Best Picnic Chicken Recipes

PICNIC POTATO AND CHICKEN SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place potatoes on a sheet tray, toss with oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast until golden and tender, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan cover chicken with water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Poach until cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from poaching liquid, let cool for a bit, and cut chicken into cubes.
• In a large bowl, toss together potatoes, chicken and bacon with the celery, onions, and garlic. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, paprika, herbs, salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Mix until well combined.
• Serve salad in Bibb lettuce cups. Roll up and eat.

PICNIC FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the honey giardiniera butter: Add the butter, honey and salt to taste to a bowl and mix until smooth. Stir in the giardiniera until well blended. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• For the chicken: Add the chicken thighs, reserved giardiniera brine and pickle brine to a plastic zip-top bag and refrigerate overnight or for at least 2 hours.
• When ready to fry the chicken, fill a Dutch oven halfway full with oil and heat to 350°F.
• Set up a dredging station: Pour the buttermilk into a large bowl and in a separate large bowl, stir together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, salt, pepper and cayenne until well combined. Use your tongs to drizzle some of the buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture.
• Remove 1 or 2 pieces of the chicken from the brine at a time and submerge in the buttermilk. Add 1 piece of the buttermilk-soaked chicken at a time into the flour mixture and turn to completely coat the chicken. Transfer to a plate and repeat until all the remaining chicken is well coated.
• Add the chicken to the hot oil in batches, 2 or 3 pieces at a time, and cook until brown and crispy, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to a wire rack on a baking sheet to drain. Serve immediately with the giardiniera butter or let cool and store on a wire-rack on a sheet pan, lightly covered, in the fridge overnight. Serve at the picnic at room temp. Served with softened honey giardiniera butter.

OVEN-FRIED PICNIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine buttermilk and garlic. Add chicken pieces and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
• Arrange rack in upper third of oven and preheat to 400°F. Line large shallow baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking oil. In large bowl, combine bread crumbs, oregano, basil, marjoram, salt, and pepper; toss well to blend.
• Drain chicken and discard buttermilk. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken in bread crumbs until well coated, then place, skin side up, on baking sheet. Spray pieces lightly with cooking oil.
• Bake chicken until golden and cooked through, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
• Transportation tips:
• If you cook the chicken just before leaving, you can transport it warm, uncovered, in a basket lined with foil and paper towels. If you make it a day ahead, let it cool, then refrigerate it overnight. Pack the cold chicken in a covered plastic container lined with parchment paper.

BARBECUED PICNIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute garlic in butter until tender. Add the next 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat; set aside. , On a lightly greased grill rack, grill chicken, covered, over medium heat for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Baste with sauce. Grill 15 minutes longer or until a thermometer reaches 170°, basting and turning several times.

PICNIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• Flatten chicken to 1/4-in. thickness. In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and seasonings. Place egg in another shallow bowl, dip chicken in egg, then in the crumb mixture. , In a large skillet, brown the chicken in oil and butter over medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until chicken juices run clear.

OLD ENGLISH POSH PICNIC RAISED CHICKEN AND HAM PIE

Steps:

• HOT WATER CRUST PASTRY.
• Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, making a well in the centre.
• Place the water, butter and lard into a saucepan, when the butter and lard has melted bring it all to the boil. Take off the heat.
• Pour the mixture into the centre of the flour. Working very quickly, mix with a wooden spoon. Then knead with hands to produce a smooth and elastic dough. Allow to rest in a warm place for 15 to 20 minutes.
• (This pastry must be used whilst still warm, otherwise it will become brittle and hard to mould. I keep mine in a small pan over gently simmering water.).
• Proceed with your recipe, as below.
• PIE FILLING.
• Place all the pie-filling ingredients in to a large mixing bowl, including the herbs, spices and seasonings. Mix thoroughly with your hands - it's messy, but it's the best way to get everything well amalgamated!
• JELLIED STOCK.
• Heat the chicken or vegetable stock. Mix the gelatine with a little cold water until it is spongy and smooth, gradually add the hot stock to the gelatine and mix thoroughly. Set aside until it is needed.
• MAKING THE PIE.
• Grease an 8" round loose-bottom pie/cake tin or a special decorative pie mould - grease it liberally with melted butter or lard.
• Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 3.
• Take two-thirds of the warm pastry, form into a large, flat disc and put in the bottom of the tin or pie mould. Gently press and mould until the pastry covers the base and sides of the tin, keeping it as even as possible.
• Fill the pastry pie case with the pie filling mixture - packing it down well.
• Moisten the top edges of the pastry with the beaten egg. Roll out the remaining pastry and cut a circle or oblong to fit the top of the tin. Place over the filling and seal the edges, without pressing the pastry down too heavily. Trim the edges. Make a hole in the top centre of the pie and use any pastry trimmings to make pastry leaves and decorative trimmings. Press these onto the top of the pie and glaze the whole thing with beaten egg.
• Now lay a sheet of foil over the top and bake for 2 hours, then remove from the oven. Leave the pie for 30-45 minutes to firm up, then turn up the oven temperature to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Carefully remove the pie from the tin and brush the pastry all over with the remaining beaten egg. If the sides show any sign of bulging, encircle the pie with a band of silicone paper (parchment) and tie with string.
• Return the pie to the oven and as the pastry continues baking it will firm up (if you used the paper, you will gradually be able to peel it away, but add a little more egg to the unglazed parts) and all the pastry will brown - it will take approximately 30 minutes. As the top will brown before the sides, it will need to be protected with foil while the sides finish browning.
• When the pie is a glowing golden colour, remove from the oven, leave to cool, then cover and chill.
• Meanwhile have the jellied stock warmed slightly (by sitting it in a bowl of hot water), then cool it to the syrupy stage and pour it into the pie very gradually through a funnel, in to the centre steam hole (as much as it will take). Chill again to give the jelly a chance to set and then - believe it or not - it's ready to serve!
• Serve with assorted fresh salads, pickles, mustard, chutney and relishes. Will pie keep for up to 5 days in a cool place or the fridge.
• This freezes very well, defrost overnight, sitting the pie on a wire rack to avoid the pastry becoming soggy.
• Wrap the pie for a picnic in greaseproof paper and cut the pie into slices when you arrive at your destination.

PICNIC FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pat chicken pieces with paper towels; place in large flat dish. Pour buttermilk over chicken; cover, and allow to soak at least 1 hour or overnight in refrigerator. , Combine coating ingredients in large shallow dish. Add chicken pieces, one at a time, and turn to coat well. Lay coated pieces on waxed paper for 15 minutes to allow coating to dry (will cling better in frying)., In a Dutch oven or other deep skillet, heat 1/2 in. oil over medium heat to 350°. Fry chicken, uncovered, until coating is dark golden brown and meat is no longer pink, turning occasionally, 7-8 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

CHICKEN, HAM & ASPARAGUS PICNIC PIE

Steps:

• Trim the woody ends off the asparagus (see pic 1 in step by step above) ), bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook them for 2 mins, then lift into a bowl of iced water. Slice the tips off the asparagus and set aside. Cut each chicken breast into long two-finger-thick strips (pic 2), then wrap the prosciutto slices around some of the asparagus spears and chicken strips (pic 3) and set aside. Using your hands, scrunch the sausagemeat with the pistachios in a bowl, season with the cayenne and lots of black pepper, then set aside.
• Cut a piece of baking parchment to fit the bottom and sides of a lightly buttered 2-litre terrine dish or loaf tin, leaving an overhang (pic 4). To make the pastry, tip the flour into a bowl with 2 tsp salt and the mustard powder, then grate in a small pinch of nutmeg. Put the lard, butter and milk in a pan with 250ml water and heat until the fats have completely melted. Pour into the flour and beat with a wooden spoon until combined. Tip onto your work surface and knead briefly until it all comes together.
• Take 2/3 of the dough and wrap the rest so it doesn't dry out. Roll it out into a rectangle to line the dish with an overhang. Lay the dough into the dish and, using your fingers, press it into the bottom, corners and up the sides (pic 5).
• Take 1/4 of the sausage mixture and pat it into a shape that will fit the dish, then lay it in. Now build up the pie with alternate layers of the asparagus, chicken strips and sausagemeat (pic 6), pressing down the mixture with your hands as you go, finishing with a bulging top layer of sausagemeat.
• Brush the overhanging pastry with the beaten egg, then roll out the remainder and drape it over the top of the pie filling (pic 7). Press the edges together gently, then use a small knife to trim the pastry (pic 8). Crimp the edges by pinching your fingers (pic 9) and use pastry trimmings to decorate the top, if you like. Brush with egg and pierce three holes along the top.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 with a baking sheet in it. Place the pie on the hot sheet and bake for 1 hr 45 mins. Lower the heat to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 if the pie is browning too much. When the pie has 20 mins left, brush the top with more egg and season with flaky sea salt. (Don't worry if some juice leaks out of the side.) It's ready when the pastry is dark golden brown or when a digital cooking thermometer inserted through one of the holes reads 70C or more. Leave to cool, then chill. Can be made up to three days ahead. To serve, carefully remove from the tin, place on a board and slice. Make a salad with the asparagus tips, shallot rings, salad leaves and French dressing, if you like.

CRISPY PICNIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first six ingredients. Place the butter in a shallow bowl. Dip a few pieces of chicken at a time in butter, then place in bag; seal and shake to coat., Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50 minutes or until chicken is tender and juices run clear. Serve hot or chilled.

SPICY BAKED PICNIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a broiler pan with cooking spray.
• Whisk buttermilk, 1 teaspoon taco seasoning, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl.
• Mix remaining taco seasoning, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, flour, onion powder, salt, and black pepper together in a separate bowl.
• Dip chicken in buttermilk mixture; coat with bread crumbs mixture. Place coated chicken in broiler pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is longer pink in the center and coating is crispy, 30 to 35 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

CREAMY CHICKEN AND GARLIC PICNIC PASTIES-PARCELS WITH BOURSIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200ºC, 400ºF, Gas Mark 6. Grease and line a large baking tray.
• Thoroughly mix together all the filling ingredients, seasoning with black pepper. (You can pre-fry the mushrooms if you wish.).
• Roll out the pastry to a 30 cm (12 inch) square, then cut into 4 squares, place them on the baking tray.
• Pile the ingredients into the middle of the pastry sqaures. With the back of a spoon firmly press ingredients together.
• Brush edges with milk, fold corners to the centre sealing edges.
• Brush with beaten egg or milk and bake for 35 minutes until golden brown.
• Eat warm or cold.

PICNIC POTATO AND CHICKEN SALAD CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the potatoes on a baking sheet, toss with the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast until golden and tender, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place the chicken in a saucepan and cover with water; bring to a simmer over medium heat and poach until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and let cool for a bit, then cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.
• In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, chicken, bacon, celery, onion and garlic. Mix in the mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, paprika, fresh herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve the salad in lettuce cups and roll up to eat.

PICNIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine first 6 ingredients in blender and blend until garlic and bay leaf are finely chopped. Transfer mixture to bowl. Add chicken to bowl and turn to coat. Marinate chicken in bowl in refrigerator, breast side down, overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Place rack in roasting pan. Remove chicken from marinade, reserving marinade. Place chicken on prepared rack and season with salt and pepper. Roast in oven until chicken is cooked through, basting occasionally with reserved marinade, about 1 hour 20 minutes.

OVEN-FRIED PICNIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• Refrigerate 1/4 cup lemonade concentrate for basting. Pour remaining concentrate into a large resealable plastic bag; add chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 4 hours, turning occasionally., Drain and discard marinade from chicken. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat. , In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown., Place chicken on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Brush with butter. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until juices run clear, basting with reserved lemonade concentrate every 15 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

CHICKEN & STUFFING PICNIC PIE

Steps:

• Season the chicken breasts. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and brown the chicken very quickly on each side - you might need to fry these in batches. Don't worry about cooking the chicken all the way through. Set aside.
• Set aside 2 tbsp of the stuffing mixture. Make up the rest using half the amount of water that the packet says.
• Make the pastry by tipping the flour into a food processor with 1 tsp salt. Add the butter and suet, and whizz to fine crumbs (or rub in with your fingers if you don't have a food processor). With the motor running (or stir with a fork), dribble in 150ml cold water until the pastry just comes together. Tip onto a lightly floured surface and bring together into a dough. Cover one-third while you roll out the rest to line an oiled, 20cm round springform or loose-bottomed tin.
• Spoon the stuffing into the base of the pie, packing down well and smoothing the top. Arrange the chicken pieces over, cutting to fit like a jigsaw puzzle to fill in any gaps. Squeeze sausagemeat from skins and press evenly over the top, then scatter over the reserved dry stuffing. Roll out the reserved pastry until big enough to cover the pie with an overlap. Brush the edge of the pie with egg, then lift on the pastry lid and press edges to seal before trimming and rolling down excess to thoroughly seal.
• Decorate by crimping the edges or pressing them with the prongs of a fork, then cut a little hole in the middle of the pastry to let steam escape. Brush all over with more egg (don't throw the leftover egg away).
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for 50 mins. Brush all over again with egg and cook for another 10 mins. Cool in the tin, then thickly slice for a picnic or lunch. Or wrap well in cling film and freeze for up to 3 months.

GRILLED PICNIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. Remove 1 cup for basting; cover and refrigerate. Pour remaining marinade into a large shallow dish; add chicken. Turn chicken to coat; refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight, turning once or twice., Drain chicken, discarding marinade in bag. Grill chicken, uncovered, over medium heat for 15 minutes on each side. Baste with the reserved marinade. , Grill 10-20 minutes longer or until the juices run clear, turning and basting several times.

PICNIC CHICKEN WITH YOGURT DIP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs and water. In another shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and seasonings. Divide butter between two 13x9-in. baking dishes. , Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, then coat with crumb mixture. Place in prepared pans. Bake, uncovered, 1 hour or until a thermometer reads 170°-175°, turning once. Cool 30 minutes; refrigerate until chilled. , For dip, in a small bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, combine yogurt, soup mix and cheese; fold in whipped cream. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve with cold chicken.

CAST IRON SKILLET ROASTED CHICKEN (AKA ' PICNIC CHICKEN ')

Steps:

• *Note: the original recipe specified dried thyme.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• If using a whole chicken/spatchcocking: Place chicken on the cutting board breast side down. Use kitchen shears to cut down the length of the spine on both sides. Discard the spine.
• Turn the bird breast side up. Gripping the 2 cut sides where the spine used to be, open up the bird, pressing down firmly at the center to flatten it.
• For chicken pieces: Rub the spice mixture all over the chicken pieces and brown on both sides for 5 minutes each side.
• In a small bowl, mix together the salt, garlic powder, thyme (or other dried herb of choice) and black pepper. Rub the mixture evenly over the entire chicken.
• Set a large cast-iron skillet on a burner over medium-high. When the skillet it hot, add the chicken breast (or chicken pieces) side down. Let the chicken brown for 5 minutes, then use tongs to carefully flip the bird so the breast side is up. Brown the other side 5 minutes.
• Set the skillet in the oven and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches 165 degrees. Depending on if you use a whole chicken, bone-in chicken pieces or boneless, roasting time will vary. It only took about 25 minutes for our chicken pieces to roast all the way through.
• Either serve immediately or let cool and refrigerate for use in a picnic.

PICNIC LEMON CHICKEN (ADAPTED FROM SILVER PALATE'S RECIPE) RECIPE - (4.2/5)

Steps:

• Preparation: In a bowl or re-sealable plastic bag, combine chicken pieces and lemon juice. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator overnight, turning occasionally. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Drain chicken thoroughly and pat dry. Fill a plastic bag with flour, salt, paprika, and pepper; shake well to mix. Put two (2) pieces of chicken into the bag at a time and shake, coating completely. Heat vegetable or corn oil in large frying pan or cast-iron frying pan until hot and fry chicken pieces, a few at a time, until well browned and crisp. NOTE: This will take about 10 minutes per batch. Arrange browned chicken in a single layer in a large shallow baking pan. Sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Pour chicken stock around chicken pieces. Set a thin lemon slice on top of each piece of chicken. Bake chicken, uncovered, approximately 40 to 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. (juices will run clear when cut with the tip of a knife). Remove from oven and transfer to a serving platter. May be served warm or cold. Makes 6 to 8 servings

PICNIC CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pound chicken to 1/4 inch thickness.
• In a shallow bow, combine bread crumbs and seasonings.
• Dip chicken in egg, then in crumb mixture.
• In a skillet, brown the chicken in the oil and butter over medium heat for 10-15 minutes on each side or until juices run clear (180 degrees).