April 26, 2024

Chicken with Fennel and Olives

November 29, 2013 by

.Chicken with Fennel and Olives resize

 

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving yesterday!  If you have leftovers, by all means, eat those first!  Once you finish off your turkey, ham, or whatever else you had, try this recipe for Chicken with Fennel and Olives.

Fennel is in season now and has a delicious anise flavor.  When you are shopping for the olives, buy the biggest green olives in a jar you can find – sometimes they’re called Queen olives – and make sure they’re pitted.  You can find them plain, but I used a jar of large green olives stuffed with cloves of garlic.  Amazing!  You can also find them stuffed with almonds (but for this recipe, I would avoid the ones stuffed with blue cheese or hot peppers!)  This recipe also calls for a cup of white wine.  Use a chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or pinot grigio – these are dry white wines that will pair perfectly with the chicken.  If you prefer, you can substitute chicken broth.

This is a healthy, light recipe that will warm your house and keep you from feeling like a slug after all the Thanksgiving feasting is over.  (But feel free to have that last piece of pie for dessert!)

Chicken with Fennel and Olives

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken, or a package of skin-on chicken thighs, or skin-on chicken breasts
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or bacon fat for cooking
  • 1 large fennel bulb
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 jar large green pitted olives
  • 1 cup dry white wine (or substitute chicken broth)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375F.  If you are using a whole chicken, remove the legs and breasts – you should have 4 pieces.  Reserve the rest of the chicken for soup or another use.  Season the skin with salt.
  2. In a very large oven-proof pan, heat the olive oil or bacon fat.  When very hot, add the chicken pieces skin-side down and cook over medium heat for about ten minutes.  When chicken skin is crisp, remove the chicken pieces from the pan and place skin-side up on a platter and set aside.  Set the pan aside – do not drain!
  3. While the chicken is cooking, slice the onion into thin strings.  Cut off the stalks of the fennel, but keep a few green fronds for garnish.  Cut the fennel into very thin rings or slices, about the same size as the onion.  Drain the jar of olives and slice the olives in half.
  4. Heat the pan again and add the wine, stirring to scrap up any stuck-on bits of chicken.  Add the onion, fennel and olives and stir to combine.  Remove from heat.  Place the chicken pieces skin-side up (so it stays crispy) on top of the bed of vegetables and place in the oven.
  5. Cook for 30 minutes.  Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.  To serve, make a bed of vegetables, place a chicken piece on top, and add a sprig of fennel frond.  Season with salt and pepper

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

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At Home with GCH: Chicken en Papillote with Pesto

April 19, 2013 by

chicken en papillote

I know chicken breasts are good for me.  I know I should eat lots of lean protein.  But sometimes the idea of choking down a dry, mealy, overcooked hunk of chicken makes me shudder.  Yuck!  The trick to cooking chicken breasts is to keep them moist and flavorful, because once they get dry, they’re only good for throwing on top of a salad and drenching with dressing.  So I needed something to keep the moisture locked in.  If you have all day, use a crock pot.  If you only have an hour, use parchment paper!

Cooking something “en papillote” is French for cooking “in paper.”  You might already have parchment paper if you do a lot of baking, but if not, you can find it near the aluminum foil in the baking aisle.  This recipe is infinitely customizable—just use whatever combination of vegetables you like, plus chicken breasts, and some seasoning on top.  Bake for an hour, open and enjoy!

This recipe is even better slathered with homemade pesto.  Basil is pretty easy to grow in the yard, so if you have a garden, you can make pesto this summer!  The recipe has the proportions that I like.  You may want to use less garlic, or more oil, to make a thinner sauce.  Also, most pesto recipes add a little parmesan cheese – maybe a tablespoon, grated – to the mix; but I left it out since I am still eating on the Paleo diet.  If you have leftovers, pesto goes great over pasta of any kind.  I had a little pesto leftover and I ate it on scrambled eggs – delicious!

pesto

 

Chicken en Papillote with Pesto

Ingredients:

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup baby carrots
  • 2 large zucchini, cut the same size as the baby carrots
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 teaspoons butter

For the pesto:

  • 2 cups basil leaves
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts (keep in the freezer so they won’t go rancid)
  • 1 lemon
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400*F.  Cut two pieces of parchment paper, about 12 x 24 inches.  Fold them in half width-wise, then open.  On one half of the paper, make a bed of half the carrots and zucchini slices; repeat on the second paper.  Season with salt and pepper.  Top each bed of vegetables with two chicken breasts, and season with salt and pepper again.  Divide the butter and drop half a teaspoon of butter on each chicken breast.
  2. Fold the paper in half, to cover the chicken.  Now you should have an envelope or packet.  Fold over the long end a few times, then make a triangular fold at each of the corners.  Now fold over the two short ends several times.  (There are many ways you can fold the paper to keep it shut.  I’ve even gotten frustrated before and stapled them shut!  Here are some ideas for folding the paper.)  When you have the two packets closed up, place on a cookie sheet and put them in the oven.  Cook for one hour, rotating the cookie sheet halfway through to make sure the packets cook evenly.

papillote packet

 

  1. While the chicken is cooking, make the pesto:  In a food processor, blend the basil leaves, garlic, and 1/4 cup of olive oil.  Scrape down the sides, add the pine nuts, and blend again.  Scrape down the sides again, cut the lemon in half, and add the juice to the pesto.  If you want the pesto thinner, add more oil.  Taste…if you want a stronger lemon flavor, you can add the zest from the lemon too.  If you are adding parmesan cheese, now is the time!  Blend again.
  2. To serve, open the packets—carefully!  Don’t get burned on the steam!  You can put the packets on a plate, or open them in the kitchen and throw out the paper if you like.  Pass the pesto!

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipes, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

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At Home with GCH: Indian-Spiced Drumsticks

February 8, 2013 by

Indian-Spiced Drumsticks

It’s funny how some foods are relegated to specific dates on the calendar.  For instance, canned pumpkin is on the shelves in my grocery store twelve months a year, and yet we only think about pumpkin pie for one, maybe two months a year.  If you were to show up to an Easter brunch with a pumpkin pie, I guarantee you’d get some really strange looks!  Likewise, Buffalo wings have been pigeonholed into being a “party” food, and rarely show up for the family dinner.  Why is that?

Wings are not hard to make, but I feel like they’re a little hard to eat.  So I made a recipe that is a twist on the fiery-hot Buffalo wings, and is easier to eat, because it calls for drumsticks instead of wings.  There’s no frying, you control the level of heat, and they are easy to make and eat.  What’s not to love?

The secret ingredient is not-so-secret, since I bought it at Target!  It’s an Indian spice blend called garam masala.  Garam masala recipes vary by neighborhood and family in India, so there’s no one authentic combination of spices.  The one that I bought features black pepper, cardamon, coriander, and cinnamon.  It smells sort of like Chai tea, but is not sweet in and of itself.  If you can’t find garam masala, you can substitute one part ground cumin and one part pumpkin pie spice.

garam masala

The traditional accompaniment to Buffalo wings is carrot and celery sticks with bleu cheese dressing.  To make this a dinner, why not serve a big salad with bleu cheese dressing, or even a fancy wedge of iceberg lettuce with bleu cheese and diced bacon?

Indian-Spiced Drumsticks

Ingredients:

  • 10-12 drumsticks
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 2 tablespoons (or more!) hot pepper sauce, like Tabasco or Sriracha
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala, or 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin and 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 lime, lemon, or orange, juiced
  • a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375*F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Spray with cooking spray, and lay out the drumsticks.  Don’t crowd them – make sure there’s plenty of room around them!  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and lower temperature to 250*F.
  2. Make the sauce:  In a very large pot, add all the remaining ingredients.  Stir together over medium-low heat.  When the sauce is simmering, add the drumsticks and stir for 5 minutes, making sure to coat the drumsticks thoroughly.
  3. Remove wings from sauce and place back on the baking sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Serve hot, with extra hot sauce if desired.

Note:  I really apologize for the shoddy quality of the photo.  I made these drumsticks on a whim for my husband and his brother for the Super Bowl.  I wanted time to set them up, make them pretty, maybe add a garnish – but no!  The men needed protein NOW!  Next week I promise to have an attractive photo for a tasty dish.

 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

If you would like to contact Dana in regards to this blog, please email her at Dana@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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At Home with GCH: Greek Chicken Soup – Avgolemono

February 1, 2013 by

Avgolemono

 

If there is one unifying theme to At Home with GCH, I would say it’s stewardship.  To me, being a good steward means using my resources wisely and creatively.  The biggest challenge to being a good steward is being thrifty and cutting down on waste.  If you haven’t already, check out the post on the Great Freezer Challenge!  And then, check out this soup recipe!

My favorite tip for saving money in the kitchen is buying a whole chicken instead of pre-cut pieces.  You can easily get two meals out of one chicken, and for the same price you would pay for a package of chicken breasts!  For the first meal, you have endless choices; but then comes the challenge—once you’ve cut the legs and breasts off, or roasted the whole bird, what do you do with the carcass? Easy answer?  Soup!

This Greek recipe is called Avgolemono.  In Greek, “avgo” means “egg” and “lemono,” well you can probably guess what that one is!  This is a fresh-tasting soup, with a bright lemony flavor.  There’s also a lot of room to customize—you can add more vegetables beyond just the spinach (bell peppers, onions, zucchini), and you can choose what kind of starch you want in it.  I’ve seen recipes that call for cooked rice, or different shapes of pasta.  However, most will call for orzo, which is a small, rice-shaped pasta.  Or, if you are cutting out refined flours or grains, just don’t add it in!

This makes a great dinner, with a salad and some bread or a roasted sweet potato.

Greek Chicken Soup – Avgolemono

Ingredients:

  • 1 chicken carcass  (You can also use 2 bone-in chicken breasts)
  • 1 (10ounce) box of frozen spinach
  • 3/4 cup orzo
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice
  • 2 eggs
  • salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Put chicken carcass in a large pot with enough water to cover.  Cook until chicken is cooked through and falling off the bone.  Remove carcass to a large bowl to cool.  Strain broth and return to the pot.  
  2. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone and shred or chop into small pieces.  You should have 2-3 cups of chicken.
  3. Return broth to the stove and heat on medium.  When it simmers, add the box of spinach (no need to thaw), along with the bay leaves and the chicken.  Now look at the consistency of your soup.  Do you like it really brothy?  You might want  to add more water.  Do you like your soup thicker, more like a stew?  Now is the time to raise the heat and reduce your broth.
  4. When you have your preferred consistency, add the orzo to the soup.  Cook on medium heat for about 8 minutes.
  5. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs with the lemon juice.  Slowly add a ladleful of your broth to the eggs and stir, to temper them, so they don’t seize up when you add them to the soup.  Turn the heat off.  Slowly stir the egg/lemon juice mixture into the soup. Keep stirring to make sure you don’t get any eggy clumps.  Season with salt and pepper.

 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

Please visit me at Frugal Girlmet for more unique recipes!

If you would like to contact Dana in regards to this blog, please email her at Dana@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

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GCH:What’s on Your Plate? – Smokey Mountain Chicken

December 12, 2012 by

smoky mountain chicken

This is one of those oh so easy chicken recipes that my family loves. Gooey cheese, barbecue sauce and spices…who wouldn’t love it! The chicken comes out moist and flavorful every time. You can use any barbecue sauce , we prefer Sweet Baby Ray’s. And I have used thick sliced Colby Jack and Sharp Cheddar and they both are awesome. I actually prefer the Sharp Cheddar, but the kids prefer the Colby Jack. Easy weeknight meal that is good enough to serve guests.

*note- the recipe calls for chopped tomato as well as green onion for garnish. I forgot to buy a fresh tomato for this meal, so I skipped it. But on any other day, it would be on top!

Smokey Mountain Chicken

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

12 slickes turkey bacon

1 tsp garlic powder

4 slices Colby Jack cheese

ground pepper to taste

1 tsp Italian-style seasoning

1 (18 ouce) bottle BBQ Sauce

1/8 cup chopped green onion, for garnish

1/4 cup chopped tomatoes, for garnish

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees F.
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2. Place chicken breasts in a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.  Season with pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning to taste.  Baked seasoned chicken in the preheated over for 20 to 30 minutes or until cooked through and juices run clear.
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3. When chicken is done, remove from oven and pour on BBQ sauce. Layer each breast w/ 3 slices of turkey bacon, then a slice of cheese.  Return to the oven and continue to bake for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.  Removed from oven and top w/ chopped green onions and tomatoes.
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Happy Eating!
Liz
You can find more of Liz’s recipes over at www.fresh-plate.com!
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GCH:What’s on Your Plate? – Cheesy Chicken and Rice with Bacon

December 11, 2012 by
Cheesy Chicken and Rice with Bacon

Cheesy Chicken and Rice with Bacon

What you need:

1/2 lb bacon (save 2 tbsp bacon grease), crumbled

4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

4 cups cooked white rice

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (for topping)

9×13 casserole dish

skillet for cooking bacon

medium saucepan

whisk

large spoon

Instructions:

Cook bacon, drain and set aside.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease.  After bacon has cooled, crumble into pieces.

Place butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Once melted, whisk in flour, pepper, salt, and chili powder until smooth and bubbly.  Slowly whisk in chicken broth.  Increase heat to high while whisking broth until thickened.  Reduce heat to low and stir in 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese.  Reduce heat to a simmer and set aside.

Put shredded chicken and cooked rice in a casserole dish and mix in the 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon grease.  Add cheese sauce, mix to combine all ingredients.  Top with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, then top with crumbled bacon.  Place under oven’s broiler for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 servings.

God is great, God is good… let us thank Him for our food! 🙂

<3 Shauna

PS – you can also find Shauna on her personal website, www.workhomeplay.net

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GCH:What’s on Your Plate? – Chicken Shepherd’s Pie with Parmesan Cauliflower Topping

December 10, 2012 by

Now that title’s a mouthful, hmmm?  Pun FULLY intended!  My husband loves Shepherd’s Pie—and any variation I can come up with!  And so I indulge him! 🙂  This recipe fits into our healthy but oh-so-yummy category in a couple of ways:

  • it is low-carb (with the absence of mashed potato topping)
  • it  is made with natural ingredients that you can pronounce (as the gravy is made from scratch)
  • it is low in fat/high in protein (using boneless chicken breast as the protein)

This recipe could easily be doubled and baked in an 11 x 13 baking dish.

Chicken Shepherd’s Pie with Parmesan-Cauliflower ToppingIMG_1310

Filling Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1# boneless chicken breast, pounded evenly, cut into 1″ cubes
1 sweet (vidalia-type) onion, chopped in pieces about 1/2 inch
4 ounces baby bella mushrooms, wiped clean sliced chunky
2 tablespoons chopped garlic in oil (from a jar)
16 ounce package frozen mixed veggies (your choice), set out to defrost

1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup white wine (or broth)
1 + 1/4 cups chicken broth

Topping Ingredients:

1 medium-sized head of cauliflower, cored and chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/3 cup shredded cheese (sharp cheddar, smoked gouda) *use a flavorful cheese

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375.  Bring a medium-sized pot of salted water to a boil. Chop cauliflower into small pieces and simmer ‘til  soft enough to mash easily (10-12 minutes). Drain cauliflower very well in colander; place back into pot and  use an immersion blender or hand beater to “mash” the cauliflower with the milk and Parmesan. Season very well with salt and pepper to taste.

While the cauliflower cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large frying pan and saute the cut-up chicken adding the chopped garlic for the last minute (don’t let garlic burn).  Saute ’til just getting brown but don’t overcook.  Remove pan from stove; set aside cooked chicken.  Wipe frying pan with paper towels to remove bits. Then add 2 additional tablespoons olive oil; heat over medium, and saute chopped onions for 3 minutes.  Add chopped mushrooms and saute for 4-5 minutes more to caramelize.  Reduce heat to low; add 1 tablespoon butter, and sprinkle flour over the mushroom-onion mixture, stirring with a whisk.  Cook this mixture for 3 minutes occasionally scraping the pan.  Then gradually whisk in the wine ’til the mixture is smooth.  Gradually whisk in the  broth and your gravy will come together.  Gently simmer for 5 minutes.  Add back the cooked chicken and the defrosted veggies and heat together for 1-2 minutes.

Spread the chicken-vegetable-gravy mixture in the bottom of an 8 cup casserole dish.  Top with the cauliflower, and spread across the pan almost to the edges.  Bake for 20 minutes, and then top with the grated cheese.  Continuing baking another 10 minutes or so ’til bubbly.  If top is not lightly browned, can be carefully placed under broiler for 2-3 minutes.  Enjoy!

God loves you!  and I do too.  <3 Coleen

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GCH: What’s on Your Plate? – Pesto Provolone Chicken

November 28, 2012 by

Pesto Provolone Chicken

Often times, during the holiday season, we are running errands or doing something family oriented . Dinnertime comes fast and I don’t know about you, but I look for quick, flavorful dishes that I can make in a hurry. This recipe for Pesto Provolone Chicken is a life-saver for days when I need just that. Three ingredients and you are set. (yes, THREE !) All four of my sons and my husband love this chicken! My eight year old says it smells like pizza and tastes like heaven.

Pesto Provolone Chicken

Ingredients:

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4-6 T pesto sauce (jarred or homemade)

4-6 slices reduced fat  provolone cheese

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.  In a glass baking dish, place all of the chicken. Top each breast with 1 tablespoon of pesto and spread to cover the chicken.

3.  Top each piece of chicken with a slice of provolone cheese.

4.  Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

5. *If you like, uncover the chicken the last 5 minutes of cooking time  to brown the cheese.

Enjoy!

Liz

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GCH: What’s on Your Plate? Chicken (or Turkey!) Fajitas Salad

November 22, 2012 by

Happy Thanksgiving!  Chances are, if you live in America, right now you are either preparing the Thanksgiving turkey, eating it, or wrapping up the leftovers!  There are so many great ways to use up leftover turkey, but if you are burned out on your old standbys and are looking for something different, I have the solution to your big bird blahs!

There are two ingredients you may not have in your fridge right now that you need for this salad:  cilantro and chipotles in adobo.  Cilantro, that green leafy herb that imparts a fantastic flavor to many south-of-the-border dishes, should be easy to find in your grocery store.  Make sure you’re buying cilantro and not Italian parsley!  (Trust me, I’ve made this mistake!)  The chipotles in adobo will be in your “ethnic food” aisle at the grocery store.  They come in a small can, a little larger than a can of tomato paste.  These are smoked jalapeño peppers in a spicy red vinegar sauce.  Their smoky, rich taste is incomparable and irreplaceable in many Mexican dishes.  Once you taste them, you’ll never forget them!  They are not too spicy, but provide the perfect kick to everything they touch.  You only need one chipotle pepper in this recipe, so transfer the rest to a Tupperware container and stash them in your fridge – they last for a few months since they are already smoked and soaking in vinegar.  Blend one up and add to your next batch of chili!

Everything else should be easy to procure.  This recipe makes two large dinner salads, or 4 or 5 side salads.  I serve this with chips and salsa, but feel free to supplement with whatever other Thanksgiving leftovers you have handy.  Rolls or garlic bread would be welcome (but maybe save the pumpkin pie for later.)

Chicken (or Turkey!) Fajitas Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (and about a teaspoon of the sauce)
  • 1 large clove garlic
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro (use the upper stems too, but discard the lower, tougher stems)
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
  • juice of 1/2 lemon (or more … I like more!)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 large onion, sliced into thin strips
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
  • 1/2 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 zucchini, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken or turkey, shredded
  • 1 avocado, sliced (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons salsa (optional)
  • large bag of salad greens – romaine is best, but regular old spring mix is fine too

Directions:

  1. Toast the cumin seeds over medium heat for a few minutes until they get a little darker and start smelling delicious.  When toasted, grind in food processor or pulverize in mortar and pestle.  (You could use pre-ground cumin, but please look into  buying the whole seeds!)
  2. With cumin in the food processor, add chipotle and a little adobo sauce, garlic, cilantro, mayonnaise, yogurt, lemon juice, salt and sugar.  Buzz to combine.  Taste for seasoning – too spicy?  Add more mayo or yogurt.  Too tart?  Add a pinch more sugar.  Put the dressing in the refrigerator while you cook the veggies.
  3. Add a little oil or butter to a large pan.  Add the sliced onions and sauté until golden, then add the peppers and zucchini.  Cook until hot and tasty (not for too long, don’t let them get mushy!)  If you have any leftovers, these are amazing mixed with scrambled eggs and a little cheese.
  4. To serve:  Lettuce on the bottom, top with hot veggies and shredded chicken or turkey, and dress liberally with the chipotle dressing.  Scatter some avocado over the top, dot with salsa and dig in!

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

Please visit me at Frugal Girlmet for more unique recipes!

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GCH: What’s on Your Plate? — Chicken Casserole

November 20, 2012 by

One of my favorite dishes that my mom used to make was her Chicken Casserole… she passed away in 2004 but I am blessed to have her handwritten copy of the recipe.  Every time I make it, it feels like she’s still here.  Food can bring back vivid memories, don’t you think?  I guess that’s why I like to make this recipe often!  I hope you will enjoy it too….

Here is what you’ll need:

2 boxes of Stove Top Stuffing… one Cornbread flavor and one Chicken flavor. (I only had Cornbread and Turkey flavors on hand so that’s what I used here… improvise, people! lol)

2 cans of Cream of Chicken soup

1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup… Note: my husband and I are picky eaters and we do not care for mushrooms.  BUT we do like the taste of cream of mushroom soup (weird huh?), so I strain out the mushroom pieces whenever I use it in a recipe.  But if you’re a mushroom fan, by all means, leave them in.

3 large chicken breasts

2 sticks of butter (I used salted, but use whatever floats your boat) – Paula Deen would be proud 😉

2 cans of chicken broth

9×13 baking dish

Extra butter or Cooking Spray to grease the baking dish

First – cook your chicken.  You can do this on the stove in a pot with water or broth.  I like to throw some frozen chicken breasts in the slow cooker with water or broth (if I have some handy) and let them cook for 4-6 hours on high.  The chicken will be so tender you can shred it with a fork.  So that’s what I did here.  If you cook your chicken on the stove, you will need to dice it up into small pieces when it’s done.

While that’s happening, you need to get everything else ready in separate bowls.

Dump the two boxes of stuffing into a large bowl.  DO NOT prepare the stuffing as directed on the boxes.  Just throw the dry stuffing into a large bowl.  Then take your two sticks of butter and melt them in the microwave and add to the stuffing.  Mix it up good so the butter covers all of the stuffing.  Now set that aside.

Next, you want to empty your can of cream of mushroom into a medium sized bowl (strained or unstrained, that is the question… ) Save the can and fill it full of chicken broth, then mix that into the cream of mushroom soup.  I use a whisk to make sure it’s mixed well.  Set the cream of mushroom mixture aside for now.

Next, put the two cans of cream of chicken into a large bowl and again, mix in one “can-ful” of chicken broth with a whisk.  Set this aside also.

If you haven’t already, shred or dice your chicken into another bowl.  Now you should have four bowls of ingredients waiting to be united in casserole goodness.  🙂

Spray or grease a 9×13 baking dish and start with a layer of stuffing mixture… use 1/3 of the mixture here.  Then add a layer of chicken… use 1/2 of the chicken here.  Now add in the cream of mushroom mixture then add another layer of the stuffing mixture… use half of what is left in the bowl.  Then add a layer of chicken, use all that you have left.  Then, add the cream of chicken mixture and then top with the last of the stuffing mixture.

Doesn’t that look amazing?  My mouth is watering just thinking about it…. now pop that baby in a 350 oven for 45 minutes or until the edges are bubbling and the top layer of stuffing is golden brown.

Mmmmm mmmm good!  I can’t begin to tell you how good this stuff is.  You just have to make it for yourself…. immediately.  It really is pretty easy to make too.  And this makes enough so that you’ll have leftovers tomorrow!  Hooray!  I’m so glad my mother left me this recipe…. now I’m off to go eat a huge bowl of it!! 😉

God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food! 🙂

<3 Shauna

PS – Shauna can also be found on her personal blog, www.workhomeplay.net.

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