Entree – Chicken

Not My Mother’s Chicken Curry

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Margie’s grandmother Austin made a delicious curry.  Not authentic, but delicious.  Usually out of leftover lamb gravy and diced lamb.  This is an even more “cheater” curry.  This is one of those dishes that is even better the next day.

Ingredients:

  • canned or packaged chicken gravy (You want about a cup per person)
  • chicken meat (at least 1/4 pound per person) (the Costco chicken is great)
  • curry powder – at least 1 Tab per pound of meat
  • powdered mustard – 1 tsp per pound of meat
  • powdered ginger – 1 tsp per pound of meat
  • butter – enough to saute the spices

Directions:

  1. Melt the butter in the bottom of a large pot.
  2. Add the mustard, ginger and curry powder..
  3. Saute for a couple of minutes.
  4. Add the gravy.
  5. Stir to mix in the seasoning.
  6. Taste and correct – might need more curry powder, might need a little garlic or salt.
  7. Add the chicken.
  8. Simmer for 10 – 15 minutes.
  9. Serve over hot rice with condiments.

Condiments:  chopped peanuts, diced white onion, chopped green onions, shredded coconut, raisins, crushed pineapple (drained), diced bacon, chutney, French fried onions

 

Island Chicken

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An easy way to offer people choices.  You can choose any of the myriad of sauces available on the grocery shelf.  For this event we chose three – spicy, traditional, and plain. With chicken, the quantity depends on the crowd.  Kids seem to eat drumsticks only – and several of them.

Ingredients:

  • chicken breast
  • chicken thigh
  • chicken drum  sticks
  • jerk rub
  • teriyaki
  • lemon
  • butter

Directions:

  1. Brush the chicken piece of choice with the sauce of choice.
  2. Grill.   Legs and thighs do not take long – watch them.

Source:  No brainer!

 

Chicken Piccata – Large Quantity

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Chicken tenders are a cheater way to do this, but for a crowd – with choices of sauce, it is the way to go.  Keep the sauce separate so people can choose what to put on the pasta with the chicken.  See Pasta Bar.  If you want to do this for a smaller number of people – just do a little long division.  (Of course, you remember fractions from fourth grade. . . . )

Ingredients:

  • 19 lb chicken tenders
  • 1 lb butter, room temperature
  • 4 c flour
  • 1 1/2 c olive oil
  • 3 c dry white wine
  • 2 1/4 c fresh lemon juice
  • 3 c chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 c drained capers
  • 1 1/2 c chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

  1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper.
  2. Mix 12 tablespoon butter (1 1/2 sticks) and 6 tablespoons ( about 1/3 cup) flour in small bowl until smooth.
  3. Place additional flour in shallow baking dish.
  4. Dip chicken into flour to coat.
  5. Shake off excess.
  6. Heat some oil in a heavy large skillet.
  7. Add some chicken tenders.
  8. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side.  Do no crowd them or they will not brown.
  9. Transfer chicken to platter.
  10. Repeat, adding oil as necessary, until all chicken has been cooked.
  11. Tent with foil to keep warm.
  12. Bring wine, lemon juice and broth to boil in the skillet over medium-high heat.
  13. Whisk in butter-flour mixture.
  14. Boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes.
  15. Stir in capers, parsley and remaining  butter.
  16. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
  17. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Serves:   50 – 60

Source:  Epicurious and a lot of math

Chicken Aloha

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I know – no pineapple, how can it be Hawaiian?  Add pineapple if you must.  You can also make it with shrimp, instead of, or in addition to, the chicken.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tab olive oil
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, diced or use chicken tenders
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 red or green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 c white wine or chicken broth
  • 1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 c frozen peas
  • 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
  • 1/4 tsp oregano
  • 1/8 tsp cumin
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 c instant rice, uncooked  – white or brown

Directions:

  1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.
  2. Cook chicken, onions and bell peppers until chicken is browned, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add garlic.
  4. Add wine/ broth, tomatoes (with juice).
  5. Bring to boil.
  6. Add  peas.
  7. Stir in rice.
  8. Reduce heat to low; cover.
  9. Cook 5 minutes or until rice is tender.

Serves: 4

Source:  Minute Rice

 

 

Wine-Tea Brine

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Great summer brine works with chicken, pork or seafood. Helps keep meat moist when BBQ.

Ingredients:

  • 1 c water – hot
  • 1 c white wine
  • 2 Tab Kosher salt
  • 1 Tab brown sugar
  • 3 Tab blackberry syrup – or other fruit syrup/puree
  • 2 tea bags
  • 1/2 c ice cubes

Directions:

  1. Place salt, sugar, tea, in 1 gallon zip-lock bag.
  2. Pour in hot water, seal and slosh to dissolve sugar and salt.
  3. Add remaining ingredients.
  4. Add additional ice cubes if mixture is still warm.
  5. Add protein to bag and marinate in refrigerator.  See Brine Time Guide in Miscellaneous Information.

Serves: 2-3 pounds of meat

Source:  MLK

Kabobs

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Kabobs make a great “do it yourself” dinner.  Let your guests choose what is on their skewer.  Offer a choice of sauces – bbq, Tex-Mex, curry, dill, etc.  Rice or potatoes and a green salad and you have a party!

Almost any meat can be broiled or bbqed on skewers. Beef, lamb, pork, chicken:  cut in 1 inch cubes, marinate (or not).  Skewer alone and do a second skewer with the vegetables.  Plan on 1/3 – 1/4 pound of meat total per person.  (not 1/4 of each kind.)

Vegetables:  skewer things together that will cook in the same length of time – zucchini, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes or par boiled (or microwave) potatoes, carrots, onions, beets, even corn on the cob (cut into 3 inch pieces).  Make up stuff.

Brush with butter or oil – seasoned or not.

If using wood skewers, soak them in water for 1/2 hr.

Grill – or broil in oven.

Teriyaki Sauce Glaze

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Don’t buy the bottled stuff – this is really good.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 c brown sugar
  • 1/4 c soy sauce – or to taste
  • 2 tsp kiwi paste or other fruit paste
  • 1 Tab rice vinegar
  • 2 Tab sherry
  • 1 tsp ginger puree
  • 1 tsp pressed garlic

Directions:

  1. Mix in a small sauce pan.
  2. Simmer for at least 10 minutes.

Serves:  about 1/2 cup

Source:  Margie Kleerup

Peach BBQ Sauce

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Margie made this in a small batch to go on the lamburger/chicken buffet.  This one has a real bite!

Ingredients:

  • 2 c soy sauce
  • dash cayanne
  • 1 Tab minced onion
  • 1/4 c catsup
  • 1/4 c marinara sauce
  • 1/4 tsp horseradish
  • 1/4 Tab Sriracha
  • 1 Tab red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 Tab balsamic
  • 1/4 c peaches – diced with juice (peach nectar)
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp chipolte adobo sauce pureed

Directions:

  1. Put everything in a pan.
  2. Simmer until onions are soft and sauce has thickened.

Serves:  makes about 2 cups

Source:   Margie Kleerup

Note: I puree a can of chiplote in adobo sauce and keep on hand in the refrigerator.  It has a more subtle bite than most of the peppers.

 

Yassa (Caramelized Onion Sauce)

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West African caramelized onion sauce called Yassa originates from the Wolof people in Senegal and Gambia.  If you love onions you will love this onion extravaganza of incredibly  flavorful Senegalese sauce.

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 c oil
  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 c vinegar
  • 1 Tab soy sauce
  • 2 Tab Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 -1 tablespoon chile pepper flakes

Directions:

  1. Heat the sauce pan with oil in a frying pan and fry the onions with the rest of the ingredients.
  2. Remove from the heat and adjust for seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste.
  3. Discard the bay leaf.

 

This is usually served over grilled chicken with white rice or couscous and vegetables on the side .

Some recipes include lemon in the sauce.

Servings:  about 1 cup

Source: Kadi’s African Recipes and AfricanBites – edited for use on a camp out.

Kumine (Cumin Sauce)

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Cumin has been used for centuries in the cuisines of Northern Africa, Arabia, and India, where it is usually mixed with other spices. When cumin was introduced to Central Africa is unknown, but recipes like this one  Chicken in are common there. This recipe is also good when made with bushmeat such as antelope, gazelle, or pangolin (or even beef if the grocery is out of pangolin). Cook chicken in this sauce for another traditional African dish.  

Ingredients:

  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 1 can tomato paste (or tomato sauce)
  • 1 large can of stewed tomatoes or several fresh tomatoes
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • cayenne pepper or red pepper or hot sauce (Sriracha)
  • black pepper, salt (to taste)

Directions:

  1. In a large stew pot combine everything.
  2. Stir until all is well mixed.
  3. Bring to a slow boil then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about twenty minutes, stirring occasionally.

To make Chicken with Cumin  Sauce, add chicken, cover, and simmer for another half hour or more, stirring occasionally, until chicken is thoroughly cooked.  Serve with rice.

Serves:  2-3 cups

Source:  Genius Kitchen, congocookbook.com