Chicken Diane

This dish was so yummy! It came "adapted" from the new issue of Cuisine at Home. The noodles were surprisingly VERY good too. Definitely use fresh parsley and double the sauce. We didn't use truffle butter.. and it still turned out wonderful. You can use a butter or oil infused and blended with truffles flavor to get the taste without the expensive cost as truffle butter.


Chicken Diane is an alternative to the traditional Steak Diane, which is a dish consisting of a pan-fried filet mignon with a sauce made from the seasoned pan juices. The dish takes its name from Diana the Roman goddess of the hunt.

•2 Chicken breast fillets with skin
•Salt and black pepper
•1 tbsp Butter
•1 tbsp Olive oil
•2 Shallots, finely chopped
•1 clove Garlic, finely chopped
•80 ml Chicken stock
•1 tsp Dijon mustard
•1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
•30 ml Brandy
•80 ml Heavy cream
•1 tbsp Flat leaf parsley, chopped
•1 tsp Lemon juice

1.Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, melt butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown them 5 minutes each side. Place on a serving dish and set in warm oven.
2.Add shallots and cook, stirring, until softened and aromatic, about 1 minute. Add in chopped garlic, stirring briefly. Stir in stock, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brandy and cream, bring to the boil, then simmer on medium heat for 2-3 minutes to reduce by half. Stir in parsley and lemon juice.
3.Pour over warm chicken and serve with Linguine with truffle butter

LINGUINE with truffle butter

3 Tbsp. black truffle butter
2Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1Tbsp. chopped fresh ed chives
1/2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta in boiling salted water until al dente, about 3 minutes. Reserve 1/3 cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
Toss cooked pasta with truffle butter, parsley, chives, and oil. Add pasta water a tablespoon at time to loosen sauce, if needed. Season pasta with salt and pepper.

Thai Peanut Chicken

This was very good. I really love anything with peanut butter. It had just the right amount of kick to it also. Both my girls loved it and ate their broccoli! I loved the peanuts with it, and the crunchiness it gave the dish . Next time I might add a little bit of fresh cilantro. This is awesome!

Ingredients

* 2 cups uncooked white rice
* 4 cups water
* 3 tablespoons soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
* 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into thin strips
* 3 tablespoons chopped garlic
* 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger root
* 3/4 cup chopped green onions
* 2 1/2 cups broccoli florets
* 1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts

Directions

1. Combine the rice and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is tender. In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, peanut butter, vinegar, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a skillet or wok over high heat. Add chicken, garlic and ginger, and cook, stirring constantly, until chicken is golden on the outside, about 5 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to medium, and add green onion, broccoli, peanuts, and the peanut butter mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until broccoli is tender, and chicken is cooked through. Serve over rice.

Chicken Cordon Blue

My "old" chicken cordon blue recipe just got kicked to the curb!!! It has been upgraded.. this is an outstanding dinner. This recipe is one of my new favorites.

Ingredients

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 slices Swiss cheese
6 slices ham
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1.Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
2.Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3.Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

Chicken Marsala

We went to The Cheesecake Factory a while back. Brad ordered their chicken marsala... and I have been craving it ever since. I found this recipe from EMERIL off the food network. Not much else to say except the recipe is truly divine. really good. period. I've made it over noodles and mashed potatoes. I personally like potatoes better. I also doubled the sauce.. yes, it's that good!

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Essence, recipe follows
2 (6 to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in halves and pounded thin
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
3 cups sliced mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shiitake)
3/4 cup Marsala
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped chives, for garnish

Directions

In a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour and Essence and stir to combine thoroughly. Quickly dredge the chicken breast halves in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining butter to the pan and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are golden brown around the edges and have given off their liquid. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock and cook for 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Lower the heat to medium and return the chicken breasts to the pan and continue to cook until they are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, add salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with chopped chives and serve immediately.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Thai Chicken Satay

This dish we call "chicken on a stick" Annabelle seems to like eating chicken better when it's on a stick! We grilled this the first time and cooked it on the foreman also. Both ways turned out really yummy! I love peanut butter and it's nice to use it in something other than cookies :) Love the cilantro in this as well.. Hey, if my two yr old will like it.. so will you!

Recipe from WILLIAMS-SONOMA

Ingredients:

2 large limes
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. minced ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbs. soy sauce
3 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
1 Tbs. Asian sesame oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, about 1 1/2 lb. total, cut into thick strips
1 small head romaine lettuce, cored and leaves shredded
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced

Directions:

Marinate the chicken
Place 8 bamboo skewers in cold water to soak until ready to use. Grate 1 tsp. zest from the limes and squeeze 1/4 cup juice.

In a glass or ceramic bowl, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, vinegar and peanut butter until smooth. Stir in the cilantro, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, brown sugar and sesame oil. Reserve about 1/2 cup of the mixture in a separate bowl to use as a sauce. Add the chicken to the marinade and turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

Cook the chicken
Prepare a medium-hot fire in a grill. Or, preheat a broiler.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, discarding the marinade. Divide the chicken strips among the 8 skewers, threading the strips on lengthwise. Place the skewers on the grill rack, or put them on a baking sheet and place under the broiler. Cook, turning once, until seared on the outside and opaque throughout, about 6 minutes total.

Divide the lettuce, cucumber slices and chicken skewers among 4 plates. Drizzle with some of the reserved sauce and serve immediately, passing the additional sauce at the table. Serves 4.

Feta Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Breasts

I was looking for a recipe that used feta cheese. This recipe had TONS of high ratings on ALLRECIPES.COM... and I love bacon, so I picked this one to try out. I pounded the chicken pretty thin and added a piece of bacon to wrap around the chicken. The chicken was really moist and the feta and bacon complemented each other well. This recipe was very easy to make, but still tasted really good.

Ingredients
8 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
4 cloves crushed garlic
1 tablespoon dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
4 slices feta cheese
4 slices bacon, fried and drained

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.In a small bowl combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper. Mix together. Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish and pour oil mixture over chicken.
3.Stuff each chicken breast with 1 slice feta cheese and 1 slice bacon. Secure open sides with toothpicks.
4.Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes.

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

OK, I love Mexican Food. I wanted to try something different from my "big beefy recipe" (which is really good) and is my staple Mexican dish. On this recipe, I used corn tortillas instead of flour. While it did make the dish taste more authentic, I will give flour tortillas a shot next time. I fried the corn tortillas for a minute or two before adding the chicken mixture.. just so they wouldn't come out mushy. Also, I would use only one jar of jalapeno salsa next time. This dish is quite tasty!


Ingredients

1 bunch cilantro
1 cup sour cream
2 (7 ounce) cans jalapeno salsa
2 (7 ounce) cans prepared green chile salsa
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and shredded
1 onion
12 (6 inch) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Steps

1.To Make Sour Cream Mixture: In a blender or food processor, puree cilantro, sour cream, jalapeno salsa and 1/2 can of the green chile salsa. Set aside.
2.To Make Chicken Mixture: In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, onion and the remaining 1 1/2 cans of green chile salsa. Mix well.
3.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4.Heat tortillas in conventional or microwave oven until soft. Pour enough of the sour cream mixture into a 9x13 inch baking dish to coat the bottom. Place 2 heaping tablespoonfuls of the chicken mixture in each tortilla, roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Pour remaining sour cream mixture over all and top with shredded cheese.
5.Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 30 minutes, or until dish is heated through and bubbling.

Chicken Parmesan

Recipe from SOUTHERN LIVING

Since I'm pretty much obsessed with Mexican food , I thought I'd think outside of the "tortilla" with this Italian dish. The chicken was yummy and fun to pound (for any of you who watch Modern Family, hitting the chicken while making absurdly loud noises :) Anyways, it was fairly simple and two chicken breasts went a long way. It would taste yummy with some french bread (which we didn't have) but will next time around! Very yummy and will be making this dish again.

Ingredients

* 1 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 2 skinned and boned chicken breasts
* 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* Tomato Sauce
* 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

Combine breadcrumbs, flour, and ground red pepper in a small bowl, and set aside.

Place chicken between two sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin.

Dip 1 chicken breast in egg whites, and coat with breadcrumb mixture. Dip again in egg mixture, and coat again in breadcrumb mixture.

Repeat procedure with remaining chicken breast.

Cook chicken in hot oil over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until done.

Place chicken breasts in a single layer in a lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish. Top evenly with Tomato Sauce and cheeses.

Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until cheeses melt.



Tomatoe Sauce

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Ingredients

* 1/2 small onion, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
* 1/4 cup red wine
* 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Steps

Sauté onion and garlic in hot oil over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes, wine, and red pepper; simmer 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Add salt and basil.

California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Pizza

I love California Pizza Kitchen, this is one of my favorite things to get there. This pizza brought back some fond memories. The smoked Gouda cheese added a nice flavor. I also just made two 10 inch pizzas, instead of four little ones. I added crispy bacon on top for some extra yummy flavor. Also, I took the picture BEFORE I added the cilantro.. I was just too excited :) The dough was yummy, I highly suggest using a pizza stone and letting it get really hot before putting the pizza on it. The leftovers were awesome to eat for lunch during the week!


Ingredients:

2 tablespoon honey
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
10 ounces chicken breast - boned and skinned
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons barbecue sauce (spicy sweet BBQ sauce works best)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/2 cups Smoked Gouda cheese
1/4 small red onion - sliced into rings
2 tablespoons cilantro
2-3 pieces cooked bacon- add to pizza the last two minutes of cooking



Directions:

To make the dough

In a small bowl, dissolve the honey in the warm water. Sprinkle the yeast over the water and stir until it dissolves. Let the yeast mixture stand for 5 minutes, until a layer of foam forms on the surface. In a large bowl, combine the flour and the salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the olive oil and the yeast mixture. Stir the flour into the wet ingredients, until all the flour is incorporated. If its too dry, add more water. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 15 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball and put in in a well-oiled bowl. Cover with a moist towel and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours).

One hour before baking the pizzas, start preheating the oven with pizza stones inside at 500 degrees F.

For the Chicken

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. add chicken pieces. saute until cooked (6 minutes). Chill. Coat chicken with 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce. Set aside in the refrigerator.

For the Pizza

Punch the dough down, and divide into 4 equal portions. Roll out each portion into an 6-8 inch flat circle. Spread 1/4 cup barbecue sauce over the surface of the dough. Distribute 1/2 of the cheese over the sauce. Distribute 1/2 of the chicken over the cheese. Place half of the onion rings over the chicken pieces. Place the pizza in the oven (on top of pizza stones). Bake until crust is crispy and cheese is bubbling (8-10 minutes). Remove pizzas from the oven and sprinkle each with 1/2 of the cilantro.

Cafe Rio Dressing

This dressing is a must have to top on the Cafe Rio chicken and pork. I even used as a topping on my Shredded Beef Enchiladas. (much better with the dressing)It keeps very well for a few months. Great for salads and any Mexican dish.

Ingredients

2 cups prepared Ranch Dressing (I usually use a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch buttermilk mix)
1 small bunch cilantro, large stems removed (about 1/2 cup chopped cilantro)
2 large or 4 small tomatillos
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
2 T fresh lime juice
1 tsp. Green Tabasco sauce

Directions

Prepare Ranch dressing according to directions on the package or recipe you're following and set aside.

Remove large cilantro stems, then wash leaves and spin dry or dry with paper towels. Add cilantro to food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until finely chopped. (If you don't have a food processor, I'd chop all ingredients well by hand and then blend dressing in a blender.)

Add tomatillos, garlic, lime juice, and Green Tabasco sauce to the food processor and pulse until ingredients are finely pureed. Add the 2 cups of prepared dressing and pulse just a few times, until ingredients are well combined. Chill dressing for an hour or two and serve.

Cafe Rio Chicken

This is a knock off Cafe Rio recipe. Which I'm happy to announce Cafe Rio will be opening two more locations in the D.C. area by the end of the year! The chicken had awesome flavor and was so easy to just throw in the crock pot. I made pico de gallo , Cafe Rio dressing ( see recipe above), shredded cheese, and sour cream. This chicken is great on salads too with the dressing.

**After making the Cafe Rio pork and chicken, Brad and I both agree the pork is better. The chicken is still great and really yummy. I will post the pork recipe soon. Let's just say it's soaked in Dr. Pepper. Could life get any better? :)


Ingredients

1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic—minced
5 lbs chicken breast

Cook all together in a crock pot for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.

Asian Orange Chicken

I love putting the orange peels down my disposal after they've been used squeezed for juice. They give my sink a nice citrus smell.

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2″ cubes
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons oil or butter

1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons green onion
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Heat oven to 350. In a shallow dish combine the flour, garlic powder and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in flour mixture and coat evenly.

Pour oil (or melt butter and pour) in a shallow baking dish, large enough to accommodate chicken in a single layer. Arrange chicken in pan and bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine water, fresh orange juice, rice vinegar, soy sauce, orange zest and whisk over medium heat for a few minutes. Then stir in brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and green onion and let it come to a boil. Combine cornstarch with water and let it dissolve and add it to the sauce until thickened.

After chicken has baked the 30 minutes, turn each piece over and pour 1/2 sauce mixture evenly over chicken. Bake another 30 to 40 minutes basting frequently.

Serve chicken over rice with extra sauce on the side.

Hot Chicken Skewers

This were so yummy and packed tons of flavor! The dipping sauce was sweet/spicy. I used a pinch of cayenne pepper instead of 1/4 tsp to tone down the spice a bit. YOu can put more sauce on the chicken for the hot effect. These would be awesome for a football party.

Hot Seasoning

1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dreid oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Hot Baste

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup tabasco sause
1 T honey
1 tsp garlic powder

Hot Chicken

1/2 Cup buttermilk
2 T tabasco sause 3 boneless chicken breast
1/2 cup flower
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 rescipe Hot seasoning
1 recipe Hot Baste
2 cups oil for frying