Kyle’s Kitchen
How about a summer meal that’s ready in about 20 minutes and you don’t have to turn on the oven? Here’s a lemon basil chicken dish that’s easy and sounds delicious. Serve over rice or pasta or all by itself.
Lemon Basil Chicken 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 large yellow onion finely chopped, about 1 cup 4 cloves garlic minced 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces 2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 5 cups loosely packed baby spinach about 5 ounces 1 tbsp lemon zest 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 cups fresh basil leaves Kosher salt and pepper to taste In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium. Once hot, add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 additional seconds.
Add the chicken, increase the heat to medium high, and let cook for 3 minutes, browning all sides. Stir in the soy sauce and black pepper. Let cook until the chicken is completely cooked through, about 3 minutes longer.
Stir in the spinach a few handfuls at a time, letting the heat of the pan wilt it as you go. Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, and basil. Cook and stir just until the basil is wilted, about 1 additional minute. Taste and season with additional salt or pepper as desired. -kwc Here’s another one that doesn’t require the oven, plus you eat it cold to help you keep cool in August. I learned from Julia Child that you should over salt a bit foods that are to be eaten cold, so remember that when you add the salt.
Easy Gazpacho
2 lb. tomatoes, quartered 2 Persian cucumbers, peeled and chopped, plus more chopped for serving 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped 1 clove garlic, roughly chopped 2 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar 1/2 cup water 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for pan and garnish Kosher salt Freshly ground black pepper 2 thick slices country bread 6 cherry tomatoes, halved, for topping (optional) 2 tbsp thinly sliced basil Combine tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper, garlic, vinegar, and water in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth, then add oil and blend to combine. Taste and season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar if needed. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add bread and cook until golden and crisp on the bottom, 1-2 minutes. Flip bread to other side and cook until crisp, 1-2 minutes more. Remove from pan and let cool.
To serve, divide soup among bowls and top with cucumber, tomatoes (if using), basil and a drizzle of oil. -kwc Here’s a take on a Thai basil and beef dish to serve over rice. I have made one similar to this recipe and it was definitely worth it. I love Thai food. If you can’t find chili paste you can substitute Sambal Olek.
Thai Basil Beef For the beef
2 tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil 1 lb ground beef 90/10 1 bell pepper, thinly sliced 1 sweet onion, thinly sliced 6 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, divided Fresh cilantro (optional) For the sauce
1 tbsp chili paste 2 tbsp soy sauce 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 tbsp brown sugar 2 tbsp fresh lime juice In a small bowl combine chili paste, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar and lime juice until incorporated, set aside.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add ground beef and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon and stirring often, about 6 minutes.
Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the beef and cook until vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.
Pour the sauce mixture along with the fresh basil (reserving a few fresh leaves for the top) and continue cooking until basil starts to wilt.
Serve over rice topped with fresh basil and cilantro. Enjoy!
Note: If using low sodium soy sauce, add 1/2 tsp salt to ground beef.
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