Savory, sweet and (optionally) spicy—Oyster Sauce Chicken Thighs

A braise of oyster sauce, garlic, ginger, rice wine, soy sauce and (optional) cayenne pepper gives chicken thighs a delicious, sticky Chinese barbecue sauce finish. Recipe below.

ASIAN CUISINE IS RICH WITH UMAMI DELIVERY SYSTEMS in ready-made form. Soy sauce, fish sauce, miso paste and oyster sauce are some of the usual suspects you’ll find in our fridge or pantry. We recently used fish sauce to dial up the savoriness of already savory classic beef burgers. This week, oyster sauce is giving weeknight-quick chicken thighs the umami treatment. Continue reading “Savory, sweet and (optionally) spicy—Oyster Sauce Chicken Thighs” →

Simple Oven-fried Chicken Thighs (thanks, Judy Hesser)

This easy-to-make oven-fried chicken has truly crispy skin and tender, juicy meat. Recipe below.

AS MUCH AS WE LOVE FRIED CHICKEN, WE DON’T DEEP FRY ANYTHING. So imagine our delight when we discovered an oven-fried recipe that produces truly crispy skin and tender, juicy chicken within. And did we mention it’s crazy simple to make? Continue reading “Simple Oven-fried Chicken Thighs (thanks, Judy Hesser)” →

Ethiopian spices turn up the heat and the flavor: Roasted Berbere Chicken Thighs

Berbere, a chili-based spice mix that’s a staple of Ethiopian cuisine, brings respectable heat and big, complex flavor to Roasted Berbere Chicken Thighs. Recipe below.

WE RECENTLY CAME ACROSS BERBERE in a four-year-old issue of Bon Appétit. For me at least, it proves once again that throwing things away is overrated. Berbere (pronounced bair-buh-RAY) is an Ethiopian spice blend used pretty much throughout the country. According to Spruce Eats, “key ingredients are usually red chili peppers, fenugreek, and ginger, with the addition of warm spices like coriander, cardamom, allspice, cumin, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, and some lesser-known indigenous spices such as korarima, ajwain, and long pepper.” Continue reading “Ethiopian spices turn up the heat and the flavor: Roasted Berbere Chicken Thighs” →

Creamy Boursin Chicken Thighs—too good to be this easy

Boursin, a flavorful French soft cheese, is the basis for a luscious, weeknight-quick sauce for pan-cooked chicken. Recipe below.

OLD SCHOOL LUXURIOUS AND WEEKNIGHT EASY pair beautifully in this dish. Made mostly with a handful of pantry and fridge staples, its lush, creamy texture and flavor come from Boursin cheese. Continue reading “Creamy Boursin Chicken Thighs—too good to be this easy” →

Jocón de Pollo: Guatemalan Chicken and Tomatillo Stew

A lively, comforting traditional Guatemalan stew with Mayan roots. Recipe below.

TIMING IS EVERYTHING. When Marion recently came across a mention of jocón, a Guatemalan chicken and tomatillo stew, the yo-yo that is winter weather this year had just taken another chilly dive. We were ready for something warm, stew-y and comforting. Something just like this. Continue reading “Jocón de Pollo: Guatemalan Chicken and Tomatillo Stew” →

Taking the daunting out of duck: tips and three recipes make cooking this delicious bird easy

DUCK. SO ELEGANT AND, TO MANY HOME COOKS, SO DAUNTING. It has a definite wow power when you serve it to guests, but unfortunately, many of us think it’s harder than it really is to get right. Here are some tips for doing duck right. Continue reading “Taking the daunting out of duck: tips and three recipes make cooking this delicious bird easy” →

Belgian Chicken with Juniper Berries offers a lighter take on cold weather fare

Juniper berries and genever (or regular gin) give simple pan-roasted chicken a sharp, clean flavor.

NOW WELL INTO FALL, WE’RE LEANING INTO HEARTY COOKING. Soups and stews and roasts are sounding good. Pots of chili. Meat or chicken braised in wine or beer or something stronger. Belgian Chicken with Juniper Berries checks all those boxes, but the juniper berries and gin give it a sharp, clean flavor. Continue reading “Belgian Chicken with Juniper Berries offers a lighter take on cold weather fare” →

Savory, a little sweet, all sublime: Chicken with Olives and Apricots

Weeknight-quick braised chicken thighs with green olives and dried apricots is show offy enough for weekend dinners. Recipe below.

HAVING COME LATE TO EATING OLIVES, I feel like I’m always playing catch up, discovering something new. The newest-to-me find is Castelvetrano olives, from southwestern Sicily. These prized green olives are mild, buttery and not overly salty, with a nice meaty texture. In a word, sublime. Continue reading “Savory, a little sweet, all sublime: Chicken with Olives and Apricots” →

Happily rediscovering Chicken Schnitzel

Classic Austrian schnitzel gets a crispy, juicy, chickeny makeover.

WHEN YOU’VE BEEN SHARING RECIPES FOR 16+ YEARS, you can be forgiven for forgetting some of them. Not just ingredients and measurements and processes, but the actual dish. When we were shopping recently and came across thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets, though, a couple of synapses fired. Suddenly, we sort of remembered doing something with this cut that maybe involved panko and was definitely delicious. Continue reading “Happily rediscovering Chicken Schnitzel” →

A classic ingredient mix with delicious results: Lemon Rosemary Chicken with Bacon

Rosemary, lemon and garlic get dialed up with bacon and red crushed pepper in this Italian-inspired chicken dish. Recipe below.

OUR ROSEMARY PLANT IS CONVENIENTLY THRIVING ON THE BACK PORCH. This after surprising us by successfully wintering over on a windowsill inside. The other day, trying to figure out something to do with some chicken thighs, I stood looking out the back door. And there was the rosemary. Continue reading “A classic ingredient mix with delicious results: Lemon Rosemary Chicken with Bacon” →