Kitchen Sink Asian Chicken Pasta

Okay, so this is how I really cook. I look at a recipe. Make sure I have most of the key elements, and then I 'wing it' for the final dish. Perhaps this is why baking has been such a challenge for me. But it's just so much more fun to do it this way! I call this Kitchen Sink Pasta only because I use whatever vegetables are in my refridgerator at the end of the week. Anything that needs to be cut up and cooked goes in!

Kitchen Sink Asian Chicken Pasta
adapted from Nigella Express

Sauce

2 big spoonfuls of peanut butter

1-2 glugs low-sodium soy sauce

1-2 glugs sesame oil

1-2 glugs olive oil

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

2 glugs lime juice

Vegetables

snow peas

red bell pepper

red onion

2 green onions (white and green parts)

tbsp cilantro

1-2 cups cooked chicken

1/2 lb pasta (I used whole wheat spaghetti)

Mix all the sauce ingredients together and pop in the microwave for 30-second increments until it is 'saucy.'

Put noodles in salted, boiling water and cook as directed on package.

Meanwhile, cut all vegetables, with exception of the cilantro, and put in a heated skillet with a little olive oil. I like my vegetables slightly cooked - just about 5 minutes or so.

Drain noodles, and put in large bowl. Add sauce, then veggies, then cooked chicken. Stir altogether, add cilantro, and enjoy!

Baked Chicken Parmesan

No.

The answer is no.

I'm not Italian (I'm sure if you are, you are laughing at the notion someone might think I am.). I realize there are a lot of pasta dishes on this site (so far!), but the thing is...not too long ago I was a coupon clipper.

And by coupon clipper, I mean COUPON CLIPPER. I sort of went nuts. I was literally getting a 'high' by saving $.30 on a can of tomatoes. My addiction started slowly, but it increasingly got worse. Soon, I would come home with three boxes of floss, six deodorants, and four tubs of Country Crock margarine. We might not be able to pay our electric bill, but we'd have shampoo!

Generally speaking, being addicted to couponing is not a bad thing. However, the madness had to stop once I realized half my pantry was pasta. rotini, fettuccine, spaghetti, penne...the list goes on. I am not kidding when I say half a shelf was devoted to my free-or-almost-free pasta.

I have an overflow of toothpaste, too. However, I think this recipe tastes better.

Baked Chicken Parmesan - serves 2
adapted from Evil Shenanigans

2 Chicken Breasts, boneless & skinless
salt and pepper, to taste
1 egg white
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
2 Cups tomato sauce (I used this recipe, sans meat)
4 ounces uncooked pasta (Use whatever you like. I had LOTS of spaghetti, so that's what we used)


Preheat oven to 450 degrees, and line a baking sheet with foil. Lightly spray cooking spray on foil.

Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/2" thick, and season both sides with salt and pepper.

In small bowl, whisk egg white until frothy.

In another bowl, add panko bread crumbs and Italian seasoning.

Dredge chicken in egg white first, shaking off any excess egg white. Then drop in panko bread crumb mixture. Turn to coat.

Put both chicken breasts on lined baking sheet and let sit for ten minutes. This helps the breadcrumbs set.

Bake for 20 minutes (or until internal temperature is 155 degrees). Remove chicken from oven and add sauce, then top with cheese. Continue to bake for 10 minutes, or until cheese bubbles.

Remove chicken from oven and let sit for five minutes before serving.

While chicken is baking, prepare pasta as directed. Toss pasta with sauce, then top with chicken.

Cajun Chicken - An Ode to New Iberia

In high school, I was a member of Drill Team.  For two summers, the team would go away to summer dance camp to learn new routines, get to know other teams in the area, and compete for dance awards.  Ugh.  Even now, I am starting to itch and feel a hive popping up.

Summertime heat.
High school girls.
Pom poms galore.
Bows for as far as the eye could see.

Good times, huh?

However, the proverbial silver lining was that I got to listen to what a real, live Cajuns sounded like.  Honestly, I don't believe I blinked while the girls from New Iberia, Louisiana talked.  I even remember their colors were black, yellow and white!  I think the majority of the girls at camp were sneaking up behind them to hear their accents.  Talk about jealous!  My own version of Redneck Speak sounded so....so....Redneck.

The point is, that whenever I hear the word Cajun, I always remember those girls at camp.  And so, New Iberia, this one is for you.

Cajun Chicken

Ingredients:
Cajun seasoning - Emeril's Essence (see below)
2 Skinless Chicken Breasts, trimmed of fat
Cooking spray

Cajun seasoning - Emeril's Essence
2 1/2 Tablespoons Paprika
2 Tablespoons Salt
2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
1 Tablespoon Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
1 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
1 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
1 Tablespoon Dried Thyme
Mix all ingredients thoroughly.  I put it all in a sealed container and shake it up really well (this counts for exercise for me). 

Take both chicken breasts and put between two sheets of wax paper, saran wrap or even in a Ziploc bag.  What you want to do is pound them until they are uniformly the same thickness.  I use a rolling pin and put the breasts between two sheets of wax paper.

Heat non-stick skillet to med-high and spray with non-stick cooking spray.  Lots of it. 

Remove top sheet of wax paper on chicken, and sprinkle about one tablespoon of Essence on breasts.  Once skillet is hot, put chicken, season side down on skillet.  Then, sprinkle another tablespoon on top of breasts.

Cook on medium high for 4 minutes.  If the skillet gets a little dry, spray more cooking spray. 

After four minutes (or when bottom of chicken looks opaque), flip 'em, and turn the heat off of skillet. 

Cover (I just use aluminum foil) and let 'cook' for another 4-5 minutes.

Serve on your favorite noodles and sing, "Son of a Gun, We'll Have Some Fun, On the Bayou."