chicken Archives - The Midnight Baker

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Pasta

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 23:00:37 +0000

Copycat Olive Garden chicken and pasta is a delicious slow cooker dinner that’s easy to make.

Copycat Olive Garden Chicken And Pasta: It’s As Good As They Say!

I believe this one originated on Tik Tok. There’s a lot of recipes that go viral from there just like that feta and tomato pasta. There’s a reason they become viral; they’re usually easy and very tasty. This copycat Olive Garden chicken and pasta is no different.

This recipe makes a lot so if you have family who have huge appetites–meaning teenage boys–then there won’t be any leftovers. For lighter appetites there will be leftovers but hear me out here–this tastes even better the next day! I usually dislike any reheated chicken, but this is very good.

The Pasta

That would be any tubular shape you like. I used penne here but ziti, rigatoni or elbows will do just fine. So will small or medium shells. As always, use what you have.

One thing here is this is not a total slow cooker recipe. You cook the pasta conventionally. I’d like to try this where you’d let the pasta cook along with everything else, but there’d have to be more liquid added in order to cook the pasta. The recipe doesn’t have that much liquid so there’d have to be adjustments. You might be able to get away with it if you used regular egg noodles, but I’m not sure. So if anyone feels like experimenting, please let me know your results.

The Sauce

The sauce is pretty simple. It’s broth, salad dressing and cream cheese.

The recipe calls for the brand-name Olive Garden dressing. I was careful to use that because in a comparison of other Italian dressings on the store shelf, it looked somewhere between the creamy and traditional varieties. Since I want something I make to come out as it should, initially I will use exactly what’s called for in the recipe. The good thing here is you don’t use the entire bottle so you can pop it in the fridge to either use on salads or for another time you make.

Personally, I found the finished product a bit on the dry side so I just added a bit of cream to make it more juicy.

The Recipe

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Copycat Olive Garden Chicken and Pasta

Easy and delicious

Prep Time10

Cook Time4

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: olive garden chicken, olive garden copycat chicken recipe, slow cooker chicken and pasta, tik tok chicken

Servings: 6

Calories: 741kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1.5-2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
8 oz Olive Garden Italian dressing from a 16oz bottle
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese jarred is fine too
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp of parsley
1/4 cup of melted butter
8 oz Chicken broth
4 oz heavy cream
8 ounce block of full fat cream cheese
16 ounces penne pasta

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Add the chicken breasts to the bottom of your slow cooker.
In a separate bowl, mix the Olive Garden Italian dressing, cream, butter, broth, parmesan, pepper & parsley until combined.
Pour the mixture over the chicken breasts
Place the cream cheese on top.
Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 5-6 hours.
When the chicken is tender boil your pasta according to box directions and drain.
Shred the chicken with 2 forks mixing everything together.
Toss the pasta in with the chicken and sauce and sprinkle with extra parmesan cheese if desired.

Nutrition

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Firecracker Chicken

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 16 Jul 2022 23:00:33 +0000

Despite it’s name, firecracker chicken is not hot. It’s name is homage to a British holiday.

Firecracker Chicken–Easy!

Firecracker chicken is one of the easiest and tastiest chicken dinners you ever will eat.

The name is a bit misleading. This chicken will only be as hot as you want it to be.

It gets its curious name from a major British holiday–Bonfire Night. Long story short, there are many fireworks displays, hence the name. Bonfire Night used to be called Guy Fawkes Day. Guy Fawkes attempted to burn down the Houses of Parliament. The holiday is in November. That concludes the British history lesson; now onto this scrummy chicken.

High-Quality Paprika A Must

The major flavor of this chicken is the smoked paprika. You definitely don’t want any cheap or dollar store stuff here. There are great varieties available in most grocery stores. This is something I buy online because to me this is the best paprika ever. Chiquilin also offers mild and hot paprika. All are excellent and I’ve used them for years.

The marinade also gets it’s bit of sweetness from maple syrup. Although I’ve never used pancake syrup in this, I suppose it can be substituted for the maple syrup. I prefer the real thing so that’s what I use and besides I live in maple syrup country here in New York so it’s readily available.

Try Wings

This marinade also makes great wings! Don’t hesitate to use it for that. You won’t be disappointed.

Another wonderful feature of this recipe is that the chicken can be frozen in the marinade for future use. It’s really a boon to have this in your freezer so you’ll have a nice tasty dinner.

Here’s another tip–make sure you line that baking sheet for easier cleanup. And…this is easily adaptable to the air fryer. Just reduce the temperature to 400 F/200C and check for doneness at 20 minutes for drumsticks. You will have to keep your eye on it, but it’s worth it.

The Recipe

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Firecracker Chicken

Great sweet smoky flavor

Prep Time10

Cook Time40

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: British

Keyword: Bonfire Night recipes, smoky chicken marinade, sweet smoky chicken

Servings: 4

Calories: 561kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken parts i.e. 12 drumsticks
Salt & pepper

Marinade:

2 tbs smoked paprika
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs maple syrup
6 tbs olive oil
2-3 drops Tabssco optional use more for more heat

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Sprinkle the chicken parts with about 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.
Combine marinade ingredients in a small bowl. The Tabasco is optional if no heat is wanted, but if you do, use as much as you like.
Place the chicken parts in a plastic zipper bag and pour in the marinade. Shake the bag to coat all the pieces. Place the chicken in the refrigerator to marinate at least 30 minutes but overnight and up to a day is preferred. The chicken can also be frozen in the marinade for future use.
To cook: Preheat oven to 425F/220C. Place chicken on a baking sheet lined with non-stick parchment. Pour any leftover marinade over the chicken. Bake for 30-40 minutes depending on the size of the pieces. For instance, drumsticks take about 30 minutes and thighs take about 40 minutes.

Notes

See post body for air fryer method

Nutrition

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San Marzano Chicken Cacciatore

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 11 Jun 2022 23:00:29 +0000

This special variety of tomatoes makes this San Marzano chicken cacciatore extra special.

San Marzano Chicken Cacciatore

Sometimes it’s funny when you realize how long it’s been since you’ve eaten something that you enjoyed so much. That was the case here. A recent bout with sciatica left me chair bound with a heating pad planted firmly on my butt. There was not much else to do than binge watch movies and shows. So, I re-watched The Godfather and there was some chicken cacciatore.

Since I was reading all the hype about San Marzano tomatoes and how awesome they were, I decided to make San Marzano chicken cacciatore.

I usually buy the store-brand canned tomatoes. They’re good and they’re inexpensive. San Marzano tomatoes will at first produce some sticker shock because they’re expensive; almost twice the cost of the store brand. Are they worth it? A big YES there. However I only use them when the flavor of tomatoes is the dominant flavor.

The Chicken

Chicken cacciatore is a stew. In fact, it’s sometimes referred to as “hunter’s stew.” And just like beef stew, using a less tender and more inexpensive cut of beef to get the best flavor, the same applies here with the chicken.

Dark meat produces the very best flavor. Because the flavor is everything, you’ll want skin and bone chicken. Boneless skinless breasts won’t produce the flavor necessary; it will be rather bland with the taste of the chicken completely overpowered by the tomatoes. Bone-in skin-on chicken breast would work a little better but won’t be as good as thighs and drumsticks.

Fresh Basil

Using fresh basil is important here.

You don’t let it cook with the sauce. You stir it in when the chicken and sauce is done. It adds a lovely pop of color because it’s still bright green and gives a bolder flavor to the sauce because it’s not cooked down.

If you don’t grow basil yourself, it’s readily available in supermarkets.

The Recipe

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San Marzano Chicken Cacciatore

San Marzano tomatoes make the sauce extra-special

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: chicken cacciatore with san marzano tomatoes, hunters chicken, italian chicken stew, san marzano tomatoes

Servings: 4

Calories: 578kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 chicken leg quarters separated into thigh and drumstick
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup flour
3 tbs olive oil

Sauce:

28 oz San Marzano tomatoes
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 small onion chopped
3 cloves garlic minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Dredge chicken in the flour and brown well on both sides; remove to a plate.
In the same pan you browned the chicken, add the bell pepper, onion and garlic and cook until the onion just begins to get tender. Stir frequently so this mixture doesn't burn.
Add the wine and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half; about 5 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, stock and oregano. Stir well. Add the chicken back to the skillet and turn so it's coated with sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken tests done (160F/80C) about 30-40 minutes.
Stir in the chopped fresh basil.
Serve immediately--nice with pasta.

Nutrition

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Air Fryer Pickle Chicken

Judith Hannemann — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 23:00:10 +0000

Save that pickle juice to make this air fryer pickle chicken!

Air Fryer Pickle Chicken

At first this sounded crazy to me. However, I got to thinking how the composition of pickle juice would make a great marinade. And besides, it comes from Meredith Laurence who is also known as The Blue Jean Chef. I like her recipes so I decided to give this a whirl. I wasn’t disappointed–far from it in fact.

There are some slight deviations from her original recipe, but nothing very major. Since I rarely make my own pickles anymore, I opted for using commercially packed dill pickles–the ones that are shelf stable, not the refrigerated variety. Meredith gives a brine you can make yourself on her site which you may want to use because it’s clear.

A Word About Marinating

A rule of thumb is that marinating for longer produces a better flavor. That’s true here as it is with other meats.

I marinated this for about 10 hours, which is a bit more than “overnight.” And the flavor of the pickle juice really flavored the meat, so I suggest you let it sit for at least 8 hours.

One thing that I noticed was that the chicken had taken on a chartreuse color like the pickle juice. It actually looked radioactive–but don’t let that put you off. The chicken gets a breading so you won’t see it, but if you think that may be an issue (it would have been with my late husband), then I suggest you use Meredith’s formula for your own pickle juice since it’s clear.

Air Frying

The chicken is air fried in batches, which makes sense if you have a basket-style fryer, but it’s final cooking is done with the chicken stacked. Again, I thought this was weird, but as I said before, I trust her recipes and it came out perfectly. Of course this won’t be an issue if you have an oven-style fryer where you can use two racks.

The Recipe

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Air Fryer Pickle Chicken

Surprisingly delicious

Prep Time20

Cook Time47

Marinate5

Course: Dinner, Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer chicken marinated in pickle juice, chicken brined in pickle juice, using leftover pickle brine

Servings: 4

Calories: 743kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

3.5 lb chicken legs bone-in and skin-on cut into drumsticks and thighs, 4 whole legs
pickle juice from a 24-ounce jar of kosher dill pickles
1/2 cup flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
2 tbs oil
1 cup fine breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
vegetable or canola oil in a spray bottle

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place chicken in a large zipper freezer bag and pour in the pickle juice. Seal bag and refrigerate overnight.
Let the chicken come to room temperature before you are ready to cook.
Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Whisk the eggs and the 2 tablespoons of oil and place in another shallow dish.
Preheat air fryer to 370F/185C.
Remove the chicken form the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Dredge the chicken in the flour then dip it into the egg mixture and then press it into the breadcrumb mixture coating all sides. Place the breaded chicken on a baking sheet and spritz with oil liberally.
Air fry the chicken (in shifts) 10 minutes on one side then turn and air fry for an additional 10 minutes. Repeat with the other batch of chicken.
When the second batch is done, place the first batch on top of it and air fry at 340F/170C for an additional 7 minutes or until internal temp is 165F/80C and juices run clean

Nutrition

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Chicken In Bacon Mushroom Cream Sauce

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 23:00:38 +0000

Chicken in bacon mushroom cream sauce is out-of-this-world delicious. Easy to make too.

Chicken In Bacon Mushroom Cream Sauce

If you’re looking for a really deliciously gourmet meal that’s easy to make, this recipe is for you.

While it’s fancy enough for a “date night” or guests, it’s equally great as a weeknight family meal. The reason for that is that it is easy.I know I say this a lot but some of the best-tasting meals are those with the simplest ingredients and are ridiculously easy. That pretty much sums up this recipe. And I bet you have most, if not all ingredients on hand too!

Chicken Thighs

I used boneless skinless thighs for this. The original recipe called for skin on, bone in thighs. Honestly, that’s what I prefer but I had a package of the boneless skinless in the freezer so that’s what I used. And my followers know my mantra of “use what you have.” In this recipe, I feel the boneless skinless actually work a bit better. Since the sauce contains cream and bacon, the extra fat would probably detract from the flavor. Trust me, I’m NO health nut but sometimes fat is overkill. Personally, I’d rather have bacon and cream than chicken fat. Don’t think I’m alone there.

Chicken breast would work just as well. I’m sure mostly everyone has these in their freezer as they are on sale quite frequently. However, if you do opt to use boneless skinless breasts, I’d advise pounding them down with a meat mallet so the thickness is pretty much even. That way, you won’t have the thin parts overcooked.

Don’t Like Mushrooms?

Simple–leave them out and this dish is just as good.

You can always add some spinach or peas if you leave out the mushrooms. In fact, either of those would be a great addition even with the mushrooms.

The Recipe

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Chicken Thighs in Mushroom Bacon Cream Sauce

Simple and delicious chicken

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy gourmet chicken dinners, one-dish chicken dinners with cream sauce, one-skillet dinners with chicken

Servings: 4

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 tbs oil divided
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp Italian seasoning
6 oz sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup white wine or vermouth
5 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Sauce:

5 slices bacon cooked chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Season chicken thighs with the salt, pepper & Italian seasoning.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet and brown chicken over medium-high heat on both sides; remove from pan.
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same skillet and sear the mushrooms until they begin to brown. Deglaze the pan with the wine. Add the thyme and the chicken back to the pan. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until the chicken tests done.
Remove the chicken from the pan and add the bacon, cream and salt. Cook over medium heat until the sauce is reduced about 50 percent and it coats the back of a wooden spoon.

Notes

For UK/EU readers--the bacon used in this recipe is streaky bacon.

Canned mushrooms may be used if you don't have fresh.

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Honey Garlic Sesame Chicken

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 00:00:08 +0000

Skip the takeout and make this honey garlic sesame chicken in your own kitchen.

Honey Garlic Sesame Chicken–Take Out At Home

Honey garlic sesame chicken is one of the top take-out dishes at Asian restaurants. You can see why when you taste it!

Now you can skip the take-out joint and make this dish in your own kitchen. First, you know exactly what’s going into what you eat. To me that’s really important.

It’s very easy to make but there are a couple of steps involved. They’re not hard and not really time consuming. One step can be eliminated if you don’t mind the battered chicken not being super crispy. However the extra step for the crisp coating for me is a given. That’s why I recommend it being done.

Double Frying

That’s right; the chicken is fried twice.

This added step makes the batter super crispy so it doesn’t get soggy when tossed with the sauce. Of course, it is supposed to be served immediately. Trying to keep this warm will defeat the purpose of the second fry.

If you have to hold it to keep it warm, then eliminate the second fry time. You can also eliminate that step if you don’t require the coating to be very crunchy.

Breasts Or Thighs

I tend to use boneless skinless thighs when doing anything battered and fried that’s Asian. The meat seems to hold up better, has more taste and is tender without having to velvet it.

If you use boneless skinless breasts then I would advise velveting the meat. It’s pretty easy and uses a common ingredient–baking soda. For each half pound of meat (225 g) sprinkle it with 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda, toss to coat and let it stand for 20 minutes. Then rinse the meat well and dry it on paper towels and proceed with the battering and frying.

The Recipe

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Honey Garlic Sesame Chicken

Forget takeout and make it at home

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: asian sesame chicken, authentic sesame chicken, take-out style sesame chicken

Servings: 4

Calories: 1408kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs cut in bite-sized pieces
2 tbs cornstarch
2 cups oil for frying
2-3 tbs sesame seeds
1 green onion sliced for garnish

Batter:

1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 egg white
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Sauce:

1 tbs oil
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1/3 cup honey
3 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs sesame oil
1 tbs rice vinegar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat in a large deep skillet or dutch oven to 350F/180C.
Toss chicken in the 2 tbs cornstarch so that all pieces are coated.
Combine all batter ingredients in another bowl and whisk well so there are no lumps. Place chicken in the batter and coat well,
Add about 8-10 pieces of chicken to the hot oil, letting excess batter drip back into the batter bowl. Fry for 8 minutes then remove chicken to drain on a rack. Repeat until all the chicken is fried. Keep the oil hot because you're double frying the chicken so it doesn't get soggy.
Meanwhile, make the sauce by heating the 1 tbs of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds--don't let the garlic burn,'
Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes making sure to watch it and stirring frequently. Don't let the honey burn. Keep the sauce warm over low heat.
Now refry the chicken--again in batches--for 3 minutes or until it begins to get golden brown. Drain on rack as before.
Add the chicken to the sauce and toss to coat. Place chicken on a serving platter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and sliced green onion.

Notes

Chicken breast may be substituted, but see post for directions.

Nutrition

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Sheet Pan Honey Dijon Drumsticks

Judith Hannemann — Sun, 13 Mar 2022 00:00:23 +0000

Sheet pan honey dijon drumsticks are a great way to use this chicken part. Pair them with roast potatoes of the same flavor and you’ve got a dinner hit.

Sheet Pan Honey Dijon Drumsticks: Sheet Pan Dinners Rule!

Yes they do; which is why you see so many of these recipes!

These sheet pan honey dijon drumsticks with roast potatoes are no exception. First and foremost, is the wonderful flavor. Nothing really beats dijon mustard mixed with honey when it comes to chicken.

This is also a good way to use up any chicken drumsticks you have hanging around. Of course it can be made with other parts. It will just require a longer cooking time.

I ended up with a lot of drumsticks when I misread a quantity of packages when I ordered some gourmet chicken. I thought I was ordering four packages of four drumsticks but what I got was four boxes of four packages. OMG!!! So I was looking for ways to use them. This was one way to do that.

Potatoes

In this recipe, it’s more convenient to use those mini potatoes because all they require for prep is to cut them in half. They are more expensive but I was lucky enough that they were on sale so had them on hand.

Of course you can take larger potatoes and cut them in chunks about the same size as the minis. I wouldn’t peel the larger ones either. I’d just scrub them well before using them.

Try to stay away from mealy potatoes such as russet and maris piper (UK equivalent). Here you need a waxy textured potato so it stands up. They don’t have to be Yukon gold; other potatoes of similar texture will be fine–red potatoes for instance.

Grain Mustard

The recipe also calls for grainy mustard. Don’t skimp here–and you know I rarely say this. The grainy mustard is there for a texture and a flavor.

Personally, I love the stuff and add it to a lot of things I cook. Mixed with some mayonnaise, it’s a wonderful sandwich spread. I also add it to my deviled eggs when I have it on hand.

Even though it’s a bit pricy, you will get your money’s worth from it.

The Recipe

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Sheet Pan Honey Mustard Chicken with Roast Potatoes

Gourmet sheet pan meal

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: gourmet sheet pan meals, grainy mustard, honey mustard sheet pan chicken

Servings: 4

Calories: 577kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 tbs Dijon mustard
2 tbs + 2 tsp. honey
1/3 cup plus 3 Tbs olive oil divided
8 chicken drumsticks patted dry
2 1/2 tsp kosher salt divided
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper divided
1 1/2 lb baby Yukon Gold potatoes halved
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 garlic clove finely minced
3 tbs fresh lemon juice
4 tsp whole grain mustard

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Place a rack in top third of oven; preheat to 375°F. Whisk Dijon mustard, 2 Tbs honey, and 1 Tbs oil in a medium bowl to combine. Season chicken on all sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Transfer to bowl with honey mustard and toss to coat.
Toss potatoes, 2 Tbs oil, 1 tsp salt, and remaining 1/2 tsp pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange drumsticks (skin side up) in the center of pan; discard excess marinade.
Arrange potatoes around outside of pan in an even layer, then turn cut side down . Arrange thyme over potatoes. Roast until chicken and potatoes are golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165F/85C, 30–40 minutes.
Whisk garlic, lemon juice, whole grain mustard, and remaining 1/3 cup oil, 2 tsp honey, and 1/2 tsp salt in a small bowl. Divide chicken and potatoes among plates. Drizzle dressing over chicken, and potatoes

Nutrition

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Andalusian Chicken

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 15 Dec 2021 00:00:36 +0000

Andalusian chicken is the answer when you want gourmet quickly.

Andalusian Chicken: Quick Gourmet

Who else binge-watches old shows to feel nostalgic? I’m pretty guilty of that on days I just slouch around.

This time it was some ancient “French Chef” episodes. Admittedly I enjoyed Julia Child for her editorial comments. However, there’s plenty to learn in her shows even for experienced cooks.

The episode that featured this delicious recipe hailed from the 1970s. It’s title was something about “working guys and gals.” It was in that era that women were actively back in the job market. And lest we forget that plenty of men live alone and have to eat too, she featured two recipes that can be made in a jiff and were tasty and gourmet to boot.

Updated For Today

Back in the 70s, there weren’t the myriad of products that are available today.

When it came to tomatoes, you had fresh, of course, but canned was only whole plum or crushed. When she demonstrated this, Child used fresh tomatoes. She skinned them and seeded them then made concasse. You don’t have to bother with that now as you can buy many varieties of diced tomatoes. Here I used a can of petit diced. The fire-roasted variety would add even more flavor, but I didn’t have any in the pantry so I used what I had–my mantra.

She also boned and skinned her own chicken breasts. With boneless skinless breasts on sale so much, you don’t have to bother with that either.

As for shallots, surprise, I had some. Julia Child always recommends green onions/scallions as a substitute. If you have neither, use onion. It works.

Tarragon

I love the flavor of tarragon with chicken. I used the stuff in the jar because even though I grow it, my hydroponic garden where it was growing petered out.

A great substitute for the tarragon would be basil–either fresh or from the jar. It goes well with chicken and with tomatoes, it’s a natural. Oregano or Italian seasoning are great substitutes as well.

The Recipe

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Andalusian Chicken

Gourmet chicken in a dash

Prep Time15

Cook Time20

Course: Main, Main Course

Cuisine: French

Keyword: chicken with tomatoes, french chicken recipes, quick gourmet chicken dinners in one skillet

Servings: 4

Calories: 308kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

4 medium boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/3 cup flour
1 tbs butter
1 tsp oil

Sauce:

2 tbs finely chopped onions or shallots
15 oz can petit diced tomatoes drained
1/4 cup dry white vermouth or dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream or creme fraiche
1/2 tsp tarragon
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pound chicken breast with a meat mallet between 2 sheets of plastic wrap so they are an even thickness--about 1/2-inch/1.25-cm. With smaller or thinly sliced breasts this may not be necessary.
Heat the oil and the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the chicken in the flour then brown on both sides in the hot skillet. This will depend on the size of the chicken breast but about 4-5 minutes each side would be a good estimate. Don't overcook!
Remove the chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Add the onion/shallot to the hot skillet in which you browned the chicken. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Add the remaining sauce ingredients. Stir this well and cook over medium-high heat until the sauce is reduced about 50 percent. It should be thick enough to coat a spoon.
Add chicken back to pan to heat through.

Notes

Chicken stock can replace the vermouth/wine

Nutrition

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Slow Cooker Crack Chicken

Judith Hannemann — Wed, 03 Nov 2021 00:00:02 +0000

Slow cooker crack chicken may not be the most elegant meal you serve, but it’s really delicious and great comfort food.

Slow Cooker Crack Chicken–Comfort Food

While a slow cooker is an all-season method of cooking, almost everyone immediately thinks of fall and winter as the time to cook in one. I imagine that’s because stews, pot roasts and soups are warm comforts when the weather turns in.

Since the weather by me is definitely turning in, I dusted off my slow cooker to make this crack chicken. In fact I could think of nothing else to eat since I saw Sarah from The Magical Slow Cooker post her recipe. And if you’re looking to use your crock pot more than you do, bookmark her site!

I’ve based my recipe off of hers but I substituted some ingredients that tailored it more to my taste and on ingredients I had on hand.

Thighs Or Breasts?

Since thighs and breasts–especially the boneless skinless variety are pretty much interchangeable in most recipes.

I have both on hand in my freezer but when it comes to slow cookers, I prefer the thighs. I find chicken breast gets a bit to dry for my tastes so I opt for the thighs. Again, it’s a matter of what you have on hand and personal taste. Although in this recipe, with the creamy sauce that makes itself as the dish cooks, breast will probably work just as well and not be too dry.

If You’re Watching Your Sodium…

This may not be the dish for you if you have dietary restrictions for sodium. However if you want to reduce the amount of salt just for personal taste and/or your sodium-restricted diet is not too severe, there are measures you can take.

I have no dietary restrictions but the older I get, the less I like salty-tasting food. The cheese is pretty salty and since I didn’t want to eliminate that, I tried to do it elsewhere. I make my own ranch seasoning and I make that salt-free (recipe link is in the ingredient list) and I used a sodium-reduced soup and I have a recipe for making your own condensed cream soups too if you want to make it yourself. In fact since condensed cream soups are used a lot in slow cooker recipes, you may want to bookmark my recipe–and remember you can make them with no salt too.

The Recipe

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Slow Cooker Crack Chicken

Easy peasy family meal for a chilly night

Prep Time5

Cook Time7

Course: Main, Main Course, Slow Cooker

Cuisine: American

Keyword: crockpot crack chicken, slow cooker dinners using chicken thighs

Servings: 6

Calories: 498kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup ranch seasoning mix or 1 packet of store bought
8 oz cream cheese cubed
1 can 10.5 oz cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup crisp bacon diced
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced green onions

Instructions

Place chicken thighs in a single layer at the bottom of a slow cooker (mine is 7 qt).
Sprinkle the top of the chicken with the ranch seasoning, then spread the soup on top then finally distribute the cubed cream cheese on top of it all.
Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or high 4-5 hours (times can vary--mine was done in 4 hours on high). Do not lift the lid until the minimum time is up.
Shred the chicken--this can be done right in the slow cooker using 2 forks. Stir in the bacon then top with the cheese. Cover and cook about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with green onion and serve.

Video

Nutrition

The post Slow Cooker Crack Chicken appeared first on The Midnight Baker.

Chicken Corn Chowder

Judith Hannemann — Tue, 31 Aug 2021 23:00:17 +0000

Sometimes you just want soup. This chicken corn chowder can use up leftovers too.

Chicken Corn Chowder–Use Leftovers

This is the perfect dinner to use up leftovers.

So many of us buy rotisserie chicken at the store because it’s delicious and very convenient. Have any leftover? This soup is perfect for those. Made your. own chicken? Any way you made it, again the leftovers are perfect here.

Did you overbuy all that delicious fresh corn? I know I do because it’s just so darn delicious. Since I live very close to a local farm that produces it, I tend to overbuy. Because I buy so much I have quite a bit left over. Usually in the summer I grill it and it just tastes so wonderful in this soup.

Soup Still Satisfies

As I mentioned above, sometimes you just want soup–regardless of the outside temperature.

Sure summer is more for cookouts, salads and cold soups. However, this will still have the taste of summer with all the veggies that are in this chicken corn chowder.

Corn, and end-of-summer favorite is featured prominently in this. Roasted corn will taste the best in this soup so the next time you fire up the grill, grill some especially for this!

The original recipe called for two cans of cream-style corn. It’s very good with that but I made this with fresh corn; it’s much better in my opinion. I suggest you try it both ways. As I said, they’re both good but you can do the fresh corn version in the summer and the canned cream style corn in the winter.

Chicken

Again, the original recipe called for a can of chicken breast and again, I substituted leftover chicken that I had in the fridge.

Either way, the soup is very tasty. The best part is that you can rely on pantry items instead of leftovers and it still tastes wonderful.

The Recipe

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Quick Chicken Corn Chowder

So easy you can't believe it

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: Main, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Keyword: hearty dinner soups, soups made with leftovers, soups using fresh corn

Servings: 4

Calories: 501kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

1 small onion finely diced
1 rib celery finely diced
1 small red bell pepper finely diced
2 tbs butter
2 cups fresh roasted corn or 2 cans 14.75 oz each creamed corn
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1 1/2 cup diced cooked chicken or 1 can (12 oz) chicken breast meat, undrained, large lumps broken up
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 slices crisp bacon for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and red bell pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until tender.
Add the corn, cream, milk, bouillon, chicken and it's juice (if using canned), salt and pepper. Stir to blend.
Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until it's hot but do not boil it.
Crumble bacon and top each serving with equal amounts

Nutrition

The post Chicken Corn Chowder appeared first on The Midnight Baker.