Chicken and Black Bean Casserole ☺

By AllRecipes.com

Published 09/23/2003

A spicy, wonderful Southwest casserole, adapted from an AllRecipes.com recipe.

2 Tbsps vegetable oil
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 green pepper, 1/2-inch dice
3/4 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast cut in 3/4-inch cubes
2 large cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 package (.75 oz) taco seasoning mix
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (8.75 oz) can sweet corn, drained (reserve liquid)
1/2 c salsa
2 c (4 oz) shredded pepper jack (or cheddar) cheese
1-1/2 c crushed plain tortilla chips

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tbsp oil and brown the onion about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced green pepper, and fry for another 4-5 minutes, until the pepper is bright green. Remove the vegetables to a bowl or plate and set aside.

Return the skillet to the burner and increase the heat to medium high. Add another tbsp of oil to the skillet. Sauté the chicken in oil until cooked through and no longer pink inside. Add garlic, taco seasoning, beans corn, salsa, and some of the reserved liquid from the corn. Add the onion mixture to the skillet. Cover skillet and simmer over medium low heat for about 10 minutes. Add more liquid if the mixture thickens too much.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Transfer chicken mixture to a 9 x 13-inch greased baking dish. Top with 1/2 of the cheese and the crushed tortilla chips. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Add the remaining cheese and bake until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Prep Time: 25

Cook time: 20

Calories: 306 kcal

Totalcarbs: 19.9 g

Fat: 16.3 g

Protein: 21.7 g

Dietary fiber: 1.6 g

Sodium: 21.7 g

Cholesterol: 59 mg

Tags: main dish, casserole, potlucks

Chicken and Pasta

Makes 2 to 3 servings, 8 - 12 Weight Watchers® Points

4 oz pasta (shells, ziti, etc.)
4 oz chicken breast, thinly sliced (see note)
2 t olive oil
1/2 medium onion, sliced and separated into thin strips
1 med apple, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 c frozen (or fresh-shelled) baby peas
1/2 t kosher salt (or to taste)
1/2 t crushed black pepper (or to taste)
3/4 t curry powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c chicken broth
1 T cornstarch dissolved in 2 T cold water
1 T chopped walnuts

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water in a colander. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large, nonstick skillet. Add the chicken, and saute just until the chicken is cooked, 3 or 4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet to a plate.

Saute the onion and apple just until the onion is translucent. Remove from the skillet to a dish.

Add the curry powder to the skillet, and stir for about 30 seconds. Add the garlic, and let it sizzle for a few seconds. Stir in the chicken broth, scraping all the crumbs on the bottom of the skillet.

Boil rapidly to reduce the stock by half. Reduce heat to low, stir in the cornstarch mixture, and simmer for a minute or so until the sauce is thickened.

Add the chicken and the apple/onion mixture, and heat briefly. Stir in the peas, and heat through. Fold in the pasta and remove from the heat.

Divide among two or three serving plates. Sprinkle each plate with some chopped walnuts.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

3 c chicken broth
1 c cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
1-1/2 c pumpkin puree
2 T fish sauce
1 T Sriracha sauce (or other hot sauce)
4 oz narrow rice noodles
juice from 1/2 lime
cilantro leaves

Note: Whenever I bake a chicken, I make stock from the giblets, the picked over carcass, and any leftover pan drippings. I cover the detritus with cold water, add a bay leaf, a couple of allspice pods, two or three cloves, and a chopped onion. I bring it to a boil, and simmer it for an hour or more, then refrigerate it.

Combine the broth, chicken, pumpkin, fish sauce, and chili sauce in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low, and add the rice noodles. Simmer for four minutes or until the noodles are tender. Stir in the lime juice. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Aunt Virgie's Chicken and Noodles

Beat together:
4 eggs
8 T whipping cream
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 t baking powder
1 c flour

Put 2-1/2 c flour in a large mixer bowl. Add the beaten mixture, and mix well with a dough hook. Turn out on a floured counter and put the mixing bowl over the dough. Let it rest for 10 - 20 minutes.

While the dough is resting, bring 3 qt of chicken broth to a boil in a large soup pot. Roll out fairly thin and cut into strips with a pizza cutter or a knife.

Heat the broth to a rolling boil, and add the noodles to the broth. After the noodles have cooked for 20 minutes or so, reduce to a simmer and cook for a couple of hours. While the broth is cooking, you can add carrots, celery, and chopped chicken.

After the noodles have cooked, you can either serve the soup, or you can refrigerate it. The soup is best if you let the noodles sit in the refrigerator for at least a day. To reheat, add additional chicken broth, and reheat slowly in a slow cooker, or over very low heat on the stove.

Chicken, Two Kinds of Olives, and Pasta

2 T flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 chicken leg, skinned
1 chicken thigh, skinned
1 T canola oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 T olive oil
1 small green pepper, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
4 oz pork or chicken sausage
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
12 oil cured black olives
12 green olives
2 T red wine
2 T red wine vinegar
1/2 t dried basil
1/2 t dried oregano
1/2 small zucchini, julienned
4 oz medium shell pasta
1 qt water
2 t olive oil

Heat a large cast-iron skillet to medium high. While the skillet is heating, on a small plate, mix together the flour, salt, and pepper. Lightly flour the chicken pieces. Add the oil to the skillet, and swirl the skillet to completely coat the bottom with the oil. Add the chicken pieces, and cover the skillet. Fry for about 3 minutes. Turn the chicken, and fry for another two minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. Reduce the heat to medium.

Add the olive oil to the skillet, and immediately add the chopped onions, stirring the onions to coat them. Cook the onions for 3 minutes, then stir them. Continue to stir for another 3 or 4 minutes until the onions are well-browned. Add the peppers, garlic, and sausage, and saute until the pepper is limp, and the sausage is cooked through. Break the sausage up while it is cooking.

Add the chicken, the tomatoes,their liquid, and the chicken to the skillet. Sprinkle any remaining flour used to bread the chicken over the mixture and stir it in. Add the olives, wine, wine vinegar, and spices. cover and cook on low for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the skillet, and let it cool. Debone the chicken, and break it up into small pieces. Add it back to the skillet along with the zucchini.

Bring the water to a boil in a 1-1/2 qt covered saucepan. When the water is boiling, remove the cover, and add the olive oil. Add the pasta, and cook for 6 - 7 minutes. Test for doneness. Drain the pasta. Stir into the chicken mixture. Serve immediately.

Chicken Soup

2 T olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and sliced (1/8")
2 med turnips, diced
2 med carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 large potato, cubed (1/4")
2 c chicken stock
1 c water
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 small can corn
1 15 oz can black bean, drained and rinsed
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
3 T fish sauce
3 whole cloves
1/2 t pepper corns
6 whole allspice
2 bay leaves
2 pequin peppers or 1/4 t cayenne pepper
2 c chopped cooked chicken

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large soup pot (with a cover). Spread the onions over oil, and let sit undisturbed (uncovered) for two or three minutes. Stir the onions, and continue frying for another four to six minutes, stirring the ovens thoroughly every couple of minutes.

When the onions have browned, add the turnips, carrots, celery, and potato. If the mixture is dry, add 1/4 - 1/2 c water or chicken stock. Cover the soup pot, and continue cooking for five minutes or so. Add the chicken stock, water, tomatoes, corn, black beans, and garlic. Add 2 T fish sauce. Adjust to taste, adding up to an additional tablespoon of fish sauce.

In a spice mill grind together the cloves, pepper corns, allspice, bay leaves, and pequins. Add to the soup with the cooked chicken. Cover and simmer the soup for a half hour.

Thai Chicken Soup

2 c chicken broth (salt-free or regular)
2 t sugar
3 - 4 slices ginger root, peeled and matchsticked
2 kaffir lime leaves, torn into pieces
1 - 2 Thai chilis, cut into strips
1/4 t Thai chili pepper or cayenne pepper
1/2 c straw (or white) mushrooms, sliced
1 T fish sauce (optional, see note below)
1 c chicken (uncooked or cooked)
3 T fresh coriander leaves
juice from 1 lime

Bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the sugar, ginger, and kaffir leaves. Simmer for two minutes. Add the chilis, Thai chili pepper, mushrooms, fish sauce, and chicken. Simmer for three to four minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink, and completely cooked. Remove from the heat and add the coriander leaves and the lime juice. Serve immediately.

Note: if you do not use the fish sauce, you may want to add salt, especially if you are using unsalted broth.

Jerk Chicken

This recipe is adapted from one that was published on FoodJamaica.net.

2 bunches green onions
4 T soy sauce
1 T Salt (to taste)
2 limes, zested and juiced
1 t dried thyme, or 2 T fresh thyme
1/4 c allspice berries, ground
4 - 6 scotch bonnets or habañeros
1 - 2 inches ginger, cut into chunks
4-6 cloves of garlic
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg

Mix all of the ingredients together in a blender, and pulse, then blend until smooth.

Rub the paste between the chicken skin and the flesh, as well as the chicken cavity. Smoke over an indirect fire with wood chips for an hour, and finish barbecuing over a slow fire until the chicken is done.

Chicken Paprika

1 large cooked chicken
4 T paprika
3 T cooking oil
2 onions sliced
2 green peppers, chopped
1/2 lb sliced mushrooms
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 c chicken broth
salt and pepper
2 c sour cream
2 T cornstarch

Remove the chicken meat from the skin, bones, and carcass. (Save the skin and bones to make stock.) Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.

In a dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the paprika and fry for a minute. Add the onions, peppers, mushrooms, and garlic. Fry for five minutes or so until the vegetables are soft. Stir occasionally.

Add the chicken and chicken broth. Cover the pot, and simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with some of the cooking liquid. Slowly stir into the pot, and cook until the liquid is thickened. Remove the pot from the heat. Slowly stir in the sour cream. Serve over noodles or rice.

Chicken in a Pot

This recipe appeared in the Washington Post Food Section, Wednesday, March 18, 2009, Chef David Hagedorn. This is chicken at its very best. I love this fowl. I made a couple of changes, noted below.

4 - 5 lb chicken, reserve the gizzard packet
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
dried rosemary
6 medium cloves garlic, crushed
2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, small dice
1 medium carrot, small dice
2 ribs celery, small dice
4 sprigs thyme
1 stem rosemary
1 bay leaf
homemade chicken broth
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 t cornstarch
1 T cold water
Chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat the oven to 275ºF. (The original recipe states 250ºF, but after my first experience with this recipe, that just seemed a little too low. 275º works quite well.)

Rinse the chicken in cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Grind together 1 t kosher salt, 1/2 t peppercorns, 1/2 dried rosemary, and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Carefully insert some of the rub underneath the skin on the breast, being careful not to completely separate the skin from the breast. Season the rest of the chicken with the remaining rub. (This is my own rub, Chef Hagedorn is probably blanching at the thought of using something like this....) Tuck the chicken wing tips under the chicken.

Heat the oil in a dutch oven or a (covered) roast pan over medium-high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Add the chicken, breast side down, and sear undisturbed for five minutes.

Using tongs, carefully turn the chicken over. Arrange the vegetables around the chicken. Cook for about five minutes, then add the herbs, remaining garlic, and chicken neck and gizzard, if desired.

Press a large piece of aluminum foil directly over the chicken. Cover the pot and bake for about 1-1/2 - 3 hours (or at least until the internal temperature of the thigh registers 155º).

Turn off the oven. Remove the chicken from the oven. Loosen the foil and remove the lid. Let the chicken rest for 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Carve the chicken into ten pieces (see carving note, below). Put the pieces on a serving platter, and cover with the foil. Place the platter back in the turned-off oven.

Strain the pan juices into a measuring cup. Press the vegetables against the strainer to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the vegetables. Skim the fat from the liquid and discard. Add enough homemade broth, if needed, to the juices to make one cup liquid. Pour into a small saucepan. Add the lemon juice, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Mix the cornstarch with the cold water, and whisk into the boiling liquid. Stir until the sauce slightly thickens and is smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the sauce over the chicken, or serve at the table separately.

Carving Note: Hagedorn has a five-step method for carving the chicken. It's very easy:

1. Use a carving knife to cut through the skin between the thigh and the breast
2. Pop the thigh joint where it joins the bird, and cut through the skin to remove the leg and thigh
3. Cut through the joint separating the thigh and leg.
4. Separate the wings from the bird at the joint, and cut through the joint, leaving an ample amount of breast meat on the first joint. Cut off and discard the wingtips.
5. Remove each breast half from the carcass. (Begin slicing through the breast at the breastbone. You can then separate each breast half from the carcass.) Slice each piece in half.

Shrimp and Chicken Chowder

Serves two, but you can always double the recipe.

Note:This recipe has lots of ingredients, but it goes together very easily, so don't be intimidated! You can make the stock ahead of time OR you can use 2 c unsalted chicken or vegetable stock. If you don't have fish sauce, you can get it at an Asian market. (Golden Boy brand is excellent.) You can substitute salt to taste (1/2 teaspoon to start) plus 2 T water, but the fish sauce really adds a wonderful flavor. Substitute a hot chili powder for the Thai roasted pepper, if you don't want to make your own (the recipe for Thai Roasted Pepper follows this recipe).

The stock

2 T olive oil
1 med onion, chopped (quarter-inch dice)
2 stalks celery finely chopped
2 med carrots, peeled and grated
4 c water
4 whole allspice
3 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a heavy skillet (I use cast iron). Add the onions, and cook them until they soften and begin to brown. Add the celery. Stir occasionally, and continue frying until the celery begins to lose its bright green color. Stir in the carrots and fry until the carrots are very limp and begin to brown. Toward the end of the cooking, you will need to keep stirring the vegetables with a metal spatula, because the oil will be absorbed, and the vegetables will stick to the skillet.

When the vegetables have finished cooking, transfer them to a 2-1/2 qt stockpot. Pour some of the water into the skillet to deglaze it, and add to the stockpot with the rest of the water. Add the spices, and bring the stock to a boil, then turn the heat down such that the stock continues to boil, and continue to boil, uncovered, until it is reduced to half its volume (about a half hour to 45 minutes).

Remove the stock from the stove, and strain it into a container. Set it aside (or refrigerate) until you are ready to make the soup. Discard the solids in the strainer.

The meat

10 raw shrimp, deveined and peeled
1/4 lb raw chicken breast strips, sliced in half-inch pieces
2 T fish sauce
2 T rice vinegar (or lime or lemon juice)
2 cloves minced garlic
black pepper to taste
1/4 t Thai roasted pepper (or chili powder)

Read the Note, above, about substitutions for the fish sauce and Thai roasted pepper.

In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients. Cover the bowl and refrigerate until you are ready to finish the soup.

The rest of the soup

1 small can corn, undrained (8.75 oz)
1 med potato, peeled and grated
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
bean sprouts (optional)

In a soup pot, heat the stock and canned corn to boiling. Add the grated potato, and continue to simmer uncovered for three to four minutes. Add the shrimp and chicken mixture and simmer until the meat is cooked, about three minutes. Remove from the stove.

Put a couple of tablespoons of bean sprouts in the bottom of each soup bowl. Stir the cream into the soup, then ladle the soup over the bean sprouts and serve immediately.

Thai Roasted Peppers

The name is a misnomer, because the chilies aren't roasted, they are fried!

Note: Prepare the peppers in a well-ventilated kitchen. The fumes of the frying peppers can irritate your eyes. When you are grinding the peppers, be careful about touching your fingers to your face or rubbing your eyes. The ground pepper can irritate your skin. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling the peppers.

2 - 4 oz whole dried Asian chili peppers
2 T peanut oil

Line a metal strainer with paper towels.

Heat the oil in a cast iron skillet on high heat until the oil has a sheen, but isn't smoking. Add the peppers, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds, until the peppers are shiny and have turned darker, but before they burn and turn black.

Immediately remove the peppers to the strainer. Let the peppers drain and cool. Dab them with a paper towel to remove any excess oil.

When the peppers are completely cool, grind them in a food processor or spice mill until they are finely ground. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.

Use the condiment very sparingly....

Happy's Chicken Barbeque

4 large chicken thighs, skinned and boned
1 onion, chopped
olive oil
1 c red wine
salt
pepper
3 large cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1/2 t oregano
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T barbeque sauce
1 T ketchup

Heat the olive oil in an iron skillet on medium-low heat. Add the onions and cook slowly until brown and carmelized. Remove from the skillet.

Add some more olive oil to the skillet, and raise the heat to medium-high. Place the thighs, skinned side down in the skillet. Salt and pepper to taste. Brown the meat each side for three or four minutes. Remove from the heat. Remove the meat from the skillet. Put the skillet back on the heat, and deglaze with the wine. Add the onions and the meat back to the skillet. Add the crushed garlic. Sprinkle in the oregano. Turn the heat to very low, cover the skillet tightly, and cook very slowly for an hour or so, adding more liquid if necessary (but not too much!).

Set the skillet off the heat, and remove the meat from the skillet. Use a couple of forks to shred the thighs. Return the meat to skillet. Add the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, and barbeque sauce. Simmer for 15 or 20 minutes on low heat. Serve on hamburger buns, or any other way you like your barbeque.

Chicken a La Can Can

Aunt Virgie Lee

1 can (10-1/2 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can condensed cream of celery soup
1 soup can of water
1 can (12 oz) boned chicken ~1-1/2 c
1-1/3 c Minute Rice
1 can French Fried Onions

Combine soups, water, and chicken. Add rice. Stir to mix. Bring quickly to a boil. Cover; reduce heat. Be sure it's Minute Rice - Simmer 7 minutes. Top with onions, heated according to the direction on the can, and it's ready.

Cornbread Dressing

1 box corn muffin mix
1 onion, chopped
2 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 c butter
1-1/2 c chopped, cooked necks and giblets
1 lb roasted, peeled chestnuts
1/4 c raisins
2 small potatoes, diced
2 apples, diced
1 t sage
1/2 t rosemary
1/2 t black pepper
salt, to taste
2 eggs
2 c stock

The night before: Prepare the corn muffin mix, but bake as cornbread. Cool, and break it up into very coarse crumbs. Cover and set aside. Roast and peel the chestnuts. Leave them in halves or quarters.

The day of: Put the cornbread crumbs in a large mixing bowl. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery. Fry until the onions begin to brown (about 5 minutes). Add the onion mixture to the cornbread crumbs. Add the meat, chestnuts, raisins, potatoes, and apples. Toss together. Add the seasonings, and adjust seasonings to taste.

Add the eggs and stock and toss until the mixture is moistened. If it is too dry, add milk, 1/4 c at a time, until it is the right consistency. Do not over mix or compact the dressing.

Grease a 9 x 13 backing dish, and heap the dressing in the dish, being careful not to compact it too much. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

Chicken with Kale Soup

1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and grated
3 small red potatoes, diced
1/2 c lentils
3 c water
1/4 c steel cut oats (optional)
1 small can corn
1-14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t pepper
1 t ground sage
1/2 thyme
1/2 t ground rosemary
salt to taste
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken
1/2 red wine
1/2 lb kale, torn in small pieces
1/4 c raisins
2 T cider vinegar
olive oil

Heat 2 T olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and celery and cook until the onions are translucent. In a soup pot, heat the stock. Add the onions and celery, carrots, and potatoes, and bring to a boil, then turn to simmer.

In a separate sauce pan, bring the lentils and water to a boil, then turn to low and cook for 30 minutes. Add the lentils and liquid to the vegetables. Add the oats, corn, tomatoes, and garlic. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer. Add the seasonings and adjust to taste.

In the skillet, heat another tablespoon or so of olive oil over medium high heat. Salt and pepper the chicken, and fry until brown on both sides. Add 1/2 c red wine, cover and simmer over medium-low for 10 minutes. Shred the chicken, and add to the soup.

Deglaze the skillet, and add the pan liquid to the soup. Add the kale, raisins, and vinegar. Simmer for a few minutes until the kale is tender.

Chicken Casserole

1 pound package macaroni (uncooked)
1 cup milk
1 cup chicken broth
1 cans mushroom soup (undiluted) (some prefer chicken soup)
1 small onion chopped
2 hard boiled eggs sliced
1/2 cup Velveeta cheese
2-1/2 cups cubed, cooked chicken
1 cup mushrooms

Mix ingredients togther in order given (may be mixed the night before). Bake 350° for one hour.