The Sanderson Farms Championship is here, and I want to encourage everyone to be a part of this PGA golf tournament. Held at the County Club of Jackson September 26 – October 2, volunteers and spectators are needed to ensure a successful event. We all need to work together and promote this fantastic event; plus, it is for a great cause. Last year, the tournament raised over $1.8 million for charity and made a $40 million economic impact in our state and the metro area. Over 60 charities have benefited from this tournament and you can sign up to volunteer, help, donate, or buy tickets at www.sandersonfarmschampionship.com
Through the efforts of Century Club Charities, Friends of Children’s, and others, millions of dollars are raised for Children’s of Mississippi, our state’s only children’s hospital. This is a place of which all Mississippians can be proud. It is a state-of-the-art teaching hospital just for kids. The doctors, nurses, and researchers do miraculous things there, and much of their work would not be possible without the generosity from the tournament.
The title sponsor for the tournament is Sanderson Farms, and the Sanderson family and their company is not new to helping our state and supporting Children’s of Mississippi. The family has been active across our state for decades. Joe Sanderson and his wife Kathy started the Campaign for Children’s of Mississippi in 2016 and through their efforts have raised over $100 million dollars.
Although the company recently sold, Sanderson Farms is part of one of the biggest chicken processors in the country; when I think of the golf tournament, I also think of chicken (the trophy is a giant chicken, by the way.) So, let’s talk about chicken for a little while.
Is there anything better than chicken? Not much in my book. I bet we eat chicken at least three times a week. I cannot think of any ingredient that is more versatile. It is a vital source of protein around the world and the humble chicken can be used for eggs or for meat. A chicken can be raised on a small family farm in South America, in a backyard in Asia, or by a multinational conglomerate like Sanderson Farms in Laurel, Mississippi.
These are several of our favorite chicken recipes. Some have been printed before and some are new. Whether it’s a rich chicken broth for chicken and dumplings, a roasted chicken on a cold winter night, fried chicken tenders at a tailgate, or a chicken salad at a “ladies’ luncheon,” you cannot beat chicken for its versatility and ease in almost any recipe.
Granddaddy’s Jambalaya
I was first served this delicious dish during a supper club years ago. I have been longtime friends and neighbors with the Sandersons’ daughters and they were kind enough to share this wonderful recipe for their family’s jambalaya. The notes on the recipe are precious. At the bottom it says that it was revised in April 2021 with “recipe directions by Grandaddy, written by Shugie.” Better known as Joe and Kathy Sanderson. It really is one of the best jambalaya recipes I have ever tasted. Enjoy.
2 1/2 cups chopped white onions
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 1/2 cups of chopped green bell pepper
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 can of Rotel tomatoes
6 cups chicken stock
4 cups uncooked Ben’s converted rice
4 to 6 tablespoons oil
1 package boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 package boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
2 pounds cure 81 ham, cut into bite-size pieces
2 pounds smoked sausage, cut into bite-size pieces
Seasonings:
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried parsley
4 bay leaves
2 to 3 drops Tabasco
Finely chop vegetables. Set aside.
In a very large stock pot, heat oil and brown meats, set aside. In the same pot, sauté onions, celery, bell pepper, and garlic for about four to six minutes. Add the seasoning to the mixture. Add Rotel tomatoes, tomato sauce, and cook for an additional five minutes. Add the chicken stock and cook for 15 minutes. Add meats and cook for 15 minutes.
This can be refrigerated at this point. Remember the meat is not done. When ready to serve, cook sauce for an additional one hour to cook meat. Add rice, cover and cook for 35 minutes over medium high heat. Check after 35 minutes to see if the rice is finished.
If less spicy jambalaya is desired, omit white and red pepper and Tabasco.
Fried Chicken Sandwich with Homemade Buttermilk Herb Ranch Dressing
We have participated in the battle over who makes the best chicken sandwich and let’s all be honest: It was just an excuse to eat more fried chicken. ANY fried chicken sandwich is pretty good but this homemade version is tough to beat.
2 cups (or one jar) leftover pickle brine
3 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika, I use smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
2- 48-ounce bottles canola oil
6 hamburger buns, lightly toasted
Lettuce and kosher dill pickles
Place the chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until they have an even thickness of about 1/2 inch. Cut each breast into 2 pieces. Place the chicken in the pickle brine and allow to marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
When ready to cook chicken, mix flour, baking powder, paprika, Cayenne pepper, celery salt, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl and set aside. Pour oil into a medium Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet until it is at least 2 inches deep. Heat oil to 350°.
Remove the chicken from the brine and dredge it in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour. When the oil reaches 350°, carefully lower several pieces of chicken into the oil. Do not ever crowd the pan. Cook chicken for five minutes on each side and carefully remove with a slotted spoon. Keep chicken warm in a 300° oven until ready to serve.
Served on toasted hamburger buns with lettuce, pickles, and some buttermilk herb dressing
Festivus Chicken
This is our version of a super-rich chicken casserole that is sometimes called Festival Chicken, Company Chicken, or several other names; but we have always called it Festivus Chicken. Festivus comes from a Seinfeld TV Show and is one of our favorite episodes. We served it for Christmas lunch one year in honor of that hilarious show and began referring to it as Festivus Chicken and chanting “Festivus for the Rest of Us.” If you do not understand the name or reference, that is OK. You must not be a fan of the show but this chicken is delicious.
2 - 2.25-ounce jars of dried beef
2 - 16-ounce containers sour cream
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
2 cans cream of chicken soup
7 to 8 chicken breasts, trimmed and cut in half if very large
1 pound thinly sliced bacon
Line a large casserole dish with dry beef. Wrap each piece of chicken with one piece of bacon. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream and soups. Pour over chicken. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 275° for three hours.
Serve over white steamed rice.
Katty’s Smoked Chicken Thighs
The best part about this recipe is that you basically cannot overcook it. It is super simple, and a chicken thigh is perfect for smoking. I have a small inexpensive smoker that I have not quite mastered, however, I have made this several times to great reviews using bone-in thighs and breasts.
Sprinkle chicken with seasoned salt and refrigerate overnight. Start your smoker or grill on low to smoke. Do not let chicken get brown - cover and smoke.
Every 10-15 minutes, baste chicken in a combination of:
2 chicken bouillon cubes
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon cornstarch (so juice will be a little thick and cling to chicken.)
If chicken gets browned outside before it is done inside, roast in 300 oven covered until done.
Minnie Porter’s Chicken and Dumplings
I do not know who Minnie Porter is but she could make some chicken and dumplings. This recipe is in the Junior League of Jackson cookbook Southern Sideboards and this is my favorite version of this comfort food.
4 tablespoons shortening, lard, or butter
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
A pinch of sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
1 whole fryer, cut into pieces (I normally used 3 to 4 bone-in chicken breasts)
2 cups of water
2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 to 1 cup milk
To make the dumplings:
Cut the shortening, lard, or butter into the flour, salt, soda, and sugar with a fork or pastry blender. You can also combine using your food processor and pulsing. When you have something that resembles coarse sand, make a well in the flour mixture and add buttermilk and egg. Mix as if you are making biscuits. Roll into a ball and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes while you cook the chicken.
In a large stock pot, place the chicken pieces into the pot with the water, stock, butter, salt and pepper. Simmer but do not boil for 30 to 40 minutes or until tender.
Remove the chicken pieces and remove the skin and the debone. Shred the chicken and set aside.
Roll out dumplings as if you are making a pie crust, using plenty of flour if the dough is sticky. Using a blunt knife, cut into 1-inch squares. Bring the stock to a boil. Carefully drop dumplings into the stock slowly enough to keep stock boiling while gently stirring constantly to avoid sticking. Place all the chicken on top when all the dumplings are in the pot, and pour the milk over all of it.
Bring back to a boil and place top on the stock pot. Turn the heat down to a simmer. Do not remove the lid, cook for 20 minutes. Remove the top and add more milk if it looks dry. Add salt and pepper to taste. Dish may be reheated by pouring a little hot milk in the bottom of a casserole, adding the chicken and dumplings and baking at 350° until warm.
Chicken Piccata
This might be one of my favorite ways to eat chicken. The chicken is delicious served warm, but I have to admit that I like it just as much, slightly reheated, chopped, and served over a bed of lettuce the next day. I am always a fan of repurposing leftovers.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup seasoned dried breadcrumbs (I take all the leftover ends and pieces of any leftover bread and chop in my food processor and keep a bag of breadcrumbs in my freezer.)
Olive oil
For the sauce:
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, about two lemons
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon capers, drained (optional)
Sliced lemon and chopped fresh parsley for serving.
Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
On a duty cutting board, place each chicken breast between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap and pound into 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle it with salt and pepper to season.
In a shallow plate, mix the flour, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. In an additional plate, add the egg and beat with 1 tablespoon of water. In a third plate, place the breadcrumbs.
Dip each chicken breast first in the flour and shake off the excess, and then dip into the egg and then bread crumb mixture. In a large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken breasts and sauté for about two minutes on each side until browned. Do not crowd the pan and cook separately to ensure a crisp crust. Once cooked, place chicken on a pan while you cook the rest of the chicken if you are making a large batch.
Once all the chicken is cooked, place them on the sheet pan and bake in the oven for five to 10 minutes while you make the sauce.
Wipe out the pan with a dry paper towel and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and then add lemon juice, white wine, capers, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Boil over high heat until the mixture is reduced by about half. Off the heat add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and swirl to combine.
When ready to serve, top chicken with sauce and serve with sliced lemon and a sprinkle of parsley over the top.
Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Onions
One 4 pound whole chicken, rinsed and patted dry
4 large russet baking potatoes, washed and cubed
1 or 2 onions cut into quarters
3-4 whole cloves of garlic, pealed
1 lemon
Garlic salt and salt free seasoning salt, rosemary, or other seasonings to your taste
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Grease a large heavy duty foil roasting pan (if you’re not going to give this away, you can always use a regular roasting pan) with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle onions, potatoes, and garlic cloves in the roasting pan and toss with remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Season with a little garlic salt. Place the whole chicken, breast side up on the bed of potatoes. Squeeze lemon juice over the bird and then stuff the remainder of the lemon (pulp, rind, etc.) in the chicken cavity. Sprinkle chicken very liberally with salt free seasoning salt, rosemary, and garlic salt. Be sure to get some seasoning inside the cavity.
Roast in a 400-degree oven for about one hour or until juices of the chicken run clear. Once finished, allow the bird to rest uncovered for several minutes. This allows the juices to be reabsorbed and is an important part of keeping the chicken moist. Add green beans to the side of the roasting pan and wrap all in foil to deliver.
Fried Chicken Sandwich with Homemade Buttermilk Herb Ranch Dressing
We have participated in the battle over who makes the best chicken sandwich and let’s all be honest: It was just an excuse to eat more fried chicken. ANY fried chicken sandwich is pretty good but this homemade version is tough to beat.
2 cups (or one jar) leftover pickle brine
3 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 6 ounces each
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika, I use smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
2- 48-ounce bottles canola oil
6 hamburger buns, lightly toasted
Lettuce and kosher dill pickles
Place the chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until they have an even thickness of about 1/2 inch. Cut each breast into 2 pieces. Place the chicken in the pickle brine and allow to marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
When ready to cook chicken, mix flour, baking powder, paprika, Cayenne pepper, celery salt, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl and set aside. Pour oil into a medium Dutch oven or cast-iron skillet until it is at least 2 inches deep. Heat oil to 350°.
Remove the chicken from the brine and dredge it in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour. When the oil reaches 350°, carefully lower several pieces of chicken into the oil. Do not ever crowd the pan. Cook chicken for five minutes on each side and carefully remove with a slotted spoon. Keep chicken warm in a 300° oven until ready to serve.
Serve on toasted hamburger buns with lettuce, pickles, and some buttermilk herb dressing
Poppyseed Chicken Casserole
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 one can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1 sleeve buttery crackers such as Ritz
1 tablespoon poppyseeds (or as an interesting alternative, use 1 tablespoon Everything but the Bagel Seasoning)
Boil chicken breasts until cooked, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, shred chicken or pulse in a food processor a few times. We like ours fully shredded.
Mix chicken, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and poppyseed seasonings. Pour in a well-greased casserole dish and top with crushed crackers. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes until hot and bubbly. Can be assembled the day before.
Serve with hot steamed rice, if desired.
Roasted or Grilled Spatch-Cocked Chicken
To spatch-cock or butterfly a whole chicken, simply use heavyduty scissors or poultry shears and cut down either side of the bird’s back removing the spine. Turn the bird over and press down on the breast to flatten out the bird. It should lay pretty flat on the surface.
1 whole chicken, about 3-4 lbs., spatch-cocked or butterflied
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 lemon
Seasoning mixture of garlic salt, rosemary, oregano, parsley, and black pepper (any seasoning combination will work.)
Rinse and dry bird and rub with lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle very generously with seasoning on both sides. Allow the chicken to sit at room temperature for a few minutes while you preheat oven to 425 or the grill to medium. If grilling, cook the bird breast side down for about 10 minutes watching for flare-ups. Turn bird over and cook on medium to low heat until internal thermometer reached 150-160 degrees or about 40 minutes. If roasting in the oven, place bird, breast side up in a heavy-duty roasting pan and bake for about 45 minutes until internal temperature reached 150-160.
Allow chicken to rest for about 10-15 minutes before carving. Do not tent or cover chicken as this will soften the crispy skin.
Quick and Easy Green Curry Chicken
In a large saucepan simmer 1 can of regular (not lite) coconut milk, with 1 or 2 T. Green Curry Paste (more or less depending on your heat level) over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces and simmer for about 1 minute. Add 1-2 T. fish sauce,1/4 cup brown sugar,1/4 cup bamboo shoots, 1/2 cup frozen peas, and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.
Serve over Jasmine or white rice.
Kats Jalapeno Chicken Salad
We try to keep our beach chicken salad pretty simple. I love this basic recipe but we kicked it up a notch with jalapenos. Also, I am a “texture girl” and like my chicken salad pretty well-chopped. No big chunks for me.
Also, I did not think using chicken tenders would make a difference, but somehow, I think it does. It seems to make a lighter salad. Feel free to substitute chicken breasts or a whole chicken if you would like.
6-8 chicken tenders, poached for about 10 minutes in salted water with a few bay leaves
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 stalk celery, I prefer the leafy inner section
¼ or about 2 tablespoons onion
¼ cup pickled jalapeno or 1 fresh, seeded
Salt, pepper, season salt to taste
Carefully pick the center tendon out of the cooked chicken tenders. Add to the bowl of the food processor Pulse until the chicken is thoroughly chopped. Put chopped chicken in a large bowl. Process the celery, jalapeno, and onion until thoroughly chopped. Mix chicken and vegetables, and1/4 cup mayo. Add additional mayo if needed. Season to taste. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Serve chicken salad on a croissant with baby lettuce or alfalfa sprouts, if available.
Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad
If I had a dime every time I served this salad, I would be a very rich woman. It is easy and hearty enough to satisfy a crowd.
1 bag baby spinach
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 lb. bag bow-tie pasta, cooked and cooled
4-5 grilled chicken breasts, cooled and chopped or sliced
Balsamic Vinaigrette
2 T rice wine vinegar
2 t Dijon mustard
4 dashes hot sauce
5 t sugar
1 t dried oregano
6 T balsamic vinegar
5 cloves garlic, peeled, and chopped
1 t black pepper
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 t salt
1 cup olive oil
Put all dressing ingredients, except oil, in a food processor or blender. Process for about 20 seconds. Slowly add in oil with the machine running. Store dressing in the refrigerator. Best made the day before.
To assemble the pasta salad: Toss all ingredients with about half of the dressing. Toss and add more dressing if needed.
Southwest Chicken Soup
My friend and neighbor, Emily Whitaker, recently shared this recipe with me. She makes it easy because she simply uses a grocery store rotisserie chicken. The time I made it, I used a rotisserie chicken and boiled down the carcass to make a delicious rich stock to be used in the recipe. Feel free to use store-bought chicken stock and definitely use brown rice. It gives it a nutty flavor.
2 cups chopped onion
2 cups chopped celery
1 Tablespoon olive oil
6 cups chicken stock
8 boneless skinless chicken breast or one store-bought rotisserie chicken meat removed and chopped
1 cup brown rice
1 16-ounce bag frozen corn, (fire roasted frozen corn at Whole Foods adds a delicious flavor)
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 10-ounce cans chopped rotel tomatoes
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
In a large soup pot, sauté onion and celery in olive oil until soft. Add chicken stock, chicken, and brown rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook until chicken is tender, or about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove chicken and put aside to cool. Shred chicken and then add it back to the stock. (If using Rotisserie chicken, simply add the chicken meat after the rice has cooked for about 20 or 30 minutes.)
Add remaining ingredients and continue to heat. Top each bowl with shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, salsa, or whatever you like. Serve with tortilla chips.
Feel free to add a little more stock or water if the soup is too thick.
Chicken and Coconut Milk Soup
This is a relatively simple soup to make but some of the ingredients may require a trip to the Asian grocery. You can make this soup vegetarian by simply omitting the chicken breast and substituting vegetable stock or water for the chicken stock.
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped
1 4-inch piece lemongrass (if available)
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red or green curry paste
The zest of one lime
The juice of one lime
1 -one inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 cups chicken broth, vegetable broth or water
1-pound boneless skinless chicken breast, finely sliced
2 tablespoons cornstarch combined with 2 tablespoons water
1 14 ounce can of coconut milk, (not lite)
1 small can of bamboo shoots, drained
2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup fish sauce (More or less to taste)
About 6 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander
In a medium size pot add the oil and stir in the garlic, green onion, lemon grass, pepper, curry paste, lime zest, and ginger for two minutes. Add the stock or water and bring to a boil. Add the chicken pieces and cook for about four minutes. Add coconut milk, bamboo shoots, fish sauce, and lime juice. If the soup is too thin, whisk in cornstarch and water mixture to thicken.
Serve soup warm and garnish with fresh coriander.
Slow Cooker Indian Butter Chicken
This is a super easy and scrumptious recipe. If you have never cooked an Indian recipe this may be an easy recipe to consider. You can adjust the heat level.
For the chicken marinade:
1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 6 boneless chicken thighs
Mix all ingredients for the marinade and add chicken to a Ziploc bag or large plastic container. Turn chicken several times to make sure it is all incorporated. Refrigerate overnight.
When ready to prepare the Butter Chicken, spray a Crockpot or slow cooker with nonstick spray and remove chicken from the refrigerator. Drain chicken but do not rinse. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and add the chicken along with all the ingredients for the sauce to a slow cooker.
For the sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 jalapeño peppers, finely chopped (or other spicy pepper to your liking, you can also use 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
Cook on low in the crockpot for 4 to 5 hours. Once chicken is completely done, stir in a slurry mixture of 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water to thicken the sauce. You may also add a can of drained fire roasted tomatoes for an extra tomato flavor. Cook on high in the slow cooker for 20 additional minutes. Top of1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro before service.
*You’ll notice that I do not have a recipe for homemade bone-in fried chicken. After years of research and trying many different recipes and methods, I just can’t find any that taste as good as my mom’s version or chicken that I can buy. So, I decided to give it up for a while and hope for better luck or a better recipe in the future. Until then, I will focus on the side dishes and buy my fried chicken.
Let’s support the Sanderson Farms Golf Tournament and let’s eat some chicken. Not just any chicken, but Sanderson Farms chicken: It really is the best.
