Pan Roasted Chicken with Lemon Garlic Green Beans

I pinned this recipe a few weeks ago because a. it was very popular and b. had very little prep time.  I made it this past week because I already had red potatoes at home that I was using for another recipe.  When planning my meals for the week, I think it's so important to plan meals that have some of the same ingredients to save money.  So often, I would plan one elaborate meal with a variety of ingredients and I never would end up using them all.  I think we've all been guilty of that one time or another. 

I was very pleased with this recipe.  I used boneless skinless chicken, didn't put lemon at the bottom of the pan, just using one lemon for the juice and it turned out fine.  The chicken was juicy and the veggies were perfectly seasoned.  This recipe will definitely be added to the rotation. 

Pan Roasted Chicken with Lemon Garlic Green Beans

Recipe from Real Simple 

Serves 4| Hands-On Time: 15m| Total Time: 1hr 15m

Ingredients

• 6  tablespoons  olive oil
• 2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1  teaspoon  kosher salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4  pound  trimmed green beans
• 8 small red potatoes, quartered
• 4 chicken breasts (bones left in, with skin, about 3 1/4 pounds)
• 
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a large baking dish or cast-iron skillet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.
2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices. Add the potatoes to the same olive-oil mixture and toss to coat. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, arrange the potatoes along the inside edge of the dish or skillet on top of the green beans. Place the chicken in the same bowl with the olive-oil mixture and coat thoroughly. Place the chicken, skin-side up, in the dish or skillet. Pour any of the remaining olive-oil mixture over the chicken.
3. Roast for 50 minutes. Remove the chicken from the dish or skillet. Place the beans and potatoes back in oven for 10 minutes more or until the potatoes are tender. Place a chicken breast on each of 4 serving plates; divide the green beans and potatoes equally. Serve warm.

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Are you a fan of buffalo chicken dip?  I will never forget the first time I had it.  It was at a bachelorette party over 3 years ago!  I came home from that party and made it for my then boyfriend and it instantly became a hit in our household.  We always make it when we're having friends over or for football parties.  A month or so ago, I was looking for a chicken casserole recipe to make.  I went to one of my go to sites, Pillsbury to search for recipes.  This one caught my eye and the reviews seemed promising.  The entire meal took less than an hour to make and was scrumptious.  It definitely had a little kick to it but it's definitely a step up from a plain cream of somthing added chicken casserole. I made a few changes below and noted them in blue.  Add this guy to your upcoming menu, it won't disappoint!

Buffalo Chicken Casserole

Courtesy of Pillsbury

1/2

cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice

1

cup water

1

tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

1

lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

2

medium stalks celery, thinly sliced (1 cup)

1

can (14.5 oz) stewed tomatoes, undrained

1/2

cup buffalo wing sauce

1/4

cup blue cheese dressing

1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese

1. Cook rice in water 20 minutes as directed on package. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and celery; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Remove from heat. Open can of tomatoes; cut up tomatoes in can. Stir tomatoes and wing sauce into chicken mixture. We did not cook the celery.  I like a bit of crunch and didn't feel it was necessary.  I'm glad we didn't because it came out just fine.  I also recommend using rotisserie chicken, it will save time. If you do that, all you have to do is cook the rice, then pull the chicken and mix in celery, wing sauce and tomatoes for this step.  
2. Spray 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon cooked rice into dish. Spread chicken mixture over rice (do not stir). I added the dressing to this step.  I poured it over the chicken mixture, topped it with a 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese and sent it to the oven.  
3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until hot in center (or cheese is bubbling). Drizzle dressing over top.

Pretzel Chicken

I will warn you, if you're looking for a healthy recipe you have not found it here.  When I first added this recipe to my menu for the week I didn't know it was fried.  I actually didn't realize it until we had all the ingredients out and were getting ready to cook.  So we went with it. Hubs did the chicken and I made the sauce which was really easy.  Of course it was delicious, what fried chicken isn't?  The sauce was the perfect touch to top the chicken off.  Enjoy!

                                                       
                                        Pretzel Chicken with a Mustard-Cheddar  Sauce
                                                          Courtesy of Taste and Tell 

total time:  about 30 minutes
serves 4
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
about 6 ounces of salted pretzels
salt and pepper
2 eggs
vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon spicy mustard
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Completely butterfly each of the chicken breasts, making a total of 4 thin chicken breasts. One by one, put the chicken breast in between 2 pieces of plastic wrap and flatten slightly with a mallet.
Put the pretzels in a food processor and process until you have fine crumbs. Put the crumbs in a shallow dish and season with salt and pepper. In another shallow dish, beat the eggs.
In a large saute pan over medium heat, heat up the oil, about 1/8″ deep.
Dip each chicken piece into the pretzels, then into the eggs, then back into the pretzels. Add to the hot oil in the pan. Put the chicken into the hot oil and cook until the pretzels are browned and the chicken is cooked through. This only takes about 3 or 4 minutes on each side.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk and the mustard, and cook until slightly thickened. Stir in the cheese. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Serve the chicken with the Mustard-Cheddar Sauce, and sprinkle a generous amount of parsley on top.

White Cheddar Chicken Pasta

At first I was a little intimidated by this recipe but it looked so good and I had almost everything at home to make it.  The only thing I had to get was the cheese.  Hubs cooked the chicken the night before.  He pan fried it and seasoned it perfectly, he didn't follow the chicken recipe below.  This saved me a lot of time when cooking tonight.  I followed the rest of the recipe as directed making a few changes along the way.  First, I thought it called for a little too much milk.  I used a cup and a half with some heavy cream and still had to add some extra flour to thicken it up a bit.  I also added garlic salt and pepper to taste when it was finished.  Next time I make this, I'll add some peas.   This was a very  filling dinner, I barely finished my plate and I was starving.  I do love that it provided lunch for us for the next two days though. Overall, the recipe was worth the time and effort.  If I had to rename it, it would be grown up mac and cheese! 

White Cheddar Chicken Pasta

Courtesy of Home is Where the Holmans Are 

For the chicken:
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 tsp dry mustard
1 T fresh thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 T olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix together mustard, thyme, salt and pepper and sprinkle over chicken pieces. When pan is hot, add chicken and brown about 3 minutes per side until cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with foil.

For the pasta:
1 pound rotini or other short cut pasta
2 T butter
2 T flour
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely diced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 T Dijon mustard
8 oz sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups milk (I used skim milk but mixed in about 2 T heavy cream)
1 T fresh thyme
1 T fresh oregano
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
Parmesan cheese to taste

Heat water to boil in a large stock pot for pasta, add salt and pasta and cook to al dente and drain according to directions. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add flour and whisk to combine. Add wine, garlic, onions, and mustard. Cook about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Reduce heat to low and slowly add milk, stirring to combine. Cook about 5-7 minutes more until mixture begins to thicken. Add cheese and stir to melt. Add chicken and pasta and toss to incorporate sauce. Add thyme and oregano and serve topped with crushed red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken (OMG Chicken)

I'm always in search of a good and fast chicken recipe that will go with a variety of sides.  This recipe was titled OMG chicken on Pinterest, how could I pass that up? I have to say that I completely agree with the title of the recipe.  This chicken was one of the best I've made in a while. The only change I made is noted in red below.  Enjoy!! 

Parmesan Crusted Chicken 

Courtesy of Enchanted Cook

serves 4

Oven 425 degrees F

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Hellmann's or Best Food's Real Mayonnaise

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/4 lbs. total weight or about 5 ounces per breast

4 teaspoons Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs (I used crushed Ritz crackers)

Directions: 

1. Place mayo and cheese in a small bowl and mix. 

2. Lay chicken breasts on baking sheet (I line my baking sheet with parchment paper to make clean up easy) and spread mayo mixture evenly atop each.

3. Next evenly sprinkle bread crumbs atop each. 

4. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly and juices run clear. Tops will be browned and chicken will be incredibly juicy. Season with a dash of fresh cracked pepper and sea salt, if desired.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

A+ dinner.  

Quick (20 minutes). 

 Lots of leftovers. 

 Filling.  

My kind of meal. 

Mexican Chicken

Adapted from Paula Deen 

Ingredients 

1 10 3/4 -ounce can cream of chicken soup 

2 10 3/4 -ounce cans cheddar cheese soup 

1 10-ounce can rotel with green chilies 

1 whole rotisserie chicken shredded 

11 1/2-ounce package flour tortillas 

2 cup shredded mexican cheese blend

1 package of taco seasoning 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together the three kinds of soup and the tomatoes. Stir in the chicken and the taco seasoning. 

In a greased 13 x 9- inch pan, layer the tortillas and the chicken mixture, beginning and ending with tortillas. Sprinkle the cheese over the casserole and bake for 30 minutes.

Cornflake Ranch Chicken

We loved the ranch pork chops I made last week.  When I went to cook the chicken I took out this week, I decided to try something similar with the chicken.  

Instead of dipping the chicken in eggs, I dipped it in ranch dressing.  After that, I dipped the chicken in crushed cornflakes that were spread out on a plate.  From there, they went on a greased baking sheet.  I cooked them for about 25-30 minutes at 375. 

Enjoy! 

Baked Mac &Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese 

Adapted from The Food Network by Tyler Florence 

Ingredients

• 4 cups (1 pound) elbow macaroni
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 cups milk
• 2 tsp garlic salt 
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups grated Cheddar
• 1/2 cup toasted Pank Crumbs 
• 2 cups rotisserie chicken 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Cook the macaroni in a large pot of boiling salted water until done, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and toss it with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a large baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter and set it aside. Put the milk into a saucepan and add the thyme. Warm over medium low heat until the milk starts to steam, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the flavors infuse while you make the roux. In a large pot over medium heat add 2 tablespoons butter and the flour. Cook, stirring, for about 2 to 3 minutes; don't let the roux color. Strain the infused milk onto the roux, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes until the sauce is thick. Remove from the heat and add 2 cups of the grated Cheddar; stir until it is melted and smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour this over the macaroni and mix with 2 cups rotisserie chicken until well blended; put this into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Cheddar and toasted Panko crumbs over the top. Bake until the top is golden and crusty, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup

This recipe is one of my favorite winter crock pot meals.  

You'll be glad you made it.  Enjoy!

Adapted from AllRecipes. 

A friend of mine let me have this recipe that her husband had made the night before.  I'm all about quick and easy meals and I knew this one would work perfectly in the crock pot.  It was also a chilly week, so soup ended up being the perfect dinner! Her husband made a few changes to the recipe, which are in red below.  I threw this baby in the crock pot on low for 4-6 hours.  ENJOY!

Ingredients

• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
• 2 cups of shredded chicken 
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained
• 2 cans of cream of chicken soup 

Directions

I used rotisserie chicken that was already cooked.  I threw everything in the crock pot and cooked it for 4-6 hours, stirring a few times along the way. 

Zesty Chicken & Pasta

Recipe courtesy of Kraft Foods

A delicious and healthy dinner.  

what you need

1 pkg. (8 oz.) fusilli pasta, uncooked (I used whole wheat penne)

1/2 cup  KRAFT Light House Italian Dressing, divided

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups  small broccoli florets

1 large red pepper, chopped

1 small  onion, thinly sliced

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup  KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

make it

COOK pasta as directed on package, omitting salt.

MEANWHILE, heat 1/4 cup dressing in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 min. or until done. Add vegetables and parsley; cook 5 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

DRAIN pasta; toss with chicken mixture and remaining dressing. Top with cheese.

Cheesy Chicken and Tomato Bruschetta Turnovers

I completely slacked on dinner this past week.  I hosted a cookie exchange on Sunday and was preparing for that all weekend.  Therefore, I never made a meal plan for the week or even made it to he grocery store.  At work on Tuesday, I decided to get a rotisseree chicken.  I figured I would have something at home I could put with it,  so I searched for quick and easy rotisseree recipes.  This is the one I decided on, it came from Disney Family.com. 

This recipe was very simple to make.  I decided to make my own bruschetta because it's much cheaper.  I will admit I struggled a bit with the turnover portion of the dinner.  Mine ended up looking like pockets.  But, they still turned out great.  I loved the flakiness that came from the puff pastry.  That with the cheese, bruschetta and chicken= deliciousness! 

Ingredients

• 1 package (2 sheets) puff pastry, thawed
• 2 pounds rotisserie chicken, (1 small)
• 1/2 cup tomato bruschetta, (store-bought)
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Remove meat from chicken and chop -- you need 2 cups. Save leftover chicken and carcass for other recipes.
3. Unfold puff pastry and cut each sheet into 4 even squares.
4. Beat egg and water until frothy and brush the outer edge of each square with mixture.
5. Mound in the center of each pastry square: 1/4 cup chicken, 1 tablespoon each of bruschetta, Parmesan and mozzarella.
6. Fold pastry over diagonally, making a triangle, and press the edges well to seal. Brush the top of each pastry with egg wash and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling at the edges.
7. For appetizer-sized turnovers: Cut each pastry sheet into 8 squares and top each with a tablespoon of chicken and a teaspoon each of bruschetta, Parmesan and mozzarella. Brush with egg wash and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling at the edges. Makes 16 appetizers.