Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Artichoke, Leek, and Braised Chicken

This meal is very quick. It is a great summer meal. It is light, fresh and tastes so amazing. I go to the farmers market at a fairgrounds every wed. It has about 50 vendors. It is insane. It has more fresh produce then you will ever see.Not to mention VERY affordable. I got a lot of new veggies today and I like to throw things together. I like fresh and tasty. This is full of yummy veggies and the fresh taste of lemon and basil. I hope you enjoy.





3 Boneless Chicken Breast
1 15oz. Artichoke, quartered
3-4 Big Leeks, rinse and cut thinly
3 garlic cloves, chopped
15 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cp. white wine
2 Tb. olive oil
The juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cp. chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper

Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken breast. Add oil to the pan and put on med-high heat.
Brown both sides. Remove the chicken. Add the cut leaks and deglaze the pan with the wine. Cook for 3-4 min. Add the garlic and artichokes. Add the chicken and cook in the wine and veggies. If the wine evaporates add a little bit of chicken broth. When the chicken is cooked then you add the tomatoes, lemon, lemon zest and the basil.

I served this with rice. (I actually added a little lemon and lemon zest to my rice too)


Chicken Verde Enchiladas

My husband loves Mexican. I have not made it for awhile. In honor of Cinco De Mayo I made authentic (as I could make) Enchiladas. These turned out better then I could imagine. The salsa was amazing. It tasted great with the fried enchiladas. I fried them first to prevent them from getting soggy. I served this with fresh avocados and slices of fresh jalapenos.

3 chicken breast, (Roasted 0n 350 with a little salt and pepper for about 40 min)
10 Jose Ole flour tortillas
1 Red onion, sliced thin
1 Pablano, sliced thin
1 Bell Peppers, sliced thin
1 cp. Cheddar and 1 cp. manchego

Salsa Verde:

12 Tomatotillas
1 yellow onion (quartered)
3 jalapenos (quartered and seeds removed)
3 TB. cilantro
2 TB olive oil
salt and pepper
4 cloves of garlic
1 cp chicken broth
2 TB lime juice

1. Roast the chicken in the oven on 350 with salt and pepper on both sides. Roast 40 min. While the chicken is roasting add 2 TB butter and add the onions and peppers. Saute on Med-High heat until carmalized around the edges. Add this to the shredded chicken and when cool add 1/2cp. of each cheese. This will be the mixture for inside the Enchiladas.
2. For the salsa: Preheat oven to 400. Put the tomatotillas , Onions, and jalapenos toss with 2 TB olive oil and salt and pepper. Throw in a baking dish and bake until brown about 45 min. Wrap the garlic in foil and put in the oven with the veggies. Leave the garlic in its casing.
3. When all of the veggies are done put it in the food processor. Remove the garlic pulp from the casing and cilanto add to the food processor. Pulse. Slowly add the chicken broth and lime juice while pulsing. Put in a bowl. The salsa is done until needed.
4. Add 2 tb. of veg. oil in a skillet. Put on medium- high heat. Dip one side of the flour tortilla in the Salsa Verde and the fill that side with a little chicken and cheese. Roll and put seam side down onto the hot skillet. Continue the same with the rest. When brown on that side turn and brown the other side. When done add to a greased 11x13 dish. When you finish with all enchiladas add about 1/2 the salsa on top of the Enchiladas. Top with the rest of the cheese.
5. Bake on 350 for 40 min. Until brown and bubbling.