Savoury Chicken Cornbread Muffins image

Savoury Chicken Cornbread Muffins

For snacks, meals-to-go, or sides for dinner, it’s tough to beat delicious and convenient muffins. We’ve elevated traditional corn muffins with chunks of seasoned chicken, fresh thyme, plus a bit of jalapeño heat. Quick to make and quick to disappear!

Yield: 22 muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 35 to 40 minutes

Chef’s Tips:

  • Leftover chicken from recipes such as “1 Roasted Chicken, 3 Meals” can be used in place of the cooked Sargent Farms Diced Chicken Breast.
  • If buttermilk is unavailable, a good substitute is to stir 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup of milk. Allow to sit and thicken; 5 to 10 minutes. Proceed with the recipe, as usual, using the necessary amount of buttermilk required.
  • The fresh thyme can be replaced with other fresh herbs such as sage, oregano, rosemary, and/or tarragon.

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

  • ½ tsp (3 g) salt
  • ½ tsp (1 g) smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
  • 1½ cups (372 g) Sargent Farms Diced Boneless Chicken Breasts, pat dry
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil

For the muffins:

  • 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (132 g) cornmeal, fine or medium grind
  • 1 tsp (6 g) salt
  • 1 tsp (2 g) ground black pepper, preferably freshly ground
  • 1 medium onion (220g), finely diced
  • 1½ cups (292 g) arborio rice
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml) apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup (34 g) parmesan, finely grated
  • ⅓ cup (14 g) chives, finely chopped

Directions:

  1. In a large pot, bring chicken broth to a boil. Cover pot and reduce heat to the lowest setting to keep broth at a gentle simmer.
  2. In a large, wide skillet or Dutch oven, heat two tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil and one tablespoon (14 g) butter over medium heat until butter is foamy.
  3. Add sliced mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Add half of the minced garlic and 2 teaspoons of the chopped thyme leaves. Sautee for another 2 minutes or until mushrooms are browned. Add in the cubed chicken. Sprinkle mixture with the salt and pepper. Cook chicken for 3 to 4 minutes or just until thighs are cooked through. Transfer chicken mixture into a separate dish. Set aside until needed.
  4. In the same skillet, heat the remaining olive oil and one tablespoon (14 g) butter over medium heat. Once the butter is foamy, add the diced onions. Sautee until onions are translucent; about 5 minutes.  Add in the remaining minced garlic, thyme, and the arborio rice. Stir until rice is coated with oil and edges begin to turn translucent; about 2 minutes.
  5. Add in half a cup of the hot chicken broth and the apple cider vinegar. Stir until liquid is fully absorbed into the rice. Lower heat if rice begins to stick to the surface of the skillet or Dutch oven. Continue to stir in the chicken broth, about ½ cup (125 ml) at a time, ensuring the liquid is absorbed into the rice before adding more. This should take about 20 to 25 minutes. Rice should be creamy, tender, yet still firm.   
  6. Stir in the chicken and mushroom mixture and heat through.
  7. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining tablespoon of butter, parmesan, and chopped chives. Serve immediately.
  8. Garnish with additional parmesan and fresh thyme, if desired.
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