Crispy Baked Chicken Wings

Being gluten and dairy free means that there are some foods that I can never order at a restaurant.  Chicken wings are one of those foods.  Most restaurants deep fry their chicken wings in a fryer that is also used to deep fry breaded foods.  Which means the gluten from those other foods will get on anything that is put into the fryer. 

I am not a huge chicken wing fan, but when you haven’t been able to have a certain food for over 2 years, it starts to sound like the best food in the world!!

So a search began to find a chicken wing recipe I could make at home and bake in the oven to keep it a little healthier.  I stumbled across this recipe on Bon Appetit (it has to be good, right?) and gave it a whirl.  I made about 30 wings with it and left a few without the sauce for the kids.  Both girls gobbled these up and asked when we could have chicken wings for dinner again.  My husband also said they were good and definitely something to make again.  That’s a winner recipe in my book!

Ingredients:

Wings

30ish chicken wings & drumettes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 tablespoon salt

½ tsp black pepper

Sauce

We love Red Hot but any hot sauce of your choosing

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place a wire racks inside 2 baking sheets.  Coat chicken wings with the oil, salt and pepper in a bowl.  Place coated chicken wings on the racks in rows with space in between.  Bake until wings are crispy, about 45-50 minutes. 

When the chicken wings are done toss in your sauce of choice until the wings are coated.  If you are not dairy free, serve with blue cheese and fresh veggies of your choice.  I made a dairy free ranch to go with ours.

Chicken and Kale Soup

Yum.  This is by far the best chicken soup I have ever had.  I made chicken bone broth and used it in the soup.  Pretty sure that is why this soup turned out so delicious.  The only downfall is that it didn't make enough!  It was plenty to feed my family of four but I like to have leftovers for lunch the next day.  Definitely no leftovers here!  Next time I'd double the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 32 ounces organic chicken broth - highly recommend making your own.  Click here for a recipe.
• 4-5 stalks celery, sliced
• 3 organic carrots, sliced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 4-5 stalks of kale, chopped fine, including the stems
• large chicken breast, sliced into strips
• sea salt and pepper

Directions:

Put all ingredients except kale into a large pot and simmer for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked.  Strain the chicken out and shred with 2 forks.  Put back into soup and toss in the kale.  Simmer for another 4-5 minutes or until kale is tender.  

The girls and I ate this soup as is.  My husband got home late and tossed in some cooked spiral noodles (gluten free of course) as well.  Would be a nice addition to if you want something a little more filling.  

Enjoy!

Chicken Stew with Biscuits

I was craving a chicken dish topped with biscuits the other day. We were getting some of the rain and wind from hurricane Irene and it just felt like a great day for some comfort food. I started searching for a recipe and came across this one on Food Network by Ina Garten.

I changed a few things based on what I had on hand. I certainly wasn't going out in the nasty weather, that was for sure! This recipe hit the spot - kind of like chicken pot pie but with biscuits on top. :) I would make again but with a few changes. Using a rotisserie chicken from the store would have made this recipe a bit easier. The biscuits didn't spread out very much so I might play around with the biscuit recipe as well. The original recipe called for fresh parsley, which I didn't have. Will definitely try it with fresh next time.

Below are the changes I made to the recipe. You can click on the link above to see the original recipe.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 vegetable bouillon cubes
1 stick butter
1 cup yellow onion
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups medium-diced carrots (4 carrots), blanched for 2 minutes
1 10-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)
1/2 tsp dried parsley

For the biscuits:
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash


Directions:

I parboiled my chicken breasts for about 10-15 minutes until they were no longer pink inside. The last 5 minutes or so of the cooking time I tossed in the chopped carrots to cook along with the chicken. Toss in a vegetable bouillon cube, salt and pepper into the water the chicken is cooking in.

Remove chicken breasts from water and shred. I saved the water the chicken was cooking in and used as my chicken stock since I didn't have any. Reheat the water and toss in another bouillon cube. Set aside once dissolved.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream. Add the shredded chicken, carrots, peas, and parsley. Mix well.



Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Add the half-and-half and combine on low speed. Mix in the parsley. Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out twelve circles with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter.



Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling. Brush them with egg wash, and return the dish to the oven. Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.



I served this dish with a simple salad. Enjoy!

Chicken Breast Supreme

I made this recipe a while back but never took photos of it. We had friends over for dinner last weekend and I decided to make this and try to remember to take pictures! I found the recipe on Kelly's Recipes food blog. It was a very easy recipe and quick to throw together. The only thing to keep in mind if you decide to make this is that it needs to bake in the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
8 strips of bacon
16 oz sour cream
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of sliced mushrooms
1 jar of dried beef (this is found near tuna or spam)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Wrap each chicken breast with two pieces of bacon. Place chicken in a 9x13 baking dish.



Combine sour cream, soup and sliced mushrooms. Tear up the dried beef and stir into the soup mixture.



Cover the chicken breasts with the soup/beef mixture and bake in oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes.



I did end up forgetting to take pictures that night of this dish. Thankfully we had 2 pieces left over so I was able to get a photo of it from our leftovers! I actually thought it tasted better as a leftover - the flavors were much more prominent in the chicken.

Enjoy!

Southwestern Cream of Chicken Soup

Yummy! This is a creamy and spicy chicken soup that is served with tortilla chips. I found this recipe in a Cuisine at Home magazine and will definitely make it again. It took about an hour from start to finish but that includes cooking and shredding the chicken. This soup is a great comfort food for a cold Fall night!

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 pablano chile, seeded and diced
1/2 cup diced onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp hot chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
6 Tbsp flour
3 cups whole milk
1 cup beer
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white rice
3 cups shredded pepper jack cheese
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I boiled 2 chicken breasts for about 15 minutes, then shredded.)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

Melt butter in a large pot. Stir in pepper, poblano, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and coriander. Sweat mixture until peppers begin to soften, about 5 minutes.



Whisk in 3 Tablespoons flour to coat vegetables; cook 2 minutes. Whisk in milk, beer and broth until smooth. Bring mixture to a simmer. Stir in rice; simmer until tender, about 15 minutes.



Combine cheese with remaining 3 Tablespoons of flour in a resealable bag; toss to coat. Add cheese to soup a handful at a time, stirring to melt completely before adding the next handful.



Add chicken and cilantro to heat, 3-5 minutes.



Serve with tortilla chips if desired. Enjoy!

Kayln's Baked Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Pesto and Feta

I am so loving Kayln's food blog while Jordan is on South Beach. It's hard enough to figure out what to cook for dinner but then add dietary restrictions and it makes it almost impossible!

Jordan said he felt this recipe was missing something but couldn't put his finger on it. I thought it was fabulous. The only thing I would change the next time I make this is to put some salt and pepper on the chicken or in the breading. For me, who isn't doing the South Beach diet - this dish was heavenly!

I made a few small changes. Here is what I did:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup pesto
1/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a flat roasting pan with olive oil or nonstick spray. Trim all visible fat from chicken breasts, then put each chicken piece inside heavy plastic bag and pound with meal mallet until the chicken is 1/4 inch thick. Lay chicken skin side down on cutting board.

Put crumbled Feta and pesto in a small bowl and mix together with a fork. Divide pesto mixture evenly among the chicken breasts, then use a spoon to spread it over the chicken, not going completely to the edge or the stuffing will leak out. (I don't always read directions very well now that I have two young children. I went all the way to the edges with my filling but they turned out alright anyways. ;)



Roll up each chicken breast, starting with the smallest end and tucking in any ragged edges, then secure each piece with two toothpicks.



Put beaten egg in one bowl and combine bread crumbs and parmesan in another. Dip each chicken piece first in egg, then in bread crumb/parmesan mixture, turning over several times so chicken is well-coated. (I remembered I was supposed to add parmesan to the bread crumb mixture after the chicken was already in the oven. I just sprinkled some on top. Again, with the children. ;)



Place chicken pieces in baking pan and cook until chicken feels firm but not hard to the touch, mine took about 40-45 minutes.

Spicy Honey Brushed Chicken Thighs

As I mentioned in the last post, I have packed up all of my cookbooks.  I bought a Cooking Light Magazine in the grocery store earlier in the month and I am really liking this magazine.  So far I have made 8 recipes out of it and only 2 of them were one's I wouldn't make again.

This chicken recipe is one of the 6 that I would definitely make again.  Jordan took a bite and immediately said, "Mmmm...this is really good!"  And it's easy - great for a weeknight meal.  Good and easy, what else can you ask for?!  :)

Ingredients:
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground red pepper (I used red pepper flakes)
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (I only used 6)
cooking spray
6 Tablespoons honey
2 tsp cider vinegar

Directions:

Preheat broiler

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.  Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat.


 
Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray.  Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side.

Combine honey and vinegar.  Remove chicken from oven and brush each chicken thigh with honey/vinegar mixture.  Broil 1 minute.  Remove chicken from oven and turn over.  Brush chicken with remaining honey mixture.  Broil 1 additional minute or until chicken is done.


 












I served mine with a salad, green beans and another new recipe called quinoa salad with peaches.  It's really a starch, which is why I had a salad as well.  :)  I'll be posting the quinoa salad recipe soon!  Enjoy!

Chicken Smothered with Summer Vegetables on a Bed of Couscous

It seems that I am always looking for new recipes for chicken. We get tired of the same old grilled chicken for summer so I set off looking for something different. I found this great recipe on Eat at Home's blog. We absolutely loved this chicken dish. It's light and flavorful and very colorful! Jordan loves couscous so I knew we had a winner! I served ours with sauteed portabella mushrooms. Delish!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken
olive oil for cooking the veggies
1 onion, sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
2 bell peppers, sliced
cherry tomatoes, cut in half or quarters, about 1/2 cup
fresh parsley, chopped, about 1/3 cup
1 box couscous
2 cups chicken broth
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Cook the chicken on a grill. I seasoned my chicken first before grilling. I used pepper and season salt.

While the chicken cooks, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook the onions and garlic, stirring for about 5 minutes or until the onions are soft. Stir in the bell peppers and cook for 3-5 more minutes until the peppers are tender-crisp. Remove from heat and add the tomatoes and parsley. (I read the directions wrong and cooked the tomatoes with the bell peppers. Oops! :) But I think it turned out nicely anyways!)



Cook the couscous according to the package directions, using chicken broth instead of water. (Oh, this made the couscous so moist and yummy. Not sure I'll ever use water to cook couscous again!)

To serve, place a mound of couscous on the plate. Top with chicken (I sliced mine) and add the veggies on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.



Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Tomato, Olive, and Feta Relish

I've been making this chicken recipe for a few years now. I found it on Epicurious.com and it's a great recipe for the warmer months. I think it is very fresh tasting and a little different twist on chicken. The topping can be eaten as a dip with chips too - yummy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes (about 10 oz)
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 large skinless boneless chicken breasts (we use two but keep the rest of the ingredients the same)
Directions:

Mix cherry tomatoes, olives, 2 tablespoons olive oil, mint, and vinegar in medium bowl. Gently stir in feta cheese. Season with salt & pepper.



Prepare grill to medium high heat. Brush chicken on both sides with remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper (I would recommend seasoning a little more than just salt & pepper.) Grill chicken until cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. Transfer chicken o plate and slice if desired. Top with relish and serve.



I just served the chicken breasts whole and top with the relish.

Enjoy!

Best Chicken BBQ

My family and I have been traveling most of July so far, which has left me no time to cook new and exciting recipes. I have managed to get a few meals in but had no time to post them on the blog! My apologies for being absent from the blogging world for so long! Now about this chicken....

I grew up in upstate NY eating grilled chicken that had been marinated in Cornell Sauce. As a child it was one of my most requested dinners. Chicken, potato salad and baked beans, so yummy! It is still my favorite way to have grilled chicken. It's best if it can marinate in the sauce for at least a day - two if you have time.

Ingredients:
2 cups vinegar (you can use white or cider, I used white this time)
1 cup olive oil
1-2 Tablespoons salt (I only used 1/2 Tbsp this time and it wasn't nearly enough)
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp pepper



Whisk all ingredients together and pour over chicken.



I usually put the chicken in a large zip lock bag then pour the marinade in the bag. It coats the chicken better than if you put it in a pan. I didn't have a large enough bag this time so I used a large bowl. Marinate for at least a day. Grill until juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink in the center.

Enjoy!

White Chicken Chili

I have one chili recipe and it's the only kind of chili I make. Well, I've been hearing so much about "white chili" lately that I thought I'd give it a try. I found this recipe on allrecipes.com and only made a few changes. Saryn loves chili so I left out the can of diced jalepeno peppers to reduce the spiciness. Believe me, it still had some kick to it without them. We liked this, and I'll make it again but it's not as good as MY chili recipe. ;)

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (4 ounce) can diced jalapeno peppers (I omitted these)
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chile peppers
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (I cooked 2 chicken breasts then shredded them instead of chopping)
3 (15 ounce) cans white beans
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Slowly cook and stir the onion until tender. Mix in the garlic, jalapeno, green chile peppers, cumin, oregano and cayenne. Continue to cook and stir the mixture until tender, about 3 minutes.



Mix in the chicken broth, chicken and white beans. Simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.



Remove the mixture from heat. Slowly stir in the cheese until melted. Serve warm and I'd recommend some sort of toasted bread served with this as well.



It's been so cold this week - you should go make this recipe right now! Enjoy!

Chicken Cacciatore Soup

This recipe would have presented much better in a low bowl but we don't have any of those. Yet. :)

I have never made Chicken Cacciatore before but wow, this was good. We served it with Parmesan Polenta & toasted bread. I found the recipe in one of my Cuisine at Home magazines a long time ago but just never made it. I have a habit of marking recipes that I'd like to make and then on a random day going through and finding one that I marked months ago. This recipe came from an April 2004 magazine!

Anyway, it's definitely a keeper - let me know if you give it a try!

Ingredients:
2 oz pancetta or bacon, diced (I used bacon)
1 pound skinless chicken breasts, seasoned & sliced
1 cup yellow onion, diced
8 oz button mushrooms, quartered
2 Tablespoons fresh basil
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
1 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 cups chicken broth
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, drained, diced
1/2 cup kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

For the polenta:
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup instant polenta
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt to taste

Directions:
Saute pancetta (in 3T oil) or bacon (omit oil) in a stock pt over medium heat until crisp.

Add chicken and saute 8-10 minutes to brown and cook through. Transfer to a plate.



Saute onion and mushroom for 5 minutes or until onion becomes translucent. Stir in basil, garlic, and pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute.

Deglaze with wine and vinegar. Cook until liquid has evaporated.



Stir in broth, tomatoes and peppers. Simmer, partially covered for 15 minutes.
Add reserved chicken & simmer 5 minutes to heat through.

Combine olives & basil for the garnish while soup simmers.

While soup is heating through bring chicken broth for the polenta to a boil. Slowly whisk in polenta. Reduce heat and continue whisking for 5 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese and salt. Remove from heat.

Serve cacciatore over polenta and top with olive-basil garnish.

Chicken Pot Pie

This is one of my favorite fall/winter recipes. This recipe is definitely on our rotation through the cooler months. Feel free to add whatever vegetables you like - these are just my favorites. I like to serve this with bread & a salad.

Ingredients:

1 pound Boneless chicken breasts, cubed (I use 2 chicken breasts)
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp celery seed
1/3 cup flour
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 (9”) unbaked pie crusts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees – place 1 pie crust into 9” pie pan.

In a saucepan combine chicken, carrots, peas & celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes then remove from heat, drain and set aside.



While chicken is boiling cook onions in butter until soft & 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 chicken mixture in bottom of pie crust.



Pour hot liquid mixture over, combine gently.



Cover with top crust, seal edges and cut away excess dough. Make several slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until pastry is golden brown & filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.



Look at all that gooey, yummy goodness!