Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps

One of our favorite dishes at PF Chang's is the lettuce wraps.  They are so flavorful and refreshing, we can never get enough of them.  This homemade and entirely different recipe is just as flavorful and refreshing.  We all (kids most definitely included) scarfed them down and then wished there were more.  What I loved most about these was how simple they were to prepare, there's really only about 4 main ingredients and chances are you probably have most of them on hand.  I'm sure there far more than that in a PF Chang's knock-off.  Which means this version is a totally doable last minute week-night meal.  Perfect, fast, and healthy for busy summer nights.  Enjoy!

Cashew Chicken Lettuce Wraps
{Adapted Recipe from She Wears Many Hats. com}


For stir fry sauce:  (which I doubled and didn't regret one bit)
2 T soy sauce
1 T rice vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t ground ginger (fresh would work well also-maybe 2 teaspoons worth?)
1 t sesame oil (I'm not a huge fan of sesame oil, so I only do a couple drops)

For Cashew Chicken:
2 chicken breasts, diced
3 T veggie oil
1 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 t soy sauce
1/4 cup cashews, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4-1/2 cup water chestnuts, diced
optional: shredded cabbage
Several leaves of greenleaf (our pick) or iceburg lettuce

For sauce:  Mix all ingredients making sure to dissolve brown sugar.  Set aside.

For cashew chicken:
Heat oil in pan over med-high heat.  Add diced chicken and brown (4-5 minutes).  Remove chicken from oil.  Add onions, garlic, 1 t soy sauce to pan (and shredded cabbage if using); brown.  When mixture is brown and tender, add stir fry sauce, browned chicken, cashews, and water chestnuts.  Saute a few minutes.  To serve:  Spoon chicken mixture onto individual lettuce leaves, may add some hot sauce (sririachi), more cashews, and maybe even some cilantro is desired.  Roll up and eat--kind of messy, definitely awkward, but oh so worth it!

Chicken Scallopine

Question: Have you discovered the amazingness of capers in your life? If you have you will automatically love this meal and if you haven't this, in my humble opinion, is the best dish to expand your horizons. Capers are delightful little flavor bombs. A little salty, a little pickle-y, and downright wonderful. Add to them golden crispy chicken, tender noodles, a little cream, a little garlic, and a lot of lemon and you have easily one my top 10 meals. Food is a glorious thing is it not?

Chicken Scallopine

{Based on a Pioneer Woman recipe}

4 chicken breasts, cut in half and pounded thin

Garlic Pepper

Black Pepper

Flour

Olive oil

1 cup chicken broth (or white wine)

1/2 cup cream

1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional-you'll see I didn't have any on hand in the above picture, but they are yummy)

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 generous T capers with a little of their juice

1/2 a lemon+, juiced

salt and pepper to taste

hot cooked linguine noodles

freshly grated parmesan cheese

Note: the above amounts are rough guesses, I generally just throw things together and taste as I go until it's how we like it. good luck with that!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Get noodles going.

In large heavy skillet over med-high heat, heat a few Tablespoons of olive oil. After chicken is halved and pounded thin generously season both sides with garlic pepper and fresh ground pepper. Lightly dredge each piece in flour and brown in pan. You want a nice golden crust, so don't move the chicken around once it's placed in the skillet. Leave it alone for 3-4 minutes and then turn over for the same amount of time. Place browned chicken cutlets in a baking dish and pop uncovered in the oven to finish cooking through while moving onto the sauce.

Splash a little chicken broth into browning skillet to start the deglazing process and stop the little bits from burning. If needed add a little more olive oil and then quickly cook garlic (approx 30 seconds) until fragrant, being careful not to burn. (If using mushrooms, now's the time to saute those for a couple minutes). Add remaining chicken broth and scrape the pan to loosen up any bits. Add cream, capers, and lemon juice. Let cook down for a few minutes. Add salt and pepper, taste and adjust adding more seasoning or lemon juice or capers until it's flavored to your liking.

Once noodles are cooked and sauce is ready, remove chicken cutlets from the oven. Plate some noodles, top with 1 or 2 chicken cutlets, spoon some sauce over, and sprinkle grated parmesan over all. Take one bite and die of bliss!

Simple Chicken Tortilla Salad a (a la Bajio's/Cafe Rio)

This chicken!!!! Oh MY! Wonderful, sweet, flavorful, crock pot made, addicting chicken! We love cafe rio and/or bajio's along with the rest of the world (or at least the ut, az, id world), but alas we do not live any of those places, so we have to make do at home or do without. I choose "make do". And I call my version "simple" because I didn't make the rice or beans that normally accompany a cafe rio/bajio salad, therefore creating what is in my opinion a realistic weeknight meal. Don't get me wrong though, those rice and beans are amazing--just too much work for me during the week.

And did I mention the chicken yet?! It could be used in so very many ways: burritos, tacos, nachos, enchiladas, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. For our purposes I chose the salad route. Which meant I had to make my own cafe rio knock-off creamy tomatillo dressing. It yields about 2 cups and I'll just say 2 solid cups of dressing was gone in 2 days. Enough said.

I wouldn't call this a bone fide replica, but it is a darn good alternative! I promise you should really make it.

Simple Chicken Tortilla Salad

{Chicken recipe from Six Sisters Stuff .com}

For chicken:

4 chicken breasts

1/2 cup salsa

1 T cumin

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 4 oz can diced green chilies

6 oz can sprite

Optional: red pepper flakes (1/4 t?)

Combine all ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on low 5-6 hours. Remove chicken and shred. Replace shredded chicken back in crock pot and cook 1 more hour. (Optional: thicken juices with a little cornstarch mixed in water-I didn't do this.) Serve however you want, but for salad follow remaining directions below. (Good freezable options: ziploc & freeze)

Cafe Rio-ish Dressing (Creamy Tomatillo Cilantro Ranch):

1 packet traditional hidden valley ranch mix-not buttermilk

1 cup mayonaise

1 cup buttermilk

2-3 tomatillos, husked, rinsed, diced

1/2 bunch of cilantro, give or take

2 cloves garlic, minced

juice of 1 lime

1 jalapeno, finely minced (may or may not choose to remove seeds)

Mix all ingredients together in blender. Simple as that. I recommend doing this awhile before it's needed to allow flavors to meld together in fridge.

Remaining Salad Ingredient Options:

Shredded romaine lettuce

Grape tomatoes, halved

Black beans, drained and rinsed

Avocado, pitted and chunked

Tortillas, either homemade or purchased raw and cooked at home. I find mine in the refrigerated section of my grocery store by the cheese, fresh pastas, etc. (Note: I don't think regular tortillas are a good candidate for this salad. Maybe if you're going the soft taco, enchilada, burrito route with the chicken, but not the salad.)

To assemble complete salad, cook tortillas. Place one tortilla on plate. Top with chicken, lettuce, other toppings and pour on that amazing dressing! Stuff your face.

Cheesy Basil Stuffed Chicken

This picture is disgusting but this dish is absolutely not! If you want a very appetizing picture click here. Otherwise just know that this was a winner. Juicy chicken is stuffed with delightfully creamy mozzarella and fresh basil and then slathered with mayonnaise and sprinkled with fresh bread crumbs, hence the juicy-ness. And as if that isn't enough you then dot the entire pan with grape tomatoes, that roast along with it and create the most wonderful flavor combination in your mouth once you dig in. Oh my yum! This is the main dish I served alongside Wednesday's recipe: Roasted Garlic & Cauliflower Pasta. The perfect duo. That Mel really knows a good recipe when she sees one!

Cheesy Basil Stuffed Chicken
{Only slightly adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe}

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (please shred your own! it melts so much better)

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 T heavy cream

1 T fresh lemon juice

3 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper or season-all

4-6 boneless chicken breasts, cut in half (it's better if these aren't super thin)

3 T+ (I used more) mayonnaise

1 cup fresh bread crumbs (pulsed mine in the food processor)

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 T olive oil

1 pint grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes (if using cherry's that are on the bigger side, cut in half)

kosher salt and pepper

Adjust rack to middle position and heat oven to 425. In a medium bowl combine the mozzarella, 2 T minced basil, cream, lemon, juice, 2 t minced garlic, 1/2 t salt and 1/4 t pepper.

Cut a pocket in each piece of chicken, season chicken inside and out with with salt and pepper OR season-all and stuff each piece with cheese mixture. You want it in there pretty good without a bunch hanging out, it's good if it's somewhat "closed". Place stuffed chicken in a greased 9x13 baking dish and spread the tops evenly with mayonnaise. This is what helps them to stay moist and give them a bit more flavor so I say be fairly generous.

In a separate bowl combine fresh bread crumbs, remaining garlic, remaining fresh basil, 1.4 cup of parmesan, and 1 T olive oil. Sprinkle crumb mixture over chicken, pressing lightly to adhere. Toss grape tomatoes with remaining tablespoon of oil, 1/4 t kosher salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange tomatoes in the baking dish around the chicken. Bake until crumbs are golden brown and the chicken is cooked through, about 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Note: Can be ahead. Assemble chicken and slather on mayo. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook. Then add bread crumb mixture and tomatoes and bake.

Thai Chicken Pizza

Another out of the ordinary pizza combo. Thai food is so amazingly delicious and as it turns out thai flavors on a pizza are pretty darn good too. This was delightfully different. My son who strangely doesn't like pizza (tell me-what boy doesn't like pizza?!) rolled his eyes when we sat down to this meal. But we have a must-taste rule at our dinner table and before I knew it he was chowing down and going back for seconds and thirds and exclaiming "this is so good Mom!". Take THAT non-pizza lover! I found myself sneaking another piece after the kids went to bed-but hey, at least it wasn't my usual chocolate. A word to the wise-this can be a bit spicy, but just skip or tone down the red pepper flakes and you should be good. We liked ours with the heat though.

Thai Chicken Pizza

{Recipe from Tasty Kitchen Blog}

1 batch of favorite pizza dough, thinner crust is best in this case

Cornmeal for sprinkling pizza stone/pan

1/4-1/2 cup thai sweet red chili sauce (found mine in specialty asian section store)

1 whole shallot, thinly sliced

1/2 whole zucchini, thinly sliced

1 t or less red chili flakes

1 cup cooked shredded chicken (I simmered mine in chicken broth with a dash of curry powder)

2/3 cup shredded mozzarella (grating your own is always better for the melting factor)

A small handful of finely chopped peanuts

2 T fresh cilantro

2 T fresh basil (thai or otherwise)

Preheat your oven to 500 and roll or shape/stretch dough until 1/4 inch thick. Place dough on pizza stone, pan, or cookie sheet that has been lightly sprinkled with corn meal. (I usually spray first with cooking spray). Spread a thin layer of sweet chili sauce over pizza dough. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Layer on shallots, zucchini, and chicken. Spread shredded mozzarella evenly over entire pizza. Place in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until cheese is golden and crust is lightly golden. (Keep a good eye on it, as ovens may vary). Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped peanuts, cilantro, and basil. Slice and serve.

Chicken with Tomato Herb Pan Sauce & Garlic Rice Pilaf

This my friends was a STELLAR meal! I sat there eating it, thinking "this is just as good as something I'd get at a great restaurant". It was just phenomenal. Pretty sure the family liked it too, I came home after rushing off to a meeting and there were practically no left overs. The chicken is made crispy and delightfully flavorful by browning in a seasoned butter and the tangy, juicy tomatoes are then seared and sauteed in that same butter. Such a simple, perfect pairing.

Our accompanying side dish was this oven baked garlic rice pilaf. It looks pretty low key, but take a bite and wham-o! there's a garlic and lemon party in your mouth! The texture of the rice really did something for me too-light and fluffy, each rice kernel separate from all the others. Although it's cooking time is a bit much, as long as you do a little planning ahead it's relatively hands off. And then just go ahead and combine a piece of chicken, a tomato or two, and some rice on your fork and you've died and gone to heaven just like me. I wanted to lick the platter when all was said and done and I'm betting you will too.

Chicken with Tomato Herb Pan Sauce

{Slightly adapted from Annie's Eats. Note: In thinking about it, I like the idea of cutting the grape tomatoes in half before sauteeing, all the yummy juice will come out without the crushing step-just a thought}

Chicken:

2 chicken breasts, butterflied and halved or pounded and halved

salt and pepper

flour for dusting (1/2 a cup or so)

Sauce:

2 T salted butter, softened

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 t fresh oregano, minced (or 1/2 tsp dried)

1/2 t sweet paprika (i just use what's in my cupboard, don't know if it's sweet or not!)

salt and pepper

2 t olive oil

2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes (red is most common, but a combo of yellow and red would look fantastic)

1/3 cup dry white wine or chicken broth

1 T minced fresh parsley (again with the 1/2 tsp dried route)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper. Dredge in flour on both side, shaking off excess, set aside.

In small bowl, combine butter, garlic, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper to taste. In a large skillet over medium hight heat melt 1 T of the oregano butter with 2 t olive oil. When hot, brown chicken on both sides, just get a good brown crust going but don't cook through--it will dry out. Place browned and almost cooked chicken in oven proof baking dish and place in oven to finish off. Maybe 10 minutes tops.

Meanwhile, using same saute pan (so long as the bits are brown and not black-otherwise get a new pan) add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to char and burst, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining butter mixture to pan. Crush the tomatoes slightly to release their juices and continue stirring until the butter is melted. Add the broth to the pan, scraping the bottom to loosen the browned bits. Cook for a minute more until well blended.

Transfer cooked chicken to individual serving plates or one large platter and top with the pan sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Serves 4 adults.

Garlic Rice Pilaf

{After making this as is I think some slivered almonds would be a terrific addition.

Recipe source: Annie's Eats}

2 T butter

4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 cup long-grain white rice

2 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided

1/2 t salt

1/2 t fresh ground black pepper

Squeeze of lemon juice (1/2 a lemon)

optional: slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 375 and set aside a casserole dish (9x13 is fine). In a medium saucepan or skillet, melt butter over med-high heat. Add the rice and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently until the rice is golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil. Pour into casserole dish, cover tightly with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Stir in remaining 1 1/2 cups of broth and slivered almonds if using, recover and continue baking for an additional 45 minutes. About 15 minutes before it's done, uncover again, squeeze lemon juice over the rice and give it a stir. Re-cover and finish cooking.

Serves 4

Chicken Tetrazzini

Don't let the plain jane-ness of this plate deter you. This is one delicious meal. It can be made with chicken or turkey (leftover turkey is terrific) and as casserole's are wont to do, it feeds an army. It's creamy and cheesy and wonderful. And it's a good take-in meal, especially when made in a disposable oven-friendly pan.

No bells and whistles here just good old fashioned comfort food that never disappoints.

Chicken Tetrazzini

{My friend Carolee suggested added sauteed mushrooms and toasted almonds, sounds divine!}

12+ oz. spaghetti noodles, cooked and drained

2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped/shredded (or leftover turkey)

1 onion, chopped

1 green pepper, diced

2 T butter

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/4 cups milk

2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook noodles until tender and drain. Saute green peppers and onions in butter till softened. In large bowl combine soups, milk, cheese, and sauteed veggies. Stir. Add chicken, salt and pepper to taste, and noodles. When all combined pour into greased 9X13 casserole dish and bake until warmed through and bubbly, about 30-40 minutes.

Candied Chicken

This is a delicious chicken recipe. I realize that the word "candy" linked with a main dish might seem strange, but oh no-no strangeness here. Just wonderful sweet chicken-y goodness. Pair it with a vegetable and bread product and you've a got a meal to remember. Quite the crowd pleaser too.

Candied Chicken

{We aren't big fans of whole chicken breasts in our house, so we opt to cut each breast into at least 2 if not 3 pieces. It cooks faster, stretches farther, allows for higher sauce to meat ratio, and helps with portion control. I recommend it!}

4-6 chicken breasts, cut in half or thirds

Salt/pepper or seasoning salt or garlic salt

Flour for dusting

Oil/butter for browning

Sauce as follows:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/4 cup yellow mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

1 T worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup water

Season chicken pieces, dust lightly with flour on both sides, and brown in skillet. Not cooking through, just browning all sides. Place browned chicken in greased oven-friendly baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over chicken. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 375 for up to 2 hours. I recommend cooking with foil on for the first hour and then removing foil, so that sauce can reduce, thicken, and thoroughly coat the chicken for the last hour.

Barbeque Chicken Pizza

Whoever thought up combining BBQ chicken and pizza was a genius! I first had this tasty combo at California Pizza Kitchen and I can't lie-I was a little skeptical. Pizza's supposed to have pepperoni and tomato sauce right? Not right. Since that fateful day long ago, I've had numerous out of the way combinations on pizza {shaved asparagus for starters} and I can say in all honesty they surpass the "typical" italian style we've come to think of every time. Tangy barbeque sauce, crispy crust, grilled chicken, and refreshing cilantro don't get any better. And just so we're clear-I still eat my fair share of italian-style pizza:0)

Barbeque Chicken Pizza

1-2 chicken breasts

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/3 cup bbq sauce

1/3 cup tomato sauce

Thinly sliced red onion

Mozzarella cheese, grated

Cilantro

One recipe of your favorite pizza crust (see mine below if needed)

Prepare pizza dough.

Heat grill. Sprinkle garlic salt or other seasoning on chicken. Brush with a bit of bbq sauce on both sides and grill until cooked through. Set aside and let rest before chopping. Mix bbq suace and tomato sauce together in small bowl. In separate bowl mix chopped chicken, crushed garlic, and just enough tomato/bbq sauce to coat.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Shape pizza dough on pizza stone or pizza pan sprayed with cooking spray and dusted with cornmeal. Spread generous amount of bbq sauce/tomato sauce mixture all over. (May not use it all.) Top with chicken and red onions. Sprinkle with grated mozzarella cheese and bake at 475 for 10-15 minutes depending on desired doneness. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

PW's Pizza Dough

{Recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks cookbook}

1 tsp active yeast

4 cups flour

1 t kosher salt

1/3 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups warm water

Pour water in small bowl, sprinkle with yeast and gently stir. In bowl of electric mixer combine flour and salt. On low speed, gradually drizzle in olive oil into flour/salt. Add yeast/water. Knead with dough hook for a few minutes. Dough should be soft and tacky but not super sticky. Drizzle separate bowl with a little bit of olive oil. Add dough ball and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place for 1-2 hours, or store in fridge for up to 2 days. When the time comes stretch and shape dough with your hands, the thinner the better!

Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches {Crock Pot}

I've been making this recipe for years. It was shared with me by my good friend Darla way back when we were going to school and had one baby a piece. Those were the day, right?! Anyhow, it's definitely not a fancy recipe by any means and that's why I love it. 3 ingredients besides the chicken and uses the crock pot for ultimate ease. Doesn't get any better!

Teriyaki Chicken Sandwiches {Crock Pot}

{Recipe from Rachael H. via Darla}

Use equal parts:

brown sugar

soy sauce

pineapple juice

For 2 chicken breasts:

1 can pineapple juice (6oz.)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup soy sauce

Additional items needed:

Buns

Cheese (optional)

Crushed pineapple (optional)

Greens (optional)

Place chicken breasts in crock pot. Mix together pineapple juice, brown sugar, and soy sauce. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook for 6 hours on low or 3 on high. About 1 hour before serving, remove chicken shred, and place back in juices. When ready to serve, broil buns add chicken, cheese, crushed pineapple, and greens to buns and serve.

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Tacos {Crock Pot}

Apparently we're on a mexican food kick in our household these days, and why not when it's all so good?! This easily ranks up there in my top ten easiest and somehow uber-delicious meals. The original recipe calls for 4 ingredients, I add garlic to mine taking it up to a whopping 5. Throw in the fact that you cook it in the crock pot and I'm sold. It's perfect for either a weeknight or company over dish. Love when I find something that's simple and yet still company over worthy!

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Tacos {Crock Pot}

{Slightly adapted from Mels Kitchen Cafe}

2-3 chicken breasts (can be frozen to start)

1 15 oz can petite diced tomatoes

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4-1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes, I recommend closer to 1/2 t-my kids can handle the heat!

2 cloves garlic, crushed

Corn tortillas

Favorite taco toppings: cheese, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, salsa, lettuce, etc.

Place chicken in crock pot. Mix tomatoes, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and garlic together and pour over chicken. Cook on low 7-8 hours or high 5ish. At least 30 minutes before serving, and I prefer and hour or more, remove chicken, shred, and place back in juices. Serve with tortillas and favorite taco toppings.

Note: Other recommended uses could be burrito filling, enchilada filling, nachos, or taco salad of some kind. I think I may have to try my hand as using it as a stand-in for homemade cafe rio salad with tomatillo dressing, yum!

Haystacks

Haystacks are one of those meals that just about everyone's had in their life and that means there are a million and one recipes for them. But the basis is still chicken in some kind of creamy sauce, over rice, heaped with toppings galore. I won't even begin to claim that it's my recipes way or the highway, but I will say that I think they're pretty darn good and so easy to make that it'd be a shame not to try them, especially if the concept is new to you. They really are one of our families top ten meals as far as "makes everyone happy to see them on the table come dinnertime" goes.

Haystacks

2 chicken breasts, frozen or fresh

1 large can (family size) or 2 regular size cans cream of chicken soup

3/4 cup (+ or -) chicken broth

Garlic pepper or garlic salt

Hot cooked rice

Toppings, could include:

Tomatoes, grated cheese, minced onions, frozen peas-thawed, crushed pineapple, chopped celery, chopped green peppers, coconut, mandarin oranges, sliced almonds, crunchy chow mein noodles, etc.

Place chicken, soup, broth, seasoning-garlic pepper or garlic salt in crock pot. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours. Remove chicken 1/2 hour before serving, shred, put back in pot. At this point you may want to add a bit more broth to reach your preferred consistency. We like ours on the thinner side. Prepare rice and toppings. To serve, spoon a bed of rice onto plate, ladle on some sauce, and top away!

Hot Chicken Hoagie

Want to know what makes the quickest, best traveling or take in dinner? This here hot chicken hoagie! It's absolutely delicious, a sure fire hit with kids and husbands, and you should make right now.

I know I shamelessly use Mel's Kitchen Cafe recipes probably way too often, but I've never had one let me down...I would hope she'd be flattered!

Hot Chicken Hoagie

{Recipe source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe}

1 loaf of sturdy french bread, cut lengthwise

2 cups cooked shredded chicken (crockpot on high 2-4 hours-depending on frozen or not-in chicken broth, or oven cooked and chopped are 2 options)

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

3 green onion, sliced

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/3 cup fresh parsley or 1-2 T dried

2 cups shredded cheese of choice (cheddar or mont jack or colby jack are good)

1/2 small can chopped olives, drained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl, combine, mayo, sour cream, green onions, parsley, olives, and garlic salt. Stir. Add chicken and cheese and stir to combine. Spoon by heaping spoonful onto each half of cut french bread. Spread out a bit to cover entire bread surface if necessary. May sprinkle a little more cheese over all. Pop in oven for 20 minutes until bubbly and edges lightly golden. Slice and serve. Good hot, warm, or even room temp! Leftovers keep well in fridge and may reheat in microwave or in oven again. I've successfully frozen prior to baking and then thawed and baked off just fine.

Crispy Honey Lime Enchiladas

This a definite winner of a recipe. My entire family, including our baby, ate and ate and ate these until they were gone. That's 2 adults and 3 small children eating an entire 9x13 pan of something in a one sitting! If that's not a tell-tale sign of a great recipe, I don't know what is. I kept the original recipe as is, but used corn tortillas instead of flour (my family's preference) and added my own spin on the finished product by frying the enchiladas until crispy before adding them to the dish and pouring on the good stuff (sauce and cheese). I like them that way because my only beef with regular enchiladas is that they turn into a sloppy mess on your plate and that texture just isn't my cup of tea. If you like 'em soft and mushy just skip my crispifying step. But if you want an enchilada that holds it's own against the sauce and goes from yummy to amazing give this method a try!

Crispy Honey Lime Enchiladas

{Slightly adapted recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe}

6 tablespoons honey
5 tablespoons lime juice (1 large lime)
1 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound chicken, cooked and shredded (I do mine in the crock pot so that shredding is actually an option-2-3 chicken breasts, chicken broth, dash each of cumin, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder-high for 3-4 hours if chicken's frozen, 2-3 if defrosted=works like a charm! )
Several corn tortillas

1/2 cup frying oil, veggie works fine

1 pound monterey jack cheese, shredded

16 ounces green enchilada sauce
1 cup heavy cream

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9X13 baking pan. Fill tortillas with chicken and shredded cheese (save about a cup for sprinkling later) and tightly roll. If using corn tortillas, heat tortillas for 45 seconds to a minute in the mircrowave before assembling. This helps the tortillas be more pliable and less likely to crack and fall apart. Heat oil in skillet over med-high heat. Add assembled enchiladas seam side down to hot oil. Press firmly with spatula. When lightly golden turn over and repeat. Place crispy enchiladas in sauce covered dish. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade-if you have any. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.

Chicken Fetticine Alfredo

I'm back! Sort of. I have at least this one recipe to post. Coming off vacation it's always hard to get back in the swing of things, especially cooking since all I really want to do is keep eating out!

Anyhow, this recipe is a serious tried and true for us. I started making this clear back when Derek and I were first married, going on 10 years, and probably a thousand times since. We love it. The problem is, it's a serious fat bomb! Heavy cream, butter, parmesan cheese and that's IT! See? That's a mind-boggling amount of fat and calories. But rather than not making it at all, we just make it "sparingly". Although it's quick and easy and so good that we want it to be a regular, we try to save it for just every once and awhile.

It's a classic, pure alfredo sauce with nothing fancy added and cream, butter, and cheese are just good enough to not need anything more, except maybe some blood pressure meds on the side! ;0) Please try it and for once don't let yourself worry about health consequences, sometimes food just need to be ENJOYED!

Chicken Fetticine Alfredo

1/2 cup butter

1/2-1 cup heavy whipping cream, I ere on the side of more cream, equal amounts butter to cream is a just a little too crazy-fatty for me (as if cream's any better than butter though right?!)

3/4 cup grated parmesan

fresh garlic or garlic powder to taste

plenty of black pepper

1 extra large or 2 regular chicken breasts, cooked however you'd like.

8 oz. cooked fetticine noodles

*Note: Anymore I don't follow this original recipe to a "T", but probably would the first time just to see what I like. Now I usually double this recipe, but don't use a full cup of butter, more like 1/2 cup butter to 1 1/2-2 cups of cream or thereabouts and the cheese is whatever amount floats my boat. Also, for the chicken I season mine with season-all or garlic pepper, saute it briefly on both sides in some olive oil so that it gets a good brown crust going and then pop it in a 400 degree oven to finish cooking while I make the sauce and noodles.

Start pot of water boiling for noodles and get those going. Once noodles and chicken are cooking, in a good size skillet melt butter and cream over low heat stirring frequently. When butter is melted add cheese and season with garlic powder (is using-for fresh garlic saute it for a few seconds in the melting butter and then add cream and so on) and lots of fresh ground black pepper. Chop up cooked, seasoned chicken and add to sauce or serve on top. Spoon over cooked fetticine noodles or toss all together. Fresh parsley or basil on top is nice sometimes and we even occasionally add some halved grape tomatoes to ours. Get crazy!

Chicken Coconut Curry {Crock Pot}

Do you love curry? Do you love your crock pot? Do you love curry in a crockpot? I do! This is a super easy curry recipe that takes practically no time to make (aside from the actual cooking time, of course). We have no indian food restaurants where I live and that's just sad. So this is what I've found to a get a little indian curry fix. The basmati rice you see, is cooked with turmeric to get that great yellow color and some peas were thrown in too. Notes on that cooking process at the end of the curry recipe. We serve this with homemade naan, which is delicious indian flat bread, and I'll share that recipe later this week (I'm headed out of town to a lovely land with lots of great restaurants and have about this many-ZERO-meals planned. Cooking is great, but breaks are even better!) In conclusion, this meal=SO GOOD!

Chicken Coconut Curry {Crock Pot}

(From a recipe off tastykitchen.com)

2 large chicken breasts, chunked

1 whole onion, peeled chunked

1 whole small green bell pepper, chunked

2 cloves garlic, peeled

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 T curry powder

1 T garam masala (indian spice mix)

2 T water

1 1/2 T cornstarch

Cilantro for garnish

hot cooked basmati rice for serving

Place chicken cubes in slow cooker. Place remaining ingredients--minus water, cornstarch, and cilantro--in food processor and blend until mostly smooth. Pour sauce over chicken. Cook covered on low for 6 hours. About an hour before serving, check consistency and if you want it thicker mix water and cornstarch in small bowl and stir into crock pot. Serve garnished with cilantro and over basmati rice.

Optional Basmati Rice recipe:

2 cups basmati rice

4 cups water

4 T butter

1 T turmeric

frozen peas, optional

Bring water, butter, and turmeric to a boil over high heat. Stir in basmati rice and put on lid. Turn heat off and let sit, untouched for 20 minutes. Remove lid after 20 minutes and stir with fork. Add frozen peas if desired and replace lid for a bit while peas defrost and warm. Stir again and serve.

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

This recipe was recently posted on Mels Kitchen Cafe (her recipes NEVER disappoint) and looked like a great toned down (aka quick-er) option for Chicken Parmesan. And it was. It's also a great pantry meal, chances are any well-stocked pantry will most likely have all the ingredients on hand. The sauce offers the best of red sauce yumminess. It's a little bit tangy, a little bit sweet, and with only a handful of ingredients doesn't take all day. The chicken is terrific. I love breaded chicken cutlet's but sometimes dislike the extra steps it takes to get them there. So with just a light, quick dredging in flour even I can't complain. Add to it all the fact that the chicken eventually finishes cooking IN the tomato sauce and you have a recipe for success. The flavors all meld together with melted cheesy goodness. It only took me about 30 minutes to make too. This will be a regular with us for sure!

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

{Recipe Source: Mels Kitchen Cafe}

2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced

28 oz can crushed tomatoes

14.5 oz can petite diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 t dried oregano

1/2 t dried basil

1 t sugar

1/2 t salt

1/2 t black pepper

3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, divided

3 chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise to make 6 thinner cutlets (next time I think I'll be pounding out the chicken then cutting each in half, I wanted more tender chicken and think this would help)

Garlic salt

1/2 cup flour

2 T oil (vegetable, canola or olive)

3/4 cup shredded mozzarella (I had leftover fresh mozzarella that I sliced and it was so good!)

3-4 slices provolone, cut in half

Hot spaghetti noodles for serving

In medium bowl, combine garlic, crushed and diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, sugar, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup parmesan. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 T oil until over medium heat until rippling and hot. Thoroughly dry chicken cutlets and season with garlic salt. Place flour in a shallow dish and dredge seasoned cutlets, coating both sides. Place 3-4 cutlets in hot pan and let cook only 3 minutes per side until there's a nice golden crust. Remove to plate (they'll finish cooking at a later point). Repeat with remaining cutlets.

Wipe skillet of excess oil and pour pre-mixed sauce contents into the pan, taking care of splatters. Turn heat to medium and gently nestle all 6 browned chicken cutlets into the sauce. The chicken should be mostly covered with sauce. Cover the skillet and simmer on medium low for about 15 minutes.

Uncover and place mozzarella, provolone, and grated parmesan over each chicken piece. Cover and cook 5 minutes more until cheese to melt-y. Serve over hot spaghetti noodles.

Serves 6

Fetticine with Chicken, Bacon, and Tomatoes

We are big time pasta eaters in our house. This recipe is a favorite and what's nice about it is that it's a bit "lighter" than your typical pasta dish, since it's cooked with broth rather than a typical red or white sauce. Of course the bacon isn't exactly light, but who cares? It's so good with it! Actually you could easily leave it out or leave the chicken out, maybe add some mushrooms (what a great idea, I'm so using those next time!) and/or onions and use it as a meatless main dish or a nice side dish to something else. The original recipe calls for turkey tenders which would be yummy, but those are not something I regularly have on hand so I opt for chicken. And if prosciutto's your thing, use that instead of bacon. Just thinking about this dish makes my mouth water and wish we had more left-overs. So good!

Fetticine with Chicken, Bacon, and Tomatoes

{Adapted from my friend Carolee}

1 pound fetticine

2 T olive oil

1 1b chicken breast (or turkey) chopped into bite-size pieces

6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 cups chicken stock

2 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 T fresh basil or 1/2 tsp dried

3 tomatoes diced, grape is good

1/2 cup give or take fresh parmsan, grated

Garlic powder/salt (or Kosher salt) and black pepper to taste

Get pasta going in a large pot. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet. Add chicken, seasoned however you like (garlic salt is my choice), and cook until browned and cooked through. Add chicken stock, garlic, and basil. Let simmer for a minute. Add cooked and drained noodles, chopped tomatoes, and grated parmesan. Season, taste, adjust as needed. I usually add more basil and parmesan once I've tasted it. Right before serving sprinkle on cooked crumbled bacon. Enjoy!

Easily serves 4 as a main dish.

Orange Peel Chicken

This recipe is righy up my alley. It's saucy, chicken-y, slightly sweet, slightly spicy AND reminiscent of my favorite dish at the wonderous asian bistro restaurant that is PF Chang's. (Sadly, I have to get on an airplane ride if I want to eat there, so this is a good at-home alternative) To top it all off, it's not full of fussy ingredients. I imagine most everyone will have almost every ingredient in their pantry already. The chili garlic sauce is the only out of the ordinary item and it is absolutely necessary. I found mine in the specialty asian section of my grocery store. Now if I could just master dan-dan noodles I'd be a happy gal!

Orange Peel Chicken

{Slightly adapted recipe from my friend Christie. If you like things fairly saucy, I'd 1 1/2 this recipe if not double it}

Sauce:

1 T vegetable oil

2 T minced garlic

4 green onions, sliced

1 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 T chili garlic sauce

1 T soy sauce

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2-3 large chicken breasts (I used 2 and wanted there to be a little more sauce)

Garlic salt

1 egg, beaten

1 cup milk

1+ cup flour

peel from 1/4 navel orange, julienned with all white part removed (into 1/8-inch thick strips)

Prepare sauce by heating 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add minced garlic and sliced green onions. Add tomato sauce and chicken broth quickly before the garlic burns. Add sugar, chili garlic sauce and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes or until sauce thickens, then turn off the heat.

Prepare the chicken by heating 1/2 cup oil in a wok over medium heat. Slice chicken breasts into bite-size pieces and sprinkle with garlic salt. Combine beaten egg with milk in a medium bowl. Pour the flour into another medium bowl.

Coat chicken pieces by dropping them into the egg/milk mixture and into the flour mixture. (FYI: I actually coated them in flour first, then egg/milk, then back into flour) Arrange coated chicken on a plate until all chicken is coated.

When oil in the large skillet or wok is hot, add about half of the chicken to the oil and cook for a couple of minutes or until brown on one side, then flip chicken over. When chicken is golden brown, remove the pieces to a rack or paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining chicken. (I put mine in a glass baking dish and into the oven at 400 for few minutes longer just be sure they were done.) When all of the chicken is cooked wipe the remaining oil out of the pan with paper towels and place it back on the stove to heat up again.

When pan is hot again add julienned orange peel and cooked chicken. Heat for 20 to 30 seconds or so. Add sauce to the pan and cook, stirring gently, until the chicken is well coated and sauce is thick. Serve over white or brown rice.

Sunday Chicken Bundles

I only call these "Sunday" Chicken Bundles because that tends to be the day of the week I make them. They aren't ridiculously time-intensive, but may feel that way for a week-night meal.

Let me just tell you that they are simply delicious. Cream cheese and chicken are apparently meant for each other. While they can stand alone beautifully, the sauce really adds a whole new level of yummy-ness and is a must in my opinion. They are a nice company over dish and make terrific left-overs. I could eat them for days! Put them on your sunday dinner menu this week...

Sunday Chicken Bundles

3 chicken breasts cooked and finely shredded (I do mine in the crock pot with some chicken broth, oven baked and chopped would be fine though)

4-6 T melted butter

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened (we go the 1/3 less fat route AKA neufatel)

1 clove garlic, minced

4-5 green onions chopped, both white & green parts

1/2 t+ garlic salt

1/4 t black pepper

24 canned crescent rolls

Mix all ingredients but rolls. Layout each dough triangle and place generous spoonful of chicken mixture on wide end of each roll. Roll up tucking in ends a bit. Allow some chicken to show. Place on silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake @ 375 for 20-25 minutes until golden. Serve with sauce:

1 can cream of chicken

3 T sour cream

1/2 (or more) cup chicken broth

1/2 t dried parsley

1/4 t garlic powder

fresh black pepper to taste

1/4 cup grated cheese, colby jack is good

Heat in small sauce pan, adding more broth as necessary to reach desired consistency. We like ours on the thinner side. Spoon over baked chicken bundles.