Recipes for Today - Chicken Dishes

My customers at a recent Garden Show asked me how to use some of the mixes they previously purchased.  So I decided that I should share a recipe or two a week using the mixes I make and sell. 

Chicken is my favorite protein to cook with, so I thought I would share a couple unique recipes with you today.

Chicken N’Orleans (serves 4 to 7)

This recipe uses N’Orleans Seasoning Herb Mix which I developed after reading a cookbook written by Emeril.  It of course has garlic but several other Creole style seasonings as well.

3 to 4 large chicken breast pieces, cut into 3 smaller pieces

1 cup oil

1 cup flour

1 (7 oz.) can Rotel Tomatoes (they are seasoned, if you like plain just use regular diced)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

½ cup green onion tops chopped (or a ½ cup fresh chopped chives)

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbls. N’Orleans Seasoning Herb Mix, to taste

Make a roux by heating the oil in a heavy pot or Dutch over, add flour gradually and stir until well mixed.  Lower heat and continue to watch and stir until it is the color of chocolate brown.  This step will take a while, but you don’t have to stand there with it the whole time.  I use the time to get the other items all chopped.

Remove the pot from heat.  Slowly stir in hot water until contents of the pot are about half-way up the side.  Place back on the burner and bring to a boil.  Put remainder of ingredients into the pot of roux, lower fire to a simmer and cover pot making sure it does not boil.  Put remainder of ingredients into the roux, lower the heat to a simmer and cover pot making sure it does not boil over. 

Simmer 1 hour adding water, adding water as needed.  You want to end up with the roux being the thickness of gravy.  If chicken is not tender, continue to simmer on low heat until it is fork tender.

Check seasonings and add salt and pepper as needed.  Serve hot, over cooked rice.

Caesar Deviled Eggs (makes 6 servings)

Perfect for picnics and potlucks and you just use prepared Backyard Patch Caesar Dressing Herb Mix

7 hard boiled eggs

¼ cup prepared Backyard Patch Caesar Dressing

1 Tbls. half & Half

2 Tbls. shredded parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbls. finely minced fresh basil leaves

Parm for garnish

Peel eggs and cut 6 of them in halt lengthwise.  Carefully remove the yolk to a small mixing bowl and mash.  Finely grate the seventh egg into the yolks (I learned this from Paula Dean.) 

Stir in the Caesar Dressing, half & half, and Parmesan Cheese until smooth.  Add salt and pepper.

I like to pipe the mixture into the egg whites using a zip seal sandwich bag with the corner cut off.  It is much less messy.  Cover and chill.

Happy Cooking!