The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook (57 page)

¾ cup low-fat milk

1.
Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium; add the thighs. Cook, turning once, until nicely browned on both sides and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Repeat with the breasts; cut the breasts crosswise into thirds.

2.
Add the butter to the pot; when melted, add the onion, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Combine the cornstarch and flour in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the milk, and whisk the milk mixture into the broth. Boil, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; return the chicken to the pot.

3.
Bring a saucepan of water to a boil; add salt. Add the carrots and green beans; cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander, rinsing with cold water to stop the cooking. Stir into the chicken mixture in the pot.

4.
Prepare the dumpling dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter; cut into the dry mixture with your fingers until mealy. Pour in the milk; stir with a fork until the dough comes together. Return the chicken mixture to a simmer, and drop the dough by tablespoons on the surface of the stew. Cover; cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. (The dumplings will puff up.) Serve.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 442 CALORIES, 12 G FAT, 126 MG CHOLESTEROL, 42 G CARBOHYDRATE, 810 MG SODIUM, 40 G PROTEIN, 4 G FIBER

grilled soy-lime chicken breasts

SERVES 4

¼ cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 head Boston lettuce, washed, leaves separated

1 bunch fresh mint

1 bunch fresh cilantro

1.
Whisk together the lime juice, soy sauce, and oil in a bowl. Place the chicken breasts on a work surface between 2 layers of waxed paper or plastic wrap. Using the smooth side of a meat pounder, pound the chicken breasts until all the pieces are an even ½-inch thickness.

2.
Place the chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag or glass baking dish. Pour the marinade into the bag or over the chicken in a dish. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.

3.
Heat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off. Grill the chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Shred or slice the chicken, and serve with lettuce leaves and herbs on the side.

crisp mustard-glazed chicken breasts

SERVES 4

4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the breasts

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2½ tablespoons Dijon mustard

¾ cup coarse bread crumbs

2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, plus more for garnish

¾ cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock

½ cup heavy cream

1.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Rub the chicken breasts lightly with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

2.
Combine 2 tablespoons butter with the mustard; reserve 2 teaspoons for the sauce. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter; mix with the bread crumbs and thyme, and season with salt and pepper.

3.
In a large ovenproof skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken, skin side down, until crispy, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Smear with the mustard mixture, and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Turn skin side up; apply the mustard mixture and bread crumbs.

4.
Transfer the skillet to the oven, and roast until the chicken is cooked through and the top is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

5.
Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Add the stock and cream to the skillet over medium heat, and stir with a wooden spoon until creamy and reduced to ¾ cup, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in the reserved mustard mixture. Strain through a fine sieve, and serve with the chicken. Garnish with thyme.

chicken cassoulet with crisp bread crumb topping

SERVES 6

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat

1 pound dried cannellini beans, soaked overnight in cold water

3 carrots, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 stalks celery, cut into ¼-inch pieces

1 onion, cut into ¼-inch pieces

1 dried bay leaf

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage

1 teaspoon coarse salt

½ teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

1.
Marinate the chicken: In a bowl large enough to hold the chicken thighs, combine 2 garlic cloves, the rosemary, ½ teaspoon thyme, and the vinegar. Add the chicken; toss to coat. Cover; refrigerate 1 to 2 hours.

2.
Preheat the oven to 375°F, with the rack in the upper third. Drain the beans, and place them in a large stockpot with the carrots, celery, onion, remaining 3 garlic cloves, bay leaf, sage, and remaining teaspoon thyme. Fill with enough cold water to cover by about 4 inches; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, 1½ to 2 hours.

3.
Transfer the bean mixture to a colander set over a bowl, reserving the cooking liquid; let cool slightly. Puree half the mixture in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. With the motor running, pour in about 1 cup reserved cooking liquid until thick and smooth. Return to the pot with the remaining bean mixture. Add the salt; stir to combine.

4.
Brush an 8 × 8 × 2½-inch baking dish with the oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade, and arrange it in a single layer in the prepared dish. Bake until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

5.
Remove the dish from the oven; pour the bean mixture over the chicken, and sprinkle evenly with the bread crumbs. Set the dish on a baking sheet; return to the oven, and bake until the bread crumbs are golden brown and the beans are bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven; serve hot.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 446 CALORIES, 5 G FAT, 54 MG CHOLESTEROL, 68 G CARBOHYDRATE, 524 MG SODIUM, 34 G PROTEIN, 18 G FIBER

herb-stuffed chicken breasts

SERVES 4

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 leeks, white and light-green parts, washed well and sliced into ¼-inch rounds

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1
¹
/
₃
pounds), halved

2 slices whole-wheat bread

4 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 cup homemade or low-sodium store-bought chicken stock, skimmed of fat

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Add the leeks, and cook 4 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons each rosemary and thyme; cook 1 minute more. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Transfer to a medium bowl; let cool.

2.
Using a sharp knife, carve a pocket in the center of each chicken breast by inserting the tip into the thickest part and cutting an opening (leaving about 1 inch uncut on each side), being careful not to cut all the way through the breast. Place 2 tablespoons leek mixture in each pocket. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts, and sauté until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from heat, and transfer to a clean work surface.

3.
Place the bread in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, and process until fine crumbs form. Transfer the bread crumbs to a bowl. Add the remaining teaspoon rosemary and 1 teaspoon thyme. Season with the remaining ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Spread 1 teaspoon mustard over one side of each chicken breast, and cover with about 3 tablespoons herbed bread crumbs, pressing gently to adhere. Drizzle the remaining teaspoon oil over all.

4.
Place the skillet in the oven; roast the chicken until it is golden and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven; transfer the chicken to a serving dish, and cover with foil while you make the sauce. Place the skillet over medium heat, and add the chicken stock; deglaze the pan, stirring to loosen any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Continue cooking until the stock is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; add the remaining teaspoon thyme. Serve with the chicken.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 296 CALORIES, 7 G FAT, 86 MG CHOLESTEROL, 20 G CARBOHYDRATE, 807 MG SODIUM, 37 G PROTEIN, 2 G FIBER

braised chicken with olives, carrots, and chickpeas

SERVES 4

Serve this stewlike chicken dish over couscous or mashed potatoes, or with a crusty baguette to soak up the flavorful broth. We used Cerignola olives from southern Italy; they are large and firm enough to hold up to slow cooking methods like braising.

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 whole chicken legs, skinned and cut into thighs and drumsticks (about 2½ pounds)

1 medium yellow onion, cut into ½-inch dice

3 carrots, cut into ½-inch dice

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1½-inch piece fresh ginger, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

1 cup low-sodium store-bought chicken broth

1 cup water

1 cup dry white wine

4 sprigs thyme

¹
/
₃
cup raisins

½ cup pitted and roughly chopped large green olives, such as Cerignola (about 6)

¾ cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Place the chicken pieces in the skillet, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Sauté until the chicken is nicely crisped and browned on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a large plate, and set aside.

2.
Reduce heat to medium-low; to the same skillet, add the onion, carrots, garlic, and ginger. Sauté, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, the water, and wine; bring to a boil, and deglaze the pan by scraping up any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Return the chicken to the skillet, and add the thyme. Bring the liquid back to a boil; cover, and transfer to the oven. Braise 45 minutes.

3.
Remove the skillet from the oven, and stir in the raisins, olives, and chickpeas. Return to the oven; continue braising, uncovered, 20 minutes more. Remove from oven; discard the thyme. Serve hot.

FIT TO EAT RECIPE
PER SERVING: 406 CALORIES, 14 G FAT, 139 MG CHOLESTEROL, 26 G CARBOHYDRATE, 868 MG SODIUM, 36 G PROTEIN, 5 G FIBER

poached chicken with hot english mustard

SERVES 4

This recipe yields excess chicken stock. The excess can be kept in plastic containers and frozen for several months.

2 carrots, peeled and cut in half

1 stalk celery, cut in half

2 onions, cut in half

3 stems fresh flat-leaf parsley

10 whole black peppercorns

1 4-pound whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry

Coarse salt

4 slices French bread, about
¹
/
₃
inch thick

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small bunch watercress

¼ cup hot English mustard, or to taste

1.
Place the carrots, celery, onions, parsley, and peppercorns in a stockpot. Add the chicken. Fill the pot with enough cold water to cover the chicken by 1 inch.

2.
Set over medium-high heat, and bring the water to a boil. Reduce heat, and allow to simmer, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface, for 1 hour.

3.
Remove the chicken from the stock; set aside. Strain the stock through a very fine sieve or chinois. Discard the solids. Transfer the stock to a metal bowl. Set the bowl in another bowl, full of ice water. Let stand until the stock is completely chilled, replacing the ice if necessary, and fat can be skimmed off the surface of the stock.

4.
Meanwhile, when the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and discard. Carefully pull the meat off the bones (it should fall away quite easily), keeping it in large chunks when possible.

5.
Return 5 cups stock to the stockpot or a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; adjust the seasoning with salt. Reduce heat to a simmer; simmer until stock has become very flavorful and reduced by 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Add the pieces of chicken; cook just until heated through, about 5 minutes.

6.
Toast the bread until golden, and brush with the olive oil. Serve the chicken in a wide bowl with a ladle of hot broth. Add a handful of watercress to each bowl. Place a spoonful of mustard on toast, sprinkle with salt, and serve on the side.

grilled chicken paillards with endive and radicchio