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Poppy Seed Chicken

November 14, 2010 By Kate 8 Comments

Poppy seed chicken is a classic comfort food recipe – so classic that every recipe I’ve ever seen for it calls for canned, condensed cream of chicken soup. While I’m not hyper-vigilant about never using convenient items, those soups are one thing that got banned from my kitchen years ago.

Honestly, I haven’t missed them at all! Making a homemade cream of… substitute is so easy. I think it tastes about 100 times better and it’s definitely healthier since I control the amount of salt.

This recipe is my version of Poppy Seed Chicken, minus the can! And it is delicious – rich and creamy and everything a comfort food should be.

Poppy Seed Chicken

  • 1/4 c. butter
  • 1 stalk celery or 1/4 onion, diced
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 t. paprika
  • 1/2 t. pepper
  • 1/4 c. flour
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1/2 c. chicken stock
  • 1 c. sour cream
  • 3 – 4 c. cubed, fully cooked chicken (about 1 lb.)
  • 1 T. poppy seeds
  • 1/3 c. crushed crackers (saltines or buttery crackers)
  • 2 T. butter, melted

1. Melt 1/4 c. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced celery or onion. Cook for 2 minutes. Stir in salt, paprika, pepper and flour. Cook for another 2 minutes.

2. Slowly pour in milk and chicken stock. Whisk or stir continuously until it comes to a slow boil. Simmer until thickened to a condensed cream of soup consistency. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream, cubed chicken and poppy seeds. Transfer to a small casserole dish.

3. In a small bowl, combine crushed cracker crumbs and 2 T. melted butter. Sprinkle over casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until bubbly.

This tastes great as a stand alone main course with side dishes, or served over rice or mashed potatoes.

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Southwest Chicken & Potato Casserole

October 14, 2009 By Kate 3 Comments

Aside from not being very photogenic, casseroles tend to be a big hit around our house. I know that’s not true in many houses, but we seem to love them.  Plus, I tend to fall back on a quick, flavorful casserole on busy days when I need to get dinner put together quickly and let it cook without my constant attention.

My inspiration for this casserole is a Southwest Potato Salad that our local gourmet grocery store sells. I thought I could easily duplicate the flavor and turn it into a full meal by adding some chicken. It turned out really good. It was creamy, cheesy and full of some of our favorite flavors.

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Southwest Chicken & Potato Casserole

  • 4-5 large white potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 1 lb. chicken breasts or thighs, fully cooked and cubed
  • 1/2 lb. frozen California blend veggies, thawed
  • 1 c. Ranch dressing
  • 1 c. salsa
  • 4 oz. block cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
  • 1/2 c. crushed tortilla chips or taco shells
  • Pepper, salt and chili powder, to taste

1. Place the potatoes in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Drain and pour into a large bowl.

2. Add the chicken and veggies to the bowl. Toss. Add Ranch dressing and salsa; stir to combine. Stir in cheese cubes. Transfer to a 13×9 casserole dish.

3. Top with crushed tortilla chips or taco shells and sprinkle on some pepper, salt and chili powder to taste. (This last step is really more for visual appeal than flavoring, so you can skip it if you want.) Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until bubbly.

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Deconstructed Broccoli & Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

March 17, 2009 By Kate 38 Comments

I love making stuffed chicken breasts, especially when entertaining. The presentation is great. But when I’m not worried about presentation, I take the easy way out. Here’s how I do it and it tastes delicious without any of the fuss.

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Deconstructed Broccoli & Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Salt & pepper, to taste
  • 2 T. butter or margarine
  • 2 T. flour
  • 1 1/4 c. milk
  • 1 1/2  c. cheddar cheese, cubed or shredded
  • 2 c. frozen broccoli
  • 1/2 t. thyme
  • 2 T. butter or margarine
  • 1 c. breadcrumbs

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place in small casserole dish (8×8 or 9×9).

2. In a small saucepan, melt 2 T. butter or margarine over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk, bring to a boil and cook until thickened to gravy consistency.  Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted. Add the broccoli. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Pour over chicken.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

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4. Melt 2 T. butter or margarine and combine with breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over chicken and return to the oven. Bake for 5-10 minutes, or until browned and chicken is fully cooked.p3154149

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