Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Cacciatore is such a great dish… hearty and delicious… great for the family… and special enough for company… what more could you ask for?

Chicken Cacciatore is chicken in a Hunter’s Sauce… I find it interesting that different countries have similar dishes … this dish is from Italy… and is almost identical to the German version of Chicken Cutlets in a Hunter’s Sauce… the spices are slightly different… and a few different ingredients… but the overall flavors though are close… both recipes are delicious.

TIPS

I used canned tomatoes with garlic, basil and oregano… I still did added dried basil and oregano to the dish… if you use plain canned tomatoes… increase the dried herbs slightly to compensate.

I used thick boneless skinless chicken breasts… many recipes use whole breasts, thighs or legs with skin on… you certainly can use them.. but the dish will be greasier.

The recipe calls for dry white wine.. I use a sauvignon blanc… you can use whatever you like… or you can leave it out… the dish is cooked for over 30 minutes after the addition of the wine so the alcohol is mostly cooked off… leaving a pleasant light flavor… if you are trying to avoid using alcohol in cooking.. you can try using a non-sweet grape juice or some people suggest apple juice in place of the wine(although I have never used either).. . or simply omit it altogether.

As you can see from the picture I used more sliced mushrooms than the recipe calls for.. we love mushrooms… and I needed to use them up… so I added more… which brings me to an important tip.. don’t be afraid to alter recipes to your own tastes… if you really like mushrooms, by all means add more.

The onion and pepper are "rough" chopped… this is a hunter’s dish so you don’t have to be very precise as to shape of the dice.

Make sure you drain the capers before adding them in, do not add the liquid they come in. For information on what are capers... click here.

I don’t list quantities for the salt and pepper …. I use a sprinkling in the flour to season it… and I also adjust the seasoning when I taste the sauce… adjust it to your tastes.

I served this with buttered noodles and green beans… this recipe will serve 4.







Recipe: Chicken Cacciatore

All you need:

4 thick boneless skinless chicken breasts
½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Sprinkling of salt and pepper
About 3+ tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 pkg. (8 oz.) mushrooms, sliced
¾ cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons capers (drained)
¾ cup chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz.) Hunts Diced Tomatoes with Basil Garlic and Oregano (do not drain)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (or to taste)
2 teaspoons dried basil
Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

All you need to do:

In a small shallow bowl, mix the flour and garlic powder. Add a sprinkling of salt and black pepper and mix.

Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture.

In a large heavy skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat.

Add the chicken to the skillet sauté the chicken until it is brown on both sides, about 5 minutes a side.

Remove the chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add a little more olive oil, just enough to coat the skillet.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and peppers.

Add the garlic on top of the onions and peppers, so the garlic doesn’t brown. add the sliced mushrooms. Sauté until the onions are translucent and mushrooms are soft.
(about 7 minutes).

Add the wine and simmer for about 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, capers, chicken broth, oregano and basil.

Add the chicken back to the pan and bring to a low simmer. Cook for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, turning the chicken once.

Please note: thinner chicken breasts or thighs will need less cook time.

Remove the chicken to a platter. Simmer sauce for a few minutes if it needs to thicken a bit.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve with hot buttered noodles.

Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetables Over Rice

This is one of my “Suppers in a Flash” recipes…. hearty, tasty and quick. A delicious supper in under 30 minutes…. perfect for the week night meal when time is short.

Everything can easily be made all at the same time…. the homemade Teriyaki sauce cooks while you steam the vegetables in the microwave and make the rice… and the chicken cooks in the skillet.

Thanks to the folks at Birdseye… they have great vegetable combinations that you can steam right in the bag.. and I must tell you.. they come out perfect every time. This recipe uses their broccoli, carrots, sugar snap peas and water chestnut mix.

TIPS

Make your teriyaki sauce from scratch.. the recipe is quick and easy and you’ll be sure to know exactly what’s in it… click here for the recipe. If you like your meal very saucy… double the recipe.

I used a package of chicken tenders from the meat department at the grocery store.. you can cut your own using boneless chicken breasts.

White or brown rice works well with this dish.

This recipe will feed 2-3 and easily doubles…

Relax and enjoy making this quick and easy recipe!






Recipe: Teriyaki Chicken and Vegetables Over Rice

All you need:

1 pound chicken tenders
Garlic powder
Black pepper
1 bag Birdseye Vegetable Steamers – Broccoli, Carrots, Sugar Snap Peas and Water Chestnut variety
Teriyaki Sauce
Cooked rice

All you need to do:

Spray a large skillet with cooking oil spray and heat it over medium high heat.

Season the chicken tenders with a sprinkling of garlic powder and black pepper. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until lightly browned on both sides and cooked through until it is no longer pink inside, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the Birdseye vegetables according to package directions.

Add the vegetables and the Teriyaki sauce (about 1 cup).

Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Serve over cooked rice.

Creamy Pesto Chicken and Portobello Skillet

Simple and delicious.... Creamy Pesto Chicken and Portobello Skillet.... is another great skillet meal that makes weeknight cooking a breeze.   

This can be made a couple of different ways.. each just as delicious.. just choose what works best for you.

TIPS

You can use leftover cooked chicken... or get a rotisserie chicken at the supermarket... and just dice it up...

You can also cook it up especially for this meal ...........I sometimes cook up boneless chicken breasts in a crock pot... just put the chicken in the pot... even frozen... and add some chicken broth to cover and set the pot on low...  and come back 8 hours later and have cooked chicken that will shred or dice easily.  Add whatever seasonings you want... thyme and rosemary work well.... add an onion, peeled and cut up... maybe some carrots...to add more flavor... I do this periodically.. and freeze the cooked chicken for use in a recipe like this.. there's tons of uses for this.

You can also bake boneless chicken breasts also... 20 minutes at 400 degrees F...

You can also cook the chicken for this recipe at the time you're putting together the meal.. just cut the chicken up into chunks (about bite size)... heat the skillet over medium heat with a little olive oil in it... and sauté the chicken until it's fully cooked and no longer pink in the middle.

I used fat free milk to make the sauce... you can use 1%, 2% or whole milk if you prefer... my sauce is a bit thin because we prefer it that way... if you want a creamier, thicker sauce... use a bit more flour...

I cook my pasta separately... it's easier ... and this can be made ahead.. and refrigerated.. so all you have to do is add it into the skillet meal when you are making this dish.

I served this with a side salad and a slice of crusty Italian bread.

This recipe will make about 4 servings.

Try this.. it's quick and easy... and delicious!

Recipe:  Creamy Pesto Chicken and Portobello Skillet

All you need:

General:

1 pound cooked chicken, cubed *See TIPS

1/2 pound pasta, cooked

1 pkg. (8 oz.) baby Portobello mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 cups fat free milk

1/2 cup prepared basil pesto (commercial or homemade)

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

All you need to do:

To make the sauce:

In a medium sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat.

Add the flour and garlic powder.... stir well to incorporate the flour... cook for a minute stirring constantly. 

Using a wire whisk, continuously stir as you add the cream and milk.

Stir until the sauce thickens.

Add the basil pesto and stir well.

Add the Parmesan cheese and stir well.

To make the Skillet Meal:

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the mushrooms and cook for about 5 minutes until they are soft.  Add the chicken and stir well.

Add the cooked pasta and the sauce ... stir well and cook until heated through... about 5 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Oven Roasted or Grilled Chicken Club Salad

For those of you like me that just love salads.. this is a great tasting salad…

TIPS

You can use left over roasted chicken or even a rotisserie chicken or even grilled chicken... or you can also use cooked chicken from Perdue... it comes in packages in the meat department of the grocery store.  I used the honey roasted variety. 

I included the traditional salad add-ins, radishes cucumber, tomatoes, a little red onion.. include what you like or omit what you don't.

I used deli Swiss cheese diced and some shredded Swiss also...

Croutons add a bit of crunch and flavor.

Cook the bacon in the oven.. it's easy and clean-up is a snap.  Click this link for instructions on How to Make Bacon in the Oven.

Lastly, use any dressing you like.. we liked this with a Creamy Ranch.

I left off quantities, use as little or as much of each ingredient that you like.

This is perfect for those turkey leftovers!

I use 2 strips of bacon per person…

This makes a great lunch or add a small bowl of soup and you have yourself a great supper.

Recipe:  Oven Roasted or Grilled Chicken Club Salad

All you need:

Salad greens
Oven roasted chicken or grilled chicken, chopped *See TIPS
Tomatoes, cut into chunks or grape tomatoes
Sliced radishes
Chopped cucumber
Deli Swiss cheese, chopped
Shredded Swiss cheese
Bacon, cooked and chopped
Thin sliced red onion
Croutons
Dressing of your choice

All you need to do:

Layer the ingredients on a large plate.

Chicken Cutlets with Hunter’s Sauce

This recipe for Chicken Cutlets and Hunter’s Sauce evolved years ago when I worked on the recipe to mimic a restaurant dish I had liked in a German restaurant.

The chicken cutlets are prepared as you prepare schnitzel…. and smothered with the sauce.

Usually if you ask for Schnitzel with Hunter’s Sauce you would be served Jagerschnitzel… which is very different from this… this dish uses a French Hunter’s Sauce or Sauce Chasseur as the base for the sauce… it has a few changes from the classic sauce… I assure you… you will love this dish.

This dish is fairly quick and easy to prepare.

TIPS

This dish can be somewhat prepared ahead… I wouldn’t make this more than an hour ahead… you don’t want the cutlets to dry out in the warm oven.

To save time, you can prepare the chicken to just before the cooking step... store in the fridge until you are ready cook them.

To reheat the sauce simply heat in a saucepan over medium low heat… or microwave, stirring occasionally.

Make sure you dice the carrots fairly small…. I took small Belgian carrots and sliced them… smaller pieces cook quicker and look better for a terrific presentation. Be aware the carrots take a considerable amount of time to cook… you want them cooked but still with a little crunch.. not mushy.

This dish can be made with thin veal or pork cutlets instead of the chicken.

I figure on 2 cutlets per person.

I used a Sauvignon Blanc for the wine… Monkey Bay from New Zealand is good… or use a good American made one.

I served this with creamy garlic mashed potatoes….it was truly delicious… and nice enough to make for a Valentine’s Day celebration for two.






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Recipe: Chicken Cutlets with Hunter’s Sauce

All you need:

For the Chicken:

4-6 thin sliced boneless skinless chicken cutlets
Plain bread crumbs (amount depends on the quantity of cutlets)… about 1 cup for 4-6 cutlets
1 egg with a dash of milk, beaten
Flour seasoned with salt and pepper (amount depends on the quantity of cutlets)… about ½ cup for 4-6 cutlets
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup beef broth
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
¾ cup diced carrots, small dice
2 plum (Roma) tomatoes, seeded and chopped
½ lb. fresh mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
¾ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Snipped chives (about 2 teaspoons)

All you need to do:

To make the Chicken Cutlets:

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Set up 3 bowls (wide bowls, if possible).

In one bowl, mix the flour, salt and pepper.

In another bowl, beat the egg and milk until well combined.

In another bowl, add the bread crumbs.

Dip the cutlets, one at a time, first in the flour (make sure the entire cutlet is covered in flour).

Then dip the floured cutlet in the egg mixture.

Then dip the cutlet in the bread crumbs, covering the cutlet completely.

Place on a plate and repeat the steps until all cutlets have been breaded.

At this point, you can cover the cutlets and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to fry them.

When ready to fry, heat a large skillet on medium high heat.

Add the butter and olive oil to the skillet. Do not let butter burn.

When the butter is melted, add the cutlets to the skillet.

Cook until the bottom is brown and crispy (about 3 minutes).

Flip the cutlets and cook the other side until brown and crispy (about two minutes).

Remove cutlets from the skillet and lay on paper towels to pat off excess grease.

Put the cutlets on a oven proof plate and keep warm in the preheated oven while you cook the remaining cutlets. Cover loosely with foil…. you don’t want moisture from the steam to make the cutlets lose their crispiness.

You will be using the same skillet to make the sauce…see below.

To make the Sauce:

In a small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon butter.

Add the flour and mix into a paste… let the paste cook for about a minute to cook off the flour taste.

Add 1 cup of beef broth and whisk vigorously until all lumps are out.

Cook the sauce over medium heat until it begins to thicken… whisking constantly.

Add the carrots and the tomatoes,let them cook in the sauce while you start the rest of the sauce in the skillet you made the chicken cutlets in, stirring occasionally.

Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and melt over medium low heat.

Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes or until shallots are softened…do not brown.

Raise the heat to medium.

Add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes.

Add the wine and deglaze the pan (scraping up any bits on the bottom of the pan).

Pour the sauce with the carrots into the skillet and stir until incorporated.

Cover and bring sauce to a boil and lower heat and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.

Remove the cover and let the sauce simmer and reduce for 10 minutes or until carrots are cooked.

Remove the warmed platter of chicken cutlets from the oven.

Remove the foil and spoon a generous amount of sauce over the cutlets.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and chives.

Serve immediately.

Serve the excess sauce at the table in small bowl with a ladle.

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

So full of robust flavor, the family will never know how healthy Tortilla Soup really is.

Perfect by itself or with a sandwich.

Tips

The chicken can be cooked in the crockpot and either shredded or diced.  You can also used cooked chicken.  You can also add more if you like.

Make this soup as spicy as you like... add more spices or add a chopped jalapena pepper or more canned green chilies.

You can use any brand canned tomatoes you prefer, Rotel canned tomatoes provide even more zip.

The quantity of black beans is 1 or 2 cans... we like black beans, so I add 2 cans.. you can add less if you prefer,

If you don't want to do the corn tortilla garnish.. you can sub crushed tortilla chips, just rough crush some and sprinkle them on top of the soup.

For a thicker soup you can add a small can of plain tomato sauce (not Italian) or tomato puree (about 1 cup) to the pot.

This soup is a delicious accompaniment to Smoked Turkey Quesadillas.

This is a great, easy to prepare supper that the whole family will love.

Recipe:  Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

You will need:

2-3 large boneless chicken breasts *See Tips
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp lime juice
1 ½ cups frozen corn or fresh corn.
2 cans (14.5 oz) Del Monte Diced Tomatoes with Zesty Mild Green Chilies
About 4 cups chicken broth
1-2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 small can green chilies
1 small can plain tomato sauce (optional) *See Tips

Garnishes

4 corn tortillas * See Tips
Olive oil cooking spray
Chopped green onions
Chopped cilantro
Grated Monterey Jack and /or Cheddar Cheese

All you need to do:

In a small skillet, sauté onion and garlic in oil until soft.  Put the sautéed onions and garlic in the crock pot.  Stir in chili powder, cumin, salt, pepper, lime juice, black beans, tomatoes and broth.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours or 8 hours on low. 

Note:   You can use either previously cooked chicken or cook raw chicken breasts in the soup.  If coking the chicken breasts in the soup, about an hour before the end of cooking, simply remove the chicken and dice or shred it and put it back into the pot.  If using previously cooked chicken, dice it and add it in the last hour of cooking.

Stir in corn, cilantro in the last hour of cooking.  Adjust seasonings to taste.

To crisp tortillas:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray both sides of the corn tortillas with cooking spray oil. Cut tortillas into fairly thin strips and spread on a baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls garnish with grated cheese, chopped green onion and tortilla strips.

Pollo (Chicken) Loco

This dish is a favorite of ours at our local Mexican restaurant.  We’ve had it in a number of places in our travels as well… all very similar… but this recipe is as close to a copy cat of our local place’s dish.

TIPS

This recipe is easy.. so easy.. you won’t believe it.  I use cheese dip (sauce) from our local supermarket (Publix).  I found it in the cheese section…. where they have shredded cheeses.  The brand is Gordo… we’ve used several others… you could make it from scratch but when I tell you it’s easier this way… it really is.

I used all three kinds of peppers, you can use any combination you like.. all three together make a great presentation and have subtly different flavors.

I used Portobello mushrooms… you can use plain mushrooms if you prefer…

The quantities are flexible… figure two thin sliced chicken breasts per person.  The recipe as written will serve 4.

Serve this with a Mexican rice and refried beans or a shredded salad.

Recipe:  Pollo (Chicken) Loco

All you need:

8 thin sliced chicken breast cutlets

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 red pepper, sliced

1 green pepper, sliced

1 yellow pepper, sliced

1 onion, cut in half then sliced

1 8 oz. pkg. Portobello mushrooms

1 container Gordo’s cheese dip

All you need to do:

In a large skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium high heat.  Sauté the chicken breasts until they are lightly browned and cooked through.  Drain on paper towels.  

In the same skillet cook the peppers and onions until they are almost soft.  Add the mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are soft.

While the vegetables are cooking, slice the cooked cutlets in thin strips.  Place them on a platter and keep them warm.

Scoop the cheese dip into a microwavable bowl and heat in the microwave.  The container has instructions.  Be careful not to cook it on too high a heat setting, depending on the power of your microwave.  Heat in 30 second intervals and then stir.  I heat mine at 70%.  I tried a higher setting and it browned the edges.

Arrange the chicken strips and some of the vegetables on a plate.  Spoon cheese dip (sauce) over all.   This is delicious with rice.  If serving rice allow the cheese to “pool” a little by the rice.

You can also serve this family style and allow each person to spoon their own sauce over it. 

Totally delicious and so easy to make!

 

Crock Pot Chicken Chili

A delicious and healthy chili… Chicken Chili is loaded with flavor.. vitamins and fiber… the crock pot recipe makes it easy to make too!

Chicken Chili is just a version of a beef chili…. just a bit healthier… the only fat in this is the little bit in boneless skinless chicken breasts.. not much at all!   Remember the toppings … shredded cheese, sour cream and if you prefer chips with this… all have lower fat varieties .. if you prefer. 

I love to make Chili.  I have been trying different things to change it up a bit.. and I encourage you to do that…. Different beans… different meats… change the spices up a bit too…. It’s all good.  I seriously must have thirty or more recipes.. all slightly different.. all really good.

TIPS

I love to use all kinds of diced tomatoes. In this particular recipe I used the ones with Zesty Mild Green Chilies and Zesty Jalapenos. They give the Chili some spark but the Chili isn’t too spicy.

If you like really mild Chili I would recommend substituting one of the diced tomato cans with Diced Tomatoes with Garlic and Onion or Diced Tomatoes with Green Pepper and Onion. The Zesty Mild Green Chilies are really not that spicy and the flavor it adds is especially good.

If you like really spicy Chili, I would up the amount of spices, particularly the red pepper flakes and the cayenne pepper. I have added a little Tabasco sauce for an extra kick as well.  Rotel canned tomatoes also have a great little kick to them… substitute a can or two with Rotel.   Rotel brand has a slightly smaller can of tomatoes than other brands.. it’s not a problem…

I use both dark and light kidney beans, you can use either, I just like the variety. Can sizes vary, I’ve seen some brands 15.25 oz and some 15.5 oz… either one is fine, the difference is so small it doesn’t matter.

I use green, red and yellow peppers, again I like the variety and the look it gives the Chili. Yellow peppers tend to be expensive so if you want to substitute green or red for the yellow, you can. I would definitely recommend using red and green peppers, I think the flavors are distinctive.

The ingredient quantities in Chili are flexible… you can seriously… just “eyeball it” and adjust it to your tastes or what you have on hand. 

Add more spices if you use plain diced tomatoes…. I adjust the seasoning to taste about an hour before it’s finished.

I think it’s important to put the chicken back into the pot after shredding and allow it to cook for another hour or so… it really helps flavor the meat better.

Cook time can be a little flexible also… you can cook it about 5 hours on high … shred the chicken and put it back and cook for an additional 30-45 minutes on high.   You can also cook the chili on low for up to 8 hours on low and shred the meat the extra time shouldn't hurt this chili… put the shredded meat back and cook on low for an hour or on high for 30-45 minutes.

I hope you try this great recipe!






Recipe:  Crock Pot Chicken Chili

All you need:

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts

2-3 cans (about 14 oz…brands vary) Diced Tomatoes (any brand you prefer)

1 can (14.5 oz.) Del Monte Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes with Zesty Jalapenos

1 can (about 15 oz.) light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (about 15 oz) dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed

3 medium onions, diced

1 green pepper, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

½ teaspoon corn starch

1/3 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

1½  tablespoon chili powder

2 ½ teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

2½  tablespoons sweet paprika

1 teaspoon salt

Toppings

Grated Cheddar Cheese, optional

Sour Cream, optional

Finely chopped green onion, optional

Tortilla chips, optional

All you have to do:

In a crock pot combine all ingredients, including chicken (whole), except for toppings. Cook on low for about 7 hours or until chicken is tender, stirring occasionally. 

Remove the chicken and shred it with a fork.  Return the chicken to the pot and stir.  Cook for an additional hour on low or 30-45 minutes on high.

Serve with Cheddar Cheese, sour cream, chopped green onion and tortilla chips.

Chicken Salad Club Sandwich

 

Tasty, moist chicken salad topped with crisp bacon, lettuce and tomato…all on a hard roll …. Add a cup of soup and you have a quick and easy supper.

TIPS

My recipe poaches boneless chicken breasts..You can also broil or bake chicken.. or even take a short cut and get rotisserie chicken at the market.

You can use your crock pot to make the chicken… instead of dicing it.. it will shred easily… cook on low for 5 hours…

Make your bacon in the oven… it’s easy and makes clean-up a snap… here’s a link for a “how-to make bacon in the oven".

I use Hellman’s mayonnaise… if you prefer another brand .. by all means use it!

Recipe:  Chicken Salad Club Sandwich

All you need:

To poach the chicken:

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

½ medium onion, cut up

1 stalk celery, cut up

1 carrot, cut up

About 5 sprigs of fresh parsley

½ teaspoon dried thyme

A couple of peppercorns

About 4 cups of chicken broth (enough to cover)

For the Chicken Salad:

Shredded or diced cooked chicken

About ¾ cup mayo

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 stalk celery, finely diced

A sprinkling of thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Sandwich:

Cooked bacon

Lettuce

Tomato

Hard Rolls

Extra mayo for the bread

All you need to do:

Poach the chicken in a saucepan over medium heat with the onion, parsley, thyme, carrot, celery, peppercorns and chicken broth.  Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Allow to cool enough to handle (in the liquid.

Shred or dice the chicken.  In a medium bowl combine the chicken, diced celery, parsley, thyme, mayo salt and pepper.

Assemble the sandwich with the chicken salad, bacon, lettuce and tomato.

Chicken and Broccoli

 

Chicken and Broccoli is a super fast meal to put together…. Plan ahead and marinate your meat in the morning and have dinner on the table in under 20 minutes…. Delicious and better for you than take-out… you control the salt and no msg.

TIPS

As I pointed out in the beginning… the marinade ahead of time and this recipe cooks fast.  Even though the recipe says to marinate the meat for 15 minutes… I did mine in the morning… I have done it the night before also… so all I had to do was cook it when I got home.

I used a bag of ready to cook broccoli florets I found in the produce section of the grocery store… another time saver.. you cut and clean your own before hand as well to save time.  The actual recipe uses the stalks and florets (cut the stalks off and cut them at an angle.. they go in too… no waste here).

I make my rice .. I used Minute Rice… in the microwave while I cooked the meal.

The recipe calls for fresh ginger… if you are new to purchasing fresh ginger… it usually is not expensive.. and can be found in the produce section of the grocery store.  Measuring a piece and cutting it off… then chopping it in a mini chopper is probably the easiest way to mince it. 

You can mince the ginger and garlic together in the mini chopper… just use half the minced mixture in the marinade and half in cooking.

If you need to substitute garlic powder for the cloves… the conversion is 1 clove equals 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder.  Remember different brands and age of the powder will have different potency.. use the amount in the conversion and adjust to taste at the end of cooking.

If you don’t have fresh ginger .. you can use ground ginger but the taste is slightly different… the potency is also different… so start with less and add more in the cooking stage to your taste.. for the marinade use the teaspoon of ground ginger…. then sprinkle additional ginger in the final stages of cooking if needed.

Speaking of potency of the ginger… the larger the root, the more mature it is and more pungent… wrinkled skin indicates it is aged and less potent. 

Store fresh ginger wrapped in a paper towel for 2-3 weeks in the fridge.

The salt is listed in a range.. I prefer things less salty.. I use the ½ teaspoon.. if you’re used to saltier food.. then use the larger amount.. remember.. you can always add more in the final cooking so I always recommend the lower amount.. but that is entirely up to you.

If you love Asian food and want to cook it at home.. a wok is the best pan to cook in… a good quality wok is worth its weight in gold…  I splurged on a Le Creuset wok at the outlet…. It’s a heavy cast iron wok.. heats up fast and gets really really hot.. perfect for cooking Asian recipes…. Hot and fast is the best cooking method for these recipes.

You can cook this in a regular skillet.. use one that will get nice and hot.

The cooking step that cooks the broccoli will surprise you.. I know it did me… the fresh broccoli gets a beautiful bright green.. my picture does not do it justice because of the sauce on it.

This will make 3-4 servings depending on size.  We had 3 servings from it.

I hope you try it!

Recipe:  Chicken and Broccoli

All you need:

About 1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks

For the Marinade:

3-4 green onions, white only, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, minced *See TIPS

½ inch minced fresh ginger or about ½ teaspoon ground ginger *See TIPS

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

½-1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sesame oil

Additional ingredients for Cooking:

1 tablespoon cornstarch

¾  cup chicken broth

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 cups broccoli florets and cut-up stems *See TIPS

1 garlic clove, minced *See TIPS

½  inch minced fresh ginger or about ½ teaspoon ground ginger *See TIPS

3 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon hoisin sauce

Cooked Rice

Chinese noodles (optional)

Thinly sliced green onion (green parts) for garnish (optional)

All you have to do:

Mix the marinade ingredients together in a glass bowl and place the chicken in it… marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or you can do this step ahead *See TIPS

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the cornstarch and chicken broth.  Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wok or skillet over high heat.  Add the broccoli stems and cook for about a minute.  Add the florets, minced ginger, minced garlic and 3 tablespoons water.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir fry cook for about 3 minutes until broccoli is bright green and cooked but still crisp (you will be adding it back into the pan at the end for more cooking).  Remove the broccoli to a plate.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and heat it over high heat.  Add the chicken and stir fry cook until the chicken is cooked and a little brown about 5 minutes.

Add the hoisin sauce and the broccoli and stir fry cook to heat the broccoli.  Add the reserved cornstarch and chicken broth.  Bring to a bubbly boil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Adjust seasonings to taste if necessary.

Serve over cooked rice.

Honey Garlic Chicken

 

This recipe for Honey Garlic Chicken is a snap.. a snap to make and done in a snap!  Not many recipes can boast 20 minutes (including prep) to the table and with very little prep.

Why get take out?… make it yourself!... It’s easy and a whole lot less expensive… not to mention you control the ingredients.

TIPS

You can bread the chicken a couple of different ways… you can take a quick shortcut using a Shake n Bake…  or bread it the traditional way… four .. egg.. and breadcrumbs…

The Sriracha sauce is Chinese hot chili sauce and if you haven’t had it or used it before.. go easy when making this.. remember you can always add more…. I highly recommend you use the lower end of the posted amount.  I used the full tablespoon and.. let’s just say it wasn’t for me… Warren liked it but simply thought it was too hot.

I served it with white rice and bought small spring rolls to serve with it…

I hope you try this tasty Asian meal!

Recipe:  Honey Garlic Chicken

All you need:

1 pound chicken breasts or tenders, cut into chunks

½ cup flour, seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder

1 egg beaten

1 cup breadcrumbs (Panko works the best)

Olive oil cooking oil spray (optional)

For the Sauce:

¾ cup honey

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon soy sauce

¼ cup water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

½ - 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce

Garnish:

Sesame seeds

1 green onion chopped (green part only)

Cooked white rice

All you have to do:

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Line a baking pan with non-stick foil.

Dredge the chicken pieces in flour.. then egg then breadcrumbs.  Place on the prepared baking sheet.  Give them a quick spray with cooking oil spray (optional).

Bake for 15 minutes or until fully cooked… (15 minutes should be fine for small pieces).

Meanwhile, heat the honey, garlic and soy sauce in a small saucepan over medium/low heat.  In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the water and cornstarch until fully mixed, then add it to the honey, whisking until blended.  Add the Sriracha sauce and stir well.

When chicken is done, place them in a large bowl and pour the sauce over them, toss to fully coat the chicken.  Serve over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped green onion.