Caravan Cook: chicken dishes

Très chick

Chicken has always been a comfort food to me no matter where I am. Perhaps it is memories of my childhood when chicken was always such a special treat. I remember in those days that the chickens that my mum bought were big fat capons with the feet still attached. As I may have mentioned before, my sister and I tied one of these feet to a light switch and waited for my Grandmother to come to turn the light on. You cannot believe that a little old lady could scream like that. She certainly had quite a set of lungs. In my defence, I was only about seven years old.

Enough of the side trip down chooky memory lane, back to our recipes. It would be extremely unusual for me not to have a couple of tins of chicken consommé and chicken soup in my pantry, both at home and when I am travelling. They are very handy both as an ingredient and as a culinary security blanket in case someone is feeling less than terrific.

The following recipes have either consommé or soup in them as a sauce base. This makes these recipes quick and easy to prepare. Plus they are just as delicious cooked in a camp oven.

CRUNCHY CHICKEN THIGHS
This recipe is easy, quick to prepare and will serve four.

Dip the chicken thighs in the beaten eggs and then coat them with the breadcrumbs. Set the coated chicken thighs to one side while you heat the butter and oil in a heavy-base frypan. Cook the chicken thighs on both sides until golden brown.

Preheat your oven to 180C/375F.

Arrange the chicken thighs in a baking dish (small disposable foil ones are great for this). Scatter the sliced mushrooms over the top of the chicken thighs and then top with the grated cheese. Pour the chicken consommé or stock over the top and then pop the lot into the oven.

Bake, uncovered, for about half an hour or until the chicken is tender. Perhaps serve with a green salad and some fresh crusty bread for a feast.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
Mexican is one of my favourite food styles, with the flavours of chilli and cumin turning what would be an ordinary meal into a fiesta.

This recipe calls for cooked chicken in the ingredients. There are few ways to achieve this. You could steam or sauté some chicken breasts, use leftover chicken from a roast chicken or purchase a barbecue chook. I must admit that the barbecue chicken option leaves me a bit wary, but if you know the barbecue chicken shop is reputable and the chickens are freshly cooked, go for it.

Preheat your oven to 180C/375F.
Combine the soup, chilli, milk, cumin and sour cream in a bowl and beat well until smooth(ish). Set the mixture to one side.

Mix the strips of chicken, cream cheese and onion together. Spread a couple of tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto each of the tortillas until all the chicken mixture has been used.

Roll up the tortillas and place, seam side down, in a baking dish. Pour the sour cream mixture over the top of the tortillas and then sprinkle with the grated cheese.

Cover the baking dish with some foil and bake the chicken tortillas for about half an hour. Uncover the baking dish for the last five to 10 minutes of the baking time to allow the cheese to become deliciously golden and bubbling.

SWISS CHICKEN
This recipe will serve four. When I am travelling, I usually use the packets of croutons that can be purchased at most supermarkets for use in caesar salads.

Heat the cooking oil in a heavy-base frypan or a flameproof casserole dish. Brown the chicken on all sides. If you are using a frypan, you will now need to transfer the browned chicken pieces to an ovenproof baking dish.

Preheat your oven to 170C/325F.

Place the chicken pieces in a baking dish. Sprinkle the croutons, celery, onion, cheese and almonds over the top of the chicken pieces.

Combine the chicken soup and the mayonnaise in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Pour the soup mixture over the top of the chicken and spread evenly. Cover the baking dish with some alfoil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover the baking dish and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Allow the Swiss chicken to stand for about 10 minutes before serving.