BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad

Quinoa is a food that many people have been talking about for a few years now and has been featured in most healthy living magazines and blogs. It is a healthy whole grain that is actually a seed. Now that I have finally figured out that my grocery store carries it in the bulk foods area, I am able to purchase it on a regular basis. And yes, I know I should have looked there multiple times, but I forgot every time I went to the store. I have had this recipe bookmarked for quite awhile and am glad that I finally made it. The flavors all worked really well together and made a filling meal. I hope to make more quinoa recipes I have pinned soon!

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Salad
Source: Slightly adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breasts
salt & pepper
1 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup black beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/4 cup BBQ sauce (plus more for chicken)

Directions:
1. Rinse quinoa with cold water in a fine mesh sieve and then transfer to large saucepan. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook the quinoa for 20 minutes, or until light and fluffy.

2. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Grill or poach the chicken, then shred and toss with BBQ sauce.

3. Combine the corn and black beans in a skillet and heat over medium heat.

4. Combine the sour cream and 1/4 cup BBQ sauce in a small bowl.

5. Spoon the quinoa into a dish, then top with the chicken, corn and black bean mixture, cheese, sour cream/BBQ sauce mixture and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Pin It

Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

I am kind of in love with buffalo chicken. I think my obsession started in college when we used to go to Applebee's on a weekly basis for half-off appetizers. My appetizer of choice was always the boneless buffalo chicken wings. But, now that I cook my own food, I make my own buffalo chicken meals. This one is extremely easy and one I have made multiple times. In fact, I just made it for our fantasy football draft lottery party. I think it was a hit with our friends! This recipe has also been making its way across the blog-o-sphere so I'm sure you may have seen it already, but just in case you haven't, here it is. This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled as well. And I welcome the leftovers because they can be turned into other great meal ideas, like buffalo chicken pizza or quesadillas. It also freezes well in case you want to make up a big batch and then have another meal to go later!

Shredded Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Source: Slightly adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 bottle of your favorite buffalo wing sauce
1/2 packet of dry ranch seasoning mix OR make your own (recipe below)*
Sandwich buns

Directions:
1. Put chicken, wing sauce, and dry ranch mix or 2 Tablespoons of your own mix into slow cooker.

2. Cover and set on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.

3. Then shred chicken with two forks and serve on sandwich buns.

Dry Ranch Seasoning Mix
Source: 5 Dollar Dinners

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients well. Store in an airtight container.Pin It

Recipe Swap: Chicken, Bacon and Ranch Taquitos

I wish I had a good picture of the filling, but I didn't get a good shot.

This time for recipe swap we were assigned one of the other swapper's blogs and we got to choose what recipe we wanted to make. Narrowing recipes down is always a hard decision for me, but I decided to go with something fast and easy this time around. I did cut this recipe in half since I was just making dinner for my husband and me, but I posted the full recipe anyway. These would also make a great addition to a football party spread! Thanks for the great recipe, Carrie!


Chicken, Bacon & Ranch Taquitos
Source: Barely adapted from Carrie's Sweet Life (who got the recipe from Six Sisters' Stuff)

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
12 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 cups cooked, shredded chicken2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (I used sharp cheddar since that's what I had on hand)
3-4 T green onion, chopped (omitted)
1 (1 oz) packet dry ranch dressing mix
20 (6-inch) flour tortillas
Salt
Non-stick cooking spray

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put aluminum foil on a baking sheet and spray with cooking spray

2. Mix the cream cheese, bacon, chicken, cheese and green onions (if using) together. Then add the packet of dry ranch dressing mix and mix well.

3. Put a couple tablespoons of each mixture into tortilla, then roll tightly. Place seam-side down on baking sheet. Spray the top of each tortilla lightly with cooking spray, then sprinkle salt over them.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes until tops are golden brown.

5. Serve with ranch dressing on the side as a dip.Pin It

Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas

We eat Mexican food often in our house. It's typically very quick and I usually have the ingredients on hand if I have nothing else to make for dinner. I have had this recipe pinned for awhile because I love avocados, but unfortunately my husband does not. I know...who doesn't love avocados?! So, I left the avocados out of his enchiladas, and they still tasted delicious. However, I highly recommend adding them because they give this dish a nice, creamy element! 

Also - enchiladas taste amazing, but are unfortunately a very messy food to photograph!

Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas

Source: Very slightly adapted from The Novice Chef

Ingredients:

for the sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 Serrano pepper, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup medium salsa verde
1/2 cup low sour cream

for the enchiladas:
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
8 oz Cabot Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded & divided
3 avocados, peeled and chopped
8-10 flour tortillas

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Make the sauce -- Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the pepper and garlic and saute for 1 minute. Then add the flour, whisking constantly for about 2 minutes. Then add the chicken stock, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a low boil. Lastly, add the cilantro, salsa verde and sour cream. Remove from heat.

3. Put about 3/4 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Then assemble the enchiladas. Put the chicken, cheese, and avocados down the center of a tortilla, then roll and place seam side down in the pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle the cheese over the sauce.

4. Bake for 20 minutes.

Pin It

Honey Lime Chicken Spinach Salads

I have made this chicken twice already. Both times I made it for dinner and served it on its own with rice & vegetables. I had a little chicken leftover from last night's dinner and decided to turn it into a salad for lunch today. But you can always just use the chicken portion of the recipe for a grilled chicken dinner! I think they would also make fantastic sandwiches. I love how these flavors combine together and infuse the chicken as you marinate it. I am usually not a fan of whole chicken breasts because they can dry out pretty quickly, but this marinade keeps the chicken moist and flavorful.


Honey Lime Chicken Spinach Salads
Source for chicken: grocerybudget101.com via Kitchen Meets Girl (slightly adapted)

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon olive oil
Juice of 1 lime
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons hot sauce or 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 Tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (I usually slice the breasts in half to make cutlets)
Spinach leaves
1/2 cup sliced strawberries
1-2 Tablespoons feta cheese
Balsamic vinegar & olive oil

Directions:
1. Combine the soy sauce, honey, olive oil, lime juice, garlic cloves, hot sauce, red pepper flakes and cilantro in a small bowl.

2. Put the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag or dish and pour the marinade over it. Let it marinate for at least 1 hour.

3. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side or until the juices run clear. Slice into strips.

4. Prepare the salad - put as many spinach leaves as you want on a plate, then top with sliced strawberries, feta cheese, chicken, and a drizzle of both olive oil and balsamic vinegar.Pin It

Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches

Happy 4th of July! I know most people grill on days like today, but if you don't have a grill or outside space (like me), then a slow cooker is a wonderful thing to use instead. Hawaiian chicken sandwiches are a popular sandwich going around one of the cooking message boards where I belong. I have always enjoyed the savory sweet combination and these sandwiches were no exception. I love pulled meats and being able to use my slow cooker on super hot days like the ones we've been having so I decided to adapt this recipe to do just that. I also added some BBQ sauce to the mix. These sandwiches were fantastic and something that I will definitely be making again. If you want you can grill up your pineapple slices or brown them a little in a skillet, but I just added them as is because I got a little lazy. 

Slow Cooker Pulled BBQ Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches

Source: Adapted from So Tasty, So Yummy 

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds chicken breasts
1 can pineapple rings 
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
Hamburger buns

Directions:
1. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray and add chicken.

2. Mix together the juice from the pineapple rings, soy sauce, brown sugar, dijon mustard and BBQ sauce, then pour over the chicken.

3. Cook on low heat for 4-5 hours.

4. When finished cooking, remove chicken and shred on a plate. Turn slow cooker to the warm setting.

5. Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Take liquid from slow cooker and pour into a medium-sized saucepan, then add the cornstarch mixture. Boil over high heat and mix until thickened.

6. Put chicken back into slow cooker and pour the sauce over top. Mix well.

7. Serve on toasted hamburger buns and add a slice of pineapple to the top, if desired. Pin It

Spicy Chicken Sandwiches with Cilantro-Lime Mayo

I've been on a sandwich kick lately, but that usually tends to happen in the summer. I made this sandwich last year, but never blogged about it since I wasn't blogging at that moment. So when I made it again this week I knew I needed to share. The chicken gets a nice little kick from the hot sauce in the marinade and the tortilla chips make it a little bit crispy after being very lightly fried in a little bit of oil. It's a nice alternative to just plain old chicken! And just a note - you can assemble these in advance and then just cook them up when you're ready for dinner. They take no time at all!

Spicy Chicken Sandwiches with Cilantro-Lime Mayo

Source: Slightly adapted from Cooking Light, via My Recipes

For the Cilantro-Lime Mayo

Ingredients:
1/4 cup mayo
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients well. Chill under ready to use.

For the Chicken

Ingredients:
1 egg
3 Tablespoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 chicken breasts
6 cups tortilla chips
2 Tablespoons canola oil
4 whole wheat buns

Directions:
1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a large ziploc bag (or dish with a lid) and mix well. Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally to form 4 cutlets. Place in mixture and marinate for at least 2 hours.

2. Place tortilla chips in food processor and process until ground. Place on a plate or in a shallow dish.

3. For each chicken cutlet - remove from marinade and let excess drip off, then place in crumbs and coat thoroughly.

4. Heat canola oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once heated, cook chicken for 3 minutes on each side, or until browned and cooked through.

5. Spread mayo on buns, top with chicken cutlet and any additional toppings you may like. I usually add a little extra hot sauce to mine. You can add lettuce leave, red onion slices, or avocado as well!Pin It

BBQ Chicken, Roasted Corn, & Black Bean Quesadillas

I love quesadillas. In fact, when I was pregnant I went through a period where I ate quesadillas almost every day after I got home from teaching. And bonus....they are super quick to prepare and you can put almost anything you want in them. I especially love to make them to use up leftover ingredients, which is exactly what I did with these ones. These quesadillas use the leftover chipotle-mango BBQ sauce, dressing and black beans from the salads I made earlier this week. Of course, you can always use your favorite BBQ sauce for the chicken and sour cream instead of the dressing instead. I always use my George Foreman to "grill" the quesadillas because I find that's it's a lost faster and easier than doing it in a pan on the stove. So these quesadillas are actually half-ones because of the way I do it. But you can prepare these any way you want. Alright, on to the recipe!


BBQ Chicken, Roasted Corn & Black Bean Quesadillas

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts
1 cup chipotle-mango BBQ sauce (recipe below) or your favorite BBQ sauce
1 cup corn
1 cup black beans
Handful of cilantro
Shredded monterey jack cheese and shredded cheddar cheese
4 soft taco size tortillas
chipotle-mango BBQ dressing (recipe below) or sour cream

Chipotle-mango BBQ sauce recipeIngredients:

1 mango, chopped
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 Tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:
Combine all ingredients for the sauce into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Blend with an immersion blender (or cool and blend in a regular blender or food processor).

Chipotle-mango BBQ sauce dressing

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons prepared Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce
2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1-2 teaspoons lime juice (maybe more, maybe less)
salt & pepper

Directions:
Whisk together BBQ sauce, Greek yogurt, and lime juice in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Quesadilla Directions:

1. Spray the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Put chicken in slow cooker and pour the BBQ sauce over them. Cook on high for 2-3 hours until chicken is no longer pink and can be shredded easily. Alternatively, you can use rotisserie chicken or poach and shred chicken and toss it with the BBQ sauce.

2. Heat non-stick skillet over medium high heat, add corn and cook until it stars to turn brown, about 5 minutes. Also, if using, heat up your George Foreman grill.

3. Once the chicken is cooked and shredded, turn the heat down to warm and add the pan-roasted corn and black beans to it. Mix well. If you are not using a slow cooker, then just put all the ingredients in a pan or skillet on the stove. Or...skip this step entirely. It's not necessary and you can just add the ingredients to the quesadilla separately. There's no need to mix them all together...I just find that it's easier that way.

4. Time to assemble the tortillas! On one half of a tortilla, put the chicken mixture, some cilantro leaves and a mixture of the shredded cheeses, then fold over to form a half-circle. Place in George Foreman grill and grill for 2 minutes, or until you can see grill marks. Repeat with remaining tortillas. You can also just cook the tortillas in a pan on the stove.

5. Drizzle chipotle-mango BBQ sauce dressing or sour cream over tortillas. Enjoy!Pin It

Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce Chicken Salads

We typically eat salads as a side most nights of the week. It's an easy & quick way to add vegetables to a meal. Plus, that allows me to be lazy with my sides. I really would like to start experimenting with different sides so that will have to change soon though. Often in the summer I like to eat large salads as my main course. Once I saw this recipe I knew that I would need to make it soon because it combines some of my favorite things. I thought this salad was really good, but I would add more vegetables to it next time, especially to add some additional color. I'm sure that will be easy to do as more produce starts popping up at the farmers' market! I also forgot to add some cheese to it, which I love on salads. However, I just saved myself some calories so it's up to you whether you want to add some to it. Honestly you can add anything you want and I'm sure it will be great. The main star is the BBQ sauce.

Just a couple notes: 1.) The sauce is pretty spicy. I would recommend leaving out the seeds of the chipotle pepper if you don't like that much heat and that will tone it down for you. I happen to like heat though so it was perfect for me. 2.) You will have some leftover sauce to use in other meals. I'm excited to come up with ways to use it! 3.) If you don't like Greek yogurt like my husband, you can either use sour cream instead of the Greek yogurt in the dressing or just put some ranch on it like he did.

Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce Chicken Salads
Source: Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats, who adapted the sauce from Tofu-N-Sprouts
Ingredients:

For the sauce

1 mango, chopped
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, plus 2 teaspoons adobo sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 Tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1 Tablespoon canola oil
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

For the dressing

2 Tablespoons prepared Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt1-2 teaspoons lime juice (maybe more, maybe less)salt & pepper

For the salad

2 chicken breasts1 cup of frozen corn, thawed & heated through or fresh ears of corn
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
CroutonsSpinach leaves

Directions:

1. For the Chipotle-Mango BBQ Sauce: Combine all ingredients for the sauce into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring often. Blend with an immersion blender (or cool and blend in a regular blender or food processor).

2. For the dressing: Whisk together BBQ sauce, Greek yogurt, and lime juice in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.

3. For the salad: Marinate chicken breasts in just enough of the prepared Chipotle-Mango BBQ sauce to cover the breasts. I marinated mine for about 2 hours. Grill over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes per side until no longer pink in the middle. Or if you don't have an outdoor area like me, use a grill pan or a George Foreman. If you want to use fresh corn, you can grill it at the same time for about the same amount of time.

4. Put spinach on plates, then top with grilled chicken, corn, cilantro, and croutons. Drizzle with prepared dressing.

Pin It

Oven Fried Honey Chicken Nuggets

I am a terrible blogger. I get on kicks with updating my blog, and then...crickets. I wish I had a good excuse but I really don't. I started classes again yesterday, but that doesn't account for my major lack of posts (i.e. none at all) last week. Life is going to be pretty hectic until the beginning of December, but I am hoping to at least make some quick week-night meals and keep my blog going at the same time.

Anyways, here is a recipe for you. These chicken nuggets are perfectly sweet and go well with a saltier side dish. I served them with some homemade macaroni & cheese. Sometimes I don't tell Jon what is in some of the food I make because I know he will turn his nose up at it. Instead, I ask him if he liked the food after he eats it. Most of the time his answer is yes and then I reveal the "secret ingredient he hates" that is in it. In the case of the chicken nuggets the ingredient is balsamic vinegar. If you hate this vinegar, please don't be put off by it in this meal! It is perfectly complemented with the honey and breading. Try it...tonight. Or tomorrow. :)

Oven-fried Honey Chicken Nuggets
Source: Macaroni and Cheesecake, who got it from Sweet Tea in Texas


Ingredients:
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 cups dried bread crumbs
Olive oil cooking spray
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray foil-lined baking pan large enough to hold all chicken pieces in one layer.

In shallow bowl, whisk together honey and vinegar. Set aside.

Place bread crumbs in a small saute pan and toast lightly over low heat for about 3-4 minutes until lightly golden brown. Pour bread crumbs a little at a time into separated bowl.

Roll chicken pieces in honey mixture, then in bread crumbs; place in pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly.

Pin It

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Pasta with Chicken

I've been sitting here for about 5 minutes trying to think of what to write to introduce this dish and my mind is a complete blank. So I guess I will just tell you that this is a simple and quick weeknight dish that tasted pretty darn good!

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Pasta with Chicken
Source: Me


Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 pound of linguine
1/3 jar of sun-dried tomato pesto
Fresh mozzarella, cut into chunks

Cook chicken breast chunks in large saucepan over medium-high heat until cooked through.

Meanwhile, cook linguine according to package directions and drain.

Combine linguine, pesto and chicken in pan and mix until thoroughly combined. Add chopped mozzarella and serve.

Pin It

Hot and Sweet Chicken Drumsticks

The Pioneer Woman made this dish this past week and I immediately bookmarked it to make this week. Now, I bookmark a lot of recipes but usually do not get to them right away since I have so many and it just depends on what food we have in the house or what's on sale at the store. However, the only thing I had to buy for this meal were the chicken drumsticks and they are pretty inexpensive. This recipe comes from Pioneer Woman's new recipe website, Tasty Kitchen, and it was submitted by member Terri. These were really good. Of course, I'm a huge fan of any type of protein with some type of fruit preserves. You could even use regular chicken breasts if you didn't want to get drumsticks. It's pretty versatile! I also halved this recipe and used a package of 7 drumsticks. I served the chicken with mashed potatoes, side salad and honey yeast rolls.

Hot and Sweet Chicken Drumsticks
Source: Tasty Kitchen member Terri, originally seen on The Pioneer Woman


Ingredients:
1 Cup Apricot Preserves
1/2 Cup Ketchup
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
2 teaspoons Minced Garlic
2 teaspoons Hot Pepper Sauce
3 Lbs. Drumsticks (about 12)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*. In a small saucepan, combine preserves, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic and hot pepper sauce. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until preserves are melted.

Arrange drumsticks in a single layer on a 13 x 9″ baking pan. Pour sauce over drumsticks, turning to coat. Bake, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes or until chicken is done, spooning sauce over drumsticks while baking. Serves 6.

Pin It

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

Now that I've realized how easy pizza dough is to make, I have a slight obsession with making pizzas. We probably have pizza in some form at least twice a month. It's just so easy & quick! I had half of a leftover jar of alfredo sauce and instead of just dumping it over some pasta, I decided to make this pizza instead since I already had some frozen dough in the freezer. We've had a similar pizza from Papa John's and really liked it so of course I wanted to recreate it at home (with a few additional toppings!). Now I know pizza is pretty basic, but I am always looking for new topping ideas, so that is why I am sharing this "recipe" with you today.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza
Source: me! Pizza dough source: Annie's Eats


Ingredients:
Pizza dough (you could use homemade or store-bought)
Half jar of alfredo sauce
Chicken, cubed & cooked (I just saute some in a pan until they are just done since they will get baked in the oven too and I HATE dry chicken!)
Bacon, cooked and crumbled (I use the already cooked kind that you just have to heat up in the microwave)
Frozen spinach (I cook up the spinach and then blot out all of the excess water)
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Olive oil, parsley and oregano mixed together (I use this to brush on the crust)

Directions:
Roll out pizza dough to desired size on pizza stone. Spread alfredo sauce on crust and add the rest of the toppings. Brush the olive oil mixture on the crust. Bake at 500 degrees for 12 minutes or until crust is golden. (My cheese got a little browned, but it still tasted good!)

Pin It

Sesame Chicken with Broccoli

I'm a big fan of Chinese food, but I don't always know what goes in it when I order it from the local Chinese restaurant. I figured I would try some homemade Chinese food at home instead. I did change up this recipe a bit because I wanted to make it a little healthier so my changes are reflected below in italics. Oh, and for some reason I could not get a good picture of this dish!

Sesame Chicken
Adapted from Taste & See


Ingredients:
3 whole boneless chicken breasts (I only used 2, but didn't cut down on the sauce because I didn't feel like figuring out the measurements)

Marinade
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon cooking wine or dry sherry
3 drops sesame oil
2 tablespoons flour (Omitted)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (Omitted)
2 tablespoons water (Omitted)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder (Omitted)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda (Omitted)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil (Omitted)
Sprinkle of sugar (my addition)

Sauce
1/2 cup water
1 cup chicken broth
1/8 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon chili paste (or more)
1 garlic clove, minced

Frying
peanut oil (4 cups) (Omitted because I decided to bake mine in the oven)

2 tablespoons sesame seeds (Omitted because I couldn't find them in my local grocery store!)

Directions:
Cut the chicken into 1-inch cubes. Mix the marinade ingredients (the first 9 ingredients listed) and marinate the chicken for 20 minutes. (I only used the first 3 ingredients & the sugar addition since I decided to bake the chicken instead)

To prepare the sauce:
Mix together all of the sauce ingredients (the LAST 9 ingredients beginning with water). Pour them into a small pot and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Turn the heat down to low and keep warm while you are deep-frying the chicken.

To deep-fry the chicken:
Add the marinated chicken pieces a few at a time, and deep-fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and then place chicken in warm oven (130 degrees) while you continue frying. Repeat with the remainder of the chicken. Just before you are finished deep-frying, bring the sauce back up to a boil. OR you can bake the chicken. I just dredged the chicken in flour after marinating the pieces and baked them at 375 for about 20 minutes.

Place the chicken on a large platter and pour the sauce over. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve the Sesame Chicken with rice. (and I also added some steamed broccoli to get some vegetables in)

Pin It

Chipotle Rice & Black Bean Burritos

These burritos had a ton of flavor, but I do think that they would taste even better with some sour cream! (I realized I had some after I ate them - oops)

Chipotle Rice & Black Bean Burritos Adapted from Cook Like a Champion, who adapted it from Elly Says Opa!


Ingredients:
1/2 Tbsp. canola oil
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 chipotle in adobo, minced
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup uncooked rice (I used Uncle Ben's brown rice - the 90 second kind - because I have terrible luck making rice!)
2/3 cup water or broth (Omitted since I used instant rice)
1/2 cup black beans
1/2 tsp. oregano
Salt and pepper
Cooked chicken, shredded (my addition)

Directions:
-Heat the oil in a shallow pot/saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid.
-Add the onion and cook until tender.
-Stir in the garlic, chipotle, and bay leaf, sauteing an additional minute.
-Stir in the rice, and toast it until just a little golden.
-Add the water (or broth), black beans, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.
-Bring to a boil, cover, and then turn the heat down to low.
-Simmer for about 15 minutes.
-Remove from heat (but keep the lid on) and let sit for about 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

Chili Gravy
Source: Cook Like a Champion, who adapted it from Homesick Texan

Ingredients:
1/4 cup lard (or vegetable oil)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 cups chicken broth (or water)

Directions:
-Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
-Stir in the flour and continue stirring for 3 to 4 minutes, or until it makes a light brown roux.
-Add all the dry ingredients and continue to cook for 1 minute, constantly stirring and blending ingredients.
-Add chicken broth or water, mixing and stirring until the sauce thickens.
-Turn heat to low and let sauce simmer for 15 minutes.
-Add water to adjust the thickness.

Makes 2 cups.

To assemble the enchiladas:
-Preheat oven to 400°.
-Cover the bottom of a 13x9 baking dish with 1/2 cup chili gravy.
-Heat tortillas (corn or flour) over stovetop or in microwave.
-Fill each tortilla with chipotle rice and beans (how much will depend on the size of your tortilla).
-Place in baking dish seam side down and cover with remaining chili gravy.
-Top with shredded cheese and bake for 15 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and cheese is melted.

Pin It

Chicken Pesto Pizza

I saw this recipe on Annie's blog and immediately added it to the menu for the week. This pizza is fabulous. It was a different spin on pizza that I haven't made before and refreshing to taste something new!

Chicken Pesto Pizza
Adapted from Annie's Eats and Money Saving Mom (for dough)


Ingredients:

For the pesto:
1/4 cup pine nuts
3 medium garlic cloves, unpeeled
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
7 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
**I just used jarred pesto from the store** (of course, once my basil starts growing, I can make my own!)

For the pizza:
1/2 batch perfect pizza crust dough (enough for 1 pizza), at room temperature **I used a different recipe since I didn't have enough time to wait for dough to rise - it can be found at Money Saving Mom)**
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Grilled chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1/2 of one chicken breast)
Cherry tomatoes, sliced into thirds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

To make the pesto, toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat until just golden and fragrant, 4-5 minutes. Set aside. Add the garlic to the empty skillet and toast, shaking occasionally, until the cloves are fragrant and their color deepens slightly, about 7 minutes. Transfer the cloves to a cutting board; cool, peel and chop. Place the basil in a heavy-duty gallon-sized plastic bag. Pound the bag with a rolling pin until all the leaves are bruised. Combine the pine nuts, garlic, basil, olive oil and 1/2 tsp. salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, stir in the Parmesan cheese, and adjust the salt to taste. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. (Or just use store bought, like I did)

To make the pizza, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface, then press onto the pizza stone. Spread a thin layer of pesto on the pizza crust using the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese. Top with grilled chicken pieces and sliced cherry tomatoes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. Place in the oven and bake until the cheese is bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 12-15 minutes. Slice and serve immediately.

Pin It

Penne with Chicken and Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

I've been determined not to waste food lately. Maybe it is because I just cleaned out the fridge and realized how much I had to throw away. So this meal came together from food that I needed to use up in the fridge...and it tasted pretty good too!

Penne with Chicken & Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Source: Stef's Kitchen!

Ingredients:
Half pound of penne
1 large chicken breast, cubed and cooked
3/4 jar roasted red peppers
2 cloves of garlic, minced
Italian seasoning
1/4 cup half-and-half (approximately)
Spinach

Directions:
Cook penne as directed on package. During the last minute or so of cooking time, add in the spinach until wilted. Meanwhile, prepare the roasted red pepper sauce. Using a food processor, puree the roasted red peppers, garlic, and Italian seasoning together. Warm up on the stove and once warm, stir in the half-and-half. Serve penne topped with chicken and sauce.Pin It

Cajun Chicken Fettuccine

I love mixing tomato and alfredo sauces. I also love cajun spices. Put it all together and you have one great meal! It even tastes good heated up for lunch the next day. Put this on your menu for a quick weeknight meal and you will not be disappointed!

Cajun Chicken Fettuccine
Adapted from Taste of Home Simple and Delicious

Ingredients:
8 oz. uncooked fettuccine
1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
1 medium green pepper, cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 medium sweet red pepper, cut into 1/4 inch strips (For the onion and peppers I just used half a bag of frozen pepper stir fry that I wanted to use up)
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
4 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 jar alfredo sauce
1/2 cup spaghetti sauce (I used tomato sauce that I needed to use up)
2 cups shredded park-skim mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion and peppers in oil under tender. Add the chicken, Cajun seasoning and garlic; heat through. Transfer to a large bowl. Drain fettuccine; add to chicken mixture. Stir in Alfredo and spaghetti sauces.

Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until golden brown.Pin It

Tuscan Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

I have been in the mood for summer foods lately - most likely due to this bitter winter we've been having! After eating Ellie Krieger's salad, I decided to look through her recipes for something else and found this dish. I really enjoyed it, however Jon only ate the chicken and tomatoes. He thought the fennel was onions and he's allergic to zucchini. Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables too! Anyways, this was a nice healthy meal!

Tuscan Roasted Chicken and Vegetables
Source: The Food Network

Ingredients:
6 Roma tomatoes (about 1 pound) (I used 4)
3 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound each) (I used 2)
1 bulb fennel
3 tablespoons oil, divided
3/4 teaspoons salt, divided
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
4 chicken breast halves skinless, bone-in (about 2 1/2 pounds) (I used 2)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the tomatoes lengthwise into quarters and remove the seeds. Trim the zucchini and cut it in half crosswise and then cut each piece in half lengthwise once if the piece is thin and twice if it is thicker, so that the pieces are relatively uniform.

Remove the outermost layer of the fennel bulb and discard. Cut the bulb in half so that each half retains part of the stem end. Cut each half into 8 thin wedges so each wedge is held together by a little piece of stem.

Put the vegetables into a large baking pan. Toss them with 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Arrange the chicken pieces in the pan with the vegetables.

In a small bowl combine 1 tablespoon of oil, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, the garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice. Rub the mixture into the chicken in the pan. Season with a few turns of pepper.

Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, then give the vegetables a stir and add the rosemary. Cook for about 20 to 30 minutes more until the chicken is done and the vegetable are tender and beginning to brown.

Pin It

Chicken Pot Pie

I got the Hungry Girl cookbook for Christmas which features recipes made lighter. This is the first recipe that I have tried from it, and will definitely be trying more. Sorry about the picture, but what casserole is actually photographed well? I also forgot to take a picture of my own dish - apparently I was a little too hungry that day!

Chicken Pot Pie
Adapted from Hungry Girl

Ingredients:

8 oz. raw boneless skinless chicken breast; cut into bite-sized pieces

3 cups C&W Ultimate Petite Mixed Vegetables (or any other frozen mixed vegetables)

1 can (10.75 oz.) Campbell's Condensed Soup, 98% Fat Free Cream of Celery (I used Cream of Chicken)

3 servings Pillsbury Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls (unprepared)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute chicken pieces for several minutes in a pan spritzed with nonstick cooking spray, until chicken is light brown/cooked but still tender; set aside. Heat frozen veggies in microwave according to package. Mix chicken, vegetables and soup together and put in a 9" round baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. (I also added some dried rosemary and dried thyme) Place dish in oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly (stir about halfway through). While dish is cooking, unroll 3 crescent rolls. Combine pieces together with hands to make one large ball of dough. With a rolling pin, roll dough out into a circle to cover top of dish. Add dough to the top of the dish and cook for an additional 15 - 20 minutes or until top is golden brown. Serves 4.Pin It