Seasoned Chicken

There are times that you need to have some chicken for a dish. This recipe gives you some chicken that has a great flavor to add to a casserole, pot pie, soup or just about anywhere that you might need some boiled, seasoned chicken. One added advantage to my recipe is you also have a nice chicken stock that is a by-product of the process.

Here we go:

Cookware:
1 3-quart pan
Spoon for stirring

Ingredients:
3 leg and thigh quarters, skinned, cut up with most of the fat removed
2 small to medium size carrots, washed and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 stalk celery
3 cloves garlic, sliced into 1/8" slices
2 tsp salt (kosher or sea salt for better flavor and nutritional value)
pepper to taste (always put just a little then taste - you can always add, but it is difficult to take out.)
Optional: 1/8 tsp of oriental ground chili or a basil leaf
2 Tbsp canola oil
1-2 quarts water (varies based on size of pan, size of chicken pieces, etc.

1. Prepare chicken. Hint: when removing skin, use a paper towel to grasp the skin and pull it off.
2. Prepare veggies. Hint: make sure you wash the carrots and celery well so you can use the stock for soup or other things later.
3. Add canola oil to pan, turn on to high heat.
4. Once oil is hot, toss in vegetables, then lower to medium low heat.
5. Stir regularly,
6. Once onions are translucent, toss in chicken pieces.
7. Cook for a couple of minutes, then turn the pieces over until all the chicken is slightly cooked.
8. Add salt, black pepper, and chili or basil leaf.
9. Stir
10. Add water to cover chicken.
11. Stir.
12. Cook for 1 - 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is tender.
13. Let chicken cool.
14. Pull meat off the bones and dice it up or do whatever fits the recipe you are creating.
    

If you are just wanting some chicken noodle soup, skim off any excess fat, dice the chicken and add some egg noodles. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For more tenter chicken, go to very low heat and cook for 2 or more hours. You may have to add some water as you go, but this stuff should be really tender and tasty.

This also goes well in the enchilada casserole if you prefer chicken over beef.