Lipton Soup Chicken

Lipton Soup Chicken is a tasty and simple dish you can make any day of the week for your family. It uses chicken thighs, which are so delish. 

Chicken thighs are a versatile cut of meat that I always have in my freezer. And these days with grocery prices ticking up, you may find it more affordable to use this cut of meat.

This dish is by a wonderful cook I found online named Aisha Williams. I purchased her cookbook called "Homestyle Cooking Made Easy." It is such a wonderful cookbook, and I am excited to try even more recipes.

This dish is so good. The Lipton Onion Soup mix really adds a ton of flavor. This is perfect to make on these cold winter nights.

Serve with rice or mashed potatoes and your fav veg. I did a grilled asparagus.

Lipton Soup Chicken

From "Homestyle Cooking Made Easy"

By Aisha Williams

4-6 chicken thighs

1 package Lipton Onion Soup mix

3 Tbsp. Adobo seasoning

2 tsp. Greek all purpose seasoning

1/4 cup flour

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/4 cup olive oil or grapeseed oil

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup water

3 Tbsp. green onions, chopped (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken with Adobo seasoning. 

2. In a skillet on medium high heat, add oil and butter. Add in chicken and allow to cook 10 minutes per side. Your chicken should be nice and browned. (Transfer chicken to a lightly greased baking dish if using rather than the frying pan when baking the chicken in the oven.) 

3. In a cup or bowl, add Lipton soup mix, flour, Greek seasoning and 1/2 cup water. Blend together well using a fork or whisk. Pour mixture over chicken. Add in chicken broth and green onions. 

4. Cover and place skillet (or baking dish) in oven. Cook for 60 minutes. Serve this delicious chicken over rice or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Please note: The Jersey Girl recommends to not overcrowd the pan when browning the chicken thighs. This means, you may need to work in batches. She also used a baking dish for the oven portion of the recipe. Be sure your skillet is oven safe if you are just using a skillet for the stovetop and oven. She also only uses 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. of olive oil when browning the chicken.

Crispy Mustard Chicken

Crispy Mustard Chicken by Ina Garten is so easy, and soooooo good.

Her recipe calls for serving this over frisee, but I can never ever ever find that in my grocery store, so I served it over arugula dressed with lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper.

But about the chicken....

This dish uses thighs, which are so juicy and delish. I know the chicken breast gets all the glory but thighs really are the unsung hero of the chicken. Plus, they are super cheap.

I always have panko, lemon zest, Dijon and white wine on hand. If you don't have fresh thyme, dried would work just as well. Just cut it to 1/2 tsp.

Be sure to dry the chicken for that extra crisp factor. 

Here's my assembly line set up for getting the chickens dipped and coated: 

My husband and son both loved this dish. I will definitely add it to our regular recipe arsenal.

Here you go:

Crispy Mustard Chicken

Serves 4

From "Cook Like a Pro" by Ina Garten

 2 garlic cloves

1 1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup panko (Japanese bread flakes)

1 1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest

Good olive oil

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1/4 good Dijon mustard

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 1/2 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 large)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place the garlic, thyme, 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a food processor fitted wtih a steel blade and process until garlic is finely minced. Add the panko, lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. olive oil and the butter and pulse a few times to moisten the panko. Pour the mixture into a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, whisk together mustard and wine.

Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Dip each piece first in the mustard mixture to coat the top and bottom and then coat the skin side only in the crumb mixture, pressing gently to make the crumbs adhere. Place the chicken on the sheet pan, crumb side up and press any remaining crumbs ontho the chicken. 

Roast for 40 to 50 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Serve immediately.

Please note: The Jersey Girl serves this chicken over a bed of arugula dressed with lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper. 

Chicken Thighs with Spinach

Chicken and spinach are two of my most common food items to have on hand, so this Lemon Butter Chicken dish from Damn Delicious is one of my go-to's all year long. It uses chicken thighs, which get the snub quite a bit from the general pop. But in my opinion, they are very juicy and yummy and they are way cheaper than the chicken breast. 

This is perfect to serve with rice or potatoes of some sort. And then I always rock out a salad for good measure. 

Be sure to use a pan that works on the stove and the oven. I like to use my Le Creuset braiser. It is ideal for this type of cooking.

I use half and half in lieu of heavy cream. I also use more spinach, because the more greens the better.

Lemon Butter Chicken

From Damn Delicious

8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

1 Tbsp. smoked paprika

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tsp. dried thyme

2 cups baby spinach, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Season chicken thighs with paprika, salt and pepper to taste.

Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large oven-proof skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken, skin-side down, and sear both sides until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side; drain excess fat and set aside.

Melt remaining Tbsp. butter in the skillet. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth, heavy cream, parmesan, lemon juice and thyme.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Stir in spinach and simmer until the spinach has wilted and the sauce has slightly thickened, about 3-5 minutes. Return chicken to the skillet.

Place into oven and roast until completely cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit, about 25-30 minutes.

Serve immediately

Please note: The Jersey Girl uses half and half in lieu of heavy cream.

Colorful Chicken Marengo

A plate with a fantastic palette of shades and textures is simply delightful. That's what I have found here in this marvelous Chicken Marengo that called out to me on Pinterest.

This dish features chicken thighs, which are so affordable and great to use to feed a crowd. Canned tomatoes, onion, garlic and olives meld together into an exciting dish that works perfectly with mashed potatoes or rice.

Chicken Marengo has an interesting history. Food historians say it was created in honor of Napoleon's defeat of the Austrians during the Battle of Marengo in 1800. There is dispute however if it was created by Napoleon's own chef or if it was created decades later in remembrance of the historical victory. It's more likely that the dish was created later in the 1800's since many of the ingredients involved in the dish, such as tomatoes, were not readily available at the time of the battle. A world without tomatoes?! What!

I so love a little history lesson.

This is not my recipe, but here are some of my tips for a successful dish. I like to use Kalamata olives instead of the standard black olives. Pre-sliced saves time!

I do not cut the chicken thighs into 2-inch pieces. So, when I put the chicken back in the pan for the final heat through, I do it for more like 20-25 minutes instead of 15.

The recipe says to deglaze the pan. If you don't know what that means here's the definition: Add a liquid (in this case wine) to a hot pan, and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to get up all the brown bits. Let the liquid reduce to about half.

If your family is anti olive, you can use capers for that salty bite.

This dish reheats wonderfully, and it's a good one to make ahead if need be.

Chicken Marengo
From crunchycreamysweet.com

1.5 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion sliced or chopped
14 oz. can Italian tomatoes or diced tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup sliced black olives, such as Kalamata
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 tsp sriracha or hot sauce optional
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley if desired

Instructions:

Mix flour and salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Cut chicken into  2-inch pieces. Toss the chicken in flour and salt and pepper.

Heat up the oil in pan. Place in batches in the pan and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate. Cover with aluminum foil.

Add more oil to the pan if needed. Add onion to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until softens.

Add garlic, cook 30 seconds.

Add wine and deglaze the pan. Add tomatoes, broth, Italian seasoning and olives. Bring to a boil. 

Add chicken back to the pan and cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.

The Other Chicken

The chicken breast gets all the glory.

But, I urge all my culinary cohorts to give the thigh a try.

This dish, Rosemary Grilled Chicken Thighs and Wild Mushroom Sauce, is a fabulous showcase for the thigh. Even The Husband grooved on it, and mushrooms aren’t exactly his thang.

Neither is mayo.

Or broccoli.

Or fennel.

If my baby comes out a picky eater, The Husband is getting ALL the blame.

Just kidding, Husband. Calm down.

In reality, if there is some crazy exotic item popping out on a menu, The Husband is first in line to give it a try. Crocodile. Cactus. Shark. Rattlesnake.

But, he won’t eat a peach.

So this week, I need to cook some of The Husband’s favs to give him major thanks for all his hard work during our home-improvement marathon.

And I must send major props to my Moms, who has been painting like a madwoman in preparation for the bambino. What started as a two-room paint job has now morphed into a two bathroom, two bedroom and laundry room painting extravaganza.

It has also involved four trips to Home Depot in three days. (As if I new the color Calming Retreat would appear pink once applied to the wall?)

Meanwhile, I’ve been compulsively cleaning out every closet, drawer, nook and cranny, which then prompts me to collapse on the couch and watch “General Hospital” or fall into a siesta, whichever comes first.

But onto the recipe. This one is from Rachael Ray. I am listing it below and providing the link on the Food Network Web site. And I’d like to note that I omitted the dried porcini mushroom portion of the dish in an effort to not give The Husband a shroom overdose.

I served the chicken with some awesome polenta that I whipped up. The sauce went really well with it. So, I will provide you with my formula for awesome mac daddy polenta as well.

Rosemary Grilled Chicken Thighs and Wild Mushroom Sauce
By Rachael Ray
Makes four servings

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Coarse salt and black pepper
3 stems fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1-ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 pound, 4 slices, pancetta, chopped, available at your deli counter or 3 slices bacon, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 large shallot, chopped
2 portobello mushroom caps, halved and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup dry red wine

Heat a grill pan over high heat. Drizzle chicken thighs with oil, season with salt, pepper and rosemary. Grill chicken 5 minutes on each side and remove from heat to rest for 5 minutes.


Place stock in a small bowl and cover. Heat in microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove stock from microwave with oven mitt. Add dried porcini to the dish and replace the cover. Steep porcinis in stock 5 to 10 minutes to reconstitute mushrooms. This may also be done on the stovetop. Simmer broth, and mushrooms for 10 minutes over low heat.

In a medium skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, saute pancetta, crushed garlic and chopped shallot over medium heat for 3 minutes, to crisp pancetta at edges. Add sliced portobello mushrooms to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Saute mushrooms 10 minutes, or until dark and tender. Add flour and cook 1 minute. Add red wine to the pan and reduce by 1/2, about 1 minute. Add reserved stock and porcini mushrooms to the pan and simmer together 1 to 2 minutes longer to combine.

Slice chicken thighs and fan out on a plate. Ladle thick mushroom sauce down over sliced chicken and serve.

Please note: The Jersey Girl omitted the dried porcini mushrooms and just added beef stock. She also did not slice the chicken upon serving.

Mac Daddy Polenta
Makes 4-5 servings

4 cups water, plus a few cups more simmering in a tea kettle or pot
1 tsp. salt
1 cup polenta aka yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp. butter
¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a wide saucepan. Add salt.

Slowly stir or whisk in cornmeal. Lower the heat to medium-low, making sure to keep a slight simmer on the mixture. Stir continuously.

As the polenta thickens up, add some of the reserved hot water in the tea kettle, about a ¼ cup at a time. Cook polenta until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Turn off heat. Stir in butter and parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.