All posts tagged: chicken

The Dark Side of Chicken Soup for the Soul

The Dark Side of Chicken Soup for the Soul

Published by skeptic

This content contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, we may earn an affiliate commission. Welcome to Today in Books, our daily round-up of literary headlines at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and more. Fact-Checking Chicken Soup for the Soul Readers who grew up in the ’90s and early 2000s will likely remember the ubiquity of Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Each installment of the series, originally created and curated by motivational speakers Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen, was packed short, inspirational, almost universally dubious anecdotes. And there was an installment for (almost) everyone; a Quartz piece from 2019 documented at least 276 editions, with offerings for women, teens, pre-teens, mothers, nurses, golfers, parents of kids on the spectrum, wine lovers, chocolate lovers, NASCAR fans, Canadians, cancer survivors, dieters, military spouses, people going through menopause, brides, writers, teachers, and on and on. Turns out, this self-help series helped no one more than its authors, who, after somewhere between dozens and hundreds of rejections (depending on when you asked), got the …

Runaway chicken: Rachel Roddy’s recipe for penne con pollo scappato | Pasta

Runaway chicken: Rachel Roddy’s recipe for penne con pollo scappato | Pasta

Published by skeptic

While today’s recipe is from Tuscany, it is also thanks to a girl who went to my school. She lived outside town, in a big house with both a swimming pool and chickens. I never actually saw the house, or jumped in the pool, but I did hear about the chickens that lived in a cage at the bottom of the garden and laid more eggs than the family could eat. There was also the story about how, one day, this girl stopped her uncle from killing one of the chickens, which meant that for Sunday lunch they had roast potatoes, fried eggs and gravy made from Marmite. I remember being thrilled by this story, the idea that she had put herself between an uncle (with a gun, knife, rope, his bare hands? I had no idea) and the hen, therefore saving its life; and that, while the family ate Marmite gravy, the chicken ran free. Scappato means run away, escaped, scarpered. It’s a nice thought that this recipe for penne con pollo scappato, or …

This £1.32 Pasta Bake Is Perfect For Leftover Chicken

This £1.32 Pasta Bake Is Perfect For Leftover Chicken

Published by Sam

If you’re left with a container full of last night’s chicken, you might be on the hunt for a great recipe to stretch it into a meal. Perhaps you’re tempted by Mary Berry’s chicken lasagne recipe or want something speedy and easy. But for what it’s worth, my vote goes to The Chiappa Sisters’ seasonal leek and pea pasta bake ― not least because it doesn’t really matter how much leftover chicken you’ve got left. What’s involved? The one-hour bake, shared on Jamie Oliver’s site, calls for leeks, chicken stock, wine, frozen peas, ricotta, milk, Parm, garlic, pasta, oil, and butter. What I like about it is its almost-too-forgiving attitude towards substitutions and measurements: ricotta can be cream cheese or (gasp) cottage cheese, leeks can be spring onions or celery leaves (strip them of their stalks first), and wine can be switched out for a dash of cider vinegar or stock. There’s no reason you can’t sub out some missing chicken for bulky butterbeans or just leave the meat on the lower side ― and …

Chicken wings with grapefruit, tamarind and lime leaf dressing

Chicken wings with grapefruit, tamarind and lime leaf dressing

Published by skeptic

Makrut lime leaves are key to the flavour of this aromatic dressing, and they do need to be fresh rather than dried. Buy them in south-east Asian grocery shops in the freezer section, in larger supermarkets or online, then stash them in your own freezer where they’ll keep for yonks. This dish really pings around your palate – perfumed lime, sweet honey and sour tamarind, plus plenty of vibrant herbs. It also works just as well with Tenderstem broccoli.  The dressing and shallots can both be prepared a day in advance and refrigerated. Timings  Prep time: 25 minutes, plus infusing time Cook time: 45 minutes Serves 4 Ingredients For the dressing 200ml pink grapefruit juice (from about 2 pink grapefruits) 10 fresh lime leaves, torn 3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the side of a knife 1 tbsp fish sauce 2 tsp tamarind paste 3 tbsp honey For the pickled shallots 50ml rice vinegar 2 tsp caster sugar 1 tsp sea salt 2 small shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings For the chicken 15 …

The absolute best air fryer chicken breast

The absolute best air fryer chicken breast

Published by skeptic

I love chicken breasts. I’ve gone to bat for them many times before, never understanding how or why the “boring” narrative ever got started. There is no other ingredient I cook with more than chicken (well, maybe aside from cheese). It is also far and away the protein that I consume the most. I love boneless and skinless, I love skin-on, I love bone-in, I love wings — the list goes on and on.  Something that I’ve started doing lately is a very simple, very quick method that involves two of my absolute favorite things: chicken breasts and the air fryer. Now, I say “method” because this is much more of a general approach than it is a “recipe,” per se. I’ve found that this is an exceptional method for a quick, hands-off chicken breast that is beautifully crisped, cooked and seasoned — with the added bonus of it cooking away in the air fryer as I work away from the kitchen. Want more great food writing and recipes? Subscribe to Salon Food’s newsletter, The Bite. It …

Air fryer Turkish chicken kebabs with orzo pilaf recipe

Air fryer Turkish chicken kebabs with orzo pilaf recipe

Published by skeptic

Both the kebabs and the pilaf for this vibrant dish are made in the air fryer. For the best results, marinate the chicken pieces overnight – they’ll soak up all the gorgeous herbs and spices and will be super-tender. Timings Prep time: 15 minutes, plus marinating time Cook time: 45 minutes  Serves 4 Calories 489 kcal per serving Ingredients 600g skinless, boneless chicken thighs (trimmed of visible fat), cut into chunks 6 tbsp fat-free Greek yoghurt 1 tsp sweet paprika 1 tsp sumac 1 tsp dried mint ¾ tsp ground cumin ¼ tsp ground cinnamon 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tbsp lemon juice  olive oil spray For the garlic sauce 2 tbsp light mayonnaise 3 tbsp fat-free Greek yoghurt 1 garlic clove, crushed lemon juice, to loosen the sauce 1½ tsp finely chopped fresh parsley For the pilaf 15g butter 200g dried orzo 1 small onion, diced 360ml hot chicken stock 2 garlic cloves, crushed To serve lemon wedges chopped tomatoes chopped red onion chopped cucumber Method Place the chicken in a bowl with the …

It’s now illegal to sell (some) raw chicken products with Salmonella

It’s now illegal to sell (some) raw chicken products with Salmonella

Published by skeptic

Occasionally, I stumble across food safety headlines that make me do a double-take because they are lauding a measure that seems like it should have been standardized long ago. For instance, last week, the United States Department of Agriculture announced that they would declare Salmonella an adulterant in some raw chicken products, thus making those products illegal to sell — a decision about which the National Chicken Council has already been critical.  The build-up to the landmark decision began in earnest in 2022 when the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) released a proposed regulatory framework for a new strategy to control Salmonella contamination in poultry products and reduce foodborne illnesses attributed to these products. “We know that Salmonella in poultry is a complex problem with no single solution,” said USDA Deputy Under Secretary Sandra Eskin at the time. “However, we have identified a series of strategic actions FSIS could take that are likely to drive down Salmonella infections linked to poultry products consumption, and we are presenting those in this proposed framework.” The …

Rachel Roddy’s recipe for chicken with orange, lemon, marmalade and olives | Food

Rachel Roddy’s recipe for chicken with orange, lemon, marmalade and olives | Food

Published by skeptic

Two oranges have been sitting in the fruit bowl since 24 January. I can be precise thanks to the boastful photographs of marmalade I took on 25 January, having bought the fruit the day before. Only half the oranges became marmalade (which filled 10 jars and made every surface in the kitchen sticky), so to start with a dozen or so sat in the bowl. They are not bitter oranges, nor are they sweet, which is why they have been consumed so slowly, watching other fruit come, go and succumb to rot (something these last two seem immune to). They have shrunk, of course, and, like all ageing creatures, developed plenty of fine lines and open pores, but otherwise remain in excellent orange health, while their rich, oily scent is stronger than ever. In her Fruit Book, Jane Grigson notes that the word “orange” can be traced back 3,000 years, to an ancient Indian language called Dravidian, and the word naranga, which means “perfume within”. The fruit and name migrated, first into Persian and Arabic, …

Chipotle Tells Workers To “Preserve” Chicken Supply As Demand Soars

Chipotle Tells Workers To “Preserve” Chicken Supply As Demand Soars

Published by skeptic

A surge in restaurant traffic boosted Chipotle Mexican Grill’s first-quarter earnings and revenue, topping the average estimate of Wall Street analysts tracked by Bloomberg on Wednesday. Shares are higher by more than 5% in the cash session on Thursday. However, this note will not expand on earnings. Instead, we will focus on a letter from the company to employees stating: Stop eating chicken during lunch and dinner meals because soaring demand has collided with dwindling poultry supply—and the need to preserve supply urgently.  Bloomberg obtained the letter Chief Restaurant Officer Scott Boatwright sent employees last week. He told them: “Due to its sustained strong sales we need your help to keep up with our guests’ demand for this popular protein option.”  Boatwright told store managers and hot-side and cold-side kitchen employees not to order chicken or chicken al pastor with their free or discounted employee meals. Even white-collar Chipotle workers were told not to order chicken.  The message read, “Let’s Conserve Our Fan-Favorite Chicken.” Execs did not give a timeline for boosting the chicken supply. The letter aimed to “preserve our …

Making a Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer Is the Best Cooking Hack I’ve Found all Year

Making a Whole Chicken in the Air Fryer Is the Best Cooking Hack I’ve Found all Year

Published by skeptic

When it comes to cooking hacks and kitchen tricks, I’m always ears-open to receive. The best cooking hacks are time- or effort-saving but still produce optimal results, and cooking a whole chicken in the air fryer is the best kitchen hack I’ve discovered all year. Speed-roasting a whole chicken results in crispier skin and juicier meat and takes about 20% less time than using a large oven.  In short: I can’t stop making these delicious birds. Air fryer chicken is one of the easiest and most satisfying recipes I’ve made lately. David Watsky/CNET I’m well versed in the joys of air fryer cooking, but air fryer chicken might be the best discovery I’ve made while tinkering with the speedy convection cooker.  Why air fryer chicken works so well The secret to great roasted chicken is high heat while not overcooking the bird for a crispy skin with moist, tender meat. An air fryer is the perfect vessel for this method since it envelops the food inside with hot quickly moving air and manages to crisp …