Pollo in Potacchio

So I wrote up a few blog entries about various recipes I have tried in the last few months but never posted them. I'll be honest. It is Monday night and I have had no blog inspiration from the last few days. So I guess the default is to use an already written, unpublished, entry on a recipe. This one is good. I've made it a few times and will do so again when I have a kitchen back. It is easy, tasty, and healthy. And for those who are into the gluten free trend (or those who are really a celiac) it does not contain gluten.

Pollo in Potacchio (GF)

I've made Pollo in Potacchio twice in the last few months. It is a bit labor intensive than my normal but totally worth it. Anyone who cooks outside of the US, this would be considered an "easy" meal. When I lived in East Africa, I would easily spend two hours in the kitchen making dinner from scratch- I mean, really scratch. We don't cook from scratch in the US anymore. Okay, so the dinner. It is more like Chicken Stew than anything else. And I LOVE IT.

Pollo in Potacchio
Written by SkinnyTastes.com with my modifications.

Ingredients:
10 skinless chicken thighs (with bone) [note: I used chicken breast, cut it into small bite-sized pieces)
kosher salt and fresh black pepper
3 - 4 small sprigs fresh rosemary (the more the better!)
1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cups Imported crushed tomatoes (Tuttoroso) [note: I didn't have crushed tomatoes on hand this time, and just used tomato sauce and it tasted just as good!]
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 cup dry white wine (Pinot Grigio)[note: I used cooking wine]
2 cups low sodium, fat free chicken broth


Directions:

1.Lightly season the chicken with salt and fresh pepper. If you are using chicken breast then cut into small pieces. Place a Dutch Oven or large heavy pot on medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp oil, when hot add the chicken and sear until browned on all sides. I like using tongs to move them around for each side to get done. Transfer chicken to a dish and set aside.

2.Sauté garlic and onions (and red pepper flakes if using) in remaining oil; sauté until golden, stirring occasionally. Add celery and carrots and saute on medium-low, until soft. Add the wine and chicken broth, scraping any caramelized bits from the bottom.

3.Add tomatoes, marjoram, reduce heat to low, adjust salt and pepper to taste and simmer for 30 minutes.

4.Add the chicken and rosemary to the sauce, partially cover and cook slowly on low heat for another 25 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding water if needed.


Nutrition: Serves: 5 - 10 • Serving Size: 1 thigh with sauce
Calories: 123 • Fat: 4.6 g • Protein: 14.3 g • Carb: 4.1 g • Fiber: 0.7 g • Sugar: 0.5 g
Sodium: 186.4

Comments: I adjusted this recipe a bit but overall I really liked it. The first time I made it, I felt like there was too much sauce and this last time I made it I felt like there was no enough. Next time around, I will probably use 1 1/2 cups broth. I paired it with roasted broccoli, which the fam. equally loved.

Source:www.skinnytaste.com/

Bon Appetite!

Oven-Barbecued Asian Chicken

I love trying new recipes! For me, there is a challenge to find new recipes that incorporate healthy food in a new way. Over-Barbecued Asian Chicken was a recipe I had wanted to try for a while. It looked so yummy! My brother was in town a few weeks ago and he wanted to cook, so we went for it. My over all assessment was that it was not amazing, but still good. It does, however, satisfy your craving for Chinese food in a healthy way! Another alternative is to use the sauce in a stir fry, which I think might even be better! So here it is:

Oven-Barbecued Asian Chicken (GF)

Ingredients:
• 1 bunch scallions
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Asian hot sauce, such as Sriracha, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (found it at Target!)
• 4 bone-in chicken thighs (1 1/4-1 1/2 pounds total), skin removed, trimmed
• 4 chicken drumsticks (1-1 1/4 pounds total), skin removed, trimmed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Notes: I used a double package of boneless, skinless chicken breast and doubled the sauce in order to cover the chicken well. Since I used chicken breast, the cooking time took about 30 minutes.

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch (or similar-size) baking dish with tin foil and greece with butter.
2. Thinly slice 1/4 cup scallion greens; set aside. Mince the whites. Whisk the scallion whites, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, hot sauce and five-spice powder in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat. Arrange the chicken in an even layer in the prepared baking dish, meatier-side down. Pour any remaining sauce from the bowl over the chicken.
3. Bake, turning once halfway so the meatier side is up, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part without touching bone registers 165°F, about 1 hour. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and top with any remaining sauce from the baking dish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and the reserved scallion greens (Note: My chicken only took 30 minutes to cook).

Nutrition:
Per serving: 361 calories; 16 g fat ( 4 g sat , 6 g mono ); 144 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrates; 4 gadded sugars; 42 g protein; 1 g fiber; 547 mg sodium; 473 mg potassium.

Comments:
I didn't include the hot sauce or soy sauce so that probably changed the taste a bit. I think this is a recipe I will use once and a while, but not on a weekly basis.

Source: Eating Well, November/December 2011 Issue, Photo from Eatingwell.com