Chicken Congee / Arroz Caldo
While being sick all week last week, I had a craving for Filipino comfort food, arroz caldo, or congee. It’s basically rice soup with chicken in porridge consistency. I wanted that taste of ginger and soupy rice so badly. So I made some. The thing is, I actually can’t remember the last time I made arroz caldo. Let’s just say I enjoyed every warm bowl of arroz caldo last week.
By the way, the best rice to use in congee is sticky rice. The kind I use for sushi but I didn’t have any so I just used what I have which is the regular long grain rice. Fish sauce is also good with this but I’m low on Pinoy supplies so I just used salt. Believe it or not, my life didn’t crumble with those substitutes. When you crave for something, make it work with what you have.
White Chili
I got the recipe for white chicken chili from my dear Mother-In-Law. she even wrote it in a pretty index card with pears and cherries on it. So I made it on Saturday. I figured it was time to take out the crock-pot again.
The recipe calls for already cooked roast chicken but I didn’t have that. MIL said those rotisserie chicken from grocery stores would be fine too. Or just boil some chicken and just pull the meat apart to the chili. I didn’t do any of those. since I was using the crock-pot, I just used regular chicken leg quarters. I knew the flavors from the other ingredients would infuse the chicken as the whole dish cooks slowly in the pot. The recipe also called for cans of Northern Beans but I use a bag, instead of the cans version. So since I used the bag, and raw chicken, the cooking process was longer.
Here’s the unmodified recipe:
| White Chili |
- 1 bag Northern Beans (or 4 cans)
- 1 cans of corn (or Mexican corn)
- 1 jar of salsa
- 2 chicken leg quarters (or roaster chicken, pulled apart, or 2-3 boiled chicken breast, shredded)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth (add more if needed)
- cumin to taste(optional)
- shredded cheese
- Wash the Northern Beans. Set aside.
- In a crock-pot, put the corn, salsa, chicken, salsa, broth and cumin. Set it in high to cook. I started at 11am. After cooking for 4 hours or so, gently take out the chicken from the pot. Pull the meat apart from the bones then put them back into the pot. Stir everything around then cook until the beans are completely soft.
- Serve the white chili in individual bowls. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
Leftover Chicken & Corabella Tortelloni Soup
Another best way to use up leftover chicken besides making a sandwich filling or adding into fried rice, is to make soup. And not just chicken soup with vegetable but a chicken and pasta soup using Corabella Tortelloni(classic four cheese) pasta. So delish and so filling that’s perfect for those rainy days or when you’re not felling well.
Leftover Recipe: Ham & Potato Soup
The ham leftover was from the Christmas menu. The bone still had a lot meat on it and a few ham slices so I decided to throw them in a crock pot with potatoes and spices to make a hearty soup. Easy, time convenient and of course, delish soup for dinner on a cold night.
LOBSTER BISQUE FROM LEGAL SEA FOODS
Part of my husband’s birthday dinner last week was Lobster Bisque. I did not make it as indicated in the title and by the picture itself. I bought a pre-made one from a wholesale store called BJ’s. The Lobster Bisque is from Legal Sea Foods brand. 2 containers of this size cost $11.99.
