Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

These were great! Will definitely make again! Found here.

For the enchilada sauce:
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, minced
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
3 tbsp. chili powder (I only used about 1 T and that was enough!)
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. sugar
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
3/4 cup water

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onion and salt, cook until softened, 5 minutes.  Stir in the chili powder, garlic, cumin, and sugar.  Cook until fragrant.  Add in the tomato sauce and water and bring to a simmer.  Cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Season to taste.

For the enchiladas:
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1 (225g) package cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, more to garnish
1 (400g) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 batch enchilada sauce, divided
4 cups shredded cheese (cheddar and Monterrey Jack work well), divided
flour tortillas

1.  Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  Heat a medium saucepan over medium low heat.  Add in cream cheese and stir to melt.  Stir in green onions, 2 cups shredded cheese, and drained black beans.  Stir to combine and heat through, about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken and black olives and remove from heat.  Add in 1 cup of enchilada sauce, stir to combine.
2.  Heat tortillas in microwave, a few seconds at a time, so that they are soft and pliable.  Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray (I used a baking sheet).  Spread 1/4 of the enchilada sauce in the bottom of the pan.  Spoon 1/4-1/3 cup chicken mixture into the center of a warm tortilla and roll tightly.  Place in pan seam side down.  Continue with remaining tortillas until pan is full.  Pour 1 cup enchilada sauce over the prepared tortillas.  Top with remaining 2 cups shredded cheese.
3.  Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes.

Roast chicken with caramelized shallots

This was a really quick and easy weeknight chicken dinner. Will definitely make again. Really packed with flavour. Served with green beans and some spanish potatoes (I didn't like the recipe I used, so I will need to find another one for next time).  Found here.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce
• 4 large shallots, peeled and minced
• 8 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken (I used boneless skinless chicken breasts) 
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• Minced fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425˚ F (220 C).  In a baking dish large enough to hold all the chicken pieces in a single layer, combine the olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce and shallots; whisk to combine.  Toss the chicken in the mixture, coating with shallots.   Season with salt and pepper.  Place the chicken pieces in the pan so they are skin-side up.
2. Bake for 10 minutes, until the chicken pieces begin to brown on top.  Turn the pieces of chicken over and spoon some of the juices and shallots over the top.  Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the shallots are caramelized.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle lightly with fresh parsley.

chicken pot pie crepes

WOW! These are the best ever! Found here.  Will definitely make again. Perfect lunch.

Crepes:

• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup ricotta
• 4 tablespoons flour
• Pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons milk

1. In a medium bowl beat the Ricotta with the eggs. Beat in the flour, salt, and milk. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.
2. Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Coat with vegetable cooking spray when hot. Pour in 2 tablespoons of batter and swirl the pan to coat the entire surface in a thin layer. Allow to cook, without turning, until completely done. The top should be no longer shiny and when you touch it it’s not wet. The bottom will be have a very slight golden color. If it’s too dark, lower the heat.

(These can be impossible to flip and they don’t need to be, so don’t try if you don’t want to.  I do sometimes to get the same color on each side, but they are done when it’s dry on the top.) Gently loosen the edges with a spatula and slide out of the pan onto a plate. Very lightly spray the top with vegetable spray – this way you can stack them on top of each other.
Lightly coat the pan with cooking spray before each crepe. Proceed with above directions until batter is gone. Allow the crepes to cool to room temperature and then wrap the plate tightly with plastic wrap. These keep well in the fridge – unfilled – for several days.
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Filling:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup finely diced celery
• 1/2 cup finely diced, or shredded carrots
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Dash grated fresh nutmeg
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 cup half & half
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 cups diced or shredded, cooked chicken

1. Melt butter over medium-low heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots, and slowly cook until soft, about 5-7 minutes. 
2. Stir in flour and cook for one minute. 
3. Add salt, pepper, sage, thyme, sugar, and nutmeg. 
4. Whisk in chicken broth and cream. Cook until bubbly and boil for one minute, stirring constantly. 
5. Remove from heat and stir in peas and chicken. Cook for one minute to heat through. Makes twelve 1-crepe servings.

Slow cooker garlic chicken

This was fantastic! The garlic gravy was great! Served with asparagus and sweet potato bake.  This would also be good with mashed potatoes.  Found here.

Ingredients:

• 1 3-4 pound chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 heads garlic, unpeeled, separated into cloves
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 

What you do:

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook, until well browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Transfer the chicken to a slow cooker.
2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan.  Add the garlic cloves and sauté them over medium high heat until lightly browned (about 2 to 3 minutes).  Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to stir and scrape all the brown bits from the bottom.
3. Pour the garlic mixture over the chicken and sprinkle the thyme over all.  Cover and cook until the chicken is tender—for 3 hours on the low heat setting. Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover it with aluminum foil to keep it warm.  
4. Set a fine mesh sieve over a saucepan, pour all the sauce from the cooker through, and press with the wooden spoon to push as much of the liquid and the pulp through as possible.  Then bring the mixture to a simmer on the stove and season it to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve the chicken either topped with the sauce or with the sauce on the side.

Slow Cooker Sticky Chicken Legs

Yum! So good! Definitely will make again! Served with potato skins and green beans. Recipe from here.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, miced
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 12-14 chicken legs
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup tomato paste

what you do:

1. Add 1/4 cup of the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce, the ginger, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to a bowl (you may have to double this if it's not enough). Transfer the mixture to your slow cooker then add the legs and toss to coat them with the paste.
2. Cook on low until the chicken is tender, 3-4 hours (I did high for 1 hr and low for 2-3).  Transfer the wings to a large bowl, leaving as much of the liquid behind as possible and discarding it when all of the wings have been removed.  Let the wings cool for about 20 minutes.  (At this point you can put the cooled wings in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.) 
3. Preheat your broiler and position one of the oven racks about 10-12 inches from the broiler.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, then place a wire rack inside the baking sheet.  Spray the rack well with nonstick cooking spray. 
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the water, tomato paste, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper.  Add half of this sauce to the bowl with the wings and gently toss to coat.  Place the wings on the rack, skin side up. Broil until the wings are lightly charred, about 10-15 minutes.  Remove the pan from the oven and flip the wings over.  Brush the remaining sauce over them and return them to the oven.  Broil for another 3 minutes, or until the sauce caramelizes.

Honey Lemon Slow Cooker Chicken

 This was good. Will definitely make again.  Very easy! Serve with rice and asparagus. From here.

Ingredients:

• handful of fresh thyme leaves
• A couple of sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 lemons
• 2 heads of garlic peeled and and separated into cloves
• 2 medium onions
• sea salt
• fresh pepper
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 1/4 cup of chicken stock

For the sauce:

• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup of cold water

1.  Rinse and dry your chicken.  Rub the chicken with olive oil and season with sea salt and fresh pepper.   Get a fry pan, drizzle with some more olive oil and let it get really hot (somewhere between medium and high).  Fry chicken on both sides to get a nice golden colour all over the chicken. 
2. Put half an onion inside the cavity of the chicken as well as half a lemon and 6 garlic cloves whole.
3. Cut up an onion on the thicker side as well as one lemon.  Take a whole head of garlic and remove the skin but leave the garlic whole.  Get a handful of fresh thyme.  
4. Put the sliced onion on the bottom of the crock pot.  Add the chicken to the crock pot breast side up.  Sprinkle the chicken with the thyme.  Cover the chicken with more onion slices, lemon slices and garlic.  
5. Finally, pour 1/4 cup of honey all over the top of the chicken and 1/4 of chicken stock to the bottom of the crock pot.  Cook  on high for 1 hour then turn to low for 4-5 more hours.  When there is one hour of cooking left add rosemary to the crock pot-just throw it in there.
6. When chicken is done strain the juice into a pot and add a mixture of 2 tbsp of cornstarch with 1/4 of cold water.  Bring the strained juices to a boil and add the cornstarch a bit at a time until your desired thickness.  Pour this over the chicken before serving. 

Crispy Oven Chicken

This was good! The chicken was perfect! Next time I will make a few changes, reflected below in the recipe.  Original recipe found here.

Ingredients

• Mixed legs & thighs of chicken
• New potatoes
• Shallots or small onions
• Few sprigs of Thyme
• Rosemary 
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup chicken Stock
• 1/2 cup white wine

For the Chicken Seasoning

• Garlic Powder (approx 2 tsp)
• Celery Salt (approx 2 tsp)
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Corn flour to coat the chicken

What you do:

• Preheat the oven to 220 degrees C
• Coat the chicken in the seasoning ingredients then add a light coating of corn flour. Dust off the excess.
• In a frying pan heat the olive oil and butter and fry the chicken until golden on both sides.
• Put the potatoes and onions to your baking dish and season with salt, pepper, and rosemary.
• Add the chicken on top (we leave the chicken sitting on the potatoes to remain crisp). Pour off some of the frying oil and butter on top of the chicken and potatoes.
• Place in a hot oven (200 degrees) for 10 minutes to crisp up
• Mix the stock and white wine and add to the oven dish (half cover the potatoes/chicken).
• Add fresh thyme (or rosemary) and place back into the oven.
• Reduce the heat to 180 degrees and allow to cook/reduce for about 30-35 minutes or until the chicken has cooked.
• To serve we removed the ingredients and mixed in a little cream into the remaining gravy, then poured over the chicken

General Tso's Chicken

 

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, cubed
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup water
• 3-4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 6-8 spring green onions, chopped
• 3 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated (optional)
• hot pepper flakes (optional)

Mix together the brown sugar, hoisin, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and water and set aside. This is the sauce.

Dredge the chicken cubes in the cornstarch, shaking off any excess. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and saute the chicken until browned. Remove the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

Wipe pan clean with paper towel and add sesame oil with onions and chopped ginger. Fry about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add sauce mixture. Bring to a boil and simmer about 2 minutes, until the sauce thickens a bit. Add the chicken back to the skillet, toss to coat with sauce and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through. Serve garnished with green onion tops and red pepper flakes, if desired.

Chicken and Dumplings

Oh wow, ok this was SO GOOD! Like phenomenal. Because it's not gluten free, I saved this recipe for when Mark was away on business and it was amazing! And surprisingly easy! And the sauce was surprisingly thick (despite it looking soupy in the picture)! Got the recipe from here.

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• ½ cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 whole Chicken, Cut Into Pieces (could also use breasts and thighs)
• Salt And Pepper
• 2 Finely Diced Carrots
• 2 ribs Finely Diced Celery
• 1 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• ½ teaspoons Ground Thyme
• ¼ teaspoons Turmeric (optional)
• 6 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth (I used 3 cups vegetable broth and 3 cups water)
• ½ cups Apple Cider (do they even sell this in australia? had to omit this)
• ½ cups Heavy Cream (I used probably closer to a cup)
• Dumplings:
• 1-½ cup All-purpose Flour
• ½ cups Yellow Cornmeal
• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1-½ cup Half-and-half
• 2 Tablespoons Minced Fresh Parsley (optional)
• Salt As Needed

Preparation Instructions

1. Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge both sides in flour.
2. Melt butter in a pot over medium-high heat. In two batches, brown chicken on both sides and remove to a clean plate.
3. In the same pot, add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Stir and cook for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir in ground thyme and turmeric, then pour in chicken broth and apple cider. Stir to combine, then add browned chicken. Cover pot and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. While chicken is simmering, make the dough for the dumplings: sift together all dry ingredients, then add half-and-half, stirring gently to combine. Set aside.
5. Remove chicken from pot and set aside on a plate. Use two forks to remove chicken from the bone. Shred, then add chicken to the pot. Pour heavy cream into the pot and stir to combine.
6. Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot. Add minced parsley if using. Cover pot halfway and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Check seasonings; add salt if needed. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Island Chicken

Oh wow ok, I have to admit I was a little skeptical about this recipe.  There's nothing special about the ingredients and the picture made the chicken look plain.  But let me assure you, this is anything but plain! It was FANTASTIC! Definitely will become a staple in our house.  Not too lemony at all! I got it from here.

Ingredients:
½ cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1½ tbsp. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
½ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2-4 chicken breasts

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except chicken in a mixing bowl or large airtight plastic bag.  Whisk or shake well until the marinade is well mixed.  Add the chicken breasts to the bowl or plastic bag so that they are covered by the marinade.  If using a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap.  If using a plastic bag, press out all the excess air and seal the bag tightly.  Refrigerate and marinate up to 10 hours.
2. When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350° F (180 C).  Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the excess marinade over them.  Bake in the oven until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 45 minutes (exact baking time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.)  Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
3. Serve with mashed potatoes and green beans. 

Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwich

These were great!  Got the recipe from here.

Ingredients:
1lb (500 kg) boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 large head romaine lettuce leaves (torn into bite sized pieces)
1 bottle Caesar salad dressing
Grated parmesan cheese (to taste)
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 package pocket pita bread (or use turkish bread)
Croutons (optional)
olive oil

What you do:
Step 1: Grease an indoor grill pan or an outdoor grill and heat to medium high heat. In a small bowl combine garlic powder, thyme and rosemary. Season chicken breasts with the garlic powder mixture on both sides. Place chicken on the grill and cook chicken until it is fully cooked and the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees. Remove from the grill and allow to cool.  Once the chicken has cooled slice the chicken breasts into thin strips.
Step 2: In a large bowl combine chicken, lettuce, and croutons (if using). Toss with Caesar salad dressing and parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the Caesar salad mixture into pita bread halves.
(Makes 4 Servings)
 

Herbed breaded chicken

This one was great! I served with a potato bake dish that wasn't anything special.  Next time I will serve with potatoes au gratin and a vegetable.  Recipe from here.

Ingredients:

• 1 pack of chicken legs (mixed drumsticks and thighs are fine too - about 8 medium sized pieces)
• 2-3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 T. parsley (dried or fresh is fine)
• 2/3 sprigs fresh rosemary (dried is also fine - about 1 1/2 -2 T. will do)
• 6 leaves chopped fresh basil (dried is fine)
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 T. red wine vinegar 
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1/3 c. plain bread crumbs 
• 1-2 T. butter

What you do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (180 C fan forced)
2. Place chicken parts in a bowl, add garlic, all herbs (dried or fresh), salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil and toss/coat chicken very well
3. Sprinkle bread crumbs over top (bread crumbs will absorb all liquid) and coat chicken
4. Lay chicken out in a roasting pan - be sure to place any bits of the bread crumb coating on the chicken, as the goodness should not go to waste
5. Pat with butter on top and roast for 35 minutes
6. Once chicken is cooked through, finish off in the broiler for 3-5 minutes (watch well so it doesn’t burn) so bread crumbs darken and chicken fat crisps
7. Remove chicken from pan and place on a dish

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Yum! This was great! Like, seriously amazing! I got the recipe from here.  The only thing I might do differently next time is perhaps use a touch less sugar. Although, I'm not sure I want to mess with this sauce too much because it really was great.

*Note: if you like extra sauce, double the sauce ingredients – pour half over the chicken and follow the baking directions in the recipe and pour the other half in a small saucepan. Cook the sauce on the stovetop at a simmer for 8-10 minutes until it reduces and thickens. Serve it on the side of the chicken.
*Serves 4-6

Chicken:

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup canola oil

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce:

• ¾ cup sugar (try using a bit less next time) 
• 4 tablespoons ketchup
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes so it is evenly coated with the sauce. Serve over rice.

Slow cooker asian chicken

 This recipe is from my sister.  It was AWESOME! It seems like it's not enough sauce, but trust me, it's plenty of sauce!

Ingredients:

• 1 3-4lb whole chicken
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup firmly packed lite brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup sherry or apple juice
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 2 green onions, halved + trimmed
• 1 clove garlic, pressed

1. Wash/dry chicken, remove giblets, neck, + excess fat. Put chicken in slow cooker breast side up
2. In bowl combine: everything I said above. Pour over chicken, cover and cook on high for 3.5-4.5 hrs.
3. Remove chicken.
4. Remove and discard onions. Add 2 tbsp cornstarch abd 1 tbsp water to sauce. Stir over heat. Toast 2 tbsp of sesame seeds and serve on top of chicken and white rice with a side of broccoli

Lemon-Herb Slow Cooked Chicken

I just made this and it was fantastic! I'm loving my new slow cooker!

Ingredients:

• 1 whole chicken, about 4 to 5 pounds, giblets removed
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 head garlic, peeled, trimmed, cloves left whole
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1 medium lemon, juiced and zest removed
• 1 lemon, quartered
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (about 3/4-ounce)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 potatoes, thickly sliced
• Fresh basil, rosemary or lemon slices, garnish, optional

What you do:

1. Rinse chicken and place in large bowl. Set aside.
2. Place onion, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, basil and rosemary in bowl, stirring to combine. Pour half of basil-rosemary mixture over chicken, coating chicken inside and out. Place quartered onion and bay leaf inside chicken cavity. Tie legs together at end of drumsticks if desired and place in large slow cooker (crock pot), about six-quart size.
3. Toss potatoes and quartered lemon in remaining half of basil-rosemary mixture. Add to slow cooker with chicken. Cover and cook 4 to 6 hours on High or 6 to 8 hours on Low heat. Chicken is done when temperature reaches 180°F on meat thermometer. Remove chicken and vegetables to serving dish and garnish if desired with fresh basil, rosemary or lemon zest. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Orange Chicken

I made this yummy orange chicken dish and it was surprisingly really good!  Next time I will use less cayenne pepper because it was a bit too spicy for my taste.  I didn't have a thermometer for the oil, so I heated it for 5 minutes on high heat before adding the chicken and that was perfect.  I used 2 large chicken breasts and it was plenty for two people.  I will definitely be making again!  OR, I will be making the chicken the same way, but with sweet and sour sauce from here or here.

For the marinade and sauce:
¾ cup low-sodium chicken broth
¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1½ tsp. finely grated orange zest
6 tbsp. white vinegar
¼ cup soy sauce
½ cup brown sugar (dark or light)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1½ lbs. boneless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. cold water
8 thin strips orange peel (optional)

For the coating and frying:
3 large egg whites
1 cup cornstarch
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 ½ cups each peanut and canola oil

To make the marinade and sauce, combine the chicken broth, orange juice, orange zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper in a large saucepan; whisk to blend well.

Measure out ¾ cup of the mixture and transfer it to a large zipper lock plastic bag.  Add the chicken pieces to the bag, pressing out the excess air and sealing well.  Refrigerate and let marinate 30-60 minutes, but no longer.  Place the saucepan with the remaining mixture on the stove and heat over medium-high heat.  Bring to a simmer.  In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth.  Add the mixture to the saucepan with the sauce.  Continue simmering until the sauce is thick and translucent, about 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and stir in the strips of orange peel, if using.

To prepare the coating, place the egg whites in a pie plate and whisk until frothy.  In a second pie plate combine the cornstarch, baking soda and cayenne pepper; whisk to blend.  Drain the chicken of the marinade in a colander or large strainer; pat dry with paper towels.  Place half of the chicken pieces in the egg whites and turn to coat.  Transfer the pieces to the cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly, shaking off the excess.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

To fry the chicken, heat the oil in a 11- or 12-inch round Dutch oven or straight-sided sauté pan until the oil reaches 350˚ F.  Carefully place half of the chicken pieces in the oil and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning the pieces halfway through cooking.  Remove from the oil with a skimmer or slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.  Return the oil to 350˚ F and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Reheat the sauce if necessary and toss with the cooked chicken pieces.  Serve over rice, if desired.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

This version is better than my cajun chicken pasta.  It's really yummy! I modified it a bit, but here is where I got the recipe: http://anediblesymphony.blogspot.com/2010/05/boston-and-rees-cajun-chicken-pasta.html

Ingredients:
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 lb spaghetti pasta
3+ tsp Cajun Spice seasoning (I just kept adding and tasting as I went along)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 green capsicum, sliced
1 red capsicum, sliced
1 brown onion, sliced
3 tsp minced garlic
4 small tomatoes, diced
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1 T cornstarch mixed with a bit of warm water
1 tsp cayenne pepper / chili powder
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt
Chopped parsley for garnish

What you do:
1. Sprinkle 2 tsp of the cajun spice mix over the chicken pieces, then toss to coat. Heat 1 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp of the oil in a pan and brown the chicken over high heat. Remove from the pan and set aside.  You can also start cooking your pasta now too. 

2. Add the remaining oil and butter into the same pan, then sauté the capsicums, onion, and garlic with more cajun seasoning, along with some salt. Do this over high heat because you want the veggies to really caramelize and start to get dark (flavor!).

3. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 secs. Pour in the chicken stock and wine now, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the sticky bits incorporated into the sauce. Cook for 5-10 mins.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in the cream. Keep whisking the saucing, and sprinkling in the spices per your taste. A dash more salt, lots of black pepper, and some chili powder too. 

5. Add the chicken back, and continue to stir the sauce until the whole thing reaches a consistency you like - I just wait for the sauce to be able to coat the back of my wooden spoon.  I added in the corn starch mixture to thicken everything up.  

6. Cook your pasta per the instructions on the box. Drain it and add it directly into the pan with the sauce. Turn off the heat, then toss the pasta, coating it completely with that awesome sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.

Chicken & black bean quesadillas

I didn't take a picture this time, but I will next time.  I got the recipe from here, but made a few modifications.  It was SO good!

 Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces (2 cups cooked)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 red capsicum, diced 
• 1/2 green capsicum, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 (400 g) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup spreadable cream cheese
• 1 cup shredded cheese
• 8, 8 inch flour tortillas
• sour cream, guacamole, and salsa, for serving

Instructions

1. Sauté the chicken with chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper in olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet until browned all over. Add capsicums and onion and sauté until chicken is cooked through and veggies are softened. 
2. Add black beans and cream cheese. Cook until melted together. Remove from heat. 
3. Place four tortillas on the countertop. Spread with chicken mixture. Top with cheese. Place remaining tortillas over top, to cover.  Or, just use one tortilla and fold in half.
4. Cook on a grill over medium heat for a couple of minutes on each side until tortillas are crispy and cheese is melted. Alternatively you can cook these individually on the stove top over medium heat in the same fashion.
5. Cut each quesadilla into 6 pieces. Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Serves: 4

Paella

I've made paella several times, but this recipe is definitely the best I've made! I found this recipe here, but made a few modifications. Here are some helpful tips to making a great paella. 

Ingredients:

• 25 threads saffron, crushed (a heaping 1⁄4 tsp.)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large chicken breast and 2 chicken thighs 
• 750 g extra-large head-on shrimp in the shell (I de-shelled them)
• 1 tbsp. paprika
• 4 medium tomatoes, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red capsicum, cored and chopped
• 1 small onion, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups short-grain rice, preferably Valencia or bomba (I used arborio)
• 1/2 c peas

What you do:

1.  Put saffron and 1⁄4 cup hot water in a small bowl; let sit for 15 minutes.
2. Brown the chicken in a 16″–18″ paella pan with a bit of olive oil and s&p.  Finish it off in the oven if it's not cooked all the way through and set aside.
3. Heat 1/2 c oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, lightly salt, and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes; transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. Add paprika, tomatoes, garlic, capsicum, and onions to pan and cook, stirring often, until onions are soft, about 6 minutes. Add reserved saffron mixture and broth, season with salt, and bring to a boil over high heat.
5. Sprinkle in rice, distribute evenly with a spoon, and cook, without stirring, until rice has absorbed most of the liquid, 10–12 minutes. (If your pan is larger than the burner, rotate it every two minutes so different parts are over the heat and the rice cooks evenly).  Add peas towards the end.
6. Reduce heat to low, add reserved shrimp and chicken.  Remove pan from heat, cover and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

shredded chicken tacos

These are seriously awesome.  You will not be disappointed!  It's extremely important to have all the toppings though, because the cold guacamole really balances out the spiciness of the chicken.

Shredded Chicken

• 2 chicken breasts & 4 chicken thighs
• 1 brown onion, peeled and quartered
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cumin 
• A dash of cayenne pepper
• Salt & pepper

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Add water to cover completely. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Partially cover and turn down to a steady simmer. Cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove chicken and cool.

Shred the chicken with a fork or your fingers.

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 medium brown onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 cup Chicken Broth
• 1 can chopped tomatoes
• 1 can red kidney beans (or black beans, but they don't have them in Australia)
• ~1 teaspoon mexican chili powder
• ~1 teaspoon cumin
• a few shakes cayenne pepper
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions and sauté for a couple minutes. Then add in the garlic and sauté for a couple minutes more until the onion turns translucent. Add the black pepper and oregano and sauté for 30 seconds. Add in the tomatoes, juice, chicken stock, beans, and spices. Simmer until the liquid is reduced to half, about 8 minutes. Salt the sauce. Add in the shredded chicken and stir. Cook for a minute until the chicken has warmed up.

Guacamole (mash all together in a bowl)

• 2 ripe avocados
• a dollop of sour cream
• a few shakes of lemon juice
• a few shakes of cumin
• 1/4 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• Salt (a lot of salt)
• freshly ground pepper

** Load the chicken into hard taco shells (make sure to bake taco shells in oven for a few minutes so they get nice and crisp) and top with guacamole, sour cream, chopped tomatoes, and shredded lettuce.  You can also add shredded cheddar, but I forgot this and it was still amazing!