This chicken thigh marinade is the perfect blend of mustard (2 kinds!), garlic, maple syrup, brown sugar, vinegar and seasonings. It is so simple and so good, it could be used to marinate socks!

This is one of those marinade recipes that’s wonderful on every single kind of meat you could consume — salmon, steak, pork tenderloin, chicken in all its varieties, etc. I love when when I find a fail-proof marinade recipe like that! We used to make this chicken all the time when the blog first began, but over the years you slowly start to try new things and before you know it, without even meaning to, you’ve forgotten some of the things that you love the most. 

Boy, if that’s not symbolic of life, I don’t know what is!

This chicken thighs marinade recipe is one that is simply whisked together, can easily be adapted if needed (see notes below) and works just as well marinating 30 minutes as it does for hours. But beware, not all meats can handle it the same, so check out the entire post. 

And if you haven’t already, you absolutely must take a second to pin our other marinade recipes like:

• The Best Steak Marinade
• Marinated Chicken Breasts
• Asian Steak Marinade
• Steak Fajitas Marinade
• Marinated Smoked Chicken

Family Dinners

We are about to send our first off to college in a year, another is deep in the waters of Jr High and still our caboose is entering the battlefield of the elementary school playground. If there’s one thing I know for certain it’s that family dinners are an absolute must to stay connected to one another. I would bet that it’s even life-saving for families. But with three kids at three different schools and totally different needs I can easily feel like I’m running around and never slowing down. This recipe is loved by everyone around the dinner table!

Ingredients for Chicken Thigh Marinade

The best marinades have a little salt, a little sweet, a little acid, and a little spice. This marinade recipe checks all the boxes. Here is what you will need:

• Chicken Thighs: boneless, skinless
• Dijon Mustard: pale yellow in color but bold in tangy flavor
• Stone Ground Mustard: adds texture to the marinade and the teeny tiniest bit of heat
• Garlic: adds flavor
• Dark Brown Sugar: light brown can be used, dark brown just has a richer flavor
• Maple Syrup: be sure to use the real stuff, Grade A
• Oregano or Marjoram: I used dried herbs for this recipe, but you can use fresh if you want. You’ll want to half the amount down to 1/2 teaspoon.
• Rice Vinegar: add

Prosciutto Chicken Milanese

Crunchy panko bread crumbs, creamy taleggio cheese, salty prosciutto, fresh arugula and juicy chicken breast…chicken milanese… It’s what’s for dinner!

Soooo we don’t watch TV. Like, ever. It was a decision long ago to have more productive and restful evenings instead of glued to a TV and it’s been life-changing. Until Cade was on a business trip and saw Bobby Flay’s new show. It’s been so much fun to catch an episode here or there and one day we saw a little ad for a reel he’d made about chicken milanese.

Well, I’ve been trying to sell Cade on Chicken Milanese for years but every time we’ve had it there’s been capers (Cade’s nightmare) involved. I could not wait to try this prosciutto and taleggio cheese version. I will confess, I’m making this up entirely on my own, but inspired by what he did so please don’t kill the messenger if you find his recipe and it’s different.

But more importantly!!! This is our new favorite chicken!!! It’s light and crunchy, with a perfectly juicy inside. Then there’s this beautifully mild and almost a hint of tang from the creamy, melt in your mouth cheese. All topped off with perfect balance (remember in my cookbook how I talk about salt, fat, acid, heat?) of peppery arugula and bright, acidic red wine vinaigrette. It is amazing!!!

What is Chicken Milanese?

Chicken Milanese is one of the best recipes to learn when you’re starting to cook as it’s a great base which you can later experiment with sauces, toppings etc. So what is chicken milanese?

Chicken Milanese is an Italian breaded chicken which is made by first butterflying the chicken so it’s nice and thin, then dipping it in a breadcrumb and seasoning mixture to created the best breading for breaded chicken.

What Do I Need to Make Chicken Milanese?

This easy chicken dinner looks super fancy but the ingredients are actually really simple. Here is what you will need:

• Chicken Breasts – see section below for how to butterfly a chicken breast
• Flour – just regular all purpose
• Kosher Salt – adds flavor to the breading
• Black Pepper – freshly ground
• Eggs – helps the Panko stick to the chicken
• Water – blends with the egg to create an egg wash to help the breading stick
• Panko Bread Crumbs – a Japanese bread crumb that is extra crunchy
• Canola Oil – used to fry the chicken
• Prosciutto – an Italian dry-cured ham that is uncooked and unsmoked and oh so delicious
• Baby Arugula – gives a bright peppery pop of flavor
• Taleggio Cheese – semi soft cheese with a creamy texture and mild/earthy flavor, see section below for possible substitutes

Red Wine Vinaigrette

• Dijon Mustard – rounds out the flavor of this dressing so perfectly
• Red Wine Vinegar – gives the dressing that signature acid and tang
• Lemon Juice – freshly squeezed is best of course!
• Olive Oil – the base of the dressing, a good quality olive oil will make all the difference
• Honey – adds a natural sweetness to the dressing

Lemon Herb Spatchcock Chicken Recipe

If you want the juiciest chicken with crispy skin and the most incredible flavor, then you have to make this lemon herb spatchcock chicken!

When I was pregnant with our second child I was not in any kind of position to cook, eat or even think about either thing. But it was like taking a surfer away from the ocean, I was determined to make better than ever meals when I had the baby. And spatchcock chicken was strangely at the top of my list. I have absolutely no idea why I hyper-fixated on chicken, but it ended up being a blessing. It gave me something to look forward to. To decide without ever deciding that I was going to not only survive, but thrive post traumatic pregnancy.

I’m not saying that anyone who is going through something hard should just think about chicken to fix things, because again, I WOULD NOT think about chicken during that time. But maybe there’s something about positive psychology that could take us from A-B that is found in the kitchen. So without telling you what I think… yet… what is the happiest memory you have around food?

Why does food more often attach itself to happiness than sadness?

I’ll move on, I know you just want the recipe, but it’s something to think about. Is there a secret about food and cooking that might make a difference in your happiness in the midst of your trial?

What is a Spatchcock Chicken?

A spatchcock chicken is the same thing as a butterflied chicken. It is a method for cooking chicken where you remove the backbone of a whole chicken and flatten it so that it lays flat and roasts more evenly. For some reason, this little bird’s legs curled up again at the end, but otherwise it will lay far more flat than this.

Why Do You Spatchcock a Chicken?

When you roast a whole chicken, the chicken breasts sit higher and cook first and dry out while the rest of the chicken comes to temperature.

With a spatchcock chicken, everything is at the same level and roasts evenly resulting in juicy chicken breasts, thighs, legs…the whole bird!

And the skin gets so crispy and delicious! I dare say that once you spatchcock, you’ll never go back to roasting a chicken any other way.

Do You Flip a Spatchcock When Cooking?

No, a spatchcock does not need to be flipped while cooking. You roast it with the meat side up and it will come to temperature just fine without flipping.

What Do I Need to Make Spatchcock Chicken?

All you need to do is grab a whole chicken and then hit the produce section for some fresh herbs and citrus. You’ll likely have everything else you need in the pantry already. BONUS…this recipe is so budget friendly! Here is what you will need:

• Whole Chicken: a 4-5 pound chicken works best, skin on<

Copycat PF Changs Chicken Lettuce Wraps

There are dozens of copycat PF Chang’s lettuce wrap recipes out there, and these are the authentic chicken lettuce wraps you have been looking for! Don’t skip the crunchy rice noodles!

Years ago we used to love getting the lettuce wraps at PF Chang’s and set out to make a copycat recipe. It was full of delicious Asian components like hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, mushrooms and water chestnuts, etc. They were absolutely delicious, but totally not a copycat recipe. The more we’ve tried them and researched the more we discovered that PF Chang’s claims only a few ingredients and no veggies at all. So, we stripped the recipe down and went for a simply delicious, far more authentic copycat.

Ingredients for Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I used to be so intimidated when it came to Asian recipes because the ingredients list can be so long and slightly overwhelming, not to mention hard to find and items you only use once in a blue moon.  Well, this is NOT a recipe like that! Here is what you will need:

• Rice Noodles – don’t skip these! They are quick and easy to fry up and add a fabulous crunch to the wraps that you don’t want to miss!
• Oil – vegetable oil or canola oil works great
• Ground Chicken – see section below for possible substitutes, but you can keep these lettuce wraps super healthy by using lean ground chicken
• Vegetable and Sesame Oils – the combination of the two oils gives the perfect flavor, that sesame oil is critical in Asian cuisine
• Garlic – adds flavor
• Green Onions – adds flavor
• Soy Sauce – I prefer to use low sodium so I can better control the salt in the recipe.
• Fresh Ginger – you can used dried ginger if you have to, but I strongly suggest to use fresh ginger. See section below for how to peel and grate ginger.
• Iceberg or Butter Leaf Lettuce – these lettuce leaves hold up well for wraps and stay crispy and fresh without breaking

The measurements for all the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Substitutes for Ground Chicken

We’ve found that it’s far easier and faster to use ground chicken because you can use your meat chopper and leave it in minced sized pieces versus the hassle of chopping up chicken thighs. However, that being said, chicken thighs do offer more flavor so it’s up to you. You could also chop up chicken breasts into little bits before cooking or use ground beef or pork as substitutes as well.

What Lettuce is Best for Wraps?

You really want cold crisp lettuce that is hearty and will hold up well wrapped around the yummy filling. We’ve found that iceberg or butter leaf lettuce work best. You would also use romaine hearts though they can be hard to wrap around the filling since they tend to be long and thin.

How to Peel Fresh Ginger

If you aren’t used to using fresh ginger, you might be confused when it comes to peeling it. You can peel ginger one of two ways. First, yo

Braised One Pan Sausage and Cabbage and Potatoes – St Patricks Day Dinner

I don’t know what it is about these three ingredients combined, but this braised sausage, cabbage and potatoes dish is my new favorite easy dinner recipe! Perfect for St Patricks Day dinner!

I don’t love St Patrick’s Day. I can’t ever think up anything cute and the traps, ohhhhh the traps! They are so fun and I love watching the kids work for hours on them, but I’m also not crafty so I don’t just have doodads and whatsits lying around waiting to be artified.

Last year I was feeling all the feels of an inkling that we would be moving soon and then the dreaded St Paddy’s Day hit. I immediately asked my friend Megan why we had to celebrate and she came back with, “just do the ol’ cabbage, sausage and potatoes in one pot and be done.”

Wait what? No whining alongside me? She actually had a plan?! And so I did, I followed her example and recipe and voila! Dinner was done in 30 and it was delicious! WHY IS IT DELICIOUS!? It is literally 3 ingredients but everyone ate the whole darn thing. AND what was leftover I put in the Food Saver and froze it and oh my goodness, it totally held up perfectly a few weeks later when we had it again!

Ingredients for Sausage, Cabbage and Potatoes

Are you ready for the 6 (possibly 7) ingredients you need to make this quick and easy dinner? This is what you will need:

• Sausage: you can use any type of sausage you want…chicken, turkey, pork, etc…bratwurst also works or a kielbasa
• Potatoes: I prefer the flavor of Yukon Gold potatoes, but red potatoes would also work or just plain Russets, peeling is optional
• Red or Yellow Onion: either type works great, it just depends on which flavor your prefer
• Cabbage: regular green cabbage is my go-to, but you could also use red. If you’re using this for St Patricks Day, then the more green the better!
• Olive Oil: helps caramelize the onions
• Salt and Pepper: adds flavor
• Garlic: this is totally optional, it tastes great without it, but it does add delicious flavor if you are a garlic fan

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post. 

Tips for Making Sausage, Cabbage and Potatoes

1. Cut the potatoes to be the same size so that they cook evenly.
2. Use a dutch oven, it caramelizes the onions and cooks the sausage and potatoes perfectly.
3. Don’t use too high of heat when cooking. The onions will start to burn before everything else cooks through.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

1. Easy: you only need 6 (possibly 7) ingredients, and it is all made in one pot which makes it super easy to clean up and the prep work is minimal
2. Quick: you can have dinner on the table in 30 minute