Collin's Mexican Chicken

I got this recipe from a friend I used to work with.  Definitely my favorite mexican chicken recipe!


INGREDIENTS

1 lb chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 bag Nacho Cheese Doritos, crushed
1 lb Velveeta, cut into small squares
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Ro-Tel


DIRECTIONS

Combine chicken, Velveeta, soups, Ro-Tel and 2/3 of the Dorita crumbs.  Spread in greased 9x13 pan.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Spread top with remaining Dorito crumbs and bake another 5-10 minutes.  Enjoy!

Tammy's Teriyaki Chicken

We have made this several times since we got it in our freezer meal exchange.  So good!


INGREDIENTS

1/2 c soy sauce
1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c lime juice
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1-2 cloves garlic (minced)
3/4 c apple juice
2 green onions (chopped)
1 1/2 - 2 lbs chicken (thighs or breasts)


DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients together & then marinate chicken overnight (if possible).

Cook the chicken.  Grilling will give the best results.  You could also bake it at 350 for about 20 minutes or cook in Crock Pot for 4-5 hours on high.

Cook the remaining marinade on the stove top over medium heat until it boils and reduces.  DON'T over cook!!

Serve over cooked rice with steamed/sauteed veggies.  Makes super yummy rice bowls!

Chicken sausage and spinach penne alfredo

Holy yumminess!! Got this recipe out of a Weight Watchers cookbook magazine and it's yummy! As usual, I made a few changes to sub for things I didn't have/like. I'll note those changes in the recipe. This makes six 1-cup servings with 387 calories each. (Of course there may be some changes with brands they tested but it's close...under 500, which is what we're going for).


INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cup uncooked multigrain penne pasta (I used whole wheat linguine)
1 6-oz pkg fresh baby spinach
3 2.75-oz chicken sausage, sliced (there are lots of flavors...I used an italian one with mozzarella)
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 8-oz pkg sliced cremini mushrooms (I don't like mushrooms and didn't have bell pepper, so I used about 2 cups chopped broccoli florets)
1 10-oz jar light Alfredo sauce (I made my own because I'm cheap!)
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 tsp black pepper
Cooking spray


DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, cover and set aside.

While pasta cooks, heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Saute sausage about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add peppers and mushrooms (or broccoli) and saute about five more minutes. Add spinach and cook just until wilted. Add alfredo sauce and cook just until heated through. Remove from heat.

Stir in pasta and Parmesan cheese, sprinkle with black pepper.

White bean chicken chili

I got this recipe from one of my bffs and we love it!!! Here's my take on her recipe.  **If I'm in a Crockpot mood,  I put everything but the cheese and sour cream in the Crockpot until the chicken is done.   Shred chicken, then continue with recipe.


INGREDIENTS

3-5 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1-2 Tbsp garlic, minced
2 (4 oz) cans diced green chiles
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
3 (15 oz) cans white beans, drained and rinsed (I prefer canellini/white kidney)
4-6 cups chicken broth
3-4 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
Sour cream


DIRECTIONS

Cook and shred chicken (I boil it with some bouillon in the water. Save that for your broth.)

In large pot, heat oil. Saute onion, garlic, chiles and seasonings till onions are soft.

Add shredded chicken, broth and beans. Simmer 30 minutes, till heated through.

Just before serving, stir in shredded cheese to melt.

Serve with sour cream, if desired.

Sarah's California Club pasta salad

Tonight was our Relief Society activity - my first one as Enrichment leader. It was a great night, everyone seemed to really enjoy it. We had dinner - salads and desserts. I chose to take a pasta salad and went to one of my new favorite food bloggers for ideas. I'd made one of her yummy pasta salads before, for a Christmas activity at church. It got rave reviews, so I knew she was a trusted source. :) I wanted to change it up a bit for this activity and this recipe caught my eye. I loooove avocados, so I knew it was a good start. I'm not crazy about sprouts and was almost out of Italian seasoning. So, here's my version of this salad - as close as I can get, anyway. (I'm terrible about following recipes for things like this)


INGREDIENTS

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup (or a bit more) Ranch dressing
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 - 1 lb chicken breast, cooked and cubed (I used Italian seasoning on mine when I grilled it)
1/2 lb grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 lb pasta, cooked, rinsed in cold water and drained
1/2 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled (I used closer to 1 lb...can't have too much bacon)
1-2 avocados, peeled and diced


DIRECTIONS

Combine mayo, sour cream, ranch, salt and pepper.

Put chicken, tomatoes, and pasta in large bowl. Toss with mayo mixture to coat. Refrigerate until serving, at least two hours to let flavors mingle. :)

Just before serving, stir in bacon and avocado.

Enjoy!! Yuuummmmy.......

Ranch Chicken & Bacon Pasta Salad

Holy cow, yumminess. I made this last night for our ward Christmas party at church - first time making it. I almost didn't need to clean the bowl, it had been scraped so empty! :) So apparently I wasn't the only one who thought it was wonderful!! Not to brag on my cooking - I'm not the one that came up with the recipe. I found it on one of my new favorite food blogs; she has tons of yummy recipes! You should definitely try this one out!!


INGREDIENTS

1 c. mayonnaise (I used light)
1 c. Ranch salad dressing
2 c. frozen sweet peas, thawed and drained (You could use other veggies, but the peas were good!)
1/2 lb. chicken breast, cooked and cubed/shredded (I cook mine with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder
1/2 lb. diced and cooked bacon
1 lb. pasta of your choice, cooked and rinsed with cold water
1 c. shredded cheese (I used Mozzarella and Swiss)
Salt and pepper, to taste


DIRECTIONS

Combine the mayo and Ranch. Pour over the other ingredients and stir to combine.

I say refrigerate it for a few hours before serving to let the flavors blend. Mmmmm.....

Chicken Chow Mein

I found this recipe in one of my Parents magazines a few months back. They had an article on what famous, international chefs fed their kids; this recipe was from Ming Tsai. As with anything I cook, I never follow recipes exactly. So here's my version. :)


INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 pkg chow mein noodles (found in Asian aisle at Wal-Mart)
Canola oil
1 Tbsp. chopped ginger (I use 1 1/2 Tbsp pre-chopped, bottled ginger/garlic mix)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 bunch scallions/green onions, sliced 1/8-in thick, white and green parts separated
3 cups packed spinach
Salt and pepper, to taste


DIRECTIONS

Mix cornstarch and soy sauce in a bowl. Add chicken; marinate for 5 minutes.

Prepare noodles according to package directions. Rinse under cold water after draining. Set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 2 Tbsp. oil on high in a large pan. Stir-fry chicken until almost cooked through, about 6 minutes; remove. Add 1/2 Tbsp. more oil to pan; stir-fry ginger, scallion whites, and garlic until oil is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the noodles, chicken, and spinach and stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. (If it starts to look a little dry, add a bit more oil).

Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with scallion greens if desired.

McAlister's Chicken Tortilla soup

I LOVE McAlister's Deli. Zac doesn't feel quite the same way -- but that's ok. :) He said this soup was "awesome." I didn't think it was quite a perfect copycat recipe - a little more tomato and less cheesy than I remember McAlister's being. It's still really good...but I'll be playing with the recipe a little bit.


INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, minced
2 Tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried oregano
1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 (28 oz) can low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp water, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded/cubed
2 cups tortilla chips
1 bunch green onions, sliced


DIRECTIONS

In a medium stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; saute until soft.

Stir in chili powder, oregano, tomatoes and their liquid, chicken broth and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water.

Stir together cornstarch and remaining 1/4 cup water; stir into stockpot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until broth is slightly thickened.

Stir in chiles, cheese, cilantro and cooked chicken. Stir until cheese melts, then let simmer for 10 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls; serve chips on the side (or crumble a few chips over each bowl of soup). Garnish with chopped green onions.

Dorito salad

I don't know the technical name for this, but it's REALLY good. My friend Kristina made it for another friend's bachelorette party - it's yummy!!! It's kind of a loose recipe, as most of mine are. I never buy the already cooked chicken, I just cook/cut up a couple of chicken breasts.


INGREDIENTS

1 bag of lettuce - any kind

Chicken breast, cooked and chopped (Can use pre-cooked grilled Tyson chicken strips/fajita strips-not frozen)

1 bag of cheese (I use Co-Jack)

1-2 cans of Ranch Style Beans, drained and rinsed

1 bag Nacho Cheese Doritos (slightly crushed)

Catalina dressing

DIRECTIONS

In large bowl, mix lettuce, chicken, cheese and beans.

Just before serving, add Doritos and dressing. Use just enough dressing to cover, not soak the salad. Enjoy!

Corkscrews with chicken and zucchini

Another yummy recipe from Cheap. Fast. Good. that we made for dinner tonight. I used frozen zucchini because it's what I had - but I totally recommend fresh, I think it would turn out better. I also used a small can of diced tomatoes because I didn't have fresh - that worked, but fresh tomatoes might give it a little brighter taste.


INGREDIENTS

8 oz rotini or other short pasta
1 lb chicken breast, chopped into bite sized pieces
2 tsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
8 oz fresh button mushrooms (I didn't use these)
2 cloves fresh garlic, chopped or 2 tsp jarred minced
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
2 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/4" thick rounds
1 medium tomato, cored and chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup shredded or grated Parmesan cheese (I used the kind in a can)


DIRECTIONS

Cook pasta in salted water until just tender. Drain and put back into pot. Stir tomatoes into pasta, cover and set aside.

Heat oil in an extra-deep 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and let cook 2-3 minutes. Add chicken, mushrooms, garlic, Italian seasoning and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally until chicken browns and is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

When chicken is cooked and zucchini is crisp-tender, remove skillet from heat. Combine with tomato/pasta mix and Parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese melts.


NOTE: The cookbook mentions that broccoli would be a good substitute for zucchini.

Mexi-chicken skillet

Zac's sister, Kirsten, is staying with us for a few weeks (YEA!) and helping out. She's gotten into cooking lately and so she made dinner the other night. I plan menus for the week, so she made that day's recipe. It was goooood!! Since it was just us and Abby, we had too much left over; you could half the recipe (except the rice, maybe) and easily have enough for four people. I got this recipe from Cheap. Fast. Good., a cookbook I borrowed from the library. You will be seeing more recipes from it in the next few days! Oh, and I can't take credit for the picture - I borrowed it from $5 Dinners.


INGREDIENTS

1 jar (26 oz) chunky salsa, whatever spiciness you like
1 1/3 cups long grain rice
1 lb chicken breast, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove fresh garlic, chopped or 1 tsp jarred minced garlic
2 cans (11 oz each) Mexi-corn, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
Sour cream, for serving
Shredded cheddar cheese, for serving


DIRECTIONS

Combine 2 2/3 cups water with 1/2 cup of the salsa in a covered pot and bring to boil. Add the rice, stir and reduce heat to low. Cover pan and simmer about 20 minutes, until rice is tender.

Heat oil in an extra-deep 12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic. After onion has begun to soften, add chicken breast and cook, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper as desired.

Once chicken has begun to brown, add the corn, beans and remaining salsa to the skillet. Stir to coat chicken and vegetables with salsa. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through.

To serve, spoon chicken mixture over a bed of hot rice. Top with cheese and sour cream as desired.

Roasted Chicken

Awhile back, I saw Cristina Ferrare on Oprah. She was doing some money saving recipes by showing a recipe for roasted chicken that could be used in multiple recipes. I did the roasted chicken recipe and it turned out to be pretty yummy. I didn't make all of her other recipes (not yet, anyway!) but I was pretty pleased with the chicken. As she suggested, I did two chickens because it goes with my cooking philosphy: If I'm making something time consuming (lasagna, etc.) I might as well make two and have leftovers! If you didn't want to do the whole chicken thing, I think this would also work well with split chicken breasts, then you could pull the meat off those....try it out!


INGREDIENTS

2 whole chickens, about 5 lbs each
6 lemons
A poultry herb mix (I used dried poultry seasoning - Cristine suggests fresh herbs, including rosemary, sage, thyme, parsley and oregano)
1 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup lemon juice (from the lemons - save the rinds!)


DIRECTIONS

Rinse chickens well and pat dry. Remove any inside stuff that might be left. Place each chicken in its own baking dish.

Stuff cavities with lemon rinds and herbs. If using dried herbs, sprinkle liberally inside.

Pour marinade over chickens and rub it in. Top with black pepper and remaining herbs.

Cover with foil and bake in preheated 425° oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove foil and bake until internal temperature registers 180° and juices are clear.

Isn't it pretty? :)

Homemade chicken pot pie

I got this recipe from a lady at church's blog and adapted it a little. She adapted it from a Better Homes & Gardens recipe. It's yuuuuuummmmy!!! This was my first time making a totally from scratch pot pie and we were all very pleased with the results!!


Chicken Pot Pie

INGREDIENTS

Pastry for 2 pie crusts (recipe below)
1-2 small potatoes, cubed (optional, but recommended)
10 oz. frozen mixed veggies (or the equivalent of fresh veggies)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp pepper
2 cup chicken broth
3/4 cup milk
3 cup cooked chicken, cubed (2 boneless chicken breasts)
1 Tbsp dried parsley


DIRECTIONS

Prepare pastry for double crust pie; chill in refrigerator.

Cook veggies to fork tender. If frozen, microwave to thawed. For the potato and any other fresh veggies, cook till fork tender (saute, microwave, boil, whatever).

In a medium saucepan, cook onion and butter till onion is tender.

Stir in flour, salt, thyme and pepper. Add chicken broth and milk all at once. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly.

Stir in drained veggies, chicken, and parsley. Cook till bubbly.

Assemble 1 pie crust in a 2 qt. pie pan or baking dish.

Pour mixture onto pie crust. Place 2nd pie crust on top and flute edges of pastry and cut slits in top for steam. Brush top crust with melted butter.

Bake at 450° oven for 12-15 minute or till golden.



Pie Crust Double

INGREDIENTS

2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
6-7 Tbsp ice cold water


DIRECTIONS

Stir together flour and salt.

Using a pastry blender or food processor, cut in shortening till pieces are pea-sized.

Pastry blender:
Sprinkle 1 T. of water over part of the mixture; gently toss with a fork.
Push moistened dough to side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 T. of water at a time, till dough is moistened.

Food Processor:
Turn on to low setting.
Through feed tube, add water until pastry forms a ball. Turn off immediately.

Divide dough in half. Form each half into a ball.

Flatten into a 6" disc and wrap in plastic wrap.

Put dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to chill. (At least an hour would be better)

On a lightly floured surface, dust the top of the dough and rolling pin with flour. Roll from center to edges into a 12" circle.

To transfer pastry, wrap it round the rolling pin; unroll into a 9" pie plate, being careful not to stretch pastry. With a table knife, trim pastry even with pie plate.

Put filling in pie crust.

Roll remaining dough into a 12" circle. Cut slits in the center to allow steam to escape while baking.

Place pastry on top of filling; trim to 1/2" beyond edge of plate. Fold top pastry under edge of bottom pastry and slightly flatten. Crimp edge of pastry as desired. Brush top with melted butter or egg wash.

Bake as directed in the individual recipe. Cover crust edge with foil during last 10 minutes to prevent over browning.

Lori's Wine Sauce Chicken

Lori made this scrumptious dish for us one night at her house - back when we all lived in Arkansas. hehe She serves it over rice, but it would also be yummy over noodles. It calls for white wine - I keep a bottle of white cooking wine and marsala cooking wine that I use for few different recipes.

INGREDIENTS

6 boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups sauteed mushrooms
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS

Place the butter or margarine in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place the chicken pieces on top and add the sauteed mushrooms.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine and heat the soup, milk, Cheddar cheese and garlic powder. Remove from heat and add the white wine and mayonnaise.

Pour mixture over the chicken and mushrooms. Top with slivered almonds and grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Serve over cooked rice or noodles.

Cashew chicken

My friend Lori made this for me after I had Abby. I was able to figure out most of the ingredients and made it several times after. Zac had to tell me not to make it again for a long time, if that tells you how many times I made it...

And so I am copying her blog post with the recipe. I don't use bean sprouts, because they kind of freak me out. And I'm lazy, so I usually use spices instead of celery and onion. But what she brought me was amazing, so following the recipe would definitely not hurt. Although part of cooking is making things to fit your taste and your style. So....make some cashew chicken!!

Mom's Cashew Chicken

1 chicken (I use chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken)
12 oz can of bean sprouts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
large can (or 2/3 of a bag) chow mein noodles
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. milk
1/4 lb salted cashews
1/2 c. chopped onions

1. Set aside some chow mein noodles (about 1/3 of what you're using). Mix all ingredients together in a medium to large bowl.
2. Spoon ingredients from bowl into a greased casserole dish. Top with the remaining chow mein noodles. Don't worry if they don't fully cover the dish.
3. Bake uncovered for 1 hr at 350 degrees

World-famous green chile enchiladas

I came up with this recipe a couple of years ago when I needed to use up some pantry ingredients. They freeze well and, in my experience, make a great meal to take to new moms or other people who need dinner. Amounts will differ, depending on the size of your pan(s). But here are the basics for a 9x13 pan:

INGREDIENTS

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed/shredded (I cook mine with salt, pepper, and garlic powder)
Taco seasoning
2 cans green chile enchilada sauce
1 can cheddar cheese soup
Flour tortillas
Shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS

In a medium mixing bowl, toss chicken with a liberal amount of taco seasoning to coat. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine the enchilada sauce with the cheddar soup. Add enough of this to the chicken so that it holds together. Set aside the remaining sauce mix.

Lightly fill the tortillas with the chicken mixture. Line up in greased 9x13 pan, seam side down, until pan is full.

Pour the remaining sauce mix over enchiladas, spreading out to cover ends of tortillas. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Bake in a 350° oven for 20-30 minutes, until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbly.

Enjoy. Yum!