Chicken - Double-Post Thursday

Besides being Diabetic Thursday, it's Double-Post Thursday. Today's double post deals with chicken.

Chicken seems to have gotten more and more popular over the years, giving rise to many fast food restaurants. In fact, even burger places frequently have chicken on the menu. Here are six chicken recipes to help you through the day, including Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta and Chicken Paprikash. Enjoy!

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN WITH BISCUITS

This comes from Diana Rattray, Southern Food guide for The Spruce. Diana wrote, “This delicious slow cooker chicken and biscuits dish is a meal the whole family will enjoy, and your crock pot helps to make it quick and easy to prepare.

“The chicken mixture is made with a combination of gravy and condensed soup along with chicken breasts and seasonings. The biscuits — frozen, canned, or homemade — are baked separately and served atop the chicken and gravy mixture.

“I added an optional recipe for Southern buttermilk biscuits if you prefer homemade.”

Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 6 hours; Total Time: 6 hours 15 minutes; Yield: 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless chicken breast halves, cut into large chunks

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

1 (10 3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 (12 oz) jar chicken gravy

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Dash black pepper

2 cups frozen mixed vegetables (thawed)

6 frozen biscuits (or homemade, see below)

Optional Homemade Southern Biscuits:

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda (omit if you use sweet milk)

1 teaspoon (scant) salt

6 tablespoons butter, chilled

3/4 cup buttermilk (or sweet milk)

Directions

In a slow cooker, layer the chunks of uncooked chicken breasts with chopped onion and celery.

Combine the soup and gravy with poultry seasoning, thyme, and pepper; pour over the chicken.

Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours.

Add the thawed mixed vegetables, turn the slow cooker to HIGH, and continue cooking for 20 to 30 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, bake the biscuits as directed on the package or prepare homemade biscuits (see below).

To serve, split a biscuit and spoon some of the chicken and vegetables over the bottom half. Put the top half of the biscuit on the chicken and gravy.

Optional Homemade Biscuits

In a food processor combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda (if using buttermilk). Pulse a few times to combine the ingredients. Cut the chilled butter into pieces and add to the food processor. Pulse several times, or until the mixture is the texture of coarse meal. Add the buttermilk or milk and pulse just until the dough begins to form.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead just until the dough comes together. Do not overwork the dough. Pat the dough into a circle or square about 3/4-inch thick and cut out with round or square biscuit cutters.

Arrange the biscuits about 2 inches apart on an ungreased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated 425 F oven for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned.

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN PARMESAN PASTA

This comes from Chungah Rhee on her wonderful site, Damn Delicious. If you haven’t checked out her site, which I definitely recommend, you should!

For this recipe, Chungah wrote, “Save time/effort and make everyone’s FAVORITE Italian dish in your crockpot. You can also freeze half for another meal!”

Yield: 8 servings; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 4 hours 30 minutes; Total Time: 4 hours 45 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

1 onion, diced

1 tablespoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

1 pound penne

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken into a 6-qt slow cooker.

In a large bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, onion, basil, oregano, parsley and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir into the slow cooker and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours.

Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred, using two forks.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.

Stir pasta and chicken into the slow cooker; top with cheeses. Cover and cook on low heat for an additional 10-20 minutes, or until the cheeses have melted.

Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

MEDITERRANEAN CHICKEN AND PASTA

This is from FamilyTime, and begins, “A Dutch-oven meal means there are no extra pots to wash.” That’s a plus, as far as I’m concerned!

Serves: 6; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 pounds chicken pieces, skinned

salt or fresh ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup prunes, cut into quarters

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup capers, drained

1/4 cup green olives, pitted*

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crumbled

1 teaspoon dried oregano

12 ounces spaghetti

Directions

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In large, nonstick skillet or Dutch oven, heat olive oil. Add chicken a few pieces at a time; cook, turning occasionally, until golden on all sides. Add remaining ingredients except pasta. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain. Serve chicken and sauce over hot pasta.

To pit olives, gently hit each with a mallet or the side of a large knife. The olive will easily fall away from pit.

STIR-FRIRED KUNG PAO CHICKEN WITH CHILI PEPPERS

This is from Rhonda Parkinson on The Spruce. Ronda wrote, “In this healthier version of traditional Kung Pao Chicken, the chicken is stir-fried instead of deep-fried, reducing the fat content.”

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Yield: 3 - 4 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, 7 to 8 ounces each)

8 small dried red chili peppers

2 cloves garlic

2 green onions (spring onions, scallions)

4 tablespoons oil (for stir-frying, or as needed)

Optional: 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorn

1/2 cup peanuts (or cashews)

Optional: few drops sesame oil

For the Marinade:

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

For the Sauce:

2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)

1 teaspoon sugar

Directions

Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes.

Combine marinade ingredients, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the chicken for 25 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce and vegetables: In a small bowl, combine the dark soy sauce, rice wine, and sugar. Set aside.

Cut the chilies in half so that they are approximately the same size as the chicken cubes. Remove the seeds.

Peel and finely chop the garlic. Cut the green onion on the diagonal into thirds.

Heat the wok over medium-high to high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil.

When the oil is hot, add the chicken. Stir-fry until it turns white and is 80 percent cooked. Remove from the wok.

Add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and stir-fry until aromatic (about 30 seconds).

Add the chili peppers and the Szechuan peppercorn if using. Stir-fry briefly until they turn dark red.

Add the sauce to the wok. Bring to a boil.

Add the chicken back into the pan. Stir in the peanuts and the green onion.

Remove from the heat and stir in the sesame oil. Serve hot.

CHICKEN PAPRIKASH

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Spices lose their flavor over time but few as quickly as paprika, which starts out tasting of pepper and sunshine but deteriorates in but a few months to sawdust and bitterness. For this recipe, get some new at the market: sweet or hot Hungarian paprika is best, but the generic article isn’t terrible and the smoky Spanish varieties known as pimentón de La Vera would not be out of place either, lending a deep, woodsy aroma reminiscent of cooking over an open fire. It’s a dish that pairs beautifully with butter-slicked egg noodles.” Yield: Serves 4 - 6; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in “The Fresher the Spice, the Better the Chicken Paprikash” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

3 to 4 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks, or whole chicken legs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 tablespoon neutral oil, like canola

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large yellow or Spanish onion, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

3 tablespoons Hungarian paprika, sweet or hot, or a combination

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup canned crushed tomatoes or 1 large ripe tomato, chopped

1 cup chicken broth, homemade or, if not, low-sodium

1 pound egg noodles

3/4 cup sour cream

Preparation

Heat oven to 400. Season the chicken aggressively with salt and pepper. Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large, heavy, oven-safe sauté pan or Dutch oven set over high flame, until the butter is foaming. Sear the chicken in batches, skin-side down, until it is golden and crisp, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Then turn the chicken over, and repeat on the other side, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate to rest.

Pour off all but a tablespoon or 2 of the accumulated fat in the pot. Return the pot to the stove, over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring frequently with a spoon to scrape off any browned bits of chicken skin, until the onion has softened and gone translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and stir again, cooking it until it has softened, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the paprika and the flour, and stir well to combine, then cook until the mixture is fragrant and the taste of the flour has been cooked out, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes and broth, whisk until smooth and then nestle the chicken back in the pan, skin-side up. Slide the pan or pot into the oven, and cook until the chicken has cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, set a large pot of heavily salted water to boil over high heat. Cook noodles in the water until they are almost completely tender, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Drain the noodles, and toss them in a bowl with the remaining butter, then toss again to coat.

Place the chicken on top of the noodles, then add the sour cream to the sauce, stir to combine and ladle it over the whole.

EASY CHICKEN POT PIE

This comes from Christin Mahrlig of Spicy Southern Kitcen. Christin wrote, “This easy to make Chicken Pot Pie utilizes refrigerated pie crusts and rotisserie chicken to make a super delicious and comforting pot pie loaded with chicken, potatoes, peas, and carrots.”

Prep Time: 20 mins; Cook Time: 30 mins; Total Time: 50 mins

To view this online, go to https://spicysouthernkitchen.com/easy-chicken-pot-pie/.

Ingredients

1 cup peeled and diced potato

3/4 cup sliced carrot

1/2 cup Challenge butter

2/3 cup diced onion

1 1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 cup milk

3 cups shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken

1 cup peas

2 refrigerated pie crusts

1 egg beaten together with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place potatoes and carrots in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil for 5-8 minutes to soften. Drain.

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large sauté pan. Add onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add salt, pepper, thyme, and poultry seasoning. Sprinkle flour on top and cook for 1 minute, stirring to evenly cook the flour.

Gradually whisk in chicken broth and then milk. Add potatoes and carrots and let simmer for a few minutes to thicken. Check for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Stir in chicken and peas. Turn heat off.

Fit 1 pie crust into the bottom of a deep dish pie plate. Pour filling into pie shell.

Place second pie crust on top and trim excess. Press the two pie crusts together to seal and crimp edge using your fingers.

Brush egg white on top of the pot pie and use a knife to cut 4 slits to let steam escape.

Place on a baking sheet and place in oven and bake for 30 minutes.