Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicken. Show all posts

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Curried Chicken Salad

I had forgotten how much I love curry seasoning until recently. Now that I've remembered, I've been using it in a lot of things. Recently, Adam and I went on a "Walking Food Tour" of Knoxville and LOVED it - such a fun, unique thing to do, and it introduced us to a lot of local restaurants that create incredible dishes using local ingredients and local talent. We got to sample dishes from each place and discovered some great new eateries we vowed to revisit soon. It was a lot of fun, and during the tour, we encountered a place that served curried chicken salad, and I decided that I needed to learn to make that on my own - it is fabulous! This is simple, especially if you have shredded chicken on hand, and it would be great in a lot of different lunch mediums - lettuce cups, pitas, wheat bread, or even an english muffin. Yummy! (Adjust all amounts to taste!)

2 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 c. shredded, cooked chicken
1/2 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped cashews
1/4 c. raisins
1/4 c. chopped scallions
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together mayonnaise and curry powder. Add remaining ingredients. Serve on sandwiches or lettuce wraps.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Rosemary Lemon Chicken Skillet

This is a recipe I got off Pinterest and it is PHENOMENAL. It is easy, simple, and - best of all? ONE POT MEAL. That's always a winner in my book!

Rosemary Chicken Skillet

3/4 lb. small red-skinned potatoes, halved, or quartered if large
Kosher salt
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus 1-1/2 Tbsp. leaves
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Pinch red pepper flakes
Juice of 2 lemons (squeezed halves reserved)
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
10 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved

Preheat oven to 450° F. Cover potatoes with cold salted water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until tender, about 8 minutes; drain and spread on a greased roasting pan. Mince and mash rosemary leaves, garlic, 2 tsp. salt and red pepper flakes into a paste. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in juice of 1 lemon and the olive oil. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken on both sides. Remove chicken from pan then add and sauté mushrooms. Place chicken over mushrooms and drizzle with any leftover marinade and remaining lemon juice. Add rosemary sprigs and squeezed lemon halves to the skillet. Transfer to the oven, along with potatoes, and roast, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and potatoes are crisped, 20 minutes.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

I've taken a semi-hiatus from cooking. I am making my comeback, and remembering why, exactly, I love cooking so much. For me, there's nothing better than cooking. I can't even explain it. Seeing the raw ingredients turn into something incredible. Seeing the whole be infinitely better than the parts. Feeding my friends, family, and loved ones delicious and healthy meals that are good for the body and soul. Doing my best to eat deliciously on a budget. Finding and using ingredients I've only read about in books. Tasting something for the first time and feeling a little bit of heaven. I have never understood when people don't feel the same way about food.

Anyway, here's a delicious and healthy meal. It is pretty price-conscious (you you can put as much or as little chicken as you want, and the vegetables are usually cheap as long as you get the asparagus on sale). You can adjust all amounts as you please, and adding an extra celery stalk here and cup of stock there really adds up and can make a HUGE pot of soup. (Leftovers are delicious.) Don't leave out the poultry seasoning - it makes a big difference. This is great for cold nights, and it comes together so quickly. Enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter, cut into pieces 
2 russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, chopped 
3 celery hearts, finely chopped 
2 carrots, peeled and diced 
1 dried bay leaf
Salt and pepper 
1 tsp. poultry seasoning 
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 
6 c. chicken stock 
1½ lbs. chicken tenders, chopped 
1 small bunch pencil asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces 
1 c. frozen peas, a couple of handfuls 
2 to 3 Tbsp. fresh tarragon, 4 to 5 sprigs, chopped

Heat a large, deep skillet or a medium soup pot over medium high heat. Add olive oil and butter. When butter is melted, add potatoes, onions, celery and carrots. Add bay leaf; season veggies with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning, cook 5 to 6 minutes to soften them a bit. Add flour and cook 1 minute; whisk in wine and cook 1 minute. Add stock and bring to a boil. Slide in chicken and cook 5 minutes. Stir in asparagus and cook 3 minutes more. Turn off heat and add the peas and tarragon. Stir to combine. Let heat and serve!

Note: Serve with bread, if you're so inclined. Adam loved a marbled rye with it, but any good bread will do.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Finals Food

It happens to the best of us. It's at this time of year that I start throwing things together in an attempt to get some sort of nutrition in as I cram for finals. 

If you find yourself in a bind and knowing you need to eat more healthy foods (let's face it, we all need extra help... Cafe Rio can only provide so much nutrition), give these a whirl. I promise they're quick and easy, and give you at least a serving of vegetables. Clean-up is quick too.

Chicken and Biscuits Casserole

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. sour cream, divided
2 c. chopped cooked chicken (if using raw, allow to bake for 45-60 minutes and drop biscuits on top after 15-20 minutes)
16-oz. pkg. frozen mixed vegetables
1 c. shredded mild cheddar cheese
2 c. Bisquick mix
6 Tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 375° F. In a 9x13 dish, mix soup and 1/2 c. sour cream, then add chicken, veggies, and cheese. Mix together Bisquick, 1/2 c. sour cream and milk to form stiff dough; drop into 6 mounds over chicken mixture. Bake 35 minutes, or until biscuits are golden brown and chicken mixture is hot and bubbly.


Chicken and Biscuits Casserole




Sausage Omelette

(Brown country sausage with chopped onions and peppers; add beaten eggs and allow to set; fold onto plate and immediately put cheese on top to melt.)



Saturday, February 20, 2010

Pecan Crusted Chicken

Chicken that tastes like fried chicken, but isn't fried?! I can handle that... (FYI, I have a pretty serious aversion to frying things. It's not healthy - I'd rather have dessert if I'm not going to be healthy - and it stinks up the house and makes a huge mess... but it just tastes so darn good!) Needless to say, my brother (who has the palate of a 5 year-old) loved this chicken. In his words, "I ... actually LIKE this!" If that seal of approval isn't enough to convince you, maybe the pictures will do the trick:


Pecan Crusted Chicken


Greens dressed with homemade Honey Mustard Vinaigrette



Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Honey Butter

My dear friends, while this recipe takes a tad more time than the average recipe, it is a culinary showstopper. It tastes amazing, is very healthy, takes little effort, and it fills you without making you feel stuffed. (Translation: leaves room for dessert!!) If you make nothing else, try the honey mustard dressing - it is so easy and so much better than any other honey mustard out there! (Except for Rush Street in Kingsport, of course.) This meal serves 4, but it is easy to scale down portions or add extra servings as necessary.

Pecan Crusted Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise and pounded slightly
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 egg whites
2 tsp. cornstarch
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 c. ciabatta breadcrumbs, toasted in 200* F. oven for 10-15 minutes
3/4 c. very finely chopped pecans
1/2-1 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
3 Tbsp. olive oil

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. Season both sides of each chicken breast half with salt and pepper. Set up a dredging station (I use pie tins or shallow dishes):

1) Flour
2) Egg whites, corn starch, and lemon juice, whisked together
3) Breadcrumbs, pecans, and cayenne

Dip each chicken breast half in flour, shaking off excess. Next, dip in egg white mixture (make sure chicken is well-coated), then into breadcrumb mixture. Put chicken breasts on a paper towel-lined wire rack to rest for 20 minutes.

Heat oven to 350* F. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat olive oil over medium/medium-high heat. Once oil is shimmering, sear chicken breasts for about 3 minutes on one side. Turn chicken and put into oven for 5-7 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from oven (do yourself a favor and put a towel on the handle of the hot skillet to keep yourself from burning your hand!), and serve immediately.

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

1/4 c. honey
3 Tbsp. dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. finely minced shallot
1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix together all ingredients in a shaker. (Don't put the honey in the shaker first - it will take a lot more effort to get it off the bottom!) For an extra treat, dress a big bowl of greens with this dressing, and slice and serve chicken on top of the greens. The chicken is surprisingly good with this dressing.

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon Honey Butter

4 sweet potatoes, washed
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
1-2 tsp. honey, or to taste
1/4-1/2 tsp. cinnamon, or to taste
Pinch salt

Heat oven to 450* F. Wrap potatoes in foil and bake for about an hour, or until fork-tender (depends on thickness of potatoes). Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. (This is the perfect time to turn down the heat and put the chicken in the oven.) Meanwhile, mix together butter, honey, cinnamon, and salt. Split potatoes and serve with 1 Tbsp. butter.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Cantonese Orange Stir Fry




Beautiful. Simple. Comes together quickly, and presents pretty well! You can serve this with rice - since it was just me eating and it's hard to cook for one, I just left the rice out and ate the whole thing by myself. :) This would also be delicious with broccoli.

Cantonese Orange Stir Fry

For the Sauce:
1-1/2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tsp. soy sauce
1/4 c. homemade or lower-salt canned chicken broth
2 Tbsp. thawed frozen orange juice concentrate
1-1/2 tsp. oyster sauce
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

For the Stir-Fry:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of any fat or sinew
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
Ground white pepper
1 c. sliced carrots (I used pre-cut matchsticks)
1 c. green bell pepper strips (2x1/3-inch strips)
1 c. sliced shiitake mushroom caps (I used cremini)
1 c. sliced red onions (1/2-inch slices)
2 Tbsp. very thinly sliced scallions
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
2 tsp. minced garlic

For the Sauce:
In a measuring cup, combine the cornstarch with the soy sauce, whisking to blend. Then whisk in the chicken broth, orange juice concentrate, oyster sauce, sugar, and minced ginger.

For the Stir-Fry:
Cut the chicken across the grain into 1/4-inch slices, then into pieces 2 inches long and 1 inch wide. Season the chicken with kosher salt and a dash of white pepper; toss to combine. Fill a small bowl with water and keep it near the stove. Heat a 12-inch skillet or a stir-fry pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add 1 Tbs. of the vegetable oil, swirl to coat the pan evenly, and heat until the oil just barely begins to smoke, about 30 seconds (only a light haze is necessary). Add the seasoned chicken. Let it sear for about 15 seconds and then begin to stir occasionally (every 10 seconds or so) until its raw appearance is gone but the center is slightly undercooked — 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil to the pan and swirl to coat evenly. Add the carrots, green bell peppers, mushrooms, and red onions and 1 Tbsp. water and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the scallions, ginger and garlic and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 1 to 4 minutes. If the bottom of the pan looks like it's starting to burn, add more water, 1 Tbsp. at a time.

Stir the chicken back into the pan and cook for another 30 seconds to reheat and blend the flavors. Whisk the sauce to recombine it. Pour the sauce into the pan, stirring well to coat evenly, and cook until it thickens, 15 to 20 seconds. Transfer the stir-fry to a bowl and serve immediately.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Chicken with Apple, Onion, and Cider Sauce

Very easy, very simple, very delicious, and EASY clean-up! (That part's my favorite!) Be sure you cut the apple and onion into big pieces, or they will absorb too much of the sauce. I served this with steamed broccoli and salad. It was a very easy, quick meal - less than 30 minutes from start to table, and I hadn't even made it before! I really recommend this one. It's not a showstopper but it's a great weeknight meal, and good enough to serve to company if you want to go low-key!


Chicken with Apple, Onion, and Cider Sauce

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs.)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large red onion, cut into LARGE pieces
1 granny smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into LARGE pieces
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1½ c. low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add 2 Tbsp. oil to the pan. Place the chicken in the skillet smooth-side down and cook until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking dish and bake until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the onion and apple to the skillet, along with 1 Tbsp. oil, if the pan is dry, and increase the heat to high. Cook, tossing, until the onion has wilted slightly and the apple is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the pan. Let the mixture boil until the vinegar becomes syrupy, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and return to a boil. Cook until the broth reduces by half. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and whisk in the butter.

Remove the chicken from the oven; add any collected juices to the sauce. Divide the chicken among four plates and spoon the apple, onion and pan sauce over each piece.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Citrus Broiled Chicken

This is a great low-carb recipe if you don't serve it with rice, but I love the rice so I go for it. (Boil it in chicken stock rather than water - you'll be amazed at the difference in flavor.) It's seriously easy and delicious, and it's easy to adapt it to whatever veggies you have in your kitchen. The broiling creates an incredible crust and the marinade is out of this world (despite how easy it is!). Try it - I KNOW you'll love it!

Citrus Broiled Chicken

2/3 c. soy sauce
1/4 c. orange juice
2 Tbsp. lime juice
Zest of one orange
Zest of one lime
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine soy sauce, orange and lime juices, orange and lime zest, and garlic. Pour mixture over chicken in large plastic food storage bag. Press air out of bag; close top securely. Turn bag over several times to coat chicken. Marinate for one hour, turning bag over once. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Broil chicken 5 inches from heat source for 8 minutes; turn over and cook an additional 6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.

A great side dish for this chicken is a vegetable mix of sliced red, yellow, and green bell peppers, red onions, carrots, snow peas, broccoli, and garlic, quickly sautéed in olive oil with extra marinade. Serve with hot cooked rice, if desired.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Chicken Pot Pie

Easy and delicious!

Chicken Pot Pie

3-4 chicken breasts, cut into 1/2" cubes
Salt and pepper
Poultry seasoning
3-4 carrots, peeled, sliced
8 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 smallish onion, chopped
1 small baking potato, peeled, chopped
1 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 c. frozen green peas
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. chicken stock
1½ c. Bisquick
1 c. milk
2 Tbsp. melted butter

Preheat oven to 350° F and lightly grease a 9x13 glass baking dish. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning, to taste. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, brown chicken with carrot, mushrooms, onion, and potato (and S&P to taste) until chicken is browned, onion and carrot are tender, and mushrooms have released their liquid. In the last 2 minutes, add FRESH corn. (If corn is frozen, just add it with the peas.) Remove from heat and allow to cool a few minutes. In prepared 9x13 dish, layer chicken mixture with corn and peas. In a separate bowl, whisk together soup and chicken stock, and season with salt and pepper. Pour over casserole. Whisk together Bisquick and milk, and pour over casserole. Drizzle butter over casserole. Bake until the topping is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.

Note: to make this easier, you can substitute frozen for a lot of these vegetables, but I enjoyed the taste of fresh, and it didn't take a whole lot longer to prep and sauté the fresh vegetables. Also, you can substitute shredded rotisserie chicken for the raw then sautéed chicken. Just heat it in the sauté pan with the poultry seasoning. DON'T LEAVE OUT THE POULTRY SEASONING. It makes such a big difference!