Chicken - Double-Post Thursday

Besides being Diabetic Thursday, it's also Double-Post Thursday. Today's double post deals with chicken, and includes Oven-Roasted Chicken Shawarma and Chicken Alfredo Pasta Skillet. Enjoy!

SLOW-COOKER CHEESY CHICKEN ENCHILADA PASTA

This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "This slow-cooker pasta packed with Mexican-inspired flavors is cheesy, easy and sure to have everyone asking for seconds every time you make it."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 3 hours 45 minutes; Servings; 8

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso™ mild enchilada sauce

1 package (0.85 oz) Old El Paso™ chicken taco seasoning mix

1 package (20 oz) boneless skinless chicken thighs

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 can (14.5 oz) Muir Glen™ fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cubed, softened

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)

8 oz cavatappi pasta, cooked and drained as directed on package (about 3 cups)

Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, if desired

Directions

Spray 5-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix enchilada sauce, taco seasoning mix and chicken until chicken is coated.

Add onion, garlic, tomatoes and green chiles to slow cooker; mix well. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut (at least 165°F).

Remove chicken from slow cooker, and transfer to cutting board; let stand about 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Meanwhile, stir cream cheese and Cheddar cheese into slow cooker. Cover; cook on High heat setting 5 to 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Stir thoroughly to incorporate.

Meanwhile, shred chicken with 2 forks; return to slow cooker, and stir in cooked pasta. Cover; cook on High heat setting 5 to 10 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with cilantro before serving.

Expert Tips

Cavatappi pasta is available in the pasta aisle of the grocery store. For a similar substitute, try penne or rotini pasta, which also are great for soaking up that delicious enchilada-flavored sauce.

Old El Paso™ enchilada sauce also comes in a hot variety, for those who prefer more spicy heat.

HEARTBURN-FRIENDLY CHICKEN POT PIE

This is from Sharon Gillson, who wrote for Verywell Health. Sharon wrote, "This delicious and indulgent chicken pot pie recipe is made from scratch with heartburn-friendly ingredients, including skinless chicken breasts and skim milk.

"Foods with a high-fat content are typically the culprit affecting those with heartburn. This low-fat recipe puts chicken pot pie back on the menu."

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 55 minutes; Servings: 4

To view this online, click here.

Note: Check out the More About Chicken Pot Pie and Pot Pie History at the end of the recipe; they're from Sharon.

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup frozen carrots, thawed and drained

1 cup frozen peas, thawed and drained

1 (14.75-ounce) can cream-style corn

3/4 cup skim milk, divided into 1/4 cup and 1/2 cup portions

1 cup biscuit mix

Directions

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the 1 pound of salted chicken breast cubes and cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until browned.

Place chicken into a 3-quart baking dish, and add 1 cup frozen, thawed and drained carrots, 1 cup.

Cover and bake for 25 minutes.

In a mixing bowl combine 1 cup biscuit mix and remaining 1/2 cup of skim milk. Stir until a soft dough forms.

Remove baking dish from oven and uncover.

Spoon dough onto chicken and vegetables with a tablespoon and spread evenly to cover entire surface of chicken mixture.

Bake uncovered for 10 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown.

More About Chicken Pot Pie

“Chicken pot pie is comfort food at its best. It's the perfect vehicle for leftover roast or grilled chicken and vegetables mixed with gravy or sauce. Where one can get into trouble is the crust. Typically, high-fat pie dough or puffed pastry crusts are used, which can cause problems for heartburn sufferers. This recipe is a lighter version.”

Pot Pie History

“Meat pot pies go back to the Roman Empire where they were served at lavish banquets, sometimes with live birds under the crust (remember "four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie"?).

“16th-century English gentry continued the custom of meat pies made with pork, lamb, game, and birds. This meat pie craze spread to the New World with early settlers who eventually took them to the West where they have become firmly entrenched in the U.S. culinary repertoire.

“Some say English pasties, favored by Cornish tin miners, is actually a portable version of a classic pot pie. You decide.”

OVEN-ROASTED CHICKEN SHAWARMA

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, "Here is a recipe for an oven-roasted version of the classic street-side flavor bomb usually cooked on a rotisserie. It is perfect for an evening with family and friends. Serve with pita and tahini, chopped cucumbers and tomatoes, some olives, chopped parsley, some feta, fried eggplant, hummus swirled with harissa, rice or rice pilaf. You can make the white sauce that traditionally accompanies it by cutting plain yogurt with mayonnaise and lemon juice, and flecking it with garlic. For a red to offset it, simmer ketchup with red pepper flakes and a hit of red-wine vinegar until it goes syrupy and thick, or just use your favorite hot sauce instead.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 45 minutes, plus marinating

This was featured in "Chicken Shawarma Deluxe, No Rotisserie Required", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017161-oven-roasted-chicken-shawarma.

Ingredients

2 lemons, juiced

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

6 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed and minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

A pinch ground cinnamon

Red pepper flakes, to taste

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 large red onion, peeled and quartered

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

Prepare a marinade for the chicken. Combine the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon and red pepper flakes in a large bowl, then whisk to combine. Add the chicken and toss well to coat. Cover and store in refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.

When ready to cook, heat oven to 425 degrees. Use the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to grease a rimmed sheet pan. Add the quartered onion to the chicken and marinade, and toss once to combine. Remove the chicken and onion from the marinade, and place on the pan, spreading everything evenly across it.

Put the chicken in the oven and roast until it is browned, crisp at the edges and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven, allow to rest 2 minutes, then slice into bits. (To make the chicken even more crisp, set a large pan over high heat, add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, then the sliced chicken, and sauté until everything curls tight in the heat.) Scatter the parsley over the top and serve with tomatoes, cucumbers, pita, white sauce, hot sauce, olives, fried eggplant, feta, rice — really anything you desire.

BAKED BUFFALO WINGS

This comes from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Ali wrote, "For chicken wings that come out of the oven as crisp and tender as their fried counterparts, coat the wings in salt and baking powder. The combination promotes even browning, crackly-crisp skin and moist, tender meat. (Do this for roast chicken, too!) Then, cook them directly under the high heat of the broiler, which renders fat and fuses the spicy buttery sauce to each wing. You can buy any combination of meaty drumettes, wingettes (flats) or wing tips, or buy whole wings and break them down yourself, cutting at the joints to separate each wing into three pieces. Looking for a vegetarian version — or simply to add some vegetables to your spread? Try these Buffalo crudités."

Note: To get the recipe for the Buffalo crudités, you'll need to subscribe to The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Subscribing is well worth it!

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 35 minutes, plus brining (optional)

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019952-baked-buffalo-wings.

Ingredients

For the blue cheese dip:

3 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

1 to 3 tablespoons milk or buttermilk, or to taste

Kosher salt and black pepper

For the chicken wings:

3 pounds chicken wings, or any combination of drumettes, wingettes and tips

1 tablespoon baking powder

Kosher salt and black pepper

1/3 cup Buffalo-style hot sauce, such as Frank’s

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, minced (about 2 teaspoons)

Preparation

Make the blue cheese dip: In a small bowl, stir together blue cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream and lemon juice. Thin with milk until spoonable. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. (Dip keeps for up to 4 days in the refrigerator; thin as needed with more milk.)

Place an oven rack 4 to 6 inches from the broiler. Heat the broiler.

Prepare the chicken: Pat the wings dry. If the wings are not yet broken down into three pieces, cut each wing at the two joints. To do so, flip the wing over and wiggle each part to find the joint. Cut at the joint hinge to separate the meaty drumette from the wingette (also known as the flat) and the wingette from the smaller wing tip.

In a large bowl, toss the baking powder with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Add the wings and toss until evenly coated. Spread the wings in an even layer on a foil-lined baking sheet. (To prepare them in advance and allow them to dry-brine, let the wings sit out at room temperature for up to 1 hour after coating, or in the refrigerator overnight. Let them come to room temperature before proceeding.)

Broil the wings in the oven until golden and crisp all over, turning halfway through, about 15 minutes per side.

As wings cook, make the buffalo sauce: In a large bowl, stir together the hot sauce, butter, lemon juice and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the wings to the hot sauce-mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon, return the wings to the baking sheet, leaving extra sauce behind. Broil until sizzling and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. (Depending on your broiler, you may need to rotate the pan so all the food is exposed to the heat source.)

Serve with extra buffalo sauce and the blue cheese dip.

STOVE TOP EASY CHEESY CHICKEN BAKE

This is from My Food and Family, and begins, "Creamy and cheesy comfort food: This is just about the yummiest thing you can look forward to making in just 40 minutes after a hard day."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Makes 6 servings, about 1 1/3 cups each

To view this online, go to https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/095138/stove-top-easy-cheesy-chicken-bake.

Ingredients

1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken

1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 pkg. (14 oz.) frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained

1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

1-1/2 cups KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions

Heat oven to 400ºF.

Prepare stuffing as directed on package.

Combine remaining ingredients; spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Top with stuffing.

Bake 30 min. or until chicken is done and casserole is heated through.

Kitchen Tips

Substitute:

Prepare using fresh broccoli florets.

CHICKEN ALFREDO PASTA SKILLET

Here's a simple, yet yummy, meal from Betty Crocker that begins, "A scratch dinner done in 40 minutes using just one pan? It’s not too good to be true—but it is so very good! A classic homemade Alfredo sauce gets tossed with cooked chicken, peas and ziti pasta for an impressive meal that you can make on the fly."

Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Servings: 6

To view this online at the Betty Crocker site, click here.

Ingredientsbr />
2 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

3 cups Progresso™ chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)

8 oz uncooked ziti pasta (2 1/2 cups)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken

3/4 cup frozen sweet peas

Chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, if desired

Directions

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat butter over medium heat until melted; add garlic. Cook and stir constantly about 1 minute or until fragrant. Add broth, pasta, salt and pepper; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered 12 to 14 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente and most of liquid is absorbed.

Stir in whipping cream and Parmesan cheese; cook over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until bubbly. Stir in chicken and frozen sweet peas; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated through.

Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with parsley.

Expert Tips

Leftover shredded cooked chicken may be used in place of deli rotisserie chicken.

Penne pasta may be substituted for the ziti pasta.