Monday, June 24, 2013

On the Menu: Chicken Nopales



Do you guys have distinct childhood food memories? Scratch that. Of course you do. My mom was a perfect cook - she made inventive food, fun food, experimental food, kid-friendly food, and a ton of desserts. The year she got her ice cream/frozen yogurt maker was a good one. I have a lot of fond memories of my Dad's cooking as well - fried rice and perfect sourdough pancakes, beef stew and one-pot dishes like stir fries that were not always as well received as Mom's cooking (but in hindsight, I bet they were delicious). One dish I recently remembered was my parents' pork nopales - a simple dish over rice that relied on the simple flavor of cactus. I started craving the taste, picturing eating it at the family dinner table and so I had to make some in our home! It's fun to think that someday (if I can get any better at cooking in the next 10 years or so, finger's crossed), someone might remember my food as that taste of home! I just made some tonight and thought I'd give you the (very) easy recipe!





Chicken Nopales

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic
1 onion, chopped
2 chicken breasts cubed (equally good alternative: pork)
Dash of paprika
Ground black pepper
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 jar of nopales (e.g. Dona Maria) and reserve 1/4 c. juice
2 c. white rice

Heat olive oil and garlic in a saucepan on medium until aromatic. Chop onions and add to the pan, saute until soft about 5-8 minutes. Add cubed chicken to the pan and brown with a dash of paprika and ground black pepper. When browned, add 1/4-1/2 c. chicken broth and 1/4 c. juice from nopales jar. Note that the nopales have a distinct flavor and the juice adds an equally distinct taste. Start with 1/4 c. and add more as needed. Let simmer until chicken is fully cooked (under 20 minutes). Cook two cups of rice and serve the chicken over rice with hot sauce (if desired).

While you're cooking - make sure you enter the $50 Anthropologie giveaway sponsored by Nina and myself here and the $75 Anthropologie giveaway I'm co-sponsoring with some other lovely ladies on Jade and Oak.

28 comments

  1. Looks so yummy http://differentcands.blogspot.kr/

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  2. This looks so good!! I'll have to try it

    xo, Nina

    afterthe40barfinish

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  3. This dish looks incredibly yummy! Thanks for posting it, I'll have to give it a try!

    Ashley
    http://allthatglitters.co.nr

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  4. Oh, thanks for sharing the recipe!! :) YUM

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  5. Do you think that it would be just as good with steak? My boyfriend pretty much ONLY eats red meat and hates chicken. I think he would like the recipe though!

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  6. Looks delicious!!
    Hope
    hchdesigns.blogspot.com

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  7. That looks delicious! Yummy! I'm not good at cooking at all! I really like your blog! I'm glad that I found it! It would be nice if you could stop by my blog sometime too (I'm from England) as I post my outfits, personal style, likes and much more :) :)

    www.raindropsofsapphire.com

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  8. That looks amazing! I love dishes that remind me of my childhood, brings back so many memories.

    Louisa

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  9. Looks like my kind of comfort food.

    Lisa x

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  10. This looks super yummy, and actually manageable for me!

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  11. Look yummy!!!
    Would you like to follow each other?
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    xoxo
    Angel

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  12. I love food memories! One of my earliest memories is making dinner with my dad! This is really great.
    xo
    styleontheside.com

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  13. Thanks for sharing this recipe. It looks amazing. Keep them coming. I love to try new recipes.

    If you get a sec, please check out my latest post. Thank you :)

    Sofia

    stylishlyinlove.blogspot.com

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  14. This looks so yummy ;D
    i want to try it xD

    xoxo

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  15. okayyyy this looks yummmy! I definitely want to try!

    xo,
    http://www.brightontheday.com

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  16. Oh my goodness amazingly delish.

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  17. UM you're making me hungry! I need to try this asap!

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  18. looks really yummy!

    xo

    Stop by for a visit,

    Lydia from Vintage2Vogue
    www.vintagetwovogue.blogspot.com

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  19. wow this looks so so yummi! you're getting my hungry in the middle of the night! Need to try this :) Hope you're having a great day!!

    Andrea xx
    savingsimplicity13.blogspot.com

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  20. I have never heard of nopales before, but this looks delicious... what does cactus taste like?

    Sarah @ Life As Always

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  21. i'm an adventurous eater but i've never heard of nopales. i am intrigued and will definitely give this a try. thanks for the share!

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