Chicken Pasta Salad

This is my go to at Hug He's for dinner.  Yummy.  Recipe credit to Six Sisters.  They have amazing recipes.  I find myself looking for random ingredients I need to use on their site and customizing one of their recipes around them quite a bit lately.

Salad:

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (cooked and shredded)

2½ c bowtie pasta (cooked)

2½ c tri-color rotini pasta (cooked)

1 c broccoli (chopped)

⅔ c carrots (chopped)

1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)

Dressing:

1 c sugar

1 c red wine vinegar

1½ c olive oil

1 Tbsp salt

1 Tbsp pepper

1 tsp tabasco sauce

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine your chicken, pasta, broccoli, carrots, and kidney beans. Mix until fully combined.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together your sugar, red wine vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and tabasco sauce.

Pour the dressing mixture over the pasta mixture, and toss.

Store in fridge for 30 minutes  Serve cold or warm.  This is one of those recipes that is just as good the next day for lunch.

Greek chicken

I adapted this recipe from Kate at naptime kitchen. If you haven't checked her out you really should. She has some awesome recipes and amazing tips.

The recipe is a great basic Greek dressing recipe just omit the curry powder (well and the chicken, salt and pepper ~ haha).  It works great for the chicken but for a Greek Vinaigrette, not so much.

• 2-3 chicken breasts
• 1 clove minced garlic 
• 2 Tbs lemon juice
• 1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 c red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp basil
• 1 tsp onion powder 
• 1/4 tsp curry powder
• S&P to taste
  
  
  Combine garlic, lemon juice, EVOO, red wine vinegar, Dijon, and spices (except s & p)
  
  Place the chicken in the crockpot then salt and pepper.  Pour the sauce over the breasts, and let cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.
  
  Shred the chicken, and leave it in the crockpot on WARM till dinner time.

Coconut curry chicken

If anyone tells my hubby there is coconut milk in this I will unfriend you.  He loved it.  He hates coconut. I thought it was awesome.  It was super easy and with rice in the instant pot it was crazy simple getting dinner on the table tonight.  I think this could be made in the instant pot but that will be a trial for another day and I will report back.

Ingredients:
salt to taste
pepper to taste
paprika to taste
1/2* tsp curry powder
diced onion
2/3 can coconut milk (full fat)
1 chicken breast if Costco 2 if normal size

Liberally sprinkle salt, pepper, and paprika on both sides of the chicken.  Layer in crock pot with onion followed by coconut milk.  Then sprinkle curry powder on top.  Cook on high for 2 hours or low for 4.  Shred chicken and test for seasoning.  Add more as needed then switch to keep warm until ready to serve.  I serve over jasmine rice.

Notes:

Don't be afraid to season.  I used 1 1/2 tsp curry powder before I was done and could have used a but more.  That being said, mine is on the old side so not as potent as it probably was once it was new.  Start slow and add as needed since you can't take it back.

My hubby like sauce on EVERYTHING so next time I would use the whole can of milk and more seasoning for extra sauce.

If you milk is solid, just put into warm water for a bit and shake the can.  It liquifies it right back up.

Use as much or little onion as you like.  It would be fine without.  I also noticed other recipes our there use chickpeas and some use carrots.  I would definitely give the carrots a go next time.  You just add them at the beginning.  Chickpeas would be rinsed, drained and added after shredding the chicken.

Chicken pot pie

We had this for dinner tonight and it was a huge hit.

Ingredients:
Deep dish double pie crust, your recipe, mine (here), or store bought.  Marie and I are close friends.
2 chicken breasts
water
salt
ground pepper
1/2 c. half and half or milk if that's all you have
3 Tbsp butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 c. celery, chopped
1/3 c. all purpose flour
2 Tbsp better than bullion, chicken flavor
1 c. frozen peas and carrot
2 medium potatoes cooked and cubed ( I microwave mine)
1 tsp thyme, dried
1 egg lightly beaten

Cover chicken and boil until cooked through.  Remove chicken and let cool.  Pour chicken broth into measuring cup.  Let stand and sift off fat.  Use enough broth and milk to equal 2 1/2 cups.  Cut chicken into bit size pieces.

Melt butter then add onion and celery and season with pepper.  Cook until onion clear and celery softened.  Add frozen peas and carrots and saute for a few more minutes.  Add in flour then gradually add in broth mixture, better than bullion, salt, pepper and thyme stir until mixed well.  Add in potatoes and chicken then simmer to bring everything up to warm.  Sauce will begin to thicken slightly.

Pour into prepared deep dish crust.  Cover with second crust and be sure to cut vent holes.  Brush beaten egg on top.

I put on covered rimmed baking sheet just in case of spills.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Notes:

I let mine thicken a bit too long and made a side of chicken gravy to add sauce.  Next time I would let it be a bit runny.  It thickens a lot while baking.

I also refrigerated mine for several hours so I baked 40 minutes to compensate the filling needing to warm back up.  Worked beautifully.

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

Please don't be scared of the brown rice in this recipe.  I swear you'll never know it wasn't white rice.

4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp minced garlic
2 c. cooked chicken breast (either shredded or cubed)
4 c. steamed brown  rice (1 c. uncooked)
2 1/4 c. chicken stock
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Melt butter over medium high heat.  Stir in garlic for 1 minute.  Whisk in flour, thyme, salt and pepper then slowly pour in chicken broth whisking continuously.  Whisk until thick and nearly boiling then stir in cheese until melted.  Stir in cooked rice and chicken.  Put into a 9 x 13 pan.  Top with additional cheese.  Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Creamy chicken & mushroom casserole

1 c. and 3 Tbsp flour
4 chicken breasts
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 lb. mushrooms
1 onion, medium, diced finely
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
6 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp butter
1 C. half and half
salt and pepper to taste

Season chicken with salt and pepper then dredge both sides in flour; Heat 3 Tbsp oil in large skillet over medium high heat; saute until golden (do NOT crowd the pan) Transfer chicken into 13 x 9 baking dish; wipe out pan; add 3 Tbsp oil along with mushrooms and diced onions and saute until soft and golden; garlic and saute another 1 - 2 minutes; spread over chicken; wipe out pan again and melt 3 Tbsp butter; whisk in 3 Tbsp flour and saute until golden (1 - 2 minutes); add 1 1/2 c. chicken broth, 1 Tbsp lemon juice and pepper then whisk until smooth; add 1 C. half and half and bring to simmer; season with salt and pepper to taste; pour over chicken and mushrooms; cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes; I served over mashed potatoes but rice or pasta would be great also.

Hawaiian Haystacks

This is a mish mash of a few different recipes I found on pinterest.  If you have cooked chicken you can skip the first part.

2 - 3 chicken breasts depending on the size
2 c. chicken broth
1 small onion
1 clove minced garlic
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 c. cold water
1 c. cream
1/4 c. sour cream
1 Tbsp chicken better than bullion
toppings:
avocado
pineapple chunks
chow mien noodles
cheese

In crock pot put chicken and chicken stock.  Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 - 8 hours.

Shred or cut chicken into bit size pieces.  Add butter to large pan.  Saute onion until transparent.  Add garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Strain chicken stock, bullion, and add to pan with cream.  Bring to boil. Stir cornstarch into cold water then add to thicken the sauce.  Cook on medium heat until sauce thickens.  Add chicken and bring back to boil.  Then add sour cream just before serving.  I serve over rice and then top with avocado, pineapple, chow mien noodles and cheese.

Teriyaki Chicken

I love that this a crock pot recipe.  It's easy to make and super yummy.

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I throw mine in frozen)
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 c. onion chopped
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. soy sauce (low sodium fine too)
1/4 c. rice vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. cold water
3 Tbsp cornstarch

Mix garlic, onion, honey, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and pepper in crock pot.  Add chicken and make sure coated.  Cook on low for 6 - 8 hours or high for 4 - 6 hours.  When done remove chicken.  Mix water and cornstarch.  Add to sauce.  Shred chicken and add back into crock pot.  Cook for additional 15 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Chicken Tikka Masala

I had never tried Indian food until I met my husband and he has me hooked.  I think I was afraid because I had a perception that it would be too hot.  That is absolutely not the case.  You can make (or order) it as hot as you like.    My tastes are  wimpy so rest assured this is not a hot recipe but you can make it hotter if you like.  The other thing I love is this is a crock pot recipe.

Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken ( I just use 2 frozen chicken breasts)
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp fresh grated ginger
29 oz. can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp Garam masala
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp tumeric
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (this is where you can add more if you like it spicier)
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves
1 c. heavy cream
2 Tbsp cornstarch
juice from 1/2 lemon

Mix all onion, garlic, tomato sauce and seasonings in the crock pot.  Add chicken and make sure it is coated with mixture.  Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.  When done, combine heavy cream and cornstarch in bowl.  Remove chicken and cut it into bite size pieces.  Whisk cream mixture into sauce then add chicken.  Cook on high for additional 15 minutes.  Add lemon juice and mix well.  Serve over rice.  Jasmine is my preference.

Chicken with Rosemary and portabella mushrooms

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
10 oz pkg baby portabella mushrooms
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 c. chicken stock
1 tsp rosemary
1 c. heavy cream

Seasoned flour:
1 c. flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp garlic powder

Pound each breast to uniform thickness.  I recommend cutting into equal size pieces as well so they fit into the pan without crowding.

Mix the season flour in plastic bag; slice mushrooms in half and set aside; heat 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat; Coat chicken and then brown; set aside while you finish all the chicken.  Once all of the chicken has been browned use the same skillet and add remaining 2 Tbsp butter with mushrooms and garlic the last few minutes; add 1/2 c. chicken stock and rosemary to deglaze the pan;  add the chicken back into the pan and cook covered on medium low heat for about 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken and mushrooms from the pan and add cream.  Heat through over medium low heat until the sauce reduces and thickens.  About 5 minutes after it starts to bubble.  Add chicken and mushrooms back into pan and spoon sauce over to coat.

Serve over noodles or mashed potatoes.

Pulled Chicken

Super easy and can be doubled, this recipe is a perfect BBQ recipe if you don't want someone to man the grill on a hot summer night.

5 Chicken breasts- boneless and skinless (I put them in frozen)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
16 oz. BBQ sauce - I use Sweet Baby Ray's because it's cheap at Costco but your favorite
Rolls or buns you like best

For this recipe, a crock pot liner will be your best friend.  Layer chicken, sprinkle with garlic powder and brown sugar, then sprinkle vinegar over top.  Lastly, pour the bbq sauce over the chicken.

Cooks on high for just over 4 hours or low for 8.  Once the chicken is done, remove the breasts, drain about half the sauce out, then shred the chicken and place in the crock pot.  Usually if it's done and going to be a bit before we eat, I will leave a bit more sauce so it doesn't dry out.

Serve on buns or rolls.  You can also add slaw if that's your thing.

Grilled Mediterranean Chicken

I would love to provide a picture of this tasty dinner but I realized after I had eaten it that I needed a picture.
This is a recent favorite.  I like to let the chicken marinate over night if possible but if not, it's still really good.

3 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. season salt
1 tsp dried rosemary leaves, crushed (if fresh available, toss 2-3 springs in with frozen chicken & marinade)
2 medium tomatoes, cut into 3/4" thick slices
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Mix vinegar, oil and seasoning.  **If marinating double the recipe, use half for marinate and the other half at grilling.  Pour half of the seasoning over chicken into ziplock to marinate.

At grill time, brush remaining sauce over tomatoes.  Grill chicken on medium heat for 5 - 6 minutes per side.  Grill tomato slices 2 minutes per side.

Variation:
One other thing I may have done once the chicken is cooked is put a grilled tomato slice on top of the grilled chicken breast then top with provolone cheese.  At this point I have turned the grill off but shut the lid just long enough to melt the cheese.  This is not the healthy version on the recipe.  LOL

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

1/2 C. mayo
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts halves or 2 whole breasts
4 tsp. Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Combine mayo, cheese, salt and pepper in medium bowl.  Arrange chicken on baking sheet.  Evenly top with mayo mixture then sprinkle with bread crumbs.

Bake 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

Super easy and super yummy.

Southwestern Stew

8 oz. chicken breasts (3 - 4), diced
1 whole onion diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
2 can chicken broth
15 oz. can corn, undrained
15 oz. can black beans, drained
14 oz. mexican stewed tomatoes

Cook chicken in oil.  Add onion, garlic and seasonings.  Cooking until onions are clear.  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook 15 minutes or until hot then simmer at least 4 hours.

Jerk chicken with beans & rice

8 small drumb sticks (2.5 lbs total)
2 Tbsp lime juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp jerk seasoning
1 lg onion, chopped
salt and pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 c. long grain white rice
2 C. chicken broth
15 oz kidney beans, rinsed
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Heat oven to  400 degrees.  Toss chicken with lime juice and 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Sprinkle with jerk seasoning.  Roast until chicken is cooked through, 25  to 30 minutes.

Heat remaining 2 Tbsp oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook, covered.  Stir occasionally for 5 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in rice, then add the broth and bring to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer covered, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.  (15 - 18 minutes); fluff with a fork.  Fold in the beans and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.  Fold in the scallions and serve with the chicken.

Enchilada's

I know you want to use up some of that turkey so here's an easy one for you!  I generally use chicken except when there is left over turkey. 

4 c. cooked chicken or turkey
8 medium tortillas
32 oz. enchilada sauce
2 c. cheese

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a tortilla spoon a tablespoon of enchilada sauce, 1/2 c. chicken or turkey, 2 Tbsp. cheese.  Roll and put into 9 x 13 casserole that has been prepared with cooking spray.  Repeat with remaining tortillas.  Cover with remaining sauce, then cheese.  Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and cook for another 15 minutes.

Broccoli Chicken Stir Fry

1 Tbsp. oil
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
4 c. vegetables (broccoli flowerets, red pepper strips, etc.)
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
2 Tbsp. each soy sauce and cornstarch
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
2 c. minute rice, cooked

Stir fry chicken in hot oil until browned.  Add vegetables; cook and stir until tender crisp.

Mix broth, soy sauce, cornstarch and spices' stir into skillet.  Bring to boil; boil 1 minutes.

Meanwhile prepare rice as directed on package.  Serve chicken and vegetables over rice.

Chicken and stuffing

We make this one in a dutch oven but it's equally good baked in the oven in a 9 x 13 pan. 

8 - 10 chicken breasts
8 - 10 swiss cheese slices
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can milk
2 pkg stuffing mix (like stovetop)
1/2 c. butter
1 c. hot water

Place chicken in pan.  Top with cheese.  Mix soup and milk.  Pour over chicken.  Bring water and butter to a boil.  Add stuffing mix and seasoning.  Put dressing on top of chicken.  Cover with heavy duty foil.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or over briquettes.  For a 12 inch dutch oven you will use 7 on top and 9 on the bottom.

Chicken and Rice Bake

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 1/3 c. water
3/4 c. uncooked regular rice *not instant*
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Spray shallow baking dish with non-stick spray.  Mix water, rice, soup, and spices.  Put into baking dish.  Top with chicken and cover.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

We had this over fried rice tonight and it was so good!  Fried Rice recipe to follow.  You will want to make the sauce first.

Ingredients:
2 C.            Minute Rice (omit this if you want to serve over the fried rice)
20 oz.         pineapple chunks
2 Tbsp.       vegetable oil
1 medium    green pepper, cut into chunks
1 medium    onion, cut into chunks
1/2 C.         mushrooms, sliced
1 lb.            chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
1 C.            sweet and sour sauce (see below)
2 Tbsp.       soy sauce

Prepare rice according to package instructions
Drain pineapple reserving 2 Tbsp. juice
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add peppers, onions and mushrooms; cook until vegetable are tender but still crisp.  Remove from skillet.
Cook chicken in same skillet until chicken is browned and cooked through.  Add vegetables back to skillet with sweet and sour sauce, soy sauce, pineapple chunks and reserved juice.  Heat through.  Serve hot and over rice.

Sweet and Sour Sauce:

Ingredients:
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
2/3 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
2 tablespoons cornstarch


Place the sugar, vinegar, water, soy sauce, ketchup and cornstarch in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Stir continuously until the mixture has thickened.