My parents live near a Barons Market and they carry fantastic soups. Walk anywhere within a quarter mile of any Barons and people on the street will stop to tell you how good the Barons soups are, especially the clam chowder. (I am only exaggerating a little bit here.) One of our favorites is the white chicken chili and, since we don’t have immediate access to a Barons or unlimited funds, I decided I needed to figure out how to make it. I did some research on their soup as well as several recipes and settled on a winner from Taste of Home, with a few modifications.

I love this recipe. It is easy to throw together (hardly any chopping or dishes!) and it tastes awesome with toppings like sour cream, cilantro, lime and avocado. You could probably even throw some tortilla strips on there and be soup-er happy! (sorrynotsorry) Bonus, the soup is creamy and still gluten free. The mashed beans give it a cozy, chowder-like texture and the chicken cooks nice and tender.

This is one of our family’s favorite dinners now. Apologies for the sub-par photography…my “real” camera’s battery was dead and I had to get a picture of the last available bowl in daylight before anyone ate it. The only reason, in fact, that I haven’t posted the recipe before now is because I could never get a photo in daylight because it always gets eaten up!

White Chicken Chili

 

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White Chicken Chili Author: Jane Maynard This soup offers a little kick of heat, which can be easily adjusted as per the ingredients below

Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed (last time I used up to 2 pounds and soup came out great)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (or pushed through a garlic press)
• 32 ounces chicken broth
• 1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles (mild, medium or hot depending on your preference)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (add up to 1-1/2 teaspoons if you want it spicier)
• 3 14-ounce cans great northern white beans, drained
• ¾ cup fresh chopped cilantro (measurement does not need to be precise, just a nice big handful) + extra for garnish
• 1 lime
• Optional toppings: Shredded cheese, sour cream, fresh lime, fresh cilantro, avocado, thinly sliced radish

Instructions

1. In a large pot, cook chicken and onion over medium heat until lightly browned.
2. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
3. Stir in the chicken broth, chiles, cumin, oregano and cayenne; bring to a boil then reduce heat to low.
4. Mash 1 can of the white beans with a potato masher or pastry blender until quite smooth. Add mashed and whole beans to the pot. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.
5. Serve as is or with optional toppings listed above!

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Before I knew I had a wheat allergy, my friend Natalee, who eats gluten free, made homemade gluten-free buffalo chicken wings for a football game our families were watching together. Natalee had also purchased regular wings at the store to serve alongside the gluten-free wings. Interestingly there was no comparison between the “real” wings and Natalee’s gluten-free buffalo chicken wings – Natalee’s wings were a million percent better.

Once I found out about my wheat allergy, I was at Natalee’s feet begging for her recipe. She simply said, “Go to this link and use gluten-free flour.” Well, that was easy!

Or so I thought. It took me a few tries to get this chicken really tasty. Really it was all about perfecting the technique for baking them in the oven, but we finally go there. Every last person in our family loves these gluten-free buffalo chicken wings and Nate and could probably drink the sauce it’s so good. Also, we’ve started using drumsticks instead of wings. We just like them better and this recipe makes for a really great dinner option. We no longer reserve buffalo chicken just for watching football!  

Gluten-Free Buffalo Chicken Wings and Drumsticks

 

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Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• About 20 chicken wing pieces or 12 chicken drumsticks
• ¾ cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (I like Namaste's Perfect Flour Blend)
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup melted butter
• ¾ cup Frank's RedHot pepper sauce

Instructions

1. Place a metal cooling or roasting rack on top of a rimmed cookie sheet. I use my metal baking cooling racks and my half-sheet rimmed baking pan. I also like to cover the pan with aluminum foil to make for easier cleanup, and then place the rack on the pan on top of the foil. Cooking the chicken raised up off the pan surface is KEY to success here. The chicken comes out significantly better when it's raised up out of the pan while cooking.
2. Whisk together the flour, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and salt in a large bowl. Toss each chicken piece in the flour mixture then place them on the prepared pan.
3. Refrigerate chicken for at least 1 hour.
4. Preheat oven to 400º F.
5. Whisk together the melted butter with the hot sauce. Below are two approaches, the second is my modified way that I prefer now. Choose your own adventure!
6. APPROACH #1: Dip each piece of chicken into the sauce and place back on the prepared pan. Sometimes the cold chicken will make the sauce thicken. If this happens, simply zap the sauce in the microwave for 10 seconds or so to get it runnier again.
7. APPROACH #2: Melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Brush butter on both sides of chicken pieces and bake without the sauce. Dip the pieces in the sauce when you take them out of the oven.
8. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink inside and/or reaches a temperature of 160º-165º F at the deepest part of the meat. Be sure to flip the chicken half way through the cooking time, about 20-25 minutes in.
9. Serve hot! Also, we love the sauce so much, so I often make more sauce to serve with the chicken. Just mix equal parts butter with Frank's RedHot sauce, usually 2 tablespoons each is a good amount.

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These kitchen sink orzo bowls are delicious and a new favorite go-to dinner option in our house, super flexible and you can use whatever ingredients you have lying about…you know, everything but the kitchen sink!

Last week when I went to the farmer’s market I had no idea what I was going to be making for dinner that night (despite having a meal plan ready…yeah, sometimes I don’t follow it, I’m only human). I decided to see what vegetables I could find at the market and go from there. Then I came home, rummaged through the cabinets and fridge and discovered a package of whole wheat orzo. The result of all this searching and finding is today’s recipe, kitchen sink orzo bowls.

This is a very flexible recipe. Pretty much the only ingredient you have to have is orzo! Olive oil, onions, tomatoes, salt and pepper are also pretty necessary, too, but beyond that you can throw all kinds of yummy veggies and even chicken or fish with success. As a result of all this flexibility, I don’t have any measurements for you on this recipe. I’ll describe the technique and the approximate amounts of ingredients I used and then I encourage you to take this recipe and make it your own. And your own version will probably even change depending on the season or what is in your fridge on a particular day.

The final result is a very homey, tasty dish, reminiscent of a classic casserole but much healthier. If you’re craving risotto but don’t feel like cooking risotto, this is a great alternative, providing a similar texture and flavor without the long cooking process. Enjoy!

Kitchen Sink Orzo Bowls

 

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Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• Whole wheat orzo pasta (Definitely go whole wheat here! It's more nutritious and tastes the same! My favorite brand is Delallo Organic.)
• Olive oil, a few tablespoons
• Onion, about ¼-1/2 of an onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed through a garlic press
• Cherry Tomatoes, halved, above one pint (you could also chop appx. 2 whole tomatoes)
• Fresh vegetables, whatever you have lying around (I used 2 fresh summer squash)
• Cooked chicken, chopped or shredded depending on your preference (About 1-2 chicken breasts' or a few thighs' worth of meat, I like the chicken to be grilled)
• Dry white wine, ¼-1/2 cup or so (optional)
• White balsamic vinegar, a few tablespoons (optional)
• Pasta water, reserve 2-3 cups
• Salt and Pepper
• Spices and herbs if you like: parsley, oregano, basil are all good options (optional)

Instructions

1. Prepare orzo pasta as directed on the package. Drain, reserving 2-3 cups of the pasta water, and then set aside both the water and the orzo. I used about ¾ of a package of Delallo Whole Wheat Orzo to feed our family of 5 with some leftovers.
2. In a deep, 12-inch skillet heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook a few minutes until translucent.
3. Add fresh garlic and cook, stirring, about 30-60 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium low and let mixture cook for 5-10 minutes to really get the tomatoes to cook down.
4. If using wine, add it now and cook about 5 minutes. Add vegetables and cook a few minutes until the veggies are al dente. (If you are using vegetables like carrots that take longer to cook, steam them ahead of time and just heat through at this point in the recipe.) If you aren't using wine and need a little more fluid in the pan, just add another swig or two of olive oil.
5. Add the orzo to the pan. Add the white balsamic vinegar and then start adding pasta water about ½ cup at a time until you get a nice, creamy consistency. Salt and pepper to taste, adding herbs and spices if you choose. I simply used salt and pepper and it tasted great!

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OTHER RECIPES YOU MAY LIKE:

• Southwestern Salmon Orzo Salad
• Pat’s Orzo Salad
• Simple Cream Sauce for Pasta

EQUIPMENT I USED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:

• Cuisinart 12-Inch Skillet with Glass Lid
• Cuisinart 4-Quart Saucepan
• OXO Silicone Spatula
• Wusthof Classic Chef’s Knife
• Olive Oil Cruet
• Delallo Whole Wheat Orzo Pasta

For a while I wrote a fun series of posts on Babble called “3 Kids, A Mom & a Kitchen.” For one of the article the girls and I made a super tasty Barbecue Chicken Salad recipe. I just clicked through to link to that recipe for today’s weekly menu and discovered that Babble did a website update, which means the captions that had the recipe included are missing! So, I’m reposting the recipe here, for posterity’s sake. Well, actually, mostly for my sake so I can have the recipe handy. 😉

This is one of those recipes that’s not really a recipe – no measurements necessary and feel free to add or omit ingredients at will. I pretty much stole the idea for this salad from a restaurant called Croutons. Enjoy!

Barbecue Chicken Salad

 

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Adapted from a dish served at a restaurant called Croutons

Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• Grilled chicken breast
• Barbecue sauce
• Romaine lettuce, chopped
• Shredded cheese, cheddar or mozzarella
• Canned black beans, rinsed and drained
• Canned corn
• Chopped tomato
• Cornbread croutons (if I can find these at the store I toast cubed cornbread in the oven until crispy)
• Chopped Granny Smith Apples
• Ranch dressing

Instructions

1. Shred grilled chicken and toss in barbecue sauce to coat.
2. Toss everything together and serve with ranch dressing. Voila!
3. No set amount for ingredients - plan for about ½ chicken breast per person and adjust ingredients as necessary for the size of the salad!

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Hi friends. Today’s recipe isn’t really a recipe at all. I would say it’s more of a kitchen tip and one that I am loving. Today I’m going to tell you how to make super easy chicken for tacos that tastes so good. And when I say easy, I mean easy.

My cousin Jamie gave me this idea and I will be forever grateful to her. We were cooking up tacos one night and had chopped up a bunch of grilled chicken thighs. Jamie grabbed some leftover taco seasoning and tossed it in the bowl. GENIUS. The chicken turned out awesome and now I make it this for tacos all the time.

You can use any taco seasoning, but my favorite is from Penzeys. Not only does this seasoning taste great, but it comes in a jar, so you can use as much or as little as you want. It’s so much better than a packet.

Also, I always grill my chicken and while this is super tasty with chicken breasts, chicken thighs are definitely my favorite. Just grill up the meat, cut into bitesized pieces, then toss with taco seasoning.

This seasoned chicken is also great on salad or in a wrap. Basically it’s the best. You’re welcome.

Today’s recipe has been a long time coming. It’s been in my head forEVER and today I finally took it out of my head and made it reality. And boy-oh-boy am I glad I did. I never say “boy-oh-boy,” so that should tell you how good this recipe is.

For quite some time I’ve been thinking that Indian food would be good filler for a burrito. After all, flour tortillas are a really excellent blank canvas for all kinds of flavors. Including Indian flavors.

I used my homemade tandoori chicken as the base for the burrito, then just piled on all kinds of other wonderful ingredients. The result was delectable. In fact, I had an Indian burrito for lunch today and then couldn’t wait to have it again for dinner.

If I wanted to start a food truck (which I don’t), this burrito is what I would serve. Since I’m never going to start a food truck, I’ll just spill all my secrets.

In case you are wondering, our kids ate their burritos, although they each had a different variation, from Owen with just tandoori chicken and rice to Anna who used about half of the ingredients to Cate who went for the whole enchilada, or burrito, actually!

I think it’s time to get right down to the recipe. Enjoy!

Note: There is a delicious recipe for Masala Sauce below, but I have since created a much simpler version called Masala Salsa. Click here for the Masala Salsa recipe if you are interested!

Indian Burritos

 

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If Mexican food is good in a burrito, why wouldn't Indian food be good, too? The answer: it is!

Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• Large flour tortillas
• Tandoori chicken (click here for recipe)
• Grilled onions
• Grilled bell peppers
• Jasmine or basmati rice, cooked in salted water
• Canned chickpeas
• Masala sauce (see recipe below)
• Raita sauce (see recipe below)
• Lentils (you can look for a recipe for "dal" online, or just buy the boxed, cooked lentils at Trader Joe's!)
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Make sure your tandoori chicken, onions, peppers, rice, chickpeas and masala sauce are all warm/hot.
2. Warm the tortilla on both side on the stove in a large, dry frying pan.
3. Pile on all of the ingredients above and wrap the tortilla up burrito style!

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Masala Sauce

 

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Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

15 mins

Total time

25 mins

 

This chunky tomato-based masala sauce is a perfect topper for Indian burritos!

Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion
• 1 clove fresh garlic, pressed through a garlic press
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, most of the fluid drained off
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon coriander
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon cardamom

Instructions

1. In a small sauce pan heat the oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent.
2. Add garlic, stir and cook about 1 minute.
3. Add tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients. Bring sauce to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium low, maintaining a simmer, and cook for about 10 minutes.
4. Blend about ⅔ of the mixture in a blender, then add back into the pan and stir. Serve warm.

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Raita Sauce (Indian Yogurt Sauce)

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Total time

5 mins

 

Basic recipe for raita, an Indian yogurt-based sauce with cucumber.

Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• 1 cup plain yogurt (for a great non-dairy option, use cashew yogurt)
• ½ cup shredded cucumber (peel and core the cucumber before shredding)
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• ¼ teaspoon lime juice
• ¼ teaspoon coriander
• ⅛ teaspoon cumin
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 2 shakes cardamom

Instructions

1. Mix everything together! Serve cold.

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When I linked to Pat’s Asian Chicken Salad recipe on my menu earlier this week, I was surprised to discover that I had never actually written a post about it before. I decided it was about time!

I love this salad. It is one of my favorite go-to dinners and it’s super tasty. As with many of my great go-to dinner ideas, this one comes from my mother-in-law Pat. I don’t know what I would do with her! So, seriously, this is a great go-to dinner. Just last night I was convinced I didn’t have time to make dinner but was able to pull this together faster than if we’d done take out. And everyone in the family loves it!

(>> Find out more…)

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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I love Penzeys Spices. In fact, one of the things I miss most about living in Menlo Park is having a Penzeys store just down the street. Since the nearest store is now about 45 minutes away, I really appreciate getting the catalog that much more. And, unlike the store, the catalog is filled with all kinds of great recipes.

Nate got his hands on the latest catalog and requested that I make three of the recipes in it, so we’ve been doing one Penzeys recipe a week. I started with a recipe for Chicken Kai Pa Lo, a Thai soup served with rice and soft-boiled eggs. Kai pa lo is traditionally made with pork, but this particular recipe called for dark meat chicken.

This dinner was GOOD. Nate and I loved it and the kids all liked it, too. In fact, 7-year-old Anna was especially enamored with this dish and practically licked the bowl clean. Nate and I both agreed that this kai pa lo tasted as good as anything we’ve eaten at a Thai restaurant. I am so glad Nate got me to try this recipe. Penzeys once again for the win!

For the eggs, I highly recommend you follow my friend Irvin’s technique for making soft-boiled eggs. Our soft-boiled eggs came out perfectly. The soup itself has a wonderful Asian flavor that is very comforting, and the recipe is surprisingly simple to make. You won’t have to slave in the kitchen to make an impressive meal!

Chicken Kai Pa Lo

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

40 mins

 

This recipe originally came from a Penzeys Catalog and was submitted by one of their customers Jennifer Sombutmai. I have modified the recipe by adjusting measurements and making them more specific, and I changed the meat used to speed the cooking process.

Author: Jane Maynard

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• Half of a medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 fresh garlic cloves, minced or pushed through a garlic press
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tablespoon chicken soup base (Penzeys sells this, I also use "Better Than Bouillon" from the store)
• 6 cups water
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 soft boiled egg per serving
• 1½ tablespoons Chinese Five Spice
• Chopped green onions (optional)

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. While the onions are cooking, mix together the soy sauce, garlic powder and white pepper. Rub this mixture on both sides of the chicken pieces.
3. Once the onions are translucent, add fresh garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Push the onions to the side of the pot a bit and add the chicken pieces to the center of the pot. Brown chicken on both sides, about 4 minutes a side.
4. Add the soup base to the pot then pour in the water. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let cook uncovered until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. I use a thermometer to check for doneness - chicken is ready at 160º F.
5. Remove chicken from the pot and shred/cut into bite-sized pieces. Add the five spice and brown sugar to the pot, stir well, then return chicken to the pot. Simmer 5-10 more minutes.
6. Serve soup in a bowl with jasmine rice and a soft-boiled egg. Top with green onions if using.

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I recently discovered a quick “recipe” for lemon pepper chicken that I simply have to share with you. The chicken is tender and flavorful and it’s just so easy to make! This chicken is delicious fresh out of the oven served with rice and a veggie, but I also love it served cold over salad. It would be great in sandwiches, too!

I sort of accidentally created this recipe. I thought I was making a recipe for luscious lemon chicken that I received from a friend 15 years ago. I was going from memory and the final result was what you see here in this post. Only, when I looked the original recipe up later, I discovered I left a bunch of ingredients and steps out! So, now I have two awesome lemon chicken recipes. 😉 And, yes, one day I’ll share the luscious lemon chicken recipe with you, too!

Today’s version of the recipe really is SO easy and delicious. My little Anna especially loves it! Be sure you use the stabbing-the-chicken-with-a-fork trick – that is the key to this tender, flavorful chicken!

Lemon Pepper Chicken

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Super easy with delicious results, this chicken has a nice peppery flavor with a hint of lemon.

Author: Jane Maynard

Ingredients

• Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Lemon Pepper
• Salt (kosher preferred)
• Cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Stab chicken breast(s) all over on both sides with a fork (click here for details on this trick).
3. Sprinkle both sides evenly with salt, then sprinkle liberally with lemon pepper on both sides.
4. Place chicken in a baking dish then pour cream over the chicken to coat. Flip chicken breasts in the dish with a fork to coat both sides of the chicken with cream.
5. Bake for about 20-30 minutes, until chicken juices run clear and/or internal temperature of chicken reaches 160ºF.
6. Serve hot out of the oven with rice and veggies. Refrigerate leftovers and serve cold on salad or in sandwiches.

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