Ranch Chicken

Ranch Chicken

Ingredients

·         2 x Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or one per person if more than 2 people)

·         1 large teaspoon of Ranch Dry mix   - recipe below

·         8oz package cream cheese

·         Aromat seasoning

·         2-3 rashers of cooked bacon broken into small pieces (optional)

·         2 or 3 spring onions – chopped

·         Grated cheddar

Ø  Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker.  Top with cream cheese, Aromat seasoning and the Ranch Dry Mix

Ø  Cover and cook for 6-8 hours until the chicken shreds easily.

Ø  Remove most of the liquid, shred the chicken with two forks, combining with the cream cheese and seasoning. Return as much of the liquid to the chicken as needed to make it ­­­moist without being runny.   Add in the cooked bacon and stir to combine.

Ø  Sprinkle grated cheese on top, cover & continue to cook until the cheese has melted (about 15 minutes.) Sprinkle with chopped spring onions and serve with toast or crusty bread.

Ranch Dry Mix

3tsp dried parsley

1 tsp dill

1 tsp garlic granules

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp garlic granules

Mix these all together then store in an airtight jar.

Chicken and Rice

This is a delicious, simple dish, which doesn't require a great deal of preparation and is great comfort food, especially on a cold, damp night.  You don't need to restrict it to such nights however as it is fabulous anytime.

• 2 or 3 large Chicken breasts or 6 thigh fillets
• 1 onion
• 3 or 4 mushrooms
• Oil for browning chicken and onions
• 1 Can mushroom soup
• 300 mls chicken stock (or a mixture of chicken stock and wine)
• 6 ounces of rice
• Bay leaves if you have them

• Chop the onion and mushrooms
• Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces
• Heat the oil in a large pan, add the chicken, onion and mushrooms and cook till the onions are soft and the chicken browned.
• Remove the chicken from the pan then add the mushroom soup and stock.  ( make the stock with a stock cube and boiling water.  If you have some wine, use less stock and make up the required quantity with the wine)  The wine really adds flavour to the dish.  Stir the liquid around the pan scraping up the remnants of the onions, mushrooms and chicken so that you garner all the flavours.
• Return the chicken to the liquid and stir.
• Place your rice into a deep, oven proof dish, then pour the chicken mix over it.
• Add a couple of bay leaves if you have them.
• Place in the oven at 190º C  gas reg 7 for  1 hour.  
• Before serving check that the rice is cooked, leave a little longer if it is not to your taste.  Also check the thickness of the dish, if it is too thick you can always add some boiling water.

Chicken Veronique

This is so easy but sounds very luxurious.  It will impress your friends without breaking the bank and you won't break a sweat over it.

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 oz butter
• 1 tsp oil
• 3 medium mushrooms sliced
• 2 or 3 shallots or one small onion, chopped
• 50 mls dry white wine if you have it or 50 mls chicken stock
• Medium carton of cream
• ½ teaspoon tarragon
• Approx 12 seedless green grapes
• Pinch of salt
• Black pepper

• Heat the butter and oil together in a frying pan. (If you are using something like flora you will not need the oil.  Butter burns very quickly so the oil is needed to prevent it burning.)
• Add the mushrooms and cook over a medium heat for 2 minutes, then remove from the pan and reserve.
• Add the chicken breasts, cook them over a medium heat for around 15 minutes, turning two to three times.
• After the chicken has been in the pan for around 5 minutes add the onions,  tarragon and wine or chicken stock (made with a stock cube and water if you don't have ready made stock,  but don't use the whole stock cube for 50mls of stock.  It is best to make the stock according to the packet instructions and just take out the 50mls which you need.)  The liquid in the pan will reduce which is desirable but ensure that it doesn't all disappear thereby allowing the chicken to burn, add a little more liquid if you need to.
• After 15 - 20 minutes return the mushrooms to the pan and add the cream.  Bring to the boil for a few minutes until the cream thickens.
• Add the grapes to the pan and stir in salt and pepper to your taste but do be careful, if you have used a stock cube taste the sauce before adding salt to check how salty it already tastes.  Leave over a low light for about a minute 30 t0 60 seconds just to heat the grapes through, they do not need to be cooked.

I usually serve this with rice.

Chicken in Tomato Sauce

I cannot believe that I haven't put this recipe on here before now.  It is a family favourite and  I was so convinced that I had posted it, that I came looking for it when I had a brain freeze moment whilst cooking dinner this evening.


This recipe really couldn't be simpler - I promise it is foolproof, you could almost do it with your eyes closed (unless you get a sudden brain freeze like I did).  Please don't try to do it with your eyes closed though - just saying.

• 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
• Chicken thigh or breast fillets cut into bite sized pieces (2 breast fillets for 1 or 2 people or  3 - 4 breast fillets or a pack of thigh fillets for about 4 people)
• 2 or 3 mushrooms
• 1 carrot sliced thinly
• 1 teaspoon of mixed herbs
• I can of Cambells Condensed tomato soup
• (1 tablespoon of flour)

If you are making this with just a couple of chicken breasts for 1 or 2 people you don't need the flour.

1. Peel and slice your carrot
2. Slice the mushrooms
3. Put the oil into a pan and heat it then add the chicken and brown it
4. When the chicken is well browned, add the flour (if you are making the larger quantity).  Stir it in to the meat until it is well absorbed, then cook for a few minutes. Omit this step if just using a couple of fillets.
5. Add the contents of the can of soup.  If you have added flour, then you need to use the can and add 3/4 of a can of water. Stir well.
6. Add the carrots, mushrooms and mixed herbs, stirring them in well.
7. Bring to a good simmer but don't boil.  Put the lid on and cook for around 30 minutes stirring from time to time.

I usually serve this with pasta but you can use whatever you prefer.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tagine

For this recipe a slow cooker is recommended but if you don't have a slow cooker  you can cook it in a low oven around gas 2 or 150°  for several hours.


This recipe is so easy to prepare and the result is rich, thick, hearty and so 
delicious it melts your heart.

• 6 chicken thighs (skinless and boneless is best)  I strongly recommend thighs as chicken breast meat tends to become dry and a little tasteless
• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 2 large carrots peeled and sliced thinly
• 50g dried cranberries (sold as Craisins)
• 50 - 60g chopped dried apricots
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves - crushed
• *1 - 2 teaspoons of Harissa Paste  (optional)
• 400 mls chicken stock (if you don't have any you can make it from a stock cube and water)
• 1 -2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 -2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• If your chicken thighs have skin and bone then remove and discard the skin then layer them in the bottom of the slow cooker
• Layer the fruit and vegetables over the top of the meat
• In a separate jug or basin mix the flour, stock, tomato puree, lemon juice, and spices together then pour over the meat etc in the slow cooker.  I suggest putting the flour into the basin first and adding a little liquid stirring it to make a paste, then gradually adding a more liquid stirring all the time to prevent lumps forming.
• Cook on high setting for a minimum of 6 hours but the longer you leave it the better it will be.

Serve with rice or cous cous and enjoy the lovely sweet richness of it all.


*Harissa Paste can be found near the spices in most good supermarkets.

Chicken with bacon & leek

• 1 Chicken portion (either breast or thigh fillet) per person
• 2 - 3 rashers of bacon
• 1 large leek or 2 smaller ones
• 1 tablespoon flour
• Milk
• 1 oz butter 
• Cheese

• Cut the bacon into pieces
• Cut the chicken into pieces
• Clean and slice the leek

• Melt the butter in a pan and add the bacon & chicken and cook until browned, turning to ensure all sides are done.
• Add the leeks and cook on a low heat with a lid on the pan until softened
• Sprinkle the flour onto the ingredients in the pan and stir in, cook for 1 minute to cook the flour then
• Add the milk, bring to the boil stirring all the time.  
• Turn the heat down and simmer until the chicken is cooked.  
• Add as much grated cheese as you like.
• If the sauce is too thick you can add more milk to thin it. 

Chicken Cacciatori

Although it sounds as though it should be complicated this is a very simple dish.  

• Chicken pieces (again I would choose thigh fillets but it is up to you)  You can cut it into small pieces or leave it whole, you can also leave the skin on.
• Onion
• Mushrooms
• 1 Tin of tomatoes
• Garlic
• paprika
• Oregano (or mixed herbs)
• Flour
• Oil & butter
• Salt & Pepper

Optional

• 1 Red pepper
• 1 Green pepper
• or 
• 1 large carrot

.

• Slice the pepper in half, scoop out the middle and discard, then slice the pepper into strips, cut the onion in half from root to the top, lay flat side down on a chopping board and slice, clean or peel the mushrooms and slice.  If using a carrot instead of peppers peel it,  cut in half and slice into matchsticks.  Peel & crush the garlic.
• Heat the oil in a pan and add the butter (this adds colour and helps to brown the meat)
• Place around 1 tablespoon of flour in a dish and season with salt and pepper.  Toss the meat in the flour then
• Place in the pan with the hot oil and cook until browned then turn and repeat on the other side.
• When all the meat is browned remove from the pan and set aside. 
• Take a little of the oil/butter mix out of the pan (DON'T tip it down the sink, you can use wadded kitchen paper to soak up some of the grease) then add the onions, garlic, mushrooms and whatever vegetables you are using, move them around in the oil to prevent burning, cook until the onion is translucent.
• Empty a tin of tomatoes with then stalk ends removed, into the pan and chop them with a wooden spoon. Stir into the vegetables, add a little tomato puree (ketchup works well if you don't have puree)
• Add herbs and paprika, you can add a touch of chilli powder if you wish but only a touch.
• Return the chicken to the pan, put a lid on and cook for 20 - 30 minutes on a moderate hob, stirring from time to time to prevent it sticking.