Spicy Sicilian Chicken Food

SPICY SICILIAN BAKED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place the chicken, sausage and potatoes in a 9x13 baking pan.
• Scatter as many hot cherry peppers as you feel comfortable with (I love heat, so I put a lot!) in the pan.
• To really get the flavor, drizzle a bit of the pepper/vinegar "juice" from the jar over the chicken, etc.
• Drizzle the whole thing with olive oil, then season everything with salt, pepper and a bit of oregano.
• Bake until chicken is cooked through - depending on size/type of chicken pieces, about 70-80 minutes.
• Eat ravenously.

CARRABBA'S SPICY SICILIAN CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large stockpot (16 quart minimum / 20 quart recommended) heat olive oil under fairly low to medium heat.
• "Sweat" onion, celery, green pepper and some salt (to draw off moisture) for perhaps 30 minutes -- this is lower than browning, and makes the veggies somewhat translucent. I covered, and mixed every few minutes to prevent browning.
• Add carrots, garlic, some white pepper and some black pepper, and continue to heat under "sweat" conditions while mixing now and then.
• Add chicken stock, chicken breasts, tomatoes and potatoes -- and of course some more white pepper and black pepper.
• Cover and simmer on low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours (or use crock pot?).
• Remove chicken and let cool and stand to shred.
• Add chopped parsley and return the shredded chicken to the soup.
• Salt to taste at this point, and add more white and black pepper if your tongue is not twitching a bit when you sample. ;-).
• Simmer while cooking ditalini (or other stubby pasta).
• Serve soup over cooked pasta to taste.
• Note: Like many soups, this may be better made the day before and then served when needed. We will freeze some for ready-made meals and I think it will work out well.

SICILIAN-STYLE SPICY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Steps:

• Prep the vegetables: the onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers and potatoes.
• Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Place the whole chicken into a large soup pot.
• Add the chopped vegetables to the soup pot.
• Add water to the pot (about 6 to 7 cups) to cover the chicken and vegetables.
• Bring the soup pot to a boil on high. Using a spoon, skim off any foam that rises to surface (you'll need to do this every so often while the soup is cooking).
• Add parsley, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper to the soup pot.
• Reduce heat to medium low. Allow the soup to cook at a simmer for about 1.5 hours, partially covered with a lid, until the chicken is cooked through.
• In a separate smaller pot, bring water to a boil and cook the ditalini pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• Remove chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Allow for it to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the pot of soup simmering and add more water (about 2-3 cups), if you want.
• Remove the skin from the chicken. Separate meat from the bones. Cut up the chicken using a knife. Set aside.
• Using a potato masher, mash some potatoes in pot, this will thicken the broth slightly.
• Serve the soup with chicken, pasta and parmesan cheese.

SPICY CHICKEN

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in the garlic, olives, 3 tablespoons of parsley and capers. Add the wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken mixture to a platter. Spoon the sauce over. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of parsley and serve.
• Combine the oil and crushed red pepper flakes in a heavy small saucepan. Cook over low heat until a thermometer inserted into the oil registers 180 degrees F, about 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Transfer the oil and pepper flakes to a 4-ounce bottle. Seal the lid. Refrigerate up to 1 month.
• Yield: 2 cups
• Prep Time: 2 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Inactive Prep Time: 2 hours

CHICKEN SICILIAN

Steps:

• Cut the chicken into pieces. Place a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan and heat. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Add the onion and the cherry peppers. Discard any excess oil. Add the mushrooms, olives, and capers. Add a dash of paprika and 3 to 4 ounces lightly salted butter. Cook on a high flame until the butter is completely melted, mixing to keep the butter from separating.

CARRABBA'S MAMA MANDOLA'S CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Dice celery, carrots, onion, potatoes and bell pepper into 1/4-inch pieces. Chop tomatoes; reserve all juice.
• Place vegetables, tomatoes with their juice, chicken pieces, parsley and garlic in a 10-quart stockpot. Add water. Season with salt and pepper.
• Slowly bring soup to a boil over low heat. Skim off foam that rises to the surface; may have to skim 2 or 3 times.
• Partially cover pot and simmer 2 hours. When soup is finished, remove chicken pieces with a slotted spoon.
• Let cool.Meanwhile, mash vegetables in the bottom of the pot with the back side of a large cooking spoon or a potato masher.
• When chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove skin and bones and return meat to soup.
• Notes: Soup is best served the day after it is made. Refrigerate and remove fat that solidifies on the surface of the soup.
• Serve soup with rice or small, stubby pasta such as pastina, tubetti or small elbow macaroni. For better flavor, cook the rice or pasta in the soup when reheating. Add freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, if desired.

MAMA MANDOLA'S SPICY SICILIAN CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Dice celery, carrots, onion, potatoes and bell pepper into 1/4-inch pieces.
• Chop tomatoes; reserve all juice.
• Place vegetables, tomatoes with their juice, chicken pieces, parsley and garlic in a 10-quart stockpot.
• Add water. Season with salt and pepper.
• Slowly bring soup to a boil over low heat.
• Skim off foam that rises to the surface; may have to skim 2 or 3 times.
• Partially cover pot and simmer 2 hours.
• When soup is finished, remove chicken pieces with a slotted spoon. Let cool.
• Meanwhile, mash vegetables in the bottom of the pot with the back side of a large cooking spoon or a potato masher.
• When chicken has cooled enough to handle, remove skin and bones and return meat to soup.
• Notes: Soup is best served the day after it is made. Refrigerate and remove fat that solidifies on the surface of the soup. Serve soup with rice or small, stubby pasta. For better flavor, cook the rice or pasta in the soup when reheating. Add freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, if desired.

SICILIAN CHICKEN SOUP

Steps:

• Saute onion, potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, and celery in a large soup pot.
• Add stock, garlic, tomatoes, bouillon cubes, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper.
• Simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Remove bay leaves.
• Divide soup in half, leave half in the soup pot and puree the other half in a food processor.
• Add the pureed soup back to the soup pot and stir. Add shredded chicken and parsley.
• Simmer 30 minutes.
• While the soup is simmering, boil a pot of water and cook the macaroni according to the directions on the bag. Drain and toss with olive oil until lightly coated.
• Ladle soup into individual bowls and add macaroni to taste. Add parmesan cheese to taste and enjoy! (number of servings is approximate).