Carla Lalli Music has perfected the art of developing recipes that can easily swap ingredients to spin it into a slightly different, but equally delicious riff on the dish.
Her new cookbook "That Sounds So Good," is full of recipes that effortlessly elevate pantry staples with a few farm-fresh ingredients to create an easy meal any night of the week.
"The book is divided into two sections. Monday through Thursday and Friday and the weekend," she explained on "GMA," adding that the weeknight dinners can be made in half an hour or less. "You want to get home and start cooking and then every minute that you're cooking you're getting closer to the finish line."
She said "the secret is really maximizing the flavor in a short amount of time." So cooking chicken over high heat fast can add browning and flavor to one side before flipping to finish the cook on another side, which also prevents the protein from drying out.
Check out her full and tips recipes below.
2 servings
Despite their enduring popularity, boneless, skinless chicken breasts can be very disappointing. They're quite lean—which is what some people love about them—and that's exactly what can cause them to be bland and dry. But when they're good, they bring power to the paillard. Cooking them almost all the way through on one side will result in a chewy crust and superlative browning, and prevents the chicken from overcooking. If you go a tiny bit over, the bright and juicy tomato pan sauce will camouflage your mistakes.
Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (10 to 12 ounces total)
Kosher salt; freshly ground pepper
1 large shallot
3 garlic cloves
Handful chives
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups cherry tomatoes (12 ounces)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Directions
Pat the chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt and black pepper. Place them between two sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap and, using a rolling pin or meat mallet, pound them out to about ¼ inch. Thinly slice the shallot into rings, thinly slice the garlic cloves, and thinly slice the chives. Set all these things aside separately.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add 3 tablespoons of oil, then place the chicken in the skillet. Press down on the cutlets firmly with a spatula to ensure the chicken is making good contact with the surface of the pan, then cook, undisturbed, until the underside is deep golden brown and there is a thick band of cooked flesh around the edge, 4 to 6 minutes. About halfway through, lift up the cutlets from one corner and let oil flow underneath, then place them back down. Turn cutlets and cook until light golden brown on second side and just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic and shallot and cook, stirring, until the shallot is translucent and garlic is starting to turn light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Add the tomatoes and cook, occasionally stirring, until their skins start to shrivel, 4 minutes. Using the back of the spoon, gently smash tomatoes until they split open and release their juices (don't flatten them, simply encourage them to burst), then cook until slightly saucy, 2 minutes more. Add the vinegar and stir to combine. Remove from the heat and stir in chives. Spoon burst tomato sauce over chicken cutlets.
From the Market
Chicken breasts
Chives
Cherry tomatoes
Spin It
This works with 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or pork medallions.
Basil, dill, tarragon, or parsley can replace the chives.
A chopped large tomato or two can replace the cherry tomatoes.
At Home
Salt and pepper
Shallot
Garlic
Olive oil
Red pepper flakes
Red wine vinegar
Spin It
Half a red onion can replace the shallot.
Use sherry vinegar instead of red wine vinegar.
4 servings
I don't know what it is about green and orange foods together, but it's a combination I always crave when I want to eat well, especially in the colder months. The grounding nature of butternut squash and sturdy greens, along with the crunch of the seeds and belly-warming spices in this dish, never gets old. I usually don't peel the squash, but if the skin feels especially thick or waxy to you, take it off. Placing the baking sheet at the bottom of the oven puts it closest to the heat source, which helps the squash roast super quickly.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds butternut squash
1⁄3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1 bunch Tuscan kale
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup untoasted sesame seeds
1/4 cup hulled sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds (any color)
3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup Greek yogurt
Directions
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with a rack in the lowest position.
Starting at the neck end and continuing to the belly end of the squash, cut squash crosswise into ½-inch-thick rounds, then scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Transfer the squash to a large rimmed baking sheet and drizzle generously with oil, turning to coat. Season both sides with salt, then arrange in a single layer. Roast on the bottom rack until the squash is tender and lightly browned around edges, 15 minutes (I don't even bother turning it, preferring to get one side as dark as possible).
While the squash roasts, use your hands to strip the kale leaves from the stems, then cut leaves crosswise into ¼-inch-wide ribbons. Wash and dry the leaves, then transfer to a large bowl. Drizzle vinegar over, then toss to coat.
Stir together 1/3 cup oil, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, mustard seeds, and 1 teaspoon salt in a small skillet or saucepan. Place over medium-high heat and cook, swirling the skillet often, until the seeds are golden brown and starting to pop, about 3 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, quickly stir in the red pepper flakes, and immediately pour the oil mixture over the kale—there will be a bit of spattering as the hot oil hits the moisture on the leaves, so take care with this step. Toss to combine.
Spoon the yogurt onto a platter or divide it among four plates. Top with the roasted squash, then pile the sizzled greens on top.
From the Market
Butternut squash
Kale
Spin It
Use acorn, koginut, or honeynut squash instead of butternut (no need to peel).
Any type of kale can be used, but curly kale bunches tend to be larger, so you'll probably only need half a bunch.
At Home
Olive oil Kosher salt
Unseasoned rice vinegar
Untoasted sesame seeds
Sunflower seeds
Mustard seeds
Red pepper flakes
Greek yogurt
Spin It
Lemon juice or cider vinegar are good replacements for the rice vinegar.
Try pepitas slivered almonds, and/or chopped hazelnuts, in place of any of the seeds.
Fennel seeds, cumin seeds, or coriander seeds can replace the mustard seeds.
"That Sounds So Good" is available October 19 where books are sold.
Reprinted from That Sounds So Good by Carla Lalli Music. Copyright © 2021 by Carla Lalli Music. Photographs copyright © 2021 by Andrea Gentl and Martin Hyers. Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.