Hello everyone. I have a sort of "cooking basics" question. I hope it might help me improve one of my frequent recipes
One of my basic recipes is a chicken tomato pasta dish.
INGREDIENTS
2 chicken breasts
3 stalks of celery
1 green pepper
2 carrots
1 yellow onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 small can of tomato paste
1 can of diced tomatos
Milk
Mozarella cheese
SPICES FOR SAUCE
½ tsp basil
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp dried parsley
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
SPICES FOR BLACKENING CHICKEN
½ tbsp paprika
½ tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp oregano
¼ tsp basil
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp salt
I mix my chicken breasts with the blackening spice.
I sautee my vegetables. I put in the carrots first, then the green peppers and celery, then the garlic and onions. Shortly after putting in the garlic and onions, I also add the chicken. When the chicken has been mostly cooked, I then add the tomatos, milk and cheese, and other spices and let it cook for another 30 minutes until the sauce thickens.
MY QUESTION:
I've read recipes that call for the chicken to be sauteed, then removed, then for the vegetables to be sauteed and also removed, and then for both the chicken and vegetables to be mixed back into the sauce at a later time.
My question is: what difference does it make? Is there any reason to sautee the chicken and vegetables seperately? While I let the sauce thicken, should they be apart and only added at the end? What effect is caused (if any) by having the vegetables and
chicken cooking in the sauce while it thickens?
EXTRA QUESTION:
As for the spices, is it best to add them in the sauce? Or should they be mixed in the oil as the vegetables sautee? Does it make a difference?
Thank you so much!
Andrew
One of my basic recipes is a chicken tomato pasta dish.
INGREDIENTS
2 chicken breasts
3 stalks of celery
1 green pepper
2 carrots
1 yellow onion
4 cloves of garlic
1 small can of tomato paste
1 can of diced tomatos
Milk
Mozarella cheese
SPICES FOR SAUCE
½ tsp basil
½ tsp thyme
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp dried parsley
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
SPICES FOR BLACKENING CHICKEN
½ tbsp paprika
½ tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp oregano
¼ tsp basil
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cumin
¼ tsp salt
I mix my chicken breasts with the blackening spice.
I sautee my vegetables. I put in the carrots first, then the green peppers and celery, then the garlic and onions. Shortly after putting in the garlic and onions, I also add the chicken. When the chicken has been mostly cooked, I then add the tomatos, milk and cheese, and other spices and let it cook for another 30 minutes until the sauce thickens.
MY QUESTION:
I've read recipes that call for the chicken to be sauteed, then removed, then for the vegetables to be sauteed and also removed, and then for both the chicken and vegetables to be mixed back into the sauce at a later time.
My question is: what difference does it make? Is there any reason to sautee the chicken and vegetables seperately? While I let the sauce thicken, should they be apart and only added at the end? What effect is caused (if any) by having the vegetables and
chicken cooking in the sauce while it thickens?
EXTRA QUESTION:
As for the spices, is it best to add them in the sauce? Or should they be mixed in the oil as the vegetables sautee? Does it make a difference?
Thank you so much!
Andrew