<p>I love all the cooking threads of late. I am in need of a chicken dish to serve at a small bridal shower. It doesn’t need to be in the elegant or gourmet category but I’d like to kick it up a notch from chicken parm or those made with cream of mushroom soup. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>Mix 1 cup whipping cream and 1 cup sour cream and let sit overnight.
Brown boneless skinless chicken breasts in butter and olive oil. Just salt and pepper. They don’t have to be thoroughly cooked through because you will simmer them in the sauce. If chicken breasts are large, you can cut them into 2 or 3 serving size pieces. Deglaze the pan with about 1 cup white wine. Add 1 cup of the cream mixture. Return the chicken pieces to the pan and simmer for 10-15 mn until chicken is thoroughly cooked and sauce thickens.</p>
<p>They can be served in an electric skillet or warmer pan.</p>
<p>chicken kiev is good and different
and you can make it ahead
[Modern-day</a> chicken Kiev recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food](<a href=“http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4748/]Modern-day”>http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4748/)</p>
<p>If you want to go retro, you could do Chicken Divan:</p>
<p>1 large bunch of broccoli, trimmed and cut into long spears
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons medium-dry Sherry
fresh lemon juice to taste
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, optional
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 whole boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds total), cooked and sliced thin </p>
<p>PreparationIn a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook the broccoli for 6 to 8 minutes, or until it is just tender, drain it well, and keep it warm. In a heavy saucepan melt the butter over moderately low heat, add the flour, and cook the roux, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the broth, stirring, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring, and simmer it, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook the mixture, stirring, for 10 minutes. Fold the cream, Sherry, mustard and lemon juice into the sauce, and season the sauce with salt and pepper. </p>
<p>Arrange the broccoli on a flameproof platter or in a 2-quart gratin dish and pour half the sauce over it. Stir 1/4 cup of the Parmesan into the remaining sauce. Arrange the chicken on the broccoli, pour the remaining sauce over it, and sprinkle the mixture with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Broil the mixture under a preheated broiler about 6 inches from the heat for 1 minute, or until the sauce is golden and bubbling.</p>
<p>You can make it ahead and/or you can cook the broccoli ahead and/or make the sauce ahead.</p>
<p>How about Chicken Marbella from the old Silver Palate cookbook? You make it a day ahead (it needs to marinate), and it’s great for a crowd, always a big hit. You might try googling it to see if it’s available online.</p>
<p>If you have access to a charcoal grill and someone to do the grilling, you could try to family’s favorite: Lemon-Basil Chicken.</p>
<p>Marinade:<br>
1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil
scant 1/4 c. white wine vinegar
2 T. fresh-squeezed lemon juice (not more or the chicken gets dry)
lots of fresh basil, chopped (roughly 1/4 c., more or less to taste)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
dash of salt & cracked black pepper</p>
<p>Pour marinade over free-range chicken breasts or chicken tenders, stir to thoroughly coast chicken on all sides, cover & seal tightly, let stand in refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Cook chicken over charcoal embers at low heat until done and juices run clear (15-20 minutes for breasts, less for tenders). Real hardwood chuck charcoal is better than briquettes, but be careful as it tends to burn hotter unless carefully managed. </p>
<p>Serve with rice or rice dish (wild rice goes nicely), couscous, tabouli, quinoa dish, or other grain dish. That and a nice salad makes a lovely, simple, low-fat meal. The marinade is really quite easy to make and can be done in advance of the event, as can, for example, tabouli which is served cold. The trick is to get someone to staff the grill, not you if you’re hosting the event. But my guess is you and your friends probably know some guy who fancies himself the master of the charcoal grill who would gladly do it for a couple of nice beers and the acclaim of his audience.</p>
<p>I have served this dish for lunch on several occasions and it’s always received great reviews. It can be made ahead–just pop it into the oven as guests arrive and it’s ready to serve in 30 minutes, with absolutely no attention from the chef! It’s a great one-dish meal–one of DH’s faves. I serve it with a nice green salad and rolls. This is a regular menu item at my house. I usually make 2 and freeze one for a no-brainer dinner on a busy night! Just take it out of the freezer the night before to thaw and let it bake while you set the table.</p>
<p>Chicken Orient</p>
<p>Stewed Chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (4 chicken breasts or one whole chicken)
1 Box Long Grain and Wild Rice, made according to directions (I use Uncle Ben’s)
1 Small Can Sliced Water Chestnuts, Drained
1 Can French-Cut Green Beans, Drained
¾ C Mayo (I use low-fat mayo.)
Small jar diced pimento (I usually omit this—not a family favorite)
Slivered or Sliced Almonds</p>
<p>Combine all ingredients, except almonds, in large bowl. Spray casserole dish with Pam (I use a 10 inch square dish.) and transfer chicken mixture to dish. Top with almonds and bake, covered, at 350 for 30 minutes. If ‘assembled’ ahead of time, refrigerate until ready to bake. You might need to increase time to about 45 minutes, if dish is cold, rather than room temp/warm ingredients. (Really just needs to be heated through.)</p>