Spicy Rice! With Chicken

 

This next dish will definitely keep you warm on a chilly fall day, especially since it's a tad spicy. Andrea Chesman, who wrote the cookbook 101 One Dish Dinners, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen, to talk about her ideas on Arroz con Pollo, which is Spanish for Rice with Chicken. Andrea told Tonia it's a comfortable meal that's not hard to make and includes onion, green pepper and skillet cooked rice.  Add that to peas, drained tomatoes, and three cloves of garlic. Cook everything together thoroughly, and it won't disappoint!  Andrea says it's a perfect fit for the fall, and might make you yearn for the warmer temperatures of Mexico!  Find her recipe by clicking on this link

Chinese Take Out That You Make Yourself

  

It's the classic Chinese Food Starch Staple, Fried Rice. Who doesn't love it? But you may not love the calories or MSG that sometimes come as a side to this delicious dish.  Enter Erica Schlick, she's the author of the new healthy food cookbook The Wandering Palette. Erica stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her version of fried rice, and what it doesn't and does not include. Erica told Tonia it starts with Pineapple. It's one of Erica's most favorite recipes and one she practically lived on while in Thailand. Erica says she really likes to keep everything fresh and simple to make, but there's a nutritious side of things here too, Erica says you might want to consider Cauliflower as the "rice" part of things.  Try it out and see!

Servings: 2
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15-20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lb. boneless chicken tenders, cut into small bite-sized cubes
4 carrots, peeled and chopped into small cubes
3 cups cauliflower rice
1/2 cup fresh pineapple, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons coconut milk
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon low sodium tamari or coconut aminos
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons unsalted cashews or peanuts
sesame seeds, for garnish
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon finely sliced chives

DIRECTIONS

1.    Heat a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the coconut oil and garlic, and cook, while stirring, until the garlic turns slightly brown and the aroma of the garlic comes out.  

2.     Add in the chicken and cook until just done. If needed, add some water if the skillet gets too dry. Add in the carrots and cook until they are halfway done. Add in the cauliflower rice and cook until the rice and carrots are tender-crisp. Stir in the pineapple and green peas. 

3.     Whisk the coconut milk with the fish sauce, tamari, sesame oil, onion powder, ground ginger and ground turmeric until smooth. Pour evenly over the cauliflower mixture.  

4.     Scramble the eggs in a small frying pan, stirring frequently to keep them curd-like. Once eggs are just cooked, mix them with the cauliflower mixture.

  5. Garnish the rice with the cashews or peanuts, sesame seeds, cilantro and chives. Serve in a bowl or in the traditional hollowed pineapple.

NOTE:  Pineapple fried rice is a savory and fruity combination, and is excellent served on its own or along with other Asian-inspired dishes. Cauliflower rice is a surprising low-carb replacement to regular rice, and makes this dish ideal for gluten-free and paleo diets.

The Best Wine for Lemograss Rice

 

Admittedly it's not the easiest task, pairing a fine wine with a fine Asian-inspired meal. But celebrity chef Ming Tsia joined Tonia's Kitchen with some thoughts on the matter. Ming told Tonia he's making Lemongrass Chicken Fried Rice these days, and that's a very spicy dish. To counter that, Ming says pair it with a Riesling or other mildly sweet wine. He says the small amount of sugar will tamp down on the spice of the Lemongrass and give a much finer flavor.

• 
  
• 8 ounces rice sticks
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs and other meat, cut into 1/3-inch-thick strips
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 4 lemongrass stalks, white parts only, minced
• 1 large red onion, sliced thinly
• 1 jalapeño, cut into thin rings
• 3 large eggs, beaten lightly
• 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices*
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Place the noodles in a medium-sized bowl and fill it with hot water to cover. Soak until pliable but not completely soft, 10-15 minutes.** Drain and set aside.

Season the chicken with salt and black pepper, to taste. Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil and swirl to coat the pan. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and stir-fry until brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

Return the wok to medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and swirl to coat. When the oil is hot, add the lemongrass, onion, and jalapeño. Stir-fry until the onion is soft, about 1 minute. Push the mixture to one side of the wok, drizzle in the remaining oil, and add the eggs. Stir-fry, breaking up the eggs, until cooked through, about 30 seconds. When the eggs are set, stir to incorporate the onion mixture.

Return the chicken to the pan, add the bell pepper, and stir. Add the fish sauce, lemon zest and juice, and noodles. Stir and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper, to taste, transfer to a serving platter or plates, and serve.

This Chicken's Peachy Keen!

And it's both sweet and spicy. Jessica Formicola, from Savory Experiments.com stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her Peach and Chicken Picante, served over rice. Jessica told Tonia it's really an all-in-one with protein, starch, and fruit...maybe even some onions to boot. Jessica says the flavors really sing here, and she adds it's really no more than 15-minute cook time. Peaches are one of Jessica's favorite foods, and she says next to eating one whole, this is her favorite way to peach! 

• 12 ounces yellow peaches in natural juices or lite syrup
• 3 chicken breasts boneless and skinless
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup roasted red peppers diced
• 1/2 cup Salsa
• 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
• 2 tablespoons cilantro roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
• 4 cups instant rice cooked
• Fine sea salt and ground pepper

• Drain peaches and reserve all liquid.
• Season chicken with fine sea salt and pepper. Heat extra virgin olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
• Add chicken, cooking until browned and cooked through. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
• In the same skillet add roasted red pepper and cook for 2 minutes. Add peach liquid (NOT PEACHES), salsa, frozen orange juice concentrate and crushed red pepper, if desired. Bring to a low simmer, approximately 3-4 minutes.
• Add peaches and cilantro, stirring to combine. Add chicken, toss to coat with sauce and continue to cook for 2 minutes.
• Serve chicken and sauce over rice. Enjoy!
• If you’ve tried this recipe, make sure to come back and let us know how it was!