Tag: CHICKEN

HAWAIIAN HASSELBACK CHICKEN

I’m working on a Italian Pizza, Buffalo Chicken and Mexican Taco version too!
HAWAIIAN HASSELBACK CHICKEN adapted from The Painted Apron
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs**
3-4 ounces thinly sliced tavern ham from the deli
1 LARGE can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved **
1-2 cups King’s Hawaiian ORIGINAL BBQ sauce

  • PREHEAT oven to 375°.
  • Spray baking dish with cooking spray.
  • Slice thighs grid like, cutting about 2/3 way down DO NOT CUT ALL THE WAY
  • Tuck a piece of tavern ham in between cut areas.
  • Arrange chicken pieces close together, but not cramped together.
  • In a small bowl fold together the BBQ sauce and pineapple pieces.
  • Spoon pineapple mixture over chicken. Use additional BBQ sauce as necessary to make sure chicken is completely coated.
  • Bake for 50-60 minutes until cooked through, basting with pan juices 1/2 way through baking time.

NOTES:**

  • Breasts work too, but require less cooking time. DO NOT OVERCOOK or they will be dry!
  • I also  throw in a small can of drained pineapple chunks just because hubby likes them and it adds a bit of texture to the dish.
  • You can prep this dish in the morning to cook when you get home from work. It refrigerates well to be baked later.

Linking to  DISHING IT & DIGGING IT at Rustic & Refined, SUNDAY’S BEST at Mother 2 Mother, SUNDAYS AT HOME at Celebrating Everyday Life and My Soulful Home, CELEBRATE YOUR STORY at Celebrate & Decorate,
COOKING & CRAFTING with J&J AT Julie’s Creative Lifestyle, MAKE IT PRETTY MONDAY at The Dedicated House, MELT IN YOUR MOUTH MONDAY at Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms, MERRY MONDAY at Where The Smiles Have Been and Our Crafty Mom, MIX IT UP MONDAY at Flour Me With Love, SHOW and SHARE at Coastal Charm, LOU LOU GIRLS FABULOUS PARTY at Lou Lou Girls, TAKE OUT TUESDAY at The Painted Apron, TREASURE BOX TUESDAY at Memories by the Mile, TUESDAYS WITH A TWIST at Stone Cottage Adventures, DELICIOUS DISHES at Walking On Sunshine, SHARE YOUR CUP @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson, FAVORITE THINGS at Katherine’s Corner, FULL PLATE THURSDAY at Miz Helen’s Cottage, BLOGGERS PIT STOP at The Blogger’s Lifestyle, HOME MATTERS at Life with Lorelai, KITCHEN FUN & CRAFTY FRIDAY at Kitchen Fun with My Three Sons, PRETTY PINTASTIC PARTY at Coffee with Us 3, SHARE IT ONE MORE TIME at Everyday Home, SWAY SHAREFEST at The Sway Life

CARAMEL CHICKEN

I can’t say why this is called caramel chicken, but it doesn’t really matter since I can no longer eat sugar because of my health so anything with the name caramel in the name is A-OK by me 😀 In all honesty I assume it is the rich caramel sauce you start with, but the finished product tastes NOTHING like the caramel sauce you put on ice cream.

Now, while I can’t actually eat sugar, I can prepare it the normal way and then be sure let the sauce drain from my piece of chicken so hubby can still enjoy the REAL thing.

Most of the recipes I’ve seen call for using bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, but I like to make it with boneless pieces for easier

CARAMEL CHICKEN
3/4 cup dry Jasmine rice
1 1/2 cups water
pinch of salt

  • Prepare rice per package directions.
  • Remove from heat.

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Fish sauce
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1+1 tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons FRESH minced ginger
1 SMALL shallot, minced
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, angularly sliced
2 tablespoons torn Basil leaves

  • Over medium-high heat, melt sugar 5 minutes or so until the color of iced tea.  Keep the pan moving like a jiffy pop popcorn tin 😀
  • Whisk together chicken broth and fish sauce.
  • Add fish sauce broth to sugar whisking until smooth. BE CAREFUL – SUGAR is REALLY HOT and will spurt AND BUBBLE.
  • Remove from heat.
  • In a separate skillet add 1 tablespoon avocado oil to heated skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Sear chicken on ALL sides.
  • Remove chicken to plate.
  • Add remaining tablespoon of oil.
  • Add shallots, mushrooms and garlic, cooking until soft.
  • Add caramel sauce, stirring to blend.
  • Add chicken and turn to coat.
  • Add basil leaves.
  • Simmer until sauce thickens.
  • Serve over prepared rice.
  • Garnish with green onions.

CREAMY BASIL CHICKEN

CREAMED BASIL CHICKEN
Skillet Basil Cream Chicken has always been one of my favorite recipes. Creamy sauce made with buttermilk and cheese, breaded chicken, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and more make up this super easy, delicious, and fool-proof chicken dinner. ADAPTED from Becky Hardin – The Cookie Rookie

¼ cup buttermilk
¼ cup dry breadcrumbs
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4-5 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons avocado oil
¼ cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1 cup heavy cream
1 shallot, sliced thin
1/2 pound button mushrooms, sliced thin
1 (4 ounce) can pimentos, drained OR 2 small sweet peppers, diced
1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained (optional)
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons garlic & herb cheese, like Boursin
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • Place chicken breasts in a shallow dish and cover with buttermilk for 10-15 minutes.
  • Pour breadcrumbs in another shallow dish.
  • Heat skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon avocado oil.
  • Dredge chicken pieces in the breadcrumbs and place in the hot skillet.
  • Cook 5 minutes or until bottom side is crispy and golden brown.
  • Add remaining butter and oil and flip the breasts over.
  • Cook another 5-7 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
  • Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
  • Add shallots to pan, cooking until soft.
  • Add mushrooms, cooking until starting to caramelize.
  • Add chicken broth and sherry to the skillet to deglaze, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the skillet and bring to a boil over medium heat.
  • Add the cream, pimentos or peppers and tomatoes.
  • Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  • Reduce heat to low and add Parmesan cheese, garlic-herb cheese, basil and black pepper.
  • Simmer and cook until sauce reduces by half.
  • Add the chicken back into the sauce and heat through.
  • Serve over pasta with sauce.
  • Enjoy!

A YUMMIER lighter Chicken Marsala

I loved Italian food long before I met hubby. I’m also a creature of habit. When I find a dish that I absolutely adore I will try it every time I go out to find who makes it best. Unfortunately, for this recipe no one anymore seems to make it quite like it was originally made and I was forced to make my own recipe. LOL I also found out that I have to hide the wine or hubby makes it disappear without benefit of the recipe/meal 😀 I’ve been making this lower fat version of this recipe for about 8 years and really like it a lot. If we happen to go out to a nice Italian restaurant I do indulge in the full fat version just to keep trying to find it made like when I was a kid.

CHICKEN MARSALA

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – pounded 1/4 inch thick
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons avocado/olive oil
1 small white onion, sliced into thin rings and then separated
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced thin
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/4 cup sweet cooking sherry

  • With a mortar and pestle grind the oregano.
  • Sift together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano.
  • Coat the chicken pieces well with the flour mixture.
  • In a heavy skillet, heat oil and butter.
  • When oil and butter is hot, saute’ onions and mushrooms until just carmelized.
  • Set aside onions and mushrooms and place chicken breasts in skillet and brown on both sides about 6 minutes per side over medium heat. Remove and set aside, but keep warm.
  • To the skillet, add the wine, lemon juice and sherry. Stir, reduce heat, and cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce is partially reduced and begins to thicken.
  • Return onions and mushrooms to the skillet.
  • Plate chicken breasts.
  • Spoon sauce over the chicken.
  • Cover and cook over low heat for about 5-10 minutes or until chicken is done.
  • Serve with Parsleyed Herb Noodles.

HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN WITH ASPARAGUS

HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN WITH ASPARAGUS
2 tablespoons butter
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
+/-1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cups asparagus pieces (1 bunch cleaned, trimmed and cut into bite sized pieces)
1 tablespoon Bragg’s liquid aminos
1 tablespoon honey
cooked rice

  • Heat oil in a large skillet over a medium heat.
  • Saute chicken pieces, shallot, garlic and red chili pepper flakes for 6-8 minutes.
  • Add asparagus and cook 3 minutes more.
  • Whisk together the liquid aminos and honey. Add to skillet and cook another couple minutes.
  • Serve immediately over rice.

MAPLE GINGER CHICKEN – plan ahead meal

MAPLE GINGER CHICKEN
4 bone-in chicken thighs
3/4 cup apple cider
1/2 cup PURE maple syrup
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 shallot, finely sliced
1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
4 sprigs FRESH thyme leaves (Rosemary works too in a pinch)
3/4 teaspoon FRESH ground salt
1/2 teaspoon FRESH ground pepper
3 medium apples or pears, peeled, cored and quartered

  • Place a large Ziploc bag in a large mixing bowl (just win case the bag breaks)
  • Combine the apple cider, maple syrup, vinegar, shallot, ginger, salt and pepper.
  • Add chicken, seal and refrigerate for 12-24 hours, turning once or twice to make sure chicken is well coated.

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Remove chicken from marinade.
  • Arrange chicken pieces skin side up in a large baking dish.
  • Tuck apples and thyme sprigs among the chicken pieces.
  • Pour marinade over top of the chicken.
  • Bake 45 minutes – 1 hour, basting occasionally until chicken is cooked through and the meat is starting to pull away from the bone.
  • Serve chicken and fruit with sauce spooned over top.

Linking up to FULL Plate Thursday.

CHICKEN with CHARRED POBLANO CREAMED CORN & BACON

CHICKEN with CHARRED POBLANO CREAMED CORN & BACON – serves 4
4 chicken legs **
2 tablespoons avocado oil
6 slices bacon, diced
1 LARGE Vidalia onion, chopped
4 LARGE cloves garlic
1 cup whole milk
4 sprigs FRESH thyme, reserve 1 sprig to chop small
2 cups frozen corn, thawed
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime
1 Poblano pepper
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon chopped basil leaves
1/4 cup sour cream

  • Broil pepper to blister.
  • Place pepper in a sealed ziploc bag for 5-10 minutes to loosen skin.
  • Remove skin and seeds.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil.
  • Season chicken with salt and pepper. (Dredge with egg wash and Wonder if using skinless, boneless pieces)
  • Brown chicken pieces until golden and JUST cooked through.
  • Remove chicken to drain off excess fat. Keep warm.
  • Add bacon to pan and cook until crisp.
  • Remove bacon with slotted spoon.
  • Add onion and garlic cooking 2-3 minutes.
  • Add corn.
  • Add milk and 3 of the thyme sprigs and bring to a SLOW boil, immediately reducing to a simmer.
  • Add chicken pieces, cover and simmer 30 minutes if using bone in, 10-15 if using skinless boneless pieces.
  • Add corn and cook another 15-20 minutes until liquid is completely absorbed.
  • Plate creamed corn, and top with chicken.
  • Drizzle with lemon juice and sauce before serving.
  • Garnish with thyme leaves and crisp bacon.

NOTE:** This recipe can be made with boneless skinless thighs for easy eating, BUT having the skin that gets crispy and golden does add a layer of flavor and texture that makes a GREAT presentation. When I use skinless, boneless chicken I dredge the chicken in an egg wash and Wonder flour to give the illusion of a crusty skin.

BAKED HONEY LIME CHICKEN

BAKED HONEY LIME CHICKEN adapted from Dinner Then Dessert

With just 4 total ingredients these chicken thighs are first browned and then baked in the same skillet which results in PERFECT crispy, sweet and a little sour tender chicken that looks like you slaved over a hot grill.

1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
2 limes, 1- zested and juiced, 1-halved
5 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
1 tablespoon avocado oil

  • Pre-heat the oven to 375°.
  • Whisk together the Bragg’s liquid aminos, honey, lime juice and lime zest.
  • Add chicken thighs to a ziploc bag.
  • Pour marinade over chicken, seal bag and rub marinade into chicken.
  • Heat the avocado oil in a large cast iron or oven ready skillet over medium high heat.
  • Using tongs add the chicken to the skillet and brown with the skin side down for 3-5 minutes. Reserve marinade.
  • Flip the chicken over so the skin side is up.
  • Add on the remaining marinade and halved lime.
  • Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes.

NOTE: This recipe also works with any other type of citrus – lemon, tangerine, blood orange, grapefruit…

Linking up to FULL Plate Thursday.

SWEET GLAZED CHICKEN THIGHS

SWEET GLAZED CHICKEN THIGHS serves 4-6
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup pineapple juice (I use a pineapple orange mix)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons Bragg’s liquid aminos
1 1/2-2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
FRESH ground salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons cornstarch

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Whisk together the melted butter, pineapple juice, liquid aminos and brown sugar until sugar is completely dissolved.
  • Generously season both sides of the chicken thighs with the salt and pepper.
  • Lightly grease baking dish.
  • Place chicken thighs in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish.
  • Pour pineapple juice mixture over the chicken.
  • Cover and cook 45 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
  • Remove chicken with a slotted spoon, keep warm.
  • Pour pineapple mixture from baking dish into a stove top safe saucepan.
  • Whisk together the water and cornstarch.
  • Add cornstarch mixture to saucepan, whisking constantly until thickens.
  • Plate chicken pieces and spoon sauce over chicken pieces.
  • Serve immediately.

My version of P. F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps

With this horrible recuperation and limited food, eating out is a real pain in the butt.  BUT, I’m in love! In love with restaurants that have great appetizer menus.  LOL  😀 I ordered the Chicken Lettuce Wraps at P.F. Chang’s the other day from their appetizer menu and got 4 meals out of it!  But, what I fell in love with was the actual flavor.  The added bonus was the small chop on all the ingredients making it easy for me eat AND it heats up in the microwave for subsequent meals tasting the same as it did served fresh! So, of course I had to duplicate the recipe for home use and believe I have come REALLY close.

P.F. CHANG’S CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS
3 tablespoons avocado oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnut, diced small
2⁄3 cup mushroom, diced small
1 small shallot, diced
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 leaves butter lettuce
1/2-1 cup crispy rice noodles
freshly ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • Bring oil to high heat in a wok or large frying pan.
  • Saute chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or done.
  • Remove chicken from the pan and cool.
  • Add shallots and green onions to pan sautéing until soft.
  • Add water chestnuts, garlic, mushrooms and ginger, sautéing a few minutes more.
  • Add stir fry sauce and stir until well blended.
  • When chicken is cool, shred it as small as the mushrooms and water chestnuts pieces are.
  • Add chicken into mixture, toss to blend and coat well.

STIR FRY SAUCE
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1⁄2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

  • Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.

SPECIAL SAUCE
1⁄4 cup sugar
1⁄2 cup water
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1⁄4 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons water
1 -2 teaspoon Siracha

  • Whisk together the sugar and water in a small bowl until completely dissolved.
  • Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, lemon juice, sesame oil, hoisin sauce and desired amount of Siracha whisking until well blended.

ASSEMBLY

  • Serve each helping in a lettuce leaf.
  • Top with a handful of crispy rice noodles.
  • Pour Special sauce over the wraps.

TERIYAKI SEX on a STICK

SEX ON A STICK
1/2 cup Teriyaki marinade (see below)
fresh pineapple cut into chunks
1 pound Chicken tenders or chicken chunks
1 pound large shrimp, tails cut off
1 pound bacon, cut into halves

  • Soak skewers in water for 1 hour prior to assembly.
  • Stack a piece of pineapple with a piece of shrimp and wrap with a piece of bacon.
  • Thread onto skewer to secure.
  • Repeat until all pieces are assembled. (I alternate chicken and shrimp for even skewers)
  • Brush with marinade,
  • Bake 10-12 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and brush with marinade again.
  • Bake for an additional 7-8 minutes or until bacon is sizzling.
 Can be grilled, but watch for bacon to burn.

TERIYAKI MARINADE
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly minced ginger
2 green onions, minced
1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
pinch sea salt
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar

  •  Whisk together all ingredients until well blended and sugar is completely dissolved.

BBQ BACON SALAMI ROASTED CHICKEN

Several years ago I found an awesome sale on roasting chickens and more importantly found this awesome 8 pound bird.  Yep, I said 8 pounds.  We got several meals out of this one!  As for the leftovers, we had a Chicken Caesar salad and some Chicken a la King – which we hadn’t had in eons!
I wrote the recipe though based on a standard size bird. I also swear I had bacon in the meat keeper, but it wasn’t there so we made it with hard salami and guess what?  It was awesome!  Honestly the main purpose of the meat is to keep the moisture in.

BBQ BACON SALAMI ROASTED CHICKEN

3-4 pound roasting chicken
6 slices bacon, cut as necessary
1 cup favorite BBQ sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
3 stalks celery, washed and halved lengthwise
3 large carrots, washed and halved lengthwise
  • Preheat oven to 325˚.
  • Clean and wash the chicken well.
  • Layer celery and carrots on bottom of roasting pan.
  • Pour broth over vegetables.
  • Generously salt and pepper chicken.
  • With a silicone basting brush, brush chicken with a layer of BBQ sauce.
  • Basket weave the bacon together over the entire chicken.
  • Brush another coat of BBQ sauce over the bacon.
  • Roast chicken uncovered.
  • Baste with BBQ sauce every 1/2 hour.
RULE OF THUMB FOR ROASTING CHICKEN:  
  • 30 minutes per pound up to 3 1/2 pounds.
  • 22-25 minutes per pound over 3 1/2 pounds