I had picked up a small package of chicken breasts the other day. I froze one breast and was looking for a way to cook the one I didn't freeze. I found this recipe on Salt & Lavender. It looked really simple and easy to make, and I already had everything in the house that I needed to make it.
I don't like to cook the same things all the time. Variety is the spice of life. I also like to share new things with you. I do all of the testing of these recipes so that you don't have to! You can rest assured that when I share a recipe with you it is 100% perfect!
When we were children, our mother used to make us what she called Maryland Chicken. It was chicken breasts coated in cracker crumbs and fried in butter. I can tell you now that it was some tasty. That is the only way she ever cooked chicken breasts. They were not something we had very often and so she cooked them in the best way that she knew how.
Chicken seems to be much affordable now than it was back then. I can afford to try different things out when it comes to cooking chicken breasts. This was simple and it was delicious! That sauce was amazing. Rich and creamy with just enough mustard flavor and not overly sweet. There was just a slight tang and heat from the mustard.
I cut the recipe in half, with the exception of the sauce. I kept that to the whole. Can you ever have too much sauce? (The amounts shared here are for the smaller amount just in case you are not a glutton like I am.) 😉
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CREAMY HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN
I know you must get tired of me saying this, but really simple ingredients. I can cook complicated if I want or need to. I just don't want to cook complicated food on a daily basis. I save that for special occasions. Simple, quality ingredients, put together in the most delicious and yet simple way is what I like.
- 1 large chicken breast, cut in half lengthwise
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 2 TBS flour, for dredging
- 1/2 TBS light olive oil
- 1 1/2 TBS butter, divided
- 1/4 cup (60ml) chicken stock
- 1 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1/2 TBS honey
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy/whipping cream
My chicken breast was not HUGE but it was also not small. I suppose it was about the size and depth of my full hand, held out straight. This made two lovely sized cutlets. You can find out how to do that here.
Make sure you use garlic powder and not salt. If you use salt the dish will be too salty.
Use a good quality Dijon mustard. I use Maille. It's French and has the best flavor.
For chicken stock I use Better than Boullion. It's not overly salty. I find the chicken stock cubes to be overly salty and do not like to use them at all any more if I can help it.
I also use salted butter and fresh local cream.
HOW TO MAKE CREAMY HONEY MUSTARD CHICKEN
This is really quite simple to make and goes together really quickly if you have everything ready to go before you begin!
Prepare your chicken, cutting it in half lengthwise so that you have two cutlets. (There is a great tutorial at the link.) Season the cutlets on both sides with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Dredge with flour, shaking off any excess. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil and 1/2 TBS of butter in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once the butter begins to foam, add the chicken pieces.
Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, flip over and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes on the other side. They should be golden brown. Remove to a clean plate.
Add the stock, remaining butter, mustard and honey. Whisk together to amalgamate.
Whisk in the cream. Heat until the sauce begins to bubble. Add the chicken back to the pan, presentation side up.
Cook for an additional 5 minutes or so until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through and your sauce has reduced and thickened to your liking.
Serve hot with rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta.
HINTS AND TIPS FOR CHICKEN BREAST PERFECTION
Dry no more! If you follow my hints and tips, you can be sure of a juicy tender piece of chicken!
1. If you are cooking your chicken plain, that is without a sauce, it is always better to cook your chicken breasts with the skin on rather than it off. The skin helps to protect the meat and keep it from drying out. You can always peel it off and discard after cooking if you don't want the extra calories.
2. Chicken breasts can be a bit dry. This is because they are much leaner than other parts of the bird. A marinade, brine or rub goes a long way in adding flavor to the meat and keeping it moist. A basic salt and pepper rub is just fine if you want to keep things simple.
3. Pounding chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat pounder always tenderizes them a bit. Even if you are not going for larger flatter pieces of chicken, a bit of pounding helps to even out the pieces and breaks down the tissues a bit rendering that tiny bit more succulent.
4. Keep all of your chicken pieces as much the same size as you can. You can do this by pounding, or by slicing them into smaller thinner pieces. They will also cook faster this way.
5. Overcooking is the main culprit when it comes to producing chicken breasts which are dry and unpalatable. You need only cook them until the juices run clear. Bear in mind as well that they will continue to cook when you remove them from the pan. Let them rest, lightly covered for a few minutes and you will achieve perfection.
True confession here, I doubled the sauce. I like lots of sauce. I know I am very naughty as it is made with real cream, but boy oh boy was it ever yummy!
The chicken was tender and juicy and that sauce was fabulous. I enjoyed it with some steamed rice and broccoli. This was a delicious meal for sure and was very quick to pull together!
I eat a lot of chicken. That's because it is usually one of the cheaper meats to buy and it is also such an adaptable protein. Here are a few other recipes that we really enjoy which highlight tender and juicy chicken breasts!
CHICKEN MARGHERITA - This dish is a simple, single serving dish made with a baked chicken breast, pesto, tomatoes, and melted mozzarella, finished with a lemon garlic sauce for fresh, bold flavor. You can very easily double it to feed two people. This is tender, juicy and delicious with fabulous flavors. Goes very well with pasta or rice.
CRUNCHY HOT HONEY CHICKEN CUTLETS -No deep frying involved. You coat the chicken and lightly fry it in a tiny bit of light olive oil. Cooked to tender and juicy perfection, nicely crisped on the outside and served with a delicious homemade hot honey drizzle sauce. Can you say finger-licking good! I hope so because this is all that and more!
Yield: 2 Servings
Creamy Honey Mustard Chicken
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min
Melt in the mouth tender pieces of chicken breast with a rich and silky honey Dijon Sauce. What's not to love! Recipe can easily be doubled. This goes together very quickly and can be on the table in less than half an hour.
Ingredients
- 1 large chicken breast, cut in half lengthwise
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 2 TBS flour, for dredging
- 1/2 TBS light olive oil
- 1 1/2 TBS butter, divided
- 1/4 cup (60ml) chicken stock
- 1 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1/2 TBS honey
- 1/2 cup (120ml) heavy/whipping cream
Instructions
- Prepare your chicken, cutting it in half lengthwise so that you have two cutlets. Season the cutlets on both sides with the salt, pepper and garlic powder. Dredge with flour, shaking off any excess. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil and 1/2 TBS of butter in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once the butter begins to foam, add the chicken pieces.
- Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, flip over and cook for a further 4 to 5 minutes on the other side. They should be golden brown. Remove to a clean plate.
- Add the stock, remaining butter, mustard and honey. Whisk together to amalgamate.
- Whisk in the cream. Heat until the sauce begins to bubble. Add the chicken back to the pan, presentation side up.
- Cook for an additional 5 minutes or so until the chicken is thoroughly cooked through and your sauce has reduced and thickened to your liking.
- Serve hot with rice, mashed potatoes, or pasta.
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When we were growing up our mother would make a salad for us to enjoy with our supper most Sunday evenings. She always made her dressing from scratch. She always started it early in the afternoon.
She would finely chop about 2 or 3 TBS of onion into the bottom of a bowl and then top it with some vinegar, as well as some salt and black pepper. This would sit for several hours macerating before she added anything else.
Just when she was ready to put the salad together, she would add some salad oil and then break iceberg lettuce into the bowl and add some cucumber and maybe some radishes, tossing everything together to coat with the oil and vinegar mixture.
Those salads were always a real treat for us. I always really looked forward to them, and I will make them that same way even now to this day. Macerating the onion in the vinegar seemed to draw some of the sharpness out of the onion so all that you were left with was the sweet onion flavor.
This is a recipe she learned from our German landlady when we were living in Germany. I, myself, add a touch of sugar to it as well.
When I saw this Sweet Onion Vinaigrette Dressing on A Farm Girl Dabbles, I just had to try it, although I did cut the recipe in half. There is really only me to feed salad to here. It reminded me somewhat of my mother's Sunday Salad dressing, albeit a bit sweeter.
I think it makes a great coleslaw vinaigrette salad.
You know I only share the best of what I discover with you! Do read on to find out my hints, tips, and experiences with this tasty recipe!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SWEET ONION VINAIGRETTE DRESSING
Simple everyday ingredients. There is nothing complicated about this delicious dressing.
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) white vinegar
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil (I use light olive oil)
- 1/2 tsp celery seeds
- 1/2 small onion, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
The recipe specified white vinegar, but I think apple cider vinegar would also work very well. I don't think I would like Balsamic vinegar in this dressing.
I did use light olive oil, which is olive oil that is from a later pressing, so it is not as filled with flavor and has a much lighter color than EVO. I would not use EVO.
Don't skip the celery seeds. They do add a lovely flavor.
Don't be tempted to just mince the onion. Grating the onion helps to release a lot of the flavor and the juices from the onion. You can use more or less onion, according to your own preference.
HOW TO MAKE SWEET ONION VINAIGRETTE DRESSING
This really is quite simple. You can double the ingredients to make more if you wish, but do bear in mind that, as there is fresh onion in the dressing, it won't keep longer than two weeks.
Place the sugar and vinegar into a saucepan. Set over medium heat and warm through, stirring, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Remove from the heat. Whisk in the remaining ingredients to combine completely.
Leave to cool completely. It will appear separated. This is normal.
Pour into a pint jar and refrigerate.
When you are ready to use it, give it a vigorous shake to amalgamate all of the ingredients. This will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
HINTS AND TIPS
1. Do not skip the step of heating the vinegar and sugar together to melt the sugar thoroughly. You don't need to bring it to the boil for the sugar to fully melt. Also don't stick your nose in the pot to smell. It will give you a jolt and a whammy of vinegar smell
2. I found it a bit oily so if I make this again, I am going to use half water and half oil, but that is a personal preference.
3. Some onions are stronger than others so judge accordingly and try to get all of the juice from your grated onion as well.
4. Don't skip the celery seed. This adds a lovely piquancy.
5. If using it to dress cabbage/coleslaw, make sure your cabbage is not shredded too thinly.
6. Store in a jar with a screw top lid. This allows for ease of shaking the dressing to emulsify it when it comes to using it to dress your salad.
7. This will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
8. Use the freshest vegetables you have available to make your salad with using this dressing.
This was quite tasty. You do need to shake it up really well each time you go to use it so make sure you have it in a jar with a very tight lid. I used it on a small amount of shredded cabbage and carrot as that is all I had in the house. It worked very well.
Apparently this much will suitably dress a whole bag of coleslaw mix. Personally, I think that this amount would be too much for use with one bag of coleslaw mix, at least as far as the bags of coleslaw mixes that we can get here in Nova Scotia go.
I think it would be great on a salad of spinach, bacon and egg as well. Just use your own common sense and dress it accordingly.
If you are like me, you enjoy a homemade dressing on your salads more than any shop bought. Here are a few more of my all-time favorites that I think you might also enjoy!
OLIVE GARDEN SALAD DRESSING - I have never been to an Olive Garden restaurant, so I have never had their salad dressing. I cannot speak to the authenticity of this dressing. What I can tell you however is that it is incredibly delicious. Rich, creamy and beautifully flavored!
HOMEMADE SALAD CREAM - This tasty dressing is the most common dressing offered in eating places all over the U.K. You can also buy it in jars in the shops. This homemade version is even better than the shop bought. It is rich and creamy and beautifully tangy. We love this!
Yield: 12 servings
Sweet Onion Vinaigrette Dressing
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 5 MinTotal time: 10 Min
Sweet, oniony, bright and tangy, this is a delicious homemade salad dressing. Great for coleslaw or for any salad really.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) white vinegar
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil (I use light olive oil)
- 1/2 tsp celery seeds
- 1/2 small onion, peeled and grated on the large holes of a box grater
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the sugar and vinegar into a saucepan. Set over medium heat and warm through, stirring, until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Remove from the heat. Whisk in the remaining ingredients to combine completely.
- Leave to cool completely. It will appear separated. This is normal.
- Pour into a pint jar and refrigerate.
- When you are ready to use it, give it a vigorous shake to amalgamate all of the ingredients.
- This will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
All rights reserved The English Kitchen
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.
I wanted to use up the last of my roast chicken today and so I went looking for a casserole to use it up in. You know that was not a HUGE roast chicken, just a medium sized one, but I got a meal for four from it as a roast chicken, then a delicious hot chicken sandwich, and today I got a casserole sized for two. That isn't even including the bones which are in the freezer waiting to make soup.
Yes, it can seem really expensive to buy a whole chicken these days, but they, with proper planning, can be rather economical in the long run!
I found this casserole recipe on a page called The Kitchen Magpie. What appealed to me was the simplicity of it. I decided that I could easily cut it in half as well to feed only two people. Bonus!
I pretty much did it exactly as written this first time around. I like to follow a recipe the first time I make it, and then I can make any changed I want to make the next time.
I did cut it in half. I liked that there was no cheese in this one. I eat too much cheese. lol It was refreshing not to have the cheese in there for a change.
I think you could add frozen mixed vegetables, with the peas, carrots, corn, beans, and it would be similar to a pot pie casserole. You could also add some herbs such as summer savory or thyme.
You could even add some sauteed mushrooms. But it really was lovely as is. I was quite happy with it. I cooked it in two smaller casserole dishes and took one over to my next-door neighbor who really enjoyed it as well!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE FOR TWO
You really only need a few simple ingredients for this tasty casserole. It does use condensed cream soup. If you have an aversion to this, you can make a simple white sauce.
- 1 1/2 cups (135g) uncooked egg noodles
- 1/2 of a 10 3/4 oz/305g tin of condensed soup (cream of chicken or cream of mushroom, freeze the other half tin.)
- 1/4 cup (30g) dairy sour cream
- 3 TBS whole milk
- 1/4 cup (38g) frozen peas
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder, not salt
- 1/4 tsp onion powder, not salt
- pinch salt
- pinch pepper
- 1 cup (125g) diced cooked chicken breast meat
- 1 small packed (about 12 crackers) saltine crackers
- 1 TBS butter, melted
You don't have to use egg noodles; you can use any kind of flattish type of pasta or even rotini! I used cream of mushroom soup and froze the other tin. MAKE SURE YOU LABLE your soup before you put it in the freezer. You think you will remember what it is at a later date, but trust me, it's very easy to forget!
I used full fat sour cream and whole milk.
I used frozen petit pois. I just like the texture better.
You can use leftover roast chicken, rotisserie chicken or even poached chicken that you have cooked specifically for this.
You do not have to use saltine crackers. You can use any kind of cracker you wish to use. There is no wrong about this.
HOW TO MAKE CREAMY CHICKEN NOODLE CASSEROLE (for two)
You won't believe how very simple this is. Dinner could not get any simpler. All you need is a salad of some sort on the side!
Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. If you are using two casseroles (small shallow ones) butter them bother, otherwise butter a 7 by 11-inch casserole dish. Set aside.
Cook your noodles to al dente, following package directions. Drain well and then return to the saucepan.
While the noodles are cooking, whisk together in a bowl, the soup, sour cream, milk and seasonings.
Fold this mixture into the cooked and drained noodles in the saucepan. Fold in the chicken and the frozen peas.
Spread in the prepared casserole(s).
Mix together the melted butter and the cracker crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over top of the casserole(s).
Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until heated through and bubbly. Serve hot.
HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING A REALLY GOOD CASSEROLE
All of my hints and tips for making a great casserole!
1. Make sure you choose the right dish for your casserole and then butter your casserole dish really well so that nothing sticks. I like shallow dishes because you get more crispy edges, but that is just me.
2. If you are using pasta of any kind, do not cook it any more than al dente. Bear in mind that the pasta will keep cooking in the sauce of the casserole and you don't want soggy pasta.
3. Make sure the protein in your casserole pairs well with the other ingredients.
4. Fresh or frozen vegetables add lots of color and even crunch, depending on how well cooked they are. I like to use frozen veggies a lot of the time and I don't bother to thaw them out.
5. Make sure you have plenty of sauce. You don't want it to be too soupy, but you also don't want it to be too dry. Again, make sure the flavor of your sauce pairs well with the remaining ingredients.
6. You will need a starch of some sort. Rice, pasta, potatoes, etc. all work well.
7. Don't be afraid to add layers of flavor with herbs and spices. Again, make sure they go well with everything else.
8. Don't overlook the value of a crunchy topping! I love a crunchy buttery topping. Buttered bread or cracker crumbs. French fried onions. Buttery flaked almonds. Grated cheese. Or any combination thereof. All work very well.
For all of its simplicity, this is really delicious! I did add a bit too much chicken to mine which took a bit away from its creaminess, but I wanted to use it all up! In any case it was quite enjoyable anyways!
I did add extra peas as well, and of course a very generous buttery cracker crumb topping. Can you ever have too many buttery cracker crumbs on top? I think not!
Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole not quite doing it for you? Perhaps you would enjoy one of the following two delicious casseroles. Very, very tasty indeed! And again, sized for two.
GRANDMA'S CHINESE CHICKEN CASSEROLE - This is one of my all-time favorite chicken casseroles. I can't begin to tell you why it is called a Chinese casserole because there doesn't seem to be anything remotely Chinese about it. Not unless you count the crispy chow mien noodles and salted cashew nuts on top! Everything else reads like an ordinary chicken casserole! It's totally delicious!
CHICKEN & DUMPLING CASSEROLE - This is a "just-like-magic" kind of an entree. Almost like a pudding cake. You know the ones I mean . . . the self-saucing ones, except this is not a sweet pudding. Rather, it is a savoury chicken casserole along the same vein, and I don't mind telling you that it is amazingly tasty!
Yield: Two servings
Creamy Chicken Noodle Casserole (for two)
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
Crisp buttery crackers top this creamy chicken noodle casserole which is sized perfectly for two. Delicious comfort food. Just like mom's.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (135g) uncooked egg noodles
- 1/2 of a 10 3/4 oz/305g tin of condensed soup (cream of chicken or cream of mushroom, freeze the other half tin.)
- 1/4 cup (30g) dairy sour cream
- 3 TBS whole milk
- 1/4 cup (38g) frozen peas
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder, not salt
- 1/4 tsp onion powder, not salt
- pinch salt
- pinch pepper
- 1 cup (125g) diced cooked chicken breast meat
- 1 small packed (about 12 crackers) saltine crackers
- 1 TBS butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. If you are using two casseroles (small shallow ones) butter them bother, otherwise butter a 7 by 11-inch casserole dish. Set aside.
- Cook your noodles to al dente, following package directions. Drain well and then return to the saucepan.
- While the noodles are cooking, whisk together in a bowl, the soup, sour cream, milk and seasonings.
- Fold this mixture into the cooked and drained noodles in the saucepan. Fold in the chicken and the frozen peas.
- Spread in the prepared casserole(s).
- Mix together the melted butter and the cracker crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over top of the casserole(s).
- Bake, uncovered, in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until heated through and bubbly. Serve hot.
All rights reserved The English Kitchen
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
If you like what you see here, why not consider signing up for my newsletter and/or subscribing/following me on Grow. You can also bookmark my recipes via the Grow platform. Check out the heart on the right hand side of the screen.
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