Chicken Soup from Scratch

BROTH:

• 1 chicken, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds, with skin, cut up
• 3 stalks celery, with leaves, cut into chunks
• 2 large carrots, cut into chunks
• 2 yellow onions, peeled and halved
•  About 1 dozen large sprigs parsley
•  About 1 dozen black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste

TO FINISH THE SOUP:

• 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into small dice
•  Kosher salt and ground black or white pepper
•  Egg noodles (fresh or dried)
•  Finely chopped herbs, such as parsley, scallions, dill or a combination
• 
  
• 1. Place the chicken, celery, carrots, onions, parsley, peppercorns, bay leaves and salt in a large soup pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch.
• 2. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to very low. Adjust the heat to simmer and cook uncovered, until the chicken is very tender and falling off the bone, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• 3. When cool enough to handle, use tongs to transfer chicken from the pot to a container. Taste the broth and continue to simmer it until it is concentrated and tasty. Strain broth into a separate container. 
• 4. Refrigerate chicken pieces and broth separately for at least 8 hours (or up to 3 days)
• 5. When ready to finish the soup, use your fingers to separate chicken breast meat from bones and skin. Discard bones and skin. Use two forks to pull the breast meat apart into soft chunks, or use a knife and cut into bite-size pieces. Reserve dark meat for another use.
• 6. Skim chicken fat from top of broth. Pour broth into pot with carrots and heat to a simmer. Add noodles and simmer until heated through, soft and plumped with chicken broth. Add the breast meat, then taste broth and add salt and pepper to taste. For best flavor, soup should have a few golden droplets of fat on top; if needed, add some chicken fat one teaspoon at a time.
• Serve immediately, sprinkling each serving with herbs.

Alabama-style White Barbecue Sauce

This barbecue sauce uses mayo as a base and combines horseradish, vinegar and lemon for a bright pop of flavor.  Use this sauce on drumsticks and wings from the grill or oven.

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk all ingredients together until smooth.  Refrigerate up to 2 weeks. 

Authentic Jerk Chicken

8 pieces of drumsticks, wings and thighs
2 tablespoons of Browder's JERK Dry Rub
3/4 cup of malt vinegar (or white vinegar)
3/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons of Jamaican rum
vegetable oil for grilling

1. Blend dry rub with vinegar, soy sauce and rum, then pour over chicken.  Turn several times to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

2.  Remove chicken from marinade, wiping off excess, and let it come to room temperature (about 30 minutes).

3.  Prepare grill and lightly brush grate with oil.  Place chicken on hottest part of grill, skin side down, turning halfway through until slightly charred, about 5-10 minutes.

4.  Move chicken to cooler part of grill and continue cooking, turning several times, for 20-25 minutes.  (Thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken should read 165 degrees.)

5. Transfer chicken to a platter and rest 10 minutes before serving. 

Honey BBQ Drumsticks & Wings

Serves 4.

Ingredients

1-1/2 lbs drumsticks & wings
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup avocado oil or olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of crushed peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon of hot chili sauce
salt to taste


1.  Place the chicken in a large, shallow dish. In a bowl, combine ketchup, honey, soy sauce, lemon juice and oil, along with pepper, chili sauce and salt.  Pour over chicken, cover and marinate for at least one hour in the fridge. 

2.  Prepare grill and cook chicken, flipping every 5-7 minutes, until internal temperature of 185-190 is reached.  Allow chicken to rest for 10 minutes before serving. 

Spiced Cold Chicken

Our favorite portable chicken recipe for picnics on the beach.

Ingredients:
1 4-lb chicken cut into 8-pieces or one 8-piece Chicken Pack
2 tablespoons of Browder's GRILL DRY RUB*
1 tablespoon olive oil

1.  Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Pat chicken dry with paper towels and place in a large roasting pan. 

2.  Combine dry rub and olive oil and rub evenly all over chicken.  Roast for 45 minutes then allow to cool.  Chill chicken in fridge before packing.

*If making your own dry rub, combine 1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 2 teaspoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon dry mustard, pinch of kosher salt and pepper.  Mix with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, as directed.

Fried Chicken with Hot Honey

3 cups gluten-free white rice flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1-1/4 tsp salt
1 cup canola or avocado oil
3 lbs drumsticks & wings
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons hot sauce
1/2 tsp black pepper




1.  Place 1-1/2 cups rice flour in a shallow baking dish and set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk remaining 1-1/2 cups rice flour with baking soda, onion powder, garlic powder and 1 tsp salt.  Stir in 1-1/2 cups of water to form a batter.

2.  In a heavy, deep 12-inch skillet, heat the oil on medium-high until hot but not smoking (about 325 on a deep-fry thermometer).

3.  Meanwhile, dip the chicken into wet batter, letting excess drip off.  Then dip into reserved flour, tossing to coat.  Place on a large sheet of parchment.

4.  Add half of the chicken to the hot oil.  Fry 8-12 minutes, until cooked through, turning occasionally and adjusting heat to maintain temperature.  Repeat with remaining chicken.

5.  Arrange a wire rack over a sheet of foil and transfer fried chicken on top.  Season with remaining 1/4 tsp salt.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, hot sauce and black pepper.  Serve chicken with the hot honey for dipping.

Serves 6.

Egg & Spinach Bell Pepper Bowls

2 servings

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons crumbled Feta
1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup loosely packed spinach, chopped
1 medium bell pepper, halved lengthwise

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a blender, add eggs and salt/pepper; pulse until combined and fluffy.  Stir in baby spinach and 2 tablespoons of feta.  Pour into pepper halves.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese and a little more pepper.

3.  Bake peppers next two each other, in a snug baking dish so they don't tip over, for 15-20 minutes when eggs puff and are set.

One-Pan Chicken with Kale and Sweet Potatoes

Serves 3-4

This recipe requires two packs of our bone-in chicken breast and will not work with just one pack - the vegetables will burn.  But you can scale up and substitute one of our 8-piece whole chicken grill packs.

1/4 cup evoo
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
salt and pepper
8 ounces curly kale, stemmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon paprika
4 bone-in split chicken breasts, halved crosswise

1.  Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees.  Whisk oil, garlic, lemon zest, thyme, pinch of salt and pepper, together in a small bowl. 

2.  Vigorously squeeze and massage kale with hands in a large bowl until wilted, about 1 minute.  Arrange kale in a pile in center of rimmed baking sheet.

3.  Toss sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of oil mixture and toss to coat.  Arrange in a singe layer around edges of sheet.  Whisk paprika into remaining oil mixture and toss with chicken.  Place chicken, skin-side up, on top of kale in the center of the sheet. 

4.  Transfer sheet to oven and roast until chicken registers 165 degrees, 25 to 35 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through roasting.  Transfer chicken to a platter and tent with foil for 5-10 minutes. 

5.  Toss vegetables with any accumulated pan juices and season with salt & pepper.   

Classic Deviled Eggs

A delicious idea for all of those left-over Easter eggs!


1 dozen hard-boiled eggs
6 Tbsp Mayo
4 tsp dill relish or sweet relish
1-1/2 Tbsp yellow mustard
2-4 dashes of hot sauce
fresh chives

Peel and halve, length-wise, eggs.  Puree the yolks, mayonnaise, relish, mustard and hot sauce until smooth.  Add 2 tablespoons of snipped chives and pulse to combine.  Spoon or pipe about 1 tablespoon of filling into each egg half.  Garnish with more chives. 

Black Bean Breakfast Bowl

Breakfast for Dinner?  A great dinner can start with breakfast with recipes like this Breakfast Bowl.
Serves 4

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
8 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
1 (15-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup fresh salsa

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add eggs, salt and pepper; cook, stirring, until eggs are set, 3-5 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat beans in a microwave-safe bowl, covered, until warm, about 1 minute. Stir in cilantro,

Divide warmed beans among 4 serving bowls.  Top each with eggs, avocado slices and salsa. 

Breakfast Egg Muffins

This recipe for breakfast egg muffins is an easy grab and go option for busy mornings. 

• cooking spray
• 6 eggs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup spinach
• 1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon
• 1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• diced tomatoes and chopped parsley, optional

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Coat 6 cups of a muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
• Crack the eggs into a large bowl. Whisk to blend the eggs until smooth.
• Add the spinach, bacon and cheese to the egg mixture and stir to combine.
• Divide the egg mixture evenly among the muffin cups.
• Bake for 15-18 minutes or until eggs are set.
• Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. Top with diced tomatoes and parsley if desired.

**You can make this recipe with different ingredients for variety. A good rule to follow is combine a protein, cheese and a vegetable. 

Hen and Dumplings

For stewing the hen and broth:
1 (3-4 pound) chicken
3 quarts cold water
3 medium carrots, peeled
3 celery stalks
1 small onion, halved
1 head garlic, halved crosswise, plus 1 clove grated
2 bay leaves
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
1-1/4  cups dry white wine
1 large leek, white & green parts cut into medium dice and washed; green top washed and reserved
1 cup torn herbs, like parsley, dill, chervil, chives, for garnish

For dumplings: 
1 slice white bread, crust removed and bread torn into small pieces
1/4 cup stock
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely diced shallots
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
6 ounces ground veal or chicken
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup sliced chives
zest of 1 lemon

1. In a 6-quart stockpot, combine chicken with cold water.  Bring to simmer over high heat.  Begin to skim away any fat or scum from surface.  Add one carrot, one celery stalk, onion, split garlic head, bay leaves, 1 tablespoon salt, peppercorns and 1 cup wine.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until chicken is tender, 2-1/2 - 3 hours.

2.  Transfer chicken to cutting board.  When cool enough to handle, remove skin and meat.  Return bones to the pot.  Simmer, uncovered, 1-1/2-2 hours and add leek tops for last 30 minutes.

3.  While stock simmers, prepare dumplings.  Heat oven to 450 degrees. Soak bread in 1/4 cup chicken stock for 5 minutes, squeeze out excess.  Melt 3 tablespoons butter in large, oven-proof pan over medium heat.  Add shallots, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and saute 7-8 minutes.  Meanwhile, mince soaked bread and about 10 ounces of the reserved chicken meat and skin. In a bowl combine, minced bread/chicken mixture with ground veal or chicken, eggs, chives, lemon zest and 1/2 tsp salt.  Add shallots.  Form into golf-ball sized dumplings and refrigerate 1 hour.

4.  Heat pan used for shallots over medium heat and add remaining butter.  Gently add dumplings to skillet and let cook, undisturbed until browned, 5 minutes.  Use soup spoons to gently flip dumplings.  Transfer skillet to oven and bake 12-15 minutes until firm, basting dumplings with butter form pan midway through cooking.

5.  Pour stock through a fine-mesh strainer.  (You should have about 2 quarts. Top with water if necessary.)  Discard vegetables and bones.  Chop remaining leeks, carrots and celery into bite-size pieces.  Return stock to simmer and add chopped vegetables and remaining wine.  Simmer until just soft, about 4 minutes. Add herbs and remove pot from heat. Divide dumplings among 4-5 bowls and ladle soup over top.

Omelet Roll-ups

These little rolls are filled with flakes of smoked salmon and cream cheese but easily substitute, cooked spinach, ham and/or cheese.

4 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup flaked smoked salmon
1 tablespoon chopped chives or dill
1/4 cup cream cheese
ground pepper

1.  Beat the eggs in a bowl and season with pepper.

2.  Heat half of oil in a small omelet pan and pour in half of the beaten eggs.

3.  Swirl the eggs around the pan until the base of the omelet is lightly set.  Push the set parts into the uncooked center and continue cooking until completely set and lightly golden on the underside.

4.  Flip the omelet and brown the other side for a few seconds. Turn out onto a cutting board.  Repeat with remaining eggs to make a second omelet.

5.  Mix together the salmon and cream cheese and season with pepper.  Spread mixture on one side of each omelet, leaving edges clear.

6.  Roll-up each omelet tightly and cut across into slices.  Sprinkle with herbs.  Serve warm or cold.

Whole Roast Chicken

A basic roast chicken recipe can be most useful to have on hand.  A roast chicken is a meal on it's own or the start of any recipe that calls for cooked chicken.  

2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs, such as sage, rosemary, thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 tsp ground pepper
1 4- to 5-pound organic chicken
1 small lemon, halved crosswise
1 medium head of garlic, halved crosswise
3 medium carrots, cut into 3-inch pieces
3 stalks of celery, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 large onion, thinly sliced

1. Position rack in the bottom third of oven; preheat to 375 degrees.

2.  Combine butter, 1 tablespoon herbs, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper in a small bowl.  Loosen the skin from the breasts with your fingers and spread butter mixture under it.  Place the lemon and garlic in the cavity.  Tie the legs together with kitchen string.  Place carrots, celery, and onion in a large broiler-safe pot.  Put chicken breast-side up on top of vegetables and put the lid on. 

3.  Roast the chicken for 1 hour.  Increase oven temperature to broil.  Uncover and broil until golden brown, about 6 to 10 minutes.  A thermometer inserted in a thigh without touching bone should register 165 degrees.  

4.  Transfer the chicken to a clean cutting board and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.  Serve sprinkled with remaining herbs and 1/2 tsp of salt.