Recipes for Auntie

September is National Chicken Month. According to the National Day Calendar webpage, “for over two decades, the National Chicken Council has banded together with major chicken producers in the U.S. to promote chicken sales in September.”

It also reminds us that chicken is full of health benefits. When eaten without the skin, chicken is very lean. It is carb-free and rich in Vitamins B3 and B6, as well as two important minerals, phosphorus, and selenium.

There are several ways to observe National Chicken Month. You could try a new recipe, try a new cut of meat, try a new way to prepare the chicken or make your family favorites! 

Recipes wanted! I’d really like your favorite recipes using peanut butter or you hands-down best holiday recipes. Submitted recipes will be accepted at [email protected], or you can stop by the Albion office and drop a copy off up front. 

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Air Fryer Fried Chicken

Air Fryer recipe

Ingredients:

Marinade:

1/2 whole chicken, cut into separate pieces (breast, thigh, wing, leg), keep skin on!

1/2C hot sauce

1/2C buttermilk

Seasoning:

3/4C all-purpose flour

2 tsp seasoning salt

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Oil for spraying (canola or vegetable)

Other:

Air fryer specific parchment liner(s), if desired

Directions:

Place chicken pieces in buttermilk and hot sauce. Place in refrigerator and allow to marinate anytime from 1-24 hours.

Whisk together all-purpose flour, seasoning salt, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning and cayenne pepper in a bowl. Set aside.

Place a parchment liner, if using, in the air fryer basket/tray.

Remove a piece of chicken from the buttermilk mixture and place in the flour mixture, coating all sides of the chicken and shaking off any excess flour. Place the chicken pieces in the basket/tray in a single layer. Set temperature to 390 degrees and timer to 25 minutes. Start the air fryer.

After 13 minutes, open the air fryer and spray any flour spots on the chicken. Flip the chicken and spray the other side with oil, ensuring all the flour spots are covered. Remember to spray lightly with oil. The purpose of the oil in this recipe is to cover the dried flour spots. Not spraying with oil will have those flour spots tasting like you would imagine they would, dry flour. Close the air fryer and cook for 12 more minutes.

Once the timer is up, open the air fryer and check chicken pieces with a quick read thermometer. Chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees at the thickest part of the chicken.

To reheat, place chicken in air fryer and cook on 370 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Notes: I do not recommend overlapping the chicken pieces in this recipe. It’s best to have the chicken spaces in a single layer and not touching. That way the air can get around the chicken to crisp it up and give it that nice and crispy golden layer.  

Some breading will fall of, whether you use the liners or not. However, much less breading falls of when using the parchment liners.

If using parchment liners, make sure that you place the chicken on top of them before starting the air fryer. Not doing so will cause the liners to fly into the fan, get caught, and possibly start a fire.

You can cut your own parchment paper liners to size, just make sure to create holes in your finished product.

Timing will vary depending on air fryer brand. Use a meat thermometer to ensure your chicken has  at least reached a temperature of 165 degrees. My chicken usually reaches 180 degrees or more and is still juicy and deliciously crisp.  

***Recipe courtesy of Tanya Harris of “My Forking Life” blog.*** 

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One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken

Stovetop recipe

Ingredients:

Chicken:

1-lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Sauce:

1/2C unsalted butter, softened, divided

1 tsp olive oil

2 tsp garlic, minced 

1 tsp Italian seasoning

2 TBSP lemon juice

1 TBSP sriracha

1/2C low-sodium chicken broth

1lb. asparagus, trimmed

1 TBSP Italian parsley, minced

Directions:

Place chicken in a medium bowl and toss with the salt, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper.

In a large skillet, melt over medium low heat half of the butter and olive oil.

Cook the chicken in the butter until all sides are golden brown being careful not to burn the butter. Add 1 tsp of minced garlic and Italian seasoning; cook for about 30 seconds. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

In the same skillet increase heat to medium high, add the remaining 1 tsp minced garlic then add the chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Add the remaining 1/4C butter, lemon juice, sriracha and parsley.

Add the asparagus and cook to desired tenderness. Add the chicken back to the pan and stir for another minute to reheat. Garnish the chicken and asparagus with more parsley and lemon slices. Serve.

Note: If you're substituting fine salt or table salt for the kosher salt in the recipe, use only 3/4 teaspoon or it will be too salty. 

***Recipe adapted by Christy Denney for “The Girl Who Ate Everything” blog*** 

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Grilled Huli Huli Chicken

Grill recipe

Ingredients:

4-lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (chicken breasts also work)

1C unsweetened pineapple juice

1/2C soy sauce

1/2C brown sugar

1/3C ketchup

1/4C chicken broth

2 tsp fresh ginger root grated

1-1/2 tsp minced garlic

Green onions, sliced, for garnish

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together pineapple juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, chicken broth, ginger and garlic. Reserve 1C sauce for basting. Add the chicken thighs and sauce to a ziplock bag and marinate at least three hours or overnight.

Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until no longer pink. Baste occasionally with reserved marinade during the last five minutes. Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired.

***Recipe courtesy of Alyssa Rivers, of “The Recipe Critic” blog.***

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Smoked Chicken

Smoker recipe

Chicken Brine Ingredients: 

8C water

1/2C kosher salt (do not use table salt!)

1/4C honey

3 bay leaves, dried

5, cloves of garlic, smashed and peeled

1 TBSP whole black peppercorns

3, sprigs fresh rosemary

3, sprigs fresh thyme

3, sprigs fresh parsley

2, lemons, sliced

4-lb. whole chicken

Directions:

Place the water, salt, honey, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, parsley and lemons in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until salt has dissolved. Turn off the heat and cool completely.

Add the chicken to the cooled brine. Make sure the chicken is completely submerged. Cover the pot and refrigerate for 8-24 hours.

Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse with cool water; pat dry with paper towels. Proceed with the recipe below.

BBQ Spice Rub Ingredients:

1C brown sugar

4 TBSP paprika

2 TBSP smoked paprika

2 TBSP black pepper

2 TBSP kosher salt

2 TBSP garlic powder

2 TBSP onion powder

2 tsp mustard powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients together. Stir in an airtight container until ready to use. BBQ Spice Rub keeps for up to three months when stored in a cool, dry place.

Additional Ingredients:

1/4C BBQ Spice Rub (see above)

parsley, for garnish, optional

Directions:

Preheat the smoker to 250 degrees. Load the smoker with apple wood chips or wood chips of your choice.

Tuck the wings underneath the chicken and tie up the legs with kitchen twine. Place the chicken in a disposable aluminum pan and coat the chicken with the spice rub. Be sure to loosen the skin and rub some of the seasoning directly onto the meat underneath the skin.

Place the chicken in the smoker. Smoke for 3–1/2 to 4-1/2 hours, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees. You will need to replenish wood chips during the cook time, so keep an eye on your smoker.

Remove the chicken from the smoker and let it rest for ten minutes. Place the chicken on a platter. Garnish with parsley if desired. Carve the chicken, then serve.

Note: If you're short on time, you can skip brining the chicken and still have a good result.

***Recipes courtesy of Sara, of “Dinner at the Zoo” blog.***

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Baked Ranch Chicken Thighs

Oven recipe

Ingredients: 

6, chicken thighs, bone-in, with skin on

Black pepper, to taste

1, 1-oz. packet dry ranch salad dressing mix

2 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP water

1 TBSP lemon juice, to thin mixture if needed

1, clove garlic, pressed

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cover a baking sheet in foil, nonstick side up. Place the chicken thighs on the baking sheet, fattest side up. Generously season with salt and pepper. Bake Chicken for 25 minutes, when skin has started to crisp.

In a small bowl, combine the dressing mix with the olive oil and minced garlic and blend. If needed, add lemon juice to thin mixture. Brush the ranch and oil mixture over the chicken thighs. Continue to cook chicken in oven until crispy and golden brown, and internal temperature reads 165 degrees. To get a tiny bit more crunch, broil for five minutes, watching chicken closely so it doesn't burn.

***Recipes courtesy of Courtney O’Dell, of “Sweet C’s Designs” blog.***

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RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip

Pressure Cooker recipe

Ingredients:

Chicken:

4-lbs. Chicken boneless, skinless breasts 

1C chicken broth, stock or water

Salt and pepper, to taste, if desired

Directions:

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, if desired. Place the chicken breasts into the pressure cooker with the chicken broth, stock, or water around sides. Close the lid. Select “poultry,” if your pressure cooker has the option. Set timer to ten minutes for fresh chicken or 15 minutes for frozen chicken. If your chicken breasts are bigger than about 8-oz. each, add a couple of minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for at least 5 minutes. After that, you can turn the valve to "vent" for quick release if you're in a hurry, or continue natural release for the most tender texture.

Unplug the pressure cooker and use two forks to shred the chicken. Drain if serving right away, or store with the broth to retain moisture.

Buffalo Chicken Dip Ingredients:

1/2, bottle Ranch Dressing

1/4C Blue Cheese Dressing

1/2, bottle Frank’s RedHot sauce

8-oz. cream cheese, softened

1 to 2C shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 to 1C blue cheese crumbles

1/2C green onions, sliced, if desired

Directions:

Mix all ingredients with shredded chicken. Preheat over to 350 degrees. Place in a casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes. Garnish with sliced green onions, if desired. Serve with bread, crackers, chips or crudites.