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Chicken Recipes

An INGENIOUS Way to Prepare and Eat Chicken: Where Has this Method Been all My Life?!

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Chopped Chicken Buffalo Burgers

Chopped Chicken Burgers, Topped with White Cheddar Cheese

I’ve become somewhat obsessed (make that pretty darn obsessed) with something lately that began as an experiment and ended with a full-on feeling of, “Why haven’t I been doing this forever?!”

Quick little backstory: I have a hiatal hernia which, while not a huge deal, can be annoying when it comes to certain foods – dense meats and bread in particular. Imagine trying to get a meatball through a coffee stirring straw… that’s how these foods can feel when you have a hiatal hernia that happens to be acting up at the time.

I had given chicken up entirely for quite a few months when I saw a cooking video on YouTube from one of my favorites, Sam the Cooking Guy (I’ll post this particular video below because I very much want you to see it). In the video, Sam took chicken and, using only his knife, cut it up exceptionally small, then formed patties with it in his hands and cooked it pretty much as you would a hamburger.

The first thing to hit my mind was that this process should make the chicken less “dense” and, since it’s the density that gives me problems, it may actually allow me to add chicken (which I love) back into my world.

I was so intrigued that I LITERALLY drove to the store and bought some chicken to try that very night. I was kind of holding my breath about a few things:

  • I found it hard to believe that it would stay together for me and actually make a chicken burger (it DID!).
  • I was afraid that my hernia would act up, even though the process made the chicken “feel” less dense (it DID NOT!)

I’ve used this process now about 7-8 times and come to love it even more each time. I normally make the patties and fry them in a little combination of butter and olive oil (my “go to” for cooking almost everything in the skillet), however today I used a combination of butter and avocado oil and they were amazing.

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Chopped Chicken

Seasoned Chopped Chicken, Ready to Party!

I’ve cooked chicken this way for…

  1. Chicken Parmesan – I add rosemary, basil, and thyme to the chicken and top it with marinara sauce and cheese. Delicious.
  2. Buffalo Chicken Burgers (Pictured Above) – Cooked as I normally do but topped the patties with buffalo sauce and blue cheese, and served, of course, with lots of celery.
  3. Regular Chicken burgers – cooked as it is in the video below. It makes outstanding chicken burgers.

Naturally, if you don’t have to eat gluten-free, like me, feel free to put your chicken burgers on buns. I imagine that would be crazy delicious!

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Chicken Thinly Sliced

Thinly Sliced Chicken will Cut Your Chopping Time in Half

A Few Tips:

  • If you’re able to buy thinly sliced chicken, doing so will cut your chopping time in half.
  • Most of the time, I chop in green bell pepper and onion (the combination is crazy good with these chopped chicken burgers) but they’re outrageously delicious without extras too.
  • When you’ve formed the balls, use a large spoon to “gently pat” them down, forming burgers (picture below).
  • When chopping my chicken, I season him on the chopping board- my reasoning is that, as I cut through him, the seasonings reach every nook and cranny.
  • Paprika is one of my favorite seasonings to use for chicken burgers – along with salt, pepper, and garlic powder, they turn out delicious each and every time.

Chicken Burgers

Use a Spoon to Flatten the Burgers Gently Into Place

While I use a plain old chopping board and sharp knife for making these chicken burgers, I’ve been researching meat grinders and found one on Amazon for under $40 (pictured below).

While I don’t at all mind using my knife and cutting board on the weekend, suppertime on weekdays need to be prepped and on the table fast. Last time I was cutting (and cutting and cutting!) the chicken, I reminded myself to check for meat grinders.  Because of the nature of raw chicken, I want one that’ll only be used for raw chicken. I think my food processor would probably do the trick, but frankly, I like keeping anything and everything I use for raw chicken separate from everything else.

Yes, I know it’s a ridiculous way to be – but it’s a mental wrinkle I can’t quite iron out.

So, I researched  meat grinders, price-checked, and all that jazz and have found the one I love (pictured on the right).

This is the Homeasy Meat Grinder (Amazon link) and should make food prep my weeknight chicken suppers quicker. This food grinder is equipped with 4 stainless steel blades and 2 modes to choose from.

You can chop or grind a variety of foods such as onions, meat, ham, garlic, onion, small herbs…

It’s equipped with a stainless steel bowl. The joint connection between blade and the main body is made of stainless steel unlike other plastic one thus the blade is not easy to break off.

While this is the one I have decided to go with, there are, of course, many different meat grinders on Amazon – different sizes, different prices, some manual/some electric. You can find exactly the one you’re looking for.

I look forward to giving this grinder a forever home in my kitchen – I promise it a steady diet of chicken.

Here’s the Sam the Cooking Guy Video:


How a Captain Named Rodney Can Make Your Chicken Extraordinary….

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One of the things I often preach on the food blog (as well as in person, of course, but most of you will miss that rousing “in person” performance) is this:

If you want to be an extra special cook (and who would want to settle for okay when they can be extra special??), you need to get creative and step out of the ordinary. This means trying new kitchen tools and gadgets, cooking your favorite foods in new, exciting ways, and trying new sauces, seasonings, and ingredients. Not only is it a creative way to approach cooking… it’s a delicious way to approach life.

While there’ll be times you try something that makes you whisper to your cat, “That never happened,” other times you find something that’ll become a kitchen staple – something you’d no sooner allow yourself to run out of than you would salt and pepper. Captain Rodney’s Original Boucan Glaze (Amazon link) has been such a staple in our kitchen for many years.

It is OUTSTANDING. Sorry for yelling, but it is that extraordinary. Captain Rodney’s makes several seasonings, sauces, and glazes (click here to see their entire collection on Amazon).

The “set” pictured on the left is one I have my eye on – you get two bottles (which last quite a while, as only a little bit is necessary for the “rock your world” flavor) and a silicone basting brush. I’m a sucker for a basting brush.

How I Use Captain Rodney’s Original Boucan Glaze (sorry to keep using the full name, but I want to differentiate because there are several):

  1. This glaze is delicious when you add a little to cooked, hot rice. It takes it to the next level.
  2. I love to pour a little on top of a block of cream cheese and serve with crackers. Buttery Ritz or Ritz-type crackers are the best for this.
  3. Hamburgers – A little Captain Rodney’s on a burger with sauteed onions is out of this world good.
  4. It’s wonderful on pork chops. It just takes a little to get that wonderful, “I’ll never let myself run out of this stuff” flavor.
  5. Chicken. Chicken. Chicken. Chicken. Chicken.
  6. Chicken.

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Captain Rodney's Original Boucan Pepper Glaze

Captain Rodney’s Original Boucan Pepper Glaze

My favorite way to cook chicken is as follows:

I take chicken tenders, salt and pepper them, then marinate them in Italian Dressing (bottled or the kind you make with a mix) and a little honey. I try to let them marinate in the fridge in this mixture for at least 3 hours.

I heat my iron skillet on medium-high and add a mixture of butter and olive oil (the olive oil keeps the butter from getting too brown). Don’t use too much butter/olive oil – you want enough for the tenders to sizzle but you don’t want to drown them. When the skillet is hot, I cook each side for about 4 minutes (always use a meat thermometer when cooking chicken – you want 165 F).

When I put them on the serving platter, I go ahead and add a little Captain Rodney’s Original Boucan Glaze (Amazon link). Makes them feel good about themselves and makes the tenders disappear off of said platter likety split.

Skillet Chicken Tenders with Captain Rodney's Glaze

Mediterranean Diet Recipe: Chicken Parmesan with Fresh Basil Tomato Sauce and Polenta

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Mediterranean Diet Chicken Recipe
Most people have a favorite type of “diet” or style of cooking they prefer above the rest. I have always been drawn to the Mediterranean diet – the colors, the flavors, the healthiness, the variety of options… basically, I love everything about it.

The recipe below is one of the wonderful Modern Mediterranean Diet recipes, inspired by Greece, Spain and Italy, from Pangea Nutrition. Pangea Nutrition recently announced its new Modern Mediterranean Diet Program, where people can sign up to receive a month of groceries and recipes to set them on a path to eating the way people in the Mediterranean have eaten for centuries (which clinical trials have shown to prevent various health issues and promote longevity).

This makes life simpler for the home cook as well as healthier for his/her family.

Pangea would like to offer you an additional 10% off a month of the program, with the code MDM17 through mid-June. Act now to take advantage of the discount (Pangea Nutrition)!

I’ll have another Pangea Nutrition Modern Mediterranean Diet recipe tomorrow, but for today you’re going to LOVE this chicken recipe. To make it gluten-free, substitute gluten-free panko breadcrumbs and gluten-free flour.

 Chicken Parmesan with Fresh Basil Tomato Sauce and Polenta

1lb chicken tenders
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 cup flour
2 eggs
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
12 cherry tomatoes (1/2 pint)
2 tablespoons of fresh basil

  1. For the polenta: Bring small pot filled with 1 cup of water to boil. Slowly add 1/4 cup cornmeal while stirring, until mixed well. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes while stirring occasionally (every 5 minutes).
  2. Set up breading station with 3 shallow dishes: On dish 1: place 1/4 cup flour; on dish 2: whip 2 eggs; and on dish 3: spread 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. To bread the chicken: pat dry with a paper towel and coat each tender in flour, shaking to remove excess. Then dip in egg, making sure it covers completely, and then coat in breadcrumbs. Press down gently to adhere.
  3. Heat 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large pan. Place the breaded chicken tenders in the pan and heat for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
  4. Meanwhile, cut the basil into a chiffonade: stack the leaves and roll them, and then thinly slice.
  5. After removing the chicken, add to the hot pan 12 cherry tomatoes and 2 tablespoons basil chiffonade. Toss for 1-2 minutes, until the tomato skins blister.
  6. For the polenta: Now mix in 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. (Optional: add 1-2 tablespoons of water to reach desired thickness.)
  7. Serve each plate with the chicken on a bed of polenta, topped with fresh basil tomato sauce. Enjoy!

Thanks to Pangea Nutrition for sharing the wonderful recipe, picture and savings code!

Keli’s Teriyaki Sauces: Don’t Even Think of Going Into Grilling Season Without Them

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Keli's Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauces
Keli’s Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauces and Chicken

For some people, grilling season never officially ends – but for most of us, the weather dictates a clear-cut beginning and ending for the delicious season. Now that the weather has warmed up here in Kentucky, we’ve fired up our grill and are reaping the yummy rewards.

The first thing we usually grill is hamburgers and hot dogs, but this year chicken had Opening Day Honors. We used Keli’s  Hawaiian Luau Teriyaki on some of the chicken and Keli’s Ginger Garlic Teriyaki on the rest. Both of these Teriyaki sauces are gluten-free and both are out of this world delicious.

The reason I wanted to try both at once was simple – I couldn’t decide.  I did the “fingertip taste test” and couldn’t decide which to go with…. so they were both invited to lunch.

After sampling the chicken, we still couldn’t decide – they are very different in flavor, but are both simply out of this world delicious. So we’re going with a tie. In fact, when you buy your first bottle of Keli’s, I’d strongly suggest buying BOTH of these flavors.

Ironically, before I even read that Keli’s sauces originated in Polynesia, I immediately identified the Polynesian flavor. Foodies know the taste of Polynesia when they taste it!

Grilled Chicken with Keli's Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauce

Grilled Chicken with Keli’s Sauces

To use either sauce on your chicken – simply baste during the last 5 minutes of grilling. You can serve the chicken over rice or cut it up and throw it into a fantastic salad. I’ve actually enjoyed it both ways – if you go the way of a salad, know this – honey mustard dressing is AMAZING with the flavors of either of these.

Keli's Sauces

About Keli’s Sauces

Taste the flavor of the Islands with the tasty ginger garlic Teriyaki from Keli’s Sauces! Whether you’re looking to boost your BBQ seasoning, craft a gourmet meal, or get the perfect present for Mom and Dad, this bold brand has got your back. Geared towards gluten-free products? Keli’s Sauces whips up gluten-free, vegan sauces with no MSG or preservatives so you can serve up hot, Hawaiian or BBQ classics for friends and family!

Originated in the Islands of Polynesia, Keli’s Sauces was a recipe passed down from generation to generation. Before settling down to their regular jobs, Jim and Terry Morrisey travelled to the Marshall Islands. With no radio, television, or phone service, they made close friends with the people on the island, particularly to one Hawaiian family whose daughter was in Terry’s Kindergarten class. During their time in the Islands, they shared a lot of meals and fell in love with the island inspired flavors and sauces. In 1989 Penny, one of the Hawaiian family’s children from the island of Molokai, took an adventure to meet Jim and Terry on the mainland working at their small deli on the Oregon Coast. Together, the dynamic duo created a recipe for the delicious sweet ginger Teriyaki that the islands are famous for. Encouraging them to market these savory sauces, Penny helped them design the very first label. Forever indebted to Penny, Terry named the company “IPO,” which is Penny’s middle name and means “Sweetheart” in Hawaiian. Penny named the sauce “Keli,” which is Terry in Hawaiian.

Keli's Gluten-Free Teriyaki Sauces

A few ways Keli’s Sauces separate themselves from the rest:

  • Gluten-free
  • Vegan
  • Amazing flavor
  • No MSG
  • No preservatives
  • Low sodium
  • Low fat

Find great recipes on Keli’s website – there are recipes for chicken, ham, tofu, vegetables, sausage, shrimp, beef, fish, and even salad. Learn more about all of Keli’s sauces at https://shop.trykelis.com.

Keli’s Sauces are also on Amazon (see below). Click through any to find even more sizes and flavors.


Cookbook Review: 125 Best Chicken Recipes

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125 Best Chicken Recipes Cookbook

Seriously, don’t you wish you had a dollar for every chicken recipe you’ve ever searched for? Add a dollar for every chicken recipe you’ve ever made and you could have your own island in the pacific.

I was sent a great cookbook to review, 125 Best Chicken Recipes, and it provides over 100 great chicken recipes all in one place (125, to be exact). My searching days are over!

As is the case with most cookbooks, the number (125) can be kind of an understatement because after you’ve added your own personal spin to the already great recipes, you’ll end up with countless versions. For example, the Hoisin Orange Chicken on page 126.  You could (and should!) make it just as it’s written but you could also, on some occasions, go with lemon zest in place of orange zest and add cilantro in place of minced ginger root – changing the flavor for variety. You may grill it one time and make it on the stove stop, the next.

There are endless possibilities with each great recipe.

I also love that each comes with a “Suggested Menu.” Let’s face it, sometimes we very much want someone else to do all the brain work for us. I call these Mondays.

125 Best Chicken Recipes Cookbook

From the Back Cover

Back in print, this bestselling book on chicken illustrates just how versatile chicken can be.

In today’s busy households, chicken has become a standard meal for people who want good and healthy food in a hurry. With 125 Best Chicken Recipes, there are dozens of different ways to prepare delicious and inspired chicken dishes — all in record time.

Whether using a skillet, frying pan, oven or grill, most of these recipes can be prepared in 20 to 30 minutes. With just a few ingredients, chicken happily takes up flavors from all parts of the globe, whether it’s Coq au Vin from Europe or the savory curry flavors of Easy Tandoori from India.

Chicken Recipes Include:

  • Chicken Breasts with Wild Mushroom Sauce
  • Burmese Chicken Thighs
  • Tex-Mex Wings
  • Roasted Chicken Fajitas
  • Chicken Cheese Chowder
  • Hot and Sour Soup
  • Curried Chicken and Pasta Salad
  • Thai Chicken Noodle Salad
  • Chicken Caesar
  • Orange-Rosemary Glazed Chicken Breasts (a KNOCK OUT!)
  • Quick Coq au Vin
  • Braised Chicken with New Potatoes and Peas
  • Mediterranean Pasta
  • Penne with Herbed Chicken Sauce
  • Gremolata Grilled Chicken
  • Chicken and Summer Fruit Kabobs.
  • And A LOT More…

Find 125 Best Chicken Recipes on Amazon. If you love chicken, this is a cookbook you’ll definitely want in your collection.

Also See: More Cookbook Reviews


Basic Oven Baked Chicken Thighs Recipe

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Baked Chicken Thighs

Baked Chicken Thighs

When it comes to food preferences, one of my strongest has to do with chicken. To me, dark meat has tons more flavor than white meat. I’ve even heard a few chefs on tv say the same thing. Each time they do, I give them a mental high five.

Yes, experts say white meat is healthier. Yes, many people swear by white meat. But, it is what it is and, as far as I’m concerned, chicken thighs and legs are where it is.

You could use this baked chicken recipe for breasts, of course. Whatever floats your boat!

You can also use your herb of choice – I love rosemary with chicken, but feel free to use basil or thyme.

My husband ran to the store and grabbed us some baking potatoes and asparagus to go with supper – I had to take a picture of the huge potatoes he found. When your potato is even bigger than your chicken thigh, you sent the right person to shop for your potatoes!

Casserole Dish Shown: Rachael Ray Oval Bubble & Brown Baker


French’s Flavor Infusers Add A LOT to Chicken

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Chicken with French's Flavor Infuser

As a matter of fact… yes… the baked chicken above was even more delicious than it looks!

I was sent a few of French’s wonderful new Flavor Infusers to review on the food blog.  I received the following flavors (click the links to find the infusers on Amazon):

French’s also makes these promising sounding other flavors of Infusers:

I knew that French’s (makers of the mustard and Crispy Fried Onions we all swear by!) would be launching these new products in April, so I held on to them for a while – planning to use them when we whipped out the grill when the weather warmed up.  I figured that the products coming out right at grilling season would be a perfect fit for a post featuring grilled meat.

Ah, the best laid plans.

Needless to say, I didn’t make it. Each time I fixed chicken, beef, or pork, I’d pick up one of the infuser bottles and flirt with the idea of going ahead and trying it out.  New food products and kitchen gadgets are toys in the playground I call a kitchen and me… well, I’m just a little girl who forgot to grow up.  I always figured it wasn’t quite what it was cracked up to be.

Suffice to say, they didn’t stay in the Spice Cabinet long.  The first to disappear was the Teriyaki Flavor Infuser.  I used it to add an uncommon amount of flavor and unexpected sassiness to baked ribs.  I HATE that I forgot to take pictures of the ribs before they disappeared. They were juicy, flavorful, and amazingly delicious.

French's Flavor Infusers

I did, however, learn my lesson when I used the second Flavor Infuser to disappear – The Classic Steakhouse. I took several pictures before they disappeared!  Although I had huge plans for using it on the first grilled steaks of the grilling season, the temptation was just too much for me.  One evening, as I was getting ready to bake chicken for supper, I found myself deciding on a marinade. Why even bake chicken if you don’t marinade it for an hour or two, right?  When I went to the cabinet to begin retrieving ingredients for a marinade concoction I saw the French’s Classic Steakhouse Flavor Infuser sitting there looking all enticing.  I tried  to tell it about my grilled steak plans… but, as the words were coming out of my mouth, my hand was reaching for the bottle.

What will power?

If the chicken hadn’t been so uncommonly delicious (best baked chicken I’ve ever had), I’d feel a little remorseful.  But, as it is, I just feel peachy.

The French’s Flavor Infusers are a cinch to use.  You simply open the bottle and insert the tip into your meat – then you squeeze the desired amount of magical goodness right into the meat.  Not over the top, where you watch helplessly as it pours down the sides and runs all over the dish.  The French’s Flavor Infuser tip gets to the heart of the matter and you LITERALLY taste the difference with each bite.

I’ll be buying these up by armfuls as soon as I see them in my local store. My mouth is watering thinking of ways to use them with the grill – hamburgers, steaks, chicken, pork, hot dogs…  I also can’t wait to experiment with them with Boca Burgers and Black Bean Burgers.

The possibilities are as endless as they are delicious.

Baked Chicken with French’s Classic Steakhouse Flavor Infuser

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse chicken pieces in water and pat them dry with paper towels – then toss the paper towels.  Infuse some of the Classic Steakhouse Flavor Infuser (or any flavor you choose) into each piece of chicken.  A little will run out, which is perfectly fine.  Infuse the flavor into several different parts of each piece of meat.

Spray the bottom of a roasting pan with Olive Oil Spray (or use Olive Oil straight from a bottle – just be sure to coat the entire pan lightly).

Arrange the pieces skin-side up in the roasting pan, being careful not to over-crowd the pieces. Salt and pepper the pieces of chicken at this point. Be sure to get the bottom sides as well as the top sides.

Cook for 30 minutes at 400 degrees, then lower the temp to 350 degrees and cook for 10-30 minutes more (about 14 to 15 minutes per pound total cooking time) until juices run clear (as opposed to pink) when you gently poke the chicken with a sharp knife – or the internal temperature of the chicken breasts is 165 degrees F and the thighs are 170 degrees F.

This last part can be a little risky, but I like the effect.  During the last 5 minutes of cooking, you can turn put your chicken under the broiler.  Don’t even think of walking away, though, or your entire meal will be a hot mess.  Putting it under the broiler for the last 3-5 minutes gives it a cool brown color on top that reminds me of grilled chicken.  You just have to be very careful not to overdo it – dried, overly browned chicken is darn near sinful.

Click the links at the top of the post to find French’s Flavor Infusers on Amazon.  Be sure to check your grocery store as well, they may be there on the shelf – just waiting to rock your culinary world.  These, honestly, are amazing.

Chicken with French's Flavor Infuser