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chicken peanut ssauce
Chicken with Ginger-Peanut Sauce on Spinach

sesame basmati
Sesame Basmati Rice

Menu Plan for the week of April 19, 2013: Day 5 Recipes

Chicken with Ginger-Peanut Sauce on Warm Spinach
Sesame Basmati Rice

Cooking time:  25 minutes for menu      Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

      I've been having fun with spinach this spring.  I use creamy peanut butter, which I always have in the pantry for cooking, for both the sauce and the vinaigrette.

Chicken, Ginger-Peanut Sauce on Spinach     Preparation and cooking time: 25 minutes
    The chicken is served on barely warmed spinach with a light peanut vinaigrette  I cut the breasts in half, the short way.  They cook a bit faster and it makes a nicer presentation.

2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
6oz (180gr) fresh spinach, for salad
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
4 slices fresh ginger
2 tsp oil
2 tsp sesame oil
3 tbs peanut butter
1 tbs soy sauce
1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) chicken stock
1 tbs sherry vinegar

Roughly chop onion.  Mince ginger and garlic.  Heat oil in a large, nonstick skillet.  Add garlic, onion, ginger and sauté briefly.  Add chicken and brown on both sides.  Add stock and peanut butter, stirring well to combine.  Cover, reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
Prepare spinach, wash if needed, and spin dry. When chicken is done, remove to a plate.  Spoon 3/4 of the sauce on top and cover to keep warm.  Add the vinegar to the remaining sauce in the skillet and stir well.  Remove skillet from heat.  Add spinach and toss gently to combine with the vinaigrette until just barely wilted.  Divide the spinach between two plates, top with chicken and sauce. Serve.

Sesame Basmati Rice        Preparation and cooking time: 20 minutes or whatever your package says
   Something as easy as a bit of soy sauce, some sherry and a sprinkling of sesame seeds can elevate simple Basmati rice to a gourmet level.

1/2 cup Basmati rice
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp butter
1 cup (8oz, 240ml) chicken stock
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbs dry sherry
1 tbs sesame seeds   toasted is nice

Melt butter in small saucepan with sesame oil over medium heat.  Add rice and sauté, stirring for 1 - 2 minutes.  Add stock, soy sauce and sherry.  Cook rice for length of time on package.  When done fluff with a fork, add sesame seeds, fluff some more and serve

To toast sesame seeds:  Put them into a dry, nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Toss or stir them about in the pan until lightly golden, about 5 minutes.

Cooking schedule: 25 minutes
Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes
Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives,
large skillet with lid, small saucepan with lid, plate,
salad spinner, skillet for sesame seeds

Chop onion
Mince garlic, ginger
Sauté onion, garlic, ginger
Cut chicken breast in half
Add chicken, brown
Sauté rice
Add stock, soy sauce, sherry to rice, cover, cook

Turn chicken
Toast sesame seeds
Add stock, peanut butter to chicken, cover, simmer
Prepare spinach, wash, dry
    Pause while everything finishes
Remove chicken, 3/4 sauce, cover, keep warm
Add sherry vinegar to skillet, stir
Add spinach to skillet, stir, wilt ever so slightly
Divide spinach between 2 plates
Top with chicken, sauce
Fluff rice
Serve

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