Recipe Friday: Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

While many foods claim a day to themselves, chicken with its variety requires an entire month to truly celeberate it! All throughout September, the National Chicken Council will be encouraging caterers, restaurants, and home cooks alike to embrace the versatility and deliciousness of chicken. Check out these recipes from the National Chicken Council to help you celebrate. Chick chick hooray! 

Warm Chicken-Lentil Salad

Yield: 4

Ingredients

Method

1. In a medium sized saute pan with a tight fitting lid, combine lentils, water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring water and lentils to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender.
2. While lentils cook, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a sauté pan.  Add garlic, onions and celery and sauté until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.   Remove vegetables to a medium sized bowl.
3. In same pan used to cook vegetables, heat remaining oil over medium high heat.  Season chicken tenders with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.  Place in heated pan.  Saute on both sides until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side.
4. When lentils are tender, drain any liquid, and add lentils to vegetables.  Stir in dressing and parsley, mix well.
5. Spoon lentils onto a serving platter and top with chicken tenders. 

Chopped Watercress Chicken Salad with Asian Orange Dressing

Yield: 4

Ingredients

Method

1. In a small saucepan, bring orange juice to a boil over medium heat. Boil to reduce by half, about 5 minutes. In food processor or blender, combine juice, honey, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, water, ginger and garlic. Process until smooth.
2. Remove half of mixture and place in a large plastic, seal-able bag. Add red chili flake and chicken tenders. Marinate for 30 minutes. Reserve remaining dressing. In a large serving bowl, combine watercress, romaine, onions, and cilantro.
3. Warm large saute pan over medium high heat. Remove tenders from marinade and add to pan, along with marinade. Saute tenders until cooked through and caramelized brown, about 3-4 minutes per side, turning.
4. Toss reserved dressing with greens. Top with grilled tenders. Add chopped peanuts before serving.

Warm Tuscan Chicken Sandwiches

Yield: 4

Ingredients

Method

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees F.
2. Combine rosemary, basil, garlic, salt and pepper and set aside.  Brush inside of baguette halves with olive oil.  Sprinkle evenly with herb mixture.
3. Place sliced chicken, Provolone and sundried tomato strips evenly on one baguette half.  Put other half of baguette on top, press down slightly and tie the baguette, at 2-inch intervals, with kitchen string, if desired.
4. Put baguette on a baking sheet and into the hot oven.  Bake until warmed through and cheese is melted, about 10 to 12 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.  Remove strings and cut into quarter before serving.

Lemon-Pesto Chicken Wings

Yield: 4

Ingredients

Ingredients

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place wings in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Place in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until wings are well browned and crispy.
3. While wings are roasting, combine pesto, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, and lemon zest (the peel without any of the white pith) in a bowl large enough to hold all wings.
4. When wings are finished, remove from oven and place in pesto mixture.  Toss to coat well. 

Chicken Paillards with Porcini-Cider Sauce

Yield: 4

Ingredients

Method

1. Preheat oven 200 degrees F.
2. Place flour in a shallow bowl; season with salt and pepper.  Dredge each chicken paillard in flour, shaking off excess. Strain reconstituted porcinis, saving liquid.  Chop porcinis and set aside.
3. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.  Transfer to an ovenproof plate and keep warm in the oven.
4. Add remaining teaspoon of oil to the pan over medium heat, add shallots and cook 1 to 2 minutes.  Turn heat to high and add the balsamic vinegar, porcini liquid and apple cider.  Stir to incorporate any browned bits in the pan and bring to a boil.
5. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat and add mushrooms and thyme leaves to sauce.  Allow to simmer until sauce has reduced and thickened slightly, about 5 minutes.
6. To serve, place one chicken paillard on each plate and top with some of the porcini-cider sauce.  Garnish with additional thyme sprigs before serving.

Moroccan Chicken with Eggplant-Zucchini Ragout

Yield: 4

Ingredients

1 ½ – 2 lbs chicken leg quarters
3 T olive oil, divided
1 tspsalt, divided
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 ea. small eggplant, cut into ½-inch dice
1 ea. medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch dice
1 ea. small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup white wine or water
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with juices
¼ cup pimento-stuffed green olives, roughly chopped
2 T capers, rinsed
2 T red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar
2 T parsley, minced

Method

1. In large skillet over medium high-heat, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season leg quarters with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Add leg quarters to pan, skin-side down. Brown chicken, turning once, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Remove chicken to plate and drain off all but 2 tablespoons oil.
2. Add eggplant to hot pan and cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Add remaining tablespoon olive oil, along with zucchini, onion and garlic. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Raise heat to high and add white wine to pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Add all other ingredients, except parsley, and place chicken legs in mixture. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes or until cooked through or until an instant read thermometer reads 170º.
4. To serve, place some of the eggplant ragout onto plates, top with a leg quarter and sprinkle with parsley.

Sauteed Chicken Cutlets with Cherry Port Sauce

Yield: 4

Ingredients

Method

1.  In small saucepan, combine chicken broth and drained cherry juice. Boil over high heat and reduce to ½ cup.
2. In small bowl, combine port and dried cherries. Reserve. In small bowl, blend together flour and 1 tablespoon butter to make smooth paste. Reserve.
3. While broth mixture is reducing, sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken. In large sauté pan, melt remaining butter and olive oil over medium heat. Brown cutlets until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to plate and cover with foil.
4. In the same pan, add shallots and sauté until soft and translucent, about 1 minute. Add port and dried cherries. Stir to scrape up browned bits on bottom of pan. Bring to a boil and reduce slightly by boiling for about 1 minute. Add reduced broth/ cherry juice and lemon juice and boil for another minute.
5. Stir flour/ butter mixture into the sauce. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, or until sauce is slightly thickened. Add cherries and thyme to pan. Stir to combine. Return chicken to pan along with any accumulated juices. Warm for one minute.
6. Serve chicken cutlets over wild or brown rice. Spoon sauce and cherries over cutlets.