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Spicy Roasted Tomato Vodka Pasta

Spicy roasted tomato vodka pasta starts with fresh grape tomatoes roasted until they're sweet and jammy, then finished with cream, Parmesan, and just enough chili flakes for gentle heat. The roasted tomatoes leave little bursts of tomato throughout the silky sauce instead of relying on canned tomatoes alone.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian-American

Keyword creamy vodka sauce, homemade vodka pasta, mezzi rigatoni pasta, roasted grape tomatoes, roasted tomato vodka pasta, spicy roasted tomato vodka pasta, vodka pasta with fresh tomatoes

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4 to 6

Calories 520kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• baking sheet (large rimmed) For roasting the tomatoes.
• parchment paper For easier cleanup.
• large pot For cooking the pasta.
• large skillet For preparing the vodka sauce.
• Colander For draining the pasta.

Ingredients

Roasted Tomatoes:

• 1½ cups (225 g) grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) olive oil
• ¼ tsp (1 g) kosher salt

Pasta and Sauce:

• 16 oz (454 g) mezzi rigatoni or orecchiette, shells, or regular rigatoni all work
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
• ¼ cup (40 g) finely chopped shallots
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• ¼ cup (66 g) tomato paste
• 2 -3 tsps (4 - 6 g) red pepper flakes or to taste
• ½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika
• ¼ cup (60 ml) vodka
• ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 1 tsp (7 g) honey
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
• ½ tsp (1 g) coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter
• ¾ cup (75 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese divided
• 2 tbsps (6 g) chopped fresh basil plus more for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Toss the grape tomatoes with the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Spread them into a single layer on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet and roast for about 20 minutes, until blistered and jammy.
  1½ cups (225 g) grape tomatoes, 2 tbsps (30 ml) olive oil, ¼ tsp (1 g) kosher salt
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with the olive oil. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, red chili flakes, and smoked paprika. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the tomato paste darkens slightly.
  1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil, ¼ cup (40 g) finely chopped shallots, 3 cloves garlic, ¼ cup (66 g) tomato paste, 2 -3 tsps (4 - 6 g) red pepper flakes, ½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika
• Pour in the vodka and cook for 1 to 2 minutes to let the alcohol cook off. Add the roasted grape tomatoes, gently crushing some with the back of a spoon while leaving others mostly intact. Stir in the heavy cream, honey, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
  ¼ cup (60 ml) vodka, ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream, 1 tsp (7 g) honey, 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, ½ tsp (1 g) coarsely ground black pepper
• Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta cooking water.
  16 oz (454 g) mezzi rigatoni
• Add the drained pasta to the skillet with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Stir in the butter and ½ cup (50 g) of the Parmesan, tossing continuously until the butter melts and the cheese is fully incorporated. Add more pasta water as needed until the sauce becomes silky and coats the pasta.
  2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter, ¾ cup (75 g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
• Divide among serving bowls and finish with the remaining ¼ cup (25 g) Parmesan and the chopped basil. Garnish with additional fresh basil, if desired, and serve immediately.
  2 tbsps (6 g) chopped fresh basil

Notes

• Roast the tomatoes until they are blistered and jammy rather than just softened. Their concentrated juices become part of the finished sauce.
• Cook the tomato paste until it darkens slightly to develop a richer tomato flavor.
• For a less spicy version, us only 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or none at all.
• Reserve more pasta water than you think you'll need. The starchy water helps the butter and Parmesan create the sauce.
• Finely grated Parmesan melts more smoothly than shredded Parmesan.
  Mezzi rigatoni is my favorite shape for this recipe because the little barrel shaped tubes catch both the creamy sauce and the roasted tomatoes, but orecchiette, shells, or regular rigatoni work well too.

 

 

If you’re making this Spicy Roasted Tomato Vodka Pasta, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 300g | Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 655mg | Potassium: 415mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 835IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 225mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you made this Spicy Roasted Tomato Vodka Pasta? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Spicy Roasted Tomato Vodka Pasta appeared first on Noble Pig.

Oven Peach Tea Pork Belly Burnt Ends

I use my smoker all the time, but I know not everyone has one sitting in the backyard. I wanted pork belly burnt ends you could make entirely in the oven and still get the tender, sticky, caramelized edges we’re all after. The peach tea glaze turned out to be the part that made this recipe completely its own thing.

I know lots of you live in apartments or condos where outdoor smoking isn’t an option, and even as someone with a smoker, I’m not always interested in standing outside when the weather turns miserable. So I borrowed the same approach I use for ribs in the oven, cooking the pork belly low and covered until it was tender before adding the glaze and turning up the heat to caramelize the edges.

I originally planned to use my homemade sweet peach tea in the glaze, but the flavor was too subtle once it came in contact with the rich pork belly and heat of the oven. Bottled peach tea has a more concentrated peach flavor and enough sweetness to still come through after reducing. This was not the place to add another step so I could say everything was homemade.

The peach flavor doesn’t hit you over the head. These still taste like barbecue first. It’s more of a “what is in this?” flavor, adding something fruity and unexpected alongside the smoky seasoning and tangy glaze without making the pork belly taste like dessert.

I like to serve the burnt ends as a full barbecue platter with soft white bread, refrigerator pickles, either regular onion or pickled red onions, and pepperoncini. The bread is for catching the glaze, and the sharp, tangy sides do help cut through the rich pork belly. Together, it’s the sort of meal that requires extra napkins and very little conversation.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• When I started working on this recipe, I wasn’t trying to remove the smoker from an existing recipe and hope for the best. I created the cooking method around what the oven already does well, starting with a low, covered bake to slowly tenderize the pork belly before uncovering it and turning up the heat.
• It’s really the two-stage cooking method that gets the pork belly to the right texture. During the first bake, the pork belly has time to render and soften without drying out too early. Once the first bake is finished, the pok belly is already tender. I’m just giving the glaze enough heat to bubble, darken, and caramelize around the cubes. If you like this method, I use a similar glaze-and-finish technique on my bourbon peach country style ribs, baking the pork until tender before letting the sauce caramelize during the final bake.
• Before any of the other glaze ingredients go into the saucepan, I reduce the peach tea by about half. Reducing it first concentrates the peach flavor enough to stand up to the pork belly, peach preserves, and oven heat. That’s why my homemade peach tea didn’t work. There were too many strong flavors working against it, and this was not the place to turn one recipe into two just to prove a point.
• Peach preserves reinforce the peach flavor while giving the glaze a little more body, but the finished burnt ends still taste like barbecue first. The peach flavor stays underneath everything else, and people usually can’t quite figure out what’s different until you tell them.
• I do finish the glaze completely before it ever touches the pork. By the time I toss it with the pork belly, it already has the sweetness, acidity, and consistency I want. Then I keep some of it aside and brush it over the burnt ends after they come out of the oven. The glaze that bakes with the pork becomes dark and sticky, while the last brush of glaze brings back a little more peach flavor and leaves the outside looking freshly glazed.

Ingredients

• Pork belly – Use skinless pork belly and cut it into even cubes so everything cooks at the same rate. Pork belly has the fat and collagen it needs for the rich, tender burnt ends texture, which is why a leaner cut will not give you the same result.
• Salt – This seasons the meat before the glaze ever gets involved.
• Black pepper – Adds some bite and keeps all the sweetness from becoming one-dimensional.
• Garlic powder – This works its way into every side of the pork cubes and adds a savory base without the risk of fresh garlic burning during the hotter final bake.
• Onion powder – Adds another layer of savory flavor underneath the peach tea glaze.
• Chili powder – Adds another layer of savory flavor along with a little earthy warmth without making the pork belly spicy.
• Smoked paprika – Adds smoky depth to an oven recipe that never sees a smoker. It won’t create true smoked bark, but it helps take the flavor in that direction.
• Bottled peach tea – This is the foundation of the glaze. Bottled tea is concentrated enough to survive reduction and still come through after it’s combined with the rest of the glaze ingredients. Homemade sweet peach tea can be used, but the flavor will be much softer.
• Peach preserves – Add body and concentrated fruit flavor without making the glaze thin. It also reinforces the peach flavor after the tea has been reduced.
• Brown sugar – Some goes into the seasoning mixture to help the outside of the pork darken, and the rest sweetens the glaze and helps it caramelize during the final bake. If you’re out, make my homemade brown sugar. It’s simple.
• Apple cider vinegar – This cuts through the richness of the pork belly and keeps the glaze from tasting too sweet.
• Worcestershire sauce – Adds savory flavor the glaze needs to keep the peach and brown sugar from tasting too sweet. I tested it without Worcestershire and something was missing every time.
• Cayenne pepper – This is optional, but a small amount gives the pork and glaze a little heat without turning the recipe spicy.
• Cornstarch and cold water – Mixed together into a smooth slurry, they thicken the glaze enough to hold on to the pork belly instead of pooling in the baking dish. The preserves already provide some body, so it only takes a small amount.

How to Make Peach Tea Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (season the pork belly)
  Preheat the oven to 275°F. Stir together the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne if you’re using it in a large mixing bowl. Add the pork belly cubes and toss until every piece is coated with the seasoning mixture. Taking a minute to coat everything evenly means every cube is seasoned the same way before it goes into the oven.
• Step Two (slow bake the pork belly)
  Spread the pork belly in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and cover it tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the pork reaches 190 to 195°F and a fork slides into the cubes with very little resistance. If they still feel firm, keep baking. This first bake is where the pork belly goes from tough to tender before the glaze ever goes on.
• Step Three (make the peach tea glaze)
  While the pork bakes, bring the peach tea to a boil in a medium saucepan, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until it has reduced by about half. Whisk in the peach preserves, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and salt, then simmer another 4 to 5 minutes until the preserves have melted completely. Stir together the cornstarch and cold water, slowly whisk it into the glaze, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking often, until the glaze lightly coats the back of a spoon but still pours easily. Reducing the tea first concentrates the peach flavor so it still comes through once it’s coating the rich pork belly.
• Step Four (glaze and finish)
  Carefully remove the foil, watching for the hot steam, then transfer the pork belly to a large bowl and pour the rendered fat off the baking sheet into a heat-safe container. Increase the oven to 375°F, reserve about ½ cup of the glaze, and toss the pork with the rest until every piece is coated. Spread the pork back onto the baking sheet in a single layer and bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, until the glaze is bubbling around the edges, beginning to caramelize, and the pork reaches 200 to 205°F. Brush or gently toss the burnt ends with the reserved glaze, then let them rest for 5 minutes so everything has time to come together before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Cut the pork belly into cubes that are close to the same size. A few uneven pieces will not ruin anything, but if some are tiny and others are huge, the small ones will be done before the larger pieces soften.
• Use a rimmed baking sheet with enough room to keep the pork in one layer. You want the cubes sitting in the heat, not piled into a pork belly mountain where the middle pieces steam.
• I check the texture, not just the clock. The pork should give easily when you press it with a fork. If it still feels firm after about 2½ hours, cover it again and give it more time.
• Drain the rendered fat slowly and carefully. There will be plenty of it, and the cubes are very tender by then. Transfer the pork belly carefully with tongs after the first bake because the cubes will be very tender. Move them into a large bowl before pouring the rendered fat from the baking sheet into a heat-safe container.
• Keep an eye on the last few minutes of the uncovered bake. The sugar in the glaze can go from caramelized to scorched faster than you think, especially around the edges of the baking sheet.
• Serve the burnt ends with something acidic or sharp. Pickles, sliced onion, pepperoncini, or a vinegar-based slaw like my Tennessee-style mustard coleslaw are especially good with the rich pork.

Storage

• Store leftover pork belly burnt ends in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• If you have any extra glaze left after the final brush, keep it in a separate container so you can add it after reheating instead of storing the pork in too much sauce. It will become much thicker once it is chilled. Let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes or warm it gently before brushing it over the reheated burnt ends.
• For the best texture, reheat them uncovered in a 375°F oven or air fryer until hot. The microwave works, but it softens the caramelized outside and leaves the pork kind of meh.
• You can freeze the cooked burnt ends for up to 2 months, although the outside will be softer after thawing. Freeze them in a single layer first, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container once firm. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

FAQs

• Can I use homemade peach tea?
  Yes, but the peach flavor will be faint. Bottled peach tea is sweeter and more concentrated, which helps the flavor remain noticeable after it’s reduced down. If your homemade tea is very light, reducing it will concentrate the tea, but the peach flavor will still be much milder than bottled peach tea.
• Do I need a smoker to make pork belly burnt ends?
  No. I created these specifically for the oven. A smoker would add real wood-smoke flavor and a more traditional bark, but the covered bake followed by the hot finish gives you tender pork and caramelized burnt ends without outdoor equipment.
• Can I use pork shoulder instead of pork belly?
  I would not use it as a direct substitute. Pork shoulder can make very good burnt ends, but it has a different balance of meat, fat, and connective tissue, so the cooking time and final texture will not be the same. If you’re looking for another way to cook pork belly, my air fryer pork belly bites are much quicker and have a crisp exterior instead of a sticky glaze.
• Can I prepare these ahead of time?
  Yes. Complete the first covered bake, drain the pork, and refrigerate it once cooled. When you are ready to serve, let it sit out briefly while the oven heats, then add the glaze and complete the uncovered bake. This is the best place to pause because the outside is caramelized right before serving.
• Can I make these on a smoker?
  Yes. You can use the same seasoning and glaze on a smoker, although the timing will depend on your setup.
• Why are my burnt ends still tough?
  They probably needed more time during the covered bake. Pork belly can be safely cooked while still feeling unpleasantly firm. The extra time at a lower temperature is what softens the connective tissue and gives you that tender center.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• I’ve spent years circling the smoke when what I wanted was already waiting inside.
• Some things stay covered so long they mistake protection for progress.
• Tenderness hidden under foil is still tenderness no one can reach.
• Some things only change after the cover comes off.
• You can manage every detail and still lose what the heat was trying to give you.
• The safest part of the process is never the part that makes it memorable.
• Staying close to the heat is not the same as letting it touch you.
• Pork belly does not become burnt ends by remaining protected from the fire.
• A final glaze works because everything underneath it has already done the difficult part.
• A good burnt end knows how to take richness and give it a place to go.
• The trouble with knowing exactly what something could be is having to watch it stay unfinished.
• Imagine understanding every stage of pork and still failing to recognize when something rare has been cooked especially for you.

More Sticky, Saucy Favorites

• Sticky Honey Garlic Chicken Wings – crispy wings with honey garlic glaze.
• Sticky Gochujang Steak Bites – spicy-sweet steak bites with glaze.
• Brined Chicken Drumsticks with Hoisin Glaze – caramelized hoisin glaze over juicy chicken.
• Baked BBQ Chicken Skewers with Pineapple and Peppers – juicy chicken with caramelized barbecue glaze.
• Air Fryer Maple Glazed Salmon – sticky maple-soy glaze and salmon.
• Mongolian Beef Noodles – tender beef in sticky sauce.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Peach Tea Pork Belly Burnt Ends

Rich, tender pork belly cubes are slowly roasted until fork tender, then coated in a homemade peach tea glaze and baked until sticky around the edges. The reduced peach tea adds a subtle fruitiness that makes these oven-baked burnt ends stand out.

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword baked pork belly, burnt ends recipe, caramelized pork belly, oven burnt ends, oven pork belly burnt ends, peach barbecue pork, peach tea glaze, peach tee pork belly burnt ends, pork belly recipe

Prep Time 35 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 3 hours hours 55 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 577kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• mixing bowls (large and small). For seasoning the pork belly and mixng the cornstarch slurry.
• baking sheet (large rimmed) Allows the pork belly to cook in a single layer.
• aluminum foil Seals in moisture during the first bake.
• Saucepan (medium). Reduces the peach tea and cooks the glaze.
• instant-read thermometer Checks the pork for doneness.
• tongs For transferring and coating the pork belly.
• whisk Keeps the glaze smooth.

Ingredients

Pork Belly:

• ¼ cup (55 g) packed light brown sugar
• 2 tbsps (14 g) smoked paprika
• 1 tbsp (9 g) garlic powder
• 1 tbsp (8 g) onion powder
• 1 tbsp (8 g) chile powder
• 2 tsps (12 g) table salt
• 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper
• ½ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper (optional)
• 4 lbs (1.8kg) skinless pork belly cut into 1¼-inch (3 cm) cubes

Peach Tea Glaze:

• 2 cups (480 ml) bottled sweeteened peach tea
• ¾ cup (255 g) peach preserves
• ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsps (28 g) packed light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp (6 g) table salt
• 2 tsps (5 g) cornstarch
• 2 tsps (10 ml) cold water

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 275°F (135°C).
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper if using. Add the pork belly cubes and toss until every piece is evenly coated with the seasoning mixture.
  ¼ cup (55 g) packed light brown sugar, 2 tbsps (14 g) smoked paprika, 1 tbsp (9 g) garlic powder, 1 tbsp (8 g) onion powder, 1 tbsp (8 g) chile powder, 2 tsps (12 g) table salt, 1 tsp (2 g) black pepper, ½ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper, 4 lbs (1.8kg) skinless pork belly
• Arrange the pork belly in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the pork is fork tender and reaches an internal temperature of 190 to 195°F (88 to 90°C). A fork should slide into the cubes with very little resistance.
• While the pork bakes, pour the peach tea into a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tea has reduced by about half and the peach flavor becomes more concentrated.
  2 cups (480 ml) bottled sweeteened peach tea
• Whisk in the peach preserves, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and salt. Continue simmering for 4 to 5 minutes, whisking occasionally, until the preserves have completely melted into the glaze and no visible pieces remain.
  ¾ cup (255 g) peach preserves, ¼ cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsps (28 g) packed light brown sugar, 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp (6 g) table salt
• In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Slowly whisk the slurry into the simmering glaze and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking frequently, until the glaze becomes shiny and lightly coats the back of a spoon instead of running right off. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
  2 tsps (5 g) cornstarch, 2 tsps (10 ml) cold water
• Carefully remove the foil from the baking sheet, watching for escaping steam. Transfer the pork belly cubes to a large bowl with tongs, then carefully pour the rendered fat from the baking sheet into a heat-safe container.
• Increase the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C).
• Reserve about ½ cup (120 ml) of the glaze. Pour the remaining glaze over the pork belly and gently toss until every cube is evenly coated.
• Return the glazed pork belly to the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the glaze is bubbling around the edges, beginning to caramelize, and the pork reaches an internal temperature of 200 to 205°F (93 to 96°C).
• Brush or gently toss the pork belly with the reserved glaze. Let the burnt ends rest for 5 minutes so the glaze has time to become sticky before serving.

Notes

• Cut the pork belly into evenly sized cubes so everything cooks at the same rate.
• Wait until the pork is fork tender before glazing. Adding the glaze too early can cause the sugars to darken before the meat has finished cooking.
• Simmer the glaze for at least 1 minute after adding the cornstarch slurry so it has time to thicken properly.
• If the glaze becomes too thick, whisk in a small splash of peach tea or water until it reaches the consistency you like.
• Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Store extra glaze separately if possible.

 

 

If you’re making these Peach Tea Pork Belly Burnt Ends, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 150g | Calories: 577kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 220mg | Potassium: 188mg | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 1047IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made these Peach Tea Pork belly Burnt Ends? I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Peach Tea Pork Belly Burnt Ends appeared first on Noble Pig.

Mac and cheese pizza is creamy homemade mac and cheese, lots of melty cheese, and a buttery breadcrumb topping on a crisp pizza crust. It’s childhood comfort food that never really stops being a good idea.

Homemade Mac and Cheese Pizza with a Buttery Breadcrumb Topping

Mac and cheese pizza is not an everyday recipe, and that’s what makes it fun. It’s something you surprise your kids or grandkids with on a summer afternoon, a rainy day, or when they have friends over and you want lunch to be more memorable than the usual Dino chicken nuggets.

I remember watching one of my favorite ’70s kid shows, The Electric Company, and one of the kids talking about how wild it would be to put macaroni and cheese on a pizza. I think I filed that away in my mind like, yeah, I want to have that too. They never made it on the show, it was just talk, but it made an impression.

Kindergarten had been rough for me. I was one of the youngest kids because of my August birthday, I was painfully shy, and I hated those first months. Then I finally made a friend. I invited her to ride the bus home with me after school, have lunch at my house, and spend the afternoon playing. Parents did not arrange playdates then. You did. Even in kindergarten.

In the days leading up to the get-together, I told my new friend my mom was making us macaroni and cheese pizza for lunch. I had never mentioned this lunch plan to my mom.

When I told my mom my friend was coming over after school and that we needed to have mac and cheese pizza for lunch, she looked at me like, What are you even talking about? “I’ve never heard of macaroni and cheese pizza.” I told her I’d heard about it on The Electric Company, then begged her because I’d already promised my friend that’s what we were having for lunch. She made it happen and saved my kindergarten reputation.

I’m pretty sure she had to make the pizza dough from scratch because back then there wasn’t refrigerated pizza dough waiting in the grocery store cooler like there is today. She cooked a box of Kraft macaroni and cheese, put it on the dough, and sprinkled more cheese over the top. We thought it was the greatest lunch ever.

My version of this kid-friendly pizza includes homemade macaroni and cheese instead of the boxed stuff. That’s where I’d rather spend my energy. I happily buy the pizza dough, but if making your own is your thing, go for it.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• I started with a quick homemade cheddar sauce instead of a box. Sharp cheddar gives it the best flavor, while the mozzarella melts into a stretchy layer that makes it feel like pizza instead of pasta sitting on crust.
• The panko topping is probably my favorite part. The mac and cheese pizza my mom made didn’t have a breadcrumb topping, and if your kid is picky, you might leave it off too. I think baked macaroni and cheese never feels finished without a crunchy top. That one layer changes the whole personality of the pizza.
• This pizza is made in layers. The mac and cheese goes down first, then the mozzarella, Parmesan, and buttery breadcrumbs. The cheddar is the flavor, the mozzarella holds the pasta together, the Parmesan adds another layer of cheese, and the breadcrumbs come in with the crunch.
• I leave a border around the edge of the crust so it still looks like a regular pizza and is easy to eat by hand.

Ingredients

• Elbow macaroni – Holds onto the cheese sauce without taking over the pizza. Cook it until al dente so it keeps its texture after baking.
• Unsalted butter – Browns the flour into a smooth cheese sauce and turns the panko into the buttery topping.
• All-purpose flour – Thickens the cheese sauce so it stays creamy instead of runny.
• Whole milk – Makes a rich, smooth sauce that coats every piece of macaroni.
• Garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper – Seasons the macaroni and cheese before it ever reaches the pizza.
• Sharp cheddar cheese – Adds a lot more flavor than mild cheddar.
• Pizza dough – Refrigerated dough keeps this easy enough for a weeknight or a fun afternoon with the kids.
• Olive oil – Brushed over the exposed crust so it bakes up golden.
• Mozzarella cheese – Melts into the stretchy layer you expect from pizza and helps hold the macaroni and cheese in place.
• Parmesan cheese – Adds another layer of savory flavor and helps the top brown in the oven.
• Panko breadcrumbs – Mixed with melted butter for the crispy topping that makes the pizza feel like a brand-new version of baked macaroni and cheese.
• Fresh parsley – Completely optional, but it adds a little color before serving.

How to Make Mac and Cheese Pizza

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the mac and cheese)
  Preheat the oven and lightly grease a 12-inch (30 cm) pizza pan or baking sheet. Cook the elbow macaroni until al dente, then drain it well. While the pasta cooks, melt the butter in a saucepan, whisk in the flour, and let it cook for about a minute. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth, then stir in the garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Once the sauce starts to thicken, take it off the heat and stir in the cheddar until it’s completely smooth. Fold in the macaroni until every piece is coated.
• Step Two (make the pizza)
  Roll or stretch the pizza dough into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle or rectangle and transfer it to your prepared pan. Brush the exposed dough with olive oil, then spread the mac and cheese over the top, leaving about a ½-inch (1.25 cm) border around the edge. That border gives you a real pizza crust instead of macaroni all the way to the edge. Finish with the mozzarella and Parmesan.
• Step Three (add the crunchy topping)
  Mix the panko with the melted butter until all the breadcrumbs are coated, then scatter them evenly over the cheese. It might seem like an unusual step for pizza, but it’s what makes this feel more like baked macaroni and cheese instead of pasta on a crust.
• Step Four (bake and serve)
  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling. If you want more color on top, slide it under the broiler for a minute or two, but don’t wander off because it goes from perfectly browned to burnt in a hurry. Let the pizza rest for about 5 minutes before slicing, then sprinkle with parsley if you’re using it and serve while still warm.

Recipe Tips

• Cook the macaroni until it’s al dente. It finishes cooking in the oven, so overcooked pasta turns soft by the time the pizza comes out.
• Whisk the milk into the roux slowly. Adding it all at once makes it harder to get a smooth cheese sauce.
• Let the cheese sauce cool for a minute if it’s bubbling hard. It coats the macaroni more evenly once it isn’t piping hot.
• Leave a border around the edge of the dough. It gives you a real pizza crust and makes the slices much easier to pick up.
• Let the pizza rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. That gives the cheese a chance to firm up so every slice holds together better.

Storage

• Store leftover slices in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheat in a 350°F (175°C) oven, toaster oven, or air fryer until the crust is crisp and the cheese is hot. The microwave works too, but the crust loses its crunch.
• Freeze individual slices for up to 2 months. Wrap them well and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

FAQs

• Can I use boxed macaroni and cheese?
  You can, but the homemade cheese sauce gives the pizza much better flavor and texture. It’s worth the extra few minutes.
• Can I make this with homemade pizza dough?
  Yes. If you already have a favorite dough recipe, use it.
• Can I add bacon or other toppings?
  Of course. Crispy bacon, buffalo chicken, pulled pork, or sliced jalapeños all work well. The pizza is a great starting point if you want to make it your own. Personally, I like to drizzle mine with buffalo wing sauce.
• Can I make the macaroni and cheese ahead of time?
  Yes. Make it a day ahead, refrigerate it, then spread it over the dough when you’re ready to assemble the pizza. If it’s too firm to spread, warm it gently first.
• Can I leave off the breadcrumbs?
  Yes. The pizza is still delicious, but the panko gives it the crunchy finish that makes it feel more like baked macaroni and cheese.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Some ideas sound so silly and still deserve to be made anyway.
• I’ve never stopped believing food can surprise people.
• Growing up doesn’t have to mean becoming less curious.
• There was a time when hearing two foods in the same sentence was all the convincing I needed.
• Some promises get made before anyone knows how they’ll be kept.
• Confidence is a strange thing. Five-year-olds have lots of it. As adults we spend years trying to get it back.
• Imagination has always been my favorite ingredient.
• Many recipes exist because somebody said, “Wouldn’t it be funny if…”
• Wonder has always been a better cook than practicality.
• I’ve trusted impossible ideas before. This one turned into lunch.
• Sometimes novelty is reason enough. And the fact I wouldn’t let it go.
• Some recipes only exist to tell a story.
• Meals are meant to feed people. This one became a family story.
• Not everything I cook has to become a tradition. Some are just memories worth keeping.
• I’ve been volunteering other people for impossible cooking projects since kindergarten.
• Some invitations are made before anyone is ready to accept them.
• I don’t mind waiting. I do mind waiting for something that already knows its answer.

More Things My Kid Brain Wanted to Eat

• Mermaid Smoothie Bowls – Banana, mango, magical mermaid tails.
• Mini Meatloaf Recipe – Muffin-sized with caramelized edges.
• Cornflake Crusted Chicken Tenders – Extra crispy with honey mustard.
• Pepperoni Pizza Puffs – Bite-sized cheesy pizza snacks.
• Chicken Tenderloin Piccata – Crispy chicken with lemon butter.
• Ice Cream Pizza – Oreo crust with sliceable ice cream.
• Lucky Charms Ice Cream Recipe – Cereal milk ice cream.

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Mac and Cheese Pizza

This homemade mac and cheese pizza combines creamy cheddar mac and cheese with refrigerated pizza dough, mozzarella, Parmesan, and buttery toasted panko for a fun comfort food mashup. It's perfect for pizza night, playdates, after-school lunches, or anytime you're looking for a kid-friendly dinner that's a little out of the ordinary.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword cheesy pizza recipe, comfort food recipe, homemade mac and cheese pizza, kid-friendly pizza, mac and cheese pizza, macaroni and cheese pizza, pizza night recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Resting 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 8 slices

Calories 515kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• 12-inch pizza pan or baking sheet. For baking the pizza.
• large pot To cook the macaroni.
• Saucepan (medium). For making the cheese sauce.
• whisk To keep the sauce smooth.
• mixing bowls (small). For making the breadcrumb topping.

Ingredients

Mac and Cheese:

• 1½ cups (150 g) uncooked elbow macaroni
• 2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter
• 2 tbsps (16 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
• ½ tsp (1.5 g) garlic powder
• ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt or to taste
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) black pepper
• 2 cups (226 g) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Pizza:

• 1 lb (454 g) refrigerated pizza dough
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
• 1 cup (113 g) shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup (30 g) panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter melted
• 1 tbsp (4 g) chopped fresh parsley optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly grease a 12-inch (30 cm) pizza pan or baking sheet.
• Cook the elbow macaroni according to the package directions until al dente. Drain well and set aside.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Stir in the garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to thicken.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the shredded cheddar cheese until completely melted and smooth. Fold in the cooked macaroni until evenly coated.
• Roll or stretch the pizza dough into a 12-inch (30 cm) circle or rectangle and transfer it to the prepared pan. Brush the exposed dough lightly with the olive oil.
• Spread the mac and cheese evenly over the pizza dough, leaving a ½-inch (1.25 cm) border around the edges. Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top.
• In a small bowl, stir together the panko breadcrumbs and melted butter until evenly coated. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the cheese.
• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly. If desired, broil for 1 to 2 minutes for additional browning, watching carefully.
• Let the pizza rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Garnish with the chopped parsley, if desired, and serve warm.

Notes

• Cook the macaroni just until al dente so it doesn't become too soft while the pizza bakes.
• Taste the cheese sauce before assembling the pizza and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
• Freshly shredded cheddar and mozzarella melt more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
• For a shortcut, use about 2 cups of prepared mac and cheese instead of making it from scratch.
• Let the pizza rest for 5 minutes before slicing so the mac and cheese has time to set.

 

 

If you’re making this Mac and Cheese Pizza, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 180g | Calories: 515kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 741mg | Potassium: 196mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 640IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 416mg | Iron: 3mg

Have you made this Mac and Cheese Pizza? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

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The post Mac and Cheese Pizza appeared first on Noble Pig.

Pork Marsala Made with Boneless Pork Chops and a Mushroom Marsala Sauce

I make my pork Marsala with thin boneless pork chops, lots of mushrooms, dry Marsala wine, shallots, and thyme. The chops cook quickly, and I make the mushroom sauce in the same skillet.

I’ve ordered restaurant chicken Marsala more times than I can remember, but unless someone has taken the time to pound the chicken nice and thin, I’m usually wishing I’d ordered something else. Somewhere along the way I realized I wasn’t ordering it for the chicken anyway. I wanted the mushrooms, the sauce, and all the browned parts left in the pan. The chicken was mostly there to help get everything else back to my fork.

At home I started making it with thin boneless pork loin chops instead. They give me more browned surface for the mushroom sauce, cook quickly, and have become my favorite way to make Marsala, especially when there’s enough mushroom sauce to spoon over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• I stick with ½-inch boneless pork loin chops because they cook quickly while still giving the mushroom Marsala sauce plenty of browned surface to work with. The thinner cut is what makes this faster than traditional Marsala recipes without needing to pound something first.
• I skip the traditional flour coating on the pork and thicken the sauce at the end instead. This keeps the mushrooms and dry Marsala wine as the focus instead of making a heavier sauce from the dredge.
• Dry Marsala is what keeps the sauce savory and works better with the mushrooms, shallots, and thyme than sweet Marsala.
• I treat the mushrooms like a main part of the recipe, not something added at the end. Cooking them with the shallots and thyme makes them as important as the pork chops.
• Everything is cooked in the same skillet, so the browned bits left behind by the pork become part of the mushroom Marsala sauce.

Ingredients

• Boneless pork loin chops – Thin-cut chops brown quickly and stay tender without a long cooking time. Trim any excess fat before seasoning so they cook evenly in the skillet.
• Kosher salt – Seasons the pork before it goes into the skillet and enhances the flavor of the finished sauce.
• Freshly ground black pepper – Seasons the pork without competing with the mushrooms and Marsala.
• Olive oil – Enough to brown the pork first and then cook the mushrooms and shallots in the same skillet.
• Mushrooms – Cremini have a slightly deeper flavor, but white mushrooms are fine too. Let them release their moisture and brown before adding the broth and Marsala.
• Shallot – Softer and a little sweeter than regular onion, which goes well with the Marsala sauce.
• Thyme – Fresh or dried. It pairs naturally with the mushrooms and Marsala.
• Low-sodium chicken broth – Gives the sauce more body while letting you control the final seasoning.
• Dry Marsala wine – Dry Marsala from the wine section is my first choice, but dry Marsala cooking wine will work if that’s what you have.
• Cornstarch – Thickens the sauce at the end without needing to coat the pork in flour first.
• Cold water – Mixed with the cornstarch to create a smooth slurry before adding it to the skillet.

How to Make Pork Marsala

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (season and cook the pork chops)
  Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and black pepper. Heat a large 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick skillet over medium heat, then add 2 teaspoons (10 ml) olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the pork chops and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until browned and just cooked through. Move them to a plate and loosely cover with foil while you make the sauce.
• Step Two (brown the mushrooms)
  Add the remaining olive oil to the same skillet, then add the mushrooms, shallot, and thyme. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have browned and the extra moisture has cooked off. Don’t rush the mushrooms. Letting them spend enough time in the skillet is what gives the sauce more flavor.
• Step Three (make the Marsala sauce)
  Pour in the chicken broth and dry Marsala wine, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Let the sauce simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl, then slowly stir the mixture into the sauce. Cook for another minute or two, until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon.
• Step Four (finish the dish)
  Add the pork chops and any juices from the plate back to the skillet. Spoon the mushroom Marsala sauce over the top and let everything warm together for about a minute. Serve with mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, or rice because leaving that sauce behind would be the real mistake.

Recipe Tips

• Make sure the skillet is hot before adding the pork chops. A good sear happens quickly with thin pork, and you want browning on the outside before the inside overcooks.
• Give the mushrooms enough time in the skillet before adding the liquid. Mushrooms release a lot of moisture first, and the flavor gets better once that cooks away and they start to brown.
• Use dry Marsala wine for this recipe. Sweet Marsala will make it much sweeter than intended.
• If your pork chops are thicker than the ones I suggest, add more cooking time and use a meat thermometer instead of relying only on minutes.
• Stir the cornstarch mixture again right before adding it to the sauce.
• Don’t simmer the pork chops in the finished sauce for too long. They only need to warm back through so they stay tender.

Storage

• Store leftover pork Marsala in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• To reheat, warm in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add a splash of chicken broth if the Marsala sauce has thickened too much after chilling.
• You can also reheat leftovers in the microwave using a lower power setting to help keep the pork from overcooking.
• Freeze pork Marsala for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

FAQs

• Can I use bone-in pork chops for pork Marsala?
  Yes, but they will need more time than thin boneless pork chops. Use a meat thermometer and cook until the pork reaches 145°F (63°C).
• Can I use pork tenderloin instead?
  Yes. Slice pork tenderloin into medallions about ½ to ¾ inch thick and cook just until done. The cooking time may vary slightly because tenderloin is a different cut.
• Can I make pork Marsala without wine?
  Yes. Apple cider is the closest nonalcoholic substitute I recommend. Since it’s sweeter than dry Marsala, add 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and a pinch of ground nutmeg to bring it closer to the flavor of the original sauce.
• Can I make pork Marsala with sweet Marsala wine?
  You can, but I prefer dry Marsala for this recipe. Sweet Marsala changes the flavor of the sauce and takes away from the savory mushroom flavor.
• What should I serve with pork Marsala?
  Mashed potatoes, buttered noodles, and rice are all great choices because they soak up the mushroom Marsala sauce.
• How do I know when pork chops are cooked?
  I pull these thin pork chops from the skillet when they’re just cooked through because they’ll continue cooking as they rest. After a 3-minute rest, they should reach the USDA-recommended internal temperature of 145°F (63°C).

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Sometimes the thing you thought you loved was only part of the reason you kept coming back.
• The sauce usually knows before everybody else does.
• Because a good sauce knows what belongs together.
• Some things do their best work without being the center of the plate.
• There is a difference between supporting something and disappearing behind it.
• It’s always the strongest flavors that come from what had time to develop.
• The best parts are not always the ones that get named first.
• A little time changes things. That’s often the missing ingredient.
• The thing holding everything together rarely asks for credit.
• It’s not that some things are second choices. They’re often waiting for the right combination.
• Mushrooms have never been in a hurry to tell the whole story.
• The right match does not make either side smaller.
• A little distance has a way of concentrating things.
• There’s a very big difference between changing something and replacing it.
• There are options that feel unexpected because nobody tried them sooner.
• It can take a little time for everything else to catch up.
• Things get better when they stop trying to be what everyone expected.
• I pay attention to things most people walk past.

More Boneless Pork Chop Recipes

• Pork Chops with Balsamic Fig Sauce – Shallots, figs, and a rich pan sauce.
• Peach Chutney Pork Chops – Fresh fruit, ginger, and shallots.
• Orange Glazed Pork Chops – Five ingredients with a tangy orange glaze.
• Pork Cutlets with Apples – A mix of sweet and tart apples.
• Sheet Pan Pork Chops – Potatoes and broccoli cook alongside.

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Pork Marsala

This pork Marsala is made with thin boneless pork chops, mushrooms, dry Marsala wine, shallots, and thyme. It's a one-skillet dinner that's ready in about 20 minutes.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Boneless Pork Chops with Balsamic-Fig Reduction, boneless pork loin chops, mushroom Marsala sauce, Pork Chops Marsala, pork chops with mushrooms, Pork Marsala, pork Marsala recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 285kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• measuring cups and spoons For accurate measuring of ingredients.
• Cutting board For preparing the mushrooms.
• Knife For slicing the mushrooms.
• nonstick skillet 12-inch (30 cm) Cooks the pork chops and sauce.
• tongs For turning the pork chops.
• mixing bowls (small) For mixing the cornstarch slurry.
• whisk Creates a smooth slurry.
• digital thermometer (optional). Checks for pork doneness.

Ingredients

• 4 (4 oz / 113 g each /452 g total) boneless pork loin chops ½-inch (1.3 cm) thick, trimmed of excess fat
• salt and pepper
• 3 tsps (15 ml) olive oil divided
• 1 package (8-10 oz / 227-284 g) sliced cremini or white mushrooms
• ¼ cup (40 g) chopped shallot
• ½ tsp (0.5 g) dried thyme or 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• ½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) dry Marsala cooking wine or dry Marsala drinking wine
• 1 tsp (4 g) cornstarch
• 1 tsp (5 ml) cold water

Instructions

• Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and black pepper.
  4 (4 oz / 113 g each /452 g total) boneless pork loin chops , salt and pepper
• Heat a large 12-inch (30 cm) nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once the skillet is hot, add 2 teaspoons (10 ml) olive oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the pork chops and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until browned and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and loosely tent with foil while you prepare the sauce.
  3 tsps (15 ml) olive oil
• Add the remaining 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil to the skillet. Stir in the mushrooms, shallot, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mushrooms are browned and most of their moisture has evaporated.
  1 package (8-10 oz / 227-284 g) sliced cremini , ¼ cup (40 g) chopped shallot, ½ tsp (0.5 g) dried thyme
• Pour in the chicken broth and dry Marsala wine. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  ½ cup (120 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, ⅓ cup (80 ml) dry Marsala cooking wine
• In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Slowly stir the slurry into the sauce and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon.
  1 tsp (4 g) cornstarch , 1 tsp (5 ml) cold water
• Return the pork chops and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon the mushroom Marsala sauce over the pork and cook for about 1 minute, just until heated through. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

• Dry Marsala wine. You can use Holland House Marsala Cooking Wine because it's easy to find and works well in this recipe. If you're using a bottle of drinking Marsala, choose a dry Marsala rather than a sweet one. The drinking version does impart a more authentic and nuanced flavor to the dish.
• Thin, ½-inch (1.3 cm) boneless pork loin chops cook quickly and stay tender. If your chops are thicker, increase the cooking time as needed.
• Remove the pork chops from the skillet when they're just cooked through. They'll continue cooking slightly while they rest and finish warming through when returned to the sauce.
• Let the mushrooms brown before adding the broth and Marsala wine. Cooking off their moisture first creates a richer mushroom sauce.

 

Nutrition

Serving: 250g | Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 365mg | Potassium: 805mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you made this Pork Marsala? I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Pork Marsala appeared first on Noble Pig.

Mediterranean Chicken Bowl with Quinoa and Fresh Vegetables

Leftover grilled chicken rarely lasts in my fridge because this Mediterranean chicken bowl is usually what I make with it. Since the chicken is already done, all that’s left to do is cook the quinoa if I don’t already have some made, chop a few fresh veggies, whisk together a simple lemon vinaigrette, and toss everything into one bowl. It’s filling enough for dinner, makes an even better lunch, and gives my leftover grilled chicken a completely different second life.

After a holiday weekend, especially one where the grill has been going and the refrigerator is full of leftovers, this is one of the first things I make. In fact, I make extra grilled chicken on purpose just so this can happen later.

Sometimes I do grill chicken specifically because I’m craving these bowls, but most of the time it starts with the leftovers waiting in the refrigerator and me wanting something that feels completely different from what I’ve already been eating.

I love this after a weekend of heavier food because it doesn’t feel like a punishment meal. There’s still feta, olives, a good lemon vinaigrette, and plenty going on. It’s fresh, colorful food that reminds me how much I like eating this way too.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• I make this bowl around leftover grilled chicken instead of starting from scratch. If I have the grill going, I almost always make extra chicken because I already know this is probably happening the next day.
• Quinoa is what takes this from a salad into dinner for me. I love lettuce, but this is the kind of bowl I want when I’m craving something more filling that still feels fresh after a weekend of indulgence.
• One thing I’ve learned from making this over and over is that not every vegetable belongs in a leftover bowl. Cherry tomatoes, English cucumber, olives, feta, and cooked quinoa stay in good shape, which is why I use them every time.
• I kept he lemon vinaigrette simple on purpose. The grilled chicken already has lots of flavor, and I don’t want to cover up the veggies. If I already have a jar of my Greek salad dressing in the refrigerator, I’ll use that instead.
• I serve this warm or cold depending on whether the chicken and quinoa are leftovers or freshly made. It’s good either way.

Ingredients

• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – Use one you really like the taste of since it makes up the base of the vinaigrette. A good olive oil makes a difference when there are this few ingredients.
• Fresh Lemon Juice – Fresh squeezed is the move. The dressing is simple, so the lemon flavor really comes through.
• Honey – Balances the tart lemon and salty ingredients without making the vinaigrette sweet.
• Garlic – Adds flavor to the dressing without needing a long list of ingredients. I like grating mine.
• Dried Oregano – Gives the vinaigrette a classic Greek-inspired flavor and goes really well with grilled chicken.
• Kosher Salt and Black Pepper – Simple seasonings, but necessary.
• Cooked Quinoa – I prefer quinoa instead of rice because it feels lighter, absorbs the dressing really well, and makes this feel like more of a complete meal.
• Grilled Chicken – This is one of my favorite ways to use leftover chicken from the grill. Chicken breasts or thighs are both great, so use whatever you already have.
• Cherry Tomatoes – They’re naturally sweeter and less watery than larger tomatoes, which is why I always use them.
• English Cucumber – Fewer seeds and a thinner skin make it a better choice than regular cucumbers for a bowl that might sit in the refrigerator. Those mini cucumbers are also fine.
• Kalamata Olives – The salty, briny flavor you expect in a Mediterranean bowl. Regular black olives are much milder and don’t give you the same flavor.
• Feta Cheese – I like buying a block and crumbling it myself if I can. The texture is better and the pieces stay together when everything gets tossed together. But crumbled is also fine. Use what you have first.
• Red Onion – Adds some bite and color without overpowering the rest of the bowl. You can soak it in cold water to get rid of some of the pungency or use pickled red onions.
• Fresh Basil – I prefer basil instead of parsley because it adds some sweetness that goes with the tomatoes, lemon, and grilled chicken.

How to Make a Mediterranean Chicken Bowl

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the vinaigrette)
  If you’re using leftover grilled chicken and leftover quinoa, you’re already halfway there. If you’re grilling chicken and cooking quinoa specifically for this bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper while they cook. Taste the vinaigrette before adding it to the bowl because no two lemons are ever exactly the same. Add a little more honey or lemon juice until it tastes right to you.
• Step Two (assemble the bowl)
  Add the cooked quinoa, grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, Kalamata olives, feta, and red onion to a large serving bowl. Pour the lemon vinaigrette over everything and toss gently. Add the fresh basil at the end so it stays fresh and doesn’t get lost. Serve it right away while the chicken and quinoa are slightly warm, or refrigerate it because this is one of those bowls that’s good cold the next day.

Recipe Tips

• Let hot chicken or quinoa cool for a few minutes before tossing everything together. A little warmth is great, but steaming hot ingredients will soften the veggies faster.
• Slice the cucumber a little thicker if you’re planning on leftovers. Smaller pieces lose their texture quicker once they’re mixed with the vinaigrette.
• Add the fresh basil right before serving. It keeps its fresh flavor and doesn’t get buried once everything is tossed together.
• Taste the vinaigrette before pouring it over the bowl. Lemons vary a lot, so sometimes you’ll want a little more honey or an extra squeeze of lemon.
• Save a little vinaigrette if you know you’ll have leftovers. The quinoa keeps absorbing flavor in the refrigerator, and an extra spoonful the next day brings everything back.
• If I already have my Greek dressing in the refrigerator, I’ll use that here too. The whole idea of this bowl is making something good with what you already have.

Storage & Leftovers

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• The quinoa will continue soaking up the vinaigrette as it sits, which is why I like adding a little extra dressing before eating leftovers.
• The cucumbers and tomatoes will soften slightly over time, but everything lasts because there is no lettuce to wilt.
• I don’t recommend freezing this bowl. Fresh vegetables, feta, and quinoa change texture too much after thawing.

FAQs

• Can I use rotisserie chicken instead of grilled chicken?
  Yes. Rotisserie chicken is fine when you don’t have leftover grilled chicken. The flavor will be a little different, but I wouldn’t deprive myself of this meal because I didn’t have grilled chicken available.
• Can I make this ahead of time?
  Yes. If I’m making it ahead, I like keeping some of the vinaigrette and basil separate until serving so everything tastes fresh.
• Can I use another grain instead of quinoa?
  Yes. Rice, farro, couscous, or orzo are all fine. For me, quinoa is the clear winner in this bowl.
• Can I make this without feta?
  Yes. You can leave it out, but you’ll lose some of the salty flavor that makes the bowl work. Add extra olives or another ingredient with a bite to balance it. Goat cheese would be good.
• Can I use bottled dressing?
  Sure. Use one you already love.
• Do you serve this warm or cold?
  Both. I might eat it with slightly warm chicken and quinoa, but the leftovers straight from the refrigerator are one of my favorite parts.
• What else can I add?
  Chickpeas, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, spinach, arugula, or extra herbs all taste good. It’s a great bowl for using up what you already have.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• The chicken was good before anything else came into play.
• There is always a difference between being finished and being done.
• Leftovers get a bad reputation from those who don’t know what to do with what’s still there.
• Starting over does not always mean starting from nothing.
• The things worth keeping usually know how to become something new.
• A good second act does not apologize for having a first one.
• Sometimes things need a different place to become interesting again.
• What often looks like an ending is just waiting for someone with a better idea.
• Not everything needs to return exactly how it was.
• The right combination doesn’t make you less of what you were.
• Some things fit together because they leave room.
• The best things added later never feel like an afterthought.
• The best additions don’t compete for attention. They know what they came to do.
• A dinner bowl works because nothing has to disappear.
• A little acidity fixes more than people give it credit for.
• Sometimes the thing that cuts through everything is exactly what was needed.
• You can add more, but sometimes balance was the missing ingredient.
• This isn’t a January 2nd sad lettuce meal. It’s a it’s July and I had burgers and cocktails, and now I want something with cucumbers and feta kind of week.

More Dinner Bowls

• Street Corn Chicken Rice Bowls – Grilled chicken with elote flavors.
• Pineapple Chicken and Coconut Rice – Savory sauce with lots of veggies.
• Greek Salmon Rice Bowls – Seared salmon with lemon yogurt.
• Salmon Poke Bowls – Marinated salmon with fresh vegetables.
• Spicy Salmon Sushi Bowls with Crispy Rice – Crispy rice with spicy salmon.
• Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls – Easy prep with hearty flavors.
• Ground Turkey Stir Fry – Great over rice or noodles.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Mediterranean Chicken Bowl

Mediterranean chicken bowl is made with leftover grilled chicken, quinoa, crisp vegetables, feta, olives, and a homemade lemon vinaigrette. It's one of the first things I make when I have leftover grilled chicken in the refrigerator.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword chicken quinoa bowl, grilled chicken bowl, healthychicken bowl, leftover grilled chicken recipe, lemon vinaigrette, Mediterranean chicken bowl, Mediterranean lunch, Mediterranean quinoa bowl

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 582kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• mixing bowls (small) For whisking the vinaigrette.
• whisk Blends the dressing until smooth.
• Cutting board For chopping the vegetables and chicken.
• Knife Slices and chops the ingredients.

Ingredients

Lemon Vinaigrette:

• ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp (21 g) honey
• 1 clove garlic minced
• ½ tsp (0.5 g) dried oregano leaves
• ¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt
• ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) black pepper

Mediterranean Chicken Bowl:

• 3 cups (555 g) cooked quinoa
• 1 lb (454 g) cooked grilled chicken chopped or sliced (about 2¼ cups)
• 2 cups (300 g) halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 medium English cucumber sliced
• ½ cup (75 g) pitted, sliced Kalamata olives
• ½ cup (75 g) crumbled feta cheese
• ¼ cup (40 g) thinly sliced red onion
• ¼ cup (6 g) thinly sliced fresh basil

Instructions

• While the quinoa and chicken are cooking (unless you're using leftover chicken), whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until well combined. Taste the vinaigrette and adjust with a little more lemon juice or honey, if desired.
  ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil, ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice, 1 tbsp (21 g) honey, 1 clove garlic, ½ tsp (0.5 g) dried oregano leaves, ¼ tsp (1.5 g) kosher salt, ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) black pepper
• Add the cooked quinoa, grilled chicken, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, Kalamata olives, feta, red onion, and basil to a large serving bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the top and gently toss until everything is evenly coated. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
  3 cups (555 g) cooked quinoa, 1 lb (454 g) cooked grilled chicken, 2 cups (300 g) halved cherry tomatoes, 1 medium English cucumber, ½ cup (75 g) pitted, sliced Kalamata olives, ½ cup (75 g) crumbled feta cheese, ¼ cup (40 g) thinly sliced red onion, ¼ cup (6 g) thinly sliced fresh basil

Notes

• Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives the vinaigrette the best flavor.
• English cucumbers stay crisp, are seedless and don't need to be peeled.
• Let freshly grilled chicken cool slightly before tossing it with the vegetables.
• Taste the vinaigrette before dressing the bowl and adjust the lemon juice or honey to your preference.

 

 

If you’re making this Mediterranean Chicken Bowl, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 435g | Calories: 582kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 22g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 624mg | Potassium: 736mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 664IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 182mg | Iron: 3mg

Have you made these Mediterranean Chicken Bowls? I’d love to hear how they turned out — leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Mediterranean Chicken Bowl appeared first on Noble Pig.

Chipotle Honey Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Fresh Garlic Lime Butter

Shrimp have never needed much to be good, but I do think they benefit from a little contrast. My chipotle honey grilled shrimp skewers have smoke, spice, and a little sweetness, while the side of garlic lime butter helps cools down the heat and gives you somewhere to dunk every bite.

If I’m wandering around the grocery store and still have no idea what I’m making for dinner, there’s a pretty good chance I’ll end up at the seafood counter buying a couple pounds of shrimp. This happens a lot, by the way.

Shrimp is one of those versatile ingredients I know I can turn into a meal without really thinking about it. It’s also my favorite answer to last-minute entertaining dilemmas, because it’s easy to turn it into something that looks like I had a plan all along.

Most of the time I serve the shrimp over rice with whatever vegetable I have around, but threaded onto skewers, it becomes one of my favorite things to put on the grill.

This particular grilled shrimp recipe has really come down to a bunch of small decisions I’ve made over the years. Every time I’d make it, I’d change something minor I thought could be better. None of the changes have been significant, but eventually they added up.

Eventually I quit brushing the butter over the shrimp and started serving it on the side instead. That was probably my best decision. I also switched to hot honey because I like the extra heat. The shrimp started tasting the way I wanted them to.

These are smoky, have some spice (which you can adjust), and have a touch of sweetness. The garlic lime butter seals the deal with every dunk. They’re just as good when it’s only me standing out by the grill as they are when there are enough people around that I probably should have made a second batch.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• I marinate the shrimp in a mixture of hot honey, chipotle, lime, and spices before they ever get to the grill. The flavor is better when the shrimp have time to marinate instead of brushing everything on at the end.
• Butter brushed over the shrimp while they cook is fine, but I stopped doing it. Instead, I serve a fresh garlic lime butter on the side for dipping. Everyone gets to decide how much they want with each bite.
• I have my own little love affair with hot honey and use it instead of regular because it adds another layer of heat without needing extra ingredients. The sweetness is there, but it doesn’t overpower the chipotle.
• The shrimp only need a few minutes on the grill, which gives them enough char while keeping them juicy. I leave the tails on too because it makes them easier to thread onto skewers, turn on the grill, and grab onto when you’re eating them. A fork and knife is purely optional at this point.
• If you’re cooking on a pellet grill or charcoal grill, you’ll get smokier flavor. Even though shrimp cook fast, they still pick up enough smoke to make a difference.

Ingredients

• Jumbo Shrimp – I like using jumbo shrimp because they’re big enough to stay juicy on the grill and sturdy enough to not fall aprt on skewers while they pick up char.
• Hot Honey – Adds sweetness along with heat that goes really well with the smoky chipotle.
• Avocado Oil – Coats the shrimp so the spices stick evenly during marinating.
• Chipotle Powder – This is where most of the smoky flavor and heat come from. If you like spicy food, leave it as written. If you don’t, it’s easy to back it down a little.
• Smoked Paprika – Reinforces the smoky flavor without making the shrimp any hotter.
• Ground Cumin – Adds a warm, earthy flavor.
• Fine Sea Salt – Seasons the shrimp and brings all of the flavors together.
• Fresh Lime Juice – Brightens the marinade and keeps the sweetness from the honey in balance. You’ll use fresh lime juice again in the butter because it ties everything together.
• Salted Butter – I serve the garlic lime butter on the side instead of brushing it over the shrimp so it stays fresh tasting, and everyone can dip as much or as little as they like.
• Fresh Garlic – Grating the garlic into a paste gives the butter a stronger, smoother garlic flavor than minced garlic.
• Lime Zest – The zest adds flavor that lime juice alone can’t give you.
• Fresh Cilantro – Stirred into the butter right at the end for a fresh finish. If cilantro isn’t your thing. fresh parsley works too.

How to Make Chipotle Honey Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (marinate the shrimp)
  Pat the shrimp dry after peeling, deveining, and rinsing them. Whisk together the hot honey, avocado oil, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, cumin, sea salt, and lime juice in a large bowl, then toss the shrimp until every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes while you get everything else ready. I don’t marinate them much longer than that because the lime juice will start changing the texture of the shrimp.
• Step Two (make the garlic lime butter)
  While the shrimp marinates, whisk together the melted butter, grated garlic, lime juice, lime zest, and chopped cilantro in a small bowl. Set it aside until you’re ready to serve. I like keeping the butter on the side instead of brushing it over the shrimp because the garlic and lime stay fresh, and everyone can dip as much or as little as they like.
• Step Three (thread the shrimp onto the skewers)
  If you’re using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes first to help keep them from burning. Thread about five shrimp onto each skewer, keeping them facing the same direction so they’re easier to flip on the grill.
• Step Four (grill the shrimp)
  Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, about 350°F (175°C), and lightly oil the grates. Place the shrimp skewers directly over the heat and grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until they’re opaque with a little char around the edges. Shrimp cook fast, so don’t wander off. As soon as they’re done, pull them off the grill so they stay juicy.
• Step Five (serve the shrimp skewers)
  Arrange the shrimp skewers on a platter and serve them right away with the garlic lime butter for dipping. The smoky chipotle marinade and the fresh garlic lime butter really do belong together, so don’t skip the dipping.

Recipe Tips

• Pat the shrimp dry before adding the marinade. A dry surface helps the marinade coat the shrimp instead of sliding off.
• Lightly oil the grill grates before adding the skewers to help prevent sticking.
• The shrimp are going to cook fast. As soon as they’re opaque with a char around the edges, they’re ready to come off. If they curl into a tight little “O,” they’ve cooked longer than they needed to.

Storage & Leftovers

• Store leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• I love these cold just as much as they are warm. They’re great in tacos, on salads, added to rice bowls, or wrapped up in a tortilla for lunch the next day.
• If you’d rather reheat them, warm the shrimp gently in a skillet over low heat until heated through. Shrimp don’t need much time, and overcooking them will make them tough.
• Leftover garlic lime butter is too good to throw away. Spoon it over grilled fish, lobster, veggies, rice, or just save it for the next time you’re grilling.

FAQs

• Can I use frozen shrimp?
  Yes. Thaw them completely and pat them dry before adding the marinade.
• Can I make these ahead of time?
  Yes. Marinate the shrimp and make the garlic lime butter a few hours ahead of time, then keep both refrigerated until you’re ready to grill. I wouldn’t combine the shrimp with the marinade much more than 20 minutes before cooking because the lime juice will start changing the texture.
• Do I have to leave the tails on?
  No. I leave them on because they’re easier to thread onto skewers, turn on the grill, and pick up while you’re eating, but you can remove them if you want.
• Can I use metal skewers instead of bamboo?
  Yes. Metal skewers work great and don’t need to be soaked before grilling.
• Can I make the garlic lime butter ahead of time?
  Yes. Make it up to a day ahead and refrigerate it. Warm it gently before serving so it becomes smooth enough for dipping again.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• I’ve realized some things don’t need more time. They only need the right amount.
• The best grilled food rarely spends much time on the grill.
• There are flavors that compete with each other, and ones that take turns.
• The best combos leave room for each ingredient to be noticed.
• Some things look effortless because no one saw how many small adjustments came first.
• There comes a point where changing one more thing doesn’t make it better. It only makes it different.
• Sometimes my own adjusting becomes a way of postponing the inevitable.
• I used to spend so much time becoming ready that I would miss the moment I was ready enough. Not anymore.
• Some recipes have taught me patience, and others remind me hesitation has its own consequences.
• Not everything is meant to stay in the marinade forever.
• There is a difference between protecting certain things and never giving them the chance to catch fire.
• Taste changes things once its been through the fire.
• Sometimes the answer is the one that comes together the fastest.
• Not everything worth sharing takes all day to make.
• The dinners I make the most are almost never the ones that take the longest. That’s probably universal.
• There’s a point where preparation isn’t the thing holding you back anymore. It’s your patterns.
• You can prepare something forever without ever serving it.
• There are meals that only exist because I finally decided it was time.
• A lot of things don’t need another chance. They need a different approach.
• Staying exactly where you are guarantees nothing changes.
• I’ve found the hardest part isn’t always making the decision. It’s trusting the decision after I’ve made it.
• A lot of stuff doesn’t need to be perfect. It only needs a chance to become real.
• Not every recipe falls apart because it wasn’t right. Sometimes it goes sideways because it never had the chance to become what it could have been.

More Food That Belongs on a Skewer

• Baked BBQ Chicken Skewers with Pineapple and Peppers – Smoky chicken with sweet pineapple.
• Grilled Honey Soy Lime Salmon Skewers – Sweet, savory, and lightly charred.
• Marinated Tri-Tip Kabobs with Garlic Yogurt Sauce – Tender beef with cool garlic sauce.
• Banana Split Kabobs – Angel food cake with sweet toppings.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Chipotle Honey Grilled Shrimp Skewers

These chipotle honey grilled shrimp skewers are coated in a smoky, spicy hot honey marinade, then grilled until lightly charred and served with fresh garlic lime butter for dipping. Ready in about 30 minutes, they're an easy grilled shrimp recipe for weeknight dinners, summer cookouts, or serving as an appetizer.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chipotle honey grilled shrimp skewers, garlic lime butter, grilled seafood, grilled shrimp, grilled shrimp skewers, hot honey shrimp, shrimp skewers

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 6 minutes minutes

Total Time 31 minutes minutes

Servings 10 skewers

Calories 201kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• grill A gas, charcoal or pellet gril will work well for cooking the shrimp.
• mixing bowls (large and small) For whisking together the marinade and coating the shrimp.
• whisk Helps combine both the marinade and the butter sauce.
• 10 skewers bamboo skewers should be soaked before grilling

Ingredients

Shrimp:

• 2 lbs (907 g) raw jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined

Chipotle Honey Marinade:

• 2 tbsps (42 g) hot honey
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) avocado oil or other high smoke point oil
• 2½ tsps (6 g) chipotle chile powder
• ½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika
• ½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin
• ½ tsp (3 g) sea salt
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice

Garlic Lime Butter:

• 8 tbsps (113 g) butter melted
• 4 cloves garlic grated to a paste
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice
• zest of one lime
• 1 tbsp (4 g) finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Instructions

• Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels after peeling, deveining, and rinsing them. Leaving the tails on makes the shrimp easier to thread onto the skewers and easier to pick up when serving.
  2 lbs (907 g) raw jumbo shrimp
• Whisk together the hot honey, avocado oil, chipotle chile powder, smoked paprika, cumin, sea salt, and lime juice in a large bowl until combined.
  2 tbsps (42 g) hot honey, 1 tbsp (15 ml) avocado oil, 2½ tsps (6 g) chipotle chile powder, ½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika, ½ tsp (1 g) ground cumin, ½ tsp (3 g) sea salt, 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice
• Add the shrimp and toss until they're evenly coated with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Avoid marinating much longer, as the lime juice can begin to change the texture of the shrimp.
• While the shrimp marinates, whisk together the melted butter, grated garlic, lime juice, lime zest, and cilantro in a small bowl. Set aside until ready to serve.
  8 tbsps (113 g) butter, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice, zest of one lime, 1 tbsp (4 g) finely chopped fresh cilantro
• If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes to help prevent burning. Thread about 5 shrimp onto each skewer, keeping them facing the same direction so they're easier to turn on the grill.
• Preheat the grill to medium-high heat, about 350°F (175°C). Lightly oil the grill grates or coat them with nonstick cooking spray.
• Place the shrimp skewers directly on the grill and cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until the shrimp are opaque and lightly charred. Remove them from the grill as soon as they're cooked through to keep them juicy.
• Transfer the shrimp skewers to a serving platter and serve immediately with the garlic lime butter for dipping.

Notes

• These shrimp have a medium level of heat. If you prefer less spice, reduce the chipotle powder to ½ to 1 teaspoon (1 to 2.5 g).
• Do not marinate the shrimp much longer than 20 minutes. The lime juice can begin to change the texture of the shrimp.
• Shrimp cook very quickly and can become rubbery if overcooked.
• A pellet smoker or charcoal grill adds a subtle smoky flavor that pairs especially well with the chipotle marinade.
• Store leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• Reheat gently in a skillet over low heat or enjoy the shrimp cold in tacos, salads, or grain bowls.
• Leftover garlic lime butter is also delicious with grilled fish, lobster, or roasted vegetables.

 

 

If you’re making these Chipotle Honey Grilled Shrimp Skewers, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 115g | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 196mg | Sodium: 291mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 364IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made these Chipotle Honey Grilled Shrimp Skewers? I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Chipotle Honey Grilled Shrimp Skewers appeared first on Noble Pig.

Mermaid Smoothie Bowls with Easy Mermaid Tail Decorations

There’s something fun about setting a mermaid smoothie bowl in front of someone who isn’t expecting it. Whether it’s a summer breakfast, a birthday surprise, or a sleepover morning, the colorful mermaid tails usually bring a big smile before anyone even picks up a spoon. They look intricate, but they’re only colored yogurt frozen in silicone molds. I think that’s part of the magic. The decorations can be made days ahead of time, so all that’s left to do is blend the smoothie and create your little underwater scene.

At some point before my eighth birthday, I became completely obsessed with Sea Wees. They were these little mermaid dolls with long hair, tiny accessories, and sponge lily pads that floated in the bathtub. I thought they were the most magical things I’d ever seen. I was also fully convinced mermaids were real and lived in those impossibly blue cerulean waters I would see in the Mediterranean.

I remember waking up on my eighth birthday fully expecting there to be a mermaid birthday party waiting for me. In my mind, this had already been decided. There would be mermaid dolls everywhere, probably blue punch, and I was going to spend the entire day pretending they were real. There was no mermaid party or hint of anything mermaid anywhere.

I was pretty miffed about it, which feels funny to admit now because I’ve spent decades getting over genuinely important things and apparently never got over this.

So naturally, I made myself a mermaid smoothie bowl, because one of the best parts of being an adult is finally getting to make the things you wished for as a kid. Some wishes don’t expire. They disappear into the background for a few decades, then one day you’re standing in your kitchen with silicone molds and blue spirulina, making yourself the thing you wanted all along.

The little mermaid tails are nothing more than colored yogurt frozen in silicone molds, and they make me ridiculously happy. Fresh fruit on top turns the smoothie bowl into a tiny edible underwater kingdom, and every time I make one, I think eight-year-old me would have considered this a perfectly acceptable substitute for the birthday party she never got.

For me, this recipe feels like a very delayed celebration.

And if you have someone in your life who would love waking up to this kind of whimsy, I highly recommend making it for them.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• The smoothie itself is simple. Frozen banana, mango, yogurt, and blue spirulina have all been blended together before. What really makes this recipe different is the experience you’re going to provide. And you don’t need any special skills to do it.
• I make the mermaid tails and seashells from colored yogurt frozen in silicone molds instead of using candy or store-bought decorations. They look surprisingly detailed once unmolded, and because they’re edible, they become part of the breakfast instead of something that’s picked off and set aside.
• I chill the serving bowls before blending the smoothie. It’s a small step, but it gives me extra time to arrange the fruit and frozen yogurt decorations before the smoothie starts softening.
• I chose the fruit with the underwater theme in mind. The dragon fruit balls remind me of smooth stones scattered across the ocean floor, while the blueberries and blackberries resemble little sea plants growing around the mermaid tails.
• The decorations can be made days or even weeks ahead of time. By the time breakfast rolls around, all that’s left to do is blend the smoothie and create your tiny underwater world.
• Fresh and frozen mango both work, but they create slightly different bowls. Fresh mango makes a softer smoothie, while frozen mango creates a thicker texture that holds the decorations a little longer.

Ingredients

• Frozen Bananas – The frozen bananas create the thick, creamy base that helps support the toppings instead of letting them sink into the smoothie.
• Mango – Adds tropical flavor and a little natural sweetness. Fresh mango makes a softer bowl while frozen mango creates a thicker texture that melts more slowly.
• Yogurt – Used in both the smoothie and the mermaid decorations. Plain, vanilla, or another pale-colored yogurt works best because it’s easier to color than fruit yogurt.
• Blue Spirulina Powder – Gives the smoothie its ocean-blue color and adds blue swirls to the yogurt mermaid tails. If you don’t want to buy spirulina, blue food coloring works perfectly well.
• Beet Root Powder – Creates the soft pink color in the mermaid tails and shells. Pink or red food coloring is an easy substitute.
• Dragon Fruit – I use a melon baller to shape the dragon fruit into little spheres that remind me of smooth stones you’d find on the ocean floor.
• Blueberries – Add color and texture while continuing the underwater color palette.
• Blackberries – Their darker color balances the lighter fruit and makes the bowl feel a little more like an underwater scene. At least that’s what I see.
• Silicone Mermaid and Seashell Molds – The molds are what turn colored yogurt into detailed little mermaid tails and seashells. They look elaborate, but they’re one of the easiest parts of the recipe.

How to Make Mermaid Smoothie Bowls

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the mermaid tail decorations)
  Divide the yogurt between two small bowls. Stir the blue spirulina powder into one bowl and the beet root powder into the other until the colors are evenly mixed. Spoon small amounts of each color into the silicone molds, then gently swirl them together with a toothpick to create a marbled look. Don’t overdo the swirling or the colors will blend together. Freeze the decorations for at least 1 hour, or until completely firm.
• Step Two (chill the serving bowl)
  While the decorations are freezing, place your serving bowl in the freezer. It’s a tiny step, but starting with a cold bowl gives you a little extra time to arrange the fruit and mermaid tails before everything starts softening.
• Step Three (blend the smoothie)
  Add the frozen bananas to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the mango, yogurt, and blue spirulina powder, then blend again until thick and creamy. If you’d like the smoothie to look a little more ocean-blue, add another pinch of spirulina.
• Step Four (decorate the smoothie bowl)
  Spoon the smoothie into the chilled bowl. Carefully remove the frozen yogurt mermaid tails and seashells from the molds and arrange them on top. Add the dragon fruit balls, blueberries, and blackberries, then serve right away before the smoothie and decorations start softening. The little frozen mermaids hold together surprisingly well, but they’re still yogurt, so eventually they decide they’re done being sea creatures.

Recipe Tips

• Freeze the mermaid tails and seashells until they’re completely firm before trying to remove them from the molds. Partially frozen yogurt decorations are much more likely to break.
• You don’t want to over-swirl the colors. A few passes with a toothpick create pretty marbled patterns, but too much swirling turns everything into one color.
• Keep the decorations in the freezer until you’re ready to assemble the bowls. They’ll soften gradually once they’re added to the smoothie.
• Freeze the serving bowl before blending the smoothie. A cold bowl gives you a little extra time to decorate before the smoothie starts melting.
• Fresh mango makes a softer smoothie bowl while frozen mango creates a thicker texture that holds the decorations a little longer.
• If your smoothie seems too thin, add a little more frozen banana or frozen mango and blend again.
• Smooth, pale-colored yogurt works best for the decorations. Fruit-on-the-bottom yogurts can muddy the blue and pink shades.
• Don’t worry if the mermaid tails aren’t perfect. The little swirls and color variations make each one unique, which is part of the fun.

Storage

• Mermaid smoothie bowls are best eaten right away. The smoothie and frozen yogurt decorations both soften as they sit.
• The frozen mermaid tails and seashells can be made days or even weeks ahead of time. Store them in an airtight container or freezer bag until you’re ready to use them.
• If you have leftover smoothie, pour it into popsicle molds and freeze it. Banana-mango popsicles are never a bad thing.
• I don’t recommend refrigerating assembled smoothie bowls because they lose their thick texture pretty quickly.

FAQs

• Can I use food coloring instead of blue spirulina and beet root powder?
  Yes. Blue, pink, or red food coloring all work well if you don’t want to buy spirulina or beet root powder.
• Can I make the mermaid tails ahead of time?
  Yes. The decorations can be frozen well ahead of time and kept in an airtight container in the freezer until you’re ready to make the smoothie bowls.
• Can I use dairy-free yogurt?
  Yes. Use your favorite dairy-free yogurt in both the smoothie and the decorations.
• Can I use frozen mango?
  Yes. Frozen mango makes a thicker smoothie bowl than fresh mango and helps the decorations stay cold a little longer.
• Where can I find the silicone molds?
  I linked the mermaid and seashell molds I used in the recipe card, but any food-safe silicone molds with small details will work.
• Can I use different fruit?
  Definitely. I like dragon fruit, blueberries, and blackberries because they remind me of little stones and sea plants surrounding the mermaid tails, but kiwi, pineapple, raspberries, and strawberries are all fun options.
• Why isn’t my smoothie thick enough?
  Usually the bananas weren’t fully frozen or the fruit thawed a bit before blending. Add more frozen banana or frozen mango and blend again until thick and creamy.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• There are some colors that turn us back into children almost instantly. For me it’s cerulean blue.
• I think our imaginations survive much longer than we expect.
• I still think impossibly blue water looks like it should contain mermaids.
• There are things we know aren’t real and still hope to find anyway.
• Some of my childhood disappointments remain oddly specific.
• There are things I wanted at eight years old that still sound like excellent ideas.
• There are things we stop asking for way before we stop wanting them.
• I don’t think every childhood wish needs to be outgrown.
• Some things remain special because they were once wanted very badly.
• Sometimes the things we wanted most never disappeared. We just became the person who could finally make them happen.
• I appreciate the freedom of being old enough to throw myself the party I wanted all along.
• Growing up does not require abandoning enchantment.
• I’ve always felt whimsy deserves a much longer life than we usually give it.
• Certain kinds of joy never need to be justified.
• Not everything beautiful needs to serve a practical purpose.
• Some people see fruit in a bowl. I see marine geology.
• I think we spend a surprising amount of our lives trying to recreate feelings we only experienced briefly.
• I wonder how much of growing up is becoming capable of giving ourselves things we stopped expecting from other people.
• I have a theory that every person has at least one dream they still treat as if it’s waiting in another room.
• There are things we call silly because admitting they’re still important would require an uncomfortable amount of honesty.
• Sometimes making something magical is really just another way of saying, “I remember.”
• I think some of our most persistent desires aren’t trying to send us forward. They’re standing in one place with their hand raised, waiting for us to finally notice they never left.
• You can have a beautiful life and still lament one very specific thing that would have made you feel completely seen. For me, that was a mermaid party. Being loved and understood are not always the same thing.
• Happiness can look like finding something completely unnecessary and knowing it belongs with you.

More Recipes for the Kid in All of Us

• Chocolate Freakshakes – Chocolate milkshakes piled high with fun toppings.
• Ice Cream Pizza – Oreo cookie crust with sliceable ice cream.
• Lucky Charms Ice Cream – Cereal milk ice cream with marshmallow crunch.
• Edible Sugar Cookie Dough – Soft sugar cookie dough made safe to eat.
• Lemon Pop Tarts with Glaze – Pie crust pastries filled with lemon curd.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Mermaid Smoothie Bowls

Mermaid Smoothie Bowls are made with frozen banana, mango, yogurt, and colorful yogurt mermaid tails frozen in silicone molds. Fresh fruit and ocean-inspired decorations turn a smoothie bowl into a fun breakfast, snack, or birthday morning surprise.

Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword blue smoothie bowl, blue spirulina smoothie, dragon fruit smoothie bowl, Mermaid Smoothie Bowl, mermaid smoothie bowls, smoothie bowl, yogurt mermaid tails

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Freeze time: 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2 small bowls or 1 large

Calories 275kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• silicone mermaid molds Helps shape the yogurt mermaid tails and seashells.
• Blender For blending the fruit into a thick smoothie bowl.
• Melon Baller For shaping the dragon fruit into small rounds.
• Toothpick For lightly swirling the yogurt colors together.
• mermaid spoons (optional) Only for fun.
• coconut serving bowls (optional) Just for fun, any bowl works.

Ingredients

Mermaid Tail Decorations:

• ½ cup (120 g) yogurt divided (any flavor, but a pale color is advisable)
• ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) blue spirulina powder or 1-2 drops blue food coloring
• ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) beet root powder or 1-2 drops pink food coloring

Mermaid Smoothie Bowl:

• 2 bananas frozen
• 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen mango (starting with fresh mango means your bowl will start of a little more melty)
• 2 tbsps (30 g) yogurt (any flavor, but pale color advisable)
• 1 tsp (2 g) blue spirulina powder or 1-2 drops blue food coloring

Fruit Topping:

• 1 dragon fruit balled with a melon baller
• ¼ cup (37 g) blueberries
• ¼ cup (36 g) blackberries

Instructions

• Place the serving bowl in the freezer while you prepare the recipe. Chilling the bowl helps keep the smoothie thick while you decorate it.
• To make the mermaid tail decorations, divide the yogurt between two small bowls. Stir the blue spirulina powder into one bowl and the beet root powder into the other until the colors are evenly mixed.
  ½ cup (120 g) yogurt, ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) blue spirulina powder, ⅛ tsp (0.3 g) beet root powder
• Spoon small amounts of each colored yogurt into the silicone mermaid molds, alternating colors as desired. Swirl the colors gently with a toothpick to create a marbled effect. Freeze for at least 1 hour, or until completely firm.
• Add the frozen bananas to a blender and blend until smooth. Add the mango, yogurt, and blue spirulina powder, then blend until thick and creamy. Add a little more blue spirulina, if desired, to deepen the color.
  2 bananas , 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen mango , 2 tbsps (30 g) yogurt , 1 tsp (2 g) blue spirulina powder
• Transfer the smoothie to the chilled serving bowl. Carefully remove the frozen yogurt mermaid tails from the molds and arrange them on top of the smoothie. Decorate with the dragon fruit balls, blueberries, and blackberries. Serve immediately.
  1 dragon fruit, ¼ cup (37 g) blueberries, ¼ cup (36 g) blackberries

Notes

• Use pale-colored yogurt for the decorations so the colors stay clear and pastel.
• Regular blue, pink, or red food coloring can be used instead of blue spirulina powder and beet root powder.
• Frozen mango will make a thicker smoothie bowl than fresh mango.
• Keep the yogurt decorations frozen until you are ready to assemble the bowl. They will begin to soften once they sit at room temperature.
• The mermaid tail decorations can be made a week ahead and stored in the freezer in an airtight container.

 

 

If you’re making these Mermaid Smoothie Bowls, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 400g | Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 1030mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 725IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 175mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made these Mermaid Smoothie Bowls? I’d love to hear how they turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Mermaid Smoothie Bowls appeared first on Noble Pig.

Tender Country Style Ribs with Fresh Peach Bourbon BBQ Sauce

No one gives country style ribs as much attention as baby back ribs, but they’re one of my favorite cuts for oven baking. Because they’re cut from the pork shoulder, they have enough marbling and connective tissue to stay moist during a long cook while becoming tender enough to pull apart with a fork.

Country style ribs belonged to my mom because they didn’t require a grill, and according to her, grills were men’s equipment. My dad made baby backs outside and turned it into a full-blown cooking event. There was charcoal and sauce and all the general cooking mess that seemed to come with ribs. My mom wanted no part of any of it. She made country style ribs in the oven because it was Tuesday and we needed dinner.

We had country style ribs more often because of that. They were messy and sticky and easier to eat than baby backs, and I still crave them for reasons that have very little to do with barbecue and a lot to do with ordinary dinners. There are foods that become attached to birthdays and holidays. Others become attached to regular nights when everyone was home and hungry, and it seems those are the ones that have followed me the longest.

My country ribs are a little different from the ones I grew up with. I have no idea what sauce my mom used. It was probably something store-bought, and honestly it was good enough. But I live in Oregon now, where summer peaches seem bent on working their way into lots of things, and my dad always liked bourbon. Fresh peaches cooked down with bourbon and barbecue sauce feel like both of them found their way into the same pan.

I brush part of the sauce onto the ribs and it caramelizes into a sticky glaze during the final bake. I warm the rest and serve it alongside the ribs because I’ve never once regretted having extra barbecue sauce on the table.

With Father’s Day this weekend, I’ve been thinking about my dad and his baby back ribs. The ones I used to watch him make in the backyard. But somehow I ended up next to the oven making my mother’s country style ribs with peaches from Oregon and bourbon that would have made my dad happy. Funny how food puts people back together.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• Every summer I do this thing where I start looking for places to use peaches that aren’t dessert. And this round I wanted them to become part of the barbecue sauce. I cooked them down, blended them smooth, and turned them into something that tastes peachy without tasting like I poured preserves over a rack of ribs.
• If I was going to go through the trouble of making the sauce, I wanted it to show up in a few different places. Mostly because I didn’t want the peach flavor disappearing into the bottom of the pan. Some cooks with the ribs during the long bake, some gets brushed on during the final caramelizing stage, and the rest gets warmed and served alongside. It’s a three-part process.
• One of the best things about country style ribs is that they’re cut from the pork shoulder and are a very forgiving cut of meat. They have enough marbling to spend hours in the oven and still pull apart with a fork. They’re also big, meaty pieces that can handle a thick glaze without being overwhelmed by it.
• I didn’t originally blend the peaches. The first sauce I made had little pieces of peach in it, and while it tasted good, the fruit kept sliding off the ribs when I brushed it on. Blending everything together changed the sauce completely. It coated the meat evenly and caramelized into a sticky glaze instead of acting like barbecue sauce with peaches stirred into it.
• The low-and-slow bake and the final high-heat bake are doing two different things. The covered bake is where the ribs become tender. The hotter final bake is where the glaze reduces, gets sticky around the edges, and starts holding on to the meat.
• I think these ribs are even better the next day. The peach flavor is easier to pick out, and it tastes like it had a night to get acquainted.

Ingredients

• Country Style Pork Ribs – Despite the name, these are cut from the pork shoulder rather than the rib section. I like them because they’re forgiving and stay tender. I think this is why I preferred them as a kid.
• Kosher Salt – Salt, the only rock humans can eat. It also seasons the ribs and gives the spice rub something to hold onto.
• Brown Sugar – In both the rub and the sauce. It balances the smoky spices and helps the glaze become sticky and caramelized during the final bake. Make your own homemade brown sugar if you’re out.
• Smoked Paprika, Chili Powder, Black Pepper, and Cayenne Pepper – These shape the barbecue flavor. The smoked paprika adds smokiness, the chili powder adds warmth, the black pepper is doing what black pepper does, and the cayenne gives everything a little nudge.
• Garlic Powder and Onion Powder – I almost always use this combination in barbecue rubs. They add savory flavor and don’t compete with the peaches.
• Fresh Peaches – I love adding peaches to things that aren’t dessert. Once cooked and blended, the peaches become part of the sauce itself instead of fruit just stirred into barbecue sauce.
• Bourbon – Simmering the bourbon with the peaches softens its sharper edge. It leaves behind a warm flavor that is a really good match for pork and peaches.
• Barbecue Sauce – I’m starting with bottled barbecue sauce because it gives me a head start. Because remember, we want something easy enough for Tuesday night dinner. The peaches, bourbon, vinegar, Worcestershire, and brown sugar change it enough that it ends up tasting like its own thing. I like starting with a prepared honey BBQ, hickory, or spicy BBQ flavor. If I’m feeling more heat, I will add a teaspoon of chipotle chili powder for fun.
• Apple Cider Vinegar and Worcestershire Sauce – The peaches, brown sugar, and barbecue sauce have the sweetness handled, so the vinegar and Worcestershire keep everything from going too far in a sweet direction and make sure the sauce still tastes firmly like barbecue.

How to Make Bourbon Peach Country Style Ribs

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (season the ribs)
  Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Stir together the kosher salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne, then rub the mixture all over the ribs. Arrange them in a single layer in a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish. One of the reasons I like country style ribs so much is that they’re hard to dry out. They come from the pork shoulder, so they have enough marbling to sit in the oven for hours and still come out juicy.
• Step Two (make the peach bourbon sauce)
  Add the peaches to a saucepan over medium heat and cook them until they’ve softened and released their juices. Pour in the bourbon and let it simmer for a few minutes, then stir in the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire. Blend everything until smooth. The first time I made the sauce I left the peaches chunky, but the fruit pieces kept sliding off the ribs during glazing. The blended version coated the meat much more evenly.
• Step Three (bake until tender)
  Pour about one-third of the sauce over the ribs and reserve the rest. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the ribs are very tender. Country style ribs can fool you because they often look finished before they are. I always poke one with a fork. When they’re ready, the meat gives way with very little resistance.
• Step Four (glaze and caramelize)
  Remove the foil and drain off some of the liquid if there’s a lot in the bottom of the pan. Brush the ribs with another portion of the reserved sauce. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F (205°C) and return the ribs to the oven uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes, brushing with more sauce once or twice along the way. At this point the ribs are already tender. This part is all about reducing the glaze until it gets sticky around the edges and starts sticking to the meat.
• Step Five (rest and serve)
  Let the ribs rest for about 10 minutes before serving. Warm the remaining sauce and serve it alongside. I always save extra sauce because the peach flavor is easiest to pick out in the portion that didn’t spend three hours in the oven.

Recipe Tips

• Use ripe peaches because firmer peaches eventually break down, but ripe ones melt into the sauce much more willingly.
• Blend the sauce until it’s completely smooth. The first time I made it, I left little pieces of peach in the sauce, and while it tasted good, the fruit mostly wanted to abandon ship and slide right off the ribs.
• Country style ribs can look finished before they’re tender. If you poke one with a fork and it still feels like it has something to prove, give it more time.
• Don’t pour all of the sauce over the ribs at the beginning. Some of it belongs in the pan and some belongs caramelizing onto the ribs. The rest deserves to stay in the saucepan waiting for dinner.
• If there’s a lot of liquid in the baking dish after the covered bake, drain some off before glazing. Use a large spoon or carefully tilt the pan to pour it out. Otherwise the sauce will have a harder time getting sticky.
• Let the ribs rest for about 10 minutes before serving. The glaze thickens slightly as it cools, and the ribs are considerably less likely to remove the roof of your mouth.

Storage

• Store leftover ribs and sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Reheat the ribs covered in a 300°F (150°C) oven until warmed through. Low and slow works for reheating too.
• The sauce usually thickens after spending a night in the refrigerator. I just warm it gently and call it good.
• Freeze the ribs and sauce together for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• The peach flavor is easier to pick out the next day, so don’t feel bad about leftovers. It becomes obvious the peaches need a nap before introducing themselves properly.

FAQs

• Can I use frozen peaches?
  Yes. Thaw them first and cook them until softened. Once they’re blended into the sauce, frozen peaches do a remarkably convincing impression of fresh ones.
• Can I substitute peach preserves?
  Sure. The sauce will be sweeter and a little more jammy. It works, but using fresh peaches is what gives this recipe its character.
• Do I have to blend the sauce?
  No, but I prefer it blended. I wanted the peaches to become the sauce, not little pieces of fruit floating around in barbecue sauce.
• What are country style ribs?
  Despite the name, they’re usually cut from the pork shoulder rather than the rib section. Think of them as exceptionally well-behaved pieces of pork shoulder that happen to be shaped like ribs.
• Why use country style ribs instead of baby backs?
  Because they’re forgiving, meaty, and hard to dry out. They’re also much easier to eat with a fork when they’ve had enough time in the oven. And you don’t need a grill.
• Can I make these without bourbon?
  Yes. Apple juice is an easy substitute and works really well with the peaches.
• Can I make the sauce ahead of time?
  Yes. The sauce can be made a few days ahead and kept in the refrigerator.
• Why are my ribs tough?
  They needed more oven time. Country style ribs are on their own schedule.
• How do I know when they’re done?
  A fork should slide in with very little resistance. Somewhere around 195°F to 205°F (91°C to 96°C) is where they finally give up and become tender.
• Can I make the ribs ahead of time?
  Yes. Bake the ribs, refrigerate them, and reheat them with extra sauce before serving.
• Why is my sauce too thin?
  Keep simmering it. The peaches release quite a bit of juice at first, but the sauce thickens as it reduces.
• Can I make these in a slow cooker?
  You can, but you’ll miss the sticky, caramelized edges that happen during the final bake. And really, the edges are what makes them.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Some foods have remained in my memory because it was special. Others because it kept being served on Tuesdays.
• Every family has foods that belong to one parent, even if nobody ever officially decided it.
• As an adult you realize your parents had favorite things too.
• It’s interesting how accidental traditions can stay with us for the rest of our lives.
• Sometimes nostalgia is just remembering what happened often enough.
• There are meals that became part of me even though they were never meant to be memorable.
• Some foods don’t have a specific memory, but remind me of an entire era.
• I recall a lot of childhood memories through flavors.
• Some of my favorite things are the things I originally took for granted.
• I get attached to ordinary stuff.
• I don’t think enough credit is given to things that are dependable. I don’t have the bandwidth for things I can’t count on.
• Sometimes I underestimate how much affection can hide inside ordinary dinners.
• A surprising amount of my life has been assembled from things that never looked important at the time.
• There are recipes we inherit and recipes we slowly become.
• I don’t think I’m nearly as good at letting go of familiar things as I think I am.
• Some ingredients seem determined to find each other again no matter how many years pass in between.
• Some combinations seem inevitable once they happen. Recipes and people.
• The things that stay with me are often combinations of people who never realized they were making something together.
• Some things only become interesting after enough years have passed.
• There are foods that practically require a stack of napkins and a complete disregard for dignity. I like those.

What Ends Up on My Plate with These Ribs

• Rainbow Macaroni Salad — creamy, cold, and colorful.
• Smoked Corn on the Cob — sweet corn, seasoned butter and smoky flavor.
• German Potato Salad — bacon, Dijon, and whole grain mustard.
• Corn Succotash — corn, edamame, bacon, and tomatoes.
• Pineapple Coleslaw — sweet, tangy, and refreshing.
• No-Knead Peasant Bread — baked in a Pyrex bowl and perfect for extra peach bourbon sauce.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Bourbon Peach Country Style Ribs

Bourbon peach country style ribs are tender oven-baked ribs glazed with a peach bourbon barbecue sauce made from fresh peaches. Part of the sauce cooks with the ribs, part caramelizes during the final bake, and the rest is served warm alongside.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword bourbon peach country style ribs, country style pork ribs, oven baked country style ribs, peach barbecue ribs, peach bbq ribs, peach bourbon barbecue sauce, pork shoulder ribs

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 485kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• baking dish 9x13 (23x33 cm). Holds the ribs in a single layer for even cooking.
• Saucepan (medium). Used to cook the peaches and build the sauce.
• Immersion blender (or regular blender). Cretaes a smooth glaze by blending the peaches directly into the sauce.
• aluminum foil Covers the baking dish during the slow cooking stage.
• basting brush Makes it easier to apply the glaze during the final bake.
• digital thermometer Helpful for checking tenderness. Country style ribs are often most tender between 195°F and 205°F (91°C to 96°C).

Ingredients

Ribs:

• 2 tsps (12 g) kosher salt
• 1 tbsp (13 g) light brown sugar
• 1 tsp (2 g) smoked paprika
• 2 tsps (5 g) chili powder
• ½ tsp (1.5 g) garlic powder
• ½ tsp (1.5 g) onion powder
• ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper
• 3 lbs (1.36 kg) boneless country style ribs

Sauce:

• 3 fresh peaches peeled and diced
• ½ cup (120 ml) bourbon
• 1 cup (240 g) barbecue sauce
• 2 tbsps (25 g) light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C). Combine the kosher salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Rub the seasoning mixture evenly over the country style ribs and arrange them in a single layer in a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish.
  2 tsps (12 g) kosher salt, 1 tbsp (13 g) light brown sugar, 1 tsp (2 g) smoked paprika, 2 tsps (5 g) chili powder, ½ tsp (1.5 g) garlic powder, ½ tsp (1.5 g) onion powder, ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, ¼ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper, 3 lbs (1.36 kg) boneless country style ribs
• Add the diced peaches to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the peaches soften and release their juices, about 4 to 5 minutes. Pour in the bourbon and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to reduce the sharp alcohol flavor.
  3 fresh peaches, ½ cup (120 ml) bourbon
• Stir in the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Blend the mixture directly in the saucepan with an immersion blender until smooth.
  1 cup (240 g) barbecue sauce, 2 tbsps (25 g) light brown sugar, 1 tbsp (15 ml) apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp (15 ml) Worcestershire sauce
• Pour about one-third of the peach bourbon barbecue sauce over the ribs, reserving the remaining sauce for glazing and serving. Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 2½ to 3 hours, or until the ribs are very tender.
• Remove the baking dish from the oven and discard the foil. If there is a large amount of liquid in the bottom of the pan, carefully drain off some before continuing.
• Brush the ribs with another third of the reserved sauce. Increase the oven temperature to 400°F (205°C) and return the ribs to the oven uncovered. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, brushing once or twice more with sauce during baking, until the glaze is sticky and caramelized.
• Let the ribs rest for 10 minutes before serving. Warm the remaining sauce and serve it alongside the ribs.

Notes

• Country style ribs are typically cut from the pork shoulder rather than the rib section. Their marbling makes them particularly well suited for long, slow cooking.
• Use ripe peaches for the best flavor and texture. Firmer peaches may require additional cooking time before blending.
• If using frozen peaches, thaw them first and cook until softened before blending into the sauce.
• Country style ribs are done when they become tender, not necessarily when the timer ends. If a fork still meets resistance, continue baking until the connective tissue has fully softened.
• If excess liquid accumulates in the baking dish during baking, drain some before glazing to help the sauce caramelize more effectively.
• The sauce can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
• For a non-alcoholic version, substitute apple juice/cider for the bourbon.
• Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

 

 

If you’re making these Bourbon Peach Country Style Ribs, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 175g | Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 120mg | Sodium: 765mg | Potassium: 610mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 330IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you made these Bourbon Peach Country Style Ribs? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Bourbon Peach Country Style Ribs appeared first on Noble Pig.

Mini Meatloaf Recipe Baked in a Muffin Tin

My mini meatloaf recipe is baked in a muffin tin, so everyone gets individual portions with caramelized edges, lots of tomato glaze, and a shorter cook time than traditional meatloaf. Every serving gets its own browned edges and rich tomato topping, so nobody ends up with a plain center slice.

Six-year-old me had a complicated relationship with meatloaf.

My mom would bring this giant meatloaf to the table, cut me a thick slice, and set it on my plate. She did that thing where she would mix a couple of handfuls of frozen vegetables into it, so there would be a random pea here, a corn kernel there, and a little carrot cube somewhere in the middle of this giant slab of meat. The top had a very thin layer of plain ketchup spread across it, and because the slice seemed enormous to me, there was never enough of the ketchup to hide the taste.

I wasn’t allowed to complain or make a face because that was bad manners, and I was highly opinionated about meatloaf, so naturally I did both, which always had its own set of consequences.

Then everyone else would finish dinner and leave the table, and I would still be sitting there with my meatloaf. At some point I figured out that I could easily push out the corner of the window screen behind me just enough to slip little pieces outside. My outdoor dog, Sparky, happily accepted his role in what became my own highly organized meatloaf disposal operation. When enough of it had disappeared, I pushed the corner of the screen back into place and skipped off as if I finished my dinner.

These mini meatloaves are what six-year-old me would have made instead. They bake in a muffin tin, so every serving gets plenty of tomato glaze and lots of browned edges. Nobody gets the plain center slab-slice. Every little meatloaf feels like its own dinner, and most importantly, nobody needs an escape route and a loyal accomplice named Sparky.

What Makes This Recipe Different

• I put together this recipe through the lens of what I would have wanted to show up at the table when I was six years old because at that age, traditional meatloaf had a few design issues. The top and the ends are always the best part, and there isn’t enough of either. A couple of people get end slices and everybody else gets the middle. The mini meatloaf concept fixes that. Every one gets its own layer of glaze and spends more time in contact with the heat.
• These are not slices of meatloaf. They’re twelve individual meatloaves. I think that’s an important distinction. They each get their own glaze, they cook in about half the time of a traditional loaf, and nobody ends up staring at a plain middle piece wondering why they have to eat this. Especially if you’re under the age of ten.
• The muffin tin does more than make meatloaf cute. It changes the proportions. More of the meat comes into contact with the heat, the glaze has more places to collect, and you’ll feel like you got the good piece.

Ingredients

• Ground Beef – I use 85/15. It has enough fat to keep the meatloaves tender without turning the muffin tin into a greasy mess.
• Bread Crumbs – They hold everything together and help keep the meatloaf tender.
• Yellow Onion – Adds moisture and flavor.
• Ketchup – Goes into the meat mixture and the glaze because not everything needs reinventing.
• Barbecue Sauce – The amount is small, but it gives the meat mixture a little extra something. Use your favorite.
• Garlic – Fresh garlic tastes different than garlic powder, and this recipe benefits from both.
• Worcestershire Sauce – This is where a lot of the savory flavor comes from.
• Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, and Italian Seasoning – A few pantry spices that season the meat all the way through without making it taste heavily seasoned.
• Kosher Salt and Black Pepper – They do exactly what they’re supposed to do.
• Egg – Keeps the mini meatloaves together so they come out of the pan as meatloaves instead of seasoned ground beef.
• Brown Sugar – Mixed into the glaze to balance the tomato flavor.

How to Make Mini Meatloaf

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (make the sauce)
  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Stir the ketchup, brown sugar, garlic powder, and onion powder together in a small bowl until smooth. Set it aside while you make the meatloaf mixture. It doesn’t look like much at this stage, but it becomes the sweet tomato topping that ends up on every meatloaf.
• Step Two (mix the meatloaf)
  Add the ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, ketchup, barbecue sauce, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and egg to a large bowl. Mix everything together just until combined. Ground beef gets firmer the more you work it, so this is not the place to keep stirring for another minute just because you can.
• Step Three (fill the muffin tin)
  Grease a 12-cup muffin tin really well. Divide the meat mixture evenly among the cups, about 55 to 60 grams each if you’re weighing them. Try not to pack the meat down. A lighter hand makes a more tender meatloaf. Spoon the sauce over the tops and make sure every one gets its fair share.
• Step Four (bake and serve)
  Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the centers reach 160°F on an instant-read thermometer. Let the mini meatloaves rest for about 5 minutes before removing them from the pan. They firm up as they sit and are much easier to lift out in one piece.

Recipe Tips

• Mix the meat just until everything comes together. Ground beef has a way of getting firmer the more it’s handled.
• Divide the meat loosely among the muffin cups instead of packing it down. A lighter touch creates a more tender meatloaf.
• Grease the muffin tin generously. The glaze collects around the edges as the meatloaves bake, and a well-greased pan makes removal and cleanup much more pleasant.
• An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to know when the centers have reached 160°F.
• Let the mini meatloaves rest for about 5 minutes before taking them out of the pan. They hold together better after a short rest and are easier to lift out in one piece.

Storage

• Store leftover mini meatloaves in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• To reheat, warm them in the microwave, air fryer, or in a 350°F oven until heated through.
• These freeze well, too. Let them cool completely, transfer them to a freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

FAQs

• Can I make this as one large meatloaf?
  You can. Transfer the mixture to a loaf pan and bake until the center reaches 160°F. The baking time will be considerably longer than the mini version.
• Can I make mini meatloaf ahead of time?
  Yes. You can mix the meatloaf a day in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to bake. You can also bake the meatloaves completely and simply reheat them for dinner.
• Why did my mini meatloaf turn out tough?
  Usually one of three things happened. The meat was overmixed, packed too tightly into the muffin tin, or cooked too long.
• What should I serve with mini meatloaf?
  Mashed potatoes and peas are the classic answer and the combination I grew up with. Macaroni and cheese, green beans, roasted vegetables, fresh creamed corn, or a simple salad are all good alongside these.
• Can I use a different ground meat?
  Yes. Ground turkey, ground chicken, or a combination of ground meats are all fine. The flavor and texture will be a little different, but the method stays the same. If using poultry, cook the meatloaves until the centers reach 165°F.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Some people spend their entire lives trying to avoid the middle.
• A lot of my childhood grievances were really complaints about fairness. That might be universal.
• The funny thing about being highly opinionated at six is that it usually doesn’t go away.
• Being the last one at the table made an ordinary dinner feel endless.
• Every family has a meal that one person remembers differently than everyone else.
• The vegetable mosaic meatloaf that arrived on my plate as a kid was a no for me.
• The dog and I had very different feelings about meatloaf.
• Some experiences become reference points and everything that comes after gets compared to them.
• Lots of things don’t need to be better. They just need more sauce.
• There are foods where we all want the same piece.
• Some flavors establish permanent residency.
• Why is it some things improve the minute everyone gets their own?
• The difference between comforting and overwhelming is sometimes only a matter of scale.
• Everyone talks about comfort food as though comfort is universal. It isn’t.
• Some foods don’t disappear because you stopped serving them.
• I have been redesigning meatloaf in my head for a long time.
• A lot of comfort foods I make are my old disappointments with better engineering.
• Some foods don’t always need reinvention. They need editing.
• The improved version isn’t always more sophisticated. It’s kinder.
• I’ve spent a lot of time making things the way I wished they had been the first time.
• The ketchup on slab meatloaf runs out way before the meatloaf does. It seems like a lot of things have that problem.
• Not every memorable thing returns, but some never finish leaving.
• I have never interacted with a muffin tin that wasn’t trying to improve morale.
• Sometimes a recipe becomes more appealing when it no longer resembles a commitment.
• There are meals that want very little from you and somehow become favorites because of it.

More Comfort Food Dinners Worth Revisiting

• Creamy Chicken Stew – chicken, vegetables, creamy broth.
• Cacio e Pepe – Pecorino Romano and black pepper.
• Baked Rigatoni – beef, mozzarella, and red sauce.
• Cottage Pie with Gruyère Mashed Potatoes – crisped potatoes, hearty beef base.
• Sheet Pan Pork Chops – pork chops, potatoes, broccoli.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Mini Meatloaf Recipe

These mini meatloaves combine seasoned ground beef, onion, breadcrumbs, and a sweet tomato glaze in individual portions baked in a muffin tin. They cook faster than traditional meatloaf and are a great choice for family dinners, leftovers, and meal prep.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword ground beef dinner, meatloaf muffins, meatloaf recipe, mini meatloaf, mini meatloaf recipe, muffin tin meatloaf

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12 mini meatloaves

Calories 165kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• 12-Count Muffin Tin For individual meatloaf portions.
• mixing bowls (large and small). For combining meatloaf ingredients and stirring together tomato glaze.
• digital thermometer The easiest way to verify the centers have reached 160°F (71°C).

Ingredients

• cooking spray

Meatloaf Sauce:

• ¾ cup (180 g) ketchup
• 2 tbsps (25 g) light brown sugar
• ½ tsp (1.5 g) garlic powder
• ½ tsp (1.5 g) onion powder

Mini Meatloaf:

• 1 lb (454 g) ground beef (85/15)
• ⅔ cup (70 g) plain, dry bread crumbs
• ½ cup (75 g) finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 tbsp (15 g) ketchup
• 1 tbsp (15 g) prepared barbecue sauce
• 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
• 1 tsp (5 g) Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
• 1 tsp (3 g) onion powder
• 1 tsp (1 g) Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt
• ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper
• 1 large egg

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin very well.
  cooking spray
• In a small bowl, stir together the ketchup, brown sugar, garlic powder, and onion powder until combined. Set aside.
  ¾ cup (180 g) ketchup, 2 tbsps (25 g) light brown sugar, ½ tsp (1.5 g) garlic powder, ½ tsp (1.5 g) onion powder
• In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, onion, ketchup, barbecue sauce, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and egg. Mix just until combined.
  1 lb (454 g) ground beef (85/15), ⅔ cup (70 g) plain, dry bread crumbs, ½ cup (75 g) finely chopped yellow onion, 1 tbsp (15 g) ketchup, 1 tbsp (15 g) prepared barbecue sauce, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp (5 g) Worcestershire sauce, 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder, 1 tsp (3 g) onion powder, 1 tsp (1 g) Italian seasoning, 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, 1 large egg
• Divide the meat mixture evenly among the 12 muffin cups, about 55 to 60 g per portion. Avoid packing the meat tightly.
• Spoon the prepared sauce evenly over the tops of the meatloaves.
• Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the centers reach 160°F (71°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
• Let rest for 5 minutes before removing from the pan and serving.

Notes

• Loosely portioning the meat mixture helps keep the mini meatloaves tender.
• 85/15 ground beef provides the best balance of flavor and texture for this recipe.
• A muffin tin creates more caramelized edges than a traditional meatloaf and gives every serving its own layer of glaze.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• Freeze cooled mini meatloaves for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

 

 

If you’re making this Mini Meatloaf Recipe, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

 

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

 

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 85g | Calories: 165kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 360mg | Potassium: 230mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made this Mini Meatloaf Recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Mini Meatloaf Recipe appeared first on Noble Pig.

Orange Chicken with Tempura-Battered Chicken Thighs

When it comes to homemade orange chicken, everyone focuses on the sauce. Which is reasonable. Most of the testing I did on this recipe, though, wasn’t about the sauce at all. It was figuring out how to keep the batter attached to the chicken. What finally worked was dusting the chicken thighs with tempura batter mix before dipping them into the batter. From there, I fried them until golden and tossed them in the orange sauce. That one change made a noticeable difference in how well the coating stayed attached and how much sauce each piece could hold onto.

I was just the right age when Panda Express unleashed orange chicken on the world. If you spent any amount of time at the mall in the late eighties and early nineties, you probably remember it too. Suddenly we were all walking around with those little containers of orange chicken like we’d discovered something revolutionary. To be fair, nobody was putting up much of a fight against fried chicken covered in orange sauce. As a teenager, it felt like somebody had figured out a way to serve candy for dinner and somehow get away with it. We were all hooked.

I’ve been eating orange chicken ever since. Some were great. Plenty came from buffet lines and steam tables. That’s probably why I got so picky about this recipe.

The funny thing is that after all these years, I have never really been concerned about the sauce. That’s what everybody talks about. Every orange chicken recipe on the internet is determined to spend time talking only about the sauce. My interest has always been on making the chicken worthy enough to survive the sauce.

I used juicy chicken thighs instead of breast meat and worked on creating a coating that stayed attached and substantial enough to hold onto the sauce without sliding off. The sauce came together pretty quickly. The chicken took a lot more convincing.

Part of the breakthrough came when I stopped treating the tempura batter mix like it was useful in only one way. I dusted the chicken with the dry mix before battering it, made the batter thicker than the package wanted me to, and it was only then that things started heading in the right direction. The coating stuck, the chicken stayed juicy, and the sauce finally had something to grab onto.

And before anyone writes me a strongly worded letter, yes, I’m fully aware there are those of you reading this with a bag of Trader Joe’s Orange Chicken in their freezer right now. Maybe even two bags or seven. My recipe is not trying to beat frozen orange chicken on convenience. That’s not even a fair fight and you know it. This is Friday and Saturday night orange chicken. It’s the recipe you make because cooking sounds better than takeout and because sometimes standing over a wok with a glass of wine nearby is exactly what you felt like doing. There’s probably a Khalid song on too.

By the time this makes its way to the table, you’ll notice it’s the kind of orange chicken I was wanting from the beginning. There are juicy chicken thighs, a coating that can handle the sauce, and pieces big enough to feel like chicken instead of breading.

What Makes This Different

• The first thing I changed was the chicken. I chose thighs instead of chicken breast because they’re more forgiving during frying and stay juicier once they’re coated and tossed in the sauce. Sure, chicken breast is much easier to cut into cubes, but for flavor and juiciness, thighs are where it’s at.
• The coating took a little more work. After a lot of testing, I started dusting the chicken with tempura batter mix before dipping it into the batter. That extra step helped solve the biggest problem I kept running into during testing. The coating stayed attached after frying and held onto the sauce much better once everything was tossed together in the wok. I also make the batter thicker than the tempura package instructions call for because I wanted a more substantial coating that could hold onto the sauce.
• I made the sauce with fresh orange juice instead of marmalade. It keeps the sauce smooth, lets me control the sweetness, and gives the finished chicken fresh orange flavor without bits of peel throughout the sauce.

Ingredients

• Chicken Thighs – I use boneless skinless chicken thighs because they stay juicier during frying and are more forgiving than chicken breast. If a piece spends an extra minute in the oil, thighs will not punish you for it.
• Tempura Batter Mix – I use it for the initial dusting and the batter itself. That dusting step ended up being the key to keeping the coating intact after frying and tossing everything in the sauce.
• Egg – Helps bind the batter together and gives the coating a little more sturdiness once it hits the hot oil.
• Orange Juice – I wanted the orange flavor to come from the juice rather than marmalade. Freshly squeezed gives the orange flavor I was after, and bottled orange juice takes it into candy land.
• Soy Sauce – Adds the savory flavor you’re expecting from orange chicken.
• Oyster Sauce – Adds the savory flavor you’re expecting from orange chicken and helps give the sauce a more takeout-style character.
• Hoisin Sauce – Adds a little sweetness and helps connect the orange, soy sauce, and oyster sauce into one sauce.
• Rice Vinegar – Keeps the sauce from becoming overly sweet and gives the orange flavor a little more definition.
• Garlic and Ginger – These are part of the flavor base and help the sauce taste more like orange chicken and less like orange syrup.
• Cornstarch Slurry – The slurry thickens the sauce enough to coat the chicken without turning it into orange-colored glue.
• Neutral Oil – Use an oil with a high smoke point, such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil. You’re frying at 350°F, so this isn’t the place for olive oil.

How to Make Orange Chicken

Find the complete printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card at the BOTTOM OF THE POST.

• Step One (season and coat the chicken)
  Toss the chicken thighs with the salt, pepper, and a small amount of the tempura batter mix. This is the trick that finally got the coating where I wanted it. The dry coating gives the batter something to hold onto, which helps it stay attached once the chicken is fried and tossed in the sauce.
• Step Two (make the batter)
  Whisk the remaining tempura batter mix with the egg and cold water until a thick batter forms. I make mine thicker than the package directions call for because I wanted a coating with a little more substance. Add the chicken and toss until every piece is completely coated.
• Step Three (fry until golden)
  Heat the oil in a wok or deep skillet to 350°F. Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through, then transfer it to a wire rack. Resist the urge to crowd the pan. Giving the oil a chance to come back up to temperature between batches keeps the coating crisp instead of greasy.
• Step Four (build the orange sauce)
  Pour off most of the oil, leaving just a thin coating in the wok, and wipe out any dark crumbs. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Then add the orange juice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, and hoisin sauce. Bring everything to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Step Five (thicken the sauce)
  Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir and add it to the sauce. Let it cook for a minute or two until the sauce thickens. You’re looking for a sauce that coats the back of a spoon without running right off.
• Step Six (sauce and serve)
  Add the chicken back to the wok and toss until every piece is coated. Serve it right away with green onions and sesame seeds. The coating still has plenty of texture at this point, which is exactly what I was after from the beginning.

Recipe Tips

• Tossing the chicken with a small amount of tempura batter mix before it goes into the batter makes a bigger difference than you might expect. That extra step helps the coating stay attached after frying and tossing in the sauce.
• Traditional tempura batter is much thinner. For this recipe, I wanted a coating with a little more substance that could stand up to the sauce. If the batter runs right off the chicken instead of coating it, add a little more tempura mix.
• Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and can leave you with greasy chicken instead of crisp chicken. Give the oil time to return to 350°F before starting the next batch.
• After frying, you’ll usually have a few browned batter bits left behind. Wiping those out before making the sauce keeps the sauce smooth.
• Orange chicken is at its best the first few minutes after it’s tossed in the sauce. The coating still has texture and the chicken is exactly the way it came out of the wok.

Storage

• Store leftover orange chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• The flavor stays great, but the coating will soften as it sits. That’s just the nature of fried chicken once it’s been coated in sauce.
• For the best texture, reheat the chicken in a 400°F oven or air fryer until heated through.
• The microwave works if you’re in a hurry, but the coating will be softer.
• You can freeze it, but I wouldn’t. The coating and sauce are both much better fresh.

FAQs

• Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?
  Chicken breast will work, but it cooks faster and can dry out more easily during frying. If you use breast meat, keep a close eye on it and pull it from the oil as soon as it’s cooked through. It won’t be quite as juicy as thighs.
• Do I have to use a wok?
  No, a deep skillet or a heavy-bottomed pot works too. I like using a wok because it gives the chicken plenty of room while frying and makes it easy to toss everything together once the sauce is finished.
• Can I use bottled orange juice?
  You can, but I prefer fresh orange juice. Bottled juice tends to make the sauce noticeably sweeter, which wasn’t what I wanted for this recipe.
• Why dust the chicken before battering it?
  The biggest challenge I ran into while testing this recipe was keeping the coating attached after frying and saucing. Dusting the chicken with tempura batter mix before dipping it into the batter helped solve that problem.
• Can I make orange chicken ahead of time?
  You can fry the chicken ahead of time, but wait to toss it with the sauce until shortly before serving. Once the chicken is coated in the sauce, the coating gradually softens.
• What should I serve with orange chicken?
  Steamed rice is the obvious choice, but I usually add something green alongside it. Broccoli, snap peas, green beans, or a quick stir-fried vegetable all work well.

From My Kitchen Notes

Observations from the margins of my notebook.

• Some recipes come together immediately. Others spend a lot of time becoming the thing they were trying to be all along.
• I’ve found most coating problems aren’t really coating problems. They’re patience problems.
• The difference between “good enough” and “exactly right” is usually a handful of small decisions nobody else notices.
• Sometimes the thing worth fixing isn’t the thing everyone keeps talking about.
• A sauce can only hold onto what’s underneath it.
• The funny thing about getting what you wanted is realizing how much time you spent learning to recognize it.
• We all spend a lot of time looking for shortcuts, but sometimes the long way was the whole idea.
• Sometimes the best versions arrive a little later than expected.
• Some things are worth one more attempt than you originally planned. It’s amazing what starts working once everything is finally headed in the same direction.
• The difference between good and memorable is often smaller than people think.
• A recipe can spend months teaching you something and never say a word. You learn a lot from the things you keep noticing.
• Some ideas don’t need to be reinvented. They just need a little more attention.
• My favorite part of getting older is becoming more specific.
• The sauce gets the credit. The attachment puts in the effort.
• Once I thought about it, my version of this recipe only exists because I was trying to get one thing to hold onto another thing.
• And every time I started thinking about batter adhesion, I ended up wandering into human territory. The coating doesn’t stay attached because the sauce is good. It stays attached because something underneath gives it a place to hold on. Because some things don’t need more attention. They need something to attach to.
• The funny thing about holding on is that it works a lot better when both sides are participating.
• A surprising amount of life comes down to what actually sticks.
• The sauce wasn’t the challenge. The challenge was giving it somewhere to live.
• Some things look effortless after they’ve survived the hard part.
• You can pour all the sweetness you want over something. It still needs a foundation.
• The things that last usually have more holding them together than anyone realizes.
• Most people notice the shiny part on the outside. The interesting part is usually underneath.
• The strongest bonds are usually created one small layer at a time.
• The sauce mattered. It just wasn’t where the answer was.

More Crispy Things Worth Your Effort

• General Tso’s Chicken – Crispy coating and balanced sauce.
• Crispy Maple Mustard-Glazed Chicken Cutlets – Pan-seared with maple mustard glaze.
• Crab Rangoon – Crispy wontons and sweet spice.
• Crispy Hawaiian Mochiko Chicken with Mango Aioli – Soy-ginger chicken with mango aioli.
• Gochujang Chicken Sandwich – Crispy potato chip crust.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

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Orange Chicken

This orange chicken starts with tempura-battered chicken thighs fried until crisp, then tossed in a sweet-savory orange sauce. The coating stays substantial enough to stand up to the sauce while the chicken stays juicy inside.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American Chinese

Keyword crispy orange chicken, homemade orange chicken, orange chicken, orange chicken recipe, takeout style orange chicken

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4 to 6

Calories 536kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• wok or deep skillet. For frying the chicken and finishing the sauce.
• wire rack Keeps the coating crisp after frying.
• baking sheet Supports the wire rack.
• mixing bowls For battering and mixing.
• whisk For making the batter and sauce.
• tongs or spider strainer. For safely removing chicken from the oil.
• digital thermometer Helps maintain oil temperature.

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 1½ lbs (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
• 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
• ½ tsp (1 g) white pepper or black pepper
• 1¼ cups (150 g) tempura batter mix divided
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup (120 ml) cold water plus 1 to 3 tablespoons (15-45 ml)
• 3 cups (720 ml) neutral oil for frying

Sauce:

• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 inch (knob) fresh ginger gated
• ½ cup (120 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice strained
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce
• ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) rice vinegar
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp (15 mL) water

Garnishes:

• green onion thinly sliced
• sesame seeds

Instructions

• Season the chicken with the salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
  1½ lbs (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt, ½ tsp (1 g) white pepper
• Add ¼ cup (30 g) of the tempura batter mix to the chicken and toss until lightly coated. This dry coating helps the batter adhere to the chicken during frying.
  1¼ cups (150 g) tempura batter mix
• Whisk the remaining tempura batter mix, egg, and ½ cup (120 ml) cold water in a medium bowl until a thick batter forms. Add additional water, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time, if needed. The batter should be thick enough to coat the chicken without running off immediately.
  1 large egg, ½ cup (120 ml) cold water
• Add the chicken to the batter and toss until each piece is evenly coated.
• Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C) in a wok or deep skillet.
  3 cups (720 ml) neutral oil
• Fry the chicken in batches for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a wire rack set over a sheet pan and allow the oil to return to 350°F (175°C) before frying the next batch.
• Carefully transfer the oil to a heatproof container, leaving a thin coating in the wok. Wipe out any dark crumbs and return the wok to medium heat.
• Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 20 to 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant.
  2 cloves garlic, 1 inch (knob) fresh ginger
• Add the orange juice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, and hoisin sauce. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  ½ cup (120 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice, 2 tbsps (30 ml) low sodium soy sauce, 1 tbsp (15 ml) oyster sauce, ⅓ cup (67 g) granulated sugar, 2 tbsps (30 ml) rice vinegar, 2 tbsps (30 ml) hoisin sauce
• Stir the cornstarch slurry, then add it to the sauce. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch
• Return the chicken to the wok and toss until every piece is evenly coated in the orange sauce.
• Serve immediately, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds if desired.
  green onion, sesame seeds

Notes

• Dusting the chicken with tempura batter mix before battering helps the coating stay attached during frying and saucing.
• This batter is intentionally thicker than traditional tempura batter to create a coating that can stand up to the sauce.
• A wire rack works better than paper towels because it prevents steam from softening the coating.
• Chicken thighs stay juicier than chicken breast during frying, but chicken breast can be substituted if preferred.
• The nutrition information includes an estimated amount of oil absorbed during frying. The full amount of frying oil is not consumed and is not included in the calculation.

 

 

If you’re making this Orange Chicken, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card

 

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

 

©Noble Pig. All content and photos are copyright protected. Sharing the recipe link is always appreciated, but copying and pasting the full recipe anywhere else isn’t allowed.

Nutrition

Serving: 300g | Calories: 536kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 134mg | Sodium: 833mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 85IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you made this Orange Chicken? I’d love to hear how it turned out – leave a comment below and let me know.

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

The post Orange Chicken appeared first on Noble Pig.