{Healthy} Chicken Salad

I've been on a cold lunch kick lately.  Lots of salads and wraps, anything that doesn't have to be heated up or reheated. I had picked up a rotisserie chicken for dinner one night and we ended up eating something different.  So the next day, I decided it would be perfect to use to make chicken salad for lunch for the week. It took me about a half hour to make and provided me lunch for the entire week.  I was surprised how good the dish was with greek yogurt instead of mayo. I didn't miss it at all. Hubs even took it for lunch one day and didn't miss it either.  Win! I had it with pita chips twice and made toasted sandwiches the other three days.  I will definitely be making this again.  It's perfect for spring and summer. Enjoy! 

Ingredients:

1 whole rotisserie chicken, pulled and shredded 

1-2 cups chopped celery

1 cup grapes (quartered)

1 cup apple (peeled and diced)

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt (possible a little more depending on your taste)

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Juice of one lemon (1-2 tbs)

Directions: 

In a large bowl, stir all of the ingredients together.  Adding salt and pepper to taste if needed.  

Baked Potato Chicken Casserole

This week I was determined to cook every night. No more eating out for this family! I went directly to my Recipe Pinterest board and started meal planning again. This is one of the first recipes I added to my list.  It looked like one that would please the entire family. 

Results:  I made a few minor changes to lighten up the recipe from the original. I also omitted the green onions because hubs doesn't like them. Other than that, I followed the directions and this meal was a hit. Hubs said I could make it every week and he wouldn't complain. From him, that is a big compliment and an even bigger thumbs up! Enjoy.

Baked Potato Chicken Casserole

Adapted from First Yum

Ingredients

• 3 - 4 medium russet potatoes, scrubbed and diced
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
• 1/3 cup bacon bits (or cooked diced bacon)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste 
• serve with a dollop of sour cream if desired 

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9" x 9" casserole dish
2. Spread half of the potatoes in the bottom of the dish. Top with all of the chicken. Season it with salt and pepper. 
3. On top of the chicken, sprinkle with half the bacon bits and 1/2 cup of the cheese. 
4. On top of the cheese, spread the remainder of the potatoes followed by the bacon bits and another 1/2 cup of cheese.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
5. Pour the chicken stock over the casserole. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. After the hour us up, uncover it and bake for another 30 minutes. In the last 5 minutes of backing, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese. Bake until the cheese is completely melted.  

{Crock Pot} Sticky Chicken

Be ready to see lots and lots of slow cooker/ crock pot meals over the next few months.  They are a life saver right now. Not a lot of time required to prep, hands free cooking time and minimal clean up.  Perfection.  

I've been trying to find some new crock pot recipes, for the sake of my husband. 

I'm sure he's already tired of our favorites.  

Results: We were all a fan of this recipe.  I am a big dry/ cooked onion fan so the onion soup mix in it was perfect.  Hubs was a fan of the BBQ & Apricot sauce.  All in all, a hit with the family.  Even the mini.  This would also be delicious in a wrap or on a bun the next day.  Enjoy! 

Sticky Chicken

Courtesy of Six Sisters' Stuff 

Ingredients:
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (mine were frozen)
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 cup apricot jam or preserves
1 (1 oz) packet dry onion soup mix
2 tablespoons water

Directions:
Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place chicken breasts inside and pour barbecue sauce and preserves on top. Sprinkle the dry soup mix over the top, add the water and cover with the lid. Cook on low for 6-8 hours (a little less if your chicken is not frozen). You can serve this over rice if you would like to.

Makes 4-5 servings.

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

A friend posted this recipe on her blog this week, I knew I had to make it.  I already had leftover rotisserie chicken in the fridge, so it was a quick trip to the grocery store for the remainder of the ingredients. The original recipe was stove top, but looked easy enough to be done in the crock pot. The dish turned out more like a soup but it was delicious.  I knew it would be a repeat winter meal when hubs finished his bowl in no time.  We had it the next night for leftovers, I looked forward to it all day.  It was still just as good! Enjoy!

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

Adapted from Gimme Some Oven

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 4 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 2 (15-oz) cans Great Northern beans, drained
• 2  7 oz cans of salsa verde 
• salt and pepper to taste 
• 1 avocado (sliced)
• 1 cup mexican cheese mixture 
• chopped cilantro (about 1 TBS)
• tortilla strips (I used Archer Farms southwest tortilla strips (salad toppers) 

Directions

Place chicken broth, chicken, beans and salsa verde in the crock pot, stir to combine.  Cook on low for 6-8 hours.  When it's time to serve top with cheese, avocado, cilantro and tortilla strips.  

**I added my cheese to the bottom of my bowl and poured the soup/chili over the top.  It melted and mixed in perfectly that way**

Ranch Breaded Chicken

The night I made this meal, chicken was not on the menu. 

It was a pork chop kind of night, problem was I didn't take the pork out of the freezer. 

Of course I didn't realize it until 4pm. 

What I did have was a package of chicken in the fridge I hadn't separated into freezer bags yet. 

I  jumped on the computer in search of a quick chicken recipe I could throw together. 

Without having a chance to run to the store and only having about an hour before dinnertime.  

I had all of the ingredients for this recipe and it didn't take a lot of time. 

Win win.  

Results: One of the most flavorful chicken recipes I've ever made.  Each bite was full of flavor.  My only complaint is how long it took my chicken to cook.  I should have butterflied the chicken to make it thinner because my pieces were too think to cook in a matter of minutes.  I also think I will try to bake this next time.  Maybe brown it on the stove and then throw it in the over.  I'll keep you posted on that one but nonetheless, still a recipe you won't be sorry you made! 

Ranch Breaded Chicken

Courtesy of Love, Pomegranate House 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 envelope Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Seasoning Mix
• 5 tbsp butter divided
• 6 boneless chicken breasts

Instructions

1. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine Panko, cheese, garlic powder, and Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Seasoning Mix.
2. Dip chicken in butter, then roll in breading mixture to coat, pressing the breading into the chicken breast.
3. Melt remaining 4 tbsp butter in a large frying pan. Once melted, place breaded chicken into pan. Cook for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Turn and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Chicken is cooked thoroughly when the center is no longer pink. 
   
   

Healthy Chicken Skillet

I made this dinner two weeks ago. 

 I was looking for healthy recipes that I thought my one year old would also eat. 

I'm also a big fan of skillet dinners because I don't have tons of pans to clean when I'm done. 

This dinner didn't disappoint one bit.  

My daughter loved the chicken, quinoa, zucchini, black beans and peppers.  

Since all three of us enjoyed it, this recipe was a big win. 

I even made it again this past week.  

Definitely a must make if you're looking for a healthy recipe the whole family will love! 

Healthy Chicken Skillet 

Adapted from Ready, Set, Eat 

Ingredients: 

1 TBS canola oil

1 cup zucchini (cut into cubes)

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

1 can black beans, drained (low sodium)

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)

1 (4.5oz) box quinoa brown rice blend (I buy Near East) 

3-4 chicken tenderloins 

salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

1. In a small saucepan, cooke quinoa according to the instructions on the box. 

2. While quinoa is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet and cook chicken.

 I cut mine in cubes before I cooked it.  

2. Once chicken is cooked, add zucchini and peppers.  Cook for 5 minutes. 

3. Add beans and tomatoes, cook for another 5 minutes. 

4. Once everything in the skillet is cooked and warmed through, add the quinoa brown rice blend to the skillet.  Stir well and remove from heat.  

5. Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy! 

BBQ Chicken Filled Sweet Potato

I've been in a bit of a cooking rut lately.  I haven't been on top of my meal planning, which brings me often leaves me cooking familiar (but still good) recipes.  But this past week I had some time to search through Pinterest for new recipes.  This one was appealing because I love BBQ chicken and sweet potatoes.  I've never had them mixed together before, so why not give it a try?

Results: A healthy and filling dinner.  I didn't add cheese or greek yogurt to mine in order to keep it dairy free.  I still devoured it, going back for seconds.  I also have enjoyed the extra filling for lunch the past two days, it provided a good amount of leftovers.  I was also surprised with how much the husband enjoyed this meal.  I didn't serve any sides with it since the veggies were mixed in and we're trying to stay away from a lot of carbs.  Enjoy! 

BBQ Chicken Filled Sweet Potatoes 

Courtesy of Nutrition Ella

Ingredients

• 1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed & patted dry
• 4 sweet potatoes (medium-large in size)
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained & rinsed
• 1/2 large sweet onion, diced
• 1 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
• 1/2 cup 0% or 2% Greek Yogurt (plus extra for topping )
• 1/4 cup shredded cheese ((Mexican blend or your favorite will do!)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 4-6 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, deseeded and minced (4 for mild spice, 6 for moderate)

Directions

Step 1

Combine chicken, bbq sauce, onion, black beans, chipotle peppers, jalapeño (optional), vinegar, paprika and garlic salt in slow cooker, cover and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours.

Step 2

When ready to eat, bake sweet potatoes (naked) for 45 minutes - 1 hour at 350F. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing in half and scooping out the flesh. Add flesh to the slow cooker and stir until well incorporated.

Step 3

Once cooked, shred chicken breasts with two forks. Add chicken back to the slow cooker along with corn, Greek yogurt and cilantro. Cover and let sit for 10-15 minutes.

Step 4

Scoop 3/4 - 1 cup of bbq chicken mixture into each sweet potato skin. Sprinkle with shredded cheese and place under a broiler for 3-4 minutes until cheese is melted.

Step 5

Serve warm, with a dollop of Greek yogurt in place of sour cream.

Sweet Baby Ray's Crockpot Chicken Sandwiches

One thing I learned very early on in my marriage was that my husband has a love for Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce. We have to have it in the house at all times.  He uses it on everything.  When I came across this recipe, I had to make it for him.  
Results: One of the best BBQ chicken recipes I've ever made.  There was a good amount of extra sauce when it was done cooking so I decided not to serve it on it's own.  I felt like it needed something.  So I decided to make BBQ chicken sandwiches.  I chopped the chicken, toasted buns, added some pickles and even put some of the extra sauce in a ramekin for dipping. These sandwiches were as good as a BBQ restaurant that is by our house.  Absolutely delicious! 

Sweet Baby Ray's Crockpot Chicken

Courtesy of Just a Pinch Recipes

Ingredients

4-6 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

1 btl sweet baby ray's bbq sauce

1/4 c vinegar

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 c brown sugar

1 tsp garlic powder

Directions

1. Mix BBQ sauce with vinegar, red pepper flakes, brown sugar and garlic powder.

2. Place chicken in crockpot (still frozen is ok). Pour sauce mixture over chicken.

3. Cook on LOW 4-6 hours.

This is what it looked like when it came out of the crock pot.

Then, I sliced it for our sandwiches. 

Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

I mentioned that a goal of mine this month was to try new crock pot recipes.  This was one of the ones I found on Pinterest and decided to make.  We usually buy a rotisserie chicken ever other week and have some left over meat.  I usually freeze the leftover meat, which ended up being perfect for this recipe. You'll notice from the picture that it looks thicker than your typical soup.  And it was.  But, that was because I let it cook for 8 hours on low instead of 6, which made the rice mushy.  I had to leave the house and ASSUMED it would be fine.  Whoops.  Even though that happened, I still wanted to share the recipe because it was really good. Even with the thick texture, we ate it all.  I'm sure it would be fantastic as a soup and plan on making it again. 
 This time, keeping more of an eye on it at the end.  Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Courtesy of Chef Mommy 

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package of Rice-a-Roni long grain and wild rice 
1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter
2 cups half and half (I used fat-free half and half)
1 cup grated carrots (I diced mine)
1 cup diced celery

Directions:

Combine broth, water, carrots, celery, chicken and rice (along with seasoning packet) in a large slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours. Take out chicken and shred with two forks and then add back into slow cooker. In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, and flour. In medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour mixture by tablespoon to form a roux. Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Stir cream mixture into slow cooker and then let cook on low for 15 more minutes

Southern White Chicken Chili

Come fall, chili is a weekly staple in our household.  It's just so easy to make, I always do it in the crock pot. I've always made chili with beef.  But, this month I made a goal to try new crock pot recipes.  This was the perfect time to step away from my normal chili recipe and try something different.  And boy am I glad I did.  This recipe was amazing. Full of flavor and the perfect pair to a cool fall night.  

 It's now my favorite chili and I plan on making it for friends on Halloween.  

 

Southern White Chicken Chili 

Courtesy of Campbell's 

Ingredients: 
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound), cut into cubes
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 large onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium green pepper, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup 
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
2 cans (about 15 ounces each) white kidney beans (cannellini), rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese
**I also added a white chili seasoning packet from McCormick & 1/2 cup of chicken stock to the recipe**

Directions:

• Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken, chili powder,
   cumin, onion and pepper and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the
   vegetables are tender, stirring often.
• Stir the soup, water, corn and beans in the saucepan and heat to a boil.  
  Reduce the heat to low.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  
  Sprinkle with the cheese.  
  
  
  
  

Chicken Noodle Casserole

If you love chicken noodle soup, you will definitely enjoy this recipe.  Of course, like most recipes I find it's easy to make, has very few ingredients and takes little time.  With a newborn at home, I'm really glad I've focused on simple recipes over the years.  I rarely have more than a half hour of hands free time in the evenings to make a meal.  I pinned this recipe a few months ago and recently went to my Pinterest board when planning my weekly meals.  

This is hands down one of the best casseroles I've made. Ever.  I ate two servings for dinner and had it for lunch for the next two days.  I couldn't get enough.  This would be a fabulous meal to make for a friend in need.  Enjoy!

Chicken Noodle Casserole 

Courtesy of BookCooking.net

Ingredients
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 ounces egg noodles
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 cup crumbled buttery round crackers1/2 cup butter

Directions
Poach chicken in a large pot of simmering water. Cook until no longer pink in center, about 12 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside. Bring chicken cooking water to a boil and cook pasta in it. Drain. Cut chicken into small pieces, and mix with noodles.
In a separate bowl, mix together mushroom soup, chicken soup, and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Gently stir together cream soup mixture with the chicken mixture. Place in a 2 quart baking dish.
Melt butter in a small saucepan, and remove from heat. Stir in crumbled crackers. Top casserole with the buttery crackers.
Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 30 minutes, until heated through and browned on top.

Chicken and Green Bean Casserole

I'd give this recipe an 8 out of 10.  It took a little more prep time than I prefer but it was worth it.  I like how the recipe uses fresh mushrooms and green beans.  I followed some of the reviews and instead of using cream cheese I used the original Philadelphia cooking creme. This would be a great meal to take a new mom or make for friends coming over for dinner.  Enjoy! 

Chicken and Green Bean Casserole

Courtesy of Kraft Food

What You Need
1 pkg.  (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
1 Tbsp.  butter
6 small  boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.)
1/2 tsp.  black pepper
1/2 lb.  fresh green beans, trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 pkg.  (8 oz.) sliced fresh mushrooms
1 large  onion, chopped
1/4 cup  flour
1-3/4 cups  fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
4 oz.  (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed

Make It

PREPARE stuffing as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, melt butter in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; sprinkle with pepper. Cook 5 min. on each side or until chicken is done (165ºF); transfer to 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

COOK and stir beans, mushrooms and onions in same skillet 6 to 8 min. or until crisp-tender. Sprinkle with flour; cook and stir 1 min. Stir in broth; simmer 3 min. or until thickened, stirring frequently. Add cream cheese; cook and stir 2 to 3 min. or until melted. Spoon over chicken; top with stuffing. Cover. Refrigerate up to 24 hours.

HEAT oven to 400ºF. Bake casserole, uncovered, 30 min. or until heated through.

Chicken & Bean Burritos

With a new baby on the way, one of the things on my to do

 list was making freezer meals.  This recipe was from Martha 

Stewart.  We actually made them for dinner one night and 

then froze the rest.  Hubs has been taking them for lunch all

 month and said they are great reheated.  These took an hour 

to make and not only did we end up with a  healthy dinner,

 we ended up with 7 lunches too.  Overall, a great freezer

 recipe, our plan is to make these once a month. The only

 change we made was adding chicken to the burritos.  Enjoy!

  

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup rice (brown or white)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 jalapeno chile, chopped (ribs and seeds removed, for less heat)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bag frozen corn kernels (10 ounces)
• 6 scallions, thinly sliced
• 8 burrito-size flour tortillas, 10 inches each
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Salsa and sour cream, optional

Directions

1. Cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add onions, garlic, jalapeno, and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Add tomato paste, and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
3. Add beans and 1 1/2 cups water; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in scallions.
4. Heat tortillas according to package instructions; fill with rice, bean mixture, and cheese.
5. Assemble: Mound 1/4 cup rice, 3/4 cup bean mixture, and 1/4 cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold sides, and hold them in. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down, and prepare remaining burritos.
6. Serve immediately, with salsa and sour cream, if using, or wrap per freezing instructions.