Category: POULTRY

NOT YOUR MOM’S TUNA CASSEROLE

NOT YOUR MOM’S TUNA CASSEROLE
1/2 rotiserrie chicken, cut into small pieces or 2 large cans albacore white tuna
1 can cream of mushroom soup or substitute
1 can chopped green chiles, drained
1/2 cup milk
1 large can French’s French fried onion rings
1 bunch green onions, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups wide egg noodles

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Bring a large sauce pan of water to a roiling boil.  Add noodles and simmer 5 minutes.
  • Whisk together soup or soup substitute and milk.
  • Add onions, celery, chiles and chicken pieces blending well.
  • Add in 1/2 can French’s onion rings, blending well again.
  • Add in drained noodles and cheeses, blending again until well mixed.
  • Pour into a greased casserole dish and top with remaining Frnech’s onion rings.
  • Bake 30 minutes.
  • Enjoy.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE aka STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS

If you are anything like me, you have a drawer or a box full of recipes from newspapers, magazines, old maiden aunts, grandmothers, friends and every potluck you’ve ever been to and said I have to have that recipe! I remember one potluck at church several years back that I asked for a recipe and she instantly pulled it out of her pocket. Obviously I wasn’t the first to ask! Those are the recipes I like, the ones that bring a memory to mind like Lonnie handing me that recipe card.

Now while I kept her combination of spices and seasonings intact I did make changes that made it more palatable to my family. For example hubby doesn’t like cooked mushrooms so I either have to eliminate them or substitute for something else, but sometimes I’m a little sneaky and they’re in there, but just not so he can tell. One son doesn’t like tomato pieces, but loves tomato sauce, his old girlfriend won’t eat cooked carrots, and on and on! So I always keep a list of likes, dislikes and allergies and am constantly altering recipes to fly by the seat of my pants.

This recipe has been floating around so long in the box of scraps that I have no idea where it originated which based on all my changes doesn’t matter, but reminds me to keep that box. Some days I feel like an archaeologist, but come up with oldies that were someone’s favorite and will now be revived.
 

CHICKEN FLORENTINE aka STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS
FILLING
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper*
1/3 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 1/4 cup fresh baby spinach leaves**
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 bunch green onions, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, softened or 2 ounces grated mozzarella
1 1/2 teaspoons flour
CHICKEN
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2-3 slices sourdough bread, staled and crumbled
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
1+1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 egg white, beaten

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees.   
  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter add 1 teaspoon olive oil in skillet.
  • Saute’ garlic, bell pepper and mushrooms until tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Add in spinach and cooked until spinach is completely wilted. If using frozen stir until well blended.
  • Drain well.
  • Combine cream cheese, flour and spinach mix until well blended and set aside.
  • Between 2 sheets of wax paper flatten each chicken breast to 1/4 inch and set aside.
  • Combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Add 1 tablespoon melted butter and mix until crumbly.
  • Divide the spinach mixture equally between the chicken breasts.
  • Carefully roll each chicken breast.
  • Using a pastry brush coat each chicken bundle with the beaten egg and then roll in coating mixture.
  • Place seam side down on a small baking sheet or stoneware pan (I prefer the stoneware pan for a crisper, non-greasy chicken)
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown in color and juices are clear.
*I like to make this recipe back to back on my weekly menu with Twisted Pepper Steak to make the red pepper usage more efficient, use jar (olive oil soaked) red peppers or I substitute a jar of pimentos in a pinch.
** You can use frozen chopped, but it must be drained well and then drained a few more times until dry!!

Fire Day Friday: Grilled Garlic and Parsley Chicken

As I sit here typing this post, I have one eye on my all time favorite movie – Shaun of the Dead.  I have seen this movie over 100 200 times and it still makes me laugh hysterically.  I believe Edger Wright and Simon Pegg (and Nick Frost, but he didn’t write the movie) are moving making geniuses!
There is no true reason for bringing this up, other than the fact that it takes a lot to make me tire of something I truly love.  Hence, we eat a TON of chicken and fish at our house.  I also never tire of simple and easy dishes. 🙂
I love parsley, it’s an herb that holds up very well to … well…everything.  It doesn’t bruise easily when you chop it.  It doesn’t turn a nasty shade of black when it heats up.  And it holds its delicious flavor even in acids.

This chicken is flavorful and simple…my two favorite things!

Grilled Garlic and Parsley Chicken
Recipe created by Jenn’s Food Journey
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
10 garlic cloves
1/2 cup fresh parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tablespoons lemon juice

Directions:
Place the garlic in a food processor and pulse 4 or 5 times.  Add the parsley and pulse another 4-5 times.  Add the oil and lemon juice and pulse everything is roughly chopped and combined well.  Place the chicken in a resealable bag or shallow dish.  Rub/pour the marinade over both sides of the chicken and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, though I would suggest at least 4 hours if you have it.

Preheat grill to 375-400 degrees.  Place the chicken directly on the grates and grill for 6-9 minutes per side or until the chicken is cooked all the way through.  Remove from grill and allow to sit for 3 minutes.  Enjoy!

CHICKEN & SAUSAGE GUMBO with BBQ SAUSAGE

CHICKEN & SAUSAGE GUMBO
1/2 of a rotisserie chicken pieces
1/2 pound sausage, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces and then quartered
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small Vidalia onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh green beans, cleaned and chopped
2 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoons parsley
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pepper

  • Melt butter and oil over medium high heat in a large saute’ pan.  Add flour and whisk continuously until golden brown.
  • Add onions, garlic and celery stirring continuously for 3-5 minutes until vegetables are tender.
  • Add thyme. salt and pepper.
  • Add green beans, stirring to coat.
  • Add broth, chicken and sausage pieces and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes until desired consistency.
  • Add parsley and stir well.
  • Serve over mashed potatoes.
  • I coated the remaining sausage pieces with barbecue sauce and broiled them for a few minutes as an appetizer/compliment.

CHICKEN & SAUSAGE GUMBO with BBQ SAUSAGE

CHICKEN & SAUSAGE GUMBO
1/2 of a rotisserie chicken pieces
1/2 pound sausage, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces and then quartered
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small Vidalia onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh green beans, cleaned and chopped
2 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoons parsley
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pepper

  • Melt butter and oil over medium high heat in a large saute’ pan.  Add flour and whisk continuously until golden brown.
  • Add onions, garlic and celery stirring continuously for 3-5 minutes until vegetables are tender.
  • Add thyme. salt and pepper.
  • Add green beans, stirring to coat.
  • Add broth, chicken and sausage pieces and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes until desired consistency.
  • Add parsley and stir well.
  • Serve over mashed potatoes.
  • I coated the remaining sausage pieces with barbecue sauce and broiled them for a few minutes as an appetizer/compliment.

PEKING ASIAN CHICKEN WRAPS ~ HEALTHY MEALS

I’ve made these wraps a few times. I always forget how good they are and I end up saying “Why don’t I make these more often!”  They are super healthy, quick and delicious.  
They keep well in the refrigerator and I love to have them for lunches.   I did think that blanching the pea pods was annoying. I no longer blanch the pea pods when I make them, I just throw them in with the onions and cook them a bit. One less step. I’m all about cutting steps out of things and making it easier. 

Peking Asian Chicken Wraps  ~ Adapted from Eat Better America

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
2 teaspoons sesame oil
4 green onions
1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed
1 heaping cup of shredded cabbage (I used cabbage mix)
1 cup shredded carrot (I used a bit less as I had cabbage in my mix)
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar (recipe called for unseasoned, I like seasoned better)
2 teaspoons ginger (I used from a jar)
2 cups shredded chicken, cooked (I used 10 oz)
8 whole wheat tortillas
8 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
  • Cook rice according to directions, set aside.
  • Heat water in saucepan to boiling, add snow peas and cook for about 30 seconds. Drain and rinse with cold water until cool. Cut lengthwise into small strips. In a bowl, stir together snow peas, cabbage, carrot, rice vinegar and ginger.
  • Heat sesame oil in pan, add green onions, cook and stir for a minute, then stir green onions and oil into cooked rice. Add rice mixture to the bowl of veggies.
  • Add chicken to veggies and rice. My chicken was cooked, but frozen so I threw it in the pan and thawed it out and made it warm.
**The actual recipe called for the rice, veggie mixture and chicken to be all separate. I preferred to throw it all in the same bowl. We liked this warm but you could eat it cold as well. We put the hoisin sauce on the bottom of a toasted tortilla and then a scoop of the chicken/rice/veggie mixture. This made 8 wraps using 8 inch whole wheat tortillas.

Total calories = 2140 calories8 
servings = 268 calories per wrap

Crockpot Herbed Chicken

Crockpot Herbed Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Home Seasoning
2-3 T butter
1/2 cup chicken broth
Paprika
Italian Seasoning
Garlic Powder
1 lemon or a lemon squeeze

Directions:  Put chicken in the crockpot (mine were still frozen).  Add 2-3 Tablespoons of butter or margarine.  Season the chicken with Home Seasoning.  Add 1/2 cup of chicken broth.  3-4 liberal squeezes of lemon juice.  2-3 shakes of paprika (mine came out really fast).  2-3 shakes of garlic powder.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low 8-10.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Put the chicken in the crockpot and turned it on 4 hours or high.

Throw in 2-3 T of butter.
Sprinkle Home Seasoning all over it.
Measure out 1/2 cup of chicken broth and added it to the pot.   Add 3-4 big squeezes of lemon juice.
Dash in some paprika and garlic powder.
Here’s what you’ll end up with:
Super tender chicken with great flavor.  Make sure you keep the leftovers for sandwiches!

SOUTH WESTERN CHICKEN CASSEROLE

SOUTH WESTERN CHICKEN CASSEROLE
3-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups frozen hash brown potates
1 large can Durkee’s french fried onions, divided
1 can Old El Paso green enchilada sauce
1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained
1 can white niblets corn, drained
1 cup grated sharp white cheddar, divided
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
PURE

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Spray large casserole dish with PURE.
  • Spread potatoes along the bottom.
  • Top with first half of french fried onions.
  • Top with first half of cheese.
  • Salt and pepper chicken breasts layering them over cheese seasoned side down.
  •  Salt and pepper top sides of chicken.
  • Layer corn and tomatoes over top of the chicken.
  • 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.
  • Whisk in enchilada sauce.
  • Pour over corn and tomato layer.
  • Top with remaining cheese.
  • Ring French fried onions around the edge.
  • Bake 30-45 minutes covered.
  • Bake another 15-30 minutes uncovered.
  • Let stand 5-10 minutes.

 These were our wonderful potato leftovers below and they tasted better and more full of flavor on day 2 and 3.

SOUTH WESTERN CHICKEN CASSEROLE

SOUTH WESTERN CHICKEN CASSEROLE
3-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 cups frozen hash brown potates
1 large can Durkee’s french fried onions, divided
1 can Old El Paso green enchilada sauce
1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained
1 can white niblets corn, drained
1 cup grated sharp white cheddar, divided
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste
PURE

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Spray large casserole dish with PURE.
  • Spread potatoes along the bottom.
  • Top with first half of french fried onions.
  • Top with first half of cheese.
  • Salt and pepper chicken breasts layering them over cheese seasoned side down.
  •  Salt and pepper top sides of chicken.
  • Layer corn and tomatoes over top of the chicken.
  • 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.
  • Whisk in enchilada sauce.
  • Pour over corn and tomato layer.
  • Top with remaining cheese.
  • Ring French fried onions around the edge.
  • Bake 30-45 minutes covered.
  • Bake another 15-30 minutes uncovered.
  • Let stand 5-10 minutes.

 These were our wonderful potato leftovers below and they tasted better and more full of flavor on day 2 and 3.

I participate in the following memes and this recipe may be linked to one or all of them 🙂 Cookbook Sunday, Decidedly Healthy or Horribly Decadent, Eat.Live.Be. @ Eats Well With Others,  Family Friendly Friday, Fat Camp Friday, Feed Me Friday, Food Friday, Food Trip Friday, Foodie Wenesday, Fresh, Clean, and Pure Friday, Friday Favorites, Friday Potluck, Full Plate Thursday, Fun with Food Friday, Garden Variety Wednesday,  Hearth and Soul, It’s a Keeper Thursday,  Just Another Meatless Monday, Let’s Do Brunch, Made it on Monday, Magazine Mondays, Midnight Maniac Meatless Monday,  My Meatless Monday,  Our KrAzY kitchen,  Recipe Swap Sundays,  Saturday’s Party, Saturday Swap, Seasonal Saturday, Souper Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen, Sundays at One Food Club, Tailgating Time!, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, This Week’s Cravings, TMS Show & Tell,  Tuesdays at the Table,  Vintage Recipe Thursday, What’s on the Menu Wednesday, What’s on Your Plate?,  Wicked Awesome Wednesday

Fire Day Friday: Island Beach Chicken

I’d love to tell you that I call this Island Beach Chicken because it reminded me of my sun bleached days surfing the East coast of Florida.  Can’t you just see the flickering orange light of a bonfire, crackling against the sound of the crashing night surf?  The warm sea breeze carries the smell of spicy wood grilled chicken in the air along with the chatter and laughter of a handful of weary surfers. 

Reality Check:  While we did spend many a day chasing the best waves up and down the coast, we NEVER ate like that.  We were broke (duh, we surfed all day), it was late, and we ate off the $1 menu at Taco Bell.  (Actually back then it was a $.79, $.89, $.99 menu).  Yeah, this is really me circa 1984. 
I call it Island Beach Chicken because it mimics my favorite jerk chicken and just about any other chicken from island beachy destinations like Jamaica, the Bahamas, Virgin Islands or Barbados.   They all use a spicy, highly seasoned mojo and grill over live fire.  
Island Beach Chicken
Source:  www.nibblemethis.com
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (or 8 bone in thighs, 4 leg quarters, whatever….)
1 ea roasted red bell pepper (I used a jarred pepper which is about 1/4 cup, real ones yield more)
1 ea habanero pepper, seeded and diced (wear gloves, trust me)
1/4 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 ea green onion, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup parsley, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup oil
Like I said, the beachy chicken dishes almost all have a mojo paste thing going on.  Take all of the ingredients except the chicken and put in your blender, food processor or Magic Bullet (What?  it was a gift)
and blend/process/bulletize until smooth.
Marinate the chicken with the mixture for 4-8 hours.
Set up your grill for a medium heat (350f) direct cook.  That takes about 1 chimney full of Kingsford Charcoal for my grill.  (The grill I use other than our two Big Green Eggs)
Grill for 8-12 minutes per side.  I spend much more time turning these throughout the cooking time compared to a steak when I say the less turning the better.
Don’t be afraid of a little char.
Remove when the thighs are 170f and the breasts are 160f. 

Wow, this was totally tubular and awesome to the max!

Seriously though, the marinade is spectacular.  It brings all of the flavor of jerk chicken without all of the burning heat. 

CHICKEN with VERDE SAUCE ~ CLASSIC GOOD EATS

  • Spray casserole dish with PURE
  • Lay chicken pieces in bottom.
  • Generously salt and pepper chicken.
  • Cover with Fire Roasted Salsa Verde
  • Place a generous dollop of sour cream on top of each chciken piece.
  • Cover with grated Monterey Jack cheese.
  • Sprinkle with diced tomatoes and chopped cilantro.
  • Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.
Fire Roasted Salsa Verde 
My Source for awesome homemade verde sauce =  Chris the wonderful cook, griller, photographer and Big Green Egg enthusiast. Check out his blog at www.nibblemethis.com   His Source = Adapted from Steven Raichlen’s Planet Barbecue! 
1 pound tomatillos, husks removed
1 Serrano pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
1 Anaheim pepper
1 large onion, peeled and sliced into thirds
3 cloves garlic, peeled and skewered together with a toothpick
½ cup cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon bacon fat
3 ounces chicken stock
½ teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
  • Get your grill cooking at about 450f. 
  • Place the peppers and tomatillos on and sear them until all sides are blackened. 
  • This should take a few minutes per side. Remove and place them into a plastic bag for 5 minutes. 
  • Meanwhile, grill the onion and garlic until browned (about 4 minutes a side for the onion, 1-2 for the garlic) and remove from heat. 
  • Skin, seed, and dice the peppers. 
  • Skin and quarter the tomatillos. Don’t be super picky about getting all the charred skin off, you want a little in there for flavor. 
  • Quarter the grilled onions. 
  • Place them all in a food processor and pulse them until you get a salsa like texture. 
  • Heat the bacon fat over medium high heat and then add the tomatillo mixture for 3-5 minutes. You’ll get some thick “pops” as the thick liquid heats but keep stirring. 
  • Mix in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes, letting the flavors get happy together. 
  • Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
Be sure and stop by my food blog, Always Eat On The Good China for other tasty recipes.

SMOKEY CARAMELIZED BALSAMIC CHICKEN

I had a bottle of liquid smoke sitting in my cupboard for a long time. I used it for a few things but didn’t know what else to do with it.

Until now.  I’ve made this chicken several times and it’s always a hit.  It’s a quick, simple way to dress up ordinary chicken in a delicious, healthy way.

SMOKEY CARAMELIZED BALSAMIC CHICKEN

2 tablespoons I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, light or regular butter
2 teaspoons liquid smoke, divided
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 cup water
2 cloves garlic
3 – 6 ounces boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons brown sugar
salt and pepper
  • In a large pan, melt butter with 1 teaspoon of the liquid smoke. 
  • Toss onions in and saute for a few minutes or so. 
  • Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to pan and brown for about 10 minutes, turning once. 
  • Remove to a plate, add garlic and one cup water to the pan, boil for about 1 minute scraping up the browned bits. 
  • Return chicken to pan, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 20 – 30 minutes. 
  • Move chicken to one side of pan (or briefly remove), and stir in brown sugar, balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon liquid smoke. 
  • Boil uncovered until slightly thickened. 
  • Move the chicken around in the delicious liquid to slightly caramelize on the chicken. 
  • Serve with flavored onions over the chicken.

Total calories = 1064

3 servings = 355 calories per chicken breast