Parmesan Chicken Sticks

Ladies.  These are so yummy.  My kids love them because they are "on a stick" and they have the feel of chicken nuggets but they are super flavorful and yummy.  So, we don't feel like we are eating "kid food" for dinner.  I like to serve them with a salad and pasta or mashed potatoes on the side.  Super yummy.  Hope your family likes it too.  Did I mention they are fast too?

Parmesan Chicken Sticks
Found in Barefoot Contessa's Family Style Cook Book

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts (3 to 4)
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 extra-large eggs
1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Unsalted butter
Good olive oil
Bamboo skewers (6 to 10 inches long) or ice-cream sticks

Directions 

Lay the chicken breasts on a cutting board and slice each diagonally into 4 or 5 large strips.

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. Beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water on a second plate. Combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan on a third plate. Dredge the chicken breasts on both sides in the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and roll in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly to coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook the chicken strips on medium-low heat for about 3 minutes on each side, until just cooked through. Don't crowd the pan. Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Serve each strip on a skewer or stick.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/parmesan-chicken-sticks-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Chicken Fried Rice

This is one of my family's favorite meals, even my kids love it!

2 chicken breasts- cut into bite sized pieces
3 scrambled eggs (my family loves the eggs, so I usually do 5)
2 carrots- finely grated
1/2 white onion- finely chopped
3/4 cup frozen peas (I ususally do 1-2 stalks of  pre-cooked celery instead- just preference)
1/2 cup butter
1 clove garlic or 1 tsp. garlic powder
Soy sauce to taste
2 cups rice

Marinate chicken in soy sauce, if you do not have much time, mix it with chicken before cooking.
In a large frying pan, cook chicken in small amount of olive oil, add carrots and onions and saute until clear.
Add frozen peas and cook until soft. (Or just add pre-cooked celery).
In a separate pan cook rice and then add to the mixture.
In another pan, scramble the eggs, chop finely and add to mixture.
Melt 1/2 cup butter, add garlic to butter, stir, and add to mixture. Mix together well, add soy sauce to taste and enjoy.