Nate Berkus: Time Saving Recipes with "Big Daddy" Aaron McCargo

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Time-Saving Recipes with "Big Daddy" Aaron McCargo

Chef "Big Daddy" Aaron McCargo shares his recipes for Chicken Cordon Bleu Bundles, Ultimate Chicken Salad, and Barbecue Chicken Penne Melt!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bundles

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bundles
Ingredients
4 whole scallions, trimmed
1 ¼ cups diced low-sodium cooked ham
½ cup torn or coarsely chopped cooked chicken breast
¼ cup diced Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon diced shallots
1 tablespoon sliced scallions, white and green parts
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 sheets phyllo dough
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a wide skillet filled with simmering water over medium-high heat, blanch the whole scallions until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. (Alternatively, soften the scallions in a microwave-safe dish covered with plastic wrap. Microwave on high power for 2 to 3 minutes.) Drain and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, toss together the ham, chicken, cheese, shallots, sliced scallions, flour, salt, and pepper.

Brush each sheet of phyllo dough with melted butter and stack the sheets. Cut the phyllo stack into quarters, and spoon equal amounts of the ham-chicken mixture in the center of each quarter. Pull the corners of the quarters up over the filling and tie them closed with the blanched scallions. Brush the bundles with melted butter. Arrange the bundles on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown and the filling is heated through.
Nate and 'Big Daddy'
Aaron McCargo, Jr. competed on and won season four of "The Next Food Network Star" in 2008, and is the host of Food Network's "Big Daddy's House." His cookbook, "Simply Done, Well Done," was released in April of 2011.
Time Saving Tips
Aaron's biggest time-saving tip in the kitchen is to use one ingredient, such as chicken, three ways. If you're preparing meals for a large family, pick up a big value pack of chicken and prepare it all at once. Smaller families can do the same with a store-bought rotisserie chicken. Prepare Aaron's Chicken Cordon Bleu Bundles to be frozen, Ultimate Chicken Salad to be refrigerated, and Barbecue Chicken Penne Melt for tonight's meal!
Ultimate Chicken Salad

Ultimate Chicken Salad
Ingredients
6 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken breast meat
1 ½ cups mayonnaise
¼ cup finely diced onion
¼ cup finely diced celery
¼ cup sweet pickle relish
1 bunch (1 ounce) fresh chives, chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the mayonnaise, onion, celery, relish, chives, Worcestershire sauce, salt, hot pepper sauce, and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
Ultimate Chicken Salad Backstory
Aaron once held a job setting up the buffet at the now-closed Harbor League Club in Camden, New Jersey. The members surprised him with a plaque that read "Best Chicken Salad Ever." He promises if you stick to his recipe, you'll start getting plaques, too! The secret to good chicken salad? Making it well mixed. Aaron says don't be shy about using your hands!
Forget the Flavoring
"I am wild about rotisserie chicken," says Aaron in his cookbook, "Simply Done, Well Done." "There are so many dishes you can make with cooked chicken - and how much easier does it get than having someone else cook the chicken for you? The birds may be flavored with all sorts of spices and seasoning, but in reality it doesn't really matter which you buy, because for my recipes you are goign to remove the skin, which holds these flavors, and chop up the meat. Buy the plumpest chicken you see and take it home for some good cookin'!"
Serve with a Side Dish
Aaron recommends serving Chicken Cordon Bleu Bundles with a side dish such as green salad or lightly cooked vegetables, otherwise the bundles look naked on the plate! Aaron also suggests preparing the bundles as a tasty appetizer.
Barbecue Chicken Penne Melt

Barbecue Chicken Penne Melt
Ingredients
1 pound mini penne
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups diced onions
4 to 6 cups shredded store-bought rotisserie chicken
1 quart bottled hickory-smoked flavored barbecue sauce
12 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and crumbled
½ cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions
In a medium saucepan, cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain, do not rinse, and set aside.

In a medium skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat and, when hot, add the onions and cook, stirring until softened and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease an 11 by 9-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the chicken, 3 1/2 cups of the barbecue sauce, the bacon, scallions, and cooked onions. In another bowl, stir together the cheeses.

Spread one-third of the pasta mixture in the prepared dish and top with one-third of the cheese. Make two more layers of the pasta and cheese, cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is browned. Remove from the oven, drizzle with the remaining 1/2 cup barbecue sauce, and serve.