My family loved chicken three times a week if
I was creative with my recipes. My boys loved
chicken drumsticks and chicken tenders. My
husband loved savory baked chicken with gravy
and dressing. As a matter of fact, my husband
loved gravy and expected it with every meal. I
loved preparing chicken as long as I could find
a quick recipe. I had to be a prepared cook since
my hubby and two boys were sitting at the table
like cave men by 7 p.m.
In later years, I tried to cut down on fried foods
so my family would stay healthy. We only had
fried chicken on Sundays. I began to hate the dredging of chicken and being popped hot oil.
I started getting KFC coupons in the mail. Well,
you know what I did? I got friendly with staff at
the KFC near the mall. They began to see me
once a month.
I developed a quick oven fried chicken recipe that
my cave men could live with. I eventually cut out
the deep fried chicken once I figured out to get the oven fried chicken crispy. I'll gladly share my recipe with you.
I'll add chicken recipes daily and I have no fear of running out of recipes. I have my own recipes that
I developed and I also have a chicken cookbook!
My husband and I collect cookbooks. I discovered that I can find brand new cookbooks at my local
thrift store for $1.50!!! Someone is always getting
a cookbook for a gift and they don't like to cook.
I reap the benefits when they donate it to the thrift store. I check by the store once a month to see what treasure I can find. It takes patience because the good, bad, and the ugly cookbooks are mixed together.
SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN W/GRAVY
8 piece cut up chicken
1 C self rising flour
1 tsp Cajun Seasoning*
1/2 tsp black pepper
Canola oil for frying
GRAVY
2 T reserved frying oil
2 T self rising flour
Salt & pepper to taste
1 C water
Mix flour, Cajun seasoning, and pepper
in a ziplock plastic bag. Add the chicken
and shake the bag to coat chicken. Lay
coated chicken pieces on wire rack and
allow coating to set for 10 minutes. The
chicken is ready to fry when the coating
looks moist.
Heat large cast iron skillet on medium
high heat and add 1 inch of oil. Oil is
hot enough when a sprinkle of flour
bubbles. Fry chicken in two batches
skin side down. Fry 15 minutes each
side. Drain chicken on wire rack with
sheet pan. Keep the chicken warm in
300 degree oven until all of the pieces
of chicken have been fried. RESERVE
2 Tablespoons of frying oil.
OPTIONAL SEASONINGS:
1 tsp chicken seasoning; 1 tsp garlic salt;
1 tsp jerk seasoning; 1 tsp chili seasoning;
1 tsp Mexican adobo seasoning; 1 tsp Fried
chicken seasoning; 1 tsp Mexican sazon
seasoning; 1 tsp seasoning salt
Prepare gravy
Heat the skillet over medium heat.
Add the reserved oil, salt, pepper,
and flour into the skillet. Stir until
smooth. Whisk in water scraping
the browned bits from the bottom
of the skillet. Bring gravy to a boil.
Cook stirring constantly, until thick
and bubbly.
OVEN FRIED CHICKEN
8 piece cut up chicken
1/2 C mayonnaise
2 C plain bread crumbs
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/3 C butter
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Melt butter
in 9x 13 baking dish. Mix the crumbs,
paprika salt, and pepper on a plate and
set aside. Brush both sides of chicken
pieces with mayonnaise. Dredge chicken
pieces in seasoned crumbs. Place chicken
in baking dish. Bake 50 minutes or until
both sides are golden brown. Chicken is
done when juices run clear.
ROAST CHICKEN
Have you ever tried to get more than one meal out
a whole chicken? I could only figure out how to get two meals. My husband and I would eat the legs and thighs first. I would use the chicken breasts for pot pies. Please check out this video from the Living Well Network which shows you how to get 4 meals from one roast chicken!!
QUICK CHICKEN POT PIE
1 1/2 C shredded cooked chicken
16 oz mixed vegetables, drained
1 tsp minced onions
1 can low sodium cream mushroom soup
1 (9 inch) pie crust
Preheat oven 350 degrees.
In a large bowl combine vegetables, chicken,
onions, and soup. Pour chicken mixture in pie
crust. Bake the pie on sheet pan 45 minutes or
until crust golden brown.
QUICK CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS
4 C reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 C shredded cooked chicken
10 3/4 oz condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
10 count refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1/4 tsp black pepper
In large pot heat broth, chicken, soup and
poultry seasoning to boiling over medium
high heat. Simmer over medium heat while
prepare dumplings. On floured surface, pat
each biscuit flat. Cut into 4 pieces. Bring the
chicken to boil over medium high heat. Drop
biscuit pieces, one at a time, into boiling the
chicken mixture. Sprinkle black pepper over dumplings. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes,
stirring occasionally (prevents dumplings from
sticking together ).
CROCK POT CHICKEN RECIPES
SALSA CHICKEN WEEK-END
I was given this recipe from a lady new employee
at our mortgage processing office a few years ago. She moved to our city from Atlanta. She was a very busy mother with twins. She thought up this mea
so she could juggle her duties of wife, mother, and co-worker. She used her crock pot to prepare this
simple but delicious meal.
SALSA CHICKEN
2 (16 oz) jars pineapple salsa
4 skinless, chicken breasts
2 C cooked rice
Place chicken in crock pot. Pour salsa over chicken. Set crock pot on high for 6 hours. Remove chicken and shred with 2 forks. Place shredded chicken in
serving bowl. Pour salsa from crock pot over the
chicken. Serve over hot cooked rice.
OTHER OPTIONS:
16 jar of original salsa, instead of pineapple salsa
15 oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 Cup corn
Mexican cheese for garnish
JERK BBQ CHICKEN
4 skinless, chicken breasts
2 bottles original flavor BBQ sauce
2 tsp jerk seasoning
1 box red beans and rice mix
Pour BBQ sauce in bottom of crock pot. Add jerk seasoning and mix well. Place chicken in crock pot. Make sure chicken is completely covered with the sauce. Set crock pot on high for 6 hours. Transfer chicken and sauce to serving platter. Prepare red
beans & rice according to directions on box. Serve
the beans and rice as a side dish with the jerk chicken.
WHEAT FLAKE BAKED CHICKEN
8 skinned chicken breasts
4 C crushed wheat flake cereal
1 stick butter, melted
Roll chicken in melted butter and then roll in wheat flake crumbs.
Place in shallow casserole dish (ungreased)
Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is golden brown and crunchy)
QUICK BBQ CHICKEN
4 chicken legs
4 chicken thighs
1 bottle honey hickory smoked BBQ sauce
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
Preheat grill pan. Sprinkle salt & pepper on chicken. In a bowl mix BBQ sauce, onion powder, and garlic powder until well combined.
Grill chicken both sides 35 minutes or until juices run clear.
Brush on sauce the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Place chicken on serving platter. Pour rest of sauce over chicken. Keep warm in 200 degree oven until ready to serve.
CASHEW CHICKEN
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breast, cubed
3 T teriyaki sauce
1 T flour
1/2 tsp sugar
4 T oil, divided
1 tsp ground ginger
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 head nappa cabbage, shredded
1 C cashews
green onions for garnish
Cook chicken in 2 tablespoons of oil until done and set aside. Roast cashews in dry pan until brown and cool on paper towel. Place flour, teriyaki sauce, ginger, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Saute cabbage and onion in 2 tablespoon of oil until soft. Add chicken and cashews to vegetables. Pour flour mixture over chicken and veggies. Stir until well blended. Cook over medium heat until sauce has thickened. Garnish with green onions. Serve over
cooked rice.
QUICK CHICKEN VEGGIE SOUP
15 OZ CAN MIXED VEGETABLES
(2) 15 OZ CHICKEN BROTH, LOW SODIUM
4 OZ TOMATO SAUCE
1 C COOKED CHICKEN, SHREDDED
1/4 C COOKED RICE
1/4 C COOKED PASTA
1 TSP MINCED ONION
1/2 HEAD SHREDDED CABBAGE
1 LARGE BAY LEAF
In large pot add broth, bay leaf, and cabbage.
Cook 10 minutes or until cabbage is soft. Stir
in vegetables, chicken, tomato sauce, rice,
pasta, onion, & chicken. Simmer over medium
heat 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf before
serving!
QUICK SOUTHWESTERN CHICKEN
1 cut up chicken
1 Pkg chili seasoning mix
2 T oil
Combine chili mix with oil to make a paste. Rub
on chicken and marinate in fridge for at least 2
hours. Remove chicken from frig. Place chicken
in foil lined roasting pan. Roast in 350 degrees
oven for 55 minutes or until the juices run clear.
Serve with Mexican corn.
EASY CHICKEN QUESADILLAS
2 C shredded cooked chicken
2 T chili seasoning mix
8 oz Mexican cheese
10 (10 inch) wheat tortilla
1 can green chilies, drained
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Grease sheet
pan. In bowl combine chicken chili seasoning,
and green chilies. Heat tortillas on dinner plate
in microwave 10 seconds or until warm and soft.
Keep covered with plastic wrap. Place tortilla on
sheet pan and sprinkle half with cheese. Layer on chicken mixture on cheese. Top chicken mixture
with cheese. Fold over other half of tortilla. Repeat process until all of the quesadillas have been done. Brush top of quesadillas with light coating of oil.
Bake 10 minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Serve with salsa.
CREAMY CHICKEN & BROCCOLI
1 C frozen broccoli florets
3 chicken breast, boneless & skinless, cubed
3 T oil
1 can cream of mushroom soup, low sodium
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 water
2 C cooked rice
Prepare broccoli according to package directions.
Drain in colander. In large skillet, brown chicken
and onion in the oil over medium heat. Stir in broccoli, water, & soup. Simmer over medium
heat until bubbly. Serve over rice.
CHEESY BROCCOLI, BACON & CHICKEN
1 C frozen broccoli florets
3 chicken breast, boneless & skinless, cubed
3 T oil
1 can cream of mushroom soup, low sodium
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 C water
1 package real bacon pieces
2 C cooked rice
Prepare broccoli according to package directions.
Drain in colander. In large skillet, brown chicken
and onion in the oil over medium heat. Stir in broccoli, water, & soup. Simmer over medium
heat until bubbly. Serve over rice. Garnish with
bacon pieces.
BAKED CHICKEN TENDERS
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders (18)
11/2 C plain bread crumbs
1/2 C mayonnaise
salt & pepper to taste
4 T oil
*Preheat oven 350 degrees. Add oil to foil
lined sheet pan.
*In large bowl add tenders and sprinkle with
salt and pepper.
*Toss tenders with mayonnaise.
*Place breadcrumbs in shallow dish.
*Dredge tenders in crumbs and place on
sheet pan in single layer. Don't crowd pan!
cook in two batches if necessary.
*Bake tenders 20 minutes or until juices
run clear.
OTHER OPTIONS:
*Add 1/2 tsp chipote chili powder to mayonnaise
for Mexican Chipote Tenders.
* Add 1 tsp Italian seasoning and 1/2 cup Parmesan
cheese to breadcrumbs for Italian Style Tenders.
* Add 1 tsp garlic powder to breadcrumbs for
Garlic Tenders.
