Basil Chicken Strips Recipes

CREAMY TOMATO BASIL CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Halve chicken breasts the long way, so that you have two thin pieces of chicken breast (see video for a visual) -- this helps them to cook more evenly. (You can also use 4 chicken breasts flattened to the same thickness, but you will need a large skillet to cook them)
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
• Brown chicken breasts on each side. This will take about 2-4 minutes per side.
• Remove chicken breasts from the pan and keep covered.
• Add the garlic, salt, basil, pepper and pepper flakes if using. Cook 1 minute -- do not let the garlic burn!
• Add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Scrape and browned bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
• Whisk together the cream and corn starch and add to the pan. Stir to combine.
• Add the chicken breasts back to the pan. Bring to a low simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook until chicken breasts reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and the sauce has thickened slightly. Serve.

BASIL CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the rice into a medium pot and pour in 6 cups cold water. Put the pot over medium-high heat, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the water is absorbed, 20 to 30 minutes. (Reserve 2 cups cooked rice for Rice Pudding with Coconut Milk recipe.)
• Remove the chicken breasts from the bone and slice into thin strips. (Reserve the bones and the legs, thighs, and wings for Round 2 Recipe Coconut Chicken Soup.) In a large wok or skillet over high heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and stir-fry until it is almost completely cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onions and peppers and cook until slightly softened but still crisp, about 3 minutes. Add the chile and garlic and cook 1 minute.
• To a bowl, add 2 tablespoons water, sugar, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Stir and pour over the chicken and onions and cook for another minute. Add the basil and remove from the heat once it has wilted. Add the lime juice into the chicken mixture and stir. Serve hot over rice.

BACON AND BASIL-WRAPPED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a small saucepan of boiling water blanch basil 2 seconds and drain in a sieve. Rinse basil under cold water to stop cooking and pat dry on paper towels.
• Put 1 whole chicken breast, skinned side down, on a work surface and remove "tender" (fillet strip located on either side of where breast bone was) from each breast half, keeping rest of chicken breast intact. (There should be 2 tenders from each whole breast.)
• Put 2 tenders side by side and wrap 7 basil leaves around them to enclose them. Season remainder of whole breast with salt and pepper and put basil-wrapped tenders lengthwise down middle of 1 breast half. Fold other breast half over to enclose tenders.
• Beginning on underside at 1 end of breast, wrap bacon slices snugly but without stretching, 1 at a time, around breast in a continuous overlapping spiral from 1 end to the other. (You will need about 4 to 5 bacon slices for each breast.)
• Remove tenders from remaining 2 chicken breasts and stuff and wrap breasts in same manner. Sprinkle crushed peppercorns evenly over bacon wrappings.
• Heat a 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet over moderately high heat until hot. Sliding a metal spatula under wrapped chicken breasts to keep bacon intact, transfer 2 breasts, undersides down, to skillet. Cook chicken, turning it only after bacon on underside is golden, until bacon is golden and crisp on all sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer chicken as browned to a plate and cook remaining breast in same manner.
• Pour off fat from skillet and return all 3 chicken breasts to skillet. Roast chicken in middle of oven 15 minutes, or until firm to the touch and just cooked through. Transfer chicken with tongs to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

SPICY BAKED CHICKEN TENDERS WITH A GARLIC BASIL AIOLI

Steps:

• Aioli -- Mix the mayonnaise, red wine vinegar, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Check for seasoning and cover and refrigerate.
• Chicken -- I like to cut the chicken into finger size pieces. I don't like them too thin as they will dry out, but because they are baked I like to cut them around 1/2" thick (I like to think they are about the size and thickness of my thumb).
• Chicken Flour Base -- In a large baggie add the flour, salt and pepper. Dredge each chicken piece in the flour mixture and then toss well to coat. Make sure to shake off the excess flour. Just set to the side until they are all coated.
• Panko and Egg -- I like to grind up the panko a bit to make the crumbs a bit finer. I just used my mini food processor to grind them up. Then to the panko, I added all the seasonings (except the salt and pepper) which we already used in the flour mix. Then add the panko to a small pan. In another pan, add the eggs and beat well.
• Dredge -- Now dip each piece of chicken, already dredged in flour into the egg and then the panko seasoning. Set on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or you can use foil.
• Bake -- Spray the chicken with olive oil (both sides). Now I have an atomizer which I fill with olive oil. But you can buy a olive oil spray like "Pam." right at the store. But I use my atomizer all the time and well worth the 10.00 investment. Those recipes that cause for a drizzle of olive oil -- using an atomizer will save you tons of money. Well, time to bake. I bake at 400 for about 12-15 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken. They should be golden brown.
• Serve -- Just serve the chicken strips with the Basil Aioli.

LEMON-BASIL CHICKEN STRIPS

Steps:

• Slice chicken into 2" long strips about 1/2 inch wide.
• Pat basil and pepper to taste onto chicken.
• In a bowl, combine soya sauce, lemon juice and oil.
• Add chicken, stirring to coat well.
• Place slices in single layer on foil lined broiler rack.
• Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Broil chicken 4 inches from heat for 4-5 minutes or until tender and no longer pink inside.