Fall can be a hectic season, but these quick and flexible recipes provide healthy comfort food. Master these techniques and feel free to adapt them—your family will believe you are a never-ending source of wholesome, hearty meals.
Chicken and Peppers
Ingredients
3 lbs organic chicken thighs (boneless and skinless)
5 yellow or orange peppers, cut into wide strips
5 red peppers, cut into wide strips
1 large onion, cut into wide strips
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chicken broth or white wine
1/4 cup prepared marinara sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat a pan on medium-high and add enough olive oil to cover the bottom.
Place the chicken in the hot pan and sear until browned, then flip and brown the other side (about 2 minutes each side).
Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest on a plate (it won’t be fully cooked yet but should have a nice caramel color).
Pour a splash of chicken broth or wine into the hot pan, scraping up the flavorful bits.
Add more olive oil along with the peppers, onions, garlic, and parsley.
Season with salt and pepper, cooking on medium-high until the peppers and onions soften.
Return the chicken and any juices back into the mixture of onions and peppers.
Add the chicken broth and marinara sauce, then let it simmer slowly for at least 15 minutes.
The longer you simmer, the richer the flavor becomes, and the more tender the chicken will be.
Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Options:
– Use bone-in chicken for added flavor, though it may be more challenging to serve and eat.
– Serve over polenta or any hearty pasta.
– Add other vegetables like zucchini, baby spinach, or eggplant.
– Include sweet or hot Italian sausage.
– Use only sausage and peppers and serve them on hearty hoagie rolls.
Roasted Pepper Soup
Ingredients
4-5 yellow, red, or orange peppers
1 onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup half and half cream (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place the peppers and onion on a baking sheet with the garlic, and sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Roast for 15 minutes or until slightly browned.
Remove from oven and process the vegetables through a food mill (this will keep the skins behind). If you don’t have a food mill, use an immersion or regular blender.
Transfer the pureed vegetables to a soup pot, add chicken broth, and heat through.
Stir in lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper. If you prefer a creamy texture, mix in 1/4 cup of cream.
Options:
– This method can be used with nearly any combination of vegetables for delicious, easy soups.
– For a great pasta, fish, chicken, or beef sauce, roast and blend the vegetables (omit broth and cream) and season the puree.
– Try roasting cauliflower with curry powder, following the same process but using less broth and more cream.
– Canned tomatoes can be roasted with basil and carrots for sweetness, then use the same process, adding grated parmesan cheese at the end.
Talk food to me at Bobbie@goodlifefamilymag.com!
