Need a knock-your-socks-off chicken recipe

[goldilocks]

I am looking for a great chicken dish for a dinner party I am hosting. Does anyone have one to share? It does not need to be light. If I can make it or any part of it in advance that is a plus. Thanks in advance!

[lindrusso]

Hi goldilocks.

You may have already seen this posted, but this recipe has been well-received by my guests and by folks on this bulletin board. It can also be prepared in advance. And it just so happens to be light too! And don't let the word "casserole" throw you - it's really more of a baked pasta dish than a casserole.

CHICKEN FLORENTINE CASSEROLE

4 (about 1 pound) boned and skinned chicken breast halves
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 large clove garlic, sliced
1 pound fresh spinach, rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 ounces neufchatel cheese (1/3-less fat), cut up and softened
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 pound linguine, broken in half
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon paprika

1. Heat oven to 375. Lightly oil 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Bring large pot of lightly salted water to boiling over high heat.

2. Combine chicken, 3/4 cup water, wine and garlic in saucepan. Bring to boiling over high heat; reduce heat; gently simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Remove chicken from broth and set aside to cool. Measure broth, adding water if needed to make a total of 1 3/4 cups. Tear chicken into about 1/2-inch wide shreds.

3. Place wet spinach in a large nonreactive pot; cover; cook over high heat until wilted, 3 minutes. Drain, lightly pressing out excess water. Coarsely chop; return to pot.

4. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute. Stir in reserved 1 3/4 cup broth mixture; cook, stirring until thickened and smooth, 3-4 minutes. Add lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Bring to boiling. Remove from heat. Stir in cream cheese and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Add cheese sauce and shredded chicken to spinach in pot.

5. Meanwhile, add linguine to boiling water; cook until firm but tender, 9-10 minutes. Drain; add to spinach mixture. Turn into prepared casserole. Combine remaining Parmesan cheese, crumbs and paprika in a small bowl. Sprinkle over top casserole. Bake in 375 oven about 30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes. Serve.

ENJOY!

[beejayw1]

:cool:

OK, you asked for it. But let me put a few cautions first:

1. It sounds terrible. I tried it under protest (major protest!) and loved it.

2. It looks terrible when you first mix it. (I found myself wondering how I'd let myself get talked into making it)

3. It's wonderful! Sort of like a sweet/sour barbecue chicken. If you want it tangy, add 1/4 tsp cayenne or 1t to 1T of your favorite hot sauce.

Diana

Hawaiian Chicken

1 cut up chicken
1 bottle of Wishbone (MUST BE WISHBONE!) Russian or lite Russian dressing
1 jar pineapple preserves
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix

In a bowl mix together the dressing, preserves, and onion soup mix

Lay the chicken parts in a rectangular baking dish and pour the mixture over the chicken.

Bake uncovered for 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees.

Serve over rice or noodles, and you've got a main dish that wins raves.

For larger amounts, just double the recipe

[Gail]

Here's an oldie-but-goodie thread with some ideas. I'm particularly pushing the Coq au Vin, which can be at least partially made in advance and has always gotten raves. (If you want to be healthy, I know CL has a recipe, which I'm afraid I haven't tried.)
http://www.cookinglight.com/vbb/showthread.php?threadid=2188&highlight=psycho+chicken


Another real good one I just started making last year is what I call "Yum Chicken." Problem with this one, though is that you can't reheat the sauce, so for your purposes, it may not work. It is also, regretfully, not even remotely light:

FRENCH CHICKEN BREASTS IN FRESH HERB CREAM
(Does this mean one must use French chickens? Black-mustachioed skinny chickens which laugh like Maurice Chevalier?)

6 boned chicken breast halves
Flour
Salt, pepper
1/2 cup olive oil, about
1/2 cup minced shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup Fetzer Chenin Blanc
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh marjoram leaves, finely chopped

Dust chicken breasts (are they old?) with flour and season to taste with salt and pepper. Brown in hot olive oil in large skillet. Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.
Sauté shallots and garlic 3 to 4 minutes in same skillet, adding more olive oil if needed. Add wine, cream, 3 tablespoons rosemary, and 3 tablespoons marjoram leaves. Stir to blend, then reduce mixture by about 1/4 over high heat.
Return chicken breasts to skillet, reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until chicken is done and sauce is reduced to desired thickness.
To serve, arrange chicken on platter, spoon sauce over an sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon rosemary and 1 tablespoon marjoram. Makes 6 servings.

From: LA Times, Courtesy of the Sundial Grill, Hopland, CA

[Jewel]

Diana, I've been making that dish since I was a kid! However, instead of calling it Hawaiian Chicken we named it (excuse me) Commie Chicken (short for Communist...Russian Dressing...OK, so it's not PC). Only difference is we used a cup of Apricot & Pineapple preserves instead of all pineapple, an 8 oz bottle of Wishbone (had to be Wishbone!) Russian Dressing, and an envelope of Lipton Onion Soup Mix. We always poured it over boneless/skinless chicken breasts and baked at 350 till done.

I agree that it looks funny, but it gets raves! I always add a 1/4 tsp of cayenne too! Too funny! :D

[Mamasue]

I think a roasted chicken can be just as elegant for company. Its the way you dress it up with sides and garnishes that make it.

Here is basically what I do to a 3-4lb chicken. I like this size because they are tender. If you have a pan big enough you can put two side by side. Anyway, in my motar and pestle I grind some garlic with salt until all most pasty, add some tarrigan, thyme or rosemary or mix a couple of spices if you like. Add some oil and a little balsamic vinegar and blend together. Make enough of this to smear your chicken on the outside and underneath the skin of breasts and legs. Roast at 425 until tempeture reaches 170º. I have to admit that I just wing the timing and jiggle the chicken leg for doeness and juices are clear.

[SusanL]

I have made Psycho Chicken many times for guests and they have always raved!! I made two so that I could make the above recipe for Chicken Florentine with the leftovers. (At least it was my plan when making it for guests, they asked what I was doing with the leftovers... so I gave them the leftovers!!) I considered it a compliment, DH was bummed.

[lanie]

Like Diana, I almost hate to post this but it is very similar to hers and sooooo good.

1 bottle Kraft Catalina Dressing (lite or reg)
1 can WHOLE cranberry sauce (must be whole)
1 pkg. lipton onion soup
boneless chicken breasts

Mix the first three until combined. Lay chicken breasts in baking dish (however many) pour sauce over and turn breasts to coat in sauce. Bake 350 x 1 hour. Serve over rice.

I just looked and I got this here from Tiger - thanks - I use this all the time - I also freeze the 'sauce' as sometimes there are only 2 here then I have a sauce ready for a very easy tasty dinner.

[Personal Chef]

This is one of my favorite recipes. Don't be put off by the vinegar. It all balances nicely. I baked this at 375 for 30 min. using boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Grilled Chicken with Herbs - 6 servings
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon dried sage
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1-1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts


Directions
1 In a blender combine the parsley, rosemary, thyme,
sage, garlic, oil, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste.
Blend together. Place chicken in a nonporous glass dish or
bowl and pour blended marinade over the chicken. Cover dish
and refrigerate to marinate for at least 2 hours or up to
48 hours.
2 Preheat grill to medium high heat OR set oven to broil.
3 Remove chicken from dish (disposing of leftover marinade) and grill or broil for about 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside.

[crazycook]

Hi Goldilocks :)

I have several to share, those that are tried and true recipes, I've marked with @'s before and after the recipe name. The other's are recipes I have in my personal recipe file on the computer that are on my MUST try list. They come from another very popular recipe swap sight and were highly recommended. I Hope you find one of them to your liking. :-) Also since this message is extremely long, I'll post the others in another post below.

@Chicken in a Chemise@ (this one is soooo good!)

Recipe By: Margo Oliver, Cooking for Today, 1982, pg. 127.
Serving Size: 8

1 cup soft butter or margarine
1 pkg. cream cheese (250 gram) at room temperature
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 tsp. salt
8 chicken breast halves boneless, skinless
To taste, salt and pepper
1/2 lb. raw shrimp in shells
1 cup dry white wine
3 Tblsp. butter or margarine
3 green onions finely chopped
8 large mushrooms finely chopped
3 Tblsp. flour
12 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 pinch dried leaf tarragon
1/4 cup parsley finely chopped
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. water
1/2 cup light cream

Cream 1 cup butter and cheese together well. Add flour and 12 tsp. salt and mix with a fork until blended. Gather into a ball, wrap in waxed paper and chill.

Place chicken pieces between wax paper and pound with a rolling pin to make thinner and larger. Lay out chicken pieces, skinned side down and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Wash shrimp and put in small saucepan. Add wine, bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer 5 min. Strain, setting wine aside for sauce. Shell, devein and chop shrimp.

Heat 3 Tblsp. butter or margarine in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add onions and mushrooms and stir 3 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and stir in flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper and tarragon. Stir to blend. Remove from heat and stir in reserved wine. Return to heat and stir until boiling thickened and smooth. Stir in parsley and remove from heat. Add 2 Tbsp. of mixture to shrimp, blending well. Divide shrimp mixture evenly among chicken pieces (a heaping Tblsp. each) placing it toward one end. Fold other end over stuffing and press around edges to seal meat to itself.

Heat 1/4 cup butter in large skillet and add chicken pieces. Cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes a side. Cool.

Heat oven to 425 deg. F. Have ready a large cookie sheet.

Divide cream pastry into 8 equal pieces and roll each piece into a thin oval large enough to wrap around a piece of chicken to make a turnover. After wrapping each, crimp pastry edges to seal and put on cookie sheet.

Beat egg yolk and water with a fork and brush over each turnover (not on edges). ***** tops. Bake until well browned, about 15 - 20 min.

Heat remainder of onion-mushroom mixture and stir in cream. Serve chicken hot, topped with this sauce.

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@Chicken in Orange Cream @ (this is different--you have to be open to new tastes--ie. chicken tasting kind of sweet--but the flavour was wonderful in MHO --I like different tasting dishes. I added Cointreau to the orange juice for an extra kick to the sauce.)
From: nlb(a poster on another swap)
Serves 4

4 whole chicken breasts, trimmed, partially frozen and sliced thin into paillards
salt and freshly ground black pepper
all-purpose flour
2 T butter
5 T vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T thinly sliced green onion, including tops
3 T fresh orange juice (I use Navel oranges)
2 t grated orange peel
1 c dry white wine

For sauce:
3 t sugar
2 t flour
1/2 t dry tarragon, crushed
1 c sour cream
orange wedges, for garnish

Sprinkle breast meat with salt and pepper; dredge in flour and shake off excess.

Melt butter and oil in large frying pan over medium high heat. Quickly cook paillards in batches, turning until lightly browned but not totally cooked through keeping them very tender. Transfer to a platter and keep warm. Pour out oil and wipe out pan and start again and continue to cook remaining paillards in this manner until all the chicken is browned.

Pour off and discard drippings, leaving any browned bits in bottom of pan. Mix together garlic, onion, orange juice, orange peel and wine and add to the pan. Bring to a boil, stirring; remove from heat.

Stir sugar, tarragon, and 2 tsp. flour into sour cream; then stir sour cream into wine mixture. Return to heat and cook, stirring, until sauce comes to gentle boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add back the cooked chicken tossing to cover with sauce and let simmer a couple minutes to just finish off the chicken and until the sauce has slightly thickened. If it become too thick, add more fresh orange juice(or Cointreau).

I have been serving this over rice with orange wedges to squeeze over all.

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@CHICKEN JACQUELINE@(this is a kicked up version of a Chicken Kiev which is TDF!!!--highly recommend this one!!!)

6 servings

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 lb. Mushrooms sliced(Shitake are wonderful in this)
2 tblsp. dry white wine
6 chicken breast halves, boned and pounded 1/8" thick
1 garlic clove minced (I doubled the amount—love garlic)
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste(I add some paprika too)
3 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 6 sticks about 3x1/2x3/8"
3 oz. Swiss cheese, cut into 6 sticks about 3x1/2x3/8"
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter cut into 6 sticks cut into 3" long and frozen.
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs beaten
1/2 cup fine cracker meal
vegetable oil for deep frying
Béarnaise Sauce (recipe to follow)

Melt 1/4 cup butter over med.-high heat. Add mushrooms and wine and sauté until mushrooms are tender and juices have evaporated, about 5 minutes(depending on mushrooms being used). Remove from heat and set aside.

Season chicken breasts with garlic, salt and pepper. Spoon mushroom mixture onto center of each chicken breast, dividing evenly. Top mushrooms with 1 stick each of Jack cheese, Swiss cheese and frozen butter. Fold chicken breasts in half to enclose filling, pressing edges together to seal. Roll in flour, dip in egg and coat well, then roll in cracker meal, covering completely. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or freeze 10 minutes.

Preheat over to 450 degrees. Deep fry (be sure oil is hot) until light golden brown. Drain and bake for about 15 minutes. Serve immediately with Béarnaise Sauce.

"EASY" Bernaise Sauce. T &T and truly easy!!!

Ingredients:
2 tblsp. white wine or white vermouth(I like the vermouth in it)
2 tblsp. tarragon vinegar or white wine vinegar(tarragon vinegar is a must I think)
2-3 tblsp. chopped fresh tarragon or 1-2 teaspoon dried( fresh is wonderful if you can find it the dried works just as well, just be sure it hasn't been around too long.)
1 tblsp. minced shallot or green onion (white part only)--once again the shallot I find adds the best flavour.
Pinch freshly ground pepper.
3 egg yolks(large size)
1/4 tsp. salt ( I use just slightly less since I use salted butter--adjust to taste)
1/2 cup butter(salted) (a generous 1/2 cup)

Method:
In a small saucepan bring wine, vinegar, tarragon, shallot and pepper to boil. Boil rapidly until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Remove from heat. Cool 1 minute.

In a food processor or blender(I use my blender), combine egg yolks, salt, and vinegar mixture and process for a few seconds to blend thoroughly.

Melt butter to sizzling hot. With motor running add butter one drop at a time, then in a thin steady stream until all the butter has been added and the mixture is well blended. Serve warm or room temperature.

Note: Makes 3/4 cup of sauce. The sauce will be thinner when first made, refrigerate the sauce so that it will thicken a bit before serving. If making well in advance, let the sauce come to room temperature before serving (although we enjoy it straight from the refrigerator). It will keep in the fridge, well covered for a few days. Lay saran wrap over the surface as you would for custard as it will develop a "skin".

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Chicken Kiev
From: Peggy/OR (poster from another swap)
Makes 12 servings.

1 c. butter or margarine softened
2 Tbsp. snipped parsley
1 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon leaves
1 tsp. snipped chives
1/2 to 1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
6 whole chicken breasts,
boned, split and skin removed
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
5 eggs, well beaten
2 c. dry bread crumbs

Method:
Blend butter, parsley, tarragon, chives, garlic salt and pepper. Shape into 4-inch square on aluminum foil. Wrap and freeze
until firm, 30 to 40 minutes. Place chicken breasts between two pieces waxed paper; pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut frozen butter square into 12 pieces. Place 1 piece butter in the center of each chicken breast. Fold chicken over butter, making sure
butter is sealed completely inside chicken. Fasten with wooden picks. Roll chicken in flour; dip in eggs and coat with bread crumbs; repeat. Shape into triangle pieces. Wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil and label. Freeze up to 1 month.

Twenty to twenty-four hours before serving: Thaw in
refrigerator. Heat vegetable oil or fat (3 to 4-inches deep) in deep fat fryer to 340 degrees. Fry chicken, 3 pieces at a time, until deep golden brown, about 8 minutes, turning if necessary; drain. Note: Chicken can be refrigerated, covered, after frying for up to 6 hours. Forty-five minutes before serving, heat oven to 350 degrees. Cover and bake chicken 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 5 minutes.

[crazycook]

Keep in mind that you specified the recipes did not have to be low fat. ;) Here are the other recipes:

CHICKEN SCAMPI(this only serves 2)

1 large boneless chicken breast
1/2 cup flour
3 tbl. vegetable oil
2 tbl. butter
4 Peppercorn Steak Spice
3 large green onions - sliced small
3 cloves garlic - minced
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 cup half and half cream
3 tbl. prepared garlic-butter spread
dash red pepper flakes
1 small chopped red bell pepper
20 fresh asparagus spears - cut into thirds
linguine for two
Parmesan Cheese or other grated hard cheese of your choice.

METHOD:

Slice chicken breasts into strips - dredge in flour.

Heat oil and butter - place chicken breasts in pan and sprinkle with 4 Pepper Corn Steak Spice - sauté chicken breasts until they begin to brown on first side - add sliced green onions - turn chicken breast strips over to brown slightly on second side and are cooked through.

Add minced garlic - sauté slightly.

Add wine and cream - bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer gently.

Add red bell pepper and asparagus - let cook just until vegetables are tender crisp and liquid is reduced by one-third.

Add sliced fresh mushrooms (optional), garlic-butter spread and red pepper flakes - keep warm on very low heat while preparing linguine.

Prepare linguine al a dente - place in warm individual dishes, top with chicken strips and veggies - pour sauce over all.

Serve with parmesan or other grated hard cheese of your choice.

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Pollo Bella

Chicken in a garlic and gorgonzola cream sauce, combined with pasta.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut
into 1 inch strips
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
olive oil
ground black pepper, salt
2 cups half and half cream
4 - 6 ounces gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup roughly chopped toasted walnuts (I used 1/2 cup)
8 ounces penne pasta
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Heat oil over high heat in a large skillet. Brown chicken. Reduce heat, and add garlic and mushrooms. Cook until soft. Remove chicken and mushrooms from the skillet. Pour half and half cream into skillet, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and reduce. Stir occasionally. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until done. Drain. When cream has reduced and thickened, stir in gorgonzola until melted. Add chicken and mushrooms, pasta, and walnuts. Toss and reheat. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese.

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Curried Chicken Breasts Wellington with Mustard Sauce by ALTA

3 cup water
4 boneless chicken breast halves, skinned
2 T curry powder
1 10-oz pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup cream cheese, room temp
2 t mace
2 8-oz pkg. crescent rolls
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
3 egg yolks, beaten
½ cup butter, cut into small pieces
1 ½ T fresh lemon juice
¼ t cayenne pepper
¼ t dry mustard

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bring water to boil in heavy large skillet. Reduce heat to med.-low. Add chicken and curry and simmer until chicken is just opaque, about 12 minutes, turning occasionally. Drain; pat dry. Cool.

Meanwhile, combine next 4 ingredients in med. bowl. Divide contents of each crescent roll package in half at center perforations. Press together diagonal perforation of each
dough square to seal. Sprinkle ¼ cup Swiss cheese diagonally over each dough square. Top each with chicken breast. Spread chicken with 1/3 cup spinach mixture. Fold dough in half over chicken to form triangles; press edges to seal. Place on ungreased 10x15-inch baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk yolks, half of butter and lemon juice in top of double boiler over simmering water until sauce begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Add remaining butter, cayenne and mustard and whisk until thickened.

Place chicken pastries on serving platter. Pour sauce over.
4 srvgs.

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Amaretto Chicken

Yield: 8 servings

5 ea. Boned Chicken Breasts
1 tb Vegetable Oil
3 tb Flour
3 tb Butter
1 1/2 ts Salt
1 1/2 tb Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 ts Ground Pepper
1 cn 6 1/4 oz Frozen Orange Juice
2 ts Paprika
1 c Amaretto

Mix the can of frozen orange juice with a half can of water.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, salt, pepper, paprika and garlic salt. Coat chicken with this mixture.
Heat oil and butter in skillet and sauté chicken until brown. Remove and put in casserole. To skillet, add mustard,
orange juice and Amaretto. Increase heat and boil, stirring constantly, until thick. Pour sauce over chicken and bake,
covered, for 45 minutes. this can be frozen and reheated later.

[goldilocks]

Thanks to all of you who posted and keep the recipes coming! I will have to print these out and decide. I was contemplating roasting a chicken, and of course thought of the infamous Psycho Chicken. The problem is that I can't cut a chicken to save my life. So I'll have to save those recipes for when I don't have an audience. Anyway, thanks again!