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chicken breast

Entrees

Crunchy Fiesta Chicken

Cinco de Mayo is almost here, so I’m hopeful that spring will decide to return soon…and stay for while!

To get into the celebratory spirit, I wanted to add some spice to a traditional baked chicken recipe featuring panko breadcrumbs. I love the crunchy texture of the panko so much that I’ll use it in turkey meatloaf and I’ve been known to eat them right from the bag.

With this Crunchy Fiesta Chicken, I’ve simply blended store-bought taco seasoning with panko breadcrumbs for my breading mixture.

panko bread crumbs

Some recipes have you mix the shredded cheese with the breadcrumb mixture, but I prefer to put the cheese on last in the baking process. That allows the breadcrumbs to stay crunchy and for most of the cheese to stay on the chicken breast.

mix the spices and cheese with the breadcrumbs

After dipping in an egg/water mixture, you dredge the chicken breasts in the glorious panko breadcrumbs on both sides. Then it’s ready to pop in an oven.

coat the chicken breasts with breadcrumbs

Turn once in the baking cycle for both sides to crisp up. Then top with 4-blend Mexican cheese a few minutes before the baking is done; just enough to let the cheese lightly melt. And you’ve got a crunchy, lightly spicy chicken breast that would be perfect for your Cinco de Mayo dinner. Pair it with a taco side salad and a great Mexican beer or tequila. Now that’s a meal worth celebrating!

crunchy fiesta chicken

Crunchy Fiesta Chicken

Rating: 51

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 large chicken breasts, refrigerated
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
1 package taco seasoning
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper, lightly coat with nonstick spray or olive oil. Then set aside.

In a pie pan, whisk together breadcrumbs and taco seasoning. Set aside.

In another pie pan, beat the eggs and incorporate 2 tablespoons of water. Take each individual chicken breast and dip (one side at a time) into the egg mixture, then the breadcrumb mixture. In some cases, you may need to dip each side twice to ensure full coverage.

Lay the chicken breast in the prepared baking pan, and repeat for the remaining chicken breasts.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Turn the chicken breasts halfway in the cooking time to ensure a crispy texture on both sides of the chicken.

During the last 3 minutes of baking, add about 1/4 cup of Mexican cheese on top of each chicken breast. Return to the oven and let it melt completely. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

https://bakedchicago.com/crunchy-fiesta-chicken-recipe/

 

Contests & Promotions

Win Free ProSticks Grilled Chicken Breast on a Stick

Mediterranean, Sweet Sriracha or Chipotle: Which ProSticks™ Chicken Skewer flavor would you pick?

Thank you to Expresco for providing five (5) coupons for the online random drawing.

I love discovering new products, so I’m excited to share information about ProSticks by Expresco. They’re grilled chicken breast on a stick, and come in three flavors: Sweet Sriracha, Mediterranean, and Chipotle. Each ProSticks product has/is:

  • 23 grams of protein per serving
  • Fully cooked and ready to eat
  • Real grill marks
  • No preservatives

You’ve probably noticed there has been an explosion of high-protein on the go snack products. Some of those products include nuts or cheese. But ProSticks is all about the chicken breast skewer. So not only is it a convenient protein-packed snack, it’s also a convenient meal component for quick protein-rich lunch or dinner.

For example, any of these ProSticks grilled chicken breast flavors would be great chopped up with a quick-cooking brown rice for a high-protein meal option.  Or diced with some tomato, lettuce and cheese wrapped up in a whole wheat tortilla wrap. The convenient meal options are only limited by what’s in your pantry.

Enter below to win a coupon for one (1) free ProSticks Grilled Chicken Skewers product (up to $3.99 value). Online random drawing ends September 23, and winners will be notified with redemption instructions. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Entrees

Crunchy Fiesta Chicken

It’s rainy and damp, and hardly festive right now. But Cinco de Mayo is almost here, so I’m hopeful that spring will decide to return soon…and stay for while!

To get into the celebratory spirit, I wanted to add some spice to a traditional baked chicken recipe featuring panko breadcrumbs. I love the crunchy texture of the panko so much that I’ll use it in turkey meatloaf and I’ve been known to eat them right from the bag.

With this Crunchy Fiesta Chicken, I’ve simply blended store-bought taco seasoning with panko breadcrumbs for my breading mixture.

panko bread crumbs

Some recipes have you mix the shredded cheese with the breadcrumb mixture, but I prefer to put the cheese on last in the baking process. That allows the breadcrumbs to stay crunchy and for most of the cheese to stay on the chicken breast.

mix the spices and cheese with the breadcrumbs

After dipping in an egg/water mixture, you dredge the chicken breasts in the glorious panko breadcrumbs on both sides. Then it’s ready to pop in an oven.

coat the chicken breasts with breadcrumbs

Turn once in the baking cycle for both sides to crisp up. Then top with 4-blend Mexican cheese a few minutes before the baking is done; just enough to let the cheese lightly melt. And you’ve got a crunchy, lightly spicy chicken breast that would be perfect for your Cinco de Mayo dinner. Pair it with a taco side salad and a great Mexican beer or tequila. Now that’s a meal worth celebrating!

crunchy fiesta chicken

Crunchy Fiesta Chicken

Rating: 51

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 large chicken breasts, refrigerated
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
1 package taco seasoning
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 F degrees. Line a baking pan with parchment paper, lightly coat with nonstick spray or olive oil. Then set aside.

In a pie pan, whisk together breadcrumbs and taco seasoning. Set aside.

In another pie pan, beat the eggs and incorporate 2 tablespoons of water. Take each individual chicken breast and dip (one side at a time) into the egg mixture, then the breadcrumb mixture. In some cases, you may need to dip each side twice to ensure full coverage.

Lay the chicken breast in the prepared baking pan, and repeat for the remaining chicken breasts.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Turn the chicken breasts halfway in the cooking time to ensure a crispy texture on both sides of the chicken.

During the last 3 minutes of baking, add about 1/4 cup of Mexican cheese on top of each chicken breast. Return to the oven and let it melt completely. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.

https://bakedchicago.com/crunchy-fiesta-chicken/

 

Entrees/ Events & Entertaining

Find the perfect match for your Valentine’s Day menu at Mariano’s Chicago bakery

#MyMarianos, #CollectiveBias, #shop

Collective Bias Social Fabric

What's cookin' good lookin' #shop #MyMarianos slow cooker coq au vin

Does Valentine’s Day stress you out? Do you find yourself running around to every grocery store in Chicago, or calling every Chicago bakery on Yelp, to find the right romantic dessert for your sweetie? Well, stop it. Take 3 deep breaths, and just stop for a moment. You’re in need of a Valentine’s Day smack down – given out of love, of course! I totally understand because we’ve all been there before. With so many options and such high expectations (that we force upon ourselves), it can be challenging to know where to begin.

Valentine’s Day is not about how much money you spend on the one you love. It’s not about mindlessly following the crowd to celebrate the heart-iest of holidays with the masses. In the same way each relationship is unique, the way you honor your significant other and the way you celebrate Valentine’s Day together should reflect the uniqueness of the relationship you share.

I don’t like crowds, so spending Valentine’s Day with the rest of Chicago crammed inside a busy restaurant can cause a panic attack. For me, nothing speaks louder than thoughtful actions…like a quiet, home-cooked meal that reflects a shared experience. One easy way to create a Valentine’s Day menu is to build it around a theme like your favorite destination as a couple. Personally, I adore Chicago; that’s why I live here. But Paris is hands-down the most romantic city I’ve ever experienced. There is literally romance in the air throughout the City of Lights.

So for Valentine’s Day this year, I want to bring a bit of Paris into my home. Mariano’s makes that easy to do. I’m going to make a slow cooker coq au vin recipe for dinner using fresh poultry and produce from #MyMarianos. And with my Mariano’s Rewards Card in hand, I’ll supplement everything else (including flowers and wine) that I need for a romantic Valentine’s Day breakfast and dinner at home with items from the Mariano’s Bakery, Deli, International Market, Liquor and Floral departments.

Parisian all-butter croissants #MyMarianos #shop #CollectiveBias slow cooker coq au vin

In the Bakery Department, I picked up some Parisian all-butter croissants for breakfast and chocolate mousse cups for dessert. My Valentine’s Day authentic Parisian breakfast will start with:

  • French roast coffee with cream (French vanilla flavor, maybe?!)
  • orange juice
  • Mariano’s all-butter croissants
  • Bonne Maman® blackberry preserves
  • fresh blackberries from Mariano’s produce department

And don’t forget the butter! French cuisine focuses on simple, high-quality ingredients. If you’re going to have croissants made with real butter, then enjoy real butter ON them as well. Warm the croissants before serving, and consider having breakfast in bed for an indulgent start to Valentine’s Day. Oui, oui!

Slow Cooker Coq Au Vin

This recipe for slow cooker coq au vin is perfect for Valentine’s Day dinner because it only takes 20 minutes to prep; it’s easy to assemble before you head out the door for work. It cooks all day (8 hours), so it will be ready to enjoy with your sweetie when you get home. All of the ingredients for my authentic Parisian dinner menu are available at Mariano’s including:

Entrée / Side Dish
  • slow cooker coq au vin, with chicken breast, button mushrooms, pearl onions and baby carrots
  • Parisian parsley potatoes (recipe below)
Dessert
  • chocolate mousse cups from Mariano’s Bakery
Drink and Table Décor
  • wine (at least 2 bottles of red, white or sparkling) from Mariano’s Liquor Department
  • bouquet of flowers from Mariano’s Floral Department

Most of the slow cooker coq au vin ingredients I purchased on this #CollectiveBias #shop at Mariano’s were already fully prepped, except for the carrots. To give your carrots a bit of sophistication (yes, carrots can have sophistication!), cut them on the diagonal. It’s a simple trick that makes them look a bit more special.

slow cooker coq au vin diced carrots and button mushrooms #MyMarianos #shop #CollectiveBias

Valentine’s Day Menu Ideas

ooh la la - Parisian parsley potatoes are the perfect side dish for slow cooker coq au vin #shopA traditional side dish served with slow cooker coq au vin would be Parisian Parsley Potatoes. This recipe takes about 30 minutes to cook and it continues the buttery decadence that Parisian food embraces. A definite must to add to your Valentine’s Day menu.

Coq au vin would normally use a Burgundy (red) wine but this recipe uses a white wine. There are variations of coq au vin that also use champagne. Use whichever you prefer. My suggestion is to buy 2 bottles of your favorite wine. Pour one cup into the slow cooker (that’s all it takes) when you’re ready to start cooking and save the rest for your dinner.

My Valentine’s Day menu is obviously inspired by Paris. But maybe another global destination holds a more romantic meaning for you and yours. Did you honeymoon in Italy or meet the love of your life in the Mediterranean? Mariano’s Bakery (my favorite department within the store!) has hand-made Italian cookies, biscotti and cannoli. And across the aisle at Mariano’s Deli you’ll find big, beautiful Greek olives and a variety of Mediterranean salads. The point is to fill your Valentine’s Day menu with items that have meaning for you.

Still need some inspiration? Just take a stroll in Mariano’s International Market aisles. Mariano’s has items from Italian, Hispanic, Asian, Polish, Kosher, Indian, Mediterranean, German, Eastern European, British and Southern cuisines. It’s the supermarket version of around the world in 80 plates! And any of these global goodies would be a perfect match for your Valentine’s Day menu.

Mariano's international market #MyMarianos #CollectiveBias #shop slow cooker coq au vin

If you know what kind of cuisine you want to prepare but you don’t know what wine or cheese to pair and serve, Mariano’s has a team of people who are ready with suggestions. They even have a Wine & Cheese pairings area in the store to kick-start your brainstorming.

Ideas and inspiration are plentiful at Mariano’s; that’s one of the reasons why I enjoy shopping there so much. It’s not just a grocery store. For foodies, it’s like an adventure theme park filled with all kinds of deliciousness. And when I’m not inside my local Mariano’s store, I stay connected to get ideas by following #MyMarianos on social media, including Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

What are you planning for your Valentine’s Day menu? Or if the proverbial oven mitt were on your significant other’s other hand, what dish would you want them to be making just for you?

Slow Cooker Coq au Vin

Rating: 51

20 minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours

Yield: 2 servings

Slow Cooker Coq au Vin

Ingredients

6 ounces button mushrooms, cut in half
10 ounces pearl onions, frozen
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper for seasoning
1 medium onion, chopped
1 pound baby carrots, sliced on an angle in 3/4-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine (red wine works, too)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 cup chicken broth
4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

Instructions

In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, combine the mushrooms and pearl onions. Set aside.

Lightly season the chicken breasts (both sides) with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high. Cook the chicken over medium-high heat until browned (about 10 minutes on each side). Place chicken over the vegetables in the slow cooker.

Using the skillet with the remaining drippings, add the chopped onion and sliced carrots. On medium heat, cook for 3 minutes or until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Stir frequently. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the wine, tomato paste and bay leaf. Heat to boiling, stirring to dissolve the tomato paste.

Pour the wine mixture, followed by the chicken broth, over the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Cover the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.

About 15 minutes before you're ready to plate, cook the bacon in the microwave using a microwave-safe plate. Put 8 paper towel sheets on the plate and top with the bacon slices. I recommend cutting the bacon AFTER the cooking process. Put 4 paper towel sheets on top of the bacon slices and cook, following manufacturer's directions. For my microwave, 4 slices of thick-cut bacon will cook in 5 to 6 minutes. Cook until crispy, then cut into 1-inch pieces.

Remove the bay leaf from the slow cooker. Transfer the chicken, vegetables and sauce to a deep serving platter or plate immediately on individual plates. Sprinkle each serving with bacon and enjoy.

Notes

Let this cook during the day while you're at work. But if you need to whip it up faster, you can cook it on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

https://bakedchicago.com/slow-cooker-coq-au-vin/

Entrees

Ad: Crock Pot Chicken Vesuvio, Family-Style Recipe

Collective Bias Social Fabric

crock pot chicken vesuvio

With the arrival of the new year, like many of you I am looking to recalibrate my food choices to make up for the over indulgence of holiday goodies. One of my go-to ingredients is boneless, skinless chicken breast. I’m also trying to make good use of my slow cooker, so I have more time to shovel snow! I’d be joking if we hadn’t received 13+ inches of snow in the last 2 days with about 6 more inches to arrive over the next 24 hours. I guess that will be my cardio workout.

Before the snow storm hit, I made my way to my local Sam’s Club to stock up on pantry items. You can always find some really good deals on quality ingredients, and I love discovering new products. One of the new product lines that Sam’s Club is carrying in 2014 is NatureRaised Farms® Boneless, Skinless Chicken. If you’ve never heard of or used NatureRaised Farms® brand before, their products are quite remarkable.

NatureRaised Farms Chicken at Sam's Club

I always prefer to focus on fewer, high-quality ingredients in a recipe to get the best flavor and nutrients possible. That goes for any recipe, sweet or savory. The NatureRaised Farms® chickens are vegetarian-fed, antibiotic-free and cage-free. There are no fillers, preservatives or artificial colors either. So I picked up a few packages of the Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts to make a big ole batch of Crock Pot Chicken Vesuvio, Family-Style.  If you’d like to try the NatureRaised Farms® product before you buy, a select number of participating Sam’s Clubs will have in-store product demonstrations on January 4. Or for more information about NatureRaised Farms®, visit their website or find them on Facebook and Twitter.

The Origin of Chicken Vesuvio

It may surprise you that Chicken Vesuvio was born in Chicago. It’s an Italian-American dish typically made from chicken on the bone and wedges of potato. Both are sautéed with garlic, oregano, olive oil and white wine, then baked until the chicken’s skin becomes crisp. The dish would often be garnished with green peas for color. In many Chicago restaurants, you’ll often find the “Vesuvio” technique applied to other foods like Steak Vesuvio or Vesuvio Potatoes. The origins of the dish are widely attributed to the Vesuvio Restaurant, which operated on Chicago’s Wacker Drive in the 1930’s. The original recipe can be a bit heavy, because of the richness of certain ingredients, including olive oil, white wine and lots of potatoes.

Crock Pot Chicken Vesuvio

I wanted to make a Chicken Vesuvio that offered a healthier option by using a healthier cut of chicken (skinless) and lower-sodium broth, as well as replacing some of the potatoes with other nutrient-rich vegetables that pack a real flavor punch, like edamame, sun-dried tomatoes and sweet peppers. And by using a crock pot to cook the dish instead of the oven, it uses far less oil, chicken broth and wine. That makes  this Crock Pot Chicken Vesuvio more moist and delicious.

chicken vesuvio mise en place

I always find it easier to execute a new recipe by getting all of my ingredients in order: mise en place. “Mise en place” is a French phrase which means literally “putting in place,” as in set up. In addition to the protein-rich, all-natural chicken, the other star ingredients of Crock Pot Chicken Vesuvio are:

new, red potatoes

new, red potatoes

sun-dried tomatoes

sun-dried tomatoes

sweet red and yellow peppers

sweet red and yellow peppers

edamame

and my favorite, edamame!

Use a sharp chef’s knife to Julienne the peppers and sun-dried tomatoes, as well as quarter the potatoes. Julienning is a simple technique that cuts food into short, thin strips. It not only looks great (we eat with our eyes first!) but also reduces the cooking time, while ensuring even cooking.

julienned ingredients 2

To get started, preheat a frying pan – lightly brushed with canola oil – on medium high heat. I used the sautée and browning setting on my 3-in-1 slow cooker, so I had one less dirty pan to wash. Score another point for Crock Pot Chicken Vesuvio! Take a barbecue or pastry brush and lightly coat one side of each chicken breast with canola oil. Then season the first side of the chicken breasts with a pinch each of salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning. Put the chicken breasts in the prepared pan, seasoned side down. Then repeat with canola oil and seasonings for the remaining sides of each chicken breast. Brown both sides of the chicken breasts (about 6 minutes per side).

Place the potatoes, edamame, peppers and sun-dried tomatoes inside the crock pot. Add the onion, garlic and remaining salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning. Pour in the chicken broth and white wine. [Because this dish requires less than a cup of white wine, I recommend picking a bottle of your favorite white wine to pair with this dinner. After pouring the half cup for the recipe, save the rest of the bottle to have with dinner!]

Gently stir until the ingredients are combined. Top the vegetables with the chicken breasts and cook for 3 hours on HIGH. You see, Crock Pot Chicken Vesuvio is really that easy!

Crock Pot Chicken Vesuvio, Family-Style

Cook Time: 3 hours, 12 minutes

Yield: 4 servings (1 chicken breast and approximately 1 cup of vegetables, each)

Crock Pot Chicken Vesuvio, Family-Style

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound small, red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 4 or 6 wedges each
12 ounces edamame, shelled
1 cup sweet yellow and red peppers, julienned
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
3 tablespoons minced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley, optional garnish

Instructions

Lightly coat a frying pan with canola oil and place on a stovetop burner, set at medium high. Warm the pan for a minute; you want it hot to properly sear the chicken breasts.

Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel. Using a barbecue or pastry brush, lightly coat the top of each breast with a thin layer of canola oil. Season with one pinch each of sea salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning. Place the chicken breasts in the hot frying pan, seasoned side down, and cook for about 6 minutes.

Immediately coat the remaining side of each chicken breast with canola oil. Again, season with one pinch each of sea salt, black pepper and Italian seasoning. Cover the pan with its lid until you're ready to turn the chicken breasts. After you turn the chicken breasts, cook for another 6 minutes, or until browned on both sides.

Place the potatoes, edamame, peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, onion, garlic and remaining sea salt, black pepper and Italian seasonings in a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add chicken broth and white wine. Gently stir to immerse vegetables evenly in the broth-wine mixture. This will help the vegetables to properly steam and cook evenly. Top the vegetables with the chicken breasts.

Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 3 1/2 hours (or LOW for 6 to 7 hours), or until chicken and potatoes are tender.

Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a serving plate. Top with juices from the slow cooker. Sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired.

https://bakedchicago.com/crock-pot-chicken-vesuvio/