Chili Coconut Chicken

This recipe came from one of many "Quick and Easy" recipe books that I have acquired over the years. And it definitely was quick and easy...and very yummy! I got to enjoy this dish with my girlfriend Andrea who happened to be in my neighborhood this night...how convenient! She gave this recipe rave reviews...thanks Andrea!

Ingredients

2/3 cups chicken stock

1/2 cup coconut milk

1 Tb. vegetable oil

8 skinless, boneless chicken strips, cut into long, thin pieces

1 small red chili, thinly sliced

4 scallions, thinly sliced

1 red pepper, thinly sliced

1 yellow pepper

1 cup sugar snap peas

4 Tb. smooth or crunchy peanut butter

finely grated rind and juice of 1 lime

2 cups cooked rice

red pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottom skillet or pre-heated wok. Season chicken with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Add chicken to skillet and cook, stirring, until golden.

2. Add red chili, peppers, and sugar snap peas and cook gently for few minutes.

3. Add warm chicken stock, coconut milk, peanut butter, lime rind and juice and simmer uncovered, stirring for 5 minutes.

4. Serve with rice and garnish with scallions.

G's Side notes:

The original recipe didn't call for any of the vegetables that I added. I love all these flavors in this recipe and I think you could add any veggies you have on hand. Next time, I think I will add pineapple too!

Prairie Fume Chicken Wild Rice Soup

One of my favorite white wines is Prairie Fume and is produced and bottled at the Wollershiem Winery in Prairie Du Sac, Wisconsin. The original recipe for this Chicken with Wild Rice Soup called for white wine, but I added a little extra to really taste the flavor of the Prairie Fume. You could really use any white wine, but make sure you love it because you can really taste it in this soup!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked wild rice

7 cups chicken broth

3 cups roasted chicken, cut into pieces

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped onion

2 Tb. vegetable oil

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1/2 cup margarine

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 cups milk

1 cup white wine (Prairie Fume)

Directions:

1. Cook the wild rice according to package. Set aside.

2. In a large pot, saute the celery and onion in the oil for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for another 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until everything is tender.

3. Add chicken broth, diced chicken, and cooked wild rice into pot. Simmer for 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, melt margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth. Whisk in milk slowly and continue to cook and whisk mixture until bubbly and thick. Then add all of milk mixture to the broth pot mixture. Stir until fully milk mixture is completely incorporated into broth.

5. In a blender, measure out two cups of the soup mixture. Blend mixture until mostly smooth. Add back to the rest of the soup in the pot. Stir in heavy cream and white wine. Allow all flavors to incorporate uncovered for 20-30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

G's side notes:

I love to partially blend soups that are supposed to be thick. I feel it just helps the thicken process, and blends the flavors. The soup also freezes very well, so you can make a lot, and save it for a rainy (or snowy) day!