365 More Ways to Cook Chicken (365 ways) (9 page)

All of these are easy to make and most can be assembled in advance—a real boon if you are entertaining. But don’t relegate this chapter to party time. These are some of the tastiest recipes in the book, sure to become family favorites for every day, too.

Prep: 5 inmutes Cook: 5 to 7 minutes Serves: 4

• 4 individual Italian bread shells (two 8-ounce packages)
  

• 1 cup pizza sauce or thick marinara sauce
  

• ½ cup pesto sauce
  

• 1½ cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken
  

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  

1.
Preheat oven to 500°F. Place bread shells on 2 baking sheets. Spread pizza sauce to within ½ inch of edges. Dollop with pesto sauce and use a spoon to swirl into pizza sauce. Sprinkle on chicken, then cheese.

2.
Bake 5 to 7 minutes, until crusts are golden brown with crisp edges and cheese is melted. Cut pizzas into wedges and serve while hot.

Prep: 20 minutes Cook:
½ to 1 minute Makes: about 20 tea sandwiches

Serve 3 or 4 of these tea sandwiches on a plate surrounding a delicate lettuce salad for a lovely and sophisticated luncheon main course.

• 1 cup finely chopped cooked chicken breast
  

• ¼ cup finely chopped celery
  

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon or ¼ teaspoon dried
  

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• 1 slim French bread baguette (about ½ pound)
  

• Fresh tarragon sprigs or parsley, for garnish
  

1.
Preheat broiler. In a small mixing bowl, gently stir together chicken, celery, ¼ cup of mayonnaise, lemon juice, tarragon, and pepper.

2.
Cut bread into about 20 slices ¼ inch thick. Spread one side of bread with remaining mayonnaise, then broil until mayonnaise is bubbly and bread is lightly toasted, 30 to 60 seconds. Let cool.

3.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon chicken salad onto each slice of toast. Garnish each sandwich with a small sprig of tarragon.

Prep: 45 minutes Cook: 10 to 15 minutes Makes: about 40

• 2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken
  

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  

• 2 tablespoons mango chutney
  

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  

• ½ teaspoon curry powder
  

• ½ teaspoon salt
  

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
  

• 4 sheets of phyllo
  

• 8 to 10 tablespoons butter, melted
  

1.
Preheat oven to 375°F. In a mixing bowl, combine chicken, mayonnaise, chutney, lemon juice, curry powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne.

2.
Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a flat surface. Brush generously with melted butter. Top with second sheet of phyllo. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel until needed.) With a sharp knife, cut phyllo stack into 20 (3-inch) squares. Place a rounded teaspoon of filling in center of each square. Lift the corners to center and twist to seal and form a “purse.” Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter, and filling.

3.
Bake until golden brown and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm. If baking ahead, reheat for a few minutes in a 350°F oven.

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: none Makes: 16 tea sandwiches

If you can’t get smoked chicken, rotisserie chicken from the deli will work here as well.

• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
  

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped
  

• drained mango chutney
  

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• 8 thin slices of whole wheat bread, crusts trimmed
  

• ¼ pound thinly sliced smoked chicken
  

• 1 small bunch of watercress
  

1.
In a small bowl, combine butter, chutney, lemon juice, and pepper. Blend well. (Chutney butter can be prepared a day ahead and refrigerated; return to room temperature before using.)

2.
Spread about 2 teaspoons chutney butter over each slice of bread. Divide smoked chicken among half of bread slices, filling as neatly as possible. Top with remaining bread slices to make sandwiches. Cut each sandwich into 4 pieces, either squares or triangles. Insert a small watercress sprig into each sandwich so that leaf protrudes decoratively.

3.
To serve, arrange sandwiches on a plate and garnish with remaining watercress sprigs.

Prep: 30 minutes Cook: none Makes: about 48 canapes

• ⅓ cup whole-berry cranberry sauce, homemade or canned
  

• 1 tablespoon prepared white horseradish
  

• 1 stick (4 ounces) butter, softened
  

• 12 thin slices of firm white bread, crusts removed
  

• ½ pound thinly sliced cooked chicken
  

• Salt and coarsely ground pepper
  

• Fresh cranberries and watercress sprigs, for garnish
  

1.
In a food processor, puree cranberry sauce, horseradish, and butter until nearly smooth. Spread cranberry butter over bread. Arrange chicken on top, pressing gently so it will adhere. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Use a sharp knife to cut each bread slice into 4 pieces, either squares or triangles.

2.
To serve, arrange sandwiches on a platter. Decorate platter with cranberries and watercress leaves to resemble holly sprigs.

Prep: 15 minutes Cook:
7
minutes Serves: 6 to 8

On a cold winter night, this will serve 4 as a cozy fireside supper. Add some cooked broccoli and red potatoes to dip in the cheese along with the chicken. Any cooked chicken is good here, but smoked chicken is really terrific.

• 1 pound shredded Swiss cheese, such as Gruyere or Emmentaler
  

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  

• ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  

• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  

• 1½ cups white wine
  

• 1 large garlic clove, crushed in a press
  

• 3 to 4 tablespoons kirsch
  

• 2 tablespoons chopped chives
  

• 1 pound cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized chunks
  

1.
In a medium bowl, toss cheese with cornstarch, nutmeg, and white pepper. In a heavy, nonreactive saucepan or a fondue pot, heat wine and garlic over medium-high heat until wine is bubbly around edges, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add cheese by handfuls, stirring until each is nearly melted before adding another. Cook, stirring, until fondue is completely smooth and blended and bubbles slightly around edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in kirsch. Sprinkle with chives.

2.
Place fondue pot or saucepan on a heatproof surface and surround with chicken. Provide fondue forks or wooden skewers for dipping.

Prep: 10 minutes Stand: 30 minutes Cook: 6 to 8 minutes Serves: 8

Reminiscent of the “barbecue” in a good Chinese restaurant, these tidbits are pretty served on individual bamboo skewers. Be sure to soak the skewers in water for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

• 3 tablespoons dry sherry
  

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  

• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  

• 1 tablespoon plum sauce
  

• 1 tablespoon Chinese hot chili paste or sauce
  

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
  

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

• 8 to 10 scallions, trimmed to leave about 2 inches of greens
  

1.
In a shallow 2-quart dish, combine sherry, soy sauce, vinegar, plum sauce, chili paste, oil, and garlic. Add chicken and stir to coat. Let stand 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate up to 2 hours. Add scallions during last 10 minutes of marinating.

2. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a barbecue grill or preheat the broiler. Lightly oil grill rack or coat with nonstick vegetable spray. Thread chicken and scallions onto 8 to 10 small metal or soaked bamboo skewers.

3.
Grill, turning, until chicken is white throughout but still juicy, 6 to 8 minutes.

Prep: 5 minutes Stand: 15 minutes Cook: 10 to 11 minutes Serves: 8

• ⅔ cup apricot jam
  

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  

• ½ cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
  

• ¼ cup sesame seeds
  

• ¼ teaspoon salt
  

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  

• 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water
  

• 1 pound thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets
  

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  

• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
  

1.
In a small saucepan, heat together jam, mustard, and lemon juice over medium-low heat, stirring, until melted smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Set dipping sauce aside.

2.
In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper. Place egg in another shallow dish. Dip chicken first into egg, then into bread crumbs, dredging. Shake any excess back into bowl. Let stand 15 minutes at room temperature. Use a sharp knife to cut chicken crosswise into strips about ¾ inch wide.