“Morphing means to take a recipe (or part of a recipe) that you’re already making, double it, and transform the extras into an entirely different meal,” explained Robin Miller. She morphed one chicken dish into three others, with recipes from her cookbook “Robin Miller Quick Fix Meals” (The Taunton Press, 2007) on the main stage in the Grand Tasting Village at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival this past weekend.

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MAIN RECIPE: Roasted Chicken with Smokey Apricot Sauce
Serves 4
TOTAL TIME: 45 minutes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Walk away time: 35 minutes

Cooking spray
10 (5-ounce) skinless chicken breast halves (with bone)
Salt and ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups apricot preserves
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Preheat oven to 400º. Coat a large roasting pan with cooking spray.
Season chicken all over with salt and black pepper. Arrange chicken in prepared pan and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine apricot preserves, soy sauce and liquid smoke. Mix until blended. Pour mixture over chicken.
Roast 35 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Serve four chicken breast halves with this meal and refrigerate remaining chicken until ready to use (or freeze up to 3 months).

MORPH RECIPE #1: Chicken and Wild Mushroom Quesadillas
Serves 4
TOTAL TIME: 16 minutes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Active cooking time: 6 minutes

Cooking spray
2 roasted chicken breast halves
4 (8-inch) flour tortillas
2 cups sliced wild mushrooms (any combination of shiitake, cremini, oyster, porcini, Portobello, etc.)
1 cup thinly sliced oil-packed sundried tomatoes
1 1/3 cups shredded reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese

Coat a large skillet or griddle with cooking spray and set pan over medium heat to preheat.
Using a fork, pull chicken meat from bone in shreds.
Arrange tortillas on a flat surface. Top one side of each tortilla with an equal amount of chicken, mushrooms and tomatoes. Top filling with shredded cheese (1/3 cup per tortilla). Fold over tortillas to cover filling, making half-moon shapes. Place quesadillas in (or on) prepared pan and cook 3 minutes per side, until tortillas are golden brown and cheese melts.

MORPH RECIPE #2: Thai Chicken Salad with Peanuts and Lime
Serves 4
TOTAL TIME: 10-15 minutes
Prep time: 10-15 minutes

2 roasted chicken breast halves
1/3 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 cup diced celery
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped scallions
Salt and ground black pepper
4 cups chopped lettuce (such as Romaine, Bibb, red leaf, Boston)
1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Pull chicken meat from bone and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, and sesame oil. Add chicken and toss to coat. Fold in celery, red pepper and scallions. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Place lettuce on a serving platter or individual plates. Top lettuce with chicken mixture. Top chicken salad with peanuts just before serving.

MORPH RECIPE #3: Chicken Curry with Chick Peas and Tomatoes
Serves 4
TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Active cooking time: 5 minutes

2 cups quick-cooking white or brown rice
2 roasted chicken breast halves
15-ounce can chick peas, drained
15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup lowfat sour cream
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and ground black pepper

Cook rice according to package directions.
Meanwhile, using a fork, pull chicken meat from bone in shreds. Transfer chicken to a medium saucepan. Add chick peas, tomatoes, sour cream, curry powder, and cumin and mix well. Set pan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer 5 minutes to heat through. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Serve chicken curry over rice.

Her newest book ROBIN TO THE RESCUE: Quick & Simple Ideas for Delicious Home Cooking (The Taunton Press $18.95), will be on shelves in bookstores March 11, 2008.