Chicken

There was a time when chicken was considered a Sunday dinner. Now, it's an anytime meal. Check out today's six yummy chicken recipes, including Coke-Brined Fried Chicken and Country Captain. Enjoy!

SKINNY MEXICAN CHICKEN CASSEROLE

This comes from the Tablespoon newsletter, and begins, “An easy Mexican dinner for under 300 calories per serving. You can even assemble it ahead of time and bake before serving!” Prep Time: 25 min; Total Time: 60 min; Servings: 5

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 bag (11 oz) Green Giant™ Steamers™ frozen corn & black beans with brown rice in a Southwestern style sauce

2 cups cubed cooked chicken breast

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

1/4 cup chopped green onions (4 medium)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

3/4 cup finely shredded 2% milk reduced-fat Mexican style cheese blend (3 oz)

1 cup shredded lettuce

1 tomato, chopped

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate or shallow small casserole with cooking spray. Cook rice mixture as directed on bag for minimum time. In large bowl, mix chicken, rice mixture and enchilada sauce. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the green onions, the cilantro and bell pepper. Spoon into pie plate.

Bake uncovered 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Top with shredded lettuce, tomato and remaining green onions.

COKE-BRINED FRIED CHICKEN

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, "John Currence, of City Grocery in Oxford, Miss., spent a long time in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina hit, and was justly celebrated for his hard work there helping to rebuild a cathedral of Southern fried chicken, Willie Mae’s Scotch House. In his 2013 cookbook, “Pickles, Pigs and Whiskey,” Currence paid tribute to the wet batter used on Willie Mae’s legendary dish. But for the purpose of weekend chicken warriors we have omitted it in our adaptation of his homage, concentrating instead on Currence’s use of a Coke-based poultry brine that not only adds some sweetness to the chicken thighs he uses but mildly tenderizes them along the way. Let the meat sit in the brine for a few hours before using, but not so long as overnight, where it really begins to break down. Then dry the thighs, dredge them in seasoned flour, and fry in peanut oil, ideally enhanced by lard. The result is mahogany-brown chicken with a crisp crust and a luscious interior." Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

For the Brine:

5 cups Coca-Cola

1 tablespoon kosher salt

10 sprigs fresh thyme

4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

4 teaspoons mild hot sauce like Crystal, Texas Pete or Cholula

8 to 12 chicken thighs, preferably free-range, organic

For the Seasoned Flour:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Frying:

3 cups peanut oil

1 cup lard, optional, or replace with peanut oil

For Serving:

Hot sauce

Preparation

Make the brine: Combine cola, salt, thyme, garlic and hot sauce in a large metal bowl and stir until the salt has dissolved. Add the chicken thighs, cover and refrigerate 3 to 5 hours.

Make the seasoned flour: In a wide, shallow bowl or pan, combine the flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put the peanut oil in a large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until it reaches 375 degrees on a candy thermometer. While the oil heats, remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Dredge the thighs in the flour and shake to remove excess.

Working in batches of 2 or 3 at a time, carefully lower thighs into the hot oil. The oil temperature will plummet when the cold chicken goes into the pan; turn up the heat and carefully monitor the temperature. Cook for a little more than 3 minutes on one side, a little more than 3 minutes on the other, and then a final 3 minutes on the first side. Remove to a wire rack or paper towel to drain.

The juices should run clear when the chicken is poked with a knife. If necessary, transfer the browned chicken to a baking sheet and bake until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees on a instant-read thermometer. Serve hot or at room temperature with hot sauce.

APRICOT-ORANGE CHICKEN WITH GLAZED ONIONS

Yield: 4 servings; Serving Size: 1/4 of recipe

Source: Express Lane Diabetic Cooking

Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/9.shtml

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/454.shtml

Ingredients

1 whole roasted deli chicken, skinned

3 tablespoons no-added-sugar apricot preserves, divided

3 tablespoons no-added-sugar orange marmalade, divided

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided

Nonstick cooking spray

1 large onion, quartered

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In small bowl, blend 1 tablespoon each apricot preserves, marmalade, and vinegar.

Place chicken in baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Add water to pan to a depth of 1/4-1/2 inch. Brush chicken with preserve mixture. Combine the remaining preserves, marmalade, vinegar, onion, and garlic and spoon around the chicken.

Roast, covered, for 25 minutes. Uncover and roast for 10 more minutes, until onion is tender.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 278; Protein: 34 g; Sodium: 110 mg; Cholesterol: 100 mg; Fat: 9 g; Carbohydrates: 15 g; Exchanges: 1 Carbohydrate, 4 Lean Meat

MISO CHICKEN

This comes from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Sam wrote, “Making a compound of unsalted butter and the salty, fungal deliciousness of Japanese miso paste is a surefire way of adding immense flavor to a simple weeknight meal. Here the mixture is spread over chicken thighs, which are then roasted to golden perfection. But you could easily use it on salmon or flounder, on corn or potatoes. The recipe calls for white miso, which is more mild than the aged version known as red miso. But you could certainly use red for a more intense result.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: 45 minutes.

This was featured in Asian Pantry Essentials and can also be found online by clicking here.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup white miso

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon rice vinegar (do not use seasoned rice vinegar)

Black pepper, to taste

8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs, approximately 2 1/2 to 3 pounds

Preparation

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine butter, miso, honey, rice vinegar and black pepper in a large bowl and mix with a spatula or spoon until it is well combined.

Add chicken to the bowl and massage the miso-butter mixture all over it. Place the chicken in a single layer in a roasting pan and slide it into the oven. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, turning the chicken pieces over once or twice, until the skin is golden brown and crisp, and the internal temperature of the meat is 160 to 165 degrees.

CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

This yummy soup is from Chungah, on her wonderful site, Damn Delicious. I've mentioned her site once or twice. But if you haven't visited it yet, I highly recommend it. Go ahead, I'll wait. (Tap, tap, tap...)

Okay, hopefully you checked it out. Now, this recipe begins, "So warm, so cozy, so soothing. A must for those busy cold weeknights, using up that leftover rotisserie chicken!"

Yield: 8 servings; Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes

You can view this online at https://damndelicious.net/2022/04/29/creamy-chicken-noodle-soup/.

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1 sweet onion, diced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 celery ribs, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup dry white wine

6 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 cups leftover shredded rotisserie chicken

2 cups wide egg noodles

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup frozen green peas

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.

Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in chicken stock and bay leaf; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until flavors have blended, about 10 minutes.

Stir in chicken and pasta and cook until tender, about 10-12 minutes.

Stir in heavy cream, peas and parsley until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Serve immediately.

COUNTRY CAPTAIN

This recipe is from Rohan Kamicheril and adapted by Ligaya Mishan on The New York Times cooking site. Ligaya wrote, "The American South has long laid claim to Country Captain, but the dish’s origins can be traced back to the British Raj. It’s an Anglo-Indian legacy of colonials with palates newly awakened to the possibilities of spice. In this version from Rohan Kamicheril, who grew up in Bangalore, only a few seasonings are called for: turmeric, ginger-garlic paste — easy to mash up quickly or buy premade — and Kashmiri chile powder, which has a gentle heat that can be approximated with a mix of paprika and cayenne. Vinegar is the last, vital touch, its sourness twangs the nerve and startles the other flavors into focus. The recipe is simple, but it takes skill to make, and should be eaten immediately."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 45 minutes

This was featured in "Chicken and Potatoes With Commanding Flavor", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022978-country-captain.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste (see Tip)

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chile powder or 1/2 teaspoon cayenne plus 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola, for frying

1 large onion, thinly sliced into half-moons

1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

Salt

Soft white bread, such as a Pullman loaf or Japanese milk bread, for serving

Preparation

Combine the ginger-garlic paste with the turmeric, chile powder and vinegar in a large bowl, then toss the chicken in the marinade to coat. Let the chicken rest at room temperature while cooking the vegetables to give the spices time to infuse the meat.

Heat an inch of oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high until it reaches 340 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. (If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, drop a nub of potato into the oil to test: If you get a fervent sizzle, the oil is hot enough.) Add the onion and fry, turning occasionally with a spider or slotted spoon, until the onion is soft and uniformly dark chestnut brown in color, 9 to 11 minutes. Scoop out the onion and let drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

Bring the oil back up to 340 degrees. Add the diced potato and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Scoop out the potatoes and let drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Season generously with salt while still hot.

While the potatoes cook, set a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over high heat. When the pan is just beginning to smoke, drizzle in 2 tablespoons of oil from the saucepan and swirl to cover the bottom of the pan. Add half of the marinated chicken, making sure to leave space between the pieces. Let cook undisturbed until browned and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes, then flip and cook to brown the other sides, another 4 to 5 minutes. Scrape chicken and any accumulated juices onto a serving platter or bowl. Repeat with remaining chicken, cooking in 2 tablespoons oil from the saucepan.

Add the onion and potato to the dish with the chicken. Stir gently, just enough for the juices from the chicken to gloss the onion and potato. Serve immediately with the bread.

Tip

You can find ginger-garlic paste at Indian markets, but it’s easy to make at home, too. For the 2 tablespoons called for here, chop 3 large cloves of garlic and a fat 1-inch piece of ginger, then smash them together using a mortar and pestle or continue chopping until very finely minced. Season with a tiny pinch of salt. For a larger batch, keep a 1:1 ratio of garlic to ginger and combine in a blender with salt to taste.