Chicken Fricassee - 1970 Sunbeam Cookbook

3 1/2 to 4 lb. stewing chicken, cut up (I used 2 lbs. chicken breasts)
Flour
3 Tbsp. fat
2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 1/2 cups diluted canned condensed cream of chicken soup
1 large onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 can (4 oz.) sliced mushrooms

Dip cut up chicken in flour.  Heat oil in electric frying pan (or large skillet)  Add fat.  Brown chicken, turning as necessary and remove browned pieces.  When all is browned, spoon off fat.  Place chicken in frying pan and sprinkle with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.  Add soup slowly, together with remaining ingredients.  When liquid is boiling, turn heat, cover and simmer 3-4 hours or until pieces are tender.  Add more seasoning if necessary.

Martha:  This recipe was in one of my older cookbooks and was created to use with an electric frying pan.  I did it just a little different by using a frying pan with fitting lid.  The recipe called for 1 1/2 cups diluted canned soup but didn't say how much it was to be diluted.  I used the full can of soup and 1 can of water.  My chicken pieces were bite size so they cooked up quicker than the 3-4 hours and the extra liquid allowed me to add a boiling bag of brown rice to take up some of the liquid as well as add to the dish.  This is a delicious recipe to make with your electric frying pan or as I did using the skillet.  Either way, you can't go wrong.

Chicken Enchiladas - 1967 cookbook

3 cloves of garlic, minced fine
4 Tbsp. cooking oil
3 Tbsp. flour
1 No. 2 1/2 can chili sauce (I used 1 12 oz. jar and added 1 pkg. Taco seasoning )
1 (scant) sauce can water (I used 2 cups)
pinch of oregano
salt to taste
1 3 lb. chicken, boiled and cut up (I used 3 med. size boneless skinless chicken breasts baked)
3 large onions, sliced thin (I used 1/2 cup of frozen chopped onions - Picsweet)
1 dozen corn tortillas (I used 6 large flour tortillas)
1 lb. shredded cheddar cheese (I used 2 cups of Mexican blend)
1 can black olives (I didn't use the olives)

Saute garlic in 2 Tbsp. oil;  stir in flour.  Add chili sauce, water, oregano and salt.  Stir until smooth;  bring to boil and simmer 30 minutes.  Add chicken to half of sauce.  Cook onions in remaining oil until soft; add 3 Tbsp. of sauce to color.  On one tortilla at a time, place some of the chicken mixture, onions, some shredded cheese and 2 or 3 olives.  Fold over the upper half of the tortillas; pour over remaining sauce and top with the remaining cheese and one olive for each enchilada.  Bake in 350 degree oven until cheese melts.  Serve hot.

Martha:  OK, this recipe is form 1967.  I liked the concept but updated it a bit.  You can see the differences in the ingredients I used.  When I mixed the chili sauce with the flour mixture there just wasn't enough taste for me so that is when I decided to add the Taco seasoning.  Using the baked chicken breasts was quick and easy as were the frozen chopped onions.  I did mix the flour mixture, chili, taco seasoning, water, oregano, chicken, salt and onions all together in my pot and let it simmer for about 20 minutes.  The 6 large flour tortillas fit perfectly in a 9 x 13 x 2 baking dish that was sprayed with non-stick.  For assembly I put just a little of the sauce on the bottom of the dish.  Placed a tortilla on a plate, using a slotted spoon I put a good amount of the chicken and sauce down the center of the tortilla.  Covered that with cheese, rolled it over and placed it seam side down in my dish.  After all had been filled and placed in the pan I poured the balance of the sauce over the top and covered that with the remaining cheese.  This dish came out great and so easy to make!

Comment from Food Tester Carol:  These tender pieces of chicken wrapped in a soft tortilla and baked in a spicy tomato sauce remind me of the way we made sauce way-back-when - with a little sweetness to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.  Put this dish on your table and it will disappear.

Parmesan Swiss Chicken

Oil for frying – about 1/2 – 3/4 cup

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts – about 4-5 oz each

3/4 cup Seasoned Parmesan cheese, the jar type

1/4 tsp garlic 

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp salt

4 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices bacon- cooked, crumbled
1 egg beaten

1 tablespoon water
Broccoli

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a small shallow bowl, mix egg and water.  In another shallow bowl, mix cheese, pepper, salt and garlic.  Heat oil over medium high heat using a frying pan suitable for oven use.  Dip each piece of chicken first in egg mixture then in cheese mixture.  Fry in hot oil until crust is golden brown.  Prepare a baking pan by covering with foil and placing wire rack on top.  Place chicken on rack and bake about 20 minutes or until juices run clear.  Strain the grease from the frying pan leaving browned Parmesan that came from cooking chicken.  Add broccoli and toss to coat. Cook in oven until broccoli is done but still has a slight crunch.   Remove chicken and broccoli from oven.  Place chicken in an 8 x 8 x 2 baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray.  Sprinkle Broccoli around chicken.  Place 1 piece of cheese on each piece of chicken.  Top each with 1/4 of the bacon.  Return to oven and allow cheese to melt, about 5 minutes.  Serves 4.

Martha:  I think I found the original recipe on Fridgg.  Wherever it was it caught my eye and I decided to give it a try.  I did my usual and made a couple of changes.  First, the Parmesan was plain, I used seasoned.  It called for Asiago cheese which I changed to Swiss.  And the broccoli was my idea completely.  When I saw the bits of cheese that had come off while frying my chicken I just couldn't let it go to waste.  I knew I liked cheese on my broccoli so it became the perfect blend.  I also did my final cooking a little different from the original recipe.  I put my chicken into another dish (in my case individual dishes but give you instructions for using the 8 x 8). The original called for broiling the cheese on the chicken while still on the rack, I didn't broil but just let it stay in the oven for the last 5 minutes.  This dish came out with so much flavor.  If you like chicken and Swiss, you must give this one a try.  It's a pretty dish too!

Comment from Food Tester Carol:  First of all, this is a very attractice dish.  Chicken crusted in herbed parmesan crumbs with Swiss cheese melted on top reminds me a little of a schnitzel, which I love.  The broccoli is also dredged in these tasty crumb mix before roasting.  Altogether delicious!

Chili Sauce Grilled Chicken

1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup chili sauce
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. honey
4 chicken tenderloins or 2 boneless, skinless chicken
    breasts butterflied

Place chicken in a shallow dish with cover.  Mix all other ingredients together.  Pour over chicken and toss to coat both sides.  Refrigerate covered 8-10 hrs.  When ready to use, grill chicken.  Serves 2

Martha:  I found a recipe for a Japanese Soy Chicken that I actually misread.  One of the ingredients was for Asian chile oil and I read it as chili sauce.  Yes I was in a hurry.  No problem.  The chili sauce gave it a delicious taste that I will use again.  I also cut down the amount of chicken.  The original recipe called for 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts which I felt was too much for the amount of marinade so I cut it in half and also increased the marinade time to make sure the flavor really soaked up in the chicken.  This mixture turned out so good that I want to give it a try with pork.  Almost forgot, this can be cooked on an indoor grill too.

Dijon Grilled Chicken

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
2 tsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. minced garlic
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Slice the chicken down the center (butterfly).  Mix all other ingredients together.  Place the chicken on the grill and spoon the sauce over each breast.  Grill 4-6 minutes, turn and spoon sauce over the cooked side.  Grill another 4-6 minutes or until chicken is done.  Serves 4

Martha:  The sauce for this was found in a 2000 grilling cookbook.  I doubled the ingredients because to me there just wasn't enough to go on both sides, plus I split the chicken breasts making them thinner but also giving them a larger surface.  And the next time I make this I plan on making even more so it can be spread on thicker.  The sauce is delicious and could be used on grilled chicken as well as baked.  I really loved it.

Chicken with Squash Dressing

4 chicken breasts
1/2 cup Picsweet Seasoned Onions & Peppers
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 pkg. (6 oz.) Cornbread Stuffing Mix
3-4 med. yellow squash
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Cheddar Cheese Soup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place chicken in a 9 x 13 x 2 baking dish.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and seasoned onions and peppers.  Bake 30-35 minutes or until chicken is done.  Peel and slice squash.  Place in a saucepan and add enough water to cover.  Boil until done.  Drain squash.  Remove cooked chicken from baking dish.  In a large bowl combine squash,  stuffing mix and cheddar cheese soup.  Pour liquid and cooked onions and peppers form baking dish into squash mixture and stir to blend.  Spread squash/dressing mix evenly in the chicken baking dish.  Top with chicken and return to oven.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until squash/dressing mixture is hot.

Martha:  A neighbor brought me some fresh squash and to be honest I only eat squash one way and that is mixed with stuffing and cheese.  I had found a recipe for an Italian chicken dish which was supposed to have spaghetti sauce poured over the chicken, onions and peppers.  I eliminated the sauce and decided to create a Chicken with Squash Dressing dish instead.  This is a simple dish to make and the chicken goes perfectly with the squash dressing.  I loved it and all I had to do was add a salad and I have an easy, delicious meal.

Food Tester Carol:  Squash casseroles are such a great mainstay of our menus.  We loved this blend of squash, chicken and cheddar flavors with the herbed bread stuffing.  The stuffing makes it taste like Thanksgiving or like a Sunday dinner all in one dish.  You said it was easy and we are going to make this one soon.

Buttermilk Ranch Chicken Skewers

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast or tenders
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 oz Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp salt


Cut chicken into one-inch cubes.
Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl for marinade.
Place the chicken in the bowl and coat well in the marinade.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 2 hours.
Thread chicken onto skewers (if using bamboo, soak in water for 30 minutes first.)
Preheat grill, and bring to medium-high temperature.
Oil or spray the grate to prevent sticking.
Grill skewers for 10-15 minutes or until no longer pink, flipping halfway.
Serve immediately.
Serves 4-6

Martha:  This recipe came from Chef Thomas Grossmann.    I did do my usual and make a change or two.  Actually I made the chicken using his recipe and made my changes afterwards.  I put my chicken in a baking dish, sprinkled it with Panko and cheese, put it in the oven to melt the cheese and brown the Panko.  After that I added it to my salad.  YUM!  The taste of the chicken is wonderful.  The melted cheese added great flavor to my salad and the toasted Panko added even another taste.  But that wasn't all I did.  I took the leftover chicken along with the Panko and cheese, placed it in a processor and ground it up for chicken salad to which I added - don't tell Arby's - 2 packages of their horseradish sauce and a little mayo to cream it up.  OMGoodness!  This was great too.  So, make this up and create 3 meals out of one simple chicken recipe.