Teriyaki Chicken with Ginger Veggie Couscous

Take-out meals definitely serve their purpose, but making your own versions at home is more fun, healthier and budget-conscious, too.

I always have chicken in the freezer and a box or two of couscous on hand, so this was easy to whip up. A bag of matchstick carrots in the crisper drawer is the perfect add to the couscous, along with green onions and broccoli. As for the ginger, here's my tip: Instead of buying a piece of ginger root and using a micro-zester or a grater, I buy a tube of minced ginger. It lasts longer in the fridge than the root and speeds things up quite a bit.

You can use this teriyaki sauce as a marinade for grilled chicken or you can pour it over the chicken and bake it in the oven. Either way the flavor is restaurant-worthy.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Teriyaki Chicken

1 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon minced or grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
3 to 4 pounds chicken pieces (skinless breasts or skinless thighs)

If oven baking, preheat oven to 425 degrees. If grilling, preheat your grill to medium about 10 minutes before you plan to cook the chicken.

In a saucepan, combine soy sauce, cider vinegar, garlic, ginger, pepper, brown sugar, cornstarch and cold water. Simmer over low heat until sauce thickens and begins to bubble. Remove pot from heat and set aside.

Place chicken in a 13 x 9 inch pan. Pour teriyaki sauce over chicken, turning the chicken pieces to coat both sides.

If baking, place in oven for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Remove chicken from baking pan and place on serving platter. Top with remaining teriyaki sauce from baking dish.

If grilling, cover pan and put in refrigerator to let chicken marinate for 30 minutes. Preheat your grill. Remove chicken from marinade and grill on medium for 5 to 8 minutes per side, brushing with the extra marinade as you turn the chicken pieces. Cook until chicken is no longer pink inside.

Ginger Veggie Couscous

1 box wheat or plain couscous
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 and 1/2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 to 2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped
1 cup broccoli florets, chopped
1 to 1 and 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Prepare couscous according to package directions, except omit oil or butter.

Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, onions, carrots and broccoli. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat.

Add couscous to skillet and stir to combine. Add sesame oil and soy sauce, and gently mix to combine the sauces.

To serve, plate chicken (slicing breast meat is a nice touch) with veggie couscous and enjoy!

Greek Grilled Chicken

Now that warm weather has arrived, I am devoted to my grill. I love the flavor that cooking over the coals adds to meat and veggies. Plus, I get to spend a few minutes on our back patio sipping a cold drink while I cook dinner.

This marinated chicken is easy to prep and combines the tangy zip of yogurt with the bright freshness of lemon. You can use any cut of chicken, with the skin on or off. I like it best with skinless and boneless thighs. The slightly higher fat content of the dark meat means it stays moist.

Serve with your favorite house salad and a side of minty sugar snap peas. This also tastes great the next day, alone or on top of a salad.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Greek Grilled Chicken

1 cup plain greek yogurt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
2 to 4 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
3 to 4 pounds of chicken pieces, such as thighs, breasts, legs

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together all ingredients except the chicken. Pour into large ziplock bag. Add chicken and seal bag. Massage chicken and marinade to coat all chicken pieces. Then place in refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.

Heat outdoor grill or a stovetop grill pan to medium. Remove chicken from marinade, and discard the marinade left in the bag.

Grill chicken, about 5 minutes or so on each side. Serve warm or cold.