Lemon Garlic Chicken and Potatoes (Jaj iw Batata)

I learned to make this from my grandmother in Syria many years ago. Every time I make it I feel a little nostalgic about childhood summers when she cooked it for us and I'm proud to prepare it for my own children now. Of course I've adapted it slightly to save preparation time, but it still tastes just like my grandma's :)

This is a simpler version of my popular sheesh tawooq recipe because everything gets thrown into one pot and its ready to eat in about 30 minutes. No special produce is required, just some chicken, potatoes, garlic and lemon...ingredients which are pantry staples for most of us.  I make this on nights when I'm pressed for time and my ingredients are limited. Of course squeezing fresh lemons is a more natural way to go, but when I'm in a pinch I've used bottled lemon juice and I'll tell you there's no shame in that game (although my Grandma would probably disown me if she found out I've done this because she's so authentic and natural in her cooking that she even prepares her own red pepper paste...)

This is a great dish for dinner parties because you can prepare it the night before and just place it in the fridge until you're ready to cook it. You can also use your slow cooker, following the same directions except increasing the cooking time to 4-6 hours. 

Ready to cook :)

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
---------------
-2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
-2 pounds gold potatoes (or russet, but you need to peel those first)
-1 cup lemon juice (you can add 1/2 cup extra if you like a strong lemon tang)
-1/2 cup minced garlic
-2 tablespoons red pepper paste (found in the ethnic section of large markets or in most Middle Eastern stores)
-1 tablespoon ground coriander
-1 tablespoon lemon pepper (optional)
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/2 cup olive oil
-4 cups water

To make
-----------
-Cut chicken breast into 1 inch cubes and place in pressure cooker (you can make this in a regular pot but increase the cook time to about 40 minutes or until chicken and potatoes are tender.)
-Wash and cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes and add to pot.
-Add lemon juice, minced garlic, red pepper paste, coriander, lemon pepper, salt, olive oil and water.
-Cover pot and pressurize. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 25 minutes.
-Release pressure from your pot,  uncover and stir gently. If you have too little sauce add some water. This is also a good time to adjust the lemon taste by adding more if you need it.
-Serve with pita bread and enjoy!

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Musakhan: Middle Eastern Chicken Rolls

These are pretty much the Middle Eastern version of taquitos :) Musakhan chicken wraps are based on a classic Palestinian dish that has gained in popularity all over the Middle East in sandwich form. Traditionally whole chicken pieces are seasoned and cooked in a clay oven then placed on top of fresh flat bread. Classic musakhan (msakhan/imsakhan) is a special meal shared with a group of  family and close friends where everyone gathers around and gets their hands dirty eating the chicken and bread...often times straight from the large platter it is served on. It is truly a delicious meal to eat and one that I will share with  you sometime. This version is for a beginning or busy cook, looking for something fast, delicious and e.a.s.y. I love to prepare a batch of these and keep them unbaked in the freezer, ready to be grilled at a moment's notice for a quick lunch or on the go meal.

Using rotisserie chicken is a huge time saver, and this is also a great recipe for leftover chicken. Simply scale back on the portions to make as much as you need, my general rule is 1 cup onions/1 cup shredded chicken/ 2 tablespoons sumac seasoning and you can take it from there. The measurements I've listed make about 18 tortilla wraps. and usually each tortilla is cut in half or in thirds. If I'm making them as a main meal I leave them whole, otherwise I do cut them. The pictures in this post show the rolls cut in half.

Typically there is no lemon juice added to musakhan but I like to include it to provide juiciness to the filling while cutting back on the oil and enhancing the sour tang of sumac. If you're not trying to make this as healthy as possible, go ahead and use more olive oil. I add a tablespoon at the end of the cooking process because I've found that it enhances the olive oil flavor without having to use too much in the beginning. Many people will just saute onions, add chicken and sumac and call it a day...but that's not the way we roll at SavvyChef. Our food has texture, flavor, complex layers of subtlety, and you just can't get that without spending a little extra effort on the filling. This dish is almost guaranteed to be present at any Middle Eastern dinner party because of its simplicity and popularity, but I promise you: all musakhan rolls are not created equal.

The main flavor in the filling is the sumac, a seasoning that comes from sour berries that are dried and ground into a spice. It is purple in color and has a tangy flavor similar to lemons. You can buy sumac from any Middle Eastern market or online. The spices that are listed as optional are not traditional and many people leave them out, but I never do as they really provide for a flavorful filling, I encourage you to use them. My children like to dip these in plain yogurt, which is a little blasphemous for traditional  musakhan eaters, but hey...whatever provides for a peaceful meal around here is fair game...

Makes about 18 full wraps (feeds 6-8 for dinner or 20 for an appetizer)

Ingredients
---------------
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-4 cups thinly sliced red onion (or other variety)
-4 cups cooked, shredded chicken (Rotisserie chicken is a GREAT short cut)
-4 tablespoons lemon juice
-1 cup sumac seasoning
-1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-1 teaspoon allspice
-optional: 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
-optional: 1 tablespoon ground coriander
-optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

-optional: 1 cup toasted nuts (usually pine nuts, but slivered almonds are a good substitute)
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-about 18 flour tortillas

To make
------------
-Heat oil in a large pot then add sliced onions. Saute until caramelized, about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. This is a good time to shred your rotisserie chicken.
-Add shredded chicken, lemon juice, sumac, black pepper, allspice, coriander and ground cardamom. Break up the chicken as you cook and mix the ingredients together, letting the chicken soak up the flavors and seasonings. Cook mixture on low heat for about 5 minutes. Add optional toasted nuts and then remove the pot from heat.
-Place the pot aside to cool the mixture and add final tablespoon olive oil. Use the best quality you have.
-Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Spread between 1/3-1/2 cup of chicken filling along the longest length of your tortilla in a horizontal line, starting 1/2 inch up from the bottom. Make sure your filling is spread evenly across, then bring the bottom edge of the tortilla up over the filling and wrap tightly. Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Continue this process until you have finished your chicken filling.
-Optional: Brush the wrapped rolls with olive oil to enhance crispiness when toasting. (You can cook these in a skillet, griddle, panini press or in the oven. When I make them for a crowd I always place them in the oven because I can do them all at once. Sometimes I'll skip preheating the oven and just place the tray on the middle rack of my oven on broil, watching CAREFULLY for a few minutes while the tops toast). Bake on the middle rack of a pre-heated oven for about 10-15 minutes or until toasted to your liking.  Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before you cut them in half or in thirds. Another option is to cut them before toasting as this will give you toasted edges on all the pieces.
-Serve and enjoy!

Evenly spread 1/3 cup chicken filling across tortilla

This is a perfect starter recipe for beginning cooks

Brushed with olive oil and ready to bake

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My daughter shared her finished musakhan with friends

Mulukhiya (Simmered greens and chicken) with rice

I grew up eating mulukhiya...as did 99% of Syrians and most other Middle Easterners of the world. My  memories of summer's in Syria or California are filled with images of my child self picking the fresh leaves off the stems of literally a huge CARTON filled to the brim with 30 pounds of mulukhiya. I think its because of these long and endless sessions of picking leaves that I actually really disliked this dish as a child lol. My mom tried to make it fun for us by renting movies and buying ice cream to entertain us while we picked...but the job was just too tedious. After the hours spent picking the leaves, my mom soaked them several times in huge buckets of water to clean them. This step would take her all day. At the end of that night she would lay out clean bed sheets on all flat surfaces in the kitchen and dining room and spread the washed leaves in a flat layer to dry out. This step took several days, as the leaves had to completely dry and even crisp. At this point she packaged them into bags and froze them to use throughout the year. When the leaves dry out they shrink significantly so after everything was said and done we'd have enough mulukhiya for about 6 meals or so that year. In the opion of a child, so. not. worth. it. In the opinion of an adult, still. so. not. worth. it.  My mom disagrees (probably why my Middle Eastern food will never taste as good as hers!) and still goes through this process every summer. Whenever I drop by and she's got the leaves spread out and drying I'm hit with a wave of nostalgia from the smell that fills the house.

I've been cooking in my own kitchen for quite a while now, and I'm proud to say I've never picked a mulukhiya leaf :) Nowadays the cartons are sold picked and ready to be washed and dried, but the traditional mothers aren't satisfied with the quality of those leaves and prefer to do it the good 'ole fashioned way. I prefer to walk through the freezer section of a Middle Eastern market and pick up a few bags of picked, washed, dried and frozen mulukhiya. Probably the taste is not exactly the same, but its close enough and definitely worth the lack of hassle.

Now that I've finished my rant on my history with fresh mulukhiya, I'd like to share that I frequently make this dish following the same steps but switching out the mulukhiya for another green...often which is fresh. The flavor isn't the same, but everything still tastes good and regardless of which green you use, its extremely healthy. I use leftover lemon garlic sauce from my sheesh tawooq recipe, and if you have leftover chicken, use that (without the potatoes) for this meal and you'll be halfway closer to a finished dinner. Serve this with short grain rice cooked with vermicelli noodles or toasted pita bread for an ethnic meal that will transport you back to simpler times and fuller stomachs :)

Serves 5

Ingredients
---------------
-1 teaspoon oil
-1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes

This is the mulukhiya I used this time

-1 teaspoon all spice
-1 tablespoon coriander
-1 teaspoon salt
-1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
-1 tablespoon lemon pepper (optional)

-1 teaspoon oil
-28 ounces frozen "molokhia LEAVES" (make sure not to buy minced). You can sub this for spinach, kale or chard. If using fresh leaves, use about 6-8 cups
-3 tablespoons of lemon garlic sauce OR 3 tablespoons minced garlic
-1 tablespoon red pepper paste (optional, but delicious)
- 1-2 cups chicken broth or water
-1 teaspoon salt

-1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
-1/2 cup dry toasted sliced almonds
-lemon wedges for serving

Instructions
---------------
-Heat a large pot with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add cut up chicken breast, all spice, coriander, salt, pepper and lemon pepper and saute about 5 minutes until chicken is browned on the outside but not cooked through.
-Remove chicken to a bowl and return pot to stove. Add another teaspoon oil and frozen greens. Saute 5-10 minutes until water starts to dry up. Add lemon garlic sauce, red pepper paste, 1 cup water and salt.
-Return chicken to the pot and simmer on medium low heat for about 35 minutes. Greens should be tender but not too mushy. As they cook, you may add more water as necessary to have a little bit of a sauce but not a soupy mixture.
-Once the greens are cooked and chicken is tender, stir in the fresh cilantro. Adding this at the end brings a brightness to the dish in terms of color and taste.
-Plate in a bowl and cover with sliced almonds.
-Serve with pita bread or rice with lemon wedges on the side to be squeezed individually on each plate.
-Enjoy!

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Sheesh Tawooq (Chicken and potatoes with a lemon garlic sauce)

This is the dish that is most often requested from me by my friends. A few months ago I hosted a cooking party and this was what I demonstrated...don't be discouraged as you scroll to the list of ingredients...yes, there seems like a lot but A) most of them are spices, and B) if you're trying to prepare in advance this is a great recipe because you can get the chicken marinated and ready and the sauce mixed up the day before you need to cook this. This makes it an ideal dish for entertaining. The leftovers are awesome too because the chicken and potatoes just absorb the flavor from the sauce and taste even more amazing than when they were first made.  I learned this recipe from my mom. The potato part of this dish was french fries, and they were always yummy. But they were fried....and I don't fry. Anything. Ever. So the roasted potato version of this recipe was born and it has gained such a following that my mom doesn't make her's with french fries anymore either :) In fact, she doesn't make it at all and requests it from me whenever she wants it!

There are several key ingredients that contribute to the moistness of this chicken. First is the yogurt. It's such an amazing tenderizer, I always use it in any marintaed chicken recipe! Second is the vinegar. Because of its high acidity, this is a key ingredient for tenderizing AND getting rid of that gross chicken-y smell and taste. I don't like to season my chicken with lemon because I've found that it dries it out and makes it easier for the chicken to burn faster, but the vinegar still gives a good tang.

So go ahead, try this out and let yourself be pleasantly surprised at how quickly it came together and how delicious it is!





Serves 5

Ingredients:
--------------

PART 1: CHICKEN
--------------------------
-2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch cubes

*Chicken Marinade
-------------------------
-1/2 cup fat free yogurt
-2 tablespoons white vinegar
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
-1 tablespoon ground coriander
-1 teaspoon ground ginger
-1 teaspoon ground cardamom
-1 tablespoon red pepper paste
-optional: 3 garlic cloves, mashed
-2 tablespoons McCormick steak seasoning (optional but I ALWAYS season chicken and meat with this and I LOVE it)
-salt and pepper according to taste ONLY IF YOU ARE NOT USING steak seasoning mentioned above. Otherwise don't salt and pepper the                                                     chicken

PART 2: POTATOES
----------------------------

-2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, washed and cut into 1 inch cubes (you can use any other kind of potato, but I like like the texture of Yukon gold and I love that I can skip peeling them)
-1/4 cup olive oil
-1 tablespoon mashed garlic (about 3 cloves)
-1 tablespoon red pepper paste
-1 tablespoon McCormick steak seasoning or salt and pepper to taste















PART 3: LEMON GARLIC SAUCE
---------------------------------------------
-3 cloves of garlic (use more for a spicier sauce), mashed (only use fresh garlic for this part of the recipe)
-2/3 cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice
-1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil. If you use 1/4 cup your lemon flavor will be stronger.
-1 tablespoon red pepper paste (yes, I'm obsessed with this stuff)
-salt and pepper to taste































To make
-----------
-Prepare chicken marinade by mixing all the ingredients in a ziplock bag, foil tray or any other container in which you will be placing the chicken. I like to use something disposable to speed up cleanup.
-Once the ingredients for the marinade are mixed together, taste it and adjust seasoning ratio to your liking. Sometimes I add more salt, sometimes I add more spices.
-Place cut up chicken in the marinade and stir around until all the pieces are coated in the marinade.
-At this point you can refrigerate the chicken up to 24 hours. The longer it sits in the marinade the more flavorful it will be. If your are short on time, a quick 30 minute marinade is good enough.

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil (I'm all about the breezy cleanup!) and add the potatoes, olive oil, garlic, red pepper and seasoning and stir to coat all the potatoes.
-Place in preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are soft on the inside and browned on the outside.
-Once you remove the potatoes from the oven, place the marinated chicken on a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for about 25-35 minutes, until it is tender and cooked through and slightly browned on the outside.

-Prepare the lemon garlic sauce by mixing together the fresh garlic, lemon juice, oil, red pepper paste, salt and pepper in a small bowl. This refrigerates really well and can be made in advance.
-Once the chicken is cooked, remove from the oven and plate your potatoes on a serving platter. Add the chicken above the potatoes and drizzle the sauce over the chicken and potatoes.
-Serve and enjoy :)

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Mexican Lasagna

When I first came up with this, I made it three times in one week. For the same people. Yes. It is that good! I played with it each time that week, but the first way was definitely the best. I can describe this lasagna on and on...like how cool it is to make it with flour tortilla instead of lasagna noodles, or how delicious that top layer of tortilla is because it gets crispy and crunchy in the oven, or how refreshing the sour cream is when drizzled on top...or you can just make it and discover your own list of favorites!

Serves 6

Ingredients
-----------
-6 8 inch flour tortillas, cut in half
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-1 large onion, finely chopped
-1 bell pepper any color, finely chopped (or 1 cup frozen mixed bell pepper medley)
-1 whole chicken, cooked, meat removed from skin and bones then shredded (I buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it myself)
-4 cups salsa
-1 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
-14 ounce can black beans
-1 cup corn
-1 1/2 tablespoons taco seasoning
-1 tablespoon cumin seeds
-1 tablespoon dried coriander
-salt and pepper
-16 ounces sour cream
-3 cups shredded cheese
-1 cup diced green onions

To make
----------
-Heat oil in a pot and add onions and bell peppers. Cook for 5 minutes. Mix in shredded chicken, 2 cups salsa, cilantro, black beans, corn, taco seasoning, cumin seeds, coriander salt and pepper.
-Spray a 9x13 baking dish with  non-stick spray.  Spread a thin layer of salsa and place 4 tortilla halves to create a layer of bread along the bottom. Spread 1 cup salsa on top of bread, then spread 1 cup sour cream.  It will look messy, but don't worry.  Add 1/2 of chicken mixture over sour cream. Sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Repeat layers (tortilla, salsa, sour cream, chicken mixture, cheese) 1 more time and end with a layer of tortilla bread. Do not put salsa on top layer.
-Sprinkle cheese on top layer of tortilla and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the top layer has browned.  Remove from oven and drizzle with sour cream then sprinkle with diced green onions.
-Slice and serve
-Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

This is my favorite pizza. Its saucy and spicy and just smack-your-lips delicious! I've borrowed all of the flavors of buffalo wings to top a delicious crust dusted with cornmeal. This is pizzeria style at its best!

Ingredients
------------
-1 lb pizza dough (see my recipe at: http://savvychef.blogspot.com/2008/11/pizza-dough.html#links)
-2 tablespoons cornmeal
-1 cup buffalo wing sauce
-2 cups shredded cheese
-1/2 pound cooked chicken breast, diced
-1 cup finely sliced celery
-1/2 cup finely chopped green onion
-1/2 cup blue cheese dressing (or ranch)

To make
----------
-Preheat oven to what is directed for cooking pizza dough. If you have a pizza stone, sprinkle cornmeal and lay rolled out dough on top of it. If your pizza pan has holes in it do not use the cornmeal.
-Layer the pizza with buffalo sauce, shredded cheese, chicken, celery and green onion.
-Bake for about 12 minutes or whatever is directed for your pizza dough.
-Remove pizza from oven and drizzle blue cheese dressing.
-Slice and serve. When I use a pizza stone I like to roll out the dough into a square and cut the slices into squares for more of a rustic style pizza.
-Enjoy :)

Sticky Balsamic Chicken

                                       
This is one of Giada's recipes, but be warned: It tastes NOTHING like Italian. Having said that, it is "smack your lips and lick you fingers" GOOOOD! Everyone that tried it thought it was something Asian, and it does taste that way...

Giada makes this with chicken drummettes, but I'm not a fan of skin or bones so I replaced the drummettes with chicken thighs and it worked out so much better. I also added fresh basil on top, and it went great with the balsamic glaze.

 The final look is just beautiful with the glistening sauce and the sesame seeds, and the nice green from the basil.

Serves 6

Ingredients

---------------

Sauce
-------
-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
-1/2 cup honey
-1/2 cup brown sugar
-1/4 cup soy sauce
-5 sprigs of rosemary
-5 garlic cloves, cut in half

-2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
-1/2 cup fresh minced basil

To make
----------
-Combine all the sauce ingredients in a large resealable bag. Shake until the honey and brown sugar are incorporated into the sauce. Add the chicken thighs, seal the bag and squeeze contents around until the chicken is well coated. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours to marinade.
-Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet (13x18 inch) with foil. Remove chicken from the bag, lay on the foiled sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, until chicken the sauce has caramelized on the chicken.
-Meanwhile, pour the marinade from the resealable bag into a small saucepan and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
-Remove the cooked chicken from the oven and brush the sauce onto the chicken. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and basil.
-Enjoy :)

Mushroom Chicken and Rice

The unique blend of spices are what make this dish. It's a hearty rice mixture that comes together in one pot, so clean up is a breeze! The toasted nuts on top add a delightful crunch, they're my favorite part :)

Ingredients
-----------
-3 tablespoons olive oil
-1 white onion, diced into small cubes
-2 cups fresh mushrooms, diced
-2 cups cooked chicken (shredded or cubed chicken breast)
-1 1/2 cups calrose rice (soaked in water for 2 hours)
-2 cups chicken broth
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 heaping tablespoon ground cardamom
-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-1 teaspoon ground coriander

-1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

To make
---------
-Heat olive oil in a pot on high heat and cook onions until they are browned. Add mushrooms, ground cardamom, cinnamon, pepper and coriander and cook an additional few minutes.
-Drain rice in a colander and wash with cold water to remove the starches. Add to the pot and saute for several minutes until half cooked.  Add cooked chicken and chicken broth, reduce heat to low, place lid on pot and cook for 15-20 minutes (I usually cook for 18).
-Uncover and mix rice lightly, then cover and let sit for another 15 minutes.
-To serve, place rice on platter and sprinkle nuts on top. Serve with plain yogurt.
-Enjoy :)

Thai Shrimp Curry

Just thinking of this recipe makes me hungry! It's so satisfying because of the creamy coconut milk and the earthy flavor of the curry spices. If using shrimp, this only takes about 10-15 minutes to cook up!

I made this up just thinking of what would taste good and combining my version of several different curries from various Thai restaurants. I like to make this with chicken too. Leftovers taste REALLY yummy because the flavors set in the sauce longer.

Serves 4.

Ingredients
-----------
-1 tablespoon sesame oil
-1 pound medium shrimp (peeled and de-veined, you can use frozen but make sure to defrost)
-1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and pureed in food processor
-3 garlic cloves, peeled and pureed in food processor
-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-1 cup green onions, chopped into 1 inch pieces
-1 red pepper, julienned
-1 can coconut milk (I used the light version)
-1 tablespoon chunky peanut butter
-salt to taste
-8 ounce can bamboo shoots
-1/2 cup diced cilantro
-1/4 cup diced basil

Assembly
----------
-Heat sesame oil in large pot and add shrimp, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes. Saute until shrimp is cooked (if using pre-cooked frozen shrimp, just stir for a minute). Remove shrimp from heat into a serving dish.
-Add green onions and red bell pepper to the pot and saute until cooked, stirring frequently.
-Stir in coconut milk, peanut butter and bamboo shoots. Simmer sauce for a few minutes, then add shrimp back into the pot. Season with salt to taste.
-Prior to serving, stir in cilantro and basil, then serve with white rice.
-Enjoy :)

Greek Pizza

This is a total copy-cat recipe from the California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) restaurant. It really wasn't too hard to copy because all the ingredients were layered in plain sight to be seen...and eaten. Using fresh vegetables and baking it to the right temperature (cooked crust but not soggy cooked cucumbers) is what makes this pizza fresh and crispy. Imagine eating a yummy Greek salad on a warm crust...and that's the pizza!

I've made this several times. In the pictures I'm posting, it was the first try and I made it (as the restaurant does, with chicken) and I layered the yogurt sauce like a traditional sauce for pizza: after the crust and before the pizza. When it cooked, I wasn't too happy with the warm yogurt, so the next time I made it I drizzled the sauce on top after the pizza was cooked and it tasted more like CPK's.  I also made it without chicken (you can add avocado instead) and I personally liked it more that way...

This is really easy to make because the crust is the refrigerated kind and all that its left is some chopping of veggies!

Easily serves 6.

Ingredients
------------
-1 pizza crust
-1 cup mozerella cheese
-1 large tomato (or 2 medium ones) chopped
-3 Persian cucumbers, chopped
-1/2 red onion, finely chopped
-1 cup kalamata olives, chopped
-1/2 cup pepperchinis, rinsed
-1 cup feta cheese
-1 cup cooked and cubed chicken breast pieces (optional)
-1 cup diced avocado (optional)

Sauce
-------
-1 1/2 cups yogurt
-1 tablespoon dried oregano
-1 tablespoon dried dill
-salt to taste
OR
-2 cups cilantro and chive yogurt dip from Trader Joes

*Optional: Drizzle buffalo sauce for a spicy kick

Assembly
----------
-Bake the pizza crust for 8-13 minutes.
-Remove from oven and spread half the sauce. Sprinkle with cheese, layer all other ingredients and return to oven for 5 minutes.
-Remove from oven and drizzle remaining sauce over the pizza and serve.  Drizzle buffalo sauceThis tastes good hot or cold.
-Enjoy and leave a comment :)

Hearty and Healthy Chicken Pot Pie

 YUM. I loved this! Probably because I love chicken pot pie in general...but I must say, I've tasted my fair share of not-so tasty ones. Once I ordered this in a restaurant and the middle of it was FROZEN. That was the last time I ever did that...

Anyway! This version is delicious...and healthy! Not a drop of butter! So go ahead, indulge :)

The crust is not flaky like traditional pie crusts. Flakiness comes from cold butter in the dough, which I didn't use. This crust is more like a biscuit or muffin batter. It tastes good with the sauce of the chicken and vegetables because it absorbs the flavor...

Ingredients
------------
-1 pound chicken breast, diced into small cubes
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 cup chopped carrots
-1 cup chopped celery
-1 cup chopped mushrooms
-3/4 cup frozen peas
-1 tablespoon dijon mustard
-1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
-1 tablespoon dried dill
-garlic salt and pepper to taste
-1 tablespoon flour
-1 1/2 cups milk

Crust
------
-1 cup Heart Smart Bisquick mix
-1/2 cup milk
-1 egg

Assembly
-----------
-Heat olive oilk in a pot and add chicken pieces. Cook for 2 minutes and add carrots, celery and mushrooms. Add the Italian seasoning, dill, garlic salt and pepper, and dijon mustard. Cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is almost cooked through.
-Mix the milk slowly into the flour while whisking constantly. Once the flour has dissolved, stir into into the chicken and vegetable mixture. Add the frozen peas. Mix and simmer on low for a couple minutes.
-In a separete bowl, mix the Bisquick mix with the egg and milk until well blended.
-Pour the chicken mixture into a pie dish. Spread the Bisquick mixture on top and bake for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees.
-Serve and savor each hearty bite!

Chicken and Mushrooms in Puff Pastry

Consider yourselves lucky. I'm giving you guys a famous family recipe.

My mom is notorious for these pastries. She's been making them for about 25 years and everyone still loves and requests them.  My mom (who is actually a MUCH better cook than I am) came up with this in Saudi Arabia, and always easily found the ingredients for this dish in the various countries she has lived...so hopefully my 'out of US' readers won't have a hard time with this.

I decided to give this dish a try the other day and it tasted EXACTLY the way it does whenever my mom makes it. My family will vouch for that ;-)

Makes 24 pieces

Ingredients
-----------
-1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and shredded
-1 large onion, diced
-2 1/2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
-2 tablespoons oregano
-1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamon
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 package puff pastry sheets (2 rolls)
-2 cups shredded mozzerella cheese

Assembly
----------
-Heat a large pot and add the chicken, onions and mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes until the onions and mushrooms wilt. Add the oregano, ground cardamon and salt and pepper. Turn off heat and allow mixture to cool.
-Lay 1 sheet of puff pastry in a large 13x19 baking sheet. Spread chicken mixture on top and sprinkle shredded cheese. Top with second sheet of puff pastry. Carefully cut into squares, 6 slices on the longer side of the pan and 4 slices on the shorter end of the pan for a total of 24 pieces.
-Place baking sheet on the lowest rack in your oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes at 475 degrees.
-Slice and serve!

Southwestern Chicken Pasta

The picture is terrible but the recipe rocks!

This started as a copycat version of Red Robin's southwestern pasta, but as it evolved over time it has turned into a completely different recipe! Several of my friends and I make this regularly, and whoever gets to try it always loves the flavors. Just like everything else on this blog: its deceptively easy!!!

For a vegetarian version replace the chicken with 1 1/2 cups frozen spinach. It tastes great!

Ingredients

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-2 tablespoons olive oil

-1 pound chicken breast, diced into small chunks

-1 large red onion, chopped into strips

-1 each: red, yellow and green bell peppers, julienned. OR use 1 pound bag of frozen bell pepper mix.

-1 tablespoon paprika

-1 tablespoon coriander

-1 tablespoon cumin

-1 package taco seasoning 

-3 cups half and half

-1 pound tri-colored pasta

-salt to taste

Assembly

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-Boil water in a pot and add pasta. Cook al-dente according to package instructions.

-Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pot and add chicken. Once it is cooked halfway, add the paprika, coriander, cumin and some salt. Once chicken is fully cooked, remove from pot and place in a bowl.

-Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pot and add onions and bell peppers. Cook until slightly blackened.

-Return chicken to pot and toss with cooked pasta.

-Heat a small saucepan and add the half and half. Stir in taco seasoning. Cook until well heated and just about to start bubbling. Toss the sauce with pasta and serve immediately.

Chicken and White Sauce Lasagna

This is not your traditional lasagna recipe. No red sauce, no meat. Lots of chicken, cheese and yummy veggies instead! The sauce came about by me opening my fridge and adding whatever I felt would taste relevant. I think you can leave out or substitute some of the ingredients for this because it isn't one specific flavor that makes it taste good, but rather the combination of smooth creaminess. My home girl Nora made an amazing similar version of this and it reminded me of my recipe, so thank you!

For a vegetarian dish, leave out the chicken and increase the vegetable quantities.

This isn't one of my low calorie/low fat recipes, but soooo worth it...

Ingredients
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-1 lb chicken breast, cut into small cubes
-2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese (or olive oil)
-1/2-1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
-2 cups fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped
-2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped (frozen is ok)
-1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts (I used the frozen bag, not the marinated), roughly chopped
-1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped

-1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped

-garlic salt and black pepper
-9 lasagna noodles, boiled 2 minutes under al dente
-1 1/2 cups Italian cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, or a mix)
-1/2-1 cup fresh basil (optional)

Sauce

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-1 jar alfredo sauce
-8 ounce package of cream cheese
-3/4 cup half and half
-3 tablespoons pesto sauce
-3 tablespoons fresh oregano (optional)
-3 tablespoons Italian seasoning

Assembly

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-Cook the chicken in a pot on high heat with mascarpone cheese. Once it is cooked halfway through, add the mushrooms. After 3 minutes add the spinach, artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper and sun dried tomatoes. Continue cooking for an additional 3 minutes. Season the chicken mixture with garlic salt and black pepper.
-Add the alfredo sauce to the chicken mixture. Stir in the cream cheese, half and half, pesto, oregano and Italian seasoning. Stir mixture and cook on medium heat until it boils. Adjust the salt and pepper to taste.
-Using a 9x13 inch baking dish, ladle some sauce on the bottom of the dish. Arrange 3 lasagna noodles and spoon 1/3 of the chicken mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese. Arrange another 3 lasagna noodles and 1/3 of the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with another 1/2 cup of cheese. Repeat the process one last time (noodles, chicken mixture, cheese). Decorate the top of the lasagna with additional sliced red peppers and sun dried tomatoes. Add the 1 cup fresh basil or you can sprinkle some additional Italian seasoning.
-Cover with foil and bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes.

Shawerma Chicken Wraps

This is as a homemade American version of the Middle Eastern shawerma sandwich. This is my mom's recipe and it is always a great hit for dinner parties. Shawerma sandwiches are a very popular street food in the Middle East, and they are made with chicken or lamb. The Greeks have a similar version called 'gyro' and the Turks also have a version of shawerma called 'donner'.

IT IS MY FAVORITE SANDWICH OF ALL TIME!

Depending on the size of the chicken and how much mixture is used in each wrap, these should make about 15-20 large sandwiches. I slice them in half for a total of 30-40 pieces.

Ingredients

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-1 rotisserie chicken, remove skin and bones and shred chicken

-1 tablespoon coriander

-1 tablespoon paprika

-10 tablespoons mayonnaise

-5 garlic cloves, crushed

-15-20 dill pickles

-15-20 flour tortillas

-3-4 tomatoes, sliced (optional)

Assembly

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-Mix shredded chicken with coriander and paprika.

-By hand or in a blender, whisk mayonnaise and garlic cloves together.

-Spread about 1/2 tablespoon garlic mayonnaise on a flour tortilla. Spread out 1/3 cup chicken. Place a dill pickle in the middle of the tortilla.

-To wrap, fold the right and left side of the tortilla into the middle. Then fold over the top and bottom of the tortilla. (In other words, wrap burrito style).

-Bake for 20 minutes in a preheat oven at 400 degrees. Remove when the tortilla has started to brown.

-Slice and serve with tomato wedges!

These freeze very well. Freeze after wrapping and bake when ready to eat.

Morrocan Honey Chicken Tagine with Raisins

My friend Bushra made this for a recent gathering and it was so flavorful and unique. Luckily it was also very easy to put together, and therefore it became SavvyChef blog worthy!

She cooks this either in a tagine or a regular pot. It is a GREAT dish for the slow cooker because it is supposed to simmer for a long time. As it simmers the sauce thickens and the flavors intensify.

If you're looking for a unique dish to try this is it! I'm not a huge fan of raisins but their texture changes as they cook and they are just so soft and yummy. I made this dish for a dinner party and my guests loved it! Because of the cinnamon flavor and the fact that it cooked in the slow cooker I felt like it was such a great dish to welcome the fall season!

This serves about 3-4 adults.

Ingredients

------------

-1 pound chicken thighs or breast tenders

-1 large onion, chopped into strips

-1 tablespoon butter

-1 tablespoon cinnamon (or 1 cinnamon stick)

-1 tablespoon ginger powder (or 1 tablespoon fresh ginger)

-1 teaspoon turmeric

-1 pinch saffron

-1/2 cup honey

-1/2-3/4 cup black raisins (I also added golden raisins)

-2 cups water

-1/2 cup mixed nuts toasted in cinnamon (optional)

Assembly

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-Heat butter in skillet and cook onions until caramelized. Transfer to slow cooker and add chicken, cinnamon stick, ginger, turmeric, saffron, honey, raisins and water. Season lightly with salt.

-Cover and cook 5 hours on low or 2.5 hours on high.

-Serve with optional mixed nuts. These add a nice crunch! Eat with toasted bread or white rice.

**If cooking stovetop, reduce heat to medium low after carmelizing onions and allow chicken and sauce to simmer for 1 hour.**

Sesame Chicken Flat Bread Pizza

Ingredients

----------------

-8 flat breads

-4 tablespoons sesame seeds

-1/2 pound chicken breast cut into small cubes

-1 tablespoon olive oil

-3 cloves garlic, finely diced

-3/4 cup teriyaki sauce or dressing

-1/2 red onion OR 3 green onions, julienned

-1 cup carrots cut into matchsticks

-1 red bell pepper, julienned

- 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

-1/2 cup chopped cilantro

-salt to taste

To make

------------

-Preheat oven to 425 degree Fahrenheit. Place the flat bread on baking sheet, brush 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle sesame seeds. Bake for 10 minutes.

-Cook chicken pieces in 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce and garlic until cooked through.

-When the flat bread comes out of the oven, spread the remaining 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce on all the pieces.

-Layer chicken, onions, red bell pepper and carrot sticks on the flat bread. Season lightly with salt and sprinkle with cheese.

-Toast in the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Turn oven to broil and lower baking pan to lowest rack. Broil for 5 minutes or so.

-Remove from oven and sprinkle chopped cilantro. Slice and serve!

Couscous Salad

I LOVE making salads! Especially when its a hearty dish, and includes all the food categories...like this one! I learned this from my friend Sarah, who altered the recipe from a cooking show.

Since its a salad, there is little heat involved, so your kitchen can stay nice and cool during these hot summer days. For a vegetarian or lighter version, skip the chicken.

Serves 2 people for a main meal and 4 people as a side dish.

Ingredients

---------------

-1 cup prepared couscous (boiled according to instructions on box)

-1/2 cup diced tomatoes

-1/2 cup diced cucumbers

-1 cup garbanzo beans

-1 cup cooked and cubed chicken (optional)

-1/2 cup diced marinated artichoke hearts

-1/3 cup diced green onions

Dressing

------------

-1/2 cup marinade from artichoke hearts

-1/4 cup white vinegar

-1/2 cup fresh minced mint

-salt and pepper to taste

Assembly

-------------

-Toss all the ingredients together and season with salad dressing.

-Serve!

Stay tuned for a SUPER AMAZING salad recipe coming your way...

Lemon Pepper Chicken and Potatoes

This is my youngest sister's favorite meal...when I make it! She says its so lemony and good, and literally jumps for joy when I make it for her. Good news for me is that it only takes 15 minutes to prepare, and the oven does the rest!

This is a classic and staple meal in Syrian households, and is literally called "chicken and potatoes" in Arabic.

This serves 4 people, 2 pieces of chicken each.

Ingredients

--------------

-8 pieces of red meat chicken (I always use boneless skinless chicken thighs)

-2 large onions, slivered (you can replace this with 1 large head minced garlic)

-3-4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and cut into rounds

-1 and 1/4 cup lemon juice (use fresh or bottled)

-1/2 cup olive oil

-lemon pepper sesasoning (use enough to coat all the chicken)

Assembly

------------

-Preheat oven to 450 degrees farenheit

-Layer the potatoes, chicken and onions in a 13x9 baking dish

-Season with lemon pepper and add lemon juice and olive oil

-Cover with foil and bake for 1 and 1/2 hours. Uncover and broil the tops for 5-10 minutes, until chicken and onions are slightly crisped.

-Serve with pita bread or white rice.