Chicken – Page 4 – The Food Wife

Pad Thai

9th April 20229th April 2022
by thefoodwife

Serves 2 as a main meal or 4 as a side

One of my favourites! The garnishes really make the flavour of this and you can control the heat by adding the chilli to your own taste. If making this gluten-free ensure you the oyster sauce you use is – Lee Kum Kee do one.

You can easily scale this recipe up, and add any extra protein you like; prawns or chicken work well. You can make the sauce up in advance of the final cooking the dish, the same goes for the frying of the tofu and the egg. Doing so makes the final cooking quick and easy.

Ingredients:

Sauce:

3 tbsp fish sauce

2 1/2 tbsp oyster sauce (gluten-free if required)

2 1/2 tbsp tamarind purÃ©e

4 1/2 tbsp packed/heaped light soft brown sugar

Stir fry:

2 handfuls of Stir fry vegetables of your choice (onion/pepper/baby corn/carrot ribbons work well)

3 handfuls of bean sprouts

225g firm tofu, pressed and cut into cubes

2 eggs, beaten

200g wide flat rice noodles, cooked according to the packet instructions (then run through with cold water to stop them from sticking. You could also add a few drops of sesame oil to help keen them separate too)

Garnish:

1 lime cut into wedges

Fresh coriander leaves

Crushed chilli flakes

Crushed roasted peanuts

N.b. Steps 1-3 can be done in advance and stored in the fridge. If adding extra protein, stir fry before adding the vegetables in step 4.

Step 1: Mix all the sauce ingredients into a smooth sauce. Set to one side (if making in advance store, sealed in a tub, in the fridge).

Step 2: In a wok, fry the tofu in vegetable oil over a medium high heat, turning until nicely coloured and slightly crisped. Remove from the pan. Set to one side (if making in advance store, sealed in a tub, in the fridge).

Step 3: In the same wok, using the residual oil, scramble the eggs and cook until it is in dry pieces. Remove from the pan. Set to one side (if making in advance store, sealed in a tub, in the fridge).

If you have done steps 1-3 in advance remove from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking to allow them to come up to room temperature.

Step 4: Heat a little oil in the wok over a high heat. Stir fry the vegetables, moving them about the pan. Add the cooked rice noodles and keep tossing or stirring them, then add the fried tofu, egg and sauce, keep tossing everything so that it is all is coated in the sauce and heated through.

Step 5: Once everything is piping hot, serve, with fresh coriander, wedges of lime, crushed peanuts and chilli flakes. Delicious.

Sweet and Sour Tofu

14th February 202214th February 2022
by thefoodwife

Serves 2-3

It was Valentineâ€™s Day 2022 when the Food Husband asked for seconds of tofu. High praise indeed!

Here is a vegan sweet and sour, which uses tofu in place of the more traditional chicken or pork. Baking the tofu with the five spice really makes a difference. My one year old loved eating the baked pieces when I got them out the oven. He got about three pieces in when I started getting worried about whether thereâ€™d be any left for our dinner!

If youâ€™re not fussed about making this vegan then of course you can use chicken or pork. Simply stir fry with the vegetables, but do add a couple of pinches of the five spice still.

N.b. You can of course add pineapple, just add at the same time as the tofu at the end of the cooking.

Ingredients:

500g firm tofu, drained and cut into large pieces (approx 1.5cmx1.5cmx3cm)

Oil

Chinese five spice

1 tbsp Vegetable oil

1/2 tsp Sesame oil

1 white onion, large dice

1 pepper, large dice

1/2 carrot, peeled and cut into thin rounds

1 salad tomato, cut into wedges

1 inch ginger, peeled, grated or finely chopped

250ml apple juice

2 tbsp tomato purÃ©e

2 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

2 tbsp cider vinegar

3 tbsp soft brown sugar

1 tbsp cornflour

Step 1: Begin by preheating your oven to 180c (fan). Place the pieces of tofu carefully on a baking tray (allow a little space between each piece). Spritz with a little oil and then use a couple of pinches of Chinese five spice to sprinkle over the tofu. Then carefully flip each piece and repeat. Bake in the oven for an hour, turning half way through.

Step 2: In a large frying pan or a wok, add the vegetable oil and sesame oil over a high heat. Stir fry the onion, pepper, carrot, tomato and ginger for a few minutes.

Step 3: Combine the apple juice,tomato purÃ©e, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and corn flour in a jug and mix until smooth. Add to the vegetables and cook out for a few minutes until thickened. Check the seasoning.

Step 4: Transfer the cooked tofu to the sweet and sour sauce. Stir through until all coated and glossy. Serve with rice.

Baked Rice and Chicken with Lemon

1st February 20221st February 2022
by thefoodwife

Serves 2

Itâ€™s always satisfying when very little prep results in a flavoursome dish thatâ€™s essentially cooked itself. This is definitely one for lemon lovers. The rice and chicken is perfumed from the zest, and the slices are soft and a bit jammy, so if you really like lemon eat these with the chicken. If this doesnâ€™t appeal, remove before serving.

I like this with fine green beans, but any green veg you like will work.

Ingredients:

150g brown basmati rice

2 lemons (zest of both, one sliced into 4-5 rounds, pips removed)

4-5 skin on, bone-in chicken thighs

600ml hot stock (vegetable or chicken, gluten/dairy-free as required)

Salt and Pepper

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180c (fan).

Step 2: Spread the rice on the base of a deep baking dish, add the lemon zest and then the slices of lemon. Top the lemon slices with the chicken thighs. Season the skin with salt and pepper. Carefully pour the hot stock over the dish avoiding the top of the chicken.

Step 3: Bake in the oven for an hour. Remove when the stock is absorbed and the skin is crisp. Serve with green vegetables.

Leftover Turkey Laksa

29th December 202129th December 2021
by thefoodwife

Serves 2-3

On Christmas day I strip the remaining meat from the Turkey and separate it out into roughly 250g portions and freeze. The idea of Turkey for days doesnâ€™t appeal so Iâ€™d much rather spread it out over a few weeks.

Last night I was sent a message by a friend to say that theyâ€™d made my Turkey Tagine to use up their bird and it had gone down a treat with their family. I replied to say that we had had a leftover Turkey laksa. Itâ€™s rich, creamy and has heat from the Thai red curry paste. A real bonus is how quick it is to make; ready in under half an hour.

So here is the recipe. Let me know if you give it a go!

Ingredients:

1 tsp (coconut) oil

2 Cloves of garlic, finely diced or crushed

1-2 peppers, deseeded and diced

3 spring onions, sliced (separate the white and green parts)

Any other veg you fancy (I cut some fine green beans into 1cm pieces)

1 heaped tbsp Thai red curry paste (or less if you donâ€™t like much heat)

3 lime leaves (optional – use the zest of a lime otherwise)

2 heaped tbsp smooth peanut butter (use one with no added salt or sugar ideally)

400ml coconut milk

500ml stock (Turkey/chicken/vegetable)

Sugar

Fish sauce (optional)

150g noodles, cooked according to the packet instructions, drained and reserved (Works great with egg noodles but I use glass noodles to keep it gluten-free)

250g cooked turkey, torn or cut into small pieces

1 lime (juice)

Step 1: Place a large sauce pan or work over a medium high heat. Add the oil, and when hot add the garlic, peppers and the white part of the spring onion and any other veg youâ€™re adding. Stir frequently for a couple of minutes, then add the Thai red curry paste and lime leaves and stir allowing it all to become fragrant for a minute.

Step 2: Add the peanut butter, coconut milk and stock and bring to a simmer. Stir to break up the peanut butter and ensure the curry paste is now amalgamated and the soup sauce is smooth. Simmer for 10 minutes until it has thickened slightly. Add a pinch of sugar and season with fish sauce (if using alternatively use a pinch of salt) and check the taste. Add more sugar/fish sauce/salt as needed.

Step 3: Add the cooked Turkey meat to warm through and the juice of half the lime. And cook for a further three or four minutes.

Step 4: Meanwhile arrange the cooked noodles at the bottom of your soup bowls, and then ladle the laksa over the top, evenly distribute the turkey and vegetables. Sprinkle over the green spring onion slices and use the remaining lime to give a little squeeze of fresh juice over each bowl and serve.

Mince with Crispy Chilli Oil

15th December 202115th December 2021
by thefoodwife

Serves 4

This will work with any mince you like, meat or veggie. You are bulking it out with three types of vegetables that are all made to be the same size as the mince, so itâ€™s a great way to smuggle veg into a meal.

The crispy chilli oil is a magical ingredient. Talk about addictive!! Two heaped tablespoons might sound a lot, but I figure youâ€™re not going to be making this if you donâ€™t like chilli, and although itâ€™s spicy, itâ€™s not that spicy really. I also garnish mine with slices of fresh red chilli for a pop of colour and a spike of extra heat.

Ingredients:

1 tsp coconut oil

1 onion, finely diced

1 large carrot, grated

1 pepper, finely diced

300g mince (turkey, pork, beef, chicken, soya, quorn)

1-2 tbsp soy sauce (gluten-free if required)

1 tbsp oyster sauce (leave out if vegetarian/vegan) (gluten-free if required)

2 heaped tbsp crispy chilli oil (gluten-free/vegan/vegetarian if required)

Step 1: In a wok, or large frying pan, melt the coconut oil over a medium-high, then add the diced onion, cook for a few minutes, stirring often, before adding the carrot and pepper. Continue to stir and cook for a couple more minutes, then add the mince.

Step 2: Cook the mince until it is browned and dry (any water should be cooked until evaporated) then add the seasoning of soya sauce, oyster sauce (if using) and crispy chilli oil. Continue to cook for about five-ten minutes, stirring often until everything is coated, glossy and tastes delicious.

Serve with rice or noodles. I also like it with a crunchy cucumber salad dressed with lime juice and salt.