I’m sort of on an ethnic kick lately. This recipe is again from Extending the Table: A World Community Cookbook. Speaking of World Community Cookbooks, you might be wondering what happened to cooking through Simply in Season. Well, I got a little burned out trying to use up my CSA vegetables AND make them match the recipes I needed yet to do. So I took a break. But, with our first zucchini this week, I decided to bust it back out.
I have 2 spring recipes, 33 summer recipes, 3 fall recipes, 3 winter recipes, and 14 any time recipes to go. It’s taken a lot longer than the original one year goal (um, I’m heading on my two year blogaversary!) but I’m glad I took it slow. I still enjoy cooking.
On to today’s dish:
Braised Chicken in Red Sauce
Ingredients:
- 3 lb chicken, cut into serving pieces (I substituted three chicken breasts)
- 2 Tbsp onion, chopped (I substituted green onion tops)
- 1 Tbsp ketchup
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp Tabasco pepper sauce (I substituted Frank’s Red Hot)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 C water
- 2 C broccoli florets (my own addition)
- Salt and pepper chicken. Saute’ in a little olive oil. Remove from pan if using onions and not green onions. (Since I was using chicken breast pieces and green onions, I just browned the chicken and added in the green onions until softened, then proceeded to step 2).
- Saute’ the onion, then add remaining ingredients and mix well. (I pre-mixed the water and sauces before dumping in the pan; I also added the broccoli at this point).
- Add chicken and braise, covered, over low heat about 1 hour or until tender. (Since I was using chicken breast pieces and not bone-in chicken, I just simmered for about 15 minutes. It was a real time saver!)
Coconut Rice
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 C long-grain rice (I used basmati)
- 2 1/2 C coconut milk (I used 2 C coconut milk and 1/2 C water since a can has 2 C)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 2 bay leaves
- Bring ingredients to a boil in a heavy saucepan.
- Lower heat and simmer, covered, 20 minutes.
The Verdict:
I just realized that most of the recipes I post have little substitutions in them. Am I the only one who does that? So anyway, the chicken turned out very tasty, not too spicy at all. “Isn’t it fulfilling making a dish with meat in it?” DH asked me. Um, no, not really. I liked the lentil dish I made earlier this week better. But ah well.
The coconut rice was not as good as I’d hoped. Not sure if I used the wrong kind of rice, whether it was because I made it in a rice cooker, or it was supposed to be that way, but the texture seemed kind of odd–like it wasn’t cooked all the way through or something–and the taste was rather sweet. I know it’s SUPPOSED to be sweet, but something seemed off. I think I’ll try to make this in a pot and see if it turns out better. Also in the photo you can see some bok choy that I sauteed in the remaining liquid after the chicken was done. I love bok choy.
This post shared at Friday Food
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This sounds lovely. I especially like the sauce you have used on the chicken – nice and spicy! Thank you for sharing it.
Re: substitutions. I really appreciate that you include them often! It makes your blog very “real” because just about everyone I know has times when they’re “almost prepared” but not committed to making things exactly per recipe if it means a run to the grocery store (or market or whatever). Also, making substitutions may be the dif between using up something in the fridge or letting it just slip over into Compost Fodder — if part of living simply is living efficiently, then I think that substitutions are a realistic part of simplicity, making for more efficicient cooking a lot of times.
Also, don’t you think as as you gain confidence and move toward a goal of “cooking freehand,” you have a good sense of what will work and what won’t? I hear that you weren’t thrilled with this post’s coconut rice but, as I recall, there are very few true fails amongst the “I substituted this” situations.
As always, your presentation, along with your pragmatic approach and down-to-earth retelling of your culinary adventures, are enjoyed and appreciated.
Thanks Sue, I’m glad that my substitutions aren’t confusing. I think everyone is on a path to cooking “freehand.” Someday!
Thank you so much for sharing on Momtrends. I love checking out all the Friday Food submissions. Yep, I tinker with all my recipes too. Sorry the rice disappointed. But you’ve got to try to find winners. Have a great weekend!
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This Braised Chicken in Red Sauce recipe sounds great and delicious! And oh I love bok choy too. Thank you for sharing this great recipe. Keep it coming!
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