Month: April 2021

Broiled Chipotle Shrimp Salad Bowls

healthy, weeknight

You know, until I started writing things down for this blog I had no idea so many of the recipes in my personal go-to list involved chipotle seasonings and peppers – it’s amazing the things you just do all the time and never notice! These broiled chipotle shrimp salad bowls were an experiment on a whim, and I’m really happy with how it turned out!

The coleslaw in this bowl is a creamy apple slaw recipe from Spend With Pennies and may be my new standard.

Broiled Chipotle Shrimp Bowl Ingredients

Makes 2 – 3 servings

  • 1 lb frozen, peeled, deveined shrimp (tails off)
  • 2 tbs butter
  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 1 tbs taco seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 medium chipotle chili in adobo sauce
  • 2 tsp adobo sauce (from the chipotles in adobo sauce can)
  • dash salt
  • 1/4 tsp sugar (optional)
  • 2 – 4 cups spinach
  • 1 – 1.5 cups apple slaw

Broiled Chipotle Shrimp Bowl Instructions

  1. Thaw the shrimp in a colander under running water, this will only take a couple minutes! Remove tails if needed. Place thawed shrimp in a container or ziploc bag (we’ll be marinating in here)
  2. Take your chipotle pepper and slice it open, scraping out most of the seeds from the inside. Chop in a small dice.
  3. Melt the butter in a small bowl. Stir in olive oil, taco seasoning, garlic powder, sugar (if using), chopped chipotle, and adobo sauce.
  4. Pour the butter mixture over the thawed shrimp and stir (or massage bag) to coat the shrimp. Marinate for at least 30 minutes to up to a few hours. The butter will set up a little bit – that’s okay!
  5. Place your oven rack in one of the higher positions and preheat the broiler to 500 – let it get pretty hot in there!
  6. Cover a sheet pan in foil (for easy clean up!). Spread out the marinated shrimp in one layer so they are not overlapping.
  7. Broil the shrimp for 5 minutes, then check for doneness – if the shrimp are not pink and starting to firm, broil for 1 – 2 minutes more, being careful to not burn or overcook them.
  8. To serve, in each bowl place 1 – 2 cups fresh spinach and 1/2 cup or so apple slaw. Top with chipotle shrimp. This would also be great with cilantro and a little lime juice squeezed over top!

Wondering what else to do with those chipotle peppers in adobo sauce? Try out our Chipotle Chili recipe.

broiled chipotle shrimp salad bowl
Apple Slaw

Ginger Garlic Brown Rice & Peas

healthy, side, weeknight

Ginger Garlic Brown Rice & Peas is a great side for soupy mains, like the wonderful Instant Pot Coconut Butter Chicken or just on its own with a fried egg on top! It has enough subtle flavor to give a flavorful dish a little something extra. I had peas in the freezer when we made this but you could definitely toss in pretty much any veggie or green – whatever you have on hand!

Ginger Garlic Brown Rice & Peas Ingredients

  • 2 cups chicken broth (my favorite is the College Inn brand!)
  • 2 tbs fresh ginger, sliced
  • 4 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tbs ghee, butter, or olive oil
  • 1 cup brown rice
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Ginger Garlic Brown Rice & Peas Instructions

  1. Add the chicken broth, garlic, ginger, and ghee to a medium pot and bring to just boiling
  2. Add the brown rice, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook the rice for 45 minutes or until tender. If the rice looks like it doesn’t have enough liquied, add more chicken broth a tablespoon at a time.
  3. Once the rice is cooked, remove the lid and remove the ginger slices. Add the peas, stirring them in and allowing to cook until the veggies are heated through
  4. Taste for salt and add some if needed. Add a dash of black pepper
  5. Enjoy! This rice is great with a fried egg and some chili oil on top, or as a side to curries or saucy dishes
ginger garlic brown rice and peas

Instant Pot Coconut Butter Chicken

family, healthy, weeknight, whole30

This Coconut Butter Chicken recipe is based on a recipe I first found on The Bettered Blondie – we make it a couple times a month and it’s a great meal to make on a weeknight. It’s a little bit creamy, with lots of deep flavors and the cinnamon is a delightful twist. Just throw everything in the Instant Pot (or a pressure cooker) and then a little simmer at the end and you’re good to go!

Coconut Butter Chicken Ingredients

  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbs garam masala
  • 1.5 tsp cumin
  • 1 tbs chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 2 – 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut in 1″ cubes
  • 1 can whole fat, unsweetened coconut milk
  • 14.5 oz. can of tomato sauce
  • 2 tbs ghee or clarified butter
  • 1 – 2 tbs lemon juice
  • 4 – 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbs fresh ginger, minced or grated
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 tbs tapioca starch (can sub corn starch, potato starch, or flour!)
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 – 2 limes, quartered

Coconut Butter Chicken Instructions

  • In a small bowl, mix together the salt, garam masala, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper (if using)
  • Cut chicken thighs into cubes and add to the instant pot
  • Add the rest of the ingredients (don’t forget the cinnamon stick!) except the tapioca starch and cilantro (they’ll come in later!)
  • Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes, and then release the steam carefully before removing the lid
  • Turn on your instant pot’s saute feature and bring the chicken to a boil. Stir in your thickening agent (we used tapioca starch but another starch or flour will work as well!) making sure there are no clumps
  • Allow the chicken to simmer and thicken up for 5 – 8 minutes, or just keep an eye on it and turn it off when it gets to your desired thickness
  • We made a batch of Garlic Ginger Rice & Peas, which makes a great pair with this dish! In a bowl or plate, I recommend complementing the butter chicken with something that will help soak up all that delicious butter chicken juice – whether it’s rice, cauliflower rice, or a pile of greens.
  • Just before eating, top with a sprinkle of cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice