Easy weeknight Chicken Teriayki

Weeknights are so difficult. I get out of work at 3:00, I come home and then my husband goes to work and I then start my second job as "mom". I have to clean up after the 3 of them, do laundry,dishes, be a referee and on top of that make dinner. I don't know how we moms do it, but we do. Recipes like this help. I got this recipe from a woman who lived in our apartment complex years ago. It is a quick , go to meal. I usually have everything I need for it on hand, and it is made on top of the stove. It is really good, I don't know if it has true teriayki flavor but I like it better than what I get at Shen Wangs for 10.00. Let's get started.


Chicken Teriayki


1 lb chicken cutlets, cut thin and in strips
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove ( I used 2)
1 med onion, sliced into thin rings
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp Guldens spicy brown mustard
1-2 tbsp brown sugar ( I used 2)
1/2 tsp ground ginger



Directions:


Mix soy sauce,mustard,brown sugar, and ginger in a small bowl.


Whisk together and set aside.

Cut your chicken into thin strips

Set aside, until ready to use.

Cut garlic in half and the onion into thin rings. Heat oil in skillet and add garlic and onions and cook for 5 minutes.

Add chicken to the pan. Cook chicken for a little bit.

Add the soy sauce mixture, cover and simmer until sauce thickens and juices run clear, about 15 minutes.

***Double the sauce ingredients, remove cover after 10 minutes to help thicken quicker. Sometimes I use a cornstarch slurry. Remove chicken and keep warm if done before the sauce thickens to your liking.

That's the whole thing, done, finished. Serve over white rice or even better serve it with Donna's special fried rice, this takes it to a whole other level and you know exactly what you are eating and you can control the ingredients. Even my kids like this. So when you are stuck , at home, kids are screaming, the laundry needs to get done, the dishes need to get washed and you are trying to keep the kids from killing each other, give yourself a break and try this quick, easy, delish weeknight meal.

Now, if you will excuse me, I have laundry to fold and put away, because just like washing the dishes, my husband forgets how. It never ends. Keep smiling everyone, keep smiling.

No exact Recipe Chicken with Pasta and Broccoli

This is one of those dinners that I have no exact measurements for, there is no exact science to it, I only know it is a family all-time favorite of my kids and husband and the excitement builds in my house if they know it is being mad for dinner. I cannot even remember where the recipe comes from, I believe it is a firehouse recipe and you will notice the title says broccoli, but there is no broccoli in my pictures, because noone eats anything green in my house, other than myself , so there is no broccoli in my dish, but please add it to yours, if you like, it really is good.

Here is what you need:
1lb to 1 1/2 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
eggs,beaten
olive oil
bread crumbs, Italian flavored
garlic, minced
1 can chicken broth, I use low sodium
1 box pasta, I use rotelli or my new favorite is pipette
1 head broccoli, cut into florets, if you choose
freshly grated parmesan cheese



First, heat up a large skillet with olive oil and add minced garlic. This is to your taste, I probably add about 5-6 cloves, minced. Add garlic to oil and be careful not to burn. Meanwhile, dip the chicken pieces into the egg and then into the bread crumbs, until well coated. I usually put the breadcrumbs in a large ziploc bag and then just shake up the chicken until I think they are coated. Add chicken to skillet. You may have to add more oil as it cooks, just use your judgement. It should look like this.

At the same time pour your can of broth into small saucepan and warm through on the stovetop. And in another pot have your pasta water boiling and get that cooking. And if you are using broccoli, you should have that steaming at the same time. Or if you want to use a box of chopped , frozen broccoli, go ahead and microwave it now .So, ideally you should have all 4 burners occupied at the same time, it is key to the dish that everything be ready at the same time. When your chicken is done, it should look like this:

Sorry, I couldn't rotate my picture, so dumb. When the pasta is ready, drain it and put it right back into pot you cooked it in, add chicken and scrape all the bits of breadcrumbs and oil you cooked it in to the pasta pot, add broccoli, if using, and finally add the warmed through chicken broth. Mix all together and add lots and lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Mix it again and breathe it in, breathe again. It smells so damn good and it is quite honestly a 30 minute meal.

Here is my broccoli-less version. The chicken broth keeps everything so moist and makes a little light sauce. This is an all-time keeper in my house. They come running when this is at the dinner table. It is even better the next day, reheated. All you need with this is a salad and a loaf of bread. So, I know it is not exact, the ingredients are rather simple, the instructions are hopefully understandable, because normally I wing this, and have never written it down before, so forgive me if it sounds confusing. I think you will forgive me once you try it. It is so good and family friendly. Added bonus: Can easily be doubled or tripled for a party.