crispy tandoori chicken drumsticks

this is a new family favorite. from onceuponachef.com

ingredients
1 T paprika
1 T garam masala
1 T cumin
1 T coriander
1/2 t tumeric
1/2 t cayenne pepper
3 T peeled and roughly chopped ginger
7 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 C greek yogurt
zest and juice from 1 lime
1/4 C oil
2 1/2 t salt
12 chicken drumsticks

directions
*roast first five ingredients over medium heat until fragrant
*add spices to a food processor along with the rest of the ingredients (not chicken)
*make 2-3 slashes in each drumstick with a sharp knife, toss with sauce and marinate for at least 3 hours
*preheat oven to 450. line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. arrange drumsticks and spoon any leftover sauce atop the meat
*roast for 45 minutes, turning once midway
*broil for the last 3-5 minutes for a crispy finish

stuffed chicken breasts

there are so many ways to stuff chicken.  sometimes you just want them the way your mom made them growing up.  this is how my mom made them growing up.  ;>

ingredients

4 boneless chicken breast pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 C shredded cheddar
2 C crushed rice krispies cereal
pakrika
1/4 C melted butter

directions

fill each chicken breast with a heaping spoonful of cream of chicken and a small handful of cheese.  roll in butter and into the crushed cereal.  lightly grease an 8 x 8 and place breasts folded in half inside.  sprinkle with remaining cheese and paprika.  bake about 30 min @ 350.

chicken with balsamic vinegar

this is something my roomie and i tried for the first time in college and it's stuck around all these years.  something new and different to do to chicken.

chicken breasts are so thick.  this recipe is calling for 3-4 pieces of chicken, so maybe one to two big breasts sliced in half or even thirds to make thinner.

ingredients

3-4 medium-sized boneless chicken breasts
1 T onions, chopped
4 T balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 C chicken broth
5 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 t marjoram
salt and pepper

ingredients for pasta

a little less than a 1/4 C olive oil
a little less than a 1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T dried parsley
1 t dried basil
1-2 pinches red pepper flakes

directions

cook pasta of choice.  linguini or fettuccini work well.  meanwhile, sauté chicken in about 1 T melted butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, remove from heat and cover to keep warm.  sauté onions until clear; add vinegar and bring to a boil.  boil about 3 min or til reduced to a glaze, stirring.  add broth and boil til reduced to 1/2 C.  add sun-dried tomatoes and marjoram.  remove from heat and stir in 1 T butter and the chicken.

drain and rinse pasta.  mix pasta ingredients in a bowl and stir into the pasta.  serve chicken and pan drippings over pasta.

chicken pot pie

this is my favorite twist on the classic chicken pot pie.  i found it in "the new best recipe" cookbook.  if your family likes mushrooms (which most of mine unfortunately don't) add them in with the carrots and celery.

ingredients

1 recipe fluffy buttermilk biscuits
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, diced in small cubes and sauteed til brown
2 C chicken broth
1 1/2 T oil
1 onion, chopped fine
3 carrots, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
4 T butter
1/2 C (or more) flour
1 1/2 C milk
1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t dried marjoram
3/4 C frozen peas, thawed

directions

make the biscuits and refrigerate until ready to bake.  heat oven to 400.  heat oil over med-high and add veggies (minus the peas) and saute until tender.  season with salt and pepper and combine with the chicken.  heat butter over medium heat.  when foaming subsides, add flour and mix about 1 min.  whisk in chicken broth, milk and herbs and heat until thickened and bubbly.  pour filling over veggies and chicken and add peas.  ladle soup into ramekin dishes.  top each ramekin with a biscuit.  bake 20-25 min or until biscuits are golden and filling is bubbly.  now you have individualized little pot pies!

indonesian chicken

i made this years ago and forgot all about it until a while ago when i saw some mangoes in the store and thought, "hey, i ought to make that again."  i'm glad i did.  i served it over jasmine rice that i steamed in coconut milk and lime juice.  i found it at cooks.com.

ingredients

1 1/2 c. onion, chopped
3 c. garlic
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. curry
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 - 2 ripe mangos
3 tbsp. horseradish
1 tbsp. hot taco sauce
1 - 2 tbsp. honey
1/4 - 1/2 c. chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
6 chicken thighs (i used breasts)

saute onion in oil with garlic until very soft. add mustard, curry, ginger and continue to saute to develop flavors. mash mango and add remaining ingredients. simmer with onion and garlic 15 minutes to blend flavors. Sauce should be thick like waffle batter.  put chicken in shallow baking dish. pour sauce over chicken and marinate in refrigerator 1 to 2 hours or overnight. bake at 350 degrees until chicken is done, 1 hour.

soy-ginger chicken

our kitchen is under construction so i have been trying out slow cooker recipes.  the whole family really enjoyed this one.  and, for the record--if you can't seem to find the cornstarch you packed and you don't have access to a cook top, mixing flour and water together for the last step and then heating it in the microwave works fabulously!

p.s.  i wanted more carrots.  i'll use 4 or 5 next time.

from delish.com

 ingredients

• 1/3 cup(s) soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon(s) dark-brown sugar
• 5 clove(s) garlic, thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup(s) fresh cilantro, chopped, plus sprigs for garnish
• 1 piece(s) (about 2 inches long) fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thin strips
• 5  scallions, thinly sliced on the diagonal (1 cup packed)
• 1 tablespoon(s) balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon(s) ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground pepper
• 4  chicken drumsticks and 4 thighs (about 2 1/2 pounds total), skin removed
• 2  carrots, thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 tablespoon(s) cornstarch
• Cooked white rice, (for serving)

---

directions

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, stir together soy sauce, sugar, garlic, cilantro, ginger, 1/2 cup scallions, vinegar, coriander, and pepper. Add chicken and carrots; toss to coat. Cover, and cook on low until chicken is tender, about 6 hours. Using a large spoon, skim off and discard any fat from surface of cooking liquid.
2. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, whisk cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. Ladle 1 cup cooking liquid into measuring cup; whisk to combine. Pour into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. With slow cooker turned off, stir in cornstarch mixture. Serve chicken with white rice, and garnish with cilantro sprigs and remaining 1/2 cup scallions.

1 chicken, 5 ways, 7 days

last sunday i roasted a chicken and we used it all week for various meals. i thought i'd share what i did.

day 1: roasted chicken with roasted root vegetables

i had a 4lb chicken, doused in harry and david's turkey rub, that i roasted @ 375 for a little over an hour and a half in my roasting pan. while it was cooling and i was making gravy from the drippings, i made cooked my roasted root vegetables. save the gravy for a meal later in the week.

day 2 and 3: chicken soft tacos

i took some of the breast meat that wasn't covered with turkey rub and marinated it in a little bit of olive oil, lime juice, garlic salt and cumin. then i quickly sauteed it and added all of our favorite soft taco toppings and voila! i served it with chips and my corn and bean salsa.

day 4: chinese noodles

this is something i grew up eating and i'm probably the only one who likes it, but my kids didn't seem to mind it, so it'll go on the list of possible future dinners. warm your favorite chicken stock. add fresh soba noodles (quickly cooked however you'd like--boiled, sauteed), shredded chicken, chunked boiled egg, green onions and soy sauce. i served it with some egg rolls i had made previously and frozen.

day 5: chef salad

some of my favorite add-ins are boiled egg, kidney beans, broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower, cucumbers, olives, sunflower seeds and croutons.

day 6 & 7: chicken and dumplings

i have never had, nor made this before so i had nothing to compare this to, but the whole family enjoyed it, so for right now, it's good enough for me. i got it from the better homes and gardens cook book and since the chicken was already cooked, i saved steps by using that and the gravy i had reserved from day 1. i served this over the roasted root vegetables we had on day 1 as well and it proved to be a good use of leftovers.

ingredients

2 - 2 1/2 lbs meaty chicken pieces
3 C water
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
1 t dried basil
1/2 t salt
1/4 t dried marjoram
1/4 t pepper
1 bay leaf
1 C sliced celery
1 C sliced carrots
1/2 C sliced mushrooms
1 C flour
1 T snipped fresh parsley
2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 t dried oregano
1 beaten egg
1/4 C milk
2 T vegetable oil

directions

1. skin chicken and rinse. in a large pot combine chicken, 3 C water, onion, basil, 1/2 t salt, marjoram, pepper and bay leaf. bring to boiling; reduce heat, cover and simmer 25 minutes. add celery, carrots and mushrooms. return to boiling; reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes. discard bay leaf.

2. for dumplings, in a mixing bowl combine the 1 C flour, parsley, baking powder, the 1/4 t salt, and oregano. in another bowl combine the egg, milk and oil; add to flour mixture. stir with a fork til just moistened. drop batter onto the hot chicken and not onto the broth. return to boiling; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the dumplings comes out clean. transfer chicken and dumplings and vegetables to a serving platter, keep warm.

3. make gravy with remaining broth.

poppy seed chicken

my mother-in-law introduced me to this recipe. it's a crowd-pleaser and works well to make ahead. one special note--it's definitely better to crush the crackers some other way than in a food processor. you want them slightly more chunky, not a dusty powder. i usually serve this over baked potatoes and with broccoli. in fact, you could probably mix the broccoli in, although i haven't tried that yet....

ingredients:

3 C cooked chicken breast, cubed (you can saute some onions along with it if you want)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 C sour cream
a handful of cheddar cheese, shredded
1 package ritz crackers, crushed
1 cube butter (no one said it was healthy)
2 T poppy seeds (or just however much looks good to you--i use more)

directions:

mix the first four ingredients together and spread into a 8 x 8 pan. sprinkle the crackers on top and drizzle with the butter. poppy seeds next. bake @ 400 til golden and bubbly, about 20 minutes.

chicken nuggets--more like tender chicken

i try a homemade chicken nuggets recipe every once a while because i like the idea of making a more healthy version of them at home since my kiddos like them so much. so far i haven't really found one...and this isn't really a chicken nugget recipe, but it made some super yummy and tender chicken. i found it on allrecipes.com. i flipped them over after they had cooked about half the time.

Baked Chicken Nuggets

Ingredients

• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/2 inch size pieces. In a medium bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, thyme and basil. Mix well. Put melted butter/margarine in a bowl or dish for dipping.
3. Dip chicken pieces into the melted butter/margarine first, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place well coated chicken pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet in a single layer, and bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients
chicken (either canned or frozen) cook & dice/shred
celery- dice/chop
mayonnaise
basil- several good shakes
rosemary- 1/2 tsp
pepper- dash
salt- 1/2 tsp
grapes- seedless, cut in half, optional


Ok, so I basically eyeball this recipe. I usually do 1/2-1 chicken breast per adult. And then I usually do 1 stalk of celery for every 3 breasts used. I use a spatula to add the mayo and start small and keep adding until I like the consistency. I add the spices at the beginning so that they get blended well....and I add the grapes last. So if I make this the day before I put the grapes in a sandwich bag and then add them when I'm ready to start putting the mixture on bread or croissants. Also, if you're going to do croissants, only slice them 2/3 of the way through---if you completely slice them in half then the chicken and grapes fall out too easily when you're trying to eat it. I learned that the hard way!

che bella notte pasta--only takes 30 minutes!

this is my favorite dinner. it can seem gourmet, there are myriad variations...and i timed myself the last time i made it and it literally took me 33 min, start to finish.

10 oz pasta (i’ve used farfalle, rotini, ziti, penne, capenelli)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (or more) capers
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into medallions
1 tsp dried basil
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 C chicken broth
½ C sun-dried tomatoes, julienne
½ C heavy cream
¼ C grated parmesan cheese

cook pasta as directed on package. in the meanwhile, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. add garlic, capers and chicken. add basil and red pepper. cook for about 4 minutes to brown (don’t overcook—it will continue cooking in the sauce!) add broth and tomatoes. simmer uncovered for 5 minutes. take off heat and stir in cream and cheese. pour over pasta and enjoy.

*i rarely actually make this with chicken—it’s great without it. super yummy to add any combination of the following: roasted pine nuts; diced fresh tomato; steamed zucchini, mushrooms asparagus, yellow squash, spinach, eggplant; and i always sprinkle fresh shredded parmesan over the top.

*i’ve also tried it with just milk and/or half and half and non-fat half and half to be easy on the arteries. nothing is as good as the real thing, but if you’re gonna skimp, skimp using the non-fat half and half (and you’ll need to add some salt). i hope you love it and eat it as much as we do!

Chicken in a Bag

Here's what we had last night. This is a favorite that I make once or twice a month because a) whole chickens go on sale for really cheap all the time and b) it's fail-proof--I've never had it turn out anything short of delicious.

Chicken in a Bag

1 whole chicken (usually 4-5 pounds)
1 lemon
salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
spices: basil, thyme, tarragon, paprika, cayenne pepper
brown paper bag

Remove extra parts (heart, neck, liver, etc) from chicken and rinse the whole bird. Rub the salt and garlic into the inside cavity. Poke holes in the lemon, squeezing some juice into and onto the chicken. Put the entire lemon into the chicken. Place the whole chicken into the brown paper bag and fold down the top to close. Place the bag onto a cooking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for one hour. Turn the heat down to 350 degrees and cook for another hour (or until done, depending on size of the bird). Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before carving.

A few notes: No, the bag will not catch on fire, although sometimes you can smell the paper browning. Also, the timing is pretty flexible. I've done 1 1/2 hours at 450 and 30 mins at 350 or vice versa, and it has still turned out. I've also cooked a 15 pound turkey this way (increasing the time quite a bit) using an onion instead of a lemon and it was fabulous.