Chicken Caesar Salad Nachos

Chicken Caesar Salad Nachos

15 minutes 30 minutes 4 servings

Ingredients

Parmesan Crisps:

• ½ cup grated or shredded parmesan cheese

Nachos:

• 1 bag tortilla chips
• 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken
• 2 to 3 cups torn mozzarella cheese
• 1 head romaine, thinly sliced
• ½ cup your favorite Caesar dressing
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, optional

Instructions

Make the Parmesan Crisps:

1. In a small nonstick pan, add one or two piles of parmesan cheese and spread them out evenly.
2. Cook over low heat until golden brown and melted into a disk, about 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the heat and let cool completely (it will crisp as it cools). Thinly slice and set aside.

Make the Nachos:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the chips evenly.
2. Layer with chicken and cheese and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and chicken is warmed through.
3. Meanwhile, toss the romaine in the Caesar salad dressing.
4. When the nachos come out of the oven, top with the salad and parmesan cheese as well as crisps. Serve hot!

xoKatie 

Peach Panzanella Salad

Sound on, for the cutest commentary ever 🥰 Peach & Tomato Panzanella Salad 🍅🍑🥬

Peach Panzanella Salad

10 min 7 min 4-6 Servings

Ingredients

Recipe

• 1 baguette, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 ripe peaches, pitted and cut into wedges
• 2 small-medium heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 5 to 6 cups baby arugula
• ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 (4-ounce) package thinly sliced prosciutto

Dressing

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Place the baguette cubes on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat. Toast for 5 to 7 minutes until lightly golden brown. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a small bowl, add all of the ingredients and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, add the baguette cubes, arugula, peaches, tomatoes, feta and red onion. Drizzle over the dressing and toss to evenly coat. Top with the arugula slices and serve.

xoKatie 

---

Ginger Garlic Steak & Noodle Salad

There are some recipes you make, and once you start eating, you can’t stop. Like the lasagna that is irresistible straight out of the fridge, the tray of brownies you keep going back to just to “even them out,” or the guacamole that beckons you back for one more scoop. Well, add this Ginger Garlic Steak and Noodle Salad to the list. It’s seriously addictive. 

I first made this salad a couple of years ago on The Kitchen and it’s become a staple at our house. I chose this recipe for my cooking demo over the weekend at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival and I had the pleasure of meeting several of you there. We had so much fun!

Hope y’all enjoy this recipe as much as we do.

xoKatie 

Ginger Garlic Steak and Noodle Salad

45 min 6 hours 6-8 Servings

Ingredients

For the Steak

• ¼ cup avocado or vegetable oil
• ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
• ¼ cup dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 pound skirt steak
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lime

For the Salad

• 4 ounces Udon noodles (see Cook's Note)
• 1/2 cup avocado or vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon grated garlic
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Juice of 11/2 limes
• 2 cups finely shredded napa cabbage
• 1 bunch Tuscan kale, stemmed and finely shredded
• 1 cup carrot ribbons
• 1 cup whole cilantro leaves
• 1 1/2 cup whole mint leaves
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 fresno or jalapeno chile, sliced into thin rings
• 1 cup cup thinly sliced mango
• 1/2 chopped roasted salted peanuts
• Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

1. For the steak: In a wide, shallow container with a lid, add the avocado or vegetable oil, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil. Whisk to combine. Add the steak and coat in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours. Remove the steak from the refrigerator to come to room temperature before cooking, about 1 hour.
2. Preheat the grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Remove the steak from the marinade, pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side for medium-rare with an internal temperature of 125 degrees F. Remove from the heat and set aside to rest, about 10 minutes. Squeeze the juice of the lime on the rested steak and slice against the grain.
3. For the salad: Cook the udon noodles according to the package instructions.
4. In a small bowl, combine the avocado or vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, honey, mustard, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, salt and lime juice. Whisk thoroughly to combine and set aside.
5. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage and kale. Add the carrots, cilantro, mint, scallions, chiles, and noodles and toss to combine. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Add the mango and gently toss. Sprinkle the salad with peanuts. Arrange the steak over the salad.h 2 teaspoons salt and pepper to taste.
6. Divide the salad and steak among plates. Serve with lime wegdes.

Falafel Chicken Cutlets

Chicken cutlets are just chicken breasts cut in half horizontally for speedy cooking, but we all know they are really the stuff dreams are made of.

Typically, when we think “chicken cutlets,” we think breaded and fried — warm thoughts of crispy, golden brown, fried juicy chicken goodness.  I like a sprinkling of flakey sea salt, a squeeze of lemon, the first bite is pure bliss. Don’t even get me started on a chicken cutlet on a roll with a thick layer of mayonnaise, crunchy iceberg, and a slice of ripe tomato. Heaven!

To be clear, I’m pretty sure I didn’t use the term “chicken cutlets” to refer to this method until I moved to Long Island about 20 years ago.  (Most of the time, people just say “cutlets.” Like “Mom’s making cutlets for dinner.”) Where I’m from, we just would’ve said fried chicken breasts.  There are many names for this tasty treat depending on where in the world you’re from  – like schnitzel, cotoletta, milanesa, and escalope to name a few.

I’m surprised when I hear my New York friends tell me stories of how their moms used to fry up loads of chicken cutlets for dinner every week, because they’re not exactly quick or easy, and they kind of make a mess, but they are so gosh darn delicious, that I get it.  They’re pretty much a sure thing to please every family member too.  I think the key to success is preparation — set up your FEB station (flour, eggs, breadcrumbs), have two big sheet pans, one for the cutlets before they go into the oil, and one for after (I like to put a wire rack on the after pan so that the air circulates for prime crispiness and the bottom doesn’t get soggy).  I also recommend using a splatter screen for your frying pan to cut down on clean up. 

My new favorite iteration of this classic recipe is a Falafel Chicken Cutlet.  Falafel is a Middle Eastern dish, made of a mixture of chickpeas and/or fava beans, herbs, and spices, formed into balls or patties and deep-fried.  (If you visit New York City and would like to try some really good falafel, I recommend Taim.) Most grocery stores sell falafel mix, and for this recipe, I use it in place of breadcrumbs in the traditional cutlet recipe.

The mixture of herbs and spices is so flavorful, and the bean flour gives a unique texture.  I prefer using a meat mallet to pound the chicken breasts into thinner, more tender, versions of themselves, versus cutting them in half, but either way will do. I always serve these with a little salad of arugula and tomatoes (much like chicken Milanese – Italian cutlets!), and an ice cold glass of my Kind of Wild Gruner Veltliner (a classic pairing with schnitzel – Austrian cutlets!).

“Hope your family enjoys this recipe as much as mine does.  It’s truly a victory when I can make one meal that makes us all happy.”

— xo Katie

p.s. I’m including my recipe for my Cornbread Veggie Chili Skillet here as well.  It has absolutely nothing to do with cutlets, but I posted it on my Instagram last week, and many people asked me for the recipe.  One of our faves!

Falafel Chicken Cutlet

Easy 4 Servings 60 Minutes

Ingredients

For the Chicken

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• One (6.3-ounce) box falafel mix
• 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, pound to ½-inch thick
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Extra virgin olive oil and avocado oil, for cooking

For the Salad

• One (5-ounce) container baby arugula
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
• 5 to 6 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 4 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

For the Chicken

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Set up a breading station with one shallow plate with the flour, one with the eggs and one with the falafel mix as the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Evenly coat the chicken in the flour, followed by the egg; finish with the falafel mix.
2. In a large skillet add a ¼ inch of oil (I like a combination of olive oil and avocado oil). Heat over medium heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the chicken, working in 2 batches and adding more oil if necessary, and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is cooked to 165ºF, about 10 minutes.

For the Salad

1. In a large bowl, toss the arugula with the herbs, vinegar, lemon juice, and a drizzle of oil. Add the tomatoes and cucumbers and season with salt. Toss to combine.
2. Transfer the chicken to plates and top with the salad. Squeeze over more lemon as desired.

---

Feel good food (and wine!) I make this veggie chili all in the iron skillet, then top it with buttermilk cornbread.

It’s rich and hearty, just like our new vintage of @kindofwildwines Cabernet Sauvignon that I paired it with (our wine also happens to be organic, zero sugar, and free from harmful additives and preservatives!).

Veggie Chili Cornbread Skillet

Easy 6-8 Servings 110 Minutes

Ingredients

Chili

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cups medium-diced butternut squash
• 1 small green bell pepper, diced
• 1 small red bell pepper, diced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• Freshly ground black pepper
• One (16-ounce) jar salsa
• One (15.5-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• One (15.5-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• One (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup vegetable stock

Cornbread

• 1 cup (180 grams) fine-ground yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup (240 milliliters) buttermilk

Instructions

For the Chili

1. Heat the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and cook until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Add the butternut squash and peppers and cook for about 5 minutes more.
3. Stir in the chili powder, salt, oregano, cumin, and black pepper to taste. Cook until the spices are aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes more.
4. Pour in the salsa, black and pinto beans and tomatoes, scraping any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.
5. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 30 to 45 minutes.

For the Cornbread

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk to combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry mixture and add the melted butter, egg, and buttermilk. Whisk to combine, taking care not to overmix. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure that all the ingredients are incorporated.
3. Use a tablespoon or ice cream scoop to dollop the cornbread mixture over the top of the chili in the skillet. Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the cornbread is golden brown on top, 25 to 30 minutes.

All Things Lobster Rolls

Since it's the height of summer and I'm coming to you from the Hamptons, let's talk lobster rolls. I've been living here for 19 years now, which can hardly believe, and can distinctly remember my first lobster roll.

I had never even eaten a lobster before moving to Long Island and it was pretty much love at first bite. I kept hearing about lobster rolls, and I assumed by the way people talked about them (and by their price), that they must be some grand sandwich. I was quite surprised when I ordered my first lobster roll and it was a small scoop of cold lobster, slathered in mayo, on a hot dog bun. A hot dog bun?? For $28?! (Which now sounds like a bargain price). I wasn't sold that this was the end all be all as it had been billed.

Fast forward all these years later, and I've become a lobster roll-loving northeastern'r. My favorite roll, and my favorite seafood restaurant all around, is Bostwicks in Amagansett. I am crazy about their fried flounder and they are not stingy with the lobster on those rolls.

Lobster Cobb

Recipe Courtesy of Katie Lee Biegel, It's Not Complicated

Level: Easy

Prep time: 10 Min

Total time: 10 Min

Yield: 4-6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (60ml) mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 8 ounces (225g) cooked lobster meat (or cooked shrimp, crab, or even chicken)
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
• 1/2 shallot, minced
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 6 tablespoons (90ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 heads romaine lettuce hearts, chopped
• 1 cup (135g) grape tomatoes, halved
• Two 6-minute boiled eggs (recipe follows), peeled and quartered
• 1 avocado, diced
• 4 slices cooked bacon, diced
• 1/2 cup (70g) crumbled good quality blue cheese

Directions

1. Gently stir together the mayonnaise, tarragon, and lemon juice. Fold in the lobster. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
2. Whisk together the shallot, mustard, and vinegar in a large salad bowl. Slowly stream in the oil while whisking. Toss the lettuce with the dressing, then arrange the lobster missture, tomatoes, eggs, avocado, bacon, and cheese on top of the lettuce in neat rows. Serve immediately.

Boiled Eggs

Recipe Courtesy of Katie Lee Biegel, It's Not Complicated

Level: Easy

Prep time: 10 Min

Total time: 10 Min

Yield: 6 Servings

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper

Directions

1. Bring 2 quarts (2L) of water to a boil. Carefully lower the eggs into the water. Lower the heat to medium for a slow rolling boil. Set a timer for 6, 8 or 10 minutes. PRepare a water bath with ice. When the timer goes off, transfer the eggs carefully to the ice bath. Peel the eggs once they are cool to the touch and serve.

Lobster Salad

Recipe Courtesy of Katie Lee Biegel, It's Not Complicated

Level: Easy

Prep time: 5 Min

Total time: 5 Min

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound cooked lobster meat, cut into chunks (about 4 cups)
• Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Toss all ingredients in a medium bowl until combined.
2. Cook's Note: Serve on a bed of greens, on a hot dog bun, or with tomato aspic (also in my book The Comfort Table, page 31.)