Mexican Chicken Bake

Tags

casserole, chicken, cooking, easy, food, mexican, poultry, recipe

I’ll be honest with you.

I have not had much desire to cook lately. I cooked twice last week. One meal was a one pot chicken curry meal (delicious by the way if you haven’t made that one yet). The other was your standard pizza (made with homemade pizza dough that I froze a few weeks ago.) I’m getting pretty resourceful this month and out of sheer busy-ness, I’ve been basically using up my pantry and freezer staples.

So was pretty jolly when I found this meal. It’s super pantry staple friendly. If you stock your cabinets with beans and salsa, and your freezer with chicken and frozen veggies, you can make this meal any gosh darn diddily day you want.

(By the way, how did people live without the internet? I have an entire bookcase full of cookbooks, yet often when I need a recipe, I type in the ingredients I have into Google and “bam”, we have a winner. Searching indexes? Flipping through pages? Not ever in the mood.)

Speaking of which, how do I index all of my cookbooks online?

That’s actually exactly what I need.

Anyway, back to the recipe.

I was very happy when I made this recipe.

• Um, getting married in less than two months = utter happiness
• Chris is home before 10:30 every night now!
• The sun is out until 8 pm every day!
• And more!

And I think my happiness made it taste better.

But even if you had just an OK day, trust me, this will still taste good.

Mexican Chicken Bake (Adapted from Kraft)
Serves 5-6
>> Click here for printable recipe 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 tbsp taco seasoning (homemade or packaged)
• 2 tbsp Italian dressing (I used Olive Oil Vinaigrette)
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 (16 oz) jar of your favorite salsa
• 3/4 cup mozzarella, cheddar, or Monterrey jack cheese (or combo of all 3)
• 5-6 servings of cooked brown rice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Add taco seasoning to the chicken in a medium bowl; toss to evenly coat.
3. Heat the dressing in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until it’s browned. Spoon into a casserole dish (I used 9 x 13, which was a little too large, but got the job done), and cover with layers of beans, corn, peas, onions, and salsa.
4. Bake for 20 minutes. Top with the cheese and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Spoon over rice to serve.

My Two Cents: This had some zip, some tang, a whip, and a zang. Make it with chicken breasts to be even healthier. (I had chicken thighs in my freezer because they were on sale last week — thighs also have a richer, moister taste to them.) And the layers can be a free-for-all, really. Add some peppers, jalapenos, cilantro, etc. to make it even more Mexican. Use what you have on hand. Get creative. Be joyous.

And also, try to walk 10,000 steps a day (about 5 miles), drink lots of water, and go  outside during your lunch break. You will feel so much happier! (not to mention — healthier!)

Apricot Chicken Drumsticks

Tags

chicken, cooking, easy, easy meals, food, poultry, quick, recipes

 

The day after I purchased my new camera, I was determined to make a recipe I hadn’t made before so I could take oodles of pictures.

Drumsticks were perfect.

a.) I’ve never made a drumstick recipe that didn’t taste good
b.) They photograph well

Apricot Chicken Drumsticks (Adapted from Family Fun)
Serves 2-3
>> Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken drumsticks (5-6 legs)
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 6 oz apricot jam or preserves
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup chicken broth

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Remove skin from drumsticks if desired. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the chicken in the skillet on all sides. Then transfer to a 9 x 13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
3. Whisk together the apricot jam, ginger, garlic, and broth. Pour evenly over the chicken.
4. Bake the chicken for 25-30 minutes or until the juices run clear.
5. Serve with a starch and veggies. I chose orzo and Brussels sprouts.

My Two Cents: This recipe is incredibly easy to make. I love keeping a few packages of drumsticks in the freezer because they are so versatile, so quick, so easy, and so tasty. Plus, I love to cook them with the skin on — it gives you and the other people eating it the option of eating it, or taking it off before you eat it. Sometimes I indulge, other times I don’t

Chris ate this after a very very long day of studying, and besides being just what he needed, he loved the gingery/fruity flavors that coated the chicken. And I did, too.

And I’m certain you will!

Honey Sesame Chicken

Tags

chicken, cooking, easy meals, food, honey, poultry, quick meals, recipe, recipes

I got a frozen package of chicken breasts from Trader Joe’s the other week. It was a steal of a deal. And the sodium levels were quite low. I couldn’t resist, as is usually the case when I step into Trader Joe’s. (“I definitely need 3 bags of chocolate covered pretzels, as well as chocolate covered edamame, a giant package of string cheese, and let’s just throw those chocolate covered potato chips in there, too”)

Well, the low-sodium frozen chicken made up for all that chocolate (maybe — though they’re saying that chocolate is good for you now — which I’m beginning to think is the reason I’m not a complete whale at this point in my life).

Let me get back to what I was really saying.

I used this recipe with frozen chicken, which is 100% totally fine to do, just as long as you defrost it before you bake it.

The Trader Joe’s package might tell you that you don’t have to defrost the chicken before you use it, and I should’ve listened to my inner brain smarts that said, “um, Megan, this is a lie. You are going to be waiting around for this chicken to be done if you don’t defrost it. It will take longer than 30 minutes. This actually has happened to you before. So this is sort of a no-brainer. Will you just listen to yourself for once? Your instincts are usually right, yet sometimes you completely ignore yourself, which can, and frequently does end poorly.”

So what did I do? I prepared the chicken, frozen, and sure enough, cooked it for an extra 15 minutes to make sure it was done.

Which is fine, if you aren’t starving.

If you’re using chicken that hasn’t been frozen into a big ice block yet, then you reading this lead-up to the recipe was completely unnecessary, but hopefully entertaining. Because even 2 + years after I’ve been screwing things up in the kitchen, I’m still far far far away from the term “pro” or “just like grandma” material.

Despite ALL THAT, this chicken tasted good.

Honey Sesame Chicken (adapted from The Healthy College Cookbook)
Serves 4
>> Click here for printable recipe 

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or 5-6 pieces of frozen chicken breasts — which are usually smaller than the packages that aren’t frozen in the meat section)
• 4 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (400 if using partially frozen chicken).
2. Spray a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Arrange the chicken in a single layer in the dish. Warm the honey for 15-20 seconds in the microwave and brush evenly over the chicken.
3. In a small bowl, combine the sesame seeds, garlic powder, and pepper, and sprinkle evenly over chicken. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through (juices run clear when pricked with a fork).
4. Serve over rice or couscous with a side of your favorite greens.

My Two Cents: Okay, so after waiting around for an extra mere 15 minutes for this chicken to cook, it was PHENOMENAL. Honey works magic on chicken every single time. And the sesame seeds add a nice pop of flavor.

The leftovers are great hot or cold. I sliced mine up, tossed it in with a salad the next night, and tossed in some feta cheese to top it all off.

Enjoy!

Whip it up Wednesday: Soy-Glazed Cashew Chicken Wraps

Tags

chicken, cooking, food, poultry, quick dishes, recipe, recipes, skillet meal, stir-fry, whip it up wednesday

When you want to fancy up your standard chicken stir-fry, use this recipe.

My friends Rachel (from BostoNite) and Fran and I frequently get together for dinner dates. And usually we opt for some sort of pasta dish because it’s quick and easy to make. But last time we got together we wanted something different, yet still quick and easy to throw together. They spotted this recipe on Pinterest. We all split up the ingredients to bring, cracked open a bottle of wine, and got to work. In no time we were chowing down on this healthy chicken wrap, polishing off the wine, and watching some trashy mid-week TV.

What could be better?

Soy-Glazed Cashew Chicken Wraps (Adapted from She Wears Many Hats)
Makes 4 servings
>> Click here for printable recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (3/4 – 1 lb), diced
• 8 big leaves of iceberg lettuce
• 2-3 tbsp canola or olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1/4 cup cashews, crushed
• 1/3 cup prepared ginger soy stir fry sauce

Directions:

1.  Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan over medium heat. Add chicken and brown until no longer pink.
2. Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat the other tbsp of oil. Add the onions, garlic, and 1 tsp of soy sauce to the pan; brown.
3. When the onions and garlic are browned, add to the chicken and also add in the cashews, crushed red pepper, and ginger stir fry sauce. Heat through.
4. Spoon chicken mixture onto lettuce leaves. Top with additional hot sauce and cashews if desired.

My Two Cents: A great meal overall — and better with wine and friends.

Enjoy!

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

Tags

chicken, cooking, crock pot, easy meals, food, poultry, recipe, recipes, slow cooker, tacos

Does anyone else have the problem of going to the grocery store and then scratch your head at the price of your loot when you get to the register? I factor enough money into my budget to allow me to splurge a little on food, especially for certain ingredients for the blog.

So I’m not going to go into debt anytime soon.

But it’s becoming a problem. I love to stock up, sometimes too much I think. My cabinets are packed with pasta, sauces, nuts, crackers, canned goods — my freezer loaded with veggies and meat — my fridge brimming with fresh veggies and cheeses for the week.

Essentially, we wouldn’t go hungry for weeks. And food continues to be my weakness when I’m shopping. I can easily resist buying a new dress, replenishing my makeup, or even getting a haircut.

This is what blogging has done to me.

So besides food shopping, the best part of my Sundays are those that involve my crock pot…

…and Star Trek…and good books…

I bookmarked this recipe for crock pot chicken tacos a few weeks ago. After making this shredded BBQ chicken in the crock pot, I knew that shredded chicken with taco seasoning would taste just as wonderful.

I also made homemade taco seasoning for the first time. So I really must make this simple meal again soon.

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos (Adapted slightly from Prevention RD)
Makes 5-6 soft-shelled tacos
>> Click here for printable recipe 

Homemade Taco Seasoning:
Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp minced dried onion flakes
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp parika
• 1 1/2 tbsp cumin
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper

Directions:

1. Mix all the spices together and store in an air tight container for up to one year. (2 1/2 tbsp is equivalent to one store-bought packet of taco seasoning)

Chicken Tacos:
Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 tbsp taco seasoning mix, or 1 packet of store-bought taco seasoning
• 15 oz low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 (4 oz) can diced chile peppers
• Your favorite taco toppings (tomatoes, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa, etc.)
• soft-shelled tacos, warmed

Directions:

1. In a 2 cup measuring cup, measure out the chicken broth and whisk in the taco seasoning.
2. Spray the crock pot with cooking spray. Pour the diced tomatoes at the bottom of the crock pot. Lay the chicken breasts on top of the tomatoes and pour the broth and seasoning over the top. Then pour the chile peppers on top of the chicken. Cover and cook on Low for 6-10 hours.
3. Remove the chicken from the crock pot and place it in a large bowl — shred with two forks. There will be a lot of liquid left in the slow cooker. Pour 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the liquid over the shredded chicken — the shredded chicken will re-absorb some of the liquid. Once it is saturated, fill the warmed taco shells with the chicken and toppings. Roll up and enjoy!

My Two Cents: This recipe is foolproof. And it’s great for either a lazy Sunday or a busy work day.

Looking forward to the leftovers for tomorrow

Roasted Apple and Onion Drumsticks

Tags

apples, chicken, cooking, drumsticks, food, poultry, recipe

Sometimes I neglect to put greens on my plate to round out dishes. So although I won’t be submitting this picture to Tastespotting any time soon, I can tell you that this is some of the most delicious, juicy, savory, sweet, moist chicken I have ever made.

I sent some with Chris to work the day after I made it, and he imed me at work saying, “The chicken is amazing by the way.” This is how I judge things on a scale from 1 – 10. I might think everything is a 9 or a 10, but others might think otherwise. Chris usually says he thinks my meals are delightful when I ask, but when he says something without me asking, we have a true winner folks.

Roasted Apple and Onion Drumsticks (Adapted from Sassy Radish)

Serves 4

Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 1 hour

Ingredients:

• 8 chicken drumsticks, skin on OR off
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Spray a 9 x 13 ceramic or glass baking dish with cooking spray. Place chicken in dish. Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the garlic powder.
3. Add the onions and apples to the dish. Pour the lemon juice and the orange juice in the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.
4. Cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered for the remaining 30 minutes.
5. Serve with your favorite starch and greens.
6. I served mine with sliced potatoes. To make: Slice 2 large Russet or Idaho potatoes into disks. Lay evenly on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Spray the potatoes with cooking spray, then sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes. Place in the oven for 30 minutes.

My Two Cents: Are you sick of my apple recipes yet? I hope not, because I still have 5 apples I need to use up! Should I make applesauce with the rest? Or maybe some apple pancakes this weekend….oo…

But back to this recipe. The apples and the orange juice made the chicken moist AND sweet. And the onions added a sweet/savory depth to the dish.They also became soft–perfect to mix in with the potatoes on the side.

And you really can’t go wrong with drumsticks. They’re dark meat, so they’re naturally moist and more flavorful than chicken breasts. I cooked mine with the skin on because that’s the way I bought them (and I think it’s a pain to skin drumsticks). But cooking them without the skins would be just as dandy here. (Yep, I said dandy. I’m okay with it.)

This dish is also really easy to make. I like throwing everything in one pan and then sticking it in the oven for an hour. I can go work out, clean, or just lie on the couch and watch Wheel of Fortune while waiting!

Enjoy