Stuffed Adobo Chicken with Mango reduction

Grilled Stuffed Adobo Chicken with a Mango Reduction Sauce


8 Boneless Chicken thighs (skin removed) and pounded flat
½ C Chili powder
½ C Adobo Seasoning
¼ C Cumin Powder
S & P Pinch each
4 TBS Olive Oil
6 oz of herbed goat cheese

For the Sauce
3 – 12 oz cans of Mango Nectar
1 C white wine
Juice of 3 limes and 1 lemon
3 TBS Honey
1 Tsp finely chopped Jalapeño Pepper
S & P to taste

Heat Grill on high heat

Start with the sauce first, it will take a while to reduce. In a blender put the mango nectar, wine, juice from the limes and lemon, honey, Jalapeno pepper and S&P. Blend well and then put in a sauce pan. Heat to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer uncovered. Sauce will thicken as it reduces. You want to consistency of a thin gravy. Strain before serving

For the Chicken

In a small mixing bowl add the chili powder, adobo seasoning, cumin, S & P and Olive oil and mix well making a paste consistency. Lay each thigh on a cutting board flat and brush the inside with some of the mixture. Place a small spoonful ( about ¾ of an oz) of the cheese and roll up the thigh. Tie off each end of the thigh with kitchen string. Brush the outside of the thigh liberally with the mixture and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the thighs.

Oil the grill grates with a paper towel and place the thighs on the grill. Cover and reduce heat to medium turning regularly so not to burn but just browned nicely. Cook until thighs register to 165 degrees with a thermometer and take off the grill. Let rest for ten minutes covered with foil. Place with the Mango reduction and serve.

Citrus Herb Roasted Chicken

Citrus Herb Roasted Chicken



1 5 to 6 lb whole Fryer Chicken
3 Tbs dried Italian Seasoning
3 Cloves Garlic crushed and minced
1 Med Orange
1 Med Lemon
1 Med Lime
3 Tbs Olive Oil
3 sprigs each Rosemary, Thyme
Salt & Pepper

1st step of prep is to brine your chicken for at least 4 to 8 hours or even over night, this will guarantee an absolutely delicious and moist bird.

For the Brine

2 gallons of water
2 cups salt
1 cup red wine vinegar

In a large enough bucket dissolve salt in water and add the vinegar. Gently lower the chicken into the brining solution making sure the bird is completely covered with the solution. Refrigerate for at least 4 to 8 hours or overnight but no more than 12 hours.

Drain and rinse the bird and then pat dry with paper towels inside and out and set aside. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

In a small bowl add the olive oil and with your fingers crush the dry Italian seasoning herbs between you fingers into the oil, add the garlic and a pinch of S & P. Mix thoroughly with a spoon.


With you fingers (I prefer to use gloves), gently push your fingers between the breast and the skin of the bird. Then put the herb mixture in between the skin and meat rubbing evenly throughout the birds surface. Rub the remaining mixture over the entire birds skin.



On a separate cutting board, cut the Orange, lemon and lime into quarters. Stuff the cavity of the bird with 3 wedges of each fruit leaving 1 quarter to the side. Truss the bird and put onto a roaster pan. Squeeze the remaining fruit quarters over the entire bird. Then add the fresh herbs to the bottom of the roasting pan and add 4 cups of water or enough water to fill to 1 inch deep.



Put chicken into oven and roast for 30 minutes at 500 degrees to brown the skin. After 30 minutes lower the oven to 325 degrees. Roast for an additional 2 hours until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees when placed between the inner part of the thigh. Let stand for at least 10 to 15 minutes before carving the bird.

Coq Au Vin

Winter calls for a good hearty dish once in a while. I love this dish and serve it a couple of times a year in the fall and winter. I fixed this meal for a lovely couple in Lancaster Ohio. It’s a great way to spend an evening with family on a cold winters night.

Coq Au Vin

3 to 3 ½ lb fryer chicken cut up
½ lb Pancetta
8 sm white boiling onions (skins removed)
½ lb button mushrooms
1 ¾ C chicken broth (low sodium)
1 C dry red wine
2 Tb Dijon mustard
Bouquet of herbs: 2 sprigs of thyme and 1 sprig of Rosemary and 1 bay leaf, tied all together with string.
1 ts each cornstarch and water
2 Tb chopped parsley

Rinse chicken, pat dry and set aside. In a wide frying pan over medium-high heat, cook pancetta stirring, until crisp and well browned. Take out and set aside, leaving drippings in pan.
Add chicken to pan, a portion at a time, without crowding; cook and brown on all sides. Take out and set aside. Add skinned onions to pan, cook, and stirring until browned. Add mushrooms and cook until liquid has evaporated. Set onions and mushrooms aside.
Pour wine into pan and increase heat to high, scraping up brown bits from pan.

Stir in broth and mustard, mix well. Bring to a boil until reduced to about 1 ½ cups. Add chicken, onion and mushrooms back to pan. Add the Bouquet of herbs and bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35 to 45 minutes until chicken is done. Stir in pancetta and return to a simmer
Transfer chicken and vegetables to a serving dish. Combine cornstarch and water and stir into sauce. Bring to a boil until thickened and pour over chicken. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Serves 4 or 5 people. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes or root vegetables and maybe some sautéed green beans.

Italian Night

Tonight I thought I would do something Italian! Yes, this dish is a little heavy right after the holiday but it’s delicious and your family will love it. It’s very easy and will only take about 30 minutes from start to finish. Ok, maybe a little longer once you include clean up but it really is an easy dish. I suggest reading the whole recipe to get a good idea of the process and when to do what. I hope you enjoy this recipe. Serve with a nice crisp salad and some baked Italian garlic bread.

Chicken Romano with Linguine
2 Lg Boneless Chicken Breast
1 C Seasoned Italian Bread crumbs
1Tb Dried Italian Seasoning herbs
1 Tb Parmesan Cheese grated
¾ C Milk
2 Tb flour
1 Ts minced garlic
4 thick slices of Mozzarella Cheese
1 Jar of your favorite Marinara Sauce
1 Small jar of your favorite Alfredo Sauce
1 Pkg linguine pasta
2 Tb fresh chopped flat leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 375 and heat a large pot (I suggest 10 qt) of boiling well salted water. Pound chicken breasts thin to ½ inch evenly and cut in halves. In 3 small shallow pans (such as round cake pans) fill 1 with the flour, 1 with the milk and 1 with the bread crumbs, Italian seasoning and Parmesan Cheese. Take the chicken and dredge in flour then milk and then bread crumb mixture to coat.

In a large oven proof skillet, heat 3 to 4 Tb of Olive Oil to med-high heat. Place coated chicken in skillet, brown on each side for 3 to 4 minutes. Place pan in oven for around 5 to 7 minutes until cooked through. (test with a digital thermometer to 160 degrees). Place one slice of Mozzarella Cheese on each piece of chicken and place back in oven to melt.

While chicken is in oven cook pasta in boiling water until al-dente and in a small sauce pan heat the marinara sauce. Now, in a sauté pan melt 1 Tb butter and add ¼ Ts of minced garlic and cook until it blossoms, add a 4 oz ladle of the Alfredo sauce to the pan bringing to a simmer, sprinkle with a pinch of the chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Note: most likely if you are using store bought sauces they will have enough salt. Add 1 serving of pasta to sauce and toss.

To plate: on a rimmed plate or pasta bowl ladle 3 oz of marinara sauce onto bottom of plate. In center of plate top with pasta (I suggest twisting it with a pair of tongs to a mound). Top with one piece of the chicken and garnish with parsley.

Do this for each serving or if you have a large enough sauté pan do all 4 servings in it and divide. Last note: some Alfredo sauces are thicker than others. If yours seem to thick when you add the pasta just add a little pasta water to it to thin it out some.