cilantro pesto & the grown up gringo's green chicken tenders

pat on the back for creativity.

a tomatillo?

the grown up gringo's green chicken tenders with cilantro ranch dip

serves 2

INGREDIENTS

for this recipe you’ll need a skillet with a lid and i used a non-stick one.

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

2 chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise into strips and pounded into even thickness

3 tomatillos, roughly chopped

1/3 - 1/2 c. corona beer

1 c. flour + seasoning salt + onion powder + cumin + paprika

1/4 c. cilantro pesto, see recipe below

1/4 c. ranch dressing

DIRECTIONS

marinate chicken breasts in 3 T. cilantro pesto, coated evenly, for at least 1 hour. 

combine remaining pesto with ranch dressing to make cilantro ranch dip. to taste.

heat butter and oil in skillet to medium high until bubbly. dredge pesto covered chicken cutlets in seasoned flour and brown in skillet about 4 minutes each side. remove from pan. add tomatillos to pan and cook, stirring occasionally till browned and softened, about 3 minutes. add beer to skillet, reduce heat a bit, and stir till reduced to about half the original amount. return chicken to pan and cover, cooking about 3 minutes on each side or until internal temperature reaches 170.

serve with cooked tomatillos, saucy bits from the pan and chopped avocado. spoon cilantro ranch dip over tenders or serve on the side. would also be good with this.

{cilantro pesto}

yields approx. 1/4 c.

4 c. cilantro leaves (the leaves from 2 bundles of cilantro)

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1-2 T. olive oil

1 T. cumin

3/4 T. garlic powder

1 T. white sugar

combine all ingredients in food processor. freezes well.

this pan cooked chicken, albeit confusing with its mexican flavors, turned out really good and helped me use up some cilantro pesto i'd made last week, with no clear intention regarding its usage. this was also my first time cooking with tomatillos, and i thought the way the beer cooked and caramelized them was SO yummy. they were sweet and a little spicy at the same time. awesome. 

cooking smaller pieces of chicken in the skillet helps everything stay crispy and flavorful. i think a non stick skillet with a lid is the best way to cook chicken here in our grill-less apartment life.

steak salad

Hey look! A man salad.
This was a great summer dinner that kept Taylor feeling he'd been heartily cooked for and involved a tasty little portion of red meat that I didn't mind eating. {read: not ground beef}

steak salad
serves 2
INGREDIENTS
3/4 lb strip steak
2 heaping cups arugula
2 heaping cups baby spinach
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 to 1/3 avocado, chopped
1/4 cup red bell peppers, diced
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
red wine vinaigrette dressing {recipe below}
cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
DIRECTIONS
Heat skillet to high heat. Season steak generously with Worcestershire sauce and cracked pepper and rub in to both sides. Add steak to skillet and cook about 2 minutes on each side, until internal temperature reaches around 130 degrees. Transfer to cutting board and allow to sit for 1 to 2 minutes. While meat is resting, divide vegetables evenly among two rimmed plates and toss with desired amount of dressing and seasoning salt.

Cut meat into thin strips, trimming as desired, and then cut each strip in half. Top tossed salads with steak.

red wine vinaigrette
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Add all ingredients together and whisk in the oil.

I served this with some roasted "old" potatoes, kind of a twist on steak and potatoes, but it probably would have been better with some good, toasted crusty bread.

lemon vinaigrette dressing

Homemade dressing is a pretty simple way to make a simple salad feel more special.
I tossed this dressing with arugula, chopped tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and feta cheese. It would be great poured over steamed asparagus or even as a light topping for a summer pasta.
lemon vinaigrette dressing
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 teaspoon sugar
DIRECTIONS
Whisk all ingredients in bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)


{photos belongs to mharvey75 and wineandchocolate}