These vibrant trays from Zankou Chicken has Beck singing their praises and the Los Angeles Times contending that there's "no better chicken anywhere."
As the fast food industry continues to expand, catering to more health-conscious foodies, Southern California chain Zankou Chicken is redefining the concept with its fresh Mediterranean cuisine. Renowned for its roasted chicken and pita bread baked on the premises, the chain also offers hummus, shawerma, falafel and a variety of kebabs, using 100 percent fresh products -- no cans, freezers, microwaves or preservatives -- and only the "finest ingredients."
But it's the secret Lebanese garlic sauce that's got Southern Californians hooked, a zesty combination of garlic, olive oil, lemon and potato, for texture, that has customers dipping in just about any item on the menu -- and proving that fast food may rise above the typical greasy-spoon burger joints of the past.
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I'm not sure how this myth got started -- I used to believe it too, before I met my husband, who grew up in Germany. Every time I tell someone I'm making schnitzel for dinner, they talk about hot dog buns and sauerkraut. Then they try to convince me that I really meant sausage and they will go as far as to ambush random passersby to help corroborate their story.
In truth, the word schnitzel comes from the German term "schneiden" which means to cut, so schnitzel means cutlet. Thus, Wiener Schnitzel is not a cut-up hot dog, but rather a "cutlet from Vienna or Wien." See how I make it after the jump.
Kids hoping to grab a Happy Meal from McDonald's might end up with PETA'sUnhappy Meal instead.
The animal rights organization lifted its moratorium on the McCruelty Campaign this year and since June has distributed Chicken McCruelty Unhappy Meals to McDonald's customers outside about a dozen restaurants around the country.
"McDonald's markets its food to children by packaging it in brightly colored boxes with toys," Lindsay Rajt, a spokeswoman for PETA, tells Slashfood. "But most kids really love animals, and if they knew that McDonald's suppliers were breaking the wings and legs of gentle animals like chickens, I think that you'd have to drag kids into McDonald's kicking and screaming."
Few of us want to make a complicated lasagna for solo dining -- by day six, you'll never want to see lasagna again! In this series, AOL Food intern Sarah LeTrent taste-tests simple recipes suitable for a "table for one."
For singletons, it's pretty easy to throw together a sandwich at home. Simply consider the bread a canvas and whatever's on hand the paint. Nearly any combo could end up delicious in the hands of the trial and error gods.
As any good sandwich should, this one starts with quality bread (in this case a crusty Kaiser roll bought at the local market for a mere 79 cents.) The motivation behind the toppings were not only the existing contents of the fridge, but a recent trip to Mexico packed with plantains and pollo (chicken). If only we had a paleta around for dessert!
The combination of grill marks and paprika is a timeless and potent one, up there with martinis and olives or biscuits and gravy. It has the power to evoke all of the five senses, to say nothing of a Pavlovian response. T
his photo of grilled chicken, liberally seasoned with the smoky, peppery spice, was taken by Kristin of The Kitchen Sink. It could cause a slab of Sheetrock to salivate, to say nothing of the unfortunate mortals who happen to stumble upon this photo on an empty stomach. So behold with caution ... and possibly a napkin or two.
Part of a continuing summer series by grilling expert Gena Knox.
Roadside stands are popping up everywhere now that summer is here. Georgia's first crop of peaches are in, and they are one of the world's most perfect foods.
My husband and I stopped at a market in Greensboro, Ga., on Sunday as we were driving home from the lake. We came home with peaches, silver queen corn and a couple of organic Cornish hens.
It is always hard to resist buying a bag of hot boiled peanuts, which we managed to snack on as we drove home. Driving country roads and boiled peanuts just kind of go together down here.
Gena's Grilled Cornish Hens with Mole recipe after the jump.
How do you take your potato salad from tired to inspired? Throw in some corn, cherry tomatoes and basil.
Now that the whole bird is popular again, dark chicken meat recipes are, too.
Which cocktail should you whip up with artisanal vodka? How about a Martinique with Chambord and lime juice?
From ring-shaped vegetable brushes to trio lasagna pans, Chicago's housewares show for funky new gadgets.
What grape is perfect for the rising June temperatures? Wine writer Dale Robertson says Sauvignon Blanc.
The peach crop in Fredericksburg/Hill County was almost decimated in April when a severe freeze destroyed roughly 98 percent of the crop.
"Southern Living Comfort Food: A Delicious Trip Down Memory Lane" is perfect for home cooking and dishing on Southern food memories, while Morton's new cookbook shares tips for a steak fiend.
The 2009 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo crowns a bunch of tasty vino champions from 2008 Vina Robles Suendero to McManis Family Vineyards Zinfandel.
Since they've thoroughly explored every nook and cranny of the pig, it seems reasonable to expect offal-loving chefs to turn their attentions to the chicken.
This theory is most assuredly not shared, however, by the lovely lady who mans the phones at Blue Plate Roadside Cafe, a retro Southern comfort food joint in Sandy Springs, Ga.
"Gizzards?" she blurts when we inquire if they're on the menu. She sounds as though we've chased down an obviously lousy tip: "No, no, no, not gizzards, never."
Many savvy Southern eaters are still saying no to gizzards, a humble food that's retained its stigma -- it is, after all, the tough, lower stomach pouch of the bird -- despite a wonderfully chewy, fatty flavor. But a few brave chefs are quietly sneaking gizzards onto their menus, elevating a poultry part oft dismissed as a poor man's food to a starring role.
Have you ever made chicken that came out dry, stringy or tough?I know I sure have.Chicken is one of the most popular cooking ingredients, but most home cooks aren't sure how to prepare a delicious, moist, yet healthy chicken breast.I'm here to help with my favorite method for cooking juicy, naturally low-fat chicken in four easy steps.
Get Jennifer's four steps for cooking chicken after the jump.
'Appetite' Nigel Slater Clarkson Potter -- 2000 Buy it at Amazon
Anyone titling a recipe "Classic, Unmucked-About-With Roast Chicken" is going to get our attention. Our Brooklyn kitchen measures 5-feet by 7-feet, so we're enormous fans of simple, hearty fare. So is Nigel Slater, an English toque who only uses a handful of seasonal ingredients in his recipes and would not take kindly to the notion that "back to basics" is some brand-new trend (this book printed in 2000). Slater's juicy roast chicken is our standby, his caramelized onion-taleggio tart has amazed many a dinner guest and his general approach to cooking -- welcoming, hilarious, opinionated -- is right up our alley.
Takeaway tips:
Not a book for those who like their measurements precise; Slater's a fan of "a handful" and "a bunch."
There's a knockout pantry guide: "A bag of pasta, a lump of Parmesan and a bottle of olive oil ... the best friends you will ever have."
Look for the "what goes with what" primer, which includes "marriages made in heaven" like figs and Roquefort.
Pour yourself a drink before cooking (his words, not ours).
Look for the "and more" at the end of each recipe (i.e.: A Potato Supper "with sausage" or "with cheese").
Quality of pictures: These are snapshots for real, hungry cooks, with droolworthy pics of the greasy inside of a skillet, an Impressionistic stained apron and a closeup of freshly plucked sage you can nearly smell.
When fast food joints decide to expand beyond the burger, the first place they go is typically the chicken sandwich. After all, the kids in the back of the joint can basically do all the same things, just to a different patty. (Why don't the bigwigs just pick fish? Well, you know, the whole tartar sauce issue.)
Sonic Drive-In has recently added two new "premium" chicken sandwiches to its menu: Chicken and chicken bacon ranch. Both come either fried or grilled with an option for a "wheat" bun option (that apparently, per the nutritional details, does not actually contain any whole grain). As far as I can tell the quote-unquote wheat bun and slightly larger size are what make these suckers "premium."
Between the chicken and the bacon ranch chicken, guess which one tastes better? Well, the plain chicken (which I ordered grilled) is just that: Plain. A chicken patty arrives topped with lettuce, tomato and mayo on a less-squishy-than-usual bun. Though it's not that thrilling, at under 500 calories it's one of the less-heinous fast food options out there.
Naturally, the fried version with bacon and ranch dressing is more exciting even if it could use a bit more bacon or another dollop of ranch and you'll have to scurry double-time on the treadmill later. Is it tastier than the other chicken sandwiches on the market? Eh. Sonic falls into the chicken spectrum thusly: Superior to a McChicken, worse than a Carl's Jr. and can't compete at all with chicken-specializing chains like KFC or Popeye's. On my next trip to Sonic I think I'll just stick to burgers and Java Chillers.
Got a fave fast-food chix sandwich that makes the others look like frauds? Let us know in the comments.
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