Food Fascination

I have been issued a challenge from a friend at work. She claims a complete inability to cook (although she can, when paying proper attention, boil water). I argue that anyone, even if they can burn water, can make a good meal that is worthy of impressing a date or treating yourself to a great dinner. This can be done with minimal chopping, cooking, or danger to life and limb.

Don’t believe me? Try this:

Option #1:
Roasted chicken, balsamic French bread, and wilted spinach salad
This one involves less than ten minutes of prep, and you won’t even have to use the microwave!

What you’ll need to feed 2-4 ish people:
A pre-roasted chicken (in the deli of most grocery stores)
One bag of baby spinach or spinach salad
Fresh French bread
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar (by the olive oil in the grocery store)
(optional)
Salt and Pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese
Red pepper flakes
Craisins (by the raisins - they’re dried cranberries)
Salad dressing (try a raspberry vinagarette)

On your way home for the evening, stop by the grocery store and pick up one of the pre-roasted chickens they sell for five or six bucks in the deli - not fried (as tempting as it smells) - if they have pre-sliced or chicken breasts, even better. Get those. Or, if you’re trying to cut fat even further one of the roasted turkey breasts. Also purchase whatever else on the list you need.

As soon as you get home, spread the spinach salad over a large plate. Open the chicken. Set the lid of the chicken container over the spinach (the leftover heat and humidity will wilt the spinach) If you are comfortable with a knife, then slice off some chicken breasts. If you’re not, then wash your hands and rip into it, getting as large of chunks as you can. Spread the salad over as many medium-sized plates as you have people for dinner, then lay the chicken over the salad. If you’re using it, drizzle some vinagarette over the whole thing - or sprinkle craisins over the plate - or both.

On a separate plate, dump a bunch of olive oil onto the plate. Drizzle some vinegar over it. If you’d like, add salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, or red pepper flakes. Take the bread out of it’s paper bag. Set it on the table to let people rip their own chunks. The idea is that you rip a chunk of bread, dip it in the flavored oil, and chow.

There you go - fancy dinner in under ten minutes.

Today kicks off a new feature on Food Fascination - Make Five. The basic idea is that with fewer than 20 ingredients (all of which are fairly inexpensive and easy to get) and one afternoon or evening of cooking, you can get five dishes, most of which can be frozen and quickly made into a weeknight dinner. It’s an easy way to maximize your time, effort, food dollars, and freezer space - without paying through the nose to go to one of those “make your own meal” places.

We’ll kick of the Make Five feature with chicken recipies. These range from super easy (chicken salad) to easy-but-takes-some-time (chicken pot pie). To make all five and freeze four of them, it will probably take you about 3 - 4 hours - less total time than you’d spend cooking every night for a week.

All five of these recipes are very forgiving on ingredients. You can adjust up or down the amounts in most all of them, so if you don’t have the exact amount of chicken or sour cream or vegetables or whatever, don’t worry too much about it, just use what you have.

Some hints:
~If your store has cheap rotissire chicken, and you’re uncomfortable with cooking your own, by all means, buy those and shred the meat right off the bones. Otherwise, just poach all the chicken in a few big batches at the start of the cooking marathon and use it as you wish. More in recipies you want extra chickeny, less in those you don’t.

~The chicken salad should be made last, to use up whatever chicken you’ve got left. If it’s not much, then make a smaller amount. If it’s a lot, you’ve got a good lunch for a few days.

~Add extra veggies to the pot pie! If you’ve got leftover broccoli, cut it small and throw it in. Pot pie is where you want to use up leftover veggies or small amounts you’ve had sitting in your freezer.

~While the shopping list includes wine, don’t feel obligated to use it. It can just as easily be replaced with chicken broth or milk. If you do want to use it, use whatever white wine (NOT pink - white zinfandel and white shiraz should stay in your glass) you like to drink. The inexpensive brands that still taste pretty darn good that I tend to keep around and use are Banrock Station and Barefoot. Try chardonnay or pinot if you’re not sure.

~You can usually pick up chicken fairly inexpensively in the “Manager’s Special” section of the butcher block in your grocery store. Or wait for the “buy one get one free” deals and stock up. Usually chicken in the larger packages is cheaper. Chicken thighs are usually cheaper than breasts, but the meat is a bit fattier and darker. Perfectly fine to use, still, though.

Make Five Chicken Shopping List:

8 - 11 pounds chicken - either chicken thighs, boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or precooked rotissire chicken.
1 pound container Sour Cream
4 - 5 cups Shredded Cheddar or Colby Jack cheese
5 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1 small can diced Chilis - you can find this by the salsa or Hispanic foods
2 bunches fresh or about 20 ounces (2 packages) frozen Broccoli
1 cup Bread Crumbs
2 small bags of your favorite frozen Veggie Mix
1 or 2 medium white onions
2 - 6 cloves Garlic, or a small jar of the pre-chopped garlic
1 package prepared Biscuits, pie crust, or croissants
2 - 3 cups Miracle Whip / Salad Dressing or Mayonnaise
1 stick Butter
1 bottle (at least 2 cups, if you have an open bottle) White Wine
8 - 10 “gordita” sized Tortillas
3 cups Milk
1-2 boxes Long Grain and Wild Rice

Bonus items (if you want to spend an extra few dollars)
Chicken stock or bullion
Parmesan Cheese
Olives
Basil, thyme, rosemary, chili powder
Lemon Juice
Red pepper or pimento

Make Five Recipes:
Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken Divan
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken and Creamy Wild Rice Soup
Basic Chicken Salad

Chicken salad is probably one of my all-time favorite go-to dishes. It is quick to make, can hold a huge variety of ingredients, and is easy to make up into sandwiches or a single-plate lunch. Start off with the basics, try a few variations, and then let your imagination (and taste buds) run wild. This is a perfect recipe to use up leftover chicken you have from other recipes, last night’s dinner, or the cheap rotisserie chicken at the store.

1 - 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs or 1 pound shredded chicken
1 - 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise or salad dressing / miracle whip
1 box Long Grain and Wild Rice

In a deep frying pan or wide saucepan, cover the chicken with water (if you have it, add a cube of bullion or teaspoon of chicken stock). Place over medium-high heat. Let the water reach a boil, and poach chicken for 8-12 minutes, or until cutting into the thickest part of the meat reveals no pink.

Set poached chicken on a plate and allow to cool until you can comfortably handle it. (In the fridge, if you’re in a hurry) Shred or roughly chop the chicken - don’t worry about making it look pretty.

Prepare the wild rice according to package directions.

Combine shredded chicken, mayonnaise, and wild rice in a bowl. Refrigerate - serve alone, on a tortilla, on bread, with crackers, however you care to try it.

Try adding:
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sliced red or green grapes
1 small red apple, sliced into small chunks
1/4 cup feta cheese

This is a great mix-up of your traditional cream of chicken soup. Like all soups, it’s a great way to get rid of the little bits and pieces of leftover vegetables you’ve got sitting in your fridge - and makes a wonderful wintery lunch.

1-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 1 - 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1-3 cloves garlic
1/2 a medium onion or 1 small onion (optional)
2 cups milk
1/2 to 1 cup white wine (optional - just replace with milk or chicken broth if you don’t have or want to use wine)
1 small box Long Grain and Wild Rice

In a deep frying pan or wide saucepan, cover the chicken with water (if you have it, add a cube of bullion or teaspoon of chicken stock). Place over medium-high heat. Let the water reach a boil, and poach chicken for 8-12 minutes, or until cutting into the thickest part of the meat reveals no pink.

Set poached chicken on a plate and allow to cool until you can comfortably handle it. (In the fridge, if you’re in a hurry) Shred or roughly chop the chicken - don’t worry about making it look pretty.

Prepare the long grain and wild rice according to the package directions.

Chop the garlic and onions into small pieces. In a medium soup pot, saute them together with a small amount of oil, until they’re softened. Add the cream of chicken soup, milk, white wine, shredded chicken, and rice. Heat through and serve.

There are plenty of things you can add to this soup. Try adding corn for a more hearty meal. Or throw in a few teaspoons of cayenne pepper for a bit of heat. Small amounts of rosemary or thyme make great seasonings. This also freezes well - just pour into freezer-safe containers, let cool, uncovered in the fridge, then seal and pop into the freezer. To reheat, just put in a pot over very low heat.

Pot Pie is one of the classics of winter and / or “homey” cooking. Smooth, creamy sauce, flavorful vegetables and chunks of chicken are all combined into a bowl full of happiness. There are many, many approaches to making this dish - if you have a favorite vegetable to throw in, or prefer a flaky pie crust to a biscuit crust, then go for it. I’ve put a few of the possible substitutions and/or possible ingredients - really any combination of them should work well. If an ingredient line has an “OR” just choose one of the options. Make this your own!

2-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts OR 2-4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs OR 3-5 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 medium onion, chopped OR 1 small package pearl onions
2-4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped OR 2-4 Tablespoons processed garlic OR 3-6 Tablespoons garlic powder
1-2 packages frozen vegetable mix OR 3-4 cans vegetables OR 4-6 cups fresh, chopped vegetables (carrots, celery, corn, red pepper, etc)
2 cans cream of chicken soup - OR 1/4 cup butter, 1/3 cup flour, and 2-3 cups chicken broth
2 cups milk
1/2 cup to 1 cup white wine (OPTIONAL)
Any combination of basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, and pepper that sounds good to you. (Approximately 1-5 teaspoons each)
1 package pre-made biscuits OR 1 package pre-made roll-out pie dough OR 1 batch baking powder biscuits (try Bisquick if you don’t want to make your own) OR 1 package pre-made croissant dough

In a deep frying pan or wide saucepan, cover the chicken with water (if you have it, add a cube of bullion or teaspoon of chicken stock). Place over medium-high heat. Let the water reach a boil, and poach chicken for 8-12 minutes, or until cutting into the thickest part of the meat reveals no pink.

Set poached chicken on a plate and allow to cool until you can comfortably handle it. (In the fridge, if you’re in a hurry) Shred or roughly chop the chicken - don’t worry about making it look pretty.

In a large frying pan, combine the onion and garlic (and celery and carrots if you are using them) with a small drizzle of oil or 1-2 teaspoons of butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.

In a large, deep, pot (a thick-bottomed “dutch oven” works well, if you have it) start the sauce.
If you are using the cream of chicken soup, combine that with the milk and white wine. Stir well.
If you are using the butter and flour, melt the butter in the bottom of the pan. Stir the flour in with a whisk or fork. Slowly add the chicken broth, then the wine (see this post for more information on roux, which is what you just made.) Add the spices to taste.

To the sauce, add the chicken, onion/garlic mix, and vegetables (just dump frozen veggies into the mix. Drain and dump the canned). Heat this on the stove over medium-to-high heat, stirring occasionally. While the filling is heating, preheat the oven to whatever temperature is recommended on your bread package. If you are using baking powder biscuits, this is usually 400-ish.

Open the topping package and / or roll out your topping dough.

If you have been using an oven-safe pot (this means NO PLASTIC, even on the handles) and have at least 3/4 of an inch of room between the filling and the lip of the pot, use that. Otherwise, dump the filling into a casserole dish. While the filling is still hot, place the topping dough on it and pop it in the oven. You want to do this while the filling is still hot so the bottom of the topping cooks as well - otherwise, it will be a doughy mess with a cooked top crust, no matter how long you bake it.

If you want to freeze pot pie, simply ladle the filling, without the topping, into freezer-safe containers. Allow to cool, uncovered, in the fridge. Once it’s cold, seal up and freeze. When you’re ready to make dinner,  reheat the filling over medium-low heat in saucepan. Once it’s hot and bubbly, top it with your dough of choice and bake as usual.

Bake until your topping is golden brown. Wait a few minutes for it to cool, and enjoy!

This is a throw-together, use-what-you’ve-got dinner that makes great lunchtime leftovers. Not exactly low-fat, but great for those evenings where it’s cold and snowy and you just want something warm and homey. If you don’t have exact amounts, don’t stress - use what you’ve got.

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 4-6 cups shredded chicken
16-20 ounces (1-2 packages) frozen or about 3-4 cups fresh broccoli (this is about 1-2 medium-sized bunches)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing/Miracle Whip - to cut down on fat, use low-fat mayonnaise. Miracle whip just adds a bit more tang to the recipe - I prefer it. You can vary the amount of this up or down by about 1/4 cup - if you’re using less, make up for it with a bit more sour cream or wine.
1 cup sour cream - same goes here - you can vary this by up to 1/4 cup - just make up for it with mayo.
1 - 2 cups shredded cheddar
1/2 - 1 cup white wine Feel free to cut this out if you are staying away from alcohol - just replace it with some milk or chicken broth.
1 cup bread crumbs
2 Tbsp butter

In a deep frying pan or wide saucepan, cover two chicken breasts with water (if you have it, add a cube of bullion or teaspoon of chicken stock). Place over medium-high heat. Let the water reach a boil, and poach chicken for 8-12 minutes, or until cutting into the thickest part of the breast reveals no pink.

Set poached chicken on a plate and allow to cool until you can comfortably handle it. (In the fridge, if you’re in a hurry) Shred or roughly chop the chicken - don’t worry about making it look pretty.

If using fresh broccoli, use a paring knife to trim into small chunks. Dump into boiling water for 3-5 minutes, or until the broccoli is a bright green and still has some crunch to it. If it’s still around, use the water you poached the chicken in - one less dish to wash, and the water should still be hot.

If using frozen broccoli, pour into a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on medium power for 3-5 minutes, or until defrosted.

In a separate, large bowl, whisk or stir together the soup, mayonnaise, sour cream, cheddar, and wine. Add the chicken and broccoli and mix together until combined.

Cover a 9 x 11 pan with foil (a single layer if you are baking this right away, a triple layer if you will be freezing this) and spray with nonstick spray. Dump the chicken mixture into the pan and spread evenly.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter by microwaving 30 seconds on high power. Stir in with the bread crumbs. Spread buttered bread crumbs over the chicken mixture.

To bake right away, place in a 350-degree oven for 35-45 minutes, or until it’s hot and bubbly.

To freeze, lay another piece of foil across the top and turn the pan over. Wrap securely and place in the freezer. When the time comes to bake it, your foil package should fit perfectly into your pan - just take the top layer of foil off, heat the oven to 350 and bake for 45-55 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

This is another recipe that is practically made for experimentation. Some of my favorite variations are adding parmesean cheese to the bread crumbs, adding a teaspoon of curry powder to the sauce, using cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken, adding a few tablespoons lemon juice, throwing in a few tablespoons of pimentos, and using colby jack cheese instead of cheddar.

In my house, these are known as “Zombie Feed” and no matter how many frozen batches I make, they disappear incredibly quickly. They freeze amazingly well, and the recipe is easy to double, triple, or quadruple.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 10-ounce can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream give or take… You can vary this up by about 1/2 cup if you want to stretch the recipe, or down by about 1/4 cup if you’re running low
2 1/2 cups cheese you can vary this by up to a cup in either direction - try using cheddar, Colby-Jack, or even the “Mexican” blend
1/2 to 1 small can diced chilies If you love spice, try diced jalepenos. If you are more of a mild-salsa person, half a can adds flavor without too much heat.
6-10 tortillas “Gordita” sized or larger - flour or corn.

This is the kind of recipe that is easy to vary and play with. You can throw them together with what you’ve probably got sitting around, except perhaps the chilis… and those are usually less than a dollar at the grocery store. If you don’t have a full cup of sour cream, then use a little less. If you LOVE cheese, throw in some extra. If you adore having red peppers in dinner, then slice some up, saute them to soften, and throw in. If you’ve got some leftover roasted chicken from last night’s dinner, use that. This is the kind of recipe that is made to experiment with, and use up whatever you’ve got around!

In a deep frying pan or wide saucepan, cover two chicken breasts with water (if you have it, add a cube of bullion or teaspoon of chicken stock). Place over medium-high heat. Let the water reach a boil, and poach chicken for 8-12 minutes, or until cutting into the thickest part of the breast reveals no pink.

Set poached chicken on a plate and allow to cool until you can comfortably handle it. (In the fridge, if you’re in a hurry) Shred or roughly chop the chicken - don’t worry about making it look pretty.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream of chicken soup, sour cream, 2 cups of the cheese, and chilis. Scoop about 1/3 of the mixture into a separate small bowl. Add the chicken to the remaining 2/3, and mix until combined.

At this point, you’ve got a couple of options. One 9 x 13 pan pretty much perfectly fits 8 enchiladas… or one 8×8 square pan fits 4. Either way, cover your pan with a layer of foil. Spoon the chicken-ified filling into tortillas, roll them up, and place seam-side down in the pan. Continue until the pan is full. Spread the reserved 1/3 of the cheese mixture (half of it if you’re using the 8×8 pan) and the remaining cheese (again, half for the 8×8) across the top of the rolled, filled tortillas.

If you are baking these right away, bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes, or until they’re melty and bubbly.

If you are freezing these, fold the edges of the foil down over the topping. Place a second piece of foil over the top, and turn the entire pan over. Wrap it up into a package (yeah, the topping will get smushed. This isn’t a big deal) and stick in the freezer. When time comes for dinner, the foil package will fit perfectly into your pan- just take the top layer of foil off (to expose the top of the enchiladas - leave the first layer of foil folded, however, to protect the edges) and put in your cold oven. Turn the oven onto 350, and come back an hour later. This way the enchiladas have a chance to heat up and defrost slowly as the oven heats up, preventing soggy-edged tortillas.

Try adding olives to the topping. Also try using salsa and cheese as a topping - or, if you’ve got a favorite enchilada sauce, use that!

What’s the best way to cook chicken breasts in a hurry?

Honestly, this entirely depends on what you plan on using the chicken for. If you’re looking for a quick lunch, you’ll treat the chicken differently than if you’re throwing together some enchiladas.

First thing to remember is that the thicker meat is, the longer it takes for the heat of cooking to penetrate deep enough, long enough, to actually cook. If you’re going for a quick meal, you’ll want to get that heat in the cells, quickly. First - have it defrosted. Do this in the microwave if you must, but DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT cook the chicken entirely in the microwave!

This is because the microwave will cook through the chicken by vibrating the water molecules already in the chicken - without evaporating any of them. This turns into rubbery, all-but-inedible meat. Defrost on low power.

Second - slice it up. The thinner and / or less mass each piece of the chicken has, the faster it will cook.

To cook the chicken - your three fastest options are:

1- Poach. Boil water in a saucepot with a bit of chicken stock or cube of bullion. Drop either a full breast or, more ideally, slices of the chicken, into the boiling water. Let boil away for at least 7-10 minutes (for slices) or 12-15 minutes (for a full breast). Pull out and cut into the thickest part of the chicken. If there is pink, cook for a bit longer. If not, you’re done! This will not caramelize any of the exterior, but it will cook the meat through. This is best used in soups, pastas, anything where color isn’t a big deal.

2- Pan-fry. In a hot frying pan, drizzle a small amount of oilve oil and whatever spices you’d like to use (garlic, paprika, and salt make up most poultry seasoning mixes). Drop in the raw chicken, and stir quickly. This is, in effect, stir-frying the meat. You should continually stir if you’ve got the heat on high on pretty much anything, in order to prevent burning.

3- Grill. I know, I know, the contact grills are over-hyped. However, a contact grill can save you time and effort. Throw some spices on the chicken, put it in the grill, and worry about the rest of dinner. Just be sure to cut into the center to make sure it’s done!

Good luck, and enjoy!

6 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Olive Oil
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
1 package crumbled feta cheese (Garlic and herb or sun-dried tomato are both tasty)
1/2 - 3/4 cup Ricotta cheese (If you don’t have the exact amount, don’t worry!)
1/2 - 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (If you don’t have the exact amount, don’t worry!)

Preheat oven to 350.

In a shallow frying pan, heat a few tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering (but not smoking - olive oil can and does burn) Place two or three (however many will fit in your pan) trimmed chicken breasts* in the pan, sprinkling the spices to taste over the top. Flip after two or three minutes, and sprinkle the other side with spices. Cook another two to three minutes. DO NOT cook all the way through! Set this chicken aside, on a baking dish covered in foil, and continue cooking in batches until complete.

In a bowl, combine the three cheeses. Set aside.

Allow the chicken to cool just enough to handle. Using a sharp paring knife, cut into the thickest part of the breast - about half the horizontal width. Cut down the length of the breast. Spoon approximately one sixth the cheese mixture into the slice you just created, using the back of the spoon to pack the cheese in.

Once all six chicken breasts are stuffed, cover the baking dish with more foil, sealing the edges. Bake for twenty to thirty five minutes, until the chicken shows no signs of pink and the cheese is heated through.

* Usually the boneless, skinless chicken breasts you get from the store still have some fat attached. Trim this off with a sharp knife. If you cook this fat, it becomes very very tough gristle that is not pleasant to bite into.