Rainy Sunday Curried Chicken Soup

Posted on June 6, 2012 by bilrob

Rainy Sunday Curried Chicken Soup

“The only stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking, you’ve got to have the ‘what-the-hell attitude’. ~ Julia Child

I’m with Julia on this one, which is probably why I love to cook but almost never bake. You cannot have a “WTH” attitude when baking a cake. Baking involves exact measurements and precise timing.

If you use too much baking powder your cake will be bitter and collapse in the middle. If you leave your cookies in the oven for an extra five minutes they will burn on the bottom. End of story. Baking is like chemistry. Chemistry was not my best subject as a kid and baking is definitely not my best as an adult (dozens of burnt cookies and brownies over the years support my case).

Cooking, however, is a much more forgiving process and a WTH attitude makes the process that much more enjoyable. Your spaghetti sauce tastes a little bitter? Add some sugar. Too thick? Add some water. Leave the soup simmering on the stove five minutes longer than your recipe calls for? No big deal. Don’t have the exact ingredients? Who cares! Substitute.

That is how this week’s recipe came about. I had some rotisserie chicken left over and wanted to make soup out of it but was itching for something a little different. I came across a recipe for a curried chicken soup with chickpeas and carrots (both of which I didn’t have). So I snooped around the fridge and gathered up what I did have. An hour later this Curried Chicken and Cauliflower soup was born.

As always, I encourage you to tweak my recipes to suit your tastes-substitute at will! Cook with reckless abandon! Or, bake with laser focused precision, if that is what you love to do. And if it is, please don’t forget me. Though my skills as a baker are sorely lacking I am quite good at consuming the delicious work of others. As my friend Kelly says, “There’s nothing like a big honkin’ slice of cake.”

Curried Chicken Soup With Cauliflower

Ingredients:

2 qts chicken broth
Rotisserie chicken meat, cut into small pieces
4 red baby potatoes, cut into small pieces
2 cups cauliflower florets (I used frozen)
1 13.5 oz can coconut milk (if it has solidified don’t worry-it will loosen up once in the broth)
3 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp garlic
1 tsp salt (Lawry’s seasoned salt is good in this also)
Few grinds fresh black pepper

Directions:

Bring chicken broth to a simmer.
Add chicken, potatoes, cauliflower, coconut milk, garlic and spices. Simmer 10-20 minutes, until tender.
Taste soup and add 2-3 cups of water if too thick, more salt and pepper if not salty enough.

You can garnish this with cilantro or Parmesan cheese, if you like.

Enjoy!

If you require a high quality printout of this article, just click on the printer symbol next to ’Share and enjoy’, and we will do the rest.

Get the best website builder available anywhere –SBI! Click here for more information

Return from chicken to Home Page

If you want to increase your site popularity and gain thousands of visitors – check out these sites THEY ARE FREE. Spanishchef more than doubled its ‘New Visitors’ last month simply by signing up to these sites:

Follow spanishchef.net on TWITTER

Lemon Herb Chicken Breasts with Ratatouille

Posted on June 5, 2012 by bilrob

Lemon Herb Chicken Breasts with Ratatouille

Chickens farmed for meat are called broiler chickens. Chickens will naturally live for 6 or more years, but broiler chickens typically take less than 6 weeks to reach slaughter size. A free range or organic meat chicken will usually be slaughtered at about 14 weeks of age.

The meat of the chicken, also called “chicken”, is a type of poultry meat. Because of its relatively low cost, chicken is one of the most used meats in the world. Nearly all parts of the bird can be used for food, and the meat can be cooked in many different ways. Popular chicken dishes include roasted chicken, fried chicken, chicken soup, Buffalo wings, tandoori chicken, butter chicken, and chicken rice. Chicken is also a staple of many fast food restaurants.

Lemon Herb Chicken Breasts with Ratatouille

Yield: 4-6 servings

2 each  Double chicken breast, skinless, approx 10oz. each
1 recipe Lemon Herb Marinade (recipe follows)
To taste Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp  Olive oil
1-1/2 lb Japanese eggplant cut in 1” dice (about 4 each)
1 small  Onion, peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
2 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
2 small  Zucchini, quartered longwise and cut in 1” thick pieces (1/2 lb)
3 each  Tomatoes, peeled and cut in chunks (1 lb)
1 each  Red bell pepper, roasted, seeded and cut into 1” dice
1 each  Yellow bell pepper, roasted, seeded and cut into 1” dice
12 each  Basil leaves, torn in half (leave a few sprigs for garnish)
2 tsp  Fresh thyme

1. Place a chicken breast between two pieces of saran wrap on a cutting board and flatten with a meat mallet or the side of a heavy cleaver. Repeat with the other breast. Place in a glass or stainless steel pan and pour the Lemon Herb Marinade over. Refrigerate at least four hours or better yet overnight.

2. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Broil under high heat for about 4-5 minutes on each side or until an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees internal temperature. Transfer to a platter.

3. Heat a large skillet over high heat, add 2 Tbsp of the olive oil and toss in the eggplant. Season with salt and pepper and brown well on all sides; transfer eggplant to a bowl and set aside. Return the skillet to the fire, lower heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion, garlic and zucchini. Season with salt and pepper and cook until vegetables are tender; about 6 minutes.

4. Return the eggplant to the pan, add the tomatoes and roasted peppers to the skillet and cook until vegetables are tender. Toss in the basil and thyme and adjust seasoning. Spoon on top of the chicken and garnish with fresh herbs.

Lemon Herb Marinade

2 Tbsp Lemon juice
3 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Honey
1 each Shallot, finely diced
1 each Garlic clove, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Fresh oregano, chopped
1 Tbsp Fresh thyme, chopped

1. Whisk together all ingredients in a mixing bowl

Previous article
Your Life A to Z with host
Lisa Haffner
Next article
Hotline: Monday, June 4

If you require a high quality printout of this article, just click on the printer symbol next to ’Share and enjoy’, and we will do the rest.

Get the best website builder available anywhere –SBI! Click here for more information

Return from chicken to Home Page

Follow spanishchef.net on TWITTER

Chicken recipes: A bird in the hand

Posted on June 4, 2012 by bilrob

chicken pot pies

Golden: Chicken, lemon and leek pot pies. Picture: Brett Stevens
Source: Supplied

Chicken recipes: A bird in the hand

MANY a cook starts the night with chicken in the fridge and dinner on their mind.

By the time the food hits the table it’s been transformed into something delicious and nourishing. Why do we love it so? Probably because it’s the most versatile of all proteins with endless recipes to match. Here are three delicious ways to cook chicken tonight for your family.

- Sophia Young, Food Editor, MasterChef Magazine

–

ROAST CHICKEN WITH STUFFING

Serves 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 90 minutes

Skills needed: Basic

1/2 (about 300g) loaf day-old sourdough bread, crusts removed, cut into 2cm pieces

1.8kg organic or free-range chicken

1/2 bunch basil

1 bulb garlic

2 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra, to rub

400g can whole tomatoes

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

150g kalamata olives, halved, pitted

2 bulbs baby fennel, trimmed, thickly sliced

1 red onion, cut into thin wedges

200g fresh goat’s cheese

Preheat oven to 200C. Place bread on an oven tray and bake, turning, for 30 minutes or until dry and light golden.

Meanwhile, rinse chicken inside and out, then pat dry. Pick basil leaves and reserve stems. Reserve 3 cloves from garlic, then cut bulb in half horizontally. Stuff the cavity with basil stems and halved garlic, then tie legs together with kitchen string. Rub the skin all over with soy sauce until stained a light golden, then rub with extra oil. Season with some salt and pepper.

Tip tomatoes into a large roasting pan. Using scissors, cut each into quarters. Thinly slice reserved garlic cloves, then add to pan with vinegar, oil, olives, fennel and onion. Season. Toss to combine. Top with chicken and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 180C and roast for 30 minutes. Add bread. Roast for a further 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Crumble over the goat’s cheese and scatter with the basil leaves. Carve the chicken and serve with stuffing.

TASTE TIPS

* For even, golden skin, tear off small pieces of foil to cover parts of chicken that are browning faster than others.

* For ease of cleaning, use disposable foil roasting trays; double if roasting on the barbecue.

* Shred leftover roast chicken and add to soups, pasta, pies and rice dishes for a quick midweek meal.

–

CHICKEN, LEMON LEEK POT PIES

Serves 6

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 1/4 hours

Skills needed: Basic

2 tbsp olive oil

1.5kg chicken thigh fillets, each cut into 4 pieces

40g butter

2 carrots, roughly chopped

1 stalk celery, roughly chopped

2 leeks, cut into thick rounds

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp thyme leaves

2 tbsp plain flour

300ml chicken stock

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/3 cup pouring cream

6 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 egg, lightly beaten

Heat oil in a casserole over high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then brown, in two batches, for 2 minutes each side. Reduce heat to medium. Add butter, carrots, celery, leeks, garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes or until all softened.

Preheat oven to 200C. Scatter flour over veg and stir until grainy. Gradually add stock and bring to a simmer.

Return chicken to casserole with bay leaf and simmer for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Stir in lemon juice and cream, then season. Tip into a large bowl, place bowl in a sink of cold water, then stir to cool rapidly.

Stack the pastry sheets in groups of 2, then cut out rounds 2cm larger than dishes.

Spoon chicken mixture into dishes, brush edges with egg, then cover with pastry. Brush with egg and bake for 25 minutes until golden. Serve immediately.

TASTE TIPS

* To make these pot pies, you first cook a chicken casserole, so stop there if you prefer, and eat it with mash.

* You’ll need 6 x 250ml (1-cup) ovenproof dishes.

Add extra flavour to the pies by scattering tops with sesame or mustard seeds before baking.

–

CHICKEN WITH CABBAGE AND ROCKET

Serves 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Skills needed: Basic

4 chicken breasts

3/4 cup plain flour

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup parmesan, finely grated

1/3 cup olive oil

80g butter

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 tbsp baby capers

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 lemon, juiced

2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

340g white cabbage, finely shredded

1 cup rocket

Cut chicken in half horizontally and pound. Place flour on a plate and eggs in a bowl.

Dust chicken with flour, shaking off excess. Combine cheese with remaining flour.

Dip chicken in eggs and coat in cheese mixture.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 20g butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken for 2 minutes each side or until golden. Repeat with another 1 tablespoon oil, 20g butter and remaining chicken.

Wipe pan clean and melt 20g butter over high heat. Stir in garlic and capers, then cook for 30 seconds. Add wine and simmer for 3 minutes or until reduced by half.

Add lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and remaining 20g butter.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat.

Add cabbage, season, then toss until wilted. Stir in the rocket. Divide among plates. Top with chicken. Drizzle over the sauce to serve.

TIP

* To prevent sauce forming a skin, cover surface directly with cling wrap.

–

TASTE SHOPPING LIST

CHICKENS

What’s the difference between the types of chicken available?

In a nutshell, conventional chickens are intensively raised to be ready for consumption in as little as six weeks.

Such rapid growth is not the result of hormones (banned in Australia in the 1960s); rather, feeding and selective breeding.

Free-range chickens are also intensively farmed, but have more floor space and access to outside areas.

Corn-fed chickens have a mainly corn-based diet (which is not organic and not always GMO-free), resulting in yellow-tinged skin and, many claim, a more tasty meat.

Organic chickens are raised to strict guidelines: 95 per cent of their food must be organic and they roam organic land.

They’re slower to reach maturity, so cost more to farm, hence the heftier price tag.

If you require a high quality printout of this article, just click on the printer symbol next to ’Share and enjoy’, and we will do the rest.

Get the best website builder available anywhere –SBI! Lick here for more information

Return from chicken to Home Page

Follow spanishchef.net on TWITTER

Chicken Salad

Posted on May 18, 2012 by bilrob

Chicken Salad

With summer around the corner I start looking for something different to serve for dinner; dishes to take the place of hearty, cool weather stews and casseroles.

My family likes main-course salads beefed up with protein of some kind, which in our case is often chicken. The problem is everyone likes their chicken salad a little different, so I needed a basic recipe I could adjust based on who I was serving. Sure finding a recipe with this flexibility might prove frustrating, but I was up for the challenge.

Chicken Salad Supreme

2½ cups diced poached chicken breasts

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 cup seedless grapes, red or green, cut in half

2 tablespoons minced parsley

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup sliced toasted almonds

Combine chicken, celery, grapes and parsley in large bowl.

In another bowl. whip the heavy cream to soft peaks; gently fold in the mayonnaise into whipped cream. Add to chicken mixture and stir gently. Add salt and almonds and stir gently. Garnish with additional almonds and chopped parsley.

Serves six.

I started my search on the Internet and discovered the general idea of chicken salad, pieces of chicken mixed with a variety of spices and tied together by a binding substance, has been around a long time. The Chinese deserve the credit for being the first to serve a variation of what we know today, but it is Liam Gray of Town Meats in Wakefield, Rhode Island, who,in 1863 combined leftover chicken with mayonnaise, spices and grapes to create the iconic American version. It was such a hit that the meat market became a deli and operated until just a few years ago.

The first recipe I stumbled upon dated from the 19th century and called for shredded chicken, chopped celery and filberts held together with either an oil and vinegar or sweet mayonnaise-like dressing. Intriguing, but not really what I had in mind.

Further research unearthed salads with an Asian twist containing grilled meat, almonds and mandarin oranges tossed with a sesame dressing and others that started with store-bought rotisserie chicken and mayonnaise. While these recipes sounded good they had distinctive flavor profiles, not the “blank canvas” I sought.

My search lead me back to my own recipe box and the Chicken Salad Supreme a friend shared with me many years ago. This tried-and-true recipe features diced, poached chicken, the crunch of celery and almonds and a burst of sweetness from seedless grapes and it fit my needs perfectly.

You may think this sounds like that old-time chicken salad, but the dressing sets it apart from the rest. Whipped cream combined with mayonnaise creates a light, silky dressing that holds it all together. This dressing and the tender poached chicken create the perfect base to build upon.

The best part about this recipe is that I can easily change out ingredients, adding pecans or walnuts for those who don’t like almonds or tossing in dried cranberries, diced apples or mandarin oranges instead of grapes. The key is selecting ingredients with different textures, as well as a touch of sweetness.

Consider serving the salad in a pineapple half, or tucked into a flaky croissant. Or simply enjoy it on a bed of lettuce with a slice of melon and roll on the side.

So far my family enjoys this salad any way I serve it, and I hope yours will too.

• Penny Kazmier, a wife and mother of four from South Barrington, won the Daily Herald’s 2011 Cook of the Week Challenge.

If you require a high quality printout of this article, just click on the printer symbol next to ’Share and enjoy’, and we will do the rest.

Get the best website builder available anywhere –SBI! Lick here for more information

Return from chicken to Home Page

Follow spanishchef.net on TWITTER

Baked Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Potato Mash

Posted on April 29, 2012 by bilrob

Baked Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Potato Mash

Protein can be found in eggs, cheese and legumes but, meat is the most complete source of protein. In this recipe, we used ground chicken breast. A meat packed with nutrients such as B vitamins. We paired it with sweet potatoes, a side dish traditionally prepared during the Thanksgiving holiday. But they are some of the most nutritious vegetables around so why not enjoy them year round?

Ingredients

• 2 slices whole wheat bread, torn into small pieces
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste, divided*
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 8 cups chicken stock
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 red bell pepper (or a combination of red, green and yellow)
• 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 to 4)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Soak bread in milk for about 5 minutes.
2. Heat olive oil and add the onion, garlic and salt and pepper and cook until the onion has softened. Remove the onion and garlic to a mixing bowl and allow to cool.
3. Squeeze the bread to remove excess milk then add the bread to bowl along with egg, chicken, 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and parsley.
4. Using your hands, gently combine the ingredients. Form the mixture into 16 small-medium meatballs and set in a large baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
5. Right before meatballs are ready, bring your chicken stock to a boil and add tomato paste.
6. Then add chicken meatballs, bay leaf, and for 15 to 20 minutes. Stock will reduce by about half.
7. Then add peppers and lower heat to medium for an additional 15 minutes.
8. While meatballs are simmering prepare your sweet potato mash by piercing them with a fork and placing in microwave for 10 minutes, turning halfway.
9. Scoop the flesh into a bowl, then mash.
10. Divide sweet potato mash among 4 bowls and pour over with meatballs.

Serves 4.

Elizabeth Carrion, a Dominican, co-founded Mi Cocina, a New Jersey-based catering service that also offers cooking classes, with her sister, Ana Martinez. Follow her on Twitter: @micocinalatina and visit her website micocina-latina.com.

If you require a high quality printout of this article, just click on the printer symbol next to ’Share and enjoy’, and we will do the rest.

Get the best website builder available anywhere –SBI! Lick here for more information

Return from chicken to Home Page

Follow spanishchef.net on TWITTER

E. coli on stores' chicken

Posted on April 17, 2012 by bilrob

E. coli found on stores’ chicken

A new study of grocery store chicken carried out by a pro-vegetarian group reports that almost half the chicken meat tested, including some from two supermarkets in Milwaukee, was contaminated with fecal matter.

The examination by the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has come under criticism because of the group’s agenda and the study’s sample size and conclusions.

The group tested chicken products sold by 15 grocery chains in 10 cities, including a Pick ‘n Save and a Piggly Wiggly in Milwaukee. Some samples showed levels of E. coli hundreds of times higher than those deemed acceptable by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, the group also counted as contaminated samples that showed E. coli levels well within the acceptable limits. Overall the study reported that 48% of the samples it tested were positive for fecal contamination.

Joseph Gonzales, a registered dietitian for Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, said the group’s findings show that there are numerous opportunities for contamination in the preparation of chicken for sale, and current testing and inspections are insufficient to catch it.

“They only test one out of every 22,000 chickens,” Gonzales said, referring to tests carried out by the companies themselves under USDA supervision. “It’s just so hard to regulate because there are so many birds going through.”

He said about 9 billion chickens are slaughtered each year in America.

But critics questioned the validity of the study and charged that Gonzales’ group is not impartial.

“They’re as biased as anybody,” said Andrew L. Milkowski, an adjunct professor in the department of animal sciences at University of Wisconsin-Madison. After reading the report, Milkowski said the group was making a leap of logic in claiming that the presence of E. coli meant fecal material was present on the birds.

He said E. coli is present in the water supply and in small amounts in the environment. Moreover, he said the companies and USDA ensure that chickens must pass through “extensive” safety hurdles “before they can send any product out the door. There is also auditing of company records to make sure what they say they are doing to ensure safety they are, in fact, doing.”

Dirk Fillpot, a spokesman for the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, would not agree to be interviewed about the report, but issued a highly critical statement.

“What the study reports is the presence of generic E. coli, not fecal matter,” Fillpot wrote. “The generic E. coli present on the birds would not cause foodborne illness. This study does not focus on what counts: foodborne pathogens.”

Gonzales said his group tested six chicken products from each place visited. The supermarkets tested were in Milwaukee; Charleston, S.C.; Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Houston; Miami; Phoenix; San Diego; and Washington, D.C.

Roundy’s Inc., the operator of Pick ‘n Save supermarkets, released a statement in response to the study, saying that food safety and customer well-being are the company’s top priorities. Its statement noted: “A number of experts are questioning the group’s survey methodology and the Food Safety and Inspection Service of the Department of Agriculture said the study’s findings were not supported by any science or facts.”

CHICKEN SAFETY

Chicken should be stored in a refrigerator that is 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or in a freezer that is 0 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. Refrigerated chicken should be eaten in one to two days, and cooked to at least 160 degrees in its thickest part to kill E. coli and other pathogens.

Bill & Sheila’s Food Safety – Bacterial Infections

____________________________________________________________________
If you require a high quality printout of this article, just click on the printer symbol next to ’Share and enjoy’, and we will do the rest. This site is hosted by (click on the graphic for more information) chicken

Return from chicken to Home Page

Follow spanishchef.net on TWITTER

Chicken breast with nut crust

Posted on April 12, 2012 by bilrob

Chicken breast with almond nut crust

Ground seeds and nuts are a weeknight cook’s dream ingredient.

With virtually no effort from you, they add tons of protein-rich crunch and pack deep, savory flavors. Ground peanuts, for example, can be used to flavor meatballs and burgers or to coat meatloaf. Ground almonds can be combined with tomato sauce and chipotle peppers to make a Mexican mole sauce for chicken.

Ground cashews can be used to coat shrimp for baking. Ground pistachios are wonderful tossed with a bit of melted butter and sprinkled over salmon for roasting.

And ground nuts of just about any variety can be sprinkled over rice noodles tossed with shrimp or chicken for a peanut noodle-style dish.

There are just a couple pointers to consider when cooking with ground nuts or seeds. First, the point is to grind them only until they resemble coarse breadcrumbs, not reduce them to peanut butter. A food processor (use the pulse setting) is ideal for this. But in a pinch, you can do it by hand with a large knife on the cutting board.

Second, nuts and seeds stand up fine to baking, but not so well to broiling. The high fat content of most nuts and seeds makes them rather flammable. I once tried broiling a pan of scallops topped with crushed peanuts. They quickly burst into flames. Really.

One of my favorite ways to use ground nuts is in breading for baked chicken breasts. In this recipe, I give them a bit of kick with red pepper flakes, but use whatever seasonings you like.

For the nuts, I used marcona almonds, which are a Spanish variety of almond that have a tender, buttery-savory flavor quite different from conventional almonds. But you also could use ground pistachios or peanuts.

Marcona Almond-crusted Baked Chicken Breasts

To cut the fat in this recipe, you could substitute fat-free half-and-half for the heavy cream used to make the pan sauce.

Start to finish: 20 minutes

Servings: 4

2 cups salted marcona almonds

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg, beaten

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 ounces sliced button mushrooms

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Heat the oven to 400 F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a food processor, combine the almonds and red pepper flakes. Pulse until the almonds are coarsely ground, but not reduced to a paste. Transfer the mixture to a wide, shallow bowl. Mix in the breadcrumbs. Place the flour in a second bowl and the egg in a third.

One at a time, lay each chicken breast flat on the cutting board. Use a knife to carefully slice each in half horizontally to create 2 thin cutlets. Dredge each cutlet first through the flour, then the egg, and finally through the almond-breadcrumb mixture until well coated. Arrange on the baking sheet.

Bake the cutlets for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high, heat the oil. Add the mushrooms, onion and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are browned and any liquid that was released has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cream, scraping the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the chives.

Served the chicken cutlets topped with the mushroom sauce.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 850 calories; 560 calories from fat (66 percent of total calories); 63 g fat (17 g saturated; 0.5 g trans fats); 195 mg cholesterol; 36 g carbohydrate; 45 g protein; 7 g fiber; 360 mg sodium.

baking with Bill & Sheila

Return from chicken to Home Page

Follow spanishchef.net on TWITTER

Simmer chicken and potatoes in beer-based mustard sauce

Posted on March 25, 2012 by bilrob

Simmer chicken and potatoes in beer-based mustard sauce

Chicken, potatoes and leeks lightly coated in a sauce made with stout and mustard make a lovely one-pot meal. Stout, a strong, dark beer, is brewed from roasted malt or barley and hops. There are many different types. It has a distinct toast flavor, however any type of beer can be used for this dinner.

Leeks look like a giant scallion with broad, dark green leaves that are tightly wrapped around each other. This makes it difficult to clean the dirt from the leaves. The quickest way to clean them is to trim the root end and make 4 to 5 slits from top to bottom. Run the leaves under cold water to reach the dirt trapped between the layers.

This meal contains 642 calories per serving with 21 percent of calories from fat.

Wine suggestion: You know what? I’d drink stout with this.

HELPFUL HINTS

-Dijon mustard can be used instead of coarse-grain mustard

COUNTDOWN

-Prepare all ingredients.

-Make dish.

SHOPPING LIST

To buy: 3/4 pound skinless chicken thighs, 2 medium leeks, 1 package sliced carrots, 1 small bunch scallions, 1 package frozen peas, 3/4 pound red or yellow potatoes, 1 bottle stout, 1 bottle cider vinegar, 1 jar coarse-ground mustard.

Staples: Canola oil, honey, salt, black peppercorns.

STOUT-SOUSED CHICKEN WITH POTATO AND LEEKS

1 tablespoon canola oil

3/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 medium leeks, cleaned and sliced (about 2 cups)

3/4 pound red or yellow potatoes, with skin, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup sliced carrots

3/4 cup stout

2 cups water

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons coarse-ground mustard

1 cup frozen peas

2 scallions, sliced

Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken 2 minutes, turn over and brown 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Add leeks, potatoes, carrots, stout, water and cider vinegar to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium. Cover with a lid and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are cooked. Mix the honey and mustard together, add to the skillet and stir to blend well. Return chicken to the skillet, and add the peas. Cover and simmer 3 to 4 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. A meat thermometer should read 165 degrees. Add salt and pepper to taste. Divide between 2 dinner plates and sprinkle the scallions on top. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 642 calories (21 percent from fat), 14.8 g fat (2.4 g saturated, 6.7 g monounsaturated), 138 mg cholesterol, 44.1 g protein, 77.6 g carbohydrates, 10.0 g fiber, 464 mg sodium.

(Linda Gassenheimer is the author of 14 cookbooks including her newest, “The Flavors of the Florida Keys” and “Mix ‘n Match Meals in Minutes for People with Diabetes.” Visit Linda on her web page at www.DinnerInMinutes.com or e-mail her at [email protected].)

suppers and buffets with Bill & Sheila
_________________________________________________
If you require a high quality printout of this article, just click on the printer symbol next to ’Share and enjoy’, and we will do the rest. This site is hosted by (click on the graphic for more information) chicken

Return from chicken to Home Page

Braised Chicken with Leeks, Spinach and Apples

Posted on March 24, 2012 by bilrob

Braised Chicken with Leeks, Spinach and Apples

Serves: 8 / Preparation time: 15 minutes / Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Greg Reyner, chef-owner of Café Muse in Royal Oak, developed this recipe based on one of the courses of the last first-class dinner on the Titanic — originally roast squab with watercress. Reyner substituted chicken thighs and spinach.

Flour for dredging (about 3/4 cup)

Olive oil for frying (about 1/4 cup)

8 large skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

2 leeks (white parts only), sliced, rinsed well, diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled, diced

1 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay

1 large apple (such as Granny Smith), peeled and diced

2 cups fresh spinach, washed and torn

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place flour in a shallow dish or pie plate. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels, dredge with flour and shake off excess. Working in batches, carefully add thighs to the skillet. Salt and pepper to taste. Once you have nice color on the thighs, turn and brown the second side. Once the chicken is browned, transfer to a baking dish. Add leeks and garlic to the skillet and sauté for a minute, until softened. Deglaze with wine and add the diced apple. Pour everything over thighs. Cover tightly with foil and bake until chicken is tender, about 1 hour. Chicken should be tender but not falling apart. At this point, stir in the spinach and cook 10 minutes more, uncovered. Test for seasoning and add more salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

From Café Muse, Royal Oak. Tested by Susan Selasky in the Free Press Test Kitchen. Analysis based on 4 ounces cooked chicken thigh meat. 366 calories (46% from fat), 18 grams fat (4 grams sat. fat), 13 grams carbohydrates, 32 grams protein, 227 mg sodium, 109 mg cholesterol, 3 grams fiber.

_____________________________________________________________________
If you require a high quality printout of this article, just click on the printer symbol next to ’Share and enjoy’, and we will do the rest. This site is hosted by (click on the graphic for more information) chicken

Return from chicken to Home Page

Follow spanishchef.net on TWITTER

Barbecued Chicken and Mushroom Tostadas

Posted on March 23, 2012 by bilrob

Barbecued Chicken and Mushroom Tostadas Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Barbecued Chicken and Mushroom Tostadas

Barbecued Chicken and Mushroom Tostadas

The traditional tostada is made by toasting or frying a tortilla into a crispy flat chip that is covered with beans, cheese and other toppings. But in this week’s Recipes for Health, Martha Rose Shulman comes up with a surprising solution for cooks who don’t want to deep-fry their dinner but still enjoy crispy tostadas. Ms. Shulman makes the case that the microwave is the perfect place to make crispy and healthful tostadas and tortilla chips.

Years ago, when a series of sodden leftovers taught me what a bad idea it was to reheat pies and quiches in a microwave, it occurred to me that the microwave might be a perfect tool to create a chip that isn’t fried. It’s bad for crusty things because it draws liquid out from the center of foods, so crusts always become soggy. But if you put a plain corn tortilla in the microwave and zap it until all of the moisture is drawn out of it, the result is something resembling a chip.

When you toast corn tortillas in the oven, they just get hard, with no crispy snap. When you toast them in the microwave, you get the snap. But this method requires a little patience: Zap a tortilla for a minute and it will be soggy, even wet, on the bottom. Flip it over and zap it again, and all the moisture will be gone. Sometimes it takes a few turns, as every microwave is different; you’ll have to figure out the timing with yours.

In my microwave I zap for one minute, turn the tortillas over, zap for another, then sometimes need to zap for 30 seconds to a minute longer to get a browned chip with snap. You have to watch closely, though, as they’ll burn quickly once dry. For main-dish tostadas, I just cut my tortillas in half to facilitate eating (they could also be left whole), and it doesn’t take very long.

Here are some ways to create dinner with microwaved tortillas.

Microwave-Toasted Tortilla Chips: It can be a tedious process if you want to make a lot of chips. If you need chips for crumbling into soups, just leave the tortillas whole.

Barbecued Chicken and Mushroom Tostadas: If you’re cooking for both meat-eaters and vegetarians, make a batch using mushrooms alone.

Crabmeat Tostadas: Give the stove the night off; other than toasting the tortillas, no cooking is required for these light and zesty tostadas.

Vegetable Tostadas With Dark Chili-Garlic Sauce: Seasonal vegetables get a rich, spicy coating in this flavorful tostada topping.

Tostadas With Sweet and Hot Peppers and Eggs: This variation on huevos rancheros makes a satisfying breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Bean Tostadas: Topped with avocado and cheese, these hearty tostadas will please both the vegetarians and the meat-eaters in your household.

Spanish Recipes with Bill & Sheila(click on the graphic for more information) tostadas

Return from tostadas to Home Page

Follow spanishchef.net on TWITTER

Rainy Sunday Curried Chicken Soup

Get the best website builder available anywhere –SBI! Click here for more information

Return from chicken to Home Page

Recommended Reading

Lemon Herb Chicken Breasts with Ratatouille

Get the best website builder available anywhere –SBI! Click here for more information

Return from chicken to Home Page

Recommended Reading

Chicken recipes: A bird in the hand

Get the best website builder available anywhere –SBI! Lick here for more information

Return from chicken to Home Page

Recommended Reading

Chicken Salad

Get the best website builder available anywhere –SBI! Lick here for more information

Return from chicken to Home Page

Recommended Reading

Baked Chicken Meatballs with Sweet Potato Mash

Get the best website builder available anywhere –SBI! Lick here for more information

Return from chicken to Home Page

Recommended Reading

E. coli found on stores’ chicken

CHICKEN SAFETY

Recommended Reading

Chicken breast with almond nut crust

Marcona Almond-crusted Baked Chicken Breasts

Start to finish: 20 minutes

2 cups salted marcona almonds

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, to taste

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 large egg, beaten

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 ounces sliced button mushrooms

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Recommended Reading

Simmer chicken and potatoes in beer-based mustard sauce

Recommended Reading

Braised Chicken with Leeks, Spinach and Apples

Recommended Reading

Barbecued Chicken and Mushroom Tostadas

Recommended Reading