I am always on the look out for chicken dishes that are quick and easy to make. I am a no fuss, no muss kind of a person.
I used to do a lot of fiddling about with food when I worked as a personal Chef, and I was being paid to do so, but in my private life, quick and easy is what I like to cook and eat most of the time.
You can call me lazy if you want to, but I just don't like to faff about a lot when it comes to every day eating. I would rather save my efforts for celebratory meals or holidays. I hope I am not alone in that.
Today's recipe is one that I had printed out back in 2007, which I had found on a site which was then called Recipezaar. I used to go on Recipezaar a lot. It was a lovely recipe sharing site and there were loads of really nice people on there.
I got to make friends in real life with a number of them and actually met a few in person. Great people. It is no longer called Recipezaar, and has lost a lot of its charm.
The original owners sold out to a larger company for a great deal of money I believe, and in the process something was lost. It was no longer the friendly community it had once been. In all honesty, I can say I haven't been on there in a very long time. Its a shame really.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
I don't know why these large companies always want to change what is already working well. I suppose at the end of the day it is all down to money and profits.
I personally think that when you take the humanity out of things, you lose something very special. But hey ho, who am I. Just a normal person, and but a tiny drop in a gargantuan ocean.
Anyways, back to this very simple and delicious chicken recipe. It was one I had found there in 2007 and that I had enjoyed. I had saved the printout in my Big Blue Binder and as you know, only the best recipes get saved into that.
For those of you who don't know, my Big Blue Binder has travelled all over the world with me since I was a very young girl. It is a collection of family recipes, tried and trues, etc. It is priceless.
Last year when I left the UK to move back to Canada, I had to leave almost everything I owned behind, including all of my cookbooks. My Big Blue Binder came with me however. There was no way I was leaving that behind!
I am so very grateful that I had enough forethought at the time to think to include it in what I was bringing. It would have been a real tragedy had I not done so. Like Recipezaar, something really special would have been lost.
This is one of my favorite chicken dishes to make. You can see the original recipe here. I haven't really changed it all that much, with the exception of cooking things a tiny bit differently, adding a bit of spice and white wine instead of stock.
I also cut it down to serve only two people. If you want to serve more, by all means check out the original recipe.
You don't need a lot of fancy ingredients to make it, although prosciutto is certainly not a normal every day ingredient to be sure. It is however a lot more available these days than it used to be.
We are living in a much smaller world than our parents lived in and have an abundance of new and delicious foods to try and to use. Prosciutto is one of them.
Prosciutto is an Italian ham which is cured by drying. Traditionally served in very thin slices, it has a lovely flavor which goes well on its own and with many other things, including chicken.
It is uncooked, but you can eat it as is because it has been preserved by drying. It is great on a chacuterie tray. It has a sweet and meaty flavor, and is slightly salty with a lovely bit of soft buttery fat on the edge that practically melts in the mouth.
I like to pound my chicken a bit before I cook it. I just use the flat end of a meat pounder and give it a few bashes. I then seasoned it all over with salt and pepper.
Remember prosciutto is salty so you won't need a lot of salt, but pepper you can go crazy with! Or as crazy as you want to. I happen to like lots of pepper.
The original recipe did not call for pounding the chicken, but I find that it really helps to tenderize chicken breasts if you do so. Once you have pounded them, you dust them in some flour.
I added some paprika for color and some garlic powder for flavor. I can't leave well enough alone, I know.
The breasts then get fried in a bit of melted butter until they are golden brown on both sides. I find that about 6 minutes on the first side works well, and then 4 on the second.
Once you have browned your chicken its as simple as putting it into a casserole dish and layering on a few more ingredients.
First a slice of that delicious prosciutto. Oh boy . . . it adds a lovely saltiness and helps to protect the chicken from drying out in the oven.
Next you add a slice of Swiss cheese. I love the sweet nutty flavor of Swiss cheese. It works very well here.
Gruyere would also work well as would a nice melty gouda or provolone.
On top of that you sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese. Again, a bit salty so do be judicious when seasoning your chicken.
The chicken gets place into a shallow baking dish and dotted with some butter. I know . . . but its not a lot of butter and there is no skin on the chicken. Butter just adds a nice nuttiness to the dish.
I pour a bit of white wine around the chicken in the baking dish, which imparts yet another layer of flavor. Always use a wine you wouldn't mind drinking. If it is a wine you enjoy drinking, then it is a wine that will work well with your dish.
It annoys me when people use the cheapest plonk they can find in their cooking. If you wouldn't drink it, then perhaps you shouldn't be cooking with it either!
A short period of time in the oven and voila! You have a delicious main course created with very few ingredients and even less effort! You can't lose!
I served it with some oven roasted vegetables (new potatoes, carrots, cauliflower) and some yellow and green beans I had picked up at the market. This was all very delicious. I think you are going to really like it!
On a side note, are there any recipes in particular that you would like to see me cut down to size for the smaller family? I really want to know!
Chicken with Prosciutto & Cheese
Yield: 2
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min
This elegant but simple dish is perfectly built for two. Quick and easy to make, you have tender and juicy chicken with beautiful flavors.
Ingredients
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
- pinch garlic powder
- 2 TBS flour
- 2 TBS butter
- 2 slices of prosciutto
- 2 slices of Swiss cheese (can also use gruyere)
- 2 TBS Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/4 cup (60ml) white wine (alternately you can use chicken stock)
Instructions
- Pound your chicken lightly and season all over with salt and black pepper. (Remember prosciutto is salty.)Mix the flour, paprika and garlic powder together in a small bag. Shake the chicken pieces in this to coat.
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Have ready a casserole dish large enough to hold pieces of chicken.
- Melt 1 TBS of the butter in a skillet with a heavy bottom over medium high heat. Once it begins to foam, add the chicken pieces top side down and brown, about 6 to 8 minutes, flip over and brown the other side, a further 3 to 4 minutes. Remove to your casserole dish.
- Top each piece of chicken with a slice of prosciutto. Place a slice of cheese on top. of the prosciutto. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on last. Dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter.
- Pour the white wine into the dish around the chicken.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese has melted and begun to turn golden. Let stand for five minutes then serve with some of the casserole juices spooned over top.
You might think because you are a smaller family, you need to wait until you have company over to be able to enjoy a delicious dessert. You couldn't be any more wrong!
I decided to downsize my pavlova recipe so that it makes only three delicious servings. This is THE perfect summer dessert!
I can remember the first time I ever had Pavlova. It was at a get-together with a few friends from church in Meaford, Ontario, some twenty five years ago. One of the ladies brought Pavlova.
I had never heard of Pavlova before in my life and was intrigued by this interesting sounding dessert. It was love at first bite!!
I remember thinking that such a beautiful dessert must be complicated to make. With its meringue base, crisp and billowy soft, and then the filling of cream and fruit.
Surely it was not easy to make. I was totally wrong. Pavlova has to be one of the easiest desserts out there! If you can work an electric hand mixer, you can make Pavlova!
And this version is fabulously filled with whipped cream, swirled with sweet/tart lemon curd, topped with fresh berries and finished off with candied almonds.
None of it complicated or difficult to execute. All of it delicious.
Plus the Pavlova base itself is wonderfully gluten-free! You will need two large free range egg whites to begin with.
These get beaten together with some finely granulated sugar. In the UK, it is called caster sugar. You need to use finely granulated sugar because it melts into the egg whites better and gives you a smooth finish.
Coarse sugar would give you a gritty finish. The whites get beaten until they start to softly mound and then you start beating in half the sugar. Just until they get stiff and glossy.
The remainder of the sugar then gets beaten in slowly and then you add some cornstarch and a bit of white vinegar. It is this that gives your meringue base that soft marshmallow like interior.
It is important that you use white vinegar. Not cider vinegar, or any other kind. You don't want to be using a vinegar that will change the color of your meringue.
Or the flavor either. White is the most benign of the vinegars, and does the best job.
You will need to trace a circle on a piece of parchment paper. I do this with a pencil and then flip the paper over so that the graphite is on the bottom, just incase it rubs off on the meringue.
I don't know if it really would or not. I have just never been willing to take the chance.
This is to act as a guide for shaping your circle. I have heard of people using the outer ring of a spring form pan to shape their circle, but that's really not necessary in my opinion .
Its not that hard to fill in the circle you have drawn on the paper in order to get the perfect round. Why dirty a dish when you don't have to. Yes, I am that lazy.
You will want to mound the meringue up more around the edges to shape a rim, so that you have a little bowl in the center to hold your filling when it is baked. The mounding and shaping is very easy to do with a metal spoon,
Just mound your egg white mixture in the center of your circle and then use the back of a metal spoon to spread it out to the edges. Shaping it as you go.
Easy peasy. You then bake it in a slow oven for an hour until it is nice and crisp on the outside and soft and mallow-like on the inside. You cannot rush this process.
One hour at 260*F will give you the perfect base. Only lightly colored, perfectly crisp with the proper center.
If you try to rush it at a higher temperature you will not get a correct result. Don't even try. Its called chemistry.
Once your meringue base has baked and cooled you can fill it. For this version I chose to fill it with lightly sweetened whipped cream, which has a good lemon curd rippled through it.
Buy the best curd that you can and fork it through to loosen it a bit, then spoon little dollops over the top of the cream and use the end of a teaspoon or a wooden skewer to ripple it through.
Don't over mix it. You don't want the curd to be completely amalgamated into the cream. You want to be able to see it. That's a part of the charm of this dessert.
You want people to ooh and ahh as soon as they spy the lemon in it. That's probably the hardest part, rippling in the lemon. With some fresh raspberries scattered over top and those candied almonds, this makes for a pretty simple and delicious dessert.
If you are not overly fond of lemon and raspberries (as if!) I have a few other versions of pavlova you can try out. Be warned however, they are the full recipes.
You can find a delicious Salted Caramel Pavlova here. It really has the wow factor. You could downsize it using the measurements for this one I am sharing today, and then just use bottled caramel and chocolate sauces.
I also have an Apple and Blackberry Crumble Pavlova here which is exceedingly delicious! Very autumnal!
This was so wonderful. All of the flavors and textures blended beautifully. It was so delicious. I had to call my sister to come over and get the rest because I was worried I would accidentally inhale the whole thing.
Yes, I am a glutton. I have never been able to find a cure for that ailment. Me just likes food.
In any case, I do hope you will give it a delicious go! You won't regret it! Quick, easy and incredibly tasty!
Lemon & Raspberry Pavlova
Yield: 3
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 1 HourTotal time: 1 H & 15 M
This is such a simple dish to make and everyone loves it. I have downsized my regular recipe to make just 3 lovely servings. Crisp marshmallow filled meringue base, topped with lemon rippled whipped cream, fresh raspberries and candied almonds. What's not to like?
Ingredients
For the base:
- 2 large free range egg whites
- 1/2 cup (95g) fine granulated sugar ( castor sugar)
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp white vinegar
To top:
- 3/4 cup (180ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp fine granulated sugar
- 6 tsp good lemon curd
- a handful of fresh raspberries, cleaned and rinsed
For the candied almonds:
- 1 TBS fine granulated sugar
- 3 TBS flaked almonds
Instructions
- Make the base first. Preheat the oven to 260*F/130*C/ Trace a 4 inch circle onto a piece of parchment paper you have placed on a baking sheet.
- Mix 1/2 TBS of the sugar together with the cornstarch. Set aside.
- Place the egg whites into a clean, grease free glass or metal bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add half of the sugar and continue to beat until the egg whites are stiff and glossy. Continue to beat while slowly adding the remaining sugar. Stir in the cornstarch/sugar mixture, and vinegar, and beat for one further minute.
- Spoon the meringue mixture onto the circle on the baking paper, spreading it out with a metal spoon and making it somewhat shallow in the center with deeper sides around the edges.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. It should then be crisp on the outside and marshmallow-like inside. Leave to cool completely on the baking tray.
- To make the candied almonds, place them into a heavy based skillet along with the sugar. Cook and heat over medium high heat until the sugar begins to melt, shake to coat the almonds. Do not allow the sugar to burn. Remove from the heat and shake the almonds onto a plate. You may need to break them apart with two forks. Leave to cool completely.
- When you are ready to serve the pavlova, whip the cream together with the sugar until it forms soft dollops. Place your meringue onto a serving plate. Spoon the whipped cream into the center.
- Make 6 dollops evenly spaced over the top of the cream with the lemon curd. Using the narrow end of a teaspoon, or a wooden skewer, swirl it through the whipped cream without completely stirring it in. You want rivulets of lemon curd showing.
- Scatter the berries on top and then sprinkle the candied almonds over everything.
- Break apart to serve. Delicious!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Cowboy Casserole. I reckon there is a splattered recipe card containing this recipe in everybody's mother's recipe box, and just about as many different versions of it!
One version is the ever popular cowboy casserole with potatoes, which consists of a creamy, cottage pie type of base, topped with corn and then tater tots and cheese. I have shown that before on here.
And I have to say that its delicious with its creamy flavor filled base and crispy topping. You can find my recipe for that here.
I can tell you it is a great store-cupboard meal and a real belly busting family pleaser. I have never had anyone turn their nose up at it.
It is a tried and true favourite. Perfect for when you need a quick and easy casserole dish. Perfect for family meals, pot lucks, etc.
I also have made a different version which I got a long time ago from a Bisquick cookbook. You can find that recipe here. It is equally as delicious and involved a BBQ beef and bean base, topped with a scrumptious Bisquick topping.
Another one I have made in the past is sort of similar and called Cowboy Hot Pot. It has ham, potatoes and beans in it and is great for when you have leftover ham that you want to use up.
You can find that recipe here. It is one of those old fashioned types of dinners, the type that you might have seen your Grandmother putting together with a bit of this and a bit of that. Its also very delicious.
The recipe I am sharing with you today is an updated version of the middle one I linked to up there, except that it used homemade biscuits rather than ones made with Bisquick.
I didn't have any Bisquick in the house and decided why not make my own from scratch. Why not indeed.
It also differs in that this version is perfectly sized for just two people. I am only one, so it only made sense that I downsize it for a smaller family.
I try to clean my fridge out at least once a week. I hadn't had a chance to do it for a couple of weeks, as I hadn't gone grocery shopping so I decided to do it before I went last week. I was appalled at the waste, and I am a person who tries to use up everything that I can.
I hate having to throw away good food, but I ended up having to ditch a few odds and sods and have challenged myself to do better.
I used to cook for seven, three of them being growing boys, and then I got divorced and remarried and ended up cooking for two plus the hosts of Missionaries that I was always having over for meals. It was a steep learning curve to go down to two. And now one.
Plus with Covid I am not entertaining much these days, I have the odd day where I have my daughter and her husband over, or my sister, her partner and my dad, but for the most part there is just me.
And, I confess, I haven't been using things up as quickly as I needed to and I am afraid there has been some waste. I have decided to make a few further changes.
One, I am going to buy all of my fresh vegetables, or as many as I can, either fresh at the farm market where I can pick and choose exactly how much I want and need.
Two, if I cannot find it fresh in the smaller quantities that I need, I will buy frozen loose vegetables, so that I can only shake out what I want or need at any given time.
Three, I simply cannot get by using the freezer on top of my refrigerator as my only means for being able to freeze food. I need to buy myself a small additional freezer for the surplus and then any surplus that can be frozen, I need to freeze.
This includes things like peppers, onions, tomatoes, etc. That half a can of tomatoes that I didn't need to use, or that half tin of beans. You get my drift.
And finally, four, I need to go shopping more often. I need to go every third or fourth day and buy only what I need for a few days. The days of me being able to shop for a week or more at a time have ended.
I need to buy less and more often. Its as simple as that. I hate the thoughts of going more often, because I am such an impulse buyer, but I need to also learn to resist the impulse. That great deal that I see is no longer a great deal if I can't use it up and it ends up being thrown away.
Hence homemade biscuits on top of my bake. I can't justify having a whole box of bisquick in my larder if I know I am not going to use it up, or have no place to freeze it.
When I get my extra freezer I will make some of my homemade baking mix to keep in there. It works a charm and is a fraction of the price of the real deal and probably a lot better for you in regards to having preservatives, etc. You can find that recipe here.
And so today I downsized my Cowboy casserole recipe to make just two servings, and I used homemade biscuits on top. And it was very, very good.
I will have the rest tomorrow with a salad. Its quick and easy, and oh so delicious. I served it simply with some sliced tomatoes and cucumbers on the side. (Love my salad vegetables in the summer!)
You may be wondering what to do with the other half can of beans. Why its just the perfect size for a cheeky serving of beans on cheese toast for one. Just perfect for when you arrive home after church and are positively starving!!
A very simple make. Make some toast, spread it with grainy mustard and pop it onto a baking tray. Cover with grated cheese, sprinkle with some chopped spring onion and pop it under the grill while you heat up your beans.
Once your beans are hot and your cheese toast grilled, pop the toast onto a plate and spoon the beans on top. Quite simply delicious!
Have you had to make changes to the way you eat or cook over the past months? Do you find yourself having to cook for few people than you used to? What are some of your hints and tips? Please share with us!
Cowboy Casserole for Two
Yield: 2
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 45 Min
Quick, easy and incredibly delicious. This tasty casserole uses only a few ingredients, cooks quickly and is sized for two.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound (275g) extra lean ground beef
- 1 TBS grated onion
- 1 cup (240g) baked beans, undrained
- 1/4 cup (60g) barbeque sauce
- 1 cup flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- pinch salt
- 3 TBS butter
- 1/3 cup (80ml) milk
- 1/4 cup (20g) grated cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C/gas mark 7. Have ready a 2 cup casserole dish. No need to butter.
- Brown your ground beef in a skillet. Add the grated onion and cook for a minute longer than stir in the baked beans and the BBQ sauce. You want a fairly liquid combination. If you think it is too dry, add a bit more sauce from your can of beans.
- Pour into the casserole dish.
- Sift the flour, baking power and salt into a bowl. Drop in the butter and cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Stir in the milk with a fork, to give you a soft dough. Tip out onto a floured board. Knead gently a couple times.
- Pat out to a rectangle about 1 inch in depth. (6 by 2 inches) Cut into 4 squares and place on top of the beef mixture in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with the cheese.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the biscuits are risen atop a bubbling filling and the whole thing is golden brown. Delicious!
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