Chicken Couscous Salad

I made this light couscous salad about a month ago, and I’m only just now getting the recipe up here.  Sorry about that.  With the end of the school year and my slow process of moving, adding recipes got put on the back burner.

It gets hot FAST in Mississippi, and some days the mere thought of cooking seems unbearable.  Especially when you’re AC is broken, which is exactly what happened the day I decided to make this couscous salad.  The less time I had to spend with the stove on the better, and I figured since I already had leftover chicken I could deal with the 5 minutes of stove time it takes to make couscous.

This is a fantastic summer meal, it makes for a great light dinner or easy lunch. I’d even take it as a dish to a potluck.  Make it vegetarian by omitting the chicken and maybe adding a few more vegetables (maybe artichokes? yummm), I think it would still be just as delicious.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 C chicken broth

1 C couscous (or 1 box of the prepackaged kind like Far East)

3/4 C olive oil

1/4 C lemon juice

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

1 cucumber, chopped

1/2 C sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 C kalamata olives, halved

1/2 C  feta cheese

Directions:

1. Prepare couscous according to package directions.  OR: Place olive oil and couscous in a medium pot, cook and stir until couscous is lightly colored.  Add broth, keep the burner on high until the water starts to bubble.  Turn the burner off and put a lid on the pot.  Allow couscous to set until all liquid has been absorbed (7-10 minute).

2. Meanwhile, make the dressing by combining the olive oil, lemon juice, and vinegar in a bowl and whisk until combined (to speed things up, you can always blend it in a food processor or blender). Stir in rosemary and season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Combine the chicken, cucumber, sun-dried tomatoes, and olives in a large bowl. Stir in the couscous and feta.  Toss the salad with half the dressing. Taste, and add more dressing as desired.

Chicken with Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic

I’m a big fan of balsamic vinegar.  I usually have a bottle tucked away in my cabinet and, frankly, I prefer it (with a little olive oil) on my salads rather than most dressings.  I’ve made this chicken a number of times, and it’s always a big hit.  After I made it for Adam, I think he put it in his own arsenal of recipes, an impressive achievement that puts it in the ranks of my favorite corn and crab cakes.  Since Katie’s a big mushroom fan, she really enjoyed this chicken when I made it tonight as well.

I like to serve this chicken with roasted potatoes (the sauce with the potatoes is a great combination) and a vegetable, like garlic carrots.

Ingredients (serves 3-4):

2 tbsp olive oil

2 chicken breasts, diced

salt and pepper to taste

3/4 lb mushrooms, sliced

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 c balsamic vinegar

1/4 c white wine

1/2 c chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp thyme

1 tbsp butter

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper, for about 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic and mushrooms.  Cook for another 5 minutes, then add vinegar, wine, broth, bay leaf, and thyme.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Uncover and continue simmering for 10 minutes.  Swirl in butter and discard bay leaf before serving.

Portobello Sandwiches with Basil Mayo

Last time I was in Cleveland (MS, sadly, not OH) I had to stop by the Kroger and I stumbled upon a jackpot: manager’s special on sliced portobello mushrooms.  Yum.  It made my day.  But then, Kroger tends to do that…it’s a fabulous grocery store, we really need one in Greenwood.  But, I digress.  I bought those mushrooms and I immediately knew I needed to make portobello sandwiches with them.  I order portobello sandwiches at restaurants all the time, and these turned out nearly as good as any you might buy somewhere else.  Katie loved them too.  They’re a quick, easy, and delicious use for whole or sliced portobellos, plus they’re great for our vegetarian friends.

Ingredients (serves 6):

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

6 portobello mushroom caps (or a bunch of sliced portobellos)

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil (or if you’re cheap like me and refuse to buy fresh herbs because you know you won’t be able to use them all…1 tbsp dried basil)

6  rolls, split, toasted

 

Directions:

1. Preheat an outdoor grill or George Foreman-type indoor grill.  Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl.

2. Arrange the portobello mushrooms gill-side up (obviously on their side if they’re slices) on large plate. Brush the mushrooms with some of the vinegar mixture, and allow to marinate for 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Place the marinated mushrooms on the preheated grill, gill-side down. Grill mushrooms until tender, brushing both sides of the mushrooms with the remaining marinade, about 4 minutes on each side.

4. Mix the mayonnaise, dijon mustard, lemon juice, and basil in a small bowl.  Spread rolls with the mayonnaise mixture. Divide the mushrooms between the rolls and serve with lettuce and tomato, etc (I’d suggest red onion as well, though I didn’t have any at the time).

Sorry theirs a bite taken out of the sandwich…I couldn’t resist trying it before I remembered to take the picture!

Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic Chicken

I LOVE balsamic vinegar.  It is so delicious.  I will take basically any excuse I can to cook with it.  So this is one of my favorite recipes.  The sauce reduces and becomes really concentrated and delicious; really flavorful.  I made this chicken when my best friend came to visit me over spring break (along with corn and crab cakes); he absolutely loved it.  I sent him the recipe and he has made this dish numerous times back home in Chicago when he’s had friends over for dinner.

I like to stretch my chicken breasts as far as they’ll go, so I like to cut up the chicken into bite sized pieces right away when I make this recipe.  Chicken breasts are so big nowadays, you really don’t need to eat an entire breast as a serving.  Feel free to make this recipe with whole breasts rather than cutting them up though if you prefer to have entire chicken breasts, just take them out of the pan after step 2 and keep them warm in a dish.  Also, if you have white wine, consider adding a splash of that to the sauce when you add the chicken broth and balsamic vinegar.  I haven’t had white wine on hand when I’ve made this recipe, but  the next time I do, I’m definitely adding it!  If you decrease the number of servings in this recipe, don’t decrease the sauce!  It’s sooo delicious, you’ll want as much as possible.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks

3/4 lb mushrooms, sliced

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 an onion (about 3/4 cup?)

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp thyme

1/2 Tbsp butter or margarine

 

Directions:

1. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat and saute chicken for about 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic, onion, and mushrooms.  Cook for about 5 minutes, then add vinegar, broth, bay leaf, and thyme.  Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

3. Continue simmering, uncovered, over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes.  Stir in butter and discard the bay leaf before serving.