Asian Chicken Thighs Over Rice

Chicken thighs are a (relatively) cheap meal and are really versatile.  I usually prefer the juicy breast meat, but sometimes thighs are just the thing for a recipe.  This is an easy working day dish that you can marinate the morning of for extra flavor, or skip this step to save time and get it right into the oven.  Up to you, and great either way.  Serve over rice and enjoy!  This recipe is an adaptation from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine.  Thanks, Martha!

Ingredients
3 tbsp. olive oil
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. honey
2 tbsp. brown sugar (packed)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp seasoning salt (I like Lowry's)
3-4 lbs chicken thighs

Directions

If you are going to marinate the chicken beforehand, mix the first 6 ingredients together in a bowl.  Put your chicken into a large ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the chicken, making sure to coat each piece.  Place into refrigerator until ready to cook.

Preheat your oven to 425.

If you are going straight to the oven, mix up your first 6 ingredients and be sure to coat all of the chicken pieces thoroughly before placing them in your baking dish skin side up.  Pour any additional sauce over and around the chicken.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, then turn the pieces and bake for an additional 15 minutes with the bottom side up.  Your sauce and chicken should be getting nice and caramelized.  Turn one final time to finish crisping up the skins, about another 10 minutes until the thighs are 165 degrees internally.

Serve over rice.  Tonight we are using steamed white rice, but whatever rice you prefer will be great.

That's it!  So easy, and ready in under an hour.

White Chicken Chili

More soup!  I know, it's hot here in the desert, but I love soup.  Tonight I used a rotisserie chicken to create an easy chicken chili that is perfect to throw together after work.  No real cooking skills needed!

Ingredients


2 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp olive oil

1-2 c shredded chicken
2  (16 oz) cans Cannellini beans
1 (16 oz) can great northern beans
1/2 small can green chilis.  You can use the whole can, but I don't like as much.
2 (14 oz) can chicken broth
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup heavy cream
Seasoned salt (I use Lowry's)


Directions

In your soup pot, cook the minced garlic in olive oil over medium heat until soft and fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Keep stirring so it doesn't burn.  Add the shredded chicken to the pot and continue stirring.  Add the beans, chilis, and chicken broth.  In a small bowl, stir you cornstarch and heavy cream, then pour into your soup.  Continue stirring until it is fully incorporated, then turn heat to medium low and allow to simmer for at least 20 minutes.  The longer, the better, but you can serve once it's hot and bubbly.

Serve with tortilla chips or crackers, and top with sour cream and shredded cheese.

Cheesy Chicken Stew with Broccoli

More soup!  Yes, I know, it was 90 degrees here today, but when you want soup, you want soup.  I was prepared not to like this recipe because of the broccoli, but the kids like the green stuff and I am trying to find ways to tolerate green foods, so here we are.  This was a fast, easy meal and we all loved it.  If you use a rotisserie chicken, you will be feeding the family in no time.

Ingredients

32oz chicken broth
1 c heavy cream
1 c milk (I used whole)
2 c shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie to save time)
3 tbsp butter
1 c chopped broccoli florets
1/2 c flour
2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c shredded cheese (I used my fav, colby jack)
1 pie crust, thawed

Directions
Chop up the fresh broccoli into small pieces and boil in some chicken broth.   I didn't measure, but I would guess around a cup.  Sprinkle one tsp of salt over and boil for about 5 minutes.  In a separate pot, melt 3-4 tbsp butter, then add the broccoli / chicken broth mixture.  Let simmer over medium high heat for another 5 minutes, then add 1/2 cup flour and stir thoroughly.  This will be a paste-like consistency. Slowly stir in the cream, milk, and remaining chicken broth until you have a smooth soup with no lumps (besides the broccoli, of course).  Add in your shredded chicken and 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, and reduce heat to medium.

While the stew is simmering and thickening, roll out the pie crust onto a baking sheet and cut into long strips.  Bake for 8 minutes on 450.  Once this is done, break into small chunks to serve on top of the bowls of stew.  Serve with shredded cheese and pie crust pieces on top for a delicious meal.

Easy Lemon Garlic Chicken

Here's an easy dish I threw together tonight that was a big hit.  Simple and delicious!

Ingredients
4-6 chicken breasts
Olive oil
Salt
1-2 cloves garlic, minced.  I used the roasted garlic I roasted last weekend and froze.
1 lemon
Any pasta as a side dish
Grated parmesan cheese


Directions
Heat up olive oil in a cast iron skillet and mix in the minced garlic.  Cut lemon in half and squeeze out the juice, setting aside.  Salt the chicken breasts, then sauté your chicken breasts over medium heat until there is no pink inside (165 degrees internally). Add lemon juice to the pan and ensure you get the juice on both sides of the chicken.  It forms a nice brown caramelized coating on the chicken and is delicious.

While the chicken is cooking, prepare your pasta.  I chose tri-color rotini and boiled mine in chicken broth to get even more flavor.  Drain the pasta and grate parmesan cheese over it, stirring the cheese throughout.

This is such an easy dish that makes it a good one for after work.  The whole family liked it and it is definitely going into the rotation.

Chicken a la King over Biscuits

Chicken a la King is such a comfort dish, and easy to make, too.  It is creamy and delicious, and can be served over a variety of things, so use what you have on hand or what is easiest.  You can use rice, noodles, or biscuits for this dish.  Tonight I used biscuits from a tube because I was short on time and had some in the fridge.  It's a quick dinner you can pull together with ease if you use a rotisserie chicken and other short cuts, or cook and cube the chicken and make the biscuits from scratch if you find yourself with time to burn.  This is a recipe I have been using for years, adapted from an old Taste of Home cookbook.

Ingredients

Biscuits, rice, or noodles.  Your choice.  Prepare as directed.

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp garlic powder 

32 oz. chicken stock

2 cups milk

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed.  A rotisserie chicken works perfect for this--just shred and go.

1 tbsp diced pimientos

Olive oil

Directions

Prepare your biscuits, rice or noodles according to the package directions.  Cube your chicken and cook thoroughly in a skillet, or better yet, shred your rotisserie chicken and set aside.  

Next, sauté the  mushrooms in olive oil until tender, sprinkling with salt and garlic to season.  Stir in flour until blended. Gradually stir in chicken stock and milk.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Cook it for about 2-3 minutes until it has thickened.

Add chicken and pimientos, and allow to simmer on low heat until it is heated through, stirring occasionally.  I allowed mine to simmer about 15 minutes and it came out perfect.

Serve the gravy over your biscuits, rice, or noodles.  So easy, and delicious.  Something even the picky eaters of the family will enjoy.  

Mushroom Chicken with Rice

Most of the meals I cook are simple, but sometimes I go all out for a more elaborate dish.  This is probably one of the more complicated dishes I make.  Not because any one step is hard, but just because it is time consuming.  This recipe will feature more pictures because it involves more steps than others.  But it's good, really good, and worth the time invested.  This recipe is adapted from a recipe I found on FeaturedDish.com.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 lb sliced mushrooms 

Cream of mushroom soup

1 cup chicken broth

2 cups italian bread crumbs

3 eggs, beaten

Olive oil for pan

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon of basil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup flour

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

First, prepare your cream of mushroom soup, if you want to avoid condensed soup.  It's easy!  Set aside.  In a large skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat.  Add minced garlic and mushrooms to pan.  Sprinkle with salt.  Cook until mushrooms are soft and cooked through, approximately 5 minutes.

Remove mushrooms from heat and spread evenly inside a large, deep baking pan (I used a 9x13).

After removing mushrooms, heat more olive oil in the skillet on medium-high heat.  Mix eggs with dry basil and a pinch of salt in a small bowl, and beat well.  Pat chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, then dip chicken in egg mixture, then coat both sides with bread crumbs.  Place in pan, and cook chicken thoroughly, turning over as it browns.  

When finished cooking, place chicken over mushrooms in baking pan.

*If you are using canned cream of mushroom soup, mix cream of mushroom soup with chicken broth in a separate bowl, then pour over chicken.  This saves you time and effort, but if you make your own gravy, the payoff is worth it.  

In the skillet, melt 1 tablespoons of butter in with the chicken and breading left in the pan.  Mix it all together over medium heat, then add in 1/2 cup of flour and stir until it absorbs the remainder of olive oil and butter in the pan.  Slowly pour in the cream of mushroom soup, stirring constantly until it thickens into a delicious gravy.

Once it has thickened, pour evenly over your chicken breasts in the baking pan, then sprinkle mozzarella cheese over everything.  Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.  While this delicious mixture is baking, prepare white rice.  Serve each breast and gravy over rice.  An amazing meal!

Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

Tonight we are trying a new recipe I found on FoodGawker courtesy of letsdishrecipes.com for chicken enchiladas with green chile sour cream sauce, with my picky modifications, as usual.

It was very easy and the whole family enjoyed it.

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 soft flour tortillas, taco size

2 cups shredded colby jack cheese

2 cups shredded chicken (we used rotisserie chicken to save time)

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup sour cream

4 oz mild green chiles, drained

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease a 9x13 pan.

3.  Mix shredded chicken and 1 cup cheese.  Roll up in tortillas and place in pan seam side down.

4.  In a sauce pan, melt butter.  Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.  Add broth and whisk until smooth.  Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

5.  Stir in sour cream and chilies.  DO NOT BOIL!  Very important so you don't curdle the sour cream.    Be patient.

6.  Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.

7.  Bake 20 minutes, then under high broil for 3 minutes to brown the cheese.

This was a hit.  So creamy and cheesy.  It would definitely be a good dish to bring to potlucks.  Serve it with apple pie enchiladas for a sweet ending to your meal.

Try it with your additions and post your ideas in the comments.

Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup with Bacon

Cream of Chicken and Wild Rice Soup with Bacon

Ah, soup!  As I have shared before on this blog, I love soup.  I love soup any day of the year.  I also love bacon, rice, and chicken.  Tonight's delicious offering came from PinchofYum.com with my picky modifications and omissions, and I offer my sincere thanks for the perfect storm of flavors.

Prep time: 30 minutes        Cook time: 1 hour (give or take)

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3 (10¾ oz) cans condensed chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed
• ½ cup butter
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 2 cups half and half (but I used whole milk)
• 1½ cup cubed or shredded cooked chicken (we used a rotisserie chicken to save time)
• 8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled (I baked mine in the oven)

Instructions

In a large saucepan, combine chicken broth and water. Add wild rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30-45 minutes (or until rice is tender). Once the rice is cooked, there will be some additional broth – do not drain.

Wild rice mix simmering in the chicken broth

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour, salt, and seasoning. I mixed my flour, salt and seasoning together first and then slowly added it to my melted butter.  Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly.  Mine was very thick.

Gradually stir in half and half with the butter/flour mixture and cook until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.  Keep the heat medium and keep stirring.  Mine got a little lumpy.

Add this creamy mixture back into the saucepan with the rice/broth. Add the chicken and bacon. Heat on low, stirring every once in a while, for at least a half an hour. Do not boil. The mixture may look thin, but the longer you heat the soup, the more the flavors blend and the more it will thicken. 

Serve with warm rolls for delicious meal.  

Crispy Chicken with Gravy

I love fried chicken, but I would never make it. My awesome husband makes the world's very best fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, so luckily I will never have to do without. But I do try to contribute the occasional meal, and I search the internet for new ideas that seem simple and yummy. Tonight's delicious recipe is one I found on Pinterest, courtesy of Jaime Cooks It Up, with my substitutions (of course). It is very similar to the recipe on the Livestrong website, but with the cream gravy addition.

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts

1 sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed into fine crumbs

1 c chicken broth

4 tbs butter

1 c + 2 tbs half and half (I just used whole milk)

2 tbs cornstarch

Salt (season to taste)

 

Cut chicken into pieces with kitchen shears (I cut them into thirds), then put the pieces into a gallon ziplock bag and seal. Pound the chicken flat with a meat mallet. I don't have one, so I used our rolling pin. It worked out fine.

Grind the Ritz crackers into crumbs. The recipe suggested a food processor, but I just put them into a ziplock bag and crushed them with back of a wooden spoon. The meat mallet would also work well here. Put the crumbs in a shallow pan.

Dredge each piece of the chicken in the bread crumbs, coating both sides generously. Most of the other Ritz chicken recipes suggested first dipping the pieces in egg first. I may try this next time so the crackers stick better.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Pour in about 5 tbs of olive oil and let the oil heat up around 30 seconds, then add the chicken to the pan carefully. It may take 2 or 3 batches, depending upon skillet size. Cook until golden brown on bottom, around 3-4 minutes. Turn each piece and cook until golden brown on the other side. Cook until the internal temp is 160 degrees or chicken is no longer pink inside. My husband has an awesome digital temperature probe that made it easy for me.

Remove chicken to a separate plate and set aside. I put mine inside the microwave to hold the heat, but you could probably cover it in aluminum foil as well. Do not clean out your pan, as you want all of the crispy, chickeny goodness left behind for your gravy.

Add 4 tbs of butter and 1 c chicken broth to the pan on medium heat. As the butter melts, whisk the liquid around, scraping the bottom and sidesof the pan to incorporate the crispy chicken remains. Add 1 c of half and half (or whole milk, if you are me) and whisk it around to add it in. Return heat to medium high and allow it to come to a full boil, whisking it so it doesn't burn, then reduce heat to low.

In a small bowl, combine 2 tbs of half and half (or milk) and 2 tbs cornstarch, stirring until smooth. Pour the cornstarch mixture slowly into your pan, whisking as you go, then return heat to medium high and allow the liquid to return to a boil. It will thicken into gravy as you slowly whisk it.

Remove from heat, and add salt and any other seasonings you like to taste. I just added salt, because pepper is disgusting. Serve over your crispy chicken. It is delicious.

This recipe was pretty easy, but it took longer than I expected. We served ours with my husband's baked green beans with bacon and grated parmesan, which is the ONLY way to eat green beans. An all-around good meal, and the kids absolutely loved it.

 

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