Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Stock

This chicken noodle soup makes full use of a leftover rotisserie chicken.  The bones create a rich and flavorful stock and any leftover meat is added to the soup at the end to leave the meat tender and succulent.  The next time you buy a rotisserie chicken make sure to put all of it to use!

Chicken Noodle Soup

stock
1 leftover rotisserie chicken
1 onion
2 stalks celery
2 carrots
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon peppercorns

soup
1 onion, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
4-6 ounces egg noodles
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
salt and pepper

Remove any remaining meat from the chicken and set aside.  Place chicken carcass and any remaining juices in a stock pot and add 12 cups of water, salt and peppercorns.  Next add celery, onion, and carrots.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 2-3 hours.  Remove form heat, strain and discard bones and vegetables.

In a large pot heat a bit of oil.  Add
onion and celery and sauté over medium heat until translucent.  Add carrot, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper, and thyme.  Stir to coat and then add 8-9 cups of stock.  Bring to a rolling boil and then add noodles.  Cook for 6-8 minutes and then reduce heat to a simmer and add shredded chicken meat.  Remove form heat once chicken is heated through and serve.

Chicken and Rice

I've been making this Chicken and Rice dish for a few years now and it has become a go to on nights when there isn't much left in the fridge and I'm looking for a quick one-pot wonder.  I always have chicken breasts in the freezer and I like to add leftover sausage when I have it on hand, but it isn't necessary.  We like to eat it with lots of hot sauce on top!

Chicken and Rice

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
4 cooked sausages, I used Italian style Chicken Sausages*
1 medium onion, diced
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups rice
4 cups chicken stock
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a tablespoon of oil and the butter in a dutch oven or oven safe pot and saute onions for 2 minutes.  Add the garlic and chicken, season with salt and pepper. and cook 4-5 minutes more.  Add all remaining ingredients and bring up to a boil.  Cover and transfer to hot oven.  Cook for 20-30 minutes or until rice is tender.  Remove from oven and fluff with a fork, remove bay leaves, and serve with hot sauce.

*I've found that I like the added flavor from grilled sausages, but I have also added raw sausage in at the same time as the raw chicken and it worked just fine as well.

Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

• We thoroughly enjoyed this Chicken and Gnocchi Soup and everyone is looking forward to having it again very soon.  The kids generally love gnocchi so I made sure to add extra for them.  It was a good call!
• When making this be sure to use dark chicken meat to get the best flavor and definitely use half and half to get the creamy texture.  I also like to store the Swiss Chard separately and add it to the bottom of each bowl before ladling the hot soup over it since I like it to taste super fresh and still have a bit of texture left.
• 
  
• Chicken and Gnocchi Soup
• adapted from copykat.com
• 
  
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 4 Tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 quart half and half
• 1 pint chicken stock
• 1 cup celery, sliced thinly
• 1 cup onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups cooked chopped chicken, dark meat or rotisserie work the best
• 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
• 1-2 cups chopped Swiss chard
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• salt and pepper
• Parmesan cheese and parsley
• 1 package mini gnocchi, cook as directed

• 
  
• Melt butter and oil in a large pot over medium heat.  Add onion, celery, and garlic and cook 6-8 minutes, or until tender.  Add flour and stir to combine, cook 2 minutes more.  Add half and half slowly, bringing up to a simmer and stirring often until thickened and then add broth and heat until it is simmering again.  Add seasonings, chicken, shredded carrot, and gnocchi.  Cook until gnocchi float and chicken is heated through.  Stir in Swiss chard just before serving.  Serve with grated Parmesan and parsley on top.

Chicken Galantine with Sausage Stuffing

A few weeks ago I watched Jacques Pepin debone an entire chicken in just a few minutes and I was totally intrigued. I finally had the chance this weekend to try my hand at deboning a chicken and I'm happy to say it went really well.  I only had to watch this video twice to get the hang of it.  I was so concerned about the deboning process that once I was finally ready to stuff it I realized I had no clue what I was going to stuff it with!  I look around and found some left over bread, two italian sausages, an onion, and some seasonings.  I gave it all a spin in the food processor and hoped for the best.  I'm happy to say it was actually pretty terrific.

The second time I made this I was more prepared and I stuffed it with this country apple and vegetable stuffing which was a bit chunkier and a much more appealing presentation.   It was really great and definitely made dinner feel like a special occasion.    The chicken turned out so moist and tender and the stuffing cooked up perfectly.  I served it with fresh broccoli, gravy, and a wild rice medley which went perfectly with this dish.

Chicken Galantine with Sausage Stuffing ( for Country Apple and Vegetable Stuffing click here)

1 chicken, deboned

2 sausage links

1 medium onion, diced

2-3 slices dry bread, cubed

1 egg

poultry seasoning

salt and pepper

butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lay out your deboned chicken.  In a bowl mix all remaining ingredients except butter and spread onto chicken, making sure to press some of the mixture into the leg cavities.  Roll chicken together, incasing the stuffing, and tie up according to the video linked here.  Baste with melted butter and place in oven.  Insert a digital thermometer and roast for around 1 hour or until center reads 165 degrees, basting with butter every 20 minutes.

*Feel free to experiment with the stuffing, as this is more about the method than following a specific recipe.

* I served both of these with gravy made from the pan juices and stock I made from the bones.

Chicken with Sumac and Onions

This dish is a take on the Middle Eastern chicken and sumac dish called Musakhan.  Traditionally the chicken is cooked in a pan lined with a thin flatbread and baked in the oven, here I leave the bread out and elect to serve toasted pita bread on the side.  The onions cook down and caramelize in the pan creating an amazing sauce that we scoop up with torn bits of warm pita.  This is a family favorite in our home.

Chicken with Sumac and Onions

1 whole chicken
2 large onions, sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup ground sumac
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper

Begin by cutting the chicken apart.  I normally cut it into 10 pieces, wings, legs, thighs, and I quarter the breast portion.  (Save the backbone to make stock out of.)  In a casserole pan mix all ingredients and mix together by hand.  Make sure everything is coated in spices and thoroughly mixed.  Cover and marinate for a few hours or overnight in the fridge.  Bake at 350 degrees for an 1-1 1/2 hours or until onions are tender and chicken is cooked through.  (Sometimes I broil it at the end for a few minutes to brown if necessary.)  Serve with warm pita bread.

Maftoul

Maftoul is a Middle Eastern pasta that is basically a very large version of couscous.  It can be eaten as a side, cooked and added to soups and stews, or made into a salad with lots of fresh vegetables.  Here I have cooked it with onions, spices, and chickpeas and served it with chicken for dinner.

Maftoul

1 1/2 cups maftoul
1 can chick peas
2 large onions, sliced thinly
olive oil
2 large chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch cubes
cinnamon
nutmeg
salt and pepper
parsley (optional)
plain yogurt (optional)

In a large pot add a tablespoon of olive oil and add the onions and a little salt.  Fry the onions over medium until tender and they begin to caramelize.  Remove and set aside.  Season chicken generously with cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and a little pepper.  Add a touch more olive oil to the pot, if necessary, and add the cubed chicken and brown on all sides.  Return onions to pot, reserving 1/4 cup for later.  Add 3/4 of the chick peas and 1 1/2 cups of water.  Simmer until chicken is cooked through and then remove from heat.
In a medium saucepan add a bit more olive oil and the maftoul, remaining chick peas, and reserved onions.  Season with a teaspoon each of cinnamon and salt and enough pepper and nutmeg to taste.  Add enough water to cover the maftoul and bring up to a boil.   Lower heat and simmer 10-15 minutes or until maftoul is tender and then cover and turn off heat and let set 10 minutes more.  Serve maftoul with the chicken and sauce on top and garnish with parsley and a generous dollop of plain yogurt, if desired.

Roast Turkey

I always keep a stocked freezer filled with meats, veggies, breads, jams, and pesto.  I stock up on veggies, jam, fish, and pesto in the summer months when I can get the freshest in-season ingredients and work my way through them as needed.  At points through the year I will get a shipment of lamb, venison, or beef from family or friends and work through those as well.  After Thanksgiving I always buy a couple of turkeys and add them to the stockpile to make sure we have enough variety to keep things interesting.  I took one out the other day to roast it and it fed us for nearly an entire week.

Day One: Turkey, stuffing, brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, and gravy
Day Two: Turkey Pot Pies
Day Three: Turkey Quesadillas
Day Four: Turkey a la King
Day Five: Turkey Sandwiches
Day Six:  Minestrone Soup with Turkey Broth

That's a lot of turkey, but since we ate it prepared in so many ways we hardly noticed we were eating the same protein day after day. ( Hint: Turkey meat can be stored in portions in the freezer and defrosted as needed.)

Roast Turkey
loosely based on "Accidental Turkey" from Ina Garten's new cookbook Foolproof

12-14 pound  turkey
kosher salt
rosemary
1 large yellow onion, quartered
1 lemon, quartered
8 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 stick butter, melted
black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Sprinkle the turkey all over, inside and out, with salt and pepper.  Place the the onion, lemon, and thyme in the cavity of the turkey  Brush the outside of the turkey with the melted butter and place in a large roasting pan with a rack.  Place the turkey in the hot oven and roast for 45 minutes.  Lower the temperature to 325 degrees and roast for 1 1/2 to 2 more hours, or until internal temperature reaches between 170 and 180 degrees.  Remove from oven and tent with foil for 20-30 minutes before serving.

Roast Chicken in a Dutch Oven

The Dutch Oven is one of my favorite pieces to cook with in my kitchen.  It is the perfect pot for soups, stews, braising, or roasting meats.  I also use it for tons of dishes that need to start on the stovetop and then finish cooking in the oven.  This roast chicken is a terrific example of that.  I give the onions a quick sauté before adding the rest of the ingredients and moving everything to the oven to finish roasting.  It turns out a beautifully roasted chicken with tender and moist vegetables creating a one-pot dinner with very little hands-on time.

1 roasting chicken
2 large onions, thickly sliced
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2-3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1 T olive oil
1 cup water
1 T butter
1-2 tsp. rosemary, chopped
salt and pepper

Heat the oil over medium and add the sliced onions and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for 8-10 minutes and then add carrots and potatoes.  Stir vegetables around to coat in oil and then spread them to the outside edges.  Place the chicken in the middle of the pot and add one cup of water.  (The water will help cook the vegetables and keep your chicken moist.)  Season the chicken and vegetables with salt, pepper, and rosemary.  Add a tablespoon of butter to the top of the chicken and then place the entire dutch oven (without the lid) in a preheat 375 degree oven for about an hour and a half (more or less depending on the size of your chicken.  You should start checking the internal temp. after an hour.  Just place the thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone.)  Your chicken is ready when the internal temperature reaches between 165-175 degrees.  Remove from oven and let rest 10-15 minutes before serving.

Turkey Meatballs

I make a pan of these quick and healthy turkey meatballs every couple of weeks and then use them throughout the week for easy meals.  They are great simmered in sauce for spaghetti and meatballs, crumbled in an omelet, this quiche recipe, or made into meatball sandwiches.  They also freeze really well so I can keep the leftovers handy for a quick weeknight meal.

Turkey Meatballs
makes about 52 meatballs (3/4 oz. each)

1 package ground turkey (roughly 1 3/4 lbs)
2 slices bread, cubed
1/2 onion, diced
1 egg
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/3 cup milk
2 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp oregano

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, I find that my hands are the best tool for mixing the meatballs.  Use a tablespoon or a small ice cream scoop to form meatballs.  Place each meatball on a foil or parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 15-20 minutes.

For a quick and easy spaghetti and meatball dinner I drop cooked meatballs in prepared pasta sauce and simmer for 20-30 minutes more.  These meatballs also freeze really well, so I drop the leftover cooked meatballs into a freeze bag and freeze in a single layer.  On a busy night, I can pull the frozen meatballs out and toss them directly into a pot of spaghetti sauce for a super quick weeknight meal

Oven Fries

These oven fries are a delicious addition to any weekend breakfast.  We enjoy them with scrambled eggs and fruit.  They also are stellar with dinner if we're serving fried chicken, chicken fingers, sandwiches, steak, or grilled chicken.  The kids really love these and I like them on the crispy side, but bake them however you like them.  I start checking around 20 minutes or so and spear one with a fork to test.  Make sure they are cooked through, biting into an uncooked potato is the worst.

Oven Fries
3-4 large potatoes
1 T flour
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2  fresh ground pepper
1 tsp.  smoked paprika or "season all"
olive oil - a few glugs
1-2 green onions - reserved

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Wash potatoes and cut into wedges.  Drop onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.  Add all remaining ingredients  and toss with hands.  Spread out into a single layer and bake 25-35 minutes (depends on thickness of potatoes) until potatoes are cooked through and browned on edges.  Pull out of oven and add green onion, I just take a pair of kitchen shears and cut the onions over the top of the pan and serve with ketchup.

Chicken Stew

This chicken stew recipe makes enough to serve a crowd and can be served alone or with biscuits.  It is a hearty stew and the perfect meal for a crisp fall day.  Sometimes I serve this from the pot the first day with salad and then I pour the leftovers into a baking dish for the next day.  I simply bake it in the oven for 20 minutes before topping with these biscuits and baking an additional 20-30 minutes for an easy dinner.

Chicken Stew
4 T butter
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced (boneless thighs work really well too)
1/2 cup flour
5 cups chicken stock
1 bouillon cube
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup whole milk
2 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground pepper

In a large dutch oven or heavy pot melt butter over medium heat.  Add onions and celery and cook until tender, 8-10 minutes.  Add cubed chicken breast and cook an additional 3-4 minutes, don't worry about chicken being cooked completely as it will continue to cook.  Add flour and cook 2 minutes more, stirring constantly.  Heat chicken stock (either on the stovetop or pour into a glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave), add to chicken mixture.  Stir and bring up to a simmer.  Add all remaining ingredients, cover,  and simmer for 20-30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.  (Optional)Add 1/4 cup fresh minced parsley before serving.

Chicken Tacos

I love tacos...mainly soft tacos from Chipotle.  My neighbor and I take the kids there every other week - sometimes more than that.  We don't even have to ask where the other wants to go to lunch...it is always the same because we both like it and the kids, 5 between us, can get something they like and I can get out of there for about $9 on a good day.  Also, they play the music loud enough that no one looks at us twice even with our entourage.
I always get the soft taco and I always make mine the same...rice, beans, carnitas, extra corn salsa, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream.  So when we have tacos at home I always try to recreate my favorite combination.  I've made many tacos at home...but this rendition is right at the top of the list and the closest one to my usual.

Chicken Tacos - serves 4
3 chicken breasts
4 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped or 1 can diced tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
2 heaping teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper
In a medium pot heat a tablespoon olive oil and cook chicken until lightly browned on both sides.   Remove from pan and add onions and garlic.  Cook until softened and translucent.  Add tomatoes and cook an additional 3-5 minutes.  Add all remaining ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.  Remove chicken breasts, shred, and return to pan.
* I have also used leftover cooked chicken or meat from a rotisserie chicken...it works beautifully...just add it in after the tomatoes have softened.

Rice
1 cup jasmine rice
2 cups water
1 Tablespoon butter
juice of 1 lime
salt
Add all ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.  Add a handful of chopped cilantro or parsley for a nice hit of fresh herb flavor.

Pinto beans
I love pinto beans on my taco.  For an easy fix use a can of pinto beans and heat with a teaspoon of cumin and a little extra salt and pepper mixed in.

Pizza : Two Ways

You know those times when you want to try something new for dinner, but you are unsure if the rest of your family will be as excited about a new food?  I have those days often and so I find myself creating a plan B if everything goes badly or compromising like I did tonight.  I knew a Thai Chicken Pizza would be tasty, but I was afraid the kids would shy away from the heat that I wanted it to have.  So, I decided to create pizza two ways.  Their side was a fresh mozzarella and ham pizza and our side was Thai Chicken with a spicy peanut sauce.  Both sides were equally delicious...and a hit with everybody. The kids tried the Thai Chicken side and said they liked it followed up with requests for milk refills!

This is also a great way to get rid of leftover bits in the refrigerator...I had two slices of ham leftover from breakfast, a container of fresh mozzarella balls, a few carrots from a veggie tray, and cilantro from a batch of guacamole.
Pizza : Two Ways

Pizza Dough
1 t active dry yeast
3/4 cup warm water
1 T honey
1 T olive oil
1/2 t salt
2 cups flour
Combine water and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, let stand 5-10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and turn mixer on low.  Continue mixing until all flour is incorporated.  Dough should be firm and not sticky, add a little flour if needed.  Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour.

Peanut Sauce
1 clove garlic
1 T fresh ginger
2 T soy sauce
1 1/2 t sesame oil
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 t honey
1 T chipotle adobo sauce or 1 T sweet chili sauce
Combine everything in a small food processor bowl and process until smooth.

12 oz. fresh mozzarella
2 grilled chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup cilantro
1/4 c chopped peanuts

Heat oven to 500 degrees.  Spread a little cornmeal onto a half sheet pan and roll dough out to the size of the pan.  Place dough in pan and spread half with peanut sauce and the other half with your favorite jarred pizza sauce.  Next top regular pizza side with toppings of your choice.  Finish by topping entire pizza with thin slices of fresh mozzarella and baking until cheese is melted.

Finish Thai Pizza side with grilled chicken, shredded carrot, chopped cilantro, chopped peanuts, and drizzle with additional peanut sauce.  Enjoy!

Pasta with chicken, Spinach, and Broad Beans

I saw this post today and thought that I would try to make something similar with what I had in the pantry.  The kids helped out with the chopping and stirring and we came up with something super tasty that is a new favorite of ours.  They are always a bit skeptical when I use mass quantities of spinach, but they overcame their initial concerns after a small tasting plate.  For dinner they each had a large bowl and ate every.single.bite.  A definite success!

Pasta with Chicken, Spinach, and Broad Beans

1 lb pasta - medium shells, farfalle, penne, campanelle are all good choices
1 T olive oil
1 large or 2 small onions, small dice
1 red pepper, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 large clove garlic, sliced thinly
2 large chicken breasts
1 can broad beans, drained and rinsed
1 can chicken broth
1-5 oz bag of baby spinach, washed
parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions.  While pasta is cooking, add olive oil to a large sauté pan.  Add onions, garlic, red pepper, and carrot to pan.  Saute 3-4 minutes.  Add cubed chicken, salt, and pepper and continue sautéing until chicken is just cooked through.  Add 1/2 of the chicken broth and the broad beans, bring back to a simmer.  Add cooked pasta, all of the spinach, and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese.  Stir until spinach is wilted and cheese is incorporated.  Serve with addition parmesan cheese.
(Add a little more broth or reserved pasta water if pasta seems too dry.)

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

These make a great appetizer...or light entree. I made these along with another appetizer for the four of us and it was a perfect dinner with enough leftover for lunch the following day. Again the recipe is just a guide...I did it by feel...don't be afraid to try a bit of this or a bit of that.

Asian Chicken Wraps
2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, cubed
1 small onion, halved and sliced thinly
1 large carrot, julienned
1/2 green pepper, julienned
vegetable oil
1 T rice wine vinegar
2 T soy sauce
1/4 c teriyaki sauce
1-2 T honey or corn syrup - this is to taste...adjust according to your palette

Cover bottom of skillet with a thin layer of oil. Over medium, slowly cook onions and chicken until onions are softened and chicken is white on the outside. Add carrots and green pepper, you may want to add a splash of water if the pan seems dry. Once vegetables are soft add remaining ingredients and let simmer for a few minutes. Serve with boston lettuce cups.

Chicken Gyros

These chicken gyros really hit the spot the other night. They were full of flavor and all the components work together really well. Warm, cool, soft, crisp. Yum! We liked them so much that I actually served them for a get together I hosted this week. This recipe has a few steps, but everything can be done ahead and assembled just before serving. I actually had everything on platters and everyone just helped themselves which made the meal easy and I didn't have to miss out on chatting since the prep work was all done.

Chicken Gyros

For the chicken:

2 lbs chicken tenders or boneless chicken thighs cut into long strips

2 lemons

salt

pepper

2 T thyme

2 cloves minced garlic

Juice lemons into a ziploc bag and then add in everything else. Zip the bag closed, turn the bag over a few times to thoroughly mix, and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Grill chicken tenders until center is white.

Tzatziki Sauce

1 1/2 cups greek style yogurt

2 cucumbers

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped dill

salt

pepper

2 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste

2 T olive oil

Peel, seed, and chop cucumbers in small chunks. Place cucumbers in a strainer set over a bowl. Add a few pinches of salt and stir cucumbers together. Let water drain for 30 to 45 minutes. Once drained, add everything to a large bowl and stir together. Place in fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Assemble Gyros:

6-8 flatbreads

sliced red onion

sliced tomato

crumbled feta cheese

lettuce

Grill flatbread until warm and toasty. Add grilled chicken and top with tzatziki sauce, and any toppings you like. Wrap in foil for easy handling and enjoy!

Chicken with Paprika

The other night I made this chicken with smoky paprika and it was delicious. It was a little bit smoky and a little bit spicy from the paprika. It was also very tender and juicy since it all cooks evenly throughout.

It was also pretty easy to prepare once you have the chicken processed. Taking the backbone out can be tricky unless you have a good knife or kitchen shears. Once you do have the bone out and the chicken flattened out on your sheet pan the rest is a cinch though. This is a flavorful dish for a weeknight meal. There is very little prep and very little cleanup...that's a keeper.

Chicken with Smoky Paprika

1 whole chicken

2 t salt

1 t freshly cracked pepper

2 t smoked spanish paprika (I use the kind from Penzey's)

1 T olive oil

Remove the backbone from the chicken and lay it flat. (Simply cut clong either side of it by setting the chicken in an upright position or use the shears to cut through the bones.) Press down on it with your hands to flatten it out so that it will cook evenly. Liberally season both sides of the chicken and drizzle with oil. Bake at 425 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Check with a meat thermometer for doneness. Let rest 5-10 minutes before carving.

The Crispiest Chicken Fingers Around

It's been a busy time around our house lately. We've still been cooking up a storm, but we've gone back to home-style classics that are easy to prepare, yet still super tasty. We've made these chicken fingers twice in the past few weeks and they turned out terrific each time. The first time I made them with chicken thighs and last night I made them with breast meat. I have to say that I preferred the tender juicy thighs, but for all of you white meat fans the breasts worked really well also.

You can see we didn't do any fancy-pants presentation last night...straight off the baking sheets. We also had oven fries and I played around with some onions peels as well. I wanted to tell you about the chicken though. The secret to these crispy little bites is that I bread them with panko bread crumbs. Panko is a Japanese style bread crumb. I can get it at the regular grocery store, but if you can't find it in your local shop try a bigger chain like Meijer. I simply dipped the chicken in egg and then rolled it in panko mixed with a bit of Season-all. I finished it off by frying at 350 degrees until golden. We dipped these little morsels in honey-mustard sauce, but they are so tasty you don't even need sauce.
Chicken Fingers
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
2 eggs
3/4 c panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup italian bread crumbs
1/4 c parmesan cheese
1 tsp season all
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
vegetable oil

Cut chicken into 1 to 2 inch pieces.  In a pie pan or small bowl beat 2 eggs with 2 T water.  In a second pie pan or bowl combine all remaining ingredients.  Dip chicken pieces into egg mixture and then place in panko mixture.  Press panko mixture onto chicken pieces.  Set aside.  Heat 2 T vegetable oil in a large shallow pan and fry chicken pieces until browned on all sides.  Transfer to a sheet pan and bake at 350 for 5-10 minutes until cooked through.

Marinated Chicken Skewers

We didn't have any big plans for our Fourth of July this year but I still wanted our day to feel festive so I put together a little barbecue for my husband and son. With barely more than an hour to get things ready I quickly threw some boneless skinless chicken thighs in a lemony marinade. As that worked I got a little corn on the cob, watermelon, and lemonade ready for the table. At the last minute I threaded the chicken onto skewers and had my husband grill them off.

The chicken turned out even better than I expected since it only had about 30-40 minutes to marinate. It was tender, moist, and flavorful. We ate them right off the skewers and even my two year old seemed impressed with his chicken on a stick!

Lemony Chicken Skewers

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

3 lemons

2 Tablespoons olive oil

salt

pepper

Cut chicken thighs into strips (cut across the grain for a better result) and place in a large ziploc bag. (I was able to get about 4 strips out of each thigh.) Cut lemons in half and squeeze juice onto chicken. Place lemon rind in bag as well. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper (about 1-2 teaspoons of each). Close ziploc and turn/flip/massage chicken and lemon for a minute or until things look evenly distributed.

After an hour thread chicken on soaked skewers and grill until cooked through. Ours took about 6-8 minutes. Cooking time depends on how big your thighs are and how thick you cut your chicken strips.

Lemon Parsley Chicken with Baked Couscous

I picked up Donna Hay's Off the Shelf cookbook a few months ago and I haven't had much of a chance to explore it. I've been up to my neck in baby...which has been absolutely wonderful. We've been busy enjoying Grace and all of her firsts...first trip to the grocery store, first bath, first outing to church, first time to get pooped on - you know all the wonderful things that we've been waiting for since last August.
So, with company gone and the house to myself I was more than happy to get both kids to bed at the same time today and have an hour or two (don't ask me how I got so lucky!) to relax today. My first mission was to find a recipe that would help me use up a few chicken breasts I had in the refrigerator. This lemon parsley chicken recipe looked right up my alley. Just a few standard ingredients and less than 10 minutes to prep made this recipe get my vote. I loved the idea of baking the couscous since I normally do it on the stove top. I've also been wanting to try out the whole wheat version that has been hanging out in the pantry.
I actually packed this up into individual containers and toted it to the garden for dinner. We've gotten a little behind on the weeding so we're going to meet my husband there on his way home from work a few nights this week. Bringing dinner will allow us to make good use of the daylight hours we have left.
I loved how the couscous turned out in the oven. The chicken was pretty good, moist and cooked just right, but I think I'll change up the herbs next time. I really like rosemary and I think I might add some zucchini and onions underneath the chicken breasts or as a side dish in the future. Overall I liked the concept and will be using this technique again. I'll have to post an update when I find my favorite version.

Lemon Parsley Chicken with Baked Couscous
adapted from Off the Shelf by Donna Hay

3 chicken breasts
2 cups couscous
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 Tablespoon garlic, chopped
1 lemon
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
salt
pepper
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place in heated skillet for 2 minutes per side. Add garlic and saute for an additional minute. Remove from heat. In a medium baking dish, place couscous with chicken broth, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste.
Place chicken breasts on top of couscous mixture. Sprinkle with parsley and zest the lemon over dish. Place in oven for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
We served with additional lemon wedges. Donna Hay's version has capers and olives mixed in with the chicken and couscous, but my husband isn't a big olive fan so we did without.