Barbecue Pulled Chicken

This fanciful reinterpretation of pulled pork uses chicken and lots of tomato sauce. Have sliced jalapenos, sliced red onions and some sour cream on hand to top this hearty main course.

Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 1 month.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 8-ounce can  reduced-sodium tomato sauce
1 4-ounce can  chopped green chiles, drained
3 tablespoons  cider vinegar
2 tablespoons  honey
1 tablespoon  sweet or smoked paprika
1 tablespoon  tomato paste
1 tablespoon  worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons  dry mustard
1 teaspoon  ground chipotle chile
1/2 teaspoon  salt
2 1/2 pounds  boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
1   small onion, finely chopped
1 clove  garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS
Stir tomato sauce, chiles, vinegar, honey, paprika, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, ground chipotle and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker until smooth. Add chicken, onion and garlic; stir to combine.


Put the lid on and cook on low until the chicken can be pulled apart, about 5 hours.


Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with a fork. Return the chicken to the sauce, stir well and serve.

Grilled Chicken with Chipotle-Orange Glaze

Smoky chipotle peppers make this quick, citrusy barbecue sauce special. Try this recipe with shrimp or pork chops on the grill as well. Serve with Quinoa & Black Beans and fruit sorbet for dessert.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon  orange juice concentrate, thawed
1 1/2 teaspoons   finely chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (see Note)
1 1/2 teaspoons  balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon  molasses
1/2 teaspoon  Dijon mustard
2   boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat (8 ounces)
1/8 teaspoon  salt

Note: Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are smoked jalapenos packed in a flavorful sauce. Look for the small cans with the Mexican foods in large supermarkets. Once opened, they’ll keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.

DIRECTIONS
Preheat grill or broiler to high. Lightly oil the rack.


Whisk orange juice concentrate, chiles, vinegar, molasses and mustard in a small bowl.


Sprinkle chicken with salt. Grill or broil the chicken for 2 minutes. Turn the chicken, brush with the chipotle-orange glaze, and cook, brushing occasionally with more of the glaze, 4 minutes more. Turn the chicken again, brush with the glaze, and cook until no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 5 minutes more.

Chicken and Shrimp Jambalaya

Because andouille varies in spiciness, we suggest tasting a piece of the cooked sausage and then adjusting the amount of cayenne in the jambalaya to suit your taste. If you can’t find andouille, try tasso, chorizo, or linguiça; if using chorizo or linguiça, consider doubling the amount of cayenne. The onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic can be chopped by hand instead of in the food processor. The shrimp don’t need to be deveined, but you can do so if you prefer. If you’re serving only four people, you may choose to skip the shredding step and serve the chicken on the bone.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 medium onion, peeled, ends trimmed, and quartered lengthwise
1 medium rib of celery, cut crosswise into quarters
1 medium red bell pepper, stem removed, seeded, and quartered lengthwise
5 medium cloves of garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
8 ounces andouille sausage , halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups long grain white rice (10 ounces)
1 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme , minced
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (see note)
1 can diced tomatoes (14 1/2-ounce), drained, 1/4 cup juice reserved
1 cup clam juice
1 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 pound medium shrimp (31 to 35 shrimp per pound), or large shrimp, shelled
2 tablespoons fresh parsley , minced

DIRECTIONS
In food processor, pulse onion, celery, red pepper, and garlic until chopped fine, about
six 1-second pulses, scraping down sides of bowl once or twice. Do not overprocess; vegetables should not be pureed.


Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Add chicken, skin-side down, and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn chicken and cook until golden brown on second side, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to plate and set aside.

Reduce heat to medium and add andouille; cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to paper towel-lined plate and set aside.


Reduce heat to medium-low, add vegetables, and cook, stirring occasionally and scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon, until vegetables have softened, about 4 minutes. Add rice, salt, thyme, and cayenne; cook, stirring frequently, until rice is coated with fat, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, clam juice, chicken broth, bay leaves, and browned sausage to pot; stir to combine. Remove and discard skin from chicken; place chicken, skinned-side down, on rice. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir once, keeping chicken on top, skinned-side down. Replace cover and continue to simmer until chicken is no longer pink when cut into with paring knife, about 10 minutes more; transfer chicken to clean plate and set aside. Scatter shrimp over rice, cover, and continue to cook until rice is fully tender and shrimp are opaque and cooked through, about 5 minutes more.


While shrimp are cooking, shred chicken. When shrimp are cooked, discard bay leaves; off heat, stir in parsley and shredded chicken, and serve immediately.

Chicken Mulligatawny

Mulligatawny, which literally means pepper water, is an English interpretation of an Indian dish. It has seemingly limitless versions, but most have curry and a bit of chicken. We've added tart Granny Smith apples, plenty of spice and a touch of coconut milk.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon  canola oil
1 large  yellow onion diced
2 stalks  celery diced
3 cloves  garlic minced
2   Granny Smith apples peeled and diced
1 1/2 teaspoons  hot Madras curry powder (see Tip)
1/2 teaspoon  ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon  ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon  ground ginger
6 cups  reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup  white basmati rice
12 ounces  chicken breast tenders cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup  lite coconut milk
1 tablespoon  lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon  salt
1/4 teaspoon  freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons  toasted sliced almonds (see Tip), optional

Tip: Hot Madras curry powder, located in the spice aisle of most supermarkets, adds a pleasant level of heat. Substitute regular curry powder for a milder soup.

To toast sliced almonds, place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
   
Chicken Mulligatawny Recipe at Cooking.com

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and garlic; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add apples, curry powder, cumin, coriander and ginger and cook, stirring often, until the apples begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add broth and rice; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 12 minutes.


Add chicken, return to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, 8 to 10 minutes more. Stir in coconut milk and return to a simmer. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice, salt and pepper. Garnish with almonds (if using).

Chicken and Smoked-Sausage Gumbo

The flavor of browned roux is essential to the traditional taste of Louisiana gumbo. So don't worry if the flour mixture looks like peanut butter by the time the vegetables have softened. That's just as it should be.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons cooking oil
3 tablespoons flour
1 onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 10-ounce package frozen sliced okra
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 3/4 cups crushed canned tomatoes in thick puree (one 15-ounce can)
1 quart canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
1/2 pound smoked sausage, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup long-grain rice

DIRECTIONS
In a large stainless-steel pot, heat the oil over moderate heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until starting to brown, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to moderately low. Stir in the onion, celery, and bell pepper and cook until starting to soften, about 7 minutes. Add the okra, bay leaf, thyme, oregano, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and tomatoes. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.


Stir in the broth and the smoked sausage. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the chicken and cook until just done, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Remove the bay leaf.


Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Stir in the rice and boil until just done, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain. Put a mound of rice in the center of each bowl. Ladle the gumbo around the rice.

Chicken Divan

Once the signature dish of a New York restaurant, the Divan Parisienne, Chicken Divan became a party favorite. Here, its richer elements are streamlined, without sacrificing taste.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds  boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 tablespoon  extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups  diced leek, white and light green parts only (about 1 large)
1/2 teaspoon  salt
5 tablespoons  all-purpose flour
1 14-ounce can  reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup  1% milk
2 tablespoons  dry sherry (see Ingredient note)
1/2 teaspoon  dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon  freshly ground pepper
2 10-ounce boxes  frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, or 1 pound broccoli crowns, chopped
1 cup  grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup  reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons  Dijon mustard

Tip: To clean leeks: Trim roots and ragged tops. Slice leeks and place in plenty of water, then drain. Repeat a few times. The slices do not absorb water or lose flavor.

The "cooking sherry" sold in many supermarkets can be surprisingly high in sodium. We prefer dry sherry, sold with other fortified wines in your wine or liquor store.

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 7-by-11-inch (2 quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray.


Place chicken in a medium skillet or saucepan and add lightly salted water to cover. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the center, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and slice into bite-size pieces.


Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add leek and salt and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add flour; stir to coat. Add broth, milk, sherry, thyme and pepper and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Add broccoli; return to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in 1 /2 cup Parmesan, mayonnaise and mustard.


Spread half the broccoli mixture in the prepared baking dish. Top with the chicken, then the remaining broccoli mixture. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 /2 cup Parmesan. Bake until bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.