Category Archives: Chicken

Cheesecake Factory™ Chicken Madeira

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast fillets
8 asparagus spears
4 mozzarella cheese slices
Madeira Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
3 cups Madeira wine
2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Place chicken breasts between plastic wrap and pound to ¼-inch thickness; season with salt and pepper.  Heat oil in sauté pan; add chicken and sauté 4 to 6 minutes per side, until lightly browned; remove from pan and wrap in foil to keep warm.
Prepare Madeira sauce: Using the same pan, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons oil and heat; add mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Add Madeira wine, stock, butter and pepper; bring to boil, reduce heat; simmer about 20 minutes or until sauce has reduced to ¼ of its original volume and is a dark brown color.
Meanwhile, bring a half saucepan of water to a boil; add salt; return to boil; add asparagus and boil 3 to 5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. The asparagus should be cooked crisp-tender.
Transfer cooked chicken to baking pan; top with mozzarella cheese and broil 3 to 4 minutes or until light brown spots begin to appear on the cheese.
To serve, arrange 2 breasts on each plate, top each with 4 asparagus spears and spoon 3 to 4 tablespoons of Madeira sauce over each.
4  Servings

Cavatelli with Chicken & Broccoli

1 bag (16 oz) frozen cavatelli (short shells) or 12 oz dried (short ripple-edged shells)
8 oz boneless chicken cutlets, halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise in 1/2-in. strips
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Sauce:
4 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
8 oz fresh broccoli florets (1/2 a 1-lb bag)
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook as package directs.
Meanwhile put chicken and flour in large plastic food bag. Seal bag; shake to coat chicken evenly. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add chicken; sauté 2 to 3 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate. Reduce heat to low. Heat remaining 3 Tbsp oil in skillet. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in broccoli, broth and crushed pepper (if using). Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 5 minutes or until broccoli is tender. 
Drain pasta; return to pot. Add Sauce, chicken and cheese; toss to mix and coat.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
1 pound Fettuccine
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
½ whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
3 cloves Garlic, Minced
4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
½ cups White Wine
1 cup Heavy Cream
Cayenne Pepper To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
Salt To Taste
Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.  Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.  Add remaining olive oil and butter.

When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.  With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.  Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

Buffalo Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 eggs
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
3 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 cup buffalo wing sauce
1/4 cup shredded provolone cheese
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Flatten chicken to 1/2-in. thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs. Place bread crumbs in another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in egg, then coat with bread crumbs.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken in oil for 7-10 minutes on each side or until chicken juices run clear, adding wing sauce during the last 2 minutes. Turn to coat chicken. Sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and cook until cheese is melted. 
4  Servings

Bruschetta & Cheese – Stuffed Chicken Breasts

1 (14 oz.) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded, divided
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 package Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Chicken
8 skinless boneless chicken breasts, small
1/3 cup Kraft Roasted Red Pepper Italian with Parmesean Salad Dressing
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.   
Combine tomatoes, 1/2 cup of the cheese, the basil and dry stuffing mix.  Stir until just moistened.  Place 2 chicken breast halves in large freezer-weight zip top bag.  Pound chicken with meat mallet or side of heavy can (or if you’re Danielle, your fists), until chicken is 1/4″ thick.  Repeat with remaining chicken,  adding two at a time to bag.  Place chicken, top sides down, on cutting board.  Spread evenly with stuffing mixture.  Starting at one of the narrow ends, tightly roll up chicken.  Place seam sides down in 13×9″ baking dish.  Drizzle evenly with dressing.  Bake 40 minutes.  Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese.  Bake an additional 5 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (165 degrees F), and cheese is melted.
Variation:
For a South of the border style dish, simply use diced tomatoes with bell or jalapeno peppers, Mexican style shredded cheese, instead of mozzarella cheese, and chopped cilantro instead of basil.
 8  Servings