Czech Chicken with Lemons

I found this recipe in a Czech cookbook while searching for a simple chicken dish. I changed the order of cooking a little to give it more flavor. I love how with the right amount of time you can make simple ingredient delicious!

Ingredients:
vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely sliced (I used a red onion because that's what I had but I liked the sweetness)
2 large chicken breasts
2 lemons
2 cups chicken stock
2-4 dry bay leaves
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper
2 tbs flour
2 tbs butter

Directions:
1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat drizzle of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute on both sides until skin is browned about 5 minutes. Remove browned chicken from the pan.

2. Add thinly sliced onions to pan and cook until softened.

3. Pour in juice of one lemon and cook for a few minutes. Turn the heat down to medium and add the chicken stock. Add the bay leaves, thyme, sugar, sat and pepper. Make sure to adjust lemon (tart) vs. sugar (sweet) levels so they are balanced.

4. Replace chicken back into pan and place thinly sliced lemon wedges on the top. Bring liquid to a boil and then reduce to a simmer, partially cover and cook until chicken is done, about 40 minutes. I used a thermometer on my chicken for super accurate cooking and I've found that pulling the chicken at 162-164 degrees and letting it rest and rise to a final temp of about 166 makes for a really moist chicken.

5. Before serving check the liquid and see if more sugar is needed if lemons made sauce to bitter.

6. To thicken sauce first remove chicken from pan. Create a roux by combining 2 tbs flour to 2 tbs butter. Just mash this together on the side with a fork until it forms a paste. Whisk into the simmering chicken liquid until smooth. Boil until sauce is at desired thickness. (If you go too thick, add more chicken sauce to thin out sauce). For a really smooth sauce I poured mine through a sieve or fine strainer before serving.

7. Plate up chicken with any side dishes (I made roasted potatoes)and finish the plate with gravy. Enjoy!

Chicken Salad Sandwich

These are sandwiches we get in Las Vegas and I was craving them since I had some extra chicken from tacos earlier this week. It only takes a few ingredients to make a really flavorful sandwich. And since Chicken Salad tastes better the longer you let the flavors meld, it's a great make ahead meal-as long as you can keep it cold. Mayo and heat aren't the best of friends. haha. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
3-4 ribs Celery, finely diced
1/4 Red Onion, really finely diced
5 part Mayonnaise
1/4 part Dijon Mustard
pinch each paprika, oregano, thyme, red pepper flake
1 lemon
1-3 drop Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Use leftover chicken or cook your own. To bake: season both sides of chicken (breast or thigh or mix, up to you) with salt and pepper. Bake in preheated oven at 350 for about 30-40 or until the chicken reaches 170 degrees. Allow to rest and cool. To speed up this process once chicken rested for 15 minutes I sliced the chicken and placed the slices in the fridge to cool.

2. Dice chicken and set aside.

3. Make "dressing": combine mayo, mustard, a small pinch of the seasonings, a few drops of lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Add all the flavorings in a small amount so you can tailor it to what you like. Make sure to taste and adjust the dressing before adding the other ingredients.

4. Combine salad: add chicken, celery, and red onion to dressing. Make sure you've made enough dressing to give your final sandwich the creaminess you want-this means lots of mayo, fatty but delicious! haha.

5. Spread onto bread and make sandwiches or eat as is. It tastes better if you let it marinate in the fridge for a day or two.

Making Bread

I wanted to try something that is hard to learn but really simple once you master it-bread loaves. The recipe is really basic but it takes a lot of time so only make this is you're bored all day. Also, it really heated up my apartment so I suggest doing this in winter more than summer haha. To get a really nice crust on your loaf you can use an egg wash (mixture of one egg and a splash of water whisked together) or what I prefer-using steam. For some reason the steam in the oven leads to a crispy crust. I don't know the science behind it but I know it works!

1 envelope dry yeast
1 tbsp. sugar
2 c. warm water
1 tbsp. salt
4 c. flour

In a large bowl dissolve yeast, sugar, and warm water. Let stand 10 minutes. Stir in 4 cups flour and salt. Turn out onto floured surface. Lift and turn dough which is very soft, until it sticks enough to knead. Add more flour if necessary. Knead 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Put in oil lined bowl, cover and let rise in warm place until doubled (45 minutes).

Turn dough out onto floured surface, pat flat and dust with flour. Fold in half and then half again. Return to bowl and let rise 30 minutes.

Turn dough out onto floured surface, divide into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and let rest 5 minutes. Shape each ball into an oval and roll up like a jelly roll. Place on greased sheet. Let rise until almost double. Brush loaves with well-beaten egg and water mixture (if using-only use egg wash or steam, NOT BOTH!)

Baking: place an oven proof pan in the bottom of your oven while cold. Allow to heat up with oven. When placing in the bread pour about 1/4 cup into the hot pan CAREFULLY! there will be a lot of steam and steam can burn you! Quickly close the oven to trap the steam inside. You'll do this again about 5 minutes before the baking is finished. Bake in 450 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Kicking it off on Cinco de Mayo

Well, I'm back. I've been super busy balancing senior year in college and working for the LA Kings of the NHL. I've still been cooking and trying new things but I just didn't have the time to post on here. I hope I haven't lost you all and can entice you back with promises of the delicious food to come.

Now that it's summer and I graduate in a few days, I finally have time to post my food and tips as I try new things. To kick things off I decided to celebrate the holiday of Cinco de Mayo with some cold beer and chicken tacos. I'm still using my old babysitter Chio's recipe for the secret sauce. Sadly, I'm still not ready to share that secret, I'll just have to make it for you. : )

For toppings and sides I kept it simple with onions marinaded in lime juice (recipe below-these are awesome and can be used on lots of stuff!), cheese, and lettuce. If you're looking to add more options for friends you could also do salsa, guacamole, beans, chips, mexican rice, pickled vegetables like radish, or a chipotle and sour cream sauce.

The last time I mentioned these tacos in public I was ridiculed for frying the taco shells with the chicken meat inside. The people scorning me said they used a ton of spoons to keep the tortillas open. That seemed like a lot of work to me so I decided to stick with what I was taught by a real Hispanic, thank you very much. haha.

I had more time today so instead of using a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store that is pre-cooked, I simmered raw chicken in salted water with onion for about 40 minutes or until its cooked through. Then allow it to cool and shred it.

I hope everyone gets to enjoy a delicious Mexican feast on Cinco de Mayo!!!