Pikantiko Kotopoulo me Fassolakia--Spiced Chicken with Green Beans

I love making tomato-based dishes, known as kokkinista (literally meaning "reddened") and yiahni in Greek. Obviously versatile dishes, they can be made with a variety of seasonal ingredients; with any meat or vegetable available; and can easily be taken from basic to exceptional with a few herbs and spices.

In summer months, kotopoulo (chicken) kokkinisto makes for a much lighter dish than beef or lamb cooked in tomato. And more often than not, a main dish of just vegetables cooked this way graces our dinner table when the warm summer weather calls for lighter fare.

Here I combined some chicken thighs (a flavorful and, more importantly, cost-effective option) with some fresh green beans and added some Hungarian paprika and cayenne pepper for a little heat.

Pikantiko Kotopoulo me Fassolakia--Spiced Chicken with Green Beans

1/4 cup olive oil

8 chicken thighs, skin removed

1 1/2 lbs. green beans, rinsed and trimmed

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon Hungarian paprika

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Handful of dill, finely chopped

Handful of parsley, finely chopped

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Season chicken with some salt and pepper and add to the pot. Brown well on both sides then throw in the onion and garlic. Shake the pot to combine, then add the plain paprika, Hungarian paprika and cayenne pepper. Add the tomatoes to the pot along with some salt and pepper; bring to a boil, cover then lower heat to a simmer and cook chicken about 25 minutes or so. (Add some water or a bit of chicken or vegetable stock to the pot if necessary.)

Add the green beans to the pot, shake the pot and stir green beans lightly to coat with sauce. Cover the pot and cook until the green beans are tender, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the dill and parsley, adjust seasonings and serve with plenty of bread.

Fassolakia me Koukounaria kai Katsikisio Tyri--Green Bean, Pine Nut and Goat Cheese Salad

For some strange reason it had been a really long time since we'd had green beans. I don't know why ... the kids adore them, my husband loves them and I enjoy them too. But for most of this winter whatever green beans made it to our local fruit and vegetable markets looked kind of drab and lifeless ... never making it into my shopping basket.

The other day though I came upon a fresh batch of slender green beans and I picked two bags right up. I was roasting some whole chicken legs again that day and I decided I wanted a light side dish to accompany them, so I came up with this no-fuss green bean salad. In hindsight, I would have liked to have seen some shallots make it into this dish in place of the garlic. But this simple saute was still packed with flavor as the nutty pine nuts and mellow goat cheese gave these tender green beans tons of character.

I often have a few spectators waiting around to taste a dish while I'm trying to snap a picture of it. As you can see here, this little guy took the plate right out from under me just as I was wrapping up these pics! It's safe to say this green bean salad is a very kid-friendly dish ...just look at that happy smile!

Warm Green Bean, Pine Nut and Goat Cheese Salad

Makes 4 servings

1 lb. green beans, trimmed

1/3 to 1/2 cup pine nuts

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Splash of balsamic vinegar

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and add the pine nuts. Once the pine nuts look toasted and golden, add the garlic and stir for a few seconds longer. Add the green beans and give them a good stir. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat until the green beans are just tender but still bright green. Season with salt and pepper.

When ready to serve, add the splash of balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with the crumbled goat cheese. This is great served slightly warm or even at room temperature.

Note: I tend to like to throw green beans in my skillet and saute them til tender, while most others like to blanch them in boiling water and then place them in ice water to stop the cooking process. So, the choice is yours ...