Rotisserie Chicken

Soto Ayam

1/2 pack rice noodles (8 oz)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 skinless and boneless chicken breast, cut into cubes
1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 3 strips
1 can coconut milk, 13.5 fl oz (400 ml)
1 can chicken broth, 14.05 oz (411 g)
1 cup water
Salt, to taste

Spice Paste:

1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4 shallots, peeled
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 piece turmeric (2-inch), peeled or 1 tablespoon turmeric powder
1 piece galangal, peeled and sliced (2-inch)
1 piece ginger, peeled and sliced (2-inch)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Toppings:

2 cups bean sprouts
2 cups sliced cabbages, optional
2 hard-boiled eggs, cut into wedges
1 stalk spring onion, cut into rounds
2 limes, cut into wedges
Fried shallot crisps

Soak the rice noodles in warm water to soften them. Set aside.
Blend the Spice Paste in a food processor. Add some water if needed.
Add the oil in a pot on medium-high heat. Add in the Spice Paste and stir with spatula back and forth until aromatic.

Add in the chicken broth, coconut milk, lemongrass and water. Bring it to a boil. Add in the chicken breast cubes. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Blanch the rice noodles, bean sprouts, cabbages (if using) in another pot of boiling water. Transfer them to a bowl once they are cooked. Add the Toppings of hard-boiled eggs, spring onions and add the hot chicken broth into the bowl. Serve hot with lime wedges and shallot crisps on top of the noodles.

Instant Ramen Fried Rice

One 2.5-ounce (71g) cup instant ramen noodles, such as Cup Noodles, in flavor of your choice
Boiling water
3 tablespoons (45ml) canola oil or other neutral oil
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup (7 3/4 ounces; 220g) cooked medium- or short-grain rice (see note)
Kosher salt

Transfer contents of instant noodles cup (dried noodles plus all seasonings and mix-ins) to a zipper-lock bag or mixing bowl. Crush noodles well into roughly rice-size pieces, but don’t obsess about it.

Return crushed noodles and seasonings to cup.

Add just enough boiling water to wet contents of cup but no more than that. Cover and let stand while you continue with the recipe.

In a large nonstick skillet, wok, cast iron, or carbon steel pan, heat oil over high heat until shimmering. Add egg and cook, stirring, until just scrambled.

Add rice and cook, stirring constantly and breaking up any small lumps, until heated through and glazed in the oil, about 2 minutes.

Add soaked ramen along with any liquid and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, until excess moisture has cooked off and rice and noodles are lightly golden and toasted, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt.

Transfer to a serving platter or pack into a heatproof bowl, then invert bowl on a plate to make a compact mound of rice.

Note:
If a heartier meal is desired, you can whip up a 4-egg omelette and unfurl it on top of the mound of rice; top with ketchup and anything else you want.

Japanese-Style Tuna Noodle Salad

FOR THE SALAD:
8 ounces dried udon noodles
1 to 2 tablespoons furikake or sesame seeds
10 to 12 ounces tuna in oil, drained
2 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced

FOR THE DRESSING:
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sweet miso

Cook the noodles according to the package instructions.

Meanwhile, prepare the dressing: In a measuring cup or bowl, whisk to combine the sesame oil, canola oil, rice wine vinegar, mirin, soy sauce and miso; set aside.

In a small skillet, lightly toast the sesame seeds, if using, over medium-low heat until fragrant; set aside.

Drain the cooked noodles in the colander, then transfer to a wide, shallow serving bowl. Add the wakame and about 3/4 of the dressing, and toss to coat. Divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Top each portion with tuna, drizzle with the remaining dressing, then sprinkle with the scallions and furikake or sesame seeds. Serve hot, cold or anywhere in between.

Curry Mee

2 tablespoons oil
1 onion (minced)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 tablespoon ginger (minced)
1 tablespoon lemongrass (minced)
1 tablespoon red curry paste
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (thinly sliced)
3 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
13.5 ounces coconut milk (400 ml)
4 cups chicken stock (950 ml)
3 tablespoons fish sauce (optional for vegetarians)
1 teaspoon sugar
8 ounces egg noodles (225g)
salt (to taste)
2 handfuls raw bean sprouts (washed and trimmed)
Cilantro leaves (for garnish)
1 lime (cut into wedges)

Heat the oil in a pot over medium high heat and add the onion, garlic, ginger, and lemongrass. Cook for about 6 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Stir in the red curry paste.

Turn the heat up to high and add the chicken. Stir-fry until the chicken turns opaque. Add the curry powder, turmeric, coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce, and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package directions. Divide between 2 soup bowls and set aside.

Taste the soup and season with salt to taste. Divide the soup among your 2 bowls of noodles, and garnish with raw bean sprouts, cilantro, and a squeeze

Chicken Khao Soi (Thai Coconut Curry Noodle Soup)

For the khao soi paste:
2 Thai bird’s eye chilies
2 medium shallots
6 cloves garlic
1-inch piece ginger (peeled and sliced)
1/4 cup cilantro (stems and leaves, rinsed)
zest of 1 lime
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 tablespoons shrimp paste (Thai, filipino, or Chinese shrimp pastes will all work; can substitute laksa paste)

For the soup:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (sliced)
2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
4 cups low sodium chicken stock
2 teaspoons brown sugar
14 ounces unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons fish sauce (or to taste)
1 pound fresh Chinese egg noodles (thick wonton noodles work well)

To garnish:
thinly sliced shallots
lime wedges
pickled mustard stems/greens
crispy noodles
chopped cilantro
Thai chili paste (Nam Prik Pao)

Add all the curry paste ingredients to a food processor and pulse until you get a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and stir-fry the chicken until browned. Remove from the pot and set aside. To the fat left in the pot, add the paste. Fry for 3-5 minutes, until fragrant. Add the canned Thai red curry paste, broth, and brown sugar, and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low. When the broth is at a low simmer, add the coconut milk and fish sauce. Add the chicken back to the broth.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package instructions.

To serve, divide the noodles among 4 bowls. Cover with chicken and broth, and garnish with sliced shallots, lime wedges, pickled mustard greens, fried noodles, cilantro.

Rice Noodles with Peanut Sauce

Salt
8 ounces (about) rice noodles (vermicelli or sticks, as you like)
8 ounces bean sprouts
4 eggs
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce, or to taste
2 small hot red chiles (like Thai bird or Fresno), seeded if you like and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or to taste
1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Lime wedges

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Put the noodles in a large bowl. When the water boils, add enough water to the bowl to cover, stir, then let the noodles soak until they are soft and pliable. Start checking after 3 minutes; thicker noodles could take up to 15.

When the noodles are nearly tender, add the sprouts to soak for a minute or reserve 1/2 cup of the soaking liquid, then transfer everything to a colander, run under cold water for 1 minute, and shake off any excess water.

Meanwhile, bring the remaining water back to a boil, carefully add the eggs, cover, and turn off the heat. Steep the eggs for 9 minutes, then drain and run under cold water until cool.

Whisk together the peanut butter, sugar, fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of the chiles, and the lime juice in a small bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the reserved liquid and continue to whisk. The dressing should easily coat the back of a spoon. If it’s too thick, whisk in more hot water 1 tablespoon at a time. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more lime juice, chiles, and salt if you’d like.

Combine the noodles and sprouts with half the dressing in a large bowl and toss gently with 2 forks.

Peel the eggs and halve lengthwise.

Garnish the noodles with the eggs, scallions, and peanuts and serve at room temperature, passing the lime wedges and the remaining dressing and chiles at the table.

Small Batch Congee (Khao Tom)

2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)
1/4 pound ground turkey or pork
1 tablespoon fish sauce (more to taste)
2 eggs
1 green onion, chopped for garish
1 handful cilantro, for garnish
1 pinch ground black pepper, to taste

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Lower to medium heat and cook the ground meat in the water for about 5 minutes, separating the meat into chunks.
Drain the meat from the boiling water and wash the pot. Add the meat and rice to the pot.

Add enough water to just cover the rice by an inch and heat to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer for another 10 minutes for rice to soften.

While the rice and meat are cooking, add fish sauce to taste. Start with 1 tablespoon and add more for more flavor.

Poach the eggs in the porridge for at least 2 minutes depending on how runny you like your eggs.

Divide into bowls and top with pepper, cilantro and chopped green onion.

Turmeric-Coconut Rice with Greens (or Vegetables)

2 cups long-grain rice, such as jasmine or basmati
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon white or black sesame seeds
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 scallion, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more as needed
1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
Pinch of saffron (optional)
Kosher salt
1 medium bunch kale, spinach or Swiss chard (or anything that steams in 10 minutes, such as frozen peas or edamame, green beans, broccoli, grated carrots or sliced fennel)
1 lime

While a meal all on its own, this rice would also be great accompanied by tofu, white fish, chicken thighs or stewed black beans. Prepared as written, this dish has a relatively pure, mild flavor, so if you want more oomph, add more turmeric and saffron and season with plenty of salt and pepper as you cook.

Turkey Pot Pie

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE CRUST
1 1/2 c. (3 sticks) butter, cut into small pieces
3 3/4 c. cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar, chilled
6 tbsp. ice water, plus more if needed
FOR THE FILLING
3 tbsp. butter, plus more for greasing baking dish
1 medium onion, finely diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and medium diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. white wine
1 1/3 c. heavy cream, plus 2 tablespoons for brushing
2 1/2 c. shredded turkey meat
1 1/2 c. frozen peas
3 tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
3 sprigs thyme, stems removed
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Flaky salt

Make crust: Place butter into freezer for 15 minutes before starting crust process. In a large food processor, pulse flour, salt, and sugar until combined. Add butter and pulse until pea-size and some slightly larger pieces form. With the machine running, add vinegar and 4 tablespoons ice water into feed tube, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough just comes together and is moist but not wet and sticky or too crumbly (test by squeezing some with your fingers). If the dough is too crumbly and not coming together, add ice water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it does.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and squeeze together. Knead a few times to combine, then divide into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a smooth disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Make filling: Preheat oven to 375°. In a large, deep-sided skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add onions and carrots and cook until softened, 5 minutes.

Add garlic, then stir in flour and cook until golden and beginning to bubble.

Gradually whisk in white wine. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until the smell of alcohol is cooked out, about 3 minutes.

Slowly stream in heavy cream and continue to cook, stirring until mixture comes to a boil and thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.

Fold in shredded turkey, peas, parsley and thyme. Season mixture with salt and pepper. Let cool until ready to assemble.

To assemble: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough into a large round about 1/4” thick. Place into a greased, shallow 9″ pie dish or deep skillet, trim edges to leave a 1″ overhang and then add cooled filling.

Roll out second disk of dough into a large round about 1/4” thick and place on top of filling. Trim and crimp edges, then use a paring knife to create slits on top. Brush with remaining heavy cream and sprinkle with flaky salt.

Bake pie until crust is golden and filling is bubbling, about 1 hour 15 minutes. If the edges of the pie start to darken faster than the rest of the pie, cover edges with foil.

Let pie cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Pot Pie Soup

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken stock/broth
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves or 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
2 medium russet baking potatoes diced (about 2 cups)
2 medium carrots sliced or diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 1/4 cup frozen peas
2 cups cooked chicken or turkey diced (about 1 large boneless breast)

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add flour and stir continuously, cooking for about 1 minute. Start adding the milk a bit at a time, stirring well until smooth before adding more. Once all the milk is added, pour in the chicken stock. Add the diced potatoes, carrots and thyme. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 15-20 minutes, depending on the size of your dice.

Add frozen peas and cooked chicken or turkey. Cook over low heat an additional 10 minutes or so, to cook peas and warm chicken. Taste soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. You may also wish to add a bit more thyme, to taste.

Serve hot, topped with crumbled soda crackers or pie-pastry croutons (pie pastry, cut into small squares or other shapes, then baked off and scattered on top of soup).

Classic Chicken Noodle Casserole

edients
1 (12 oz) package egg noodles, cooked and drained
20 ounces shredded rotisserie chicken
2 (10 oz) cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup milk (or water)
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 stick salted butter (1/2 cup), melted

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

Spray 9 x 13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, cream of chicken soup, mayonnaise, milk (or water), diced onion, shredded cheese and frozen peas and carrots.

Stir until combined.

Gently stir in cooked egg noodles.

Pour in baking dish.

Sprinkle top with Panko bread crumbs.

Pour melted butter evenly over top of bread crumbs.

Bake uncovered for about 30-35 minutes until bubbly and top is golden brown

Southern Chicken Casserole

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Tabasco
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1/2 cup finely chopped pimentos (from a 4-ounce jar)
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed (4 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large saucepan, melt the butter in the oil. Add the onion, bell pepper and celery and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the milk and whisk until combined. Simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Season the mixture with salt, pepper and Tabasco. Remove from the heat and stir in the mayonnaise, chicken and pimentos.

Transfer the chicken mixture to a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Scatter the crushed crackers on top. Bake for about 45 minutes, until the casserole is golden and bubbling. Let rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Curried Chicken Salad with Mango Chutney

3/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
3/4 cup mango chutney
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
1 small rotisserie chicken—meat shredded, skin and bones discarded (4 cups)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup baby arugula leaves 4 brioche rolls or other rolls, split (optional, for sandwiches)

In a food processor, pulse the yogurt, chutney, lime juice and curry until blended but not completely smooth. Scrape the mixture into a medium bowl, add the shredded chicken, scallions and cilantro and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Lay the arugula on the rolls, spoon the pulled chicken salad on top and serve.

Chicken and Biscuits

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, cut into 1/3-inch chunks
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon self-rising flour
2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1/2 cup frozen baby peas
1 tablespoon chopped sage
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk

Preheat the oven to 425°. In a large Dutch oven or enameled cast-iron casserole, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add the shallots and carrot chunks and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the shallots and mushrooms are softened, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and cook until completely evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in the 1 tablespoon of flour and the broth and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until thick, about 3 minutes. Stir in the chicken and peas.

In a food processor, combine the remaining 1 1/4 cups of flour with the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and the chopped sage and thyme; pulse 5 times. Add the milk; pulse just until a soft dough forms.

Using a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, scoop 20 balls of dough over the chicken stew. Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until the biscuits are golden. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Chicken Tacos with Cabbage and Cilantro Cream

1/2 cup cilantro leaves
3/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small red cabbage (1 1/2 pounds), halved, cored and finely shredded
2 pickled jalapeños, thinly sliced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 small rotisserie chicken, meat shredded, skin and bones discarded
Warm corn tortillas, for serving

In a blender, puree the cilantro with the sour cream, lime juice and olive oil until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the red cabbage with the jalapeños, scallions and the cilantro dressing. Let stand for 15 minutes, until the cabbage just begins to wilt. Add the chicken and toss until it is coated with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper and serve with warm corn tortillas.

Vietnamese Chicken Salad

2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Asian fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving
1 1/2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1 serrano chile with seeds, minced
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 cup vegetable oil, for frying
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
Salt
4 cups finely shredded green cabbage (from 1/2 small head)
2 carrots, finely shredded
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup coarsely chopped mint
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (from 1/2 chicken)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar, water, chile and garlic and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Let the dressing stand for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the vegetable oil until shimmering. Add the shallots and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the shallots on paper towels; reserve the oil for another use. Sprinkle the shallots with salt and let cool.

In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, carrots, red onion, cilantro, mint and shredded chicken. Add the olive oil and the dressing and toss. Sprinkle with the peanuts and fried shallots and serve the chicken salad with lime wedges.

Pulled Chicken

2 cups cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
One 3 1/2-pound rotisserie chicken

4 hamburger buns, split (for sandwiches)
1 cup prepared coleslaw

In a medium saucepan, combine the cider vinegar with the water, white wine, vegetable oil, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, sweet paprika, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper and boil over high heat until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 15 minutes. Remove the warm vinegar sauce from the heat.

Meanwhile, remove all of the meat from the chicken and shred it. Discard the skin. Add the chicken to the warm vinegar sauce and heat through, stirring gently. Pile the pulled chicken on the buns and drizzle with extra vinegar sauce. Top with the coleslaw, close the sandwiches and serve right away.

Chicken with Rice Pilaf with Almonds and Fruit

Rotisserie chicken
Rice
Butter
Sliced onion
Prunes, raisins, dried currents, or a combination
Slivered almonds
Salt and pepper

First, melt a knob of butter in a pot, then sauté a sliced onion in it until translucent.

Add rice, as much as you want to cook, and stir it around, then add water in its usual ratio to the rice, and cook as you always do.

At the end, add some chopped prunes, or currants, or raisins, or all three, along with a handful of slivered almonds and salt and pepper. Fluff the rice to mix everything together. Put the top back on the pot, and let the rice and mix-ins mellow out for a few minutes.

Serve alongside a store-bought roast chicken, the legs and thighs separated and the breasts cut on the bias and fanned out for show.

Chicken Salad with Avocado and Herbs

Rotisserie chicken
Arugula
Sliced scallions
Chopped cilantro
Avocado or two
Lime
Chopped garlic
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Pick up a heat-lamp roast chicken at the market on the way home — it’s O.K.! — and tear it apart to feed four, or half of it for two, shredding the meat with your fingers.

Mix the chicken with a few handfuls of baby arugula, a large handful of sliced scallions and a lot of chopped cilantro.

Cut an avocado or two into the mix if you have them on hand.

Then make a dressing out of lime juice — one juicy squeezed lime will do — a pressed garlic clove and a few glugs of olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper. Drizzle that over the top and serve. Dinner in 15 minutes, tops.

Chicken Panzanella

Rotisserie chicken
Tomatoes
Arugula or watercress
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Toasted bread

Grab a super-tanned rotisserie chicken on the way home. Tear the meat into strips, then cut a few smallish supermarket tomatoes (or better, if you’ve got them) into wedges and marinate them in oil, salt, pepper and red wine vinegar.

Pay a few bills or fold some laundry, then turn the whole thing into panzanella by mixing together the chicken, the tomatoes, some fresh watercress and some chunks of stale or toasted bread, then showering the salad with freshly ground black pepper and a spray of kosher salt.