Chicken recipes spark taste buds at district fair

Cooking and recipe contests are always fun to enter, observe and judge; whatever your level of participation may be, they are usually a great learning experience. The Midwest Food and Poultry Chicken Recipe Contest proved to be just that during the contest at the SEMO District Fair.

Contestants prepared their favorite chicken recipes and brought them to the fair to be judged before a panel. The recipes were judged on many different criteria, not just taste or personal preference. Ease of preparation, number of ingredients, presentation and overall appeal were just a few of the point-driven categories.

The first five winners were awarded a ribbon and a cash prize. Those recipes and a couple of others are included here. I hope you have as much fun trying them as the judges had sampling them.

Hawaiian Chicken Supreme

Submitted by Rob Weeks, McClure, Ill. (first place)

1 (20-ounce) can pineapple chunks with juice

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup flour

1/3 can beer

Dash sweet chili sauce

Pour pineapple juice into pan. Add brown sugar and heat over medium heat. Add dash of chili sauce and pineapple chunks. Heat until thickened. Pound chicken breast flat. Mix eggs, flour and beer. Dip chicken into flour batter mixture and fry until golden brown. Serve sauce and fried chicken over rice. Serves 2 to 4.

Microwave Fiesta Chicken

Submitted by Krista Baker, Cape Girardeau (second place)

1 small container pimiento cheese

4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, flattened thin

1/2 stick margarine

1/2 package taco seasoning mix

1 cup crushed Cheez-It snack crackers

Combine crackers and seasoning mix. Spoon 2 tablespoons pimiento cheese in middle of each chicken breast and roll up each with a toothpick. Dip chicken in butter, then cracker mixture. Place in a casserole dish. Pour leftover crackers and butter around the chicken. Cover in clear plastic wrap. Microwave for 10 to 12 minutes on high.

Catalina Chicken

Submitted by Liz Aufdenberg, Burfordville (third place)

Chicken pieces, your choice, or split a whole fryer in half

Lemon juice

Lime juice

Seasoned salt

Catalina salad dressing

Wash chicken and rub with lemon and lime juices. Sprinkle with seasoned salt; marinate for 2 hours, refrigerated. Grill chicken until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Baste while grilling with bottled Catalina salad dressing.

In the next recipe the sesame oil adds a delicious nutty flavor to the salad dressing. It can be purchased in the Asian section of the supermarket.

Grilled Chicken Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

Submitted by Mary Jean Weber, Jackson (fourth place)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 tablespoon Greek seasoning

Mixed salad greens

Grape or cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup feta cheese

1/4 cup sliced almonds

Dressing:

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

To toast almonds, place them on a baking sheet and bake for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle Greek seasoning onto chicken breasts. Grill chicken until juices run clear. Allow chicken to cool, then slice diagonally. While chicken is cooling, prepare salad dressing by combining vinegar, oil, honey, Dijon mustard and sesame oil. Assemble salad by placing salad greens on plate. Top with sliced chicken breast and tomatoes. Sprinkle with feta cheese and sliced almonds, then top with honey Dijon vinaigrette. Serves 4.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Submitted by Dimple Bridges, Cape Girardeau (fifth place)

1 tablespoon margarine

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken

8 (8-inch) flour tortillas

2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

2 cups whipping cream

Melt butter in skillet; add onion and sauté 5 minutes. Add green chilies; sauté 1 minute. Stir in cream cheese and chicken. Cook until cream cheese is melted. Spoon 3 tablespoons of chicken mixture in middle of each tortilla and place seam side down in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and drizzle whipping cream over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Submitted by Amber Larson, Cape Girardeau

1/2 pound mild Cheddar cheese, grated

1 medium onion, chopped

1 package corn tortillas

3 (4-ounce) cans green chilies

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can milk, using soup can to measure

3 cups cooked diced chicken

Dip tortillas in hot oil; line a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking casserole dish. Add layer of cheese, onion, green chilies and chicken. Alternate with tortillas. Mix soup and milk together. Pour over casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Chicken Pizza

Submitted by Dortha Strack, Cape Girardeau

1 (12-inch) pizza crust, using a boxed pizza crust mix

1 cup pizza sauce

1 cup mushrooms, stems and pieces, drained

2 cups chicken breast, cooked and cut in small pieces

1 cup shredded pizza cheese blend

Heat oven to 475 degrees. Lightly grease a 12-inch pizza pan. Make crust according to directions and fit into pan. Add toppings in this order; pizza sauce, chicken, mushrooms and cheese. Bake on lowest oven rack for 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Chicken a la Provel

Submitted by Joan Weeks, Cape Girardeau

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons instant potato flakes

3 ounces Provel cheese

1/2 teaspoon chicken base

Sauté chicken in oil about 10 minutes on each side or until tender. Bring cream, wine and chicken base to a boil. Stir in potato flakes; reduce heat. Stir in cheese until melted. To serve, pour sauce over chicken. Garnish as desired.

There are still about seven more chicken recipes from this contest that will be shared with you next week, so be looking for that. Also, we still have two requests out for quail recipes and sweet potato recipes, especially sweet potato pie. Both of those should keep you busy for this week.

Have a delightful week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@ semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63702-0699. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.