Fire-Roasted Tomato Chicken w/ Capers & Onions

As you may have noticed, I'm a big fan of fire-roasted tomatoes (see previous recipe). They provide this chicken dish with a wonderful depth of flavor, and the capers a nice vinegary bite. At the last minute I also threw in some mustard seed because I really like the texture it adds.

One thing to remember whenever using canned tomatoes (and other canned vegetables) is to check the sodium content--you made need to adjust the salt in a recipe if an ingredient has already been seasoned.

Fire-Roasted Tomato Chicken w/ Capers & Onions

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, quartered and sliced
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 boneless chicken breasts
3 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp yellow mustard seed (optional)
1 14 oz. can fire-roasted tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in dutch oven or large skillet and saute onion until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 3-4 minutes more. Add chicken and brown on both sides.
2. Add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 8-10 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

The cost:
onion: .45
garlic: .10
chicken: 8.99
capers: 1.99
tomatoes: 1.00

Grand total: $12.53; serves 4 over rice or quinoa with a side of roasted veggies

Smoky Rosemary & Fire-Roasted Tomato Beef Stew

The 2010 April Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Wolf of Wolf’s Den. She chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make Brunswick Stew. Wolf chose recipes for her challenge from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook by Matt Lee and Ted Lee, and from the Callaway, Virginia Ruritan Club.

This month's challenge didn't really appeal to me since I would have to make so many changes in order to be able to eat it, but it did inspire me to make this delicious rosemary and fire-roasted tomato beef stew!

The secret ingredient here: Smoked paprika that gives the stew a rich flavor (fine, it makes it taste like it's been simmering for 18 hours rather than 2, but you don't have to tell anyone :)) I also browned the meat first which adds an incredible depth of flavor, I highly recommend it even though it takes some extra time. I also had meant to add potatoes to this stew but ran out of space in the pot!

Smoky Rosemary & Fire-Roasted Tomato Beef Stew

1 pounds beef cubes
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 celery stalks, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6 carrots, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 14 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes
2 cups soup stock
2 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tsp smoked paprika
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a large dutch oven over high heat. Brown beef cubes in batches (don't crowd the pan) and remove to a small dish.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add remaining oil and brown onions. Add garlic, celery and carrots and cook 3-4 minutes.
3. Return meat to pot and add stock, rosemary, bay leaves and smoked paprika. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat for at least 1 hour (you can also finish this in a 350 degree oven for 1 to 1.5 hours). Season with salt and pepper to taste.

The cost:
beef: 11.99
onions: .45
celery: 1.19
carrots: .89
tomatoes: 1.00
rosemary: 1.99

Grand total: $17.51; serves 8

Onion Smothered Chicken w/ White Wine Braised Baby Bok Choy

Earlier today, one of my Twitter buds tweeted a photo of his caramelized onion steak. It really put me in the mood for something smothered in sweet, slow cooked onions.

I decided on chicken since I didn't have any steak; originally, I planned to use broccolini (baby broccoli) for this recipe but they were out, so I got baby bok choy instead and it came out great! It takes a long time to cook the onions down low and slow so they release they sugars and caramelize, but it's so worth it. If you don't have time, you can just saute the onion regularly over medium high-heat.

Onion Smothered Chicken w/ White Wine Braised Baby Bok Choy

Ingredients:

4 tsp vegetable oil
3 small onions, quartered and sliced thinkly
3 boneless chicken breasts
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp aleppo pepper (or red chili flakes)
1/4 cup white wine
4 baby bok choy, sliced in half length-wise

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a dutch oven or large skillet. Over medium-low heat, saute onions until soft and caramelized, 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add chicken and cover with onion. Cook 1-2 minutes on each side to brown, sprinkle in salt and pepper and stir to coat, then add wine to deglaze pan. Raise heat until liquid is bubbling (you want to cook out some of the alcohol), turn down to a simmer, cover and cook 3-4 minutes more until chicken is no longer pink.

 

3. Remove chicken from pan and add baby bok choy, cut side down. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes, then turn over (cut-side up) and cook 1 minute more until core is soft and leaves are wilted but still very green.

 

The cost:
onion: 1.19
chicken: 6.72
baby bok choy: 2.49

Grand total: $10.40; serves 2 + leftovers (serve over rice or mashed potatoes)

Ginger Chicken w/ Braised Baby Bok Choy

As you may have already figured out, I'm a big fan of Asian food. This recipe was my attempt at recreating a dish from one of my favorite Asian restaurants. I figure, for what I pay for one serving, I can make myself with enough to serve 4.

I think I did a pretty good job :)

Ginger Chicken w/ Braised Baby Bok Choy

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled
10 oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1-inch chunk of ginger, peeled and sliced into very thin strips
3 baby bok choy, sliced in half lengthwise
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large skillet and saute onion until soft, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 5-6 minutes more. Add mushrooms and cook until they are soft and have released their juices, 8-10 minutes.
2. Add soy sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, & ginger, stirring to combine.
3. Add baby bok choy, cut side down. Cook 2 minutes, then flip over and cook 2 minutes on the other side. Remove from skillet and set aside.
4. Add chicken to skillet, stirring to coat in sauce. Cover and cook 5-6 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Serve over brown basmati rice for a healthy and flavorful dinner!

The cost:
onion: .45
mushrooms: 1.99
baby bok choy: 2.49
chicken: 5.99

Grand total: $10.92; serves 4