BLOGHUNGRY

10 Chicken Dishes I Want to Eat

I have a tourtured relationship with chicken recipes. Most recipe writers have a crippling fear of undercooked chicken and instruct home cooks to cook all the tender juciness from their chicken. I hate dry chicken. There are two ways to foil the cardboard chicken conspiracy. First, find recipes that pound or cut chicken into even-sized pieces that cook evenly. Second, choose recipes that cut or shread cooked chicken and bathe it in a sauces or dressings. Lastly, make sure to rest your meat about 5-10 minutes before cutting to make sure the juices stay in the meat instead of all over your cutting board.  Together we can win the battle for moist chicken. Good Luck!

Teriyaki Chicken Kebabs

Grilled Barbecued Chicken Kebabs

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Bourbon Chicken

Chicken Tikka Masala

Spicy Soba Noodles w/ Chicken in Peanut Sauce

Chicken with Heavenly Paprika and Cream Sauce

Chicken Alfredo Pizza with Spinach and Red Onions

Oven-Baked Buffalo Blue Cheese Chicken Nuggets

Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Cherry Molé

Bruschetta Chicken

Bruschetta Chicken was a movement in suburban baked chicken breasts that's been celebrated everywhere from chain restaurants to Weight Watchers cookbooks. The home cooking community has spent decades searching for a fool-proof baked chicken that is moist, healthy, and full of flavor. While this recipe is not yet the Holy Grail of baked chicken, it is edging closer to perfection. I feel confident that the prefect baked chicken breast recipe will be created in our lifetime.

Bruschetta Chicken

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup egg substitute
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter, melted
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Lighty salt and pepper chicken breasts. Place flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken in flour, then in eggs; place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Combine the cheese, bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over chicken.

Loosely cover baking dish with foil. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 170°.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Spoon over the chicken. Return to the oven for 3-5 minutes or until tomato mixture is heated through. Yield: 4 servings.

My Favorite Chicken Pot Pie

If I could marry a dinner entree it would be the chicken pot pie. It's an amazing comfort food that has sophistication without being too fussy. This is a pretty easy recipe for even the most timid kitchen-goer. I like to use a large dish for the pies to assure a good ratio of pie crust to filling. You can use oven safe dishes or aluminum pie pans.

My Favorite Chicken Pot Pie

4 cups chicken broth
1 bouillon cube
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 onion, finely chopped
4 large carrots cut in 1/2-inch rounds
2 ribs celery, sliced
3 tablespoons chopped chives
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
Salt and black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons dry sherry
1 store-bought 2-pound rotisserie chicken, shredded
1 (7-ounce) bag frozen pearl onions
1 (9-ounce) box frozen peas
2 (9-ounce) packages store-bought rolled out pie dough
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium saucepan heat chicken broth and bouillon cube over medium heat until hot.

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, chives and garlic, and saute until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add the flour and stir together until it becomes pasty and lump-free, about 2 minutes. Stir in the hot broth, heavy cream, sherry, chicken and frozen onions and peas. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.

With a ladle, fill 4 to 6 ovenproof bowls, ramekins or aluminum pans with the filling. Place on baking sheet.

Sprinkle flour on countertop. Roll out dough to fit your dishes. Cut your dough larger than the tops of your oven-proof bowls. Lay dough over containers and crimp the dough around the edges. Make 4 small slits on the top. Sprinkle with salt and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Bloghungry Burgers

Every food enthusisest should have their own spin on burger making. Mine is a flavorful suburban crowd pleaser. You can use any ground meat and it always comes out tasty. I prefer to make my burgers in a frying pan and finish them in the oven to melt some cheese and grilled onions on top. It also helps keep them warm until dinner time.

Bloghungry Burgers

1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef, turkey, or chicken

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 egg

1 (1 ounce) envelope dry onion soup mix

2 cloves garlic, minced or 1 tsp garlic powder

shredded cheese (for topping)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Using 2 forks, pull apart meat and mix all ingredients until well combined. Form into 4 equal patties. Make a hole thought the center of your patties with your finger to help them cook through in the center and reduce burger shrinkage once cooked. Heat frying pan to medium high. Cook patties 3-4 minutes per side. Place cooked patties on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Top patties with grilled onions and a handful of your favorite grated cheese. Heat in oven until cheese melts and keep them warm until ready to serve.

Grilled Onions (for burger topping)

1 large onion

1 tbsp butter

splash of red wine or beer (optional)

Thinly slice onion into rings. Melt butter in a frying pan. Toss in onion and saute until soft and slightly browned. Deglaze pan with a splash of beer or red wine.

Buffalo Sloppy Joes with Blue Cheese and Dill Pickles

Sloppy Joes got a bad rap in cafeterias. When made well they are sweet, savory, and satisfying. Add the heat of wing sauce with some blue cheese crumbles and diced dill pickles and you've got a sandwich that deserves your respect.

Buffalo Sloppy Joes with Blue Cheese and Pickles

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds ground chicken or turkey breast
2 carrots, chopped or grated
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup wing sauce (recommended: Frank's Red Hot)
1 cup tomato sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock
8 good quality burger rolls, split and toasted
1 cup blue cheese crumbles
2 large dill pickles, chopped

Heat a large skillet with extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add meat and break it up with wooden spoon, cook 5 to 6 minutes. Add in carrots, celery, onions and garlic, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, cook 7 to 8 minutes more. In a bowl combine the vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce and stock. Pour into the pan and stir to combine. Simmer a few minutes more. Pile sloppy Buffalo filling onto buns and top with blue cheese and chopped pickles.

Chicken and Rice Soup with a Lemon-Egg Sauce

This recipe is a quicker version of a Greek soup called "Avgolemono", that I can't pronounce. I love the concept of an egg-lemon sauce thickening my chicken soup and I have a pantry full of rice, so here we are...

Chicken and Rice Soup with a Lemon-Egg Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 cups water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3)
1/2 cup long-grain rice
3 eggs
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup frozen peas, defrosted
1 tablespoon dried dill weed

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add the onions. Sweat the onions until clear. Add the broth, bay leaves, water, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and bring to a simmer. Add the chicken breasts to the pot and simmer until they are just done, about 10 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the pot; when they are cool enough to handle, cut them into bite-size pieces.

Meanwhile, stir the rice into the simmering broth. Increase the heat and boil until the rice is almost tender, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible temperature.

In a medium glass or stainless-steel bowl, beat the eggs, lemon juice, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt until frothy. Remove about 1 cup of the hot broth from the pot. Pour the hot liquid in a thin stream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the pot and stir until the soup begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Do not let the soup come to a simmer, or it may curdle. Return the chicken to the pot and stir in the peas and dill. Season to taste.

Chicken, Fig, and Fontina in Pastry

This combo of Fontina and fig spread is AMAZING. It's so good that I think next time I'll skip the chicken and make them into danishes or purses of pastry. My chicken came out a little dry so be careful how small you cut the pieces and how long you cook them in the pan.

Chicken, Fig, and Fontina in Pastry

4 pieces skinless chicken breast, boned (about 8 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 sprigs fresh finely chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 sheets puff pastry
8 slices Italian fontina cheese, slices should be 2 to 3-inches square and 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick, cut in 1/2
1/2 cup fig preserves
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the chicken with salt, pepper and rosemary. Cut each piece of chicken in half across the breast giving you 8 equal portions. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly brown the chicken on both sides, 5 minutes total. Remove from heat.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut pastry into 8 pieces. Place a piece of cheese on each pastry square and top with spoonfuls of fig preserves and the chicken pieces. Pinch and seal the dough up and over the meat and cheese, seal with egg wash, flip the pastry packets over and brush the tops with remaining egg wash. Bake 12 to15 minutes, until golden.

Steve's Chicken Skewers

This recipe is from my good friend Steve and is completely genius. It makes a tasty dinner or an easy party finger food when you want some flavorful chicken on a stick. It's best to let the chicken marinate over night, so plan to prep them the night before and pop them in the oven or on the grill last minute.

Steve's Chicken Skewers

1 Tbsp. coriander powder
2 tsp. cumin powder
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar
3/4 cup peanuts
olive oil
2 lbs. chicken breasts, cubed
bamboo skewers
humus, for serving

Place ingredients in food processor, pulsing and adding oil slowly until the mix becomes a chunky paste consistancy. Rub paste on up to 2 pounds cubed chicken and marinate over night. Skewer meat on skewers.

In Oven: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay skewers across a foiled and lightly oiled cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.

To Grill: Make sure to oil the grill grate. Grill on skewers over medium-hot heat until cooked through.

Serve with humus.

Chicken Divan Casserole and Rice Pilaf

Traditionally Chicken Divan is a casserole made with creamy condensed soups, mayo, and frozen broccoli. This recipe is a fresher and more homemade version that I found in one of the dozens of cookbooks that are collecting dust on my shelf. As a busy working dad I've been trying to embrace casseroles and show my husband that he shouldn't throw away all my cookbooks because I do crack them open on occasion. We made a rice pilaf to help soak up all the creaminess from the dish and fill it out as a meal. It was a big success.

Fresh Chicken Divan Casserole

4 cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
1 1/2 lbs fresh broccoli, cut into florets and bite-sized pieces
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sherry
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly butter a casserole dish.

Bring a saucepan of water to a rolling boil, salt lightly, and cook the broccoli until al dente but still bright green, 6 to 7 min. Drain broccoli and put to side. 

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium high heat and add flour to make a roux. Stir roux for 1 minute. Remove from heat and whisk in the chicken broth, cream, sherry, and lemon juice. Whisk in the salt, pepper, and curry powder. REturn to low heat and simmer until sauce is denser, about 12 minutes.

Arrange the chicken in the casserole dish and spoon 1/2 the sauce over top. Stir 1/4 cup Parmesan into the remaining sauce. Put the broccoli over top and spoon the rest of the sauce over top. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan on top and bake until the top is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.

Rice Pilaf

1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups water
2 medium carrots, cut into 1 inch julienne strips
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1/2 cup raisins
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

In a saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in the water, carrots, rice, raisins, bouillon, curry powder, salt and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until rice is tender. Sprinkle with almonds before serving.

Buffalo Chicken Stromboli

This beast of dough is filled with spicy buffalo chicken, blue cheese crumbles, and chunks of cooked celery and carrots. It's another amazing recipe from Rachael Ray. Haters need to recognize. It's her show's most downloaded recipe ever and is sure to please. Slice off a chunk and scarf it down while listening to Canadian pop boy genius Ashton Zanecki's single "Haters Make Me Famous". Hopefully then you'll all cool your jets on the Rachael Ray hate.

Haters Make Me Famous - Ashton Zanecki

Buffalo Chicken Stromboli

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
4 stalks of celery, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 cups chopped cooked chicken, such as rotisserie or cooked chicken breasts
1/2 cup hot sauce, such as Frank’s Red Hot
1 pizza dough, defrosted
1 cup Monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
3 scallions, sliced
1 egg
A sprinkle of sesame seeds or poppy seeds

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter with the olive oil and cook the celery and carrots until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken and hot sauce to the pan and toss everything together with some salt and ground black pepper. Set aside and let cool.

When the filling is cool, roll out the pizza dough into a rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the cooled filling evenly out onto the entire dough, making sure not to get too close the any of the edges. Top with cheeses and scallions.

Roll the stromboli, starting at one of the long sides, tucking in both ends firmly. Press the seam with your fingers to seal. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with a splash of water then lightly brush it over the stromboli, covering the entire surface. Sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds, transfer to a baking sheet and bake in the oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes