Lots of steps to this so you’ll need an afternoon, but OH so WORTH IT.
The chicken will be falling off the bone tender.
Buffet Chicken Cacciatore
About half way done …
Goes back into the oven until sauce comes to a boil. Remove from oven. Remove the chicken, stir and place back into pan. Cover with foil and bake another hour.
★★★★★
Italian, Poultry
Servings: 4-6 servings
INGREDIENTS
Olive Oil
2 large onions — chopped
1 clove garlic
1 frying chicken, cut up
salt and pepper
2 28 oz. cans Italian plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon basil
½ tablespoon thyme
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 bay leaf
1 green pepper — cut into strips
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350
Cover bottom of roasting pan with olive oil. Add onions and garlic. Brown lightly. Salt & pepper chicken parts and lightly brown.
Break up tomatoes, add sugar, red pepper flakes. salt, pepper, oregano, basil, thyme, & bay leaf. Mix well. Add green pepper . Pour over chicken and let come to a boil.
Remove chicken pieces, stir sauce and pour over chicken. Cover with foil and bake one hour.
Remove foil, increase oven to 450 & bake until chicken is delicately brown. Baste with sauce, and serve with small pasta.
Chicken Enchilada Soup has everything you love about chicken enchiladas… in one big bowl of soup!
Chicken Enchilada Soup (Slow Cooker and Instant Pot)
★★★★★
Skinny Taste, Soups & Stews
Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Servings: Yield: 6 servings Source: skinnytaste.com
INGREDIENTS
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups less sodium chicken broth
8 oz can tomato sauce
1-2 tsp chipotle chili in adobo sauce, or more to taste
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 cups frozen corn
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
2 skinless chicken breasts, 16 oz total
For topping:
3/4 cup shredded part skim cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
4 oz 1 small haas avocado, diced
6 tbsp reduced fat sour cream, optional
DIRECTIONS
Slow Cooker Directions:
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and bring to a boil. Add cilantro and remove from heat. Pour into crock pot.
Add the drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir. Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours.
Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste. Serve in bowls and top with cheese, avocado, scallions and cilantro. Also great with sour cream or crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy!
Instant Pot Directions:
Press saute on the Instant Pot. Add onion and garlic and sauté until soft, 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the chicken broth, tomato sauce and chipotle adobo sauce and cilantro.
Add the drained beans, diced tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano and stir. Add the chicken breasts; cover and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Quick or natural release.
Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Add chicken back into the soup, adjust salt and cumin to taste. Serve in bowls and top with cheese, avocado, scallions and cilantro. Also great with sour cream or crushed tortilla chips. Enjoy!
¼ cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS
In a small saucepan, combine ½ cup of the balsamic vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the honey. Gently simmer over medium- low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced by a little more than half, about 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and set aside.
While the balsamic reduces, arrange the chicken on a cutting board and stretch a large sheet of plastic wrap over the top. Lightly pound the chicken breasts into an even ½- inch thickness. Discard the plastic, then sprinkle the chicken with ¾ teaspoon of the salt and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper, seasoning both sides.
In a large, heavy- bottomed skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium- high heat. Once the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken breasts top- sides down, being careful of oil that may splatter. Let cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Flip and cook an additional 3 minutes. Check for doneness. The chicken should reach 165 degrees F at the thickest part when tested with an instant- read thermometer, and when sliced, the juices should run clear.
If it needs additional time, flip again and continue cooking for a few minutes on each side, until done. The total cooking time will vary depending upon the size of your chicken. Remove to a plate and cover to keep warm.
Without wiping out the pan, reduce the skillet heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil, swirl to coat the pan, then add the red onion and let cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan as it cooks.
Add the garlic and let cook 30 seconds, just until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes, thyme, and remaining 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Increase the heat back to medium high and cook until the tomatoes begin to soften, about 2 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pan, nestling it into the tomatoes, and scatter the mozzarella throughout.
Cover the pan and remove from the heat. Let stand for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the mozzarella to become soft and melty.
Uncover, drizzle the balsamic reduction over the top, and sprinkle with the fresh basil. Serve warm.
My first ever stir fry dish came from a Better Homes & Gardens cookbook. To this day it remains a favorite.
Everyone I’ve served it to asks me for the recipe. It doesn’t call for red bell peppers but I love the color they add to the dish.
INGREDIENTS
1 and 1/3 pounds whole chicken breasts
3 T Soy sauce
2 t cornstarch
2 T dry sherry
1 T grated gingerroot
1 t sugar
1/2 t salt
1/2 t crushed red pepper
2 T cooking oil (I use peanut oil)
2 medium green peppers, cut into 3/4″ pieces
4 green onions, bias-sliced into 1″ lengths
1 cup walnut halves
Hot cooked rice
DIRECTIONS
Skin, halve lengthwise and bone chicken breasts. Cut chicken into 1″ pieces. Set aside.
In a small bowl stir soy sauce into cornstarch; stir in dry sherry, gingerroot, sugar, salt and red pepper. Set aside.
Preheat a wok or a large skillet over high heat; adding cooking oil (watch it as it spatters). Stir fry green peppers and green onions in hot oil for 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove from wok or skillet. Add walnuts to wok or skillet; stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until just golden. Remove from wok or skillet.
(Add more oil if necessary) Add half the chicken to the hot wok or skillet and stir fry 2 minutes. Remove from skillet. Stir-fry remaining chicken for 2 minutes.
Return all chicken to wok or skillet. Stir soy mixture; stir into chicken. Cook and stir til thickened and bubbly. Stir in vegetables and walnuts; cover and cook 1 minute more (I never cover it). Serve at once with hot rice.
Notes: Use a long-handled spoon or spatula to lift and turn the food with a folding motion. Be sure to maintain high heat so the food cooks quickly —