Casseroles · Poultry · Vegetables

Tuscan Chicken and Spaghetti Squash

Tuscan Chicken and Spaghetti Squash was an easy dish to put together and used things I had on hand. I thought the flavor was very good but a little too rich for me. Next time, I would either use half and half or substitute half of the cream with chicken broth. My spaghetti squash have produced well and I’m always looking for new dishes to try!

Tuscan Chicken and Spaghetti Squash

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 medium spaghetti squash
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken (cut into bite size pieces)
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 shallot (minced)
  • 2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil, drained, julienne cut)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
  • 3 ounces baby spinach
  • fresh parsley (optional, garnish)
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Carefully pierce the spaghetti squash into the center with a knife several times. Place on a microwave-safe plate and cook on high for 8-12 minutes or until tender. Let cool while you prepare the chicken.
  2. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.
  3. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it’s no longer pink in the center, about 7 minutes.
  4. Remove the chicken from the pan, place on a plate and tent with aluminum foil to keep warm.
  5. Add the remaining butter to the pan along with the garlic and shallot. Cook 1-2 minutes or until they just start to soften.
  6. Mix in the sun-dried tomatoes and cook an additional minute.2 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes
  7. Pour in the heavy cream and cook until hot and bubbly, about 1-2 minutes.
  8. Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and spinach. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices back to the pan.
  9. Once the squash is cool, cut it in half length-wise, remove the seeds and scrap out the strands with a fork.
  10. Stir the squash into the cream sauce until evenly coated.
  11. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.

Recipe from DeliciousLittleBites

Poultry · Salads

Grilled Chicken Salad: 2 Ways

Grilled Chicken Salad is an easy summer meal and so good. The first picture below shows the recipe made as instructed using the Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette. I have to admit it wasn’t my favorite. I made a second salad the next day with a BBQ ranch dressing and cutting back on the red onions and greatly preferred the second salad. You can serve the large salad and offer 2 or more dressings.

Grilled Chicken Salad: 2 Ways

INGREDIENTS:
  • 5 oz lettuce, any kind
  • 2 chicken breasts, ~1lb, pounded to an even thickness
  • 1/4 cup prepared pesto, see notes
  • 2 ears sweet corn
  • 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • For the Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette:
    • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
    • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
    • 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 Tablespoon honey
    • salt and pepper
  • For the BBQ Ranch Dressing:
    • 1/3 cup BBQ sauce
    • 1/3 cup ranch dressing or dip
DIRECTIONS:
  1. For the Honey-Dijon Vinaigrette:
    • Add all ingredients into a jar with a tight fitting lid then shake to combine. Can be made ahead of time.
  2. For the BBQ Ranch Dressing:
    • Combine the BBQ sauce and ranch dressing/dip together. Store until ready for use.
  3. For the Grilled Chicken Salad:
    • Preheat grill to 400 degrees (medium-high for a gas grill). Meanwhile, add chicken breasts, pesto, and a big pinch of salt to a Ziplock bag then squish to coat. Allow chicken to marinate while grill is preheating.
    • Once grill is hot, spray both sides of each chicken breast with nonstick spray then grill for 3-4 minutes a side or until cooked through. Remove to a cutting board then let rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing. Add sweet corn cobs to the grill at the same time as the chicken then grill, rotating often, until kernels are softened and slightly charred, 8-10 minutes total. Slice kernels off the cob.
    • Arrange lettuce on a platter (or on plates/in bowls) then arrange grilled chicken, corn, tomatoes, red onion, and avocado on top. Drizzle with prepared vinaigrette (or other dressing) then serve.

Recipe from IowaGirlEats

Asian Dishes · Poultry

Baked Thai Peanut Chicken

My love of Thai food leads me to new Thai recipes. This Baked Thai Peanut Chicken is so easy and so quick, it could easily be in a weekday rotation. While the chicken was baking, I steamed the black rice with a vegetable basket of broccoli and squash. Voila! In 30 cooking minutes, dinner was done. I was so hungry, I forgot to add the sprinkle of cilantro and chopped peanuts.

Baked Thai Peanut Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
  • 5 chicken thighs , boneless skinless
  • 1/2 can coconut milk , 7 ounces1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce , low-sodium
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 3 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger , minced
  • cilantro , for garnish
  • chopped peanuts, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. In a large bowl mix the chicken, coconut milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, rice wine vinegar, lime juice, sesame oil, garlic and ginger.
  3. Place the chicken, smooth side down into your baking dish.
  4. Pour the sauce over it.
  5. Cook for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through (to 165 degrees F).
  6. Optional: Add diced cilantro and chopped peanuts to the top of the baked chicken.

Recipe from DinnerthenDessert

Poultry

Tuscan Chicken

Tuscan Chicken is an easy, flavorful dinner fit for entertaining. I served this dish over Trader Joe’s Multigrain Blend with Vegetables and liked the combination. Serving with a pasta or potatoes would be equally delicious. I had enough sauce but think doubling the sauce would be even better.

Tuscan Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2 (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts 
  • 1 cup roughly chopped fresh baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (I used half & half)
  • 1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving 
  • 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (blot off excess oil)
  • 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Prepare Chicken: Cut each chicken breast horizontally so it’s half as thick as before, resulting in 4 thinner pieces. Pat them dry with paper towels. Generously season both sides of each chicken piece with salt and pepper.
  2. Sear Chicken: Heat 10-inch sauté pan over medium to medium-high heat until hot. Add olive oil to cover pan, and place chicken breasts in single layer over oil. Cook until each side is golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. When chicken is cooked through, transfer to large plate. Work in batches if your pan is not large enough to hold all at once.
  3. Make Sauce: Reduce to low heat. Add heavy whipping cream, butter, and parmesan cheese to pan. Stir until butter and cheese are melted, scraping up any browned bits on bottom of pan. Increase to medium heat and bring to simmer. Stir in spinach until wilted. Stir in minced garlic and oregano until well-mixed.
  4. Return Chicken & Serve: Transfer chicken back to pan, leaving any liquid on plate, and simmer for 1 minute. Top with sun-dried tomatoes. Turn off heat. Serve, and optionally top with additional grated parmesan cheese.

Note: I served this on top of Trader Joes Multigrain Blend with Vegetables

Recipe from SavoryTooth

Home · Pastas · Poultry · Soups and Stews

One Pot Gnocchi (or Noodle) Chicken Pot Pie

One Pot Chicken Pot Pie, with gnocchi or with noodles, is a taste of home. The dish was so easy to make, but midway through I discovered I was out of gnocchi. Egg noodles to the rescue! I added more broth to allow the noodles to cook through. This recipe is a great way to use leftover turkey or chicken and is a delicious dish to serve on a cold night!

One Pot Gnocchi (or Noodle) Chicken Pot Pie

INGREDIENTS:
  • 4 Tablespoons butter or vegan butter
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 large or 2 small stalks celery, thinly sliced
  • 1 large shallot or small onion, chopped
  • homemade seasoned salt (I used Lawry’s) and pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • pinch dried thyme
  • 3 Tablespoons gluten free flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour)
  • 2 cups chicken stock or broth
  • 1 cup milk (any kind, I use unsweetened almond milk)
  • 12oz package gluten free gnocchi (I used egg noodles)
  • 1-1/2 cups shredded chicken breast (~1/2 lb pre-cooked)
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • optional: extra broth if cooking noodles
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat a Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, melt butter in pan then add carrots, mushrooms, celery, and shallots/onions. Stir to coat the vegetables in butter then saute until the mushrooms release their liquid and it has evaporated, 3-4 minutes. Season with homemade seasoning salt and pepper then continue to saute, turning the heat down slightly if necessary, until vegetables are tender, another 6-7 minutes.
  2. Add garlic, poultry seasoning, and dried thyme then saute until garlic is very fragrant, 1-2 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle flour over vegetables then stir to combine and cook for 1 minute. Slowly pour in chicken broth while stirring to avoid lumps then add milk and turn heat up to medium-high. Bring mixture to a bubble, stirring occasionally, then add gnocchi and stir combine. Turn heat down to medium then simmer, stirring frequently, until gnocchi are tender, 5-6 minutes. Stir in chicken and peas then taste and add seasoned salt and/or pepper if necessary. Ladle into bowls then serve.

Recipe from IowaGirlEats

Asian Dishes · Poultry

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Lettuce Wraps are delicious and a little different than the lettuce wraps I have experienced at local Asian restaurants. I like this recipe and feel it would be wonderful over cooked rice.

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1.5 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large carrot, julienned
  • 1/2 cup cashews, roasted
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 3 garlic clovers
  • 1 inch piece of fresh ginger
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • small pinch of salt (note, soy sauce is salty)
  • 1 tsp sesame oil, to finish
  • black pepper
  • green onions for garnish
  • fresh cilantro, for garnish
  • sesame seeds (optional)
  • Bib Lettuce or Butter Lettuce for serving
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Julienne carrots and chop onions.
  2. Sauté chicken thighs in olive oil with a bit of salt and black pepper, until lightly caramelized and set aside.
  3. In the same pan sauté onions until softened, shred ginger and garlic, bring the chicken back along with carrots and cashews; add sweet chili sauce, soy sauce and lime juice, stir well and cook for a few minutes.
  4. Finish with the chopped green onions and cilantro.
  5. Serve with lettuce wraps and enjoy!

Recipe from VessysGourmetKitchen

Poultry · Salads · Vegetables · Vegetarian

Southwest Shredded Chicken Salad

Summer Salads are a favorite and this salad is full of protein and healthy vegetables. It is delicious for make-ahead meals. Another rotation in the summer salad schedule!

Southwest Shredded Chicken Salad

INGREDIENTS:
  • SOUTHWEST CHICKEN SALAD
    • 1-1.5 lbs. chicken tenderloin (I used rotisserie chicken)
    • ¾ cup black beans, rinsed, drained and dried
    • ¾ cup red bell pepper, diced
    • ¾ cup chickpeas, rinsed, drained and dried
    • ¾ cup whole kernel corn, rinsed, drained and dried
    • ¾ cup cucumber, cored and diced
    • ⅓ cup shallots, finely diced
    • ¼ cup jalapeno, finely diced (optional)
    • ¼ cup cilantro, chopped small
    • ¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese
    • kosher salt, to taste
    • cracked black pepper, to taste
  • CHILI LIME YOGURT DRESSING
    • ½ cup 0% Greek yogurt
    • 2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed
    • 2 tablespoons diced green chilis, mild, canned works best
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • 2 tablespoons warm water, add more or less based on your preferred thickness
  • OPTIONAL GARNISHES
    • 2 tablespoons green onion, chopped small
    • ½ avocado, thinly sliced
    • 1 lime, cut into wedges
    • tortilla chips
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Boil a pot of water and add the chicken tenderloin. Cook for 15-18 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Drain off the water and allow the chicken to cool. Then shred the chicken using two forks. (I used a cooked rotisserie chicken).
  2. Next, grab a small mixing bowl and combine the 0% Greek yogurt, fresh squeezed lime juice, mild canned diced green chilis (with the juice), garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, kosher salt and warm water. Whisk well and set aside. For a thicker dressing add less water, for a thinner dressing add more water. You can adjust based on your preference.
  3. Then, prep all the veggies and herbs. You’ll need, drained and rinsed black beans, drained and rinsed chickpeas, drained and dried whole kernel corn, diced cucumber (be sure to remove the core), diced red bell pepper, finely diced shallots, finely diced jalapeno (remove the veins and seeds).
  4. Add the shredded chicken, vegetables, shredded cheese and herbs to a large mixing bowl. Season with kosher salt and cracked black pepper. Taste and adjust accordingly. Then, pour as much or as little chili lime yogurt dressing as you desire. I used about half. Toss until everything is well coated.
  5. Extra dressing can be stored covered in the refrigerator for three to four days. Garnish with chopped green onions and sliced avocado. Serve with tortilla chips and lime wedges.

Recipe from HealthyishFoods

Asian Dishes · Poultry

Ginger Peanut Chicken with Coconut Rice

What a delicious dish! Daughter, Megan, recommended this recipe since I love Thai dishes. I doubled the chicken part of the recipe and made a single of the coconut rice and still had a lot of leftover rice. In the future, I would make double the chicken and halve the rice recipe. Since I doubled the recipe, I used 1 cup of fresh sprinach and one cup of chopped bok choy. The leftovers were equally delicious. For the leftover meal, I served with balsamic roasted brussel sprouts and it paired well.

The coconut rice was a great idea. I never thought of adding coconut milk to the rice cooker but it adds another level of delicious to this dish.

Ginger Peanut Chicken with Coconut Rice

INGREDIENTS:
  • Ginger Peanut Chicken
    • 1 1/4 pounds chicken thighs, fat trimmed, cut into small bite-sized pieces
    • 1-inch piece of ginger, grated
    • 3 green onions, thinly sliced (white parts and green parts separated)
    • zest and juice of 1-2 limes
    • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
    • 2–3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
    • 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
    • 1 cup spinach, bok choy, etc.
  • Coconut Rice
    • 2 cups white or jasmine rice
    • 1 1/2 cups water
    • 1 can coconut milk
    • a pinch of salt
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Marinate Chicken: In a stainless steel bowl, mix the chicken with the ginger, green onions (white parts), lime zest, brown sugar, salt, and oil. Marinate for 20 minutes-2 hours.
  2. Rice: Add the rice ingredients to an Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 3 minutes, followed by a natural pressure release for 10-15 minutes (it won’t be quite done yet after 3 minutes – it needs the rest time to finish cooking). Release the steam, fluff with a fork, and attempt not to eat the whole thing! (Don’t have an Instant Pot...use these instructions:
    • To cook the coconut rice on the stove or in a rice cooker: Cooking the rice in a rice cooker or just on the stove top should work well. To make it on the stove, you can add 2 cups of rice, 1.5 cups of water, and a 14-ounce can of coconut milk to a large pot and bring it to a boil. Once it’s boiling, you can reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook the rice for about 15-20 minutes. (Fork-Lore: I live at high altitude and had to add more water during the process so the rice didn’t stick or burn).
  3. Cook Chicken: Heat a large skillet (nonstick or cast iron work well) to medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken to the pan, working in 1-2 batches depending on the size of your pan. Leave the chicken sitting undisturbed for several minutes to get a nice caramelization on the chicken.
  4. Adding Extras: When all the chicken is cooked, turn the heat down slightly and add the peanuts and garlic to the pan. Sauté for 3-5 minutes to get the peanuts roasty and the garlic nice and fragrant.
  5. Finish by adding in the cilantro, green onion, and spinach. Squeeze lime juice into the pan and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
  6. Serve over coconut rice! SO simple but so good.

Recipe from PinchofYum

Poultry

Neiman Marcus Chicken Casserole

Who doesn’t love an easy, crowd-pleasing chicken dish. This recipe is sooo good and is wonderful served with wild rish or potatoes and a salad. This could easily be made ahead of time and just pop it in the oven when it’s time. Lefovers are divine!

Neiman Marcus Chicken Casserole

INGREDIENTS:
  • 2-3 chicken breasts
  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup diced cooked bacon
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
  • 1 tsp Dukes mayo
  • 1 tsp diced garlic
  • 1 bundle chopped chives
  • 1/2 tsp Tabasco (if you like heat, add more to taste)
  • 1/4 c diced pecans (or almonds)
  • pepper/salt to taste
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Preheat oven to 375, and begin to clean {trim fat) from chicken.
  2. Place chicken in a baking dish.
  3. In a separate bowl, place all other ingredients (NOT the chicken) and stir together.
  4. Scoop a spoonful of the mixture on top of each chicken breast and spread to cover.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes (depending on the thickness of chicken, make sure inside is cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees).

Recipe from CoastalBend/MomCollective

Appetizers · Poultry

Baked Hot Wings

Never have I ever…made hot wings until now. Daughter Megan has a craving for hot wings about a year ago so I bought the fixings. Then, she was pregnant and they sounded disgusting. Now that Baby Callen has arrived, she thought they sounded better and told me of this recipe. Easy peasy and very adaptable to your heat/spice tolerance. Great treat for game day or just because…

Baked Hot Wings

INGREDIENTS:
  • 3 lbs. chicken wings
  • 4 Tbsp. melted butter
  • Salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika

For the Sauce:

  • 2 Tbsp. high temp oil (canola, avocado, etc.)
  • 2-3 Tbsp. chopped garlic
  • 1 Tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes (I used a pinch)
  • 1 tsp. black sesame seeds (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce
  • 2 Tbsp. Frank’s hot sauce
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Add the seasonings to the melted butter in a large bowl and toss all the wings until they are coated. Place a wire rack into your baking sheet. Line the baking sheet with foil to make clean up easy peasy.
  3. Bake for 40 minutes or so until they are brown and sizzling and crispy. (I turned up the heat to 450 degrees and baked another 5+ minutes to make extra crispy).
  4. Meanwhile in a large hot skillet, throw in the oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, sesame seeds, barbecue sauce, and hot sauce. Stir until bubbly and glazy, around 2 minutes. Add the crispy wings and toss until totally coated. Serve with blue cheese or Ranch sauce.

Recipe slightly adapted from Jen Hatmaker Facebook post 1/23/22.