Welcome to Wednesday Coffee Hour. This is an open topic thread so help yourself to the goodies and sit a spell and let us know what is new with you. We have often heard Chicken Soup described as Jewish penicillin. A friend of mine has a great recipe from her Jewish grandmother for Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls. While science is still out on the health benefits in Chicken Soup there is no doubt that it is one of the great comfort foods. I often cook with chicken. Reid's current favorite dish is my Chicken and Dumplings. Here are some of my chicken recipes.
Chicken and Dumplings
This is a favorite in the soup in the South.
Serving Size: 10
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1½ pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces mushroom caps -- sliced
½ cup carrot -- diced
½ cup celery -- diced
1 small onion -- diced
1 clove garlic -- minced
1 cup frozen peas
64 ounces low sodium chicken broth
¼ cup sherry
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
¼ teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 cup low fat evaporated milk
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Dumplings
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup yellow cornmeal -- finely ground
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1½ cups buttermilk
Melt butter with olive oil in large Dutch oven and heat to medium-high. Add chicken and brown on both sides. Remove chicken to plate.
Drain excess fat. Add mushrooms, celery, carrots, peas, and onion. Cooked until softened and starting to brown.
Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add sherry and cook stirring up all the browned bits.
Add salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and broth to pan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Add chicken and cover pot and cook for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.
Remove chicken to a plate to cool and shred chicken into bite size pieces.
To make dumplings sift together dry ingredients. Add buttermilk and stir gently to combine.
Add chicken back to pot along with milk. Stir to combine. Bring back up to a simmer. Reduce heat.
Drop dough on top of soup. Wrap a kitchen towel around lid and partially cover and simmer for 35 minutes. The towel will absorb the steam condensation so it doesn't drip back on the dumplings.
Per Serving: 338 Calories; 7g Fat (18.4% calories from fat); 31g Protein; 36g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 48mg Cholesterol; 864mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1½ Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; ½ Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Crockpot Chicken and Noodle Soup
A favorite soup that can be made the easy way in a crockpot.
Serving Size: 12
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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30 ounces skinless boneless chicken breasts -- trimmed of fat
6 stalks celery -- sliced
6 large carrots -- sliced
1 medium sweet onion -- diced
64 ounces low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried basil
1 tablespoon low sodium Worcestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon celery seeds
2 whole bay leaves
8 ounces egg noodles
Trim fat from chicken breasts but do not cut. Slice celery and carrots. Dice onion.
Place vegetables in bottom of slow cooker. Put breasts on top on vegetables.
Mix salt, pepper, thyme, basil, and celery seed together. Sprinkle on top of chicken.
Add Worcestershire sauce and chicken broth. Push bay leaves into broth.
Cook on LOW 5 to 6 hours or on HIGH 2 to 3 hours.
Remove meat from soup. Let cool and shred or cut into bite size pieces. Add back to soup along with noodles.
Turn heat to HIGH and cook 30 to 45 minutes or until noodles are cooked through. Remove bay leaves before serving.
Per Serving: 205 Calories; 2g Fat (8.0% calories from fat); 26g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 59mg Cholesterol; 513mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Chicken Breasts Dijon
The combination of Dijon mustard and mustard seeds gives this dish a bit of a bite.
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 whole egg
1 tablespoon white wine
1 cup panko
½ cup Parmesan cheese -- shredded
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
vegetable cooking spray
Heat oven to 400°F. Spray a 9x13 inch dish.
Mix mustard, egg, and white wine in one shallow dish.
Mix panko, cheese, and mustard seeds in second shallow dish.
Dip chicken in egg mixture and let excess drip off. Dredge chicken in panko mixture patting on to make a good coating. Place chicken in prepared pan and bake 30 minutes uncovered until chicken is cooked through.
Per Serving: 227 Calories; 6g Fat (24.1% calories from fat); 33g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 106mg Cholesterol; 301mg Sodium. Exchanges: ½ Grain(Starch); 4½ Lean Meat; ½ Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Chicken Cacciatore
This is fairly easy to make and makes a wonderful fancy dinner.
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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3 slices reduced sodium bacon -- cut into thin strips
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon seasoned pepper
3 pounds chicken breast halves without skin
¼ cup olive oil
16 ounces no-salt-added diced tomatoes, - drained
8 ounces no salt added tomato sauce
8 ounces mushrooms -- sliced
1 small green pepper -- seeded and diced
¼ cup red wine
2¼ ounces black olives -- sliced
1 medium onion -- chopped
2 cloves garlic -- minced
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano -- crushed
¼ teaspoon pepper -- divided
1 whole bay leaf
8 ounces cooked spaghetti -- hot
Mix flour, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Coat chicken with flour mixture. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven until hot. Cook chicken and bacon over medium heat until brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Drain fat from skillet.
Mix tomatoes, green pepper, tomato sauce, mushrooms, wine, olives, onion, garlic, oregano, ¼ teaspoon pepper and the bay leaf. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer until chicken is done, about 30 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Serve over spaghetti.
Per Serving: 470 Calories; 14g Fat (28.8% calories from fat); 49g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 110mg Cholesterol; 396mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain (Starch); 6 Lean Meat; 1½ Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Chicken Satay
A classic kabob recipe.
Serving Size: 4
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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4 each skinless boneless chicken breast halves -- cut into 1" pieces
bamboo skewers - soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon cumin powder
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic -- minced fine
1 whole shallot -- minced fine
½ teaspoon ginger root -- minced fine
Peanut Sauce
1 cup 25% less fat creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup 2% milk
½ tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
In a bowl mix soy sauce, lemon juice, turmeric, cumin, vegetable oil, garlic, shallot and ginger root together and mix well. Add chicken pieces and cover and let marinade for 30 minutes in a refrigerator.
To make peanut butter sauce in a saucepan heat peanut butter, lemon juice, soy sauce, brown sugar and cayenne pepper. Stir until smooth. Keep warm.
Thread chicken pieces onto skewers. Place under broiler or on grill and broil for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Serve with peanut sauce.
Per Serving: 645 Calories; 36g Fat (49.4% calories from fat); 45g Protein; 38g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 71mg Cholesterol; 969mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain (Starch); 5 Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 6 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Kung Pao Chicken With a Pow
This is a classic Chinese dish.
Serving Size: 4
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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12 ounces chicken breasts without skin – boneless
1 tablespoon sherry
1 teaspoon cornstarch
¼ cup water
¼ cup soy sauce, low sodium
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
5 dashes hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon cooking oil
2 teaspoons ginger root -- minced
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 cup green onions -- cut in ½ inch pieces
½ cup peanuts
2 cups hot cooked rice
Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut into ¾ inch pieces. In a medium bowl, stir together chicken, sherry and 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Let stand for 15 minutes.
For sauce, in a small bowl, stir together water, soy sauce, 4 teaspoons cornstarch, sugar, vinegar and hot pepper sauce. Set aside.
Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry garlic and ginger root for 15 seconds.
Add chicken mixture; stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until meat is no longer pink inside. Push chicken from center of wok.
Stir sauce and add to center of wok. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly.
Add green onions and peanuts and stir to coat with sauce. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve over hot rice.
Per Serving: 379 Calories; 14g Fat (32.3% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 39g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 39mg Cholesterol; 674mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 Grain (Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Chicken Paprikash
A traditional Hungarian recipe that has been made heart healthier.
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium sweet onion -- sliced thin
2 tablespoons paprika -- sweet Hungarian
¾ cup low sodium chicken broth
¼ cup white wine
8 ounces low-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Sprinkle chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
Add butter to large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high. Brown chicken on both sides and remove from pan.
Add onions to pan and cook until onions softened and start to brown.
Add paprika and cook for 30 seconds.
Return chicken to pan and add chicken broth and wine. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and cover and cook for 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and no pink remains.
Remove chicken and onions from pan. Strain out fat and measure 1½ cups adding water if necessary.
Return liquid to pan. Off heat stir flour into sour cream and stir into liquid until smooth.
Return sauce to pan and heat stirring constantly until sauce thickens.
Serve sauce over chicken and onions.
Serving Ideas: You can serve over noodles.
Notes: You can use a whole chicken cut up. I usually use skinless and boneless because I need to keep fat, salt, and carbohydrates down since I am cooking for a diabetic.
Per Serving: 324 Calories; 8g Fat (24.4% calories from fat); 48g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 128mg Cholesterol; 411mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 6 Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; 1 Fat; ½ Other Carbohydrates.
Coconut Chicken with Plum Dipping Sauce
This can either be an appetizer or main dish.
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts -- cut into 6 pieces
½ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning
½ cup flour, all-purpose
1 cup coconut flakes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter -- melted
¼ cup 2% milk
1 whole egg
Plum Sauce
¼ cup Chinese plum sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon molasses
Heat oven to 400°F.
Cut chicken breasts into one-inch cubes if doing appetizers.
Mix salt, paprika, poultry seasoning, flour and coconut flakes together in a pie pan.
Mix egg and milk together mixing well in another pie pan.
Dip the chicken pieces into the egg and milk mixture coating well. Shake off excess.
Dip chicken pieces into the coconut mixture making sure it is coated well. Place in a shallow baking pan and drizzle with melted butter.
Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes turning over half way or until chicken is cooked through.
Plum Sauce: add plum sauce, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, mustard and molasses together in a small saucepan. Heat through and let simmer until chicken is ready.
Notes: If you want this as a meal cut the chicken breasts into 6 pieces and not cubes.
Per Serving: 301 Calories; 11g Fat (32.0% calories from fat); 29g Protein; 21g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 112mg Cholesterol; 471mg Sodium. Exchanges: ½ Grain (Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; ½ Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1½ Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
Oven Barbecued Chicken
Use your favorite barbecue sauce.
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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3 pounds chicken breast without skin
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup barbecue sauce
Brine the chicken for 2 hours. To brine the chicken mix ¼ cup kosher salt or ⅛ cup table salt in 1 quart of water. Place the chicken in brine and cover and refrigerate. Heat oven to 350°F.
Remove chicken from brine and pat dry. Melt butter in heavy skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken on both sides. Place in a glass or non-reactive pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
Brush sauce over chicken. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes brushing sauce every 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
Per Serving: 276 Calories; 7g Fat (24.8% calories from fat); 43g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 118mg Cholesterol; 190mg Sodium. Exchanges: 6 Lean Meat; 1 Fat.
Chicken Pad Thai
Traditional Pad Thai uses tamarind sauce and fish sauce which are not always easy to find. I substituted the soy sauce and hoisin.
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1½ pounds chicken breast, no skin, no bone -- sliced
3 whole green onions -- sliced
¼ cup peanuts
1 cup bean sprouts
8 ounces rice noodles
2 cloves garlic -- minced
1 whole egg
2 tablespoons cilantro -- chopped
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon lime zest
2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
Mix sauce ingredients together and set aside. Cook noodles according to package directions.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to wok over medium heat. Add egg and cook until scrambled. Remove from wok.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in wok or large saucepan and heat to medium-high. Cook chicken until no longer pink in center. Remove from wok.
Add remaining oil to wok. Add onions and bean sprouts. Cook for 1 minute.
Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add chicken, egg, and noodles to vegetables in wok. Heat through. Push to sides.
Add sauce to center on wok and heat to boiling. Cook for a minute or two until thickened. Coast meat and vegetables.
Sprinkle peanuts over dish and heat through.
Per Serving: 411 Calories; 12g Fat (27.2% calories from fat); 30g Protein; 44g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 101mg Cholesterol; 439mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2½ Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 2 Fat; ½ Other Carbohydrates.
Chicken Pot Pie
Once you discover how good these pies taste and how easy they are to make you will never buy the frozen ones again.
Serving Size: 8
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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2 whole 9 inch pie crusts
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast -- cubed
½ cup carrots -- diced
½ cup celery -- sliced
1 small onion -- diced
1 cup frozen peas
1 large Yukon Gold potato -- diced
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
¼ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter -- divided
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ cups 2% low-fat milk
¼ cup white wine
3 cups water
Heat oven to 425°F.
Bring water to a boil and add potatoes and carrots. Boil for 15 minutes or until softened. Drain.
Add 2 tablespoons butter to large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken, onions, and celery. Cook until chicken is browned and onions and celery have softened. Deglaze pan with wine scraping up all the browned bits.
Add potatoes and carrots to chicken mixture along with salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and celery seed. Mix well.
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add milk stirring constantly until boiling. Stir and cook until thickened. Remove from heat.
Add sauce to chicken mixture mixing well.
Place one pie crust in bottom of pie pan pushing up the sides.
Pour chicken mixture into pie pan.
Cover top with second pie crust. Pinch top and sides together and cutting several slits in the top.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until pastry in golden brown and filling is bubbly.
Per Serving: 382 Calories; 20g Fat (47.1% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 52mg Cholesterol; 519mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1½ Grain(Starch); 2 Lean Meat; ½ Vegetable; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 3½ Fat.
Oriental Chicken Salad
This salad shows that great taste can also be healthy.
Serving Size: 6
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
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1 pound skinless boneless chicken breast -- cut in 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large romaine lettuce -- torn into bite size pieces
8 ounces baby spinach leaves
2 whole green onions -- sliced
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 ounces chow mein noodles -- cooked and drained
1 tablespoon sesame seeds -- toasted
Dressing
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon sesame oil
Mix soy sauce and cornstarch together. Mix in cubed chicken to coat and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Heat skillet to medium and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Cook chicken until browned on all sides and no pink remains. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil to medium and add sesame seeds and cut up chow mein noodles. Cook until toasted. Drain on paper towels.
Toss lettuce, spinach, and green onions together with enough dressing to coat. Top salad with noodles and sesame seeds.
Per Serving: 377 Calories; 24g Fat (55.8% calories from fat); 23g Protein; 20g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 44mg Cholesterol; 377mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 2½ Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 4 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.