Chicken

If you love Chicken, today's post is sure to please. Check out the Neiman Marcus Chicken Casserole, the Curried Chicken with Apricots, and the rest of today's chicken recipes. Enjoy!

CHICKEN BACON RANCH CASSEROLE

This is from the Pillsbury emailing list. It begins, "Level up your casserole game in the easiest way with a yummy Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole. Simple, hearty and guaranteed to please, this creamy chicken pasta dish will have the whole family asking for seconds. Prep your casserole in just 20 minutes, then let your oven do all the heavy lifting—this chicken bacon ranch pasta bake is the definition of comfort food!"

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 lb penne pasta, cooked and drained

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 jar (15 oz) Alfredo pasta sauce

1/2 cup ranch dressing

6 slices chopped cooked bacon

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)

Chopped parsley, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease or spray 13x9-inch pan.

In large bowl, place 1 lb cooked and drained penne pasta, 2 cups shredded cooked chicken, 1 jar (15 oz) Alfredo pasta sauce and 1/2 cup ranch dressing. Stir to combine. Pour mixture in pan; spread evenly.

Sprinkle 6 slices chopped cooked bacon evenly over top, then sprinkle with 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz).

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Tips from the Pillsbury Kitchens

tip 1

Don't skimp on the optional sprinkle of chopped parsley. It adds bright color and a fresh taste to your bacon ranch chicken bake.

Tip 2

If you don't have any leftover chicken, pick up a rotisserie chicken at your grocery store. A 2-lb bird will provide about 3 cups of meat.

Tip 3

To add a more distinct cheesy flavor to your chicken bacon casserole, use cheddar cheese instead of the mozzarella.

Tip 4

You can use any short pasta, including fusilli or rotini, in this Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole recipe. The short noodles make the casserole easy to scoop up and serve.

CURRIED CHICKEN WITH APRICOTS

Makes 6 servings.

View Online: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/988.shtml

Ingredients

6 chicken breast halves, skinned

6 ounces dried apricots, cut in half

1/4 cup raisins

1 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon light margarine, melted

2 tablespoons minced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1 bay leaf, broken

1/4 cup skim milk

Directions

In small bowl, place apricots and raisins. Add orange juice and let sit 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In small dish, place margarine. Add onion, garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, chili powder, salt, ginger and bay leaf; stir to mix well.

In greased 2-quart shallow baking dish, arrange chicken in single layer. Spread spice mixture evenly over chicken. With slotted spoon, remove apricots and raisins from orange juice and arrange in dish with chicken. To orange juice, add skim milk; pour over chicken.

Cover and bake in 350F. oven about 1 hour, removing cover after 45 minutes and cooking uncovered for final 15 minutes.

If desired, garnish with red cherries and serve with rice.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 230; Protein: 21 g; Fat: 5 g; Sodium: 300 mg; Cholesterol: 64 mg; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 26 g

CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

This comes from Southern Living, and begins, "Give your traditional chicken casserole a break and serve this bright and lively chicken spaghetti. You only need a Dutch oven and a 9-x-13 baking dish to create this delicious meal, meaning there is less clean-up afterwards. Cook and shred your chicken in advance to save time."

Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes; Serves: 10

To view this online, go to https://www.southernliving.com/recipes/easy-chicken-spaghetti.

Ingredients

6 cups unsalted chicken stock

1 (14-oz.) bone-in, skin-on chicken breast, skin removed

3 (7-oz.) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, skin removed

12 ounces uncooked spaghetti

1 (5-oz.) can evaporated milk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon lower-sodium Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons hot sauce

2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1-1/2 cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)

1 1/2 cups chopped red bell pepper (about 1 large pepper)

2 cups chopped tomatoes (about 3 medium tomatoes)

4 ounces sharp white Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1 cup)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring stock to a boil in a Dutch oven over high. Add chicken to stock. Cover; reduce heat to medium. Cook until a thermometer inserted in thickest piece of chicken registers 160°F, about 25 minutes. Remove chicken; let stand until ready to use. (Inner temperature of chicken will rise as it stands.)

Return stock to a boil over high. Add pasta to Dutch oven, and cook until just tender, about 9 minutes. Transfer pasta to a medium bowl (reserving stock). Return stock to a boil over high; boil until liquid is reduced to about 2-1/2 cups, about 1 minute. Whisk together evaporated milk and flour in a small bowl. Stir into stock; boil until slightly thickened, 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and salt. Pour stock mixture over pasta.

Return Dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add butter, onion, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring often, until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat; add pasta mixture back to Dutch oven. Shred chicken, discarding bones. (You should have about 4-1/2 cups meat.) Add chicken and tomatoes to Dutch oven; toss to coat. Pour mixture into a 13- x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with cheese. Lightly coat aluminum foil with cooking spray. Cover with foil; bake until cheese is melted, 25 to 30 minutes.

Chef's Notes

You don't have to be a food stylist to create a casserole that looks as good as it tastes. Instead of pouring the pasta mixture from the pot into the baking dish, use tongs and a large spoon to twirl the noodles into nests, as shown below.

NEIMAN MARCUS CHICKEN CASSEROLE

This is from AllRecipes, and begins, "This Neiman Marcus chicken casserole recipe is a casserole version of the famous department store's cafe dish. Saucy chicken, bacon, Cheddar, and almonds are baked with a buttery cracker topping in this quick-prep dinner."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 50 minutes; Servings: 6 to 8; Yield: 1 (9x13-inch) casserole

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup slivered almonds

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1-1/2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco® or to taste

1 sleeve buttery crackers, such as Ritz® crackers, crushed

1/2 cup butter, melted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.

Place chicken, chicken soup, sour cream, cheese, green onions, almonds, bacon, and hot sauce into a large mixing bowl and stir to combine. Pour mixture into the prepared dish.

Stir crushed crackers and butter together until combined; spread mixture evenly over casserole.

Bake in the preheated oven until browned and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes.

ASIAN CHICKEN TENDERS

This is from Everyday Diabetic Recipes, and begins, "With only a handful of ingredients, this sweet and sour version of Asian Chicken Tenders is definitely among our favorite easy diabetic dinner recipes. Plus, it boasts lighter versions of flavorful teriyaki sauce and pineapple tidbits, but still packs full taste."

Cook Time: 5 minutes; Serves: 4; Serving Size: 2 chicken tenders

To view this online, go to https://www.everydaydiabeticrecipes.com/Chicken/Asian-Chicken-Tenders--7089.

Ingredients

1 pound chicken breast tenders

1/3 cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce

2 teaspoons reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce

1/4 cup sliced green onion

1 can (8-ounce) pineapple tidbits with reduced-sugar juice, juice reserved

Directions

Place chicken and 1/3 cup teriyaki sauce in resealable plastic bag. Refrigerate 15 to 20 minutes. Remove chicken and discard marinade.

Coat a nonstick wok or skillet with cooking spray. Preheat over high heat.

Add about half the chicken to wok. Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat as needed. Remove first batch to a serving platter and repeat with remaining chicken. Remove second batch.

Add green onion, pineapple, 1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice, and remaining teriyaki sauce to wok. Cook about 1 minute. Spoon over chicken tenders and serve immediately.

CHICKEN TERIYAKI

This recipe is from Sujan Shrestha and adapted by John T. Edge in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, John wrote, "Teriyaki is derived from the Japanese root words teri, which means “to shine,” and yaki, which means “to broil or grill.” That’s the way traditional teriyaki looks: shiny and incised with grill marks. In Japan, teriyaki is a mix of soy sauce, sake and the rice wine mirin, which imparts a subtle sweetness. The teriyaki found throughout Seattle, of which this is an adaptation, is a bit more showy. Cooks sweeten with white sugar and pineapple juice. They thicken with cornstarch. Ginger and garlic go into the mix because of the Korean ancestry of many cooks. It is not at all traditional, but it is simple to prepare and a pleasure to eat. Be sure to plan ahead as you do need to marinate the chicken before cooking. An overnight stay in the fridge is ideal, but many readers have been happy with a quick marinade of an hour or so."

Total Time: 30 minutes, plus marinating; Yield: 8 servings

This was featured in "A City’s Specialty, Japanese in Name Only," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1012984-chicken-teriyaki. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, guides, and more.

Ingredients

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup granulated sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

6 garlic cloves, crushed in a press

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

13-inch cinnamon stick

1 tablespoon pineapple juice

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Preparation

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients except cornstarch and chicken. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and stir until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Discard cinnamon stick and mix in 1/2 cup water.

Place chicken in a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag. Add soy sauce mixture, seal bag, and turn to coat chicken. Refrigerate for at least an hour, ideally overnight.

Remove chicken and set aside. Pour mixture into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low. Mix cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water and add to pan. Stir until mixture begins to thicken, and gradually stir in enough water (about 1/2 cup) until sauce is the consistency of heavy cream. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat a broiler or grill. Lightly brush chicken pieces on all sides with sauce, and broil or grill about 3 minutes per side. While chicken is cooking, place sauce over high heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a bare simmer, adding water a bit at a time to keep mixture at a pourable consistency. To serve, slice chicken into strips, arrange on plates, and drizzle with sauce.