Chicken

There was a time (think early- to mid-twentieth century) when chicken was considered a Sunday-only meal, replete with mashed potatoes, a green veggie, and dessert.

Now, it's an anytime meal, with fast food restaurants dealing with chicken, and chicken recipes left and right.

That said, here are six yummy chicken recipes to try any time at all, including Light Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, Mini Hawaiian Chicken Skewers, and a yummy Chicken Pot Pie. Enjoy!

CHICKEN PICCATA

This is from Ali Slagle at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Ali wrote, "Chicken piccata is an Italian-American staple beloved for its piquant flavors cradled in a silky, butter-rich pan sauce. It also doesn’t hurt that it cooks up very quickly. This version is mostly traditional except that it uses lemon two ways, calling for lemon slices to be caramelized (to soften their tang) and for a hit of fresh juice at the end (to brighten the whole dish). This ensures a sauce that's neither too rich, nor too puckery. Serve with a starch — pasta, polenta, rice or white beans — for sopping up the sauce, and a green vegetable."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 25 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019883-chicken-piccata.

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved horizontally (see tip)

Kosher salt and black pepper

All-purpose flour, for dredging

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed

1 shallot, peeled and sliced lengthwise

1 lemon, halved (half thinly sliced and seeds removed; half juiced, about 2 tablespoons)

3/4 cup chicken stock

4 teaspoons drained capers

Coarsely chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in flour and shake off any excess.

In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons butter and the olive oil over medium-high heat until the butter has melted. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, add the chicken and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.

Remove the chicken, place on a plate and repeat with the remaining pieces, adding more olive oil if needed.

Once the chicken is cooked, add the shallot and lemon slices to the pan and sauté, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the stock and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low, then stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, capers and lemon juice, to taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the chicken with the sauce poured over the top. Garnish with parsley if desired.
Tip
Freezing the chicken breasts for 15 minutes will make slicing them through the middle easier.
MINI HAWAIIAN CHICKEN SKEWERS

This is from Ree Drummond, from the Food Network.

Active Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 30 skewers (15 servings); Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/mini-hawaiian-chicken-skewers-7164260.

Ingredients

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce (the thick variety)

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

3 cloves garlic, minced

Juice of 1/2 lime

Kosher salt

4 green onions, sliced

1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, cut into bite-size chunks

2 red bell peppers, cut into chunks the size of the chicken and pineapple

One 20-ounce can pineapple chunks, drained

Freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil, for the grill pan

Directions

Special equipment: wooden skewers soaked in water for at least 1 hour

Add the teriyaki sauce to a bowl and stir in the ginger, brown sugar, crushed red pepper, garlic, lime juice, a pinch of salt and half of the green onions; set aside.

Using wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for at least an hour, assemble your skewers. Start with a piece of chicken, then add a piece of bell pepper and a piece pineapple, then repeat until you 2 pieces of each on the skewer. Continue with the remaining ingredients for a total of 30 skewers. Season the skewers with salt and pepper and brush them with the marinade on one side.

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and brush with olive oil. Arrange the skewers on the grill sauce-side down (in batches if necessary) and grill for 3 minutes. While the skewers are cooking, brush the tops with the remaining marinade. After 3 minutes, flip and cook the other side for an additional 3 minutes. Remove to a serving platter and garnish with the remaining green onions.

TOMATO-ROSEMARY CHICKEN

Recipe Yield: Servings: 12

Source: Family Circle: All-time Favorite Recipes

Book Title: Family Circle: All-time Favorite Recipes

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/tomato-rosemary-chicken.

Ingredients

12 Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (4 pounds total)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp vegetable oil (or olive oil)

2 tbsp butter (or margarine)

5 cloves garlic, chopped

1/4 pound proscuitto, chopped

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried, crumbled

12 plum tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions

Season both sides of chicken breast halves with salt and pepper. Place flour on a sheet of waxed paper. Turn chicken in flour to coat both sides; shake off any excess and place chicken on another piece of waxed paper.

Heat oven to 375F.

Heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 6 chicken breast halves and saute until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Place chicken in a 15x10x1-inch jelly-roll pan in a single layer, filling half of pan. Repeat with remaining oil, butter, and chicken.

Bake chicken in heated 375F oven for 20 minutes or until internal temperature registers 170F on an instant-read thermometer.

Meanwhile, add garlic and proscuitto to skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Add wine and rosemary; cook 2 minutes, stirring up any browned bits from bottom of skillet.

Add tomatoes and broth. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.

Place chicken on a serving platter; pour sauce over top. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 257; Fat: 11 g; Sodium: 377 mg; Cholesterol: 89 mg; Protein: 34 g; Carbohydrates: 5 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 4 Low-Fat Meat; 1 Vegetable

APPLE PECAN CHICKEN SALAD

This is from Linda Larsen, who wrote for About.com and The Spruce Eats. Linda wrote, "Apple pecan chicken salad is a fan-favorite main dish salad recipe. The combination of tender chicken, crisp pecans, tart apples, and a creamy honey mustard dressing is fantastic.

"Like all chicken salads, using a rotisserie chicken often brings the best results. Most other chicken cooking methods do not come close to matching the tender result of these grocery store birds. There is just something about roasting chickens while on a spit that results in the most tender and flavorful meat. Remove the meat from the bird and cut it into large chunks.

"You can double or triple this recipe if you would like. When hot summer weather is at hand, there's nothing nicer than having a huge batch of fabulous apple pecan chicken salad in the fridge, ready and waiting for you. Just add some bakery muffins or breadsticks, some iced tea or white wine, and you have a fabulous meal with absolutely no cooking at all."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 0 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/apple-pecan-chicken-salad-481444.

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoons honey mustard

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Salt (to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

3 cups cooked chicken (chopped)

1 Granny Smith apple (chopped)

1 cup small pecans

1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, honey mustard, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in the cooked chicken, the chopped apple, pecans, and dried cherries or cranberries to coat.

Cover and chill the salad for 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Enjoy!

Tips

Store any leftovers of the salad, well covered, in the refrigerator for up to three days.

You can cook your own chicken for this apple pecan chicken salad recipe. Try baking chicken breasts, on the bone or off, in parchment paper, or simmer them gently in water until they just reach 160 F. When the meat stands after cooking, the temperature will rise to 165 F, which is the safe final temperature for chicken breasts.

Or try cooking a whole chicken on a rotisserie on your grill; you need special equipment and instructions for that task. You can cook large batches of chicken this way, let the meat cool, cube it, then store it in the freezer in 2 cup portions for recipes like this one.

LIGHT SOUR CREAM CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Recipe Yield: Servings: 6 (2 Enchiladas each)

Source: Cooking Healthy and Fast

Book Title: Cooking Healthy and Fast

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/light-sour-cream-chicken-enchiladas.

Ingredients

1 (8oz) container light sour cream

1 (8oz) container nonfat plain yogurt

1 (10-3/4oz) can cream of chicken soup with 1/3 less salt

1 (4oz) can diced green chilies

12 (6-7 inch) white corn or flour tortillas

1 Cup (4oz) shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

1-1/2 Cups chopped cooked chicken

1/4 Cup sliced green onions

Directions

Heat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 13x9-inch (3 Qt) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In med. bowl, combine sour cream, yogurt, soup and chilies; mix well. Spoon bout 3 Tbsp sour cream mixture down center of each tortilla. Reserve 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese; sprinkle each tortilla with remaining cheese, chicken and onions. Roll tortillas and place in spray-coated dish, seam side down. Spoon remaining sour cream mixture over tortillas. Cover with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil; sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup cheese. Return to oven & bake, uncovered, an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes, if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 358; Fat: 9 g; Sodium: 590 mg; Cholesterol: 63 mg; Carbohydrates: 35 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Lean Meat, 2 Bread/Starch, 1/2 Milk, 1 Fat

CHICKEN POT PIE

This comes from Robbie Rice on the AllRecipes website. Robbie wrote, "A delicious chicken pie made from scratch with carrots, peas and celery."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 50 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Servings: 8; Yield: 1 9-inch pie

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/26317/chicken-pot-pie-ix/.

Ingredients

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed

1 cup sliced carrots

1 cup frozen green peas

1/2 cup sliced celery

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup milk

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.

In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.