hearty chicken-veggie soup

courtesy of: everyday
variations courtesy of: missi
submitted by: missi
serves: 4

- 1 lb plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
- 1/4c extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 lb carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
- 1 lb yellow potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced crosswise
- 32oz chicken broth
- 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
- 1/3 c chopped flat leaf parsley

1. position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 500. arrange the tomatoes cut side up on a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet and drizzle 2 tbsp olive oil on top; season with salt and pepper. roast until tender, about 20 min. transfer the tomatoes and any juices to a bowl.

2. meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. season the chicken with salt and pepper, add to the pan and cook, turning once, until cooked through, about 10 min; transfer to a work surface. let cool, then shred.

3. in the same saucepan, heat the remaining tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. add the onions, season with salt and cook until just tender, about 5 min. add the carrots, potatoes, and chicken broth bring to a simmer and cook for 5 in. add the green beans and tomatoes with their juices, partially cover and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 min. stir in the chicken and parsley; season with salt and pepper.

*variations: add pasta just before you partially cover and simmer for chicken noodle vegetable soup. add a can of black beans and corn (both drained) for a chicken southwestern vegetable soup. for a veggie friendly version; replace the chicken stock for veggie broth and trade the chicken for quorn brand naked chicken, grilled and cubed, adding in the last 5 min of cooking time.

image: cardias gourmet

fried chicken

adapted from: kfc
submitted by: missi
serves: 4-6

- 1 egg, beaten
- vegetable oil
- 6 boneless chicken breasts
- 3c flour, sifted
*1 tsp each of the following:
- ground oregano
- chile powder
- ground sage
- dried basil
- dried marjoram
- pepper
- onion salt
- garlic powder
*2 tsp each of the following:
- salt
- paprika
- accent (spice meat tenderizer)

1. in a large, deep skillet, pour enough vegetable oil to come up 1" on the sides and heat over medium-high heat until bubbles from around the end of a wooden spoon.

2. in a shallow bowl, beat the egg and set aside. in a large ziplock bag, combine the flour and spices.

3. in small batches, roll the chicken through the egg first, then coat in the spiced flour by shaking in the ziplock bag.

4. fry in the oil, turning frequently until the chicken is cooked through, about 15-20 min and drain on a paper towel.

5. repeat steps 3 & 4 until all the chicken is fried. serve warm.

image: ehow

chicken thai wraps with spicy peanut dipping sauce

courtesy of: rachael ray, food network
submitted by: missi
serves: 4-6

chicken & marinade
- 3 (6oz) chicken breasts
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp veggie oil
- 1 tbsp grill seasoning

filling
- 1 seedless cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced thinly on an angle
- 2 c fresh bean sprouts
- 1 c shredded carrots
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
- 12 basil leaves, torn or chopped
- 3 tbsp mint leaves, torn or chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- salt to taste

- 4 12" flour tortilla wraps (try jalapeno if you're feeling adventurous)

sauce
- 1/4 c extra chunky peanut butter, room temp (if refrigerated, microwave for a few seconds)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp veggie oil

1. heat grill pan over high heat. toss chicken with soy sauce, veggie oil, and grill seasoning. grill for 6 minutes on each side.

2. combine cucumber, sprouts, carrots, scallions, basil, mint, sesame seeds, sugar, and rice wine vinegar. season with salt to taste.

3. whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and cayenne pepper. stream in veggie oil.

4. thinly slice chicken on an angle and toss with veggies and herbs.

5. in a very hot non-stick skillet, heat tortillas on each side about 15 seconds.

6. pile chicken and veggies in tortilla and drizzle generously with peanut sauce before rolling.

hint: can be prepared up to 7 hours ahead. just store the filling, chicken, and sauce separately in the fridge, reheating the chicken and sauce just before assembly.

image: yelp