CHEESY CHICKEN PANCAKES

CHEESY CHICKEN PANCAKES makes 16-18 pancakes

PANCAKES

1 1/2 pounds breast tenders, diced small
2 large eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, cornstarch or potato starch
1 1/3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or thyme (your flavor choice)
1/2 teaspoon FRESH ground sea salt, to taste
1/8 teaspoon FRESH black pepper
2 tablespoons Avocado oil

• Whisk together the eggs, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and dill.
• Add flour, stirring until smooth.
• Fold in cheese and then chicken pieces, stirring until well blended.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight is better.
• Heat a large non-stick pan over medium heat with avocado oil.
• When oil is hot, add the chicken mixture a heaping Tablespoon at a time. Slightly flatten out the tops and sauté uncovered 3-4 minutes on the first side, then flip and saute 3 more minutes on the flip side or until golden brown and chicken is fully cooked through.  Repeat with remaining fritters adding more oil as needed. DO NOT CROWD THE PAN.

DIP
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon FRESH ground salt
1/8 teaspoon FRESH black pepper

• Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring together until smooth.

NOTES:

• To test for doneness, cut a pancake in half and the chicken should be completely white inside.
• Partially frozen chicken breasts are easier to dice.
• Sometimes I cook the tenders in advance and shred them so the pancakes take less time to actually cook.
• Changing the cheese flavor makes a nice change.  Using pepper jack for the cheese and a splash of Frank’s hot sauce in the dip spices it up a bit.

CHEESY ARTICHOKE CHICKEN

 

CHEESY ARTICHOKE CHICKEN
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped tarragon
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped thyme
1 tablespoon FRESH chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, flattened to 1/4 inch thickness
1/2 cup chopped and drained marinated artichoke hearts

• Preheat oven to 400°.
• Spray 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• Stir together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, two thirds of the artichoke pieces and half of the tarragon, thyme and parsley.
• Melt butter and stir together with the crushed crackers and half of the remaining thyme, tarragon and parsley. Set aside.
• Generously season chicken breasts with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
• Sprinkle half of the cracker crumb mixture on the bottom of the baking dish.
• Arrange chicken breasts in a single layer on top of the crackers crumbs.
• Spread cream cheese mixture on top of the chicken breasts.
• Sprinkle the remaining cracker crumbs over the cheese mixture.
• Loosely tent with foil and bake 20 minutes.
• Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
• Bake 5-10 minutes more until chicken is cooked through.
• Let sit 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle remaining chopped herbs and serve immediately.

AMAZU CHICKEN

I have a small piece of a note that says AMASU Chicken on it from an old folded recipe in an antique box I found in an antique store. I have no idea when or even when I found it. I started researching it and came up with a few recipes that sounded interesting, but none of them sounded interesting enough by themself to be worth trying in my book. So, I piece mealed the bits and pieces of all of them into a recipe we like.

Karaage is basically a Japanese term/technique for deep frying in oil. It is most often used for chicken. The meat is usually coated in a corn or potato starch dredge before frying.

Amasu – means “leave over” in Japanese
Amaza – means “ no one knows everything” in Zulu

Karaage Amazu? Amasu? Chicken I’ll just call it TANGY YUMMY Fried Chicken Serves: 4-6 people
3 pounds chicken thighs (cut into bite size) OR chicken wings
1 cup cornstarch
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
1/2 cup Mirin
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar (unseasoned)
1/4 cup Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1/2 cup water
1 small can crushed pineapple (DO NOT DRAIN)
1/4 cup ketchup (Jalapeno ketchup adds a bit of a kick!)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice (1 LARGE lemon)
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon FRESH, FINELY chopped cilantro coriander
1 teaspoon red chili flakes (or more if you like more heat)
Chopped green onions for garnish

• Marinate the chicken pieces with liquid aminos and set aside.
• Combine mirin, rice wine vinegar, water, pineapple, salt and sugar in a pot and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook until the liquid thickens.
• Completely cool the mixture.
• Whisk in lemon juice, cilantro and red chili flakes, to taste.
• In a large ziploc bag coat chicken in cornstarch, shaking to coat well. Tap off excess cornstarch before frying.
• Heat oil to 350° and fry until crispy and cooked through.
• Add chicken to large bowl.
• Pour sauce over and toss to coat.
• Plate, garnish and serve hot.

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN

 

CHIPOTLE CHICKEN

2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 + 1 tablespoons butter
1 Poblano pepper. stemmed, seeds removed and sliced
1 small yellow onion, sliced thin
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
¼ cup Cornstarch
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 +/- teaspoons Chipotle chile paste
¼ cup FRESH cilantro FINELY chopped
1 tablespoon QUALITY honey
Prepared white rice, mashed potatoes or pasta
2 tablespoons grated Cotija cheese

• In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, honey, 1 teaspoon of warm water, and as much of the chile paste as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be – set aside until needed.
• Heat 1 tablespoon butter in non stick skillet.
• Add onions and peppers, sautéing 3-5 minutes until soft and beginning to caramelize.
• Season chicken pieces with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
• Coat chicken pieces with cornstarch, shaking off excess.
• Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet.
• When butter is melted add chicken pieces in a single layer cooking 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned on all sides.
• Pour reserved sauce over chicken, stirring to coat well.
• Garnish with Cotija cheese and cilantro. Cilantro is also good added to rice, pasta or potatoes.

CHICKEN with TARRAGON THYME SAUCE

When I was searching my recipe file (a big old tote full of scraps) I found two other even older scraps of recipes (Chicken with Tarragon Sauce and Baked Tomatoes with Broccoli stuffing) that had been torn from old cook booklets, one was even handwritten it was so old. They also begged me to make them. I often substitute thyme or flat leaf parsley for the tarragon or mix and match them based on what I have on hand.

CHICKEN with TARRAGON THYME SAUCE 4 servings

This is comfort food at its finest – maybe serve it with homemade mashed potatoes and sautéed fresh green beans?

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5-6 ounces each)
1/4 cup flour, for dredging
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 shallot, chopped
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons minced FRESH tarragon
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice

• Pound chicken breasts with a meat mallet to 1/2 inch thickness.
• Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
• In a large skillet, heat butter and oil over medium heat.
• Add chicken, searing 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm.
• Add shallot to same pan, cooking and stirring over medium heat until tender.
• Add lemon juice and sherry vinegar.
• Add most of the tarragon.
• Add cream, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan. Increase heat to medium high, simmering until slightly thickened.
  
• Serve with chicken.
• Sprinkle with remaining tarragon as garnish.

CHICKEN DUMPLING SOUP

LOL 😀 It must be a Midwestern thing 😀

This would have been Molly Yeh’s recipe with very few changes until I realized I was making my great grans chicken and noodles minus the pasta and thickener. The dumplings are Molly’s MIL’s recipe though.

CHICKEN & DUMPLING SOUP – the items highlighted in blue are used in the second step.

Level: Easy Total: 3 hr 5 min Active: 1 hr 10 min Yield: 4 to 6 servings

SOUP BASE
One 3 1/2-pound whole chicken
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves 
2 cloves garlic, MINCED
2 sprigs FRESH thyme 
3 large carrots, 1 cut into large chunks and 2 thinly sliced 
3 large celery stalks, 1 cut into large chunks and 2 thinly sliced 
2 medium yellow onions, 1 quartered and 1 chopped 
2 medium parsnips, 1 cut into large chunks and 1 thinly sliced 
6 sprigs fresh dill, 3 left whole and 3 chopped (I omitted this – I’m just NOT a dill fan)
2 BIG sprigs of sage
3 LARGE sprigs of Rosemary
6 sprigs FRESH flat-leaf parsley, 3 left whole and 3 chopped, plus more for serving 
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
FRESH ground black pepper 

• Combine the chicken, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic, thyme, carrot chunks, celery chunks, quartered onion, parsnip chunks and 3 sprigs parsley in a large pot.
• Cover with 5 quarts of cold water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer 1 1/2-2 hours, uncovered, until the chicken is very tender. The longer the better for the the flavor.
• Add more water, as needed, skimming off scum and some fat, if desired.
• Carefully strain the stock, discarding everything (veggies and herbs) except for the chicken. You should have 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 quarts of stock.
• Set the chicken aside to cool briefly while you put together the rest of the soup.
• Return the strained stock to the pot and bring it to a simmer.
• Add the second step portions of sliced carrot, sliced celery, chopped onion, sliced parsnip, chopped parsley and the salt.
• Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
• Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

DUMPLINGS (Molly’s MIL’s recipe)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt 
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar 
A few fresh grinds whole nutmeg 
3 LARGE eggs 

• In a small saucepan, bring the butter and 3/4 cup water to a boil.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the flour.
• Let cool for a few minutes so it’s not so hot that it will cook the eggs, then whisk in the salt, sugar, nutmeg and the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated into a slightly lumpy thick batter. (It’ll take a little work to whisk in the eggs.)
• Drop heaping teaspoons of the dumpling mixture into the simmering soup, then cover and cook until the vegetables are tender and the dumplings are cooked through; begin checking for doneness at 15 minutes.
• Pull the chicken meat off the bones and chop into bite-sized pieces.
• Season it with salt, then add it to the soup along with the ground black pepper.
• Taste and add more salt as needed. TASTE AND REPEAT. ADJUST SEASONINGS UNTIL IT TASTES PERFECT TO YOU!
• Serve, garnishing with fresh parsley.

YUCATAN CITRUS CHICKEN

This was originally a recipe from Hello Fresh that I have adjusted and adapted to our liking.

In my opinion tangy citrus is probably the most key ingredient in the Yucatan’s vibrant cuisine. Lemon and orange juices are often used to marinate pork, chicken and even beef as well as also used as pickling liquid for a tangy onion garnishes. When paired with zesty spices it adds a savory note to the tang as it tenderizes the meat and creates mouth watering results.

SAUCE
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon Ancho Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika

• In a small bowl whisk together the sour cream, paprika, chili powder and a pinch of salt.
• Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
• Set aside until needed.

QUICKLED ONIONS
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon sugar

• In a small microwave safe bowl toss the onion slices, lemon juice, sugar and pinch of salt together.
• Microwave 30 seconds to 1 minute until onions are softened.
• Set aside until needed.
• Drain before serving.

TEX MEX RICE
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
½ cup Jasmine Rice
1 cup water
LARGE pinch sea salt
1 tablespoon butter

• In a small pan combine rice, water, spices, and a large pinch of salt.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15-18 minutes until rice is tender.
• Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

YUCATAN CITRUS CHICKEN
1 LARGE lemon, zested and juiced
1 yellow onion, halved and sliced thin
1 Poblano pepper, halved, cored and thinly sliced into strips
¼ cup ROUGHLY chopped cilantro
3/4 pound chicken strips, cut into small pieces
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3-4 tablespoons Tex-Mex Paste (2 “cubes” from recipe below)
1 tablespoon avocado oil

• Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
• In a small bowl whisk together Tex-Mex paste, mandarin juice, lemon juice, lemon zest, cumin, chili powder and garlic powder.
• Toss chicken in bowl with mixture.
• Chill for at least an hour, preferably overnight.
• Heat a drizzle of avocado oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.
• Add poblano and season with FRESH ground salt and pepper.
• Cook, stirring, until slightly softened, 3-4 minutes.
• Add another drizzle of oil and remaining onion; season with salt and pepper.
• Cook, stirring, until veggies are tender, 4-6 minutes.
• Transfer to a plate.
• Heat a drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat.
• Add chicken in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly charred and cooked through, 4-6 minutes.
• Taste and adjust seasoning with FRESH ground sea salt and pepper.
• Stir in cooked veggies, then remove pan from heat.

ASSEMBLY

• Fluff rice with a fork.
• Stir in butter and season to taste with salt.
• Divide rice between bowls and top with chicken and veggies, crema, and as much pickled onion as you like.
• Sprinkle with cilantro.
• Serve with lemon or lime slices.

TEX MEX PASTE
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon smoky paprika
4-5 teaspoons QUALITY cocoa
3 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons sea salt
3 teaspoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, mashed
2-3 ounces pureed Chipotle chilis
1 FULL bulb roasted garlic
3-4 teaspoons tomato paste
14 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
1 white onion, FINELY diced

• Puree diced onion and minced garlic in food processor.
• Add chipotle chilis, roasted garlic and fire roasted tomatoes blending until smooth.
• Add  vinegar and remaining ingredients blending until well mixed.
• Portion into an ice cube tray or herb keeper for freezing to use at a later date.

END OF WEEK CHICKEN

Recently Sandra over at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom mentioned she was cooking her Dad's Favorite Chicken, a recipe handed down from her grandmother, great grandmother for dinner one night. You can find her recipe here. As I was reading her recipe I realized that everyone's grandmother must have a similar recipe. Mine was used primarily at the end of the week to use up things from the veggie bin and such. Her recipe is made with Portuguese fries, but mine is made with either mashed potatoes, pasta or crusty fried potatoes.

 END OF WEEK CHICKEN

2 LARGE skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into small bite size chunks
1 LARGE bunch green onions, THINLY sliced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2 LARGE carrots, halved and sliced in half moons
1 tablespoon FRESH thyme leaves
1/4 cup chopped FRESH Italian leaf Parsley
1/2 teaspoon smokey paprika
FRESH ground sea salt and tri-color pepper, to taste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup homemade bone broth
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 tablespoon butter

• Melt avocado oil and butter in saute pan.
• Add carrots and saute 2-3 minutes.
• Add onions and tomatoes, cooking 2-3 minutes more until onion is translucent. 
• Add in chicken, thyme, paprika, minced garlic, salt and pepper.
• Add in bone broth, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Check frequently to make sure you still have cooking liquid - add broth as necessary to keep everything moist and have a good amount of gravy.
• Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, noodles or fried potatoes. 

COMPANY CHICKEN

This recipe was originally made with chicken thighs, but breasts always make for a fancier dish, especially when you call it Company Chicken! You’ll notice that I don’t list sea salt in the list of ingredients. That’s because the liquid aminos will add more than enough salt.

COMPANY CHICKEN
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
FRESH ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup WONDRA flour
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 LARGE Vidalia onion, sliced thin
1/8 cup Bragg’s liquid aminos
1/3 cup Smuckers apricot jam, PUREED to remove chunks
1 LARGE clove garlic, FINELY minced
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup FRESH orange juice

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Season chicken breasts generously with FRESH ground black pepper.
• Dredge the seasoned breasts in the flour and set aside.
• In a cast iron skillet heat avocado oil over medium heat.
• Sear the chicken 2-3 minutes per side and then set aside.
• Add onions to pan until they are caramelized.
• Nestle the chicken into the top of the onions.
• Whisk together the liquid aminos, apricot jam, orange juice, garlic and red pepper flakes.
• Pour the sauce over the chicken and onions.
• Bake uncovered 30-35 minutes. The sauce will thicken and get sticky. But, if it gets too brown too fast cover with a piece of foil.

CELERY ROOT CHICKEN VEGGIE MEDLEY

  

CELERY ROOT CHICKEN VEGGIE MEDLEY – serves 4

4 boneless, chicken breasts
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
flour for dredging
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups baby carrots
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced thin
1/2 pound celery root, peeled and grated
1/4 cup chopped Italian Parsley
Juice of 1 LARGE Lemon
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon creamy horseradish
1/2 teaspoon Frank’s original hot sauce
1/2 cup shredded Colby cheese

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Flatten chicken breasts to 1/2 inch even sizes.
• Wash and dry chicken pieces.
• Generously season with fresh ground salt and pepper.
• Dredge chicken pieces in flour.
• Heat butter and avocado oil over medium high heat.
• Sear chicken pieces quickly on both sides. Remove and set aside.
• Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
• Arrange onions, bell pepper slices, carrots and celery root.
• Whisk together the lemon juice, hot sauce, creamy horseradish, heavy cream and parsley.
• Arrange half of sauce over vegetables.
• Arrange chicken pieces on top of sauce and pour remains sauce over chicken pieces.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Cover with foil using toothpicks if necessary to keep foil from touching the cheese.
• Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake until cheese is golden.
• Serve immediately.

KANSAS CITY BAKED BBQ CHICKEN

KANSAS CITY BBQ CHICKEN
CHICKEN
2 1/2 pounds chicken (I like to use thighs)
2 tablespoons Pampered Chef Kansas City style BBQ rub
2 teaspoons baking powder

• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Toss the chicken with the rub and baking powder.
• Arrange in a single layer on a large stone or stainless sheet pan.
• Bake 30-35 minutes until cooked through, flipping chicken pieces midway.

SAUCE
1 cup jalapeno ketchup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon Pampered Chef Kansas City style BBQ rub
2 tablespoons QUALITY honey

• Whisk together the ketchup, water, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, molasses and Kansas City style BBQ rub in a saucepan until well blended, bringing to a simmer 8-10 minutes until thickened.
• Remove from heat and whisk in honey.
• Add baked wings to a large bowl.
• Pour sauce over chicken and toss to coat.

 

PEPERONCINO CHICKEN

PEPERONCINO CHICKEN
6-8 skin on chicken thighs
10-12 peperoncinos
1/2 cup peperoncino brine
2 + 2 tablespoon QUALITY avocado oil
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
3 stalks celery, sliced thin
1/2 red onion cut root to tip, sliced thin
4-6 cloves garlic
1 pound baby potatoes, halved
2 tablespoons FRESH chopped thyme leaves**
2 tablespoons FRESH chopped parsley**

• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Coat a large cast iron skillet (I like my enamel covered cast iron) with 2 tablespoons of QUALITY avocado oil and heat over medium heat.
• Generously season chicken with FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
• Place chicken skin side down. Cook undisturbed 10 minutes or until chicken skin is browned.
• While chicken is browning toss the potatoes, peperoncinos, remaining oil, peperoncino brine, garlic, half the red onions, half of the celery, a generous turn of ground sea salt and black pepper.
• When chicken is browned, turn the pieces over onto a plate.
• Add potato mix to pan and stir to combine well.
• Nestle chicken thighs skin side up into the potato mix.
• Transfer pan to oven and roast 45-50 minutes until chicken is cooked through and potatoes are tender.

**NOTES:

• I like to use herb mixes that my local store carried to make my dollar go farther.
• After plating the chicken and potatoes you can also make a gravy out of the juices if you’d like.

FISHY CHICKEN STIR FRY

 

FISHY CHICKEN STIR FRY

2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken, cut into 1 inch strips
1/4 cup Wondra flour
Fresh ground salt and pepper, to taste
2 large carrots, cleaned and sliced diagonally
2 large green onions, sliced thin
2 cups snap peas, cleaned and halved
1 cup baby spinach leaves
1 tablespoon Bragg’s Amino Acids
1 tablespoon Fish sauce
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Prepared rice, if desired

• Melt coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Toss chicken strips in flour, slat and pepper.
• Brown chicken pieces on both sides until golden, remove with a slotted spoon.
• Add carrots and cook stirring 4-5 minutes until they begin to soften.
• Add onions and snap peas.
• Add Bragg’s liquid aminos, fish sauce and white wine vinegar and cook several minutes until everything is well coated and thickens.

NOTE: We love this meal, but there is a key to making it without family members turning up their noses before it’s even served.  The key is to pre-mix the liquid aminos, fish sauce and white wine vinegar so the fish sauce fragrance isn’t as potent as it is added to the warm pan.

CALIFORNIA CHICKEN CLUB RING

This recipe is a modified version of a Pampered Chef recipe. I was not fond of their use of kale so I changed it to spinach nor did I want to buy all the products they recommended, but were not actually necessary to achieve the same results. I also exchanged the chemically altered, prepackaged or reduced fat products to their more wholesome versions. :D

CALIFORNIA CHICKEN CLUB RING

SANDWICH RING
3-4 cups baby spinach leaves, torn small
1 bunch green onions, trimmed and slices
12 ounces bacon, cooked and crumbled
1-2  garlic cloves, minced
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup shredded provolone or Jack cheese
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional - if omitting, double the mayonnaise)
3-4 cups small diced rotisserie chicken pieces
2-8 ounce cans crescent rolls
1  LARGE egg yolk
½ teaspoon water

• Preheat the oven to 375°.
• Brush pizza pan with oil or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
• Place the spinach leaves into a medium mixing bowl.
• Add the green onion, garlic and bacon.
• Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH, for 30 seconds, or until the spinach is slightly wilted.
• Add mayonnaise and mustard, stirring to combine.
• Add the tomatoes, cheese and chicken pieces, stirring to combine.
• Unroll the crescent dough and separate it into 16 triangles.
• Arrange the wide ends about 1" away from the inner ring of the platter.
• The points should extend over the edge of the platter. Smooth flat the wide ends of the dough.
• Distribute the filling evenly over the dough.
• Bring the points of the triangles up and over the filling, then tuck the points under the dough toward the center to form a ring.
• Whisk the egg yolk and water in a small bowl.
• Brush the ring with the egg wash.
• Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.

DIP
½ cup sour cream
1-2 large avocados, pitted and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-3  green onions, sliced
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

• Add all the dip ingredients to a small food processor and process until smooth.
• Transfer the dip to a serving bowls.


POPCORN RANCH BAKED CHICKEN

POPCORN RANCH BAKED CHICKEN
1 LARGE egg
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup WONDRA flour
1/2 cup yellow
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons Ranch Popcorn Seasoning (pampered chef)
1 teaspoon baking powder
4-8 chicken thighs

• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Spray sheet pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• Whisk milk and egg together.
• In another bowl sift together the flour, corn meal, ba
• Place on sheet pan.king powder, seasoning, salt and pepper.
• Wash and dry chicken pieces.
• Dredge chicken pieces in cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess.
• Dip chicken pieces into the egg mixture and then into corn meal mixture again and place on sheet pan skin side up.
• Spray tops lightly with non-stick cooking spray (this helps make the tops crispy)
• Bake 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

BRISKET BRAISED CHICKEN

Braising is a term from the French word braiser that is a combination-cooking method that uses both wet and dry heats. Typically, the food is first browned at a high temperature, then simmered in a covered pot with a cooking liquid like wine, a broth, coconut milk or even beer.

The article said that she created the recipe for Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights as an option for eating less red meat and a dish that doesn't take all day to prepare, but still uses a traditional braising sauce.

The onions, shallots, red wine, honey and flavorful paprika come together to form a sweet and savory sauce that is perfect for the fall season.

BRISKET BRAISED CHICKEN adapted from Leah Koenig

2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
2 tablespoons butter, divided
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed and patted dry
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 LARGE yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 LARGE shallot, thinly sliced
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons QUALITY tomato paste
1 tablespoon QUALITY Hungarian sweet paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 cup (4 ounce) dry red wine
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth (preferably homemade bone broth)
1/4 cup QUALITY honey
2 tablespoons chopped FRESH thyme leaves

• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large Dutch oven (preferably enameled cast iron) over medium until shimmering.
• Generously season chicken pieces with FRESH ground salt and pepper.
• Arrange chicken pieces, skin sides down, in Dutch oven cooking until browned on both sides, 4 minutes per side. Set aside.
• Add remaining oil and butter to pan.

• Add onions, shallot and garlic, cooking over medium, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste, paprika, and onion powder, cooking 30 seconds.
• Add wine and vinegar, cooking and stirring constantly for 1 —2 minutes and scraping up browned bits, until mixture thickens.

• Stir in tomatoes, broth, honey, thyme and additional seasoning to taste.
• Nestle chicken into mixture; bring to a boil over medium-high.
• Cover and reduce heat to low; simmer until chicken easily pulls away from the bone, about 50 minutes, pushing chicken down into mixture to partially submerge after 20 minutes.

• Uncover Dutch oven; increase heat to medium-low. Simmer, gently stirring occasionally, until liquid has slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to plate, add cooked pasta to sauce, turning to coat well.
• Add pasta to plates
• Spoon sauce over chicken and pasta.

NOTE: Chicken can be braised up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in refrigerator.

ROASTED FENNEL CHICKEN RED POTATOES & BROCCOLINI

 

ROASTED FENNEL CHICKEN RED POTATOES & BROCCOLINI

1+1 tablespoons avocado oil
4   bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
1 pound baby red potatoes
1 medium fennel bulb
1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence Seasoning Mix
1  navel orange
1 cup frozen peas

• Preheat the oven to 425°.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in an oven-safe, 12” skillet over medium-high heat for 3–4 minutes.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Cook, skin-side down, until lightly browned, 4–6 minutes.
• Flip and cook an additional 2 minutes; set aside (the chicken may not be fully cooked).
• Cut the potatoes in half.
• Remove the top of the fennel, saving some of the fronds for serving, and cut into 1" wedges.
• Toss the potatoes, fennel, seasoning mix, and remaining oil together in a large bowl.
• Then, add the vegetables and cook for 5 minutes.
• Return the chicken to the pan and stir the vegetables.
• Bake 18-20 minutes until the chicken reaches 165° and the vegetables are tender.
• Meanwhile, zest the orange to measure ½ teaspoon and juice half of it.
• When the chicken is cooked, set it aside.
• Stir in the peas, zest, and juice.
• Simmer over high heat for 2–3 minutes.

CHICKEN DIVAN aka CHICKEN DIVINE

I have a genetic disorder. Really, I do. It is just genetically impossible for me to follow a simple recipe!  This started out as me making Chicken Divan from a recent issue of Cook's Country on skillet suppers, but turned it into something completely different.

This was originally posted on July 7th of 2010, but needed a desperately new and updated picture so here is my revamp of a favorite recipe.

Hubby loved it so much, he ate it for 3 nights in a row with no complaints and renamed it!

CHICKEN DIVAN aka CHICKEN DIVINE
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
1 1/2 pounds broccoli crowns, chopped large (optional)
1 large bunch green onions, sliced thin
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth (preferably FRESH well seasoned bone broth)
3 LARGE egg yolks
1/2 cup cream sherry
2 teaspoons Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1 LARGE lemon
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese
3 + 3 tablespoons butter
1/2 CUP WONDRA flour
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt

• In a  LARGE ZIPLOC bag combine Wondra flour, 1 teaspoon each sea salt and black pepper.
• Add chicken pieces to bag, seal and shake to coat well.
• In a large skillet melt 3 tablespoons of butter.
• When butter is sizzling add green onions and garlic, cooking a few minutes until garlic is fragrant.
• Add chicken pieces, generously salt and peppering to taste as you go. Saute' until cooked through. The seasoning of the chicken as you go enhances this recipe A LOT!
  
• IF USING: Clean and rinse broccoli pieces.  In a large sauce pan heat chicken broth and add a vegetable strainer with the broccoli.  Steam until al dente. Reserve chicken broth.
• Arrange broccoli and chicken on platter and keep warm.
• Add remaining butter to skillet, scraping bits of chicken from the bottom of the skillet.  Add the chicken broth, sherry and Worcestershire sauce, cooking until slightly reduced.
• Add heavy cream gradually, whisking all the while.  Cook until starts to thicken.
• Remove from heat.
• Add egg yolks, lemon juice and half of the cheese, blending well.
• Pour sauce over chicken and broccoli.
• Top with remaining cheese.

SPINACH ARTICHOKE CHICKEN

 

SPINACH ARTICHOKE CHICKEN adapted from REE

2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons avocado oil 
4 thin-cut chicken breast steaks
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper
WONDRA flour, for dredging
1/2 red onion, diced 
2-3 cloves garlic, minced 
Two 8-ounce jars quartered artichokes, drained WELL 
3/4 cup white wine 
3/4 cup heavy cream 
1 cup grated Parmesan
One 4-ounce jar diced pimientos, drained WELL  (optional)
3 cups baby spinach 
1 MEDIUM lemon, juiced 

• Heat the butter and avocado oil together in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Generously sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, dredge with flour lightly and add them to the skillet.
• Cook until nicely browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.
• Remove to a plate.
• Add the onion and garlic to the skillet and stir until slightly softened, about 30 seconds, then add the artichokes and cook, stirring, until the artichokes are hot and the onions are translucent, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour in the wine and stir, then add the cream and more black pepper adjusting seasoning to your tastes.
• Let the sauce come to a simmer, then add the Parmesan and cook for a minute to thicken.
• Add the pimientos if using, spinach and lemon juice, then stir  1-2 minutes until the spinach has wilted.
• Nestle the chicken back into the skillet, spooning a little sauce over the top.

“BUTTERMILK” APPLE CIDER GRILLED CHICKEN

“BUTTERMILK” APPLE CIDER GRILLED CHICKEN
4-6 chicken breasts
2 tablespoons avocado oil
2 cups WHOLE milk
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper

• Place chicken breasts in a LARGE ziploc bag.
• Whisk together the milk and apple cider vinegar.
• Pour milk mixture over the chicken and seal tight. Marinate over night or at least 8 hours. Turn every few hours if you can.
• Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 1 hour before grilling.
• Preheat grill and spray with non-stick spray.
• Grill chicken 3-4 minutes per side.

NOTE: Grill time will vary based on whether you use bone in or boneless chicken breasts as well as how thick they are. Adjust accordingly.