Update: Grab some extra chicken stock.
Chef Brian thought he’d kick off the festivities with recipes that celebrate fall flavors.
I’m a fan of Thanksgiving so I was all ears until he informed me that “pumpkin pie” isn’t a flavor.
His first menu features lots of apples paired with rosemary-and-thyme-marinated chicken breast.
It’s not pumpkin pie, but it’ll do:
Meal 2: Grilled herb chicken panini with apple butter, caramelized onions and Gruyere
Meal 3: Grilled herb chicken with sauteed spinach over wild rice and chicken sausage stuffing
Our list is good for two portions of each meal. I doubled mine so I always have leftovers for the next day.
The shopping list is after the jump.
Brian said we’ll need 5 chicken breasts total, 6-8 oz. each. I got bigger chicken breasts, but less of them because they were just under a pound each. I’m just going to portion them out accordingly.
I’ll always post the components of each recipe separately so you can piece together your own meals too.
Chicken marinade (for all 5 chicken breasts, used for all three meals):
1 sprig of rosemary
4 sprigs of thyme
1 shallot
2 cloves garlic
1 T olive oil
Meal 1: Grilled herb chicken with quick-braised kale over caramelized apple and sweet potato puree with sweet and sour apple reduction
Sweet potato puree
1 1/2 t olive oil
1 large sweet potato
3 large fuji or gala apples
3 T honey
3/4 cups apple juice
3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper
Quick-braised kale with apple and onion
1 t olive oil
1/2 yellow onion
1 bunch Tuscan kale (also called black kale, green kale will also work, but must cook much longer)
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
Sweet and sour apple reduction
3 cups apple juice
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup honey
Two chicken breasts
Meal 2: Grilled herb chicken panini with apple butter, caramelized onions and Gruyere
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
1 1/2 t olive oil
1/2 yellow onion
2 oz. Gruyere cheese
Good quality multigrain bread (i.e. La Brea Bakery); I got fresh Picket Lane ciabatta rolls at the farmers market instead out of convenience
Meal 3: Grilled herb chicken with sauteed spinach over wild rice and chicken sausage stuffing
Wild rice stuffing
1/2 cup wild rice
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 t olive oil
1 yellow onion
2 cloves garlic
6 oz. of quality raw Italian chicken or turkey sausage
2 fuji or gala apples
2 t fennel seeds
2 t flat leaf parsley (I always have this handy for eggs, meats, anything really)
1/4 cup roasted unsalted almonds
salt and pepper
Steamed spinach
8 oz. baby spinach
salt and pepper

About 13 years ago, I found out I was diabetic and had to change my diet immediately. I lost 55lbs — took me a year — but I started out eating poached fish, greens, very little carbs and then moved onto to chicken. I have a lot of respect for what you are doing. It’s not easy! I support you whole-heartedly on this.
Thanks Anita for the encouraging words. The hardest thing for me is that the doctor said red meat only a couple of times a month. I think my blood type is T-Bone, so that’s been sucky. But other than that, I think Brian’s going to get me into shape. =)
Sounds good dude! Since we’ve got all the ingredients, now you just have to post some cooking directions…or can you?
Yup CJ, directions for Meal 1(and any components that can be made relating to meals 2 or 3)will be posted tomorrow at 8 a.m. I’m going to cook the meals myself, document them, and the recipes will be included in those posts.
So we’ll be posting 5 days a week.
Yo man! LOVE it! Can’t wait to make some of this stuff!! All of it looks sooo good!
I’m hoping you’re going to come up with some great recipes that don’t include chicken. The wife doesn’t eat chicken….
I believe we have sea bass and tomato basil next week? Can’t remember exactly, but it won’t always be chicken, scouts honor.
Chicken?!?!? How can someone not like chicken!?!?!
UNAMERICAN!, he exclaimed.
I’m pretty sure you need to invite me to dinner asap!
oh you should probably invite jeff too
Sounds delicious
The new blog looks fantastic! Congrats on putting together a good looking project. Have fun cooking tonight! Hope it’s flavorful and not healthy bland boring stuff 😉
looks pretty good. can you tell us the recipes as well? i see all the ingredients, but what do we do with them if we want to join you?
good luck!
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it