Chicken Stroganoff Pasta

 

Let me begin with an apology.  It's really difficult to make a creamy main course look appetizing, so I'm sorry that my delicious pasta looks like a pile of goop.  I promise it actually tastes really good!  I pulled this from a 2007 issue of Cooking Light a couple of years ago, and I was confused as to why there was no picture.  I'm no longer confused.

 

We all have our different versions of comfort food, but for me, anything creamy does the trick.  Warm, creamy, noodle-y chicken dish full of fresh mushrooms?  Sold!  This recipe is relatively simple to prepare once you have your prep work done, but it will throw you if you're sautéing onions before realizing the chicken needs to be dredged in the flour and paprika.  Prep, prep, prep!

 

Chicken Stroganoff Pasta

chefjennylyn.com

 

1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. paprika

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken, sliced

1 tbsp. olive oil

 

1 tbsp. butter

1 1/2 cups chopped onion

2 tsp. fresh sage, chopped

1 1/4 tsp. salt, divided

1/4 freshly ground pepper, divided

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

 

1/2 cup less-sodium chicken broth

2 tbsp. sherry

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1 tbsp. flour

 

5 cups hot, cooked egg noodles

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

 

Directions

 

Combine 1/4 cup flour with paprika, and dredge sliced chicken in mixture.  Set aside.

 

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes or until tender.  Add sage, 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/8 tsp. pepper, and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until mushrooms begin to brown.  Spoon mixture into a large bowl, and set aside.

 

Heat oil in pan, and add chicken.  Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp. salt and remaining 1/8 tsp. pepper.  Sauté 4 minutes or until chicken is done.  Add to mushroom mixture.

 

Whisk together sour cream and 1 tbsp. flour in small bowl.  Add broth and sherry to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Reduce heat to medium-low; add sour cream mixture and remaining 1/4 salt.  Stir in chicken and mushroom mixture, and cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.  Add noodles and parsley, stirring well to combine.



 

This is what it looks like pretty much every time I cook.  I set my recipe up, get out the ingredients, and pull a few of my most-used kitchen tools.  Easy Read Measuring Cups, Scrapers, Large Cutting Board, 5" Santoku Knife, Measuring Cup Set, Measuring Spoon Set, Bamboo Grinders, and a few Prep and Pinch Bowls are out every time.  Cooking is easier when you place the things you need within arm's reach.

To get 1 1/2 cups of chopped onion, I used two medium ones.  To do them in the Manual Food Processor, simply quarter them, and place them in there one at a time.

A few pumps later, you have this.  Needless to say, I use my Manual Food Processor a lot.  No onion tears, no smell, and no chopped fingers!

I recently took a test to determine whether I was a nerd or a free spirit, and I was definitely a nerd.  I like having my ingredients measured and lined up before I cook, and measuring as I go stresses me out.  The good news is that I have great tools that make this possible!  Notice the sour cream in the Measure-All Cup.  If you have one of these and you've wondered how to use it, wonder no more!  Push it down, fill it up, and pop it out like a syringe.  (Browse the blog for more pics of it actually in use.  I was kind of in a hurry and didn't take a lot of step-by-step photos here.)

 As always, I sliced my chicken with the 5" Santoku Knife on the Large Cutting Board.  Once sliced, I put it in the Small Batter Bowl to await dredging.  In the background, you can see that my mushrooms are hanging in a Stainless Mesh Colander, and everything else is on another Large Cutting Board.

 

I like using the Cake Pan Set for dredging foods.  I also use these pans when I'm doing French toast.  There's plenty of surface area, and the sides are high enough to keep what's inside... inside.  Oh, and the handles - so handy!  Ok, so just dredge your chicken pieces, and lay them back out on the cutting board.

 

Water takes a long time to boil, so it's a good idea to get it started when you begin the rest of your recipe.  By the time it's boiling and your noodles are cooked, you're almost ready for them.  Here, I've got water in the 8-Qt. Stockpot from the Executive Cookware Collection, and the onions are in the 10-inch Skillet from the same.  Conveniently, one lid fits both pieces.

There aren't many other pictures because this is one of those recipes that moves pretty quickly once you start putting it together.  My mushroom mixture is in a Stainless Mixing Bowl here, and I'll add the chicken once it cooks.  Then it's just sauce, adding noodles, and done!  Oh, and the tool in the skillet is the Mix 'n Scraper, one of our four scrapers that won't melt, stain, or come apart.  I love using this in my pans and just leaving it while I do other things in the kitchen.  I don't have to worry about coming back to a marshmallowy mess!

If you're looking for something creamy and delicious during the cold wintery weather, try this pasta.  As always, let me know what you think!

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E-mail me: chefjennylyn[at]gmail.com

Call me up: (205) 585-2464

 

 

 

Buttermilk Pecan Crusted Chicken

Awkward top picture, right? I mean, it's a bunch of cooked chicken on a Rectangle Stone with a Digital Pocket Thermometer sticking out of it. Not the best food photography ever, but I've got to admit I took the lazy way out here. Rather than plate the final product properly for a photo session, I decided to just eat it. I'm not sorry.

This is a simple, healthy recipe that's good enough to serve guests yet straightforward enough to throw together for Thursday lunch. If you have chicken breasts, buttermilk, pecans, and panko, happiness is at your fingertips. Here's how to grab hold.

Buttermilk Pecan Crusted Chicken

chefjennylyn.com

- 3 chicken breasts

- 1 cup buttermilk

- 1/2 cup panko

- 1/2 cup pecans

- Salt and pepper to taste

Flatten chicken breasts to about 1/2-inch thickness, and marinate them in buttermilk for one hour. While chicken marinates, finely crush panko and pecans; stir together. (Panko = Japanese bread crumbs, in case you didn't know.)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Remove chicken from buttermilk, shaking off excess. Dredge in pecan mixture, and place on stoneware. Bake 25-30 minutes or until chicken reaches 160 degrees. Season with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Recipes that involve flattening meat intimidate most novice cooks, but let me put your mind at ease. The Meat Tenderizer makes it super simple, and it only takes a minute. The base is reversible with one side for tenderizing and the other for flattening. I trimmed the chicken with a 5" Santoku Knife from the Forged Cutlery Collection, and then I spread it on the Large Cutting Board for pounding.

The outside coating really can't be any simpler. Pecans. Panko. Done. My chicken is marinating in a Small Batter Bowl (notice the lid), and the pecan mixture is about to happen in a Cake Pan. Panko is measured into an Easy Read Measuring Cup, and pecans are in a rip-off bag that says 1/2 cup but only contains 1/3 cup. Scroll down for Food Chopper action.

Ok, this is a must-have in every kitchen. The Food Chopper can be used with the base (as I did here) or without it, and it comes apart to go in the dishwasher. The blades even rotate to ensure even chopping. I've had this chopper more than ten years, and it's still blowing my mind.

This is so simple that it's almost embarrassing. Dredge the chicken in the pecan mixture, and place it on a piece of Stoneware. Any piece will work, but I'm using the Rectangle Stone. This is the most tender, moist chicken I've made, and I know stoneware has a lot to do with that. Three words: Even heat distribution. Ok, so take the chicken out of the oven, check its temperature, and add a little bit of salt and pepper. I use the Pampered Pantry Salt and Pepper with the Bamboo Grinder Set (pictured in the first photo), and that really is all the seasoning I need. High quality ingredients mean you get to use less!

This recipe is really simple. It's just something I clipped out of Health Magazine last year, and it's become one of my favorite dishes. The chicken is flavorful without a bunch of hidden calories, and the ease of preparation is almost too good to be true. Try this sometime, and let me know what you think!

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Coconut Chicken Tenders

Before you skip this because of the chicken's golden fried color, let me announce that this recipe is straight from the pages of Cooking Light. Welcome to a coconut chicken recipe that won't leave you feeling heavy, greasy, and gross.

Chicken breasts on sale equal a lot of chicken in the freezer, and a lot of chicken in the freezer equals a hunt for new recipes. Cooking Light came through for me again with a delicious, relatively simple dish that's not loaded with fat and calories. Grab some chicken breasts, slice them up, and make these tenders happen!

Coconut Chicken Tenders

chefjennylyn.com

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 cup rice flour (Jenny-Lyn: I used all-purpose)

1 cup whole buttermilk

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut

3 tablespoons canola oil

Sweet chile sauce (optional)

Preparation

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine buttermilk and egg in a shallow dish, stirring well. Place coconut in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour; shake off excess. Dip chicken in egg mixture; dredge in coconut.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes or until done, turning to brown. Serve with chile sauce, if desired.

As always, getting ingredients out before putting anything together is a good call. This is how you prevent, "Oh, I don't have any eggs, but other ingredients are already mixed!" situations. Here's what's being used: Measuring Spoon Set, Easy Read Mini Measuring Cup, Easy Read Measuring Cups, Small Batter Bowl, Cake Pans, Measuring Cups, Dots Pasta Bowl, Large Cutting Board.

I didn't take pictures because I didn't want to wash my hands five extra times while slicing chicken, but I used the 5" Santoku Knife from the Forged Cutlery Collection. All I can say is that chicken doesn't have to be sawed, and if you're sawing, you need a new knife. I had no idea before I began using the Forged Cutlery Collection! My flour mixture, egg mixture, and coconut are in Cake Pans. These are perfect for dredging because of their deep sides and light weight. Note: The set comes with two pans, not three.

Cooking is messy. From the cake pans, chicken goes into the 10" Skillet from the Executive Cookware Collection. I'm using the Chef's Tongs for chicken handling, and I can't say enough about them. They have a long handle to keep my arm away from popping oil, and the silicone end keeps from scratching my cookware. Then there's the gentle grip that ensures coconut crust stays on the chicken instead of in the pan. Thanks, Chef's Tongs!

Ok, so if you're looking for a new way to use chicken breasts, look no further. These tenders are simple and delicious. Enjoy!

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Call me up: (205) 585-2464

Moroccan-Spiced Chicken

Sometimes chicken goes on sale for $.98 per pound, and I can't resist buying a huge pack. I mean, four really large breasts for a mere $3.18... I'd be a fool to pass it up. The only issue I have with chicken breasts at this price is that - you guessed it - there are bones... and skin. As embarrassing as it is to admit, I don't know much about meat with bones inside. I can eat it just fine (I'm not a total snob), but cooking it doesn't come easily. My method for dealing with this hazard is to simply find a recipe which specifies bone-in meat and follow the directions. Otherwise, I figure I'm setting myself up for disaster. Moroccan spiced chicken from Martha Stewart is just the fix for a "chicken sale dinner." I first had this when my sister-in-law Shannon made it, and I was happy to hear its preparation was straightforward. So stop fearing the meat that's on sale, and dive in... bones and all.

Moroccan-Spiced Chicken

chefjennylyn.com

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground coriander

1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

1/4 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. coarse salt

3/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 whole chicken, quartered, skin on (I used all breasts)

1 lemon, quartered

Place rimmed baking pan on center oven rack, and preheat to 450 degrees.

Mix seasonings and olive oil in a small bowl, and rub spice paste all over chicken. Carefully arrange chicken on hot pan, and place lemon wedges around chicken.

Bake until 165 degrees on instant-read thermometer and juices run clear, 30-35 minutes. Let meat stand 10 minutes, and serve with pan juices and lemon wedges on the side.

Korintje Cinnamon from the Pampered Pantry is amazing, and it lasts forever! I seriously love this stuff, but I've rambled in other posts and will refrain from doing so here. Behind the cinnamon, I have the Bamboo Grinder Set full of Salt and Pepper from the pantry line. I can't season with any other salt and pepper now that I've tasted the difference these make in my cooking. Plus, the grinders are just cool.

I'm combining all of my spices in a 1-cup Prep Bowl using an Adjustable Measuring Spoon and a standard Measuring Spoon. This recipe calls for a few things I don't use very often, so it's always fun to pull them out and feel they weren't a waste of money. Turmeric, coriander, and cardamom will get great use if you give them a chance. Just look up recipes that call for them, and prepare to be amazed!

Spice paste - yum! The Easy Read Mini Measuring Cup and the Mini Mix 'n Scraper are cool because they each have "mini" in their names. The scraper is perfect for this job because it's got enough spoonness to it to tip paste for me because my hands are about to get nasty... and I mean nasty. I've got my standard Cutting Board and my Large Grooved Cutting Board out because I don't want any of this grossness getting on my stove, AKA: counter space because my kitchen is super tiny. I love that I can sling raw chicken all over the place and just throw these boards in the dishwasher when I'm finished.

I had to get one really solid picture of the raw meat to prove that yes, I owned it big time. Notice the groove on the Large Grooved Cutting Board. It's great for meats because it keeps their juices from dripping onto counters, etc. It's even deep enough to slice a watermelon without any leakage. I used the 5" Santoku from the Forged Cutlery Collection to slice a couple of lemons, and then I remembered the Veggie Wedger. I've got to use that thing more often because it's amazing! Oh, well... so is this knife.

Give the meat a good coating of spice paste because it makes a huge difference once it's cooked. There's plenty to go around, so don't skimp. If you're feeling crazy, get some of it under the skin, too. Throw a few lemons in the pan, and you're good to go. I'm using the Large Bar Pan, my favorite Stoneware piece for large quantities of meat, vegetables, or whatever else goes in the oven. I'm just going to warn you this recipe gets a bit smoky, so you might want to turn on the kitchen fan. Isn't great chicken worth a little smoke?

165 degrees: The point when poultry is safe to eat. It's also the point where it's perfectly tender and juicy. In other words, use a Pocket Thermometer when cooking chicken. Stoneware combined with this thermometer are my secret weapons with any meat I prepare. The recipe says this chicken needs to bake 30-35 minutes, but I used all breasts, which took closer to 40 minutes. If I hadn't had a thermometer, I'd have grabbed the pan from the oven every couple of minutes after 30 (the 450 degree oven, mind you), sliced into a piece of meat, and tried to figure out how much longer it needed. Imagine doing that for dinner guests. How does the presentation look if the meat is all cut open? Besides, you lose all the juice, which means goodbye, moist chicken. Meat on sale isn't much of a victory if you dry it out.

Prepare a little couscous, throw this on top, and imagine you're in Morocco. Enjoy the least expensive Moroccan experience you'll ever have, especially if you catch that $.98 sale!

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Call me up: (205) 585-2464

Bacon and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

The term "stuffed" can be intimidating, but let me assure you there's no need to fear in this case. Cooking Light has done it again - great recipe with low calories. I first made this with my friend Forest, and he and I were blown away by the simple method yet delicious result. Then I made it for my friend Collin and his roommate Chris, and they were blown away by the fact that it was cooked in their kitchen. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this chicken can please at least three guys I know. Ok, so here it is:

Bacon and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

www.chefjennylyn.com

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 ounces goat cheese

2 slices cooked, crumbled bacon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tbsp. canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine goat cheese and bacon.

Cut chicken breasts starting at the thick end, but do not cut all the way through. You're just forming a pocket, so don't get crazy. Divide the cheese mixture among the breasts, and secure with toothpicks. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.

Heat a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp. canola oil. Add chicken to pan; saute 4 minutes. Turn chicken over, and place pan in oven. Bake at 350 12 minutes.

Let stand 5 minutes.

It's not pretty to photograph, but I cook my bacon in the oven on Stoneware. A host told me about the oven and bacon, and I'm forever indebted to her! I had no idea what a great trick it was, but oh, my! 425 degrees for 15 minutes or more, depending on how you like yours. No more splattering all over the stove!

I've got my bacon and goat cheese in the Small Batter Bowl, and I'm about to stir it up using the All-Purpose Spreader. Let me say something about the All-Purpose Spreader... It truly is all-purpose. I use this thing constantly, especially if anything involves spreading. Are you using a butter knife for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Don't.

A quick tip here: Notice I have my goat cheese separated into portions that are ready to go in the chicken. Working with raw meat means you have to be careful not to cross-contaminate your kitchen, so do whatever you can before you start touching everything. Since I have my cheese mixture divided out and ready to go, I don't have to dig all over the bowl with chicken hands. I'm using the 5" Santoku Knife to cut the chicken breasts, and you can see how cleanly it does the job. This is my favorite knife in the entire Collection because it fits the most things. That's the Large Grooved Cutting Board, and it's sitting across my sink to give me extra counter space.

Shove some toothpicks along the seam, and sprinke the chicken with Salt and Pepper. In a recipe like this, where that's the only seasoning the meat gets, quality matters. I always use the Pampered Pantry seasoning, and I can tell a huge difference. Plus, the Bamboo Salt and Pepper Grinders are just fun!

After cooking the chicken for four minutes, flip it over, and stick it in the oven. I'm using the 10" Skillet from the Executive Cookware Collection, and it is hands down my favorite piece of cookware. It's versatile, and it cleans up easily. You can see from the way the oil is beaded up that this cookware can be wiped clean in no time.

You can save a lot of a meat's juice by checking doneness with a meat thermometer. I love that the Digital Pocket Thermometer has a cheat sheet for a case.  This method for stuffing chicken can be used for any filling you want, so start experimenting, and get ready to be blown away!

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E-mail me: chefjennylyn[at]gmail.com

Call me up: (205) 585-2464