Category: POULTRY

ITALIAN Chicken and Noodles

1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts or tenders
1 medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped *see notes
1 1/2 cups of finely chopped carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Sweet paprika
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon avocado oil
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1/3-1/2 cup chicken broth
Prepared noodles
Prepared mashed potatoes (noodles AND mashed potatoes were grams AND great grams way favorite way of serving this)

• In a large sauce skillet, melt butter and avocado oil.
• Add generously seasoned chicken pieces. Pan sauce 2-3 minutes per side until JUST cooked through. Remove to cutting board for shredding.
• Add carrots, cooking until they begin to soften.
• Add celery and onions.
• Add tomatoes, bay leaf, paprika and minced garlic.
• Add in chicken broth, stirring to blend.
• Reduce to a simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until carrots are cooked through and tender. If gravy is too thin, see notes.
• Remove bay leaf, add in chicken pieces and heat through.
• Fold in noodles.
• Serve over mashed potatoes immediately.

NOTES:

• A can of petite diced tomatoes can easily be substituted.
• If it is too thin, then make a slurry from a tablespoon or 2 of the gravy and a tablespoon or 2 of cornstarch. Add into the pan, stirring constantly, but gently to blend until you reach the desired consistency.
• Great grams always started with a whole chicken and would boil it down to pieces and use the cooking water as the broth which adds white a bit of flavor.

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast
Wondra
1 lemon
1 lime
sea salt and white pepper to taste
1 teaspoon red chile pepper flakes
1/4 cup Cream Sherry or 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Avocado oil
1 small Vidalia onion, sliced thin
1 clove garlic, minced

• In a large skillet melt butter, add oil and bring to medium high heat.
• Add onions and garlic until fragrant.
• Dredge chicken breast in flour.
• Move onions to outside ring of the pan.
• Add chicken pieces salt & peppering as you brown them (about 5 minutes per side)
• While chicken is browning, roll lemon and lime on the counter to loosen pulp and juice.
• Plate chicken and keep warm.
• Add cream sherry to deglaze pan, scrapping up the bits at the bottom.
• Dissolve the sugar into the lemon and lime juice. Add red pepper flakes.
• Pour over onions and cook a few minutes more until juice forms a glaze.
• Pour over plated chicken and serve immediately.

This is a WONDERFUL and deliciously simple recipe. Chicken thighs OR breasts cooked in browned butter infused with honey, garlic and lemon juice. Simple ingredients BUT maximum flavor!

PAN SEARED CHICKEN & VEGGIES IN LEMON HONEY GARLIC BUTTER

6 chicken thighs (or 4 large chicken breast fillets pounded thin) (bone in or out/skin on or off)
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 tablespoons butter, divided
4 tablespoons QUALITY honey
1 tablespoon minced garlic, or 4 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 medium lemon
2-4 tablespoons chicken broth OPTIONAL
3 cups broccoli florets OPTIONAL
4 Lemon wedges, to serve
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Sear chicken in an oven proof skillet or pan, skin side down first for 3 minutes. Flip and sear for a further 3 minutes until browned.
• Transfer chicken to a plate.
• Add lemon juice, garlic and honey to pan, blending well.
• Add the chicken into the sauce in the pan, turning to coat well.
• Transfer to the oven for a further 20-25 minutes until completely cooked through and no longer pink inside.
• Change oven settings to broil (or grill), until nicely charred on the tops.
• To serve, add the lemon wedges around the chicken, garnish with parsley and drizzle with the pan juices.
• Serve with steamed vegetables; over rice or noodles, or with a salad!

ALTERNATIVE – FOR BONELESS SKINLESS CHICKEN FILLETS (my preferred way of making this dish) I also prefer carrots and snap peas

• Sear boneless chicken thighs or breast fillets on both sides until golden and cooked through.
• Transfer chicken to a warm plate; set aside.
• Make the sauce following recipe directions.
• Add the chicken back into to the browned butter/honey mixture in the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes in the sauce, while basting the tops with the pan juices.
• Flip and continue cooking in the sauce until cooked through.
• Season with a little extra salt and pepper, to your taste, if desired.