South West Black Bean and Chicken Salad

This salad can easily be converted to a fantastic vegetarian salad simply by omitting the chicken and cooking the quinoa in vegetable stock.

South West Black Bean and Chicken Salad

6 cups cooked shredded chicken

Two 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 green bell paper, roasted , peeled, seeded and julienned

1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and julienned

1 jalapeno seeded, minced

2 cups, chopped Roma tomatoes

1 cup sliced green onions

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn

1 cup quinoa cooked in 2 cups chicken or vegetable broth as directed on package

Lettuce greens

Dressing:

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

2 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon lime zest

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and pepper; to taste

In a large bowl add all the ingredients for the salad and toss. Line the serving bowl/platter with lettuce greens; set aside.

Combine all the dressing ingredients and whisk until combined. Pour over the salad and toss. Place on greens lined serving dish.

Chicken Provencal Wrap

Chicken Provencal Wrap

Package of Tomato Basil Wraps; set aside

6 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 red onion, cut in half and sliced into rings

1 Tablespoon butter

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped

one 15 oz. can/jar of water packed quartered artichoke hearts, drained

3 Roma tomatoes, diced

2 tablespoon capers, drained

6 large basil leaves, chiffonade

Dressing:

1/4 cup balsamic vinegsr

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 Roma tomato, diced

2 green onions, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon capers, drained

3 large basil leaves, chiffonade

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 cup canola oil

salt and pepper; to taste

Hearty Greens

Caramelize the red onion in the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Place cooled caramelized onions in a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and toss.

Line the center of the wrap with hearty greens and add some of the filling; wrap.

Cheesy Chicken and Mushroom Lasagna

ingredients

• 1- 10 oz package cremini mushrooms, sliced thin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 1/4 cups shredded roasted chicken
• 3 1/2 cups half and half
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 tsp. fresh thyme
• 3/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano
• 1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella, sliced thin
• 1 1/2 cups Gruyere, shredded
• 8 oz. mascarpone
• 1 1/2 cup grated fontina
• 1 package no bake lasagna noodles

directions

• 1

  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

• 2

  Cook mushrooms, garlic, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp. pepper in oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are softened. Add wine and simmer briskly for 2 minutes. Set aside saucepan.

• 3

  Melt 4 tablespoons butter in another saucepan , add the flour to make a roux, whisking constantly for 3 minutes. Add milk in a slow stream and whisk until well combined. Add the thyme, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper and simmer whisking occasionally until thickened. Remove from heat. Reserve 1 cup sauce and set aside. Stir in the parmesan into the remaining sauce , add the mushroom – chicken mixture and stir together.

• 4

  Combine the mascarpone and fontina together, set aside.

• 5

  Pour half of the reserved sauce into a 9×13 baking pan, spreading evenly . Place lasagna sheets, overlapping slightly, and one third of the mushroom- chicken mixture, spread evenly, sprinkle with 1/3 of the grated Gruyere cheese. Layer with more noodles and top with sliced mozzarella cheese. Add more layers of noodles, top with mushroom- chicken mixture, sprinkle with grated Gruyere cheese. Top with another layer of noodles and top with fontina – mascarpone mixture, spread evenly. Top again with noodles and top with remaining mushroom – chicken mixture, spread evenly, sprinkle with grated Gruyere. Top with last layer of noodles and pour reserved sauce over top and spread evenly and sprinkle with remaining Gruyere.

• 6

  Place on foil lined baking sheet. Cover lasagna tightly with foil not touching top of lasagna. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes until top is golden and bubbly. Remove from oven and allow to st at least 10-15 minutes before serving.

Chicken Strawberry Wraps

Chicken Strawberry Wraps

Dressing:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup honey

juice and zest from 1 lime

salt and pepper; to taste

Filling:

1 roasted chicken, skinned and meat shredded

7 oz. soft goat cheese

1/4 cup slated and roasted sunflower seeds

1 lb. strawberries, sliced

5 oz. diced pancetta, cooked crisp and drained

1/2 lb. pencil thin asparagus

Roasted on foil lined baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil , salt and pepper ; to taste. Bake until tender, Cool. Squeeze lime juice over the top of roasted asparagus.

5 oz. baby spinach

5 green onions, sliced

package of 6 count spinach wraps/tortillas

Combine the dressing ingredients and whisk. Adjust seasoning , if needed.

Place wraps out and divide and spread evenly the goats cheese over the top.

Divide the roasted asparagus among the cheese covered wraps. Divide evenly the baby spinach among the wraps .

In a bowl combine the cooked chicken, cooked pancetta, onions and sunflower seeds; toss. Pour dressing over the top of the chicken mixture and toss until combined. Divide evenly among the wraps. Place the sliced strawberries evenly among the wraps. Roll and wrap in plastic if not serving right away.

Roast Chicken Breast with Wild Mushroom Risotto and Sage Pan Gravy

 

Wild Mushroom Risotto:

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup onions, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped

2 cups wild mushrooms, sliced

2 cups arborio rice

salt and pepper; to taste

1/2 cup white wine

4 cups chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

 

Chicken:

4 chicken skinless and boneless chicken breasts

salt and pepper; to taste

flour, for dredging

vegetable oil

 

Sage Pan Gravy:

flour

1/4 cup dry sherry

2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped

1 cup chicken stock

 

Wild Mushroom Risotto:

Pour stock into a saucepan and heat until hot; keep warm. To prepare the risotto, melt the butter in a shallow skillet and sweat the onions, garlic and sage until almost translucent. Add the mushrooms and saute until lightly colored. Add the rice and saute until the grains are slightly transparent. Season.

Deglaze the pan with the wine. Add enough chicken stock to cover the rice by 1/2 inch and simmer. Stir frequently, adding hot stock to keep rice covered, allowing that to be absorbed, then adding more as needed. When the rice is about 90% cooked, add the heavy cream and Parmesan, then continue cooking and stirring until the rice is creamy but thick enough to mound slightly on a plate.

Chicken:

While risotto is simmering, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in flour, shaking off excess.

Heat a small amount of oil in a cast iron skillet and sear chicken until lightly brown on both sides. Place the skillet in the oven to roast for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove the chicken to a platter and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Reserve the pan juices.

Sage Pan Gravy:

To make the gravy, sprinkle a small amount of flour into the pan juices and cook over medium heat, whisking to form a roux. Add the sherry and sage, stirring until incorporated.

Add the chicken stock, stirring until the gravy is well blended and free of lumps. Simmer for 5 minutes to thicken slightly, then strain.

To serve, mound the risotto on the plates and place a chicken breast on top. Drizzle the gravy around the outside.

Chicken Portofino

1 cup buttermilk

4 skinless,boneless chicken breasts

flour

5 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 lb. stemmed, cleaned and sliced cremini mushrooms

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons pine nuts

1/4 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup white wine

chopped parsley

Season the buttermilk with salt and pepper. Place the chicken breasts in a zip loc bag and pour in the buttermilk mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and drain the chicken on a wire rack. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour.

In a skillet on medium high heat, saute breasts in 4 tablespoons olive oil for 5 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat. In another skillet add the mushrooms and garlic with the remaining olive oil and cook on medium heat for 2minutes. Add the chicken stock, wine and pine nuts. Reduce slightly. Add the sauteed chicken breasts, cover, and simmer over low heat for about 5-8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Florentine Chicken Breasts with Mustard Sauce

Chicken:

4 whole, skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1/2 lb. ricotta cheese

1/2 lb. fresh baby spinach

1/2 cup broccoli florets

salt and pepper; to taste

pinch of  dried thyme

pinch of dried tarragon

Mustard Sauce:

Dripping from the roasting pan

1/4 cup white wine

2 cups heavy cream

1-2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Split the chicken breasts in the middle creating a pouch but not cutting all the way through; set aside.

In a bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add the spinach, broccoli, ricotta cheese and seasonings. Pulse until combined. Stuff each breast with the filling and place in a roasting pan. Bake for 1 hour. Remove cooked breasts from pan and place a baking sheet ; cover with foil. Meanwhile make the sauce.

Place the roasting pan on top of stove. Add the wine  and deglaze the pan, stirring. Add the heavy cream, whisking over medium-high heat. Whisk in mustard to taste. Watch the boiling sauce. It can boil over quickly. If it boils too much, lower the temperature a little bit. Boil until sauce is thickened. Serve with cooked chicken.

Chicken, Sausage and Okra Gumbo

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 lbs. smoked sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices.

8 chicken thighs

8 drumsticks

2 (10 oz.) boxes of frozen sliced okra

2 onions, chopped

3 celery ribs, sliced

8 cups chicken broth

8 cups water

1 bunch sliced green onions

cooked white rice

Tabasco Sauce

In a heavy cast iron skillet, brown the smoked sausage in the vegetable oil. Remove to a paper towel lined dish to drain off any extra fat. Pat dry the chicken pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken in the same iron skillet as the sausage was browned in. Place browned chicken pieces on a separate pan from the sausage lined with paper towels. Pour out all of the fat in the skillet except about 1 tablespoon. Add the okra and brown, stirring occasionally. Add the onions and celery and continue to cook until celery is tender. In a large heavy pot add the water and chicken stock; bring to a simmer. Add the okra mixture to the simmering liquid and then the chicken. Simmer, stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked and gumbo is thickened. Stir in the browned sausage, green onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve gumbo over white rice with Tabasco on the side.

Coconut Cream Lime Chicken

2 whole skinned, boneless chicken breasts

4 thin slice of prosciutto

1/4 papaya,diced

5 tablespoons coconut

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. curry powder

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

juice of 1 lime

1 tablespoon lime zest

1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Flatten out the chicken breast with a mallet. In a shallow dish combine the coconut,curry powder and thyme. On each flatten chicken breast lay 2 pieces of prosciutto and then papaya and roll the breast into a bundle. Use tooth picks to secure. Dredge the bundles in the coconut mixture. In a oven proof skillet heat the 2 tablespoons butter and oil on high. Sear seam side down and then turn to sear other sides on the chicken bundles. Place skillet with seared bundles in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and remove chicken to a plate and keep warm. Add the lime juice to the skillet and deglaze the pan ; pour in the cream and simmer until thickened. Stir in the zest and 1 tablespoon butter. Spoon sauce over each bundle.

Chicken Dijonnaise

2 shallots, chopped fine

1 large clove garlic, chopped fine

2 Tbsp. butter

3 Tbsp. Brandy

3/4 cup. white wine

1 1/2 Tbsp..Dijon mustard

1 T Tarragon, chopped

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp. black pepper

2 shakes of Tabasco

3 cups beef stock

2 1/2 lbs. boneless , skinless chicken breasts

6 Tbsp. heavy cream

4 Tbsp. butter

2 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 Tbsp. water

Saute shallots and garlic in 2 tbsp. butter until shallots are transparent on medium heat. Add Brandy and white wine. Bring to boil and reduce by half. Add mustard, garlic salt, tarragon, black pepper and Tabasco. Stir well. Add beef stock and bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 20-30-minutes. While sauce is simmering, prepare chicken.

In saucepan, place 4 Tbsp. butter in pan and turn heat to low . While butter melts, trim away any fat from chicken breasts. Divide in half if necessary. Pat breasts dry. Place in pan with butter turning once to coat breasts evenly. Place a piece of foil large enough to cover the chicken but not seal the pan. Place on top of chicken allowing a gap for steam to escape. Cook on very low heat, not allowing the chicken to brown, for 15 minutes. Turn chicken and cook covered for another 10 minutes. Chicken will be very moist. Remove to warm platter.

To the sauce, add cream and bring to boil. Reduce for 5 minutes. In a small bowl mix water and cornstarch to form a slurry and add slowly to sauce to thicken. Serve sauce poured over chicken.