Today’s blog is brought to you by Karen Humphrey. Karen is the author of two very well known Canadian food blogs “Notes from the Cookie Jar” and “Chasing Tomatoes”.

When I first met my husband, I was surprised that the only protein he ate was chicken and occasionally seafood. Wouldn't he get bored? What about things like lasagna, or burgers? He can't be serious, right? Oh, he was serious - and in the last 19 years, I made it my mission to learn how to convert almost every dish that traditionally uses other meats to use chicken. 

Chicken burritos? Check. Meatloaf? You got it. Even shepherd's pie fell to the must make it with chicken spell. The odd thing is that over the years, we've continued to adapt recipes, and often never miss the original versions. In fact, we usually like them better. However, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind when converting traditionally beef recipes to using chicken.

Different meat, means different things you need to remember

Recipes that use pork often can be switched to chicken without a problem, as both are fairly mild tasting, such as when you are preparing something fairly simple, like a stir fry. Where it becomes a little more tricky to swap is when you are making burgers, meatloaves, meatballs, pasta, or casseroles. Working with ground chicken can be different as it seems to be more moist initially, but it can also dry out quicker as it doesn't have the fat content that ground beef or pork do. Keeping this in mind, when you convert your favorite burger recipe, you can add something that adds moisture, such as grated apple or finely diced mushrooms. When braising, use white wines and chicken broth as liquids, but also choose chicken thighs since they will stand up to long and slow cooking times better than chicken breasts.

Herbs and Spices

Generally, when I've changed a recipe from one that features beef to chicken, I may also play around with the seasonings. Herbs and spices that work well with chicken are basil, oregano, paprika, rosemary, garlic, onion, curry, tarragon, thyme, sage, and parsley. Marinades meant for pork also work well with chicken, and check out the packaging on spice blends or sauces to see if they would also work in the dish you are converting.  

Really, what you need to do is be a bit fearless. Experiment!   Don’t be afraid to bump up the flavor with pesto, bacon, stronger cheeses, or a spicy mustard. Follow your taste buds to see what you, and your family like. Along the way, you may discover a new version of an old recipe!