Chicken Salad

I am obsessed with eating chicken salad. Strange isn't it? I just can't seem to get enough of the stuff.

Years will pass without me making a single batch. Then, wham! I find myself dreaming up reasons to roast a few chickens so I can justify my obsession under the guise of using up the leftovers.

I like my chicken salad loaded with dried cranberries, grapes, nuts and fresh herbs. It is delicious on it's own, but is especially tasty on freshly toasted Cranberry-Walnut Bread or on top of a spinach salad.

Give it a try. You may even love it as much as I do.

*** The measurements in the recipe are just rough estimates. Feel free to adjust the amounts to suit your personal taste.

Chicken Salad
2 c. cooked chicken, diced
1/4 c. dried cranberries
1/2 c. red grapes, halved
1/4 c. nuts, chopped
1-2 Tbs. fresh herbs, minced
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder



Place the diced chicken in a large bowl. I prefer to use roasted chicken, but any cooked chicken will do. This is also a great way to use up some of that leftover turkey after Thanksgiving.


Add the dried cranberries.


Add the grapes.


Add the nuts. I generally use pecans or walnuts, but feel free to use any nuts or seeds that you have on hand.


Add the fresh herbs. I happened to have chives and flat leaf parsley on hand.


Stir the ingredients to combine.


Add the mayonnaise, salt, pepper and onion powder. I have found that the onion powder really elevates the flavor of the chicken salad.


Give everything a thorough mixing. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly. You may need to add a little more mayonnaise if the chicken salad seems a little dry.

Enjoy!

Chicken Piccata

One of my favorite quick meals is Chicken Piccatta. This simple yet flavorful dish can easily be prepared in under 20 minutes.

Traditional Piccatta is made by browning lightly floured chicken cutlets or scaloppini. The chicken is served with a sauce made from butter, lemon juice, capers and either chicken broth or wine. Simple, easy, delicious.

The first time I enjoyed this dish, the sauce also contained shallots. I was immediately hooked. They have now become a standard part of my dish, but you can feel free to omit them if you wish. If you do not have shallots on hand, simply substitute finely diced onion.


Chicken Piccata

2 chicken breasts, butterflied in half and then pounded thin
salt & pepper
1/2 c. flour
2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. butter
1/4 c. shallots or onions, finely diced
the juice of 1 lemon
1/4 c. capers, drained
1/2 c. chicken stock or white wine

Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Dredge the cutlets in the flour until lightly coated.

Meanwhile, heat a pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbs. each of the butter and olive oil. Once the butter has melted, place two of the cutlets in the pan and cook about 3 minutes.


Once the chicken is golden brown, flip and cook an additional 3 minutes on the other side.


Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside. Place another Tbs. of butter and olive oil in the pan and repeat with the remaining chicken.

Once all the chicken is cooked and set aside, add the shallots. Allow the shallots to cook until they are translucent.


Add the lemon juice and capers. Stir, scraping all of the yummy bits off the bottom of the pan.


Add the chicken stock or wine and the remaining Tbs. of butter. Allow the sauce to simmer until it is slightly thickened.


Pour the sauce over the chicken to serve.

Easy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

The weather is finally starting to get a little bit cooler down here at the threshold of hell, a.k.a. the South. Much to my family's dismay, that means my obsession with soup is back. Poor guys.

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup is a snap to make. You can easily cook up a batch in 30 minutes. It is great served with a nice green salad and some crusty bread.


Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

I box Long Grain and Wild Rice (I prefer Zatarain's)
1 small onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1-1 1/2 c. cooked chicken, diced
2 Tbs. flour
1 1/2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 c. heavy cream

Pour the wild rice mix into a large pot. Add the amount of water specified on the box.

Add the onion, carrot and celery. Stir to combine. Cover and cook until rice is done and vegetables are tender.


Add the cooked chicken.


Add the flour and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to cook for a minute or two.


Add the chicken stock and the cream. Allow the soup to simmer for a few minutes until the soup is heated through.

Lemon Chicken

I have been in a bit of a rut cooking wise. After chatting with my sister today, I decided to dig back in the nether-regions of my mind for some of those old favorites that I have neglected to make in ages.

One of the dishes that came to mind was Lemon Chicken. This tasty chicken dish was a staple at my hubby's house when he was growing up. After we were married, my Mother-in-Law was kind enough to share her recipe with me.

I generally make Lemon Chicken using split chicken breasts (my boys prefer white meat),but you could use any bone-in chicken pieces that you would like. If calories are not a concern, leave the skin on. The additional flavor that the skin imparts is worth it.


Lemon Chicken

1 tsp. olive oil
1-2 lbs. split chicken breasts, or other bone-in chicken pieces
salt & pepper
garlic powder
1-2 lemons, cut into wedges

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the chicken pieces liberally on both sides with salt, freshly ground pepper and garlic powder.


Heat a frying pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and cook the chicken pieces for 3-5 minutes or until golden brown.


Flip and cook an additional 3 minutes.


Squeeze the lemon wedges over the chicken. Tuck the wedges around the chicken and place the entire pan in the oven. Allow the chicken to cook 10-15 minutes or until the juices run clear.

Poppy Seed Chicken

Today has been a chilly, gloomy, and rainy day. The kind of day that makes you want to snuggle up under a blanket and watch a good movie. Unfortunately, my schedule didn't allow for any such indulgences.

As dinnertime approached, I decided to cook one of my favorite comfort foods... Poppy Seed Chicken. I must warn you that this is by no means a healthy meal. Quite to the contrary. Those suffering from high cholesterol or heart disease should go visit another blog. This dish is loaded with fat and calories but is, in my opinion, incredibly tasty.

I prefer to roast my own chicken to make this dish, however, you could easily buy them at your local grocery store. It can also be whipped up in a snap using any leftover chicken or turkey that you might have on hand. Served with steamed brown or wild rice and a green leafy salad, Poppy Seed Chicken is the perfect meal for a busy, rainy day.

Poppy Seed Chicken

2 roasted chickens, meat removed and diced into small cubes
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 16 oz. carton of sour cream
1-2 Tbs. poppy seeds
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 stick of butter, melted

In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, cream of chicken soup and the sour cream. Blend until creamy and smooth. Add the poppy seeds and the chicken. Stir until combined.

Pour the mixture into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30-40 minutes or until bubbly.

Combine the cracker crumbs and the butter, tossing to coat. Spread the crumbs evenly on top of the chicken. Bake an additional 10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.