Orange Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs

It's time for another Eating the Alphabet challenge.  Brenda from Meal Planning Magic, issues the letters for the challenge and then you select something that corresponds with the letter to make.  This month was 'G' or 'H'.  I decided to use ginger because it is something that I rarely use.

A few months ago, I had Barbara Bakes for the Secret Recipe challenge.  I found these chicken kabobs while browsing through her blog and decided they'd make a great weeknight dish since the marinade comes together quickly and the chicken is grilled.  Something we're all looking for in summer meals: easy.

Head on over to Brenda's blog to get more information about the challenge and sign yourself up to participate!

Orange Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs
barely adapted from Barbara Bakes
Ingredients

Orange Teriyaki Glaze

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons ginger, finely grated

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 clove garlic, finely grated or pressed

1/4 cup rice vinegar

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons orange marmalade

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tablespoon honey

 

Kabobs

6 bamboo or metal skewers

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

Orange Teriyaki Glaze

 

Directions

1) If using bamboo skewers, soak in water 30 minutes.
2) Prepare Orange Teriyaki Glaze- Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add ginger, orange zest, and garlic and cook stirring occasionally, about two minutes. Add vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, marmalade, orange juice, honey and red pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. and set aside.

2) Thread chicken onto skewers. Preheat grill to high heat and grease grates with oil.

3) Grill kabobs 2 - 3 minutes on all four sides. When the chicken is nearly done, reduce the heat of the grill and slather on the glaze. You want to be careful to let the glaze caramelize onto the chicken but not let it burn - rotate frequently and slather on more glaze after turning. Total cooking time should be about 15 minutes. You can slide the chicken cubes apart and check to see if it is done, or cook to 170º.

Even though the picture is horrible, this was a great dish.  While this chicken was fantastic, the ginger wasn't really prominent.  I changed the recipe to have double the amount of ginger. I loved the amount of orange in the glaze though, it definitely came through.  This was an easy dish and I served it with cilantro lime rice for a delicious dinner. 

 

Chicken Parmesan Roll-ups

This time the theme for the recipe swap, hosted by A Taste of Home Cooking, was Chicken.  I entered this swap mainly because it seems like I'm always struggling to find new ways to eat chicken.  When I ask my husband what kind of chicken dishes he wants for the week, he always requests barbeque chicken, and while I love barbeque chicken, it is nice to find other recipes.

I received My Chicago Kitchen's Gluten Free Chicken Parmesan Roll-ups.  I've actually never made chicken parmesan before.  I made tofu parmesan back when I first joined the swap.  I was excited though because I think roll-ups can be a fun vessel for fillings.


Chicken Parmesan Roll-ups
adapted from My Chicago Kitchen
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

1/2 cup ricotta cheese

4 tablespoons parmesan cheese

8 tablespoons shredded mozzarella cheese, plus more for topping

1/8 cup frozen spinach, defrosted and strained

4 basil leaves, divided (I tore mine into small pieces)

4 roasted red pepper halves (I used jarred), trimmed to fit inside the chicken breasts

1 jar favorite marinara sauce (or 1 1/2 c. prepared marinara)

Toothpicks

 

Directions

1) Heat oven to 350 F.

2) Mix together in a bowl the ricotta, parmesan cheese, shredded mozzarella, and spinach.

3) Lay chicken down in front of you and distribute evenly the ricotta mixture.  On top of the mixture place basil pieces, and red pepper pieces.

4) Roll up the chicken breasts and secure them with your toothpicks. 

5) Pour 1 cup marinara into the bottom of a 9 x 13 in. pan and nestle in your roll-ups, seam side down. Top with remaining marinara and additional cheese. Bake uncovered 45-50 minutes, until cooked through. When ready to serve, spoon cooked marinara over the top.

 

 

Angie's recipe doesn't have a ricotta mixture on the inside, but since it isn't a breaded chicken dish, I felt it needed a little more filling.  The problem I ran into was putting so much filling into each chicken breast, that they were hard to roll.  These were delicious.  I loved the spinach and the roasted red pepper combination on the inside.  This dish was easy to put together and tasted really delicious.

 

Please check out all the other chicken recipes from this swap below!

 

 

Secret Recipe Club: Chicken Taco Cornbread Wedges

For the Secret Recipe Club Swap this month, the swap in which you are assigned someone's blog and allowed to choose any recipe you want to make, I was assigned Barbara Bakes.  Barbara started her blog to join the Daring Bakers challenges and I started my blog to join in on the recipe swaps that a food forum I participate in host.  Her recipes all sound so good and I had a hard time choosing from desserts like: Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Toffee Cookies, Rocky Road Brownie Bites, and main dishes like: Queso Bacon Burgers and Avocado Salsa, or Chicken Empanadas with Ranchero Ranch Dressing.

My birthday was March 22nd, and for my birthday I received this gorgeous cast iron skillet.  Every blog I came across I searched to see if they had any recipes that reference their cast iron skillet.  Barbara had this Chicken Taco Cornbread dish that looked delicious and a great first start for my cast iron, so I knew I had to make it.

Chicken Taco Cornbread Wedges
barely adapted from Barbara Bakes
Ingredients
Chicken
2 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1 teaspoon ranch seasoning

Dressing

1/2 cup ranch dressing

1/2 cup salsa verde

1 cup tightly packed cilantro leaves (or 1/2 cup freeze dried cilantro)

 

Filling

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper

2 cups shredded chicken

3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro leaves (or 2 T. freeze dried cilantro)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 can (14 1/2 oz.) diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel Original)

 

Crust

2 cups Marie Calender’s Cornbread Mix

1 cup milk

 

Toppings

1 1/2 cup Colby & Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

3 cups shredded romaine

1 cup chopped tomatoes

 

Directions

1) Heat oven to 400 degrees F.

2) Sprinkle chicken with seasonings and bake until internal temperature is 160 degrees.  Once chicken is done, shred with two forks or place chicken breasts in mixer with paddle attachment and mix on low until shredded.

3) Combine ranch dressing, salsa and 1 cup cilantro leaves in a small food processor or blender. Process until well blended. Cover and refrigerate.

4) In 12-inch cast iron skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, and jalapeno pepper; cook 3 to 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken, cilantro, salt, cumin, pepper and tomatoes with green chilies; cook 5 minutes. Remove from skillet. Wipe out skillet with paper towel; grease.

5) In large bowl combined cornbread mix and milk. Pour cornbread mixture into skillet. Spoon chicken mixture over cornbread mixture; sprinkle with cheese.

6) Bake at 400 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into wedges. Top with romaine and tomatoes; drizzle with dressing.

This is easily the best dish that I've made in awhile.  The flavors are just so pronounced in such a short amount of time, that everything in this dish just pops.  The ranch is amazing, and probably something that I'll start making just for regular salads.  I've never made cornbread before, but Marie Calendars was such a great compliment to the chicken.  I cannot eat a lot of spice, and this to me was quite spicy.  However, it was so delicious that I ignored the heat and kept eating.  If you're serving it to people that can't eat spices, I'd make sure that the Rotel and salsa you used were mild, but also cut back on some of the cumin.  I know that this will be a dish that will get made in our house a lot, and am excited to have found such a great recipe for my cast iron skillet on my first use. 

Please find all the other great Secret Recipe Club recipes below.

Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Salsa

I love tostadas.  It is everything that you love about tacos, on a crunchy base shell.  I think I love tostadas because I love Mexican pizzas at Taco Bell and can't replicate those close enough to make myself happy, so the next best thing is tostadas.

I saw this on Sarah's blog when she first posted them and thought they sounded to die for.  I pinned them and had good intentions to make them, but never did.  I received her for a recipe swap back in early February and made these for the swap, but ended up posting about the amazing Egg Sandwiches with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto instead.

Chicken Tostadas with Avocado Salsa
adapted from A Taste of Home Cooking
Ingredients
1 cup tomato, chopped
1 avocado, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
4 fajita-size tortillas
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
15 oz. can of corn, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup queso fresco, cheddar or Mexican cheese blend
2 cups shredded chicken mixture from Chicken Suiza Pockets, or 2 cups shredded chicken

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350.
2) Combine tomato, avocado, onion and cilantro together in a small bowl. In another small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, cumin, pepper and salt. Pour over the avocado mixture and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3) Add a splash of olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Place a tortilla in the skillet until puffy and lightly browned. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
4) Divide black beans, corn, chicken and cheese among tortillas. Transfer tortillas to a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes, or until chicken is warmed through.
5) Divide the avocado salsa among the tortillas and serve immediately.

These are like I thought, absolutely to die for.  I couldn't get enough of the avocado salsa, and kept sneaking little tastes while I was cooking.  I thought the flavors all worked together well to create a great dish.  My only comment about this is that we chose bigger sized tortillas and these came out massive.  I made it half-way through mine and even though it was the best dish I've had in a long time, I couldn't finish it.  So I'd recommend doing taco sized tortillas and maybe just eating additional tostadas if need be instead of creating a mammoth of a tostada like I did.  Either way you serve them, they are definitely delicious.

Chili Blanco

It is time for another recipe swap, hosted by Sarah at A Taste of Home Cooking.  The theme this time was Blogger's Choice and I received Dawn's blog: Simple Gourmet Cooking.

 

While looking through Dawn's blog, I discovered an old favorite: Mexican Stuffed Shells, so I made that one night.  Then, I was looking around her blog and came across this chili.  I have been looking for a good chile recipe that isn't a red-base chili, so I thought I'd try this one as my swap recipe. 

Chili Blanco
slightly adapted from Simple Gourmet Cooking
Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken or ground turkey
1 pound lean ground pork
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Knorrs Concentrated Chicken Broth tubs
1 can Green Chile Enchilada Sauce
2 15-oz cans Great Northern Beans, undrained
1 15-oz can golden hominy,  undrained
1 4-oz cans diced green chile peppers, undrained
4 large fresh jalapeno chile peppers, seeded and chopped
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
Directions
1) In a 4-quart Dutch oven cook chicken, pork, onions and garlic over medium heat until pork is brown and onion is tender. Drain off fat.
2) Stir in concentrated broth, enchilada sauce, beans, hominy, green chile peppers, jalapeno peppers, lime juice, cumin, and white pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 40 min, stirring occasionally. Stir in cilantro.

When going through my cupboard for ingredients, I realized that I only had one can of green chiles, but I had an extra can of green chile enchilada sauce.  So, I added that in addition to everything.  Apparently the commissary on base doesn't like stocking different types of peppers, so they only had jalapeno peppers instead of poblano, so I just grabbed more of those instead. 

While it isn't as white as Dawn's, due to the enchilada sauce, I decided to keep the name.  I thought this chili was fantastic.  Jacob said that it was different enough and good enough to enter into a chili competition, which in my mind is a huge stamp of approval from him.  I served this with an herbed cheddar bread that has the texture of cornbread.  It was great for some of the dreary weather we've faced the past couple of weeks.  Definitely put this on your menu if you're looking for a non-red chili.

Please check out the other great dishes from the Blogger's Swap below.

Chicken Suiza Pockets

When I first saw these pockets, I didn't think they would work well.  Mexican flavors inside of a crescent roll?  It just didn't seem to work.  But, as the weeks went by, every time I meal planned, this recipe would pop into my head.  I decided that I should just make them so I knew what they tasted like.   It turns out that maybe I shouldn't doubt recipes that come from people on my cooking board.

Chicken Suiza Pockets
barely modified from Stephanie Cooks
Ingredients
2 small chicken breasts
1 can Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chiles)
5 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup salsa verde
1 tbsp honey
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded Mexican Blend cheese
2 packs reduced fat crescent rolls
Cilantro

Directions
1)  Preheat the oven to 375.
2)  Put chicken breasts and Rotel in a 9 by 9 pan and bake until the chicken is done, about 35 minutes.
3)  Place the whole chicken breasts, 3 tablespoons of the Rotel and all the other ingredients except the crescent rolls and the cilantro into a standing mixer. Turn on low and mix until all the ingredients are combined (this will shred your chicken and combine all the ingredients).
4)  Divide each pack of crescent rolls into 4 rectangles by sealing together two triangles of dough. Divide the filling evenly among the 8 rectangles. Seal by pinching the dough up and into the middle. Bake 20 minutes.
5) Top with cilantro, if desired.

                              

These smelled delicious as they were baking.  These were amazing.  The flaky crust of the crescent worked so well with the flavors on the inside.  The mixture inside was great, moist creamy chicken with flavors that all worked together.

They would take less time if you were using up leftover chicken, but weren't terribly labor intensive.  They made for a great lunch the next day, and we served them with Mexican Rice casserole.  Sometimes in order to find great dishes, we just have to open our minds a little bit.

Orange Zest and Pecan Chicken

It's time for another recipe swap, hosted by Sarah at A Taste of Home Cooking.  It's hard to believe that I've been doing these swaps for almost two years now, and have found so many good recipes because of it. 

The theme this time was Celebrity Swap.  I swapped my recipe from Bobby Flay for Lamb and Red Onion Tacos with Tomato Relish, and in return received Orange Zest and Pecan Chicken from A Seasoned Greeting that she adapted from a Rachel Ray recipe.

I've started jogging in the evenings after work and this is a simple, not a lot of fuss meal that turns out fantastic.  It is such a great weeknight meal.  Usually Rachel Ray's dishes are ingredient intensive too, so I was glad to see that this recipe had no where near her usual ingredient count. 

Orange Zest and Pecan Chicken
barely adapted from A Seasoned Greeting
Ingredients

1 tablespoon EVOO

2 chicken breasts cut into tenders (I just left my chicken breasts whole)
1 cup orange juice (either fresh or from concentrate)
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup sweet BBQ sauce
1/3 cup finely crushed pecans
1 navel orange (you'll use the zest and the juice)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2)  Place the chicken in pan and season with salt & pepper, surround chicken breasts with orange juice. Cook 45 minutes (or until no longer pink).

3) In a bowl, mix the maple syrup and BBQ sauce. Zest the orange and stir in the zest. Juice the orange and stir into the mixture.

I have to say that I think the star of this dish is the sauce.  I really could have left the pecans off the dish and been perfectly happy, but this dish had really moist chicken and a sauce that was to die for.  The juice from the orange transforms the barbeque sauce into something unique yet completely delicious.  I have to say that I tried to serve this over some lettuce like Rachel Ray suggested but the sauce is a little too much for the lettuce, and it became a soggy mess with the lettuce.  However, the rice was a great compliment to the dish and absorbed the leftover sauce, which was a bonus too. 

Please check out all the other great Celebrity Swap recipes below!

Chicken Burgers with Garlic Rosemary Mayo

I've had Dawn's blog before for a Blogger's choice swap, so I knew that I would find something delicious to try on her blog.  As I predicted, it didn't take too much time to find something delicious.

We tried the Chicago Style Deep Dish pizza, which was delicious, especially with the homemade pizza sauce.  Unfortunately, it wasn't the prettiest thing, so even though it was awesome, and you should head over to Dawn's blog to try it, it isn't the star of this post.

I saw the Chicken Burger with Garlic Rosemary Mayo on A Taste of Home Cooking (the host of the recipe swap).  I remember pinning the recipe on Pinterest, and for a long time, I pass over it thinking it sounds good, but something always sounded better. When I saw it on Dawn's blog, I decided it was time to finally make it.

Chicken Burgers with Garlic Rosemary Mayo
slightly adapted from Simple Gourmet Cooking
Ingredients
For the mayo:1 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced

For the burgers:
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
4 hamburger buns
1 cup arugula, divided

Directions
1) Preheat grill to medium-high.
2) In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, garlic and rosemary. Set aside in the refrigerator.
3) In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of the garlic rosemary mayonnaise mixture until well combined. Shape into 4 equally sized patties.
4) Grill for 6-7 minutes per side, or until burgers are cooked through. Transfer to a clean plate and let them rest for a few minutes.
5) Spread 1 teaspoon of the garlic rosemary mayo onto the cut side of each roll. Add the arugula to the bottom bun, then the patty. Top with the top half of the bun.

These were absolutely delicious.  I loved the subtle yet complex flavor.  I was surprised by how much my husband liked these.  It is definitely different than your typical mustard/ketchup combination.  Add these to your menu soon, you won't regret it.  Check out the other delicious recipes below.

Artichoke Crusted Chicken

My husband and I had a large jar of artichokes in our pantry that needed to get used, so when I saw this on Cassie Craves, I quickly put it on the meal plan.  I loved that it only has a few ingredients in it too.  Jacob loves when there aren't too many ingredients in a dish.  Plus, it is easy to get on the table fast, another plus. 
 
Artichoke Crusted Chicken
slightly adapted from Cassie Craves
Ingredients
4 6-ounce chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste  

Directions
1) Salt and pepper the chicken and then grill each chicken breast in a skillet over medium-high heat, for about 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once, or until the juices run clear when pierced with a fork. Set aside.
2) Mix together the mayonnaise, artichoke hearts and Swiss cheese until evenly distributed. Spread the mixture over the chicken breasts, and then broil for about 3 minutes, watching them to be sure they don’t burn. When the cheese is melted and bubbling and the tops are golden, remove and serve.
  

This picture definitely doesn't do this meal justice.  This meal was absolutely amazing.  We were talking before we sat down about how good it smelled, but we couldn't believe that it tasted even better.  This dish is a must try, and it will blow your mind.  I think the grill added some good flavor, but Cassie made her chicken in a skillet, which I'm sure would make a great meal too.

BBQ Chicken Pasta

One of the first meals that I ever made for my husband was this BBQ Chicken pasta recipe.  He absolutely loved it, but then again, he loves BBQ Chicken.  This is my go-to dish for coworkers that have just had babies or are on bed rest and can't cook.  It is easy, yet something good and filling.

BBQ Chicken Pasta
slightly adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
1 red onion, diced
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
2 cups water
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces penne pasta
2/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/3 cup greek yogurt
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions
1) In a large nonstick skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the chicken, onions, and seasonings and saute, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove the chicken and onions to a plate and set aside.
2) In the same skillet, add the water, chicken broth, penne and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, until the liquid is almost absorbed and the pasta is tender.
3) Stir in the barbecue sauce and greek yogurt. Once mixed, add in the reserved chicken, onions and shredded cheese. Stir to combine and cook until everything is heated through.

I love the smokey flavor of the barbeque sauce mixed with the creaminess of the sour cream.  It is a delicious weeknight meal that is satisfying for everyone. 

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

My husband and I really like goat cheese.  Whenever we talk to people about it, they wrinkle their noses and talk about how it is so strong.  So, we just eat it alone and talk amongst ourselves about what they are missing.  Everything we've tried to date with goat cheese has been fantastic, so when I saw this meal, I thought it would be great.  On Jessy's blog, she says this meal comes in at under 350 calories per serving, which makes it that much more of an amazing meal.

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce
barely adapted from Gourmet Day to Day, originally from Elly Says Opa
Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
salt and pepper 
1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
5 button sized baby bella mushrooms, chopped 
1/4 cup white cooking wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes, chopped and drained, if they are oil-packed

2 ounces goat cheese

Directions
1) Sprinkle chicken breast halves with salt and pepper.
2) Heat skillet over medium heat and add oil. When oil is hot, add chicken breasts. Cook through.  Set aside and keep warm. Drain off excess oil.
3) In the same skillet, add garlic and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add mushrooms, and saute for a minute.
4) Add wine and chicken broth. Increase heat to medium-high and cook liquids down until reduced by half, being sure to scrape up the browned bits from the chicken.
5) Add in sun-dried tomatoes and heat through.
6) Take skillet off the heat and stir in goat cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

I have to say that this is hands down the best meal that I've made since my husband and I have been together.  My husband said it was way better than he thought it would be.  The sauce is so flavorful and everything works so well together that it is really hard not to lick all the residual sauce off your plate when it is done.  If you love goat cheese, this must get put on your menu soon.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos

I can't believe that I haven't posted in two weeks.  Time flies when you're moving.  In the last two weeks, I have moved from Cheyenne, WY to a base in New Jersey.  I did all the driving in two days and now have been trying to set up our house.  I promise that blog updates will happen more frequently now that we're getting situated.  Plus, I'm reunited with my husband (aka the taste tester), so I'm not eating leftovers for five nights in a row.

During my move, I decided to take on a recipe swap.  Genius, right?  Well, I thought it was nice because it was an open ended swap where I could tackle any recipe from What's Cookin' Chicago?.  It helped take away the thinking of what I should make when getting to a new place since all of the recipes are so amazing.

While I was at my parents for a few days, I made Cuban sandwiches from her blog, which were amazing.  I found a pork marinade that made such amazing pork, that I'm sure I'll use it for all my pork recipes in the future.  Definitely check out that recipe on her blog when you have a second since I didn't have time to take pictures.  They were definitely loved by everyone in my family.

When I got to New Jersey, I decided that I was going to make Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos because they seemed easy and we both love cilantro, so I thought it was perfect.  I also made Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf, but made it too late to include it in this post.  Head over to What's Cookin' Chicago? to find some fantastic recipes that your whole family will devour.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Tacos
barely adapted from What's Cookin' Chicago?
Ingredients
cooking spray for sauteeing
2-3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in bite sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
flour corn tortillas
taco garnishes (salsa, sour cream, cheese, etc)

Cilantro Lime Pesto
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (do not include stems)
2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons sliced, toasted almonds
3 tablespoons chopped, fresh garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup chicken broth

Directions
1) Season chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder.
2) In a skillet sprayed with cooking spray, saute chicken over medium high heat and cook through.
3) Using a blender, mix together the cilantro, olive oil, almonds, garlic, lime juice, parmesan, salt and chicken broth on low speed for 2 minutes.
4) Toss cooked, seasoned chicken with the pesto. Fill tortillas with chicken and top with preferred garnishes.

To say that we loved these tacos would be an understatement.  My husband inhaled four of them, and said that he would've kept eating them if he could.  He's still talking about them several days later too.  The pesto was a great way to pack a lot of flavor in a great sauce.  We'll definitely have to put these on rotation again for our next taco night.

Grilled Island Chicken Marinade

Sometimes it seems like the more simple the meal, the more my husband likes it.  He requests BBQ chicken all the time, and with the store bought BBQ sauce, so nothing fancy at all.  When I ran across this recipe on pinterest, I thought this was right up his alley too.  Plus I love how juicy marinades keep your meat while on the grill.  I am definitely not a fan of dry chicken.

Grilled Island Chicken
from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Ingredients
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1-2 lemons)
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2-4 chicken breasts

Directions
1) Combine all ingredients except chicken in a mixing bowl or large airtight plastic bag. Whisk or shake well until the marinade is well mixed.
2) Add the chicken breasts to the bowl or plastic bag so that they are covered by the marinade. If using a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. If using a plastic bag, press out all the excess air and seal the bag tightly. Refrigerate and marinate up to 10 hours (I would suggest marinading for at least 3 hours at the minimum).
3) Preheat a grill to medium heat. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side, until the chicken is no longer pink in the center (the chicken should register 165 degrees). Tent with foil and let the chicken rest for about five minutes before serving.

Alternately, the chicken can be baked using the following directions:
When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the excess marinade over them. Bake in the oven until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 45 minutes (exact baking time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces.) Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

I think that this chicken is flavorful, but definitely would be a lot better on a sandwich, instead of by itself.  It just needs a little support from some other ingredients.  Mel's Kitchen Cafe also suggests skewering the chicken with vegetables, which I think would be great too.  I definitely think that this will be my base marinade for grilled chicken, we'll just play around with what dishes it goes into.

Southwestern Quiche

I introduced my husband to quiche shortly after we got married.  It seems like a super simple meal with such a classy name (that sounds like you spent hours concocting it).  However, sometimes I'm a little uninspired when it comes to making a quiche.  I fall back on the same Allrecipes.com recipe that I have made since I was in college, which is great, but sometimes change is needed. 

When I saw this recipe, I figured it fit the bill perfectly.  It was flavors that we already knew, thrown into a dish that we already loved. 

Southwestern Quiche
slightly adapted from Plain Chicken
Ingredients
1 pound ground chicken
1 clove of minced garlic
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 can (10 oz) Rotel tomatoes, drained (adjust spice level using the "heat" from Rotel)
4 eggs
1/2 cup Ranch dressing
1/2 cup sour cream
2/3 cup milk
2-9-inch unbaked deep dish pie shell

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350.
2) In a large skillet, cook chicken with garlic until well browned, stirring frequently. Drain off grease and set aside.
3) Whisk together eggs, Ranch dressing, sour cream and milk.
4) Add sausage, cheese and Rotel. Stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into prepared pie crust. Bake 1 hour. Allow quiche to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.

When I took my first bite, I realized that I didn't get the mild Rotel when I was at the store.  The quiche packed a little bit of a punch.  It was surprisingly really good.  I kept commenting to my husband about how it far surpassed my expectations.  Even though ours was spicy (I'm a wuss when it comes to spices), the flavors all still really worked together to create a dish that was both spicy and creamy. 

We enjoyed it that meal and several times for lunch.  It was just a dish that we didn't seem to get tired of.   I think my next quiche adventure will be making my own crust.  I still haven't ventured away from the frozen pie shells from the grocery store. 

Mexican Pulled Chicken Stuffed Peppers

I have a friend that recently found out that she had a wheat allergy.  Upon doing some research, she found out that Paleo diets are the best for those with a wheat allergy, so I found some Paleo sites that had recipes that she could eat.  Some recipes sounded outside my comfort zone, and so did some of the ingredients.  I mean, we can't even find frozen cranberries in my town, where the heck am I supposed to find chia seeds, right?

Some recipes though sounded doable though, and even though I didn't have any interest in going totally Paleo with her, I promised I'd try a meal.  I found this recipe and thought I should make it: we loved stuffed peppers and the filling was something new.  If this recipe is indicative of eating Paleo, I think it wouldn't be too hard...except for finding the ingredients of course. 


Mexican Pulled Chicken Stuffed Peppers
barely adapted from Life As A Plate
Ingredients
4 large bell peppers, any color is fine
3 chicken breasts
1 chopped jalapeno
1 can of diced tomatoes (12 ounces)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup finely minced onion (I used 1/2 an onion)
1/4 c. chopped green peppers (I used one whole pepper)
2 cups salsa
shredded cheese
1 tsp. salt
2. tsp. onion powder
1/2 tps. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/2-1 teaspoon ground cumin, depending on your preference
*Instead of using individual spices, you could just add a taco seasoning packet

Directions
1) Put whole chicken breasts and all ingredients (minus the four bell peppers) in crockpot and stir and set on low for 6-8 hours.
2)When it’s finished or after at least four hours in, shred chicken using two forks until it’s all complete. Mix well.
3) Using a sharp knife, cut the top of the pepper off and pull out all the inside ribs and seeds.
4) Run under cold water to wash and remove remaining seeds inside.
5) Stuff peppers with chicken mixture, cover with some salsa (so they don’t dry out) and bake at 350 for 20 minutes until pepper is soft. (Ours took about an hour, I don't know if this is from living at altitude or oven inconsistencies though).
6) Top with shredded cheese and the salsa.  Top with sour cream, if desired.

I think that these were excellent.  Since the majority of the flavors developed in the crockpot, they were deep and delicious.  The peppers were a great vessel for it too.  Just keep an eye on the peppers so that you're not eating really undone peppers like we did the first night.  You definitely don't miss the fact that there aren't carbs in this meal.  

Chicken with Balsamic, Mushroom cream sauce

I'll be honest, I have never stepped out on a limb and come up with an original recipe.  I am strictly from the tried and true recipes, changing a few minor things as I go along.  When I received my latest recipe for the Recipe Swap, I have to admit that I didn't think it sounded like the ingredients went together in my mind.  I love balsamic vinegar, but adding that to cream just sounded like it wouldn't work.

I read Carrie's blog every time she has a new post though, so I figured if she described the dish as "A-M-A-Z-I-N-G", that I would have to trust that everything would work out.  Because being on a cooking journey, you learn that sometimes leaving your comfort zone pays off and you get to eat something great.

Chicken with a Balsamic, Mushroom Cream Sauce
slightly adapted from Carrie's Sweet Life
Ingredients
2 teaspoons of olive oil
2 chicken breasts
Salt and Pepper
2 tablespoons of butter
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 package baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 cups of cream

Directions
1) Warm large pan with olive oil. Salt and Pepper chicken breasts both sides, put into olive oil and brown on both sides until cooked through.
2) Once chicken is done set aside on a plate covering with foil to keep warm or in a very low temperature oven in an ovenproof dish.
3) Drain oil from the pan, but leaving what is “stuck” to the bottom, add butter and let melt.
4) Once melted add garlic, mushrooms, and green pepper. Salt and pepper to your liking, let simmer for a 2-3 minutes then add balsamic vinegar. Cook until desired tenderness.
5) Pour in heavy cream and bring to a boil, boil for 3-5. Add chicken breasts and coat in sauce cook until desired thickness. Serve over pasta of your choice.

I dipped my finger in the sauce while it was on the stove to taste it, and when I tasted it, I couldn't believe how well the balsamic vinegar went with the cream sauce.  The only problem I had with this dish is how long our chicken took to cook on the stovetop.  I would suggest pounding the chicken, or butterflying it like Carrie did, so that it will cook faster.

I put a pepper in with the mushrooms, just because I had an extra one, but the dish wouldn't be any less awesome without the pepper.  I don't think the macaroni noodles worked because they were sliding everywhere, but it was the pasta I had at my house.  I think we'll definitely make this again, without the hesitation of whether or not the ingredients go together. :)

To see all the other great pasta posts, visit A Taste of Home Cooking.

Crockpot Cheddar Beer Chicken Tacos

I have to refrain from making tacos almost every week.  They sound so good all the time, but I know that there are other things out there that I need to try making too.  When I came across this recipe for Crockpot Beer Chicken tacos, I knew that these had to go on the menu. 

In these tacos, we went a little more outside the box with the toppings than we normally do.  It was fun to try something different and delicious.


Crockpot Cheddar Beer Chicken Tacos
modified from How Sweet it Is
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2-12 ounce bottles of favorite beer
3 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon dried cilantro
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup freshly grated cheddar cheese + more for topping
taco shells
your favorite toppings: greek yogurt, avocado, cilantro, salsa, chopped onion, black beans, shredded lettuce, etc.

Directions
1) In a bowl, mix together spices. Whisk the beer into the seasonings.
2) Place chicken in the crockpot and dump in beer with seasonings. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4 hours.
3) When you first remove the lid, measure 1/4 cup of beer and dispose of the rest. Take two forks or kitchen tongs and shred the chicken, until it all comes together.
4) Taste and season with additional seasonings if desired, then let sit in the crockpot for another 15 minutes or so.
5) Turn the crockpot completely off, and right before serving toss in cheddar cheese. Once combined, immediately transfer the chicken to a large bowl so the cheese does not stick to the crockpot.

The result was amazing.  The only reason I used 2 beers was to cover the chicken in the crockpot.  You could use the 3/4 cup like the recipe originally calls for if you're okay with the chicken not being completely covered.  The chicken was very flavorful and moist.  I have never had red onion on tacos before, but they worked perfectly with the flavors of the chicken and the cheddar cheese.  These are great tacos and don't take up too much of your day in prep time.

Crock Pot Tex-Mex Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings has been on my "to-make" list for awhile.  However, the weather hasn't gotten too bad here, so I kept pushing them off thinking that there would be a good week to make my favorite comfort food.

It was time for the Recipe Swap for Soups and Stews, and I received Chicken and Dumplings from The Cookaholic Wife.  It seemed like it was fate since I had wanted them for so long.  I love regular chicken and dumplings, but since the ingredients in this recipe were similar to a Tex-Mex version that I saw on Pinterest, so I decided to spice it up and try something a little different.  It turns out the day that I decided to make it, we had 80 mph winds and snow on the ground, so the timing was perfect.

Crock Pot Tex-Mex Chicken and Dumplings
adapted from The Cookaholic Wife and Homesick Texan
Ingredients
Stew

2 chicken breasts, shredded 

1 carton chicken broth  

1/2 cup carrots (about 2 small carrots), peeled and shredded

2 stalks celery, diced

1/2 large onion, diced

1/2 can Mexicorn

1 can Rotel

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

juice from one lime

2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup of cilantro

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 cup of water

Dumplings

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup cornmeal

1 heaping tbs. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups fat free half and half 

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

2 tablespoons of cilantro

Directions

1) Cook chicken breasts on low in broth for 2-4 hours on low.

2) Pull chicken breasts out of crockpot and shred chicken.  

3) Place all other ingredients for the stew portion of the recipe in the crockpot, and then put the chicken back in with the ingredients and mix well.  Cook on high for 2-4 hours.

4) Mix all the ingredients together for the dumplings until the ingredients form a batter.

5) Drop tablespoons of batter into the stew mixture and cook for approximately an hour on high until dumpling dough is cooked.

I started the chicken in the morning before I left for work and threw all the other ingredients into the crock pot when I went home for lunch.  When I got home to make the dumpling batter, the house smelled amazing.

This version has a little heat from the jalapenos and some of the other ingredients, but it is perfectly counterbalanced by the cornmeal dumpling.  I made the dumplings from The Cookaholic Wife recipe, but afterwords thought that they could benefit from a few of the Tex-Mex ingredients too, just so the flavors would be carried all the way through.  This was a fantastic meal that helped us make it through our first true winter week in Wyoming.

Chicken Shawarma

When this recipe popped up on Gourmet: Day to Day, it was a food that I had never heard of, nor did I know how to pronounce.  Usually, I skip right over these recipes and just let someone else make and enjoy them, but the photo made the food look so good that I knew I'd have to try it.

I found out several things about Chicken Shawarma when I was researching it out of curiosity.  According to Wikipedia, shawarma is a fast-food staple across the Middle East, Europe and the Caucasus.  The meat is usually made on a spit that can rotate up to a day, and common meats are lamb, goat, chicken, turkey, and beef.  Shawarma can be eaten with tabbouleh, fattoush, taboon bread, tomato, and cucumber

Chicken Shawarma
slightly adapted from Gourmet: Day to Day
Ingredients
Marinade
1.25 pounds chicken breasts
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon dill

Yogurt Sauce
7 oz. cup plain greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill
1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 head romaine lettuce, washed and teared
1 medium cucumber, sliced thinly
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 1/8ths
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 red onion sliced thinly
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
Juice of 1 small lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dill

6  pitas, or flatbreads

Directions
1) In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the marinade (yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cinnamon, oregano, salt, nutmeg, and clove). Add chicken to the marinade, coat well, cover and refrigerate for 4-24 hours. If desired, slice the chicken into strips before marinating to maximize the flavor.
2)  Prepare the yogurt sauce for the sandwiches. Combine plain greek yogurt, garlic, dill, and salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3) After marinating the chicken, grill or pan-sear until cooked through.
4) Combine cucumber, tomato, red onion, garlic, lemon juice and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside
5)  Build the chicken shawarma sandwiches. Spread the yogurt sauce on your flat bread, top with the chicken, lettuce and cucumber, tomato, onion salad. Roll the sandwich closed. You can wrap the sandwich in foil to help it stay closed as you eat.

This dish tastes so fresh and amazing.  The spices on the chicken were present but not overwhelming, and tasted amazing with the sauce.  I am thinking about making the chicken and eating it on salads.

At first my husband said these were just "Ok", but as the meal went on, he said they grew on him, and he was disappointed there wasn't enough chicken for seconds.

This dish comes together quickly, it is just putting the marinade together and marinating the chicken that takes the longest.  I am very glad I didn't pass this dish over when I saw it.

Chicken Fettuccine with Broccoli

The theme for this recipe swap was Healthy Recipes.  This was the perfect swap to ring in the New Year since we're all looking to fulfil New Years Resolutions, well at least my husband and I are.  I received Hezzi D's Books and Cooks version of Fettuccine Alfredo with Bacon.  I have to admit that we're not really big fans of bacon, so I rarely keep it in the house.  I decided that I was going to try to make a healthy version of fettuccine with a different meat.

When going through my cabinets, I had a defrosted chicken breast from another meal and a bunch of broccoli leftover from snacks, so I thought I'd try to make it with the ingredients that I had on hand.

Grilled Chicken Fettuccine with Broccoli

adapted from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks

Ingredients

1 pound fettuccine

1 chicken breast, grilled and chopped
1 bunch of broccoli, chopped into florets
2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon flour

1 ¼ cup 2% milk

¾ cup Parmesan cheese

2 ounces gruyere

1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon nutmeg

Directions
1) Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain, and set aside.
2) Start the grill.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and grill until done.
3)  Steam broccoli florets until tender.

4)  Heat a skillet with a little bit of oil and add garlic, cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add in the flour and stir constantly for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the milk. Cook until it starts to thicken and bubble.

5) Reduce heat to low. Add in half the Parmesan cheese and half the gruyere. Stir until cheese is melted. Add in the remaining cheese and stir until it is all incorporated into the sauce.

6) Stir in salt, pepper. Cook 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and stir in chicken, broccoli, and nutmeg. Serve over top of cooked fettuccine.

Note: The original recipe calls for reserving the some of the liquid from the pasta and adding that to the sauce.  My sauce was the right consistancy, and tasted good, so I didn't add the water to the sauce.

I liked this meal.  It was a pretty classic combination, but with a much lighter taste.  It was a lot of the same textures, so I'd definitely serve it with a salad or crunchy garlic bread.  The chicken came off the grill super moist and flavorful, and the grill flavor worked great with the sauce and the broccoli.  Good meal, and easy on the hips, can't beat that.