Tag Archives: chicken

Sauteed Chicken Cutlets with Lemon Sauce

Posted in Poultry by

A gourmet-tasting recipe that’s easy to make, great for a weekday night or as an easy way to impress guests. It’s another old one from my cookbook that I’ve never made — I clipped it from the newspaper more than eight years ago. It originally called for turkey cutlets, but I made mine with chicken and served stuffing alongside it to soak up the sauce.

Serves 4 (or 3 hungry people)

16-20 oz. turkey cutlets, or chicken breast cut into wide strips
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 medium lemons
1 1/2 tsp. cornstarch (cornflour)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped parsley (I used dried parsley to save time)

Pound cutlets between plastic wrap/cling film to 1/4-inch thickness. Rub them with salt and pepper.

In a large nonstick pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until hot, then add the cutlets. Cook, turning occasionally, until golden. Transfer to platter and keep warm.

Thinly slice one lemon and place slices in a bowl. From the other lemon, grate 1/2 tsp. zest and squeeze two tablespoons juice, then add both to the bowl. Whisk the cornstarch in the broth, then add to the bowl along with the garlic.

Pour the bowl into the same pan the chicken was cooked in and boil for about 2 minutes until the sauce is thickened. Stir in the parsley.

To serve, lay chicken on a plate and pour the sauce on top, making sure to put some lemon slices on each plate as a garnish.

Freezing Chicken Breasts

Posted in Cooking Tips, Poultry by

I just read about a great way to freeze chicken breasts that makes it easier to defrost only the portion you want, rather than the whole pack. The idea is similar to freezing ice cubes in a tray, where you freeze them separately and then take out only the ones you want later. Thanks to The Arnette Table for the idea!

Here it is.

Five-Spice Chinese Marinade

Posted in Beef, Condiments/Sauces, Poultry by

I made this with some chicken tonight and everyone loved it. It was easy, fragrant, and delicious, bite after bite.

I adapted the recipe from one I found at Epicurious.

2/3 cup minced green onions
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
1/4 cup dry Sherry
2 Tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl and add sliced chicken (or beef). Cover and refrigerate, marinating between one and three hours before cooking.

When ready to cook, heat a small amount of oil in a pan. Remove the chicken from the marinade with a slotted spoon and fry over medium heat until cooked through. At that point, you can serve it straight over white rice or Asian noodles, or add it to vegetables that you stir-fry until warmed through.

Chicken Souvlaki Salad

Posted in Salads & Dressings, Sandwiches & Wraps by

This is an absolutely delicious chicken salad that would also be perfect inside pita bread or on some crispy pita crackers. It’s not traditional souvlaki — more like a Greek salad — but who cares when it tastes this good. It’s also super easy.

I made this with chicken breasts I boiled the other day. That’s my new favorite way to cook chicken — it leaves it moist and there is no fat involved. If you don’t have any on hand, it’s easy enough to make: Just boil some water, add trimmed chicken pieces, take them out when cooked through, and let cool.

Makes 4 servings

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and pepper
1 lb. cooked boneless, skinless chicken, cubed
3 cups cubed, peeled cucumbers (2-3 cucumbers)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
8 black olives, pitted and chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup fat-free Greek yogurt
1/4 cup grated peeled cucumber
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
Salt and black pepper

Combine first seven ingredients (garlic through chicken breast) in a large bowl. Mix in cucumber, onion, feta, olives, and tomatoes.

In a separtate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, then pour over chicken mixture and toss well.

Santa Fe Chicken Salad

Posted in Leftover Ideas, Poultry, Salads & Dressings by

This southwestern chicken salad won my cook-off at home last night. It looks and tastes like a main-dish salad at a restaurant — big, delicious, with bite-size pieces and plenty of crunch. The recipe calls for cooked chicken, which makes this a great way to use up leftovers. If you don’t have leftovers to use, I recommend placing some chicken pieces in boiling water until cooked through, then chopping or shredding it as desired.

Serves 4-5 as main dish

6 cups Romaine lettuce, torn in pieces
4 oz. corn tortilla chips, crushed by hand, with a few whole chips saved for garnish
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. chili sauce (use a thick opaque one — I like Nando’s Hot Peri-Peri Sauce)
1 tsp. hot pepper sauce, like Tabasco
2 cups chopped or shredded chicken meat (from roughly 4 chicken breast halves)
5 green onions, chopped
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and rained
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 avocado, peeled and sliced into thin wedges, then halved
2 tomatoes, cut into think wedges, then halved

Line plates or pasta bowls with lettuce, then top with chips. In small bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, chili sauce and hot pepper sauce. Pour into larger mixing bowl and combine with the rest of the ingredients, tossing to make sure everything is coated. Place the mixture on top of the chips and Romaine, then garnish with a few whole chips.

For best presentation, pull out some tomato or avocado pieces from the mixture and lay them on top.