Dajaj Ablama (Syrian Chicken Stew)

This chicken stew is ready in under an hour, but tastes like it stewed all day.  Sooo good!

Dajaj Ablama

(Syrian Chicken Stew)

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

½ cup flour

¼ cup butter

1 large onion, chopped

5 tbsp pine nuts

4 ½ cups chicken stock

Pinch of salt

¼ tsp black pepper

¼ tsp cinnamon

3 tbsp lemon juice

Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for garnish

Seen here served with brown basmati rice.

Directions:

Trim chicken breasts of any fat, rinse and pat dry. Cut each breast into 3 pieces and dip them in the flour. Melt butter in a frying pan and brown chicken over moderate heat. Remove chicken from the pan.

Fry the onion in the same pan until golden brown. Remove and fry the pine nuts in the same pan until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Add the chicken stock, salt, pepper and cinnamon to the pan, stirring continuously for 2 minutes.

Transfer the chicken and onions to a large saucepan. Add the stock and cook over moderate heat for about 40 minutes, until tender. Add the lemon juice and cook further for 5 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with the fried pine nuts and cilantro.

Forgotten Jambalaya

I recently bought myself a copy of Taste of Home's Most Requested Recipes, and although many recipes caught my eye, this one stopped me in my tracks.   Jambalaya slow cooked in the crock pot?  Yes please!

It turned out every bit as good and the recipe promised.

(Click on the recipe name to go the original for a printable version.)

Mouth Watering Chicken Chili or Stew or Chilli or ....

I love comfort food. Chili's, soups and stews are where it's at, baby! Of course, I am also a pasta-holic, so pasta is also where it's at. And, my all time favorite food is a perfectly grilled steak. But, I digress. I found a recipe for Chicken Black Bean Chili online and didn't copy my source and now I have no idea where I found it. So if that is your recipe, I apologize. Let me know and I will give credit!!! Anyways, I took that recipe and adapted it to what I had on my shelf and to my taste.

mexicano yumminess

Darin had been following the Atkins diet for some time, and although I have discovered some great recipes that he could eat, I mostly found it very frustrating trying to cook for him. 

So when he said he was done with it, I celebrated a little in my head.  Maybe a little out loud, too.

Of course I asked him what I could make for him, what did he want most now that his world of food had just opened up.  He replied, and I quote, "Mexican!" 

So I put my Indian cookbook I had been cooking from, and pulled out my Mexican cook book.  Meh.  I found nothing that really spoke to me.  So I made chicken fajitas.   I gave them some kick as the girls weren't eating with us that night.  Sooo good. 

But, I still wanted something more.  Gooey, tasty and pretty.  So I decided I would make enchiladas.  The recipe in my cookbook sounded bland.  So I did a little research online and found this....

http://www.asweetpeachef.com/chicken/shredded-chicken-enchiladas/

And it was a winner!  We all loved it.  The only thing I did different was that I used flour tortillas instead of corn, at Darin's request.  And it was a good choice. 

Lacey over at A Sweet Pea Chef is a chef who shares some great recipes that she prepares for her family.  Do go take a look! 

And next time you are craving some enchilada, do try these!

yummm!

Tomato Curried Chicken

I love curried dishes.  And if you don't, then you need to try this dish, and you will be converted.


Because I love you, I am going to share one of my all-time favorite recipes.  Last night I served it with brown basmati rice and sauteed cabbage.  It. Was. Amazing.

Look at the sauce deglazing. 

 Isn't it gorgeous?

I can't even describe how much I love preparing and eating this chicken.  Even left overs reheat well. 

Go.  Make some now. 

Thank me tomorrow.

Tomato Curried Chicken

3     chicken breast - boneless and skinless, chopped into bite sized pieces and coated with seasoned flour
1/4  cup butter
1/4  cup diced onion
1     minced garlic clove
3     tsp curry powder (you can adjust amount according to your preference, I find 3 gives it great flavor and a little zing, but the kids still like it!)
1/2  tsp thyme
4     cups fresh chopped tomatoes

Preheat oven to 350F.
Brown coated chicken in butter until lightly golden.  Using a slotted spoon, remove chicken and place into your greased casserole.
Toss together in a bowl, onions, garlic, curry powder and thyme.  Add to pan drippings and gently simmer until golden. 
Add tomatoes and simmer until deglazed.
Pour sauce over chicken.  Bake uncovered for 45 mins, or until chicken is tender.