Creamy Pappardelle with Chicken & Bacon

This quick comfort food dish uses store-bought rotisserie chicken as a shortcut. I loved the freshness and pop of color from the fresh herbs and the minced carrot.

The recipe was adapted from Antoni Let’s Do Dinner by Antoni Porowski of Queer Eye. My daughter and I are big Antoni fans! 🙂 I modified the proportions. Next time I would reduce the amount of chicken meat- just personal preference.

Yield: Serves 8

• coarse salt
• 8 oz bacon (about 5 slices), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch wide pieces
• 1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 4 large garlic cloves, gently smashed and peeled
• 1/2 T chopped fresh sage
• 1/2 T coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 16 oz pappardelle (I used two 227 g packages)
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 4 to 6 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, at room temperature (I used 6 cups but would reduce the amount next time)
• freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving
• coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving, optional

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet large enough to hold the pasta and sauce or a wide heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until just cooked through with crispy edges, about 5 minutes. (I used an enameled cast iron pan.)
3. Transfer the bacon to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
4. Add the onion, garlic, sage, rosemary, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the skillet and cook, stirring frequently until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
5. Add the cream, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, add the pappardelle and carrots to the boiling water and cook until the pasta is al dente and the carrots are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
7. Drain the pasta, reserving 2 cups of the pasta cooking water.
8. Add the pasta to the sauce with 3/4 cups of the pasta water, the chicken, and the reserved bacon. Toss to combine.
9. Add more pasta water to loosen the sauce, if desired.
10. Top with cheese, parsley, if using, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Enchiladas Verdes (Green Enchiladas with Chicken & Cheese)

Enchiladas verdes has been one of my all-time favorite dishes for almost my entire life. So, naturally, I am drawn to every version that I come across! I liked how this version included cheese in the filling rather than melted over the top. These enchiladas were also extra saucy- loved it.

This recipe was adapted from Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street magazine. I used poached chicken thighs but rotisserie chicken meat could be used as a shortcut.

We ate the enchiladas garnished with chopped onion and cilantro with rice and refried beans on the side. I cooked the rice in the chicken poaching liquid which made it extra flavorful. Great.

Yield: 4 servings (8 enchiladas)

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 medium-large poblano chilies (about 12 to 14 oz), stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 1 pound tomatillos, husked, cored, and chopped
• 1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped, plus more for garnish, if desired
• 8 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
• 1 T ground cumin
• 1/2 cup chicken stock, plus an additional 2 cups if poaching the chicken
• 1 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves and stems, rinsed and dried, plus more for garnish
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound boneless chicken (I used 3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs) (or 1 1/2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken)
• 6 oz Monterey jack or whole-milk mozzarella cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 T hot sauce, such as Cholula or Tapatío (I used Chipotle Cholula- my favorite)
• 8 6-inch corn tortillas
• lime wedges, to serve, optional
• sour cream or Mexican crema, for serving, optional
• rice and refried beans, for serving, optional

1. Place the chicken in a medium saucepan and cover with about 2 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, cover and cook until the thickest part of the meat registers 165 degrees for thighs or 160 degrees for breasts, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let the chicken cool in the liquid until just warm, then finely chop the meat. Reserve the cooking liquid. (Alternatively, 1 1/2 cups of chopped rotisserie chicken meat can be substituted.)
2. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees with a rack in the center position.
3. In a large pot over medium-high, combine 1 tablespoon of the oil, the chopped poblanos, cored & chopped tomatillos, chopped onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are beginning to soften, 5 to 8 minutes.
4. Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have completely softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
6. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth, about 1 minute.
7. Add the cilantro and continue to process until smooth, about 1 minute. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
8. Spread 1 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish; set aside. (I used 4 individual enameled cast iron serving dishes, placing 1/4 cup of the sauce in the bottom of each dish.)
9. In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken, cheese, hot sauce, 3/4 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper; set aside.
10. Brush both sides of the tortillas with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, then arrange them on a rimmed baking sheet (its fine to overlap them slightly). Cover tightly with foil and warm in the oven just until soft and pliable, about 3 minutes. (This step is important in order to make sure that the tortillas are pliable enough to fill and roll.)
11. Uncover the tortillas; reserve the foil. Lay the tortillas out on a large cutting board (or 2) or a clean counter.
12. Divide the chicken mixture evenly among the tortillas (about 3 heaping tablespoons each), arranging the filling in a line along the bottom edge of each tortilla. (I used a 3 T cookie scoop.)
13. Working one at a time, roll up the tortillas to enclose the filling and place seam side down in a tight row down the center of the prepared baking dish. (or 2 enchiladas per individual baking dish)
14. Spoon 1/2 cup of the sauce over the enchiladas. (or 2 T per individual baking dish)
15. Cover tightly with a layer of parchment paper topped with the reserved foil. Bake until the cheese begins to melt out of the ends, about 15 minutes.
16. Meanwhile, cook 1 cup of rice in 2 cups of chicken poaching liquid, if desired. (I used white Basmati rice.) (I also warmed refried beans at this point.)
17. Uncover and spread the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. (or about 2 T per individual baking dish) Re-cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
18. Serve with lime wedges and sour cream or Mexican crema, garnished with chopped onion and cilantro, as desired.

Shortcut Chicken & Dumplings

More weeknight comfort food! This dish uses rotisserie chicken meat and store-bought gnocchi as shortcuts to create a close match to traditional chicken and dumplings. It was quick to prepare and very tasty.

The recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Alexa Weibel. I incorporated my CSA parsley, leeks, carrots, and collard greens. In addition, this soup could easily gobble up many other vegetables such as frozen peas, fennel, squash, parsnips, or mushrooms. We ate it with a green salad. Great.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 to 5 cups 1/2-inch ribbons of collard greens or kale, ribs removed (optional)
• 2 medium carrots or 8 ounces butternut squash, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 1 medium leek, trimmed, white and pale green portion halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 1 cup) (can substitute 1 large shallot, if desired)
• 2 medium celery stalks, peeled and sliced 1/2-inch thick (about 2/3 cup)
• additional vegetables such as frozen peas, or diced parsnips, fennel, or mushrooms, optional
• 3 to 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (optional)(I omitted it)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (16 to 18-ounce) package fresh or shelf-stable store-bought gnocchi (I used Trader Joe’s 17.6-ounce gnocchi)
• 1/2 store-bought rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat torn into bite-size pieces (about 2 to 3 cups shredded meat)
• fresh tarragon, parsley or dill, for garnish

1. In a large pot, melt the butter over medium. (I used a large enameled cast iron Dutch oven.)
2. Add the carrots, leek, celery, garlic, rosemary, thyme and poultry seasoning, if using. Incorporate any additional vegetables at this time as well; I added sliced collard greens. Season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with the flour, then cook, stirring, 2 minutes. (This cooks the flour to soften its raw flavor.)
4. Gradually stir in the stock and cream, and bring to a boil over medium-high to high heat.
5. Once the mixture boils, stir in the gnocchi, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until gnocchi and vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in the chicken in the last couple of minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. Divide among bowls and top with fresh tarragon or parsley and more black pepper, if desired.

Shortcut Chicken Fatteh

I have another rotisserie chicken dish to share. Rotisserie chicken meat is used as a shortcut to prepare this delicious Middle Eastern dish. I also used store-bought pita chips in the topping. It was very quick to pull together on a weeknight- fast, crowd-pleasing comfort food. 🙂

The topping was the absolute highlight. Quite often, the bread is layered in the base of this dish. This adaptation reverses the sequence in which the finished dish is plated so that the bread and nuts provide a crispy contrast to the brothy base. Great.

The recipe was adapted from everylittlecrumb.com. I used fresh herbs and pita chips in the topping. I also modified the method and proportions and made the lemon-garlic-yogurt sauce ahead of time to heighten the flavors.

Chickpeas and/or roasted eggplant cubes can be substituted for the shredded chicken to make a vegetarian version.

Yield: Serves 6

For the Chicken & Rice:

• 1 rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed, meat shredded
• 4 cups chicken stock, divided
• 1 cup white rice (I used Aahu Barah Basmati rice)

For the Topping:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 2 loaves pita bread, cut into cubes (can substitute store-bought pita chips)
• 2 cups yogurt (I used a combination of whole milk yogurt and fat-free Greek yogurt)
• 2 large garlic cloves, crushed with a garlic press
• 3/4 tsp coarse salt
• freshly squeezed lemon juice from 1/2 lemon, or more, to taste

To Garnish:

• paprika
• 1/4 cup pine nuts or almond slivers, toasted
• 3 to 4 T chopped parsley and/or mint
• olive oil, for drizzling, optional

1. Prepare the chicken by shredding the rotisserie chicken meat.
2. In a sauté pan, warm the shredded chicken meat in 2 cups of the chicken stock; keep on low heat until serving so the chicken warms through.
3. Cook the rice in the remaining 2 cups of chicken stock.
4. To Make the Pita Chips: Toast the pita bread in the oven by placing in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, and drizzling well with olive oil and tossing to combine. Bake at 350 F for 8-10 minutes or until crispy and golden brown, and set aside. (I substituted store-bought pita chips, broken into cubes.)
5. Mix together the yogurt with the crushed garlic, salt, and lemon juice. Stir well to combine. (I made this in advance and kept it in the refrigerator.) Adjust the seasoning and amount of lemon juice, to taste, before serving.
6. Assemble by placing the rice in the base of a deep serving dish. Pour some- or all of- the chicken stock over the top, and scatter the shredded chicken evenly.
7. Dollop the garlic yogurt on top and smooth out, then top with the crispy pita chips.
8. Garnish with paprika, chopped parsley and mint, and toasted nuts. Drizzle with olive oil, if desired.

Chile Chicken Nachos

One of my friends has been trying to convince me to make nachos for dinner for quite some time. My kids (who were well aware of this suggestion) were so deprived, they have ordered nachos on several occasions as an entrée when we’ve indulged at a Mexican restaurant. 😉

When I saw this recipe for “party nachos,” I thought that I could (and should) serve them for dinner! Crazy? Nope. My kids were thrilled. After all, nachos are a sheet-pan dinner. This version uses rotisserie chicken meat as a shortcut too.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Rick Martinez. I scaled down the proportions. However, I did prepare the full recipe for the rotisserie chicken and sauce, keeping half to use for tacos, etc., on another occasion.

The bottom layer was reminiscent of a enchilada pie, or taco or enchilada skillet meal- other weeknight favorites over here. The rotisserie chicken meat is coated with a fabulous, full-flavored sauce. This sauce brings these nachos to the next level. I loved all of the toppings too. Very cheesy.

When not being served for dinner, these nachos would also be a great appetizer or snack, of course.

Yield: Serves about 6

• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped, divided
• 1 T achiote paste or tomato paste
• 8 ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded (I substituted 2 ancho chilies plus 4 guajillo chiles)
• 1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped (or 1 T adobo sauce to keep things mild)
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Kosher salt
• 1 rotisserie chicken, meat pulled from bones and shredded
• 1 10-oz bag frozen corn, thawed, drained
• 1/2 poblano chile, stemmed, seeded, chopped
• 4 oz crumbled feta cheese (about 1/2 cup) or finely grated Cotija cheese (about 1 cup)
• Nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 8 to 10-oz tortilla chips
• 1 lb sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• thinly sliced radishes, cilantro leaves, avocado cubes, and pickled jalapeños, for serving, as desired
• sour cream, for serving, as desired

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high until shimmering.
2. Cook garlic and half of onion, stirring occasionally, until tender and beginning to brown, 6–8 minutes.
3. Stir in achiote paste/tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until brick red, about 1 minute.
4. Add dried chiles, chipotle chile, stock, cumin, and 2 teaspoons of salt and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from heat, and let sit until chiles are very soft, about 30 minutes.
5. Place a rack in the center of oven; preheat to 350°, preferably on convection.
6. Transfer chile mixture to a blender and purée until smooth.
7. Return to saucepan, stir in chicken, and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat; season with salt. Remove from heat; set chicken aside until ready to assemble. (Reserve half of this saucy chicken for another use; only half is needed for the nachos.)
8. Meanwhile, toss corn, chopped poblano chile, half of the feta/Cotija cheese, and remaining onion in a medium bowl until combined; season with salt.
9. Coat a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray.
10. Arrange half of the chips in an even layer on the bottom of the baking sheet.
11. Top with half of the reserved chicken mixture, half of the corn mixture, and half of the cheddar.
12. Repeat layers with remaining chips, chicken mixture, corn mixture, and cheddar.
13. Bake nachos, rotating pan halfway through, until cheese is melted and edges of chips are beginning to brown, 8–10 minutes.
14. Serve topped with radishes, cilantro, avocado, pickled jalapeños, remaining feta/Cotija cheese, sour cream, and other desired toppings alongside.

Do Ahead: Nachos can be assembled 1 hour before baking. Cover with plastic and store at room temperature.

Pulled Chicken Barbecue on Beer Bread with Quick Dill Pickles

This is a great summer meal. We have already tried a couple versions!

The first time I served this meal, I shredded grilled chicken thighs and dressed them with Trader Joe’s mustard barbecue sauce. We topped them with the quick dill pickles (below) and ate them as classic sandwiches.

The second time, I served the sandwiches in an open face fashion and we ate them with a knife and fork. I shredded a rotisserie chicken and dressed the meat with the tomato-based barbecue sauce (below) and topped them with my favorite Easy Fridge Dill Pickles.

This recipe was adapted from Sara Moulton.com. I used various barbecue sauces and pickles. I also served the sandwiches on slices of a Honey Beer Bread loaf. We ate the sandwiches with potato chips on one occasion and with homemade Curly Fries on the second occasion. Corn on the cob would also be great. The original recipe suggests serving them with cole slaw- next time!

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

To Assemble the Sandwiches:

• Honey Beer Bread or large potato rolls or hamburger buns
• Basic Barbecue Sauce (recipe below) or 2 cups store-bought sauce (such as Trader Joe’s Mustard Barbecue Sauce)
• Quick Dill Pickles (recipe below) or Easy Fridge Dill Pickles
• shredded skinless cooked chicken from a large store-bought rotisserie chicken (4 cups packed, or more, to taste) or boneless skinless chicken thighs, grilled and shredded

1. Prepare the Beer Bread, Basic Barbeque Sauce and Dill Pickle Cucumber Slices. (Alternatively, bring the prepared barbecue sauce to a boil in a medium saucepan and warm the store-bought buns.)
2. Add the shredded chicken meat to the sauce and heat until hot. (When using the Basic Barbecue Sauce, I incorporated the shredded meat from an entire rotisserie chicken. We had leftovers.)
3. Cut the Beer Bread, if using, one or two slices per serving, as desired.
4. Place pieces of bread on individual plates and top each with the chicken mixture.
5. Top the chicken with pickle slices and another piece of bread, if desired.

For the Basic Barbecue Sauce:

Yield: 2 cups

• 1 T vegetable oil
• 2 large garlic cloves (I used 2 CSA little neck garlic cloves)
• 2 cups ketchup (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 4 T cider vinegar
• 4 T Worcestershire sauce
• 2 T packed dark brown sugar
• 1 T Creole seasoning (recipe below) or store-bought (I used Slap Ya Mama)
• 2 tsp dry mustard
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.  Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until hot; reduce the heat to low and press the garlic into the oil. Sauté for about 1 minute or until it just begins to turn golden.
2. Add the ketchup, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, Creole seasoning, and mustard.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat; reduce the heat to low and simmer the sauce, partially covered to reduce spattering, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use as directed in a recipe or transfer to a nonreactive jar or bowl, cover, and refrigerate until you are ready to use it.

For the Quick Dill Pickles:

Yield: 1 1/3 cups

• one 5 to 6-inch piece of seedless (English) cucumber
• 2 T fresh dill leaves, finely chopped
• 2 T cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Thinly slice enough of the cucumber to make 1 1/3 cups. (I cut them 1/8-inch thick using a mandolin.)
2. Combine the cucumber with the vinegar, dill, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small non-reactive bowl.
3. Set it aside at room temperature and use within and hour, or cover and refrigerate for later use.

For the Creole Seasoning:

Yield: about 1/2 cup

• 1 T plus 1 tsp hot paprika
• 1 T Kosher salt
• 1 T garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme

1. Combine the paprika, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne, oregano, and thyme in a small bowl.
2.  Transfer to a tight jar and use as directed in a recipe.

Duck Tacos with Refried Black Beans

I usually think of duck meat as being too fatty to agree with me. 😉 After seeing Sara Moulton make these tacos, she convinced me to give it another chance. In this dish, the fatty skin is removed and the shredded duck meat was very moist and flavorful.

I often see the vacuum-sealed, cooked rotisserie duck at Costco. On my last visit, when most the fresh poultry was out of stock and the rotisserie chicken was limited to one per visit, there was plenty of rotisserie duck available. 🙂 These tacos could also be made with rotisserie chicken, of course, but this was a nice change. My son thought that they were “next-level.”

This recipe was adapted from Sara’s Weeknight Meals, via SaraMolton.com. I doubled the original recipe to use the entire rotisserie duck and added additional toppings. The leftover filling was just as delicious reheated and served with fresh toppings and taco shells. The healthy and quick refried black beans were fabulous too.

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

For the Spice Blend:

• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

For the Filling & Toppings:

• 1 half of a cooked rotisserie duck
• 1 T vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
• 3 T water
• 12 ready-to-eat regular-size taco shells, warmed according to package directions
• chopped or shredded iceberg lettuce or finely-shredded cabbage, for serving
• chopped tomatoes (I used chopped grape tomatoes)m for serving
• shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese or a Mexican cheese blend, to taste, for serving
• prepared salsa, for serving
• light sour cream, for serving
• cilantro, for serving
• diced avocado, for serving
• canned diced chilies, for serving
• hot sauce, for serving (I used Chipotle Cholula)
• rice, for serving, optional
• Refried beans, recipe below

To Make the Spice Blend:

1. Add the ingredients to a bowl and stir well to combine.

To Make the Fillings, Toppings, & To Serve:

1. Remove the skin from the duck meat. Shred enough meat from one half of a rotisserie cooked duck to yield 2 1/2 cups.
2. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the shredded duck and spice blend and stir to combine.
4. Stir in the water and cook, covered, for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Divide the filling among the taco shells.
6. Top with the lettuce and tomatoes, and sprinkle with cheese.  Top with cilantro, avocado, diced chiles, and hot sauce, as desired. Spoon on the salsa and sour cream, if using.
7. Serve immediately with refried beans on the side. (The refried beans can be used as an additional taco filling, if desired.)

For the Refried Beans:

• 2 T vegetable oil (I used canola oil)
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (I used 1 large yellow onion when I doubled the recipe)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 cups thoroughly cooked black beans or one 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or water
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• chopped cilantro, for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.
4. Stir in the cumin and chili powder and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the beans and chicken stock, cover, and cook until the beans are very soft and the flavors are well blended, about 5 minutes.
6. Use a fork or potato masher to coarsely mash the beans.
7. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

Note: Cooked, rotisserie duck can be purchased online @Maple Leaf Farms.com.