Sooner or Later…

Here’s that cheesy chicken recipe I promised so long ago.  Remember that I’m not posting definite amounts as it is another very forgiving recipe and I highly doubt that you would begin with “take ten pounds of chicken leg quarters”.  HOWEVER:  this is a several days recipe/menu so do make plenty.

First Day:

Chicken Leg Quarters–really do work best so begin with enough for two meals.  Skin & separate into legs and thighs if you desire.

Red Sauce–The Save-A-Lot can is called red chile sauce, or enchilada sauce

Rice–again for two meals

Fajita seasoning (optional)

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 (which means turn on when you think about it)  Skin the chicken and trim the extra fat and tail section off.  I do this most times but in a pinch just wash and put into baking dish. Cover with the Red sauce and bake for at least 1 hour. If you did NOT skin the chicken bake for about 30 min, drain the extra liquid off, then  cover with sauce and bake for about 45 minutes.  The aim is a very tender, falling off the bones chicken. DO NOT dump the pan sauce it will be used later.

Meanwhile cook the rice on the stove top adding fajita seasoning to the water as a seasoning option.  I do this about half the time.  The water will look grey and so will the rice, but it looks and tastes great.

Rest of the meal should be cooked corn (not on the cob) and a nice green something.  In summer it would be a salad and sliced tomatoes but in winter it is usually green beans.  Extra corn is a good thing, extra beans are not.   If you separated the legs & thighs, I suggest eating the legs tonight and saving the thighs for the next step.

When clearing off the table separate the meat from the bones. It is much easier to do it now when the meat has cooled but not been in the fridge.  Your fingers will thank you for not messing with cold meat and will wash up easier.  The rest of the clean up will depend on what the next meal is going to be and after reading you will understand better.  For me follow along by placing the chicken in a bowl and adding just a bit of the pan sauce–enough to prevent drying out and for flavor.

Next take the extra rice + the pan sauce and mix together.  You want very moist but not soup.  The extra corn could be added but perhaps not right now.  Cover the rice well.  If dried out top is a problem for you then press the plastic wrap against the rice.  I have good luck using my corell with a glass lid, but depending on the amount & brain space also do the plastic wrap.

Day Two: 

Chicken–from yesterday, warmed up

Tortillas

Rice & sauce–from yesterday

Grated cheese–colby/jack blend or your favorite

Toppings:  Sour cream (only) for me but the family also adds taco sauce, left over salad and/or tomatoes if we have them.  Suit yourself.

Need I tell you how to make a tortilla?    Just remember that this is a cheesy goodness recipe so use plenty of cheese.  Mine is simply chicken, cheese and sour cream–no rice mix.

Today’s cleanup:  Mix the extra chicken with the extra rice. Now add the corn and mix well.

Day Three:

Canned Black Beans–drained and rinsed

The rice, chicken & corn mixture

Grated Cheese

Sour cream (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Mix the black beans with the rice, chicken & corn mixture.  Look at it.  Does it look ‘colorful’?  If it doesn’t look nice add some more corn or black beans until it looks appetizing.  Put into an oiled baking dish then top with grated cheese.  Bake for about 30 min or until the cheese is melted and a bit browned and everything is hot.

Now you can treat this as a casserole eating from a bowl or plate topping with sour cream and adding side vegetables.  OR you can wrap this into a tortilla and eat as a burrito.  OR let the family choose.  This is my option as some don’t like tortillas two times in a row and others do not care.  This is good either way and as a leftover just as it is.

Final Notes:

It isn’t necessary to spread this out over three days but it isn’t bad if you do.  The flavors mix together nicely and the addition of black beans changes the flavor enough to keep things from becoming too dull.  Depending on my mood we may go straight from the oven to a tortilla with rice and skip the day one meal.  We usually do the casserole just because it is sooo good and gives the tortilla tolerators a choice.

If these directions are as clear as mud let me know and I’ll explain more.  hee hee