This recipe originally came from here, but has lived in a binder in my kitchen for years now. This is good chicken. Man catching chicken even. It’s crispy and juicy and lemony and fabulous. I gave this recipe to my sister a few years back and she’s married now. SEE?? Try this:

You will need:

Shall I just spare you the picture? Because really, it doesn’t do it justice. Just try this (it’s so crazy easy — you just have to try) and then come back and tell me what you thought.

What you need:

Oh I wish I could make this look as good as it tasted!

My fabulous friend Lissa makes this so often that she doesn’t even look at the recipe anymore. That’s the sign of a good supper! She told me how to make it while The Kiddo and I were visiting last fall, and I can’t [...]]]>

Oh I wish I could make this look as good as it tasted!

My fabulous friend Lissa makes this so often that she doesn’t even look at the recipe anymore. That’s the sign of a good supper! She told me how to make it while The Kiddo and I were visiting last fall, and I can’t believe it took me this long to make it. It is absolutely phenomenal, really. You must make this as soon as possible.

You’ll need:

• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced
• 1 can Rotel
• 1 can french onion soup
• 1 can beef consomme
• 2 lbs. uncooked chicken, turkey or peeled shrimp
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 cups uncooked rice
• 2 bay leaves
• 14 ounces (or 1 can) chicken broth
• I also added some chopped dehydrated red peppers out of the freezer from last summer’s garden

Steps to easy prep:

1. Mix all ingredients and bake in buttered casserole, covered tightly (I did a tight cover of foil then a lid on top of that) for one hour at 350F; stir and recover, then bake 30 minutes more or until rice is done

Oh wait. It’s only one step. Don’t you love that? This expands a lot as the rice cooks and soaks up the chicken broth so allow yourself plenty of room in the casserole dish (I totally pushed my luck there; overflow crisis narrowly averted).

I served this with shredded cheese, hot sauce and cornbread. It went fast.

Another classic Southern comfort food dish. Ahh…. so fabulous.

I learned to make this dish when I was just out of college and had a job that was more handling customers than washing diapers. For the record, I’ll take Cheerios over conference calls any day.   This was one of those “oh I use some [...]]]>

Another classic Southern comfort food dish. Ahh…. so fabulous.

I learned to make this dish when I was just out of college and had a job that was more handling customers than washing diapers. For the record, I’ll take Cheerios over conference calls any day.   This was one of those “oh I use some of this and a little of that and sometimes those — should I write this down?” sort of things, so I’m doing my best to turn it into an actual recipe.

Here’s what you’ll need for this:

• 4 chicken breasts or one roasted rotisserie chicken
• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cold
• Chicken broth — about 2 quarts
• 2 Tbsp. or so cornstarch
• Salt, pepper, onion powder

Let’s deal with the chicken first. Either boil or slow cook the chicken breasts, saving the water it was cooked in, or (timesaver alert!) buy a lovely already-roasted rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Viola, my Grandma would wittily say, you’re halfway there. With either method, wait till the chicken is cooled and chop it into chunks; set aside for now.

Dumplings time! While the pot of broth is heating up, cut the butter into the flour like you’re making biscuits using either a pastry blender, a fork, or a few pulses of the food processor.  Now sprinkle in some salt and pour in chicken broth, a little at a time, till the dough holds together enough to be able to roll it out — this will take somewhere around a cup or cup and a half, but it’s not a science.  When the dough holds together, roll it out very thin and cut into strips about an inch wide, and two inches long. A pizza cutter is great for this! These, obviously, do not have to be anywhere near perfect.

Returning to your chicken broth: get a big pot of chicken it simmering — either the water you reserved from cooking the chicken breasts, or some homemade you might have in the freezer. If you’re using quarts of chicken broth, pour in one full quart plus whatever is left after making your dumplings. Bottom line: you want plenty in there so the dumplings have room to cook.

After the broth has come to a nice simmer, start carefully dropping in the dumplings; they’ll all sink to the bottom at first and that’s fine. Let them simmer gently for about half an hour, swirling the pot around every so often. You don’t want to do too much stirring because the dumplings are delicate as they’re cooking and you don’t want to make them all into a giant ball of mush; some gentle moving around with a wooden spoon is fine.

Thickening time! Whisk about 2 Tbsp. of cornstarch into 1/4 cup of cold water till it’s all dissolved and there are no lumps. Pour this mixture into the pot of dumplings and stir gently, then add in your chopped chicken.

Sprinkle in some salt, some pepper and some onion powder, bring the whole mess back up to a simmer, then reduce heat so it’s just below simmer. Let it cook another half hour or so to give the cornstarch time to work its magic and thicken things up and for all the flavors to get to know each other properly.

Now serve! This is crazy good with green beans (cooked with bacon fat, duh) or just on its own. It also freezes like a dream so I make a giant pot once a month or so and freeze quart size bags of it.

I picture it something like this:

A kitchen…

Folks preparing a cold chicken for frying…

“Hey Vern! Watch this!”

Friends collapse in hearty guffaws

… crickets …

“Hey, what if….?”

And there you have it. Just like that, beer can chicken was born.

This chicken is so good and so easy! All the crispy goodness of fried chicken without the added fat or [...]]]>

I picture it something like this:

A kitchen…

Folks preparing a cold chicken for frying…

“Hey Vern! Watch this!”

Friends collapse in hearty guffaws

… crickets …

“Hey, what if….?”

And there you have it. Just like that, beer can chicken was born.

This chicken is so good and so easy! All the crispy goodness of fried chicken without the added fat or highly flammable liquids. And it’s so low maintenance that it’s great for serving a crowd — no standing over a hot stove required. What’s not to love?

The pan itself we’ve had so long that I don’t even remember where I picked it up, but you can get a really basic model for about ten bucks. All it really needs to do is help the beer can, and therefore the chicken, stay upright on the grill. You can do it just on a beer can without a pan, but it’s pretty tippy that way.

So beyond the pan all you really need is:

• A chicken (duh)
• A can of beer
• Spray cooking oil
• Whatever spices strike your fancy at the moment

1. Start by opening the beer and drinking about 1/3 of it. I know, I know, but these are the sacrifices we make for cooking
2. Using a church key, make a few more holes in the top of the can (like you’re opening canned milk) and dump in some spices; we use Char Broil It as raved about mentioned here along with some salt and pepper
3. Now place the can in the pan (this feels like Green Eggs and Ham); put the chicken over the can, then spray the chicken with Pam. Got that?
4. Now pat your spice mix of choice onto the chicken. Don’t be shy — get plenty on there
5. Put the whole thing on the grill or in an oven — either way at about 350F
6. Roast for about 30-45 minutes, or until internal temp is 180F

That’s it, people! A whole chicken done! This is great with roasted broccoli and some fresh bread. Enjoy!

There are three main parts to this dish: the chicken, the pie crust, and the sauce.

Let’s [...]]]> This is one of my top three comfort food meals — the other two being chicken and dumplings and macaroni and cheese. Mmmmm…. Anyway, this cooks up beautifully, travels well, freezes well and reheats well. What more could you ask?

There are three main parts to this dish: the chicken, the pie crust, and the sauce.

Let’s start with the chicken.

You will need:

• Three boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• A few stalks of celery if they’re just lying around
• Salt, pepper, onion or onion powder

I do this part in a slow cooker the night before; you can also just boil the chicken the same day if you’re in more of a hurry.

1. The night before you’re going to to eat half a chicken pot pie serve this for supper, put the chicken breasts in the crock pot with a few stalks of celery, some salt and pepper, an onion if you have it (or onion powder on the chicken) and fill it up with water.  Let it cook on low overnight
2. The next morning, put the chicken on a plate and let it cool, then refrigerate
3. Strain the chicken broth that’s now filling your crockpot and save one cup of it for this recipe. Refrigerate or freeze the rest

Now the pie crust (modified from Alton Brown’s recipe). You will need:

• 6 Tbsp. butter, chilled
• 2 Tbsp. shortening or lard, chilled
• 1 cup AP flour + more for dusting
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 1-2 Tbsp. vodka (yes, really; here’s why)

In a perfect world, you’ll also have this nifty pie crust bag, which makes everything a little easier. Now:

1. Chop butter and shortening or lard into little pieces, and put them in two separate bowls in the freezer for 15 minutes
2. Measure out 1 cup (or 6 oz.) flour and put it in the freezer too
3. When everything is chilled, put the flour and 1/2 tsp table salt into the food processor and pulse three or four times to combine
4. Add butter and pulse till texture looks mealy; this took me about 6 or 7 pulses
5. Add lard and pulse another 4 or 5 times
6. Slowly drizzle in one tablespoon of water, dispersing as much as possible, and pulse 5 times
7. Slowly drizzle in one tablespoon of vodka and pulse again
8. Check it at this point. If you squeeze the  mixture together does it hold? If not, add more vodka. If so, it’s ready. It will not immediately look like pie crust, even when it’s ready; it will look like this:

Now put it in your nifty pie crust bag or a zip-top bag, squeeze it all together in a ball, then press into a rounded disk. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

While that’s chilling, we’ll work on the white sauce. You will need:

• 3 Tbsp. butter
• 6 Tbsp flour
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup chicken broth (which you ever so prudently reserved from your earlier chicken cooking)

To make sauce:

1. Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat
2. Whisk in flour and keep whisking until your sauce is smooth and bubbling
3. Remove the pan from heat and slowly pour in the chicken broth and milk, a little at a time, whisking like a crazy person to keep it smooth
4. Return the pan to the burner and bring to a simmer
5. Cook, stirring insanely often, until it thickens up. Add salt and pepper to taste (plenty of it for this, I think)
6. Once it’s nice and thick, set it back off the burner

Now assemble your pie!

1. In a food processor or by hand, shred or chop your cold chicken breasts into pretty small pieces
2. In a large bowl, stir together your white sauce, your chopped chicken and one bag of frozen mixed vegetables (still frozen — easy!)
3. Remove pie dough from refrigerator and roll out two crusts (see Alton’s recipe for lots of technique info, but we’re not blind baking ours)
4. Put one crust in an ungreased pie plate and spread in your sauce/chicken/veggie mixture. See how pretty it is?
5. Put on your top crust. I actually don’t put it all the way to the edges because I like it to have lots of steaming room. Also cut vents in the top of your crust, like so:
6. Just in case, put your pie plate on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Foil is easier to clean than the bottom of your oven
7. Bake at 375 until top is browned — remember everything in it is cooked, so you’re just heating. Let sit for a good 15 minutes to cool before you cut into it. Then go nuts!

Your total ingredient list for this pie:

• Three boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Celery, onion (optional)
• Salt, pepper, onion powder
• 6 Tbsp. + 3 Tbsp. butter, chilled
• 2 Tbsp. shortening or lard, chilled
• 1 cup AP flour + 6 Tbsp + more for dusting
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 1-2 Tbsp. vodka
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 bag frozen, mixed veggies

Ways to shortcut this recipe:

• Buy a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and shred the meat from there
• Use rolled, refrigerated pie crust
• Use two cans of cream of chicken soup instead of the white sauce

Throw them in a pot or slow cooker. Or a pressure cooker! Whatever floats your boat. Now throw in half an onion and a couple stalks of celery. If you have some carrots or [...]]]> Remember when we made the French chicken and I told you to hold onto the gizzards from the chicken? Here’s why:

Throw them in a pot or slow cooker. Or a pressure cooker! Whatever floats your boat. Now throw in half an onion and a couple stalks of celery. If you have some carrots or a bay leaf, go crazy — throw ‘em in.  Sprinkle some salt and pepper over the whole mess. Now fill with water, turn it on low, and walk away. For about 12 hours.

When it’s done simmering, strain it through a mesh strainer, drain off any excess fat (although there won’t be much from just the gizzards), and store it however you see fit. I usually put a quart in a Mason jar in the fridge, then put quarts of it in freezer bags in the deep freeze so I have it on hand.

Now after you’re done with your French chicken and you’ve had supper and sandwiches with the meat? You guessed it. Throw the chicken bones (“bones” sounds prettier than “carcass” does it not?) in a pot with the other half of your onion, and whatever combination of celery, carrots, bay leaves, salt, pepper, etc. you arrived at earlier. Fill the pot with water and repeat the process. Then shake your head at yourself that you ever spent $4/quart on the store-bought stuff, which isn’t nearly as good as yours is anyway.

And now that you have all this yummy chicken broth on hand, you have no excuse for not making risotto! Or, as I like to call it, Chicken Broth’s Best Reason For Existence.

I use my gigantosaurus 6.75 quart Le Creuset. It’s almost a crime to own such a pot and not cook this chicken in it. [...]]]> This is another one of those recipes with a fuzzy background; I’m not sure where it originated (maybe Cook’s Illustrated?), but I can tell you where it ended up: in mah belly!

I use my gigantosaurus 6.75 quart Le Creuset. It’s almost a crime to own such a pot and not cook this chicken in it. It’s that good. Also, it’s one of those meals that has very little hands-on time, but looks really impressive in the end. I love that!

You will need:

• One whole chicken, giblets removed (but save them — here’s why)
• Half an onion
• A stalk or two of celery
• Olive oil for pan-frying
• Kosher salt and ground black pepper
• Fresh garlic – I used jarred (gasp!)
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Now:

1. Put an oven rack to the lowest position and preheat your oven to 250 F
2. In a food processor or by hand, chop your onion and celery — size doesn’t really matter — and add in the garlic
3. Unwrap and pat the chicken dry with paper towels
4. Heat a couple Tbsp. of olive oil in your dutch oven till hot, then ease in the chicken, breast side down, watching for splattering oil
5. Sprinkle in your onion/celery/garlic mix along with some salt and pepper on and around the chicken
6. Cook until the chicken is lightly browned (about 5 minutes), then stick a wooden spoon in the chicken and flip it over, breast side up
7. Repeat browning on the other side
8. Remove the pot from the heat, then cover with foil then the lid (we’re going for a mega-seal here)
9. Now slide the pot into the oven and cook until breast registers 160 and thickest part of the thigh registers 175; this took me nearly two hours, for a 5.5 lb bird. If you’re using a smaller chicken (say around four pounds), check after an hour. A medium size one (up to five pounds or so) will be somewhere around 90 minutes, but always check the temp to be sure
10. Transfer the chicken to a carving board, tent it with foil and let it rest for 20 minutes

While the bird is resting (because, let’s face it, it’s had a hard day), you can make up some gravy:

1. Strain the pot juices through a strainer or cheesecloth into a fat separator; you can throw away the onion/celery/garlic now
2. Let that sit about 5 minutes to let the fat separate, then pour the juice into a saucepan — ideally you’ll have about 3/4 cup of juices
3. Add about 1 tsp. lemon juice to the pan and simmer while The Yankee carves the chicken (have I mentioned how handy it is to have a husband who used to be a butcher?)
4. Serve the gravy/sauce with the chicken. You can also thicken it with a bit of cornstarch* if you’re so inclined.

I served this with roasted broccoli and — what else — artisan bread.

Finally: stick the chicken giblets, the other half of the onion and a couple celery stalks in a bag or container and stash them in the fridge or freezer. Homemade chicken stock to come!

*Cornstarch now always makes me think of Eugene on Top Chef protesting, “Loooootts of housewives use cornstarch!” And I do, Eugene.