How Many Ways Can You Make Chicken? Part 3! Eat Chicken Every Night And Love It!

Eating chicken every night of the week and still loving it? These seven chicken recipes help you do just that! Chicken is still the most affordable meat. It is also the most versatile! This is the third part of the series that will allow you to enjoy another week of original chicken recipes, and you will feel like you are having something completely different every single day. Get ready for those buffalo wings, but make them with cheaper chicken drumsticks! Enjoy that 30-minute linguine with chicken!

The third part in this series includes the following recipes:

• linguine with chicken
• Mock Thankgiving with a stuffed chicken
• sweet and sour chicken over rice
• onion soup chicken with rice and gravy
• chicken salad stuffed in a tomato or for sandwiches
• chicken soup
• buffalo drumsticks, with ranch dressing

This time, we are going to list these from easiest to most difficult. I think it will more helpful that way.

1) LINGUINE WITH CHICKEN:

This is one of my favorites! It is too quick and too easy to taste so good!

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts or 3 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 4 to 5 Tablespoons of olive oil
• 6 or 7 nice-sized garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of ground, black pepper
• 2 large cans (29 to 30 ounces) of diced tomatoes. Usually I puree one of them in my food processor. (If no food processor, substitute one can of crushed tomatoes for one of the cans of diced tomatoes.)
• 1 can filled with water, or chicken broth (I always use water, unless I have some extra chicken broth in the fridge)
• 1 teaspoon of salt, for the sauce (or more, to taste)
• extra salt, for the pasta water
• 1 pound of Barilla linguine (You can use any brand you like, and also any shape. I just prefer Barilla and I like this dish with linguine.)
• parmesan cheese, for sprinkling over the pasta when served

You will need two large pots for this meal. I use a 6 quart stockpot for the sauce and an 8 quart stockpot for the pasta. Start your 8 quart pasta pot. You will be cooking the pasta according to the directions on the box. In the 6 quart pot, heat the olive oil and add the garlic. Gently sautee the garlic. Do not allow it to burn! When it is tender, add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Sprinkle the pepper evenly, over each piece. Cook the chicken over a medium heat. This should take a few minutes on each side. Do not turn it or stir it until the first side has cooked. Then turn the chicken and allow the other side of the chicken to cook. When the chicken is cooked, drop the tomatoes and the can of water. Add the salt, stir the mixture and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat to a high simmer, and place a tilted lid on the pot. You want this sauce to boil at a nice bubble and the lid will keep the sauce from thickening too much. The sauce is done within 20 minutes, but if your pasta is not ready, just let it cook until the pasta is ready to drain. Then turn off the heat. Drain the pasta, drop it into the sauce and stir it completely (I use large tongs). Pour this into a large pasta dish and bring it to the table.

This will serve 4 to 6 people. I serve it with a green salad and occasionally some garlic bread.

2) CHICKEN SALAD STUFFED IN A TOMATO OR FOR SANDWICHES:

This is the easiest chicken salad recipe ever! I am almost embarrassed to give this recipe, but it has been requested by so many. I bring it to a potluck with sliced tomatoes, for those who like it with just tomatoes. I also bring small rolls, for those who like it on sandwiches, and I bring a box of Wheat Thins, for those who like it on crackers. It is that versatile and it is always asked for again and again. It can be made with thighs, or a mixture of thighs and breasts, but I prefer it with chicken breasts.

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• Best Foods or Kraft Real Mayo
• 2 or 3 finely chopped celery stalks
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground, black pepper

I boil the chicken breasts in plain water until they are just done, with no pink inside. I allow the chicken to come to room temperature and then chop it into very small pieces. I put it into a mixing bowl, with the celery and pepper and then I start adding the mayonnaise. It is hard for me to give you an exact measurement, because it will vary. Start with a cup of mayo. If that moistens all of the chicken and celery, it should be enough, but I think you will actually need closer to two cups. The chicken seems to absorb the mayonnaise as it sits in the fridge, so it is better to have more than less. I add no salt, just the pepper and sometimes add even more than 1/2 a teaspoon. That is all there is to it. Just because it is easy doesn't mean it isn't good! I think the secret may be using a good quality mayo. There are many things I will use generic brands for. Mayonnaise is not one of them.

3) ONION SOUP CHICKEN WITH RICE AND GRAVY:

This is a simple baked chicken, with Lipton onion soup. The most difficult part of this recipe for most people is the gravy. Most people from the midwesy and south can make gravy out of anything. City folk seem to have a more difficult time, but gravy is easy, and once you figure it out, you will look at bottled or canned gravy in the supermarkets and walk right on by!

• 1 envelope of Lipton onion soup
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water
• 1 cut up chicken

Spray a 9 X 13 inch pan. Lay each piece of chicken, skin side up, in the pan. Sprinkle a little bit of the dry soup over each piece of chicken. Add the water to the pan and put it into a 350 degree oven. After about 20 minutes, gently spoon some of the liquid over each piece of chicken and return to the oven. Repeat this again after the second 20 minutes. The chicken normally takes about an hour to bake. Remove the chicken from the oven when done.

During the time that the chicken is baking, make some long grain white rice according to the directions on the bag. If you have purchased rice from the bulk bin, the normal ratio of liquid to rice is 2 to 1. That is 2 cups of liquid for every one cup of uncooked rice.

ONION SOUP GRAVY:

You may choose to make onion soup gravy or regular chicken gravy, depending on which you think your family will prefer. If you are going to make the onion soup gravy, remove the drippings from the baking pan and add them to the butter.

• 1 quart of boxed or homemade chicken broth
• 6 Tablespoons of flour
• 6 Tablespoons of butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground, black pepper

Put the butter into a 2 quart pot. Add the salt and pepper and melt the butter. Add in some of the drippings. Whisk in the flour and allow this to bubble for a minute or two, while continuing to whisk. Slowly whisk in the chicken broth and while stirring, heat to a boil. The gravy will thicken as it comes to a boil. Allow the gravy to bubble for at least a minute. Remove from the heat. Serve the gravy over the rice and chicken. A whole chicken will serve 4 to 5 people.

Serve it with a vegetable or salad, or even a cup of fresh fruit.

4) NO NAME CHICKEN PASTA:

This is an unplanned entry. I don't even know what to name this yet, but I made it tonight for dinner, with a green salad and some leftover garlic breadsticks that my son brought home from a local pizzaria where he had lunch with friends. I had 2 leftover baked, skin-on chicken breasts, so decided to do something with them. I just took what I had on hand and here is the result! It was really, really good! It will easily serve 6 people.

• 2 leftover baked chicken breasts, with skin and bone removed, chopped into bite-sized pieces. It measured about 2 1/2 cups.
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 6 nice-sized garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 8 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 large, soft tomatoes, pureed in the food processor
• 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 quart of chicken broth (I had some home made broth in the fridge, but you can use broth in a box)
• 5 Tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 cup of ricotta cheese (that is what I had in the fridge, leftover from some ricotta cookies that I had made earlier in the week.)
• 1 pound of Barilla angel hair pasta, cooked as directed
• almost wilted some baby spinach into the sauce at the end, but figured my son would like it better with the raw spinach in the salad

You will need two pots for this. I used my two favorites, the 6 quart stock pot for the sauce and the 8 quart pot for the pasta. Heat the olive oil and drop in the onions, red bell pepper, garlic, some of the salt and the red pepper flakes. Saute the vegetables until they are tender, then add the chicken and mushrooms. Allow the mushrooms to release some of their liquid and turn brown. Add in the pureed fresh tomatoes and 4 cups of chicken broth. Mix in the remaining salt and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and place a lid over the pot. The pasta pot should be started around the same time that you added the chicken broth to the sauce. Right before the pasta is finished, add the ricotta to the sauce. Stir it in until it melts and incorporates into the sauce. When the pasta is finished, drain it and then pour it into the sauce pot. With large tongs, thoroughly mix together. Pour this into a pasta dish and serve at the table.

I served this with a salad and the leftover breadsticks. It will serve 6 people.

5) BUFFALO DRUMSTICKS WITH RANCH DRESSING:

Instead of using wings, which are much more expensive, try using drumsticks.

• 8 chicken drumsticks (or enough for your family)
• flour for breading
• salt, pepper and paprika for the flour
• oil for frying the drumsticks
• 1 cup of Frank's Red Hot Sauce
• 1/2 stick of butter
• Ranch Dressing, for dipping

Some people prefer these deep-fried with no coating of flour. The skin gets crispy, and the inside is still moist. Just put some salt and pepper on each drumstick and drop them into your deep fryer after it has gotten hot.. It usually takes about 10 - 13 minutes at 350 degrees to be done.

If you prefer your buffalo drums to have the flour coating, just drop them into a baggie that has the flour, salt, paprika and pepper in it. Make sure each piece is coated well. I put those coated pieces onto a plate and let them sit for about 15 minutes prior to dropping them into the fryer.

Once done, drain them on paper towels. Mix the Frank's Red Hot with the butter and heat until the butter melts. Quickly dip each drumstick into the pot and remove them, one by one, onto a plate. Serve these with Ranch dressing.

6) SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN WITH RICE:

This recipe takes a little bit of time, but it is really good! My homemade sweet and sour is just a simple, no frills recipe, that I use all the time.

• 1/2 cup apricot preserves or orange marmalade
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons of rice vinegar (if you don't have rice vinegar, you can use white vinegar)
• 1/2 cup of chicken broth
• 1 and 1/2 cups of orange juice
• 3 Tablespoons of canola oil
• 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch, mixed with about 1/4 cup of cold water to remove the lumps (set aside)
• 1 teaspoon minced or powdered garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 bell pepper, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 small onion, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 can of chopped pineapple, with juice or fresh pineapple, about 1 or 2 cups
• enough chicken pieces for your family
• enough long grain, white rice for your family, cooked at a 2/1 ratio. For this, I prefer to add a couple of tablespoons of butter to the cooked rice.
• salt and pepper

Bake your chicken as you would normally, with just a little bit of salt and pepper. While the chicken is baking, heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the onions, bell pepper, and a little bit of salt and pepper. Saute until the onions and peppers are crispy-tender and add the pineapple and the pineapple juice from the can. If you have used fresh pineapple, you will have no liquid. That is alright. Saute the pineapple, with the other vegetables for a few minutes and then remove to a bowl. Into the same pan that you used for the vegetables and pineapple, pour the chicken broth, orange juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, vinegar and the preserves. Whisk this well and bring to a boil. Allow the mixture to reduce a little bit. Let it cook for about 15 minutes and turn the heat off. At this point, it may have thickened enough to be a nice consistency for a glaze, which is what you are looking for. If not, when the mixture cools a little bit, you can add some of the corn starch, reheat and as it comes to a boil, it will thicken. I usually do this by sight, but I have rarely used all of the cornstarch. When the mixture is finished, pour the vegetables and pineapple back into the sauce. When the chicken is done, remove it from the baking pan and put it into the sauce. Mix it so that all of the chicken pieces are coated.

About half way through your baking of the chicken, you will want to cook your rice. I use 1 cup of rice, to 2 cups of chicken broth. If you prefer, you can use water. When the rice is tender, I add butter and salt and pepper, to taste.

When the chicken and rice are finished, place the rice on a serving platter. Remove the chicken pieces from the sauce and put them on top of the rice. Evenly pour or ladle the sauce over the chicken and rice.

Think about serving this with some homemade egg drop soup. As a substitute for homemade, buy some Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup. You know, the kind in the envelopes. After the soup is cooked, following the directions on the envelope, I beat two eggs together and in the final minute of boiling, I take a fork, and start stirring the soup in a clockwise direction. With my free hand, I slowly pour in the beaten egg, while I continue to stir. The fork and the stirring help the egg to cook, and at the same time, look like strings of egg. I top the soup with a few chopped green onions.

This meal will serve 4 people.

7) HOMEMADE CHICKEN SOUP:

Everyone should be able to make chicken soup! If you ever plan to get over a cold, you will require chicken soup. Surely, we all know that! Chicken soup is not difficult, but it does take time. This pot of soup will make enough so that you can freeze whatever is left.

• I prefer to use 3 bone-in, skin on chicken breasts. They make a broth that has very little grease You can also use 4 bone-in, skin on thighs. For years, I used a small-sized chicken, cut up, and even used the backs and giblets. My Italian grandma made the best chicken soup in the world, and believe it or not, she used wings, backs and giblets only. She would buy her chickens whole, cut them up and store the chicken pieces in her freezer. She had a separate container for her chicken soup parts. When that container was filled with enough wings, backs and giblets, she would make the best chicken soup! Yes, as a child, I pulled out the livers and secretly fed them to the dog...
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 3 to 4 carrots, diced (There was something about those circular shaped slices of carrot that most of my kids hated, but when I cut them up in small, almost square shapes, there weren't any complaints)
• 4 to 5 celery stalks, diced, plus some of the leaves from the heart of the celery, chopped up
• 2 large or 4 small tomatoes, pureed in the blender or the food processor or 1 can of diced tomatoes, 29 to 30 ounces, undrained
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1 Tablespoon of salt, you may require more with a large pot of soup
• 3 to 4 Tablespoons of olive oil
• 4 to 6 quarts of water, you may need to add more as some of it will evaporate
• 2 handsful of uncooked rice
• 4 ounces of egg noodles or any other small shape (small shells, elbows) pasta
• 1 can of drained green beans (or you can use fresh)
• 1 can of corn (or scrape the kernels off 1 or 2 ears)
• any other vegetables you like in soup-my family likes either kidney or garbanzo beans. I sometimes throw in a little bit of brocolli.

You will require an 8 quart stockpot for this soup. Heat the oil in the stockpot and add the chicken pieces. Brown them lightly and then remove them to a bowl. If you need more oil, add a little. Drop your onions, carrots, celery, garlic, red pepper flakes and some of your salt. Sweat the vegetables until they are smelling sweet, and are crispy tender. Return the chicken to the pot. Add the tomato puree and fill the pot with water, leaving enough room at the top so that when the soup boils, it does not spill over, maybe 2 inches. Add the remaing salt and bring the water to a boil. When the soup boils, lower the heat to a gentle boil and cover the pot with a lid, tilted. Cook this for an hour and then check it for water level. If the level has decreased, add enough to compensate. Continue to cook for another 30 minutes or so and then remove the chicken. Allow the chicken to cool and then remove the skin and the bones. While waiting for the chicken to cool, add the rice and the pasta. Make sure that the soup keeps boiling and stir it every few minutes so that the rice does not stick to the bottom. After 15 minutes, return the chicken to the pot and test the broth for salt. Add the green beans, corn and any other veggies that you like. If you have added canned veggies, your soup is finished. If you have thrown in a little bit of fresh broccoli, corn or even some zucchini or yellow squash, let it cook for another 5 minutes. Then remove the soup from the heat and you are ready to cure a cold!

Serve this with some warm, crusty Italian bread and butter. I also sprinkle some parmesan cheese over the top of my bowl. Freeze whatever is left, but you might want to keep a little bit out for lunch the next day.

8) MOCK THANKSGIVING WITH A STUFFED CHICKEN:

The stuffed chicken dinner will be in the final part of this series, since I substituted the new recipe I discovered this week. So, get ready for part 4!

Part 4 is going to be a surprise, even to me! The list I had made for this series has disappeared! It is obviously one of those senior moments that I have heard all of those people over 50 talk about so much!

Part 4 will include the stuffed chicken. Be ready to add mashed potatoes, gravy, and some cranberries. It is perfect for a Sunday dinner!