The Perdue Chicken Cookbook
by Mitzi Perdue · English · Gutenberg #1979 · 521,935 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: The Perdue Chicken Cookbook
Author: Mitzi Perdue
Release date: November 1, 1999 [eBook #1979]
Most recently updated: April 15, 2013
Language: English
Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1979
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PERDUE CHICKEN COOKBOOK ***
This is a COPYRIGHTED Project Gutenberg etext. Copyright (C) Mitzi Perdue.
The Perdue Chicken Cookbook
by Mitzi Perdue
Preface: Why I Chickened Out
Introduction: You Don't Need to Wing It! Let Frank Take You
Under His.
Everything You Wanted or Needed to Know about Selecting,
Storing and Cooking Chicken
Chapter 1. Chicken for Everyday
Tips on Cooking in a Hurry, plus: Quick Recipes, Simple
Recipes, and Family Favorites
Chapter 2. Chicken for the Microwave
Tips for Using the Microwave, plus: Quick Microwave
Recipes, and Classic Recipes Adapted for the Microwave
Chapter 3. Chicken for Dieters
Tips for Dieters, plus: Low Calorie, Low Cholesterol
Recipes
Chapter 4. Chicken for Children
Tips on Cooking for Kids, plus: Recipes for Kids to Eat and
Recipes for Kids to Cook
Chapter 5. Chicken for Barbecuing
Tips for Cooking Outdoors, plus Recipes for Barbecuing
Chapter 6. Chicken for Crowds
Tips on Quantity Cooking, plus Recipes for Crowds
Chapter 7. Chicken for Tomorrow$or Next Week
Tips on Storing and Freezing, plus Cook Ahead Recipes
Chapter 8. Chicken for Holidays
Chicken and Holiday Cooking, plus: Menus and Recipes for
the Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Fourth
of July, Thanksgiving, Chanukah, and Christmas
Chapter 9. Chicken for Important Occasions
Chicken for When You Want Something Different and Exciting,
plus Show Stopper Recipes
Chapter 10. Chicken for Planovers
Tips on Food Safety, plus Recipes for the Rest of the Bird
Conclusion: A Rare Bird
What Frank Is Really Like
Acknowledgements
I've often thought that inspiration is one of the
greatest gifts one person can give another, and there are
several people who were an inspiration in writing this
book. First is a woman whom I would term the Godmother of
this book, Connie Littleton, the Director of Advertising
and Marketing Services at Perdue. She is a woman totally
committed to excellence, and if that commitment to
excellence meant she had to read and edit until the wee
hours of the morning, she always did it as if it were a
matter of course. With each passing day, I gained
increasing respect for her professionalism, judgment and
knowledge. Bev Cox, a home economist and food stylist, was
an inspiration for her meticulous attention to detail, her
enthusiasm, and her unfailing good humor no matter what.
Beth Fusaro, who typed most of the recipes in this book, is
a Renaissance Woman, who knows not only about food and
typing, but also about everything from making pottery to
preserving the environment. It's been a privilege to work
with Beth. Gretchen Barnes, who assisted Bev Cox in
editing, learned a whole new computer program, Word
Perfect, in order to get the job done quickly. Sharon
Sakemiller, who is already a Word Perfect expert, also
helped with typing and retyping recipes. She impressed
everyone with how rapidly she could get things done.
My sincere thanks to the members of American Agri-Women who
over the years have shared their food tips with me. Also,
deepest thanks to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
Cooperative Extension. One of Cooperative Extension's major
activities is helping to educate consumers, and I owe
Cooperative Extension a deep debt of gratitude for the
education I've received through their many publications,
broadcasts, classes, seminars, meetings, and personal
contacts. The following Cooperative Extension members$many
of whom are good friends as well as professional
colleagues$have been invaluable resources for food tips and
food knowledge: Dorothy Thurber, Kathryn Boor, Christine
Bruhn, Ellen Pusey, Sally Foulke, Bonnie Tanner, Bettie
Collins, Sue Snyder, Chuck Waybeck, and George York. Also
thanks to Dot Tringali of the National Broiler Council, to
Connie Parvis of the Delmarva Poultry Industry, to Joy
Schrage from the Whirlpool Corporation, and Lisa Readie
from the Barbecue Industry Association.
PREFACE
WHY I CHICKENED OUT
Want to know a high stress situation? Try being a
food writer and cookbook author, and then marry Frank
Perdue. You come home from the honeymoon, everything has
been wonderful and then...it's time to Cook the First Meal!
Frank wants to eat chicken and you're supposed to be a good
cook.
I remember that afternoon so vividly. I knew he'd be
coming home around six and that he'd be hungry. Now up
until that day, I had always felt fairly confident in the
kitchen. After all, I love cooking and trying new recipes
is my favorite pastime. But cooking chicken for Frank
Perdue? I began to get stage fright. As I was trying to
find where the pots and pans were in his kitchen, I started
calculating that there were probably few people in the
world who've eaten chicken more times than my husband.
"He's been eating chicken almost daily for his entire
life" I thought, "he likes it, he cares about it, and my
cooking is about to be judged by a world class expert."
As I rummaged around looking for the right herbs and
spices$and couldn't find the ones I liked $ my stage fright
grew worse. "This man must be one of the world's greatest
experts on cooked chicken," I thought to myself. "He's
attended dozens and dozens of chicken cooking contests,
he's been part of hundreds and hundreds of taste testings
for Perdue products. Everywhere he goes, people know he
likes chicken and the best chefs and hostesses in the world
have served it to him." In my mind I ran through some of
the times when together we'd driven an hour out of the way
to go to a restaurant that cooked chicken particularly
well, and how he always seemed to have lists of the
restaurants he wanted to visit.
Help! My stage fright was getting still worse. The
thirty year old oven didn't seem to be heating right, but I
couldn't be sure because there wasn't any oven thermometer.
The "elbow test," which our grandmothers used to use before
the days of thermometers (you stick your elbow in the oven
and feel how hot it is), told me that things weren't right,
but I didn't know how far off the oven was so I didn't know
how to compensate. As I rubbed my elbow with my other
hand, I thought of Frank's reputation for being demanding.
If you've seen the ad that we call "Boot Camp," you know
what I mean. (He plays the part of a drill sergeant in
this ad and teaches the new Perdue recruits the 57 quality
points that they have to inspect -- and then he's all over
one recruit for missing what seems like an invisibly small
hair.)
It's a funny thing, but when you start losing your
confidence, you start asking some basic questions about
what you're doing. Part of me was saying that cooking
chicken is pretty simple; after all, I'd been doing it for
most of my life. But another part of me realized when
attempting to cook chicken for Frank the first time, that I
knew very little of the basics of cooking chicken. Like,
for example, what makes a chicken tender? How do you
really know when it's done$and not over done? How do you
get the best flavor? Should you salt before or after
cooking?
In desperation, I made a two-part promise to myself.
First, I'd let myself take the easy way out that first
meal, and not even try to cook the chicken myself.
Instead, dinner would be a never-fail salad, pasta (Frank
loves pasta), plus store-bought fully-cooked Perdue
Tenders. In return for letting myself off so easily, I'd
make it my business from then on to learn how to make the
best chicken every time. That meant asking Frank every
question that popped into my head; checking with the food
technologists who work for Perdue; getting tips from the
farmers who grew the Perdue chickens; and systematically
going through the thousands of recipes that Frank has in
his files, trying a different one each night.
Dinner that night wasn't the show piece I would have
liked to create, but it was good enough and Frank happens
to love his own Tenders so the chicken part of the meal was
a success. In the time since, I've tried to live up to the
second part of the promise, the one about learning how to
serve the best chicken every time.
In this book, I'd like to share with you the most
useful cooking tips and the most appealing, most
successful recipes developed by Perdue Farms over the last
twenty years. The first chapter contains the kinds of
information I wished I'd known from the beginning. You
don't need to read this chapter, because chicken isn't that
hard to cook; but there are tips in it that can save you
time and money and that can enable you to cook with greater
confidence. This chapter also has the latest tips on food
safety.
The remaining chapters are organized, not by method of
cooking or whether the food is an appetizer or salad or
whatnot; but rather by the kind of occasion you're facing.
You want to put some spark and variety into every day
meals? You want to make the most of your microwave? Or
you're in a hurry today? Maybe you need something that
will please kids? Or you're dieting? You've got a bunch
of leftovers? You have to cook for a hundred people
tomorrow night? I tried to think of the kinds of
situations in which you could need recipes and then I
organized Frank's recipes around them. Jean Brillat-
Savarin, the famous French gourmet, once said, "A chicken
to a cook is like a canvas to a painter." Enjoy the
recipes and tips that follow, and may they help you to feel
the creativity and confidence that make cooking fun and
eating a joy!
YOU DON'T HAVE TO WING IT!
LET FRANK TAKE YOU UNDER HIS.
Everything You Wanted or Needed to Know about
Cooking Chicken
Frank gets roughly 40,000 consumer letters a year.
Half of these are requests for pamphlets, but many of the
others are requests for information on selecting, storing,
serving, or cooking his products.
These letters are tremendously important to Frank.
Often I've been with him when he has a few extra minutes,
such as waiting for an airplane, and he'll dash to a pay
phone to answer one of the letters with a phone call. He
also likes to attend store openings or conventions or other
public places because he genuinely wants to hear what
people are thinking. One of the marketing men once told me
that he was embarrassed about a day he had planned for
Frank because it included meetings with people who owned
just a few stores. When I passed this on to Frank, he
answered that these were some of the best meetings because
the owners of the smaller stores were so close to their
customers. He went on to say that the reason he likes to
visit butchers (and in New York, he's called on as many as
30 in two days) is that these men are close to the needs
and wants of their customers and he can learn things from
them that he'd learn in no other way.
I've heard that there's almost no other head of a
Fortune 500-size company who would spend as much time with
the people who buy his products. People are often
surprised that a man with his responsibilities would take
the time for this much face to face contact. But the fact
is, learning what people care about is almost a religion to
him.
Here are some of the questions that people either
write to Frank or ask him in person. In answering the
questions, I've either used the information I've heard
Frank give, or else I've checked with the Perdue food
scientists or home economists.
What should I look for when I shop for chicken?
Whatever city we're in, whether it's on the East Coast, or
Puerto Rico, or even London or Moscow or Tokyo, Frank
visits supermarkets the way other people visit museums or
monuments. He notices the following kinds of things
himself and would recommend that you do also when selecting
chicken.
_Give the package a little squeeze. Are there
signs of ice along wings, backs or edges? Frank explained
to me that some chicken producers blast their birds with
air as cold as -40o F, but he never does. Freezing causes
a breakdown in protein, loss of natural juices, and reduced
tenderness. Also, when you cook a frozen bird, the bones
and nearby meat may turn an unappetizing dark color.
_Look at the thickness of the meat in proportion
to the bone. If, for example, the breast looks scrawny,
you're paying a lot for bone rather than meat.
_Read the labels so you know what you are
getting. Many different parts and combinations are
available, and some look surprisingly alike even to Frank's
trained eye. The label tells exactly what is inside.
_Ask questions. If any meat or poultry product
doesn't look, feel, or smell just right, check with the
professionals behind the counter.
_Notice the pull date. Most stores are
scrupulous about removing chicken before the pull
date expires$but sometimes there's a slip-up.
_Was the chicken well-cleaned? Or are there
little traces of feathers or hairs? These can look really
unattractive when the bird is cooked.
_Is the chicken stored correctly on the chilling
shelf, or are the trays of chicken stacked so high that the
top ones aren't kept cold? When that happens, the shelf
life of the top ones is seriously shortened.
_Is the meat case kept so cold that the fresh
chicken is frozen and ends up with ice crystals on the
tray? If so, complain to the manager.
_Look at the ends of the bones. Are they pink or
are they turning gray? Generally, the more pink the bone
ends are, the fresher the chicken.
How should I store chicken at home?
Chicken, like all meat, is perishable. It should be
stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator (40o or
below), sealed as it comes from the market, and used within
two or three days of purchase.
Should I freeze chickens?
Frank doesn't recommend freezing poultry. However, if
a bird must be held beyond three days, freezing will keep
it wholesome.
How do I freeze poultry?
When freezing is necessary, seal chicken or other
poultry in an airtight container, heavy plastic bag,
plastic wrap, foil or freezer paper.
Try to have the wrapping tight against the chicken
because any place where it isn't, small ice crystals will
form. That means moisture has been drawn from the meat, and
where that's happened, the meat will be tough and breading
won't stick.
Frozen uncooked chicken can be stored up to six
months; frozen cooked chicken should be used within three
months. (Personally I try to avoid freezing chicken since I
know that freezing makes the chicken less tender and less
juicy. Still, in spite of good intentions, I sometimes end
up doing it. I've learned to make it a point to have a wax
marking pencil and freezer tape handy, so I can label the
package with the date and contents. I wonder if you've
found, as I have, that it's unbelievably easy to lose track
of how long things have been in there.)
Do not stuff poultry before freezing, and freeze
cooked birds and stuffing separately.
Can frozen chicken be thawed and frozen again?
Each time you freeze chicken, you sacrifice quality.
If carefully handled, however, it is safe to defrost
uncooked chicken and to freeze it again after cooking. If
frozen after cooking, do not thaw and freeze again.
Why is chicken sometimes implicated in illness?
In a warm, moist environment, illness-causing bacteria
can grow in high-protein, low-acid foods such as meat,
fish, poultry, eggs and milk. But there is no reason to
become ill from eating or serving these foods, if they are
cooked thoroughly and served or refrigerated immediately.
To prevent transferring bacteria from one food to another,
use warm water and soap to wash hands, utensils and work
surfaces before and after use.
What makes chicken tender -- or tough?
Frank does his best to make Perdue chickens as tender
as possible, but there's also a lot you can do.
_Don't let chicken dry out in the refrigerator; dry
chicken is tough chicken. Keep it wrapped in the package it
comes in until you use it.
_Avoid freezing it. When the juices inside the cells
freeze, they act like little spears and they'll rupture
some of the cell walls. When you defrost the chicken,
you'll lose some of the juice and the chicken will be less
tender.
_Cook chicken to the proper temperature, using a meat
thermometer or pop-up guide. Cook bone-in chicken to 180
degrees and boneless chicken to 170 degrees. Undercooked
chicken will be tough and rubbery because it takes a fairly
high internal temperature to soften the proteins in the
muscles and make them tender. But don't overcook chicken
either, because moisture will start to steam off, and the
more chicken dries out, the tougher it gets.
_Keep the skin on chicken during cooking. The skin
helps keep juices in, and tenderness and juiciness go hand
in hand. I've tried this both ways, and the difference is
significant. (When you cook chicken with the skin on,
approximately half the fat from the skin is absorbed into
the meat; if calories and cholesterol are very important to
you, you might want to remove the skin before cooking even
if it means a less tender result.)
_When microwaving any chicken product, cover with a
loose tent of waxed paper to prevent drying.
_Some authorities feel strongly that you should not
salt the chicken before cooking because salt draws the
juices out during cooking and toughens the meat. In my
experience, there is a detectable difference in tenderness
between salting before cooking and salting afterwards; the
chicken that I salted afterwards was slightly more tender.
Still, I would guess that most people, myself included,
wouldn't notice a big difference unless they were
specifically paying attention to it. The difference
doesn't jump out at you as it does with overcooking or
freezer burn.
_Fry or roast breast pieces rather than microwaving
them if tenderness is a top priority for you. Microwaving
is significantly faster, but there's a greater risk of
toughness when you microwave breast meat. Breast meat is
fairly dry to begin with, and you don't have a whole lot of
latitude between overcooking and undercooking. With breast
meat, there's a trade-off between the speed of microwaving
and the reliability of frying or roasting.
Why are some chickens yellow skinned and some white?
A chicken's skin color comes from the diet it was fed
and the same bird could have a white skin or a yellow skin,
depending on what it ate. The diet that produces a yellow
skin is more expensive than the usual diet, but the people
at Perdue Farms feel it's worth it because a yellow skin
color is one of the fastest ways Frank's inspectors have of
finding and disqualifying an inferior bird. If a bird is
sick or off its feed, it doesn't absorb nutrients well and
won't develop the rich golden color that is characteristic
of Perdue birds. Also, if part of a bird's outer skin is
"barked", that is, rubbed off due to rough handling during
processing, the Perdue inspectors can detect it more easily
than with a white-skinned bird. Detecting and removing and
chicken with a barked skin is important because damaged
skin shortens the shelf life and dries out and toughens the
meat. No white colored chickens get by the inspectors.
Sometimes when I open a package of chicken, there's a
pungent odor that doesn't smell spoiled, but it's
definitely unpleasant. Should I throw the chicken out?
If the odor lasts only a matter of seconds, your
chicken is probably fine. Meat is chemically active, and
as it ages, it releases sulfur. When you open a bag that
doesn't have air holes, you may notice the accumulated
sulfur, but it will quickly disperse into the air. In fact,
I've heard of cases where a wife will lean over to her
husband and say, "Smell this, I think it's gone bad."
He'll take a deep whiff and find nothing wrong with it.
She'll take another sniff and then wonder if it was her
imagination. It wasn't. It's just that once the package
was opened, the sulfur smell faded into the air like smoke
rings.
If the chicken still smells bad after a couple of
minutes, that's an entirely different story. The problem is
bacterial spoilage or rancidity or both. Return the
chicken to the store where you bought it and write to
Frank. If a chicken's been around too long you can smell
it, and if you can't detect it at room temperature, you
probably can as it cooks, since rancidity is more obvious
at higher temperatures. Rancidity can occur without
bacteria if the freezer where the meat was stored wasn't
cold enough or if the product was kept there for a very
long time, such as more than six months for uncooked
chicken, or more than three months for cooked chicken. (By
the way, I don't like to focus on this unpleasant stuff,
but I do want you to get your money's worth when you're
buying chicken.)
Are chickens given hormones?
Never. I remember when I lived on the West Coast,
there was a small company that advertised that its
chickens were grown without hormones. I thought this was
unethical, because it implied that other chickens were
grown with hormones. The fact is none are.
Can I cook frozen chicken, or do I have to let it defrost
first?
In a pinch, go ahead, but allow extra cooking time.
For the best texture and tenderness, however, you're better
off starting from refrigerator temperatures; you can be
more sure of getting an evenly cooked product.
How long can I keep chicken at room temperature?
From the point of view of food safety, you're taking a
risk if you leave it outside the refrigerator for more than
two hours. Unfortunately, bacteria grow and multiply at
temperatures between 40 degrees and 140 degrees, and they
flourish at room temperature. To avoid food borne illness,
all foods of animal origin should be kept either hotter
than 140 degrees or colder than 40 degrees. If you know
you won't be returning home directly after shopping, bring
along an insulated bag or box to keep cold foods cold until
you can get them into the refrigerator.
Do I need to rinse chicken before cooking?
Advice on this has varied over the years, including
the advice Frank gives. The latest research shows that
from a health point of view, washing is not necessary. Any
microbes that you'd wash off will be entirely destroyed by
heat when you cook the meat. It's actually far more
important to wash your hands, your cutting board, and your
utensils since they won't be sterilized by cooking.
How do I get the best flavor?
That depends on whether you're after a mild and
delicate flavor, or a strong and robust flavor. The younger
the bird, the milder the flavor. A game hen, which is five
weeks old, will have the mildest flavor of all. A broiler,
at seven weeks, will still have a quite mild and delicate
flavor; a roaster, on the other hand, is usually about five
weeks older than a broiler and it will have a much more
pronounced "chickeny" flavor. (Frank and I enjoy chicken
at all ages, but if we had to choose on flavor alone, we'd
most often go for the roasters.) For a really strong,
chickeny flavor, see if you can find fowl or spent hens or
stewing hens. These birds are around 18 months old, which
means they're going to be quite tough, but if you use them
in soups or stews, they'll add an excellent flavor.
I've had chicken in the freezer for a year. Is it still
edible?
From a health point of view it would be ok, but the
flavor and texture will have deteriorated and it just won't
be particularly tasty. I stored chicken in the freezer for
a year once as an experiment, just to see what it would be
like. It wasn't awful, but it was kind of flat and
tasteless. I remember wondering if this was what cotton
tasted like - although to be fair, it wasn't really that
bad.
Why are bones sometimes dark?
Darkened bones occur when the product has been frozen.
Freezing causes the blood cells in the bone marrow to
rupture and then when the chicken is thawed, these ruptured
cells leak out and cause visible reddish splotches on the
bones. When cooked, these discolorations will turn from
red to almost black.
Is it true that breast meat is the least fattening part of
a chicken?
Yes. Breast meat has about half the fat of thigh
meat. If calories or cholesterol are important to you,
choose the breast meat. Frank watches his cholesterol and
I've never seen him go for anything but breast meat. Is it
better to cook a chicken quickly at a high temperature-or
slowly at a low temperature?
Both work, but with high temperatures, you run a
greater risk of uneven cooking, with the wings and legs
becoming overcooked before the rest of the bird is done.
Usually we recommend a moderate temperature of 350 degrees
for whole birds and 375 degrees for parts. If you are in a
hurry and want to use a higher temperature, then shield the
wings and legs by wrapping them with aluminum foil if
they're starting to become too brown.
How much should I allow for shrinkage when cooking chicken?
For each 3-ounce serving of cooked poultry, buy an
extra ounce to allow for shrinkage and an extra two ounces
to allow for bone.
If I want to use different parts of the chicken from what
the recipe calls for, how do I go about making
substitutions?
This table should help:
Name of Part Approximate No. to Equal One
Whole Chicken Whole breasts 3
Half breasts 6
Whole leg (thigh and drumstick) 6
Thigh 12
Drumsticks 14
Wing 14
Drumette (upper part of wing) 24
When using cooked chicken, allow one pound of whole
uncooked chicken for each cup of cooked, edible chicken
meat.
How do you truss a chicken?
HERE HAVE ILLUSTRATION SHOWING HOW
What's the best way to carve a chicken?
HERE HAVE ILLUSTRATION SHOWING HOW
Some of your recipes call for roasters. I don't live in an
area where Perdue chicken is sold, and I haven't been able
to find roasters in the stores. What exactly is a roaster,
and can I substitute a broiler?
A Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster is a 12 week old bird
especially developed for a broad breast. Roasters are
bigger than broilers, and have a more favorable meat to
bone ratio than broilers. Because they are older birds,
they also have a much deeper, richer flavor. You can use
broilers in roaster recipes, but plan on the chicken's
being done sooner and having a noticeably milder flavor.
Frank, by the way, is the man responsible for
creating the roaster market. Back in the early 1970s, when
few people had ever heard of a roaster, he was the one who
worked to breed these broad-breasted birds, and who put the
effort into advertising so people would learn about the new
product. He surprised his colleagues by how determined he
was in his developing and marketing efforts. One of the men
who worked with Frank told me that he was amazed that
Frank, who will hang onto an old pair of shoes to save $50,
was willing to spend millions to let people know about the
product, and further, he did it without a qualm, because he
had such belief in it. If you haven't tried an Oven Stuffer
Roaster and you're visiting the East Coast, try one, and
you'll see why Frank believed in it so much.
Chapter One: CHICKEN FOR EVERYDAY
Napoleon's cook once bet that he could cook chicken a
different way every day of the year. The cook found that
this was an easy bet to win, and I can see why, having
looked at the recipes in Frank's files. Chicken's
versatility seems almost endless. Perdue Farms home
economists have been developing chicken recipes since the
early 1970s and as a result, Frank has more than 2000
chicken recipes. If only Napoleon had chosen to bet with
me, I could have won even if he'd said the bet was for six
years!
In this chapter, you'll find some of Frank's and my
favorites for every day cooking. But there are different
kinds of every day cooking, so I've divided the chapter
into three sections to take care of three different every
day situations.
The first section, Fast Food Chicken from Your
Refrigerator, is for when you're in a hurry and want dinner
on the table in the shortest possible time. None of these
recipes takes more than 15 minutes, and many are ready in
five. However, you will find special tricks to make the
food more interesting than just heat and serve.
The second section, Perdue Plus Five, is for when you
don't mind if dinner isn't ready for another hour or so,
but you want your part of the preparation to be as brief as
possible. The recipes in this section use only five
ingredients in addition to chicken, salt, and pepper, and
all of the recipes are simple to prepareathough they may
take awhile to cook.
The third section, Family Favorites, is for relaxed
times. When you don't mind spending some time putting
together something your family will really like, try this
section.
FAST FOOD CHICKEN FROM YOUR REFRIGERATOR
(PHOTO: The most valuable player on the TV Football-
party table might be Perdue Done It!)
Frank loves to tell people that they can pick up
delicious, fast-food chicken within easy walking
distanceatheir refrigerators. "When you're hungry and in a
hurry," he says, "you don't need to rush across town for
great chicken. You can just walk (slowly) to your
refrigerator and pick up my Perdue Done It! chicken."
Although fried foods are notoriously high in fat,
particularly fast food ones. Perdue Done It! is an
exception. Frank flash fries the Perdue Done It!
products. They are in oil for seconds only. Further, to
assure the chicken is as low in saturated fat as possible,
Perdue uses only polyunsaturated soybean oil.
In the recipes that follow, I've used generic nuggets,
cutlets, tenders, and other fully cooked products.
However, try for the Perdue Done It! if you live in the
Perdue marketing area, which is the East Coast and some of
the Mid Western states. The Perdue nuggets, cutlets and
tenders come from white meat fillets, while some of the
other brands are pressed and formed from dark meat chicken
and don't have the best texture or flavor.
TENDERS, AND NUGGETS
Chick on a Biscuit: Split hot baked biscuits. Fill each
with a breaded chicken nugget and a thin slice of ham; top
with mustard.
Chicken Mexicali: Top cutlets or tenders with prepared
salsa and avocado slices.
Chicken Parmesan: Top partially heated cutlets with
spaghetti sauce and sliced mozzarella cheese; broil briefly
to melt cheese.
Super Caesar Salad: Quarter heated nuggets and toss with
croutons, Romaine lettuce, and Caesar salad dressing.
Holiday Crepe: Heat breast tenders and place on a warm
crepe. Top with cranberry sauce and roll up; serve with
sour cream.
Japanese Meal-in-a-Bowl: Prepare Japanese-style noodle
soup (ramen) as directed. Add heated chicken breast
nuggets or tenders, sliced scallions and a dash of soy
sauce. (I often put this in a Thermos and bring it to
Frank at his office when he's working late.)
Nugget Sticks: On metal skewers, alternately thread 4 to 5
chicken breast nuggets with 2 inch pieces of bacon. Heat
in oven as directed on nugget package. Dip into prepared
chutney or sweet-sour sauce.
Stir-Fry Snack: Stir-fry wings in a little oil with red
bell pepper strips, scallions and sliced water chestnuts.
Season with soy sauce. Serve over rice.
Substantial Sub: Split a loaf of Italian bread lengthwise.
Pile on heated breaded chicken cutlets or tenders,
provolone cheese, sliced tomato, sweet onion, pimentos and
shredded lettuce. Douse with bottled salad dressing and
dig in.
Tenders Under Wraps: Brush Boston lettuce leaves with
prepared hoisin sauce or Chinese-style duck sauce. Place a
heated tender or 2 nuggets and a piece of scallion on top.
Roll up lettuce around tender, securing with a toothpick.
PRECOOKED HOT & SPICY WINGS
Chicken Antipasto: Arrange hot & spicy wings on platter
with slices of provolone cheese, sliced tomatoes, marinated
artichoke hearts and olives.
Out-of-Buffalo Wings: Warm hot & spicy wings and arrange
with celery sticks around a blue cheese dip. Combine 3/4
cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese and 1 minced
scallion in a small bowl.
Speedy Arroz Con Pollo: Prepare a box of Spanish rice mix
as package directs. During last 10 minutes of cooking
time, add 1 package hot & spicy wings, 1 package thawed
frozen peas and 1/2 cup sliced olives. ed chicken, toasted
almonds, and chopped scallions. Blend in mayonnaise
flavored with curry powder and spoon back into pineapple
shell to serve.
Cheesy Chick: Prepare packaged stuffing mix as directed,
adding 1 cup shredded Jarlsberg or Swiss cheese. Stuff
whole roasted chicken or Cornish hens with mixture; heat
until warmed through.
Chicken Frittata: Shred roasted chicken or cut breaded
chicken into cubes. Add to beaten eggs, along with
mushrooms, onions, and any leftover vegetables. Cook
mixture quickly, forming into an open-faced omelet or
frittata.
Chicken Normandy: Arrange cut-up roasted chicken or
Cornish hen meat in a shallow baking dish and scatter
thinly sliced apples around pieces. Cover and heat until
hot and apples are tender. Stir in a little light or heavy
cream and warm to serve.
Chicken Reuben: Thinly slice roasted chicken. Pile on
sliced rye that's been spread with Russian dressing. Top
with prepared sauerkraut, a slice of Swiss cheese, and
another slice of rye. Grill or pan fry sandwiches until
cheese melts.
Chicken Sesame: Brush roasted chicken or Cornish hens with
bottled salad dressing; sprinkle surface with sesame seeds
and heat as directed.
Fabulous Fajitas: Slice roasted chicken into strips.
Saute in oil, adding lime juice, garlic, and ground cumin
to taste. Roll up in warm flour tortillas and top with
chunks of avocado, chopped scallion, and cherry tomatoes.
Pasta Pizazz: Saute pieces of roasted or breaded chicken
with sliced zucchini, chopped onion, sliced mushrooms, and
garlic. Add a dash of heavy cream and toss with hot cooked
spaghetti or noodles.
Power Pita: Slice roasted chicken and stuff into a whole
wheat pita bread. Top with shredded carrots, alfalfa
sprouts, red pepper strips and a tablespoon of dressing
made of plain yogurt seasoned with lemon juice, curry
powder and salt and pepper to taste.
Stir Fried Chicken: Dice roasted chicken into a wok or
skillet and stir-fry with scallions, celery, mushrooms, and
peas. Add cooked rice and soy sauce to taste; toss well.
Super Spud: Halve a baked potato and top with shredded
roasted chicken mixed with a little mayonnaise. Pile on
shredded Swiss cheese, bacon bits, and chopped chives; bake
or microwave until cheese melts.
Taco Perdue: Cube roasted chicken and serve in taco
shells, topped with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes,
onion, shredded cheese, and taco sauce.
PHOTO: Harvest fruit adds seasonal flavor to chicken - 3
Golden Nugget Salad: Heat 1 package of chicken breast
nuggets. Combine with Romaine lettuce, halved cherry
tomatoes and diced avocado. Toss with your favorite
dressing.
NUGGETS OR TENDERS WITH DIP
Fully cooked breaded chicken breast nuggets (14-18 per
package)
or
Tenders (6-8 per package)
Following package directions, warm nuggets or tenders in a
conventional oven or, using package tray, heat in a
microwave oven. Serve with ketchup or your favorite
mustard. For myself, I've been trying some of the more
exotic mustards from the supermarket and sometimes I put
out several kinds in pretty little dishes that I'd
otherwise use for nuts. Instead of a wine or cheese
tasting, my guests end up trying different mustards.
PERDUE PLUS FIVE
When was the last time you baked a pie from scratch?
I'm asking you this question because I'm guessing that
you're like many other people who've told me that today
they'd never have time to bake a pie from scratch. They
might have once, but they don't have the time any more.
In the last few years I've asked this question to
dozens and dozens of audiences when giving talks. Almost
always, I get the same answer: that people who once had had
the time to do a lot of cooking now seldom do. The want to
eat well, they enjoy cooking, but they just can't find the
time.
If you were to ask me that question, I'd have to
answer that I haven't found time to bake a pie from scratch
in years either. Frank keeps me so busy that sometimes I
think that I'm married to a whirlwind. People joke that
he's the only man you'll ever meet who can enter a
revolving door in the compartment behind you and come out
ahead of you. They also joke that he doesn't get ulcers$but
he's a carrier.
Knowing quick recipes has become more important to me
than ever, and this section contains a selection of the
best. The heating and cooking time may take an hour or so,
but your part in the kitchen should be no more than fifteen
minutes. In this section, you'll find uncomplicated
recipes with few steps, and none of the recipes have more
than five ingredients in addition to chicken, salt, pepper
and water.
If like me, you also are looking for ways to prepare
meals that taste good, look good, give you more
satisfaction than microwaving a store bought frozen dinner,
but don't require a long time in the kitchen, this section
is for you.
BAKED ONION CHICKEN Serves 4
Recipes don't get much easier on the cook than this. Anne
Nesbit developed it for Perdue Farms. One of her jobs as a
Perdue home economist was to translate some of the world's
most successful recipes into ones that were both easy to
assemble and quick to prepare. "I'm an admirer of simple
recipes," says Anne. "My heart was in this work because I
believed in it. People want food that looks good and
tastes good, but they don't have time to put a lot of work
into getting there." I've never met Anne, except over the
phone, but from this comment, I know I would like her. The
recipe isn't fancy, and it may be old-fashioned, but it's a
treasure when you're in a hurry.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
dehydrated onion soup mix
Preheat oven to 350oF. Roll chicken in dry soup mix, using
about as much mix as you would salt. Place chicken in a
single layer, skin side up, on baking sheet. Bake,
uncovered for 55 to 65 minutes until cooked through.
BASIC FRIED CHICKENServes 4
This is fried chicken in its simplest form. It's good
enough so that the last time I made it, the grandchildren
were making off with pieces almost as fast as I could cook
them. Frank's daughter Anne Oliviero particularly
recommends basic fried chicken served cold the next day for
picnics. She and her family love to explore some of the
islands off the coast of Maine, where they live, and cold
fried chicken is just about always on the menu.
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper or to taste
1 chicken cut in serving pieces
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
In a large plastic bag combine flour with salt and pepper.
Shake chicken in bag with mixture. In a large, deep
skillet over medium heat, melt shortening. Cook chicken
uncovered, heat for 20 to 30 minutes on each side or until
cooked through.
OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN, SOUTHWESTERN STYLE
Any basic fried chicken recipe may be adapted for oven
frying. It is a useful technique when cooking larger
quantities of chicken and is less messy than stovetop
frying. (Especially if you have a self-cleaning oven.)
Simply follow the basic cooking instructions as given in
the Southwestern version below.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 teaspoon Tabasco, optional
Vegetable oil for frying
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup corn meal
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Place chicken in a large bowl. Sprinkle with Tabasco.
Pour buttermilk over all and allow to marinate for 10 to 15
minutes. Preheat oven to 425oF. Place 1/2 inch of oil in
the bottom of a heavy baking pan large enough to hold
chicken without crowding. Place pan in oven to heat for 10
minutes. In a plastic bag combine remaining ingredients.
Shake chicken in seasoned flour. Remove pieces one at a
time and quickly slip into hot oil. Place in oven and bake
for 20 minutes. Turn and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer
or until chicken is cooked through. Drain chicken on
crumpled paper towels.
BASIC ROAST CHICKENServes 4
Sometimes there is nothing else that will fill the bill
like roasted chicken. Here's the easiest way to do it.
You can brush the surface with melted butter, margarine or
oil, but it isn't really necessary.
1 whole chicken
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 package (7-1/2-ounces) stuffing mix, prepared as directed
on package
Sprinkle cavity of chicken with salt. Stuff with favorite
prepared stuffing. Or skip stuffing if you're really in a
hurry. Place chicken in baking pan (no rack needed).
ROASTING CHART
Approximate Additional Cooking
Cooking Time Amount of Time if Stuffed time
at 350F Stuffing if Stuffed
Broiler/Fryer 1-1/4 to 2 hours 1-1/2 to 2 cups 15
to 20 minutes
(2-1/2 to 4 pounds)
Oven Stuffer Roaster 2-1/4 to 2-3/4 hours 3 to 3-
1/2 cups 20 to 25 minutes
(5 to 7 pounds)
Cornish Game Hen 60 to 75 minutes 1/2 to 3/4 cup 15
to 20 minutes
(18-24-ounces)
BIRD OF PARADISEServes 4
The recipe calls for a chicken cut in serving pieces, but
naturally you can substitute any parts that you
particularly like, such as breasts or thighs. Three breasts
or 6 thighs with drumsticks attached would come out to
about the same amount as the 1 chicken called for in this
recipe.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sherry
Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a shallow bowl
combine egg and milk. Place cheese in a shallow baking
pan. Dip chicken in egg mixture; then roll in cheese. In
a large, deep skillet, over medium heat, melt butter. Add
chicken and brown for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Add
sherry. Cover and cook at medium-low heat for 35 to 45
minutes or until cooked through.
CORN CRISPED CHICKENServes 4
I grew up on this recipe. It's not new, but it's good and
the preparation time is minimal. If you don't have
cornflakes, you can substitute almost any breakfast flakes
as long as they don't have raisins in them. (The raisins
can scorch in the oven.) For variation, you can add 1
teaspoon dried italian seasonings or 1 teaspoon chili
powder or 3/4 teaspoon curry powder to the cornflake
crumbs.
1 cup cornflake crumbs
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup evaporated milk, undiluted
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
Preheat oven to 350oF. On a sheet of wax paper combine
cornflake crumbs, salt and pepper. Place evaporated milk
in a shallow bowl. Dip chicken in milk; then roll in
seasoned crumbs. Place chicken, skin side up, in a baking
pan. Bake, uncovered for 1 hour, or until cooked through.
CUTLET PAILLARDS WITH BASIL BUTTERServes 4
When I made this recipe, I happened to be in a hurry, and
didn't have time to get fresh basil so I used dried basil
instead. Frank liked it and had seconds. The name
"Paillard," by the way, comes from a European restaurant
famous at the end of the 19th Century.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced
boneless roaster breast
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
3 tablespoons minced fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt and ground pepper to taste
lemon slices, for garnish
Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to
1/2 inch thickness. If using thin sliced boneless Roaster
breast, omit placing in plastic wrap and pounding. Brush
cutlets lightly with oil, Grill over hot coals 3 to 4
minutes per side, rotating to form crosshatch marks
characteristic of paillards, or broil 3 to 4 minutes per
side or until cooked through. Place butter, basil, garlic
and lemon juice in a small pan and melt on the side of the
grill. Spoon butter over paillards and season with salt
and pepper. Garnish with lemon slices.
EASY OVEN CHICKENServes 4
This recipe has been one of my favorites since college
days. The true chicken flavor comes out with just a touch
of garlic.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 small clove garlic, minced
Preheat oven to 350oF. In a shallow baking pan arrange
chicken in a single layer, skin side up. Pour oil over
chicken. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic. Bake,
uncovered, for about 1 hour, or until cooked through.
HONEY LEMON CHICKENServes 4
This recipe was originally designed for broiling, but this
version requires less attention. 1 chicken, cut in serving
pieces
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Preheat oven to 350oF. In a shallow baking pan arrange
chicken in a single layer, skin side down. In a small bowl
combine honey, lemon juice and salt. Pour half of this
sauce over chicken. Bake, covered for 30 minutes. Remove
cover; turn chicken. Pour other half of sauce on chicken.
Replace cover. Bake another 25 to 30 minutes or until
cooked through, removing cover last 10 minutes for
browning.
HONEY-MUSTARD BAKED BREASTServes 4
Have you ever been concerned about whether the honey you
have in your cupboard is fresh or whether it should be
thrown out? Not to worry! Honey is itself a natural
preservative and samples of honey have been found in the
tombs of Ancient Egypt that were still edible. If it's
crystallized, it may look bad, but it's still a wholesome
food. Just heat it gently until it reliquifies.
1 whole boneless roaster breast
salt and ground pepper to taste
4 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
Preheat oven to 350oF. Season breast with salt and pepper.
Combine butter, honey, mustard and curry powder. Spoon
half of sauce into a shallow baking dish. Add breast and
turn to coat well. Bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour or
until cooked through. Turn and baste with remaining sauce
once during cooking time.
IT'S A DILLY CHICKEN
When I read this recipe in the files, I noticed several
hand-scrawled notes saying that it was really good, and
someone described it as "a dilly of a recipe." Yet from
reading the recipe, it didn't sound as special as the notes
indicated, especially since the ingredients include canned
mushrooms rather than fresh. I was curious enough that I
went to the kitchen and made the recipe, expecting that
this would be one of the recipes that I wouldn't include in
this book. But to my surprise, I discovered that yes, dill
seed and canned mushrooms, along with the juice from the
mushrooms, really do something terrific for chicken. It's
not rich or creamy, but there's an attractive, aromatic
flavor that permeates the chicken.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 can (4-ounces) whole small mushrooms (with liquid)
1/2 teaspoon dill seed
Preheat oven to 350oF. In a shallow baking pan arrange
chicken, skin side up, in a single layer. Add salt,
pepper, mushrooms (with liquid from can) and dill. Cover
with foil. Bake at for 1 hour or until cooked through.
KIWI GLAZED CORNISH HENSServes 2
Kiwifruit is only sweet and mild when it's fully ripe. A
kiwifruit grower told me that kiwifruits are ripe when
they're "soft as a baby's bottom." When they're underripe,
they taste like something between a lemon and a crabapple.
If your kiwifruit is hard when you bring it home, give it a
couple of days to ripen on your kitchen counter.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
salt and ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon sugar
1 ripe kiwifruit, peeled and mashed
Preheat oven to 350oF. Remove giblets. Season hens inside
and out with salt and pepper. Tie legs together, fold
wings back and arrange in baking pan. In a small saucepan
over medium-low heat, melt butter. Brush hens with 2
tablespoons butter, reserving remainder. Put hens in oven,
and while they are cooking, prepare kiwi glaze. Add sugar
to remaining butter in pan and heat over medium-low until
sugar dissolves. Add mashed kiwi and cook one minute.
Remove from heat. After 45 minutes of cooking time, brush
hens generously with kiwi glaze. Continue baking for 15 to
20 minutes or until juices run clear with no hint of pink
when thigh is pierced.
FAMILY FAVORITES
In contrast to the preceding recipes, these recipes have
more ingredients and require more preparation time, but if
you've got the time, they're worth it. If you want to
minimize time in the kitchen using these recipes, here are
some suggestions.
Tips for Saving Time in the Kitchen
_To halve baking time, select boneless chicken
breasts. Cooking time is only 15-20 minutes at 350oF. A
bone-in breast takes 35-45 minutes.
_Stir fry chicken can be done in as little as 4
minutes.
_Cook double batches and freeze the extras in serving
size packages. On days when time is short, pop a package
into the microwave for "fast food."
_Take advantage of your supermarket's time-saving
convenience items. If you're in a hurry, don't bother to
slice and chop your fresh ingredients. The salad bar has
probably done it for you. You can also find time savers
such as shredded cheese and frozen chopped onion. (The
supermarket industry has watched restaurants and fast food
stores take more and more of your food dollars away each
year. They're now doing everything they can think of to
reverse this trend and make supermarket shopping so
attractive, quick, convenient and economical that you'll
want to cook at home.)
_Learn to cook chicken in the microwave. A pound of
broiler parts that would take 40 minutes in a 350 degree
oven takes only 6-10 minutes in the microwave. See Chapter
Four, Chicken in the Microwave.
SOUPS
PHOTO: Pot of soup with fresh vegetables surrounding
outside - 2
Wherever there are people and chickens, there are
chicken soups. Virtually every immigrant group arriving in
America brought along favorite chicken soup recipes and
often the treasured family soup pot, too.
If you grew up on canned, frozen, and dried soups, you
may not realize how easy it is to make truly wonderful
soups at home. If so, try it for yourself, perhaps with
these American classics. All the soups are based on a key
ingredient: rich, homemade chicken stock, made from either
whole birds or from parts, in about three hours. Stock
takes little tending, just slow easy cooking to bring out
all the flavor and wholesome goodness. Why not try making
one of these soups now? And then, with the help of your
freezer, enjoy the results many times in the coming months.
Basic Guide to Chicken Soup
_Older, larger birds, such as the 5-7 pound roasters,
make the best soups. An older bird will have developed more
of the rich, intense chickeny flavor than the younger,
milder-flavored broilers or Cornish hens. I've made soup
from broilers and while it wasn't bad, it wasn't as good as
it could be.
_Use roaster parts if you want to save time. They
cook faster and are excellent when you need only a small
amount of broth. The richest flavor, by the way, comes
from the muscles that are exercised most, which happen to
be the dark meat muscles. All parts will make satisfactory
soup, but the legs, thighs and necks provide the fullest
flavor.
_For clear, golden broth, do not add liver. It turns
stock cloudy. And avoid a greenish cast by using only
parsley stems and the white parts of leeks or scallions.
_As the stock cooks down, foam will float to the top.
Skim it off, or strain it out through double cheesecloth
when the stock is complete. Tie herbs and greens in
cheesecloth as a "bouquet garni," so you won't
inadvertently remove them during the skimming.
_Always simmer stock over low to medium heat. It's not
a good idea to boil the stock for the same reason it's not
a good idea to boil coffee; too much of the flavor would
boil away into the air. _Leftover vegetables and those past
their prime are good pureed in cream soups. When
thickening such recipes with egg, prevent curdling by
stirring a cup of hot soup first into egg, then back into
soup. Also, be careful to keep the soup from boiling once
you've added the egg.
_Most soups develop better flavor if you'll store
them, covered, in the refrigerator for a day or two. To
seal in the flavor while you're storing the soup, don't
remove the fat that's on top. When you're ready to serve
the soup you can lift the congealed fat off as a sheet. To
remove the last particles of fat, place unscented paper
towel on the surface. Draw towel to one side and remove.
_When freezing stock, allow 1/2- to 1-inch head room
in containers so soup can expand. Freeze some in quart-
sized or larger containers for use in soups. Ladle the
rest into ice cube trays or muffin cups for adding to
vegetables, sauces, or gravies. Freeze and then transfer
frozen stock cubes to a plastic bag or freezer container
and keep frozen until ready to use.
_Soup may be stored in the refrigerator two or three
days or frozen for three to four months. When reheating,
make sure to bring the broth to a boil. Soups enriched
with eggs are, unfortunately, not good candidates for
reheating; they're apt to curdle.
BASIC CHICKEN STOCK
Makes about 8 cups
If you need to, you can make the following substitutions
for the roaster: 1 stewing hen or spent fowl (5-7 pounds);
2 fresh young chickens (2-4 pounds); or 6 pounds fresh
chicken parts, preferably dark meat portions. (As I
mentioned earlier, young chickens will not provide as rich
a flavor as the older birds but the taste will still be
good.) Cooking times for meat will vary from 3 hours for
stewing hens or spent fowl, to 1-1/2 hours for 2 smaller
birds to slightly less time for parts. In each case, time
from beginning of simmer and return bones to stock for an
additional 1/2 hour after you've removed the meat.
Chicken stock is delicious served as a simple broth
with herbs, shredded or julienne vegetables, slivers of
meat, or rice. It also is the base from which countless
other soups are made.
1 roaster (5-7 pounds)
chicken giblets, except liver
1 large bay leaf
2 whole cloves
1 teaspoon white peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
4 quarts water or enough to cover chicken generously
1 cup dry white wine, optional
2 medium onions, quartered
2 large carrots, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 leek, white part only, cleaned and sliced, optional
1 bunch fresh parsley, stems only
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Remove giblets from roaster and discard bird-watcher
thermometer, if it has one. Place roaster along with
giblets in a large stockpot (8 to 10 quarts) or other large
sauce pot. Wrap bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns, and thyme
in cheesecloth as bouquet garni; tie closed with string.
Add to stockpot along with remaining ingredients. Cover
pot and simmer over medium-low heat for 2-1/2 hours or
until meat is tender. Carefully skim stock from time to
time with a ladle or spoon to remove fat particles and
foam.
To check roaster for doneness, pull back a leg or cut into
meat close to bone; it is cooked when no pink color remains
in meat. Remove pieces with a slotted spoon. Cut away
meat from bones and return bones to stock; simmer 30
minutes longer. (See Chapter 10: Cooking with Leftovers
for uses for the cooked meat.)
Strain stock through a fine sieve. If you want, prepare in
advance to this point and refrigerate or freeze. Skim off
top fat before using.
To make a soup, bring as much stock as needed to a simmer.
Then follow the soup recipe, adding chicken, vegetables,
thickeners, seasonings, and garnishes.
CHICKEN-IN-EVERY-POT SOUPServes 4-6
For the best flavor, use fresh vegetables, varying them
according to the season. Speaking of fresh vegetables, do
you know how to tell a good carrot? Look at the "crown,"
(that's the stem end). If the crown is turning brown or
black or has regrowth visible where the stem was, you've
got a carrot that's been around awhile. If the crown and
shoulders are a bright orange, you've got a nice, fresh
carrot.
1 cup potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1 cup onions, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup carrots, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch sticks
1 cup celery, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch sticks
1 cup fresh or frozen green beans, in 2-inch pieces
2 cups cooked chicken, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch julienne
strips
1 cup zucchini, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch sticks
Place potatoes in a saucepan with enough salted water to
cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook
potatoes 5 minutes; drain, rinse under cold water and set
aside. In large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring
broth and sherry to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.
Add onions, carrots, and celery and simmer 5 minutes. Stir
in green beans and chicken and heat soup to boiling. Add
zucchini and potatoes and simmer 1 minute longer or until
vegetables are as tender as you like them.
Variation: Chicken Minestrone
Add 1 cup chopped stewed tomatoes in their juice and 2 cups
cooked, drained fusilli or other pasta and 1/2-cup cooked
kidney beans when adding zucchini and potatoes. Stir in
1/2-cup grated Parmesan cheese just before serving. Other
fresh vegetables may be added according to their cooking
times. Minestrone happens to be one of Frank's favorites,
although he skips the cheese because of its cholesterol.
NEW ENGLAND CHICKEN 'N' CORN CHOWDERServes 4-6
Chowders are thick soups which take their name from the
large French pot used in soup-making called a "chaudiere."
You can use fresh corn in this recipe, but I deliberately
suggested frozen corn first because frozen corn can
actually taste sweeter and fresher than the fresh corn you
buy at the supermarket. Corn loses 50% of its sweetness in
just 24 hours at room temperature, and it can take days for
corn to get from the fields to the supermarket to your
house. In contrast, frozen corn is rushed from the fields
to the freezer in just a few hours, and once frozen, it
stops losing its sweetness. Strange as it may seem, with
corn, frozen can taste fresher than fresh.
1/4 pound bacon or salt pork, diced
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups peeled potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn or kernels from 2 ears of
corn
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 cup (1/2-pint) heavy cream
Oyster crackers, for garnish
In large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute bacon for 3
minutes until its fat has been rendered. Add onions and
celery and cook 3 minutes longer. Stir in broth and bring
to a boil, whisking constantly. Add potatoes and corn,
season with salt and pepper and cook 5 to 10 minutes or
until tender. Stir in chicken and cream, simmer 3 minutes
and serve with oyster crackers.
Variation: Shellfish Chowder
Add 1 cup chopped green pepper and 1 cup cooked crab or
shrimp to soup when adding chicken.
HEARTY LANCASTER CHICKEN, VEGETABLE AND DUMPLING SOUP
Serves 4
This is a famous Pennsylvania summer soup made with extra
vegetables for hearty winter eating. You can substitute
noodles for the dumplings, or add crackers, pretzels $ and
some people have told me that even popcorn works. I'm
skeptical about the popcorn, but if you're feeling
adventurous, give it a try.
6 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup parboiled potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup parboiled carrots, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup shredded green cabbage
1 cup thinly-sliced leek, white and tender green parts
only, or 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 package (10-ounces) frozen corn kernels from 2 ears of
corn
Knepp
In large saucepan over high heat, bring broth to a boil.
Add other ingredients and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 3
minutes while making dumplings.
Knepp (Little Dumplings)
1 egg
3/4 cup flour
1/3 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon minced, fresh parsley, optional garnish
In small bowl, beat egg; stir in flour, water, salt, baking
powder, and nutmeg. Drop batter by half teaspoons into the
simmering soup. When dumplings rise to top, stir in
parsley and serve.
Variation: Chicken Spinach Straciatella
Omit dumplings. Clean and stem 1/2 pound fresh spinach;
stack and cut into 1/2-inch strips. Whisk together 2 eggs
with 1/2-cup grated Parmesan cheese. Stir in spinach with
chicken, then heat soup just to boiling. Immediately pour
in the egg mixture in a thin stream, while stirring. The
goal is to end up with thread-like strands of cooked egg.
Cook until soup simmers again; stir gently just before
serving.
STEW FROM BAVARIAServes 4
If you like mild sauerkraut, instead of just draining it,
as the recipe suggests, rinse it in a colander or strainer.
1 roaster boneless breast, cut into bite-size pieces
salt and ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 pound sauerkraut, drained
1 can (16 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 large apple, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Season breast pieces with salt and pepper. In a flame
proof casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat, melt
butter. Add chicken and onions. Saute until lightly
browned, about 5 minutes. In a bowl combine sauerkraut,
cranberry sauce and apples. Spoon over chicken and onions
and toss gently. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat for
20 minutes. Sprinkle with walnuts just before serving.
MAIN DISH RECIPES
RECIPES WITH CHICKEN BREASTS
Unlike women, chickens have only one breast. A single
serving would usually be a breast half.
The recipes that follow will refer to "breasts" and
"breast halves." A cutlet is a breast half (or thigh) that
is both skinless and boneless and sometimes has been
pounded to flatten. A scaloppine is a cutlet sliced almost
in half lengthwise and then opened, like the wings of a
butterfly or a thin slice from a large roaster breast. To
save time, look for chicken scaloppine which have already
been made for you: the Perdue thin-sliced Oven Stuffer
Roaster Breasts are ready-made scaloppine.
The recipes will also specify whether to use a chicken
breast or a roaster breast. You can interchange them, but
the results will be different. A roaster has a more
intense flavor and is juicier. It's also bigger, and
requires longer cooking.
BAKED BREASTS WITH CHEESEServes 4
When the Perdue Oven Stuffer Roasters and Roaster Parts
first came out, Frank used to have recipe cards put in each
one because it was a new product and most people didn't
know how they should be cooked. The practice was
discontinued once Roasters became well-known. The woman in
charge of distributing recipes told me that sometimes the
recipes on the cards became family favorites, and when a
person lost one of the family favorite cards, he or she
would actually take the trouble to write to Frank for a
replacement. I asked how often this happens and learned
that over the years, Frank has received thousands of
letters requesting replacement cards. This is one of the
recipes that people have asked for over and over again.
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1 roaster boneless breast
salt and ground pepper to taste
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 and 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons dry white wine
3/4 cup grated Swiss cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 375oF. Lightly butter a shallow baking
dish. Place chicken in baking dish and sprinkle with salt,
pepper, scallions, parsley, and thyme. In a measuring cup
combine broth and wine and pour over chicken. Cover and
bake 20 minutes. In a small bowl combine cheeses and bread
crumbs. Remove chicken from oven and sprinkle with cheese
mixture. Dot with remaining butter and place under broiler
until cheese is melted and golden.
BERLINER SCHNITZEL BREASTServes 4
You'll notice that the "hard-cooked" egg in this recipe
isn't called "hard-boiled." The reason is that the egg
producers tell me that it's better never to boil an egg,
but rather to cook it until it's hard in water that's just
below boiling. If you cook your eggs in boiling water,
they'll end up with an unattractive greenish color where
the yolk meets the white. At lower temperatures, the yolk
will be more tender and won't discolor.
1 roaster boneless breast or a package of thin sliced
boneless roaster breast.
2 eggs
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
Ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup flour
1 cup dry breadcrumbs
vegetable oil
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons capers, drained
1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Separate fillets from breast halves and then cut breast
halves in half, lengthwise. Place breast pieces between
sheets of plastic wrap. Pound chicken to a 1/4-inch
thickness to form scaloppine. If using thin sliced breast
skip this step. In a shallow bowl beat eggs with salt and
pepper. Place flour and bread crumbs on sheets of wax
paper. Dredge chicken in flour then dip in egg and coat
with breadcrumbs. Heat 1/4-inch oil in a large skillet
over medium-high heat. Add chicken and saute for 3 to 4
minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove to
serving platter. Pour oil from skillet and wipe clean.
Add butter to skillet and melt over medium heat. Add
lemon juice and capers carefully to avoid spatters; pour
over schnitzels. In a small bowl toss together hard-
cooked egg and parsley and sprinkle over top. Serve with
buttered noodles.
BONELESS BREAST PARMESANServes 4
To get the best flavor from the tomatoes, make sure your
supermarket doesn't store them on the chilling shelf and
don't refrigerate them when you bring them home. Store
them at room temperature and use them soon after you buy
them.
1 roaster boneless breast or thin sliced boneless roaster
breast
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
Ground pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup flour
1 pound fresh ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 small clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil or 2 teaspoons dried
Separate fillets from breast halves and then cut breast
halves in half, lengthwise. Place breast pieces between
sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/4" thickness to form
scaloppine. If using thin sliced breast, skip the previous
step. In a shallow bowl beat eggs with 3/4 teaspoon salt
and pepper. Place flour on a sheet of wax paper. On
another sheet of wax paper combine bread crumbs and
Parmesan cheese. Dredge cutlets in flour, dip in egg and
roll in bread crumb mixture. Refrigerate while making
sauce. In a small serving bowl combine tomatoes, garlic,
1/4 cup olive oil, basil and salt and pepper. In a large
skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining oil. Add
chicken and saute for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until
cooked through. Transfer to a warmed serving dish. Pass
sauce separately.
BREAST COQ AU VIN Serves 4
The famous food writer, Malcolm R. Herbert, tells a story
that I've always loved about coq au vin (chicken in wine).
According to Herbert, a lady lavished praise on Alexander
Dumaine, one of France's outstanding chefs, for his version
of chicken in wine.
"Madam, I'm not satisfied," Dumaine replied.
"But you have been making coq au vin for 30 years,"
the woman protested. "How can you not be satisfied?"
"That, madam, was practice."
According to Herbert, Dumaine's version of coq au vin
uses red wine, white wine, and brandy, and it takes a good
twenty-four hours to prepare. This version is a lot
simpler, but still very good. The day I made it, I couldn't
find pearl onions or small onions in my local supermarket,
so I used a large white onion, chopped. The pearl onions
would have been prettier, but the taste was fine.
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 roaster breast
1 cup dry red wine
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 sprig each of fresh thyme and rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon
each, dried
1 clove garlic, minced
16 pearl onions, if available, otherwise 8 small white
onions, peeled and quartered, or 1 large onion, chopped.
1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tablespoon fresh minced parsley
In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add
breast and brown on all sides, 12 to 15 minutes. Add wine,
seasonings, garlic and onions. Cover and simmer 60
minutes. Add mushrooms and simmer 10 to 15 minutes longer
or until breast is cooked through. Drain juices into a
small saucepan; blend cornstarch and water; stir into pan
juices and cook, over medium heat, stirring constantly, one
minute or until sauce thickens and clears. Carve breast
and serve with wine sauce. Garnish with crumbled bacon and
parsley.
BREAST WITH APPLE-PECAN STUFFINGServes 4
Make sure that the pecans you use are fresh. In the shell,
they'll last in a cool dry place for six months. Shelled
pecans should be kept in the refrigerator, in an air tight
container. If you plan to keep them for longer than half a
year, freeze them.
1 roaster breast
salt and ground pepper to taste
2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1/4 cup hot chicken broth or water
2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 375oF. Season breast inside and out with
salt and pepper. In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, 4
tablespoons butter, broth, apples and pecans. Stuff breast
cavity and cover with aluminum foil. Carefully place
breast, skin side up in roasting pan. Rub remaining butter
over breast and bake about one hour and 15 minutes until
juices run clear with no hint of pink when pierced. Remove
stuffing and carve half of breast.
BUTTERMILK PECAN CHICKENServes 4
The pecan halves are more appetizing-looking when you put
them on top of the chicken during the last ten minutes of
baking; the nuts get a delicious-looking brown. I come back
to this recipe when I want something that's never fail.
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup pecan halves, divided
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup ground pecans
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons sesame seed
4 chicken breast halves
1/4 cup oil
In a mixing bowl beat egg with buttermilk. Chop 1/2 cup of
pecans coarsely, reserving remaining halves for garnish.
On a sheet of wax paper mix together chopped pecans, flour,
paprika, salt, pepper and sesame seed. Dip chicken pieces
in buttermilk mixture; then pecan mixture. Pour oil in
shallow baking pan. Place chicken breasts, skin side down,
in pan and turn to coat with oil; finishing with skin side
up. Bake, uncovered, at 350oF 45 to 50 minutes, or until
cooked through. During last 10 minutes of baking, place
reserved pecan halves on top of chicken.
CHICKEN AVOCADO MELT Serves 4
For years I made it a kind of hobby to ask cookbook authors
and recipe contest winners how they came up with their
recipes. Since I don't invent recipes myself, the people
who create the real winners seem to me as mysterious and
impressive as someone who composes a hit song or writes a
best selling novel.
My favorite example of this is Marge Fortier, who won the
$10,000 Grand Prize at the National Chicken Cooking
Contest. She didn't do any tinkering, tasting, and
adjusting the way most of us would. No, the complete idea
for her recipe for Chicken Avocado Melt came to her
seemingly out of nowhere. "I was vacuuming the living
room," she told me, "when all of a sudden, I don't know
how, the complete idea for the finished recipe just came to
me. She grabbed a pencil and jotted down the entire recipe
on the notepad that she always keeps handy$and won $10,000.
Her recipe calls for chicken breast halves, but you can
simplify things a little if you use
thin sliced boneless roaster breast pieces instead.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced
boneless roaster breast
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup cornmeal
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 ripe avocado, peeled, sliced
1-1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup sour cream, divided
1/4 cup sliced scallion greens
1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper
cherry tomatoes
parsley sprigs
Preheat oven to 350oF. Pound the chicken to 1/4"
thickness. If using thin sliced breast, skip the previous
step. In a shallow bowl, mix the cornstarch, cumin, garlic,
and salt. In another bowl mix egg and water. Place
cornmeal in a third small bowl. Coat chicken first with
the cornstarch mixture, then with the egg, and finally with
the cornmeal. (Marge Fortier says, "I always use
cornstarch because it comes out thinner than flour".)
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add
chicken and saute for two minutes on each side "to firm up
the crust", then remove pieces to a shallow baking pan.
Before putting cutlets in oven, top them with avocado
slices and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 15 minutes or
until cooked through. Top each chicken breast with sour
cream and a sprinkling of scallions
and red pepper. Garnish with cherry tomato halves and
parsley. Serves four.
CHICKEN IN MUSTARD SAUCEServes 4
Home economist Michelle Scicolone developed this recipe for
Perdue, and she has an ultimate compliment for it: "It's
what I make all the time when I'm cooking at home." You
get crunchiness and crispness but it's not fried.
According to Michelle, it comes out just fine with any
mustard that you have on hand or any chicken parts you have
around.
1 roaster boneless breast or thin sliced boneless breast
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced (2 cups)
2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley
l tablespoon minced shallot or scallion
l/8 teaspoon ground pepper
l/2 cup chicken broth
l/4 cup dry white wine
l tablespoon Dijon mustard
Slice breast thinly if using whole breast. In large
skillet, over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil.
Add breast slices a few at a time, placing them so that
pieces do not touch. Saute about 2 minutes per side, until
chicken is lightly browned on both sides and cooked
through. Remove from skillet; keep warm. Heat remaining
oil. Add mushrooms, parsley, shallot and pepper. Stirring
frequently, cook 2 minutes. Stir in broth and wine; bring
to a boil and cook until liquid is reduced by half (about
1/3 cup). Reduce heat to low; stir in mustard until well
blended. Spoon over chicken.
HOT PINEAPPLE BREAST Serves 4-6
My teenage son Carlos says he likes this better cold the
next day with a small handful of slivered almonds tossed
over it. Myself, I like it hot, served over rice.
If you have leftover chicken broth (as you probably will if
you're using canned chicken broth), use it as part of the
liquid you use to cook the rice. Also, if you like peppers
to stay a bright green and don't mind if there's still some
crunch to them, add them at the same time that you add the
cornstarch rather than earlier in the recipe. They look
pretty that way and pick up the bright red of the pimentos.
1 roaster boneless breast cut into 1/4" by 2" strips
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 green pepper, cut into strips
1 cup celery, sliced diagonally
1 20-ounce can pineapple chunks, with liquid
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 4-ounce can pimento, drained and cut into strips
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
In a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, melt
butter. Add chicken and saute for 5 minutes. Add green
pepper and celery and cook 3 minutes, stirring. Drain
pineapple, reserving liquid. Add drained pineapple, 1/2
cup of pineapple juice, broth, onion and tarragon. Bring
mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5
minutes. Blend cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water to make
a smooth paste. (If you like the sauce quite thick, use an
extra teaspoon of cornstarch.) Add to skillet and continue
to cook, stirring, until thickened. Add pimento and serve
immediately.
LAYERED CHICKEN (Hawaiian) Serves 6-8
If you have a sweet tooth, this recipe could end up one of
your favorites. Frank likes it a lot. Besides tasting
delicious, it's also quite versatile. Once when I was
making it, I happened to have leftovers of both chicken and
rice, so I substituted them for the first two ingredients
in this recipe. I also omitted the water and pineapple
juice. If you make this substitution in the recipe, you
won't need to bake it, but instead only keep it in the oven
long enough to heat it through. It's not quite as delicious
as the original, but it's still very good. By the way, the
layered arrangement of this dish is typically Hawaiian;
don't stir or mix the ingredients.
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking rice, uncooked
1 can (3-1/2-ounces) shredded coconut
1 can (20 ounces) pineapple chunks, drained...reserve juice
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons orange marmalade
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
Preheat oven to 350oF. Cut chicken into 1-inch cubes.
Place half of chicken in bottom of large shallow baking
dish. Arrange rice in layer on top of chicken, then
remaining chicken in layer. Add layer of coconut; then
layer of pineapple chunks. Dot marmalade in spaces between
chunks of pineapple. Mix water, lemon juice and pineapple
juice; pour over layers. Pour melted butter or margarine
and soy sauce over all. Sprinkle ginger on top. Bake,
covered, for 40 minutes or until chicken and rice are done.
Remove cover during last 5 minutes of baking for browning.
LEMON-PARSLEY BREASTServes 4
I have a friend who grows garlic in California who is a
member of the Society of the Lovers of the Stinking Rose.
He says, "The most common misconception about garlic is
that garlic breath is bad breath." He and his fellow
Lovers of the Stinking Rose believe that on the contrary,
it's mouthwash breath that is unpleasant. Their slogan is,
"Get rid of mouthwash breath; eat garlic!" This recipe
probably won't give you either mouthwash breath or garlic
breath, since cooked garlic is quite mild in its effects.
1 roaster boneless breast
salt and ground pepper to taste
4 tablespoons melted butter or margarine, divided
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley
2 tablespoons minced shallots or scallions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 375oF. Season breast with salt and pepper.
Pour 3 tablespoons melted butter into a baking dish. Add
chicken to dish and turn to coat with butter. In a small
bowl combine bread crumbs, parsley, shallots and garlic and
spoon over chicken. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon
butter. Top with lemon slices. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or
until chicken is cooked through.
MARYLAND BREAST OF CHICKENServes 4
This recipe calls for scallions. If you have trouble
finding scallions, ask for green onions; they're the same
thing.
3/4 cup butter or margarine, divided
1/4 pound fresh crab meat (or frozen, thawed)
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs
salt and ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 roaster breast
1 tablespoon vinegar
Preheat oven to 375oF. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and
toss in a mixing bowl with crab meat, scallions,
horseradish, tomato paste, lemon juice, breadcrumbs and
salt and pepper. With your forefinger carefully loosen
skin from the neck end of the chicken breast to form a
pocket, taking care not to detach sides or bottom. Stuff
crab mixture between breast and skin. Rub breast with 1
tablespoon butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper and place
in roasting pan. Bake approximately one hour, until skin
is brown and meat is tender. Remove to serving platter and
keep warm. Skim off any fat from drippings; add wine and
vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce pan juices to about
1/4 cup and remove from heat. Whisk in remaining butter,
strain into a sauceboat and serve separately.
QUICK SWEET AND SOUR BREASTServes 4
In most cases, I prefer fresh produce to canned. Tomatoes
are, at times, an exception. If you're buying out-of-season
tomatoes, and if you don't know the source, there's a good
chance that they were picked green and artificially
ripened. One tomato grower told me she'd rather eat cotton
than an out-of-season tomato because the taste was so
disappointing. There is some good news on the subject,
though. Tomatoes retain their flavor during canning
exceptionally well, and canned tomatoes are picked vine
ripe. If you want the next best thing to a vine-ripened
tomato, and it's winter, try canned tomatoes, as suggested
in this recipe.
1 roaster boneless breast
salt and ground pepper to taste
flour
5 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 cup canned chopped tomatoes (with liquid)
1 can (8-1/4-ounces) cubed pineapple (plus 2 tablespoons
pineapple juice from can)
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
Cut roaster breast into 1-inch pieces. Season with salt and
pepper; coat with flour and set aside. In saucepan, over
medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter and cook onions,
garlic and green pepper for 5 minutes stirring often. Add
tomatoes, pineapple and juice, ketchup and vinegar. Stir
and simmer over low heat. Meanwhile, in a large skillet,
over medium-high heat, melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter.
Saute chicken, half at a time, until golden and cooked
through, about 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Drain and place
on serving dish. To sauce in pan, add dissolved
cornstarch; cook, stirring, over high heat until sauce
thickens. Pour over chicken pieces.
STUFFED BREAST PARMENTIERServes 4
Parmentier, a French food writer from 200 years ago,
popularized the use of potatoes. Before him, people worried
that potatoes might be poisonous. Today, when the name
"Parmentier" occurs in a recipe, it's a signal that there
will be potatoes in it.
1 roaster breast
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 pound boiling potatoes, unpeeled
1/4 pound bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
Preheat oven to 375oF. Season breast inside and out with
salt and pepper to taste. Boil potatoes in salted water to
cover until just tender, 30 to 45 minutes. Drain, cool
slightly, peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Toss with
bacon, onion, celery, bread crumbs, sour cream and salt and
pepper to taste. Stuff breast and neck cavities with
potato mixture, wrapping exposed stuffing with foil. Place
chicken breast-side-up in roasting pan. Rub skin with
butter. Bake approximately 1-1/2 hours, until tender.
Transfer to serving dish; remove foil and serve.
RECIPES WITH CORNISH HENS
Have you ever wondered just what a "Cornish game hen"
is?
It's a very young bird, usually about 5 weeks old, as
opposed to a broiler, which is 7 weeks, or a roaster, which
is 12 weeks. Typically, they're tenderer and slightly
lower in fat than older birds.
All Cornish game hens are very young chickens, but the
Perdue Cornish game hens have something else special about
them. Frank directed the Perdue geneticists to breed the
broadest breasted Cornish hens in the industry. Like the
Perdue Roasters, the Perdue Cornish have exceptionally
broad breasts. The ratio of meat to bone is therefore
particularly favorable.
BUFFALO-STYLE CORNISH PIECESServes 2
You can re-use the frying oil called for in this recipe, or
any deep frying recipe, for that matter. As long as you
never heat the oil to the smoking point and as long as you
strain it through cheese cloth to remove any particles of
food, you can use it over and over again. The oil is still
good as long as it retains it's golden color. When it has
turned a dark brown, it's time to replace it. If you don't
have cheese cloth handy for straining, laundered nylon
stockings make a good substitute.
Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 fresh Cornish game hens
salt and ground pepper to taste
oil for deep frying
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons Tabasco
In a small serving bowl prepare dressing by blending
mayonnaise and sour cream. Stir in blue cheese, parsley,
lemon juice, scallion and garlic. Chill. Quarter hens and
remove backbones. Pat pieces dry with paper towels and
season with salt and pepper. Heat oil to 375oF or until a
small cube of bread sizzles when placed in oil. Deep-fry
hens 10 minutes, turning once. Drain well. In a small
bowl blend melted butter and hot sauce; brush on chicken
pieces. Serve warm with Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing.
CORNISH SAUTE WITH SUMMER SQUASHServes 2
To keep the olive oil called for in this recipe in its best
condition, store it in an airtight container in a cool
cupboard away from the light. It's not necessary to
refrigerate it, and besides cold temperatures will make it
cloudy and difficult to pour.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
salt and ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium zucchini, sliced
1 medium yellow squash, sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Halve hens and remove backbones. Season with salt and
pepper. In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat
oil. Add hen halves and brown on all sides, 10 to 12
minutes. Add onion and garlic; saute 3 to 4 minutes. Add
squash, broth, parsley and lemon juice. Cover, reduce heat
to medium-low, and cook 15 to 20 minutes or until hens are
cooked through.
GRECIAN HEN SAUTEServes 2
Do you know the easiest way to peel the fresh tomatoes
called for in this recipe? Place the tomatoes in boiling
water for about 20-40 seconds and you'll find that the skin
slips off quite easily. The riper the tomato, the quicker
the skin loosens in boiling water.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 and 1/2 teaspoon minced, fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon
dried
salt and ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup white wine
2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and quartered
1/4 pound feta cheese, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 tablespoons ripe olives, sliced
Cut hens into quarters and remove backbones. In a large
skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and
brown 5 to 6 minutes per side. Add garlic, bay leaf,
oregano, salt, pepper and wine. Cover and simmer over
medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook 10
minutes. Stir in cheese and olives. Cook 5 minutes longer
or until hens are cooked through. Remove bay leaf before
serving.
HENS NORMANDY WITH APPLESServes 2
If you're not using the apples in this recipe the day you
buy them, store them in the refrigerator. Apples age five
times faster at room temperature than they do in the
refrigerator so they'll keep fresher longer if you store
them in the refrigerator instead of in a fruit bowl.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon minced, fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2/3 cup apple juice
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled
1/3 cup chicken broth or white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper. Put 1/2
of sage in each cavity. Tie legs together and fold wings
back. Place hens in a flame proof baking pan just large
enough to hold them comfortably. Brush with melted
butter. Add apple juice to baking pan. Bake at 350oF 30
minutes, basting several times. Core and quarter apples;
add to pan and baste. Bake 30 minutes, until hens and
apples are tender, basting several times. Remove hens and
apples to serving platter; keep warm. On top of stove,
bring pan drippings to a boil; add broth or wine and cook
until reduced by half. Stir in cream; cook 2 to 3 minutes
until slightly thickened. Pour sauce over hens and apples.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
WINE-COUNTRY CORNISHServes 4
When you buy (or pick) the tomatoes called for in this
recipe, store them at room temperature rather than in the
refrigerator. The tomato farmers say that refrigerator
temperatures destroy a tomato's flavor and texture. Try to
use tomatoes soon after you buy them while they're still at
their best.
4 fresh Cornish game hens
salt and ground pepper to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 1/2 teaspoons minced, fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper. Fold
wings back and tie legs together. In a Dutch oven large
enough to hold all 4 Cornish, over medium-high heat, heat
oil. Brown hens on breast side. If you don't have a pan
big enough to do four at a time, brown one or two at a
time. Remove hens and reserve. Add onion and garlic and
saute for 5 minutes. Stir in flour. Add remaining
ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Stir. Return hens to Dutch oven breast side up, and bring
liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and
simmer for 45 minutes. Cornish are done when juices run
clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced.
RECIPES WITH CHICKEN PIECES
In the early 1970s, 75% of the chicken sold was whole
chicken. Today it's less than 25%. If you want to
substitute all legs or all breasts or some other
combination, look at the table in the Introduction, page s
12-13 for a chart showing equivalent amounts of the
different parts.
BATTER FRIED CHICKENServes 4
I bet you can make this in less time than it takes to drive
to the local fast food place and wait in line for service
and drive back again. It should cost a lot less too.
Remember, you can re-use the frying oil many times. Just
don't let it get so hot that it smokes and be sure to
strain it after you've finished with the frying.
1-1/3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 chicken cut in serving pieces
Oil for deep frying
In a mixing bowl combine dry ingredients; add milk and egg
gradually to make batter. Dip chicken in batter. In a
deep fryer heat oil to 350oF. Add chicken and fry for 15
to 25 minutes until cooked through.
BEER AND PRETZELS CHICKEN Serves 4
This dish is at its best when the bacon and pretzels are
finely chopped. Use your blender or food processor to make
the job easy.
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 cup beer
1 egg
1/2 cup finely crushed pretzels
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 slices bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled
3 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley
1 chicken cut in serving pieces
In a mixing bowl combine flour, paprika, salt, ginger and
pepper. Add beer and egg; beat with a hand beater to make
smooth batter. Mix crushed pretzels, Parmesan cheese,
bacon and parsley in a large plastic bag. Dip chicken
pieces one a time in batter; then place in bag with pretzel
mix and shake to coat. Place coated chicken pieces in
shallow baking pan, skin side up. Bake, covered, at 350oF
for 30 minutes. Remove cover. Continue baking, uncovered,
about 30 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through.
CAPITAL CHICKEN Serves 4
This is rather highly seasoned dish. Your family might
prefer it with a little less ginger--but then again, maybe
they'll love it this strong.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup rose wine
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup water
Preheat oven to 350oF. Place chicken in single layer, skin
side up, in shallow baking pan. In a mixing bowl combine
remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake,
uncovered for about 1 hour or until cooked through, basting
occasionally.
CHICKEN ORANGE-ANO Serves 4
When you're making this recipe, what if you find that your
brown sugar has hardened into a brick and you can't measure
it anymore? I used to take a hammer and wallop it and then
use the pieces. But then a sugar cane producer told me that
a short term emergency solution is to heat the sugar at 250
degrees in the oven until it softened. The advantage of
this is that it works. The disadvantage is that whatever's
left is twice as hard once it cools. You can re-heat it
again, but it gets more brick-like with each heating.
1/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 can (6-ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate
1 can (6-ounces) water
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
In a large plastic bag, combine flour salt and pepper. Add
chicken pieces and shake to coat. In a large skillet over
medium heat, melt butter. Add chicken pieces and brown for
12 to 15 minutes per side. Remove chicken and reserve.
Pour off and discard butter from skillet. Add remaining
ingredients and stir to combine. Return chicken to
skillet. Cover and cook over low heat for about 1/2 hour,
turning chicken several times until cooked through.
FRUIT AND NUT CHICKENServes 4
Inflation hits all of us, but in this recipe, you'll find
one ingredient has come down in price over the years. In
fact, it's come down spectacularly. In Roman times,
raisins weren't just expensive, they were money. You could
buy a young slave for 2 amphora (jars) of raisins.
2 tablespoons oil
1 chicken cut in serving pieces
1-1/2 cups orange juice
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add chicken
and brown for 12 to 15 minutes per side. Pour orange juice
over chicken. Sprinkle salt, cinnamon, pepper, raisins and
almonds on top. Cover and simmer for approximately 30
minutes or until cooked through.
OVEN BARBECUED CHICKENServes 4
This isn't new or unique, but it's good. Of course, you can
always use your favorite prepared barbecue sauce if you
prefer.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons oil
Preheat oven to 350oF. Place chicken in single layer, skin
side up, in shallow baking pan. In a mixing bowl combine
remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake,
uncovered, for about 1 hour, or until cooked through.
PHOTO: Drumsticks in bowl of rice - bread & glass of wine
- 3
RECIPES WITH GROUND CHICKEN
Ground Chicken is a perfect substitute for ground beef in
dishes such as spaghetti, chili, meatloaf, lasagna or even
plain burgers. And ground chicken has fewer calories and
less fat than ground beef. It will vary according to the
individual manufacturer's formulations, but ground chicken
usually averages 60% less fat than the U.S. Department of
Agriculture standard permits for regular ground beef.
(Regular ground beef is about 30% fat.)
I was surprised to learn that there's actually a
double standard for the beef industry and the poultry
industry when it comes to describing fat content. Beef can
be classified as "lean" at 22.5% fat, while chicken is only
"lean" if it contains 10% or less fat.
I was also surprised to learn how complicated it is to
make ground chicken. If I weren't connected with the
industry, I would have thought that to get ground chicken,
you just put it in a grinder the way you do to get
hamburger, and that would be it. Ah, but it's not so! The
fibers of chicken meat are shorter and more delicate than
beef. To get the right texture took a full year of
experimentation and fine tuning at Perdue. The skilled and
knowledgeable food scientists working on the project had to
discover which parts of the bird tasted best in hamburger,
what size holes the meat should be forced through in the
grinding machine, what temperature would be best, and so
on. A difference of a mere 2 degrees in the meat's
temperature meant the difference between a desirable
texture and one that was merely passable.
I remember when the food scientists were first
developing the ground chicken, that hundreds of people,
including me, were involved in the taste testings. I also
remember the first time Frank and I tried ground chicken
outside of the laboratory. It happened at a barbecue at
his son's house. Jim and Jan Perdue had chicken hamburgers
and beef hamburgers grilling side by side, and Frank beamed
like a kid with a new toy when he saw how the chicken
burgers stayed plump and didn't shrink. Meanwhile the
hamburgers, being 20% fat, were dwindling into hockey
pucks.
Basic Cooking Guide for Burgers:
Saute: Shape one package fresh ground chicken into
patties. Saute in a small amount of oil over high heat, 1
to 2 minutes on each side to brown. Reduce heat to medium
and continue to cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side until
thoroughly cooked and springs back to the touch.
Broil: Shape one package fresh ground chicken into
patties. Broil on a rack 4-inches from heat 5 to 6 minutes
on each side until thoroughly cooked and springs back to
the touch.
Grill: Shape one package fresh ground chicken into
patties. Place burgers on hottest area of lightly oiled
grill 1 to 2 minutes on each side to brown. Move burgers
toward the outside of the grill and continue to cook 5 to 6
minutes on each side until thoroughly cooked and springs
back to the touch.
CHICKEN STROMBOLI Serves 4
I've had this at a restaurant, made with bread dough, but I
liked it better using this recipe with pie crust dough.
The day I made it, I was late (as usual), and took a short
cut: I used prepared pie crusts, the kind that come frozen
and already shaped in aluminum pie pans.
2 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
1 large green pepper, thinly sliced
1 package (about 1 pound) fresh ground chicken
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 prepared recipe pie crust mix
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add
onion and pepper and saute 3 to 5 minutes. Add chicken,
tomato paste and seasonings and cook 8 to 10 minutes until
chicken is cooked through. Preheat oven to 375oF. Roll
out prepared pie crust into a round 1/8 inch thick. Cut
circle in quarters to form 4 wedge shaped pieces. Place
1/4 of filling on the wide rounded end of each wedge; fold
in sides and roll up. Place stromboli seam-side down on
baking sheet, brush with butter and bake 30 minutes until
pastry is lightly browned.
CHICKEN BURGERS BORDELAISEServes 4
These are good just as they are, but I've also found that
they're wonderful made into little cocktail sized meat
balls to pass during parties. By the way, at one of my
parties, I tried to determine whether it was better to use
the maximum amount of pepper and mustard in this recipe or
the minimum. Some guests liked the meat balls highly
seasoned, and others preferred them mild, so I guess one
isn't better than the other; it's just what your family or
guests like.
1 package (about 1 pound) fresh ground chicken
1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (optional)
1-1/4 cups red wine
1/4 cup minced shallots or scallions
1 tablespoon sugar
2-3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 to 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
Form chicken into 4 burgers. Press pepper into both sides.
In a large, non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat, heat
oil. Add burgers and brown for 2 minutes on each side.
Salt burgers lightly and reduce heat to medium-low.
Continue cooking 5 to 6 minutes per side until thoroughly
cooked through. While burgers are cooking, combine wine,
shallots, sugar, mustard and thyme in a saucepan. Cook
over high heat 5 to 6 minutes until liquid is reduced to
3/4 cup. Remove burgers from skillet and keep warm. Add
wine mixture to skillet and stir over medium heat to
combine with pan juices. Whisk in butter and parsley.
Spoon sauce over burgers and serve.
RECIPES WITH THIGH & DRUMSTICKS
If you haven't liked dark meat up until now, try these
recipes with an open mind. Thigh meat, drumsticks, or the
meat from any well-exercised muscle, has more flavor and is
apt to be juicier. If Frank were going by taste alone and
forgetting about calories, he would always choose thigh
meat.
I was present at a taste testing at Perdue when Teri
Benson, a Food Technician, asked the dozen or so
participants to rate the flavor of various parts of a
chicken. The chicken was ground and fried in patties so
none of us could identify which parts we were eating. We
also couldn't be influenced by what our neighbors thought
because each patty was coded and the breast meat or the
thigh meat on my plate was in a different position from
what they'd be on my neighbor's plate. The test was
replicated with many different groups, but the results were
fairly uniform: people prefer the flavor and juiciness of
thigh meat. Try a few of these recipes; you may discover
some new family favorites.
WALDORF SALADServes 4
You could use other apples in this recipe, such as Red
Delicious or Granny Smith, but the McIntosh with its
characteristic crispness, juiciness, and mildly tart flavor
works particularly well in this recipe. You can tell a
McIntosh by its two-toned red and green skin.
1 quart chicken broth
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
1 to 2 McIntosh apples, unpeeled in 1/2-inch cubes (about 1
cup)
1/2 cup walnut halves
1 head Bibb or Boston lettuce
In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, bring chicken broth
to a boil. Add chicken and simmer over low heat for 30
minutes, uncovered. Drain thighs and cut into bite-size
pieces. Reserve broth for other use. In a mixing bowl
blend together lemon, mustard, oil, parsley, and salt and
pepper. Toss warm chicken with sauce and allow to cool.
Toss with remaining ingredients and serve on beds of Bibb
or Boston lettuce.
DRUMSTICKS WITH HERB SAUCEServes 2
When serving this recipe, take a tip from Bev Cox, a woman
who not only is responsible for many of my favorite Perdue
recipes over the years, but who is also famous for being
one of the best food stylists around. She likes to have the
garnishes mirror the seasonings, so if she had, for
example, this chicken recipe with basil in it, she'd be apt
to garnish it with fresh basil. She also believes that
garnishes should be edible. These chicken drumsticks with
new potatoes and green beans would be a simple dinner, but
sprinkle the new potatoes with chopped chives, stick a red
pepper ring around the green beans and you have something
that looks special as well as tastes special.
5 roaster drumsticks
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce:
1/4 cup minced fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried
1/4 cup minced, fresh parsley
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon capers
1/4 cup olive oil
Preheat oven to 375oF. Place drumsticks in a baking pan
and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl combine
garlic and olive oil and baste drumsticks generously. Bake
drumsticks for 60 to 75 minutes until tender and cooked
through, turning and basting once. Meanwhile, in a bowl
make sauce by whisking together remaining ingredients.
Serve drumsticks, passing sauce separately.
DRUMSTICKS ZINGARAServes 2
The word "zingara" is from a French sauce with mushrooms,
ham, and truffles. In this version, I've skipped the
truffles.
5 roaster drumsticks
3/4 cup (3-ounces) minced fresh mushrooms
3/4 cup (1/4 pound) minced ham
1/2 cup minced shallots or scallions
3 tablespoons Madeira or brandy, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons minced, fresh tarragon, or 1/2 teaspoon
dried
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened, divided
salt and ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375oF. Pull back the skin of each
drumstick and cut lengthwise slits in the meat in 4 places.
Pull skin back into place In a mixing bowl, combine
mushrooms, ham, shallots, 1 tablespoon Madeira, tarragon, 3
tablespoons butter and salt and pepper. Stuff mixture
under the skin of each drumstick and secure with
toothpicks. Melt remaining butter and baste drumsticks.
Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until tender and cooked
through. Remove to a serving platter and remove
toothpicks. To drippings in pan, add 2 tablespoons Madeira
and bring to a boil, stirring. Pour sauce over drumsticks.
CHILI THIGHS RELLENOS
If you're making this recipe and you're not sure how old
the eggs you have in your refrigerator are, the chances are
that they're still good. As long as they're clean, dry,
have been kept cold and have no cracks, and weren't cooked,
they'll last for months in your refrigerator and still be
suitable for cooking in dishes like this. Eggs that are
several months old won't have the quality of a perfectly
fresh egg, and I wouldn't use them for frying, but they're
still edible. Do be sure they've been kept cold and have no
cracks and are clean.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
1 can (4-ounces) whole, mild green chilies, seeded
1 egg, beaten
salt and ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can (8-ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Open thighs and lay flat. Divide chilies in four equal
amounts and place in the center of each thigh. Roll up and
secure with toothpicks. In a shallow bowl, combine egg and
salt and pepper to taste. Dip thighs in egg and roll in
bread crumbs. Refrigerate 15 minutes. In a large skillet,
over medium heat, melt butter with oil. Add thighs and
cook, turning, 10 to 12 minutes or until brown on all
sides. Spoon tomato sauce over thighs. Reduce heat to
medium-low reduce heat and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or
until thighs are cooked through. Sprinkle with cheese;
cover and cook 2 minutes longer.
INDONESIAN STIR-FRY THIGHSServes 4
This recipe originally called for much more ginger, but I
like a milder flavor, so I reduced it. You may want to
increase the amount suggested here if you like highly
seasoned food. To store fresh ginger, keep it in the
refrigerator in a plastic bag along with a dampened paper
towel to keep it from drying out.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1/3 cup soy sauce, divided
3 tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons rice wine or white distilled vinegar
2 teaspoons minced, fresh ginger or to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or ground pepper
pinch ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup carrots, cut in match stick strips
1 cup peeled cucumber, halved, seeded and cut into match-
stick strips
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
Cut thighs into 1/8-inch strips. In a wok or large skillet
over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and stir-fry
for 2 minutes Add 4 tablespoons soy sauce, molasses,
vinegar, seasonings, garlic and ginger; bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and steam chicken 5
minutes, stirring once, until tender. In a small bowl
dissolve cornstarch in remaining soy sauce and reserve. Add
carrots and steam, covered, 2 minutes. Stir in cucumber,
scallions and cornstarch mixture and stir until liquid
comes to a boil. Serve over hot fluffy rice.
ISLAND THIGHSServes 4
One of the best money-saving tips I know for buying food is
one you can use in this recipe. A Pennsylvania mushroom
grower told me that when you see slightly browned mushrooms
on sale$and they're often a fraction of the price of the
cosmetically perfect mushrooms$buy them. The mushroom
flavor will be more intense since the mushrooms are older;
they'll have dried slightly so you won't be paying as much
for water; and you won't see the discolorations anyway if
you're using the mushrooms for cooking. I've tried his
recommendation many times, and I think he's right.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (4 ounces)
1 cup thinly sliced scallions
1 cup chicken broth
1-1/2 cups fresh snow peas or 1 package (6 ounces) frozen
snow peas, thawed
3/4 cup seedless, green grapes, halved
2 teaspoons slivered lemon peel
1 teaspoon minced, fresh ginger, or 1/4 teaspoon ground
Cut thigh cutlets into 1/4" by 2" strips. Toss with
cornstarch to coat well. In a wok or large skillet, over
medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and saute until
browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and
scallions. Saute, stirring until mushrooms are golden,
about 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook,
stirring, until sauce is thickened and smooth. Reduce heat
and simmer 1 to 2 minutes. Serve over rice.
POJARSKI STYLE THIGHSServes 4
Pojarski style dishes use ground meat. They are typically
made from beef, veal, salmon, or chicken. One of the most
famous Pojarski dishes is salmon shaped to look like a pork
chop. Doing the same thing with chicken tastes and looks
delicious and costs a lot less.
1 package fresh ground chicken (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup sour cream, divided
salt and ground pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (4 ounces)
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley
Mix ground chicken with 1/4 cup sour cream, plus salt and
pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes. Form
mixture into four "chop" shaped cutlets and coat each
lightly with flour. In a large skillet over medium heat,
melt butter. Add cutlets and saute for 7 to 8 minutes on
each side until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove
to a serving dish and keep warm. Add mushrooms to skillet
and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining sour cream and mix
well. Spoon sauce over cutlets. Sprinkle with fresh dill.
STIR-FRIED THIGHS WITH BEANSPROUTSServes 4
Stir frying isn't more difficult than regular frying, but
one big difference is that the pan is kept hotter than
would be usual for American-style frying. To tell if it's
hot enough, place your frying pan$or wok if you have
one$over high heat. The pan or wok is hot enough if a drop
of water dropped onto it sizzles and then evaporates. Add
the oil, and let the oil heat until it's almost at the
smoking point. When adding the ingredients, stir them
constantly until done.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg white, slightly beaten
salt to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons peanut oil, as needed
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red, sweet, bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 pound (2 cups) snow peas, sliced diagonally
1/2 pound (4 cups) beansprouts, washed and drained
1/4 cup soy sauce
few drops Tabasco, to taste
Cut thighs into 1/4" strips. In a shallow bowl, combine
cornstarch, egg white and salt. Add chicken, turning to
coat well. Cover and refrigerate one hour. In a wok or
large skillet over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add
thighs and garlic and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Remove
chicken and set aside. Add additional oil to wok, if
necessary. Add pepper strips and stir-fry one minute.
Remove and set aside. Add scallions and snow peas and
stir-fry one minute. Add beansprouts and cook, tossing, 2
minutes. Return chicken and pepper to wok and toss. Add
soy sauce and Tabasco. Heat thoroughly. Serve over hot
cooked rice.
SWEET AND SOUR THIGHSServes 4
Cornstarch yields a more transparent sauce, and has
roughly twice the thickening power of flour. The
transparency makes it appropriate for oriental recipes like
this one.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 1/2 cups sliced green pepper
2/3 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced scallions, stems included
1 can (8-1/2-ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
6 ounces fresh or frozen (thawed) snow peas
1 can (8-3/4-ounces) pineapple chunks in syrup
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Cut thighs into bite size pieces. In a wok or large
skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add thigh pieces
and stir-fry 5 minutes. Add green pepper, celery,
scallions and water chestnuts. Stir-fry 2 minutes. Add
snow peas, pineapple and syrup and chicken broth. Reduce
heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. In
a small bowl, blend together cornstarch, sugar, ginger,
vinegar and soy sauce. Add to wok and cook until sauce is
slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve over hot cooked
rice.
SZECHUAN STIR-FRY THIGHSServes 4
The woman in charge of supervising the entire Perdue recipe
program, says that this is her personal favorite.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 cup carrots, cut into matchstick strips
1/2 cup cashews
1 teaspoon hot chili pepper, finely chopped, or to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cut boneless thighs into strips (about 1/4" x 2"). In a
wok or large skillet over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons
oil. Add chicken and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove
chicken and reserve. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to
wok and add carrots, cashews, chili pepper, garlic and
ginger. Stir-fry 3 minutes until carrots just begin to
soften. Return chicken to wok. In a small bowl blend
together soy sauce, sherry and cornstarch. Add to wok and
cook, stirring constantly, until sauce boils and thickens.
Serve over hot cooked rice.
THIGH CHILIServes 4
This is a healthy, low-cholesterol chili.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 can (16-ounces) tomatoes, chopped, with liquid
1 can (16-ounces) kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon chili powder
salt and ground pepper to taste
Tabasco, to taste
Cut chicken into bite size pieces. In a Dutch oven over
medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken, onion, garlic and
green pepper and cook, stirring until chicken loses its
pink color. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Simmer,
covered, over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until
chicken is tender. Adjust seasonings according to taste.
THIGH FLAUTASServes 4
You can tell if your avocado for the guacamole in this
recipe is ripe by whether it yields to gentle pressure when
you hold it between your palms. If there's some "give" to
it, it's ripe. If it feels hard, like a baseball, it's not
ripe. Wait a few days, and it will have a richer, creamer
texture and flavor. You can speed the ripening by keeping
the avocado in a paper bag, at room temperature, along with
a banana or pear or apple. These fruits give off a ripening
factor and the paper bag concentrates the ripening factor.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
1 quart chicken broth
1/2 pound Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
(about 2 cups)
1/4 cup red or green chili salsa
salt to taste
8 flour tortillas
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/3 cup sour cream, optional
Guacamole:
1 large ripe avocado
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon red or green chili salsa
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat bring chicken
broth to a boil. Add boneless thighs, reduce heat to
medium-low and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Remove
thighs, reserving broth for other use. Shred meat and
place in a mixing bowl. Toss with 1-1/2 cups cheese,
salsa, and salt to taste. Divide mixture among tortillas
and roll up, securing with a toothpick, if necessary. In a
large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/2-inch
oil. Fry flautas in hot oil, turning to brown lightly on
all sides. Transfer to serving dish and keep warm. To
make guacamole, scoop out avocado flesh, chop and toss with
lemon juice. Combine lightly with remaining ingredients.
Serve flautas topped with guacamole, remaining cheese and
sour cream, if desired.
Chapter Two. Chicken for the Microwave
When I was organizing this chapter, I was tempted to
include all of these microwave recipes in the "Cooking for
Everyday" chapter. After all, the microwave is certainly
becoming part of our everyday life.
The reason I didn't is$well, there are two reasons.
First, if I put all the microwave recipes in one chapter,
you won't have to waste time hunting for them. Second,
there are a number of tips on using the microwave
successfully, and I thought you might like to have them all
in one place, also.
The microwave is a wonderful convenience, but in my
case, I used to use it for reheating foods or for boiling
water and not much else. Are you the same? Ah, but there's
so much more to it than that! Having spent time with the
Perdue food technologists and home economists, and
especially after studying the techniques and recipes from
Rita Marie Schneider, the home economist who developed the
majority of the Perdue microwave recipes, I'm a convert
now. I've come to appreciate the versatility of the
microwave as well as the speed.
There's a reason I happen to have spent time with the
Perdue experts. Once when Frank was microwaving nuggets for
himself at HIGH, he found that by the time all of them were
heated, one of them was badly overcooked and therefore,
dried out and$what a dirty word this is in the Perdue
household!$tough. Frank didn't know that the microwave was
the problem and instead assumed it was his product that was
at fault.
How can I even tell you about the crisis that one
tough "tender" caused! Frank didn't seem as upset when a
whole processing plant burned down the year before. Because
of that one tough tender, he called the plant manager, the
quality control people, the packaging people, the man who
wrote the cooking directions, the food technologists, the
woman who runs the tasting lab, and probably half a dozen
other people as well. It didn't matter that it was the
weekend$the situation had to be addressed immediately! He
kept repeating disconsolately, "I have no right to sell a
product like this."
Eventually, one of the Perdue food technicians came
out to our house and checked the microwave and suggested
that we'd get more even cooking if we used MEDIUM HIGH. She
said that at this setting, the microwaves reach an
equilibrium so heating is much more even. And when there
are no hot spots and no cold spots, the chicken gets
uniformly warm with no dried out tough parts.
While she was there, she had a number of other tips
for me as well, and as I talked with other Perdue people, I
collected still more. By now, knowing a few little tricks
about the microwave, I know how to make much better use of
it. Because of the time it saves in cooking, and the time
it saves in clean-up (no baked on bits of food to scrub), I
use the microwave about as often as my oven.
Tips for Using Your Microwave
_The best microwave tip I know is, learn about
the "cold spots" in your microwave so you don't end up with
unevenly cooked chicken. To learn your microwave's "cold
spots," line the bottom of your microwave oven with wax
paper and then spread an eighth-inch layer of pancake
batter over it. Turn the oven on HIGH, and then check it at
30 second intervals. At some point, (in my case after a
minute and a half), you'll see that in some places the
batter is dried out and hard, while in others, it's still
soupy, as if the heat hadn't touched it. Once I made this
check, I gained an immense respect for the fact that
microwaves don't necessarily cook evenly, and I've made
sure to compensate ever since by stirring or turning foods
as directed in microwave recipes.
_Do not use utensils with metal trim (including the
gold trim on fine china), handle clamps, or fastening
screws. Metal trim can cause arcing (sparking). Aluminum
foil, in small amounts on the other hand, won't cause
arcing in most microwaves as long as it doesn't touch the
sides of the oven.
_The coverings used in microwave cooking have definite
purposes: use plastic wrap to steam and tenderize; use wax
paper to hold in heat without steaming; use paper towels to
absorb moisture, yet hold in heat.
_To obtain a crisp, crunchy crumb-coated chicken,
first cook covered with wax paper, then switch to a paper
towel covering and, finally, complete cooking with chicken
uncovered.
_If the bony parts of your chicken are overcooking
before the meatier parts are done, shield the bony parts by
placing strips of thin aluminum foil over them.
_If you're microwaving chicken livers, prick each one
to allow steam to escape. Before I knew this tip, I've had
them explode in the oven.
_Microwave recipes usually call for smaller amounts of
seasonings than conventionally cooked dishes. Microwaving
tends to intensify flavors, so you won't need as much
seasoning.
_Don't ignore the standing time called for in some of
these recipes. In microwave cookery, standing time allows
further cooking to occur after you have removed the food
from the microwave oven. Covering the food holds heat in
and speeds this final, important step. When I've cheated on
this step, I've found the chicken hard to carve and
undercooked.
_When possible, arrange food in a circular or donut
shape; without corners, food cooks more evenly from all
sides. For example, if you're cooking drumsticks, arrange
them like a wagon wheel with the meatier portions at the
outer edge, and the drum stick end in the center.
_Thin foods cook faster than thick foods because
microwaves lose power after they penetrate food.
_Ingredients also affect cooking time. Foods higher
in sugar or fat heat faster and to higher temperatures than
do those with lower sugar or fat content.
_When the recipe says "70% power," or MEDIUM HIGH,
don't be tempted to get things done faster by going for
100% power. At 70% power, the microwaves cook the product
more slowly but also more evenly, so there's less worry
about cold spots.
ROASTED CHICKEN WITH ALMOND SAUCEServes 4
Of course you can serve the pre-cooked chicken just as it
comes from the store, without doing anything else to it at
all. I've done this many times with our Perdue Done It!
roasted chicken when I've been in a hurry. But this recipe
only takes a few extra minutes and you'll have a show piece
at the end. As you're making it, be glad for a moment that
you're not making this recipe in the year 1911. A typical
recipe in a the December issue of The Wisconsin Farmer
assumes that you've already plucked the bird and removed
its head and feet. It directs you "to singe the bird over a
burning newspaper on a hot stove." The stove would
probably have been a wood-burning one, and in all
probability, it would have been up to you to get the wood
for the stove. When I think of then and I think of now, I'm
glad that "We've come a long way, baby".
1 roasted chicken
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Amaretto or other almond liqueur
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds
Heat pre-cooked roasted chicken in its own microwave tray
following package directions.
In 2-cup glass container, combine cornstarch, broth,
liqueur and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap and
microwave at HIGH (100% power) 3 or 4 minutes until bubbly
and thick; stir twice during cooking. Add almonds. Slice
chicken onto a platter and top with sauce.
FIVE-MINUTE ROASTED DRUMSTICKS
1 package roasted chicken drumsticks (4-6 per package).
Following package directions, warm roasted drumsticks in a
conventional oven or, using package tray, heat in a
microwave oven. Brush with your favorite bottled barbecue
sauce.
CHICKEN POCKET SANDWICHESServes 4
You could use regular chicken breasts for this, but the
roaster breast has a richer, more chickeny flavor.
("Chickeny" is a word, by the way. Frank uses it all the
time, and he ought to know.)
1 roaster boneless breast
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
4 pita breads
Lettuce leaves
1 container (8-ounces) plain yogurt
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks. In 3-quart microwave-safe
utensil, combine olive oil, lemon juice, onion, garlic,
salt, oregano, and Cayenne pepper; add chicken chunks and
stir. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH (100% power)
10 minutes or until chicken has turned white. Stir mixture
3 or 4 times during cooking. Let stand, covered, 5
minutes. Cut each pita bread into 2 pockets, line with
lettuce and spoon in chicken. In small bowl, combine
yogurt and green onion; serve over chicken.
CHICKEN A LA MONTMORENCYServes 6
Any recipe with the word "Montmorency" is apt to have
cherries in it. The sauce for this one is particularly
good and Frank liked it enough to spread the leftovers on
toast the next day at breakfast. If you don't want to
microwave the roaster breast, just cook it in your oven,
following the package directions. When I'm in a hurry, I
use this microwave recipe, but breasts are the hardest part
of the chicken to keep tender in a microwave because
they're fairly dry to begin with, and if you overcook them,
they'll get tough.
1 roaster breast
1 can (16-ounces) pitted dark sweet cherries
1/4 cup dry red wine
Water
5 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons red currant jelly (optional)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Salt and ground pepper to taste
Place breast, skin side down, on microwave-safe roasting
utensil. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH (100%
power) 5 minutes. Reduce power to MEDIUM HIGH (70% power)
and cook 12 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking
time, turn breast, skin side up; brush with drippings in
utensil. Re-cover with wax paper; complete cooking. Let
stand, covered, 15 minutes. Test for doneness after
standing; juices should run clear with no hint of pink
when breast is cut near bone.
Drain cherries, reserving syrup in a 4-cup glass container.
Place cherries and red wine in small bowl. Add enough
water to cherry syrup to measure 1 cup. Stir in
cornstarch, mixing until well blended. Microwave at HIGH 3
minutes, stirring twice. Stir cherries with wine into
thickened syrup. Continue cooking at HIGH 1 to 2 minutes
or until mixture thickens and boils for 1 minute. Add
jelly, if desir
ed, and butter; stir until smooth.
To serve, slice chicken and place on warm platter. Spoon
some of cherry sauce over chicken slices; pass remaining
sauce.
CHICKEN A LA NANCYServes 4
Unlike me, Frank does not enjoy puttering around in the
kitchen. He loves the results, but cooking is not his
favorite way to spend his free time. (He'd be more apt to
watch a game on TV or visit with friends.) When he does
cook, I can almost guarantee that it will be something
quick and carefree. But there is one exception, and it's
this recipe. I've never dared ask just who Nancy is, but
Frank once won a cooking contest using her recipe, so he's
been fond of it ever since.
He says to point out that the cooked lemon with rind does
remain as a part of the food. It adds an unusual taste and
texture. If you don't like a strong lemony flavor, you
might start by using half the lemon that the recipe calls
for. That's what I do when I make this recipe.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced
boneless roaster breast
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lemon with peel, very thinly sliced
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (14-ounces) water-packed whole artichoke hearts,
drained and quartered
Place chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap.
Pound to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into 2 inch squares. If
using thin sliced boneless Roaster breast, skip the
pounding and simply cut into 2 inch squares.
Frying Pan Method:
In a large skillet over medium heat, hat oil. Add garlic
and saute until soft. Add lemon and mushrooms and saute 1
to 2 minutes. Add all other ingredients except artichokes.
Fry, stirring frequently, approximately 15 minutes or until
chicken is cooked through. Add artichokes and heat.
aMicrowave Method:
In 3-quart microwave-safe round dish, combine oil,
mushrooms, lemon slices and garlic; cover with plastic
wrap. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 3 minutes, stirring
once. In a 1-cup glass measuring cup, combine wine and
flour; stir into mushroom mixture.
Arrange chicken pieces on top of mushroom mixture and cover
with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 6
minutes per pound, stirring mixture 3 times. Sprinkle with
salt, pepper and oregano. Stir in artichoke quarters; re-
cover and microwave at HIGH 2 minutes. Let stand, covered,
5 minutes.
CHICKEN THIGHS PARMESANServes 3-4
The Dijon mustard called for in this recipe is quite sharp
before it's cooked. After heating in the microwave, you'll
find that it loses much of its sharpness and leaves behind
a subtle spicy flavor. Yellow mustard won't produce the
same effect.
6 chicken thighs
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Remove skin from thighs. On wax paper, combine bread
crumbs and Parmesan cheese. In shallow dish, combine
butter, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Brush thighs
with butter mixture and then roll in crumbs to lightly coat
both sides. Reserve remaining butter mixture and crumbs.
Arrange thighs in circular pattern on microwave-safe
roasting utensil; cover with wax paper. Microwave at
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound. Halfway
through cooking time, turn thighs over; spoon on remaining
butter mixture and sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.
Cover with a double thickness of paper towels. Complete
cooking; remove paper towels during last 2 minutes cooking
time. Let stand, uncovered, 2 minutes before serving.
CHICKEN WITH MANGO SAUCEServes 6
Mangos, which are rich in vitamins A and C, make a
delicious, colorful and unusual sauce for a roaster breast.
When mangos aren't available, try fresh or canned peaches.
1 roaster breast
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 ripe mangos, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons cherry- or orange-flavored liqueur
Salt and pepper to taste
Place skin side down on microwave-safe roasting utensil.
Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5
minutes. Reduce power to MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook
12 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn
breast skin side up; brush with drippings in utensil. Re-
cover with wax paper and complete cooking. Let stand,
covered, 15 minutes. Test for doneness after standing;
juices should run clear with no hint of pink when breast is
cut near the bone.
In a 4-cup glass container, place butter. Microwave at
HIGH 30 seconds or until melted. Stir in cornstarch until
blended; stir in brown sugar and orange juice. In blender
or food processor fitted with steel blade, puree mango
chunks. Stir pureed mangos into orange juice mixture.
Microwave at HIGH 4 minutes, stirring twice. Add liqueur;
microwave 1 minute longer.
To serve, slice chicken and place on warm platter. Spoon
some of mango sauce over slices, then pass remaining sauce.
CURRY-GLAZED BREASTServes 4
Curry powder is a blend of many spices, so you don't need
to combine spices yourself. Indian Curry Powder is mild and
Madras Curry Powder is quite hot.
1 whole roaster breast
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
Place breast bone side down on a microwave-safe roasting
utensil.
Place butter in a 2-cup glass container; microwave at HIGH
(100% power) 45 seconds. Stir in honey, mustard, curry
powder and salt; brush mixture all over breast. Cover with
wax paper; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 12 minutes
per pound. Baste breast and rotate utensil 3 or 4 times
during cooking. Let stand, covered with wax paper, 15
minutes. Test for doneness after standing; juices should
run clear with no hint of pink when breast is cut near
bone.
HAM AND CHICKEN ROLL-UPSServes 4
If you can't easily find the prosciutto called for in this
recipe, substitute any thinly sliced ham, such as the pre-
sliced ham you find in the deli section of your
supermarket. Or try thin slices of smoked turkey ham.
If you slice the cooked Roll-Ups crosswise, they make
wonderful hors d'oeuvres or appetizers.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced
boneless roaster breast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
Salt and ground pepper to taste
4 thin slices prosciutto
Place chicken breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic
wrap and pound to 1/2-inch thickness. Skip the previous
step if you are using thin sliced boneless roaster breasts.
Brush breasts with olive oil to help seal in moisture;
sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper. Roll up each
breast half, starting from narrow end. Wrap a slice of
prosciutto around each roll.
In 8-inch square microwave-safe baking dish, place chicken
rolls seam side down. Cover with wax paper. Microwave at
HIGH (100% power) 8 minutes, rotating dish 2 or 3 times
during cooking. Let stand 5 minutes. Check for doneness
after standing; juices should be clear with no hint of pink
when chicken is cut near center.
HEAVENLY CHICKENServes 4
If you're using fresh asparagus spears for this, here's how
to tell the tender part from the part that's too tough and
fibrous to be good eating. Take the bud end of an asparagus
spear in one hand and the butt end in the other and then
bend the spear until it breaks. The part on the bud side
is tender enough to use. The spears will always break at
just that point. But don't throw away the tough end. If you
peel the tough end with a potato peeler, you'll get down to
the tender, edible part underneath and can use that portion
also. Cook the leftover parts until tender and use them in
soups or omelettes.
4 chicken breast halves
12 fresh or frozen asparagus spears
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
4 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup crushed crackers
On microwave-safe roasting pan, arrange breasts, bone side
up, in a circular pattern. Cover loosely with plastic
wrap; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 8 minutes per
pound. Halfway through cooking time turn breasts over; re-
cover with plastic wrap and complete cooking. Let stand,
covered, 10 minutes.
Rinse asparagus and remove tough end. On microwave-safe
rack, arrange asparagus with stem ends toward outside.
Place rack in microwave-safe utensil. Add water; cover
with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 to 7
minutes or until tender-crisp. Let stand, covered, 3 to 5
minutes.
In 4-cup glass container, place butter; microwave at HIGH 1
minute. Blend flour and ginger into melted butter.
Gradually add chicken broth, wine, salt and pepper,
stirring constantly. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes or until
thick and smooth, stirring 3 times.
In 12 x 8-inch microwave-safe dish, arrange cooked
asparagus, with stem ends toward outside; pour half of wine
sauce over asparagus. Arrange chicken breasts on top with
meatier portions toward outside; spoon remaining sauce over
breasts. Sprinkle pecans and cracker crumbs on top; cover
with a double thickness of paper towels. Microwave at
MEDIUM-HIGH 5 minutes or until heated through.
MICROWAVE MARMALADE DRUMSTICKSServes 4
This recipe calls for a microwave-safe utensil. Do you
know how to tell for sure if your utensil is suitable?
1. Place the utensil and a cup of water side by side
in the microwave oven.
2. Turn the oven to the HIGH setting for 1 minute. If
the dish is warm, then it is absorbing microwave energy.
Do not use it in the microwave oven.
5 roaster drumsticks
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup orange marmalade (You can also use current jelly)
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
In 9-inch microwave-safe utensil, combine butter and onion.
Cover; microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Blend in
marmalade and curry powder; turn drumsticks in mixture.
Place drumsticks with meatier portions toward outer edge of
utensil; cover with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH
(70% power) 12 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking
time, turn chicken over, re-cover with wax paper and
microwave remaining time.
Let stand, covered, 15 minutes.
SAUCY MICROWAVE CHICKEN WINGSServes 4
To make an attractive presentation, try tucking the tip of
each wing under to form a triangle.
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 small clove garlic, minced
16 chicken wings
In 12 x 8-inch microwave-safe utensil, combine all
ingredients except wings; turn wings in mixture. Cover
with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 8
minutes per pound, turning wings over 3 to 4 times during
cooking.
Let stand, covered, 10 minutes.
TEX-MEX DRUMSTICKSServes 4
Removing skin from chicken is an easy way to reduce
calories, and because moisture doesn't evaporate readily in
microwave cooking, the chicken will remain juicy and
flavorful.
6 chicken drumsticks
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup taco-flavored or other pourable salad dressing
Remove skin from drumsticks. On wax paper, combine pecans,
bread crumbs, parsley and chili powder. Brush drumsticks
with taco dressing, then roll in crumb mixture to coat all
sides. Reserve crumbs and dressing.
On microwave-safe roasting pan, arrange drumsticks in
circular pattern, with meatier portions toward outside.
Cover with wax paper; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power)
10 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn
drumsticks over, spoon on remaining dressing and sprinkle
with reserved crumb mixture. Cover with a double thickness
of paper towels. Complete cooking, removing paper towels
during last 2 minutes. Let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes
before serving.
MICROWAVE CHICKEN BREASTS PAPRIKASHServes 4
One way of avoiding having your eyes tear when the slicing
the onion in this recipe is to do the cutting under running
tap water. The vapors that hurt
your eyes won't have a chance to get into the air, but
instead will just wash down the drain.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 green peppers, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 can (8-ounces) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Ground pepper to taste
4 chicken breast halves
1 container (8-ounces) commercial sour cream
1 tablespoon flour
In a 12 x 8-inch microwave-safe utensil, combine oil,
peppers and onion. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave at
HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce,
paprika, marjoram, salt, and pepper. On top of tomato
mixture, place breasts bone side up with meatier portions
toward outside. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH 5
minutes; reduce power to MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook
10 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn
breasts over and stir mixture. Re-cover with wax paper and
microwave remaining time. Let stand 5 minutes.
Stir sour cream and flour into tomato mixture. Cover;
microwave at HIGH 1 minute. Stir and let stand 2 minutes.
Pour over chicken breasts.
CORNISH HENS WITH LEMON TARRAGON SAUCEServes 4
You can get more juice from a lemon if you roll it around
on a flat surface first while pressing your palm against it
fairly hard. This ruptures the little juice sacks. You'll
also get more juice if the lemon is at room temperature
rather than just out of the refrigerator.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, divided, or 1/2 teaspoon
dried
1 cup chicken broth
Juice of one lemon (about 1/4 cup)
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, or substitute green beans
2 teaspoons water
With sharp knife or poultry shears, cut hens in half,
lengthwise. Remove and discard backbone and skin. Coat
hen pieces lightly with flour and sprinkle with half of
tarragon. Place hens bone side up, with legs to inside, on
a microwave-safe roasting utensil.
In a 4-cup glass container, combine chicken broth, lemon
juice, remaining tarragon and pepper. Microwave at HIGH
(100% power) 3 to 4 minutes, or until boiling. Baste hens
with half of hot broth. Cover with wax paper; microwave at
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound combined
weight of hens. Halfway through cooking time, turn hens
bone side down and baste with remaining broth mixture. Re-
cover and complete cooking. Let stand, covered, 10
minutes.
Slice asparagus diagonally into 1-inch pieces and place in
a 2-quart microwave-safe utensil with water. Cover;
microwave at HIGH 3 TO 4 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes;
drain and set aside. When ready to serve, add asparagus to
lemon sauce and pour over hens.
MICROWAVE HENS JUBILEEServes 2
This is a close cousin of CHICKEN A LA MONTMORENCY, but
it's spicier and less sweet.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
1 can (16-ounces) dark sweet cherries in syrup
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
With poultry shears or sharp knife, split hens lengthwise,
removing backbone, if desired. In 12 x 8 microwave-safe
utensil, arrange hens, bone side up with meatier portions
to outside.
In 2-quart microwave-safe utensil, drain liquid from
cherries; blend in sherry and cornstarch. Add cherries,
chili sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Microwave at HIGH
(100% power) 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once, until mixture
begins to boil and thicken. Pour sauce over hens. Cover
loosely with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70%
power) 8 minutes per pound, turning the hens over halfway
through cooking time. Re-cover with wax paper and
microwave remaining time. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes.
PINEAPPLE BAKED CORNISH HENSServes 4
Green peppers and most other fresh vegetables are ideal for
microwaving. They retain their clear color and stay
crunchy and fresh tasting. For extra color, substitute 1/2
sweet red pepper and 1/2 green pepper for the single whole
green pepper.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
1 green pepper, cored, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 can (8-ounces) crushed pineapple in natural juices
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
With poultry shears or sharp knife, split hens lengthwise
and remove and discard skin. Place hens bone side up on a
microwave-safe 12 x 8-inch utensil, arranging with legs to
inside.
In a 2-quart microwave-safe utensil, place green pepper,
onion and oil. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 2 to 3
minutes or until pepper is tender. Add pineapple, soy
sauce, mustard and ginger; microwave at HIGH 1 to 2
minutes.
Baste hen halves with half of pineapple mixture. Cover
with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10
minutes per pound combined weight of hens. Halfway through
cooking time, turn hens bone side down and baste with
remaining pineapple mixture. Re-cover and complete
cooking. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Serve with
pineapple sauce.
ROSEMARY HENS WITH LIGHT WINE GRAVYServes 4
Game hens are sold both fresh and frozen. If you've
selected a frozen one, follow your microwave manufacturer's
directions for defrosting and turn and rearrange the birds
frequently for even defrosting. I've tried game hens both
fresh and frozen, and I found that there's enough of a
difference in flavor and tenderness to make me strongly
prefer fresh.
2 Cornish game hens
6 sprigs fresh parsley
1 small onion, halved
1 clove garlic, halved
3 small carrots, peeled, cut in 1/2-inch slices (1 cup)
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and cut in wedges, or 6 cherry
tomatoes, halved
1 medium zucchini, cut in 3/4-inch slices (1 cup)
1/4 pound mushrooms, quartered (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 and 1/2 teaspoon minced, fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon
dried
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons cold water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Into each hen cavity, place 3 sprigs parsley, 1/2 onion and
1/2 garlic clove.
Place carrots, tomatoes, zucchini and mushrooms in a
microwave-safe baking dish. Combine chicken broth, wine
and 1/4 teaspoon rosemary; pour over vegetables. Cover
with plastic wrap and microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5
minutes. Arrange hens, breast side down, on top. Sprinkle
with remaining rosemary and pepper. Cover with wax paper.
Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 11 minutes per pound
combined weight of hens. Halfway through cooking time,
stir vegetables; turn hens breast side up and rotate dish.
Re-cover with wax paper.
Remove hens to serving platter, reserving juices for gravy.
Using slotted spoon, arrange vegetables around hens and
cover with foil; allow to stand 10 minutes. Cut hens in
half to serve.
To prepare gravy, in a 4 cup glass container, combine
water and cornstarch. Slowly add reserved cooking juices
(about 3/4 cup) from hens; stir to blend. Microwave at
HIGH 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring twice. Serve
with Cornish hens.
HONEY MUSTARD ROASTERServes 8
Covering is a key technique in successful microwave
cooking. In a conventional oven a sweet honey-mustard
basting sauce could overbrown. Instead, in the microwave
it dries as the roaster skin cooks and it forms an
attractive golden glaze on the bird.
1 whole roaster (about 6 pounds)
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
Remove giblets from roaster. With rounded wooden picks,
fasten skin across cavity and neck openings. Place
roaster, breast side down, on microwave-safe roasting pan.
Melt butter in a 1-cup glass measuring cup by microwaving
at HIGH (100% power) 1 minute. Stir in honey and remaining
ingredients; brush roaster with mixture and cover with wax
paper. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes. Reduce power to
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook 12 minutes per pound,
brushing frequently with honey mixture. Halfway through
cooking time, turn roaster breast side up; complete
cooking. Let stand, covered, 20 minutes. Test for doneness
after standing; juices should run clear with no hint of
pink when thigh is pierced. Pour drippings from utensil
into remaining sauce mixture in measuring cup; microwave at
HIGH 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve sauce with
roaster.
MEXICAN MICROWAVE CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Leftover Mexican Chicken Casserole makes a fast and
delicious taco filling. Shred chicken, reheat in sauce and
serve with shredded lettuce and cheese and a dollop of sour
cream.
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 large green pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 ounces) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 chicken cut in serving pieces
1 can (17-ounces) corn, drained
In 3 to 5-quart microwave-safe utensil, combine butter,
onion, pepper and garlic. Cover with plastic wrap;
microwave at HIGH (100% power) 3 to 5 minutes or until
onion and pepper are tender. Stir in tomato sauce, flour,
salt, cumin, oregano and pepper.
Place chicken pieces, bone side up with meatier portions
toward outside of utensil, on top of mixture. Cover with
wax paper; microwave at HIGH 5 minutes. Reduce power to
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook 10 minutes per pound.
Halfway through cooking time, turn chicken pieces over; re-
cover with wax paper and microwave remaining time. Let
stand, covered, 10 minutes. Remove chicken pieces to
serving dish; cover. Add corn to sauce in utensil; cover
with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 2 minutes. To serve,
pour sauce over chicken.
PLUM-SPICED CHICKENServes 4
The plum sauce is a low-fat way to make the chicken develop
an attractive color as it cooks in the microwave.
1 chicken, cut in half lengthwise
1 cup plum jelly or preserves
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (optional)
Place chicken halves, skin side down, on microwave-safe
roasting utensil, set aside.
In a 4-cup glass container, combine jelly and remaining
ingredients. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 4 minutes,
stirring 3 times. Brush chicken halves with sauce; cover
with wax paper.
Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 to 12 minutes per
pound, brushing chicken frequently with sauce. Halfway
through cooking time, turn chicken halves over; brush with
sauce. Re-cover with wax paper; complete cooking. Let
stand, covered 15 minutes.
STUFFED CHICKEN CHARLESTON STYLEServes 4
The microwave oven makes it possible to make this succulent
roast chicken and all the trimmings in less than an hour.
To complete the meal with "baked" potatoes, you can
microwave them during the chicken's standing time.
1 whole chicken
4 strips uncooked bacon, diced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups packaged cornbread stuffing
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
5 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted, divided
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry sherry, divided
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Ground pepper to taste
Remove giblets. In 1 1/2-quart microwave-safe utensil
place diced bacon; cover with paper towel. Microwave at
HIGH (100% power) 3 minutes or until crisp, stirring twice.
With slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towel to drain;
set aside. Reserve drippings. In same 1 1/2-quart
microwave-safe utensil, combine onion and celery; cover
with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 2 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, combine onions and celery with stuffing,
pecans, and cooked bacon. In cup, blend 2 tablespoons
butter, 3 tablespoons sherry and water; toss with stuffing.
Spoon stuffing loosely into cavity and neck openings of
chicken. With rounded wooden picks, fasten skin across
cavity and neck openings.
Combine 1 tablespoon butter with 1 teaspoon sherry; brush
on chicken. Place chicken, breast side down, on microwave-
safe roasting utensil; cover with wax paper. Microwave at
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound, brushing
chicken frequently with butter-sherry mixture and
drippings. Halfway through cooking time, turn chicken
breast side up; re-cover with wax paper. Complete cooking.
Let stand, covered, 15 minutes. Test for doneness after
standing; juices should run clear with no hint of pink
when thigh is pierced
Pour pan drippings into a 2-cup glass container. Add 1/2
cup sherry to roasting utensil to loosen pan juices; pour
into container with drippings. Microwave at HIGH 3
minutes; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and
parsley. Serve chicken, sliced, with stuffing and gravy.
CHEESY MICROWAVE THIGHSServes 4
Chicken thighs and drumsticks are fairly uniform in size,
making them an ideal choice for quick cooking in the
microwave.
6 chicken thighs
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons white wine
Pinch freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Minced, fresh parsley (optional)
Remove and discard skin from thighs. In a 12 x 8-inch
microwave-safe utensil, combine 2 tablespoons butter and
onion. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Arrange
thighs in a circular pattern on top of onions. Cover with
wax paper; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes
per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn thighs over;
re-cover with wax paper and microwave remaining time. Let
stand, covered, 10 minutes.
Place remaining butter in 4-cup glass container; microwave
at HIGH 30 to 50 seconds. Blend in flour and salt;
gradually stir in milk, mixing well. Microwave at HIGH 3
to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture boils and
thickens. Add cheeses, wine and nutmeg; stir until cheese
is melted. Pour sauce over chicken thighs; cover with wax
paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH 2 to 3 minutes or until
heated through. Garnish with parsley if desired.
CHICKEN MARENGOServes 3-4
Frank admires Napoleon because he was such an effective
leader and motivator of men. But Frank has another reason
to like the famous French general. Napoleon liked chicken
so much that during his campaigns, he ate it almost every
night. In 1800 when Napoleon was fighting in Italy, the
supply wagons were late and his chef had to scour the
countryside for whatever food he could find. The result
was a chicken dish made with olive oil, mushrooms, tomato,
garlic and other ingredients available from the nearby
farms. Napoleon liked the dish so much that he named it
"Chicken Marengo," in honor of the battlefield where he had
just been fighting, and from then on ordered it served to
him after every battle.
6 chicken thighs
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh plum tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Remove and discard skin from thighs. In 3-quart microwave-
safe utensil, combine remaining ingredients; cover with
plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes,
stirring twice. Arrange thighs in circular pattern on top
of tomato mixture; spoon mixture over thighs. Cover with
wax paper; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes
per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn thighs over;
re-cover and complete cooking. Let stand, covered, 10
minutes before serving.
CHINESE CHICKENServes 4
The shape of foods affects cooking results. Thin areas
cook faster than thicker ones, so meatier portions should
always be placed toward the outer edge of the utensil where
microwave energy is greater.
4 chicken drumsticks
4 chicken thighs
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon minced, fresh ginger
1 can (3-ounces) chow mein noodles
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Salt to taste
Remove and discard skin from drumsticks and thighs. In
small bowl, mix butter, soy sauce, pepper and ginger. In
blender or food processor fitted with steel blade, finely
chop chow mein noodles, almonds and salt; transfer to wax
paper. Brush chicken with soy mixture, then roll in noodle
mixture to coat all sides. Arrange on microwave-safe
roasting pan, with meatier portions toward outside; cover
with wax paper. Reserve remaining soy and noodle mixture.
Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound.
Halfway through cooking time turn legs and thighs over;
spoon on remaining soy mixture and sprinkle with remaining
noodle mixture. Cover with a double thickness of paper
towels. Complete cooking, remove paper towels during last
2 minutes. Let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes before serving.
DRUMSTICKS LITTLE ITALY STYLEServes 4
Do you know how to tell when rice is done? The aim of
cooking rice is to have all the little starch granules
inside each grain swell with water but not burst. You can
tell that rice is undercooked if you pinch a grain and feel
a hard or gritty core. You can tell that it's overcooked
if you look at a grain closely and find that the edges are
split and ragged. It's perfectly cooked if the grain is the
same smooth shape as the uncooked grain, only puffed,
swollen and soft.
1 cup chopped, canned tomatoes
3/4 cup long grain rice
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
5 roaster drumsticks
Salt and ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons or more minced, fresh parsley
In a 3 quart microwave-safe utensil combine tomatoes and
rice. Stir in broth and wine; add onion, garlic, thyme,
and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave at high
(100% power) 5 minutes. Arrange drumsticks over top of
mixture, with meatiest portions to the outer edge of
utensil. Re-cover with plastic wrap; microwave at HIGH
(100% power) 5 minutes then at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 12
minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time stir and
turn drumsticks over. Re-cover and complete the cooking.
Let stand, covered 10 minutes before serving. Test for
doneness after standing; juices should run clear with no
hint of pink when drumstick is pierced. Season with salt
and pepper. Add parsley to rice mixture for garnish.
OLIVE MICROWAVED CHICKENMakes 6 Drumsticks
When you saw the title of this recipe, did you hesitate
because you were concerned that the calories in olives
could wreck your diet? Not to worry! Olives are actually a
fairly low calorie food, with the average one having only
4-5 calories. The largest jumbo olive has only 12
calories.
6 chicken drumsticks
1 cup slivered onion strips
1/2 cup slivered green pepper strips
1/2 cup thawed lemonade concentrate
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup sliced pimento-stuffed olives
1/4 cup sliced pitted ripe olives
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
Remove and discard skin from drumsticks. In a 12 x 8-inch
microwave-safe utensil, combine remaining ingredients;
cover with plastic wrap. Microwave HIGH (100% power) 5
minutes, stirring once.
Turn drumsticks in sauce to coat. Arrange drumsticks in
circular pattern in sauce with meatier portions toward
outside of utensil. Cover with wax paper; microwave at
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound. Halfway
through cooking time, turn drumsticks and spoon sauce on
top. Re-cover with wax paper; complete cooking. Let
stand, covered, 10 minutes before serving.
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH-COUNTRY DRUMSTICKSServes 2
When you're buying the apples for this recipe, you can tell
which ones are Red Delicious by looking at the base of the
apples. A Red Delicious always has five knobs or points at
the base.
5 roaster drumsticks
Salt and ground pepper to taste
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1/2 cup apple juice (1/4 cup for microwave)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (1-1/2 teaspoons for microwave)
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly-packed (1/8 cup for microwave)
2 Red Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges
each
2 tablespoons sugar
Conventional Method:
Season drumsticks with salt and pepper. In a large skillet
over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add drumsticks
and brown for 4 to 5 minutes per side. In a measuring cup
combine apple juice, soy sauce and brown sugar and pour
over drumsticks. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Turn and
simmer 25 minutes longer.
Ten minutes before end of cooking time, in another skillet,
over medium-high heat, melt remaining butter. Add apple
wedges and brown on one side. Sprinkle with sugar and
turn. Brown other side. Transfer chicken to serving dish
and top with apple wedges. Spoon sauce over top.
aMicrowave Oven:
Place 2 tablespoons of butter in a 9-inch microwave-safe
utensil. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 40 seconds.
Combine 1/4 cup apple juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce and
1/8 cup firmly packed brown sugar with melted butter.
Place drumsticks in apple juice mixture and turn to coat
well. Arrange drumsticks with meatiest portions toward
outer edge of utensil. Cover with wax paper. Microwave at
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 12 minutes per pound. Half way
through cooking time turn drumsticks and spoon sauce over
each. Re-cover and complete cooking. Let stand, covered,
5 to 10 minutes.
Place 2 tablespoons butter in a 2-quart microwave-safe
utensil. Microwave at HIGH 40 seconds. Sprinkle butter
with 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar; stir. Place
apple wedges in brown sugar mixture; toss gently to coat.
Microwave at HIGH 3 minutes, stir. Microwave an additional
3 minutes or until apples are tender. Transfer chicken to
serving dish and top with apple wedges. Spoon sauce over
top.
ROASTER THIGHS IN WINEServes 4
For the longest shelf life and the best flavor, don't wash
the mushrooms called for in this recipe until just before
using them. And don't soak them, just lightly mist them or
wipe them with a damp paper towel. With soaking, they
easily become waterlogged and lose some of their flavor.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
4 strips uncooked bacon, diced
1 cup Burgundy or other dry, red wine
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
16 small whole onions, peeled
8 ounces sliced, fresh mushrooms, 2 cups
3 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons minced, fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Cut thigh cutlets in half. In 3-quart microwave-safe
utensil, place bacon; microwave at HIGH (100% power) until
crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Combine wine and Cognac and add to
utensil with remaining ingredients; stir well. Arrange
thighs, with thicker portions toward outer edge, on top of
vegetables. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH 5
minutes.
Reduce power to MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook 12 minutes
per pound. Halfway through cooking time, stir vegetable
mixture and turn cutlets over. Let stand, covered, 15
minutes before serving.
SPICY AFRICAN DRUMSTICKSServes 4
If you eliminate the crushed pepper in this recipe, it
could be a dish children would love.
Be sure the peanuts you use in the recipe are fresh. Once
a package has been opened, keep it in the refrigerator
since peanuts rapidly go rancid. As an emergency first aid
measure for peanuts that aren't as fresh as you wish they
were, try this tip I got from a peanut farmer in Georgia.
Put the peanuts in a sieve and pour boiling water over
them. The hot water will wash away some of the oils that
are responsible for the off-flavor.
6 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (16-ounces) tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
Remove and discard skin from drumsticks. In a 12 x 8-inch
microwave-safe utensil, combine oil, onion and garlic.
Cover with plastic wrap; microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5
minutes or until onions are tender. Stir in tomato puree,
salt and red pepper.
Arrange drumsticks in utensil with meatier portion toward
outside; spoon tomato sauce over top. Cover with wax
paper; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per
pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn drumsticks over;
re-cover with wax paper and microwave remaining time.
Remove drumsticks to serving platter; cover with foil and
let stand 10 minutes. Stir peanut butter and peanuts into
tomato sauce. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave at HIGH 2
minutes. To serve, spoon sauce over drumsticks.
CORNUCOPIA STUFFED ROASTERServes 8
A roaster stuffed with vegetables and rice is a tasty meal
in one dish. The stuffing doesn't increase the cooking
time, which is about one hour less in a microwave than
required for conventional roasting.
1 whole roaster (about 6 pounds)
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Browning spray (optional)
Remove giblets. In a 1-cup glass measuring cup, place
water and butter; microwave at HIGH (100% power) 1 minute.
In 1-quart microwave-safe utensil, place peas and carrots;
cover. Microwave at HIGH 4 minutes, stirring once; drain.
In a small bowl, combine rice, melted butter mixture, peas
and carrots, parsley, thyme and salt. Place in cavity of
roaster; with rounded wooden picks, fasten skin across
cavity opening and at neck. Place roaster, breast side
down, on microwave-safe roasting pan. Spray with browning
spray or brush roaster with melted butter if desired; cover
with wax paper.
Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes. Reduce power to MEDIUM-HIGH
(70% power). Cook 12 minutes per pound, brushing with
drippings several times during cooking. Halfway through
cooking time, turn roaster over, using paper towels to
protect hands. Pour off drippings and reserve, if desired.
Baste roaster with drippings or use browning spray; cover
with wax paper and complete cooking.
Let stand, covered with aluminum foil, 20 minutes. Test
for doneness after standing; juice should run clear with no
hint of pink when thigh is pierced. To serve, spoon
stuffing into serving bowl and slice roaster.
CHICKEN WING PAELLAServes 4-6
Paella is a Spanish dish with a mixture of rice,
vegetables, meat and sometimes shellfish. I lived in Spain
for a couple of years and came to the conclusion that there
must be almost as many versions of Paella as there are
Spanish cooks$which means that you have a lot of latitude
to vary the ingredients according to what you have handy in
your refrigerator. I like this better the next day, when
the different flavors have had a chance to "marry."
10 chicken wings
1 pound sweet Italian sausage links
1 teaspoon browning sauce
1 large onion, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 medium-sized zucchini, chopped
1 can (16-ounces) tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup hot water
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
2 cups hot cooked rice
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Cut wing-tip section from wings. Set tips aside to cook
later in soup or stew, if desired. Brush sausages with
browning sauce; cut into 1-inch pieces. In 3-quart
microwave-safe dish, place sausage pieces; cover with wax
paper. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 6 to 7 minutes, or
until sausage loses its pink color, stirring twice. With
slotted spoon remove sausage.
To drippings in dish, add onion, red pepper and zucchini;
cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes,
stirring twice. Add tomatoes, browned sausages, water,
salt, oregano, paprika, turmeric and Tabasco; stir to
blend.
Arrange chicken wings in circular pattern on top of tomato
mixture. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave at HIGH 5
minutes. Reduce power to MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power); cook 10
minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn
wings over; re-cover and complete cooking. Stir in hot
cooked rice and peas; microwave at HIGH 3 minutes.
To warm for serving, cover with plastic wrap to speed
cooking and microwave at HIGH until heated through. Let
stand 5 minutes before serving.
CHAPTER THREE-CHICKEN FOR DIETERS
Are you concerned about the cholesterol in your diet?
Are you watching calories and trying to cut down on fat?
Has your doctor suggested that you consume less salt?
Then read on. The wonderful thing about chicken is
that the low cholesterol and the low calorie recipes are
the same. And the flavors that add spark to a low calories
recipe are the same ones that can help you get along with
little or no salt.
Chicken is the dieter's ray of sunshine. Except for
turkey breast, no
other popular meat is as low in calories as skinless
chicken breast. A 3-ounce portion of skinless broiled
chicken breast has only 115 calories. An equivalent size
portion of cooked lean trimmed beef would average 189
calories, and cooked lean, trimmed pork is 198 calories.
Chicken is also lowest in saturated fat compared with
non-poultry meats.
Grams of Saturated Fat
Cooked 3-ounce portion skinless chicken breast: 0.4
Average cooked 3-ounce portion of chicken: 1.1
Average cooked 3-ounce portion of lean, trimmed beef: 3.4
Average cooked 3-ounce portion of lean, trimmed pork: 3.8
To avoid both fat and calories when cooking with chicken:
_Choose breast meat. This is the leanest part of the
bird and has less than half the fat of, for example, thigh
meat. Because of its low fat content, it's the only meat I
ever serve Frank, and it's the only meat he ever asks for
in restaurants.
_Remove the skin. Forty percent of the fat in poultry
is attached to the skin and therefore can be easily
removed. This is in contrast with other meats, where the
fat is dispersed throughout the meat and not so easily
removed. One point, though. If you're broiling or baking
or grilling chicken, leave the skin on until you're
finished cooking; otherwise the meat will lose too much
moisture and become tough. I've watched tests done at the
Perdue Tenderness Laboratory in which they measured the
tenderness of breast meat roasted with the skin and without
the skin. The meat cooked with the skin retained its
moisture and was startlingly more tender than the meat
cooked without the skin.
_Roast, broil, poach, or grill chicken instead of
frying it.
_Substitute low fat dairy products in recipes. Use
yoghurt or light sour cream instead of sour cream, and non-
fat milk instead of regular milk. To be honest, the taste
isn't as rich, but if you're watching calories and
cholesterol, these substitutions make a substantial
difference. For example, plain low fat yoghurt is 122
calories per cup and light sour cream about 360 calories,
while the same amount of regular sour cream is 440 to 454
calories. Non-fat milk is 80 to 90 calories per 8-ounce
glass, while whole milk is 150 to 160 calories.
_Replace oil or fat in marinades with fresh lemon or
lime juice, or with wine or vinegar.
_Broil with wine instead of butter.
_Take advantage of non-caloric pan sprays.
_If you're really counting every single calorie, you
may want to choose Cornish hens rather than the older
broilers and roasters. Cornish hens and broilers are young
birds and they bear the same relationship to the older
roasters that veal does to beef: the younger the animal,
the lower the fat content. For comparison, the white meat
of a Cornish is 35 calories per ounce of cooked meat; the
white meat of a broiler is 45 calories per cooked ounce.
For low salt diets:
_Avoid prepared sauces such as barbecue sauce or
ketchup: usually they are high in salt.
_Season chicken with foods that are naturally high in
potassium, such as tomatoes, citrus, raisins or bananas.
When you eat foods high in potassium, you don't miss the
sodium so much. Tomato paste, by the way, is very high in
potassium, and does not have as much added salt as most
prepared or canned foods.
_Season foods with garlic, onion, wine and a variety
of herbs and spices. Again, you'll miss the sodium less.
_Trick your palette by cooking with your own flavored
vinegars. Use a cup of whichever fresh herb you can find,
such as tarragon or mint or dill, for two cups of plain
white vinegar and then add a garlic clove or twist of lemon
peel. Store in a screw top jar for several days and if you
want it really strong, leave it for a week. You might
taste it along the way to see if it's too strong. Finally,
strain it and pour into a sterilized bottle and seal.
_Season chicken with concentrated homemade chicken
broth. Make chicken stock (use the recipe on page ___, but
omit the salt), boil it down until it's concentrated, and
then freeze it in ice cube trays. Use individual cubes to
intensify the flavor of casseroles or stir fry dishes.
After a couple of weeks of following a low salt diet,
you'll find that your taste changes and that you'll
actually be satisfied with far less salt. You'll even find
that the olives and potato chips and peanuts that once
tasted just right, now seem too salty. We've found that
with salt, the less you eat, the less you feel you need$but
be patient because this doesn't happen overnight.
For that matter, a preference for low fat cooking may
not happen overnight either. In fact, to level with you, I
think that in most cases it won't happen overnight. If
you're not used to the low fat substitutions for rich
sauces and gravies, some of the recipes in this chapter may
seem downright Spartan to you the first time you try them.
But once you're used to them, you may find as Frank and I
have, that with time it's not only possible to get used to
lighter cooking, it's actually possible to prefer it.
BARBECUE DRUMSTICKSServes 8
Microwave Recipe
To save additional fat and calories, remove the skin from
the drumsticks. I wouldn't recommend this for a
conventional oven recipe because the meat would dry out.
But microwaving retains moisture, and the sauce adds
flavor.
8 roaster drumsticks
1 cup water
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Remove skin from drumsticks and discard. In 4-cup glass
container, combine water, onion, tomato paste, vinegar,
garlic, chili powder, mustard and pepper until well
blended. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave at HIGH (100%
power) 5 minutes. Stir and microwave, uncovered, 5 minutes
longer. Pour half the mixture over bottom of a 12 x 8-inch
microwave-safe utensil.
Place drumsticks in sauce with meatier portions toward
outer edge of utensil. Pour remaining sauce over
drumsticks; cover with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH
(70% power) 12 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking
time, turn drumsticks over and move drumsticks to sides of
utensil. Re-cover with wax paper; complete cooking. Let
stand, covered, 15 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 94. Protein 16 grams. Carbohydrate 3 grams. Fat 2
grams. Cholesterol 51 mg. Sodium 142 mg.
BURGUNDY CHICKENServes 4
Microwave Recipe
The Perdue home economists say that microwave recipes are
often more nutritious than their conventional versions
because microwaving requires much less liquid, ensuring
that vitamins and minerals are not washed away.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
1/2 cup Burgundy or other dry red wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound pearl onions, peeled
1/4 pound small mushrooms, sliced
8 small new potatoes, cut into quarters
2 carrots (about 1 cup), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons water
1-1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
Remove and discard skin and visible fat from the larger
chicken pieces. In a 3-quart microwave-safe utensil,
combine wine, chicken broth, thyme, pepper, and bay leaf.
Add onions, mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. Cover and
microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Arrange chicken
on top of vegetables, bone-side up, with meatier portions
toward outer edge of utensil. Cover with wax paper;
microwave at HIGH 15 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and
rearrange, spooning vegetable mixture over each piece. Re-
cover; microwave 5-6 minutes per pound or until chicken and
vegetables are fork tender. Remove chicken pieces and
vegetables; cover to keep warm.
In microwave-safe cup, combine water and cornstarch. Add
small amount of hot pan juices to cup and stir to blend;
gradually stir cornstarch mixture into remaining juices.
Microwave on HIGH 2 minutes; stir and microwave 2 minutes
longer or until boiling. Serve sauce over chicken and
vegetables.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 438. Protein 42 grams. Carbohydrate 29 grams. Fat
17 grams. Cholesterol 122 mg. Sodium 137 mg.
CHICKEN AU POIVREServes 4
Pepper's piquant flavor helps disguise the lack of salt.
l roaster boneless breast or 1 package thin sliced roaster
breast
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
l teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon minced, fresh parsley
Remove and discard visible fat from boneless breast; slice
thin. (You can skip this step if you have the thin sliced
roaster breast.) Place chicken slices between sheets of
plastic wrap and pound to 1/8 inch thickness. On wax
paper, combine flour, pepper and mustard. Lightly coat
chicken with flour mixture, pressing to make pepper adhere.
In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add
garlic; saute 30 seconds. Place chicken in skillet so that
pieces do not touch. Cook about 3 minutes or until lightly
browned, turning once. Remove to serving platter; keep
warm. Pour off fat; stir in wine. Cook over high heat,
stirring constantly 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened and
liquid is reduced by one-half. Stir in parsley. Spoon
sauce over chicken.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 255. Protein 36 grams. Carbohydrate 5 grams.
Fat 9 grams. Cholesterol 90 mg. Sodium 81 mg.
CHICKEN PROVENCALServes 4
Microwave Recipe
Do you know why you brown chicken first in traditional
stews and casseroles? It's to seal in the juices. You
don't need to in microwave cooking, so you save the fat
calories from the butter or margarine or oil you'd use for
browning, and the chicken still ends up moist and tender.
4 chicken breast halves
3 cups coarsely chopped fresh Italian plum tomatoes
or a 28-ounce can, drained
1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (12-ounces)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Remove and discard skin from chicken breasts. In a 3-quart
microwave-safe utensil, combine tomatoes, mushrooms, onion,
garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Cover with wax paper.
Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in
cup combine wine and cornstarch, stir into tomato mixture.
Place chicken breasts, bone-side up and meatier portions
toward outside of utensil, on top of tomato mixture. Cover
with wax paper; microwave at HIGH 5 minutes. Reduce power
to MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook 10 minutes per pound.
Halfway through cooking time, turn chicken breasts over and
stir tomato mixture. After cooking, let stand, covered, 10
minutes.
Remove chicken to serving platter; stir parsley into tomato
mixture and spoon some over breasts; serve remaining sauce
on side.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 347. Protein 63 grams. Carbohydrate 13 grams. Fat
4 grams. Cholesterol 152 mg. Sodium 283 mg.
CHICKEN RATATOUILLEMakes 6 drumsticks.
When "ratatouille" appears in a recipe's name, you can be
sure it will have eggplant in it and probably tomatoes and
peppers as well. These vegetables will be noticeably more
delicious if you use them very fresh rather than after
storage in the refrigerator. The flavor of these vegetables
all deteriorate at refrigerator temperatures. They're warm
weather crops and nature didn't mean for them to be in the
chilling temperatures of a refrigerator.
6 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound eggplant, peeled and cubed
2 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound) cubed
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, cut in thin 1-inch strips
1 tablespoon minced, fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
3/4 teaspoon minced, fresh oregano or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Remove and discard skin and visible fat from drumsticks.
In large skillet, over medium-heat, heat oil. Add
drumsticks; cook about 15 minutes, turning until browned on
all sides. Remove drumsticks; drain on paper towels. Add
onion and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add
eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, green pepper, basil, oregano
and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place
drumsticks in vegetable mixture; cook about 30 minutes
longer or until drumsticks are tender, occasionally
spooning vegetables over chicken.
Nutritional Figures Per Drumstick
Calories 126. Protein 12 grams. Carbohydrate 8 grams. Fat 6
grams. Cholesterol 33 mg. Sodium 41 mg.
CHICKEN IN MUSTARD SAUCEServes 4
If controlling sodium is important to you, use an ordinary
table wine for the white wine called for in this recipe.
Cooking wines often contain salt and should be avoided by
anyone who is watching sodium intake. Likewise, sweet
wines and fortified ones such as sherry, Madeira and
Marsala should be used sparingly because they are higher in
calories than dry wines. No wines contain alcohol after
cooking.
1 roaster boneless breast or 1 package thin sliced roaster
breast
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced (2 cups)
2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley
l tablespoon minced shallot or scallion
l/8 teaspoon ground pepper
l/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
l/4 cup dry white wine
l tablespoon Dijon mustard
Remove and discard visible fat from breast; slice thin.
(If using thin sliced product, skip this step.) In a large
skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add
breast slices a few at a time, placing so that pieces do
not touch. Saute 4 minutes, turning once, until chicken is
lightly browned on both sides. Remove from skillet; keep
warm.
Heat remaining oil. Add mushrooms, parsley, shallot and
pepper. Stirring frequently, cook 2 minutes. Stir in
broth and wine; bring to a boil and cook until liquid is
reduced by half (about 1/3 cup). Reduce heat to low; stir
in mustard until well blended. Spoon over chicken.
Nutritional Figures per Serving
Calories 286. Protein 37 grams. Carbohydrate 4 grams. Fat
13 grams. Cholesterol 90 mg. Sodium 201 mg.
CHICKEN VERONIQUEServes 4
Any recipe with the name Veronique will have grapes in it.
When buying grapes at the supermarket, you can tell how
fresh they are by how green and pliable the stem is.
Another way of telling is to give the bunch a quick shake.
If it's fresh, none of the individual grapes should fall
from the bunch. I should warn you, though, that shaking
the bunch will not do anything for your popularity with the
store's produce manager.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced
boneless roaster breast
1/2 lemon
Ground pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted margarine
1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
Remove and discard any visible fat. Butterfly breast
halves to make scaloppine. Skip the previous step if you
are using thin sliced boneless roaster breasts. Rub with
lemon and sprinkle lightly with pepper. In large skillet
over medium heat, melt margarine. Add scaloppine, in
batches if necessary, so that they do not touch. Saute 4
minutes, turning once, until chicken is lightly browned on
both sides and just cooked through. Remove from skillet;
keep warm.
In small bowl, stir together cornstarch, broth and wine
until smooth; add to skillet. Over medium heat, bring to
boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in grapes
until heated through. To serve, spoon grapes and sauce
over chicken.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 233. Protein 36 grams. Carbohydrate 9 grams. Fat
5 grams. Cholesterol 90 mg. Sodium 87 mg.
CHICKEN BREASTS WITH VEGETABLESServes 4
Whenever possible, choose crisp, fresh vegetables over
their canned or frozen counterparts. Fresh vegetables have
better color, flavor and texture. When using frozen or
canned products, be sure to look for those with no salt
added. This kind of nutritious, high vitamin, low calorie
meal that features breast meat is a mainstay for Frank and
me, and it has been for him for a long time. His grown
daughter, Bev Nida, tells me that one of her childhood
memories of Frank was that if he was late for dinner, ("and
he always was"), everyone knew to save a chicken breast for
him.
4 chicken breasts halves
2 tablespoons unsalted margarine
2 large carrots, cut into matchstick strips (1-1/2 cups)
2 ribs celery, cut into matchstick strips (1-1/2 cups)
1 green pepper, cut into matchstick strips (1 cup)
1 small shallot, minced
1 cut low-sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Remove and discard skin and visible fat from chicken
breasts. In large skillet over medium heat, melt
margarine. Add chicken, cook 10 to 15 minutes, turning
until browned on all sides. Remove chicken; drain on paper
towels. Add carrot, celery, green pepper, and shallot;
cook stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Remove vegetables;
set aside. Stir in broth and pepper; add chicken. Reduce
heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken
is cooked through.
Remove breasts to serving plate; keep warm. In cup, stir
together water and cornstarch until smooth; stir into
skillet. Over medium heat, bring to boil; boil 1 minute,
stirring constantly. Stir in vegetables ; cook until
heated through. To serve, spoon vegetables over chicken.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 380. Protein 62 grams. Carbohydrate 9 grams. Fat 9
grams. Cholesterol 152 mg. Sodium 201 mg.
CHICKEN STROGANOFFServes 4
This is a 1990s version of a nineteenth-century Russian
classic. By substituting plain, lowfat yogurt for sour
cream, you're decreasing the calories in this recipe by 332
calories.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced
boneless roaster breast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced (2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 container (8-ounces) plain low-fat yogurt
hot cooked noodles, cooked without salt
Remove and discard visible fat from chicken; slice chicken
in thin strips. In large skillet over medium heat, heat 1
tablespoon oil. Add onions; cook 2 minutes, stirring
frequently. Add mushrooms; cook 3 minutes longer. Remove
vegetables from skillet; set aside. Heat remaining oil in
skillet. Add chicken and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until
chicken turns white, stirring frequently. Return
vegetables to skillet; add broth and pepper.
In cup, blend water and cornstarch; stir into skillet.
Over medium heat, bring to a boil; boil 1 minute, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat; stir in yogurt until well
blended. Heat gently over low heat (do not boil). Serve
over noodles.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 427. Protein 65 grams. Carbohydrate 13 grams. Fat
12 grams. Cholesterol 155 mg. Sodium 182 mg.
CITRUS-MARINATED CHICKEN WINGSServes 3
Taste tests show that the parts of the bird that get the
most exercise, such as the wings, leg, and neck have the
deepest flavor. The seasonings in this recipe bring out
the wonderful flavor of wings.
10 chicken wings
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
grated peel and juice of 1 orange
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
Fold wing tips back to form triangles. Place wings in
shallow baking pan. In small saucepan, stir together
remaining ingredients and heat over medium heat 5 minutes.
Pour mixture over wings. Cover; refrigerate several hours
or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400oF. Bake wings 30 minutes or until
tender, basting occasionally.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 137. Protein 9 grams. Carbohydrate 2 grams. Fat 10
grams. Cholesterol 25 mg. Sodium 24 mg.
ROASTER BREAST A L'ORANGEServes 6
If you have a choice when buying the orange for this
recipe, buy a Valencia in preference to a Navel. Navel
oranges are excellent eating oranges, but they're not good
juice oranges; the juice develops an off flavor if not used
within half an hour. The Valencia, on the other hand, has a
more stable flavor in its juice form.
1 roaster breast
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
Dash ground pepper
2/3 cup orange juice
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup julienne-cut orange peel strips
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350oF. Place breast skin-side up in
roasting pan; roast 45 minutes. Meanwhile, in 2-quart
saucepan, stir together cornstarch, sugar and pepper.
Gradually stir in orange juice and broth until smooth.
Over medium heat, bring to a boil; boil 1 minute, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in orange peel and
lemon juice. Roast chicken, basting frequently with sauce
for 20 minutes longer or until juices run clear with no
hint of pink when a cut is made near the bone. Heat
remaining sauce and serve with roaster breast.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 168. Protein 20 grams. Carbohydrate 9 grams. Fat 5
grams. Cholesterol 54 mg. Sodium 54 mg.
CORNISH HENS WITH MUSHROOMSServes 4
Skim milk contains all the calcium and protein of whole
milk. Use it to make a prudent version of mushroom "cream"
sauce.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, halved or quartered
2 small onions, peeled and cut in thin wedges
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
2 bay leaves
1 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Remove and discard any fat from cavities of hens. In a 5-
quart Dutch oven or large deep skillet, over medium heat,
heat oil. Add hens; cook about 20 minutes, turning to
brown on all sides. Remove hens from pan and set aside.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings; stir in mushrooms
and onion. Cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring
occasionally. Stir in broth, pepper and bay leaves.
Return hens to pan; reduce heat to medium low. Cover and
simmer 45 minutes or until tender. Remove hens to serving
platter and cut in half. Discard bay leaves. In cup,
blend milk and cornstarch until smooth; stir into liquid in
pan. Over medium heat, bring to a boil; boil 1 minute,
stirring constantly. Serve sauce with hens.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 446. Protein 38 grams. Carbohydrate 9 grams. Fat
28 grams. Cholesterol 111 mg. Sodium 151 mg.
CORNISH HENS WITH APPLE STUFFINGServes 4
Microwave Recipe
No extra cooking time is needed when you stuff fresh
Cornish game hens before microwaving.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
3 tablespoons unsalted margarine, divided
1 tart red apple, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup fresh whole-wheat bread cubes (2 slices)
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons cider or apple juice divided
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Remove and discard any fat from cavities of hens. Place 2
tablespoons margarine in a 4 cup glass container; microwave
at HIGH (100% power) 45 seconds. Add apple, celery and
onion; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH (100%
power) 3 minutes, stirring once. Stir in bread cubes,
poultry seasoning, pepper and 1 tablespoon cider. Spoon
stuffing mixture lightly into cavities and close openings
with toothpicks.
Arrange hens, with legs pointing toward center, on
microwave-safe roasting utensil. Place remaining 1
tablespoon margarine in custard cup; microwave at HIGH 25
seconds. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon cider and paprika;
brush mixture on hens. Cover hens with wax paper.
Microwave at MEDIUM HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound
(combined weight of both hens). Let stand, covered, 10
minutes. To serve, cut hens in half.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 436. Protein 35 grams. Carbohydrate 13 grams. Fat
26 grams. Cholesterol 110 mg. Sodium 170 mg.
CURRIED ROASTER DRUMSTICKSServes 4
In this recipe, you'll see vegetable oil instead of butter
or margarine or lard. Solid fats contain saturated fat,
either because they came from animal sources (butter or
lard) or because they have been hydrogenated (shortening or
margarine).
5 roaster drumsticks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium apples (diced 2 cups)
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons cold water
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Remove and discard skin and visible fat from drumsticks.
In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add
drumsticks; cook about 15 minutes, turning until browned on
all sides. Remove; drain on paper towels. Pour off all
but 1 tablespoon fat. Add apple, onion, garlic, curry,
ginger and pepper; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring
frequently. Stir in broth. Return chicken to skillet;
reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring
occasionally for 40 minutes or until chicken is tender and
cooked through. Remove chicken to platter; keep warm.
In cup, blend water and cornstarch until smooth; stir into
skillet. Over medium heat, bring to boil; boil 1 minute,
stirring occasionally. Spoon sauce over chicken.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 207. Protein 17 grams. Carbohydrate 15 grams. Fat
9 grams. Cholesterol 51 mg. Sodium 74 mg.
GREEK LEMON CHICKENServes 4
This recipe adapts well to barbecuing.
1 chicken (3 pounds), quartered
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons cold pressed (extra virgin) olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, sliced into thin rings
2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
Lemon wedges, fresh oregano and thyme leaves (optional
garnish)
Remove and discard visible fat from chicken. In large,
shallow bowl, combine remaining ingredients except
garnishes. Add chicken and marinate in refrigerator 30
minutes or longer. Preheat broiler. Drain chicken from
marinade; place on rack in broiler pan. Broil chicken
quarters, 4 inches from heat, for 30 to 35 minutes or until
cooked through, turning and basting with marinade 3 to 4
times during cooking. Add onion rings during last 10
minutes of broiling time. Serve chicken with onion slices
and garnish with lemon wedges, and sprigs of fresh oregano
and thyme, if desired.
Nutritional figures per serving
Calories 389. Protein 38. Carbohydrate 5 grams. Fat 24
grams. Cholesterol 122 mg. Sodium 110 mg.
LEMON DRUMSTICKS AND THIGHSServes 4
Both the grill and the broiler are good friends to the
dieter because any fat that cooks out of your chicken just
drops away into the fire or pan below. The juice and rind
from lemons help achieve tasty, no salt basting.
4 chicken drumsticks
4 chicken thighs
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt (or less)
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
Remove and discard
skin and visible fat from drumsticks and thighs. Place in
large, shallow dish. In small bowl, stir together lemon
juice, water, oil, lemon peel, garlic, salt and pepper;
pour over chicken. Cover; refrigerate several hours or
overnight, turning occasionally.
Prepare outdoor grill for cooking or preheat broiler.
Remove from marinade. Grill 6 inches from source of heat
or broil indoors, cooking about 30 to 40 minutes or until
tender and golden brown; turn and baste frequently with
marinade.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 220. Protein 26 grams. Carbohydrate 2 grams. Fat
12 grams. Cholesterol 80 mg. Sodium 217 mg.
ORIENTAL CHICKEN AND VEGETABLESServes 4
Fresh garlic is definitely better than powdered garlic. If
you haven't been using it, give fresh garlic a try. Look
for garlic cloves with plump, firm heads that have a fresh
appearance. The paper-like casing should be dry and should
completely cover the individual garlic cloves, and there
should be no trace of sprouting. Store garlic in a cool,
dry place, but don't refrigerate it. I asked a garlic
grower why not, and he told me that cool temperatures can
increase the garlic's tendency to sprout.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Ground pepper to taste
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth at room temperature
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sliced scallions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup diagonally sliced carrots (about 2 medium)
1 cup snow peas
1 cup well-drained bean sprouts
1 can (8-ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
hot cooked rice (cooked without salt)
Trim visible fat from thighs; cut chicken in thin strips.
In small bowl, stir together cornstarch and pepper.
Gradually stir in broth and soy sauce until smooth; set
aside. In wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, heat
oil. Add green onions and garlic; stir-fry 30 seconds.
Add chicken and carrots; stir-fry 3 to 5 minutes or until
chicken turns white and carrots are tender crisp. Add snow
peas, bean sprouts and water chestnuts. Stir-fry to heat
through. Re-stir cornstarch mixture; add to wok. Over
medium heat, bring to a boil; boil l minute, stirring
constantly. Serve over rice.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 304. Protein 28 grams. Carbohydrate 17 grams. Fat
13 grams. Cholesterol 73 mg. Sodium 268 mg.
PASTA PRIMAVERA WITH CHICKENServes 6
Because freshly grated Parmesan cheese has a more intense
flavor than pre-grated cheese, you can use less of it, and
in the process, you'll be saving on both fat and calories.
When I'm cooking pasta for Frank, I omit both the oil and
salt called for in the directions on the pasta package. If
we're having guests, though, I use the salt and oil called
for in the package directions; people who aren't used to
low-fat, low-salt cooking would find it pretty bland
otherwise.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced
boneless roaster breast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
4 scallions, cut in julienne strips (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound asparagus, peeled, cut in 2-inch pieces or julienne
zucchini (about 2 cups)
2 carrots, peeled, cut in julienne strips (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons minced, fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon
dried
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 pound spaghetti, cooked, drained
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Slice breast meat into thin strips. In a large skillet,
over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add
scallions and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add chicken; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken turns
white, stirring constantly. Remove chicken and vegetables;
set aside. Heat remaining oil in skillet; add asparagus
and carrots a
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