Slow Cooker Thai-Inspired Chicken Stew 

 Contributed by Melissa Rubel Jacobson

 

Slow Cooker Thai-Inspired Chicken Stew

• MAKE-AHEAD

1. One 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
2. 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
3. 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon green curry paste
4. 2 1/2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce
5. 3 pounds skinless chicken thighs
6. 1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
7. 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
8. 1/2 cup grape tomatoes
9. 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
10. Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
11. Cilantro leaves, lime wedges and steamed rice, for serving

1. In a slow cooker, mix the coconut milk with the ginger, 1 tablespoon of the green curry paste and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the fish sauce. Add the chicken thighs and onion, cover and cook on low heat for 2 1/2 hours, until the chicken is tender. Add the potatoes and tomatoes, cover and cook on low for 1 hour longer, until the potatoes are tender.
2. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken and vegetables to shallow bowls. Skim the fat from the surface of the sauce. Transfer the sauce to a blender. Add the lime juice and the remaining 1 teaspoon each of green curry paste and fish sauce and puree until smooth. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and pour it over the chicken. Sprinkle with cilantro leaves and serve with lime wedges and rice.

Make Ahead The chicken stew can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before serving.

Asian Noodles with Chicken and Pineapple

• 

The sweet flavor of pineapple and red bell pepper goes well with the savory peanuts and fresh mint in this Southeast Asian noodle salad.

Ingredients

• 6 ounces green beans trimmed and halved lengthwise (2 cups)
• 1 red bell pepper seeds and ribs removed, thinly sliced lengthwise
• 8 ounces rice noodles
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 fresh pineapple peeled, cored, and sliced into bite-size wedges (2 cups)
• 1/4 cup fresh mint chopped
• 1/2 cup peanuts chopped

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling water, cook beans until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add bell pepper, and stir to submerge. Using a small sieve, transfer vegetables to a bowl. Add noodles to boiling water, and cook until al dente according to package directions, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain, rinse thoroughly with cold water, and reserve.
   
2. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, bring 1 cup salted water to a simmer over medium heat. Add chicken breasts; cover, and cook 5 minutes. Turn off heat; let steam until chicken is cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken with a fork.
   
3. In a large bowl, whisk together lime juice, soy sauce, and sugar. Add reserved vegetables and noodles, chicken, pineapple, mint, and 1/4 cup peanuts; season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat with dressing. Serve immediately, topped with remaining 1/4 cup peanuts.
   

Pine Nut Chicken Salad

Pine Nut Chicken Salad


Recipe by David Chang

In Korea, chef David Chang tasted a delicate, creamy pine nut sauce, made with only pine nuts, apricot nectar and chives. He immediately thought it would be a good substitute for mayonnaise. It's delicious in this chicken salad and would also be good in shrimp salad, lobster salad and egg salad, or used as a sandwich spread.



Pairing Suggestion Pinot Gris from Oregon can seem sweet, thanks to an nice intensity of ripe apple and pear flavors, but many of these wines are, in fact, dry. Try one with this crunchy, slightly sweet salad.


Ingredients


1/2 pound pine nuts

3/4 cup apricot nectar or juice or apple juice

3 tablespoons chopped chives

2 inner celery ribs, finely diced

One 3-pound rotisserie chicken—skin and bones discarded, meat shredded (about 4 cups)

Salt

1 tablespoon sesame seeds, preferably black

 
Directions


In a blender, combine the pine nuts and apricot nectar and puree until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of the chives and pulse just to incorporate. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and stir in the celery and chicken. Season with salt. Garnish with the sesame seeds and the remaining 1 tablespoon of chives and serve.





Serve With

Spicy kimchi or pickled vegetables.