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Chicken Bicol Express
Chicken Bicol Express
Bicol Express is named from a passenger train that travels from Manila to the Northern Bicol region of the Philippines, known for its spicy cuisine. Traditionally, this dish uses pork shoulder. This recipe uses chicken thighs; cutting down on the calories and the cooking time. This chicken is sautéed with garlic and onions, then simmered in coconut milk and Thai chilies. Mild finger chilies are added at the last couple of minutes of cooking time. This dish reminds me a lot of chicken ala king, which I grew up on; just with lots of spice. Serve with steamed rice.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 tbsp shrimp paste
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 10 thai chilies finely chopped
- 2 cups finger chilies (or shishito peppers) diced
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat up cooking oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions and garlic for 3 minutes.
- Add in the chicken. Cook for 8 minutes.
- Stir in the shrimp paste, making sure that all of the chicken gets coated in it. Sauté for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the coconut milk and Thai chilies. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
- Uncover. Stir in the ginger chilies. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Muamba de Galinha (Angolan Chicken Stew)
Muamba de Galinha (Angolan Chicken Stew)
Muamba de galinha is a very popular dish in Central Africa and is considered the national dish of Angola. The chicken is seared in palm oil then stewed in a rich sauce of onions, tomatoes, garlic, habanero, and chicken stock. Stewing with the chicken is butternut squash. You can substitute pumpkin or sweet potatoes if you aren’t a squash fan. Okra is added towards the end. If you’ve ever cooked with okra, it can get kind of snotty. This will help thicken the stew. Serve with steamed rice.
Ingredients
Chicken Dry Rub
- 6 bone in chicken thighs or 1 whole chicken cut into pieces
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
- 1 tsp salt
Angolan Chicken Stew
- 1/4 cup palm oil
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 2 Roma tomatoes seeded and diced
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 habanero
- 1 small butternut squash cubed
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 12 okra diced
- salt to taste
Garnish
- parsley chopped
Instructions
- Season the chicken with all of the spices. Make sure to rub some of the seasoning under the skin.
- Heat up palm and vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add in the chicken thighs skin side down.
- Brown the chicken thighs for 6-7 minutes a side. Remove and set aside.
- Add in the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Stir in the onions, tomatoes, habanero, white pepper, and smoked paprika. Sauté for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the chicken thighs back into the pot, along with the butternut squash and chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Uncover. Turn the heat back up to medium high. Add in the okra. Simmer for 10 minutes.
- Season with salt.
Beef in Mushroom Sauce
Beef in Mushroom Sauce
This savory beef in mushroom sauce is pretty much the Filipino version of beef stroganoff. The beef and mushroom gravy can be served with mashed potatoes, egg noodles, or steamed rice. Whatever carb you choose, it will be a win-win. When choosing beef, top or bottom sirloin will be the best cuts to use for tenderness and price. Skirt steak, flank steak, even NY strip are all acceptable to use as well. Dredging the beef in flour is an important step that can’t be skipped. This will help thicken the sauce when the beef is added back in.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 lbs top or bottom sirloin cut into 1/4” thick slices
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 8 oz mushrooms sliced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3 cups beef stock
- 1/2 cup table cream
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
- parsley chopped
Instructions
- Dredge the beef in flour.
- Heat up 2 tbsp of cooking oil in a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Sauté the mushrooms for 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add 2 more tbsp of cooking oil. Sear the beef in batches for 3 minutes a side. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.
- Add 1 more tbsp of cooking oil to the pan. Sauté the onions and garlic for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the beef stock. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil.
- Add in the beef. Cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 30 minutes.
- Stir in the table cream. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Mix together the water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Pour in the sauce and let thicken.
- Add the mushroom back in. Season with salt and pepper.
