Man Pleasin’ Chicken

I got this recipe from one of the teachers at the kids’ school...it was really good and easy to make! I always adjust slightly or make more of a recipe due to the size of my family so I’ll post how I made it. I used bone-less, skin-less chicken breasts split lengthwise instead of the chicken thighs and I used 1/2 c. maple syrup instead of the 1/4 c. it calls for. Those are the only changes in case you want to make it the original way.

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts split lengthwise to make 6 pieces
1/2. c dijon mustard
1/2 c. maple syrup (real maple, not pancake syrup)
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 450F. Whisk together in bowl dijon mustard, rice wine vinegar and maple syrup.
Line a 9 x 13 casserole dish with foil for easy clean up and place chicken breasts. Season breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Pour maple mixture over chicken and turn them over to make sure all sides are fully coated. Bake for 30 mins. (Remember, I split my chicken breasts so they are thin and will cook through faster...increase time for whole breasts or thighs by at least 10 minutes).  I also turned my chicken once half way through baking time.  Let chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon extra sauce on chicken after transferring to plate and then sprinkle with fresh chopped rosemary.  I served with wild rice and broccoli. Really good!

Pecan-Crusted Chicken

This is another recipe I found on Pinterest. It came from Betty Crocker's website and we really liked it! It was fairly easy to make. The only thing I did different from the original recipe was that I seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper before dipping into the yogurt and pecan/panko crumbs. The family really liked this one! I had to double the recipe for my family so that is what I'm going to post. Click the link for the original recipe.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts split lengthwise to make 8
1 1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
1 c. pecans, chopped fine
4 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 large container (12 or 16oz) greek fat free plain yogurt
extra virgin olive oil for frying

I split my chicken breasts lengthwise or you can use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound chicken to 1/2 inch thick placing chicken in between waxed paper. Place yogurt in shallow dish and mixture of panko crumbs, pecans and parsley in another shallow dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot.  Dip chicken in yogurt and then dip in panko crumb mixture until chicken is coated. Cook chicken in oil 8-10 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink in center and coating is golden brown.

*I'm a weirdo about cooking chicken on the stove...I always move the chicken from the skillet after frying to a baking sheet and place in oven at 350F for about 10 minutes just to make sure it's cooked through. I let it cook while I finish up my side dishes. I served with wild rice and broccoli.  My kids don't like wild rice so they had mashed potatoes with brown gravy as a side. They liked the chicken with just a drizzle of gravy on it but the chicken had enough flavor without. You could do either way.

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and thought I'd share it. I didn't take a pic and don't want to steal their picture so here's the link and it will take you to the original post and recipe. It was really good and all of my family really liked it!

http://www.nlrockrecipes.com/2012/04/doube-crunch-honey-garic-chicken.html

Chicken Florentine Alfredo

There is a restaurant here in Maine that we really, really like. And every time we go there I get the same thing...their Chicken Florentine Alfredo. It. is. so. good.  The other day we were trying to figure out what we were going to make for dinner with the thawed chicken we had...so we thought we'd try to mimic the recipe. It turned out almost exactly the same! I was really easy and super good!

-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts split lengthwise to make 6 pieces (or amount you need, I need 6)

-cajun spice mix (recipe below or you can use store bought)

-1 small package linguini (I used a 1lb box) cooked according to directions on package al dente

-Alfredo sauce (store bought or homemade if you have a recipe, I don't have a recipe I like)

-handful of baby spinach, chopped fine

-1 tomato, chopped for garnish

-grated parmesan to top if desired 

I found this recipe for blackened seasoning on Allrecipes.com. I really liked it although it was a bit spicy for my kids. I think next time I will reduce the amount of cayenne pepper I use for them. (*We did find that as we ate and the chicken was kind of mixed in with the noodles and sauce that the sauce tamed the spicy-ness of the chicken) This spice mix tasted very much like the chicken I had at the restaurant.  You can also just buy a cajun spice mix at the store if you would like.

Tom's Blackened Seasoning

1 tbsp. paprika
4 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. white sugar
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
3/4 tsp. ground cumin

Mix all spices in a container that has a lid and shake vigorously until well combined. This makes enough to coat six chicken breasts (or fish if you prefer).

This is where I cheated...I don't have a recipe for Alfredo sauce that I like. I like the Classico jar of Alfredo sometimes but didn't think it would be good for this recipe. So we just picked up a pint of Alfredo sauce from Olive Garden. I think it was less than $5...about the same as a jar at the store. But better... :) Anyone have a really good recipe for Alfredo? Send it to me!

Start with preparing chicken; clean it, split lengthwise, sprinkle with spice mixture on both sides to coat then set aside. You can blacken your chicken but we just grilled it on the grill until it was cooked through.  Start your grill heating (unless you are blackening chicken on stove and using oven). Boil water to start cooking noodles according to directions on package. While noodles are cooking,  warm Alfredo sauce in sauce pan and add chopped baby spinach to sauce to warm and soften. It doesn't take long and you don't want the spinach too soggy. When noodles are almost al dente put your chicken on the grill. Because they are split they will cook very fast.  I think ours was done in less than 10 minutes. While chicken is grilling, drain noodles and place in large mixing bowl. Add Alfredo sauce and toss to coat all noodles. I didn't use all of the pint...use what you like for your taste . Remove chicken from grill. Serve linguini and Alfredo on large plate, place scored blackened chicken on top and garnish with chopped fresh tomatoes. YUM!

This recipe made 6 servings.

Garlic Lime Chicken

My friend CS gave this recipe to me. We made it about a week ago and it was really good. The chicken was super moist. Great for more variety with grilling.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 c. fresh lime juice

1/3 c. soy sauce

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Combine soy sauce, lime juice and dry mustard in small bowl; mix well. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place chicken in large plastic ziplock bag and pour marinade mixture into bag over chicken; making sure all pieces of chicken are covered. Marinade in refrigerator for one hour. Grill.

Chicken Fajitas

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut up in small strips

1 large green pepper(and/or red and yellow pepper), sliced into strips

1 large onion, cut into thin wedges

1 package fajita seasoning

1 package tortillas

Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Cheddar cheese, shredded

guacamole

tomatoes

sour cream

salsa or pico de gallo

tortilla chips

Brown chicken on high in large frying pan until cooked through and golden brown. Sprinkle fajita seasoning mix over chicken and add 1/4 c. water. Add green pepper and onion, stir to coat seasoning over all veggies and chicken. Cover and let simmer until vegetables are hot but still crisp, about 5-7 minutes. Serve immediately while still sizzling in warm tortillas, cheese, tomatoes, guacamole, sour cream and salsa. Goes great with beans and rice.

Aztec Chicken Salad

Tell me that is not the best looking salad you have ever seen! My friend DC gave me this idea, she told me about this "Aztec Chicken Salad" that they eat all of the time. It reminded me of Chili's Quesadilla Explosion Chicken Salad which I love. I found a site Meemo's Kitchen that has a copy cat recipe for Chili's, I didn't use the site but look at the link just in case, it has a recipe for a marinade and two dressings. DC uses Sun-Dried California dressing on her's, my husband tried that and really liked it but I am more of a ranch kind of girl so that is what I used. I'm sure it's good whatever you use. For the chicken, I seasoned boneless, skinless chicken breasts with Chicken Fajita Seasoning before grilling it on the grill. I also skipped the quesadillas, I didn't have tortillas to make them but they are nice to eat along with this salad. This salad was SO good! We'll be eating it all the time now! Thanks DC for the idea!!! We miss you!

chicken breasts, split length-wise, seasoned with fajita seasoning, grilled
Romaine lettuce, chopped
black beans, rinsed and drained, warmed
mexi-corn, drained and warmed
1 can green chilies (optional, to mix with corn for "corn-relish")
Monterey Jack Cheese, grated
Cheddar cheese, grated
tomatoes, diced
onion, diced
avocado, sliced (or made into guacamole)
cilantro, just for garnish
tortilla strips (we just used chips and crushed on top)

dressing of you choice

Orange Chicken

I found this recipe on Stick Of Butter. I have been looking for a recipe for Orange Chicken for a while now but never found one that sounded like what I had been looking for. This one was SO good! I will definitely be making it again soon! I did a few things differently, after I fried the chicken in the oil, I placed all of the chicken on a baking sheet and baked them for about 15-20 minutes on 400F. (I am a freak about salmonilla, I didn't trust that the chicken was fully cooked just in the oil). I also didn't add the cayenne pepper or baking soda to the cornstarch for the breading and I used the whole egg for the breading instead of just the egg whites. One last thing, on Stick of Butter she said the next time she made this she would have doubled the recipe for the sauce so I did. I MADE THE CHANGES FOR THE SAUCE ON THIS RECIPE SO DON'T DOUBLE WHAT I HAVE. Other than doubling the sauce, this is the original recipe.

Ingredients:

For the marinade and sauce:
1 ½ lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces (I used 6 breasts)
1 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 tbsp. grated orange zest
8 thin strips orange peel (optional)
12 tbsp. distilled white vinegar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 cup dark brown sugar
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp. fresh grated ginger
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
3 tbsp. cornstarch
4 tbsp. cold water

For coating and frying:
3 large egg whites
1 cup cornstarch
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
3 cups peanut oil (or canola oil)

Directions:

For the marinade and sauce, place the chicken in a Ziploc bag; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the chicken broth, orange juice, zest, vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, ginger and cayenne pepper; whisk until the sugar is fully dissolved. Measure out 3/4 cup of the mixture and pour it into the bag with the chicken; press out as much air as possible and seal the bag, making sure that all pieces are coated with the marinade. Refrigerate 30-60 minutes, but no longer. Bring the remaining mixture in the saucepan to a boil over high heat. In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and cold water; whisk the cornstarch mixture into the sauce. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and translucent, about 1 minute. Off the heat, stir in the orange peel (if using); set the sauce aside.

For the coating, place the egg whites in a pie plate and beat with a fork until frothy. In a second pie plate, whisk together the cornstarch, baking soda and cayenne until combined. Drain the chicken in a colander or large mesh strainer; thoroughly pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Place half of the chicken pieces in the egg whites and turn to coat. Transfer the pieces to cornstarch mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the dredged chicken pieces on another plate or a baking sheet.

To fry the chicken, heat the oil in an 11- to 12-inch dutch oven or straight sided sauté pan with at least 3 qt. capacity over high heat until the oil reaches 350° on an instant read or deep fry thermometer. Carefully place half of the chicken in the oil; fry to golden brown, about 5 minutes, turning each piece with tongs halfway through cooking. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Return the oil to 350° and repeat with the remaining chicken.

To serve, reheat the sauce over medium heat until simmering, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken and gently toss until evenly coated and heated through. Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Joelen’s Culinary Adventures, originally from Cooking at Home with America’s Test Kitchen

Chicken Lo Mein

This one I kind of came up with on my own. I had seen several recipes for Lo Mein and Stir Fry with noodles. I'm not quite sure what mine really is, but it turned out REALLY good!

4 chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
1 tbsp. olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 large onion, sliced into wedges
handful fresh snow peas
1 1/2 c. diced celery
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 large can bean sprouts, drained
12-15 ozs. linguine noodles, cooked according to directions on package
1 package chow mein sauce mix, made according to directions (requires soy sauce)

Slice chicken into strips and cook in frying pan on med-high heat until cooked throughly. Salt and pepper strips while chicken cooks. Boil linguine noodles according to directions on package, drain and set aside. In large skillet or wok, heat olive oil and sautee garlic and onion until onion is tender. Add celery, snow peas, water chestnuts and bean sprouts and mix well while heating. When veggies are hot, add chicken and linguine noodles. Mix throughly. Pour chow mein sauce mix over entire mixture and coat evenly. Serve with rice.

Chicken Parmesan

I got this recipe off of The Sisters' Cafe and it is so AMAZING! I made it exactly as the recipe said, the only thing I will do different next time is half the sugar it calls for. It was just a bit too sweet.The recipe makes quite a bit of sauce, I may half the recipe next time too. I served the chicken with Fettuccine Alfredo, steamed asparagus and hot garlic bread. My family LOVED it!

Sauce:

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 large onion, chopped (approx 1 cup)

2 cloves garlic, crushed

3 cans Italian diced tomatoes

1 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until onions are tender and transparent. Add the rest of the ingredients and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Chicken:

1-2 pounds chicken breasts (I used 5 breasts, cut in half lengthwise)

2 eggs

Italian Breadcrumbs

1/4-1/2 c. olive oil

8 oz. very thinly sliced Mozzarella

1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

Dip the chicken in egg and then in bread crumbs. Heat oil and cook chicken 2-3 minutes on each side. Put chicken on the bottom of a large baking dish (9x13). Put one thin slice of Mozzarella and sprinkle Parmesan on each breast and half of sauce on top. Repeat. Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees. Top with grated parmesan cheese.

Lowfat version: Skip breading and frying of the chicken. Place the chicken raw in the dish and do one layer of the cheeses. I don't even measure, I just sprinkle on grated mozzarella and parmesan then top with sauce. Bake a little longer - more like 40 minutes. It is fabulous!

Poppy Seed Chicken

We tried this recipe the other night and the kids really like it. I got it out of one of my ward cookbooks and is from JB. I assembled it slightly different than her directions. She does several layers in a smaller casserole dish. I just made a bottom layer, filling and then top layer to make it easier. In her recipe she says she cuts back on the butter, but I cut it out completely. Didn't get a picture this time.

3-4 c. chicken, cooked and cut into small pieces
1 can cream of chicken soup (low fat)
2 tbsp. poppy seeds
1 1/2 c. sour cream (low fat)
1 1/2 c. Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 c. butter, melted

Mix sour cream, soup and poppy seed together. In baking dish (I used 9 x 13) layer 1/2 of the crushed Ritz crackers. Then add filling, spread chicken on top of filling, then sprinkle remaining Ritz crackers on top. Drizzle melted butter evenly on top. Bake at 300F for 30-40 minutes.

Salsa Chicken

I have had several people tell me about this recipe but with different variations. I made it one other time but used it to make burritos. Personally I would rather use this recipe for burritos. So I made this recipe again and combined the way SN and AR have done it.

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 jar salsa
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
black pepper (to taste)
cayenne pepper (to taste)
1 c. sour cream
2 c. rice, cooked

Place all ingredients except sour cream in crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken last hour. Stir in sour cream about 10 minutes before serving. Serve on top of rice.
My kids LOVED it.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs, beaten
2 c. cornstarch

Slice the chicken into strips, about 1/2 inch wide. Dip in egg, then roll in cornstarch. Fry in hot oil in frying pan until golden brown. Place in baking dish.

Sauce:
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. catsup
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. vinegar
2 c. apricot nectar
1 c. chicken broth

Mix all ingredients in bowl with wire whisk, pour over breaded chicken. Bake covered at 350F for 45 minutes. Serve with rice.

*I add pineapple slices before baking and sometimes sliced green pepper.

Tortilla Wraps

My kids love these for dinner!

This is not really a recipe, more like a "how to" meal idea. Tonight we had Chicken Wraps dipped in ranch dressing and chips. You can really make these however you would like using whatever toppings you like as well. Tonight I made them with chicken. Cut up chicken breasts into thin strips, season with salt & pepper and garlic then brown them in frying pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Assemble on large tortilla, add meat of choice, cheese of choice, lettuce, tomato slices, onions, whichever veggies you like. Roll tortilla tight and place in hot frying pan sprayed with cooking spray. Rotate and brown the tortilla just enough that it is golden and crispy. You want the tortilla warm but the inside ingredients cool.

Cut in half and dip in dressing of choice and serve with salad, fries or chips.

There are also several different tortillas to choose from, mix it up and try spinach, whole wheat, sun-dried tomato etc. Can use deli turkey, deli ham, deli chicken, cooked chicken pieces or even tuna. Cheese slices can be used as well as grated cheeses. Whatever you prefer. Toppings can be really varied, depending on what you like: lettuce, baby spinach, tomato, onion, avocado slices, bacon, peppers, mushrooms, alalfa sprouts, throw on some black beans and corn with some salsa to spice it up. The possibilities are endless!

Examples:

Caesar Salad Wrap: Romaine lettuce, chicken pieces, fresh grated parmesan cheese, tomato slices, dip in Caesar dressing.

BLT Wrap: bacon, lettuce tomato in tomato tortilla dipped in ranch dressing.

Tuna Wrap: prepared tuna with cheese, lettuce, tomato slices, with lime juice squeezed on top before rolling in whole wheat tortilla. Serve with dill pickle on the side.

Veggie Wrap: choice of tortilla, any veggies you like, choice of dressing.

Chicken Salad Wrap: make chicken salad recipe then add avocado slices, mushrooms slices, tomato slices and alalfa sprouts.

Chicken Rolls

From the kitchen of JH

Filling:
1 8oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 c. chicken, cooked and cut into small pieces
1 tbsp. dried onion
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Rolls:
1 pkg. Stove Top Stuffing (dry)
2 pkgs. crescent rolls (i.e. Pillsbury that come in a tube)
1/4 c. butter, melted

Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup, add only 1/2 can milk

Soften cream cheese and add chicken, onion and parsley, mix well into a filling. Roll out crescent roll dough and divide filling onto dough, about 1 tbsp. per roll. Roll dough around chicken filling and pinch sides together. I kind of roll it so it is round, then dip into butter and roll in dry stuffing mix. You can crush the stuffing so it is fine but we like it really crunchy so I leave it whole. I pick up the stuffing and press it into the ball so it gets completely covered.

Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake at 325F for 30 minutes. Serve with sauce. We also serve with Savory Rice and green vegetable.

Cafe Rio Type Chicken

8-10 chicken breasts cooked and torn
2 cans Rotel tomatoes with peppers (or 1 large can of diced tomatoes and 1 small can green chilis)
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic
Dash cayenne pepper hot sauce (to taste)

Simmer a while to develop flavor. Serve in a large tortilla with black beans, green chili rice, monterey jack cheese, romaine lettuce, sour cream, pico de gallo and guacamole. Add juice of limes over top just before serving. Can be used in a salad using all of the above toppings with Creamy Tomatillo Dressing.

White Chicken Chili

From the kitchen of AY

This is one of our favorites...my kids LOVE it!

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts grilled
1 large can green chilies
3 15-oz can Northern Beans with juice (or White kidney Beans)
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. garlic
2 tsp. or cubes chicken boullion
4 c. chicken broth
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin (not in her original recipe; I added it)
1 c. water

Brown chicken in frying pan and cut into small pieces. Place all ingredients in large crock pot or pot. Simmer 4-5 hours on low. Thicken with cornstarch (I use about 1/4-1/2 cup).

Serve with shredded Monterey Jack cheese, sour cream, black olives, green onions and tortilla chips.

Chicken In Sour Cream Sauce

4 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into smaller pieces

Mix together:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 c. sour cream
1/2 c. cooked bacon, crumbled

Line 9 x 13 pan with deli beef slices. Place chicken in pan. Spread soup mixture over chicken. Bake at 350F covered for 1 hour.

Chicken Casserole

2 c. diced potatoes
2 c. sliced carrots
1/2 onion, chopped

Boil in 2 1/2 c. water until tender, drain and save liquid.

3 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. flour
2 c. liquid from veggies

Thicken liquid, flour and butter, then add 1 can cream of chicken soup, salt & pepper, dash of paprika and 2 c. chicken. Heat throughly. Add veggies and pour into greased baking dish. Cover mixture with biscuit dough. Bake at 375F for 20 mintues.

Biscuit Dough:

2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. shortening
2/3 cup milk

Mix together. Roll out flat and cover casserole mixture.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, skinned side down, pounded think with a mallet
4 fingers swiss cheese
4 ham slices

Roll swiss cheese finger in ham slice, then chicken around ham and cheese. Secure with toothpick if needed. Dip in melted butter and roll in crushed corn flake crumbs. Bake at 325F for 40 minutes.

Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. sour cream
1 tsp. lemon juice