CHAPTER TEN CHICKEN PLANNED-OVERS $ A GREAT FAST FOOD
Everyone is so busy nowadays, it's often tempting to pick up dinner at a fast food carry-out on the way home. The problem is, these foods not only dent the budget, they can short-change you nutritionally. Often they're high in the fat or sodium which many of us are trying to limit.
There are, however, ways to serve speedy meals that are also good for you. In fact, I like to think of leftover chicken as a fast food. It gives you a head start on so many recipes.
Michelle Evans, the eminent cookbook author and travel authority, likes to say that left over chicken is the "basic black dress" of the culinary world. It's true. You can dress it up in so many ways: you can use herbs and spices, sauces and dips, toppings and crusts. Just as a basic black dress is handy to have around, so leftover chicken is wonderful for a fast start on a number of delicious dishes.
By using leftovers, you can create fast food while maintaining control over the calories and nutrition. When you do cook, plan for leftovers by preparing extra quantities. Serve part of what you prepared immediately, and save the rest for a "planover". Then, on those days when you're short on time, use your microwave to create a meal from your store of "planovers."
There are a few points to keep in mind when using leftovers.
_Know how long the food has been held at room temperature. The Department of Agriculture recommends that you throw food out if it's of animal origin and if it's been left unrefrigerated for more than two hours. I've talked with some food scientists, however, who feel that the USDA two-hour rule is unnecessarily strict. They say that except for the at-risk groups, (infants, the elderly or those in poor health), that you can probably still use chicken that has been kept at room temperature for a little longer than two hours, maybe as long as four hours. Still, they agree that the longer chicken is kept at room temperature, the bigger the chance you're taking. Harmful organisms can multiply rapidly on food that's held in the danger zone between 40 degrees and 140 degrees. Personally, I'm in favor of being cautious, but I thought you might like to know that there's more than one view.
_When refrigerating leftovers, break them down into shallow pans that aren't deeper than a couple of inches. If you have a deep pan with lots of, for example, leftover stuffing, it could take too long for the food in the middle to cool down to 40 degrees.
_If you're not going to eat the leftover chicken within three days, freeze it.
_Don't store cooked chicken in the freezer for longer than three months. Label it so you can keep track of it. A California home economist friend of mine keeps a running log of what's in her freezer, marking dishes when they are removed. This reduces the search time with the freezer open, and keeps her from losing track of what's in there.
_Wrap leftovers tightly in moisture proof wrapping so as to prevent freezer burn.
_Think of ways of working leftovers into your brown bag lunches. Cold chicken makes a great lunch. Chicken soup or stew goes great in a thermos. If you happen to be browsing in this chapter and find you want to make one of the recipes but don't have any leftovers handy, you can make some by:
1. Baking a chicken. Place whole chicken without any seasonings or coatings, uncovered in a 350oF oven for approximately 1 hour.
2. Simmering a whole chicken
1 chicken
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 stalk celery, halved
1 bay leaf
Put chicken in kettle or sauce pan. Add water and remaining ingredients. Cover and simmer 45 minutes or until cooked through. Save the broth for sauces or soup bases.
3. Simmering parts of a chicken using the same recipe as for whole chicken. Boneless parts cook fastest, a small breast in 15 minutes, a larger roaster-size one in 20 to 25, and boneless roaster thighs in 30 to 40 minutes.
PHOTO: 3 pies and 1 oblong casserole CHICKEN POTPIES REDISCOVERED One of the best uses for leftover chicken is chicken pot pies. Back in the days of the Roman empire, potpies were banquet fare, often created with surprises - even live birds — under the crust. During the time of Elizabeth I, English cooks made potpies using "chicken peepers," tiny chicks stuffed with gooseberries. By the mid-eighteenth century, an English cookbook included a sort of telescoping pie in which five birds were stuffed one inside another, then wrapped in dough.
With a past like that, it is not surprising that immigrants to America brought an appreciation for potpies with them. When settlers moved West, so did their potpie recipes, which they adapted to local food styles with new ingredients and seasonings. By this century, chicken potpies and "meat and taters" variations had become as American as corn on the cob. They were thrifty foods, served at the kitchen table and in "home cooking" diners along country roads.
Recently, nostalgia for homespun cookery has meant a change in status for potpies. They not only are considered respectable, they're even "trendy," often appearing on the menus of fashionable restaurants. These are perfect recipes in which to use leftover chicken, and if you run short of a particular vegetable go ahead and substitute whatever else looks good. In fact, you can mix and match and change the ingredients, flavorings and toppings to suit the mood of the moment. To get you started, here are a few guidelines. Tips for Making old-Fashioned Chicken Potpies
_Potpie fillings are actually stews or creamed dishes inside a crust. If you want you can also serve fillings over rice, noodles, toast points or party shells.
_To prevent a soggy bottom crust, bake two-crust pies on the bottom shelf of a preheated oven and slit the top to allow steam to escape. For decorative slits, use a favorite hors d'oeuvre or cookie cutter. Also space dumplings, biscuits and other toppings to allow for steaming.
_When making individual potpies, eliminating the bottom crust creates a better proportion of filling to pastry. One double-crust recipe for a 9-inch pie plate makes about 8 single-crust, 5-inch tarts. Reduce baking time by 10 minutes.
_For a different flavor in biscuits, crusts or potato toppings, crumble in a few tablespoonfuls of herbs or grated cheese.
_Potpie fillings can be prepared in advance and refrigerated, but do not pour fillings into pastry shells until ready to bake. If you plan to freeze a pie for storage, eliminate the bottom crust, sealing the top one over cooked filling. Place in a plastic bag or wrap tightly with heavy foil. Do not defrost before baking. Preheat the oven and add 15 minutes to cooking time. CAJUN PIEServes 4 1/4 pound lean bacon Vegetable oil 3 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped green pepper 1/2 cup fresh ripe or canned chopped tomatoes 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 4 to 12 drops Tabasco 1-1/4 cups water 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1 package (10 ounces) frozen succotash, thawed 2 cups cooked, chopped chicken 8 to 10 ready to bake buttermilk biscuits Grease a deep 9-inch pie plate or ovenproof dish. In large, heavy skillet, over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon to drain; crumble. Pour drippings into a measuring cup and add oil to bring to 1/2 cup. Return to skillet and stir in flour. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 to 10 minutes or until well browned. Add onions and cook 1 minute. Stir in green peppers, tomatoes, sauces, and water; season to taste with salt. Simmer until slightly thickened or about 1 to 3 minutes; stir in succotash bacon and chicken. Pour into prepared dish. Preheat oven to 425oF. Place biscuits on top of filling with edges touching. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until filling is hot and biscuits are golden brown. CHICKEN HASH PIEServes 4 2 pounds (4 large) potatoes, peeled and diced 1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream, divided 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided Salt and ground pepper to taste Pinch ground nutmeg 1 cup thinly sliced scallions, white and tender green parts only 1/2 cup chopped celery 2 tablespoons flour 1 cup chicken broth 3 cups cooked, chopped chicken 3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried 4 eggs 2 teaspoons minced, fresh parsley, optional Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch pie plate or 1-1/2- quart ovenproof casserole. Place potatoes in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. Salt to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash potatoes, adding 1/4 cup cream, 2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, nutmeg, and salt to taste. Cover and set aside. In large skillet over medium-high heat, melt remaining butter. Saute scallions and celery in butter for 3 minutes. Whisk in flour and cook 3 minutes. Add broth and remaining 3/4 cup cream and heat to boiling, whisking constantly. Stir in chicken, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt or to taste, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Spread chicken mixture on bottom of prepared pie plate. Pipe 4 potatoes rings on top of pie or spread potatoes over filling and make four depressions with the back of a spoon. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully break eggs into rings or depressions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired, and return to oven for 15 minutes or until eggs are set to desired doneness. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately. CHICKEN PIEServes 4 In contrast to the recipe above for Chicken Hash Pie, this may be one of the easiest chicken pie recipes there is. Sprinkle grated Cheddar cheese over the biscuits when you want something different. 2 cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks 2 cans (10-1/2-ounces each) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 1/2 cup uncooked frozen peas 2 raw carrots, sliced 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion or 1 teaspoon instant minced onion 1 tube (7 and 1/2 ounces) prepared biscuits Preheat oven to 350oF. Mix all ingredients except biscuits in baking dish. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour. Remove foil. Place biscuits on top of mixture. Bake, uncovered, 12 minutes longer or until biscuits are brown.
CHICKEN TAMALE PIE (Mexican) Serves 8-10 Don't be alarmed if the cornmeal mixture gets lumpy$just keep stirring and cooking and the mixture will become consistently thick. 4 tablespoons butter or margarine, divided 1 cup chopped onion 1 clove garlic, minced 2 cups cooked chicken, cut in cubes 1 can (12-ounces) tomato puree 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 cup pitted and chopped ripe olives 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed 3 teaspoons salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper 6 cups chicken broth, divided 2 cups cornmeal In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add onion and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add chicken, tomato puree, chili powder, olives, coriander, 1 teaspoon of the salt, pepper and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 325oF. Bring remaining broth to a boil in large saucepan. Add salt and butter. Stir in cornmeal. Cook at low heat 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Line a large shallow baking dish with half of the cornmeal mixture. Pour in chicken mixture. Cover with remaining cornmeal mixture. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. EMPANADA PIEServes 4 This is a South American version of chicken pot pie. 2 cups flour 3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter or margarine, divided 2 tablespoons lard or shortening About 1/3 cup ice-cold water 1/2 cup thinly sliced onion 1 cup thinly sliced green pepper 1 hot green chili pepper, chopped (optional) 1/2 cup pitted green olives, sliced into rounds 1 cup raisins 1/4 cup cider vinegar 1 cup chopped fresh or stewed tomatoes 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste 3 cups cooked, diced chicken 1 egg, beaten Pastry In a small bowl, combine flour and salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in 6 tablespoons butter and lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually stir in water until dough forms a ball; do not overmix. Preheat oven to 425F and grease a deep 9-inch pie plate or ovenproof dish. Roll out 2/3 of the pastry and use to line bottom of pie plate. Pierce well with a fork. Roll remaining pastry to 1/8-inch thickness for top crust. (Pastry can be prepared ahead and refrigerated until filling is ready.) Filling In medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, melt remaining butter. Add onion and pepper; saute for 3 minutes or until softened. Add olives, raisins, vinegar, tomatoes and tomato paste and cook 5 minutes. Season with cinnamon and salt; stir in chicken. Spread chicken mixture in prepared pie plate and top with pastry. Flute edges, cut decorative slits in top, and brush with beaten egg. Bake on bottom shelf of oven 30 minutes or until browned.
FANCY CHICKEN PUFF PIEServes 4 4 tablespoons butter or margarine 1/4 cup chopped shallots or scallions 1/4 cup flour 1 cup chicken broth 1/4 cup dry sherry Salt to taste 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper Pinch nutmeg 1/4 pound ham, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch strips 3 cups cooked chicken, cut in 1/4-inch by 2-inch strips 1-1/2 cups fresh, or a package (10 ounces) frozen, asparagus,cooked tender-crisp and cut in 2-inch pieces 1 cup (1/2 pint) heavy cream Chilled flaky pastry for a 1-crust pie or 1 sheet frozen puff pastry 1 egg, beaten In a medium-sized saucepan, oven medium-high heat, melt butter and saute shallots lightly. Whisk in flour; cook 3 minutes and add broth and sherry. Heat to boiling, whisking constantly; season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in ham, chicken, asparagus, and cream. Pour chicken mixture in 9-inch pie plate. Preheat oven to 425F. Cut an 8-inch circle from pastry, tracing around a plate as pattern. Cut pastry hearts from extra dough with cookie cutter, if desired. Place circle of dough on a cookie sheet moistened with cold water. Pierce with tines of fork, brush with egg and decorate with cutout hearts; brush hearts with egg. Place pastry on cookie sheet and the filled pie plate in oven. Bake 10 minutes; lower heat to 350F and bake 10 to 15 additional minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is hot. With a spatula, carefully place pastry lid on hot filling and serve immediately. CHICKEN A LA KING WITH BUTTERMILK BISCUITSServes 3-4 According to food historians, Chicken a la King got its name, not from some former monarch, but from the E. Clark King family, proprietors of a fashionable resort near Manhattan at the turn of the century. The original recipe used cream and sherry and egg yolks, and was served over toast points. This is somewhat lighter and a lot easier. If you have the time and are in the mood, skip the cream of chicken soup, and instead, use a basic white sauce made with chicken broth. If you don't have your own favorite white sauce recipe, here's a quick and simple one: Stir 4 tablespoons of flour into 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Cook for a couple of minutes, but don't let brown. Slowly stir in 2 cups chicken broth. Continue stirring until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 2 cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 1/2 cup pimento, chopped 1/4 pound small fresh mushrooms, sliced (1 cup) 2 cans (10-1/2 ounces each) cream of chicken soup, undiluted In a saucepan over low heat combine all ingredients and cook for about 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve on buttermilk biscuits. You can buy them ready-to-bake in a tube, or else make them from scratch, following this recipe: Buttermilk Biscuits 2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 cup shortening or butter About 3/4 cup buttermilk Preheat oven to 425F. In large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in just enough buttermilk so dough holds together; turn out onto a floured surface. Pat to a 1/2-inch thickness and cut into 2-inch rounds. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. CHICKEN AND CORN SOUP Serves 2 - 3 3 cups chicken broth 1 1/2 cups cooked, diced, chicken 1 can (8 3/4 ounces) cream-style corn 1 tablespoon dry sherry Salt and pepper to taste 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons water 1 cup watercress leaves In a saucepan over medium heat bring broth to a boil. Add chicken, corn, sherry, salt and pepper. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture and cook stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in watercress and serve immediately.
CHICKEN CHOW MEIN (Chinese) Serves 4-6 Using the cream of mushroom soup puts this recipe in the category of "fast food." It's good, but if you have the time and the inclination, you'll get fresher-tasting results if you substitute your best white sauce recipe for the canned mushroom soup. Also, if you have a choice between buying dark soy sauce and light soy sauce, remember the dark one is sweeter$molasses or caramel is added$and light soy sauce is saltier. 1-1/2 cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks 1 can (3-ounces) chow mein noodles, divided 1 can (6-1/2-ounces) cashew nuts, divided 1 can (10-1/2-ounces) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 1/2 cup chicken broth 2 tablespoons soy sauce Preheat oven to 350oF. In a baking dish combine chicken, 1/2 of noodles, 1/2 of nuts, soup, broth and soy sauce in baking dish, mixing well. Top with remaining noodles and cashews. Bake for about 30 minutes. CHICKEN-IN-EVERY-POT SOUPServes 4-6 For the best flavor, use fresh vegetables, varying them according to the season. Speaking of fresh vegetables, do you know how to tell a good carrot? Look at the "crown," (that's the stem end). If the crown is turning brown or black or has regrowth visible where the stem was, you've got a carrot that's been around awhile. If the crown and shoulders are a bright orange, you've got a nice, fresh carrot. 1 cup potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes 4 cups chicken broth 1/4 cup dry sherry 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 1 cup onions, halved and thinly sliced 1 cup carrots, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch sticks 1 cup celery, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch sticks 1 cup fresh or frozen green beans, in 2-inch pieces 2 cups cooked chicken, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch julienne strips 1 cup zucchini, in 1/4-inch by 2-inch sticks Place potatoes in a saucepan with enough salted water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook potatoes 5 minutes; drain, rinse under cold water and set aside. In large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring broth and sherry to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Add onions, carrots, and celery and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in green beans and chicken and heat soup to boiling. Add zucchini and potatoes and simmer 1 minute longer. Variation: Chicken Minestrone Add 1 cup chopped stewed tomatoes in their juice and 2 cups cooked, drained fusilli or other pasta and 1/2-cup cooked kidney beans when adding zucchini and potatoes. Stir in 1/2-cup grated Parmesan cheese just before serving. Other fresh vegetables may be added according to their cooking times. Minestrone happens to be one of Frank's favorites, although he skips the cheese because of its cholesterol. NEW ENGLAND CHICKEN 'N' CORN CHOWDERServes 4-6 Chowders are thick soups which take their name from the large French pot used in soup-making called a "chaudiere." You can use fresh corn in this recipe, but I deliberately suggested frozen corn first because frozen corn can actually taste sweeter and fresher than the fresh corn you buy at the supermarket. Corn loses 50% of its sweetness in just 24 hours at room temperature, and it can take days for corn to get from the fields to the supermarket to your house. In contrast, frozen corn is rushed from the fields to the freezer in just a few hours, and once frozen, it stops losing its sweetness. Strange as it may seem, with corn, frozen can taste fresher than fresh. 1/4 pound bacon or salt pork, diced 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped celery 4 cups chicken broth 2 cups peeled potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes 1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn or kernels from 2 ears of corn 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 2 cups cooked, diced chicken 1 cup (1/2-pint) heavy cream Oyster crackers, for garnish In large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute bacon for 3 minutes until its fat has been rendered. Add onions and celery and cook 3 minutes longer. Stir in broth and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Add potatoes and corn, season with salt and pepper and cook 5 to 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in chicken and cream, simmer 3 minutes and serve with oyster crackers. Variation: Shellfish Chowder Add 1 cup chopped green pepper and 1 cup cooked crab or shrimp to soup when adding chicken.
HEARTY LANCASTER CHICKEN, VEGETABLE AND DUMPLING SOUP Serves 4 This is a famous Pennsylvania summer soup made with extra vegetables for hearty winter eating. You can substitute noodles for the dumplings, or add crackers, pretzels $ and some people have told me that even popcorn works. I'm skeptical about the popcorn, but if you're feeling adventurous, give it a try. 6 cups chicken broth 2 cups cooked, diced chicken 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 1/2 cup parboiled potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes 1/2 cup parboiled carrots, cut in 1/2-inch pieces 1/2 cup shredded green cabbage 1 cup thinly-sliced leek, white and tender green parts only, or 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 1 package (10-ounces) frozen corn kernels from 2 ears of corn Knepp In large saucepan over high heat, bring broth to a boil. Add other ingredients and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 3 minutes while making dumplings. Knepp (Little Dumplings) 1 egg 3/4 cup flour 1/3 cup water 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon baking powder Pinch ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon minced, fresh parsley, optional garnish In small bowl, beat egg; stir in flour, water, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. Drop batter by half teaspoons into the simmering soup. When dumplings rise to top, stir in parsley and serve. Variation: Chicken Spinach Straciatella Omit dumplings. Clean and stem 1/2 pound fresh spinach; stack and cut into 1/2-inch strips. Whisk together 2 eggs with 1/2-cup grated Parmesan cheese. Stir in spinach with chicken, then heat soup just to boiling. Immediately pour in the egg mixture in a thin stream, while stirring. The goal is to end up with thread-like strands of cooked egg. Cook until soup simmers again; stir gently just before serving. CHICKEN-BACON SANDWICH Serves 6 Different kinds of bread make interesting variations. You can serve the sandwiches either open-face or topped with another slice of bread. I like open-face sandwiches that the kids can decorate. 1 cup cooked, finely chopped chicken 1/4 cup chopped celery 2 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley 4 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 6 slices crisp cooked bacon In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients except bacon and spread on favorite kind of bread. Break slices of cooked bacon in half and place on top of sandwich. HOT CHICKENWICHServes 6 If chicken has been chilled, it should be placed in 250oF oven, uncovered, for about 3 minutes. If you have the time, substitute a good homemade white sauce made with chicken broth for the cream of chicken soup. If you don't have the time, (and I bet that happens to you often!) the chicken soup shortcut is still very good. 6 slices hot buttered toast 1 can (3-1/2-ounces) deviled ham 1 chicken, cooked and sliced 3 tablespoons minced, fresh parsley 1 can (10-1/2-ounces) cream of chicken soup, undiluted and heated Salt to taste (you may not want any since the soup and the deviled ham are both fairly salty) Spread deviled ham on buttered toast; sprinkle with parsley. Place sliced chicken on toast. Pour hot soup over each sandwich. QUICK CHICKEN TETRAZZINI Serves 2-3 This is even better after standing to let the flavors blend. Green beans and broiled tomato go nicely with this. If you have time, use a good homemade white sauce made with chicken broth and mushrooms instead of the cream of mushroom soup. 1 cup cooked, diced chicken 1 can (10-1/2-ounces) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted 1/2 cup cooked spaghetti (1/4 cup uncooked yields 1/2 cup cooked) 2 tablespoons dry sherry 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt and ground pepper to taste (you may not want any since the soup is fairly salty) Preheat oven to 375oF. In a baking dish combine all ingredients and bake for about 30 minutes until hot and lightly browned. SALADS CHICKEN SPRING SALADServes 6-8 Spinach is an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, as well as potassium and magnesium. When you eat it uncooked, as in this recipe, dentists say spinach is a detergent food, helpful to dental health. 3 cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks 1 package (10-ounces) raw spinach, washed and drained with stems removed and torn into small pieces 1 small clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon chives, snipped, fresh or frozen 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper 1 teaspoon sugar 3/4 cup chopped pecans 2 apples, chopped 1/2 cup oil 1/4 cup red wine vinegar In a salad bowl combine all ingredients and toss lightly. FRENCH DRESSING CHICKEN SALADServes 3-4 This is a real "fast food," perfect for when you've got a lot of other things to do besides fuss in the kitchen. It's quick and easy, but the Cayenne pepper gives it a little perk that lifts it out of the ordinary. 2 cups cooked, diced chicken 1/2 cup finely chopped celery 1/4 cup French dressing 1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing 1/8 teaspoon Cayenne pepper In a salad bowl toss together all ingredients and serve on lettuce.
OLIVEY CHICKEN SALADServes 6 I like this recipe partly because it tastes good, but also because it's a dandy use for leftover rice as well as leftover chicken. 2 cups cooked, diced chicken 1 cup cooked rice (1/4 cup uncooked yields 1 cup cooked) 3/4 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients and serve salad on a bed of lettuce leaves. SUNSHINE CHICKEN SALADServes 4-6 The avocado you use in this recipe should be fully ripe, and that means it will have a slight give to it when you press it between your palms. If it has about as much "give" to it as a baseball, let it ripen for a couple of days more at room temperature. But don't refrigerate it because refrigeration puts a permanent stop to all ripening. 3 cups cooked, diced chicken 1 can (6-ounces) orange juice concentrate 3 tablespoons oil 1 tablespoon vinegar 1 tablespoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/8 teaspoon Tabasco 1 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup diced ripe olives 1 medium avocado, cut in small chunks 1/4 cup toasted, slivered almonds In a blender or food processor, make dressing by blending orange juice concentrate, oil, vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, salt and Tabasco at high speed 5 seconds or until smooth. In a salad bowl combine chicken, celery, olives, avocado and almonds. Pour dressing over. Toss and chill at least 30 minutes before serving. TANGY CHICKEN SALADServes 3-4 Have you ever gotten the hard cooked eggs and the uncooked eggs mixed up in the refrigerator$and you wanted to know which was which without breaking them? If that should happen when you're making this recipe, here's what to do. Spin them. The one that whirls around like a spinning top is hardcooked. The one that wobbles and doesn't spin well is still raw. 2 cups cooked, diced chicken 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/4 cup chopped celery 1 hard cooked egg, chopped 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish 1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing In a salad bowl toss together all ingredients. Serve on crisp lettuce. HEARTY CHICKEN SOUP IN A HURRYServes 4 This is an easy soup for a beginning cook. It's also good in a thermos for a school lunch on a cold day. I can't count the number of times I've made it when I've been in a hurry. 2 cans (13-1/2 ounces each) chicken broth 1 cup cooked, diced chicken 1 cup cooked, high-protein wagon wheel macaroni or other pasta 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables In a saucepan over medium heat bring broth to a simmer. Stir in chicken, pasta and vegetables. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp. Spoon soup into a wide-mouth thermos jar and close tightly. Serve with crackers or lightly buttered bread. SAUCY CHICKEN BUNDLES Serves 4 This takes time but it looks good and tastes terrific. It's not a gourmet item, but it's something a young cook can really enjoy making and showing off. 2 cups biscuit mix 1/2 cup milk 1 cup cooked, diced chicken 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 2 cans (10-1/2-ounces each) cream of chicken soup, undiluted 1 can (10-1/2-ounces) jellied cranberry sauce In a mixing bowl add milk to biscuit mix to form dough. Roll dough into a square about 1/4-inch thick. Cut dough into 3-inch squares (makes about 8). In a small bowl combine chicken, butter and 4 tablespoons of soup. Put 2 tablespoons of this mixture on each pastry square. Bring four corners of square together and pinch closed. Preheat oven to 450oF. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Heat remaining soup and pour over baked squares. Slice can of cranberry sauce into 1/4-inch slices. With star-shaped cookie cutter, cut star from each slice of cranberry sauce and place on top of baked bundle before serving.
Conclusion: THE STORY OF A RARE BIRD
This part has almost nothing to do with recipes and cooking, but I've been trying to guess what you were looking for when you bought this book.
Clearly you wanted recipes from one of the world's premier authorities on chicken. I hope you've found this when looking at Frank's favorites.
But maybe you're also like many people who enjoy reading cookbooks almost as much as they enjoy the cooking. Over the years, hundreds of people have told me that they buy cookbooks and only try a few recipes. The real pleasure they get from a cookbook is in reading it. Knowing this, I've tried to make this book something that would be fun to read as well.
But if you live in an area where Frank sells his products, or if you've seen the PBS specials on him or read about him in In Search of Excellence, or perhaps read about him in some of the gossip columns, you may also have an additional reason to buy this book. Perhaps you were curious about him as a person. What kind of man built a company from a father and son operation to one that today processes more than a million chickens a day and has sales in excess of a billion dollars a year? What is he really like?
To me, his outstanding characteristic is that he gives of himself. I've seen first hand how he gives of himself for the sake of doing the best job he can for both consumers and for the people who work for the company. I know how often he's set the alarm for 4:45 a.m. after being up until 1:30 a.m. so he can get a head start on work. When he's really busy with something, I've seen him get by with two hours sleep after a month of getting only four hours.
He cares so much for the people who work for him that I've heard him make transatlantic phone calls even during our honeymoon to make sure a low level associate's grievance was handled fairly. I've been touched by how often he visits retired associates, now in their 80s and 90s. Company functions mean so much to him that once, after we had been traveling for twenty-three hours on our return from the Soviet Union, he went straight to a Perdue Volunteer Fire Brigade Appreciation Dinner rather than going home to bed. The associates meant far more to him than his sleep. When one of the Perdue truckers needed help loading boxes, Frank worked alongside him until the job was done because Frank believed the man had a right to be home with his family.
Even in the building of the company, I find him generous. That may seem like an unusual way to look at the work of an entrepreneur, but he is providing jobs and a quality product; he's not engaged in leveraged buy-outs and paper transactions.
Many people know that Frank Perdue is famous for his chickens, his financial success, his marketing innovations, his drive, his creativity, or even his eccentricities, but I think that his greatest success lies elsewhere. To me, true success isn't measured by what you get, but rather by what you give. The tough man who makes those tender chickens, is an unusually giving man.
End of Project Gutenberg's The Perdue Chicken Cookbook, by Mitzi Perdue