As we get deeper into Meat/Un-Meat Month, we're going to devote some time to poultry tips and recipes. But in our opinion, you can never have enough ideas for chicken. It's affordable and adaptable to so many different flavors; we're always looking for new recipes.
This time of year, it's especially refreshing to pair chicken with citrus- lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines. You name it, chicken goes well with it. We rounded up five recipes, from a super easy grilling recipe, if you happen to live in a balmy climate, to chicken that's smoked over tea leaves.
Of course, we also need to mention some of our favorites from our recipe archives, like Slow-Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken and Lemon Chicken Ballotine with Ricotta and Fennel Confit.
But here are some new recipes that sound good to us. Maybe you'll find one that inspires you this weekend.
• Chicken with Green Olives, Orange, and Sherry, from Bon Appétit. The combination of oranges and green olives is one of our favorites, and there's a touch of honey in the sauce.
• French Chicken Breast with Orange Tarragon Sauce, from Food Network. Incredibly easy- just sear the chicken, bake it, and make a quick pan sauce. The recipe doesn't specify fresh OJ, but that's certainly doable.
• Tuscan Lemon Chicken, from Ina Garten. A simple grilled chicken with lemon and rosemary for those of you who can grill in March.
• Sweet and Sour Tangerine Chicken Stir-Fry, from Bon Appétit. Fresh tangerine juice, ginger, cayenne pepper, rice vinegar, soy sauce... all sounds good.
• Green-Tea-and-Orange Smoked Chicken, from Cooking Light. Another one with Asian flavors. Chicken breasts are marinated in a very intriguing green tea sauce, then steamed over a pan filled with orange rinds, tea, and sugar.
Related: Lemon Roasted Chicken: Lemon Inside or Out?
(Image: Scott Peterson for Bon Appétit)
Along the lines of the Bon Appetit recipe, we have a dish in my family that we always called Israeli Chicken with orange juice, olive and caramelized onions. We serve it over couscous. Quite good.
view s and the r's profile
tangy and spicy I love this roast chicken! http://lekkertje.blogspot.com/2008/08/bored-with-chicken.html
view mangolisa's profile
That chicken in the top picture is seriously delicious looking!
And, I think you and I must be on the same wavelength today. I posted my fav late winter salad dressing and lettuce combo. I think it might go well with a couple of the chicken dishes you posted above!
http://danamccauley.wordpress.com/2009/03/06/lemony-dill-dressed-late-winter-salad/
view Dana McCauley's profile
Last night was chicken thighs with apple/onion sauce, a touch of Clear Creek Apple Brandy too. My man made it up as he went - very nice with rice and mixed vegetables.
view ts's profile
All of those sound great! I really love citrus and chicken together.
Recently I made this one and is was so packed with flavor and really moist.
http://good-life-eats.blogspot.com/2009/01/flavor-check-tenderness-check.html
view goodLife{eats}'s profile
I made this yesterday, with more leeks and sauce:
http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2008/03/chickeninriesling
The recipe really depends on the Riesling you choose -- a good, full-bodied fruity one is best.
As well, I find the cooking time is not long enough -- as least not for the French chickens we use, which are meaty free-range birds (not the watery, somewhat slimy birds we are used to in North America -- no juices leek from these chickens into the butcher paper!!).
And as for chicken being "affordable", well, again, not in Europe! A small Swiss chicken runs about $28, and the larger Poulet de Bresse (yeah, the Kobe Beef equivalent of chicken, but still...) cost $60. Yeah, we pay $60 for a chicken. It's cheaper from the farmer who comes to the market on Saturdays, but he hasn't been for several weeks (must be his winter holidays!), and he sells out quickly!
view mschatelaine's profile
Oh! One last thing --
does anyone have a clue where to get the gorgeous turquoise plates featured in that Gourmet spread I linked to above?? Would love to find that potter!!
view mschatelaine's profile
I'm dubious about the claim that chicken is "affordable". Chicken *shouldn't* be any cheaper than other meats unless you're buying the cheapest battery-farm-raised things. Aside from concerns you may have about animal-welfare, that type of chicken is neither particularly delicious NOR healthy for you. They've been bred to mature quickly and have large breasts. Incidentally, they are extremely unhealthy, have higher fat and bad cholesterol content and not as many nutrients due to a feed diet.
You should check out what's been going on in the UK with a lot of big-name chefs (Jamie Oliver, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall) pushing for people to eat meat a little more responsibly and deliciously. It was fascinating to learn that this cheap chicken is much less nutritious, so aside from any monetary reasons, it's worth saving up for that free-range bird.
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