Chicken Tortilla Soup

Morning sickness is weaning. I hope I'm through with frozen meals and ready for some good home cooking! I can't look at another frozen Marie Callenders.

This meal is fast, easy, and yummy!

In your soup pot sauté for 5 minutes:

2 T olive oil
1 medium onion

Then add:

2 cups chicken (I use the rotisserie chicken from the deli)
2 cans Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups frozen corn
4 oz can green chiles
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
3 cups chicken broth

Bring to a boil and lower heat to simmer for 20 minutes. The last 5 minutes add:

1 cup half and half
chopped cilantro
juice of 1 lime (or more!)

Serve with a slice of avocado, tortilla chips, shredded cheese and sour cream!

You could also dump this all into the crockpot and cook on low!

Pineapple Chicken

I had a wonderful friend bring me chicken and rice when I wasn't feeling well. I have been craving it ever since. I made something similar that I'm really happy with!  And it's super EASY!

In a crock pot place:


6 chicken breasts, cubed
1 bottle Lawry's 30 minute marinade Hawaiian  
1 can crushed pineapple

Cook on low for 6-8 hours

Serve over a bed of:


chopped lettuce
hot rice

Top with:


peas
mandarin oranges (I didn't have any on hand)

Slow Cooker Garlic Chicken

I like the texture of chicken that has been cooked on the bone. I think it tends to be a bit more moist. Here I have cooked 2 chickens. Each was 5, 1/2 lbs. I managed to get them both into my 7 quart crock pot. I let the meat fall off the bones and cool. Then I put 2 cups of chicken per ziploc baggie and throw them in the freezer. I include the dark meat, too. You can't tell when you use it in chicken crouissant sandwitches, enchiladas, or soups!

Have all your ingredients out and handy so it is a clean and quick process!

Clean and pat dry your chicken. I am assuming you are cooking just one.

Mix:

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp garlic salt

Rub your chicken with:

4 TBL room temp butter

Take 6 cloves of garlic and slide them between the skin and the breast meat. You may need to use a knife to get the slit started.

Cover the chicken in the salt rub you made earlier.

Place in crockpot. No added water! Cook on low for 10 hours.

If you cook 2 chickens then make up two separate rubs and use 12 cloves of garlic. Also cook it for about 11-12 hours. (I had to reset my timer for a couple hours and just kept an eye on the clock)

Shepherds Pie

This is one of the very few recipes I have that calls for cream of chicken and boxed stuffing, but it is goooood! This is a great way to use your left overs in the fridge. I hate heating up 6 different tupperwares after Thanksgiving. This makes an easy and yummy dish!

In a small mixing bowl mix:

2 cups cooked, shredded turkey or chicken
1 can cream of chicken

In a 9x13 baking dish layer:

turkey/soup mix
1 can green beans, drained
1 package chicken stuffing, prepared
2 cups mashed potatoes (REAL mashed potatoes)
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Roasted Lemon Pepper Chicken

Roasted chicken is something I love but have never been able to do very well. I always guess if the chicken is done and always under cook or over cook. I finally shelled out the $4 it cost for a meat thermometer and I don't think I can ever go back to cooking regular chicken breast without being disappointed. Hmmm, another challenge.  I placed the chicken on the top rack and the baked buttered carrots on the bottom rack.

Here is the chicken I bought. It was about 6 lbs. I rinsed it in the sink and then dried it with a paper towel. No guts or gizzards. Pretty clean. Then I slathered the chicken with cool butter -about 6 Tbl. Don't use oil. Why? Have you ever seen Julie and Julia?? Butter is better! I used my hands and got up under the skin.

Then I drenched the chicken in McCormicks Lemon Pepper.

Then, using regular string from my sewing kit, I wrapped the birds legs. Fold the wings under the bird. Really put some muscle into it and you can get them to fold.

Place in roasting pan breast side up!

Place pan in the oven at 375 for about 90 minutes. Baste the bird about 3 times throughout the 90 minutes. The first basting the bird didn't have any juices so I used chicken broth. I actually basted this one every 20 minutes. Then I ended up having to cook it for 2 hours because I kept letting the heat out.

The bird is done when the internal temp reaches 165 to 175.

Let the bird sit for 20 minutes while you make the gravy. I didn't end up with enough drippings for gravy. The problem is my roasting pan was way to large for my small bird. The drippings just evaporated.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

This is my all time favorite dinner in the hot summer months! Chicken Salad on croissants. I like to serve this with a berry smoothy and fresh strawberries on the side. I like that I can make this up the night before or the morning of. Leftovers are wonderful for lunches for the rest of the week.

In a bowl dump and mix:

4 cups cooked chicken (I use a whole rotisserie chicken from the Deli)
1 cup celery, chopped
1/3 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup mayo (I never use miracle whip)
pepper
3/4 cup sliced or slivered almonds

Cashew Chicken

In a large bowl mix:

2 T cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp worch...sauce

Now dump into the bowl:

2 very large chicken breast halves or 3 smaller ones, sliced into small thin strips

Now using tongs pick up the chicken pieces and fry them in a dutch oven style pan. I used 3 T butter. You may need to add more butter with each batch of chicken.

Once you have cooked up all the chicken and removed the pieces onto a clean plate you will have a bit of left over chicken sauce in the bowl. add to this:

2 T cornstarch
2 cups hot chicken broth

Add this to the dutch oven and bring to a boil. Stir constantly until thick. Add chicken back and:

1 cup cashews

serve over hot rice

Chicken Strips

This is an easy last minute dinner idea. My husband loves to dip these chicken strips in BBQ sauce. I like the honey mustard sauce. Cook up a big batch and then put the left overs in an airtight container. You will find that the left overs aren't good for dipping any more. The corn flakes get really soggy. But I found that if you cut up the left overs into small cubes they are excellent in my chicken pot pie. The soggy flakes actually help to thicken the sauce while cooking. By the time the pot pie is done cooking there is no trace of flakes left. Super yummy! Here is the link for my pot pie.

2 chicken breasts, cut into 6-8 short strips a piece. About 15 strips altogether

coat the chicken breasts in:

1/2 cup buttermilk

In a plastic bag or bowl dump:

2 c cornflakes
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Cover the buttermilk-soaked chicken in cornflake mix. Lay the chicken strips on a greased cookie sheet. I like to line mine with tin foil first. I like to take a few handfulls of cornflakes and make sure the chicken is really covered in flakes. Press the flakes down into the chicken.

Bake uncovered at 400 for 20 minutes

Serve with BBQ sauce or Honey mustard dip.
Honey mustard dip:

1/2 cup mayo
4 tsp Dijon mustard
2 T honey

Stove Top Enchiladas

I'll give you a break from all the sweets and offer something savory! This is a super easy meal. Especially if you are using left over chicken. In my case I just took out of the freezer a zip lock bag with pre-cooked chicken. You can also substitute chicken for pulled pork or ground beef or even left over pot roast, cut up real fine.

In a large saute pan or dutch oven style pot, dump:

2 cups shredded chicken, cooked
1 can cream of mushroom
large can enchilada sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
2 T chopped olives

Get the mixture simmering. While you are waiting for this to heat up start on your tortillas.

Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds:

about 10 corn tortillas on a plate

Fill each tortilla with shredded cheddar cheese. Then place in the simmering mixture, seam side down. Let simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve with lettuce. The lettuce is a must in my opinion. It adds a great crunch and gives a neutral to all the spices going on.

Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie is a great fall meal. It will use up your wonderful garden carrots!


Dump into a greased 9x13:

4 cups shredded cooked chicken (or left over turkey)
1 cup peas frozen
2 potatoes, cooked and diced
3 carrots, cooked and diced

Now for the Sauce!

Saute in a large pot:

4 T butter
1 small onion

After about 4 minutes whisk in quickly:

1/2 cup flour
4 cups chicken stock

Whisk this until hot, bubbly and thick.

Take sauce off stove and add:

1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Now poor sauce over your vegies in the 9x13 pan.


For the biscuit topping

mix in a bowl:

2 cups flour
2 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1 tsp salt

cut into the flour mixture:

6 T shortening

Now add and mix quickly:

1 cup milk

Spoon biscuit batter over your soup mixture. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes

Chicken Enchiladas

Fall is here and I have less natural light flowing into my kitchen. I'm afraid my pictures are getting a bit darker. If only I had a professional camera...'sigh'...oh well. We will manage!

Ok, here is a great recipe for fall. I like to be real organized with this recipe so it runs like an assembly line. Have all your cheese grated, chicken cooked and cut up, sour cream measured and ready to go and lots of room to work with.

Butter 10 tortillas with refried beans.
Dip each buttered tortilla into a pie dish filled with a large can of enchilada sauce.
Fill the wet tortilla with a hand full of cooked shredded chicken and cheddar cheese.
Roll up the tortilla and place seem side down into greased 9x13 pan.

When you are done assembling your tortillas you will have leftover sauce in your pie dish. whisk 1/2 cup sour cream into the pie dish with the sauce. Then drizzle this over the enchiladas. Top with cheddar cheese.

Cover with foil and bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Remove the tin foil and cook for another 5 minutes.

Creamy Chicken and Potato Soup

We have had upset stomachs this weekend. I whipped up this recipe for dinner using what I had in the pantry and freezer. It really hit the spot and settled the tummy ;)

In a large pot bring to a boil:

5 cups chicken broth (or water with chicken bouillon)

Once the water is boiling throw in:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut up (I keep cooked shredded chicken in the freezer in zip lock baggies)

While the chicken is simmering (mine were frozen) cut up the following:

3 potatoes (I used russet. I never peel my potatoes. Just clean 'em and cut 'em)

Throw the potatoes into the chicken and water. Simmer for 10 minutes

While the potatoes are cooking saute the following:

1/2 cup onion
2 T butter

After potatoes have cooked for 10 minutes throw in the cooked onions along with:

1 cup frozen mixed veggie
1/2 cup cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Let simmer on low for 2 minutes. Serve!

Honey-Lime Chicken

Honey-Lime Chicken

Melt 2 T butter in baking dish.

Place 1, 1/2 lbs chicken strips in dish over butter.

In a bowl mix the following:

3 T garlic, minced
1/3 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup lime juice
2 TB soy sauce
1 tsp lime zest

Pour over the chicken. Top with sliced red onions. Bake uncovered at 350 for 30 minutes. Cook longer if your chicken is extra thick.

When the chicken is done cooking remove chicken. Pour juices into sauce pan with 1/3 cup water and 2 TB cornstarch. Cook until simmering and thick.

Serve chicken and sauce over hot buttered rice.

Summer Meal

Summer is a hard season for me. I never seem to get full! Here is something easy to whip up for the kiddos. It's nothing you haven't done before. It just helps sometimes to jog your memory for summer meal ideas!

For the chicken fingers I cut 4 large chicken breasts into small strips. Then I dipped them in ranch salad dressing. Then I dredged them in bread crumbs. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes uncovered.

For the vegies I cut up my homegrown zucchini and sauteed them in olive oil along with some frozen vegies.

The kiddos enjoyed dipping the chicken fingers in BBQ sauce!