Tag Archives: chicken

Chicken Burgers with Caramelized Onions

Sorry I’ve been M.I.A. for over a week now.  This is what happens when I get uber-busy at work and then take off for Tampa for 4 days and come home only to spend the next couple of days in bed due to the flu/cold.  Please, forgive.  I haven’t had much of an appetite but luckily I made these Chicken Burgers with Caramelized Onions before my trip so I can now share them with you.

Ground chicken is mixed with dijon mustard and ricotta cheese, giving the blah meet some zing and moisture.  Vidalia onions are cooked low and slow until caramelized and golden brown which adds a sweet textural topping to these burgers.  The simplicity of these burgers are appealing but feel free to add any of your favorite flavors, like soy sauce, horseradish or Sriracha, to the mixture before cooking.  The real star are the onions which, as I’ve mentioned before, were not only one of my least favorite foods as a kid but a food in general which I don’t think ever went down my throat until I was in my 30s.  I swear.  Who knew that one day I’d be eating a burger, not with ketchup or mustard or pickles, but with a pile of onions.  I would have called you a liar if you accused me.

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The ingredients:

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Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and cook 15 minutes or until well browned; set aside.

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In a large bowl, combine chicken, ricotta, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined. Form into 4 equal-size patties and flatten.

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Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat (I used my Cuisinart Griddler). Cook burgers about 5 minutes per side. Partially cover, reduce heat to medium and cook another 5 minutes or until instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees  F.

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Place burgers on buns and top each with some of the onions.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:

  • lettuce

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Family Circle Magazine

Smoky Chicken and Potatoes

I put up my Christmas tree this weekend and it seemed a little strange to be doing it when the temperature was in the 50s.  Tomorrow we are having our work holiday party and it’s supposed to be almost 65 degrees.  Strange.  I feel like when it’s December and I’m decorating for Christmas that I should be making food like soup, chili, cookies or some other cold weather comfort food.  But when it’s not very cold out, what is there to make?  I’ve been trying to stock up on chicken when it’s on sale lately so that’s pretty much all I had in my freezer.  I’ve been eyeballing this recipe for Smoky Chicken and Potatoes so I decided this was as good a time as any to make it.

Chicken breasts, potato, sweet potato, green pepper, onion and lemon are tossed with garlic and smoked paprika and roasted in the oven until the chicken and potatoes are perfectly cooked.  You can use all white potatoes or all sweet potatoes for this recipe but I loved the combination of both here.  The chicken is juicy, the potatoes are tender and the addition of lemon and parsley adds a fresh touch.  The smoked paprika gives a ton of flavor to the whole dish.  This dish was simple to make and didn’t stand a chance before it was all gone.  Next time I’m craving sweet potatoes, I’ll remember to make this again.

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The ingredients:

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In a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray, combine chicken potatoes, onion, green pepper and garlic.  Toss with olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper.

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Squeeze lemon wedges over the mixture and add wedges to the baking dish.

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Bake in a 450°F oven for 30 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees, stirring once after 20 minutes.  Top with parsley before serving.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:  None

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Family Circle Magazine

Kung Pao Chicken Tacos

I haven’t been getting much cooking done lately with the hurricane and back-to-back trips out of state which have occupied my past few weekends. By the time I slept in my own bed this past Saturday night, all I looked forward to doing was settling down in my kitchen and making some food. Ahh, sometimes it’s nice just getting back into a routine, you know? Anyway, want to knock someone’s socks off tonight? Make these Kung Pao Chicken Tacos. I know, you’re thinking…huh?? Who mixes Chinese food and Mexican food? Well, I do. And trust me, you want to too. My friend Jodi benefits from some of the food I make for this blog and each time I make something new for her to eat, she always says it’s her new favorite. Well, this is now her new favorite. She says this is even better than her all-time favorite, Rustic Summer Squash Tart. I have to say that I think might have to I agree with her on this. These tacos are WOW.

Chicken is marinated in soy sauce before being lightly coated in cornstarch which gives it the subtle crispiness you find in Chinese food without it being too much of a guilty pleasure. A rich sauce of soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar and sambal oelek adds a sweet but spicy punch of flavor to the chicken which is wrapped in broiled corn tortillas and topped with celery, fresh red pepper, and peanuts. My only recommendation with this is to warm the tortillas rather than broil them because the broiled tortillas make these a little tough to eat. I made leftovers by just warming the tortillas and they were perfect. The sauce is so good that I fully plan on making it anytime I need a sauce for chicken or pasta in a pinch. Please, give these a try. You’ll realize that Chinese food isn’t just for take out anymore.

The ingredients:

Place chicken in a large zip-top plastic bag with 1 tablespoon soy sauce to bag; seal. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Place cornstarch in a shallow dish. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with salt. Add chicken to cornstarch in dish, and toss chicken to thoroughly coat. Shake off excess cornstarch.

Heat canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of coated chicken and sauté for 6 minutes or until done, turning to brown. Remove chicken from pan using a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels. Repeat the procedure with remaining canola oil and coated chicken.

Combine remaining cornstarch, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, rice vinegar and sambal oelek in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Microwave at HIGH for 1 1/2 minutes or until slightly thick, stirring twice. Stir in garlic.

Combine soy sauce mixture, chicken, peanuts, and celery; toss to coat chicken.

Toast tortillas under broiler or on a griddle until lightly blistered, turning frequently.

Spoon chicken mixture onto tortillas and top each taco taco with green onions and bell pepper strips. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Cooking Light Magazine

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