Lemon-Garlic Chicken Thighs

I used my instant pot to cook the chicken. I set it on high for 30 minutes. The chicken thighs were frozen. Cooking them this way, they were totally cooked through. So quick and easy! This method ensures perfectly juicy chicken! *

Lemon-Garlic Chicken

4 Chicken Thighs

4 teaspoons minced garlic

2 lemons, 1 zested and juiced, 1 juiced

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dark brown sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, diced small **

1 cup chicken broth

Add chicken thighs to the instant pot. Combine the remaining ingredients and pour over chicken.

Lock the lid. Set the power to high and the timer to 30 minutes if frozen or 15 minutes if thawed. Turn on and let the pot naturally vent until the valve has dropped. Remove from the instant pot and arrange the chicken pieces in a single layer in a baking dish.

Turn the oven broiler on low. Broil the chicken until it’s deep golden brown and slightly charred in spots, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the liquid in the pot to a saucepan and add 2 teaspoons of cornstarch mixed with enough water to create a slurry. Whisk and bring to a boil. 

I served the chicken with mashed potatoes and used the sauce as gravy.

* If you don’t have an instant pot, cook the chicken at 400 F degrees 45 minutes or until the chicken thighs have an internal temperature of 165 F degrees and the skin is crispy.

** You can use a half stick of butter if you need to cut back on the fat, but I will use the same amount next time. It really helps keep the chicken juicy!

Greek Chicken and Potatoes

This recipe is so delicious! The lemon and spices and herbs make my house smell so good! This is so simple, but it can make you look like a master chef in the kitchen. The key is to use the Cavender's Greek Seasoning and leg quarters with the skin ON! Please don't use skinless chicken, or it will dry out.

Greek Chicken and Potatoes

1/2 cup butter, room temp

3 cloves garlic, chopped

Cavender's Greek Seasoning 

2 lemons, juiced or 1/4 cup juice

4 Chicken Leg Quarters*

4 or 5 baking potatoes, cubed
1 large onion, cut into thick slices
2 lemons, sliced thin

Oil and lemon for drizzling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix the butter, garlic, 1 tbsp Cavender's and lemon juice. Loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers or with the handle of a spoon. Be careful not to break the skin. Loosen as much as you can even down the legs. Place a scoop of the butter mixture under the skin and rub down, spreading the butter under the skin. Repeat this process until the butter is covering all the leg quarters. Dust chicken with Cavender's Greek Seasoning. Place the potatoes, onions and some of the lemon slices in a 13X9 casserole dish. Drizzle with oil and lemon juice and sprinkle the Greek Seasoning over the potato mixture. Place chicken on top of potatoes and onion.

Bake uncovered for 45 min to an hour or until chicken is golden brown** and potatoes are tender.

*You can multiply this recipe to feed as many people as you need. I usually allow for one leg quarter per adult. 

** I check my chicken temps and remove from the oven when it reaches 165 degrees F.

Whole Chicken Wings ~ Chinese Takeout Style

 

I researched a lot of methods, spice combos and cooking techniques before finding the perfect mix for this recipe! I'll never settle for "plain fried chicken" again!

6 whole chicken wings (washed and pat dry)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon oil
1 egg

oil (for frying)

In a small bowl, mix the spices, sugar, cornstarch and flour. Stir to combine.

In another small bowl, mix the egg, soy sauce, vinegar and oil. Stir to combine.
Place wings in a large bowl. Coat with the wet ingredients. Toss to evenly coat the wings. Dust with the dry ingredients. Toss to coat evenly. Let the wings marinade for 2 hours.

If the marinade is too wet and pooling in the bottom of the bowl, add a little more flour and cornstarch until it sticks to the wings. It will be a wet, light batter.

Set your fryer to 350 degrees. Fry the wings 5 minutes. Lift the basket and flip the wings. Fry for another 5 minutes or until up to temp and golden brown.

Cheesy Hashbrown and Chicken Casserole

20 oz bag of southern style hash browns
1 cup of cooked, cubed chicken breast
1 can of cream of chicken soup
½ cup cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp minced garlic


Preheat oven to 400-degrees and grease a 9" x 13" casserole dish or a twelve inch skillet.

Add the soup, cream cheese and sour cream to a large bowl.

Next, add 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese to the bowl.

Add the hashbrowns, chicken, parmesan, salt, pepper and garlic to the bowl and mix well.

Pour the potato and chicken mixture into a casserole dish.

Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese on top and cover with foil.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, remove the foil, and bake 15-20 more minutes until bubbly and golden brown.

One Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta

 

2 tablespoons butter

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch pieces
1 cup diced onion 
1 cup diced bell pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
12 oz uncooked pasta, your favorite 
1 cup frozen sweet peas
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (8 oz)
1/4 cup sliced green onion 

In 5-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 6 to 8 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Using slotted spoon, transfer to bowl; cover and keep warm. Add bell peppers, onions, pepper and salt to butter and drippings in pan; cook over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.

Stir in broth and whipping cream; heat to boiling. Stir in pasta; return to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 12 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in frozen peas and chicken; stir 3 to 4 minutes or until pasta is cooked to desired tenderness and sauce is thickened.

Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted and smooth. Top with green onion.

Mama's Chicken and Dumplings (AKA Dumplin's)

My Mama used to make Chicken and Dumplin's for her Daddy every Sunday. It was his favorite dish. He died when I was 8 years old. Mama was devastated and refused to make chicken and dumplin's again. One year, close to Christmas, Mama decided to make chicken and dumplin's. I was about 16 at the time. Unfortunately, she cut her hand with a chef knife and had to go to the hospital to get stitches. 

Here's a very old recipe for Chicken and Dumplin's:

Base:
Stew a chicken. When tender, pick the meat from the bones. Put meat in a large pan with tight fitting lid and add 4 cups of broth. Bring to boil.

Dumplings:

1 1/2 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 tablespoons shortening

3/4 cup milk
3 eggs, boiled and sliced

Place egg slices on a paper towel and salt them to dry out a bit.

Sift together dry ingredients and cut in the shortening. Stir in enough milk, mixing only to moisten the dough thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonfuls into boiling chicken broth. Dip the spoon into the boiling liquid first so that the dough will slide off easily. Add egg slices. Cover pan tightly and cook 15 minutes. Enough for 6 servings.

* Another alternative for the dumplin's is to roll them out on a floured surface and cut into strips. Some people prefer this because it makes a firmer, less doughy dumplin'.

**Notice with these OLD recipes, there are very few references to time and temperature. These were cooks who knew how to cook by smell, touch and taste. Times or temperatures were often a suggestion to young cooks.

Bacon-Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Bites

Yesterday, my goofball of a hubby hacked my Facebook page and left this post...

"I just want everyone to know how much I love my husband. He is the sexiest, most compassionate, caring, loving man I have ever meet. I am truly blessed to be able to call myself his wife. I live to make his life better in what ever way I can."

He should have posted it on my business page because it got more hoots and hollers than any food post I've ever made. I was even laughed at when I walked into the local bait, tackle and grill shop! I'm still getting comments and jokes! LOL

Well, he had the guts to ask for a special meal of the Bacon Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Bites. I'm not sure he deserves them! What do you think? 

Bacon Wrapped Teriyaki Chicken Bites

4 chicken tenders, cubed
1 package Bacon (not thick cut), cut in half
Kikkoman Teriyaki marinade
Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste and Glaze
toothpicks

Wrap bacon around chicken cube, stretching the bacon to fit, if needed. Secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining chicken cubes, bacon and toothpicks. Pour teriyaki sauce over chicken and marinate for at least 4 hours, but no more than 8 hours. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place chicken on grill. Cook until bacon is done on the bottom, about 7 minutes, and flip. Brush with teriyaki glaze and cook for another 7 minutes making sure not to burn the bacon. Add more glaze to taste. Plate and serve.

Chicken Fajitas

At our house, we love tacos, burritos, enchiladas and fajitas! I have never made fajitas, and we don't care for bell peppers. I decided to try making some and substitute mushrooms for the peppers. It was delicious!

Filling:

1 large chicken breast, cubed
1 large onion, thick slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
8oz mushrooms, thick slices
butter
Fajita Seasoning

Saute the chicken in butter until no longer pink in the middle. Add onions and mushrooms and saute  until tender crisp. Add garlic and stir. Pour in about a 1/2 cup of water to lift any bits stuck to the pan. Stir in the seasoning and simmer until thickened.

For the fajitas:

Chicken mixture
Flour tortillas
Cheese, such as a Mexican blend
Sour cream
Fajita sauce

Heat the tortillas. Add the filling mixture, cheese and sauce. Add sour cream or serve it on the side. 

Easy Chicken and Rice Foil Packets

I was looking for an easy meal to make pretty quickly this past Sunday. I basically wanted a one pot type meal with minimal effort or clean up. I hate doing a lot of dishes after a meal. These foil packets are an easy weeknight meal for the family or can be quickly thrown on the grill on the weekend. Super easy clean-up is also a plus!

1 can (10 1/2 oz) cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

3 teaspoons Greek seasoning

Salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste

2 cups uncooked instant white rice

½ cup shredded carrot

½ cup fresh sweet peas

½ cup chopped onion

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

4 slices cooked bacon, coarsely chopped

1 ⅓ cups Colby Jack cheese

2 green onions, sliced (optional)

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 4 (18x12-inch) sheets of heavy-duty foil. Spray with oil.

Measure 1/2 cup of the condensed soup and set aside. In 4- cup glass measuring cup, mix remaining condensed soup, the chicken stock and 1 teaspoon of the seasoning; beat with whisk to blend. Add instant rice; stir and let stand about 8-10 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Stir in carrots, onions and peas. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness. Season chicken with remaining 2 teaspoons seasoning; place on center of each sheet of foil. Dividing evenly, spoon rice and vegetable mixture around each chicken breast. Divide any remaining soaking liquid over tops of breasts. Spread 2 tablespoons reserved soup over each breast: evenly top with bacon and cheese.

Bring up 2 sides of foil so edges meet. Seal edges, making tight 1/2-inch fold; fold again, allowing space for heat circulation and expansion. Fold other sides to seal.

Place packets on a baking sheet.  Cook 30 minutes. Cut a slice in each packet to vent the steam. Carefully fold back foil, and garnish with green onions. For the grill: Heat gas or charcoal grill. Follow directions above for assembling the packets. Place packets on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 10 minutes. Rotate packs 1/2 turn; cook 9 to 10 minutes longer or until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (at least 165°F).

Chicken and Pasta with Roasted Tomato, Onion and Garlic

I was looking for a casserole recipe using chicken and pasta. After looking through dozens of recipes and searching my freezer and pantry, this is what I came up with last week. It is very simple and the roasted vegetables add the perfect smokey flavor.

1/2 to 1 pound pasta, spaghetti or linguine
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise
4 cloves garlic, left whole
1 yellow onion, sliced thick
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
4 cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne*
Salt and black pepper, to taste
4 cups shredded cooked chicken


Lightly grease a casserole dish, and line a baking sheet with foil.

Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water. Drain and transfer to casserole.

Place the tomatoes, skin side up on the baking sheet, along with the whole garlic cloves and onion. Broil, for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes, garlic, and onion are softened and have begun to blacken. Remove from the oven, cool and, dice. Turn the oven to 350 degrees.

In a saucepan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour until well combined and slightly browned. Slowly pour in the milk and cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens just a bit. Once the sauce thickens, turn off the heat and slowly stir in 2 cups of cheese, a little at a time, until melted. Stir in the chicken broth until the sauce is the consistency of gravy. Stir in the diced vegetables, along with the cumin, and cayenne. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Add salt and black pepper to taste, and stir in the shredded cooked chicken. Pour the sauce into the cooked spaghetti. Cover with the remaining cheeses.

Bake, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Serve with Garlic Bread and a side salad for a nice complete meal.

*For an added kick add a couple of jalapeno peppers halved and added to the roasting vegetables.

Homemade Fajita Seasoning & Southern Bite's Fajita Chicken Casserole

My foodie friend Stacey over at Southern Bite shared a recipe for Fajita Chicken Casserole back in February, and I like many people pinned it and forgot about it. I was looking for something different to cook for Tuesday's Casserole Day last week, and I remembered his casserole. I quickly got word out that this one was on the menu! It smells heavenly as it cooks and tastes delicious! Click on the link above for his recipe and gorgeous photographs of this yummy casserole! Also, check out my recipe for homemade fajita seasoning mix below! It is super simple and might save you a dollar or two!

Mine is not as pretty as his, but boy howdy is it good!!!

I admit that I do not follow direction well,

but I do play well with others! LOL
I misread the recipe and used regular rice that I had cooked,

so I had to change things up. 

Follow his direction, and you will be fine!

My seasoning mix!

Homemade Fajita Seasoning

¼ cup Chili Powder

2 tablespoons Kosher Salt

2 tablespoons Paprika

1 tablespoon Onion Powder

1 tablespoon Garlic Powder

1 teaspoon Cayenne Powder

1 tablespoon Cumin Powder

Mix in a bowl, and store in an airtight container until ready to use. Use about 1 teaspoon, or to taste, per chicken breast or steak when making fajitas.

Chicken Wing Drumettes

It is that time of year! Time for graduation, end of the school year parties, bring on summer parties and picnics! These chicken drumettes are a favorite for kids of all ages! 

6-8 chicken drumettes 
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
Oil for frying

Make an egg wash by beating the eggs, buttermilk and hot sauce together in a shallow dish. Mix flour and spices in another shallow dish. Dip drumettes in egg wash then dredge in the flour mixture. For a thicker crust on the chicken, repeat that step again... egg then flour. In a heavy skillet, heat about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch of oil to 365 degrees. (Or heat a deep fryer to 365 degrees) Place chicken in hot oil. (If the oil is not up to temp, the coating will not stick. Do not crowd the chicken in the pan or it will boil in the oil and not fry crispy.) Fry for about 5 minutes per side or until golden brown and no longer pink inside.

Lemon Pepper Sauce

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp minced garlic

lemon pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer for a couple of minutes. Toss wings in sauce and serve.

Teriyaki Sauce

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 cup water

1/4 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

Mix all but the cornstarch and 1/4 cup of cold water, in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix cornstarch and water. Stir until dissolved. Add to saucepan. Heat until thickened. Toss wings in sauce and serve.

BBQ Hot Sauce

1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp oil
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup brown sugar, light or dark
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Texas Pete hot sauce***
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

Sauté onion and garlic in oil in a large pan. Drain any excess oil. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer about 10 minutes. 

*** Add more or less. Adjust to your taste. 

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Red Sauce or Mama's Chicken Hawaiian Style

I got this recipe from my Mama's recipe file and modified it a little. When I made it, I realized it tastes just like the Chinese Restaurant's Red Sauce! I had been trying to duplicate that sauce for years because that's the main reason the hubby eats Chinese Food! LOL Stumbling on to this recipe was a real find! Mama called this Hawaiian Sauce!

 My version of Chinese Take-out!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is Mama's recipe...

Chicken Hawaiian Style

1 ½ lbs Chicken Breasts, cut into strips or cubes
1 cup Pineapple Chunks

1 cup Pineapple Juice

½ cup Vinegar

6 oz Tomato Paste

¾ cup Sugar

1 cup Water

1 t Salt

1/2 Green Bell Pepper
1/2 Red Bell Pepper

1 medium onion

2 T Cornstarch

Brown chicken strips in butter.* Drain pineapple, reserve syrup. Combine syrup with enough water to make 1 cup. Mix with tomato paste and water, vinegar and sugar in saucepan. Mix cornstarch with 1/2 cup water and add to pot. Heat until thickened and clear. Add pineapple chunks and bell pepper. Pour over chicken and simmer.

Mama's Note: “I used to make this for company a lot…It’s a change from the same old chicken…”

My modification...

*I used her tempura batter recipe and fried the chicken strips or cubes. I then prepared the sauce minus the green pepper. I didn't have any and my family doesn't like them anyway. I used the sauce as a dip instead of simmering the chicken in it like Mama's recipe.

Chicken Alfredo Casserole

2 Chicken Breasts, browned and chopped
2 cups chicken broth

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup heavy cream

¼ teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

1½ cups grated Parmesan cheese

1 lb Penne Pasta, cooked

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat add broth, garlic, cream, pepper, and salt.

Bring to a low boil and reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 8 minutes.*

Remove from heat and slowly add cheese.

Return to stove on low and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Serve hot.

*If you want a thicker Alfredo, or it doesn’t reduce to the correct thickness, make a slurry of 3 tsp corn starch and 2 tsp water. Add to boiling sauce and stir or whisk constantly until desired thickness.

Simple Old Fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup

With allergies kicking in, I have several people with colds, sinus infections and bronchitis! Soooo, I made some good old fashioned Chicken Noodle Soup! I made it with a dash of cayenne pepper and a splash of lemon in this batch to help open the sinuses and clear the throat!

12 cups chicken broth*
4 cups chicken, cut into pieces**
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried sweet basil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
8 ounces dried wide egg noodles
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Combine all the ingredients but the noodles. Bring to a boil, and add noodles. Reduce to a simmer and cook until done. (about 8-10 minutes) Taste the broth and adjust the seasonings to your taste.

* I use homemade chicken stock. If you need to use store bought, make sure it is a good quality stock. It's the base of your soup, and it "makes or breaks" your final dish!

**I used leftover grilled chicken. You can use any chicken you'd like.

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

2 baked chicken leg quarters, skin removed and shredded

6 cups chicken broth

1 grated carrot

1 small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 teaspoons corn starch, dissolved in the lemon juice

1 ½ teaspoons of Greek Seasoning

1 cup ruffles pasta

½ cup heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken and broth in a stock pot.

Add the carrots, onion, garlic and Greek seasoning. Bring to a boil. Add pasta, and simmer until the pasta is tender. Slowly add in the lemon juice/corn starch mixture. Stir until thickened. Remove from heat and add heavy cream. Taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

I served it with Hush Puppies.