Chicken/2 recipes

Gingered shrimp noodle soup with snap peas, radishes, and a zippy rice vinegar broth, ready in 15 minutes from a packet of soup noodle mix. Fast weeknight dinner with real crunch.

Kentucky-style burgoo soup made with mixed cooked meats, okra, lima beans, corn, and garden vegetables in a rich beef-and-chicken broth. A lighter take on the legendary Bluegrass State stew.

Pan-fried shrimp and Monterey Jack gyozas with Chinese sausage, water chestnuts, and ginger, served in a silky lime cream sauce. East-West fusion dumplings that freeze beautifully.

Scallop or shrimp curry with apple, onion, cardamom, and a lime-finished cream sauce. The mild Anglo-Indian seafood curry that reads as comfort food more than fiery heat.

Cream of cauliflower and cheese soup combines tender florets, sharp cheddar, and a basil-scented broth thickened with a butter-flour roux. A silky bowl finished with buttery croutons.

Vinaigrette marinade with garlic mashed into coarse salt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, olive oil, and red wine vinegar. Works on beef, chicken, pork, fish, or vegetables.

Dutch-style chicken fillets coated in a mustard-egg batter, pan-fried in butter, and served over sauteed leeks with fresh red currants and Granny Smith apple. Sweet, tart, and savory in every bite.

A cheesy and scrumptious side dish that goes perfect with mashed potatoes or any pasta dish.

Roasted butternut squash soup from Scaramouche, the iconic Toronto restaurant. Squash roasted in halves, then pureed with leeks, onions, garlic, thyme, and a swirl of cream. Pure fall comfort.

Slightly Italian crockpot chicken: slow-cooked chicken breasts with artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and Italian dressing sauce thickened with tapioca. Set-and-forget weeknight dinner for four.

A quick and easy lunch that is great on the go! Best stored in a thermos so its right there when you want it.

If you run out of preserved lemons, or decide on just a few day's notice to cook a chicken, lamb, or fish dish with lemons and olives and need preserved lemons in a hurry, you can use this quick five-day method taught to me by a Moroccan diplomat's wife. Lemons preserved this way will not keep, but are perfectly acceptable in an emergency.

Crunchy topping mix combining crispy noodles, toasted almonds, and sesame seeds with savory seasonings. Sprinkle over stir-fries, salads, or rice bowls for instant texture and Asian-inspired flair.

Spanish empanadillas stuffed with wine-braised rabbit, fennel and olives, folded into a thyme-scented dough and baked golden. Savory little hand pies for tapas or a Mediterranean spread.

Poultry chili with chicken or turkey, kidney beans, tomato concasse, and a bold spice blend of cumin, sage, thyme, and red pepper flakes simmered low and slow. A lighter take on classic chili.

Deep-fried buttermilk-battered round steak with a shattering crust, served with classic cream gravy and mashed potatoes. This is Texas chicken fried steak done right.