Rotisserie Chicken

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.

Ayam Suwir Pedas Bali (Ayam Sisit Bali-Balinese Shredded Chicken)

Ingredients
300 gr cooked chicken meat shredded, or use 500 gr uncooked chicken
1 Tbsp cooking oil
100 ml coconut cream
2 Tbsp water or chicken broth from cooking the chicken

Ground spice paste:
4 Tbsp sambal oelek adjust the amount if you want it less or more spicy
4 Thai red chili remove stems
1 small red onion peeled and quartered
4 garlic peeled

Other ingredients:
1 Tbsp turmeric powder
3 Tbsp galangal powder

Herbs:
2 stalks lemongrass
5 bay leaves (daun salam)
5 kaffir-lime leaves

Seasonings:
2 Tbsp coconut sugar or to taste
1 tsp salt or to taste
2 Tbsp Tamarind juice

Prepare the spice paste:

Place red onion, garlic, and sambal oelek in a food processor and grind into a paste

Cook the spicy sambal paste:
Preheat 1 Tbsp cooking oil in a wok or skillet. Add the spice paste, turmeric and galangal powder, and herbs. Stir fry until really aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add water and continue to stir fry for another 3 minutes

Add the coconut cream and stir to mix. Add the shredded chicken in and cook until the mixture is still moist but no more runny juice. Have a taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. It should be spicy, savory, a hint of tartness and sweetness.

Notes: WHAT TO SERVE WITH AYAM SUWIR PEDAS BALI

– NASI CAMPUR BALI: In Bali, ayam suwir is served with nasi campur (mixed rice). Meaning, white rice served with few other entrees such as fried chicken, hard-boiled eggs or omelet and side dishes like fresh slices of cucumber, tomatoes, Indonesian-style salad, sate lilit Bali, sate ayam kecap, crackers, etc. You don’t have to have all of those, but usually a combination of those.

– PLAIN RICE WILL DO TOO: Serve with white rice and few slices of fresh cucumber and tomatoes and trust me.

Poached Chicken with Ginger Scallion Sauce

For the chicken:
5 chicken drumsticks (or 4 chicken thighs––organic, kosher, or free-range chicken preferred; see note below about using breasts)
3 slices ginger
1 scallion

For the sauce:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 scallions (white and green separated, with the green parts chopped)
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup water (the water you cooked the chicken in)
15 grams ginger (about 1 1/2 tablespoons, minced)

In a medium pot, bring about 4 cups water to a boil along with 3 slices ginger and 1 scallion. Lower the chicken into the pot, and bring to a boil again. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. The heat level should be just high enough so the water is moving, without any big bubbles or rolling water.
After 10 minutes, turn off the heat, leave the lid on and let the chicken continue cooking in the warm pot for another 15 minutes.

If you use boneless, skinless chicken breast, you can reduce the cooking time to 5 minutes, but still keep the chicken in the pot for 15 minutes after turning off the heat. To test if the chicken is cooked, pierce the thickest part of the chicken to make sure the juices run clear.

Remove the chicken from the pot and place in ice water for 5 minutes to stop the cooking process and firm up the meat. Shred the meat onto a serving plate.
To make the sauce, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a saucepan over medium/low heat, and cook the scallion whites until crisp and lightly brown. Remove and place the scallion whites on top of the shredded chicken. Add 2 tablespoons light soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 cup of the water you used to cook the chicken to the remaining oil in the pan. Stir and bring it to boil. Add in the ginger and chopped scallion greens. Taste for seasoning and add more soy sauce or salt if desired. Bring to a boil again and pour it over the chicken.

Chicken, Corn, and Poblano Soup

For the soup:
2 poblano chiles or substitute cubanelle or sweet green peppers
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 yellow onion diced
2 cloves garlic chopped
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups corn cut from fresh corn or frozen
2 – 2 1/2 cups cooked chicken shredded from rotisserie chicken or see Notes below
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chipotle sour cream:
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp chipotle chile in adobo sauce finely chopped
1 Tbsp lime juice freshly squeezed
Salt and freshly ground pepper

For Garnish:
1 avocado pitted, peeled and cubed
Chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat the oven broiler with a rack about 5 inches from the element.

Cut the poblano chiles in half lengthwise and remove the stem and seeds. Place cut side down, on a baking sheet and broil until the skin blackens and blisters, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from the oven. Cover baking try loosely with aluminum foil and let stand for 10 minutes. Using the edge of a knife, peel away and discard the skin from the peppers, then cut them into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

In a large pot on the stovetop, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring for an additional 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in the corn and cook for 5 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, puree about half of the soup, leaving some of the corn kernels whole. *If you don’t have an immersion blender, remove soup to a blender or food processor and blend in small batches. Return to the pot and stir to combine.

Stir in the cooked, shredded chicken and diced poblano chillies. Taste, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm over low heat while you prepare the chipotle sour cream.

To make the chipotle sour cream, stir together the sour cream, chipotle chile and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add more chipotle, if you like, to taste.
To serve the soup, divide the soup among 4 to 6 bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of the chipotle sour cream and diced avocado. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro.

Chicken Salad with Miso and Ginger

1/3 cup water
1/3 cup white miso
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
2/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted, divided
1/3 cup lime juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
Kosher salt and ground white pepper
1/2 cup grapeseed or other neutral oil
3 cups shredded cooked chicken (see note)
6 medium scallions, thinly sliced (½ cup)
1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1/2 English cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and thinly sliced (1 cup)

In a blender, combine the water, miso, ginger, ? cup of the almonds, the lime juice, mustard, honey and ½ teaspoon white pepper.

Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the oil and blend until the dressing is thick, about 1 minute. Transfer to a jar, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 days.

In a large bowl, combine the chicken, scallions, cilantro, cucumber and remaining ? cup almonds. Add 1 cup of the dressing and toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the remaining dressing on the side.

Shrimp and Dragon Fruit Salad (with Variations)

1 dragon fruit, any varieties will work
8 Large shrimp unpeeled, deveined
3 cups Spring salad mix

Sesame plum dressing:
3 Tbsp plum sauce
2 tsp apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp water
Fresh herbs and aromatics:
Small bunch of fresh cilantro leaves roughly chopped
1/4 red onions peeled and thinly sliced

Toppings:
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1/4 cup roasted peanuts

Cut the dragon fruit in half and then peel the skin off and cut the flesh into large cubes. Set aside and let them chill in the refrigerator while you prepare other things.

Prepare the dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Steam the shrimp with the shells on, on high heat for 2 minutes or until they are cooked through.

Peel off the skin after they have cooled down a little bit. Steaming the shrimp with the shells on is to prevent the shrimp from curling. It’s really just for presentation and makes the shrimp looks bigger.

Assembling the salad:
Place the salad greens in a large mixing bowl.

Add sliced red onions.

Add freshly chopped cilantro leaves.

Add the cooked shrimp.

Add dragon fruit pieces.

Pour on the dressing when you are ready to serve the salad

Sprinkle on some sesame seeds.

Add some roasted peanuts.

Give the salad a gentle toss to mix everything.

Serve immediately.

Notes: This salad is highly customizable. You can change up the dressing, the toppings, the type of greens and veggies you want on the salad, the protein. Here are some suggestions:

Protein: Leftover chicken meat, pan-fried tofu, tempeh, chickpeas, seared scallop, seared ahi tuna.
Topping: Avocado cubes, tortilla strips, crispy chow mein noodle strips, wonton strips.
Dressing: Any vinaigrette dressing, sweet balsamic vinegar.

Ayam Pelalah (Balinese Shredded Chicken)

400 g chicken breast

Aromatic herbs:
2 salam leaves Indonesian bay leaves
3 kaffir lime leaves daun jeruk
2 stalks lemongrass , bruised and tie into a knot
Juice from 3 limes limau, optional

Spice paste:
10 red chilies deseeded and sliced
6 bird eye chilies sliced
10 shallots sliced
5 garlic chopped
3 cm fresh turmeric root sliced
½ teaspoon toasted shrimp paste terasi/belachan
1 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil
Oil for frying
Salt and sugar to taste

Preheat the oven 180 degree Celsius. Rub the chicken breast with the olive oil or coconut oil and season with salt. Place the chicken on a baking tray and roast until done, about 40 minutes.

Using a mortar and pestle or food processor, combine chilies, shallots, garlic and turmeric, grind to a smooth paste. If you using a blender, make sure to add a little bit of water or cooking oil to blend the ingredients.

Heat 5 tablespoons of the cooking oil in a wok, add in the spice paste, lemongrass, bay leaves, and kaffir lime leaves, stir-fry until fragrant. Season with salt and sugar to taste. Add in another tablespoon of cooking oil if you want. Remove from the heat and transfer into a bowl, set aside.

Back to the chicken in the oven. When it’s done roasting, remove from the oven and let cool. Discard the skin and deboned, shred the meat into medium-thick strips. Take a spoonful of the spice paste, combine with the chicken meat with the spice paste, toss well until the chicken until the chicken is perfectly coated with the spice paste. Add another spoon of the spice paste if not well coated. Serve the remaining spice paste as a side or as sambal.

Meanwhile, heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat, place half of the chicken and stir-fry for about 2 minutes, repeat the same for the remaining chicken. (I did this step because I found that the shredded chicken meat was a bit wet after being mixed with the spice paste so by doing the quick stir-fry, the texture is what I wanted, a slightly dried up shredded chicken that I love. If you use charcoal to grill the chicken, coal-grill, other than oven grill/roasting, I don’t think of this step is required.)

Transfer the chicken onto a a serving plate and squeeze the juice of the lime before serving.

Recipe Notes
The limau lime (jeruk limo/nasnaran Mandarin), or jeruk sambal is used for enhancing the flavor of sambal and sauces. It’s commonly used in Balinese cooking. The fruit is small with a smooth skin surface, it releases an aromatic and citrucy smell when it’s touched and squeezed.

Stir-Fried Nian Gao Rice Cakes

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb Chinese or Korean Rice Cake 450 gr
2 Tbsp cooking oil divided
3 cloves garlic finely chopped or grated
8 oz boneless chicken thighs/breast 250 gr, cut into thin strips (see notes)
5 oz Napa Cabbage 150 gr, cut into large chunks or shred
3.5 oz baby bok choy 100 gr
1/4 cup chicken broth

MARINADE FOR MEAT:
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
1/4 tsp sugar
1 tsp cornstarch

SEASONINGS:
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp shaoxing wine
1/2 tsp sugar

GARNISH:
2 stalks green onion finely chopped

PREPARE THE RICE CAKES:
If you get the refrigerated rice cakes or dried rice cakes, soak them in the water for at least 2 hours (overnight for dried rice cakes). If you use frozen ones, thaw in the refrigerator and then soak.

Drain off the soaking water and the rice cakes are ready to be used.

MARINATE THE MEAT:
Place the chicken or meat of your choice in a mixing bowl along with the marinade ingredients and marinade for 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.

COOKING:
Preheat a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add 1 Tbsp cooking oil and swirl to cover the base of the skillet or wok. Add chicken and stir fry until the chicken pieces turn opaque and cook through. Dish out the cooked chicken.

Wipe the wok clean if necessary. Bring the skillet/wok back to high heat. Add another 1 Tbsp of cooking oil. Add garlic and stir fry for about 20 seconds. Add the napa cabbage and stir fry for about 2-3 minutes. Add bok choy and stir fry another minute.

Add rice cakes, seasonings, and broth. Give them a quick stir. Cover with a lid and cook for about 3 minutes or until the rice cakes soften.

Uncover the lid and give it a good stir to mix everything. Add the chicken back into the skillet/wok and give it a stir. Have a taste and add more soy sauce as needed.

Garnish with chopped green onion and serve warm.

Notes: This recipe uses plain nian gao log that is cut into slices. They don’t have any taste on its own and are meant for stir-fries or “noodle” soup. They are similar to the Korean Tteokguk rice cakes. Both made with sticky rice flour. (The Korean version is usually available at Wegmans in the refrigerator section.) Notice that they are labeled as “Rice Cake”, but actually they are made with both sticky/glutinous rice and regular rice flour (though more of the glutinous rice flour in composition). Once refrigerated, the rice cakes loose their elasticity completely. They will have turned hard like a rock. Soak in water for at least 2 hours or you can soak overnight. If you get the frozen version, thaw first and then soak. There is also a dried version, which also requires soaking overnight in the water.

You can use any protein of your choice like ground meat, or slices of beef or pork loin. This dish is also perfect to use any leftover turkey or rotisserie chicken. You can also opt for meatless protein like using extra-firm tofu slices.