Easy baked chicken

In our house, I make it a point to have a whole organic chicken in the freezer at all times. I usually get the butcher at the store to cut it up for me so that it's easy to thaw and easy to cook. Sometimes I use parts of it - like breasts for marsala chicken or thighs for stir fries, but lately, my favorite recipe is a one pot dish that lasts us for a few days.
While most people make roast or rotisserie chicken a staple in their monthly menus, I find that baking chicken is faster, easier and requires much less work and cleanup. All you have to do is get cut-up chicken, rub with herbs and spices and pop it into the oven. The leftovers can be used in wraps, salads or simply heated up to counter the effects of a night of heavy drinking.

I know this is a superbly simple recipe that has made its rounds on the food blogosphere, but to me, it's something so supremely easy that everyone must try it at some point and be wowed by such a great dinner fixin'. This is my regular take on baked chicken using my favorite herb mix of paprika and Mediterranean herbs, but you also make this with teriyaki sauce, a combination of other spices or a really spicy chicken with cayenne pepper, ancho chili powder and dried cilantro.

Easy baked chicken

1 whole roasting chicken, about 4lbs, cut into 10 pieces with back removed
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
Olive oil

Pat the chicken pieces dry and lay them down in a roasting pan, skin side up. Put the bigger pieces like the breasts and thighs in the middle of the pan.

Massage the chicken all over with the herbs and spices and drizzle GENEROUSLY with olive oil.

Pop into preheated oven at 400°F for about 35 minutes + 5 minutes for each pound of chicken. So a 4lb chicken would take about 55 minutes. Double check with a meat thermometer - 180°F for chicken breast piece to be cooked.

Remove from oven, tent with aluminum foil for about 10 minutes and serve.

Japanese food made easy

Oh, dear. I've become one of those bloggers that never update. And I apologize sincerely - I've been busy with work, fretting over work and have generally just not been in the mood to do much cooking (or posting about it). I made a fantastic meatloaf the other day though (if I may brag), and will put up the recipe when I eventually have the time but in a brief respite, I thought it would be nice to showcase the kind of meals I've been having - quick and really just not much to it.

We went over to the International District to find some ingredients for a chicken rendang recipe I wanted to make over the weekend. We ended up picking up some sashimi grade salmon for an easy Japanese dinner. Add some avocado, Calrose rice and tobikko and you have a nice donburi. The CSA brought over some sugar snap peas and green beans and I followed a really great recipe by Giada De Laurentiis to make a light and refreshing "Anytime Vegetable Salad".

Have a great week! Chicken rendang recipe is promised soon.

Easy Weeknight Dinner: Turkey and Avocado Donburi

While basking in the brief respite of the weekend, I got into a discussion with a couple of friends about finding time to cook. Most of them, being students like me, usually resort to either eating cafeteria food (which is ultra expensive) or standing in line at 'Pickles and Fries'(we sell burgers too!). I don't particularly like Pickles and/or Fries. I'm also extremely nitpicky when it comes to paying $6.75 for an organic BLT at the cafeteria. One way I've found to get around this is to make sure your freezer and pantry is always well stocked with a good selection of grains and meat, and you can whip anything up - for example a donburi.

Donburi is basically a Japanese fast food made up of a rice bowl topped with a mixture of ingredients (usually meat and vege mixed together). This donburi recipe is super easy, involves a relatively quick stir-fry and is finished off with fresh cubed avocado and tobiko (flying fish roe). Of course, you can omit the tobiko if you're not incline to eat fish eggs. Otherwise, the tobiko lends a subtle salty flavor that complements the rice and avocado really well!

Turkey and Avocado Donburi
Serves 4

2 cups genmai (Japanese brown rice)

1 lb lean ground turkey
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced into 1/4" cubes to yield about 1 cup
1 stalk green onion/scallions
1 cup frozen peas
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed into 1/4" cubes
1 small jar tobiko (from any Japanese grocery store)


For the sauce
2 tbsp sweet bean sauce *
2 tbsp mirin *
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
3 tbsp sweet soy sauce
Ground black pepper

Cook the rice according to directions for your rice cooker or the directions on the packet. 2 cups of dry genmai should yield about 4 cups cooked.

In a wok or saute pan, heat up a generous amount of vegetable or extra light olive oil. Fry the ground turkey for about 4 minutes until the pink parts start to turn white. Make sure you break up the ground meat properly with a heavy wooden spatula. Add in the garlic fry until the turkey is almost cooked through. Add in all the ingredients for the sauce and mix to combine. Toss in the diced red pepper, peas and scallions. Fry for another 2 minutes and turn the heat off.

To serve, arrange on cup of rice in a bowl, top with turkey mixture, avocado cubes and a teaspoon of tobiko.

* You can use the sweet bean sauce found at the Chinese section of the grocery aisle or for a more authentic flavor, use shiro miso (sweet miso).
* If you don't have mirin, just substitute with equal part rice wine and sugar.

Easy Weeknight Dinner: Penne with Zucchini, Peas and Sausages

It's midweek, work is tiring and all you want to do is put your feet up, sink into a glass of wine and have a nice dinner when you get home. Pasta is perfect for those days when you really don't feel like doing anything but don't really feel like having take outs either. Let's face it, you can throw ANYTHING together with a handful of whole wheat pasta and make a delicious meal out of it. The trick is to add a good helping of vegetables to make it a wholesome meal. This recipe is one that I go back to time after time especially during this wonderful spring season when the weather is warm and meat sauces just seem to heavy. Zucchini and peas lend a refreshing amount of greens while cherry tomatoes, sausages and creme fraiche add a sophisticated touch for a simple yet delicious and healthy weeknight dinner.

Penne with Zucchini, Peas and Sausages
Serves 2

4 oz. whole wheat penne
1 stalk green garlic or 1 whole garlic clove, minced finely *see note
1 mild Italian sausage link, sliced thinly on the diagonal (about 1/4" thick)
1 medium zucchini, sliced thinly on the diagonal (about 1/4" thick)
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
2 tbsp creme fraiche, mascarpone cheese or cream cheese
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
A generous helping of grated Parmigiano Reggiano
Salt and pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cook the penne according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, heat a generous amount of the olive oil in a saute pan (I used roughly 1 tbsp) over low heat. Toss in the minced garlic and saute for a one minute and add in the sliced sausages. Brown the sausages for a few minutes and add in the zucchini. Sprinkle with some salt and turn the heat up to medium. Saute the zucchini and sausages until the zucchini is softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the peas. Cook for 1 minute.

Turn the heat down to low, add in the cooked pasta, creme fraiche, cherry tomatoes and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and toss everything together to combine. Spoon out into bowls and serve with grated Parmigiano. Enjoy with a good glass of slightly chilled Chardonnay!

*Note: Green garlic which came in my CSA is like scallions but is actually the young stalk and bulb of a garlic. It has a milder taste than full grown garlic. If using green garlic, discard the yellow stalks and dark green leaves. Use the bulb and the light green parts of the stalk.