The Frugal Foodie Cookbook (13 page)
4 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon paprika, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1½ cups red wine
20 fresh figs, halved
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
Sprinkle chicken with ½ teaspoon paprika, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a large pan; add chicken and brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add wine and figs; sprinkle rosemary and remaining paprika on top. Turn heat to medium; cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, 12–15 minutes. Move chicken to plate and cover. Reduce wine and fig sauce uncovered additional 5 minutes, until thickened. Divide chicken among plates and pour sauce on top.
Classic Colombian Arroz con Pollo
price
$30
servings
6
price per serving
$5
E
very member of Alex’s family ranks this dish among their all-time favorites. His family has perfected the recipe for this classic dish, bursting with bright colors and South American flavors. There’s no way to taste this version and resist raving about it. Plus, it only requires one pan, which means less time for cleaning and more time for second and third helpings.
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds chicken breasts and thighs
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch saffron
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cumin
1½ cups rice
3 cups chicken broth
½ cup pimento olives, chopped
2 tablespoons capers
½ cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1 cup frozen green peas
Salt and pepper to taste
In a deep pan, heat olive oil on medium-high heat; brown chicken 4 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside. Add peppers, onions, and garlic to pan; cook until soft. Mix in saffron, paprika, cumin, and rice; stir until rice is coated, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth; return chicken to pan. Cover tightly; simmer on medium heat 15–20 minutes, until most of broth is absorbed. Add olives, capers, roasted red peppers, peas, salt, and pepper; stir and let cook 5 minutes uncovered. Serve hot.
Lemon and Herb–Roasted Chicken
price
$16
servings
4
price per serving
$4
Simple and classic, we make this chicken for dinner at least once a week. Not only is it healthy, easy, and delicious, this roasting chicken fills our kitchen with the homiest and most irresistible aroma of vegetables and lemony meat. Use the freshest herbs available, and remember to save leftovers for chicken stock.
1 (4–5 pound) whole chicken
3 medium onions, cut in quarters
4 carrots, chopped into ½" pieces
2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon
Preheat oven to 375°F. Wash chicken and pat dry; place in a roasting pan. In a bowl, combine vegetables and olive oil. Mix ½ of rosemary and thyme, salt, and pepper into vegetables. Rub remaining rosemary and thyme and garlic over chicken and under skin. Squeeze lemon juice over chicken, then place in chicken cavity. Sprinkle salt and pepper over chicken. Arrange vegetables around chicken in roasting pan; cook 20 minutes per pound, or until juices run clear when thigh is pierced and internal temperature of the breast meat is 165°F. Let chicken rest 5 minutes before carving.
Jamaican-Style Roasted Chicken
price
$15
servings
5
price per serving
$3
W
e know that we’ll never grow tired of cooking because there will always be new ways to roast a chicken. This preparation yields a chicken that is hot, sweet, and busting with flavor. It goes beautifully over couscous or rice.
cup soy sauce
¼ cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons curry powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ cup brown sugar
4 carrots, cut into 1" pieces
3 onions, quartered
1 (5–6 pound) roasting chicken
Mix together soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, curry, cayenne, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Arrange carrots and onions around chicken in roasting pan. Rub marinade over chicken; bake in 350°F oven 1 ½ hours, or until juices run clear.
Paprika Chicken Quesadillas
price
$12
servings
4
price per serving
$3
Q
uesadillas are often staples for quick lunches and dinners, and it doesn’t take much to kick this relatively simple dish into a truly exciting and flavorful meal. Seasoning the chicken for only 10 minutes in advance makes a world of difference and eliminates the need for adding toppings like sour cream later on.
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon paprika
1½ teaspoons chili powder, divided
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
4 large flour tortillas
8 ounces shredded cheese (Cheddar and pepper jack work well)
Preheat grill or preheat large skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place chicken in plastic bag; add paprika, 1 teaspoon chili powder, salt, and pepper. Marinate up to 10 minutes. Grill on medium heat 6–8 minutes per side, or sauté 6 minutes per side. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in pan; add pepper and onion. Cook over medium heat 10–15 minutes, or until vegetables are very soft. Add ½ teaspoon chili powder and salt and pepper to taste; set aside. Add 1 tablespoon oil to pan. Lay a tortilla flat in pan; add layer of cheese, peppers, onions, and chicken on one side of tortilla. Fold other side of tortilla on top. Cook 2–3 minutes on each side, or until cheese melts. Serve with guacamole, salsa, or sour cream.
Pizza with Spicy Turkey Sausage
price
$18
servings
4
price per serving
$4.50
This recipe is our healthier alternative to takeout sausage pizza. Spicy turkey sausage is inexpensive and available almost anywhere. We also add it to pasta with melted cheese and tomato sauce, for “pizza noodles” with spicy turkey sausage.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound spicy turkey sausage, sliced
1 recipe Homemade Pizza Crust
cup marinara sauce
2 cups mozzarella cheese, coarsely shredded
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 500°F. Heat oil in skillet; sauté sausage until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. Roll out dough; place on large baking sheet. Spread sauce over dough; sprinkle with ½ of cheese. Arrange sausage, peppers, and onions over dough; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake until cheese melts and crust is crisp, about 14 minutes. Let cool slightly and serve.
Prosciutto and Parmesan Rolled Chicken
price
$20
servings
4
price per serving
$5
T
his pan-cooked chicken is full of flavor and punch. Feel free to use any white wine you have on hand. We buy a bunch of cheap bottles when they go on sale and keep them around the kitchen for cooking these kinds of dishes.
4 boneless chicken breasts
4 slices prosciutto
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
8 basil leaves
¼ cup flour
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1½ cups white wine
On a cutting board, pound chicken breasts flat with a kitchen hammer or rolling pin. Place 1 slice prosciutto, 1 tablespoon Parmesan, and 2 basil leaves on each breast. Roll up chicken breasts and secure with wooden toothpicks. Roll each breast through flour to lightly coat; season with salt and pepper. In large pan heat olive oil and sauté chicken over medium heat until golden brown on all sides. Add 1 cup wine to pan; cover and reduce heat. Simmer 15–20 minutes, turning several times, until chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove from pan; increase heat and add remaining ½ cup wine. Deglaze skillet and reduce liquid to form sauce. Season with salt and pepper, spoon over chicken, and serve.
Roasted Chicken with Apple,
Onion, and Leek Stuffing
price
$15
servings
4
price per serving
$3.75
S
ometimes when we feel like mixing up our traditional weeknight dinner of roasted chicken, we’ll throw in a stuffing with seasonal ingredients. This is Alex’s favorite version of stuffing, and he substitutes onions for leeks when leeks are out of season.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 leeks, chopped
2 apples, chopped
½ teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup day-old bread, cubed
¾ cup chicken stock
1 (4–5 pound) whole roasting chicken
Preheat oven to 350°F. For stuffing, heat olive oil in large skillet; add onions and leeks. Cook until soft; add apples, sage, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook 2 minutes; stir in walnuts and bread. Slowly add stock; sauté until stock is absorbed. Wash and pat chicken dry. Place in roasting pan; stuff with apple, onion, and leek stuffing. Season with salt and pepper; bake 20 minutes per pound, or until chicken juices run clear and the internal temperature of the breast meat is 165°F.