Chicken and Cheese - Perfect Pairing- I call it Chicken Deluxe

Once again devising a menu from the fridge and pantry
I had read about Chicken coated in a Mayo and cheese mix.
It really worked ...so tender and juicy and plenty of flavour
You couldn’t get anything easier
I thought I would call this Chicken Deluxe
It was pretty delicious, well deserving of the flash name

On the side, Roast Potato Cubes and Greens a la Gilli Style, always popular with the kids
This amount will feed 6 people out in our case 5 with leftovers

You will need
A mix of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs
For this amount of sauce, I had 3 breasts and 4 thighs
1 cup mayonnaise (for a healthier option, use plain Greek yogurt in place of the mayo)
1/2 cup Parmesan  or Pecorino cheese
Zest of 1 Lemon
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup Breadcrumbs toasted in a little butter

A potato per person peeled and and cut into cubes
Olive oil and salt and pepper

Handful of Green beans, a head Broccoli and 1 courgette turned into noodles
Olive oil,
Zest of lemon
2 cloves garlic chopped with sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
For the Chicken
In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise (or yogurt if substituting), cheese, garlic, lemon zest and the seasonings.
Oil a baking dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper
Pat the chicken dry with a paper towel, lay it out in the baking dish
Spread the mixture on top of each of the chicken breasts.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the chicken

Place chicken into a baking dish and bake in a preheated oven,
200C for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through.
Rest for about 12 minutes
Serve warm or room temperature

The Potatoes
Bring the cubes to the boil from cold salted water
simmer about 5 minutes
Drain well
Toss in some olive oil
Roast at 200C for about 4 minutes
then add the chicken to oven and complete the cooking for another 30 minutes

Turn potatoes out in a colander lined with paper towels season with sea salt

For the Greens
Blanch the green beans in boiling water about 2 minutes. drain and set aside
In the same water add the broccoli, blanch for about 4 minutes
Drain and set aside

In a large skillet add 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauté the garlic lightly…don’t brown
Grate in the zest of the lemon

Add the Zucchini Noodles toss well
Season with a little salt and pepper
Add Green beans and Broccoli
Toss around and sauté for about 3-4 minutes
To serve
Slice the Chicken, spoon over juice from the pan
and decorate with potatoes and green vege
Food fit for a King

Coconut Chicken Curry

When I first made this curry, I used Curry Powder, but this week I used a Curry Paste
I think it was a more exciting flavour
Also I rubbed the chicken thighs with the paste and roasted them
Then pulled the meat apart. Great flavour on the chicken
But if you follow the recipe below It becomes a very quick curry
A Curry in a Hurry in fact.
Very popular with the kids and the Adults
I found this recipe on the Epicurious Site
This feeds six

1 medium onion roughly chopped
1 tablespoon oil
1 kilo chicken boneless, skinless  thighs chopped
2 Sachets of Asian Gourmet Curry Paste… the Vietnamese Flavour
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons virgin coconut or vegetable oil (plus 2 teaspoons; optional)

2 x 400 ml cans coconut milk (preferably full-fat)
1 (2 1/2") piece ginger, peeled and rough chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 cup raw cashews, chopped (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow and/or black mustard seeds (optional)
1 packet baby spinach
Cilantro leaves with tender stems and cooked rice or naan (Indian flatbread; for serving)



Toss chicken with curry paste, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet (at least 12" in diameter) over medium-high.
Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes.
add 1 sachet of curry paste, stir

and cook for another couple of minutes remove and set aside
Add more oil and saute chicken till brown
You may need to do it in batches

Meanwhile Purée coconut milk, ginger, and garlic in a blender until very smooth.

Add coconut milk mixture and cooked onion to the chicken in the pan

and cook, tossing occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened, 7-10 minutes.
Add spinach to pan sprinkle with salt and pepper

and blend in till spinach is wilted. about a minute or two

Meanwhile, if using, heat 2 tsp. oil in a small skillet over medium.
Add cashews and mustard seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2–3 minutes.

 Immediately transfer nut mixture including the oil to a small bowl.

Serve the Curry over rice
Garnish with Cashews, Coriander and Red Pepper

 Delicious, Pretty and So so simple

Easy Butter Chicken

I have never made Butter Chicken. 

Last week my Granddaughter requested it for dinner

so I Surfed the Net and found quite a few recipes, naturally

I decided to use the BBC Good Food idea, 

with a couple of changes, to suit what I had in the cupboard

It was very popular, with the kids…Second and third helpings in fact

I didn’t add chilli as I was cooking for kids, but if you feel the need…

Finely chop and saute a red chilli with the garlic and ginger

If you want greens I suggest some wilted spinach on the side

Cooks hint

Don’t forget when you wilt the spinach, sauté  in a little butter with garlic, seasoned 

with S & P

Spinach really needs that extra touch

So back to the Butter Chicken 

You will need

25 gms Butter

1 red onion chopped

Sea Salt and Freshly ground Black Pepper

3 tablespoons Butter Chicken Curry Paste

3 large chicken Breasts cut into pieces

1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon Rice Bran oil

3 cloves garlic peeled and crushed

1 Tablespoon grated ginger

2 whole tomatoes chopped

Sea salt and freshly Grated Black pepper

500g Passata or 1 400 gms can chopped tomatoes blitzed

100 mls double cream

Handful coriander chopped, stems and leaves 

Cooked Rice to serve

Marinate the chicken piece in the curry paste, for at least an hour

Then when ready 

Heat butter in a large pan, 

Over medium heat, add onion, season with salt and pepper and sauté till softened

Meanwhile in another pan over high heat

Add More butter and a tablespoon of Rice Bran oil

Brown chicken pieces

Don’t crowd the pan so you will need to cook in batches

You will also need to add more cooking fat as you go

Add to onion mix

Add another tablespoon of butter

Add garlic, ginger and chopped fresh tomatoes

Season with S & P

Saute till soft

Add to chicken and onion

 Add the Passata/Canned Tomatoes

Stir and bring to a simmer

Simmer gently, uncovered for about 20 minutes, till chicken is tender

Taste and adjust season if needed 

Just before serving add cream and chopped coriander

Serve over cooked rice 

With a leaf or two of coriander for presentation

It was suggested that you add 2 tablespoons Cashew Butter with the cream

I didn't have any but it sounds like a tasty idea

And as usual the youngest Members of the Family don't give a damn