Basic chicken stock recipe

The key to a good soup is to start with a good stock. This basic chicken stock recipe is a great stepping stone for chicken noodle, chicken rice and a wide variety of other soups, stews and chilis. The best part is that you can freeze it and have stock whenever the mood for making soup strikes!

BASIC CHICKEN STOCK

• 1 pound chicken parts 
• 1 large white or yellow onion 
• 3 stalks celery, including some leaves 
• 1 large carrot 
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt 
• 3 whole cloves 
• 6 cups water 

Directions 

Cut onion into quarters and roughly chop celery and carrot into 1 inch chunks. Place chicken, onion, celery, carrot, salt, and cloves into a large stock pot. Add 6 cups water and stir. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour. Remove chicken and vegetables and strain stock. Skim fat off the surface and remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes. Strain again through a sieve lined with cheesecloth.

Cook's Notes: If you need turkey stock, simply replace turkey for chicken in this recipe!

Brining 101: How to keep your Thanksgiving turkey juicy and flavorful

Traditionally, a brine is a simple salt water solution used to keep leaner meats from drying out and becoming tough during the cooking process. It is most commonly used for roasting turkeys and chickens, but it can be used for other items as well. Meats that are soaked in a brine absorb extra moisture from the solution. The salt works to help season the meat while breaking down proteins, thus making the meat more tender. 

The basic recipe for a brine is 1 cup of Kosher salt to every 4 quarts of water. If you are using table salt, use 3/4 cup for every 4 quarts. For those wishing to keep the process as simple as possible, this is a perfectly good brine to use. For those wishing to add additional flavor and flair to their meal, you can use a variety of additional ingredients to suit your individual tastes. Consider adding any of the following ingredients to your brine:

sugar, brown sugar or raw sugar

bay leaf

peppercorns

juniper or allspice berries

orange or lemon peel

To brine your bird, mix the salt and water in a large stock pot and stir until the salt dissolves. Add any additional ingredients you would like to the brine. Remove turkey from package and take out the giblets. Gently submerge the turkey in your brine. 

NOTE: Your pot must be deep enough for the turkey to be fully submerged. Cover and place in your refrigerator to brine for 12 hours. When you are ready to roast your turkey, remove from brine and pat dry. Place in your roasting pan and season or baste as desired before placing in the oven to cook. 

Tips:

Birds that are brined tend to cook a little faster than normal. You will want to begin checking your turkey with a meat thermometer about an hour before the recommended cook time is up. The turkey is done when the thermometer, when inserted into the thickest part of the bird, reads 165 degrees F.

If you would like your turkey to have crispier skin, Remove from the brine and pat dry. Place in a roasting pan and loosely cover with plastic wrap and allow to dry, refrigerated, for an additional 12 hours prior to roasting.

Clean your sink well after disposing of the brine to avoid contaminating other food items. 

Buffalo Chicken Empanadas are perfect for Super Bowl entertaining

 

These bite-size empanadas are filled with a spicy Buffalo chicken filling that is downright addictive! Serve with blue cheese dressing and celery to cool things down. Recipe and image courtesy of Betty Crocker.

Buffalo Chicken Empanadas  

• 1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion 
• 1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles, drained 
• 2/3 cup chopped deli rotisserie chicken 
• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 
• 1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese 
• 1/4 cup Buffalo wing sauce 
• 1 box Pillsbury™ refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box 
• 1 egg, slightly beaten 
• Celery sticks and blue cheese dressing, if desired 

Directions 
1 Heat oven to 375°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper; set aside.
2 In medium bowl, mix onion, green chiles, chicken, cheeses and Buffalo sauce.
3 Unroll pie crusts. Using 3 1/2-inch round cutter, cut circles from crusts, rerolling dough to get 21 circles. Place level measuring tablespoon Buffalo chicken mixture on center of each circle. Fold dough in half over filling; pinch and press edges with fork to seal or roll edges to seal. Place on cookie sheets. Prick tops of empanadas with fork to allow steam to escape.
4 Brush each with beaten egg. Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes on cooling racks. Serve warm with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing for dipping.