Chicken Three Ways Courtesy of Aunt Beulah’s Recipe Cards

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Homemade Lemon and Herb Whole Chicken on a Cutting Board
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I have written before about my husband’s Aunt Beulah, who was everyone’s favorite matriarch. I recently uncovered a tranche of her recipes, some handwritten and some typed (on a typewriter!) in her distinctive style, with notes on small modifications that made everything better.

In honor of her and all the aunts and bubbies that taught us to love food and to cook, we continue this series as part of our food programming.

These recipes, which I pulled off typewritten sheets in a file folder, are all suitable for Passover. They could anchor a seder or serve as a non-seder meal during the holiday. They are also tasty, flavorful and healthy and, as such, are well worth bringing into the regular rotation all year long.


Beulah recommends bone-in chicken pieces for these, but for those of us who prefer boneless, simply sub the cut you prefer and adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Lemon-Herb Broiled Chicken
Serves 4

The original recipe advises using “a small chicken, cut into pieces” and broiling, but this was clearly written before boneless breasts and thighs became the norm and grilling emerged as the go-to cooking method for meat and fish throughout the year. It is fine to use any type of chicken you wish and whatever cooking approach you prefer.

4 pieces chicken (or more if you want leftovers)
⅓ cup olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon each salt
and pepper

Mix all the marinade ingredients, and add the chicken. Coat thoroughly, and let the chicken sit in the marinade for 2-24 hours.

Broil or grill, basting occasionally until done. For bone-in, skin-on pieces in the broiler, cook for about 30 minutes total on the bottom rack, far from the heat. For grilled boneless pieces, cook about 18 minutes total.

Lime-Mustard Chicken
Serves 4

This recipe is suggested for a winter night. I found that interesting because I tend to associate lime with warmer weather, but it is delicious 365 days a year.
Like the recipe above, this presumes bone-in pieces, but I prefer the convenience of boneless. You do you!

4 pieces chicken (more if you want leftovers)
⅓ cup lime juice
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup cooking oil
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix all the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken pieces and coat. Leave the chicken in the marinade for 4-24 hours.

Heat your grill or broiler. Cook away from direct heat. For boneless pieces, cook about 18 minutes total; for bone-in pieces, cook about 30 minutes until done.

Lemon Chicken Stew
Serves 6-8

Outside of Passover, egg noodles can be added to the finished stew or served beneath it. During Passover, it can go over mashed potatoes or simply be offered solo in a warming bowl.

6 bone-in chicken thighs or breasts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
⅓ lemon juice
1 cup crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce to taste

In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high, and brown the chicken on all sides.

Remove the chicken, and add the vegetables to the pan. Lower the heat, and sauté it for 5 minutes.

Return the chicken to the pan, add the stock and water, and bring it to a boil. Add the tomatoes, lemon juice, thyme, bay leaf, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for about 45-60 minutes until the chicken is very tender.

Remove the chicken from the pan, and pull it from the bone into small pieces. Return it to the pan. Remove the bay leaf, and add salt, pepper, Tabasco and lemon juice to taste.
If desired, add cooked noodles to the stew, or serve atop noodles or rice.

 

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