Chicken Long Rice

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken cut into small pieces or strips

6 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced

1½ teaspoons sugar

dash pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

6-8 oz. sliced mushrooms

2-4 chopped green onions
10 oz. long rice (cellophane noodles)

8 oz chicken broth

Preparation: Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, sugar and pepper to create a marinade. Add the chicken and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Cover and soak long rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Cut into eight lengths. (Smaller lengths can be used based on preference.)
Place a large skillet or wok over high heat. When hot add vegetable oil and marinated chicken. Cook until chicken no longer is pink, turning often. Reduce heat and add mushrooms, green onions, long rice, chicken broth and remainder of soy sauce. Simmer until hot, stirring often - about 3 minutes.
Note - Long rice requires very little cooking time. It absorbs liquid very easily and can easily break down if cooked too long.

Chicken Osso Buco

I might well put this over egg noodles instead of penne.

Servings: 6

12 medium chicken drumsticks (about 3 pounds)
2 T. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
2 T. olive oil
1 c. chopped carrot
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. chopped celery
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 T. Ultra-Gel or 2 T. quick-cooking tapioca
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
3/4 c. chicken broth
1 t. finely shredded lemon peel
1 T. lemon juice
1 t. dried thyme, crushed
3 c. dried penne pasta (prepared and cooked)
Snipped fresh parsley (optional)

1. Remove skin from chicken. Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, shaking to coat. In a 10-inch skillet, brown the chicken (half at a time) in hot oil over medium heat, about 10 minutes or until golden, turning once. Set aside.
2. In a 4- to 5-quart slow cooker, combine carrot, onion, celery, and garlic. If using tapioca, sprinkle tapioca over the vegetables. Place chicken on top of the vegetables.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together tomato sauce, chicken broth, lemon peel, lemon juice, and thyme. If using Ultra-Gel, add the Ultra-Gel and let thicken for a few minutes. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the cooker.
4. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5-6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
5. Prepare penne according to package directions. Drain well. Spoon chicken and sauce over pasta. If desired, garnish with parsley.
   

Crock Pot Chicken Stroganoff

Serves: 6-8

2 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves and/or thighs
1 c. chopped onion
2-10 3/4 oz. cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1-2 t. chopped garlic
1/3 c. water
1-8 0z. carton sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
12 oz. dried wide egg noodles

1. Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces. In a 3 1/2 or 4 qt. slow cooker, combine the chicken pieces, garlic, and onion. In a medium bowl, stir together the soup and water and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the soup mixture over the other ingredients in the crock pot.

2. Cover and cook on low setting for 6-7 hours or on high setting for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

3. Cook noodles in salted water and drain. Just before serving, stir the sour cream into the mixture in the crock pot. To serve, spoon stroganoff mixture over hot, cooked noodles.

Note: I'd add mushrooms in with everything else. :)

Crock Pot Chicken

There are probably a million versions of this, but it was so easy when my sister described it to me that I had to try it myself!

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, cubed
8 oz. cream cheese (low-fat works fine!)
1 pkg. Italian dressing seasoning mix
1 can condensed cream soup (I like cream of mushroom, but cream of chicken or cream of celery work.)

Combine all of the ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve over rice.