HOW TO DRESS A CHICKEN

(Chicken Recipes For Dinner)

If you're looking for a wonderful"dressing"...or...."stuffing" recipe, please visit My "Where's The Beef?" page.   For other great chicken recipes stay right here, because here they come:

For a printable version of each recipe please click on the name of the recipe.

SIMPLY STUFFED!

For "just about the best baked chicken you ever ate", take one whole (cleaned, of course) chicken; sprinkle inside and outside with salt and freshly ground pepper...or use my CHEF'S SALT, put two whole small lemons (which you have punctured in about 20 places with a sharp fork or such) inside the cavity; sew it up; and bake it covered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to one hour, till done.   That's all!  (You can make two of these: eat one "as is", and save one for the recipes below that call for cooked chicken)

The above recipe came from "Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking" by Marcella Hazan, and I firmly believe that this is one of the best cookbooks ever. All of her recipes are simply wonderful!

ALL DRESSED UP IN POLKA DOTS

(Otherwise known as Poppy Seed Chicken)

Here's a wonderful chicken casserole that we enjoyed served with curly noodles while visiting our new friends Ron and Susie in Missouri.  Susie served this with green beans and a tossed salad.  It was a GREAT meal!

2 cups (16 oz) sour cream
1 can cream chicken soup undiluted
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
2 1/2 cups cooked chicken breast, cubed small
1 3/4 cups cracker crumbs (think Ritz)
1/2 cup (or less) butter or margarine, melted.

Mix butter and crumbs and save for topping.   Mix all else together in large bowl.  Spread in oiled 9" x l3" baking pan.  Top with crumbs.   Bake 25 to 30 minutes uncovered at 350 degrees, till bubbly.  (You can use low fat or non fat sour cream and reduced fat margarine in this and it's just as good!)

CHICKEN IN A "SHELL"

Or, if you prefer: "Chicken Burritos Deluxe"

Here's one I made up, using the dark meat from the baked chicken above.   I highly recommend using whole wheat tortillas, which I buy either at Kroger or Wal-Mart.

1 cup finely chopped onion
1 T finely chopped garlic
2 T extra virgin olive oil
4 oz can mushroom pieces, drained
3 oz shredded lowfat Jarlsburg cheese
fresh grated nutmeg, about 1/8 tsp

1/2 can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in thin slices
1 box frozen spinach, cooked, sqeezed and chopped
6 large tortillas
3 cups white sauce
Cooked chicken from two legs and thighs, shredded or chopped

1. Oil a 10" x 10" casserole.
2. Saute onion and garlic in oil until onion is transparent......not brown.
3. Mix onion, garlic, spinach, artichokes, mushrooms, chicken and cheese in medium bowl.
4. Make white sauce: I use 3 tbsp.whole wheat flour, non fat half and half and 1/2 packet dry butter buds for a very rich but non fat sauce.   Add nutmeg to white sauce.
5. Add 3/4 cup white sauce to above mix and stir thoroughly.
6. Put thin layer of sauce in casserole. Divide mixture evenly among tortillas and roll them as tightly as you can for one layer of "rolls" in the casserole.
7. Spread remaining white sauce over top, making sure to get outside edges of rolls covered so they don't dry out while baking.
8. Bake at 350 degrees COVERED for 30 minutes. Let sit 10 or 15 minutes before serving.
This can be a meal in itself, but you can add a salad for more "veggies" in your meal.   serves 4: 1 1/2 tortillas per person.  I cut them in half crosswise before serving to make it easier to get them out of the casserole intact.

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI:
  Hoppin' Good!

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. chicken, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Small can minced green chilies, drained

1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cans white beans, drained

Quickly brown chicken cubes in oil, then remove them.   Saute onion, garlic and mushrooms in oil until onion is transparent.   Add drained chopped chilis, spices and broth.  Simmer slowly 25 minutes.   Add chicken, beans and cilantro. Simmer slowly uncovered another 10 minutes, stiring occasionally.   Serve in bowls topped with sharp grated cheddar cheese if desired, and corn bread or corn chips on the side.  Serves 4 to 6.

CHICKEN WITH RICE:

This one is old as the hills, but still tastes great.

1 cup rice (partially cooked,
    or Uncle Ben's from box)
1 can golden mushroom soup undiluted
1 can cream chicken soup undiluted

1/2 cup dry white wine or water
1/2 cup water
2 to 3 lbs chicken pieces, skin removed
1 package dry onion mushroom soup

1. Lightly grease 9" x 13" baking pan. Put in rice, soups and liquid and mix well.
2. Arrange chicken on top of mixture.
3. Sprinkle dry soup mix on top
4. Cover and bake at 350 degrees about one hour.  Check chicken, and if not done bake another 15 or 20 minutes -- just make sure you don't cook it so long that the white meat dries out!  NOTE that if you use regular raw rice it will take a longer baking time to cook the rice and I recommend cooking it half way before using it in the casserole.  If you use minute rice or Uncle Ben's just put the rice in dry.   If you use raw brown rice, as I do, you will need to cook it about 1/2 hour before adding it to the casserole.   Also, if you like more rice per serving of chicken you can increase the rice to 1 1/2 cups and add an extra 3/4 cup water.   Serves 6 or more.

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