Chicken Leek Strata Recipes

DO-AHEAD CHICKEN-LEEK STRATA

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add leeks; cook about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Remove from heat.
• Line bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with half of the bread slices. Sprinkle with chicken and dill weed; layer with leeks. Sprinkle 2 cups of the cheese over leeks. Top with remaining bread slices; sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.
• In medium bowl, mix remaining ingredients; pour over bread mixture. Cover tightly; refrigerate at least 4 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• About 1 hour 15 minutes before serving, heat oven to 325°F. Uncover dish; bake 1 hour to 1 hour 5 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN-LEEK STRATA

Steps:

• Melt butter in 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook leeks in butter about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened; remove from heat.
• Cut enough bread into 1-inch cubes to measure 5 cups. Mix bread cubes, leeks, chicken and dill weed. Spread bread mixture in ungreased square baking dish, 8x8x2 inches. Sprinkle with cheese. Mix remaining ingredients; pour over cheese. Cover tightly and refrigerate at least 4 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Uncover and bake 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

PAN-ROASTED CHICKEN WITH LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the bacon in a large heavy-bottomed ovenproof skillet and cook over medium-high heat until some of the fat renders, about 5 minutes. Push the bacon to the side of the pan. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add it to the pan and cook, turning, until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and leeks, then arrange the chicken on top of the bacon-leek mixture. Transfer to the oven and roast until the chicken is golden and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter.
• Carefully return the skillet to the stovetop over medium-high heat. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add the broth and half-and-half and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Bring to a boil and cook until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice. Spoon the leek mixture over the chicken. Serve with the remaining lemon wedges.
• Per serving: Calories 418; Fat 24 g (Saturated 8 g); Cholesterol 147 mg; Sodium 322 mg; Carbohydrate 14 g; Fiber 1 g; Protein 34 g

HEARTY CHICKEN STRATA

Steps:

• Arrange bread cubes in a single layer on several ungreased large baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and crisp. , Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the chicken, potatoes, celery, carrots and parsley. In another large bowl, combine the milk, broth, eggs, butter, salt and pepper. Pour over bread mixture; toss to coat. , Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 minutes; stir. Bake 45 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve with gravy if desired.

CHICKEN, LEEK, AND MUSHROOM CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook until golden brown on 1 side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip, reduce heat to medium, and cook until cooked through, about 10 minutes more. Transfer chicken to a plate, and return pan, with drippings, to medium heat.
• Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in pan. Add leek, celery, mushrooms, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are golden brown and tender, 8 to 10 minutes. (Reduce heat if vegetables brown too quickly.) Stir in flour, and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add sherry, stock, milk, and bay leaf, and cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom, until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf.
• Arrange bread on bottom of a 2-quart oval baking dish, overlapping slices slightly. Spoon half of the vegetables and sauce over bread. Slice chicken crosswise, 1/2 inch thick, and arrange on bread. Top with any accumulated juices from chicken. Spread remaining vegetables and sauce over chicken, sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan, and bake until golden brown and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

CHICKEN STRATA

Steps:

• Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add asparagus, water and cover. Cook until asparagus is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until all liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes. Transfer vegetables to large bowl.
• Add chicken and mayonnaise, mix well. Whisk milk, broth, eggs, parsley, chives, salt and pepper in another bowl.
• Lightly butter a 13x9 inch glass baking dish. Spread half of bread cubes in dish; top with chicken mixture. Spread remaining cubes over chicken. Pour egg mixture over ingredients in dish. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 10 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Bake strata for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese; bake until cheese is melted, about 15 minutes more. Let stand for 5 minutes; serve hot.

CHEESY LEEK STRATA

Steps:

• In a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray, layer half of the bread cubes, half of the leeks and half of the red pepper, 3/4 cup Swiss cheese and 3/4 cup cheddar cheese. Repeat layers once., In a bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, beer, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over cheese. Cover with plastic wrap. Weigh strata down with a slightly smaller baking dish. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight., Remove strata from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before cutting.

SAVORY STRATA

Steps:

• Whisk together milk, eggs, 1/4 teaspoon salt, Tabasco and nutmeg. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add leeks, and toss to coat with oil. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes or until leeks are soft. Season with 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cool.
• Mix together ricotta, Parmesan, pepper and herbs. Stir in the cooled leeks.
• Grease a roasting pan 9 by 12 by 2 1/2 inches with 1 teaspoon butter. Lay 6 slices of bread in the bottom of the pan. Top with half of the ricotta-leek mixture. Repeat with a second layer. Place the last layer of bread in the pan, and spread the top with the softened butter.
• Pour the custard over the bread, gently pressing top slices into the mixture. Place on a cookie sheet, wrap in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic, and sprinkle the top with the cheese. Place in a larger pan, and put on the middle rack of oven. Fill the larger pan with boiling water to come up about halfway on the smaller pan. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until puffy and brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.