Chicken Shawarma Sandwich

Source: My own imagination and love of shawarma

Tried it: YES

Thoughts: Great! Next time I will put more chicken on the sandwich and use a pickle with more flavor. Best with the toum (garlic sauce) made a day ahead so it can be chilled overnight.

How this came together:

Inspired by the abundance of garlic sauce from the previous night's experiment, I stopped at the store for some thin pita and chicken and got to work...

• Placed the pita in a 250 degree oven to warm while the rest was being prepared.

• Thinly sliced the chicken and sauteed it in olive oil and greek spices:

• Chopped up some tomatoes & dill pickles, then layered the garlic sauce, chicken, tomatoes and pickles on the warm pita:

• Rolled it up, secured with a toothpick, and enjoyed with some other Mediterranean treats! Delish.

Lettuce Wraps

Source: Followed a Food.com recipe: click here. It's a "copycat" recipe intended to taste like PF Chang's lettuce wraps.

Tried it: Yes... Yum.

Thoughts: I followed the recipe exactly for the sauces, but will change things up next time. Although everything was great when combined together, the "special sauce" alone was a little too sweet for me... I'll definitely cut the sugar content, and mix up the other ingredients a bit.

My changes for this time around were:

• Added the hot mustard & chili paste directly into the Special Sauce before refrigerating
• Used pre-cooked chicken: Trader Joe's Roasted Rosemary Chicken Breast (about 3/4 of the package). 
• Added Chinese noodles to the wraps (boiled them briefly, then crisped them in a lightly oiled pan)
• Added a bit more soy sauce to the hot mixture when cooking
• Sprinkled cayenne on each wrap before serving

Chicken Enchiladas

Source: Food Network, Marcela Valladolid
Recipe Link

Tried it: I've eaten it (thanks, Mike!) but haven't made it myself

My thoughts: I must make it.

Ingredients:

9 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 medium white onion
1 serrano chile
1 yellow chile (guero)
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 (6-inch) corn tortillas
2 store-bought rotisserie chicken breasts, skinned and shredded (to yield 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Put the tomatillos, onion, serrano, yellow chile and 3/4 cup water in a medium, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and boil until the tomatillos turn olive-green color, about 10 minutes. Transfer the tomatillos, onion and chiles to a blender. Add the garlic and cilantro and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the tortillas until golden but still pliable, about 10 seconds per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.

Put the tortillas on a work surface. Divide the shredded chicken evenly among the tortillas and roll up each like a cigar. Spread 1/3 cup sauce in a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the enchiladas, seam-side down, in one layer snugly inside the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas.

Drizzle with the Mexican crema and sprinkle the cheese all over. Bake until the cheese melts and starts to brown in spots, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Chicken Marsala

Source: Owosso Country Club

Tried it: YES

My thoughts: This is good stuff.

Mom's recipe card

Cheesy Chicken Chilaquiles

Source: The Pampered Chef
Recipe Link

Tried it: NOT YET

Ingredients:

1 1/2   lb (750 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1   tbsp (15 mL) Southwestern Seasoning Mix
1 3/4   cups (425 mL) salsa verde
1   cup (250 mL) 33% reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4   cup (175 mL) chopped fresh cilantro
12   cups (3 L) authentic restaurant-style tortilla chips (see Cook's Tips)
2   cups (500 mL) shredded Chihuahua cheese
1   cup (250 mL) crumbled queso fresco (4 oz/125 g)
Sour cream or crema (optional)

Preparation:

1. Cut chicken into 1-in. (2.5-cm) pieces with Utility Knife. Combine chicken and seasoning mix in Deep Covered Baker; mix well. Spread chicken evenly over bottom of baker. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 4 minutes; stir to separate chicken. Microwave, covered, an additional 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Drain using small Colander.
2. Combine salsa and broth in (4-cup/1-L) Easy Read Measuring Cup. Chop cilantro using Santoku Knife. Arrange half of the tortilla chips over bottom of same baker, breaking chips; top with half each of the chicken, salsa mixture and cheeses. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup (125 mL) of the cilantro. Repeat layers one time ending with cheeses.
3. Microwave, covered, on HIGH 5-7 minutes or until cheeses are melted and most of the liquid is absorbed. Let stand, covered, 5 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup (50 mL) cilantro. Serve with sour cream, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings


Cook's Tips:

• Queso fresco, also called queso blanco, is a salty, crumbly cheese that is common in Mexican dishes. Farmer’s cheese can be substituted for the queso fresco. 
• Mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese can be substituted for the Chihuahua cheese. 
• Authentic Mexican restaurant-style tortilla chips are thicker than other types of chips and keep their texture in this casserole. 
• Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be substituted for chicken breasts, if desired.
• Taco seasoning mix can be substituted for the Southwestern Seasoning Mix, if desired. 

Smothered Chicken with Garlic

Source: The Pampered Chef
Recipe Link

Tried it: NOT YET

Ingredients:

3   tbsp (45 mL) fresh rosemary or 1 tbsp (15 mL) dried rosemary, divided
1/2   tsp (2 mL) paprika
1/2   tsp (2 mL) salt
1/4   tsp (1 mL) ground black pepper
1   whole chicken (about 4 lb/1.8 kg)
1   lemon, cut into quarters
1   tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
2   heads garlic, peeled (about 40 cloves)

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly spray Deep Covered Baker with oil. Combine half of the rosemary with paprika, salt and black pepper in small bowl; set aside. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken cavity. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Trim excess fat, if necessary. Place lemon quarters and remaining rosemary inside cavity of chicken. Tie ends of legs together with cotton string. Lift wing tips up toward neck, then tuck under back of chicken. Place chicken breast side up into baker.
2. Brush outside of chicken with oil; coat completely with seasoning mixture. Arrange garlic around chicken. Bake, covered, 60 minutes. Carefully remove lid and continue roasting 25-35 minutes or until Pocket Thermometer registers 180°F (82°C) in thickest part of thigh and juices run clear. Remove chicken from baker; let stand 10 minutes before carving. Remove garlic from drippings; serve with chicken.
Yield: 4-6 servings

Recipe Card