Chicken With Pumpkin And Zucchini Food

CHICKEN PUMPKINS

Steps:

• Cut a series of deep slits crosswise into each chicken breast (do not cut through), about 3/4 inch apart from one another. Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise.
• Whisk together the buttermilk, 2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
• Meanwhile, cut each cheese stick in half crosswise so you have into 8 pieces. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
• Fill a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot with 3 to 4 inches of vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Set a rack on a baking sheet.
• Meanwhile, trim the skinny tops from the celery stalks and remove any leaves. Cut eight 1-inch pieces from the skinny tops (these will be your pumpkin stems) and set aside.
• Add the Cheddar crackers and 1 teaspoon salt to a food processor and process until finely ground. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
• One at a time, remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk mixture, letting the excess drip off. Transfer to the bowl of cracker crumbs and toss to thoroughly coat. Shake off any excess coating and transfer to a cutting board, cut-side down. Place a piece of cheese on one end of the chicken and roll up to enclose the cheese. Seal with a toothpick.
• Working in batches of two, carefully lower the coated chicken into the oil using a slotted spoon. Fry the chicken until golden, cooked through and a thermometer inserted in the center of the meat registers 160 degrees F, about 4 minutes. Remove to the prepared rack to drain. Insert a celery stem in the center of each pumpkin so it sticks in the cheese. Serve hot with ranch sauce.

PUMPKIN CHICKEN CHILI

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and Fresno and cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent and tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and bay leaf and cook until the spices are fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the pumpkin puree, then stir and cook until it starts to bubble and brown a bit, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season with salt and pepper. Pour in the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and let simmer, stirring occasionally, 1 hour. Stir in the beans and corn and continue to simmer, uncovered, until the liquid has reduced and the chili is thick, about 30 minutes. Cut pumpkins out of the cheese slices with a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter. Using a paring knife, give each pumpkin eyes, a nose and a mouth to resemble a jack-o'-lantern. Ladle the chili into bowls and top with the cheese pumpkins. Serve with the Greek yogurt, scallions and tortilla chips.

SHEET-PAN CHICKEN WITH ZUCCHINI AND BASIL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, and season all over with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Place zucchini on a rimmed sheet pan, and season with a little more salt and pepper.
• In a small bowl, combine garlic, mint or oregano, coriander (if using) and red-pepper flakes. Whisk in oil. Add chicken to the pan with the zucchini pieces and pour garlic mixture over all, tossing until well coated. Spread chicken and zucchini in a single layer, and roast until chicken is cooked through and zucchini is browned and caramelized, 30 to 40 minutes. You don't need to turn anything.
• Once the pan is out of the oven, squeeze a lemon wedge over everything. Garnish with basil and serve with more lemon wedges and red-pepper flakes on the side.

CHICKEN AND PUMPKIN GOULASH

Steps:

• Set a slow cooker to High, and place diced tomatoes and brown sugar into the cooker; stir to combine.
• Heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, and cook and stir onion until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Mix in the ginger, cinnamon, cumin, and coriander; cook and stir until the spices release their fragrance, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken, and cook and stir until chicken is no longer pink. Mix the garbanzo beans into the chicken mixture, and bring to a simmer. Transfer the mixture into the slow cooker, and mix with tomatoes.
• Place pumpkin into the same skillet, and reduce heat to medium. Cook until the pumpkin is hot and some pieces are slightly browned, about 10 minutes, stirring often. Place pumpkin into the cooker, and cover.
• Cook the stew on the High setting for 1 hour; reduce cooker setting to Low, and cook until pumpkin is tender, 3 to 4 more hours. Season with salt and black pepper. If stew seems too liquid, mix cornstarch into water in a small cup until smooth, and stir the slurry into the stew. Cook until thickened, about 30 minutes.