Corny Chicken Bake

Ingredients
2 boxes of cornbread stuffing mix
2 14.75oz of creamed corn
2 celery rib, chopped
4-6 chicken breasts
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
3 tbsp of mustard (I used Gulden's Spicy Brown)

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 400*
In large bowl, combine stuffing, corn & celery
Spoon into greased 9x13 dish
Top with chicken breasts
Wisk together brown sugar, butter & mustard. Drizzle over chicken
Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes

Dressed Chicken Breasts With Angel Hair Pasta

Ingredients
1 cup ranch dressing
1/3 cup spicy brown dijon mustard
4 chicken breasts, either pounded thin or cheat & use the "scallopini" cut :)
1/2 cup butter or margarine (I usually end up using a little more)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 box of angel hair pasta, cooked & drained

Directions
In small bow, whisk together salad dressing and mustard; set aside
In large skillet, saute chicken in butter until browned; transfer to dish & keep warm
Pour wine into skillet and cook over medium-high heat, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan (about 5 minutes)
Whisk dressing mixture into skillet with wine and blend well
Server chicken with sauce over pasta

****NOTES****
This is a HUGE hit in my house. Pre-kiddo's, this dish was reserved for special occasions, special gifts and wow-ing new friends and in-laws :)
We have given the boys the version with the wine, but if you want you can reserve some dressing/mustard sauce and put it over the chicken and pasta
There is always extra sauce left over and we have yet to find something it DOESN'T go well on :)

Chicken Cashew Bundles

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken (I use Perdue Shortcuts)
1/4 cup finely shredded carrot
3 tablespoons sliced green onions (3 medium)
3 tablespoons chopped cashews
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
2 cans (8 oz) Pillsbury reduced fat refrigerated crescent dinner rolls


DIRECTIONS
Pre-heat oven to 375
In medium bowl, mix all ingredients except dough; set aside
On ungreased large cookie sheet, unroll dough & separate into 4 rectangles
Press each into rectangle, firmly pressing perforations to seal
Spoon about 1/2 cup chicken mixture onto one end of each rectangle
Fold dough in half over filling and firmly press edges with fork to seal
With fork, prick top of each to allow steam to escape
Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until deep golden brown

Stuffed Shells Florentine

Here's another recipe from mom of twins Alyson. Thanks, Alyson!

This recipe takes some time to assemble, but it makes a lot. It reheats well and freezes (uncooked) well. If you freeze it (or freeze half) in an oven-proof dish, you can bake it straight from the freezer.

Ingredients:
1 box jumbo pasta shells
3 T. olive oil
1 c. chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb. ground chicken
salt and pepper
10 oz pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
15 oz. container ricotta cheese
3/4 c. grated parmigiano reggiano
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 T. chopped parsley
1 jar marinara (Rao's and Gia Russo are both delicious)
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella

Directions:
1) Cook the pasta shells in salted water until quite firm, probably about 5 minutes (they will continue to cook when you bake the dish).
2) Meanwhile, saute the onions and garlic in the olive oil over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add the chicken, salt and pepper and cook through. Let cool.
3) Combine the cooled chicken mixture, spinach, ricotta, parmigiano reggiano, eggs and parsley.
4) Pour some sauce in the bottom of the dish to coat. Fill the shells with the chicken-cheese mixture and place in the baking dish. Drizzle sauce over shells and sprinkle on the mozzarella cheese.
5) If baking right away, bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes until cooked through and slightly browned. If baking from the freezer, bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, covered, and 20 minutes, uncovered.

Roasted Chicken and Sweet Potatoes

This recipe was emailed to be by mom of twins Alyson. Enjoy!

I'm a big fan of roasting using a remote thermometer such as this one: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/sku5710116/?pkey=x|4|1||4|thermometer||0&cm_src=SCH). This recipe requires minimal assembling and, once it's in the oven, you can ignore it until the thermometer beeps. I've tried it with boneless chicken breasts. It's quicker, but not as tasty.

* Ingredients:
* 4 bone-in chicken breast halves (you can also use chicken thighs, legs, etc. weighing about 3-4 lbs.)
* 1 yellow onion, cut into wedges
* 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 3 tablespoons maple syrup (The real stuff, please! Honey probably would work well, too.)
* 6 sprigs fresh thyme


Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2) Put the chicken, onion and sweet potatoes in a 9x13 baking dish, add the olive oil, salt and pepper and toss. Drizzle with maple syrup and thyme.
3) Roast until the internal temperature of the chicken is 170 degrees. (If you only have an instant-read thermometer, check after 45 minutes.) I usually remove the chicken pieces and let them rest while continuing to cook the vegetables. If there is a lot of liquid in the pan, you may want to drain some off before continuing to cook the vegetables (helps browning).

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry and Veggies

We love curry and love this slow-cooker recipe. Tastes great for leftovers too.

Ingredients:
4-6 chicken breasts
1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 13.5 oz of coconut milk ( full fat)
1 tablespoon tomato paste ( you can use sundried tomato if you prefer)
2 tablespoons Curry Powder
1 teaspoon Coriander
1 teaspoon Cumin
1 tablespoon of tobasco or hot sauce
1 teaspoon or tablespoon grated ginger ( use as much or little as you like)
2 sweet potatos,peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium eggplant, cut up into 1 inch pieces ( i keep skin on)
1 green or red pepper, seeded and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 onion chopped, yellow, vidalia or red
3 cloves of garlic, minced
salt & pepper
Brown Rice

Directions:

1. Add coconut milk, tomato paste, tobasco, curry, coriander, cumin, and ginger to bottom of slow cooker. Mix well.

2. Salt and pepper chicken and add to cooker and coat with sauce.

3. Pour chick peas, sweet potatos, pepper, eggplant, onion and garlic on top of chicken.

4. Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours.

I serve over brown rice.

Enjoy!

Honey Glazed Chicken

About 6 yrs ago, my BFF shared this recipe with me. It is outstanding...and the aroma...WOW! And my kids LOVE IT! (just ignore the amt of butter....or as hubby says "Everything is better with butter....)

1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 pkg chicken legs (although thighs or breasts can be used)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted (you will have to melt 4 tbs butter twice)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 Tbl. Soy Sauce
1 1/2 tsp. curry powder

1. In a bowl, mix flour, salt and cayenne pepper.

2. Add chicken pieces and shake around until coated.

3. Pour 4 tbs. butter into a 13x9 inch baking pan, place chicken in pan, turning once to coat. (Line with aluminum foil for easier clean-up)

4. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

5. Meanwhile, mix brown sugar, honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, and curry powder and remaining butter. Pour over chicken.

6. Bake 45 minutes more or until chicken is tender, basting several times with dripping from pan.

**I serve this with couscous, great side dish.

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

1 small Onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast (pre-packaged, leftover rotisserie, poached)
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 jar (16 ounces) Salsa
1 8-oz pkg reduced non-fat cream cheese
8 taco size tortillas (7 or 8 inch)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Saute chopped onion in frying pan for 4-5 minutes, or until tender. Let cool.
3. Place shredded chicken, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup salsa, and cream cheese in bowl. Add onions. Mix well.
4. Spoon 1/3 cup of mixture down the center of each tortilla and roll up.
5. Place in 13x9 baking dish.
6. Drizzle with remaining 1 1/4 cups salsa and sprinkle remaining cheddar cheese.
7. Cover and bake for 15 minutes.

Chicken with Pineapple

This has been a staple in our household prior to the twins, but they also love this meal as much as we do. Super easy & delicious. We serve it with rice and broccoli.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts ( not thin sliced)
1 small can crushed pineapple
1 small can pineapple chunks
1 cup brown sugar ( light or dark)
1/4 cup lemon juice ( usually eqauls 1 lemon)
2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Turn oven to 375
2. Salt and pepper chicken and place chicken in over proof pan.
3. Combine crushed & cubed pineapple, brown sugar, lemon juice, mustard & soy sauce.
4. Pour mixture over chicken breasts.
5. Cook 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked.

Creamy Chicken and Pasta Soup

Who doesn't crave chicken soup when you're sick? Below is a basic chicken soup version doctored up with rotisserie chicken and evaporated milk to make it creamy and oh so yummy.

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups peeled, diced potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
few pinched of pepper or as desired
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups small shaped pasta ( i prefer ditalini)
1 cup fat-free evaporated milk

Directions:
In a Dutch oven or large soup pan, saute olive oil, onions, carrots, celery and garlic for 5-10 minutes or until tender. Stir in flour, thyme, poulty seasoning and saute for 1 minute until combined. Gradually add chicken broth, potatoes, salt & pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Stir in chicken and pasta and simmer for 10 minutes until pasta is cooked. Add in evaporated milk and heat through, but do not boil.

Enjoy!

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

Ingredients
3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 c chicken broth
1/4 c flour
3/4 c milk
1 pkg wide egg noodles, cooked & drained
5 c cooked chicken (approx 1 lb)
10 oz frozen chopped broccoli, thawed & drained
2 c shredded cheese

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 400* and spray 9x13 dish with Pam
In medium sauce pan, melt butter
Mix in flour
Gradually stir in broth, combine well
Add milk & cook for approx. 5 minutes (sauce will thicken a bit)
Mix chicken & broccoli with noodles and 1 cup of cheese; pour into 9x13 dish
Pour sauce over chicken/broccoli/noodle mix
Sprinkle remaining cheese over top and bake for 20 minutes

Additional Information
To save even more time, I use 2 pkgs of Perdue "short cuts" pre-cooked chicken, diced

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Lettuce Wraps:


I very, very loosely followed this recipe. I made quite a few changes and while I was extremely happy with the results, the wraps weren't exactly similar to the P.F. Chang lettuce wraps. So if that's what you're looking for, you might want to go to the original recipe. Having said that, here's my version:

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chicken
4 oz. water chestnuts, minced
6 oz. baby bella mushrooms, minced
1/2 medium onion, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 Tablespoons brown sugar
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
Splash rice wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons ketchup
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup water
1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
1 Tablespoon spicy brown bean sauce**
Lettuce leaves (we used about 2/3 a head of Bibb lettuce)

Directions:

In a large skillet, brown the ground chicken. When it is about 3/4 of the way done, add the water chestnuts, mushrooms, onion, and garlic. Continue cooking, stirring often, until chicken is browned.

Meanwhile, mix all remaining ingredients (except lettuce) in a small bowl. Stir well.

When the chicken is done, add the sauce you mixed in the small bowl. Stir well to coat all the chicken and let cook for about 2 or 3 minutes until slightly thickened.

Place a spoonful of filling onto a lettuce leaf, then roll the lettuce up.

**The original recipe linked above called for red chile paste, but the only brand I could find had peanuts in it, which is a no-go due to food allergies here. So I got House of Tsang brand spicy brown bean sauce. The final recipe was not quite spicy enough. I'd say either use the red chile paste if you don't have to worry about allergies, or add some red pepper flakes in addition to the brown bean sauce.

Stuffing Chicken

Ingredients

1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stuffing Mix for Chicken

1 cup water

2 eggs, lightly beaten

6 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, either pounded thin or cut scallopini

1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. paprika or Old Bay

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Combine stuffing mix and water in medium bowl. Let stand 5 min.

Stir in eggs.

Place chicken, top-sides down, on large cutting board; spread evenly with stuffing mixture.

Starting at one of the short ends, tightly roll up each chicken breast.

Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish.

Mix soup and milk; pour over chicken. Sprinkle with paprika.

Bake 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through

Catalina Chicken

Ingredients
2 tsp veggie oil
1/2 C Kraft Free Catalina Dressing
3 tbsp dry onion soup mix
1/2 C Smuckers Sugar Free Apricot Jam
6 Small Chicken Breasts

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350*
Heat oil in large skillet and add chicken.
Cook 4min on each side
Remove from skillet and place in 3qt baking dish.
Mix dressing, jam, and soup mix in small bowl and pour over chicken
Bake for 45min

Salsa Chicken

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 jar (24 oz.) salsa
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400°F
In an 8x8 dish, pour in enough salsa to cover bottom.
Place chicken breasts on top of salsa.
Pour remaining salsa over chicken.
Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 minutes.
Remove foil and sprinkle with cheese.
Bake for 5 more minutes, or until juices run clear

Apricot Chicken

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts
Italian bread crumbs or panko crumbs
1 cup sugar-free apricot preserves
1/ 2 cup honey

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°F.

In plastic Ziploc bag, combine chicken and bread crumbs. Shake well until well coated.

Place chicken on cookie sheet sprayed with Pam.

Bake for 15 minutes and turn chicken over.

Bake for 10 more minutes.

Mix together preserves and honey.

Pour 1/2 of mix over chicken and bake for 5 minutes.

Turn chicken over; pour remaining mix over chicken and bake for 5 minutes, or until juices run clear.

Crock Pot Chicken Ole’

Ingredients:

• 4 Chicken Breast halves – boneless, skinless
• 2 jars of salsa (I use Green Mountain Gringo – THE best salsa!)
• 1 Lime
• Some squirts of mustard

Directions:

1. Place the chicken in the bottom of the crock pot.
2. Dump the salsa on top.
3. Cut the lime in half, squirt the juice of both halves on top of the salsa.
4. Squirt the mustard in and stir into the salsa (leaving the chicken on the bottom).
5. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours.

If you don’t have a crock pot, cube the chicken and then put everything into a frying pan and let it simmer until the chicken is cooked all the way through.

Serve over rice.

Crock Pot Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 Chicken Breast halves
  
• I can sliced potatoes (you can use real ones diced up, but the canned ones mean that they’ll be super tender)
• 1 bottle lite Italian dressing
• 1 pkg. frozen veggies
• 1/2 pkg. frozen pearl onions
• 2 cans water chestnuts
• Garlic powder
• Seasoned salt (If you haven’t tried Penzey’s Spices yet…whoo boy. Yum-my)
• Pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Place chicken in the bottom of crock pot.
2. Generously sprinkle chicken with garlic powder and seasoned salt. Use pepper to taste.
3. Add remaining ingredients.
4. Cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 hours.