OVEN BARBECUED CHICKEN

OVEN BARBECUED CHICKEN

Best recipes ever CHICKEN RECIPES POT LUCK RECIPES

I made this for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it was an instant hit with Picky-Picky husband. As a matter of fact, he gave it a thumbs up three times before the dinner dishes were done (that is almost unheard of). Best recipes ever

Basted with a maple flavored barbecue sauce; this recipe produces a mildly sweet and sticky-yummy chicken. Served with biscuits and corn on the cob, it is a great way to enjoy barbecue flavor (indoors) during the fast approaching winter season.



Start with a nice big chicken; I usually buy whole chickens that are about 4 pounds.  I split it down the back (removing the backbone) so that you can lay it out flat; it cooks very evenly that way.

Place the chicken (rinsed and patted dry) in a baking dish and brush it with the following quick-mix sauce:

1/3 cup REAL maple syrup (not pancake syrup)

1/3 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon (dry) salt free seasoning (I use Penzey's)

pinch of cayenne pepper (more if you like heat)

generous quarter teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

Mix well  and pour over the chicken, making sure it coats everything.  Bake at 350° for  90 minutes*, basting every 30 minutes or so.



Any kind of (dry) salt free seasoning will work,

we like the Penzey brand



Mildly Sweet and Sticky, just right!!

We like a whole baked chicken, but I'm sure this would

work well on a cut up chicken too.

NOTE: I bake four pound chickens (at 350°) for about 90 minutes, but the baking time for YOUR chicken depends on how big it is.



QUICK and EASY STICKY CHICKEN WINGS

QUICK and EASY STICKY CHICKEN WINGS

CHICKEN RECIPES MY ORIGINAL RECIPE PARTY SNACKS

This is one of picky-picky hubbies all time favorite things to eat (hands down!!). Wing sections baked in a soy sauce, brown sugar and pineapple mixture, this recipe is  super simple and always a hit at parties. I've been asked for this recipe countless times and people are always surprised how few ingredients (simple) the recipe is.

CLICK ON THIS PICTURE

2 pounds of chicken wing sections
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
20 ounce can of pineapple chunks (drained well)

Cut the wings into sections, discarding the wing tip (or buy already cut up party wings) and place in a 9" x 13" (greased) baking dish.  Mix everything else together and spoon over the wings.

Bake in a 350 oven (uncovered) for 1½ hours, turning everything over every 30 minutes or so. Now I know that seems like a LONG time for chicken wings, but trust me, it does takes that long for the wings to "break down" and be super tender, sweet and juicy and sticky!!

Remove the wings and pineapple from the sauce and serve  (discard the sauce). Hubby likes the pineapple chunks, but I don't care for them...your choice.

NOTE: Do not omit the pineapple, the flavor and moisture content of the fruit is important to the cooking process.

NOTE:  The last 30 minutes of bake time, the chicken wings will get shiney and sticky!!

NOTE: If you are still in doubt about the 1½ hour cooking time, click on the above photo and you will get a better look at the wings themselves and you will see they are juicy and not overcooked.

MINI CHICKEN POT PIES

MINI CHICKEN POT PIES

CHICKEN RECIPES MINI RECIPES

Picky-picky husband loves chicken pot pies, but they definitely  have not been on my "quick fix" list until now. This "recipe" is almost a cheater recipe, because you can skip the filling recipe below and just use your favorite leftover chicken and gravy to make
these. 

They were so tasty that picky-picky husband went back for seconds!! With this quick and easy technique, I can see we will be having mini chicken pot pies a lot more often.

 



2 potatoes  cubed fairly small
1 cup favorite veggies(I use a frozen pea-corn-green bean mix)
1/2 stalk celery chopped fine
1 tablespoon onion chopped fine
1 carrot sliced thin
1 COOKED chicken breast small cubed
1 tube of refrigerator rolls (see note about brand)
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups chicken broth (see note)
2 teaspoons chicken bullion
pepper to taste

In a large sauce pan, saute the onion and celery in a little butter until soft. Add the chicken broth, potatoes, veggies, bullion and pepper (DO NOT ADD THE CHICKEN MEAT AT THIS STAGE). Boil about 5-8 minutes or until potatoes and carrots are fork tender.

Drain but SAVE THE BROTH!! In a medium size sauce pan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter then add 3 tablespoons flour and stir, (cook for about a minute to cook out the raw flour taste).  Add the saved chicken broth (whisk like crazy when you add the broth). Cook until the mixture thickens, then put the cooked veggies back in. Remove from heat and set aside. Note: If the "gravy' seems a little thick, just add a couple tablespoons more chicken broth.

Spray a Texas size muffin pan lightly with vegetable spray (even if it is a non-stick pan). Roll out each refrigerator biscuit very thin and place one in each muffin cup.

Then use your fingers to press the thinned out biscuit up the sides and to the top of each cup.

NOTE: If you don't have a Texas size muffin pan, see note below.

NOTE: I've tried all brands of refrigerator biscuits for this recipe and the very best one (for mini pot pies) is a Kroger brand biscuit called JUMBO butter biscuits  (our Fred Meyer sells them).

 

Place pieces of cooked chicken in the bottom of each little pot pie and then spoon the veggies and gravy over it (almost to the top).

Place the muffin pan on a cookie tray (in case you've filled them too much) and bake in preheated 375 oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

 

Remove from oven and let sit for 3 or 4 minutes before taking them out of the pan; this will really help.

Don't worry, they stay hot forever!! Use a butter knife to assist you in lifting these out of the pan.

 

NOTE:  If you don't use chicken bullion, you'll have to add a little salt to the sauce.

NOTE: On occasion, I buy Pillsbury Grands refrigerator biscuits, but they don't work well for this recipe (too bready). The Kroger brand of Jumbo Butter Biscuits roll out nice and thin and they bake into a thin crusty-buttery shell.

NOTE: I don't think this recipe will work very well in a standard cupcake pan unless you chop everything VERY small and use only half of a refrigerator biscuit (but I've never tried it).

CHICKEN SOUP FOR A SICK HOUSE

CHICKEN SOUP FOR A SICK HOUSE

CHICKEN RECIPES CLASSIC RECIPES MY ORIGINAL RECIPE SOUP RECIPES

I haven't posted much lately because picky-picky husband and I have had the flu. Not just your every day "better in a week flu", but the old fashioned "don't even get out of your jammies)"flu that has plagued us with lethargy and coughs for almost a month.

Our meals have been simple and mostly from the crock pot (or frozen food entree aisle) but then we haven't had much of an appetite either. Now that we are feeling a little better, I am venturing back into the kitchen.

This chicken soup has been a life saver for us during this time. I just keep it going in the slow cooker, adding a little more broth and veggies when necessary. It is a super simple recipe and if your family is coping with this ugly flu, like we are, I hope you will give this magic "elixer" a try.

6 large boneless-skinless chicken thighs (dark meat has the best flavor)
1 cup chopped onion (I like to use sweet onions)
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrot
2 quarts of good chicken stock (I use the boxed kind)
1 tablespoon chicken bullion granules
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of dried thyme
pinch of poultry seasoning
2 cups favorite veggies (I use frozen mixed veggies)
spaghetti or fettuccine noodles (they hold up better than other noodles)

Cube and brown the chicken thighs in a tablespoon of oil until you get brown crusty spots on the chicken. Remove from pan and put it into the crock pot. In the same pan, saute the onion, celery and carrot until they get a little soft. Use a spatula and use the moisture in the veggies to de-glaze any crusty bits left in the bottom of the pan. Add this mixture into the crock pot ; those crusty brown bits in the pan are PACKED with chicken flavor.

Add the broth, 2 cups favorite veggies, bullion granules and salt and pepper. Stir and cook on high for about 6 hours, stirring once in a while. Half an hour before you serve this soup, break the noodles into 4" pieces and put into hot broth and stir. The noodles should be ready to eat in about 30 minutes.

NOTE: I have tried many different kinds of noodles in this soup. Spaghetti seems to hold up the best without turning to mush if you are cooking the soup for a long time or overnight. I also use rice instead of noodles, however, DO NOT put the rice into the soup because after a short while, it will deteriorate and make your soup a mushy mess. Instead, make the rice SEPARATELY and put a big spoon of it in your soup bowl and ladle the soup OVER the rice. It only took me about 10 years to figure this trick out.

NOTE: Any cut of chicken will work in the soup, however, the dark meat gives the most flavor and after 6 hours, it will still be very moist and "fall apart" tender.


NOTE: Any kind of veggies can be used for the "favorite veggies" part. Just make sure you use veggies that will stand up to long cooking. I usually use a frozen veggie mixture that has peas, corn, green beans and carrots, but anything will work (just don't used canned veggies).

NOTE: Homemade chicken broth is best, but I never seem to have any when I want to make this soup, so I use a good quality BOXED chicken broth (just don't use bullion and water to make broth because it will be too salty).

CROCKPOT CHICKEN CHILI

CROCKPOT CHICKEN CHILI

BEAN RECIPES CHICKEN RECIPES CROCKPOT RECIPES MY ORIGINAL RECIPE SOUP RECIPES

This is a new recipe experiment for us and I must tell you it was delightful. It is one of those rare meals that is not only good for you, but it's very tasty, very hearty and it rings all the familiar bells of comfort food.

This recipe is also a breeze to make because you put most of the ingredients in the crockpot the night BEFORE you want to serve it (no need to pre-soak the beans) and then in the morning, you just add the chicken and carrots and let it cook all day!! It will make your house smell fantastic!!

 

1½ cups DRY Great Northern white beans (rinsed)
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup chopped onion (sauteed)
4 ounce can mild green chiles
2 cups grated carrots
3 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon dry oregano leaves
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt  (see note below)
½ teaspoon black pepper
6 cups chicken stock (see note below)
1 cup Monterrey Jack Cheese shredded

Wash and sort the dry beans (do not pre-soak) and put them in the crockpot. Add the stock, sauteed onion, seasonings and chile's. Cook on LOW setting overnight (or about 8 hours).

In the morning, remove about a cup of the beans and mash them thoroughly. (I put them in the blender)  Return the mashed beans to the crockpot; this will thicken up the broth in the chili.

Cut the raw chicken into large pieces and add it to the crockpot along with the shredded carrots.  Cook this on high for 6 to 8 hours. If your crockpot runs very hot (as some of them do) cook it on low instead.

About 30 minutes before you want to serve the chicken chili, add the shredded Monterrey Jack cheese and stir.

 

I hope you like this hearty
"good for you" chili as much as we did.

NOTE: If you use salt free chicken broth, go ahead and put the teaspoon of salt into the chili. Taste it again after it is finished cooking (and you've added the cheese) to see if it still needs more salt.   If you use chicken broth made from bullion, I wouldn't add any salt to the recipe, as the bullion broth is already quite salty.

NOTE: I hope you don't leave out the grated carrot, it really adds a wonderful taste and texture to the chili.

NOTE: We are fairly timid when it comes to spicy heat in our food. The recipe calls for 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. I used a scant 1/8 teaspoon and it was absolutely perfect for us. If you like more heat in your food, add more cayenne.

SUBWAY SWEET ONION CHICKEN TERIYAKI SANDWICH

SUBWAY SWEET ONION CHICKEN TERIYAKI SANDWICH

CHICKEN RECIPES CLONE RECIPES CONDIMENTS

This is a "knock off" recipe for Subway's sweet onion chicken teriyaki sandwich. It is delicious, only about 370 calories and very quick to fix (as long as you make the sweet onion sauce a day ahead).

 

 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins
.¼ cup soy sauce
¾ cup pineapple juice
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
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Bring everything but the chicken to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes or until it starts to reduce. Cool completely and pour over the chicken, cover and refrigerate the chicken for about 30-60 minutes.
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When it's time to eat, take the chicken out of the marinade (throw marinade away) and grill or broil the chicken until done (don't over cook).
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Place chicken pieces in grilled bun and add favorite toppings. Drizzle with sweet onion sauce. Mmmmmmmmmmm!!! Makes about 6 sandwiches.

SUBWAY SWEET ONION SAUCE This is SO tasty and I find all sorts of uses for it. It is not overly onion-y and not overly sweet. Make it a day ahead of time to let the flavors blend and mellow.

½ cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon finely minced Vidalia onion
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon buttermilk powder
¼ teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/8 teaspoon salt
pinch cracked black pepper
pinch garlic powder
.
Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil for about 30 seconds. Whisk well and cover and chill overnight.

NOTE: If you don't have Vidalia onion, a white onion will work, just mince it VERY finely. I've even used re-hydrated onion flakes successfully, although the vidalia onion is best.

SESAME CHICKEN

SESAME CHICKEN

CHICKEN RECIPES

Our Safeway store has the best sesame chicken and I've tried to recreate it, several times, with minimal luck. However, this last try was very good and even Hubby liked it!!

 

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon cooking wine
3 drops sesame oil
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Mix the above ingredients thoroughly, then add 1½ pounds of chicken breast cut into 1" cubes. (see note) Stir to coat and chill for 30 minutes before frying.
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SAUCE (this cooked sauce is poured over the cooked chicken)
1/2 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar*
1/4 cup corn starch
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes**
1 clove garlic minced
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Bring to a boil (it gets very thick). Keep warm while you fry the chicken
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Deep fry the chicken cubes, a few at a time, until they are done and batter is golden. Keep warm in oven while you fry the rest. Just before serving, add some of the sauce to the chicken and gently stir (you might not need all of the sauce) .
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Serve over hot rice.

NOTE: Original recipe called for a full cup of sugar, but that seemed like overkill. I used 1/2 cup and it seemed perfect.
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NOTE: We are very shy of extra-spicy food. I used ¼ teaspoon of the red pepper flakes and it was VERY mild. I think next time, I will use ¼ teaspoon + an extra pinch.
NOTE: The recipe calls for chicken breast, but we prefer either chicken tenderloins or boneless thigh meat.