Crunchy Cheesy Chicken

Pin It It's getting to that time of year when I don't mind turning my oven on to make dinner.  Over the summer it was so hot I didn't want to turn the oven on for anything so we did a lot of grilling.  This is a fabulous weeknight meal.  It can be whipped together in about 5 minutes and then you just put it in the oven and forget it for about 40 minutes.  And what's not to love about cripsy, crunchy, cheesy chicken?  While the chicken is cooking whip up a few side dishes and you have a fantastic dinner.

Crunchy Cheesy Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Get out 3 plates or shallow dishes.  Place flour in one, egg in one and cheese and breadcrumbs in the third dish.  Mix cheese and breadcrumbs together.
3. Dip chicken in flour, then egg, then cheese/breadcrumb mixture.  Pat the cheese/breadcrumbs on the chicken so it sticks.
4. Place chicken on a foil lined baking sheet.
5. Bake 35-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Cooking times will vary depending on the size of your chicken.

Chicken Party Nachos

Pin It I think nachos are a great party food.  They are a crowd pleaser and easy to make.  However, I hate that some chips have tons of toppings and other chips have barely anything on them.  By the end of the night all that is left is a pile of topping-less chips.  That's how these gems came to be. I call them Party Nachos because they are perfect for a party.  Every chip is perfectly topped and they are the perfect finger food.  No need to worry about toppings dripping on your clothes.I made these for my husband's fantasy football draft party and they were gobbled up.  I'm definitely keeping these in mind for the rest of football season!

This recipe was shared at Six Sisters' Link Party and Trick or Treat Tuesday .

Chicken Party Nachos
15 corn tortillas
1 can refried beans
2 Tbsp taco seasoning
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast, cooked/grilled and chopped into small pieces
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

For serving:
jalapenos
salsa
sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Lay tortillas on foil lined baking sheets.
2. Mix taco seasoning with refried beans.  Spread a thin layer of beans on each tortilla.
3. Place chicken on top of beans.
4. Sprinkle with cheese until toppings are well covered.
5. Place in oven and bake 5-8 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
6. Allow nachos to cool slightly before cutting or all of the cheese will fall off.
7. Using a pizza cutter, cut each tortilla into 4 pieces.  Serve with sour cream, salsa and jalapenos.

BBQ Chicken Salad

Pin It I love BBQ chicken pizza.  If it is on a menu, I will order it.  So when I had some leftover BBQ chicken I was really tempted to make a pizza, but I was short on time and I decided that I could probably make a healthier choice. I decided on a salad.  It has all of the ingredients from a BBQ chicken pizza (minus the crust) with a delicious BBQ ranch dressing.  Healthy, yet satisfying.

BBQ Chicken Salad
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, grilled and basted with BBQ sauce
Romaine lettuce, chopped
Red onion, sliced
Red pepper, diced
shredded cheddar cheese

BBQ Ranch Dressing
2 Tbsp ranch dressing
1 Tbsp BBQ sauce

1. Arrange salad ingredients in a bowl.
2. Mix dressing ingredients together until uniform in color.
3. Pour dressing over salad

Copycat Cheesecake Factory Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp

Pin It Whenever I go to The Cheesecake Factory I ALWAYS get bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp.  It is a Thai inspired dish with flavors of coconut, curry, peanuts and chiles.  It has veggies and rice covered in this amazing curry sauce.  You also get a massive portion so I have leftovers for at least 2 lunches.  I made this for my friends on "wine and dine" night and I have to say that this is pretty darn close to the real thing.  This recipe is a bit more complicated than my normal cooking, but it is definitely worth it!

Check out Weekend Potluck to see lots of awesome recipes!

Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp
Adapted from Firehow.com
Curry Sauce:
olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
2 Tbsp red curry paste (to taste)
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
3 cups lite coconut milk
salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup zucchini, julienned
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup caulifour, chopped into small florets
2 chicken breasts
1 lb shrimp, peeled
green onions
toasted coconut
chopped peanuts

1. Drizzle olive oil in a large skillet.  Add onion, garlic and ginger.  Saute until starting to brown.
2. Add chicken broth, cumin, paprika, curry, red pepper, salt and pepper.  Stir well.  Simmer for 5 mintues.
3. Add coconut milk and bring to a boil.  Let simmer for 20 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.
4. Meanwhile, cook chicken and shrimp in a separate skillet.  Cut chicken into bite sized pieces.  Set aside when done.
**Make peanut sauce.  Directions below.
5. When sauce is starting to thicken add veggies.  Simmer for 10 minutes or until carrots are tender.
6. Add chicken and shrimp to sauce a few minutes before serving.
7.  Serve over rice.  Drizzle with peanut sauce and top with chopped green onions,toasted coconut and chopped peanuts.

Peanut Sauce
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp water
4 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp lime juice

1. In a small sauce pan combine all ingredients.  Whisk to combine.  Heat until mixture begins to bubble.
2. Cover pan and remove from heat until ready to serve.
3. Drizzle on top of meal before serving.

Buffalo Chicken Salad

Pin It When I was in college our favorite restaurant to go to was Cheddar's.  I know that Cheddar's is a national chain, but we don't have any in St. Louis so it was a real treat to go down in Springfield.  My absolute favorite thing on their menu was the Buffalo Chicken Wrap.  I don't think I ever had anything else my whole 4 years down there.  It was lettuce, cheese, chicken, pickles and dressing all wrapped in a tortilla.  What made it even better was that you always had leftovers so you didn't have to cook for a day.  This salad was inspired by those awesome wraps.  Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Salad
** I didn't use measurement because this can be made for one or a crowd.
Iceberg Lettuce, chopped
Shredded carrots
Dill pickle slices
Shredded colby jack cheese
Chicken tenders or chicken nuggets/bites, cooked
Hot sauce of your choice
Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing

1. Arrange lettuce in bowl.  Top with carrots, pickles and cheese.
2. Toss chicken pieces with hot sauce.  Lay on top of salad mixture.
3. Drizzle with dressing of your choice.

**This is most delicious when the chicken is still warm so it melts the cheese a bit.

Island Soyaki Stir Fry

Pin It I like meals that don't heat up my kitchen or require extensive amounts of preparation.  This gem is ready in about 20 minutes.  I love making stir fries in the summer because of all of the fresh veggies I can get at the farmer's market.  You can substitute any veggies that you want.  You could also play around with the protien.  This would be great with shrimp or pork.  I used Trader Joe's Island Soyaki sauce and Trader Joe's General Tsao Stir Fry Sauce to save time while providing excellent flavor.  Once you try these sauces you will always keep them around.  The possibilities are endless.  Enjoy!

Island Soyaki Stir Fry
4 cups vegetables/fruits, diced (or use frozen stir fry veggie mix)
I used pea pods, red and yellow bell peppers, broccoli,  pineapple, carrots, onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp minced ginger
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 chicken breasts, diced (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup Island Soyaki sauce
1/4 cup General Tsao's sauce
salt and pepper
2 cups cooked rice (I used brown rice)

1. Heat a large skillet over high heat.  Add olive oil, ginger and garlic.  Saute for 1 minute.  Add diced chicken.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook completely.
2. Transfer chicken to a separate plate.  In the same skillet add all of your veggies.  Cook about 5 minutes or until tender.
3. Pour sauces over veggies and stir to coat.   Return chicken to the pan.  Cook about 3 minutes or until the sauce starts to bubble.
**Depending on how much water is released from the vegetables, you might have to thicken the sauce using 1 Tbsp of cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp water.
4. Serve over rice.

Santa Fe Chicken Burritos

Pin It I found this recipe on Skinny Taste a while ago, but never got around to making it.  Well this week I had Reading Night at school and needed a low maintenance meal.  I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand.  You literally pour everything into your trusty crock pot and come home to a wonderful, fully cooked mexican meal.  I will definitley be making this gem again.  It is so versatile.  I made burritos for dinner and then made nachos for lunch the next day.  This would also be great served over rice.  There are endless possibilities.  Let me know your ideas!

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 3 large pieces)
1 onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
1 cup chicken broth
3 green onions, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1 4 oz can diced jalepenos (optional)
dash of hot sauce (to tasste)

1. Pour all ingredients, except chicken, in a lined crock pot.  Stir to mix.  Place chicken on top of veggie mixture.
2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-5 hours.
3. 30 minutes before serving, remove chicken and shred.  Return chicken to crock pot for remaining time.
4. Serve wrapped in tortillas with your favorite fixings.  For these I used a little Mexican rice, shredded cheese, sour cream and hot sauce.

The creation straight from the crock pot.

Potato Chip Chicken

Pin It Plain old chicken can get boring pretty quick.  I was feeling less than enthused about cooking chicken for dinner so I went to my pantry for inspiration.  My eyes landed on half a bag of salt and vinegar potato chips and this star was born.  I have to say this is one of the most delicious chicken recipes I have had in a while.  The chicken stays juicy while the outside gets a golden crunch.  Tastes similar to fried chicken without the frying.  Will definitely be making this one again.

Potato Chip Chicken
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 cups coarsely crushed salt and vinegar potato chips (or flavor of your choice)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place a baking rack inside an edged bakin pan.  Generously spray the rack with cooking spray.
2. Set out 3 dishes (I used dinner plates).  On the first plate mix flour with salt and pepper.  On the second plate beat the egg.  On the third plate pour the potato chips.
3. Take one chicken breast and dredge it through the flour mixture.  Next dip the chicken in the egg.  Then press the chicken into the potato chips until it is well coated.  Place the chicken on the baking rack.  Repeat with remaining chicken.
4. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until cooked through.

Lemon Baked Chicken

Pin It I had a pack of chicken leg quarters in my freezer and needed something to do with them.  So I created this recipe over my Christmas break.  It turned out quite delicious.  A good winter, comfort food item.  Delicious when served with Keep Your Man Happy Potatoes.

Lemon Baked Chicken
4 chicken leg quarters, bone in, skin on (or any cut of chicken that you prefer)
4 Tbsp butter, melted
zest of one lemon, divided
Juice of half of lemon
4 lemon slices (from the unjuiced half, it's ok that you zested it)
2 Tbsp seafood seasoning (like Old Bay or Wildtree Bayou Blend)
1 tsp dried oregano

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and put a wire baking/cooling rack on top of the foil.  Spray rack with cooking spray.
2. Mix half of the lemon zest, seafood seasoning and oregano.  Spread mixture under the skin of each piece of chicken.
3. Mix lemon juice, butter and remaining zest.  Pour a little butter under the skin of each chicken on top of the spice mixture.
4. Place the chicken on the rack on the pan and cover with remaining lemon butter mixture.  Top each piece of chicken with a lemon slice.
5. Bake uncovered 50-60 minutes or until juices run clear.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Pin It With all of the Thanksgiving gatherings this past week I am sick of eating turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy.  My tastebuds need a wake up with some new flavors.  That's why I decided to make some chicken tortilla soup.  This makes a large pot full of soup so invite a crowd over or be prepared for delicious leftovers for days to come.

Chicken Tortilla Soup
1 red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T olive oil
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
1 c water
1 can corn, drained
1 can white hominy, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
juice of 1 lime
3 T green chiles, more or less to taste
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
4 corn tortillas, cut into strips
sour cream
shredded cheddar
cilantro, chopped

1. In a large soup ot saute onions and garlic in olive oil until soft.  Stir in chili powder, cumin, crushed tomatoes, broth and water.  Bring to a boil.
2. Add corn, beans, tomatoes, hominy, green chiles, chicken and lime juice.  Bring to a boil and simmer for at least 20 minutes or up to an hour.
3. Just before serving, stir in the tortilla strips.  Serve with sour cream, chopped cilantro and shredded cheese.

Crock Pot Sofrito Chicken

Pin It This recipe was inspired by http://www.skinnytaste.com/, one of my favorite food blogs.  It used to hurt my feelings when Albert said he didn't want to eat my cooking, but now I just ignore it because he usually ends up loving it.  Last night as I was filling my crock pot, he turned up his nose at the sight of all of the veggies I was cutting  up (and the lingering smell of garlic and onions).  However, this morning he sent a text about the delicious smell taking over our house.  The aroma of the chicken cooking is absolutely mouthwatering.  Definitely whets your appetite for an awesome meal. 

Crock Pot Sofrito Chicken
1/2 bunch of green onions, chopped (about 4)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 packet Sazon ( seasoning packets in mexican aisle)
1 can light beer
1/2 c water
4 chicken thighs, skin removed

1. Put peppers, onions, tomatoes and spices in a crock pot (I recommend using Crock Pot liners for super easy clean up). 
2. Pour water and beer over seasoned veggies.
3. Place chicken pieces on top of veggies.
4. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
5. Serve with steamed rice.