365 More Ways to Cook Chicken (365 ways) (37 page)

1.
In a large frying pan, cook chicken and onion in olive oil over mediumhigh heat, turning, until chicken is browned and onion is golden, about 5 minutes. Add broth, lemon juice, lemon zest, and hot pepper. Drain marinade from artichoke hearts and add marinade to pan; reserve artichokes. Cook chicken, partially covered, until white to bone, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken from pan.

2.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but still firm, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.

3.
Toss pan sauce with pasta, artichokes, and cheese. Divide among 4 serving plates. Arrange chicken on top, garnish with parsley, and serve.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 20 minutes Serves: 4

The woodsy taste of wild mushrooms is ideal for an autumn main course. Any wild mushroom, such as shiitake, portobello, or cremini or a combination, can be used. If you can afford a few morels, toss them in for an exquisite smoky flavor.

• ¾ pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch chunks
  

• ½
  teaspoon salt
  

• ½
  teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• 4 tablespoons butter
  

• 2 medium leeks (white part only), thinly sliced
  

• ¾ pound sliced fresh wild mushrooms
  

• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  

• 1 cup heavy cream
  

• ¼ cup Madeira or dry sherry
  

• ¾ pound fettuccine
  

• ¼ cup chopped parsley
  

1.
Season chicken with
¼
teaspoon each salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook, turning, until browned outside with no trace of pink inside, about 10 minutes. With tongs, remove chicken from pan.

2. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and add leeks, mushrooms, and tarragon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and leeks are soft, about 7 minutes. Return chicken to pan and add cream and Madeira. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 3 minutes to reduce sauce slightly. Season with remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

3.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but still firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander.

4.
Toss pasta with chicken and mushroom sauce. Divide among 4 dinner plates and sprinkle with parsley.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 11 to 15 minutes Serves: 6

Straw and hay pasta usually refers to a mix of egg (straw) and green spinach (hay) fettuccine in a creamy sauce. I’ve added white chicken and green spinach for even more “straw and hay.”

• ½
  pound green fettuccine
  

• ½
  pound white fettuccine
  

• ¾ pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into thin strips
  

• ¼ teaspoon salt
  

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• ¼ cup olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• 1 medium onion, chopped
  

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press
  

• 2 ounces chopped prosciutto (about 1/3 cup)
  

• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  

• ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  

• 1 cup chicken broth
  

• 1 cup cream
  

• ½
  cup dry white wine
  

• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  

1.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook green and white fettuccine together until tender but still firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander.

2.
Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large frying pan, cook chicken in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat, stirring often, until white throughout, about 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove chicken from pan.

3.
Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to pan, reduce heat to medium, and add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, prosciutto, spinach, and nutmeg. Cook, stirring often, 2 minutes. Add broth, cream, and wine. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until sauce thickens slightly. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

4.
In a large serving bowl, toss sauce with pasta and chicken. Add cheese, toss again, and serve.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 16 minutes Serves: 4 to 6

• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks
  

• ¼ cup olive oil
  

• 3 garlic cloves, crushed through a press
  

• 2 anchovy fillets
  

• 2 (16-ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained
  

• ½
  cup sliced black olives
  

• 1 tablespoon drained small capers
  

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  

• ¼ to
  ½
  teaspoon crushed hot red pepper
  

• ¾ pound linguine
  

• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
  

1.
In a large frying pan, cook chicken in olive oil over medium-high heat 5 minutes, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add garlic and anchovies and cook 1 minute, mashing anchovies with back of a spoon. Add tomatoes, olives, capers, oregano, and hot pepper. Simmer sauce, uncovered, 10 minutes.

2.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook linguine until tender but still firm, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.

3.
In a large serving bowl, toss pasta with sauce and parsley.

Prep: 15 minutes Stand: 30 minutes Cook: 14 to 16 minutes Serves: 4 to 6

The pasta must be freshly cooked and hot to warm the salsa and partially melt the cheese here, but the recipe can be made with leftover grilled chicken, if you have some on hand.

• 1 pound fusilli
  

• 2 pounds fresh plum tomatoes, chopped
  

• 1 sweet red or white onion, chopped
  

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  

• 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, minced
  

• 1 teaspoon salt
  

• ¼ cup olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  

• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, cut into
  ½
  -inch dice
  

• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
  

• ¾ pound thinly sliced chicken breast fillets (tenders)
  

1.
In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, peppers, salt, 3 tablespoons of olive oil, vinegar, cheese, and cilantro. Mix well. Let salsa stand 30 minutes at room temperature.

2. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until tender but still firm, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain in a colander.

3.
Prepare a hot fire in a barbecue grill. Brush chicken with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and grill, turning once or twice, until white throughout and with deep brown marks outside, about 4 minutes.

4.
Cut chicken into thin strips and place in a large serving bowl. Add pasta and salsa and toss to mix evenly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 40 to 42 minutes Serves: 6

Gremolata is a blend of chopped parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. It is traditionally served with osso buco, but I find it freshens up all sorts of wintry dishes.

• 1/3 cup chopped parsley
  

• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
  

• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  

• 2 pounds chicken drumsticks
  

• ¾ teaspoon salt
  

• ½
  teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• ¼ cup olive oil
  

• 1 large onion, chopped
  

• 2 carrots, chopped
  

• 2 celery ribs, chopped
  

• 1 bay leaf, broken in half
  

• 1
  ½
  cups chicken broth, preferably reduced-sodium
  

• ¾ cup dry white wine
  

• ½
  cup heavy cream
  

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  

• 1 pound broad egg noodles
  

1.
In a small bowl, mix together parsley, lemon zest, and garlic. Set gremolata aside.

2.
Season chicken with
½
teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. In a large frying pan, cook chicken in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat, turning, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from pan.

3.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in same pan. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Return chicken to pan and add bay leaf and broth. Partially cover pan and simmer until chicken juices run clear when pricked with a knife tip, about 25 minutes.

4.
Add wine and cream and simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Season with remaining ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Remove and discard bay leaf.

5.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook noodles until tender but still firm, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander.

6.
Remove chicken from frying pan. Toss noodles with sauce. Make a bed of noodles with sauce. Arrange chicken on top. Sprinkle gremolata over all and serve at once.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 12 to 14 minutes Serves: 4

• 10 ounces elbow macaroni
  

• ¾ pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
  

• 1
  ½
  tablespoons chili powder
  

• 3
  tablespoons butter
  

• 1 medium onion, chopped
  

• 2
  tablespoons flour
  

• 2
  cups milk
  

• 2
  cups shredded Cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
  

• 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles
  

1.
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni until tender but still firm, about 8 minutes. Drain in a colander.

2.
Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with chili powder. In a large frying pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add chicken and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is lightly browned and onion is golden, about 7 minutes. With tongs, remove chicken from pan.

3.
Melt remaining butter in pan. Stir in flour to make a paste. Cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, stirring until sauce thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese until melted. Stir in chiles and chicken. Add sauce to macaroni, stir to blend, and serve.

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 10 minutes Serves: 4

This is a dish that, as its name implies, calls for red, ripe summer tomatoes and garden-fresh basil. Smoked chicken is fabulous here, but leftover grilled chicken or rotisserie chicken from the deli will work, too.

• 2
  pounds ripe tomatoes
  

• 1 pound rotini or other short pasta
  

• 2
  cups cubed smoked or cooked chicken (about
  ½
  pound)
  

• 3
  ounces prosciutto, chopped
  

• 3
  large garlic cloves, minced
  

• 6
  tablespoons olive oil, preferably extra-virgin
  

• 2
  tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  

• ¾ cup chopped fresh basil Salt and freshly ground pepper
  

1.
Drop tomatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water for 30 seconds. Remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon. Add pasta to same boiling water and cook until tender but still firm, about 10 minutes. Drain in a colander.

2.
Meanwhile, peel, seed, and chop tomatoes. Place chopped tomatoes and their juices in a large serving bowl. Add chicken, prosciutto, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, and basil. Mix well.