Poultry

Pecan Crusted Chicken & Apple Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

By in Main Dish, Poultry 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

Pecan Crusted Chicken & Apple Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

Oh goodness. I don”t even know how to begin telling you how absolutely delicious this salad is. The only thing I can think to say is that it was so good I was craving it for dessert. Really.

Chicken breasts coated in a pecan, sesame seed, flour mixture – pan-fried til crisp and then baked in the oven. Served over a bed of salad greens, apple slices, red onion, dried cranberries and almonds. All of that drizzled with a simple Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette. It”s heaven on a plate I tell you!

My three year old son had three helpings, and gobbled up every last drop of everything. I think this will become a regular at our table when we want something a little lighter but still with the warmth and feel of fall.

As you can see there are no cranberries in the salad pictured, but they are listed in the ingredients below. That”s because both me and my grocery store were lacking in the cranberry department. But I just know they would be perfect in this salad and will be adding them next time.

This is even tasty as leftovers (with everything stored separately). I ate it the next day while the chicken was cold and I thought it was just as delicious as when it was fresh. So, if you wanted to make the chicken ahead and pack this for lunch throughout the week that would be a very viable and tasty option.

I have no problems eating salad for dinner when it tastes this good. If you get tired of all the heavy fall food I encourage you to give this recipe a try.

Pecan Crusted Chicken & Apple Salad with Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

For the assembly of the salad I don”t have an exact measurement of ingredients because my family likes to make and customize the amounts on their own. Feel free to pre-assemble the salad or leave the ingredients separately for people to make their own.

Pecan Crusted Chicken

  • 4 chicken breasts, flattened slightly

  • 2 tablespoons milk

Coating Mixture

  • 1/4 cup flour

  • 1/2 cup pecans

  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

  • 3/4 teaspoon paprika

  • 3/4 teaspoon pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Place coating ingredients in a food processor and process until pecans are finely ground, transfer to a shallow dish. Alternatively you can chop the pecans finely by hand and simply mix the ingredients together.

Coat chicken in milk and then in coating mixture. Pan-fry in a small amount of oil, in a large non-stick skillet, until coating is crisp and golden. Transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until cooked through.

Allow to cool slightly before slicing on a diagonal. Or, refrigerate once completely cool for use later.

Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

  • 1/4 cup maple syrup

  • pinch salt

  • 1/4 cup olive oil

Whisk together vinegar, syrup and salt. Whisk in oil, in a steady stream, until combined.

Salad

  • mixed salad greens

  • 2 apples, thinly sliced

  • red onion, sliced

  • dried cranberries

  • pecan crusted chicken, sliced

  • sliced almonds

  • maple balsamic vinaigrette

Place salad greens on a plate. Top with apples, onion and cranberries. Place a chicken breast on top and sprinkle with almonds. Drizzle with vinaigrette just before serving.

Serves: 4

Pecan Crusted Chicken recipe adapted from Taste of Home.

Chicken Barley Soup

By in Main Dish, Poultry, Soup 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

chicken barley soup

My family (like most families right now) has been struggling with being sick pretty much non-stop. By the time the weekend comes my son has something new to spread around the house. It makes it’s way through the family just in time for something new to catch on. But that’s ok, it’s part and parcel of having kids and having those kids hang out with other kids.

Us adults are lucky, our immunities have already built up and we don’t catch it near as much, or as bad, as the kids. Yay! But it does mean less sleep, lowered immune systems and a general groggy, I’m-feeling-old-and-may-keel-over-at-any-moment feeling. That’s when we turn to chicken noodle soup to boost our immunities again.

Or at least we used to. But recently we tried this Chicken and Barley Soup and I think this may be our go-to from now on. It’s easy, healthy and tastes so unbelievably comforting your mood can’t help but be instantly lifted. It’s easy to throw together and completely homemade, which is just what you need when you’re feeling under the weather.

And, of course, we won’t just be enjoying it when we’re sick. It’s too good to be left on the sidelines. I’m sure we’ll be making and enjoying it often throughout this fall and winter.

Hopefully it can bring some comfort to your family as well, on a cold and sniffley day.

On the day it’s made it’s much broth-ier then shown in the pictures. These were taken the day after and the barley soaked up a lot of the broth overnight. It was still just as comforting and delicious but definitely thicker and heartier. Just FYI. :)

Chicken Barley Soup

For the greatest health benefits use homemade chicken broth or stock.

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 carrots, diced
  • 4 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 5 sprigs thyme
  • 1 cup quick-cooking barley
  • 5 ounces (5 cups) fresh baby spinach

In a large pot, cook carrots, celery and onion in oil just until tender. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper. Cook until chicken turns white on the edges. Add broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Stir in barley. Lower heat and simmer, covered, until barley is tender and chicken is cooked through (10-12 minutes). Add spinach and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper before serving.

Serves: 4-6

Adapted from Martha Stewart.

Quick Chicken Parmigiana

By in Fall, Main Dish, Pasta, Poultry, Valentine's 12 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Quick Chicken Parmigiana

I used to not be a fan of chicken and tomatoes together. There was something about it that just seemed off to me. Give me cream with my chicken and tomatoes with my beef! That”s what I used to think. I”m not sure what changed my mind.  I guess a part of growing up is that your palate begins to change and things you didn”t like before suddenly become appealing.

I”ve been making this dish for quite a few months now. It”s one of my absolute favourite things to eat. Every time I eat it, it tastes even better than I remember and I wonder why I don”t make it more often (because I”m too busy trying new recipes, that”s why!).

This Chicken Parmigiana is not authentic and to be honest I haven”t found an authentic recipe that I”ve liked… yet. But the pictures always look so tasty that I had to give it a go on my own. This version is faster, through the use of homemade shake”n bake, and healthier, since we”re baking it in the oven rather than shallow-frying it in oil.

Basil is my must-have fresh herb. If you”re going to find one potted herb hanging in my kitchen, it will be basil. The flavour is so completely different then the dried variety and you can use it in so many different dishes, that it won”t have to go to waste. We use it most often in this dish, BLT Chicken Burgers, Spaghetti Bolognese, Sun-dried Tomato, Feta and Basil Bruschetta and Basil and Prosciutto Chicken Cordon Bleu. Definitely a worthy purchase.

This meal comes together in under 30 minutes. It may be a step away from the original but what it lacks in fat it more then makes up for in flavour. It has become one of our favourite weeknight meals and I”m hoping it”s a hit with your family as well.

Quick Chicken Parmigiana

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

  • 1/4 cup homemade shake”n bake

  • 2 tablespoons grated parmesan

  • 1 (500g) jar pasta sauce (or 1 2/3 cups)

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

  • 250g spaghetti

  • sliced cheese, extra parmesan and basil

Cut chicken breasts in half widthwise to create 4 thin chicken breasts. Flatten with the heel of your hand until approximately even thickness. Mix together shake”n bake and parmesan. Coat chicken in shake”n bake mixture. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes, or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, combine pasta sauce, garlic and basil in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and keep warm. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

Once chicken is cooked through, remove and set the oven to broil. Top each chicken breast with a large spoonful of pasta sauce, a slice of cheese, some grated parmesan and a sprinkling of basil. Place under broiler until cheese is bubbly.

Serve spaghetti topped with pasta sauce and a chicken breast.

Makes: 4 servings

Greek Chicken Kabobs and Salad

By in Main Dish, Meat, Poultry 6 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Greek Chicken Kabob Salad

I always seem to make salad for supper on the night my husband is most hungry and a hearty meal when he comes home without an appetite. I could be a good wife and let him know ahead of time what we’re eating, so he could prepare his stomach accordingly, but why ruin the surprise? Besides, if I make salad for dinner you better believe there’s going to be dessert. It’s all about balance. :)

The first night I made this we gobbled it down in no time flat and I was craving it for days afterwards. So much so, that I put it on the menu again for the next week.

It uses my favourite Greek Dressing, which is tangy and packed with flavour - it’s a breeze to throw together and stores well at room temperature for quite a while. The chicken is marinated in the dressing, soaking up all that flavour, then threaded onto skewers and cooked on the grill. Throw together a simple salad, with the same dressing, while the meat cooks and you have dinner on the table in no time.

On super-hot days, when appetites are practically non-existent, it makes a light and tasty dinner. But just to make sure, I like to serve it with a side of Foccacia. That way, if James comes home extra hungry he doesn’t have to starve (or eat a double portion of dessert). :)

Greek Chicken Kabobs and Salad

Greek Dressing
  • 1 cup red wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1.5 teaspoons pepper
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 1.5 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons dijon
  • 3/4 cup olive oil

Place vinegar, seasonings and dijon in a blender or food processor (or use a handheld blender); pulse to combine. With the blender running, slowly pour in oil and process until creamy (emulsified). Store, covered, at room temperature.

Makes: 1.5 cups

Greek Chicken Kabobs
  • 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into chunks
  • 1/4 cup greek dressing

Place chicken in a large resealable plastic bag or tupperware; coat with dressing. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to marinate (or leave at room temperature for 30 minutes).

Thread onto metal or soaked-wooden skewers. Grill over medium heat until cooked through.

Salad
  • 130g baby spinach (8 cups)
  • 1 cucumber, halved lengthwise and chopped
  • 200g cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1 cup cubed feta
  • 1/2 cup olives, cut in half lengthwise
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • greek dressing, to taste

Place spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, olives and onion in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Add dressing and toss again. Serve immediately.

Serves: 4

Greek Dressing adapted from Allrecipes.

BLT Chicken Burgers

By in Main Dish, Poultry 10 Comments Tags: , , , , , , ,

blt chicken burgers

If I were to pick one summer comfort food, it would burgers. I could eat a good burger practically every day, but I try to limit it to once a week during the hot summer months. I tend to go for a simple beef burger with cheese and bacon or a grilled chicken breast with pineapple, cheese and bacon. Do you see a trend here? I like me some bacon on my burgers. Which is why I dedicated a whole post to how I cook them for my sandwiches.

This particular day was a scorcher and I didn’t want to turn on the oven at all, so I did the same procedure as with the baked lattice bacon except I pan-fried it. I will always prefer my bacon baked over fried, just because it cooks more evenly, but the method still worked great.

The key to avoiding a tough burger is to handle the meat as little as possible. Mix the ingredients together just until incorporated and pat the burgers into form rather than squeezing.

I’ve always been a little nervous about making ground chicken burgers because you need to be extra careful in making sure they’re cooked through and I’ve heard they often turn out dry. But, this recipe sounded too good to pass up. The meat mixture is packed with cheddar and parmesan and I think that must help a lot with moisture because these were not even close to dry. They were juicy, cheesy and packed with flavour. Add the classic components of a BLT and a yummy Basil Mayonnaise and you have yourself one mean burger.

I prefer burgers without bread crumbs, crackers or oats because I find them less meatloaf-y. They are quite sticky to deal with but as long as you grease your grill ahead of time and make sure there’s a good char on them before you turn, you should have no problem flipping them.

BLT Chicken Burgers

I tend to make my burgers a little smaller and make six burgers out of one pound of meat, instead of four, which is why you will see differing amounts in the assembly. Choose as many as is appropriate for the amount of burgers you have made.

Chicken Burgers
  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/3 cup finely grated parmesan
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Mix ingredients together lightly and form into 4-6 thin patties. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to grill.

To Grill: Clean and lightly grease grill grates; preheat to medium. Grill burgers, flipping once, until browned and cooked through (8-10 minutes).

Basil Mayonnaise
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Mix ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Assembly
  • 4-6 burger buns, toasted if desired
  • 4-6 squares lattice bacon (or 8-12 slices), cooked
  • 4-6 romaine lettuce leaves
  • 1 large tomato, sliced

Spread buns with basil mayonnaise. Top with bacon, lettuce, chicken burgers and tomato. Serve immediately.

Makes: 4-6

Adapted from My Recipes.

Summer Chicken Stew

By in Main Dish, Poultry 7 Comments Tags: , , , , , ,

summer stew

I’ve struggled with knowing how to write this post. It’s hard to just act as if nothing has happened when such tragedy has hit so close to home. It’s impossible to ignore and my heart is broken.

I’m sure you’ve heard plenty about how Oslo was shaken by the violent attacks last Friday so I won’t go into detail here. If needed, a quick search of cnn.com will get you all the information you want.

I don’t like giving a platform to extremists who perform such horrible acts by talking about them too much. But at the same time I feel that we need to remember those who are hurting. We need to pray for those who are grieving; for those who survived the horror that will not so easily be forgotten.

Those of us who haven’t been personally affected have the privilege of moving on from the tragedy much faster. I can’t imagine the hardship and sorrows yet to come for others who are not so lucky. My heart goes out to them, they are often in my thoughts and prayers.

Please pray for some measure of comfort for them.

It’s hard to pick up and talk nonchalantly about food in a time like this so I will be brief. This stew is quick to prepare, comforting on a rainy day, with the flavours of summer cooked in one pot until creamy and flavourful. If you crave a little bit of comfort on a warm and rainy day, this stew will help, even if just a little.

Summer Chicken Stew

  • 4 chicken breasts
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 slices bacon, chopped
  • 400ml chicken broth
  • 500g baby new potatoes, halved
  • 200g spreadable cream cheese (about 3/4 cup)
  • 200g sweetcorn (frozen, fresh or from a can)
  • 200g cherry tomatoes, halved

Season chicken with salt and pepper; coat with flour. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook chicken on both sides just until browned. Remove from pot and set aside.

Cook bacon in the same pot until crisp. Drain off excess fat. Stir in broth, browned chicken and potatoes. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until chicken and potatoes are cooked through.

Stir in cream cheese, corn and tomatoes. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes until corn is cooked and cream cheese is melted.

Serves: 4

Adapted from Good Food.

1 2 3 4 5