French Onion Chipotle Fish

This is the best fish recipe I have come up with so far. This time I fried the fish but it can also be baked. Please note if you bake the fish instead of frying it, you will have to turn the fish halfway through cooking. It should be cooked on 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Additionally, I used flounder fillets in this recipe, but you can also use tilapia.

Here is what you will need:
1/2 cup cooking oil
1 pound flounder fillets
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Hidden Valley Ranch chipotle dipping sauce
1/2 mayonnaise
1 pack onion soup mix

Heat the cooking oil over medium-high heat in a large frying pan not prone to sticking. I used red palm canola oil because it is a healthier option. However you can use any kind of cooking oil. 

While the oil is heating, make and assembly line for the fish. Pour the breadcrumbs into a large shallow bowl and whisk together. Into another large shallow bowl, combine the mayo, Chipotle dip, and onion soup mix. 

Make sure the cooking oil is hot. Coat one piece of fish with the mayonnaise mixture, and then completely cover the fish and bread crumbs. Put this directly into the hot oil. Do not prepare the fish before you are ready to fry as this will cause the breadcrumbs to become mushy.
Fry fish until completely done on each side, probably about 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

Chipotle Chicken with Rice and Vegetables

I love a hint of chipotle! But just a hint, because it can get hot! This dish has just the right amount of Chipotle flavoring giving it a nice smoky flavor without too much heat. It is a easy meal perfect for a busy weeknight utilizing one pot.

Here is what you will need:
4 chicken thighs
1 medium onion or 1 half large onion, diced
One lg can of whole tomatoes
2 Chipotle chiles in adobo
1 teaspoon cumin
3 carrots, cut into sticks
3 stalks of celery, cut into sticks
3 small potatoes, cut into sticks

3/4 cup rice

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons of olive oil

Cilantro and limes for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Salt and pepper the chicken thighs and brown them skin side down in the hot oil. 

When the skin side is brown turn them over and brown the other side as well.  

Meanwhile put your can of tomatoes your Chipotle chilis with the adobo that they come in and the cumin into a blender and puree all of this together. 

When the chicken is brown, take it out of the skillet and put it onto a clean plate. Reduce heat to medium low. Add your coarsely chopped onion to the pan and cook until translucent scraping the bottom every now and then to loosen the pieces of chicken that were left.

Once the onions are translucent, add the garlic and stir around with the onion. Strain the tomato mixture through a sieve into the pan. You can use a spatula to help get all of it through the sieve. This will get out the chili and tomato seeds and I did not get blended up.

Turn up the heat to medium. Simmer until the tomato sauce is bubbly (about ten minutes) and then add the chicken back in. Now take your potatoes carrots and celery which have been cut into sticks, and arrange them around the chicken and on top of the chicken. Cover and simmer on medium heat for about 25 minutes.

Take the chicken and vegetables out of the pan and put them on a plate, add one cup of water to the skillet, and raise heat to medium-high. Bring the water and tomato mixture to a boil and add the rice. Reduce heat to medium low. Make sure that all of the rice is submerged in the liquid. Put the chicken and vegetables back on top of the rice and put the lid on the skillet. Cook on medium low heat for 25 more minutes.

Serve with torn cilantro and lime wedges. Makes enough for two hungry people.