Tag: Chicken

Stuffed Chicken Breast

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Stuffed Chicken Breast

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
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“The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude.”
― Julia Child

This is one of those “I can’t believe healthy tastes so good” recipes and that’s due to it not being your “traditional” stuffing of stale bread and spices.

Now to be honest I don’t have the slightest idea where this recipe first came from but it is one that I have NOT tampered with (much to my wife’s delight) and it is so good that I don’t feel the need to try and change it however feel free to put whatever spin on this dish you like.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 2 boneless/skinless Chicken Breast
  • Handful of Spinach roughly chopped
  • 2 Garlic cloves roughly chopped
  • 4 ounces dried Sundried Tomatoes
  • 8 ounces Goat Cheese 
  • 2 small Shallots – chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. In a non reactive bowl cover the Sundried tomatoes with boiling water and set aside for 20 minutes.
  3. In the thickest part of the chicken breast cut a pocket being careful not to cut all the way through.
  4. Mix the remaining ingredients together and stuff into the pocket of each breast.
  5. Lightly sprinkle the outside of the chicken with salt and pepper and put in the oven for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……….

                         Bon Appetit

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Bacon Wrapped Cordon Bleu Chicken Thighs

 

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Bacon Wrapped Cordon Bleu Chicken Thighs

  • Servings: 8
  • Difficulty: easy
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“your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.”
― Anthony Bourdain

 

I’m not entirely certain that the above quote is appropriate here since Chef Bourdain is considered the “Bad Boy” of restaurant kitchens due to his addictions to various and sundry substances however I tend to agree that in the world of food you definitely should “Enjoy the ride.”

This particular recipe is a playful take on the classic “Cordon Bleu” and with the addition of Bacon how can you go wrong? Now for this one I decided to use chicken thighs since they are inexpensive and if you get skin on/bone in and then skin them/debone them yourself you can certainly save money.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 8 Skin Skinless/Bonless Chicken Thighs
  • 8 slices Deli Ham
  • 8 slices Swiss Cheese
  • 8 Slices Smoked Bacon
  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
  2. Lay the chicken thigh “shiny” side down on a cutting board and sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper.
  3. Layer a piece of ham topped with Swiss cheese on the chicken.
  4. Put the chicken on a piece of bacon and fold until the bacon meets.
  5. Put the chicken, seam side down, on a baking tray and place in the oven for about 35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°.
  6. Enjoy.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……..

                         Bon Appetit

Chicken and Shrimp Burritos

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Chicken and Shrimp Burritos

  • Servings: 4-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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“Nouvelle Cuisine, roughly translated, means: I can’t believe I paid ninety-six dollars and I’m still hungry.”

Mike Kalin

When I picked my grandson up from school today he looked at me and said “Pops……. you know what day this is ? It’s Taco Tuesday!!” Now I love Mexican food….. Carne Asada, Pozole, Chicharone and Taquitos……… but lately I’ve kind of gone off Tacos and decided that I wanted something different—– enter Burritos.

There is something about the mix of meat and rice and seasonings that I find very alluring in a Burrito unfortunately the Mexican take out places we have in the area are so heavy handed with the hot sauce that you can’t taste anything else and so I made my own.

Due to having a bunch of starving kids running amok in the house I took the liberty of some short cuts that I don’t normally use because if I didn’t I surely would have lost my sanity.

Oh and my grandson still got his Tacos.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list: 

  • 1 package of large 10″ Tortillas 
  • 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken breast
  • 12 Shrimp – shelled and deveined
  • 5 teaspoons Vegetable oil
  • One package shredded Cheese
  • 1 8 ounce can Corn kernels
  • 1 10 ounce can Black Beans
  • 6 Spring Onions – white only, sliced
  • 1 18 ounce can Diced tomatoes
  • 3 cups Uncle Ben’s 5 minute Rice
  • 3 cups Water
  • 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons granulated Garlic
  • 2 tablespoons Chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons Smoked Paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 6-8 tablespoons Salsa Verde

Putting it all together:

  1. In a large pot bring the water, corn, black beans and tomatoes to a boil for 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, onions and rice. Cover and remove from the heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
  2. In a large fry pan heat 3 tablespoons oil, add the diced chicken, season with the chili powder, salt, pepper and smoked paprika and saute for about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  3. In the same pan heat the remaining oil, add the shrimp and season with the Old Bay. Saute until firm – about 3 minutes. Add to the chicken.
  4. To build the burrito: Heat a tortilla for approximately 20 seconds. Place some cheese in the center of the tortilla, top with the rice, chicken and shrimp mix, salsa and more cheese. Fold the east and west side flaps of the tortilla until they meet in the middle. Using your thumbs fold the bottom flap up and over and roll until you have made your round burrito.
  5. Enjoy.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond.”

Until next time……..

                          Bon Appetit

Chicken and Orzo stew

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Chicken and Orzo stew

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: easy
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This recipe came about as a result of my daughter and grandson getting sick and asking “daddy/pops” to make something comfy cozy to eat so I went looking and found the base for this recipe at Chicken Farmers of Canada.

Now for those that don’t know me a request of “make me something comfy cozy”will not result in a batch of chicken soup even though there is absolutely nothing wrong with chicken soup. It’s just that I like to come up with tasty alternatives and this one fits that category to a “T” and both my “patients” loved it.

Here then is how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 4 Medium sized boneless skinless chicken breast– cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 Vidalia onion— diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tbsp (15 mL) dried oregano
  • 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
  • 14 fl oz (415 mL) diced tomatoes with juices
  • 4 cups (1 L) reduced sodium chicken stock
  • 3/4 cup of rough chopped Crimini mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup (60 mL) pitted Kalamata olives
  • 1 cup (250 mL) Orzo
  • 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) kosher salt, divided
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • Pinch of Tarragon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Coriander
  • freshly chopped parsley, for serving

Continue reading “Chicken and Orzo stew” →

Chicken Pot Pie Chowder

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Chicken Pot Pie Chowder

  • Servings: 6
  • Difficulty: Easy
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This is one of those “let’s cheat a little” recipes that if you don’t reveal the secret, your diners will never know the difference and it is so easy to make that you can even do it after a long day working in the sun…….. which is what I did. Oh and the secret is to use a combination of fresh, frozen and tinned ingredients.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping List:

  • One to two pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs— diced into one inch cubes
  • Two 12 ounce cans of diced potatoes
  • Four cups frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup All Purpose flour
  • 4 to 6 cups of 2% milk
  • Two to three tablespoons Olive Oil
  • One small loaf of french bread for garlic parmesan crustinis—- optional

Putting it all together:

  1. Heat the oil in a large stock pot or dutch oven
  2. Cook the chicken in batches and set aside
  3. Drain off some of the chicken fat
  4. Melt the butter in the remaining fat
  5. Add the flour and mix well ensuring there are no lumps
  6. Start adding the milk, a little at a time, until a Roux forms
  7. Keep adding milk until you get the desired consistency—- if need be you can add a little water .
  8. Add back the chicken
  9. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir well
  10. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer
  11. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
  12. While the chowder is simmering cut the french bread on the bias, spread on some garlic butter and parmesan cheese and broil for about four minutes
  13. Enjoy.

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond”.

Until next time………

Bon Appetit

 

 

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs

  • Servings: ”6-8″
  • Difficulty: ”easy”
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Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs

 

 

This is one of those “simple but tasty recipes for the grilling season and beyond” that can be done either on the grill or in the oven…… turns out great using either method. I chose to do it in the oven because it was a miserable day outside and I didn’t feel like standing there waiting for things to cook.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 6 – 8 Chicken thighs
  • 6 -8 slices of Bacon
  • Chicken dry rub (see Rubs and Marinades)

Putting it all together:

  1. Coat the chicken with the dry rub
  2. Wrap a slice of bacon around the chicken thigh
  3. Put in the oven or on the BBQ until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160°
  4. Serve with your favourite side

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond”

Until next time………

                        Bon Appetit

 

Balsamic Poached Chicken

Balsamic Poached Chicken

  • Servings: ”4-5″
  • Difficulty: “Easy”
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Was looking for something really really easy to make for dinner today because this past week has been a whirlwind of activity and quite frankly I’m beat . I’m not entirely certain how I happened to stumble onto this recipe but it turned out to be awesome and may have just made me a convert to Balsamic Vinegar so much so that it may also become one of the family favourites.

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  1. 4 – 5 Boneless, skinless chicken breast
  2. 2 Cups chicken broth
  3. 1 Cup Balsamic Vinegar
  4. 1/4 Soya sauce
  5. 2 Teaspoons granulated garlic
  6. 1 1/2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
  7. Salt and pepper to taste

Putting it all together:

  • Place the chicken in a large saucepan but don’t let the chicken overlap
  • Add the remaining ingredients
  • Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer and cover
  • Simmer for 18 – 20 minutes or until the chicken hits 160° internal
  • Serve with your favourite side

There you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond”

Until next time………

                        Bon Appetite

 

Cheesy Italian Chicken Pot Pie

  • Servings: ”4-6″
  • Difficulty: ”easy”
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Cheesy Italian Chicken Pot Pie Facebook

I belong to a Facebook group called International Food Bloggers and the members are constantly posting various and sundry recipes. Some of the recipes are submitted by professional Chefs while most are from like minded people who just simply love to cook and share recipes.

I was surfing through the group postings yesterday when I came across this particular recipe and it intrigued me to the degree that I had to take a further look at it. I followed the link and found myself at www.auntbeesrecipes.com where this particular recipe can be found. I read through the ingredients list and instructions and decided that since I had 95% of the ingredients in the house and I was looking for a “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond” that I would give this one a whirl….. I am so happy that I did. This recipe is just plain awesome!!

Here’s how we do this one.

Shopping list:

  • 1 1/2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce— I didn’t have any so I used some Marinara that I had made.
  • 1/2 cup Bisquick mix
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Putting it all together:

  1. Heat your oven to 400 degrees
  2. Chop the chicken into bite sized chunks
  3. In a large skillet saute the chicken with the dry spices until cooked.
  4. Add the tomato sauce to the chicken and mix well
  5. Add the Parmesan and Mozzarella and mix well
  6. Pour the chicken mix into a greased pie pan or deep dish
  7. In a separate bowl mix the Bisquick, milk, pepper and eggs until well blended
  8. Pour over the chicken mixture and bake for 35 minutes
  9. Sprinkle with the remaining Mozzarella and bake for an additional 5 minutes
  10. Allow to settle/rest for about ten minutes before cutting.

This recipe can be served on its own or as the main part of the meal accompanied by some veggie sides.

There you have it…. another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond”

Until next time.

                       Bon Appetit

Shake and Bake

Shake and bake chicken

  • Servings: 4
  • Difficulty: easy
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Every once in a while I ask my darling other, better?, half what we should have for dinner and a lot of the time I get “Oh I don’t know. Whatever you feel like making” and this statement has a habit of driving me bonkers which, in itself, is a short drive but it doesn’t help when I’m looking for a bit of inspiration. This time, however, she came back with a reply that I have not heard in quite some time——– Shake and Bake!

Now I know some of you are thinking…… Shake and Bake?… really? isn’t that rather pedestrian…… My answer is “not really” especially when you think about “simple but tasty recipes for the grilling season and beyond” and what could be simpler than coating a piece of chicken and putting it in the oven to do its thing and what will set this recipe off from the others is TWO things.

1) The Shake and Bake coating is home made rather than store bought which allows you to make a large batch and use only as much as you need and…..

2) This home made recipe excludes the one thing that most other Shake and Bake recipes have in common——- Olive Oil. That’s right, olive oil. When I was researching this recipe that is the one thing I kept stumbling over and while I don’t have an issue of using olive oil I find it hard to wrap my head around the concept of adding oil to a bunch of dry ingredients and using it to coat my chicken thus increasing my chance of wasting the dry coating.

This recipe, then, is going to be a bit different in that I am substituting Buttermilk for the Olive Oil.

Here’s how this one goes…….

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 Cups bread crumbs
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons chicken dry rub (see rubs and marinades)
  • 2 Tablespoons dry parsley flakes
  • 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4 Chicken legs, backs attached
  • 2 to 3 Cups Buttermilk

Putting it all together: 

  • Pre heat your oven to 375 degrees
  • Place the chicken in a large seal able bag and add the buttermilk.
  • Marinade the chicken for at least an hour
  • Put the coating mix in a large seal able bag
  • Remove the chicken from the buttermilk making sure to shake off any excess and toss with the coating mix
  • Repeat until all the chicken has been coated

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Bung the chicken in the oven (I really need to stop talking like Jamie Oliver) for approximately 45 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.

Add you favorite sides and enjoy.

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So there you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond”

Until next time……….

                                    Bon Apettite 

 

 

Grilled marinated chicken thighs

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This past weekend we had a party to celebrate my grandsons fourth birthday and as is customary at such events there is food…….. usually lots of food and most times that leaves us with leftovers for close friends and family to take home with them. Well such was not the case here since my son, daughters new boyfriend and a buddy of mine from out of town where there. These three would put Locusts to shame so needless to say there was not much leftover and what there was bit the dust at lunch the next day.

Now as chances would have it I had to work until 5 p.m. the next day so that was making it a bit difficult to prepare dinner but also being a wee bit versatile…… yeah that was a blatant plug for myself……… I purchased some boneless skinless chicken breast on the way home, gave it a quick marinade (see dry rubs and marinades) and popped them on the BBQ and since they were boneless and skinless they were finished in no time and  they were also inhaled in nothing flat…… and yes, I did get some for myself…… thanks for asking.

So here is how we do this one………..

Ingredients:

Ten to twelve boneless skinless chicken thighs

Chicken marinade (see dry rubs and marinades)- you could also go so far as to use a store bought BBQ sauce if you wish

Putting it all together:

In a sealable bag or container add the chicken and the marinade

Shake well to coat the chicken and let marinade for at least 30 minutes

Pre- heat the grill to 350 degrees

Grill the chicken until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees

Serve with your favorite sides and enjoy

Now this recipe calls for chicken thighs and I like to use them because I can lay them flat on the grill and it helps speed the cooking process but lets be realistic…….. not everyone likes the thigh so use whatever piece of the bird you wish.

So there you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond”.

So until next time………..

 

                                                          Bon Appetit.