fiesta chicken over rice

4 chicken breasts
1 packet of Fiesta Ranch mix
1 can black beans
1 can of Rotel
1 can of corn
1 block of cream cheese

Mix all in the crock pot and cook for 6 hours on low (longer if your chicken breasts are frozen, which mine will be). Make some jasmine rice and serve this over the rice.

Kale Caesar Quinoa Salad

2 T hot water
2 T mayo
1 1/2 T olive oil
1 T fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp pepper
1 garlic clove
6 T parmesan
6 c kale
1 1/2 c quinoa (cooked)
1 1/2 c chicken (cooked)
2 T toasted walnuts

Combine water, mayo, oil, juice, pepper, and garlic in a bowl and whisk together.  Stir in half the parmesan cheese.  Add kale, quinoa, chicken and toss to coat.  Top with rest of paremsan and walnuts.

*I have not tried this yet, but will*

Skillet chicken and mozarella

I found this in Cooking Light and adapted it a little.  And cleaned up the very confusing directions. (you're welcome) This is easy and was a hit at our house.

1/3 c. panko
2 T grated parmesan
2 tsp butter (melted)
1 T olive oil
4 chicken breasts
salt
pepper
1 c chopped onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1 c. chopped tomato
3/4 c. marinara
1/4 c. chicken broth
1 T chopped oregano
2 oz. mozarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 400
Chop the tomatoes and onions, and have the minced garlic ready to go (so peel and chop now if you need to).
In a small bowl, put the grated parmesan cheese and butter.  
Heat a large skillet to medium, and add panko.  Saute for 3 minutes - it will start to turn brown.
Add the panko to the bowl is parmesan and butter.

In the hot pan you just dumped the panko out of, add olive oil, and swirl it around until the bottom of the pan is coated.  Put chicken in the pan and salt/pepper it.  Cook 5 minutes, turn and cook 2 minutes on the other side.  Remove the chicken from the pan and put it on a plate.

In the same hot pan that the chicken just came out of, add a little more oil, onion, and garlic.  Saute for 2 minutes, and then add tomato, marinara, chicken broth, some salt and pepper, and oregano.  Put the chicken back in the pan with this mixture and bring it all to a boil.

Pour all the mixture in the pan into a corning ware dish, and sprinkle the panko mixture over the top.  Bake in th eoven on 400 for 10 minutes or so, until the chicken is cooked throughout.

Greek Chicken

8 chicken breasts

4 shakes of olive oil (about 4 Tablespoons)

8 oz. kalamata olives

3.5 oz capers (almost all the way drained)

5 cloves of garlic

Salt and pepper

2 ½ c. white wine (I used Grape Creek Sauvignon Blanc)

 

Hammer the chicken breasts out so they are a little bit thinner.  Heat a skillet with olive oil and add the chicken.  Add salt and pepper on the top, and brown until the chicken is all cooked (about 10 minutes?).  Add the olives, capers, garlic and white wine.  Let that simmer until you are ready to eat, or until the wine is almost cooked off.  I simmered it covered and uncovered a little, alternating, until the rest of the dinner was finished.  So yummy and so healthy. 

 

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

12 oz. bag frozen broccoli

1 Onion – chopped

1 T olive oil

8 oz. of mushrooms – sliced

1 ½ c. fat free milk

3 T. whole wheat flour

4 chicken breasts – cooked and shredded

½ c. plain Greek yogurt

¼ c. light mayonnaise

Ground pepper

Kosher salt

½ c. sharp cheddar cheese

¼ c. parmesan cheese

 

Microwave the broccoli until it is cooked. 

Sautee the onions and mushrooms in a skillet.  Sprinkle the flour on the mushrooms and cook for another minute.  Stir in milk and bring to a boil.  Cook until thick and bubbly.  Stir in the broccoli and chicken and cook for another minute.  Remove from heat and stir in yogurt, mayonnaise, pepper, salt and top with cheeses.  Broil in the oven for two minutes.  Adapted from a Cooking Light recipe

 

Chicken tetrazzini

10 oz. linguini (whole wheat)

2 T butter

¼ c. whole wheat four

2 ½ c. chicken broth

12 oz. evaporated milk

½ c. parmesan cheese

1 oz. fat free cream cheese

Kosher salt, black pepper

4 T olive oil

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1 small chopped onion

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 tsp. fresh thyme

½ c. white wine

4 chicken breasts, shredded and cooked

1 package of frozen green peas

 

Cook the pasta and drain.  Melt the butter in a skillet, and whisk in flour.  Cook for two minutes, stirring the whole time.  Add chicken broth and milk and bring to a boil.  Simmer for five minutes.  Remove from heat and add in the cheese, cream cheese, salt and pepper.

 

Sautee mushrooms, onion and thyme in oolive oil.  Cook for three minutes.  Add in wine and cook for another minute.  Combine all the ingredients/mixtures together in a 9x13 pan.  Top with breadcrumbs (if you want) and bake on 350 until browned.    Adapted from Cooking Light. 

Cheesy Chicken Noodle Casserole

• 3 to 4 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
• 16-oz. pkg. wide egg noodles, cooked
• 24-oz. container sour cream
• 2 (10 3/4-oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
• 8-oz. pkg. shredded Cheddar cheese
• 8-oz. pkg. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 sleeve round buttery crackers, crushed
• 1/4 cup margarine, melted
• 2 tablespoons poppy seed

Preparation

Combine chicken, noodles, sour cream, soup and cheeses in a large bowl. Pour into a lightly greased 13"x9" baking dish. Mix together cracker crumbs and margarine; sprinkle over top. Sprinkle poppy seed over cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until crackers are crispy and golden and cheese is melted.

Buffalo Chicken mac and cheese casserole

I love buffalo sauce, and can't wait to try this!! 

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat pasta shells
1 cup finely chopped cauliflower
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery (about 1 cup), finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, depending on desired heat levels
1 cup petite diced no salt added tomatoes
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
2 cups skim milk
12 ounces cooked chicken breast, diced
2 tablespoons buffalo sauce
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Coat a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Cook pasta according to directions.
While the pasta is cooking, continue with the rest of the dish.
Place the cauliflower into a microwave safe dish, and cook on high 2 minutes.
Add the butter to a large saucepan set over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the onion and celery to the pan.
Cook for about four minutes, until the vegetables are soft, then add the garlic. Cook for one minute.
Add the cayenne pepper and tomatoes to the pan, stir to combine, then add the flour.
Stir constantly for one minute, then slowly pour in the milk while stirring.
Drain the pasta.
Add the pasta, chicken and buffalo sauce and stir to combine.
Pour into the baking dish, then top with the cauliflower and blue cheese.
Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, until bubbly. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 8
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 172.8

• Total Fat: 4.2 g
• Cholesterol: 34.6 mg
• Sodium: 191.5 mg
• Total Carbs: 18.2 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3.7 g


Protein: 15.5 g

Garlic tomato chicken

Baked Chicken with Garlic and Sun Dried Tomatoes

Nutrition Info

• Calories: 256.5
• Fat: 8.9g
• Carbohydrates: 12.5g
• Protein: 29.2g

Ingredients

1 lb chicken breasts, boneless, cut into 4 oz portions
1 oz vegetable or olive oil
20 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1 medium yellow or white onion, cut in half root to tip then sliced thin
1/2 c sun dried tomatoes, chopped, (not packed in oil)
1/4 cup white wine
1/2-3/4 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried oregano
white pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Rinse the chicken under cold running water and pat dry. Crush two of the 20 garlic cloves.

Place an ovenproof skillet over moderate heat. Once warm add oil. Once oil is hot, add crushed garlic to pan then place chicken in the pan on top of the garlic. Toss in remaining garlic cloves.

Cook chicken for about 8 minutes or until it will release itself easily from the pan then flip to cook the other side. Continue to cook for 4 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the skillet. Set aside.

Place onions and tomatoes over the caramelized garlic. Allow the onions and tomatoes to sweat in the pan for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat and add wine. With a spoon stir the pan to remove the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. This deglazing technique will remove the flavor stuck to the bottom of the pan and release it to the vegetables.

Add chicken back to the skillet. Add stock just until the liquid level reaches halfway up the sides of the chicken. Add oregano and pepper to taste. Cover with tight fitting lid and place in oven. Bake 30 minutes.

Prosciutto Garlic chicken

This is super easy, and super yummy!

8 Chicken breasts
8 slices of prosciutto
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 T butter, melted

Mix the garlic and butter.  Brush/spoon over the chicken breasts.  Wrap in the prosciutto.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350.  I served this with freshly steamed garlic spinach:

one bag of spinach (10 oz)
2 T olive oil (eyeball it)
1 clove of garlic, chopped

Cook the garlic in the oil until the garlic smells strong (3 minutes?).  Dump in the spinach and stir until the spinach is covered in the oil.  Cook until the spinach is just wilted (2 minutes).  Add salt and pepper. 

Chicken Spaghetti

from my friend Jamey from law school:

1 package of chicken breast or 3 cans of canned chicken (I would rather vomit than eat canned chicken...but apparently you can eat canned chicken and be OK because that is how the recipe was given to me...)
1 c. onion, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
1 package of spaghetti
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 jar of cheese whiz
cheddar cheese

Cook the chicken breast and cut into small pieces. Saute the onion and celery in butter and pepper. Cook the spaghetti. Add it all together except for the cheddar cheese. Put in a 9x13 baking dish, and top with cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Pulled Chicken BBQ Sandwich

This low-calorie, low-fat version of the classic bbq sandwich will be a new family favorite!

INGREDIENTS
* 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
* A dash of salt and pepper
* 14 Tbsp (about a half bottle) KC Masterpiece Low Calorie Classic Blend BBQ Sauce
* 6 whole wheat hamburger buns

DIRECTIONS
Place chicken breasts, along with salt and pepper to taste, in a large pot of water and boil until fully cooked through. (Time will vary depending on whether you are using fresh or frozen chicken.)


Once the chicken is cooked, use a fork to pull the meat apart so it is thickly shredded. (Shredding too finely will cause the sandwich to become mushy once sauce is added.) Place pulled chicken in a large bowl.


Add a half bottle (approx. 7 servings worth, or about 14 tbsp.) of BBQ sauce. Toss until chicken is coated.

Spinach Alfredo Fettuccini

This recipe is from my friend Amy, from her friend Sara. Yummy yummy yummy. I will probably add some chicken in when I make it, so it feels like more of a meal to my kiddos.

Spinach Alfredo Fettuccine
Southern Living JULY 2001
Ingredients
1 (10-ounce) package frozen creamed spinach, thawed (could use fresh or frozen non-creamed too)
• 1 (10-ounce) container refrigerated Alfredo sauce
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 8 ounces fettuccine, cooked
• 2 green onions, chopped

• Cook spinach and Alfredo sauce in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thoroughly heated. Stir in 1/4 cup cheese, basil, and pepper. Serve over pasta; top with remaining cheese and green onions.
Add in baked chicken breasts, chopped up, and serve with french bread.

Tomatillo chicken

My wise and creative friend Charlene invented this recipe, and it was raved about by everyone in my house. We served it over flour tortillas sprinkled with cheddar cheese.

In the crock pot, put:

1 package frozen corn
1 can black beans (rinse this)
1 can hominy (rinse this)
1 jar of tomatillo sauce/salsa verde
8 chicken breasts (I put mine in frozen)

Crock this on high all day. The chicken will fall apart and it is muy bien!

Cavatappi with Arugula Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes

From Cooking Light's summer recipes. Can tell I'll have to double the pine nuts. I'll probably serve with some cool chicken or ham that I've baked the day before. And this looks like one of those recipes where it will taste better the second day.

Review: Made the Pesto on Sunday night and left in the fridge until Tuesday evening. Served with cut up chicken breasts and spaghetti. This was a win!

Ingredients

Pesto:
* 5 cups trimmed arugula
* 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
* 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 1/3 cup water
* 2 tablespoons EVOO


Remaining ingredients:
* 1 pound uncooked cavatappi (I'll find something similar that is Whole Wheat)
* 2 cups red and yellow cherry tomatoes, halved (about 3/4 pound)
* 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted

Preparation

To prepare pesto, combine first 7 ingredients in a food processor; process until finely minced. With processor on, slowly pour 1/3 cup water and oil through food chute; process until well blended.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Combine pesto, pasta, and tomatoes in a large bowl; toss well. Sprinkle pine nuts over pasta. Serve immediately.

Chicken & CousCous

My oldest loves pine nuts, so I know this will be a hit!

Ingredients
• Salad:
• 1 1/4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (5.7-ounce) box uncooked couscous
• 1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken (about 6 ounces)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/2 cup diced radishes (about 3 large) (I'll probably leave this out)
• 1/2 cup chopped seeded peeled cucumber
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
•
Dressing:
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 garlic clove, minced
Preparation
To prepare salad, bring broth to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually stir in couscous. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Spoon couscous into a large bowl; cool slightly. Add chicken, onions, radishes, cucumber, parsley, and pine nuts; toss gently to combine.
To prepare dressing, combine vinegar and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle dressing over salad; toss to combine.
Note: You can toast nuts quickly in a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Stir frequently, and as soon as they become fragrant, remove the nuts from the pan.

Chicken Croquets

How cool do these look? And a new way to serve my family chicken!



INGREDIENTS
4 cups shredded chicken
1cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 eggs
1/4 chopped onion
1-2 tsp. ground flax or breadcrumbs
seasoning to taste


DIRECTIONS
Shred left over chicken breast, add 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, onion, flax,breadcrumbs. Add seasoning. You can mix or throw this in a food processor or other mixer (I bet I'll use my Kitchen Aid mixer) Form into 4 OZ patties, fry with EVOO or Pam. Serve with Low Fat or Fat Free Sour cream on top

Maybe I'll serve with some bread and orange marmalade and we can all pretend we are at Le Madeline or a bistro in Epcot!

Chicken casserole

Again, love Chef Meg and can't wait to use up the chopped broccoli that is in my freezer!

Chef Meg's Healthy Chicken Vegetable Casserole


INGREDIENTS
12 oz chicken breasts, boneless and skinless, poached, and cubed into 1/2 inch squares
2 T all purpose flour
2 T butter, unsalted
10 oz skim milk
1 pinch white pepper
1 t Italian seasoning
1 T parmesan cheese, grated
7 oz penne pasta, whole wheat
2 yellow or orange bell peppers, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
2 heads, approx. 12 ounces broccoli, chopped (I'll use some frozen broccoli)
1/3 c monterey jack cheese
nonstick cooking spray

DIRECTIONS
Place chicken breasts in a small saucepan with a lid. Cover chicken with cool water. Place saucepan over a burner on low to moderate heat. Bring to a simmer; cover with lid and poach for approximately 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked. (This step can be done the night before.)

Prepare the white sauce by placing the butter in a small sauce pot that has been preheated over medium heat. Once the butter foams, add flour and stir for 1 minute; try not to let the mixture turn brown. Add milk to the mixture and continue to stir until it starts to bubble. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add pepper, Italian seasoning and parmesan cheese to the sauce. Stir to combine. Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees. During the last minute of the pasta's cooking, add the chopped broccoli to the water. Allow to simmer for one minute.

Drain the pasta and broccoli. Spritz the bottom and sides of a 9 X 13 oven-proof casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta and broccoli with the chicken and chopped vegetables; cover with the sauce. Place in the baking dish. Sprinkle with the Monterey jack cheese and cover with foil.

Bake for 20 minutes; remove foil and continue to bake until cheese is melted.

Number of Servings: 6

Chicken pot pie

This is the ultimate comfort food, in my opinion. And this recipe is super easy.

4 chicken breasts, baked (sometimes I sprinkle garlic on these while they are baking)
1 can Veg all (can sub in any kinds of frozen veggies, too)
1 can cream of chicken soup (or you can be creative and use cream of chicken and herb, or cream of chicken and mushroom)
2 pie crusts

Here comes the really really hard part. Chop up the chicken breasts. Mix the chicken, veggies and soup in a bowl. Pour into the bottom crust. Top with the second crust. Mush the crusts together and cut slits in the top crust to vent it.

Bake on 400 for 30 minutes or so. Sometimes it helps to cover the outside edge of the pie crust with foil so that they don't get more done than the rest of the crust. Enjoy!

Tortilla Crunch Chicken

1 envelope Lipton recipe secrets Fiesta Herb with Red Pepper or Onion Soup Mix or Herb and Garlic
1 c. finely crushed tortilla chips or corn flakes (we used seasoned chips--whatever remnants were left at the bottom of a bag)
8 chicken breasts
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons melted margarine

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Combine soup mix with crushed tortilla chips. In another bowl, combine egg beaten with water. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture and then into the soup/chip mixture. Spray a 13x9 baking dish with Pam and then place the chicken in the pan. Drizzle the chicken with margarine. Bake uncovered for 20 or 30 minutes, or until chicken is done.

We served with corn, refried beans and rice. Yummy!