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Category Archives: Poultry

Fiesta Week Part 2 – Chicken Tacos

To go along with the chorizo tacos and the beef tacos I had made on Sunday I also wanted to make some chicken tacos. I didn’t want to do something with just shredded chicken, which would have been easy to do with some chicken, but I wanted something a little different with some nice sauce to go along with it. I had looked at a few different recipes I found on the Internet, but then I came upon this one from Michael Chiarello on the Food Network for a chicken taco filling. It looked pretty easy to make, only used a few ingredients and I could get it done along with all over the other things I was making that day. The original recipe is for a pretty large quantity, so I ended up scaling it down quite a bit to fit my crowd and I still had a lot left over, so you could make it even smaller if you only have a couple of people to feed. The recipe shown here is in the amounts that I actually used. If you want the larger quantities, all you need to do is double this recipe.

Chicken Tacos

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

5 garlic cloves, minced

2-3 onions, minced

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced into 1/2-inch chunks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 Serrano pepper or jalapeno pepper, sliced thin

1 tablespoon sweet paprika

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground oregano

2-3 cups chicken broth or water

For the Tacos:

Red onion, sliced thin

Lettuce, shredded

Radishes, sliced thin

Salsa (homemade or store-bought)

Guacamole (homemade or store-bought)

Flour or corn tortillas

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and pour in enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic and onions and cook until the vegetables are soft and nicely caramelized, about 10 to 12 minutes.

In the meantime, season the chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the flour over the chicken pieces and toss the chicken to coat it well. Heat another large saute pan over medium-high heat and add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Cook the chicken until it is lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Once the onion mixture is caramelized and softened, add the chile peppers, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, cumin and oregano. When the chicken is done, transfer it to the pan with the onions. Pour in the broth or water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve the tacos, place all of your chosen toppings and the chicken filling in separate bowls along with the warmed tortillas so people can construct their own tacos.

This was a simple recipe for the chicken that yielded some great flavor thanks to the spices used. You could certainly substitute some rotisserie chicken and just heat it up with the onion mixture and spices if you have left over chicken from another meal or do not want to cook the chicken yourself. The sauce is nice and thick and clings nicely to the chicken to add another level of flavor to the dish. I would choose to make chicken tacos this way every time.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

2 Comments

Posted by MikeG on May 6, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Holidays, One Pot Meals, Poultry

Tags: chicken taco recipe, chicken tacos, Cinco de Mayo recipes, food network, homemade chicken tacos, Michael Chiarello

A Tasty One Pot Meal – Smoky Chicken Brunswick Stew

28 Apr

I am always on the lookout for one pot meal ideas. Whether they are made in the slow cooker or on the stove, one pot meals can make life so much easier, particularly during the week when you may not have a lot of time to throw together and entrée and a couple of side dishes and then have to deal with all of the clean up after the fact. When I came across this recipe from Guy Fieri of Food Network for a smoky Brunswick stew, it seemed to fit the bill perfectly and made use of all the ingredients that I already had in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer to make it even easier. While it may seem like a lot of ingredients, the whole meal comes together pretty easily for you and with some great flavor.

Smoky Chicken Brunswick Stew

1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 pinches cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 chicken thighs, bone in and skin on
4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons white wine
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1-pound bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut 3/4-inch dice
One 28-ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
One 15 1/2-ounce can pinto beans, drained
One 15 1/4-ounce can lima beans, drained
Hot sauce, to finish

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Make the chicken marinade by combining the granulated garlic, brown sugar, paprika, dry mustard, cayenne and some salt and pepper together. Mix well then place the chicken thighs into a resealable plastic bag and pour the dry seasoning over the chicken. Seal the bag and shake it around so the chicken is seasoned evenly.

Transfer the chicken to a roasting pan. Pour over the chicken 2 tablespoons of the chicken stock, the wine, Worcestershire sauce and the liquid smoke. Cover the pan tightly with foil then place it in the oven and roast the chicken for 30 minutes.

Uncover the foil from the pan and continue to roast the chicken for another 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on the stovetop. Remove the chicken to a plate and turn the burners on to medium heat.

Add the bacon and vegetable or canola oil and cook until the bacon is brown and the fat has rendered slightly, about 7 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon and set it aside. Add the garlic, celery, onions, peppers and potatoes to the pan and cook in the bacon fat until the vegetables are translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, add the reserved chicken back to the pan. Cook the chicken to add a little color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Return the bacon to the Dutch oven, add the tomatoes and their juices and pour in the remaining chicken stock. Stir well, and then simmer for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the barbecue sauce, corn, pinto beans and lima beans to the stew. Stir everything well and simmer the mixture until the chicken is very tender, the vegetables are soft and the beans are heated through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

When the stew is done, stir ir well and taste. Season with salt, pepper and a few dashes of hot sauce, if desired, to taste.

This dish had great flavor and the combination of the spices, vegetables and barbecue sauce really made it a hit. If you don’t have fire-roasted tomatoes around, you could easily substitute a can of whole tomatoes or diced tomatoes. The same goes with the beans added. I did not have lima beans on hand and put in some kidney beans instead and they were fine. The best thing about this dish, besides it being made all in one pot, is that it tastes even better after a day or two. We enjoyed it for lunches for a few days and the flavors just seemed to get richer and better each time. I’ll be making this one again as it was so easy to do and tasted awesome.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

1 Comment

Posted by MikeG on April 28, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Poultry, Soups & Stews

Tags: Brunswick stew, Brunswick stew recipe, chicken Brunswick stew, chicken thighs, food network, Guy Fieri smoky chicken Brunswick stew, smoky chicken Brunswick stew

Keeping it Simple Again – Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts

16 Apr

I find I do not make a lot boneless chicken breast dinners anymore. Actually, I shouldn’t say that; I don’t actually buy a lot of boneless chicken breasts anymore. The problem is that the boneless breasts often cost a lot more money then bone-in chicken breasts and you can just as easily cut the meat off the bone and make your own boneless breasts to cook and then you still have the option of keeping the skin on to get crispy flavor and you can use the bones, roast them with some salt and pepper and use them to make some tasty chicken stock for another use. I was able to get a family pack of bone-in chicken breasts for about $6.00 the other day and it gave me 5 large chicken breasts that I took off the bone and did just that with and we got many meals out of that six dollars. I went back and bought another package and made some of the chicken breasts using this simple pan roasting recipe from America’s Test Kitchen that was quick and easy and made a great little sauce to flavor the chicken along the way.

Pan-Roasted Chicken Breasts

4 (10-12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed and brined if desired

Salt and pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 shallot, minced

3/4 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup dry vermouth

4 large fresh sage leaves, each leaf torn in half

3 tablespoons butter, cut into 3 pieces and chilled

Using kitchen shears, trim off the rib section from the chicken breasts. If you are brining the chicken, dissolve 1 cup of kosher salt in 2 quarts of cold tap water in a large container or bowl; submerge the chicken in the brine and refrigerate it until it is fully seasoned, about 30 minutes. Rinse the chicken pieces under running water and pat them dry with paper towels. Season the chicken with pepper.

Adjust an oven rack to lowest position and heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat until it is beginning to smoke; swirl the skillet to coat it with oil. Brown the chicken skin-side down until it is deep golden, about 5 minutes; turn the chicken pieces and brown them until they are golden on the second side, about 3 minutes longer. Turn the chicken skin-side down and place the skillet in the oven. Roast the chicken until the juices run clear when the chicken is cut with a paring knife, or the thickest part of the breast registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter, and let it rest while making the sauce. (If you are not making the sauce, let the chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.)

Using a pot-holder to protect your hands from the hot skillet handle, pour off most of the fat from the skillet; add the shallot, then set the skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the shallot is softened, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the chicken broth, vermouth, and sage leaves; increase the heat to high and simmer the mixture rapidly, scraping the skillet bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits, until the sauce is slightly thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Pour the accumulated chicken juices into the skillet, reduce the heat to medium, and whisk in the butter 1 piece at a time; season to taste with salt and pepper and discard the sage leaves. Spoon the sauce around the chicken breasts and serve immediately.

That’s all there is to it. You can have tender, moist chicken with a nice crispy skin and make a great little sauce all in under 30 minutes. The brining does add some extra seasoning and helps to make the chicken moist but it is not a must for this recipe at all. We all really liked the simple sauce which had nice flavor from the sage and vermouth and if you didn’t want the bones in this one you could remove all the bones when you are cutting out the rib section. It was an easy, flavorful dish perfect for a weeknight dinner.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on April 16, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Poultry, Sauce

Tags: America's Test Kitchen pan-roasted chicken breasts, chicken breasts, pan roasted bone-in chicken breasts, pan-roasted chicken breasts, sage-vermouth sauce

Let’s Roast Another Chicken! Cast-Iron Skillet Roasted Chicken

09 Apr

I know, I roast a lot of chicken, but you can get a lot of mileage out of one 4-pound chicken for a family of three. We get at least one dinner, sometimes two out of the chicken, sandwiches for lunch once or twice and then I take the bones and make chicken stock so we can get even more out of it. All in all, one 4 pound chicken that might cost five or six dollars is good for 6 or 7 meals, so we certainly get out money’s worth from it. This recipe, which I got from The Daily Meal, is even better for a couple of reasons. It is a one pot meal that does potatoes and Brussels sprouts with the chicken and it is in a cast-iron skillet, which is one of my favorites to cook with since they are so versatile and hold the heat so well. The original recipe for this use 2 small game hens, but I opted to go with 1 larger chicken instead.

Cast-Iron Skillet Roasted Chicken

1 3-4 pound chicken, rinsed and patted dry

1/2 pound fingerling potatoes, scrubbed

1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

3 strips bacon, chopped

3 cloves garlic, sliced thin

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons herbes de Provence

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees with the cast-iron skillet in the oven while it is pre-heating.

Place the chicken on a large plate and coat the skin with 1 1/2 tablespoons of salt Place the chicken in the refrigerator, uncovered, and leave it there for 1 hour. Prior to cooking, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and thoroughly rinse the chicken with water and pat the chicken dry. Cut the skin between the legs of the chicken and gently disjoint the legs so that they lie flat on wither side of the body of the chicken.

Rub the olive oil all over the chicken to coat it and then sprinkle on the herbes de Provence and sprinkle some of the herbs inside the chicken as well. Sprinkle the top of the chicken with pepper. Take the 1/2 a lemon and place it inside the cavity of the chicken.

Pierce the fingerling potatoes with a fork, toss them into a medium bowl with about 1/2 an inch of water and cook the potatoes for 2 minutes on high in the microwave.

Remove the cast-iron skillet from the oven and drop the bacon pieces onto 1/2 of the pan. Place the chicken, breast side up, on the other half of the skillet. Make sure to place the legs and thighs flat against the bottom of the pan. Put the skillet back into the oven and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and add the fingerling potatoes, the garlic slices and the Brussels sprouts over the half of the pan with the bacon slices. Toss the potatoes and Brussels sprouts with the bacon pieces to coat them in some of the fat. Return the skillet to oven and continue roasting for about 20 to 25 minutes longer, or until the juices from the legs and thighs run clear when pierced with a fork. Remove the chicken and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving. Place the vegetables around the chicken on a platter and serve.

Salting the chicken for an hour ahead of time in the refrigerator helps to dry out the skin to make it nice and crunchy. This recipe roasts the chicken at a really high temperature so it does not take as long to cook as it normally might and everything gets nice and crispy, including the potatoes and Brussels sprouts. This recipe turned out quite well and of course it is great when you can make everything all in one pot to make things even easier for you for serving and clean-up. It’s a good way to get a nice roasted chicken on the table during a busy weeknight.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. As always, I am always trying new things out (today I am trying my hand at making homemade challah bread), so there is always lots to share. Until next time, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on April 9, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Poultry

Tags: Brussels sprouts, cast-iron skillet roasted chicken, fingerling potatoes, one pot meal, roasted chicken recipe, skillet roasted chicken with Brussels sprouts and fingerling potatoes, The Daily Meal

Keep it Simple with Salt and Pepper Chicken

03 Apr

Instead of going through the effort to roast a whole chicken sometimes, you can get just as much mileage out of roasting up some bone-in chicken breasts. you can get all the white meat that you want and much better flavor thanks to the skin and bones than just making some boneless chicken breasts. I like to buy the big value packs of bone-in breasts when they are on sale, cut the breasts in half and roast them simply, using this east recipe I got from Williams-Sonoma. This way you can get a great meal out of it for dinner that night and then have plenty leftover for other meals. This one is really simple that you can do any night of the week or on a Sunday night and end up with a week’s worth of meals.

Salt and Pepper Chicken

6 bone-in, skin-on chicken breast halves, about 4 pounds total, cut in half
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, sage or tarragon
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper on top of and under the skin. Place the chicken, skin side up, in a large roasting pan. Roast until the chicken is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of each breast registers 170°F, about 45 minutes.

Transfer 4 chicken breast halves to a serving platter and reserve the remaining 2 for another use.

Place the roasting pan on a stovetop over high heat. When the roasting pan sizzles, add the broth and thyme (or other herbs) and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the pan bottom. Boil the mixture until the broth is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Whisk the butter, a couple of pieces at a time, into the reduced liquid. Season the sauce with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken, passing the sauce at the table.

It’s a very simple dish that you can make with just about side dishes that you want and it can come out elegant. These are great with mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes, any kind of rice, polenta and any vegetable that you feel like making. The best part is that the leftover chicken is perfect for you to use for other meals. You can make chicken salad sandwiches, shred some chicken for pulled chicken sliders or chicken tacos or use some of the chicken to make some chicken noodle soup or other chicken soups. There are lots of great things that you can do to get several meals out of the leftovers to really stretch your budget.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. I still have lots of different things to share that I have been trying out lately. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

4 Comments

Posted by MikeG on April 3, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Leftovers, Poultry

Tags: bone-in chicken breasts, chicken breast halves, chicken breasts, easy roasted chicken breasts, leftover chicken, roasted chicken breasts, salt and pepper chicken, williams-sonoma

Sam Sifton is Right – Make This Chicken and Shallots Dish!

26 Mar

I had seen this recipe both on Twitter and in the New York Times last week and it sounded too good to pass up. Sam Sifton, who writes food articles for the New York Times, had gotten the recipe from Andrew Zimmern, the well-known chef and host of Man vs. Food. Andrew Zimmern had gotten the recipe from his wife Rishia, who adapted the recipe from one from Martha Stewart. Needless to say the recipe has made its rounds and it is quite simple but makes a really delicious chicken dish with just a few ingredients that you may already have around the house. I love simple recipes like this one so I knew I was going to try it as soon as I saw it.

Rishia Zimmern’s Chicken and Shallots

8 bone-in, skin on chicken thighs

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

12 to 15 whole medium shallots, peeled

2 cups white wine

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 sprigs tarragon

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

Rinse the chicken thighs in water and pat them very dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the chicken thighs with the flour, kosher salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or skillet set over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, cook the chicken thighs, in batches if necessary, until the chicken is well browned and crisp on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Set the chicken aside.

Add the whole shallots to the pot and saute them in the butter and chicken fat until they begin to soften and caramelize, approximately 10 to 12 minutes. Add the wine to deglaze the pot, stir with a large spoon, then add the Dijon mustard and the sprigs of tarragon, then the chicken thighs. Cover the pot, turn the heat down to low, and simmer the chicken for 30 minutes.

Remove the lid and allow the sauce to reduce and thicken, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pot, stir lightly to combine and serve immediately.

It is a very simple recipe that turns out some great tasting chicken with a nice sauce that is flavored well by the wine, mustard, tarragon and the shallots. I ended up cutting the recipe in half because 4 chicken thighs are more than enough for the three of us for a typical meal, but if you are feeding a larger group you could go with the full recipe. I served the chicken with some white rice and roasted asparagus and I think it all went really nicely together.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on March 26, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, Poultry

Tags: Andrew Zimmern, chicken thighs, chicken thighs with shallots, chicken with shallots, new york times, Rishia Zimmern, Rishia Zimmern's chicken with shallots recipe, Sam Sifton

Going Ga-Ga Over Gumbo

24 Mar

I had meant to post this recipe a couple of weeks ago but I seemed to have caught up in other things lately and just completely forgot about it until I was making shrimp for dinner tonight and remembered I had a recipe for the shrimp, chicken and andouille gumbo I had made back on Fat Tuesday. Sean had requested some gumbo for that night so I had picked my way through a few different recipes until I came across this one from Bon Appetit. One thing to not about this particular recipe is that it makes a lot of gumbo. The servings for the original recipe are for 16 people. I cut the recipe in half when I made it and it still made a lot with many leftovers, so unless you are planning to feed a lot of people with this one, you might want to try to adjust it to fit your particular meal needs. Either way, it’s a great recipe to use.

Shrimp, Chicken and Andouille Gumbo

1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
6 large onions, chopped (about 12 cups)
6 red bell peppers, seeded, chopped (about 7 cups)
8 celery stalks, chopped (about 3 cups)
16 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chopped fresh thyme
6 bay leaves
2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes with juice
4 8-ounce bottles clam juice
4 cups low-salt chicken broth
4 pounds andouille sausage, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
3 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 16-ounce packages sliced frozen okra
4 pounds peeled deveined medium shrimp
Minced fresh Italian parsley
Steamed rice

Heat oil in a heavy 13-quart pot over medium-high heat until it is very hot and almost smoking. Add the flour and stir constantly until the mixture is a dark reddish-brown, about 5 minutes. Add the chopped onions, chopped bell peppers, and chopped celery and cook until the onions are soft and brown, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and cayenne and stir for 2 minutes. Add the wine, thyme, and bay leaves; bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes with juice, clam juice, chicken broth, andouille sausage, and the chicken thighs; simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the okra and simmer until it is tender, about 10 minutes.
Add the shrimp to the pot and cook the shrimp until it is just opaque in the center, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Season the gumbo to taste with the salt and pepper. Garnish the gumbo with minced parsley and serve with steamed rice alongside.

As you can see this recipe is not hard to make, but it does require an awful lot of prep work to make this easy on yourself. Do all of your chopping and dicing ahead of time and lay everything out for yourself to make it a lot easier and it will all come together quite easily. The flavors are great and I love the spiciness of the andouille with the shrimp and chicken and all of the great vegetables. Making the roux takes some time and attention but it is definitely worth it. There are lots of gumbo recipes out there that you can try; some omit the shrimp, some include other seafood. it’s really up to you as far as what you like best but you will get a great result and this recipe is perfect to make for a party or a buffet for a lot of people.

That’s all I have for today. Check back tomorrow for another recipe to try. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

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Posted by MikeG on March 24, 2014 in Cooking, Dinner, One Pot Meals, Poultry, Sausage, Seafood, Soups & Stews

Tags: andouille gumbo, andouille sausage, bon appetit, Fat Tuesday recipes, gumbo recipe, shrimp chicken and andouille gumbo

Who Doesn’t Love Chicken Fingers?

19 Mar

Chicken fingers don’t have to be just the classic kid’s meal. I know plenty of adults who enjoy them as well, but most adults are a little more discriminating about the quality that they like to have. Personally, I like chicken fingers that have good crunch and flavor to them but are not covered with a ton of breading or coating and taste greasy from the deep-frying. It’s a tricky balance, but it can be done if you put your mind to it. I came across this recipe in Saveur magazine for some chicken fingers that looked great, seemed simple to make and even had a nice dipping sauce on the side to make.

Homemade Chicken Fingers

For the Chicken Fingers:

2 pounds, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cunt into 3-inch long by 1-inch wide strips

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups panko breadcrumbs or finely ground fresh breadcrumbs

Vegetable or canola oil, for frying

For the Dipping Sauce:

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon dry mustard powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the dipping sauce, in a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise with the honey, dill, mustard powder and lemon juice. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste and stir together until the sauce is smooth. Set the sauce aside.

For the chicken fingers, in a medium bowl, toss together the chicken strips, sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and mustard powder. Set the chicken aside. Place the all purpose flour, eggs and breadcrumbs in 3 separate shallow dishes; set the dishes aside. Pour the oil into a large Dutch oven until it reaches a depth of about 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted into the oil registers 325 degrees. Working in batches, coat the chicken in the flour, shake off any excess, and then dip the chicken in the eggs; shake off any excess and the roll the chicken in the breadcrumbs. Set the chicken aside and repeat with all of the chicken pieces until they are all coated. Working in batches, fry the chicken pieces until they are golden brown and crisp all over, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken until all of the chicken is fried. Serve the chicken with the dipping sauce.

These were very easy to make and came out perfect. They were nice and crisp on the outside and were cooked ideally on the inside. The sauce had some great flavor with the honey and the dill and I also made the avocado ranch dipping sauce I have made in the past as well to give us a choice of sauces. Everyone loved them and these are great for a meal, a party or as an appetizer. I even used the leftovers as chicken for a buffalo chicken pizza I made the next day.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. I have some great side dishes I have tried recently along with a few other dishes that have been great for sharing. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

3 Comments

Posted by MikeG on March 19, 2014 in Appetizers, Cooking, Dinner, Poultry, Sauce

Tags: chicken fingers, dipping sauce for chicken fingers, homemade chicken fingers, honey-dill dipping sauce, Saveur magazine

Superb and Scrumptious – Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich with Peach Chutney

05 Mar

It’s no big secret that I love sandwiches. I am pretty sure I could just eat different sandwiches for meals all the time and be quite happy with it. I am always looking for new ideas for sandwiches and Michelle and I were watching “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” a few nights ago when we saw this sandwich being made at the Leaping Lizard Cafe in Virginia Beach, Virginia. it was for a chicken salad sandwich with peach chutney that looked amazing. We both immediately wanted to have one and since driving to Virginia Beach at that time wasn’t very practical, I decided we would be better off making it ourselves. They were not real specific about amounts for the ingredients and it took some searching online before I finally found a posting at Group Recipes for one that seems pretty darn close to what they made.

Curried Chicken Salad Sandwich with Peach Chutney

1 rotisserie chicken, dark and white meat picked and pulled

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 to 2 teaspoons curry powder (to taste)

4 scallions, sliced – white and green parts sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

1/3 cup toasted almond slices

For the Peach Chutney:

1 can sliced peaches in natural juices (16 ounces), drained but not rinsed

3/4 cup diced red pepper

3/4 cup diced onion

1/4 cup raisins

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups water

Salt and pepper to taste

For the chutney, combine the peaches, red pepper, onion, raisins, cinnamon, ground cloves, ground ginger, cider vinegar, sugar and water together in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil and then turn the heat down so the mixture is at a simmer. Simmer the chutney until the liquid is reduced by 2/3, about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the chutney to room temperature.

For the chicken salad, whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise and curry powder together in a medium bowl until well blended. Set the dressing aside for the flavors to meld, about 15 minutes.

Take about 1/3 of the picked chicken and place it in the food processor. Pulse briefly in the food processor until the chicken is finely ground. Combine the ground chicken, the remaining shredded chicken and the mayonnaise mixture. Toss in the sliced scallions and almonds and mix gently to fold in the chicken. Toss in 1/2 cup of the cooled chutney with the chicken and blend well.

To make the sandwich, take two slices of preferred bread and place sliced tomatoes on half of the bread. Spread the chicken salad over the tomatoes and top with lettuce or other leafy greens. If you desire, place the sandwich on a panini press to toast it lightly; do not press down on the sandwich while it is in the panini press. Slice the sandwich and serve.

This chicken salad was delicious and made a great sandwich. I loved the mix of the chutney with the peaches and raisins and what it added to the sandwich and the curry in the chicken salad was not overpowering at all and added some great flavor. The sandwich had everything you could want – great taste, vegetables, fruit and some crunch. I would definitely make it again and had leftovers for lunches for days and had the chutney with a bunch of other meals as well.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!

2 Comments

Posted by MikeG on March 5, 2014 in Cooking, Lunch, Poultry, Sandwiches, Sauce

Tags: chicken salad, chicken salad sandwich, curried chicken salad, curried chicken salad sandwich with peach chutney, Diners Drive-ins and Dives, Leaping Lizard Cafe chicken salad, peach chutney

Who Needs Take Out? Homemade Mu Shu Chicken

26 Feb

As much as we all love Chinese takeout, let’s face it – it can get expensive if you eat it too often and there are times that even when you get food from your favorite takeout place that the meal seems less than inspiring when you eat it. With that in mind, why not try to make some of your favorite meals right at home? Very often they are a lot easier to do than you think and even with all of the ingredients may cost less than what it would cost to get it from a takeout place. When I saw this Guy Fieri recipe for Mu Shu chicken, I wasn’t sure if I could pull it off since it involves making your Chinese pancakes, which are basically like crepes. As intimidating as the thought was, the reality seemed much easier and I wanted to give it a try.

Mu Shu Chicken

1/3 cup hoisin sauce, plus more for serving
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 red pepper, seeded, membrane removed, julienned
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1/2 medium head green cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 medium head purple cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 cup julienned carrots
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
1/4 cup shaved bamboo shoots, drained
1/4 cup sliced water chestnuts, drained
4 eggs, beaten
2 recipes Chinese Crepes, recipe follows
3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, optional
1 small bunch scallions, finely sliced, optional
Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving, optional
Sriracha, for serving, optional
For the Chinese Crepes:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 eggs

For the Mu Shu chicken: Whisk the hoisin, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, garlic and ginger in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the sliced chicken thighs and toss them to coat them evenly with the marinade. Marinate the chicken, covered, at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.

Once 5 minutes of marinating time remains, heat a large skillet over high heat and add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil to heat. Using a slotted spoon, strain the chicken and add it to the very hot skillet. Cook, allowing the chicken to brown, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and the onion slices, allowing them to soften, and cook for another minute. Next, add the cabbages and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until just browning, about 2 minutes. Push the chicken and vegetables to the side of the skillet and stir in the mushrooms, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aside, keeping the contents warm.

Place a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the beaten eggs to the skillet, allowing them to scramble, about 2 to 3 minutes. Once cooked, break up the eggs with a rubber spatula and add them to the chicken. Toss the mixture to combine.

Spread about 1 tablespoon of hoisin sauce on each Chinese Crepes. Top with some mu shu chicken, sesame seeds and scallions. Add the cilantro leaves if desired. Roll up the crepe and serve with Sriracha if desired.

For the Chinese Crepes

:
In a medium glass mixing bowl, whisk the flours, salt, 1 cup of water, the sesame oil and the eggs; the batter should be smooth and free of lumps.

Heat a 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Very lightly coat the skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Ladle in 1/4 cup of the batter. Gently rotate the skillet for a few seconds, swirling the batter to create a thin, even layer over the bottom. Cook the pancake until the underside is pale and just firmed up, about 1 minute.

Flip the pancake over and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove it from the skillet and transfer it to a plate and cover with a kitchen towel. Continue with the rest of the batter until all the pancakes have been made. Keep the pancakes warm until ready to serve.

This was a very tasty dish that was easy to make. Granted, there are a lot of ingredients involved and you need to leave yourself some time for some prep work to get everything together and ready to go so you can just cook. This is what you should do for every stir fry dish anyway because the actual cooking time is pretty small, usually smaller than the prep time. The taste of the sauce is fantastic and really adds to the chicken and there are tons of great vegetables in this dish. The crunch from the cabbage and the water chestnuts go great with the carrots and mushrooms and the chicken. As for the crepes, they were not hard to make at all. I only tore one in making them, and it was the first one I made. After that, I got the hang of it and make sure you let it cook the full minute before you try to flip it to make sure it flips nicely. Guy actually adds some sliced scallions to his crepes while they cook but I left them out this time since I was just trying to get them cooked successfully. I think they came out well and everyone seemed to enjoy them. I would definitely try making this one again.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another great recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!