Chicken and Sausage Ragu Video

My first video! 

 It's pretty raw and I hope over time I will learn how to edit a bit more but for now here it is. 

Just click or copy and paste!  It's about 17 minutes long and here's the recipe I'm cooking.

It's on facebook at:  https://www.facebook.com/philliscareythecasualgourmet/videos/316685009407589

or on Youtube at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrrDfkVcVyI

Chicken and Sausage Ragu

Serves 6.

4 T. olive oil, divided use

1 onion, coarsely chopped

1 lb. Italian sausage, coarsely crumbled

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. boneless chicken, breast or thigh, cut into 1 inch pieces

Salt and pepper (or just pepper if using salty sun-dried tomatoes)

1-15 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes

1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth (more if serving over pasta)

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, coarsely chopped (soft or oil-packed)

3 rosemary sprigs

6 oz. frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

3 oz. cream cheese, softened

Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Parsley for garnish

1. Heat 2 T. olive oil in a deep saute pan or a Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Add the onion and cook until tender, 5 minute.  Add the sausage and cook, stirring often until nicely browned.  Does not have to  be cooked through at this point.  Remove mixture to a bowl.

2. Add remaining 2 T. olive oil to the pan.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pan.  Cook, tossing occasionally until chicken is well browned, about 5 minutes.  Remove chicken to the bowl with sausage.

3. Add the tomatoes and chicken broth to the pan.  Bring mixture to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Return the chicken and sausage to the pan and add the sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary to the mixture.  Bring to a simmer and then lower heat, cover and cook about 10 minutes or until chicken and sausage are cooked through.

4. Stir cream cheese into the ragu, a bit at a time.  Until smooth and creamy.  You may remove the chicken and sausage to do this if you are worried about overcooking the chicken.  I do this more often when using chicken breast rather than chicken thighs.  

5. Serve as is or over pasta or polenta, sprinkled with cheese and parsley. Enjoy!

 

SALSA CHICKEN TORTILLA BAKE WITH BLACK BEANS AND ROASTED POBLANOS

Serves 6.

8 corn tortillas, quartered
3 cups cubed cooked chicken (leftover or from a rotisserie chicken)
1-16 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
24 oz. jarred salsa, mild or medium, chunky but with lots of liquid
1 1/2 cups Mexican Crema Agria or crème fraiche, divided use
2 poblano chilies, roasted, peeled and cut into short strips
1-8 oz. can sliced ripe black olives, drained
1 1/2 cups grated Jack cheese
1 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped cilantro for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange half the tortillas in the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch casserole. In a large bowl combine the chicken, black beans and salsa. Layer half on top of the tortillas. Drop 1/2 cup Crema on top and then sprinkle with half the chilies, half the olives and half the cheeses. Repeat to make a second layer.

2. Cover casserole with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted on top. Serve, drizzled with remaining 1/2 cup Crema and sprinkled with cilantro.

Make ahead: Cover casserole and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Bake covered casserole for 40 minutes before uncovering and baking another 10 to 15 minutes.

CHICKEN SCHNITZEL WITH BACON AND MUSHROOMS

Serves 6.

Gravy:
8 oz. sliced bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup chopped onion
8 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/4-inch thick
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 cups low-sodium beef stock
1 T. plus 1 tsp. all-purpose flour

Chicken:
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 T. brown mustard
3 eggs
2 cups plain dried breadcrumbs
6 T. grapeseed or vegetable oil
6 T. unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped, for garnish

1. For the gravy, cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy and most of the fat has been rendered, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate; set aside. Add the onions to the pan and cook until softened, 4 to 6 minutes, and then stir in the mushrooms and thyme and cook until the mushrooms are just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Stir in the flour to combine and cook for 2 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until the sauce is thickened to the consistency of gravy, 6 to 8 minutes. Cover and set aside.

2. For the chicken, trim and pound to an even 1/4 inch thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. If the chicken breasts are large, first cut in half crosswise and then pound. Lightly season with salt and pepper.

3. Coat chicken first in flour, then in eggs mixed with mustard and finally in the breadcrumbs to coat well. Transfer breaded chicken to a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter into the oil until it starts to bubble, and then add half of the breaded cutlets and cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through, flipping once, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

5. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack and keep warm in the oven. Cook the remaining cutlets, making sure to wipe out the pan and use new oil and butter each time. Keep adding the finished cutlets to the baking sheet in the oven as you cook them. To serve, top the Schnitzel with the Bacon and Mushroom Sauce and sprinkle with parsley.