Chicken Fricassee

So I've been bad about updating, and honestly since the wedding not a whole whole lot of cooking.  Been super lazy.  Precooked frozen shit and all.  

So this was pretty easy, and QUITE tasty.  I also did roasted carrots as a side (will add an entry with several sides next).  Great meal.  

Chicken Fricassee

Serves 4-6

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, thighs, or combination

Table salt and ground black pepper

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound cremini mushrooms, stems trimmed, cleaned, chopped fine, about 1 cup

1 medium onion, chopped fine, about 1 cup

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon unbleached AP flour

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1/3 cup sour cream

1 egg yold

1/2 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons minced fresh taragon or parsley

Directions

Pat chicken dry with paper towels ad season with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.  Heat butter and oil in 12 inch skillet over med high heat.  When foaming subsides, place chicken in skillet and cook until browned, about 4 minutes.  Flip chicken, continue to cook another 4 minutes.  Transfer chicken to large plate.

Add mushrooms, onion, and wine to now-empty skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are browned, 8-10 min.  Add flour and garlic, cook stirring constantly for a minute.  Add broth and bring mix to a boil, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits.   Add chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet.  Reduce heat to med low, cover, and simmer, about 5-10 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a clean platter and tent loosely with foil.  Whisk sour cream and egg yolk together in a med bowl.  Whisking constantly, slowly stir 1/2 cup of sauce from skillet to sour cream mixture.  Stirring constantly slowly pour sour cream mix in to simmering sauce.  Stir in nutmeg lemon juice, and tarragon.  Return to simmer.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Pour sauce over chicken and serve. 

Chicken Cordon Bleu

I've always liked this dish, but thought that it would a pain to make.  Quite the opposite.  It was fast (except for pounding the chicken breasts) and easy.

The recipe calls for less cheese than I normally prefer.  I would recommend throwing an extra slice of Swiss cheese on there.

 This is a great dish; easy, fast, and delicious.  

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

8 thin slices of ham

4 oz of Swiss or Bleu Cheese (or more if you prefer)

1 tablespoon of melted butter

1 large egg, beaten

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

Mix the melted butter and egg together in a medium bowl - set aside.

Pound the chicken to about 1/3" thick.  Place the ham on the breast followed by the cheese.  Roll up the chicken breast, secure with a toothpick.  Dip the chicken breast in the mix of egg and melted butter mix.   Make sure that breast is thoroughly coated.  Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on a separate plate, the roll the chicken breasts in the cheese.  Roll around so that the breasts have a nice layer of cheese.  Place in to a buttered (I use olive oil) baking dish.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until browned and tender. 

Serve with your favorite vegetable side dish.

 

Garlic Ranch Chicken Hoagies/Sandwiches

I love this.  Nice and quick, and comes out tasty!  Great for a rainy day lunch.

Being a lover of garlic and cheese, I double the garlic, onion and olive oil mix, and I top the chicken with provolone - throw it back in the oven so it melts a bit.  I actually used kaiser rolls last night, and that was great also.

Garlic Ranch Chicken Hoagies

Makes 4

Ingredients:

4 frozen breaded chicken breast fillets

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tbsp onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2/3 ranch style dressing

1 large roma tomato, seeded and finely chopped

4 hoagie rolls, toasted if desired

Lettuce, tomato and sliced onion, and cheese if desired to top sandwiches.

Directions:

Prepare chicken to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat oil, onion, and garlic in small saucepan until translucent.  Remove from heat.  Let stand 10 min.  Stir in dressing and tomato.

Spread bottom half of rolls with half of dressing.  Add chicken and additional toppings.  Top with remaining dressing mixture and tops of rolls.

Easy Feta Chicken Bake

This was soooo easy and simple, but really turned out tasty (even though my oven cycled up during the baking process and ever so slightly burnt it.  I hate apartments, darn thing has been replaced already and I DO use a thermometer in there.  Still no dice!).  I highly recommend this if you need something good with little prep time.  Takes 40 (I would recommend about 30-35) minutes to bake and voila!  

After a long day of pre-Spring cleaning, being able to throw the ingredients together, finish up some cleaning and have a tasty meal ready; FANTASTIC.  Oh, and did I mention?  150 calories (not sure how many the tomatoes and olives add, the Kraft website says 134)!!  Yup.  Easy and low cal.  Gotta love it.

Easy Feta Chicken Bake (with minor adaptions)

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 lb.)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice, divided
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 pkg. (4 oz.) ATHENOS Crumbled Feta Cheese with Basil & Tomato

1/8 cup diced sundried tomatoes*

1/8 cup diced Calamata Olives* (these two added really made it, IMO)
1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Arrange chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish.

DRIZZLE with 1 Tbsp. of the lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper. Top with feta cheese, olives and sundried tomatoes; drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. lemon juice. 

BAKE 35 to 40 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with red pepper and parsley.

Olive Garden - But Cheaper

I waited tables at Olive Garden for nearly 2 years. And there are just some dishes that I crave. I mean, lunch portion + discount... ate a frequent amount of Olive Garden! Honestly, almost more than any other restaurant. What can I say, I like carbs (and fully believe in the OLD SKOOL food pyramid - carbs give you energy!). 

So I dove in to my recently acquired Olive Garden recipes. Tonight I made one of my favorites. Garlic Herb Chicken con Broccoli. I meshed it with one other, to adapt it a bit. Turned out great. Almost like the original, and a hell of a lot cheaper. Can't beat that!

Garlic Herb Chicken con Broccoli - Olive Garden Copy Cat


Ingredients
3 large skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick strips
2 tsp olive oil
4 oz. dry orecchiette pasta (I got mine at Sprout's - I'm sure Trader Joe's or Whole Foods would carry it as well)
1 C. heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp butter
3 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp cornstarch
3-5 C. broccoli florets
black pepper to taste
1/2 c Romano cheese
1/2 c dry white wine
Herb Mixture
2 tsp Dried basil, parsley, and rosemary
1/2 tsp Red pepper flakes
Black pepper to taste 

Instructions

Combine ingredients from spice mixture. Rub onto the chicken breasts. Cook chicken in the olive oil till done and browned, set aside. 
Cook orecchiette in a large pot of boiling salted water until "almost" done. Drain, and return pasta to pot. 
Stir butter or margarine, and garlic into a sauté pan. Cook till garlic caramelizes, then add the cream, wine and the cornstarch on medium heat till it thickens to a sauce, and add to the pasta. 
Stir chicken, Romano and broccoli into the pasta. Simmer until pasta are done, and remove from heat. Sprinkle with Romano cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spice it up!

I wanted to try a couple different things for dinner tonight.  I had a couple recipes I haven't tried yet, though I have had the green beans.  Being able to make them at home is great.  The combo of both the Chicken in Pobalno Cream sauce with Garlic Chile Green Beans, delish.  

I used the recommended 4 peppers in the cream sauce.  It took a lot of hitting that pulse button to make enough room in the food processor.  3 cups wasn't large enough this time.  :P  It turned out great.  And I used chicken tenders instead of the breasts, wonderfully juicy.  Gouda cheese worked great, and of course I threw a little extra on.  

Give it a try next time you want something a little different, or a little kick.  ;)

Chicken in Poblano Cream Sauce

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

3-4 poblano peppers (seeded and chopped)

½ cup milk

4 tbsp butter, divided in half

1 tbsp flour

1 cup Mexican crema fresca or heavy cream

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves

1 cup grated manchego, jack or gouda cheese

Directions:

Puree peppers with milk until smooth.  Set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium high heat melt butter and flour.  Cook, stirring, to brown lightly.  Add the chile-milk puree, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or wire whisk until smooth.  Reduce heat, add 1 cup Mexican crema or heavy cream, and stir constantly until the sauce begins to bubble.  Remove from heat and add salt to taste.  The sauce may be made a day in advance and refrigerated.

Preheat oven to 350°.  Melt 2 tbsp butter in a large skillet over medium high heat, and sauté chicken breasts 4 minutes on each side.  Place them in a greased baking dish, pour the poblano cream sauce over all, and top with 1 cup grated manchego, jack, or gouda cheese.  Bake uncovered, 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.

Poblano cream sauce - VERY green.

 

Dramatically Seared Green Beans with Garlic and Chiles

 Serves 4

 

2 Tbsp. canola or peanut oil

1 lb. green beans, trimmed

3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)

1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional

 

Heat large, deep skillet or wok 2 minutes over medium heat. Add oil, and swirl to coat pan. Increase heat to high, wait 30 seconds, then add green beans and a big pinch of salt. Cook 3 minutes shaking the pan or using tongs to turn and move beans so they cook quickly and evenly. Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes, if desired, and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly, or until beans are crisp-tender.