Kristin Cavallari is out with a new cookbook, "Truly Simple," that's filled with nourishing recipes that focus on easy weekday meals to help home cooks get out of a cooking rut.
Cavallari, who previously penned two other cookbooks, "True Comfort" and "True Roots," joined "Good Morning America" on Tuesday in tandem with the book's release to show two of her go-to dishes.
"I love shallots because [its] similar to an onion, almost a little garlicky flavor, I think they just compliment any dish," she told "GMA" while demonstrating her chicken thigh recipe. "I do use a lot of butter in the cookbook, which is pretty much the only cow's milk that we use -- maybe a little bit of sour cream from time to time -- everyone loves it."
Cavallari also said easy recipes like these are great for getting her kids in the kitchen.
Check out the full recipes below.
"I'm constantly trying to find new ways to change up chicken. I'm sure you all are, too. My family gets bored with it, but luckily, we all love this recipe," Cavallari writes in her new cookbook. "It's ever-so-slightly sweet, which balances the mellow tartness of the balsamic vinegar. It also has the perfect amount of creaminess without feeling heavy. Open up a nice bottle of red wine with this one and serve it with Sour Cream and Chive Potato Salad with Crispy Shallots (recipe below)."
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2 medium)
1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
2 teaspoons coconut sugar
4 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup full-fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon arrowroot powder
Directions
1. Place the chicken on a baking sheet and season with salt, pepper, and the garlic powder.
2. Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, place the chicken in the pan, skin side down, and cook it until the skin crisps, 6 to 7 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook 5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165 F. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Set aside.
3. In the same large skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the wine and shallots and cook until the shallots are translucent, 8 to 10 minutes, scraping up any brown bits. Add the thyme, coconut sugar, and balsamic vinegar and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the flavors have combined.
4. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Add the coconut milk, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper and stir to combine.
5. Dissolve the arrowroot powder in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon water, then whisk to combine. Add the dissolved arrowroot to the sauce, whisking continuously until it is fully combined, and the sauce has thickened slightly.
6. Place the chicken thighs in the sauce, skin-side up, and simmer on medium-low heat for 8 minutes. Flip the thighs and cook for 8 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
7. To serve, spoon the sauce over the chicken.
"For years, I didn't eat sour cream because I was staying away from cow's milk. But now it's back in my life. I've actually found that I'm able to tolerate sour cream (and butter, yay) and my kids do as well. In fact, a lot of people with casein sensitivities can tolerate both sour cream and butter because of the fermentation process for these ingredients," Cavallari writes in the book alongside this recipe.
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes or rainbow fingerling potatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil, for coating
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 medium shallot, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
3 tablespoons avocado oil
1 large shallot, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons mayo
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 scallions, white and green parts, finely sliced
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a large baking sheet with foil.
2. Place the potatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Coat with the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Roast the potatoes for 25 minutes, until they are fork-tender.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, chopped shallot, a big pinch of salt, and a pinch of pepper.
4. Quarter the potatoes, place them in the bowl with the dressing, and toss to coat. Let the potatoes cool completely in the fridge, about 1 hour.
5. Meanwhile, warm the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced shallot and fry until it is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the shallot to a paper towel-lined plate to blot the excess oil and sprinkle with a pinch of salt. Set aside.
6. In a small bowl, combine the mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, and garlic powder. Pour the dressing on the potatoes. Add the scallions and chives and stir to incorporate.
7. To serve, sprinkle the crispy shallots on top of the potato salad.
Recipe from TRULY SIMPLE. Copyright © 2023 by Kristin Cavallari. Photography copyright © 2023 by Aubrie Pick. Published by Rodale Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, LLC. Reprinted with permission.