Grilled Chicken w/ quinoa

This dinner was thrown together with what we had in the kitchen.  Which turned out FABULOUS!!

I just cut up the chicken and seasoned it with Lemon Pepper seasoning.
Cooked 1 cup of quinoa in 2 cups chicken broth.  Brought that to a boil, then reduced heat to medium-low for 20 minutes.
Steamed Peas

Mixed it all together and voila!

BBQ Chicken Quinoa Sald

Finally back to trying recipes!! :)  It's been fantastic!  I'm loving quinoa right now!  So easy and yummy with anything or in place of rice, for me.  Brad will mix his rice and quinoa. 

This has been one of our favorites so far.  I cooked the chicken in my pressure cooker though, which was 6 minutes on high.  I also just took frozen corn and cooked it on the skillet.  Instead of mixing our BBQ sauce with greek yogurt we just used bbq sauce.  We figured that was good enough. :)



Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed very well
2 cups chicken broth
2 chicken breasts
salt & pepper
2 ears corn, shucked (or 1 cup corn kernels)
1/2 cup black beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup BBQ sauce (plus more for chicken)
Directions:

1. Rinse quinoa very well in a fine mesh sieve under cold running water. Combine with the chicken broth in a saucepan then bring to a boil. Place a lid on top, lower heat to medium-low, and cook until quinoa is tender, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt & pepper, then grill over medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes a side, or until no longer pink in the center. (Alternatively you could poach the chicken, or use leftover or rotisserie chicken.) Add corn to the grill at the same time, and rotate every couple of minutes to evenly char on all sides. Remove chicken and corn to a plate and let cool slightly. Shred or cut chicken into cubes, then mix with enough BBQ sauce to coat. Slice kernels off the cob.
3. Mix together Greek yogurt and BBQ sauce in a bowl. Evenly divide the cooked quinoa, shredded BBQ chicken, grilled corn, black beans, and shredded cheese between four plates. Drizzle with yogurt and BBQ sauce mixture, then garnish with chopped cilantro.

General Tsao/ Stir Fry sauce

I'm always looking for stir fry sauces, trying different ones. I found that the sauce for General Tsao Chicken actually tastes pretty good.  Picture next time I make some.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (Ionly  used sesame oil last time and it was Delicious!)
• 3 tablespoons chopped green onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 dried whole red chilies
• 1 strip orange zest
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 tablespoons chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil

Combine and let boil then add 

• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

To thicken... Of course this can always be adjusted for what you have and don't have.

Chicken Fingers

These turned out FABULOUS!!  Made with a yummy dipping sauce by Brad too! :)

Cut chicken up into long strips.  Dip chicken in an egg, then I put all the chicken in a bag of flour with bread crumbs and seasonings.  Once they are all covered we put them into hot oil until cooked through. :)

Sauce:
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Honey

Mixed to taste.

Barbeque Chicken Pizza

YUM!!! This recipe for the dough is SO GOOD!!  It can also be used to make breadsticks.  It was so simple and fast. (For dough) For the actual pizza I just cooked my chicken in the pressure cooker (10 min.) shredded it, added barbeque sauce, Mozzarella cheese, and cilantro seasoning.  Simple and so good!  This is for the dough:

1½ cups warm water

2 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. yeast

Let that sit for 5 minutes. Then add:

3½ cups flour

1 tsp Salt

Mix until smooth then let raise for 10 minutes. Roll out dough into a large square on a floured surface. Brush with melted (real) butter mixed with minced garlic and then sprinkle with kosher salt. Fold in half and cut into 1 inch strips. Twist and place on a cooking sheet. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes to raise. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately after baking, brush with more garlic butter and sprinkle with kosher salt and grated parmesan cheese.

 

*Dough also makes a great pizza dough, just roll out into a large circle, add your favorite toppings, and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry

 This was simple and delicious!  For the stir fry I used a pre-packaged bag of stir fry as well as a red bell pepper, made it easy!

Ingredients
1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

1 8 ounce can pineapple chunks, drained and juices reserved

3 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

3-4 teaspoons vegetable oil, divided

 

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs diced into 1 inch pieces

(you could also use pork tenderloin, or sliced boneless pork chops)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

3 cups broccoli florets

1 medium bell pepper, stemmed , seeded, and cut into 1/2 inch squares*

hot cooked white or brown rice

*In this post, I used half of the bell pepper, and added 1/2 of a diced onion as well
 
Instructions

• Start cooking your rice so it will be ready.
• Combine cornstarch and water in a medium sized bowl and stir to dissolve.  Add the reserved pineapple juice*, ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar to the bowl and stir to combine.
• *If you’re using a stainless steel pan, save pineapple juice for de-glazing it
• heat 2-3 teaspoons of the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken, salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger.  Stir-fry until the chicken is cooked and no longer pink, 3-4 minutes.  Remove chicken from pan and cover to keep warm.
• Add the remaining 1-2 teaspoons oil to the pan and add the broccoli and bell pepper.  Stir-fry over medium-high heat until the vegetables are crisp-tender and the broccoli is bright green, 3-5 minutes.
• Return the chicken to the pan and add the pineapple chunks and sauce mixture.  Bring to a simmer and cook until everything is heated through and the sauce has thickened, 1-2 minutes.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.  Serve over the hot cooked rice.  If desired, top with sesame seeds and chopped fresh cilantro or parsley.

Chicken in Basil Cream Sauce

This recipe made a lot of sauce, so I was able to pour some into a bag and freeze it for later!  Almost an instant dinner! 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

4 chicken breasts cut into halves (8 pieces)

1/4 cup margarine

1 cup chicken broth

2 cups whipping cream

1 tsp dried basil

1/8 tsp pepper

1 cup grated parmesan cheese

 

Directions:

 

Optional: I like to pound and flatten the chicken out a little so it cooks evenly throughout.  

• Place milk and bread crumbs in seperate shallow bowls. Dip chicken in milk, then coat with crumbs. In a skillet over medium heat cook chicken in butter until browned on both sides.
• Remove chicken from skillet and keep in a 9x13 pan in the oven on warm.
• Add chicken broth to skillet and stir to loosen up browned bits from pan. Stir in cream, basil, and pepper and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and whisk in parmesan cheese. Pour sauce over the chicken and serve.

Ranch Style Chicken

This is from the wonderful Pioneer Woman!!  Yummy :)

Ingredients:

• ½ cups Dijon Mustard (or regular mustard)
• ½ cups Honey
• ½ whole (juice Of) Lemon
• ½ teaspoons Paprika
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• Crushed Red Pepper (optional To Taste)
• 6 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 pound Thick Cut Bacon
• Bacon Grease
• Sharp Cheddar Cheese, to taste
• Canola Oil

Directions:

• To begin, make the marinade. In a large bowl mix together ½ cup Dijon or country/grainy mustard with ½ cup honey, juice of ½ lemon, ½ teaspoon paprika, and ½ teaspoon salt and whisk until smooth. Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne if you like things a little spicy. Set aside.
• Next, rinse the chicken breasts, place between two sheets of waxed paper and pound to around ½ to ¾ inch thick with a mallet. Next, add the chicken to the bowl with the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 1 to 3 hours.
• While the chicken marinates, fry up some bacon. When finished cooking, reserve ¼ cup of the bacon grease and clean out the skillet.
• When the chicken is done marinating, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the chicken from the fridge and pour off excess marinade. Heat half of the reserved bacon grease with an equal quantity of Canola Oil in the clean skillet over medium-high heat. When the grease is nice and hot add two or three pieces of chicken to it. Cook until brownish/blackish, about 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side. Remove chicken to a large baking sheet. If cooking many pieces of chicken, repeat skillet process and remove finished chicken to baking sheet. Place chicken in preheated oven and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from over.
• Lay a few pieces of bacon over each chicken breast. Sprinkle shredded sharp cheddar cheese over the top of the chicken as generously as you like. Return pan to oven for an additional five minutes until cheese is melted and bacon is sizzling. Serve immediately

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Made this as I was running out the door so no picture from mwah.

Ingredients:

• 1 10-oz. bag fresh baby spinach
• 1/2-1 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 medium cucumber, seeded and sliced (you can peel it first if you want)
• 1 pint strawberries, sliced
• 1 c. sliced almonds, toasted
• 1 recipe Lemon Poppy Seed Vinaigrette1/2 lb. grilled chicken breasts, sliced or diced (optional)

Directions:

• Toss ingredients together and serve immediately.  You can also arrange the ingredients on individual plates for serving.

Chicken Salad Sandwich

Probably one of our favorite meals.  Super easy and SO delicioso!

Ingredients:

• Shredded Chicken (could be crockpotted, canned, or boiled)
• Mayonnaise (as much as you would like to add)
• Cut grapes (we like green)
• Celery if desired
• Cheese if desired

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients to desired consistency
• Put on crescent bread
• Add sliced cheese if you want any

Thousand Island Chicken Wraps

We couldn't decide what to eat, so looked at what kind of left overs we had and created this.  It actually turned out to be really good! 

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Breasts
Rice
Some Red Pepper (My new favorite!)
Some Chopped Onion
Thousand Island Dressing
Mayonaise
S&P (Salt & Pepper)

Directions:

• Cut chicken into little squares/rectangles.  Cook them with the onion and red pepper and S&P.
• Mix about 3/4 cup of Dressing with 2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise. Once the chicken is cooked add the sauce and stir, let simmer for a little bit.
• Cook the rice
• Get your wrap and add some rice and chicken mix, fold it like a burrito and chomp!

Club House Chicken Squares

This was surprisingly good, I was a little nervous at first, but after tasting it, it changed my mind!  Personally I"m not a fan of thick cream cheese, but Brad loved all the thick parts  So maybe try it thinner in parts or thicker?!

Ingredients:
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. refrigerated crescent rolls
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 Tblspn. mayonnaise
1 sm. garlic clove, pressed
1 tsp. dill weed (opt.)
1 (10 oz.) can chunk white chicken, drained and flaked(I would probably use real chicken next time, just a              taste factor)
1/2 sm. cucumber, sliced and quartered
2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/2 c. (2 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese
6 slices bacon, crisply cooked, draned and crumbled

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375.  Unroll one package of crescent rolls across one end of cookie sheet with longest sides of dough across width of pan.  Repeat with remaining package of dough, filling pan.  Press dough to seal perforations and press up sides to form crust.  Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove from oven; cool completely.  In a bowl combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic and dill mix if desired; mix well.  Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over crust; top with chicken.  Thinly slice cucumber and cut slices into quarters.  Dice tomatoes and grate cheese.  Sprinkle cucumber, tomatoes, cheese and bacon over chicken.  Refrigerate 30 minutes.  Cut into squares.

Sticky Finger Chicken Salad

Ingredients:
Chicken tenders
Frank's Hot Sauce (we used Buffalo style)
1/4 cup- 1 cup Brown Sugar
Salad leaves
Cheese
Tomatos
Craisins
Ranch/Thousand Island (If desired, we ended up not needing any dressing)
Nuts of some kind?!

Directions:
Either bread your own chicken tenders or buy pre-made chicken tenders.  Cook the chicken completly.

In a saucepan, combine 1 cup of brown sugar and anywhere from 1/4 to 1 cup Frank's hot sauce (depends how spicy you want it). Boil it for a minute. Pour over chicken (best to foil pan, makes a nice clean up)
and turn to coat.

Bake for 3 to 5 more minutes to let sauce soak in.

For the salad, add craisins, grated cheddar cheese, tomatoes, whatever you want, dressing!

Chicken Parmigiane

Ingredients
3-4 Chicken Breasts, split
2 eggs slightly beaten (I can usually just use one)
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3/4 C. fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 C. vegetable oil
Two 8 oz. cans tomato sauce (I've also tried tomato paste and water and it still worked)
1/4 tsp. basil
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. buter
1/2 C. Parmesan Cheese
8 oz. Mozzarella cheese cut in triangle's. (I used shredded)

Directions
Place chicken breasts on cutting board andpound lightly w/ pounder.  Combine eggs, salt, and pepper in a bowl for dipping the chicken.  Dip chicken into egg mixture, then crubms.  Heat oil til very hot in large skillet.  Quickly brown chicken on both sides.  Remove to shallow baking dish.  Pour off excess fat.  Stir tomato sauce, basil, and garlic powder into pan.  Simmer 10 min. or til thickened.  Stir in butter.  Pour over chicken.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover.  Bake at 350 for 30 min.  Uncover.  Place cheese triangles on top.  Bake 10 min. longer to melt cheese.

Island Rice Bowls

Ingredients
(This makes 4 large rice bowls)
1 bottle Yoshida's sauce
3 chicken breasts
1 head broccoli, florets only, chopped
1 medium zucchini, diced
2 carrots, shredded
1/4 c. celery, sliced (optional)
1/4 c. red pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tsp red pepper flakes
4 c. white rice, cooked
Directions
Place the chicken into a ziploc bag and pour about 1/3 of the bottle of Yoshida's. Squeeze all the air out of the bag, seal, and place on a plate or in a bowl and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Remove chicken from the fridge and either BBQ or bake (at 425 for about 25 min) until cooked through. After fully cooked, cut up into small cubes (wrap in tin foil to keep warm if needed). In a large skillet, stir fry broccoli, zucchini, carrots, and red pepper (and optional celery) in a little bit of the Yoshida's sauce until all veggies become tender. Pour remaining Yoshida's sauce into a small saucepan. Add ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer on low until ready to serve (stirring often). Serve by layering 1 c. of rice in each bowl, 1/4 of the veggies (more or less), 1/4 of the chicken, then about 1/4 c. of sauce (more or less) drizzled over the top of each bowl

Teriyaki Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts
Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste and Glaze or 1 recipe of Teriyaki Sauce
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1/3 C sliced green onions, chopped
1/4 c. sliced almonds, toasted
1 mango, cut into small cubes (or 1 small can of Mandarin oranges, drained)
1 small can pineapple tidbits OR roughly-chopped chunks
1/3-1/2 c. light mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
Croissants or pitas
Lettuce leaves
DirectionsMarinate chicken for at least 4 hours. Grill. While chicken is grilling, combine celery and green onions in a small mixing bowl or a plastic storage container with a lid. When chicken is done, allow to stand for about 10 minutes and then cut into bite-sized pieces. Toss with celery and onions and then add mayonnaise and mix thoroughly. Start with 1/3 c. and go from there. Add 2-3 (or more) tablespoons of Teriyaki sauce to taste. The thickness of the Kikkoman Baste and Glaze (or the homemade recipe) is important because it helps keep the dressing from becoming too runny. You want to add some of the yummy Teriyaki flavor, but you also don't want it to be overwhelming. Refrigerate for several hours.

Right before serving, add mango, pineapple, and nuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. You may need to add more mayo and/or Teriyaki--if you need it, go for it! Serve on a lettuce leaf in a croissant or a pita (or by itself if you feel the urge!)

Chicken-Bacon Stuffed Pizza Rolls

Ingredients
1 roll refrigerated pizza dough* (or make your own)
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
2 T grated Parmesan cheese
1 T olive oil or melted butter
sharp cheddar cheese (I used 75% sharp cheddar and 25% mozzarella)
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
about 1 C shredded, cooked chicken.
3/4 C mayo
3/4 C milk
DirectionsFirst take 1 teaspoon of your ranch dressing mix and combine it with 1 1/2 T parmesan cheese. Set aside. Combine the remaining ranch mix with 3/4 C mayo and 3/4 C milk and place in the fridge to chill.

Preheat oven to heat specified on pizza dough package. Usually it's 400-425 degrees.

Unroll your pizza dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat or roll the dough so it's about 12" by 8". You're going to want to cut it into 24 squares, so just eyeball it if you need to. Use a pizza cutter to slice the dough into 24 squares.

Place cheese and desired toppings on each square.

When all of your dough squares have cheese and toppings on them, carefully lift up each square and wrap the dough around the toppings.

Place your rolls in the oven. I've noticed baking time really depends on the type of dough I'm using. Whether it's different brands from the store, or homemade dough, they all take different amounts of time. Set your timer for 10 minutes and check on them after that. They may take up to 15 or 20 to be done. Take them out when they're lightly golden on top.

Serve them warm with a side of freshly made ranch dressing for dipping.

Asian BBQ Chicken

(We don't have a grill otherwise they'd look as good as the top one! :)

Ingredients

1/4 C packed brown sugar

1/4 C soy sauce
2 T lime juice (about 1 lime)
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t curry powder
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 t grated fresh ginger
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Directions

Combine everything but the chicken in a small bowl. Whisk to dissolve brown sugar. Reserve a couple of spoonfuls of the marinade in a small bowl and place the rest, with the chicken, in a zip-lock bag. (If your chicken pieces are extra large and you feel like you need a little more marinade, you can always add a bit of water to stretch it.) Pop that bag in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours, but overnight is best.

Preheat a grill (or an indoor grill pan or broiler). Spray cooking surface with cooking spray and place chicken on it to cook. Cook for 5-10 minutes on each side depending on the thickness



Cajun Chicken Pasta

(My Picture, we had less vegetables just because I didn't want to buy them)  Still tasted Great!

Ingredients

• 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts, Cut Into Cubes
• 3 teaspoons Cajun Spice Mix, More To Taste
• 1 pound Fettuccine
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Seeded And Sliced
• ½ whole Large Red Onion, Sliced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
• 2 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
• ½ cups White Wine
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Cayenne Pepper To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Chopped Fresh Parsley, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain when pasta is still al dente; do not overcook!

Sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun spice over chicken pieces. Toss around to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half the chicken in a single layer; do not stir. Allow chicken to brown on one side, about 1 minute. Flip to the other side and cook an additional minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a clean plate.

Repeat with remaining chicken. Remove chicken, leaving pan on high heat.

Add remaining olive oil and butter. When heated, add peppers, onions, and garlic. Sprinkle on remaining Cajun spice, and add salt if needed. Cook over very high heat for 1 minute, stirring gently and trying to get the vegetables as dark/black as possible. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove all vegetables from the pan.

With the pan over high heat, pour in the wine and chicken broth. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium-low and pour in cream, stirring/whisking constantly. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, until cream starts to thicken the mixture.

Taste and add freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, and/or salt to taste. Sauce should be spicy!

Finally, add chicken and vegetables to sauce, making sure to include all the juices that have drained onto the plate. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and hot. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

Top with chopped fresh parsley and chow down!

Grilled Chicken & Pineapple Quesadilla

Ingredients

• 8 whole Flour Tortillas
• Butter Or Margarine
• 2 cups Grilled Pineapple, Sliced
• 3 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 3 cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Sliced
• Cilantro
• 3 Tablespoons Barbecue Sauce

Preparation Instructions

(To grill pineapple: cut wedges, stick on skewers, and grill over low heat. Cut into slices.)

(To pound chicken, place inside a Ziploc bag and pound with a mallet or large can to flatten to uniform thickness.)

Sprinkle with salt and pepper and Cajun spice (or cumin/cayenne, etc.) Drizzle olive oil on a grill pan and grill on both sides until done, brushing with barbecue sauce. Set aside and slice into very thin slices.

Warm griddle over medium heat and put sizzling butter or margarine in the pan. Slightly warm and toast tortillas on both sides, then remove from griddle and set aside.

To assemble, sprinkle four browned tortillas with grated Monterey Jack. Arrange chicken slices evenly over the surface. Add pineapple slices and jalapeno slices. Sprinkle on cilantro. If desired, drizzle extra barbecue sauce over the top. Add second browned tortilla on top of each one. (You’ll have four complete quesadillas at this point.)

Add to oven to warm, or back to skillet to warm, until cheese is melted. Cut each quesadilla into six wedges. Serve with sour cream, pico de gallo, and lime wedges.