Question about seasonings

[snowman]

I've been around here a long time but usually just listen. I've noted over the years several topics in the Lounge in which the members seem to be the most interested, one of which is food. And it's evident that many of you are outstanding cooks. Sometimes you even post complete recipes with cooking instructions. Hence I suspected at least one or two would have good answers to my question(s).

I currently live by myself, and, as with a lot of such men, I should eat better than I typically do. I've been trying to remedy that and have devised at least a couple dishes which are quite good. But one of them requires the proper seasoning to give it a satisfactory taste. I used a good one until I ran out and learned that, either it was no longer made, or the store which handled it no longer carried it. And no other store in the area carried it either.

The problem here(which, granted, is a "first world" one) is that the number and variety of spices and seasonings available makes my head spin. I don't know which ones would fit the bill, and buying a number of them in order to find out would likely be way too expensive. I'm wondering if I would give you the list of ingredients you might at least be able to steer me in the right direction, even though I realize that taste is, well, a matter of taste.

The dish is essentially a stir fry, with the following ingredients:

-rice
-canned chicken breast meat
-peppers and onions
-olive oil
-seasoning


I tried some Old Bay the last time I made this dish, and that seems to work well on ground beef, but it didn't taste right on this one.

Any suggestions are much appreciated, along with any other cooking advice you have.

Regards,
Andy

 

[6518John]

It's hard to beat good ol' Tony Chachere Creole Seasoning.

Tony Chachere's - Crafting authentic Creole flavors and cuisine since 1972

 

[UncleEd]

So what was the "mystery" seasoning
you say you cannot find any more?

It might have another name or a
substitute may easily be available.

Skip the canned chicken. Buy whole
roasted ones from the deli of your
grocery or pick up packages of
fresh roasted Perdue chicken packs with
various flavors.

Also your ingredients might well work with
shrimp, often found cooked, deveined and
frozen in your fish department.

 

[444 Magnum]

This is an old Southern way of making chicken and rice.
Boil a whole fryer. Save the water.
When preparing the rice, use the water from the pot instead of fresh water to cook the rice in. It will give the rice a chicken flavor. Shred the chicken and mix in the cooked rice. Salt and pepper to taste.

Absolutely delicious.

As far as your recipe is concerned with the peppers and onions, I'd try Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning.

 

[eveled]

My go to is Hidden Valley Ranch powder. Its good on everything.
Hidden Valley(R) Original Ranch(R) Seasoning & Salad Dressing Mix Shaker
Another good one especially on rice is Goya sazon. It comes in little envelopes and makes rice yellow. The best one has Tomato flavor in it too. But its harder to find than the regular.

 

[SMSgt]

Ketchup. Life is simple. Don't complicate it.

 

[Rustyt1953]

Here is a simple chicken and rice dish I do.

Using a ratio of 2 cups of chicken stock to one cup of rice.

Cook chopped celery in chicken stock until soft.

Add a pinch of rosemary.

Add rice. Cover with pot lid.

Add canned chicken.

Salt and pepper to taste after plating.

 

[rockquarry]

The individual seasonings are much better than blended ones which often contain an incredible amount of salt. The individual seasonings will often replace the need for salt and your food will have a better taste. It's trial and error work to get it just right, but worth the trouble.

Start with the basics like ground cayenne pepper, basil, rosemary, parsley, oregano, cilantro, thyme, and ground peppercorns rather than regular black pepper. Pick up a few more as you progress. Fresh may be too much trouble in the beginning, but you can try that later if you wish.

As for garlic there is really no option: must be fresh pods and cloves. The chopped bottled stuff is flavorless.

 

[375hh1973]

Lawrey's on everything

 

[pawngal]

Look for a seasoning blend that has garlic and rosemary.
Trader Joe's has a great all purpose seasoning called 21 Seasoning Salute.
And it is salt free.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Never had canned chicken, so for us it's Costco rotisserie chicken.

I'd season with salt, pepper, and garlic cloves.


Sent from my motorola one 5G using Tapatalk

 

[snubbyfan]

Chicken and rice, one of my favorite ways to get my protein and carbs.
First of all, no canned chicken. That stuff's nasty and has way too much sodium.
Instead, get some raw chicken breast and cut it in bits.
Using real rice and not "minute rice," start the rice first.
In a cast iron pan, coat the bottom with dark extra virgin olive oil and heat it to medium-high. Add the chicken breast bits.
For spices, I'll add some kickin' chicken for a bit of heat and some Montreal chicken while the chicken's in the pan.
Roll the chicken around in the pan with a wooden spoon 'til it's done.
If you time it right, the rice and chicken should be done at the same time.
Top the rice with the chicken and enjoy!
Don't forget your green veggies.

 

[Rpg]

If you want an Asian stir fry you'll need oyster sauce, sesame oil, vegetable oil of your choice for frying, a chili and garlic based sauce or paste such as sriracha or sambal oelek, soy sauce and chicken. You'll be happier with Costco roast chicken than any canned products. Veggies can include anything you like: I'm not fond of bell peppers but use everything from onions and carrots to shredded cabbage, egg plant, mushrooms, bockchoy, peas and bean sprouts in any combination you like.

Stir fry the vegetables in a tablespoon or two vegetable oil for a couple minutes, add a tablespoon of oyster sauce, shred the chicken and add it to the pan stirring it into the veggies. Add a couple teaspoons of sesame oil, keep frying. Add chili sauce to taste. Serve over white rice. You can season with additional chili sauce and soy sauce once plated.

Actual cooking time is about 5 minutes if you start with your ingredients ready to cook ( veggies chopped, chicken shredded and your seasonings out and ready to use).

You don't want a soupy sauce.

 

[arjay]

I like to use paprika,cayenne and salt with chicken. I usually buy thighs,brown both side in a bit of oil in a cast iron pan on the stove then pop them and the pan into the oven for 30-40 minutes at 350°

 

[Rustyt1953]

-canned chicken breast meat

This is what the OP specified. Maybe that's what he has on hand. Maybe he likes it.

 

[s&wchad]

The dish is essentially a stir fry, with the following ingredients:

-rice
-canned chicken breast meat
-peppers and onions
-olive oil
-seasoning

Regards,
Andy

Good stir fry is quick to make once everything is prepped. The Mrs. loves mine!

Pitch the canned chicken and buy some boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and put it in a bowl in the fridge. Cut up your veggies of choice. We like onion, peppers and broccoli. Fresh pea pods and sliced canned water chestnuts also go well.

Mix some flour, corn starch, salt, red and black pepper in a bowl as a dredge for the chicken.

Prepare the sauce in another bowl. I like to use about 1 cup of warm water, a heaping tablespoon of Better Then Bullion chicken stock, a half teaspoon of ground hot pepper and a couple tablespoons of soy sauce, fish sauce and hoisin sauce. Add some minced fresh garlic and ginger if you have it.

Start by cooking the rice. Rinse 1 cup of dry rice until the water runs clean and let it drain in a colander. Don't use instant or 5 minute rice. Bring 2 cups of water with a little salt to a boil, dump in the rice, stir and return to boil. Lower the heat, cover and let it simmer for 20 minutes. When the time's up, take it off the heat and leave it covered for 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Heat about 4 tablespoons of high temperature oil in a large pan or wok. Canola or peanut oil is good, but olive oil smokes too quickly and doesn't work well. Use high heat. Dredge the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, drop them in the oil and stir constantly. When they're lightly browned on all sides, take them out of the pan and place in a bowl. Put a couple tablespoons of the leftover dredge in the sauce and stir well.

Put the veggies into the oil for about one minute and stir constantly. Dump in the sauce, stir and cover for a minute or two until it thickens. Add the chicken, stir and remove from the heat.

Fluff and plate the rice, top with the stir fry and enjoy. The Mrs. and I like to add some Chow Mein noodles and sliced green onions.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Garlic and Cumin Guy here.
When in doubt, twist and shout.
Pour in the Garlic and Cumin.
And don't forget the Onion!

 

[LVSteve]

I've seen enough salt mentioned in this thread to raise my blood pressure.

 

[Pete99004]

Best rice you will ever have! No joke!!

Making The Perfect Rice | Chef Jean-Pierre - YouTube

Cook yours just the way he shows, the butter, onions and chicken broth make rice something very special. Try it and enjoy!!!

You can thank me later.

Pete99004

Here is what we do for our stir fry. From my friends at the Oregon Turkey Growers Association, a marinade for poultry and it works well with butterfly pork chops or regular pork chops.

Take fresh raw boneless skinless Turkey breast or chicken breast cut it into 2 inch square cubes, then set aside. I do 2 breast at a time because you have enough marinade and the leftover meat freezes well and is great for meals later and for sandwiches.

Marinade:

4-6 oz of peanut oil
4-6 oz of soy sauce
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon of horseradish powder (you can buy it at Amazon if you can't find it locally.)

now:
Blend in a blender or whisk well and place into a large Ziploc bag add turkey/chicken cubed meat and then put in 1 can of Sprite. Not diet Sprite or 7UP or diet 7UP but Sprite. (Don't add the Sprite when blending because it will foam up all over the place!! Place it into the marinade after everything is blended together) Then place in your refrigerator for at least 6-8 hours. I place mine into a large bowl in case the bag leaks, and I do mine overnight. Remove from the refrigerator and throw your 2" square turkey/chicken cubes on a HOT BBQ and cook them until done - approx 10 or 12 minutes, turning/rotating as needed. Serve over the above rice or Uncle Ben's Original Wild Rice. Add greens of your choice or a small salad and have a feast! Or you can cut it into smaller bite sized pieces and add it to your stir fry, works great for that.

Now take the turkey/chicken that is leftover and freeze it in single serving sized freezer bags for meals at a later date. Keep of couple of the cooked cubes in the refrigerator for lunch this week, by slicing thin and making a Sub sandwich...oh man, that is to die for!!! This marinade works well with Pork also, just be sure to marinade it overnight as pork is a dense meat. You can substitute Teriyaki sauce for the soy for a different outcome, if you do that then get a small can of pineapple slices and grill the pineapple with the meat. Add the pineapple juice to the marinade prior to blending as well. Works great. Sounds like a lot of work, but you'll find that it is well worth the effort and you'll have some really nice meat for later meals to work with. Like this one that we enjoy Cashew Chicken - Leftover Chicken with Cashews in Spicy, Sweet & Sour Sauce - YouTube

Enjoy!

 

[Jlpgumbo]

I use "Slap Ya Momma" and "Everglades " seasoning on almost everything. Both come in low/no salt. Awesome on everything