03-04-10
Bacon and Blue Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (recommended: Maytag or Point Reyes)
4 slices smoked bacon, cooked until crisp and finely chopped
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives
4 skin-on, bone-in organic chicken breasts
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
In a large bowl, using a rubber spatula, mix the butter, blue cheese, bacon, and chives together until combined. Dollop half of the compound butter along the long edge of a 12-inch piece of parchment or waxed paper. Roll into a log, twisting opposite ways on both ends of the paper to create a tightly wrapped log of butter. Refrigerate or freeze for another use.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Using your fingers, carefully loosen the skin from chicken breasts. Stuff about 1/4 of the remaining blue cheese butter under the skin of each breast; smoothing the skin to evenly distribute the butter over the surface of the breast meat.
Put the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet and rub any remaining butter over the skin. Season each breast with just a pinch of freshly ground black pepper.
Roast the chicken breasts, skin sides up, in the center of the oven until skin is crisped and chicken is cooked through, about 35 to 40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should register 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the meat. Remove from the oven to a serving platter. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Cook’s Note: This recipe makes 2 logs of compound butter; unused butter can be used to top grilled meats, burgers, or baked or mashed potatoes.
02-23-10
Mini Paella
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
Directions:
02-23-10
Chutney Chicken One-Pot
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
Directions:
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning once, for 5 minutes on each side; transfer to a plate. Add the butter to melt, then add the parsnips, onion and apple; season with salt and pepper. Cook until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the apricots, cranberries, raisins, vinegar, ginger, cumin, allspice and cinnamon, scraping the pan. Stir in the chicken stock, apricot preserves and mustard and lower the heat. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until the dried fruit is plumped, about 5 minutes. Serve with the bread.
02-16-10
Thai Chicken Spring Rolls
As seen on the following webpage: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Thai-Chicken-Spring-Rolls/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=32147923&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2010-02-16&prop28=CompleteYourMeal&prop29=FullRecipe1&me=1
Makes 12 rolls
Ingredients:
1 cup peanut sauce
1 (1 1/2 inch) piece fresh ginger root, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon peanut oil
6 ounces fresh snow pea pods
12 ounces bean sprouts
4 green onion, chopped
1 pound watercress, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 large carrots, peeled
1 teaspoon peanut oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
12 spring roll wrappers
1/2 cup peanut sauce
Directions:
Combine 1 cup peanut sauce, ginger, garlic, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce in a bowl. Add the chicken and mix until the chicken is coated. Place in refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.
Heat 1 teaspoon peanut oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Cook the snow peas, bean sprouts and green onion in the oil until heated but still crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Mix in the watercress and cilantro. Use a vegetable peeler to have long slices of carrot into the watercress mixture. Drizzle 1 teaspoon soy sauce into the watercress mixture; toss to coat.
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil to the wok or skillet. Cook the marinated chicken until no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes.
Fill a large bowl with hot water. Dip wrappers one at a time into the water for about 2 seconds each. As wrappers are removed from the water, fill each with 2 large spoonfuls of the chicken and a small handful of the watercress mixture. Fold in two opposite ends of the wrapper to meet the filling. Then fold the bottom of the wrapper over the top of the filling and roll. Serve with 1/2 cup peanut sauce for dipping.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving (3 rolls/serving): 595 calories; 31 g fat; 8 g fiber; 33 g carbohydrates
02-15-10
Chicken Curry in a Hurry
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
1/2 cup mild Indian curry paste
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 3- to 3 1/2-pound cut-up chicken
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups chopped onions (about 2 medium)
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions:
Combine curry paste, white wine vinegar, ginger, cumin, and cardamom in processor; blend to paste. Transfer spice paste to large bowl; add cut-up chicken pieces and rub to coat well, then sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and any spice paste remaining in bowl to skillet; cook until well browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to bowl. Add onions to skillet; sauté until golden, adding water by tablespoonfuls if dry, about 5 minutes. Add diced tomatoes with juice; bring to simmer. Return chicken pieces to skillet. Spoon some of juices in skillet over chicken. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, adding water by 1/4 cupfuls to thin juices, if desired, and turning chicken once, about 25 minutes. Transfer chicken pieces and juices to shallow bowl. Divide chicken equally among 4 plates; sprinkle each portion with chopped fresh cilantro and serve.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 495 calories; 27 g fat; 2 g fiber; 12 g carbohydrates
02-14-10
Roasted Chicken with Goat-Cheese Macadamia Nut Crust and Parsley-Pimento Couscous
Makes 4 Servings
Ingredients:
Cooking spray
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, about 5 ounces each
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup honey mustard
6 ounces soft goat cheese
1 cup macadamia nuts
1 cup couscous
1/4 cup diced pimentos
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Coat a shallow roasting pan with cooking spray.
Season chicken all over with salt and black pepper and place in prepared pan. Brush mustard all over tops of chicken. Then spread with goat cheese. Place macadamia nuts in a plastic bag and smash with the flat side of a meat mallet or bottom of a heavy skillet until finely crushed. Sprinkle nuts over goat cheese. Cover pan with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 to 10 more minutes, until cheese is golden brown and chicken is cooked through.
While chicken is baking, cook couscous according to package directions. Fluff with a fork, and stir in pimentos, parsley and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Serve half of the chicken and all of the couscous. Reserve remaining chicken for the chopped salad, if desired.
02-14-10
Greek Chicken and Pasta
Makes 5 Servings
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked penne pasta (6 oz)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 can (14 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup crumbled feta cheese or shredded Havarti cheese (4 oz)
3 cups chopped deli rotisserie chicken (from 2- to 2 1/2-lb chicken)
1 jar (6 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained, chopped
1/3 cup sliced kalamata olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 11×7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
2. Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour; cook and stir 30 seconds. Slowly stir in broth; heat to boiling. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Gently stir in cooked pasta, chicken, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, olives and parsley. Spoon into baking dish.
3. Bake uncovered 25 to 30 minutes or until hot. Garnish with additional fresh parsley if desired.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 550 calories; 26 g fat; 4 g fiber; 40 g carbohydrates
02-13-10
Chicken Crescent Pot Stickers
Makes 16 Pot Stickers
Ingredients:
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/4 cup shredded carrots
4 medium green onions, chopped (1/4 cup chopped)
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons thick barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon grated fresh gingerroot
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® Place ‘n Bake™ refrigerated crescent rounds
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons sesame seed
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Grease or spray large cookie sheet. In medium bowl, mix chicken, carrots and onions. Stir in hoisin sauce, barbecue sauce, gingerroot, sesame oil and garlic.
2. Unroll dough from both cans on work surface, but do not separate. Firmly press perforations to seal. Roll or press each into 12×8-inch rectangle. Cut each rectangle into 8 squares. Spoon about 2 tablespoons chicken mixture in center of each square. Bring edges up, pinching together and twisting to form bundle.
3. Place on cookie sheet. Brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sesame seed.
4. Bake 14 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 170 calories; 9 g fat; 0 g fiber; 15 g carbohydrates
02-13-10
Spicy Orange-Chicken Charmers
Makes 16 Appetizers
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
1/3 cup Orange Marmalade
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon cooking sherry, if desired
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls (8 rolls)
1 teaspoon sesame seed
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly spray 16 mini muffin cups with CRISCO® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken and onions; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in marmalade, soy sauce, sherry, garlic powder and red pepper flakes. Simmer uncovered about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened and chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove from heat.
2. Meanwhile, unroll dough into 4 rectangles. Cut each rectangle into quarters by making another diagonal cut in addition to the perforation to make a total of 16 triangles.
3. Press largest part of each dough triangle in bottom and up side of muffin cup, leaving triangle points extending over cup. Fill each cup with about 1 tablespoon chicken mixture. For each cup, slightly stretch points of triangles to make longer; twist points together and place on top of filling. Spray shaped rolls lightly with cooking spray; sprinkle with sesame seed.
4. Bake 11 to 19 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove from pan to serving plate. Cool 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 100 calories; 4 g fat; 0 g fiber; 11g carbohydrates
02-10-10
Hot Date with a Chicken
As seen on the following website: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Hot-Date-with-a-Chicken/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=31756383&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2010-02-10&prop28=DailyRecipe&prop29=FullRecipe&me=1
Makes 2 Servings
Ingredients:
1/4 cup dates, pitted and chopped
1 small apple – peeled, cored and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped dried apricots
2 tablespoons raisins
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground mace (or 1/8 tsp cinnamon and 1/8 tsp nutmeg)
2 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Combine the dates, apple, apricots, raisins, orange zest, and orange juice in a small bowl. Season with cayenne pepper, cardamom, and mace; mix well.
Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of heavy plastic (resealable freezer bags work well) on a solid, level surface. Firmly pound the chicken with the smooth side of a meat mallet to a thickness of about 1/4 inch. Mound the fruit filling on the flattened breasts and roll up, tucking in the ends. Secure the chicken with toothpicks.
Heat the vegetable oil in an oven proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts, and cook until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Place in the preheated oven, and continue cooking the chicken breasts until the filling is hot and the juices run clear, 20 to 25 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
Serve with white rice or couscous.
NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 395 calories; 18 g fat; 3 g fiber; 20 g carbohydrates