Chicken Marsala

A very simple delicious chicken dish that you can make on any night after work. It really doesn't take that much time at all.

Chicken Marsala (What's Cooking Chicago)

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced (I used bacon since thats what I had on hand)
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, stemmed and halved
1/2 cup sweet Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (skipped)

Directions:
Put the chicken breasts side by side on a cutting board and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlets into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.

Lower the heat to medium and add the prosciutto to the drippings in the pan, saute for 1 minute to render out some of the fat. Now, add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a few seconds to cook out the alcohol. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan; simmer gently for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Dinner Party - Part 3

Part 3 covers the main course of my dinner party.

Bruschetta w/White Beans, Sun Dried Tomatoes & Basil

Spinach, feta, raspberry, candied nut salad w/ raspberry vinaigrette

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomato Sauce

Saffron Rice and Red Pepper Pilaf

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

The goat cheese and tomato sauce is really good and easy to make. However, its the saffron rice that really steals the show. I have made this countless times since and it always turns out amazing.

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomato Sauce (Elly Says Opa)

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast halves, about 5 oz. each
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup white wine (I used Chardonnay)
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp sundried tomatoes, chopped and drained, if they are oil-packed
2 ounces herbed goat cheese
salt and pepper

Directions:
Sprinkle chicken breast halves with salt and pepper.

Heat skillet over medium heat and add oil.

When oil is hot, add chicken breasts. Cook through, about 3-6 minutes per side depending on how thin they are. Set aside and keep warm. Drain the pan if there is a lot of excess oil.

In the same skillet, add wine and chicken broth. Increase heat to medium-high and cook liquids down until reduced by half, being sure to scrape up the browned bits from the chicken.

Add in sundried tomatoes and heat through. Take skillet off the heat and stir in goat cheese.

Saffron Rice and Red Pepper Pilaf (epicurious.com)

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell peppers
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups basmati rice or other long-grain white rice
3 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon (generous) crushed saffron threads
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Parmesan cheese shavings

Directions:
Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add peppers and onion. Sauté until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Mix in 3 cups broth, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and saffron. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in 6 tablespoons grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. (Pilaf can be made 30 minutes ahead. Keep covered. Rewarm over low heat, adding more broth by tablespoonfuls to moisten if necessary.) Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons chives into pilaf. Mound in serving bowl. Top with cheese shavings and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons chives.

Chicken Tikka Masala

I've tried quite a few recipes for Chicken Tikka Masala and none of them ever tasted right. A friend gave me a new cookbook for my birthday and I gave this recipe a try. I found it to be really delicious and much closer to what you would find in an Indian restaurant. Its also really simple to make (no toasting of spices or grinding) and thats always a plus.



Chicken Tikka Masala (America's Test Kitchen Cookbook)

This dish tastes best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted; do not use fat-free yogurt. For a spicer dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. The sauce can be made and refrigerated up to 4 days in advance; gently reheat the sauce before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.

Ingredients:

Chicken Tikka
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, trimmed
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, minced (about 1 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile (I kept the ribs and seeds), minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. Combine the cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the spice mixture, pressing gently so it adheres. Place the chicken on the plate, cover with saran warp and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, oil, garlic and ginger. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering (hot). Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden (8-10 minutes). Add the garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala. Cook while stirring frequently until fragrant (3 minutes). Add the tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cream and return to simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm.

3. As the sauce simmers, heat up the grill (medium high). Spray the grill with some nonstick spray if you wish. Using tongs, dip the chicken into the yogurt mixture and place on the grill. Grill until chicken reaches 160 degree; flipping halfway through.

4. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks. Stir the chicken pieces into the warm sauce (do not simmer the chicken in the sauce). Stir in the cilantro, season with salt to taste, and serve.

Grilled Cumin Chicken with Fresh Tomatillo Sauce

I have never cooked with fresh tomatillos before, so this was fun. I loved this chicken and the sauce was very flavorful (with a touch of spice). I served it over Chipotle rice.

Grilled Cumin Chicken with Fresh Tomatillo Sauce (Cooking Light)

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 pound tomatillos
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Preparation
1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal and let stand for 15 minutes.

3. Discard husks and stems from tomatillos. Combine tomatillos and broth in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; cover and cook 8 minutes. Drain and cool slightly. Combine tomatillos, cilantro, and next 6 ingredients (through jalapeño) in a food processor; process until smooth.

4. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Place on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done. Serve with tomatillo sauce.

Chipotle rice: Combine 1 cup long-grain rice and 2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions and 1/2 teaspoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce.

Balsamic Honey Pecan Chicken

I had this chicken marinating overnight and made it the next day. It was very flavorful, but be very careful not to overcook your chicken or it will be dry dry dry!


(sorry for the blurry picture)

Balsamic Honey Pecan Chicken (http://ellysaysopa.com/)

Ingredients:
2 chicken breast halves (I cut mine into smaller pieces)
1 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 cloves smashed garlic
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped pecans
salt and pepper

Directions:
Mix the honey, balsamic vinegar and garlic together. Add the chicken, and rub in the marinade. Allow to marinate for about 20-30 minutes (I marinated overnight).

Preheat the oven to 375. Combine the bread crumbs and pecans. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and then dredge in the breadcrumb/pecan mixture.

Place a wire rack on a cooking sheet and spray with oil. Place the chicken on top and spray the top with a little cooking oil. Bake for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Cornish Game Hens

I've never made cornish game hens before, but when they went on sale at my local grocery store, I thought I would give them a try. With little effort, I had a delicious dinner.



Singaporean Style Cornish Game Hens (by: me!)

Ingredients:
2 cornish game hens
olive oil (~2 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons Singapore Seasoning
2/3 cup white wine
2/3 cup chicken broth
salt to taste

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Rub olive oil on each hen to coat.
- Season each hen w/ 2 tablespoons Singapore seasoning (give them a good dusting.. press to get the seasonings to stick).
- Bake in 450 degree oven for 25 minutes (shorten if skin begins to burn). Remove from oven.
- Lower heat to 350 degrees.
- Combine wine and broth in a bowl and pour on top of both game hens.
- Put back into oven for another 25 minutes or longer (until broth runs clear and hen is fully cooked)

I found that one cornish game hen was enough for two people. Serve with your choice of sides. Enjoy!

Moroccan Chicken

This chicken dish was so delicious. The chicken was moist and flavorful. The lentils and veggies added another dimension. It will be a repeat it our house.



Moroccan Chicken (EllySaysOpa.com)

Ingredients:

1-1/2 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp allspice
4 bone-in skinless chicken thighs
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
drizzle of balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup lentils, rinsed and picked over
1/4 cup raisins (I left this out)
salt and pepper

Directions:

Mix the first 7 ingredients, along with some salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl. Pat dry the chicken thighs and rub each thigh, on both sides, with a quarter of the mixture. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken and brown on both sides. Remove.

To the pan, add the onion and cook until translucent. Stir in the garlic, celery and carrots and saute for an additional minute. Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, and scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken broth, bay leaf, lentils, raisins and salt and pepper. Place the chicken thighs on top. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then cover. Simmer for about 35-40 minutes until the lentils are tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Nutritional Info Per Serving (two thighs, based on SparkRecipes; as I have noted before chicken thigh nutritional information is apparently impossible to keep consistent so this could be off). Calories: 395.4 / Fat: 12.7g / Carbs: 36.4g / Dietary Fiber: 7.4g / Protein: 34.6

Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

If I manage to take a picture tomorrow, I will post it, but this recipe is delicious and will be a repeat in our house. Its so easy to make and makes leftovers.

Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine
(Cookinglight.com)

Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
Cooking spray
3 cups thinly sliced mushrooms (skipped because my store was out of mushrooms!)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (I used 2 red bell peppers to make up for no mushrooms)
3 cups chopped fresh spinach (I used one package frozen chopped)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) carton 2% low-fat cottage cheese
4 cups hot cooked penne (I used a 16oz package and it worked great and made a lot)
2 cups shredded roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk (I used fat free)
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup, undiluted
(I also added about 1-2 tablespoons red pepper flake for some heat)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach, oregano, and black pepper; sauté 3 minutes or just until spinach wilts.

Place cottage cheese in a food processor; process until very smooth. Combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, pasta, chicken, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, milk, and soup in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 345 (25% from fat)
Fat: 9.7g (sat 5.1g,mono 3.1g,poly 1g)
Protein: 31.7g
Carbohydrate: 32.9g
Fiber: 2.1g
Cholesterol: 56mg
Iron: 2mg
Sodium: 532mg
Calcium: 275mg

Taco Soup

Excellent and easy soup to make.



Taco Soup (allrecipes.com)

INGREDIENTS
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)


DIRECTIONS
Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.
Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

The flavors of this crockpot dish were excellent but it turned out a bit dry. Watch your liquids when you make it. Next time, I will double the sauce.



CrockPot Indian Curry (crockpot365.blogspot.com)

- 1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk
- 1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 4-6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 1 T tomato paste
- 2 T curry powder
- 1 t ground coriander
- 1 t ground cumin
- 1 inch peeled and grated ginger
- few dashes of hot sauce (skipped)
- 1 yellow onion. chopped
- 2 or 3 cloves of smashed and chopped garlic
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1/2 of an eggplant, chopped skipped because I hate it and added butternut squash instead)
- 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

The Directions.

Assemble all of your spices, coconut milk, tobasco sauce, and tomato paste. Combine the sauce ingredients in the bottom of your crockpot. The sauce will be a lovely yellow.

Add the chicken, flipping it over a few times to coat it nicely. Pour in the garbanzo beans.

Wash and chop all of the vegetables, and then add to the Crock-Pot. Don't worry about stirring them in the sauce. Let them sit on top of the chicken and steam away.

Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours, or on high for 4-6. I cooked our dinner on high for almost 6 hours. The chicken was fully cooked, but still had shape, and the vegetables were soft and quite nice.

Stir carefully to mix flavors. If you stir too rough, the sweet potato will fall apart.

Serve over rice;

Chicken and Mushroom Tacos

Sorry, no picture. Have you ever tried to take a picture of a taco? It doesn't look that pretty all the time. These tacos were good, but won't satisfy you if you like your tacos spicey. They have a very mild flavor.

Chicken and Mushroom Tacos
(CookingLight.com)

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1 3/4 cups thinly vertically sliced onion
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 cups presliced mushrooms
1 tablespoon bottled minced garlic
1/4 cup Madeira wine or dry sherry
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (about 8 ounces)
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup light sour cream

Directions:
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion; sauté 2 minutes. Add jalapeño; sauté 2 minutes. Sprinkle sugar over onion mixture; sauté 1 minute. Remove onion mixture from pan.
2. Return pan to heat; recoat with cooking spray. Add mushrooms and garlic to pan; sauté 1 minute. Add Madeira to pan; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Uncover; cook 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring frequently. Stir in onion mixture and chicken; cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

3. Warm tortillas according to package instructions. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture onto each tortilla. Top each tortilla with 2 tablespoons cheese; fold in half. Serve with sour cream.

Chicken-Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

I'm alive! Sorry for the lack of updates. I have been cooking, but I have not had time to update this blog, but I am trying to get caught up.

Last month, I made a Chicken-Orzo salad with goat cheese. I really loved it and its great for a really hot night when you don't feel like cooking or turning on the stove.



Chicken-Orzo Salad (CookingLight.com)

Ingredients
1 1/4 cups uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast strips (such as Tyson)
1 1/2 cups trimmed arugula
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup prechopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain well.
2. Combine pasta, chicken, and the next 6 ingredients (through oregano) in a large bowl; toss well.

3. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar mixture over pasta mixture; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Turkey and Broccoli Casserole

My MIL makes an awesome Chicken and Broccoli casserole, so I asked her for the recipe. I made a couple modifications to it so its a bit different then hers, but I think thats a good thing. I don't think I could ever make it exactly like she does, so we'll just have to visit more often to have the real deal.



Turkey and Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients:
2 10 oz packages frozen broccoli cooked and drained/ or fresh steamed
2 or more cups of cooked turkey (or chicken)
2 can cream of broccoli soup undiluted
2/3 cup sour cream (you can use mayo, but I detest it)
1 teaspoon lemon juice (I skipped this since I used sour cream, but add if you use mayo)
1 teaspoon curry (add more to taste)
1/2 cup grated Cheddar or more

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place broccoli in the shallow baking pan, cover with chicken. Combine in a
bowl soup, mayo lemon and curry, mix together. Pour over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 25 to 30 minutes (until bubbly).

Chicken Parmesan

Happy New Year! We are back from our vacation, so its back to cooking up some delicious meals.

First up for the new year is, Chicken Parmesan. This is something my mom taught me how to make when I first started cooking and it was my signature dish.



Chicken Parmesan

Serves 6, or you can have 3 meals for 2 people like we did.

Ingredients:
2 eggs
3 chicken breast halves
italian seasoned bread crumbs (1 - 1.5 cups or so)
olive oil
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 8 oz package shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Pound chicken breast halves until thinner (1/4 inch thick is fine or a bit thicker). Cut into pieces (not bite size, but maybe 2 pieces were half of a chicken breast). For 3 chicken breast halves, I had 8 pieces.
2. Crack 2 eggs in shallow bowl or plate. Beat until egg white and yolk are combined.
3 Put bread crumbs in a shallow bowl or plate.
4. Dip chicken into eggs until coated, then into the bread crumbs until covered. Shake off excess. Repeat for all chicken.
5. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. You want the olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. I just eyeball this. Use medium heat.
6. Once oil is hot, place chicken in pan. Let it cook until the breaded side down is totally brown. Flip and brown the other side.
7. Place lid on skillet and turn heat down a bit so chicken can finish cooking.
8. Once chicken is cooked, cover with spaghetti sauce and heat until bubbly.
9. Cover chicken with mozzarella cheese and place under broiler until melted and slightly browned.
10. Enjoy!

Quick Chicken Enchiladas

I didn't make this from any recipe. I just took some ready made ingredients and put them together to make a delicious meal.

Quick Chicken Enchiladas (by Tanya)

Rotisserie chicken (1/2 of the breast meat is enough.. or whatever you have leftover from another meal)

1 can black beans

1 red pepper cut into strips

1/2 medium onion cut into strips

reduced fat mexican cheese

large can of red enchilada sauce

low carb flour tortillas (or corn if you want)

olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put 1 tablespoon olive oil in a saute pan. Add onions and saute until soft. Next, add the red pepper and saute until they just are starting to get soft (I like them crunchy). Remove onion and red pepper from heat.

Drain and rinse the black beans and set aside.

Now its time to assemble the enchiladas. Take 1 tortilla and add some black beans, chicken, onion, and red pepper. Sprinkle a tiny bit of cheese on top. Roll the tortilla. You do not want it to be so full that you can't roll it. Repeat until you have filled a 9x13 pan with enchiladas (I had 6).

If you have leftoever filling, just put it on top of the enchiladas (except the cheese!). Cover enchiladas with the red sauce. Then top with cheese. Bake until bubbly!

Chicken Tiki Masala

While not 100% authentic, this recipe will satisfy a curry craving. I doubled the recipe in order to have lots of leftovers which taste even better the next day.

Chicken Tiki Masala (AllRecipes.com)

Marinade:
1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
4 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 teaspon garam masala
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

Sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons garam masala
3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1 tomato, chopped, or 1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro



In a large bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, black pepper, ginger, and 4 teaspoons salt. Stir in chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Remove chicken and discard marinade. Cook chicken in a saute pan or stir fry.

Melt butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for 1 minute. Season with 2 teaspoons cumin, paprika, and 3 teaspoons salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add chicken, and simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Serve over rice.

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Garlic and Herbed Goat Cheese

This chicken turned out really well and was delicious. I served it with a potato, onion, and mushroom mixture, but it would go well with anything.



Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Garlic and Herbed Goat Cheese (Cooking Light Oct 2007)

Roasting the garlic mellows its bite and gives the stuffing a subtle hint of flavor. Stuff the chicken breasts up to a day ahead, refrigerate, and cook them just before guests arrive. Garnish each plate with a rosemary sprig.


1 whole garlic head
1/3 cup (3 ounces) goat cheese with herbs, softened (I used feta with chopped sage)
6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (I used cayenne pepper and added garlic powder to season)
2 teaspoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 350°.
Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap head in foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins. Combine garlic pulp and cheese, stirring well; set aside.

Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff about 4 teaspoons cheese mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken evenly on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn chicken over. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°; let stand 5 minutes.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed chicken breast half)

CALORIES 238 (31% from fat); FAT 8.1g (sat 3.3g,mono 2.9g,poly 1.1g); PROTEIN 37.3g; CHOLESTEROL 101mg; CALCIUM 46mg; SODIUM 292mg; FIBER 0.2g; IRON 1.5mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.9g

Cooking Light, OCTOBER 2007