Showing posts with label Poultry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Poultry. Show all posts
This is a recipe that I have seen kicking around the internet for years which I have always wanted to make. It always sounded simple and delicious, and of course you know that my main criteria for cooking here at home is simple and delicious! I can be rather lazy when it comes to cooking. Quick, easy and delicious works for me! Don't get me wrong. I can do complicated with my eyes closed . . . but why??? If I can find a short cut which will get me the same results. I'm taking it.
And you really couldn't get much simpler than this actually . . . chicken mini fillets (Or chicken tenders as they are called in North America) dusted with a tasty mix of spices, browned in butter (*slurp!) and then simmered in cream until done. (**Double slurp!) Yes . . . I am also somewhat of a glutton.
There is a little tendon which lays on the bottom side of these mini chicken fillets which I always remove. I don't like the texture of it in my chicken. It can make them a bit tough if you leave it in. It's not all that difficult to remove. You can see it quite easily, it's very visible. Just lay your chicken piece, underside up on a cutting board and firmly grip the end of the tendon with your left thumb and forefinger and then using a very sharp knife start to slide it down the of the tendon, chivvying the knife against the tendon without cutting through . . . Once you have it all loosened, just throw it away!
Then it's as simple as just mixing the spices and rubbing them into the chicken pieces and browning them, then pouring on the cream. Talk about big time flavour for very little effort! You will love this. I know we sure did! I serve it simply with some steamed new potatoes (so good this time of year) and haricot verts. Delicious!
*Chicken Lazone*
Serves 4
I am not sure where this chicken recipe comes from, but I do know that it is delicious and so simple to make. Serve it with pasta or potatoes. It's so easy to make
that it is sure to become a family favourite! This version is lower in fat than the original, but still just as tasty!
2 pounds mini chicken filets (Chicken tenders)
450ml of single cream (2 cups half and half)
3 TBS butter, divided
For the seasoning mix:
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp mild chili powder (Don't use the hot!)
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
(Note these are not salts!)
Mix together all of the seasonings. Note there is only 1/2 tsp salt and they are garlic and onion powders, not salts. (I cannot stress this enough!) Take your mini chicken filets and remove the tendon which you will find on the underside. Grab the end of it firmly between your finger and thumb, and using a sharp paring knife, chivvy and scrape it gently along the tendon until the tendon is removed. Discard the tendons. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the chicken pieces, patting it onto all sides.
Melt 2 TBS of the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Once it begins to foam add the chicken tenders in a single layer, and brown them well on once side for about 4 minutes, then flipping them over and continuing to cook for a further 4 minutes. Pour the cream into the pan. Lower the heat and allow the sauce to simmer and thicken for about 5 to 7 minutes. Whisk in the butter. Serve the chicken and sauce over pasta or with potatoes as desired.
I picked up a few chicken crowns at the grocery store last week that were on for a really nice price. They were only £3. We like chicken in this house. I think it's probably the one protein we eat the most of.
A chicken crown is like a turkey crown except it's chicken. The legs are removed and in this case the wings as well. What you end up with is a nice compact sized roast, with the bone and skin intact, which you can still stuff if you like.
I created a simple bread stuffing for this one I cooked the other day. It was not a huge amount, just enough to slip between the skin and the meat of the chicken breast, but it helped to keep the chicken really nice and moist. With the excess amount, I simply grated a small sweet potato and mixed it in and then baked it in a casserole along side of the chicken. It was really tasty!
I made a tasty bread sauce to have as well. Bread sauce is a lovely sauce to have with poultry, believe it or not. It's not something which I had heard of before I moved over here to the UK. It's really delicious and so easy to make too.
You simply infuse some milk with the flavour of onion, cloves and bay leaf, and then whisk in cream and bread crumbs whilst reheating. It thickens up nicely and tastes just wonderful! It's amazing what you can do with just a few simple ingredients. I was impressed.
We ended up with a delicious dinner with well flavoured and moist chicken, and a beautiful stuffing, a lovely sauce and a fabulous gravy. We both enjoyed this very much. I do hope that you will give it a try. Oh, and that nice lovely crisp skin? I got that by rubbing a liquid stock pot into the skin prior to roasting it. DEEEEEE-licious!!
I made a tasty bread sauce to have as well. Bread sauce is a lovely sauce to have with poultry, believe it or not. It's not something which I had heard of before I moved over here to the UK. It's really delicious and so easy to make too.
You simply infuse some milk with the flavour of onion, cloves and bay leaf, and then whisk in cream and bread crumbs whilst reheating. It thickens up nicely and tastes just wonderful! It's amazing what you can do with just a few simple ingredients. I was impressed.
We ended up with a delicious dinner with well flavoured and moist chicken, and a beautiful stuffing, a lovely sauce and a fabulous gravy. We both enjoyed this very much. I do hope that you will give it a try. Oh, and that nice lovely crisp skin? I got that by rubbing a liquid stock pot into the skin prior to roasting it. DEEEEEE-licious!!
*Roast Stuffed Chicken Crown*
Serves 4For the stuffing:
the finely grated zest of one unwaxed lemon
One half hour before the chicken is done make the bread sauce. Put the clove studded onion into a small saucepan along with the milk and bay leaf. Bring just to the boil, then remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for half an hour. At the end of that time, strain the milk into a clean pan. Add the cream and bread crumbs. Bring to the boil, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for five minutes. Keep warm while you make the gravy.
Remove the chicken to a serving plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Pour off all but 1 TBS of drippings from the roasting tin. Place the tin over medium heat and whisk in the flour. Cook and stir for about a minute, until golden brown. Gradually whisk in the stock and cook, whisking constantly until the mixture has come to the boil and thickened. Whisk in the madiera or sherry. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed with salt and pepper. Cook for about five minutes on low heat.
To serve, cut the stuffed breast into slices and serve along with some extra stuffing a spoonful of bread sauce and some gravy. I like to have mashed potatoes and carrots with this.
I love food this time of year . . . I know I say that all year round, but this is the time of year that we really start to get stuck into comfort foods . . . winter warmers . . . rich soups, stews, casseroles and bakes.
Food that, with the exception of a few small prep details, pretty much cooks itself. Simple and wholesome ingredients, but let me tell you . . . more often than not there it nothing simple at all about the flavours! Most pack a very delicious punch!
I've always been the kind of person that has been able to put things together and come up with something satisfyingly delicious . . . things like this Chicken, Bacon and Leek Casserole I am showing you here today.
It's simple. It uses stuff you most likely have in your fridge, larder and freezer right now. It tastes fabulously delicious, and it basically cooks itself. I like to serve it with some fluffy mash.
The Toddster is a real mash lover. I like to cook some greens on the side as well, just for some colour and vitamins. Today it was sprout tops. I do hope you will give it a try., and when you do that you'll come back and tell me how much you loved it! It may not look very exciting, but dull this isn't!
*Chicken, Bacon & Leek Casserole*
Serves 4
2 stalks of celery
1 large carrot, peeled and slicedsalt and pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.
Add the wine and chicken stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and stir in the flour/water mixture. Cook stirring until the mixture begins to thicken. Cover tightly and then transfer the casserole to the oven. Bake, covered, for about 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes longer, until the chicken and vegetables are very tender.
Serve hot with some mashed potatoes and crusty rolls.
Ahhhh . . . turkey, that holiday centrepiece that is so beloved by many . . . a family tradition for Thanksgiving (if you are a North American) and Christmas (if you are a Brit). An annual favourite and not all that hard to cook, but so often done wrong.
Today I shall attempt to put to bed some of the mysteries which surround the cooking of this fabulous bird and hopefully help to make yours this year to be the best turkey ever!
I like to purchase a top quality bird for my holiday feasts, be it Thanksgiving or Christmas. This is the one time of the year I will splurge and get a higher cost bird, and it goes without saying that I always choose free range and fresh if I can get it.
I like to purchase a top quality bird for my holiday feasts, be it Thanksgiving or Christmas. This is the one time of the year I will splurge and get a higher cost bird, and it goes without saying that I always choose free range and fresh if I can get it.
I may eat turkey
minced, or in bits the rest of the year . . . but it is only this once a
year that I cook the whole bird, so it is a real treat for us!
(Christmas for us.)
A lot of people swear by Brining . . . and others by dry brining. I have tried both . . . and to be honest, I want my turkey to taste like a turkey. Dry brining with salt preserves the integrity of the bird . . . and in all honesty it doesn't end up being really salty, but every wet brined bird I have ever cooked ended up tasting like the brine. Not my cup of tea.
I always remove all of the wrapping from my bird and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours unwrapped to help dry the skin out well. That makes it a lot easier to rub any butter on and helps for nicely browned skin.
A lot of people swear by Brining . . . and others by dry brining. I have tried both . . . and to be honest, I want my turkey to taste like a turkey. Dry brining with salt preserves the integrity of the bird . . . and in all honesty it doesn't end up being really salty, but every wet brined bird I have ever cooked ended up tasting like the brine. Not my cup of tea.
I always remove all of the wrapping from my bird and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours unwrapped to help dry the skin out well. That makes it a lot easier to rub any butter on and helps for nicely browned skin.
I also take it out at least an hour before
cooking, which brings it to room temperature. A cold bird put into a
hot oven is a bit of a shocking experience and tightens up the tissue . .
. we don't want a tough bird. Moist and succulent is the order of the
day.
If you are not buying fresh you will be buying a frozen one and so proper planning has to go into the thawing of the bird so that you are not caught out on the day with a still frozen bird and a multitude of hungry people arriving at any moment!
Always, always thaw your turkey in the refrigerator. I know the temptation is there to want to leave it out on the countertop overnight and hasten the event, but the simple truth is as soon as the meat thaws and warms, bacteria begins to grow at room temperature.
If you are not buying fresh you will be buying a frozen one and so proper planning has to go into the thawing of the bird so that you are not caught out on the day with a still frozen bird and a multitude of hungry people arriving at any moment!
Always, always thaw your turkey in the refrigerator. I know the temptation is there to want to leave it out on the countertop overnight and hasten the event, but the simple truth is as soon as the meat thaws and warms, bacteria begins to grow at room temperature.
With something as large as a turkey, this means that by the time the centre has thawed, the outside already has bacteria growing and multiplying. Sure . . . there is a possibility that it may not make you sick, but why take the chance?
Refrigerator Thawing
I like to start mine off at a high temperature to assist in the browning, but after that I reduce the temperature to as low as it is safe to go and slow roast, basting it every 15 to 20 minutes with broth and more butter, or the pan juices. (I know . . . but it's Thanksgiving/Christmas!) If it starts to get too dark, I will tent it with some foil.
A meat thermometer or an instant-read thermometer will help you have a moist, perfectly-done turkey. The breast should register 75*C/165*F in the thickest part, away from the bone. If you use an instant-read thermometer, start checking 30 minutes to 1 hour ahead of time. If you think your turkey is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil.
This is the meat thermometer I use. It's very easy to use, you just stick it into a meaty area of the bird, taking care not to touch any bone. I would recommend the Eddington's Meat Thermometer. It is made with high quality Cromargan stainless steel, and I have found it to give precise and reliable readings.
*Herb Roasted Turkey*
Serves 12 to 14
Printable Recipe
This really is a moist and flavourful way to cook a turkey. The smell alone, when it is roasting, lures everyone into the kitchen. You can hardly wait for it to be done so you can tuck in to it. I have done this with turkey crowns as well with lots of success. I hope you will try it and like it as much as we do. This recipe was a grand prize winner in a Taste of Home turkey recipe contest.
14 pound turkey
(I like to use a free range bird, myself)
1 TBS salt
1 tsp pepper
18 sprigs of fresh thyme, divided
4 medium onions, sliced
4 celery ribs, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
3 bay leaves
1 TBS peppercorns
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp minced fresh sage
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 tsp finely chopped chives
Pre-heat the oven to 160*C/325*F. Get out a large roaster. Remove any giblets etc. from your turkey and rinse it well. Pat it dry with some paper towelling.
Rub the surface of your turkey with salt and pepper and sprinkle inside the cavity with some salt and pepper as well. Place 12 sprigs of thyme in the cavity.
For gravy, skim off any fat from the pan drippings. Add a couple of cups of stock to the pan and vegetables and bring to the boil to deglaze and loosen up any tasty bits from the bottom. Strain this into a saucepan.
Refrigerator Thawing
When thawing a turkey in the refrigerator:
Plan ahead: allow approximately 24 hours for each 4 to 5 pounds in a refrigerator set at 40 °F or below. Place the turkey in a container to prevent the juices from dripping on other foods. I always thaw mine out on the bottom shelf.
Refrigerator Thawing Times
Whole turkey:
4 to 12 pounds (1.8 Kilos to 5.4 Kilos) …… 1 to 3 days
12 to 16 pounds (5.4 Kilos to 7.2 Kilos) …… 3 to 4 days
16 to 20 pounds (7.2 Kilos to 9.7 Kilos) …… 4 to 5 days
20 to 24 pounds (9.7 Kilos to 10.8 Kilos) …… 5 to 6 days
A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days before cooking.
What size pan will you need for your turkey?
Roast it on a rack – either a metal one or a rack of vegetables like whole carrots and celery in an open pan. If you use a foil pan, double it for extra strength with a heavy turkey. I often use the enamel Grill pan and rack that came with my stove. It is large and shallow, allowing for even browning.
Turkey Minimum Pan Size:
Up to 12 pounds 14” x 10” x 2 ¾”
Up to 16 pounds 15 ¾” x 12” x 3”
Up to 20 pounds 16” x 13” x 3” high
This is the rack I use. The Eddingtons V shaped roasting rack. It helps to keep the turkey elevated so that it doesn't stew in it's own juices and the air from the oven can circulate easily around the bird. You can pick one up at Tesco Direct for £4.50, which is a really decent price. It's made of steel and is non stick.
To ensure a nicely moist turkey, I like to rub a lot of butter into the flesh beneath the skin, and on top of the skin. Now you can add seasonings and herbs to it, like I have done here today, which also adds extra flavour.
What size pan will you need for your turkey?
Roast it on a rack – either a metal one or a rack of vegetables like whole carrots and celery in an open pan. If you use a foil pan, double it for extra strength with a heavy turkey. I often use the enamel Grill pan and rack that came with my stove. It is large and shallow, allowing for even browning.
Turkey Minimum Pan Size:
Up to 12 pounds 14” x 10” x 2 ¾”
Up to 16 pounds 15 ¾” x 12” x 3”
Up to 20 pounds 16” x 13” x 3” high
This is the rack I use. The Eddingtons V shaped roasting rack. It helps to keep the turkey elevated so that it doesn't stew in it's own juices and the air from the oven can circulate easily around the bird. You can pick one up at Tesco Direct for £4.50, which is a really decent price. It's made of steel and is non stick.
To ensure a nicely moist turkey, I like to rub a lot of butter into the flesh beneath the skin, and on top of the skin. Now you can add seasonings and herbs to it, like I have done here today, which also adds extra flavour.
Sometimes I just slip a few sprigs of thyme, some salt,
pepper and sage in with the butter, which works well also. A bit of
broth in the roasting tin and a few aromatic veggies and Bob's your
Uncle. Put that tasty bird over top of it all on a rack and start
roasting!
I like to start mine off at a high temperature to assist in the browning, but after that I reduce the temperature to as low as it is safe to go and slow roast, basting it every 15 to 20 minutes with broth and more butter, or the pan juices. (I know . . . but it's Thanksgiving/Christmas!) If it starts to get too dark, I will tent it with some foil.
A meat thermometer or an instant-read thermometer will help you have a moist, perfectly-done turkey. The breast should register 75*C/165*F in the thickest part, away from the bone. If you use an instant-read thermometer, start checking 30 minutes to 1 hour ahead of time. If you think your turkey is browning too fast, tent loosely with foil.
This is the meat thermometer I use. It's very easy to use, you just stick it into a meaty area of the bird, taking care not to touch any bone. I would recommend the Eddington's Meat Thermometer. It is made with high quality Cromargan stainless steel, and I have found it to give precise and reliable readings.
It is clear and easy to read. with a very functional design, and a temperature range of O*C to 120*C. You can find one of these at For House and Home for the price of £10.99.
These work really well also. Eddingtons Pop Up Timers for cooking turkey. They help to take the guess work out of cooking your turkey and are very easy to use.
These work really well also. Eddingtons Pop Up Timers for cooking turkey. They help to take the guess work out of cooking your turkey and are very easy to use.
Simply insert a pop up timer into the centre
of the breast, once the turkey has reached the correct temperature the
stem will pop up letting you know your turkey is ready. You can buy them at Captain Cooks for £2.99.
It's really important that once your bird is done you set it aside, keep it warm and allow it to rest, so that all of those tasty juices will be absorbed back into the bird. If you start to carve it right away, you're going to lose all of that moistness.
It's really important that once your bird is done you set it aside, keep it warm and allow it to rest, so that all of those tasty juices will be absorbed back into the bird. If you start to carve it right away, you're going to lose all of that moistness.
It will run out all over
your cutting board. Be patient. Wait. You'll be rewarded with an
incredibly tasty and moist bird. Let it rest, loosely covered with foil, for at least 30 minutes before carving.
One of the most difficult things to do is to lift the turkey out of the roasting tin onto a platter. They are heavy and awkward and somewhat cumbersome. I have some really handy Turkey Lifters which make the job a whole lot easier.
One of the most difficult things to do is to lift the turkey out of the roasting tin onto a platter. They are heavy and awkward and somewhat cumbersome. I have some really handy Turkey Lifters which make the job a whole lot easier.
You just slide them into to the bottom of the turkey at both ends, where the holes won't show and life the turkey out with ease. This particular set from Eddingtons is durable and easy to use and comes in a set of two. You can purchase them at The Cooks Kitchen for £5.76, a reduction from £6.25.
*Herb Roasted Turkey*
Serves 12 to 14
Printable Recipe
This really is a moist and flavourful way to cook a turkey. The smell alone, when it is roasting, lures everyone into the kitchen. You can hardly wait for it to be done so you can tuck in to it. I have done this with turkey crowns as well with lots of success. I hope you will try it and like it as much as we do. This recipe was a grand prize winner in a Taste of Home turkey recipe contest.
14 pound turkey
(I like to use a free range bird, myself)
1 TBS salt
1 tsp pepper
18 sprigs of fresh thyme, divided
4 medium onions, sliced
4 celery ribs, sliced
2 medium carrots, sliced
3 bay leaves
1 TBS peppercorns
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp minced fresh sage
1 tsp minced fresh thyme
1 tsp finely chopped chives
Pre-heat the oven to 160*C/325*F. Get out a large roaster. Remove any giblets etc. from your turkey and rinse it well. Pat it dry with some paper towelling.
Rub the surface of your turkey with salt and pepper and sprinkle inside the cavity with some salt and pepper as well. Place 12 sprigs of thyme in the cavity.
Place the onions, celery, carrots,
bay leaves, peppercorns and the remaining thyme sprigs in the bottom of
the roasting pan. Place the turkey, breast side up, on top of the
vegetables.
Drizzle the butter all over the turkey and then, sprinkle
with the minced herbs. Cover loosely with foil. Bake for 2 1/2 hours.
Remove the foil and bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours longer, basting every 20
minutes.
The turkey is done when the juices run clear when you prick
the turkey with a fork, and when the drumsticks are loose when lightly
twisted. Remove from the oven to a heated platter and lightly cover
with foil. Allow to stand for 20 minutes before carving.
For gravy, skim off any fat from the pan drippings. Add a couple of cups of stock to the pan and vegetables and bring to the boil to deglaze and loosen up any tasty bits from the bottom. Strain this into a saucepan.
Put some cold water into a jar along with a few TBS of flour. Shake it
really well and then strain it into the saucepan, whisking it in very
carefully.
Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, whisking the whole
time and cook until bubbling and thick. Taste and adjust seasoning as
necessary. Place in a gravy boat for serving at the table.
Serve the turkey sliced and pass the gravy boat around!
Serve the turkey sliced and pass the gravy boat around!
We love chicken in this house and it is a meat which I serve often as it is not only affordable but something which readily adapts itself to many flavours and cooking methods.
Sometimes I stuff it and roast it whole, which is very, very nice. Not to mention you then have the leftovers to turn into delicious casseroles and lets not forget a tasty soup from the bones.
More often than not though, I like to use pieces, either breasts or leg quarters, sometimes boneless, and at others bone in . . .any way you cut it, chicken is our favourite protein of choice.
Today I chose to use chicken leg quarters, which I rubbed with a spice mix, drizzled with olive oil and then simply roasted in the oven until the skin was nicely crisped, whilst leaving the flesh tender and juicy. It's one of the Toddster's favourite meals, served up with potato of some sort and vegetables. You can't go wrong. Kiddos love this too! And best of all it's quick, easy, economical and tasty!
*Spicy Baked Chicken Quarters*
Serves 6
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
Hot sauce to finish (optional)
Parmesan Cheese (optional)
Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7.
I can still remember the first time I tasted Buttermilk. It was way back in the mid 1970's. I think I bought some to make a cake with or something. Buttermilk in Canada, comes in one litre containers, so it wasn't long before I was scrambling to find something else I could make with it. Back in those days it was a lot harder. There was no internet to seek advice from! You had to rely on word of mouth, friends and family.
Over here in the UK, you only get Buttermilk in small 284ml containers, each holding about 1 1/2 cups, which is good in a way, as you are only opening about as much as you need at any given time, but it is a pain in another way as you end up having to buy more containers and store them when you want to make something as delicious as this chicken here today.
This is an old favourite of ours from those early days. The chicken always turns out amazingly tender. A good soaking in buttermilk is the secret to that. Sometimes I add herbs to the flour mixture, sometimes I don't. I am in particularly fond of thyme, or symmer savoury in this. But it's awfully good with no herbs as well.
It does use condensed cream soup. But I am not a snob that way, or pedantic about it's use. I'm not pretentious either. If something tastes good, it tastes good and I am not afraid to tell you that it uses cream soup. So there!
It has it's uses and this is one of them and I'm not afraid to put my hand up and say, yes . . . on occasion I do use "cream of" soups. Oh sure, I could take extra time and make a bechamel sauce, etc. . . . or homemade mushroom soup to use in this, but I don't.
I'm also rather lazy at times. And this is one of those times. It tastes good. It's easy to make. It's a real family pleaser. You can't get much better than that. I did share this on the blog way back in 2009, but some things are just so good they bear repeating on occasion.
*Buttermilk Chicken*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
I'm not sure how it works, but the buttermilk in this recipe helps to create chicken that is moist and very tender. This is delicious!
2 ounces butter (1/4 cup)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 heaped TBS of plain flour
2 284ml containers of buttermilk (about 3 cups)
1 (285g) tin of Batchelors condensed cream of mushroom soup (Campbells)
chopped fresh flat leaf parsley to garnish
Pre-heat the oven to 205*C/425*F. Melt the butter in a 13 by 9 inch shallow baking dish. Set aside.
Sprinkle the chicken breasts on both sides with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place the flour in a shallow bowl and one container of the buttermilk in another shallow bowl.
Dip the breasts, one at a time, first into the buttermilk and then into the flour, shaking off any excess, but coating it well. Lay good side down in the melted butter in the baking dish. Repeat until all four have been coated.
Bake in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and flip over. Return to the oven and bake for 10 minutes longer.
While the chicken is baking whisk together the other container of buttermilk and the undiluted mushroom soup.
Remove the chicken from the oven and pour the soup mixture over top. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until nicely browned. Remove the chicken pieces to four warmed plates. Stir the soup mixture in the pan and then spoon equally over top of the chicken pieces. Serve immediately with some parsley sprinkled over each.
Can I whine a bit here???? (Yes this is the same photo from above) I wanted to accentuate the small size of this "chicken breast" here. I hate it when grocery shops try to dupe you into thinking you are buying a package of lets say CHICKEN BREAST for instance and one of the chick breasts is actually NOT a whole chicken breast but a chunk of chicken breast that they have managed to maneuver into the middle of the other breasts to make it look like you are getting four chicken breasts. You aren't though. You are getting three and a half if you are lucky and I have even been tricked into buying a package which has one and two halves in it. Bad grocery stores. They don't weigh what the package says either. Once you take off all the packaging and that little piece of squishy paper underneat the meat that absorbs all that liquid and who knows what water they have pumpked into it, you usually are missing quite a substantial amount. I am so tired of being lied to . . . aren't you? I'll get off my soap box now.
We were having company for supper tonight and so I wanted to bake a tasty casserole that would make everybody happy. I had taken chicken breasts out of the freezer last night and they were to be the basis for my casserole.
I also took out a package of lean back bacon that I thought would go very well in the dish. The smokiness of bacon goes really well with chicken I think. It's a lovely combination. I also had a package of mushrooms that I wanted to use up while I still could. I had bought them for something else, but the something else never got made. (Doesn't that happen to everyone?)
In any case I ended up making a chicken cobbler with the chicken, bacon and mushrooms . . . a kind of a chicken stew, flavoured with onions and herbs . . . thyme and summer savory . . .
I added some sliced carrots for a bit of colour and sweetness. Chicken breasts on their own can be quite bland, but they are a beautiful canvas for whatever you put with them . . . after browning the meat, onions, and mushrooms, I added some chicken stock and then put the whole lot into the oven to braise for half an hour.
While that mixture was braising I make an herbed drop scone/dumpling mixture to drop onto the top of the chicken stew. Sprinkled with cheese and then banged back into the oven until the dumplings were golden brown and crusted and oh so cheesy.
We ended up having to cancel our company as I ended up not being very well, but the Toddster surely enjoyed this meal. It was right up his alley. He loves a hearty casserole and this fit the bill perfectly. I sent the leftovers down to the Missionaries for their supper . . . I think they enjoyed it too.
*Chicken, Bacon and Mushroom Cobbler*
Serves 6 to 8
A
delicious chicken casserole, filled with tender chunks of chicken
breast, back bacon, mushrooms and carrots, and topped with a cheese
crusted dumpling topping! Serves 6 to 8
into 1 inch cubes
a bit of olive oil
1 packet of back bacon, cut into cubes (smoked or unsmoked as you wish. About six slices)
1 tsp salt
300ml of buttermilk (about 1 1/3 cups)
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