This chicken will yield at least 3 leftover meals: soup, pot pie, and chicken salad. Recipes will follow throughout the week. If you plan to use some of the leftover chicken for a pot pie, triple the recipe for mushroom, chicken gravy.
The recipe requires advanced preparation.
Ingredients
5 lb whole chicken
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 potatoes, Yukon Gold or red
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 fresh thyme sprigs, divided
zest of 1 lemon
Directions
Mix the salt and smoked paprika together and rub the outside and inside of the chicken with the mixture.
Refrigerator overnight uncovered.
When ready to cook:
Quarter the potatoes and toss with 1 tablespoon oil, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and 1 thyme sprig.
Arrange potatoes around the chicken in the baking dish.
Cut a lemon in half and place inside the chicken with the remaining thyme sprig.
Tie the legs of the chicken legs together.
Drizzle 1 Tablespoon olive oil over chicken.
Preheat the oven to 425 Degrees F and toast the chicken for 60-75 minutes.
Rest the chicken for 20 min before cutting.
You know your chicken is cooked when the thermometer reads 180°F (82°C) for a whole chicken.
After you remove the meat from the bones, use the bones to make Chicken Noodle Soup.
Make a mushroom chicken sauce to serve with the sliced chicken.
Easy Chicken Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 packet of Chicken gravy mix
1 cup cold water
Directions
Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the mushrooms. Cook until the mushroom liquid has evaporated. Whisk the gravy packet with the cold water. Stir into the mushrooms and cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a low boil. Lower heat and sinner, stirring, for 1 minute. Serve with the chicken.
Hearty Salad
Honey Mustard Dressing
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon water
1 small garlic clove, grated or minced
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, olive oil, vinegar, honey, water, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Cover until serving time.
Salad
5-6 cups hearty salad greens, such as radicchio, escarole and romaine.
½ cup salad toppings that include fruit and nuts
A handful of croutons
Honey mustard dressing
Direction
Combine the lettuce mix, salad toppings, and croutons in a salad bowl. Add enough dressing to moisten the salad or to your taste.
Potato Chip Crusted Air- Fried Chicken
Ingredients
2 bone-in chicken thighs and 2 bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed
Marinade
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon paprika
Chicken coating
1 cup Tempura flour
1 cup panko crumbs
1 cup salt and vinegar potato chips, crushed
1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Cooking spray
Directions
Combine the buttermilk, seasoned salt, and paprika in a ziplock bag. Mix well, add chicken, and marinate overnight.
For the breading
Place the Tempura flour in one shallow dish, the egg and water in a second, and the panko and crushed potato chips in a third dish.
Drain the chicken from the marinade. Dredge each piece on flour, egg, and then crumb mixture. Press the crumbs into the chicken and place the breaded pieces on a plate. Refrigerate until ready to cook
Preheat the Air fry to 375°F F for 15 minutes. Spray all sides of the chicken pieces with cooking spray and place the chicken in the air-fryer basket meaty side up. Cook for 10 minutes, turn the chicken pieces over, and cook for 8-10 more minutes or until the chicken is crispy and cooked to at least 165°F. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
Sugat Snap Pea Salad
Ingredioents
1- 8 oz pkg sugar snap peas
Salt
½ cup chopped red onion
1 celery stalk finely diced
Half a package of salad toppings/add-ins, such as canned nuts and berries
Italian vinaigrette
Directions
Trim the ends of the peas and remove the strings. Cut each into thirds. Cook in boiling salted water until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.
Place the peas in a serving bowl with the remaining salad ingredients and add enough vinaigrette to coat the salad. Chill for several hours.
Dill Pickle Potato Salad
Ingredients
2 lbs whole small unpeeled red-skinned potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons pickle juice
1/4 cup minced bread and butter pickles
1/2 a large sweet onion finely chopped
3 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 cup olive oil mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions
Place the potatoes in a large pot with a lid. Cover the potatoes with cold water and add 1 teaspoon salt.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cook the potatoes with the lid ajar until tender, about 15-20 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and cool. When cool enough to handle, slice the potatoes into a storage bowl. Add the pickle juice and let sit at room temperature for an hour or so.
Add the remaining ingredients, mix well, and taste to see if the salad needs salt. Add black pepper to taste. Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator until serving time.
Open-Faced Reuben Sandwich
For 2 servings
Ingredients
Olive oil or avocado oil cooking spray
2 slices Deli Rye bread
Thousand Island dressing recipe below
1/2 cup Sauerkraut drained
6 oz, divided corned beef deli meat {you can also use pastrami or turkey}
Mustard
4 slices Swiss cheese
Homemade Thousand Island
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar white vinegar will work
A shake or two of hot sauce
Pinch of kosher salt
Directions
Homemade Thousand Island
If making homemade do this first so you can let the flavors meld for a bit before adding to the sandwich.
Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir together well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.
Reuben Sandwiches
Preheat oven to 425. For easy clean up line a sheet pan with some parchment paper or aluminum foil. Add slices of rye bread to a sheet pan and spray with olive or avocado oil cooking spray.
Place in oven for about 4 minutes until the bread is lightly toasted. Add thousand island dressing and spread it evenly across the bread then add a large scoop of sauerkraut and spread out, layer on 3 ounces of corned beef. Spread a little mustard over the corned beef. Add the cheese.
Place in the oven for about 5 minutes or just until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately with sliced tomatoes, extra dressing, pickles, and fruit.
2 servings
Ingredients
Heated Italian bread
For the Chicken
2 large chicken breasts,
½ cup flour1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons Italian or Greek seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Olive oil
For the Salad
2 large, ripe tomatoes, sliced thin
8 ounces fresh mozzarella slices
1 cup Kalamata olives
¼ cup sliced red onion
2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
Fresh basil leaves, to taste
Cracked black pepper
Make the chicken: Take the chicken breast and slice them in half horizontally so you have four thin chicken cutlets. Combine the flour with the seasonings and dredge the chicken in the flour mixture.
n the large skillet heat enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the skillet and set over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the chicken cutlets. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn over and cook the other side for another 3 minutes.
Assemble the salad: Layer the tomato slices evenly between two pasta bowls and sprinkle lightly with salt. Add the red onion, mozzarella slices, then the olives and basil. Place the cooked chicken cutlets on top and drizzle with olive and sprinkle with cracked black pepper. Serve with slices of crispy Italian bread.
Air Fried Lobster Tails
Ingredients
3-4 6oz lobster tails
3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions
Prepare butter mixture by combining butter, garlic, salt, chives, and lemon juice.
Butterfly lobster tails by cutting through the shell, removing the meat, and resting it on top of the shell.
Place in Air Fryer basket and spread half the butter over top of lobster meat. Close the Air Fryer basket and cook at 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 minutes.
Open the Air fryer basket and spread the remaining butter on top, cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
Ingredients
8 ounces short pasta
Extra virgin olive oil
½ of a small onion diced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
15-ounce jar of roasted red pepper strips drained
1 cup prepared marinara sauce
½ teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon Smoked paprika
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Directions
For the sauce: heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat until just shimmering. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the roasted peppers. Marinara sauce, oregano, paprika, and a big pinch of salt and pepper, Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and season generously with kosher salt. Add the pasta and bring back to boil. Stir occasionally until the pasta is cooked to al dente according to package instructions, about 9 to 10 minutes. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water before draining.
Add the cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Mix well and add some of the pasta water to blend the sauce. Serve with the lobster.
Caesar Salad
2 servings
Ingredients
1/2 head Romaine lettuce, washed and finely chopped
1 cup croutons, see recipe below
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper for garnish
Dressing
1 anchovy, finely chopped or use anchovy paste
3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise made with olive oil, if available
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
Add the anchovy, Parmesan cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce to a bowl and whisk together.
Gradually whisk in the 1/4 cup of olive oil, whisking until the dressing is emulsified.
Place the chopped lettuce in a bowl and toss it with the dressing, and croutons. Top the salad with extra cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
Croutons
Ingredients
2 cups cubed bread
1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl combine the bread cubes and olive oil. Toss well to coat.
Pour the bread cubes onto a baking sheet. Spread them into a single layer. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes to prevent burning. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container or ziplock bag.
Summer Dinner For 2
Ingredients
For the lamb
4 small loin lamb chops, about 1 lb total
Lamb Marinade
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
½ teaspoon Greek seasoning
1 garlic clove, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
For the salad
2 cooked small potatoes, cut into thin rounds
Half of a small red bell pepper finely diced
Half a cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
One-quarter of red onion, finely diced
8 pitted Greek olives, diced
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
1 small garlic clove grated
1 oz Greek feta cheese, cubed
½ teaspoon Greek seasoning
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
¼ cup chopped parsley for garnish
Pita Bread warmed
Directions
Combine the marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag. Add the lamb, seal the bag, and refrigerate for several hours.
Make the dressing. Combine the oil, lemon juice, Greek seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.
In a serving bowl combine the red pepper, cucumbers, onion, olives, and feta cheese. Add the dressing. Toss the ingredients lightly to combine them.
Add salt and pepper, to taste, and stir the salad gently to mix in the seasoning.
Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving it.
Sprinkle the parsley over the salad before serving
My air-fryer has a grill option but you can use any type of grill you like.
Remove the lamb from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.
Preheat your grill.
Grill the lamb for 5 minutes per side for medium.
Serve along with the salad and warm pita.
Italian Codfish Cakes
Makes 6 cakes. I double the recipe for another dinner.
Ingredients
1 lb of cod fillets
1 teaspoon salt
1 lb potatoes
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Breading
1 cup of flour
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
Olive oil, for frying
Directions
Cooking the fish
Place the cod in a skillet and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and cool. Flake the fish with a fork and place it in a mixing bowl.
Boil and mash the potatoes and add to the bowl with the fish. Add 1 beaten egg, garlic, onion, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix well. Form into six 4-inch patties. Place on a piece of waxed paper.
Prepare the breading
Place the flour in a shallow bowl, the egg and water in a second dish, and the bread crumbs in a third.
Dredge each cake in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. Place on a plate. If time allows, place the cakes in the refrigerator for several hours before cooking.
When ready to cook
Cooking the cod
Heat enough oil in a large skillet to cover the bottom of the pan. Fry the fish cakes until brown on the bottom,3-4 minutes and turn the cakes over and fry for 3=4 minutes more.
Serve with your favorite sauce: Tartar, Remoulade, or Horseradish.
Fresh Zucchini Salad
Ingredients
2 medium zucchini, sliced into thin circles
Half a red onion, diced
2 tablespoons shredded parmesan cheese
Pesto Vinaigrette
Pesto Vinaigrette
Ingredients
1 ½ cups of fresh basil leaves loosely packed
⅓ cup pine nuts or sliced almonds
2 small cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons of lemon juice
½ teaspoon kosher salt*
¼ teaspoon black pepper
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
For the Vinaigrette:
Place fresh basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse 4-5 times to give them a rough chop.
Turn the machine on and while it is running drizzle the olive oil through the tube. Stop and scrape once or twice and continue running the machine until the salad dressing is creamy, 45 seconds or so.
Notes
This recipe yields 2/3 cup pesto salad dressing.
For the salad
Combine the zucchini, onion, and ⅓ of the dressing/ Mix well. Add the cheese, mix, and serve.
Buttered Fresh Corn
Ingredients
6 ears of fresh corn-on-the-cob
!/4 cup butter
Salt to taste
Directions
Remove the corn from the cobs.
In a saucepan, heat the butter until melted. Add the corn and salt to taste.
Simmer the corn in the covered saucepan, over low heat for 15 minutes. Serve as a side dish.
Peppercorn Steak
2 servings
Ingredients
2-8oz ribeye steaks, trimmed of large pieces of fat
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 whole garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coarse sea salt
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons cognac
1/4 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Directions
Combine the peppercorn and salt. Rub all over the steaks and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
In a large skillet heat the you and 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the garlic clove and stir in the melted butter. Add the steaks and turn the heat up to medium-high. Cook for 4-5 minutes on each side.
Use the finger test for doneness or a meat thermometer. For rare, remove the meat from the pan when the inside reaches 120°F, for medium rare 125-130°F. Once the steak is done to your liking remove the steaks to a platter and cover with foil.
Remove the garlic clove from the skillet and add the remaining butter and shallots. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the shallots are tender. Deglaze the pan with the cognac. Add the broth and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the cream and simmer for 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the steaks and serve.
Wedge Salad
Ingredients
Salad
2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
Ranch Dressing or Buttermilk Dressing, see below
Crumbled blue cheese to taste
1 small tomato, diced
¼ cup diced red onion
Dressing
Whisk together in a small bowl:
1/2 small shallot, finely chopped
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk,
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar Salt and pepper to taste
Stin in 1/2 cup crumbled mild blue cheese
Directions
Combine the dressing ingredients in a jar with a screw top and shake well.
Cut 1 small head of iceberg lettuce into 4 wedges; place a wedge on two individual salad plates and spoon some of the dressing over the wedges.
Top each with bacon, diced red onion, diced tomato, and more crumbled blue cheese.
Fennel Layered with Potatoes
Ingredients:
2 lb. yellow potatoes, such as Yukon Gold
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed (3/4 to 1 lb. after trimming)
1 onion, sliced
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Slice the potatoes as thinly as possible – use a box grater or mandoline.
Pour 2 tablespoons of oil into a 13×9-inch baking dish. Layer half of the potatoes into the dish. Spread half of the fennel and half of the onions on top of the potatoes/ Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil, and ha;t of salt and pepper. Top with remaining ingredients.
Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 445 minutes. Allow resting for 10 m minutes before serving.
Caciocavallo is a distinguished Italian cheese from southern Italy that means “horse cheese”, due to the fact that during the maturation process, two kinds of cheese are bound together with a rope in a horizontal way on a wood surface, called in Italian “ a cavallo”, then “horse”. It is an ancient traditional cheese, the first time mentioned in history was 500 BC by Hippocrates. There are other kinds of Caciocavallo cheese based on their origins as well as the type of milk. The most famous is made with cow’s milk from the southern areas of Italy
Ingredients
Basic Pizza Dough {see recipe}
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch thin asparagus (about 1 pound)
Canned or jarred Roasted red pepper strips, drained
1 small handful of fresh sage or basil leaves, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded caciocavallo cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the minced garlic. Remove the woody stems from the asparagus.
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Oil a 16-inch pizza pan.
Press the dough out in the pan to its edges.
Spread the garlic oil over the pizza dough and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese evenly over the dough. Sprinkle the caciocavallo cheese evenly over the dough. Distribute the chopped sage evenly over the cheese,
Alternate the asparagus spears and pepper strips in a circle around the entire pizza top. {see photo}. Sprinkle with Parmesan and the remaining oil.
Bake in the oven for about 15- 20 minutes until the crust is lightly brown. Serve with a salad.
Simple Spinach Salad
Ingredients
5oz baby spinach
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons diced walnuts
Fresh ground black pepper
Directions
To toast the walnuts*. Add walnuts to a small ungreased skillet over medium heat. Let the diced walnuts warm up, stirring occasionally until they just begin to darken and become fragrant, this usually takes about 5-6 minutes.
Remove the skillet from the heat, give the walnuts a little shake, and let the walnuts rest on the warm skillet 2-3 more minutes to finish toasting until ready to add to the salad.
Place the spinach to a bowl and drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil.
Toss the spinach to coat in lemon juice and olive oil.
Add cheese, walnuts, and a dash of freshly cracked pepper. Toss again and serve immediately.
Chicken Salad
Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless, chicken tenders, cut in half lengthwise
Marinade
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Greek Seasoning
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Salad
1 cup mayonnaise
Half a sweet onion, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
Salt and pepper to taste
Paprika for garnish
Directions
Combine all marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag and shake well to mix.
Add chicken and shake to ensure the marinade is covering the chicken. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 6 hours.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/ Oil a baking dish. Pour the chicken and marinade\de into the baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a meat thermometer registers 160 F. Drain the chicken and place it in a bowl to cool.
For the salaf
Cut the chicken into small dice, add onion, celery and m, and mayonnaise. Mix well. Adjust salt and pepper seasoning to taste. Cover and chill. When ready to serve, garnish with paprika.
Green Bean and Potato Salad
Ingredient
1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces and cooked al dente
1 lf baby Yukon gold tomatoes, boiled in salted water until tender
Half a red onion, sliced
½ cup of your favorite Italian salad dressing
Salt and pepper to taste
Direction
Quarter the potatoes while warm and place them in a serving dish. Add the Italian dressing and let marinate for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well. Leave at room temperature until serving time.
Oven Fried Green Tomatoes
Serves: 2
Ingredients
2 medium-sized green tomatoes
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 egg, beaten
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a sheet tray with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Place the flour in a shallow dish.
Place panko in a second shallow dish.
Add the egg to a third dish.
Slice tomatoes and pat dry.
Sprinkle tomato slices evenly with salt and pepper.
Dredge tomato slices in flour, then egg, and then in panko to coat evenly.
Place on the prepared baking sheet tray.
Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees F turn over after 10 minutes.
Fried Tomato Sauce Ingredients
1 cup good quality mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1 tablespoon horseradish
1/2 tablespoon minced jalapeno pepper
Directions
Mix all ingredients together and whisk to combine.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
