chicken

Quirky Quesadilla

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Quirky Quesadilla! Have you ever noticed when you announce quesadillas are on the menu for the next meal, everyone begins to feel as though they’ve been invited to a party? It’s probably due to the fact that it opens the door to endless possibilities. Do you prefer seafood, chicken, vegetables, cheese, or all of the above? No problem. Once you offer a buffet of ingredients, everyone can build-their-own. Win! Win!

QUIRKY QUESADILLA 

Ingredients:

12-ounces shrimp; peeled, deveined, tail off

1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon dill

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 chicken breasts; boneless, skinless, cubed

1/8 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons red onion, chopped

4-6 flour tortillas

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup Queso Fresco cheese

1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese

1 green onion

Instructions:

Sauté shrimp in 1 tablespoon olive oil, Old Bay seasoning, red pepper flakes, and dill on medium heat. Cook until pink and opaque, turning often, usually 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a dish and set aside.  Using the same skillet, add another tablespoon of olive oil.  Cook the chicken and onion together with seasonings. Turn heat to low. Add the shrimp.  Mix gently. Sprinkle in the Queso Fresco cheese and cover.  It will melt into the quesadilla filling to bond everything together.  Watch carefully so the cheese does not burn. In another skillet over low heat, butter one side of a flour tortilla. Place buttered side down. Sprinkle in cheddar cheese.  Add two spoonfuls of filling. Spread to within 1/2-inch of the edge. Top with another buttered tortilla. Put lid on skillet to melt cheeses. Cook until lightly brown, about two minutes. Turn the tortilla over and cook the other side until the tortilla is lightly brown and the cheese is gooey. Place on a platter to cool slightly before cutting.  Repeat with remaining tortillas until no ingredients remain. Serve with salsa, yogurt, and guacamole.

*Hint: if you’re serving a crowd, it’s easy to prepare several at the same time. Place the filled quesadillas on a cookie sheet and bake them in a 375° oven for 10 minutes. 

Deep Dish Chicken Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? The Daily Special: Deep Dish Chicken Salad! Want to feel special? Try serving your next dinner in a traditional French-style mini au gratin pan. Not only does it show off food attractively, it offers single-serving portion control. It’s the perfect touch to any meal and bakes in less time. Make your life simpler with any of the oven-to-table choices available. I did. 

DEEP DISH CHICKEN SALAD

Ingredients:

3 cups chicken, cooked

1 cup extra sharp cheese, finely shredded

1 tablespoon green onion

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

4 stalks celery, chopped

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon celery seeds

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Sea salt to taste

Dash of pepper

1 cup potato chips, crushed

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine chicken, celery, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, lemon juice, celery seed, red pepper flakes, and half the cheese. Mix lightly. Spoon casseroles into single serving pans. Bake for 20 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and potato chips. Bake another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with green onion snips. 

Lavash Fajita Flatbread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Cut Above: Lavash Fajita Flatbread! Lavash is a Turkish flatbread rolled into thin sheets and baked. Its texture is soft and pliable, which also makes it ideal for sandwich wraps or quesadillas. You can often find it in the Deli Department of your local grocery. The size I chose fit perfectly on a 9”x12” baking sheet. A typical package contains 4 sheets of lavash. Being a healthy option for the bread group, lavash contains fewer calories, less carbs, and is low in fat. When making a lavash flatbread pizza, show restraint when adding ingredients. Too many toppings can turn it into a soggy mess. 

LAVASH FAJITA FLATBREAD 

Ingredients: 

1 sheet of Lavash bread; flax, oat bran, and whole wheat variety

3 tablespoons marinara sauce

1/2 cup chihuahua cheese, shredded

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano 

1 cup shredded fajita meat mixture with sautéed peppers and onions 

Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Drizzled ranch dressing, if desired. 

Instructions: 

Preheat oven to 400°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Place the lavash flatbread onto the pan. Spread marinara sauce evenly over all. Layer shredded chihuahua cheese on top. Sprinkle with dried oregano. Arrange fajita meat and vegetables over the cheese layer. Bake 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and edges of the flatbread are crispy. Garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs. Drizzle with prepared ranch dressing. Serve immediately. 

Yakitori Chicken Skewers

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Yakitori Chicken Skewers! Our dinner was supposed to be grilled outdoors. Thank goodness when the weather doesn’t cooperate, meat and vegetables can be broiled indoors with very tasteful  results. The international marinade lends itself to an enhanced blend of aromatic soy, olive oil, and pungent ginger which is pleasing to the palate. The Japanese-style dish is a light and healthy alternative when mixed with fruit and vegetables. 

YAKITORI CHICKEN SKEWERS

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, and cut into small sections

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup sake or vermouth

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, shaved

1 garlic clove, minced

6″ skewers

1/2 cup pineapple chunks

1/2 cup green pepper strips

Instructions:

Place chicken in a dish. Combine sugar, soy sauce, sake, vinegar, ginger, and garlic. Mix well to combine. Pour over chicken pieces and marinate in the refrigerator for one hour. Thread chicken, pineapple, and green pepper alternating on skewers. Preheat oven broiler on high setting. Place skewers on a foil-lined baking sheet. Broil 5 minutes; turn and broil an additional 5 minutes on the other side. Cook until chicken is fully cooked. Remove from oven being careful of hot juices. 

Rolled Fillets of Chicken

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Rolled Fillets of Chicken! There seems to be a hundred ways of serving chicken, but I like this one best because it makes a savory meal that is also filling. Split one serving with your partner and add another vegetable side dish for a healthy alternative. I omitted salt in lieu of herbs. 

ROLLED FILLETS OF CHICKEN

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Stove Top Chicken Stuffing

2 stalks celery, diced

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon rosemary

1/4 teaspoon sage

1/4 teaspoon thyme 

1/4 teaspoon parsley

4 chicken breasts

1 cup baby carrots

1 cup chopped celery

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400°. In a medium pan, bring one cup chicken broth and seasonings to a boil. Add stuffing mix and diced celery. Mix, cover, and set aside for 5 minutes. Flatten chicken breasts with a rolling pin. Fill with stuffing and roll up. Place seam side down in covered casserole dish. Sprinkle herbs on top. Surround chicken with celery and carrots. Add one cup of chicken broth to the bottom of the dish to keep it from going dry. Cover tightly. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove lid and butter tops of chicken. Then sprinkle with parsley. Bake 5 minutes longer uncovered. 

*The pan drippings can be made into gravy or simply spoon the juice over the chicken for a moist finish. 

Mushroom Caps

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Mushroom Caps! It you like mushrooms, you’ll be happy to know this is a meal in itself. If you wish to be the star of the next gathering, fix a platter and it becomes a very impressive appetizer to share!

MUSHROOM CAPS 

Ingredients:

1 pound of fresh white mushroom caps, stems removed

1 box of Low-Sodium Stove Top Stuffing 

4 tablespoons butter

1 pinch parsley

1 pinch rosemary 

1 pinch thyme

1 pinch sage

1 stalk celery, chopped finely

1 10-ounce can chicken breast in water, drained

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare stuffing mix according to directions on box but add extra herbs when preparing. Once the dressing is finished, gently add the celery and cut-up chicken breast pieces. Mix well. Spoon the filling into the mushroom cavities and arrange in a shallow baking dish, cavity side up. Bake 25 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender and the filling is heated through. The mushrooms should appear golden on top. Serve warm. 

First-Class Fajitas

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: First-Class Fajitas! Grilling is always in season and what better way to prepare a smorgasbord of flavor. I prefer shrimp, my husband prefers steak, and we both like chicken. So we blend it all together and make this fabulous main course. Throw in the sides, salsa, and cheese, and everyone is happy!

FIRST-CLASS FAJITAS 

Ingredients:

1-pound of shrimp

2 chicken breasts, boneless

1 pound of sirloin steak

Marinate each meat/shrimp in the following: (x3)

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 cup tequila 

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Sea salt to taste

1 Vidalia onion

1 green pepper

4 romaine leaves, gently torn

1 tomato, chopped

2 green onions, snipped

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup salsa 

1/2 cup sliced jalapeños 

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro 

4 flour tortillas

Instructions:

In three shallow dishes, place steak, chicken and shrimp in their own marinade. Let stand for one hour. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Drain marinade and discard. Place meats and shrimp on grill.* Cook through until done. (Chicken will take about 7 minutes per side.)

(Steak will take 4 minutes per side for medium-rare.)

(Shrimp will take 2 minutes per side.)

(Grill the vegetables until tender, about 10 minutes total.) 

Meanwhile toss romaine leaves, tomatoes, and green onions to blend in a bowl. Fill tortillas with your favorite meats, veggies, and toppings. Serve with chips, salsa, and sour cream. Olé!

*For easy cooking on the grill, use one grill pan for the shrimp as well as one for the vegetables.

Bacon Bites

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Bacon Bites! Get ready for a smokey, salty, crunchy all-time favorite appetizer. As the bacon sizzles in the skillet, your will-power needs to shift into high gear to restrain you from taste-testing before it’s finished. Trust me, this is worth the wait. 

BACON BITES

Ingredients:

9 slices of bacon

1/2 pound chicken chunks, pre-cooked

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and sliced

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450°. Partially cook bacon; drain on paper towels. Combine chicken, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, and water chestnuts. Marinate for 20 minutes. Drain. Wrap one piece of chicken and two water chestnuts in 1/3 slice of bacon. Secure with a wooden toothpick. Place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven 10-12 minutes or until the bacon is crisp. 

Tarragon Chicken Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Tarragon Chicken Salad. If you’re tired of the same thing, here’s a gourmet twist on an old favorite. It can be served on a buttery croissant, a bed of mixed greens, or a wedge of sweet cantaloupe. You decide. 

TARRAGON CHICKEN SALAD

Ingredients:

1 10-ounce can of Premium Chicken Breast in Lemon Pepper sauce 

1/4 cup mayonnaise 

1/2 cup seedless red grapes, halved

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Fresh Tarragon 

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine chicken, celery, grapes, nuts, and mayonnaise. Gently fold in snipped tarragon leaves. Refrigerate until ready to use. Top with crunchy garlic croutons.