Dinner Among the Boxes
This reflection is brought to you by Ana Olson, who recently wrapped up her Goodlands journey to make an exciting cross-country move. We’ll miss her in the kitchen, but are so grateful for the time she spent with us and the many ways she made Goodlands better. – Anna D.
My partner and I have spent the past couple of weeks moving from Pennsylvania to Michigan, which also means we’ve spent them wondering, even more than usual, what to eat. In the final weeks at our old home in Pennsylvania, there was pressure to go through heavy pantry items and perishables (or foist them off to friends, as I ended up doing on our last night in town.) But there was also the competing pressure to savor the foods we could only get in the place we were leaving (see: Fu Wah banh mi, Han Dynasty, Herr’s potato chip contest winners, etc.) Inevitably, there was the question of what to leave out of the moving boxes and pack with us in the car, so we could cook meals in our new kitchen as soon as we arrived. And on top of that, there was the concern of how to genuinely nourish ourselves throughout such a big transition.
Taken together, these presented one huge logistical puzzle, constantly shifting based on each day’s choices. There were also real, physical implications: moving takes strength and stamina and a good night’s sleep, all of which can be affected by, say, several weeks spent mainlining takeout.
After our long drive to Michigan – and weeks of pizza, sesame noodles, and Taco Bell – we needed something warm, straight-forward, and comforting. We needed vegetables that still bore a passing resemblance to their original form. And we needed to get it all without too much grocery shopping or fuss.
We settled on a weeknight staple in our house: chicken breasts roasted over vegetables in the cast iron. Highly versatile, requiring just one pan and a half hour, this has become an easy solution when we need to put dinner on autopilot. You can serve it over rice or quinoa or pasta, or have it with toast, as we did just the other night.
Cooking at home, even something simple, helps make a new place start to feel familiar. It’s a way of saying hello to your new space, and letting it know who it’s going to be dealing with. And it reminds you that you can take care of yourself anywhere.
…but let’s be honest – sometimes what’s good for you needs a little boost. Tucking into my chicken and asparagus, I knew instantly what I wanted to add. Not much made it into our cooler bag for the drive from Philadelphia: some odds and ends from the fridge, bagels and cream cheese from my boyfriend’s parents, and nine – yes, nine! – bottles of Goodlands Hot Sauce, including my all time favorite, Carrot Habanero.
A few drizzles of Carrot Hab and every bite became the bright, zippy, mouthwatering dinner I needed after a big adventure. Hot sauce, it turns out, is great for moving. It provides a full cabinet’s worth of flavor when all you have is what fits in a suitcase. And in my case, it was also a tasty bit of continuity with my old life and kitchen in Philly.
And I’ll say this: it’s great on the takeout, too.
Moving Van Chicken
Serves 2 tired, newly-minted Michiganders
Ingredients:
1 bunch asparagus*
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts**
Lemon
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
Goodlands Carrot Habanero Hot Sauce
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Salt two boneless, skinless chicken breasts liberally with kosher salt, and let them sit for at least 15 minutes – but no longer than one hour – at room temperature. Snap the ends off your asparagus (or slice your zucchini, trim your beans, etc.)
Heat your pan over medium-high until warm, then add 1-2 TBL of olive oil to coat the pan. When it’s fragrant and shimmering, add the chicken breasts to the pan top-down. Let them sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, until they brown a little on the top. Remove from the pan, and take it off the heat.
Add your vegetables and another drizzle of oil. Toss them in the oil and chicken juices, and add salt and pepper. Spread them in an even layer in the pan.
Add your chicken breasts directly on top of the asparagus, browned sides up. Pop the cast iron in the oven and roast for 12-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breasts. (Chicken breasts are cooked when they reach an internal temp of 165 degrees.)
When the chicken breasts are done, remove them from the pan to let them rest while you finish the vegetables. Return the pan to the oven for another 5 minutes, to allow the asparagus to relax and soften just a smidge more. (If you like your asparagus more snappy, skip this part!)
Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the asparagus before serving. If you’re adding a starch – perhaps orzo, quinoa, rice, or bread – give it a quick swirl in the pan juices before serving.
Serve your chicken and asparagus with liberal amounts of Carrot Habanero – go ahead and bring the bottle to the table.
* Almost any veggie will work here instead! I’ve done it with kale (which gets nice and crispy at the edges), zucchini (which tastes good but can go to mush if the slices aren’t thick enough) and garlic and lemon slices (which benefit from being combined with a vegetable that will release more liquid to the pan).
** You can of course use skin on, bone-in chicken breasts, but you will need to adjust your cooking time. Ditto chicken thighs.
