Chicken Chili

• From Panning the Globe blog.  This is amazing!  The chicken roasted with the spices is so good!  I saved extra to make chicken tacos.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• 3 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons chile powder, divided
• 3 tablespoons cumin, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided, plus more, to taste
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
• 3 cups chopped onion (2 medium)
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic or more if you love garlic (4-5 large cloves)
• 3 15-ounce cans white beans, drained
• 2 4-ounce cans chopped green chiles (hot or mild, depending on your preference)
• 2 teaspoons oregano
• 4-6 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 6 cups shredded cheese, divided (half Monterrey Jack, half cheddar)
• 2 cups sour cream, divided
• Garnish:
• Chopped scallions
• Chopped cilantro leaves
• Your favorite hot sauce
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheddar or Monterrey Jack cheese

1. Spice and Roast the Chicken: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spread chicken out in a roasting pan. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, ½ teaspoon salt and a pinch or two of cayenne. Roast for 30 minutes. Shred or cut into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
2. Cook the Chili: In a large pot heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sauté onion and garlic over medium heat for 5 minutes or so, until tender. Add beans, shredded chicken, chilies, oregano, 2 tablespoons chile powder, 2 tablespoons cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne (or more, to taste). Add 4 cups of chicken broth, reserving the rest for thinning the chili to your desired consistency. Stir to combine and simmer gently on low for 20 minutes. (to keep the chicken tender, do not let the pot boil)
3. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes or so before proceeding. With the pot still off the heat, stir 3 cups of cheese into the pot, 1 cup at a time. Then stir in 1 cup of sour cream. (Or for Dean's richer, creamier version, add all 6 cups of cheese to the pot and 2 cups of sour cream) Bring the pot back to a gentle simmer over low heat (to keep the dairy products from separating, don't boil). Simmer the chili for 15-20 minutes, adjusting with additional chicken broth, if you like. A method I like to use for great added texture is to use a potato-masher in the pot to mash half the chicken and beans. Then stir to combine with the rest.
4. Serve chili in bowls with garnishes on top or on the side

Beef and Beer Potpie

2 T. olive oil
1 lb. boneless chuck roast, cut into 3/4" chunks
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. pepper
6 T. flour, divided
1 1/2 c. chopped leeks
1 c. chopped carrots
2 T. choppped fresh thyme (or 2 t. dried)
1/2 c. stout beer (like Guiness)
2 1/2 c. beef broth
1 c. chopped butternut squash
1/2 pkg. puff pastry]
1 egg, slightly beaten
1  T. water

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat the oil in 
a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Toss together the beef, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the flour in a medium bowl. Add to skillet; cook, stirring often, until the pieces are browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Add the leeks, carrots, and 1½ tablespoons of the thyme. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the beer; cook 1 minute, stirring to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Whisk together the stock and the remaining flour; add to the skillet and bring to a 
simmer, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender and the sauce thickens, 30 to 35 minutes, adding the squash after 15 minutes.
2. Roll out the puff pastry gently into a 12-inch square. Place the pastry over 
the simmering beef mixture. Whisk together the egg and water; brush over the pastry. Cut several slits in the center of the pastry. Bake in oven until the 
pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes. 

Roast Chicken and Vegetables

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 red potatoes, cut into large cubes
• 1 (16 ounce) package carrots, cut diagonally into bite-size pieces
• 1 stalk celery, cut diagonally into bite-size pieces
• 1 sweet onion, sliced - divided
• 1 (4.5 pound) whole chicken
• salt and ground black pepper to taste

 

• garlic powder, or to taste
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1 large lemon, sliced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 stalk celery, cut into 3 pieces
• 1/4 cup margarine, cut into pieces
• 1 2/3 tablespoons minced garlic
• Chicken broth (for basting)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 385 degrees F (196 degrees C).
2. Pour olive oil into a large bowl; toss potatoes, carrots, bite-size pieces of celery, and 3/4 of the sliced onion in the oil to coat. Set remaining onion aside. Transfer oiled vegetables to a large cast iron skillet.
3. Rinse chicken and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Generously season the chicken, inside and out, with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Place the remaining 1/4 of the sliced onion, 1/4 cup margarine, lemon slices, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and large pieces of celery into the cavity of the chicken.
4. Place the chicken atop the oiled vegetables; scatter remaining 1/4 cup of margarine pieces and 1 2/3 tablespoon minced garlic in small amounts around the vegetables.
5. Roast chicken and vegetables in the preheated oven until the skin is browned and crisp, the vegetables are tender, and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reads 165 degrees F (75 degrees C), about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Baste with chicken broth every 20 - 30 minutes. Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving with vegetables.

Corndog Muffins

1 box Jiffy Corn Bread Mix (or make your own...)
8 - 10 hot dogs (I chose Trader Joe's because they seemed "healthier")

• Mix corn bread according to package directions
• Slice hot dogs into 1" sections
• Grease mini-muffin tin
• Put corn bread mix into tin (approx. 1 T. )
• Add hot dogs into center
• Bake according to cornbread directions

Top with ketchup and enjoy!

Baked Chicken and Rice Chimichangas

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. cooked shredded chicken (or be easy on yourself and buy a rotisserie chicken)
1/3 c. salsa
1 1 /2 t. ground cumin
1 t. dried oregano
2 T. canola oil
1 package Knorr Fiesta Sides Spanish Rice (or any boxed Spanish Rice)
1 1/4 c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
4 burrito sized flour tortillas

Instructions

1. Combine the cooked shredded chicken with salsa, cumin and oregano; set aside
2. Prepare rice according to package directions
3. Stir in the chicken mixture and cheeses.  Divide the mixture between flour tortillas, wrap and place seam side down on a lined baking sheet.  Brush with the remaining oil and place in oven to bake for 20 minutes (or until golden brown and crispy) at 425 degrees.  Serve, if desired, with your favorite toppings, like guacamole, salsa, sour cream, etc.

Chicken Satay

This makes a great appetizer or meal!  Dip in Thai Peanut Sauce and enjoy.

1/2 c. coconut milk
4 t. fresh lime juice
1 T. dark brown sugar
1 T. fish sauce
2 t. minced peeled fresh ginger
1/2 t. curry powder
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 lb. chicken thighs cut into strips
skewers
1 lime, cut into small wedges

1. Combine sauce (coconut milk through garlic) and put in resealable freezer bag
2. Add chicken and marinate 2 hours
3. Remove chicken from marinade and put on skewers
4. Grill
5. Serve with peanut dipping sauce, cucumber and lime wedge

Chicken Pot Pie

Before the days of microwaves, we got a Stouffer's Chicken Pot Pie when a babysitter came over.  It took like an hour to bake and never tasted good.  Now I know REAL Chicken Pot Pie requires a roux and a nice pastry crust.  This is my son's favorite!

Ingredients

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 cup sliced carrots
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 or 2 9" pie crusts*

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F 
• In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
• In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust*. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. I recommend putting a cookie sheet on the shelf below to catch any overflow. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

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*I like putting the filling in the pan and using only one pie crust for the top.  Let calories/fat and more filling!