Winter 2008   

 
 
The year was 1988. Simpler times. George Bush Sr. became president, Burt Reynolds and Loni Anderson got married, blazers with shoulder pads were in and Savory Chicken Stew over Rice was the inaugural winner of the Winning Taste Recipe Contest. Since this is the twentieth anniversary of our contest, I thought it would be a perfect time to look back over a few of the winners of the past twenty years.
       
  Savory Chicken Stew  
  Grecian Chicken Breasts  
  Tex-Mex Mini Chicken Cups  
       
Savory Chicken Stew Over Rice
Makes 8 to 10 Servings
  • 3-3 ½ pounds Pilgrim's Pride chicken breasts, boned, skinned and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 large red onion, chopped
  • 6-8 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 cup chopped green pepper
 Savory Chicken Stew
  • 1½ teaspoons curry powder (or to taste)
  • 2 cans (28 ounces each) whole peeled tomatoes, cut into pieces, undrained
  • 1½ tablespoons Kitchen Bouquet or other gravy browning liquid
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon mace
  • 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
  • 1/3 cup raisins or currants
  • 1/3 cup slivered almonds

In a large heavy pan, brown chicken pieces in hot vegetable oil. Remove chicken and set aside. Add onion, garlic, green pepper and curry powder to drippings in pan. Sauté over low heat until onions are tender. Return chicken to pan. Add remaining ingredients except almonds. Simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Sprinkle with almonds and serve over steamed rice.

Note: To save time, Pilgrim's Pride Boneless Skinless Breasts may be used. Also, boneless skinless thighs or a combination of white and dark chicken meat may be substituted for the chicken breasts.

Submitted by Bonnie J. Starr of Largo, Florida

| Print Version |
Grecian Chicken Breasts
 Serves 6   
Grecian Chicken Breasts In 1990 The Simpsons debuted, MC Hammer was singing U Can't Touch This, gas was $1.33 a gallon and Americans were eating Grecian Chicken Breasts, that year's winner of our contest.
  • 6 Pilgrim's Pride boneless split chicken breasts
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  • 1 package (8 ounces) Feta cheese, crumbled
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 8 strips bacon

Preheat oven to 325°F. Cut a pocket into each chicken breast. Salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

Thoroughly drain and squeeze any liquid from thawed spinach. Do not cook. Combine with Feta cheese, mayonnaise and garlic; stuff into chicken breast pockets.

Combine flour and paprika and lightly coat stuffed chicken breasts. Wrap two strips of bacon around each and place on a baking rack in baking dish. Bake uncovered at 325°F for 1 hour or until chicken tests done.

Note: May be prepared ahead. Cover well; refrigerate or freeze and bake later. If frozen, thaw in refrigerator before baking.

Submitted by Ronald J. Weir of Milwaukee, Wisconsin

| Print Version |
Tex-Mex Mini Chicken Cups
Serves 24   
The Food Network was launched, Beanie Babies were introduced, and I watched The Dallas Cowboys win the Super Bowl while eating some Tex Mex Mini Cups, the 1993 winner of The Winning Taste Recipe Contest.

 Tex-Mex Mini Chicken Cups
  • 1½ pounds Pilgrim's Pride boneless, skinless split chicken breasts
  • 1 cup ranch dressing or dairy sour cream
  • ¼ teaspoon each salt and Spice Islands® pepper, or to taste
  • 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  • 2 tablespoons Spice Islands® Chili Con Carné Seasoning (chili seasoning blend)
  • 1 package (24-count) Wonton wrappers
  • 1 cup finely chopped red or green bell pepper, or combination
  • Salsa, sour cream, guacamole (optional toppings)

Place chicken in a single layer in a sauce pan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and poach chicken about 20 minutes. Drain, cool slightly and chop chicken or shred with a fork. Mix with dressing and season with salt and pepper; set aside. Combine cheese with chili seasoning; set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray muffin pans with cooking spray. Place one wonton wrapper in each muffin cup; bake for 5 minutes until lightly brown. Remove from oven and cool. Spoon a generous tablespoon of chicken filling into each wonton cup, sprinkle with cheese mixture and then bell pepper. Return to oven and bake for another 10 minutes, or until heated and cheese is melted. Serve salsa, sour cream and guacamole separately as toppings, if desired.

Mini muffin pans may be used for bite-size appetizer servings. If Chili Con Carné Seasoning is unavailable, substitute 4 teaspoons chili powder and 2 teaspoons paprika.

Submitted by Gina Bolles of Marietta, Georgia.

| Print Version |
Sunsational Chicken Skewers
with Avocado Sauce
4 to 8 Servings   
Sunsational Chicken Skewers with Avocado Sauce 1997 was an incredible year! We were introduced to Judge Judy, The Spice Girls, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Sunsational Chicken Skewers with Avocado Sauce.
  • 4 Pilgrim's Pride boneless, skinless, split chicken breasts (about 11/2 to 2 pounds), cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Sauce:

  • 1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
  • 1-2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ cup low fat dairy sour cream
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Garnish (optional):
  • 2 navel oranges, peeled, thinly sliced
  • Mixed baby greens
  • 1 red onion, cut into thin slices

Place chicken pieces in shallow dish and drizzle with 3 tablespoons orange juice. Combine chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper in bowl and sprinkle over chicken.

Preheat grill and lightly coat with oil or cooking spray.

Thread chicken pieces on skewers leaving space between each piece. When grill is ready, place filled skewers on prepared grill 4 to 6 inches from source of heat. Cook 10 to 12 minutes or until meat is no longer pink inside. Turn at least once during cooking.

To make sauce, place sauce ingredients in a food processor or blender and process on high speed until smooth and creamy. Place in serving bowl.

To serve, arrange greens, orange slices and onions, separated into rings, on serving platter. Place skewered grilled chicken on top of greens. Serve with sauce.

To serve as appetizer or snack, remove chicken from skewers and place each grilled chicken piece on a decorative toothpick. Place filled toothpicks on top of greens and, if desired, garnish with orange and onion slices. Serve with sauce.

| Print Version |
Winning Taste Recipe Contest
   
I challenge you to be a part of history and enter your original chicken recipe in this year's Winning Taste Recipe Contest. You could win some really cool prizes such as a seven night trip for four to a cooking school in Portugal from Active Gourmet Holidays. You'll get food, travel, luxury accommodations and cooking classes.

Winning Taste Recipe Contest

You can also win a gourmet barbecue grill from Fire Magic-The Ultimate Barbecue, a wide assortment of Scanpan cookware to enhance every cooking experience and complete packages of J.A.Henckels® cutlery.

You can enter your favorite original chicken recipe here! Or mail entries to "2008 Winning Taste Recipe Contest", P. O. Box 179, Clarkston, GA 30021-9863. Entries must be postmarked no later than April 30, 2007 and received by May 6, 2007 or received online no later than 12 midnight EDT on April 30, 2008.

Have a favorite recipe?
Send your recipes, questions and suggestions to
recipe@pilgrimspride.com and we'll share selected recipes in future newsletters.

Greta Pilgrim-Owens

www.pilgrimspride.com
4845 US Hwy 271 North
Pittsburg, TX 75686
1-800-824-1159