We’re about to hit the final stretch of the holiday party season and it’s time to finalize the holiday dinner menu. Here’s an option for those who don’t serve the huge turkey or Smithfield ham, or haven’t gotten a Costco
We’re about to hit the final stretch of the holiday party season and it’s time to finalize the holiday dinner menu. Here’s an option for those who don’t serve the huge turkey or Smithfield ham, or haven’t gotten a Costco card yet to get the ever-so-popular rotisserie chicken.
The chefs at the National Chicken Council and U.S. Poultry & Egg Association released two chicken recipes suitable for holiday entertaining. They are from Rick Rodgers, author of “Christmas 101,” and Nancy Harmon Jones, author of “Flavors of Tuscany: Traditional Recipes from the Tuscana Countryside.”
Both recipes are simple enough for any home cook to prepare.
Country-style Roasted Chicken is an easy way to get an impressive-looking meal on the table and alternative to the turkey and the ham; few things are as appealing as a warm, roasted whole chicken. Slice a pound of white boiling onions into thin pieces, sauté the onions on the stove top, then add to the pan to cook the chicken. Baste the chicken with a mixture of dry white wine or sherry and chicken stock to add the Tuscan flavor.
A traditional French cassoulet can take days to make; not this one. After browning the chicken stove-top, add herbs to season, white wine and a can of tomatoes. Combine as a casserole along with cooked Italian sausage, onions, red bell pepper and white kidney beans; top mixture with bread crumbs and parsley and bake.
Country-style Roasted Chicken
1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound white boiling onions, sliced very thin
1/3 cup dry sherry or dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Sprinkle chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. In roasting pan large enough to hold the chicken, melt the butter and olive oil together on the top of the stove, over medium-low heat. Add the onions; sauté gently, lowering heat if necessary to keep onions from browning. Cook 20 minutes until very soft.
Push onions around the sides of the pan; place chicken in the middle of the pan. Pour sherry and chicken stock over chicken. Place in preheated oven and roast 30 minutes, basting once with the wine mixture. Lower heat to 350 degrees and continue roasting another 30 minutes, continuing to baste occasionally with juices in pan.
Chicken is done when meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees.
Remove chicken from oven; set aside to rest for 10 minutes before carving. If pan juices are too liquid, boil rapidly over high heat, taking care not to fry the onions.
Makes 4 servings.
Chicken Cassoulet
3 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoon canola oil, divided
1 tablespoon Italian herb seasoning
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup white wine
1 can diced chopped tomatoes, with juices (28 ounces)
11/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
11/2 pounds Italian sweet sausage, casings removed
2 onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, diced
4 cans cannelloni (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained (15 ounces)
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
1/4 chopped parsley
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In very large skillet or Dutch oven, warm 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. In batches without crowding, cook chicken thigh pieces, turning, until browned lightly on all sides, about 15 minutes total. Sprinkle chicken with Italian herbs, salt and pepper. Add wine; bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits on the bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Add tomatoes with their juices, broth and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.
In another large skillet, heat remaining tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking up pieces with side of large spoon, about eight minutes. Add onions, pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, about 6 minutes. Stir into chicken mixture, along with beans.
In small bowl, combine bread crumbs and parsley. Sprinkle over top of cassoulet. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Using large spoon, gently press the thin crust that has formed on the cassoulet just under the surface.
Return to oven and continue baking until cassoulet is simmering and another crust has formed, about 30 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving hot.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.
