Chicks in Blankets

INGREDIENTS

• 1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
• 3 tablespoons (about) whole grain Dijon mustard
• 4 fully cooked chicken and apple sausages or chicken andouille sausages (about 12 ounces), each link cut crosswise into 8 rounds
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons milk

PREPARATION

Unfold 1 puff pastry sheet on lightly floured work surface; pierce all over with fork. Cut pastry into four strips, each about 2 1/2 inches wide, then cut each strip into 4 squares for total of 16. Spread 1/4 teaspoon mustard in center of 1 square. Place 1 sausage round atop mustard, pressing slightly to anchor. Fold 2 opposite corners of pastry square over sausage, overlapping slightly, and press to seal. Place sealed side down on ungreased rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pastry, mustard, and sausage rounds, placing half on second baking sheet. DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk egg and milk in small bowl to blend for glaze. Turn pastries right side up and brush with glaze. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking until pastry is puffed and golden, about 12 minutes longer. Transfer to platter and serve warm. MAKES 32

Spaghetti Squash with Chicken, Mushrooms and Spinach

1 (3.5-pound) spaghetti squash 

1 tablespoon olive oil, divided 

2 slices center-cut bacon, chopped 

1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces 

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided 

1.5 cups chopped onion 

3 garlic cloves, minced 

1 Poblano pepper 

8 ounces sliced oyster mushrooms 

1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning 

1/2 cup dry white wine 

2 tablespoons tomato paste 

1/4 cup cup julienne sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil 

1 1/4 cup cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth 

6 ounces fresh spinach, chopped 

1/2 cup grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided 

Preheat broiler. Cut poblano in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 5 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 5 minutes. Peel and chop. 

Reduce oven temperature to 400. Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds. Place squash halves cut side down in a 13x9-inch baking dish. Add water to measure 1/2-inch deep. Bake at 400 for 45 minutes. Turn squash over; bake an additional 15 minutes or until tender; cool. Scrape inside of squash with a fork to remove strands to measure 6 cups. Keep warm. 

Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add bacon to pan; cook until crisp. Remove bacon from pan. Cool and crumble. Increase heat to medium-high; sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken to drippings in pan and cook 4 minutes; remove from pan. 

Heat remaining 11/2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan and cook 3 minutes or until soft, stirring frequently. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, reserved bacon, Poblano, garlic and Italian seasoning to pan; cook 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms and cook 4 minutes or until softened, stirring occasionally. Add wine to pan and cook 3 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute stirring constantly. Add reserved chicken, chicken broth, tomatoes, and spinach to pan. Cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring constantly; stir in 1/4 cup cheese. 

Place about 1 cup squash on each of 6 plates; top each serving with about 1 cup chicken mixture and 2 teaspoons remaining cheese. 

Yield: 6 Servings CALORIES 296 ; CHOLESTEROL 67mg; CALCIUM 241mg; CARBOHYDRATE 23.8g; SODIUM 707mg; PROTEIN 31.2g; FIBER 2.4g; IRON 3mg; FAT (SAT 3.2G, MONO 3.4G, POLY 1.4G) 9.3g

Chicken Parmesan

1/3 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 pound chicken breast tenders
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups tomato-basil pasta sauce (bottled, fat free)
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded provolone cheese

Preheat broiler.

Combine 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Place egg white in a shallow dish. Dip each chicken tender in egg white; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Set aside.

Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, pasta sauce, vinegar, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; vent. Microwave sauce mixture at HIGH 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour the sauce over chicken in pan. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Parmesan and provolone cheese. Wrap handle of pan with foil, and broil 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.

Calories 308 Fat:10.4g Protein:35.9g Carbohydrate:16.2g Fiber:1.8g Cholesterol: 88mg Iron: 2.3mg Sodium: 808mg Calcium: 249mg

Mustard Glazed Chicken

I tested this with Stone Ground mustard (my favorite!), but Dijon, Honey mustard, or a combo of any would be yummy

4 boneless chicken breasts (skin on will be crispier)
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for breasts
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons stone ground & 1/2 tbsp honey mustard
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rub chicken breasts lightly with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter and add mustard; reserve 2 teaspoons of this mix for sauce.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter; mix with breadcrumbs and thyme, and season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sear chicken about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Smear with mustard mixture, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs on both sides.

Transfer skillet to oven, roast until chicken is cooked through, 20 minutes.

Transfer chicken to serving platter. Add stock and cream to skillet over medium heat, and stir with wooden spoon until creamy and reduced to 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in reserved mustard mixture and serve with chicken.

Chicken Saltimbocca

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, butterflied and lightly pounded
Salt and pepper
8 large sage leaves
4 thin slices prosciutto
All-purpose flour, for dusting
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place 2 sage leaves on each breast. Top with a slice of prosciutto, trimming it to fit. Press the prosciutto to help it adhere to the chicken. Dust the chicken with flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat a large skillet. Add the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add 2 of the breasts, prosciutto side up, and cook over high heat until nearly cooked through, about 3 minutes. Turn the chicken and cook just until the prosciutto begins to shrink, about 1 minute. Transfer the chicken to a plate; repeat with the remaining chicken. Pour off any fat and wipe out the skillet.
Add the remaining butter to the skillet. Add the wine and cook over high heat until reduced by half, 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half, 3 minutes.
Return the chicken to the skillet, prosciutto side up, and simmer over moderate heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 2 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to plates, pour the sauce on top and serve.

Roast Chicken with Pancetta and Olives

2 chickens (about 3 1/2 lb each), backbones cut out and each chicken cut into 12 pieces
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped thyme
1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
1 tablespoon fine sea salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
10 garlic cloves, peeled
2 slices pancetta, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup dry white wine
24 oil-cured black olives

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle. Toss chicken with oil, thyme, rosemary, sea salt, red-pepper flakes, and 1 tsp pepper, rubbing mixture into chicken.

Arrange chicken, skin side up, in 1 layer in a large sheet pan. Scatter garlic and pancetta on top and roast until chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Drizzle wine over chicken and roast 8 minutes more. Scatter olives over chicken and roast until skin is golden brown and chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes more. Let stand 10 minutes.

Cooks’ note: To cut a chicken into 12 pieces, remove wings and cut each breast half into 3 pieces, then separate drumsticks and thighs. Backbones can be used to make chicken stock.

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

I made this last summer for a birthday party and it was really delicious! Not as time consuming as it seems below, especially if you have helpers in the kitchen. Definitely worth it, everyone loved the spicy-cheesiness. Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. 
 
1 pound cooked chicken, seasoned with salt and pepper then drenched in Frank's Hot Sauce

1 pound small elbow macaroni
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, divided
3 cups chopped onions
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup all purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about 4 cups packed)
8 ounces provolone cheese, coarsely grated (about 2 cups packed)
2 teaspoons paprika
salt and black pepper
Yield: Makes 12 servings

Cut chicken into into 1-inch-long bite sized strips.

Cook macaroni in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain; transfer to very large bowl.

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in same large pot over medium heat. Add 3 cups chopped onions and garlic. Cover; saute until onions are soft but not brown, stirring often, about 6 minutes. Add flour; stir 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer sauce 2 minutes. Add all cheeses, paprika, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Whisk until cheeses melt and sauce is smooth, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Mix cheese sauce into macaroni. Mix in chicken pieces. Mound mixture in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Let stand at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Stir in hot sauce and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over medium heat until butter melts; spoon 4 tablespoons over macaroni in dish. Bake macaroni uncovered until heated through, about 30 minutes, or 45 minutes if made ahead. Serve, passing remaining butter and hot-sauce mixture separately.

White Chicken Chili with Aged Cheddar

Compliments of Tracey! I made some minor adjustments and really like this untraditional chili

2 teaspoon olive oil
2 onions, peeled and diced
2 tablespoon minced jalapeno chili
2 diced green chiles
1 yellow bell pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 can (15 oz) cream-style corn
2 cups milk
2 cans (15 oz) navy beans (or any white beans), rinsed and drained
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1/2 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded aged Cheddar Cheese (3 to 4 1/2 oz)

In a large pan, combine oil, onions, and peppers (yellow bell, jalapeno, and green). Stir often over high heat until onions are limp, 4 minutes. Add cumin, corn, broth, milk, and beans. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, to blend flavors, about 10 minutes. Stir in chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the aged cheddar and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Chicken with Mustard Mascarpone Marsala Sauce

To lighten the dish, use egg noodles. The original recipes calls for fettuccine; I'd try that as an option to make this a heartier meal. This is a creamy twist on the classic marsala sauce

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut crosswise into 3 pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 tablespoons butter, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup dry Marsala wine
1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
12 ounces dried fettuccine

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and cool slightly.

While the chicken cools, melt 2 tablespoons of butter to the same skillet over medium-high heat, then add the onion and saute until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are tender and the juices evaporate, about 12 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until it is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone and mustard. Cut the chicken breasts crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooked through and the sauce thickens slightly, about 2 minutes. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain. Toss with 3 tablespoons of butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Spoon the chicken mixture over top.

Pan-Roasted Chicken Cutlets with Maple-Mustard Dill Sauce

Easy, quick and sweet! Maple and mustard, a nice flavor twist

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped red onion

6 tablespoons maple syrup

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

Pound each to 1/4-inch thickness; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes or each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan.

Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to pan; cook 1 minute. Add syrup and remaining ingredients; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Serve sauce with chicken.

Calories: 287 (11% from fat) Fat: 3.5g (sat 0.6g,mono 1g,poly 0.9g) Protein: 40.3g Carbohydrate: 22.5g Fiber: 0.3g Cholesterol: 99mg Iron: 2mg Sodium: 640mg Calcium: 63mg

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and about 2 tablespoons sauce)