Chicken Spaghetti with NO Velveeta or Canned Soups

The Mister and I have both been nursing wicked colds all week.  I'm finally getting my appetite back and decided that a big batch of chicken spaghetti would be just the thing to revive my neglected taste buds.  Most of the recipes I came across centered around cans of cream-o'-crap and a big block of Velveeta.  I'm not a fan of either, so I was excited to see that a blogger had created a version of this dish with a cheddar sauce.  The outcome was delicious!

Note:  I went ahead and baked my spaghetti, which makes for a drier dish.  You are free to just mix everything in the pot and skip that step if you'd like.  If you want to bake it but prefer a saucier casserole, I would recommend upping the liquids by about a cup.

Also, a lot of cooks use poached and shredded chicken breast for this dish.  I opted to dice my chicken, season it with seasoned salt, cumin, and chili powder, and sear it on the stovetop.

Adapted from Lauren's Latest

INGREDIENTS
3/4 lb. thin spaghetti
3 tablespoons butter
1 yellow onion, diced
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup milk
1/2 lb cheddar cheese, shredded
1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chiles, drained
1/2 teaspoon cumin
salt & pepper, to taste
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350.  Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook spaghetti to al dente and drain.

Meanwhile, melt butter and saute onions until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and milk to prevent lumps. Increase heat to medium high.  Allow to bubble until sauce thickens.

Reduce heat to medium low.  Sprinkle in shredded cheese a bit at a time, stirring continuously until melted into sauce. Stir in cumin, salt, pepper, Rotel, chicken, and cooked spaghetti. Toss to coat everything evenly in sauce.

Pour into greased 9 X 13 glass dish.  Bake 30 minutes.

Turkey (or chicken) Tetrazzini

My husband and I are not usually into casserole-type meals, but this tetrazzini was a very pleasant surprise.  I took several liberties with the original recipe, jazzing up the sauce with garlic and spices while cutting back on the butter and cream.  After digging into it for dinner tonight, I wouldn't change a thing next time.  It was a nice way to use up some of the leftover Thanksgiving turkey we've got in the freezer.

INGREDIENTS
8 oz dry spaghetti, broken in half
3 tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
10 oz button mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp flour
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup cream
1/2 cup milk
2 cups cooked turkey or chicken, diced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp black pepper
Seasoned salt to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan, divided

DIRECTIONS
1.  Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 9 X 13 pan.

2.  Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add spaghetti noodles and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes.  Drain.

3.  Meanwhile, in a large pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and mushrooms and sauté until onions are translucent and mushrooms are beginning to brown, about 8-10 minutes.  Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 

4.  Reduce heat to low.  Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.  Add chicken broth and stir until smooth.  Add cream, milk, and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese and stir until combined.  Bring to a low boil and allow to cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Add poultry, seasonings, and cooked spaghetti and stir well.

5.  Pour mixture into prepared pan and top with remaining Parmesan cheese.  Bake in preheated oven until cheese has melted and dish is hot and bubbly, 15-20 minutes.
 

28 by 28: Crispy Roast Chicken

Winner, winner, I've finally discovered the secret to a tasty chicken dinner!  

 

 

 

The chicken develops a flavorful, crisp skin thanks to a quick rubdown with salt and cornstarch prior to roasting.

 

As seen on The Teacher Learns to Cook, originally from Cook's Country

 

INGREDIENTS

1 whole roaster chicken (3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pounds), rinsed and patted dry

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons salt

2 pounds small potatoes, scrubbed and halved

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

 

DIRECTIONS

1.  Line roasting pan with foil.  Adjust oven rack to middle, place roasting pan on rack, and heat oven to 475 degrees.

 

2.  Combine cornstarch and salt in a small bowl.  Using a skewer or the tines of a fork, poke small holes all over the chicken skin.  Rub the cornstarch mixture evenly over the entire skin.

 

3.  Place the chicken wing-side up on the roasting rack, remove the roasting pan from the oven, place the rack with the chicken in the pan and roast for 15 minutes

 

4.  Carefully remove the pan and turn the chicken onto its other side (try using oven mitts, or wadded up towels to gently handle the chicken and turn it) and roast for 15 more minutes.  While the chicken roasts, toss the potatoes with the vegetable oil and a few pinches of salt.

 

5.  Remove the roasting pan from the oven after 30 minutes, take the rack with the chicken out of the pan and place it on a cookie sheet nearby.  Gather the tin foil by the corners and lift it out of the pan with all the grease and throw it away.

 

6.  Arrange the potatoes, cut-side down, in the pan.  Flip the chicken breast-side up and put it back in the roasting pan over the potatoes.  Place the roasting pan back into the oven and roast for about 20 more minutes, until a thermometer in the deepest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees. 

 

7.  Remove the chicken, pour any juices in the cavity over the potatoes, and rest the chicken upright on an angel-food cake pan insert or an empty soda can for about 15 minutes

 

8.  Toss the potatoes with the chicken juices (you may have to scrape a bit off the bottom of the pan if they are sticking) and roast for an additional 20 minutes or longer until they are as crisp and brown as you like them. 

 

Endless Summer Salad with Homemade Maple Vinaigrette

You just can't beat an entree salad as a weeknight meal.  This one is particularly special, with its crispy bacon pieces, feta cheese, and homemade maple dressing.  I've omitted measurements for the veg as people have their own preferences for salad proportions.

Oh, and my recent discovery that partially frozen chicken is WAY easier to slice than thawed has changed my world.  

Endless Summer Salad
An Ommy Noms original, shout-out to Oishii for helping me name it!
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
Spring mix
Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
Sweet onion, several thin slices
2 granny smith apples, thinly sliced
1 cup walnuts (or you can go for almonds or sugared pecans if you'd like!)
2 oz feta cheese crumbles
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
6 slices bacon, thinly sliced
Maple vinaigrette, recipe below

DIRECTIONS
1.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add bacon and cook until fat begins to render out.  Add chicken pieces and cook in rendered bacon fat until browned and cooked through, flipping occasionally.

2.  Remove cooked chicken with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.  Continue cooking bacon pieces until they reach desired level of crispness.  Remove to plate.

3.  Layer all ingredients in individual salad bowls and drizzle with maple vinaigrette.

Maple Vinaigrette
Adapted from Southern Living

INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup good olive oil

DIRECTIONS
1.  Whisk together first five ingredients.  Gradually whisk in oil until fully incorporated.  Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days.

*  I tend to taste and adjust my dressings to suit my preferences.  I wound up adding more maple syrup in the end.

28 by 28: Enchiladas Verdes

I used to avoid green things at Mexican restaurants like the plague.  Guacamole?  Nuh uh.  Green dip?  No way.  Green enchiladas?  Not a chance.

Lucky for me, I've seen the light.  I can put back some serious green dip and order a plate of enchiladas verdes at pretty much every Mexican restaurant I visit.  It's a kind of test- like ordering lasagna at a new Italian place.  If the enchiladas verdes are good, the place is okay in my book.
 
I recently made some enchiladas of my own, and they passed with flying colors.  :)  I used some leftover cooked chicken in mine, though I've included the directions for poaching some raw breasts if you don't have any around.  (Also, I used queso quesadilla rather than queso fresco, so I popped mine in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.  This step is unnecessary if you use a crumbling cheese.)

Adapted from Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cups chicken broth

1/4 white onion

1 clove garlic

2 teaspoons salt

1 pound fresh tomatillos, husks removed

5 serrano peppers

1/4 white onion

1 clove garlic

1 pinch salt

1 cup chicken broth

12 corn tortillas

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 cup crumbled queso fresco

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. In a saucepan, combine chicken breast with chicken broth, one quarter onion, a clove of garlic, and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Set chicken aside to cool; discard onion and garlic. When cool enough to handle, shred chicken with your hands.

2. Place tomatillos and serrano chiles in a pot with water, enough to cover them. Bring to boil, and continue boiling until tomatillos turn a different shade of green (from bright green to a dull, army green). Strain tomatillos and chiles, and place in a blender with another quarter piece of onion, 1 clove garlic, a pinch of salt, and chicken broth. Blend until completely pureed. Pour salsa in a medium saucepan, and bring to a low boil.

3. Pour oil in a frying pan, and allow to get very hot. Slightly fry tortillas one by one in hot oil, setting each on a paper towel afterwards to soak some of the oil. Finally, dip slightly fried tortillas in low-boiling green salsa, until tortillas become soft again. Place on plates, 3 per person.

4. Fill or top tortillas with shredded chicken, then extra green sauce. Top with crumbled cheese, chopped onion, and chopped cilantro.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken

This dish is so easy that I'm hesitant to call it a recipe at all.  I like to make a big batch of salsa chicken and freeze it in portions to use in other recipes- tacos, enchiladas, tostadas, you name it. If you decide to give it a go, do pick a spicy salsa because the level of heat will decrease with the long cook time.

Oh, and that rice concoction sitting beside it?  Heaven. 

Looking for a quick and easy crockpot taco recipe but tired of chicken?  Check out my crockpot carnitas!

As seen on Trainer Momma 

* Gluten-free diners should double-check their salsa for sources of gluten.

INGREDIENTS
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
16 oz of your favorite salsa

DIRECTIONS
Combine in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  (I put it on to cook before I left for work today, so mine cooked for about 10 hours and it was fine.)

Skillet Chicken with Peppers and Peanuts

This was a throw-together meal that turned out so tasty I cooked it again the following week.  The marinade gives the dish a nice Asian-inspired flavor.  The first time I made it, I marinated the chicken for a full 24 hours and thought the meat tasted a little too salty.  If you're going to marinate it for that long, I'd recommend using low-sodium soy sauce.

This would make a great after-work dish because the bulk of the cook time is hands-off.

From How Sweet It Is
Serves 3

*  Gluten-free diners should ensure that their soy sauce is gluten-free.  Kikkoman now produces a gluten-free soy sauce that is clearly labeled.  Additionally, double-check your peanuts for gluten sources.  Diamond Nuts brand peanuts are gluten-free.  You may opt to substitute plain peanuts for the dry roasted ones.

INGREDIENTS
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used large ones)
1 each: red, green, yellow pepper, sliced into thin rings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

For the marinade:
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup sherry wine (I just used a couple tbsp of vermouth)
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced

DIRECTIONS
2-24 hours beforehand, combined marinade ingredients in a baking dish. Add chicken to the marinade and let marinate for 2-24 hours, turning occasionally to coat.

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2.  Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium heat.  Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to skillet and add pepper slices with a pinch of salt. Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Remove peppers to a plate and turn heat up to medium high. Add chicken breasts and sear on each side until well browned, about 5 minutes. After the second side has seared, top the chicken with the pepper slices and add the entire skillet to the oven uncovered.

3.  Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and top with peanuts. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.  Serve over rice.

Cajun Chicken Pasta

After a long day of studying, this was the perfect 20-minute entree.  It was so rich and spicy- we loved it!  In the future, I would probably stir a teaspoon of cornstarch into the half-and-half to thicken the sauce up a bit.

Adapted from Allrecipes
Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces linguine pasta

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning

2 tablespoons butter

1 red bell pepper, sliced

1/2 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

4 large button mushrooms, sliced

1 cup half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Additional Cajun seasoning to taste 

DIRECTIONS

1.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

2.  Meanwhile, dry chicken with paper towel and season with Cajun seasoning. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the chicken in butter or margarine until almost done (5 to 7 minutes).

3.  Add the red bell pepper, green bell pepper, mushrooms and onion. Saute and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat.

 

4.  Add the half-and-half and basil. Heat through. Add the cooked linguine, toss and heat through. Add additional Cajun seasoning to taste.

Blackening Mix

Summertime during childhood usually meant day trips to Galveston.  After a stroll down Seawall Boulevard, we always made a beeline straight for Gaido's Seafood.  Now, Gaido's is kind of a fancy-pants restaurant to a kid, but I certainly didn't mind.   I'm still convinced that foodie heaven lies somewhere amidst the skewers of blackened shrimp and the thick slices of parmesan-crusted green tomatoes.

I haven't been to Gaido's in years, but I caught a craving for blackened-anything last week.  I whipped up a batch of blackened chicken using this flavorful homemade rub.  It was delicious, and I can't wait to try it with shrimp!

Blackening mix adapted from About.com

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp sugar

DIRECTIONS
1.  Combine spices in a small bowl and mix well.  Store in an airtight container.

***************************

Blackened chicken adapted from Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 tbsp blackening mix
1 tbsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Pound chicken breasts to an even thickness.  Pat dry and sprinkle with blackening mix on both sides.

2.  Pour olive oil in a nonstick, oven-safe skillet.  Heat over medium-high until shimmering but not smoking.  Add chicken breasts and sear, about 3 minutes per side.

3.  Place skillet in the preheated oven and bake until internal temperature is 165 degrees, 15-20 minutes.

Cornflake Chicken Tenders with Homemade Honey Mustard

I'm going to let you in on a little secret.  (But only because I like you so much.)  I... well, I've never been very good at following directions.  In grade school, I "earned" many a 50 because I completed one side of a worksheet beautifully but never bothered to turn it over.

And remember those "let's see if you're really following directions" activities?  Killer.  You'd get a mile-long list of short-answer questions, but the little paragraph at the top would say "Skip to number six trillion and two, and keep it to yourself."  The teacher always reminded us to read the instructions before starting, but do you think I listened?  No.  I'd practically give myself carpel tunnel trying to answer all the questions before the the timer went off.  And just as I'd sit up to wipe the sweat from my brow, I'd notice old Joe Blow kicked back in the corner with a smirk on his face and realize I'd been had.

I fell for it every.single.time.

I'd like to say that I've gotten better in my old age, but I haven't.  Like when I made these cornflake-crusted chicken tenders- I cooked them on a regular cookie sheet, even though the directions clearly say to bake them on a rack inside of a cookie sheet.  Ah, well.  They were still very tasty, even if they *weren't* quite as crispy as they were supposed to be.

I served them up with some homemade honey mustard, which was amazingly awesome.  I think my husband's exact words were, "You could practically dunk dog crap in this stuff and it'd taste delicious."  I wouldn't go quite that far, but it's definitely a keeper. 

Chicken Tenders
As seen on What's Cookin, Chicago?; Originally from Pennies on a Platter
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 tablespoons (1/2 cup) butter, melted
2 cups finely crushed corn flakes cereal

DIRECTIONS
1.  Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400˚F. Place an oven-safe cooling rack on a baking sheet and set aside.

2.  Combine the flour and spices in a small bowl; set aside. Place melted butter in another small bowl; set aside. Place the crushed cereal in a medium-sized bowl or pie plate.

3.  Dip the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, then the butter, then the cereal. Place the coated chicken strips on the rack in the baking sheet.

4.  Bake the coated chicken pieces in the preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink. Serve with your favorite sauce.

Homemade Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce
An Ommy Noms Original
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp honey

DIRECTIONS
1.  Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Spicy Spinach-Stuffed Chicken

We've all heard the phrase "finder of lost things."  Well, allow me to introduce myself- my name is Lauren and I'm the loser of lost things.  Yes, if I've lain my paws on it, chances are it got set aside and forgotten.  No matter what "it" may be- books, money, or firstborn children.  I'm the woman who puts ice cream in the pantry and empty soup cans in the freezer.  I look for my glasses while I'm wearing them and keys while I'm holding them.  I once found a hundred bucks in a purse I had brought to prom four years earlier.

Anyway, back to the food.  This dish has got everything my little heart desires- pepperjack and spinach, all wrapped up in bacony-chickeny goodness.  It was a fabulous meal.  We ate it, loved it, and enjoyed it.

About 19 months ago.

(Remember the whole "loser of lost things" spiel?  Let me just say that  I  my husband found my long-lost memory card this afternoon.  On top of my computer.  Doh!)

From Allrecipes
Serves 4

* Gluten-free diners should double-check the sour cream for gluten sources.  Daisy brand sour cream is gluten free.

INGREDIENTS

1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
1 pinch ground black pepper
8 slices bacon

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2. Place spinach in a large glass bowl, and heat in the microwave for 3 minutes, stirring every minute or so, or until wilted. Stir in sour cream, pepperjack cheese, and garlic.

3. Lay the chicken breasts out on a clean surface, and spoon some of the spinach mixture onto each one. Roll up chicken to enclose the spinach, then wrap each chicken breast with two slices of bacon. Secure with toothpicks, and arrange in a shallow baking dish.

4. Bake uncovered for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, then increase heat to 500 degrees F, or use the oven's broiler to cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to brown the bacon.

Chicken Salad, My Way

 

I loooooooves me some chicken salad. The problem with ordering it out, though, is that you never know what you're going to get. It might be like that from the Gristmill in good ole Gruene, Texas- lightly seasoned with fresh crumbled bacon and the perfect amount of green (gruene, ha!) onions. Realistically, though, most restaurant chicken salad either has 15935987987 ginormous chunks of celery or it takes like you're consuming a Mayonnaise cocktail with a side of atherosclerosis. Hence, I prefer to make my own so that I can control what goes in it.

INGREDIENTS
2 diced chicken breasts, poached and cubed
1 tsp Dijon mustard (trust me here, I don't even like Dijon mustard)
5 green onions, finely sliced
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
Mayonnaise to suit your preference (about 1/2 cup is what I use)
Seasoned salt to taste
1 tsp dill weed
Splash of lemon juice

1. Mix everything in a medium bowl.

Easy, huh? You can either refrigerate this and serve it cold or you can just serve it warm right after you poach the chicken. Either way is good. We like to eat this atop Hawaiian bread buns. It's also good on croissants or plain ole bread.

Romano Chicken and Rice

My husband is not a big fan of cream-o'-crap chicken and rice dishes.  I decided to try this recipe because, with the fresh veggies and Romano cheese, it sounded like something he would go for.  We both really enjoyed this dish and I've taken leftovers to work for lunch for a couple of days now.  

Make sure that your rice is completely covered with liquid, especially in the corners.  If it's not completely covered, add more broth.  Failing to do so will yield some rice-sized jawbreakers on the surface.

INGREDIENTS

1 tbsp olive oil
8 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned (I used chicken legs)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion, finely diced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup long-grain white rice
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup grated Romano cheese

Adapted from Cooking Light

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add 4 chicken thighs to pan; sauté 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Repeat with remaining chicken.

3. Add onion and carrot to pan; sauté 4 minutes. Add mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add rice; sauté 1 minute. Spoon rice mixture into a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish coated with cooking spray; stir in broth, 1/4 cup water, and cream. Arrange chicken over rice mixture; sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil.  Bake at 350° for 20 minutes.  Remove foil.  Bake for 25 additional minutes or until chicken is done.

Chicken with Pan Sauce

I just got back from vacation with some unwanted baggage- about 5 extra pounds!  I made this lightened-up chicken dish and served it with the roasted potatoes above.  It was very good- the picture doesn't do it justice.  The substitution of milk for cream made the sauce thinner than it would otherwise be, but I didn't mind.

This dish would also go well with mashed potatoes or wild rice.

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

INGREDIENTS
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
3 Tbs butter, divided
2/3 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 finely chopped shallots
10 finely chopped mushrooms, stems removed
Crushed red pepper to taste
Dried Italian herbs to taste
2 Tbs milk

DIRECTIONS
1. Pound chicken to 1/4 inch thickness. Dry off with paper towels and sprinkle with seasoned salt, pepper, and onion powder.

2. Melt 1 Tbs butter in a stainless skillet over med high. Reduce to med and cook chicken 6-8 minutes until almost done, turning once. Wrap in foil to complete cooking/stay warm.

3. Add wine, broth, shallots, mushrooms, red pepper, and Italian herbs to skillet. Stir, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Boil gently for 10-15 minutes or until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup. Reduce heat to low.

4. Stir in milk. Add remaining 2 Tbs butter and stir until butter is melted. Spoon sauce over chicken to serve.

Quick Chicken with Asparagus and Provolone

Allrecipes pulls through again! This was a fast, tasty dish. The chicken came out incredibly moist. I'm not a wine fan and the wine came out a little strong, so I'd like to use less next time. I'm interested to use this preparation method with other pan sauces.

And another success- I found a brand of boxed bread crumbs that don't taste like cardboard! Vigo brand actually tastes like real toast crumbs.

From Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to uniform thickness

1 egg, beaten

Italian bread crumbs to coat

Olive oil to coat pan

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup white wine

1/2 bunch fresh asparagus

2 slices provolone cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Dip chicken in egg, then coat with breadcrumbs. Pour olive oil to coat a medium nonstick skillet. Heat over medium until shimmering. Add chicken and brown on both sides, about 2 minutes each.

2. Add broth and wine. Place asparagus on top of chicken. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes.

3. Top with provolone before serving.

Crunchy Honey Chicken

 
This dish was the bee's knees!  The sauce had a unique flavor- a nice balance of sweet and savory. I predict this will show up on the meal plan quite frequently.

As seen on How Sweet It Is

INGREDIENTS
1lb. Boneless, skinless chicken breast tenders
2 Egg whites
1/3C. Cornstarch (or flour – for dredging)
1C. Broccoli florets
1/2 Red pepper, thinly sliced
3/4C. Sugar snap peas
1 clove garlic, minced
3T. Olive oil
1T. Soy sauce
1/4C. Honey
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Prepare and slice all veggies – feel free to add whatever you would like. In 2 separate bowls, add the egg whites (lightly beaten) and the cornstarch.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add veggies with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add in soy sauce and garlic and stir so veggies are coated, about 60 seconds. Remove from skillet and set aside in a bowl.

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper. Heat the same skillet (or you can use a different one, I just use the same to make it easier) over medium-high heat and add remaining olive oil. Dip chicken pieces in egg whites and then lightly dredge in cornstarch. Add to the skillet and let brown for 2-3 minutes, then flip. Continue with remaining chicken pieces, and do so in batches if needed.

Once chicken is cooked, add veggies back in the skillet. Add honey and thoroughly mix to combine. Taste and season with salt, pepper, additional honey or soy sauce. Serve with rice.

Red Chili Chicken and Rice with Black Beans

I am a big fan of Mexican cuisine, thanks to a four-year stint living in San Antonio.  I could eat it literally every day of my life.  Enchiladas, tamales, tacos- I love it all!  Unfortunately, it would take a lot more than my three-day-a-week gym schedule to support a diet like that.  This dish was rich with Mexican flavor, but without all the fat.  My only alteration was to add a diced poblano pepper to this dish, which gave the flavor a little more depth.

I served it with Texas-Texas salsa, my favorite salsa of all time!

Adapted from Christine's Cuisine, originally from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 Tbsp. ancho chili powder, divided
1 poblano pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup long-grain rice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1½ cups chicken broth
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
¼ cup green onions, chopped
salsa, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oil in large heavy pot over medium-high heat.

2. Season the chicken breast with salt and sprinkle with half of the chili powder.  Place the chicken in the hot oil and brown, 2-3 minutes.  Remove to a plate, leaving behind as much oil as possible.

3. Add the poblano, onion and rice to the pot.  Stir for several minutes, until the rice turns from translucent to opaque.

4. Add the garlic and the remaining chili powder to the pot.  Cook for 1 minute, stirring, then add the chicken broth and salt to taste.  Stir well.

5. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer on medium-low heat.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

6. Add the chicken to the pot along with the beans.  Recover the pot and allow to cook 12 minutes longer.

7. Sprinkle the green onions on top of the chicken, beans and rice.  '

8. Test a grain of rice – if the rice has the correct texture, replace the cover, remove the pot from the heat and let stand 5-10 minutes.  If the rice is not completely cooked yet, cook for 5 minutes longer before covering to let stand.

9. Fluff the mixture with a fork and serve with salsa.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Winter weather is upon us, and I made this hearty soup to help usher it in.  My husband didn't care for the egg noodles in it, so next time I'll use a different type of noodle.  I thought it was tasty, and the leftovers were even better.

I froze some of the soup base (sans the pasta and milk).  I'm looking forward to enjoying it again!

From So Tasty, So Yummy

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons butter
1 pound chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
1 small onion, diced
3 large carrots, peeled and diced
½ teaspoon parsley
½ teaspoon thyme
¼ cup flour
7 cups chicken stock
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cups egg noodles
1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS
Melt butter in soup pot over medium heat. Sauté onions and chicken, until the onions are translucent. Add carrots, parsley and thyme, sauté for a few minutes until the carrots begin to soften. Stir in the flour until it is incorporated, about 2 minutes.

Add broth, salt and pepper, stir and bring to a boil. Add noodles and boil for 10 to 15 minutes more, stir in milk during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Chicken Scallopini

When I saw this recipe on Stephanie Cooks, I knew I had to try it. This was great- the kind of entree that tastes like you slaved away over a hot stove all day.

Rather than spend five bucks on a package of prosciutto, I paid sixty-eight cents for two slices at the deli counter.

INGREDIENTS
2 chicken breasts
2 slices prosciutto
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1 egg
salt
pepper
Sage
1 tbsp. olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Pat the chicken breasts dry. Season each side with salt and pepper. Sprinkle dried sage on one side of the fillet. Press the prosciutto on top of the sage, pushing it into the chicken so that it sticks.

Whisk an egg in a shallow dish. In a separate dish, combine the flour and parmesan cheese. Dip the chicken breasts into the egg and then into the flour mixture.

Heat oil in a nonstick-skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Place chicken into hot skillet, prosciutto-side down. Cook chicken on both sides until the coating is crisp and the chicken is cooked through.

Chicken Gyros

These gyros were my first venture into Greek cuisine. They were easy to throw together on a weeknight and tasted great. From Elly Says Opa.

INGREDIENTS

1.25 lbs. chicken pieces (breast or thighs)
4 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping Tbsp. plain yogurt
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
salt and pepper
tzatziki
sliced tomatoes
sliced onions
4 pitas

DIRECTIONS

Whisk together the garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, yogurt, and oregano in a bowl. Add the chicken and rub the marinade in. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

Preheat grill pan over medium heat and cook until done. Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before slicing into strips.

Heat the pitas. Top the pitas with the chicken, tzatziki, tomatoes, onions. Fold and enjoy!