It’s chicken week. These are really different ways to serve chicken.
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Chicken and spinach
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp. paprika
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz. baby spinach
1 C heavy cream
3/4 C low-sodium chicken broth
1 C shredded mozzarella
1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan
crusty bread, for serving (optional)
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Season chicken with paprika, salt, and pepper and cook until golden and no longer pink – 8 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil. Add onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add spinach, in batches, until wilted.
Pour over heavy cream and chicken broth and simmer 3 minutes. Add mozzarella and Parmesan and stir until melted, then return chicken to skillet and simmer 5 minutes. Serve creamed spinach spooned over chicken with bread, if using.
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Famous butter chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs, beaten
1 C crushed Ritz crackers or similar butter crackers
1/2 C butter, cut into pieces
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray a 9×13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Place crushed crackers in a medium size shallow bowl. Place beaten eggs in another separate medium-size shallow bowl. Dip one chicken breast at a time in eggs coating well, then dredge in the cracker crumbs, coating well on all sides.
Place chicken breasts side by side in baking dish. Top chicken evenly with pieces of butter. Bake on middle rack of oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until chicken is ready and internal temperature has reached a safe minimum 165 degrees.
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Baked garlic cheese chicken
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 stick butter
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 C shredded 4-cheese Italian cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a baking dish with a pat of butter. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper; arrange chicken in a single layer in prepared baking dish and set aside.
Add butter to a skillet and melt over medium heat. Stir in garlic and cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned, stirring very frequently. Do not burn garlic. Stir in rosemary and remove from heat. Pour prepared garlic butter over chicken breasts. Bake for 30 to 32 minutes, or until chicken’s internal temperature is 165 degrees. Sprinkle with cheese and cook for an additional 3 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Remove from oven and let stand a couple minutes. Transfer chicken to serving plates; spoon a little bit of garlic butter sauce over chicken and serve.
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She said, “I’ll call it a smart phone the day I yell, ‘Where is my phone?’ and it yells back, ‘Down here in the couch cushions.’”
If you would like to share a recipe with me, just send it to the J-T or email it to me.
(Melanie Behrens – melb@marysvillejt.com)