Recipes Using Leeks And Chicken

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

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH LEEKS AND PARMESAN CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the oil and tilt the pan to coat completely with oil.
• Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Place them in the sauté pan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the chicken releases easily from the pan and the underside is browned. Turn the chicken over and cook for an additional 5 to 6 minutes to brown the other side. Transfer the chicken to an ovenproof platter or pan and put it in the oven to finish cooking.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter to the pan. When the butter melts, add the leeks and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are softened, about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat to add the vermouth, then return it to medium-low heat and cook until the vermouth is reduced by about half. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Remove the chicken breasts from the oven and check their internal temperature with a meat thermometer, which should be 165 F. and let stand a few minutes before slicing chicken on the bias. Transfer chicken breasts to a dinner plate and top each with a generous spoonful of the cooked leeks.

CREAMY CHICKEN & LEEKS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the bacon for 2 mins. Add the chicken, then cook with the bacon for a further 2-3 mins, until the pieces begin to turn golden. Tip in the leeks and cook gently for 10 mins until wilted and tender.
• Stir through the flour and gradually add the stock, stirring constantly. Add the wholegrain mustard and crème fraîche, stir again, then simmer gently for 5 mins until the sauce is slightly thickened and creamy. Serve on top of baked jacket potatoes.

PUFF PASTRY CHICKEN AND LEEK CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Place chicken thighs, leek, carrots, celery, peas, parsley, garlic, shallot, tarragon, salt, basil, pepper, and bay leaves into a large pan. Pour in milk and stir to blend ingredients. Bring to a simmer. Cover and continue to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Strain off milk and set aside in a bowl. Separate chicken and vegetables into two bowls. Tear chicken into rough chunks when cool enough to handle.
• Melt butter in the same pan over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour, stirring frequently and breaking up any chunks. Continue to stir and cook until thickened and golden, making a roux. Gradually add the strained milk, stirring until you have a sauce. Stir in heavy cream and Dijon mustard, then add the chicken and vegetables. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Pour chicken mixture into the prepared baking dish. Roll out the puff pastry and overlap the pieces to cover the casserole. Glaze the pastry with beaten egg and make several vents in the pastry using a sharp knife.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden, 30 to 40 minutes.

CREAMED CHICKEN AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a saucepan. When foaming subsides, but before it gets brown add the leeks and celery and 1/4 cup of the chicken broth. Cover and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes; do not let it get brown. Add the chicken, skin side up along with bouquet garni and enough of the broth to just cover the chicken. Cover and simmer, over very low heat for 30 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through. Remove chicken from the broth; remove and discard skin and bones and cut chicken into chunks. Remove and discard bouquet garni.
• Puree the liquid through a food mill and return it to the saucepan. Add remaining broth and boil it down until reduced to 4 cups. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add lemon juice to chicken and set in microwavable dish.
• Blend egg yolks and cream together. Very slowly ladle 1 cup of hot broth into the mixture. Return this tempered mixture to the soup and bring to under a simmer to thicken. Reheat chicken for a minute in microwave oven and distribute it among 4 soup plates. Ladle thickened broth over chicken and garnish with parsley. Serve over boiled potatoes or with bread

CHICKEN AND RICE WITH LEEKS AND SALSA VERDE

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Melt 2 Tbsp. butter in a large high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add leeks and half of lemon zest, season with salt and pepper, and mix to coat leeks in butter. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are somewhat tender, about 5 minutes. Remove lid, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and just starting to take on color, about 3 minutes. Add rice and cook, stirring often, 3 minutes, then add broth, scraping up any browned bits. Tuck short sides of each chicken thigh underneath so they are touching and nestle seam side down into rice mixture. Bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until rice is tender and chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Cut remaining 1 Tbsp. butter into small pieces and scatter over mixture. Re-cover and let sit 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pulse anchovy, garlic, capers, a few pinches of red pepper flakes, and remaining lemon zest in a food processor until finely chopped. Add herbs; process until a paste forms. With motor running, gradually stream in oil until loosened to a thick sauce. Add half of lemon juice; season salsa verde with salt.
• Drizzle remaining lemon juice over chicken and rice. Serve with salsa verde.

LEEK AND HERB STUFFED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a small skillet, saute leeks in oil until almost tender. Add the rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper; saute 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat; cool., Flatten each chicken breast half to 1/4-in. thickness; top with leek mixture. Roll up and secure with toothpicks. , In a small shallow bowl, combine the pecans, bread crumbs, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Brush mustard over chicken, then coat with pecan mixture. Place seam side down in a greased 11x7-in. baking dish. Drizzle with oil. , Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink. Discard toothpicks.

WINE-BRAISED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS AND LEEKS

Steps:

• Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the black pepper. Finely grate, pass through a press or mince 2 garlic cloves. Set aside half the grated garlic for finishing the dish. Rub the rest all over the chicken pieces. Set aside the chicken while preparing the other ingredients.
• In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, combine 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When the butter melts, add chicken in batches and cook until browned on both sides, 4 to 6 minutes per side. If the pan dries out, add a little more oil as needed. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
• Add remaining tablespoon each oil and butter to the pan. Once the butter melts, add mushrooms and cook undisturbed until well browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir and cook for 1 minute longer.
• Thinly slice 2 garlic cloves. Reduce heat to medium, and stir in sliced garlic, leeks and a large pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until leeks are tender and golden brown, 7 minutes. Add rosemary and wine to the pot and let simmer, scraping up the browned bits, until liquid reduces by half, about 1 minute.
• Nestle chicken, skin side up, into the pan and pour in any accumulated juices from the plate. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered, until chicken is cooked through, 25 to 35 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to a serving platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Pluck the rosemary sprigs from the pot. If the sauce looks thin, turn the heat to medium-high and let simmer until it thickens slightly, 2 to 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining grated garlic, the crème fraîche, chives and lemon zest. Taste sauce and add more salt if needed. Spoon sauce over the chicken and top with parsley, more lemon zest and a dollop of crème fraîche, if you like, and serve.

CHICKEN AND LEEK PASTA

Steps:

• Use a vegetable peeler to peel zucchini and carrot into fine slices. Cut slices lengthwise into thin ribbons, similar to the tagliatelle; set aside.
• Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chicken and fry until seared, 3 to 4 minutes. Add leeks and continue to fry until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Add 1 cup chicken broth, cream, white wine, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Keep warm.
• Meanwhile, bring remaining chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan. Add vegetable ribbons and tagliatelle. Cook at a boil until tagliatelle is tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.
• Drain tagliatelle and serve, adding warm chicken-leek mixture on top.

TOO EASY CHICKEN WITH LEEKS

Steps:

• Trim leeks of tough green ends and roots. Split them lengthwise, then cut across into 1/2-inch slices. Place sandy slices of leeks into a colander.
• Run under cold water, separating the layers of each slice to free the grains of sand. Drain leeks very well and place within arm's reach of the stovetop.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
• Add olive oil to coat skillet, then add chicken breasts and brown 3 to 4 minutes on each side, then transfer to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm.
• Add a little more oil to the pan, then add leeks and saute 5 minutes, until they become soft.
• Add 1 cup wine to the pan and nest chicken breasts down into leeks. Reduce heat to simmer for another 5 to 7 minutes.
• To serve, remove chicken from pan and slice on an angle.
• Fan and arrange sliced chicken breasts over a bed of sauteed leeks on each dinner plate or warm serving platter.

SKILLET CHICKEN WITH LEEKS AND CARROTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Pat chicken dry; season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large, heavy ovenproof skillet (such as cast iron) over medium-high. Add butter and 1 tablespoon oil. When butter melts and foam subsides, add chicken, skin-sides down. Cook, undisturbed, until skin lifts easily from skillet and forms a golden-brown crust, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate, skin-sides up.
• Add leeks, carrots, bread cubes, garlic, lemon zest, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet, stirring to evenly coat; season with salt and pepper. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to skillet, arranging breasts on top of vegetables in a single layer, skin-sides up.
• Roast until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of breasts reads 160°F, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and loosely cover to keep warm. Stir mint into skillet; return to oven. Roast until vegetables are tender and golden and bread turns crisp, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice into vegetable mixture and sprinkle with more mint leaves. Drizzle remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice over rested chicken. Carve chicken; serve with vegetable mixture.

HERBED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH BUTTERED LEEKS

Steps:

• In a large skillet bring the chicken broth and 2 Tbs butter to a gentle boil over medium heat.
• Cook leeks in the broth mixture over medium heat about 8 minutes, until tender with the broth boiled down enough that leeks are not completely submerged.
• Salt and pepper the chicken breasts and place on top of the simmering leeks, spooning some of leeks over the chicken.
• Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, 10-15 minutes until done.
• Remove chicken and keep warm on a warmed platter.
• Increase the heat under the leeks to high and stir in the lemon juice, the remaining 2 Tbs butter, and the chopped herb. When the butter melts, taste the sauce and adjust seasonings if needed.
• Pour the leek sauce over the chicken and serve.