Chicken Taquitos

It is SO hard for me to get decent pictures of ...dinner :/  There is no natural light left by the time we eat and I am usually slightly shaky when I try to take pictures because I am starving :)

I made these taquitos for dinner last night and my boys told me they were the best taquitos they had EVER eaten!  I have actually made taquitos quite a few times, but apparently not as good as these!

Taquitos are actually pretty simple to make.  For me, the worst part is just rolling and frying....but really that is simple too.  Actually the worst part may be shredding the chicken....but you can always use your mixer to shred your meat and then that part is super easy too.

I fry mine in a frying pan with with about 1/2 inch of oil in it over medium heat.  I add freshly rolled taquitos toward the front and then roll them(1/4 turns) toward the back of the pan and remove when all sides are fried.

When I made these last night, a few of my boys were at basketball practice....so to keep them warm, I put them in the oven(after I had let them drain off any extra grease onto a paper towel) pre-heated to 250 degrees to keep them warm until we were ready to eat.  

Usually when I make taquitos I only use corn tortillas, but last night we did corn and flour.  My boys LOVED the flour ones.  The flour tortillas don't get quite as crispy as the corn tortillas.  I always warm my corn tortillas(5-10 at a time) on a plate under a damp paper towel in the microwave for ~30 seconds.  When you do this, the tortillas are much easier to roll...and they don't crack and break as easy.  We love to eat our with sour cream, salsa and chopped avocado.

Chicken Taquitos

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 T chili powder

1/8 t onion powder

1/8 t crushed red pepper

1/4 t cumin

1/2 t garlic salt

1/2 t black pepper

1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

corn/flour tortillas

canola oil

Directions:  Mix all of the spices together and set aside.  Place 2 chicken breasts into a crock pot, sprinkle spice mixture onto chicken.  Cook chicken on low for 3-4 hours, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.  Shred chicken and mix together with the shredded cheese.  Place some chicken mixture onto one edge of the tortilla.  Roll chicken up in the tortilla and fry.  

I fry mine in a frying pan with with about 1/2 inch of oil in it over medium heat.  I add freshly rolled taquitos toward the front and then roll them(1/4 turns) toward the back of the pan and remove when all sides are fried.

I always warm my corn tortillas(5-10 at a time) on a plate under a damp paper towel in the microwave for ~30 seconds.  When you do this, the tortillas are much easier to roll...and they don't crack and break as easy.  

We love to eat our with sour cream, salsa and chopped avocado.

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

I love cooking in the crock pot!!  When I saw this recipe at Cooking Classy, I couldn't wait to try it.  I left out the ground coriander and added chopped jalapeno.  

I cooked mine on low for 5 hours and then shredded the chicken.  The vegetables get quite soft, if you cook them for the full time.  I didn't mind them so soft, but if you like them to have a little bite, you could probably keep them out and add them the last hour or two of cooking.  I thought the flavor was great and our family all loved them!!

Crock Pot Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts halved

1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 of each red, orange and green bell pepper, sliced

1 large yellow onion, halved and sliced

1 jalapeno pepper, chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 1/2 tsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt

3/ tsp pepper

2 Tb fresh lime juice

1 Tb honey

For serving:  flour tortillas, sour cream, cheese, salsa, chopped avocado

Directions:  Pour half of the canned tomatoes into the bottom of a crock pot and spread into an even layer.  Add half of the peppers and half of the onions and garlic.  Top with chicken breasts.

In a bowl whisk together chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper.  Evenly sprinkle half of the seasoning over chicken breasts then flip chicken and sprinkle in remainder.  Top with the rest of the tomatoes and then peppers and onions.

Cover and cook on high heat for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours, until the chicken is cooked through.  I cooked mine on low for 5 hours and then shredded the chicken.  (The vegetables get quite soft, if you cook them for the full time.  I didn't mind them so soft, but if you like them to have a little bite, you could probably keep them out and add them the last hour or two of cooking...on low).  If you want your chicken to be a little more 'firm' so that you can slice it instead of shred it, don't cook as long....but make sure that the chicken is cooked completely!

Remove chicken and cut into strips or shred.  Ladle out 1 cup of the juice from the crock pot and discard.  In small bowl whisk together lime juice and honey and add to the crock pot along with the chicken.  Season with additional salt to taste, if desired.  Gently toss together.  Serve warm in warmed tortillas with cheese, sour cream, salsa and chopped avocados.

Recipe slightly adapted from:  Cooking Classy

Green Chili Salsa Crock Pot Chicken

You like that name?  Didn't really know what to call this....but I do know that it is DELICIOUS!!  Seriously SO good.  ...and SO easy!  Seriously...dump all the ingredients into the crock pot, cook on low for 5-6 hours and shred...does it get any easier?  This chicken is great for tacos, burritos, served with rice...really just anything :) 

Green Chili Salsa Crock Pot Chicken

Ingredients:

3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 can El Pato (yellow can)

1 bottle of your favorite green salsa (can't remember what size the jars are...12-16 oz..ish)

1/2 cup chopped green chili

Directions:  Place chicken breasts in crock pot.  Dump in El Pato, green salsa, and green chili.  Cook on low for 4-6 hours(depending on size of chicken breasts and if frozen or thawed), until chicken is completely cooked.  Shred your chicken...my favorite method to shred meat with a Kitchen Aid...here.  Serve and enjoy!

Crispy Southwest Wraps

I found this recipe at Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  Mel used chicken in her wraps, but I had some bottled beef in the pantry that I used.  These wraps are SO good.  If you have some canned or bottled chicken or beef they are very simple and FAST to put together.  We really LOVED these!!

Crispy Southwest Wraps

Ingredients: 

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature

1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (or other leftover meat, like shredded pork or beef)

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)

1/2 red or green pepper, diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

juice of 1 lime

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

2 cups shredded cheese

Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Directions:  Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla.  Optional: I like to spread a little sour cream over the tortilla before I sprinkle with cheese and  before arranging the chicken and rice mixture down the center – it makes the wraps delightfully creamy.) Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open and slightly flatten the wraps with the palm of your hand. Spray seam-side of the wrap lightly with cooking spray.

Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute(I used my cast iron skillet). Arrange wraps, seam-side down, in pan or griddle and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side. Cooking them seam-side down first helps seal the long edge so they don’t fall apart. Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps. Serve warm.

Crock Pot Chicken Ranch Tacos

This is another recipe that I found on Pinterest.  My family LOVED this and it was very easy!!  This recipe was adapted from the skillet Chicken Ranch Tacos at Do You Smell That!!?

Crock Pot Chicken Ranch Tacos

Ingredients:

2 pounds raw chicken (not frozen)

1 packet dry Ranch dressing

1 packet chicken taco seasoning

1 14.5 oz can chicken broth

Directions:  Combine all ingredients in the crock pot and cooked on low for 3 hours.  Shred chicken and cook on low for another 30 minutes.  Assemble taco as you desire.  I always spread my sour cream on my tortilla first when I make tacos...that way I have sour cream in every bite, instead of a few bites with big spoonfuls.

Chicken-Chipotle Burrito Bowls

This is going to be quick...I found the recipe here.  Sorry this picture isn't really focused...my camera battery is almost dead(like flashing battery light) and I can not find my charger anywhere!

I made this for dinner last night and it was SO good and SO easy!!  Next time I would add a little salt to the tomato mixture.  This is great in a bowl or wrapped up in a tortilla for lunch the next day.  The recipe said that it would feed 4, but if you make extra rice....I would say it will easily serve 6.

Chicken-Chipotle Burrito Bowls

Ingredients:

1 lb	Boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cubed
1	(15-oz.) Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup	Frozen Corn
2 cups	Canned, crushed tomatoes
1– 2 tsp	Finely Chopped Canned Chipotle Chile Peppers In Adobo Sauce
½ tsp	Ground Cumin
1 Tbsp	Chopped Fresh Cilantro
1 clove	Garlic, minced
4	Corn Tortillas, cut or torn into bite-sized pieces
2 cups	Hot Cooked White Rice
	Reduced-fat Dairy Sour Cream, optional
	Reduced-fat Shredded Cheddar or Monterrey Jack Cheese (optional)
	Fresh Cilantro, optional

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Arrange chicken in an even layer in baking dish. In a bowl combine beans, corn, tomatoes, chipotle chili peppers, cumin, cilantro, and garlic; pour mixture evenly over chicken. Sprinkle with tortilla pieces.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink.

To serve, divide rice evenly among four serving bowls. Top with chicken mixture. Garnish with sour cream, shredded cheese, and cilantro, if desired.

Chinese Spicy Chicken

I found this recipe over at Mandy's Recipe Box.  We REALLY enjoyed this recipe!  So good....we really LOVE spicy over here :).

Chinese Spicy Chicken

Ingredients:

 Chicken

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

Spicy Sauce

1/4 cup sugar

4 tbsp ketchup

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

Sriracha Hot Sauce to taste

Red Pepper flakes

 

Directions:  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your Spicy Sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken.

 

Caution: The Sriracha sauce really is hot! So start with a little bit and stir it around and taste it before adding more. 

 

Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes. Sprinkle with Red Pepper flakes before serving.

Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

Seriously, I have the hardest time getting a decent picture of chili, soup, enchiladas...etc....so this picture does not do this recipe justice!!  I found this recipe here from Plain Chicken.  If you want to see some great pictures of this dish that will make you drool....go HERE to see them.  This recipe is easy and really delicious!!

Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

1 can black beans
1 can corn, undrained
1 can Rotel, undrained
1 package ranch dressing mix
1 tsp cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 8 oz package light cream cheese
2 chicken breasts

Directions:  Drain and rinse black beans. Place chicken at bottom of pot, then pour out whole can of corn (undrained), rotel, and black beans. Top with seasonings and ranch mix. Stir together. Place cream cheese on top. Cover with lid and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Stir cream cheese into chili. Use 2 forks to shred chicken. Stir together and serve.

Lime Chicken Fajitas

I LOVE fajitas!!  A good friend of mine recently gave me a bunch of bell peppers from her garden to slice and freezer for future fajita goodness :)

I found this recipe over at Dana's blog, Made.  This recipe is easy and there is no need to buy a package of fajita seasoning to make it.  Dana said that she adds cucumbers to her toppings...I've never tried that before, but I LOVED it!!  They add a nice, fresh crispness.  I also served with limes on the side(didn't make the picture) for an extra shot of lime.  We all really loved this recipe!!

Lime Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:

Marinade:Juice of 2 Limes
2 Tbl Rice Vinegar (substitute Apple cider vinegar if you’re out)
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Cumin
optional:
1-2 Tbl finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1-2 Tbl finely chopped cilantro

Fajitas:
Serves approx 4 people
Approx 8 boneless chicken tenders or 4 chicken breasts, thawed and cut into bite-size pieces.
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 onion (or less if preferred), cut into rings/strips

Toppings:
Cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce or cabbage, salsa, cilantro

Directions:   Prepare your vegetables, chicken, and marinade. Cut up one onion and two bell peppers into strips.  You need approximately 8 chicken tenders or 4 breasts, cut into small strip-like pieces.

Place the peppers and onions in one bag together and the chicken in another bag. Leave those aside and prepare the simple marinade.  Squeeze the juice from two limes.  Mix the lime juice, vinegar, salt, pepper, and cumin.  For added flavor and heat, add 1-2 Tbl of finely chopped fresh jalapeno and 1-2 Tbl of finely chopped cilantro(if desired).  Mix everything together and pour half the marinade over the pepper/onion mix, and the other half over the chicken.  Fill each bag with air and shake it all around to make sure everything is coated. Do this over your kitchen sink in case anything leaks or pops.  And place both bags in in a bowl to marinate for 30 minutes or longer. If you’re going to cook them soon, they can be left on the counter top otherwise place them in the refrigerator.

Using a large frying pan, heat a small amount of cooking oil. Pour in the contents of the pepper bag (it’s okay if the liquid goes in too) and let everything cook for about 5 minutes. If there are too many peppers, do it in two batches. You can let the liquid help steam the veggies for a few minutes and then drain the liquid off in the sink so the veggies will brown in the pan. The key is to cook them enough that they’re not raw, but not too much so they still have bite. Similar to al dente. Put the cooked peppers and onions aside on a plate. And clean your pan slightly with water in the sink to remove any black residue from cooking the peppers.  Just as you cooked the peppers, heat a bit of oil in the pan and then add the chicken. Try not to let the marinade liquid get into the pan because the chicken tends to release it’s own liquids. But no big deal if some slips in.  Let it all cook for a few minutes.  Then drain off any liquids in the sink and add a bit more oil (if needed) so the chicken can brown in the pan.

Finally, add the peppers and onions back into the mix and warm for a minute.  Serve with warm tortillas and toppings of your choice.

Stuffed Poblanos

The other day our neighbors gave us some poblano chiles from from their garden...so I went to google to look for a stuffed pepper recipe.  I wish I would have taken a picture of the peppers before I stuffed and cooked them.  They were SO perfect looking...and smelled SO good!!

Anyway, I found this recipe at fine cooking and very lightly adapted it.  The original recipe called for sharp cheddar cheese and no cayenne.  My husband likes things hot, so I added the cayenne.  I also had some Monterrey Jack/Provolone cheese mixture left from making pizza, so that is what I used and I'm telling you.....SO GOOD!!  We LOVED this recipe!!  Next year we will definitely be adding poblano chilies to our garden!! 

Stuffed Poblanos

Ingredients:

4 large poblano chilies

2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
1 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground cayenne (optional...depending on how hot you like it)
Generous pinch ground cinnamon
Kosher salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 cups shredded cooked chicken, preferably dark meat
1-1/2 cups cooked brown or white rice
2 cups grated Monterrey Jack/Provolone cheese mix (about 7 oz.)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (including some tender stems)
1 Tbs. lime juice 

Directions: Position an oven rack about 4 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Slit the chiles from stem to tip and set on the baking sheet. Broil, turning every few minutes, until blackened all over, 5 to 8 minutes. Let cool slightly, peel off the skins, and cut out the seed cores, leaving the stems on. Turn the chiles inside out, flick out any remaining seeds, and turn right side out. Return the poblanos to the baking sheet.

Purée the tomatoes, onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a food processor. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the purée and cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has evaporated and the mixture looks thick and pulpy, 8 to 11 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the chicken and rice, and then 1 cup of the cheese, the cilantro, and the lime juice. Season to taste with salt. Divide the filling among the peppers, wrapping the sides of the peppers up and around the filling, some of which will still be exposed.

Broil the peppers until the cheese is melting and the top is beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Top with the remaining 1 cup cheese and broil until the cheese is completely melted, about 2 minutes.

Herbed Chicken Parmesan

I LOVE Chicken Parmesan and this recipe is REALLY good!!  It is also easy.  I found it at my recipes.com.  I used Italian breadcrumbs because that is what I had on hand.  I also had to skip the fresh parsley....all of the fresh parsley at my grocery store was moldy...yuck.



Herbed Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs 
• 1 Tablespoon minced fresh parsley  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten (I used the whole egg)
• I pound chicken breast tenders
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 cups bottled fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce (such as Muir Glen Organic)
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) shredded provolone cheese

Directions:  Preheat broiler. 

Combine 2 tablespoons of Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Place egg white in a shallow dish. Dip each chicken tender in egg white; dredge in the breadcrumb mixture. Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Set aside.

Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, pasta sauce, vinegar, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; vent. Microwave sauce mixture at HIGH 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Pour the sauce over chicken in pan. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Parmesan and provolone cheese. Wrap handle of pan with foil, and broil 2 minutes or until the cheese melts. 

Serve over your favorite pasta.  I served mine with some Farfalle pasta w/browned butter and parm cheese.

quick and easy chicken marinade

So...the other day (or week) when I was planning to make my friend's  Won ton Salad, I wanted to marinade and grill some chicken to add to it.  Of course...I started thinking about dinner about an hour and a half before dinnertime.....so I needed something quick that used ingredients I had on hand.

I marinated 2 large chicken breasts which I cut in half first, so they would be thinner and cook quicker.  If you are marinating more, just double..triple...quadruple the recipe :)  I would recommend that you only marinate the chicken for any hour or so...you don't want the lime juice or the vinegar from the dressing to start 'cooking' the chicken. 

Chicken marinade

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Italian dressing

1/8 cup soy sauce

juice from 1/2 of a lime

Directions:  Mix marinade ingredients together.  I reserved 1/4 cup of the marinade to baste the chicken with while grilling.  Place chicken and marinade together in a large plastic bag or glass bowl and let marinate for approx. 1 hour.    Grill until chicken is fully cooked.

hmmm...it is marinate, marinated, marinating....marinade, marinaded, marinading?   Spell check is not saying any of them are wrong....too bad I was not an English major...maybe I would know.  Hopefully you are not here to check my grammer and if you are, I'm SO sorry :)



Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

It has taken me long enough....I am FINALLY posting the honey mustard dipping sauce to go with the Chick-fil-A Bites that I posted a few weeks ago....I am a terrible blogger!  The recipe comes from Iowa Girl Eats...same as the chicken bites.

Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 1/2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons honey

Directions:
Stir together ingredients and serve with hot chicken bites.  If you don't have Greek yogurt, you can substitute sour cream.

Chick-fil-A Bites

I came across these little chicken bites over at skinnyrunner.com.  The recipe comes from iowagirleats.com. 

I made these for dinner last night and next time I am going to have to triple(at least) the recipe!!  Of course, then I may have to buy another jar of pickles eat them all by.myself, so that I will have enough pickle juice....hey, whatever(that's right this recipe calls for...pickle juice).  My boys LOVED these!!  My 3(almost 4) year old started C-RY-ING.... when he saw my husband eat the last one.  First thing this morning he asked me if we could make more today.

Iowa girl also shared a recipe for Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce for these.  I was out of Dijon Mustard, so I am going to have to save that one for next time.   Click HERE if you want the recipe for the Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce.

If you like Chick-fil-A....or if you like chicken...period, you should definitely try these!!  They are SO good!!

Chick-fil-A Bites

Ingredients:

2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces and seasoned with salt & pepper
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup dill pickle juice
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup peanut oil, divided (or canola or vegetable oil)

Directions:  Whisk together egg, milk and pickle juice, and pour into a large Ziploc bag or bowl. Add chicken pieces and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.

Combine flour, powdered sugar, salt and pepper in a large Ziploc bag. Shake to combine. Remove chicken from the marinade and add into the bag. Shake to coat the chicken completely.

Heat half the oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat (6 or 7 out of 10.) Test the oil by dropping in a bit of the flour mixture. If it sizzles, the oil is ready, if it pops, lower the temperature a bit.

Gently place chicken pieces into the oil with tongs. Do this in 2 batches, as you don’t want to overcrowd the pan. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown on one side. Turn the chicken over and allow to cook for 3-4 more minutes. Remove to a paper-towel lined plate. Heat the remaining oil and continue with the other half of the chicken pieces.

Crock Pot Chicken Burritos

I love dinners that I can throw the ingredients in the crock pot and forget about it!!  When I saw this recipe at A Cookbook Blog, I knew my family would love it!  My crock pot must cook hotter than most...because cooking on low, my chicken would have been cooked through in 3...maybe 4 hours.  I put my chicken in the crock pot a couple of hours before I went to church Sunday and when I got home it was cooked and also a little dry(had been in the crock pot on low for ~6 hours)....SO I ended up adding about a cup of chicken stock so that the rice would have some liquid to cook in.  In the end it turned out great!! 

Crock Pot Chicken Burritos

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast (can be frozen)

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup salsa
1 cup minute rice (or regular rice, but will have to adjust cooking time)
1 can beans (I used black beans, I also rinse my beans first)

Directions:Combine chicken, soup and salsa. Let cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4 (may need to cook longer if you start with frozen chicken). Chicken is done when it falls apart when squeezed with a pair of tongs. Shred chicken up and add rice and beans. If using minute rice, cook for 15 more minutes. If using real rice, you will need to cook for about an hour.

Serve on flour tortillas with lettuce, more salsa, sour cream, tomatoes, and any other toppings you would like.

**I adjusted the cooking time from the original recipe.

Chicken Ranch Dip

My Sister sent me this recipe and we LOVED it!! 

Chicken Ranch Dip

Ingredients:

2 8 oz packages softened cream cheese

3/4 cup ranch salad dressing

Tabasco sauce

2 chicken breasts chopped or shredded or 2 cups of shredded chicken from a rotisserie chicken

1/4 cup chopped green chili

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Directions:  In 9x13 baking dish spread two 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese ( I usually put them in the microwave for a few seconds to make it spreadable). Squeeze approximately 3/4 cup ranch salad dressing over the cream cheese. Add some drops of  Tabasco sauce(a small amount goes a long way). Layer shredded chicken over the dressing. Next add a layer of green chili. Finally, cover with shredded cheese and bake on 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or until the cheese melts. ENJOY!!

Chicken Teriyaki Rice Bowls

I found this recipe here, from Real Mom Kitchen.  We loved this dish, even my picky 5 year old cleaned his plate.  This is quick and easy!  I made the sauce and cut up my chicken during the afternoon...and then cooked dinner in a matter of minutes after soccer practice the other day.  Delicious!!

Chicken Teriyaki Bowls

Ingredients:

Oil

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut up into bite sized pieces

3 cups frozen stir-fry vegetables

¼ cup teriyaki sauce (see recipe below)
3 cups of steamed rice
Additional teriyaki sauce, if desired

Directions:  Place a little oil in the bottom of a wok or non-stick skillet over medium heat. Give the oil and pan a minute or two to get hot.  Then add your chicken to the pan and cook for a few minutes.  Add 1-2 Tbsp of teriyaki sauce and for 3 minutes more until the chicken is fully cooked.  Add the frozen veggies to the pan. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minute more, stirring every couple of minutes, until veggies are heated through.  Add the remaining teriyaki sauce to the mixture and serve over the rice. Serve with additional teriyaki sauce if desired.


Teriyaki Sauce
 
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
black pepper to taste

Directions:  In a small saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth and no lumps. Then, whisk in the sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and ground black pepper.  Bring to a boil over medium heat then reduce it and simmer until thickens. You will end up with about 1 cup of sauce.

Sweet and Sour Asian Wraps

My Sister found this recipe in her April Family Circle Magazine. When she told me about it, I told her to send me the recipe. I LOVE lettuce wraps and these are SO good!! I've made them twice, once with shredded chicken(that I had bottled) and ground turkey(didn't have ground chicken at my store). I really like them both ways! My husband really liked them with the ground turkey. The ones with the ground turkey were definitely juicier.

I also couldn't find the fish sauce at my grocery store so I left that out of the dipping sauce. The first time I made them with the shredded chicken, I also added some chopped almonds on top(SO GOOD). I also added about a teaspoon of crushed red peppers to my husbands dipping sauce. I made two bowls of dipping sauce and then we just added a spoonful or two to our wraps before we ate them.

Sweet and Sour Asian Wraps

Ingredients:

(Sauce)
2 T soy sauce
2 T rice vinegar
2 T Sugar
1 t fish sauce
1/4 t. sriracha
1 T water (I didn't add the water)

(wraps)
1 T canola oil
1 lb. ground chicken
1 sm red sweet pepper (chopped)
1 t sugar
1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 sriracha
2 scallions chopped
1 T soy sauce
16 lg. bibb lettuce leaves
sliced cucumbers, scallions, mint and limes for serving

Directions:
Dipping sauce: Stir together all ingredients in a small dish and set aside.

Wraps: Heat oil in large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble in chicken and cook 2 minutes breaking up large pieces with a wooden spoon. Stir in red pepper, sugar, garlic powder, ginger and sriracha. Cook 3 minutes, until no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Take off heat and stir in scallions and soy sauce.

To serve, spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture into each lettuce leaf and top with cucumber, scallions, mint, and a squeeze of lime. Serve with dipping sauce and brown rice.

Chicken Enchiladas Creamas Verde

These are seriously some of the best enchiladas I have EVER tasted. I got this recipe from my super awesome cousin Tracey!


I wish I could have taken a better picture. I really don't know how to take a 'good' picture of enchiladas. Also, it seems like every time I try to photograph food, it is night(poor lighting), my family is STARVING(hands in pictures, shaking table)...the excuses could go on and on.

Anyway....you must try these...SO delish!!

Chicken Enchiladas Creamas Verde

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. cooked chicken (a shredded rotisserie chicken would work well)
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 jar tomatillo salsa divided (my jar was 16 oz.)
• 1 small can diced green chilies
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 doz. small flour tortillas
• 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
• 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Directions: Heat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; Saute onion 5 minutes. Add chicken, 1/2 jar salsa, cream cheese and chilies. Reduce heat to medium; stir, melt cheese and blend mixture well. Heat tortillas briefly, then fill each with about 1/3 cup of chicken mixture. Roll up tightly and place in baking dish, seam-sides down. Combine remaining tomatillo salsa with cream; pour over enchiladas and top with shredded cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until cheese melts.

Lime Chicken Tacos

My neighbor gave me this recipe and my family LOVED it!! In fact I made this chicken twice the first week I had the recipe, because my 10 year old was BEGGING for it. The picture I took of the tacos was really bad, so I'm just posting a picture of the chicken.

Chicken Lime Tacos

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast - cubed
• 1/8 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 1 t. white sugar
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/4 t. pepper
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 t. dried oregano

Directions: Saute chicken in medium sauce pan over medium high heat until no longer pink(I poached mine and then shredded it). Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onion, garlic, and oregano. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Place in tortillas, top with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and salsa. I like to squeeze a little more lime juice into my taco.