Barlic-Butter Rubbed Chicken with Roasted Oranges and Red Onions

• Prep Time 15 minutes
• Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
• Yield Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Coarse salt
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 navel oranges (preferably organic), 1 zested, both cut into 2-inch wedges
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme, plus a few sprigs
• 1 whole chicken (4 to 4 1/2 pounds)
• 2 red onions, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mash garlic and 1 teaspoon salt into a paste.
   
2. Combine garlic paste, butter, zest, and chopped thyme. Gently separate skin from breast of chicken, and rub half of the butter mixture under the skin on each side. Season with salt.
   
3. Fill cavity with 2 orange wedges, 1 onion wedge, and thyme sprigs. Place chicken, breast side up, on a rimmed baking sheet, and tuck wings under. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Scatter remaining oranges and onions around chicken. Dot oranges and onions with 1 tablespoon butter mixture.
   
4. Roast for 30 minutes. Brush chicken with remaining butter mixture. Flip oranges and onions. Rotate sheet, and roast for 15 minutes more. Remove oranges and onions if caramelized. Roast chicken until juices run clear and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reaches 165 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
   
   
   Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/326628/garlic-butter-rubbed-chicken-with-roaste
   
   Rachel's Thoughts: we doubled the amount of oranges and onion because we had room in our roasting pan - it was a good decision :)
   

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 bell peppers (any color), seeded and diced large
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and halved
• 5 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts (optional)

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar. Set aside.
   
2. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over high. Add chicken, bell peppers, and green beans and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes.
   
3. Whisk soy sauce mixture, add to skillet, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Fluff rice with a fork. To serve, spoon chicken mixture over rice and top with peanuts if desired.
   

Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/335056/sweet-and-sour-chicken-with-green-beans

Total time: 25 mins - Serves 4

Parmesan Chicken with Mushrooms and Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup panko or plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan (2/3 ounce)
• 1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3/4 pound cremini or button mushrooms, trimmed and halved (quartered if large)
• 3/4 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise (quartered if large)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a small bowl, mix together panko and Parmesan. In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, toss chicken with 1 teaspoon oil and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Arrange chicken in a single layer and sprinkle with panko mixture. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and bake on upper rack until topping is golden brown and chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms and brussels sprouts with 2 teaspoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast on lower rack until golden brown and tender when pierced with a knife, 20 minutes. Serve vegetables with chicken.
   
   
   Source: http://www.marthastewart.com/335195/parmesan-chicken-with-mushrooms-and-brus
   Total time: 30 min - Serves 4

Orange and Balsamic Chicken

• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 unpeeled orange but into 8 wedges
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter

Preheat over to 450.  Season chicken with salt and pepper.  In a large oven proof skillet, heat oil over medium-high.  Add chicken, skin side down, and cook until golden and crisp, 7 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a plate and pour off fat from skillet.  Return chicken, skin side up, to skillet and transfer to oven.  bake until cooked through, 10 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a plate.

Heat skillet over medium heat adn add vinegar and orange wedges.  Cook, stirring adn scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon, until orange begins to soften, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in butter.  To serve, return chicken to skillet and toss iwth orange sauce.

Rachel's Thoughts: Titus made this with brown basmati rice.  And used more than 1 orange, so good!

Source: Everyday Food Magazine

Roasted Chicken with Ginger, Chile, and Lime

Prep: 30 minutes, Total: 1 hour 30 minutes, Serves 4 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon butter, at room temperature
• 1 shallot, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 piece fresh ginger (2 inches long), peeled and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped pickled jalapeno chile
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 whole chicken (3 1/2 pounds)
• 2 large onions, thickly sliced
• 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges (optional)

Directions

1. Make the ginger-chile butter: In a small bowl, using a spoon, mash together 2 tablespoons butter, shallot, ginger, jalapeno, lime juice, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Using fingers, gently loosen skin from chicken breasts. With a small spoon, insert butter mixture evenly between skin and meat; pat skin back down. Tie chicken legs together with cotton kitchen twine; tuck wing tips underneath.
3. Rub chicken with remaining 1/2 teaspoon butter; season generously with salt and pepper. On a rimmed baking sheet, arrange onions in a single layer; place chicken on top.
4. Roast until chicken is well browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted in a thigh (without touching bone) reads 175 degrees, 50 to 60 minutes.
5. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and tent with oil; let rest 10 minutes (the temperature will rise by about 5 degrees).
6. On baking sheet, stir onions together with pan juices. Carve chicken; serve with onions and, if desired, lime wedges.

Chicken and Basil Stir-Fry

Serves 4

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (longer pieces cut crosswise in half again)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 6 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 small onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
• 2 bell peppers (red, green, or a mix, ribs and seeds removed), cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 cups fresh Thai (see note) or other basil leaves, larger leaves torn in half
• Cooked white rice, for serving (optional)

Directions  (Total Time: 40 minutes)

1. Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until coated; season generously with salt and pepper.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high. Cook half the chicken, turning once, until browned, but not completely cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 2 teaspoons oil and remaining chicken. Transfer chicken to plate. Set aside. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel.
3. To skillet, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onion, and bell peppers; cook over medium-high heat, tossing often, until beginning to brown, 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add 1/4 cup water, vinegar, soy sauce, and chicken to pan; cook, tossing, until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in basil leaves. Serve immediately, over white rice, if desired. 

Sesame Chicken

SERVES 3 -4

Ingredients

·      3 whole boneless chicken breasts

Marinade

·      2 tablespoons light soy sauce

·      1 tablespoon cooking wine or dry sherry

·      3 drops sesame oil

·      2 tablespoons flour

·      2 tablespoons cornstarch

·      2 tablespoons water

·      1/4 teaspoon baking powder

·      1/4 teaspoon baking soda

·      1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Sauce

·      1/2 cup water

·      1 cup chicken broth

·      1/8-1/4 cup white vinegar or rice wine vinegar (depending on how sweet you want the sauce)

·      1/4 cup cornstarch

·      1 cup sugar (we use 1/2 cup sugar but the orginal recipe called for 1 cup)

·      2 tablespoons dark soy sauce

·      2 tablespoons sesame oil

·      1 teaspoon chili paste (or more)

·      1 garlic clove (minced)

Frying

·      peanut oil (3 1/2-4 cups)

Serving

·      2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions

·      Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Mix the marinade ingredients (the first 9 ingredients listed) and marinate the chicken for 20 minutes.

To prepare the sauce:.

·      Mix together all of the sauce ingredients. Pour them into a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Turn the heat down to low and keep warm while you are deep-frying the chicken.

To deep-fry the chicken:

·      Add the marinated chicken pieces a few at a time, and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and then place chicken in warm oven (130 degrees) while you continue frying. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken. Just before you are finished deep-frying, bring the sauce back up to a boil.

·      Place the chicken on a large platter and pour the sauce over. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve the Sesame Chicken with rice.

Source: Recipe Zaar

 

Rachel's Thoughts: One of my favorites that Titus makes!

Parmesan-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Serves 4

• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• Grated (about 1 tablespoon) zest of 1 lemon
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 4 bone-in chicken breast halves

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, combine parsley, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, and zest. Season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
2. Divide parsley mixture evenly into four mounds. Carefully loosen chicken skin with fingers; tuck parsley mixture under skin. Season with salt and pepper. Place in a 9-by-13-inch roasting pan.
3. Bake until skin is crispy, chicken is cooked through, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, about 30 minutes.

Source: Martha Stewart Online

Rachel’s Thoughts: Go overboard on the lemon zest!  I also normally squeeze the lemon into the breadcrumb mixture and on the chicken.  Can also use this on skinless chicken breasts, just cut a slit in the middle of the breast and create a pocket to stuff the mixture in and spread it on top.