white bean chicken chili

I’d never made this before but saw a recipe on Pinterest that sounded super cozy. Unfortunately, it was a stovetop recipe, and I really wanted to be lazy and use my Instant Pot. I looked for an IP recipe and found one that looked good, but I liked parts of the original one (ha). So I decided to kind of create my own using both recipes as inspo. This is what I came up with. Perfect soup for a cold, winter day. Yum.

White Bean Chicken Chili

Serves: 8 adults

Calories: 231/ea (sans toppings)

Ingredients:

1 can Rotel

1 4oz can diced green chilis

3 chicken breasts/thighs

1/2 can corn, drained

3 cans white beans (Great Northern or Cannellini or a mix of both)

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 med onion, diced (or 5 tsp dried minced onion)

2 c chicken broth

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp oregano

1-2 tsp chili powder

Salt & pepper to taste

1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese 

Toppings (optional):

Avocado

Cilantro

Limes

Tortilla strips

Directions:

Put all ingredients (except cream cheese and toppings) in Instant Pot (or any pressure cooker). Cook on high pressure for 10 min, then natural release for another 10 min. Release pressure. Shred chicken. Add cream cheese. Stir well. Serve with toppings. Enjoy!

butter chicken

You guys! This stuff is like a miracle in a packet! I stumbled across it in the grocery store the other day (international isle) and thought I'd give it a try. And boy, am I glad I did! It's spectacular!! So easy and so, so delicious. The whole family gobbled it up, and it makes a ton! It's a bit on the spicy side (I'd call it "medium" heat; nothing extreme, but I didn't feed it to my one-year-old), but you can up the cream a bit to knock down the spice. Anyway, it's fantastic. You can be sure we'll be making this again!

RECIPE: Butter Chicken

Yield: 8 generous servings 

Calories: 224 each (w/o rice)

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp oil

1 lb chicken breast, diced

2 Tbsp butter

1 med onion, finely diced 

1 (15oz) can tomato sauce

1 packet Butter Chicken Seasoning Mix

1 c cream (more if needed to de-spice)

Basmati rice

(Opt) fresh cilantro 

Directions: 

Cook according to packet directions. 

** Serve over basmati rice (with cilantro mixed in if you have it). Add a side of naan if you think to snag some. And enjoy!!

Asian Sesame Chicken

We were thiiiis close to ordering Chinese. But I was strong and whipped this up instead. It was super quick and super easy - and way cheaper than delivery! AND it was well received! Yay! 

RECIPE: Asian Sesame Chicken

Ingredients:

2 lb chicken breast (ish)

Asian Toasted Sesame dressing (half bottle?)

Sesame seeds (2 Tbsp?)

S&P

Directions:

Heat a cast iron skillet to med-high (8?) heat. Squirt a bit of dressing/sauce in the skillet (as you would oil) then add chicken breasts. Season a bit (easy on the salt). Let one side sear then do the other. Reduce heat (6?), add more sauce, stir to coat, cover. After a few minutes, cut up chicken (not cooked through yet) into chunks. Coat with more sauce and cover. Cook until chicken is cooked through and adequately glazed. Throw some sesame seeds on top and remove from heat. Serve over rice, with a side of veggies!

Quick & Easy Green Chili Enchiladas

We came home from church today hungry and impatient. I saw the green chili enchilada sauce (Hatch brand, of course) in the cupboard and suggested smothered bean burritos. Somehow that involved quickly into a super quick (and surprisingly delicious) green chili enchilada. The whole family really enjoyed it; even my critical kidlets were singing its praises and asking for seconds! Yum. Here's how we did it...

RECIPE: Quick & Easy Green Chili Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS:

1 can cream of chicken

1 can chicken breast (it's cooked already)

1 can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 can diced green chilis (Hatch)

2 c shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1 can green chili enchilada sauce (Hatch)

6 flour tortillas, warmed

DIRECTIONS:

Dump the cream of chicken, chicken, beans, chilis, 1/2 the cheese and a bit of the enchilada sauce (1/3 maybe) into a medium bowl. Mix well. Microwave for 3-4 minutes, stirring mid-way. 

Pour a little of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of an 8x10 baking dish (to grease the pan, sorta). Fill the dish with rolled enchiladas (about 2-3 spoonfuls of chicken mixture inside a tortilla, rolled into a burrito, repeat), all in a line. Top with the remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes (or if you're super impatient like as were, just broil on high... it was really good this way too) until the cheese is melted and bubbly and brown. 

And that's it! Easy peasy! Next step: dig in!

green chili chicken enchiladas

Thanks to my sister Tori for this yummy (and surprisingly easy) recipe!! I feel like a true New Mexican now. And you'd better believe I used only Hatch green chilis and sauce!! 

RECIPE: Green Chili Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 lb chicken, grilled 

     Garlic powder

     Onion powder

     Lowry's

     S&P

8 oz cream cheese

1 can diced green chilis

10-12 corn tortillas 

1 can green enchilada sauce

1-2 c "fiesta blend" cheese (shredded)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Season and grill chicken (on grill, George Foreman, etc). Shred chicken. 

Melt cream cheese with green chilis on the stovetop. Mix with shredded chicken.

Pour a teeny bit of enchilada sauce in the bottom of your pan. Roll the enchiladas, putting the chicken mix in each corn tortilla and rolling. Place rolled enchiladas in the pan. Dump remaining enchilada sauce on top, then sprinkle with shredded cheese. 

Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 20 min or until cheese is bubbled and browned. Serve warm, with a side of beans! Yum!

Note: Tori uses a 9x13 pan. I used a smaller one, not super sure of the dimensions. But look how well the tortillas fit in my pan?! Is it sad that this fact made me super happy? :)

chicken tikka masala

Possibly my favorite food in the whole wide world is Lamb Tikka Masala, especially from the little hole-in-the-wall place here in town. Swoon. Seriously, so good. Unfortunately, lamb is crazy-expensive, so I'm probably never going to make that at home. 

Luckily, Chicken Tikka Masala is a very close second. And Pinterest (or Mattawa Mum,  rather) came to the rescue with an amazingly delicious recipe. 

This is the recipe I ended up using, mostly Mattawa Mum's, with a few great tips and tweaks from my bro-in-law Jon... and a dash of my own two cents. It's spectacular and was a major hit with the whole family. We will definitely be making this again!!

Notes:  Don't skip on the heavy cream.  Less fattening stuff won't work as well.  Also, the fresh cilantro is critical.  Don't skip that either.  And finally, if you don't have cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes also work in the marinade.  Random, but FYI.

RECIPE: Chicken Tikka Masala

Yield: 6
Calories: 476

Ingredients:
[For Chicken + Marinade]
1 or 1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs, chopped into bite-size pieces
1 (6oz) tub plain greek yogurt
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger


[For Sauce]
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño (seeds removed), minced
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
2 small cans (8 oz) tomato sauce {or one regular}
1-2 cups heavy whipping cream
Cilantro, fresh, for topping

Directions:
Chop up your chicken thighs and make up the marinade.  Mix together well in a dish (8x8 worked great), cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hrs.  When you're ready to make up the sauce, skewer the chicken pieces and grill them until cooked-through (no longer pink).

For the sauce, melt the butter in a (large) heavy skillet over medium-heat.  Add garlic and jalapeño and let cook for 1 minute.  Add all of the spices + salt and mix until incorporated. Add the tomato sauce.  Stir well, and let simmer until thickened (10-15 minutes maybe). Add the cream {1 c for spicy, 2 c for mild with just a teensy kick} and mix well to incorporate. Let simmer for a while longer, developing both the color and the flavor of the sauce.  Add the chicken (removed from skewers, of course).  Simmer.  Top with fresh cilantro and serve!

Serve warm over basmati rice, with a side of naan!  Mmmm.... So good.

dena's cheesy chicken dip

This recipe came from my sister Dena.  We visited them about six months ago, and she made this dip one night for dinner.  It seems to have made a big impression on Derek, as he recently requested that I call her up and get the recipe.  Months later, he had a craving. :)  Silly man.  Anyway, she says it's not her original recipe (Pinterest, maybe?) but I'm calling it that for a lack of better title.  She gave me a rough idea of the ingredients, and this is what I came up with.  It was easy and a major hit with the whole fam!  Also, you may notice there is no picture.  It was just that good.  Try it out.  It's yum.



RECIPE: Dena's Cheesy Chicken Dip

Ingredients:
3/4 of a rotisserie chicken, shredded
2 bricks cream cheese
2 cans black beans
2 cans Rotel
1 can corn (or frozen, whatev)
2 Tbs minced onion
1/4 tsp chili powder {This gives it a slight but distinguishable kick.}

Directions:
Toss all ingredients together on the stove.  Warm through, until cheese is melted and all are incorporated.  {Would also be a great crock pot dish.}  Serve with tortilla chips.  Enjoy!

chicken & barley soup

Original recipe from 365 Days of Slow Cooking.  I made it my own mostly because I was lazy and/or don't do well with directions. :)  I really liked how it turned out, though.  Even the kids loved it!  This will definitely be made again!


RECIPE: Chicken & Barley Soup

Serves: 10
Calories: 177 

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast
4 stalks celery, chopped
2 c carrots, chopped
2 tsp minced onion
1/2 c onion, diced (opt)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 (small) can tomato sauce
10 c chicken broth (or bullion+water)
{I went waay overboard with the bullion...oops.}
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tap ground pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
(Add later) 1 c quick-cooking barley

Directions:
Chop/measure/prepare ingredients. Add all but barley to the slow cooker. Cool on high until boiling (about an hour), then reduce to low to finish (2-3 hrs). Add the barley for the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Remove the bay leaf before serving.

Serve warm with artisan bread on the side. Enjoy.

chicken noodle soup with homemade egg noodles

I've never been a huge fan of Chicken Noodle Soup.  It's just always been kind of "meh" for me.  But (humbly speaking) this soup is pretty freakin' delicious!  I could eat it and eat it... and it's pretty low calorie, too!  I experimented the last time I cooked this and added a few random spices/herbs that smelled like they'd be good (one way that having a super sniffer is beneficial), and it worked out reeeeallly well.  It's amazing what a teensy bit of this or that can do to change a dish and add dimension to the flavors.  Mmm.  Try this soup and let me know what you think.  As for me and my house... well, we think it's pretty spectacular!

homemade noodles = so domestic!

The kids love to help me cook!
Here they are stirring the "worms" (noodles). :D

RECIPE: Chicken Noodle Soup

Serves: 8
Calories: 188  

Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
2 cans chicken breast*
10 c. chicken stock/broth/bullion+water
2 c. carrots, sliced
3-4 stalks celery, diced
1/2 bay leaf
1 tsp poultry seasoning
dash curry powder {Small amount but BIG impact!  Don't leave it out!}
pepper/salt to taste {Go easy on salt as bullion is pretty salty.}
1/2 package home-style egg noodles or 1 batch Homemade Egg Noodles

* This time I used leftover shredded turkey from Thanksgiving in lieu of the chicken, and it was delicious.  You could also certainly cook and shred your chicken instead of using canned, but I'm just not that ambitious.  Also, this time I had a bit of cabbage and red onion in my fridge that needed used up, so I chopped them up and added them, too!  It was yummy, and it felt good to avoid waste!

Directions: 
First prepare your homemade egg noodle dough.  While it is resting, start the soup.

In a large pot over med-high heat, caramelize the onion a bit and add chicken breast.  Let these cook just a minute, then add water+bullion/broth/stock plus all the veggies and seasonings.  Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5-10 minutes (to allow the flavors to distribute and develop).  While this is simmering, roll out and slice the noodles.  Add the noodles to the boiling soup, one at a time so they don't clump together.  Cook for maybe 5 minutes more.  Then serve!  Super quick, easy, and soooo delicious!


RECIPE: Homemade Egg Noodles

Ingredients:
3-4 eggs
1 Tbsp water (or milk)
1/4 tsp baking powder
2ish cups (just add a bit at a time) flour

Directions:
In a small-medium bowl, mix all ingredients together just until the dough is no longer sticky.  Knead a bit, but don't over work it.  Let rest for 5ish minutes.  Then roll out as thin as you can get it and slice (with a pizza cutter is easiest) thinly... about 1/4 in wide.  Add to boiling soup and cook about 3-4 minutes.  Done!

chicken and broccoli soup

Derek and I kind of just threw this together today based on things we had available and some leftover rice we wanted to use up. We also wanted to put something in the crock pot so that we would have something warm and ready when we got home from church. Luckily, this tossed-together concoction turned out super yummy! I love it when that happens! Let's see if I can remember how we made it...

RECIPE: Chicken and Broccoli Soup

Serves: 6
Calories: 394

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken breast
1/2 large onion, diced
1 tsp garlic powder
salt + pepper
1 bag broccoli spears
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 c parmesan cheese, grated
2 tsp chicken bullion
2 c cooked rice
3 Tbsp cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:
Defrost chicken breast if frozen. Place in crock pot, along with onions, and pour a bit of water (1/3 c -ish) over it all. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook in the crock pot (covered, obviously) over low heat for 2 hrs. Add broccoli spears, cream of mushroom soup, and parm cheese. Add a bit more water mixed with the bullion. Set the heat to high, cover and cook for 2 more hours. Then add the rice, cheddar cheese and more water (1-2 c, hot water). Stir it all, breaking up the broccoli and shredding the chicken. Season more to taste (it won't likely need it, but check). Then serve and enjoy!

salsa chicken

photo source: http://chefmommy-brandao.blogspot.ca/2011/03/salsa-chicken-slow-cooker.html

I found this recipe via Pinterest and was instantly intrigued.  First, it looked super yummy.  Second, it looked super easy, using ingredients I have already on hand.  And third, it was a crock pot meal.  Love.  The recipe is not at all mine.  I got it from a blog called Chef Mommy.  But I wanted to post it so that I would remember to make it again.  I altered the ingredients a teensy bit to cater to my exact items on hand as well as my general laziness, but that's it.  Mmm.  Yummy.  Give it a try, and let me know what you think.

RECIPE: Salsa Chicken

Ingredients:

1.3 lb chicken breast

1 c. salsa

1 c. sour cream

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 can black beans, drained and rinced

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a crockpot.  Stir/whisk sauce together to incorporate {I did this in the crock pot cause I'm just too lazy to dirty another bowl}.  Cover and turn the crock pot on.  Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6.  Serve over rice, and enjoy!

tom ka gai (coconut lemongrass chicken soup)

I had this soup recently and for my first time at our local Thai restaurant, and I loved it! It was such a pleasant and unexpected combination of flavors, and it was beautiful. Mmm... I thought maybe I could duplicate it {I mean, how hard could it be? I'm cocky.} and decided to give it a try. I had planned on following a recipe but was unable to find some of the ingredients, so I tried another recipe... and again, couldn't find some of the ingredients. So I combined a few ideas and made my own {dangerous when attempting a meal you hardly know}. Luckily, it turned out super duper delicious!! I was so happy with it, and I fully intend to make it again. With that being said, here it is. So I remember.

If you try it as well, let me know how it went! Enjoy.

RECIPE: Tom Ka Gai

Ingredients:

1 deli-roasted (rotisserie) chicken, de-boned, skin removed and shredded {we only used about 3/4 of it... or about 1 1/2 lbs. of chicken}

2 c. water

3 med carrots, peeled and sliced thinly on the diagonal

1 package Shiitake mushrooms {I would probably do regular button mushrooms next time; I didn't love the texture of these}, halved

juice from 2 limes (about 1/4 c.)

1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp dried lemongrass

2 Tbsp fish sauce

1-2 in. fresh ginger-root, grated/minced

2 cans (15 oz.-ish) unsweetened coconut milk

2 stalks green onion, sliced thinly

cilantro (opt)

Directions:

Put the (already-cooked) chicken in a hot pot and let it sizzle for a minute. Add the remaining ingredients (all but the coconut milk, green onions, and cilantro) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until carrots are crisp-tender and all is heated through. Add the coconut milk, stir well. At this point, do NOT boil; just warm. Toss in the green onion pieces. Stir. Heat on low heat until ready to serve. Top with cilantro if desired, and serve warm.

Serves: 8

Calories: 203

slow-cooker curried chicken

My friend Missy referred me to the original recipe (found here). It sounded delicious. As I was making it, I improvised a bit: turning it into a slow-cooker recipe and changing up the ingredients a bit. I came up with this. It turned out fabulously, if I do say so myself. I will definitely be making this again!

RECIPE: Slow-Cooker Curried Chicken

Serves: 6

Calories: 315*

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken breast

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 bell pepper, diced

5 baby carrots, thinly sliced

1/3 c. butter, melted

1/3 c. honey

1/3 c. dijon mustard

5 tsp. curry powder

1 pinch cayenne pepper

S&P

(opt) fresh cilantro

Directions:

Place a couple of thin slices of the butter down in the slow-cooker first. Arrange the chicken breasts on top. Grind some salt and pepper to season the breasts. Add the chopped onion, bell pepper and carrots. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour this mixture over the chicken/veggies. Add a bit of water around the edges if you think it needs it (I did- about 1/4 c is all).

Set slow cooker to high and cook for 4-5 hrs or until chicken is cooked through.

Serve over basmati rice and top with fresh cilantro. Mmm! ;)

*Basmati rice adds another 170 calories (ish) per 1/2 c. of rice.

ranch chicken mac-n-cheese

This is seriously the easiest thing ever. I got the original recipe from the back of a Western Family Mac-n-Cheese box. It's super easy, super scrumptious, and something even my sometimes-ridiculously-picky kids will consistently eat it! How much better can you get, really? Ready in 10 minutes flat, it's a fantastic go-to meal. Try it out... and let me know what you think!

RECIPE: Ranch Chicken Mac-n-Cheese

Serves: 4

Calories: 365

Ingredients:

1 box Kraft mac-n-cheese

1 can chicken

2 tbsp ranch dressing

1 medium tomato, diced

1 tbsp fresh chives*

Directions:

Cook mac-n-cheese according to package directions (adding milk/butter, etc). Once the mac is ready, add all other ingredients. Toss together well. Serve warm, and enjoy!

*Green onions are also delicious, but I had chives in my herb garden, so I subbed those in instead. Choose what is available and/or appealing to you.

chicken parmesan

Last week, I made spaghetti. I had to leave for work right after dinner, so the process was a bit chaotic. I put green beans in the microwave and bread in the toaster (to make a quick version of garlic toast)... and I absolutely forgot about the bread. The next day, I discovered the toast. I decided I would have to try my hand at homemade breadcrumbs. The toast has been sitting on the counter since then. Needless to say, it was nice and stale. Perfect, really.

The idea for this recipe came from my sister-in-law's post (find it here). Mine is certainly not her healthy version, but BY GOLLY- it is delicious! Try it out. I think you'll like it.

RECIPE: Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

4 pieces whole wheat bread, toasted

1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

2 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. {ish?} freshly ground pepper

2 Tbsp. EVOO

1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast (or 3 small)

2 eggs

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. Canola/vegetable oil {I think; I didn't measure.}

1 1/2 c. Mozzarella cheese

spaghetti noodles

spaghetti sauce (about 2 c.)

1 can green beans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450F.

Pound the chicken breasts until they are about 1/2 inch thick. This step is important. It not only tenderizes the chicken but also thins it out so that it cooks uniformly... and doesn't burn on the outside before it's cooked through. {I like to do this in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag... using a rubber mallet.}

*Note: I had two massive chicken boobies that I cut into four pieces. I only ended up using three since I didn't quite have enough breadcrumbs. Hence the three breasts recommendation.

{Before}

{After}

Using a food processor, pulse the toast, 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, garlic, S&P and EVOO - in that order- until breadcrumbs form.
Prepare your assembly line of bread-crumbing ingredients. Dump the flour onto a plate. Beat two eggs and a splash of water in a bowl of some sort. Dump your super-savory breadcrumbs onto another plate.

{Like so}

Heat your Canola/vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Meanwhile, dredge each chicken breast in flour, shake off excess; slosh around in egg mixture, coating fully; then press into breadcrumbs, pressing crumbs into chicken until absolutely coated. Fry the prepared chicken in oil (again, in a large skillet over med to med-high heat) for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until golden and fabulous {see below}.

Note: Get your water boiling now for your pasta. Don't forget to salt the water.
Place the fried chicken on a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet {or stone, if that's what you had out before you thought of the cooling rack idea}. This will help keep the breadcrumbs crispy later on.
Top liberally with Mozzarella cheese and lightly with Parmesan cheese. Throw some pepper up on there if you feel the need.
Bake at 450F for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and browned.

Note: The bake time for the chicken perfectly coincides with the spaghetti cooking time. So as soon as you throw the birdies in the oven, start cooking your pasta. I'm a horrid judge of pasta quantities, so use your own {better} judgement. Cook according to package instructions.

Also, open up a can of green beans. Drain 'em a bit, then dump 'em in a bowl. Microwave for dos minutos. Easy-peasy.

Oh, and warm up some spaghetti sauce. I did it on the stove; you could also nuke it. Whatev. But you do want it warm... so take care of that.

Once your 10 minutes are up, the entire meal should be ready to assemble. Grab a plate and dish up some spaghetti noodles. Top with sauce. Top that with your oh-so-yummy chicken. And serve with a side of green beans.

Mmm... amazing!

chicken tomato spinach alfredo pasta

Derek and I love, love, LOVE the Chicken Tomato Spinach Alfredo pizza from Papa John's. {Can Papa John's go wrong, really? I say, "nay."} One day I thought I'd try out a pasta version {pizza pasta is a hit at this house generally}. It turned out really well! And it was so, so easy and quick. Perfect combo, imo. Try it and let me know what you think.

Note: For the record, I like this better sans chicken. Maybe it's the pregnancy {this girlie is a vegetarian, I think} or maybe it's just better that way. Derek likes the meat-factor, though, so I make it with chicken and just pick it out of mine. Anyway- thought I'd let you know. You'll have to decide which way you like it best.

RECIPE: Chicken Tomato Spinach Alfredo Pasta

Ingredients:

spaghetti noodles {sorry... I'm really bad at pasta quantities}

1 lb. chicken breast

2 Tbsp. (ish) EVOO

1 c. (ish) frozen spinach

1 can diced tomatoes, drained

1 pkg. Western Family {Seriously, this is the BEST!} Alfredo mix

milk

butter

Parmesan cheese, shredded

salt/pepper, to taste

Directions:

First get your water boiling and cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan, dice the chicken breast(s) and brown the chicken in the EVOO over medium-high heat. Make sure the chicken is cooked through.

Also meanwhile {you should have time for both chicken and sauce; pasta takes a while}, prepare the alfredo sauce according to package directions. {This only takes a couple of minutes... it's quick, easy, cheap, and so yummy!}

When the spaghetti is nearly done (about a minute or so shy), add the frozen spinach to it. Let the pasta finish and the spinach defrost and blanche. Then remove from heat and drain.

Add the chicken, diced tomatoes, and alfredo sauce to the pasta/spinach pot. Toss well to coat/mix. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper- to taste.

Serve warm with fresh Parmesan cheese on top... and garlic bread on the side {mmm}. Enjoy!

creamy italian chicken

This meal doesn't look like much {crock-pot meals often don't, imo}, but it tastes fabulous! Our friends/family Jon and Ashley made this for us and therefore were matchmakers ... because we're now in love with this scrumptious delight! This meal is super delicious. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

PS. As with all crock-pot meals, feel free to add or reduce quantities to your liking {or to your pantry's preference}. If you have tons of potatoes, throw in a few more. If you hate carrots, don't add them at all. The original recipe was actually just for chicken {no veggies added}. You could do it just chicken, shred it at the end and throw it on top of pasta. Or rice. Or roast the potatoes and carrots separately in the oven {with EVOO, S&P and at 400F for 40ish minutes}. We've done that, and it was fab. Really, your possibilities are endless! Be creative. It's divine either way.


RECIPE: Creamy Italian Chicken

Ingredients:
1 packet Italian dressing seasoning (dry)
1-2 lbs. chicken
1/2 c. chicken broth
5 potatoes, quartered
1/2 lb. baby carrots
1 cube cream cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup

Directions:
Place chicken in crock-pot. Cover with dry Italian dressing seasoning. Add chicken broth {I usually just pour it in around the edges, moisturizing the chicken-meets-crockpot area}. Cover and cook on low for 2 hrs (or on high for 1 hr).

Add potatoes and carrots. Whisk cream cheese and cream of chicken soup together well and dump/spread on top of it all. Cover again and cook on low for about 3 hours (or on high for 1-1/2 hrs) or until veggies are soft and chicken is cooked through.

And you're done! Enjoy!

bbq chicken pizza

We love to make our own pizza. It feels so festive and is somehow so fulfilling. Usually we go for the supreme variety, but this time we opted for something a little different. We had some bbq sauce in the pantry and some chicken and pizza dough in the freezer. It was meant to be. And it was yummy.

PS. We used way too much sauce the first time (ie. twice as much as needed). You can see the excess gushing out the sides. Anyway, the recommended amount is listed below, so try that. Change it however you'd like. It's your pizza, after all!


RECIPE: BBQ Chicken Pizza

Ingredients:
pizza dough {We buy ours frozen at Macey's for 99c.}, thawed
corn meal (optional)
1 c. bbq sauce
1 lb. chicken, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
3/4 lb. mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:
Stretch, pull, flip, roll... whatever... to get your dough into the correct shape and size for your stone. Spread a thin layer of corn meal on the stone (optional) and place dough. Using a fork, poke holes all over the dough, leaving the outer crust-area alone (this will prevent it from ballooning up; it will keep it flat). Bake dough at 400F for about 8-10 minutes, or until golden. Meanwhile, combine bbq sauce and chicken in a pan. Cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through.

Pull pizza dough out of the oven and dump sauce/chicken mixture on top, spreading it around evenly. Sprinkle the diced onion evenly, then top with mozzerella cheese. Make sure and leave a bit of a crust on the outside perimeter. Bake the whole thing again, still at 400F, until cheese is melted, bubbly and starting to brown. Remove from oven, cut into wedges and serve warm.

cayenne-rubbed chicken with avocado salsa

This recipe is from the lovely Mindy Anderson {author of The Orange Apron}, who got it from an issue of Everyday Food magazine. Phew! :) Anyway, we altered it a bit. Instead of red onions, we used white onions. Don't. It was a bad idea... way too powerful of a punch. Also, we doubled up on the avocado {this was a great idea... mmm, avocado}, halved the amount of onion and added a Roma tomato, since we had a bunch on hand. We also grilled the chicken instead of pan-frying it. All in all, I loved the meal. We ate outside {hence the strange coloring in the pic... natural sunlight- pssh! Weird!}, and it felt like a wonderful summertime meal. Note: If you don't like avocados and will not therefore eat the salsa with the chicken {ahem, James}, the chicken might be pretty spicy. As a combo, though, the flavors and spicy/creamy factors harmonize well and result in a super delicious meal!



RECIPE: Cayenne-Rubbed Chicken with Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:
coarse salt
ground pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into strips
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 Tbs. fresh lime juice
2 large avocados, pitted and cut into chunks
1 Roma tomato, diced

Directions:
Fire up the grill. In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne. Baste chicken with olive oil and rub with seasoning mix. Grill chicken on medium heat until cooked throughout (until opaque and the juices run clear, or until it is at least 165F). Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine onion and lime juice; set aside. Just before serving, fold avocado chunks and diced tomato into onion mixture; season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken topped with salsa.

If your kid doesn't like it, throw a tortilla his way. ;)