Buffalo Chicken Salad

Buffalo Chicken Salad, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

Here's another use for Buffalo chicken. This is a Rachael Ray recipe. It makes a lot of dressing; you can probably use only half.

BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD
Serves 4

2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup shredded carrots, available in pouches
2 ribs celery, chopped
1/2 cup ranch salad dressing
1/2 cup blue cheese, crumbled
3/4 pound chicken breast or tenders, cut into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1 turn of the pan
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and black pepper
1/4 cup Frank's hot sauce

Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat.

Combine lettuce, carrots and celery in a salad bowl. Combine ranch dressing and blue cheese crumbles in a small bowl.

Add oil and butter to hot pan with the chicken. Season with salt and pepper and sear for 2 or 3 minutes, then add hot sauce. Reduce heat a little and cook 5 minutes more.

Top salad with chicken and drizzle on the dressing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Per Serving: 493 Calories; 32g Fat (57.2% calories from fat); 38g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 99mg Cholesterol; 1136mg Sodium. Exchanges: 4 Lean Meat; 3 Vegetable; 5 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

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Grilled Chicken Breast Strips

Grilled Chicken Breast Strips, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

We enjoy the convenience of ready-cooked chicken breast strips for salads and for a quick protein snack. The cost of the packaged breast strips they sell at Costco is the same as two whole chickens. I tried my hand at making my own strips and was much more satisfied with the result - the breasts were tender, less salty, and meatier.

GRILLED CHICKEN BREAST STRIPS IN HERB MARINADE
Serves 8

8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 cup fresh parsley
1/3 cup fresh oregano, chopped, or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
1/4 cup fresh chives, or 1 scallion, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary, or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup dry vermouth, preferably Martini and Rossi
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Place in a large bowl.

In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine basil, parsley, oregano, chives, rosemary, and garlic; pulse to chop. Add mustard, lemon juice, vermouth, salt and red pepper flakes. With the machine running, slowly pour oil through feed tube until marinade is smooth. You can also combine all of the ingredients in a blender, in batches, and run until smooth. (The marinade can be prepared up to 3 days ahead, covered and refrigerated.) Add to chicken and mix well until coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours.

Build a hot fire in a charcoal grill. Lightly oil grill rack. Grill chicken in center area of grill, turning once, until barely beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Arrange chicken in a circle around outside edges of grill. Cover with grill lid (or fashion a dome out of a double thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil) and cook, turning once, until the juices run clear yellow when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, about 15 minutes. Don't overcook, especially if planning to freeze as reheating will cook meat further.

Allow chicken to rest at least 15 minutes. Cut diagonally into 1/2-inch wide strips. Arrange on foil-lined baking tray in a single layer. Flash-freeze for about an hour. Place about 6 ounces of strips in a sandwich-size plastic bag and return to freezer. I've also simply used dry-rub.

Recipe by Rick Rodgers

Per Serving: 215 Calories; 9g Fat (38.8% calories from fat); 28g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 68mg Cholesterol; 252mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 4 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.

Egg Flower Soup

Egg Flower Soup, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

Jeff Smith, The Frugal Gourmet, focused on the role of food in preserving culture and family history. His PBS shows would entertain with stories of his travels and his colorful comments as he would cook.

I made the Chinese chicken broth he published in his book, The Frugal Gourmet Cooks Three Ancient Cuisines. He urged viewers to use half pork bones for a truly flavorful base for all sorts of Chinese soups. I'd suggest a trip to the Chinese market to buy the turnip ball for a truly authentic experience.

RICH CHINESE CHICKEN BROTH
Makes about 4 1/2 quarts

5 pounds chicken backs and necks, or use 2 1/2 pounds of chicken parts plus 2 1/2 pounds of pork neck bones
2 slices fresh ginger, each the size of a 25 cent piece
2 pieces Chinese preserved turnip or preserved radish, in balls,coarsely chopped and rinsed with fresh water

Place bones in a 12-quart stockpot and cover with water. Bring bones to barely a simmer without boiling. Foam and scum will form.

Drain the bones of the water and rinse with fresh water

Add 1 quart of water per pound of bones (5 quarts for 5 pounds of bones). Add ginger and dried turnip.

Bring to a simmer and cook for one hour, uncovered.

Chill overnight and remove layer of fat.

EGG FLOWER SOUP
Served 4

4 cups Chinese chicken broth
1 carrot, minced
1 green onion, sliced
2 eggs, beaten

Bring chicken broth to a boil with the carrot. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the carrot is tender.

Bring the broth back up to a low boil. Stir the broth with a spoon in a circular motion. While the broth is still moving, pour the egg in a steady stream. The egg will form strands (flowers). It's important that the broth is moving for the flowers to form.

Turn off heat and stir in green onion. Serve with soy sauce.

Spicy Oven-Fried Chicken

Spicy Oven-Fried Chicken, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

I love fried chicken with its crisp crust, moist meat, and particularly served with a flavorful gravy (post to follow sometime in the future...) Since I can't make traditional fried chicken very often without sacrificing our health, I usually bake it after removing the skin.

This recipe requires a little planning ahead. I've marinated the chicken for as long as 2 days. Baking it on a wire rack allows a lot of the fat to drip out. The chicken bakes up crispy and tender. The buttermilk gives a nice tang and keeps the meat moist. The original recipe says to bake at 425 degrees for 50 minutes after drizzling the chicken with butter. I found the chicken to be too brown and overcooked, and I don't miss the extra butter.

SPICY OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN
12 pieces

1 1/4 cups lowfat buttermilk, or use 5 tbsp buttermilk mix and 1 1/4 c. water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, optional
3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 large onion, sliced
12 skinless chicken thighs, with or without bones, or a combination of thighs and drumsticks
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup flour
2 teaspoons thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne


Whisk buttermilk, oil, pepper sauce, mustard, garlic and 1 tsp salt and pepper in large baking dish. Add onion, then chicken and turn to coat. Cover and chill for 3 hours or up to 1 day, turning chicken occasionally.

Line a large jelly roll pan with foil and set a large wire rack into the pan.

Combine breadcrumbs and seasonings and remaining 1 tsp salt in a plastic bag. Remove chicken from marinade. Place a few pieces of chicken at a time in bag and shake to coat evenly.

Set chicken on the rack for 30 minutes to set.

Reapply more breadcrumb mixture to the chicken if the coating looks thin by either shaking the chicken again or sprinkling on some crumb mixture and pressing it gently into place with your fingers. The boneless chicken should be "rolled" into a thigh-shaped piece, not set out flat.

Adjust oven rack to the lower 1/3 position (any higher and the crust scorches). Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

Adapted from a recipe in Bon Appetit, June 2000

Neno's Sticky Chicken

Neno's Sticky Chicken, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

This recipe is a great way to roast a large chicken. It's reminiscent of rotisserie-style chickens, and it is very easy to make. The meat comes out very moist and flavorful, so it is as good leftover as freshly cooked. Once you try it, you will never roast chicken any other way again! You need to start this the night before serving.

This is a very popular item on Sharon Worster's Aunt Neno's Personal Chef Service menu, and many other other Personal Chef Service menus list this item as well. The boys say it tastes just like store-bought rotisserie chicken at about half the cost. It just requires some planning ahead. It isn't "sticky" at all...........not sure why the title.

I like this spice blend to use as a Cajun seasoning (it's not as spicy as Emeril's Essence). I make a large batch and store it in a 1-cup jar. Use about 1/4 cup of seasoning blend in this recipe.

NENO'S STICKY CHICKEN

4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large roasting chicken
1 cup chopped onion

In a small bowl, thoroughly combine all the spices.

Remove giblets from chicken, clean the cavity well and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the spice mixture into the chicken, both inside and out, making sure it is evenly distributed and down deep into the skin. Place in a resealable plastic bag, seal and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to roast the chicken, stuff cavity with onions, and place in a shallow baking pan. Roast, uncovered, at 250 degrees F for 5 hours (yes, 250 degrees for 5 hours). After the first hour, baste chicken occasionally (every half hour or so) with pan juices. The pan juices will start to caramelize on the bottom of pan and the chicken will turn golden brown. If the chicken contains a pop-up thermometer, ignore it. Let chicken rest about 10 minutes before carving.

Per Serving: 499 Calories; 36g Fat (65.2% calories from fat); 39g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 163mg Cholesterol; 627mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 5 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 4 Fat.

Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup

Chili's Chicken Enchilada Soup, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

This is a family favorite. It's very similar to tortilla soup, except it uses masa as a thickener instead of tortillas. Brandon loves this and that's saying something!

CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP
Todd Wilbur, Top Secret Recipes
Serves 6

1 pound skinless boneless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 clove garlic, pressed
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup masa harina
3 cups water
1 cup enchilada sauce
16 ounces Velveeta Light
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Garnish:
Fried tortilla strips
Grated cheddar cheese
Diced avocado
Sour cream

Saute´onion and garlic for about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth.

Combine masa harina with 2 cups of water in medium bowl and whisk until blended. Add mixture to pot.

Add remaining ingredients (except chicken) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until thick.

Add chicken for the last few minutes to warm. Serve in cups or bowls with garnish.

Makes 12 2-cup servings.

Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving (excluding garnish): 505 Calories; 20g Fat (37.2% calories from fat); 44g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 104mg Cholesterol; 3565mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 5 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs, originally uploaded by Sweet Sugarplums.

Bob and the boys LOVE Buffalo Chicken - wings, tenders, salad, etc. I found a recipe for chicken meatballs, using ground chicken breast. The original recipe called for 1 1/2 tsp. chili powder, but it was pretty spicy. I reduced the powder, but it can be increased if desired.

BUFFALO CHICKEN MEATBALLS

1 1/4 pound ground chicken breast
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
3/4 teaspoon dried mustard
1/4 teaspoon chili powder, or more, if desired
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons Frank’s Redhot Buffalo Wing Sauce
3/4 cup Frank’s Redhot Buffalo Wing Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place ground chicken in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs, mustard, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Pour the bread crumb mixture into the bowl with the ground chicken and add the beaten egg and first 3 tbsp. of buffalo sauce. Mix together thoroughly (you’ll probably want to get a little dirty and just use your hands for this — it’s the easiest way.)

Form small meatballs by using a small ice cream scoop. Roll meatballs by hand. Arrange on baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes. Brown under a broiler for 5 minutes.

Pour about half a cup of the remaining buffalo sauce over the browned meatballs on the baking sheet. Roll the meatballs around in the sauce to coat all sides. Use more buffalo sauce if necessary. You’re just looking for a thin coat of buffalo sauce on the meatballs.

Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing. Makes about 40 meatballs, 6 servings

Adapted from "Cook with Kerry" weblog, Dec 20, 2006

Nutrition Facts:
Per Serving: 238 Calories; 10g Fat (38.1% calories from fat); 31g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 120mg Cholesterol; 1116mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 4 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fat.