Tag: chicken thighs

One Way to Stuff a Chicken Thigh

I’m always ready for a new cooking adventure, so the idea of stuffing a chicken thigh entered my mind. I love using boneless, skinless, chicken thighs because they are always tender, juicy, and flavorful. I love them grilled and they respond well to oven roasting too. In fact I have prepared them in many ways, but I’ve never tried to stuff them.

Tasty they may be, but they are not what one would call uniform in size and thickness. There are several muscles at play here  that create a flattening challenge. Patience and the tried and true meat mallet and plastic wrap finally resulted in a pretty even playing field.

A note here about fat. Thighs do have a certain amount of surface fat…juiciness does not occur in a vacuum after all. In a nod to health and fat intake I do remove most of that surface fat, but in another nod to tasting yummy, I leave a little on.

I decided that my filling would be a combination of good and evil. I started with crimini mushrooms and shallots. I sautéed them in a little olive oil until they were reduced to flavorful bits and spread them on the flattened thighs.Here is where the healthy train derailed a bit. I added a modest pat of Garlic Herb Cheese before rolling the thighs into plump torpedos. To help them stay rolled, I wrapped them in a strip of bacon.

I am having an ongoing love affair with sheet pan meals. I love the ease of having everything in one place even if they don’t always cook for the same amount of time. Once my little torpedoes were ready, I centered them on a foil-lined pan (another easy step; cleanup is throwing the foil away). They were surrounded by brussels sprouts, potatoes and onions, and maybe just a little more bacon which had gotten a bit of a head start. Everything was done in about 30 minutes.

The chicken was delicious even though a bit of the cheese oozed out (happily onto the vegetables). This was an elegant meal, suitable for company, but easy enough to be a welcome weeknight supper.

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Stuffed Chicken Thighs
Servings: 2
Ingredients
  • 2 Large Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
  • 4 Ounces Crimini Mushrooms Finely chopped
  • 1 Large Shallot Finely chopped
  • 1 Clove Garlic Finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbsp. Garlic Herb Cheese Like Alouette
  • 2 Strips Bacon
  • Salt & Pepper
Instructions

  1. Trim the excess fat off the chicken thighs. Using plastic wrap and  something flat and heavy, pound the thighs to as even a thickness as possible. Try to make them 1/2" thick or less.

  2. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the mushrooms and shallots and cook until golden. About 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 2-3 minutes more until the garlic is soft and fragrant. Set aside.

  3. While the mushroom mixture is cooking, form the Garlic Herb Cheese into small logs. Wrap loosely and put in the freezer. Chilling the cheese will keep it from oozing out too much.

  4. Lay the thighs out smoother side down. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Divide the mushroom mixture between the the thighs. Top each with a garlic cheese log. Roll up carefully and wrap a strip of bacon around each thigh bundle. Secure with a toothpick if necessary.

  5. Bake at 375 degrees for 25- 30 minutes. Serve with sides of your choice.

To Make this a Sheet Pan Dinner
Note: To create a sheet pan dinner, toss brussels sprouts, chopped potatoes, and onions (or vegetables of your choice) with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper, and maybe a chopped strip of bacon. Roast at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes before adding the chicken to the center of the pan. Continue roasting as noted above.

As the title suggests, this is just one way to stuff a chicken thigh. Grab your meat mallet, use your imagination and create your own tasty torpedos.

Smokey Grilled Chicken Thighs with Sage and Other Good Things

Chicken thighs are wonderful. Meaty, juicy and the perfect protein for the grill. While the boneless/skinless variety is everyone’s darling, the bone in/skin on version is not without its charms. The bone adds flavor and the skin, when carefully trimmed provides a nice little blanket of succulent juice.

These thighs come to the table like a little present. There’s a tasty surprise under the skin, herbs led by fresh sage leaves, garlic and olive oil. The grill provides a nice smokey flavor thanks to that skin and olive oil. In this case a small (very small) grill fire is a good thing. Where there is fire there will be smoke. Where there is smoke there will be flavor.

Figure on two thighs per person. My package had six and there were three of us eating so the equation worked. Just multiply and divide, or let the serving adjustment feature on this recipe do the thinking for you.

This went wonderfully with a Potato and Green Bean Salad the I will share with you soon. As the holiday weekend stretches before us, give this recipe a try. It’s perfect for an intimate gathering, but can easily adapt to feed a crowd.

Smokey Sage Grilled Chicken Thighs
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These little bundles of goodness make a wonderful dinner.
Servings
3
Servings
3
Smokey Sage Grilled Chicken Thighs
Print Recipe
These little bundles of goodness make a wonderful dinner.
Servings
3
Servings
3
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Mix the garlic, herb blend, and olive oil together in a small bowl. Allow to sit for an hour or so before assembling the chicken thighs. This allows the herbs to soak up the olive oil and become almost a paste.
  2. Trim the chicken thighs of extra fat and skin. They should have a nice little cap of skin when you're finished.
  3. Carefully loosen the skin and gently pull it aside. Leave one edge of skin connected to the meat.
  4. Divide the garlic herb paste evenly between the thighs. Spread it ever so gently on the flesh of the thighs.
  5. Place two sage leaves on each f the thighs and carefully pull the skin back in place.
  6. Use kitchen twine to tie up the thighs. I did this like ribbon on a package; crossing the twine on top and knotting it on the bottom.
  7. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper and place skin side up on a medium hot grill. Allow to cook 7 -9 minutes with the lid down until the bottom is nicely browned.
  8. Carefully turn the thighs skin side down. Close the lid and allow to cook for 5 minutes or so. Check the thighs at this point. Lifting the lid should cause a little fire. Blow it out and re-cover the grill. You've just set up your smoker.
  9. Let the chicken continue to cook/smoke for another 5 minutes or until they are cooked through (internal temperature should be 165 degrees).
  10. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 minutes. Cut the strings and plate the chicken.
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Love, Mama D

 

As The Grill Burns (in a good way)

The weather has been beautiful; sunny, warm, with low humidity and occasional rain that really hasn’t interfered with anything but has done wonders for the plants. The grill has been working overtime and I couldn’t be happier about it. In fact, grilled items were part of every dinner this last week. That’s not to say I fired it up everyday, but I did use it for some “light once cook twice…or more” prep.

First up was steak. The nice thing about cooking for two with an eye on health is that a little over a half pound of Petite Sirloin doesn’t break the bank, especially when it is on sale. It’s lean and tender and loves the grill.DIGITAL CAMERA

The steak would have been wonderful alone, but we were in the mood for a little sumpin’ DIGITAL CAMERAextra. Crimini mushrooms answered the call. Mushrooms have been topping steaks forever and crimini with their hearty flavor are just the right addition. The lovely brown mushrooms were joined by onions and garlic. Cooked in just a touch of olive oil and dressed with Worcestershire sauce and a splash of sherry vinegar it was the perfect counterpoint for the richness of the steak I finished it with some a fresh tarragon to give an added burst of flavor.

Pork chops were the next protein to hit the grill. Before they went over the flame they went into a beer brine. Pork gains a ton of flavor and retains its juiciness much like chicken when it is brined. This brine recipe starts with beer, a whole 12 ounce bottle or can. This can be any beer you choose, but go with something that has some character.  A teaspoon of salt, about the same amount of sweet smoked paprika and a generous amount of dried garlic and onion created a twenty-four hour soak the left the chops plump, pink and grill worthy. Consider that a non-recipe, recipe. DIGITAL CAMERA

There is a real recipe for the Vegetable and Potato Salad that we enjoyed with our pork chops. If you missed it on Face Book, here it is:

Grilled More Vegetable Than Potato Salad
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Servings
4
Servings
4
Grilled More Vegetable Than Potato Salad
Print Recipe
Servings
4
Servings
4
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. To make the garlic oil: Place olive oil and smashed garlic cloves in a small pan. Cook over low heat until the garlic is lightly browned and the oil has become fragrant. Allow to cool before removing the garlic. (use the garlic in marinades or as a seasoning)
  2. Precook the potatoes: Cut the potatoes into 1 inch chunks. In Place the potatoes and a little water in a microwave friendly container. Cover loosely and steam in the microwave for 4 minutes or so. The potatoes should be barely tender. Set aside to cool.
  3. Prepare the veggies for the grill: Slice the squash in 1/2 inch thick diagonal slices. Trim the ends off of the beans. Cut the onion in half lengthwise. Halve or quarter the peppers.
  4. Heat a grilling basket and a flat grate on the grill. Coat with olive oil cooking spray. Take 1/2 tablespoon of the infused olive oil and toss with the potato chunks. Use the rest of the oil to brush the vegetable slices.
  5. Put the potatoes in the basket and the vegetables on the grate. Grill, tossing the potatoes and turning the vegetables occasionally. It should take about 15 minutes to have everything turn golden.
  6. Remove the vegetables to a cutting board. Cut in chunks that are about the same size as the potatoes. Place in a large serving bowl along with the potato chunks.
  7. Add some freshly ground pepper and a pinch of salt and toss to combine everything. Drizzle the balsamic over everything and enjoy!
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Chicken has become my new best friend, especially the boneless, skinless varieties. Breasts, tenderloins, and thighs have all found their way to the grill this week. Mama D’s new rule: If the grill is fired up…use it to capacity. We cooked thighs for dinner. They were, by the way, marinated in a wonderful herb and garlic paste that was out of this world.

DIGITAL CAMERAJoined with grilled asparagus and a Five Grain Pilaf it was another delicious and healthy dinner.DIGITAL CAMERAThere was plenty of room on the grill so I threw on a couple of boneless, skinless breasts for good measure. It never hurts to have some grilled chicken to throw on a salad or make a sandwich. Tenderloins are not just for chicken fingers. A little marinating and a skewering and they can take the heat of the grill. These were marinated in Italian sausage seasonings and threaded on skewers, They cooked quickly and were ready to become part of a pasta dish. They can also bide their time in the frig for a couple of days until you’re ready to use them.DIGITAL CAMERAThe rest of this pasta dish doesn’t come from the grill, but it turned out so well, I didn’t think anyone would mind. The sauce was mostly vegetables, zucchini, peppers, and onions. Lightly sauteed and given a chicken broth base, it was light, healthy and satisfying. The veggies would also be good grilled.

DIGITAL CAMERAThe grilled tenders with their sausage inspired seasoning gave big flavor that was able to meet the goat cheese’s creamy tartness eye to eye (if cheese and chicken had eyes). DIGITAL CAMERAEverything came together and was joined by some “Smart Taste” pasta. This has 2-1/2 times the fiber of regular, but looks and tastes almost identical.

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Penne with "Sausage" Chicken and Goat Cheese
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Chicken marinated in the flavors of Italian Sausage then grilled to give it a smokey depth of flavor. Use your favorite vegetables...you could even grill them. Toss everything with your favorite cut pasta
Servings
3
Servings
3
Penne with "Sausage" Chicken and Goat Cheese
Print Recipe
Chicken marinated in the flavors of Italian Sausage then grilled to give it a smokey depth of flavor. Use your favorite vegetables...you could even grill them. Toss everything with your favorite cut pasta
Servings
3
Servings
3
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. For the Chicken: Place the tenders in a quart size zip top bag. Combine the fennel seed, pepper flakes, 2 minced garlic cloves, 3/4 tablespoon olive oil and the Italian seasoning. Pour into bag, seal and massage to distribute the marinade. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
  2. To grill the chicken: Remove the chicken from the marinade. Thread the tenders on 2 or 3 skewers. Place over medium grill heat and cook, turning occasionally until chicken is cooked through. This takes about 15 minutes. Remove chicken from skewers and use in recipe or refrigerate for up to 3 days.
  3. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package reducing cooking time by one minute While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce.
  4. Zucchini: Cut in half crosswise. Cut each half lengthwise into 3 slices. Cut each slice into 3 or 4 strips.
  5. Onion and Garlic: Cut onion in half lengthwise. Slice thinly lengthwise. Finely chop the 3 cloves of garlic.
  6. Peppers: Cut peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds and cut in half crosswise. Cut in 1/2 wide strips
  7. Heat a large fry pan over medium high heat. Add the remaining olive oil. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the peppers and cook 3 minutes more. Add the garlic and zucchini. and cook 3 -4 minutes.
  8. Cut the chicken tenders into bite size chunks. and add them to the pan. Stir in the chicken broth slowly. You want everything moistened, but nothing swimming. You may not need to use all of the broth.
  9. Simmer for a few minutes. When the pasta is cooked al dente, drain it and add it to the fry pan. Toss to combine everything and cook another minute.
  10. Crumble the goat cheese on top of the pasta and spoon into bowls. Top with ground pepper to taste.
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The summer has just begun and I know that there will be many more grill adventures to share. I hope you are taking advantage of the beautiful weather and finding your own “Grill Love.”   Mama D

Ale and Cheddar Cheese Soup with a Noble Cause

I love making soup. It is my go to winter dinner. Since we’ve had more than our fair share of winter this year, I’ve been making a lot of soup. It somehow never gets old, and there is such a wealth of soups to be made and re-imagined.

DIGITAL CAMERAI also love helping my husband make beer. He’s been a home brewer for over twenty years015 and we often have a batch of beer at some point in the brewing process in the basement. I bring this up because I enjoy cooking with beer from time to time.  The beers my husband makes are wonderfully big and hoppy. Great to drink but hard to cook with (not that there’s anything wrong with that).  So most of my beer cooking adventures involve “store bought” brew.

DIGITAL CAMERASoup and beer make for a great pairing. Many a brewpub has an Ale and Cheddar Cheese soup on their menu. Now, Mama D’s Kitchen has one, too. There’s a story that goes with this soup that has to do with the beer. The beer I used to make this is called Blonde Bomber. It is an American Blonde Ale made by Veteran Beer Company. (Check out their website.)

 

This is a small company currently based in Chicago. The back story however is amazing. The company was started by disabled veterans on July 4, 2012. The executive team lead by Paul Jenkins all had impressive military careers as well as various experiences in the private sector prior to establishing Veteran Beer Company.

First production run 257 (1)They started this company to help eliminate some of the high unemployment rate for veterans by creating meaningful careers for them post service. Another goal of the company is to address many of the other issues that vets face. To this end Veteran employs only veterans and donates 10% of everything to veteran’s causes. Cool, huh? The company is small now, but they plan to employ up to 3500 veterans in the next five years. They run their business adhering to the ideals of the military; integrity, courage, and loyalty.First production run 282

First production run 285The beer is currently produced in Minnesota, but Veteran hopes to eventually have their own facility. They had their first production run in November producing two First production run 249beers: the lovely Blonde Bomber mentioned earlier and The Veteran, an Amber Lager that is also very food friendly. The beer travels from Minnesota and is distributed throughout Illinois and Indiana. Veteran plans to expand to several more Midwestern states in the near future. There are more beers on the horizon as well. Rumor has it that a Black Ale and an IPA will join the ranks. The beers are currently available at most Binny’s Liquor Marts and at many Jewel Osco Stores in Illinois and Indiana.1551563_349202748554842_1586154619_n

It’s a fine product working towards a noble goal. Give it a try. As Veteran Beer Company says, it’s “America’s  Most Important Beer”.

DIGITAL CAMERAI’m still writing a food blog so it’s time to talk about the soup. This rich and hearty soup starts with bacon that browns in a large soup pot. When it comes out, the chicken thigh bits go in and brown in the “bacony” goodness. They come out  along with most of the drippings (which are discarded) before the onion and garlic go in.

The flavors in this soup pack a savory punch that could be DIGITAL CAMERAkicked up if you roll that way. I usually do, but to showcase the beer’s flavor I kept things on the subtle side. Smoked Paprika, Worcestershire Sauce, and Chipotle Tabasco Sauce are the main players. A seasoned salt of your choice ( I used Abilene Depot Steak Seasoning from Caboose Spice & Company) and pepper round out the flavors.

Soup isn’t soup until you add the liquid and to make it thick as well as creamy, a roux. Beer and Chicken Stock go in first and  are followed by half & half (you could also use heavy cream, milk or mixture of them). The final step is to add the cheese. I opted for a medium cheddar, again in order to let the beer take center stage.

DIGITAL CAMERAA bowl of this rich and creamy soup topped with a few pretzel pieces, (after all,  what’s beer without pretzels) makes a great winter supper. All you need to add is a salad and maybe a slice of crusty bread. Needless to say, a glass of beer would be the perfect libation. While we are thinking about beer, many types of beer would work in and with this soup. Use any beer you’d like except light beer which shouldn’t even be classified as beer. Sorry, that’s just an opinion….

Since the Super Bowl is just around the corner, think about serving this at your party. For a fun individual presentation, serve it in mini pretzel rolls. Cheers.DIGITAL CAMERA

Cheddar Cheese and Ale Soup
Print Recipe
Rich and creamy with the bold flavor of craft brewed ale.
Servings
6
Servings
6
Cheddar Cheese and Ale Soup
Print Recipe
Rich and creamy with the bold flavor of craft brewed ale.
Servings
6
Servings
6
Ingredients
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until lightly crisp. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
  2. Add the chicken to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through, 7 -10 minutes. Remove from pot and drain on paper towels. Remove all drippings except a scant tablespoon.
  3. Add the onions and garlic and cook stirring frequently until the onion is softened and the garlic is fragrant but not brown. Add a small amount of the chicken stock to the pan to de-glaze it, scraping up any brown bits.
  4. Add the butter to the pot and allow it to melt. Add paprika, salt, pepper, chipotle and Worcestershire sauces. Stir to combine. Add the flour a little at a time. Stirring to combine after each addition. Once the flour is all incorporated, Allow to cook over low heat for a minute or two, stirring frequently.
  5. Add the chicken stock stirring to prevent lumps. Add the beer stirring as with the stock. Bring mixture just to a boil, Reduce the heat and simmer stirring occasionally until mixture thickens, 5-8 minutes.
  6. Add the bacon and chicken back into the pot. Simmer for a few minutes. Add the half & half and continue to cook over low heat until everything is hot and happy. Add the cheese a little at a time stirring until each addition melts.
  7. Ladle into bowls and serve.
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Are Chicken Thighs the New Breasts?

For years, chicken breasts have been the darling of cooks both on and off diets. They are nutritious, low in fat, and can be cooked in almost limitless ways. Price wise they are generally a bargain even if they are not on sale because there is little or no waste.  Chicken breasts for all their sterling merits, do have a few drawbacks. They are easily overcooked and this can result in a dry, tough, and less than appetizing results. 

20130625_172131 (1)Brined and Grilled Chicken Breast

As I shared  in a previous entry, I had all but given up grilling B.S (this is just an innocent abbreviation not a comment or reference to my subject) chicken breasts because of that overcooking issue until I discovered brining, that is. I  have however, continued to happily cook them indoors.  Sauteing, baking, even in soups and chilis, they are my go to protein.

DIGITAL CAMERAChicken and Artichoke Soup

Lately, I’ve noticed there is a new B.S. Chicken part showing up in recipes . That would be chicken Thighs. I’ve even seen articles in cooking magazines about them.  How could this be? I ,who have always been a white meat kind of gal , have started to use B.S thighs in mycooking and more amazing still, I like it.  B.S  Chicken parts can co-exist in my kitchen . I usually use them in different preparations. The results are not always to my liking, but since this is all about the adventures of cooking I am bravely continuing to experiment. I like them best  in more highly seasoned dishes and I think they benefit from some serious browning with or without dredging.

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Tuscan Garlic Chicken Thighs

There is one place where I’ve found them to be exceptional and that is grilling. They stand up to the flame and that is something their breast brethren can’t always do (unless they’ve been brined).  Another grill plus for thighs is that they can hold their own with intense and spicy flavors. Thighs have a stronger chicken flavor that comes through even when the heat and spice is on.DIGITAL CAMERA            Grilled Chicken Thighs with an Orange Marmelade, Rice Wine Vinegar, and

Rosemary Glaze

Nutritionally,  calorie counts are almost identical for breasts and thighs (approximately 110 calories per 4 ounce serving). Thighs have slightly more fat , saturated fat, and cholesterol than breasts, but if you subscribe to the everything in moderation adage, eating them occasionally will not unbalance a healthy diet.

Where did that come from?

I do, however agree with Oscar Wilde,

“Everything in moderation, including moderation.”