Creamy Garlic-Basil Chicken

This dish is pretty rich. If you use evaporated milk instead of the half-and-half, and eliminate the butter, that will tone it down.

But why do that? Enjoy! Enjoy! It’s uber-yummy.

Ingredients: Chicken 

• OLIVE OIL, 2 tablespoons
• CHICKEN THIGHS, 6-8
• SALT and PEPPER, to taste
• BASIL, minced, ½ tablespoon

Ingredients: Cream Sauce 

• HALF AND HALF CREAM, 1½ cups
• (Alternate) EVAPORATED MILK, 12-ounce can
• FLOUR, 1½ tablespoons
• GARLIC, minced, 1 tablespoon
• BUTTER, 2 tablespoons, diced
• BASIL, minced, 1 tablespoon
• SALT and PEPPER, to taste
• ASPARAGUS, 1-pound, 2-inch pieces
• PARSLEY, minced, for garnish

Directions 

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet.
2. Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, and dried basil.
3. Place the chicken thighs in the skillet and cook for about 7 to 8 minutes, or until browned.
4. Flip the chicken and cook for about 8 more minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove from pan and set aside.
5. Combine half and half (or evaporated milk), flour, minced garlic paste, butter, dried basil, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl; whisk until well combined.
6. Add the prepared sauce to the hot skillet and bring to a boil.
7. Stir in prepared asparagus, place the chicken back in the pan, and lower heat to a simmer.
8. Cover and cook for 4 minutes, or until asparagus is tender and chicken is heated through.
9. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Lemon Chicken Strips

This entree is a little messy to process, but believe me, the results are well worth it. Just be prepared to have flour-clumpy fingers that you'll need to clean off every now and then.

Chicken goes well with citrus, and this recipe takes advantage of the partnership.

I garnished mine with minced sweet pickled peppadaw and green onions.

Ingredients 

• CHICKEN (Options: breasts or tenders) 1 pound
• CORN STARCH, ½ cup
• FLOUR, ½ cup
• EGGS, 3, beaten
• SOY SAUCE, 1 tablespoon
• LEMON JUICE, 1 lemon
• LEMON JUICE, ½ cup
• WATER, ½ cup
• SUGAR, 2 tablespoons
• LEMON ZEST, 1 lemon
• SALT, pinch
• CORN STARCH SLURRY, 1 tablespoon

Directions 

1. Heat a deep pan of canola oil.
2. If using chicken breasts, pound to flatten, and cut into 1-inch wide strips.
3. Combine the corn starch and flour, mix well.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, soy sauce, and juice of 1 lemon.
5. Dredge the chicken in the flour, coat in the egg mixture, and again in the flour.
6. Deep-fry the coated chicken until golden brown on both sides.
7. In another pan, combine ½ cup of lemon juice, water, sugar, lemon zest and salt, whisking to combine as it cooks.
8. Thicken the sauce with the cornstarch slurry.
9. Coat the chicken in the sauce and serve on steamed rice.

Honey Tangerine Dressing

This is amazing on a Romaine and Apple Salad—subtly flavored, not overly sweet, and so light that the olive oil almost disappears.

Chop up some Romaine lettuce (purists may rip the leaves apart); peel, core, slice and acidulate some apples (I like Fuji) to prevent browning, add some crispy, crunchy cucumbers, and toss everything in about a third of a cup of dressing … not too much now!

This recipe makes one cup. You’ll have plenty leftover to keep in the fridge.

Ingredients 

• DIJON MUSTARD, 1 teaspoon
• HONEY, 1 tablespoon
• GARLIC, 1 small clove, minced
• SHALLOT, 1½ teaspoons, minced fine
• TANGERINE JUICE, freshly squeezed, ⅓ cup
• WHITE WINE VINEGAR, 1 tablespoon
• SALT and PEPPER, to taste
• OLIVE OIL, ⅔ cup

Directions 

1. Briskly combine all the ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Slowly add the olive oil, whipping very briskly until everything is emulsified evenly.

And that’s it!