Chicken Parmesan

Now that winter is officially here in Chicago (negative 15 wind chill today), I can finally share this wonderful recipe with you! I've tried making chicken parm several ways but this is my favorite. It is cheesy, comforting, and a crowd pleaser! Perfect Sunday dinner or dinner party meal. 

Ingredients:
3 T olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 C bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 C flour
1/2 24 oz jar traditional prego sauce or homemade tomato sauce
4 thick slices mozzarella cheese
1/2 C grated parmesan

Directions:
preheat oven to 350.
heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat.
pound chicken with meat tenderizer until 1/2 inch thick.
dredge chicken in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs.
place chicken in pan and fry each side for a few minutes or until golden brown.
transfer chicken to greased baking dish.
place mozzarella slices over chicken.
cover each piece with tomato sauce.
sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
back for 30 - 35 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and parmesan golden brown.

tips & extras

Tomato sauce - I think prego tomato sauce is the best canned pasta sauce in the world. If you want to make your own, Giada de Laurentis has a good recipe, here.

Dredging chicken - I make a little assembly line to make for easy cleanup. I put paper towels under the bowls to catch any dripping. Chicken -> Flour -> Egg wash -> bread crumbs -> skillet -> pan

Sides - I serve this with penne and the remaining prego sauce and a salad.

Portions - You can easily halve or double this recipe. No real measurements here!

Lining pan - Although this doesn't look beautiful, Reynold's has a new product with aluminum foil on the bottom and parchment paper on the top. The aluminum allows it to mold to the pan and the parchment ensures nothing sticks. It is the easiest clean-up ever!

Chicken stir fry

I've now been married for almost 3 years and have used my wok a whopping 2 times! I love stir fry, but I always default to my frying pan so I can cook everything at once and just get it over with. This time around, I decided to give the wok another try and I loved it. Even with smaller batches, everything cooks so quickly, you don't even notice the difference. My veggies and chicken cooked perfectly! I searched the food network for some good recipes and this one from the The Neelys caught my eye. I doubled the sauce, changed a few things, and used chicken breast instead of thighs for a healthier alternative. Added some red peppers that were lying around and created something I will definitely make again. 

Ingredients:
2 T vegetable oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
3 T ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2 bunch green onions, sliced on an angle
1 red pepper, sliced
1 bunch broccoli florets
red pepper flakes to taste

sauce:
4 T soy sauce
2 T lemon juice
2 T rice wine vinegar
2 T brown sugar
1 T corn starch

Directions:
whisk together soy sauce, lemon juice, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, and corn starch in a separate bowl.
turn heat to medium-high and add 1 T oil to wok. 
when oil is hot, add half the chicken. 
cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked through.
transfer to plate.
cook remaining chicken and transfer to plate.
add remaining 1 T oil to wok.
add broccoli to wok and cook for 5 minutes. transfer to plate.
add red pepper to wok, cook for a few minutes, transfer to plate.
add garlic, ginger, green onions, red peppers, and red pepper flakes to wok and stir-fry for a few minutes.
add chicken and brocolli back to wok. 
add sauce, stir, and cook for about a minute until it starts to bubble and thicken. 
serve over rice or on its own.

Tips & Extras

Rice - If you live near Trader Joe's, they sell boxes of frozen rice (brown & jasmine) that you can microwave in 3 minutes. They are a life saver for quick weeknight meals. 

Brown sugar storage - Feel like you are always buying brown sugar because it turns into a rock? Put the box or bag of brown sugar in a ziplock back and place in the refrigerator - it will last forever! If it's too late, you can grate the brown sugar (in rock form) with a standard cheese grater. 

Red pepper flakes - I add a dash for flavor and then let my husband add as much as he likes! I can't really take heat, so a few flakes does the trick for me. If you like heat, add about 1 tsp to the stir-fry. 

Ginger - If you can't find fresh ginger, leave it out. There isn't a really good substitute for fresh ginger. 

Herb Chicken

Things have been crazy lately. With traveling, the holidays, and work, I can barely find time to cook! Luckily, this delicious chicken recipe saved me the other night when I was desperate for something quick and delicious. Here's to a healthy and happy new year =)

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 T dried thyme

1 T dried oregano

salt & pepper

olive oil

Directions:

outdoor grill - heat to medium heat.

grill pan - heat over medium heat until pan is hot.

pound the chicken with the flat end of a meat tenderizer until 1/2 inch thick.

brush the chicken with olive oil.

season the chicken with the dried herbs, salt & pepper.

cook chicken ~ 10 minutes per side or until juices run clear.

tips & extras:

Grill pan - See Le Creuset's tips for caring for cast iron. Most people will tell you to not grease a grill pan but to grease the meat itself. I sometimes grease the pan, but it makes cleanup a bit difficult. 

Sides - I served this with pasta and spaghetti sauce (prego is my favorite store-bought sauce). I added some cherry tomatoes I had laying around. Chicken with pasta and tomato sauce is a perfect bite.