Natalie Morales Shows Us Chicken 3 Different Ways From Her New Cookbook ‘At Home with Natalie’

Natalie Morales is bringing you into her home with her new cookbook, “At Home with Natalie: Simple Recipes for Healthy Living from My Family’s Kitchen to Yours.”

The Access host is also dishing up some delectable dinners to show you how to do chicken three different ways. Check out the awesome recipes below!

Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

Serves 6

This is one of my family’s favorites, which I can whip up in a jiffy if I’m using a rotisserie chicken. Whenever I serve this enchilada casserole, it is gone within minutes! The salsa verde really makes the enchiladas, and I always cook extra to really soak the enchiladas. And if there is leftover salsa, it’s great later in the week on eggs, beans, and of course simply served with tortilla chips.

It looks like a lot of ingredients, but don’t let it overwhelm you. This is a really simple enchilada casserole, and if you make it once, you’ll get the hang of it. Also, the mushrooms and corn are optional, but I really like getting more nutrition (not to mention flavor) into each enchilada. Even better, use kernels cut from 2 ears of leftover grilled corn in lieu of frozen.

Ingredients:  

1 pound tomatillos

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup finely diced sweet onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

½ (8-ounce) package cream cheese

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chopped fresh cilantro, plus 1 tablespoon for garnish

½ to 2 jalapeños (according to heat preference), seeded and diced

4 cups shredded cooked chicken (from 3 or 4 grilled chicken breasts)

1½ cups frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms

1 teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon ground cumin

12 to 14 (6-inch) corn tortilla shells

1 cup crumbled Cotija cheese or queso blanco

1 cup shredded Mexican mixed cheeses (or a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack)

Directions: 

1.     Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.     Bring a pot of water to a boil. Dip the tomatillos (husks still on) in the water for a few seconds to soften the husks, then remove from the water. The husks should then easily peel off.

3.     In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.

4.     Pour in the broth and add the tomatillos whole. Boil the toma­tillos until they appear to be tender, 6 to 8 minutes.

5.     Carefully (it’s hot!) pour the tomatillos and broth from the pan into a large blender or food processor, working in batches, if necessary. Let cool briefly, then add the cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Give it a quick whir until the tomatillos break down, then add the cilantro and jalapeño and pulse.

6.     Pour the salsa back into the saucepan and simmer, allowing the flavors to concentrate a bit, for about 10 minutes.

7.     Remove 2 cups of the salsa and set aside, leaving the remaining salsa in the saucepan.

8.     Stir the shredded chicken, corn, mushrooms, chili powder, and cumin into the saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are soft and the chicken absorbs the flavors, 5 to 6 minutes more.

9.     Soften and warm the tortillas by sandwiching a few shells be­tween two damp paper towels and microwaving for about 20 seconds.

10.  Fill each tortilla shell with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the chicken, mushroom, and corn filling, then roll them. Do not worry if they break a little, as they will still be amazing. Line a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with the rolled enchiladas, squeezing them together as you go.

11.  Pour the reserved salsa verde over the top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle the top with the Cotija cheese and then sprinkle on the Mexican shredded cheese. Bake until the cheeses melt, 10 to 12 minutes.

12.  Garnish with the rest of the chopped cilantro. Serve right away.

Coconut Chicken Curry
Soup

Gluten-Free

Serves 4 to 6

Thai food is a cuisine I crave, and this soup tops my Thai
food list. It combines two of my favorite flavors when cooking, coconut and
curry, and delivers a bit of a kick. It may seem exotic and therefore most
might think difficult to make, but rest assured that this will take you no more
than 30 minutes and is a really good first course or even lunch.

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons
extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion,
minced (about 1 cup)

2 tablespoons plus 2
teaspoons curry powder, or 1 tablespoon red curry paste

1 garlic clove,
pressed

4 chicken breasts
(about 1½ pounds), very thinly sliced

4 cups chicken broth

1 (15-ounce) can
light coconut milk

2 tablespoons fresh
lime juice, plus lime wedges for garnish

1 tablespoon dark
brown sugar

¼ teaspoon ground
turmeric

1 medium red bell
pepper, thinly sliced

1 cup thinly sliced
mushrooms

Salt

2 green onions,
thinly sliced into rings

¼ cup chopped fresh
cilantro

¼ cup chopped fresh
peanuts, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1.
In a stockpot, heat the olive oil over medium
heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until it softens but does not brown,
reducing the heat if necessary, 3 to 5 minutes.

2.
Stir in the curry and garlic, then add the
chicken and cook lightly, stirring, for about 2 minutes.

3.
Add the broth, coconut milk, lime juice, brown
sugar, and turmeric and bring to a boil, allowing the chicken to cook further,
about 5 minutes.

4.
Stir in the bell pepper and mushrooms and simmer
until the vegetables are cooked, 2 to 3 minutes more. Season with salt.

5.
Ladle into bowls and top with green onions,
cilantro, and chopped peanuts, if desired. Garnish with a slice of lime on the
side.

Chicken Peanut Satay
Salad

Serves 4

Similar to the Asian Farro Chicken Salad, we are using a
rotisserie chicken or precooked grilled chicken breast here, making this a
quick-assembly and low-hassle lunch or light dinner. Make it and it will be a
family favorite for sure. I’m a fan of the peanut satay dressing, which is
lighter than the typically heavy Thai sauce, so no need to feel guilty. My kids
love the crispy rice noodles added to the salad, but if you want to go lighter,
just stick to the salad ingredients you like and top with the chicken, salad
dressing, and a sprinkle of unsalted sliced almonds.

Ingredients: 

DRESSING:

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 tablespoons vegetable oil or canola oil

2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

1 teaspoon honey or sugar

SALAD:

1 head romaine lettuce, chopped, or 4 cups mixed salad greens

2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken (use leftover rotisserie
or grilled chicken)

1 cup chopped snow peas

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes

1 large red bell pepper, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

½ cup shredded carrot

2 green onions, thinly sliced

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup unsalted sliced almonds

Crispy Rice Noodles
(recipe follows), for garnish (optional)

Directions: 

1.     Make the dressing: In a glass jar, combine the lime juice, veg­etable
oil, peanut butter, 2 tablespoons water, the vinegar, soy sauce, and honey.
Shake thoroughly. Set aside.

2.     Make the salad: In a large serving bowl, toss the lettuce, chick­en,
snow peas, cucumber, bell pepper, carrot, and green onion. Top with the
cilantro and sliced almonds. Crumble in the crispy rice noodles, if desired, or
serve the salad on top of a bed of the crispy rice noodles.

3.
Drizzle with the dressing only upon serving.

Crispy Rice Noodles

Serves 4

2 cups peanut oil or
vegetable oil

1 (8-ounce) package
rice vermicelli noodles

Salt

1. Line a plate with paper towels. In a large deep
skillet or wok, heat the peanut oil over medium-high heat.

2. When the oil is very hot (drop in a noodle to see if it sizzles),
slide in the rice noodles. They will puff up and cook within a few seconds, so
don’t let them burn. Remove the crispy noodles from the oil and drain them on
the paper towel–lined plate. Season lightly with salt.