Chicken Archives - A Li'l Bit of Spice

I was never a big ramen fan until my sister-in-law Sarika took me to this tiny little ramen restaurant in Oakland. I can’t stress enough how good that ramen was. It was simply delicious with layers of flavor in the broth and each bite just filling you with warmth and comfort.

Recently, Taste Republic and I decided to partner together to come up with some new recipes and when I saw their gluten free linguini, I knew I wanted to make ramen with it instantly. Fresh pasta that are thin enough to substitute for traditional ramen noodles and they cook in just 3 minutes!

This recipe literally took me less than 30 minutes to make and part of the reason is I used rotisserie chicken. A perfect weeknight recipe that’s a little different from having to precook in an instant pot or slow cooker (don’t get me wrong, I love both of those devices!) and you can still make a delicious meal in 30 minutes – yes please!

Here are a few more weeknight meals you may enjoy:
Greek Tortellini Salad
15 minute Masala Pasta
Sausage & Zucchini Linguini
Roasted Garden Salad
Instant Pot Tortilla Soup

From my kitchen to yours, I hope you enjoy this recipe.

What you’ll need:

*Disclaimer: I have partnered with Taste Republic to use their gluten free pastas for my 30 minute meal series. This recipe is a product of that partnership.

June 10, 2017June 1, 2020

SapnaLeave a comment

Chicken & Rice Soup

Having a toddler who goes to daycare means germs, constant runny noses and lots of cuddles. As a mom, I also have to think of foods that comfort her, taste good when she’s not feeling well and is something nutritious to help her get better soon. What better than chicken and rice soup that is quick to make when your 2 year old won’t let you go but packed with protein, vitamin C and fiber.
I used some short cuts that I’ll show you along the way. I hope you make some and enjoy a bowl of good comfort.

Boil chicken stock and add a chicken breast to it. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let it simmer for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, take the chicken breast out and shred. Set it aside.

Chop some onions and red bell pepper and set aside (did you know that 1 cup of red bell pepper has 3 times the Vit. C that 1 orange has!).

In a non-stick skillet, melt the butter (maybe not that healthy ….)

Add flour and mix well.

Mix the flour and butter well until it turns golden brown. You’ll be able to smell the golden deliciousness. It’s very important to let the flour cook through otherwise you’ll have a grainy flavor that no one really wants to eat.

Add some turmeric to this. Did you know turmeric is a great natural healer? Among other things, it’s an anti-inflammatory plant and strengthens the immune system. Pretty much what I need for my toddler when she’s not feeling well.

Add the onions and bell peppers and sauté for a few minutes on high heat.
Add the veggies to the stock pot and stir well. Add the chicken back to the stock pot also.

This is my secret! Ready made rice. Not only is it rice – it’s brown/red rice, with kale….. and chia seeds! This is my cheat. I save time by not making rice on the side but it’s healthy and readily available in most grocery stores. Add this pouch to the stockpot and stir well.

Add a small pinch of salt and pepper. I didn’t add too much seasoning as the chicken stock tends to have a lot of sodium already. Let the soup simmer for about 8-10 minutes so the flavors mix in well. Serve hot and enjoy!

Ingredients:
6 cups chicken stock
1 whole chicken breast
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 tsp turmeric
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pouch Seeds of Change Rice
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:
Boil the chicken stock and add a chicken breast to it. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and let it simmer for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, take the chicken breast out and shred. Set it aside.
In a non-stick skillet, melt the butter and flour to it. Stir constantly and mix well until the flour is cooked. Add turmeric to it and mix well to cook. Add the onions and bell peppers and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the onions and bell peppers to the stock pot and mix. Also add in the chicken and rice to the stockpot and simmer on medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve hot and enjoy!

January 30, 2016June 1, 2020

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Breaded Chicken

Chicken can get boring if you don’t get creative but I’m going to share with you my secret. I love making breaded chicken because I can use it so many ways…. use it to make chicken parm, serve with spaghetti and marinara sauce. This is also one of my go to chicken recipes if I’ve not had a chance to prep for dinner and need to make something without putting in too much effort. Usually breaded chicken requires thinning out the chicken by pounding it down with a meat mallet; I’m not into beating the crap out the poor thing after it’s already dead so I slice it in half instead. This is actually so much better I think as you get to portion control your meat and it doubles the serving size.

Slice 2 chicken breasts in half and season both sides of each half with salt and pepper.

For the breading, you’ll need three deep bowls or plates. In one, add some all purpose flour.

In the second, crack 2 eggs and whisk them really well.

In the third, mix together bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.

Heat up a non-stick skillet and add a little evoo to it. While the oil is coming up to temp, take a piece of seasoned chicken breast and first dredge it in the flour. This will help take out all the moisture from the chicken so the eggs and bread crumbs can stick better. Next, dip the chicken breast in the egg and finally, in the bread crumbs and cheese mixture. Make sure you cover all the chicken breast with the crumbs mix for maximum flavor.
Once you’ve dipped the chicken breast in all three, add it to the skillet. Oh I love the sound of the chicken sizzling!

Let the chicken cook on each side for about 3-4 minutes on each side so you get a beautiful golden crust. Make sure you use two separate tongs, one for the raw meat and one for the meat cooking on the stove to prevent food contamination.

If you’re having a party or even want a head start on dinner, you can totally make this chicken ahead of time and just keep in the oven to warm up when you’re ready to serve. Hope you enjoy it as much as my husband does!

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, each sliced in half
1/2 c flour
2 eggs
1/2 c Italian style bread crumbs
1/4 c parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to season
EVOO to cook chicken with

Directions:
Season both sides of each chicken breast with salt and pepper and set aside.
Prep the breading station with flour in one bowl and beaten eggs in a second. In the third bowl, mix the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese together.
In a non-stick skillet, heat the evoo on medium heat. Add in the breaded chicken and cook on each side for about 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
Serve with pasta and sauce, or even use to make chicken parm.
Enjoy!

December 3, 2015June 1, 2020

Sapna2 Comments

Lal Murgh (Red Chicken)

I haven’t cooked Indian food in a while because it needs some good time and attention to come out perfect and those are two things I don’t have in abundance these days. So I decided that needed to change and I needed to create something easy but vibrant and delicious, with lots of flavor. The spices in this red chicken pack a great punch with an array of flavors and the meat is nice and tender from being marinated even for just a short time. The best part, the spice mix I used is the Butter Chicken spice mix you get at any Indian grocery store – so easy and time saving!
One of my favorite ways to prep meat is to marinate them. Did you know that marinating meats helps slow down the growth of bacteria? Also, based on the ingredient you’re marinating you’re meat with, it affects in a different way. For example, I’ve used citrus which is known to tenderize the meat and lock in the moisture when you’re cooking it. Hope your chicken turns out juicy like mine did!

Chop up a boneless, skinless, chicken breast into cubes. Set them in a container and add in a little spice mix, a splash of lemon juice, and some water. Mix the chicken well, cover it, and let it marinate for at least 1 hour. Doesn’t that just look gorgeous?!

When you’re ready to cook the chicken, heat a little oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add some red onions and sauté for a couple of minutes.

Add in some grated ginger and minced garlic. Oh, the smell of that garlic!

Sauté all of the above for a couple of minutes, then add in the tomatoes.

Mix well, and cook everything for 5-10 minutes. You’ll notice the tomatoes softening and the oil separating. They should look something like this:

Finally, add in the marinated chicken and mix well. Cook it for about 7 minutes or until done.

For the chicken marinade:
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, chopped into 1 inch cubes
2Tbsp lemon juice
1Tbsp spice mix
1/3c water

To cook the chicken:
1Tbsp EVOO
1/3c finely chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced
2tsp grated ginger
2 tomatoes, chopped finely

In a bowl, mix together the chicken, lemon juice, butter chicken spice mix, and water. Toss well to coat all the chicken pieces evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

To cook the chicken, heat the oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add in the garlic and ginger and cook for another couple of minutes. Finally, add in the tomatoes and mix well. Cook for 5-10 minutes until the oil separates from the tomatoes. Add in the marinated chicken with all the juices and cook for another 6-7 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through.

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Roti, Naan or Rice. Enjoy!

September 26, 2015January 4, 2021

Sapna2 Comments

Chicken Pot Pie

Updated Jan 4, 2020 from the original post published Sept, 2015.

Chicken pot pie is a family favorite in this household. My kids have been asking for this almost biweekly for the past couple of months. It makes me so happy that they would love eating my pot pie (though I secretly think it’s mostly because the name has “pie” in it). I have included in the recipe notes to make this recipe vegetarian and vegan so try it out and let me know what you think!

A hack that I have been known to use on occasion is buying rotisserie chicken, shredding it up and using that instead of baking my own. This simply cuts down on the time involved to make the pot pie. If you choose to go this route, remember to buy an herb roasted or seasoned chicken so that there is added flavor. You can also make these in individual ramekins to personalize them by adding chicken to those who want it and keeping it vegetarian for those who prefer not.

Making chicken pot pie on a busy weeknight may not be ideal but it you can totally make and assemble the pie over the weekend and simply bake it during any weeknight. Storage is easy as it can last in the fridge up to 5 days. So what are you waiting for? Make this your next meal and feel the comfort of home!

From my kitchen to yours, I hope you enjoy this delicious Chicken Pot Pie!