Parmesan Ranch Baked Chicken

I LOVE simple.  This is pretty simple.  ~Shelly

Tender, juicy chicken is topped with Ranch dressing, buttery crackers, and savory Parmesan cheese. This is a baked chicken dish your entire family will be begging for!

A subtle Ranch flavor takes a backseat, letting the Parmesan be the star.

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or Thighs (about 2 pounds)
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers (about 24 crackers)
4 ounces Parmesan Cheese, shredded
1 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
2 tablespoons Ranch Dressing
2 teaspoons garlic salt

Instructions

1. In a seal-able plastic bag, gently pound chicken until it's uniform in thickness. Slice breasts in half, if desired.
2. In a food processor, pulse together crackers, shredded Parmesan and dried parsley. (alternatively, you could crush the crackers by hand and stir together with the cheese and parsley.
3. Spray a 9"x13" pan with cooking spray to prevent sticking. Place chicken in the pan and sprinkle with garlic salt.
4. Brush chicken evenly with Ranch dressing, then sprinkle cracker mixture on top. Press the cracker mixture into the chicken lightly with your hands.
5. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Tops should be golden brown. If additional browning time is needed, place chicken under the broiler for a couple minutes.
6. Serve hot.

Serves 6

This recipe found on Yellow Bliss Road

http://www.yellowblissroad.com/parmesan-ranch-baked-chicken/

Creamy Garlic Chicken Breasts

Tried and True  ~Shelly

Chicken Breasts in an irresistible garlic sauce

filled with caramelized onions and garlic.

Ready in less than 30 minutes and perfect for any night of the week…even special occasions! 

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN BREAST

• You’re going to start with thin chicken breasts. For a faster prep-time, cut your chicken breasts in half horizontally to make four fillets.  Quicker and easier than pounding them thin with a meat mallet and yields the same results. Thinner chicken pieces cook faster and evenly.
• Use a combination of oil and butter to fry the chicken for the best golden browned results and delicious flavor.
• Cook the sauce in the same pan as the chicken. Don’t get rid of any chicken bits from the pan as they add tons of flavor into the sauce!

COOKING WITH GARLIC

The beauty of this chicken breast recipe is that the garlic is NOT overpowering AT ALL! The secret to having SO much garlic without being overly pungent is caramelising the cloves (some smashed and some whole) in chicken stock (or broth) for 5-6 minutes over medium heat. This allows the garlic to soften beautifully with a hint of sweetness.

GARLIC FLAVOR

YOU can make this as garlicky as you want! How? For a stronger garlic flavor, smash all of your cloves with a heavy knife. Place the blade flat on the clove (sharp side facing away from you) and press the blade down on the clove with the heel of your hand. 

The garlic cloves are lightly browned in a little oil along with softened onion in buttery pan juices before being gently simmered in chicken stock. 

For a much milder sauce, add the garlic cloves whole.

TIPS

• You can use heavy cream, whipping cream or thickened cream in the sauce.
• For a lightened up sauce, use evaporated milk or half and half. If using half and half, be careful not to bring your sauce to a rapid boil or it may curdle.
• The sauce will not thicken immediately after adding in your cream. Once you add your chicken breasts back into the pan, the flour from the chicken will thicken your sauce. No cornstarch needed.  

SIDES THAT GO WITH CREAMY GARLIC CHICKEN BREASTS
We love this chicken breast recipe with steamed rice or mashed potatoes.
You can also serve it over pasta, cauliflower mash or zucchini noodles.

Ingredients - Serves 4

For The Chicken:

• 2-3 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts halved horizontally to make 4
• 4 tablespoons flour (all purpose or plain)
• 4 tablespoons finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Black cracked pepper

For The Sauce:

• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1 whole head of garlic peeled and divided into 10-12 cloves
• 1 1/4 cup chicken broth (stock)
• 1 1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream (or evaporated milk)
• 1/2 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, to serve

Instructions

• Season the chicken with salt, garlic powder and pepper.
• In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, Parmesan cheese. Dredge chicken in the flour mixture; shake off excess.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl pan to coat evenly. 
• Fry 2-3 chicken breasts until golden on each side, cooked through and no longer pink (about 4-5 minutes each side, depending on the thickness of your chicken). Transfer to a warm plate. Set aside.
• Wipe pan over with a sheet of paper towel. Repeat with remaining oil, butter and chicken breasts. When cooked, transfer the chicken onto the same plate.
• Reduce heat to medium. Sauté the onion in the remaining oil/juices in the pan until softened. 
• Smash 6 whole cloves of garlic with the blunt edge of the back of a knife 
• Add the remaining oil to the pan and heat through, mixing it through the onions. Sauté smashed garlic cloves and whole garlic cloves until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Add the broth to deglaze the pan. Scrape up any browned bits and let simmer and reduce to half, about 5 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Pour in the cream. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer for about 2-3 minutes, combining all of the flavours together.
• Mix in the Parmesan cheese. Continue cooking gently for about 2-3 minutes until cheese melts, while stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. 
• Add the chicken back into the pan and let simmer for a further 2-3 minutes to thicken the sauce to your liking. The chicken breast will soak up all of the delicious flavors.
• Garnish with parsley and a little black cracked pepper. 
  

  Serve over pasta, cauliflower mash, zucchini noodles, rice or mashed potatoes.

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 1205mg | Potassium: 403mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 710IU | Vitamin C: 10.3mg | Calcium: 285mg | Iron: 1mg

From Karina at: Cafe Delites

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings

This is my current favorite wing recipe.  SO easy.  And for some reason, nothing tastes as good as the Crystal brand hot sauce in this recipe.  ~~Shelly

Chicken Wings - I like Smart Chicken
2 Tbls. Butter
2 - 3 Cloves Minced Garlic
1 Tsp. Vinegar
6 oz. Crystal Hot Sauce
6 oz. freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

Cook Wings in an oven or air fryer,

SAUCE
Melt butter and saute garlic.  Then add vinegar, hot sauce and parmesan cheese.
When Chicken is done, toss with sauce. 
Sprinkle with additional grated parmesan cheese.

Enjoy.

Chicken Alfredo Baked Ziti

Creamy alfredo sauce, savory chicken, hearty pasta,
two delicious kinds of melty cheese — what’s not to love?!
There’s a reason why this one will always be a classic.

Ingredients

Chicken Baked Ziti Ingredients:

• 12 ounces uncooked ziti (or any pasta shape)
• 2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (about 2 small chicken breasts)
• 1 batch alfredo sauce (see below)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• toppings: lots of freshly-grated Parmesan cheese, finely-chopped fresh basil or parsley

Alfredo Sauce Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 3/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

To Make The Chicken Baked Ziti:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Mist a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Cook the pasta al dente in a large stockpot of well-salted boiling according to package instructions. Drain. Return pasta to the stockpot and add chicken and alfredo sauce. Gently toss to combine until the pasta is evenly coated.
3. Pour half of the pasta into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with 1 cup of cheese. Layer the remaining half of the pasta evenly on top. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and just barely starts to turn golden. Remove and serve immediately, sprinkled with additional toppings if desired.

To Make The Alfredo Sauce:

1. Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute one minute, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Sprinkle with flour, and stir to combine. Saute for an additional minute to cook the flour, stirring occasionally.
2. Slowly add chicken broth, whisking to combine until smooth. Whisk in milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Let cook for an additional minute until thickened, then stir in Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until the cheese melted. Remove from heat and set aside.

Possible Variations:

There are so many ways to customize this chicken alfredo bake!  For example, feel free to…

• Add in veggies. Broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms, cauliflower, and any number of other veggies would be delicious added to this chicken alfredo recipe.  Just note that they won’t get cooked much during the 20 minutes of baking time.  So if whatever veggies you add require a longer cooking time, feel free to toss them into the boiling water with the pasta for a few minutes or sauté (or roast) them for a few minutes before adding them to the casserole.
• Add in extra Italian herbs. If you would like an herbier chicken alfredo pasta, feel free to add some dried Italian Seasoning or chopped fresh Italian herbs into the alfredo sauce.  (Or, you can also sprinkle some chopped fresh basil on top of the pasta after baking.)
• Nix the protein.  Not into chicken?  Feel free to use shrimp in this recipe instead.  (Or make it vegetarian and add in some extra veggies instead.)
• Make it spicy. I really love sprinkling lots of crushed red pepper into (and on top of) this casserole to give it a bit of a kick.
• Make it cajun. To give this recipe a Cajun twist, feel free to stir 1-2 tablespoons Cajun seasiing (to taste) into the alfredo sauce.
• Make it gluten-free.  Just use your favorite certified gluten-free pasta, and my gluten-free alfredo sauce recipe.

This recipe comes from GimmeSomeOven.com

https://www.gimmesomeoven.com/chicken-alfredo-baked-ziti-recipe/

Chicken Thighs - Oven Baked

 

2 pounds chicken thighs
3 teas salt or to taste
1 teas Black Pepper or to taste

Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon whole grain Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 425 F degrees.

Place the chicken thighs in a bowl and season them generously with salt and pepper.

Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl.

Pour the over sauce over the thighs and toss them well.

Transfer the chicken thighs to a 9×13 inch baking dish including any remaining sauce. No need to grease the dish.

Transfer the baking dish to the oven and bake for about 35 minutes or until the chicken thighs have an internal temperature of 165 F degrees and skin is crispy.

Transfer the chicken to a serving plate, cover with aluminum foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

NOTES

1. Boneless skinless chicken thighs can also be used, but they will bake fast, they should only require 20 to 25 minutes in the oven.
2. The honey mustard glaze is completely optional. For a simpler chicken thigh recipe, simply season the thighs with salt and pepper, drizzle a couple tbsp of olive oil in the baking dish and bake as instructed.
3. When stored or wrapped well, this oven baked chicken is going to last in the fridge for up to 3 days. I recommend freezing it to extend its shelf life. When stored in a sealed airtight container, the chicken will last in the freezer for 4 – 6 months.
4. 
   

This recipe comes from

JoCooks.com

See more information here.

Light Chicken Piccata

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons flour, divided
2 tablespoon grated Parmesan Cheese
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon shallots, minced
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons capers (optional)
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon tarragon

Directions

1.Whisk 2 tablespoons flour and 1 cup broth in a small bowl until smooth. Place remaining 2 tablespoons flour and the Parmesan cheese in a shallow dish. Sprinkle the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon pepper and dredge both sides in the flour. Shake to remove excess.

2.Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown or no longer pink in the middle (2-5 minutes per side). Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.

3.Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the shallots and white wine, and cook until reduced by half (this should take about 1 to 2 minutes).

4.Stir in the reserved broth-flour mixture and the lemon juice. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring until the sauce is thickened (about 5 minutes). Stir in the tarragon, parsley, butter, and capers.

5.Serve chicken with a light salad or pasta. pour sauce over chicken.

Recipe
From: 12Tomatoes.com

Creamy Lemon Romano Chicken

This chicken is easily one of my new favorite ways to prepare chicken breasts! Not only is it quick and easy but it yields incredibly flavorful, crave-able chicken!

If you’d like you can also double up on the sauce if you want an abundance to serve with pasta, it’s the perfect side with this as this dish is similar to Chicken Piccata, yet upgraded with cream and cheese.

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 (11 - 12 oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts*
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced (2 tsp)
1 cup + 1 Tbsp Swanson Chicken Broth, divided
1/2 tsp dried basil
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup (1.5 oz) finely shredded Pecorino Romano cheese
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Pound thicker parts of chicken breasts out even, to about 1/2-inch thickness.
2. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
3. In a shallow dish whisk together flour with 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Dredge both sides of chicken breast in flour mixture then transfer to heated skillet.
4. Cook until center reaches 165 in center of each piece, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate tent with foil.
5. Add garlic to skillet set over medium heat, saute until just light golden brown (not browned and burnt), about 30 seconds. Pour in 1 cup chicken broth, lemon juice and basil.
6. Let broth mixture simmer and reduce by about half, about 2 minutes. Stir together 1 Tbsp chicken broth with cornstarch pour into broth mixture and cook stirring constantly until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds.
7. Pour in cream then reduce to low, add Romano cheese and cook just until melted.
8. Return chicken to sauce, spoon sauce over chicken. Serve warm garnished with parsley.

Recipe Notes

• *4 (6 oz) chicken breasts will work too, no splitting is necessary. Just pound to an even 1/2-inch thickness.
  
• If desired, boneless skinless chicken thighs can be used here as well (use smaller ones so they’ll cook through before getting too dark), if going this route skip the butterflying step and just use 6 small thighs. Be sure to trim them of excess fat before beginning and as always cook to 165 degrees in thickest portion.
  
• Chicken Tenders will also work too. No halving or pounding necessary.
  
• You can also use pre-cut chicken cutlets, just keep in mind they’ll likely cook faster as they are usually rather thin.
  
  
  FROM  Cooking Classy
  See  step by step directions here. 

Chicken Zucchini Bake

 

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
0.5 oz dry Ranch seasoning (½ packet)
1 zucchini thinly sliced
6 strips bacon cooked, drained, chopped
½ cup Mozzarella cheese shredded
½ cup Parmesan cheese shredded

Instructions 

Heat oven to 375 F.
Add 4 chicken breasts to casserole dish.
Sprinkle the chicken with dry Ranch seasoning mix.
Top with sliced zucchini and chopped cooked bacon.
Top with shredded Parmesan and Mozzarella cheeses.
Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes.
Broil for the last 2-3 minutes (optional).
Remove from the oven.
Allow the chicken rest in the casserole dish.  It will continue cooking as it rests for 5-10 minutes.

Notes

Use regular chicken breasts or thinly sliced chicken breasts.  If your chicken breasts are large, slice each one in half horizontally.  By doing this, you can make 2 thinly sliced chicken breasts out of each large chicken breast.

The chicken should be cooked through in about 20 minutes.  The actual time depends on your oven.   All ovens are different.  It also depends on the thickness of your chicken breasts. 

Thin chicken breasts will cook faster. 
The chicken is cooked through when it's no longer pink in the center.
When broiling, check often.  Make sure the cheese doesn't burn on top of the chicken.  

FROM: Julia's Album

Chicken Parmigiana

Tender pieces of chicken, topped with homemade tomato sauce and grated cheese, and then oven baked until the cheese is golden and melted. The tomato sauce and crumbed, uncooked chicken can be prepared in advance but it is best to cook the chicken and assemble the dish just before it goes into the oven.

Tomato Sauce
Makes about 1 1/3 cups.

1 tablespoon oil
1/2 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 can crushed/diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar, firmly packed
Salt and pepper

Crumbed Chicken
Approximately 1 lb skinless chicken breast fillets or tenderloins
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
1/3 cup plain flour
about 1 1/3 cups packaged breadcrumbs
about 1/2 cup oil, for frying

Cheese Topping
1 1/3 cups, firmly packed grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup, lightly packed grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a heavy-based medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, until onion has softened but not browned. Add tomatoes, basil and brown sugar, increase heat and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for about 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce has reached the desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside for 10 minutes, and then puree sauce in a blender or food processor.

If using chicken breasts, cut them in half horizontally. Cover chicken with a freezer bag and lightly pound with the flat side of meat mallet to flatten. © 

Whisk eggs and milk together in a bowl. Coat one piece of chicken in flour and shake to remove excess. Then dip the chicken into the egg and milk mixture ensuring that all of the flour is moistened.

Then coat the chicken in breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to ensure crumbs adhere. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken.

To fry chicken, heat some of the oil in a heavy-based frying pan over medium-high heat. We cook the chicken in two batches using 1/4 cup of oil for each batch (the number of batches will be determined by the size of your frying pan and you'll need to divide the oil evenly between each batch). Fry the chicken in a single layer, without overcrowding the pan, until golden brown and cooked through.

Wipe the pan out with paper towels between each batch of chicken to remove any crumbs. This prevents the overcooked loose crumbs adhering to the next batch of chicken.

Drain cooked chicken on paper towels.

Place cooked chicken in a large baking dish and spread with sauce. Sprinkle with combined cheeses.

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and golden.  Optional. sprinkle the chicken parmigiana with chopped parsley before serving.

Chicken Parmesan Casserole

This chicken Parmesan is done casserole style (so, no breading or frying!), but still offers up that irresistible combination of tender chicken, crunchy/cheesy coating, and flavorful sauce."     

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed and finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (not too large)

2 cups prepared marinara sauce

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil                                    

1 (8 ounce) package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1 (5 ounce) package garlic croutons

                                                             

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch casserole dish with olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic and hot red pepper flakes.
3. Arrange the chicken breasts in bottom of the dish, and pour marinara sauce over chicken. Sprinkle basil over marinara sauce, and top with half the mozzarella cheese, followed by half the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle on the croutons, then top with the remaining mozzarella cheese and remaining Parmesan cheese.
4. Bake in preheated oven until cheese and croutons are golden brown and the chicken is no longer pink inside, about 35 minutes to an hour, depending on the shape and thickness of your chicken breasts. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chicken breast should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).  

Buffalo Chicken Roll Ups

I love Buffalo Chicken, Frank's Red Hot sauce and also blue cheese, so this recipe really called out to me.  I was quite impressed.  And it was SO EASY! ~Shelly

4-6 chicken tenders

salt and pepper

1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

1/4 cup frank's red hot

2 Tbsp mayo

1 cup crush cornflakes (you could also use gluten free corn chex)

***********************************

Stir together mayo and Frank's Red Hot.

Crush cornflakes.

Flatten chicken with meat hammer.

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Spoon blue cheese on chicken tender.

Roll up the chicken and close with a toothpick.

Dip chicken rolls in Frank's Red Hot mixture

then roll in Cornflake crumbs.

Set in a baking pan and bake on 400 for 30 minutes.

Serve with extra hot sauce!

Beer Can Grilled Chicken

 

4 lb. Chicken
Chicken Rub
Vegetable or Olive Oil
12 oz. Beer, your choice

Beer Can Chicken Rub

2 tablespoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder

For the chicken rub;
In a small bowl mix all the ingredients together and use for the grilled chicken.

Preheat your grill to medium high heat.  (350 degrees)

Rub the chicken and the cavity down with vegetable oil. Season the chicken and cavity with rub mixture.  Pour off (drink) 1/4 of the beer and sit the chicken on top of the beer can.  Place the chicken in the center of the hot grill and cover.  Cook the chicken for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees F.  Once cooked, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

NOTE  This recipe can also be made in the oven.

Parmesan Chicken

The savory coating on this chicken has the satisfying flavor of Parmesan cheese. It's easy enough to be a family weekday meal yet impressive enough to serve to guests. When I make this baked parmesan crusted chicken for dinner, we never have leftovers. —Schelby Thompson, Camden Wyoming, Delaware

Prep: 10 min. Bake: 25 min.

6 Servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (7 ounces each)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a shallow bowl, combine butter, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Place bread crumbs and cheese in another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in butter mixture, then in bread crumb mixture, patting to help coating adhere.
• Place in an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Drizzle with any remaining butter mixture. Bake, uncovered, until a thermometer inserted in chicken reads 165°, 25-30 minutes.

Test Kitchen Tips

In Europe, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Parmesan are considered the same cheese. But in the U.S., Parmesan is a generic term that may not come from Italy’s Parmigiano-Reggiano region. Using the authentic Italian cheese (in a lesser amount than the original’s ½ cup) ensures a cheesy richness in the makeover with less fat and calories

Worcestershire sauce was originally considered a mistake. In 1835, an English lord commissioned two chemists to duplicate a sauce he had tried in India. The pungent batch was disappointing and wound up in their cellar. When the pair stumbled upon the aged concoction 2 years later, they were pleasantly surprised by its unique taste.

Nutrition Facts

1 chicken breast half : 270 calories, 16g fat (9g saturated fat), 82mg cholesterol, 552mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (1g sugars, 0 fiber), 21g protein. 

Originally published as Parmesan Chicken in Taste of Home April/May 1995

Springfield Style Cashew Chicken

Did you ever eat at Gee's East Wind?
Or today at Leong's?
This is where the true Springfield Style Cashew Chicken originated.
Today, you can purchase Leong's famous sauces at Harter House also.

My dad's favorite restaurant was Gee's East Wind.  (His other favorite was The Shady Inn)
We got to eat at Gee's often, especially if we had out of town guests visiting.

I learned to make this recipe when I was still living at home because my dad got the owner to give him the recipe.

I also included this recipe in the first Harter House Cookbook that we published.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb. Boneless chicken breast per person

2 eggs per pound of chicken

1/4 cup milk per egg
flour, salt and pepper

Peanut oil, for frying

Cut chicken into small pieces about 1/2 to 3/4 inch

Flour well and let stand in flour for 15 minutes.

Mix Egg, milk, salt and pepper. 

Remove chicken from Flour and let stand in egg mixture for 10 minutes,

Roll in flour and deep fry in peanut oil.

Keep warm in oven set at 200degrees.

SAUCE
2 chicken bouillon cubes per 1 cup water

2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons oyster flavor sauce

Boil water and dissolve cubes. 

Remove 1/4 cup broth and mix in cornstarch until smooth.

Pour back into broth with other ingredients and let thicken.

Pour sauce over chicken, top with cashews and chopped green onions.

Serve with rice, soy sauce and hot mustard if desired.

NOTE

My hot mustard is Coleman's dry mustard made into a paste by adding  a small amount of water.

Orange Chicken

Prepare rice and serve this Orange Chicken over rice.

Ingredients for the Chicken

2 lbs. Boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 3/4 inch pieces.

1 egg

1 1/2 Teaspoon salt

1 pinch black pepper

2 Tablespoons oil, divided, plus more for frying.

1 cup Flour

For the Sauce

1 Tablespoon cornstarch

2 Tablespoon rice wine

1/4 cup water

1 Teaspoon sesame oil

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

10 Tablespoons sugar

10 Tablespoons white vinegar

zest of one orange

To Finish

1 1/2 Tablespoons ginger root, minced

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon red chili pepper crushed

Instructions

To make the sauce, combine 1 tablespoon corn starch, rice wine, water, sesame oil, sugar, white vinegar, and orange zest. Set aside.

In another bowl, add the egg, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon oil.  Wisk together.

In a separate bowl, add flour.

In a large frying pan or wok, heat oil to 375 degrees.  (drops of added water will pop when oil is hot)

Dip chicken pieces in flour, then egg mixture, then flour again.

Fry chicken till golden and crisp.  about 4 minutes.  Do not crowd chicken.

Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with additional chicken pieces.

When you are done with the chicken, Drain all but 1 tablespoon oil from skillet.

Add ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper, cooking for about 15 seconds.

Add the orange sauce and bring to a boil.

Turn off the heat and add chicken to the sauce or pour sauce over the chicken and rice after being plated.

NOTES

Garnish with cut green onions, and a side of pickled ginger\, optional.

I also like a hot mustard. I use Coleman's dry mustard and make it into a paste by adding just a little water.

Weight Loss and Nakato's-Inspired Stir-fried Chicken and Vegetables

I read in a Monday Motivation, "If something doesn't change, nothing will change."

I also saw the message, "If you don't make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness. Read that again."

On Friday, August 28, 2020, I decided I had to focus on my health and diet AGAIN.
In looking back at the last time I actually recorded my weight, since January 15th this year, I had gained 22 pounds.  I felt it.  Again, my clothes aren't fitting and I don't feel good in clothes that are fitting.

Last year I documented my weight loss journey and blogged about it weekly.  I had some good information in those blogs.  They were titled:

The Beginning - Focused, Aware, and Disciplined 

Week One - Progress

Week Two - Determined

Week Three - By our choices we reveal our commitments

Week Four - What can happen in one month

Week Five - Don't give up

Week Six - Reprogram your brain

Week Seven - My body is changing

Week Eight - Traveling and eating right

Week Ten - Mindfulness

Week Eleven - Handling disappointment

Week Twelve - Unstoppable

Week Thirteen - The desire to find a way

Week Fourteen - Starting over again

If you're interested I think there is some good motivation in these blogs.  I recently reread them and I remember feeling like my weight was coming off quickly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Again, I am focusing on drinking my water.  I'm striving for 100 ounces.
I hired a personal trainer for 2 days a week.  He is making me send him pictures of everything that I am eating, including my beverages.
And most days I am tracking the calories, trying to stay at about 1300 for the day.
On the days I don't work out, I am supposed to walk 30 - 45 minutes.

I am also searching online for healthy recipe ideas. I hope to share some of those healthy meals.
Basically, I am striving to add lots of vegetables into my meals.

One of my favorite dinners has been this Stir-Fried Chicken and Vegetables.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 oz Chicken breast
Broccoli
Carrots
Mushrooms
Onions
Zucchini

Spicy Yummy Yummy Sauce

1 Tablespoon Real Mayonnaise (Hellman's)
1 Tablespoon Sriracha
2 Tablespoons Milk (2%)

I thought I was making a LOT of vegetables, but they definitely cooked down.  Or perhaps I overcooked them.  I started with about 2 cups of vegetables.  Next time I may double that.  And I was only cooking for ONE person, me.

My fitness Pal added this entire meal at 516 Calories.  

Take away - fill up on vegetables!

PS, As of Sept 15. 2020, I am down 9 lbs.
It really does come off fast when you stick to a low calorie diet, incorporating healthy, real food, and skip the alcohol.