Quick and Easy Chicken Pot Pie

As much as I enjoy making my own stock, pie crusts from scratch and fresh farmers market veggies, there are times when I just don't have the time...or motivation, or time or desire or time to make a pot pie from scratch! This is especially true in the heat of the summer. 

So when my daughter asked for chicken pot pie for dinner, I wanted to say no, how about ... pretty much anything else. Instead, I went the quick and easy route - store bought rotisserie chicken, store bought pie crust, some fresh and some frozen veggies, and even gravy from a package. I know, some of you stopped reading at "store bought" but for the rest of you who don't mind the easy way out on occasion (and seriously, who hasn't earned an easy night now and then), you'll love how this pot pie reminds you of the ones your mom made when you were a kid (or the frozen ones she threw in the oven). They don't call it comfort food for nothin'.

Ingredients

1 rotisserie chicken (3-4 c chicken)
1 tbsp butter
2 packs instant gravy powder (or 2 cups gravy)
2 c water
2 c chicken stock
2 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 tbsp tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 c grated cheese
1 c frozen corn
1 c frozen peas
1  double pie crust, store bought

Directions

1. Pull apart chicken into small chunks.
2. Set aside.
3. Melt butter in large sauté pan over medium high heat.
4. Add onions and stir . Cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add garlic. Stir for one minute.
6. Add spices. Stir for another minute.
7. Add tomato paste. Stir for 1 minute.
8. In large bowl or 4 cup measuring cup, whisk together gravy powder, water and stock.
9. Add to sauté pan.
10. Add chicken. Stir.
11. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5-10 minutes until mixture starts to thicken.
12. Remove from heat,
13. Add cheese.
14. Stir.
15. Add peas and corn. Stir.
16. Let sit while you roll out pie crusts.
17. Line 9 inch pie plate with bottom pie crust.
18. Pour in chicken mixture.
19. Quickly top with remaining pie crust.
20. Cut in vent holes in the top crust.
21. You may want to wrap a bit of foil around the edges to prevent over browning (but take it off after the first 20 minutes of baking).
22. Place in oven for approximately 40-45 minutes until golden brown.

Cookbook Review - Anupy Singla's Indian for Everyone

We loved this North Indian Chicken  Curry!
As you can see we added brown rice, broccoli and salad of onion, tomato and cucumber.

Indian for Everyone!

Do you love going out for Indian food? Would you love to make it at home but are intimidated by the thought of it? Then you should purchase a copy of Anupy Singla's new cookbook out called Indian for Everyone: The Homecook's Guide to Traditional Favorites. 

It's aimed at people just like you, who love cooking, love Indian food and flavors but are not sure where to start when it comes to making it at home. Like her previous books, it is full of easy to follow recipes but even more importantly pages are filled with easy to read information about Indian spices, friendly descriptions of her own experiences and her family's thoughts about her dishes.

If you live in a big city or have a large Indian community, like Vancouver, you will have no problem finding all of the spices you need for these recipes but I think readers in smaller cities and towns may have a harder time finding them. The search is worth it though. I will soon be making my own big batches of garam masala and other spices blends Anupy shares with us in her book.

Want to meet Anupy?

If you are lucky enough to live in or near Vancouver on November 16th you can meet Anupy as she discusses her new book and demonstrates one of her new recipes from Indian for Everyone at Barbara Jo's Books to Cooks. You will even receive an autographed copy of the book (which would make a fantastic Christmas present!).

Trying the Recipes

The kids and I spent a fun morning shopping for the ingredients we needed to make North Indian Chicken Curry - a thick and earthy yogurt based curry dish. The kids loved learning about the spices, smelling them and creating this dish with me. It was also easy - make the marinade, throw in the chicken the night before and the rest comes together in little time or fuss at dinner time..

I have to say that I've tried three recipes so far and all are quite spicy (and I love spicy)! We now cut out any serrano peppers that are listed and often cut the powdered chilis to just a 1/2 tsp or less....this way the kids will enjoy these great recipes and your guests won't be sweating by the end of the meal!

North Indian Chicken Curry

Tools: You’ll need a food processor; a large and a small mixing bowl; a whisk; a fork; a heavy-bottomed, 6-quart / 6-L sauté pan with a lid; tongs; and a large plate.

Yield: 8–10 servings

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow or red onion, roughly chopped

1 (4-inch / 10-cm) piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

10 cloves garlic, peeled

2 cups / 470 mL plain, unsweetened yogurt (whole, lowfat, or nonfat)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon plus

1 pinch salt, divided

1 tablespoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon Garam Masala

1 tablespoon red chile powder or cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons ground coriander

2 teaspoons roasted cumin, ground

1/3 cup / 10 g kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves), lightly hand crushed to release flavor

4 pounds / 1.81 g skinless whole bone-in chicken, cut into 8–10 pieces (including cutting each breast in ½), or 2 pounds / 910 g boneless chicken

6 tablespoons / 90 mL ghee or vegetable oil, divided

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 (3-inch / 8-cm) sticks cinnamon

5 whole cloves

5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed

2 black cardamom pods

1 large yellow or red onion, thinly sliced

3 large tomatoes, diced

2–4 fresh Thai, serrano, or cayenne chiles, stems removed and thinly sliced

2 heaping tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Brown or white basmati rice, Roti, or Naan for serving

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, grind the chopped onion, the ginger, and the garlic into a smooth paste. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the yogurt, the 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of the salt, the turmeric, the Garam Masala, the red chile powder, the coriander, the cumin, and the kasoori methi. Whisk until well blended. Kasoori methi can be found in Indian grocery stores. Omit if you cannot find it. Do not use fresh leaves or fenugreek seeds, as they will alter the taste.
2. Prepare the chicken by poking holes in it with a fork to help it absorb the yogurt marinade. Carefully add the pieces of chicken to the large mixing bowl and gently stir until all the pieces are evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight.
3. In a heavy-bottomed, 6-quart / 6-L sauté pan over medium–high heat, warm 3 tablespoons / 45 mL of the ghee. Using tongs, carefully transfer the pieces of chicken to the sauté pan, reserving the marinade for later use. Cook, turning once to ensure even cooking, for a total of 4 minutes. Transfer to a large plate, and transfer the remaining liquid in the pan to a small mixing bowl for later use.
4. Return the sauté pan to medium–high heat and warm the remaining 3 tablespoons / 45 mL of ghee. Add the cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves, and green and black cardamom and cook for 2 minutes. Add the sliced onion and the remaining pinch of salt and cook, stirring constantly and scraping the pan to prevent burning, for 3 minutes, until the onion is slightly browned.
5. Add the tomatoes to the sauté pan and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally (breaking down the tomatoes with the back of the spoon), for 11 minutes, until they are fairly smooth. Add the reserved marinade and cooking liquid from Step 3 and the fresh chiles to the sauté pan and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Reduce the heat to medium–low and slowly, carefully return the chicken to the sauté pan. Partially cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking, for 35 to 40 minutes (20 minutes if using boneless chicken), until the chicken is cooked through. Be sure not to overcook the chicken. Remove from the heat.
7. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with the cilantro and serve with the brown or white basmati rice, Roti, or Naan.

Reprinted with permission from Indian for Everyone by Anupy Singla, Agate Surrey, October 2014.

Please note: I received a review copy of this book but opinions, as always, are my own.

Indonesian Blackout Chicken

During a wind storm a couple of months ago, we were sitting in the living room enjoying a little peace while the kids were playing quietly upstairs (i.e. they weren't fighting, bickering or asking us for things). Suddenly, outside our window, sparks were flying, loud "pops" were sounding and then nothing but darkness. The kids came running downstairs asking why fireworks were going off down the street. Turns out a very large and very old tree couldn't stand up to the strong winds and decided to go out with a bang - it fell across a street, taking a power pole with it and crushing a car for good measure. Thankfully, even though it's a busy corner, no one was hurt. Power, however, would be out for the night and the next morning.

Luckily, we had planned to BBQ our dinner. I know you're thinking "why would you plan on grilling in a wind and rain storm?" We BBQ all year round and, yes, in any weather (and by we, I mean my husband). This recipe was adapted from Saveur. The original recipe makes skewers but we bypass that and use whole thighs and cut up breasts.

That night, thanks to the power outage, we had a fun dinner by candle light and we dubbed the dish "Blackout Chicken." The kids LOVE this chicken because it's full of flavour but not spicy. In fact, it's now in our regular rotation.

Serves 6.

Ingredients

1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp tumeric
2 tsp salt
2 stalks lemon grass, chopped
1 head garlic, separated and peeled (at least 5 cloves)
6 mediums shallots
2 larges pieces if ginger (about 8-10 inches in total), cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 tbsp ground fennel or 2- 3 tbsp fresh fennel
1 tsp ground curry

5-6 lbs chicken thighs or breasts or combo.

Instructions

1. Blend everything except chicken in a food processor until a thick but relatively smooth paste is formed.
2. If using breast, cut them in half or about the same size as a medium thigh. Using a smooth sided mallet or cast iron pan flatten the chicken pieces so they are all the same approximate thickness. This will help the chicken cook at the same rate.
3. Place the chicken in a bowl or ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken. Massage the marinade into the chicken so every nook and crevice gets its fair share.
4. Seal or cover the chicken and marinade for 2-6 hours.
5. Heat your grill to medium-high. Once hot, place chicken and cook for 5-9 minutes per side until chicken reaches 165 degrees F and juices run clear and bits of the chicken are charred).
6. Place on serving dish and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve with rice and your favorite vegetables.

Freezer Meal - Chicken and Black Bean Burritos

"Mom, what's for breakfast?"

"Mom, what's for lunch?"

"Mom, have you seen my library books?"

"Mom, I can't find my (insert his/her favorite piece of clothing)!

"Mom", "Mom", "Mom"....sound familiar???

Perhaps you are more organized than me or at least able to get up earlier but I always find mornings a bit crazy and too short! Getting two young kids up (they used to be early self-risers but lately we've had to wake them up - which they don't appreciate :) and trying to help get them ready, fed, lunches made and, of course, get ourselves ready is a challenge. 

To help find ways to ease the morning rush, I've been trying to make freezable meals that my husband and I can grab in the morning. The kids don't have access to a microwave so these don't work for them but if your kids do these would be great.

If you have time add a little sour cream and salsa to your lunch bag!

Ingredients

1 roasted chicken

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 large red pepper, diced

1 large onion, diced

1 cup pre-shredded carrots

1 cup salsa

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups shredded cheese

1 cup low fat cream cheese

10 whole wheat tortillas (10 inch)

1 tbsp oil

Instructions

1. Pull apart chicken and shred it. Set aside.
2. In a large saute pan, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium high heat. 
3. Add onion, peppers, and onions. Saute for about 4 minutes.
4. Add beans and chicken and saute for additional 3 minutes to heat through. 
5. Add salsa and 1/3 cup cream cheese.
6. Heat until salsa and cheese are hot and combined with mixture.
7. Remove from heat. 
8. Place one tortilla on cutting board.
9. Spread a little cream cheese on it.
10. Sprinkle about a tbsp of shredded cheese on top.
11. Add large scoop of chicken mixture in a log shape in the middle of the tortilla.
12. Add another tbsp of shredded cheese on top.
13. On the short sides of the mixture, fold about an inch of tortilla onto mixture.
14. Tightly roll the long sides of the burrito. (Watch this video if you need to see how it's done)
15. Wrap in plastic wrap.
16. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
17. Freeze.
18. To reheat. Simply remove from plastic wrap and microwave for about 2 minutes - until filling is hot. 

Grilled Tandoori Chicken Recipe

Let me be very clear - I am not a tandoori chicken expert...not even an amateur.  But I know chicken and I know what I like. I like this recipe. A lot.

The thickness of the Greek yogourt means the marinade will really stick to the meat. The lime juice permeates the dish. If you don't like lime juice you could use lemon for a more subtle flavour. But trust me use the lime. After you've made it once you'll be able to play with the quantity of spices. You can cut down on the chili or up it, same with the curry and cumin.

I serve this with coconut rice and a mango-fennel salad (recipes to come soon) as in the pictures.

Easy Grilled Tandoori Chicken Recipe

Ingredients
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tsp tumeric (optional - mostly for colour)
1 tbsp curry powder (I used a medium hot curry powder)
1.5 teaspoons salt 
1/2 tsp coriander
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne powder
2 tablespoons vegetable oil - more for the grill
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 limes, juiced
1.5 cups regular or nonfat greek yogurt
boneless, skinless chicken thighs (but any cut works - thighs are hard to screw up though) - about 10 large, 12 medium or 16 small thighs)
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons chives, chopped

What to do

• Mix spices together in a medium bowl. 
• Heat the oil in a skillet over low-medium heat.
• Stir in the spices and heat until they bubble and become fragrant (30- 60 seconds). Note: You heat the spices because who knows how long your spices have been sitting there - heating them coaxes them back to life, back to reality... and it makes your kitchen smell fantastic!)
• Return the spice mix to the bowl and stir in the vinegar, lime juice and yogourt.
• Add the chicken and toss to coat evenly. Let them sit 1-12 hours (I usually throw them in the fridge in a zip lock overnight).
• Grill on medium-high-ish heat - 5 to 6 minutes per side for large thighs, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium and small thighs. 
• Move chicken to a platter and let rest for about 5 minutes (this is important before it lets the juices redistribute through the meat).
• Sprinkle with cilantro and chives before serving.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Whenever I want a lunch that is quick, fresh and healthy I head over to the Food Fair at a mall close to where I work. Once there, I go straight to the Vietnamese kiosk to order a  prawn salad roll or two or gỏi cuốn. The rolls are filling and the peanut dipping sauce is fantastic.

I also, occasionally, make them at home. I'd by lying  if I said these were easy to make. The rice paper wrappers are delicate and will take a few tries to get right and tight. But the effort is worth. I usually make only a peanut-hoisin sauce to go with them but as you can see in the top photo I also made a sweet chili sauce this time. BUT I didn't like it - too much fish sauce in it - which is why I am not including that sauce in the recipe below!

This version is filled with chicken, mango, basil, carrots, peppers and noodles. But you could add or sub any ingredient that suits your fancy - prawn, pork, etc. Just have a little patience if this is your first time making it. Words of advice - have everything chopped, sliced and diced before you begin. Place ingredients on separate plates and have your pie plate of warm water ready to go. It's like wrapping a burrito - tuck in the ends and roll gently yet firmly. Ready? Go!

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Ready time: 40 minutes

Servings: Makes 12 rolls

Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

4 tbsp hoisin sauce
2/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1-2 tsp hot sauce (I use sriracha)
1/3 cup warm water
1 tsp soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Juice of 2 limes

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Pour into individual dishes for dipping or into a bigger bowl if everyone is sharing the same bowl.
3. Set aside. You can refrigerate if making ahead.

Chicken & Mango Wraps

Ingredients

100g (4 oz) thin rice vermicelli

12 8-inch rice papers

2 cups shredded or sliced cooked chicken breast

4 carrots, shredded or cut into matchsticks (I use precut matchstick carrots)

2 red peppers, julienned

2 mangoes, peeled and sliced thin

1 large bunch of basil and/or cilantro

24 chives

Instructions

1. Cook vermicelli according to package directions. Rinse under cool water, drain and put aside.
2. Fill a pie plate or bowl large enough to fit entire rice paper with very warm water.
3. Take one rice paper and carefully submerge into water. Soak until it is soft and pliable but not disintegrating. About 1 minute.
4. Place paper on a damp tea towel.
5. Leaving 1-1/2 inches on each side of the rice paper and working length-wise, place about 2 or 3 tbsp noodles, 2 or 3 slices of chicken, mango, red pepper, a few carrots sticks and basil/cilantro about 2 inches from one edge of rice paper.
6. Fold in the two (1-1/2 inch) sides of the rice paper.
7. Tightly yet gently roll the rice paper into a burrito like roll. Just before you finish rolling it add a chive or two so that it sticks out of the final roll.
8. Place on another damp towel and cover with another damp towel.
9. Repeat with remaining rice papers.
10. Serve with sauce.

Best if served fresh but can be refrigerated for a few hours.

Makes 12.

Spicy Miso Grilled Chicken

I love spicy foods, especially dishes that have more than just that hot, make you sweat kind of heat. The really great spicy dishes have a depth of flavour and heat levels that change as you enjoy them. I think this miso grilled chicken qualifies.

This marinade would also be amazing with pork.

Adapted from a Men's Health recipe

Ingredients
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
2 chicken breasts
3 tbsp sirachi sauce (hot sauce)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 c white grape juice (apple juice works too)
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp red miso
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt
1 c water
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced
6 green onions, chopped

 What to do

• In a bowl, combine all ingredients EXCEPT chicken, and both kinds of onions.
• Mix well (the miso usually requires a bit of extra attention to make sure it mixes completely).
• Pour half the mixture into a large ziploc.
• Add half of regular and green onions to the bowl and the other half into the bag.
• Cover and place the bowl in the fridge.
• Place the chicken in the ziploc with the marinade mixture.
• Seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but preferably overnight.
• When ready to grill chicken, remove marinade in the bowl and place in a small pan.
• Simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes. If desired, use a hand blender to blend in onions and make sauce thicker.
• Meanwhile, oil BBQ grill and heat to medium high.
• Grill chicken until nice grill marks have formed and chicken releases easily. (5 minutes for thighs; 8 minutes for breasts). Throw away marinade in bag.
• Flip chicken and cook 5-10 minutes more. Make sure chicken is cooked to internal temp of 170 degrees F.
• Remove from grill and rest for 3-5 minutes so juices redistribute within chicken.
• Use cooked sauce for dipping or drizzle over chicken.
• Makes 4-6 servings.

Jerk Chicken

Jerk chicken is not a dish I have cooked before but since I do like food with heat and spice, it seemed like a great idea when I came across a recipe for it in a Men’s Health magazine.

I love the depth of flavour and well-rounded heat this jerk marinade provides. It is definitely hot but not tear jerking hot. Instead, it coats your taste buds with a warm, full-bodied heat that allows you to also taste the nutmeg and other spices. I served it with whole wheat couscous with black beans and grilled pineapple. Just in case the heat was too much for some, I also added raw pepper slices and tzatziki on the side.

Adapted from a Men’s Health recipe.

Ingredients

6 half-breasts of chicken (or 3 full breasts cut in half)

Jerk Marinade
10 green onions, roughly chopped
4 habaneras, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic
½ cup vinegar
3-1/2 tbsp kosher salt
¼ cup vegetable oil
4 tsp allspice
4 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg
1 tbsp dried thyme
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger root
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp ground pepper


What to Do:
Throw everything but the chicken into a blender and puree until smooth. You will have made about two cups of jerk mix. If making less than half a dozen chicken breast, pour 1 cup of it into a container and refrigerate or freeze for future use.

Place chicken into a zip-loc bag. Pour one cup of sauce over chicken. Close bag and squish mixture around chicken until well coated. Place in fridge overnight or for 12 hours.

When ready to cook, preheat grill to med high heat. Grill breasts until cooked and when pierced all juices run clear. It will take approximately 15 minutes but use a meat thermometer to ensure proper cooked temperature. Do not overcook though or chicken will be tough.


Remove from grill, cover with foil and let sit for 5 minutes.


Serve.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

'Tis the season for colds, flus and germs in general! So there is no better time than now to share my recipe for chicken noodle soup. I promise it tastes better than anything you can get out of a can...and even when you are sick and your taste buds are seeminly on vacation, you will love this soup.

Ingredients
6 cups chicken stock (I prefer homemade but store bought will do)
500 grams broad egg noodles (more or less depending on how noodly you like it)
1 onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced
2 tsp oil
1 tsp medium strength curry powder
2-3 large carrots, chopped
1 leek, chopped (green and white parts only)
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 cups cooked chicken, pulled apart (save time and use a freshly precooked chicken from grocery store)

What to do

• In a large stock pot or pan, heat oil.
• Sautee onion, carrots, jalapeno and celery for about 4 minutes, until onions are translucent.
• Add curry powder and stir for 30 seconds.
• Add stock and bring to boil.
• Add pasta.
• Cook according to time on pasta package for al dente. Al dente is important as pasta will cook more when reheated.
• Add chicken and heat through.
• Serve.

If desired separate into individual containers and freeze. I find the egg noodles have a better consistency and less texture change when defrosted than other pastas.

Fruity Sauteed Chicken

From whistler and chicken 2

3-year old:"Mom, I don't like this. What is it?"
Mom: "Chicken. You love chicken"
3-year old: "Then this isn't chicken, Mom."

Hmmm, hard to argue with logic like that. What my 3-year old doesn't like is any hard outer pieces on chicken - like BBQ charbroiled bits or pan fried hard outer parts. Normally, I just try to cut the outer part or cook it with skin on and then take it off when cooked. Tonight, I threw caution to the wind and tried something new. 

We went to Whistler for the Easter weekend and by the time we arrived back home there was a lot of fruit on the counter that needed to be used quickly or thrown away due to over ripeness. I suppose I could have made fruit salad but taking the easy route has never been my style!

Instead, I decided on a simple chicken dish that the kids would eat without worry of "hard bits". I diced up two apples, 1 pear and a handful of grapes. I threw these in a pan with six boneless skinless chicken thighs and a 1/2 cup of OJ .Voila 20 minutes later dinner was complete. I added some steamed rice and cauliflower and called it a meal.

The kids thought it was funny to have fruit on their chicken but then dug right in!

Quick, easy and kid approved!

Ingredients
2 apples, diced
1 pear, diced
handful of seedless grapes, quartered
1/2 cup orange juice
6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt
pepper


Method
1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
2. If desired, lightly oil non-stick pan.
3. Over medium high heat brown chicken on both sides.
4. Add juice and fruit to pan.
5. Reduced heat to medium, cover and cook for approximately 15 minutes.
6. Remove cover and cook another 5 minutes to thicken sauce and cook chicken through. (make sure there is no pink and internal chicken thigh temperature is 170 degrees)

Serve with rice and favorite veggies.
Enjoy!