The very nice folks at WJLA's Good Morning Washington program asked me to come up with some time-saving recipe ideas for an April 2022 cooking segment (air date 4/26/22). I created and tested the following three recipes that use time-saving rotisserie chicken, and they are all three VERY tasty if I do say so myself!
First up: my "Spring Chicken, Fruit, & Herb Salad," followed by my "BBQ Chicken Pizza with Easy Yogurt Crust," and last but not least, my "Classic Chicken à la King!" 🐓 🎉 🥗 🍕 👑
Spring Chicken, Fruit & Herb Salad
Makes 4 to 6 servings
A bright and perky spring salad full of nutrition, crunch, and exciting, complementary flavors and textures. The dressing is inspired by "insider info" I got from a server at Robert et Louise in Paris about the wonderful salad dressing they serve there.
Spring Chicken, Fruit & Herb Salad
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon Maggi seasoning
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 heads butter or Bibb lettuce, rinsed, dried, torn
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
1 large or 2 medium red onions, sliced
1/2 cup sliced scallions, white and green parts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon dried chervil
3 to 4 cups diced rotisserie chicken
8 ounces sliced strawberries
11 ounces mandarin orange segments
4 ounces walnuts, toasted with a bit of salt, or plain
Crumbled goat cheese
In a medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey, mustard, Maggi. Slowly stream in olive oil while whisking. Add salt and pepper, adjusting to taste if needed.
In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, onions, rosemary, chervil. Reserving about 1/4 cup dressing, slowly drizzle the rest around inside rim of large bowl so it coats the sides of bowl and collects at the bottom. Gently toss salad in the bowl, picking up the dressing to lightly coat. In the medium dressing bowl, lightly toss the chicken, berries, oranges in the remaining dressing.
Plate the lettuce mixture first, then compose the chicken and fruit medley on a bed of the lettuce. Top with nuts and cheese. Chow down.
BBQ Chicken Pizza? Yes please!
BBQ Chicken Pizza with Easy Yogurt Crust
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Easy yogurt crust means no yeast, no rise time, lower sugar and fat. This recipe stil has all the classic, exciting flavor. Choose your BBQ sauce thoughtfully, it makes ALL the difference.
Cooking spray or olive oil spray
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
4 teaspoons dried parsley
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
Olive oil or olive oil spray
1 cup favorite BBQ sauce (I love Heinz Kansas City Style with no high fructose corn syrup)
3 to 4 cups shredded or diced rotisserie chicken
4 peperoncini peppers, de-stemmed and seeded, and sliced thinly
2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese (e.g. mozzarella, provolone, parmesan)
1 medium red onion, sliced as preferred
Chopped cilantro to garnish
Heat oven to 475°F. Spray a half sheet pan or other baking sheet with cooking spray or olive oil spray.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, parsley. Add yogurt, knead with hands till you form a thick dough. It will be shaggy at first, keep the faith.
Place dough on prepared sheet pan, press into desired shape. I like to make an individual "rustic" rectangle for each guest. Brush dough with olive oil. In a bowl, toss chicken with 1/2 cup BBQ sauce. Spread rest of sauce over dough, stopping about 3/4 inch from the edge. Top with peppers, chicken, cheese, onions, distributing evenly.
Bake till edges are golden brown, 12 to 18 minutes. Top with cilantro, slice and serve to the impassioned applause of your guests.
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All hail the Chicken à la King! 🐓 👑
Classic Chicken à la King
Makes 4 to 6 servings
This is a dish that dates back over a hundred years. Mine is inspired by numerous popular mid-20th century "à la King" recipes, from Better Homes and Gardens, and Joy of Cooking, to name two, however tempering and adding an egg yolk is a step I leave out and one that you rarely see today.
White wine takes the place of Sherry wine here, which is oft-included in some of the best variations. You can substitute the wine with additional chicken stock if you like. If I do say so myself, I am pleased I succeeded in giving what sometimes can be a bland recipe more depth of flavor and kick!
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 yellow onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
8 ounces white mushrooms
1 bay leaf
3 to 4 cups shredded or diced rotisserie chicken
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Couple dashes favorite hot sauce
3/4 cup heavy cream
8 ounces diced pimento
10 ounces frozen green peas
In a large sautè pan, over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion, garlic powder, mushrooms, bay leaf, cook 5 minutes till lightly browned. Add chicken to pan. Salt and pepper ingredients lightly.
Add flour, stir to coat vegetables and chicken. Add wine, cook 3 minutes. Add broth, lemon juice, hot sauce, bring to a simmer, cook 7 minutes. Add cream, cook till thick, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes.
Add pimento, peas, cook 3 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Season again with salt and pepper as preferred.
Serve over your favorite festive rice, toasts, biscuits. It's a dinner fit for a king—not to mention the rest of the royal family!
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Click here to watch my Rotisserie Chicken Jamboree segment on Good Morning Washington! I had a great time yukking it up with my friends Eileen, Kidd, and Britt! We even sang a chicken song! 🐓 🎶
There ain't nobody here but us chickens! 🥗 🎉 🐓 👑 🍕
