RECIPE: Moroccan Chicken and Quinoa Salad

This is officially my family's new favourite food! Even my younger son, who is lukewarm about quinoa at the best of times, gobbled this up and immediately asked me when I was going to be making it again. Traditionally, couscous would be used in this type of Moroccan dish but I really like the texture of quinoa in this type of recipe.

There's a lot to love about this dish: It's quick to prepare, it's nutrient-packed, it's naturally gluten-free for those who need that option, and it's easy to make a vegetarian version. It can also easily be made in advance and keeps well for a couple of days in the fridge. You can serve it warm or cold, so leftovers are perfect for lunch the next day.

I try to keep some shredded chicken handy in the freezer so it's extra quick and easy to make up dishes like this and another huge family favourite, my Chicken Enchiladas. When chicken legs go on sale, I will stock up and split them into thighs and drumsticks. I freeze the thighs whole for use in other dishes, and poach the drumsticks and shred them. If you've never poached chicken, it's very simple: toss the drumsticks into a large saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes or so until the meat is cooked through. Save the cooking water - once you've shredded the meat off the bones, you can return the bones to the water and simmer for another hour or so to get stock.

This recipe makes a generous amount - enough for 4 main course servings plus 2-4 lunch-sized servings.

Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked quinoa
4 cups water
2/3 cup olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp honey
24 dried apricots
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
8-12 green onions, sliced

Instructions:

• Rinse and drain the quinoa, then place in a large saucepan with the water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the "tails" pop out and quinoa is tender. Let stand, covered, for 10-15 minutes, then uncover and cool to room temperature.

• While quinoa is cooking, place apricots in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand 10-15 minutes, then drain thoroughly and chop apricots.

• In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger and salt. In a large bowl or serving dish, stir together the cooked quinoa and the dressing until well combined. Gently stir in the chicken, apricots and green onions.

For a vegetarian version, substitute 3 cups of cooked chickpeas for the chicken.

For more simple, tasty and family-friendly recipes like this one, check out my book: Cheap Appétit: The Complete Guide to Feeding Your Family for Less Than $400 a Month (While Eating Better Than You Ever Thought Possible)

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RECIPE: White Chili

We all love chili around here, and it's such a quick and easy meal that it appears on our menu quite often! Although my Black Bean Chili is a family favourite, I wanted to mix things up a bit by bringing a white chili into the rotation. This recipe is what I came up with, and it was a definite hit at my dinner table..

I always cook up big pots of dried beans and freeze them in 1 1/2 cup portions so I have them ready to go for meals like this. If I happened to have a fresh jalapeno pepper kicking around, I might mince it up and toss it in with the onions and garlic to give this an extra kick.

My Garlic and Cheddar Biscuits make a great accompaniment to this dish!

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1-2 cups chicken stock
meat from 5-6 cooked chicken thighs or drumsticks, shredded
3 cups cooked white beans (such as navy beans)
12 oz can of corn, drained
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions:
In a deep-sided skillet or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, saute the onions and garlic in butter until tender. Add the flour and stir until well coated with fat.

Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Add 1 cup of chicken stock, chicken, beans, corn, and seasonings. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 20-30 minutes to allow sauce to thicken and flavours to blend. Add more chicken stock if necessary to get sauce to desired consistency.

Serves 4-6.

I shared this recipe at Friday Favorites.

RECIPE: Chicken Enchiladas

These enchiladas have several steps and are a bit of a production; they are SO worth the effort though. Ever since I created this recipe, it’s been one of my family’s favourite meals. The chicken can be poached and shredded a day or two in advance, and the flour tortillas and tomato sauce can also be made ahead if you're going to use homemade versions. If you’ve got all the different components ready to go, the enchiladas can be assembled quickly.

Ingredients:

5-6 chicken thighs or drumsticks

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp flour

1 ½ cups milk

1 tsp cumin

½ tsp each salt and black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

2 cups tomato sauce (I use the same homemade sauce I use in my Baked Pasta)

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

2-4 tbsp water

six 10” flour tortillas (I use my homemade Whole Wheat & Flax ones)

1½ cups grated cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Poach the chicken by putting the chicken pieces in a large saucepan and covering with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30-45 minutes, until cooked through. Leaving the poaching liquid in the pot, remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Once the pieces are cool enough to handle, shred the meat off the bone with your fingers or a fork. Return the bones to the pot with the poaching liquid, adding more water to fill the pot if necessary. Bring back to a boil then simmer for an hour or so to make stock (the stock isn’t needed for this recipe, so reserve it for another use later on).

While the chicken is poaching, in a medium saucepan, simmer the onion and garlic in butter until tender. Add the flour and stir until well coated with fat. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly. Add cumin, salt, pepper, and cayenne and continue stirring until sauce thickens. Add shredded chicken and simmer for a couple of minutes longer.

Mix together the red sauce, chili powder, cumin and water (you want the sauce to be a bit thinner than you’d use for pasta).

To assemble the tortillas, place 2-3 large spoonfuls of chicken mixture in the middle of each flour tortilla, add a couple spoonfuls of red sauce and a sprinkle of cheese (reserve half of the grated cheese for the top of the enchiladas). Roll up tightly and place in a greased 9 x 13” baking pan.

Once all the tortillas are filled, pour the remaining red sauce over the top of the enchiladas, then sprinkle with the reserved cheese.

Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes, until heated through and cheese is hot and bubbly.

Serves 6 

I shared this recipe at Recipe Swap Thursday, Full Plate Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday, the Grocery Cart Challenge, Fat Camp Friday and Friday Favourites. 

RECIPE: Lemony Chicken & Spinach Pasta

It'll be a while yet before we'll be eating fresh spinach from our garden (the nighttime temperatures are still dipping well below zero degrees Celsius, so I won't be planting anytime soon!). Still, this dish says "spring" to me, even though it's easily enjoyed year-round. It's best to have all the ingredients prepped and ready to go, as this dish comes together quickly once you start cooking.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb uncooked spaghetti noodles
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
meat from about 5-6 uncooked chicken thighs or drumsticks, cut into 1/2" pieces
4 oz cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup light cream (milk will do if you don't have any on hand)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, or 2 tsp dried
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 bunch spinach, chopped
extra Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Instructions:
In a large pot of boiling water, cook pasta until tender. Drain.

While pasta is cooking, saute the onion and garlic in oil until they start to soften. Add the chicken pieces and cook until no traces of pink remain. Add the cream cheese and cook for a couple of minutes until it starts to melt. Add the cream, Parmesan, lemon, basil, salt and pepper and simmer for a few minutes until cream cheese is completely melted and sauce is smooth. Add the spinach, cover, and simmer for a few minutes until spinach melts. Toss sauce with cooked pasta and serve immediately with extra Parmesan on the side for sprinkling.

Hungry for more pasta? Try these dishes:
Spicy Chickpea Pasta
Thai-Style Peanutty Pasta
Italian-Style Baked Pasta
Cheesy Mac & Beef Skillet
Spinach & Parmesan Pasta Bake

I shared this recipe at Tasty Tuesday, Full Plate Thursday, Recipe Swap Thursday, Frugal Food Thursday, Fat Camp Friday, the GCC Recipe Swap, Friday Favorites and This Week's Cravings.

RECIPE: Indian-Spiced Honey Garlic Chicken

I came up with this recipe when I had a stockpile of sale-priced chicken and wanted something a bit new and different. This is a mildly spicy twist on honey garlic chicken that is kid-friendly. Serve with plain, coconut, or curried rice and vegetables.

8 chicken thighs or drumsticks, bone in (skin on or off as you prefer)

2 tbsp butter, melted

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup honey

¼ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ginger

½ tsp cumin

¼ tsp turmeric

Place the chicken pieces in a glass baking dish. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken, turning pieces over a couple of times to make sure they are well-coated. Cover dish with foil and bake at 375°F for 45 minutes or until chicken is tender and no trace of pink remains. Pour a generous spoonful of sauce over chicken when serving. Remaining sauce can be poured over rice or vegetables if desired.  Serves 4.

I shared this recipe at Fat Camp Friday.

RECIPE: Chicken and Vegetable Coconut Curry

Coconut milk is one of favourite ingredients and it makes a wonderful base for a mild curry sauce. This recipe is very versatile; you can use whatever veggies you have on hand (I like to make sure there are at least 2-3 different colours so it looks pretty - obviously I used peas instead of green beans in the photo) You can use almost any type of meat as well - I've used diced sausage, ground beef and leftover turkey in place of the chicken. Substituting chickpeas for the meat makes a satisfying vegetarian version of this dish.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp canola or other light vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1 sweet potato, cut into 1/2" chunks
1 13 oz can coconut milk
1 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp soy sauce
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
1 cup frozen green beans
2 cups diced cooked chicken (leftover roast chicken is perfect!)

Hot cooked rice

Instructions:

In a large skillet, saute onion, garlic and red pepper in oil until tender. Add sweet potato, coconut milk, ginger, curry, soy sauce, lime juice, salt, pepper, green beans and chicken. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are tender and sauce has thickened. Serve over rice. Makes 4 servings.

I shared this recipe at Tasty Tuesday, the GCC Recipe Swap, and Friday Favorites.

RECIPE: Freeform Supper Salad

We had this for dinner last night. This is the perfect summer meal for times when you want to pull together a quick dish that's cool and refreshing (yet still satisfying). There are endless variations on this - use whatever you have on hand!

Time: 20 minutes (quicker if you're using leftover meat)
Serves: variable

Lime and garlic chicken, sliced (or use any cubed/sliced leftover meat)
Salad greens (lettuce, spinach, salad mix)
chopped/sliced vegetables (cucumbers, sweet peppers, carrots, broccoli, etc)
crumbled bacon (about 1 slice per person)
cubed cheese
parmesan cheese
salad dressing of choice

For each serving, arrange salad greens on plate. Sprinkle chopped vegetables, bacon, and cheese cubes over greens. Arrange chicken slices on top. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Drizzle with dressing of choice.

The Value of Cooking Creatively

Cooking from scratch is almost always cheaper than eating out (unless you're cooking lobster and filet mignon at home!) But I think the skill that sets the really frugal cook apart from the rest is knowing how to "cook on the fly" and use what they've got on hand. This skill is the difference between always having to run out for one or two missing ingredients and easily substituting with what you've already got. It's also the difference between using up all those little bits and pieces hanging around in the fridge, or letting them all go to waste. Meredith at Like Merchant Ships recently commented on this when she was faced with astronomically priced celery and a desire to make chicken salad. What to do? Get creative!

In order to be really creative in the kitchen, a cook needs to be experienced enough to know what flavours and textures will work together well, and which will yield a less-than-edible result. Starting out with small substitutions and working towards more major ones will allow you to gradually test the waters and learn as you go without wasting too much food in the process.

Last night I was rooting around in the fridge and realized I still had quite a bit of my CSA veggies left from last week (and it was time to pick up more!) So my goal for dinner was to use up the most-likely-to-spoil-soon candidates and still produce something tasty. I had half a bag of spinach and 1/3 bunch fresh basil, as well as a bit of whipping cream lurking in the back of the fridge about to expire. I also had about half a dozen boneless, skinless chicken drumsticks I had bought on sale that I wanted to use up.

A plan started to develop as I surveyed my ingredients. I recalled a dish I had made several years ago from Anne Lindsay's Lighthearted Everyday Cooking that had similar flavours, but used scallops instead of chicken. Quickly rummaging through my cookbook pile, I located the recipe. Yes, it used spinach. I could sub chicken for scallops. The basil would work well with this combination. The original called for cream cheese and chicken broth, neither of which I had on hand (yes, they're both on my Pantry List, but I'm overdue for a grocery shop!) I combined the whipping cream with a bit of coffee cream, and figured that would be a reasonable substitution taste and texture wise since heavy cream will cling to pasta nicely. I decided to add some garlic (if you haven't noticed yet, I can't really live without it!) and more parmesan cheese than originally called for (only 2 tbsp!)

Here's what I came up with:

[My apologies for the rather ghastly photo - I found out my camera batteries were dead when I went to snap a pic. This was the best I could do with my hubby's cell phone camera!]

Lemony Chicken and Spinach Pasta
This ended up being a phenomenal hit with my husband - he gives it his highest rating! In case you're wondering (since there are 4 of us here) I made spaghetti with plain tomato sauce for my older son who is vegetarian (and doesn't like spinach, lol!)
Time: 30 minutes
Serves: 3 (could easily be doubled)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb spaghetti
2 tbsp olive oil
6 boneless, skinless chicken drumsticks, chopped into approx. 1/2" pieces
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream (if you don't have quite enough, you can add milk to get the right volume)
zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper
2 cups shredded spinach
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

1. Cook spaghetti in boiling water until al dente, drain.

2. While spaghetti is cooking, saute onions and garlic in olive oil for 1-2 minutes. Add chicken and cook until no trace of pink remains. Add basil and cook 1 minute longer, then add cream, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Cook for a few minutes until hot and bubbly.

3. Add spinach and Parmesan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until spinach begins to wilt. Remove from heat.

4. Toss sauce and pasta together and serve immediately.

RECIPE: Lime and Garlic Chicken

This is one of my most favourite foods! It's super quick and easy to make, tastes great, and the leftovers (if you're lucky enough to have any) are incredibly versatile. You can use either boneless or bone-in chicken pieces for this recipe. Use as many as will fit in your large frying pan!

Time: 20 minutes
Serves:4

9-12 chicken thighs (or about half as many breasts), skin removed
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1 lime
salt & pepper

In large frying pan, saute garlic in olive oil for about a minute or until it starts to turn golden (be careful not to burn it!) Add the chicken pieces in a single layer, and cover the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes, then flip over chicken pieces (they should be nicely browned). Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and pour lime juice over top. Cover again, and cook for 5 more minutes or until browned on the bottom and pieces are cooked through.

Lime-Garlic Chicken is great served hot or cold (perfect for picnics!) Use leftovers to make chicken wraps or fajitas, add shredded or diced chicken to soup, or dice finely to make a chicken salad.

We had this for dinner last night with Easy Oven Fries and Creamy Cucumber Salad and everything disappeared off the plates!