Chicken

Chicken recipes

Cinnamon Chicken Salad Roll
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Cinnamon Chicken Salad Roll

The other day I was surfing the net found myself on Pinterest and came across a recipe for “Pistachio Cinnamon Chicken Salad” from Skinneytaste.com. It was the pistachios that caught my stomach’s eye I have had a never ending love for those nuts and I had a bag in the pantry. I don’t know why I never made this but part of it stuck in my head and I guess you could say my gut took over. I will make her version one of these days. I have to say I never thought about cinnamon and chicken salad but this was great.

Ingredients

  • Boneless chicken breast
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Mrs. Dash seasoning a few sprinkles
  • 1-2  Tablespoons mayonnaise
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 to 1 ½ Tablespoons Myer Lemon juice
  • 2 Organic whole wheat hotdog rolls

How:

Rinse and dry very well chicken breast

Pound the chicken breast to about  ¼”or less. Season with salt, pepper and Mrs. Dash, you could just use the Mrs. Dash alone I just happen to notice it sitting there on the shelf after I already did the salt and pepper. Pan fry with a little oil about 3-4 minutes per side until done. Cover loosely and set aside for about 10 minutes. Rough chop the chicken and combine with mayo, cinnamon, myer lemon juice. Place in hotdog rolls and serve.

pan fry chicken

Pan fry the chicken, dice and combine with other ingredients

Cinnamon Chicken Salad Roll

Cinnamon

cinnamon_health_benefits_sticks

Cinnamon is best known as a spice, sprinkled on toast and lattes. But extracts from the bark of the cinnamon tree have also been used traditionally as medicine throughout the world.

Why do people take cinnamon?

Some research has found that a particular type of cinnamon, cassia cinnamon, may lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. However, other studies have not found a benefit. Studies of cinnamon for lowering cholesterol and treating yeast infections in people with HIV have been inconclusive.

Lab studies have found that cinnamon may reduce inflammation, have antioxidant effects, and fight bacteria. But it’s unclear what the implications are for people.

For now, studies have been mixed, and it’s unclear what role cinnamon may play in improving health.

How much cinnamon should you take?

Because cinnamon is an unproven treatment, there is no established dose. Some recommend 1/2 to 1 teaspoon (2-4 grams) of powder a day. Some studies have used between 1 gram and 6 grams of cinnamon. Very high doses may be toxic.

 

Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken
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Crockpot Rotisserie Chicken

Summer time is time for beer butt chicken which I find a lot easier to make than setting up the Rotisserie on the BBQ and when winter rolls around I could still make it outside but roasting in the oven takes over. Besides I save grilling steaks and fish for winter standing in the snow is a lot better when you only have to flip a steak.  I liked the looks of this recipe when I saw it and the results were pretty darn good for a wicked easy recipe. I did substitute smoked paprika and went strictly with powders and as promised this was great. Next time I might add some brown sugar and try the paste slightly drier.  You should try this if you have a crock pot.

 Ingredients

  • 1 broiler/fryer chicken (3.5-4 lbs.)
  • 2 Tbsp. Smoked Paprika – spicy or mild your choice
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional!)
  • 1 1/2 tsp. onion powder
  • 2 Tbsp. garlic powder or 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper

the rub

How:

Place all of your ingredients in a small bowl and stir in water by the teaspoon until a paste forms. Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray and place the chicken in, breast side down in crock pot. Down rather than up give you moister breast.

Coat the chicken inside and out with the paste. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or on high 3.5-4.5 hours. Make sure the thickest part of the thigh registers at 180 degrees. Wow, how simple is that? You can use the leftover chicken to make a variety of recipes like Rotisserie Chicken Soup, Chicken salad or Chicken club sandwich.

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 100_1246

The only downside and it is minor that I found was the skin was not crispy Next time I will try breast up to see if the skin crisp any – Crispy skin was not as important to me since I mostly do not eat it. Aren’t I the healthy one?  Also my crock pot has a rack will try on that so it does not sit in drippings. Will update as time goes on.

chicken

Served with coleslaw and potato chips.

 100_1246

Adapted from Busy Mom
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Two Leftover Soups – Rotisserie Chicken and Brisket Barley
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Two Leftover Soups – Rotisserie Chicken and Brisket Barley

Lyn got the Flu, you know the one that they just declared an emergency in Boston for the over 700 reported cases, have tents set up outside hospitals in the south you know the Flu that is taking over our nation as the global warming (is real, no it’s not) affects our weather. I am sure that if you listen close enough to the talk shows and pretend real new stations you will hear something like it’s not actually a flu that is causing this it is more that the cost of oranges has risen effecting the supply of vitamin C and if the government would just stop taxing orange skins this would not have happen. Anyway…….

I bought a rotisserie chicken the other day was running late and needed a quick meal when I gazed the aisle of fried food or old pasta dishes and the thought of well-preserved food in the frozen aisle I settled for the rotisserie chicken with the thoughts of making a quick soup for Lyn with the leftovers. The time came to make it and when I pulled it out of the frig noticed the left over brisket the gears started to turn. Chicken soup and beef barley soup.

Note: I really did not measure anything

Chicken Soup

  • Chop a few stocks of celery
  • Chops a small to medium onion
  • A couple of carrots sliced bite size
  • 1 or 2 cloves of garlic
  • Small handful of dried Basel
  • Couple of bay leaves
  • Salt and pepper ( I start with a little and add to taste when done)
  • Large can of low sodium broth
  • Cut up the chicken into 4 pieces
  • Water

Leftover Chicken Soup

How:

Sauté the onions, carrots and celery in olive oil until the onions are tender

Add the garlic stir until you can smell about 30 seconds

Add basil and stir then add broth

Add chicken

Add water to cover

Bring to boil and simmer until done at least 45 minutes

You can cook rice or noodles to serve with

Freezes great

Beef barley soup

  • One carrot rough chopped
  • A few mushrooms rough chopped
  • Small Onion chopped
  • 1 clove Garlic chopped
  • About 1 teaspoon dried oregano it was a good pinch
  • Left over brisket about 1 to 1 ½ cup chopped
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1/4 heaping cup barley

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How:

Saute the onion in olive oil until soften add garlic until you smell about 30 seconds.

Combine everything else in a pot bring to boil reduce to simmer for about an hour

Serve with cilantro on top cause my wife like that

Add barley and simmer for about 30 minutes

You could ad any vegetable you want and if you like crunchy add last 30-20 minutes of simmering.

Barley

barely

Barley is a wonderfully versatile cereal grain with a rich nutlike flavor and an appealing chewy, pasta-like consistency. Its appearance resembles wheat berries, although it is slightly lighter in color. Sprouted barley is naturally high in maltose, a sugar that serves as the basis for both malt syrup sweetener. When fermented, barley is used as an ingredient in beer and other alcoholic beverages.

Two Good Gumbo recipes from our New Orleans Days
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Two Good Gumbo recipes from our New Orleans Days

Two Good Gumbo recipes from our New Orleans Days

Seafood and or Chicken

What is New Orleans without a big bowl of Gumbo ?  Here are two recipes one for the seafood lovers and one for those who are not so crazy about seafood. I found these in the Cane River Cuisine cook book which we got when attending a tour of the plantations festival in Natchitoches, LA. TI was published by one of my favorite customers wife group, while I was with 20th Century Fox. We have had many a good meal either taken for directly or tweaked by us.

Natchitoches_Downtown

Mama’s Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients:

  • 3 large white onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 tbsp. Oil
  • 1 package frozen sliced okra
  • 1 can tomatoes
  • 6 tbsp. Oil
  • 6 tbsp. Flour
  • 2 pounds cleaned deveined shrimp
  • 2 quarts water
  • 1 ½ cups chopped green onion and tops (scullions)
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2 tsps. Thyme
  • Salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and onion salt to taste
  • 6 dashes of tabasco
  • 1 can lump crabmeat
  • 1 16 ounce jar oysters

 

How:

Sauté white onions and garlic in 3 Tablespoons oil. Add okra and cover until okra becomes tender. Add tomatoes. Cook for about 15 minutes. Make a dark roux using 6 tablespoons flour and 6 tablespoons oil. Add 2 quarts water slowly to roux. Stir constantly. Add okra, onion, garlic and tomato mixture. Add chopped green onions and parsley, bay leafs and thyme. Add black pepper, red pepper flakes, onion, salt and tabasco. Let cook on medium heat for 1 ½ to 2 hours, add crabmeat and oysters, Allow to cook 3 to 5 minutes longer, Serves 8 to 10

Cane River

Chicken and Okra Gumbo

Ingredients

  • 1 (2 pound) Fryer
  • 2 or 3 cups cut okra
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 can tomatoes
  • ½ cup oil
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 tablespoons oil or bacon drippings
  • Pinch of sweet basil
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • Salt and red pepper flakes to taste
  • Green onion tops, chopped fresh parsley or parsley flakes

How:

Cut chicken into pieces and boil in about 1 gallon water. Remove and debone. Cook okra, onions, bell pepper and tomatoes in oil slowly for about 30 minutes or until okra is not slimy. Make a roux with 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 tablespoons oil. Add roux, vegetables and chicken to hot chicken broth. Add other seasonings and cook slowly for about 2 hours. Before serving add fresh onion tops and parsley chopped fine. Serve over rice. Serves 6.

Cane River Cuisine

Tex-Mex Muffaletta
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Tex-Mex Muffaletta

This is a recipe that Lyn and I found in some magazine years and years ago, although it has been a little while since I made she brought it up after I told her what my Super Bowl game day recipe was going to be. This is a good one for a help yourself party or event.

We’ve Stuffed our version of this traditional New Orleans sandwich with deli thin slice smoked chicken and Monterey Jack Cheese combined with as Lyn and I call it a the sandwich with the corn salad.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
  • ¼ cup lime juice
  • ¼ cup tomato sauce
  • 2 Tbs. white wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbs. grated lime zest
  • 2 clove garlic minced
  • 1 ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 6 Tbs. olive oil
  • 2 yellow, red and or green pepper diced (nice to mix colors)
  • 1 cup corn kernels
  • 1 larger tomato diced
  • 6 scallions chopped
  • 2 jalapeno peppers, minced
  • 1 round loaf crusty bread, 9” in diameter, 1 ¾ lbs
  • 1 Lb. deli-sliced smoked chicken breast, divided into 3 equal piles (can use turkey if you want)
  • 8 oz. Monterey Jack Cheese. Shredded about 2 cups divided into 3 equal piles

How

Salad

In a bowl mix the first 9 ingredients and then whisk in oil. Add the next 5 ingredients. Set aside

Sandwich

Slice top 1/3 from the bread and set the top aside.

Pull out center leaving ½” thick shell.

Spread 1/3 of pepper mixture on bottom, top with 1/3 of chicken and 1/3 of cheese.

Repeat layers with remaining pepper mixture, chicken and cheese.

Replace bread top

Warp with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours. Server sliced in wedges

This takes about 25-30 minutes to prepare not counting the 8 hour frig time that is.

Serve with some chips and GRONKACAMOLE, Pig Skins  and Beer what else!!

How to put together

slice

QUICK TIP

Use leftover bread from this sandwich to make croutons, bread crumbs or panzanella (Italian bread salad).

Cut top third of bread off and remove all leaving 1/2" cust

Cut top third of bread off and remove all leaving 1/2″ cust

layer with 1/3 corn salad, then 1/3 turkey then cheese continue finishing with corn salad

layer with 1/3 corn salad, then 1/3 turkey then cheese continue finishing with corn salad

replace the top

replace the top

wrap with plactic wrap tightly and refrigerate 8 hours

wrap with plactic wrap tightly and refrigerate 8 hours

remove wrap

remove wrap

Slice

Slice

Serve

Serve

Layers are nice presentation

Layers are nice presentation

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Quick Grilled Rosemary Chicken and Sweet Potato
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Quick Grilled Rosemary Chicken and Sweet Potato

Lyn is on a strict diet and I am on my own for meals but she made me promise to eat healthy and none of those bachelor meals eaten over the sink to save on plates. I feel I have done pretty well for the last two weeks. Only once did I go with a meal of prepackage frozen mac and cheese from Annie’s but it was organic and not bad. I think it is hard to cook for one, not sure about you but I tend to get more inventive no creative when I cook for someone else.  But on the other hand I am more willing to try something if I know that I will be the only one eating who cares if it was a failure, one learns from them.  I started with this grilled chicken, sweet potato and roasted cauliflower on the side. Ok I forgot to take a picture with the cauliflower you caught me.

Ingredients

  • 1 skinless chicken breast split
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic rosemary oil (I had a lot of rosemary from the garden so infused some oil, 1 just rosemary and one with rosemary and garlic)
  • Some fresh chopped rosemary.
  • 1-Sweet potato and cauliflower

How

Rinse and dry the chicken very well

Salt and pepper rub with olive oil

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat the grill to high and clean off the grates

Grill trying only to turn once until done about 160 degree internally about 4-5 minutes per side.

Remove, cover and let sit for at least 10 minutes

Slice against the grain

See recipe for roasting vegetables.

Cook the sweet potato in the microwave so it is partially cooked then finish on the grill

Against the Grain

I not talking about rubbing someone the wrong way, I’m talking about the way to cut most meats so that they are tenderer a better chew if you will. We read it in cookbooks all the time: “Slice thinly against the grain.” But what does slicing against the grain really mean?

  • The grain is the most important characteristic: it is the direction which the muscle fibers are aligned, and properly identifying it can make the difference between tough and tender. Take a close look at your meat, and you’ll see that just like wood, it’s got a grain.
  • Grill marks are probably the lines most often confused with grain. Many a time, I’ve seen some start slicing meat at a 90° angle to the grill marks, rather than to the natural grain of the meat (which may or may not coincide with those grill marks).
  • Can’t see the grain well sometime if you bend the piece of meat you can see it or a thin slice on the end and then look at the cross section for the direction. I can’t tell you how many times I look at the grain precooking and then after I grill it is sometimes hard to tell.
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Coffee and Spice Rubbed Boneless Chicken Breast with BBQ Raspberry Sauce.
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Coffee and Spice Rubbed Boneless Chicken Breast with BBQ Raspberry Sauce.

We bought this Coffee and Spice rub at Williams and Sonoma outlet store and tried it on Steak and fish but it just couldn’t find the right fit. For some reason the combination of this with chicken did not appeal to me so I never went there, but my wife did the other night and we both enjoyed it very much. So yesterday after returning home from Wholefoods with some air chilled chicken breasts I grab one and rubbed it with the Coffee rub, wrapped it and left in frig overnight.   I decided that I would use some of the Raspberry BBQ sauce as a last minute glaze and the combo was very good. Juicy, Tender, Melt in our mouth. This got the two heads bobbing approval from Lyn and I.

Ingredients

  • 1 boneless Chicken breast
  • Coffee and spice rub
  • Raspberry BBQ sauce (I had left over from the Rib Eye steak in the frig)

How

Liberally rub the chicken breast with the coffee rub, wrap and refrigerate. I refrigerated overnight but I think at least 3 hours would work.

Preheat and prepare the grill, I like to rub some olive oil on the grates to help with sticking

Place chicken breast on grill and grill for 4-5 minutes flip and repeat.

Brush on raspberry sauce and grill sauce side down for 1 to 1.5 minutes

Brush on remaining sauce and flip cook about 1 minute.

Note: each grill is different so you will have to determine the length for doneness.

Remove from grill and left sit loosely covered with tin foil for 8 minutes.

Slice and serve.

Ginger, Corn Chicken Soup
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Ginger, Corn Chicken Soup

Saturday was a rainy day and we had lots to do since we both work full time jobs our weekends are probably like yours weekends are for errands and you try to stick something fun in there. Today was movie day we were going to see Dark Shadows having grown up when it was on TV we were both looking forward to it. Well, we give it 2 stars but were basically disappointed. Anyway after the errands we were ready for something warming so I opened the frig and said what to do we have then I remembered that Lyn had torn out a chicken soup recipe so I took a glance and then did my own thing based on this ginger chicken noodle soup recipe from First for women 3/26/12. This was a quick prep and complete meal and good for leftover chicken based.  I thought about adding a pinch of red-hot peppers but the ginger added just the right amount of spice, my version got the two heads bobbing of approval.

Ingredient

  • 1 medium red bell pepper seeded and sliced
  • 1 medium peeled and chopped Vidalia onion
  • 2 cup sliced carrots (about 4 medium to larger)
  • 1 Cup sliced celery
  • 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
  • 1 (1/4” thick) piece of fresh ginger peeled
    • We keep slices in the freezer
  • 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups cook chicken (had some left over)
  • Kernels from two ears of corn maybe a 1 >1/2 cups
  • ½ cup scallions
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro
  • Star pasta – you can use any noodles you want we had these on hand.

How

In saucepan over medium heat cook peppers, carrots and onions in oil for about 3 minutes until tender but still crisp, stirring occasionally.

Add ginger and broth increase heat to high and bring to boil. Reduce to medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes then add the corn kernels and continue to simmer for another 5-7 minutes. Stir scallions and cilantro and let simmer for 2 more minutes. Discard ginger.

While this is simmering cook the star pasta as directed on box. We prefer to keep separate from soup so it does not absorb too much of the liquid.

Scoop some of the star pasts into bowl then some soup sit down and warm your soul.

Brined, Baked and Grilled Root Beer Chicken
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Brined, Baked and Grilled Root Beer Chicken

Ingredients

1 chicken breast bone in

Olive oil to drizzle

Fresh ground pepper

 

As mentioned in my About I  flow of thought writing here is a taste.

How: I had been seeing a lot of articles and recipes for brining chicken for the grill, supposedly it help the chicken retain more moisture. I have only brined a few things and in my head it was the salt it seemed like everything would end up salty. (not true but my head said so)  So I decided to just brine for a short period. I had a chicken breast bone in and placed it in a solution of maybe 1/3 cup maple sugar, a little less than that of kosher salt and then added water to cover. I shook it all about as the old song goes and placed in frig for about ½ hour. I rinsed the chicken well and paper towel dried then rubbed with a little olive oil and fresh ground pepper. The in a 4500 oven for 15-17 minutes down to 300 for 5 minutes turned the oven off and heated up the grill. When the grill was ready I grabbed the Chicken out of the oven and Root bear BBQ sauce I made for the pulled pork, brushed the chicken and place on grill skin side up. I basted every few minutes turned to crisp the skin (which I stole and ate before serving shhhh) when it was about 1650 about 10-15 minutes. I took off grill and loosely covered with foil for about 5 minutes Ok I cheated it was 4 minutes I was really hungry.  I have to say it got the head bobbing up and down approval from Lyn and me, moist and tasty and the sauce just topped it off. I had some grill asparagus left over which I drizzled with some balsamic vinegar and some left over sweet potatoes that Lyn had baked. This was a not so quick but easy work night meal.

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Poached-Chicken Salad Roll Up with Creamy Vinaigrette
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Poached-Chicken Salad Roll Up with Creamy Vinaigrette

Adapted from a recipe from the Tasting Table Test Kitchen

Had to use what I had on hand.

Yield: Serves 4

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

  • Two 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium shallot, halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 10 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 dried bay leaves
  • 2 cups chicken broth or stock
  • 1 cup water
  • 1.5 Tbsp. lemon juice or the left over lemon from juicing

 

  • Whole wheat roll up (low carb)

Salad

  • ¼ cup sunflower seeds or more
  • 2 Tbsp. Lemon juice or juice of one lemon
  • 1 Tbsp. Trader Joe’s Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh tarragon
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 celery stalks–trimmed, peeled and thinly sliced on a bias
  • 3 scallions, white and light green part only, thinly sliced

How:

Poach the chicken: Set the chicken on a plate and season with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Set aside for 20 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan set over medium heat, add the olive oil, shallot and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the shallot is translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the thyme sprigs, bay leaves and remaining 2 teaspoons of salt, then pour in the chicken broth and water.

If using whole lemon, juice the lemon and set the lemon juice aside for the vinaigrette. Add the juiced lemon halves or 1.5 Tablespoons juice to the saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer, then add the chicken breasts and reduce the heat to low. Gently cook the chicken in the broth until it registers 160° on an instant-read thermometer, about 30 minutes. Turn off the heat and cool the chicken in the broth for 10 minutes, then remove the chicken breasts from the broth and set on a paper-towel-lined plate to cool for 10 minutes. When the chicken breasts are cool enough to handle, use two forks to shred them into shards. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, tarragon and salt together. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until all of the olive oil is added and the vinaigrette is thick and creamy. Add the pulled chicken to the bowl along with the sunflower seeds, celery and scallions. Gently toss to coat and serve on roll up, buns or wrapped in lettuce leaves.