Then try ‘Marry Me Chickpeas’
Several years ago, there was a recipe that went viral called “Marry Me Chicken.” I never got on the bandwagon and that’s probably for two reasons – the first being that Daughter thinks I make too many chicken dishes as it is. And the second reason is probably because I already had a very similar recipe for salmon. It’s called “Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Salmon” and I found it on the website cafedelites.com.
Originally created by Lindsay Funston, the former executive editor at Delish.com, the dish is chicken breasts, seared until golden brown, and then baked in a cream sauce. Allegedly, she had come up with a name for the dish but wasn’t satisfied with it. As the story goes, Funston was preparing the dish for a video shoot and upon completion of the shoot, the videographer tried a bite of it, and loving it so much, exclaimed, “I’d marry you for that chicken!” It makes for a cute story.
Anyway, in our house, we’re always striving to eat healthier, and it wouldn’t hurt either of us (Hubby and myself) to lose some weight in the process. While we’re not following any particular diet at the moment, I have been trying to incorporate more of the components found in a Mediterranean-style diet, such as vegetables, healthy oils like olive oil, whole grains, legumes, fruits and nuts, fish and shellfish, low fat dairy and lean proteins.
When I ran across a recipe called “Marry Me Chickpeas” on eatingwell.com, I bookmarked it, curious to try it, and even gathered all the ingredients on a subsequent trip to the grocery store. On a recent weekday in which I’d spent the entire day in appointments and meetings and was truly spent, this seemed like a good day to try it. It was easy, came together quickly and was filling and flavorful. I wasn’t sure what Hubby would think about it, but he said he liked it. Daughter was at a friend’s house, so she didn’t partake. I’ll add it to the rotation.
And in the event you’re interested in the salmon recipe I mentioned earlier, I’m including it here as well. Try one or both of these. I think you’ll be pleased at the punch of flavor they pack.
Marry Me Chickpeas
From: eatingwell.com
•2 tablespoons oil from sun-dried tomato jar
•1 large shallot, chopped
•2/3 cup drained julienne-cut sun-dried tomatoes in oil with herbs, chopped
•3 medium cloves garlic, minced
•2 (15-oz.) cans no-salt-added chickpeas, rinsed
•1 cup lower-sodium vegetable broth
•1/2 cup water
•1 teaspoon paprika, preferably Hungarian sweet
•1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
•1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, divided
•1/2 cup heavy cream
•2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, divided
•2/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
•2 teaspoons unsalted butter, melted
•4 ounces crusty whole-wheat baguette, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 4 equal pieces Heat oil from sun-dried tomatoes in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until it shimmers. Add shallot; cook, stirring often, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in sun-dried tomatoes and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until the tomatoes are slightly broken down and deep red in color, about 2 minutes.
Stir in chickpeas, broth, water, paprika, Italian seasoning and 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the chickpeas are warmed through, and the mixture is slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. Stir in cream and 1 tablespoon basil; cook until the sauce starts to bubble around the edges. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in 1/3 cup Parmesan until melted and combined, 30 to 45 seconds.
Brush melted butter on the cut side of the bread pieces. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Arrange bread buttered side down in the pan; cook until golden brown and crisp on the edges.
Top the chickpea mixture with the remaining 1/3 cup Parme-
“I hate chickpeas. I like hummus but I ate that before I realized it was made out of
chickpeas.”
– JOHN COOPER CLARKE
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