The Best Chicken Sandwich Recipe

A Sensationally Savory Sandwich

When you pair the best cheddary-cheesy biscuit with the best chicken nugget, great things happen. Let’s dive on in!

Time To Prepare:

About 30-45 minutes

Foodie Tips:

❤  You can bake the chicken strips in the oven but the instructions below are for an air fryer. An air fryer cooks quicker than the oven and crispier than both the microwave or the oven – it’s my favorite kitchen appliance!

❤  While I highly recommend the cheddar biscuits below you can substitute your own favorite biscuit.

❤  What are the benefits of using tapioca flour? You just found them!

Ingredients:

for the biscuits:
1 Package  |  Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit Mix
¾ Cup  |  Cold Water
½ Cup  |  Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
⅓ Cup  |  Butter, Softened (I use unsalted Falfurrias)
1 Pouch  |  Garlic Herd Blend (included with mix)

for the chicken:
2 Pounds  |  Boneless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Biscuit-Sized Pieces
¼ Cup  |  Dill Pickle Juice
1  |  Cage Free Egg, Beaten
2 Tablespoons  |  Coconut Milk
¼ Cup  |  Tapioca Flour
1 Tablespoon  |  Paprika
1 Teaspoon  |  Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon  |  Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
½ Teaspoon  |  Garlic Powder
Dash  |  Cayenne Pepper
1 Tablespoon  |  Vegetable Oil
To Serve (Optional)   |  Lettuce, Thinly-Sliced Tomato, Pickles
To Serve (Optional)  |  Condiments (Honey Mustard, Ketchup, Mayonnaise)

What To Do:

1. Let’s brine the chicken by placing the chicken and dill pickle juice into a Ziploc bag. Marinate these in the fridge for about an hour.

2. Prepare the biscuit dough according to the package directions. Scoop them onto a greased baking pan and set aside. I use a 3 Tablespoon sized OXO cookie scoop which makes forming the perfect-sized biscuits a snap!

3. Preheat your oven to 425°F – this is for the biscuits – not the chicken.

4. Remove the chicken from the fridge and discard the pickle juice. Add the beaten egg and coconut milk to the bag and let everything mingle for 5-10 minutes. Discard the excess liquid and set aside.

5. Combine the dry ingredients (the tapioca flour, paprika, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper) in a medium-sized bowl. Add this dry mix to the bag of chicken and mix everything together until well combined.

6. Place the biscuits in the oven and cook for about 15 minutes, or until golden brown. While the biscuits are baking…

7. …Pour 1 Tablespoon of oil into the bottom of the air fryer. Then place your coated chicken into your air fryer basket and set it to 400°F for about 10-12 minutes, flipping the chicken at the midway mark.

8. To serve remove the biscuits from the oven. Slice them in half and top with chicken. Dress your chicken sandwich with your favorite toppings and enjoy! (I used my homemade honey mustard, lettuce, and mayo as shown. I would have used tomato but I was out!) Ketchup would be an easy substitute. :) 

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty

Email: JoePaul@KW.com
Mobile: 512-222-3302
Web: JoePaulReider.KW.com

Recipe: Cheesy Carrot Dog Treats

An Easy Pack Pleaser

This is a treat recipe that my Doggies have enjoyed for many birthdays. So this month when my SuperLabby Harley turned 11, we knew exactly what to do!

This “mini muffins” recipe is surprisingly easy to make and we hope your pack digs it as much as ours.

Always check with your Vet about which foods are appropriate for you to share with your pet. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 Cup  |  All-Purpose Flour
1 Cup  |  Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tablespoon  |  Baking Powder
1 Cup  |  Cheddar Cheese, Grated
1 Cup  |  Carrot, Grated
2  |  Cage Free Eggs
1 Cup  |  Milk
¼ Cup  |  Vegetable Oil

What To Do:

1. Grease a mini muffin tin with baking spray.

2. Combine the two flours and baking powder; mix well.

3. Add the cheese and carrots and mix well with opposable thumbs and the rest of your fingers.

4. In a separate bowl beat the eggs and whisk in the milk and oil. Pour the batter over the dry mixture and stir gently by hand or with a wooden spoon until everything is mingling well.

5. About this time preheat your oven to 350°F. While it’s preheating…

6. …Fill the mini cups to just underneath the top of the pan. Bake 20-25 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

7. Cool and serve. You just became your pup’s superhero! Again, and again!

Yields about 24 tail-waggin’ treats. 

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

Harley’s 11th Birthday Pic ~ He’s Never Looked Happier!

 

 

 

Spicy Stuffed Cornbread Recipe

Cornbread With A Kick

This week with cold, icy weather blowing into Austin, there’s nothing I like better than cooking in a warm kitchen.

This spicy stuffed cornbread recipe packs a flavorful kick and will transform mere yellow cornbread mix into a sensationally savory dish that you can eat solo or paired with your favorite main course, like my family’s recipe for homemade chili.

You’ll never think of mere cornbread the same way again! And it surely warms-up the chilliest of days … and nights.

Foodie Tip:

❤  For an extra-savory dish you can add some browned beef or chorizo to amp-up the cornbread.

Ingredients: 

the stuffing:

15.25 Ounce Can  |  Whole Kernel Fiesta Corn, Drained
15 Ounce Can  |  HEB Texas Style Borracho Beans With Shiner Bock, Drained
7 Ounce Can  |  Diced Green Chiles, Drained
1  |  Fresh Jalapeño, Diced (Including Seeds)
To Taste  |  Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
1 Pat  |  Butter (I suggest Falfurrias Brand Butter)
2 Cups  |  Colby Jack or Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
2-3  |  Green Onions, Sliced Thin (Optional Garnish)

the cornbread: 

You can use your favorite packaged cornbread or if you’re shy of one, here’s a recipe I like to make from scratch:

1 ¼ Cups  |  All-Purpose Flour
¾ Cup  |  Quaker Brand Enriched Corn Meal
¼ Cup  |  Sugar
2 Teaspoons  |  Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon   |  Salt
1 Cup  |  Whole Milk
¼ Cup  |  Vegetable Oil
1  |  Cage Free Egg, Beaten

Directions: 

0. Preheat oven to 400°F (or to the baking temperature specified for your chosen cornbread recipe).

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the first five ingredients for the stuffing. Set aside.

2. Prepare your cornbread mix according to package instructions. If making the scratch cornbread recipe (from above) combine all dry ingredients together. Add the milk, oil and egg and stir. Set aside.

3. Butter a 9-inch square skillet or pan. Place the skillet (or pan) into your warm oven for about 5 minutes.

4. Remove your warmed skillet from the oven. Add half your cornbread mixture into the skillet. Top the cornbread mixture with your stuffing mixture. Add 1 cup of the cheese on top then pour the rest of the cornbread mixture on the very top.

5. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown and a knife or wooden pick inserted in the center removes clean.

6. Remove the stuffed cornbread from the oven, sprinkle the last cup of cheese on top then return to the oven until the cheese is bubbly awesome.

7. Remove the cornbread from the oven, garnish with some green onions (if you’d like) the let rest a few minutes.

Serve warm and enjoy!

 

 

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

❤ Love Food? In a click and a scroll you can visit more of my favorite recipes!

Hatch-Chicken Mac n’ Cheese Recipe

A Smokey Love Affair

This time of year when the Hatch Chili Peppers make their bountiful cameo appearance, we get weak in the knees for all things hatch. Just perusing almost 100 recipes at Central Market’s website made us break an indoor sweat for this sensationally, seasonal pepper.

With hatches in hand we decided to incorporate these delightfully, smokey-tasting peppers into our interpretation of gourmet Mac n’ Cheese. This dish will take more time than it does to whip-up Mac from a box, but we think the results undoubtedly justify the labor of love.

Foodie Tips:

• We prepare our hatch chili peppers and our chicken ahead of time so assembly time will be efficient; we have Mac n’ Cheese to eat! The roasted rotisserie chicken? We scored ours ready-to-go from our local HEB mere steps from an impressive Hatch Chili Pepper display.
• Not sure how to roast your Hatch Chili Peppers? Here’s a helpful post I found that may help. We roasted our peppers on the outdoor grill. Our local HEB Plus! was even hosting hatch chili roasting events to make things even easier.
• As an alternative to olive oil we have been having fun with avocado oil; it has a high smoke point and can offer various health benefits. We found our oil locally at Salt & Time on East 7th Street.
• You can substitute the cheeses below with your favorites, like with Monterrey Jack or Mozzarella.
• If it’s not hatch season you can use a couple cans of green chiles, although the flavor won’t be as smokey. If you’re out of shallots, try substituting red or white onions. No penne? Try elbow macaroni or your favorite sauce-hugging pasta (sorry, spaghetti, linguini and angel hair – we have other plans in store for you).

Ingredients: 

2  |  Shallots, Peeled, Roasted and Chopped
3 Cloves  |  Garlic, Peeled, Roasted and Chopped
2 Teaspoons  |  Avocado Oil (or olive oil)
2 Tablespoons  |  Flour
4 Cups  |  Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Teaspoon  |  Fresh Thyme, Chopped
2 Cups  |  Jalapeño Pepper Jack Cheese, Shredded
2 Cups  |  Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
To Taste  |  Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 Pound  |  Penne Pasta, Cooked and Drained
4-5  |  Hatch Chili Peppers, Roasted, Skinned, Seeded and Chopped
2-3 Cups  |  Roasted Rotisserie Chicken, Deboned and Shredded
1/2 – 1 Cup  | Panko Bread Crumbs
2 Tablespoons  |  Falfurrias Brand Butter, Melted
2 Tablespoons  |  Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Chopped

Directions: 

1. Place the peeled shallots and garlic in a small aluminum foil pouch and drizzle with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Roast on the grill (or indoor oven at 425°F) about 25 minutes, until tender. This is a good time to boil the water, prepare the pasta and set it aside after drining. Remove the shallot-garlic medley from oven/grill and give it some time to cool a bit. Remove the veggies from the foil then chop them up.

2. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add another teaspoon of oil, the chopped vegetables then sauté for about a minute. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute (do not allow to burn). Whisk in the heavy cream and the thyme then stir in the Hatch Chili Peppers. Allow the mixture to reduce by a third.

3. Add your cheeses and stir until melted, creamy and thick. Season with salt and pepper as desired. Hungry yet? :)

4. Remove the cheese sauce from the heat and gently stir in the pasta and chicken. [Note: If your sauté pan is too small you can transfer the sauce into the pasta pot.] Transfer the Mac n’ Cheese into a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish and set aside. Preheat your oven to 350°F.

5. In a small bowl mix together the panko, butter and parsley; spread this mixture over the Mac n’ Cheese. Bake uncovered for about 25-35 minutes, until everything is browned and bubbly. Remove from oven, cool for a few minutes then serve.

Yields: 8-12 servings, depending on your appetite! Enjoy!

Love this recipe? We want to hear from you!

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

❤ Love Food? In a click and a scroll you can visit more of my favorite recipes!

Walnut Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

We’re Nutty For These Shrooms

This stuffed mushrooms recipe was given to me by Christina – she’s my newest neighbor and fellow foodie fan. One bite of the teaser samples she brought and we knew we needed the recipe! Christina said she always makes these mushrooms in the fall – I think you’ll agree that the warm taste of toasted walnuts makes this a welcomed appetizer or side bite.

Last night I served my first batch at a “welcome to your new neighborhood” party I hosted for my clients in Lakeway and these were a big hit so I promised the partygoers I would post the recipe here at the Home Style Austin Blog. So, here goes:

Foodie Tips:

  If you have any leftover mushroom mixture (below) it’s really good sprinkled on pasta tossed with brown butter, garlic and a few red pepper flakes.

  For an easy trick to core the mushrooms, try using a grapefruit spoon (as shown).

Ingredients: 

30 – 35  |  Mushrooms (Baby Bella/Crimini).
1 ½  |  Sticks of Butter
2  |  Shallots
To Taste  |  Flat Leaf Parsley, Chopped
½ Cup  |  Walnuts, Toasted and Chopped
½ Block  |  Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Grated
¼ Cup  |  Panko Breadcrumbs
¼ Cup  |  “Plain” Breadcrumbs
To Taste  |  Salt
To Taste  |  Fresh Cracked Pepper
To Taste  |  Herbs de Provence

What To Do:

0. Preheat oven to 350°F.

1. Carefully clean/brush the mushrooms, remove and finely chop the stems. Set aside.

2. In a pan, melt a little less than one stick of the butter. Roll the mushroom caps in butter and set them on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.

3. Finely chop the shallots and sauté them with the chopped shrooms in the remaining butter. When done remove the mixture from heat and stir-in the chopped parsley, toasted chopped walnuts, cheese, breadcrumbs and season to taste with the  salt, pepper and herbs de provence.

4. Grab a small handful of the mushroom filling and squeeze it into a ball and press it into the mushroom cap. Top the mushroom with more mixture, if desired. Repeat until all mushrooms are filled.

5. Bake the mushrooms at 350°F until soft, about 15 minutes.

Transfer to serving plate and serve warm.

Enjoy!

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.

Egg In A Cup Recipe

When We Say “Cup,” Bacon Is Implied  :)

Ingredients:

8 Slices  |  Bacon
6   |  Cage Free Eggs
1 Cup  |  Cheddar Cheese
1 Tablespoon  |  Fresh Thyme, Chopped
1 Tablespoon  |  Fresh Parsley, Chopped
To Taste  |  Fresh Cracked Black Pepper

What To Do: 

0. Preheat oven to 400°F.

1. Cook the strips of bacon in a pan over medium heat until browned, but not crunchy-crispy. Transfer bacon to a plate topped with paper towels to drain and cool.

2. Spray 6 wells of a muffin tin with non stick cooking spray. Take a piece of bacon and wrap around the side of each muffin well. Cut the remaining two pieces of bacon into thirds and place each piece in the bottom of the muffin well to form the bottom of the bacon cup.

3. Crack one egg into each cup. Top each with a sprinkle of cheese, thyme, parsley and the black pepper.

4. Bake until set (about 10-12 minutes). If all goes well the egg will be slightly runny when you cut into it!

Yields: 6 Servings

Food Tips: 

  Use your choice(s) of cheese. I’m partial to cheddar, but pepper jack and goat cheese are favorites, too!
  Sweet and savory make great breakfast buddies for this dish ~ Serve with a side of fresh fruits (grapes, pineapple and melon). Nobody leaves hungry!

~ Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.