Chicken Chardon

This dish is rich and lovely.  Divas love both in their food and men.

Chicken Chardon

1/2 stick butter, melted

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 lemon, juiced

Sliced mushrooms

2 lbs. chicken (can be breasts or thighs)

1 cup bread crumbs

Garlic powder

Parmesan cheese

1 egg

Salt & pepper

Pour butter, garlic, and lemon juice at the bottom of a baking dish.
Layer mushrooms on top.
Mix bread crumbs, more garlic powder, and cheese in a shallow bowl.
Whisk egg, salt & pepper, and a bit of water or milk in another bowl.
Dredge chicken first through egg mixture then coat with bread crumb mixture.
Place chicken atop mushrooms.
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Make it a meal:  Serve with sautéed spinach.

Wine:  Chardonnay or Savignon Blanc

Pan Bagnat

Oooh, what a lovely name for a sandwich.  Just assemble, wrap, and refrigerate.  Simple!  Divas are complicated, so simple food is a must.  This is the perfect picnic food.  The real Pan Bagnat is made with tuna.  Mine is made with deli roasted chicken, but turkey, or ANYTHING will work.  Also the traditional sandwich has hard-boiled eggs, but I didn't feel like making those today. 

Also I made mine with a multi-grain baguette, but a sourdough round would do nicely.

Busy Divas Pan Bagnat

2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

4-ish Tbsp. olive oil

sliced roasted chicken

1 baguette

chopped onion (mine are pickled--see recipe)

sliced red roasted pepper (from a jar is easy)

sliced tomatoes

oregano

Optional:  capers, olives, artichoke hearts

Whisk the vinegar and mustard, then add some olive oil. 
Cut the baguette in half; remove some of the bread to form a cavity.
Layer the chicken slices, onion, and red pepper.
Drizzle some dressing on top.
Add some tomato, then some more dressing.
Top with oregano.
Cover with the other half of the baguette, slice, and wrap each part in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate 3 hours up to overnight.

Make it a meal:  Serve with Spicy Bean Salad (see recipe).

Wine:  Beaujolais

Chicken with Saucy Cranberry

The ingredients sound weird, but this easy recipe is tangy, sweet, and saucy.  This saucy diva also appreciates the nice presentation.  And did I say easy?  Serve it up with some mashed potatoes your man whipped up, and get the sauce all over. 

Chicken with Saucy Cranberry 

1 lb. chicken breast

1/2 can whole berry cranberry sauce

1/2 bottle (or a bit less) Thousand Island dressing

A pinch each of paprika, parsley, dried onion

Lightly grease a baking dish.
Place chicken in dish.
Salt & pepper if you wish.
Mix the rest of the ingredients in a pretty bowl.
Pour mixture atop chicken.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Uncover and bake another 15 minutes until chicken is done.

Make it a meal:  Serve with mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach.

Wine:  Tough call.  When in a pinch, go with Chardonnay, of course!

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

It's been rainy and icky lately.  I had some leftover chicken and needed a bit of spice in my life.  This easy casserole did the trick.  I does taste a lot like buffalo wings without the skin and fat.  If you're not worried about fat (which I should, but don't)  top with some nice crumbled blue cheese.  If you're REALLY not worried about fat, top with bacon.

 Buffalo Chicken Casserole

3 cups leftover chicken, diced

3 Tbsp. hot sauce (I used a combination of chipolte and habanero hot sauces)

1/2 package of whole wheat penne, cooked

1 stalk celery, diced

1/2 brick cream cheese

1/4 cup blue cheese salad dressing

1 cup cheddar cheese

Mix the chicken and hot sauce in a pretty bowl.
Add the pasta, celery, cream cheese, dressing, and 1/2 the cheddar.
Spoon mixture into greased casserole dish.
Top with remaining cheddar.
Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Make it a meal:  Serve with a nice side salad or green beans.

Wine:  A nice hearty red like Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, or Malbec

Chicken with Goat Cheese

This is a pretty great dish with minimal effort.  Goat cheese always adds a touch of elegance to any entree.  That and a bottle of wine that costs more than $10.  And since I'm an Irish diva whose man is a potato head, orzo is a welcome respite from the spud!

Chicken with Goat Cheese

1/3 cup olive oil

3 pinches parsley

2 pinches crushed red pepper

3 heaping spoonfuls goat cheese

4 boneless chicken breasts, split horizontally or smashed flat

orzo, cooked

Mix the olive oil, parsley, pepper, and goat cheese in a pretty bowl; set aside.
Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Cook chicken in olive oil until cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side.
Serve with orzo topped with goat cheese mix.

Make it a meal:  Serve with steamed broccoli unless you consider parsley a green vegetable.  Depending on how much time I want to put into dinner, sometimes I do.

Wine:  Chardonnay at any price

Chicken Meatloaf Muffins

Theses darling meatloaves can be packed full of as many vegetables as you dare.  Throw them all in the mini-food processor or blender for less chunky pieces.  This part can even be done ahead of time and refrigerated.  I used half a red pepper, and an entire shallot.  Try green peppers and onions, sun-dried tomatoes and chives, or corn and green chilies. 

Another option is to serve them with a simple mushroom sauce:  1 can cream of mushroom soup, 1 dollop of sour cream, 2 splashes of wine all mixed and heated.  Make it all fat free and low sodium if you don't want to be chubby.  Of course, after that wine is open for the recipe, you might as well have a splash yourself.

Any way you make 'em, they are the perfect portion size.  Have one for dinner if you're dieting or already thin.  I had three!

Chicken Meatloaf Muffins

1 lb. ground chicken

1 egg

3/4 cup bread crumbs (whole wheat are nice)

2 splashes Worcestershire sauce

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 small dollop tomato paste (I freeze dollops, then put them in a baggie for just such uses.)

vegetables (see above)

1 dash Allspice

3 dashes chili powder

Mix all ingredients together.
Smoosh mixture into muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 35-45 minutes.

Make it a meal:  Serve with sauteed spinach and couscous. 

Wine:  Sauvignon Blanc

Chicken Sausage Pasta with Pesto and Spinach

This simple meal made my man happy. Divas love a happy man. Happy men buy diamonds, emeralds, and Marmot ski jackets for their beloved.

Chicken Sausage Pasta with Pesto and Spinach

2/3 box whole wheat penne

1 package of chicken sausage (4)

1 handful of grape tomatoes, halved

fresh spinach

2 spoonfuls store-bought pesto

1 handful Parmesan cheese

Cook penne and drain.
Meanwhile, saute sausage and tomatoes.
Set aside.
Add spinach to saute pan and heat with a bit of olive oil.
Combine spinach, cooked penne, sausage, and tomatoes.
Mix in pesto.
Mix in Parmesan.

Make it a meal: Serve with bread.

Wine: Chardonnay or Pinot Noir

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

I love the flavor of buffalo wings, but I hate gnawing at them in public. I also can't stand that they are basically skin and fat. This is a bit healthier version and a hundred times less messy than the original.

I hate touching raw meat, so my man did all the heavy rolling. The original recipe I saw made 16 meatballs out of 1 pound of meat. My man made big manly-sized balls out of it. There were only seven. Bless him.



Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

1 lb. ground chicken

3-4 cloves garlic

2-3 slices onion, chopped

a bit of Italian-style bread crumbs

some fresh chives from the garden

buffalo sauce (I use Texas Pete's)

a few pads of butter

Mix the chicken, garlic, onion, bread crumbs, and chives together.
Form into meatballs and bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
Remove from oven and put in a crock pot.
Cover the meatballs with the sauce and butter.
Cook on high for about 30 minutes.
Serve with blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Make it a meal: Serve with celery and carrots.

Wine: Beer

Jamaican Jerk Chicken

This dish says,"Summertime!" Spice up your life with a little Jamaican flavor. Divas are already spicy, but then again, divas believe too much is just enough. Don't chop things too much, because you're going to put them in a food processor. (photo by naotakem)




Jamaican Jerk Chicken

1 shallot, chopped

2-3 dashes ginger

1-2 dashes allspice

1 dash cinnamon

2 glugs olive oil

1 jalapenos, chopped

salt & pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 splash cider vinegar

2 splashes white wine

1 splash orange juice

1 splash Worcestershire

8 chicken thighs or drumsticks (or go crazy and do 4 of each!)

Combine shallot, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, oil, jalapenos, salt, pepper, red pepper, and garlic in a food processor or blender.
Stir in the brown sugar, vinegar, orange juice, and Worcestershire to make a paste.
Brush the jerk sauce onto the chicken.
Place the chicken in the slow cooker and cook for 5-6 hours on low.

Make it a meal: Serve with rice and Sweet & Sour Brussels Sprouts and mangoes.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Easy Chicken Satay

I made this while in a pinch staying at my ski chalet. I had taken chicken out to cook, but night after night, my gorgeous husband took me out to eat. We were having guests the following night, so I decided to make a chicken appetizer with what few ingredients I keep at the Chardonnay Chalet. I whipped this together and it was a surprising hit! (photo by mtcarlson)

Easy Chicken Satay

2 tablespoons peanut butter

½ cup soy sauce

½ cup lime juice (which I keep around for mojitos)

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 lb. chicken cut up into bite-sized pieces

Whip the first seven ingredients in a pretty bowl.
Add the chicken and marinate at least 2 hours, but overnight is best.
Grill or sauté and serve with little toothpicks stuck in them.

Make it a meal: Serve ahead of Mountain Chili (see recipe) which will keep you warm at the ski chalet.

Wine: Gewürztraminer

Chicken & Stuffing

Super easy comfort food! Make this in the morning and dish it out to hungry family members in the evening. My man loves this. He had two helpings tonight!

3 celery sticks, chopped

3-4 boneless chicken breast

1 cup chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can cream of celery soup

1/4 cup milk

3 cups stuffing mix

4-5 pats of butter

salt and pepper to taste

Toss celery into the bottom of the crock pot.
Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper, and place in the slow cooker.
Pour chicken broth over chicken breasts.
Combine both cans of soup and milk.
Pour soup mixture over the chicken.
Sprinkle stuffing mix over all.
Put butter on top.
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed broccoli.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay

Creamy Broccoli & Chicken

It took me a long time to figure out the value of my slow cooker. Now I can't get enough of it. Make this on a rainy day and eat it in front of the fire. If you are fortunate enough to have a gas fireplace, this requires only the flip of a switch and you won't mangle your manicure.

Alas, I have an old-fashioned fireplace. Nail touch-up, here I come.

Creamy Broccoli & Chicken

6 chicken breasts

salt & pepper

your favorite herbs (I use thyme & oregano)

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup chicken broth (or white wine)

1 can cream of broccoli

1 package of cream cheese (I use Neufchâtel), cubed

1/2 cup white wine

2 slices onion, chopped

Place chicken in slow cooker and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and herbs.
Toss in the garlic and pour chicken broth in.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
45 minutes before serving, mix soup, cream cheese, wine, and onion in a saucepan.
Cook until smooth.
Pour over chicken and cook another 30 minutes.
Serve over brown rice.

Make it a meal: Serve with crusty bread.

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc.

Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets with Wine Sauce

Here is a super easy, sexy dinner. I made this for my man one Saturday night when he never came home from his class reunion. I had planned on joining him--even bought a dress. Then the organizer called that morning to say the event is stag. No women allowed at this Catholic boys school reunion. Misogynist!

This sauce works just as well with turkey. As you can see, I added mushrooms, but you do not need to. Also, I threw in a couple pats of French Herb Butter (see recipe) that I keep around just for this type of thing.

Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets with Wine Sauce

1 lb. chicken breast

salt & pepper to taste

olive oil for searing

2 cups white wine

2 small spoonfuls Dijon mustard

parsley to taste

Use a mallet or empty wine bottle to pound chicken into a thin cutlet.
Sauté chicken in olive oil until just cooked, about 3 minutes per side.
Remove chicken from skillet and keep warm.
Pour wine into skillet and boil; if you want sliced mushrooms add them now.
Reduce heat, add mustard and parsley.
If you have herbed butter available add now.
Drizzle sauce over chicken and serve.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed green beans and Loaded Sweet Potatoes (see recipe)

Wine: Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc

Divine Chicken & Ham Casserole

What to do with leftover chicken and ham? Quick and easy casserole, that's what. This dish comes out creamy and comforting. I wouldn't make it for guests, necessarily, but it's good on a cool night, and we've had plenty of those lately here in New England.

Divine Chicken & Ham Casserole

leftover chicken, chopped or cubed (I don't really know the difference)

leftover ham, chopped or cubed

1 cup shredded cheese (Swiss works great here)

1 can cream of anything soup (I used cream of chicken 98% fat free)

a few spoonfuls sour cream (light is nice)

1/4 cup white wine (have a sip yourself)

seasoning (dill or oregano works fine)

Put the chicken and ham in a casserole dish and top with cheese.
In a separate bowl, mix the soup, sour cream, wine, and seasoning.
Pour the mixture atop of everything.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes.
Serve over rice.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed broccoli.

Wine: The rest of the Chardonnay! Finished already? Open another!

Crock Pot Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo

Crock Pot Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo is an elegant recipe in a creamy Alfredo sauce. The vegetables pack in nutrients, and hopefully you can find low-fat Alfredo sauce. My own nearby supermarket does not stock it. Go even healthier with whole wheat pasta. I use linguine.

Crock Pot Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 carrots, sliced

1 bunch broccoli florets

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces

1 (16-ounce) jar Alfredo sauce

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1 (10-ounce) package frozen fully cooked shrimp, thawed

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 (12-ounce) package pasta

Mix all but the last three ingredients into the crock pot.
Pour Alfredo sauce over all.
Cook on low for 6-7 hours or until chicken is cooked and vegetables are tender.
During the last 20 minutes, add shrimp.
Serve over hot cooked pasta.
Garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Make it a meal: Serve with garlic bread.

Wine: Chardonnay

Slow Cooked Lemon Chicken

I love lemon chicken and this recipe makes it easy. The sherry adds rich flavor. Divas adore anything rich. (photo by kochtopf)

Slow Cooked Lemon Chicken

3 1/2 pounds chicken (breasts, thighs, or a mixture)

Salt and pepper

1 shallot, chopped

2 dashes oregano

1 dash parsley

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup dry wine, sherry, or chicken broth

3 tbsp. lemon juice

Salt and pepper the chicken.
Throw everything into the crock pot.
Cook on low for 5-6 hours.

Make it a meal: Serve with Blue Potatoes (see recipe) or wild rice and roasted broccoli (see recipe).

Wine: Chardonnay or Pinot Noir

Sautéed Chicken with Mushrooms

Chicken is probably my favorite meat, because it is so versatile. Here is a super simple and quick recipe for dinner. This one is elegant enough to serve your guests, especially if your guests come baring chilled Chardonnay and a juicy story about someone you both hate.

If you have time to plan and shop, experiment with different mushrooms. Shitake would be wonderful in this recipe. Do not substitute the heavy cream with milk. I did once--big mistake. The milk curdled and I ruined the whole dinner.

Sautéed Chicken with Mushrooms

1 lb. Chicken breast

oil for sautéing

mushrooms, sliced

a sprinkle of thyme

a good pour white wine

a good squeeze lemon juice

a few splashes heavy cream

Using an empty wine bottle, smash the chicken breasts down to a thin cutlet.
Sauté in oil for a few minutes each side, remove and keep warm.
Back in the same pan, sauté the mushrooms until they are soft.
Add the thyme, white wine, and lemon juice.
Reduce this a bit, then add the cream.
Heat this for a bit, then pour the sauce over the chicken for a lovely dish.

Options: Substitute a dash of balsamic vinegar for the lemon juice.

Make it a meal: Serve with Orzo with Peas & Parmesan (see recipe).

Wine: Whatever your guests brought!

Crock Pot Chicken and Shrimp

Serve this elegant dish to your guests. One of the best things about it is the velvety sauce slow cooking creates. Serve with some lovely bread for mopping up.

Crock Pot Chicken and Shrimp

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 onion, sliced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

14 oz. can diced tomatoes

3 tbsp. tomato paste

1 cup white wine or chicken broth (guess which I prefer)

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon basil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

9 oz. package frozen cooked shrimp, thawed

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Place onion and garlic in bottom of the crock pot and top with chicken.
Pour the diced tomatoes with their liquid, the tomato paste, chicken broth, thyme, basil, and lemon juice over chicken.
Cover crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours until chicken is tender and thoroughly cooked.

Stir in drained shrimp, and artichoke hearts.
Sprinkle and stir in corn starch.
Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes longer until thoroughly heated and slightly thickened.
Serve over hot cooked orzo or couscous and sprinkle with feta cheese.

Options: Try goat cheese instead of feta. Serve over rice or couscous instead of orzo.

Make it a meal: Serve with thick bread and that's it. Have some nice greens with your salad at lunch tomorrow.

Wine: The rest of the Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc

Chicken & Ham Bake

I make this when I have leftovers. It is easy and fairly quick. If you don't have leftover ham at the same time as your leftover chicken just buy a ham patty all shrink-wrapped and chop it up or use a few deli slices.

Chicken & Ham Bake

3 cups leftover chicken, cubed

2 cups leftover ham, cubed

a bunch of sliced mushrooms

1 cup cheese, shredded (Swiss is nice, but whatever is leftover works)

salt & pepper

pinch of paprika

1 can cream of mushroom soup

½ cup sour cream

1/4 cup white wine

Grease a casserole dish.
Place chicken in the bottom, then the ham, then the mushrooms, then the cheese
Salt and pepper as desired.
Sprinkle with paprika. (I go around twice.)
Mix the soup, sour cream, and wine, then pour over it all.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until it is heated through.

Make it a meal: Serve with steamed asparagus and biscuits.

Wine: Whatever is leftover…as if. Open a lovely Chardonnay or Pinot Noir.

Crock Pot Herb Chicken

Cold weather is the perfect time for a warm comfort-food casserole. I reduce this recipe by half for just the two of us. My man appreciates a hearty meal after he’s done shoveling up a foot of snow. I appreciate my man.

Crock Pot Herb Chicken

1 can cream of celery

1/2 cup dry white wine or sherry (have a sip for yourself)

a dash parsley

a dash thyme

Dash pepper

4 chicken breasts

1 ½-2 cups seasoned stuffing crumbs

4 knobs butter

Combine the soup, wine, parsley, thyme, and pepper.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the stuffing crumbs over the bottom of the cooker and add two knobs butter.
Top that with half of the chicken, then half of the remaining stuffing crumbs.
Drizzle with half of the remaining butter and spoon half of the soup mixture over that.
Repeat with remaining chicken, stuffing crumbs, butter, and soup mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours, or until chicken is cooked through.
Sprinkle a bit of parsley on top when serving. It looks pretty.

Options: Substitute chicken broth for wine, use cream of anything else instead of cream of celery.

Make it a meal: Serve with French bread and spinach and roasted potatoes or brown rice.

Wine: Sauvignon Blanc, or whatever you put in the recipe.