Carrabba's Italian Grill Chicken Marsala

Serve with your favorite pasta and fresh green beans, sautéed in garlic butter.

As for cooking up your chicken, make sure your barbecue grill is good and hot. The restaurant chain grills the chicken breasts over a very hot real wood fire, so crank that grill up high enough to get the flames nipping at your chicken. If your grill has a lid, keep it open. Servings: 4 

CHICKEN SPICE

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/4 teaspoon marjoram

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 tsp onion powder

4 breasts

Olive oil

MARSALA SAUCE

1/3 cup butter

1 slice (1/2 ounce) prosciutto ham (small dice)

2 teaspoons shallots, minced

2 teaspoons garlic, minced

8 ounces fresh mushrooms (sliced)

1/4 cup Marsala (Lombardo dry wine)

1 cup chicken stock

4 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet

Step 1: Set grill to high and preheat. (Again, grilling the chicken is what makes this so special.)

Step 2: Combine ingredients for the chicken spice in a small bowl. Use your fingers to crush the spices in the bowl, to make a finer blend. Set aside.

Step 3: Brush chicken breasts generously with olive oil. Sprinkle spice blend over both sides of chicken breast, and gently rub into meat. Set aside.

Step 4: Turn heat to medium and melt butter in a medium-size saucepan. Turn heat up to medium-high and sauté prosciutto for 2-3 minutes, making sure not to burn the butter.

Step 5: Add shallots and mushrooms, and sauté for about until vegetables are tender.

Step 6: Add the garlic, and sauté another 30 seconds.

Step 7: Add the Marsala wine, and simmer about 30 seconds, then add freshly ground pepper. Simmer over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Step 8: In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in chicken stock. Add stock to the saucepan, and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Add parsley and cream to the sauce, and simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until thick. Remove from heat, and cover until needed.

Step 9: Grill the chicken pieces for 6-8 minutes per side, or until done. Turn chicken one quarter turn on each side while cooking, to make the crisscross grill marks on each side of the chicken.

Step 10: Arrange each chicken breast on a plate.

Step 11: Spoon 1/4 of the Marsala wine sauce over each serving of chicken, and serve.

The Best Chicken Marinade

Excellent recipe.

    ½ cups Olive Oil

    ½ cups Rice Vinegar

    ½ cups Soy Sauce

    ½ cups Green Onions, Chopped

    3 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds

    1 Tablespoon Ground Ginger (you Can Add Another Tbsp If You Like Ginger)

    1 Tablespoon Dry Mustard

    1 teaspoon Black Pepper

    1 Tablespoon Garlic, Pressed Or Minced

    1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

    2 pounds Boneless Chicken Pieces

Whisk all ingredients but chicken together in a glass or plastic bowl. Submerge the chicken in the marinade. Cover tightly and let marinate in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours, turning the chicken occasionally.

Grill on medium high heat until cooked through. This is delicious served with Asian cabbage salad or lo mein noodles!

The Best Chicken Pot Pie Ever

I always cook up the carcass from a rotisserie chicken, and this is one good use for it. I’m always leery when a recipe claims to be the “Best Ever” as results usually fall a little short of expectations. But not this time. We went back for seconds.

2 lb chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

2 cups chicken broth (enough to cover breasts)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups half and half

3 Tbs butter

1 medium onion, chopped

1 c celery, chopped

1/3 c all purpose flour

1 1/2 c frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

2 medium potatoes, cooked and cubed

1 Tbsp parsley, freshly chopped

1/2 tsp thyme, dried, optional (I didn't use it)

Double crust pastry (recipe follows)

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, combine the chicken breasts, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear.

Remove the chicken and let cool. Pour the remaining chicken broth mixture into a measuring cup. Let stand; spoon off fat. Add enough canned broth to equal 1 cup if needed. Add half and half to the broth mixture to equal 2 1/2 cups. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch pieces.

In the same pan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Sauté, stirring for 3 minutes. Stir in flour until well blended. Gradually stir in broth mixture and the herbs. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and boils. Add the chicken and vegetables to the broth and stir to combine. Line a deep pie dish with one of the pastries and pour mixture in, almost to the top.

Cover mixture with second pastry. Cut a few vent holes in the pastry.

Bake at 400º for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Sour Cream Pastry for Savory Pies

2 1/2 c flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup cold butter (do not substitute)     

1/2 cup sour cream

4 tsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup ice water

Combine flour and salt. Cut butter into chunks and add to flour. Cut with a pastry blender to coarse crumbs. Place bowl in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Remove the bowl from the refrigerator and make a well in the center of the flour.

In a small bowl whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water. Pour half the mixture into the well. Gently mix everything by hand until large lumps form. Add the remaining liquid and mix to combine. DON'T OVERWORK THE DOUGH. Divide the dough into two portions. Cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.  If you want to make the pastry ahead of time, it can be refrigerated overnight.

NOTE: You can bake the pie, or cover and freeze for up to 3 months. 

To use frozen pot pie: 
Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before baking.
Cover pie loosely with foil. Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 425º for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350º and remove foil. Bake 55-60 minutes longer, or until golden brown..

Party Chicken

From my friend, Jan Faulkner.

1-1/2  cups  crushed saltine crackers
1  cup  grated parmesan cheese
4  Tbs  chopped fresh parsley
1/4  cup  grated onion
1  Tbs  salt
1/2  tsp  pepper
1/2  cup  butter or margarine, melted
1/4  cup  butter or margarine, NOT melted
2  frying chickens
Poppy seeds

Mix first six ingredients together. Dip chicken pieces into melted butter. Roll in seasoned crumb mixture until heavily coated. Place skin side up, on large baking tray. Dot with remaining butter. Sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake @375 degrees for one hour.

Grilled Lemon Chicken

This recipe came to me from my son, Brian. 

1/2  cup  lemon juice
1/2  cup  orange juice
2  cloves  garlic, minced
1  Tbs  fresh ginger, grated (or 1 tsp dried)
1  Tbs  fresh tarragon (or 1 tsp dried)
1/2  tsp  salt
1/4  tsp  pepper
4 - 6  boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients and marinate chicken breasts several hours. Grill over hot charcoal.

Coq Au Vin

This dish must be prepared the day before serving.

Chicken breasts to equal one chicken
1/2  cup  butter or margarine
Flour to coat chicken
8-10  mushrooms (button and shitake)
1  lg  onion, sliced
1  cup  burgundy wine
1/4  cup  brandy or cognac
Several slices of bacon, cut into 1/4" pieces
1  clove  garlic, crushed
1  tsp  thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4  tsp  marjoram
Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Cooked rice

Skin and debone chicken breasts. Roll in flour to coat. Melt butter in large, oven-proof skillet. Brown the breasts. Remove from pan. Saute onions, garlic, and bacon.

Put chicken back into the pan, making sure the onion and mushroom mixture is mixed with chicken. Spoon some on top of each chicken breast. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, pepper, and marjoram. Pour burgundy over all. Bake, covered, for 1 hour @350 degrees. Remove from oven. Cool, and then refrigerate overnight.

Bake again @350 degrees, for 1 to 1-1/2 hours before serving. Serve over cooked rice.

Autumn Chicken with Dijon Cider Sauce (or Pork Chops)

This would also be great with boneless pork chops.


Sauce:
2  cups  apple cider (or juice)
1-1/2  cups  milk
2  Tbs  cornstarch
2  Tbs  Dijon mustard
1/4  tsp  salt
1/4  tsp  black pepper
1/8  tsp  ground red pepper


Apples:
2  Tbs  butter
2  large  apples, unpeeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch thick rings


Chicken:
3  Tbs  butter
1/3  cup  flour
3/4  tsp  salt
1/2  tsp  ground black pepper
6  boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1  Tbs  dry sherry or apple cider

To make sauce, bring cider to boil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook 15 minutes or until reduced to 1/2 cup. Transfer to a cup and let cool. In same saucepan, add all but 2 Tbs of the milk. In a cup dissolve cornstarch the in the 2 reserved tablespoons of milk; add to pan. Stir in mustard, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat 3-5 minutes or until it begins to thicken. Stir in cooled reduced cider. Cook and stir until bubbly. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make apples, preheat oven to 200°. Melt butter in large skillet. Add apples and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes per side or just until tender. Transfer to oven safe platter and put in oven to keep warm. Leave butter in skillet, adding the 3 Tbs additional butter for cooking the
chicken.

Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Pound chicken to 1/2-inch thickness (put between two pieces of plastic wrap and use a mallet). Dredge in flour mixture and shake off any excess flour mixture. Place chicken in skillet that has the butter in it. Cook over medium high 5
minutes or so, per side. Transfer to apple platter and keep warm in oven.

Add sherry or apple cider to skillet; deglaze. Try to scrape all the brown bits up if you can. Cook and stir over medium heat for 1 minute. Add cider sauce and cook until heated through. Place chicken and apples on plates and top with cider sauce.

Orange Chicken and Vegetables

I made this for Haylee's 18th birthday dinner. People were still talking about it when they were walking out the door. This is not only gorgeous to look at, but seriously good tasting and healthy.


4  boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
2  Tbs  olive oil
1  small  onion, cut into half moons
1  red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1  green bell pepper, cut into chunks
1  yellow bell pepper, cut into chunks
Salt and pepper to taste


Orange Sauce:
3/4  cup  fresh orange juice
1/4  cup  soy sauce
1/2  tsp  ginger
2  tsp  rice vinegar
1/2  cup  brown sugar
1/2  tsp  sesame oil
2  Tbs  corn starch
1  cup  chicken broth

Cut the chicken into 1- inch cubes. Heat a large skillet or wok. When it's nice and hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and then add the chicken (add in batches so the chicken cooks evenly, you don't want to crowd the pan).

Cook chicken until it is golden all over. (About 10 minutes) While chicken is cooking, chop the peppers, making sure they are about the same size. When the chicken is golden brown, place it on a plate lined with a paper towel. Add another tablespoon of oil into the hot skillet. Add the
veggies and cook over medium high heat until crisp-tender, about 10 minutes.

While veggies are cooking, combine all sauce ingredients in a medium sized sauce pan. Whisk to combine, and bring to a boil. Once it boils it should start to thicken. When veggies are crisp, but still tender, add your thickened sauce and chicken into the pan. Stir the mixture to combine. Serve over steamed rice.

Savory Crescent Chicken Squares

Pillsbury Bake-Off Grand Champion Winner.


1  pkg (3 oz)   cream cheese, softened
1  Tbs  butter, softened
2  cups  cubed cooked chicken
1  Tbs  chopped fresh chives or onion
1/4  tsp  salt
1/8  tsp  pepper
2  Tbs  milk
1  Tbs  chopped pimiento's, if desired
1  can (8 oz)  Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1  Tbs  butter, melted
3/4  cup  seasoned croutons, crushed

Preheat oven to 350°.
In medium bowl, mix cream cheese and 1 tablespoon softened butter; beat until smooth. Add chicken, chives, salt, pepper, milk and pimiento's; mix well.

Separate or cut dough into 4 rectangles. If using crescent dough, firmly press perforations to seal. Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto center of each rectangle. Pull 4 corners of dough to center of chicken mixture; twist firmly. Pinch edges to seal. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Brush tops of sandwiches with 1 tablespoon melted butter; sprinkle with crushed croutons.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Chicken and Dumplings

Use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store deli for this. Just get the plain roasted one. Do not use the BBQ or lemon-pepper chickens. Using a roasted chicken, rather than raw chicken, adds a big flavor boost. Quite by accident, I grabbed the beef bouillon cubes instead of the usual chicken bouillon when making this one day. The flavor depth this added was just fantastic.


1  rotisserie chicken
1  onion, quartered
2  carrots, peeled and chunked
1/2  cup  fresh parsley, use stems and all, (or 1/4 cup dried)
2  stalks  celery, cut into chunks
4  beef bouillon cubes (2 if you use Knoor brand)
2  bay leaves, optional
Fresh ground pepper


DUMPLINGS:
2-1/4  cup  flour
3  tsp  baking powder
1  tsp  salt
1  cup  milk

Remove any twine holding chicken together. Put the chicken in a large (wide) kettle and break apart. Fill pot with water to just cover ¾ of the chicken. Add the next seven ingredients. Bring to a boil and gently simmer for about 1½ -2 hours.

Remove from heat; strain broth into a large bowl. Cool the chicken and cooked vegetables until you can easily handle. Pick all the chicken from the bones. Set aside. Discard skin, bones, and vegetables.

If time allows, when the broth cools, refrigerate so fat can be skimmed from the top and discarded.

Add chicken to the strained broth and bring to a boil.

Combine the dumpling ingredients by gently mixing just enough to hold together. Do not over-mix. Dumplings should be rather moist. Drop by large spoonful into simmering broth. Do not crowd the pan. Cover (use a glass lid if you can) and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Do not lift the lid during the cooking time.

Chicken with Riesling

A great coq au vin from Food and Wine magazine.


5  Tbs  unsalted butter
3  lb  chicken, quartered (I use skin-on thighs)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1  large  shallot, minced
2  Tbs  cognac
1  cup  dry Riesling wine
6  oz  white mushrooms (or baby bellas), cut into 1/4" slices
1  Tbs  flour
1/3  cup  heavy cream

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a skillet. Add the chicken; season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat until lightly browned on each side. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, for one minute. Add the cognac and wine. Cover and simmer over very low heat about 35 minutes. (Less time for breast meat.)

In another skillet, melt 2 Tbsp. (I used more) butter. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat until the liquid evaporates, about 7 minutes. Increase the heat to moderate and cook until browned.

In a small bowl, blend the flour and remaining 1 Tbsp. butter. Stir in the cream. Remove the chicken from the large skillet. Add the flour paste to the drippings in the pan, stirring to completely blend. Stir to brown this so no floury taste will remain, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the skillet; add the mushrooms and briefly
reheat. (I have a very low setting on my stove, and I just let it simmer off and on while we ate our soup and salad.)

This dish can be refrigerated overnight and then reheated, much like other coq au vins.

Chicken Bowl With Teriyaki Sauce

I love those Teriyaki Chicken Bowls they sell in Asian fast food places. The sauce is really good, but you just cannot buy it in the grocery store. So I was determined to figure out how to make it. This is what I came up with, and it's a darn close match.


2/3  cup  soy sauce (good quality)
2/3  cup  Mirin (cooking Sake)
1  cup   water
2-1/2  Tbs  cornstarch
1  Tbs  fresh baby ginger, grated
1/4  cup  honey
1  cup  brown sugar
Chicken breasts
White rice, steamed

Dissolve cornstarch in the water. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Continue to boil for about 1-2 minutes. Cool.

Grill Chicken breasts, brushing with this glaze the last few minutes so it doesn’t burn. Cut up chicken and serve over steamed rice, with plenty of this sauce on top.

I love those Teriyaki Chicken Bowls they sell in Asian fast food places. The sauce is really good, but you just cannot buy it in the grocery store. So I was determined to figure out how to make it. This is what I came up with, and it's a darn close match.