Apricot Curry Chicken

This recipe is so easy. I wanted something with just a little spice and I wanted it fast - so I made this up and it is really good.

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts that have been pounded between plastic wrap to tenderize.
• 3/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 tsp your favorite curry powder
• garlic powder
• salt and pepper

1. Grate the fresh ginger and mix it in a bowl with the preserves and the curry powder. Put it aside while you cook the chicken.
2. I use Pam spray - so spray or oil your skillet. Sprinkle the chicken with the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Add to the hot skillet. Sear and then reduce the heat to med low and cook for about 15 minutes. I covered them after I turned them.
3. When the chicken is done, remove it to a warm plate and add the apricot mixture to the drippings in the skillet. Heat until it is bubbly and then pour it over the chicken and serve. Goes nice with basmati rice.

Red Rice with Chicken

This hearty, well-seasoned dish is budget friendly as well as delicious.

Makes about 6 servings

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ pounds chicken pieces of your choosing

¾ to 1 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning (to taste)

3 large red bell peppers, seeded, cut in strips

1 large onion, cut in strips

8 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon dried oregano leaves

1 tablespoon paprika

1 ½ cups long-grain white rice

2 cups (or a little more) chicken broth

2/3 cup cream of tomato soup

1 ½ cups frozen small peas, thawed

1/4 cup parsely, chopped

Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with Cajun Seasoning. The 15-minute pre-cook: add the chicken, and cook for 10 minutes, then add bell peppers, onion, garlic and oregano to the pot. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Mix in the paprika and rice and stir to coat. Add the chicken broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low.

Simmer until the chicken and rice are tender and the liquids are absorbed, about 20-25 minutes. Add more broth if the mixture becomes dry during the cooking time. Stir in the peas and parsley and add more Creole Seasoning if desired. Cook until the peas are heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve

NOTE: Since red bell pepper are $1.50 each in my local supermarket, I substitute green bell pepper.

If you choose skinless, boneless chicken pieces, cube them and reduce the pre-cook time from a total of 15 minutes to 5 minutes.

Enchiladas de Mole Poblano

Serves: 8

1 Cup Canola Oil
24 Each Corn Tortillas
6 Cups Chicken, cooked and shredded
3 Cups Mole Sauce (recipe in Sauce section)
1 Cup Sour Cream
2 Cups Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
1 Each Red Onion, sliced

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Dip tortillas in oil one at a time briefly frying until soft. Blot with paper towels.
2. In a separate skillet, warm chicken with mole sauce.
3. To assemble enchiladas, place 2 tablespoons chicken-mole mixture in center of each tortilla, roll into a log.
4. To serve, place three enchiladas side by side in center of plate. Pour mole sauce generously over enchiladas; top with sour cream, cheese and red onion.

NOTE: Of course homemade mole is the best, but it is a time consuming project to say the least, and some of the ingredients are hard to find. If you can't find prepared mole sauce in your local supermarket, you can order it on FoodieAffair.Com. This site is still under construction, but it is promised to be up and running soon.

Chicken Calabcita Stew

Serves 4

3/4 Pound Chicken Breasts, cut into strips
Salt and Pepper or Fajita Blend Spice
1 Tablespoon Canola Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/4 Cup Onions, chopped
7 Ounces Stewed Tomatoes with Chiles
1/4 Teaspoon Pepper
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
1/2 Cup Sweet Corn, frozen
1/2 Pound Squash, Zucchini, fresh or frozen
1/8 Cup Green Bell Pepper, chopped, optional
2 Teaspoons Chicken Bouillon Powder or 1/2 Knorr's Cube
1 Cup Water*

1. Salt and pepper chicken strips. Cook chicken in pot until brown on all sides.
2. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil.
3. Lower heat, simmer covered for 15-20 minutes.

* Add 1 - 1/2 cups water to make this into a delicious soup. Add more spice to taste.
NOTE: For the Texas folks, HEB has a Calabacita Blend of vegetables in the frozen section.

Moroccan Chicken Pie

4-6 servings

FILLING

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/8 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs
• 1/4 cups golden raisins, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped

PHYLLO

• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 10 sheets (about 17x12 inches) fresh phyllo pastry or frozen, thawed
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, for brushing

FILLING
Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Mix in cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and saffron; stir 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over; stir 1 minute. Add broth; bring to simmer.
Sprinkle chicken with salt; add to broth mixture. Gently simmer chicken uncovered until cooked through. reducing heat if necessary to prevent boiling, about 20 minutes. Stir in raisins. Set skillet aside until chicken is cool enough to handle.
Shred chicken coarsely and return to skillet.
If sauce is thin, simmer over medium heat until sauce coats chicken thickly. Stir in cilantro and parsley.
Season with salt and pepper.
Cool filling completely.

DO AHEAD Can Be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

PHYLLO

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Finely grind almonds, powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and cinnamon in mini processor.
3. Stack 10 phyllo sheets on work surface. Invert 9-inch glass pie dish onto stack. Cut around dish through phyllo, making ten 10-inch rounds. Cover rounds with plastic wrap and damp kitchen towel.
4. Brush same pie dish with melted butter. Place 1 phyllo round on work surface; brush with butter and sprinkle with scant 1 tablespoon almonds. Top with another phyllo round, brush with butter and sprinkle with scant 1 tablespoon almonds.
5. Repeat procedure with 3 more phyllo sheets.
6. Fit phyllo stack into prepared pie dish. Brush with butter. Spoon filling evenly over. Place 1 phyllo round on work surface. Brush with butter and sprinkle with scant 1 tablespoon almonds. Repeat with 3 more phyllo rounds, butter, and almonds.
7. Place stack atop filling; top with remaining phyllo round. Tuck in edges. Drizzle more butter over top. Cut 4 slits through top phyllo stack to allow steam to escape.
   

DO AHEAD Can be made 6 hour ahead. Cover and chill.

1. Place pie on rimmed baking sheet. Bake uncovered until phyllo is golden and filling is heated through, about 40 minutes. Cool 15 minutes.
2. Cut into wedges.

Check my other blog: Southern Flavor Zone

Pablano Chicken by Suzie

Easy and good! Spicy, but not too much spice.

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 pablano pepper (or anahiem)
1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
Oil
1 cup whole cream

Peel and seed the pablano chili pepper. Place in food processor and chop.
Heat oil in skillet. Saute the pablano chili pepper and garlic for a few minutes and then return to the food processor. Add the cream and process for a minute or two.
Saute the chicken breats in the same pan for about 10 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove to a platter.
Pour the Pablano-cream sauce mixture into the skillet and heat but do not boil.
Pour over the chicken and serve at once.

Party Chicken Bake AKA Gooey Chicken

I found this recipe in the newspaper back in the '70's. (now you know how old I am!) I made it regularly as my children were growing up and when they would ask what was for dinner I would tell them that it was "that gooey chicken". Thus, in our family it became known as Gooey Chicken. It is easy and always a winner.

• One envelope dry Italian Salad Dressing
• 2 T. melted butter or margarine
• 4 chicken breast halves
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 4-oz pakage whipped cream cheese w/ chives
• 1/3 cup dry white wine

1. Combine 1/2 package Italian Salad Dressing mix with the cream cheese. Gradually add the soup and then the wine. Mix until smooth and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a skillet. Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with the remaining salad dressing and brown slowly on both sides until golden.
3. Place the chicken in a 12 x 7 in. baking dish.
4. Spoon the soup and cream cheese mixture over the chicken.
5. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes
6. Serve over hot rice.

Anchor Bar Buffalo Wings

Serves 7
Yield: 30

• 6 Tbsps Hot Sauce
• 4 Tbsps Margarine, not butter
• 1 Tbsp White Vinegar
• 1/8 Tsp Celery Seed
• 1/8 Tsp Cayenne
• 1/4 Tsp Red Pepper
• 1/8 Tsp Garlic Salt
• 1 Dash Black Pepper
• 1/4 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tsp Tabasco
• 1/2 Lb Celery Sticks
• 1/2 Lb Carrot Sticks
• Blue Cheese Salad Dressing
• 30 Chicken Wings, Fried, separated
  

1. Make sure the wings are fresh, not frozen.
2. Wash them in cold water, split them at the joint and remove the tips.
3. This is the real key. Place them on a rack on a pan and refrigerate overnight to let the blood and water drain out of the wings.
4. Heat peanut oil or Melfry slowly to 365 F. Fry wings in small batches about 12 to 15 minutes.
5. Toss warm wings with sauce.
6. If using prepared sauce, use Durkey Frank's red hot sauce.