Chicken Picatta over Brown Rice Pilaf

Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
¼ cup flour
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chicken broth
Juice of one fresh lemon
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 cup brown rice
1 package frozen peas and carrots

Preparation:
Cook the rice in boiling water according to package directions.
Stir the frozen peas and carrots into the cooked rice.
Cover and keep warm.
Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound until they are ¼ inch thick.
Cut each piece in half, making four pieces total.
Put the flour, dried parsley, salt and pepper in a bag.
Place the chicken pieces in the bag and shake to coat.
Heat 1 tablespoons butter and t1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan.
Cook the chicken breasts until browned, about 3 minutes per side.
Remove from the pan.
Add the lemon juice and broth to the pan and scrape up any brown bits.
Boil the liquid for ten minutes. Add one more tablespoon of butter to the broth.
Remove from the heat. Add the parsley to the sauce.
Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve over the rice pilaf.

Tip: If the sauce needs to be thickened, mix one tablespoon of flour with 2 tablespoons of water and whisk into the sauce.



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Sweet and Sour Chicken over Brown Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken breast tenderloins
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small jar of sweet and sour sauce
• 1 can (15 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup of frozen carrot slices
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 cup of brown or white rice
• 3 green onions, chopped

Preparation:
Tip: Don’t throw away the pineapple juice from the can. Add it to other juice in the refrigerator.

Heat a pan with olive oil.
Cook the chicken in the oil until browned and cooked through.
Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces.
Return to the pan and stir in the sweet and sour sauce, pineapple, carrots, and bell pepper.
Keep warm while the rice cooks.
Cook the rice in boiling water according to package directions.
Serve the sweet and sour chicken over the rice.
Garnish with chopped green onions.


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Chicken with Satay Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken tenderloins
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or peanut oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup of chicken broth
• ½ cup of crunchy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 lime, cut into pieces
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper
• 1 package frozen snow peas
• 1 package soba noodles (You may substitute spaghetti)

Preparation:
Melt the butter in a pan with the olive oil.
Cook the chicken in the olive oil and butter until brown on all sides and cooked through.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and remove from the pan.
Stir in the onion, and cook until softened.
Add the broth and scrape the bottom of the pan to pick up any browned bits.
Stir in the peanut butter and crushed red pepper. If the sauce is too thick, add more broth a tablespoon at a time.
Return the chicken to the skillet and simmer for 20 minutes.
Cook the noodles according to package directions in boiling water.
Heat the snow peas in the microwave.
Toss the snow peas and a small amount of the sauce into the cooked noodles.
Place the chicken and sauce over the noodles and serve with lime on the side.



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Italian Chicken and Potatoes Dinner in the Crock Pot

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of chicken legs and thighs
• 4 russet potatoes, cut into chunks
• ½ cup of Italian dressing
• 2 cups of fresh green beans (If not in season, use 1 package of frozen snow peas.)

Preparation:
Place all ingredients in the slow cooker.
Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours.


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Chicken Chardonnay with French Bread

This is a great recipe to use up extra wine. Serve it with crusty French bread to soak up the juices.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ½ teaspoon tarragon
• ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
• ¼ teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon garlic, crushed
• 1 bell pepper, cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 onion, cut into chunks
• 1 small jar of artichoke hearts
• 1 cup of Chardonnay
• ¼ cup of half and half
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preparation:
Place the chicken breasts between two pieces of clear plastic wrap and pound until they are 1/2 inch thick.
Spray cooking spray on a frying pan and heat it.
Spinkle the spices on the chicken, and place in the heated frying pan.
Cook the chicken until it is browned on both sides, about 6-8 minutes.
Add the wine and vegetables.
Allow to simmer for twenty minutes.
Remove the chicken and vegetables from the pan and place them on a platter.
Mix the half and half and cornstarch.
Stir the cornstarch mixture into the remaining broth and stir until thickened.
Pour the creamy sauce over the chicken.
Serve with plenty of napkins and French bread.

 

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Rosemary Dijon Chicken Breast with Grilled Tuscan Bread Salad

This salad is becoming more popular and is appearing in many different recipes. Here is my version. The Rosemary Dijon Chicken is one of our family favorites, and the taste complements the salad perfectly.

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ½ cup of chicken stock
• ¼ cup of Dijon style mustard
• 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 loaf of ciabatta or French bread, cut into thick slices
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic crushed, or 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• ¼ cup of balsamic vinegar
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
• 6 green onions, chopped
• 1 bunch of basil, (about 12 leaves), chopped
• 8 ounces of Mozzarella, cut into bite size pieces
• 4 cups of chopped romaine lettuce

Preparation:
Salad instructions:
Heat up the indoor grill.
Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and garlic in a dressing cruet.
Pour ½ the oil mixture in a bowl to use for grilling the bread. Save the rest for the salad.
Brush the bread slices with the oil mixture and grill until well browned.
Place on a cutting board and let them cool.
Cut the bread into bite sized pieces.
Toss the bread in the remaining dressing and let it soak while you cook the chicken breasts.
Toss the bread, tomato, onions, basil, and Mozzarella together and serve over a bed of romaine.

Chicken instructions:
Cut the chicken breasts in half.
Place them between two pieces of cling wrap and pound until very thin.
Heat ¼ cup of chicken stock in a frying pan and cook the chicken in it until it browns.
Remove the chicken to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
Add the rosemary and Dijon mustard and the remaining ¼ cup of chicken stock to the pan.
Heat until warm. This is a sauce. If you want it thinner, add more chicken stock one tablespoon at a time.
Pour the Dijon sauce over the prepared chicken breasts and serve with the Grilled Tuscan Bread Salad.


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BBQ Chicken Sliders on a Bun with Coleslaw

This recipe makes enough chicken for 4 quarter pound sandwiches, or several mini snack size sandwiches. The coleslaw recipe is the same one I use for my Grilled Teriyaki Chicken sandwiches, featuring my own special version of coleslaw sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breast tenderloins
• 1 jar of barbecue sauce, any style
• Hamburger buns or dinner rolls sliced in half
• 1 bag of cabbage for coleslaw
• ½ cup of mayonnaise
• ¼ cup of mustard
• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• ½ teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• 1 small can of crushed pineapple, drained, but with the juice reserved.

Preparation
Spray a pan with cooking spray.
Cook the chicken breast tenderloins in the pan until they are browned and well done, about 5-7 minutes.
Stir in the barbque sauce and heat through.
Mix the mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, celery see, pepper, salt, and pineapple in a bowl.
Stir in the coleslaw cabbage.
Add pineapple juice 1-2 tablespoons at a time until the coleslaw reaches the consistency you like.
Serve the barbeque chicken on the hamburger buns or dinner rolls with a side of coleslaw.

Lemon and Balsamic Chicken over Couscous with a Greek Chop Salad

In this recipe, the lemon and balsamic vinegar tenderize the chicken for a dish that literally falls off the bone.

Ingredients

• 1 chicken, cut up
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• Juice of 1 lemon, and the lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• Freshly grated pepper
• Couscous (prepare enough for 4 servings)
• 1 heart of romaine, chopped
• ½ head of iceberg, chopped
• 3 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small can of sliced black olives
• 1 cucumber, seeded and cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 4 ounces of goat cheese or feta cheese
• 4 tablespoons Italian dressing

Preparation
Mix together the lemon juice and balsamic vinegar in a plastic bowl or zip top bag.
Place the chicken in the marinade and let it sit for 15 minutes.
Make the chopped salad by tossing all the ingredients together and place in the refrigerator.
Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
Place the chicken in a foil lined pan.
Mix together the sugar and lemon zest and sprinkle over the chicken.
Sprinkle the salt over the top and grate some black pepper over all.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the thickest pieces of chicken are done.
Cook the couscous according to package directions.
Serve the chicken over a bed of couscous with the salad on the side.

Orange Chicken over Rice with Sesame Green Beans

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
¼ cup cornstarch
¼ cup flour
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon dried ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine
¼ cup of water
Zest of one orange
1 tablespoon soy sauce
5 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups of green beans, fresh if in season, frozen if not in season
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
2 cups of rice

Preparation:
Stir together the egg, salt, and vegetable oil in a plastic zip top bag.
Place the chicken in the bag and zip it shut. Gently squeeze the bag to coat the chicken in the egg mixture.
Cook the rice in 4 cups of gently boiling water until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
While the rice cooks:
On a plate, stir together the ¼ cup of cornstarch and ¼ cup of flour.
Dip the chicken pieces in the flour and cornstarch mixture to coat.
Fry the chicken in 3 tablespoons hot oil until crispy brown. Remove from the pan.
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan and cook the garlic, onion, and red pepper for about 2 minutes.
Add the ginger, rice wine, water, orange zest, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar. Cook till it simmers.
Mix the cornstarch with ¼ cup of water and stir into the orange sauce mixture.
Add the chicken and stir to coat. Cover to keep warm until the green beans and rice are done.
Cook the green beans in the microwave until tender. Toss with the sesame seeds.
Serve the orange chicken and beans over rice.


Photo/Ktpupp on Flickr

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Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
½ pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast tenderloins
2 tablespoons of Dijon style mustard
1 tablespoon of honey
¼ teaspoon of white pepper
2 cups of iceberg lettuce, chopped
2 cups of baby spinach
1 tomato, cut into slices
Crusty bread sticks

Preparation:
Mix together the mustard and honey. If the honey is too thick, warm it in the microwave for a few seconds.
Coat the chicken in the honey mustard sauce and grill on the indoor grill until done.
Mix together the lettuce, spinach, and tomato.
Top with the grilled chicken pieces.
Sprinkle with the pepper and serve with the bread sticks.

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Bacon Wrapped Chicken on Grilled Potatoes with Green Beans

Ingredients:
5 slices of bacon or pancetta
4 chicken breasts
½ teaspoon of pepper
8 red potatoes
4 cups green beans, trimmed

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Wrap one slice of bacon around each chicken breast and secure with a toothpick.
Cut the potatoes into quarters and place on a pan sprayed with cooking spray.
Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper.
Put the chicken breasts in the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes.
Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes.
While the chicken and potatoes bake, cook the last slice of bacon.
Cook the green beans for 3 to 5 minutes in boiling water.
Drain the water off. If you would like, save the water in the freezer to use in a soup or stew in place of broth.
Crumble the bacon and top the green beans with it.
When the potatoes and chicken are done, serve them on a plate with the green beans.

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Chicken Pot Pie in a Bread Bowl

Ingredients:
2 cups of chicken, cut into chunks (a roasted chicken from the deli is good for this)
1 package of frozen mixed vegetables
1 jar of prepared chicken or turkey gravy
4 small sourdough rounds for bread bowls

Preparation:
Mix the chicken, vegetables, and gravy and place in a microwave safe bowl.
Cook on high for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Cut a hollow out of each sourdough round to make a bowl.
Pour the chicken mixture into the bowls.
Serve immediately.



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Chicken in Lime with Cumin Potatoes and Black Beans

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Dijon style mustard
1 teaspoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons of broth
4 russet potatoes
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Preparation:
Pound the chicken breasts between two pieces of waxed paper until they are ½ thick.
Sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning.
Heat the oil in a skillet.
Cook the breasts in the oil until well done and browned.
Remove from heat and keep warm in the oven.
Slice the potatoes in thin slices.
Toss in a bowl with 2 teaspoons olive oil, just to coat.
Lay the potatoes on a baking sheet.
Sprinkle with the cumin, paprika, and salt and pepper.
Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, or until fork tender.
Rinse and drain the black beans.
Mix the beans with ¼ cup of chunky tomato salsa or mango salsa. Place in a serving dish.
Stir the broth into the skillet and add the honey, mustard, and lime juice.
Cook and stir for 4-5 minutes. Mix the cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of broth.
Stir the cornstarch mixture in to the mustard mixture and cook until it thickens, about 1 minute.
Place the chicken breasts back into the pan, and turn to coat them with the mustard lime sauce.
Serve with the potatoes and black beans.

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Chicken Parmesan with Escarole over Angel Hair Pasta

Ingredients:

• 1 clove of garlic, crushed
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 large portobello mushroom tops, sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ½ cup of Italian bread crumbs
• ¼ cup parmesan cheese
• 1 jar of spaghetti sauce
• 1 pound of angel hair pasta
• 4 cups of escarole, chopped

Preparation:
Pound the chicken breasts with a kitchen mallet between two sheets of plastic wrap.
Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the garlic.
Cook the onion and escarole in the oil until tender.
Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Place the portobello mushrooms in the pan and cook until brown around the edges.
Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Mix the Italian bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a zip top plastic bag.
Place the chicken breasts in the bag and shake to coat.
Cook the chicken breasts in the pan over medium heat about 2 minutes on each side.
Cover the chicken with the spaghetti sauce.
Add the escarole, onions, garlic, and mushrooms to the pan and simmer over low heat about 15 minutes.
While the chicken and sauce simmers, cook the pasta according to package directions.
Serve alone or with a tossed salad.

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Sesame Chicken and Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken breast tenderloins
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon vegetable or sesame oil
• 2 cups brown rice
• 1 small package frozen broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower
• 1 small head of lettuce, chopped
• 1 tomato, sliced
• Any flavor salad dressing

Preparation:
Mix the oil, sesame seeds, and soy sauce in a bowl.
Place the chicken breast tenderloins in the bowl and marinate for 20 minutes.
While the chicken marinates, begin cooking the rice according to package directions.
Toss the salad ingredients with 2 tablespoons of dressing.
Grill the chicken on the indoor grill until the pieces are well done and browned.
Heat the vegetables in the microwave for 6-7 minutes.
Serve the chicken over a bed of rice with the vegetables and salad on the side.

Photo/Suzanne Pitner
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Baked Pesto Chicken with Sauteed Spinach and Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 small fryer chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 small jar of pesto, or use my basil pesto or parsley pesto recipe
• 4 russet potatoes, peeled
• 2 cloves garlic
• ¼ cup of sour cream
• 6 cups of spinach
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ head of iceberg lettuce
• 1 cup spring mix salad greens
• 1 tomato, cut into pieces
• ½ cucumber, sliced
• Italian salad dressing
• Croutons
• Salt and pepper

Preparation:
Line a baking pan with aluminum foil.
Spray the foil with cooking spray.
Lay the chicken in the pan and spread the pesto over all the pieces.
Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.
Boil the potatoes and garlic in salted water until they are tender.
While the potatoes boil, toss the salad ingredients with 2 tablespoons of Italian dressing.
Drain the potatoes and smash them with ¼ cup of sour cream.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet.
Add the spinach, and cover with a lid.
Cook the spinach about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it is tender.
Serve the chicken on a bed of spinach with the potatoes and salad.

Note: For the photo above, I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts. I used an 8 ounce jar of sun dried tomato pesto by Classico, instead of a basil pesto. 


Photo/Suzanne Pitner

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Chicken Soft Tacos

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken breast tenderloins
• 1 package taco seasoning mix
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 bell pepper, cut into slices
• 1 onion, cut into rings
• 1 can of diced green chilis
• 1 can of sliced black olives
• ½ head of lettuce, chopped
• 1 zucchini, cut into thin slices
• 1 can of corn, drained
• 1 tomato, cut into pieces
• 4 soft taco size tortillas
• Salsa
• Ranch style dressing

Preparation:
Cook the chicken breast tenderloins in 1 tablespoon of oil.
Add the taco seasoning mix and the bell pepper and onion.
Cook until the vegetables are crisp tender.
Remove from the pan and keep warm.
Into the same pan, place the corn, green chilis, olives and 1 teaspoon cumin.
Stir and cook until the corn begins to brown.
Place in a serving bowl.
Toss the lettuce with the zucchini and tomato.
Warm the tortillas on the stove or in the microwave.
Serve the salad with the ranch dressing.
Serve the fajita ingredients in a bowl and allow the family to build their own.


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Chicken Pineapple Kabobs with Iceberg Spinach Salad

This recipe makes enough for four skewers. If you are serving more than four people, add rice to the menu and place the cooked chicken and vegetables in a bowl over the rice.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 1 can pineapple chunks, with juice
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 red onion, cut into quarters
• 1 nectarine or peach, cut into chunks
• 1 bell pepper, cut into large pieces
• ½ head of iceberg lettuce
• 1 cup of baby spinach leaves
• ¼ cup sunflower seeds
• ¼ cup of edamame

Preparation:
Place the cut up chicken in a zipper top plastic bag with the pineapple juice, vinegar, and soy sauce.
Marinate the chicken overnight or at least 4 hours in the refrigerator.
Place the chicken, pineapple, peach or nectarine, onion, and bell pepper on a skewer, alternating pieces.
Use the olive oil to coat a baking pan.
Place the skewers in the pan and bake at 400 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.
Alternatively, they can be cooked on an outdoor grill.
Toss the lettuce, spinach together.
Top the salad with the sunflower seeds and edamame.
Serve with a light salad dressing.


Photo/Suzanne Pitner
More great recipes are at my Sacramento Easy Meals Examiner website.

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Easy Coq Au Vin with White Wine or Red Wine

Easy Coq Au Vin (In white or red wine)
New Potatoes with Walnuts and Parsley

Coq Au Vin simply means chicken in wine. You may use red wine or white wine for this dish.

Ingredients:
¼ pound of bacon
1 chicken, cut up (Learn how to cut up a chicken at home in this video.)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 cups of wine
2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
¼ teaspoon of thyme
2 onions, quartered
8 ounces of sliced mushroom
3 tablespoons of flour
8 new potatoes
2 tablespoons of butter
¼ cup of chopped walnuts
¼ cup of parsley

Preparation:
Cook the bacon until it is crisp. Remove from the pan and put on a paper towel on a plate.
Sauté the mushrooms in the bacon grease, not allowing them to touch, until they are browned. Remove from the pan and put on a plate with the bacon.
Brown the chicken pieces in the bacon grease, browning on all sides.
Drain any remaining bacon grease from the pan.
Pour the wine over the chicken and add all the remaining ingredients.
Cover and simmer over medium low heat for 25 to 30 minutes.
Boil the new potatoes until they are fork tender.
Drain the water from the potatoes.
Keeping the potatoes in the pan, add the butter parsley and walnuts. Cover and keep warm.
Stir 3 tablespoons of flour into 3 tablespoons of water. Add to the Coq Au Vin, and simmer for about 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve it straight from the pot.
If you saved some cornmeal waffle quarters from the Waffle Dinner, these are delicious with the Coq Au Vin.

Photo/Yuan on Picasaweb

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Garlic Chicken with Thyme over Gnocchi

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of crushed garlic
1 teaspoon of ground thyme
4 skinless chicken breasts, bone-in
Juice of one orange
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1 small package of prepared gnocchi (find this in the refrigerated section of your grocery)
Fresh green beans (frozen if fresh aren’t available)

Preparation:
Place the chicken in the slow cooker.
Sprinkle the garlic, thyme, orange juice, and balsamic vinegar over the top.
Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or on high 3 hours.
Cook the gnocchi according to package directions. (If you can’t find gnocchi, substitute with potatoes.)
Steam the green beans in the microwave.

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