Puke Chicken

I know half of you probably checked out this post just because of the name.  I promise it's not as scary as it sounds. 

Growing up my favorite dish was Pork Chops, Rice and White Sauce.  My mom made it every year for my birthday.  When I moved in with my dad in high school, my step-mom was awesome and continued to make this dinner for me.  Once I got into cooking for myself I realized how easy the sauce was.  It's just a Bachemel. 

When Mike and I started dating I would cook for him all the time, except on nights we worked.  Working at a restaurant takes away my desire to cook after a long day when I can just order something real quick.  The very first dinner I made for him was my Mom's Lasagna recipe and Garlic Bread. Yum! But that's another story.  I was totally using the old "a way to a man's heart is through his stomach" theory.  He would take me along to the grocery store and I paid attention so I could find out what he did and didn't like.

It was early in our relationship and I didn't want to take Mike too far outside his comfort zone.  I thought making him my favorite dish would be brilliant.  There was already chicken in the house so I grabbed a couple breasts instead of pork chops and started cooking.  Mike liked it.  Hooray!  He did suggest that maybe I add some cream of mushroom soup to the sauce next time.  Silly man.  The sauce is perfect as is, but I aim to please and indulged him. 

Round 2:  I made the rice, chicken and bachemel.  I made up our plates and sauced mine the way I like it.  Then I added the mushroom soup to the sauce and topped of Mike's plate.  He mixed everything together in one big saucy mound, too and bite and was sublimely happy. 

Now, I called this dinner like I always had...Chicken, Rice and White Sauce.  Apparently that wasn't streamlined enough for Mike.  He told me I should call it "Puke Chicken".  I looked at him appalled!  He wanted to called my favorite dinner since childhood "Puke"!!!  Mike immediately back tracked saying the name was completely based on appearance.  He swore he loved my dinner and wanted me to make it again, soon.  He said he would never be mean to me like that.  He was only okay calling it that because the name wasn't the complete opposite of how he felt about the food.  I let it slide not thinking the name would sitck.  But the next time he wanted this dinner, he asked for Puke Chicken.  Ugh! 

It's been 5 years now and I'm over the name change.  My family and friends look at me like I'm crazy when I tell what I'll be making for dinner.  I ask them to just wait and take a bite when I'm done cooking.  Forks enter mouths and I convert them to my oddly named dinner...then I happily blame Mike for the confusion.  Haha.

Puke Chicken

Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 cup uncooked white rice
1 tablespoon butter
2 chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Add 1 cup rice and return to boiling.  Once boiling resumes, cover the pot and reduce heat to low.  Simmer the rice for 20 minutes.  Do not remove the lid.
2. While the rice cooks, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat in a skillet.  Sauté chicken until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side.  Cool chicken and cut into small pieces.
3. While chicken cooks, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Once the butter is melted, whisk in 2 tablespoons flour.  Let the flour mixture cook for 1-2 minutes.  Whisk in 1 cup milk until there are no lumps.  Then whisk in remaining 1 cup of milk.  Whisk often to prevent sauce from burning or clumps from forming.  When the sauce begins to boil, reduce heat to simmer.  The sauce will thicken as it cools down.  Once the sauce thickens, stir in the nutmeg, salt  and pepper.  Once combined stir in 1/2 can of Cream of Mushroom soup until thoroughly mixed.
4. To plate:  lay down a bed of white rice, top with desired amount of chicken and then spoon sauce over the top.  Then mix everything on the plate until you have a big pile of deliciousness.

* This dish can also be made without the chicken as a vegetarian option. 

My veggie girlfriend Jaime loved the rice and sauce mix and I didn't have to do anything special or crazy to include her at our dinner.  :)