Showing posts tagged chicken
Healthy, Hearty, AND Delicious Chicken Meatball Soup
This is a great meal for when you feel like eating super healthy, but don’t want to sacrifice flavor! Below is a recipe I adapted from Bon Appetit. You can also make the meatballs for a pasta dish or just to have as a snack!
Spring Minestrone with Chicken Meatballs
Serves 4. I usually only make half of the broth and all of the meatballs.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces ground chicken (about 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup brown rice breadcrumbs
- 6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, divided, plus more for garnish
- 4 garlic cloves, 2 minced, 2 thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
- 1 large egg, whisked to blend
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon grape seed oil
- 1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, sliced into 1/4” rounds
- 2.5 cups low-salt chicken broth
- Cooked Basamati rice (see fool-proof here)
- 3/4 bunch of broccolini (or broccoli)
- 1/2 cup 1/2” rounds peeled carrots
- 1 cup (packed) baby spinach
- Chopped fresh basil
Preparation
1. I suggest portioning out everything French style (mis en place if you will).
2. Mix chicken, breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons Parmesan, 2 minced garlic cloves, chives, egg, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl.
3. Form into 1/2”-diameter meatballs (makes about 28).
4. Heat oil in a small pot over medium heat. Cook meatballs until golden all over, about 3 minutes (they will finish cooking in soup).
5. Transfer to a plate; set aside.
6. Add leek to pot and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes.
7. Add 2 thinly sliced garlic cloves; cook for 1 minute.
8. Add broth and 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Add carrots and simmer until pasta about 5 minutes.
9. Add broccolini and simmer for a minute.
10. Add meatballs and simmer until carrots and broccolini are tender, and meatballs are cooked through, about 3 minutes.
11. Add spinach and stir until wilted.
12. Season with salt and pepper.
13. Garnish with parmesan and basil which really make the soup. You can eat it without it, but it’s so much better with the two.
In the south we grill a lot, hence of all my grilling and marinade recipes. Beer can chicken is hands down my favorite preparation for chicken. Recently we were referred to Adam Perry Lang’s book Serious Barbecue for more great recipes. We all admit, his preparation for the classic Beer Can Chicken takes our favorite to a new level.
Don’t be intimidated by the long ingredient list or process. It’s super simple, especially if you’re all hanging around chatting.
The Marinade:
- 1/2 cup canola oil (or melted coconut oil if you want to be healthy)
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 Tblspn Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tblspn Japanese soy sauce
- 1 Tblspn cider vinegar
- 1 Tblspn yellow mustard
- 1 Tblspn firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 1 Tblspn fresh ground black pepper
- 1 Tblspn kosher salt
- 6 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 medium sweet onion coarsely chopped
- 1 serrano, Thai bird, or other hot chilli sliced with the seeds removed
Enough for 3 chickens. I save what I don’t use in a jar in the fridge. It keeps for a while!
The Glaze:
- 1/2 cup orange marmalade (I use apricot jam)
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 Tblspn cider vinegar
- 1 Tblspn freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 Tblspn coarsely chopped chives
- 1 Tblspn coarsely chopped parsley
Other stuff you need:
- 2 12 oz beer cans
- Large Zip Lock bags
- 1/2 bunch thyme and 1/2 bunch of marjoram tied in a bundle
- 8 Tblspn unsalted butter
- Fleur de sel (optional)
Finishing dressing (the ultimate finishing touch):
- 1 Tblspn finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 Tblspn finely chopped chives
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup EVOO
Preparation:
- Combine all marinade ingredients in a blender and pulse until smooth.
- Take the crap out of the inside of the chicken, rinse, and put into a large zip lock bag.
- Pour marinade over chicken and seal, pressing out all of the air. Refrigerate for 8-24 hours.
- Pre-heat bbq (even better a Green Egg!) with drip pan/deflector plate and fruit-wood (like apple) to 300 degrees.
- Place all glaze ingredients in jar and shake to combine.
- Remove chickens from bags and let marinade stay in bag. Pat chicken dry lightly with a paper towel.
- Put chickens on top of empty cans.
- Place chickens in cooker basting occasionally with herb bundle dipped in butter.
- Cook until internal temperature of thigh is 165, and breast is 155. It will take 45 min to 1 hr 15 min.
- Give the glaze a quick shake and then using the herb brush, brush the chicken with the glaze.
- Put the bird back in the cooker and cook until internal temp is 175 for the thigh and 165 for the breast. About 15 to 20 min.
- Remove the chicken and let it rest upright for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine parsley and chives in a small bowl, zest in the lemon and squeeze in all of its juices. Add EVOO. Pour this onto your cutting board or work surface.
- Place chicken on board and cut it into quarters.
- Sprinkle with Fleur de sel.
