Sour Cream Chicken: Re-Invented!

This meal has been one of my top favorites for several decades now. I would commonly request it for my birthday dinner growing up. It's hard to beat that cheesy, sour cream-y sauce. But guess what folks: this meal just got even better. Sub out the normal cream of chicken soup and replace it with a delicious homemade version, and voila! This amazing meal becomes out of this world! (And much healthier!)

Sour Cream Chicken

*Serves 4.

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless free range chicken breasts
2½ cups free range chicken broth
1½ cups rice milk (or almond milk)
¾ cup rice flour
1 tablespoon seasoning mix (or on your own, ½ tsp. onion powder, ½ tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. parsley, etc)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese 
paprika

Directions  
 
1. Make your cream of chicken soup. Combine the chicken broth and ½ cup of the milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a low boil. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the flour and seasonings into the remaining 1 cup milk until a smooth, thick mixture forms. Pour the flour and milk mixture into the saucepan with the broth mixture over low heat and stir continuously, whisking as the mixture simmers. Continue to simmer and stir/whisk until the mixture is smooth and thick, 5-10 minutes. The mixture will thicken a bit as it cools.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken breasts in a glass baking dish.

3. Combine the mixture with the sour cream and cheese.  Pour creamy mixture over the chicken evenly until it is completely covered. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 30 min. Serve over rice.

Enjoy! :)

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

Ever wanted to make your own Cream of Chicken soup? Well today is your lucky day! Let's face it, those cans of cream of chicken soup are chuck full of MSG, sodium, and tons of other preservatives and additives that are less than good for you. They're harmful to your body. But I have great news for you today. It's so easy to make your own! Plus, you probably already have all of the ingredients in your kitchen right now! And this soup tastes really fresh and amazing. You'll love it in all of your favorite recipes!

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup
(Adapted from Pinch of Yum)

*Makes the equivalent of about 2 cans of condensed cream of chicken soup. 

Ingredients:

2½ cups free range chicken broth
1½ cups rice milk (or almond milk)
¾ cup rice flour
1 tablespoon seasoning mix (or on your own, ½ tsp. onion powder, ½ tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. black pepper, 1 tsp. salt, ½ tsp. parsley, etc)
  
Directions:

1. Combine the chicken broth and ½ cup of the milk in a large saucepan. Bring to a low boil.
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the flour and seasonings into the remaining 1 cup milk until a smooth, thick mixture forms.
3. Pour the flour and milk mixture into the saucepan with the broth mixture over low heat and stir continuously, whisking as the mixture simmers. Continue to simmer and stir/whisk until the mixture is smooth and thick, 5-10 minutes. The mixture will thicken a bit as it cools.

*Try it in this delicious recipe for Sour Cream Chicken!

Hawaiian Haystacks - A Real Food Version

I loved Hawaiian Haystacks growing up. Although there are a lot of healthy elements of this dish, there are also the ones that are fake "foods" that I wanted to do without. Normally the chicken sauce is made with some variation of a cream of ______ (fill in the blank) soup, sour cream, and milk. But since these soups are filled with preservatives, additives, sugar, GMO ingredients and who knows what else, I have opted to leave them out of my diet and go for a more healthy version. So here is a new take on an old classic. And let me tell you, this sauce is amazing! (This version is dairy-free, gluten-free)

Hawaiian Haystacks

(Recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe)

*Makes about 4 cups chicken sauce (enough to serve 4-6 for Hawaiian Haystacks)


Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks (or leftover cooked chicken, cubed)
3 tablespoons coconut oil
½ onion (about ½ cup), finely chopped
3 cloves garlic; finely minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup rice flour
2 cups rice or almond milk
1 cup free-range chicken broth

Directions:

In a large skillet melt the coconut oil over medium heat and add the onion and raw chicken (if using leftover cooked chicken, don’t add it to the skillet now, you’ll add it later). Saute the onion and chicken, if using, until the onions are soft and translucent and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about one minute, stirring, until fragrant.

Sprinkle the flour over the onions and chicken and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat for one minute – this helps get rid of the starchy, flour taste. Slowly whisk in the milk and chicken broth. Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, and bring the sauce to a simmer over medium to medium-high heat. Add the salt and pepper. If you are using leftover cooked chicken, add it now. Continue simmering, stirring the sauce frequently, until the sauce has thickened, about 5-8 minutes.

Serve the chicken sauce over rice with your toppings of choice, such as olives, tomatoes, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, green onions, mandarin oranges, pineapples, chopped almonds, and chow mein noodles.