Mike’s Hot Spicy Food Recipes

Spicy Chicken Sausage & Chickpea Stew

Serves 3-4, plus additional 3-4 servings for the freezer

Any sausage will work fine - including pork - but you might want more seasoning if you opt for a mild sausage. If you're not a fan of rosemary, substitute fresh or dried oregano.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 2 cups)
• 1 pound spicy Italian chicken sausage
• -- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons minced rosemary + more for garnish (if desired)
• 1 2- to 3-inch piece Parmesan rind
• -- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Instructions: In a large, heavy-bottom pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. With a spatula, push onions into a pile onto one side of the pot.

Remove the sausage meat from its casing, and add the sausage to the pot, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it browns. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, then stir together with the onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, drain and rinse two cans of the chickpeas, and pour the third can, with the bean liquid, into a blender. Puree coarsely. Add the whole and pureed chickpeas to the soup pot, along with the diced tomatoes, chicken broth, rosemary and Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Remove Parmesan rind. Pour half of the mixture into a freezer-safe container, let cool, then cover and freeze up to 3 months. Season and garnish after thawing and reheating.

Season the remaining half with plenty of salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with grated Parmesan cheese and minced rosemary, if desired, and serve hot.

Per serving: 350 calories, 19 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat (3 g saturated), 50 mg cholesterol, 768 mg sodium, 7 g fiber.

Serves 6

Great for what ails you, this simple soup is quick to prepare and goes down easy. Wonton wrappers can be found in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores, near the tofu.

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
• -- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 2-inch piece ginger, peeled
• 6 green onions, white and light green parts thinly sliced, dark green parts cut into 1-inch lengths
• 2 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce + more to taste
• 2 tablespoons mirin or sherry + more to taste
• 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, diced
• 4 ounces wonton (square) wrappers, halved diagonally to make triangles
• -- Squeeze of fresh lime juice, to taste

Instructions: Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper, and place in a heavy-bottom pot. Cover with the chicken broth. Add the ginger, the white and light green parts of the green onions, the soy sauce and mirin. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat. When the soup starts to boil, cover the pot and turn off the heat. Let stand for 15 minutes.

Remove the chicken, and set aside. Bring the soup back up to a simmer. While the soup is heating back up, shred the chicken and place back into the pot. Add the water chestnuts and wonton wrappers. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the wontons are cooked through and the flavors have come together.

Remove and discard the ginger. Stir in the dark green parts of the green onions. Season to taste with lime juice, salt, pepper, and more soy and mirin, if desired. Serve hot.