Leftover Ideas for Chicken

Chicken is a popular main dish, and many people are curious about all the different ways we can re-invent it for enjoyable and financially-efficient purposes. I recommend making roast chicken one day, and eating that as is. The following days you can make new dishes from them as listed:

1) Chicken Salad
2) Chicken Sandwich
3) Chicken Soup
4) Chicken Dumplings
5) Chicken Fried Rice
6) Casseroles
7) Chili
8) Sliced Chicken Drizzled with Gravy
9) Chicken Curry
10) Chicken Pot Pie
11) Chicken Tacos
12) Chicken Quesadillas
13) Chicken Meatballs
14) Chicken Stock

Chicken with Bacon, Tomato, and Thyme

This is such an easy recipe. It's also visually aesthetic, so I really like the idea of that. The chicken isn't the most flavorful and moist like basted chicken, but I was surprised by its moisture content and outcome. It wasn't tough and the bacon grease gives it an addictive flavor, while the tomato keeps the chicken from drying out. It cooks quickly, requires minimal ingredients, and the flavor can easily be altered to your taste. As you can see in the photo, the chicken is lightly cooked. I thought I'd mention that. I was surprised and was unsure if it was cooked through, but it was fine. The first two photos are mine, and the last photo of the recipe I got from the Food Network website. This is a Low Carb and Lovin' It recipe. I thought I'd compare the photo to ensure that the color of the chicken is safe. I had this with my friend, and we both really enjoyed it. As always, I omitted the red onions because I think they're gross, but the original recipe did call for some. I also marinaded the chicken for a while, but the original recipe didn't call for that.

8 pieces of bacon, parcooked halfway (may use precooked)
1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into halves
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
Enough slices of Roma or another type of large sized tomato to top on each chicken breast
1 bunch fresh thyme

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

To par-cook the bacon, lay slices on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for about 10 minutes until half-cooked. Remove and reserve.

Coat the chicken with extra-virgin olive oil, minced garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. I let the chicken marinade for half an hour because the pieces were so small. (Normally, I would've marinaded for much longer). Wrap 2 pieces of par-cooked bacon strips criss-cross around each piece of chicken, forming an X-pattern in the center. Place a thick slice of Roma tomato over each chicken breast. Bake the chicken until it's completely cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, about 30 minutes.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

I like potatoes, and I like trying new things. Fingerling potatoes were a new concept I wanted to try. I first came across them on the 30 Minute Meal show. I don't know what I was expecting. They aren't bad tasting, but I find them rather unmemorable. The only appeal about these potatoes are the small size which makes cooking time faster. If you're also tired of the same thing but prefer something familiar, this potato is a healthy balance. It was dry but not overly starchy in a way that makes you thirsty. I believe the cooking time had to be altered for this recipe, which is odd because many reviewers complained that the temperature and cooking time was too high. I actually found that I had to increase the roasting time. So I suggest a close observation and take it out when it looks ready. I waited until the skin looked slightly shriveled to ensure that it has thoroughly cooked through. I actually like the look because without its wrinkled image, it appears similar to its raw state. That's not as appetizing looking.

2 lbs. fingerling potatoes
6 cloves of garlic with skin-on
Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Spread potatoes out on a cookie sheet. Scatter garlic over potatoes. Coat lightly with extra-virgin olive oil and season potatoes with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 20 minutes.

Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles

For a different change of pace from the trendy sushi restaurants or American diners, try some down home fried chicken and waffles, some good Southern food. It's not quite soul food. Well, it is, but it's missing the collard greens, ham hocks, chitlins, but the fried chicken brings me to back to Oakland. In California, anyways, finding Southern cooking in a restaurant is rare...until I found this joint. The chicken is deep fried, golden, tender, flavorful, and very uncommercialized, restaurant-y food. Don't get me wrong. I love the chicken picatta, but sometimes I just prefer food that makes me feel like it was cooked out of someone's home, not a restaurant. The combination of chicken and waffles was coined by Roscoe's, and it became a huge hit. I fear as I write these words I'm about to lose credibility in the eyes of many Roscoe fans, but for me, it isn't the waffles. Although chicken and waffles is a novel concept that many, many people enjoy. I'm just a fan of the fried chicken. I'm so disgusted by KFC and Popeye's. It's nice to have something fresh. And the portions are gigantic, so it's a major bargain. The prices are reasonable as it is. I usually go for chicken thighs, two over easy eggs, and grits. There are all sorts of combos available. The service is efficient, too. It's the perfect place to go to for comfort food when you want something affordable and immediate. FYI: A restaurant like this is for the quality of the food, not visual presentation and other frivolous priorities that don't actually improve the flavor of the food but give it beauty. This restaurant is all about delivering flavor. I don't think there's anything wrong with that, but I wanted to make that clear. Sometimes, I prefer going to a place that offers visual aesthetics. At times like that, I pass up Roscoe's. The decor is plain and only what's necessary. I like that sometimes. We live in a materialistic society and desiring and demanding wants and confusing them with necessities. The simplicity of this restaurant can be grounding, and I feel like I'm protected from the money grubbing outside world.

Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles
830 N. Lake Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91104
(626) 791-4890

Purple Potatoes

One of my New Year's Resolution is to try new foods. I'm a curious and open person, but I realized that I don't try as many new things as I would like. And food is such a simple way to achieve my goals and satisfy my curiosity. I was surprised to learn that many of us conform to this bigoted belief that produce only comes in the standardized color we're usually exposed to at the supermarket. But tomatoes aren't just red. They come in vibrant yellows, oranges, greens, and pinks. Beets have a selection of the dark reds, deep purple hues, and sunny oranges. Well, potatoes are no exception. I was familiar with Russets, baby, red, and Idaho potatoes, but purple ones were a new concept for me. Since purple is my favorite color, I thought this would be a perfect experiment. The idea that potatoes have a nutty flavor also appealed to me. I followed a recipe from the Food Network. I believe it was the Roasted Peruvian Potatoes. I, unfortunately, don't have a picture of the recipe, but I do have this gorgeous picture of raw purple potatoes cut open. They look like gorgeous jewels. They remind me of an edible version of amethyst. So, it was settled. I picked up a bag at my local Farmer's Market. Here's the recipe I used:

Roasted Peruvian Potatoes

2 lbs. Peruvian purple potatoes, scrubbed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp minced garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
A sprinkle of dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Halve the potatoes and place them in a bowl. Cover them with water if you cut them ahead of time.

In another bowl, combine extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Thoroughly drain potatoes and add them to the oil mixture. Spread the potatoes on a foil lined cookie sheet, and roast for 30 minutes until potatoes are tender.

This recipe is easy to follow and worth trying. It wasn't a bad recipe, but I doubt it's the kind of flavor people jump up and down about. It does have a nutty flavor. But when I tasted it, it wasn't the kind of "nutty" flavor that I was thinking of. It has an indescribable flavor for me, but in Asian cuisine, you've probably tasted it before. The flavor is apparent but rather subtle. The flavor is unique for potatoes. I think it would be hard to pair with. I wouldn't recommend making it for a dinner party because it's not what I consider a "safe recipe." Maybe pair it with lean chicken? It's not heavy on the starchy texture like a lot of other potatoes. It's an unusual potato worth trying, but it's not very practical. I can't imagine too many different ways you can cook this.

Grocery List

Moroccan Beet Salad

1 lb. beets (5-6 beets)
1 lemon, juiced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Pickled Beets and Eggs

1 lb. beets (5-6 beets)
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
1/8 pickling spice
6 large hardboiled eggs, peeled
2 cloves garlic
Fresh dill sprigs for garnish

Rhubarb Iced Tea

8 stalks rhubarb
1/3 cup sugar
Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Lemon Squares

2 cups flour
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
4 tbsp flour
1/4 cup lemon juice

Spicy Refrigerator Dill Pickles (best reviewed)

12 3 to 4" long pickling cucumbers
1 3/4 cup vinegar
1 1/2 cup chopped dill weed
1/2 cup white sugar
8 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp coarse salt
1 tbsp pickling spice
1 1/2 tsp dill seed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
4 sprigs fresh dill

Pickled Green Beans

2 lbs green beans
1 tsp cayenne pepper
4 heads dill
4 cloves garlic
2 1/2 cups vinegar
1/4 cup salt

Stewed Rhubarb

2 3/4 cup rhubarb
2/3 cup sugar

Rhubarb Raspberry Compote

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 lb. fresh rhubarb
9 ounces raspberries

Roast Chicken

2 (2 to 2 1/2 lbs) organic free-range chicken
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, halved
2 bunches fresh thyme
2 lbs. mixed mushrooms

Making Dill Pickles

8 lbs. cucumbers
4 cups white vinegar
2/3 cup pickling salt
16 cloves garlic
Fresh dill

14 Day Sweet Pickles

4 lbs pickling cucumbers
3/4 cup pickling salt
2 tsp celery seed
2 tbsp mixing pickling spice
5 1/2 cups sugar
4 cups vinegar

Seven Day Pickling Spice

7 lbs. medium sized cucumbers (about 3" long)
1 quart apple cider
8 cups granulated sugar
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp mixed pickling spice

Quick Pickles

4 Kirby cucumbers
2 or 3 sprigs of tarragon
1 3/4 cups distilled white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt

Chinese Herbal Soup

Chinese herbal soups have detoxifying properties. Cooking herbs over a long simmer of water releases those cleansing effects. You can buy the herbs separately and inexpensively at a Chinese shop, but I decided to pick the prepackaged pack up. These versions aren't as fresh, so be careful. Make sure that the colors are still fresh looking, not dull. I simply poured all of the herbs into a large pot of water and simmered it for four hours. I can't really describe the flavor. It isn't disgusting to me, although some would consider it to be. It certainly isn't so tasty that you want seconds. Every so often I like to do my body good with a soup like this.