food like us: fast and cheap

raleigh's doctored work-it-mom peanut butter chicken

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup water
2T soy sauce, or Tamari (which is basically gluten free soy sauce)
1T brown sugar (if your peanut butter is sweetened skip this)
2T veg oil
3 cloves garlic, minced OR 6 cloves roasted garlic (cut off top of garlic, drizzle oil on top, wrap in tin foil, stick in muffin pan so it sits up straight, and Bake 450 for 20-30 mins)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (use more if you would like this anything but mild... i use five whole red french peppers, dried and hand-crumbled)
4cups broccoli
3 tomatoes - vine ripened and chopped (or 1 small can diced or crushed tomatoes - - just nothing pasty)
4 chicken breasts

Mix all the ingredients through the crushed red pepper into a mixing bowl. do this with a spatula at first and finish with a fork to get it smooth. if you're using roasted garlic, it'll mix in smoother -- and does your part keeping the vamps at bay.

Cover this and set aside. The longer you set it aside, the more the flavors will meld together and the spiciness will come through. If you think to make this in the morning, even better. I thought to make it last weekend. very smart of me.

Cut the crowns off of your broccoli. if you're me, you've just doubled the broccoli quotient anyway, because you're looking at it and thinking mmm tasty. and you know what, it's healthy. throw it in. and don't be an idiot and think you can use olive oil here. you can't. this is my time to remind you. you need natural veggie oil. or canola, if you can't find veggie. and sunflower if you can't find that. if you want this to be super delicious and have been starved in myanmar for hte last two weeks, you could use peanut oil. but when your heart clogs and you have to go into a triple peanut butter bypass, don't say i didn't warn you.

I fillet the chicken breast, as usual, and then slice it into strips. This makes cooking the chicken so much easier. salt and pepper it a bit before you put it in the pan. i load it up with pepper, obviously. Pour a little bit of oil into the pan, just enough so that it doesn't stick, perhaps a tablespoon or two.

After the chicken is slightly browned on the outside remove it from the heat.

Dump the broccoli on top. Add about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of water to the skillet and put the lid on it. (this is totally important.) If you've thought about it, this is a good time to use less water and some beer. or some cheap champagne. gives it a little punch. don't use wine though. Then let the chicken and broccoli steam. This ensures that the chicken is cooked all the way through, yet remains moist, while the broccoli cooks.

Remove from heat. Ooooooh, steamy. You can lean over and give yourself an impromptu facial if you desire, though this tends to illicit weird responses from dates. They can stuff it though. My skin is better.

Almost all of the water should be gone now. If there is a small but left don't worry about it. If there is still a significant amount just pour it off.

Dump the peanut butter mixture into the skillet.

Gently stir to coat. If you are too rough all the broccoli will break and that will be a tragedy. Tragedy, I tell you.
Serve with rice. Or coconut rice if you're feeling crazy. (follow instructions on jasmine rice packet, but use 4 - 2 cans - coconut milk, 3 cups rice, 2 cups water. let liquids get all boily, add rice, stir, reduce, steam for fifteen.)

Better as leftovers.
Delicious.

Alternate: follow all the instructions for peanut sauce, then roll drumsticks in it. Take a pack of corn flakes and salt and pepper them (add some delicious cayenne pepper), toss in some breadcrumbs if you have them (progresso's best), and and then roll the drums in that. Bake 325 until done.


This recipe is a total rip of Chris Jordan, who we all know I'm madly in love with in the kitchen. Mine's spicier and a has a few more ingredients (and is a little more meaty) but hers is the place to start. The drumsticks, though, are basically my grandmother's. Only she didn't use soy sauce. And there's crisco involved. Skip it. She says honey might be a good addition in the flakes... gets it that nice golden crispyness. Nana knows best.