General Tso’s Wok Chicken II (Organic Chicken)

This recipe for four is quick, easy and tasty. If you enjoy Chinese, chicken and Broccoli you’ll love this one. This recipe is a slight variation from my original (more veggies and no white meat) and only takes about 40 – 45 minutes from start to finish including firing up the Egg; note that cleaning of the dirty dishes is not included in the preparation and cooking time.

Ingredients
• 2 Cups – Instant White Rice
• 1 Head - Fresh Broccoli
• 6 Chicken Thighs (boneless, skinless and ORGANIC)
• 2/3 Bottle - Iron Chef General Tso’s sauce
• 1 Cup - Snap Peas
• 1 Small – Vidalia or White Sweet Onion – diced or minced (about 2/3 cup)
• 6 Cloves Fresh Garlic (minced)
• 1 - 8 Oz. Can Water Chestnuts (sliced)
• 1 - 15 Oz. Can Baby Corn
• EVOO
Preparation and Cooking Directions
1. Bring 1 ½ Quarts of lightly salted water to a boil.
2. Add rice, stir and set aside
3. Fire Up BGE to full T-Rex
4. Cut chicken thighs into 1 inch (bite size) pieces and set aside
5. Place wok on grid and add approximately a quart of water
6. Place vegetables in Bamboo Steamer and place on wok (when water begins to steam)
7. Cook until tender or al dente (preferred). Remove steamer and let sit.
8. Dump water and place Wok back on Grid at fire ring level and add EVOO.
9. When oil is hot add the diced garlic and onions and stir until onions start to turn translucent
10. Dump in chicken and stir fry until (done 6-8 minutes)
11. Add broccoli, water chestnuts and snap peas and stir for 3-5 minutes then add the General Tso’s sauce and stir for 2-3 minutes.
12. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

Chicken (Organic) and Broccoli on the Wok (version 2)

A slight variation on my General Tso's Wok recipe I added baby corn, removed snap peas and used Kikkoman's Stir Fry Sauce (a common brown sauce taste) to change it up a little.  This recipe is an all thigh variation on my original General Tso's Wok Chicken. Serves 3-4 and is quick and easy to prepare.


Ingredients
2 Cups White Rice 
1 Large head Fresh Broccoli
6 Chicken Thighs
6 Green Onions, Diced

1 strong cup Brown Sauce (Kikkoman’s or your favorite)

1 14 Oz. Can Whole Baby Corn

6-8 large cloves Diced Fresh Garlic

1 Small Can Water Chestnuts - Sliced

1/3 cup EVOO

Preparation Directions
1. Boil rice and set aside
2. Cut Chicken Thighs into bite size pieces and set aside

Cooking Directions
•Fire up the Big Green Egg to full flame (T-REX HOT 500 degrees minimum) - Place Wok on Grid at fire ring level and add Water then place Bamboo Steamer on Wok (two layers, one with broccoli and one with baby corn and water chestnuts.
•Steam for until just short of tender and remove, keep covered.
•Dump off water and add EVOO; when oil is hot add the chicken and stir in the garlic and green onions and stir until the chicken is cooked completely 5-8 minutes;
•Dump on brown sauce and stir continuously;

•Add veggies and stir for 3 minutes; remove from heat and serve immediately over rice.

Chicken Chorizo II - (One Dish Meal Organic)

This dish combines the flavors of Chicken Thighs and Spanish Chorizo (sweet or spicy sausage) in a tasty ‘One Pot’ brown rice Dutch oven dish.

There are many varieties of Chorizo but Spanish chorizo is typically the most readily available in the grocery store. It is made from coarsely chopped pork and pork fat, seasoned with smoked pimentón (paprika) and salt. It is generally classed as either picante (spicy) or dulce (sweet), depending upon the type of smoked paprika used. Chorizo comes in short, long, hard and soft varieties, some of which are suited to being eaten as an appetizer or tapas, whereas others are better suited to cooking. Leaner varieties are typically better suited to tapas, eaten at room temperature, whereas fattier versions are generally used for cooking. A general rule of thumb is that long, thin chorizos are sweeter and short chorizos are spicy, although this is not always the case.

Ingredients
 1 Lb. Boneless organic chicken thighs
 ½ Lb. - Chorizo (soft for this recipe)
 2 cups - Long Grain Brown Rice (not instant)
 1- 4 oz. bottle White Zinfandel wine (or substitute ½ bottle white cooking wine)
 2 each - Roasted Red Peppers cut into thick slices (canned or prepared ahead of time on the grill)
 1 Small Sweet Onion, sliced thin
 2.5 cups - Chicken Broth
 1 cup - Frozen Peas
 Paul Prudhommes Poultry Magic Seasoning (to taste)
 Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
 2 Tsp. – Oregano (or 2 Tbsp. Fresh Chopped Oregano)
 1 Tsp. - Crushed Red Pepper (flakes)
 6 cloves - Fresh Garlic, minced
 2 each - Bay Leaf
 Paprika - Pinch


Preparation
1. Preheat Big Green Egg to High Heat.
2. Season chicken with PP’s seasoning. In the Dutch oven drizzle in some EVOO and add the chicken and let cook until tender. Add the Chorizo, stirring frequently until browned (4-5 minutes max.).
3. Add the sliced onions, red pepper flakes, oregano, bay leaves and a pinch of paprika and stir until onions are transparent.
4. Cook, stirring frequently and add broth and keep stirring until it comes to a boil.
5. Add rice and shut down the egg and cover Dutch oven for 5-8 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

6. Remove from heat and let set for 15 minutes. Stir in the frozen peas with a fork, cover Dutch oven and let sit for 5 more minutes and serve.

Pint Size Paella (w/Organic Chicken)

Paella; a yummy Spanish dish with its classic saffron-yellow rice, brightly colored veggies and combination of seafood and meats. For this recipe I used a small vintage Dansk paella pan for preparation of the down-sized original recipe. This version only serves 2-3.

INGREDIENTS
• ½ -3/4 Lb. Boneless, Skinless Thighs (Organic) chopped into bite size pieces
• ½ Tsp. Turmeric
• ½ Tsp. - Pimentón
• Dash (1/16th Tsp.) Oregano
• EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• ½ Lb. Mild Italian Sausage (ground)
• 1 Medium Vidalia onion, chopped
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
• 1 Orange Bell Pepper, chopped
• !0 oz Rice - Yellow Saffron pre-spiced Medium Rick
• 3/4 Cup Diced Plum or Amoroso Tomato
• ½ Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
• Garlic to taste 2-3 large Garlic Cloves (Sub: Garlic Onion in season)
• 3 Cups – Organic, Chicken Broth, low sodium
• 1 Cup – Frozen Broccoli, thawed
• ½ Cup – Frozen Peas, thawed


DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat Big Green Egg to 400 degrees. If you can’t swing grilling this recipe you can start it on the cook top and finish it in the oven (sacrilegious of course).
2. Add Turmeric, Pimentón, Oregano, salt and pepper to chicken stock and set aside.
3. Heat oil in Pan of Choice (Paella, Iron Skillet, Terracotta, etc) and precook the chicken and sausage then remove and set aside.
4. Sauté the onions and garlic, asparagus and peppers and when just about tender, add the tomatoes, sauté for 3-4 more minute then remove and set aside.
5. Change from direct to indirect setting and add the stock and rice, Paprika, Saffron (if applicable).
6. Stir ONCE and close the lid and sauté for 15 minutes checking the rice for tenderness before adding the remaining ingredients.
7. Add the sausage, chicken and sautéed veggies and peas and stir well and close the lid again for 8-10 minutes of simmering. ; Remove from heat and serve from Paella pan.

Paella

I wanted to try something different so a couple weeks back I queried the forum for recipes. This version is a mix of things I found on the internet and those I got back from the eggheadforum.com group.   I ordered this pan off of eBay and thought it would be here in time for Mothers Day...however it arrived a day late so had to wait until this weekend to prepare this dish. It turned out fantastic. If you cut the ingredients in half it would feed two VERY hungry people well as an option. ENJOY!

Paella; a yummy Spanish dish with its classic saffron-yellow rice, brightly colored veggies and combination of seafood and meats. For this recipe I even purchased a vintage Dansk paella pan for preparation (go to have all the right tools (or toys)). Serves 6.

INGREDIENTS
1 ½ Lb. Boneless, Skinless Thighs or Breasts (Organic preferred) chopped into bite size pieces
1 Tsp. Turmeric
1 Tsp. - Pimentón
¼ Tsp. Oregano
1 Tsp. Parsley (dried, chopped)
1 Tsp. Sea Salt, fresh ground)
¼ Tsp. Black Pepper (fresh ground peppercorns)
EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

2 links – Spicy Italian Sausage (Sub: Chorizo), sliced thin

1 Large Sweet or Vidalia onion, chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
2 Cups Rice Options: Medium Grain Rice + 1/4 teaspoon saffron thread, crushed OR Yellow Saffron pre-spiced Medium Rick
1 Cup Diced Plum Tomato
¼ Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes

Garlic to taste 2-4 Garlic Cloves (Sub: Garlic Onion in season)

4 Cups – Chicken Broth, low sodium
1 Lb. Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Cup - Asparagus, cut diagonally
½ Cup – Frozen Peas, thawed

DIRECTIONS
1.Preheat Big Green Egg to 400 degrees. If you can’t swing grilling this recipe you can start it on the cook top and finish it in the oven (sacrilegious of course).

2.Add Turmeric, Pimentón, Oregano, salt and pepper to chicken stock and set aside.
3.Heat oil in Pan of Choice (Paella, Iron Skillet, Terracotta, etc) and precook the chicken and sausage then remove from heat and set aside.
4.Sauté the onions and garlic, asparagus and peppers and set aside.
5.Change from direct to indirect setting and add the stock and rice, Paprika, Saffron (if applicable).
6.Stir ONCE and close the lid and sauté for 15 minutes checking the rice for tenderness before adding the remaining ingredients.
7.Add the shrimp, sausage, chicken and sautéed veggies, peas and stir well and close the lid again for 10 minutes of simmering.

Chicken Chorizo One Dish Meal on the BGE Happy V Day !

This dish combines the flavors of Chicken Thighs and Spanish Chorizo (sweet or spicy sausage) in a tasty ‘One Pot’ brown rice Dutch oven dish.

There are many varieties of Chorizo but Spanish chorizo is typically the most readily available in the grocery store. It is made from coarsely chopped pork and pork fat, seasoned with smoked pimentón (paprika) and salt. It is generally classed as either picante (spicy) or dulce (sweet), depending upon the type of smoked paprika used.

Chorizo comes in short, long, hard and soft varieties, some of which are suited to being eaten as an appetizer or tapas, whereas others are better suited to cooking. Leaner varieties are typically better suited to tapas, eaten at room temperature, whereas fattier versions are generally used for cooking. A general rule of thumb is that long, thin chorizos are sweeter and short chorizos are spicy, although this is not always the case.

Ingredients

 2.5-3.0 lbs - Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs

 .75-1.0 Lb. - Chorizo cut into bite size pieces (.75-1”)

 1 ½ cups - Long Grain Brown Rice (not instant)

 1-2 each - 4 oz. bottle White Zinfandel wine (or substitute ½ bottle white cooking wine)

 3 each - Roasted Red Peppers cut into thick slices (canned or prepared ahead of time on the grill)

 1 large - Sweet Onion, sliced paper thin

 3 cups - Chicken Broth

 1 cup - Frozen Peas

 Sea Salt and Black Peppercorns (season to taste)

 Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)

 2 Tsp. - Oregano (if fresh chopped use 2 Tbsp.)

 ½ Tsp. - Crushed Red Pepper (flakes)

 6 cloves - Fresh Garlic, minced

 1 each - Bay Leaf

Preparation

1. Preheat Big Green Egg to a decent flame with grid in place for initial cook.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. In the Dutch oven (or separate cast iron skillet) heat up the EVOO and add the chicken (skin side down) and let cook until golden brown (6-8 minutes). You may have to work in batches and set aside.

3. Pour off excess fat if cooking in the Dutch oven and cook the Chorizo stirring frequently until browned (4-5 minutes max.) then transfer the Chorizo to a plate and leave the excess fat in the Dutch oven.

4. With Dutch oven still on the grid add the Oregano, Pepper flakes, Garlic, Onion and Bay Leaf and cook, stirring frequently until Onion begins to brown and get soft. Add the Rice and cook, stirring frequently until glossy (1-2 minutes) then add the wine and bring to a boil stirring frequently and reducing by about fifty percent.

5. Place Chicken, Chorizo and peppers into the rice mixture and bring to a boil, stirring frequently then remove from grid.

6. Remove the Grid and place the plate setter (legs up) in the egg. Stabilize dome temperature at 400 degrees and place the Dutch oven on the plate setter. Add the Chicken Broth, salt and pepper (to taste), cover and let cook for 60 to 70 minutes.

7. Remove from heat and uncover, stir in the frozen peas with a fork, cover Dutch oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Option: Roast the red peppers first if not using canned roasted peppers); serves 5-6.

IRON CHEF FREE RANGE WOK CHICKEN

This recipe for three (3) adults and is quick, easy and tasty. If you enjoy Chinese, chicken and broccoli you’ll love this one and from start to finish you are only obligating about 30 minutes tops!

Ingredients
2 bags - Boil in bag rice
1 Head - Fresh Broccoli
5 each - Free Range Chicken Thighs – Boned
1 cup - Iron Chef Sauce (General Tso's Sauce and Glaze specifically)
3 cloves - Diced Fresh Garlic
1/3 cup - Corn Oil (sac religious; I didn’t use EVOO!)

Preparation Directions
1. Boil rice and set aside
2. Separate and steam Broccoli until done (15 minutes)
3. Trim meat off of thighs into bite size pieces and set aside

Cooking Directions
Fire up the Big Green Egg to full flame and let it get HOT! Place Wok on Grid and fire ring level and add oil and allow to get hot. Add the diced Garlic and Stir until it browns slightly on the edges.

Dump in the cut up chicken pieces and continuously stir fry until done (5-8 Minutes). Immediately dump on Iron Chef sauce and stir while adding the brocoli pieces and stir for an additional 3 minutes. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

Options: Use regular chicken and/or add additional vegetables like water cress, snap peas, etc may be added to taste.