Disaster Averted

Yikes! I recently bought 6 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs, put them in the laundry room fridge and promptly forgot about them until 10 o'clock tonight.  I was putting up a few things TheHub and I bought when I saw them.  I am pretty sure if I hadn't noticed them I would be throwing them out tomorrow.  So while the rest of the world was in wind down mode I was waiting for chicken to finish baking.

I didn't want to cook it all the same way and I am still doing the paleo thing so I was a little limited with how I was going to make it.  Ordinarily I would just toss it in the oven with a little salt and pepper, bake them off  and chop into pieces for a casserole, chicken tacos, or chicken tetrazzini. Well that was not something I could eat right now so I had to come up with different ways to flavor them while still remaining paleo. I split them into 3 pans (9x13 pyrex)  of approximately 2 pounds each and put on whatever was left of my thinking cap.







Pan 1 was pretty easy.  I had about 1/3 of a bottle of Bragg Ginger and Sesame Dressing.  If you have never tried this I really do recommend getting some.(Well, only get it if you love ginger, garlic and sesame oil) I poured it over the thighs and stuck in it a 350 degree oven. You will notice the bottle is completely empty now.  If any of you know how to make a dupe of this dressing please let me know. I use it all the time and it is a tad pricey!








Pan 2 was pretty easy also. I put the thighs in the bottom the pan, sprinkled them with poultry spices, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper.  I sliced a lemon very thin and put a slice on each thigh then sprinkled 4 ribs of chopped celery and 1 large chopped onion over everything.  I drizzled olive oil over the entire pan and off it went into the oven as well.




Pan 3 took a bit more thinking.  I had about 1/2 cup of paleo mayo (no sugar and made with olive oil) so I decided I would use it somehow.  Still having no idea where it would lead I added about a tablespoon of Chulula, (my all time favorite not too hot sauce)                               >
and approximately 1/2 teaspoon each of coriander powder, oregano and cumin.  I also tossed in 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder for good measure, because everything is better with a tad of garlic.  When I tasted it I thought it was flat and needed some sweetness. Major problem since I am doing no sugar, but out of the corner of my eye I spied 2 mandarins (Halo's, to be exact) so I juiced them and stirred the juice into the mayo mixture.  I tasted it again and it was getting there but I felt like it needed a little more heat, so I added 2 shakes of crushed red pepper, the kind that you find in a pizza place.  And for me I needed 2 more shakes, but we like things hot.  I poured it over the thighs and popped them in the oven where all 3 pans lived happily ever after, or until they were done, whichever came first.


I tried bites of all three and I was right, they tasted completely different.

 The first pan will be served to TheHub over rice (to me over cauliflower "rice") with a green side dish (probably broccoli but maybe asparagus) with a tossed salad.  It has a little bit on an Asian flavor so it should work well with the rice.

The herb baked chicken will be chopped and reheated with sauteed sweet potato cubes and served as a hash. A savory coleslaw will partner well with it, I think.  All the lemon slices will be removed remove before re-warming , but right now they live in the ziploc bag with the chicken so the citrus flavor will intensify a little.

And pan 3. Oh my goodness the bite I had was delicious.  No doubt it will be dinner tomorrow.  I know I will serve a mixed green salad and green beans.  I saved all the baking liquid so I imagine I will serve TheHubs over spaghetti noodles and mine over spiraiized zucchini and ladle a couple of tablespoons of the liquid over the noodles or fake noodles as the case may be.

This is so blooming good.  I am just sorry there is no way for y'all to taste and smell it.  I am blogging about this mainly to have a written "how-to" because I am sure in a couple of days I will have no idea how I made it.  That is the downside of throwing things together and hoping for the best, sometimes it actually is the best and if it's not written down it is very forgettable.

Now I have 2 meals for the freezer and one for tomorrow. Life is good and the chicken did not have to be thrown out. If I didn't have to get Mom's taxes in order tomorrow life would be better than good, it would be grand! But the upside is dinner is ready and Lent is almost over!