When Annie posted this recipe, I thought to myself, “What the heck? Annie suggests it. I’ll try it. But I don’t think I’ll like it!” Boy was I ever surprised! First of all, start to finish, this takes less than 20 minutes to make. If you burn the butter and the fire alarm goes off and you can’t figure out how to turn the fire alarm off and you have to stuff the alarm into the couch cushions to silence it, it may take 25 minutes. But if you don’t have fire alarm issues, I promise, it’s a super-fast meal. Weeknight dinner? I’d say so! And it’s healthy. And it’s delicious. It’s a new favorite in our house that I’ve served several times in the past few weeks! Try it with our summer tomatoes. You’re going to be delighted!

I’m not much of a chicken-breast-for-dinner girl. I used to be. When I was younger, it used to be my first choice when I ate at restaurants. Now I prefer chicken *in* my meals instead of chicken *as* my meal. When I saw this recipe, I thought, “Hmmm…. maybe I can bend the rules just this once.” I’m so glad I did. This was a phenomenal meal. So much cheese and basil and a hint of garlic all layered in and on top of a chicken breast that is cooked to perfection… I’m drooling at the thought of it. Serve this along with rice or potatoes or, better yet, these buttermilk biscuits. And swoon.

Continue reading: easy stuffed chicken breasts with parmesan and basil filling

This past week I finally bought the Cook’s Illustrated Cookbook that I’ve been reading so much about. I do not often use cookbooks since I get so much inspiration from blogs that I follow, but I figured that such a huge compilation would not steer me wrong. I was toying with several ideas of which recipe to make first and landed on this fried chicken recipe because, I kid you not, it had the word easier in it. Cook’s Illustrated is notorious for having complicated recipes and I was in the mood for something simple. If you have bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, you are in luck because this recipe really is pretty simple. If you don’t have pieces, you can do what I did and cut a whole chicken into pieces. It isn’t as simple, but you end up with a chicken carcass that you can use to make some chicken stock.

The marinade makes the chicken so amazingly tender, and the batter is simply divine. Salty with a hint of spice and crunch and delicious! I could not get enough of this chicken! And it was so filling that we could have easily fed a party of six, which means I know what I am serving the next time I host a dinner party.

Continue reading: fried chicken

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condensed cream of chicken soup

from www.tammysrecipes.com

chicken enchiladas
adapted from a recipe by Cook’s Illustrated

1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped fine (about 1 cup)
3 medium cloves of garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
2-3 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp granulated sugar
2-3 cups cooked, shredded chicken meat
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2-4 oz diced roasted poblano chili peppers (or 2-4 oz pickled jalapenos, drained and chopped)
1/2 cup corn kernels, optional
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
10 corn tortillas
sour cream, cheese, avocado, lettuce, and limes to taste

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes; add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, coriander, cumin, salt, and sugar; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add tomato sauce and 3/4 cup water. Bring to simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until flavors have melded, about 5 minutes. Put the cooked chicken in a large bowl and pour 1 cup of the tomato mixture over the chicken pieces; stir well to combine. Set the remaining sauce aside. To the chicken mixture add cilantro, roasted poblano chili peppers or jalapenos, corn, and most of the cheese (saving a little to sprinkle on top of the enchiladas before cooking).

Adjust oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees.

Heat tortillas in a non-stick frying pan until pliable and fill with a tablespoon or two of the chicken mixture. Roll the tortilla closed, place seam side down in your 8×11 or 9×13 pan, and repeat until you’ve used all the filling. Pour the sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.

Bake enchiladas on lower-middle rack until heated through and cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and serve immediately, passing sour cream, avocado, lettuce, and lime wedges separately.

Ironically, given that I’m a food blogger, I am one of the pickiest eaters I know. In fact, I’ve managed to write off entire cultures of food with no compunction. Japanese, Greek, and Indian food are all on the “no go” list. They’re all awful, and don’t argue with me about this either.

Fortunately, I had no idea that chicken tikka masala was Indian food because if I had known that, I probably would have never tried it. But ignorance is bliss, and I did try this amazing dish and I’m so glad that I did. There are so many complex flavors in this dish that I don’t even know how to start explaining it. The chicken is dipped in a yogurt sauce with ginger and garlic and char broiled in the oven. Then it’s folded into a tomato sauce loaded with all kinds of spices – cinnamon! cumin! cardamom! – and finished with a touch of cream and a handful of fresh minced cilantro. The cream cuts the tomatoes’ acidity and the fresh cilantro adds yet another dimension of taste (although if you are a true cilantro hater, I suppose you could leave it out!). Served over rice or with naan, this is a fabulous way to end your day.

chicken tikka masala
www.cooksillustrated.com

A note from Cook’s Illustrated: This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken.

chicken tikka

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup plain whole milk yogurt (see above note)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 tsp)
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

masala sauce

3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or press through a garlic press (about 2 tsp)
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chili, ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note above)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp garam masala (see note above)
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

For the chicken: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.

For the sauce: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

By the way, this recipe makes a lot of chili, but have no fear. It can easily be frozen in individual serving sized portions and thawed at a later date for a quick lunch or dinner!

I made this in a Crockpot and it was wonderful. I cooked the chicken as the recipe directed and set it aside. Then, after sauteing the onions and peppers on the stove top, I transferred  them to my crockpot and added all the remaining ingredients except the chicken and beans. I let that simmer all day and then, an hour or so before dinner I added the shredded chicken and beans.

Want to make this vegetarian? Simply omit the chicken and substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth in the recipe!

chicken chili
adapted from www.annies-eats.com

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
4 cups chopped yellow onion (2-3 onions)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 bell peppers (any colors)
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely diced
2 tsp kosher salt
4 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 cup pumpkin puree or diced pumpkin (optional)
2 (15-ounce) cans beans, drained and rinsed (black, pinto, a mixture are recommended)
1-2 cups chicken broth, as needed

Preheat the oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place the chicken breasts on the foil and season with salt and pepper. Fold the foil over the chicken breasts to form a sealed packet. Roast 30-40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Allow to cool enough to handle and then shred or chop the meat into bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute the onions 8-10 minutes, or until tender and translucent. Add the garlic to the pot and saute just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the bell peppers, spices, and salt. Cook 5 more minutes. Add the tomatoes, corn, and pumpkin and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the shredded chicken and the beans, add more chicken broth as desired, and allow to simmer for another 20 minutes.

For Brant’s birthday, I bought him a geeky t-shirt that has images from the periodic table of elements for barium, cobalt, and nitrogen. The resulting picture? BACON. It’s awesome, and perfect for my bacon-loving hubby. It seem that it’s not just my hubby that loves bacon, though. When I told Amanda about our bacon wrapped chicken bites, her response was, “Bacon! Bacon!”  What should you serve at a party? The answer is clear to me. Bacon wrapped chicken bites are a huge success!

bacon wrapped chicken bites

2 chicken breasts, cut into 1″ cubes
1/2 cup Saucy Mama Sweet Onion Marinade
1 pound thin-sliced bacon

In a medium bowl, marinate the chicken in the Sweet Onion Marinade for 1 hour.

While the chicken is marinating, cut each strip of bacon in half lengthwise, giving you two long strips. Then cut each strip in half down the middle.

Preheat the oven to 375.

When the chicken is done marinating, wrap each piece of chicken with one of the bacon strip quarters and skewer with a toothpick. Arrange on a baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes or until the chicken and bacon are both fully cooked.

hot wing melts

(serves 12 as an appetizer)

1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 medium chicken breasts
1 cup Saucy Mama’s Hot Wing Sauce
16 slices White Bread
4 tbsp salted butter
12 oz blue cheese crumbles

Place half the oil in a pan heated to medium high and fry three of the chicken breasts until cooked through, flipping as needed. Repeat with the remaining oil and the remaining three chicken breasts.

Pat the chicken dry and cut each breast into ¼-inch slices.  Toss the chicken slices in Saucy Mama’s Hot Wing Sauce and set aside. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Preheat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Lay the buttered side of a slice on the skillet and top with chicken slices and blue cheese. On top of the cheese, immediately place another bread slice with the butter side up. Cover the skillet. When the bread is golden brown and cheese is melted, flip the sandwich and continue to cook, covered, until the second side is also golden brown and cheese is melted. Let the sandwiches cool for 1 minute and then cut into quarters and serve hot.