Chicken Parmesan

Chicken Parmesan is one of my favorite things to eat. And it's really easy to make too. This was by far the best I've ever had, and I think it was the sauce (Ragu... who'd-a thunk?).

So, to make the dish you'll need:

2 eggs, whisked

5 medium sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about a pound and a half)

3/4 cup of bread crumbs (Italian seasoned is good)

1/3 cup (or as much as you need to cover the bottom of a skillet) canola oil

1 1/2 cup pasta (I used bow tie which also was an excellent choice, but you can use whatever as long as it's not whole wheat, I do not condone cooking with whole wheat pasta. Ever. Thank you)

2 cups of spaghetti sauce. I used a Ragu kind that I know had garlic and onions in it, which I think made the dish, you should use whatever kind you love.

Provolone or Parmesan Cheese (technically you can use (6) slices, or ( about a cup) grated cheese)

Preheat your oven to 350°F

Start by making sure all the chicken is about the same thickness through, if you put it in a large plastic bag you can pound the heck out of it without fear of coating your kitchen in a  thin layer of germs and grossness. I haven't got one of those meat pounder things... so I used a rolling pin and beat them into submission. Do whatever you think is best ;)

After they are about uniform thickness dunk them in the eggs, then in the bread crumbs and set aside till they are all done.

Next heat your oil over medium to medium high and cook them on both sides.

Most recipes say you're just browning, but the idea of uncooked chicken scares me, so I think the best thing to do is cook them for about 3 or 4 minutes on each side till nice and brown, and cooked most (or all) of the way through.
Cook your pasta like regular (al dente please, its better) and warm your sauce in a sauce pan.

In a casserole dish put the pasta, then the sauce, then the chicken, then the cheese.  I didn't stir the pasta in the sauce because I thought it would be more delicious if I just let it all figure it out on it's own, and like I said this was the best chicken parm I've ever had.

bake for 15 minutes or till cheese is melted and brownish but not burnt. Serve directly out of the oven, but make sure to blow on it or you'll burn your tongue. Makes 5 servings.

Enjoy

individual chicken pot pies

Chicken pot pie, my one true love... 

The 'gredients you will need are:

2 whole Chicken Breasts (frozen or not)

1 Onion, chopped

1 Potato, cubed

2 Carrots, sliced

1/2 cup of pees

1 clove of garlic, minced

2 1/2 cups of chicken broth

1/2 cup of flower 

1 pie crust

This makes 5 individual pies. I used 10 oz custard cups, any small oven safe safe dish will work.

The first step is cooking the chicken, and although we'll be putting it in the filling and into the oven after, cooking it all the way through is important. Frozen this takes about 15 minutes, fresh about 8. I boil it in the broth (water and some bullion cubes works spectacularly as well) and once it's cooked I pull it out and let it cool for a bit so I don't burn my hands when I chop it up.

 The next step is making the filling. Use a little of the broth (or some olive oil, or a table spoon of butter) to start cooking the chopped onions and garlic. Add the carrots and potatoes after about 5 minutes and then the rest of the broth. I just used the broth I cooked the chicken in because is as already warm and it was already chicken(y). Add the peas and cook for about 10 more minutes the potatoes and carrots, those are the tellers is it's done. You'll want them to be soft and almost done.

Dice the chicken into bite sized pieces. The best part of chicken pot pie is the fact that you only need a fork. Make sure that all your chops for everything is small.  

Next add the flour. You're technically making chicken gravy. I did it by handful because Its my flour and I know where my hands have been. I suggest starting with less and adding till you get the thickness you want. Throw the flour in, stir it all around, add some pepper and salt. if you use fresh ingredients the broth alone isn't enough to salt it all. I made that mistake. I also made the mistake of cooking this on a 90 degree day... ugh.

Get your gravy to where you want it and let it simmer on low heat while you get the pie crusts ready. Oh, and you could preheat the oven to 375 or something like that if you'd like. :)

  Cover a baking sheet with foil, makes clean up as easy as throwing it away... and ladle equal amounts into the dishes. You can add a little more pepper at this point if you'd like, and cover with small pie crusts. Cut breathing holes into the tops and bake for 15 minutes or till crust is golden.

I didn't, but I think that if you were to brush the crusts with melted butter I bet it would be delicious. 

Variations on this are endless, since no one but me likes peas you can always omit them, I've got a picky friend who doesn't like carrots either so I've made his with broccoli and green beans and cauliflower. If you don't feel like cutting anything a bag of microwave veggies works fine too. Microwave them and then go from there. If you don't want pie crust using biscuits are also delicious, although I suppose it becomes more of a dumpling thing but who really cares? Not I said the chicken, not I said the duck.

Enjoy.