Chili Chicken

From Adrianne Campbell (from Cuisine at Home magazine)

1 1/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 T. brown sugar

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

2 T. olive oil

Combine above ingredients with chicken and toss to coat. Just grill them for a few minutes. Recipe calls for cut chunks of chicken on skewers, browned on the stove top then finished in the oven at 400 for a few more minutes. Adrianne just grills the chicken out on the grill without the skewers.

I got this recipe off the This Week For Dinner website : http://thisweekfordinner.com/

I loved how easy this recipe was - and very flavorful. I also grilled on the BBQ them instead of the cooking on the stove top.

Chicken Stuffed with Prosciutto and Fontina

                                        
I have made this dish many times and its delicious, quick and easy. I have played with the ingredients and added different herbs, or used whatever cheeseI had on hand. Whatever change I have made, it has been really good. Here is the recipe as written, by Paula Deen. The only problem that I had with it, is the original recipe states to cook the chicken on the stove top the entire time.  I found that it took much longer than stated to cook, sometimes drying out. So to remedy this, I start by cooking it on Med- High in a heavy cast iron skillet. After it's nice and seared, I turn down to Med-Low for about 10 minutes.Then,  I place the whole skillet in a 350 oven and let it finish cooking. About another 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of your breasts (haha) and the thickness.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 (4-ounce) piece imported Italian fontina cheese
2 slices imported prosciutto
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sliced portobello mushrooms
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 bunch baby arugula
1/2 fresh lemon, juiced

Directions
Preheat oven to 350
Place each piece of chicken between 2 sheets of waxed paper and pound them thin with a mallet, the flat of a large knife, or a rolling pin. Trim the rind from the cheese and cut it into 2 thick sticks.
Wrap each stick with a slice of prosciutto and place in the center of each flattened chicken breast. Roll the chicken breast around the prosciutto and cheese to make a sausage shape and secure with toothpicks or butcher's twine. Season the rolls with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a heavy skillet. Quickly brown the chicken rolls over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to low, and scatter the mushrooms into the pan, sprinkle with wine and rosemary. Cook, turning the chicken rolls frequently, about 10 minutes. *At this point, I would place the whole pan in the oven and bake until chicken is finished, about 10-15 minutes*
When the first bit of cheese begins to seep out, the chicken is done. Remove it from the pan to a cutting board at once. Cut each of the rolls at an angle into 6 slices. Cover to keep warm. Reheat the pan juices, swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
To serve arrange the chicken and mushrooms on a bed of arugula leaves tossed with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Warm the pan juices and strain them over the chicken
Recipe and Photo: Paula Deen, Food Network

Baked Lemon Pasta

Last week i made this for the family -- i got the idea from Ree Drumond's recipe (from The Pioneer Woman Cooks) but made a few substitutions and add-ins. (p.s. she takes beautiful pictures of her food -- and the method for each ingredient! check it out by clicking on the link!)

I also added another 'tag' to our list of labels... 'rotisserie-chicken-shortcut' -- I usually try to buy a rotisserie chicken on the day i grocery shop. it makes for an easy meal prep! so start looking for new dishes you can use a rotisserie chicken for dinner!

here are The Pioneer Woman's ingredients: (mine are italicized and bold)
1 pound Thin Spaghetti (i used linguine)
4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
1 whole Lemon, Juiced And Zested
2 cups Sour Cream (i used heavy whipping cream, my husband HATES sour cream!)
½ teaspoons Kosher Salt, Or More To Taste
Plenty Of Grated Parmesan Cheese
Flat-leaf Parsley, Chopped (i used fresh rosemary)
Extra Lemon Juice
1 rotisserie chicken, sliced

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook spaghetti until al dente.

In a skillet, melt butter with olive oil over LOW HEAT. When butter is melted, add minced garlic. Squeeze lemon juice into the pan. Turn off heat.

Add sour cream (or whipping cream) and stir mixture together. Add lemon zest and salt. Taste, then add more salt if necessary. Pour mixture over drained spaghetti and stir together, then pour spaghetti into an oven safe dish.

Bake, covered, for 15 minutes. Then remove foil and bake for an additional 7 to 10 minutes. (Don’t bake too long or the pasta will dry out.)

When you remove it from the oven, squeeze a little more lemon juice over the top. Top generously with Parmesan cheese, then chopped parsley (or rosemary). Give it a final squeeze of lemon juice at the end.

I then topped it with the sliced rotisserie chicken, you could - of course - cook a couple of chicken breasts in place of a rotisserie!

Serve with crusty French bread and a simple green salad.

A few things...

i know, i know -- i've been MIA lately. it's not that i haven't been cooking, cause i cook almost everyday. and it's not that i haven't been trying new recipes, cause i try a few new recipes a week. so why haven't i been posting them, you ask?? ~sigh~ i have no idea!
i think that is the beauty of doing this blog with Nancy, she picks up my slack... so now, while she is busy with some family things, i plan to fill in the gap.

Here are a couple of recipes that i made last week that either i loved, or my husband loved.

Chicken & Sweet Potatoes With Shallots

(photo from real simple website)

**This is one that my husband loved. He even reminded me yesterday how much he liked it. I liked it because it was soo easy! and very budget friendly! (my notes are in bold and italicized)

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
kosher salt and black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (each 6 ounces)
4 shallots, sliced into thin rings
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

1. Place the sweet potatoes in a large pot. Add enough cold water to cover and bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt, reduce heat, and simmer until tender, 14 to 16 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water, drain the sweet potatoes, and return them to the pot. Mash with the reserved cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes per side; transfer to plates.
3. Wipe out the skillet (why on earth would you wipe out all of that flavor?? I de-glazed the pan with a couple of tablespoons of chicken broth, then put a tablespoon of butter in and let it melt. I omitted the remaining oil.)
   and heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, until the shallots are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. (I know I cooked the shallots a bit longer than it says. I like caramelized onions, so it just sounded like the way to go!!)
   Serve the chicken with the potatoes and drizzle with the shallot mixture.

By Kate Merker, February 2010
Real Simple Magazine, February 2010



Pasta with Gorgonzola & Beef Tenderloin

(photo from goodLife {eats} website)

**This is one that i absolutely looooooved!! I love blue cheese/gorgonzola anything. I love a really good steak. and I love pasta. So, why didn't i think of this recipe? I dunno that answer either... but i am really glad someone did!!
This one, however, is not that cost-effective. it is definitely a dinner that you make on a special occasion, like katie did for Valentine's Day. Or like me, who had extra money in her grocery budget this week, and instead of saving, felt the urge to splurge! (my notes are in bold and italicized)



Ingredients
1 lb. filet mignon, cut into 2 inch medallions (i much prefer a steak... so instead of cutting medallions, i left my filet as 2 steaks)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons butter
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, plus extra for garnish
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
8 ounces uncooked pasta, linquine or fettuccini

Directions
Toss the filet mignon medallions (i much prefer a steak... so instead of cutting medallions, i left my filet as steaks) with the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Let rest in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare a pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

In a saute pan, (i used a dutch oven, so that i could put it in the oven later...) heat the oil over medium heat. Add the beef. Cook without turning for 2-3 minutes, or until browned. Turn and repeat. (then put the steak in a 400 degree oven for 6-8 minutes) Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. (If you would like the meat more well done, cook for additional time)

Combine the butter through white wine in a saucepan. Bring to a slow simmer and stir in the Parmesan and Gorgonzola. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let simmer for 2 minutes, stirring to ensure the cheese has dispersed evenly.

Toss the pasta with the sauce and filet mignon (i sliced the tenderloins thinly and placed on top of the pasta) medallions. Garnish with additional Gorgonzola.

Note: just before serving, I threw the asparagus into the pan I cooked the beef in. Sauteed it for a minute, poured a few glugs of white wine, and put the lid on it. After steaming it for a minute or two I seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. Serve it drizzled with some of the pan drippings you cooked it in. (yummy!)

a goodLife {eats} creation

White Bean Chicken Chili

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups diced, cooked chicken meat
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups good chicken stock
1 (18.75 ounce) can tomatillos, drained and chopped
1 (16 ounce) can diced tomatoes- I use roasted, diced tomatoes
1 (7 ounce) can diced green chiles
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed- I use fresh cilantro instead
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (15 ounce) can white beans- I use white kidney beans
2 ears fresh corn, husked and cut from cob- I use 1 cup of frozen corn when I cant get fresh
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1-2 whole jalapeno's, sliced
1 small red or green bell pepper, chopped, optional

Ideas For Garnish:
sliced limes
sour cream
shredded cheese, my favorite is Jack
thin baked corn tortilla strips
avacado slices
thin sliced green onions

Heat oil, and cook onion, bell pepper (if using) and garlic until soft.
Stir in broth, tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, jalapeno slices and all spices, (except fresh cilantro, add this at the very end).
Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.
Add corn, chicken, and beans; simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with garnish choices

Orange Chicken

2 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts

¼ cups Cornstarch

Salt And Pepper

1 cup Fresh Orange Juice

1 cup Water

2 Tablespoons Lime Juice

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar

3 strips Orange Zest - 1" Wide By 2" Tall

½ cups Lightly Packed Brown Sugar

½ teaspoons Fresh Minced Ginger

2 cloves Garlic, Minced

2 Tablespoons Light Soy Sauce

4 whole Dried Red Chilies, Broken In Half (or red chili flakes)

2 Tablespoons Cornstarch, For The Slurry

2 Tablespoons Water, For The Slurry

 

In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat about an inch of vegetable or canola oil to about 375F. Heat the oven to 250F.

In a large zip top bag, combine the cornstarch, salt and pepper. Add the chicken chunks and seal the bag. Toss to coat completely.

Add the coated chicken to the hot oil in two or three batches. Cook until lightly golden and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 F. Transfer the cooked chicken to a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Hold the chicken in the oven.

In a sauce pan, combine the water, orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, vinegar, orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and dry chilies. Stir to combine. Place the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the sauce reduce by 1/3.

In a small bowl, prepare the slurry by combining the cornstarch and water until smooth. Pour the mixture into the sauce and whisk until the sauce thickens. Add fried chicken pieces. Stir to coat. Serve immediately.

Chicken Scampi from Spain

This is the last of my fav's from the Holidays. I don't have a picture of it.. but it is beautiful, healthy and o-so delicious. This is a recipe from my sister in law, Cristy, who prepared it for our lunch one day. Cristy got this recipe while living in Spain. This recipe is very lemony. This is not a problem for me, because I happen to think there is no such thing as too much lemon. But You may want to add the lemon juice a little at a time to suit your taste.

1 Chopped onion
5 Garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup Olive oil
4 tbs Butter
3 Chicken breasts, chopped to bite size pieces, uncooked
Juice of 3 lemons
12 Mushrooms, sliced
4 Tomatoes chopped
salt and pepper
Cooked Penne Pasta enough to feed 4-6

In a large skillet, heat olive oil and butter. Add onions and mushrooms. saute until onions are translucent and mushrooms are a bit browned. Add garlic and saute for 45-60 seconds, do not let burn. Add Chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add tomatoes, juice of 3 lemons and salt and pepper to taste.
Serve over pasta
Serves 4-6

Lemon Chicken Soup

It got down to a bone chilling 64 degrees here in California yesterday, ha! Coming from Colorado I have to laugh at the weather forecast here. Today we are having a "Serious Weather Warning, in fact it was even broadcast during the first 5 minutes of the Today show. It's raining and the wind is blowing, scary!

Anyway- I woke up yesterday craving soup and sniffling from a cold we are trying to fight off.. so here is what I made for dinner. Play with the lemon's in this recipe if you aren't sure you like a strong lemon flavor. I do, and so I used 2 lemons in mine and added a slice on top. but I'm just wierd.

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbs Olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1 dried bay leaf
1 (2-inch) piece Parmesan cheese rind, optional * I used a handful of shredded parm cheese
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch pieces
1 celery stalk, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces
1/4 cup minced onion
1 cup small pasta. I used whole wheat pasta circles
2 cups diced cooked rotisserie chicken, preferably breast meat
1 cup grated Romano cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt
Black Pepper

Directions
In a large stockpot, saute in 1 Tbs olive oil- carrots, celery, onion and bay leaf. Stir and saute until onions turn transparent and veggies start to get tender.
Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and parmesan rind, if using, bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat down and let simmer for 8 minutes.
Add the pasta and cook until the pasta is tender, for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken and heat through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and the parmesan rind and discard. Stir in 1/2 of the cheese and the parsley. Season with salt, to taste. Ladle the soup into serving bowls and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
adapted from a Giada DeLaurientiis recipe, Food Network

Wings

It's football season, whoop whoop! I love football season... fall is in the air. I dream of cooking soups and comfort foods, loads of nachos, green chili and all kinds of Sunday afternoon grub.
One of the things I cook on a regular basis is wings. There are 8000 ways to make wings; I guess it's a matter of preference. I prefer crispy wings. I prefer a sauce that is a little on the mild side. I find I can eat more that way.

People love my wings. However, I can't take much credit in the originality department because the recipe is on the back of my favorite hot sauce! Franks Red Hot. And the original one, not the "Wing Sauce" one. I prefer to melt my own butter, thank you. Oh and I add a few dashes of Tabasco Chipotle sauce, which adds a nice smokey flavor. Yum.

I have cooked wings every way possible. I have battered them, floured them, baked them, grilled them... My favorite is to fry them with no batter or flour whatsoever. It makes them so crispy and delicious. Plus anything I can do to decrease my weekly intake of carbs during the football season makes me sing and dance. And go back for seconds.
For the wings:
3 pounds drumettes, thawed and rinsed
Vegetable oil for frying- enough to cover your skillet about 1 inch deep
Heat vegetable oil over med-high heat until ready to fry. (I never use a thermometer) My oil is ready when I drop something in and it sizzles nicely and tamely
Working in batches drop your drumettes in one at a time. You have to keep em' movin' though. Otherwise they will stick to the bottom! Fry for about 1/2 hour or until nice and golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
For the sauce:
In a saucepan, melt 1/2 cup (or 8 tbs) butter. O shut up, I know you want to.
Once melted, add 3/4 cup of Franks Red Hot Original sauce, and heat until combined. Then add 4 or 10 dashes of Tabasco Chipotle sauce, depending on your taste. That's whats fun, cuz you get to keep sticking your fingers in. Yum.
Dip your wings in the sauce to coat, place on a platter and serve with celery sticks, carrot sticks, red pepper sticks, ranch dressing and some blue cheese if you want to.
Makes about 4 servings. unless you are pigs, like we are -and ate all of it ourselves.
Enjoy!

chicken salad

4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on

2 tbs. olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup good mayonnaise

1 tbs. whole grain Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1 cup small-diced celery (2 stalks)
1 cup green grapes, cut in 1/2

1/2 cup toasted, sliced almonds

*and a note: If my husband wasn't allergic to onions, I would have thrown in a green onion or two..

It is so easy to make this salad using either regular boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or canned chicken. I'll tell ya though.. the roasted chicken adds a whole world of flavor.. you will never get that from canned or boneless/skinless chicken. It's well worth it, I promise.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts, skin side up, on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside until cool.
When the chicken is cool, remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin and bones. Cut the chicken into a 3/4-inch dice. Place the chicken in a bowl; add the mayonnaise, Dijon, tarragon leaves, celery, grapes, almonds, 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and toss well.

adapted recipe from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa, Food Network

Ravioli with Balsamic Brown Butter, Walnuts and Chicken

This dish sounded strange to me, but I watched it being prepared on the Food Network and it looked wonderful. To make the original dish a more complete meal, I used a spinach ravioli and topped it with a grilled chicken breast, served it with a green salad and garlic bread. It was soooo delicious and so easy and fast.

18 to 20 ounces store-bought ravioli (cheese, mushroom or spinach)- I used spinach and ricotta
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup toasted, chopped walnuts
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1-2 chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness, salt and pepper and dash of garlic powder to season.

Saute in evoo (or grill) pounded chicken breasts, seasoned with salt and pepper until done. I used a grill pan. When chicken is done, brush with a bit of the balsamic vinegar, just to marinate. I used about 1/2 a teaspoon.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli and cook for 4-5 minutes, depending on package directions until done, but still firm.
Drain ravioli onto a large serving platter.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. When foam subsides, and butter starts to get a golden brown (about 3 minutes) remove from heat and let cool for about 1 minute. Add balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.
Transfer the ravioli to the saucepan with the vinegar sauce and sprinkle with walnuts and Parmesan cheese. Return to the platter, top with sliced chicken breast. Serve.
Serves 2-4

One of these days I will get a decent camera. Mine is used and abused by me, my husband and a 2 year old... these pics never come out as wonderful as the dish.. this one is awesome, don't let the photo scare you!!

recipe from Giada Di Laurentiis, Food Network, Everyday Italian

Roasted Chicken with Asparagus Pan Sauce

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bunch asparagus, blanched and bias cut ½ long pieces
¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and jullienne
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ cup Pinot Grigio (or chicken stock)
4 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Preheat a large frypan over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the canola oil, when it starts to lightly smoke add the chicken breasts and sear on one side about 3 to 5 minutes. Flip over and place the whole pan in the oven. Cook for another 13 to 15 minutes or until the chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165° F.
When finished remove and set aside while you make the pan sauce. Place the pan back on medium heat and add the shallots and garlic. Move quickly so as not to burn them (this should take only 30 to 45 seconds). Add the asparagus and sun dried tomatoes and saute an additional minute. Off of the heat (or you may have the fire department over for dinner too...)hmmm not a bad thought? Ok onward.. sorry... add the wine to deglaze then place back on the heat making sure to scrape up any of the brown bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan. Bring just to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low; add the butter and whisk to emulsify. Make sure not to boil the sauce, or it will break.
Serve. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken and Spinach Fettuccine

ok, so this one i just made up as i went along...
the other night i needed to think of something for dinner (cause i didn't make it to the grocery store so i could actually make what i planned in my menu!)

it has:
2 chicken breasts, evoo'ed, and S&P'd
-i browned it in a saute pan, then stuck them in some foil, sprinkled on some italian seasonings, folded the foil into a pouch, and baked for 10 min at 375 degrees
-when the chicken was done, i added the juices from the foil into the spinach
-slice chicken into bite-size pieces
some bacon i chopped and cooked in a small fry pan (i say 'some', because one of the kiddo's found the cooked bacon and ate most of it before i noticed!)
fettuccine, cooked (i had the DeCecco brand on hand, and i forgot how delicious it is!)
a bag of spinach
-i wilted the spinach in the same saute pan as i browned the chicken
1 fresh tomato, diced
some goat cheese to dress it up in the end

i combined the chicken, tomatoes, spinach and fettuccine together, then dished those ingredients onto plates. i put whatever bacon was left on top and then dolloped the goat cheese. if you like the goat cheese more melted down, try adding it to the chicken, tomato and spinach along with a ladelful of the water you cooked the fettuccine in - it makes the dish much creamier. i think i also sprinkled a bit of parmesan on top, but it was more for the kids, grace loves parmesan. :)
and as we were eating, my son asked me what the 'green stuff' was. i hesitated, but told him, spinach. he said, mmmm, it's really good! phew...
hope you like this as much as we did! let me know if you try it...

jamie

Sauteed Chicken in Mustard-Cream Sauce

ingredients:
boneless skinless chicken breasts
*evoo
*salt and pepper

in a large skillet, heat evoo on med-hi heat. sprinkle each breast with salt and pepper and saute until chicken is cooked through. transfer to a plate & cover to keep warm.

for mustard sauce:
1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth (next time i would put in the wine instead of the stock, it was really salty)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 T dijon mustard (but if you don't like dijon, this would be just as good with a spicy mustard or whole grain)
1 tsp dried thyme

pour the wine/stock into the hot skillet; cook, stirring, until reduced by half. whisk in the cream, mustard, and tarragon.

pour sauce over chicken.

i served mine with brown rice and green beans...

chicken piccata

2-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to about 1/4 inch thickness
2 tbs. grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 c. flour
salt and pepper
4 tbs. olive oil
4 tbs. butter
1/2 cup chicken stock or dry white wine (hint, its better with the wine)
3 tbs. lemon juice
1/4 cup capers, drained
1/4 c. fresh chopped parsley

Pound chicken breasts to about 1/4 inch thickness. Mix together flour, salt and pepper, Parmesan cheese. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. Heat olive oil and 2 tbs of the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add half of the chicken pieces, don't crowd the pan. Brown well on each side, about 3 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan, and place to the side on a plate. Continue to cook the remaining chicken in the same manner. Remove all chicken from the pan, and place the plate to keep warm in the oven while you make the sauce.
Add the chicken stock, or wine, capers and lemon juice to the pan. Scrape up all the browned bits from the pan. Simmer for about 3 minutes to reduce the sauce by about 1/2. Add the remaining 2 tbs butter to the sauce. Plate the chicken and cover in the sauce. Serve.
Serves 2-4 delicious over pasta
recipe adapted from Ina Garten
show: Barefoot Contessa

Chicken in Parmesan Chive Cream Sauce

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup brown rice


Directions:
If you use brown rice, you'll want to start it before you start chopping and mincing... it usually takes 45 minutes to cook.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken breasts, cook for 5-7 minutes on each side (it doesn't have to be completely cooked, you'll add it again to the sauce later. Remove chicken and let rest. Add thyme and bay leaves to the pan and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Slice chicken thin and return to pan. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Add parmesan cheese and simmer for 1 minute or until sauce has thickened. Remove bay leaves and stir in chives. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serving:
place a scoop of rice on a plate, place the chicken on top and pour a spoonful of sauce of over chicken and rice. the sauce adheres to the rice really well, and it's a creamy, delicious, very mild entree. (my kids love it!) i usually serve with green beans or broccoli.

adapted from a Recipe courtesy Robin Miller 2007

Show: Quick Fix Meals with Robin MillerEpisode: Fish and Fowl

Thai Coconut Soup by Elisabeth

My sister, Elisabeth, sent me a recipe this morning... I thought I'd post it, as it's been awhile since we have been regularly posting recipes :) sorry...

1 Tbsp veg oil (I used EVOO)
2 Tbsp grated ginger
4-6 tsp Thai Red Curry Paste (I used 4tsp yellow curry paste cuz that's what I had, but will use less next time)
6 C chicken broth
3 Tbsp Fish sauce or soy sauce (fish is preferred if you have it--I will use a bit less next time as it was a tad "fishy")
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 (14 oz) cans coconut milk (not light)
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used thighs), sliced into 1 inch strips
1/2 lb white mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin (I diced up small cuz we don't really like mushrooms--I also added thinly sliced carrot)
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
fresh cilantro leaves

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Stir in ginger and curry paste and cook for 1 minute. Add 1/2 C of broth and stir until the curry paste dissolves. Add the remaining broth, fish sauce, and brown sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 15 minutes.
Stir in the coconut milk, chicken, and mushrooms (and carrots, if desired). Simmer until chicken is cooked, about 5-10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and season with salt (if needed). Sprinkle the bowls with the cilantro leaves and serve.
With our leftover soup I brought it back to a boil, and added diced potato and carrot, and more chicken. Serve over rice for a second meal. So cheap and fast and easy!
Let me know if you try it! (really! let TBNB know what you think!!)

Jamie--
I got this recipe from that America's Test Kitchen Cookbook. It was so good, I wanted to share. :)
Jonah (her son) even had a second helping! It turned out a tad spicy, but by chasing it with a glass of milk the kids liked it! It's the best soup I've had of this genre. I wouldn't tell the kids what it was until they were done eating (they're funny about things like that sometimes!) and that was incentive enough to get Jonah to start taking bites--he is so curious!

Lemon Chicken

This is one our favorite week night meals. I serve it with brown rice, green beans and a salad.

The recipe is for 2 people, but easily doubled for 4... or 6...
2 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I use whatever I have, tonight I had strips.
1 T butter
1 T olive oil
1 1/2 T flour plus more for dredging
1/4 c panko (or any kind) bread crumbs
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1 lemon, juiced
salt and pepper

Pound chicken breasts with a meat mallet to uniform thickness. Dredge lightly in mixture of flour, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. - i also add a dash of garlic powder

In large saute pan, over medium heat, melt butter and oil until it sizzles. Add chicken and saute, turning once or twice until golden brown and juices run clear. Remove chicken and set aside.
Add lemon juice and chicken stock to pan. Whisk in flour and heat for 1 minute till boil and reduce heat to simmer. Return chicken to pan and heat through. Season with salt and pepper.

adapted from a recipe called Katie Courics lemon chicken msnbc. 2006

Alfredo Pasta with Chicken, Shrimp, Artichoke and Capers

This is from my Mother in law, who is a wonderful cook. It is now one of my top, top fav's.

1/4 cup butter

2 T flour

2 c. heavy cream

2 egg yolks, beaten

1 T white wine vinegar

1/2 t. pepper

3/4 t. salt

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1 lb Fettuccine pasta, cooked

cooked, sliced chicken, cooked shrimp, as many artichoke hearts as you like and about 2-3 T capers. 1 chopped, seeded tomato

Melt butter in large skillet. Stir in flour to make a roux. Stir in cream and simmer until thick. Turn off heat. Beat egg yolks and add some warm cream to them. Slowly pour into skillet (being careful not to scramble your eggs!). Add cheese and stir until melted and creamy. Season with vinegar, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add hot pasta, artichokes, capers, cooked shrimp and chicken. Mix together. You can use some of your pasta water to thin out sauce if needed. This also helps the sauce stick to the pasta. Top with 1 chopped, seeded tomato and parsley. Add of course... I always top with more cheese.

Poppyseed Chicken

My family has been sick with some kind of virus for the past 2 weeks, over and over and over again. It has left me searching for some serious comfort food. This is one of my favorite comfort foods and although it has sour cream, seems to have soothed some aching tummy's.

2 cups sour cream (16 oz)
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 ts. poppy seeds
2½ cups cubed cooked chicken
1¾ c. butter flavored cracker crumbs
½ c. melted butter
In bowl, combine sour cream, soup and seeds. Stir in chicken and pour into a greased baking dish. Combine cracker crumbs and butter. Sprinkle over top. Bake, uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
I serve mine with steamed or roasted asparagus and a salad.

Recipe from Milcy Paris