Well for dinner, I had some chicken that I had thawing, so I decided to make one of my dad's favorite chicken dishes. It's pretty easy and simple to make and it's so good and filling, plus I get to throw in some carrots which means the kids get their veggies without even knowing :)
This dish brings back so many memories for me. It really was my dad's favorite, and if for some reason we were eating something for dinner that he couldn't eat, then he would ask my stepmom to fix him this chicken. It quickly became one of my favorites too, mainly because of all the gravy, or the "molho" as we Portuguese call it. There was always bread to dip it in. Yum Yum!
Dad's Favorite Chicken
1.5 lbs of chicken breasts, cut into small bite size chunks
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups of carrots, finely chopped
1 bay leaf
paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
olive oil (about 2 tablespoons)
In a pan, add olive oil, onions, tomatoes and carrots. Cook for a few minutes until onion is translucent. Add in the bay leaf, salt and pepper, paprika and crushed garlic.
Add in a little bit of water, turn the heat to medium and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. (If the chicken is previously boiled it won't take as long). Keep checking to make sure the food doesn't stick, and add little bits of water to keep it moist and to make a gravy.
When chicken is cooked through check to make sure that there is enough gravy and that it's not too watery, if it is, then in a small bowl add in a few tablespoons of the gravy, and a tablespoon or 2 of cornstarch. Mix well, then pour slowly into the pan, stirring constantly until the gravy thickens up.
Now you can this chicken with rice or homemade fries, just the way my greatgrandmother, grandmother and the rest of the women in my family, have been doing for years and years. Actually it's a pretty common side dish in Portuguese cooking.
Portuguese Homemade Fries
4 big potatoes, good for frying
Vegetable Oil for frying
Salt for seasoning (I use Garlic Salt which gives it that kick)
Wash the potatoes well, then slice them.
Next further slice them into thin strips. I put them all in a bowl and run some cold water over them to wash them but also to prevent them from going dark. Just remember to make sure you drain all the water and dry them off in a dish towel before adding to the hot oil......don't want any burns.
Add the vegetable oil to the frying pan and turn it to medium to high heat. Drop one fry in there and watch until it starts sizzling, remove it from the oil and slowly and carefully add a batch of fries. Be careful and watch for splatters, you don't want to get burned with that hot oil.
Let them cook for a few minutes, until golden brown.
Remove them from the oil using a slotted spatula onto a plate covered with paper towels to absorb all the oil. Sprinkle with Garlic Salt.
Serve with the chicken recipe above. Enjoy :)
As always, if you try out the recipes let me know how you liked them :)
