Sauted Veggies, Chicken, and Sausage

It's a chilly, gloomy day, and I've got a lot to accomplish before the kids get home from school, but first I need to think about dinner. Aly has ballet and Josh has his first Cub Scout meeting tonight. Plus, Dave is participating in Fight Gone Bad 6 at CrossFit Carbon tomorrow morning so an especially awesome paleo dinner is in order! I went back to one of our favorite recipes, chicken and veggie hash. This time, I added a leek and some Hakurei turnips from my CSA basket. I'm also a little short on chicken so I'm adding in some sausage. It's hard to improve on the original recipe, but this one is pretty darn great. The veggies are roasting right now and my bacon and sausages are thawing. Can't wait to eat!

Serves 4. Don't scale back, the leftovers are great with eggs!

Ingredients
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 small fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and sliced lengthwise into 1/4 inch strips
1 leek, trimmed and sliced diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces
3 Hakurei turnips, trimmed and sliced into 3-4 pieces
2-3 tsp fennel powder
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked chicken (I used rotisserie)
3 nitrate-free, paleo-friendly sausage links
8 slices nitrate-free bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 Tbsp coconut oil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. On each of two rimmed baking sheets, melt 1-2 Tbsp coconut oil. Remove pans from oven, add squash to one pan and fennel, turnips, and leeks to the other. Sprinkle veggies with fennel powder, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat.
3. Roast for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are caramelized and nicely browned. Remove from oven.
4. In the meantime, place bacon and sausage in a large skillet and saute until bacon is crispy and sausage is cooked through.
5. Add veggies and continue cooking until everything is well integrated. Season with salt, pepper, and additional fennel powder, if desired. This dish is great topped with olive tapenade or a prepared olive muffalata.

Jalapeno Chicken

My friend, Kelley, offered me this recipe after hearing about my overabundance of jalapenos.  This is one of her favorites, and I can see why! This meal is really outstanding. A perfect blend of sweet and spicy. Plus, I always love using rotisserie chicken to cut my prep time. The original recipe calls for soba noodles, but zucchini noodles taste so good mixed with the chicken, I can't image it getting any better! Enjoy!

Serves 2.

Ingredients
1 jalapeno, cored and seeds removed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, tough stems removed
1/4-1/3 cup raw honey, liquified
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 large rotisserie chicken, torn into small pieces
1 tsp coconut oil
2 large zucchini squash
3 Tbsp coconut aminos
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp fresh grated ginger

Preparation

1. Prepare zucchini noodles by shaving one side with a peeler (I use one like this OXO Y-peeler) or mandoline (like this OXO slicer). Discard (or compost) the outer layer and continue shaving long, thin strips until you reach the seedy core. Flip the zucchini and repeat the process on the opposite side. When you reach the center, repeat the same process on either side until all you have left is the core. Chop up the core and reserve to saute with your eggs in the morning.
2. Stack the thin ribbons and cut lengthwise into 2 or 3 strips or "noodles." Set aside in a medium bowl.
3. In the bowl of a food processor, combine jalapeno, cilantro, honey, water, salt, and pepper. Process until smooth.
4. Place chicken in a medium bowl. Add jalapeno mixture and stir gently to combine.
5. Warm coconut oil in a large skillet. Add zucchini noodles and saute 5 minutes. Add aminos, sesame oil, and ginger, tossing to combine. Saute for 2 minutes. 
6. Add chicken mixture, tossing gently to combine. Cook for an additional minute or until heated through.
7. To serve, divide mixture evenly among two shallow bowls. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

Late Summer Salad (with Chicken, Squash, Pears, and Pecans)

When on our recent family vacation in South Carolina, I had a very simple but delicious salad. What made it so good was the addition of cinnamon pecans. Although the pecans didn't look like they had anything on them, they had a very subtle but distinct cinnamon flavor. Here is my take on that salad, with a healthy boost of extra ingredients to make it a complete meal. The butternut squash preparation is the most time consuming; you can do it 1-2 days in advance to speed up your dinner prep.

Serves 2-3, with some leftover squash.

Ingredients
1/2 cup pecans, whole
1 Tbsp unsalted, grass-fed butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 2-lb butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, and cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 pear
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp coconut oil (can substitute olive oil)
1/4 cup shallots, sliced thin
3 Tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
5 oz mixed salad greens

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. If using coconut oil, add 1 Tbsp to a rimmed baking sheet and place it in the oven for 1-2 minutes or until melted. Carefully remove from oven.
3. Place cubed squash on the baking sheet and toss well to coat with oil. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Roast on center rack for about 20 minutes or until browned on one side. Turn the squash and continue roasting for 5-10 minutes or until soft and toasty. Remove from oven and set aside.
5. While squash roasts, cut pear in half and remove stem and core. A melon-baller works great to remove the core (or use a small spoon). Cut halves in half lengthwise and then slice the quarters into 1/4-inch slices. 
6. Heat 1 Tbsp coconut oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add shallot and let it cook, without moving for 3-4 minutes or until one side begins to brown, turn and cook an additional 2 minutes until well browned but not burnt. Remove from pan and set aside.
7. Add pears to the same pan and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until one side starts to lightly brown. Turn, add pecans, 1 Tbsp butter (optional) and 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/8 tsp sea salt. Toss to combine. Continue to cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
8. In a medium bowl, add salad greens and drizzle with about 1 tsp olive oil. Toss to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
9. To serve, divide greens evenly between plates. Arrange chicken, squash, pears, pecans, and shallots on top. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar (and additional olive oil, if desired).

Persian-Spiced Chicken Kabobs

I recently purchased Ajika Organics Shish Kabob seasoning and decided to try it on chicken. It was so easy and delicious! If you want to make your own, try blending garlic powder, turmeric, pepper, ground ginger, and coriander, to taste. If you have a chance though, give the Ajika a try. These salt and MSG-free, all-natural, and pure spices are blended in small batches in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Plan ahead for this one; the longer you marinade, the better. This goes well with the lemony mint flavors of the zucchini ribbons with cucumber, mint, and lemon.

Ingredients
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tbsp Ajika Organics Shish Kabob seasoning
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar (I like Bragg.)
Metal skewers or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water 30-60 minutes

Preparation

1. In a glass baking dish, mix seasonings, garlic, and vinegar with a whisk.
2. Add chicken to seasonings and toss well to coat.
3. Cover and refrigerate 4-24 hours. The longer you marinade, the bolder the flavor.
4. Preheat grill to medium.
5. Thread meat onto skewers.
6. Grill chicken 3-5 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
7. Remove from skewers before eating. Serve with zucchini ribbons with cucumbers, mint, and lemon.

Chicken Salad in a Tomato Bowl

This recipe was inspired by my nephew, who enjoyed a similar meal at a golf club recently. It came together quickly and was a great no-cook meal for a hot summer night. I used ingredients I had on hand, so feel free to mix it up a little bit and use up those nuts and veggies in your fridge. Tomatoes are in season and taste great! I used a food processor to do most of my chopping, but you can use a knife, if you prefer. This recipe made enough chicken salad for lunch the next day.

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients
3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
1/2 Granny Smith apple, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
3 scallions, white or red (I used red from my CSA), roughly chopped  (Reserve a few for garnish.)
1/2 cup raw macadamias (or almonds)
meat of 1 rotisserie chicken, about 4 cups, torn into pieces
1/2  cup paleo mayonnaise
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
sea salt (optional)
freshly ground pepper
3-4 firm tomatoes
6-8 large lettuce leaves
1 avocado, sliced


Preparation

Roughly chop ingredients before
transferring to food processor.

1. Pulse first 5 ingredients in food processor until just chopped and well combined.
2. Add chicken and pulse a couple more times to combine.
3. Transfer mixture into a large bowl. Add paleo mayonnaise and vinegar and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Remove the stem section from each tomato. Using a tomato knife or another sharp knife. Cut tomato into 8-10 sections, letting them fall flat to form a wheel-like pattern. Repeat for all tomatoes.
5. To serve, set 2 lettuce leaves on each plate. Set tomato on top. Scoop 1/2 to 1 cup chicken salad into center of each tomato, depending on the size of the tomato. Garnish with chopped scallions. Serve with avocado slices. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Baked Chicken with Roasted Tomatoes

Back in the days before my paleo "enlightenment," I used to make an awesome chicken and brie sandwich with roasted tomatoes. It was great fare for those summer outdoor concerts. I decided to modify the original recipe to fit our paleo needs. This time I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs because I think they have great flavor and they cook quickly in the oven. Feel free to modify the recipe to use up whatever you have on hand. Or cut out a step and use rotisserie chicken. Try it on a summer night while tomatoes are in season. Leftovers are great eaten cold the next day.

Adapted from myrecipes.com.


Serves 2.


Ingredients
3 tsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, about 1 pint, halved
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp good quality balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1/4 + 1/8 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup paleo mayonnaise
1 Tbsp whole grain Dijon mustard (I like Maille.)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or use what you've got, bone-in or boneless thighs, breasts, pieces, or even leftover rotisserie chicken will work)
2 cups fresh spinach

Preparation

Evenly spread a thin layer of mayonnaise
mixture on each chicken thigh.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place in a glass baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. (Increase baking time, if needed, based on the type of chicken you use.)
3. While chicken is baking, in a large oven-proof skillet, heat 1 tsp olive oil over medium high heat.
4. Add tomatoes and cook for 4 minutes, stirring once.
5. Remove from heat; stir in 2 Tbsp vinegar. Sprinkle with thyme, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper.
6. Place in oven and bake in for 10 minutes. Chicken and tomato mixture should be done around the same time.
7. Whisk together paleo mayonnaise, mustard, and garlic in a small bowl.
8. To serve, divide spinach evenly between two plates or shallow bowls. Drizzle with oil and vinegar and toss gently to coat. Top with chicken thighs. Evenly spread a thin layer of mayonnaise mixture on each thigh. 
9. Spoon roasted tomatoes on top and serve immediately.

Chicken Pesto Veggie Toss

This meal gave me the chance to test out zucchini "pasta," a very versatile ingredient for any recipe that calls for regular pasta. Zucchini is one of those vegetables with a pretty mild flavor that can work with a variety of ingredients or sauces. I used pesto for this dish, along with chicken and a variety of vegetables. You could also toss it with a little olive oil and seasonings and serve it with your favorite meat. Or try it with red sauce and reminisce about the days when you used to eat pasta. Any way you make it, enjoy! (Just be sure to keep an eye on the zucchini, it can go from al dente to overdone in a matter of seconds.)


Ingredients
1 lb chicken tenders
1 can quartered artichokes, drained
1/2 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes ( I used Bella Sun Luci bagged tomatoes.)
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp pine nuts or raw almonds, toasted, divided (If you use almonds, chop them after toasting.)
1 lb (4 small) zucchinis, ends trimmed
1 small red onion, sliced
5 oz baby spinach
1/3 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil + 1-2 Tbsp more to saute
1 large bunch (2 oz) fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
3 small or 2 large cloves garlic
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Zucchini Ribbons

1. Preheat oven or toaster oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse basil leaves and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
3. Toast pine nuts in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until browned.
4. Put tomatoes in a bowl and add 1 cup of very hot water. Set aside.
5. While pine nuts toast, prepare the zucchini by shaving one side with a peeler (I use one like this OXO Y-peeler) or mandoline (like this OXO slicer). Discard (or compost) the outer layer and continue shaving long, thin strips until you reach the seedy core. Flip the zucchini and repeat the process on the opposite side. When you reach the center, repeat the same process on either side until all you have left is the core. Save the core to chop up and mix in with your eggs in the morning. 
6. Slice onion very thin using a mandoline or sharp knife.
7. Pulse garlic in food processor a couple of times, then add 1/4 cup pine nuts and basil. Pulse about 10 times until everything is finely chopped. With processor running, slowly add 1/3 cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Season chicken tenders with salt and pepper. Saute in 1-2 Tbsp olive oil until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
9. Add onions and zucchini to pan and saute until just softened, about 3-5 minutes.
10. Add spinach, in batches, and saute until wilted, but still bright green.
11. Add in chicken, drained sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, and pesto (add pesto to taste and reserve the rest). Toss gently, over low heat, to combine. Serve topped with reserved pine nuts.

Chicken Sweet Potato Hash

This recipe is an example of how adaptable the original chicken and veggie hash recipe can be. I wanted to use up some sweet potatoes and portobello mushrooms, and was in the mood for comfort food. Add a little bacon, rotisserie chicken, and fennel...and there you have it: melt-in-your-mouth comfort food. Be careful with this one that the bacon doesn't overcook before adding the rest of the ingredients. If you already have cooked bacon on hand, just crumble it in with the veggies and chicken and saute it all in olive oil, coconut oil, or reserved bacon fat. You can really substitute whatever vegetables you have on hand, but it's especially good with squash or sweet potatoes. Saute the leftovers with a couple of eggs for breakfast. Yum!

Serves 4.

Ingredients
3 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped in 1-inch cubes
2 fennel bulbs, fronds and ends removed, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 portobello mushroom caps, stems and gills removed, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 Tbsp coconut oil
4 cups shredded, cooked chicken
6 slices of bacon, chopped
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp ground fennel seeds or fennel powder

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Melt coconut oil in a jelly roll pan (you can also divide between two pans, if too crowded). Carefully remove the pan from the oven and add vegetables. Toss them in the oil, then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fennel seeds or powder. Toss to coat.
3. Carefully return hot pan to oven. Roast sweet potatoes, fennel, and mushrooms until just fork tender, about 30 - 40 minutes.
4. In the meantime, cook bacon in a large skillet until just crispy. Spoon out all but about 2 Tbsp bacon fat from the pan and reserve for another use.
5. Add roasted vegetables to bacon and toss in bacon fat to coat. 
6. Add chicken and toss to combine. Saute mixture for 5 - 10 minutes or until heated through.
7. Garnish with fennel fronds before serving.

Chicken BLTA Wraps

With the little taste of summer weather we've been having, no one wants to spend too much time in the kitchen. This is a quick recipe and a great way to use up any homemade mayonnaise in your refrigerator. Use rotisserie chicken or any other leftovers you may have. This one is a classic!

Serves 4, but easily scaleable.

Ingredients
8 large Boston  or Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry with a paper towel
3 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded with two forks
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced
6 cooked bacon slices, crumbled
1/2 small red onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
1 cup paleo mayonnaise
freshly ground black pepper

Note: When using homemade mayonnaise that's made with coconut oil, you will need to warm it before mixing with the chicken. When it comes out of the refrigerator, it has a butter-like consistency. I microwaved mine for about 10 seconds at half power. Any leftover chicken salad will also solidify in the refrigerator. It's still very tasty, just be prepared for a different texture than you might be used to.

Preparation

1. Combine shredded chicken, red onion, and mayonnaise.
2. Put one tomato slice on each lettuce leaf and top with about 1/3 cup chicken mixture.
3. Top with tomato, bacon, and avocado.
4. Using lettuce leaf as a shell, eat these wraps like a taco.

"Breaded" Baked Chicken

This is a recipe adapted from the new Everyday Paleo cookbook by Sarah Fragoso. The book is full of family friendly meals, and this is no exception. The chicken here is very comforting and appeals to young and old alike. I served it with baked sweet potato fries and added a spicy honey ginger mustard dipping sauce, but plain mustard would be great if you are not doing honey. You can also use chicken breasts if you don't have thighs, but watch your cooking time so they don't dry out.

Adapted from Everyday Paleo, Sarah Fragoso.


Serves 4 - 5.

Ingredients
3 eggs
1 cup almond meal
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp paprika
1/4 tsp sea salt (optional)
freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
coconut oil
1/2 cup mustard
2 Tbsp organic raw honey
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Whisk the eggs in a shallow dish. In a separate dish, mix almond meal, coconut flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Dip chicken pieces, one at a time, into the egg. Dredge both sides of the chicken in the almond flour mixture.
4. Place chicken in a single layer in a glass baking dish that has been lightly greased with coconut oil. You may need to used two dishes. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the chicken juices run clear.
5. While chicken is baking, combine mustard, honey and ginger. Serve chicken with mustard sauce.

Grilled Prosciutto-Basil Chicken

Inspired by this recipe from Fine Cooking.

Serves 4.

Ingredients
4 medium boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 lb)
freshly ground black pepper
8 large basil leaves
4 large, thin slices of prosciutto
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Light a medium charcoal fire or set a gas grill to medium high.
2. Season each chicken breast with pepper.
3. Lay one piece of prosciutto on a cutting board, put one basil leaf in the middle of the prosciutto and set the chicken on top. Lay a second piece of basil on the chicken and wrap the prosciutto around the breast and basil, overlapping the ends. 
4. Brush chicken packet lightly with olive oil. 
5. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
6. Reduce the heat on the gas grill to medium. Grill the chicken breasts, covered, until they are well marked, about 4 minutes. Flip and cook, turning every few minutes, until chicken is cooked through, about 10-12 minutes more. Serve with vegetables with walnut dressing or your favorite side dish.

CABOW Salad

This dish was inspired by a lunch I had recently at a local cafe. My version is called the CABOW for Chicken Apple Bacon Onion Walnut. Anything with bacon and onions works for me. The honey mustard is an excellent complement. If you are not doing honey, the mustard works on its own.

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients
3 cups rotisserie chicken or 3 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
2 medium onions, ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, and sliced with the grain
1/2 large or one small apple, cored and chopped into large pieces
9 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 Tbsp grass-fed butter
1 tsp coconut oil
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup raw honey (optional)
1/4 cup Dijon mustard

Preparation

1. Fry chopped bacon in large skillet. Remove bacon, reserving 1 - 2 Tbsp bacon fat in the pan.
2. While bacon is frying, add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 tsp coconut oil to another pan over medium-low heat. Add onions and saute for about 30 minutes, until very soft and light brown. Do not set heat too high or onions will burn. If you want to make the onions ahead and keep them on hand, check out this great recipe for caramelized onions. For the CABOW, you do not need to completely caramelize the onions; sauteing them for even half of the time gives a great flavor.
3. Whisk honey and mustard together in a small bowl,
4. Add chicken, walnuts, grilled onions, and bacon back to skillet. Toss to combine and heat for 2 - 3 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and add apples. Stir to combine.
6. Scoop about 1/3 of the mixture onto a plate.
7. Serve with honey mustard.

BLTA Chicken Breast Sandwich

Adapted from Primal Blueprint Quick and Easy Meals, Mark Sisson and Jennifer Meier


This was pretty messy, so we ended up chopping everything up and eating it more like a salad. But it did have a great BLT flavor! Next time, I plan to cook the chicken breasts without splitting them, and then slicing and fanning the breast before topping with the other ingredients.


Ingredients (makes 4 sandwiches)
4 boneless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons mayonnaise 
8 slices cooked bacon
4 romaine lettuce leaves
2 tomatoes, thinly sliced
2 avocadoes, thinly sliced
extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil


Instructions

1. Butterfly each chicken breast by slicing lengthwise through the middle of the breast, leaving one long side connected. Open the breasts flat and lightly season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add enough oil to coat the pan. Working in batches, sear the chicken breasts skin-side down and opened flat. Cook until nicely browned, 4 – 6 minutes, or until chicken releases easily from bottom of pan. Flip chicken breasts, cover pan, and continue cooking until done, approximately 6 – 10 minutes.
3. Open each cooked chicken breast and spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on each side. Layer two slices of bacon, one piece of lettuce, tomato, and avocado. Fold chicken breast shut and eat like a sandwich, or forego all that and just chop it up!

Orange Olive Chicken

Adapted from Primal Blueprint Quick and Easy Meals, Mark Sisson and Jennifer Meier


I love the new Primal Blueprint cookbook! It was just released and contains some exceptional quick and easy meals. This recipe was made with things I already had on hand. I made some minor alterations based on my cooking style. The combination of oranges and olives is surprisingly delicious. This meal is served cold or at room temperature. We had it for a light dinner, but leftovers will be perfect for lunch.


Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 – 1-1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
• 2  oranges (pick a flavorful, juicy one, such as Valencia)
• ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
• ½ cup pitted black olives (I used Kalamata but Moroccan oil-cured would also work well)
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Whisk together paprika, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar.
2. Cut chicken into strips (unless you’ve purchased tenders). Lightly salt chicken, then pour half of the vinaigrette over the chicken and toss to coat. 
3. Cook chicken under a broiler on high for 10 – 12 minutes or until done. (You can also grill in a pan.) Cut each cooked tender into cubes. This allows the chicken to cool and makes it easier to integrate with the other ingredients.
4. While the chicken is cooking, peel the orange, trimming away as much white pulp as possible. To do this, first cut off a little bit on each end so the orange sits flat with no pulp, then trim the peel and white pulp off the sides. Finally, cut out each wedge and slice in half or into thirds.
5. In a serving bowl, combine the orange pieces, parsley, olives, and red pepper flakes. Add the cooked chicken and drizzle remaining vinaigrette on top. Toss gently to blend. 
6. Garnish with additional parsley (optional). Serve cold or at room temperature.

Chicken and Veggie Hash

This is one of my favorite paleo comfort foods. The flavors are wonderful and it comes together quickly when using rotisserie chicken. It's great with the butternut squash, but you can substitute sweet potato and maintain the same flavor.


Adapted from JensGonePaleo.

Ingredients
8 oz cooked chicken (rotisserie, roasted, boiled, or baked, then shredded or cut into chunks)
6 strips of bacon, sliced into 1-inch pieces (This can be done ahead of time and incorporated at step 7.)
1 cup butternut squash, cut into 1 to 2 inch cubes
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, quartered and then each piece cut into 2 - 3 pieces, keeping the bulb root intact
3 carrots, peeled and sliced diagonally
2 Tbsp coconut oil
1 Tbsp ground or whole fennel seed, crushed
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
Preparation
Veggies

1. Preheat oven to 415° degrees F.
2. While oven is preheating, chop the carrots, squash, and fennel.
3. Once the veggies are chopped, spoon coconut oil onto the baking sheet and transfer to the oven to melt, about 1 minute. Carefully remove warm pan from the oven and add veggies to the pan; toss with oil to coat. Sprinkle with fennel seed, salt, and pepper, and transfer back to the heated oven.
4. Roast until caramelized, about 15 - 20 minutes (depending on the size of the veggies).
   NOTE: This can be done in advance, with a larger quantity, so that veggies are ready for hash, frittata, salads, or just reheating and eating with a piece of meat. Let them cool before transferring to a container or aluminum foil. Refrigerate for up to one week.

Hash

1. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add bacon and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crispy (add about 1 Tbsp of bacon fat and a handful of bacon pieces to the pan, if you've already done this).
3. Add the chicken to the pan and toss to coat with bacon fat. Cook until browned, about 2 minutes.
4. Add roasted vegetables and toss to coat. Sprinkle with ½ Tbsp fennel and toss or stir. Cook until everything is heated through, about 3 - 5 minutes.
5. Serve garnished with chopped fennel fronds, fresh parsley, and olive tapenade (I pulse 1 cup drained kalamata olives, 1 Tbsp capers, a dash of thyme, and olive oil in a food processor or use a store-bought olive muffalata from a local vendor.)...or just eat it as is.