Chicken Bouillabaisse

The recipe was a bit intense but it turned out really good – so I guess it was worth it!

Ingredients for the bouillabaisse:
3 lbs. chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
1 large leek (white and green parts only), halved lengthwise and sliced thin
1 fennel bulb, halved lengthwise, cored, and sliced thin
1/4 t saffron threads
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 T flour
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 T tomato paste
1 cup tomato sauce (I used homemade marinara sauce)
1/2 cup white wine
3 cups chicken broth
1 strip orange zest, removed with a vegetable peeler, about 3 inches long, cleaned of white pith
3/4 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 T. chopped fresh parsley

Ingredients for the Rouille & Croutons:
3 T water
1/4 t. saffron threads
1 baguette
4 t lemon juice
2 t Dijon mustard
1 egg yolk
1/4 t cayenne pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup olive oil

Note: Rouille will keep up to 1 week in the refrigerator and can be used in sandwiches or as a sauce for vegetables and fish.

Directions for the buoillabaisse:

• Heat oven to 375.
• Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat some olive oil in a dutch oven. Add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until well browned (about 8 minutes). Turn over and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.
• Add the leek and fennel. Cook until soft.
• Add the saffron, cayenne, flour, garlic and tomato paste. Cook until fragrant – about 30 seconds.
• Add the tomato sauce, wine, broth, orange zest and potatoes. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Nestle the chicken thighs back into the liquid, making sure the skin says about the surface. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
• Move the pot into the heated oven and cook, uncovered, for about 20 minutes.

Directions for the Rouille:

• While the chicken cooks, microwave water and saffron on high until the water is steaming. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.
• Cut about a 3 inch piece off the baguette and remove the crust. You should have about 1 cup of bread. Tear it into small pieces.
• Soak the bread into the saffron water and add the lemon juice. With a whisk, mash it up until it’s like a paste.
• Whisk in the mustard, egg yolk, cayenne, and garlic until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil until a smooth mayonnaise consistency is reached. Add in the olive oil and continue whisking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Directions for the croutons:

• Cut the remaining baguette into slices. Arrange them on a baking sheet. Brush them with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake them until light golden brown, about 15 minutes. This can be done alongside the bouillabaisse.

Directions for finishing and plating:

• Remove the bouillabaisse and croutons from the oven. Set the oven to broil.
• Broil the bouillabaisse until the chicken skin is crisp.
• Transfer the chicken pieces to a large plate.
• Stir the parsley into the broth. Transfer the broth to a large bowl.
• Serve the broth in a bowl. Top with some chicken. Add about 1 T of rouille on top of the chicken. Float 2 croutons in the soup.
• Serve with the croutons on the side.

Sausage with Fennel & Peppers

Another one sheet meal that was healthy and delicious!

Ingredients:

1 fennel bulb, cored and sliced into thin slices

1 red pepper, sliced

1 green pepper, sliced

1/2 c. yellow onion, diced

1 T. garlic, minced

1 T. balsamic vinegar

2 t. Dijon mustard

Olive oil

Red pepper flakes

3/4 lb. cooked Italian sausage, cut into slices

3 T. Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 425.

Combine the fennel, peppers, onion and garlic in a large bowl. In another small bowl, combine 4 t. olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir well. Pour this mixture into the vegetable bowl and mix well. Add the sausage and stir to combine. Lay this out on a sheet pan in a single layer.

Roast, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover and roast for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes, making sure the vegetables are soft and slightly brown.

Sheet Pan Chicken

 

I’m always trying to find a good chicken recipe that I can easily make. I like it when the outside is tasty and inside is moist.

Ingredients:

4 whole chicken leg quarters

2 T. olive oil

4 T. Dijon mustard

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 475. Stir together the olive oil and mustard. Season the chicken legs with salt and pepper. Brush the mustard sauce generously all over.

Lay the chicken, skin side up, in a foil lined baking pan. Roast for 20 minutes.

Reduce the temperature to 450. Roast until the chicken is done (165 in the thickest part of the leg) – about another 20 minutes or so.

Chicken Cutlets Milanese

This recipe brought me back to my childhood – this was one of my most favorite recipes. True comfort food!

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, sliced very thin

1/4 c. capers, drained and patted dry

1/2 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2″ sections

1 large egg, beaten

1 c. fine breadcrumbs

1/2 c. finely grated Pecorino cheese

Garlic powder

1/4 c. chicken broth

1 T. Dijon mustard

Directions:

In a large fry pan, heat some olive oil. Place the capers and cook them until crisp (about 5 minutes). Remove the capers to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

In the same pan, add some more olive oil. Add the asparagus and cook until tender crisp. Mix the chicken broth and mustard together and add to the asparagus. Cook until the liquid is almost all absorbed. Remove the asparagus and set aside. Clean the inside of the pan.

Place the beaten egg in a shallow dish. Mix up the breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a bowl and put it on a piece of wax paper. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Take each breast and pass it in the egg. Then pat it into the breadcrumb mixture.

In the same frying pan, heat some oil. Add the coated chicken breasts and cook until golden on both sides and cooked inside.

Plate them and top them with the crispy capers and asparagus.