Chicken in Tomato Sauce

Sometimes I decide what to cook for dinner based on what side dish I'm in the mood for. I was in the mood for garlic bread yesterday. That lead me to something in a tomato-based sauce. My husband is always in the mood for both. So, while he was outside playing tennis in the 95 degree heat, I thumbed through my recipe print-out book, and I settled on the unfortunately-named "Get Yo Man Chicken" from the Food Network show Down Home with the Neely's.

Stupid name aside, this dish is great. The Neelys are now three for three in our house. It reminded me a bit of chicken cacciatore, only without peppers and with rosemary. The flavors complimented each other perfectly. I recommend using fresh herbs instead of dried, if you can. I think fresh herbs give food a little extra something. I'd definitely make it again and would recommend it to anyone who wants a healthy, hearty dish (yes, I know that sounds contradictory). Enjoy!


Get Yo Man Chicken
Recipe by The Neely's
Serves 4-6 (I cut down the recipe for 2)

INGREDIENTS
2 TBSP olive oil
6 chicken thighs, skinless (I used boneless thighs)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 (14.5-ounce) can crushed tomatoes in thick puree
1 tsp dried thyme (I used basil)
1/2 TBSP dried rosemary (I used fresh)
1 TBSP lemon-pepper
Hot buttered rice*
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.

Pat chicken dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper (I also used garlic powder). Brown the chicken, meat-side down first, and turning once, about 4 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate to reserve.

Pour off all but 1 TBSP of oil from the pan.

Add onion to the pan and saute until tender, roughly 3 minutes. Add the stock and wine and stir, scrapping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Turn heat to high and reduce by half, about 3 minutes. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and add the herbs and lemon pepper. Add the chicken thighs back in. Cover and cook on medium low for about 40 minutes.

Remove chicken from liquid and serve on hot buttered rice. Ladle the sauce on top and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

*I make this recipe exactly, except I omit the shallots and thyme.

Fried Chicken

I somehow managed to sprain my big toe. Don't ask... I have no idea.

As such, tonight was the perfect night for some comfort food. Fried chicken was perfect - I had a new recipe I really wanted to try, and my husband is our master deep fryer, so I wouldn't have to be on my feet for too long. We both agreed that the coating needed to be a little thicker, but overall, this was the best fried chicken we'd ever eaten. It was crispy, juicy, flavorful, and had just the right amount of kick. We paired it with some homemade french fries.

Note - this was originally a wing recipe, which we adapted slightly, in cooking time only, for fried chicken.

Recipe from www.foodnetwork.com

Pat’s Spicy Fried Chicken (Wings)
Recipe from Gina & Pat Neely

Rub:
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper

Batter:

2 eggs
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

6 whole chicken wings, cut in 1/2 at the joint (or chicken legs)
2 cups flour

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl whisk together seasoning salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, cayenne pepper, poultry seasoning, and lemon pepper. Reserve any remaining rub.

Rinse chicken in cold water and place into a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with the seasoning and lightly rub in, and let them marinate, covered and chilled, for 1 hour.

Whisk eggs, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and cayenne pepper into a medium size mixing bowl. Reserve. Put the flour into a shallow dish or pie plate.

In a large deep-fryer or large Dutch oven heat oil to 350 degrees F on a deep-fat thermometer.

Dredge chicken into the egg mixture then into the flour. Place chicken into the hot oil and cook for 13-14 minutes (8-10 for wings), turning occasionally, until cooked through and golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined sheet tray. Make sure oil returns to temperature before adding the next batch. Sprinkle the chicken with the reserved seasoning while piping hot.