Stuffed Breaded Chicken with Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce

Preheat the oven to 400° .

Spread the tomatoes on a sheet pan, drizzle olive oil, and season with salt and black pepper.

Toss the tomatoes and roast for 15 to 20 minute until roasted skin starts to pull away. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a skillet, over medium heat, cook the shallots and garlic for a few minutes with some olive oil or butter. Add the tomato paste and stir for another minute.

Add reserved tomatoes to skillet and cook for another minute.

Deglaze the pan with the red cooking wine. Once it starts to boil add the chicken stock, sugar, and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Add salt and pepper. Puree mixture and add the fresh basil. Reserve.

For the filling, combine chopped spinach, cream cheese, chopped capers, cream, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Stir mixture until well combined and reserve.

For the chicken, prepare a breading station with three plates or shallow dishes:  one with AP flour, one with eggs and one with bread crumbs.

Pound the chicken breast until even thickness. Use plastic wrap over the chicken so it doesn’t splash raw chicken everywhere. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.

Add 1 to 2 Tbsp. of filling on one 1/2 of chicken breast, then fold the other half over, closing the chicken breast. Use tooth picks to keep it closed. Dredge chicken in flour, the egg mixture and lastly the bread crumbs.

Over medium heat, pan fry chicken on both sides for about 3 to 5 minutes each side. Remove chicken and transfer to an oven-resistant dish. Pour sauce over and bake for 10 to 15 minutes until chicken is fully cooked at 165°.

Remove from oven and add parmesan cheese. Cook on broil for 3 minutes until cheese is melted and caramelized.  Garnish with fresh basil and serve with your favorite pasta, rice, or veggies.

Chicken Parmesan

Preheat oven to 450°. Lightly grease a 9”x13” baking dish with olive oil and set aside.

In a bowl, combine crostini, oregano, paprika and season with pepper and transfer to a shallow plate or pie pan. Set aside.

Cut each breast horizontally into 2 even pieces. Place split breast halves between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and pound lightly with a mallet until they are a uniform ½” thickness. Remove chicken from plastic wrap and place on a sheet pan or platter; repeat with remaining breasts.

In a heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium heat, add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. Place flour in another shallow pie plate and liberally season with salt and pepper.

In another shallow plate, combine eggs with 1 tablespoon of water and beat until frothy.

Place coating mixture in a line with flour and eggs. Working with 1 cutlet at a time, dredge both sides of chicken in seasoned flour, and then dip them in egg wash to coat completely, letting excess drip off, then dredge in coating mixture.

Place cutlet directly into heated pan and continue coating remaining cutlets, being sure not to crowd pan (typically no more than 4 cutlets at one time). Fry cutlets until golden brown and crusty, about 3 minutes per side, adjusting heat as necessary. Once browned, remove cutlets from pan and place, slightly shingled, into prepared casserole dish. Repeat above steps with second round of cutlets adding remaining oil and butter to pan as needed.

Once all cutlets have been browned, place a slice of fresh mozzarella atop each cutlet and sprinkle with grated parmesan. Ladle 1 cup of tomato sauce over chicken and bake cutlets in the oven until cheese is bubbly, 8-10 minutes. Garnish with basil prior to serving.

Greek Braised Chicken with Potatoes

Preheat oven to 325°.

Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When oil shimmers, in batches, add chicken and cook, 5-7 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drain any excess fat from pot.

Return pot to medium-high heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. When oil shimmers, add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add carrots, celery, garlic, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add wine, vinegar, honey, and tomato paste, stir and let cook until reduced by half, 5-7 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook 5 minutes more.

Return chicken to pot. Add chicken broth and bay leaves. Cover pot, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Transfer to oven and braise until tender, 30-40 minutes.

Serve with orzo, potatoes, and garnish with cheese.

Red Thai Curry with Chicken

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add oil. Cut chicken into 1″ cubes. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken, shallots, and garlic to stockpot and cook until golden, about 5 minutes.

Stir in red curry paste and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Stir in coconut milk and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened, 10-15 minutes.

Add broccolini and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in green onions, cilantro, and lime juice. Serve immediately.

Note: If you prefer a more mild curry, start with 1 tablespoon curry paste and gradually add more until your preferred level of spice.

Nutrition per serving: 340 calories; 13g total fat (5g saturated); 670 mg sodium; 11g carbohydrates; 1g dietary fiber; 5g sugar (0g added sugar); 39g protein.

Chicken Piccata

On a cutting board, use a boning knife to cut each breast in half lengthwise parallel to the cutting board, making 2 thin cutlets. Pound in between wax paper or plastic wrap until uniform thickness. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Combine crostini and flour in a shallow plate. Combine milk and egg in another shallow plate. Dip chicken in milk-egg mixture and then dredge in crostini-flour mixture.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add oil. When oil shimmers, add chicken and cook until golden brown in color and an instant-read thermometer registers 165°, about 10 minutes each side. Transfer chicken to a plate. Using paper towels, wipe up any remaining oil.

Add butter to pan, add shallot and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine and lemon juice and cook until evaporated by half. Add chicken broth and capers, bring to boil, scraping off any brown bits from pan bottom. Season with salt and pepper.

Return chicken breasts to pan. Cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce is slightly reduced. Transfer chicken to a large plate, pour sauce over chicken and garnish with parsley. Serve with zucchini noodles.

Moroccan Style Chicken with Green Olives and Zucchini

Green:  Dark green vegetables, especially leafy greens, have vitamins A, C, K and folate. These contribute to bone health and have an anti-inflammatory effect. Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts have phytochemicals which may reduce the risk for certain types of cancer.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 1/4 cup oil. When oil shimmers, cook chicken until browned on all sides, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

In a bowl, combine paprika, ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper, and set aside.

Add remaining 1/4 cup oil and onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add spice mixture, broth, saffron, lemon zest and juice, olives, and chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook until an internal temperature of 164°, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover partially, sprinkle with parsley, and let rest, about 10 minutes.

Serve on platter atop steamed spiralized zucchini.

Nutrition per serving: 480 calories; 35g total fat (5g saturated); 460mg sodium; 11g carbohydrates; 4g dietary fiber; 5g sugar (0g added sugar); 31g protein

Pressure Cooker Creamy Mustard Chicken

In bowl of pressure cooker on Saute setting, add oil. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. In batches, add chicken pieces, skin-side down, and cook until fat is rendered and skin is crisp and golden brown, 6-8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from pan.

Add shallots and garlic and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add wine, scrape up any browned bits at bottom of pan with a wooden spoon, and cook until almost evaporated, about 6 minutes. Stir in broth, mustards, marjoram, and add back chicken.

Close lid and select High Pressure and cook for 12 minutes. Quick release pressure.

In a small bowl, add cream, and cornstarch and whisk to combine. Whisk slurry into chicken, season with salt and pepper and select Saute setting, stirring occasionally, until sauce is thickened. Garnish chicken with parsley and serve with pearl couscous.

Southwest Chicken Barley Chili

In a 6-quart saucepan over high heat, combine tomatoes, salsa, broth, barley, water, chile powder and cumin and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Add beans, corn, and chicken. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until barley is tender, about 5 minutes. If chili becomes too thick, add more chicken broth or water until chili is desired consistency.

Chicken, Rice & Black Bean Salad

In a blender or food processor, puree jalapeño, vinegar, cumin and cilantro. With the motor running, slowly add oil and blend until smooth.

In a large bowl, add rice, chicken, beans, tomatoes and green onions. Add dressing, salt and pepper and toss to combine. Add spinach and toss to combine.

Quinoa Burrito Bowls

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add quinoa and toast, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Cover and cook until al dente, 15-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Divide quinoa evenly between 4 bowls. Divide chicken between the 4 bowls. Sprinkle on black beans, corn and avocados. Place a dollop of salsa on each bowl. Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.