Chicken & Asparagus Rolls

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each) or cutlets
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 cup grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese
• 2 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices (8 slices)
• 8 spears asparagus, trimmed, halved lengthwise, then crosswise

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife, split each chicken breast in half horizontally, then pound between two pieces of plastic wrap until about 3/8 inch thick (you should have 8 flattened pieces). Season on both sides with salt and pepper. 

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, saute chicken breasts and garlic until chicken is light brown on one side only, about 2 minutes; discard garlic. 

Transfer chicken to a baking sheet, browned side down. Sprinkle chicken pieces with half the cheese; layer each with a tomato slice and 4 asparagus pieces. Roll up; secure with a toothpick. Sprinkle remaining cheese over rolls; bake until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove toothpicks, serve hot.

Saucy Baked Chicken

Shirley's Cajun Chicken

• 1 Tsp   Minced Garlic               2 Tblsp Butter
• 12 oz   Boneless Breasts cubed      1 Tsp   Salt
• 1/2 tsp Thyme                       1/3 c   Green Onion
• 1/4 tsp Onion Powder                1/4 Tsp Sage
• 1/4 tsp red pepper                  1/4 Tsp White Pepper
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper                1 c     Cream
• 12  oz  Spaghetti

Cook garlic in butter over med high 30 seconds. Stir in chicken and spices. Cook until slightly browned (3 min). Stir in onion. Cook 1 min. Add cream. Increase heat. Stir until thickened (2 min). Combine chicken mixture with cooked pasta in bowl and serve with grated parmesan. I add mushrooms with the green onion and a good dash of tabasco with the cream.

Hearty Chicken Pot Pie

• 1 package (16 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
• 1 cup cut-up cooked chicken
• 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup Original Bisquick® mix
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 egg

Heat oven to 400ºF (for high altitude 3500-6500ft heat oven to 425). Mix vegetables, chicken and soup in ungreased 2-quart casserole. Stir remaining ingredients in small bowl with fork until blended. Pour into casserole. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown. Serves 6.

African Peanut Soup

I use bone-in, rough-cut (marrow exposed) chicken from an international grocer (a layer hen is more flavorful than standard grocery chicken), and I omit the sweet potato, chickpeas, and kale, and serve over fufu or rice.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)
• 1 tbsp ginger, minced
• 1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced (1 tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 (14oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1 (14 oz) can chickpeas, drained
• 1 cup creamy natural peanut butter
• 4 cups kale, roughly chopped
• 1.5 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast, cooked, shredded
• 1 tsp salt (to taste)
• peanuts, crushed
• cilantro, chopped (optional) for garnish

In a large pot heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until softened, about 3-4 minutes.

Add in ginger, jalapeno and garlic and stir until fragrant about 1 min. Add the pepper, cumin and tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring, until paste darkens.

Add the crushed tomatoes, stock, sweet potatoes, chickpeas and peanut butter. Bring to a boil and stir until fully combined. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender.

Add in kale and shredded chicken and cook for another 5 minutes. Taste the soup before adding salt. Depending on how salty your stock and/or peanut butter was, it may not need anymore salt. If you use low sodium stock and salt-free peanut butter, it will need a full teaspoon salt, maybe more. Adjust to your own liking.

Serve warm topped with cilantro and crushed peanuts. Enjoy!

Crispy Fried Chicken

Maintaining an even oil temperature is key to the success of this recipe. An instant-read thermometer with a high upper range is perfect for checking the temperature; a clip-on candy/deep-fry thermometer is fine, though it can be clipped to the pot only for the uncovered portion of frying.

• 1¼ cups kosher salt or ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons table salt
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 3 medium heads garlic, cloves separated
• 3 bay leaves, crumbled
• 2 quarts buttermilk (low fat)
• 1 whole chicken (about 3½ pounds), giblets discarded, cut into 12 pieces
• 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 3–4 cups refined peanut oil or vegetable shortening

1. In large zipper-lock plastic bag, combine salt, sugar, paprika, garlic cloves, and bay leaves. With rubber mallet or flat meat pounder, smash garlic into salt and spice mixture thoroughly. Pour mixture into large plastic container or nonreactive stockpot. Add 7 cups buttermilk and stir until salt is completely dissolved. Immerse chicken and refrigerate until fully seasoned, 2 to 3 hours. Remove chicken from buttermilk brine and shake off excess; place in single layer on large wire rack set over rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for 2 hours. (After 2 hours, chicken can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 6 hours longer.)

2. Measure flour into large shallow dish. Beat egg, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl; stir in remaining 1 cup buttermilk (mixture will bubble and foam). Working in batches of 3, drop chicken pieces in flour and shake pan to coat. Shake excess flour from each piece, then, using tongs, dip chicken pieces into egg mixture, turning to coat well and allowing excess to drip off. Coat chicken pieces with flour again, shake off excess, and return to wire rack.

3. Adjust oven rack to middle position, set second wire rack over second rimmed baking sheet, and place on oven rack; heat oven to 200 degrees. Line large plate with double layer paper towels. Meanwhile, heat oil (oil should have 2½-inch depth in pan) to 375 degrees over medium-high heat in large 8-quart cast-iron Dutch oven with a diameter of about 12 inches. Place half of chicken pieces skin-side down in oil, cover, reduce heat to medium, and fry until deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes; after about 3 minutes, lift chicken pieces with tongs to check for even browning; rearrange if some pieces are browning faster than others. (Spot-check oil temperature; after first 6 minutes of frying, oil should be about 325 degrees. Adjust burner if necessary.) Turn chicken pieces over and continue to fry, uncovered, until chicken pieces are deep golden brown on second side, 6 to 8 minutes longer. Using tongs, transfer chicken to paper towel–lined plate; let stand 2 minutes to drain, then transfer to rack in warm oven. Replace paper towel–lining on plate. Return oil to 375 degrees and fry remaining pieces, transferring pieces to paper towel–lined plate to drain, then transferring to wire rack with other chicken pieces. Cool chicken pieces on wire rack about 5 minutes and serve.

Fettuccine w/Chicken in Parmesan Cream

Shirley's Chicken w/Coconut Crust Casserole

• 1 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 whole chicken breasts halved
• ½ cup veggie oil
• 2 lg onions chopped
• 3 clove garlic minced
• 4 bell peppers asst. color chopped
• 1½ tablespoons curry powder
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 1 can (16 oz) stewed tomato
• ½ cup dried currants
• 3 tablespoons mango chutney

Crust

• 4 tablespoons butter melted
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350. Combine flour, paprika, salt and pepper in plastic bag. Drop in chicken pieces and shake to coat. Brown chicken in oil and remove to large casserole.

Add onions and garlic to the fat remaining in skillet and sauté 3 minutes. Add peppers and curry powder and sauté 5 minutes more. Add wine, tomato, currants and chutney, simmer 5 minutes.

Pour veggies and sauce over chicken in casserole. Cover and bake 1 hour.

In the meantime prepare the coconut crust. Blend butter, lime juice, coconut and almonds in small bowl. Remove cover from chicken. Sprinkle crust mixture over chicken. Return to oven and bake uncovered 15-20 minutes until lightly browned. Serve over or with rice.

Serves 10. When I cut this recipe back I do not cut back on the crust recipe. I guess I like the crust a little thick. When I cut back I also don’t cut back at all on the tomato or currents and I go a little heavy on the chutney.

Chicken Romano

Chicken Saltimbocca

Jerusalem Chicken

• 3 tablespoons veggie oil
• 3 lbs boneless skinless breasts
• ½ cups dry white wine
• 8 oz sliced mushrooms
• 1 can (8½ oz) can artichoke hearts drained
• 2 tablespoon flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ½ cup milk
• paprika to taste

Heat oil in lg skillet. Brown chicken lightly on both sides. Drain excess oil. Add wine, mushrooms and artichokes. Bring to boil, reduce heat cover and simmer 20 minutes. Remove chicken and veggies to warm platter. Stir flour, salt and pepper to pan juices. Heat 2 or 3 minutes stirring constantly. Blend in milk, stir until thickened. Put chicken and veggies on plates, spoon sauce over chicken and sprinkle with paprika. Serve w/ cooked rice.

Brunswick Stew

• 1 chicken (3 lbs) cut up, ½ tsp ground black pepper, 1 ham bone, 1 bay leaf, 1½ tsp salt, 6 whole peppercorns, 2 potatoes peeled and chopped, 1 can (16 oz) peeled tomato chopped, 2 onions chopped, 1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen corn, 1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen lima beans, ½ tsp crushed hot pepper
• In Dutch oven or heavy soup pot, combine chicken pieces, freshly ground pepper, ham bone, bay leaf, salt, and peppercorns in 2 quarts of water.  Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer 45-60 minutes, or until chicken begins to fall from bones.  Strain and reserve broth.  Discard skin and bones. Cut meat into bite sized pieces.
• Return broth to soup pot.  Add remaining ingredients and chicken.  Cover and cook over low heat 45 minutes, until flavors are well blended.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.  Remove bay leaf before serving.
• Prep:15 minutes, cook:1¾ hr, serves 8, delicious with homemade biscuits or cornbread.