Crockpot Chicken and Gravy

You're busy getting ready for the holidays:  shopping, menu planning, cooking, decorating, kids home on break.  It's a whirlwind of activity but you still have to eat.  Make something that cooks itself, like this dinner--it's crockpot sourcery I tell you.  Pure magic.  With gravy :)

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cans cream of chicken soup

1 envelope chicken gravy

chicken broth

salt/pepper/garlic powder

1 bag baby carrots

1 celery stalk, cut in large dice

1 small onion, peeled and quartered

2 or 3 fresh thyme sprigs

parsley

*Note:  serve with mashed potatoes

Place celery, onion, and carrots in crockpot.  Season chicken with salt, pepper, and garlic powder and place on top of vegetables.  Open soup and spoon over chicken, covering the top.  Fill both empty soup cans with chicken broth and pour around the chicken.  Sprinkle gravy packet over and around the chicken, mixing in with spoon.  Add in thyme sprigs. Cover, and cook on low heat, 5 1/2 - 6 hours.  Chicken is done when it breaks apart easily with a fork..

When done, break chicken into large chunks with 2 forks, stir all together and cook another few minutes .  Take out thyme sprigs.  Ladle into bowls with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with parsley.  Salt and pepper to taste.

Hot Brown

 

A specialty of the Brown Hotel in Louisville, KY since the 1920's, and one of my all-time favorite lunches.  It's an unexpected way to use some of that leftover turkey on day 2 after Thanksgiving, and your family will think you're a genius.

The acid of the tomatoes is needed to cut through the richness of the decadent sauce, so make sure they are firm when you use them, and not overly ripe.

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

               serves 4

4 slices white bread, crusts cut off

4 large roma tomatoes, sliced

leftover turkey breast 

paprika

parsley (freshly chopped, or dried flakes)

8 slices cooked bacon

oven-safe individual dishes, buttered

for sauce:

1/2 stick butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

1/2 - 3/4  cup freshly grated parmesan or pecorino romano cheese, plus a little more for the top

1/8 cup chicken broth

splash dry white wine

salt/pepper

First you need to prepare the hot browns in the dishes:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place a piece of bread in each buttered dish.  Top with turkey and lay tomato slices around the dish.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Place the dishes in the oven to toast while you make the sauce.

ready for the oven

Make the sauce:  melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in flour until it forms a roux--cook a few minutes until it browns, stirring often.  Whisk in cream and milk.  As it thickens, whisk in wine and broth. Continue whisking until it has thickened slightly.  Remove from heat and add in the cheese, whisk until smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Take dishes out of the oven and pour sauce over each, covering the top completely.  Sprinkle  lightly with more grated cheese and paprika--place under heated broiler for approx 5 minutes, until they begin to bubble and brown nicely.

Remove from oven, cross 2 cooked bacon slices over the top, finish with parsley, and serve immediately with knife and fork.