Fajita Chicken Bake

 Fajita Chicken Bake

(Serves 4)

Threw this together in a pinch one night when I had forgotten to go grocery shopping and had minimal ingredients on hand. I've paired it with white rice or Mexican rice, a simple salad and/or corn on the cob. I also like to add crumbled pepper jack cheese on top of mine (after the peppers) to give it an added kick. Choose whatever bell pepper colors you'd like. Publix usually has a tri-color pack for $5. 

Ingredients: 

1 tbsp olive oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (use 4 thin or 2 large, sliced in half for thinness)

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp paprika

3 small bell peppers, thinly sliced 

1 cup pepper jack cheese, torn (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease the bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish. 

2. Mix spices in a small bowl until combined. 

3. Add chicken breasts to dish. Sprinkle half of spice mix over.

4. Top chicken with sliced bell peppers. Be sure to not put more than one layer bell peppers on top as chicken will not cook thoroughly through. 

5. Sprinkle remaining spice mix over the peppers. 

6. Top with torn pepper jack cheese, if using. 

7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in middle.  

Chicken Marsala

 Chicken Marsala

(4 servings)

I cannot begin to rave about this incredible dish enough! It is by far my absolute favorite and nothing I've ever had to consume in life comes close to it's indulgence. I serve mine as pictured above, with mashed potatoes and asparagus. I air fry my asparagus after tossing it in mushroom olive oil, salt and pepper. My go-to instant pot mashed potatoes can be found in my cooking blog and taste even better with some leftover mushroom gravy added on top. In Italy, this dish is typically served over pasta, such as egg noodles. My largest decree is do not skimp on the Marsala wine. I've heard of various people substituting chicken broth instead. I've tried that version myself and it definitely omits the flavor intended.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups dry Marsala wine (in store, it's with oils)

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved and pounded to even thickness (I've bought thin before to save time)

salt and pepper

1/3 cup all purpose flour

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

8oz sliced white mushrooms

1 tbsp garlic cloves (3 cloves)

1 tsp oregano

1 1/2 tsp cornstarch whisked with 1 tbsp chicken broth or water (in small bowl)

1/3 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp parsley

Directions:

1. Add Marsala wine and chicken broth to a medium saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and allow to gently boil until reduced to 1 cup (about 15 minutes). 

2. Meanwhile, season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour.     

3. Melt 1 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and let sear until cooked through, turning one time halfway through (about 10-12 minutes).

4. Transfer chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. 

5. In same skillet, melt remaining 1 tbsp butter with 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms and stir to coat. 

6. Saute mushrooms, just stirring occasionally until slightly until shrunk and golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add garlic during last 1 minute of sauteing.

7. Remove pan from heat then pour in Marsala reduction, thyme and oregano. 

8. Return to heat, bring to a simmer then stir in cornstarch chicken broth mixture. Continue stirring until thickened. 

9. Turn off heat and stir in heavy cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add chicken breasts to pan and ladle sauce on top. Sprinkle parsley over top and serve immediately. 

Tuscan Chicken Pasta

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Though today, my husband will be grilling for me and our kiddos, I thought I'd share with you one of my favorite pasta dishes. I LOVE pasta way more than I know I should! Sometimes I'm convinced I'm part Italian even though I know it's not true. This is also one of those dishes I love cooking with my kids because it's substantially easy to make for a novice kid cook.

Tuscan Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

2 cups frozen spinach 

1/2 chopped onion

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried basil

2 (14.5oz) cans diced tomatoes, drained

2 cups chicken broth

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1/2 cup half & half

3 tbsp all purpose flour

16oz box penne pasta

parmesan cheese, to garnish

1.) Place oil, garlic, spinach and onion in a dutch oven or large pot. Simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes. 

2.) Meanwhile, fill a large pot with salted water then cook pasta until al-dente, about 12 minutes. 

3.) Add oregano, thyme, pepper, salt, basil, diced tomatoes and chicken broth to the dutch oven. Allow mixture to come to boil, then stir. Add chicken then stir. 

4.) In small bowl, whisk flour and half & half together, making sure there are no clumps. Stir flour mixture into sauce until well combined. 

5.) Drain pasta and add to sauce and stir. Garnish with parmesan cheese and serve. 

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts

Baked chicken is a favorite in our house! So many ways it can be cooked and generally, rather quick to whip up and stick in the oven and have a fabulous meal in not too much time! Plus, little prep work on my end! Crowd pleaser right here! I serve mine with Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes (recipe in a different post) and steamed broccoli.  

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast

1 egg

1 tbsp water

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

4 tbsp melted butter

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9 baking pan with aluminum foil.

2.) Cut each chicken breast in half.

3.) Beat egg and water in a shallow bowl. Add garlic, salt and pepper and whisk to combine. 

4.) Place parmesan in a separate shallow bowl. 

5.) Dip each piece of chicken in egg mixture making sure to coat. Allow excess egg to drip off. 

6.) Place in parmesan. Gently press, then turn and repeat on other side. Shake off excess. Repeat with remaining chicken. 

7.) Place chicken in prepared baking dish. Pour melted butter over top.

8.) Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes then crank oven up to 375 degrees and continue baking for another 25 minutes. Chicken should be slightly golden when done. 

Easy Baked Chicken Breasts

These are by far my absolute favorite baked chicken breasts! Full of flavor, relatively quick and super easy to put together! My picky eater's fave! Be sure and follow ALL the 5-steps! It truly does make a HUGE difference!!

Easy Baked Chicken Breasts (4 servings)

 

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to even thickness and brined in saltwater (see below)

1 tbsp melted butter or olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp paprika

5-steps:

1. Brine 

2. Brush

3. Rub

4. Roast

5. Rest

1. BRINE-

    Fill a big bowl with lukewarm water. Stir in a handful of salt until it mostly dissolves. Add chicken breasts and let sit in saltwater for 15 minutes. Afterwards, remove chicken and give a good rinse under cold water then pat dry with some paper towels. Add chicken to 13x9 baking pan. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 

2. BRUSH-

    your chicken with melted butter.

3. RUB-

    seasonings on chicken.

4. ROAST-

    15-18 minutes at 450 degrees. 

5. REST-

    5-10 minutes before cutting into it to keep in the juices and tenderness.

Crunchy Southwest Chicken Wrap

My eight year old son helped me whip these up one night recently! VERY kid friendly dish to create together! No cooking required if you already have chopped, cooked chicken on hand. Also, canned chicken works wonderfully too but I would suggest nook it in the microwave for about 5 minutes in a bowl to warm it up beforehand.

Crunchy Southwest Chicken Wrap



3/4 cup light sour cream
3/4 cup salsa
1 1/2tbsp taco seasoning

4 large tortillas (burrito size)
1/3 cup shredded lettuce
1/2 cup tomato, diced
1 whole avocado, diced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 cup cooked chicken, shredded
1 cup fritos, crushed

1.) In a bowl, mix together sour cream, salsa and taco seasoning until well blended.

2.) Lay a tortilla flat on a cutting board. Spread 1 heaping tablespoon of sauce over the bottom half of the tortilla, leaving an inch border on each side.

3.) Sprinkle lettuce, tomato, avocado, cheese and chicken over the sauce. Add crushed Fritos on top. Drizzle 1 tbsp sauce on top.

4.) Fold in sides and roll tightly. Poke toothpick through to hold on each side before slicing in half. Repeat with remaining wraps.

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

This is one of my husband's faves! It's simple and delish! The kid likes it as well except that due to the Rotel, he can only manage to consume so much. But he DOES try!

Crockpot Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

1 lb Kraft Velveeta Pasteurized Processed Cheese Product
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken)
2 cans (10.75 oz each) cream of chicken soup, undiluted
10oz can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
1/2 cup water
1 small onion, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
14.5oz cooked spaghetti

1. Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Combine all in ingredients in slow cooker and stir to mix well.

3. Cook on LOW for 2-3 hours. Stir again just before serving.

Sesame Chicken and Fried Rice

Made this for supper last night and even though I'd already made it before, seems it tasted even better the second time around! I added a tad bit more honey to it this time. Made homemade fried rice to go along with it as well! Recipe for that follows alongside the Sesame Chicken as well. You will probably be as amazed as my husband, three year old son and I were at how much better it is than any Chinese restaurant out there! And makes SO much rice! Prepare for there to be leftovers!

Crockpot Sesame Chicken

1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp. dried onion
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 3 tbsp. water
sesame seeds

1. Put chicken into crockpot.

2. Combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil and garlic. Pour over chicken.

3. Cook on low 3-4 hours or on high 1.5-2.5 hours, or just until chicken is cooked through.

4. Remove chicken from crockpot, leave sauce.

5. Dissolve 2 tsp of cornstarch in 3 tbsp. water and pour into crockpot. Stir to combine with sauce. Replace lid and cook sauce on high for ten more minutes or until slightly thickened.

6. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and return to crockpot. Can leave chicken in and simmer on low or serve.

7. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve over rice. (Recipe below picture)

Fried Rice

3 cups cooked white rice
3 tbsp. sesame oil
1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup soy sauce

1. On medium-high heat, heat the oil in large skillet or wok.

2. Add the peas & carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium-low and push the mixture off to one side. Then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled.

3. Add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated.

Tuesdays Have Become My Mondays (and White Chicken Enchiladas recipe)

Don't know why it is that my Tuesdays have become far too hectic for an already crazy mom of two but they have! I love every opportunity to get out of the house with the kids because we so easily get "cabin-fever" around here. We're just the up-out-and-about type, I suppose. So, that all being said, I realize it's entirely my fault that our third day of the week is nuts but hey--I wasn't complaining. Just pointing out a fact :)  
  
Tonight, WE are having leftover meatloaf with other fixins and Sister Shubert rolls. Just about everything I cook is homemade. When Luke (my almost 3 yr old and the oldest) started eating real people food (not the icky pureed stuff--bleh), he became the typical toddler and became a picky eater. But not in the norm as most kids in that he did NOT like pizza, or mac n' cheese, or mashed potatoes or chicken. Spaghetti was pretty much all he liked to eat. Still is his favorite but now he does eat every single one of those including MUCH more: chicken enchiladas, meatloaf, chili, blackened fish, chicken spaghetti, potato soup and gobs more! But the kicker is, I don't buy store bought mac n' cheese or potato flakes or the already made enchilada sauce. I buy all the ingredients necessary to cook the meals from scratch. And boy does he LOVE it! Can't express how happy it makes me to know I can cook something and NOT have to force my child to eat it or he goes to bed hungry. Now, Luke isn't by any means perfect with his eating, though. I still have the worse time getting him to eat most greens. But I also have that problem with my husband :/

Last night, for the second time of trying it out, I cooked the most amazing chicken enchiladas I have ever tasted! Pretty simple to make and like I said, my 3 yr old LOVES them! Also made some homemade Mexican rice with them which turned out pretty good but I'm not entirely convinced on it so it's back to the drawing board for figuring out something better!

White Chicken Enchiladas

10 soft taco shells
2 cups cooked shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4oz) can diced green chilies

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9"x13" baking dish.
2. Mix chicken and 1 cup shredded cheese. Roll up in tortillas and place in pan.
3. In a sauce pan, melt butter, stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Add broth and whisk until smooth. Heat over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
4. Stir in sour cream and chilies. Do not bring to boil, you don't want curdled sour cream.
5. Pour over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
6. Bake 22 minutes and then under high broil for 3 minutes to brown the cheese.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

When it comes to a great, full of flavor main dish, this is my absolute FAVORITE recipe! Serve with steamed broccoli and rice and you're good to go. WAY better than anything store bought and I, personally, think it's much better than anything I've ever eaten at a restaurant. Give it a try and see if you agree :)

Chicken Cordon Bleu

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
12 slices deli honey ham
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 lbs sliced Swiss cheese, thin

Parmesan Dijon Cream Sauce

2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup milk
1 chicken bouillon cube, crushed
1/2 tsp Worchestire sauce
parsley

Coat 9"x13" baking dish w/ non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, combine bread crumbs and 2 tbsp. butter; set aside. Lay all chicken breast halves in a single layer in the bottom of the baking dish. Top each breast with 2 slices of ham and 2 slices of swiss cheese, covering entire breast. Sprinkle bread crumbs over top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until juices are clear.

For Sauce:

Melt 2tbsp butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in milk while whisking constantly (no clumps). Stir in bouillon. Whisk constantly until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in Worchestire sauce, mustard and parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Spoon some sauce on top of each cooked breast when serving.