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Moo Goo Gai Pan

Moo Goo Gai Pan

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Mushroom Chicken Stir Fry
Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from WoksOfLife

Moo Goo Gai Pan is a Cantonese dish and translates directly to “mushrooms and sliced chicken.” I’m not a fan of bok choy, so I substitute snow peas and bean sprouts. If you prefer bok choy, replace snow peas and bean sprouts with 4 – 5 cups bok choy (washed and cut into 1 inch by 2 inch rectangles).

  • 12oz chicken breast, sliced
  • 3TBS water
  • 1tsp cookingoil (plus 3 TBS, divided)
  • 2tsp cornstarch
  • salt and white pepper
  • 6thin slices fresh ginger
  • 2scallions (the white portion only, sliced at an angle into ½-inch pieces)
  • 2cloves garlic (thinly sliced)
  • ½cup sliced cremini mushrooms
  • 8oz straw mushrooms (canned, drained and rinsed in warm water, optional)
  • -or-
  • 8oz white mushrooms, sliced or quartered.
  • 8oz bamboo shoots (canned, rinsed in warm water and drained)
  • 8oz water chestnuts (canned, rinsed in warm water and drained)
  • 4oz bean sprouts
  • 4oz snow peas
  • 1TBS Shaoxing wine
  • 1½cup chicken stock (chicken stock should be hot when added to wok)
  • ¼tsp sugar
  • 1tsp oyster sauce
  • ½tsp sesame oil
  • 1½TBS cornstarch (mixed with 2 TBS water to form slurry)


Marinate chicken:

Place the chicken and 3 TBS of water in a medium bowl. Massage the chicken with your hands until the water is absorbed by the chicken. Next, add the rest of the marinade ingredients: 1 tsp cooking oil, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1/4 tsp salt, and a pinch of ground white pepper. Mix well and set aside for 20 minutes.

Stir-fry chicken:

Heat the wok over high heat until it just starts to smoke. Coat the perimeter of the wok with 1 to 2 TBS of cooking oil, and spread the chicken in one layer around the wok. Let it sear for 20 seconds. Turn the chicken and let the other side sear for another 20 seconds. Turn the heat off, and transfer the chicken back to your marinade bowl. The chicken should be about 60% done.

Stir-fry veg:

Turn the burner back on to high heat, and add another TBS of cooking oil, along with the ginger slices. Let the ginger infuse the oil for about 10 seconds. Add the scallions and garlic and stir fry for another 15 seconds. Next, add the mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts. Stir fry for 30 seconds, and add the (snow peas and bean sprouts or bok choy).

Return chicken:

Next, add the Shaoxing wine and stir-fry for another minute. Then add the seared chicken slices and the hot chicken stock. It’s important to add hot or even boiling chicken stock to keep the wok up to temperature. Most stove burners at home don’t generate enough heat for a good stir-fry, so this is especially important for home cooks!

Make sauce:

While the mixture is coming to a boil, add about a tsp of salt and a pinch of white pepper, along with the sugar, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Stir until well-combined. Taste the sauce with a spoon and re-season to taste.

Thicken sauce:

Give the cornstarch slurry a quick stir, as the water and starch tend to separate, and add slowly to the wok while stirring constantly. You can add more or less slurry, depending upon how thick you like your sauce to be, but don’t over thicken, this is a sauce, not a coating. After a minute, the sauce should be thickened. Serve immediately with steamed rice!

Chicken Chop Suey

Chicken Chop Suey

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from Wolfe Pit

2019: I don’t think I’ve had chop suey since I was a kid.  It was time and the urge struck, so here it is.  Probably only vaguely resembles the La Choy version that came in a can, but that’s likely a good thing.  This was quite good.

Chicken & Marinade

  • 1lb cubed leftover rotisserie chicken
  • 1tsp Shaoxing Chinese wine or dry Sherry
  • 2tsp oyster sauce
  • 2tsp corn starch

Vegetables & sauce

  • 2TBS vegetable oil
  • 2tsp garlic, minced
  • 4celery stalks, sliced thin on sharp diagonal
  • ½bell pepper, sliced thin
  • 3-4scallions, sliced thin, white and green parts separately
  • 12snow peas, trimmed and cut in half on diagonal
  • ¼cup carrots, julienned
  • 8oz bean sprouts
  • ½tsp salt
  • ¼tsp white pepper
  • 1cup chicken broth
  • 2TBS oyster sauce

Slurry

  • 1TBS cornstarch
  • 1TBS water


Preparation:

This cooks fast so you need everything cut, measured and ready to cook before heating the wok or skillet.

Marinate chicken:

Combine chicken, wine, oyster sauce and cornstarch together, marinade for 15 minutes

Make Slurry:

Mix cornstarch and water to form slurry.

Stir Fry:

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add cooking oil and spread around.

Add chicken and garlic to wok. Stir fry for 1 minute.

Add the white section of the green onions, bell pepper, snow peas and carrots and stir fry for 2 minutes.

Add the bean sprouts, ¼ tsp white pepper, cup of chicken broth and 2 TBS oyster sauce and bring to a light boil.

Add cornstarch slurry, stir until thickened.

Top with green part of the scallions.

Serve with steamed rice and/or chow mein noodles.

Poulet a la Crème (Chicken with Cream Sauce)

Poulet a la Crème (Chicken with Cream Sauce)

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Yield: 4 servings
adapted from Jacques Pépin

This dish is usually made with whole chicken cut into pieces or boneless skinless thighs.  This is a breast version.

  • 2TBS butter, divided
  • 8oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 4boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • ½tsp salt
  • ¼tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½cup chardonnay
  • ½cup good chicken stock
  • 1small onion (about 3 ounces), peeled and left whole
  • 8oz baby carrots
  • ½tsp parsley
  • ½tsp thyme
  • 2bay leaves
  • 1TBS soft unsalted butter mixed with 1 TBS all-purpose flour (beurre manié)
  • 1cup heavy cream
  • 1tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh tarragon (optional)

Season the chicken with the salt and pepper.

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a sturdy wide saucepan, and add the mushrooms. Sauté until water evaporates and mushrooms are browned. Set aside.

Melt the tablespoon of butter in the saucepan, and add the chicken breasts.

Brown over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. The chicken should be lightly browned. Remove and discard some of the rendered fat, leaving only 1 to 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan.

Add the wine, carrots, reserved mushrooms, chicken stock, onion, parsley, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, and boil gently, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Transfer the chicken to a platter, and discard the onion. Boil the liquid in the pan until it is reduced to about 3/4 cup.

Meanwhile, whisk together the tablespoon of soft butter and the flour, then pick this mixture up on the looped wires of a whisk, and whisk it into the reduced liquid in the pan until it is smooth. Bring to a boil to thicken the liquid, then add the cream, return to a boil, and boil gently for 5 minutes.

Taste the sauce for seasonings, and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve sprinkled with the chopped tarragon, if desired.

Serve with rice seasoned with onions and thyme.

Creamy Chicken Toast

Creamy Chicken Toast

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Yield: 2 to 4 Servings
Adapted from Chef John / Food Wishes

Diced chicken breast is draped in a creamy sauce with green onions and peppers plus tarragon for the finishing touch. Enjoy a delicious, comforting chicken dish as well as a reminder on how to make cream sauce–it’s easier than you thought.

This is an excellent light lunch. Be sure to toast the bread well.

  • 2small or 1 huge chicken breast (12- to 16-oz)
  • salt to taste
  • 1TBS butter
  • thinly sliced green onions (the lighter parts)
  • diced red bell peppers
  • diced jalapeno peppers
  • ¼cup chicken broth, white wine or water
  • 1½cups heavy cream
  • 2TBS crème fraiche or Greek yogurt, optional
  • 1TBS freshly chopped tarragon
  • 2-4thick slices of toasted bread

Cut the chicken into equal size large slices. Season with salt. Place in a lightly buttered skillet over medium-high heat. Brown for a couple of minutes on each side. It doesn’t have to be cooked through. Remove to plate.

Add green onion and red and jalapeno peppers to pan and cook for a couple of minutes. Increase heat to medium high and add a little broth, wine or water. Cook until almost completely reduced. Add cream and reduce to desired thickness.

While sauce is reducing, cube the par-cooked chicken to even sized cubes (about ½ inch).

Add the optional crème fraiche or yogurt and the chicken and cook until the chicken is done (or heated through if precooked).

Season with salt and pepper. Add tarragon, serve over toast.

Notes:

Use any variety and amount of vegetables you prefer. Just be sure the veg are cooked before you add the cream, since once that reduces, your dish is done.

Substitute water or white wine for the chicken broth if desired.

 

Skillet Fried Chicken

Skillet Fried Chicken

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from many

This is a conglomeration of recipes that makes a good pan-fried chicken.

  • 15-lb chicken, (typical supermarket chicken size)
  • 2cups white flour
  • 2tsp salt
  • ½tsp thyme
  • ½tsp basil
  • ½tsp oregano
  • 1tsp celery salt
  • 1tsp dried mustard
  • 2tsp paprika
  • 1tsp garlic salt
  • 1tsp ground ginger
  • 1tsp white pepper
  • 1cup buttermilk (or 4 TBS buttermilk powder blended in 1 cup water)
  • 1large egg
  • oil (for frying)

Break down the chicken into 10 pieces.  I took the breasts off of the bone and then cut them in half.   Season chicken well with salt and pepper and leave out at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.

Add to a plastic freezer bag, flour and all dry seasonings.  Seal bag and shake well to mix.

Whisk egg in a medium bowl. Add buttermilk to bowl and whisk to combine.

Pour oil into a 10″–12″ cast-iron skillet or other heavy straight-sided skillet  to a depth of 1/2″. Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 350°F. Meanwhile, set a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet.

Working with 2 to 4 pieces at a time, place chicken in flour bag and shake well to coat pieces.  Remove to plate. Repeat for remainder.

Dip chicken in buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip back into bowl.  Add pieces to flour bag.  When you have a few pieces in the bag, seal bag and shake well to mix.  Remove pieces to a plate or sheet pan.

Place 5 pieces of chicken in skillet. Fry chicken, turning with tongs every 1–2 minutes and adjusting heat to maintain a steady temperature of 300°–325°F, until skin is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165°F, about 10 minutes for wings and 12 minutes for thighs, legs, and breast halves.

Using tongs, remove chicken from skillet, allowing excess oil to drip back into skillet; transfer chicken to prepared rack.

Repeat with remaining chicken pieces; let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Flaky Chicken Hand Pies

Flaky Chicken Hand Pies

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Yield: 9 Servings
Adapted from David Tannis / NY Times

Chicken potpie to go.  Very similar to the other hand pies here, but this one is made with store bought puff pastry.

  • 4whole boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (about 2 lb)
  • Salt and pepper

Filling:

  • 2TBS butter
  • 1large onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
  • 2small cloves garlic, minced
  • 1tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 8oz brown or white mushrooms, chopped (about 4 cups)
  • 2TBS all-purpose flour
  • 1cup chicken broth or stock
  • ½cup crème fraîche
  • 6scallions, white and green parts only, chopped
  • 3TBS freshly chopped parsley

Crust:

  • 1sheet (about 10-by-15 inches) frozen puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator
  • 1egg, beaten with 1 TBS water


Prepare chicken:

Heat oven to 375°F. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Roast, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Chop chicken roughly into 1/2-inch chunks and set aside or refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 days.

Make filling:

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and chopped mushrooms. Season mixture with salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium.

Cook, stirring, until onions have colored slightly and mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat. Add broth and cook, stirring, as mixture thickens. Add chicken, turn heat to low and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in crème fraîche, turn off heat, and set aside to cool. Stir in scallions and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble:

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Unfold puff pastry on a lightly floured (or parchment-paper-covered) work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out into an approximate 15-inch square. Use the tip of a knife to cut into 9 equal squares. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture into the center of each piece, then divide any remaining mixture evenly on top, so each has the same amount.

Brush two adjacent edges with egg wash. Pick up and fold the dry corner of pastry over the filling to make a triangular pie. Press and pinch both edges together tightly to seal. Divide on the prepared pans.

Bake:

Brush the tops with egg wash and bake until deep golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve warm.

No-Fail Roast Chicken

No-Fail Roast Chicken

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Optional with Lemon and Garlic
Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from Claire Saffitz/Bon Appetit

Where do you get these small chickens? I remember my dad, a meat dept manager, mentioning chickens by type, fryer, roaster, stewing, etc. Maybe that is a clue. I looked it up and found the type is an indication of age and weight at time of slaughter. Fryer/broilers are small chickens between 2½ and 4½ lbs. Roasters are typically 4½ to 7 lbs. Stewing chickens are larger and are no longer productive laying chickens.

Local stores in So Cal and CO rarely have anything under 5 lbs. These are basically roasters. The smaller broiler/fryers? I think those all get used up for their in-store rotisserie chickens.

Since I usually can’t find broiler/fryers I have had good success with 5½ lb roasters.

  • 13–4 lb whole chicken, patted dry
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
  • ¼cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted, or olive oil
  • Optional:
  • 1lemon, halved crosswise, seeds removed
  • 1head of garlic, halved crosswise (no need to remove peel)
  • 1bunch of fresh poultry herbs

Arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat to 425°F. With chicken breast facing up and legs pointing toward you, use a sharp knife to slice through loose area of skin draped between leg and breast, making about a 3″-long incision. Continue cutting downward until you hit the joint that connects the thigh to the body, then stop (once you get through the skin, there’s not much there; if you are cutting through flesh, you’re too close to the breast). Exposing the leg joint makes it easy to tell if chicken is cooked and encourages hot air to circulate to thickest part of chicken. Repeat on second side. See the picture above.

Season every single surface of chicken, including skin along backbone, cavity, under wings, and inside part of the leg you just exposed, with lots of salt and pepper. If you’re using kosher salt, it should take you 4–5 generous pinches. If using, tuck the fresh poultry herbs in the cavity.

Option: Heat the cast iron pan on a burner before putting in the chicken. This gives the dark meat a head start.

Transfer chicken breast side up to a large skillet. If you’re using the optional lemon and garlic, arrange lemon and garlic cut sides down in skillet around chicken. I used a roasting pan and put quartered potatoes and onions around the chicken.

Drizzle chicken with butter and transfer to oven. Roast in center of oven until chicken is nicely browned and cooked through, checking for doneness after 45 minutes. For my 5½ lb chicken I checked at 60 minutes and then needed another 20 for it to be done. To check, remove skillet from oven, and use an instant thermometer to measure the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh and breast. The thigh should be 170°F and the breast 160°F.; Continue to roast, checking every 5 to 10 minutes, until you get the right temperatures.

Let chicken rest in skillet at least 15 minutes before carving. Transfer chicken to a platter. Top with pan juices and serve with roasted lemon and garlic alongside.

Do Ahead: Chicken can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool. Cover and chill; bring to room temperature before serving.

Side dish suggestions:

VegetablesStarches
Roasted Carrots with Parsley & ThymeMashed Potatoes / Gravy
AsparagusBaked Potato
BroccoliNoodles
 

Pollo con Salsa Alla Panna

Pollo con Salsa Alla Panna

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Chicken with Italian Herbs and Cream Sauce

Yield: 2 Servings
Scott Nowell

This is a quick, simple and flavorful Italian inspired chicken dish, perfect for a weeknight. Serve with rice and a complementary vegetable.

  • 2boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1shallot, minced
  • 2cloves garlic, minced
  • 1tsp each, dried oregano and dried basil or 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • 6 – 8oz heavy cream
  • vegetable oil

Heat skillet of sauté pan over medium high until hot, add oil and heat until almost smoking.

Brown chicken breasts, cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove to hot plate in oven. Wipe pan clean and reheat over medium heat. Add a small amount of oil.

When hot add shallot and cook for 30 seconds to a minute, until just translucent. Add garlic and cook for 10 to 15 seconds.

Add basil and oregano (or Italian Seasoning) and cream and bring to boil. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes.

Return chicken to sauce. Cover and simmer slowly until cooked through (3 to 6 minutes).

The Rice Pilaf with Peas goes great with this sauce.

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala

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Yield: 2 to 4 Servings
Adapted from a faux Olive Garden recipe

There are lots of Marsala recipes around. The striking difference is about half call for sweet Marsala and half call for dry. Depends on your personal taste. I much prefer the dry. Make sure you get a decent Marsala, preferably imported. Supermarket “cooking Marsala” is an abomination and shouldn’t be used for anything.

  • 4chicken breasts, boneless & skinless
  • ½cup AP flour
  • salt & pepper
  • 3TBS oil
  • 4TBS butter, room temperature
  • 8oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 1shallot, peeled and minced
  • ¾cup dry Marsala wine (see note below)
  • ¾cup chicken stock
  • 1packet unflavored gelatin (2½ tsp)

Prepare sauce:

Combine Marsala and stock in a mixing bowl or large measuring cup and sprinkle gelatin all over surface. Set aside.

Prepare chicken:

Add flour, salt and pepper to a shallow bowl and mix to combine.

Pound chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap until about ¼” thickness.

Season chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, knocking off excess.

Cook mushrooms:

Heat 1 TBS oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt to the pan and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned. Set aside. Optional: Push mushrooms to one side and add a finely diced shallot to pan, cook until softened. Remove both to a dish and set aside.

Cook chicken:

Add 2 TBS oil and cook chicken breasts on medium heat for about 3 minutes on the first side, until lightly browned. Turn breasts over to cook other side until they are around 145°F internal temperature.
Return mushrooms to pan and add Marsala-stock-gelatin mixture around chicken pieces. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Check chicken temperature for 160°F. Remove chicken to serving plate.
Remove pan from heat. Add butter to the remaining sauce, stir butter until it is melted and an emulsion is made.
Distribute sauce over chicken breasts and serve immediately.

Side dish suggestions:

Vegetables Starches
Green Beans Wide Noodles
Broccoli Risotto
Asparagus Boiled/Steamed Potato

Note: Marsala wine is a fortified wine from Sicily and can be either dry or sweet; it’s used to create a rich caramelized flavor to the sauce. The wine is added to the chicken and mushrooms with butter to create the rich brown sauce for that authentic Italian taste. Chicken Marsala is best served with a starch like potato or over pasta.

Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata

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Yield: 4 servings
Scott Nowell

I love a nice Piccata. Chicken, pork, veal, turkey, it doesn’t really matter. Use some thin fish fillets and it’s basically a Fish Meuniere.

  • lemon, juiced to obtain 1 TBS juice
  • 4boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ to 2 lb)
  • ½cup all-purpose flour
  • 4TBS vegetable oil
  • 1small shallot, minced (about 2 TBS) or 1 small garlic clove, minced (about 1 tsp)
  • 1cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2TBS small capers, rinsed and drained
  • 4TBS unsalted butter, softened
  • 2TBS minced fresh parsley leaves (optional)

Heat oven to 200°F.

Slice chicken breast horizontally and pound to ¼ inch. Season both sides of cutlets with salt and pepper. Measure flour into shallow baking dish. Working one cutlet at a time, coat with flour, and shake to remove excess.

Heat heavy-bottomed 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes; add 2 TBS oil and swirl pan to coat. Lay half of chicken pieces in skillet. Sauté cutlets, without moving them, until lightly browned on first side, 2 to 2½ minutes. Turn cutlets and cook until second side is lightly browned, 2 to 2½ minutes longer. Remove pan from heat and transfer cutlets to plate in oven. Add remaining 2 TBS oil to now-empty skillet and heat until shimmering. Add remaining chicken pieces and repeat.

Add shallot or garlic to now-empty skillet and return skillet to medium heat. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds for shallot or 10 seconds for garlic. Add stock and lemon juice, increase heat to high, and scrape skillet bottom with wooden spoon or spatula to loosen browned bits. Simmer until liquid reduces to about 1/3 cup, about 4 minutes. Add capers and simmer until sauce reduces again to 1/3 cup, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat and swirl in butter until butter melts and thickens sauce; swirl in parsley. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately.

Serve with:
Starch: Mashed Potatoes, Rice, Polenta or Pasta.
Veg: Asparagus, Green Beans, Roasted Veg Medley