Moroccan apricot chicken

Buy chicken in bulk and make meals to eat now or freeze for later. 

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 (150g each) chicken breast fillets, trimmed
• 1 medium brown onion, halved, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 tablespoon Moroccan seasoning mix
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 400g can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed
• Fresh coriander leaves and couscous, to serve

 

Method

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken for 2 minutes each side or until browned. Transfer to a plate.
2. Add onion to pan. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and seasoning. Cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add tomato paste and honey. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, stock, apricots and chickpeas. Bring to the boil.
3. Return chicken to pan. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, turning chicken occasionally, for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and sauce has reduced and thickened slightly. Serve chicken mixture with couscous and coriander.

 

Notes

Chicken tips: Freeze chicken breasts in a single layer in freezer or snap-lock bags for up to 6 months.
If using chicken breasts for stir-fries or casseroles, slice or chop the chicken before freezing for quicker defrosting.
When barbecuing chicken breasts, cut 2cm-deep slits into top of chicken for a shorter cooking time. This technique is also useful for marinating, so the chicken absorbs more flavour.

Mediterranean chicken casserole

If it's comfort food you're after, look no further than this easy and tasty chicken casserole. Taste.com.au members love it! 

Preparation Time

30 minutes

Cooking Time

60 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 8 chicken lovely legs
• 1 large brown onion, halved, thinly sliced
• 3 celery sticks, trimmed, cut into 2cm-thick slices
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 200g button mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 2 x 400g cans diced Italian tomatoes
• 1 chicken stock cube (Massel brand)
• 150g (1 cup) frozen broad beans, thawed, peeled
• 1 tbs fresh thyme leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 200g dried spiral pasta, optional, to serve

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, for 5 minutes or until brown all over. Transfer chicken to a 2L (8-cup) capacity ovenproof casserole dish.
2. Add onion and celery to the frying pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and mushroom and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until mushroom is tender. Add tomato and stock cube and bring to the boil. Remove from heat. Add to casserole dish with the chicken.
3. Cover the casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid or foil. Bake in oven for 35 minutes or until chicken is tender. Add broad beans and half the thyme and cook for a further 10 minutes or until broad beans are tender. Remove from oven. Taste and season with pepper.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large saucepan of boiling water following packet directions or until al dente. Drain well.
5. Spoon casserole into a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with remaining thyme and serve with pasta, if desired.

Chicken korma with chickpeas

With a few pantry staples and a little creativity, we've stirred up these curry pots to fill your kitchen with the aroma of Indian cuisine. 

Preparation Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 2 tbs canola oil
• 6 chicken breast fillets, cut into 3cm pieces
• 2 brown onions, halved, cut into wedges
• 3 tbs Patak’s Korma Paste
• 800g Butternut pumpkin, peeled, seeded, cut into 2cm pieces
• 400g can diced tomatoes
• 500ml (2 cups) chicken stock
• 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
• 200g snow peas, trimmed
• Fresh coriander sprigs, to serve
• Tzatziki, to serve
• Roti bread, warmed, to serve

 

Method

1. Heat half the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken, turning occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken, reheating the pan between batches.
2. Add the onion and remaining oil to the pan and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the chicken and curry paste and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until well combined. Add the pumpkin, tomato and stock and stir until well combined. Cover and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
3. Add the chickpeas and snow peas and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until the snow peas are bright green and tender crisp and the sauce thickens slightly. Spoon the curry among serving bowls. Top with coriander and tzatziki. Serve with roti.

Mango chicken pappadums

A fusion of fresh Indian flavours atop crispy mini pappadums is finger food heaven. 

Preparation Time

30 minutes

Cooking Time

15 minutes

Makes

14

Ingredients

• 2 single chicken breast fillets
• 2 tbs tandoori curry paste
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 14 plain mini pappadums
• 1 Honey Gold mango, peeled, cut into 1cm pieces
• 1 small Lebanese cucumber, cut into 1cm pieces
• 2 tbs finely chopped red onion
• 1 tbs chopped fresh coriander
• 3 tsp fresh lime juice
• 130g (1/2 cup) natural yoghurt
• 1 tbs chopped fresh mint
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• Fresh coriander sprigs, to serve

 

Method

1. Place the chicken and curry paste in a glass or ceramic bowl and turn to coat.
2. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook chicken for 7 minutes each side. Set aside to cool. Shred.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pappadums following packet directions.
4. Combine the mango, cucumber, onion, chopped coriander and one-third of the lime juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Combine the yoghurt, mint, garlic and remaining lime juice in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Place pappadums on a serving platter. Top with chicken, mango mixture, yoghurt mixture and coriander sprigs to serve.

Spanish chicken casserole

After eating this slow-cooked chicken wonder give compliments to the chef even if it's you! Smile and say delicioso, which means delicious in Spanish. 

Preparation Time

25 minutes

Cooking Time

90 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1.8kg whole fresh chicken
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 (about 180g) chorizo, thinly sliced
• 1 large red capsicum, halved, deseeded, cut into 2cm pieces
• 1 red onion, coarsely chopped
• 80ml (1/3 cup) dry sherry
• 2 x 400g cans diced tomatoes
• 185ml (3/4 cup) chicken stock
• 2 tsp dried oregano leaves
• Saffron rice, to serve
• Fresh oregano leaves, to serve

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Rinse the chicken inside and out under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towel. Place, the chicken, breast-side down, on a clean work surface. Use poultry shears or sharp kitchen scissors to cut along either side of the backbone. Discard the backbone. Cut the breast in half along the breastbone. Use a sharp knife to cut around the legs, between the thigh and the breast. Cut the drumsticks from the thighs. Cut the wings from the breasts and cut the breasts in half diagonally. Remove any excess skin.
2. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish or large frying pan over medium heat. Add half the chicken and cook for 4 minutes each side or until golden. Transfer to a large plate. Repeat with remaining chicken, reheating the dish between batches.
3. Add the chorizo, capsicum and onion to the dish. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until chorizo is golden. Add the sherry and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until reduced by half.
4. Transfer the chorizo mixture to a casserole dish, if necessary. Add the chicken, tomato, stock and dried oregano. Cover and bake in oven for 1 hour or until the chicken is tender.
5. Divide the rice among serving dishes and top with the chicken mixture. Sprinkle with fresh oregano to serve.

 

Notes

Cooking tip: To make saffron rice, cook rice using absorption method with chicken stock not water. Add a pinch of saffron threads to liquid.
Time-saving tip: Use 10 chicken pieces, such as drumstick and thigh pieces.

Chicken Alfredo Biscuit Casserole

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

1        tablespoon butter

2        cups sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2     cup chopped onion

1        jar (16 oz) Alfredo pasta sauce

1/4     cup milk

2        cups chopped cooked chicken

2        cups Green Giant® SELECT® frozen broccoli florets, thawed

1/4     teaspoon dried basil leaves

1        can (7.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1        tablespoon butter, melted

1        tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1 Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 8-inch square (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. 2 In 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Cook mushrooms and onion in butter, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in Alfredo sauce, milk, chicken, broccoli and basil. Cook until mixture is thoroughly heated and bubbly, stirring constantly. Spoon into baking dish. 3 Separate dough into 10 biscuits. Cut each biscuit in half crosswise. Arrange around edge of baking dish, overlapping slightly. Drizzle biscuits with melted butter; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. 4 Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown.

To make ahead, follow directions through step 2, using a glass baking dish. Cover and refrigerate. When ready to bake, uncover and heat in microwave until bubbly and heated throughout, stirring as needed. Then complete steps 3 and 4.

Chicken and Pasta Fresca

INGREDIENTS

 

3       cups uncooked gemelli or rotini pasta (8 oz)

1       tablespoon olive oil

1       medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/2    cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing

2       large tomatoes, chopped (2 cups)

2       cups chopped deli rotisserie chicken (from 2 lb-chicken)

1       bag (6 oz) fresh baby spinach leaves

1/2    cup crumbled feta cheese (2 oz)

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1 Cook and drain pasta as directed on package. 2 Meanwhile, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion in oil about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add dressing, tomatoes and chicken. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until hot. Stir in spinach; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until spinach starts to wilt. 3 In large serving bowl, toss pasta with chicken mixture. Top with cheese.

For Mediterranean flair, stir some halved kalamata olives into this pasta dish.

You will get about 3 cups of chicken from a 2-lb rotisserie chicken, so use the leftovers in another recipe.

Pulled Chicken Crescents

INGREDIENTS

 

1       can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1       cup shredded cooked chicken

1/4    cup barbecue sauce

1/3    cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1       egg, beaten

 

DIRECTIONS

 

1 Separate dough into 8 triangles. 2 In bowl, mix chicken and barbecue sauce. Spoon chicken mixture onto short end of each triangle; sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of the cheese. Roll up loosely as directed on can. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with egg; sprinkle with remaining cheese. 3 Bake at 375°F 12 to 15 minutes.

Chicken with Garlic, Basil, and Parsley

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon dried parsley, divided
• 1 tablespoon dried basil, divided
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tomatoes, sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon parsley and 1 teaspoon basil evenly over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange chicken breast halves in the dish, and sprinkle evenly with garlic slices. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 2 teaspoons parsley, remaining 2 teaspoons basil, salt, and red pepper; sprinkle over the chicken. Top with tomato slices.
3. Bake covered in the preheated oven 25 minutes. Remove cover, and continue baking 15 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 150 | Total Fat: 3.1g | Cholesterol: 67mg