Cooking Leeks

Braised Chicken With Leeks

As summer winds down and we enter the between-seasons period of late September, one craves something more warm and comforting, but it’s still pretty warm, so heating up the kitchen too much is not a good idea.

This dish it perfect for the weather—it is only in the oven for 45 minutes, so it won’t heat up your kitchen like other heavier braised dishes, but it still fits the bill for comfort food as it starts to get chillier outside.

This dish is also proof that ugly food is often the most delicious. I added some fresh thyme leaves to the top to give it some color, but I’m not quite sure that helped. It probably also didn’t help that my regular camera was dead so I had to use my phone’s camera. But it really doesn’t matter. The sauce is so good that I could have eaten it as a soup, and the chicken stayed incredibly moist and delicious.

I used chicken thighs here because they stay moister than chicken breasts would, but also because legs are generally less expensive; if you want to use chicken breasts, you would have to cut the cooking time down. I also use half & half to finish the sauce, though if you’re looking for more richness, then use heavy cream. It’s just a personal preference of mine since half & half has less fat and can usually (but not always) be used in a sauce without much textural difference.

I served this with brown rice, but it would also be great over pasta or polenta, or with a side salad and bread.

Braised Chicken with Leeks

Ingredients – Serves 4:

4 whole chicken legs

Olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, sliced

4 leeks, white and light green parts, washed and sliced

1 14-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

¼ cup + 1 cup low sodium chicken broth

4 sprigs fresh thyme

Juice of half a lemon

¼ cup half & half

Salt & Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat olive oil in a large, ovenproof skillet with a lid over high heat. When hot, add in chicken pieces skin side down and sear until golden, about 5 minutes per side.

3. Remove to a plate and reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, leeks, and onion to pan and sauté until the mixture starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Then add ¼ cup chicken broth and scrape bottom to deglaze the pan. Simmer until reduced to a couple of tablespoons.

4. Add 1 cup of chicken broth, cannellini beans, and lemon juice to the pan, season to taste, and stir to combine. Then add chicken pieces, skin side up. Cover and place into preheated oven for about 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and tender.

5. Turn off the oven and remove skillet. Remove chicken to a sheet pan and put back in the oven to keep warm.

6. Put skillet back on the stove over medium heat and simmer until sauce is of desired thickness, about 8-10 minutes. Turn off heat and add the half & half. Serve the sauce over the chicken.

By: Jessica Verderame

Read more recipes at www.allmediany.com!

About the Author

Jessica Verderame is a staff writer at AllMediaNY.com.

When cooking Leeks, do you use the green or white part?

I have a recipe that calls for sauteed leeks trimmed and chopped. I’ve never cooked with leeks before so I know it sounds silly asking what part of them too use. Thanks!

Use both parts unless specified otherwise. Trim the end and the top just as you would a green onion and make sure you wash it well. Leeks impart a delicious flavor to a dish. I particularly like leek soup. Here is a link that will help you:

http://homecooking.about.com/library/weekly/aa040901a.htm

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Cooking Leeks

Cooking Vegetables That Diabetics Can Enjoy, Too. Squash with Chicken & Sauteed Leeks and Zucchini

I am a vegetable person, preferring them over the meat, fish and poultry items anyday. As a diabetic, I have to watch my intake of potatoes and other carbs but have found many ways to enjoy healthy vegetable dishes. Here are some of my vegetable recipes that I hope you will enjoy, too. Squash with chicken uses only a half cup of chicken but that is enough to add the needed protein to the dish.  Another great thing about this dish is that it cooks in a matter of minutes.  The Sauteed Leeks and Zucchini is another great squash dish with a garlicky flavor.  This dish is also ready in a matter of minutes.

SQUASH WITH CHICKEN

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup sliced celery

1 tsp butter

2 1/2 cups sliced yellow squash

1 cup sliced zucchini squash

1/2 cup chopped or shredded cooked chicken

2 tbsp water

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Melt butter in a large skillet; add onion and celery sauting until tender.  Stir in the yellow squash and zucchini.  Add the chicken, water, and spices.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook about 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Stir frequently during cooking.

SAUTEED LEEKS AND ZUCCHINI

1 tbsp butter

2 large leeks finely chopped

5 to 6 small zucchini, finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt

2 minced garlic cloves

In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the leeks to the skillet and saute for a couple of minutes.  Add the remaining ingredients to the skillet stirring to blend.  Cover the skillet and reduced heat to low.  Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove the lid, increase the heat to medium and continue to cook about 10 minutes more until the liquid evaporates.

Enjoy!

About the Author

More more of Linda’s recipes visit her blog at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com

Cooking Tips : How to Pick Leek

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