Chimichurri Chicken

The fridge is often a sad place for bunches of cilantro and parsley, in my kitchen, at least. I loooove fresh herbs, and if a recipe calls for fresh cilantro or parsley, there's no way I'm skimping, but it's been a long--looooong- time since I've bought a bunch of cilantro or parsley and used it all before it began to wilt. 

Some times I'll sort out a bunch of cilantro straight from the beginning, and place in it a vase with water to keep it fresh for a few extra days. And it works, for a few days, but the last remaining stems always hang around until they're far past "usable". 

This recipe, though, is perfect for those just-beginning-to-wilt bunches of cilantro and parsley in your fridge. The only real problem is you'll fall in love with using Chimichurri sauce and you'll being buying parsley and cilantro just to make this recipe, and well, the vicious cycle of buying bunches of fresh herbs, using half, and letting the other half wilt will begin. At least, that's how it happened with me. Luckily, this sauce stays nice an fresh in your fridge for at least a week, so you can make a BIG batch (go ahead, use the entire bunch of parsley!) and then put it on everything you eat: eggs, sandwiches, burgers, chicken, fish--the list goes on. 

My number one favorite use of Chimichurri sauce right now: using it as a marinade for chicken and throwing it on the grill. Then topping that chicken with even more sauce. It's vibrant and fresh, making it the ultimate grill-out dish, when you tire of standard BBQ sauce. Plus if you, like me, have be wishing for a little vacation lately, this meal will remind you of somewhere south of the border... a little bit of South America in a bite! 

Chimichurri Chicken

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free,    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

Use up bunches of cilantro and parsley to make this recipe!

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 25 minutes

---

Ingredients:

Sauce:
• 1/4 white onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup cilantro, packed
• 1/3 cup parsley, packed
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 jalapeño
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Optional, for extra-spice: dash of cayenne

For the chicken:
• 1 pound boneless chicken (cutlets, breasts, or thighs)

Directions:

1. Please the onion, jalapeño, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until minced. Next, add the cilantro and parsley, and drizzle in the vinegar and oil. Pulse until the herbs are minced. Add a few cracks of salt and pepper, and the oregano. Pulse 2 or 3 more times. Taste, and add additional salt/pepper to your preferences. If you prefer a spicier sauce (or you find that the jalapeño you used was quite mild), add a dash of cayenne to taste. Use a spatula to scrap sauce into a jar.
2. For the chicken: Place chicken in a zip lock or shallow dish for marinating. Pour 3/4 of chimichurri sauce into container, and give it all a shake to ensure all of the chicken is coated. Cover (or seal zip lock) and place in fridge for 8-12 hours to marinate.
3. When ready to cook: heat grill to 375-450°F. Place chicken on grill and allow to sear on one side for 5 minutes. (Discard any marinade that remains in the container). Flip chicken, and sear on the second side for 5-10 more minutes. Check that the chicken is cooked through before serving: cooking time will vary greatly on thickness of cut of meat. Juices should run clear and meat should no longer be pink. Serve hot, with reserved chimichurri sauce as a topping.

Healthy Moo Shu Stir Fry

Update - 4/23/2017: I've been working on my photography, and since this is one of my most popular recipes, I wanted to give the images a revamp! These pictures are new, but the recipe is the same as it's always been. (Original image is at bottom of post for reference).

Usually, I enjoy riding my bike to work. As you pull around a corner and head down a hill, there's no better word than freedom. Do you remember biking around the block as a kid? Just free to roll? Why leave those moments to the kids? When it's Friday afternoon, and you roll out of the office parking lot, the wind in your face, you'll know what I mean. 

I'm writing this post because a few weeks ago I took a spill that landed me face first on the pavement. The asphalt ripped through my (brand new) down coat, my gloves, and scraped up my arms. My helmet saved my head, my sunglasses saved my face -- thank goodness (not to sound all "mom" on you, buuuut Wear your helmet!!). 

A lot of people offered me a ride home that day, and I almost took someone up on it when, after getting so many offers, I started to wonder if maybe I shouldn't ride home. The lazy little voice inside of me liked the sound of a warm car, and someone else at the wheel. The more I thought about it, the more my apprehension grew, until my lazy voice was coupled with my what-if voice, and suddenly I could hear nothing in my mind but whispers of "Warm caaaar..." "Nice and safe...." "Warm car....." "Don't you fall agaaaaain".

Here's the thing: they offered me a ride because I was flustered, and they care. And that was really nice. But what no one can know, unless they can hear your thoughts, is the power of getting up and starting again. When I was a gymnast, this was the golden rule: if you fall, you get right back and try again. Otherwise, that what-if voice will only gain power and become a tyrant you can't ignore.

At first, I rode terribly slow and cautiously. My eyes analyzed every bit of pavement in front of me: Is that the rock I hit? Oh! don't hit that rock. Go way over there, away from that sand pit.

And then, anxious to get through a green light before it turned red, I cautiously peddled a little faster. After a few blocks, I realized I was free again -- all of that negative energy leaving my body with each exhale. It's just my bike. I know how to bike. I love to bike. 

And hey, on the bright side, that crash motivated me to finally get a massage I've desperately been wanting. (Thanks, whiplash!) 

When you fall, get right back up. Find glory in that freedom. And then, find something delicious to eat -- something like this moo shu. 😉

Healthy Moo Shu Stir Fry

Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free    |   Caitlin Sherwood    

Serves: 4   |    Total Time: 30 minutes

---

Ingredients:

Pork:
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1 pound boneless pork loin OR chicken thighs, cut into 1 x 1/4-inch strips (ask your butcher to do it for you!)
Stir Fry:
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1/2 cup (1-inch) sliced green onions
• 3 tablespoons garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons ginger, minced
• 4 cups shredded napa cabbage
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
Sauce:
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder
• 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

1. Mix the first three ingredients for the pork/chicken in a shallow pyrex or ziplock bag. Place the pork in the marinade, and either close the ziplock or cover the pyrex. Place in the fridge and allow to marinate for at least 4 hours.
2. When ready to prepare the stir fry, remove the pork/chicken from the fridge and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Once oil sizzles, add the pork/chicken the pan. Cook on pork pieces on one side for 5 minutes, stir and flip on the other side until the pork/chicken is cooked through. Remove pork/chicken from pan.
3. Heat the additional tablespoon of coconut oil. Add the garlic, ginger, green onions, and mushrooms to the pan. Allow to cook for 3 minutes. Add the cabbage, carrots and the bean sprouts. Stir, and cook for 3 more minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Add to the pan, and use a wooden spoon to stir the eggs occasionally, just enough to scramble the eggs.
5. Add the pork/chicken back to the pan. In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the sauce. Drizzle the sauce into the pan, and stir everything until it was well coated. Cook everything for 5 more minutes.

Maple Sriracha Barbecue Chicken Kabobs

Update: This is an older recipe from Foraged Dish but still a good one! I updated it on 1/1/2019 (happy new year!) to make it easier and more clear. Plus — new pictures, and a video!

One of the very first recipes on this blog was a homemade sriracha sauce. It — to my surprise - was it’s own small kind of hit. I was even asked if it could be included in a little magazine! It was the year of sriracha. The sauce was EVERYWHERE and I got lucky. You don’t, however, need to make your own sriracha to make these kabobs. In fact, the sauce here is as easy as adding 4 ingredients to a bowl. Sriracha, garlic, maple syrup, and coconut oil.

From there you can basically do whatever you like. I use chicken, bell peppers, red onion, and zucchini but you could easily swap in steak or shrimp, and replace the veggies for something else grill-friendly, like yellow squash, mushrooms (I LOVE grilled mushrooms!!), or even little cubes of pineapple. (If you like grilled pineapple, try these sweet and spicy barbeque shrimp & pineapple skewers).

Compared to other hot sauces, sriracha is not very spicy — it’s a little sweet, in fact. This, combined with some maple syrup, turns into an ultimate grilling glaze. It comes out as a sweet and spicy kabob. Make some extra sauce for dipping, sprinkle with cilantro, and serve with a lime wedge if you have it. Make a complete meal by serving over a bed of rice!

Most people would tell you that kabobs are a perfect BBQ, potluck, picnic, camping dinner. But I — crazy me - made these in January while it was snowing. 🤪❄️Watch for snow flake over the grill in the video below!

Maple Sriracha Barbecue Chicken Kabobs

Published January 3, 2016 by Caitlin Sherwood

Serves: 4-6   |    Active Time: 45 minutes

---

Ingredients:

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup sriracha sauce

3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 pound chicken breast, cubed

1 red bell pepper, diced into bite-sized pieces

1 green bell pepper, diced into bite-sized pieces

1/2 red onion, diced into bite-sized pieces

1 zucchini, diced into bite-sized pieces

Directions:

1. Add garlic, sriracha, coconut oil, and maple syrup to a medium or large sized mixing bowl and stir to combine.
2. Add chicken, bell peppers, onion, and zucchini to bowl and stir to coat in sauce.
3. Assemble kabobs: put chicken and veggies on metal or wooden skewers, alternating ingredients (ex: chicken, bell pepper, onion, chicken, zucchini, etc).
4. Heat grill to high. Place kabobs on hot grill and cook for 12 minutes with lid closed, turning every 5 minutes and brushing with any extra sauce.
5. When juices run clear and chicken is cooked through, remove from heat. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot.