This delicious chicken smothered in a delectable creamy garlic and mushroom sauce with white wine will make you forget it’s a chilly fall day out there, not to mention less daylight. It comes together in no time!
FYI: Don't be eating your chicken with a fork in Gainesville, Georgia, the 'Chicken Capital of the World', it's against the law. And by the way, Honest Abe was an honest-to-goodness foodie.* He even did his own grocery shopping! Abe could eat four score and seven corn cakes; and, speaking of chicken, chicken fricassee was one of the only two dishes the Lincolns were known to have eaten at dinner in the 1850's, the other was corned beef.
It's no wonder that chicken appears as a staple in practically every culture’s cuisine ~ it can easily be flavored and prepared in many ways ~ roasted, grilled, poached, broiled, in stews, potpies and soups ~ with a plethora of sauces, toppings and seasonings, such as...
The history of the "piccata" dish is a bit confusing, but many believe it to be of American design, most likely by Italian-American immigrants during the 1930's. Piccatas today are generally made with veal, but here in the U.S., chicken prevails.
Are you thinking feta cheese is just for Greek salads? This recipe I’ve got for you today just might change your mind!
This light easy-to-make dish comes with a couple of our favorite ingredients, shrimp and feta cheese, pulled together with the help of a chunky herb-infused tomato sauce.
Way back when it first started, I was addicted to the Food Network ~ not so much these days. More than once, I recall hearing it said on the network: pairing seafood with cheese is a "no-no."
I’m guessing there are some cheeses that would be true of, but seriously? Certainly not all cheeses. Who made up that rule anyway, and why?
Begin this dish by sautéing onion, and garlic; stir in seasonings and diced tomatoes in their juice, plus a healthy splash of white wine for added flavor in the sauce.
Stir in sautéed shrimp,parsley, and cooked pasta to the mix; serve with a good brand of briny, tangy, sharp-flavored feta scattered over the top.
How could all this not be good?
Sautéed Shrimp w/Tomatoes, White Wine, Cavatappi and Feta
Ingredients:
3 cups uncooked, dried cavatappi pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon seasoned pepper
2 cans (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup white wine
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
Method:
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and set aside, keep warm.
In a large skillet, heat oil over
medium-high heat. Add onion, cook and stir 5 minutes until tender. Add
garlic and seasonings, cook 1 minute longer.
Stir in tomatoes and wine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer, uncovered, 5-7 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.
Add shrimp and parsley, cook 5 minutes or until shrimp starts to turn pink, stirring occasionally.
Add cooked pasta, toss and heat through for 1 minute.
Remove from heat, sprinkle with cheese. Let stand, covered, until cheese is softened.
So when you were a kid
and first heard of coq au vin, did you picture a “cocoa van” too? And then you were told it was just chicken
with wine…
Actually, coq au vin
translates “rooster in wine.” The recipe
for this dish was first documented in the early 20th century but was
created at least 400 years ago to tenderize tough old birds for poor households
and in these tough times today ~ this recipe I’m giving you still fills the
bill!
Prior until the 20th
century, most rural families housed chickens for eggs and meat plus a
rooster. The rooster remained around until
he was too old to perform his duties ~ then he would be killed and eaten. The problem, by this time, was that the meat was
barely edible; being tough and stringy. Thus,
this was “poor people’s food” since the well-off could afford better cuts of
meat which did not require wine and slow cooking for a tender dish.
Nowadays, chicken is the
cut of meat and it’s still stewed in wine.
It’s cooked and served “country-style” with the chicken and vegetables
remaining together from beginning to end.
I chose to cook it in my slow cooker to allow the flavors of the dry red
wine and tomato paste to meld with the meat and veggies for a hearty dish on a
chilly yesterday!
Coq au Vin Stew in the Slow
Cooker
Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons herbs de Provence
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups pearl onions, peeled*
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup sodium-reduced chicken broth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
Method:
Place chicken in slow cooker that has been sprayed with cooking
spray.
Season with herbs de Provence, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
Add onions, mushrooms and carrots.
Whisk together in a medium bowl the wine, broth and tomato
paste.
Pour over chicken and vegetables.
Cover and cook on high for 5½ hours or on low for 7½ hours.
Serve over egg noodles or with mashed potatoes.
4 servings
ENJOY!
Be sure to visit my
friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and
recipes.
There was no doubt in my mind that sooner or later I’d do this and I didn’t let myself down! The chicken baked, I took it out of the oven and snapped some photos of it in the baking dish. Then I gobbled the chicken down before I realized I did not take a photo of it with the succulent mushrooms on a plate. Sometimes I just get too wrapped up in the eating and forget what I’m supposed to be doing!
Yum ~ the appeal of sour cream! It gives food a great tang and was just right for the chicken when I served it over rice; noodles work just as well. If you’re afraid of the fat content in sour cream, try low-fat sour cream or even yogurt with this recipe. This dish is simple and good ~ turning the chicken into a saporous dish!
Chicken Breasts in Sour Cream Sauce
Ingredients:
3 or 4 chicken breasts
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms
1 cup sour cream
1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth (I use wine)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon McCormick’s Seasoned Pepper
Method:
Place sour cream, chicken broth, salt, pepper and paprika in a bowl and combine well.
Add mushrooms and toss lightly.
Arrange chicken breasts in a baking dish.
Spread sour cream/mushroom mixture over top.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
Remove foil, continue baking until chicken is tender, about another 15-20 minutes.
It’s creamy, moist and delicious!
Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips, recipes and cookbook giveaway!
When I buy fish, it is usually orange roughy, tilapia or turbot but, this time I saw sole and wanted to try it.
Sole is a delicate fish in more ways than one. It has a mild delicate flavor but is downright frail as it cooks and you must be careful when handling it. So, turn it carefully, plate it with even more care and hope that it does not break apart. If it does, don’t worry about it ~ just eat it.
Since sole is a mild fish, it needs some help and capers come to the rescue. If you have never cooked with capers, you are in for a treat as they definitely have a unique taste.
A caper is a spiny perennial bush that bears rounded, fleshy leaves and white to pinkish-white flowers that grows like a weed in the Mediterranean. A caper is also a pickled bud of this plant. They have a sour, salty taste from the pickling and come in a variety of sizes; small is better. One of the classic ways to eat capers is a lemon sauce which leads us to this delightful Sole Picatta.
The sauce in this dish combines butter, garlic, lemon juice, wine and capers. Whatever white wine you are enjoying with your dinner will also be fine in the sauce. This will actually work well with most thin skinless fillets of fish. The combined flavors are great and it is quick to prepare. I served it with brown rice and steamed broccoli for a healthy delicious meal.
By the way, here’s the definition of piccata: Piccata is an Italian word meaning “larded.” It is used in reference to a way of preparing food; it means “sliced, sautéed and served in a sauce containing lemon, butter and spices.” So, here’s the Sole Piccata recipe:
Sole Piccata
Ingredients:
1 pound sole fillets
¼ cup flour
Salt and pepper
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
2-3 garlic cloves, minced 1 small onion, chopped
½ cup white wine
2 tablespoons small capers
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Method:
Season the fillets with a little salt and pepper.
Dust with flour.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over moderately high heat.
Add the sole and sauté until the fillets are a little browned, a minute per side.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
In the same skillet, heat the butter and add the garlic and onions, cook for about 2 minutes.
Deglaze the skillet with the wine, scrapping up any bits.
Add capers and lemon juice.
Bring back to a simmer.
Place the fillets carefully into the sauce.
Sauté the fish for about 3-4 minutes per side.
Arrange the fish on serving platter and pour remaining sauce over the fish.
Serve immediately
Pam’s note: I like this sauce so much that I double the recipe!
Although researchers believe pasta originated in China and was taken to Italy by Marco Polo in the 13th century, there is no mistaking that Italian cooks transformed it to the versatile dish we enjoy today.
Pasta comes in so many different shapes; no one is sure how many, not even the Italians. I just know that I’m a fan of most of them with tortellini being at the top of the pasta scale. Tortellinis are small rings usually stuffed with meat, cheese, herbs or greens and resemble cappelletti.
I love, love tortellini; however, I have not gotten up the nerve to make it myself. So I take the easy way out ~ I select a package from the refrigerated section of the local grocery store and then prepare it with whatever sauce I choose. It is delicious and perfect any time of the year with a salad.
The spicy blend of ingredients in this recipe is mellowed by a little white wine, making it one of our favorite ways to enjoy tortellini!
Tortellini in Mushroom Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
¼ teaspoons sugar
½ to ¾ pound cheese tortellini, or your favorite
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Method:
Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add onion and garlic, cook until golden, 1-2 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients, except tortellini.
Stir mixture well and simmer for about 20 minutes, until sauce is thickened.
Meanwhile, cook tortellini per package directions.
Drain pasta well.
Add pasta to sauce.
Heat thoroughly.
Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
