Carne Adovada with Pork Shoulder, Guajillo, Ancho and Chipotle Chiles

If you’ve never had carne adovada, it’s a New Mexican dish of pork cooked in red chile sauce. Traditional versions are made with New Mexico red chiles, and that’s how they should be made. But I like changing things and I kept wanting a different chile flavor for mine, and that’s true of lots of other things I cook.

After messing with it for a while, I ended up on a trio of guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chiles. They’re so good together. The guajillos are where the red color comes from, the anchos, believe it or not, add sweetness in their own way, and the chipotles come in with smoke and heat without owning the room.

I like lots of sauce with this carne adovada, and I want the pork tender enough to pull apart with a fork without turning into shredded meat. I keep the pieces big enough that I’m still eating chunks of pork, and by the time they’re ready, the sauce is darker, thicker, and very much worth the tortillas I’m going to eat with it.

I’ll put the Dutch oven on the table with warm tortillas, chopped onion, and lime wedges, and that’s dinner. The leftovers are even better because the pork and sauce can go straight into breakfast burritos, tacos, quesadillas, or next to eggs and potatoes. This is a recipe I never mind having extra of.

The Decisions Behind This Recipe

• Figuring out which chile combo I liked best took some time. I like guajillo, ancho, and chipotle chiles together in this sauce more than any other combination I tried. New Mexico red chiles are traditional for carne adovada, but I like the color, sweetness and spice I get from these three together.
• Traditional carne adovada often starts with pork that has marinated in red chile sauce, sometimes overnight. I wanted to see if I could skip that without sacrificing the chile flavor. I make the sauce fresh and let the pork braise directly in it until the pieces are tender and the sauce has cooked down around them. By the time it comes out of the oven, I don’t miss the overnight head start.
• Only half of the pork gets browned, which saves me from searing three pounds of it in batches. Three pounds of pork shoulder means a lot of batches if you try to sear every piece, and eventually the pot gets crowded enough that the pork starts steaming instead of browning anyway. Browning half leaves enough behind on the bottom of the Dutch oven for the sauce, and the rest of the pork gets all the time it needs in the chile braise.
• I soak the dried chiles to soften them, then toss the soaking water. It can pick up a bitterness and dustiness from the chiles, even after rinsing them. I use chicken broth for the sauce instead of putting the soaking water back in.
• Straining the chile sauce after blending is an extra step I don’t skip. Guajillo skins can stay noticeable no matter how long you run the blender, and I like this sauce completely smooth. It takes an extra minute, but it gives me the completely smooth sauce I want.
• The vinegar goes in at two different times for a reason. One tablespoon gets blended into the sauce before the pork goes in the oven, then I stir in the second one after the braise is finished. The first cooks with the sauce, while the tablespoon at the end adds acidity after two hours in the oven.

Ingredients

• Dried guajillo chiles – Look for chiles that still feel flexible instead of dry enough to crack apart in the bag. They account for the red color in the sauce and most of the dried-chile flavor.
• Dried ancho chiles – These are darker and slightly sweeter than guajillos, which is why I use both instead of making the sauce from only one kind of chile.
• Pork shoulder – This cut is made for a long braise. It has enough fat and connective tissue to turn tender without drying out, and I cut it into 1½-inch pieces so it stays in chunks instead of becoming shredded pork. Boneless country-style ribs from the shoulder could also be used.
• Kosher salt and black pepper – Season the pork before it goes into the pot so the meat itself is seasoned, not only the sauce around it.
• Avocado oil – I use this for browning because it has a neutral flavor and handles the heat well. Any neutral high-heat oil will do the same thing.
• Yellow onion and garlic – These cook in the Dutch oven after the pork and become part of the blended chile sauce, along with what’s left behind from browning the pork.
• Chipotle peppers in adobo – Use three peppers from the can, not three tablespoons of adobo sauce and definitely not three cans. They bring smoke and heat to the sauce. Use two for less heat, or four if you want it hotter.
• Low-sodium chicken broth – This adds liquid to help braise the pork and lets you stay in control of the salt as everything cooks down.
• White vinegar – It goes into the sauce before braising and again at the end, so the finished carne adovada has some acidity left after all that oven time.
• Light brown sugar – One tablespoon is enough to soften any bitterness from the dried chiles without making the pork or sauce taste sweet. If you’re out, make a batch of my homemade brown sugar.
• Dried oregano, ground cumin, and ground cloves – These season the chile sauce without any one of them taking over. The cloves are only a quarter teaspoon. It’s not going to taste like Christmas dinner.
• Bay leaves – They simmer with the pork and sauce, then come out before serving.

How to Make Carne Adovada

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

• Step One (soak the chiles)
  Remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho chiles, then give them a good rinse under cool water to get rid of any dust. Cover them with hot water and set a small plate on top so they stay submerged. Let them soften for 20 to 25 minutes, then drain them and throw out the soaking water. I don’t use it in the sauce.
• Step Two (brown some of the pork)
  Pat the pork shoulder dry and season all of it with the salt and pepper. Heat half of the avocado oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then brown half of the pork in a single layer for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Once it’s browned on several sides, move it to a plate. The other half stays uncooked. It might look like I forgot about it, but I didn’t. I only need enough browned pork to leave some fond on the bottom of the pot for the sauce.
• Step Three (make the red chile sauce)
  Turn the heat down to medium, add the remaining avocado oil, and cook the onion until softened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds. Pour in ½ cup of the chicken broth and scrape up everything left from browning the pork. Transfer that to a blender with the softened chiles, chipotle peppers, remaining chicken broth, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, brown sugar, oregano, cumin, and cloves. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes, until you’re not seeing large pieces of chile skin.
• Step Four (strain the sauce)
  Pour the chile sauce through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and press it through with a spoon or flexible spatula. I take the time to do this because guajillo skins can survive a surprisingly long trip through a blender. Once you’ve pressed through as much sauce as you can, throw away what’s left in the strainer.
• Step Five (braise the pork)
  Pour the strained chile sauce back into the Dutch oven and bring it to a simmer, stirring often. Add the browned pork, the uncooked pork, and any juices on the plate, then add the bay leaves. Stir so the pork is coated, bring the sauce back to a simmer, cover the pot, and transfer it to a 325°F oven. Let it braise for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring after about an hour.
• Step Six (check the pork and finish the sauce)
  Start checking the pork at 1½ hours. I want a fork to slide into it easily and the pieces to pull apart with light pressure without completely falling apart. If the pork is still putting up a fight, cover the pot again and give it another 15 minutes before checking. Once it is ready, remove the bay leaves and stir in the remaining tablespoon of vinegar. Taste the sauce for salt before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Even though you’re only browning half the pork, don’t crowd it into the pot. Give the pieces enough room in a single layer so they can brown instead of sitting in the liquid they release. You want color on the pork, not gray pork having a sauna.
• Don’t start adjusting the salt or vinegar while the pork is still braising. The sauce reduces and concentrates in the oven, so something that seems like it needs help after 30 minutes can be completely different by the time the pork is tender. Wait until the end, add the last tablespoon of vinegar, then taste it.

Storage, Freezing and Reheating

• Keep leftover carne adovada in an airtight container with all of its sauce in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It’s very good after a night in the fridge, once the pork has spent even more time in the sauce.
• When it’s cold, you may see a layer of pork fat firm up on top. You can remove some of it before reheating if you want, but there’s no need to perform surgery on the container.
• Reheat the pork gently in its sauce in a covered pan over low heat, stirring now and then, until it’s hot. You can also reheat it in a covered baking dish in a 325°F oven. If the sauce has thickened more than you like in the refrigerator, add a small splash of chicken broth to loosen it.
• Freeze the pork and sauce together in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it gently with the sauce.

FAQs

• Is carne adovada spicy?
  It does have spice from three chipotle peppers in adobo, but it’s not heat for the sake of making everybody miserable. But spice is very subjective, so you have to know where you are with that. The guajillo and ancho chiles aren’t very hot, and the amount of heat can vary from one can of chipotles to another.
• Can I make it less spicy?
  Yes. Use two chipotle peppers instead of three for a milder carne adovada. I wouldn’t leave them out completely because they also bring smoke to the sauce, but you are allowed to make dinner according to your own life.
• Can I use New Mexico red chiles instead of guajillo and ancho chiles?
  You can, but it will be a different sauce from this one. New Mexico red chiles are traditional in carne adovada, while I made this recipe around the flavor of guajillo and ancho chiles with chipotle added in. I haven’t tested an exact substitution, so I wouldn’t substitute them blindly and promise the same result.
• Can I make carne adovada ahead of time?
  Yes. Make it a day ahead, cool it, and refrigerate it in the sauce. Reheat it when you’re ready to eat.
• What should I serve with carne adovada?
  Warm flour or homemade corn tortillas are my first choice, with chopped onion, lime wedges, and cilantro if you have it. It’s also good with rice and beans, or you can add it to eggs the next morning.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• I don’t need every part of something to go through the same thing to end up in the same place.
• I know when I’ve taken enough from something.
• I’m aware of the difference between tenderness and falling apart.
• I can leave something alone until it stops resisting me.
• I don’t have to use everything I have at the beginning.
• I don’t need to take every rough edge with me.
• I know better than to decide what something needs before it’s finished.

I’d Stay for This Kind of Dinner

• Instant Pot Barbacoa – Beef, chipotle, cumin, oregano.
• Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken – Chicken, chipotle, tomato, lime.
• Chile Colorado Beef – Beef, red chile sauce, slow cooker.
• Mexican Street Corn Stuffed Poblano Peppers – Poblanos, chorizo, corn, three cheeses.
• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Chile Verde – Pork, green chiles, garlic, spices.

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Carne Adovada

This carne adovada is made with tender pork shoulder braised in a smooth red chile sauce made from guajillo, ancho and chipotle chiles.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, New Mexican-Inspired

Keyword braised pork, carne adovada, carne adovada recipe, pork shoulder, pork shoulder braise, red chile sauce

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 675kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• Dutch Oven A 6 to 7-quart (5.7 to 6.6-liter) Dutch oven gives the pork enough room for browning and braising.
• Blender Used to purée the softened dried chiles, aromatics, broth and seasonings into the red chile sauce.
• large fine mesh sieve Removes pieces of chile skin that remain after blending.
• mixing bowls Large enough to soak the dried chiles while keeping them submerged.
• wooden spoon Useful for scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the Dutch oven.

Ingredients

• 8 dried (56 g) guajillo chiles stems and seeds removed
• 4 dried (48 g) ancho chiles stems and seeds removed
• 4 cups (960 ml) hot water
• 3 pounds (1.36 kg) boneless pork shoulder cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces
• 2 tsps (6 g) kosher salt
• 1 tsp (2 g) ground black pepper
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) avocado oil divided
• ½ large yellow onion chopped
• 6 large cloves garlic smashed
• 2½ cups (600 ml) low-sodium chicken broth divided
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 2 tbsps (30 ml) white vinegar divided
• 1 tbsp (13 g) packed light brown sugar
• 2 tsps (2 g) dried oregano leaves
• 2 tsps (4 g) ground cumin
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground cloves
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

• Remove the stems and seeds from the guajillo and ancho chiles. Rinse the chiles under cool running water, rubbing the surfaces to remove any dust.
  8 dried (56 g) guajillo chiles, 4 dried (48 g) ancho chiles
• Place the chiles in a heatproof bowl and cover with the hot water. Set a small plate over the chiles to keep them submerged. Soak for 20 to 25 minutes, or until soft and flexible. Drain well and discard the soaking water.
  4 cups (960 ml) hot water
• Pat the pork shoulder dry with paper towels and season evenly with the salt and black pepper. Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
  3 pounds (1.36 kg) boneless pork shoulder, 2 tsps (6 g) kosher salt, 1 tsp (2 g) ground black pepper
• Heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the avocado oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork in a single layer and brown for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until browned on several sides. Transfer the browned pork to a plate. Leave the remaining seasoned pork uncooked. Browning half of the pork creates enough fond for the red chile sauce without having to sear all 3 pounds (1.36 kg) in batches.
  2 tbsps (30 ml) avocado oil
• Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) avocado oil. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
  ½ large yellow onion, 6 large cloves garlic
• Pour ½ cup (120 ml) of the chicken broth into the Dutch oven and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. Transfer the onion, garlic, broth and browned bits to a blender.
  2½ cups (600 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• Add the softened guajillo and ancho chiles, chipotle peppers, remaining 2 cups (480 ml) chicken broth, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vinegar, brown sugar, oregano, cumin and cloves. Blend for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the red chile sauce is smooth and no large pieces of chile skin remain.
  3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 2 tbsps (30 ml) white vinegar, 1 tbsp (13 g) packed light brown sugar, 2 tsps (2 g) dried oregano leaves, 2 tsps (4 g) ground cumin, ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground cloves
• Pour the chile sauce through a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, pressing it through with a spoon or flexible spatula. Discard the solids remaining in the strainer.
• Return the Dutch oven to medium heat. Pour in the strained chile sauce and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently.
• Add the browned pork, uncooked pork and any accumulated juices to the Dutch oven. Add the bay leaves and stir to coat the pork in the sauce. Return to a gentle simmer.
  2 bay leaves
• Cover the Dutch oven and transfer to the oven. Braise for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring once after about 1 hour. Begin checking the pork at 1½ hours. The carne adovada is ready when a fork slides easily into the pork and the pieces pull apart with light pressure without completely falling apart.
• Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vinegar. Taste and adjust the salt, if needed, before serving.

Notes

• Use 2 chipotle peppers for less heat or 4 for a hotter, smokier sauce.
• If the pork is still tough after 1½ hours, cover and continue braising in 15-minute intervals until fork-tender.
• Refrigerate leftovers with the sauce for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and Noble Pig makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Serving: 350g | Calories: 675kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 51g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 520mg | Potassium: 935mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1500IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 5mg

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

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Shredded Chipotle Chicken for Tacos, Burritos and Bowls

This is the slow cooker chipotle chicken I make about once a month, sometimes for tacos or burrito bowls, but usually because I know I’ll be glad it’s in the refrigerator tomorrow.

It tastes smoky from the chipotle peppers and has some heat, but it’s not punishing. There’s enough sauce coating the shredded chicken that it tastes good on its own, which is important because I don’t bury every batch under cheese, avocado and everything else I can fit into a tortilla.

I’ve eaten it for dinner with rice and beans, put it over salads for lunch, rolled it into burritos and stood at the refrigerator eating a few pieces cold while deciding what I was supposedly there to get. At this point, I don’t make it because I have a specific plan for it. I make it because having it around usually turns out to be the plan. It’s lived in. It suits my life. It’s good.

The Decisions Behind This Recipe

• I use a whole can of tomato paste instead of diced tomatoes or salsa. That sounds like a lot until the chicken spends several hours releasing its own juices into the slow cooker. The paste makes a sauce that coats the shredded chicken instead of leaving it sitting in a pool of tomato liquid. This is important when the final destination is a tortilla.
• The chipotle peppers are a range because using two or four makes different dinners. Two are where I usually start. Four make their presence known. I chop up the peppers from the can instead of using only the adobo sauce because I want the chipotle flavor all through the chicken.
• The honey doesn’t turn this into a sweet chicken recipe. With a full can of tomato paste, chipotles and lime in the sauce, two tablespoons have a way of taking the edge off without making honey the thing I taste. The lime does cut through the concentrated tomato and honey, especially when I’m using the chicken for more than one meal.
• Yes, there’s fresh onion and garlic and onion powder and garlic powder. The powders season the sauce, while the diced onion and minced garlic cook down with the chicken. You can still see some of the diced onion once the meat is shredded, which I like. The powders aren’t a typo or an admission that I forgot I’d already added an onion.
• I usually make this with chicken breasts because I want shredded chicken I can use in tacos one night or over rice the next. Thighs are fine, but they leave more fat in the sauce. Chicken breasts have always been the better option for me.
• Once the chicken is shredded, I put it back in the slow cooker for ten minutes instead of calling it done. All the newly exposed pieces get coated in the sauce instead of only the outside of the chicken breasts. It’s a small step, but I notice when I skip it.

Ingredients

• Chicken broth – Use low-sodium broth since there’s already kosher salt going into the sauce. If you only have regular broth, hold back some of the kosher salt and taste the chicken once it’s finished.
• Tomato paste – One standard 6-ounce can. Make sure you’ve grabbed paste, not tomato sauce.
• Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – Look for the small can in the Hispanic foods aisle and chop the peppers, adding some of the sauce from the can too. You’ll have peppers left over. Freeze the rest for your next batch.
• Honey – Whatever regular honey you keep in the kitchen is fine. You don’t need to bring out the expensive jar someone gave you as a gift.
• Fresh lime juice – You’ll need one lime for the slow cooker. I keep another around in case I want more juice after the chicken is done.
• Kosher salt – I use Diamond Crystal brand. A tablespoon of another salt, especially table salt, won’t give you the same result.
• Onion powder, garlic powder, ground cumin and dried oregano – Nothing exotic here. These four pantry spices go right into the sauce.
• Onion – One large onion, diced. It cooks with the chicken, so don’t worry about getting every piece the same size.
• Fresh garlic – Four cloves, minced. Yes, there’s garlic powder too. We covered that above.
• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – About two pounds. Choose pieces that are close to the same size so they finish cooking around the same time.
• Fresh cilantro – Optional, for serving. Leave it off if cilantro is not your thing.

How to Make Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken

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

• Step One (make the chipotle sauce)
  Whisk the broth, tomato paste, chopped chipotles, honey, lime juice, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano together right in a 6-quart slow cooker. The tomato paste will be stubborn for a minute, so keep going until the large lumps are gone. Stir in the diced onion and fresh garlic.
• Step Two (add the chicken)
  Put the chicken breasts in the slow cooker and turn them over a couple of times to coat both sides. I spoon some of the onion and sauce over the top before the lid goes on. There’s lots down there, so it may as well start out on the chicken too.
• Step Three (cook on low)
  Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) and pulls apart easily with a fork. I start checking at about five hours because chicken breasts aren’t all the same size. If the chicken isn’t easy to shred yet, give it more time.
• Step Four (shred and return to the sauce)
  Move the chicken to a cutting board or large bowl and shred it with two forks. Put all of it back into the slow cooker and stir until the chicken is coated in the sauce. Cover and cook on HIGH for 10 more minutes. I know it looks ready to eat as soon as it’s shredded, but give it those ten minutes.
• Step Five (taste and serve)
  Taste the chicken now, after it’s had its time back in the sauce, and add more salt or fresh lime juice if it needs either one. Sprinkle on cilantro if you want it. Then use it for tacos, burritos, bowls, or eat it from a fork while you decide which of those sounds best.

Recipe Tips

• If you’re not sure how much spice your household wants, start with two chipotle peppers. You can always use more the next time.
• Start checking the chicken around the five-hour mark. The time is a guide, but chicken breast size, slow cookers and the starting temperature of the chicken vary. You want the chicken to reach 165°F and pull apart easily. There’s no reason to keep cooking it because I’ve said it could take six hours.
• If you use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, start checking around four hours instead of assuming they need the same time as chicken breasts. Cook until they’re done and easy to shred.
• Please don’t replace the tablespoon of Diamond Crystal with a tablespoon of table salt. They don’t measure the same by volume. Taste the chicken after its final ten minutes in the sauce, then decide whether it needs more salt or a squeeze of fresh lime. Sometimes acidity can do the trick.

Storage and Reheating

• Let the chicken cool, then refrigerate it with its sauce in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Keep the sauce with the shredded meat so it’s there when you reheat it.
• Freeze it in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 3–4 months. I like smaller portions because I can thaw enough for a couple of tacos without committing to another entire week of chipotle chicken. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheat it with some of its sauce in the microwave or in a covered skillet over low heat. If the sauce has gotten too thick, add a small splash of broth. Shredded chicken breasts dry out pretty quickly when you heat them by themselves.

FAQs

• How spicy is slow cooker chipotle chicken?
  With two chipotle peppers, you’ll know they’re there without having chipotle take over dinner. Four makes a spicier batch. I use the range because people’s idea of “a little spicy” varies wildly, including among people who live in the same house.
• What are chipotle peppers in adobo sauce?
  They’re smoked, dried jalapeños packed in a seasoned sauce. You’ll find the small cans near the Hispanic ingredients at the grocery store. For this recipe, chop up the peppers instead of using only a spoonful of the sauce.
• Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
  Yes. Boneless, skinless thighs make a richer batch and shred well. I use chicken breasts because I prefer them for all the different meals I make from one batch.
• Can I put frozen chicken breasts in the slow cooker?
  Thaw them first. Frozen chicken can spend too much time warming through in a slow cooker before it reaches a safe temperature. If I forgot to thaw the chicken, this becomes tomorrow’s dinner.
• What can I make with leftover chipotle chicken?
  Tacos, burritos and rice bowls are the obvious ones, but I’ve also put it over salads for lunch. Between this and my slow cooker shredded taco chicken, there’s a decent amount of shredded chicken in my refrigerator at any given time. For tacos, I use my homemade corn tortillas and add pickled red onions, pico de gallo or creamy Mexican avocado dressing. It’s also good in quesadillas, on nachos or over a baked potato.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• I don’t always know what I’m going to do with something when I start. I do know it needs to be good on its own.
• Being surrounded by something and having it worked all the way through are different experiences.
• Coming apart isn’t always the same thing as being finished.
• Sometimes I have to put all the pieces back before I can tell what’s missing.
• I’ve learned to start with an amount I can live with. Adding more is easier than wishing I hadn’t.
• Some things come back in parts and finally get what they needed all along.
• A lot of things stay in my life without ever being the ones I had a plan for.

Chicken Worth Making Extra Of

• Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls – Chicken, black beans, tomatoes, green chiles.
• Crispy Hawaiian Mochiko Chicken with Mango Aioli – Sweet rice flour, soy, ginger, mango aioli.
• Tuscan Chicken Zucchini Casserole – Chicken, zucchini, cheese, baked casserole.
• Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken – Pineapple, hoisin, garlic, sweet chile sauce.
• Slow Cooker Korean BBQ Chicken – Korean barbecue sauce, shredded chicken, sweet chile.

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

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Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken

Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken cooks chicken breasts in a smoky chipotle sauce until tender, then the chicken is shredded and returned to the slow cooker to absorb more of the sauce.

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican-Inspired

Keyword chicken for burrito bowls, chicken for tacos, chipotle chicken, Crock Pot chipotle chicken, shredded chicken for tacos, shredded chipotle chicken, slow cooker chipotle chicken

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 hours hours

Total Time 5 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 190kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• slow cooker (6 quart) Has enough room for the chicken breasts to cook in an even layer with the sauce surrounding them.
• whisk Helps incorporate the tomato paste into the chicken broth and seasonings.
• Cutting board or large bowl. Gives you room to shred the cooked chicken.
• meat shredders or two forks. For shredding the chicken before returning it to the sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (6 oz /170 g) can tomato paste
• 2-4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce chopped
• 2 tbsps (42 g) honey
• juice of one lime
• 1 tbsp (9 g) kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
• 1 tsp (2 g) onion powder
• 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
• 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
• ½ tsp (0.5 g) dried oregano leaves
• 1 large yellow onion diced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 lbs (907 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• chopped fresh cilantro (optional) for garnish

Instructions

• Whisk together the chicken broth, tomato paste, chopped chipotle peppers, honey, lime juice, kosher salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin and oregano in a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir in the diced onion and minced garlic.
  1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, 1 (6 oz /170 g) can tomato paste, 2-4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 2 tbsps (42 g) honey, juice of one lime, 1 tbsp (9 g) kosher salt, 1 tsp (2 g) onion powder, 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder, 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin, ½ tsp (0.5 g) dried oregano leaves, 1 large yellow onion, 4 cloves garlic
• Add the chicken breasts, turning to coat both sides in the chipotle sauce. Cover and cook on LOW for 5–6 hours, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and is tender enough to shred easily.
  2 lbs (907 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board or large bowl and shred with two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir well to coat with the sauce.
• Cover and cook on HIGH for 10 minutes, allowing the shredded chicken to absorb some of the sauce. Taste and add additional kosher salt or fresh lime juice, if needed. Garnish with chopped cilantro before serving, if desired.
  chopped fresh cilantro

Notes

• The amount of chipotle peppers controls much of the heat. Use 2 peppers for a milder result or increase to 4 for more heat and chipotle flavor.
• Chicken thighs can be substituted for chicken breasts. Begin checking them at about 4 hours since they may cook sooner.
• Thaw frozen chicken completely before adding it to the slow cooker.
• This recipe was tested with low-sodium chicken broth and Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using regular chicken broth, reduce the added salt and season to taste. Other brands of kosher salt, table salt and fine sea salt can be saltier by volume, so don't substitute them tablespoon for tablespoon.
• Store cooled leftover chicken with its sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Freeze in an airtight freezer container or freezer bag for up to 3–4 months.
• Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary, and Noble Pig makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Serving: 175g | Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 590mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 425IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg

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

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The post Slow Cooker Chipotle Chicken appeared first on Noble Pig.

The Decisions Behind This Recipe

• Whole-milk ricotta is what I always use for the filling. There’s spinach, Parmesan, mozzarella, garlic, herbs and a good amount of seasoning going into the bowl, and I like the richer ricotta under all of it. Part-skim technically works, but it’s not what I want when I make these.
• Frozen chopped spinach is also completely on purpose. It blends into the ricotta mixture much more evenly than fresh spinach does, but you really have to squeeze the life out of it first. I thaw it, wrap it up and keep squeezing until I’m sure there can’t possibly be any water left. There usually still is.
• The filling gets more seasoning than ricotta sometimes gets credit for needing. I use fresh garlic, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, basil and parsley because ricotta and spinach can both absorb a lot of seasoning. I want the filling to taste good before it enters its pasta shell situationship.
• I make sure to cook extra jumbo shells every single time. Some split, some tear, and others come out of the pot looking very Raggedy Ann-ish. And it’s fine. Starting with at least 25 means I’m not standing there at the end trying to make one rough-looking shell do the work of three.
• I also put most of the marinara underneath the shells instead of pouring all of it over the top. Two cups go into the baking dish first, then the filled shells sit down into the sauce, and the last cup goes over them. They stay saucy without becoming unnoticeable under a red blanket.
• It’s not a necessary step, but I never stop at melted mozzarella. Once the stuffed shells are hot, I switch over to the broiler for a few minutes and wait for browned spots across the top. Melted cheese does the work, but browned, toasty cheese is what I really want.

Ingredients

• Jumbo pasta shells – I cook at least 25 even though I know I won’t use all of them. A few always split or tear in the pot, and I’d rather have extras sitting there than get to the end with filling left and nowhere to put it.
• Whole-milk ricotta cheese – One 15-ounce tub is the base of the filling. I use whole-milk because I like the richer texture once the spinach, egg, other cheeses, herbs and seasonings are mixed in. I’ve thought about making this with my homemade ricotta cheese, but it’s much softer than commercial ricotta, so I don’t think it’s a good fit for stuffed shells.
• Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese – I use some of the mozzarella in the ricotta filling and the rest goes over the shells before baking. Parmesan stays in the filling and adds a noticeable salty cheese flavor.
• Frozen chopped spinach – Five ounces is enough to get spinach throughout the ricotta without turning this into a spinach stuffed shells recipe. Thaw it completely, then squeeze it way more than you think you need to.
• Egg – This helps the ricotta filling set as it bakes instead of staying loose inside the shells.
• Garlic, garlic powder and onion powder – Fresh garlic in the filling is the main garlic flavor, while the powders distribute the seasoning more evenly through the ricotta. I like using both.
• Fresh parsley and basil – Both go into the filling, and I save some parsley for the top after the shells come out of the oven.
• Italian seasoning, red pepper flakes, kosher salt and black pepper – These do a lot of the seasoning in the ricotta filling. The red pepper flakes are there for warmth, but not enough to make the stuffed shells spicy.
• Marinara sauce – You need three cups total. Most goes underneath the shells and the rest goes over the top. Use one you like because this isn’t a tiny background amount of sauce.
• Avocado oil – You only need enough to toss with the drained shells so they don’t glue themselves together while they cool. Any neutral oil is fine.

How to Make Stuffed Shells with Ricotta

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

Recipe Tips

• Cook the jumbo shells just until they’re tender enough to fill. They still have another 20 minutes in the oven, and the softer they get in the pot, the more likely they are to tear when you start filling them.
• Keep the shells in a single layer in the baking dish. They can sit right next to each other, but stacking them means some get more heat and browned cheese than others, and I’ve never been into creating a stuffed-shell hierarchy.
• If you decide to broil the cheese, stay close once the broiler goes on. Three to five minutes is usually enough, but broilers do whatever they want and they do it really quickly.

Make-Ahead, Storage and Reheating

• You can assemble the entire pan up to one day ahead, cover it tightly and refrigerate it until you’re ready to bake. I let the dish sit out while the oven preheats, then plan on giving it a few extra minutes if everything is still very cold. If I’m broiling the cheese afterward, I wait until the stuffed shells are hot before switching over to the broiler.
• Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I like to keep some marinara with the shells so the pasta and filling don’t dry out while they sit.
• For more than one serving, I reheat them covered in a 350°F oven until hot, then uncover near the end if I want the cheese on top exposed again. Individual portions are fine in the microwave, although you lose the browned cheese and get soft mozzarella instead.
• You can also freeze the assembled shells before baking. Wrap the dish well and freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator before baking. That’s how I prefer to do it because I’d rather bake the pan once than cook the whole thing, freeze it and ask it to go through all of that again.

FAQs

• Why is my ricotta filling watery?
  The spinach is the first thing I’d blame. Frozen spinach holds a crazy amount of water even after it looks thawed and drained, so squeeze it very thoroughly before it goes into the ricotta filling. Different brands of ricotta can also vary in moisture, but I don’t routinely drain the whole-milk ricotta I use for these stuffed shells.
• Do you cook jumbo shells before stuffing them?
  Yes. Cook them according to the package directions until they’re flexible enough to open and fill without cracking. I don’t cook them any farther than that because they still have time in the oven once they’re stuffed.
• Can I make stuffed shells with ricotta without spinach?
  Yes. Leave it out and don’t replace it with anything. You’ll end up with a more cheese-forward filling, while the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, garlic, herbs and seasonings can stay the same.
• Why do my stuffed shells tear?
  Usually because they’ve gotten too soft, stuck together or had a rough time in the pot. That’s why I cook extras from the beginning and toss them gently with a little oil after draining. A small tear still doesn’t concern me. If the shell can hold the ricotta filling, it’s going into the pan.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Just because it split open doesn’t mean it has to be thrown away. Sometimes it still holds what I need it to be.
• Adding more doesn’t always improve anything. I just have to know when I’ve reached it.
• Being surrounded by something good is different from being buried in it.
• I’ve spent a lot of time trying to keep everything together when a small tear was never the real problem.
• I don’t need boundaries from anything that can hold what’s important to me.
• I’ll give some things another twenty minutes. There are others I already know are done.
• I can keep something together for quite a while by giving it somewhere good to end up.

When Red Sauce and Cheese Are Dinner

• Baked Manicotti – Ricotta, spinach, pasta shells, marinara, mozzarella.
• Bake Rigatoni – Rigatoni, ground beef, mozzarella, red sauce.
• Pasta Pie – Rigatoni, meat sauce, mozzarella, baked upright.
• Pizza Casserole – Pasta, pizza sauce, mozzarella, pizza toppings.
• Spicy Roasted Tomato Vodka Pasta – Roasted grape tomatoes, vodka sauce, pasta, Parmesan.

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Stuffed Shells with Ricotta

Stuffed Shells with Ricotta are packed with a seasoned spinach and three-cheese filling, baked with plenty of marinara and finished under the broiler for browned mozzarella on top.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian-American

Keyword cheese stuffed shells, Italian American stuffed shells, Ricotta Stuffed Shells, stuffed shells with ricotta, stuffed shells with ricotta cheese

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 540kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• large pot Gives the jumbo pasta shells enough room to cook without crowding.
• Colander Drains the pasta thoroughly before the shells are filled.
• mixing bowls Has enough room to evenly mix the spinach, cheeses, herbs and seasonings into the ricotta filling.
• baking dish 9 x 13 Holds the stuffed shells in a single layer with lots of marinara on the bottom.

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 25 jumbo pasta shells
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) avocado oil or any other neutral oil
• 1 tub (15 oz / 425 g) whole milk ricotta cheese
• 2 cups (8 oz /227 g) shredded mozzarella cheese divided
• 1 cup (100 g) grated Parmesan cheese
• 5 oz (142 g) frozen, chopped spinach thawed and squeezed very dry
• 1 large egg
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsps (8 g) chopped fresh parsley divided
• 1 tbsp (3 g) chopped fresh basil
• 2 tsps (4 g) Italian seasoning
• ½ tsp (1.5 g) garlic powder
• ½ tsp (1 g) onion powder
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes
• ¼ tsp (0.8 g) kosher salt
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) black pepper
• 3 cups (710 ml) marinara sauce divided

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Lightly coat a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish with cooking spray.
  cooking spray
• Cook at least 25 jumbo pasta shells according to package directions, allowing extra shells for any that tear or break during cooking. Drain well, drizzle with avocado oil and carefully toss to prevent sticking. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
  25 jumbo pasta shells, 1 tbsp (15 ml) avocado oil
• Meanwhile, add ricotta cheese, 1 cup (113 g) mozzarella, Parmesan, spinach, egg, garlic, 1 tablespoon (4 g) parsley, basil, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, salt and black pepper to a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until the spinach, cheeses, herbs and seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the ricotta filling.
  1 tub (15 oz / 425 g) whole milk ricotta cheese, 2 cups (8 oz /227 g) shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 cup (100 g) grated Parmesan cheese, 5 oz (142 g) frozen, chopped spinach, 1 large egg, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tbsps (8 g) chopped fresh parsley, 1 tbsp (3 g) chopped fresh basil, 2 tsps (4 g) Italian seasoning, ½ tsp (1.5 g) garlic powder, ½ tsp (1 g) onion powder, ¼ tsp (0.5 g) red pepper flakes, ¼ tsp (0.8 g) kosher salt, ¼ tsp (0.5 g) black pepper
• Spread 2 cups (473 ml) marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Fill each cooked jumbo shell with the ricotta cheese mixture and arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer over the marinara.
  3 cups (710 ml) marinara sauce
• Spoon the remaining 1 cup (237 ml) marinara sauce over the stuffed shells and sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1 cup (113 g) mozzarella.
• Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until the stuffed shells are heated through and the mozzarella is completely melted.
• Set the broiler to 500°F (260°C) and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, watching closely, until the mozzarella is browned to your liking. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon (4 g) parsley before serving.

Notes

• Squeeze the thawed spinach very well before adding it to the ricotta filling. Removing as much water as possible keeps excess moisture out of the filling.
• Cook at least 25 jumbo shells even though you may not use every one. Some inevitably tear or split during cooking, and shells with small tears can still be filled and baked.
• Watch the mozzarella continuously once the baking dish goes under the broiler. Broilers vary considerably, and the cheese can move from melted to browned quickly.
• The stuffed shells are ready to serve once they’re heated through and the mozzarella is completely melted. I like to broil them for 3 to 5 minutes afterward for browned cheese on top, but this step can be skipped. If you do broil, make sure your baking dish is rated for broiler use because some stoneware and glass baking dishes are not. A disposable aluminum foil pan can be used instead, or you can brown the mozzarella with a kitchen torch after baking.
• Nutritional values are estimates and can vary with the brands of ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, marinara and pasta used.

Nutrition

Serving: 300g | Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 890mg | Potassium: 650mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1900IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 650mg | Iron: 3mg

Have you made these Stuffed Shells with Ricotta? 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 Stuffed Shells with Ricotta appeared first on Noble Pig.

Air Fryer Maple Glazed Salmon with a Maple Soy Marinade

Rice goes on while this maple glazed salmon is marinating, and whatever vegetable I have planned usually gets figured out somewhere in those 30 minutes. Once the salmon goes into the air fryer, dinner happens quickly from there, which is what I want on a weeknight anyway.

There isn’t much to keep track of with this one. I can deal with everything else I’m eating while the salmon sits in the maple soy marinade, then give it another brush halfway through cooking and let the air fryer finish it. I have no interest in turning dinner into a marathon when eight minutes will do.

The maple soy glaze gets sticky around the edges as it cooks and does that sweet-salty thing maple and soy do so well together. By the time the salmon comes out, I’m usually waiting on the rice instead of the fish.

The Decisions Behind This Recipe

• Maple is one of the main flavors, and pancake syrup isn’t the same thing. The real stuff mixes right into the soy sauce and gives the marinade all the sweetness it needs.
• Low-sodium soy sauce is what I use because the salmon sits in it for 30 minutes. Regular soy sauce makes it too salty for me, while low-sodium keeps it savory without drowning out the maple.
• Garlic powder is very much on purpose. Fresh garlic sounds better until the pieces start getting too dark in an air fryer. The powder disappears right into the maple soy marinade, and with the maple already caramelizing on the salmon, fresh garlic doesn’t need to get involved.
• Thirty minutes is enough time for the marinade. The salmon gets the maple, soy, garlic and pepper, and I still get to make dinner without planning half my day around a piece of fish.
• Before the salmon goes into the marinade, I set some of the maple soy mixture aside. That clean portion gets brushed over the salmon halfway through cooking, when the surface is already hot and the maple can really start doing its thing. I get the sticky maple soy coating I want without making a second sauce in a saucepan, an extra step I’m fine not to have.

Ingredients

• Salmon fillets – Try to choose fillets that are close in thickness so they finish cooking at about the same time. They don’t need to match perfectly, but one very thin piece will try to leave the party early.
• Pure maple syrup – Use the real thing. Maple is one of the main flavors in the recipe, so pancake syrup is not a convincing substitute.
• Low-sodium soy sauce – This gives the marinade its savory, salty side without overpowering the maple during that 30-minute soak.
• Garlic powder – The powder blends into the marinade and doesn’t leave tiny chunks of fresh garlic on the salmon that can get too dark in the air fryer.
• Coarsely ground black pepper – I use a coarser grind because I like seeing the pepper once it’s mixed into the maple and soy.

How To Make Air Fryer Maple Glazed Salmon

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

• Step One (make the maple soy marinade)
  Whisk together the maple syrup, low-sodium soy sauce, garlic powder and black pepper. Before the salmon goes anywhere near it, set aside some of the maple soy mixture for brushing later. Pour the rest into a large zip-top bag, add the salmon, seal it up and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Step Two (get the salmon into the air fryer)
  Take the salmon out of the bag and discard the marinade that was in contact with the raw fish. Arrange the fillets in a single layer in the air fryer basket, leaving a little room between them. Cook at 375°F (190°C) for 8 minutes, keeping in mind that thicker fillets will need a little longer.
• Step Three (brush with more maple soy mixture)
  At the 4-minute mark, open the air fryer and brush each fillet with the maple soy mixture you set aside earlier. The surface is hot by now, so that second coating gets sticky very quickly.
• Step Four (finish cooking and serve)
  Close the air fryer and cook for the remaining 4 minutes, or until the salmon is done the way you like it and flakes easily with a fork. Serve it right away.

Recipe Tips

• Set aside some of the maple soy mixture before the raw salmon goes into the rest. That reserved portion is what you’ll use for the halfway brush, and anything left in the bag after marinating the salmon gets discarded.
• Maple syrup can darken quickly in the air fryer, so don’t assume a caramelized surface means the salmon is overcooked. Pay more attention to the fish itself and whether it has reached the doneness you want.
• Give the fillets some room in the basket instead of overlapping them. If all four won’t fit comfortably, cook the salmon in batches.
• Thirty minutes in the marinade gives me time to get rice going and deal with a vegetable. I wouldn’t stretch it into an hours-long soak because the soy sauce keeps seasoning the fish while it sits.
• If you want the basic method without the maple soy marinade, my air fryer salmon recipe is where I go into timing, temperature and the general method in more detail.
• Don’t shove the maple syrup back in the pantry and forget about it. My crispy maple-mustard glazed chicken cutlets give you another reason to leave it on the counter.

Storage and Reheating

• Keep leftover maple glazed salmon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I usually leave the fillets whole instead of breaking them apart because they hold onto their moisture better that way.
• To reheat them in the air fryer, use 325°F (165°C) for a few minutes and start checking early. The maple on the surface can darken again as it reheats, so I use a lower temperature than I do the first time around and stop as soon as the salmon is warm.
• The microwave is fine when the convenience needs to wins. Use short intervals and don’t keep going once the center is warm, because salmon will go from reheated to regrettable very quickly.

FAQs

• Can I use skin-on salmon?
  Yes. Put the fillets skin-side down in the air fryer basket and leave them that way while they cook. The maple soy marinade seasons the exposed flesh while the skin stays underneath.
• Can I use regular soy sauce instead of low-sodium soy sauce?
  You can, but the finished salmon will be much saltier. Since it sits in the marinade for 30 minutes, I like low-sodium soy sauce so the maple still gets to be one of the main flavors.
• Can I use pancake syrup instead of pure maple syrup?
  I wouldn’t. Maple is too important to the recipe for pancake syrup to stand in for it, and the flavor isn’t the same.
• How do I know when the salmon is done?
  It should flake easily with a fork, and the center should be cooked to the doneness you like. Thickness is more important than timing, so eight minutes is my cooking time, not a promise every salmon fillet has signed.
• Can I marinate the salmon longer than 30 minutes?
  I wouldn’t turn this into an all-afternoon marinade. Thirty minutes gives the maple soy mixture enough time with the salmon, and the soy sauce keeps seasoning the fish the longer it sits.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• More time doesn’t always make something better. Sometimes it means I left it sitting there longer.
• Thirty minutes can be okay when something is truly taking in what you’ve given it.
• I tend to trust things more when they know what they need and stop asking for extras.
• Heat has always had a way of making certain situations easier to read.
• A second coating at the right moment can change a lot without starting over.
• Eight minutes isn’t very long, but it’s long enough for something to become distinctly itself.
• A general knowing when something is done is useful information. Knowing when I’m done waiting for it is useful too.

Salmon and I Have a Very Flexible Arrangement

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Air Fryer Maple Glazed Salmon

Air Fryer Maple Glazed Salmon uses a quick maple-soy marinade and a second brush of the maple mixture halfway through cooking. The salmon cooks in only eight minutes for an easy weeknight dinner with plenty of sweet and savory flavor.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword Air Fryer Maple Glazed Salmon, air fryer maple salmon, maple glazed salmon, maple salmon air fryer, Maple Soy Salmon

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Marinating: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 43 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Calories 255kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• Air Fryer A basket-style air fryer allows hot air to circulate around the salmon while the maple-soy coating cooks onto the surface.
• Ziploc bag Gives the salmon plenty of contact with the maple-soy marinade during the 30-minute marinating time.
• mixing bowls (small) For holding the portion of maple-soy mixture reserved before the raw salmon is added.
• pastry brush Makes it easy to add another coating of the reserved maple-soy mixture halfway through cooking.

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup (105 g) maple syrup
• 3 tbsps (45 ml) low-sodium soy sauce
• ½ tsp (1.5 g) garlic powder
• ½ tsp (1 g) coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 lb (454 g) salmon fillets

Instructions

• Whisk the maple syrup, low-sodium soy sauce, garlic powder and black pepper together until well combined. Reserve a small portion of the maple-soy mixture for brushing, then pour the remaining marinade into a large zip-top bag. Add the salmon fillets, seal the bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  ⅓ cup (105 g) maple syrup, 3 tbsps (45 ml) low-sodium soy sauce, ½ tsp (1.5 g) garlic powder, ½ tsp (1 g) coarsely ground black pepper , 1 lb (454 g) salmon fillets
• Remove the salmon from the marinade and discard the marinade from the bag. Arrange the salmon fillets in the air fryer basket in a single layer with space between them. Air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 8 minutes, adjusting the cooking time as needed for the thickness of the fillets.
• After 4 minutes, brush the salmon with the reserved maple-soy mixture. Return the basket to the air fryer and continue cooking until the salmon is cooked to your preferred doneness and flakes easily with a fork.
• Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

• For the best maple flavor, use pure maple syrup rather than pancake syrup.
• Salmon fillets vary in thickness, so use the 8-minute cooking time as a guide and check thicker pieces for doneness before serving.
• Reserve the maple-soy mixture for brushing before adding the raw salmon. Discard the marinade that has been in contact with the raw fish.
• Arrange the fillets in a single layer without overlapping so hot air can circulate around each piece.
• If your salmon fillets are different thicknesses, begin checking the thinner pieces first and remove them when they are done.
• Nutrition information is calculated using approximately 25% of the maple-soy marinade, since most of the marinade is discarded after the salmon is removed from the bag.
• Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary depending on the brands and specific ingredients used.

Nutrition

Serving: 113g | Calories: 255kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 441mg | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 219IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made this Air Fryer Maple Glazed Salmon? 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 Air Fryer Maple Glazed Salmon appeared first on Noble Pig.

Chile Colorado Beef with a Slow Cooker Shortcut

I ate chile Colorado in Mexican restaurants for years before I ever thought about making it at home. Then one day I noticed a can of chile Colorado sauce sitting next to the enchilada sauce at the market, bought it, took it home and started messing around. I’ve been making it this way ever since.

Back then, I wasn’t trying to make the red chile sauce from dried chiles, and the slow cooker was really the only thing I had time for. I needed the beef to cook while I was doing everything else. This was never meant to be the traditional way of making chile Colorado. It was always supposed to be an easy way for me to make it often.

I used chuck roast because I wanted the beef to cook in the red chile sauce for hours and eventually get tender enough to pull apart with a fork. The canned sauce was already doing the part I wanted to skip, and after some experimenting, I had an easy way to make chile Colorado without making the red chile sauce myself.

There are a couple of things in this recipe that can look excessive on paper, especially the amount of beef and chili powder. They’re not accidents. Five pounds of beef belongs in this much sauce, and the chili powder is there for a reason too.

And no, I don’t brown the roast first. If I’m taking the shortcut, I’m taking the shortcut.

The Decisions Behind This Recipe

• The shortcut in this chile Colorado beef recipe is Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce. Traditional chile Colorado starts with dried chiles that are soaked, blended and turned into a red chile sauce. I’m skipping that process and starting with the canned sauce instead. One important thing to know is that this is not enchilada sauce, and enchilada sauce won’t give you the same flavor in this recipe.
• The amount of beef is on purpose. I use 5 pounds of chuck roast because there’s a lot of red chile sauce in the slow cooker. If you cut the beef way back and leave everything else the same, the proportions will be off. One large roast is fine, but if all you can find are two smaller chuck roasts, make sure they add up to at least 5 pounds. A little more is fine.
• Then there’s the chili powder, and there’s a decent amount of it. I use regular Gebhardt Chili Powder. You don’t want to use cayenne, chipotle powder or another concentrated ground chile. Those are completely different animals, and that amount would be a terrible surprise in this dish.
• I add the masa harina at the end. It thickens the red chile sauce, but it also adds flavor, which is why I prefer it to flour or cornstarch. I like the sauce a little thicker once the beef is pulled apart and returned to the slow cooker. If you want a thinner sauce, you can leave the masa harina out, but you’ll also be leaving out the flavor it adds.

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

Ingredients 

• Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce – This is the shortcut that makes this chile Colorado beef possible without making red chile sauce from dried chiles. Use the canned red chile sauce, not enchilada sauce. They aren’t interchangeable, and the flavor will be completely different.
• Beef bouillon cubes – They add more beef flavor to the red chile sauce without adding more liquid.
• Gebhardt Chili Powder – This is the regular chili powder I’ve always used for this recipe. The amount is divided, with some going into the slow cooker at the beginning and the rest added when I finish the sauce. Don’t substitute cayenne, chipotle, ancho powder or another concentrated ground chile.
• Ground cumin – Adds the earthy flavor I like in the red chile sauce.
• Dried oregano – I use dried oregano because it can cook right along with the beef for hours in the slow cooker.
• Onion powder and garlic powder – They season the sauce without adding extra prep.
• Finely ground black pepper – It needs it.
• Boneless beef chuck roast – You need at least 5 pounds because this recipe makes a lot of sauce. One large chuck roast is fine, or use two smaller roasts that add up to 5 pounds or a little more.
• Masa harina – I add this at the end to thicken the red chile sauce and give it some corn flavor. If you want a thinner sauce, you can leave it out, but I think the flavor is better with it.

 
How to Make Chile Colorado in the Slow Cooker

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

• Step One (make the red chile sauce)
  Pour the Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce into a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker, then stir in the beef bouillon, 2 tablespoons of the chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper. Add the chuck roast and turn it a couple of times so the sauce gets around the meat.
• Step Two (slow cook the beef)
  Cover and cook on LOW until the beef pulls apart easily with a fork, about 7 hours for one large roast. I try not to put refrigerator-cold beef into the slow cooker because starting temperature does affect cooking time. If you’re using two smaller chuck roasts that add up to at least 5 pounds, start checking them earlier because they can become tender sooner. The cooking time is only a guide, so if the beef is still firm when you try to pull it apart, it’s not done yet. Give it another 30 minutes and check again.
• Step Three (pull the beef apart)
  Move the beef to a large cutting board or platter and pull it apart with two forks. Take a look at the red chile sauce before you do anything else. It will still be thin at this point, and if that’s how you like your chile Colorado, return the beef to the slow cooker, stir it in and call it good.
• Step Four (finish the sauce)
  If you want the thicker sauce I make, leave the slow cooker on LOW and whisk in the remaining ¼ cup chili powder and the masa harina. The masa harina thickens the sauce, but it also adds flavor, which is why I use it instead of cornstarch or flour. Return the pulled beef to the slow cooker, stir it into the red chile sauce, cover and cook for another hour, or until the sauce has thickened the way you want it.

Recipe Tips

• Let the beef tell you when it’s done. Slow cookers vary, roast sizes vary and meat has a mind of its own. If the chuck roast doesn’t pull apart easily with a fork, it needs more time.
• Trim the large pieces of visible fat from the outside of the chuck roast before it goes into the slow cooker. You don’t need to find every bit of fat through the meat, but removing the big exterior pieces keeps that extra fat out of the red chile sauce.
• Leftover chile Colorado makes some of my favorite sloppy tacos. I use my homemade corn tortillas and add pickled red onions, pico de gallo and creamy Mexican avocado dressing. There’s enough going on that I don’t even bother trying to keep them neat.
• You can also turn the beef into a hot cheesy dip. Add lots of cheese and serve it with my fried tortilla chips, or spread the chile Colorado in a baking dish and bake it under my hot corn dip. The last one gets out of hand, which is probably why I like it. If I had to pick a favorite side dish for this chile Colorado, it would be my chipotle hot honey skillet cornbread. It works together.

Storage and Reheating

• Store leftover chile Colorado in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The sauce gets thicker as it sits, which I like. Reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a small splash of water if the sauce is thicker than you want.
• This freezes really well. Freeze the beef and red chile sauce together in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat it on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot.

FAQs

• Can I use enchilada sauce instead of Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce?
  No. Enchilada sauce has a different flavor and seasoning profile, and it changes this chile Colorado more than you might expect. I use Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce and wouldn’t substitute enchilada sauce.
• Is chile Colorado spicy?
  I don’t find it particularly hot, but everyone’s heat tolerance is different. The important thing is to use regular Gebhardt Chili Powder, not cayenne, chipotle powder or another concentrated ground chile. With the amount used in this recipe, that substitution could make your chile Colorado extremely hot.
• Do I really need 5 pounds of chuck roast?
  Yes. I wouldn’t go below 5 pounds unless you’re also reducing the sauce and seasonings. There’s a lot of red chile sauce in this recipe, and using less beef without changing anything else will give you a much saucier result.
• Why isn’t my chuck roast falling apart?
  It needs more time. If the chuck roast is still firm or difficult to pull apart with a fork, keep cooking it and check again in 30 minutes.
• Can I use two smaller chuck roasts?
  Yes. Two smaller chuck roasts are fine as long as they total at least 5 pounds. They may be ready sooner than one large roast, so start checking them before the 7-hour mark.
• Do I have to use masa harina?
  Technically, no, but I would. The masa harina thickens the red chile sauce and adds corn flavor that flour or cornstarch won’t give you. I’ve made it without the masa harina, and I don’t like it as much.
• Do I need to brown the beef first?
  No. The chuck roast goes straight into the slow cooker. This is the shortcut version of chile Colorado, so I keep the shortcut where it actually saves work.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Lots of things need more time than I think they should. Arguing with that rarely speeds anything up.
• I trust what happens after the waiting more than what happens at the beginning.
• I find it interesting what changes once a lid comes off.
• Some things get better when left alone. Others get colder.
• There’s a difference between giving something room and abandoning it.
• A shortcut still has to take you somewhere worth going.
• I won’t keep rescuing things once they’ve had enough time to figure themselves out.
• I pay attention to what happens between the big moments. When something lets me into the chapter but not the paragraphs, I reconsider everything.

When Dinner Has Hours to Figure It Out

• Slow Cooker BBQ Beef – Chuck roast, barbecue sauce, smoky seasoning, four ingredients.
• Slow Cooker Tangy Brisket – Beef brisket, tangy sauce, long slow cook, tender slices.
• Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls – Chicken, black beans, tomatoes, green chiles, rice.
• Slow Cooker Korean BBQ Chicken – Chicken, Korean barbecue sauce, sweet heat, pulled chicken.

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Chile Colorado Beef (Slow Cooker)

Chile Colorado beef made in the slow cooker is an easier way to make tender chuck roast in red chile sauce without preparing the sauce from dried chiles. The beef cooks low and slow until it pulls apart easily, then masa harina and chili powder are used to thicken the sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican-Inspired

Keyword chile colorado beef, chile colorado recipe, Chile Colorado Style Beef (Slow Cooker), chuck roast recipe, red chile beef, slow cooker chile Colorado, slow cooker chile Colorado beef, slow cooker chuck roast

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 550kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• slow cooker (6-7 quart). Provides enough capacity for the chuck roast and red chile sauce without overcrowding the cooker.
• Cutting board or platter (large). Gives you enough room to pull the cooked chuck roast apart before returning it to the sauce.
• meat shredders or two forks. Used to pull the tender chuck roast apart.
• whisk Incorporates the masa harina and chili powder into the red chile sauce before the beef is returned to the slow cooker.

Ingredients

• 1 (28 oz 794 g) can Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce
• 3 beef bouillon cubes
• ¼ cup plus 2 tbsps (~46 g) Gebhardt chile powder divided
• 1 tbsp (6 g) ground cumin
• 1 tbsp (3 g) dried oregano leaves
• 2 tsps (5 g) onion powder
• 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder
• 1 tsp (2 g) finely ground pepper
• 5 lbs (2.27 kg) boneless beef chuck roast trimmed of most visible fat
• ¼ cup (30 g) masa harina

Instructions

• Add the red chile sauce, beef bouillon, 2 tablespoons chili powder, cumin, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper to a 6- to 7-quart slow cooker and stir to mix. Add the chuck roast and turn to coat it in the sauce. For more consistent cooking time, avoid putting the beef into the slow cooker refrigerator-cold. Cover and cook on LOW until the beef pulls apart easily with a fork, about 7 hours for one large roast. Begin checking earlier if using two smaller roasts, since they can become tender sooner. If the beef is still firm or difficult to pull apart, continue cooking and check again every 30 minutes until it pulls apart easily.
  1 (28 oz 794 g) can Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce, 3 beef bouillon cubes, ¼ cup plus 2 tbsps (~46 g) Gebhardt chile powder, 1 tbsp (6 g) ground cumin, 1 tbsp (3 g) dried oregano leaves, 2 tsps (5 g) onion powder, 1 tsp (3 g) garlic powder, 1 tsp (2 g) finely ground pepper, 5 lbs (2.27 kg) boneless beef chuck roast
• Transfer the chuck roast to a large cutting board or platter and pull the beef apart with two forks. The red chile sauce will be thin at this point. For a thinner sauce, return the beef to the slow cooker and stir it into the sauce.
• To thicken the sauce, leave the slow cooker on LOW and whisk the remaining ¼ cup chili powder and masa harina into the sauce until well incorporated. Return the pulled beef to the slow cooker and stir to coat. Cover and cook on LOW for 1 hour longer, or until the sauce has thickened.
  ¼ cup (30 g) masa harina

Video

Notes

• Use one large chuck roast or two smaller chuck roasts totaling approximately 5 pounds. Two smaller roasts will often become tender sooner, so begin checking them before the suggested cooking time.
• The cooking time is a guide. Starting temperature, the size and thickness of the roast and differences among slow cookers can affect how long the beef takes to become tender. If it doesn't pull apart easily with a fork, continue cooking it.
• Use Las Palmas Red Chile Sauce, not enchilada sauce. The two aren't interchangeable in this recipe and will give you a different result.
• I use regular Gebhardt Chili Powder. Don't substitute chipotle chile powder, cayenne or another concentrated ground chile for it.
• The masa harina thickens the red chile sauce and also contributes flavor. If you prefer the sauce thinner, you can skip the thickening step and return the pulled beef directly to the sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 225g | Calories: 550kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 57g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 1250mg | Potassium: 1150mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1200IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 7mg

Have you made this Chile Colorado Beef (Slow Cooker)? I’d love to hear how it turned out — leave a comment below and let me know.

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The post Chile Colorado Beef (Slow Cooker) appeared first on Noble Pig.

Creamy Finnish Salmon Soup with Potatoes and Fresh Dill

Finnish salmon soup, or lohikeitto, touches a very specific part of my memory because I’ve eaten some form of potatoes, cream, dill and white pepper my whole life. I grew up around Eastern European food, where white pepper has this very open invitation to almost everything. My grandmother treated black pepper like you were making a very bad decision and ruining whatever you were making. She added white pepper to soup, potatoes, meat and every sauce. The idea of rationing it never crossed her mind.

So the first time I tasted those flavors in a creamy soup with salmon, I was already on board. Living in the Pacific Northwest also means salmon is normal dinner food for me. I don’t need an occasion or a special trip to find it because good salmon is readily available where I live.

What I really wanted was a weeknight version of this soup that didn’t need me to make fish stock at 4 pm on a Tuesday. Yes, I wanted the seafood flavor, the cream, the potatoes and all the dill, but I also wanted something I could make quickly. Using prepared seafood stock and skinless salmon got me there without adding another hour or a pile of fish parts to the kitchen.

The Decisions Behind This Recipe

• Using prepared seafood stock is what made this possible for a weeknight dinner. I still wanted the broth to taste like seafood, and skinless salmon means there’s almost nothing to do to the fish besides cut it into chunks. I’m super happy to let somebody else make the stock if it means I get to make lohikeitto more often.
• I use ground allspice and white pepper and give them about 30 seconds in the butter after the leek and carrots have softened. Warming ground spices in the butter helps wake up their aroma before the stock goes in and gets them dispersed through the base of the soup. Whole allspice berries are traditional in lots of lohikeitto recipes, but I like not having to warn everybody at the table that one of the innocent-looking things in the bowl is definitely not a potato.
• Cutting the Yukon Gold potatoes into large 1-inch chunks gives them enough size to stay intact instead of dissolving into the broth. It’s important that they cook completely before the salmon goes into the pot. Once the salmon is in, you don’t want a stubborn potato to finish cooking while the fish slowly turns into drywall.
• The cream goes in before the salmon for the same reason. I bring the broth back to a gentle simmer first, then add the fish. At that point, everything else is done and the salmon becomes the timer. Give it a few minutes to turn opaque and cook through, and then we’re finished.
• And the dill is not a garnish. Half a cup goes into the soup after I take the pot off the heat. Fresh dill loses a lot of its flavor when it cooks too long, so I want the heat from the soup to soften it without boiling the life out of it.

Ingredients

• Salmon – I use a skinless salmon fillet and cut it into 1-inch chunks. You want pieces large enough that you still get a good piece of salmon on the spoon after it cooks.
• Yukon Gold potatoes – Yukon Golds are my first choice because they stay together in the soup instead of crumbling into the broth. I peel them and cut them into 1-inch chunks, about the same size as the salmon. Red potatoes or another waxy potato can work, but I would skip Russets because they break down more easily as they cook.
• Leek – Use the white and light green parts. Leeks are notorious for hiding dirt between their layers, so slice it first and wash it really well. There’s always more dirt in there than seems possible.
• Carrots – Two medium carrots add sweetness and color without turning this into vegetable soup.
• Seafood stock – This adds seafood flavor before the salmon ever goes into the pot. Vegetable stock is my first substitute. Chicken stock works, but it’s not going to taste the same. Seafood stock, sometimes labeled fish stock, is easier to find than you think. You’ve probably walked past it a hundred times without noticing it.
• Heavy cream – This is what gives lohikeitto its creamy broth, but don’t expect it to make the soup thick. There’s no flour or roux in this recipe. The cream adds richness while the broth stays very much a broth.
• Fresh dill – I use a full ½ cup because dill is part of the flavor of this soup, not something thrown over the top for a photograph. Fresh dill is the way to go for this recipe because dried dill doesn’t give you the same flavor.
• Ground allspice – Allspice is one spice, not a spice blend, which is worth mentioning because the name has confused people forever. A small amount gives the broth a warm background flavor that goes really well with the cream and potatoes.
• Ground white pepper – Of course there’s white pepper. My grandmother would probably come back and revoke my Eastern European credentials if there weren’t. It seasons the soup without leaving black specks throughout the pale broth.
• Unsalted butter – I use it to cook the leek and carrots before adding the ground spices. Unsalted butter lets me control the salt myself, especially since seafood stocks vary.
• Bay leaf – One goes into the broth.
• Kosher salt – Start with the amount in the recipe and taste again before serving. Seafood stock can range from mild to salty, so this isn’t the place to go all in until you’ve tasted the finished broth.

How to Make Finnish Salmon Soup

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

• Step One (soften the leek and carrots)
  Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, then add the leek and carrots. Cook them for about 5 minutes, stirring once in a while, until the leek is soft and translucent. You don’t want browning because we’re not trying to caramelize the vegetables. They only need to soften.
• Step Two (season the broth and cook the vegetables)
  Add the allspice and white pepper and stir them around in the butter for about 30 seconds, then add the potatoes, seafood stock, salt and bay leaf. Bring it to a boil, lower the heat and let it simmer for 10–12 minutes. Before you move on, stick a knife into one of the potatoes and a carrot and make sure both are tender. Once the salmon goes in, that’s basically the end of the cooking, and you’re not sacrificing the fish because one stubborn potato needed another eight minutes.
• Step Three (add the cream and salmon)
  Stir in the heavy cream and let the soup come back to a gentle simmer, then add the salmon. Keep it at a simmer for 3–4 minutes, until the salmon is opaque and cooked through. I want chunks of salmon in the bowl, not a pot full of tiny flakes because I got distracted and boiled the heck out of it.
• Step Four (finish with lots of fresh dill)
  Take the pot off the heat, pull out the bay leaf and stir in the fresh dill. A full ½ cup looks like a lot until it’s in the soup, and then it’s just right. I add it after the heat’s off so it still tastes fresh. Taste the broth again for salt and white pepper, ladle the soup into bowls, add more dill on top if you want, and that’s it.

Recipe Tips

Storage and Reheating

• Store leftover Finnish salmon soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I would reheat only the amount you plan to eat instead of warming and cooling the whole pot over and over because the salmon is already cooked and every trip back to the stove cooks it more.
• Warm it slowly over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it’s hot, but don’t bring it back to a hard boil. The broth may look a little different straight from the refrigerator as the cream and fat chill, but low heat and a good stir should bring it back together.
• I don’t recommend freezing this soup. Between the cream, potatoes and already-cooked salmon, there are too many textures that can come back from the freezer differently than when they went in. This is one to eat for lunch for the next couple of days.

FAQs

• What is lohikeitto?
  Lohikeitto is Finnish salmon soup made with salmon, potatoes and a creamy broth, usually with leek and lots of fresh dill. The name literally refers to salmon soup in Finnish.
• How do you pronounce lohikeitto?
  The Finnish pronunciation is roughly LOH-hee-kayt-toh, with the first syllable stressed and the double t held a little longer. I checked this against a native Finnish pronunciation before putting my American mouth on the record. Wink.
• Is Finnish salmon soup the same as salmon chowder?
  No. This soup is creamy, but the broth stays fluid. There’s no flour or roux in this recipe, so it should not have the thick consistency you would expect from an American-style chowder.
• Can I use frozen salmon?
  Previously frozen salmon is fine. Thaw it completely first, then cut it into 1-inch chunks and cook it the same way as fresh salmon. I wouldn’t add frozen chunks directly to the soup because then your 3–4 minute cooking time goes out the window.
• What kind of potatoes are best for Finnish salmon soup?
  I use Yukon Gold potatoes because they get creamy and tender without breaking down too much in the broth. Red potatoes or another waxy potato are my first substitutes. I would skip Russets because they break down more easily as they cook.
• What can I substitute for seafood stock?
  Vegetable stock is my first choice. Chicken stock can work, but the finished soup is not going to taste like seafood. Since the salmon only cooks in the broth for a few minutes, the stock is responsible for most of the seafood flavor in the broth.
• Can I use half-and-half or milk instead of heavy cream?
  Heavy cream is what I recommend. Half-and-half or milk will make the broth less rich and can be less forgiving if the soup gets too hot, so I wouldn’t call either one an equal substitution.
• Can I use dried dill instead of fresh dill?
  You can, but I don’t want you to if you can get fresh dill because it’s a main flavor in lohikeitto. If dried dill is all you have, I might start with 2 tablespoons, taste the finished soup and add more if you think it needs it. Dried dill doesn’t taste like fresh, so I wouldn’t try to match the full ½ cup of fresh dill tablespoon for tablespoon.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Some traditions feel familiar before they have any right to.
• If something needs too much explaining, I’m probably not into it.
• I’ve stopped waiting to understand certain things before enjoying them.
• I’ve gotten very good at knowing when something is almost right. And when it’s exactly wrong.
• I notice patterns even when I wish I didn’t.
• I don’t need every question answered to know when something has my attention.
• There are things I simplify and things I don’t. Knowing the difference is most of life.
• Four minutes of anything can change the whole situation.

Potatoes Have Never Hurt a Pot of Soup

• Ham and Cabbage Soup – Ham, cabbage, potatoes, savory broth.
• Loaded Baked Potato Soup – Potatoes, bacon, sharp cheddar, sour cream.
• Corn Chowder – Sweet corn, smoky bacon, potatoes, creamy broth.
• Chicken Pot Pie Soup – Chicken, potatoes, vegetables, thick creamy broth.
• Dill Pickle Soup – Dill pickles, potatoes, tangy creamy broth.

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

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Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto)

Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto) has tender salmon, Yukon Gold potatoes, leeks and carrots in a creamy fish broth seasoned with allspice, white pepper and lots of fresh dill. Using prepared fish stock and skinless salmon keeps the recipe to about 40 minutes.

Course Main Course, Soup

Cuisine Finnish

Keyword creamy salmon soup, Finnish salmon soup, Finnish salmon soup lohikeitto, Finnish salmon soup recipe, Finnish soup, lohikeitto, lohikeitto recipe, salmon potato soup, salmon soup

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 627kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• Dutch Oven or large pot. A 5- to 6-quart (4.7- to 5.7-liter) pot gives the vegetables and salmon enough room to cook without crowding.
• chef knife For slicing the leek and carrots and cutting the potatoes and salmon into evenly sized pieces.
• Cutting board Use a separate clean surface for cutting the salmon or thoroughly wash the board after preparing the vegetables.
• measuring cups and spoons For measuring the stock, cream and seasonings.
• wooden spoon For softening the vegetables and stirring the soup without breaking apart the salmon.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter
• 1 large leek white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
• 2 medium carrots sliced
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground allspice
• ¼ tsp (0.6 g) ground white pepper plus more to taste
• 1 lb (454 g) Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled and cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
• 4 cups (946 ml) seafood stock
• ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt plus more to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream
• 1 lb (454 g) skinless salmon fillet cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks
• ½ cup (20 g) chopped fresh dill plus more for serving

Instructions

• Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leek and carrots and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leek is soft and translucent but has not browned.
  2 tbsps (28 g) unsalted butter, 1 large leek, 2 medium carrots
• Add the allspice and white pepper and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add the potatoes, seafood stock, salt and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10–12 minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are tender when pierced with a knife.
  ¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground allspice, ¼ tsp (0.6 g) ground white pepper, 1 lb (454 g) Yukon Gold Potatoes, 4 cups (946 ml) seafood stock, ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt, 1 bay leaf
• Stir in the heavy cream and return the soup to a gentle simmer. Add the salmon and simmer gently for 3–4 minutes, or until the salmon is opaque and cooked through. Avoid boiling the soup vigorously once the salmon has been added so the pieces remain intact and the fish doesn't overcook.
  1 cup (237 ml) heavy cream, 1 lb (454 g) skinless salmon fillet
• Remove the pot from the heat and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the fresh dill while the soup is off the heat. Taste and season with additional salt and white pepper as needed.
  ½ cup (20 g) chopped fresh dill
• Ladle the Finnish salmon soup into bowls and garnish with additional fresh dill. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Cut the salmon into evenly sized 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks so the pieces cook at approximately the same rate.
• Make sure the potatoes and carrots are tender before adding the salmon, since the salmon needs only 3–4 minutes to cook.
• Keep the soup at a gentle simmer after adding the cream and salmon. A vigorous boil can overcook the fish and break apart the salmon pieces.
• Yukon Gold potatoes are my preference, but another waxy potato can be substituted.
• If seafood stock is unavailable, vegetable stock is my preferred substitute. Chicken stock can also be used, although it will change the flavor of the soup.
• Add the fresh dill after removing the pot from the heat.

Nutrition

Serving: 500g | Calories: 627kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 622mg | Potassium: 1208mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 7973IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 3mg

Have you made this Finnish Salmon Soup? 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 Finnish Salmon Soup (Lohikeitto) appeared first on Noble Pig.

Pan-Fried Potato Gnocchi with Brown Butter, Sage and Toasted Nuts

This crispy gnocchi with sage brown butter is one of the dinners that makes me unofficially decide fall has arrived, even if the calendar says otherwise. Yes, it’s warm outside, and tomatoes and late summer fruit are still everywhere, but I don’t really care. The minute I put brown butter in a skillet with sage, I’m mentally done with summer. Brown butter and sage are two of my favorite cooler weather flavors, especially once the sun is hanging a tiny bit lower in the sky.

I make gnocchi a bunch of different ways, but this is the one I want when dinner needs to happen without spending a good portion of the night on it. I like to brown my gnocchi first because I want the golden sides and slight crispness before I spoon anything over them. The centers stay soft and tender this way. The browning is important once the brown butter goes over them because I want the pan-fried texture under the sauce.

There’s also something about potato gnocchi that makes me think of my grandmother’s pierogi, even though they come from completely different culinary worlds. I think it’s the potato dumpling, and even more than that, the way she would fry her pierogi in butter until the outside was very brown. Gnocchi is hardly pierogi, but the combo of soft potato inside and buttery, browned dough reminds me of hers.

And then there’s the sage, which is the bigest reason I love this recipe as much as I do. I chop some of it into the butter, then fry whole leaves until they’re crisp, which means I eat a couple before the rest ever make it onto the plate. Try it. I toast the walnuts and pecans separately, because I want their flavor to match what the butter is doing without relying on the butter to toast them. Garlic and nutmeg go into the brown butter at the end, followed by Parm and black pepper once the gnocchi is ready to serve.

By the time I’m craving anything even remotely fall-ish, this recipe is usually where my mind goes. I’ll never complain about a skillet of browned gnocchi, enough fried sage, and a decent amount of brown butter on top is pretty much all I need during the ber-months.

The Decisions Behind This Recipe

• I brown the gnocchi, toast the walnuts and pecans, and brown the butter separately because each one needs different timing. The gnocchi needs uninterrupted contact with the pan to develop color and the nuts only require a short toast. The butter needs absolute attention once the milk solids begin to brown. Keeping them separate means I can stop each one when it’s ready.
• I divide the sage before it goes into the butter because the chopped and whole leaves give different results. The chopped sage goes into the brown butter, while the whole leaves fry until they’re brittle and crisp. Those whole leaves aren’t decoration. They’re meant to be eaten with the gnocchi and toasted nuts. They’re so good. And my favorite.
• I wait until the butter is browned and off the heat before adding the grated garlic. Garlic paste has a lot of surface area that it can burn quickly, while the residual heat of the brown butter is enough to soften its raw flavor and distribute it through the sauce. Grating it works out really well for this recipe from a flavor perspective.
• The nutmeg goes in after browning for a different reason. I’m watching the milk solids on the bottom of the pan to tell me when the butter is ready, and adding nutmeg earlier puts additional brown specks in the pan when I’m trying to see that color. I use only 1/8 teaspoon, enough to season the brown butter without making the sauce taste primarily of nutmeg. The visual clues are everything when making this.

Ingredients

• Potato gnocchi – I use a 16-ounce package of potato gnocchi because this isn’t one of those times when I feel the need to make gnocchi from scratch. Refrigerated or shelf-stable potato gnocchi are both fine, so use whichever you normally buy. Can you make your own? Yes. But store-bought keeps this in the weeknight dinner category.
• Olive oil – You only need a small amount for browning the gnocchi. I usually start with 1/2 teaspoon and add more between batches if the pan needs it.
• Salted butter – This is what becomes the brown butter sauce, so use one you like.
• Fresh sage – Definitely fresh for this recipe. You need enough leaves to chop some into the butter and leave the rest whole for frying, so dried sage isn’t a substitute.
• Ground nutmeg – There’s only 1/8 teaspoon in the entire sauce. I want the nutmeg in the background with the brown butter and sage without making the finished dish taste distinctly of nutmeg.
• Walnuts – Finely chopped and toasted. I love walnuts with sage and brown butter because of their earthy flavor, and to me they make the dish feel more like fall than pine nuts ever could.
• Pecans – I use these with the walnuts because they’re sweeter and more buttery. You can use all walnuts or all pecans if that’s what you have, but I really love having both.
• Fresh garlic – I grate it into a paste so there aren’t bigger pieces of garlic scattered through the gnocchi. One teaspoon is enough because the garlic is going directly into the brown butter.
• Parmesan Cheese – Freshly grated is best, and I use about 1/4 cup over the finished gnocchi. I want Parmesan on top, but this is still very much a brown butter sauce instead of the cheesy sauce I use in my gnocchi mac and cheese.
• Freshly cracked black pepper – Use as much as you like. I’m pretty liberal with it because black pepper with brown butter, sage and Parmesan is very hard to turn down.

How to Make Crispy Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter

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

• Step One (boil and dry the gnocchi)
  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the gnocchi and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they float to the top. Drain them really well, then spread them out on a paper towel-lined plate and pat away as much moisture as you can. They’re going into a hot skillet next, and the drier the surface is, the better chance they have of turning golden instead of steaming in the pan.
• Step Two (get the sage and nuts ready)
  Finely chop 5 of the sage leaves and leave the other 10 whole. Add the walnuts and pecans to a dry skillet over medium heat and toast them for 1-2 minutes, stirring often, until they smell really good and have darkened slightly. Get them out of the pan and into a bowl as soon as they’re done because nuts can go from toasted to burned while you’re standing there thinking about something else.
• Step Three (crisp the gnocchi)
  Heat 1/2 teaspoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat, then add the gnocchi in a single layer. Try not to mess with them too much at first. Give them some time in the hot pan so they can brown, then turn them and keep going for about 5-7 minutes, until you have good color on several sides. If your pan is not big enough, do this in batches and add more olive oil if you need it. Once they’re browned on several sides, take the pan off the heat and leave them alone while you make the butter.
• Step Four (make the sage brown butter)
  Add the cubed butter to a light-colored sauté pan over medium heat and stir as it melts and starts to foam, then add both the chopped sage and the whole leaves. Keep stirring and watch the bottom of the pan as the foam begins to subside and golden-brown flecks appear in the butter. Once you see those flecks, everything moves pretty fast. When the butter smells nutty and toasted, pull it off the heat. If the flecks turn very dark brown or black, you’ve gone too far, and sadly, that butter needs to go because there’s no fixing burned brown butter.
• Step Five (finish everything)
  Stir the nutmeg into the brown butter, pull out the whole fried sage leaves and set them aside for the top, then stir in the grated garlic, walnuts and pecans. The garlic goes in while the butter is still hot but off the heat because it’s grated so finely that the residual heat is enough to take away its rawness without risking burned garlic. Transfer the crispy gnocchi to a serving dish, spoon all the sage brown butter and the toasted nuts over the top, then finish with the fried sage leaves, Parmesan and lots of cracked black pepper.

Recipe Tips

• Make sure the gnocchi is really well dried after boiling before it goes into the skillet. Water left on the surface works against browning, but it also makes the oil spit, which is another good reason to spend an extra minute with the paper towels.
• Give the gnocchi enough room in the pan that most of the pieces can make direct contact with the skillet. If that means two batches, it’s a better choice than crowding them into one.
• Use a light-colored pan for the brown butter if you have one. Brown butter is better judged by color and smell than by a timer, and a pale pan makes the milk solids on the bottom much easier to see.
• Don’t walk away from the butter once the milk solids begin changing color. The heat in the pan doesn’t disappear the second you remove it from the burner, which is why I pull mine as soon as the flecks are golden brown and the butter smells toasted.
• Once the walnuts and pecans smell toasted, get them out of the skillet and into a bowl. Leaving them in the hot pan while you move on to the gnocchi can continue cooking them past the point you wanted.

Storage and Reheating

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. The gnocchi will lose a lot of its crisp exterior as it sits in the brown butter, so leftovers are still very good, but don’t expect the same texture you had when it first came out of the skillet.
• For reheating, I like a skillet over the microwave. Warm the gnocchi over moderate heat so the outside has a chance to brown again, but keep the heat under control because the butter, garlic, sage and nuts are already cooked and can burn. The microwave works if you’re in a hurry, but the gnocchi will be softer.
• I would not freeze the finished dish. Freezing and thawing works against the tender-inside, crisp-outside texture that makes this gnocchi worth pan-frying in the first place.

FAQs

• Do I have to boil gnocchi before pan-frying it?
  For this recipe, yes. I want the gnocchi cooked and tender first, then I use the skillet specifically for browning the outside. Some packaged gnocchi can be prepared without boiling, but that isn’t the method I use for this recipe.
• Can I use refrigerated gnocchi instead of shelf-stable gnocchi?
  Yes. I use packaged potato gnocchi, and either refrigerated or shelf-stable is fine. Follow the package directions for boiling if they differ from the timing in the recipe, then drain and dry the gnocchi well before browning.
• Can I use gluten-free gnocchi?
  Yes, although I would expect some variation in texture and browning between brands. Follow the package directions for boiling, then drain and dry the gnocchi well before it goes into the skillet.
• Can I use unsalted butter?
  Yes. Taste the finished dish and add salt as needed. Parmesan adds salt at the end too, so I would wait until after it goes on before deciding how much additional salt the gnocchi needs.
• How do I know when brown butter is done?
  The butter will melt, foam and then develop golden-brown flecks on the bottom of the pan. It should smell nutty and toasted. Once the milk solids turn very dark brown or black, the butter has burned.
• Why did my gnocchi not get crispy?
  The first things I would look at are surface moisture and pan contact. Gnocchi that’s still wet can steam, while an overcrowded pan or constant turning keeps the pieces from spending enough uninterrupted time in the hot skillet to brown.
• Can I use dried sage instead of fresh sage?
  I wouldn’t for this one. Fresh sage is doing two things, including the whole leaves that get fried until crisp, so dried sage really cannot give you the same result.
• Can I make Crispy Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter ahead of time?
  You can prep parts of it ahead, but I would save crisping the gnocchi and browning the butter until close to serving. The walnuts and pecans can be toasted and the sage can be chopped earlier, but once the browned gnocchi sits in the sauce, the exterior begins to soften.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Some things are better once they’ve been in the heat.
• You can ruin a good thing by trying to improve it past the point where it was already perfect.
• There’s a point where giving something more time stops helping it. Knowing when you’ve reached it can be harder than getting there.
• A soft center doesn’t need a soft exterior.
• Does everything need a sauce thick enough to hide in? I don’t think so.
• Sometimes, everything that needs time, doesn’t always need distance.
• Holding back can be useful. Too much and dinner gets cold.
• I’ve found that giving everything the same amount of time usually means at least one thing gets more than it needed.
• I don’t mind watching something closely when there’s a small window for getting it right.
• There comes a point when what hasn’t happened is saying more that what has.

When Brown Butter Changes the Recipe

• Gnocchi with Burrata, Pesto, and Brown Butter – Burrata, pesto, brown butter, toasty nuts.
• Roasted Garlic Pumpkin Soup with Brown Butter – Pumpkin, roasted garlic, brown butter, fall spices.
• Brown Butter Carrot Bundt Cake – Brown butter, warm spices, cream cheese frosting.
• Brown Butter Peach Coffee Cake Muffins – Fresh peaches, brown butter, cinnamon streusel, vanilla glaze.
• Cabernet Sauvignon Brown Butter Brownies – Red wine, brown butter, dense fudgy chocolate.

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Crispy Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter

Crispy Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter pairs pan-fried potato gnocchi with sage-infused brown butter, toasted walnuts and pecans, garlic, Parmesan and fried sage leaves.

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Italian-Inspired

Keyword brown butter gnocchi, crispy gnocchi, crispy potato gnocchi, gnocchi with sage, pan-fried gnocchi, pan-seared gnocchi, potato gnocchi with burrata, sage brown butter gnocchi, sage brown butter sauce

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 460kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• large pot For boiling the gnocchi with enough water to cook freely.
• Colander For draining the cooked gnocchi before drying.
• paper towels Removing surface moisture helps the gnocchi brown in the pan instead of steam.
• large sauté pan For pan-frying the gnocchi in a single layer. A large surface area also makes crowding less likely.
• light-colored sauté pan or skillet. For browning the butter. The pale interior makes it much easier to see the milk solids turn golden brown before they burn.
• skillet (small). For toasting the walnuts and pecans separately.

Ingredients

Gnocchi:

• 1 (16 oz / 454 g) package potato gnocchi
• ½ - 1 tsp (2.5 - 5 ml) olive oil plus more as needed

Sage Brown Butter Sauce:

• 15 fresh sage leaves
• 2 tbsps (15 g) finely chopped walnuts
• 2 tbsps (14 g) finely chopped pecans
• ½ cup (113 g) salted butter cubed
• ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 clove, fresh garlic grated into a paste

Toppings:

• ¼ cup (25 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

• Bring 4 quarts (3.8 L) of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the gnocchi and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until they float to the surface. Drain well, then transfer the gnocchi to a paper towel-lined plate and pat dry. Removing the surface moisture helps the gnocchi brown instead of steam in the pan.
  1 (16 oz / 454 g) package potato gnocchi
• Finely chop 5 sage leaves, leaving the remaining 10 leaves whole. Set aside.
  15 fresh sage leaves
• Add the walnuts and pecans to a dry skillet over medium heat. Toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
  2 tbsps (15 g) finely chopped walnuts, 2 tbsps (14 g) finely chopped pecans
• Heat ½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the gnocchi in a single layer without crowding the pan, working in batches if necessary. Cook for 5-7 minutes, allowing the gnocchi time against the hot pan before turning, until browned on multiple sides. Add additional olive oil as needed. Remove from the heat and set aside while preparing the brown butter.
  ½ - 1 tsp (2.5 - 5 ml) olive oil
• Add the cubed butter to a light-colored sauté pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, as the butter melts and begins to foam. Add the chopped and whole sage leaves and continue cooking as the sage fries and the milk solids begin to brown.
  ½ cup (113 g) salted butter
• Watch the bottom of the pan closely as golden-brown flecks appear and the butter develops a toasted, nutty aroma. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the milk solids are golden brown. Very dark brown or black flecks mean the butter has burned and should be remade.
• Immediately stir in the nutmeg. Remove the whole fried sage leaves and set them aside for serving.
  ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
• Stir the grated garlic and toasted walnuts and pecans into the hot brown butter off the heat. The residual heat is enough for the finely grated garlic without risking burning it.
  1 clove, fresh garlic
• Transfer the crispy gnocchi to a serving dish and spoon the sage brown butter, garlic and toasted nuts over the top. Finish with the reserved fried sage leaves, Parmesan cheese and freshly cracked black pepper.
  ¼ cup (25 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, freshly cracked black pepper

Notes

• Use a light-colored pan for the brown butter so you can clearly see the milk solids changing color.
• Don't crowd the gnocchi while pan-frying. Work in batches when necessary so the gnocchi have enough contact with the pan to brown.
• Fresh sage is important in this recipe because some of the leaves are fried whole and reserved for serving.
• Gluten-free potato gnocchi can be substituted, although the texture and browning may differ depending on the brand.

 

 

If you’re making this Crispy Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter, 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: 155g | Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 675mg | Potassium: 332mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 760IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 112mg | Iron: 1mg

Have you made this Crispy Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter? 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 Crispy Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter appeared first on Noble Pig.

Italian Sausage Stuffed Portobellos with Mozzarella and Parmesan

I’ve always loved big portobello mushrooms, but they come with this funny association that they’re somehow the vegetarian answer to dinner. Grill one, put it on a bun, call it a burger, and I’m supposed to feel satisfied. I’m not that girl. I’m way too much of a carnivore.

Instead, I took the giant mushroom everyone wants to use in place of meat and stuffed it with as much pork as I practically could.

And that’s when portobello mushrooms really became something I looked forward to.

The mozzarella melts underneath the sausage while it cooks, I added Parmesan to the filling and over the top, and by the time I take it off the grill, there’s absolutely nothing vegetarian about it.

The Decisions Behind This Recipe

• I use four large portobello mushrooms because I want each one to hold a decent amount of sausage and feel like dinner, not like the kind of pork stuffed mushrooms you pass around before dinner. I scrape out the gills to make more room, but keep the stems, chop them and cook them with the onion and garlic so they come back into the filling instead of getting tossed.
• The sweet Italian sausage goes into the mushrooms uncooked. I wanted it to cook right in the cap instead of browning it separately and then stuffing everything back together afterward. The cooked mushroom, onion and garlic mixture gets cooled first and then mixed into the sausage with Parmesan and the seasonings.
• The mozzarella goes into the mushroom before the sausage, where it melts between the cap and the filling as everything cooks. Parmesan goes into the pork mixture and I add more over the top where it can pick up color on the grill. Parmesan is good at that.
• I cook the mushrooms directly on a greased grill grate at 350°F instead of putting them into a pan or wrapping them in foil. The portobellos soften and shrink while the sausage cooks, and I take them off when the center of the sausage filling reaches 160°F. The color on top is nice, but the thermometer is what tells me dinner is done.

Ingredients

• Large portobello mushrooms – Use four large caps because these need enough room for a substantial amount of sausage filling. Choose mushrooms that are similar in size so they cook at about the same rate, and keep the stems because they get chopped and added back into the filling.
• Vegetable or avocado oil – Either works well for cooking the onion, mushroom stems and garlic before they go into the sausage mixture.
• Yellow onion – I use finely chopped yellow onion because it softens nicely in the skillet and gives the filling a sweeter flavor once it cooks with the mushroom stems.
• Garlic – Fresh minced garlic goes into the skillet near the end so it has time to cook without burning.
• Sweet Italian sausage – Use bulk sweet Italian sausage, or remove the meat from the casings if you buy links. The sausage goes into the mushrooms uncooked, so there is no need to brown it first.
• Low-fat mozzarella cheese – I use block mozzarella cut into slices. The slices go into the mushroom caps before the sausage, where they melt as everything cooks. I would stay with a low-moisture block mozzarella instead of fresh mozzarella.
• Parmesan cheese – Grated Parmesan gets divided between the sausage mixture and the top of the mushrooms. Some of it seasons the filling while the rest gets direct exposure to the heat and takes on more color.
• Black pepper, onion powder, cayenne pepper and sea salt – These season the sausage mixture without taking it too far away from the Italian sausage flavor. The cayenne addition is small but useful. It adds warmth without making the mushrooms spicy.

How to Make Grilled Sausage Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

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

• Step One (prep the mushrooms)
  Preheat the grill or smoker to 350°F and grease the grates well. Carefully remove the stems from the portobellos and save them, then scrape out the dark gills with a spoon so you have more room for the filling. Trim off any tough parts from the stems and chop the rest pretty finely because they’re going right back into the recipe.
• Step Two (cook the vegetables)
  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook the onion for 3 to 5 minutes, until it has softened. Add the chopped mushroom stems and garlic and give them another minute or two, stirring so the garlic doesn’t get away from you. Take the skillet off the heat and let that mixture cool before you add it to the raw sausage.
• Step Three (make the sausage filling)
  Add the sweet Italian sausage, ¼ cup Parmesan, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne, salt and the cooled onion, mushroom and garlic mixture to a large bowl. Mix it until everything is evenly distributed, then stop. There’s no prize for overhandling sausage.
• Step Four (fill the portobellos)
  Lay 3 to 4 slices of mozzarella inside each mushroom cap, then divide the sausage mixture between the four mushrooms and press it into place. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup Parmesan over the top. This is where the cheese gets very good, because the mozzarella melts underneath the sausage while the Parmesan gets direct heat from above.
• Step Five (grill the stuffed mushrooms)
  Set the stuffed portobellos directly on the grill grates, close the lid and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. You want the mushrooms tender and the sausage at 160°F in the center. Keep the thermometer in the pork instead of pushing it all the way through into the mushroom, or you’ll get a number that tells you nothing useful.

Recipe Tips

• Look for portobellos with firm, intact caps. A split mushroom can become a much bigger problem once you put a quarter pound of sausage in it.
• Scrape out the gills with a spoon, but don’t get aggressive with the mushroom itself. Portobello caps are sturdy until suddenly they aren’t, and you need the bottom intact to hold all that sausage and cheese.
• Grease the grill grates well. Portobellos like to hold onto things when given the opportunity.
• Don’t use the browned Parmesan or sausage on top as your doneness test. The center of the sausage filling still needs to reach 160°F, so this is a dinner where I use my instant-read thermometer every time.
• If the mushrooms are giving off some liquid as they cook, that’s normal. They’re mushrooms and have feelings about moisture.
• You’ll have half an onion left, which I usually dice up for eggs the next morning. If you bought an 8-ounce block of mozzarella, you’ll also have four ounces of that left, and conveniently, both my gooey pizza dip and mac and cheese pizza use exactly that amount.

Storage and Reheating

• Store leftover stuffed portobellos in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• For reheating, I like the oven or air fryer because the browned top fares much better than it does in the microwave. Heat them at 350°F until warmed through.
• The microwave works if speed is the priority, but the mushroom will soften more and the top will lose some of the grilled texture.
• I wouldn’t freeze these. The sausage would survive it, but the portobello has nothing to gain from the experience.

FAQs

• Can I use hot Italian sausage instead of sweet?
  Yes. If you like more heat, hot Italian sausage is fine. I would keep the rest of the seasonings the same the first time instead of automatically adding more cayenne.
• Can I make these ahead of time?
  You can prep the mushrooms and cook the onion, garlic and chopped stems ahead of time. Once everything is cool, keep the components refrigerated and assemble closer to grilling. I prefer to keep the raw sausage mixture and mushrooms separate until closer to the time they’re going on the grill.
• Can I cook these in the oven instead of on the grill?
  Yes. Set them on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 350°F until the sausage reaches 160°F in the center and the mushrooms are tender. You won’t get the same grilled flavor or browning, but the basic method still works.
• Do I have to remove the portobello gills?
  You don’t have to because the gills are edible, but I remove them for this recipe. These mushrooms hold a lot of sausage, and scraping out the gills gives me more room for the filling.
• Can I use fresh mozzarella?
  I wouldn’t. Fresh mozzarella has more moisture, and these mushrooms already release liquid as they cook. Low-moisture block mozzarella gives you the melt without adding more water.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small obsverations from the margins.

• Sometimes making room for something means taking out what was always there.
• There are things that can hold much more than they look capable of holding.
• What gets removed is not always what gets discarded.
• I like when something comes back into the recipe in a different form.
• You can spend years thinking you understand what something is for, and then one small change makes the old explanation look ridiculous.
• I’m increasingly suspicious of anything that requires one thing to do all the accommodating.
• There are combos that make perfect sense once something finally stops pretending otherwise.
• Sometimes the thing that changes everything was sitting there the whole time, waiting for someone to use it properly.
• There are things I wouldn’t have chosen years ago that make complete sense to me now.

Mushrooms Have a Life of Their Own

• Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms – Shrimp, cream cheese, Parmesan panko.
• Portobello Mushroom Gyros – Portobellos, creamy tzatziki, feta, crisp vegetables.
• Creamy Mushroom Pork Chops – Boneless pork chops, fresh sage cream sauce, lots of mushrooms.
• Italian Stuffed Mushrooms – Italian seasoning, cheese, bite-sized mushrooms.
• Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine – Buttery mushrooms, garlic, Parmesan.
• Pork Marsala – Thin pork chops, mushrooms, Marsala sauce.

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Grilled Sausage Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Grilled Sausage Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms are filled with sweet Italian sausage, sautéed mushroom stems, onion and garlic, with mozzarella underneath and Parmesan throughout. They cook directly on the grill until the portobellos are tender, the sausage is cooked through and the cheese has melted.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword grilled sausage stuffed portobello mushrooms, grilled stuffed portobello mushrooms, Italian sausage stuffed mushrooms, sausage stuffed portobello mushrooms

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 554kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• grill or smoker. For maintaining a steady 350°F (177°C) cooking temperature.
• large skillet For cooking the onion, mushroom stems and garlic.
• mixing bowls (large). For mixing the sausage filling.
• instant-read thermometer For checking the center of the sausage filling for doneness.

Ingredients

• 4 large portobello mushrooms stems removed and reserved
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil or avocado oil
• ½ medium yellow onion finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 lb (454 g) ground sweet Italian sausage
• ¾ cup (75 g) grated Parmesan cheese divided
• ¼ tsp (0.6 g) ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
• 4 oz (113 g) part-skim mozzarella cheese (block) sliced

Instructions

• Preheat the grill or smoker to 350°F (177°C). Clean and grease the grill grates well.
• Remove the stems from the portobello mushrooms and reserve them. Using a spoon, scrape out the dark gills from the underside of each mushroom cap to create more room for the filling.
  4 large portobello mushrooms
• Trim and discard any tough, woody ends from the reserved mushroom stems, then finely chop the remaining stems.
• Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until softened. Add the chopped mushroom stems and garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer, stirring frequently to prevent the garlic from burning. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the mixture to cool.
  1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil, ½ medium yellow onion, 3 cloves garlic
• Add the Italian sausage, ¼ cup (60 ml) Parmesan cheese, black pepper, onion powder, cayenne, salt and cooled onion, mushroom and garlic mixture to a large bowl. Mix until evenly incorporated without overmixing the sausage.
  1 lb (454 g) ground sweet Italian sausage, ¾ cup (75 g) grated Parmesan cheese, ¼ tsp (0.6 g) ground black pepper, ¼ tsp (0.5 g) cayenne pepper, ½ tsp (3 g) fine sea salt
• Arrange 3 to 4 slices of mozzarella in the cavity of each portobello mushroom.
  4 oz (113 g) part-skim mozzarella cheese (block)
• Divide the sausage mixture evenly among the 4 mushroom caps, pressing the filling securely into each cavity.
• Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup (120 ml) Parmesan cheese evenly over the sausage filling.
• Place the stuffed portobello mushrooms directly on the prepared grill grates. Close the grill and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the sausage filling registers 160°F (71°C) and the mushrooms are tender.

Notes

• Choose large portobello mushrooms that are similar in size for even cooking.
• Scraping out the gills makes more room for the sausage and cheese.
• Let the onion and mushroom mixture cool before mixing it with the sausage.
• Grill with the lid closed and check the sausage in the center with an instant-read thermometer. It should reach 160°F (71°C).
• Cooking time can vary depending on the size of the portobellos and thickness of the sausage filling.

 

 

If you’re making these Grilled Sausage Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms, 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: 225g | Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 42g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Cholesterol: 114mg | Sodium: 910mg | Potassium: 682mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 386IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 471mg | Iron: 2mg

Have you made these Grilled Sausage Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms? 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 Grilled Sausage Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms appeared first on Noble Pig.

Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls with Rice

These slow cooker chicken burrito bowls are a dinner I leaned on hard once summer was over and schedules got busier. The chicken, salsa, black beans, tomatoes and green chiles could sit in the Crockpot for most of the afternoon, which meant I wasn’t starting dinner from scratch at five o’clock.

That was really the appeal for me. I could get everything going early, come back toward the end to shred the chicken and add the instant rice, then put out whatever toppings I had and call it done. The chicken and rice already have lots of flavor by then, so the toppings can be as minimal or excessive as your mood calls for.

I usually put out avocado, cheese, sour cream, cilantro and lime and let everyone deal with their own bowl. There’s no separate pan of rice to make and no chicken to cook at the last minute, which is probably why I kept making this one.

It’s still the Crockpot dinner I want when I know the end of the day is going to be busier than the beginning. Most of the work is already behind me by the time I need dinner.

The Decisions Behind This Recipe

• I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and leave them whole at the beginning. They can cook for several hours without me having to mess with them, then I pull them out, shred them and put them right back into the slow cooker before the rice goes in.
• The salsa, diced tomatoes, green chiles and chicken broth are all doing double duty. They cook with the chicken first, but I still need the liquid later for the instant rice, which is why the tomatoes and green chiles stay undrained.
• I use instant white rice because it can go straight into the Crockpot near the end and cook in the liquid that’s already picked up flavor from the chicken, black beans, salsa, tomatoes, chiles and seasonings. Regular long-grain rice needs different timing and a different amount of liquid, so I don’t substitute it.
• The black beans go in right from the beginning. They stay together through the longer cooking time, and I like that they become part of the chicken-and-rice mixture instead of feeling like something added at the end.
• The seasoning stays simple with chipotle chile powder, paprika, oregano, salt and black pepper. I like chipotle chile powder because it adds smokiness, but regular chile powder is fine if that’s what I have.
• I shred the chicken before adding the rice so everything finishes together. By the time the rice is tender, the chicken is worked all through it instead of sitting separately on top, which is also why this tastes just as good in homemade corn tortillas as it does spooned into bowls.

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken breasts – I leave the breasts whole while they cook, then shred them before the instant rice goes into the slow cooker.
• Yellow onion – Dice it fairly small so it softens and blends into the chicken mixture during the four-hour cook.
• Salsa – Use a jarred salsa you already like. Its tomatoes, chiles and seasoning become part of the cooking liquid, so the flavor is important.
• Black beans – Drained and rinsed. The black beans add a lot more flavor than pinto beans would.
• Diced tomatoes – These go in undrained too. I need both the tomatoes and their liquid in the Crockpot.
• Diced green chiles – Use the entire can, including the liquid. They add mild chile flavor without making the burrito bowls hot.
• Low-sodium chicken broth – This gives the chicken enough liquid to cook in and leaves what the instant rice needs later. I like low-sodium because the salsa, canned ingredients and cheese already have lots of salt.
• Chipotle chile powder – This is my preference because it adds smokiness along with the chile flavor. Regular chile powder is fine too.
• Paprika – Adds mild pepper flavor and color without much heat.
• Ground oregano – Goes well with the tomatoes, salsa and green chiles and cooks with the chicken from the beginning.
• Salt and black pepper – Season the mixture before cooking so the chicken and rice aren’t relying on toppings to do everything later.
• Instant white rice – This one is important. The recipe is written for instant rice, such as Minute Rice, because it goes directly into the Crockpot near the end and cooks in the hot liquid already there. Regular long-grain rice is not a direct substitute. Neither is cauliflower rice.
• Colby-Jack cheese – Scatter it over the chicken and rice once the rice is tender, then cover the slow cooker for a few minutes so it melts.
• Toppings – Sour cream, sliced olives, avocado, hot sauce, cilantro, green onions and lime are all good options. Put out whatever you like and let everyone build their own bowl.

How to Make Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls

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

• Step One (load the slow cooker)
  Lay the chicken breasts across the bottom of a 6 to 7-quart slow cooker in a single layer. Add the onion, salsa, black beans, undrained tomatoes, undrained green chiles, chicken broth, chipotle chile powder, paprika, oregano, salt and black pepper. Put the lid on and cook on LOW for 4 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F and pulls apart easily with a fork.
• Step Two (shred the chicken)
  Take the chicken out and shred it with two forks or meat shredders. Put the lid right back on the slow cooker while you do this. I want to keep as much heat in there as possible because the instant rice is going straight into the liquid next.
• Step Three (add the instant rice)
  Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir in the uncooked instant white rice. Give it a really good stir so the rice is worked through the chicken and in contact with the hot liquid instead of hanging out dry across the top.
• Step Four (finish the rice)
  Put the lid back on and cook on LOW for about 45 minutes. I always taste the rice before I call it done because slow cookers vary more than people think. You want the rice tender and most of the liquid absorbed. If it’s still a little firm, cover it again and give it another 5 to 10 minutes.
• Step Five (add the cheese)
  Once the rice is tender, scatter the Colby-Jack over the top. Cover again for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese melts.
• Step Six (make the bowls)
  Spoon everything into bowls while it’s hot, then add whatever toppings sound good. I usually put out sour cream, avocado, olives, cilantro, green onions, hot sauce and lime and let everyone deal with their own.

Recipe Tips

• If your chicken breasts are on the smaller or thinner side, check them before the four-hour mark instead of assuming they need every minute. Once they reach 165°F and shred easily, they’re ready to come out.
• Add the instant rice immediately after shredding the chicken instead of letting the cooking liquid sit and cool. The rice only gets about 45 minutes in the Crockpot, so I want the liquid hot when it goes in.
• Wait until the rice is tender before adding the cheese. If the rice needs another 5 or 10 minutes, let it have that time first, then add the Colby-Jack and cover again only long enough to melt it.
• Don’t panic about how much liquid is in the slow cooker before the rice goes in. A lot of that is there on purpose because the instant rice absorbs it during the final part of the recipe.
• Use the salsa to control most of the heat. I usually keep the base where I want it and put hot sauce, fresh jalapeños and my homemade pico de gallo out with the toppings so everyone can make their own bowl hotter if they want.
• If you bought instant rice for this recipe, my taco rice casserole uses another 2 cups. That takes care of a good amount of whatever is left in the box.

Storage and Reheating

• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep avocado, sour cream, cilantro and any other cold toppings separate and add them after reheating.
• For a single serving, the microwave is easiest. Cover loosely and heat until hot, stirring once or twice so the chicken and rice warm evenly. If the rice has dried out a little in the refrigerator, stir in a small splash of chicken broth before reheating.
• For a larger amount, reheat it on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a little chicken broth as needed. Stir occasionally until everything is hot.
• You can also freeze the cooked chicken, bean and rice mixture without the toppings for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. I wouldn’t use the slow cooker for reheating leftovers because refrigerated food warms too slowly in it.

FAQs

• Can I use regular rice instead of instant rice?
  Not without changing the recipe. It was developed with instant white rice because it can go directly into the hot cooking liquid near the end and become tender in about 45 minutes. Regular long-grain rice needs different timing and a different amount of liquid.
• Can I use instant brown rice?
  Maybe, but check the package first. If the cooking time is similar to the instant white rice you’re replacing, it should cook similarly. If the times are different, expect the slow cooker timing to change too.
• Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?
  Yes, boneless, skinless chicken thighs should be okay, although I like chicken breasts. I would skip skin-on thighs because the slow, wet heat leaves the skin rubbery instead of crisp, and the rendered fat ends up in the cooking liquid that the rice eventually absorbs. You don’t need that extra fat to keep the chicken moist in this recipe.
• Can I leave the rice out?
  Not without completely changing the consistency. The instant rice absorbs a substantial amount of the liquid at the end, so if you leave it out and serve the chicken over separately cooked rice, the mixture in the slow cooker will be extremely runny, and not in a good way.
• What size slow cooker do I need?
  A 6 to 7-quart slow cooker is the right size for the full recipe. I wouldn’t use a 4-quart Crockpot because you still need room to stir in the shredded chicken and two cups of instant rice near the end.
• Can I double the recipe?
  No. I wouldn’t double this recipe in a 6 to 7-quart slow cooker. There won’t be enough room once the shredded chicken goes back in and four cups of instant rice still need to be added and stirred through the liquid. If I needed twice as much, I’d use two slow cookers.
• Can I use this as Crockpot chicken burrito filling?
  Yes. The finished chicken, black beans and rice are great in tortillas instead of spooned into bowls. I’d keep the recipe itself unchanged because the instant rice is what absorbs the cooking liquid and gives you a filling thick enough to use in burritos.
• Can I make this in an Instant Pot?
  I haven’t tested it in an Instant Pot, so I wouldn’t give you a pressure-cooker conversion I haven’t made. The liquid and timing would need to be worked out separately rather than carrying the slow cooker instructions straight over.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• There are things I can make easier for myself if I stop acting like later will be better.
• I don’t think every problem needs more attention. Some need less.
• There’s a big difference between giving something time and using time as an excuse.
• I like knowing I took care of something before it had a chance to become a problem.
• A lot of things are easier when I stop requiring the tired version of me to save the day.
• I’ve never confused being involved with being useful.
• I’m more interested in what gets finished than what looked ambitious at the beginning.
• I don’t mind returning to something later if I’ve already done the part that was important.
• There are things I can trust to keep moving even when I’m not standing there watching.
• “I’ll deal with it later” has a way of becoming a much bigger sentence.

More Reasons to Get the Slow Cooker Out

• Slow Cooker Shredded Taco Chicken – Taco-seasoned chicken, easy shredding.
• Slow Cooker Korean BBQ Chicken – Gochujang, honey, tender chicken.
• Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Chile Verde – Green chiles, garlic, tender pork.
• Chile Colorado Style Beef – Chile sauce, slow-cooked beef, tortillas.
• Slow Cooker Kalua Pork – Three ingredients, tender shredded pork.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls

Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls cook chicken, black beans, salsa, tomatoes and green chiles together before shredded chicken and instant rice finish in the seasoned cooking liquid. Melt Colby-Jack over the top and serve the bowls with avocado, sour cream, cilantro, lime or your favorite burrito toppings.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Mexican

Keyword chicken burrito bowl with rice, crockpot chicken burrito bowl, crockpot chicken burrito filling, slow cooker burrito bowl, Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 4 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 hours hours

Servings 8 people

Calories 502kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• slow cooker 6-7 quart (5.7 to 6.6 L). Has enough room for the chicken and cooking liquid with space for the instant rice added near the end.
• meat shredders or two forks. For shredding the cooked chicken before returning it to the slow cooker.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs (907 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 1 (16 oz / 454 g) jar salsa
• 1 (15 oz 425 g) can black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 (10 oz / 283 g) can diced tomatoes undrained
• 1 (4 oz / 113 g) can diced green chiles undrained
• 2 cups (473 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tsp (2 g) chipotle chile powder or regular chile powder
• 1 tsp (2 g) paprika
• 1 tsp (1 g) ground oregano
• 1 tsp (6 g) table salt
• 1 tsp (2 g) finely ground black pepper
• 2 cups (370 g) instant white rice (such as Minute Rice)
• 8 oz (227 g) shredded Colby-Jack cheese
• sour cream (optional garnish)
• sliced olives (optional garnish)
• avocado (optional garnish)
• hot sauce (optional garnish)
• green onion (optional garnish)
• lime wedges (optional garnish)

Instructions

• Place the chicken breasts in an even layer across the bottom of a 6 to 7-quart (5.7 to 6.6 L) slow cooker. Keeping the chicken in a single layer helps it cook at a similar rate.
  2 lbs (907 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Add the diced onion, salsa, black beans, undrained diced tomatoes, undrained green chiles, chicken broth, chipotle chile powder, paprika, oregano, salt and black pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) and is tender enough to shred easily.
  1 medium yellow onion, 1 (16 oz / 454 g) jar salsa , 1 (15 oz 425 g) can black beans, 1 (10 oz / 283 g) can diced tomatoes, 1 (4 oz / 113 g) can diced green chiles, 2 cups (473 ml) low-sodium chicken broth, 1 tsp (2 g) chipotle chile powder , 1 tsp (2 g) paprika, 1 tsp (1 g) ground oregano, 1 tsp (6 g) table salt, 1 tsp (2 g) finely ground black pepper
• Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and shred it with two forks or meat shredders. Keep the slow cooker covered while you shred the chicken so the cooking liquid stays hot. The retained heat is important because the instant rice is added next and cooks directly in this liquid.
• Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and add the uncooked instant white rice. Stir well, making sure the rice is distributed throughout the chicken mixture and in contact with the hot cooking liquid rather than sitting dry on top.
  2 cups (370 g) instant white rice
• Cover and continue cooking on LOW for about 45 minutes. Check the rice for tenderness before moving on. It should be tender and most of the cooking liquid should be absorbed, although the exact timing can vary between slow cookers.
• Sprinkle the shredded Colby-Jack cheese evenly over the chicken burrito bowl mixture. Cover and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted.
  8 oz (227 g) shredded Colby-Jack cheese
• Spoon the slow cooker chicken, black bean and rice mixture into individual bowls and serve hot with your preferred burrito bowl toppings.
  sour cream, sliced olives, avocado, hot sauce, green onion, lime wedges

Video

Notes

• Use instant white rice, not conventional long-grain white rice. The liquid amount and final cooking time were developed for instant rice, which cooks directly in the seasoned liquid already in the slow cooker.
• The black beans go into the slow cooker drained and rinsed. Don't drain the diced tomatoes or green chiles. Those liquids are included in the amount available to cook the instant rice.
• Keep the slow cooker covered while the chicken is being shredded. Retaining the accumulated heat helps the instant rice begin cooking promptly when it is added.
• Check the rice for tenderness at the end of the 45-minute cooking time rather than relying only on the clock. Slow cookers vary in temperature, so it may need a little additional time.
• Optional garnishes are not included in the nutrition calculation.

If you’re making these Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito 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: 490g | Calories: 502kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 1080mg | Potassium: 930mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1050IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 250mg | Iron: 4mg

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

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The post Slow Cooker Chicken Burrito Bowls appeared first on Noble Pig.

Gochujang Pasta, Without Losing the Gochujang

I’ve been eating gochujang since I was a kid, and at this point I’m always interested in finding another place to use it. I told the whole story in my gochujang steak bites, including my grandmother’s Korean neighbors and the jars of what I thought of as “red fire” when I was little.

So putting gochujang into pasta doesn’t feel strange to me. The bigger question was always what would happen once I added cream.

Cream softens strong flavors, but I didn’t want to end up with a sauce that was only spicy and creamy. I still wanted to taste the fermented chile character of the gochujang, along with the garlic, ginger, soy sauce and sesame oil around it.

That’s why I give the mushrooms time to brown before adding the aromatics, then let the gochujang mixture cook directly in the pan before the cream goes in. The sauce gets lots of richness from the cream, but there’s no cheese competing with the gochujang, and I save the butter for the final toss with the pasta.

I also keep the kimchi out of the sauce completely. I like it cold or at room temperature on top, where the acidity and crunch do more for the pasta than they would if I cooked them into the sauce.

I wanted the sauce to taste like gochujang with cream in it, not cream with gochujang in it.

The Decisions Behind This Recipe

• I use ten ounces of mushrooms for one pound of pasta, which is enough to make them important in this recipe. I dice them instead of slicing them because I want pieces of mushroom mixed through the casarecce rather than big slices that end up on one side of the bowl, which is what happened when I tested it that way. They go into the pan first, by themselves, and I give them about six minutes to release their water, let the moisture cook off and then brown before I add the shallot, garlic and ginger. If everything goes in together, the mushrooms spend too much of that time steaming and the garlic has to sit there waiting for them to finish.
• Once the shallot has softened and the garlic and ginger are fragrant, I add the gochujang, soy sauce, brown sugar and gochugaru directly to the pan and cook that mixture for another minute or two before adding any cream. I want the gochujang to spend some time in the hot pan first rather than being whisked straight into heavy cream. You’ll notice the mixture get a little darker and the smell of the gochujang become much more pronounced during that minute or two. Just keep it moving so the garlic and chile paste don’t scorch.
• I also use gochujang and gochugaru for different reasons. Gochujang adds fermented chile, sweetness and salt along with the heat, so adding another spoonful changes several things at once. Gochugaru lets me add more chile heat without adding more paste. I use two tablespoons of gochujang as my starting point, especially if I’m also adding the teaspoon of gochugaru to the sauce. Three tablespoons is there for someone who already knows they want more gochujang flavor, not because they want the pasta hotter.
• There’s no Parmesan or other cheese in this sauce. The heavy cream gives it the richness it needs, and the butter goes in at the very end with the pasta and a little reserved pasta water. I save the butter for the final toss instead of using it to cook the mushrooms, so it melts into the cream sauce along with the starchy pasta water.
• And I don’t stir the kimchi into the skillet. I add it to individual bowls at the table. It keeps the crunch and acidity that I want with a creamy pasta, and everyone can decide how much they want, if they want it at all. The pasta is complete without it, but if you like kimchi, I would put some on top.

Ingredients

• Casarecce pasta – The curled shape grabs the cream sauce and gives the diced mushrooms places to collect, which is why I prefer it to a long pasta for this recipe. Rigatoni, penne or another short pasta with ridges, curves or openings that can catch the sauce are also fine.
• White button mushrooms – I use inexpensive white buttons because once their moisture cooks off, they brown well and have enough mushroom flavor next to the gochujang. Dice them small so they distribute through the casarecce instead of eating as a separate component.
• Olive oil – Three tablespoons gives the mushrooms enough fat to brown without using the butter this early. Some of the oil will disappear into the mushrooms as they cook, so the amount may look like a lot when it first goes into the skillet.
• Unsalted butter – I save this for the final toss, where it melts into the reduced cream sauce and starchy pasta water. Unsalted is helpful because the gochujang and soy sauce already add a lot of salt.
• Shallot, garlic and ginger – These go into the skillet only after the mushrooms have browned, which keeps the garlic and ginger from spending the mushroom cooking time over the heat. I finely chop the shallot, mince the garlic and use either fresh ginger crushed into a paste or prepared ginger paste so all three distribute easily through the sauce.
• Gochujang – Korean fermented red chile paste adds more than heat, including sweetness, salt and fermented flavor. Brands vary, so I use 2 tablespoons as my starting point and increase it to 3 when I want the gochujang to be stronger.
• Gochugaru – These Korean red pepper flakes let me increase the chile heat without adding another spoonful of fermented gochujang. I use up to 1 teaspoon in the sauce, then keep the additional teaspoon optional for anyone who wants more sprinkled over their serving. Regular red pepper flakes can stand in if that’s what you have, although the flavor won’t be quite the same.
• Soy sauce – Two teaspoons adds salt and savory flavor without making this taste like a soy-based sauce. Use tamari for gluten-free pasta, and make sure your gochujang is labeled gluten-free too.
• Light brown sugar – I use only a teaspoon because gochujang is already sweet. It’s not enough to make the cream sauce taste sweet.
• Heavy cream – The fat in heavy cream can handle a low simmer while the sauce reduces, and it softens the heat of the chile without requiring cheese to thicken the sauce. Half-and-half can be used, but expect a thinner sauce that needs more time to reduce.
• Toasted sesame oil – Use the dark, aromatic toasted sesame oil sold as a seasoning rather than the lighter sesame oil intended primarily for cooking. A small amount is enough because its roasted sesame flavor is concentrated.
• Reserved pasta water – The starchy water helps loosen the reduced cream sauce during the final toss without thinning it with plain water. I add ¼ cup (60 ml) first, then use more only if the pasta needs it.
• Green onions – Add these after cooking so their fresh onion flavor stays distinct from the cooked shallot already in the sauce.
• Sesame seeds – Sprinkle these over the pasta at serving for additional sesame flavor and a little texture.
• Kimchi – Completely optional, but I highly recommend it if you already like kimchi. Keep it cold or at room temperature and add it to individual servings rather than the skillet, so its acidity and crunch contrast with the warm cream sauce.

How to Make Gochujang Pasta

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

• Step One (cook the pasta)
  Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water until al dente, using the package timing for whatever shape you chose. Before you drain it, scoop out 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water and set it somewhere you won’t forget about it. You probably won’t use the whole cup, but once the pasta is drained, there’s no getting it back.
• Step Two (brown the mushrooms)
  While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the diced mushrooms. Let them cook for about 6 minutes, stirring now and then, until they’ve released their water, the moisture has cooked off and the mushrooms have started to brown. Then add the shallot, garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring often. By then the shallot should be soft and the garlic should smell very good, which is also your cue not to walk away from the pan.
• Step Three (cook the gochujang)
  Add the gochujang, gochugaru if you’re using it, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and brown sugar. Stir everything together and let it cook for 1 to 2 minutes before you add the cream. Keep stirring so the garlic doesn’t burn and the gochujang doesn’t stick to one hot spot in the skillet. You’ll notice the smell gets noticeably stronger during this minute or two.
• Step Four (add the cream)
  Pour in the heavy cream and stir until the gochujang is completely mixed through it. Keep the sauce at a low simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it has reduced and thickens slightly. I don’t salt it at this point because the gochujang and soy sauce have already brought plenty to the situation. We’ll taste it after the pasta goes in.
• Step Five (finish the pasta)
  Add the drained pasta and butter to the skillet, then pour in ¼ cup (60 ml) of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together over low heat until the butter has melted and the sauce is coating the pasta. Add more pasta water a little at a time only if you need it. The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits, so take that into account before you decide it needs more time over the heat. Taste it now and add salt only if it needs some.
• Step Six (finish the bowls)
  Divide the pasta among bowls and add the green onions and sesame seeds. Sprinkle on more gochugaru if you want it hotter. And if you like kimchi, put some right on top or alongside. I don’t cook it into the sauce because I want the cold crunch and acidity when I’m eating all that cream.

Recipe Tips

• Once the garlic goes in, stay near the stove. It only has about two minutes before the gochujang mixture follows, and minced garlic can scorch quickly. If your skillet is running hot, turn the heat down rather than trying to rush through the next addition.
• I never salt the sauce early. Gochujang, soy sauce and the salted pasta water are all contributing salt, so wait until the pasta has been tossed through the sauce before you taste and decide.
• Reserve a full cup of pasta water before draining, even though you may use only a small amount. I like having it sitting there unused than realize thirty seconds later that I sent it all down the drain. It’s happened.
• Add the pasta water gradually during the final toss. You’re not trying to thin the sauce into soup, only loosen it enough to coat the pasta. Remember that the sauce will continue to thicken as it sits, so give it a minute before deciding it needs more time over the heat.

Storage and Reheating

• Store leftover gochujang pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. If you’ve already opened kimchi to serve with it, keep that in its own container rather than adding it to the leftover pasta.
• The sauce will be much thicker after refrigeration because the cream and starch from the pasta firm up once chilled. That’s normal and doesn’t mean you need a lot of liquid when reheating it.
• For reheating on the stovetop, use low heat and add a small splash of cream, milk or water to loosen the sauce as it warms. Stir often and add a little more liquid only if it needs it.
• You can also microwave individual portions in 30-second intervals, stirring between each one and adding a teaspoon or two of liquid if the sauce looks too thick.
• Try not to overheat it. Cream sauces can turn oily when they get too hot, and the pasta gets softer every time it’s reheated.
• I don’t recommend freezing this one. The cream sauce and pasta texture are both better before they’ve been frozen and thawed.

FAQs

• What is gochujang?
  Gochujang is a Korean fermented red chile paste traditionally made with red chile powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder and salt. It’s simultaneously spicy, sweet, salty and fermented, which is why I don’t treat it as though it’s only a hot sauce.
• How spicy is this gochujang pasta?
  With 2 tablespoons of gochujang and 1 teaspoon of gochugaru in the sauce, I would call it about medium. That’s based on my own testing, though, and gochujang brands vary enough that your result may be milder or hotter than mine.
• Can I make gochujang pasta less spicy?
  Yes. Use 2 tablespoons of gochujang and leave the gochugaru out of both the sauce and topping. I wouldn’t reduce the gochujang much further because at that point you’re also removing one of the main flavors from the sauce.
• Can I use half-and-half instead of heavy cream?
  Yes, but it won’t act like heavy cream. Half-and-half has less fat and more water, so the sauce will be thinner and may need additional simmering time before you add the pasta.
• Can I make this gluten-free?
  Yes. Use your favorite gluten-free short pasta, a gluten-free labeled gochujang and tamari instead of soy sauce. If you’re adding kimchi, check that label too because ingredients vary by brand.
• Do I have to add kimchi?
  No. The pasta is complete without it. I just really like what the cold, acidic, crunchy kimchi does with the cream sauce, so if you already like kimchi, I recommend serving some with it.

From My Kitchen Notes

Small observations from the margins.

• Some ingredients stand out by changing everything around them.
• There’s a difference between making something richer and making it less interesting.
• Getting more time doesn’t always mean getting more attention.
• Not every strong ingredient needs to be softened.
• There are times when adding more is the fastest way to lose the plot.
• The best thing on the plate is not always the thing you cooked.
• Sometimes the smartest move is knowing what to leave cold.
• Heat can be beneficial. So is knowing when not to use it.
• If everything gets stirred together, eventually it all starts tasting like the same decision.
• Holding back can save you from having to fix something later.

Where Else I Put the Gochujang

• Ground Turkey Stir Fry – Gochujang, honey, ground turkey.
• Gochujang Chicken Sandwich with Crispy Potato Chip Crust – Crispy chicken, gochujang glaze, chips.
• Slow Cooker Korean BBQ Chicken – Gochujang, chicken, slow-cooked BBQ sauce.

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Gochujang Pasta

This Gochujang Pasta coats short pasta and browned mushrooms in a creamy sauce made with gochujang, garlic, ginger, soy sauce and toasted sesame oil, then finishes everything with butter and reserved pasta water.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Korean-Inspired

Keyword creamy gochujang pasta, gochujang cream sauce, gochujang mushroom pasta, gochujang pasta, Korean-inspired pasta

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4 to 5

Calories 516kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

• large pot For cooking the pasta.
• large skillet Enough surface area for browning the mushrooms and finishing the pasta in the sauce.
• Colander For draining the pasta after reserving the cooking water.
• measuring cups and spoons For measuring the sauce ingredients and reserved pasta water.
• wooden spoon or silicone spatula. For stirring the mushrooms, gochujang mixture and cream sauce.
• tongs or large serving spoon. For tossing the pasta thoroughly with the sauce.

Ingredients

• 16 oz (454 g) dry casarecce pasta or rigatoni
• 1 cup (240 ml) reserved pasta cooking water
• 3 tbsps (45 ml) olive oil
• 10 oz (283 g) white button mushrooms stems removed and mushroom caps diced
• ¼ cup (40 g) finely chopped shallot about 1 large shallot
• 2 tbsps (18 g) minced garlic about 4 large cloves
• 1 tsp (5 g) fresh ginger, crushed into a paste or prepared ginger paste
• 2-3 tbsps (32 - 48 g) Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• 1 tsp (2 g) Gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes) or red pepper flakes, optional for additional heat
• 2 tsps (10 ml) low sodium soy sauce
• 1½ tsps (7.5 ml) toasted sesame oil
• 1 tsp (4 g) light brown sugar
• 1¼ cups (300 ml) heavy cream
• 1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter
• salt to taste

Toppings:

• 2 to 3 green onions sliced
• 1 tsp (3 g) sesame seeds
• 1 tsp (2 g) Gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes) optional
• kimchi optional for serving

Instructions

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-salted water according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve ¼ cup (600 ml) pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
  16 oz (454 g) dry casarecce pasta
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they have released their moisture and browned. Add the shallot, garlic and ginger and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallot has softened and the garlic is fragrant.
  3 tbsps (45 ml) olive oil, 10 oz (283 g) white button mushrooms, ¼ cup (40 g) finely chopped shallot, 2 tbsps (18 g) minced garlic, 1 tsp (5 g) fresh ginger, crushed into a paste
• Stir in the gochujang, gochugaru, if using, soy sauce, toasted sesame oil and brown sugar. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently so the mixture cooks against the surface of the pan without scorching.
  2-3 tbsps (32 - 48 g) Gochujang (Korean chili paste), 1 tsp (2 g) Gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes), 2 tsps (10 ml) low sodium soy sauce, 1½ tsps (7.5 ml) toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp (4 g) light brown sugar
• Pour in the heavy cream and stir until the gochujang mixture is fully incorporated. Bring to a low simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
  1¼ cups (300 ml) heavy cream
• Add the drained pasta, butter and only ¼ cup (60 ml) of the reserved pasta water to the skillet, to start. Toss over low heat until the butter has melted and the pasta is evenly coated, adding additional pasta water only as needed to loosen the sauce. Taste and season with salt only if preferred.
  1 tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, salt, 1 cup (240 ml) reserved pasta cooking water
• Divide among serving bowls and top with green onions and sesame seeds. Sprinkle with the additional gochugaru, if desired, and serve with kimchi on top or alongside.
  2 to 3 green onions, 1 tsp (3 g) sesame seeds, 1 tsp (2 g) Gochugaru (Korean pepper flakes), kimchi

Notes

• Casarecce works especially well because its shape catches the sauce and small pieces of mushroom. Rigatoni, penne or shells can also be used.
• For a gluten-free preparation, use gluten-free pasta, gluten-free gochujang and tamari in place of soy sauce. Check the kimchi label as well if serving it.
• Using 2 tablespoons of gochujang with the optional gochugaru in the sauce produced a medium level of heat during recipe testing. Gochujang brands vary in heat, sweetness and saltiness.
• For less heat, begin with 2 tablespoons of gochujang and omit the gochugaru from the sauce and topping.
• Half-and-half can be substituted for the heavy cream, although the sauce will be less rich and may require additional simmering to reduce.
• Reserve the full cup of pasta water, but add it gradually during the final toss. The amount needed will depend on how much the cream sauce has reduced. You might not use all of it.
• Wait until the pasta and sauce have been tossed together before adding salt since the gochujang, soy sauce and salted pasta water already contribute salt.
• Kimchi is optional, but its acidity and crunch are particularly good with the cream sauce. Add it at serving rather than cooking it into the sauce.

 

 

 

If you’re making this Gochujang 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.

 

 

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Nutrition

Serving: 250g | Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 286mg | Potassium: 381mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 832IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 3mg

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

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