Homemade Chicken Strips with Milk Gravy

I have a lot of things that I make that I don't have exact measurements for to share a recipe.  A lot of the times I eyeball the measurements, or have made something so many times that I don't really need to measure.  This recipe is one of them, so bare with me on this one.  They are so worth the time it takes to make them, though!

3-6 chicken breasts, trimmed and sliced thin or into nuggets

3-4 eggs

1-2 Tbsp soy sauce

1-2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp minced garlic

2-3 cups flour

seasoned salt

pepper

onion powder (optional)

oil

bacon grease (not necessary, but I would HIGHLY recommend!)

- Scramble the eggs and whisk in soy sauce, Worchestershire sauce, and garlic.  Throw in sliced chicken and let marinate until you are ready to cook.

- Stir together flour (about 1 1/2 cups at a time) with the seasoned salt and pepper in a bowl with a lid.  Adjust the amounts to taste.

- Heat oil and bacon grease together in a large skillet for frying.  Warm up slowly to medium-high to high heat.

- When the oil is ready (throw in a drop of water and if it immediately bubbles, you're ready), throw in 4-6 chicken strips at a time into the flour mixture.  Close the lid and shake until the chicken is well-coated.

- Carefully drop the chicken strips into the hot oil.  Cook until they are nice and golden brown, and chicken is cooked through.  Remove from oil onto paper towels.  This is a good point to give one a try to see if the flour needs more salt or pepper!

- Repeat with all of the chicken strips until they are done cooking!  When the flour gets to be too crumbly and isn't coating the chicken well, toss it out and make a fresh batch of flour, salt, and pepper.

- Serve hot and enjoy!

* You can substitute BBQ sauce and some milk for the soy and Worchestershire sauce.  Gives it the chicken strips a different flavor, but still so, so good! *

* As I mentioned, the bacon grease is not essential but makes the chicken strips oh-so-amazing.  I just save all of my bacon grease in a quart-sized mason jar in the refrigerator, collecting the drippings from each time I make bacon.  When the mason jar is full...it's time for chicken strips! *

For the milk gravy...

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

2 tsp chicken bouillon granules (or 2 cubes)

salt and pepper to taste

1-2 c milk (not skim)

Melt butter in a saucepan.  Whisk in flour, salt, pepper, and bouillon.  Let cook for about 1 minute, until bubbly.  Slowly add milk, whisking constantly to ensure a smooth gravy.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 1 minute.  Add more milk if gravy gets to be too thick.

Lime Chicken Tacos with Creamy Cucumber Relish

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
approx 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
approx 1/4 cup lime juice
2 cloves garlic
2 green onions, sliced
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/4-1/3 cup green enchilada sauce
taco shells
shredded cheese

Preheat oven to 350.  Place chicken in a skillet.  Pour lime juice and vinegar over chicken.  Add spices and green onion.  Cover and saute chicken over medium-low heat for approximately 20 minutes, or until cooked through.  Uncover and saute a little longer until most of the liquid has cooked off.  Remove from heat.  Shred chicken and return to skillet.  Pour in enchilada sauce and stir until chicken is covered.  Scoop chicken into taco shells, top with cheese, and stick in warm oven.  Bake until cheese is melted (5-10 minutes).  Remove from heat.  Top with cucumber relish (see below) and enjoy!


Creamy Cucumber Relish

2 cups cucumber, peeled and diced
1/4 cup mayo
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 to 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
pinch of salt
dash of sugar

Combine all ingredients and chill until ready to serve.


Recipe by Meredith

Chicken Artichoke Casserole

2 cups uncooked bow tie pasta
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and chopped
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup 2% milk
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup onion and garlic salad croutons, coarsely crushed

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chicken, artichokes, soup, cheese, mayonnaise, milk, garlic, onion powder and pepper. Drain pasta; add to chicken mixture. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with croutons. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until heated through.


Recipe by Taste of Home, found online HERE.

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Meat

5-7 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can RoTel, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained (optional)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced OR approx. 1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin (approximately)
1/2 tsp paprika (approximately)
8oz cream cheese
3/4 to 1 cup fresh salsa, drained, or pico de gallo
juice from 1/2 of a lime
salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken, RoTel, beans, onion, pepper, jalapeno, garlic, and spices into a crockpot. Adjust heat to how long you want to cook meal (between 4 and 6 hours). About 20 minutes before mealtime, shred chicken with two forks. Add cream cheese and stir until melted through. Add fresh salsa/pico and lime juice. Salt and pepper to taste. Let shredded chicken mixture cook for about 20 or so more minutes. Serve hot on fresh steamed flour tortillas topped with shredded lettuce and cheese.

Recipe by Meredith and Eric

Hearty Creamy Chicken and Barley Soup

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbsp butter or cooking oil
4 stalks celery chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, sliced
2 cloves garlic
6 cups water (from cooked chicken)
3-4 chicken bouillon cubes
3/4 cup quick barley
1 can cream of chicken soup, condensed
1/2 tsp dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

Boil chicken until cooked through. When finished, cube and set aside. (Save water used to boil chicken.) While chicken is boiling, saute onion, garlic, carrots, and celery in butter/oil. Cook until just tender. Add cooked chicken, and 6 cups of the water the chicken was boiled in. Add in bouillon cubes, barley, condensed cream of chicken soup, basil, salt, and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes. Serve hot. If too thick after standing, add some extra water to thin out.

Recipe by Meredith

Chicken Pillows

2 8oz packages cream cheese
4 chicken breasts, boiled and chopped
1 very small onion, chopped and sauteed (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 pkg crescent rolls (uncooked)
2 Tbsp margarine
Stove Top dressing

Mix cream cheese, chicken, onion, salt, & pepper. Separate crescent rolls into individual triangles. Place a spoonful of chicken mixture in center of each triangle. Fold dough around mixture completely and seal. Dip each pillow in melted margarine and roll in Stove Top dressing. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. Serve with gravy.

Mer's Modified Verson (Sept 28, 2010)
Sauteed green peppers, carrots, garlic, and onion.
About 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce to cream cheese mixture.
Substitute Panko bread crumbs with some Italian seasoning instead of Stove Top.

Recipe from Andee

Spinach Stuffed Chicken

• 1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 8 slices bacon

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Place spinach in a large glass bowl, and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes, stirring every minute or so, or until wilted. Stir in sour cream, pepperjack cheese, and garlic.
3. Lay the chicken breasts out on a clean surface, and spoon some of the spinach mixture onto each one. Roll up chicken to enclose the spinach, then wrap each chicken breast with two slices of bacon. Secure with toothpicks, and arrange in a shallow baking dish.
4. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, then increase heat to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C), or use the oven's broiler to cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to brown the bacon.

Cranberry Chicken

1 1/2 (16oz) bottles Wish-bone Russian salad dressing
6 chicken breasts
1 1/2 pkg dry Lipton onion soup
1 can whole cranberries

Wash chicken. Cut into smaller pieces, if desired, and lay close together in glass baking dish. Pour Russian dressing on top. Sprinkle onion soup on top. Place the whole cranberries on last. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Recipe from Wendy F.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

• 16 Boston Bibb or butter lettuce leaves
• 1 pound lean ground beef, pork, or chicken
  
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons minced pickled ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• Asian chile pepper sauce (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil

1. Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.
2. In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside to cool. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil, and continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
3. Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!

Recipe from Allrecipes.com

Creamy Almond Chicken

2/3 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup butter, divided
6 chicken breast halves, skinned and boned
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp marmalade (or substitute honey)
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
Hot cooked rice

Saute almonds in 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet. Then set aside. Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4 inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook about 1 minute on each side, or until golden brown. Reduce heat to medium. Mix together whipping cream, mustard, marmalade/honey, and red pepper. Sprinkle 1/2 cup almonds over chicken. Then pour whipping cream mixture on top of chicken and almonds. Cook about 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Sprinkle with remaining almonds. Serve with rice. Makes 6 servings.

Recipe from Barbara

Quiche of Any Kind

1 pie crust
6-7 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 cup shredded cheese (any kind), divided
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup Parmesan


Fillings:
1 cup chicken, cooked and cubed
1 cup ham, cooked and cubed
1 to 1 1/2 cup pork sausage, browned and drained
bacon bits
1/2 cup cottage cheese
shredded hash browns
broccoli, cut up
yellow and red peppers, cut up
spinach, chopped

Prepare pie crust and put in pie plate. Place fillings into pie plate. Beat eggs. Add milk, 1/2 of cheese, cottage cheese (if using), salt, & pepper. Stir in chopped spinach (if using). Pour on top of fillings. Top with remaining cheese and Parmesan. Bake at 350 for approx. 1 hour, until top is golden brown and until knife inserted in middle comes out clean.

Recipe by Meredith

Chicken Soup

1 whole cut up chicken (minus innards)
water
salt
pepper
chicken bouillon
carrots, cut up
celery, cut up

Place chicken in soup pot. Add water until chicken is completely covered. Bring to boil and cook until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken. Add carrots, celery, and salt, pepper, and bouillon to taste. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until vegetables are al dente. Meanwhile, skin and de-bone chicken. Cut or shred chicken into small pieces, then add to soup. Simmer about 5-10 minutes. Serve hot.

May add egg noodles, rice, or dumplings.

Recipe by Meredith

Chicken or Beef Spedini

chicken breasts
thinly cut beef (like breakfast steak)
Italian bread crumbs
Parmesan cheese
garlic powder
1/2 to 1 stick butter or margerine, melted
lemon juice

- Pound chicken with a meat tenderizer until 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. If making beef, no pounding is necessary.
- In a bowl, combine butter and lemon juice.
- In another bowl, combine dry ingredients.
- Dip meat in butter bath and then into crumb mixture, coating evenly on both sides.
- Roll meat into a log and set aside. Repeat dipping a rolling until finished.
- Cut logs into 1/2 to 3/4 inch slices. They will look like little spirals.
- Place slices on skewer.
- Broil skewers for 5-6 minutes, then flip and broil another 5-6 minutes. You may have to flip them and do a final 5-6 minutes, depending on how thick the slices were cut.

TIPS
- I soak my bamboo skewers in water for a couple of hours before sticking the meat on them. It prevents the bamboo from charring during the broiling.
- After rolling up the meat, I refrigerate for an hour or so; it makes it a lot easier and less messy to cut into slices.
- You may substitute lemon zest for lemon juice. Just add it to the dry ingredients.
- As far as the dry ingredients go, sorry about the non-measurements! I usually do half crumbs and half cheese, and then garlic to taste.

Original recipe from Mary

Anniversary Chicken

6 chicken breasts
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 cup ranch dressing
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 (3oz) jar real bacon bits (or real bacon)
Chopped fresh parsley
3 Tbsp oil

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and saute 3 to 4 minutes on each side until lightly browned. Preheat oven to 350. Place browned chicken breasts in a 9x13 baking dish. Brush with teriyaki sauce, then spoon on salad dressing. Sprinkle with cheese, green onions, and bacon bits to top. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through (clear juices). Garnish with parsley. Serve over rice.

Recipe from Jamey

Honey Pecan Chicken Salad

4 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
3 celery stalks, sliced
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup toasted pecans
1 1/4 cup mayo
1/3 cup honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix first four ingredients together. Stir mayonnaise, honey, salt and pepper together and add to chicken mixture. Serve on a bed of lettuce with a sprinkle of pecans on top.

*My variations: substitute walnuts (untoasted) for pecans. Also, you can add about 1/2 cup each diced apples and halved grapes.

Recipe from Karen

Meatloaf

1 to 1 1/2 lbs hamburger, or ground turkey
8 oz tomato sauce, or ketchup
3/4 cup oats
1 egg
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients. Bake at 350 for 1 hour in greased loaf pan.

Recipe from Mary

Turkey (or chicken) Tetrazzini

1/4 cup margerine melted
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp chicken boullion
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup hot water
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
3 cups spaghetti, cooked and drained
2 cups cut up turkey or chicken
handful mushrooms
1 Tbsp parsley
2 Tbsp sherry
2 Tbsp Parmesan
2 Tbsp shredded cheddar

Blend flour, boullion, salt, and pepper in microwavable casserole dish. Add margerine, water, and whipping cream. Microwave for 6-9 minutes until thickend. Stir 1 or 2 times while microwaving. Stir spaghetti, turkey, mushrooms, parsley, and sherry into mixture. Sprinkle cheeses on top. Microwave 8-10 minutes until heated.

Recipe from Mary

Sweet and Sour Chicken

1 lb chicken, cut into chunks
flour, enough to coat chicken
2-3 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 15oz can pineapple tidbits or chunks
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp chicken boullion
1/4 cup vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp cornstarch

Cook coated chicken in oil. Add water to cooked chicken and simmer about 20 minutes. Add pineapple, sugar, boullion, and vinegar. Mix together soy sauce and cornstarch. Stir into chicken to thicken. Serve over rice.

Recipe from Karen

Chicken Swiss Cheese Bake

2 chicken breasts, cooked
Kraft swiss singles (no holes)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup cooking sherry
1 cup Pepperidge Farm Herb dressing mix
1 stick margerine

Cut chicken ino bite sized pieces and line greased casserole dish. Cover chicken with swiss cheese. Mix together soup and sherry, then pour over cheese. Top with herb mix. Drizzle margerine over. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes.

Recipe from Mary

Ritzy Chicken

1 cups sour cream
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp celery salt
1 tsp paprika
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

5 chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers (approx. 1 roll)
1/2 cup butter, divided
2 Tbsp poppy seeds (optional)

Combine sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and spices. Marinate chicken in mixture for at least 1 hour. Roll marinated chicken in cracker crumbs and place in greased baking dish. Melt butter, pour half of it over chicken. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Pour rest of butter over chicken and sprinkle poppy seeds on top. Bake 15 more minutes.

Recipe from Jana