Issue Date: September 3-5, 2004
Rotisserie chicken jump-starts snazzy meals
It's easy to buy a cooked hen, take the meat off the bone and use it in a "wow" recipe.
Look for a plain-flavored, full-breasted chicken. Juicy, of course.
|
When a recipe calls for a whole chicken shredded into bite-sized pieces, most cooks turn the page. Who's going to cook a whole chicken, cool it down, pull the meat off the bone and shred it into little pieces just to get started?
Fortunately, rotisserie chickens are a simple, readily available solution. From carryout shops and casual dining establishments to small grocery stores and huge food warehouses, most of us don't have to travel far to find a roast chicken.
Served whole or cut into serving pieces, rotisserie chicken is great for on-the-fly weeknight suppers. But with a little time, it's easy to take the meat off the bone and use the cooked bird as an ingredient in a more complicated recipe.
Keep a few things in mind when buying a rotisserie chicken:
-- If there's a choice, opt for plain instead of flavored. Although most of the flavoring is concentrated on the skin, which you'll probably discard, it does inordinately perfume the meat and accumulated chicken juices (which you may want to use if the recipe calls for broth).
-- Look for a large, full-breasted chicken. It has more meat, of course, but it also has less waste and is less likely to dry out under a heat lamp or in a hot box.
-- Pull the chicken from the bone as soon as you get home. It's easier to separate while warm, it saves room in the fridge, and you can start your recipe without delay.
-- If you have time, dump the bones, skin and accumulated juices into a soup kettle, barely cover with water, and bring to a simmer. In 30 minutes, you'll have a pot of stock that tastes like it's been simmering for hours.
-- Use shredded chicken to top pizzas, flavor pasta and rice, toss in salads, or beef up soups. I especially like it for curry and enchiladas -- dishes I might not have time to make from scratch.
One final piece of advice: At the checkout, double-bag the bird in plastic and keep it upright -- a cardboard box is even better. It's no fun cleaning chicken juice off car seats.
Go to top
Chicken Salad With Thai-Flavored Dressing
1 rotisserie chicken, skinned and boned, meat shredded into bite-sized pieces (3 1/2 to 4 cups)
2 medium celery ribs, cut into small dice
2 medium green onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup chopped honey-roasted peanuts
2 Tbs. lime juice
2 Tbs. Asian fish sauce
1 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsps. sugar
1/2 tsp. hot red pepper flakes
2 Tbs. each: minced fresh cilantro and mint leaves
To serve: Boston lettuce, sliced cucumbers, grated carrots and extra chopped peanuts
In a medium bowl, mix chicken, celery, green onions and peanuts. In a small bowl, whisk lime juice, fish sauce, ginger, sugar, red pepper, cilantro and mint, plus 2 Tbs. water. Toss dressing with chicken mixture and serve on a bed of Boston lettuce with the suggested accompaniments.
Serves: 4.
Per serving: Per serving: 326 calories, 38g protein, 10g carbohydrates, 17g fat (4g saturated), 1g fiber, 1,358mg sodium.
Go to top
Fragrant Chicken Curry
2 Tbs. curry powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 rotisserie chicken, skinned and boned, meat pulled into large chunks (3 1/2 to 4 cups)
1 13.5-ounce can light coconut milk
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 14.5-ounce can chicken broth
To serve: Cooked basmati rice, chopped fresh cilantro and mango chutney
Mix spices in small bowl. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or small soup kettle over medium-high heat; add onion and sautŽ until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic; sautŽ until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spices; toast until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add chicken; stir until completely coated with spices. Add coconut milk, tomatoes and broth. Bring to a simmer; cook uncovered until flavors blend and stew is thick, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, sprinkle with cilantro and serve over rice. Pass chutney separately.
Serves: 6.
Per serving: 287 calories, 26g protein, 12g carbohydrates, 17g fat (5g saturated), 2g fiber, 1,092mg sodium.
Go to top
Chicken and Red Bean Enchiladas
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 15.5-ounce can small red or pinto beans, drained
2 cups grated pepper Jack cheese (about 6 ounces)
1 medium-large onion
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 14.5-ounce can chicken broth
3 Tbs. sour cream
12 corn tortillas (about 5 1/2 inches in diameter)
Optional garnish: Chopped fresh cilantro, hot red pepper sauce
Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, mix chicken, beans and 1 cup cheese; set aside. Thinly slice 1/2 cup onion; set aside. Finely chop remaining onion.
Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and sautŽ until golden, about 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce; simmer until very thick, about 12 minutes. (Stir frequently; reduce heat if sputtering dramatically.) Add broth; bring to simmer. Remove from heat; whisk in sour cream. Stir 1/2 cup sauce into chicken mixture. Spread 1/2 cup sauce in a 13-by-9-inch ovenproof glass dish.
Microwave tortillas on high power in a microwave-safe plastic bag until warm, about 1 minute. Fill each tortilla with a heaping 1/4 cup chicken mixture; roll and place in baking dish. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Top with sliced onions and the optional cilantro. Serve hot. Pass pepper sauce separately.
Serves: 6.
Per serving: 441 calories, 25g protein, 45g carbohydrates, 20g fat (8g saturated), 7g fiber, 1,590mg sodium.
|
