Last month I visited my Aunt Sue. Sue had to change to a gluten-free diet many years ago due to some health issues. She is an excellent cook with an even more excellent attitude and has navigated cooking without gluten in the most delicious way. Also, she is my own personal treasure trove of tips, product recommendations and recipes now that I can’t eat wheat.  While visiting her I stole several of her recipes (okay, she gave me the recipes, no stealing happened, stealing just sounds more exciting). One recipe was for her gluten-free chicken gumbo, which she served while we were visiting. I ate a lot of that gumbo. For dinner. Then breakfast. Then dinner again. Then I came home and have made it twice in the last month.

Sue lived in New Orleans and knows her Louisiana cuisine. She originally found this gumbo recipe on the back of a package of Chef Paul Prudhomme smoked meat. The recipe she shared with me is straight from the package and she’s been cooking it for years. Since going gluten-free she started using her favorite gluten-free flour (Namaste Perfect Flour Blend) and it works like a charm. It works so well you would never be able to tell the difference. You can, of course, use regular all-purpose wheat flour if you do not need to cut wheat or gluten.

I have added my own notes as well as Sue’s input in the directions below. This gluten-free chicken gumbo has andouille sausage and tasso, but there are several suggestions for meat substitutions if you can’t find either of those.

Gluten-Free Chicken Gumbo with Tasso and Andouille Sausage

 

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Recipe originally from a Chef Paul Prudhomme package. Modified for gluten free and with our own notes included.

Author: Jane Maynard

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• MEAT:
• 1 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (shrimp, pork or okra can be substituted)
• ½ pound tasso ham (or smoked ham like Cure 81; Jane note - I used smoked ham hocks from the butcher)
• ½ pound Andouille smoked sausage (or smoked Kielbasa; Sue note - it's worth finding Andouille sausage and should be pretty readily available everywhere, the original recipe listed smoked kielbasa as an alternative, but Sue says no way, stick with Andouille!)
• 1 cup finely chopped onions (Jane note: I used ½ cup)
• 1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 cup finely chopped carrots (this is a Jane addition because I had carrots AND tons of cajun recipes start with mire poix (onion/celery/carrot), so I felt good about the modification)
• ROUX:
• ¾ cup gluten-free one-for-one flour (like Namaste Perfect Blend or King Arthur GF AP Flour) OR ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup oil, preferably sunflower, peanut or other high temperature cooking oil (Sue uses avocado oil; Jane note - I used BUTTER! woohoo!)
• SEASONINGS:
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley, lightly crushed in palm of hand
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne and depending on desired heat level)
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon dried sweet basil
• STOCK:
• 6-7 cups canned low sodium chicken stock

Instructions

1. Cut chicken, tasso and andouille into bite-sized pieces and set aside in separate bowls.
2. Combine finely chopped onions, green bell pepper, celery and carrots (if using) in a single bowl. (Jane note: I just chop them and keep them on the cutting board to save on washing an extra bowl.)
3. Heat chicken stock in separate sauce pan until nearly boiling.
4. In large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until very hot. Using a long-handled whisk, slowly add flour one tablespoon at a time until completely combined. Cook, whisking constantly, until roux is dark red-brown to dark brown in color, about 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to scorch or burn the roux – watch it carefully and whisk, whisk, whisk! (Jane note: I do this step in a big soup pot, again to save on washing dishes.)
5. Once the roux reaches desired color, remove from skillet and transfer to large stock pot at a slightly lower heat. (If you just cook the roux in the soup pot to begin with like I did, simply reduce the heat to low.) Immediately add the tasso and andouille to the roux, cooking for several minutes until seasoning from meat transfers to sauce.
6. Add cut chicken, cooking for an additional 2-4 minutes.
7. Add chopped vegetables, sauté and let cook for a few minutes. Add chicken stock and seasonings, stirring constantly and scraping the pan bottom well.
8. Slowly add hot chicken stock, one to two cups at a time until incorporated, reduce heat to medium/medium-low and simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes, stirring often toward the end of the cooking time.
9. Serve hot over cooked rice and topped with Crystal Hot Sauce.

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I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again…I have met some truly amazing people thanks to blogging. Amazing. People. One of those people is food blogger and cookbook author Kathy Strahs. We met many moons ago at a conference and our friendship grew from there. For a short time we even lived in the same neighborhood, which was the BEST THING EVER. Sadly she’s not down the street any more, but I make up for that by pestering her with text messages.

One of the things I love about Kathy so much is her brain. She is a smart cookie, that Kathy. She also happens to be good at making cookies. She’s the whole cookie package (that’s like the highest compliment I can give someone). Anyway, yeah, Kathy’s brain. It does smart and cool and high quality stuff.

So, why am I rambling on and on about Kathy? Because I have some of that awesome Kathy stuff to share with you!

Today Kathy launched a Kickstarter for her next cookbook The 8×8 Cookbook: Square Meals for Weeknight Family Dinners, Desserts and More along with her new publishing company Burnt Cheese Press.

Here’s the deal. You will love this book. You need to buy it. Visit Kathy’s Kickstarter page to see the different pledge levels and secure your first-edition copy today! The pledge rewards are great, including a “How to Make Mac ‘n Cheese” graphic t-shirt designed by Kathy’s adorable daughter Hayley. There is a book trailer on the Kickstarter page as well as more details about the project. Please check it out and spread the word!

To celebrate today’s launch, I am participating in a blog potluck with Kathy and other food friends! I had the chance to make one of her 8×8 recipes – Honey-Glazed Chicken with Root Vegetables. Prep time was less than 25 minutes and dinner was delicious. I even doubled the recipe and used TWO 8×8 pans, because I knew we’d love it so much. I was right, we did!

A potluck wouldn’t be a potluck with just ONE dish! Be sure to check out all the other recipes from The 8×8 Cookbook that are being featured today to celebrate Kathy’s Kickstarter launch!

• Baked Blueberry Oatmeal (Breezy Brunch) ~ Julie from Peanut Butter and Julie
• Blueberry Cobbler with Cornmeal Cream Biscuits (Sweet Treats) ~ Gerry from Foodness Gracious
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars (Sweet Treats) ~ Jenny from Picky Palate
• Chocolate Craving Cake (Sweet Treats) ~ Amanda from I Am Baker
• Greek-Style Sausage and Peppers (Weeknights Won) ~ Liren from Kitchen Confidante
• Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders (Weeknights Won) ~ Amy from Very Culinary
• Layered Spinach, Artichoke and Crab Dip (On the Side) ~ Kathy from Panini Happy (and author of The 8×8 Cookbook)
• Pastitsio (The Sunday Dinner Table) ~ Rachel from Rachel Cooks

Without further ado, Honey-Glazed Chicken with Root Vegetables!

Honey-Glazed Chicken with Root Vegetables

 

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Prep time

25 mins

Cook time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 10 mins

 

By Kathy Strahs, from The 8x8 Cookbook: Square Meals for Weeknight Family Dinners and More--In One Perfect 8x8 Inch Dish (Burnt Cheese Press, 2015), reprinted with permission. As excerpted from the book: "The shiny glazed chicken drumsticks get all the attention in this dish, but the roasted root vegetables relaxing beneath them really deserve some notice. Carrots, turnips, and potatoes are flavorful in their own right, and here, with honey-balsamic glaze traveling down from the chicken, they become truly next level! They go into the oven partially cooked to make sure they’re done right in synch with the chicken."

Author: Kathy Strahs

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup roughly chopped carrots (about 2 medium)
• 1 cup roughly chopped turnips (1 to 2 small)
• 1 cup roughly chopped skin-on red potatoes (about ½ pound)
• ½ small red onion, cut into wedges
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ground thyme
• ¾ teaspoon coarse salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1½ pounds chicken drumsticks

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400º F.
2. Place the carrots, turnips and potatoes in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 4 minutes (alternatively, you can blanch the vegetables in a large pot of boiling water for 3 minutes). Drain any excess water and transfer the vegetables to an 8x8-inch glass or ceramic baking dish or metal baking pan. Add the onion wedges to the dish or pan.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the honey and balsamic vinegar. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, combine the thyme, salt and pepper. Measure out ¾ teaspoon of the seasoning mixture and sprinkle it all over the vegetables. Drizzle olive oil over the vegetables and toss to combine.
5. Season the chicken with the remaining seasoning mixture–be sure to slide some of the seasonings under the skin as well as on the outside. Arrange the chicken on top of the vegetables. Roast for 20 minutes. Brush the chicken with half of the honey-balsamic mixture and bake for another 15 minutes. Brush the chicken with the remaining honey-balsamic mixture and continue baking until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF and the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes more (tent the chicken with foil if the glaze starts to burn).

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Thank you to Le Creuset for providing the beautiful 8×8 dish!

One of my favorite foods in the world is Back-A-Yard’s Jamaican jerk chicken. I will never be able to make jerk sauce like that restaurant does and that’s okay with me. Sometimes it’s good to have a food you can only get in one place so you really appreciate it. That said, I do hate living so far away from Back-A-Yard, which is located in Menlo Park and San Jose. The other day I was having a serious hankering for some Back-A-Yard and decided to finally try making my own jerk.

The one and only problem with jerk is that it is just too spicy for my kids, so I wanted to figure out a way to make a kid-friendly jerk that still delighted my taste buds. The marinade/sauce I created and have made several times now is wonderful, although nothing at all like Back-A-Yard’s. It’s much sweeter with just a hint of heat. The kids devoured their chicken, as did Nate and I!

Will I ever be able to replicate the pure culinary joy that is Back-A-Yard’s Jamaican jerk? Nope. But I’m okay with that, and I ended up with this scrumptious recipe instead!

Note #1: While I was editing this post and getting the link for Back-A-Yard, I discovered that Back-A-Yard is going to start selling sauces and rubs. I AM SO HAPPY! I will be able to get their sauce in my own kitchen! I’ll be sure to include a link in my Friday Show and Tell post when their online store opens.

Note #2: I forgot to photograph the sauce. It’s brown and tastes delicious. There you go.

Note #3: You can find the recipe for the potatoes in the background of the first photo by clicking here. They’re amazing. Thought you should know.

Jerkish Chicken, i.e. Kid Friendly Jerk Chicken That Adults Love, Too

 

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Inspired by Jamiacan jerk, this chicken marinade and sauce has a sweeter flavor and just a bit of heat.

Author: Jane Maynard

Serves: 5-8 servings

Ingredients

• Juice from 1 lime
• ½ cup olive oil or canola oil
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 6 cloves fresh garlic
• 6 green onions, very roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon jerk seasoning
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 10-15 pieces bone-in chicken (I prefer legs and thighs)

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients (except the chicken) in a blender. Blend until a sauce consistency.
2. Reserve ½ cup of the sauce to serve with the chicken later.
3. Place chicken pieces in a ziploc bag then pour sauce into the bag. Close bag, pushing air out, and marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
4. Grill chicken as usual over moderate heat, cooking until inside temperature reaches 160-165º F.
5. Heat reserved sauce on the stovetop or in the microwave until warmed. Serve with grilled chicken.

Notes

Prep time is only 5 minutes or so, but there is at least 30 minutes of marinating time to plan on. Cook time is only about 10 minutes.

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I think it’s time for another Crazy Easy Chicken Recipe! Today’s “recipe” is one of the first things I ever cooked. Even though this non-recipe recipe is beyond easy and simple, it’s incredibly tasty and versatile. In fact, I don’t know why I don’t cook chicken like this more often.

Italian dressing is kind of magical. It’s one of those ingredients that can quickly add flavor to all kinds of recipes. My favorite uses are in potato salad and for marinating chicken, which brings us to today’s recipe!

All you need is chicken and Italian dressing. That’s it. You’re done. Be sure to stab your chicken as directed. That is the key to making your chicken extra tender and filled with that Italian dressing flavor.

Italian Dressing Chicken

 

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This chicken is great topped on salad and served on a sandwich!

Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Italian dressing

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Stab the chicken breasts on both sides a TON with a fork.
3. Put chicken in a small bowl and cover with Italian dressing, flipping chicken to cover completely. You can cook immediately but letting it marinate for about 30 minutes in the fridge is even better!
4. Place chicken in a baking dish, pouring any remaining dressing in the bowl over the top.
5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until inside of chicken is no longer pink and the internal temperature reaches 160º F. Don't overcook to keep it moist and tender.
6. I didn't provide measurements because this is a CRAZY EASY recipe and you don't need them! Just eyeball it, you can't mess it up!

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When we were in New Hampshire for New Year’s Eve, Nate’s mom made some chicken tenders with coconut mixed into the breadcrumbs that were scrumptious.

I’ve made the same thing a couple times since and I think I finally have these chicken tenders perfected, with just the right amount of salty and sweet and a bit of heat surrounding perfectly tender chicken. And, of course, coconut. I love anything savory with coconut involved. So good.

There are a few steps to the recipe, but I promise it’s an easy recipe nonetheless. Also, I highly recommend pounding the chicken. You can skip the pounding, but it’s way better when you do it.

Enjoy!

Coconut Chicken Tenders

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

With a little bit of sweet and a little bit of heat, these oh-so-tender chicken tenders are coconut perfection!

Author: Jane Maynard

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound chicken tenders
• ¼ cup flour
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (divided into ½ teaspoon and ¼ teaspoon)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• ½ cup sweetened coconut
• ¼ - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (with ¼ teaspoon it's just a HINT of heat, ½ teaspoon has more heat but isn't crazy spicy)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter

Instructions

1. Pound chicken tenders thin.
2. Mix together flour and ¼ teaspoon salt and pour onto a plate.
3. Beat the egg in a small bowl and whisk in the soy sauce.
4. Mix together the panko bread crumbs, coconut, ½ teaspoon of the salt, cayenne pepper, and sugar together in a medium bowl.
5. Heat butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Depending on the size of your pan and whether or not you are doubling the recipe, if you need to cook the chicken in batches, add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan for each batch of chicken you cook.
6. Dip each chicken tender in the flour, then the egg, then the breadcrumb mixture. Place chicken tenders in the heated pan and cook chicken tenders on both sides until golden brown and chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
7. Remove chicken from pan and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to allow some of the oil to drip off.
8. Serve hot. Sweet chili sauce is the perfect dipping sauce for this chicken! We used honey mustard dipping sauce as well and that was good, too!

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I have another Crazy Easy Chicken recipe for you today! So far we have Creamy Lemon Pepper Chicken (which I posted last October) and Parmesan-Crusted Chicken. Today we’re going to go with a savory-sweet recipe, which happens to be my favorite flavor combo! (As in, don’t put any chocolate-covered pretzels anywhere near me or they will ALL disappear.)

We only need 3 ingredients for this recipe: chicken, maple syrup and soy sauce. That’s it, you’re done. I love how the saltiness of the soy sauce is a perfect balance to the maple syrup. It’s pretty much divine and so easy to throw together.

This chicken would be great on a salad, in a stir fry or maybe even just on its own with a big pile of creamy garlic mashed potatoes. Yeah, that sounds good to me. Do that.

Savory Maple Chicken

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

With only 3 ingredients, this super easy chicken recipe is great for a weeknight and hits the salty-sweet spot!

Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 part soy sauce
• 2 parts REAL maple syrup

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Stab the chicken breasts on both sides a TON with a fork.
3. Mix together the soy sauce and maple syrup (you should be using twice as much maple syrup as soy sauce).
4. Place chicken in a baking dish. Pour the sauce over the chicken, turning the chicken several times to make sure it is coated in the sauce. (The little holes from your fork stabbing will help the chicken to take in some of that yummy sauce.)
5. Bake for about 30 minutes, until inside of chicken is no longer pink and the internal temperature reaches 160º F. Don't overcook to keep it moist and tender.
6. I didn't provide measurements because this is a CRAZY EASY recipe and you don't need them! For two chicken breasts, it will probably take about ¼ - ½ cup maple syrup and ⅛ - ¼ cup soy sauce, but that's just a guess. Adjust accordingly as you put the dish together and suit to your own tastes. If you want more sauce, whip up a little more sauce!

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It’s been many years since I declared my undying love for real maple syrup, so I think we should revisit the topic! Before I met Nate, I had only ever eaten fake maple syrup – you know, of the Log Cabin and Aunt Jemima variety. Then I married a boy from New Hampshire and everything changed.

Truly, I haven’t bought a bottle of the fake stuff since we got married. Even in the early years when we had negative money in the bank account, we still found a way to get our hands on pure maple syrup. Good chocolate and good maple syrup are top priorities in my kitchen!

Anna and Cate’s former preschool teacher Miss Ferneyn once gave me a photocopy of a maple balsamic chicken recipe she found in a cookbook or magazine. (Miss Ferneyn and Miss Erika were always giving me great recipes and they have made appearances on the blog before. I sure miss those ladies, and not just for their good food!) I made the recipe and it was AMAZING. And then I lost the photocopied page and haven’t been able to find it no matter how hard I look.  I pestered Miss Ferneyn a few times and she can’t find the recipe either! I finally bit the bullet and tried to figure out the recipe on my own. and we had success! Welcome back to my life, beautiful recipe.

I made this chicken for my family in New Jersey and everyone raved. My sister-in-law has already made it for guests. It’s really really really really really good. Are you convinced yet?

Maple Balsamic Chicken (You need to make this recipe!)

 

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From Jane Maynard, inspired by a recipe buried in my kitchen somewhere

Author: Jane Maynard

Recipe type: Main Dish, Poultry

Ingredients

• 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts – cut into thirds width-wise, then halved height-wise
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ½ cup real maple syrup
• ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided in half
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 5 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• ¼ of an onion, chopped
• 1 large clove garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
• olive oil

Instructions

1. Mix flour, ½ tsp salt and the pepper in a plastic bag. Pound chicken nice and flat then toss in the flour mixture.
2. Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in large pan over medium to medium-high heat. Brown chicken in oil then set aside on a plate.
3. Put onions in the pan and sautée over medium heat until translucent, adding a bit of oil to the pan if needed. Add garlic and mushrooms, and cook until the mushrooms are cooked and liquid has evaporated. Add broth, syrup, vinegar, ½ tsp salt and browned chicken. Bring sauce to a simmer then reduce heat to medium-low, so sauce is still simmering. Cook about 10 minutes until chicken is fully cooked through. Salt and pepper to taste and serve with pasta or mashed potatoes.

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To see other yummy maple syrup recipes, visit the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers ‘Recipe of the Month’ Page. This post was not sponsored, but my recipe will be featured on their site. I’m happy I can help spread the maple syrup love!