Chicken with Tortilla

A couple of days before, I had seen a post on Facebook for Mexican chicken - it was a post shared from My Litter by a friend - the photo belongs to My Litter, I have modified the recipe as some things are not available in Australia.  This was the start of my inspiration.  

You will need:

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 2 large tomatoes
• 250g philadelphia cream cheese
• powdered burrito mix (we used Old El Paso)
• tin of corn kernels
• tin of black beans (in the Mexican section at the supermarket)
• 1 small chilli (to taste)
• packet of tortillas (or make your own - they are only flour, water and effort!)

In either an oven proof dish, pressure cooker, or crock pot - put the whole chicken breasts in the bottom of the pot. Drain off the corn kernels and add. Drain and rinse off the black beans and also add to the pot. Add the cream cheese, burrito mix, the chilli and chop up the tomatoes as well - all these go into the pot - don't worry about mixing it, just pop it all in.

(photo from My Litter)

If you are cooking it in the pressure cooker - I cooked it on 2 curry cycles (about 22 minutes per cycle).  If you are cooking it in the slow cooker you need 4 hours on high, or 6 hours on low. In the oven, make sure its covered and bake on about 160deg for 4-6 hours (keep an eye on it).

By far, the pressure cooker is the most energy efficient and fastest way (great if you work long hours). Once its cooked, you will not only smell it, but the chicken will just shred with a fork when you mix it all around.

By now, your Mexican chicken will be just about ready. Remove from heat and stir with a fork to shred the chicken - if the chicken totally falls apart - its ready!  Refrigerate half of the mixture for another meal (based on serving 3 people). Serve with tortillas, sour cream and cheese - make your own tortillas, its so easy - mix plain flour, water and a dash of olive oil to make a dough, knead until smooth, rest for 10 mins, then roll out very finely - pan fry gently in some oil and serve (yes, I think I just saved you about $6 in tortillas alone).

You can take this dish one step further over two nights - only use half of the cooked amount of mixture above - for the second dish, reheat and serve with steamed rice.

Cheep Chicken Country Bake

This is an absolute budget breaker - we were down to our last scrappy vegetables and 6 chicken legs - you know what guys are like - "what? I only get 2 legs?" - well, make it go further and cook up a heap of vegetables with it - you will not only finish cleaning out your fridge, but this is a super "cheep" meal (pardon the pun). Even if some of those veges are looking a little tired, you can still use them in this dish.

6 chicken drumsticks

3 pieces bacon - chopped in chunks

3 potato - peeled and chopped

1 sweet potato - peeled and chopped

2 brown onions - peeled and chopped

1 red capsicum - remove flesh and seeds, chop

1 fresh beetroot - peel and chop

3 large mushrooms - thickly sliced

1 head garlic - peeled

Sage

Rosemary

Bush seasoning

All spices seasoning

Olive oil

150g butter

Salt

Rub the drumsticks with seasoning and leave overnight to marinate.

Chop up vegetables so they are about the same size.

In a large baking dish, place all ingredients. Drizzle with olive oil and fresh herbs. Chop up butter and place around dish. 

Bake 180deg for about 1.5 hours.

Note: you can use any vegetables you have which need to be used up for this dish. Putting it together tonight, I had my doubts that 6 drumsticks would be enough for the 3 of us, the vegetables and bacon made it go that much further. If adding beans, add for the last 10-15 minutes only. Don't throw away the juices from the pan, drizzle them over the meal when plating up.

Lamb Rub

Ok, so this doesn't just have to be for lamb - it could be for beef, pork or chicken too - simply mix the ingredients and then rub all over the meat - let it rest - overnight is better for more flavours - then grill, roast, fry - whatever takes your fancy.

You will need:

2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons tumeric powder


mix all ingredients

rub over meat

let rest for at least 1 hours to absorb flavours

Schnitzel for Jackie

Dear Jackie, whenever I make my normal chicken schnitzel I always think of you and wish that you could enjoy it as much as I do.  This recipe is for you my sweet - a gluten free version - we taste tested it and our food critic, William, gave it the 10 thumbs up - so much so, that with the small amount of leftovers he was using for lunch, he made an executive decision to finish it off for second breakfast this morning before his dad could get it.....gone! Vanished! A good sign that it was a success...

• 2 Chicken breasts or 700g tenderloins (depends how many you are feeding)
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup gluten free flour
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups quinoa flakes*

If using chicken breasts, slice them to make schnitzel thickness fillets.

Combine the grated cheese, fresh basil and quinoa flakes in a bowl.  In a second bowl combine eggs and milk, whisk together. Place flour in a third bowl.

Dip the chicken into the flour, then into the milk/egg mix, and then coat with the quinoa crumb mix.

Heat oil (not olive oil) in pan.  Cook schnitzel until golden on each side. Keep warm in oven until ready to eat.

Note - depending how many you are feeding will depend on how much to mix up.  Keep the crumb blend so that you can easily see the herbs and have a decent amount of Parmesan throughout. The Parmesan adds to the crispness of the crumb and adds delicious flavour.

*Quinoa flakes are an alternative to breadcrumbs, you will find them in the health food section of the supermarket or health food shop. 

Chicken Schnitzel

My kids love this schnitzel - you could substitute the chicken for veal as an option - great to keep for lunches the next day (if they last)

Ingredients

• 1kg chicken breast (or use tenderloins)
• day old bread - crumbed - or use packaged breadcrumbs (won't be as nice)
• bunch fresh basil
• 1 cup Parmesan cheese - grated
• 2 eggs
• milk
• 1/2 cup flour
• oil for cooking (do not use olive oil)

Firstly you need to prepare your breadcrumbs. I use day old bread - the stuff nobody wants to eat - put it in the food processor and process until fine crumbs.  Add the handful of fresh basil leaves, and grated parmesan cheese - process until well mixed but still resembling breadcrumbs.

If you are using chicken breast, you will need to fillet it to thinner slices rather than one thick chunk. Tenderloins will not need filleting.

In a bowl, whisk egg and milk.

In another bowl, place the flour.

In a 3rd bowl, place your breadcrumb mixture (if you do not want to make your own breadcrumbs, use packaged ones).

Dunk the chicken fillets into the flour mixture first, then into the egg mixture, finally into the breadcrumbs. Place on plate.

Heat oil - to see if oil is hot enough, drop some bread into the oil - if it fries then it is hot enough - if nothing happens wait a little longer.

Cook the schnitzels until golden on each side.

Chicken Stock

Once you have mastered how easy it is to make your own stock, you will never buy it again in a packet, powder or by any other means. If you need beef or fish stock, substitute the chicken.  For fish stock use fish bones, fish heads, prawn shells, prawn heads, crab shells (do not use oyster shells or the gut of fish).

Stock is one of those staple things that are easy, cheap, and useful - something you won't throw out, and something that you make out of things you were going to throw out!

While a raw carcass is the ideal place to start, I have also successfully used the carcass from a barbecue chicken (obviously not if its been chewed on though).

Ingredients:

• chicken bones (use carcasses, necks, or really cheap cuts)
• 3 sticks celery (use the head, keep the stalks for something else)
• 2 carrots
• 1 brown onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• salt

Super easy to make - if you are using a saucepan, just toss it all into the saucepan, add water to cover the ingredients. Turn the heat to medium/low, put the lid on and let it cook.

Once its done - about 2-3 hours on the stove - remove the solids from the stock (you can make a second batch if you want, just add more vegetables and put on again for a second batch).

Refrigerate/freeze.

What would I use this for?

• ham soup
• chicken soup
• risotto
• rice