Spicy Chicken Salad Muffins #MuffinMonday

Sure you could make plain ol’ chicken salad sandwiches but why not make spicy chicken salad muffins instead? Cooked chicken breast, mayonnaise, mustard, green onions - with red chili pepper for a spicy kick - all baked in a tender savory muffin. 

Happy Muffin Monday, lovely people! It’s that time of the month again when my Muffin Monday bakers put on their thinking caps and bring you all manner of simple-to-bake deliciousness.

My inspiration often comes from ingredients languishing in my refrigerator or in season/on sale at my local supermarket. This month it’s the former. You see, I am incapable of buying just one rotisserie chicken. Because the wings are my favorite part and, unfortunately my husband feels the same. One wing is just not satisfying so when I buy roasted chickens, I have to buy two at a time. For the extra wings, you know. (If only they would just roast a tray of wings! Pipe dreams.)

Anyhoo, I’ve used the two chickens in a variety meals but ended up with just one breast left. And muffins to bake for Muffin Monday. So I took a leap of faith and put Spicy Chicken Salad Muffins in our group thread, without a single idea of how I would accomplish said muffin.

Then the next day, suddenly, a thought came to me. Have you ever heard of cakes baked with mayonnaise? Apparently they were quite the thing during the 1930s, popularized by Hellmann's. If there are cakes made with mayo, surely there are muffins too, right? A quick peruse through The Google affirmed my guess. There were SO MANY. And my way to spicy chicken salad muffins became clear. Self high-fives all round.

Ingredients
2 cups or 250g all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup or 150g chopped cooked chicken breast
Small handful spring onions, chopped, plus extra for garnish, if desired
1 small red chili, minced
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup or 125g mayonnaise
1 egg
Optional: 1 teaspoon olive oil for greasing muffin pan

Method
Preheat your oven to 400°F or 200°C. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line it with paper liners.

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, mustard powder and a few good grinds of fresh black pepper in a large mixing bowl.


In another smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, mayonnaise and egg. Add the chopped chicken, spring onions and chili pepper to the mayo bowl and stir well.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry until just mixed.

Spoon into your greased or lined muffin pan. Top with a few bits of green onion, if desired.

Bake in your preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. I took mine out at about 18 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve them warm.

Enjoy!

Check out all the other lovely muffins the Muffin Monday bakers have mixed up for you today! 

• Cheese and Garlic Muffins from Making Miracles
• Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Fall Harvest Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Orange Chocolate Chip Muffins from Palatable Pastime
• Purple Sweet Potato Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Spicy Chicken Salad Muffins from Food Lust People Love

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

 Pin it! 

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Loaded Baked Potato Muffins #MuffinMonday

Imagine a loaded baked potato full of sharp cheddar and crispy bacon bits and sour cream and onion tops.  In a muffin.  No kidding.  I think this is my favorite muffin so far.  Have I said that before?  Probably.  But this time I really, really mean it.  I ate two back to back, standing at the kitchen counter.  And then I had to go sit down and clutch my chest.  So rich, so good.  Serve them with a salad and call them lunch.  Or dinner.  But make these muffins.

Ingredients
6 slices bacon
230g or 8 oz potato
Sea salt
Black pepper
Handful green onions
8 oz or 225g extra sharp cheddar
1 1/2 cups or 190g flour
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup or 180ml milk
1/2 cup or 120ml sour cream
1 egg
1/4 cup or 60ml canola or other light oil

Method
Fry your bacon until it is crispy.   Set on paper towels to drain.  I use a single piece of paper towel on top of newspaper.  Keeps the ink off the bacon and doesn't waste a bunch of paper towels.

If your potato is thin-skinned, by all means, leave the peel on, otherwise peel it.  Then cut it into small squares.

Fry the potato pieces in the bacon grease until fork tender and nicely golden on all sides.  Set aside to cool.

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and liberally grease your 12-cup muffin pan.

Chop your green onions and bacon into little pieces and grate your cheddar cheese.

Set aside a little of each to use for topping later.

In a large mixing bowl, combine your flour, salt, sugar and baking powder.

Add in the grated cheese, bacon bits and green onions.  Stir well.

Add in the cooled potatoes and stir again.

In a smaller mixing bowl, whisk your egg, milk, sour cream and oil.

Fold your liquids into the dry ingredients.

Divide the batter between the prepared cups in the muffin pan.

Top each with some of the reserved cheddar, onion tops and bacon bits.

Bake in your preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are lovely and golden.

Allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes then remove to a wire rack to continue cooling.  You may need to run a knife around the edges if the cheese is sticking to the pan.

These are fabulous warm and almost as good cold!

Enjoy!

I’m on a touring holiday right now with my mom so if I don’t answer comments right away, please know that I am still delighted when you leave them and will respond as soon as I have internet access again. 

Savory Shrimp Cheesecake with Herbs and Garlic

Cream cheese, sheep's milk feta and garlicky herbed shrimp baked into a savory cheesecake is a beautiful appetizer served with bread or crackers.

Things were a little crazy here during the holiday season around Christmas and New Year, what with both daughters in residence, one birthday to celebrate, and our household shipment arriving from Cairo just a few days before Santa. I didn’t have much time for extraneous cooking and baking since birthdays, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day have strictly enforced menu requirements but that didn’t stop me from bookmarking recipes I wanted to try when things calmed down. One of them was for a savory goat cheese cheesecake from the very talented +Jennifer Field , or her Super Hero alter ego, Pastry Chef Online .

When this week’s #SundaySupper theme (Cheese, Cake and Cheesecake!) was announced, I knew instantly what I would make. And to avoid the problem Jenni mentions of having to make mean faces at someone who wants to share your savory cheesecake, I decided to make two small cakes so dear husband and I could each have our own. A bit piggish, yes. But so GOOD! (With Jenni's permission, I have adapted her recipe to add shrimp with a few other tweaks so make sure to go check out the original as well.)

Scroll on down to the bottom of my post to see what other lovely cheese, cake and cheesecake recipes the #SundaySupper group has in store for you today. Our sweet host this week is Angie from Big Bear’s Wife . Did you see her Bacon and Shrimp Bisque last week when we did soups? My favorite!

Ingredients
(Make sure all your ingredients are at room temperature).
6 large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I left the tails on because they are prettier that way but if your shrimp are already completely peeled, it’s no big deal) With the tails on, these weighed 150g or about 5 1/4 oz.
Small bunch green onions
Small bunch flat-leafed parsley
2 cloves garlic
1 small red chili pepper
1 tablespoon butter
6 oz or 170g full fat cream cheese
3 1/2 oz or 100g goat or sheepmilk feta
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 large egg
1 tablespoon cornstarch or corn flour
Several grindings of black pepper

To serve: one fresh baguette sliced into rounds or crackers of your choice

Method
Preheat your oven to 325°F or 165°C and prepare your pans or ramekins by cutting out circles of parchment paper for the bottoms and spraying the insides with non-stick spray. (My two ramekins each held 3/4 cup or almost 180ml quite comfortably without danger of spillage. Test your volume with a measuring cup and water before preparing your ramekins.)

Smash your garlic cloves with the side of your knife and split the chili up the middle, then mince both. Chop your parsley and green onions.

Set aside just a tiny bit of the parsley, chili pepper and green onions for garnish later.

Put the rest of the parsley, chili pepper, green onion and all of the garlic in a saucepan with the butter and shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are completely done.

Remove the shrimp from the pan and take the tails off of four of them. Chop the four shrimp with a large knife. Wrap the two remaining shrimp and refrigerate. These will be garnish later.

In a big mixing bowl, mix your cream cheese, feta and chopped shrimp, adding in the cooked herbs and garlic from the saucepan.

Scrape the sides of the bowl down and then add the sour cream, egg and cornstarch. Give the whole thing a few good grinds of fresh black pepper. Mix well.

Meanwhile, Polly, put the kettle on, because you are going to need some hot water here shortly.

Spoon the batter into your prepared baking dishes and smooth the tops. Place those baking dishes inside a larger baking pan.

Put the whole thing into your preheated oven on the middle rack. Quickly fill the bottom pan with hot water up to the middle of the ramekins.

Bake for about 25-35 minutes or until the cheesecake is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before covering in cling film and refrigerating for several hours or even overnight.

When you are ready to serve, warm a knife in hot water and run it around the inside of your ramekins. You can turn it over directly on to the serving plate or onto your hand covered by some cling film, then place it where you want it on the serving plate. Smooth the sides with your warm knife, if necessary.

Garnish each cheesecake with your reserved chopped parsley, red chili pepper and green onions. Top each with a cooked shrimp.

Serve with bread or crackers. Try not to hunch protectively over the plate. The honest truth is that they are both big enough to share.

Enjoy!

The #SundaySupper group have outdone themselves with this theme! Click on the links to see their fabulous recipes.

Cheese

Baked Mozzarella Sticks by Mama’s Blissful Bites

Basil Balsamic Strawberries & Whipped Feta Grilled Cheese by Cupcakes & Kale Chips

Buffalo Cream Cheese Stuffed Chicken by In The Kitchen With KP

Cheeseburger Soup by Dinners Dishes and Desserts

Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Parmesan Crisps by BigBearsWife

Cherry Blossom Crescents by The Ninja Baker

Chevre Torte with Mango and Sweet Pepper Salsa by Noshing with the Nolands

Creamy Meyer Lemon Pasta with Homemade Ricotta and Broccoli by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen

Crepes with Strawberry Mascarpone Cream Filling by Soni’s Food

Garlic and Goat by Supper for a Steal

Homemade Velveeta Cheese by Juanitas Cocina

Irish Cheese Soufflés by girlichef

Lox and Cream Cheese Mini Omelettes by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Pan-Fried Halloumi Cheese Salad by The Catholic Foodie

Paneer Indian Cottage Cheese Pancake by Masala Herb

Paneer Tikka Masala by Kimchi Mom

Quick and Easy Homemade Cottage Cheese by The Meltaways

Ricotta Croquettes by Basic N Delicious

Roasted Pears with Pecorino by Happy Baking Days

Saag Paneer! Golden Roasted Ricotta In Savory Spinach Sauce by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz

Sourdough Cheese Crackers by Curious Cuisiniere

Cakes

Almond Polenta Cake by Shockingly Delicious

Banana Split Bundt Cake with Chocolate Glaze by NeighborFood Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting by Hezzi D’s Books & Cooks Dairyfree Ice Cream Cake by Galactosemia in PDX Dense Chocolate Cherry Cake by What Smells So Good? Flourless Chocolate Bean Cake by Vintage Kitchen KitKat Chocolate Cake by The Urban Mrs. Old Fashioned Caramel Cake by There and Back Again Peanut Butter Banana Bundt Cake with Chocolate Chips by Gotta Get Baked Salmon Cakes by Family Foodie Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cake by Gourmet Drizzles Tequila Lime Cupcakes by Mama Mommy Mom

& Cheesecakes

Cheesecake au Baileys by Baker Street

Chocolate Cheesecake Bites by Mom, What’s For Dinner?

Chocolate Covered Cherry Cheesecake by Magnolia Days

Grasshopper Cheesecake Bars by That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Individual Strawberry and White Chocolate Cheesecakes by Small Wallet Big Appetite

Kit Kat Cheesecake Brownies by Chocolate Moosey

Lime Cheesecake Bites by Peanut Butter and Peppers

Mini Raspberry Cheesecakes with White Chocolate Crusts by Cupcakes and Pearls

Mini Toddler Cherry Cheesecakes by In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene

Mocha Cheesecake by The Lovely Pantry

No-Bake Banana Sundae Cheesecake by The Messy Baker

Nutella Cheesecake Brownies by The Foodie Army Wife

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes by Cookistry

Reese’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake by Daily Dish Recipes

Tiny Turtle Cheesecakes (No Bake) by Cravings of a Lunatic