Recipe Redo - Chicken with Apples

I first posted this recipe waaaaay back in 2007 so I thought it was time for an update. For starters, the original photo is cringe worthy but I've also tweaked the prep a bit since then.



Quick reminder of this recipe's origin - my mom first made this recipe in the summer of 1973. This was the first summer (while she was in college) that she didn't go home. She was looking for a recipe to make, probably for a boyfriend, and came across this one. She doesn't remember where she saw it, but her copy calls for wine instead of apple juice. One time she was making it for a group of people and didn't have wine so she decided to substitute apple juice. We all prefer it that way, but you can decide. This is an authentic tried and true recipe for going on 44 years!

She also claims it makes a knock-out chicken salad the next day but I've never had enough leftover to try it.

Chicken with Apples

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts (or 2 large/4 small thighs and 2 breasts)
1 medium onion, cut into large dice
2 celery stalks, cut into large dice
1 large Red Delicious apple, cut into large dice
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup apple juice (or white wine)
1 cup sour cream
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides.

Place the chicken in a large baking dish and cover with the onion, celery and apple. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the skillet and add the flour, stirring until it's incorporated. Add the apple juice and whisk until thickened. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste and pour over the chicken.

Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for an hour. Uncover and bake another 30 minutes.

When the chicken is done, remove to a plate and cover the baking dish to keep the sauce warm. Once the chicken has cooled enough to handle it (I usually put the plate in the fridge for 30 minutes), remove the meat and pull into bite-size pieces with your fingers, discarding the skin and bones. Toss the chicken pieces with the sauce.

Serve over egg noodles.

Sheet Pan Chicken Tikka with Pickled Onions

I already have a chicken tikka recipe that my whole family absolutely loves, but when I saw this Sheet Pan Chicken Tikka on Smitten Kitchen I knew I had to make it. Just reading the ingredient list was making my mouth water and I loved the idea of everything cooking on one sheet pan. Of course Steve and Katie were skeptical when they saw me putting it together, but once they tasted the amazing flavors they were hooked.



I made only slight modifications - using Greek yogurt for the marinade and sour cream for topping, adding some lemon juice to the marinade and a different recipe for pickled onions. If you love Indian flavors you really need to try this one. It's delicious!

Sheet Pan Chicken Tikka with Pickled Onions
As seen on Smitten Kitchen, picked onions from Bon Appetit

For the chicken
1 3/4-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
4 cloves garlic, grated
1 5-oz container plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garam masala
3 pounds chicken thighs or halved chicken breasts (mixture of both, skin-on, bone-in)

For the vegetables
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/4 pounds (about 4 medium) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
1 3/4 pounds (1 small head) cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Garnish
Pickled red onion
Dollops of yogurt/sour cream
Chopped cilantro

Combine ginger, garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, salt, spices and sugar in a freezer bag. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat evenly. Let marinate overnight in the fridge.

Heat oven to 425�F. Coat a large baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. In a large bowl toss the potatoes, cauliflower, salt, cumin and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil together until evenly coated. Spread evenly on the baking sheet.

Remove chicken from marinade and nestle in the vegetables. Roast in oven for 40-50 minutes until chicken and vegetables are cooked through. Test the potatoes with a knife to make sure they're cooked through.

To serve, top with pickled red onion, dollops of yogurt/sour cream and chopped cilantro. Serve right in the pan.

Pickled Onions
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

Separate the onion rings and place in a small bowl. Whisk the vinegar, water, sugar and salt together until the sugar and salt dissolve, then pour over the onion rings. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Can be made 2 weeks ahead. Cover and chill. Drain onions before using.

Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole

Do you ever make a recipe and just know that it's going to be something you make again and again and again? This Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole is one of those recipes. Not only was it delicious, it was one of the easiest meals I've ever made.



The beauty of this recipe is two-fold:

1. Everything bakes together in a casserole dish so you don't even have to worry about food splatter on your stovetop.
2. It's hearty and comforting for those chilly nights.

To make this even easier, I used rotisserie chicken (I've been buying rotisserie chickens and freezing the meat in small portions for pizzas or recipes like this one) and prepped the celery, carrots, onion, thyme and garlic the night before. I made this for Halloween night since Steve and Katie like to have a quick meal before heading out for candy. I dumped everything in a huge bowl, mixed it all up, popped it in the oven to bake, steamed some green beans and called it dinner. So, so good.

The only issue was some of the pasta wasn't fully submerged in the broth so it didn't cook properly. I'm hoping that's easily solved by giving this a quick stir halfway through the cooking time. I can't wait to make it again!

Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole
As seen on The Seasoned Mom

2 cups diced, cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken works great)
2 celery stalks, diced
2 large/4 small carrots, peeled and diced
1/2 large onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, minced (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
2 large garlic cloves, minced or grated
12 ounces uncooked rotini pasta (I used shells)
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large bowl), stir together cooked chicken, celery, carrots, onion, thyme, garlic, uncooked pasta, chicken broth, and salt until well mixed. Pour into the baking dish and spread evenly.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 40 minutes, uncovering to stir halfway through to make sure all the pasta has a chance to cook.

Uncover and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake uncovered for 5-10 more minutes until the cheese is melted. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.

Indian Spiced Chicken Stew with Potatoes

My friend Lidia recently recommended this recipe for Indian Spiced Chicken Stew with Potatoes. I couldn't wait to make it, but not while it was still 85+ degrees. I'm one of those people who can only eat cold-weather food when it's cold. Soups/stews, chili, hearty baked pastas...all too heavy for me in the warmer months. As soon as the weather cooled off, though, this went right on the menu.



Since this takes upwards of 3 hours to cook, I decided to make it on Saturday for Sunday lunch with my parents. I figured the stew would only get better sitting overnight and I was right. This was INCREDIBLE. The subtle Indian spices, the creamy, cool sour cream, the aromatic rice and the buttery naan were just fantastic together. I doubled the recipe and we barely had enough for lunches the next day. So, so good.



This is one dish I'll be making often now that winter is coming (sob!)

Indian Spiced Stew with Chicken and Potatoes
As seen on Seasons & Suppers

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 large skin-on/bone-in chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon cayennne pepper (I left this out)
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth (plus a bit more thinning, if necessary)
3/4 cup tomato pur�e
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used half-and-half)
1/2 pound small Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into wedges
Chopped fresh cilantro/parsley/mint, for serving
Sour cream or plain yogurt, for serving
Basmati rice
Buttered naan

Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and place skin side down in to the pot. Cook until golden brown on both sides, flipping halfway through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate.

To the same pot, add the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is very soft and golden brown, about 8�10 minutes. Add tomato paste, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, coriander, salt, cayenne (if using) and cook, stirring often, until tomato paste begins to darken, about 4 minutes.

Add the chicken, broth, tomato pur�e, and cream to the pot. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until chicken is almost falling off the bone and liquid is slightly thickened, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove chicken to a plate and let cool before removing the skin and bones. Cut or pull chicken into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.

Add the potatoes to the pot and cook, partially covered, until fork-tender, about 30-45 minutes. Stir the stew every so often to make sure the sauce hasn't thickened too much and potatoes aren't sticking to the bottom of the pot. If sauce is too thick, thin with a bit more chicken stock. When the potatoes are tender, add the chicken back to the pot and stir to combine.

Before serving, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, parsley or mint. To serve, spoon stew into a shallow bowl with basmati rice and/or naan on the side. Serve with a large dollop of sour cream or yogurt.

NOTE: This can (and should) be made ahead. Keep it refrigerated, for up to 3 days, in the Dutch oven you used to make it. Just re-heat over low heat when ready to serve, thinning with a bit of chicken broth, if necessary.

BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Lettuce Wraps with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

This recipe for BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Lettuce Wraps with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce was so amazing I actually dusted off the ol' food blog so I could share it with you. That's really saying something since it's been 4 months since I posted. Oops!! Life got seriously crazy and, while it's still a whirlwind, these lettuce wraps are just too good not to share.



A quick recap of what's been happening since we last spoke:

1. Katie stopped sleeping. She had a long sleepover at my parent's house Thanksgiving weekend and while we don't think anything happened to cause the sleep issues, that's when it all started. She was scared to be alone, didn't want to sleep, etc. This lasted about two long, painful months. We felt like we had a newborn again. No one was happy.

2. I was laid off. Downsizing sucks and I lost my job due to a reorg. My last day at my old company was December 9 and it was incredibly bittersweet.

3. I enjoyed unemployment. Well, for about a week I did. Ha! Due to the aforementioned sleep issues, this was a trying time for us. Plus we were all sick off and on for weeks on end. Winter was not kind to our family, that's for sure. The week before I started my new job (more on that later) was the one week where I actually sat around and watched Call the Midwife and did a whole lot of nothing. It was glorious and over way too quickly.

4. We were sick. A lot. Despite being in daycare most of her life, Katie had a rough winter at public school. She's had 5 colds and one turned into pneumonia (that was fun). I'm so ready for warmer weather!

5. I got a new job! Due to a crazy fortuitous series of events, I ended up finding a new job before my severance ran out. Yippee. I'm doing basically the same thing I was doing previously, just with a different company. I was sick as a dog with a horrific head cold while going through the interview process, but since this was another full-time work from home position, all my interviews were done over the phone (score!) It's been tough getting settled in my new role, but well worth it because...

6. We sold our house/bought a new house! We've been stuck in our current home for 10 years (thanks, crash of 2008) and thought we'd never be able to get out from under it. But, we scrimped and saved and came up with what we thought was a two-year plan. Then I got the new job and the market in our town exploded and suddenly we were doing this NOW. We actually put the offer in on our new house the weekend before I started my new job and the offer was accepted on my first day of work. A month later we put our house on the market and it sold without ever officially being listed. It's an insane story, really, and we're still pinching ourselves over it. We closed on the new house last Friday and we're having a lot of work done before we move in. The house was vacant for almost 2 years so it needs a lot of cosmetic stuff. It's amazing what fresh paint can do! We close on our current house two weeks from tomorrow! Eeek!

Phew. I think you're all caught up now so on to the recipe!!

Is it me or do lettuce wraps make you feel less guilt about eating whatever you've stuffed inside? I felt like I could eat 10 of these and not gain an ounce. Ha!

A few notes: I had one pound of chicken thighs in the freezer so I used those instead of chicken breasts. It wasn't nearly enough. I'm doubling the recipe below so you have plenty of deliciousness to go around. I also left out the cashews due to Katie's nut allergy. And I didn't bother with the romaine and iceberg, despite having both in my fridge.

Don't let the long ingredient list scare you. A lot of it is seasoning. These were so simple to throw together on a weeknight and I didn't even bother with a side dish since you've got meat and veggies all in one spot. Make these now!!

BBQ Chicken and Pineapple Lettuce Wraps with Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
As seen on How Sweet It Is

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red onion, diced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 large can diced pineapple, cut into cubes the same size as chicken pieces
6 tablespoons BBQ sauce, plus more for drizzling
2/3 cup freshly torn cilantro
1 avocado, sliced
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1 head of iceberg lettuce, leaves torn off
limes, for serving

Greek Yogurt Cilantro Drizzle
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
1/3 cup freshly torn cilantro
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powder together in a small bowl. Season the chicken with the seasoning mix. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the onion and brown sugar, stirring well to remove any brown bits from the pan. Cook for 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Stir in the pineapple and the BBQ sauce. Let cook for another 5 minutes.

To assemble the lettuce wraps, add some sliced avocado to the lettuce leaves, then top with a few spoonfuls of the chicken mixture. Add the green onions, cilantro and a drizzle of BBQ sauce, if desired. Finish off with the drizzle of the yogurt cilantro sauce.

To make the drizzle: add all ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth.

Restaurant Knockoff: Chick-Fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup

I don't know when or how it happened, but I think it's time to admit that the concept of soup has grown on me. I used to claim that I wasn't a big fan of soup, but at some point I decided it wasn't so bad. The right recipes are not only tasty, they're also easy to make. I love a good one-pot meal as much as the next busy working mom, so there's something wonderful about throwing a bunch of ingredients together in one pot and having it turn into a delicious dinner.

Take this Chick-Fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup. Katie's blog is a staple for me, so when I saw this recipe I immediately printed it off despite not really reading the directions. I decided to make it for Halloween dinner and figured I would need to chop up the chicken, saute it, etc. NOPE! You literally put everything into the pot, bring to a boil, simmer, shred the chicken and serve. What?! Yup!



And the result was positively sensational. There's a mild heat from the Rotel and a silky creaminess from the flour and the half-and-half. I served plain ol' cheese quesadillas on the side and we all enjoyed dipping them into the soup. Such a great, simple weeknight meal that's chock-full of flavor. Thanks for an awesome recipe, Katie!

Restaurant Knockoff: Chick-Fil-A Chicken Tortilla Soup
As seen on So Tasty, So Yummy

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can creamed corn
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup half and half

In a large Dutch oven, combine the chicken through the oregano. Stir to combine. Whisk together the flour and water to make a slurry, then stir it into the soup. Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the soup. Shred with two forks, then return the chicken to the pot and stir in the half-and-half.

MAKE IT IN A SLOW COOKER: Add all the ingredients (except the half-and-half) as outlined above to a slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Stir in the half and half 20 minutes before you're ready to serve.