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: Spanish Style Chicken Casserole

The author of this recipe said that it was “something to shake up the taste buds,” and I agree. It certainly wasn’t the usually chicken casserole made with creamed soups and egg noodles that many of us are familiar with (and love). The friends I invited over for dinner also agreed that it was “different,” meaning that it wasn’t typical Minnesota fare, which in some cases, is probably a good thing. Anyway, they loved it, so I thought I would share it with you: “Spanish Style Chicken Casserole” submitted by “Mountainmama” on GroupRecipes.com.

Ingredients:

• 4 portions of chicken (I used 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
• 6 chopped tomatoes
• 3 medium potatoes cut into quarters
• 12 pitted black olives
• 1 chopped green pepper
• 1 large chopped onion
• 2 crushed cloves of garlic
• 1 oz. all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• ½ cup red wine
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Rinse the chicken pieces under water and pat dry with a paper towel.
• Mix the flour, paprika, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish or bowl; then coat the chicken portions with the flour mixture.
• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan; then add the chicken pieces. Cook until the chicken pieces are browned, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the saucepan and set aside.
• Add the chopped onion and garlic to the pan and cook for several minutes until the onion has softened; then add the chopped green pepper and the tomatoes. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes more.
• Return the chicken to the pan; add the chicken stock, the red wine, and the potatoes.
• Stir all of the ingredients together and cook on low heat for several minutes; then add the olives and the bay leaf.
• Transfer the casserole mixture to an ovenproof casserole dish, cover, and bake for 1 hour.

I don’t know whether this is truly a Spanish dish or whether it’s Mountainmama’s conception of Spanish cuisine, but I guess that really isn’t important. What I do know is that it’s delicious, and I’m sure you’ll agree when you try it.

 

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: 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: Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole

Winter is my favorite time of the year to enjoy a good chicken casserole, one that’s easy to make and delicious, pulled from the oven hot and bubbly, ready to enjoy. I usually like to make my mother’s recipe with the freshly roasted chicken, the wide egg noodles, and the crumbled potato chips on top, but I wanted to find one that was quicker to make, so as usual, I searched the Web and found one that looked good. “Easy Chicken Noodle Casserole,” featured on RecipeTips.com, is definitely easy to make and less time consuming, and it’s also quite tasty. It’s really nothing like my mother’s chicken casserole recipe, as it contains sour cream and mushrooms, and the topping incorporates bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. The recipe also calls for canned chicken, which is an ingredient that Mom never uses in her version; if it isn’t freshly roasted and pulled off the bone, she won’t use it. I must say that I was leery about using the canned chicken, but it was much better than I thought it would be. It certainly saved time not having to roast a whole chicken, allow it to cool, and then pull the meat from the bones.

I can honestly say that I prefer Mom’s chicken casserole recipe to any other version I’ve tried; nevertheless, this RecipeTips.com recipe was still quite good and is one that I’ll most likely make again. Go to the recipe and see what you think.

 

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: Chicken, Rice, and Green Bean Casserole

When I found this recipe on the RecipeTips.com site, it looked like it would be a tasty dish to make after the Thanksgiving holiday—one of those quick and easy recipes that allow you to use up some of that leftover Thanksgiving turkey. I decided to try it last weekend using chicken, as the recipe calls for, to find out whether it would worth making again after the holiday. The answer was yes, I will definitely be making “Chicken, Rice, and Green Bean Casserole” again after the holiday, substituting the chicken with turkey. With only nine simple ingredients—mushroom soup, milk, uncooked rice, chopped cooked chicken, frozen green beans, canned mushrooms, pimentos, shredded cheddar cheese, and French fried onion rings—this dish was prepared, baked, and ready to serve in just under an hour.

Chicken, Rice, and Green Bean Casserole

This recipe is basically a variation on the ubiquitous Thanksgiving side dish, “Green Bean Casserole,” but it’s so much better. With the inclusion of chicken, rice, mushrooms, and cheddar cheese, it’s hearty enough to be served as a main meal; in fact, I served it with just some crusty bread rolls and nothing else (oh, and maybe a glass of wine or two). The recipe states that the French fried onions are optional, but I can’t imagine making the dish without them. The onions provide terrific flavor, and the crispy golden brown topping that forms in combination with the shredded cheese is unbeatable. Give this recipe a try and you won’t be disappointed.

 

Food Memories: Birthdays

My first posting about a food memory is, of course, associated with a chicken recipe. As children, my brother and sister and I were always treated to our favorite foods at dinner time (or, supper, as we called it). Mom would fix anything we wanted, within reason of course—she wasn’t about to serve an entire plateful of cookies or candy. Most often, I chose chicken casserole. (Like most good Minnesotans, we called it “chicken hot dish,” don’t cha know, but I thought it would be less confusing to call it a “casserole” for the benefit of all of you who are not familiar with our odd colloquialisms.)

 

Mom’s chicken casserole was the best! She would roast a whole chicken and then remove the meat from the bones—no canned chicken swimming in salt-laden water or prepackaged frozen stuff for her. She used big egg noodles, and the cream sauce she made was out of this world—it wasn’t just a can of cream of chicken soup. And, just for me, she would top the whole thing with a generous portion of crushed potato chips, which she hated to do because she said that potato chips ruined it, but after all, it was my birthday.