# Hangover food/Comfort Food



## sherifffruitfly (Dec 22, 2004)

I love this (am about to make it, in fact) - the recipe is trivial: brown a chunked-up chicken breast, slop in the mushroom soup, put some spices - mostly thyme, slather over rice...

Any thoughts on how to zing up this basic idea in a cool and easy way?


----------



## luvs (Dec 22, 2004)

change the word chicken 'chunks',  to chicken 'pieces' first and foremost.
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





i'd add sage, ground, and a little milk. maybe put the breast in to brine the night before. try over orzo instead of rice. or mix with orzo. add a little worcestershire to soup mixture and a little heavy cream or cream cheese.


----------



## sherifffruitfly (Dec 22, 2004)

"pieced-up chicken breast"? lol

What's ground?

EDIT: And you were ok with "slopping" the soup, and "slathering" over rice? LOL


----------



## luvs (Dec 26, 2004)

hey, you asked, i answered. if you can't take criticism, don't ask. and you know what i mean: 'pieces of chicken'. gimme a break.


----------



## sherifffruitfly (Dec 26, 2004)

luvs_food said:
			
		

> hey, you asked, i answered. if you can't take criticism, don't ask. and you know what i mean: 'pieces of chicken'. gimme a break.



o no - the language police hath taken umbrage at mine words! lol


----------



## buckytom (Dec 27, 2004)

awww, man, that sucks. that was your last umbrage too, wasn't it?


----------



## AllenOK (Dec 27, 2004)

I'd use my basic chicken seasoning, a little thyme, a little sage, and a little paprika.  Also, instead of basic white rice, I'd make my basic rice pilaf and serve the chicken over the pilaf.  Add a little thyme, sage, and paprika to the pilaf, and use chicken stock.

Yields:  3 – 4 servings

½ c rice
1 T orzo pasta
1 T butter
2 T diced onions
2 mushrooms, diced
½ t garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
one sprig of thyme
1 c stock
salt and pepper to taste

	Heat a saucepan.  Melt the butter.  Add the onions, mushrooms, garlic, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper.  Sweat them until the onions are transparent.  Add the rice and orzo pasta.  Increase heat to medium.  Sauté until the orzo browns slightly and the rice begins to pop and “frizzle”.  Deglaze the pan with the stock.  Check the seasoning, and add some more salt and pepper as needed.  Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 18 minutes.


----------



## sherifffruitfly (Dec 27, 2004)

Cool - thanks Allen!

Hmm... that the second orzo suggestion... guess I'm gonna have look it up and see what exactly it is... lol

Thanks again!


----------



## AllenOK (Dec 27, 2004)

Orzo is a pasta that is roughly the same size and shape as rice grains.  Depending on the brand, there are slight shape and size differences, but these are all basically the same thing.

Think "Rice-a-Roni", the flavored/seasoned vermicelli/rice packaged junk that you can get at the store.  It's based on the classic Rice Pilaf, even down to the cooking method.


----------



## sherifffruitfly (Dec 27, 2004)

AllenMI said:
			
		

> Orzo is a pasta that is roughly the same size and shape as rice grains.  Depending on the brand, there are slight shape and size differences, but these are all basically the same thing.
> 
> Think "Rice-a-Roni", the flavored/seasoned vermicelli/rice packaged junk that you can get at the store.  It's based on the classic Rice Pilaf, even down to the cooking method.



Ah so... Kinda like couscous then? A bit bigger I suppose... (I think couscous is pasta, isn't it?)


----------



## chez suz (Dec 27, 2004)

You are right cous cous is a pasta..not a grain.


----------



## Alix (Dec 27, 2004)

You are also right that orzo is bigger than couscous. Orzo is roughly the size of a long grain rice. 

I would just toss some garlic into your original equation,  some mushrooms, maybe some leftover gravy and serve on toast. Mmmmmmm chicken goop on a shingle!!!


----------



## sherifffruitfly (Dec 27, 2004)

Alix said:
			
		

> You are also right that orzo is bigger than couscous. Orzo is roughly the size of a long grain rice.
> 
> I would just toss some garlic into your original equation,  some mushrooms, maybe some leftover gravy and serve on toast. Mmmmmmm chicken goop on a shingle!!!



Ooh! Garlic! How could I ever forget that.... 

I'm not actually a fan of mushrooms (ducks shoes flying at head) - tho I love mushroom soup - go figure - lol

mmmm..... chicken goop....


----------



## Alix (Dec 27, 2004)

Red pepper bits then? (Not a big mushroom fan here either, but I know lots of folks are)


----------



## sherifffruitfly (Dec 27, 2004)

Alix said:
			
		

> Red pepper bits then? (Not a big mushroom fan here either, but I know lots of folks are)



Ooh - that works! Adds a bit of color to boot!

(Of course I've already made and eaten the dish I was initially talking about, but as sure as the fact that I'll be hungover sometime in the future, I'll be taking these suggestions on board as well...)


----------



## Alix (Dec 27, 2004)

LOL...New Years Eve fast approaches...stock up on chicken breast and mushroom soup!!


----------



## sherifffruitfly (Dec 27, 2004)

Alix said:
			
		

> LOL...New Years Eve fast approaches...stock up on chicken breast and mushroom soup!!



Damn long-term thinkers -  I was imagining tonite.... LOL


----------



## kitchenelf (Dec 27, 2004)

How about a bit of white wine added to that soup - also tarragon is a nice flavor change to the sage and thyme.


----------



## sherifffruitfly (Dec 27, 2004)

kitchenelf said:
			
		

> How about a bit of white wine added to that soup - also tarragon is a nice flavor change to the sage and thyme.



Can't dial up what tarragon tastes like.... can recall it being very common with chicken dishes tho - I'm game!

I actually did put some nice wine in it - chardonnay iirc.... was excellent!


----------



## kitchenelf (Dec 27, 2004)

Tarragon has a slight licorice flavor - I don't like black licorice but I like tarragon - adds a really nice flavor - yep, tarragon and chicken go hand in hand!!  I make a "mean" tarragon chicken dish!!!


----------



## sherifffruitfly (Dec 27, 2004)

kitchenelf said:
			
		

> Tarragon has a slight licorice flavor - I don't like black licorice but I like tarragon - adds a really nice flavor - yep, tarragon and chicken go hand in hand!!  I make a "mean" tarragon chicken dish!!!



As long as it's not as strong as anise... black licorice is right below mushrooms in my book.... But I take it that tarragon's flavor "mixes" well with chicken... can you get fresh tarragon commonly in the produce aisle? Or are most people stuck with the spice rack?


----------



## kitchenelf (Dec 27, 2004)

Should be common in the produce isle - I'm not a huge anise fan either - but tarragon is wonderful - just the right herb for chicken.


----------



## sherifffruitfly (Dec 27, 2004)

kitchenelf said:
			
		

> Should be common in the produce isle - I'm not a huge anise fan either - but tarragon is wonderful - just the right herb for chicken.



I'm there dude - thanks!


----------



## AllenOK (Dec 28, 2004)

I will agree that tarragon and chicken work well together.  I always add a little tarragon to my chicken salad.

Fresh tarragon is a joy to work with.  Try the produce section of a grocery store, and look for the fresh herbs.  There might be a little tarragon in there.


----------

