BEST BAKED CHICKEN THIGHS EVER !!

I kid you not, these chicken thighs are the BEST of the BEST and quick and easy to make. They are SUPER moist, SUPER tender and SUPER flavorful. We couldn't stop eating them and they are going straight to the TOP of my FIVE STAR recipe list.

 

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs  (thawed)
Milk to cover
1/4 cup melted butter

1 tablespoon Coleen's seasoned salt (click here for recipe)
3/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons paprika

Put the chicken in a large bowl and cover with milk (I use 2%). Let this sit in fridge for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the flour, seasoned salt, salt and pepper, and paprika until well mixed. NOTE: I've only ever tried this with my own seasoned salt mixture (click here for recipe)I can't tell you if any other seasoned salt mixtures would taste as good.

Drain the milk off of the chicken and put the chicken in the flour mixture and toss to coat evenly.

Preheat your oven and an EMPTY 9 x 13 baking dish to 400°. When the oven hits 400°, put the melted butter in the hot baking dish, spreading it around so the entire bottom of the pan is covered.

Set the floured chicken on the melted butter and put back in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn chicken over and bake another 20 minutes. That's it!!

Chicken comes out SUPER tender, SUPER moist and SUPER flavorful.

ENJOY !!!

REDUCED CALORIE SWEET & SOUR PORK

We love sweet and sour pork and chicken (this recipe would work for either), but once you bread and DEEP FRY the meat, you are talking about A TON OF CALORIES. Well, this quick and easy little recipe does away with all of that breading AND all of that DEEP FRYING and it is STILL delicious !!!

MARINADE
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon sugar
3 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
black pepper to taste

Mix the above ingredients in a large bowl.  Cut  1 1/2 pounds of pork (or chicken) tenderloin into bite size pieces and put in the marinade. Stir to coat all of the pieces, then let sit for 20 minutes.

SAUCE
1 cup chicken broth (not bullion,it's too salty)
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 SLIGHTLY rounded teaspoons of corn starch
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
pinch of black pepper

Cook all of the sauce ingredients together until it thickens, then turn the heat down to a VERY LOW SIMMER and let it barely bubble while you brown the meat.

In a large skillet (I use my electric fry pan), heat up a tablespoon of vegetable oil and a tablespoon of butter until HOT (I turn my electric skillet all the way up). Add the marinated meat and spread it out so that none of the pieces are on top of each other. Let the meat brown (about 3-4 minutes?), then stir and put a lid on the pan so that everything gets cooked through (you want to get some nice brown crusty color on the edges of the pieces).

Once the meat is 99% done (keep lifting the lid to check for doneness), add the cooked sauce to the meat and keep stirring until everything is well coated. Reduce the heat and cook it all together for about 2 more minutes (watch carefully so the sauce doesn't burn).

Serve over hot rice.  Couldn't be easier!!  

Picky-picky husband is VERY SHY of spicy food, so 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne is just perfect for him. If you like extra heat, just add a little more cayenne when you cook the sauce.

ENJOY !!! 

SWEET BACON-CHICKEN BUNDLES

We discovered these delicious little bundles over the holidays. They are quick to fix and are absolutely perfect for potlucks, buffets, or a quick supper. They are totally addicting, so make lots of them!!

SWEET BACON-CHICKEN BUNDLES
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (we like thighs better)
2/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
bacon (regular, not thick)

 Preheat oven to 375° and bake the bacon for 10 minutes only. After 10 minutes, drain the bacon and set aside. You will need one half slice of bacon for each chicken bundle.

 Cut the raw chicken into 1" cubes, then wrap half of (a partially cooked) slice of bacon around each cube of raw chicken, and secure it with a toothpick. Next, mix the brown sugar, chili powder, cumin and salt together and roll the bacon-chicken in this mixture. Make sure you get it into all the folds of the bacon.

Place the bundles on a baking screen or cooling rack that you've liberally sprayed with vegetable spray. Set the sprayed rack on a rimmed baking sheet that you have lined with foil (important for easier clean up). If you have any sugar left over, spoon a teaspoon or so on top of each bundle.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Delicious hot or room temperature. If you like a little heat along with your sweet, add some cayenne to the sugar mixture.

 

ENJOY !!!

 

SWEET AND STICKY CHICKEN

This recipe is one of picky-picky husbands all time favorites. There are several steps, but none of them are hard and the end result is oh so tasty!!

Yes, it IS very sweet (after all it is called "Sweet and Sticky Chicken"), but it is a real crowd pleaser and any leftovers are excellent for lunch on day two!!

You can use white or dark meat chicken, but we LOVE it made with boneless and skinless chicken thighs (and we don't usually eat dark chicken), but the thigh meat in this recipe stays very moist and flavorful (and some times, chicken breast meat, cooked like this, can be a little dry.

Cut 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs into 1" cubes. Marinate the cubes in the following mixture:

2 tablespoons cooking sherry (see substitution note below)
1 teaspoon powdered chicken bullion (or one cube crushed)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1  1/2  teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

Toss cubed chicken in the above mixture and chill for about an hour.


Now, to bread the chicken:

In bowl #1, put:
1 cup flour

In bowl #2, mix
2 large eggs

In bowl #3, put
1 cup cornstarch


Toss the cubed and marinated chicken in bowl #1. Toss them around until well covered.

Shake off all excess flour mixture and put the meat into bowl #2. Stir them around until well moistened, then but them into the cornstarch in bowl #3, toss to coat well. 

Shake off excess cornstarch and fry in 1" vegetable oil (I use my electric skillet for this step).  Fry until lightly golden and well done. Drain on paper towels.

While the chicken is frying....make the sauce:

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon of sweet chili sauce (see note below)

Put the sauce ingredients into a saucepan and simmer GENTLY for about a minute or two (don't boil hard or it will turn into candy).

Drizzle the sweet sauce over the cooked chicken. Toss to coat well.  Keep hot till serving time.

We like this served over rice.



NOTE:  We are very shy when it comes to spicy foods, so I  use one tablespoon of Sun Luck brand sweet chili sauce in this recipe and the final sauce has next to NO heat, but its a great addition to the flavor.  If you like spicy, then I'd suggest you use something with more heat.

 

 

NOTE:  I never seem to have cooking sherry around, so in this recipe I used 1 teaspoon of vanilla + enough water to make 2 tablespoons. Sounds weird I know, but trust me, it works well in this recipe.



CROCK-POT CHICKEN PARMESAN

This is a quick and easy "cheater-recipe" for chicken Parmesan. YES, I KNOW, technically it's not fried and crispy chicken Parmesan, but it IS delicious and it IS quick and easy...you just throw everything into the slow cooker and 4 hours later its ready to devour...comfort food at its best, trust me.

 

 

2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (see note)
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg beaten
1 jar meatless marinara sauce (about 25 ounces)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons dry onion flakes
2 teaspoons basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Mozzarella cheese

Coat the bottom and sides of your slow cooker with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Mix bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a bowl. Coat the chicken breasts with beaten egg, then roll in the crumb-cheese mixture and place the meat in your slow cooker in a single layer.

In a bowl, mix the marinara sauce, onion flakes (see note), oregano, basil, sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pour over the coated chicken, DO NOT STIR.

Set your slow cooker on low for 4 hours, do not disturb chicken. About 45 minutes before it's time to eat, put a nice thick layer of Mozzarella on each chicken breast and spoon a little of the sauce over the cheese and continue cooking.

NOTE: All crock-pots cook at different temperatures, so keep that in mind when you set your timer. I usually cook 2 chicken breasts, so I cut the breading in half, but I DO NOT CUT DOWN THE SAUCE. My chicken is done (nearly fall-apart tender) in 3 1/2 hours on LOW. If you cook all 4 chicken breasts, you'll need a larger slow cooker and you'll have to adjust the cooking time a little (about 4-4 1/2 hours) just keep an eye on it the first time you make this recipe.

NOTE: If you want to use fresh onion in this recipe, rather than onion flakes, just sauté them in a little butter before adding.

NOTE: Use whatever commercial marinara sauce you enjoy. Personally, I use an inexpensive brand (like Ragu) because the extra onion, oregano, basil, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper jazz up the marinara nicely.

NOTE: This would be a fantastic recipe for a potluck dinner if you quarter the chicken breasts.

PIZZA CHICKEN

This is the time of year that I get into a menu rut pothole and start pulling out my old cookbooks in search of new ideas on how to use that big bag of frozen chicken breasts in the freezer. Yes, friends, I have spring fever!!

I came up with this recipe a few years ago and it is not only super easy, but a quick and tasty week night recipe.

PIZZA CHICKEN !!

 

Pound four or five boneless-skinless chicken breasts out a little. How thin you get them isn't really crucial, but just try and make them an even thickness (so the whole breast cooks evenly).

 

Salt and pepper the chicken meat and dust them with flour and fry them in a little butter until 99% done and then let them rest on some paper towels while you make the sauce.

 

In a saucepan, whisk the following until smooth:

 

(1) 6 ounce can of tomato paste

1 + 1/2 cans of water

2 teaspoons of dry onion flakes (or equal fresh)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dry oregano

1 teaspoon dry basil

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons butter

 

Simmer slowly until the sauce thickens up (takes about 2 or 3 minutes).

 

Placed browned chicken breasts on a rimmed baking pan and top with a nice THICK layer of pizza sauce, then top with shredded mozzarella or provolone cheese and any veggies (if you want them). Just make sure the veggies are cooked.

 

 

Bake them until the meat is hot and the cheese is melted...quick and easy!!  You can also cut the raw chicken breast meat into kid size portions or even "nugget" size portions.

 

ENJOY !!



OVEN BARBECUED CHICKEN

I made this for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it was an instant hit with Picky-Picky husband. As a matter of fact, he gave it a thumbs up three times before the dinner dishes were done (that is almost unheard of).

Basted with a maple flavored barbecue sauce; this recipe produces a mildly sweet and sticky-yummy chicken. Served with biscuits and corn on the cob, it is a great way to enjoy barbecue flavor (indoors) during the fast approaching winter season.

 

 

 



Start with a nice big chicken; I usually buy whole chickens that are about 4 pounds.  I split it down the back (removing the backbone) so that you can lay it out flat; it cooks very evenly that way.

 

Place the chicken (rinsed and patted dry) in a baking dish and brush it with the following quick-mix sauce:

 

1/3 cup REAL maple syrup (not pancake syrup)

1/3 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon (dry) salt free seasoning (I use Penzey's)

pinch of cayenne pepper (more if you like heat)

generous quarter teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

 

Mix well  and pour over the chicken, making sure it coats everything.  Bake at 350° for  90 minutes*, basting every 30 minutes or so.

 



Any kind of (dry) salt free seasoning will work,

we like the Penzey brand

 



 

Mildly Sweet and Sticky, just right!!

 

We like a whole baked chicken, but I'm sure this would

work well on a cut up chicken too.

 

 

NOTE: I bake four pound chickens (at 350°) for about 90 minutes, but the baking time for YOUR chicken depends on how big it is.