Chicken Divan

Chicken Divan has come full circle. Originally made with mornay sauce (bechamel or white sauce with cheese in it), over the years it turned into something you dumped canned chicken, frozen broccoli and a can of cream-of-something-soup into.

Well. We don't eat cream-of-something soup anymore because it usually has soy. I don't like frozen broccoli because the stems are tough and the crowns are mushy. So, let's go with a standard recipe and cut down on some of the butter and cheese to reduce the fat. The classic cheeses to use are half gruyere and half parmesan, but you can use anything you have on hand. We like sharp cheddar.

Chicken Divan
Serves 4

4 cups broccoli
4 tsp butter
1/4 cup minced onion or shallot (optional)
3 Tbsp flour
1/2 cup chicken broth (or water)
1 tsp chicken bouillon powder or 1 cube
1 cup milk
2 oz shredded cheese (1/2 cup)
10 oz sliced, cooked chicken
Cooked noodles, rice, or toast

1. Steam the broccoli--let the water in the steamer come to a rolling boil, then steam the broccoli for 8 or 9 minutes, covered.

2. While the broccoli is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan. Saute the optional onions until they are soft but not browning at the edges. (If you don't want to do this, add 1 tsp minced dried onion later with the chicken bouillon.)

3. Sprinkle the flour over the melted butter and stir. Add the chicken broth or water all at once and stir until smooth. Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly, until it is all incorporated and smooth. Heat until just bubbly.

4. Add the chicken bouillon and shredded cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted. Add the chicken and stir to coat with sauce.

5. Dish out the rice, noodles, or toast on 4 plates or shallow soup dishes. Divide up the broccoli over this. Ladle the chicken and sauce over all.

Note: If you are really energetic you can poach your own chicken for this. I simmer chicken breasts with some celery leaves, a couple of baby carrots, several grinds of pepper, and a bay leaf. When it is done, I simmer the broth down to concentrate it and use in the recipe.

No-soy considerations:
Check the chicken bouillon for soy.
If serving over toast, check the bread for soy or soy oil.

A Chicken Pot Pie

Here's a good fall recipe, and it is not too hard to make if you have 1/2 pound leftover chicken and use frozen vegetables. The original recipe came from a Weight Watchers cookbook and used a small tube of (five) biscuits, each split in half, on top, which made it really easy, but they have soy oil. If you can eat soy oil--I can't--go ahead and use them, but use the cooking temperature and time on the biscuit tube.

This is a real favorite of my kids.

Chicken Pie with Biscuit Top
Serves 5 in our family

4 teaspoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon mixed herbs, such as Italian blend or Herbes de Provence
1 1/2 cups milk (skimmed milk works fine)
4 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (or whatever kind you like)
8 ounces cooked chicken, cut in 1/2" cubes
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules, or a crumbled chicken bouillon cube (read label to avoid soy)
1 tsp grainy mustard (optional)
1 cup thinly sliced carrots (* see note)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (* see note)
1 cup green beans (* see note)
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

For biscuit top:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 cups milk

1. * First, steam or parboil the vegetables until they are tender-crisp. Put aside. (Skip this step if using frozen vegetables.)

2. Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan or large skillet. Add the flour, mustard, and herbs. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the milk, a little at a time, stirring to blend. Let the sauce simmer until it has thickened, maybe 3 minutes. Add the cheese and stir while it melts. Add the chicken, bouillon and optional mustard, stir, then add the vegetables.

3. Put into a lightly oiled casserole.

4. For the biscuit top: mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Work in butter with tips of fingers, two knives, or a pastry blender. Add the milk gradually, mixing with a fork until you have a soft dough.

5. Drop the biscuit mixture over the top of the casserole in heaping tablespoons, then smooth slightly to cover the entire surface.

6. Bake at 450F for 12-15 minutes.

*Note: you can substitute 3 cups of frozen mixed vegetables for the carrots, mushrooms, and beans. Or use a drained 8-oz can of sliced mushrooms and 2 cups of frozen vegetables. You don't have to pre-cook the frozen or canned vegetables.

[photo to be added]

Moo Goo Gai Pan

sThe last time I went to a Chinese restaurant I was sick before we left, even though I had ordered only steamed shrimp, steamed rice, and sweet-and-sour sauce on the side. I blame cross-contamination in the kitchen (probably someone used a spoon that had been in another dish.)

But I love Chinese food.

So, to a avoid a long story and get straight to the recipe, here is our home-made:

Moo Goo Gai Pan

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken, cut into 1" pieces
2 Tbs cornstarch
3/4 cup chicken broth (or 3/4 cup water + 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder)
2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce, or 1 Tbs each Worcestershire and Maggi seasoning
1 tsp dark (Asian) sesame oil
1 Tbs grated fresh ginger (do not pack)
8 oz sliced button mushrooms (you can buy this amount in a carton in the produce section)
1/4 lb fresh snow peas (or 3/4 cup frozen green beans)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 medium onion, sliced the long way (not into rings)
2-3 tsp canola oil

Hint: start rice before you start this dish. Brown rice: start 20 minutes before, white rice: start just before.

1. Combine the chicken with 1 Tbs of the cornstarch in a medium bowl; toss well to coat and set aside. Combine the broth with the remaining 1 Tbs cornstarch, Worcestershire (or Worcestershire and Maggi) sauce, and sesame oil in a 1-cup glass measure; set aside.

2. Heat a 12" skillet (or a wok if you have one) over medium-high heat until a drop of water sizzles. Swirl in the canola oil, then add the chicken. Stir-fry until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

4. Add the mushtooms, snow peas or green beans, bell pepper, an onions, and stiry-fry until tender, 3-4 minutes.

5. Add the broth mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until it boils and thickens, and the chicken is just cooked through, 1-2 minutes.

Serve over rice.