by Paula Deen
3 eggs
⅓ cup water
2 cup self-rising flour
1 teaspoon pepper One 1- to 2½-pound chicken, cut into pieces
Crisco shortening for frying
Beat eggs with water. To just enough self-rising flour to coat all the chicken, add black pepper. Dip seasoned chicken in egg; coat well in flour mixture. Fry in moderately hot shortening (350°) until brown and crisp. Remember that dark meat requires longer cooking time (about 13 to 14 minutes, compared to 8 to 10 minutes for white meat).
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Chicken Pot Pie
SERVES 6 TO 8
One 10¾-ounce can condensed
Cheddar cheese soup
One 10¾-ounce can condensed
cream of celery soup
½ cup milk
1 chicken, skinned, cooked, boned,
and cubed
1 medium onion, diced
One 10-ounce package frozen
green peas (or one 8-ounce can, drained) 3 carrots, sliced, cooked, and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pastry for top and bottom (see
next page)
Butter to dot pastry
In a large saucepan, heat soups and milk. Stir in chicken, onion, peas, carrots, and salt and pepper. Cook until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour into a pastry-lined 13×9×2-inch pan. Cut pastry for top into strips. Lay over pie filling in a lattice style. Dot with butter. Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown.
PASTRY
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder ¾ cup Crisco shortening
Ice water
Sift together flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut in shortening with pastry blender until pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of ice water over part of mixture. Gently toss with fork; push to side of bowl. Repeat until all is moistened. Form into 2 balls. Flatten each on a lightly floured surface by pressing with edge of hand three times across in both directions. With a floured rolling pin, roll out on floured surface. Roll from center to edge until ⅛ inch thick.
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Chicken Brunswick Stew
SERVES 6 TO 8
One 2Y2-pound fryer
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, sweetened with ⅓ cup sugar
One 16-ounce can creamed corn
1 cup ketchup
½ cup prepared barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke (available in a bottle at grocery store) 1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Celery salt to taste
In a large pot, boil chicken until meat falls off bone, approximately 45 minutes; drain (reserve 1 to 2 cups of stock). Remove skin and bones; chop meat. In a separate pot, mix chicken and remaining ingredients. Simmer slowly for about 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. (Add a little bit of stock if stew gets too thick.) Serve over steamed rice.
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Baked Hen and Dressing
SERVES 8 TO 10
One 6-pound hen
4 to 6 ribs celery, cut into large pieces
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns 4 bay leaves
1 large onion, peeled and left whole
3 chicken bouillon cubes
Remove giblets from bird. Wash giblets and bird well, inside and out. Place all ingredients including giblets in large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender, approximately 2 to 2½ hours. Skim fat from pot at end of cooking time. (You will need to reserve stock for stuffing and gravy.) In the meantime, prepare and cook corn bread.
CORN BREAD
1 cup self-rising cornmeal
½ cup self-rising flour
¾ cup buttermilk 2 eggs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients and pour into a greased shallow baking dish. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
SOUTHERN CORN BREAD STUFFING
7 slices white bread (dried in warm oven)
Corn bread 1 sleeve saltine crackers
cups chopped celery
1 large onion, chopped
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
7 cups stock reserved from cooking hen
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon sage (optional)
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning (optional)
5 eggs, beaten
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Crumble dried white bread slices, corn-bread, and saltines; mix together and set aside. Sauté chopped celery and onion in butter until transparent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Pour over corn bread mixture. Add stock; mix well and taste; add salt, pepper, sage, and poultry seasoning. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Reserve 2 heaping tablespoons of this mixture for the giblet gravy. Pour into a greased pan. Place bird on top of dressing and bake until dressing is done, about 45 minutes. If hen browns too quickly, make a tent of foil and place over bird.
GIBLET GRAVY
4 cups stock reserved from cooking hen
Giblets from hen (liver, gizzard, and neck), chopped
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 heaping tablespoons reserved uncooked corn bread stuffing mix 3 tablespoons cornstarch
⅓ cup cold water
1 hard-boiled egg, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring stock to a boil along with giblets and the meat that has been removed from the neck. Add bouillon cubes and raw stuffing mixture. Mix cornstarch with water and add to boiling stock, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, and add sliced boiled egg. Serve with hen.
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Chicken in Wine Sauce
SERVES 4
4 large skinless boneless chicken breasts
6 ounces Swiss cheese slices
One 10¾-ounce can condensed
cream of chicken soup
¼ cup white wine (more if desired) Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup herb-flavored Pepperidge
Farm stuffing mix, crushed 4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in shallow buttered casserole. Layer cheese on top. Mix soup, wine, salt, and pepper; pour over cheese. Sprinkle stuffing mix on top and drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 45-60 minutes.
Chicken Paprika
SERVES 6 TO 8
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil
One 4- to 5-pound chicken, cut up
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoons salt
1½ cups water
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Dumplings (optional)
In a deep skillet over medium heat, brown onion and garlic in oil. Add chicken and brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle paprika, pepper, and salt on chicken. Turn meat once. Add water, cover, and simmer on low heat for approximately 30 minutes or until meat is tender. Remove from liquid. In a small bowl, mix sour cream, flour, and 1 cup of hot liquid from chicken until smooth. Pour mixture into skillet and blend with remaining liquid. Add dumplings if desired and heat through. This dish may be served over noodles or rice instead of dumplings.
DUMPLINGS
3 eggs, beaten
3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt
½ cup water
Blend all ingredients and mix well. Drop batter by teaspoonfuls into boiling water. Cook about 10 minutes and drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again.
Chicken Georgia
SERVES 4 TO 6
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup sliced fr
esh mushrooms 2 tablespoons minced shallots
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
Melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallots and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook 10 minutes. Add chicken and cook 10 minutes on each side, or until tender. Transfer chicken to platter and sprinkle with grated cheese. Top with mushroom mixture. Cover and let stand 5 minutes or until cheese melts.
Herbed Stuffed Chicken Breasts
SERVES 4
4 whole skinless boneless chicken breasts (approximately 5 to 7 ounces each)
One 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
½ teaspoon dried sweet basil ½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon House Seasoning (see page 160)
4 slices bacon
1 leek (optional)
4 tablespoons (½ stick) butter, melted
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Wash and pound each chicken breast flat. Lay chicken breast on cookie sheet or large platter and spread it with cream cheese, followed by a quarter of the feta cheese. Mix together basil, oregano, and House Seasoning and sprinkle over chicken. Roll up each breast and wrap with a slice of bacon. At this time, if desired, you can tie up each rolled chicken breast with the green top of a leek. Cut the green top off the vegetable, leaving it long enough to tie around the breast and allowing a couple of extra inches for a knot. Place chicken breasts in a casserole dish and pour melted butter over all. Cover casserole dish with foil and bake for 1½ hours. Uncover dish and increase temperature to 350 degrees. Continue to bake, allowing the bacon to brown, for 15 to 20 minutes. Or you could place dish under broiler for a few minutes to brown. Serve over rice, with pan juices poured on top.
Honey Game Hens
SERVES 6
6 Cornish game hens (about ¾ to 1 pound each)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
One 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped ½ cup soy sauce
½ cup honey
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest, minced
Rinse hens, trim off excess fat, and pat dry; place in bowl. Put garlic and ginger in food processor and process until nearly smooth. In another bowl, combine soy sauce, honey, oil, orange juice, and zest. Add the garlic and ginger. Pour mixture over game hens, coating well. Refrigerate overnight, turning in marinade several times. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place game hens in shallow roasting pan; pour marinade on top. Bake for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes. Remove hens to serving platter. Pour cooking juices into small, heavy saucepan and boil for 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Pour over hens just before serving. Serve with sesame noodles or rice pilaf These hens can also be grilled—just remember to baste often.
Pecan Chicken
SERVES 8
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup ground pecans
1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon paprika
⅛ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup sesame seeds
Two 2½-pound chickens, cut into quarters or pieces
¼ cup pecan halves
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a 10 ×15-inch baking pan. In a shallow dish, combine buttermilk and egg. In another dish combine flour, pecans, salt, paprika, pepper, and sesame seeds. Dip chicken in buttermilk, then in flour. Place skin side down in melted butter. Turn to coat and leave skin side up. Sprinkle with pecan halves. Bake for 1¼ hours.
Chicken and Rice Casserole
SERVES 6 TO 8
3 cups diced cooked chicken
1 medium onion, diced and sautéed
One 8-ounce can water chestnuts, drained and chopped
Two 14½-ounce cans French green beans, rinsed and drained
One 4-ounce can pimentos, rinsed and drained One 10¾-ounce can condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup mayonnaise
One 6-ounce box Uncle Ben's long-grain and wild rice, cooked according to package directions
1 cup grated sharp Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a 3-quart casserole. Bake for 25 minutes.
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Chicken and Dumplings
SERVES 4 TO 6
One 2½-pound chicken
3 ribs celery, chopped
large onion, chopped
bay leaves
2 chicken bouillon cubes 1 teaspoon House Seasoning (see page 160) 4 quarts water
One 10¾-ounce can condensed cream of celery or cream of chicken soup
Cut up chicken, but do not remove skin. The skin and bones can be removed later. Place chicken, celery, onion, bay leaves, bouillon, and House Seasoning in water and boil at a rolling boil for 30 to 45 minutes, until meat begins to fall off the bones. Remove skin and bones at this point, along with bay leaves. Return chicken to pan. Prepare dumplings and set them aside for a few minutes. Add cream soup to chicken and continue to boil. If desired, you can thicken the stock a little by mixing 2 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup of water and adding it to the stock. Drop dumplings into boiling stock. Never stir dumplings. Shake the pot gently in a circular motion to submerge dumplings in stock. Cook for a few minutes more, until dumplings are done. Do not overcook.
DUMPLINGS
2 cups all-purpose flour mixed with 1 teaspoon salt ¾ cup ice water
Put flour in a mixing bowl. Beginning in center of flour, dribble small amount of ice water. Work mixture with fingers from center of bowl to sides of bowl, incorporating small amounts of water at a time. Continue until all flour is used up. Batter will feel as if it is going to be tough. Knead dough and form into ball. Dust a good amount of flour onto dough board and rolling pin. Roll out dough, working from center. Dough will be firm. Roll to ⅛ inch thinness. Let it air-dry for a minute or two while you return your attention to the boiling pot at the point at which you add the canned soup to the chicken mixture. Cut dumplings into 1-inch strips. Working with one strip at a time, hold strip over pot, pull it in half, and drop into the boiling stock. Remember, do not stir mixture after dumplings have been added to pot.
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NOTE: Frozen dumplings are available in most supermarkets if you don't have the time to make them.
Marinated Cornish Hens
SERVES 2 TO 4
2 split Cornish hens
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
One 10¾-ounce can beef broth 1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons sherry
Salt and pepper to taste
16 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
Wash, pat dry, and salt and pepper hens. Place in long, flat baking dish. Sauté onion and garlic in butter. Add remaining ingredients except the mushrooms. Stir and pour over hens; cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add mushrooms and bake for 1 hour, basting frequently. Serve with wild rice.
VARIATION: Chicken can be substituted for Cornish hens.
Herb-Baked Chicken
SERVES 4
One 1- to 2-pound chicken, cut in quarters, skin removed
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup teriyaki sauce
¼ teaspoon dried oregano ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 lemon, sliced thin
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat chicken with oil and place in baking dish. Sprinkle with teriyaki sauce. Combine oregano, rosemary, ginger, salt, and pepper; sprinkle over chicken. Top with lemon slices. Bake for about 1 hour.
Chicken Breasts in Sour Cream Sauce
SERVES 6 TO 8
8 slices dried beef (in a jar)
8
skinless boneless chicken breast halves (7 ounces each)
4 slices bacon, cut in half 1 cup sour cream
One 10¾-ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Lay one piece of dried beef on each chicken breast and wrap with a half slice of bacon. Place in a 13 ×9-inch casserole dish, seam side down. Mix sour cream, soup, and mushrooms together. Pour over chicken breasts. Cover and bake for 1½ hours. Serve with rice.
Duck Burgundy
SERVES 4 TO 6
The flavor in this recipe really comes out if you can let the duck marinate in the seasoning for a few hours or overnight.
4 whole ducks
Salt and pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Poultry seasoning to taste
1 large onion, quartered
1 apple, quartered 1 orange, quartered
4 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch pieces
⅓ cup soy sauce
⅓ cup vegetable oil
½ cup red Burgundy wine
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Clean ducks well and rub body cavities lightly with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and poultry seasoning. Stuffcavities with pieces of onion, apple, orange, and celery. Rub ducks with soy sauce and oil. Place in baking pan. Roast uncovered, basting often with Burgundy wine. Allow 10 to 15 minutes baking time per pound of duck. Remove stuffing before serving.
Chicken Casserole
SERVES 6 TO 8
1 fryer, cooked, boned, and cut into small pieces (reserve broth)
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup chopped onion
4 eggs
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted 2½ cups chicken broth
1 package Pepperidge Farm corn bread stuffing mix
1 cup milk
One 10¾-ounce can condensed cream of chicken soup
Combine chicken, mayonnaise, and chopped onion and set aside. Combine 2 eggs, the butter, chicken broth, and corn bread stuffing mix and set aside. In small bowl, lightly beat 2 eggs and milk. Spray large casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. In bottom of dish, spread half the stuffing mixture; then layer with chicken mixture. Add second layer of stuffing mixture. Pour egg and milk mixture over top layer of stuffing mixture. Refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread cream of chicken soup on top of casserole and bake for 45 minutes.