the fridge overnight. When you cook them all you’ll need to do is dredge them in some flour, fry them a couple of minutes in canola oil and you’re done. Make a quick gravy, some mashed potatoes and a side salad or a green vegetable and you have a great meal. Here’s a recipe for one of my mashed potato recipes: https://the2spoons.com/delicious-buttery-mashed-potatoes/.

Here’s the easy recipe! Enjoy!

Easy Buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce Marinated Chicken Tenders

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course

CuisineAmerican

Keywordbuttermilk marinated, chicken, chicken tenders, Franks Red Hot Sauce

Servings Servings

Ingredients

12-16 chicken tenders
1 cup buttermilk (more if needed to cover the tenders)
1-2 tbsp Frank's Red Hot Sauce (I used 2 tablespoons)
pinch of salt and pepper for the marinade
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3-4 cups oil for frying

Instructions

Combine the buttermilk and the Frank's Red Hot Sauce in a zip lock bag. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow the chicken to marinade at least 4 hours up to overnight.
Place the flour with the salt and pepper in a dish large enough to bread your tenders and whisk together.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Remove the chicken tenders from the marinade a few at a time and toss into the breading mixture. Be sure to press the chicken firmly into the breading so clumps adhere to the meat. (It's a messy job: use one hand to remove the wet tenders from the bag and the other to toss in the breading.) Set breaded tenders on the prepared baking sheet.
When I'm frying more than a couple of pieces I like to put my oven on warm. I also take a sheet pan and line the bottom with paper towel then I place a wire rack on it so that any excess oil can drain onto the paper towels.
Add oil to a large, high-sided pot until the level reaches about 3/4-inch. Heat over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering (about 350°). (If a cube of bread sizzles when you drop it in, it's ready.) Using tongs, place several chicken tenders in the hot oil without crowding the pan. Cook until golden brown on the bottom side, a few minutes, then flip and cook until the second side is also golden, a few minutes more. Set the cooked tenders on the wire rack to drain. Fry remaining tenders in batches adjusting the heat as necessary (if the tenders are browning too fast, lower the heat).
Serve hot with cream gravy, a ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing! These are great!

Amazing! The Best Ever Smoked Turkey Sandwiches

February 5, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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Remember the Smoked Turkey Breast I posted? Well, this Smoked Turkey Sandwich was my number 1 favorite use for it! A buttered and toasted bun, spread with barbecue sauce, over loaded with slices of the smoked turkey, more barbecue sauce, a creamy cole slaw, spicy bread and butter pickles! So, so good. Honestly, this is as good as a loaded smoked brisket sandwich. Well, almost as good!

Amazing! The Best Ever Smoked Turkey Sandwiches

I used a hamburger bun but a hoagie bun would work too. I like to butter and toast it because not serving on a cold bun adds so much. I also put a slice of provolone on the sandwich, but it’s not necessary. If you decide on cheese, a medium to sharp cheddar would be great too, even Swiss cheese.

I make my barbecue sauce from Aaron Franklin’s cookbook. He has his actual sauce recipe that he sells retail. His cookbook is a great instructional cookbook for smoking in the Texas style, especially smoking brisket. Here’s a link for his book: https://amzn.to/2vTVLjg.

Here’s a link for his barbecue sauce! All of his sauces are excellent! They are my favorites. https://amzn.to/2UswFSJ.

If you love smoking meats as much as we do, check out some of my other smoked meats. Here’s my smoked brisket recipe which is a favorite and we make it all of the time. https://the2spoons.com/the-best-awesome-smoked-brisket/

And, look at this smoked brisket sandwich!

If these photos don’t make you want to go smoke a turkey or brisket?? They make me so hungry!

Amazing! The Best Ever Smoked Turkey Sandwiches

Here’s the recipe! Enjoy!

Smoked Turkey

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course, Sandwiches

CuisineAmerican

Keywordbig green egg, big green egg smoked turkey breast, smoked turkey, smoked turkey breast, turkey

Servings sandwiches

Ingredients

1 turkey breast (Natural preferred)
1 stick butter
1 cup chicken broth
granulated garlic
black pepper
salt
olive oil

For the Cole Slaw

1 cup store bought prepared cabbage with shredded carrots (cole slaw)
3 tbsp mayonaise
pinch of sugar
1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

To Build the Sandwich

8-10 thin slices smoked turkey breast (you can substitute store bought smoked turkey if you don't have time to smoke:
cole slaw
Barbecue Sauce of your choice
2 slices cheese of your choice, optional
2 buns of your choice
butter for toasting the buns
dill pickles or a spicy bread and butter pickle

Instructions

Prepare you smoker with desired wood or charcoal. I use a combination of a hardwood charcoal with wood. I used Pecan wood this time.
Melt the butter and add the chicken stock. Add about 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic. Allow to cool down, then inject the turkey a dozen or so times with the solution.
After injecting, rub the turkey all over with a little olive oil and season with salt, pepper and granulated garlic.
Cook at about 250-300 degrees until the internal temperature reaches 160. Remove from the heat and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing.

For the Cole Slaw

Combine the mayonnaise and vinegar in a small bowl. Add a pinch of sugar and a little salt and pepper. Stir and adjust seasoning. Add to your cole slaw and combine.

To Build your Sandwich

Have your barbecue sauce heated a little, being careful not to boil because it will separate. Heat your broiler. Place the sliced turkey in two piles on a sheet pan and top with the sliced cheese of your choice. Place under the broiler and cook until your cheese has melted.
Heat a skillet or griddle. Butter the inside of the top and bottom of your bun. Place on the grill top side up until lightly browned. Flip and allow the top to brown for a couple of seconds. Yes, seconds.
Place the toasted buns on each plate. Spread the heated barbecue sauce on the top and bottom of the buns. Place the turkey with the melted cheese on the bottom bun. Pour a little barbecue sauce over. Then top with the creamy slaw and the pickles. Place the top bun on and pass the napkins! You will need lots!! Enjoy! So delicious!

So Good! The Best Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie!

December 2, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie
This Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie is really good! And, who doesn't love a Pot Pie? Pot pies bring back memories of childhood eating those little pot pies from Swanson that you had to patiently wait for them to finish cooking because we didn't have microwaves. When you have left over turkey from the holidays or just a rotisserie chicken, this is perfect any time of the year. — Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie

This Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie is really good! And, who doesn’t love a Pot Pie? Pot pies bring back memories of childhood eating those little pot pies from Swanson that you had to patiently wait for them to finish cooking because we didn’t have microwaves. When you have left over turkey from the holidays or just a rotisserie chicken, this is perfect any time of the year.

This pie is loaded with vegetables and turkey in a creamy sauce, then baked in a pastry crust until golden brown. It is absolutely flaky and delicious. There is no reason rally to serve anything else with this dish. If you do a nice green salad would be perfect.

I used Pillsbury pie dough that you find in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, usually by the butter because I wanted to make this recipe even easier than it already was. And let’s face it, these pie crust are hard to beat! Here’s a link for the crust:https://www.pillsbury.com/products/pie-crust.

Here’s another recipe for you to make using the leftover turkey: https://the2spoons.com/chicken-and-wild-rice-soup/. This recipe is with chicken, but yoou can easily substitute the chicken ofr turkey. It’s a delicious soup!

So Good! The Best Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie!

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course

CuisineAmerican

Keywordleftovers, pastry, pie, roasted turkey, thanksgiving, turkey, turkey pot pie

Servings servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
1/2 large onion chopped or one small
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cups carrots, thinly sliced or diced
3 cups potatoes, diced
4 tbsp flour
4 cups chicken or turkey broth
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp ground savory
zest of one lemon
3 cups chicken, diced
2 cups frozen green peas
1 package Pillsbury pie crust

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350. In a large saucepan, heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the flour, stir to combine, and cook for about 2 minutes,
Add the chicken broth, whisking or stirring constantly to prevent lumping. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce has thickened and the potatoes and carrots are tender. Gently fold in the chicken and the green peas and remove from the heat.
Add the bottom crust to your cassserole dish, no need to add butter or oil. You may need to roll out a little to enlarge for your dish! Pour your pot pie mixture in. Place your remaining rolled out pie crust on the top and seal the edges. Add a few slits on the top to release the steam. Bake until golden brown! Serve hot. Leftovers are great the next day. You can also make individual pot pies and freeze before cooking. I do this a lot for my Mom.

Beautiful Roast Chicken with Sauce Chasseur

November 9, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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This Roast Chicken with Sauce Chasseur recipe was in the October, 2019 issue of Food and Wine and I just had to make it. As with all recipes, mine isn’t exactly the same. I feel a recipe is a guide and you make your version as close to the recipe with what you have on hand or what you have available locally, like the Airline Chicken Breast the recipe calls for. What’s an Airline Chicken Breast?

Airline chicken is a food dish comprising a boneless chicken breast with the drumette attached. Skin on breast with 1st wing joint and tenderloin attached, otherwise boneless. The cut is also known as a frenched breast. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airline_chicken. If you don’t have a butcher that can cut an airline chicken breast, if you don’t want to cut it yourself, or you can find from a specialty store like Central Market, a bone-in, skin on chicken breast works just as well. That is what I used. You don’t quite have the dramatic presentation, but the taste is the same!

Beautiful Roast Chicken with Sauce Chasseur

Another Roast chicken recipe I think you will love is my Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken. Here’s the link! https://the2spoons.com/lemon-and-garlic-roast-chicken/. This recipe is on my blog and it is a delicious recipe also!

Beautiful Roast Chicken with Sauce Chasseur

Here you go with the Roasst Chick with Sauce Chasseur recipe. Hope you Enjoy! I served it with a Basmati Rice that I steamed and just added a little salt, pepper and butter. The rice was the perfect accompaniment.

Beautiful Roast Chicken with Sauce Chasseur

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course

CuisineAmerican

Keywordchicken, roast chicken, roast chicken with sauce chasseur, sauce chasseur

Ingredients

1 tbsp neutral oil
4 skin-on airline chicken breasts or skin-on, bone in chicken breast
11/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 large shallots, halved lengthwise, root ends trimmed
8 thyme sprigs
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp unsalted butter
8 oz fresh wild mushrooms, cleaned and cut into bite size pieces (about 3 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large plum tomato, chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon (I used dried because I wasn't able to find fresh)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a 12-inch stainless steel ovenproof skillet over medium-high. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Sear chicken in skillet, skin side down, until skin is crisp and golden brown, about 4 minutes. Flip chicken; add shallots, cut sides down, and press into skillet. Cook chicken and shallots until shallots are browned, about 4 minutes. Add thyme and wine to skillet. Bring to a simmer over medium-high; add broth, and return to a simmer. Carefully transfer skillet (so skin of chicken stays dry) to preheated oven, and roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of breast registers 155°F, about 20 minutes.
Remove skillet from oven. Using tongs, place chicken breasts and shallots on a plate; tent with aluminum foil to keep warm while making sauce. Pour broth mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl or measuring cup, and set aside. Wipe skillet clean, and return to high heat.
Melt butter in skillet, and add mushrooms in a single layer. Cook, without stirring, until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Shake skillet to loosen mushrooms; cook, without stirring, until mushrooms just begin to release their juices, about 2 minutes. Add strained broth mixture and cream to skillet, and bring to a boil over high. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in tomato, chives, and tarragon; season with salt to taste.
Slice chicken breasts crosswise into 1-inch-thick pieces. Divide chicken among plates, and serve with sauce chasseur.