Dinner Plan Week #1: Man-I-Need-a-Beer Chicken and Chicken Enchilada Soup

All ready for the first day of Pre-K!

There’s nothing like starting a week that you know will be hectic (like the first week of school) let alone worrying about putting food on the table for the family. That is why I’m trying to be a bit more organized with my menu planning for the week.Oftentimes I fall into standard patterns where I buy the same old stuff when I make a trip to the market. Although I do actively try to only make one trip per week, but that doesn’t always work out. And, I bring along the kids to the market so that they can each pick a veggie and/or fruit of their choice. But this also doesn’t always go as planned either, ie doughnuts.

Man,- I-Need-a-Beer Chicken

TGIF! At the end of the work week when dinner time creeps up all I really want is a beer, even though I don’t drink beer normally. It’s the idea, really. The opportunity to kick up my feet and relax instead of rushing around like I do all week. Well, this recipe is just what I need after a busy week. It cooks itself, while I toss back a cold one. Instead of ordering take-out pizza at the end of the week, treat yourself to a beer in your chicken.

Ok, so I think this recipe needs a little backstory. I’m sure you all are thinking What made Suzanne pour a beer over her chicken? It was no accident, although that would be a good story. It really came from our trip to Peru this summer. After tasting a cilantro infused lamb stew while, I became obsessed (to put it mildly) with recreating the recipe at home. After dinning at a few local Peruvian restaurants, I came to the realization that the dish that I loved so much in Peru, didn’t really exist in the Peruvian-American restaurants here.

After a little experimentation, I discovered the secret ingredient…beer! This is such an easy dish, you’ll want to make it mid-week too. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone. Enjoy!

Shopping List:

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves whole garlic

6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 red or yellow pepper, roughly chopped

1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles

1 cup (approximately 1 bunch) of cilantro chopped

1 12-ounce dark beer (and an extra one for you)

1 cup no-salt added chicken stock

Instructions:

1. In a large ziploc bag place 1/4 cup flour and all of the chicken. Shake it around a bit so that each piece is coated.

2. Then, in a 6-quart pot on medium-high heat sear chicken in the olive oil and garlic for 3 minutes per side.

3. Pour in the remaining ingredients, cover it and let it come to a boil.

4.Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium/low and let it simmer uncovered for approximately 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.

5. Serve over rice or with crusty bread, but don’t forget to squeeze that lime over the bowl before you dig in. And if you’ve finished that beer that you started…get yourself another. It is Friday after all.

Serves 3-4.