If you haven't liked dark meat up until now, try these
recipes with an open mind. Thigh meat, drumsticks, or the
meat from any well-exercised muscle, has more flavor and is
apt to be juicier. If Frank were going by taste alone and
forgetting about calories, he would always choose thigh
meat.
I was present at a taste testing at Perdue when Teri
Benson, a Food Technician, asked the dozen or so
participants to rate the flavor of various parts of a
chicken. The chicken was ground and fried in patties so
none of us could identify which parts we were eating. We
also couldn't be influenced by what our neighbors thought
because each patty was coded and the breast meat or the
thigh meat on my plate was in a different position from
what they'd be on my neighbor's plate. The test was
replicated with many different groups, but the results were
fairly uniform: people prefer the flavor and juiciness of
thigh meat. Try a few of these recipes; you may discover
some new family favorites.
WALDORF SALADServes 4
You could use other apples in this recipe, such as Red
Delicious or Granny Smith, but the McIntosh with its
characteristic crispness, juiciness, and mildly tart flavor
works particularly well in this recipe. You can tell a
McIntosh by its two-toned red and green skin.
1 quart chicken broth
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced
1 to 2 McIntosh apples, unpeeled in 1/2-inch cubes (about 1
cup)
1/2 cup walnut halves
1 head Bibb or Boston lettuce
In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, bring chicken broth
to a boil. Add chicken and simmer over low heat for 30
minutes, uncovered. Drain thighs and cut into bite-size
pieces. Reserve broth for other use. In a mixing bowl
blend together lemon, mustard, oil, parsley, and salt and
pepper. Toss warm chicken with sauce and allow to cool.
Toss with remaining ingredients and serve on beds of Bibb
or Boston lettuce.
DRUMSTICKS WITH HERB SAUCEServes 2
When serving this recipe, take a tip from Bev Cox, a woman
who not only is responsible for many of my favorite Perdue
recipes over the years, but who is also famous for being
one of the best food stylists around. She likes to have the
garnishes mirror the seasonings, so if she had, for
example, this chicken recipe with basil in it, she'd be apt
to garnish it with fresh basil. She also believes that
garnishes should be edible. These chicken drumsticks with
new potatoes and green beans would be a simple dinner, but
sprinkle the new potatoes with chopped chives, stick a red
pepper ring around the green beans and you have something
that looks special as well as tastes special.
5 roaster drumsticks
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce:
1/4 cup minced fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried
1/4 cup minced, fresh parsley
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon capers
1/4 cup olive oil
Preheat oven to 375oF. Place drumsticks in a baking pan
and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl combine
garlic and olive oil and baste drumsticks generously. Bake
drumsticks for 60 to 75 minutes until tender and cooked
through, turning and basting once. Meanwhile, in a bowl
make sauce by whisking together remaining ingredients.
Serve drumsticks, passing sauce separately.
DRUMSTICKS ZINGARAServes 2
The word "zingara" is from a French sauce with mushrooms,
ham, and truffles. In this version, I've skipped the
truffles.
5 roaster drumsticks
3/4 cup (3-ounces) minced fresh mushrooms
3/4 cup (1/4 pound) minced ham
1/2 cup minced shallots or scallions
3 tablespoons Madeira or brandy, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons minced, fresh tarragon, or 1/2 teaspoon
dried
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened, divided
salt and ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375oF. Pull back the skin of each
drumstick and cut lengthwise slits in the meat in 4 places.
Pull skin back into place In a mixing bowl, combine
mushrooms, ham, shallots, 1 tablespoon Madeira, tarragon, 3
tablespoons butter and salt and pepper. Stuff mixture
under the skin of each drumstick and secure with
toothpicks. Melt remaining butter and baste drumsticks.
Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until tender and cooked
through. Remove to a serving platter and remove
toothpicks. To drippings in pan, add 2 tablespoons Madeira
and bring to a boil, stirring. Pour sauce over drumsticks.
CHILI THIGHS RELLENOS
If you're making this recipe and you're not sure how old
the eggs you have in your refrigerator are, the chances are
that they're still good. As long as they're clean, dry,
have been kept cold and have no cracks, and weren't cooked,
they'll last for months in your refrigerator and still be
suitable for cooking in dishes like this. Eggs that are
several months old won't have the quality of a perfectly
fresh egg, and I wouldn't use them for frying, but they're
still edible. Do be sure they've been kept cold and have no
cracks and are clean.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
1 can (4-ounces) whole, mild green chilies, seeded
1 egg, beaten
salt and ground pepper to taste
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can (8-ounces) tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Open thighs and lay flat. Divide chilies in four equal
amounts and place in the center of each thigh. Roll up and
secure with toothpicks. In a shallow bowl, combine egg and
salt and pepper to taste. Dip thighs in egg and roll in
bread crumbs. Refrigerate 15 minutes. In a large skillet,
over medium heat, melt butter with oil. Add thighs and
cook, turning, 10 to 12 minutes or until brown on all
sides. Spoon tomato sauce over thighs. Reduce heat to
medium-low reduce heat and cover. Cook for 20 minutes or
until thighs are cooked through. Sprinkle with cheese;
cover and cook 2 minutes longer.
INDONESIAN STIR-FRY THIGHSServes 4
This recipe originally called for much more ginger, but I
like a milder flavor, so I reduced it. You may want to
increase the amount suggested here if you like highly
seasoned food. To store fresh ginger, keep it in the
refrigerator in a plastic bag along with a dampened paper
towel to keep it from drying out.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1/3 cup soy sauce, divided
3 tablespoons molasses
3 tablespoons rice wine or white distilled vinegar
2 teaspoons minced, fresh ginger or to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes or ground pepper
pinch ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup carrots, cut in match stick strips
1 cup peeled cucumber, halved, seeded and cut into match-
stick strips
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
Cut thighs into 1/8-inch strips. In a wok or large skillet
over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and stir-fry
for 2 minutes Add 4 tablespoons soy sauce, molasses,
vinegar, seasonings, garlic and ginger; bring to a boil.
Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and steam chicken 5
minutes, stirring once, until tender. In a small bowl
dissolve cornstarch in remaining soy sauce and reserve. Add
carrots and steam, covered, 2 minutes. Stir in cucumber,
scallions and cornstarch mixture and stir until liquid
comes to a boil. Serve over hot fluffy rice.
ISLAND THIGHSServes 4
One of the best money-saving tips I know for buying food is
one you can use in this recipe. A Pennsylvania mushroom
grower told me that when you see slightly browned mushrooms
on sale$and they're often a fraction of the price of the
cosmetically perfect mushrooms$buy them. The mushroom
flavor will be more intense since the mushrooms are older;
they'll have dried slightly so you won't be paying as much
for water; and you won't see the discolorations anyway if
you're using the mushrooms for cooking. I've tried his
recommendation many times, and I think he's right.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (4 ounces)
1 cup thinly sliced scallions
1 cup chicken broth
1-1/2 cups fresh snow peas or 1 package (6 ounces) frozen
snow peas, thawed
3/4 cup seedless, green grapes, halved
2 teaspoons slivered lemon peel
1 teaspoon minced, fresh ginger, or 1/4 teaspoon ground
Cut thigh cutlets into 1/4" by 2" strips. Toss with
cornstarch to coat well. In a wok or large skillet, over
medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and saute until
browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Add mushrooms and
scallions. Saute, stirring until mushrooms are golden,
about 1 minute. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cook,
stirring, until sauce is thickened and smooth. Reduce heat
and simmer 1 to 2 minutes. Serve over rice.
POJARSKI STYLE THIGHSServes 4
Pojarski style dishes use ground meat. They are typically
made from beef, veal, salmon, or chicken. One of the most
famous Pojarski dishes is salmon shaped to look like a pork
chop. Doing the same thing with chicken tastes and looks
delicious and costs a lot less.
1 package fresh ground chicken (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup sour cream, divided
salt and ground pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (4 ounces)
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley
Mix ground chicken with 1/4 cup sour cream, plus salt and
pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate 15 minutes. Form
mixture into four "chop" shaped cutlets and coat each
lightly with flour. In a large skillet over medium heat,
melt butter. Add cutlets and saute for 7 to 8 minutes on
each side until lightly browned and cooked through. Remove
to a serving dish and keep warm. Add mushrooms to skillet
and saute 2 to 3 minutes. Add remaining sour cream and mix
well. Spoon sauce over cutlets. Sprinkle with fresh dill.
STIR-FRIED THIGHS WITH BEANSPROUTSServes 4
Stir frying isn't more difficult than regular frying, but
one big difference is that the pan is kept hotter than
would be usual for American-style frying. To tell if it's
hot enough, place your frying pan$or wok if you have
one$over high heat. The pan or wok is hot enough if a drop
of water dropped onto it sizzles and then evaporates. Add
the oil, and let the oil heat until it's almost at the
smoking point. When adding the ingredients, stir them
constantly until done.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg white, slightly beaten
salt to taste
2 to 3 tablespoons peanut oil, as needed
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red, sweet, bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 pound (2 cups) snow peas, sliced diagonally
1/2 pound (4 cups) beansprouts, washed and drained
1/4 cup soy sauce
few drops Tabasco, to taste
Cut thighs into 1/4" strips. In a shallow bowl, combine
cornstarch, egg white and salt. Add chicken, turning to
coat well. Cover and refrigerate one hour. In a wok or
large skillet over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add
thighs and garlic and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Remove
chicken and set aside. Add additional oil to wok, if
necessary. Add pepper strips and stir-fry one minute.
Remove and set aside. Add scallions and snow peas and
stir-fry one minute. Add beansprouts and cook, tossing, 2
minutes. Return chicken and pepper to wok and toss. Add
soy sauce and Tabasco. Heat thoroughly. Serve over hot
cooked rice.
SWEET AND SOUR THIGHSServes 4
Cornstarch yields a more transparent sauce, and has
roughly twice the thickening power of flour. The
transparency makes it appropriate for oriental recipes like
this one.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 1/2 cups sliced green pepper
2/3 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced scallions, stems included
1 can (8-1/2-ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
6 ounces fresh or frozen (thawed) snow peas
1 can (8-3/4-ounces) pineapple chunks in syrup
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Cut thighs into bite size pieces. In a wok or large
skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add thigh pieces
and stir-fry 5 minutes. Add green pepper, celery,
scallions and water chestnuts. Stir-fry 2 minutes. Add
snow peas, pineapple and syrup and chicken broth. Reduce
heat to medium and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. In
a small bowl, blend together cornstarch, sugar, ginger,
vinegar and soy sauce. Add to wok and cook until sauce is
slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve over hot cooked
rice.
SZECHUAN STIR-FRY THIGHSServes 4
The woman in charge of supervising the entire Perdue recipe
program, says that this is her personal favorite.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 cup carrots, cut into matchstick strips
1/2 cup cashews
1 teaspoon hot chili pepper, finely chopped, or to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Cut boneless thighs into strips (about 1/4" x 2"). In a
wok or large skillet over high heat, heat 2 tablespoons
oil. Add chicken and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove
chicken and reserve. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to
wok and add carrots, cashews, chili pepper, garlic and
ginger. Stir-fry 3 minutes until carrots just begin to
soften. Return chicken to wok. In a small bowl blend
together soy sauce, sherry and cornstarch. Add to wok and
cook, stirring constantly, until sauce boils and thickens.
Serve over hot cooked rice.
THIGH CHILIServes 4
This is a healthy, low-cholesterol chili.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 green pepper, seeded and chopped
1 can (16-ounces) tomatoes, chopped, with liquid
1 can (16-ounces) kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon chili powder
salt and ground pepper to taste
Tabasco, to taste
Cut chicken into bite size pieces. In a Dutch oven over
medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken, onion, garlic and
green pepper and cook, stirring until chicken loses its
pink color. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Simmer,
covered, over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until
chicken is tender. Adjust seasonings according to taste.
THIGH FLAUTASServes 4
You can tell if your avocado for the guacamole in this
recipe is ripe by whether it yields to gentle pressure when
you hold it between your palms. If there's some "give" to
it, it's ripe. If it feels hard, like a baseball, it's not
ripe. Wait a few days, and it will have a richer, creamer
texture and flavor. You can speed the ripening by keeping
the avocado in a paper bag, at room temperature, along with
a banana or pear or apple. These fruits give off a ripening
factor and the paper bag concentrates the ripening factor.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
1 quart chicken broth
1/2 pound Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
(about 2 cups)
1/4 cup red or green chili salsa
salt to taste
8 flour tortillas
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/3 cup sour cream, optional
Guacamole:
1 large ripe avocado
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon red or green chili salsa
In a large saucepan over medium-high heat bring chicken
broth to a boil. Add boneless thighs, reduce heat to
medium-low and simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Remove
thighs, reserving broth for other use. Shred meat and
place in a mixing bowl. Toss with 1-1/2 cups cheese,
salsa, and salt to taste. Divide mixture among tortillas
and roll up, securing with a toothpick, if necessary. In a
large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1/2-inch
oil. Fry flautas in hot oil, turning to brown lightly on
all sides. Transfer to serving dish and keep warm. To
make guacamole, scoop out avocado flesh, chop and toss with
lemon juice. Combine lightly with remaining ingredients.
Serve flautas topped with guacamole, remaining cheese and
sour cream, if desired.
Chapter Two. Chicken for the Microwave
When I was organizing this chapter, I was tempted to
include all of these microwave recipes in the "Cooking for
Everyday" chapter. After all, the microwave is certainly
becoming part of our everyday life.
The reason I didn't is$well, there are two reasons.
First, if I put all the microwave recipes in one chapter,
you won't have to waste time hunting for them. Second,
there are a number of tips on using the microwave
successfully, and I thought you might like to have them all
in one place, also.
The microwave is a wonderful convenience, but in my
case, I used to use it for reheating foods or for boiling
water and not much else. Are you the same? Ah, but there's
so much more to it than that! Having spent time with the
Perdue food technologists and home economists, and
especially after studying the techniques and recipes from
Rita Marie Schneider, the home economist who developed the
majority of the Perdue microwave recipes, I'm a convert
now. I've come to appreciate the versatility of the
microwave as well as the speed.
There's a reason I happen to have spent time with the
Perdue experts. Once when Frank was microwaving nuggets for
himself at HIGH, he found that by the time all of them were
heated, one of them was badly overcooked and therefore,
dried out and$what a dirty word this is in the Perdue
household!$tough. Frank didn't know that the microwave was
the problem and instead assumed it was his product that was
at fault.
How can I even tell you about the crisis that one
tough "tender" caused! Frank didn't seem as upset when a
whole processing plant burned down the year before. Because
of that one tough tender, he called the plant manager, the
quality control people, the packaging people, the man who
wrote the cooking directions, the food technologists, the
woman who runs the tasting lab, and probably half a dozen
other people as well. It didn't matter that it was the
weekend$the situation had to be addressed immediately! He
kept repeating disconsolately, "I have no right to sell a
product like this."
Eventually, one of the Perdue food technicians came
out to our house and checked the microwave and suggested
that we'd get more even cooking if we used MEDIUM HIGH. She
said that at this setting, the microwaves reach an
equilibrium so heating is much more even. And when there
are no hot spots and no cold spots, the chicken gets
uniformly warm with no dried out tough parts.
While she was there, she had a number of other tips
for me as well, and as I talked with other Perdue people, I
collected still more. By now, knowing a few little tricks
about the microwave, I know how to make much better use of
it. Because of the time it saves in cooking, and the time
it saves in clean-up (no baked on bits of food to scrub), I
use the microwave about as often as my oven.
Tips for Using Your Microwave
_The best microwave tip I know is, learn about
the "cold spots" in your microwave so you don't end up with
unevenly cooked chicken. To learn your microwave's "cold
spots," line the bottom of your microwave oven with wax
paper and then spread an eighth-inch layer of pancake
batter over it. Turn the oven on HIGH, and then check it at
30 second intervals. At some point, (in my case after a
minute and a half), you'll see that in some places the
batter is dried out and hard, while in others, it's still
soupy, as if the heat hadn't touched it. Once I made this
check, I gained an immense respect for the fact that
microwaves don't necessarily cook evenly, and I've made
sure to compensate ever since by stirring or turning foods
as directed in microwave recipes.
_Do not use utensils with metal trim (including the
gold trim on fine china), handle clamps, or fastening
screws. Metal trim can cause arcing (sparking). Aluminum
foil, in small amounts on the other hand, won't cause
arcing in most microwaves as long as it doesn't touch the
sides of the oven.
_The coverings used in microwave cooking have definite
purposes: use plastic wrap to steam and tenderize; use wax
paper to hold in heat without steaming; use paper towels to
absorb moisture, yet hold in heat.
_To obtain a crisp, crunchy crumb-coated chicken,
first cook covered with wax paper, then switch to a paper
towel covering and, finally, complete cooking with chicken
uncovered.
_If the bony parts of your chicken are overcooking
before the meatier parts are done, shield the bony parts by
placing strips of thin aluminum foil over them.
_If you're microwaving chicken livers, prick each one
to allow steam to escape. Before I knew this tip, I've had
them explode in the oven.
_Microwave recipes usually call for smaller amounts of
seasonings than conventionally cooked dishes. Microwaving
tends to intensify flavors, so you won't need as much
seasoning.
_Don't ignore the standing time called for in some of
these recipes. In microwave cookery, standing time allows
further cooking to occur after you have removed the food
from the microwave oven. Covering the food holds heat in
and speeds this final, important step. When I've cheated on
this step, I've found the chicken hard to carve and
undercooked.
_When possible, arrange food in a circular or donut
shape; without corners, food cooks more evenly from all
sides. For example, if you're cooking drumsticks, arrange
them like a wagon wheel with the meatier portions at the
outer edge, and the drum stick end in the center.
_Thin foods cook faster than thick foods because
microwaves lose power after they penetrate food.
_Ingredients also affect cooking time. Foods higher
in sugar or fat heat faster and to higher temperatures than
do those with lower sugar or fat content.
_When the recipe says "70% power," or MEDIUM HIGH,
don't be tempted to get things done faster by going for
100% power. At 70% power, the microwaves cook the product
more slowly but also more evenly, so there's less worry
about cold spots.
ROASTED CHICKEN WITH ALMOND SAUCEServes 4
Of course you can serve the pre-cooked chicken just as it
comes from the store, without doing anything else to it at
all. I've done this many times with our Perdue Done It!
roasted chicken when I've been in a hurry. But this recipe
only takes a few extra minutes and you'll have a show piece
at the end. As you're making it, be glad for a moment that
you're not making this recipe in the year 1911. A typical
recipe in a the December issue of The Wisconsin Farmer
assumes that you've already plucked the bird and removed
its head and feet. It directs you "to singe the bird over a
burning newspaper on a hot stove." The stove would
probably have been a wood-burning one, and in all
probability, it would have been up to you to get the wood
for the stove. When I think of then and I think of now, I'm
glad that "We've come a long way, baby".
1 roasted chicken
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons Amaretto or other almond liqueur
1-1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds
Heat pre-cooked roasted chicken in its own microwave tray
following package directions.
In 2-cup glass container, combine cornstarch, broth,
liqueur and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap and
microwave at HIGH (100% power) 3 or 4 minutes until bubbly
and thick; stir twice during cooking. Add almonds. Slice
chicken onto a platter and top with sauce.
FIVE-MINUTE ROASTED DRUMSTICKS
1 package roasted chicken drumsticks (4-6 per package).
Following package directions, warm roasted drumsticks in a
conventional oven or, using package tray, heat in a
microwave oven. Brush with your favorite bottled barbecue
sauce.
CHICKEN POCKET SANDWICHESServes 4
You could use regular chicken breasts for this, but the
roaster breast has a richer, more chickeny flavor.
("Chickeny" is a word, by the way. Frank uses it all the
time, and he ought to know.)
1 roaster boneless breast
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
4 pita breads
Lettuce leaves
1 container (8-ounces) plain yogurt
3 tablespoons finely chopped green onion
Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks. In 3-quart microwave-safe
utensil, combine olive oil, lemon juice, onion, garlic,
salt, oregano, and Cayenne pepper; add chicken chunks and
stir. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH (100% power)
10 minutes or until chicken has turned white. Stir mixture
3 or 4 times during cooking. Let stand, covered, 5
minutes. Cut each pita bread into 2 pockets, line with
lettuce and spoon in chicken. In small bowl, combine
yogurt and green onion; serve over chicken.
CHICKEN A LA MONTMORENCYServes 6
Any recipe with the word "Montmorency" is apt to have
cherries in it. The sauce for this one is particularly
good and Frank liked it enough to spread the leftovers on
toast the next day at breakfast. If you don't want to
microwave the roaster breast, just cook it in your oven,
following the package directions. When I'm in a hurry, I
use this microwave recipe, but breasts are the hardest part
of the chicken to keep tender in a microwave because
they're fairly dry to begin with, and if you overcook them,
they'll get tough.
1 roaster breast
1 can (16-ounces) pitted dark sweet cherries
1/4 cup dry red wine
Water
5 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons red currant jelly (optional)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Salt and ground pepper to taste
Place breast, skin side down, on microwave-safe roasting
utensil. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH (100%
power) 5 minutes. Reduce power to MEDIUM HIGH (70% power)
and cook 12 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking
time, turn breast, skin side up; brush with drippings in
utensil. Re-cover with wax paper; complete cooking. Let
stand, covered, 15 minutes. Test for doneness after
standing; juices should run clear with no hint of pink
when breast is cut near bone.
Drain cherries, reserving syrup in a 4-cup glass container.
Place cherries and red wine in small bowl. Add enough
water to cherry syrup to measure 1 cup. Stir in
cornstarch, mixing until well blended. Microwave at HIGH 3
minutes, stirring twice. Stir cherries with wine into
thickened syrup. Continue cooking at HIGH 1 to 2 minutes
or until mixture thickens and boils for 1 minute. Add
jelly, if desir
ed, and butter; stir until smooth.
To serve, slice chicken and place on warm platter. Spoon
some of cherry sauce over chicken slices; pass remaining
sauce.
CHICKEN A LA NANCYServes 4
Unlike me, Frank does not enjoy puttering around in the
kitchen. He loves the results, but cooking is not his
favorite way to spend his free time. (He'd be more apt to
watch a game on TV or visit with friends.) When he does
cook, I can almost guarantee that it will be something
quick and carefree. But there is one exception, and it's
this recipe. I've never dared ask just who Nancy is, but
Frank once won a cooking contest using her recipe, so he's
been fond of it ever since.
He says to point out that the cooked lemon with rind does
remain as a part of the food. It adds an unusual taste and
texture. If you don't like a strong lemony flavor, you
might start by using half the lemon that the recipe calls
for. That's what I do when I make this recipe.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced
boneless roaster breast
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lemon with peel, very thinly sliced
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 can (14-ounces) water-packed whole artichoke hearts,
drained and quartered
Place chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap.
Pound to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into 2 inch squares. If
using thin sliced boneless Roaster breast, skip the
pounding and simply cut into 2 inch squares.
Frying Pan Method:
In a large skillet over medium heat, hat oil. Add garlic
and saute until soft. Add lemon and mushrooms and saute 1
to 2 minutes. Add all other ingredients except artichokes.
Fry, stirring frequently, approximately 15 minutes or until
chicken is cooked through. Add artichokes and heat.
aMicrowave Method:
In 3-quart microwave-safe round dish, combine oil,
mushrooms, lemon slices and garlic; cover with plastic
wrap. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 3 minutes, stirring
once. In a 1-cup glass measuring cup, combine wine and
flour; stir into mushroom mixture.
Arrange chicken pieces on top of mushroom mixture and cover
with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 6
minutes per pound, stirring mixture 3 times. Sprinkle with
salt, pepper and oregano. Stir in artichoke quarters; re-
cover and microwave at HIGH 2 minutes. Let stand, covered,
5 minutes.
CHICKEN THIGHS PARMESANServes 3-4
The Dijon mustard called for in this recipe is quite sharp
before it's cooked. After heating in the microwave, you'll
find that it loses much of its sharpness and leaves behind
a subtle spicy flavor. Yellow mustard won't produce the
same effect.
6 chicken thighs
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Remove skin from thighs. On wax paper, combine bread
crumbs and Parmesan cheese. In shallow dish, combine
butter, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Brush thighs
with butter mixture and then roll in crumbs to lightly coat
both sides. Reserve remaining butter mixture and crumbs.
Arrange thighs in circular pattern on microwave-safe
roasting utensil; cover with wax paper. Microwave at
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound. Halfway
through cooking time, turn thighs over; spoon on remaining
butter mixture and sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.
Cover with a double thickness of paper towels. Complete
cooking; remove paper towels during last 2 minutes cooking
time. Let stand, uncovered, 2 minutes before serving.
CHICKEN WITH MANGO SAUCEServes 6
Mangos, which are rich in vitamins A and C, make a
delicious, colorful and unusual sauce for a roaster breast.
When mangos aren't available, try fresh or canned peaches.
1 roaster breast
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
2 ripe mangos, peeled and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons cherry- or orange-flavored liqueur
Salt and pepper to taste
Place skin side down on microwave-safe roasting utensil.
Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5
minutes. Reduce power to MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook
12 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn
breast skin side up; brush with drippings in utensil. Re-
cover with wax paper and complete cooking. Let stand,
covered, 15 minutes. Test for doneness after standing;
juices should run clear with no hint of pink when breast is
cut near the bone.
In a 4-cup glass container, place butter. Microwave at
HIGH 30 seconds or until melted. Stir in cornstarch until
blended; stir in brown sugar and orange juice. In blender
or food processor fitted with steel blade, puree mango
chunks. Stir pureed mangos into orange juice mixture.
Microwave at HIGH 4 minutes, stirring twice. Add liqueur;
microwave 1 minute longer.
To serve, slice chicken and place on warm platter. Spoon
some of mango sauce over slices, then pass remaining sauce.
CURRY-GLAZED BREASTServes 4
Curry powder is a blend of many spices, so you don't need
to combine spices yourself. Indian Curry Powder is mild and
Madras Curry Powder is quite hot.
1 whole roaster breast
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
Place breast bone side down on a microwave-safe roasting
utensil.
Place butter in a 2-cup glass container; microwave at HIGH
(100% power) 45 seconds. Stir in honey, mustard, curry
powder and salt; brush mixture all over breast. Cover with
wax paper; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 12 minutes
per pound. Baste breast and rotate utensil 3 or 4 times
during cooking. Let stand, covered with wax paper, 15
minutes. Test for doneness after standing; juices should
run clear with no hint of pink when breast is cut near
bone.
HAM AND CHICKEN ROLL-UPSServes 4
If you can't easily find the prosciutto called for in this
recipe, substitute any thinly sliced ham, such as the pre-
sliced ham you find in the deli section of your
supermarket. Or try thin slices of smoked turkey ham.
If you slice the cooked Roll-Ups crosswise, they make
wonderful hors d'oeuvres or appetizers.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced
boneless roaster breast
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
Salt and ground pepper to taste
4 thin slices prosciutto
Place chicken breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic
wrap and pound to 1/2-inch thickness. Skip the previous
step if you are using thin sliced boneless roaster breasts.
Brush breasts with olive oil to help seal in moisture;
sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper. Roll up each
breast half, starting from narrow end. Wrap a slice of
prosciutto around each roll.
In 8-inch square microwave-safe baking dish, place chicken
rolls seam side down. Cover with wax paper. Microwave at
HIGH (100% power) 8 minutes, rotating dish 2 or 3 times
during cooking. Let stand 5 minutes. Check for doneness
after standing; juices should be clear with no hint of pink
when chicken is cut near center.
HEAVENLY CHICKENServes 4
If you're using fresh asparagus spears for this, here's how
to tell the tender part from the part that's too tough and
fibrous to be good eating. Take the bud end of an asparagus
spear in one hand and the butt end in the other and then
bend the spear until it breaks. The part on the bud side
is tender enough to use. The spears will always break at
just that point. But don't throw away the tough end. If you
peel the tough end with a potato peeler, you'll get down to
the tender, edible part underneath and can use that portion
also. Cook the leftover parts until tender and use them in
soups or omelettes.
4 chicken breast halves
12 fresh or frozen asparagus spears
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
4 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup crushed crackers
On microwave-safe roasting pan, arrange breasts, bone side
up, in a circular pattern. Cover loosely with plastic
wrap; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 8 minutes per
pound. Halfway through cooking time turn breasts over; re-
cover with plastic wrap and complete cooking. Let stand,
covered, 10 minutes.
Rinse asparagus and remove tough end. On microwave-safe
rack, arrange asparagus with stem ends toward outside.
Place rack in microwave-safe utensil. Add water; cover
with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 to 7
minutes or until tender-crisp. Let stand, covered, 3 to 5
minutes.
In 4-cup glass container, place butter; microwave at HIGH 1
minute. Blend flour and ginger into melted butter.
Gradually add chicken broth, wine, salt and pepper,
stirring constantly. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes or until
thick and smooth, stirring 3 times.
In 12 x 8-inch microwave-safe dish, arrange cooked
asparagus, with stem ends toward outside; pour half of wine
sauce over asparagus. Arrange chicken breasts on top with
meatier portions toward outside; spoon remaining sauce over
breasts. Sprinkle pecans and cracker crumbs on top; cover
with a double thickness of paper towels. Microwave at
MEDIUM-HIGH 5 minutes or until heated through.
MICROWAVE MARMALADE DRUMSTICKSServes 4
This recipe calls for a microwave-safe utensil. Do you
know how to tell for sure if your utensil is suitable?
1. Place the utensil and a cup of water side by side
in the microwave oven.
2. Turn the oven to the HIGH setting for 1 minute. If
the dish is warm, then it is absorbing microwave energy.
Do not use it in the microwave oven.
5 roaster drumsticks
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup orange marmalade (You can also use current jelly)
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
In 9-inch microwave-safe utensil, combine butter and onion.
Cover; microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Blend in
marmalade and curry powder; turn drumsticks in mixture.
Place drumsticks with meatier portions toward outer edge of
utensil; cover with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH
(70% power) 12 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking
time, turn chicken over, re-cover with wax paper and
microwave remaining time.
Let stand, covered, 15 minutes.
SAUCY MICROWAVE CHICKEN WINGSServes 4
To make an attractive presentation, try tucking the tip of
each wing under to form a triangle.
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 small clove garlic, minced
16 chicken wings
In 12 x 8-inch microwave-safe utensil, combine all
ingredients except wings; turn wings in mixture. Cover
with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 8
minutes per pound, turning wings over 3 to 4 times during
cooking.
Let stand, covered, 10 minutes.
TEX-MEX DRUMSTICKSServes 4
Removing skin from chicken is an easy way to reduce
calories, and because moisture doesn't evaporate readily in
microwave cooking, the chicken will remain juicy and
flavorful.
6 chicken drumsticks
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup fine, dry bread crumbs
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup taco-flavored or other pourable salad dressing
Remove skin from drumsticks. On wax paper, combine pecans,
bread crumbs, parsley and chili powder. Brush drumsticks
with taco dressing, then roll in crumb mixture to coat all
sides. Reserve crumbs and dressing.
On microwave-safe roasting pan, arrange drumsticks in
circular pattern, with meatier portions toward outside.
Cover with wax paper; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power)
10 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn
drumsticks over, spoon on remaining dressing and sprinkle
with reserved crumb mixture. Cover with a double thickness
of paper towels. Complete cooking, removing paper towels
during last 2 minutes. Let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes
before serving.
MICROWAVE CHICKEN BREASTS PAPRIKASHServes 4
One way of avoiding having your eyes tear when the slicing
the onion in this recipe is to do the cutting under running
tap water. The vapors that hurt
your eyes won't have a chance to get into the air, but
instead will just wash down the drain.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 green peppers, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 can (8-ounces) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Ground pepper to taste
4 chicken breast halves
1 container (8-ounces) commercial sour cream
1 tablespoon flour
In a 12 x 8-inch microwave-safe utensil, combine oil,
peppers and onion. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave at
HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce,
paprika, marjoram, salt, and pepper. On top of tomato
mixture, place breasts bone side up with meatier portions
toward outside. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH 5
minutes; reduce power to MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook
10 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn
breasts over and stir mixture. Re-cover with wax paper and
microwave remaining time. Let stand 5 minutes.
Stir sour cream and flour into tomato mixture. Cover;
microwave at HIGH 1 minute. Stir and let stand 2 minutes.
Pour over chicken breasts.
CORNISH HENS WITH LEMON TARRAGON SAUCEServes 4
You can get more juice from a lemon if you roll it around
on a flat surface first while pressing your palm against it
fairly hard. This ruptures the little juice sacks. You'll
also get more juice if the lemon is at room temperature
rather than just out of the refrigerator.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, divided, or 1/2 teaspoon
dried
1 cup chicken broth
Juice of one lemon (about 1/4 cup)
Salt and ground pepper to taste
1/2 pound fresh asparagus, or substitute green beans
2 teaspoons water
With sharp knife or poultry shears, cut hens in half,
lengthwise. Remove and discard backbone and skin. Coat
hen pieces lightly with flour and sprinkle with half of
tarragon. Place hens bone side up, with legs to inside, on
a microwave-safe roasting utensil.
In a 4-cup glass container, combine chicken broth, lemon
juice, remaining tarragon and pepper. Microwave at HIGH
(100% power) 3 to 4 minutes, or until boiling. Baste hens
with half of hot broth. Cover with wax paper; microwave at
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound combined
weight of hens. Halfway through cooking time, turn hens
bone side down and baste with remaining broth mixture. Re-
cover and complete cooking. Let stand, covered, 10
minutes.
Slice asparagus diagonally into 1-inch pieces and place in
a 2-quart microwave-safe utensil with water. Cover;
microwave at HIGH 3 TO 4 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes;
drain and set aside. When ready to serve, add asparagus to
lemon sauce and pour over hens.
MICROWAVE HENS JUBILEEServes 2
This is a close cousin of CHICKEN A LA MONTMORENCY, but
it's spicier and less sweet.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
1 can (16-ounces) dark sweet cherries in syrup
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
With poultry shears or sharp knife, split hens lengthwise,
removing backbone, if desired. In 12 x 8 microwave-safe
utensil, arrange hens, bone side up with meatier portions
to outside.
In 2-quart microwave-safe utensil, drain liquid from
cherries; blend in sherry and cornstarch. Add cherries,
chili sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Microwave at HIGH
(100% power) 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once, until mixture
begins to boil and thicken. Pour sauce over hens. Cover
loosely with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70%
power) 8 minutes per pound, turning the hens over halfway
through cooking time. Re-cover with wax paper and
microwave remaining time. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes.
PINEAPPLE BAKED CORNISH HENSServes 4
Green peppers and most other fresh vegetables are ideal for
microwaving. They retain their clear color and stay
crunchy and fresh tasting. For extra color, substitute 1/2
sweet red pepper and 1/2 green pepper for the single whole
green pepper.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
1 green pepper, cored, finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 can (8-ounces) crushed pineapple in natural juices
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
With poultry shears or sharp knife, split hens lengthwise
and remove and discard skin. Place hens bone side up on a
microwave-safe 12 x 8-inch utensil, arranging with legs to
inside.
In a 2-quart microwave-safe utensil, place green pepper,
onion and oil. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 2 to 3
minutes or until pepper is tender. Add pineapple, soy
sauce, mustard and ginger; microwave at HIGH 1 to 2
minutes.
Baste hen halves with half of pineapple mixture. Cover
with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10
minutes per pound combined weight of hens. Halfway through
cooking time, turn hens bone side down and baste with
remaining pineapple mixture. Re-cover and complete
cooking. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Serve with
pineapple sauce.
ROSEMARY HENS WITH LIGHT WINE GRAVYServes 4
Game hens are sold both fresh and frozen. If you've
selected a frozen one, follow your microwave manufacturer's
directions for defrosting and turn and rearrange the birds
frequently for even defrosting. I've tried game hens both
fresh and frozen, and I found that there's enough of a
difference in flavor and tenderness to make me strongly
prefer fresh.
2 Cornish game hens
6 sprigs fresh parsley
1 small onion, halved
1 clove garlic, halved
3 small carrots, peeled, cut in 1/2-inch slices (1 cup)
2 medium tomatoes, peeled and cut in wedges, or 6 cherry
tomatoes, halved
1 medium zucchini, cut in 3/4-inch slices (1 cup)
1/4 pound mushrooms, quartered (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 and 1/2 teaspoon minced, fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon
dried
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons cold water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Into each hen cavity, place 3 sprigs parsley, 1/2 onion and
1/2 garlic clove.
Place carrots, tomatoes, zucchini and mushrooms in a
microwave-safe baking dish. Combine chicken broth, wine
and 1/4 teaspoon rosemary; pour over vegetables. Cover
with plastic wrap and microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5
minutes. Arrange hens, breast side down, on top. Sprinkle
with remaining rosemary and pepper. Cover with wax paper.
Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 11 minutes per pound
combined weight of hens. Halfway through cooking time,
stir vegetables; turn hens breast side up and rotate dish.
Re-cover with wax paper.
Remove hens to serving platter, reserving juices for gravy.
Using slotted spoon, arrange vegetables around hens and
cover with foil; allow to stand 10 minutes. Cut hens in
half to serve.
To prepare gravy, in a 4 cup glass container, combine
water and cornstarch. Slowly add reserved cooking juices
(about 3/4 cup) from hens; stir to blend. Microwave at
HIGH 2 minutes or until thickened, stirring twice. Serve
with Cornish hens.
HONEY MUSTARD ROASTERServes 8
Covering is a key technique in successful microwave
cooking. In a conventional oven a sweet honey-mustard
basting sauce could overbrown. Instead, in the microwave
it dries as the roaster skin cooks and it forms an
attractive golden glaze on the bird.
1 whole roaster (about 6 pounds)
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
Remove giblets from roaster. With rounded wooden picks,
fasten skin across cavity and neck openings. Place
roaster, breast side down, on microwave-safe roasting pan.
Melt butter in a 1-cup glass measuring cup by microwaving
at HIGH (100% power) 1 minute. Stir in honey and remaining
ingredients; brush roaster with mixture and cover with wax
paper. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes. Reduce power to
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook 12 minutes per pound,
brushing frequently with honey mixture. Halfway through
cooking time, turn roaster breast side up; complete
cooking. Let stand, covered, 20 minutes. Test for doneness
after standing; juices should run clear with no hint of
pink when thigh is pierced. Pour drippings from utensil
into remaining sauce mixture in measuring cup; microwave at
HIGH 2 minutes or until heated through. Serve sauce with
roaster.
MEXICAN MICROWAVE CHICKEN CASSEROLE
Leftover Mexican Chicken Casserole makes a fast and
delicious taco filling. Shred chicken, reheat in sauce and
serve with shredded lettuce and cheese and a dollop of sour
cream.
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 large green pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can (14.5 ounces) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 chicken cut in serving pieces
1 can (17-ounces) corn, drained
In 3 to 5-quart microwave-safe utensil, combine butter,
onion, pepper and garlic. Cover with plastic wrap;
microwave at HIGH (100% power) 3 to 5 minutes or until
onion and pepper are tender. Stir in tomato sauce, flour,
salt, cumin, oregano and pepper.
Place chicken pieces, bone side up with meatier portions
toward outside of utensil, on top of mixture. Cover with
wax paper; microwave at HIGH 5 minutes. Reduce power to
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook 10 minutes per pound.
Halfway through cooking time, turn chicken pieces over; re-
cover with wax paper and microwave remaining time. Let
stand, covered, 10 minutes. Remove chicken pieces to
serving dish; cover. Add corn to sauce in utensil; cover
with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 2 minutes. To serve,
pour sauce over chicken.
PLUM-SPICED CHICKENServes 4
The plum sauce is a low-fat way to make the chicken develop
an attractive color as it cooks in the microwave.
1 chicken, cut in half lengthwise
1 cup plum jelly or preserves
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (optional)
Place chicken halves, skin side down, on microwave-safe
roasting utensil, set aside.
In a 4-cup glass container, combine jelly and remaining
ingredients. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 4 minutes,
stirring 3 times. Brush chicken halves with sauce; cover
with wax paper.
Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 to 12 minutes per
pound, brushing chicken frequently with sauce. Halfway
through cooking time, turn chicken halves over; brush with
sauce. Re-cover with wax paper; complete cooking. Let
stand, covered 15 minutes.
STUFFED CHICKEN CHARLESTON STYLEServes 4
The microwave oven makes it possible to make this succulent
roast chicken and all the trimmings in less than an hour.
To complete the meal with "baked" potatoes, you can
microwave them during the chicken's standing time.
1 whole chicken
4 strips uncooked bacon, diced
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 cups packaged cornbread stuffing
1/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans
5 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted, divided
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry sherry, divided
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Ground pepper to taste
Remove giblets. In 1 1/2-quart microwave-safe utensil
place diced bacon; cover with paper towel. Microwave at
HIGH (100% power) 3 minutes or until crisp, stirring twice.
With slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towel to drain;
set aside. Reserve drippings. In same 1 1/2-quart
microwave-safe utensil, combine onion and celery; cover
with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 2 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, combine onions and celery with stuffing,
pecans, and cooked bacon. In cup, blend 2 tablespoons
butter, 3 tablespoons sherry and water; toss with stuffing.
Spoon stuffing loosely into cavity and neck openings of
chicken. With rounded wooden picks, fasten skin across
cavity and neck openings.
Combine 1 tablespoon butter with 1 teaspoon sherry; brush
on chicken. Place chicken, breast side down, on microwave-
safe roasting utensil; cover with wax paper. Microwave at
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound, brushing
chicken frequently with butter-sherry mixture and
drippings. Halfway through cooking time, turn chicken
breast side up; re-cover with wax paper. Complete cooking.
Let stand, covered, 15 minutes. Test for doneness after
standing; juices should run clear with no hint of pink
when thigh is pierced
Pour pan drippings into a 2-cup glass container. Add 1/2
cup sherry to roasting utensil to loosen pan juices; pour
into container with drippings. Microwave at HIGH 3
minutes; stir in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and
parsley. Serve chicken, sliced, with stuffing and gravy.
CHEESY MICROWAVE THIGHSServes 4
Chicken thighs and drumsticks are fairly uniform in size,
making them an ideal choice for quick cooking in the
microwave.
6 chicken thighs
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons white wine
Pinch freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Minced, fresh parsley (optional)
Remove and discard skin from thighs. In a 12 x 8-inch
microwave-safe utensil, combine 2 tablespoons butter and
onion. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Arrange
thighs in a circular pattern on top of onions. Cover with
wax paper; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes
per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn thighs over;
re-cover with wax paper and microwave remaining time. Let
stand, covered, 10 minutes.
Place remaining butter in 4-cup glass container; microwave
at HIGH 30 to 50 seconds. Blend in flour and salt;
gradually stir in milk, mixing well. Microwave at HIGH 3
to 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture boils and
thickens. Add cheeses, wine and nutmeg; stir until cheese
is melted. Pour sauce over chicken thighs; cover with wax
paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH 2 to 3 minutes or until
heated through. Garnish with parsley if desired.
CHICKEN MARENGOServes 3-4
Frank admires Napoleon because he was such an effective
leader and motivator of men. But Frank has another reason
to like the famous French general. Napoleon liked chicken
so much that during his campaigns, he ate it almost every
night. In 1800 when Napoleon was fighting in Italy, the
supply wagons were late and his chef had to scour the
countryside for whatever food he could find. The result
was a chicken dish made with olive oil, mushrooms, tomato,
garlic and other ingredients available from the nearby
farms. Napoleon liked the dish so much that he named it
"Chicken Marengo," in honor of the battlefield where he had
just been fighting, and from then on ordered it served to
him after every battle.
6 chicken thighs
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cups coarsely chopped fresh plum tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
Remove and discard skin from thighs. In 3-quart microwave-
safe utensil, combine remaining ingredients; cover with
plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes,
stirring twice. Arrange thighs in circular pattern on top
of tomato mixture; spoon mixture over thighs. Cover with
wax paper; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes
per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn thighs over;
re-cover and complete cooking. Let stand, covered, 10
minutes before serving.
CHINESE CHICKENServes 4
The shape of foods affects cooking results. Thin areas
cook faster than thicker ones, so meatier portions should
always be placed toward the outer edge of the utensil where
microwave energy is greater.
4 chicken drumsticks
4 chicken thighs
1/4 cup melted butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon minced, fresh ginger
1 can (3-ounces) chow mein noodles
1/4 cup sliced almonds
Salt to taste
Remove and discard skin from drumsticks and thighs. In
small bowl, mix butter, soy sauce, pepper and ginger. In
blender or food processor fitted with steel blade, finely
chop chow mein noodles, almonds and salt; transfer to wax
paper. Brush chicken with soy mixture, then roll in noodle
mixture to coat all sides. Arrange on microwave-safe
roasting pan, with meatier portions toward outside; cover
with wax paper. Reserve remaining soy and noodle mixture.
Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound.
Halfway through cooking time turn legs and thighs over;
spoon on remaining soy mixture and sprinkle with remaining
noodle mixture. Cover with a double thickness of paper
towels. Complete cooking, remove paper towels during last
2 minutes. Let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes before serving.
DRUMSTICKS LITTLE ITALY STYLEServes 4
Do you know how to tell when rice is done? The aim of
cooking rice is to have all the little starch granules
inside each grain swell with water but not burst. You can
tell that rice is undercooked if you pinch a grain and feel
a hard or gritty core. You can tell that it's overcooked
if you look at a grain closely and find that the edges are
split and ragged. It's perfectly cooked if the grain is the
same smooth shape as the uncooked grain, only puffed,
swollen and soft.
1 cup chopped, canned tomatoes
3/4 cup long grain rice
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
5 roaster drumsticks
Salt and ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons or more minced, fresh parsley
In a 3 quart microwave-safe utensil combine tomatoes and
rice. Stir in broth and wine; add onion, garlic, thyme,
and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave at high
(100% power) 5 minutes. Arrange drumsticks over top of
mixture, with meatiest portions to the outer edge of
utensil. Re-cover with plastic wrap; microwave at HIGH
(100% power) 5 minutes then at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 12
minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time stir and
turn drumsticks over. Re-cover and complete the cooking.
Let stand, covered 10 minutes before serving. Test for
doneness after standing; juices should run clear with no
hint of pink when drumstick is pierced. Season with salt
and pepper. Add parsley to rice mixture for garnish.
OLIVE MICROWAVED CHICKENMakes 6 Drumsticks
When you saw the title of this recipe, did you hesitate
because you were concerned that the calories in olives
could wreck your diet? Not to worry! Olives are actually a
fairly low calorie food, with the average one having only
4-5 calories. The largest jumbo olive has only 12
calories.
6 chicken drumsticks
1 cup slivered onion strips
1/2 cup slivered green pepper strips
1/2 cup thawed lemonade concentrate
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup sliced pimento-stuffed olives
1/4 cup sliced pitted ripe olives
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
Remove and discard skin from drumsticks. In a 12 x 8-inch
microwave-safe utensil, combine remaining ingredients;
cover with plastic wrap. Microwave HIGH (100% power) 5
minutes, stirring once.
Turn drumsticks in sauce to coat. Arrange drumsticks in
circular pattern in sauce with meatier portions toward
outside of utensil. Cover with wax paper; microwave at
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound. Halfway
through cooking time, turn drumsticks and spoon sauce on
top. Re-cover with wax paper; complete cooking. Let
stand, covered, 10 minutes before serving.
PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH-COUNTRY DRUMSTICKSServes 2
When you're buying the apples for this recipe, you can tell
which ones are Red Delicious by looking at the base of the
apples. A Red Delicious always has five knobs or points at
the base.
5 roaster drumsticks
Salt and ground pepper to taste
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided
1/2 cup apple juice (1/4 cup for microwave)
1 tablespoon soy sauce (1-1/2 teaspoons for microwave)
1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly-packed (1/8 cup for microwave)
2 Red Delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges
each
2 tablespoons sugar
Conventional Method:
Season drumsticks with salt and pepper. In a large skillet
over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Add drumsticks
and brown for 4 to 5 minutes per side. In a measuring cup
combine apple juice, soy sauce and brown sugar and pour
over drumsticks. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Turn and
simmer 25 minutes longer.
Ten minutes before end of cooking time, in another skillet,
over medium-high heat, melt remaining butter. Add apple
wedges and brown on one side. Sprinkle with sugar and
turn. Brown other side. Transfer chicken to serving dish
and top with apple wedges. Spoon sauce over top.
aMicrowave Oven:
Place 2 tablespoons of butter in a 9-inch microwave-safe
utensil. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 40 seconds.
Combine 1/4 cup apple juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce and
1/8 cup firmly packed brown sugar with melted butter.
Place drumsticks in apple juice mixture and turn to coat
well. Arrange drumsticks with meatiest portions toward
outer edge of utensil. Cover with wax paper. Microwave at
MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 12 minutes per pound. Half way
through cooking time turn drumsticks and spoon sauce over
each. Re-cover and complete cooking. Let stand, covered,
5 to 10 minutes.
Place 2 tablespoons butter in a 2-quart microwave-safe
utensil. Microwave at HIGH 40 seconds. Sprinkle butter
with 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar; stir. Place
apple wedges in brown sugar mixture; toss gently to coat.
Microwave at HIGH 3 minutes, stir. Microwave an additional
3 minutes or until apples are tender. Transfer chicken to
serving dish and top with apple wedges. Spoon sauce over
top.
ROASTER THIGHS IN WINEServes 4
For the longest shelf life and the best flavor, don't wash
the mushrooms called for in this recipe until just before
using them. And don't soak them, just lightly mist them or
wipe them with a damp paper towel. With soaking, they
easily become waterlogged and lose some of their flavor.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
4 strips uncooked bacon, diced
1 cup Burgundy or other dry, red wine
2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
16 small whole onions, peeled
8 ounces sliced, fresh mushrooms, 2 cups
3 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 teaspoons minced, fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Cut thigh cutlets in half. In 3-quart microwave-safe
utensil, place bacon; microwave at HIGH (100% power) until
crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Combine wine and Cognac and add to
utensil with remaining ingredients; stir well. Arrange
thighs, with thicker portions toward outer edge, on top of
vegetables. Cover with wax paper; microwave at HIGH 5
minutes.
Reduce power to MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook 12 minutes
per pound. Halfway through cooking time, stir vegetable
mixture and turn cutlets over. Let stand, covered, 15
minutes before serving.
SPICY AFRICAN DRUMSTICKSServes 4
If you eliminate the crushed pepper in this recipe, it
could be a dish children would love.
Be sure the peanuts you use in the recipe are fresh. Once
a package has been opened, keep it in the refrigerator
since peanuts rapidly go rancid. As an emergency first aid
measure for peanuts that aren't as fresh as you wish they
were, try this tip I got from a peanut farmer in Georgia.
Put the peanuts in a sieve and pour boiling water over
them. The hot water will wash away some of the oils that
are responsible for the off-flavor.
6 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (16-ounces) tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
Remove and discard skin from drumsticks. In a 12 x 8-inch
microwave-safe utensil, combine oil, onion and garlic.
Cover with plastic wrap; microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5
minutes or until onions are tender. Stir in tomato puree,
salt and red pepper.
Arrange drumsticks in utensil with meatier portion toward
outside; spoon tomato sauce over top. Cover with wax
paper; microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per
pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn drumsticks over;
re-cover with wax paper and microwave remaining time.
Remove drumsticks to serving platter; cover with foil and
let stand 10 minutes. Stir peanut butter and peanuts into
tomato sauce. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave at HIGH 2
minutes. To serve, spoon sauce over drumsticks.
CORNUCOPIA STUFFED ROASTERServes 8
A roaster stuffed with vegetables and rice is a tasty meal
in one dish. The stuffing doesn't increase the cooking
time, which is about one hour less in a microwave than
required for conventional roasting.
1 whole roaster (about 6 pounds)
1/4 cup hot water
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Browning spray (optional)
Remove giblets. In a 1-cup glass measuring cup, place
water and butter; microwave at HIGH (100% power) 1 minute.
In 1-quart microwave-safe utensil, place peas and carrots;
cover. Microwave at HIGH 4 minutes, stirring once; drain.
In a small bowl, combine rice, melted butter mixture, peas
and carrots, parsley, thyme and salt. Place in cavity of
roaster; with rounded wooden picks, fasten skin across
cavity opening and at neck. Place roaster, breast side
down, on microwave-safe roasting pan. Spray with browning
spray or brush roaster with melted butter if desired; cover
with wax paper.
Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes. Reduce power to MEDIUM-HIGH
(70% power). Cook 12 minutes per pound, brushing with
drippings several times during cooking. Halfway through
cooking time, turn roaster over, using paper towels to
protect hands. Pour off drippings and reserve, if desired.
Baste roaster with drippings or use browning spray; cover
with wax paper and complete cooking.
Let stand, covered with aluminum foil, 20 minutes. Test
for doneness after standing; juice should run clear with no
hint of pink when thigh is pierced. To serve, spoon
stuffing into serving bowl and slice roaster.
CHICKEN WING PAELLAServes 4-6
Paella is a Spanish dish with a mixture of rice,
vegetables, meat and sometimes shellfish. I lived in Spain
for a couple of years and came to the conclusion that there
must be almost as many versions of Paella as there are
Spanish cooks$which means that you have a lot of latitude
to vary the ingredients according to what you have handy in
your refrigerator. I like this better the next day, when
the different flavors have had a chance to "marry."
10 chicken wings
1 pound sweet Italian sausage links
1 teaspoon browning sauce
1 large onion, chopped
1 sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 medium-sized zucchini, chopped
1 can (16-ounces) tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup hot water
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
2 cups hot cooked rice
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Cut wing-tip section from wings. Set tips aside to cook
later in soup or stew, if desired. Brush sausages with
browning sauce; cut into 1-inch pieces. In 3-quart
microwave-safe dish, place sausage pieces; cover with wax
paper. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 6 to 7 minutes, or
until sausage loses its pink color, stirring twice. With
slotted spoon remove sausage.
To drippings in dish, add onion, red pepper and zucchini;
cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH 5 minutes,
stirring twice. Add tomatoes, browned sausages, water,
salt, oregano, paprika, turmeric and Tabasco; stir to
blend.
Arrange chicken wings in circular pattern on top of tomato
mixture. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave at HIGH 5
minutes. Reduce power to MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power); cook 10
minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking time, turn
wings over; re-cover and complete cooking. Stir in hot
cooked rice and peas; microwave at HIGH 3 minutes.
To warm for serving, cover with plastic wrap to speed
cooking and microwave at HIGH until heated through. Let
stand 5 minutes before serving.
CHAPTER THREE-CHICKEN FOR DIETERS
Are you concerned about the cholesterol in your diet?
Are you watching calories and trying to cut down on fat?
Has your doctor suggested that you consume less salt?
Then read on. The wonderful thing about chicken is
that the low cholesterol and the low calorie recipes are
the same. And the flavors that add spark to a low calories
recipe are the same ones that can help you get along with
little or no salt.
Chicken is the dieter's ray of sunshine. Except for
turkey breast, no
other popular meat is as low in calories as skinless
chicken breast. A 3-ounce portion of skinless broiled
chicken breast has only 115 calories. An equivalent size
portion of cooked lean trimmed beef would average 189
calories, and cooked lean, trimmed pork is 198 calories.
Chicken is also lowest in saturated fat compared with
non-poultry meats.
Grams of Saturated Fat
Cooked 3-ounce portion skinless chicken breast: 0.4
Average cooked 3-ounce portion of chicken: 1.1
Average cooked 3-ounce portion of lean, trimmed beef: 3.4
Average cooked 3-ounce portion of lean, trimmed pork: 3.8
To avoid both fat and calories when cooking with chicken:
_Choose breast meat. This is the leanest part of the
bird and has less than half the fat of, for example, thigh
meat. Because of its low fat content, it's the only meat I
ever serve Frank, and it's the only meat he ever asks for
in restaurants.
_Remove the skin. Forty percent of the fat in poultry
is attached to the skin and therefore can be easily
removed. This is in contrast with other meats, where the
fat is dispersed throughout the meat and not so easily
removed. One point, though. If you're broiling or baking
or grilling chicken, leave the skin on until you're
finished cooking; otherwise the meat will lose too much
moisture and become tough. I've watched tests done at the
Perdue Tenderness Laboratory in which they measured the
tenderness of breast meat roasted with the skin and without
the skin. The meat cooked with the skin retained its
moisture and was startlingly more tender than the meat
cooked without the skin.
_Roast, broil, poach, or grill chicken instead of
frying it.
_Substitute low fat dairy products in recipes. Use
yoghurt or light sour cream instead of sour cream, and non-
fat milk instead of regular milk. To be honest, the taste
isn't as rich, but if you're watching calories and
cholesterol, these substitutions make a substantial
difference. For example, plain low fat yoghurt is 122
calories per cup and light sour cream about 360 calories,
while the same amount of regular sour cream is 440 to 454
calories. Non-fat milk is 80 to 90 calories per 8-ounce
glass, while whole milk is 150 to 160 calories.
_Replace oil or fat in marinades with fresh lemon or
lime juice, or with wine or vinegar.
_Broil with wine instead of butter.
_Take advantage of non-caloric pan sprays.
_If you're really counting every single calorie, you
may want to choose Cornish hens rather than the older
broilers and roasters. Cornish hens and broilers are young
birds and they bear the same relationship to the older
roasters that veal does to beef: the younger the animal,
the lower the fat content. For comparison, the white meat
of a Cornish is 35 calories per ounce of cooked meat; the
white meat of a broiler is 45 calories per cooked ounce.
For low salt diets:
_Avoid prepared sauces such as barbecue sauce or
ketchup: usually they are high in salt.
_Season chicken with foods that are naturally high in
potassium, such as tomatoes, citrus, raisins or bananas.
When you eat foods high in potassium, you don't miss the
sodium so much. Tomato paste, by the way, is very high in
potassium, and does not have as much added salt as most
prepared or canned foods.
_Season foods with garlic, onion, wine and a variety
of herbs and spices. Again, you'll miss the sodium less.
_Trick your palette by cooking with your own flavored
vinegars. Use a cup of whichever fresh herb you can find,
such as tarragon or mint or dill, for two cups of plain
white vinegar and then add a garlic clove or twist of lemon
peel. Store in a screw top jar for several days and if you
want it really strong, leave it for a week. You might
taste it along the way to see if it's too strong. Finally,
strain it and pour into a sterilized bottle and seal.
_Season chicken with concentrated homemade chicken
broth. Make chicken stock (use the recipe on page ___, but
omit the salt), boil it down until it's concentrated, and
then freeze it in ice cube trays. Use individual cubes to
intensify the flavor of casseroles or stir fry dishes.
After a couple of weeks of following a low salt diet,
you'll find that your taste changes and that you'll
actually be satisfied with far less salt. You'll even find
that the olives and potato chips and peanuts that once
tasted just right, now seem too salty. We've found that
with salt, the less you eat, the less you feel you need$but
be patient because this doesn't happen overnight.
For that matter, a preference for low fat cooking may
not happen overnight either. In fact, to level with you, I
think that in most cases it won't happen overnight. If
you're not used to the low fat substitutions for rich
sauces and gravies, some of the recipes in this chapter may
seem downright Spartan to you the first time you try them.
But once you're used to them, you may find as Frank and I
have, that with time it's not only possible to get used to
lighter cooking, it's actually possible to prefer it.
BARBECUE DRUMSTICKSServes 8
Microwave Recipe
To save additional fat and calories, remove the skin from
the drumsticks. I wouldn't recommend this for a
conventional oven recipe because the meat would dry out.
But microwaving retains moisture, and the sauce adds
flavor.
8 roaster drumsticks
1 cup water
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Remove skin from drumsticks and discard. In 4-cup glass
container, combine water, onion, tomato paste, vinegar,
garlic, chili powder, mustard and pepper until well
blended. Cover with plastic wrap; microwave at HIGH (100%
power) 5 minutes. Stir and microwave, uncovered, 5 minutes
longer. Pour half the mixture over bottom of a 12 x 8-inch
microwave-safe utensil.
Place drumsticks in sauce with meatier portions toward
outer edge of utensil. Pour remaining sauce over
drumsticks; cover with wax paper. Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH
(70% power) 12 minutes per pound. Halfway through cooking
time, turn drumsticks over and move drumsticks to sides of
utensil. Re-cover with wax paper; complete cooking. Let
stand, covered, 15 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 94. Protein 16 grams. Carbohydrate 3 grams. Fat 2
grams. Cholesterol 51 mg. Sodium 142 mg.
BURGUNDY CHICKENServes 4
Microwave Recipe
The Perdue home economists say that microwave recipes are
often more nutritious than their conventional versions
because microwaving requires much less liquid, ensuring
that vitamins and minerals are not washed away.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces
1/2 cup Burgundy or other dry red wine
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 pound pearl onions, peeled
1/4 pound small mushrooms, sliced
8 small new potatoes, cut into quarters
2 carrots (about 1 cup), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons water
1-1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
Remove and discard skin and visible fat from the larger
chicken pieces. In a 3-quart microwave-safe utensil,
combine wine, chicken broth, thyme, pepper, and bay leaf.
Add onions, mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. Cover and
microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Arrange chicken
on top of vegetables, bone-side up, with meatier portions
toward outer edge of utensil. Cover with wax paper;
microwave at HIGH 15 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and
rearrange, spooning vegetable mixture over each piece. Re-
cover; microwave 5-6 minutes per pound or until chicken and
vegetables are fork tender. Remove chicken pieces and
vegetables; cover to keep warm.
In microwave-safe cup, combine water and cornstarch. Add
small amount of hot pan juices to cup and stir to blend;
gradually stir cornstarch mixture into remaining juices.
Microwave on HIGH 2 minutes; stir and microwave 2 minutes
longer or until boiling. Serve sauce over chicken and
vegetables.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 438. Protein 42 grams. Carbohydrate 29 grams. Fat
17 grams. Cholesterol 122 mg. Sodium 137 mg.
CHICKEN AU POIVREServes 4
Pepper's piquant flavor helps disguise the lack of salt.
l roaster boneless breast or 1 package thin sliced roaster
breast
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
l teaspoon dry mustard
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon minced, fresh parsley
Remove and discard visible fat from boneless breast; slice
thin. (You can skip this step if you have the thin sliced
roaster breast.) Place chicken slices between sheets of
plastic wrap and pound to 1/8 inch thickness. On wax
paper, combine flour, pepper and mustard. Lightly coat
chicken with flour mixture, pressing to make pepper adhere.
In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add
garlic; saute 30 seconds. Place chicken in skillet so that
pieces do not touch. Cook about 3 minutes or until lightly
browned, turning once. Remove to serving platter; keep
warm. Pour off fat; stir in wine. Cook over high heat,
stirring constantly 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened and
liquid is reduced by one-half. Stir in parsley. Spoon
sauce over chicken.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 255. Protein 36 grams. Carbohydrate 5 grams.
Fat 9 grams. Cholesterol 90 mg. Sodium 81 mg.
CHICKEN PROVENCALServes 4
Microwave Recipe
Do you know why you brown chicken first in traditional
stews and casseroles? It's to seal in the juices. You
don't need to in microwave cooking, so you save the fat
calories from the butter or margarine or oil you'd use for
browning, and the chicken still ends up moist and tender.
4 chicken breast halves
3 cups coarsely chopped fresh Italian plum tomatoes
or a 28-ounce can, drained
1-1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (12-ounces)
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Remove and discard skin from chicken breasts. In a 3-quart
microwave-safe utensil, combine tomatoes, mushrooms, onion,
garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Cover with wax paper.
Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in
cup combine wine and cornstarch, stir into tomato mixture.
Place chicken breasts, bone-side up and meatier portions
toward outside of utensil, on top of tomato mixture. Cover
with wax paper; microwave at HIGH 5 minutes. Reduce power
to MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) and cook 10 minutes per pound.
Halfway through cooking time, turn chicken breasts over and
stir tomato mixture. After cooking, let stand, covered, 10
minutes.
Remove chicken to serving platter; stir parsley into tomato
mixture and spoon some over breasts; serve remaining sauce
on side.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 347. Protein 63 grams. Carbohydrate 13 grams. Fat
4 grams. Cholesterol 152 mg. Sodium 283 mg.
CHICKEN RATATOUILLEMakes 6 drumsticks.
When "ratatouille" appears in a recipe's name, you can be
sure it will have eggplant in it and probably tomatoes and
peppers as well. These vegetables will be noticeably more
delicious if you use them very fresh rather than after
storage in the refrigerator. The flavor of these vegetables
all deteriorate at refrigerator temperatures. They're warm
weather crops and nature didn't mean for them to be in the
chilling temperatures of a refrigerator.
6 chicken drumsticks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 pound eggplant, peeled and cubed
2 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound) cubed
2 medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, cut in thin 1-inch strips
1 tablespoon minced, fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried
3/4 teaspoon minced, fresh oregano or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
Remove and discard skin and visible fat from drumsticks.
In large skillet, over medium-heat, heat oil. Add
drumsticks; cook about 15 minutes, turning until browned on
all sides. Remove drumsticks; drain on paper towels. Add
onion and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add
eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, green pepper, basil, oregano
and pepper. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place
drumsticks in vegetable mixture; cook about 30 minutes
longer or until drumsticks are tender, occasionally
spooning vegetables over chicken.
Nutritional Figures Per Drumstick
Calories 126. Protein 12 grams. Carbohydrate 8 grams. Fat 6
grams. Cholesterol 33 mg. Sodium 41 mg.
CHICKEN IN MUSTARD SAUCEServes 4
If controlling sodium is important to you, use an ordinary
table wine for the white wine called for in this recipe.
Cooking wines often contain salt and should be avoided by
anyone who is watching sodium intake. Likewise, sweet
wines and fortified ones such as sherry, Madeira and
Marsala should be used sparingly because they are higher in
calories than dry wines. No wines contain alcohol after
cooking.
1 roaster boneless breast or 1 package thin sliced roaster
breast
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced (2 cups)
2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley
l tablespoon minced shallot or scallion
l/8 teaspoon ground pepper
l/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
l/4 cup dry white wine
l tablespoon Dijon mustard
Remove and discard visible fat from breast; slice thin.
(If using thin sliced product, skip this step.) In a large
skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add
breast slices a few at a time, placing so that pieces do
not touch. Saute 4 minutes, turning once, until chicken is
lightly browned on both sides. Remove from skillet; keep
warm.
Heat remaining oil. Add mushrooms, parsley, shallot and
pepper. Stirring frequently, cook 2 minutes. Stir in
broth and wine; bring to a boil and cook until liquid is
reduced by half (about 1/3 cup). Reduce heat to low; stir
in mustard until well blended. Spoon over chicken.
Nutritional Figures per Serving
Calories 286. Protein 37 grams. Carbohydrate 4 grams. Fat
13 grams. Cholesterol 90 mg. Sodium 201 mg.
CHICKEN VERONIQUEServes 4
Any recipe with the name Veronique will have grapes in it.
When buying grapes at the supermarket, you can tell how
fresh they are by how green and pliable the stem is.
Another way of telling is to give the bunch a quick shake.
If it's fresh, none of the individual grapes should fall
from the bunch. I should warn you, though, that shaking
the bunch will not do anything for your popularity with the
store's produce manager.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced
boneless roaster breast
1/2 lemon
Ground pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted margarine
1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
Remove and discard any visible fat. Butterfly breast
halves to make scaloppine. Skip the previous step if you
are using thin sliced boneless roaster breasts. Rub with
lemon and sprinkle lightly with pepper. In large skillet
over medium heat, melt margarine. Add scaloppine, in
batches if necessary, so that they do not touch. Saute 4
minutes, turning once, until chicken is lightly browned on
both sides and just cooked through. Remove from skillet;
keep warm.
In small bowl, stir together cornstarch, broth and wine
until smooth; add to skillet. Over medium heat, bring to
boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in grapes
until heated through. To serve, spoon grapes and sauce
over chicken.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 233. Protein 36 grams. Carbohydrate 9 grams. Fat
5 grams. Cholesterol 90 mg. Sodium 87 mg.
CHICKEN BREASTS WITH VEGETABLESServes 4
Whenever possible, choose crisp, fresh vegetables over
their canned or frozen counterparts. Fresh vegetables have
better color, flavor and texture. When using frozen or
canned products, be sure to look for those with no salt
added. This kind of nutritious, high vitamin, low calorie
meal that features breast meat is a mainstay for Frank and
me, and it has been for him for a long time. His grown
daughter, Bev Nida, tells me that one of her childhood
memories of Frank was that if he was late for dinner, ("and
he always was"), everyone knew to save a chicken breast for
him.
4 chicken breasts halves
2 tablespoons unsalted margarine
2 large carrots, cut into matchstick strips (1-1/2 cups)
2 ribs celery, cut into matchstick strips (1-1/2 cups)
1 green pepper, cut into matchstick strips (1 cup)
1 small shallot, minced
1 cut low-sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Remove and discard skin and visible fat from chicken
breasts. In large skillet over medium heat, melt
margarine. Add chicken, cook 10 to 15 minutes, turning
until browned on all sides. Remove chicken; drain on paper
towels. Add carrot, celery, green pepper, and shallot;
cook stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Remove vegetables;
set aside. Stir in broth and pepper; add chicken. Reduce
heat to low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken
is cooked through.
Remove breasts to serving plate; keep warm. In cup, stir
together water and cornstarch until smooth; stir into
skillet. Over medium heat, bring to boil; boil 1 minute,
stirring constantly. Stir in vegetables ; cook until
heated through. To serve, spoon vegetables over chicken.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 380. Protein 62 grams. Carbohydrate 9 grams. Fat 9
grams. Cholesterol 152 mg. Sodium 201 mg.
CHICKEN STROGANOFFServes 4
This is a 1990s version of a nineteenth-century Russian
classic. By substituting plain, lowfat yogurt for sour
cream, you're decreasing the calories in this recipe by 332
calories.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced
boneless roaster breast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1/2 pound mushrooms, thinly sliced (2 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 container (8-ounces) plain low-fat yogurt
hot cooked noodles, cooked without salt
Remove and discard visible fat from chicken; slice chicken
in thin strips. In large skillet over medium heat, heat 1
tablespoon oil. Add onions; cook 2 minutes, stirring
frequently. Add mushrooms; cook 3 minutes longer. Remove
vegetables from skillet; set aside. Heat remaining oil in
skillet. Add chicken and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until
chicken turns white, stirring frequently. Return
vegetables to skillet; add broth and pepper.
In cup, blend water and cornstarch; stir into skillet.
Over medium heat, bring to a boil; boil 1 minute, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat; stir in yogurt until well
blended. Heat gently over low heat (do not boil). Serve
over noodles.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 427. Protein 65 grams. Carbohydrate 13 grams. Fat
12 grams. Cholesterol 155 mg. Sodium 182 mg.
CITRUS-MARINATED CHICKEN WINGSServes 3
Taste tests show that the parts of the bird that get the
most exercise, such as the wings, leg, and neck have the
deepest flavor. The seasonings in this recipe bring out
the wonderful flavor of wings.
10 chicken wings
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
grated peel and juice of 1 lemon
grated peel and juice of 1 orange
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
Fold wing tips back to form triangles. Place wings in
shallow baking pan. In small saucepan, stir together
remaining ingredients and heat over medium heat 5 minutes.
Pour mixture over wings. Cover; refrigerate several hours
or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400oF. Bake wings 30 minutes or until
tender, basting occasionally.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 137. Protein 9 grams. Carbohydrate 2 grams. Fat 10
grams. Cholesterol 25 mg. Sodium 24 mg.
ROASTER BREAST A L'ORANGEServes 6
If you have a choice when buying the orange for this
recipe, buy a Valencia in preference to a Navel. Navel
oranges are excellent eating oranges, but they're not good
juice oranges; the juice develops an off flavor if not used
within half an hour. The Valencia, on the other hand, has a
more stable flavor in its juice form.
1 roaster breast
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
Dash ground pepper
2/3 cup orange juice
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup julienne-cut orange peel strips
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350oF. Place breast skin-side up in
roasting pan; roast 45 minutes. Meanwhile, in 2-quart
saucepan, stir together cornstarch, sugar and pepper.
Gradually stir in orange juice and broth until smooth.
Over medium heat, bring to a boil; boil 1 minute, stirring
constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in orange peel and
lemon juice. Roast chicken, basting frequently with sauce
for 20 minutes longer or until juices run clear with no
hint of pink when a cut is made near the bone. Heat
remaining sauce and serve with roaster breast.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 168. Protein 20 grams. Carbohydrate 9 grams. Fat 5
grams. Cholesterol 54 mg. Sodium 54 mg.
CORNISH HENS WITH MUSHROOMSServes 4
Skim milk contains all the calcium and protein of whole
milk. Use it to make a prudent version of mushroom "cream"
sauce.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound mushrooms, halved or quartered
2 small onions, peeled and cut in thin wedges
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
2 bay leaves
1 cup skim milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Remove and discard any fat from cavities of hens. In a 5-
quart Dutch oven or large deep skillet, over medium heat,
heat oil. Add hens; cook about 20 minutes, turning to
brown on all sides. Remove hens from pan and set aside.
Pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings; stir in mushrooms
and onion. Cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring
occasionally. Stir in broth, pepper and bay leaves.
Return hens to pan; reduce heat to medium low. Cover and
simmer 45 minutes or until tender. Remove hens to serving
platter and cut in half. Discard bay leaves. In cup,
blend milk and cornstarch until smooth; stir into liquid in
pan. Over medium heat, bring to a boil; boil 1 minute,
stirring constantly. Serve sauce with hens.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 446. Protein 38 grams. Carbohydrate 9 grams. Fat
28 grams. Cholesterol 111 mg. Sodium 151 mg.
CORNISH HENS WITH APPLE STUFFINGServes 4
Microwave Recipe
No extra cooking time is needed when you stuff fresh
Cornish game hens before microwaving.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
3 tablespoons unsalted margarine, divided
1 tart red apple, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup fresh whole-wheat bread cubes (2 slices)
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
2 tablespoons cider or apple juice divided
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Remove and discard any fat from cavities of hens. Place 2
tablespoons margarine in a 4 cup glass container; microwave
at HIGH (100% power) 45 seconds. Add apple, celery and
onion; cover with plastic wrap. Microwave at HIGH (100%
power) 3 minutes, stirring once. Stir in bread cubes,
poultry seasoning, pepper and 1 tablespoon cider. Spoon
stuffing mixture lightly into cavities and close openings
with toothpicks.
Arrange hens, with legs pointing toward center, on
microwave-safe roasting utensil. Place remaining 1
tablespoon margarine in custard cup; microwave at HIGH 25
seconds. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon cider and paprika;
brush mixture on hens. Cover hens with wax paper.
Microwave at MEDIUM HIGH (70% power) 10 minutes per pound
(combined weight of both hens). Let stand, covered, 10
minutes. To serve, cut hens in half.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 436. Protein 35 grams. Carbohydrate 13 grams. Fat
26 grams. Cholesterol 110 mg. Sodium 170 mg.
CURRIED ROASTER DRUMSTICKSServes 4
In this recipe, you'll see vegetable oil instead of butter
or margarine or lard. Solid fats contain saturated fat,
either because they came from animal sources (butter or
lard) or because they have been hydrogenated (shortening or
margarine).
5 roaster drumsticks
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium apples (diced 2 cups)
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons cold water
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
Remove and discard skin and visible fat from drumsticks.
In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add
drumsticks; cook about 15 minutes, turning until browned on
all sides. Remove; drain on paper towels. Pour off all
but 1 tablespoon fat. Add apple, onion, garlic, curry,
ginger and pepper; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring
frequently. Stir in broth. Return chicken to skillet;
reduce heat to medium low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring
occasionally for 40 minutes or until chicken is tender and
cooked through. Remove chicken to platter; keep warm.
In cup, blend water and cornstarch until smooth; stir into
skillet. Over medium heat, bring to boil; boil 1 minute,
stirring occasionally. Spoon sauce over chicken.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 207. Protein 17 grams. Carbohydrate 15 grams. Fat
9 grams. Cholesterol 51 mg. Sodium 74 mg.
GREEK LEMON CHICKENServes 4
This recipe adapts well to barbecuing.
1 chicken (3 pounds), quartered
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons cold pressed (extra virgin) olive oil
1 medium-sized onion, sliced into thin rings
2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
Lemon wedges, fresh oregano and thyme leaves (optional
garnish)
Remove and discard visible fat from chicken. In large,
shallow bowl, combine remaining ingredients except
garnishes. Add chicken and marinate in refrigerator 30
minutes or longer. Preheat broiler. Drain chicken from
marinade; place on rack in broiler pan. Broil chicken
quarters, 4 inches from heat, for 30 to 35 minutes or until
cooked through, turning and basting with marinade 3 to 4
times during cooking. Add onion rings during last 10
minutes of broiling time. Serve chicken with onion slices
and garnish with lemon wedges, and sprigs of fresh oregano
and thyme, if desired.
Nutritional figures per serving
Calories 389. Protein 38. Carbohydrate 5 grams. Fat 24
grams. Cholesterol 122 mg. Sodium 110 mg.
LEMON DRUMSTICKS AND THIGHSServes 4
Both the grill and the broiler are good friends to the
dieter because any fat that cooks out of your chicken just
drops away into the fire or pan below. The juice and rind
from lemons help achieve tasty, no salt basting.
4 chicken drumsticks
4 chicken thighs
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt (or less)
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
Remove and discard
skin and visible fat from drumsticks and thighs. Place in
large, shallow dish. In small bowl, stir together lemon
juice, water, oil, lemon peel, garlic, salt and pepper;
pour over chicken. Cover; refrigerate several hours or
overnight, turning occasionally.
Prepare outdoor grill for cooking or preheat broiler.
Remove from marinade. Grill 6 inches from source of heat
or broil indoors, cooking about 30 to 40 minutes or until
tender and golden brown; turn and baste frequently with
marinade.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 220. Protein 26 grams. Carbohydrate 2 grams. Fat
12 grams. Cholesterol 80 mg. Sodium 217 mg.
ORIENTAL CHICKEN AND VEGETABLESServes 4
Fresh garlic is definitely better than powdered garlic. If
you haven't been using it, give fresh garlic a try. Look
for garlic cloves with plump, firm heads that have a fresh
appearance. The paper-like casing should be dry and should
completely cover the individual garlic cloves, and there
should be no trace of sprouting. Store garlic in a cool,
dry place, but don't refrigerate it. I asked a garlic
grower why not, and he told me that cool temperatures can
increase the garlic's tendency to sprout.
4 roaster boneless thigh cutlets
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Ground pepper to taste
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth at room temperature
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sliced scallions
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup diagonally sliced carrots (about 2 medium)
1 cup snow peas
1 cup well-drained bean sprouts
1 can (8-ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained
hot cooked rice (cooked without salt)
Trim visible fat from thighs; cut chicken in thin strips.
In small bowl, stir together cornstarch and pepper.
Gradually stir in broth and soy sauce until smooth; set
aside. In wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, heat
oil. Add green onions and garlic; stir-fry 30 seconds.
Add chicken and carrots; stir-fry 3 to 5 minutes or until
chicken turns white and carrots are tender crisp. Add snow
peas, bean sprouts and water chestnuts. Stir-fry to heat
through. Re-stir cornstarch mixture; add to wok. Over
medium heat, bring to a boil; boil l minute, stirring
constantly. Serve over rice.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 304. Protein 28 grams. Carbohydrate 17 grams. Fat
13 grams. Cholesterol 73 mg. Sodium 268 mg.
PASTA PRIMAVERA WITH CHICKENServes 6
Because freshly grated Parmesan cheese has a more intense
flavor than pre-grated cheese, you can use less of it, and
in the process, you'll be saving on both fat and calories.
When I'm cooking pasta for Frank, I omit both the oil and
salt called for in the directions on the pasta package. If
we're having guests, though, I use the salt and oil called
for in the package directions; people who aren't used to
low-fat, low-salt cooking would find it pretty bland
otherwise.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced
boneless roaster breast
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
4 scallions, cut in julienne strips (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound asparagus, peeled, cut in 2-inch pieces or julienne
zucchini (about 2 cups)
2 carrots, peeled, cut in julienne strips (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons minced, fresh oregano, or 1/2 teaspoon
dried
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 pound spaghetti, cooked, drained
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Slice breast meat into thin strips. In a large skillet,
over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add
scallions and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.
Add chicken; cook 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken turns
white, stirring constantly. Remove chicken and vegetables;
set aside. Heat remaining oil in skillet; add asparagus
and carrots and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir
in broth, wine, parsley, oregano and pepper; simmer 1 to 2
minutes or until vegetables are tender crisp.
Place spaghetti on large platter; top with chicken mixture.
Sprinkle with cheese. Toss and serve.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 417. Protein 48 grams. Carbohydrate 34 grams. Fat
9 grams. Cholesterol 105 mg. Sodium 185 mg.
PINEAPPLE-MINTED ROASTERServes 8
Microwave Recipe
Fat attracts more microwave energy than muscle does. That's
good for you if you're on a low-fat diet because when you
microwave chicken, the fat will render out into the
drippings where you can easily discard it.
1 whole roaster (about 6 pounds)
1 can (20-ounces) pineapple chunks in their own juice
about 1/2 cup pineapple juice, orange juice, or water
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
5-6 small sprigs fresh mint or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried mint
leaves
2 tablespoons unsalted margarine, melted
Remove and discard any visible fat from roaster cavity.
Remove giblets. Place, breast side down, on microwave-safe
roasting utensil. Drain pineapple chunks, reserving juice
and chunks. Add additional juice or water to reserved
juice to measure 1-1/2 cups. Place cornstarch in 4-cup
glass container and gradually stir juice into cornstarch
until smooth. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 2 minutes;
stir and microwave 2 minutes longer or until mixture boils
and thickens. Add mint (if using fresh mint, remove sprigs
after five minutes). Remove 1/2 cup of mixture for glaze;
stir pineapple chunks into remaining mixture for sauce and
set aside. Brush roaster with melted margarine; cover with
wax paper.
Microwave at MEDIUM-HIGH (70% power) 10 to 12 minutes per
pound, brushing with glaze several times during cooking.
Halfway through cooking time, turn roaster over, using
paper towels to protect hands. Pour off drippings and
reserve, if desired. Baste bird with glaze and cover again
with wax paper; complete cooking. Let stand, covered with
aluminum foil, 20 minutes. (Standing time is important
even if Bird-Watcher Thermometer has popped.) After
standing time, juice should run clear with no hint of pink
when thigh is pierced. To reheat sauce, microwave at HIGH
for two minutes. Serve hot sauce with roaster.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving:
Calories 343. Protein 38 grams. Carbohydrate 14 grams.
Fat 14 grams. Cholesterol 107 mg. Sodium 97 mg.
ROASTED CORNISH HENS WITH NEW POTATOESServes 4
When you combine tender-skinned new potatoes with Cornish
game hens, you have almost a complete meal in one pan. Add
a fresh green vegetable to complete a wholesome menu.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
vegetable cooking spray
2 tablespoons unsalted margarine, melted
1 teaspoon minced shallot or scallion
1 and 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
ground pepper to taste
6 small new potatoes, quartered
16 pearl onions, peeled
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Preheat oven to 350oF. With sharp knife or poultry shears,
cut hens lengthwise in half. Remove and discard any
visible fat from cavity. Spray shallow roasting pan
lightly with vegetable cooking spray. Place hens skin-side
up in pan. Stir together margarine and shallot; brush on
hens and sprinkle with rosemary and pepper. Arrange
potatoes and onions around hens. Cover pan with foil.
Bake 20 minutes. Uncover and continue baking, basting
occasionally, 20 to 30 minutes or until hens and vegetables
are tender. Remove to serving platter. Cover with foil;
keep warm.
Pour pan drippings into measuring cup. Allow to stand
several minutes until fat drippings separate from hen
juices; discard fat. Return hen juices to roasting pan;
add broth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring up
brown bits from bottom of pan. In cup, blend water and
cornstarch until smooth; stir into broth mixture. Bring
to a boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Serve gravy
with hens and vegetables.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 463. Protein 38 grams. Carbohydrate 25 grams. Fat
23 grams. Cholesterol 110 mg. Sodium 129 mg.
ROASTER PAPRIKASHServes 8
This comment has nothing to do with this recipe, but I'm
slipping it in here because I thought you might like to
know about it! Fitness declines if you exercise two days
or less each week. Fitness is maintained if you exercise
three days a week. Fitness is improved if you exercise
four or more days a week.
1 whole roaster (about 6 pounds)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
8 small white onions, peeled
4 carrots, peeled and quartered
1-1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons paprika, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
Remove and discard any visible fat from cavity. Remove
giblets, tie legs together and fold wings back. Fasten
neck with wooden pick or small skewer. In 8-quart saucepot
over medium heat, heat oil. Add roaster. Cook about 30
minutes, turning until browned on all sides. Remove and
set aside. Add onions and carrots; cook 3 minutes,
stirring frequently. Remove vegetables. Pour off fat and
stir in broth, 1 tablespoon paprika and pepper. Return
roaster to saucepot; sprinkle with remaining paprika.
Arrange onions and carrots around roaster. Reduce heat to
medium low; cover and simmer 1 hour or until roaster juices
run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced and
vegetables are tender.
Remove roaster and vegetables to serving platter; keep
warm. In cup, blend water and cornstarch until smooth;
stir into liquid in saucepot. Bring to a boil over medium
heat; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from
heat; add yogurt and stir until well blended and smooth.
Heat gently over low heat; do not boil. Serve sauce with
roaster and vegetables.
Nutritional Figures Per Serving
Calories 387. Protein 41 grams. Carbohydrate 12 grams. Fat
19 grams. Cholesterol 109 mg. Sodium 142 mg.
TANDOORI CORNISH HENSServes 4
Fresh Cornish game hens contain even less fat and fewer
calories than larger poultry and are close in size and
flavor to the chickens traditionally used for India's
Tandoori Chicken. If you want a barbecue version of this,
using chicken breasts, look for "Boneless Breasts Tandoori"
in Chapter Five.
2 fresh Cornish game hens
1/3 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon curry powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon paprika
With sharp knife or poultry shears, cut hens lengthwise in
half. Remove and discard any visible fat from cavities.
Place hens in large shallow baking dish. In small bowl,
stir together remaining ingredients; brush on all sides of
hens. Cover; refrigerate several hours or overnight to
marinate.
Preheat oven to 400oF. Place hens on rack in shallow
baking pan; brush with marinade. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce
oven temperature to 350oF; bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or
until chicken is tender and juices run clear with no hint
of pink when thigh is pierced with a fork.