This Creamy Chicken Tuscan Pasta is creamy, packed with flavour and so simple to make!

If I had to choose one dish that really illustrates the food served on this blog, it could well be this. Creamy, carby, saucy and delicious. Better still, it couldn’t be easier to make! Follow me…

Tuscan Chicken Pasta Ingredients

Tuscan-style food has really gone off on a tangent these days, where it seems that most things with spinach and sun dried tomatoes in a creamy sauce are considered Tuscan. So, apologies to any Italians reading this – but this title has become most recognisable for this dish!

Anywho, let’s take a look at the simple selection of ingredients you’ll need:

• Pasta – I like using long-cut pasta as I find it easiest to toss and bind everything in the sauce. Here I’ve gone for Linguine.
• Chicken – We’ll be using one chicken breast and dividing it into two pieces (more on this in a sec).
• Seasoning – To season the chicken directly, I love using smoked paprika, oregano, onion powder, salt & pepper.
• Oil – To fry the chicken, I love using some oil from a jar of sun dried tomatoes. You can sub olive oil though.
• Garlic – I highly recommend using fresh garlic for the best flavour.
• Butter – This is to fry the garlic (because garlic + butter = heaven).
• Sun Dried Tomatoes – These are essential in this recipe! Don’t sub fresh tomatoes, they’ll throw off the flavour and texture of the sauce.
• Tomato Puree – This deepens the tomato flavour and thickens the sauce a little.
• Basil – A good amount of basil brings this dish to life and pairs beautifully with the tomatoes.
• Spinach – Bulks out the dish and pairs nicely with the creamy, garlicky sauce.
• Stock – Adds some depth of flavour and helps create the sauce. I use half an Oxo cube + water.
• Cream – The backbone of the sauce. Make sure it’s heavy/double cream for a thick consistency and rich flavour.
• Parmesan – Adds a good punch of flavour. This melts through the sauce and can be added on top at the end too.

(Full measurements are in the recipe card below. This is just a quick explanation of each ingredient).

Tuscan Chicken

To prep the chicken, we’re going to slice it right through the centre to create 2 even-sized breasts. This will not only help the chicken cook through more evenly, but it’ll also cook through more quickly too.

When it comes to frying the chicken, it shouldn’t take long to cook through at all. You’re looking to pick up some light charring on each side, just to develop some flavour.

Once the chicken is cooked, it’s important to let it rest before you slice it. Not only will the chicken continue cooking very slightly, but the resting period will allow for the meat to retain its juices. If you slice straight in, the juices will pour right out.

Process shots: slice chicken (photo 1), season chicken (photo 2), add to pan (photo 3), fry then remove (photo 4).

Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

The sauce comes together pretty quickly, so you’ll want to pop the pasta on as soon as the chicken is done. Once the pasta has cooked, I like to use tongs to transfer it straight from the pot into the sauce. The excess starchy water that comes with it helps turn the sauce nice and glossy/creamy and will help emulsify the fats.

I like to toss the chicken in right at the end (do not forget the resting juices – that’s bonus flavour just waiting to be used). That way it stays nice and tender and won’t overcook.

Process shots: fry garlic in butter (photo 1), fry tomato puree (photo 2), add stock and cream (photo 3), add sun dried tomatoes, basil and parmesan (photo 4), stir in spinach (photo 5), toss in pasta and chicken (photo 6).

Serving Tuscan Chicken Pasta

You’ll find the sauce will thicken quite quickly as you toss the pasta. If it over-thickens, you can use some of the leftover pasta water to thin it out as needed. From there, I love finishing with some leftover basil and parmesan.

This will offer two hearty portions, making it the perfect Date Night Dinner. If you’re extra hungry, you could add some Garlic Bread!

For more Tuscan-style recipes check out my Tuscan Prawns and Tuscan Ravioli!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this creamy tuscan chicken pasta shall we?!

How to make Tuscan Chicken Pasta (Full Recipe & Video)

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Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta

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This Creamy Chicken Tuscan Pasta is creamy, packed with flavour and so simple to make!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 1104kcal

Author Chris Collins

Cost £5 / $6

Equipment

• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
• Large Pan & Wooden Spoon
• Large Pot & Tongs (for cooking pasta)
• Fine Cheese Grater (for parmesan)

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1x 250g/9oz Chicken Breast
• 1/2 tsp EACH: Smoked Paprika, Oregano
• 1/4 tsp EACH: Onion Powder, Salt, Black Pepper
• 1 tbsp Sun Dried Tomato Oil, from the jar (sub olive oil)

Pasta

• 200g / 7oz Long-Cut Pasta (I use Linguine)
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 3 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
• 1 tbsp Tomato Puree (Tomato Paste in US)
• 80ml / 1/3 cup Chicken Stock
• 160ml / 2/3 cup Double/Heavy Cream
• 90g / 3oz Sun Dried Tomatoes, finely diced
• 30g / 1oz freshly grated Parmesan, plus more to serve if desired
• 2 tbsp finely diced Fresh Basil, plus more to serve if desired (~1/2 bunch)
• 2 large handfuls of Baby Spinach (~60g/2oz)

Instructions

• Horizontally slice the chicken breast right through the centre to create 2 even-sized breasts. Evenly coat each side with the seasoning.
• Add the oil to a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and fry for a few minutes on each side until lightly charred and just about cooked through the centre. Place on a plate to one side and slice into thin strips just before needed.
• At this point add the pasta to well-salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Don't drain.
• Lower the pan heat to medium and melt the butter. Add the garlic and fry for 10-20 seconds, then stir in the tomato puree and fry for another minute or so (be careful the garlic doesn't burn). Stir in the stock and cream, then stir in the sun dried tomatoes, basil and parmesan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then lower the heat.
• Stir in the spinach until it just begins to wilt (keep in mind it will continue wilting). Use tongs to transfer the pasta straight from the pot in the pan and toss until coated in the sauce. Add the chicken + all the resting juices and continue tossing the pasta until the sauce is no longer watery. It should thicken around and cling to the pasta. If the sauce overthickens just toss in a splash of the leftover pasta water.
• Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper, then serve with extra basil and parmesan if desired.

Video

Notes

a) Chicken – The chicken should be relatively thin after you slice it, so it won’t take long to cook. Plus, it’ll continue cooking slightly as it rests and when added back to the pasta. You’re looking at 3 minutes each side, 4 maximum if they still end up quite thick. 

b) Sauce – The sauce should be pretty thick from the get go, which is fine, because it thins out as the spinach wilts and when you add the pasta. Just make sure it thickens up properly when you toss the pasta. It should still be saucy, but not watery at all. 

c) Stock – As this is a small amount you can use ready-made stock. Or, do as I do, which is use half an Oxo cube + 80ml boiling water (perfect amount).

d) Calories – Whole recipe divided by 2.

Nutrition

Calories: 1104kcal | Carbohydrates: 113.92g | Protein: 50.32g | Fat: 53.46g | Saturated Fat: 26.513g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.388g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17.841g | Trans Fat: 0.376g | Cholesterol: 229mg | Sodium: 891mg | Potassium: 2619mg | Fiber: 17.7g | Sugar: 20.41g | Vitamin A: 5220IU | Vitamin C: 28.9mg | Calcium: 287mg | Iron: 6.91mg

For more similar recipes check out these beauties:

Chicken Pasta Recipes

• Spicy Chicken Pasta
• Cajun Chicken Pasta
• Lemon Chicken Pasta
• Chicken and Chorizo Pasta
• Chicken and Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

The post Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.

Here I’ll show you the most irresistible way to whip up a chicken melt!

Whether you’d call this a chicken toastie, chicken grilled cheese or chicken melt, there’s an endless number of ways you can make a toasted chicken sandwich. Today I want to show you a classic version that you’ll make time and time again! Follow me…

Chicken Melt Ingredients

I’ve kept the ingredients list to items you can find at the supermarket, with some ingredients hopefully being knocking about in your cupboards too. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Bread – you’ll want something sturdy like Sourdough. I don’t recommend soft sandwich bread because it won’t contain the filling efficiently.
• Cheese – I love a combo of Swiss cheese and smoked cheddar. The Swiss offers a mild, nutty flavour and a nice stringy, gooey texture. The cheddar adds heaps of flavour.
• Butter – for toasting the outside.
• Chicken – I like to use the white meat (breast) but you can use dark or a mix of both.
• Mayo – this keeps the filling nice and creamy.
• Dijon – this offers a mild bit of heat and enhances the cheesy flavours.
• Bacon – where there’s chicken there’s gotta be bacon, right?
• Jalapeños – these are awesome for a kick of spice. You can sub gherkins/pickles if you don’t like spice. I love adding in the brine too in either case.
• Celery – adds a little texture.
• Chives – these add loads of flavour and pair perfectly with both the chicken and cheese.
• Seasoning – season the filling with salt and pepper (to taste).

Making a Chicken Melt

Pretty straightforward from here – cheese on the inside and butter on the outside. In recent times, I tend to butter one side of the sandwich, place it butter-side-down in the pan then butter the top side. Just to save you from losing butter on the chopping board and making a mess!

Process shots: lay bread on chopping board (photo 1), add cheese (photo 2), add filling (photo 3), add cheese (photo 4), add bread (photo 5), butter bread (photo 6).

Cooking a Chicken Melt

To get that gorgeous golden crust on a chicken melt, it’s got to be pan-fried. I recommend using a medium-heat and no higher. Too high and the bread burns before the cheese melts and too low and the filling gets too gooey and the bread won’t have a nice crunch.

Process shots: add sandwiches to pan (photo 1), fry both sides (photo 2).

Serving a Chicken Melt

You’ll know the chicken melt is done once it’s golden and crisp on the outside, and you notice the cheese melting around the outside. From there, just slice in half and enjoy!

I typically just whip this up for Lunch, but you could add some Sides to make it a full meal if you wanted. Here’s some ideas:

• Crisps – there’s nothing that crisps don’t go with, but side-by-side with a toasted sandwich is where they’re happiest. You could go wild and make Nachos too!
• Hearty Sides – turn it into a full meal with some Onion Rings, Wedges or Loaded Fries!
• Salad – keep it light with a simple side salad.

For the sister recipe to this, check out my Classic Tuna Melt!

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this chicken melt shall we?!

How to make a Chicken Melt (Full Recipe & Video)

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Classic Chicken Melt

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Here I'll show you the most irresistible way to whip up a chicken melt!

Course Lunch

Cuisine Western

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 2 sandwiches

Calories 865kcal

Author Chris Collins

Cost £4 / $5

Equipment

• Medium Sized Mixing Bowl
• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
• Large Pan & Spatula/Turner

Ingredients

Filling

• 150g / 5.3oz Cooked Chicken, finely diced (see notes)
• 3 slices of Streaky Bacon, cooked, cooled & finely diced (raw weight = 60g/2oz)
• 60g / 1/4 cup full-fat Mayo
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• 2 tbsp finely diced Jarred Jalapeños (+ 2 tsp of the brine – see notes)
• 2 tbsp finely diced Fresh Chives
• 1 thin rib of Celery, very finely diced (see notes)
• Salt & Black Pepper, to taste

Sandwich

• 4 large slices of Bread (see notes)
• 2 slices of Swiss Cheese (or enough to fit the bread)
• 2 slices of Smoked Cheddar (or enough to fit the bread)
• Butter, as needed

Instructions

• Add all of the filling ingredients to a medium-sized mixing bowl and give it all a good mix until well-combined. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper.
• Lay two slices of bread on a clean surface/chopping board and add the Swiss cheese. Spread over the filling then top with the smoked cheddar. Finish with a second slice of bread and spread with butter.
• Place the sandwiches butter-side-down in a large pan and then spread butter over the top. Turn the heat to medium and cook both sides until golden and crisp with the cheese melted in the centre.
• Slice in half and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Chicken – I like to slice the chicken nice and small, just so the filling is all homogeneous and you get a bite of everything at once.

b) Celery – I like to dice/mince the celery particularly finely. It’s important to be there for the texture, but if it’s too large I personally find it distracting.

c) Spice/Jalapeños – This sandwich does have a nice kick of spice from the Jalapeños. If you don’t like spice I recommend subbing gherkins/pickles + 2 tsp of the brine.

d) Bread – Something sturdy like Sourdough works nicely. I actually used a crusty bloomer to film, and that worked nicely.

e) Cheese – I highly recommend a combo of Swiss and Smoked Cheddar, but do branch out and use whatever cheese you fancy after trying that if you want. I find one slice of Swiss usually fits, alongside 1 1/2 slices of smoked cheddar (typically smaller than the slices of Swiss). Just use your best judgment and measure with love.

f) Calories – Per sandwich assuming 1 tbsp butter each.

Nutrition

Calories: 865kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.32g | Protein: 41.5g | Fat: 63.22g | Saturated Fat: 19.925g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14.98g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12.589g | Trans Fat: 1.029g | Cholesterol: 143mg | Sodium: 1111mg | Potassium: 446mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4.2g | Vitamin A: 991IU | Vitamin C: 2.2mg | Calcium: 398mg | Iron: 3.24mg

Chicken Melt FAQ

For more similar recipes check out these beauties:

Toasted Sandwich Recipes

• Bacon Grilled Cheese
• Breakfast Grilled Cheese
• Halloumi Sandwich
• Chicken Tenders Sandwich
• Chicken Pesto Sandwich

The post Classic Chicken Melt appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.

Here I’ll show you how to make a Chicken Kyiv that’s super crispy on the outside with so much garlic butter pouring out of the centre!

There have been too many times in my life when I’ve sliced into a Chicken Kyiv, only to realise all the garlic butter had already leaked out. As such, I made it my mission to create a Kyiv that is so full of garlic butter it’ll make you weak at the knees. I’ve formed a technique for creating the most incredible Chicken Kyiv, and I can’t wait to share it with you! Follow me…

Chicken Kyiv Ingredients

You really don’t need many ingredients to make a Chicken Kyiv, and thankfully, you’ll find them all at the supermarket. Here’s why we’re using each ingredient:

• Chicken – chicken breasts make the perfect ‘pocket’ to contain the filling.
• Flour – the chicken will first be coated in flour to create the first layer of the crispy batter.
• Egg – beaten eggs will bind with the flour to help the breadcrumbs attach.
• Panko – Panko breadcrumbs are used for the outside layer to make the Kyivs extra crispy.
• Seasoning – I season the flour and breadcrumbs with some paprika, onion powder and salt & black pepper.
• Oil – this is used to shallow fry the chicken before it is baked. Make sure you’re using an oil with a high smoking point like vegetable or sunflower oil.
• Butter – make sure it’s firm enough to hold its shape, but soft enough to mix with the other ingredients.
• Garlic – make sure you’re using fresh garlic. Powder or the jarred stuff will throw off the flavour. I recommend finely grating it and using your knife to mash it into a paste, just so you don’t get large bits of garlic floating around.
• Parsley – a classic addition in garlic butter.

Chicken Kyiv Filling

Making the garlic butter is as simple as combining the garlic, butter and parsley. From there, we’re actually going to mould it into a slab and freeze it. Freezing the filling serves two purposes:

• Shape – freezing the butter means you can slice it into segments that will perfectly slot into the chicken.
• Head start – I originally tested this by piping the butter into the chicken. However, because the butter is already practically melted, I found it was much more prone to seeping out of the chicken as it cooks. Freezing it means the chicken gets a head start in cooking, before the butter begins to melt and tries to make its way out of the chicken.

Process shots: add ingredients to bowl (photo 1), combine (photo 2), form a rectangle (photo 3), wrap in cling film and freeze (photo 4), slice into batons (photos 5&6).

Slicing the chicken

Here’s what other recipes do:

A lot of recipes suggest slicing the breast right down the side and opening it up to make room for the butter. I tried this, and every single time the butter leaked out. The gap is WAY too big and the butter will always find its way out.

Other recipes suggest slicing the breast open, pounding it thin, adding the butter in the centre and wrapping it up like a parcel. This actually works pretty well, but it means you have to freeze the chicken AND deep fry it. It’s also very risky, because if the chicken isn’t wrapped properly it’ll unfold in the oil (yes, nightmare).

Here’s what I do and why it works:

The aim of the game is to get as much butter in the centre, with as little gap as possible. As such, I take a small, sharp knife and make a tunnel through the breast. From there, you can use the knife to make as much room in the centre of the breast and then slot in the frozen strips of butter.

Process shots: slice through the breast to make a tunnel (photos 7&8), slot in the butter (photo 9&10).

How to cook Chicken Kyiv

Once you’ve stuffed the chicken, you simply need to coat it in flour, egg and Panko. From there, the cooking takes place in two stages:

1. Fry – frying the chicken is crucial for maximum crispiness. You only have to shallow fry, so it’s not too much faff.
2. Bake – you won’t be able to cook the chicken the whole way through in the oil without the outside burning. As such, you’ll finish the Kyiv off in the oven.

I like to put the chicken on a wire rack above a foil-lined tray to bake. Not only does this help the hot air circulate around the chicken, but the tray also catches any butter that sneaks out.

Process shots: coat chicken in flour (photo 11), then egg (photo 12), then Panko (photo 13), add to hot oil (photo 14), fry both sides (photo 15), bake (photo 16).

How to serve Chicken Kyiv

Once the Kyiv is out of the oven, you’ll likely notice a little oil in the tray. This will most likely be excess from when you fried it, but it may be butter too. If there’s a lot, don’t panic. You can just drizzle it over the chicken at the end – it’s not the end of the world.

From there, here are some options for serving a Kyiv:

• Salad – from a lighter option, serve with a side salad and some crusty bread for mopping up the butter
• Potatoes – my favourite is Mashed Potato, but Roasted Potatoes, Boiled Potatoes, Smashed Potatoes and a Baked Potato all work tremendously!
• Veggies – any sort of roasted veggies work great as a side.
• Rice – perfect for soaking in the garlic butter.
• Greens – some Green Beans or Roasted Broccolini both take on garlic butter nicely.

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this chicken Kyiv shall we?!

How to make Chicken Kyiv (Full Recipe & Video)

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Chicken Kyiv

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Here I'll show you how to make a Chicken Kyiv that's super crispy on the outside with so much garlic butter pouring out the centre! Please watch the video and read the notes before starting.

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine French, Russian, Ukrainian

Prep Time 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Freezing time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 786kcal

Author Chris Collins

Cost £4 / $5

Equipment

• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
• Small Mixing Bowl (for butter)
• Cling Film (for freezing butter)
• Small Sharp Knife (preferably slightly shorter than the length of the breasts)
• 3 Large Shallow Dishes (for coating chicken)
• Large Heavy-Based/Cast-Iron Pan & Tongs (for frying chicken)
• Large Tray, Foil & Wire Rack (for baking chicken)

Ingredients

Garlic Butter

• 80g / 2.8oz Unsalted Butter, slightly softened (or salted without the 1/4 tsp salt added)
• 3 cloves of Garlic, finely grated then mashed into a paste with the side of your knife
• 1 tbsp very finely diced Fresh Parsley
• 1/4 tsp Salt

Chicken

• 30g / 1oz Plain Flour
• 2 medium Eggs, beaten
• 60g / 1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
• 2x 250g/9oz Chicken Breasts, taken out the fridge 30 mins before needed (see notes)
• 1/2 tsp EACH: Salt, Paprika, Onion Powder plus more salt as needed
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper, plus more as needed
• 400ml / 1 3/4 cups Vegetable Oil, or another oil with a high smoking point i.e. sunflower

Instructions

• Garlic Butter: Use a fork or spatula to combine the garlic butter ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Scrape onto a flat surface and form a 9 x 6cm rectangle (doesn’t have to be exact). Wrap in cling film and place in the freezer until very firm. Depending on how powerful your freezer is this can take anywhere between 30 minutes to 2 hours.
• Recipe Prep: During this time I recommend getting everything ready for the rest of the recipe. Line up three bowls: one with flour, one with the beaten eggs and the last with the breadcrumbs. Combine the salt, paprika, onion powder and black pepper in a small bowl. Mix half into the flour and the other half into the breadcrumbs. Line a large baking tray with tin foil and place a wire rack on top. Fill a large cast-iron or heavy- based frying pan with the oil.
• Slicing: Place the chicken breasts with the thin tail part facing away from you and the thickest end closest to you. Use a small, sharp knife to slice through the middle of the thickest part and very carefully push the knife towards the thin end, making a tunnel through the centre of the chicken. Take your time and be very careful not to slice through the top, bottom or end of the chicken. Any tears or holes will leave room for the butter to leak out. I recommend flipping the chicken a couple of times as you slice through to make sure the knife doesn’t poke outside the chicken.
• Once the knife is in you can gently twist it to make the tunnel as wide as you can. The aim of the game here is to make as much for room for the butter as possible. Season both sides of the breast with a pinch of salt and pepper, then repeat with the second breast.
• Stuffing: Once the butter has frozen, slice it into three long strips, then slice one of the strips in half. Ideally, you’ll slot one of the short strips into the short side of the breast, and the longer one down the centre. However, this isn’t always achievable, so slice and shape the butter in any way you need to carefully slot as much as you can inside the chicken without it tearing. Make sure you leave a small gap at the opening.
• Once the butter is inside, slice off a small piece of stray meat from the edge of the chicken and use it as a plug to cover the opening. This will help prevent the butter from leaking out.
• Coating: Coat the chicken in the flour, then the beaten egg, then the breadcrumbs. Dab the thick end with the seam back into the egg and coat in the breadcrumbs again. Repeat this once more to build up a thick crust to prevent the butter from leaking out.
• Cooking: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Heat the oil in the pan over a medium heat until it reaches 180°C/350°F. This will take around 10–12 minutes. When it’s hot enough, a breadcrumb should rapidly sizzle when it hits the oil.
• Place the chicken Kyivs in the oil and fry for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Carefully flip them over and fry the other side for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. Use a spoon to baste any parts of the chicken that aren’t submerged in the oil, namely the end with the seam. Place the chicken on the wire rack set over the foil-lined tray and bake in the oven for 14 minutes.
• Serving: Leave to rest for a minute or so before slicing. Spoon over any butter that leaked out, then serve with an extra pinch of salt if desired.

Video

Notes

a) If you slice through the chicken – I recommend slicing off any stray bits of meat and using them as a plug to cover the gap as best you can. I also recommend building up a thicker crust on that particular part of the chicken, as you do with the seam.

b) If the butter leaks out – some butter leakage is very likely, so don’t panic too much if you see some on the foil when it comes out of the oven. If there’s a significant amount in the tray, just serve it spooned over the chicken at the end. The garlic and parsley will still be inside the chicken. The main prevention tactic is making sure the butter is frozen, so it only starts melting towards the end of cooking – i.e. there’s less time for it to leak out.

c) Cooking times – you can use smaller breasts, approx. 200–220g, which will bake in around 13 minutes, although you may not be able to fit as much butter into smaller breasts; 230–250g breasts will take 14 minutes and larger breasts weighing around 260–280g will take 15–16 minutes. In all cases you’re looking for the chicken to be piping hot right through the centre with no trace of pink. The thickest part of the chicken should reach 75°C (make sure you don’t pierce into the butter when checking!).

d) Calories – per Kyiv assuming half the breading ingredients attach and 1 tbsp oil is soaked up per Kyiv.

e) Cookbook– this recipe is featured in my debut cookbook ‘Comfy’.

Nutrition

Calories: 786kcal | Carbohydrates: 15.15g | Protein: 61.08g | Fat: 52.38g | Saturated Fat: 24.416g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10.779g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13.617g | Trans Fat: 1.396g | Cholesterol: 310mg | Sodium: 1111mg | Potassium: 730mg | Fiber: 0.9g | Sugar: 1.04g | Vitamin A: 1348IU | Vitamin C: 3.9mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3.75mg

For more similar recipes check out these beauties:

Garlic Butter Chicken Recipes

• Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders
• Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
• Garlic Butter Chicken Breast
• Garlic Butter Chicken Orzo
• Chicken Kyiv Pasta
• Mini Chicken Kyivs

The post Chicken Kyiv appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.

Here I’ll show you the easiest and most delicious way to make a classic Beef Stroganoff!

I’ve tested the living daylights out of this recipe to ensure the end result is a gorgeous, creamy stroganoff that’s packed with flavour. Better still, it’s incredibly quick and easy to make! Follow me…

Beef Stroganoff Ingredients

There are a few variations of this dish, but the bulk of the ingredients are fairly universal. It’s more about the technique and the quantities of each ingredient. Let’s take a look at why we’re using each ingredient:

• Beef – you don’t have to use an expensive cut. I typically use rump or sirloin because they’re both cheap. Ribeye also works nicely.
• Mushrooms & Onion – these both bulk out the dish and add flavour.
• Garlic – pairs nicely with the beef and the creamy sauce.
• Butter – for frying the onion/mushrooms.
• Flour – to create a roux to thicken the sauce.
• Stock – this makes the bulk of the sauce.
• Cream – double/heavy cream helps create a gorgeous, rich and creamy sauce.
• Sour Cream – this is a classic addition in Stroganoff and helps balance the richer flavours.
• Worcestershire Sauce – deepens the beefy flavour.
• Dijon Mustard – adds a gentle warmth which helps balance the flavours of the sauce.

How to Prepare Beef Stroganoff

Prepping the beef is really simple. There are just a few tips to consider to bring out the best in the beef.

Tips for preparing the beef

• Remove fat – because the beef is sliced so thinly and fries so quickly, you won’t have time to render out any large bits of fat. As such, you’ll want to remove it.
• Pat dry – patting the beef dry before you fry it is important to remove moisture, which in turn, would cause the beef to steam instead of fry. This prevents the beef from browning and developing flavour.

Tips for frying the beef

• High heat – to get a nice crust on the beef without drying it out, you’ll want to fry over a high heat.
• Quick – because the beef is thinly sliced, it’ll cook very quickly. Just be vigilant so it doesn’t overcook!
• Batches – spreading the slices out in the pan is important so they all get direct contact with the pan and don’t all steam. As such, you’ll likely need to fry in two batches.

Process shots: slice beef (photo 1), pat dry then season (photo 2), fry in batches (photos 3&4).

Beef Stroganoff Sauce

The sauce starts where the beef ends – all that fond in the pan that’s left from frying the beef? That’s bonus flavour just waiting to be used! When you fry the onions, the moisture they release will help lift up all the flavour.

Just like the beef, it’s important to get a nice brown crust on the mushrooms too, just to maximise their flavour. Try and make sure each slice gets direct contact with the pan to encourage some caramelisation.

Process shots: melt butter (photo 1), fry onion (photo 2), fry mushrooms (photo 3), fry garlic (photo 4), stir in flour (photo 5), add stock (photo 6).

Two things to note as you create the sauce:

• Whisk – as you pour in the stock, just make sure you give it a good whisk to ensure no lumps form.
• Room temp – keeping the sour cream at room temp before you add it is really important. Otherwise, you risk it curdling.

You’ll want the sauce at your desired consistency before you add the beef back in. The beef is cooked, so you don’t want to simmer it any longer than you need to, otherwise it’ll overcook and go chewy.

Process shots: whisk stock (photo 7), add sour cream, double cream, Worcestershire sauce and Dijon (photo 8), stir and simmer (photo 9), stir in beef (photo 10).

How to Serve Beef Stroganoff

Once everything is combined, you’ll want to serve right away. The longer it sits, the thicker the sauce will get (plus you risk overcooking the beef). From there, I love adding some fresh chives for a final pop of colour and flavour.

To serve, I typically go down 1 of 3 routes:

• Mash – whip up some Mashed Potatoes and pour it over (my favourite option).
• Bread – simply serve with some buttered crusty bread.
• Rice or Pasta – serve it poured over some cooked rice or pasta.

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this beef stroganoff shall we?!

How to make Beef Stroganoff (Full Recipe & Video)

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Beef Stroganoff

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Here I'll show you the easiest and most delicious way to make a classic Beef Stroganoff!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Russian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 434kcal

Author Chris Collins

Cost £4 / $5

Equipment

• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
• Kitchen Roll/Paper Towels (to pat beef dry)
• Large Pan & Wooden Spoon
• Jug (for stock)

Ingredients

• 500g / 1lb Steak, preferably close to room temp (see notes)
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1 medium White Onion, thinly sliced
• 250g / 9oz Chestnut Mushrooms, sliced (not too thin)
• 2 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
• 2 tbsp Plain Flour
• 360ml / 1 1/2 cups Beef Stock
• 120ml / 1/2 cup Double/Heavy Cream, at room temp
• 60ml / 1/4 cup Sour Cream, at room temp (see notes)
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
• Veg Oil, as needed
• Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
• finely diced Fresh Chives, to serve
• Pasta, Rice or Mash, to serve (see notes)

Instructions

• Slice off any large bits of fat from the beef, then thinly slice the meat, cutting any wide slices in half. Pat dry with kitchen paper, then generously season all over with salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Once it’s nice and hot, add half the beef slices and quickly spread them out so each has direct contact with the pan. Leave to fry for 1 minute, then flip them over and fry for another minute. Remove and repeat with the second batch, adding a dash more oil if you need to. Don’t worry if they’re still a touch pink at this point. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside.
• Lower the heat slightly to medium-high and melt in the butter. Add the onion and fry for 2 minutes until it just about starts to soften. Add the mushrooms and fry for around 5 more minutes until lightly browned and most of the moisture in the pan has evaporated. The mushrooms will immediately soak up any liquid, then they’ll begin to release it. Add the garlic and fry for another 30 seconds.
• Stir in the flour, then gradually add the beef stock, stirring as you go to prevent lumps from forming. Stir in the cream, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Bring to a simmer and allow to gently bubble away until the sauce begins to thicken, around 5 minutes.
• Stir in the beef alongside the resting juices and simmer for 1 minute, then remove the pan from heat and check for seasoning. You only need to simmer long enough to re-thicken the sauce and warm the beef through.
• Serve with your carb of choice with a sprinkling of fresh chives.

Video

Notes

a) Steak – I typically use Rump, Sirloin or Ribeye. Doesn’t have to be an expensive cut! 

b) Sour Cream – it’s important to get the sour cream out of the fridge right at the start, as stirring through fridge-cold sour cream can sometimes cause it to curdle. It’ll likely split a little once added at first, but it will then come back together as you stir it.

c) Consistency – make sure the sauce is close to your preference before re-adding the beef. You don’t want to continue simmering the beef for too long as it can overcook.

d) Serving – I usually serve with Mashed Potato, but any carb should do the trick. If you’re doing rice or pasta, I generally do 75g/2.6oz per person. There should be plenty of sauce.

e) Cookbook– this recipe is featured in my debut cookbook ‘Comfy’.

f) Calories – whole recipe divided by 4 with no sides.

Nutrition

Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.89g | Protein: 42.58g | Fat: 24.94g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.146g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.87g | Trans Fat: 0.458g | Cholesterol: 152mg | Sodium: 753mg | Potassium: 1013mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 5.18g | Vitamin A: 630IU | Vitamin C: 4.6mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 3.47mg

For more similar recipes check out these beauties:

• Steak and Creamy Mushroom Sauce
• Steak and Orzo
• Black Pepper Beef and Broccoli Noodles
• One Pot Creamy Beef Shells
• Swedish Meatballs

The post The BEST Beef Stroganoff Recipe appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.

I think you’ll be surprised at not only how delicious this Thai Cashew Chicken is, but also how easy it is to make!

This recipe was developed by my step-mum, who happens to be an incredible Thai home cook (yes, I was fed very well growing up). As such, this recipe is as authentic as it gets. Better still, it only requires simple store-bought ingredients! Follow me…

Thai Cashew Chicken Ingredients

The ONLY tweak we made to this recipe was to switch out dried red chillies for fresh ones. This was just to keep in line for being able to buy everything at the supermarket. I find dried red chillies can sometimes be tricky to hunt down. Apart from that, these are the exact ingredients my step-mum has used for many, many years to make this incredible dish. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Chicken – I highly recommend using chicken thigh. It’s much less prone to overcooking and drying out than breast is.
• White Pepper – This is to season the chicken directly. It adds a lovely kick of spice.
• Flour – This is to coat the chicken. It helps create a gorgeous, golden coating, which in turn, helps the sauce stick to the chicken.
• Oil – Use a neutral-flavoured oil that’s suitable for frying (Vegetable, Sunflower).
• Cashews – Make sure you’re using unsalted cashews. Keep them whole so they hold their own in the recipe.
• Onion – This recipe uses white onions. They’re diced nice and chunky too.
• Peppers – I use one red and one green, but realistically, you can use any colour.
• Spring Onion – This is also kept nice and chunky. You’ll want to split the onions into ‘green soft’ end and ‘firm white’ end. This is because they cook at different rates.
• Garlic – Lots of garlic for a good punch of flavour.
• Soy Sauce – Some of this is used to season the chicken, the rest is added to the sauce.
• Oyster Sauce – This is added at the end to create the sauce.
• Sugar – This is also added at the end to help create a sweet, glossy sauce that sticks to the chicken.
• Chillies – These are just regular red chillies you can get from the supermarket.

Chicken and Cashews

These are arguably the two standout ingredients, so it’s important to help them both shine. We’re actually going to fry the cashews before the chicken. This is so they can infuse the oil, which in turn, will wrap around the chicken as it fries. Here are a couple of notes on both the chicken and cashews:

• Chicken – I highly recommend frying the chicken in two batches so it doesn’t stick together. Frying in batches will also give the chicken room to crisp up without steaming too much.
• Cashews – These go from perfectly golden to burnt VERY quickly, so just be vigilant and keep stirring as you fry.

Process shots: coat chicken in soy sauce and white pepper (photo 1), coat in flour (photo 2), add cashews to oil (photo 3), fry then remove (photo 4), fry chicken in batches then remove (photos 5&6)

After you’ve fried the chicken and cashews, you can go ahead and remove most of the oil (just save some to fry the veg). From there, it’s just like a stir fry and comes together very quickly.

Thai Cashew Chicken Sauce

As discussed above, all you need is oyster sauce, soy sauce and sugar. These, alongside the excess oil, create a light, glossy sauce that wraps around the chicken. It’s not too much at all and really just pulls all the flavours together.

Process shots: add onion, peppers and garlic to wok (photo 7), fry (photo 8), fry chilli and firm part of spring onion (photo 9), add chicken and sauce (photo 10), add cashews and green part of spring onion (photo 11), toss (photo 12).

Thai Cashew Chicken FAQ

How to Serve Thai Cashew Chicken

You’ll want to serve as soon as you can, just so everything is hot, fresh and crisp. From there, I typically serve this with rice, but noodles would work too.

Looking for more authentic Thai recipes? Check out these beauties:

• Chicken Thai Green Curry
• Crispy Thai Pork Toast
• Thai Spring Rolls
• Thai Fried Chicken

Alrighty, let’s tuck into the full recipe for this Thai cashew chicken shall we?!

How to make Thai Cashew Chicken (Full Recipe & Video)

Print

Thai Cashew Chicken

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I think you'll be surprised at not only how delicious this Thai Cashew Chicken is, but also how easy it is to make!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Thai

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 801kcal

Author Chris Collins

Cost £3 / $4

Equipment

• Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
• Large Bowl & Tongs (for coating chicken)
• Large Wok & Wooden Spoon (or a large pan)
• Slotted Spoon (for removing cashews/chicken)

Ingredients

• 600g / 1.3lbs boneless skinless Chicken Thighs, diced into bite-sized pieces (see notes)
• 1 tsp White Pepper
• 1 tbsp + 2 tsp Light Soy Sauce
• 50g / 1/3 cup Plain Flour
• 120ml / 1/2 cup Veg Oil (for frying)
• 200g / 7oz Unsalted Cashew Nuts
• 2 medium White Onions, halved then diced into quarters (pull layers apart)
• 2 medium Peppers, I use 1 red 1 green (diced into pieces to similar size as the onion)
• 4 cloves of Garlic, finely diced
• 2 Red Chillies, deseeded if you want to reduce spice (see notes)
• 3 Spring Onion, separated into firm white part and green part, then chopped into 2.5cm/1" pieces
• 1 1/2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
• 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
• Cooked Rice, for serving

Instructions

• In a large mixing bowl, combine the chicken with the white pepper and 2 teaspoons of soy sauce. Mix in the flour until the chicken is fully coated.
• Heat the oil in a wok or large, deep frying pan/wok over a medium-high heat for a few minutes. Once hot, add the cashews and fry until deep golden. Keep an eye on them, as they’ll burn quickly. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl to one side, leaving the oil behind.
• Working in two batches, shake off any excess flour from the chicken and add it to the oil. Fry until golden and crisp on the outside and piping hot right through the centre (about 5 minutes per batch). Remove each batch with a slotted spoon and set aside. Discard all but around 2 tablespoons of oil (just eyeball it).
• Add the peppers, onions and garlic and fry for a couple of minutes, then add the chilli and firm white parts of the spring onions and fry for a minute longer. Stir in the chicken, then stir in the sugar, oyster sauce and remaining 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Toss in the cashews and the rest of the spring onion. The sugar should have fully dissolved and the sauce should have a glossy texture that just lightly coats everything. Serve and enjoy!

Video

Notes

a) Chicken – chicken thigh is the best option because you can build up a golden crust without the meat overcooking. Having said that, you can use breast if you’d prefer, it’ll just cook a lot quicker.

b) Flour – coating the chicken in flour is essential to not only ensure you build a crust on the chicken (i.e. more flavour), but also so the crust can absorb the sauce and help it cling to the chicken.

c) Chillies – traditionally, you’d use dried red chillies and keep them whole, but they’re trickier to get your hands on. I use the pre-packaged large red chillies you find in the supermarkets, which work just fine.

d) Cookbook – this recipe is featured in my debut cookbook ‘Comfy’.

e) Calories – whole recipe divided by 4, assuming half the oil is consumed (likely overestimate).

Nutrition

Calories: 801kcal | Carbohydrates: 31.81g | Protein: 35.93g | Fat: 60.77g | Saturated Fat: 12.862g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17.086g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25.434g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 147mg | Sodium: 385mg | Potassium: 900mg | Fiber: 4.4g | Sugar: 12.79g | Vitamin A: 2093IU | Vitamin C: 83.5mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 5.1mg

The post Thai Cashew Chicken (so easy!) appeared first on Don't Go Bacon My Heart.