I’m a big fan of chicken – I easily serve it three nights a week in my house. It’s just such a versatile meat. You can grill it, fry it, bake it, shred it, change up spices… so many options. I was looking around Justapinch.com to see what I’d whip up this week. And I noticed how many chicken recipes we had on the site (there were thousands!).
That got me thinking. Of all the Blue Ribbon recipes which chicken ones were my favorite? I realized I had way too many to include in here. But these were a few I thought I’d share.
“In my house my grandmother did all the cooking while my mother and father were at work,” shares Telisia Dodd. “She would cook two kinds of meats a day, and one of them was her fried chicken.” Telisia’s Texas Fried Chicken is perfectly salty and crisp. I would eat this delicious chicken any time of the day or night. The crust on this chicken is finger lickin’ good!
To me, nothing is better than a roasted chicken. Carrie Brannon’s Unique Roasted Chicken recipe interested me because I’d never used her method of roasting a chicken. You can bet I will be doing it again! “Although the spices in this recipe may sound strange for chicken, it is so good,” says Carrie. “If you cook this in July you’ll swear it is Christmas from the yummy smell in your kitchen!” I would have never thought to add cloves, allspice, nutmeg and cinnamon to a chicken rub. But, the spices add a ton of flavor! This chicken comes out so moist and delectable.
Lisa Crum’s Balsamic Chicken Garden Medley will serve a crowd, but I’m not sure you’ll have any leftovers (it’s that good!). “Just about everyone who’s ever tried it says it’s one of the tastiest chicken dishes they’ve ever eaten,” says Lisa. The marinade adds great flavor to the chicken and veggies. You could almost eat that as a meal itself! But, I suggest adding the pasta and marinara for an impressive meal. This yummy recipe is fairly labor-intensive, but nearly all the prep work can be done in advance. What a great way to serve friends and family something special and still have time to visit with them!
“I have always made my chili verde with pork, but my family loves chicken,” says Tamra Miller. I think the addition of tomatillos to Tamra’s Chicken Chili Verde and a hefty amount of cumin turn this recipe into a real stand-out! Put it on top of some corn chips and cheese as Tamra suggests and you have one hearty dinner.
“Sweet & fruity, with just the right zing,” is how Lauren Conforti describes her Caribbean Chicken. I’d agree… this dish has a great combination of flavors. I really loved the addition of apples and peppers. I bet this would be terrific served alongside some wild rice too.
I love to make chicken for Sunday dinner, then use the leftovers in a different way during the week. That’s why I love Karie Houghton’s Slow Cooker Shredded Taco Chicken. “We had this super duper easy flavorful chicken in several different meals this weekend,” says Karie. You can throw this in the slow-cooker and forget about it – couldn’t be easier on a lazy Sunday. I loved this served in a soft taco when I first tried it, but like Karie says, it would be wonderful served as part of so many meals.
Next time chicken is on sale at the store, grab a few extra packages and try one of these flavorful recipes. Do you have a favorite chicken recipe? Make sure to share it with us!