Curried Chicken Salad

Posted on July 23, 2009 by kitchenbelle

j

As I previously mentioned, I have been in search of low-fuss no-cook appetizers.  There is nothing worse than slaving over a hot oven in the middle of summer!  (That kind of heat makes me grumpy and that is no way to greet guests!)  Again, with the guidance of MyRecipes.com editor Ashley Johnson, I decided to make this curried chicken salad.  Not only was it a success with my guests but I have been eating it for lunch every day! 

Some notes:

–I chose to serve this as an appetizer with pita chips, therefore, it was extremely important that I diced the components of the salad into very small pieces.  I made sure there weren’t any large chunks of chicken that would be larger than the pita chips.  The same for the apple, pineapple, and grapes.  Definitely cut each grape into at least four pieces–possibly even six.  When you are chopping envision each pita chip scooping up some of the salad–if your dices are the right size each bite should contain almost every component of the salad. You would never want one scoop to contain nothing but a giant grape!  On the other hand, if I were serving this in sandwich rolls at a luncheon, it would be okay to leave the components of the salad in larger cubes because in that situation your guests are filling an entire roll.  Make sense?

–I substituted Chobani plain-flavored yogurt in place of mayo.

–Some commenters on MyRecipes.com indicated they used raisins instead of currants.  I suggest sticking to the currants.  They are nice and small and make the salad a little jazzier.

–For the chicken, I grilled fresh cutlets seasoned with salt and pepper and then shredded/diced them up, however, you could use a grocery store rotisserie chicken or even canned water packed chicken (drained) in a pinch. 

–Add the curry powder and then taste.  You may want to add more.

–I think I doubled (or maybe even tripled) this recipe.

Curried Chicken Salad:

  • 1 1/2  cups  chopped cooked chicken breast
  • 1/2  cup  halved seedless red grapes (dice size depends on you want to serve the salad)
  • 1/2  cup  diced peeled unpeeled green apple
  • 2  tablespoons  diced pineapple
  • 1  tablespoon  dried currants
  • 3  tablespoons  plain Chobani yogurt 
  • 1  teaspoon  honey
  • 1/2  teaspoon  curry powder
  • 1/2  teaspoon  fresh lemon juice
  • 1/8  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

    • Combine chicken, grapes, apple, pineapple, and currants in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine yogurt, honey, curry powder, lemon juice, salt and pepper stirring with a whisk. Pour dressing mixture over chicken mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill.

    j

    Adapted from MyRecipes.com.

    Filed under: Appetizer, apple, chicken, Main Dish, pineapple, salad, sandwich | 5 Comments »

    White Bean Salad

    Posted on July 13, 2009 by kitchenbelle

    j

    This salad is perfect for those nights when it is just too hot to cook.  It is not only simple to make, but also it is delicious.  The yogurt gives the dressing a bit of a creamy texture while balancing the punch of the vinegar and mustard. 

    I served this salad beneath yogurt marinated grilled turkey tip kebabs, however, it could certainly stand on its own as a delicious vegetarian dish.  It is protein packed and quite filling.

    One note: Serve this salad at room temp (not cold) for maximum flavor.

    White Bean Salad:

    dressing

    • 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
    • 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
    • 2-3 garlic cloves , minced
    • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
    • 1/4 teaspoon salt
    • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

    salad

    • 2  15.5 ounce cans white beans (Kidney, Great Northern or Navy), drained and rinsed in a colander under cold running water
    • 2 red peppers, diced
    • 4-6 tablespoons of finely chopped chives (reserve a few pinches for garnish)

    Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a glass bowl.  Set aside.

    Combine all salad ingredients in a serving bowl.  Pour dressing over salad and use a wooden spoon to toss and coat beans with dressing.  Garnish with a few pinches of remaining chives.

    Adapted from GlobalGourmet.com.

    Filed under: beans, chives, Main Dish, peppers, salad, Side, VEGETARIAN | 1 Comment »

    Balsamic Marinated Pork Chops & Grilled Nectarines

    Posted on July 9, 2009 by kitchenbelle

    j

    I am always on the lookout for low fuss, delicious, and healthy weeknight suppers. What I especially love about this one is it takes advantage of the season’s bounty: nectarines AND it allows me to use my favorite pan: my grill pan!  Grilling the fruit really capitalizes on its sweetness and the marinade is a great combination of flavors that keeps the pork nice and moist.  Even my husband, who is not always a fan of fruit in savory dishes, seemed to enjoy these grilled pork chops and nectarines.

    (I served some grilled zucchini with this as well.)

    Balsamic Marinated Pork Chops & Grilled Nectarines:

    • 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
    • 1/2 cup olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons honey
    • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
    • 4  5-oz lean boneless pork chops, visible fat removed
    • sea salt & black pepper to taste
    • 4 Nectarines, halved & pitted (I had a tough time pitting these guys!)
    • fresh thyme leaves for garnish

    In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, honey and rosemary. Reserve 2 Tbs. and add the rest to a 1-gallon zip-top bag. Add pork to bag and allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

    Spray grill pan with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. Remove pork from fridge, discard marinating liquid and season pork with salt and pepper. Cook in grill pan until pork is opaque throughout and feels firm to the touch. About 5-6 minutes per side.  Set aside on a plate.

    Spray the grill pan with another quick squirt of cooking spray.  Add nectarines to the grill pan over medium heat until tender and juicy, 3-5 minutes. Transfer to plate, and brush with reserved marinade. Serve with pork chops.

    Adapted from Clean Eating Magazine July/August issue.

    Filed under: Main Dish, nectarine, pork | Leave a comment »

    Grilled Swordfish with Grilled Caponata

    Posted on June 16, 2009 by kitchenbelle

    j

    When the weather is hot and you don’t have central air conditioning, using the oven and the stove are not very appealing.  Even baking something for just a few minutes can turn the kitchen into a sauna.  That is when an outdoor grill can be really handy.  Some people reserve the grill for hot dogs and hamburgers on the weekends only, but there is no reason not to fire up the grill for a quick and healthy weeknight supper.

    Unfortunately, the problem of warm weather has not been an issue in Boston.  The last couple of days have been downright cold.  For this dish I stayed in my comfortably warm kitchen and used our grill pan in place of the outdoor grill.  (The grill pan works really well for grilling pretty much everything.)   

    Whether prepared indoors or outdoors, this dish is wonderful.  The flavorful chunky vegetables paired so nicely with the firm swordfish steaks.  For not using very many spices, the flavor factor of the caponata was off the charts.   Each bite contained different vegetables—you may get a piece of eggplant and a caper in one bite and then a tomato and olive in the next.  This meal was really satisfying and balanced.  And it is so simple to make!  The caponata is so versatile it could be served on its own as a side or with crackers as an appetizer. 

    Grilled Swordfish with Grilled Caponata:

    Caponata

    • 1 medium eggplant, sliced lengthwise
    • 1 large red onion, peeled and sliced into rings
    • 4-6 plum or roma tomatoes, halved
    • Olive oil, for brushing vegetables, plus 1/2 cup
    • Salt and freshly ground pepper
    • 1/4 cup green olives, chopped
    • 2 tablespoons capers, drained
    • 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (optional)
    • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    • Pinch red pepper flakes
    • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons honey

    Heat grill on high.  Brush all vegetables with olive oil (or spray with cooking spray) and season with salt and pepper. Grill both sides of the eggplant slices until cooked through, about 8 minutes per side.  Grill both sides of the onion slices until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.  Grill the tomatoes (seed side down) until charred and soft, about 3 minutes.  Remove all vegetables from heat and cut into 1/2 inch chunks.  Put all vegetables into a bowl.  Add the olives, capers, and pine nuts to the bowl of vegetables and use a wooden spoon to toss to combine. 

    In a small bowl combine the vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and honey.  Season with salt and pepper.  Slowly whisk in about 1/2 cup of olive oil.*  Pour this dressing over vegetables and toss so that all are well-coated with dressing.  Let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes before serving.

    Swordfish

    • 2-4 swordfish steaks
    • olive oil or cooking spray
    • salt and freshly ground pepper
    • Caponata (see recipe above)

    Heat grill to high.  Brush both sides of swordfish steaks with olive oil or coat with cooking spray.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Cook swordfish steaks until done, about 4 minutes per side, depending on the thickness.  Remove from grill and top with grilled caponata. 

    j

    *I actually didn’t use the 1/2 cup olive oil in the dressing and it was just fine without it.

    Adapted from recipe by Bobby Flay on Foodnetwork.com.

    Filed under: Appetizer, eggplant, fish, gluten free, Main Dish, olives, pine nuts, Side, tomato | 4 Comments »

    Middle Eastern Quinoa with Chicken and Apricots

    Posted on June 15, 2009 by kitchenbelle

    j

    After my first experience with quinoa, I’ve kept my eye out for  other appealing recipes.

    My husband wasn’t home the last time I made quinoa so I was interested to hear his feedback on this dish.  He really enjoyed the chicken but the quinoa did not go over as well.  He said he would have preferred this dish over rice.  I can’t say I disagreed with him.  The quinoa was dry and bitter, and my preparation was partly to blame.  Here is what I will do differently next time.  I am certain these small changes will add up to big improvements. 

    • Tsk tsk on me, I forgot to rinse the quinoa!  There are “saponins” on the outside of the quinoa which have a bitter taste.  Rinse quinoa in a mesh strainer under cold water before cooking. 
    •  Cook quinoa in chicken, beef, or vegetable broth instead of water.  This will not only increase the moistness of the quinoa, but it will really bump up the flavor factor.
    • This dish did not call for a sauce so the quinoa was not only bitter (due to me forgetting to rinse it) but it was dry.  Next time I will build a sauce from the chutney and broth to pour over the quinoa.

    I am not giving up on quinoa, folks!  The flavors of this dish were really delicious.  Just a few “tweaks” and I think it will be right on!  The chutney kept the chicken moist and sweet, while the sliced apricots added some wonderful texture.  The cilantro added a very lovely freshness.* 

    If you use a gluten free chutney this meal is gluten free!

    Middle Eastern Quinoa with Chicken and Apricots:

    • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
    • 1 pound chicken tenders
    • 2 tablespoons chutney (I used Major Grey’s)
    • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    • 6-8 dried apricots, cut into strips
    • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

    Side Note: These Sunsweet dried apricots are FANTASTIC.  They are so plump and soft.  They worked really well in this dish.

    j

    Prepared the quinoa according to the package.  (Don’t forget to rinse it before you cook it!)

    While the quinoa is cooking, combine chicken, chutney, and mustard in a large bowl. Toss well to coat the chicken. 

    Spray a large non-stick ridged grill pan with non-stick spray and set over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken mixture and cook, turning frequently until the chicken is cooked through, about 6-8 minutes.

    Fluff the quinoa with a fork and transfer to a large platter.  Top with chicken mixture, apricots, and cilantro.

    j

    *Did I mention that cilantro is growing on me?  I used to have the strongest aversion to it but I am slowly enjoying it more and more.  I didn’t think that was possible!

    Adapted from The Gluten Free Cooking Expo’s Blog.

     

    Filed under: chicken, gluten free, jam/jelly, Main Dish, quinoa | 5 Comments »

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