This dish is full of spicy flavors with just a little heat. It’s all in one bowl ^[1], but make plenty. You will want seconds!

How to make any recipe easy to prepare – 

I love easy. When it’s time to cook dinner, I’m usually tired and I want to get it cooked and eat! Here are some tips to make any recipe easy to prepare.

Start with prepping. If you have everything precut and premeasured, all you’ll need to do is add to the pan and some cook time. You can do this in the morning or even the night before.

Cut up all the vegetables and put them in a container – you can just dump them into the pan when you need them. Measure out all the seasonings and set them in a bowl, using a different bowl for each step. If it all goes in on one step, put them together. If they go in on a different step, keep them separate.

Here are the prep specifics for this recipe:

Cut up the carrots, white onion, and jalapeño. To make it really spicy, leave the seeds in! Put them together in a large bowl. Add the garlic, ginger and whites of the green onions. Cover and set aside.

In another, small bowl, mix the ponzu, honey, and water. Cover and set aside.

And finally, chop the peanuts.

You now have everything prepped. Only thing left is to cook it!

Making the Spicy Chicken Rice Bowls – 

Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of the chicken.

Add the oil to a large skillet and start heating on medium-high to high. While the oil is heating, get the rice going. I use my trusty little rice cooker.

When the oil is hot and sizzling, carefully lay the chicken, skin side down, into the hot oil. Cook until it’s golden brown, about 5 minutes,

then turn. Allow to cook for about five more minutes.

Push the chicken to the side and add the vegetables. Gently sauté until they start to sweat a little, about 3 to 4 minutes, until they begin to caramelize.

Turn the chicken so it’s skin side up.

Use the sherry to deglaze the pan, stirring constantly.

Next, pour the ponzu mixture into the pan and stir to coat all the veggies. Bring it all to a boil, add the lime and peanuts, then cover and simmer on medium for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

Mix the cornstarch with about 3 Tablespoons of the liquid in the pan. Pour into vegetables and stir quickly to blend the mixture and thicken the sauce.

Serve over rice and garnish with the green part of the green onions.

© Copyright 2024 The Lazy Gastronome

Leave me a comment – I’d love to hear your thoughts!

I love homemade chicken noodle soup ^[6]. The richness of the broth made with fresh vegetables and chicken – the comfort of the noodles – I love it all. So why not make a casserole instead of soup? So I did!

The chicken is cooked to create a rich stock for the noodles to cook in. Then everything is mixed together and baked until a creamy sauce.  The skin can be placed on the top to crisp up on top. This adds some flavor to the casserole as well. You can eat the skin or toss it (but we eat it).

Here’s how you do it:

This first thing is to cook the chicken and create the stock.

Add the chicken, onion, celery, garlic, 2 sprigs of the rosemary and salt to 5 cups of water. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Lift the thighs out of the water with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

Bring the water back to a boil and cook the pasta in the water. It should be al dente. When you drain the pasta, keep all the vegetables  (discard the sage and rosemary) and save out 1/3 cup of the pasta water. You can freeze the rest to use later as a soup or gravy base.

Remove the skin from the chicken and set it aside. Take all the meat off the bones and chop it into bite sized pieces. Discard the bones.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix the chicken with the remaining ingredients (except the rosemary) and the pasta water, adding salt and pepper to taste (we like lots of pepper – preferably fresh cracked).

Put the mixture into a casserole dish. Top with the parmesan,

two sprigs of rosemary, and the chicken skin.

Bake for about 30 to 45 minutes – until the top is lightly browned and the chicken skin is crispy.

Discard the rosemary

and serve. We like the skin so we ate it – you can discard it if you choose.

© Copyright 2022 The Lazy Gastronome

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe or to give as a gift!

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I love a good comfort food. When I was a kid mom would make chicken pot pie ^[11], always serving it with cottage cheese. This last month I’ve had a need for comfort food I can make easily and this one fits the bill!

Here’s how you do it:

Roast the chicken thighs with a little salt and pepper for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  You can also use leftover chicken.

Heat the butter in a saucepan, then add the flour. Cook until it starts to brown lightly.

Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces. Mix the chicken with the melted butter and flour, mushroom soup, vegetables and spices in a medium casserole dish.

Lay a sheet of puff pastry over the top of the casserole dish to form the crust of the chicken pot pie.

Cut the edges to fit the shape of the dish, then press the edges around the dish to seal it.

Stir the dry minced garlic into the warm, melted butter. Brush the melted garlic butter over the top,

then carefully cut slits to vent the steam.   

Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 to 40 minutes. The top will be golden brown.

Remove from the heat and allow to rest for about 10 minutes. Serve this yummy chicken pot pie hot with cottage cheese or salad on the side.

© Copyright 2022 The Lazy Gastronome

Zucchini and sausage go together like soup and sandwich.

I found out my cholesterol is too high and the plan is to try to bring it down through diet and exercise over the next six months to stave off having to use medication. So I am trying really hard to eat more vegetables, and make them taste fabulous!

This casserole is baked and served over noodles. It’s lower in fat but not flavor and it was delicious and satisfying – and low in the bad fats. Give it a try.

I bet the whole family will love this one.

Here’s How to Do it:

Preheat the oven to 350° –

Rub 3 Tablespoons of olive oil on the bottom of a large casserole dish.

Slice the zucchini and mushrooms ^[16] into thick slices.

Place the zucchini slices in a single layer on the bottom.

Top with the mushrooms and

sprinkle with the remaining olive oil.

Add the sausage and top with the sauce.

Cover the whole thing with the cheese and bake, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes. I put the casserole dish on a baking sheet to keep it from bubbling over in the oven.

The cheese should be bubbly and slightly browned.

While it’s cooking, make the pasta. Serve the casserole over hot pasta. A small salad and garlic bread are the perfect addition to make the meal. And enjoy.

© Copyright 2022 The Lazy Gastronome

I love cooking in enameled cast iron casserole dishes. It cooks evenly and holds in the heat. If you don’t have one, I recommend you get one. You will love it!!

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!

I love simple. This deliciously simple casserole can be made ahead and popped into the oven when you get home – It can also be made with pre-made items from the grocery store (deli chicken ^[21], bagged broccoli, etc) or you can put it together with leftover chicken and any veggies you like!  Simple, delicious, and healthy!

Here’s How to Do it:

Place the chicken in a sauce pan and cover completely with water. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt. Simmer until the chicken is completely cooked.

Remove from the water using a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

Do not discard the water!

Use the water to cook the broccoli.

Drop it gently into the hot water and cook for about 2 -3 minutes, until it’s bright green.

Again, using a slotted spoon, lift the broccoli out and set aside.

Bring the water to a boil again and cook the pasta. When it’s tender, drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the water.

Put the pasta back into the pan. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter, cream, 1/2 cup parmesan and seasoning to the pan. Dissolve the flour in the pasta water and stir in.

Preheat the oven to 350° –

When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bones and set in a bowl. If you have any extra it’s great for chicken salad sandwiches!

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and slice the mushrooms.

Gently sauté until the mushrooms are soft.

Add the chicken and broccoli to the pan.

Stir in the pasta mixture, then transfer it all to a casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheese

and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.

Serve hot!

NOTE: If you have the skin from the chicken, place it in a dish and bake it until it’s crisp – about the same time as the chicken. Crumble it up and put a tablespoon or two on the top of the casserole for some crunchy texture!

© Copyright 2021 The Lazy Gastronome

Here are some things that are perfect to use for this recipe!

Disclosure: The items below are affiliate links through Amazon.com. If you purchase any of these products through the links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for your support!