BBQ Chicken

This was a very simple recipe from Hello Fresh. It was a welcome today for me since I wasn't really
feeling the urge to cook. I didn't want to eat out either, so something easy was just the ticket. 

There's nothing fancy about this recipe. It could be repeated easily. Baking chicken and potatoes is pretty basic. 

Overall it was tasty. I left notes in the directions below for a few items. I didn't particularly care of the BBQ sauce and seasoning they included. But I ate it anyhow. 

BBQ Chicken
Recipe from Hello Fresh

• 5 teaspoon White Wine Vinegar
• 4 ounce Coleslaw Mix
• 4 tablespoon BBQ Sauce
• 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 1 unit Seasoned Precooked Potato Slices
• ½ cup Cheddar Cheese
• 12 ounce Chicken Cutlets
• 1 tablespoon Sweet and Smoky BBQ Seasoning

 Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with BBQ seasoning, salt, and pepper.

Place chicken on one side of oven-ready tray (JW Note: Hello Fresh sent a recyclable tray. I didn’t think the two chicken cutlets and the potatoes would fit well in it, so I lined a baking sheet with aluminum foil and used that instead.)

Open package of potatoes and drain off any excess liquid. Place potatoes in a medium microwave-safe bowl, separating any pieces that are stuck together. Cover with plastic wrap; poke a few holes in wrap and microwave 3 minutes. Toss with a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt. (JW Note: These were small potatoes, like mini Yukon golds. If you make this, simply slice them in 1/2inch discs. The prepackaged potatoes were already slightly cooked. Putting them in the microwave didn’t make any sense to me. I did it, and they turned out perfectly cooked in the end.)

Transfer seasoned potatoes to opposite side of tray from chicken. Bake in the middle until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are browned, 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, wash and dry bowl used for potatoes. In same bowl, combine coleslaw mix, mayonnaise, half the vinegar, 1⁄2 tsp sugar, salt, and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Drizzle BBQ sauce over chicken. Sprinkle cheddar over potatoes and stir to combine until melted. (JW note: I pulled the chicken and potatoes out about 5 minutes before it was done and put the BBQ sauce and cheese on, then put it back in 5 minutes.)

Divide BBQ chicken, cheddar potatoes, and coleslaw between plates in separate sections. Serve.

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

I generally like teriyaki. But I'm pretty particular about what I like. I'm not a fan of saucy sauces from teriyaki places. I like a thick, BBQ consistency in my teriyaki sauce. It's hard to find that sometimes. 

I've made a number of teriyaki chicken recipes and none of them are ever as good as what I get at my local restaurant. And this recipe, I thought would be good. Baking the sauce sometimes thickens it up nicely. 

Generally speaking, this recipe was just meh. It was ok, but not one I'd need to repeat or swoon over. If I had a choice, I'd go buy teriyaki chicken instead of making this one. 

Baked Teriyaki Chicken

Recipe from The Anthony Kitchen

Serves 6

• 3/4 c soy sauce
• 1/2 c lightly packed brown sugar
• 2 1/2 T rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp ground ginger, separated
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder, separated
• 1 T cornstarch
• 6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 c sliced green onions (optional)
• 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375°F and have ready a greased 9x13" pan.

Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder to a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir and bring the mixture to a boil.

In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Pour it into the sauce and stir. Allow it to simmer and slightly thicken, 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, and place them in the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle evenly with the salt, pepper, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Rub all over to adhere.

Pour the sauce over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.

If desired, once the chicken is cool enough to handle, slice it into thin strips, cutting against the grain. Add it back to the casserole dish and toss to coat. Top with sliced green onions and sesame seeds, serve with fluffy white rice, serve, and enjoy!

Chili Chili Bang Bang Chicken

I wasn't sure how this recipe would be. I'm not usually a fan of baked chicken. It's often too dry even for me. But I'll give this recipe 4 stars.

The panko adds to the texture of the chicken while not adding a ton of flavor. But that bang bang sauce really sets it above everything else. 

I'd order this one again. It was simple and easy to make. 

Chili Chili Bang Bang Chicken

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 2 Scallions
• 6 milliliters Ponzu Sauce
• 4 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• ½ cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• ¾ cup Jasmine Rice
• 12 ounce Chicken Cutlets
• 8 ounce Broccoli
• 1 ounce Sweet Thai Chili Sauce

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Cut broccoli into bite- size pieces if necessary.

In a small bowl, combine panko, garlic powder, a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

In a separate small bowl, combine ponzu, chili sauce, and half the mayonnaise (you’ll use the rest later).

Melt 1 TBSP butter in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add scallion whites; cook until slightly softened, 1 minute. Stir in rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water, and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

While rice cooks, pat chicken dry with paper towels; season all over with salt and pepper. Place chicken on one side of a baking sheet.

Spread remaining mayonnaise onto tops of chicken, then mound with panko mixture, pressing firmly to adhere (no need to coat the undersides).

Toss broccoli on empty side of same sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast on top rack until chicken is browned and cooked through and broccoli is tender, 18 22 minutes. TIP: If broccoli finishes first, remove from sheet and continue roasting chicken.

Fluff rice with a fork; season with salt and pepper.

Divide rice, broccoli, and chicken between plates. Drizzle chicken with ponzu chili mayo. Sprinkle everything with scallion greens. Serve.

Easy Lemon Chicken Pasta

Oh man. This recipe promised to be easy and delicious. It was at least one of those and could have been the other but for my rookie mistake.

For every non Hello Fresh recipe I make, I cut in half. I've gotten quite good at that and it means I throw away less food. Making a full batch of something I know I'll never eat all of it, just makes me sad. So I cut things in half. 

I'm pretty good at guesstimating how much of something, and I often just let me heart decide. Tonight neither my heart nor my brain checked in when I chucked in the juice of TWO lemons into a recipe I had cut in half. 

Good Lord was this lemony...and not in a good way.

I think had it not been overpowering with lemon it would have been fresh and delicious. Next time.

Easy Lemon Chicken Pasta

Recipe from Hungry Happens

Serves 4

• 1 lb medium sized pasta
• 3 chicken breasts
• salt, garlic powder + onion powder to taste
• 1/4 c olive oil (divided)
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into thirds
• 1/2 tsp chili pepper flakes
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1/2 c grated Parmesan
• 1/4 c parsley, chopped

Cook your pasta in salted water, al dente according to package instructions.

Slice your chicken breasts into 3 thick strips. Season them all over with salt, onion powder and garlic powder. Heat a large pan on medium high and add the chicken strips. Cook on all sides until golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Set aside onto a cutting board, allow to rest 5 minutes and slice into bite size chunks.

To the same pan, add 2 tbs olive oil and cook your asparagus, garlic, chili pepper flakes and salt to taste, until crisp tender. Remove pan from the burner and add the cooked pasta, lemon juice and toss. Transfer to a serving bowl and add in the chicken pieces, parmesan, parsley and remaining olive oil – toss everything to coat. Serve with more grated parmesan, lemon wedges and olive oil.

Stick of Butter Chicken and Rice

Chicken and rice casseroles are a great way to feed a ton of people OR to have a ton of leftovers. I'm trying very hard to eat leftovers so in order to do that I need to make sure it's something I'd head up.

This recipe I'd heat up. 

It definitely feeds 6 - but you'd need to have a side veggie of some sort. 

I used chicken tenders, because that's what I had, and I wouldn't do that again. They were overcooked - even for me. I think using chicken breast the amount of time in the oven would be just right.

The flavor here was spot on too. The rice gets a nice beefy/oniony flavor. I added about a tablespoon of Onion Soup Mix too and that really up'd the onion flavor. Delicious!

I think cut up steak bites in this rice dish would be amazing. 

Stick of Butter Chicken and Rice

Recipe from AllRecipes

Serves 6

• 2 cups white rice
• 8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed beef consommé, such as Campbell's
• 1 (10.5-ounces) can condensed French onion soup, such as Campbell's
• 1 stick butter, cut into 8 pieces
• 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, divided
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Stir rice, portobello mushrooms, beef consommé, and French onion soup together in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top with butter pieces and 3/4 cup of the cheese.

Season chicken evenly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika and place on top of cheese and butter. Top with remaining cheese and cover dish with foil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 55 minutes. Uncover and bake until top is golden brown, liquid has been absorbed into the rice, and chicken is cooked through, about 20 to 30 more minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired.

Peyton Beckwith

Fried Chicken BLT Sandwiches with Dill Potato Salad & Lemony Greens

Photo from Hello fresh

Who doesn't love a BLT? You put fried chicken on it and you've really got something. 

One MAJOR adjustment to this recipe for me...I didn't fry the chicken. 

One, I'm horrible at frying and not burring chicken.

Two, I could go without the extra calories and carbs. So I opted to just grill the chicken. I think it was a better sandwich.

It needed more bacon and more tomato in my opinion. These were two LONG slices of sourdough. If you're gonna have a BLT you need to know you have the "B" and the "T". Thankfully I had both on had to add to the sandwich. And I regret it not.

Fried Chicken BLT Sandwiches with Dill Potato Salad & Lemony Greens
Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 12 oz Red Potatoes
• 1 Lemon
• ¼ oz Dill
• 1 Tomato
• 1 Baby Lettuce
• 3 tablespoon Sour Cream
• 2 teaspoon Hot Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Fry Seasoning
• 12 oz Chicken Cutlets
• 4 oz Bacon
• 6 tablespoon Mayonnaise 
• 82 g Tempura Batter
• 2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 4 slice Sourdough Bread

Dice potatoes into ¾-inch pieces. Place in a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 12-15 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water; transfer to a large bowl to cool. TIP: Spread potatoes out to help them cool more quickly. 

While potatoes cook, quarter lemon. Pick and finely chop fronds from dill. Thinly slice tomato into rounds. Trim and discard root end from lettuce; reserve two large leaves, then roughly chop remaining lettuce.

In a small bowl, combine half the sour cream, half the hot sauce, 1 tsp Fry Seasoning, a big pinch of salt, and pepper. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a thin, pourable consistency. 

Pat chicken dry with paper towels; place between two large pieces of plastic wrap; pound with a mallet or rolling pin until about ½ inch thick. Transfer marinade to a zip-close bag. Add chicken and seal to close; set aside to marinate, tossing occasionally. 

Heat a large dry, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add bacon; cook, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, until crispy, 6-10 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. 

While bacon cooks, in bowl, combine two packets of mayonnaise, ¼ tsp Fry Seasoning, and remaining hot sauce to taste. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine tempura batter mix, remaining Fry Seasoning, a pinch of salt, and pepper. 

Remove chicken from marinade; allow excess to drip off off (discard remaining marinade). Add to bowl with batter mix; toss until thoroughly coated, pressing to adhere mixture in a thick layer.

Heat ⅓-inch layer of oil in pan used for bacon over medium-high heat. 

Once oil is hot enough that a pinch of batter mix sizzles when added to pan, add coated chicken in a single layer. 

Cook for 1 minute, then reduce heat to medium and cook until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes per side. (TIP: Work in batches if necessary; lower heat if chicken begins to brown too quickly.) Transfer chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate; season with salt.

While chicken cooks, toast sourdough slices. 

To bowl with potatoes, add mustard, remaining sour cream, remaining mayonnaise, a squeeze of lemon juice, and as much dill as you like. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. 

In a second large bowl, toss chopped lettuce with 2 TBSP olive oil, a big squeeze of lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

Spread half the sourdough slices with sauce. Fill with chicken, bacon, tomato, and lettuce leaves. Close sandwiches. 

Halve sandwiches and divide between plates. Serve with potato salad and greens on the side.

Street Cart-Style Chicken Bowls

Oh boy...I don't even know where to start with this meal. First, its entirely too hot here in Seattle. 89F
outside right now and for us, that's hot. I almost decided to not cook because it was too hot. But boy am I glad I did. This dish was amazing. 

I sorta followed the recipe. The one and only change I made is I swapped our dark meat chicken for chicken breast. 

And then when I served myself a plate I decided I wanted some hummus with it. Such a good combination. 

This one is a keeper for sure.

Street Cart-Style Chicken Bowls

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 tsp Turmeric
• ¾ cup Jasmine Rice
• 11/4 c chicken stock
• 2 Scallions
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Tomato
• 1.5 tablespoons Sour Cream
• 2 tablespoon Mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 10 ounce Diced Skinless Chicken (dark or breast meat)
• 1 tablespoon Shawarma Spice Blend
• 2 Pitas
• 1 tsp Chalula hot sauce

In a small pot, melt 1 TBSP butter over medium heat. Stir in 1⁄4 tsp turmeric (1⁄2 tsp for 4 servings); cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. • Stir in rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water (2 1⁄4 cups for 4), stock concentrate, a big pinch of salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, bring 2 TBSP butter(4 TBSP for 4 servings) to room temperature. Wash and dry produce. • Quarter lemon. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Dice tomato into 1⁄2-inch pieces.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic powder, and a squeeze of lemon. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Open package of dark meat chicken and drain off any excess liquid; season with Shawarma Spice Blend, salt, and pepper. • Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and scallion whites; cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.

Toast pitas until softened and warmed through. • Spread with softened butter, then cut each pita into quarters.

Once rice is done, fluff with a fork; stir in half the scallion greens. Season with salt and pepper to taste. • Divide rice between bowls. Top with chicken and tomato in separate sections; season tomato with a pinch of salt. Drizzle everything with as much white sauce and Cholula hot sauce as you like; garnish with remaining scallion greens. Serve with pita and remaining lemon wedges on the side. TIP: We like to scoop up some of the rice, chicken, tomato, and sauces with a pita wedge and eat it all in one bite!

Creamy Chive Chicken with Lemony Rice & Dijon Apple Salad

This meal was better than I thought it would be. I expected it to be just ok, nothing fancy, nothing overly flavorful and yet....it was surprisingly delicious. 

I finally unlocked the issue I have with cooking rice on the stove. I have followed the "directions" that everyone says that's a 2-1 ration. Two cups of water to 1 cup of rice. It NEVER works for me. 

Since using Hello Fresh I've cooked rice on the stove each time and have been successful. I do a step more than they have and that's sauteing the rice. 

I put 1 T of olive oil (or any oil) in the pan, drop in the rice when it's hot and sauté the rice for a couple of minutes. I'm not looking to brown it, just until some of the rice becomes WHITE. Then instead of water, I've been using chicken stock. Put in the same amount of water as rice. Cover, bring to a boil and drop down to low. Cooking for about 18 minutes.

It's been perfect every time. 

The rest of this meal was easy to cook and absolutely delicious.

Creamy Chive Chicken with Lemony Rice & Dijon Apple Salad
Recipe from Hello Fresh
Serves 2

• 1 lemon, zested
• 3 T chives, minced
• 2 T sour cream
• 2-3 tsp Dijon, separated
• Mixed Greens
• 1 apple
• 1/4 c chicken stock
• 2 chicken cutlets
• 3/4 c Jasmine rice

Zest and quarter lemon. Mince chives. Halve and core apple; quarter one half lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise into triangles.

In a small pot, combine rice, 1 1⁄4 cups water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve. [Jenn Note: I've unlocked the best way to do rice. Put a little oil - like 1 T - in the pan, toss in the rice, sauté it a bit. You can brown it but its not necessary. As soon as some of the rice turns white white, then add chicken stock, instead of water. Cover, bring to a boil. Reduce to low and cook 15-18 mins]

While rice cooks, in a medium bowl, combine 1 TBSP olive oil, juice from half the lemon, half the mustard (you’ll use the rest later), 1⁄2 tsp sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir in half the chives. Set aside.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels; season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a large drizzle of olive oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes per side. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.

 Heat same pan over medium-high heat. Add stock concentrate, remaining mustard, 1⁄4 cup water, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Simmer until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat.

Stir in sour cream and remaining chives. Add water 1 tsp at a time until sauce reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Fluff rice with a fork; stir in 1 TBSP butter and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper. 

Add mixed greens and sliced apple to bowl with dressing. Toss to combine; season with salt and pepper. 

Divide chicken, rice, and salad between plates. Drizzle chicken with pan sauce. Cut remaining lemon into wedges and serve on the side.

Smothered Chicken With Bacon Gravy

This one is not my favorite. It was ok, but not great. I blame the fact that I may have screwed up. 

First off, this one requires you to think through when to start each item so they are all done at the same time. I like to play that game of making sure it all ends at the same time. 

My mistake, I burnt the flour in the roux. The pan was too hot AND it set off the smoke detector. Good times. It caused the gravy to have have a rather "smokey" flavor. 

The broccoli was awesome, as always. 

Overall, this could have been a good meal. If it comes up again, I'll likely try it without burning the flour and setting off the alarm. 

Smothered Chicken With Bacon Gravy

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 12 oz potatoes, like Yukon golds
• 1 head broccoli
• 2 scallions
• 1 1/2 T Sour Cream
• 2 T Flour
• 2 strips bacon
• 2 T Creme fraiche
• 10 oz chicken
• 3/4 c chicken stock

Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Potatoes

Depending on the type of potatoes you get, either peel and dice them or just dice them into ½-inch pieces. Add potatoes to a medium pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches.

Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 10-12 minutes. Reserve ½ cup potato cooking liquid, then drain. Return potatoes to pot. Mash with sour cream and 1 TBSP butter until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Broccoli

Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces if necessary.

While potatoes cook, toss broccoli on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on middle rack until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

Chicken

Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place between two large pieces of plastic wrap; pound with a mallet or heavy-bottomed pan until about ½ inch thick. Season all over with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle chicken all over with half the flour, pressing to adhere; shake off any excess. [JW Note: I never do this step. I find it better to just cook the chicken sans flour. ] Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add coated chicken; cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.

Add bacon in a single layer to pan used for chicken; heat over medium-high heat. Cook, turning occasionally, until crispy, 4-6 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Discard any burnt bits and all but 1 TBSP bacon fat from pan. TIP: If there's not enough bacon fat in the pan, add a little butter!

Add scallion whites to pan with reserved bacon fat. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until softened and fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Sprinkle remaining flour into pan; stir to combine. Slowly whisk in ¾ cup chicken stock.

Bring to a simmer and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 1-2 minutes.

Stir in crème fraîche; taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

Indian-Style Butter Chicken & Rice

The first time I had butter chicken I was with a friend who loved Indian food. I had never really had it, so she said she'd find something for me I'd like. 

She ordered the butter chicken for me and I was hooked. Man, I can still remember how good it was and how amazing the spicy, creamy sauce was. 

I've tried many-a- butter chicken recipes. Some good, some not so good. It's always BEST, to me, when I get it in a restaurant. 

This was a good recipe. It'd be hard to duplicate if you didn't cook a lot. The package came with a lot of small, pre-measured packets - which could make it more difficult. I tried to put in the ingredient list what I thought I'd use if I remade this. Good luck. 

The one thing I did not like was the mozzarella on the naan. For lunch tomorrow I'll just warm it up as is and eat it that way. Dipping it in the sauce is enough for me. 

Indian-Style Butter Chicken & Rice

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 4

• 1.5 cup Jasmine Rice
• ¼ ounce Cilantro
• 2 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 20 ounce Diced Skinless Dark Meat Chicken [JW note: I used breast meat.]
• 2 teaspoon Garam Masala
• 1 tablespoon Curry Powder
• 2 unit Tomato Paste [JW Note: This seemed like 3-4 Tablespoons]
• 2 unit Veggie Stock Concentrate [JW Note: This is about 1 tsp.]
• 1 ounce Vidalia Onion Paste [JW Note: I'd just chop up an onion and use that]
• 2 unit Chicken Stock Concentrate [JW Note: This is about 1 tsp
• 4 ounce Cream Sauce Base [JW Note: I'd just use heavy cream]
• 2 unit Naan Bread
• ½ cup Mozzarella Cheese
• 4 tablespoon Yogurt

Make rice.

While rice cooks, place 2 TBSP butter in a small microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave until melted, 30 seconds. Add half the garlic powder - approx 1 tsp (you’ll use the rest later) and stir to combine. Set aside. 

Roughly chop cilantro.

Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large, preferably high-sided, pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 6-8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.

Add garam masala, curry powder, and remaining garlic powder to pan with chicken. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. 

Add tomato paste, Vidalia onion paste, veggie stock concentrates, and chicken stock concentrates. Cook, stirring, until chicken is evenly coated, 30 seconds.

Add cream sauce base and 3⁄4 cup water (I used about a cup). Stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Add 3 TBSP butter and 1⁄2 tsp sugar; stir until butter has melted. Cover to keep warm.

 Adjust rack to top position and heat broiler to high. Place naan on a baking sheet. Spoon garlic butter over tops and sprinkle with mozzarella. 

Broil cheesy garlic naan until cheese melts and naan are toasted, 3-4 minutes. TIP: The broiler is a powerful tool! Keep an eye on the naan to prevent them from burning.

Quarter cheesy garlic naan. Fluff rice with a fork. Divide rice between bowls and top with butter chicken. Drizzle with yogurt. Garnish with cilantro. Serve with cheesy garlic naan on the side.

Spicy Tinga-Style Chicken Tacos with Creamy Lime Slaw & Cilantro

Y'all know I love my tacos. Street tacos are my favorite by far. I've made chicken street tacos a couple of times and have a favorite. Still, I like to try new ones, because one cannot have too many street chicken taco recipes. 

This recipe was spicy AND delicious. The slaw really does a good job cooling it off and adding a nice texture to the taco. 

I also think the ingredients would be easy to replicate. For example "chipotle powder" could be chili powder. 

Spicy Tinga-Style Chicken Tacos with Creamy Lime Slaw & Cilantro

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2 (maybe three)

• 1 lime, zested
• 1/4 oz cilantro
• 4 oz coleslaw mix
• 2 T mayo
• 1 tsp chipotle powder 
• 10 oz chopped chicken breast
• 6 small flour tortillas
• fresh salas

Zest and quarter lime. Roughly chop cilantro.

In a medium bowl, toss coleslaw mix with mayonnaise, 1⁄4 tsp, a squeeze of lime juice, a pinch of salt and pepper, and as much lime zest as you like. Set aside until ready to serve.

Open package of chicken and drain off any excess liquid. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is lightly browned, 1-2 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in salsa and 1⁄4 tsp chipotle powder. (TIP: Add more chipotle powder if you like things spicy!) Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through and salsa has thickened slightly, 3-5 minutes more.

Wrap tortillas in damp paper towels and microwave until warm and pliable, 30-60 seconds. Divide tortillas between plates. Fill with chicken, slaw (draining first), and cilantro. Serve with remaining lime wedges on the side.

Chicken & Spinach Couscous Salad

Photo from Hello Fresh

This was one of those recipes where working ahead is a bad plan. I thought I'd get all the components ready ahead of time and then toss the salad together at the end. 

The chicken worked fine. I prefer colder chicken in a salad than warm chicken. 

The couscous was another story. I've never made Israeli couscous and I didn't realize just how it would turn out. I cooked it. Tasted it. Loved it. Then set it aside to cool. That was the mistake. It became like if you leave pasta in a pan after you drained it. It' got cold and a bit congealed. 

I did taste it after it was done originally and it was tasty. I now know you have to eat it right away.

The carrots were a whole other story. I burnt them! I got distracted by a big truck that was in my driveway and they burned. I tasted them and they were gross. So tossed them. 

The chicken, spinach and walnuts together with the garlic aioli was good. The aioli wasn't originally. It tasted too mayonnaise-ey. I added some real chopped garlic and a little splash of white vinegar and that made all the difference. 

I will have to make couscous again and actually eat it. Cooking it in chicken broth made sense and really added to the flavor. 

Chicken & Spinach Couscous Salad

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1/2 oz walnuts, chopped
• 9 oz carrots, sliced on a diagonal
• 1 T fry seasoning
• 2 T mayo
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 1/2 oz spinach
• 10 oz chicken
• 2 1/2 oz Israeli couscous
• 2 chicken stock concentrates

In a small pot (medium pot for 4 servings), combine couscous, stock concentrates, 3⁄4 cup water (1 1⁄2 cups for 4), and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, 12-14 minutes. • Keep covered off heat until ready to use in Step 6.

 While couscous cooks, heat a large dry pan over medium-high heat. Add walnuts and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. • Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.

Wash and dry produce. • Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into 1⁄2-inch-thick pieces. • Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for walnuts over medium-high heat. Add carrots and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and tender, 5-7 minutes. • Turn off heat; transfer to a second plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Wipe out pan.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Rub all over with a drizzle of oil and Fry Seasoning. Season with salt and pepper. • Heat pan used for carrots over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. TIP: Lower heat if chicken begins to brown too quickly. • Transfer chicken to a cutting board.

While chicken cooks, in a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and half the garlic powder (all for 4 servings). • Add water 1 tsp a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Fluff couscous with a fork; stir in spinach and carrots until combined. • Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. • Divide couscous between shallow bowls. Top with chicken and sprinkle with toasted walnuts. Drizzle with aioli and serve.

Chicken Katsu with Sesame Roasted Carrots and Ginger Rice

Photo from Hello Fresh

Chicken katsu is one of my favorites to order when we go out to teriyaki. The crispy chicken and the sweet/savory katsu sauce...mmmm. So good. I'm terrible at frying chicken so I rarely make it. But, I ordered it and thought I'd give it a try. 

First mistake, I didn't pound the chicken cutlets quite thin enough. Hindsight I should have just sliced them in half lengthwise. That would have been the perfect thinness. It didn't ruin the meal, I just like my chicken katsu pieces to be thin. 

The second mistake is this meal came with carrots that were supposed to be baked. I got them prepped and ready to go, then got distracted by the frying of the chicken I didn't 1) turn on the oven and 2) didn't put them in in time for the meal. So...now I have baked carrots for tomorrow salad I'm making. 

The rice I did differently too. I'm also terrible at cooking rice on the stove top. I blame the flat stove for it though. The heat is very hard to regulate for "low". So I sautéed the ginger and scallions then put them, and the rice in a rice cooker. Worked like a charm. I did have to add a little salt to it. 

Overall, a good meal. Turns out frying the chicken is easier when you have a good pan (I have hexclads) and you keep the heat med.

Chicken Katsu with Sesame Roasted Carrots and Ginger Rice

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 12 oz carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias in 1/2 in pieces
• 1 thumb ginger; peeled and grated
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 T sesame seeds
• 1 T Garlic Powder
• 1 1/2 T Sour Cream
• 10 oz chicken cutlets; pounded thin
• 1/2 c jasmine rice
• 1 c panko 
• 4 T Katsu sauce

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into 1⁄2-inch-thick pieces. 

Peel and mince or grate ginger. 

Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens.

Toss carrots on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on top rack until tender, 20-25 minutes. Once roasted, carefully toss with sesame seeds.

While carrots roast, heat a drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add ginger and scallion whites; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute.

Stir in rice, 3⁄4 cup water, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

Meanwhile, pat pork dry with paper towels; place between two large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a mallet or rolling pin until pork is about 1⁄2-inch thick.

Place panko, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a gallon-size zip-close bag.

Place sour cream in a medium bowl; add pork and turn to evenly coat. Add coated pork to bag with seasoned panko and seal to close. Shake until pork is evenly coated. TIP: You may need to move around pork chops in bag, pressing with your hands, to spread out panko and make it stick.

Heat a 1⁄4-inch layer of oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium- high heat. Once oil is shimmering and hot enough that a pinch of panko sizzles when added to pan, add coated pork (discard any remaining panko in bag). 

Cook until panko is golden brown and pork is cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

Place katsu sauce in a small microwave-safe bowl; microwave until warmed through, 30 seconds. 

Fluff rice with a fork; stir in 1 TBSP butter and season with salt and pepper. 

Divide rice, pork, and carrots between plates. Drizzle pork with katsu sauce. Sprinkle with scallion greens and serve.

Chicken Pita Pockets with Spicy Mayo

Photo from Hello Fresh

I'm on the fence with this recipe. 

On the one hand, it was good. I ate it and was satisfied.

On the other hand, I'm not a fan of green goddess dressing in general. This green goddess dressing tasted more like pesto. 

Overall, this is an ok recipe. I'd do it again, but I might change the dressing I use. Or make my own green goddess dressing. 

The chicken from the kit was weird. It was "chopped" chicken and it had a ton of fat pieces in it and it was mushy and weird. I cooked it and it tasted fine. I picked out all the fat pieces because chicken fat is gross. 

Chicken Pita Pockets with Spicy Mayo

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 roma tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp hot sauce
• 2 oz Green Goddess Dressing
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Romain lettuce; chopped
• 2 pitas
• 2 T mayo
• 10 oz chicken, chopped in bite size pieces

Trim and discard root end from lettuce; roughly chop into bite-size pieces. Cut tomato into 1⁄4-inch-thick wedges.

Cut your chicken into bite size pieces.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken in a single layer; season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss lettuce, tomato, dressing, and a drizzle of olive oil in a large bowl. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise with as much hot sauce as you like. Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.

Wrap pitas in damp paper towels; microwave until warm and pliable, 30-60 seconds. Halve pitas; gently pull apart to create pockets.

Fill pita pockets with chicken and as much salad as you like. Drizzle with as much spicy mayo as you like. Serve with any remaining salad on the side.

Slammin’ Secret Sauce Chicken Sandwiches

Dripping down your arm goodness. This is one saucy sandwich. 

Hello Fresh came through again. Tonight we're having a "name that chicken sandwich". Ok, it has a name. Slammin' Secret Sauce Chicken Sandwich. And it is definitely slammin. 

The "secret sauce" isn't anything fancy, just mayo, Frank's Hot sauce and dill pickles

This sandwich is dripping, literally, with goodness. The secret sauce, pickles and BBQ seasoned chicken really is a nice combo. 

I didn't eat the cabbage slaw on the side, I put it on the sammy...and BAM that really pushed it over the top. Juices running down my arm told me it was a winner.

Slammin’ Secret Sauce Chicken Sandwiches

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 2 scallions, sliced thin
• 1 1/2 T sour cream
• 2 T mayo
• 5 tsp white wine vinegar
• Several dashes of Frank's Hot Sauce
• 2 Brioche buns
• 10-12 sliced dill pickles
• 10 oz chicken cutlets, pound thin
• 1 T Sweet and Smoky BBQ Seasoning
• 4 oz shredded purple cabbage

Garlic Butter Chicken

Photo from Jo Cooks

Another recipe that I had such high hopes for this recipe. And I think I know where I went wrong. 

It was SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO garlicky. Now, normally I love garlic and I usually use more than the recipe calls for. 

In this case, I made the recipe as it states. The problem is, I only used one chicken breast. So ya, way more garlic than one chicken breast deserves.

I also almost burnt the garlic. Pro tip, turn your heat down before you put the garlic in. I didn't, and the garlic tasted just a tad bitter - which is what happens if you burn it. 

Overall though, this recipe doesn't really require very much skill or very many ingredients. Most "normal" people have these ingredients in their pantry. 

The other added plus, the house smells amazing...thank you garlic.

Garlic Butter Chicken

Recipe from Jo Cooks

Serves 6

• 1 ½ pound chicken breast (boneless and skinless, cut into strips)
• ¼ tsp salt (or to taste)
• ½ tsp pepper (or to taste)
• 4 T butter
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ c chicken broth (low sodium or no sodium added)
• 1 T Sriracha
• 2 T fresh parsley (chopped)
• lemon slices (for garnish)

Cook chicken: Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Next, add in the chicken strips and cook on each side. Once cooked remove from the skillet.

Make sauce: Using the same skillet, add in the garlic, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika and hot sauce. Sauté for 30 seconds until the garlic is aromatic. Finally, deglaze the skillet with the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.

Finish dish: Add the chicken back into the skillet of sauce and give it a little toss so each piece of chicken is touched with sauce. Remove from heat, garnish with parsley, lemon wedges and serve at desired temperature!

Masala-Spiced Chicken & Cucumber Raita

Photo from hello fresh

I really like the curry flavor and that added with garam masala make a nice combo. This recipe wasn't my favorite, but it was really good. 

Surprisingly my favorite part of this recipe was the roasted veggies. I completely overcooked the cauliflower, but the curry flavor make it ok. 

Masala-Spiced Chicken & Cucumber Raita

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 1 mini cucumber, diced
• 2 T yogurt (the recipe doesn't specify, but I would think plain or greek would work
• 1 T curry powder, divided
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 10 oz chicken cutlets
• 10 oz cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
• 6 oz carrots, cut on the bias
• 1 1/2 T sour cream
• 1 lemon

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Prep your veggies: 

Trim and dice cucumber into 1⁄4-inch pieces. Cut cauliflower into bite-size pieces if necessary. Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into 1⁄2-inch-thick pieces. Quarter lemon.

 In a small bowl, combine cucumber, 1⁄2 tsp sugar, and salt. Set aside to marinate. (You’ll finish the raita later.)

Toss cauliflower and carrots on a baking sheet with 2 TBSP olive oil, 2 tsp curry powder, salt, and pepper. (You’ll use the rest of the curry powder in the next step.) 

Roast on top rack until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes.

While veggies roast, pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season all over with remaining curry powder, 1⁄2 tsp garam masala, salt, and pepper. (Save remaining garam masala for another use.)

Heat a large drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 3-4 minutes per side.

Transfer to a cutting board.

Add yogurt, sour cream, and juice from half the lemon to bowl with marinated cucumber. Stir to combine.

Slice chicken crosswise. Divide chicken and roasted veggies between plates. Top chicken with as much cucumber raita as you like. Serve with any remaining raita and remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Chicken, Bacon & Basil Mayo Sandwiches

I love sandwiches. When I saw this recipe come up I knew it'd be great for dinner and lunch the
following day. 

This recipe did not disappoint. If you love bruschetta, you'll love this sandwich. The balsamic marinated tomatoes really puts this over the top. So good. I'll be ordering this one again. 

What I'll do different though when I do. The flat bread they provided was good size. Two flatbreads took up a full baking sheet. But they only provided three strips of bacon. That is NOT enough bacon in my humble opinion. I felt like I needed just a little more bacon. Although, truth be told, you could leave off the bacon and this recipe would stand on it's own. 

I'd also add more tomato. The package only had one small Roma tomato. regardless of of thin you slice it, that's not that much tomato per sandwich. It needed a little more. 

And last, but not least, I'd grill the chicken next time. You know I can't not grill my chicken. 

Chicken, Bacon & Basil Mayo Sandwiches

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 4 oz bacon, cooked
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 5 T Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 T Italian Seasoning
• 2 flatbreads
• 1 oz Basil paste (pesto)
• 2 T mayo
• 10 oz chicken

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

Heat a large dry pan over medium- high heat. Add bacon; cook, turning occasionally and adjusting heat if browning too quickly, until crispy, 6-10 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Wipe out pan and let cool slightly.

While the bacon is cooking, halve tomato lengthwise and thinly slice into half-moons. Halve, peel, and thinly slice shallot. Peel and mince or grate garlic. 

In a small bowl, combine tomato, shallot, garlic, balsamic vinegar, 1⁄4 tsp sugar [JW note: I did not add this. I wanted the salad more savory than sweet], and a pinch of Italian Seasoning. [JW note: I added about a tsp of olive oil at this stage instead of where it calls for it later. ] Set aside to marinate.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels; place between two large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with a mallet or rolling pin until chicken is about 1⁄2 inch thick. Season with remaining Italian Seasoning, a pinch of salt, and pepper. 

Heat a drizzle of oil in pan used for bacon over medium-high heat. [JW Note: I used the bacon grease already in the pan. I  took most out and left about 1/2 tablespoon. ] Add chicken; cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side.

While the chicken is cooking, place flatbreads on a baking sheet. Toast on top rack, flipping halfway through, until golden, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; halve crosswise. 

In a second small bowl, combine basil paste and mayonnaise.

Pour balsamic mixture from tomato salad into two small serving bowls. Add 1 tsp olive oil to each bowl; stir to combine. [JW note: This step didn't make sense to me. I just added the tomato mixture to the sandwich. The package only came with a Roma tomato and there isn't really enough for two sandwiches AND left over salad to eat. ]

Spread flatbreads with basil mayo. Fill with bacon, chicken, and as much tomato salad as you like. Close sandwiches and halve crosswise.

Easy Chicken Shawarma

Photo from Damn
Delicious

I sure have had a lot of shawarma recipes recently. Each different, slightly, from the next. I wonder what it is about the universe that throws all these recipes at me at once. 

This one wasn't my favorite. I think I let it marinate for too long. The chicken was little mushy. I suspect this recipe should have been done with bigger pieces of meat instead of chunks. 

The flavors were all there. Definitely there. But I think the texture of the chicken is what made it not a favorite of mine. I very much have a texture issue when it comes to food. 

Easy Chicken Shawarma

Recipe from Damn Delicious

Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil

In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, water, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, coriander, paprika, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper, cardamom, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

In a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl, combine chicken and olive oil mixture; marinate for at least 2 hours to overnight, turning the bag occasionally. Drain the chicken from the marinade.

Preheat grill to medium high heat.

Brush chicken with canola oil; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Add chicken to grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until chicken is completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 10 minutes.

Serve immediately with tzatziki sauce.

Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Another shawarma related recipe. I didn't realize I was duplicating ethnic flavors when I ordered, but it was worth it. This was amazing. 

I like a good lettuce wrap. The fresh lettuce has a nice crisp crunch to it and really makes a great carrier for the amazingly flavorful filling. The shawarma spices are so warm and so yummy. The house smells amazing too I might add. 

I'm always skeptical about toppings. I like things pretty plain, but I figured I might as well go all in since all the ingredients are in front of me. I will admit I am really glad I did. The pickled onions are a new favorite for sure. But what surprised me the most were the sliced almonds. They added another level of texture that really put this meal over the top. And the creamy garlic sauce on top is like the cherry on top of a sundae. So good. 

It’s all ready in a quick 30 minutes—just keep napkins handy until you master your lettuce wrap-eating technique.

Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Recipe from Hello Fresh

Serves 2

• 2 lemons (though one large might work too)
• 1 roma tomato, diced
• 1 1/2 T sour cream
• 2 T mayo
• 1 tsp garlic powder, divided
• 1 T shawarma spice blend (Common ingredients are ground cumin, coriander, paprika, garlic powder, turmeric, and black pepper)
• 1 small red onion, half sliced, half diced
• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1/2 oz sliced almonds
• 1/4 c chicken stock
• 10 oz chicken, diced (You can also used ground chicken or ground turkey)

Halve, peel, and thinly slice half the onion; finely dice remaining half. 

Quarter lemons. 

Trim and discard root end from lettuce; separate leaves. 

Dice tomato.

 In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine sliced onion, juice from one lemon, 1⁄2 tsp sugar, salt, and pepper. Microwave for 30 seconds; set aside to pickle, stirring occasionally. 

In a separate small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, 3⁄4 tsp garlic powder, and a squeeze of lemon juice. (You’ll use the rest of the garlic powder in the next step.) Season white sauce with salt and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring, until slightly softened, 2-3 minutes. 

Add chicken, Shawarma Spice Blend, and remaining garlic powder; season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.

Stir in stock, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan, until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper if desired. 

Divide lettuce between plates. Fill with turkey, tomato, and as much pickled onion as you like (draining first). 

Drizzle wraps with white sauce and as much hot sauce as you like; sprinkle with almonds. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side.