Chicken Thighs, Stirred Up and Fried Hard #50ShadesOfChicken

Are you ready for another tantalizing recipe from Fifty Shades of Chicken?

This is one of my favorites. It was so good! There was just a bit leftover and I had placed it in the fridge, all ready to take to work with me the next day and have it for lunch.

Someone ate it. All. I was pissed! Well, mostly thoroughly disappointed because I really was looking forward to enjoying it. Again. And if I had even more, I would've enjoyed it...twice in one day. Or more.

The way it's described in the cookbook (in a round about way) is perfect: "I lie exhausted on a bed of rice. He leans over me, tasting me and savoring the juices that are still dripping from me...."Satisfied, Miss Hen?"" This sentence, of course, is written from the chicken's point of view.

You will want to clean your plate and go in for round two with these juicy, tender thighs.

Chicken Thighs, Stirred Up and Fried Hard
aka (for the children's sake) Stir-Fried Chicken with Spinach and Peanuts
Printable Version

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon honey
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (or peanut oil if you happen to have some)
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 bunch of green onions, white and green parts separated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups baby spinach
1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts (optional. I didn't have any on hand this time)
Cooked rice

Cut the chicken into sizes that are easily nibbled. Season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl mix together the broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and honey, using a whisk. Set aside.

Heat a wok or a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and sesame oil and allow to heat for a few seconds.

Add the chicken and stir-fry "hard, fast, and furiously" until its golden brown, yet not quite cooked through. This should take about 5 - 7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet and place it on a plate and "make it beg you to finish if off."

To the skillet, add the onion whites, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes. Cook until for about 30 seconds, bringing out the fragrance. Add the spinach and stir-fry for another minute.

Add the broth mixture to the pan and heat to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits which will add to the flavor of your sauce. Let the sauce simmer "until it is thick and velvety", about a minute or two.

If you're using the peanuts, now is the time to add them, along with the begging chicken, and the onion greens.

Stir it around in the sauce until it is good and tousled, the sauce is the desired thickness, and the chicken is done, about 2 minutes or so.

Serve over a bed or rice.

If you have the patience to savor the incredible flavors, I recommend enjoying these thighs with a pair of chop sticks.

Note: quotes and recipe are from Fifty Shades of Chicken by FL Fowler

Chicken Strip Tease - 50 Shades of Chicken

This little cookbook, Fifty Shades of Chicken, being a parody and all should really be taken more seriously. If you are a fellow 'Chicken Queen' (or Chicken King), then I highly recommend it. Don't get your panties in a bunch and judge it just because it's full on the best innuendos that can be found in the kitchen! Take it in stride and giggle.....and then totally enjoy the food. I've made several, and they are all delicious.

Especially this one!

This dish is very easy to do and perfect for newbies. You just have to plan ahead a little as the chicken does need to marinate a bit.

But while it's doing it's thing, you can enjoy the intro (each recipe has a fun intro). Here's a tease of a snippet....(although if you didn't read 50 Shades of Grey, this might not be as funny to you).

""Your whole control-freak foodie thing, it was because of her, that woman Mrs. Child." My mood has darkened.
"Julia opened my eyes to many important things." he explains. "In fact, I'd still be eating frozen dinners if it weren't for her.""

FL Fowler did a great job...seriously cracks me up!!

Chicken Strip Tease (aka Chicken Breast Strips with Balsamic and Rosemary)
Printable Version

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil (divided)

Note: I say olive oil rather than extra-virgin olive oil because....I learned from a woman I know, who lived in Italy for many years, that extra-virgin olive oil (although what we have here is not the same, nor as good, as what they have in Italy) is used as a finishing oil. When cooking, one should use light olive oil.

Instructions:
Pat the chicken dry and cut into strips about 1/2 inch thick.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the garlic, balsamic vinegar, rosemary, salt, red pepper flakes, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chicken and turn to coat.

Cover mixture tightly and allow to marinate, in the fridge, for at least an hour. Over night would be best...or at least all day.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and gently pat dry.

In a large skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Toss in the chicken and sear on both sides, until golden brown.

Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until done, about 5 minutes or so.

At this point, I removed the chicken from the pan, covered to keep warm, and threw some vegetables into the pan with a bit more oil if needed: carrots, onions, asparagus, mushrooms...

And allowed them to take advantage of the drippings left behind. 

Other recommendations for serving are: wrapped in a tortilla with tomatoes and avocado, topped with some cheese. Or, toss into a salad, or even an omelette. Whatever you do with the chicken...you're bound to please whoever's receiving. 

Flattered Breasts - 50 Shades of Chicken

Ok, so the picture doesn't quite capture the "moment" as depicted in the cookbook, 50 Shades of Chicken. I really need to work on my nighttime pics and get some tips on food styling. 

The rated G version of this recipe is called Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Garlic, Olives, and Wine. 

The rated R version of this recipe starts off like this: "Suddenly he seizes me and lays me out on the counter, claiming me hungrily. His fingers pull me taut, the palms of his hands grinding my soft white meat into the hard granite, trapping me. I feel him. His stomach growls, and my mind spins as I acknowledge his craving for me."

Yes, its as fun to read this cookbook as it is to cook the recipes. 

And eat them.

So good, so easy. Simple ingredients and very quick. 

Flattered Breasts (Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Garlic, Olives, and Wine)

Printable Version

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, patted dry

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

3 TB flour

2 TB extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

Pinch of pepper flakes

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 TB lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best)

2 TB flat-leaf parsley (I used cilantro instead)

2 TB butter, cut into small pieces, chilled

2 TB kalamata olives, pitted and sliced (I used regular black and green olives)

Get out your rolling pin, place each breast between plastic wrap and 'slap them into submission'. Or, just butterfly them into thin slices. You want them about 1/4" thick. Season them with salt and pepper to taste and lightly dredge them with flour. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken in batches for about 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Remove them from the skillet and keep warm on a plate, covering them with foil.

Saute the garlic and red pepper flakes for about 30 seconds. Add in the wine, chicken broth, and lemon juice and simmer, scraping up the brown bits of yumminess. Allow to simmer until the sauce thickens down to a glaze. 

Add the parsley, butter and olives, stirring constantly. If more salt is needed, now is the time to add it. Return the chicken to the pan and heat through....about 2 minutes. 

Serve and enjoy. 

Told ya it was quick and easy. 

Thighs Spread Wide - Fifty Shades of Chicken

Thighs Spread Wide - Roasted Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms

There are some books you can't NOT buy. Fifty Shades of Chicken, a parody in a cookbook, is one of those books.

I couldn't help myself. I tried. I glanced, I picked it up...giggled to myself, put it down and walked away. I even got as far as leaving the bookstore and going home. Only to find myself thinking about it. Often. I cook chicken a lot. 90 percent of my dinners are chicken. I have friends who call me The Chicken Queen. So, I think it was meant to be. Destiny. A requirement for The Chicken Queen to possess this particular cookbook. 5 days. I put myself through 5 days of thinking about the book before I realized....YES! I must make it mine.

There are 50 chicken recipes. As if I need more, right? But honestly, is it possible to have too many recipes of any kind? Of course the main question is....are they quality recipes. The answer? Yes. Delicious. And so fun to read. I mean when a cookbook starts off with "How have I gotten myself into this? I glance around the the spotless, meticulously organized kitchen: trussing twine, skewers, mallets-is that a cleaver? Holy crap." Or a recipes reads: "I must have you now," he says breathlessly, throwing me down and opening my thighs on the first surface he can find. "On this?", I ask. "Isn't this a baking sheet?" "It'll have to do." (keep in mind this is from the chicken's perspective. And yes. We are talking about chicken. In this case, chicken thighs, to be more exact).

Anyway...It totally cracks me up. And this book contains wonderful, quality, recipes. You might blush while you're cooking dinner. Have some wine and blame it on that if it bothers you. Besides, there is a saying about food being sexy. If you ever doubted it, this is your proof. Food porn. On more levels than you may have imagined.

If Fifty Shades of Grey wasn't your thing (and I know there are a lot people who wouldn't read the trilogy), that's totally fine. I hope you can still at least enjoy the recipe for the ingredients alone.

Thighs Spread Wide (Roasted Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms)
Printable Version

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, patted dry
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano (I used 1 tsp dried)
2 TB fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp pepper
8 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
1/3 cup olive oil
2 - 3 tsp capers
2 TB white wine (or chicken broth)
Garnish: flat leaf parsley, chipped and lemon wedges

Sprinkle the chicken with salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the oregano, lemon juice, garlic, pepper, mushrooms and olive oil. Add the chicken and stir to coat. Allow to marinade for up to 4 hours (in the refrigerator). If you can't wait...then 15 minutes will do, at room temperature will do.

Preheat the oven to 500' F.

Arrange the thighs (spread open) on a 9x13 baking dish, scattering the mushrooms and capers over and around the chicken.

(I cut the recipe in half since Sir Sportsalot and I were the only ones eating dinner.)

Pour in the wine and roast for about 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (juices run clear).

Garnish with parsley and lemon if desired.

I didn't have the parsley but I did drizzle with lemon juice...just forgot to leave a pretty wedge on the plate. This dish is so simple. Full of flavor. And very tender..as is all thigh meat. Btw, I read that 3 oz of chicken thighs only have 40 more calories than 3 oz of breast meat. Your cooking method will of course effect the true outcome of that statement.

I have a lot of cookbooks dedicated to just chicken. Even if you took away all the Fifty Shades of Grey parody stuff.....I have to say, this is the best chicken cookbook I own.

Not to mention, the only one that contains the "F" word.