Lemon Chicken with White Wine Sauce

Okay, no, this recipe is so much more than the title implies. It's crispy skin and flavorful meat and olives and lemon and who-cares-about-all-of-that-because-OMG-those-PRUNES! Oh, and you can also make a red-wine version with orange instead of lemon and I seriously can't figure out which version I like better. Just go with whatever wine or fruit you have on hand, I guess.

I found this recipe in Molly Stevens's (incredible) book All About Braising, but I changed it kind of significantly. That is to say, I made it into something you don't braise. I did this because A) braising is awesome for tender meat, but not so awesome for crispy skin (crispy skin is WHY I eat chicken, people!) and B) I don't have a casserole dish suitable for braising and even if I did, there's the fact that C) I don't have an oven big enough for such a dish. So, here is my crispy-skinned, small-oven approved recipe for really, really excellent prunes chicken.

This recipe is for two people. Feel free to add more chicken if you have more people and a bigger oven (you won't need to change any other amounts. I kept the sauce the same because SAUCE).

Ingredients:

• 2 whole chicken thighs (the kind with the leg attached)
• Salt and pepper
• Flour for dredging
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup dry white wine (Chardonnay is good. Never cook with wine you wouldn't drink! Unless you don't drink dry white wines in which case...don't cook with wine I wouldn't drink! Use good-ish wine, is what I'm saying.) (Or use a red wine if you're doing that version of the dish)
  
• 1/4 white wine vinegar (or red wine vinegar, if using red wine)
• 1 garlic clove, smashed
• Zest of 1 lemon (or one orange, if using red wine)
• 2 whole cloves
• 10-12 pitted prunes
• 1/3 cup good-quality green olives, pitted (or, again, black olives if using red wine)

Preheat oven to 375. Salt and pepper your chicken, then dredge it in flour.

Heat oil in a skillet, and cook chicken 3-4 minutes on each side (without turning) until a brown crust forms. Set aside and drain off the fat, leaving behind all the delicious brown bits.

Then add the wine, vinegar, garlic, zest, and cloves to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those brown bits. If you have an oven-proof skillet, scatter over the prunes and olives and stick the whole pan in your oven. If not, transfer the sauce and chicken to an oven-safe dish so that the pieces fit snugly, and then scatter over the prunes and olives.

Cook uncovered for 30 minutes. That's where your crispy skin comes from.

Remove the chicken, prunes, and olives, and return the liquid to the pan (or return the pan to the stove). Cook over high heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid has reduced to the consistency of a vinaigrette.

Discard cloves and zest, pour sauce over chicken (and over the rice or whatever you're serving this with) and serve with the olives and (omg) prunes.

Yes, the prunes are really that good.

Veal Piccata

I have wanted to make this since I ate it at a restaurant two years ago. WHY did I wait so long? It's super-lemony and so easy to make. You could use chicken or pork cutlets, or probably tofu.

Veal Piccata

4 veal cutlets,pounded thin
Salt
Lemon pepper
Flour
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder or equivalent fresh garlic
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley (or a tablespoon of dried)

Season the veal with salt and lemon pepper, then dredge in flour. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute cutlets for 3 minutes per side, or until golden. Set aside and keep them warm in a very low oven. Add garlic powder (if using fresh garlic, add to pan first, saute 1 minute), wine, lemon juice, and capers. Bring to a boil and continue to boil until liquid is reduced by half. I use the end of a wooden spoon to as a "dipstick" to measure the level of liquid. Then, just reduce to a simmer and stir in butter and parsley. Simmer for a minute or two. Return veal cutlets to pan and coat with sauce. Serve immediately over linguini (or rice?) with lots of crusty bread to sop up the lemony goodness. If you want to be fancy, you can garnish the platter with lemon slices and parsley.

Mom's Scalloped Chicken

This has always been a holiday dish because it makes a large amount. It's so good! One serving won't be enough... you'll be back.

1 hen or 2 fryers, stewed, deboned, and cut into bite-sized pieces (save the broth)
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can condensed mushroom soup
1 cup processed American cheese, shredded
2 beaten eggs
round, buttery crackers, crushed to make 4 cups
4 cups chicken broth

Combine celery and onion with broth and simmer until tender. Mix all ingredients except crackers thoroughly. Add 3 cups of the crackers, mix gently. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9 inch pan; sprinkle remaining cracker crumbs on top. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until golden brown.

For a quicker version, simply use a deli-roasted chicken and canned chicken broth. The taste is still fantastic!

Japanese Sesame Chicken

I found this recipe through a complex and untraceable channel of internet links, copied it to Wordpad, didn't save, and lost it when my computer crashed. And couldn't find it again. This is the recreated recipe, and honestly I can't imagine the original recipe being any better.

This is good chicken. Especially if you have a passionate love for sesame seed oil, like I do.

Ingredients:

• Boneless, skinless chicken or turkey breasts (enough for two to four people)
• Vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 or two eggs (depending on how much chicken you want to make)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tbsp sesame seed oil
• 2 tbsp sushi rice seasoning (2 tbsp rice or balsamic vinegar plus a couple tsp sugar)

Preheat a skillet with enough oil to fry your chicken. Combine the cornstarch and the egg in a bowl. When the oil is hot enough, dip the chicken breasts in the mixture (you can cut them into nuggets or strips first, if you like) and drop in the oil, preferably without burning yourself. Cook for a minute or two, turn, and cook until done.

This goes very well with red bell pepper. Add bell pepper slices to the oil right from the start. If you're feeling adventurous, give them a swirl in the cornstarch mixture first.

When the chicken is cooked, drain the oil and return the skillet to the heat. Add the soy sauce, the sesame seed oil, and the vinegar mixture. Heat. This won't take long. Toss your chicken onto a plate of that wonderful sticky rice you've already prepared, pour the sauce over everything, and enjoy.

Pineapple Curry

This is another excellent "student food" recipe from Mathieu. It's quick, easy, and excellent.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 can pineapple, cubed or tidbits
  
• 1 onion, chopped
• some bell pepper, if you have some handy
• 3/4 cup cream
• a tiny bit of ketchup or tomato paste
• soy sauce
• curry powder
  
• garlic powder
• ginger
• salt and pepper
• Some kind of meat, if you want it. Chicken is good, but even hot dogs will work.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the chopped onion and bell pepper. After cooking for about five minutes, add the pineapple (save the juice) and cook for another ten minutes or until the onion is tender. Add the cream and the pineapple juice. Stir some flour into a cup with some heated juice and add that to thicken the sauce. Add the herbs and spices. Lots of curry powder, not lots of garlic powder. Add some cayenne pepper for an extra kick. Then add the meat and heat thoroughly. Serve over rice.

This makes probably three servings for normal people, two for hungry people with no other side dishes.

Apricot Chicken

This is so easy, and the flavor is delicious.

1 fryer, cut up (or use thighs, boneless breast, whatever)
cooking oil to cover bottom of pan
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
12 oz. jar apricot preserves
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/4 cup sliced almonds (toasted or not)

Brown chicken pieces in oil; add salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, turning chicken frequently. Combine soy sauce and preserves; pour over chicken. Continue to simmer for another 5 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve with rice. Makes 4 servings.

Lemon Cream Chicken

When you read the list of ingredients for this dish, you may think it seems too rich, with the 4 tablespoons of butter, the cup of heavy cream. Hey, indulge! (Just don't indulge too often.) The sauce you'll create is velvety and decadent. It's so good you'll want to put it on everything - veggies, fish, ice cream... well, maybe not ice cream. This is a simple to prepare, yet elegant meal. It's great to serve when you're wanting to impress someone.

1 cup plus 1 Tablespoon flour, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
4 Tablespoons butter
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream, divided
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced

In a large resealable plastic bag, combine 1 cup flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken and shake to coat. (if you'd rather not do the flour thing, just go ahead and brown the naked chicken. It's good that way as well.) In a large skillet, cook chicken in butter for 8-9 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove chicken and keep warm.
Add broth to the drippings. Bring to a boil over medium heat; stir to loosen browned bits from pan. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until broth is reduced to 1/3 cup (which will probably actually take more like 20 minutes). Stir in 3/4 cup of the cream, then the lemon juice and mushrooms (feel free to omit the mushrooms if you don't like them - it will taste fabulous anyway). Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.
Combine remaining flour and cream until smooth; stir into skillet. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Return chicken to skillet and heat through. Serve over white rice. Don't count on having leftovers. You'll probably be licking the plate clean at the end of the meal. Yield: 6 servings.

Walnut Chicken

Here's one I cut out of a newspaper years ago. (from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin) It calls for 1/4 cup beer. Just drink the rest, or dump it out. Don't omit the beer, because it will not be the same without it.


1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup beer
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup broken English walnuts

Combine soy sauce, beer, and ginger. Add chicken and marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Heat the oil in a wok or skillet, add chicken and the soy mixture. Stir-fry until chicken is cooked and soy mixture begins to coat chicken (approximately 5 minutes). Add green onions, garlic, mushrooms, and walnuts. cook 3 minutes, tossing mixture with slotted spoon. Serve with rice. Makes about 4 servings.

Chicken with wine-mushroom sauce

Posted by Pat

It's been a long time since I have gone through my "old fashion" recipe box and when I did I pulled out a couple of wonderful chicken recipes I had forgotten about, hope you give them a try!

• 1 T. butter 2 T. olive oil, divide use
• 8 oz. slice mushrooms 1 T. minced fresh basil or parsley
• 4 bone in chicken breasts w/skin salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 C. dry white wine 1/4 C. chicken broth
• 1/4 C. heavy whiping cream

Melt butter in large deep non-stick skillet. Add 2 tsp. of the olive oil. When oil and butter are hot add mushrooms. Saute on med.high heat until mushrooms are lightly browned and softened and all liquid has evaporated. Remove mushrooms and set aside. Season mushrooms with salt, pepper and the parlsey or basil.

Return skillet to med-high heat. Add remaining olive oil. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Add chicken in a single layer skin side down and cook until well browned, about 5 min. on each side. Lower heat to medium, cover and cood until cooked trhug, about 8 to 14 min.

Transfer chicken to large plate and cover. Pour off fat from skillet, add wine and boil on high until reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes. Add broth and boil until reduced by half, about 1 minute.

Add cream and boil 1 minute, stir in mushrooms. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Spoon sauce over chicken and enjoy!

Note: We always prepare more sauce so I increase the amounts, we like it over rice or noodles so extra sauce is great.

Shoyu Chicken

This recipe was given to me by Novena Dunhour, a friend of mine when I lived in Hawaii. I usually thicken the sauce a bit when it is done (by using cornstarch and a little water) because I like to serve it over rice.

1 fryer, cut-up
1/2 cup shoyu (soy sauce)
1/2 cup water
2 - 3 Tablespoons sugar
1 slice fresh ginger root, crushed
1 clove garlic, smashed
a dash of Chinese Five Spice
2 or 3 green onions, sliced

Brown chicken in skillet. Mix remaining ingredients except for green onions and pour over chicken. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until chicken tests done. Place chicken on platter and garnish with green onions. Serve sauce on the side.

Here is a tip for you if you like to use fresh ginger root but find that you cannot use it up before it goes bad: Purchase a ginger root and some dry sherry. Peel and slice the ginger, then place it in a jar and cover it completely with the sherry. This will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator. The ginger-infused sherry is wonderful in many recipes. Just remember to top off the jar with more sherry!

Jan’s “Get-Well” Chicken Enchilada Soup

This recipe is one I created while trying to duplicate Boston Market's enchilada soup several years ago. It has become a family favorite.

1 T. butter

1 medium onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 can Rotel (diced tomatoes and chilies)

1 or 2 cans chopped green chilies

3 cans chicken broth

¼ - ½ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. cumin

¼ tsp. dried cilantro or parsley

Dash thyme

Cayenne pepper to taste

Salt & pepper to taste

Crushed tortilla chips

1 deli-roasted chicken, skin and bones removed, meat shredded

Sour cream (optional)

Shredded cheese (optional)

Melt butter in large saucepan. Sauté onion and garlic in butter for one minute. Add Rotel, green chilies, chicken broth, and seasonings; bring to a boil. Add crushed tortilla chips to broth (I don’t measure – I just place a large handful of the chips into a zip-lock sandwich bag and crush them) and reduce heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender. Stir in shredded chicken and simmer gently until heated through. Ladle into bowls and let everyone add his or her own tortilla chips, sour cream and/or shredded cheese. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Note: You can vary the spiciness of the broth by changing the type of Rotel you add. There are several varieties available now. This soup seems to possess healing qualities, probably because of the chicken broth and the hot peppers in the Rotel. If you have a chest cold or laryngitis – you need this soup!! It’s delicious, and my family requests it often - although I use the sour cream to tone down the heat a bit for myself. It’s also quick and easy to prepare. Enjoy!

Boggis's Chicken

This is from the Roald Dahl recipe book, and is one of the best things I have ever tasted. It references the book Fantastic Mr. Fox, and making this recipe is a good excuse to go read the book, if you haven't already. It also happens to be the best chicken and dumplings you'll ever taste. I have a friend who still talks about it six years after I last made it for him.

I've included instructions for the original stovetop preparation, as well as my crock pot adaptation, which has the advantage of being more tender and flavorful as well as giving the impression of less cooking, although it in fact adds to the cooking time. But cooking on the stove is more stressful. You want to stay in the room and check on it all the time. Throw it all in a slow cooker, on the other hand, and you can just forget about it for a few hours.

So without further ado, here is the Fantastic Mr. Fox's Chicken and Dumplings.

Ingredients:
1 chicken
1 onion, wedged
1 lb carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
a few parsley sprigs
salt
peppercorns
bay leaf
1 chicken bullion cube
5 ounces peas

For parsley sauce:
5 tbsp butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
3 3/4 cups chicken stock (from the cooked chicken)
6 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper

For dumplings
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 ounces vegetable shortening/lard
2 ounces corn (optional, but really really good)
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
cold water

If using a crock pot:

• Put the chicken in the crock pot with all the ingredients (from the first list!) except the peas.
• Add three or four cups water.
• Cook until the chicken and carrots are done (3-5 hours on high, depending on the crock pot)

If using the stove:

• Put the chicken into a large saucepan with all the ingredients except the peas
• Add enough water to cover three-quarters of the chicken
• Bring to a boil gently, reduce heat, and simmer gently until chicken is cooked, about 1 1/2 hrs

Then:

• Remove chicken from pan and let cool. Strain the stock (do not discard) and reserve the carrots
• Skim off the fat from the stock, then save 3 3/4 cups
• Skin and bone the chicken, then chop

Parsley Sauce:

• In a large saucepan, melt the butter and add the flour. Stir and cook for 1 minute
• Combine the milk and chicken stock and gradually add to butter/flour mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Cook for one minute and remove from heat. Stir in 5 1/2 tbsp parsley, and salt and pepper to taste

Dumplings:

• Mix together flour, baking powder, shortening, corn, salt and pepper. Bind with enough cold water to make a smooth dough. With floured hands, divide and form into 12 balls
• Bring sauce back to a simmer and add chicken, carrots, peas, and dumplings
• Cover and cook fr about 20 minutes,, until dumplings are light and fluffy
• Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve