Seductive Chicken With Minted Eggplant and Chickpea Salad

Time is always short.  Work. Relax. Eat. Sleep. Work.  Who has time to plan, shop, and cook?  I do.  And out of the goodness of my heart, I’ll do the planning for you and share two tongue tingling recipes. 

Your job is simple.  All you have to do is stop by your favorite grocer on the way home.  When you get home, blast through the door and even before you take off your coat, pop the oven on to 375ºF or 190ºC.  You’ll be able get this exciting, lip smacking meal ready in about 30-45 minutes, depending on how fast you chop. 

Your spouse won’t even have time to complain.  Hey, even Dominoes doesn’t deliver this fast!   

If you’re not married, even better.  You get to impress the man or woman of your naïve dreams.  But first hand a glass of splendid wine to your significant other, or the date you now recognize as a momentary lapse in judgment.  Or do what I did last night and mix a pitcher of Bloody Marys.  That’ll keep the conversation flowing while you prepare to impress.

Oh, yeah, these recipes are especially delicious and if the person you’re cooking for doesn’t like ‘em, either show ‘em the door, or if you’re married, cry and plead for forgiveness.  No problem if you’re the man of the house.  You’re used to begging.

First do the chopping and other prep for the salad.

1 Eggplant, split and then thinly sliced

2 Cans chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried

Cherry tomatoes cut in half (your choice how many)

1 Red onion, peeled and thinly sliced.

2 Cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

- put the sliced onion and garlic in a bowl and marinate with 1/3  cup of seasoned rice vinegar.  Toss the mixture around from time to time.  Add a sprinkle or two of garlic powder.

1 lemon, juiced and part of the rind grated (I use a rough grate)

Small handful of fresh mint, leaves roughly chopped

Handful of sliced almonds (or slivered) browned in a pan with a bit of oil

Olive Oil

Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper as desired

Set the salad makings aside.

Then make the Chicken.

Seductively Simple Chicken

3 Boneless, skinless chicken half- breasts will feed two people

Salt and pepper to taste

Cayenne pepper and powdered Cumin to taste

Olive oil

Yellow corn meal

Use a baking pan (glass or metal) that comfortably holds the chicken, with room to spare.  Slice the chicken breasts in half, lengthwise.  Splash some olive oil in the baking pan and add the chicken.  Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and cumin.  Dust loosely with cornmeal.  Splash with more olive oil and mix everything together by hand.  Pop the chicken in your pre-heated oven and set the timer for 30 minutes.  That’s it for the chicken!

If you’ve got another oven, use it, otherwise let the chicken finish cooking.

Set the cooked chicken breasts aside and cover with foil to keep them warm.  I love warm breasts. 

Reset the oven for broil.

 Putting together the Minted Eggplant and Chickpea Salad

Sliced Eggplant popped in the oven

Splash some olive oil on a large baking sheet/pan and spread the sliced eggplant evenly. Splash more olive oil over the eggplant.  Place the pan under the broiler and let the eggplant get golden brown.  Flip the slices and brown the other side. Remove the eggplant and put the slices in a large bowl.

Put the chickpeas on the same baking sheet/pan you used for the chicken, then put the chickpeas under the broiler until they are golden brown.  Add the chickpeas to the eggplant bowl.

Don’t drain the onions and garlic, just add them to the bowl, along with the tomatoes, and mint.   Splash on some olive oil, all the lemon juice and grated rind.  Add the seasonings and mix well.  Sprinkle the toasted almonds over the top.

Bout time to top-off the wine glasses, don’t ya think?  Salude! Prost! Cheers!

Here’s a conundrum.  If the stomach is the way to a man’s heart, what’s the way to a woman’s heart?   Look for the answer in your next life.

Pot Luck, Hot Luck: This Thai Style Chicken Salad is Special!

Thai Style Chicken Salad

My significant other often asks me to prepare something on the spur of the moment, such as:  “I forgot to tell you I’ve got a pot luck tomorrow.  Think of something.”  With that she is out the door and the car pulls out of the driveway.  Questions hang in the air like dark puffs of exhaust.

How many people?  Breakfast, lunch, or dinner?  What are you supposed to bring?  Salad?  Main course?  Dessert?

“Ok, honey,” I say to the closed door.

You with me?  Had it happen to you?  In this case, I did you, me, and the unknown pot luckers a big favor.  Thai Style Chicken Salad.  Citrusy.  Redolent with fresh herbs.  Fresh chicken breasts sautéed in chicken broth and sherry.  Oh yeah!

Aside from dicing and slicing and poaching, there’s little to do.  Best part, on my first try an international crowd devoured it.

Ok, on with it…

Thai Style Chicken Salad

2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced crosswise into two filets

1 Cup chicken broth

¼ Cup Sherry

2 pats butter

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

Juice from 1 large lime

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon powdered corriander

Big handful of fresh mint:  Strip off the leaves and chop them finely.  Pitch the stems.

Big handful of  fresh basil:  Same prep as the mint

½ teaspoon sugar

1 shallot, thin sliced and chopped  (If you use an onion, make it a small red one and only use half an onion)

3 scallions, thinly sliced

¼ to 1/3 Cup Mayo to taste

In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, salt, chili powder, coriander, mint, basil and sugar.

Set aside.

Heat a large frying pan on medium.  Add the oil, melt the butter, add the chicken fillets and cook until just beginning to brown.  Quickly add the chicken broth and sherry.  Cover and allow to sauté until the chicken is very tender.

Remove from the pan and put the fillets on a cutting board.  Chop or shred the meat.  I did a little of both.  Add the chicken to the bowl of herb mixture.  Stir and allow the chicken mixture to cool completely.  NOTE: Adding the mayo to a hot dish will make the oil

separate. You don’t want that!

Prior to adding the mayo

When the chicken mixture is well cooled, stir in the mayo a spoonful at a time.  Have a delicate touch. The mayo is only a thin binder and you don’t want it to overpower the dish.  Too little is better than too much.

Taste the dish and add more herbs, spices and lime juice as necessary.  It should taste citrusy, with the fresh herbs leading the charge.

Yes, you can serve this the day of, but far better to prepare it the day before, cover with plastic wrap and allow the flavors to meld overnight.

The finished product

Now let me prepare you for the reaction of your guests.  Deadly silence at first, shortly followed by smiles and several bursting into song.

The only bad part is, your significant other is going to insist you make it again for the next party.  Oh, the trials of a cook!