Cooks wow judges with creative chicken dishes

Judges declare Kim Bradley and Jack Mac Intosh the winners in Challenges 5 and 6. And with these results, there is just one more week of matchups and then it's on to Round 2 of this year's Cook of the Week Challenge.

The Sweet 16-style cooking contest has yielded some tempting recipes thus far — and today we offer up more. But first, we revisit last week's matchups.

Again, the scores were close, prompting recounts and scouring of the judges' comments.

In Challenge 5, Chuck Federici of Hanover Park and Kim Bradley of Glen Ellyn were faced with butternut squash from Whole Foods Market, dried apricots from Terri Lynn, Inc., couscous and boneless chicken thighs. In a close, close, close count, the judges picked Bradley's creations.

In Challenge 6, Pat Kutchins of Lake Zurich and Jack Mac Intosh of Itasca used fennel courtesy of Marquardt Buick, Cabernet Sauvignon from Binny's Beverage Depot, beef tips and black-eyed peas. The judges also deemed this matchup close, but Mac Intosh emerged the winner.

Both Bradley and Mac Intosh move on to Round 2, which begins Oct. 7.

While the judges have weighed in here, you can head online to events.daily herald.com/cook-of-the-week-fan-favorite to vote for your favorites.

Each week, a panel of judges grades recipes based on creativity, perceived taste and appearance and use of the mystery ingredients. The final four cooks will meet in person for a live cook-off Nov. 2 at the Westin, Itasca. Get your tickets for the event at events.daily herald.com.

Today, you'll see recipes made by cooks in Challenge 7: Bill Hicks of Carpentersville and Ingrid Durham of Oakbrook Terrace. Their secret ingredients were Blumer's Moonshine courtesy of Green County, prosciutto courtesy of Ala Carte Entertainment, sweet potatoes and pistachios. Also up this week are the Challenge 8 cooks, Cathy Henry of Cary and Tim Schmitt of Inverness. They had to incorporate canned tuna courtesy of Fortune Fish Co., almonds from the Fisher Nuts Store, brussels sprouts and tortillas.

Couscous Breaded Chicken Thighs with Spicy Apricot Glaze, Butternut Squash & Ricotta Gnudi — Chuck Federici

Penny Kazmier: This is a beautiful plate. The apricot glaze sounds delicious, but I am a little confused by the browning of the chicken, thinking this was to ensure a crisp breading, and then adding chicken stock and covering the pan to finish cooking, which I worry will make the finished breading on the soft side. Incorporating the squash into the gnudi was a clever way to add a fall twist.

Joseph C. Graziano Sr.: The overall appearance of this dish is beautiful. The spicy apricot glaze sounds delicious and is something I would enjoy on chicken or pork. I have never had ricotta gnudi, but it sounds lovely and I like the way you were able to incorporate the butternut squash and couscous. These recipes are very easy to follow and I will definitely be making the spicy apricot glaze myself!

Mike Burton: There are several parts to this recipe. This is not a quick throw-it-together meal; however, the end result sounds delicious. The combination of the butternut squash, spicy apricot glaze and chicken will create a symphony of texture and flavors with every bite. The gnudi and butternut squash steal the show in my opinion.

White Coq Au Vin with Apricots and Butternut Squash and Pearly Couscous Risotto — Kim Bradley

PK: The Coq Au Vin combination sounds like it has good balance and would be a nice meal on a chilly fall night. The combination of chicken, bacon, squash and apricots seems to have a good balance of flavor. The risotto treatment of the couscous sounds delicious, but I wish the plate had a little more color.

JG: This dish sounds delightful. The risotto sounds wonderful, but could have included the apricots or squash. Also, is the bacon to be used as a garnish or just to be used for cooking the chicken because this is omitted on the recipe? The white wine is a nice addition to both recipes and brings the dish together nicely. I would have enjoyed tasting a sample of this dish.

MB: Cooking with bacon fat! Most everything tastes better with bacon. Starting with the bacon and cooking everything in order afterward will give you outstanding flavor. I hope you do not lose any of the other flavors by finishing the chicken by boiling it for 20 minutes. The pearly couscous risotto sounds simple yet delicious.

Ragout of Beef Tips/ Caramelized Fennel and Onions/ Black-eyed Pea Polenta — Pat Kutchins

Michael Pennisi: I'm reminded of a short rib and polenta dish one might find at an elegant bistro. Fennel is a polarizing vegetable and I like that this presentation blends the licorice flavor with onions to make it less assertive. Shaking the meat with flour and spices is a nice touch, but why not brown the meat, as well, before putting it in the crockpot? The ragout needs some fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme to perk it up.

Carey M. Lynch: I thought the dish was classic with the cabernet and beef and I liked the idea of polenta used with the ragout. But, I didn't feel it was imaginative. It seems to be a dish that would be easy to prepare. I thought the presentation looked appetizing and I enjoyed the colorful vegetable presentation.

Michael Bach: This is very tender meat with the polenta soaking up the liquid from the ragout. The onions seemed to overpower, but paired well with the fennel. The dish appeared to be a bit disorganized on the plate and closer to orange chicken, but easy to consume. The directions were straightforward and simple enough to make for a lengthy Sunday dinner.

Grilled Beef Tips with Roasted Fennel Garlic Smashed Potatoes and Sautéed Cabernet Mushrooms/Black-eyed Pea Hummus/Cabernet Ice Cream — Jack Mac Intosh

MP: This raises the bar on meat and potatoes. My arteries are clogging just reading the mashed potatoes recipe but I'm sure they're delicious. Turning black-eyed peas into hummus is creative, but hummus is not really integrated with the other ingredients. In making the cabernet gravy, the cook could add flavor depth by sautéing the mushrooms in butter with minced garlic and sage. The wine and flour should be mixed together in a slurry, and then added.

CL: I loved the presentation and the separation of the hummus and ice cream to allow all the different tastes. I enjoy the idea of the beef along with the mashed, as well as the addition of the fennel. I felt the dish looked like an amazing complete dinner combination.

MB: This was a nice integration of the mystery ingredients and interesting presentation. The hummus has nice layered flavors, but is difficult to scoop. The beef tips with wild mushrooms are great, but access to morels and chanterelles is not easy for the average person. Also using an “Amish” ice cream maker is not in most peoples' pantries. Best part is the smashed potatoes, but they need more salt.