Scroll down for the following recipes:

CHICKEN, CHORIZO & BLAC-EYED PEAS
CHICKEN HABANERO.

COCONUT CURRY CHICKEN
GONG BAO CHICKEN
JAMBALAYA
ROASTED CORNISH HENS

CHICKEN KIEV
CHICKEN & SAUSAGE STEW

CHICKEN, CHORIZO, & BLACK-EYED PEAS

 For the sauce:

1 (14.5 oz.) can chicken broth
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 large, long Italian hot pepper sliced
4-5 cloves garlic
6-7 sprigs cilantro
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon chopped marjoram
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (8-oz.) can Goya^® tomato sauce

 For the chicken and chorizo:

 2 poblano peppers, roasted, skins and seeds removed, and cut into ¼-inch strips
2 whole chicken legs, (leg and thigh attached)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil as needed
1 large onion, sliced
8 oz. chorizo sausage, cut into ¼-inch slices
8 oz. frozen black-eyed peas
1 large handful chopped cilantro
Flour tortillas for dipping in the sauce

            For the sauce, combine all of the ingredients except the tomato sauce and bring to a boil in a covered saucepan.  Then reduce to a simmer and cook for eight minutes.  When cool add the tomato sauce.  Add just enough water to the can of tomato sauce to loosen the remaining sauce and pour this into the mixture.  Set the sauce aside.  Roast and cut the poblanos while making the sauce and then set aside.

            Season the chicken with salt and pepper and sear both sides in a deep straight-sided skillet or a pot in hot olive oil.  Remove and set aside.  Add the onions and chorizo and sauté, adding more oil if necessary until the onions are softened.  Add a little more salt and pepper.  Add the black-eyed peas and sauté for a minute.  Return the chicken to the skillet and add the sauce.  Cover the skillet, bring to a boil, and then lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Add the roasted poblano strips and simmer for 10 more minutes.  Add the cilantro when finished cooking.  Serve with the tortillas.

CHICKEN HABANERO.

 2 whole chicken legs (thighs attached), skin on for flavor, off to reduce fat.

3 tablespoons olive oil.

2 medium onions, chopped.

6 poblano chiles, roasted, skins and seeds removed.

2 jalapeno peppers, chopped.

1 large tomato, chopped.

4 garlic cloves, chopped.

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 pint chicken stock or canned chicken broth.

Half batch of habanero sauce (see recipe below)

Juice of one lemon

1  teaspoon ground achiote seeds.  (Grind the seeds and then sift through a sieve to remove large particles).

1 teaspoon salt.

1 teaspoon cumin.

1 teaspoon paprika.

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder.

1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

 Sauté chicken in oil for about 5 minutes on each side or until browned.   Remove the chicken and sauté the onions and jalapenos until just soft.  Add the chicken and all of the remaining ingredients except the poblanos and half the cilantro.  Bring to a boil and then simmer, partially covered for 20 minutes or until the meat reaches 170 degrees. Turn the chicken halfway through and add the roasted poblanos (to prevent them from being overcooked).  Add the remainder of the cilantro at the very end and extra salt if needed. Once again, serve with warm tortillas. 

 HABANERO SAUCE

1 cup water
1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
1-3 fresh or dried habanero peppers, depending on how hot you like it.
1 large red bell pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt

Chop up the bell and habanero peppers, (or grind the habaneros if using dried). Place all of the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 8-10 minutes. Finally, puree the mixture in a blender.

 COCONUT CURRY CHICKEN

       You’ll have to visit an Asian supermarket for this recipe.  There you’ll find the coconut cream, (coconut milk is found in regular supermarkets but the cream is more elusive), the curry paste, fish sauce, Thai chiles, and Thai basil.  Thai chiles by the way, although very small, are very hot.  Two or three or will impart significant heat in this dish.  If you crave the burn, use five or six.

 1 lb. chicken, boneless and skinless thighs or breasts, cut into bite size pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
2 oz. coconut cream
3 tablespoons red curry paste
1 onion, sliced
4 scallions, green and white parts, sliced
12 oz. coconut milk
1 ½  tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
Thai chiles, or other hot peppers, minced, to tasteThai basil or regular basil, chiffonade, to taste

            Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat the coconut cream in a large skillet until it starts to bubble.  Dissolve the curry paste in the cream and cook for one minute.  Add the chicken, onion and scallions to the skillet.  Cook for five minutes.  Add the coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar, and hot pepper.  Simmer for five more minutes.  Adjust seasoning if necessary with extra salt and pepper.  Remove from the heat, add a generous sprinkling of basil and serve.

GONG BAO CHICKEN

1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch

1 ½ tablespoons rice wine

1 lb. chicken breast meat diced into half inch cubes

Salt as needed

Vegetable oil as needed

6 dried chile peppers, (more or less to taste)

1 packet Gong Bao seasoning mix

¼ chopped peanuts (optional)

Cooked white Asian rice as needed

            Whisk the cornstarch and rice wine in a bowl.  Mixing a starch with a liquid is called a slurry.  This facilitates the dissolving of the cornstarch and will inhibit clumping.  Next, season the chicken with some salt.  Mix the chicken and the slurry and allow it to marinate for a few minutes.  Meanwhile, heat up the vegetable oil in a skillet and add the chiles.  Sauté for a few minutes until the chiles become fragrant.  Add the chicken and sauté until almost done.  Add the seasoning packet and the peanuts.  Cook for a minute or two more.  Taste and add additional salt if necessary.  Pour over a portion of white rice and serve. 

JAMBALAYA

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Olive oil as needed

12 oz. andouille or chorizo sausage, cut into medium dice

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 jalapeno peppers, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 batch scallions, chopped

3 celery ribs, chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

6 cups chicken broth

3 cups long grain rice

2 tablespoons paprika

½ teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon dried thyme

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon celery salt

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt

            Trim the fat from the chicken thighs and then cut them into quarters.  Season them with salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Heat up a large pot, add olive oil, and brown the chicken on each side.  Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon, set aside and then brown the sausage.  Remove the sausage and then sauté the peppers, onions, and celery.  Do not drain the grease between each item.  Use it to sauté the next item and add flavor to the final dish.  Sauté the vegetables until, soft.  One minute before they are done add the garlic.  Then add the chicken, sausage, broth, rice and seasonings.  Cover, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 15 minutes. 

ROASTED CORNISH HENS

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

Rosemary, chopped, as needed

Thyme, chopped as needed

1 medium onion, chopped

Olive oil as needed

Juice of half a lemon

Salt & pepper to taste

2 Cornish hens

4 oz white wine

4 oz chicken stock

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon butter

            Preheat the oven to 350.  Divide the garlic, rosemary and thyme in half.   Mix the onion with half of the garlic, rosemary, and thyme.  Add some olive oil, the lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Save the other half of the garlic, rosemary and thyme for the sauce.  Brush the inside and outside of the hens with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Fill the cavity of each hen with half of the onion mixture. Press it in with a fork or spoon.  Trussing is not necessary. 

            Roast the hens until the dark meat registers 175 degrees on a meat thermometer.  This will take about 45 minutes but ovens and hens vary so use a thermometer.  When done remove the hens from the roasting pan and cover with foil to keep warm.  Place the roasting pan on the stove and deglaze the pan on high heat with the wine, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan.  Add the stock, the remainder of the garlic, rosemary and thyme, the bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Cook on high heat until reduced by at least half.  Finish the sauce with butter and strain. 

CHICKEN KIEV

4 boneless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper to taste

1 stick herbed butter (see recipe below)

flour, as needed

2 eggs, beaten

bread crumbs, as needed

oil for frying

            One at a time, place the chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and pound them until thin.  Don’t pound too hard and use the smooth side of the mallet.  You want to prevent creating holes in the chicken which could leak butter later.  Season the breasts with salt and pepper.  Dividing the butter evenly between the breasts, spread a dollop of butter in the center of each breast, leaving ample room around the edge.  Just like rolling a burrito, take the left and right side of each breast and fold them over by an inch or so.  Then roll from end to end, thereby sealing the butter within the rolled chicken packet.  If you like you can secure the chicken with toothpicks or string.  Roll each piece of chicken in flour, shake off the excess, dip in the egg, and then in the breadcrumbs.  Pour enough oil in a large skillet to come half way up the chicken and heat it to 375 degrees or until it shimmers and just starts to smoke.  Place the chicken in the skillet and cook until the first side is browned.  Flip and brown the other side. 

HERBED BUTTER

1 stick (4 oz.) butter, softened

¼ cup minced chives

2 teaspoons chopped parsley

2 teaspoons chopped tarragon or chervil

Juice of half a lemon (more or less to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

            Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl with a fork and then refrigerate the butter for 1-2 hours to ensure it is completely chilled. 

CHICKEN & SAUSAGE STEW

3 red bell peppers, roasted, skins and seeds removed

1 lb. boneless chicken thighs or breasts

½ lb. sweet Italian sausage

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil, as needed

1 medium-large onion, chopped

5 cloves of garlic, chopped

3 cups chicken broth

2 batches of baby spinach

Chopped parsley to taste

            Roast the peppers by placing them in a pre-heated broiler, or on top of a gas stove burner until they are charred.  Place them in a covered container to steep and cool.  Remove the skins and seeds, cut them into strips and set aside. 

            Cut the chicken and sausage into bite size pieces and season with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven until it just starts to smoke.  Add the chicken and sausage and remove as soon as they are browned.  Add the onion and more oil if necessary and cook.  Add more salt and pepper.  When the onion has started to soften add the roasted peppers and then the garlic.  Cook for a few minutes more.  Deglaze the pot with the chicken stock, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom.  Return the chicken and sausage to the pot, bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered for a few minutes.  Begin adding the spinach, in batches if necessary, until it wilts and is completely incorporated.  Taste and adjust seasoning, finish with fresh parsley and serve.  Don’t forget some bread for dipping.