Tag Archives: easy dinner ideas

Green Tea Noodles with Ground Chicken & Zucchini

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After yet another long hiatus (toddler mama over here…sigh), I am SO excited to finally share a new recipe that’s quick, super flavorful, and satisfies that Asian takeout craving that I always seem to get midweek. I discovered this package of Haiku Green Tea Asian Style Noodles at my local supermarket yesterday and was instantly intrigued. I love experimenting with soba noodles so thought I would give this one a shot and get all the benefits of green tea. Soba noodles are healthier since they’re made with buckwheat flour, but I really loved the flavor of these green tea noodles — subtle and not too overpowering!

Since time is a luxury these days, I paired the noodles with some ground chicken (cooks faster than regular chicken pieces), zucchini, and a quick homemade stir-fry sauce. The entire process took 15 minutes, and the meal was DEVOURED in less than ten. Give this one a shot — I guarantee you won’t be disappointed! Perfect weeknight dinner.

Ingredients (serves 2) 

3 rounds of the Haiku Green Tea Noodles, cooked in boiling water for 2 minutes and drained
1 lb ground chicken (you can also use beef or turkey)
2 tbsp Canola or avocado oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 small onion, sliced into thin long pieces
1 zucchini, diced
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Stir-fry sauce

1.5 tbsp soy sauce
1.5 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp Mirin/Japanese cooking sake
1/2 tsp honey
Pepper

Recipe

Combine the ingredients for the stir-fry sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Boil a pot of water and cook the green tea noodles according to directions for two minutes. Drain and set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the ground chicken, break up into little pieces, and stir until cooked. Remove and set aside. Add the remaining oil to the same pan and fry the garlic, ginger, and onion slices together until the mixture begins to soften slightly. Add in the zucchini pieces and stir for a few minutes. Add the ground chicken and stir-fry sauce to the pan and mix well.  Finally, add the noodles to the pan and stir everything together until the noodles are nicely coated in the sauce and ground chicken mixture. Serve with toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy! My only regret is not doubling the recipe for more leftovers!

Boursin & Pesto-Stuffed Chicken Thighs

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I faced a rare conundrum the other day: an unopened pack of Boursin cheese that had been sitting pretty in my fridge for several days. In case you’ve been living under a rock, Boursin is this ridiculously delicious brand of creamy, flavor-packed French cheese that goes well with pretty much anything – eggs, crackers, you name it. It’s like goat cheese on crack. While brainstorming recipe ideas for using Boursin in a quick weeknight chicken dinner, I came across this Rachael Ray recipe that looked fabulous, but a bit too time-consuming.

Here’s my speedy version of her recipe, using three key ingredients: Boursin, ready-made pesto, and olive oil. THAT’S IT. Oh, and chicken thighs instead of breast, because they are so much more tender and better at soaking up that delicious garlic flavor 🙂

Ingredients (serves 4) 

12 chicken thighs
1/2 pack of Boursin Garlic & Herb cheese (~2.5 oz)
**the Rachael Ray recipe calls for a full pack, but IMHO half a pack is all you need since the cheese is so rich and flavorful!
3 tbsp pesto
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese to taste
10-12 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

Recipe

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the cheese and pesto until nice and creamy. Lay out the chicken thighs on a large baking tray and season with olive oil, and just a touch of salt & pepper. Add a teaspoon of the pesto cheese mixture to the center of the chicken thighs, and fold them over to enclose. Pour any leftover mixture over the thighs. You can then store this in the fridge for a few hours to marinate, or pop directly in the oven.

Bake the chicken thighs for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and add some parmesan cheese, and the cherry tomatoes. Pop back into the oven for another 10-15 minutes, or until the thighs are done cooking. I like to broil them for a few minutes at the very end for a nice browned look!

That’s it! SO incredibly easy with virtually zero prep time, but so many complex flavors, thanks to the Boursin cheese. I’ve already made this twice (once for guests), and they’re a huge hit!

Chicken & Mushrooms in a Light White Wine Sauce

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Hi everyone, and Happy St. Patty’s Day! I seriously can’t believe we’re already at March with weather consistently in the mid-50s in Chicago. I mean, doesn’t it feel like Christmas was just yesterday? I’m so sorry with how terrible I’ve been at keeping up with my blog, but my February was a complete blur. My husband was away in DC for a mandatory course, my mom was visiting me (which means I barely cooked all month and was spoiled by her Indian food), work was absolutely crazy, and I spent a whirlwind weekend in NYC for my golden birthday. February just flew by, but I’m feeling good about March. I’m boycotting St. Patty’s Day (no day drinking or green river for me!) and focusing on resetting and getting some much-needed zen back into my life. On the blog front, this means that I’m back with tons of new blog posts and recipe ideas that I can’t wait to share with you!

Today, I’m sharing with you one of my easiest go-to chicken recipes that’s perfect for a weeknight dinner but elegant enough for guests. Feel free to customize the ingredients a bit – want something richer? Go ahead and add more white wine and heavy cream. Want something lighter? Sub the heavy cream with a splash of milk and it’s just as delicious. Enjoy!

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Ingredients (serves 4) 

6 chicken thighs
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 small onion, or 1 shallot, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
White wine, to taste
Splash of heavy cream or milk

Recipe

Marinate the chicken thighs in salt and pepper, to taste. Melt the butter on a large saucepan on high heat. Once heated, fry the onions and garlic till the mixture becomes slightly translucent. Add the chicken thighs, fry on each side for a few minutes till they begin to brown. Add the mushrooms and a splash of white wine (I usually add a little less than 1/2 cup) and fry the mixture together. Lower the heat slightly and add heavy cream or milk. Stir the mixture together, add more salt and pepper to taste, cover and let the chicken cook fully. Garnish with thyme leaves and serve with salad or over a bed of pasta. C’est fini!