Greek Chicken, Artichokes, and Brown Rice, from AMA's Family Health Cookbook

Serving Size: 4 servings

Serve with: Greek salad of greens, tomatoes, red onion and feta cheese

Ingredients

1. 2 teaspoons olive oil, preferably extra virgin
2. 3/4 pound skinless boneless chicken breast meat, cut in thin strips
3. 1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus 1/2 teaspoon
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
5. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus additional to taste
6. 1 medium red onion, sliced
7. 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
8. 2 1/2 cups defatted lower-sodium chicken broth
9. 2 1/2 cups raw quick-cooking brown rice [or, one can cook the brown rice separately and use less chicken broth]
   
10. 1 jar (6 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, reserving liquid
11. 1/2 cup chopped parsley, preferably flat leaf
12. 4 thin lemon slices for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a very large, preferably nonstick skillet with a lid or in a Dutch oven. Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon of the oregano and the salt and pepper. Sauté the chicken, along with the onion, over medium-high heat until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the broth and rice and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, according to the package directions, 5 to 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed the liquid.
2. Drain the artichoke hearts, reserving 2 tablespoons of the marinade. Stir the artichokes and the reserved marinade into the chicken and rice, add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of oregano, and cook over medium heat until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Take and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.
3. Sprinkle with the parsley and garnish with the lemon slices before serving.

Comments

1. Go heavy on the artichokes for flavor
   

Chicken Vindaloo, from AMA's Family Health Cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon cumin seed
• 1 tablespoon coriander seed
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 6 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 6 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 canned chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper to taste
• 1 and 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound red potatoes, cut into 3/4 inch chunks
• 1 large onion, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• 1 and 1/2 cups defatted lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce
• 5 cups cooked basmati or brown rice

Directions

1. Toss the cumin and coriander seeds and the chili powder in a small skillet set over medium heat until they darken a shade, 1 to 2 minutes. Immediately scrape the mixture from the skillet and let it cool. Then grind it in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
2. In a blender, puree the spices with the vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, chipotle pepper, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and cayenne [note: at this point, this mixture will smell/taste like spicy ass-fire-sauce]. Place the chicken in a shallow dish. Pour the puree over the chicken, coating it completely. Cover and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 6 hours.
3. Remove the chicken from the marinade, scraping any excess marinade back into the dish. Reserve the marinade. In a Dutch oven, heat the oil and cook the chicken, potatoes, onion, and bell pepper over medium heat, stirring often, just until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the broth, tomato sauce, and any reserved marinade.
4. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are very tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve the vindaloo spooned over the rice. Naan also helps.
   

Mom's Cream/Mushroom Chicken and Rice

Ingredients

• white rice
• Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup
• chicken breasts (bone in)
• paprika

Instructions

1. Spray some cooking oil on the bottom of a glass pan (13 x 9 inches). OR rub some vegetable oil on the bottom (just a little).
2. open 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and mix with quantity of three cans of water. Mix with a fork.
3. Add quantity of one can of rice (you are effectively using the can as a measuring cup). Stir the rice into the mushroom/water mix.
4. Place chicken on top. Add salt & pepper (paprika is highly recommended!). Cover with aluminum foil which will keep chicken moist.
5. Bake the whole thing for 1 and 1/2 hour or less at 350 degrees.
6. Uncover the chicken the last 1/2 hour to have the chicken skin bake nicely.

Remember to wash your hands after handling raw chicken!