chicken Archives - A Calculated Whisk

Sheet Pan Crispy Chicken Thighs with Cabbage & Apples

March 27, 2020 By Becky Leave a Comment

Sheet Pan Crispy Chicken Thighs with Cabbage & Apples

This sheet pan crispy chicken with cabbage and apples tastes amazing and is easy to throw together. It’s paleo, dairy free, gluten free, and Whole30-compliant–and all you’ll need to wash is one baking sheet!

Is anyone else holding on to wintry foods for longer than usual this year? Even though it’s almost April and the high will be 85 degrees in Chattanooga today, I’m still craving everything roasted or braised, plus soups, stews, and all other things comfort food.

I know almost everything is a struggle these days, and I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and home as much as possible. Access to food is now spottier than ever and constantly shifting, so I hope you are staying well fed. I photographed this over a month ago when it was still business as usual here, but lately have had to try several times before succeeding in obtaining bone-in chicken.

Chicken Tikka Masala

October 29, 2018 By Becky Leave a Comment

This post is sponsored by .

Chicken Tikka Masala

Chicken tikka masala is a favorite at Indian restaurants, but it’s even more delicious when made at home! Try it with my paleo flatbread.

Who else is a huge fan of Indian food? I think if I had to pick just one cuisine as my very favorite, Indian would be it. I just can’t pass up all the layers of spice and flavor! And while it’s great to go out and enjoy dinner at an Indian restaurant, it’s even more fun (and even tastier) to make it yourself at home. Plus, your house will smell amazing!

Orange Chicken Skewers from Made Whole

July 30, 2018 By Becky Leave a Comment

These orange chicken skewers are packed with flavor and easy to throw together. They’re great on a salad or alongside grilled veggies!

I’m so excited to be sharing an easy and delicious recipe today from Cristina Curp’s brand new cookbook, Made Whole! The book has over 145 recipes that are all anti-inflammatory, paleo, and keto friendly. In addition to plenty of main dishes and several scrumptious-looking desserts, it has a big chapter of staples, sauces, and dressings that includes a couple of awesome paleo cheese recipes. If you’ve visited Cristina’s blog, The Castaway Kitchen, then you know she comes up with tons of creative low-carb recipes, many of which are Whole30 friendly, too.

Instant Pot Fesenjan (Persian Pomegranate Chicken)

January 5, 2018 By Becky 104 Comments

This post is being rewritten. I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to share their thoughts in the comments. To learn more about fesenjan, please see this post by Shahab Shabani and this recipe from Persian Mama.

6 Ways to Top Roasted Sweet Potatoes

November 22, 2017 By Becky 22 Comments

This post is sponsored by the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission.

With these six ways to top roasted sweet potatoes, everyone will be sure to find something they love. Pick one or two to make for dinner or go all out and try all six!

Happy Thanksgiving Eve! I’m here today to tell you about a delicious meal idea that, while not necessarily meant for Turkey Day itself, is certainly perfect for any busy night (or day or even morning) of the year when you need some fast and healthy grub.

Pinchos de Pollo from Latin American Paleo Cooking + Giveaway

September 5, 2017 By Becky 17 Comments

These pinchos de pollo (Puerto Rican chicken skewers) from Latin American Paleo Cooking are a snap to make, packed with flavor, and super healthy.

So, hi! I’m back from what I think was my longest blogging hiatus ever, and I have really missed you. I have a post coming up soon with details on what I’ve been up to in case you’re interested (spoiler alert: planning our wedding and lots of freelance work!). From now on I’ll be sharing recipes more regularly again, and am really excited to get back in the game with this amazing and super simple recipe from Amanda Torres’ new cookbook, Latin American Paleo Cooking. Amanda is the brilliant recipe developer and writer behind the blog The Curious Coconut, and she wrote the cookbook with her mother in law, Milagros Torres, who grew up in Puerto Rico and has been cooking since she was ten.

The book is full of tempting recipes for family dinners, party food, quick and easy meals, sides, cooking essentials like sauces, and desserts from many different Latin American countries. Since I’m trying to slim down for my wedding (it’s in less than two weeks!), I have not even looked at the dessert chapter. However, I’ve been poring over everything else and have a huge list of what I want to make. Empanadas are at the very top of my list (and the top of the cover of the book–don’t they look amazing?)!

Mango Jerk Chicken + How to Cook Rice on the Grill

May 22, 2017 By Becky 31 Comments

This post is sponsored by Cost Plus World Market.

Marinated Jerk Chicken + How to Cook Rice on the Grill

This mango jerk chicken is extra delicious thanks to mango juice in the marinade, and the whole meal is super simple because the rice is cooked on the grill, too!

While it technically won’t be summer for another month, it’s already felt like summer here in Chattanooga for several weeks. Ben and I got the grill set up at our new place, and I’m eager to cook as many meals as possible entirely outside. It’s so much easier to keep the kitchen clean and cool when you make your whole meal on the grill! For this dinner, we’re marinating chicken breasts in jerk seasoning and a generous glug of mango juice, and pairing them with rice cooked on the grill and then mixed with fresh mango, cilantro, and peas.

I always have so much fun shopping at Cost Plus World Market Hamilton Place–since there are so many gourmet food items, beautiful linens, kitchen essentials, and tableware all in one spot, it is pretty hard to get me out of there once I walk in. And of course, they have everything you need for grilling. They’re also often sampling something delicious to sip or nibble on while you shop. Thanks to the samples, I got to make sure this mango juice was super tasty before I bought it! You can find your local Cost Plus World Market store here.

Crispy Chicken Salad with Pineapple Pico de Gallo

January 5, 2017 By Becky 28 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This crispy chicken salad with pineapple pico de gallo is full of fresh, vibrant ingredients to brighten up your winter. Plus, it’s paleo and Whole30 compliant!

Crispy chicken: I’m starting to worry I talk about it too much. The thing is, it just doesn’t get much better. And it definitely doesn’t get ANY better when we’re talking about a Whole30-compliant salad. This crispy chicken salad with pineapple pico is the stuff dreams are made of!

While my usual method for crisping up chicken is to use skin-on chicken thighs (see exhibits A, B, and C), this time I wanted crispy breaded chicken. I didn’t want to use bread, of course, and almond flour doesn’t quite produce the requisite level of crunch. I was planning to try crushed up plantain chips, but I couldn’t find any that were made with Whole30-friendly oil. It was in my search for plantain chips that I laid eyes on EPIC’s sea salt & pepper pork rinds.

The ingredients are Whole30-compliant, and I confirmed on the forums that if pork rinds are used in the context of a nutritious recipe and not just for mindless snacking, they’re fine. In this case, I eliminated any (convenient) snacking possibilities by smashing the rinds to smithereens while they were still in the bag.

Anyway, they make a wonderfully flavorful breading for crispy chicken, which then graces the top of this salad that’s already packed with just the right combination of sweet, spicy, crunchy, peppery, juicy, and creamy bites.

Pomegranate Roasted Jerk Chicken

December 7, 2016 By Becky 29 Comments

This paleo pomegranate roasted jerk chicken is ideal for those who want a festive holiday main with a bit of a kick. Served with baby potatoes, it’s a complete, one-pot meal. This post is sponsored by Frontier Co-op.

I especially enjoy spicy foods in the winter–I’ll take all the warmth I can get when it’s cold outside. This pomegranate roast chicken is perfect for warming up both your kitchen as it roasts and you when you eat it. If you’re spice-averse, though, don’t worry. You can customize the heat level by adding fewer habanero peppers.

The peppers aren’t the only thing bringing heat to this chicken. Spices like cinnamon, allspice, and smoked paprika also have a warming effect. Peppers and spices are combined with a hint of tart sweetness from pomegranate juice, grassy freshness from the scallions, and the savory fragrance of fresh thyme. All of those flavors come together to create a perfect Jamaican jerk paste that’s equally delicious on chicken and potatoes. Roasting the chicken at high heat for the first few minutes and then reducing the heat for the remainder of the cooking time ensures crispy skin and juicy meat.

I created this recipe in partnership with Frontier Co-op, my favorite source for spices and seasonings. Frontier is encouraging everyone to #CookWithPurpose this holiday season and all year long. I care a lot about where my food comes from and how it’s grown, which is why I get most of my produce and meat from local farms that use sustainable practices. It’s important to me to think just as carefully about where our ingredients come from as we do about which delicious dishes to cook up for our families. With spices, though, it can be trickier to know what goes on to get these essential flavorings from farm to table. It’s impossible for me to source things like cinnamon and allspice locally, so I love being able to turn to Frontier Co-op to be assured that I’m getting spices that were grown sustainably and sourced with fair trade practices.

One-Pot Turmeric Chicken and Rice

November 28, 2016 By Becky 12 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This easy one-pot turmeric chicken and rice is pure winter comfort food, with warming Indian spices and plenty of vegetables.

I work with kids as a speech therapist during the day, and I remember a while back I asked one of my kids what his favorite food was and he said, “chicken and rice”. I remember thinking, “Really? What’s so special about chicken and rice?”

Well, I am here to literally eat my words. Chicken and rice cooked together, especially with turmeric and other warming spices, a generous splash of wine, and some pops of colorful veggies, definitely qualifies as favorite-food material. Plus this dish is made with bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, which are my absolute favorite cut of chicken. And you only have to use one pan! There is basically nothing not to love about this dish.

One-pot turmeric chicken and rice is going to be on my dinner menu pretty much every week for the rest of the cold months. Turmeric is a vibrant superfood that gives great color and flavor to the chicken and the rice. It goes perfectly with a bit of smoked paprika, coriander, cumin, and just the tiniest touch of cinnamon. If you like Indian food, you’ll notice this dish tastes a lot like biryani. I added onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and carrots with the rice for vegetal goodness, and raisins, peas, scallions, and cilantro for extra pops of flavor and freshness toward the end of cooking.

Maple Balsamic Chicken and Bacon Skewers

June 10, 2016 By Becky 26 Comments

Chicken and bacon skewers are sure to become your next grilling obsession! These easy skewers feature chicken with a maple balsamic glaze, zucchini, summer squash, and peppers woven together with bacon. This post is sponsored by Santa Rita.

Food on a stick is just more fun, right? Especially when there’s bacon involved. These skewers will be the star of your next cookout. Maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and spices add flavor to the chicken, and the chicken and vegetables are super succulent because they’re nestled in between waves of bacon while they cook. The end result is a skewer with a perfect balance of sweet and salty, with plenty of protein and colorful pops of veggies.

Together with a glass of chilled white wine, these skewers just scream summer, and I recommend Santa Rita 120 Sauvignon Blanc. I absolutely love a good wine that doesn’t break the bank, and this one is perfect. All its citrusy notes make it super refreshing, the perfect counterpoint to a smoky skewer of grilled goodness. I also feel good about this wine because of Santa Rita’s commitment to sustainability–they’re working hard to measure and reduce their carbon footprint and implement technologies that reduce pollution and wasted water. Cheers to that!

Crispy Chicken Thai Salad

June 4, 2016 By Becky 4 Comments

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This crispy chicken Thai salad is super refreshing thanks to a light but flavorful lime dressing and plenty of fresh herbs. The chicken is amazing on its own, but transcendent when paired with the crunch and tang of the salad.

If you’re a long-time reader, you may have heard me mention my lack of love for salad. However, I’ve been working on changing that, because eating lots of raw vegetables is so good for you, and salads are generally easy and quick to put together. Also, I get so much lettuce in my CSA, and I definitely don’t want it to go to waste.

Here’s the formula I’ve discovered for making salads that I don’t hate: some kind of greens, preferably fresh from the farm + something sweet (usually fruit) + something crunchy (often nuts) + something creamy like avocado or cheese + plenty of pops of color + a flavorful dressing that’s just tart enough. And if said salad is meant to be an entire meal, add in a good dose of protein.