Food For Thought

I don’t wanna study. Not BioChemistry.

(I’m going to start a section in each post, in which I post the song that is stuck in my head at the moment, so you all can enjoy the wonderfulness I do on a daily basis, that is music. )

Little Boots – New In Town <–My roommates know I’m addicted to this song, and the other tracks on her newest album are amazing as well. Check her out!!

Remember that time when I mentioned my unused/lightly used spices?? Ever since I wrote that, it’s been digging away at me, because I don’t like to let things go to waste. Granted, the odds of me finding a use for Chinese-Five spice without getting aid from the interwebs, or failing multiple times is slim to none, but we’ll deal with that later.

My whole adolescence, AKA after I had decided foods other than mac and cheese with hot dogs in it was acceptable, I have been exploring new foods. I hadn’t ever had Indian food until I came to college, but I always saw chefs on the Food Network using curry powders and turmeric and these strange spices my parents never, ever bought. I asked my brother what he thought about curry, and he scrunched up his face like he just stepped into something he’d rather not have, barefoot. “It’s gross, and tastes like ass!!” he would say to me. I’m gonna be honest; I love my brother, but sometimes his advice isn’t the best. Most times he is correct and gives the best pep talks of anyone I know, but I think he had some burned curry once and never had the cojones to try it again.  So Jeff, this one is for you.

Back to my overflowing spices. The other night I decided to use this Red curry powder I own, in hopes of creating something magical. I also spied a bit of chicken broth leftover from when a made soup a few weeks ago and figured that should get used up before it goes…well, you know. So I sprinkled a random array of Eastern(ish) spices on a chicken breast, roasted it for 40 minutes, and wasn’t expecting anything phenomenal to come out of the oven. But as it was cooking, this smell filled the apartment; not like the smell that I’ve described before, but a sweet, spicy, hot smell that makes you want to eat the walls. After roasting, I made a little sauce out of the pan drippings and served it over some of the roasted leftover Ratatouille vegetables from an interview I did earlier in the week (again, more later).

It. Was. Heaven.

If you make nothing else I post on this site, make this. It’s super simple and quick and you’ll be making it more and more. If you can grill it, I think it would make it even better. Oh baby.

Roasted Curried Chicken

1 4-6oz chicken breast, with rib meat

Salt

Pepper

½ teaspoon red curry powder

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon dried basil

a pinch of red pepper flakes

Olive Oil

1 tablespoon of flour

½ cup chicken broth

Preheat oven to 350F.

Drizzle enough olive oil to coat the chicken. In a small bowl, combine the spices well, and rub the chicken on all sides with the spice rub. Be sure to wash your hands after handling raw meat, especially chicken.

Heat just less than a tablespoon of olive oil in a small saute pan, and sear the sides of the chicken quickly. Place the pan in the over and roast for 35-40 minutes, or until the juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the pan, and add the flour over medium heat on the stove. Cook the flour, stirring it with the pan drippings. Add the chicken broth and whisk the sauce until it is smooth and thick. Serve the chicken over a grain of your choice, or some roasted vegetables. Pour the sauce over everything and enjoy!!