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Woo Your Valentine With "Engagement Chicken"

Nancy Einhart — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:06:15 PST

Could a chicken take your relationship to the next level? This legendary recipe for "engagement chicken" has led to hundreds of marriage proposals. Even if you're not looking to get hitched, it makes a perfectly easy and comforting meal to serve on Valentine's Day. Watch our video to learn its storied history and how to make this simple yet seductive recipe.

7 Wing Recipes to Make Your Game Day Spread a High-Flying Success

Sara Yoo — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:50:58 PST

Just like the halftime show and cheerleaders, wings are considered to be a great component on game day, but who says they can't be the main event? If you're willing to travel beyond the buffalo, the poultry possibilities are boundless, and prepping a wing buffet is easy to boot. Just fry up enough wing parts to feed your crowd, and toss them in a variety of make-ahead sauces to keep palates piqued and appetites sated. Check out our wing wrap-up for inspiration, but don't be afraid to get creative and experiment with your favorite flavors and ingredients!

The Wide World of Wings: Lemon Pepper With Cucumber-Feta Yogurt Sauce

Sara Yoo — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:30:04 PST

We close out our week of worldly wings with a recipe . . . with an accessory. While I love this classic finger food on its own, sometimes a cooling dipping sauce is just what the tailgater ordered to complement a piping hot and/or fiery chicken wing. Think about it: buffalo wings are divine, but when that Frank's RedHot sauce becomes too hot to handle, nothing quenches a mouth inferno quite like some blue cheese dressing.

While this recipe forgoes a spicy wing in favor of a tangy lemon-pepper vinaigrette, it's merely a vehicle for the velvety yogurt dipping sauce. Creamy feta and soothing cucumber serve to heighten the cooling sensation, making it a great addition to a wing buffet side by side with its hotter cousins. Get the recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza With Shaved Celery Salad

Lauren Hendrickson — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:30:34 PST

Buffalo chicken is one of my favorite game-time indulgences, and I love to transform its flavors into something new, like a buffalo chicken dip and now a pizza with all of the same flavors. This tasty pie is topped with buffalo chicken, mozzarella, and Gorgonzola cheese, but it doesn't end there: the whole pizza gets topped with a shaved celery and parsley salad.
If you've never shaved your celery, don't worry: it's really easy. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the stringiness, and be sure to hang onto the leaves of the celery, since they are quite tender and add texture to the salad.
Alone, this pizza might be a little heavy but topped with shaved celery salad, it's lighter and even has a bit of a crunch. Score a touchdown with this pizza at your Super Bowl party when you get the recipe!

The Wide World of Wings: Salsa Verde

Sara Yoo — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:09:29 PST

Wings are a game day mainstay, but before you grab that bottle of Frank's RedHot, consider a version or two that journey beyond buffalo. This week, we tread the less-beaten path through wing-dom with a look at five recipes that shed new light on our favorite chicken part.

Today, our wings get a south of the border kick with tomatillo-based salsa verde. Taking a page from the popular Mexican dish chile verde, which tempers the bright tang of this tomato relative with smoky braised pork, I simmered the salsa in some chicken broth for some added flavor depth before thickening up the sauce. Serve the wings drizzled with the salsa verde, and for an over-the-top delight, topped with sour cream and crumbled cotija cheese.

Of course, don't shun the buffalo sauce entirely. For a spectacular game day spread, fry up a large batch of wings, serve them with a variety of sauces, and let your guests pick their favorites!

Keep reading for this finger food treat.

Fast and Easy Dinner: Chicken Breast With Goat Cheese and Basil

Camilla Salem — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:25:17 PST

This recipe requires only a few ingredients, takes five minutes to put together, and cooks up in about about 40 minutes. It's the definition of a fast and easy meal. It's also incredibly satisfying and comforting without being heavy.

Chicken breasts with the bone in and skin on are actually cheaper than boneless, skinless breasts at the grocery store (there was a two dollar difference at my store!), and this recipe actually requires the skin to hold in the goat cheese and basil. The result is a moist, tender piece of meat, packed with flavor. Generally, I'm not the biggest fan of goat cheese on its own, but once it's been cooked with the basil and chicken, it takes on a whole new flavor.

For this super easy recipe, keep reading!

Chicken Paillard Is a Quick, Elegant Dinner

Susannah Chen — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 09:08:59 PST

Holiday times have you in a bind? Chef Marlon Alexander shows you the most elegant chicken dinner you'll ever make in under 15 minutes: chicken paillard with a ponzu dressing. Fast, flavor-packed, and on the lighter side, it's the perfect dish to serve after an indulgent holiday season.

The Easiest, Juiciest Way to Roast Chicken - Ever

Nancy Einhart — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 13:00:45 PDT

Roast chicken makes a ridiculously easy weeknight meal, but in the past, my recipes often resulted in too-dry meat. Then, I discovered the cast-iron method, and I've never looked back.

With this recipe, all you need is a chicken, a cast-iron skillet (a 10-inch skillet works well), and salt and pepper. Getting the chicken super dry before roasting produces a perfectly browned skin, and the cast iron keeps the rendered fat from burning. Follow this method, at this temp, for this amount of time, and the chicken will come out perfectly moist and delicious. Get the best, easiest roast chicken recipe.

Fast and Easy Dinner: Dilly Chicken Noodle Soup

Susannah Chen — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 05:07:52 PDT

Whenever I find myself feeling run-down or particularly susceptible to a tenacious Fall cold, there are two things I do: I take my vitamins, and I make my simple recipe for wholesome chicken noodle soup. The minute the smell of aromatics and chicken permeates my kitchen, it's impossible to deny the healing properties of this chicken noodle soup.

Despite its familiar ingredients, this is nothing like the canned or cafeteria stuff; instead, it's chock-full of chunks of real chicken breast, whole pieces of vegetables, al dente egg noodles, and a transparent (but powerful) chicken broth base. But the ingredient that absolutely makes this soup is the dill: it adds a lemony, vegetal flavor that complements the chicken in the best way possible. Get your soup on with the recipe.

Braised Chicken With Tomatoes: Perfect For Between Seasons

Susannah Chen — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:45:25 PDT

This month, I've shifted my focus from Summer cookout food to something a little more soothing, but amidst a San Francisco Indian Summer, I'm not quite ready to plunge into full-blown Fall fare just yet. So in addition to treasuring those timeless staples, I've also looked for recipes that fall (pardon the pun) right in between those two seasons. One such gem is this slow-cooked dish of chicken with fresh tomatoes.

It incorporates the sunny flavor of Early Girl tomatoes with the reassuring tenderness of chicken braised in its own stock. Lighten it up with skinless chicken breast, swap out the sage for tarragon or basil, or use cherry or heirloom tomatoes instead. The result is a sumptuous main meal that's fantastic over grits, polenta, or mashed potatoes. Savor the in-between moment when you keep reading.