It’s National Chicken Month.
To me, every day is chicken day because it’s the backbone of my diet, which is why a new chicken recipe is always welcome.
The Chicken Romano recipe that follows isn’t the way I’ve made he dish before, but it’s quick and not loaded with a lot of empty calories.
CHICKEN ROMANO
from eatingwell.com
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (1 1⁄4 to 1 1⁄2 pounds total)
1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1¼ cups cornflakes, crushed (about 1⁄2 cup)
2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning, basil or oregano, crushed
4 ounces dried multi-grain spaghetti
1 ⅓ cups low-sodium tomato-base pasta sauce
1 pound Shaved or grated Romano cheese
1 bunch Snipped fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly coat a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or line with foil and coat with cooking spray; set aside. Place each piece of chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using the flat side of a meat mallet, pound chicken lightly until about 1⁄2 inch thick. Remove plastic wrap. Set aside.
In a shallow dish use a fork to beat together egg white and the water. In another shallow dish combine crushed cornflakes, the 2 tablespoons grated cheese, the Italian seasoning and 1⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper. Dip chicken pieces, one at a time, into egg mixture; dip into cornflake mixture, turning to coat. Place coated chicken in the prepared baking pan.
Bake about 18 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. In a small saucepan cook pasta sauce until heated through, stirring occasionally.
To serve, divide cooked spaghetti among four serving plates. Top with chicken and pasta sauce. If desired, sprinkle with additional cheese and/or parsley.
CHICKEN FRANCESE
from foodetwork.com
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 11⁄2 pounds)
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs
3 tablespoons water
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1⁄2 lemon, with rind, cut in thin rounds
1⁄2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
1 cup chicken broth
1⁄2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them. Pound the chicken breasts with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1⁄4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, beat the eggs with 3 tablespoons of water to make an egg wash. Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet.
Dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, and then dip them in the egg wash to coat completely, letting the excess drip off. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 2 minutes on each side until golden, turning once. Remove the chicken cutlets to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.
Toss the lemon slices into the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the wine, broth, and lemon juice, simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly. Roll the butter in some flour and add it to the skillet, this will thicken the sauce. Stir to incorporate and dissolve the flour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and return the chicken to the pan; place the lemon slices on top of the cutlets. Simmer gently for 2 minutes to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
MELT IN YOUR MOUTH CHICKEN
from cookiesandcups.com
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
11⁄2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 pounds boneless chicken breasts, trimmed of excess fat
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly coat a 9-by-13 baking dish with nonstick spray and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the sour cream, garlic powder, seasoned salt, pepper, and 1 cup of Parmesan cheese.
Place the chicken breasts evenly into the pan. Spread the sour cream mixture on top of the chicken. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Turn the oven to broil and place the pan under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned on top.
Serve immediately.
HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN BREAST
1 lb chicken breast, boneless and skinless (2 pieces)
Salt and pepper
1⁄4 cup flour
31⁄2 tbsp unsalted butter (or 2 1⁄2 tbsp olive oil)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1⁄2 tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white or other clear vinegar)
1 tbsp soy sauce, light or all purpose
1⁄3 cup honey (or maple syrup)
Cut the breasts in half horizontally to create 4 steaks in total. Sprinkle each side with salt and pepper.
Place flour in a shallow dish. Coat chicken in flour and shake off excess.
Melt most of the butter in a large skillet over high heat; hold back about 1 tsp for later.
Place chicken in skillet and cook for 2 to- 3 minutes until golden. Turn and cook the other side for 1 minute.
Turn heat down slightly to medium high.
Make a bit of room in the pan and add garlic and top with remaining dab of butter. Stir garlic briefly once butter melts.
Add vinegar, soy sauce and honey. Stir / shake pan to combine. Bring sauce to simmer, then simmer for 1 minute or until slightly thickened.
Turn chicken to coat in sauce. If the sauce gets too thick, add a touch of water and stir.
Remove from stove immediately. Place chicken on plates and drizzle over remaining sauce.
SMOTHERED CHICKEN
from thecozycook.com
5 strips thick cut bacon
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1⁄2 cup Vegetable oil, for frying.
Chicken Dredge
1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup breadcrumbs, plain or Italian
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
Gravy
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Flour
2 1⁄2 cups chicken broth
1 beef bouillon cube or 1 tsp better than bouillon
1⁄3 cup half and half
1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce, can sub Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ teaspoon dried sage
Add chicken dredge ingredients to a large plate and toss to combine. Set aside. Measure out gravy ingredients prior to beginning.
Cook the Bacon: Fry bacon over medium-low heat until crispy on both sides. Remove from pan and pour grease into a heat-safe bowl. Reserve 2-4 Tablespoons of clear bacon drippings. Wipe the pan clean.
Slice and pound the chicken: While the bacon cooks, slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner slices. Place saran wrap over them and use a meat tenderizer to pound them to about 3⁄4 inches thick. This gives them a little more texture for the flour dredge to hold on to. They’ll plump up more when cooked.
Coat the Chicken: Wipe the chicken dry and coat generously in the flour mixture, get in every nook and cranny.
Cook the Chicken: Add the reserved bacon drippings to the clean pan and enough vegetable oil to cover the chicken by half. Heat over medium-high heat. Once heated and glistening, add the chicken. Fry 2 at a time for about 5 minutes per side, until they have a nice golden sear. Set aside on a plate. Adjust heat down slightly and back up throughout cooking as needed.
Drain the oil: Remove the oil from the pot and use a paper towel to remove any black spots from the pan, but leave any brown remnants.
Make the Roux: Melt the butter over medium heat and use a silicone spatula to “clean” the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle the flour gradually, whisking continuously, until a paste forms.
Add the Broth and Half and Half: Add the liquid in small increments, whisking constantly. It will thicken up in between each splash of liquid. If you add it all at once, you’ll “break” the roux and it won’t be thick.
Add remaining gravy ingredients: Slowly add the beef bouillon, soy sauce, and seasonings.
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add a few drops of kitchen bouquet if a darker color is desired.
Add the chicken back to the pan along with any juice from the plate.
Chop up the bacon and add it to the top of the chicken.
Cover partially and cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees prior to serving.
Serve with rice, noodles or mashed potatoes.
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