Frank loves to tell people that they can pick up delicious, fast-food chicken within easy walking distanceatheir refrigerators. "When you"re hungry and in a hurry," he says, "you don"t need to rush across town for great chicken. You can just walk (slowly) to your refrigerator and pick up my Perdue Done It! chicken."
Although fried foods are notoriously high in fat, particularly fast food ones. Perdue Done It! is an exception. Frank flash fries the Perdue Done It!
products. They are in oil for seconds only. Further, to a.s.sure the chicken is as low in saturated fat as possible, Perdue uses only polyunsaturated soybean oil.
In the recipes that follow, I"ve used generic nuggets, cutlets, tenders, and other fully cooked products.
However, try for the Perdue Done It! if you live in the Perdue marketing area, which is the East Coast and some of the Mid Western states. The Perdue nuggets, cutlets and tenders come from white meat fillets, while some of the other brands are pressed and formed from dark meat chicken and don"t have the best texture or flavor.
TENDERS, AND NUGGETS Chick on a Biscuit: Split hot baked biscuits. Fill each with a breaded chicken nugget and a thin slice of ham; top with mustard.
Chicken Mexicali: Top cutlets or tenders with prepared salsa and avocado slices.
Chicken Parmesan: Top partially heated cutlets with spaghetti sauce and sliced mozzarella cheese; broil briefly to melt cheese.
Super Caesar Salad: Quarter heated nuggets and toss with croutons, Romaine lettuce, and Caesar salad dressing.
Holiday Crepe: Heat breast tenders and place on a warm crepe. Top with cranberry sauce and roll up; serve with sour cream.
j.a.panese Meal-in-a-Bowl: Prepare j.a.panese-style noodle soup (ramen) as directed. Add heated chicken breast nuggets or tenders, sliced scallions and a dash of soy sauce. (I often put this in a Thermos and bring it to Frank at his office when he"s working late.) Nugget Sticks: On metal skewers, alternately thread 4 to 5 chicken breast nuggets with 2 inch pieces of bacon. Heat in oven as directed on nugget package. Dip into prepared chutney or sweet-sour sauce.
Stir-Fry Snack: Stir-fry wings in a little oil with red bell pepper strips, scallions and sliced water chestnuts.
Season with soy sauce. Serve over rice.
Substantial Sub: Split a loaf of Italian bread lengthwise.
Pile on heated breaded chicken cutlets or tenders, provolone cheese, sliced tomato, sweet onion, pimentos and shredded lettuce. Douse with bottled salad dressing and dig in.
Tenders Under Wraps: Brush Boston lettuce leaves with prepared hoisin sauce or Chinese-style duck sauce. Place a heated tender or 2 nuggets and a piece of scallion on top.
Roll up lettuce around tender, securing with a toothpick.
PRECOOKED HOT & SPICY WINGS Chicken Antipasto: Arrange hot & spicy wings on platter with slices of provolone cheese, sliced tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts and olives.
Out-of-Buffalo Wings: Warm hot & spicy wings and arrange with celery sticks around a blue cheese dip. Combine 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese and 1 minced scallion in a small bowl.
Speedy Arroz Con Pollo: Prepare a box of Spanish rice mix as package directs. During last 10 minutes of cooking time, add 1 package hot & spicy wings, 1 package thawed frozen peas and 1/2 cup sliced olives. ed chicken, toasted almonds, and chopped scallions. Blend in mayonnaise flavored with curry powder and spoon back into pineapple sh.e.l.l to serve.
Cheesy Chick: Prepare packaged stuffing mix as directed, adding 1 cup shredded Jarlsberg or Swiss cheese. Stuff whole roasted chicken or Cornish hens with mixture; heat until warmed through.
Chicken Frittata: Shred roasted chicken or cut breaded chicken into cubes. Add to beaten eggs, along with mushrooms, onions, and any leftover vegetables. Cook mixture quickly, forming into an open-faced omelet or frittata.
Chicken Normandy: Arrange cut-up roasted chicken or Cornish hen meat in a shallow baking dish and scatter thinly sliced apples around pieces. Cover and heat until hot and apples are tender. Stir in a little light or heavy cream and warm to serve.
Chicken Reuben: Thinly slice roasted chicken. Pile on sliced rye that"s been spread with Russian dressing. Top with prepared sauerkraut, a slice of Swiss cheese, and another slice of rye. Grill or pan fry sandwiches until cheese melts.
Chicken Sesame: Brush roasted chicken or Cornish hens with bottled salad dressing; sprinkle surface with sesame seeds and heat as directed.
Fabulous Fajitas: Slice roasted chicken into strips.
Saute in oil, adding lime juice, garlic, and ground c.u.min to taste. Roll up in warm flour tortillas and top with chunks of avocado, chopped scallion, and cherry tomatoes.
Pasta Pizazz: Saute pieces of roasted or breaded chicken with sliced zucchini, chopped onion, sliced mushrooms, and garlic. Add a dash of heavy cream and toss with hot cooked spaghetti or noodles.
Power Pita: Slice roasted chicken and stuff into a whole wheat pita bread. Top with shredded carrots, alfalfa sprouts, red pepper strips and a tablespoon of dressing made of plain yogurt seasoned with lemon juice, curry powder and salt and pepper to taste.
Stir Fried Chicken: Dice roasted chicken into a wok or skillet and stir-fry with scallions, celery, mushrooms, and peas. Add cooked rice and soy sauce to taste; toss well.
Super Spud: Halve a baked potato and top with shredded roasted chicken mixed with a little mayonnaise. Pile on shredded Swiss cheese, bacon bits, and chopped chives; bake or microwave until cheese melts.
Taco Perdue: Cube roasted chicken and serve in taco sh.e.l.ls, topped with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, onion, shredded cheese, and taco sauce.
PHOTO: Harvest fruit adds seasonal flavor to chicken - 3 Golden Nugget Salad: Heat 1 package of chicken breast nuggets. Combine with Romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes and diced avocado. Toss with your favorite dressing.
NUGGETS OR TENDERS WITH DIP Fully cooked breaded chicken breast nuggets (14-18 per package)
or Tenders (6-8 per package) Following package directions, warm nuggets or tenders in a conventional oven or, using package tray, heat in a microwave oven. Serve with ketchup or your favorite mustard. For myself, I"ve been trying some of the more exotic mustards from the supermarket and sometimes I put out several kinds in pretty little dishes that I"d otherwise use for nuts. Instead of a wine or cheese tasting, my guests end up trying different mustards.
PERDUE PLUS FIVE
When was the last time you baked a pie from scratch?
I"m asking you this question because I"m guessing that you"re like many other people who"ve told me that today they"d never have time to bake a pie from scratch. They might have once, but they don"t have the time any more.
In the last few years I"ve asked this question to dozens and dozens of audiences when giving talks. Almost always, I get the same answer: that people who once had had the time to do a lot of cooking now seldom do. The want to eat well, they enjoy cooking, but they just can"t find the time.
If you were to ask me that question, I"d have to answer that I haven"t found time to bake a pie from scratch in years either. Frank keeps me so busy that sometimes I think that I"m married to a whirlwind. People joke that he"s the only man you"ll ever meet who can enter a revolving door in the compartment behind you and come out ahead of you. They also joke that he doesn"t get ulcers$but he"s a carrier.
Knowing quick recipes has become more important to me than ever, and this section contains a selection of the best. The heating and cooking time may take an hour or so, but your part in the kitchen should be no more than fifteen minutes. In this section, you"ll find uncomplicated recipes with few steps, and none of the recipes have more than five ingredients in addition to chicken, salt, pepper and water.
If like me, you also are looking for ways to prepare meals that taste good, look good, give you more satisfaction than microwaving a store bought frozen dinner, but don"t require a long time in the kitchen, this section is for you.
BAKED ONION CHICKEN Serves 4 Recipes don"t get much easier on the cook than this. Anne Nesbit developed it for Perdue Farms. One of her jobs as a Perdue home economist was to translate some of the world"s most successful recipes into ones that were both easy to a.s.semble and quick to prepare. "I"m an admirer of simple recipes," says Anne. "My heart was in this work because I believed in it. People want food that looks good and tastes good, but they don"t have time to put a lot of work into getting there." I"ve never met Anne, except over the phone, but from this comment, I know I would like her. The recipe isn"t fancy, and it may be old-fashioned, but it"s a treasure when you"re in a hurry.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces dehydrated onion soup mix Preheat oven to 350oF. Roll chicken in dry soup mix, using about as much mix as you would salt. Place chicken in a single layer, skin side up, on baking sheet. Bake, uncovered for 55 to 65 minutes until cooked through.
BASIC FRIED CHICKENServes 4 This is fried chicken in its simplest form. It"s good enough so that the last time I made it, the grandchildren were making off with pieces almost as fast as I could cook them. Frank"s daughter Anne Oliviero particularly recommends basic fried chicken served cold the next day for picnics. She and her family love to explore some of the islands off the coast of Maine, where they live, and cold fried chicken is just about always on the menu.
1/3 cup flour 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper or to taste 1 chicken cut in serving pieces 1/2 cup vegetable shortening In a large plastic bag combine flour with salt and pepper.
Shake chicken in bag with mixture. In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, melt shortening. Cook chicken uncovered, heat for 20 to 30 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN, SOUTHWESTERN STYLE Any basic fried chicken recipe may be adapted for oven frying. It is a useful technique when cooking larger quant.i.ties of chicken and is less messy than stovetop frying. (Especially if you have a self-cleaning oven.) Simply follow the basic cooking instructions as given in the Southwestern version below.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces 1 cup b.u.t.termilk 3/4 teaspoon Tabasco, optional Vegetable oil for frying 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup corn meal 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper Place chicken in a large bowl. Sprinkle with Tabasco.
Pour b.u.t.termilk over all and allow to marinate for 10 to 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 425oF. Place 1/2 inch of oil in the bottom of a heavy baking pan large enough to hold chicken without crowding. Place pan in oven to heat for 10 minutes. In a plastic bag combine remaining ingredients.
Shake chicken in seasoned flour. Remove pieces one at a time and quickly slip into hot oil. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through. Drain chicken on crumpled paper towels.
BASIC ROAST CHICKENServes 4 Sometimes there is nothing else that will fill the bill like roasted chicken. Here"s the easiest way to do it.
You can brush the surface with melted b.u.t.ter, margarine or oil, but it isn"t really necessary.
1 whole chicken 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1 package (7-1/2-ounces) stuffing mix, prepared as directed on package Sprinkle cavity of chicken with salt. Stuff with favorite prepared stuffing. Or skip stuffing if you"re really in a hurry. Place chicken in baking pan (no rack needed).
ROASTING CHART
Approximate Additional Cooking
Cooking Time Amount of Time if Stuffed time
at 350F Stuffing if Stuffed Broiler/Fryer 1-1/4 to 2 hours 1-1/2 to 2 cups 15 to 20 minutes (2-1/2 to 4 pounds) Oven Stuffer Roaster 2-1/4 to 2-3/4 hours 3 to 3- 1/2 cups 20 to 25 minutes (5 to 7 pounds) Cornish Game Hen 60 to 75 minutes 1/2 to 3/4 cup 15 to 20 minutes (18-24-ounces)
BIRD OF PARADISEServes 4 The recipe calls for a chicken cut in serving pieces, but naturally you can subst.i.tute any parts that you particularly like, such as b.r.e.a.s.t.s or thighs. Three b.r.e.a.s.t.s or 6 thighs with drumsticks attached would come out to about the same amount as the 1 chicken called for in this recipe.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces Salt and ground pepper to taste 1 egg, beaten 1/4 cup milk 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup b.u.t.ter or margarine 1 cup sherry Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a shallow bowl combine egg and milk. Place cheese in a shallow baking pan. Dip chicken in egg mixture; then roll in cheese. In a large, deep skillet, over medium heat, melt b.u.t.ter. Add chicken and brown for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Add sherry. Cover and cook at medium-low heat for 35 to 45 minutes or until cooked through.
CORN CRISPED CHICKENServes 4 I grew up on this recipe. It"s not new, but it"s good and the preparation time is minimal. If you don"t have cornflakes, you can subst.i.tute almost any breakfast flakes as long as they don"t have raisins in them. (The raisins can scorch in the oven.) For variation, you can add 1 teaspoon dried italian seasonings or 1 teaspoon chili powder or 3/4 teaspoon curry powder to the cornflake crumbs.
1 cup cornflake crumbs 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 1/2 cup evaporated milk, undiluted 1 chicken, cut in serving pieces Preheat oven to 350oF. On a sheet of wax paper combine cornflake crumbs, salt and pepper. Place evaporated milk in a shallow bowl. Dip chicken in milk; then roll in seasoned crumbs. Place chicken, skin side up, in a baking pan. Bake, uncovered for 1 hour, or until cooked through.
CUTLET PAILLARDS WITH BASIL b.u.t.tERServes 4 When I made this recipe, I happened to be in a hurry, and didn"t have time to get fresh basil so I used dried basil instead. Frank liked it and had seconds. The name "Paillard," by the way, comes from a European restaurant famous at the end of the 19th Century.
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or 1 thin sliced boneless roaster breast 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil 6 tablespoons b.u.t.ter or margarine 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried 1 small clove garlic, minced 1 teaspoon lemon juice salt and ground pepper to taste lemon slices, for garnish Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/2 inch thickness. If using thin sliced boneless Roaster breast, omit placing in plastic wrap and pounding. Brush cutlets lightly with oil, Grill over hot coals 3 to 4 minutes per side, rotating to form crosshatch marks characteristic of paillards, or broil 3 to 4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Place b.u.t.ter, basil, garlic and lemon juice in a small pan and melt on the side of the grill. Spoon b.u.t.ter over paillards and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with lemon slices.
EASY OVEN CHICKENServes 4 This recipe has been one of my favorites since college days. The true chicken flavor comes out with just a touch of garlic.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces 1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 1 small clove garlic, minced Preheat oven to 350oF. In a shallow baking pan arrange chicken in a single layer, skin side up. Pour oil over chicken. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic. Bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour, or until cooked through.
HONEY LEMON CHICKENServes 4 This recipe was originally designed for broiling, but this version requires less attention. 1 chicken, cut in serving pieces 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt or to taste Preheat oven to 350oF. In a shallow baking pan arrange chicken in a single layer, skin side down. In a small bowl combine honey, lemon juice and salt. Pour half of this sauce over chicken. Bake, covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover; turn chicken. Pour other half of sauce on chicken.
Replace cover. Bake another 25 to 30 minutes or until cooked through, removing cover last 10 minutes for browning.
HONEY-MUSTARD BAKED b.r.e.a.s.t.serves 4 Have you ever been concerned about whether the honey you have in your cupboard is fresh or whether it should be thrown out? Not to worry! Honey is itself a natural preservative and samples of honey have been found in the tombs of Ancient Egypt that were still edible. If it"s crystallized, it may look bad, but it"s still a wholesome food. Just heat it gently until it reliquifies.
1 whole boneless roaster breast salt and ground pepper to taste 4 tablespoons melted b.u.t.ter or margarine 1/2 cup honey 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon curry powder Preheat oven to 350oF. Season breast with salt and pepper.
Combine b.u.t.ter, honey, mustard and curry powder. Spoon half of sauce into a shallow baking dish. Add breast and turn to coat well. Bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour or until cooked through. Turn and baste with remaining sauce once during cooking time.
IT"S A DILLY CHICKEN When I read this recipe in the files, I noticed several hand-scrawled notes saying that it was really good, and someone described it as "a dilly of a recipe." Yet from reading the recipe, it didn"t sound as special as the notes indicated, especially since the ingredients include canned mushrooms rather than fresh. I was curious enough that I went to the kitchen and made the recipe, expecting that this would be one of the recipes that I wouldn"t include in this book. But to my surprise, I discovered that yes, dill seed and canned mushrooms, along with the juice from the mushrooms, really do something terrific for chicken. It"s not rich or creamy, but there"s an attractive, aromatic flavor that permeates the chicken.
1 chicken, cut in serving pieces 1 teaspoon salt or to taste 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper 1 can (4-ounces) whole small mushrooms (with liquid) 1/2 teaspoon dill seed Preheat oven to 350oF. In a shallow baking pan arrange chicken, skin side up, in a single layer. Add salt, pepper, mushrooms (with liquid from can) and dill. Cover with foil. Bake at for 1 hour or until cooked through.
KIWI GLAZED CORNISH HENSServes 2 Kiwifruit is only sweet and mild when it"s fully ripe. A kiwifruit grower told me that kiwifruits are ripe when they"re "soft as a baby"s bottom." When they"re underripe, they taste like something between a lemon and a crabapple.
If your kiwifruit is hard when you bring it home, give it a couple of days to ripen on your kitchen counter.
2 fresh Cornish game hens salt and ground pepper to taste 3 tablespoons b.u.t.ter or margarine 1 tablespoon sugar 1 ripe kiwifruit, peeled and mashed Preheat oven to 350oF. Remove giblets. Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper. Tie legs together, fold wings back and arrange in baking pan. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt b.u.t.ter. Brush hens with 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter, reserving remainder. Put hens in oven, and while they are cooking, prepare kiwi glaze. Add sugar to remaining b.u.t.ter in pan and heat over medium-low until sugar dissolves. Add mashed kiwi and cook one minute.
Remove from heat. After 45 minutes of cooking time, brush hens generously with kiwi glaze. Continue baking for 15 to 20 minutes or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced.
FAMILY FAVORITES In contrast to the preceding recipes, these recipes have more ingredients and require more preparation time, but if you"ve got the time, they"re worth it. If you want to minimize time in the kitchen using these recipes, here are some suggestions.