Braised Chicken Thighs with Winter Vegetables

This dish tastes like chicken pot pie, but, without the gravy or the pie crust, it's less work and less fat.  A great way to use miscellaneous root vegetables (you could substitute beets, potatoes, sweet potatoes, or rutabagas in for the carrots and turnips).

Serves 4 with leftovers to spare

Ingredients:
8 bone in, skin on chicken thighs
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, washed well and chopped
6 small turnips (I used Harukei), washed, trimmed, and cut into quarters
4 carrots, washed, trimmed, and cut into big chunks (slightly smaller than turnips)
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 clove garlic
2 sprigs thyme and 1 sprig rosemary, tied together in a bundle with kitchen twine
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine or dry vermouth
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil for sauteing

Method:

 Preheat oven to 300.

1.  Salt and pepper the chicken generously on both sides.  Heat a small amount of oil in a large, ovenproof pot (like a dutch oven).  Brown the chicken, skin side down and then skin side up until it is browned all over (about 4 minutes each side).  Do this in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the pan.  Remove it from the pan and set aside.

2.  Drain off all but about 1/4 inch of the fat from the pan.  Add the leeks and saute until softened.  Deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping any browned bits off the bottom.  Cook until the wine is almost evaporated.

3.  Add the carrots, turnips, and herbs.  Replace the chicken thighs in the pan, skin side up,  in a single layer on top of the vegetables.  Add chicken stock, about halfway up the sides of the thighs.  Bring to a boil, cover, and place in the oven.

4.  Cook until chicken is falling apart and vegetables are completely soft (approximately 40-60 minutes).  Remove from the oven.  Stir in the peas and cover the pot again to allow the residual heat to cook the peas.  Enjoy!

Thai Chicken Cabbage Wraps

Filling Ingredients:

1 pound organic chicken breast, diced or cubed into small pieces

5-10 green cabbage leaves

2 large carrots, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 large shallot, thinly sliced

1 fresh lime

1/2 cup chopped green onions

handful fresh cilantro

Sauce Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil [non-GMO canola or sunflower is best because of their high heat tolerance]

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons tahini

2 teaspoons sriracha or chili paste

1/2 teaspoon. freshly grated ginger root

juice from 1/2 a lime

1/2 cup filtered water

1. In a wok or large saute pan heat the oil on medium heat. Add in carrots, bell pepper, garlic and shallots and cook until the veggies turn bright in color and the garlic and shallots start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes.  

2. In a small mixing bowl whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, tahini, sriracha, ginger, lime juice and water. 

3. Now add the chicken and the sauce with the veggies. Cook until the the chicken is white throughout.   The chicken should be cut into small pieces, so it shouldn't take too long to cook. 

4. Fill the leaves about half way; top with green onions, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime. Enjoy!  

Tip: You can eat your cabbage leaves raw or you can blanch them. If your leaves are leave you can half them, like show in the picture above. If your leaves are smaller, free free to eat them as is. You'll want the leaves to be about the size of your hand, otherwise they'll become awfully sloppy to eat. 

LIVING SIMPLY GLUTEN FREE