Versatile Shredded Chicken Breast

I was eating too much canned tuna for lunch, apparently, so I decided to make a batch of shredded chicken breast to use for lunches and soups. Seasoning is the same as for my Homemade Chicken Cold Cuts, but the shred allows for more versatility. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1tbsp each salted butter (melted) and olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Preparation:

Add chicken to a clean bowl and coat all sides with butter/oil mix. Combine kosher salt, pepper, garlic, onion and paprika and rub chicken on all sides with the mix until all pieces show a uniform color.

Heat oven or air fryer to 450 and place chicken in your tray of choice. I use my air fryer basket on the bake setting, but any toaster oven or full size oven will work equally well. Bake at 450 for at least 15 minutes, at which point test with instant read thermometer for 165 F. Add a few extra minutes if under.

Once you're sure all pieces are cooked, remove from heat and tent loosely with foil for 10-15 minutes. Cut up the chicken once it's cooled and shred by hand. I find weighing out 4oz servings for any lunch type salad is sufficient. Store the rest for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Use the shredded chicken as you see fit. I like to use for Weeknight Chicken Soup or a nice Healthy Lunch for One.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Baked Zucchini Boats Parmesan

Here's another way to use ground white meat chicken or lean ground beef, and you can have fun stuffing the zucchini by seasoning the meat any number of ways. As Chef Jacques Pepin always says... "Never be afraid to make a dish your own!" I like to go easy on the seasoning so the protein mostly speaks for itself. Plenty of flavor comes from the zucchini as well as the cheese so I don't see a reason to go heavy on spices. If you want to, though..... GO FOR IT! :-)

Ingredients:

• 2 zucchini 
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb ground chicken or lean beef
• 1/2 yellow onion - diced
• 2 cloves garlic - smashed & minced
• 1 lge tomato - diced
• S&P to taste
• part skim mozzarella - cut in pieces that will cover meat

Preparation:

Remove stem end from zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds to create a zucchini boat. Brush with olive oil inside and out and bake skin side up, right on a cookie sheet or a raised rack, at 400 for about 8 minutes.

While that's going, fry up previously prepared meat, garlic, onion and tomato with the olive oil. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Have fun with other seasonings, too, if you like.

Below: Chicken or beef... your choice 

Place cooked zucchini in a baking dish and fill each one with meat mix. If not all of it fits... you get to enjoy a little snack later. ;-)

Cover the meat with generous slabs of mozzarella. Return baking dish to the oven and broil low until cheese melts and displays a golden brown. 

Serve with salad and maybe some quick cook barley blended with sauteed onions.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Red Bean Casserole with Chicken

Credit goes to the American Diabetes Association’s Diabetes Comfort Food Cookbook

The secret to this casserole is in the orange zest. It provides a clean, fresh taste to this one-pot casserole. The dish is somewhat like a cassoulet, but because it contains no red meat, it’s so much better for you. The red beans provide more of the protein with the added bonus of a good fiber.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken breast – no skin, cubed to 1” pieces and brined for an hour
• 4 cloves garlic – smash minced
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• kosher salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1.5 tbsp olive oil - divided
• 1 lge onion – chopped
• 2 med carrots – peeled and julienned
• 1 cup canned whole tomatoes – coarsely chopped, with their juice
• ¼ cup dry white wine – use real wine… the stuff labeled cooking wine has too much salt
• 2 15 oz cans red kidney beans – drained and rinsed - about 3 cups
• 1 tsp fresh orange zest
• 4 tbsp plain breadcrumbs or Panko

Preparation:

Brine the chicken in a standard salt brine for about an hour. Rinse to remove excess salt, then toss the chicken with the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

In a Dutch oven or large skillet with cover, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken and saute for 4-5 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Add the onion and carrots to the pan and saute for about 6-7 minutes until onions are soft. Add the tomatoes with juice, wine, beans and orange zest. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and add chicken back to the pan. Cover, transfer pot to the oven, and bake for 20 minutes.

Combine ½ tbsp olive oil and the breadcrumbs. Uncover the pot and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the casserole. Bake for another 10 minutes uncovered until the crumbs are browned.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Homemade Chicken Breast Cold Cuts

Chicken breast cold cuts make a great sandwich, but geez at $5.99/lb it can get really pricey really quickly. My solution is to make my own when boneless, skinless chicken breast is on sale for $1.99 -$2.99/lb here in New York State. Quite the savings, right? But guess what? You not only save money but you get to season your chicken the way YOU like!

Here's a recipe for baked chicken breast I found at GIMME SOME OVEN that I really love for making cold cuts. The brining keeps the chicken moist and the seasoning is just enough to make your lunch meat exciting. ENJOY!

Ingredients:

• 4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1tbsp each salted butter (melted) and olive oil
• 1 handful table salt for brine
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

Preparation:

In a large bowl mix the table salt with enough lukewarm water that will cover the chicken. Set the chicken breasts in the brine for at least 15-20 minutes. Remove chicken from brine, rinse under cold water to remove salt and pat dry with paper towel.

Add chicken to a clean bowl and coat all sides with butter/oil mix. Combine kosher salt, pepper, garlic, onion and paprika and rub chicken on all sides with the mix until all pieces show a uniform color.

Heat oven or air fryer to 450 and place chicken in your tray of choice. I use my air fryer basket on the bake setting, but any toaster oven or full size oven will work equally well. Bake at 450 for at least 15 minutes, at which point test with instant read thermometer for 165 F. Add a few extra minutes if under.

Once you're sure all pieces are cooked, remove from heat and tent loosely with foil for 10-15 minutes. Sharpen/hone your knife before slicing once chicken has cooled. Go slow, letting the blade do the work.

Will the slices be as thin as store-bought cold cuts? No.

Will they be as pretty as store-bought cold cuts? No.

Will they give you the start to a reeeeeally healthy chicken sandwich featuring YOUR personalized flavor pallet? YES! YES! YES!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Deviled Turkey

 Adapted from a recipe found in A Sorcerer's Cookbook by Brigitte Bulard-Cordeau

The origins of this recipe date back to the days of France's King Charles IX when he was married to Elizabeth of Austria in 1570. I has been described as somewhat of a royal dish for the times, but its devilish flavor profile was known to often erase angelic smiles... in a good way, I assume... :-) Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

• 2 turkey thighs - about 2 lbs skinned
• 1 handful table salt for brine
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 4 tsp smooth Dijon mustard
• 1 cup pearl barley
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 yellow onion - chopped
• 4 cloves garlic - smash minced
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper
• 4 tbsp salted butter
• 1 pinch of saffron

Preparation:

Start by skinning the thighs and removing most of the fat. Brine the turkey in lukewarm salt water for 20-30 minutes. Coat the thighs with olive oil and season with salt & pepper.

Heat oven to 400 degrees and place thighs skin side down and bake for 15 minutes. Thurn thighs over and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Coat the turkey with Dijon mustard and continue baking for an additional 10-15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, rinse the pearl barley for two minutes and cook using the 3 cups chicken broth instead of water. While the barley is simmering for 35-40 minutes cook the frozen peas and set both items aside.

Saute the onion and garlic in butter over a low to medium flame so the butter does not burn. Add Aleppo to the mix.

Finally add peas and barley to the sauteed onions... add saffron and mix.

Plate thighs on or next to a generous bed of barley.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Chicken & Barley-Squash Pilaf

It's nice to find your niche in cooking, and for the most part I had found mine over the years in earthy flavors, rich sauces, gravies and plenty of carb combos. With this new diabetes oriented menu that eliminates most carbs and sugars, though, I decided it was time to expand my horizons. To that end, I dove into my Better Homes & Gardens 150 Chicken Dinners and found this relatively labor-intensive, yet very fun, dish (slightly modified). In a word? 

A M A Z I N G !

Don't be alarmed by the number of ingredients... I promise it will all make sense as we get into the preparation :-)

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp chopped shallot
• 1 1/2 cups lo-salt chicken broth
• 1 cup (heaped) 3/4" butternut squash cubes
• 1/2 cup quick cooking barley
• 1 medium red apple, chopped with skin on
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3-4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (~1 lb)
• 1/4 cup roasted, salted pumpkin seeds (shelled)
• 1/4 cup chutney (mango works)
• 1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
• Snipped fresh parsley leaves

Preparation:

1: The Pumpkin Seeds

There's a real good chance you won't find these already shelled, roasted and salted, but as long as you can round up some shelled seeds, we're good. Lightly coat a 7-9" skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat and add the shelled seeds. Give the seeds another spritz of cooking spray. Toss frequently and add salt until you hear the seeds crackle and they look toasted. Remove from pan and set aside for later.

2: The Dip

Combine the chutney and yogurt in a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Refrigerate until it's time to serve the meal.

3: The Rub

In a small bowl, combine the coriander, cumin, salt, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Mix these dry goods thoroughly until you have an even color throughout. Coat/rub chicken on all sides and then spray lightly with cooking spray.

Set aside while starting the pilaf.

4: The Pilaf

First order of business is to peel, cut and cube the squash. Be careful here as knives can get hung up in squash. For a quick tutorial on squash prep, take a look on Simply Recipes.

In a medium saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallot; cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth, squash and barley. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 10-12 minutes or just until the squash and barley are tender, stirring once or twice. Next, stir in the chopped apple and cook for 3-4 more minutes, covered, until apple is just tender. Remove mix from heat.

5:The Chicken

Spray a large covered skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Place chicken in pan and cook for 12 minutes, covered, turning only once. Be sure chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F). Remove from pan.

6: Final Assembly

Slice the chicken breasts across the grain into 1/4" slices.

Divide the pilaf among dinner plates and place sliced chicken on top. Add roasted pumpkin seeds and snipped parsley leaves. Serve chilled dip on the side. Be prepared to hear delightful moaning around the table... :-)  This one is a winner in my book!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!