Chicken with Artichokes & Mushrooms

Ingredients

½ cup olive oil
salt and black pepper
8-10 chicken thighs, bone in
2 medium onions, finely diced
1 pound mushrooms, washed and finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
16 oz. frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted
4-5 sprigs fresh thyme
1 cup white wine
2 cups chicken stock
2T parsley finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 325º F.

2. Place a 6-quart Dutch oven with a lid on the stove. Turn heat to medium-high heat. Add ¼ cup of olive oil and heat.

3. Using a paper towel, pat dry the chicken. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

4. Place the seasoned thighs into pan; do not overcrowd the pan. Brown both sides of the chicken, about 3 minutes a side. Once they are browned, remove from the pan. Set on platter and set aside. If necessary, add the remaining ¼ cup olive oil. Repeat with remaining thighs. Pour off all fat except for 2T.

5. Turn heat to medium. Add the onions, and cook until slightly soft, about 4-6 minutes. Add the mushroom and cook another 4-5 minutes.

6. Add the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove all the brown bits. Add the stock and bring to a boil.

7. Place the chicken back into the pot, pushing the thighs down to submerge them in the sauce. Add the garlic, artichokes and thyme.

8. Cover with lid and place in a 325º F oven. Cook the chicken until the meat is tender enough to cut with a fork and easily comes away from the bone, about 45-55 minutes.

9. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the sauce and place on a platter. Discard the thyme and strain the sauce into a fat separator.

10. Pour the defatted sauce back into the pan to reheat and reduce slightly. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and vegetable back into the sauce to reheat.

11. Serve the chicken and sauce over polenta. Top with chopped parsley.

Tips & Tricks:

• Cooking with meat on the bone is ideal for several reasons: It insulates and protects the meat from drying out and also adds loads of flavor.

• I use a clean pair of scissors to trim off any extra large pieces of skin/fat on the thighs before browning.

• To achieve a beautiful browned chicken thigh, make sure to pat them dry, season right before placing in pan and don’t overcrowd the pan. This way they brown rather than steam.

• This dish can be made in advance and reheated just before serving either on the stovetop or in oven.

• The flavor in this dish improves as it ages; feel free to make it a day or 2 before serving. It is a great crowd pleaser and easy to double.

• I like to use frozen artichokes instead of canned. They taste fresher to me. If you don’t have time to defrost them, its ok just put them directly in the pot.

Sautéed Chicken with Tomatoes & Arugula

Ingredients

1½ pounds cherry or grape tomatoes, cut into bite-size pieces

6T oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, chopped and drained; set aside 5T of the oil

2 large shallots, thinly sliced

4T capers, drained

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3T sherry, champagne vinegar

½ cup fresh basil, torn into bite size piece

Salt & pepper

8 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Olive oil

1 pound arugula, washed

2T lemon juice

1. Cut the tomatoes into bite size pieces. Chop the sundried tomatoes and place in a medium size bowl.

2. Peel and slice the shallots into thin rings. Add to the tomatoes.

3. Combine the tomatoes, shallots, capers, garlic, vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of the sundried tomato oil. Mix together and season with salt and pepper. Let the mixture sit 10-15 minutes so flavors can combine. Right before serving, add the basil. Stir until combined.

4. Put a chicken breast on a cutting board. Place your hand flat on top of the chicken.

5. Using a sharp knife, slice the rounded side of the chicken breast working toward the other side, making sure not to cut all the way thought to the other side. Unfold the breast it should looks like a “butterfly”.

6. Take a piece of plastic wrap and place on top of the chicken. Lightly pound the chicken with a mallet until chicken breasts are of uniform thickness. If the piece is very large, cut the pounded piece in half. Set aside and repeat with each breast.

7. Place a sauté pan on medium-high heat; add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.

8. Pat three or four chicken breasts dry with a paper towel; season with salt and pepper.

9. Place the chicken into the pan, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the chicken is brown and it releases and turns easily. Flip the breasts and cook the other side another 2-3 minutes until cooked through.

10. Transfer chicken breasts to a platter. If needed, add more oil to the pan. Continue cooking the breasts until all the chicken has been cooked.

11. Toss the arugula with the remaining 2 tablespoons of the sundried tomato oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

12. To serve, place the arugula on a plate or platter. Top with sautéed chicken. Spoon the tomato mixture over the top. Serve immediately.

TIPS & TRICKS

• Use any small tomatoes, whether they are red, yellow, or green. I like the cherry & grapes, but you could use chopped tomatoes too.

• Try to use sundried tomatoes with no sulfates. (I’ll save those for my wine! ☺)

• You don’t need to wash of the capers; the brine adds the perfect amount of saltiness.

• If you can’t find sherry vinegar, use champagne or balsamic. It adds just the perfect balance of acidity.

• This sauce is positively addictive, and goes well with so many things. Try it on top of pork, beef, or even a grill piece of fish. YUM.

Grilled Rosemary Lemon Chicken Brochettes

Ingredients

3 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1T lemon zest
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
Salt & pepper

1.    Cut the chicken thighs into 1½-inch pieces. Place them into a medium-size bowl and set aside.

2.    In a large bowl, add the rosemary, garlic, lemon zest, juice, and olive oil. Mix until combined. Add the chicken and toss until well coated.  Refrigerate for 1-2 hours (no more than 2 hours).

3.    Preheat your BBQ Grill to medium/medium-high.

4.    Remove the chicken from refrigerator. Pour off any remaining marinade. Thread the chicken onto the skewers, making sure not to overcrowd the chicken pieces. Using a paper towel, pat the chicken dry.  Season with salt and pepper.

5.    Place the chicken on the hot grill. Close the lid. Grill the chicken to 5-8 minutes on one side to get a nice brown color. Open the lid, turn the skewers, and close the lid for about 5 minutes. Repeat until chicken is golden brown and cooked*. Total cooking time is about 12-15 minutes on “medium” heat.                                    

* Note you may need to remove the pieces of meat at the tip first, as they may cook faster than the pieces near the handle. Slide the pieces near the handle toward the tip as the tip pieces are removed.

6.    Remove the meat from skewers and place on a platter. Serve warm. 

TIPS & TRICKS

•    I remove any large pieces of fat from the thighs, but don’t remove all of it. It adds flavor and will be rendered off in the cooking process.
•    Don’t marinade the cubes thigh meat more than 2 hours because the lemon juice will start to “cook” the chicken, making the flesh mushy.
•    If you wish you can keep the thighs whole. Just marinade and grill them.
•    A little fresh rosemary goes a long way. 
•    This chicken is fantastic cold. You can add it to a green salad, pasta, or even to the orzo salad recipe from this class.

Coq au Vin with Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

Coq au Vin Ingredients

8-10 pieces chicken, or 1 whole 4-pound chicken cut into parts
3 cups red wine
3-4 thyme springs
2 bay leaves

¼ pound lardons or thickly sliced bacon, sliced into ¼ inch wide slices
½ pound mushrooms, washed and sliced
20 pearl onions, peeled or 1 cup frozen
1-cup chicken stock
3 cloves garlic crushed
Salt & pepper

3T butter room temperature
3T all-purpose flour

3pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
5T unsalted butter

Mashed Potatoes Ingredients

3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
5T unsalted butter
Salt and pepper

1.    Place the chicken in a bowl or zip lock bag. Add the wine, thyme, and bay leaves. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for least 2 hours, but overnight is better.

2.    Pre-heat oven to 350º F.

3.    In a Dutch oven or deep pan with a lid, over medium-high heat, sauté the bacon until crisp for about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove from the pan and set aside.

4.    Add the mushroom slices to the pan. Sauté until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove from the pan and set aside.

5.    Remove the chicken from the wine. Reserve the wine and herbs. Pat the chicken dry. Season with salt and pepper.

6.    Workings in batches, add the chicken pieces, skin side down, to the pan. Make sure to not overcrowd the pan. Sauté chicken until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Turn the chicken and repeat on the other side. Remove from pan. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Pour off any extra fat.

7.    Add the wine and stock to the pot. Deglaze the pan by scraping up all the little brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil.

8.    Then add the garlic, bacon, mushrooms, onions, and chicken pieces back to the pan. Cover pan with a lid and place in a 350º F oven for 40-45 minutes until chicken is cooked. If using chicken breasts, add them to the pot after cooking the dark meat for 20 minutes in the oven.

9.    In a small bowl, mix the butter and flour. Using a spoon or your finger, mix until it forms a paste. Set aside.

10.    Remove the chicken to a platter. Set aside. Remove the thyme and bay leaves. Discard the herbs.

11.    Pour the sauce thought a strainer into a fat separator. Set the vegetables/bacon aside.

12.    Let the sauce sit about 5 minutes to allow the fat to rise to the top. Pour the defatted sauce back into the pan. Remember pan is hot!!!

13.    Place the pan on the stove on medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Then, slowly whisk the flour paste into the sauce a little at a time. Cook until slightly thickened, about 4-6 minutes. Adjust the seasoning.

14.    Return the chicken and vegetables/bacon to the pan to warm. Serve over mashed potatoes. 

Mashed Potatoes Recipe

1.    Place potatoes in a pot filled with water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and reserve 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

2.    Place potatoes back into pot and mash. Add butter and ½ of the cooking liquid. If too thick, add the reserved liquid. Season with salt and pepper.

TIPS & TRICKS

•    Traditionally, this dish is prepared with a whole rooster/chicken. You can use a whole chicken cut into pieces. I like to use bone in, skin on thigh meat. It makes for easy serving. Cooking chicken with the bone in and skin on helps protect the meat from drying out and adds loads of flavor. Your guest can simply remove the skin before eating if they wish. 
•    Marinating the chicken in wine overnight makes the chicken more flavorful. 
•    This dish is best made the day ahead, as the flavors improve with time.
•    I like to use Yukon gold potatoes with this dish because they are so buttery and dense, and they hold up very well to the chicken and sauce. 

Roasted Chicken & Vegetables with Rosemary & Preserved Lemon

Ingredients

2 medium yellow onions
4-6 medium carrots
2 heads fennel, frons removed
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, wash
Two chickens, about 4-5 pounds each
2 tsp each: sea salt and black pepper, mixed together
2 preserved lemons, flesh & skin cut into small dice ** recipe attached
several sprigs fresh rosemary
4T olive oil
1 cup chicken stock
kitchen twine

1.    Preheat oven to 425º F.
2.    Peel and cut the carrots into thick slices about 1inch thick and onions into quarters. Set aside.

3.    Cut the potatoes and fennel into quarters Set aside. 

4.    Wash and pat dry chickens.  Rub the outside of bird with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

5.    Carefully separate the skin from the breast meat; rub the salt & pepper mixture underneath the skin and all over the birds.  Place ¼ of 1 lemon and a sprig of rosemary under each side under the skin. Place the remaining ½ lemon and a sprig of rosemary in cavity.

6.    Tuck the wings behind the “shoulders”. 

7.    Truss with kitchen twine.  Repeat with the other chicken.

8.    Lay the chickens on their tummy on a rack in roasting pan. Add stock and the vegetables to the pan and roast the chickens in 425º F oven for 20 minutes.  

9.    Turn chickens to their side, and roast for 20 minutes.  Turn chicken to other side, and roast for 20 minutes. 

10.     Place chicken on their backs, baste with juices, and roast for about 20 minutes more or until internal temperature is 170° F

11.    Transfer the chickens to a platter, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.

12.    Carve the chicken and place on a plate or platter top with the roasted vegetables and pan drippings. 

TIPS AND TRICKS

•    Always roast 2 chickens. They make great leftovers. 
•    Trussing the chickens makes it cook more evenly and is easier to turn.
•    I remove the cooked rosemary sprigs before serving but stir the chopped cooked lemons into the vegetables.