teriyaki chicken sandwich

Posted on July 1, 2012 by natalie @ wee eats

I’ve got a treat for you, and it’s not just this amazing chicken sandwich.

I’m part of an elite, top-secret baking team hand-picked by Stefanie of The Cupcake Project. Together, we are testing what may just be the world’s ultimate chocolate cupcake recipe. I can’t tell you much, just that I CAN’T WAIT to tell you ALL ABOUT them!!! But I can’t do that yet…

I CAN tell you all about Stefanie’s “Ultimate Vanilla Cupcake” recipe, which I plan to make today as well. The chocolate ones, though… those ones you will have to wait for. Assuming, of course, that it is deemed the “ultimate chocolate cupcake recipe.”

These sandwiches, though. These are another thing entirely. BF said he wanted “chicken sandwiches” for lunch one day, and then I came home and made these. I’m not sure if they are exactly what he had in mind, but they have quickly become one of our favorite meals.

It’s grilled teriyaki chicken breast with avocado, tomato, lettuce, onion, and spicy sriracha mayo sandwiched between a crisp and toasty ciabatta bun. You need to make these. Like now. When I tried to complain to BF about posting it, because I didn’t have any “amazing pictures” he said “WHO CARES!? IT’S SO GOOD!” … so you have him to thank for this post. 🙂 He was very concerned about you being able to enjoy these sandwiches.

Oh, and let’s not forget our virtual picnic on pinterest! If I don’t respond to your tag (Pinterest can be a little wonky sometimes), feel free to send an e-mail requesting to be a contributor to me at wee.eats@gmail.com or you can just comment on this post with a link to your pinterest account. 🙂

Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches

[ Printable Recipe ]

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

Your favorite teriyaki marinade (I think I just used a bottled one – Lawry’s or something)

1 avocado, sliced

4 scallions, sliced

1 tomato, sliced

Lettuce of your choice (Romaine is ok, but I think arugula would be great)

Cilantro (optional)

4 ciabatta buns, split

Sriracha Mayo

1/4 cup mayo

1 Tablespoon sriracha

Drizzle olive oil (about a teaspoon)

1. Marinate chicken according to marinade directions. I marinate it for about 45 minutes.

2. While chicken is marinating, make the sriracha mayo and slice the toppings.

To make the mayo – Mix the sriracha, mayo, and oil. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Other flavorful (optional) mix-ins include sambal olek (chili-garlic paste), splash of lime, scallions, or cilantro.

3. Preheat grill and cook chicken until done. Tent loosely with foil.

4. Spread sriaracha mayo on ciabatta buns and grill, mayo side down, until toasted.

5. When ready to assemble sandwiches, cut chicken breasts int strips at a 45 degree angle. Assemble sandwiches – I like to sprinkle scallions on the bottom bun, top with the avocado, then tomato, then chicken (3 to 4 strips, depending on how big of strips you cut), and lettuce on top.

summery chicken pasta

Posted on June 19, 2012 by natalie @ wee eats

I AM BACK! Well, I’ve been back, but have still been recovering from vacation. You know how vacation just makes you more tired than you were before you went on vacation? Not only that, but it also sucked all the joy out of my regular life, as I don’t want to do anything except keep being on vacation.

Where you get to hang out on boats…

enjoy scenic views…

and hike through colorful canyons…

Anyway, since it is summer, and I had to be in a bikini, I decided to take a break from the sweeter things in life for a day and post this [ relative-to-what-i-usually-post ] healthful pasta recipe instead. Just a simple pasta filled with fresh veggies, lean chicken, and garlic. Lots and lots of garlic. 😉

I do variations of this pasta all the time with different veggies … no real measurements. But this should serve as a good “jumping off point” for you. It’s actually one of BF’s favorite dinners, depending on what I throw in, of course. A splash of cream and a bit of butter never hurt anyone, though you may want to skip those depending on how far away your bikini date is.

Summery Chicken Pasta

[ Printable Recipe ]

1 (1-lb) box pasta, whole wheat if you want to feel a little better about it
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (thin cut will cook faster)
4 cloves garlic
½ cup white wine (optional)
½ cup (1 cup if you skip the wine), low-sodium chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
1 bag baby spinach (~ 6 oz)
2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, I like to halve some and leave some whole
½ cup loosely-packed basil, torn, plus more for garnish (if desired)
Splash of heavy cream (optional, but recommended)
Salt and Pepper
Olive oil
1 – 2 Tablespoons butter
Italian cheese – Parmesan, Pecorino, Asiago, whatever you’ve got.

Cook pasta in salted water per package directions. Drain and set aside.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Bash your garlic cloves with your hand or a knife, you want them to be “broken” but not chopped or separated.

Preheat pan over medium-high heat. Drizzle oil to coat the bottom and add chicken, cooking in batches if necessary. Cook until done and transfer to a plate; tent with foil while you cook the veggies.

Add another drizzle of oil if necessary. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly browned. DO NOT let the garlic burn. Once the garlic is lightly browned remove the cloves of garlic and add your onion. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Sauté until translucent, then add your wine and cook until almost evaporated, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add your broth and bring to a boil. (Sometimes I throw my garlic cloves back in, just remember to fish them out again before you serve it).

Chop chicken to desired size pieces and return chicken, with any accumulated juices, to the pan.

Reduce heat to low and add spinach, basil, tomatoes, and cooked pasta to the skillet. Add a healthy dose of grated parmesan to the pasta. Throw in a tablespoon of butter and a dash of cream if you’re feeling saucy, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Toss until the spinach is wilted to your liking.

Serve sprinkled with extra parmesan and basil.

TIPS

You can also sauté bell peppers with your onion for an extra ‘punch’ of flavor
I like to drop a few strands of saffron into the broth while it boils as well
I also like to add half of my tomatoes while the broth is boiling so they burst and flavor the sauce, then the other half at the end so they are more “fresh”.

chicken and dumplings

Posted on February 6, 2012 by natalie @ wee eats

TGIM

Wait, that’s not how it goes, is it?

I think I just need a redo of my weekend, so thank goodness it’s Monday (and I’m one day closer to next weekend). I learned a lot of valuable lessons this weekend…

I learned that my dutch oven will not retain moisture as well as my crockpot, so I should definitely use more liquid (or check the liquid) when I’m using it.
I learned to always check that my wallet is actually in my purse before I leave the house.
I learned to make sure that I turn the stovetop off before setting a tray full of treats down on top of the stove to cool and walking away.
I learned that not all hair places are created equal, and that there is a reason ladies spend so much to get their hair done. And that it’s not always worth it to save a few pennies by going somewhere cheaper.
I learned just how little sleep I can get and still be relatively functional. Or how unfunctional I am without sleep (hence #1 and 2 above)
I also learned that ricotta gnocchi is amazing. Lighter, tastier, and much less fussy than its potato-y cousin.

I’d never had ricotta gnocchi, but I know how badly potato gnocchi can go horribly wrong. It can be tasteless, pasty, and heavy. Chicken and “dumplings” has a pretty big error ratio as well. Those “dumplings” can end up being dry biscuits, gooey balls of dough, or even just thick noodles, but this was different. The ricotta gnocchi came out light and fluffy – like little cloud-like pillows floating in rich, hearty chicken broth… amazing.

So if you’re looking for something warm and comforting, look no further. This new take on chicken and dumplings is just what you need. It’s like a big, warm hug … in food form.

I found the original recipe in Bon Appetit, but modified it so that I could use chicken breast instead of thigh and (more importantly) so that I didn’t have to go the store… so leeks became onions, parsnips became, well, nonexistent, and the rest is more or less the same. The recipe makes a ton of gnocchi. A ton. And trust me, you’ll want to use this stuff later on… I have a bag full in my freezer right now. Maybe I’ll cook some for dinner tonight…

Chicken and Dumplings

[ Printable Recipe ]

Gnocchi

1 pound ricotta
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus more
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 1/4 cups finely grated Parmesan
3/4 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt

Chicken and Gravy

10 cups low-salt chicken broth
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
5 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 celery stalks, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Shaved Parmesan (I didn’t use it, but no biggie)

Gnocchi

Gently mix ricotta, 1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. flour, egg, Parmesan, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl just to blend (do not overwork). Form dough into a ball (it will be sticky); wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Place dough on a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough into 4 equal portions and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Using your hands, roll 1 portion into a 1/2″-diameter rope; cut crosswise into 1/2″-thick pieces. Lightly dust gnocchi with flour and transfer to pre-pared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions of dough. Cover gnocchi with a kitchen towel and chill until ready to cook. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 months ahead. Freeze on sheets, then store, frozen, in an airtight container.

Chicken and Gravy

Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Add chicken; reduce heat to low, cover, and gently simmer until chicken is tender and cooked through, 20–30 minutes. Remove chicken; let cool slightly and shred into bite-size pieces. Bring broth to a boil and cook until reduced to 8 cups, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over low heat. Whisk in flour until smooth and cook, whisking constantly, until roux is pale beige in color, about 15 minutes (do not brown).
Scrape roux into simmering broth; whisk until thickened and broth coats the back of a spoon. Reduce heat to low and add vegetables. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add shredded chicken and herbs. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill, uncovered, until cold; cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before serving.
Cook gnocchi in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until gnocchi float to the surface, about 2 minutes (slightly longer if frozen). Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to bowls, dividing equally. Ladle chicken and vegetables with gravy over. Season with pepper and top with Parmesan.

[ Adapted from Bon Appetit, February 2012 ]

not your average chicken sandwich

Posted on January 18, 2012 by natalie @ wee eats

Close your eyes, wait don’t do that or you won’t be able to read this. Read this, then close your eyes and imagine, if you will, grilled ciabatta with basil mayo layered with warm, grilled chicken breast, asiago cheese, roasted red peppers (see, told you you’d need these), arugula and red onion. Do you see it in your mind’s eye? Can you smell it? Taste it?

For some reason I NEEDED this sandwich. I woke up with it in my head, had all of the ingredients on hand, and my brain was just repeating over and over “grilled chicken sandwich”, “asiago”, “roasted red peppers”, “ciabaaaataaaaaa”…. Which really isn’t a normal thing for it to repeat, normally it’s more along the lines of, “CHOCOLATE CAKE”, “PEANUT BUTTERRRRR”.

My brain (and stomach) were being held hostage, so I had no choice but to make it happen, and it was every bit as delicious as I imagined.

Ok, now wipe the puddle of drool off of your desk and go get the ingredients and make this sandwich. Now.

Oh, and you can serve it with some roasted red pepper soup and asiago croutons. For this meal, I just doctored some Trader Joe’s Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup with a little chicken stock, asiago, basil, and croutons. It was a match made in heaven.

I’m not really one to brag, but this meal just really hit the spot for me. Warm, comforting, homey, and filling…. just wow.

As much as I loved this sandwich, I can’t end this post without mentioning how much I love my new light box (thanks BF!). This thing is amazing. Of course, natural light reigns supreme for photos, but I am in a serious state of shock when I can take photos like the ones here on a day like this:

Gross, right? Without this light box I would have been screwed. Royally screwed. These photos wouldn’t have even been an option. My only wish is that it had come with more backdrops, but no biggie. I can easily fashion my own backdrops with a little cloth and some velcro. I just need the time… and motivation.

*Update – I’ve been using leftover ingredients from this sandwich to make wraps for lunch during the week …. still delicious 🙂

Asiago Chicken Sandwich – serves 2 (but can easily serve more)

[Printable Recipe]

For sandwich:

1 (½ lb) chicken breast, cooked and sliced
1 red bell pepper, roasted
½ small red onion, sliced
4 slices asiago cheese
handful arugula
1 small loaf ciabatta, sliced in half
basil mayo (recipe follows)

For mayo:

¼ cup mayo
bunch of basil, minced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Make your basil mayo by combining the ingredients in a small bowl or food processor. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

2. Roast your red pepper(s) if you haven’t already, peel off the skin, cut to desired size and set aside until ready to use.

3. Cook your chicken breast as desired. I marinated mine in some stock, salt, pepper, olive oil, garlic, and thyme. Then grilled it over high heat for 6 minutes each side, then rest tented with foil for ten minutes. Set aside.

(You can do everything up to here a day ahead of time, and save grilling the bread for last. Or, don’t even grill the bread and have a tasty cold sandwich instead 🙂 )

4. While the chicken is resting, spread basil mayo on your ciabatta (you won’t all of the mayo). Grill over medium high to high heat until toasted (alternatively, you can toast it in a nonstick skillet, or under the broiler).

5. Assemble sandwiches however you like (some people like the toppings on the bottom, some like them on top, whatever you do, just get them in there)

chicken parmesan

Posted on September 23, 2011 by natalie @ wee eats

Chicken parmesan gets a bad rep for a number of reasons. Your usual chicken parmesan will arrive either soggy, drowning in sauce and cheese or dry and deep-fried – thrown on top of some pasta. This chicken parmesan is neither soggy, nor dry, and especially not fried. This chicken parmesan allows you to achieve a crispy chicken that is still tender, and has no melty cheese or sauce on top (except that last shaving a parmesan you see on top of mine – melted ever so slightly by the heat of the still-warm chicken).

Most breaded items are dredged in flour, then egg, then breading. I got the idea of dipping them in garlic butter from a recipe I saw over at simply recipes. It was rather ingenius, if I do say so myself. If you prefer the old-fashioned way, go ahead, but you’ll save a dish if you do it this way.

It’s baked, not fried, which means that you have time to clean up your mess, set the table, sit back and relax – whatever you like for the time that the chicken is in the oven. Using thin-sliced chicken helps it to cook faster, and if you’re a breading freak (like yours truly) make sure you use panko to get them extra crispy, and cut them into “nuggets” to get a higher breading-to-chicken ratio. The nuggets also make it a little more ‘kid-friendly’ – just serve them with the tomato sauce to dip in on the side. 🙂

Chicken Parmesan

[ Printable Recipe ]

1 lb thin-sliced* chicken breast (cutting into nuggets is optional)
1/2 stick butter
2 cloves garlic
1 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly-grated parmigianno-reggiano (or a mix of parm & pecorino)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
a few grinds of the pepper mill

1. Preheat oven to 450F. Melt butter in small bowl. Add garlic and stir to combine.

2. In a separate bowl (I actually like to use a paper plate, so I can just throw it away when I’m done), mix together bread crumbs, cheese, and seasonings.

3. Dip chicken in melted butter, then bread crumbs, being sure to press it into the bread crumbs for maximum adhesion.

4. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet and cook at 450F for 15 – 20 minutes until cooked through. If you have to brown it more, turn it up to broil at the end, but be sure to keep a close eye on it! You can flip them half-way through, if you like, for more even browning, but you will end up sacrificing some of the delicious breading.

*If you don’t want to buy thin-sliced (it does cost more), you can slice your own and/or pound it thin

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