Chicken Pieces Saute Recipes: How To

Chicken meat has more protein and less fat--unless you drown it in oil while cooking as in deep frying. Chicken is also cheaper than pork and beef. However, a lot of people know only 2 ways to cook chicken: fry or grill. Some just flake the white meat and toss with green salad, turning chicken into a tasteless source of protein. But, hey, chicken can be cooked into delicious and savory dishes, especially when sauteed with certain spices. Don't worry, the recipes are very quick and easy.

The dish is a bit tangy and spicy due to ginger and chili shoot leaves. Served while still piping hot, chicken tinola will soothe sore throats and may banish coughs and colds fast.

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo chicken meat, washed and blanched
• 2 Tbsp pure vegetable oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 piece medium onion, sliced thinly
• 1 piece ginger (size is about half of palm); washed and sliced thinly
• 1 piece large chayote, peeled, washed, and cubed
• 1 cup chili shoot leaves, washed and drained
• 1 piece chicken boullion

Heat 4 cups of water. Wash chicken meat with tap water and drain. Pour the hot water all over chicken pieces and set aside for about 2 minutes. Remove from water and drain thoroughly.

1. Heat pure vegetable oil in a medium-deep pan.
2. Over low-medium heat, fry chicken meat until slightly golden. Pile the meat pieces at one side of the pan.
3. Saute minced garlic until golden brown. Cook onion until transparent. Add ginger.
4. Spread the chicken meat all over the sauteed spices and let simmer for 5 minutes. Flip each piece once.
5. Pour 2 cups of water and stir in the chicken boullion. Over medium-high heat, cover and let boil for 10 to 15 minutes--or until chicken is tender. Stir occasionally.
6. Stir in chayote and cover once again to let boil for another 2 minutes.

7. Add the shoot leaves, cover, and switch off stove. Leaves will look nice and bright green when not boiled.
8. Serve hot with steamed rice or as plain chicken soup with vegetables.

This dish has a knack of tasting even better and better as it stays longer in the fridge. Chicken adobo can be cooked in bulk during the weekend, stored and freezed in separate containers, and heat in the microwave oven just before dinner. How convenient!

Ingredients:

• 10 pieces chicken legs or chicken breast halves, washed and blanched
• 2 Tbsp pure vegetable oil
• 10 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 1 piece dried bay leaf (or laurel leaf)
• 1 tsp whole black pepper
• 4 Tbsp soy sauce, or according to desired color
• 2 Tbsp vinegar (or apple cider)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 piece chicken boullion, crumbled
• 1/2 cup grated cheese (optional)

1. Saute garlic in hot oil. Add onion and bay leaf. Stir in blanched chicken meat. Cook each side to slightly golden.
2. Sprinkle black pepper, crumbled chicken boullion, and sugar. Drizzle with soy sauce. Cover and let simmer over low-medium heat. Stir occasionally.

3. Drizzle vinegar all over chicken meat. Do not stir until it is boiling once again.
4. Add water, only if desired. Sprinkle grated cheese, optional. Cover and let simmer for another 20 minutes. Make sure to flip chicken meat so that all sides are cooked equally.

5. Serve hot with steamed rice.