cast iron fried chicken breast

My mind is on vacation.

My physical self was on vacation, along with my mind, for the last four days. In less than 48 hours, me myself and I will be on vacation again for another five days. Do you know how hard it is to concentrate for two whole days?

Blah blah blah, some really clever segue (see? Vacation mode)

I love fried chicken (and love to eat it when I'm on vacation from my diet healthy lifestyle? Bam! Segue), but sometimes the joy of eating super fried goodness doesn't last much after finishing the meal. This chicken is dusted in a light coating of seasoned flour, and shallow-fried in a cast iron for maximum crispy awesomeness. Serve with some muy cruijente oven fries and you can almost pretend you're at Popeye's. Almost.

Cast Iron Fried Chicken Breast


2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
oil for frying

Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise, or lightly pound each so they're of equal thickness all the way across. This will be important for cook time. Mix together dry ingredients in a shallow bowl and dredge chicken so it's fully coated. Heat oil (I used canola) until it bubbles when you throw a pinch of flour in (if you have a thermometer it should be around 375*). Carefully place chicken in the pan and fry until fully cooked, 5-10 minutes on each side (depending on thickness).

crazy chicken burgers

I'm totally chickened out. Seriously. If I were keeping track, I'd say I ate chicken with over half of my meals in the last week. Yes, I even had it with breakfast one morning. Most days, chicken tenders were the preparation of choice. Most.

One day, while pondering what to do with the last of the 10 or so pounds of boneless/skinless chicken breasts we bought, I was browsing the blog backload in my Reader and I came across one for green chili chicken burgers, and I had an idea (eureka!): feta burgers! This would be the perfect excuse to break out my new grinder attachment on the stand mixer, and also a good excuse to make my less-than-$10-for-6oz homemade version of Cava Grill's crazy feta. Because jalapeños and feta mixed into juicy grilled chicken burgers just.sounded.fantastic. 

You know what else is fantastic? Tasting the feta a billion times. Just to make sure it's perfect.

The grinding process took a little longer than forever, but I think I was just using the wrong blade (the smaller one was attached). Nevermind the fact that I may or may not have been afraid to turn the speed past like, 3, since I didn't have any directions. Lesson learned.

Basically, these are awesome. Chicken breast on its own isn't always the tastiest, but the feta (and the olive oil in the feta) really helps keep it nice and juicy throughout the cooking process. It also lends to crispy seared sides, which is always a plus. At least in my book (clearly the only one that matters). We ate some for dinner, and cooked up the rest to store in the fridge for lunches. If they lasted long enough to freeze, I'd be able to report back on how well they thaw. 

Alas, they were just too good.

Crazy Chicken Burgers (makes 8)

2lbs ground chicken

1/2 bulb garlic

2 jalapenos

8oz feta cheese

1/4 cup olive oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 425*. Chop off the top of the garlic bulb, so most of the cloves are exposed. On a large sheet of tin foil, arrange garlic and jalapenos in the center. Drizzle olive oil over all of them, and wrap the foil around to create a pouch. Roast for 40-45 minutes. Meanwhile, put feta into a bowl. If you bought it as a brick, crumble it. Drizzle olive oil over feta, and let sit. When the garlic and jalapenos are done, carefully chop jalapenos and smash garlic, then add to the feta. Add lemon and mix everything with a fork. In a large bowl combine half of the feta with the chicken. Form into 8 equal patties and cook in a pan over medium to medium-high heat 4-5 minutes on each side, until patties are fully cooked through. Top with a little of the remaining feta and serve!

chipotle chicken quesadilla

Of all the years of my existence, I thought the refrigerated deli section of the grocery store was the only place to get lunch meat. Now I'm not usually one to admit when I'm wrong, but I'll go ahead and say it: there's another way! I'm not sure if I was just blind or if our Giant really just didn't have a deli section (in which case I retract my former statement of being wrong), but to me, deli counters belonged in separate stores. Preferably with matzo ball soup on the menu.

Ever since I finally decided to go to the store during the deli hours (did you know it closes before the grocery store? That took me a while to figure out), I've been hooked. Since the meat is freshly sliced, it tends to be way more tender than anything I've bought pre-packaged. Also, it's a lot more fun being able to tell them exactly how much I want and what thickness I want it sliced. If you haven't tried this before, I'd highly recommend it. If you have, then congratulations on being smarter than me.

This quesadilla really doesn't have to be for breakfast, but I've been eating it in the mornings. And there's an egg on top, so that makes it breakfast right? It's good and filling, which is perfect for days when I am lazy can't find something to bring for my morning snack. Also, it cooks in like 2 minutes. Bonus points!

Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla (makes 1)

1 flour tortilla, soft taco size (I use Mission)

1 teaspoon canola oil, or cooking spray

1/2 avocado

2 ounces Boar's Head sliced chipotle chicken breast

1 ounce pepper jack cheese

1 egg

a few chives (optional)

Heat oil in a pan large enough to fit the tortilla. Lay tortilla in the pan and layer cheese, chicken and avocado (in that order so the avocado doesn't cook) onto half of the tortilla. Let cook for a few minutes (you should hear sizzling), and then fold the empty tortilla half over the fillings once the underside is golden and crispy. Press down and then remove from the pan. If you're adding an egg, crack it into the pan and fry to your liking. I love sunny side up or over easy, so I can dip each bite into the yolk.

buffalo chicken tenders

The Boyfriend, taking a bite of the dinner I made that he had declined before he knew what I made: "What sauce is this?"

Me: "It's Frank's Red Hot, the Buffalo one"

TBF: "This stuff is awesome!"

Me: "We've had it in the fridge since we moved in"

TBF: "Really?"

Just proves that you really do learn something new every day.

Ever since I replaced my awful panko with the fantastic panko, I've been itching to use it again. Since we have about a million pounds of frozen chicken, I took a piece out to thaw yesterday, planning on whipping up a quick dinner for tonight. When you have chicken, panko, and (you guessed it) buffalo sauce, the natural progression is buffalo chicken.

And buffalo chicken is what I did.

Since I'm being all healthy and whatnot, I served the crispy chicken tenders over a kale salad, but these would be great for an appetizer/sports party (hi, March Madness) finger food. Cut them up into chunks before cooking and serve them on toothpicks! That would probably be fabulous. In the most manly I-love-wings-beer-and-sports way possible.

Buffalo Chicken Tenders (makes about 5 tenders per chicken breast)


1 large chicken breast, cut into strips
1/4 cup egg whites
1/4 cup panko
2-3 tablespoons corn starch
1-2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup Franks Red Hot (Buffalo Wing)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Dredge chicken strips first in corn starch, then in egg whites and finally in the panko, making sure each piece is fully covered. Carefully place chicken in the pan, and saute for about 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness. Test doneness by splitting the thickest piece you can find and making sure it's white on the inside. Toss or dip in buffalo sauce, and serve hot hot hot!

Check out the other fabulous bloggers participating in recipe madness!
The Cheesefries Stand Alone
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chicken korma

In the spirit of St Patrick's day, I thought it would be appropriate to post a string of recipes from ethnicities that start with I. You know, Sesame Street Style.

Which is why I'm making a lot of Indian food.

It's fitting, right?

This dish is one of my mom's favorites. Mostly mild with just a a touch of cayenne, anything but short on flavor with a sauce loaded with ground almonds, pistachios and cashews (that I swore for the longest time was coconut, and only coconut; I have a lot to learn {yes Dad, sometimes I'm humble}), perfectly paired with a dish of fluffy basmati rice. As with other Indian dishes, judging by the ingredients above the recipe looks super involved. As with other Indian dishes, looks can be deceiving.

The hardest part of the recipe? Remembering to start the recipe early enough so you can marinade the chicken ahead of time. As impatient as I tend to be, I'll be the first to tell you this step is crucial. Take my word for it, and thank me later.

The best part? Nap time after dinner.

Chicken Korma (serves 4-6)

12 skinless chicken thighs

1 cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon corn starch

1/3 cup blanched almonds

1/3 cup raw cashews

1/3 cup shelled pistachios

2 tablespoons unsweetened desiccated  coconut

1 tablespoon poppy seeds (ideally Indian, but regular work)

2 cloves garlic

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoons saffron

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons oil

1 stick cinnamon (about 3")

6 whole black peppercorns

4 whole cloves

2 1/2 thinly sliced onions

1 lb pearl onions

Pat chicken dry. In a large bowl (ideally plastic or glass, not metal - it affects the flavor), mix together yogurt and corn starch. In a small pan over medium-high heat, toast coriander and cumin seeds for 1-2 minutes. Toss the seeds, plus the nuts, coconut, garlic, cayenne, salt and poppy seeds into a food processor and blend until it forms a smooth paste. Stir the paste into the yogurt, and then toss the chicken in the sauce. Marinade at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator. 

When you're ready to cook the chicken, heat the milk and drop saffron in. Set it aside to steep while you cook. In a large pan or wok, saute cinnamon, black peppercorns and cloves in the oil over medium-high heat for 30 seconds to a minute. Add sliced onions and saute for 6-8 minutes until they are soft and begin to brown. Place chicken in the pan in a single layer (make sure you get all the marinade out of the bowl! That's the good stuff). Turn the heat down to medium low and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the sauce doesn't burn. After 15 minutes, add in saffron milk and pearl onions. Cook for another 20-25 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked through. Serve with rice.

Note: when cooking your basmati rice, throw in a few whole cardamom pods for a slightly fragrant flavor (if you have them around).

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chicken tikka masala

I think I've outdone myself today.

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but if you blindfolded me and fed me this dish, I might mistake it for a dish straight out of a proper restaurant. I swear, I have not an ounce of bias towards my own cooking.

I've made curries before, but I think this might be the best yet. It might have something to do with the fact that I made the curry paste from scratch instead of using a store-bought variety, or the fact that I actually threw the sauce in the blender so there weren't any chunks of onions (not that I dislike a little texture, but it has its place). Whatever it was, this.dish.is.awesome. Awesomesauce, if you will.

Spicy, bright, tangy and stick-to-your-bones filling, I'm really thankful I decided this would be my lunch this week.

I also have a hard time believing I enjoyed this fabulous dish while the Boyfriend enjoyed, um, raw pizza dough for dinner. To each their own.

*Sidenote: the Boyfriend would like me to acknowledge the fact that he was suuuuuch a good boyfriend and went to the store for oil and cumin seeds at 4:30 on a Sunday (his least favorite time ever) for me. There, now we're even.*


Chicken Tikka Masala (serves 6-8), adapted from Curry Lover's Cookbook


For the tikka paste (if you so choose - otherwise you can find it at the store)


2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon dried mint
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2/3 cup red wine vinegar
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
(Optional - a few drops each of red and yellow food coloring, to brighten the color)

In a small pan over medium-high heat, toast cumin and coriander seeds until they're fragrant, about a minute (they'll start to darken). Keep a close eye on these, and stir almost constantly. Transfer toasted seeds to a spice grinder or food processor, and grind to a powder. In a small bowl, mix together all of the dry spices. Once well mixed, add water, lemon juice, and vinegar (and food coloring if you're using it) and stir until it forms a loose paste. In a large pan over medium heat, heat oil and add paste. Saute the paste until it brightens in color and the oil starts to separate back out (it will also have taken on a reddish color at this point, instead of the usual yellow), about 10 minutes. Allow the paste to cool and then store in an airtight container. This paste will keep for 3-4 weeks in the refrigerator (and you'll only use about 1/8 of it for this recipe).

For the Chicken


2 large chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1" cubes (optional - I like extra veggies in my dishes)
6 tablespoons tikka masala paste
4 tablespoons (about 1/4 cup) plain yogurt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 fresh chilli, chopped (I used a jalapeno)
1" fresh ginger, grated
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon almonds, ground
1 cup water
3 tablespoons butter (I think this could be omitted if you want)
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
fresh cilantro, to garnish

Mix together yogurt and half of the tikka paste in a bowl large enough to hold chicken and eggplant. Toss chicken and eggplant in the sauce until everything is well-coated, and set aside to marinade. In a large saucepan or wok, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, chillies, garlic and ginger, and saute for 5 minutes or until the onion softens. Add the other half of the tikka paste and saute for two more minutes. Stir in tomato paste, almonds and water and simmer for 15 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree, adding in heavy cream and lemon juice.

After removing sauce from the pan, melt butter if you're using it (if not, you probably don't need anything extra in the pan since there's oil in...everything). Add chicken and eggplant, and cook over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add curry sauce to the pan and simmer for at least 5 more minutes to reduce the sauce a bit. Serve with rice or naan (I served with quinoa).


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chicken and feta quiche

Quiche is such a perfect meal. It's carbs, dairy, protein and veggies all in one! If you ignore all the butter in the crust and the cream in the filling, it's like, healthy or something.

I had a bunch of ingredients to use up in the fridge, and thought this would be a great way to use them all up in one go. I even got a little over-zealous with the mixing of the toppings, which meant I had a salad to munch on while the quiche baked. That's how you know you've selected good fillings!

I used a basic pie crust (with whole wheat flour) for the crust here, so it was a little more crumbly than other quiches I've had. I happen to love that, and if you don't then we probably can't be friends. The best part of this dish is you really can use any combination of ingredients (classics include spinach, cheese and bacon), which means you can probably whip one up without even having to hit up the store.

Quiche (serves 6-8)

Preheat oven to 350*.

For the Crust

2 cups flour (I used whole wheat but white works too)

2 sticks butter, softened but still cool

Knead the flour and butter together with your hands until they form a dough. Roll it into a large enough circle to fit a 9" pie plate, or just place the dough in the plate and press it into form with your hands (that's what I did). I love a lot of crust so I had a pretty thick base (see above). If you want it a little thinner, you don't have to use all the dough.

For the filling

6 eggs

1/4 cup whole milk or heavy cream

1/2 cup cooked chicken, cubed

1/2 cup fresh arugula

1/2 cup kale, stripped from stems and broken into small pieces

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup crumbled feta

1/4 cup red onion, minced

1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, diced

salt and pepper

**The only constants will be the eggs and milk. All the other fillings are up to you, but this is what I used!

In one bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. In a second bowl, toss together everything else except for the shredded mozzarella until well combined. Fill the pie shell with your filling mix. If it's a little higher than the dish, that's ok - it'll cook down. Pour the egg into the dish, making sure it's evenly distributed. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the egg is set (if you move the dish side to side, the egg won't slosh around). Let the quiche sit for at least 15-20 minutes to really set up. Serve warm or room temp.

**I found the crust to be much more stiff after refrigerating overnight. If you like a harder crust, I'd suggest making this the day before you want to serve it, and then letting it come to room temp on the counter about 30 minutes to an hour before serving.

Check out the other fabulous bloggers participating in recipe madness!
The Cheesefries Stand Alone
Food Feminism Life