Braided Chicken Almandine Recipes

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS AND ALMONDS

Steps:

• Coat a large, wide, deep pan with olive oil and bring to a high heat. Pat the chicken skin dry with paper towels and season generously with salt. Add chicken skin side down to the pan. You should hear a big sizzle as the thighs hit the pan. Do not try to move the chicken, the skin will stick itself to the bottom of the pan and will unstick itself when it is ready. If the pan is smoking excessively turn the burner down and continue to cook. When the skin is brown and crispy, turn the chicken over and brown it on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan and reserve.
• Lower the heat if you have not already done so and ditch most of the excess fat. Add the pancetta and brown. When the pancetta has started to get brown and crispy add the onions. Season with salt and crushed red pepper and sweat over medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and saute for 3 to 4 minutes or until they release their juices. Add the wine and reduce by half. Return the chicken to the pan. Add chicken stock to almost cover the chicken. Add the thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the chicken for 30 to 35 minutes. Add more chicken stock, if needed.
• While the chicken is cooking puree the almonds in the food processor. Drizzle in a little olive oil while the machine is running to make this a loose paste. Season with salt and reserve.
• Once the chicken has cooked for 30 to 35 minutes, remove it from the pan and reserve. Taste the sauce for seasoning and stir in the almond puree. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer to thicken the sauce, if needed. The almond puree will help to thicken the sauce and to make it very rich.
• Serve the chicken over Sauteed Haricots Verts or your favorite green vegetable. Spoon the mushroom almond sauce over and garnish with chopped chives.
• Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Set up a bowl of well salted ice water for shocking.
• Add the beans to the boiling water and cook until the beans are tender but still toothsome about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the boiling water and place immediately into the salted ice water. Once the beans are cool, remove them from the water and set aside until ready to use.
• Coat a large saute pan with olive oil. Add the garlic and the crushed red pepper and bring to a medium-high heat. When the garlic has become golden and very aromatic, remove it and discard. It has fulfilled its garlic destiny. Add the beans to the pan and saute until they are hot and coated with oil. Season with salt and serve right away.
• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 10 minutes

CHICKEN CRESCENT AMANDINE

Steps:

• In large saucepan, combine the soup, Miracle Whip, sour cream and onion. Stir in the chicken, water chestnuts, mushrooms and celery; cook over medium heat until mixture is hot and bubbly. , Pour into ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Unroll crescent dough and separate into two rectangles, trimming to fit dish. Place dough rectangles over hot chicken mixture. Combine cheese and almonds; sprinkle over the dough. Drizzle with butter., Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until crust is a deep golden brown. Serve immediately.

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI BRAID

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees F).
• In a large bowl, toss together chicken, broccoli, red bell pepper, garlic, Cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, dill weed, salt, almonds and onion.
• Unroll crescent roll dough, and arrange flat on a medium baking sheet. Pinch together perforations to form a single sheet of dough. Using a knife or scissors, cut 1 inch wide strips in towards the center, starting on the long sides. There should be a solid strip about 3 inches wide down the center, with the cut strips forming a fringe down each side. Spread the chicken mixture along the center strip. Fold the side strips over chicken mixture, alternating strips from each side. Pinch or twist to seal.
• Brush braided dough with the egg white. Bake in the preheated oven 25 to 28 minutes, or until golden brown.

EMERIL'S BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Season the chicken all over with the Essence and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Place the 1/2 cup flour in a small bowl, and quickly dredge both sides of each thigh in the flour, shaking to remove any excess. Set aside.
• Heat 1 teaspoon of the olive oil in a 10- to 12-inch flameproof casserole or saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter, and when it has melted, place the chicken, skin side down, in the pan. Brown for 2 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan, and when it has melted, add the onions, garlic, thyme bundle or rosemary sprigs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon then whisk in the chicken stock and increase the heat to high. Return the chicken, skin side down, to the pan, and bring the stock to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan with a heavy, tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Uncover the pan, stir the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching, and turn the chicken skin side up. Cover the pan, and simmer for 20 minutes longer.
• Stir the bottom of the pan a final time, re-cover, and simmer for 20 more minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and discard the herb bundle or rosemary sprigs. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Add the parsley to the sauce, stir to combine, and then spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve with steamed white rice.

CHICKEN ALMONDINE

Steps:

• Saute almonds in butter in a large skillet over medium heat until lightly browned.
• Remove with a slotted spoon, reserving butter in skillet.
• Set almonds aside.
• Combine flour, rosemary salt and pepper.
• Dredge chicken in flour mixture.
• Brown chicken in reserved butter over medium-high heat 4 minutes on each side.
• Stir in wine or apple juice, cover, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done.
• Remove chicken to a serving platter, reserving juices in skillet.
• Set chicken aside and keep warm.
• Bring juices to a boil; stir in reserved almonds.
• Spoon almond mixture over chicken.

BRAIDED RANCH CHICKEN BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water and let sit for 10 minutes.
• Stir olive oil, garlic powder, oregano, basil, and onion salt into the yeast mixture. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour. Turn dough out onto a clean, well-floured surface and knead in remaining flour until dough is no longer sticky. Place dough into a well-oiled bowl and cover with a cloth. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• While the dough is rising, cut chicken into small chunks and place in a bowl. Add Parmesan cheese and ranch dressing mix and toss until chicken is well coated; set aside.
• Punch dough down and form into a tight ball. Allow dough to relax for a minute, then roll on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut small strips down each side of the rectangle.
• Scoop chicken mixture along the center of the dough between the cuts. Alternating back and forth, fold all dough strips over the chicken mixture as if you were braiding hair. Transfer to a lightly oiled baking pan and let rise for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until crust is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

CHICKEN ALMONDINE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute celery, green pepper and onion in butter until tender; remove from the heat. Add chicken, rice, broth, peas, pimientos, salt and pepper; mix well. Spoon into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. , Combine soup and mayonnaise; spread over chicken mixture. For topping, combine stuffing and almonds; sprinkle over casserole. Drizzle with butter. , Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer or until bubbly.

CHICKEN BREAST AMANDINE

Steps:

• In a heavy skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it brown the chicken, patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper, for 2 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat to moderately low, cook the chicken for 6 minutes more on each side, or until it is cooked through, and transfer it to 2 heated plates.
• Cook the almonds in the oil remaining in the skillet over moderate heat, stirring, for 1 minute, or until they are golden, and transfer them with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add to the skillet the wine, the water, and the garlic paste and boil the mixture until it is reduced by half. Remove the skillet from the heat, stir in the butter, the parsley, the almonds, the lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste, and spoon the almond sauce over the chicken.

BRAIDED CHICKEN ALMANDINE

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine filling ingredients.
• Separate dough into 2 long rectangles. Place on ungreased cookie sheet with long sides overlapping 1/2". Firmly press perforations and edges to seal. Press to form 14x9 rectangle.
• Spoon chicken mixture in 3" strip lengthwise down center of dough. Cut 1" strips of dough from chicken to edge. Fold strips of dough at an angle alternating sides.
• Brush with egg, sprinkle with almonds.
• Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 8 servings.