Chicken - Double-Post Tuesday

Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday.

Today's double post deals with chicken, a meal usually reserved for Sunday dinners during the early- to mid-twentieth century (at least here in the US). Now it's an anytime meal.

Today's six chicken recipes are sure to please, and include Middle Eastern-Style Chicken and Tex-Mex Pulled Chicken. Enjoy!

QUICK CHICKEN QUESADILLAS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Feeding a family is a snap with this dinner that's on the table in less than 30 minutes."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/quick-chicken-quesadillas.

Ingredients

6 oz refrigerated cooked Southwest-flavor chicken breast strips (from 9- or 12-oz package)

1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Thick 'n Chunky salsa

1 package (11 oz) Old El Paso™ flour tortillas for burritos (8 inch; 8 tortillas)

Cooking spray

2 cups finely shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend (8 oz)

1/4 cup sour cream

Preparation

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces. In small bowl, mix chicken and salsa.

Spray 1 side of 1 tortilla with cooking spray; place sprayed side down in 10-inch nonstick skillet. Layer with one-fourth of the chicken mixture and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Top with another tortilla; spray top of tortilla with cooking spray.

Cook uncovered over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes, carefully turning after 2 minutes, until golden brown. Repeat with remaining tortillas, chicken mixture and cheese. To serve, cut quesadillas into wedges. Serve with sour cream and, if desired, additional salsa.

Expert Tips

If you can't find the refrigerated seasoned chicken, substitute 1 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken.

A salad of fresh melon chunks, pineapple and berries, plus glasses of lemonade or iced tea will add a cool, fresh touch to these yummy quesadillas.

To make Quick Chicken-Vegetable Quesadillas, sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped tomato, 1 tablespoon sliced ripe olives and 1 tablespoon sliced green onions over the cheese for each quesadilla.

DUTCH OVEN CHICKEN AND VINAIGRETTE

This is from Dorie Greenspan in The New York Times cooking newsletter. She wrote, "This is a simple dish: chicken that’s a little bit braised and a little bit roasted in a covered Dutch oven. The seasonings — garlic, onions, herbs and lemon — are basic and border on assertive until they cook together, when their aromas intensify and their flavors soften. Putting half the aromatics in the pot with oil and wine, tucking the other half inside the chicken and cooking in this enclosed, steamy environment means that everything that goes into the pot goes into the chicken. When the chicken’s cooked through, pour off the pan juices, crush the tender garlic and add sharp mustard and vinegar to make a vinaigrette that’s as good over salad greens as over the chicken."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: About 2 hours

This was featured in "A Holy-Grail, One-Pot Roast Chicken", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022498-dutch-oven-chicken-and-vinaigrette.

Ingredients

For the Chicken:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium onion (preferably yellow), trimmed, peeled and cut into eighths

1 head garlic, cut crosswise

5 fresh thyme sprigs

5 fresh rosemary sprigs

Fine or coarse sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)

1/2 lemon

3/4 cup white wine

For the Vinaigrette:

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons wine vinegar (preferably sherry)

1 teaspoon walnut oil (optional)

For Serving:

3 to 4 handfuls salad greens

Preparation

Make the chicken: Heat oven to 450 degrees.

Pour 3 tablespoons of the olive oil into a Dutch oven large enough to hold the chicken, then toss in all but 1 piece of the onion. Add the garlic and 4 sprigs each of the thyme and rosemary. Stir to coat, then season generously with salt and pepper.

Pat the chicken dry, season the inside with salt and pepper, and tuck in the remaining piece of onion and herb sprigs. Rub the chicken with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice from the lemon half over the bird, and then pop the lemon inside it with the herbs and onion. Settle the chicken into the pot, breast side up. Pour in the wine and cover.

Roast the chicken for 60 minutes, then check on it: It’s done when a thermometer plunged into the thickest part of the thigh has reached 165 degrees. If it’s done but doesn’t have enough color for you, you can run it under the broiler for a few minutes; if it’s not done, remove the lid and continue to roast until done, 15 to 30 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a platter, cover loosely with a foil tent, and let rest.

While the chicken rests, make the vinaigrette: Pour off the pan drippings, measure out 6 tablespoons and return them to the pot. (If your drippings are scant or very dark, you can still use them. Keep any extra drippings for another use.) Hold onto the garlic but discard the onion and herbs from the pot. Place the pot over medium heat, pour in 1/2 cup water, and boil for a couple of minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to pick up any stuck bits. You should have about 1/3 cup of drippings; if they’re very chunky, strain them when you add them to the vinaigrette.

Working in a medium bowl, mash 6 to 8 cloves of the soft garlic with the mustard, then whisk in the vinegar. Slowly whisk in the reserved liquid, followed by the walnut oil, if using. Taste for salt and pepper, then pour the vinaigrette into a small pitcher.

To serve, carve the chicken, cutting it into quarters or eighths, and arrange on the platter. Pour over a little of the vinaigrette. Dress the salad greens lightly with vinaigrette and serve on the platter or in a shallow bowl. Pass the rest of the sauce at the table.

CHICKEN WITH PEPPERS

Servings: 4

Source: 1,001 Recipes For People with Diabetes

Find this recipe at: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/309.shtml

Ingredients

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups frozen stir-fry pepper blend

1 can (15 ounces) chunky Italian-seasoned tomato sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Saute chicken and garlic in oil in large skillet until lightly browned. Push chicken to side of pan; add stir-fry pepper blend and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce. Heat to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 215; Protein: 28.5 g; Fat: 7 g; Sodium: 674 mg; Cholesterol: 71 mg; Carbohydrates: 9.7 g; Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 3 Meat

MIDDLE EASTERN-STYLE CHICKEN

Yield: 10 servings

Source: The Diabetes Snack Munch Nibble Nosh Book

View online: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/middle-eastern-style-chicken

Print version: https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/middle-eastern-style-chicken/print/

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of all fat and cut into bite-sized pieces

2 cups frozen mixed pepper and onion stir-fry

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup fat-free, low-sodium or regular chicken broth

(14-1/2 ounce) can low-sodium or regular diced tomato

1/2 cup dark raisins

1 large bay leaf

1-1/2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Salt to taste (optional)

Directions

In a nonstick skillet coated with nonstick spray coating, cook the chicken pieces over medium heat, turning frequently, until they begin to brown.

Add the onion and pepper mixture, garlic, oil and 1 tablespoon of the broth to the skillet. Stir up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Raise the heat and bring to a boil.

Lower the heat again and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, 2 or 3 minutes, or until the onion is slightly softened. Add the remaining broth, tomato, raisins, bay leaf, thyme, cumin, allspice, cloves, and black pepper.

Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the sauce has cooked down slightly. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Add salt to taste (if desired).

Serve at once, or transfer to a casserole, cover, and refrigerate. The chicken will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 99; Fat: 2 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 106 mg; Cholesterol: 27 mg; Protein: 11 g; Carbohydrates: 9 g; Sugars: 7 g; Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 Carbohydrate, 1 Lean Meat

CHICKEN SOUP FROM SCRATCH

This is from Julia Moskin on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Julia wrote, “Chicken soup is one of the most painless and pleasing recipes a home cook can master. This soup has all the classic flavors (celery, carrot, parsley) but has been updated for today's cooks, who can't easily buy the stewing hen and packet of soup vegetables that old-fashioned recipes used to call for. A whole bird provides the right combination of fat, salt and flavor. Don't be tempted to use all white meat, as the flavor won't be as round. Because making soup involves the bones and deep tissues of the bird, it is particularly reassuring here to use the highest-quality poultry you can find. This method produces a fragrant, golden, savory soup you want to eat all winter long; it's a perfect backdrop for noodles, rice or matzo balls.”

Time: 2 hours, plus chilling; Yield: 6 to 8 servings

This was featured in “A Superior Chicken Soup”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018442-chicken-soup-from-scratch.

Ingredients

For the Broth:

1 chicken, 3 to 3 1/2 pounds, with skin, cut up

3 stalks celery, with leaves, cut into chunks

2 large carrots, cut into chunks

2 yellow onions, peeled and halved

1 parsnip or parsley root (optional)

About 1 dozen large sprigs parsley

About 1 dozen black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt, more to taste

To Finish The Soup:

3 tablespoons reserved chicken fat, more if needed

3 leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise, rinsed and sliced crosswise into thin half-moons

3 large carrots, peeled and cut into small dice

Kosher salt and ground black or white pepper

Egg noodles (fresh or dried), such as packaged wide noodles, spaetzle, fettuccine or pappardelle cut into short lengths (see note)

Finely chopped herbs, such as parsley, scallions, dill or a combination

Preparation

Place the chicken, celery, carrots, onions, parsnip (if using), parsley, peppercorns, bay leaves and salt in a large soup pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch.

Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to very low. Adjust the heat until the soup is “smiling”: barely moving on the surface, with an occasional bubble breaking through. Cook uncovered, until the chicken is very tender and falling off the bone, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

When cool enough to handle, use tongs to transfer chicken from the pot to a container. Taste the broth and continue to simmer it until it is concentrated and tasty. Strain broth through a fine sieve (or a colander lined with cheesecloth) into a separate container. Discard all the solids from the strainer (or reserve the vegetables, chill and serve with vinaigrette, if you wish).

Refrigerate chicken pieces and broth separately for at least 8 hours (or up to 3 days), until a thick layer of yellow fat has risen to the top of the broth.

When ready to finish the soup, use your fingers to separate chicken breast meat from bones and skin. Discard bones and skin. Use two forks to pull the breast meat apart into soft chunks, or use a knife and cut into bite-size pieces. (Reserve dark meat for another use.)

Skim chicken fat from top of broth and set aside. Place 3 tablespoons of the fat in a soup pot with a lid. Add leeks, stir to coat, and heat over medium heat until leeks begin to fry. Then reduce the heat to a gentle sizzle and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.

Add carrots, sprinkle with salt, stir, and cover the pot. Cook until vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes more. (Keep in mind that vegetables will continue to cook in the soup.) Do not brown.

Pour broth into pot with vegetables and heat to a simmer. Add noodles and simmer until heated through, soft and plumped with chicken broth. Add the breast meat, then taste broth and add salt and pepper to taste. For best flavor, soup should have some golden droplets of fat on top; if needed, add more chicken fat one teaspoon at a time.

Serve immediately, in a tureen or from the pot, sprinkling each serving with herbs.

Tip

Instead of noodles, almost any starchy garnish can be used here: matzo balls; partly cooked dry pasta, rice or other grains; or cooked white beans. Add them when you would add the noodles and simmer until heated through.

TEX-MEX PULLED CHICKEN

This is from Ree Drummond, star of the Food Network's The Pioneer Woman.

Active Time: 16 minutes; Total Time: 16 minutes; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Easy

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/tex-mex-pulled-chicken-5617665.

Ingredients

2 medium tomatoes, quartered

2 jalapeno peppers, halved and seeded

1 medium white onion, cut into 8 wedges

1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded

1 yellow bell pepper, halved and seeded

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound thin chicken cutlets

12 flour tortillas

2 limes, 1 juiced, 1 cut into 8 wedges, for serving

8 ounces salsa

8 ounces sour cream

8 ounces crumbled cotija cheese

Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving

Directions

Position an oven rack 5 to 6 inches below the broiler element and preheat the broiler on high.

Add the tomatoes, jalapenos, onion and bell peppers to a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the oregano, chili powder, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and toss everything together to get it all coated with the oil and spices. Push it to one side of the baking sheet. Lay the chicken flat on the other side and season it with salt and pepper.

Broil for 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and vegetables and return to the broiler until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are softened and charred, about 5 more minutes.

Wrap the tortillas in kitchen paper and heat in the microwave for 30 seconds Remove, unwrap and put on a platter.

Shred the chicken. Spoon the roasted vegetables into a blender with any juices from the baking sheet and blend until smooth. Toss 1 cup of the sauce with the chicken. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over it. Put the remaining sauce in a bowl to serve on the side.

Serve with the warm tortillas, salsa, sour cream, crumbled cotija cheese, lime wedges and cilantro.