Chicken skillet meals are simple spring dishes

The idea of spring chickens may not bring visions of delicious poultry to mind. However, skillet meals using chicken are always a delicious idea for dinner.

Since it will soon be spring and lighter foods come to mind, try using citrus or other fruits to brighten the flavor. Herbs add a special flair of their own. Place chunks of cooked chicken in salads to create a light dinner or grill the meat to add a smoky flavor that evokes summertime.

Many people select white chicken meat, removing the skin to minimize the fat and calories. But the tender dark meat is equally delicious, albeit a little higher in calories and fat.

Just remember, when preparing dishes with chicken, refrigerate the raw meat promptly. Never leave it on a countertop at room temperature.

Freeze uncooked chicken if it won’t be used within two days. Thaw it in the refrigerator, not on the countertop, or in cold water.

When grilling chicken outdoors, keep it refrigerated until ready to cook. Do not place cooked chicken on same plate used to transport the raw meat to the grill.

Always cook chicken until well done, not medium or rare. If using a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 180 degrees for a whole chicken, 170 degrees for parts with the bones and 160 degrees for boneless chicken.

To check visually for doneness, pierce chicken with a fork. The juices should run clear, not pink, and the fork should enter the chicken easily.

Never leave cooked chicken at room temperature for more than two hours. If it’s not eaten immediately, cooked chicken should be kept either hot or refrigerated.

Marinade in which raw chicken has been soaking should never be used on cooked chicken.

Always wash hands, countertops, cutting boards, knives and other utensils used in preparing raw chicken with soapy water before they come in contact with other raw or cooked foods.

Following are recipes from www.simplyrecipes.com.

 

 

Chicken Vesuvio

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 skin-on bone-in chicken thighs, excess fat and skin trimmed

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more

2 large russet potatoes, skin on, cut into 1/2-to-3/4-inch wedges

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Cloves from 1 head garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

1 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning

3/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup frozen peas

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

About 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Sprinkle chicken with 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

Heat a 12-inch cast-iron pan gradually over medium-low heat about 10 minutes, until it’s good and hot. 

Turn heat up to medium-high and add oil. Place the chicken in the pan, skin-side down, and cook without moving for eight to 10 minutes, until the skin develops a brown crust.

Place chicken on a plate. The chicken isn’t cooked through yet

If there isn’t about two tablespoons of fat in the pan, add a little more oil. Then add potato wedges and sprinkle with remaining salt and a pinch of pepper.

Stir to coat with and arrange in the skillet flat side down. Cook eight minutes, until wedges turn light to golden brown, flipping as they brown. Remove to another plate. 

Turn heat to medium-low and add butter, garlic and dried oregano or Italian seasoning. Cook 30 seconds, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant but before it turns brown. Add wine and frozen peas and bring to a simmer.

Turn off the heat, return potatoes to the pan and turn to coat in the sauce. Then arrange the chicken on top, skin-side up, and drizzle any juices left behind on the plate around the potatoes.

Bakein a 400-degree oven 30 to 35 minutes, until potatoes and chicken are cooked through, with the chicken reaching an internal temperature of 180 to 185 degrees. Drizzle with the lemon juice, and sprinkle with the lemon zest and parsley before serving.

This dish is best eaten the day you cook it. Refrigerate leftovers in a tightly covered container for three to four days.

 

 

Skillet Lemon Rosemary Chicken

2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

Zest of one lemon

3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 to 2-1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

4 clove garlic, crushed

3 shallots, halved

Place rosemary, lemon zest, chopped garlic, salt and pepper in a mini-chopper and pulse until well ground. Add one tablespoon olive oil and pulse again.

Place chicken thighs in a non-reactive bowl and rub all over with rosemary lemon herb rub. Arrange thighs, skin-side down, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Let marinate one hour at room temperature or chilled for several hours or overnight and let sit at room temperature for an hour before cooking.

Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a 10 to 12-inch cast iron skillet or other large nonstick skillet over medium high to high heat.

When oil is shimmery, pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and lay them, skin-side down, in the pan. Sear thighs without moving them for three to five minutes, until nicely browned. Turn thighs over and remove from heat.

Place garlic cloves and shallots between the chicken thigh pieces and bake in a 350-degree oven 20 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken thighs is 170 degrees.

Serve with a side of rice, pasta, bread or potatoes or over a bed of baby arugula or spinach leaves.

 

 

Creamy Dijon Mustard Chicken

1 to 1-1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup sliced shallots

1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken stock

1/2 cup water

4 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup heavy cream

Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt. Remove tenderloin from each breast and set aside. Cut each breast into three pieces and coat with a little olive oil.

Place breast pieces between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and use a mallet, empty wine bottle or rolling pin to pound to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Repeat with tenderloin pieces.

In a large, heavy-bottomed sauté pan, heat olive oil on medium high to high heat. Stir in butter. When butter is foamy, add chicken pieces, taking care not to crowd the pan.

Lightly brown chicken on one side, turn over and brown the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Place sliced shallots in the pan. lower the heat to medium, stir to coat with the fat in the pan and cook six minutes, until softened. Add white wine and increase heat to high. When most of the wine has evaporated, add water, mustard and dried thyme. Simmer until reduced by half.

Reduce the heat to low, place chicken in pan and coat with sauce. Remove the pan from heat and drizzle in cream. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve with egg noodles, rice, mashed potatoes, puréed celery root or parsnips or serve alone or with vegetables.

 

 

Easy Chicken Caprese

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1 cup cherry tomatoes

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

8 ounces whole milk fresh mozzarella pearls, drained

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Evenly season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and one tablespoon butter. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add chicken and cook four to five minutes, until bottoms are golden brown. Flip chicken and cook the other side four to five minutes, until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees.

If skillet isn’t big enough to fit the chicken in a single layer, cook in two batches.

Transfer chicken onto a large plate and tent with foil.

Add onions to skillet and saute three minutes, until they just begin to soften. Add garlic and sauté one minute. Add chicken stock and balsamic vinegar. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits on the bottom and sides of the skillet.

When liquid begins to simmer, reduce the heat to medium and simmer five to six minutes, until volume is reduced by half.

Stir in cherry tomatoes, Italian seasoning and remaining salt and black pepper. Cook two to three minutes, until tomatoes begin to soften. Stir in remaining butter, until melted.

Nudge cooked chicken and any drippings into the sauce. Spoon some of the tomatoes and sauce on top. Remove skillet off the heat and scatter mozzarella cheese on top. Cover four minutes, until cheese melts.

Sprinkle basil on top and serve.

 

 

Spicy Orange Marinated Chicken

2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice or 6 small oranges, peeled and chopped

1 onion, chopped

3-1/3- ounces chipotle chili peppers in adobo

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

1 tablespoon fresh marjoram or oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (4 pounds if bone-in)

Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley and orange slices, for garnish

In a blender or food processor, combine orange juice or chopped oranges, onion, chipotle in adobo, garlic, cilantro, rosemary, thyme, marjoram and salt. Pulse a few times to make a coarse purée. Transfer to a large bowl.

Remove excess fat from thighs. Put thighs between two sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until they are 1/2-inch thick.

Add chicken to the bowl of marinade and refrigerate two hours or overnight.

Heat olive oil in a large cast iron pan or heavy skillet on medium high heat. Remove chicken pieces from marinade, blotting off the excess. Working in batches, cook chicken five minutes on each side, until browned and cooked through.

Sprinkle chicken with chopped cilantro or parsley, garnish with orange wedges and serve with Spanish rice.

 

 

Skillet Chicken Divan

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 8 to 9-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 cups bite-size broccoli florets

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons flour

1-1/4 cups whole milk

4 ounces cream cheese, cubed and softened

3 ounces shredded sharp white cheddar cheese

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

Melt one tablespoon butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken in an even layer,season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook five minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Chicken will not be fully cooked. Move chicken to a plate and set aside.

Add broccoli and 1/4 cup water to the skillet. Cover and cook over medium-high heat three minutes, undisturbed, until crisp-tender and bright green. Remove broccoli using a slotted spoon to the plate with the chicken.

Melt remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add flour and whisk constantly for one minute. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Stir in chicken and broccoli and simmer over medium heat six minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and a thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of chicken registers 165 degrees.

Remove from heat and stir in the cream cheese, 1/2 cup cheddar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining pepper one minute, until melted and fully combined.

Stir together panko, oil, parsley, remaining cheddar and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the chicken mixture.  Broil six minutes from the heat source about two minutes, until golden brown. Garnish with additional parsley and serve.

 

 

Chicken Sausage and Pasta Skillet

2-1/2 to 3 cups marinara sauce

8 ounces penne pasta

1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound chicken sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces

4 to 6 cups baby spinach

1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Chopped parsley, to garnish

Bring two quarts water to a boil in a pot. Season with a generous pinch of salt. Once the water boils, add pasta and cook seven to nine minutes. Drain and run pasta under cold water. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped sausage and cook five to seven minutes, until meat is cooked through. Add pasta sauce and heat a minute. Add spinach and fold into the sauce.

Add pasta and stir until combined. Top with mozzarella cheese. Put in a 350-degree oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and slightly browned at the edges. For a quicker alternative, skip the oven and just stir the cheese into the pasta until the cheese is melted.

Top pasta with chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

 

 

Cheesy Bruschetta Chicken Cutlets

For topping:

1 14 1/2-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained

1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning or 1/4 teaspoon each dried basil and oregano

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

For chicken:

1-1/2 pounds chicken breast cutlets or 1/4-inch-thick sliced chicken breasts

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Stir together all of the bruschetta topping ingredients. Set aside.

Season chicken cutlets on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is shimmering, sear chicken three minutes on one side. Flip cutlets over, then spoon on bruschetta topping and sprinkle with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Let cook in the pan for 1-1/2 to two minutes.

Broil on oven’s highest setting three minutes, until cheese is bubbly and brown and chicken is cooked through.

Check for doneness by cutting into one of the cutlets to see if it’s opaque in the center or it registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.

Sprinkle parsley on top of chicken and serve hot.