Marley Spoon: Chicken & Dumplings & Spicy Shrimp Tacos Plus a $30 Coupon Code

It’s that time again where I pretend I’m a food blogger and review my weekly meal delivery service,  Marley Spoon.  (If you’re interested in trying out this sub for yourself, use the coupon code COOKSMART for $30 off.)

My meal plan is for a weekly delivery of 2 meals.

Chicken and Dumplings with Carrots and Fresh Thyme
I chose this because chicken and dumplings sounded like amazing comfort food.

The ingredients were all fresh including the chicken.
I got to chopping.

First, I cooked the chicken then I began with the veggies and added on the liquids.

Then I cooked the biscuit mix on top.

And I end up with a warm bowl of soup.

Taste: To quote Tiffany, “Could’ve been so beautiful..could’ve been so right..”
Portion Size: Generous
Good for Entertaining?: No, it’s not interesting or flavorful enough.
I liked how this dish was prepared in one pot, but unfortunately it just didn’t have enough herbs and seasonings. I also wanted it to be creamier. It almost reminded me of a matzo ball soup and I was craving  more of a  cream of chicken. But I could definitely see it becoming a standout dish by just a bit of tweaking.

Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Radishes, Cucumber and Chile
I chose this because love shrimp and this dish sounded quick and easy.

As usual the shrimp was high quality.   Marley Spoon lists the chile in this dish as optional, so I left it out. I actually really enjoy spicy foods but I hate eating raw chiles. I feel like it overwhelms my taste buds and then I can’t taste any other components of a dish.

First you marinate the shrimp.

Then you make a little salad and heat up the tortillas.

After you cook the shrimp, you take them, salad and herbs and pile them onto the tortillas.

Then Voila! Fancy Pants Shrimp Tacos:

Taste: Fresh and Appealing
I really loved the flavor on these shrimp, although my boyfriend complained that the smell of the fish sauce was horrendous. (And when I say “complained” I mean kept shouting “What the hell is that stench!  Open a window!”). The fish sauce odor as it cooked did not translate at all to the taste of the tacos (thank god).
Portion Size: Needs a solid side dish
The salad it comes with is crispy and light, but is mostly used to top the tacos. I felt this recipe was a bit stingy in that it lacked a solid side dish. I think a more robust salad or some coconut rice would have helped.
Good for Entertaining?: Yes.
The recipe is pretty quick and easy to make and has a lot of nice flavors. I’d serve this with a rice dish – probably my go to Spanish style red beans and rice with chorizo, and Mojitos as a cocktail. For an appetizer I’d serve  tortilla chips with a salsa or guacamole for dipping. Dessert would have a tropical component – I’m thinking a coconut cream pie or a pineapple upside down cake.

OVERALL
Verdict: Like
As seems to be the norm for my “Cooking with Marley” sessions, I learned a valuable lesson – fish sauce is not half as bad as it smells. In addition, I feel like I could easily tweak each of these recipes to make them really great. What I liked most about this week was that both of these recipes were on the easier side. They didn’t use a ton of kitchen tools or bowls and had a straightforward prep. It was nice to not have to pound cutlets or create a “breading station”.

I opted to try out Marley Spoon’s Thanksgiving meal so be sure to come back and watch how I struggle with cutting an acorn squash.

Have you ever tried a fresh meal subscription service? If so, what did you think?

THE BACKSTORY
Marley’s Spoon creates delicious, easy to follow recipes.
They deliver fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and you select your recipes from their changing weekly menu.

They are dedicated to sourcing organic and sustainable whenever possible. Building relationships with environmentally aware farms and producers ensures that the highest quality ingredients arrive at your door each week.

Using trusted delivery partners, your Marley Spoon boxes come insulated and chilled, staying cool for 30 hours! After delivery, all the ingredients are guaranteed to stay fresh for up to 4 days – allowing you to decide when to cook.

Marley’s Spoon donates any leftover ingredients to City Harvest. City Harvest exists to end hunger in communities throughout New York City through food rescue and distribution, education, and other practical, innovative solutions.

Each week you’ll automatically receive great dishes, but as a flexible subscription, you can skip a week or pause your subscription anytime. You can also change delivery frequency, recipes, and the number of portions you’d like to receive.

Marley’ Spoon delivers to the mid Atlantic and New England regions: most of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia, and Washington D.C.

Monthly Cost:
Varies by number of servings and number of meals.
Check here for the configuration of your choice

COUPON CODE: COOKSMART

Author: Writer Preziosi

Once upon a time, long, long ago, Lisa attended Syracuse University where she studied singing in a giant castle surrounded by ice and snow. After she earned her music degree, she headed to the island of Manhattan, down to the West Village, to a place called the New School. There, she earned another degree in the great art of writing stories for children. She currently works on that same island trying to help real people, while making up stories about imaginary ones. Her first book, “The Ice Maiden’s Tale,” a fairy tale adventure, was released on May 30, 2017 and is up for sale on Amazon. View all posts by Writer Preziosi