by Ann Cipperly
While chefs are known for their superb steak and seafood specialties, they are also excellent at cooking flavorful chicken dishes. Talented chefs from several local restaurants are each sharing a favorite chicken recipe they prepare for their families at home. Each recipe is top-notch and may become a favorite at your home as well.
Chef James Jolly at Botanic prepares a Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie for his children that is one of his favorite comfort foods. Since it is so popular with his children, Chef Jolly usually doubles the recipe to be sure he can grab a slice or two.
Chef Marc Osier of Ithaka Hospitality Partners is sharing a recipe for 40 Clove Garlic Chicken. The recipe is one of his favorite family meals and a tradition that brings back many memories for him.
While Chef Scott Simpson of The Depot has become well-known for his steaks and seafood, he also takes pride in preparing their all-natural chicken dishes. His recipe for Depot Simplified Beer Can Chicken can be prepared two ways, either grilled or in the oven. It also has a tasty sauce.
Chef Simpson’s other recipe, Jamaican Jerk Chicken Feast, is a classic recipe with a blend of sweet, spicy and savory flavors. He provides suggestions for a festive menu. This dish would be wonderful for entertaining as well as for treating your family.
Chef Christian Watson of The Waverly Local is sharing a recipe for Chicken and Vegetable Penne Pasta that can be easily assembled on busy days by using a rotisserie chicken. The chef gives suggestions for changing the vegetables to use seasonal favorites.
Chef Eron Bass of Café 123’s favorite chicken recipe to make at home is French Onion Chicken. The chef says with its rich broth, caramelized onions and melted cheese, it is a delicious all-in-one meal. It is his favorite comfort food, and it may become your family’s too with all the tantalizing flavors. He serves it over creamy mashed potatoes and wilted greens.
Chef Jim Sikes was the owner and chef of the popular Jimmy’s Restaurant in downtown Opelika for many years. Since then, Chef Sikes has been instructing cooking classes in his home, and those attending sample the yummy dishes.
Chef Sikes’s wife, Aimee, is from New Orleans, and the chef prepares many of the city’s classic dishes, including those with Italiana influences. He is sharing one of their favorites, Chicken Cacciatore, which is also a favorite dish of Chef Edgar “Dook” Chase, the grandson of famous Leah Chase. The hearty dish can be served with rice, grilled bread or pasta.
Thanks to all the chefs from taking time from their busy schedules to share their family’ favorite chicken recipe at home. Clip and save them, as they may become the favorite at your home.
Double Crust Chicken Pot Pie
Chef James Jolly of Botanic
I enjoy making this recipe for my kids, and I usually double it so there is enough for dad to have two slices. It is one of my favorite comfort foods to make, and my daughters love it.
For the filling:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup sweet peas, frozen
1 cup potatoes, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
For the crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup ice water
Prepare the crust.
Make the dough:
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour and salt.
Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add ice water gradually, mixing just until the dough comes together.
Divide the dough in half, shape into discs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Prepare the filling.
Cook the chicken:
In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter over medium heat.
Add the diced chicken and cook until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
Remove chicken from the pot and set aside.
Cook the vegetables:
In the same pot, melt remaining butter.
Add onions, garlic, carrots, celery and potatoes. Cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in flour and cook for 2 minutes, until well combined.
Make the sauce:
Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Stir in heavy cream, salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary and nutmeg.
Combine and finish:
Return cooked chicken to the pot along with peas.
Mix well and remove from heat. Let the filling cool slightly.
Assemble and bake.
Preheat oven:
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Roll out the dough:
On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to fit a 9-inch pie dish.
Transfer dough to the pie dish, pressing it firmly into the bottom and sides.
Add the filling:
Pour chicken and vegetable filling into the prepared crust.
Top with crust:
Roll out the second disc of dough and place it over the filling.
Trim any excess dough and crimp edges to seal.
Cut a few slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape.
Bake:
Place pie on a baking sheet to catch any drips.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
Cool and serve:
Let the pot pie cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.
Enjoy your delicious homemade chicken pot pie!
Depot Simplified Beer Can Chicken
Chef Scott Simpson of The Depot
While we’re known for our seafood and steak specialties, we take great pride in all of our preparations, including our all-natural chicken dishes.
Spice Rub (basically a mild taco seasoning)
2 Tbsp. smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
Save 1 Tbsp. of mix for the sauce.
Beer Can Chicken
1 whole chicken, split in half
1 can Mexican lager beer (experiment with different beer flavors)
Olive oil
Spice rub
Prepare chicken: Soak chicken halves in beer for 30 minutes. Pat dry.
Season: Rub chicken with olive oil, then generously apply spice rub. For extra flavor, marinate overnight.
Cook according to your preferred method:
Grill: Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Place chicken on grill, covered, for 45-60 minutes, or until internal thigh temperature reaches 165°F.
Oven: Preheat oven to 375°F. Place chicken on a baking sheet and roast for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until internal thigh temperature reaches 165°F.
Rest: Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before carving.
Beer Can Sauce
1 can beer
1 cup chicken pan juices or chicken broth
1 Tbsp. reserved spice mix
Jalapeno, seeded and finely diced (optional)
Cilantro, washed and finely chopped (optional)
Cornstarch (optional)
Reduce beer: Reduce 1 can of beer by half in a saucepan.
Combine: Add pan juices or chicken stock to reduce beer. Simmer until thickened.
Season: Stir in reserved spice mix and then jalapeno and cilantro (if desired).
Thicken: If needed, create a slurry with cornstarch and water to thicken sauce.
Serve: Drizzle sauce over chicken and serve with rice or potatoes.
Side Dish Suggestions: Mexican-style rice, grilled corn on the cob, coleslaw
40 Clove Garlic Chicken
Chef Marc Osier, Ithaka Hospitality Partners, Managing Partner Food Halls and Restaurants
This is one of those family meals/traditions I have such fond memories of with family.
4 lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. plus 1/2 cup olive oil (pure not extra virgin)
5 sprigs fresh thyme
40 cloves peeled garlic
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Season chicken with salt and pepper and coat with olive oil.
In an oven safe sauté pan (with straight walls) sear chicken (on high heat) on all sides until nicely browned on all sides.
Add rest of the oil, garlic and thyme to the pan; cover and cook in the oven for an hour and a half to two hours.
Serve with rustic bread.
Chicken and Vegetable Penne Pasta
Chef Christian Watson of The Waverly Local
For fall, you can replace the corn and tomatoes with sliced mushrooms and roasted sweet potatoes (small dice) that may be more weather appropriate. Replace the basil with one tablespoon fresh thyme chopped.
1 rotisserie chicken (meat pulled)
1 box penne pasta (cooked)
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup Chardonnay
1 cup grape tomatoes (halved)
1 cup frozen English peas (thawed)
1 cup corn (shucked and sliced off the cob)
2 cups kale (picked into bite size pieces)
1/2 cup sweet onion (small dice)
1 Tbsp. garlic (minced)
1/4 cup Olive oil
2 cups Parmigiana
1 cup Basil (picked to bite size pieces)
1 oz. Worcestershire sauce
1 oz. Hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste
This is a very easy recipe to prepare. The key is to have all of your ingredients prepped the day before.
In a 12 quart pot over medium heat add the oil.
Add the onions and a touch of salt and pepper and cook until the onions are translucent.
Add white wine and cook until reduced by half.
Add garlic, chicken stock, Worcestershire and hot sauce.
Add chicken.
Add pasta; stir well.
Add tomatoes, corn and peas.
Add half of Parmigiana; stir well.
Remove from heat.
Add kale; stir well.
Add basil.
Taste and season accordingly.
Transfer to your favorite serving dish.
Garnish with the remaining Parmigiana.
Enjoy!
Chicken Cacciatore
Chef Jim Sikes, former chef/owner of Jimmy’s restaurant and currently giving cooking classes.
Chicken Cacciatore is a favorite dish of ours. Aimee is from New Orleans, and serves it with rice, while I like it with grilled or fried bread. The leftover sauce makes a fine pasta dish.
2 to 4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
14 oz. tomatoes, chopped – whole San Marzano preferred, chop yourself
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup water
1 tsp. chicken base like Better than Bullion
1 whole bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, optional
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
3 Tbsp. capers
Season chicken with Kosher salt and pepper. Dust with flour and shake off excess.
Add olive oil to a Dutch oven and brown chicken over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes on skin side. Remove chicken from pan and set aside, skin side up.
In the same pot, stir in peppers, onion and mushrooms. Cook until vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds or just until fragrant.
Stir in tomato paste and caramelize just a minute. Lower heat and add tomatoes, wine and spices. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
Add browned chicken, skin side up and simmer, covered, for an additional 40 minutes.
Remove the lid and simmer until the sauce is moderately thick. Stir in the capers. Serve with grilled bread, or over pasta or rice, if desired.
French Onion Chicken
Chef Eron Bass of Café 123
This French Onion Chicken recipe has all the feels! From the rich broth, the caramelized onion and the gooey melted cheese, it make a delicious all-in-one meal! It’s one of my favorite comfort foods! I love to serve it over creamy mashed potatoes and wilted greens.
Chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt/pepper
1/2 Tbsp. garlic powder
½ cup flour
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter, salted or unsalted
Sauce:
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 yellow onions, equal to 1.5 lbs.
1 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried thyme,(fresh is better)
1/4 tsp. ground sage
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine, like chardonnay or pinot griglo
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup beef broth
1 cup chicken broth
1 beef bouillon
2 cups Swiss cheese, provolone or gruyere are great too
Prepare the chicken:
Pat chicken dry and sprinkle each side with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Combine flour and Parmesan cheese and dredge chicken in it.
Heat 3 Tbsp. oil and 1 Tbsp. butter over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken for about 3 minutes/side, until a nice golden crust has developed. Adjust heat as needed throughout the searing process, turning down slightly if it gets
too hot, and back up again if needed. Add a little additional olive oil if needed.
Set chicken aside and tent with foil. If it’s not cooked all the way through, it will finish cooking in the oven.
Caramelize the onions:
Slice onions in ¼ inch slices but not too thin.
Melt 2 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Use a silicone spatula to clean chicken remnants (called “fond”) from skillet to add more flavor to sauce.
Add sliced onions and toss to coat. Soften for 5 minutes. Add soy sauce, rosemary, thyme and sage.
Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove cover and increase heat to medium. Cook for 10 more minutes, stirring frequently.
Make the sauce:
Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
Add garlic and white wine to the skillet. Cook uncovered until wine is almost completely reduced, about 10 minutes.
Add flour and toss to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until raw flour smell is gone.
Add chicken broth, beef broth and beef bouillon. Increase heat to medium-high and bring sauce to a gentle boil. Let it thicken and reduce for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Bake:
(Note: Transfer to an oven-safe casserole dish prior to baking if necessary. I always use a large, oven-safe skillet for this recipe to make it easy to transfer from the stovetop to oven.)
Add chicken back to the skillet and top with cheese. Bake at 475 for 15-20 minutes, until the top begins to brown and bubble.
Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh thyme. Serve!
Jamaican Jerk Chicken Feast
Chef Scott Simpson of The Depot
Transport yourself to the vibrant flavors of Jamaica with this easy-to-follow recipe for a classic jerk chicken feast. With its perfect blend of sweet, spicy and savory, this dish is sure to impress.
Whole chicken, split in half
1 can Jamaican lager beer
Olive oil
Walkerswood Mild Jerk Seasoning
For the Jerk Sauce:
Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning
Soy sauce
Brown sugar
For the Caribbean Rice & Peas:
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can coconut milk
1 onion, chopped
For the Fried Sweet Plantains:
2-3 ripe plantains
Vegetable oil for frying
Salt
Jerk Chicken:
Vinegar
Water
Cornstarch (optional)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. ground allspice
Salt and pepper to taste
Marinate chicken halves in beer and Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning overnight.
Grill or roast until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Jerk Sauce:
Combine Walkerswood Jerk Seasoning, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and water in a saucepan.
Simmer until thickened. Optional: thicken with cornstarch slurry.
Caribbean Rice and Peas:
Sauté onion, green pepper and garlic.
Add rice, kidney beans, coconut milk, thyme, allspice, salt and pepper. Simmer until rice is cooked.
Fried Sweet Plantains:
Slice ripe plantains. Fry in hot oil until golden brown and crispy. Sprinkle them with salt.
To Serve: Drizzle jerk chicken with jerk sauce and serve with Caribbean rice and peas and fried sweet plantains.
Enjoy the authentic flavors of Jamaica!
Tips:
Adjust the heat level of the jerk seasoning to your preference.
Serve with traditional sides like rice & peas, coleslaw or cornbread for a complete meal.
With this simple recipe, you can bring a taste of Jamaica right to your kitchen.
