Garlicky Lemony Anchovy Chicken

Garlic lemon anchovy chicken thighs Melissa Clark recipe
THIS is your weeknight chicken recipe

We love Melissa Clark. And Melissa Clark loves lemon, anchovies, garlic, capers, and chile flakes. Though not all chronicled here, we’ve made enough of her recipes to know these are her go-to pantry ingredients (see Salmon with Anchovy Butter, Fried Lemon Pasta, Seared Lamb Chops). And when a couple, or all, of these elements are combined, they do make for an incredibly quick, simple, and flavorful dinner. This chicken dish is so easy to make it’s almost shockingly delicious. Boring old boneless, skinless chicken thighs are transformed into succulent, tangy, salty, addicting goodness. Enjoy with a hunk of bread to sop up all that amazing pan sauce and you’ll be overwhelmingly satisfied.

Checkout Melissa’s recipe for video instruction!

Ingredients:

  • 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 tsp salt
  • freshly ground pepper
  • 6 garlic cloves (5 smashed and peeled, 1 minced)
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 5 anchovy fillets
  • 2 TBS drained capers
  • 1 large pinch chile flakes
  • 1 lemon, halved
  • freshly chopped parsley, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 350°F. Season chicken thighs with salt n’ peppa.
  2. Prep garlic, anchovies, and capers. Heat a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, then add the oil, smashed garlic cloves, anchovies, capers, and chile flakes. Let cook for 3-5 minutes, until garlic has browned around the edges. Stir with a wooden spoon to break up the anchovies (they will disintegrate).
  3. Add the chicken thighs and cook until nicely browned on one side, 5 to 7 minutes. Flip the chicken, place the pan in the oven and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
  4. When chicken is done, remove from the oven. Transfer chicken to a plate and return the skillet to the stove on medium heat. Add the minced garlic and lemon juice and cook for 30 seconds. Return the chicken to the skillet and garnish with parsley.

Details: Serves 2-4 (maybe Luke and I were just really hungry but we each had at least 2 chicken thighs)

Hot Honey Shrimp

hot honey shrimp NYT Food recipe
Spicy, sweet, speedy – delicious!

Shrimp dishes are the ultimate quick and easy dinner for two. We make shrimp when we’re feeling lazy, haven’t done grocery shopping for the evening, and there’s a sale at Whole Foods. Yes, we shop at Whole Foods…occasionally. It’s a guilty pleasure. To cook our fancy, albeit discounted, shrimp we look to two of our favorite chefs for guidance. Mark Bittman’s Simplest Best Shrimp Dish and Melissa Clark’s Hot Honey Shrimp are delicious – impossible to screw up – recipes that use few ingredients and can be thrown together in a matter of minutes. While Mark’s dish had been our go-to for years, Melissa’s recently wooed us with her perfect mix of sweet and spicy. A side of rice is an absolute must for each. If you’re fully committed to making this one the the easiest dinner meals ever, stop by your local Chinese spot for a takeout box of white rice.

Ingredients:

  • 1-2 TBS honey
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • zest of 1 lime
  • 1/2 tsp finely grated ginger
  • 1 garlic cloves, grated (use Microplane or finely mince)
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked pepper
  • 1 pound cleaned, deveined shrimp (the larger the better!)
  • 2 TBS cold butter, cut into small cubes (1 per shrimp)
  • lime wedges, for garnish
  • 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced, for garnish
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 450°F.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine honey, cayenne, lime zest, ginger, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss in shrimp and mix until coated.
  3. Arrange shrimp on a large rimmed baking sheet and place a lil’ cube of butter on each shrimp. Roast until shrimp is pink and firm, about 5 minutes. Garnish with lime juice, jalapeño, and scallion.

Details: Enjoy as dinner for 2 or an appetizer for a intimate get together.

Recipe Revisiting – Chickpea + Spinach Curry

chickpea spinach indian curry bon appetit recipe
Revisiting a favorite

In our short cooking careers, Luke and I have shuffled through some go-to meals – recipes we can whip up whenever and they’ll always leave us satiated. In college, I used to make a chicken breast in a skillet dinner with a surprisingly delicious marinade of ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice. I probably made it on a weekly basis. And yet, since graduating I haven’t whipped up my “Simple Tasty Chicken” recipe even once. Blame cooking fatigue. Some meals you can only make so many times. But all recipes do deserve a second chance. We’ve made a similar version of this chickpea, spinach, tomato curry before and it could definitely be categorized as a “go-to meal.” So when I came across a similar recipe on BA’s Instagram I was inspired to revisit one of our favorite weekday dinners. The result is a bit stewier, perhaps more “curry” like. Will it replace our original? Who knows! All part of the process. The delicious and simple combination of chickpeas, spinach, and tomato is getting some love again and that’s all that matters.

Ingredients:

  • Olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1-2 jalapeños, coarsely chopped
  • 1 TBS chopped ginger
  • 1 pound spinach
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp curry powder (our mix includes a lil’ bit of everything – turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder)
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 2 15-oz cans chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1 24-oz can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 4 TBS plain yogurt

Directions:

  1. Heat 1 TBS oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, jalapeños, and ginger and cook until fragrant and softened, about 4 minutes. Working in batches (1 handful at a time) add the spinach. Toss to wilt and then add more. Cook until fully wilted, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor (blender, hand blender, even a mortar and pestle works) and pulse until coarsely chopped. Season with salt and pepper. Wipe skillet.
  2. Heat another TBS of oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, 5-6 minutes. Add the spices and stir so that they evenly coat the onions. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Add chickpeas and tomatoes with juices. Squeeze the whole tomatoes with your hands to break down. If the mixture seems in need of extra liquid, add 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
  4. Turn off heat and stir back in spinach puree then add yogurt, a TBS spoon at a time. Fully mix the TBS of yogurt before adding another. This will prevent curdling.

Serve with naan, samosas, basmati rice and garnish with cilantro – whatever you prefer!

Details: Serves 4

Eggplant Bruschetta

Eggplant Bruschetta Deb Perelman recipe
Explore beyond the classic bruschetta

In the summer months, when our lil’ AC window unit is bumping, Luke and I love making bruschetta. Nothing tastes better on a hot summer’s day, especially when we use farmer’s market heirloom tomatoes and fresh basil. And most importantly, bruschetta requires no oven use. Which is a requirement for almost all of our summer meals. Our tiny apartment can’t handle any oven heat! Disclaimer: this bruschetta recipe does require oven use. But, it’s an excellent and simple way to use summer’s eggplant bounty. Luke and I are enjoying these eggplant toasts a little early in the season because they are so delicious. And because I’m already dreading NYC’s looming heat and humidity.

Shout out to one of our favorite ladies Deb Perelman for the original recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
  • 2 TBS olive oil + additional for oiling baking sheet
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup crumbled feta
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced (white and green parts)
  • 2 TBS parsley *optional
  • 8 slices of bread, 1/2-1 inch thick (a baguette works nicely, we go for a more rustic bread for slices with more surface area)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 425º F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
  2. Toss eggplant with olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread on baking sheet. Place in oven and roast for about 25 minutes. Check the eggplant a couple times while it roasts and give em a good shake to prevent sticking. This will also ensure even browning.
  3. Remove eggplant from the oven and let cool slightly.* In a small bowl, mix the eggplant cubes with red wine vinegar, feta, scallions, and parsley. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
  4. To make toasts, raise oven temperature to 450ºF. Place bread slices on a baking sheet and place in oven. Let bake for about 5 minutes, or until just brown around the edges. We find, for this dish, it’s best to not let the toast get too toasty. Makes bruschetta eating a bit more difficult.
  5. Assemble the toasts! Spoon the eggplant bruschetta onto the toasts. You can rub the toasts with a garlic clove before piling on the eggplant if you like.

Details: Makes about 8 toasts

*Note 1: This salad is also very delicious at room temp or even cold! So you can let the eggplant cool longer if you like before mixing with the other ingredients.

Adobo Chicken Tacos

Chicken adobo tacos New York Times food recipe
Taco with all  the fixings

Cinco de Mayo came a little early for Luke and I this year. Up until recently (currently, the NY forecast is rain rain rain), spring had been treating us very well. For two weekends in a row we enjoyed clear skies and 70 degrees weather -ahhhmazing! When the weather is nice, I drink margaritas (and Luke by default). Always on the rocks, with salt. And nothing goes better with margs than tacos. So last Saturday night for dinner, we made these simple and delicious chicken tacos. The chiles in adobo are critical – their amazing smoky, spicy flavor makes the meal. It took a little bit of searching the supermarket aisles to find them, but besides that it was smooth sailing! Enjoy these tacos for Cinco de Mayo and all summer long.

Ingredients:

  • 4 bone-in chicken thighs
  • 3 scallions, left whole
  • 1 thyme branch
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 3 allspice berry
  • 2 cloves
  • salt
  • 3 TBS olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 2-4 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
  • 3 TBS adobo sauce, from the can
  • 1/2 cup broth (use broth from simmered chicken)
  • corn tortillas

Onion, thinly sliced radishes, avocado, queso fresco or feta cheese, cilantro – all excellent garnishing options!

Directions:

  1. Put chicken thighs in a saucepan and cover with 3 cups water. Add scallions, thyme, peppercorns, allspice, cloves, and 1/2 tsp salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove chicken and let cool. Shred chicken with your fingers or with a fork, discarding the skin and bones. Strain broth and reserve.
  2. Put olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, season with salt, and cook until softened and a bit browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook for 1 minute more. Add chopped chipotle chile and adobo sauce and stir to combine. Add shredded chicken, salt lightly and stir to coat in sauce. Add chicken broth and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit.
  3. Heat the tortillas however you like, we find that cooking them in a dry skillet, about 1 minute on each side, works well.
  4. Build your tacos while the chicken is still warm! Garnish however you like. This time, we chose avocado (nicely balances the spice), feta, cilantro, radishes, and a spritz of lime.

Details: Makes 4 servings, about 2 tacos per person.

Ottolenghi Inspired Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes Ottolenghi recipe
Happiness on a plate

I’m on team sweet potato. But, I haven’t always been a sweet potato enthusiast. In fact, growing up I was a serious potato fanatic, strictly of the yukon and russet variety. Potato chips, mashed potatoes, french fries – these were some of my favorite foods. In 8th grade, for my birthday my friends gave me a cookbook with entirely potato recipes. I used to preach my love of potatoes to others, telling people that “potatoes make you happy,” though my scientific backing on this point was shaky. Alas, tastebuds change. I still salivate over salty potato chips and buttery mashed potatoes, these are eternally beloved foods. And though I often order sweet potato fries, they can never match the crunchy fried goodness of classic french fries. But, all and all, I much prefer the nuance a sweet potato adds to a meal.

This Ottolenghi recipe originally calls for butternut squash, but Luke and I substituted squash for sweet potatoes because they are delicious, abundant, and cheaper.

Ingredients:

  • 2 sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
  • 4-5 shallots, cut into thin slices lengthwise
  • 3-4 TBS olive oil
  • 3 TBS tahini paste
  • 1 1/2 TBS lemon juice
  • 2 TBS water
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • 1 TBS za’atar
  • salt & pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 475ºF.
  2. Spread sweet potato wedges on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 TBS olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Thoroughly mix with your hands so the wedges are well coated with olive oil and then arrange on the baking sheet, skin side down. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes.
  3. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1-2 TBS olive oil. Once olive oil is warm, add the shallots. Sauté for 15-20 minutes, until caramelized, stirring often and lowering heat if necessary to avoid burning.
  4. Once sweet potatoes have finished cooking, combine with caramelized shallots. Let cool while making the sauce. Combine tahini, lemon juice, water, garlic, and 1/4 tsp salt in a small bowl. Whisk until the sauce is the consistency of honey, adding more water or lemon juice to thin (or more tahini to thicken) if necessary.
  5. To serve, spread the vegetables on a platter and drizzle over tahini sauce. Sprinkle with za’atar. You can also garnish with parsley and/or toasted pine nuts.

Details: Serves 4

Parm Broth

Parmesan broth for soup
Just a few ingredients yields a rich broth

The impetus for concocting this recipe was an Instagram post, and if I remember correctly, it was  post by Bon Appétit. Upon seeing the photo in my feed, I immediately thought to myself “YES, what a great way to use all those leftover Parmesan rinds Luke and I are always having to throw away.” Ingenious cooking for the WIN. I saw this post back in January, during the height of soup making season, and have been saving Parmesan rinds in our freezer since then. So finally last weekend, before we head into consistently nice Springtime weather, Luke and I spent our Sunday afternoon simmering some Parm broth. It perfumed our lil’ apartment with a cheesy fragrance…mmmmm. The result: a rich and versatile broth that can be used to enhance flavor in soup, pasta, and bean dishes.

Ingredients:

  • 2 TBS olive oil
  • 1 onion, peeled and quartered
  • 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
  • 1 bunch thyme
  • 3-5 parsley sprigs
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 lb Parmesan rinds (we used around 10 rinds of varying sizes)

Directions:

  1. In a large pot or dutch oven heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, and peppercorns, stirring often, until garlic has browned, about 5 minutes. Add wine and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes, scraping up any brown bits.
  2. Add 8 cups water and Parmesan rinds. Bring to a boil and the reduce heat and simmer for about 2 hours. You will have to stir occasionally to prevent cheese from sticking to the bottom of your pot.
  3. After 2 hours, strain your broth through a fine-mesh sieve (we used a colander and cheese cloth) into a large bowl.

Details: Yields about 4 cups of broth.

Kung Pao Chicken (宫保鸡丁)

kung pao chicken homemade recipe
Better than Golden Dragon or Chinese Wok

This meal is an ode to the 4 semesters of Mandarin I suffered through in college. Hillary took Mandarin in high school and triumphantly (miraculously) tested out of our college’s language requirement…I wasn’t so fortunate. Like my Zhongwen skills, this Kung Pao is good enough to get by and occasionally impress someone. But unlike those torturous Mandarin classes, it’s way easier to comprehend and cook up. While most of the ingredients can easily be picked up at your local supermarket, we definitely recommend taking a trip to an Asian grocery store. You’ll be able to get cheap chili and sesame oil, chili-garlic sauce, and enough Chinese Rice Wine to last you until 2020. And now that your kitchen cabinet is full of these ingredients, you can attempt a more advanced dish, like fried or steamed dumplings. In the meantime, this Kung Pao Chicken will be the perfect dish for a weekday dinner.

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

Marinade:

  • 1 TBS soy sauce
  • 1 TBS Chinese rice wine
  • 2 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tsp chili oil
  • 1 tsp sambal oelek
  • 2 tsp corn starch

Sauce:

  • 2 TBS + 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 TBS + 1 tsp Chinese rice wine
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp chili oil
  • 1 tsp sambal oelek
  • 1 tsp corn starch

Other:

  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 red pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 TBS vegetable or canola oil
  • 6 dried chili peppers or 1 TBS of red chili flakes
  • 1/2 chopped peanuts (I don’t use, but you can)
  • 2 scallions, chopped for garnish

Directions:

  1. Cut chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes. Make the marinade, adding the corn starch last. Place chicken cubes into a plastic bag or container and pour marinade over. Refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. While chicken is marinating, make the sauce and chop the vegetables.
  2. Once chicken is finished marinating, heat your wok, cast iron pan, or skillet to medium-high heat. Add 2 TBS of oil and then drop the chicken in.
  3. Stir-fry the chicken until it’s about 80% cooked (3 minutes), set aside.
  4. Add the remaining 2 TBS oil and then add the garlic and chili peppers, cooking for 1 minute. Then add the onion, red pepper, tomato. Stir-fry until soft, about 5 minutes.
  5. Pour in the sauce, bring to a boil, and then add the chicken. Stir-fry everything for 3-4 minutes more adding in the peanuts during this time.
  6. The tomato will have cut the spice quite a bit and added some extra liquid, so feel free to drop a couple teaspoons of  chili oil and sesame oil in while you’re stir-frying.
  7. Serve in a bowl on top of white rice and garnish with chopped scallion. Add chili oil for extra heat.

Details: Serves 4. Makes great lunch leftovers.

To print the recipe, click here: Luke’s Kung Pao

Sweet Potato + Butternut Squash Soup with Za’atar Oil

sweet potato and butternut squash soup with za'atar oil
~ Gettin fancy with that za’atar oil ~

Luke and I were recently gifted two Ottolenghi cookbooks (Nopi, The Cookbook and Plenty More). Admittedly, we’re a little late to the Ottolenghi party, but we’re trying to catch up. With the master chef in mind and our two new cookbooks supplying ample inspiration, we bought a giant pack of za’atar. Giant because we couldn’t find anything smaller than a 16 oz bag at the Middle Eastern grocery store and also because we figured we’d be whipping out za’atar filled Ottolenghi recipes on the daily. As it turns out we still have some catching up to do (Ottolenghi recipes are hard!!). Sooo…this is not an Ottolenghi recipe (it’s actually adapted from Tara Parker-Pope’s on NYT) and it uses a very minimal amount of za’atar, but it is a simple and delicious soup, with just a lil’ exotic touch. The savory za’atar oil nicely balances the sweetness of the soup and the feta adds a salty zing. We recommend serving with a winter-y salad and thick crusty toasts (or, maybe za’atar flatbread?!). Makes a very comforting meal on a chilly winter night.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil + 2 TBS
  • 2 TBS za’atar
  • 2 TBS butter
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 medium sized carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 leek, white part only, peeled and diced
  • 2-3 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • approx. 1/4 of a butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • 4 cups water
  • salt + pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Directions:

  1. Za’atar oil: In a small skillet, combine 1/4 cup olive oil and za’atar. Cook over medium heat until hot and fragrant, but be careful not to burn (1-2 minutes).  Pour into a small bowl and set aside to cool.  Should sit for an hour or so for flavors to infuse.
  2. In a large pot, heat butter and remaining olive oil over medium high heat. When butter has melted and is shimmery, add the onions, carrot, celery, and leek.  Lower heat a bit and cook until slightly caramelized, 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add more oil if necessary to avoid onions sticking to the pot.  Add the sweet potato and butternut squash cubes and sauté for 1-2 minutes more. Add the water and stock and bring to a boil, then lower to simmer.  Simmer for 30 minutes or until sweet potato and squash are completely soft.
  3. Puree the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Ladle the soup into bowls, crumble some feta on top, and drizzle on za’atar oil.

Details: Serves 6-8. A great soup to freeze and reheat later!

To print the recipe, click here: Sweet Potato Butternut Squash Soup + Za’atar Oil

 

Comforting, Simple Chicken Curry

chicken curry simple Meera Sodha recipe
Curry – get in mah belly!

Luke and I have many cooking aspirations of varying attainability. Bake our own bread (very attainable),  reattempt to cook coq au vin (somewhat attainable), start a goat farm  and make our own chèvre (less attainable).  Another farfetched dream of mine: starting a chain of Indian buffet restaurants.  Because what is better than endless chicken tikka masala, saag paneer, and samosas, all for $12.95?? In hopes of achieving this goal, Luke and I have been trying to master more Indian-ish recipes.  Some may challenge the authenticity of this curry recipe (see our Chickpea + Spinach “Curry” for another possibly questionable recipe).  But authentic or not, it is undeniably delicious and very easy to make, so long as you stock up on just a few essential Indian spices: cumin, turmeric, and garam masala (we also recommend investing in some paprika).

And if you’re interested in exploring more Indian recipes, check out Meera Sodha’s new cookbook Made in India, the source for this very comforting chicken curry.

Ingredients:

  • 2 TBS unsalted butter
  • 1 TBS neutral oil (ex. canola oil)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds (or panch puran)
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 large onions, finely chopped
  • 1 2.5 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated or minced
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup pureed tomatoes
  • 2 TBS tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp tumeric
  • 3 TBS whole milk yogurt
  • 1 3/4 – 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • cayenne pepper, to taste

Directions

  1. Melt the butter in the oil in a large dutch over over medium heat.  When hot and shimmering, add the cumin seeds (or panch puran) and cinnamon sticks.  Cooking for 1-2 minutes, stirring often, then add onions.  Cook for about 15 minutes, until golden.
  2. Meanwhile, mash garlic, ginger, and jalapeños into a paste in a mortar and pestle, with a pinch of salt.* You can also do this with a knife on a cutting board.
  3. Add the paste to the onions and cook for 2 minutes or so.  Then pour in the pureed tomatoes and stir.  Add tomato paste, cumin, turmeric, and another pinch of salt (you can also add 1-2 tsp sugar for a little sweetness).  Stir to combine.
  4. Add the yogurt to the mixture, 1 TBS at a time, stirring in with a wooden spoon.  Let the mixture bubble and then add the chicken.  Lower heat, put the lid on and allow the curry to cook gently for about 30 minutes, until chicken is good through.  Add garam masala and cayenne pepper.

You can serve this curry with additional yogurt, naan, and/or basmati rice.  As lovers of samosas, we never pass up an excuse to get a couple from our Indian takeout place!  Always a tasty addition.

Details: Serves 4.

*Note 1: Safety advised when mashing up the garlic, ginger, and jalapeños! Click here for safety gear suggestions.

To print the recipe, click here: Comforting Chicken Curry