Spiced Chicken with couscous Salad

I took this picture after we had already started eating, so it didn't really turn out as good as I wanted. Stacy, Bodie, and Nicholas had dinner with us and all the adults declared it a winner.  Everytime I have couscous, I realize how much I like it.  I don't know why I don't make it more often. Maybe I 'll do better about making it in 2012.


Printable Version:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/spiced-chicken-with-couscous-salad
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
4-6oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Kosher salt and black pepper
3/4 cup couscous
3/4 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
1/4 pound snap peas, thinly sliced crosswise (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup torn fresh basil
1 lemon zested
juice of 1 lemon
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with the paprika, cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook until browned on both sides and cooked through, 6-7 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board.
Meanwhile, place the couscous in a large bowl, Add 1 cup hot tap water, (I warm chicken stock on the stovetop and then add the couscous)Let sit for 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. Add the tomatoes, snap peas, basil, lemon zest and juice. and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to combine. 
Slice the chicken and serve on top of the couscous.

Chicken Florentine Style

This is a winner.  I  made only 1/2 of the sauce recipe.  It was really good so I should have made the whole recipe because I had made 4 chicken breasts and would have enjoyed having a little extra gravy for the rice.
Food Network's Giada De Laurentiis



Printable Version:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingsherry/chicken---florentine-style
Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and freshly ground black pepper
all-purpose flour, for dredging (since I am trying to stay away from grains, I used coconut flour instead.
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided use)
2 tablespoons shallots, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 (10oz.) packages frozen cut-leaf spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
Method:
Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat lightly. Shake off any excess flour. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep it warm.
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and saute until the shallots are translucent, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the skillet, about 1 minute. Add the wine. Increase the heat to medium-high and boil until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and boil until the sauce reduces by half, stirring often, about 3 additional minutes. Stir in the parsley. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the sauce, and turn the chicken to coat in the sauce.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a separate large skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach and saute until heated through. Season the spinach to taste, with salt and pepper. Arrange the spinach over a platter. Place the chicken atop the spinach. Pour the sauce over and serve.

Chicken Piccata

This is a really good chicken dish. It is a fast dish to make and good enough for company. But it is easy enough for a week-night meal. You could easily use this same method for fish or scallops. Jud loves scallops, so I may have to try this with scallops in a few weeks.


Printable Version:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingsherry/chicken-picatta

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup flour
salt and white pepper to taste
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with a little cold water
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoons parsley, chopped
zest from one lemon, optional
Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Season the flour with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour and add to the oil until fully cooked. Remove the chicken. Keep warm. Add the broth, wine, and lemon juice to the pan. Over medium-high heat, allow the mixture to boil. Wisk the cornstarch mixture into the pan and return to a boil. Sauce will be thin. Remove from heat and toss in capers. Serve sauce over chicken. Garnish with parsley and lemon zest if desired. I mixed the lemon zest and parsley together as I chopped the parsley.  I love lemon zest and never waste the zest. Anytime I use lemon juice, I also zest the lemon.


Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Garlic and Herbed Goat Cheese

Roasting the garlic mellows its bite and gives the stuffing a subtle hint of flavor. Stuff the chicken breasts up to a day ahead, refrigerate, and cook them just before serving. Garnish each plate with a rosemary sprig.  Jud doesn't care for rosemary, so I left this off. It would add color and be a nice garnish.  We ate every bite of all we had.  The okra was fresh, but not from our garden. I slow cooked the onions for about 30 minutes and then added the tomatoes and okra and cooked it slow for about 30 more minutes.  Came from a Cooking Light Magazine, but I didn't not know which month.
Printable Version:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingsherry/chicken-stuffed-with-goat-cheese-and-herbs
Ingredients for the Chicken Breasts:
1 whole garlic head Since I only made two chicken bereasts, I cut everything in 1/2.
3 oz goat cheese with herbs, softened
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap head in floi. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins. Combine garlic pulp and cheese, stirring well; set aside. Since I only used about 1 1/2 oz. of cheese, I only used a little less than 1/2 of the garlic head.  I cut the head in half and put it in the refrigerator. I used 1/2 of it in the stuffing.
3. Cut a horizontal slit through the thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff about 4 teaspoons of the cheese mixture into each pocket.. Sprinkle chicken evenly on both sides with salt and pepepr.
4. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn chicken over. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165 degrees; let stand 5 minutes. 

Chicken Charisma

This is a recipe that I put in the Woodland Cooks back in 1999 and I didn't write where I got the recipe.  I made this for my son who was flying out of San Antonio to go to Las Vegas to celebrate his 5th wedding anniversary. His wife was flying out of Houston, because they were taking their 2 sons to different grandparents while they were away.  We got Anthony duty, the Tovar's got Abram duty.  Aren't we  both lucky grandparents?


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingsherry/chicken-charisma

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced
5 chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon Beau Monde seasoning
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup sour cream
4 treen onions for garnish

1. In a non-stick skillet melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add mushrooms and saute' until tender (3-4 minutes). Remove mushrooms and add 2 tablespoons butter and brown chicken breasts on both sides. (turn frequently to prevent burning) Sprinkle with salt, tarragon, and Beau Monde while browning.
I sprinkled the side that went in the butter to brown, and then I sprinkled the side that was facing up.
2. After chicken is browned on both sides, pour wine over chicken and simmer (covered) for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken and add reserved mushrooms and sour cream. Stir; add chicken back in mixture and heat 2-3 minutes. Transfer chicken and mushrooms to a platter and sprinkle with green onions. Pour up sauce for people to serve themselves.

King Ranch Chicken

Sometimes it is fun to recreate recipes that you had while on vacation. It brings back good memories.  Carolyn made this for us while we were at her place in Oregon. Brings back memories of cooler weather, the sound of bells ringing in the background,  Willy and Waylon, and of course Chet and Carolyn Rawie.   

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingsherry/king-ranch-chicken

Ingredients:
1 pkg corn tortillas (10-12)
1 fryer, boiled with one onion and 2 celery stalks diced. Skin, debone, and cut into bite-size pieces.
oil
1 bunch scallions with tops, sliced
1 green Bell pepper, chopped
1- 10 3/4 oz cream of mushroom soup
1-10 3/4oz can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cup reserved chicken broth
garlic salt to taste
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin (ground)
1- 10 oz can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
1/3 lb cheddar cheese, grated (1 cup)
1/3 lb. Monterey Jack cheese with jalapenos, grated
1/4 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup spanish olives, with pimientos, sliced
Saute green onions and bell pepper in a small amount of oil in a large skillet until translucent. Combine soups and broth. Add to skillet. Season with garlic salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Break up Rotel tomatoes and add to mixture. Oil a large casserole dish. Place in layers, quartered tortillas, chicken, sauce, mixed cheese and olives. Repeat layers. Top with cheese and bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
I had some left-over chicken from a rotisseri chicken that I used. Since I was only cooking for Jud and me, I only used one can of cream of chicken soup. I didn't use the cream of mushroom soup. I also cut down on the other ingredients. I only used 1/2 can of Rotel tomatoes and I didn't use the cheddar cheese. I used Pepper Jack Cheese.  It may not have been as good as Carolyn's, but then again, we wern't in Alsea. Everything taste better in Alsea.

Mexican Chicken Casserole with Charred Tomato Salsa

This was a really good dish and I felt like it was so much healthier than it tasted.  Of course it had cheese, but it was Monterey Jack and Fetta.  You should try this. I will always think of Oregon when I have this dish from now on. This recipe made enough for 6 servings.
January/February 2011 - Cooking Light


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/mexican-chicken-with-carred-tomato-salsa

Ingredients for the Salsa:
8 plum or roma tomatoes, halved and seeded
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
1 seeded jalapeno pepper, quartered
Cooking Spray
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
zest of one lime-the recipe does't call for this, but I always use the zest of the lemon and lime
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Ingredients for the Casserole:
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup chopped red bell pepper or whatever color you have
3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (10oz) can green chile enchilada sauce
1 (4oz) can chopped green chiles
12 (6") corn tortillas
1 cup (4oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (4oz) feta cheese, crumbled
1. Preheat broiler.
2. To prepare salsa, combine first 4 ingredients on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 20 minutes or until charred, stirring once. Remove from oven; cool slightly. Place tomato mixture in a food processor; add cilantro, lime juice and zest, and pepper. Process until smooth. Set aside.  I don't have a food processor in the little house where we stay in Oregon, so I just chopped it by hand. It was chunky, but I actually liked it that way.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. To prepare casserole, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add 1 cup onion, corn, zucchini, and bell pepper; saute' 6 minutes or until tender. Add chicken and next 5 ingredients (through green chiles)' saute' 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat.
5. Spread 1/2 cup salsa over the bottom of a 13" X 9" baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 1/2 of the tortillas over salsa. Spoon 2 cups chicken mixture evenly over tortillas. Top with 3/4 cup salsa. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of each cheese. Repeat layers, starting with remaining tortillas and ending with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes until bubbly. I saved all of my cheese for the final layer.  The recipe says it yields 8 servings, but they have never seen Jud and me eat.

La Fiesta - Chicken

I make a dish that is called La Fiesta that is really good in the Winter.  This is a Summer version using chicken.  I was somewhere in the past year where I was sharing my recipe for La Fiesta with beef and this lady gave me this recipe. I jotted it down and put it in my folder of recipes that I take to Oregon.  As I was planning my menu for the week, I came across this and decided to make it.  It is a winner.  I was going to buy a rotisserie chicken, but they were out of them in the grocery store.  I bought chicken breasts and just put 2 of them in the oven on 350 degrees after I salt, peppered, and put olive oil over the top.  I baked it for about 15 minutes or until the chicken was cooked through.

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/la-fiesta--chicken


Ingredients:
Cooked chicken
1 can cream of chicken soup
cooked rice
chow mein noodles
pineapple tidbits
frozen peas that have thawed, celery, green peppers  I didn't use the celery or green peppers
almonds, toasted  I didn't have almonds so I used pecans
coconut
green onions
cheddar cheese, grated I forgot to use this
tomatoes, diced
Directions:
After cooking the chicken I cut it in bite-size pieces and heated them with a can of cream of chicken soup.
The I layered the ingredients as follows:
1. Rice
2. Chicken soup mixture
3. Chow mein noodles
4. scallions
5. green peas
6. cheese
7. coconut
8. tomatoes
9. slivered almonds, toasted
Such an easy dish and really good.  You don't need a thing to go with it.

Oven Fried Chicken

We are trying to make it to the end of our groceries before we leave on vacation.  I had some parmesan cheese so I decided to make this oven fried chicken.  I probably used closer to 3/4 of a cup of Parmesan instead of 1/2 cup for 1/2 the recipe.  Loved the extra cheese. I will definitely make this again.  From Paula Deen of Foodnetwork

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/oven-fried-chicken
Ingredients:
2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons freshly minced thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons water
2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, for easy clean-up. Place a cooling rack over pan and spray rack with nonstick cooking spray.

In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs, cheese, 2 tablespoons olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper, to taste.  In a separate shallow dish, combine mustard, water, salt and pepper, to taste, and remaining olive oil. Coat each chicken breast with mustard mixture; dredge each in bread crumb mixture. Place on prepared rack in pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown. Serve immediately.

Stuffed Chicken Breast -2

I found this recipe in my Texas Country Reporter, and Carol Renee Queen of Port Arthur submitted the recipe, but it was for stuffed chicken legs.  I decided to do it with chicken breasts.  I used the left-over stuffing with the extra spinach on top of the chicken breast. So it was stuffed inside and outside.  For the outside stuffing, I added a little goat cheese, about 2 oz.
The asparagus was drizzled with olive oil, salt and pepper and baked with the chicken breast the last 15 min.  I sprinkled some parmesan cheese on top.
Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/stuffed-chicken-breast--2
Ingredients
1/2 pound chopped mushrooms
1/2 red or green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 green onions, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon basil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 large leg quarters, washed and dried (or 2 chicken breasts with a pocket cut-through in the thick part of the breast)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 slices swiss cheese (I just realized when I typed this that I forgot the cheese) Darn--I even bought 2 slices to use.
In a large bowl mix chopped mushrooms, red or green bell pepper, garlic, onion, celery, salt, spinach, oregano, basil, and lemon juice. Set aside. Carefully loosen skin on chicken quarters, cut away excess external fat, and stuff loosely with vegetable and herb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Brush with butter and brown underneath a broiler for up to 3 minutes. Cover each piece of chicken with one slice of cheese.

Herb and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

I served this stuffed chicken with broccoli and red pepper couscous.  It was great!  I cut the recipe in 1/2 for Jud and me.
Cooking Light - April 2011




Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/stuffed-chicken-breast---1

Ingredients:
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (I have both of these in my herb garden) Use whatever you have
1 (4oz) package goat cheese
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon crush red pepper
1 (10oz package fresh spinach
Lemon wedges (optional)
1. Preheat broiler to high.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each breast half to form a pocket. Stuff 2 tablespoons of cheese mixture into each pocket; close opening with a wooden pick. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan. Add chicken to pan, and cook for 2 minutes on 1 side or until browned. Arrange chicken on a baking sheet (browned side up); broil for 8 minutes or until done. I broiled it for about 4 min. on the browned side and then decided that I wanted to turn the chicken and brown it 4 minutes on the other side. I thought this made for a more even browning.
4. Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, red pepper, and spinack; cook for 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Stir in the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
I didn't have enough spinach to make the spinach dish, so I took the olive oil and wilted the red pepper for a few minutes and then added about 1 cup of fresh spinach. After the spinach was wilted, I set it aside.  I made the couscous by bringing 1 cup chicken broth to a boil. Then I added 1 cup couscous, and a little salt and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Turn the heat off and cover with a lid.  After about 5 minutes of letting the couscous set, I added the spinach and red pepper.

Chicken Pot Pie in Puff Pastry Shells

I had some left-over chicken from a baked chicken that I bought at the grocery store and decided to make these for dinner.  I like to keep these puff pastry shells in my freezer for such nights as tthat I don't know what to cook.



Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/chicken-pot-pie-in-puff-pastry-shell

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 small onion
1 clove of garlic
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 bag of frozen mixed vegetables
puff pastry shells
1 chicken breast cooked and shredded
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Bake the pastry shells according to package directions. Take out of the oven and set aside. Remove the top disc of pastry for later use.  In a medium size saucepan melt butter and add flour. Stir until well incorporated. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onions have softened. Add milk and stir until mixture is a thick consistency. Add salt, pepper, mixed vegetables and chicken.  Cook for about 3 min. to let the vegetables cook a little.  Divide the mixture evenly among the puff pastry shells. Place the round disc of pastry on top. Enjoy.

Chicken with Artichokes and Olives

As usual, I did this differently than the recipe.  I only had one large chicken breast, so I cubed it instead of cooking the cutlets. Same taste.    I served this over whole wheat spaghetti. Any pasta will work.
I got this recipe from a 2004 Cooking Light Cookbook


Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/chicken-with-artichoke-and-olives

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/3 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 (14oz) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1. Heat oli in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan, cook 5 minutes on each side. Remove chicken from pan, keep warm.
2. Combine wine, broth, mustard, and cornstarch. Add to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Brin to a boil, cook 1 minute. Stir in olives and artichokes, cook 1 minute. Spoon sauce over chicken, sprinkle with parsley.

Imperial Chicken

From Fine Fighter Fare Cookbook - Lisa Nicholson




Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/sea-scallop-dinner

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts w/o the bone
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 clove garlic, minced
juice of 1 lemon
dash of paprika
Blend bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside. Combine melted butter and garlic. Pound each chicken breast to make it thin enough to roll.  Roll each chicken breast into a firm roll, skewer with a toothpick. Dip chicken into butter mixture, then roll in bread crumb mixture. Arrange in a baking pan or glass casserole dish. Pour lemon juice over chicken and drizzle with any remaining butter. Sprinkle with paprika. Place in a 350 degree preheated oven and bake for 1 hour.

Tuscan Lemon Chicken

Bought some chicken and needed an easy dish that I had everything so I didn't have to go to the grocery store.  This recipe fit the bill.  You are suppose to grill the chicken, but I decided not to worry about setting-up the grill since the propane was not hooked-up to the grill.  It was delicious, but next time I will grill it.

Printable Recipe:
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingattheedwards/tuscan-lemon-chicken

Ingredients:
1 (3 1/2 pound) chicken, flattened
Kosher salt
1/3 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, halved
Directions:
Sprinkle the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt on each side. Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a small measuring cup. Place the chicken in a ceramic glass dish just large enough to hold it flat. Pour the lemon marinade over the chicken, turning it in the dish. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken 2-3 times while marinating. I didn't have a whole chicken and used chicken breasts without the skin. I'm sure the skin would have made it even better, but skinless is healthier and thus what I buy.

When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on 1 side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread 1/4 of the coals across the other side of the grill. Place the chicken on the cooler side, skin side up, and weigh it down with the dish you used for marinating. Cook for 12-15 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the chicken skin side down, weight again with the dish, and cook for another 12-15 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut side down for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the chicken to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut in quarters, sprinkle with salt, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

We had a surprise 80th birthday party for one of our hiking buddies.  We made all gluten-free dishes. I made this from Kalyn's kitchen. She mentioned that all South Beach Diet phase 1 is gluten-free.  We had such a good time planning and pulling-off this surprise for Shirley. She is totally responsible for all of us hiking all these years. She is a great role-model for us all.


Printable Recipe
https://sites.google.com/site/whatscookingsherry/chicken-cordon-bleu

Ingredients:
6 chicken breast halves
12 pieces Canadian Bacon (II only needed 1 1/2 for each chicken breast)
6 oz. Gruyere cheese sliced into 8 thin slices (I had the cheese deli cut 12-14 slices for me)
(Don't substitute, the nutty taste of the Gruyere makes this dish.)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup half and half
1 Tablespoon olive oil, for browning chicken
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pound chicken breasts until fairly thin, then rub each one with poultry seasoning. Saute' chicken in olive oil until nicely browned on both sides. Spray glass or crockery baking dish with nonstick spray or olive oil. Place chicken breasts in baking dish in a single layer. Top each with two pieces of Canadian bacon and then a piece of Gruyere.

Deglaze pan that chicken breasts were browned in with chicken stock, scraping off any browned bits, and let stock cook until slightly reduced. Add half and half and warm over low heat about 2 minutes. While it warms, cut the rest of the cheese into tiny pieces. Add cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Pour a little sauce over each chicken breast. (There will not be a lot of sauce.)

Bake 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted and mixture is hot and bubbly. Serve hot.