Roast Chicken Seasoning Rub

This recipe is from Kalyn's Kitchen. Kalyn blog is about the combining her love for delicious food with a commitment to healthy, lower glycemic eating. She shares her recipes and kitchen secerts that helped her lose over 40 pounds on the South Beach Diet. Not only does she enjoy cooking but loves to garden and grows her own fresh herbs.

Below is a recipe for a Roast Chicken Seasoning Rub she created with the inspiration from Pride of Szeged Chicken Rub

Makes about four cups

1 1/2 cup garlic powder
1/2 cup dried thyme
1/2 cup dried parsley
1/3 cup onion powder
1/3 cup rubbed sage
1/3 cup dried rosemary (use cracked rosemary, or see note below)
4 T sweet paprika (I like Penzeys)
4 T cayenne pepper (or less, but this is only mildly spicy)

If you don't have cracked rosemary, start by putting the rosemary in the food processor with a steel blade and buzzing it for 2-3 minutes, until all the dried rosemary leaves are broken into small bits. Then add other ingredients and process about 30 seconds, until ingredients seem well combined. This should be stored in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid if you're keeping some for yourself.

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Goat Cheese and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breasts

The winner of The Next Food Network Star Amy Finely had some outstanding recipes on the show. We are goping to feature one of them here for you. This was in the Iron Chef Challenge episode. According to one of the judges that night; who happened to be Iron Chef America Star and the world renowned Chef Cat Cora; this was one of the best dishes that night.

Below is Amy's Goat Cheese and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breasts recipe.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 pound crimini mushrooms

2 tablespoons butter

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

6 ounces softened goat cheese

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 recipe Mushroom Wine Sauce, recipe follows

1 recipe Sauteed Fingerling Potatoes, recipe follows

1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

Special equipment: A food processor, kitchen twine

Place the chicken breasts, 1 by 1, between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/2-inch thick. Set aside.

Stem the mushrooms and place the caps and stems separately in a food processor and process until finely chopped. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saute pan over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms have released their liquid, and saute until all the liquid has evaporated. (This is called a duxelle.)

Season well with the salt and pepper. Set aside. Smear each chicken breast with some of the goat cheese and top with some of the duxelle. Roll the breast up and tie with the kitchen twine. Season with the salt and pepper. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and sear the chicken on all sides. Continue to saute until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to sit 5 minutes before removing the kitchen twine and slicing each rolled breast into 4 to 5 slices. Top with some of the remaining duxelle and several spoonfuls of the Mushroom Wine Sauce.

Serve with the Sauteed Fingerling Potatoes, garnished with the chopped parsley.

Mushroom Wine Sauce:

1 1/2 cups dried shiitake mushrooms

2 cups boiling water

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup chicken stock

1 tablespoon butter, cold

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Place the shiitakes in a mixing bowl and add the boiling water. Allow to sit undisturbed 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquid is richly fragrant and has taken on the earthy flavor of the mushrooms. Strain and reserve the liquid. Discard the mushrooms or reserve for another use. In a small saute pan over medium-high heat, bring the mushroom liquid to a strong boil and reduce by half. Add the wine and chicken stock, reduce by 1/2 again. Remove from heat and add the butter, swirling the pan until the butter is incorporated and the sauce is glossy and shiny. Season with the salt and pepper.

Sauteed Fingerling Potatoes:

1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Special equipment: A mandoline

Using the mandoline or a knife, slice the potatoes into thin rounds of uniform thickness. Melt the butter in a large saute pan over medium-high heat and saute the potatoes until cooked through with a golden, crispy crust. Season with the salt and pepper.

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Rosemary Vanilla Chicken

This recipe actually came from Chef Michael Smith, a 1991 honors graduate of the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York, has been cooking professionally for over 15 years.

This has to be one of my favorite dishes I have gotten from a TV Show! I know You will enjoy it!

8 chicken thighs
4 tablespoons of olive oil or vegetable oil
2 onions, sliced
2 carrots, chopped
1 bottle of chardonnay
1 vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
2 large sprigs of rosemary, needles peeled off

Remove the bones from the chicken thighs by slitting the back of the thigh with a sharp knife. Carefully trim the meat off of each bone. Try to leave the thigh in one piece, but it's okay if it ends up in several pieces. I perfer to use the boneless thighs just because it is easier and faster.

Preheat a large frying pan over medium-high heat then splash in the olive oil. Add the chicken and the bones and begin browning. As each piece browns, turn it over. Continue until each piece is golden brown then lower the temperature. This is the best time to add the rich flavors of caramelization before the liquids are added and before the meat begins braising. Take the meat and bones out and reserve while the vegetables are cooked.

Add the onions and carrots to the hot pan and cook them for a few minutes until they slightly soften. This will brighten their flavors considerably. As you stir them, loosen any brown bits that adhere to the pan's bottom. These are caramelized juices from the meat and will add a lot of flavor to the dish.

Add the chicken meat and bones back to the pan. Pour in the wine - reserving a sip for yourself! You may also use less wine and make up the difference with homemade or canned chicken broth. For this dish, I prefer the oak, vanilla-like flavors of California chardonnay.

Slit the vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape out the seed paste inside. Mince the remaining pod and add along with the seeds and rosemary to the chicken. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Place a tight-fitting lid on the pan and let braise on the stovetop over medium heat until tender, about 45 minutes. Remove the lid and fish out the bones, they've added their flavor and can now be discarded. Turn the heat up and reduce the liquid until it thickens into a sauce.

Taste; then season with salt and pepper.
Serve over any rice, pasta or grain.
Yield: 4 Servings

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Yakatori Don Reciepe

One of the most popular Japanese dishes (authentic recipe). The tasty ginger and rice wine marinade can be used for meat or fish. This recipe can also be made on the grill using the marinade as a basting sauce."

Original recipe yield: 4 servings


PREP TIME 15 Min
COOK TIME 15 Min
READY IN 30 Min

INGREDIENTS
3 pound chicken, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons white sugar
2/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake
1/4 cup mirin (Japanese sweet wine)
2 tablespoons Sesame or Peanut Oil

DIRECTIONS

Rinse chicken, and pat dry. In a glass baking dish or bowl, stir together the ginger, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, sake and mirin. Place the chicken into the mixture to marinate. Refrigerate, covered for several hours, or overnight.

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken pieces into the pan skin-side down, reserving marinade. Cook until light brown, then flip and brown the other side. Drain off grease, and pour the marinade into the pan. Cover, and reduce heat to low, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.

Remove the lid and continue cooking, shaking the skillet occasionally, until marinade is evaporated. Serve hot with rice or noodles.

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