The Betty Crocker persona of 2002 decided that fans of her recipes and cooking advice would be happy to learn all the secrets of cooking chicken and thus was produced the mini cookbook, Weeknight Chicken.
This cookbook, discovered among some treasured recipe books, offers “fast and flavourful recipes on the table in 30 minutes or less.”
In addition to recipes, the book explains how to store uncooked chicken, how to safely thaw frozen chicken, how to remove the bone and skin from chicken breasts and thighs, and how to safely store cooked chicken for use in other recipes.
Betty Crocker helps with this week’s recipes.
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Chicken and Pasta Stir Fry
2 cups uncooked bow-tie pasta
1 lb. asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
2 medium onions, sliced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch pieces
3 tbsps. chopped fresh basil leaves
3 tbsps. chopped sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed)
1/4 tsp. pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.
Spray a 12 inch skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Cook asparagus, onions and 1 cup of broth in the skillet for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until liquid has evaporated. Remove mixture from skillet.
Spray skillet with more cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and stir-fry about 5 minutes or until no longer pink in the centre.
Return asparagus mixture to skillet. Stir in remaining chicken broth, basil, tomatoes, pepper and pasta. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is hot. Sprinkle with cheese and serve. Makes 4 servings.
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One Pan Potatoes and Chicken
2 tbsps. vegetable oil
8 medium red potatoes, thinly sliced
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1 medium red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 tsp. garlic powder
Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes, chicken and pepper and sprinkle with garlic powder.
Cook 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in the centre and potatoes are tender. Serves 4.
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Apple Bourbon Marinade
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup bourbon or apple juice
1/2 tsp. salt
Mix syrup, juice and salt together. Use with skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into small chunks, or chicken wing pieces. Place chicken and marinade into a large plastic bag and seal. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Remove chicken from marinade and cook in a skillet or in the oven. Discard marinade.
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Betty’s Tip: Do not roast your chicken in a brown paper bag. Paper bags, her book says, are not sanitary and may catch on fire. Instead use oven-roasting bags designed for use in the oven. Chicken will be moist and the fire department will not be required.
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Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
