Frank's Red Hot Chicken Wrap with Blue Cheese

I love pub food. It is just the best. Our local pub has yummy food for a good price and beer that they brew on-site, so it is really a win-win situation. This recipe is inspired by their Red Hot Chicken Wrap.

3-4 chicken breast halves, cut into strips
1 c. Panko bread crumbs, or crushed cornflakes
salt and pepper
1/2 t. paprika, or seasoning of your choice
2 eggs, beaten

6 wraps
1 large tomato, diced
2 c. shredded lettuce, or salad mix
Blue cheese dressing
Frank's Red Hot Sauce

Stir Panko and seasoning together in a bowl. Beat 2 eggs in a separate bowl.  Dip chicken strips in egg, then in Panko until well covered. Fry over medium heat (with lid) until cooked through on each side. Meanwhile, spread Blue Cheese Dressing (our fave is Renee's) down middle of wrap. Top with lettuce and tomato. Remove chicken strips and place on top. Give a few dashes of Frank's Red Hot. Close the wrap, and enjoy!!

** If you're not a fan of blue cheese, substitute shredded cheese of your choice.

Creamy Artichoke Chicken Casserole

If you like chicken and you like artichokes, and if you like SIMPLE, this one is a real winner. My recipe does call for Parmasan cheese, but there are some great substitutes out there if you want to keep it cheese-free.

4 chicken breast halves, sliced crossways against the grain

1 c. mayo

1 c. plain yogurt

2 14 oz. cans of artichokes, quartered

1/2 c. parmasan cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t. pepper

Panko or breadcrumbs

Slice your chicken breasts. Place in bottom of casserole dish. In a bowl, mix remaining ingredients (except Panko). Pour over chicken. Sprinkle top with Panko/breadcrumbs. Bake for 30-40 minutes in 375 oven. If you like, briefly put under the broiler to brown the top. Serve on its own, or over rice or noodles.

Schezuan Orange Chicken

A little spicy, a little sweet, and really yummy!

3 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 t. grated zest
3/4 c. orange juice
1/2 c. mandarin orange pieces
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/4" slices
salt and pepper
3 Tbsp. oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. grated ginger
1/2 t. red pepper flakes (optional)
2 green onions, sliced thin

Whisk hoisin, orange zest, and juice in bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 3 minutes. Add red pepper and cook for 2 more minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Cook 30 seconds. Add sauce and simmer until sauce has thickened (3-5 minutes). Off heat and stir in green onions. Serve over rice.

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen, The Best Simple Recipes

Chicken Medallions with Spinach and Quinoa

This was super easy, and so tasty!

1 large box of fresh spinach, rinsed stems removed

1 red pepper, sliced

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp. grated lemon rind

1 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. olive oil

2 shallots or 2 Tbsp. onions, minced

1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 c. lemon juice

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano or 1 t. dried

1 Tbsp. capers

Over medium-high heat, saute half of spinach until wilted (no oil required). Add red pepper and remaining spinach. Saute 4 minutes longer or until pepper is tender crisp and most of liquid evaporates. Remove to casserole and keep warm.

Place chicken between wax paper sheets and pound with mallet to 3/4" thickness. Mix salt, pepper, and 1 t. lemon rind and rub over chicken.

In same skillet (that you used for the spinach), melt butter in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute 3-4 minutes each side. Remove when cooked, and arrange on top of spinach. Keep warm.

In drippings over medium eat, saute shallots 1 minute. Add broth, bring to boil, reduce heat and add lemon juice. Whisk in remaining lemon rind, herbs and capers. Pour over chicken. Serve with quinoa or rice pilaf.

From "That's Trump", The Best of Bridge Series

Butter Chicken

I found this recipe online years ago, and it was the first time I had ever made, or eaten, butter chicken. I have a friend who is Indian, and she made me her version, which was delicious, but totally different. My recipe was sweeter than hers, and I asked her why. She said that each part of India (North, East, South, West) has their own style of butter chicken. According to her, my recipe is from Southern India.

I've tweeked this recipe through the years, and it's not hard; the only thing you really need to have on hand are the spices... they are the secret to Indian cooking.

Cook:

2-3 Tbsp. butter

1 onion

1/4 t. cinnamon

Add and Cook:

2 t. garlic

2 t. ginger

1/2 t. turmeric

1-2 t. chili

1 T. coriander

Add and Cook:

2 c. chicken, cubed

Add and Simmer:

1/4-1/2 ground almonds

8 oz. diced canned tomatoes

1 T. ketchup or tomato paste

Add and heat through:

1/2 c. plain yogurt

Serve over rice or quinoa!

Puff Pastry Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie has always been one of my favorite comfort foods. And this recipe emerged out of my love of puff pastry. Even though we have a low-wheat diet, I am unable to resist all that flaky buttery goodness. So, I combined two of my favorites into one yummy meal. Hope you like it too!

1 package puff pastry, thawed to room temperature
1 pie crust (I used Tenderflake)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
1/8 t. thyme
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. almond milk, original
2 c. cooked chicken (or turkey), cubed
1/2 c. frozen veggies (peas, corn, green beans, or whatever  you have on hand)
1/2 c. fresh carrots, sliced

Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Blend in flour, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook over low heat, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in chicken broth and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute or until thickened. Add in chicken and vegetables.

Pour into pie crust. Cover with puff pastry, folding edges under. Bake 30 minutes or until golden.

Chicken Philly over Garlic Toast

Last weekend we went to this dodgy little restaurant at the edge of town where, surprise, surprise, they had the best food. I ordered the chicken philly, and after I had eaten it, and feeling rather satisfied (sigh), I thought, "Hey, I could make this at home!", and maybe, just maybe, make it a little tastier (enter the garlic toast).

Here's my version!

1 whole chicken breast

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 red pepper, sliced

1 onion, sliced

1 c. of mushrooms, sliced

salt and pepper

1 loaf of garlic bread

Mozzarella cheese, or cheese substitute (enough to cover the bread)

Poach the chicken by placing in a pan of water (careful not to cover the chicken). Cook on medium-high heat until the chicken is done (this doesn't take too long).

Meanwhile, in a separate pan, saute sliced peppers, onions, and mushrooms in olive oil until soft.

Put your garlic toast in the oven to broil. Don't burn it!

Remove cooked chicken and let cool enough that you can handle it. Slice it into strips across the grain.

Take your garlic toast and top it with melted cheese. Place it back in the oven for the cheese to melt.

Put the chicken on the toast, and top with the vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper, and add another piece of bread to make a sandwich, or leave it open-faced. My husband likes his with Frank's Red Hot Sauce.

Chicken Spaghettini

This recipe calls for Spaghettini, but I use whatever pasta I have on hand.

2 chicken breast halves

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, finely chopped

3 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 Tbsp. dried Tarragon or Basil

3 Tbsp. white wine (but who's counting?)

1/4. c. chicken broth

1 c. almond milk or cream

1/4 t. each salt and pepper

1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley

Parmesan Cheese or substitute

Pasta, enough to feed your crew

Saute chicken in olive oil. Add onion, and garlic. Cook until soft. Add tomatoes and Basil. Pour wine and stock into skillet and reduce by two-thirds. Stir in almond milk, salt and pepper and cook until slightly thickened.

Serve over pasta and top with parmasan.

Adapted from ACES: More Recipes From the Best of Bridge

Quick Thai Curry over Rice

Time to spice it up folks. If you've read my blog for awhile (and thank you if you do!!), you will know that I am a fan of Thai food. What's not to love?? It's spicy, it's sweet, and it's so easy to cook. If you're dairy-free, it is a great choice too, because Thai cooks use coconut milk.

This recipe surprised me a bit, because I wasn't sure mixing sweet potatoes and green beans in a coconut curry would be tasty... I was wrong. This was actually a good combination, and EVERYONE ate it up (even my 3 year old).

When I cook Thai food, I adjust the spice for my younger eaters, only adding enough to enhance the flavor. After I've dished out their food, I add the rest of the spice to the pan. 

If you've never given Thai food a try, all you need is some Red Curry Paste. I buy mine at SuperStore. Coconut Milk is also a must, as well as Basil and Fish Sauce. 

1 (14 oz.) coconut milk

1 c. chicken broth

2 Tbsp. fish sauce

2 Tbsp. red curry paste (be careful, that's a lot)

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

1 c. green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1 Tbsp. lime juice

3/4 c. chopped fresh bail

Salt and pepper to taste

Bring coconut milk, broth, fish sauce, curry paste, and sugar to boil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and simmer until almost cooked. Add potatoes and green beans until tender. Stir in lime juice and basil, season with salt and pepper, and serve over rice.

Adapted from The Best Simple Recipes from America's Test Kitchen



Slow-Cooker Lemon Garlic Chicken

I usually shy away from cooking whole chickens in the crockpot, because the skin doesn't crisp up. This recipe is different though in that you use the skin to hold the herbs in while cooking, and then remove it when it is cooked. You end up with moist, delicious, flavorful chicken, and no soggy chicken skin (bluk). I served this with coined sweet potatoes that I steam-sauteed in olive oil and butter! Yum!

ANYWAY, I'm not one to re-invent the wheel, so here's a link for this great recipe! Cheers!!

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-slowcooker-lemon-garlic-47100

Classy Chicken

This is one of those recipes that has always been a stand-by for me. Not only is it easy, but it is SO yummy. If you haven't ever had it before, here's the recipe!

3 c. fresh/frozen brocolli or asparagus

2 Tbsp. oil

1 whole chicken breast, chopped into cubes

1/4 t. pepper

Lightly steam fresh brocolli or asparagus (I find that frozen brocolli doesn't need to be pre-cooked). In a frypan, heat oil, sprinkle chicken with pepper, and cook until done.

In a separate bowl, combine:

1/2 c. mayo

1 tsp. curry, or to taste

1 tsp. lemon juice

10 oz. dairy-free cream of chicken soup

In a casserole dish, place steamed brocolli topped by chicken. Pour mayonaisse mixture over top, and top with 1/2 – 1 cup grated cheddar cheese or cheese alternative. Bake in 350 oven until bubbly, around 30 minutes. Serve over rice or quinoa.

Sauteed Chicken with Mustard and Dill

There's just something I love about mustard and chicken together. It is so yummy to me. When I saw this recipe, I knew I just had to try it. And I wasn't disappointed. The sauce was plate-licking good!

1/4 c. flour

4 boneless skinles chicken breasts

salt and pepper

2 Tbs. oil

1 shallot, minced

3/4 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. dry white wine, or apple juice

3 Tbs. unsalted butter

2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill

1 Tbs. whole grain mustard

Pat chicken dry with paper towel, and dredge in flour (I used kamut). Fry in 1 Tbs. oil over medium-high heat, until golden brown (about 5 min. each side). Transfer to plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Set aside. Add remaining 1 Tbs. oil to pan. Fry shallot (I used a yellow onion, diced fine) unti softened. Stir in broth and wine. Simmer until slightly thickened . Remove from heat and whisk in butter, dill, and mustard (I used dijon). Season and spoon over chicken. I served this with sauteed spinach. Yum!

Honey Mustard Chicken

This is a combo that just tastes good all the time! And so easy too!

3 garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 c. butter
1/4 c. mustard

1/2 c. honey
4 chicken breast halves

Saute garlic in butter. Stir in mustard and honey and remove from heat. Place chicken in a 8x8 glass baking dish and pour sauce over. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes at 375. Serve over rice, and with your favorite green veggie.