Chicken Main Dishes

Chicken Marsala

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour for coating
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded 1/4 inch thick
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup Marsala wine
• 1/4 cup cooking sherry

PREPARATION:

1. In a shallow dish or bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture.
   
   
2. In a large skillet, melt butter in oil over medium heat. Place chicken in the pan, and lightly brown. Turn over chicken pieces, and add mushrooms. Pour in wine and sherry. Cover skillet; simmer chicken 10 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Chicken 'N Dumplings

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 roasting hen or 2 frying chickens, cut up
• 4 sprigs parsley
• 5 ribs celery with leaves
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 medium onion, cut up
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, divided
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons melted shortening
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup cold water

PREPARATION:

1. Place chicken in stock pot. Add enough water to cover. Add parsley, celery, carrot, onion, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil; simmer for about 2 1/2 hours.
   
   
2. Combine 1 cup flour, baking powder and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Combine milk and melted shortening. Add to the dry ingredients, along with the chopped fresh parsley. Stir just to moisten dry ingredients and drop by tablespoon directly onto the chicken in the boiling broth. Cover tightly. Return to the boil. Reduce heat without lifting cover and simmer about 15 minutes.
   
   
3. Strain chicken broth. Measure 4 cups of broth into saucepan. Bring to a boil. Combine remaining 1/2 cup flour with cold water; gradually add flour mixture to broth, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring, until thickened.

Serves 4

Parmesan Chicken Breasts

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 c. bread crumbs (from old bread)
• 1 c. Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• Some black pepper
• 1/2 c. cooking oil
• 8 to 10 chicken breasts

PREPARATION:

1. Mix dry ingredients, dip chicken breast (which have been salted and peppered) in the oil and then into crumbs, coating well.
   
   
2. Place on foil in shallow baking pan or casserole dish, skin side up. Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on each one.
   
   
3. Cover in foil. Bake 2 hours or more at 325 degrees.

Sesame Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 to 5 pounds chicken parts
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 large clove garlic, minced

Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup water

PREPARATION:

1. Wash chicken pieces and pat dry. Put chicken pieces, skin side down, into a shallow broiler pan.
   
   
2. Combine sesame seeds, vegetable oil, sesame oil, chopped onion, salt, ginger, cardamom, and minced garlic in a separate bowl.
   
   
3. Brush some of the sesame seed mixture on the chicken. Bake chicken at 350° for 30 minutes, basting frequently with sesame seed mixture. Turn and continue to bake and baste for another 30 minutes. Put under broiler to brown, turning once. Serve with sauce made from pan juices, instructions below.

Sesame Chicken Sauce

1. Remove chicken pieces from pan. Blend 1 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1 cup of water. Stir cornstarch mixture into pan drippings. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened.

Chicken Breast in Orange Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 6 halved chicken breasts
• 1 can whole mushrooms, drained (save liquid)
• 1/2 c. chicken broth
• 1/2 c. orange juice
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 c. diagonally sliced carrots, 1/2 inch thick
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Dash of pepper and garlic salt
• 6 tbsp. oil
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 c. dry white wine (optional)
• 2 tsp. brown sugar

PREPARATION:

1. Blend flour, salt, paprika, pepper and garlic salt. Coat chicken in flour mixture and fry in oil until brown on both sides. Scatter mushrooms over the chicken.
   
   
2. Blend soup, mushroom liquid, broth, orange juice, wine, nutmeg and brown sugar until smooth; pour over chicken.
   
   
3. Cover and cook at 225 degrees in electric frying pan or simmer in a regular frying pan for about 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. About 15 minutes before chicken is done, stir in carrots.

Chicken Cordon Blue

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 4 thin ham slices
• 2 oz. Swiss cheese
• Flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. milk
• 2 c. bread crumbs or cracker crumbs

Sauce:

• 1 c. cream of chicken soup
• 1 pt. all-purpose whipping cream

PREPARATION:

1. Skin and bone chicken breasts. Flatten with the heel of your hand. Wrap a slice of ham around a piece of cheese about 2 inches long and 1/4 inch wide. Then wrap the chicken breast around the ham and cheese. You may want to secure it with toothpicks.
   
   
2. Then dip the breasts in flour, then in the egg wash (the beaten egg in about 1/2 cup milk) and then in finely crushed cracker crumbs. Brown in hot oil about 4 minutes to a side.
   
   
3. (You may want to finish your Cordon Bleu in your microwave. Just place them on a platter and set your oven on roast or medium setting for about 1 1/2 minutes. This will assure their being piping hot when you serve them.)

For Sauce:

1. Mix together and stir constantly over stove on low heat. When sauce is hot, pour into dish. To be served over Cordon Bleu.