Grilled Spicy Garlic Lime Chicken

My husband and I decided to have a surf and turf dinner this weekend so I picked a few recipes on Pinterest that looked like they’d fit well together and we ended up with a pretty awesome result. This chicken is so flavorful we can’t wait to have it again, but be aware that it has a bit of a kick to it. If you want to lessen the spice cut back on the cayenne pepper.  We served this with Honey Lime Shrimp and Grilled Pineapple.

Grilled Pineapple, Garlic Lime Chicken, and Honey Lime Shrimp

I got the recipe Here

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 3 tablespoons lime juice

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and parsley. Sprinkle spice mixture generously on both sides of chicken breasts.

2. Heat the grill to medium high heat and cook the chicken for about 6 minutes on each side until done. When chicken is done sprinkle with 2 teaspoons garlic powder and lime juice.

(If you don’t feel like grilling heat 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons garlic powder and lime juice. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently to coat evenly with sauce.)

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Oven Baked Chicken Fajitas

These are delicious and crunchy fajitas. One of my coworkers made these and brought her leftovers to work. They smelled so good, I had to make them. She got the recipe from Pinterest (of course). The only thing I would change in the recipe is lengthen the cooking time and that is reflected below. The recipe is from the following website: http://realmomkitchen.com/9318/oven-baked-chicken-fajitas/

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 25-35 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 (15 oz) can Rotel
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 large bell pepper, seeded and sliced
• Tortillas
• *Optional toppings: cheese, guacamole, salsa

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place chicken strips in a greased 13×9 baking dish. In a small bowl combine the oil, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, dried oregano, and salt. Pour the spice mixture over the chicken and stir to coat. Next add the tomatoes, peppers, and onions to the dish and stir to combine. Bake uncovered for 25-35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Serve on tortillas with desired toppings.

Happy Cooking!

Creamy Chicken Pockets

My husband loves bread, or any carbs for that matter, so I knew these would be a hit. I got the original recipe from the site below, and as usual I made a few of my own adaptations. My husband and I thought they were pretty biscuity, (which he loved) but if you want a little less breading then squeeze in as much filling as you can before baking. These are great for dinner or as an appetizer.

Creamy Chicken Pockets

Prep: about 20 minutes with cooked and shredded chicken (about 30 minutes if using raw diced chicken)

Cook: 11-18 minutes depending on brand of Grands, Crescent Rolls, etc.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2-3 small chicken breasts, diced (I used cooked shredded chicken for a faster recipe)
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls (I used Grands biscuits)
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1/4 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs, optional
• 2 handfuls shredded Parmesan
• *any vegetables you would like in your pocket, I used broccoli

Directions: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook the chicken with the onions and garlic. (To save time I used cooked and shredded chicken I had on hand). Steam broccoli and/or any other vegetables you would like in your pocket.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and 1 tablespoon softened butter until smooth.  Stir in the cooked chicken, onions, garlic, Parmesan, and any steamed vegetables.  Add the salts, pepper and milk.  Mix well.

Separate the biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet. Use your thumbs to spread the biscuit really thin like a pizza. Dollop as much of the filling into the center of each biscuit and fold the corners up to seal. Brush the tops with the melted butter and sprinkle with the bread crumbs.

Bake for 11 – 13 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serves: 8 pockets. About 3-4 people.

Original recipe: http://penniesonaplatter.com/2011/02/16/creamy-chicken-pockets-2/

Slow Cooker Quinoa Chicken Chili

This is quite the recipe. It is so incredibly easy and not to mention pretty darn healthy. For those of you that do not like quinoa, or are not sure if you like it, I promise you will like this recipe. My husband was so impressed that he couldn’t even taste the quinoa and loved the recipe!

Prep: under 10 minutes

Cook: on low for 6-8 hours (add more time if your chicken is frozen)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of quinoa, rinsed
• 1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies (Rotel)- medium or hot
• 2 16 oz cans of black beans, rinsed, drained
• 1 15 oz can of corn, drained
• 3 Cups chicken stock (I added 4 cups but it just depends how thick you like your chili)
• 2 large chicken breasts, frozen or thawed
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 tsp chili powder

Directions: Combine all ingredients in the slow cooker. Right before serving scoop chicken onto a plate and shred with two forks. Return chicken to slow cooker and serve with cheese, tortilla chips, etc. Whatever you like on your chili!

Serves: 6-7 bowls

This is the website where I got the original recipe:

http://queenbeecoupons.com/crock-pot-slow-cooker-quinoa-chicken-chili-recipe/

Happy Eating!

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken

FINALLY! Another post! I have missed this blog for so long and am so glad to be back 🙂 I had a test I was studying for the last couple of months and promised myself I would put all of my extra time and energy into studying. However, I am glad the test is over and oh so glad to be sharing my recent recipes again. While I was studying the last couple of months I was still cooking…a girls gotta eat right?! So here are several of the amazing recipes I have thoroughly enjoyed. I hope you like them too! Oh, one more quick note, I promise I will start taking more pictures of the food I make…I am not the best food photographer so you will have to forgive me on that one.

Breaded Honey Garlic Chicken before the sauce was added. Sorry I do not have one of the finished product…we were quite hungry 🙂

So this is a lot of pressure, the first recipe after being gone a couple of months. It’s called Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken. I found the recipe on Pinterest and it is originally from this site: http://www.letsdishrecipes.com/2013/02/double-crunch-honey-garlic-chicken.html

My husband and I loved this chicken! When I was originally looking at the ingredients I kept wondering where the crunch came in. There are so many recipes on Pinterest right now made with chicken breaded in corn flakes that I kept expecting to see some cereal in the ingredients. After biting into this however, I quickly learned how it got its name. This is a MUST MAKE recipe. It is truly delectable. My husband was going crazy over it. Seriously… I heard Mmmm mmmm the whole time he was doing the dishes haha.

*I made a couple of adaptations from the original recipe. I thought the sauce was a little too salty so I will lessen the soy sauce next time (this is already modified in the recipe below along with the salt in the mixture the chicken is dipped in). Also, I eliminated the step of dunking the chicken in the sauce before serving. I drizzled a little on each piece and thought that was plenty. It was extremely flavorful and the soy sauce added a delicious Asian flare.

Prep: 20-25 minutes

Cook: 10- 15 minutes

Ingredients:

For the chicken:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
1.5 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 eggs
4 tablespoons water
1/4 cup canola oil, for cooking chicken

For the honey garlic sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1 cup honey
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions: Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of wax paper and pound with a meat mallet to an even 1/2 inch thickness.  In a medium shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper, ginger, nutmeg, thyme, sage and cayenne pepper.  In another shallow dish, whisk together the eggs and water.   In a medium bowl, combine the ingredients for the sauce and mix well.  Set aside.

Preheat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Dip the chicken into the flour mixture, then the egg wash.  Return the chicken to the flour mixture and coat again, pressing on the flour to coat well.  Place the chicken in the hot oil and fry for 4-5 minutes per side, until golden brown (I cooked mine a little longer each side just because I am really cautious with meat…when in doubt, use a meat thermometer).  Drain on paper towels (if needed, I did not use this step). Drizzle the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Serves: 4 chicken breasts

Happy Eating!

Just like Cracker Barrel Chicken Tenderloins

I recently made this chicken recipe that I found on Pinterest called Cracker Barrel Chicken Tenderloins. I have never eaten these at Cracker Barrel so I cannot tell you if they taste like the real deal. What I can tell you is that I thought this chicken was awesome. Here’s the recipe. I hope you like it!

Original recipe from this link: http://www.southernplate.com/2008/10/grilled-chicken-tenderloins-without.html

Prep: 5ish minutes

Cook: 35-45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips.
• 1 cup zesty Italian dressing (I used light)
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 3 teaspoons honey

Directions:

Place chicken in gallon Ziploc bag. Combine all other ingredients and pour over the chicken. Seal and marinate for at least an hour. Pour all ingredients into a large skillet and cook over medium heat until liquid evaporates and remaining marinade becomes thick and caramelized. Coat each piece of chicken in marinade by rubbing it around on the bottom of the pan before removing it. (Mine did not completely caramelize and was a little bit dry, but I waited until absolutely all liquid had evaporated…so test yours as the liquid is getting close to evaporation).

Yields: 4 boneless chicken breasts, cut into tenders

Taco Chicken Soup

I love soup! And on a cold day there is nothing else I would rather have to warm me up. One of my favorite soups to make is taco soup because it can be thrown together so quickly and is full of flavor. This recipe was a compilation of a few different recipes I had and was a hit!

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, diced
• Rotisserie chicken or cooked and shredded chicken
• 1 taco seasoning packet- 30% less sodium
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can pinto beans
• 1 can corn
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 tsp chili powder

Directions:

Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil in the bottom of a soup pot. Saute onions over medium until translucent. Add all other ingredients to pot. Simmer for 20-30 minutes. Serve with chips and cheese.

*I made sweet cornbread for a side which was delicious and I will post that recipe soon!

Yields: 5-6 servings

Happy Eating 🙂

Pan-Seared Chicken with Balsamic Cream Sauce Mushrooms and Onions

I made this last night and my husband and I both loved it. It was very flavorful and my husband made sure I was going to put this recipe on the blog haha. I got this recipe from this blog: http://peaceloveandlowcarb.blogspot.com/2012/01/pan-seared-chicken-with-balsamic-cream.html#.UFCcqbJmSFJ it is the first recipe I have made from this blog and I was definitely impressed.

For those of you who do not like cooking with heavy cream I apologize. I know I’ve posted a few of the Pioneer Woman’s recipes and now this recipe that both use cream. I try and switch it up between Cooking Light and these recipes (everything in moderation right?).

This is almost the final product (minus the final steps of adding the caramelized onions and Parmesan cheese)

Prep and Cook: about 35- 40minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb. Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1/2 of a Large Onion – Thinly sliced
• 1 Package of Whole Mushrooms – Halved (I used already sliced mushrooms)
• 1/2 Cup of Chicken Broth
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 5 Tbs. Butter – Divided
• 1/2 Cup of Parmesan Cheese
• 2 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar
• Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Saute onions over medium heat in 2 Tbs of butter until they are caramelized – About 15 Minutes.  When they are golden brown, remove from the heat and set aside.

At the same time and in a separate pan, heat the remaining 3 Tbs. of butter over medium-high heat.  Place the chicken breasts in the pan.  Brown on both sides, remove from the pan and set aside (Note – they will not be all the way cooked at this stage).

De-glaze the pan with the chicken stock.  Use a rubber spatula to make sure you get all the chicken bits and butter off the pan. This helps to flavor your sauce. Add the heavy cream and the balsalmic vinegar and stir. Add mushrooms and reduce heat to low and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the chicken back to the pan, turn heat back up to medium and saute until the chicken is cooked all the way through.  About 10-15 minutes.

Remove chicken breasts from the pan and plate.  Add the Parmesan and caramelized onions to the sauce and keep stirring until the cheese is completely melted. Cover the chicken breasts with the sauce and serve! (sorry I don’t have a final picture for you…I didn’t like the way my last picture turned out)

Yields: 4 servings

I served this with rosemary bread and balsamic asparagus.

Happy Eating!

Pioneer Woman’s Chicken Pot Pie

I’m in the process of trying out all of the cookbooks I received as wedding gifts and I’m loving it. It’s great having such a variety. My Cooking Light cookbook has tons of delicious recipes that are healthy yet flavorful, my Tillamook Cheese cookbook is full of decadent creamy recipes, and so far I’m learning that Pioneer Woman likes to cook with heavy cream and wine….that being said I have been fully satisfied by the taste of every one of her recipes 🙂 If you don’t drink wine…no fear…I have created a “Tips and Techniques” tab that shows you what you can substitute.

I made this recipe for my hubby and one of his friends last night…NEITHER OF WHICH HAD EVER HAD POT PIE! Crazy I know! And It was definitely a success because they both LOVED IT! My husband doesn’t even like peas, or so he says, and he love love loved this meal!

That being said this is another quick and easy recipe. I made it after the guys were home (which means after 5 pm) and it came together so nicely and made the apartment smell amazing!

Prep: 5- 10 minutes

Cook: about 42 minutes (30 minutes in the oven)

Ingredients:

• 3 celery stalks
• 3 medium carrots, peeled
• 1 large yellow onion
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2 cups cooked chicken (I used a roast chicken I picked up at the grocery store and then de-boned)
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 cups low- sodium chicken broth
• 1 chicken bouillon cube
• 1/4 cup white wine (optional)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• black pepper to taste
• homemade or store bought pie crust (I used ready to bake pie crust…2 came in the pack and I used the other to make berry cobbler for dessert)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400*. Dice the celery, carrots, and onion. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, peas, and saute for a couple of minutes until the vegetables start to turn translucent. Stir in the chicken. Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables and chicken and then stir in. Cook for a few minutes stirring gently. Stir in chicken broth (stirring constantly), bouillon cube, and wine. Stir in the cream and then allow the mixture to cook on low heat about 4 minutes. Add thyme, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat. Pour the chicken mixture into a deep pie pan or small casserole dish (I used my glass pyrex pie dish).

Place the crust on top of the chicken mixture and seal the sides. I love making pretty pie crusts. My mom calls me “The Peencher” because I’m good at pinching pie crusts haha. Anyway, I love the way it looks so if you want a pretty edge but your left hand flat against the side and pinch with your right hand to create little peaks around the edge of the pie.

Cut small slits in the top of the pie crust and bake for 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Yields: about 8 servings

Happy Eating 🙂

Huli Huli Chicken

I told you I’m obsessed with my slow cooker 😛 I decided to expand my horizons a little from American and Italian food and I am glad I did because this Hawaiian chicken was awesome!

I found this recipe on the same site as the Maple and Brown Sugar Pork Tenderloin (http://joelens.blogspot.com/2012/02/12-more-crockpot-recipes-for-stress.html) and made it yesterday on the last day our friends were visiting from Idaho.  We had plans to run around all day, but also didn’t want to eat out for another meal so I decided a slow cooker meal was the best way to go. Again this is a really quick and easy recipe that is extremely flavorful. All four of us loved it and my husband and I are definitely putting this in our regular meal rotation

Prep: 20- 25 minutes (includes reducing the sauce for 10 minutes)

Cook: 4 to 6 hours on low (if you use boneless skinless chicken breasts the cooking time will be shorter…you can check if the chicken is done with a meat thermometer when it reaches at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit)

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cups crushed pineapple, undrained
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce (or gluten free tamari or liquid aminos)
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced or grated ginger
• 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (or boneless skinless chicken breast if you prefer)
• 1 1/2 cup chopped mixed bell peppers

Directions:Simmer crushed pineapple, brown sugar, ketchup, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic and ginger in medium saucepan until thickened and measures 1 1/2 cups, about 10 minutes.  Season with salt & pepper.

Coat slow cooker with cooking spray.  Transfer sauce to slow cooker.

Season chicken with salt & pepper, add to slow cooker and coat evenly with sauce.  Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 4 to 6 hours on low.

About 30 minutes before the chicken is done, heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and when hot, add bell peppers. Sauté peppers until slightly softened and then transfer to the crockpot. Stir to combine and allow to finish cooking with the chicken.

Serve in a serving dish with juices. I served ours over jasmine rice which was delectable!

Yields: 4 servingsEven though I don’t freeze meals very often I always like to know what meals freeze well for times when life gets super busy. The website I got this recipe from included this tip on freezing the meal:

* To make ahead/freezer meal: Prepare the recipe above as directed. Instead of transferring the ingredients into a slow cooker, place in a gallon sized freezer bag. Remove excess air, seal, (label the bag with date and recipe name), and freeze. When ready to prepare, defrost bag completely and pour into a slow cooker. Cook 4 to 6 hours on low.