Chicken, Ortega Chili & Tortilla ‘Cacciatore’

                 1    Whole Chicken, 3-4 pounds

               ½    large Onion, chopped
          1 can    Ortega Diced Green chiles, 4 oz
          1 can    Cream of Mushroom Soup
          1 can    Cream of Chicken Soup
                      Milk
          1 bag    Corn Tortillas
         3 cups    Cheddar Cheese, grated
                      Salt & Pepper to taste

Stacey’s twist to the recipe:

      1 bunch    Cilantro, minced (optional)
           1 tsp    Cayenne Pepper (optional)
      2 cloves    Garlic, minced (optional           

Boil chicken in a large pot of salted water.  (Broth can be reserved and stored for a later use).  When chicken has cooled, remove and discard the bones and skin.  Shred meat and set  aside.

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a large bowl combine onions, chiles, and soups.  Add optional recipe items at this point.  Add a small amount of milk if mixture is too thick

Grease a large casserole dish.  Alternate layers in the dish of torn tortillas, shredded chicken, soup mixture, and cheese. 

Bake until casserole startles to boil around the edges and cheese is melted.  About 30 minutes.

 

Tips

§  A great recipe to use for left over turkey or chicken.

§  For lower calories use fat free soups and less cheese.

§  Can be made ahead and cooked when ready to eat.

 

Grandma's Fried Chicken & Country Gravy

Fried Chicken

                       1    Whole Chicken, cut in serving pieces
                1 cup    Flower
                            Seasoned Salt & Pepper to taste
                            Vegetable OIl

 Country Gravy

            1/8 cup    Flour
             3+ cups    Milk
                            Salt & Pepper to taste

Place flour in a shallow dish (or zip-lock bag) and liberally mix with seasoned salt & pepper.  Meanwhile pour ½” of vegetable oil into a cast iron skillet and heat over medium-high heat.  Coat chicken with the seasoned flour and place in hot oil.  Brown chicken on both sides, until chicken is cooked (about 15-20 minutes).  Remove chicken from oil and allow to drain on paper towel.

For the gravy, remove all but 1/8 cup pf the vegetable oil from the skillet.  Heat over medium-high heat and add 1/8 cup of flour (left-over from chicken coating is fine).  Stir constantly until roux is brown and thick.  Reduce heat.  Stirring constantly, slowly add milk.  Allow gravy to thicken.  Season to taste.

 

Arroz con Pollo

On our honeymoon in Costa Rica, Jim and I stopped at a roadside stand, where we had the best arroz con pollo. We have spent the rest of the honeymoon (and considerable time since.) trying to find an equal. We have made several attempts in our kitchen, but no recipe compares to that food in that little roadside stand…maybe it had something to do with the ambiance…

Jim’s theory is that the unique and fresh indigenous products are there, not here - like the scraggly little chicken that seemed to disappear after we placed our order (not true).

 

           ¼ tsp    saffron threads

          ¼ cup    olive oil

       31/2 lb.    whole chicken, cut into serving size pieces

                  2    onions, chopped

                  2    green bell peppers, chopped

            ¾ lb.    plum or Roma tomatoes (about 6),

                         peeled, deseeded, & chopped

            2 ea.    Garlic clove, minced

            4 tsp    paprika

         3 cups    Arborio rice

         6 cups    chicken broth

                  1    large bell pepper, roasted and cut into strips           1 cup    frozen or fresh English peas

          ¼ cup    fresh parsley, minced, if desired   

 

Set a rack over a sauce pan of boiling water, the set a small saucer on the rack with the saffron in it. Warm until it’s brittle. Remove the saucer and crumble the saffron in it.

 

In a large heavy skillet, heat the oil until hot but not smoking. Reduce the heat to med-low. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, season it with salt and pepper, and pan fry it in small batches until it is cooked halfway, then transfer it to a clean bowl or plate for later.

 

Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the fat and add the onions and peppers. Cook over med-low heat until tender. Add the tomatoes, garlic, paprika, and saffron. Cook the mixture while stirring for a minute, then add the rice and keep stirring for 3 more minutes. Add the broth, bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally for 7 minutes. Transfer the rice to a shallow baking dish and arrange the chicken over it.

 

Bake the dish in the middle of a pre-heated over for 15 minutes, add the peppers and peas over the top and bake for 15 more minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Top the finished dish with chopped parsley.

 

                                                                                                                    Serves 6

Chicken Pozole

ingredients:

I           whole chicken  (or any variation thereof)

1/2       onion

6-7       dried chilies (Anaheim or New Mexican)

                        dried or fresh oregano

                        dried or fresh cilantro

1           clove garlic

2Tb      lemon pepper

                        salt to taste

3          cans of hominy

 

garnish:           

            chopped cilantro

            chopped onions

            chopped oregano

            shredded red cabbage

            lime wedges

 

 

cover chicken, onions, chilies, oregano, cilantro and garlic with water.

bring to simmer boil, then reduce heat and simmer.

when chicken is cooked through, remove it from stock, and set aside to cool.

after stock has cooled, place all remaining ingredients and stock in blender and puree.

then using a wood spoon push puree through a metal mesh back into the stock pot

discard what cannot be pushed through the mesh.

return stock to heat, add water if needed.

remove the meat from the chicken bones, and add it to the stock.  discard bones and skin.

add lemon pepper and salt.

add hominy.

simmer

serve and garnish.

Chicken & Tortilla Casserole

                 1    Whole Chicken, 3-4 pounds
               ½    large Onion, chopped
          1 can    Ortega Diced Green chiles, 4 oz
          1 can    Cream of Mushroom or Ce;lery Soup
          1 can    Cream of Chicken Soup
                      Milk
          1 bag    Corn Tortillas
         3 cups    Cheddar Cheese, grated
                      Salt & Pepper to taste

Stacey’s twist to the recipe:

      1 bunch    Cilantro, minced (optional)
           1 tsp    Cayenne Pepper (optional)
      2 cloves    Garlic, minced (optional           

Boil chicken in a large pot of salted water.  (Broth can be reserved and stored for a later use).  When chicken has cooled, remove and discard the bones and skin.  Shred meat and set  aside.

 

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a large bowl combine onions, chiles, and soups.  Add optional recipe items at this point.  Add a small amount of milk if mixture is too thick

Grease a large casserole dish.  Alternate layers in the dish of torn tortillas, shredded chicken, soup mixture, and cheese. 

 

Bake until casserole startles to boil around the edges and cheese is melted. About 30 minutes.

Tips §  A great recipe to use for left over turkey or chicken. §  For lower calories use fat free soups and less cheese. §  Can be made ahead and cooked when ready to eat.