Baked Coconut Chicken with Apricot Dipping Sauce

This week, I'm relishing a vacation with my husband.  We're not traveling far. In fact, we're enjoying the sights (and restaurants) in our own backyard.   When I'm "Stay-cationing", Craig and I will dine out more often than usual. We prefer a having a leisurely lunch in places like Big Sur, Carmel Valley or Pebble Beach.  We'll make a pit stop, or two, that are errand driven.

Yesterday, we had a busy day, and I was happy to arrive home by late afternoon so that I could catch up on reading magazines and new cookbooks.  Before I knew it, my stomach was telling me that it was 6:00 and I needed to think about making something for dinner.

 

I had some chicken breasts in the fridge, so I looked for inspiration on  Pinterest!   If you haven't come aboard on the Pinterest craze, be warned that it's an addicting website.  I have discovered all kinds of new blogs, and it's fun to see what my other blogger friends are pinning.  Thanks to my blogger friend Cathy, at Wives With Knives, she had pinned a recipe for Coconut Chicken (from Pennies on a Platter)  that looked easy and appetizing.

The recipe had simple ingredients, that I had on hand--  my chicken breasts were quite plump and large.  So I cut them in half, because I didn't want to wait 30-40 minutes for the chicken to be ready. NOTE: You could easily cut the chicken into bite-size bits, as appetizers

I had a bag (of rather outdated, to be honest) sweetened coconut, flour, salt & pepper and garlic powder.

I had one last jar of my homemade apricot-pineapple jam.  The recipe listed apricot jam, but my absolute favorite jam is apricot-pineapple.  I must make more, this summer.  Anyway,  I added two tablespoons of Dijon mustard, to 1/4 cup of jam.  I felt that was just a little too much Dijon for my liking as it overpowered the delicious flavor of the jam.  I simply added another 1/4 cup of jam, and all was good.  To be honest, I think just pure jam would have been just fine-- more on that later. I set it in the fridge to chill.

Preheat the oven to 400F.  

I beat two eggs (the recipe called for one, but I didn't want to run out) and then dip the chicken into the dry ingredients.

Coat each piece of chicken, and gently press the coconut mixture.

Place the chicken on either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  

The instructions said to melt 1/2 cup of unsalted butter.  Necessity is the other of invention, because to my horror, I realized I was almost out of butter!  I melted my last 1/4 cup of unsalted butter and added 1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil.  (I think that could be reduced.)

Then drizzle over each piece of chicken..

Done!

A little messy, but it's ready to go into the oven.  I set the timer for 15 minutes.

...then flipped them over.

They were lightly golden.  Can I leave well enough alone? No! 

I wanted extra-crunch, so I turned on the broiler and placed the rack on the highest position. Coconut can burn fast, so I watched the chicken closely-- after 2 minutes, I flipped them over.

I present to you extra-crispy coconut chicken.  In less than 45 minutes from start to finish-- including photographing, and wiping off flour and egg from my camera.

 This is family friendly.  Kids would love it, too.

TASTING NOTES:  I dedicate this recipe to my BFF of 35 years.  Patty loves coconut, and I am absolutely sure that she would love this dinner.  This dinner is really fast and easy to make. I loved the crunchy texture of the coconut.  The apricot-pineapple jam was perfect with each bite. Craig loved it, too.  For a moment, I thought that shrimp would be a great substitute, but I'd be afraid of overcooking it. There's nothing worse than rubbery over-cooked shrimp.  I'll stick to chicken, and I will definitely make this again.  Make this. Seriously. It's lip-smacking good with plain white or coconut rice.

Thanks "Pennies on a Platter" for sharing this recipe.  I love Nikki's blog, with her beautiful photographs and mouth-watering recipes. Had it not been for Pinterest, I might not have found her.

A printable recipe card is at the very end of this post.  If you can't view it (on Internet Explorer), click here to be directed to Key Ingredient. 

Enjoy!
 

Tequila and Lime Turkey Chili - Slow Cooker Style

I remember when crock pots first became the rage. Some of you might not have been born yet, but I was a young bride who had a very limited repertoire of recipes to make.  At that time, it seemed so cool that I could throw in some chicken and a can of soup and come home to dinner.   Several years ago, I upgraded my crock pot to a programmable slow cooker with a removable ceramic insert.  I like the oval shape and size, so that I can cook larger cuts of meats.  However, my slow cooker spends a lot of time, sitting on my garage "kitchen gadget" shelf.   My reasoning was that I don't have time to prepare a slow cooker meal in the morning, before work.

Then, I had an "aha" moment, that I should prepare the meals the night before, then turn on the crockpot before leaving for work. D'oh!  So, I bought America's Test Kitchen Slow Cooker Revolution Cookbook... and the book ended up sitting on my bookshelf for a few weeks.   I finally made time to read the cookbook, and I have to say that it's well worth the investment. There is a lot of updated information on how to choose a slowcooker, and a lot of valuable tips from America's Test Kitchen.  The first recipe I made, and posted, was Easy Barbequed Ribs, and those turned out to be easy to prepare and very tasty.

I decided to try the Tequila and Lime Turkey Chili.  To be honest, I've made chicken chili, and turkey chili before. I found them to be lackluster in flavor.  However, the fine folks at America's Test Kitchen promised that they had a few tricks up their sleeves that would yield a moist and flavorful turkey chili.  As luck would have it, I had all of the ingredients on hand.  So, the night before, I prepared the chili.  The first step is to make a "panade" of white bread soaked in milk.  This prevents the lean turkey meat from becoming dry. I needed fresh oregano and garlic cloves.

The spices I needed were chili powder and cumin.  A skillet is heated with some vegetable oil over medium-high heat, until shimmering.

Next, I add onions, chili powder, tomato paste, garlic, cumin, oregano and red pepper flakes and cook until vegetables are softened and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes.


 

Stir in turkey mixture and cook, breaking up any large pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, scraping up any browned bits; transfer to slow cooker.

Next, I add a can of diced tomatoes, pinto beans...

 ...3 tablespoons tequila, soy sauce, honey, and chipotles* into the slow cooker.  At this point, I put the slow cooker (good thing I have a removable insert) into the refrigerator until 6am.   *Chipotles in adobo sauce are pretty easy to find-- usually in the International Aisle.  They come in a can, and I use about half of what a recipe calls for . Chipotles are smoked jalapenos, and they can pack some heat!  I freeze the remaining chipotles, and simply chop what I need-- it quickly thaws when I add it to a hot recipe. Easy!

At that point, I sleepily plug in the slow cooker, and nestle the insert into it's cozy spot.  I turn it on, at low, for the six hour setting (my slow cooker has a Keep Warm cycle), place the cover on and dinner will be ready when I arrive home.

 I have to admit that this recipe is a little fussier than adding a can of this and a can of that.  However, it is nice to walk into my house and to be greeted by the aroma of something savory.  The final steps are to skim off the fat from the surface with a wide spoon. However, I didn't find that much fat at all!  Next, I add a little honey, a little more tequila, fresh lime zest and lime juice.

Dinner is ready, along with a fresh salad and either corn bread or flour tortillas.

I decided to garnish the turkey chili with avocado and sour cream.

TASTING NOTES:  I decreased the chipotle from 1 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon (I'm whimpy about heat).  The chili has a tangy flavor from the tomatoes, with light notes of citrus from the lime zest and juice.  This is very different than a traditional beef-style chili, but it's a nice change.  It tastes "healthy". I don't know what to say if you have children to feed-- there isn't a lot of tequila, but I'm not going to risk Child Protective Services from paying you a visit.  If you leave out the tequila, I'm sure that the chili will taste fine-- or, you could skip adding more tequila before serving. The first two tablespoons, added at the beginning, would have long cooked out any alcohol. Your choice.
NOTE:  If you don't own a slow cooker, you could simply simmer this chili on low heat for a couple of hours. I'm sure it will be delicious.

This made a lot of chili for the three of us, so I froze half of it for one of those work nights when I am too tired to cook. That's when I'm glad that the microwave was invented!

A printable recipe card is at the bottom of this post.

 

Weeknight Roast Chicken With Lemon-Tarragon Pan Sauce

Oh, hi!  It's Friday. Amen.  It's been a wild week at work, and I haven't been able to post recipes for over a week. I've missed y'all!

It didn't help that I popped a rib, last weekend.  I won't get into the sordid details as to how it happened.   Let's just say that I slept about two hours, total, last Sunday night.   I was in so much pain, that I couldn't wait for the sun to come up so I could show up at my chiropractor.  After some painful deep massage , I could hear a "pop" as my rib went back into place.  Instant relief.

The rest of my work week kept me pretty busy, since I'm taking a few night classes.  This dinner turned out to be the perfect antidote, after a night or two of grabbing dinner on-the-run.  I wanted home-cooking.  Whole Foods had a special on whole chickens, so this 3-1/2 pound bird cost less than $5.00. Score!

I don't roast a whole chicken very often.  I'm not sure why, but it's most likely that I find them to be a little" Dullsville".   A week ago, I had recorded an episode of America's Test Kitchen, Season 2012.  Craig watched the episode, with me.  According to "ATK', this recipe promised to deliver flavorful and moist chicken-- without brining-- in under an hour.  Really? I'm listening.  That's when Craig told me that he looooves roast chicken.  Who knew?

The first step is to preheat a skillet in a 450 degree oven.  According to ATK, "preheating the pan and placing the chicken breast side up gave the thighs a jump start on cooking."  To prep the chicken, all I had to do was to tie the legs, slather the bird with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  I then transferred the  chicken, breast side up, to the preheated skillet in oven. I roasted the chicken until the breasts registered 120 degrees and thighs registered 135 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes.

Here's the twist--Turn off oven and leave chicken in oven until breasts register 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes. This technique was to prevent the evaporation of juices, ensuring moist meat.

While the chicken was roasting, I prepped the ingredients for the pan sauce. Shallots are a staple in my fridge.  They're much milder tasting than onions, and I use them often.  I love tarragon, and we grow it in our herb garden. Parsley would make a fine substitute.

The chicken is cooked to the perfect temperature, so I set it on a carving board and lightly covered it with foil.

There wasn't that much fat in the skillet, but just enough, so I added the shallots and cooked them until softened (about 2 minutes). Next, I stirred in the broth and mustard, scraping skillet bottom with wooden spoon to loosen fond. I simmered the sauce until it reduced to ¾ cup, about 3 minutes.

I turned off the heat, then added the lemon juice, butter and tarragon...

...and gave it a good whisk.

Last, a little pepper to taste... then covered, and kept warm.

We finally got the hang of learning how to carve a whole chicken (which could be part of the reason I rarely roast a whole chicken), by pulling out the leg...

...then learning how to cut the leg away, at the joint. Easy!

I served this with roasted asparagus and mashed potatoes.

I shot these photos in very dim light, but I hope you can see how moist the chicken was. It was juicy!

TASTING NOTES:  As promised, the dinner was ready in an hour.  The chicken was very moist. I loved the pan sauce, but how can one go wrong with lemon and tarragon?    I loved this meal. I loved the simplicity in preparing it, and the sauce was excellent.  The beauty of roasting a whole chicken is that it is cheaper than paying for cut-up chicken-- plus, the carcass became chicken stock, the next day. Double bonus!   America's Test Kitchen does it again-- another keeper recipe.

I have several recipes to share, but tomorrow I'm taking an all-day class.  That means, I'm headed to bed early for a Friday night.  My R&R won't begin until Super Bowl Sunday.  All my plans to make lots of finger foods and a spread of munchies, while my men watched the game,  will have to wait until next year.  Being a Northern California gal, the "9-ers" aren't playing, but it was a close and exciting playoff!  So, I'll make a pot of my famous Chili Con Carne (I have never blogged that recipe), kick up my feet and cuddle with my husband (hoping I won't fall asleep).  I've been very scarce at home, and we need "we time".  Hopefully, I can work on more recipes to share with you-- especially a cake that I baked last week that rocked my world!  Soon... I promise!

A printable recipe card is at the end of this post. 

Duck Breasts with Citrus Port Cherry Sauce-- Ooh-la-la!

Whenever I go to a "nice" restaurant, and I see "duck" on the menu, I get really excited.  The price, however, can make me think twice about ordering it.  But if the chef prepared the duck with a cherry sauce, then it's a done deal.   I love it.

Recently, when we were in San Francisco's Chinatown. I got a little freaked out at the how their whole duck was displayed.  Suffice it to say, that I don't want my dinner to to be served in a state where I can see the entire bird-- neck, beak and all.   That's enough to make me convert to being a vegetarian. Sort of. It was so unsettling, that I played it safe and ordered sesame chicken. 'Nuff said.   My favorite part of poultry is the breast meat. 

It seems that my son has inherited my love of duck.  He's been asking me to make duck at home, but I've stalled out for the longest time.  You see, I've never made duck before.  There's a perfectly good reason why-- I was too chicken to make duck.  Pardon the pun.

It's not like one can easily find fresh "duck" in the fresh aisle of your grocery market.  The frozen duck breasts I've found have a salt solution, or have been pre-seasoned. I don't want that.  Luckily, Whole Foods carries fresh duck around the holidays.  It was time to seize the opportunity and to make the duck dinner my son had been requesting.

I think my fear of cooking duck is that I don't want to ruin a pricey piece of meat.  I did a little research, to give me wisdom and confidence,  and then told my son that his wish was finally my command.

If you've never made duck breast, it's important to score breast skin with a very sharp knife.

Just be sure that you don't cut through to the meat.  Done.

One of my favorite cooking methods is "searing".  I love a crusty exterior, and all those lovely brown bits makes such a beautiful pan sauce.   I knew I wanted to make a cherry pan sauce.  Then again, I think orange goes really well with duck. So, why not do both?

Instead of using fresh cherries (which are out of season), I used a jar of sour cherry preserves, an orange and Ruby Port Wine.

The duck breasts are free of any moisture, has been at room temperature for about 30 minutes, and the pan is screaming hot.  There isn't any oil for a very good reason-- the duck is going to render a lot of fat!  Here we go! It's sizzling....

The breasts are seared, skin side down, for about 10 minutes...

This is how I like the skin-- crispy and golden.  See all the fat?

Turn the duck breasts over and cook for about 3 more minutes. Remove them, cover loosely with foil and pour out the rendered duck fat. Don't throw it out! I saved mine in a glass jar, because duck fat and potatoes = yum!  Now, for the pan sauce...

I started with chopped shallots, sauteed until translucent. Next, the port and orange juice is added, while scraping off all the flavorful brown stuff.

Last, I added the zest of the orange...

Now, comes the preserves, and then the sauce is reduced at a boil, until it reduces and starts to thicken.

I don't always do this, but since this is a special dinner, I turn off the heat and add a couple pats of unsalted butter. Whisk it in, and the sauce takes on a silky texture with a rich flavor.

Since this dinner was in the "fancy" category, I decided to make Gruyere Au Gratin Potatoes. 

I like my duck to be medium-rare (130F).  As I sliced into the duck breast, I said a little prayer that I didn't overcook the duck.  Amen.  The meat turned out super moist and juicy-- and the color was perfect.

Taking photos proved to be a challenge.  When you have two hungry men (and a cook), anxious to dig in, I had to work really fast to get my shot and get on to dinner!

My son works at a restaurant. He had to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (double-shift lunch and dinner).  This was mom's way of making up for the holiday dinners, with his family, that he missed out on.   So, he got served first...

Sides dishes were roasted asparagus and Yukon Gold Potatoes Au Gratin.

My son, skillfully uncorked a bottle of La Crema Pinot Noir.

TASTING NOTES:  First, I have to ask myself what took me so long to make duck! It's not hard to do, at all. In fact, this dinner took less than an hour to put together, and that includes photographing each step.  I adapted this recipe from Food Network (here) and I'm glad that I did not bake the breasts (per the original recipe).  Had I done so, I think the duck would have been overcooked.  It was perfect.  The sauce was delicious.  According to my son, he said this dinner was worthy to be served at his restaurant (which is a "nice" one in Carmel).  To a mom, that is the ultimate compliment.   I only wish I had bought more than two duck breasts (I was being cheap careful.)   I could see my son eyeing my serving. SIGH.  (Yes, I gave him more.)

As for the potatoes-- my two men loved them.  I'll share that next.

A printable recipe card is at the end of this post.