Winner, Winner, Turkey Dinner
(or Chicken)
Dietary restrictions can be difficult to manage. Things like gluten intolerance especially. This Sunday dinner for two hits all the high points, as well as being gluten free.
With only two of us in the household, we need simple and small meals without a lot of food leftover.
One lunch or maybe another dinner is fine, but a whole turkey or even a chicken is way too much, and we tire of it long before we get through sandwiches the next few days and soup for supper.
So what's the solution? Make this easy dinner with frozen turkey or chicken breasts of course! There is usually not much left after we get through it, and the big advantage here is it's easy to increase the number of breasts, to make enough for guests or planned leftovers.
There are quite a lot of ingredients to this meal, even though it goes together and once it's in the oven, not difficult.
The highlight is the stuffing, which does not include bread of any kind, but oatmeal. Plenty of ground or fresh sage and other herbs prevents it from blandness.
I cook the stuffing and breasts in a cast iron dutch oven, but a shallow casserole dish would work equally well. It doesn't need a lid. The timing is important, as you don't want the stuffing (or dressing, as some cooks refer to it) to dry out or burn.
Winner Winner Turkey or Chicken Dinner - just add some carrots or peas and gluten free gravySo here's how to do it.
Chop a half or whole onion into dice, and a couple of stalks of celery. Saute in olive oil or butter, until softened.
Add the ground or fresh sage, Italian seasoning, one packet of dry chicken boullion, stir until mixed, then add the oat meal.
Briefly combine, then add the water. The consistency is fairly loose, don't worry, it will swell up the oatmeal as the chicken cooks.
Pour the stuffing into your oven proof casserole dish, dutch oven or frying pan that can go in the oven. Place frozen chicken breasts on top, drizzle with a small amount of liquid chicken bouillon. Put into a preheated 375 degree oven for one hour. Check the chicken, if it's cooked through and no pink shows, it's done.
While the chicken is cooking, peel and cook potatoes, more than you need for the meal is fine. When soft, mash with butter and milk - oat milk is great for this. Salt and pepper to taste. Keep them hot.
Slice carrots, cook in a small amount of water, add butter and pepper when cooked through and tender.
Take the cooking water from the potatoes and make chicken gravy with liquid chicken bouillon, Worcestor sauce, and corn starch for thickening. Use a pan on the stove top, or a glass measuring jug in the microwave.
Serve the chicken and dressing, pour gravy over the potatoes, serve the carrots and any other vegetables you like - brussels sprouts, broccoli, peas, or cauliflower.
The leftovers won't last long, but you can make up 'TV dinners' in plastic single serving trays and freeze,or put themin the fridge for the next day.
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