Paleo Mexican Chicken Soup

I spent an amazing weekend wine tasting with my husband for our anniversary, and while you'll never get me to give up my vino, a weekend of sampling all that the great state of California's harvest had to offer left me feeling a little off kilter on this Monday.  This can usually be remedied with some detox recipes -  simple, whole foods that are easy on my post Sunday-funday stomach (this girl does not drink lemonade for 10 days, she gets way too hangry)

This chicken soup is just easy.  Easy to make, easy to eat, easy on the wallet, easy on the stomach.  It's simple enough to be comforting but also a little unique so it has some great flavor.

Easy Paleo Coconut Soup

I posted this picture on my instagram the other day, and I got a few requests to share the recipe.  I wish I could say this was culinary magic but it's really just my go-to when I want something healthy that's fast - and you can stock most of the ingredients in your pantry.

I make this soup ALL THE TIME.  It's a quick open/chop/simmer soup that you can make in about 20 minutes, that's spicy, creamy and satisfying.  It's also really easy to make modifications so feel free to use whatever veggies you have in your fridge.  

If you have an Asian market in your 'hood, please check it out.  You can get all of those great condiments and they usually have great quality fish.  Not to mention it's fun to roam the aisles and see all the weird 'food' items they tend to sell. Quick note about fish sauce - it smells terrible.  Why you ask would you use it in food? Well, it has this magical power to make food taste amazing and rich, even though you may want to gag while you're squirting it in the pot.  You're going to have to trust me on this one. 

Paleo Crunchy Almond Italian Chicken

I was inspired by a recipe in a magazine where they make a dish similar to this, and serve it with grilled whole hearts of romaine.  The presentation looks fantastic - but I made this on a busy weeknight and forgot to get romaine, and this was a post workout dinner so there's a sense of urgency that doesn't allow for a quick trip to the store. 

After the jump - the recipe...

Paleo Campfire Cookout

We like to camp, and recently headed down to San Onofre for an easy weekend of surfing, tent sleeping, and hanging with friends.  

There are some hard things about camping:

1) Getting a site.  These suckers in California get booked fast, so you're limited on the spontaneity.  And on a side note, there are 70+ CA state parks set for closure in 2012, so I can only imagine what a hot commodity some of these sites will be next year.

2) The cleanup.  You know when you get home and everything is covered in dirt, stale campfire smell and seawater?  There is no washer big enough....

3) Cooking.  Oh wait...this is the easy part!  Well maybe not as easy as sitting on the beach, but with a little prep, it can come close. And you don't have to be tied to hot dogs, and with some tools you can throw out those sticks (unless you're saving them for s'mores)

Marinate some chicken (I used bone in thighs) in olive oil, garlic, rosemary (or any herbs) , salt & pepper and place it in a large ziplock plastic bag. Place the bag in the freezer overnight, and pack in the bottom of your cooler the next day.  It will act as an icepack, and be thaw by the time you need it. 

Chop some veggies (I used bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash and cherry tomatoes), place them in a big plastic bag with a little salt & pepper.  

When you get your fire going, place the chicken in a flat grill basket - these are also good for grilling fish and shrimp - and put the veggies in another.  Have a beer and flip/toss as needed! 

Paleo Braised Chicken with Tomatoes & Spinach

This is a very rustic dish.  Simple, comforting, hearty...but not really much to look at.

4 large chicken breasts

3 tbs olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 green bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup sundried tomaotes

1 16oz can diced and fire roasted tomatoes (with liquid)

1/4 cup red wine

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

Heal olive oil in a large dutch oven, salt and pepper both sides of chicken and brown all sides.  Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 1 hour until chicken is cooked.

Paleo Lemon Rosemary Grilled Chicken

I have some lemons.  I mean, a LOT of lemons.  My parents live in Palm Desert and have some incredibly prolific citrus trees so they're always giving it away.  Don't get me wrong, I can handle my fair share of lemons, and here are some ideas if you find you have a plethora of these tart, oval fruits

1) Can we say cocktails?

2) Squeeze the juice into ice cube trays and freeze for later use

3) Keep wedges cut up in your fridge to throw in a glass of water -  instant spa water at home

4) Squeeze it in your hair, sit in the sun and grab some highlights

5) Clean your yoga mat

6) Make a big batch of salad dressing (2 parts oil to 1 part lemon juice + fresh herbs)

7) Put them down your disposal to make your kitchen smell fresh

9) Slice them up and use them in a floral arrangement

10) Make twists for your double espressos

11) Make this delicious lemon rosemary chicken on the grill

 

8 small chicken thighs

Zest from 1 lemon

Juice from 3 lemons

2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tbs fresh rosemary, chopped

1 tsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 c olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a large plastic bag and marinate your chicken in the fridge for a few hours (up to about 4 - any longer and the acid from the lemon juice will slowly start to cook your chicken).  Preheat your grill to medium and grill chicken about 12-15 minute on each side.

If you get inundated with amazing citrus like we do in Southern California, grilled lemons really add a lot of wow to your plate, they'll take about 10 minutes on medium heat.

Paleo Spicy Braised Chicken with Tomatoes & Zucchini

This dish has some kick! You can adjust the heat by the type/number of chilies you use, but in this house, we like spicy. You could also cook these in a crock pot - after you sear them, pop them in on low before you head to work. 

8 piece Kosher chicken

1 cup fresh chives

1 cup fresh Italian parsley

7-10 dried chilies

1 tsp salt

4 cloves garlic

2 tbs water

2 medium onions, chopped

1 medium zucchini, chopped

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup white wine

16 oz chicken broth

1 bay leaf

In a food processor, pulse chives, parsley, salt, chilies, garlic and water to make a paste.  Rinse and pat chicken dry and put in a large baking dish.  Pour paste over chicken and marinate in the fridge for 4-6 hours.  

Heat a couple tbs of oil in a dutch oven, wipe off any excess marinade and brown chicken in batches, transferring to a plate when both sides are done.  Add onions and zucchini and saute for a few minutes, then add tomatoes, wine, broth, and bay leaf,  scraping up any bits.  Bring to a boil and return chicken, dumping in any marinade and juices that accumulated on the plate.  Simmer for 30-40 minutes until chicken is cooked throughout.

Paleo Orange Harissa Chicken with Carrot Puree

Another Saveur recipe! This recipe had a TON of steps, and since I have no dishwasher, I usually try and consolidate as much as possible.  This spicy chicken makes for a bright dish, and if you have trouble finding dandelion greens, you can use spinach or another dark leafy green.

For the carrot puree:  Peel and cube 2 lbs of carrots and boil until soft, drain.  In a large saucepan saute 1 large diced onion and 1 tbs ghee until translucent, add carrots and cook about 4-5 minutes longer.  Puree in a food processor until smooth (add a little chicken broth if needed.)

For the chicken: drizzle 4 chicken breasts with olive oil, salt and pepper, and harissa*.  Heat up a large saucepan and sear both sides of chicken breast, reduce heat to low (add a little more olive oil) and cover.  Just before chicken is done, add 1 bunch of trimmed dandelion greens to wilt.

In a separate saucepan heat 1 cup of fresh squeezed OJ until reduced by half, then whisk in 1/2 tbs butter and segments from 1 orange. Drizzle over chicken and greens

*you can buy harissa, or here's the way to make it at home:

Soak 12-15 dried chilies in water for 30+ minutes, the  remove seeds/stems.  Blend with 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, 3 tbs olive oil, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground caraway seeds, 1 tsp cumin until it becomes a paste

Roast Chicken Part 2: Blood Orange Salad

It's been so nice, almost summer like, around here (queue hate mail from my East Coast friends) that I find myself craving summer fare.  This was no different....I had some leftovers from my Mexican Roasted Chicken, so I made a quick salad for dinner.  

In California we're blessed with prolific citrus crops in the winter (vitamin C for flu season) and I love experimenting with all the different species.  Blood oranges have an incredible color and flavor, and really make a statement in this easy salad. 

Fresh spring greens, blood orange sections, avocado, yellow cherry tomatoes, shredded chicken, cilantro - topped off with some fresh cracked pepper, slivered almonds, a drizzle of olive oil and a little blood orange juice. 

Easy Mexican Roasted Chicken

We love Mexican food - and I mean the good kind, if you think Taco Bell is Mexican and/or food you are sadly mistaken - but between the cheese, rice and beans it can be a minefield for a paleo eater.  This is a quick and easy Mexican roast chicken that you can eat with a little avocado and salsa verde, put on a salad, scramble with eggs and peppers, or throw in a chicken soup.

In my previous post I talked about the benefits of roasting whole chicken, so no need to remind you about my crush on Anthony Bourdain or how funny I think his description of trussing is.

Wash and dry your bird, salt and pepper the inside cavity.  Stuff with 1 onion, 1 lime and 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro.  Set in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil.  Dust the chicken with some paprika, chili powder, ground coriander and chopped cilantro.  Put a little water in the baking dish and about 1/2 tbs of butter.  Bake at 375 for 2 1/2 hours, turning and basting every time you remember.

Poulet Roti, Roast Chicken

My oven sucks. It's true, cooking times are always a bit vague in my kitchen anyways, and in the oven it's a total crap shoot. The chances of me getting a new oven are about as good as me getting a pony for Christmas (Dad, are you reading this?) since my landlord is quite the penny pincher, I'll just have go zen and carry on.  

Roast chicken is something anyone (top chef, wannabe, home cook, microwave extraordinaire et al) who ever sets foot in a kitchen should be able to do.  It's a very simple, low maintenance, cost effective, delicious way to feed yourself and your loved ones.  Heck, it's even great to feed those you can't stand.  It also has many uses - you not only get dinner for the night, but you can use leftovers for chicken salads the next day, or shredded in soup, and you can make stock with the carcass (I suppose I should talk about that in another post).  I like the poulet roti recipe from the Les Halles cookbook, partly because I laugh every time I read it, but also, it lends itself to be sophisticated and simple at the same time.

Wash and dry your chicken - including the cavity - trim off any excess fat and truss that baby up. (This might be the BEST part of Anthony Bourdain's commentary, which includes a Betty Page reference and involves you getting down on the floor, I kid you not). Stuff 1/2 an onion, 1/2 a lemon, salt & pepper and whatever fresh herbs you have on hand inside the bird.  Lay the giblets down with the other 1/2 the onion in your roasting pan (think of this as your flavor 'rack') with a heavy pour of white wine.   Slip a couple pads of butter between the breasts and the skin, but take care not to tear the skin.  Rub the outside of your bird with olive oil, a little melted butter and chop up some of those herbs.  Roast for 30 minutes at 375, then an additional 25 minutes at 450.  You can baste if you like...and if your oven is anything like mine, add 15 minutes and 10 minutes to your cooking time, and rotate that chicken every time you remember.