Roasted Lemon Chicken over Garlicky Greens & Rice with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce

This full-flavored weeknight dish was healthy and delicious. The yogurt sauce was an essential element for my family. Any combination of greens could be used in this dish- I used the ingredients that had just arrived in my CSA box. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I incorporated sautéed collard greens, bok choy, and leeks. I served the chicken and greens over brown Basmati rice drizzled with pan juices. We also had warm naan on the side. Great.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

For the Chicken:

• 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used 7 thighs)
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 large garlic cloves, finely grated, minced or passed through a press
• 1 T finely chopped fresh thyme and/or oregano leaves (I used 1/2 T each) (can substitute 1 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano)
• large pinch of red-pepper flakes
• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, cut lengthwise into 8 thin wedges

For the Garlicky Greens:

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 bunch of collard greens, ribs removed, halved lengthwise
• 2 baby bok choy
• 1-2 leeks (I used 1 1/2 large leeks), sliced into 1/4-inch half moons and soaked
• 5 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• large pinch of red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 T sherry vinegar

For the Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce:

• 1/2 cup plain Greek or other strained, thick yogurt (or substitute labneh or sour cream) (I used 2% Greek yogurt)
• 1/2 cup coarsely grated seedless cucumber, such as Persian or hothouse cucumbers
• 1 large garlic clove, finely grated, minced or passed through a press

To Serve:

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, parsley, and/or cilantro, for garnish
• brown Basmati rice, for serving
• warm flatbread, such as naan, for serving, optional

To Prep & Roast the Chicken:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. (I set my oven to convection roast.)
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with the salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, combine 4 of the grated garlic cloves, thyme and/or oregano, red-pepper flakes, and olive oil.
4. Add chicken and lemon wedges, and toss until well coated. (If you want to work ahead, you can refrigerate the chicken for up to 12 hours before roasting.) (I marinated the chicken in the refrigerator for 6 hours prior to cooking.)
5. To Prep the Greens: Cut the ribbed collards into 1/4-inch ribbons. Slice ribbons in half; set aside. Cut the leafy portion of the bok choy into 1/2-inch ribbons. Rinse and dry the collards and leafy bok choy. Cut the bok choy stems into 1/8-inch pieces, cutting larger pieces in half to make relatively equal-sized pieces. Soak separately from the leafy greens to clean; rinse, dry, and set aside.
6. Arrange chicken and lemons on a parchment paper-lined, rimmed sheet pan in a single layer.
7. Roast until chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes in a convection oven, or up to 27 to 35 minutes in a standard oven. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer.
8. After placing the chicken in the oven, cook the rice, the greens, and make the sauce. (see below)

To Cook the Garlicky Greens:

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium to medium-high. Add the soaked and strained leeks, sliced garlic, and chopped bok choy stems. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the washed leafy greens, 1 to 2 handfuls at a time, and stir until wilted. Continue until all of the greens have been added to the pan. Cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Season with the sherry vinegar as well as salt and pepper, to taste.

To Make the Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce:

1. Stir together yogurt, grated cucumber and clove of minced garlic in a small bowl.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

To Serve:

1. Layer the sautéed greens over the rice on a platter or other serving dish.
2. Top with the roasted chicken. Squeeze roasted lemon wedges all over chicken, and sprinkle with mint/parsley/cilantro and more red-pepper flakes, if desired.
3. Drizzle some of the accumulated pan juices over the top of everything.
4. Serve chicken accompanied by cucumber-yogurt sauce and warm flatbread.

Pad See Ew (Thai Stir Fried Soy Sauce Noodles)

This is my fourth attempt to replicate my husband’s favorite Thai restaurant dish. This version may have been the closest so far! Apparently, he is not alone… Pad See Ew is one of the most popular noodle dishes at Thai restaurants in Western countries.

The genius part of this recipe is that the noodles are sautéed in the sauce in the absence of the other ingredients. This way, they absorb more of the sauce and caramelize on the edges. This difference in the finished dish seemed more similar to a restaurant version. Genius.

This recipe was adapted from RecipeTinEats.com. According to the site, the original source of the recipe may be David Thompson, an Australian chef dedicated to mastering Thai cooking. I doubled the recipe and used fresh wide rice noodles and my CSA bok choy. I incorporated the water but may consider reducing the amount next time.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

Noodles:

• 24 oz fresh wide rice noodles or 14 oz dried wide rice stick noodles

For the Sauce:

• 1/4 cup dark soy sauce
• 1/4 cup oyster sauce
• 4 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp white vinegar
• 4 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water

For the Stir Fry:

• 6 T peanut or vegetable oil, divided
• 5 cloves garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 4 to 5 cooked boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced or shredded
• 2 large eggs
• 3 to 4 baby bok choy or 8 stems Chinese broccoli

To Prepare the Ingredients:

1. If using baby bok choy, cut the tender leaves into 2″ thick ribbons and cut the stems crosswise into 1/2″ pieces. (If using Chinese broccoli, trim ends, cut into 3″ pieces. Separate leaves from stems. Cut thick stems in half vertically so they’re no wider than 1/4″ thick.)
2. If using fresh wide rice noodles, rinse in cool water and separate into large pieces. (If using dry rice noodles, prepare according tot he package directions and drain immediately before incorporating into the dish.)
3. To make the sauce, combine the ingredients in a measuring cup and stir until the sugar dissolves.
4. Shred or slice the cooked chicken.
5. Thinly slice the garlic.

To Cook the Stir Fry:

1. Heat 2 T oil in a very large heavy based skillet or wok over high heat. (I used a 14″ stainless steel skillet.)
2. Add garlic, cook 15 seconds.
3. Add chicken, stir.
4. Add bok choy or Chinese broccoli stems.
5. Add bok choy or Chinese broccoli leaves, cook until just wilted.
6. Push everything to one side, crack eggs in and scramble.
7. Remove everything onto a plate (scrape the pan clean).
8. Return pan to stove, heat remaining 4 T oil over high heat.
9. Add noodles and sauce. Toss as few times as possible (to minimize breakage), dispersing the sauce and caramelizing the edges of the noodles.
10. Quickly add chicken and vegetable mixture back in, and toss to disperse. Serve immediately.

Charmoula-Spiced Salmon with Za’atar Roasted Vegetables

I am always thrilled to make a healthy and flavorful dish that incorporates TONS of vegetables from my CSA share. This recipe seemed to be created for the box I had just received which contained kohlrabi, baby bok choy, parsley, and cilantro. This dish was loaded with wonderful spices as well. It truly was one of the best salmon dishes I’ve ever prepared.

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Chef Jared Wentworth of Chicago’s Longman & Eagle. I used one large piece of salmon instead of fillets, grilled the fish instead of pan-cooking, modified the oven temperature, used potatoes and kohlrabi instead of beets, whole carrots instead of baby carrots, and modified the proportions in the sauce. It was beyond delicious!

For the Roasted Vegetables:

• 1/2 pound red potatoes (5) or baby golden beets, scrubbed and quartered
• 1-2 kohlrabi, peeled and cut into medium-pieces (I used 1 1/2)
• 3 large carrots, halved lengthwise and quartered
• 1/4 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and quartered
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons za’atar
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound baby bok choy, chopped into ribbons (I used 9 heads)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For the Charmoula
:

• 1/2 cup lightly packed parsley leaves
• 1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 T fresh lemon juice
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the Salmon:

• 1 1/3 pound whole wild salmon fillet (or four 5- to 6-ounce salmon fillets)
• coarse salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional (I omitted it)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

To Make the Vegetables:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°, preferably on convection roast.
2. On two large rimmed baking sheets, toss the beets or potatoes, kohlrabi, carrots and mushrooms with the olive oil and za’atar and season with salt and pepper.
3. Roast for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
4. Immediately transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and fold in the bok choy until just wilted.
5. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

To Make the Charmoula:

1. In a food processor, combine everything except the salt and pepper and puree until nearly smooth. (I used a mini-food processor.)
2. Scrape into a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper.

To Make the Salmon:

1. Season the fish with coarse salt and black pepper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the ground coriander and cumin with the paprika and crushed red pepper. Season the salmon with the spice mixture.
3. Meanwhile, preheat a grill set to moderate heat.
4. Place the fish on the hot grill skin side down and press gently with a spatula to flatten. Cook the fish over moderate heat until the skin is golden, about 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Flip the fish and cook until medium within, about 3 minutes longer.
6. Serve the fish topped with charmoula over the roasted vegetables. Serve extra charmoula on the side, as desired.

Note: The charmoula can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

One Year Ago:

• Shrimp a la Mexicana Tacos

Two Years Ago:

• Pork Tenderloin with Warm Harissa, Couscous, & Roasted Vegetable Salad
• Spaghetti with Corn Carbonara & Crab

Three Years Ago:

• Grilled Pork Chops with Fried Sage Salsa Verde & Sage Potatoes
• Milk-Braised Pork Loin

Four Years Ago:

• Pinchos Morunos or Pork Kebabs with Moorish Seasonings

Sesame-Citrus Soy Chicken with Garlicky Bok Choy

Oh my, this dish has been waiting in the wings for quite some time. After my last post featuring my bounty of bok choy, it’s finally the perfect time to share it.

I paired this chicken dish with the sautéed bok choy. Both recipes were adapted from Bon Appetit. The chicken dish was contributed by Chris Morocco. The original chicken recipe was intended for kebabs on the grill; I modified to cook whole pieces under a broiler. The bok choy dish was contributed by Sara Dickerman and Marissa Lippert. I increased the garlic. Nice!

Yield: Serves 4

For the Sesame-Citrus Sprinkle:

• 2 T toasted white and/or black sesame seeds
• 1 T thinly sliced chives or 2 scallions
• 1 tsp Aleppo-style pepper or other mild red pepper flakes (I used Ancho Chile Powder)
• ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
• coarse salt

For the Chicken And Assembly:

• ⅓ cup (packed) light brown sugars
• ⅓ cup mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
• ⅓ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1¼ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs (I used 5 thighs)
• coarse salt

Make the Sesame-Citrus Sprinkle:

1. Mix sesame seeds, chives, Aleppo-style pepper, and lemon zest in a small bowl to combine; season with salt.

Prepare the Chicken:

1. Combine brown sugar, mirin, soy sauce, and vinegar in a small saucepan.
2. Transfer ¼ cup mixture to a large resealable plastic bag.
3. Add chicken thighs to bag with marinade and massage marinade into chicken. Chill at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
4. Meanwhile, bring remaining marinade to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until reduced by half and slightly thickened (just shy of syrupy), 8–10 minutes. Remove glaze from heat.
5. Preheat a broiler. (I set mine to Convection Broil +Max at 500 degrees.) (Alternatively, Prepare a grill for medium-high, indirect heat (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on one side of grill; for a gas grill, leave one or two burners off). Oil grates.)
6. Lightly season the chicken with salt and place under the broiler, until browned and beginning to char in spots, about 4 minutes. Turn over, baste with additional glaze, and cook until the other side is also beginning to char, about 4 to 5 additional minutes.
7. Serve chicken topped with sesame-citrus sprinkle.

Do Ahead: Glaze can be made 12 hours ahead. Let cool; cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.

For the Bok Choy:

• 1 T vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 shallot, chopped
• 1 pound baby bok choy, rinsed, cut into quarters, with core intact (I used 4 baby bok choy)
• 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce

1. Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.
2. Add garlic and shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Add bok choy, soy sauce, and 2 T water and cover immediately. Cook 1 minute.
4. Uncover and toss, then cover and cook until bok choy is tender at the core, about 3 more minutes.

One Year Ago:

• Scallops & Polenta

Two Years Ago:

• Roasted Vegetable Moussaka

Three Years Ago:

• Pork Sausage & Broccoli in Hard-Cider Sauce

Thai-Style Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Chicken & Bok Choy

I receive a LOT of baby bok choy in my CSA share. Every time my husband spots it, he requests his favorite Thai dish, Pad See Ew. I do have a favorite version that I typically prepare, but, by chance I received a new recipe (email 😉 ) for his special dish when I received my recent bounty of bok choy.

The goal of this recipe was to recreate a high-heat wok cooked dish on a stove top by altering the stir fry technique. By cooking the ingredients in batches and combining all of the ingredients just prior to serving, the high-heat char typical of this dish was achieved. This version was indeed the closest I’ve come to reproducing my husband’s favorite take out dish.

This recipe was adapted from Cook’s Illustrated. I used baby bok choy instead of broccolini, chicken thighs instead of breasts, Thai chiles instead of serrano, and fresh rice noodles. I reduced the oil and doubled the recipe as well. Great!

Yield: Serves 8

For the Chile-Vinegar:

• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 2 Thai chiles or 1 serrano chile, stemmed and sliced into thin rings

For the Stir-Fry:

• 5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut against grain into ¼-inch thick slices
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 24 oz fresh wide rice noodles (can substitute 16 oz 1/4-inch wide dried rice noodles)
• 5-6 T vegetable oil (I used sunflower seed oil)
• 1/2 cup oyster sauce
• 3 T soy sauce
• 4 T packed dark brown sugar
• 2 T white vinegar
• 2 tsp molasses
• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 8 garlic cloves, sliced thin
• 6 large eggs
• 2 pounds baby bok choy (about 10), sliced into 1/2-inch pieces, separated into leaves and stems (broccolini or broccoli are good substitutes)
• additional greens, if desired (I added 1/2 head of my CSA Sugarloaf Chicory as well)

For the Chile Vinegar:

1. Combine vinegar and serrano in bowl. Let stand at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.

For the Stir Fry:

1. Combine chicken with 4 tablespoons water and baking soda in bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Rinse chicken in cold water and drain well.
2. If using fresh rice noodles: Place noodles in very hot tap water until they can be separated into large pieces. (If using dried rice noodles: Bring 6 cups water to boil. Place noodles in large bowl. Pour boiling water over noodles. Stir, then soak until noodles are almost tender, about 8 minutes, stirring once halfway through soak. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain well and toss with 2 teaspoons oil.)
3. Whisk oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, molasses, and fish sauce together in bowl.
4. Heat 1 T oil and garlic in 12-inch (nonstick) skillet over high heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is deep golden brown, about minute.
5. Add chicken and 4 tablespoons sauce mixture, toss to coat, and spread chicken into even layer. Cook, without stirring, until chicken begins to brown, 1 to 1½ minutes.
6. Using tongs, flip chicken and cook, without stirring, until second side begins to brown, 1 to 1½ minutes.
7. Push chicken to 1 side of skillet. Add 1 T oil to cleared side of skillet.
8. Add eggs to clearing. Using rubber spatula, stir eggs gently and cook until set but still wet. Stir eggs into chicken and continue to cook, breaking up large pieces of egg, until eggs are fully cooked, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer chicken mixture to bowl.
9. Heat 1 T oil in now-empty skillet until smoking. Add bok choy stems and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the remaining bok choy leaves and 4 tablespoons sauce and toss to coat.
10. Cover skillet and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.
11. Remove lid and continue to cook until broccolini is crisp and very brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking. Transfer broccolini to bowl with chicken mixture.
12. Sauce any additional greens in the remaining cooking liquid, if desired.
13. Heat 1 T oil in now-empty skillet until smoking. Add half of noodles and 4 tablespoons sauce and toss to coat. Cook until noodles are starting to brown in spots, about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Transfer noodles to bowl with chicken mixture.
14. Repeat with remaining 1 T oil, noodles, and sauce. When second batch of noodles is cooked, add contents of bowl back to skillet and toss to combine. Cook, without stirring, until everything is warmed through, 1 to 1½ minutes.
15. Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately, passing chile vinegar separately.

One Year Ago:

• Red Lentil & Butternut Squash Soup (Shorabit Jarjir)

Two Years Ago:

• Pasta Alla Norma with Slow Roasted Tomatoes

Three Years Ago:

• Napa Cabbage Curry
• Pear of Desire

I’m sharing my special stir fry at Angie’s Fiesta Friday #146, co-hosted by Antonia @Zoale and Petra @Food Eat Love. Enjoy! 🙂

Greens & Cheese Quesadillas

I have received an exorbitant amount of Swiss chard in my CSA box so far this season. It’s a good thing that I absolutely love it! and… Who doesn’t love chard when it’s combined with fabulous cheese?!?!

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit, contributed by Gabriela Camara. I have made these quesadillas a couple of times with my CSA greens, using both raw milk extra (extra) sharp yellow cheddar (from Trader Joe’s) as well as Cabot extra sharp 3-year aged white cheddar. I have also used combination of greens including Swiss chard, turnip greens, beet greens, as well as baby bok choy.

I adapted the recipe by increasing the garlic as well as using a red onion, whole wheat flour tortillas, and chipotle salsa, avocados, fresh lime, and sour cream, for serving. I also microwaved the assembled quesadillas for a quick dinner! We ate them with refried beans on the side. Delicious.

Yield: Serves 4 for dinner or up to 8 as an appetizer

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as canola
• ½ medium white or red onion, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 10 ounces Swiss chard, ribs and stems removed, or a combination of greens including beet, turnip, or bok choy, chopped
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• coarse salt
• 6 ounces Toma cheese or sharp cheddar, grated (about 2 cups)
• 8 whole wheat flour tortillas
• Salsa Roja, Avocado-Tomatillo Salsa Verde, or Trader Joe’s Chipotle Salsa, for serving
• avocado slices and lime wedges, for serving, optional
• sour cream, for serving, optional

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 6–8 minutes.
2. Add greens a handful at a time, letting wilt slightly before adding more. Pour in ½ cup water and cook, tossing occasionally, until greens are tender, 6–8 minutes.
3. Add lime juice; season with salt. Transfer to a plate; let cool.
4. Assemble the quesadillas: Place on tortilla on a large plate. Mound grated cheddar on top and spread evenly. Top with sautéed greens and another tortilla.
5. Microwave for 1 minute, 35 seconds on high.
6. Remove and slice into pieces. Repeat until all filling is used.
7. Serve immediately with sliced avocado, prepared salsa, and sour cream, as desired.

One Year Ago:

• Red Pepper-Saffron Risotto

Two Years Ago:

• Salted Dulce de Leche Shortbread (Alfajores) Bars

Three Years Ago:

• Roasted Cauliflower & White Bean Dip
• Baba Ganouj

Stir-Fried Chicken & Bok Choy

I receive SO much baby bok choy in my CSA share… especially because the friend I split my box with gives ALL of it to me! I actually really like bok choy. 🙂 I usually sauté it with other greens, or incorporate it in my husband’s favorite Thai dish. This time I wanted something new…

This simple stir-fry recipe was adapted from the New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I rarely make stir-fry, so it was “something new!” I doubled the recipe, reduced the oil, and used 8 baby bok choy. We ate it served over brown Basmati rice. Quick and great.

Yield: Serves 4

• 4 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 4 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken thighs, about 5, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 4 tablespoons finely chopped ginger root
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 5 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 8 baby bok choy, trimmed and thinly sliced (can substitute other green vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, green beans, or spinach)
• 1 large yellow onion or 2 leeks (1/2 pound), halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
• pinch chile flakes
• coarse salt, as needed
• cooked brown Basmati rice, for serving

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Pour half the mixture over the chicken, along with half the ginger and half the garlic. Let stand 20 minutes.
2. Heat a large, 12-inch skillet over high heat until extremely hot, about 5 minutes. (Open the windows and put on the exhaust fan!)
3. Add 2 tablespoons of peanut oil and the chicken. Cook, stirring constantly, until meat is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add the remaining peanut oil to the skillet. Add the bok choy and cook 1 minute.
5. Stir in the onions and chili flakes; cook, tossing frequently until bok choy and onions are tender, about 1 minute.
6. Stir in the marinade and a pinch of salt. Move vegetable mixture to the border of the pan.
7. Add remaining ginger and garlic to center of pan and cook, mashing lightly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
8. Return chicken to skillet and combine with ginger, garlic, and vegetables. Serve immediately, over rice.

One Year Ago:

• Quick Crusty Mustard Chicken

Two Years Ago:

• Mario Batali’s Chocolate Chicken Mole

Three Years Ago:

• Pad See Ew