As election day comes to a close, it’s only appropriate that we celebrate our right to vote with a themed meal! Even though it wasn’t a presidential election year, these recipes are all presidentially inspired—they were either a president’s favorite meal, a recipe served at the White House, or a special election dessert.
Nixon’s Chicken is a recipe passed down to me at my cooking-themed bridal shower many years ago. When it was shared with me, I was told Richard Nixon’s mother made this recipe. In searching for its origins online, I found similar recipes attributed to his daughter, Julie Nixon Eisenhower. Either way, this is a favorite for my close family, friends, and in-laws. I’ve taken the recipe they shared with me and tweaked it a little bit.
Nixon’s Chicken (serves 4)
Ingredients
1-2 lbs of chicken tenders or chicken breasts
24 oz frozen broccoli
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup bread crumbs/crumbled crackers (I prefer Ritz)
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp curry powder (you can substitute cumin, dry mustard, or cayenne)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 servings white rice
Preparation
Gather ingredients and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a 9×13 casserole dish, layer the frozen broccoli.
Top with chicken.
Combine soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and spices and cover chicken and broccoli.
Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bread crumbs.
Bake uncovered for one hour.
Top a serving of rice with a piece of chicken and the broccoli and sauce mixture.
To keep with the presidential theme, serve with The Biggest Loser salad that was served to contestants at the White House. At my house, we only use the dressing, because my husband doesn’t like uncooked cucumbers and tomatoes and I rarely eat raw red onions.
For dessert, consider the colonial recipe of Election Cake.
Or, try presidential cookies!
My husband and I both have our favorites. I prefer Hillary Clinton’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies she shared with Good Housekeeping when her husband was running for his first term. My husband, on the other hand, grew up loving Mamie Eisenhower’s sugar cookies.
And, for the grownups, enjoy one of your favorite president’s cocktails while watching the election results roll in later in the evening.
I hope you’ll enjoy some conversation with your family while eating your election dinner about the importance of voting!
RELATED: Why Family Dinner Matters
Nixon’s Chicken (serves 4)
Ingredients:
1-2 lbs of chicken tenders or chicken breasts
24 oz frozen broccoli
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup bread crumbs/crumbled crackers (I prefer Ritz)
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp curry powder (you can substitute cumin, dry mustard, cayenne)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 servings white rice
Preparation:
- Gather ingredients and preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a 9×13 casserole dish, layer the frozen broccoli
- Top with chicken
- Combine soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice and spices and cover chicken and broccoli
- Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bread crumbs
- Bake uncovered for one hour
- Top a serving of rice with a piece of chicken and the broccoli and sauce mixture.