Browsing Category

Chicken

Chicken, Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes

Ina Garten’s Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken

June 17, 2021

Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken

Nothing quite whets my appetite like roasted chicken. It’s one of the most simple yet satisfying meals I can think of.  I’m sure we all agree that Ina Garten has created some of the best recipes for home cooks.  The ingredients are accessible, presentation is beautiful and the food is delicious.  This particular roasted chicken recipe is just delightful.  The chicken is butterflied which means it cooks evenly and fast.  Dinner can be ready in short order.

Lemon, Thyme, Garlic, Fennel Seeds

Pepper, Thyme, Fennel, Kosher Salt

The seasoning for the chicken includes lots of fresh thyme, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and olive oil.  

Butterflied Chicken with Herb Mixture

What lies beneath our bird?  Sliced onions, lemon, and garlic.  These aromatics along with a splash of wine and the juices from the chicken will turn into a luxurious pan sauce.
Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken

Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken with Roasted Potatoes & Yellow Beans

Serve the chicken with your favorite side dishes.  You can’t go wrong with roasted potatoes and beans or asparagus.  

Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken with Roasted Potatoes & Yellow Beans

Ina Garten's Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken
 
Save Print
Adapted from Ina Garten's recipe
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup good olive oil
  • 1 lemon, halved and sliced ⅓-inch thick
  • 1 sweet onion, halved and sliced ⅓-inch thick
  • 2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 4-pound chicken, backbone removed and butterflied
  • ½ cup dry white wine
Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees (I used convection roast setting)
  2. Place thyme, fennel seeds, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a mini food processor (or use a mortar and pestle) and process until ground. Pour olive oil into a small glass measuring cup, stir in herb mixture, and set aside.
  3. Distribute the lemon slices in a 12-inch cast iron skillet and distribute the onion and garlic on top. Place the chicken, skin side down, on top of the onion and brush with half of the oil and herb mixture. Turn chicken skin side up, pat it dry with paper towels (very important!) and brush it all over with the rest of the oil and herb mixture.
  4. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes. Pour the wine into the pan (not on the chicken) and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 155 - 160 degrees.
  5. Remove chicken from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes. Cut the chicken into quarters or eighths, sprinkle with flaky salt, and serve hot with pan juices, cooked lemon, and onion.
  6. Make Ahead: Assemble the chicken in the pan and refrigerate for a few hours before roasting.

 

Chicken, Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes

Extra Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders

December 15, 2020

Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders

These fried chicken tenders have become one of my favorite dishes.  They are super crispy, flavorful and tender.  You could make this with chicken breasts cut into thin strips, but I find that chicken tenders are the best option because they turn out juicy and ever so tender.

Trimmed Chicken Tenders

Kikkoman Brand Panko

I found that using Kikkoman panko is the ticket for making an extra crispy coating. In past recipes, I used Shirakiku panko, but Kikkoman has a better texture for fried chicken.  So I’m now stocked up with a few boxes in my pantry.  I also freeze trimmed chicken tenders so I have them ready when I have a craving for this dish.

Eggs, Panko, Seasoned Flour

This recipe is adapted from one I found on the Food Network site.  It calls for lemon pepper which I didn’t have on hand but found it at my local market.

Crispy Fried Chicken Tender with Corn Bread, Coleslaw & Smoked Baked Beans

We made a quick honey mustard sauce for the fried chicken tenders.  It is the perfect accompaniment for the chicken that has a hint of cayenne in the seasoning.

Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders

If you have leftovers as we often do, a chicken sandwich with some crunchy iceberg lettuce, mustard and mayonnaise makes for a satisfying meal.  Or reheat in a toaster oven uncovered until just warm, and serve with your favorite sides.

Crispy Fried Chicken Tender with Lemon Orzo and Wax Beans

Extra Crispy Fried Chicken Tenders
 
Save Print
Adapted from Food Network
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 pound chicken tenders, trimmed
  • 2 large eggs, whisked
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1⅓ cups Kikkoman panko
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon lemon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Honey Mustard Sauce:
  • 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon honey
Preparation
  1. Whisk together the honey mustard ingredients. Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.
  2. Place whisked eggs in a wide shallow bowl. Place flour in another wide shallow bowl. Pour panko into a pie plate and season with the garlic powder, lemon pepper, cayenne, salt and pepper. Mix well so all ingredients are evenly combined.
  3. Heat about 1½-inches of canola oil in a small Dutch oven or other wide deep fryer pot over medium heat. If you have a deep fry thermometer, heat to 350 degrees.
  4. Lightly salt (kosher salt recommended) and pepper both sides of the chicken tenders. Dip each tender into the flour making sure to coat evenly. Dip into egg (let excess egg drip back into the bowl), and dredge in the seasoned panko. With dry hands, pat the panko gently onto each side of the chicken tenders. Transfer to a sheet of foil or plate and continue with the rest of the tenders. Fry tenders in batches for 1½ - 2 minutes, turning halfway through cooking time, or until they reach 160 degrees. Drain on paper towels. Serve with honey mustard sauce.

Chicken, Dinner, Lactose Free, Mexican, Recipes, Soups

Chicken Tortilla Soup

March 27, 2020

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Spending time in the kitchen whether chopping vegetables, baking, or cleaning up, means more to me than ever before. It’s the best therapeutic respite from all of the terrible news that we are confronted with these days.  Cooking gives me a break from the stress.  Making tortilla soup fits the bill for a perfect meal that is a breeze to prepare and it tastes so good.  A warm bowl of soup is always so comforting.

Tortilla Soup Ingredients

Poblano Pepper, Onion & Garlic

White Corn Tortillas

Sometimes we don’t use all of the corn tortillas we buy so we freeze them to use later. This is a perfect way to use them up.

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper & Garlic

I love that everything goes into one pot.  Sautéed onion, garlic and a poblano pepper makes the house smell so good, especially when the onions start to brown.

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper & Garlic

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper, Garlic, Tomatoes

Diced tomatoes are added along with chopped corn tortillas.  It may be hard to imagine how this might turn in to a glorious soup but I assure you it will.

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper, Garlic, Tomatoes & Corn Tortillas

Sautéed Onions, Poblano Pepper, Garlic, Tomatoes, Corn Tortillas, Chicken Stock & Broth

I use an immersion blender to puree the soup.  It may look a bit plain, but once you add toppings it turns into a beautiful bowl of soup full of color and flavor.  Once pureed, roasted chicken breast that has been shredded is added to the soup.

Tortilla Soup

Crushed tortilla chips, diced avocado, lime and cilantro (only for those cilantro lovers) are perfect toppings.  The poblano pepper adds a mild heat to the soup but for those who like it hot, a dash or two of your favorite Mexican-style hot sauce adds a bit of zing along with a squeeze of lime juice.  You could leave out the avocado and cilantro, but the crushed tortilla chips are a must.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup
 
Save Print
Author:
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons Earth Balance Buttery Sticks (or regular butter)
  • 1 large onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 medium poblano pepper, roughly chopped
  • ¾ cup Rotel tomatoes with green chiles (mild)
  • 6 white corn tortillas (6-inch) cut into small pieces
  • 1 tablespoon mild chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 32 ounce carton chicken stock (I use Swanson)
  • 32 ounce carton low sodium chicken broth (I use Swanson)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt (more to taste)
  • 3 cups coarsely shredded roasted chicken breast (I use Costco roasted chicken and shred the breast meat)
  • Toppings:
  • crushed tortilla chips
  • diced avocado
  • chopped cilantro
  • lime wedges
Preparation
  1. Combine olive oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and poblano pepper. Sauté until onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
  2. Add tomatoes and tortillas and stir to combine with other ingredients for a minute or two.
  3. Add chili powder and cumin, stirring to coat the vegetables.
  4. Add chicken broth, chicken stock and salt to the pot, stirring to mix the soup. Bring to a boil then simmer for about 20 minutes on med-low heat until the soup thickens slightly.
  5. Remove pot from burner. Using an immersion blender on low speed (so the soup doesn't splatter) puree the soup until it is smooth. Add the chicken to the soup.
  6. Serve with crushed tortilla chips, avocado, cilantro and lime.

 

Chicken, Dinner, Lactose Free, Mexican, Recipes

Mexican Style Grilled Chicken

April 5, 2019

Mexican Style Grilled Chicken Breasts

Chicken breasts are an ideal foil for brines, marinades, and flavor-rich sauces.  These Mexican style grilled chicken breasts are now a favorite recipe of ours.  The chicken is tender and juicy and the marinade is delicious.  The best thing about this recipe is its versatility.  If we have leftovers, we use it in tacos, burritos and sandwiches.

Mexican Style Grilled Chicken Breasts

Juicy and flavorful chicken breasts are sometimes hit or miss. The most important technique is to pound the chicken breasts into even thickness.  This will ensure each piece is uniformly cooked.  Otherwise, you may end up with that lopsided piece of chicken cooked through on one side and not the other.  Chicken breasts do not have to be bland.  A tasty marinade will infuse the chicken in just a couple of hours.  Using the indirect grilling method helps to keep the breasts tender and moist.  Direct high heat can lead to a leathery exterior as well as an overdone interior.  A digital thermometer is an essential tool in preventing overcooking.  Once the temperature reads 160 degrees remove the chicken from the grill.

Chicken Marinade

This marinade does its magic in just 2 hours.  Reserve some of the marinade before adding it to the chicken, and use it later to baste when you grill.  The beautiful color of the chicken comes from the ancho chile powder.  You should be able to easily find this in your grocery store (McCormack brand is what I found at Safeway).  The chipotle chile gives the chicken a nice smoky kick.

Mexican Style Grilled Chicken Breast Tacos

Leftover chicken makes splendid tacos, burritos or sandwiches.

Mexican Style Grilled Chicken Breasts

Mexican Style Grilled Chicken
 
Save Print
Delicious moist and tender grilled chicken breasts
Author:
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 6 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, pounded to uniform thickness
  • Marinade:
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • 3 tablespoons ancho chile powder
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano
  • 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Preparation
  1. Place 1 or 2 chicken breasts in a Ziploc freezer bag and pound lightly with a meat mallet, rolling pin or skillet to uniform thickness. This will ensure the chicken will cook evenly, be moist and tender.
  2. In a small bowl mix all of the marinade ingredients and whisk to combine. Set aside about ⅓ cup of the marinade for basting the chicken later. Pour the remainder of the marinade in a Ziploc freezer bag along with the chicken. Massage marinade into the chicken so that it is evenly distributed and all pieces are coated well. Place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. If you are not ready to grill the chicken after the 2 hours are up, remove the chicken from the bag to a plate and discard the marinade.
  3. Light your grill for indirect grilling. We found that this produces the best, juiciest, chicken breasts. After the chicken has cooked for a few minutes on each side, baste generously a few times on each side with the reserved marinade. Remove chicken when it reaches 160 degrees as measured with a digital thermometer. Serve with your favorite side dishes.

 

Chicken, Lactose Free, Recipes, Rice Dishes, Soups

Chicken & Rice Soup with Chile & Ginger

May 10, 2018

Chicken & Rice Soup with Chile & Ginger

I fell in love with this soup the first time I made it.  The simple addition of lime juice and fish sauce that flavors the broth may not sound all that extraordinary, but they both have big flavors that make this soup stand out. I switched out the chicken thighs from the original recipe. I substituted my favorite chicken tenders and added a few stems of baby bok choy for taste and color.  I found that cooking the rice separately, then adding it to the bowl before serving, worked better.  Though it is an extra step, leftover rice and broth should be stored separately. If put together for storage, there will be little broth left the next day since the rice absorbs most of the liquid.

Jasmine Rice

Jasmine rice is perfect for this soup, however, you could substitute what you have available: basmati, white rice (medium or short grain), or brown rice.

Calamansi

These pretty citrus fruits are calamansi and are sold locally in Hawaii and widely grown in the Philippines.   The calamansi are very small with a tangy, sour flavor.  I just happened to see them at the market the day I made the soup and thought it would be a great addition.

Chicken & Rice Soup with Chile & Ginger

Chicken & Rice Soup with Chile & Ginger
 
Save Print
Adapted from Bon Appetit
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and cut into very thin matchsticks
  • ¾ cup jasmine rice rinsed well
  • 1 pound chicken tenders, trimmed
  • 1 carton (32 ounce) chicken stock + 1 can (14.5 ounce) chicken broth
  • 3 small shallots, halved
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons fish sauce (Red Boat brand recommended)
  • 4 baby bok choy, stalks separated and washed well
  • kosher salt
  • 1 Fresno pepper thinly sliced
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup crushed salted peanuts
Preparation
  1. Combine sugar and ½ cup hot water in a small bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add ginger and let cool; drain and set aside.
  2. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add rice and gently boil until rice is just done, about 10 minutes. Rinse and drain well.
  3. Pour chicken broth (14.5 ounce can) in a 2 cup measuring cup. Top off with enough water to measure 2 cups. Pour the broth and chicken stock into a large saucepan along with chicken, shallots and garlic. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer chicken and garlic to a plate and let cool. Strain stock through a cheesecloth lined sieve (discard shallots). Return broth to the saucepan.
  4. Shred chicken; set aside.
  5. Smash garlic to a paste using the side of a chef's knife. Add garlic paste to broth and bring back to a gentle boil. Place bok choy stalks in the broth for a minute just until they are tender. Remove to a plate. Turn off the heat.
  6. Add lime juice, fish sauce, and reserved chicken to the soup. Taste and adjust seasoning adding salt and more fish sauce if needed.
  7. Divide rice among 4 bowls, ladle hot soup over the rice with some of the chicken. Top with reserved ginger, bok choy, Fresno pepper slices, scallions, and peanuts.

 

 

Chicken, Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes

Crispy Chicken Tenders

March 10, 2018

Crispy Chicken Tenders

Chicken is one of the most versatile sources of protein.  Each of its parts, breasts, thighs, legs, and tenders can be prepared in their own unique ways. There was a time that I would never consider eating chicken thighs but that time is long gone and of course we regularly enjoy breasts in many preparations. Tenders are now one of my favorite chicken parts.  As their name implies, they are so tender and moist which makes them hard to resist.  Sesame seeds are one of my favorite ingredients to use whether I’m baking bread, making somen salad, smashed cucumber salad or using them as part of a crispy coating for this chicken recipe.  Many times panko or other types of bread crumbs are used for breading chicken, but this time I’m using crushed corn flakes.  The corn flakes, almonds and sesame seeds make a perfectly crispy coating.

Crushed Cornflakes

Crush the corn flakes and almonds in a Ziploc bag then toss in the raw sesame seeds. I use a smooth meat pounder but you could also use a small heavy pot or skillet and get the same results.

Breaded Tenders

The chicken tenders turn out perfectly crisp.  Serve them with sauce on the side, in a sandwich or with melted cheese over the top alongside spaghetti and red sauce.

Crispy Chicken Tenders

Crispy Chicken Tenders
 
Save Print
Adapted from Food & Wine magazine
Author:
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 8 chicken tenders
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ scant teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ scant teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika (optional)
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 2¾ cups corn flakes, crushed
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds, crushed
  • ¼ cup raw sesame seeds
  • all-purpose flour for dredging
  • 2 extra-large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons half and half or 1 tablespoon sour cream (I use Organic Valley and Green Valley lactose free dairy products)
Preparation
  1. Combine the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper in a small dish.
  2. Remove the tendon that runs down the underside of each chicken tender. Place tenders on a plate and season both sides with the salt & spice mixture. (Depending on the size of your tenders you may not need all of the salt mixture).
  3. Place corn flakes and almonds in a Ziploc bag and crush with a meat pounder or small heavy pot. Pour in sesame seeds and transfer mixture to a large paper plate.
  4. Place ½ cup flour on another large paper plate.
  5. Combine egg and half and half or sour cream in a shallow bowl.
  6. Working with two pieces of chicken at a time, dip each in flour, shaking off excess. Dip chicken into egg mixture and allow excess to drip off. Repeat once again with flour and egg. Transfer to corn flake mixture scooping crumbs on top of chicken. Gently press to ensure each piece is nicely coated on both sides. Continue with the rest of the chicken tenders.
  7. Heat ¼-inch of canola oil in a large deep skillet over moderate heat. Once oil is hot, add 4 chicken tenders to the pan. Cook for 2½ minutes until nicely browned, then flip and cook until internal temperature reads 160 degrees, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to a plate and cook the remaining for pieces.
  8. Serve chicken with your favorite dipping sauce, in a sandwich, or with pasta and red sauce.

 

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox

Join other followers: