Chicken Recipes: Chicken or Turkey Enchiladas

I turned to one of my favorite “comfort food” recipes to use up some of that Thanksgiving turkey: the “Chicken Enchiladas” recipe that I found about a year and half ago on RecipeTips.com. Yes, even at my house, we occasionally walk on the wild side and serve something other than chicken. This casserole-like dish is a snap to make, and it really lends itself nicely to using any type of leftover poultry (although I still prefer to use chicken). Go to RecipeTips.com and check out this great recipe. I know you’re going to enjoy “Chicken Enchiladas,” even if you make them with turkey instead.

 

Chicken Recipes: Lemon Rosemary Chicken and Roasted Vegetables

Last night, I made one of my favorite chicken dishes. This recipe is one that I’ve written about before, but I just felt the need to once again let you know how sensational it is. I usually make this recipe during the late fall to early spring when the weather is too cold to enjoy outdoor grilling. See my blog post from May 2, 2008 for the complete recipe; then enjoy this fantastic one-pan meal.

 

Chicken Recipes: Chicken Pot Pie (Number 9)

I love chicken pot pie, and this recipe, which I found on AllRecipes.com, is particular good. Maybe it’s the combination of the simple ingredients with the fresh chicken (don’t use precooked) that made it so good, or maybe it was the premade piecrusts that I chose (I used Pillsbury), but whatever it was, this chicken pot pie was hard to beat. It’s called “Chicken Pot Pie IX” and was submitted by Robbie Rice, who I would like to thank for providing me with the best chicken pot pie I’ve eaten in a long time.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cubed
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• ½ cup sliced celery
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon celery seed
• 1 ¾ cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 unbaked pie crusts (9-inch size)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425ºF.
• In a saucepan, combine the chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover. Boil for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain, and set aside.
• In the saucepan over medium heat, cook the onions in butter until soft and translucent.
• Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed.
• Slowly stir in the chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Place the chicken mixture onto the bottom piecrust.
• Pour the hot liquid mixture over the chicken mixture.
• Cover with the top piecrust, seal the edges, and cut away the excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Delicious!

 

Chicken Recipes: Herbed Chicken Casserole

Here’s a simple chicken casserole that I found on RecipeZaar.com that, like the author of the recipe says, is “easy to throw together on a busy day.” “Herbed Chicken Casserole” has a rich sauce flavored with white wine, and it has plenty of chicken, rice, and other ingredients to make a satisfying meal.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked chicken
• 1 package (6 ounces) long grain and wild rice blend
• ¾ cup sauterne or other white wine
• 1 can (10 ¾ ounces) cream of chicken soup
• ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup sliced celery
• 2  cans (3 ounces) sliced mushrooms, drained
• 2 tablespoons chopped pimiento

Directions:

• Prepare the rice according to package directions.
• Spoon the rice into a 2-quart baking dish.
• Arrange the chicken over the top of the rice.
• Pour the white wine and the soup in a skillet. Over medium heat, stir until blended.
• Add the butter, celery, mushrooms, and pimiento.
• Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
• Pour the soup mixture over the chicken.
• Bake, covered, at 350ºF for 25 minutes.
• Uncover and continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes or until heated through.

I want to thank “Lvs2Cook” for this tasty recipe, which is one that I know I’ll be making again.

 

Chicken Recipes: Chicken Stew Served with Classic Dumplings

Easy, inexpensive, and delicious are three appropriate words to describe this hearty dish that I found on the BettyCrocker.com website. “Chicken Stew with Classic Dumplings” is the perfect late winter meal when food preparation time is short and economy is a high priority. This dish required only about an hour to prepare and the cost was minimal, especially since I already had most of the ingredients on hand. The only ingredients I needed to purchase were celery and an additional can of chicken broth. And, since the recipe was enough for more than two meals at my house, it was cheap eating (but it certainly didn’t taste that way).

Ingredients List:

For the Chicken Stew:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 medium stalks celery, coarsely chopped (2 cups)
• 3 medium carrots, thinly sliced (1½ cups)
• 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 3 cups cooked chicken, cubed (I used chicken breasts.)
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 6 cups chicken broth

 For the Dumplings:

• 1½  cups self-rising flour
• ¼ cup shortening
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• ½ cup chicken broth

 

Directions:

For the Chicken Stew:

• In Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
• Add the celery, carrots, and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until tender.
• Stir in the chicken, pepper, and 6 cups of chicken broth. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; then simmer for 15 minutes.

 For the Dumplings:

• While the stew is simmering, place the flour in medium bowl. Cut in the shortening, using a pastry blender, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Stir in the parsley.
• Add ½ cup of chicken broth and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto chicken or vegetables in the simmering stew. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 10 to 15 minutes or until the dumplings are firm.

 

Chicken Recipes: Creamy Chicken Casserole

I’m still in my, “wintertime is chicken casserole time” mode, so I found another good one on RecipeTips.com called, “Creamy Chicken Casserole.” Creamy is certainly a good word to describe this tasty concoction. Give it a try and see what I mean.

Creamy Chicken Casserole

Ingredients List:

• 8 ounces egg noodles
• 2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• ½ cup onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• ¾ cup milk
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup peas, frozen or canned
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 350°F.
• Cook the noodles according to the package directions; drain and set aside.
• In a saucepan, cook the celery and onion in the butter until tender.
• Stir in the sour cream, milk, cream of chicken soup, chicken, mushrooms, peas, and noodles. Mix until well combined.
• Pour the mixture into a greased casserole dish.
• Sprinkle the top with the parmesan cheese and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly.

I have one word for this recipe: Yum!

 

Chicken Recipes: Lemonade Chicken

Lemon chicken has always been one of my favorites, but I don’t make it as often as I’d like—there are always so many other great chicken recipes to try. Well, the other night, I decided that it was a good time to serve it for dinner, because the weather was brutally cold and I needed something that would remind me of summer. And, lemon chicken definitely reminds me of summer—probably because most often, I make it on the grill and serve it outdoors on the patio, surrounded by friends on a warm, muggy evening in July. (Sounds like heaven right now; the temperature is minus 20! And, rather than being surrounded by friends, I’m surrounded by an electric blanket.) Anyway, I decided to search for a new oven-baked version of this tasty treat, and what I found was a recipe called, “Oven Fried Lemonade Chicken” on AllRecipes.com. Actually, according to the author of the recipe, “Debholdridge,” this dish is an adaptation of an old recipe found in TV Guide magazine several decades ago.

Ingredients List:

• 1 can (6 ounces) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 6 skinless and boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 ½ cups cornflakes cereal
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed thyme

Directions:

• Pour the thawed lemonade concentrate, salt, and pepper into a resealable plastic bag.
• Add the chicken breasts and coat with the marinade. Squeeze out the excess air and seal the bag. Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (about 175ºC). Spray a baking sheet generously with cooking spray.
• Place the cornflakes in another resealable plastic bag and crush them into fine crumbs. Add the thyme and mix thoroughly.
• Remove the chicken pieces from the marinade and shake off the excess; then discard the remaining marinade. Place the chicken pieces into the bag containing the cornflake crumb mixture and shake to coat the pieces well.
• Place the chicken breasts on the prepared baking sheet, making sure that they don’t touch. Spray each one lightly with cooking spray. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes or until the  juices run clear and the coating is brown and crunchy.

This was such a simple recipe to prepare, but it provides so much flavor and texture. I think it’s the most “lemony” lemon chicken I’ve ever had. The bold, tart flavor and the crunchy corn coating make this chicken recipe a real treat.

 

Chicken Recipes: Baked Chicken with Pasta

With winter upon us and the weather looking really ugly, it’s the time of year to treat ourselves to some of our favorite comfort foods. One of mine has always been chicken casserole—or casseroles, since there are so many variations that I enjoy. (Mom’s is still the best, however. See “Food Memories: Birthdays.”) The version I found on RecipeTips.com is certainly one of those that I have added to my list of favorites. “Baked Chicken with Pasta” is a thick, creamy, stick-to-your-ribs variety that I really enjoyed.

Baked Chicken with Pasta

Ingredients List:

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 8 ounces of mushrooms (use your favorite), sliced
• 4 ounces of pimento, drained and chopped
• ½ teaspoon of poultry seasoning
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme (use just the leaves)
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 – 10 ¾ ounce can of cream of celery soup
• 1 – 10 ¾ ounce can of cream of chicken soup (Use the kind with herbs if you can find it.)
• 2 cups of chicken broth
• 8 ounces of Velveeta cheese, cubed
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts that have been seasoned with lemon pepper; then sautéed or grilled and chopped into bite-size pieces. You may also use 3 to 4 cups of leftover chicken, which is what I did. (Of course, I would have preferred to grill the chicken first, but the grilling season is now only a memory.)
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 16 ounces of spaghetti, fettuccini, or angel hair pasta (I used the fettuccini this time, because it was what I had on hand.)
• 1 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
• ½ cup of Romano cheese, shredded (You can also use shredded parmesan cheese.)

Directions:

• In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and sauté the onion, pepper, mushrooms, and celery.
• Add the pimento, poultry seasoning, thyme leaves, garlic, and green pepper. Stir to combine and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in the soups, chicken broth, and Velveeta cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.
• Add the chicken to the skillet and stir it into the other ingredients until well blended; then lower the heat to low.
• While the chicken mixture is simmering, bring water to a boil in a large pot, and cook the pasta according to the package directions.
• When the pasta is cooked, drain it; then add it to the chicken mixture. Gentle stir to combine the pasta with the other ingredients and heat thoroughly.
• Pour everything into a greased casserole dish.
• In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the bread crumbs and the shredded Romano or parmesan cheese; then sprinkle this mixture on top of the casserole.
• Bake the casserole at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

If you would prefer, you can use some of that Thanksgiving turkey that you may have stored in the freezer rather than using chicken. (I stuck with the chicken.) I suppose you could serve the casserole with a salad and bread and side dishes and all that extra stuff if you would want to, but I thought it was so filling and satisfying, that it really was enough by itself. Enjoy!

 

Chicken Recipes: Honey Fried Chicken

Five days of leftover Thanksgiving turkey—in sandwiches, casseroles, and soups—it’s about all I can handle. Although I really like turkey on the day it’s roasted, I really get tired of it in a hurry. Some people tell me, “You can eat chicken seven days a week and never get bored with it, why not turkey? What’s the difference?” Well, I can tell the difference, and for me, the taste of turkey just can’t compare with that of chicken. With that said, I’m happy to be getting back to preparing one of my favorite foods using my tried and true recipes, as well as new recipes that I hope I’ll be able to include among my favorites. The following chicken recipe is one of those new ones that I’ll definitely be adding to my list of favorites.

“Honey Fried Chicken,” a recipe I found on the AllRecipes.com Website, is one of the best fried chicken recipes I’ve ever tasted—so simple to make and so good. The person submitting the recipe said that it was one that he or she tried to copy from a recipe served at a New England restaurant. (I’d sure like to know the name of the restaurant, since I travel to New England at least once a year.)

Honey Fried Chicken

Ingredients List:

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs.), cut into pieces (I used precut chicken pieces)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 packet of chicken bouillon granules
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 quart vegetable oil (for frying—I used a bit less because the oil should be no deeper than one inch in the pan, so apparently, my pan must have been smaller than what was used by the creator of the recipe).

Instructions:

• Sprinkle salt and pepper on the chicken pieces.
• After the chicken is seasoned, coat the pieces with the honey
• Stir together the garlic powder, chicken bouillon granules, and the flour in a shallow dish or bowl.
• Dredge the honey-coated chicken pieces in flour mixture until the pieces are completely coated.
• Add vegetable oil to a depth of one inch in a large heavy skillet. Heat the oil on the stovetop using a medium-high heat setting.
• Fry the chicken for at least five minutes per side or until the meat is no longer pink and the juices run clear.

Enjoy!

 

Chicken Recipes: Chicken Normande with Mashed Apples and Potatoes

In my last entry, I reported that the weather during the first week of November was perfect for grilling: sunny and unbelievably warm for this time of year, but my schedule didn’t permit me to do any cooking that week except for the slow cooker meal I threw together on election morning. Well, I really think I’ve missed my last window of opportunity to enjoy grilled food outdoors this season, for the weather has turned really ugly, and this being Minnesota, it’s highly unlikely that we’ll see more days suitable for grilling unless you don’t mind wearing a parka and woolen mittens while tending the grill. It’s always a sad time when I have to put the grill away for the season, but I’ll be compensated with a whole winter’s worth of delicious baked, sautéed, pan-fried, stir-fried, and slow-cooked chicken dishes that will certainly suffice until next spring.

Among those dishes is a new chicken recipe that I made last night called, “Chicken Normande with Mashed Apples and Potatoes” that I found on the Epicurious.com site. It is actually a recipe posted there from the February 2000 issue of Bon Appétit. Although the preparation time is a bit lengthier than what I have been used to for the past several months, having made umpteen quick and easy grilled chicken dishes, it certainly isn’t complicated and it’s definitely worth the effort.

This recipe incorporates chicken thighs that have been cut into pieces; seasoned with salt, pepper, and thyme; dusted with flour; and sautéed until browned and cooked through. The chicken is placed into a baking dish and is layered with cooked parsnips, uncooked peas, cooked apples and Yukon Gold potatoes (my favorite variety) that have been mashed, and a rich cream sauce flavored with brandy; then it’s baked in a 350°F oven for 35 to 45 minutes. With its golden brown potato and apple crust, this dish is like a French version of a shepherd’s pie, only better. This is one chicken recipe that I’ll be making again and again during the upcoming winter months.