Chicken with Black Bean Sauce

So, I found this craptastic Chicken with Black Bean Sauce recipe on the Epicurious site (great site, crappy recipe!). It is from Bon Appétit magazine's December 1990 issue. And that is where it should have stayed.

I can't tell you how disappointed I was that this recipe did not taste good. So bland. And it combined some of my favorite ingredients! In fact, the only thing it was good for was helping me practice my onion chopping skills.


Mmmmm...onions.

You can find the black bean sauce necessary for this recipe in the oriental section of your supermarket. Not that I am suggesting you actually make this recipe.

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips

Pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons purchased oriental black bean sauce

Steamed rice

Directions:
Combine teriyaki sauce and garlic in medium bowl. Add chicken and season generously with pepper. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Heat oil in wok or heavy large skillet over high heat. Add bell pepper and onion and cook until onion is almost tender, stirring constantly, about 4 minutes. Add chicken with marinade and black bean sauce. Stir until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Serve over steamed rice.


It looks good, doesn't it? Don't be deceived!

Has anyone ever made a good Chicken with Black Bean Sauce? I'd love the recipe!

Chicken Parisienne

My friend, Amy, made chicken parisienne in a crock pot for me and some friends a couple of weeks ago, and it was so good I had to try and make it. This is an unbelievably easy and tasty slow cooker recipe.

Ingredients (Serves about 4)

1 1/2 lbs chicken breasts (mine was frozen)

1/2 tsp each of salt, pepper and paprika

1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup (I used 98% fat free mushroom)

2 4oz cans of sliced mushrooms - do not drain (I used Giorgio Chunky Style Portabella)

1/2 cup dry white wine (I used Banrock Station 2006 Chardonnay)

1 cup sour cream (I used fat free)

Egg noodles or rice (I used No Yolks Dumplings)



Put all ingredients (yes, you really can use frozen chicken breast), except the sour cream, in the crock pot and turn on low. Cook 7.5 hours, add the sour cream, and then cook on low for another 1/2 hour. Keep warm until served. Begin cooking rice or egg noodles as directed on their package about 1/2 hour before serving food. Serve chicken parisienne over rice or egg noodles.


The chicken was so moist and tender. It just fell apart in the slow cooker. This had a wonderful flavor and it is a great comfort food good for cold evenings. I served this with a salad of mixed greens, broccolini and Asian Vinaigrette. Cam and I each had a glass of the Banrock Station 2006 Chardonnay. It was delicious and the perfect complement to the chicken parisienne.

White Bean & Chicken Chili Recipe

My fabulous, older sister Steph made me some amazing white bean & chicken chili a while back and then sent me the link to the recipe. Since it has been chilly lately, I was craving some nice, hearty soup, so last night I made a big batch. I can't tell you exactly many people it will feed, but I think Cam and I will be having it for a few days. And although the prep and cook time are loooong, the end result is totally worth it.

Ingredients:

3 15 oz. cans white beans, drained (or you may cook your own)

6 cups chicken broth

2 medium chopped peeled onions, divided

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 4 oz. cans whole green chiles (they kind of fall apart, but next time I might try the chopped chiles)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp crushed dried oregano

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Optional:

Bread bowl (I just bought two, small round loafs of bread and cut out a plug in the top and pulled out bread until I made a bread bowl - how very sophisticated, eh?)

Sour Cream (we used fat free - I can't taste a difference, though I am sure Cam did!)

Shredded cheese (we used Kraft natural shredded Mexican cheddar jack cheese with jalapeno peppers)

Salsa (we didn't use any)



Directions:
Place beans, chicken broth and half the onions in a large pot; bring to a boil (this takes a while). Reduce heat and simmer. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and, when hot but not smoking (be careful or it will taste burnt!), add onions and sauté until tender (they will begin to look translucent).

Stir in chicken and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked. Add green chiles, garlic, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper and stir until well combined.

Transfer mixture to bean pot, return to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour, or until flavors are well blended. Add more water or stock, if needed. Serve warm, garnished with sour cream, cheddar cheese and salsa, if desired.


Absolutely delicious and not very spicy. I totally ate the inside of the soup-soaked bread bowl once I finished my two helpings. We were going to serve it with a lovely side salad of spring mix, gorgonzola cheese, pecans and Asian vinaigrette dressing, but we just ate soup instead. It was that good.