SEATTLE — Food Network Star Kids winner Amber Kelley is inspiring a new generation of young chefs to get comfy in the kitchen with her very first cookbook Cook with Amber. The book features 80 of Amber's most popular recipes for everyone, but especially kids and teens who want to "have fun in the kitchen and use food to feel good, and look good." Not only did Amber win the first season of Food Network Star Kids, she also has a popular YouTube channel - all before she even has a driver's license!
In this video, Amber demonstrates how to make a few recipes from her new book, Cook With Amber: Fun, Fresh, Recipes to get you in the Kitchen.
On today's show, she shows us how to make a double-duty chicken meal that starts as Chicken with Cilantro Chimichurri and Garlic-Lemon Broccolette for dinner and becomes a fab Chicken Chimichurri Quinoa Salad for lunch the next day!
Cook with Amber is available in stores and online. She's also doing a book signing and demo at FrogLegs Culinary Academy in University Village on Saturday, Oct. 20, at 4:30 pm.
GRILLED WHOLE CHICKEN WITH CILANTRO CHIMICHURRI AND GARLIC-LEMON BROCCOLETTE, from Amber Kelley's Cook With Amber: Fun, Fresh, Recipes to get you in the Kitchen
You must make this Cilantro Chimichurri! It’s tangy, garlicky, and bursting with flavor. My family puts a twist on the classic Argentinian chimichurri and uses all cilantro instead of adding parsley—and it’s amazing! My mom can never get enough; we tease her for spooning more and more on her plate, but I can’t blame her.
This sauce is versatile. You can dip breads and veggies—whatever you want—but my favorite is with grilled chicken. Grilling the chicken whole is an easy way to get moist, smoky, and flavorful chicken without a bunch of work.
The garlicky, lemony broccolette (also called broccolini) can be made on the same grill as soon as the chicken comes off. Add something fresh like a simple green salad or sliced tomatoes with a sprinkle of salt and olive oil for a nice family meal.
YIELDS: 4 servings + leftovers
TIME: 30 minutes prep (15 for chimichurri, 15 for chicken) and 45 minutes to grill chicken
CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 cups/90 g fresh cilantro leaves and stems
- ¼ cup/60 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoons onion, chopped
- 1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 cup/235 ml extra-virgin olive oil
DIRECTIONS:
- Place the garlic in a food processor and chop finely.
- Scrape down the sides and add all the remaining ingredients, except the oil. Pulse together.
- While the food processor is running, slowly add the olive oil, scraping down the sides of the food processor as needed, until the sauce is smooth.
- Refrigerate until ready for use. Set aside 1 cup/235 ml of the sauce for tomorrow’s lunch.
GRILLED WHOLE CHICKEN
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 whole chicken (4 to 6 pounds/ 1.8 to 2.7 kg)
- 4 to 6 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat your grill on a medium-high heat.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Use sharp kitchen scissors to spatchcock the chicken. To do this, place the chicken breast-side down and cut along one side of the backbone, then the other side, to remove it. Flip the chicken over, and firmly press on the breastbone to flatten it out. This will allow the chicken to cook evenly.
- Mix together the garlic, salt, pepper, and lemon zest in a small bowl.
- Rub the chicken with the oil and then rub with the garlic mixture. Place the chicken, breast-side down, on the grill. Cover the grill and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until the breast is golden brown and crispy.
- Flip the chicken over and continue to cook until the underside of the chicken starts to brown, 10 to 20 minutes.
- Turn off all the burners and cover the grill. Then, continue to cook until the bird is cooked through, 10 to 25 minutes longer. It is done when the thickest part of the breast reads 155°F/68°C on a meat thermometer.
- Place the chicken on a cutting board and tent it with foil to let it rest. Prepare the Grilled Garlic-Lemon Broccolette (recipe follows).
- Cut up your chicken into 8 pieces (2 thighs, 2 legs, and cut each breast in half) and set aside two big pieces for tomorrow’s salad.
- Bring the chimichurri sauce out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature. Give it a stir.
- Plate the remaining chicken, and drizzle with the chimichurri sauce. Pour some additional chimichurri into a small bowl so guests (like my mom) can drizzle more as they eat. Serve with the Garlic-Lemon Broccolette.
GARLIC-LEMON BROCCOLETTE
YIELDS: 4 servings + leftovers
TIME: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 pounds/900 g broccolette
- ¼ cup/60 ml grapeseed oil
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and pressed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ large lemon, plus lemon slices for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
- Trim the tough ends of the broccolette.
- In a bowl, toss with the oil, pressed garlic, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the chicken comes off the grill, place the broccolette on the grill.
- Grill for about 8 minutes on each side over medium-high heat, until the broccolette is tender and has some grill marks.
- Arrange on a serving dish, squeeze the juice from the ½ lemon over the top, and garnish with lemon slices.
CHICKEN CHIMICHURRI QUINOA SALAD
I love quinoa, and when I pair it with my family’s favorite chimichurri sauce, magic happens! This quinoa salad is fluffy, with bits of creamy avocado, sweet fresh tomatoes, juicy chicken, and a killer sauce that gives it a nice kick. The textures and flavors are insane!
YIELDS: 4 servings
TIME: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- From the night before:
- Grilled chicken
- 1/2 to 1 cup/120 to 235 ml chimichurri sauce
BROCCOLETTE
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 cup/173 g uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups/475 ml chicken stock
- 1/2 cup/75 g halved cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
- Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
- Wash the quinoa and let it drip-dry.
- Place the quinoa in a pot along with the chicken stock. Bring it to a boil, put the lid on, and let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool for 5 minutes, then fluff it up with a fork.
- Shred last night’s chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding the skin and bones. You should have about 2 cups/280 g.
- Chop the broccolette into bite-size pieces. Add the chopped broccolette, tomatoes, avocado, chicken, and 1/2 cup/120 ml of chimichurri sauce to the quinoa, and mix well. Taste, and add more chimichurri sauce as needed.
- Sprinkle the chopped cilantro on top.
- If you are making this for a school lunch, refrigerate overnight and pack with an ice pack to keep the chicken in the salad cool until lunchtime.
Reprinted with permission from COOK WITH AMBER © 2018 by Amber Kelley, Running Press
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