Easy Chicken Recipes

Chicken is a versatile meat to work with. It goes with anything, and it is relatively inexpensive. Almost everyone like it. Here are three of my favourite chicken recipes.

Simple Chicken Noodle Soup

You will need:

1 or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 pkg wide egg noodles (500-700 grams is best)

2 medium carrots, washed, peeled, and sliced

1-2 cups of fresh broccoli (This is a good way to get rid of the broccoli stalks that no one really likes) washed and cut into bite-size pieces or a little smaller

2-3 sticks of fresh celery, washed and cut into "Moons" (I hope everyone knows what I mean, honestly I should make a hub about why I started calling them this.)

Various other vegetables, including some frozen veggies, if desired

1 carton of chicken broth (900 mL or thereabouts)

Water as needed

Thyme, Parsley, Oregano, Basil, salt, and pepper to taste.

What you do:

1. Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and fully cook it.

2. In a large pot, combine broth, chicken, all vegetables, and spices.

3. Bring soup to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30-60 minutes (the longer you cook it, the better the spices will cook down, and the better the soup will be.) You may need to add water to the soup, especially when bringing it to a boil.

4. The noodles should be soft, as should the vegetables. This is not a time for au dente egg noodles. I find that trying to leave the noodles a little firm doesn't work with the soup. Also, not allowing the spices to cook down leads to a less-than-spectualr soup every time.

This is great with a home-made bread!

Slow-cooker or crock pot variation: combine all ingredients, without cooking the meat, in a slow-cooker or crock pot and let it cook on a medium setting for the better part of the day. Be sure to stir the soup and add plenty of water so that it doesn't burn.

Crispy chicken legs (or drumsticks)

You will need:

About a pound of chicken legs or drumsticks

1 1/2 cups of flour

One stack of saltine-style crackers

Various spices (A lemon pepper and garlic blend works well, or you can mix your own spices. I like using about a tablespoon each of garlic powder, minced onion, oregano, basil, thyme, and parsley, plus a little salt and pepper.)

What you do:

1. Crush the saltines and add them to the flour in a large bowl. Add spices and mix well.

2. Rinse chicken and toss in coating mix until well covered, and arrange on a baking sheet.

3. Place chicken in a preheated, 425 F oven for 45 minutes. (If using frozen chicken that has not defrosted, cook for 60-90 minutes.)

This works well with a baked potato or a pasta as a side dish.

Simple Chicken-fried Rice

What you need:

1-2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Frozen works well)

2-3 cups of cooked white rice

2 large eggs

1 cup of frozen mixed vegetables

1 tsp of soy sauce (More or less depending on soy sauce. A good, authentic one may require less while a cheap one while take more.)

1 tbsp (give or take, again) of Oyster Sauce (Which surprisingly enough doesn't actually taste like oyster, so don't worry if you don't like oysters!)

What you do:

1. cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and cook well.

2. In a large pan, combine rice, chicken, vegetables, and eggs. Stir well and cook until eggs seem done.

3. Add soy sauce and oyster sauce and stir well. Cook until vegetables are heated through, about another 5-10 minutes. Remember to check for taste and add more of either sauce until you get the flavour you want.

Feel free to experiment with this. Use various fresh veggies, such as carrots, broccoli, gai lan, and baby bok choy. Try using only oyster sauce or only a light soy sauce. It's a versatile, easy meal in one pan!