Costco's Sonoma Chicken Salad

David and I love this and since there is no Costco in this lovely little city we played around and experimented. It tastes just like it, is so easy to make, and of course delicious!

2 c cooked chicken chopped
1 stalk of celery diced
1 c pecans halved
1/2 c - 1 c craisens
1 c mayo
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
5 tsp honey
2-4 shakes of poppy seeds
salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients. Chill and serve!

Pad Thai with Shrimp or Chicken

8 oz linguine noodles
1/3 c fresh lime juice
1/3 c water
3 tbl brown sugar
4 tbl soy sauce
1 tbl rice vinegar
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less depending on how hot you want it)
3 tbl vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 c finely chopped onion
2 eggs, beaten
12 oz frozen medium sized shrimp, thawed OR 2 c chopped cooked chicken
1/4 c finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
3 c fresh bean sprouts
1/4 c green onions, thinly sliced
cilantro

Cook noodles according to package directions, drain and set aside. Meanwhile, stir lime juice, water, brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, cayenne pepper, and 1 tbl spoon of oil together. Set aside. In 12-inch non-stick skillet, heat remaining 2 tbl of oil over medium heat. Cook garlic and onion about 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until starting to brown. Add eggs. Cook until scrambled but still moist. Stir in noodles and lime juice mixture. Increase heat to high. Cook for about 1 minute tossing constantly until sauce begins to thicken. Add remaining ingredients except cilantro and peanuts. Cook 2-3 minutes more. Sprinkle with cilantro and chopped peanuts if desired.

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 5 medium carrots, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 cup (spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour
• 1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, or 3/4 Teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven (or a 5-to-6-quart heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid), heat butter over medium. Add onion, carrots, and thyme. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly; season with salt and pepper. Nestle chicken in pot; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, make dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 3/4 cup flour, dill, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. With a fork, gradually stir in 1/2 cup milk to form a moist and soft batter. It should be just a little thicker than pancake batter and should easily drop from the tip of a spoon. (Add additional 2 tablespoons milk if too thick.) Set aside.
3. Stir peas into pot. Drop batter in simmering liquid in 10 heaping tablespoonfuls, keeping them spaced apart (dumplings will swell as they cook). Cover, and simmer until chicken is tender and dumplings are firm, 20 minutes. Serve.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Serves 4 to 6

Make Ahead: You can make the sauce up to 4 days in advance. Just seal in an airtight container and gently reheat before adding the hot chicken.

Chicken Tikka
1/2 tsp of ground cumin
1/2 tsp of ground coriander
1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
1 tsp table salt
2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast (trimmed of fat)
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (can substitute w/ low fat yogurt)
2 tblsp of vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tsp)
1 tblsp grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce
3 tblsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion diced fine (about 1/4 cup)
2 medium garlic cloves minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 tsp)
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 serrano chile minced, ribs and seeds removed (or left in if you want it spicy and HOT!)
1 tblsp tomato paste
1 tblsp of garam masala*
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 tsp sugar
table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

Rice
Basmati Rice - follow directions on package.

For the Chicken
Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture sticks to the chicken. Place chicken on plate, cover and refridgerate for 30 - 60 minutes (this part can be skipped if you don't have time).

In a large bowl whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic and ginger; set aside.


For the Sauce
Heat oil in large dutch oven/pan over medium heat until simmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently until the onion is light golden (about 8 to 10 minutes). Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste and garam masala; cook stirring frequently until fragrant (about 3 minutes). Add crushed tomatoes, sugar and 1/2 tsp of salt; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (get a good thick layer) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken for about 5 minutes and then flip for another 5. Chicken should be lightlly charred in spots.

Let chicken sit about 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chuncks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust season with salt and serve over basmati rice.

*Garam masala
If you can't find garam masala (indian spice) you make your own.
2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Mom's Chicken Rolls

2-3oz packages of cream cheese
2 cups cooked cubed chicken
1/8 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 c onion, minced
4oz can mushrooms chopped
2 cans crescent rolls
1/2-3/4 c butter
2/3 c Pepperidge farm stuffing or bread crumbs
1/2 c finely chopped walnuts (optional)
1 can mushroom soup
1/4 c milk
1 c sour cream

Soften and cream together cream cheese, 1/4 c butter, salt and pepper. Saute onions and mushrooms in buttter and add to the cream cheese mixture and add chicken. Unroll cresecent rolls and seperate. Place 1/4 c filling in each roll. Wrap up and seal edges. Dip in 1/4-1/2 c melted butter. Roll in nuts and bread crumbs. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. While baking, mix together mushroom soup, milk, and sour cream. Heat till hot and pour over rolls when done.

Spicy Chicken and Rice Bake

6 chicken breasts
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 c chopped sweet green pepper (or yellow, orange, or red)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbl cooking oil
1 15oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup of tomato juice OR water
1 cup corn
2/3 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 tsp chili powder
1/8-1/4 tsp ground red pepper or cayenne pepper
Paprika

In large saucepan, cook onion, sweet pepper, and garlic in oil until veggies are tender. Stir in black beans, tomatoes with their juice, tomato juice or water, corn, rice, chili powder, red pepper or cayenne pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to boiling. Transfer rice mixture to 9x13 pan. Arrange chicken pieces on top and sprinkle with paprika. Bake covered at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked and rice is soft.
This makes a ton but leftovers are great. David and I cut up the chicken and put it in tortillas with sour cream and cheese or just eat it with chips!

Chardonnay Chicken

8 boneless chicken breast halves
The marinade:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 T. coarsely chopped fresh rosemary (dried works just use 1 T.)
3/4 cup chardonnay
3 cloves garlic finely chopped (I use jarred)
1 T. dried oregano
2 t. kosher salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper

Place all ingredients in a bowl whisk until thoroughly blended. Place in a large gallon plastic zip lock bag or in a shallow dish.
Add the chicken, coat all sides well. Squeeze all the air out of the bag and seal it. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. (the longer the better) up to 24 hours.
Remove from fridge 30 min. before grilling. Prepare a medium fire grill. Brush the grill with vegetable oil. Place over fire, cover grill and cook on one side for about 3 min. Turn the chicken about 90 degrees to create attractive cross hatching and cook for 2 min. longer. Flip the chicken over and continue grilling covered, until tender and the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife, about 4 min. longer. Serve immediately.

Wingers Hot Sauce for Chicken

Sticky Dressing:

* 2 ½ c. brown sugar
* 1/3 c. Franks Hot Sauce
* ½ c. apple cider vinegar