You'd be hard-pressed to find another meat which can be cooked in so many ways, with so much versatility in seasoning and sauce options and which is as inexpensive. The texture of chicken has a good bite to it while being tender as well. It's full of protein and is filling. It spans cuisines around the world, with a chicken recipe to be found in almost every country. If you find yourself in a chicken recipe rut, with the same old recipes being re-run month after month, read on for some ideas for making the most of the tasty bird.
Here's an idea for leftover chicken in a breakfast omelet. One cup of diced chicken meat is plenty. In a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons of salsa with the chicken, until the meat is coated. Set aside. Thinly slice 3 green onions. Grate one cup of cheddar cheese. Slice 3 large mushrooms. Preheat a large skillet to 275(. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Scramble 6 eggs in a medium bowl, beating until foamy. Pour in the eggs and sprinkle the remaining ingredients evenly over the eggs. Cover the pan and let cook for 2-3 minutes. When the underside can be turned with the spatula, fold the omelet in half. Cover the pan. It's ready to serve in 2-3 minutes more. A dollop of sour cream on top counters the spicy salsa nicely. Of course, you can substitute any veggies you like. It's a generic chicken recipe you tailor to your taste.
With the exception of roast beef gravy, a chicken recipe never met a sauce it didn't like. Salsa, fruit sauces, sweet and sour sauces, cream and cheese gravies. You can marinate it and skewer it on kabobs with the veggies of your choice to broil or barbecue.
Another way to use leftovers in a chicken recipe: dice the meat (one cup is plenty) and season with taco mix. Fill each tortilla with lettuce, diced onion and tomatoes, the chicken and sour cream for a quick taco dinner. For enchiladas, fill the tortillas with rice, onions, chicken and diced jalapenos if you like. Pour enchilada sauce over all, sprinkle with grated cheese and bake at 375( for 20 minutes.
Another generic chicken recipe is the chicken chef's salad. Use about 3/4 cup of chicken per salad, along with seasonal fresh veggies, some croutons and the dressing of your choice.
You can see that you hardly need a chicken recipe to create a huge variety of meals. You create your own. Chicken is good in soups or combined with rice, pasta and potatoes. It cooks extremely well in the microwave or slow cooker. Chicken breast meat can be pounded thin for a scallopini substitute, and served with a caper and cream sauce over rice.
Do not forget chicken pizza with alfredo sauce.
