Tag: chicken

Buffalo Chicken Salad

done2

“It’s yummy!”  This is what I got from my husband when I asked him what to write about Buffalo Chicken Salad.  And quite plainly put, it is just that, yummy.  It’s also very low in carbs and pretty darn healthy.  So, when I am looking for a quick lunch that I can pull together in under 15 minutes, I take a little help from my pantry and my freezer!

This is a simple and quick lunch that is filling and super easy!.  I keep my freezer stocked with organic individually wrapped chicken breasts.  These are great because all I have to do is toss the sealed packages in a bowl of warm tap water and they are defrosted in under 10 minutes.  Then I am not having to work with an entire package of chicken every time I want to whip something up!

Two other pretty important pantry staples in this recipe are my buffalo wings sauce.  Now, anybody can make buffalo sauce.  All it is is hot sauce and melted butter.  That being said, I buy the bottle because sometimes I just feel like skipping that step.  Also, blue cheese dressing.  This recipe is a bit more complicated and honestly, when you’re trying to put a meal on the table in under 15 minutes, a well made dressing is the way to go.  Plus, you can skip having to buy blue cheese and constantly wondering if its supposed to be blue or if new blue has developed!

OK… so those are my tricks for this recipe, let  me take you through it:

Slice up your chicken breasts… I use one breast for my husband and I to both eat a good hearty salad.  If you like two, then use two.

I brown both sides of the sliced chicken getting some good caramelization on both sides. This takes about 4-5 minutes per side.

While the chicken is browning, I like to wash and run my mixed greens through a salad spinner.

Dice up one stalk of celery.

Wash and dry some grape tomatoes.

Toss the celery, tomatoes and mixed greens together. (All of it should be dry at this point)

This is the buffalo sauce I like to use.

This is the buffalo sauce I like to use.

Once the chicken is completely cooked through and nicely browned on both sides. Add in sauce. I do this right in the pan. You can transfer to a bowl if you are worried about scratching your pan. (I like less dishes)

Once the chicken is dredged in the sauce, take two forks and shred the chicken right in that sauce. This will allow all the cooked chicken to get coated in sauce.

Once the chicken is dredged in the sauce, take two forks and shred the chicken right in that sauce. This will allow all the cooked chicken to get coated in sauce.

And with that, the star of this meal is ready!  This is what you will be left with after shredding.

Here is my favorite blue cheese dressing... I like the chunky kind so that I don't need to deal with blue cheese as I mentioned.

Here is my favorite blue cheese dressing… I like the chunky kind so that I don’t need to deal with blue cheese as I mentioned.

Now build your salad. Your greens are already mixed with your celery and tomatoes (If you like, you can add in carrots here too) drizzle with dressing, and then top with chicken. (if you are not trying to keep it low carb, some croutons would be nice here as well)

Enjoy!

Enjoy!

Ingredients for Buffalo Chicken Salad:

(serves 2)

1 large chicken breast, sliced

2 Tbl. olive oil

1/2 c. Buffalo Wing Sauce

4 cups mixed greens, washed and spun dry

2 stalks of celery, chopped

10 grape tomatoes, washed and dried

1/2 c. blue cheese dressing

kosher salt

Directions:A quick 15 minute, low-carb, gluten-free meal!  

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a non-stick skillet.  Place sliced chicken in skillet and sprinkle lightly with salt.  Brown on both sides, about 4- 5 mins. cooking through.

Turn off heat.  Add in buffalo sauce.  Shred chicken.

Mix greens together with celery and tomatoes. Assemble salad with dressing and top with chicken.

Enjoy!

Portuguese Lemon Chicken Soup (Canja)

done2There is something about chicken soup that seems to make it a comfort food no matter what your nationality. The Thai add coconut to their chicken soup, the Italians add beans and Orzo, the Moroccans add couscous and butternut squash. I personally love a good American Chicken Noodle soup and that recipe will come, but there is nothing quite like what your grandmother made you as a little girl (or boy), to bring comfort to your meal.

So, if you are looking for a Portuguese comfort food, you have come to the right place!  Canja is the quintessential comfort food.  Portuguese Canja is made with simple ingredients, used in a way that you may never have thought to combine them before.  Canja has chicken, lemon and is thickened with egg yolks all combined to form a lovely delicate creamy soup that I am sure you have never quite experienced in any other dish.  My Vavó would make this soup any time she had some extra chicken or one of us was sick or just because.

This recipe is adapted from a recipe my good friend Lisa gave me to help remind me of just how my Vavó would make her soup.  Throughout the recipe I will note the differences and you can really make it your own.

garlic

Dice up onions.

Chop up a couple of carrots.  Some people also like to add in celery at this stage, I nor Lisa, nor was my Vavó a fan of celery in this particular soup, so I will be leaving it out, if you are partial to celery, by all means, add it in.

Chop up some garlic or put through a press.

Chop up some garlic or put through a press. (Lisa runs hers through a press)

saute

Saute onions and carrots until tender. Then add in garlic and a pinch of salt and saute another minute or so.

Add in about 10 cups of chicken stock. If you don't have homemade chicken stock, you can use boxed or canned... Or add in water and 2-3 bullion cubes.

Add in about 10 cups of chicken stock. If you don’t have homemade chicken stock, you can use boxed or canned… Or like Lisa, add in water and 2-3 bullion cubes.

While the soup is coming to a boil, separate 3 eggs and reserve the yolks.

While the soup is coming to a boil, separate 3 eggs and reserve the yolks.

Beat a few times with a fork until smooth.

Beat a few times with a fork until smooth.

Now, cut a lemon in half and place in a press. If you don't have a press, just use a reem or a fork to juice the lemon.

Now, cut a lemon in half and place in a press. If you don’t have a press, just use a ream or a fork to juice the lemon.

Add lemon juice to egg yolks and beat until combined.

Add lemon juice to egg yolks and beat until combined.

Before adding the egg yolk to the soup, you will want to temper with some hot liquid from the soup. This process allows for the egg yolks to come a bit closer to the temperature of the soup so they won't scramble upon adding them in. The point of the yolks is to thicken the soup, not to have breakfast with your dinner :)

Before adding the egg yolk to the soup, you will want to temper with some hot liquid from the soup. This process allows for the egg yolks to come a bit closer to the temperature of the soup so they won’t scramble upon adding them in. The point of the yolks is to thicken the soup, not to have breakfast with your dinner 🙂

Add in yolk mixture slowly and stir rapidly.

Add in yolk mixture slowly and stir rapidly.

This is what you should have when all stirred in. It will become an opaque creamy looking soup.

This is what you should have when all stirred in. It will become an opaque creamy looking soup.  At this point taste for salt, add in a pinch if needed.

Cooked chicken breast… If you don’t have cooked, you can do the same with raw. I happen to have cooked from making my chicken stock.  I use all white meat in my soup as it is my preference, but if you like dark meat in your soup, have at it 😉

Chop the chicken and add to the soup.

Chop the chicken (and even shred it a bit) and add to the soup.

Next add in your pasta or rice. My Vavó always used stars, I am using Pastini which are a teeny tiny version of that. A lot of people use par boiled rice (like an Uncle Ben's). It's a matter of preference.

Next add in your pasta or rice. My Vavó always used stars, I am using Pastini which are a teeny tiny version of that. Lisa uses par boiled rice (like an Uncle Ben’s). It’s a matter of preference.

Lastly, chop up some flat leaf parsley and add in to soup.

Lastly, chop up some flat leaf parsley and add in to soup.

Finally, allow to come to a boil long enough to cook your pasta or rice, 20 mins tops and turn off your burner. Taste for salt. And this is what you have left.

Finally, allow to come to a boil long enough to cook your pasta or rice, 20 mins tops and turn off your burner. Taste for salt. And this is what you have left.

Serve.

Serve… Enjoy!

Portuguese Lemon Chicken Soup (Canja)

(serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

8-10 cups chicken stock

1 chicken breast, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 medium onion, diced small

2 cloves of garlic, diced (or run through a press)

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 lemon, juiced

2 Tbs. flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/3 cup Pastini pasta, stars or par boiled rice

kosher salt to taste

Directions:

Saute onions and garlic in olive oil until tender.  Add in a pinch of salt.  Add in garlic, saute another minute.  Add in chicken stock.  Bring to a boil.

In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks and the juice of one lemon together.  Add in about a quarter cup of hot stock from the soup pot to temper the yolks… Add hot liquid in slowly, but beat quickly to incorporate.

Add egg yolk mixture into the hot soup slowly while stirring rapidly.  Once incorporated, taste for salt.  Add in a pinch of salt if needed.  Add in chicken and pasta (or rice).  Cook for 10-20 minutes until pasta or rice is cooked fully.  Add in parsley.

Enjoy!

Portuguese Style Grilled Chicken (Frango Grelhado)

4 Comments

done1

Summer time is here and the grill is my main source of cooking all summer long!  Throughout the summer in Southcoastal MA as well as, I’m sure, in many other Portuguese dense communities across the country, it is feast season.  Feasts encompass so much of Portuguese culture not minimally the food.  It seems whenever we head to St. Michael, there is one feast or another going on and undoubtably there as well as in feasts across my region here in Massachusetts you will find men grilling chicken over an open pit filled with charcoal.

“Portuguese Style” Chicken depends largely on it’s marinade, but it also is greatly enhanced by it’s method of cooking.  This can of course be done with a gas grill, but if you have the time, charcoal is the best way to enjoy it.  This chicken does not need an sauce helping it to keep it’s low-carb status.

In this recipe tutorial I will take you through the marinade and show you how I place my coals, but a more extensive tutorial on working with a charcoal grill will come soon.  So, keep an eye out!

This marinade is best done 6-8 hours or better yet 24 hours ahead.  It’s an intense brine more than just a marinade really.  Take a look.

bag_edited-1

Start by placing a gallon sized zip bag into a large bowl.

Pour a can of beer into the bag.

To that, add two heaping soup spoons worth of ground red pepper. If you don’t have ground red pepper available, finely dice a medium heat pepper such as a red Pablano pepper and add in.

To this add in about 4 cloves of fresh garlic, sliced.

Now, add two large soup spoons full of kosher salt.

Add in about 1/4 of a soup spoon (or 1 teaspoon) of Portuguese Allspice.

This is what your consentrated marinade should look like.

Add your chicken into your concentrated marinade.

Add enough luke warm water into the bag so that most of your chicken is covered in liquid.

Now, a trick to this is to try to remove as much air from your bag as you can. The less air in the bag, the more contact your chicken has with the spices.

Close up your bag and place in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours or overnight.

Be sure your coals are hot and white and you burn off any actual fire as shown here.  Also, be sure you have a “hot” side of your grill and a “not so hot” side.  To achieve this just place your coals with the majority to one side.

Now, keep your chicken on your medium to not so hot side of your grill and don’t walk away. Chicken cooked over coals needs to be tended to.  This doesn’t mean constantly fuss with it, just watch that it doesn’t burn.

Some of your chicken skin will blacken and char… this is part of the flavor, it’s ok. Just be sure that when this starts to happen you move it to the not so hot side of the grill… you want the chicken to cook too… if it chars too quickly you may think it is ready before it really is. This process should take a good 45 minutes, but if you have concerns, just get a meat thermometer and when the fleshy part of your chicken registers 160°F, it is all set to be taken off the grill.

For a delicious low-carb meal, plate with some yummy grilled vegis and a grilled ear of corn.

For a delicious low-carb meal, plate with some yummy grilled veggies and a grilled ear of corn.

Recipe for Portuguese Style Grilled Chicken (Frango Grelhado):

(serves 4)

4 chicken leg quarters

For marinade:

1 8 oz. can beer

4 Tbls. ground red pepper

4 Tbls. kosher salt

1 tsp. Portuguese Allspice

4 cloves of fresh garlic, sliced

1 cup luke warm water.

Directions:

Place a zipper bag in a large bowl and combine all marinade ingredients.  Add chicken.  Marinate (brine) over night if possible, but at least 6-8 hrs.

Grill over charcoal if possible for about 45 minutes while tending.  If using a gas grill, grill on low for about 45 minutes.  Meat should register 160°F on a meat thermometer.

Enjoy!

note: to make this recipe gluten-free, just use a gluten-free beer, I would not suggest wine.  You could also use chicken stock, but add in 1 tsp of white vinegar if doing so.

Lemon Dijon Chicken

done22

Sometimes you just need something quick and easy. It doesn’t get much quicker or easier than my Lemon Dijon Chicken!  This recipe has a 10 minute prep time and a 20 minute cook time! And if you have an oven safe skillet, this meal is a one pan meal making clean up time quick too, what more can you ask for right?

It’s also a very versatile dish.  My husband and I are living low carb these days so I didn’t pair it with anything.  But, at the end of preparation you are left with a little bit of a sauce that can be tossed with pasta or egg noodles.  You could also serve the chicken over wild rice or quinoa and top with gravy.  Or if you have a little more time on your hands you can mash up some potatoes or cauliflower (to keep it low-carb!) and use the gravy to top it off.

Start with two boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Pound them out a bit, not too much, but just enough to give you a consistent size throughout the breast.

cut

slice about an inch or so thick going against the grain of the meat.

salt and pepper

Salt and pepper. Set aside for a minute while you make the sauce.

dijon and oil

Mix together 3 Tbls. Dijon mustard and 3 Tbls. olive oil.

Add in the juice of half a lemon.

mix lemons_edited-1

Put the lemon you just squeezed in along with the rest of the lemon sliced up.

Add in 1 Tbls. Herbs de Provence, 1 tsp. kosher salt and 1/2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper. Mix together.

Now, I made some bacon for my salad earlier today, so I reserved the bacon fat to fry up my chicken. If you don’t happen to have reserved bacon fat around, you can just combine about 2 Tbs. of salted butter with 2 Tbls. of olive oil. Turn your burner to high heat. The goal here is not to cook through, but just to sear and get some browning.

After about a minute or two, turn chicken, this is what you should see. Give it just one more minute and turn off burner. As you can see, chicken is still pretty raw.

Now, just pour the sauce right over the chicken, stir together.

At this point, my skillet is both non-stick and oven-safe. If yours is not, transfer to a greased baking dish.

Bake for 20 minutes at 350°F. As soon as you take it out of the oven, sprinkle with Panko bread crumbs. Serve.

done3

 

Recipe for Lemon Dijon Chicken:

(serves 2)

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

3 Tbs. Dijon mustard

3 Tbs. Olive oil

1 lemon

2 Tbs. Herbs de Provence

1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more to sprinkle on chicken

1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper, plus more to sprinkle on chicken

4 Tbs. bacon fat (or 2 Tbs. salted butter plus 2 Tbs. olive oil)

2 Tbs. Panko bread crumbs

Parsley

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Prepare chicken by lightly pounding and slicing to about 1″ pieces.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

For the sauce: Combine mustard, oil, the juice of half a lemon, sliced remainder of lemon, Herbs de Provence, salt and pepper.

Brown on pre-heated skillet with burner turned to high.  Only brown one to two minutes on either side.  Chicken is still raw when done with this step.  Pour sauce over chicken.  Mix together.  Place in pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.  Immediately upon removing from oven sprinkle with Panko and some parsley. Serve hot.

Enjoy.

Simple Chicken Quesadillas

done1_edited-1Happy Cinco de Mayo!  The day when Mexican-American’s and those who love them celebrate Mexico’s victory over France at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 during the Franco-Mexican War.  I say Mexican-Americans because, although also recognized in Mexico, it is a holiday far more upheld for those of Mexican decent living here in the U.S. as more of a celebration of culture and heritage.  I happen to love such holidays as they give us cause to look into the beautiful cultures surrounding us and allow us to partake in all they have to offer culturally.  For me, that usually means following a traditional recipe or working my own spin on a dish widely identified with said culture.

In today’s case Chicken Quesadillas are on the menu.  My husband and I are starting to eat low-carb, so you will see salad is there where rice and beans would normally be and I am using a low-carb whole wheat tortilla.  But, the essence of this famed Mexican dish is still here.  It is essentially my nod to the Mexican culture and their rich culinary contribution to the American diet.

Thank-you Mexico for such a delicious part of our weekly cooking, as we definitely have quesadillas as a staple in this home.  Let me share one of my favorite preparations with you today.

Start with a plain, boneless, skinless chicken breast.

For this recipe, I don’t like to overwhelm the chicken with too much spice… So, as you can see here, I sprinkle on the spices to just one side of the chicken before I slice it in preparation for cooking.  Here, I have sprinkled on a couple of shakes of Hungarian Paprika.

Continue by sprinkling on a couple shakes of garlic powder and cumin.

Lastly, I sprinkle on some salt. More salt will be added once the chicken is in the skillet.

Thinly slice the chicken.

Chicken is ready for the pan. Now you can prepare the non-stick skillet over medium heat with about a teaspoon of veggie oil.

Give the chicken a few minutes in the pan. Don’t fuss with it, you are trying to achieve a gentle browning.  At this point, sprinkle the chicken with some more kosher salt.

After a few minutes, turn the chicken and do the same to the other side.

colby jack

Now you will want to work with your cheese. I chose to use two types of cheese today because it’s a special day. Sometimes I just use one and sometimes I use whatever I have in my fridge that melts nicely. My first choice is a hunk of Colby Jack Cheese.

 

pepper jack

My next choice is a hunk of Pepper Jack.

shredded

Shred both.

Place a whole wheat tortilla (in my case one that is high in fiber) on a heated non-stick skillet (med/high) . Then spread half the cheese on one side.

add chicken

Now, add the cooked chicken on top of the cheese.  Add the Pepper Jack on top of that as sort of a delicious glue.

Fold tortilla over the cheese and chicken and cook on high/med heat.  After a few minutes, don’t forget about it, this happens fairly quickly, flip and do the same to the other side.

cut

Slice quesadilla into four pieces like so.  Serve with salsa and a dollup of sour cream.

done2

 

Recipe for Simple Chicken Quesadillas:

(serves 2)

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast

2 whole wheat tortillas (shown here are a low carb kind. with only 6 net carbs per wrap)

4 oz Colby Jack

4 oz Pepper Jack

1 Tbs. Canola oil

sprinkle of Hungarian Paprika

sprinkle of cumin

sprinkle of garlic powder

Directions:

Prepare chicken by seasoning with a sprinkle of each of the spices.  Slice chicken and cook with canola oil on medium heat to finished. Sprinkle with another pinch of kosher salt once in pan. Set chicken aside.

In a non-stick skillet or cast iron one, heat some Canola Oil on med/high heat.  Add in tortilla.  Then cover half with 1/2 Colby Jack, then chicken, then Pepper Jack. Fold tortilla in half over the contents. Cook about 2 minutes on both sides until golden brown on the outside.

Cut into 4 wedges and serve with salsa and sour cream.

Enjoy!

 

Popcorn Chicken w/ Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

done3 edited

If your house is anything like mine, chicken nuggets are a staple.  With two toddlers it’s easy and nutritious.  Popcorn chicken is a fun new way to present your chicken nuggets!  Kids love crunch and they love to dip things.

Maybe my kids are odd, but they LOVE veggies, it’s almost hard to get them to eat protein!  However, chicken nuggets and fish sticks are two that I can always count on without question. Although fast food stops are few and far between,  I have to say I am guilty of having a kid who calls out “chocolate milk!” every time we pass by those golden arches.  Eh, no one is perfect. So, when I can make them from scratch, I do.  I love being able to control the ingredients and know exactly what my kids are eating.

Just a quick note before we get started.  Although my kids are big fans (and they are yummy), sometimes I want an adult version of the meal, so take a look under the recipe for a quick and easy adult adjustment.

chicken breast

I have two toddlers, so I start with one chicken breast and that can feed them both for two meals. This recipe is very easily doubled though.

chop chicken

Chop up the chicken to the size you best think your kids would like. I find this (between the size of a quarter and a nickel) works for us and that is what the cook time is based on. If your kids prefer tenders or a classic nugget size, just adjust the cook time by 5 mins more. If you find they truly like them the size of popcorn, then reduce cook time by 5 mins.

soak chic

I find this step to be absolutely necessary when working with boneless skinless chicken of this size. Soak bits in about a cup of buttermilk for a minimum of 30 mins and up to 8 hrs. This both tenderizes the chicken and gives it some juicy flavor.

panko

Next, measure out about 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs.

plain bc

And, half a cup of plain bread crumbs.

bc in bag

Place them in a bag with a pinch of kosher salt, some fresh cracked black pepper and a pinch of plain paprika just for color. (if your kids like spice, you could also either add in a dash of cayenne pepper or switch the paprika to Hungarian paprika)

drain chic

Remove from buttermilk with a slotted spoon. The goal is to drain the buttermilk away from the milk, otherwise you’ll create a gloppy mess.

chic in bag

Add chicken into bag. (Now, if you have kids helping with this you may want to do this in divided amounts so everyone gets a turn)

close

Zip up bag. Kid’s love to help with this part! Shake it up!

coated in bag

This is what you should start to see.

coated on tray

Spread out on a parchment covered sheet pan. Separate the pieces as much as possible. This one chicken breast was enough to cover an entire sheet pan. So, if you are doing more than one, plan accordingly.

crispy on tray

Place the bits in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 minutes. And here is the result. (If you like them to look a bit more browned, spray with a canned canola oil before placing in the oven. I don’t find that my kids care, so I don’t. They are certainly crispy enough without it. It’s just a matter of color.

Now onto the dipping sauce, we are making a Honey Mustard dipping sauce:

mustard

I start with about a half cup of dijon mustard.

add honey

Add in a quarter cup of honey

add sour cream

Add in a dollup of sour cream (1 heaping tablespoon)

sauce done

Stir together and wala! Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce. These three ingredients can definitely be adjusted to accommodate your taste, so play with it until you find that it works for your palate. You could also add in a pinch of salt, although I did not.

done edit2

 

Recipe for Popcorn Chicken:

(serves 2-4 kids or 1-2 adults)

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped

1 c. Japanese Panko bread crumbs

1/2 c. plain bread crumbs

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. paprika

For the dip:

1/2 c. dijon mustard

1/4 c. honey

1 heaping Tbs. sour cream

Directions:

Chicken:

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

In a gallon size zipper bag, add in bread crumbs and seasoning.  Combine.  Add in chicken bits, shake.  Place on a parchment lined sheet pan.  Bake for 25 minutes.

Dip:

Add all ingredients to a small bowl.  Stir.

Enjoy!

**************************************************************************************************

Here is the adult version I promised you!

adult 2

To make this chicken: * Soak chicken in buttermilk (and a dash of hot sauce if desired) for at least one hour. * In the bread crumb mixture add in 1 tsp. Hungarian paprika for spice if desired. * Bake for one hour or until the chicken comes to 160°F with a meat thermometer.

Chicken Mozambique Sandwich (Sanduíche de frango Moçambique)

2 Comments

main plate3If you are looking for something fun and exciting with a Portuguese twist for those Spring baseball games or just to enjoy with your family tonight for dinner.  Try this super easy and quick recipe for Chicken Mozambique Sandwiches!  While hot dogs and hamburgers definitely have their place all summer long, it won’t be long before they can become less than desirable.  Throw this in the mix and keep um guessing.

A good Mozambique sauce is a staple all year long.  Traditionally, Mozambique sauce is paired with shrimp, but it has proven to have great results with chicken.  Check it out and try it with whatever protein you would like.

onions

Start by slicing up a large onion. Traditionally, onions are minced for Mozambique, but since we are making a sandwich, I thought it would be extra yummy to have some nice onions on top of our sandwich. (If you are not a fan of onions, try not to leave them out, instead ether do it this way and remove later or mince and they will melt right in. You need the onion flavoring though.)

add butter

Saute the onions on medium in olive oil until they soften. Then add half a stick of butter.

garlic

Once the butter melts in, add minced garlic.

sazon

After about a minute or so, add in a packet of saffron seasoning. (If you don’t have saffron seasoning in your neck of the woods, just add in 6-8 tendrils of actual saffron and about a teaspoon of salt)

add sazon

This is what you should have.

sliced chicken

Slice two chicken breasts about 1/4″ – 1/2″ thick.

add chicken

Add in the chicken… You want to coat all that yummy saffron seasoning directly on the chicken for just about a minute. (It’s a crazy color, right?)

glass of wine

Next, add in a glass of dry white wine. (about a cup… beer can be substituted here)

hot sauce2

Add in your favorite hot sauce, or whatever you have on hand, to taste… if you aren’t into spice, leave it out, no biggy, there is still a ton of flavor going on.

 

done

If you have some fresh parsley around, add some in… it’s not totally necessary, but I like it. Simmer for 5-8 mins and your done with the chicken part of this sandwich. If you want to serve this over rice, it’s super good!

I like to make a kind of aoli sauce to top my sandwich, here’s how I do it:

mayo

Measure about a half cup of mayo. (If you prefer a healthier option, you can use Greek yogurt here, gives if a bit of a tang)

add broth

Add in about half a cup of broth and wisk to combine

add garlic and hot sauce

Now we want to intensify some of the flavors we used. So add in about 1/2 t. garlic powder and some hot sauce. Wisk.

add paprika

Lastly, add in some paprika. This is Hungarian paprika, its got a spicy kick, whatever you have on hand works too.  And you’re done… If you have extra after the sandwich… Keep it! This would be really yummy over some fish or shrimp.

Now just a couple of preparations to build your sandwiches:

bread

Find some sub rolls.

cut bread

Cut down the middle using a serated knife.

 

 

toast

Toast up your sub roll with some butter.

swiss2

Slice up some Swiss cheese.

main plate1

Build your sandwiches by first placing in the cheese. Then add the piping hot chicken, don’t forget to grab some of those onions to place on top and then top with the sauce. And wala, you’re done!

Recipe for Chicken Mozambique Sandwich:

(Serves 4)

For the chicken:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced thinly

2 T. olive oil

1/2 stick butter

1 large onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup dry white wine

1 packet saffron seasoning

hot sauce to taste

For the sub sauce:

1/2 c. prepared mayonnaise (or Greek yogurt)

hot sauce to taste

1/2 t. garlic powder

pinch of paprika

For the Sandwich:

4 torpedo rolls or sub roll of your choice

1 t. butter

8 slices swiss cheese

Directions:

Chicken:

Saute onions until soft in olive oil over medium heat. Melt in butter.  Add in garlic, continue to saute one minute.  Add in saffron seasoning.  Add in chicken to coat with spices. Add in remaining ingredients.  Cook for about 5-8 minutes until chicken is cooked through.  (Wine should come to a boil)

Sub Sauce:

In a medium bowl add in 1/2 c. Mozambique broth with mayo, garlic powder, hot sauce and paprika.  Wisk.  Set aside.

Putting the sandwich together:

Toast the sub roll with butter.  Cut down the middle to allow for stuffing.  Layer cheese, chicken, onions (from the chicken recipe) and top with sub sauce.