Category: POULTRY

CHICKEN CORDON BLEU CASSEROLE

This is another recipe that was full of boxed, canned or preserved ingredients that I changed to “scratch” ingredients.  It was another great success and will be a wonderful cold weather dish this winter.
CHICKEN CORDON BLEU CASSEROLE
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
2 cups cooked chicken pieces (2 large breasts)**
1 cup ham steak, diced
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
4 cups cooked egg noodles
1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese
2 slices swiss cheese
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Lightly spray 9×9 baking dish.
  • Melt the butter in saucepan.
  • Whisk in the flour, poultry seasoning and salt and cook until bubbly. 
  • Remove from heat and gradually whisk in liquid. 
  • Return to heat and cook, stirring, until smooth and thickened.
  • Set aside to cool.
  • Cook noodles, drain and set aside to cool.
  • Spray a skillet with PURE.
  • Over medium high heat saute chicken pieces and onions until chicken is cooked through.
  • Add ham pieces and heat through.
  • To the cooled soup mixture add the mayonnaise, parsley flakes and blend well.
  • Stir in the chicken, ham and onion mixture until well mixed.
  • Fold in egg noodles gently.
  • Arrange in baking dish.
  • Bake 20 minutes.
  • Top with cheese (see picture above).
  • Bake 10 more minutes.
  • Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

**This is a great recipe to use with rotisserie chicken!

PAN SEARED CHICKEN TENDERS & TRI-COLOR COUSCOUS with COCONUT LOBSTER SAUCE ~ MARX FOOD CHALLENGE

I ran across a MARX foods Recipe challenge – what fun!  I signed up and they sent me a box full of yumminess.  My box included tri-color couscous, coconut sugar, dehydrated lobster mushrooms, DeArbol chilies and Pasilla Negro Chilies.

The rules are that I had to use at least two ingredients from my box to create a new recipe.  I really wanted to try and use all five ingredients, but was only able to work in four of them.

Now for full disclosure. hubby hates mushrooms, especially cooked mushrooms.  He goes out of his way to avoid mushrooms.  He declared he would hate this recipe before its inception.  Seeing a pattern here?  I HAD to use the mushrooms just to prove him wrong, plus I LOVE mushrooms even more than he hates them.  This recipe is proof that you can mount your dislikes and change them with the right combination of ingredients.

PAN SEARED CHICKEN TENDERS & TRI-COLOR COUSCOUS with COCONUT LOBSTER SAUCE

2 pound chicken tenders
3/4 cup chardonnay
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons MARX coconut sugar
1 dried MARX Pasilla Negro Chilie, chopped
safflower oil
salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
5-7 tablespoons heavy cream

  • Whisk together the chardonnay and chicken broth until well blended.
  • In a medium bowl combine mushroom pieces and chile pieces.  Pour the chardonnay mixture over the mushroom mixture.  Allow to set for 2-3 hours to rehydrate the mushrooms and chilies.  Stir them around every now and then so all surfaces are able to absorb the liquid.
  • When ready, drain mushrooms and chiles through a sieve, reserving the liquid.
  • Whisk coconut sugar into reserved liquid.  Set aside.
  • In a small food processor pulse mushroom and chile pieces into a fine grind.
  • In a medium sauce pan, melt butter.
  • Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time until roux is a golden brown.
  • Gradually add the reserved liquid until well blended.
  • Add in the mushroom and chile pieces, stirring until well distributed.
  • Add cream 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency.
  • Simmer gently while preparing couscous and chicken.
  • Coat a large skillet with safflower oil.
  • While oil is heating, wash and pat dry chicken pieces.
  • Pan sear chicken pieces, salt and peppering as needed until golden outside and cooked through.
  • Pour 1 cup of couscous in a large bowl.  Pour 1 ¼ cups boiling water over top.  Cover the bowl and let it sit for five minutes, then fluff with a fork to separate the granules. 
  • Plate couscous in the in the center of serving platter.
  • Arrange chicken pieces around the couscous.
  • Spoon sauce over couscous and chicken.
  • Serve immediately.

By the way, hubby who was so dead sure this recipe would suck gave it 2 thumbs up and then proceeded to eat it 2 nights in a row.

BULLAI RUBBED CHICKEN

BULLAI RUBBED CHICKEN
2 pounds chicken tenders, rinsed and dried
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 KNORR onion bouillon cube, crushed
1 teaspoon California sweet Paprika
1 KNORR chicken homestyle stock tub 
2 tablespoons sun dried tomatoes
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tablespoons butter, divided

  • Combine spices until well blended.
  • Sprinkle rub on both sides of chicken  rubbing in well.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium high heat.
  • Cook chicken pieces until just done, about 4 minutes per side.
  • Remove chicken pieces, keeping them warm.
  • Add remaining butter and KNORR stock and hot water, whisking into drippings until well blended.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat and simmer about 10 minutes until reduced by half.
  • Whisk in the lemon juice and whipping cream until well blended. 
  • Add sun dried tomatoes.
  • Reduce heat, simmering to desired consistency.
  • Pour over chicken and mashed potatoes.

KIWI ORANGE GLAZED CHICKEN with SCALLION RICE PILAF

KIWI ORANGE GLAZED CHICKEN with SCALLION RICE PILAF
1 roasting chicken (6-7 pounds)
3 oranges
1 kiwi
1/4 cup honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 green onions, sliced and divided
1 tablespoon safflower oil
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon roasted corriander, ground
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 cup uncooked rice
1/2 cup cashews, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees˚.  
  • Quarter 1 orange, set aside.
  • Grate 1/2 teaspoon zest and juice remaining oranges to 1/2 cup.
  • In a small saucepan bring juice, honey and zest to a slow boil.
  • Cook about 5 minutes until slightly thickened.  Remove from heat.
  • Thinly slice scallions.
  • Place chicken in roasting pan.
  • Fill cavity with orange quarters and scallion slices.
  • In a small food processor combine oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, garlic, ginger and corriander until well blended.
  • Rub over chicken.
  • Roast 1 hour 45 minutes.
  • Brush reserved honey mixture all over chicken.
  • Roast another 15-20 minutes or until 180˚.
  • Meanwhile prepare rice according to package directions.
  • Add remaining salt.
  • Stir in sliced scallions, cashews and parsley.

SPICY PINK LEMON CHICKEN

4 to 6 chicken breasts
1 (6 oz.) can frozen pink lemonade, thawed
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon APPLE CIDER vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water

  • Arrange chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker.

  • Combine the lemonade concentrate, brown sugar, ketchup and apple cider vinegar until well blended.

  • Pour over chicken breasts.

  • Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours depending on thickness of meat.  If in a hurry you can use tenders and cook for half the time.

  • Remove chicken pieces from crockpot and keep warm.

  • Transfer liquid to a saucepan and simmer over medium heat.

  • Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until well blended.

  • Gradually add the cornstarch mixture to the lemonade mixture, stirring constantly.

  • When thickened, serve over chicken. 

POLYNESIAN CHICKEN & ITALIAN FARRO & GORGONZOLA GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE

I also love to research foods we’ve never tried before as well as try old, old recipes or just plain make things up.  I also take requests if anyone would like me to test out a recipe for them.
Today we’re making Polynesian chicken (the cheating way) and Italian Farro with Gorgonzola garlic dipping sauce.  I saw a package of Pedon Italian Farro  at the grocery store the other day and it looked interesting (reminded me of rich looking barley) – so the impulse buy won and here we are.
Here’s the history lesson first:  Grano Farro has a long and glorious history: it is the original grain from which all others derive, and fed the Mediterranean and Near Eastern populations for thousands of years; somewhat more recently it was the standard ration of the Roman Legions that expanded throughout the Western World. Ground into a paste and cooked, it was also the primary ingredient in puls, the polenta eaten for centuries by the Roman poor. Important as it was, however, it was difficult to work and produced low yields. In the centuries following the fall of the Empire, higher-yielding grains were developed and farro’s cultivation dwindled: By the turn of the century in Italy there were a few hundreds of acres of fields scattered over the regions of Lazio, Umbria, the Marches and Tuscany.

Farro would probably still be an extremely local specialty had the farmers of the French Haute Savoie not begun to supply it to elegant restaurants that used it in hearty vegetable soups and other dishes. Their success sparked renewed interest in farro among gastronomes, and now the grain is enjoying a resurgence in popularity in Italy as well, especially among trendy health-conscious cooks.  

POLYNESIAN CHICKEN
4 Boneless, Skinless chicken breasts
1 stick butter, divided in half
1 cup Frank’s Sweet Chili hot sauce
1 package Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix
1/4 cup flour
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Using a small food processor,  grind the Knorr soup mix into a fine dust.
  • Add the vegetable soup dust to the flour in a large plastic bag and mix well.
  • Dredge chicken breasts in soup and flour mixture.
  • In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt one half of the butter.
  • While that is melting, melt the remaining butter in a 2 cup measuring cup in the microwave.
  • Add the hot sauce to the measuring cup and heat an additional 20 seconds. Mix well. Set aside to cool.
  • In the skillet brown the chicken breasts on both sides until almost done. 
  • Spray a small cookie sheet with PURE.
  • Coat each piece of chicken with hot sauce mixture and lay on cookie sheet.
ITALIAN FARRO

small bag PEDON farro

2 tablespoons Frank’s Sweet Chili hot sauce
  • Bring a 2 quart pan of water to a boil.
  • Add the Farro and simmer, 10-12 minutes.
  • Drain thoroughly.
  • Add hot sauce and toss to coat.
  • Serve immediately.

GORGONZOLA GARLIC DIPPING SAUCE
1/4 cup gorgonzola crumbles
1/3 cup mayonnaise
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons buttermilk
salt and pepper to taste
  • In a small food processor, process the crumbles until finely ground.
  • Add garlic, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.  Mix until well blended.
  • Add buttermilk.  Add a bit more if you would like a thinner sauce.

SMOTHERED CHICKEN

SMOTHERED CHICKEN
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast PER person
2 slices bacon PER person
2 ounces fresh mushrooms PER person
1 green onion PER person
1/4 cup shredded cheese PER person
1-2 tablespoon honey PER person
1-2 tablespoon BOB’s Country Sauce PER person
seasoning salt
white pepper

  • Sprinkle each breast with seasoning salt and white pepper on both sides. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Cook bacon until crisp in frying pan.  Drain on paper towels.
  • Add chicken breasts to hot bacon fat and brown well on both sides ~ 3 to 5 minutes per side.
  • Whisk together the honey and Country Bob’s sauce. 
  • As you remove chicken from frying pan dip it in the honey mixture and then place  in a prepared baking dish.  
  • Pour remaining honey sauce over top of chicken pieces.
  • Add onions and mushrooms to the bacon grease and saute until tender. Drain well.
  • Crumble bacon over the chicken pieces.
  • Spoon onions and mushrooms over chicken breasts.
  • Sprinkle cheese on top.
  • Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.**
  • Serve over mashed potatoes and use any remaining sauce in the pan to top the potatoes.

**I like to use chicken steaks instead of breasts because they are thinner and we’re eating less these days.  If you do this, decrease your cooking time accordingly.

TURKEY MILANESE

8 turkey cutlets, pounded down to about 1/4 to 1/2-inch thickness
Salt and black pepper
1 cup flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1 cup panko crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons minced fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons butter
Oil for frying

  • Generously season the turkey cutlets with salt and pepper and set aside.
  • Sift together the bread crumbs, panko crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil oregano and parsley until well blended.
  • Set three shallow bowls side by side on your counter.  Fill the first one with the flour, the second one with the beaten eggs and the third one with the bread crumbs mixture.
  • Dredge cutlets, one at a time, first in the flour, then in the egg and finally, in the bread crumb mixture. Shake off any excess crumbs and reserve on another plate.
  • Chill the cutlets in the freezer for about 15 minutes.  This will help the coating stay intact when you fry it.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough oil to come up about 1/4-inch high.  Add butter.  Add cutlets and fry until cooked through and golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.  Do NOT crowd the pan.  If necessary, do this step in batches.  As each cutlet is cooked, transfer to a platter.   You can keep the cutlets warm in a low oven.
  • Serve with rice pilaf, mashed potatoes, buttered parsley noodles or some lemon wedges.
  • Top with minced parsley.
  • Serves 4.

 

21ST CENTURY MALIBU CHICKEN

Many years ago you would find Malibu Chicken on many menus for popular restaurants.  Lately I’ve been craving it.  I couldn’t find a recipe that was exact so I decided to bring Malibu Chicken into the 21st century using my favorite flavors.  The original recipe I believe was just chicken breast, a slice ofham, a slice of Monterey jack cheese layered and a simple sauce.  I added pineapple – after all ham and pineapple are always a winner together and I updated the cheese to more flavorful combination and then rolled them into bundles.

BUNDLES
4 boneless skinless chicken breast (I just buy the thin sliced chicken breasts)
Mayonnaise OR Dijon mustard
4 thin slices deli ham
4 slices CoJack cheddar cheese
1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, well drained
1-1/2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1/4 teaspoon Supreme Shallot Salt
White pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon Savory celery flakes
SAUCE
1/2 batch cream soup substitute (see below)*
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon Savory celery flakes
2 tablespoons Simply Fruit raspberry jam

  • Flatten chicken breasts to 1/4-in. thickness.
  • Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise over each; layer with ham, cheese and pineapple.
  • Roll chicken over pineapple; secure with toothpicks.
  • Brush bundles with mayonnaise.
  • In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Supreme Shallot Salt, white pepper and Savory celery flakes.
  • Roll bundles in bread crumb mixture; place in an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray.
  • Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until cooked through.
  • Discard toothpicks.
  • Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients.
  • Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
  • Serve over chicken.

*you can use 1 can Campbells Cream of Chicken Soup if you prefer – I just prefer the scratch.

http://familycorner.blogspot.com/

CREAM SOUP SUBSTITUTES

Do you hate buying canned soups for use in recipes? Do you want something healthier and less costly?  These recipes make perfect substitutes for 1 can of soup.

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk or other liquid (as specified in variations)

  • Melt the butter in heavy saucepan.
  • Blend in flour and salt. Cook until bubbly.
  • Remove from heat and gradually stir or whisk in liquid.
  • Return to heat and cook, constantly stirring until smooth and thickened.

VARIATIONS

  • Cream of chicken: Use 1/2 c. milk and 1/2 c. chicken broth as the liquid. Add 1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning or sage.
  • Cream of celery: Saute´ 1/2 c. chopped celery and 1 T. finely chopped onion in the margarine before adding flour. Use milk for liquid.
  • Cream of mushroom: Saute´1/4 c. finely chopped mushrooms and 1 T. finely chopped onion in margarine before adding flour. Use milk for liquid.
  • Tomato: Use tomato juice as liquid. Add a dash each of garlic salt, onion salt, basil, and oregano.
  • Cheddar cheese: Use milk for liquid. Stir into the finished sauce 1/2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese and 1/4 tsp. dry mustard.
  • Cream of shrimp: Drain the liquid from a small can of tiny shrimp into a measuring cup. Fill cup with milk to measure 1 cup of liquid. Add a dash of pepper, onion salt, curry powder, and paprika to the finished sauce, and stir in the shrimp.

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SHREDDED CHICKEN VEGETABLE EGG ROLLS

SHREDDED CHICKEN VEGETABLE EGG ROLLS
2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken or pork pieces (cheat and use a rotisserie chicken)
1 medium Vidalia onion, finely chopped
1 large stalk celery, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic, jar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 tablespoons canola oil
egg roll wrappers (I use Melissa’s)

  • Heat skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add onion, garlic, celery and carrots, Saute’ until tender.
  • Drain, retaining oil.
  • In a large mixing bowl toss meat pieces with sesame oil, sugar, salt and pepper. Add vegetables and blend well.
  • Cool 5-10 minutes.
  • Fill center of each wrapper with 2 tablespoons of filling.
  • Fold 1st corner towards the center. Then fold each edge towards the center. With a pastry brush wet the exposed triangle of dough and roll the bulk onto it.
  • Add oil back into pan and add the additional 2 tablespoons and bring to medium heat.
  • Cook egg rolls on all 4 sides until golden.

RASPBERRY PINEAPPLE DIPPING SAUCE
1/2 cup Raspberry Jam
2 tablespoons crushed pineapple, drained
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • Heat jam in microwave for 20 seconds to warm and thin.
  • Whisk in honey and soy sauce.
  • Set aside.

BLACKBERRY PINEAPPLE JAM
4 cups blackberry pieces
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
3 cups sugar
1 apple, peeled, cored and chopped
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 packet KNOX unflavored gelatin

  • Ina large pan combine everything except the gelatin.
  • Stir until sugar is dissolved.
  • Bring to a low rolling boil.
  • Reduce heat and simmer 30-45 minutes until fruit can easily be mashed.
  • Remove 1 cup of juice and whisk gelatin into it until completely dissolved.
  • Add juice mixture back into pan and simmer 5-10 minutes.
  • Pour into sterilized jars and water bath 10 minutes.

BLACKBERRY PINEAPPLE DIPPING SAUCE
1/2 cup Blackberry Pineapple Jam
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons soy sauce

  • Heat jam in microwave for 20 seconds to warm and thin.
  • Whisk in honey and sauce sauce.
  • Set aside.

MANDARIN CHICKEN and NOODLES

2 pounds chicken tenders
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
Juice of 2 lemons
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 pound linguini

  • Cook linguini al dente.
  • In a small saucepan combine the soy sauce, lemon juice, sesame oil, sugar and garlic.
  • Whisk the cornstarch into the water until smooth.
  • Add the cornstarch mixture to the soy sauce mixture and blend well.
  • Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until thick.
  • While the sauce is cooking, salt and pepper the chicken tenders and broil 2-3 minutes each side.
  • Shred chicken, slice green onions and add to the linguini.
  • Pour sauce over top and toss well.


TERIYAKI CHICKEN

TERIYAKI CHICKEN
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup soy sauce
6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
5 teaspoons cornstarch
5 teaspoons cold water

  • Place chicken in crock pot.
  • Whisk together the sugar, soy sauce, garlic, ginger and pepper.
  • Pour over chicken.
  • Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or until chicken is tender.
  • Remove chicken to a serving platter, keeping it warm.
  • Pour soy sauce into a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
  • Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth,
  • Gradually add cornstarch mixture to the soy sauce mixture, cooking until thickened.