Basil and Lemon Chicken 060810

Basil and Lemon Chicken

1 (3 1/2 lb.) chicken, quartered
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
1/2 c. light clover honey
1/4 c. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh basil
1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper
Clean chicken well. Remove back bone, then flatten breast bone. Place chicken quarters in glass dish.

To make marinade, combine lemon juice, honey, oil, and garlic in blender. Process for 30 seconds. Remove to a bowl, stir in chopped basil and pepper and pour over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight, turning chicken a few times to coat.

To cook, remove chicken from marinade. Place legs and thighs 3-4 inches over medium-hot coals and grill for 10 minutes, turning once. Add breasts to grill and cook 30 minutes, turning and basting every 10 minutes. When crisp, remove and serve with fresh basil on side.

Apricot Chicken Divine=032210

Apricot Chicken Divine

2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
8 skineed chicken breast halves
1/2 c. white flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. apricot preserves
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1 tbsp. slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter with oil in a shallow baking pan. Meanwhile, shake chicken in a plastic bag filled with flour and salt until chicken is coated. Place chicken in a single layer in the baking pan and bake for 25 minutes. Combine apricot preserves, mustard and yogurt. Spread apricot mixture on chicken and bake for 30 minutes more or until done. Just before serving, brown almonds lightly in toaster oven. Sprinkle almonds over chicken and serve over rice. Serves 8.

Yankee Fried Chicken 031810

1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. summer savory
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 (1 1/2 lbs.) chicken breasts
1 c. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
Shortening and butter

Mix buttermilk, summer savory and pepper in large shallow dish. Add chicken; cover and marinate for 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Combine flour, salt and paprika. Coat chicken with flour mixture and let stand for 30 minutes.

Fill skillet 1/2 way with mixture of shortening and butter; heat until hot enough to fry without burning. Fry chicken several pieces at a time for 10-15 minutes or until tender and brown. Drain on paper towel and serve. Yield 4 servings.

Roulade of Chicken

1 (8 oz.) boneless chicken breast
1/2 oz. fresh spinach leaves, sauteed
1/2 oz. smoked salmon, sliced
1/4 tsp. fresh thyme
Salt & pepper
Olive oil

SAUCE:

Olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 oz. capers
1 shallot, minced
1 oz. sun-dried tomato
1/4 c. white wine
2 tbsp. whole unsalted butter
Salt & pepper
1 tsp. parsley, chopped

Lay chicken breast flat with skin side down, place spinach leaves flat in the middle of breast and put sliced salmon in center. Place spinach leaves over salmon and roll chicken lightly. Season with salt and pepper and fresh thyme, drizzle with olive oil and bake.

SAUCE: Heat saute pan with olive oil, saute shallot, capers and sun-dried tomato, add in lemon juice and white wine. Let reduce by half. Lower heat and whisk in whole butter, add chopped parsley, salt and pepper. Yield: 1 portion.

Crusty Chicken Pie 031710

3-4 cups chicken broth
3 large potatoes, quartered
3 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery. sliced
3 cups cooked chicken, cubed
1 3-4 lb. chicken
1 sweet onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 stick sweet unsalted butter
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon sage or bell seasoning
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
5 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

BISCUIT CRUST DOUGH:

1 1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoon butter, sliced thin
1/3 cup sharp cheddar, grated
1 egg

In saucepan melt butter, add olive oil and chopped onion. Fry on high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add herbs, vegetables and garlic and fry 2 more minutes then remove from heat. Stir in flour and blend with fork. Return to heat and slowly add broth, mixing with wire whisk until smooth. Simmer on low heat until vegetables are nearly tender.

For the crust, stir baking powder, soda and salt into flour and mix well. Cut cold butter (use frozen for best results) into flour mixture until only chunks the size of walnuts remain. Add cheese. Add fresh chopped rosemary. Beat the egg with the buttermilk and stir into the dough. Gather the dough into a ball, place in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for 10-15 minutes to set.

Roll dough out on board to 1/2 inch thick. Cut out rounds of dough with a 2-3 inch biscuit cutter. Put cooled chicken mixture in deep dish casserole. Place rounds of biscuit dough until chicken mixture is covered. Brush top with milk or cream.

Bake at 425°F for approximately 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Beer Cooked Chicken 031610

Ingredients:

1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

To Marinate: Pour 1/2 of the beer into a nonporous glass dish or bowl. Add chicken breasts, toss to coat, cover dish and refrigerate for 30 minutes to marinate.

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute for 5 to 10 minutes or until cooked; remove from skillet and reserve, keeping warm.

Melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium high heat and add chicken. Saute 5 to 6 minutes each side or until cooked through and juices run clear. Reduce heat to low, pour remaining beer over chicken and add reserved mushrooms. Cover skillet and let simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

Birthday Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - diced
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 onion, finely chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
4 large potatoes, peeled and diced
6 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 (16 ounce) package frozen sweet peas, thawed
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup milk

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

In a large bowl combine the chicken, cream of mushrooms soup, cream of chicken soup, onion, broth, potatoes, carrots and peas. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into three 1-quart baking dishes.

Melt margarine in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat, stir in flour and whisk. Pour in milk and mix well, then pour mixture evenly over the chicken mixture.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour. Remove from oven and let cool about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Carolina Chicken and Dumplings

5 boneless chicken breasts
1 tsp. salt

BROTH:

2 tbsp. butter
2/3 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
2-3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 can cream of chicken soup

DUMPLINGS:

2 c. self-rising flour
1/2-3/4 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. Crisco shortening

Rinse chicken and place in Dutch oven. Cook chicken in about 1 or 1 1/2 quarts of water until tender. Do not salt. When chicken is tender remove from Dutch oven and let cool. Remove from bones and cut into small pieces.

Broth: Begin with broth saved from cooking chicken. Add butter, salt and milk. Bring to a boil. Add can of cream of chicken soup and chicken bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil before adding dumplings into broth.

Dumplings: Mix flour and shortening. Add buttermilk until moist. Turn dough onto floured dough cloth or wax paper. Knead until fairly stiff. Roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thick; cut in pieces and drop in boiling broth. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring lightly to keep from sticking. Remove from stove and fold in chicken pieces.

Chinese Game Hens

4 game hens, defrosted
1 lg. order Chinese BBQ pork fried rice, about 1 qt.
1 tbsp. oyster sauce
1 egg
BBQ sauce

Mix rice, oyster sauce and egg. Stuff birds. Place on rack in roasting pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roast birds for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Brush with barbecue sauce. Roast 10 minutes more. Serve whole for big appetites. Cut in half for smaller portions. Serves 4 or 8.

Chicken Paprika

4 boneless chicken breasts
2 sticks butter
1 onion, chopped
16 oz. sour cream
4 c. noodles, cooked
2 tbsp. paprika (or, to taste)
salt, pepper and garlic, to your taste

In a large pot, saute chicken, onion, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic in butter until tender. Stir often.

Take chicken out of pot when done. Put to the side. Remove and discard bones (if boneless chicken breasts were not used).

Add remaining ingredients; simmer for 10 minutes; return chicken to pot and heat through.

Serve.

Sauteed Chicken Livers and Brandy

1 lb. fresh chicken livers
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 med. onion, chopped
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp. paprika
2 tbsp. brandy
1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
Parsley to garnish
Lemon to garnish

Wash chicken livers. In a heavy saute pan melt butter until hot. Add chicken livers and brown evenly. Add next 6 ingredients and cook until the livers are cooked almost all the way through. Add brandy and flame. Add cream and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes.

Place on a hot platter and garnish with parsley and lemon. Serve with toast wedges.

Chicken Pot Pie 030610

3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 1/2 cups milk
2 cups Bisquick
1 package frozen Trader Joe's Vegetable Melange in Seasoned Butter Sauce (16 oz.)
3 tablespoons Chicken Better Than Bouillon

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Boil the chicken breasts in enough water to completely cover them. As soon as the water comes to a boil, add the Chicken Better Than Bouillon to the water and stir well. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken and let cool, reserving 1 1/4 cups of the broth. Chop the chicken into very small pieces.

In a very large casserole dish (I use a 5 Quart Corningware) or deep rectangular pan, combine the chicken and the Trader Joe's Vegetable Melange. Stir until evenly mixed.

Combine the 2 cans of soup and the reserved chicken broth. Pour over the chicken/vegetable mixture and mix well. Use a spoon to smooth the top so that there are no air pockets.

Blend the Bisquick and milk thoroughly. Gently pour over the top of the chicken mixture. Use a spoon to smooth the top so that there are no air pockets. This prevents random deep spots that don't cook evenly.

Bake for 60 - 70 minutes until very light golden brown on top.

General Tso Chicken

Marinade:

3 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
l 1/2 tablespoons oyster flavored sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Combine marinade ingredients in a non-metallic bowl or Ziploc bag. Submerge washed chicken in marinade covering all portions.

Allow to stand for 20 to 30 minutes, turning occasionally.

Sauce:

1/4 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons cooking oil
6 small dried red chilies
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
2 green onions, cut into 1-inch lengths
1/2 teaspoon crushed dried red chilies
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, dissolved in water
1/4 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped

Mix sauce ingredients well in a small bowl.

Place a wok over high heat and add oil, swirling to coat sides. Stir-fry the chilies for 30 seconds. Add chicken and cook two minutes. Stir in garlic, ginger, green onions, and crushed chilies; cook for one minute.

Pour in sauce and stir fry for one minute.

In a cup, combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water and stir until smooth. Pour slowly into the wok and cook until sauce bubbles and thickens.

Serve chicken garnished with a sprinkling of peanuts.

Chicken Ala King 030210

2 lg. chicken breasts, boil, debone, dice
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 ribs celery, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
White sauce
Pimento, chopped
Parsley for garnish
Salt and pepper to taste

WHITE SAUCE:

Melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add 2 tablespoons flour. Stir gradually, add 1 1/2 cups milk. Stir and cook until medium consistency.

Add cream of mushroom soup to white sauce. In separate pan, saute celery and shallots. Add to sauce. Add diced chicken and chopped pimento. Serve over toast. Garnish with parsley.

Mediterranean Style Chicken

4-6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3-4 large potatoes, unpeeled and quartered
1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 Tbs finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves,
or 1 tsp dried
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped scallions
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup Kalamata or other black olive
1 cup sliced mushrooms

Place the chicken and potatoes in an oven-proof casserole. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with rosemary, garlic, scallions, salt, and pepper. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 to 60 minutes, turning occasionally. Bake covered in a preheated 400F oven for 30 minutes. Add the olives and mushrooms and bake an additional 30 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

Authentic Asian Chicken Wings

2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbs fresh lime or lemon juice
1 Tbs honey
1 Tbs sesame oil
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp hot red pepper flakes, or to taste (optional)
2 lbs chicken wings

Whisk all the ingredients except the chicken wings together in a large bowl. Add the chicken wings and toss to coat. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours, or overnight, tossing the wings occasionally. Grill over hot coals or under a preheated broiler, turning 2 or 3 times, until no longer pink at the bone, about 10 to 12 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

Chicken Paprika with Dumplings

1 frying chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 large onion, chopped
4 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. Hungarian paprika
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 pint dairy sour cream

In a large heavy or cast-iron skillet, sauté the onions in butter until browned lightly. Remove pan from heat. And add paprika and mix well. Add chicken pieces and return pan to stove. Add water. Cover and simmer over low heat until chicken is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Stir in the sour cream. Heat thoroughly without boiling. Add dumplings (see below).

Dumplings:

3 eggs, beaten
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. salt
1/2 cup water

Combine all the dumplings ingredients. Beat with spoon until smooth. Drop by teaspoon full into boiling salted water; cook until done, approximately 10 minutes. Drain dumplings, rinse with cold water, and add to paprikas.

Honey Bacon Mustard Chicken Strips

2 lbs chicken breast
2 teaspoons bacon fat
3 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon salt
pepper, to taste

Cut thawed chicken breast into strips 2 inches thick.

Melt bacon fat into pan. (I usually grill up some bacon to garnish the chicken with. That amount of fat will do.)

Add chicken to pan while hot and fry for 2 minutes.

After two minutes, add the mustard and honey sauce. If you need more, add more. Sprinkle salt over chicken.

Continue cooking until the chicken is done. A great aroma will start to come from the chicken and it will start to blacken and get sticky on some parts.

Lemon Rosemary Chicken

2 whole, skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 3/4 lb. each)
1/4 c. flour
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tbsp. dried
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1/2 c. dry white wine
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. chopped parsley

Split breasts in half, trim to remove membrane. Dredge in flour, salt, pepper. Heat oil in heavy skillet, large enough to hold chicken in one layer. Add chicken, rosemary and garlic. Cook about 4 minutes until brown on one side. Turn and cook 4 to 5 minutes until golden brown. Do not cover. Pour off fat, leaving chicken, rosemary and garlic. Pour in wine and bring to boil. Add lemon juice and parsley. Cover closely and cook 3 minutes. Remove and discard garlic. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Piccata

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 stick butter
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup milk
3/4 cup very dry white wine
1-2 fresh lemons
1-2 tsp capers, optional

In large saute or fry pan, melt butter. While butter is melting, combine flour, salt and pepper in small bowl. Dip each piece of chicken in milk; shake off excess. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and add to fry pan. (I like to cut chicken breasts in half before coating.)

Saute chicken in butter over medium to medium-high heat until browned and cooked through, turning often. Add more butter as needed. (Be careful turning chicken so as not to break off any of the flour coating.)

Remove chicken from pan and place on platter. Keep chicken warm while making the sauce.

Turn heat to medium high and deglaze with the wine, stirring to get all of the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to medium low and continue to cook sauce, stirring frequently. Squeeze juice of 1/2 lemon through cheesecloth into sauce (add capers at this point if using them) and continue to stir until sauce has thickened slightly.

(Note: Sauce should be tasted frequently, and more wine or lemon can be added as necessary. If sauce does not thicken properly, add a little bit of flour and continue to stir.)

When sauce is ready, add chicken back to the pan and turn to coat.

For serving: Remove chicken to serving platter and top with any additional sauce, parsley sprigs and lemon slices.