HAWAIIAN CHICKEN BAKE RECIPE

Ingredients

• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 6-12 Tbsp barbecue sauce
• 1 can pineapple slices, drained
• 6 -8 slices provolone cheese

Instructions

1. Lay the chicken breast flat in a baking dish.
2. Spread 1-2 Tbsp of BBQ sauce on each chicken breast.
3. Place 2 pineapple rings on each chicken breast.
4. Layer 2 slices of cheese on top of the pineapple on each chicken breast.
5. Place in an oven preheated to 375˚F for 20 minutes, lightly covered with foil. Then remove the foil and continue to bake for 15-25 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.
6. Serve with rice, greens, or potatoes and ENJOY!

Recipe source: thepinningmama

CHICKEN BURRITOS RECIPE

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno pepper, optional
• 1 can (15 ounces) chili with beans
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
• 8 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 24 flour tortillas (6 inches), warmed
• 6 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
• Salsa, optional

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in tomatoes, seasonings and, if desired, jalapeno. Cook 5 minutes. Add chili and cream cheese; stir until cream cheese is melted. Stir in chicken.
2. Spoon about 1/2 cup filling across center of each tortilla; sprinkle each with 1/4 cup Colby-Monterey Jack cheese. Fold bottom and sides over filling and roll up. Place in two greased 13x9-in. baking dishes.
3. Bake, covered, 35-40 minutes or until heated through. If desired, serve with salsa. Freeze option: Cool unbaked casseroles; cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Cover casserole with foil; bake as directed, increasing baking time to 50-55 minutes or until heated through and a thermometer inserted in center reads 160°.

Recipe source: tasteofhome

Spicy Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dip

Ingredients

• 1 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 pounds chicken wingettes and drumettes
• 3 teaspoons chili powder
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

BLUE CHEESE DIP:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons Italian salad dressing mix

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sugar, salt, orange zest, garlic and pepper. Pour half of the marinade into a large resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.
2. Drain and discard marinade. Transfer chicken to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 325° for 1-1/2 hours or until chicken juices run clear.
3. Using tongs, transfer chicken to a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cayenne, pepper sauce and reserved marinade. Drizzle over chicken.
4. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes, turning once. In a small bowl, whisk the dip ingredients. Serve with wings.

Recipe source: tasteofhome

Chicken Chilaquiles

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons cooking oil
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
• 1 1/3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 in all)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 1/2 pound tortilla chips
• 1/4 pound feta, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 red onion, sliced thin
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves

How to Make It

1. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, chili powder, cayenne, cumin, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.   
2. In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderately low heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic; cook for 30 seconds. Add the paprika and chili powder mixture and then add the broth slowly, whisking, until smooth. Bring to a simmer. Simmer, covered, until thick enough to coat a spoon, about 25 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, in a large frying pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat. Season the chicken with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper and cook until browned and just done, about 5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into slices.
4. Add the tortilla chips to the chile sauce and cook, stirring, until the chips are soft but not falling apart, about 2 minutes. Put the sauce on plates and top with the feta, sour cream, onion, cilantro, and chicken.

Recipe source: foodandwine

Double Crunch Honey Garlic Chicken Breasts

Ingredients
4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups flour
4 tsp salt
4 tsp black pepper
3 tbsp ground ginger
1 tbsp freshly ground nutmeg
2 tsp ground thyme
2 tsp ground sage
2 tbsp paprika
1 tsp cayenne pepper
4 eggs
8 tbsp water
2 tbsp olive oil
3-4 cloves minced garlic
1 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce low sodium soy sauce is best
1 tsp ground black pepper
canola oil for frying


Instructions
Place the chicken breasts between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and using a meat mallet, pound the meat to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Alternatively, you can slice the breasts by placing them flat on a cutting board and using a very sharp knife to slice them into halves horizontally.
Sift together the flour, salt, black pepper, ground ginger, nutmeg, thyme, sage paprika and cayenne pepper. NOTE: This flour and spice dredge mix is sufficient for two batches of this chicken recipe so divide the batch and store 1/2 in a Ziploc bag in the freezer. I always like to make enough for next time...and there's always a next time with this recipe.
Make an egg wash by whisking together the eggs and water.
Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, then dip the meat in the flour and spice mixture. Dip the breast into the eggwash and then a final time into the flour and spice mix, pressing the mix into the meat to get good contact.
Heat a skillet on the stove with about a half inch of canola oil covering the bottom. You will want to carefully regulate the temperature here so that the chicken does not brown too quickly. The thinness of the breast meat practically guarantees that it will be fully cooked by the time the outside is browned. I find just below medium heat works well. I use a burner setting of about 4 1/2 out of 10 on the dial and fry them gently for about 4 or 5 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy.
Drain on a wire rack for a couple of minutes before dipping the cooked breasts into the Honey Garlic Sauce. Serve with noodles or rice.
To make the Honey Garlic Sauce:
In a medium saucepan add the 2 tbsp olive oil and minced garlic. Cook over medium heat to soften the garlic but do not let it brown.
Add the honey, soy sauce and black pepper.
Simmer together for 5-10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Watch this carefully as it simmers because it can foam up over the pot very easily.
TO MAKE THE OVEN BAKED VERSION
Follow the recipe exactly as for the fried version but while you are preparing the chicken, heat a baking sheet in a 425F degree oven. Preheating the pan does 2 things; it prevents the chicken from sticking to the pan and it ensures that the heat from the oven starts going directly into the crust on the chicken to make sure it becomes crispy.
Dip all your chicken pieces and coat as instructed. As you finish individual pieces, lay them out on a lightly floured cutting board while you finish getting them all ready.
When the pieces are all ready, take the hot pan from the oven and lightly oil the bottom of the baking pan with canola oil or other vegetable oil. Use only enough to coat the bottom of the pan.
Working as quickly as possible, transfer the chicken pieces to the oiled pan. Do not crowd the pieces together. They should NOT touch each other or they will steam and not get crispy. Leave at least an inch of space between all pieces.
Lightly spray the tops of the chicken pieces with vegetable oil. I recommend that you have a spray bottle filled with canola oil to use in any oven fried recipe for chicken, including this one. A simple pump bottle will do. Spraying the tops helps them start to get crispy in the hot oven too.
Maintain the heat at 425 degrees F and place baking sheet in the oven. I use the second lowest rack in my oven.
Bake for 15 minutes without opening the door! Take the pan out of the oven and flip all of the chicken pieces over.
Return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until the chicken pieces brown nicely and become crispy. Again don't open the door, maintaining a hot oven is important for this method.
Dip the baked pieces in the sauce as usual and serve immediately.



Source : rockrecipes

Szechuan Chicken (Authentic Flavors) Recipe

Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or 1 lb of chicken thigh / leg meat, cut into bite size pieces)
1 red bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
1 green bell pepper (cut into 1-inch pieces)
4 green onions (scallions, cut into 1/2" pieces on the diagonal)
Cooking oil for deep-frying and stir-frying
For the marinade:
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine (see notes)
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp finely crushed or ground Sichuan peppercorns
2 Tbsp corn starch
For the chili oil:
1/4 cup peanut oil (you may also use canola oil)
2 Tbsp dried red pepper flakes
For the sauce:
1 1/2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns (finely crushed or ground)
1 Tbsp ginger (minced)
5 cloves of garlic (minced)
3 small shallots (thinly sliced)
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1/2 Tbsp Chinese cooking wine (see notes)
1 tsp sea or kosher salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp sesame oil


Instructions

1. To prepare the chili oil, place the dried red pepper flakes into a small bowl. Heat the oil in a wok or a small saucepan until you see a swirl of white smoke coming out from it. Pour the oil over the dried red pepper flakes. Stir to help the pepper release its aroma. Set aside to cool down, then strain into a sanitized container. The chili oil can be prepared up to several days in advance and refrigerated.
2. In a medium size bowl, combine the chicken pieces with the marinade ingredients. Cover and marinate refrigerated for about 15 minutes.
3. Heat 2 inches of the oil in a wok or stockpot to 350°F for deep-frying. Gently drop the chicken into the oil and loosen them up immediately with the spatula to prevent the chicken pieces from sticking together. Do not overcrowd the chicken. If necessary, perform this step in batches.
4. Deep-fry the chicken to a light golden brown color. If using an instant read thermometer, the internal temperature of the chicken should be 160-165F. Remove the chicken with a strainer or a slotted spoon and place on a dish lined with paper towels to remove excess oil. Discard or reserve the oil for use in other recipes.
5. To stir-fry, heat one tablespoon cooking oil and one teaspoon chili oil (or more if you like your chicken more spicy) in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the garlic, stir quickly. Add the ginger and stir quickly. Turn the heat down to medium, add the sliced shallots and the crushed Sichuan peppercorns. Stir-fry for about 3 minutes until the shallots turn golden brown. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and continue cooking for another minute or so, until the sauce thickens.
6. Add the bell pepper and continue sauteing for about 3 minutes, until the peppers soften up.
7. Return the chicken to the wok or skillet and add the green onions. Stir quickly with a spatula to combine all the ingredients in the wok or skillet. Taste for spiciness. Add more chili oil if needed and stir.
8. Serve immediately with steamed jasmine rice.

Recipe Notes
You can use either plain rice wine or Shaoxing rice wine, whichever you prefer. You can substitute Chinese cooking wine for dry sherry if you don't have access to rice wine. Alternatively, you can use vinegar. I've used Chinese Shanxi aged vinegar with great results.



Source : ifoodblogger

Three Cup Chicken Recipe

Ingredients 

• 1 lb chicken drumsticks
• 1 tablespoon baking soda to tenderize the chicken, optional
• 2  tablespoons dark sesame oil or toasted sesame oil
• 2- inch piece old ginger peeled and cut into thin pieces
• 6 cloves garlic peeled
• 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dark sweet soy sauce kecap manis
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine
• A big bunch Thai basil leaves

Instructions

1. Cut the chicken into pieces and rub them with the baking soda. Set aside for 10 minutes before rinsing the chicken off with water. Make sure the baking soda is completely rinsed off. Pat dry the chicken pieces and set aside.
2. Heat up a claypot on high heat and add the dark sesame oil. Add the ginger, garlic, and stir-fry until aromatic. Add in the chicken and do a few quick stirs. Add the soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and continue to stir-fry the chicken. Cover the chicken and lower the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Add the basil leaves and stir well with the chicken, dish out and serve immediately.
3. Recipe Notes
4. This recipe calls for dark sesame oil or toasted sesame oil, which is different from regular sesame oil. Dark sesame oil is a lot more expensive but the flavor is more intense and with a stronger toasted sesame fragrance. You can skip the first step of tenderizing the chicken with baking soda. I personally like it because it makes the chicken so tender. If you don't have a claypot, you can use a regular wok or pan to make this dish.

Source : rasamalaysia

Panda Express Firecracker Chicken Breast

Panda Express Firecracker Chicken Breast with marinated white meat and peppers in a spicy black bean sauce.

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces chicken boneless skinless breast , cut into long thin pieces
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 8 pieces whole dry chili pepper
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black beans , washed (these are pretty optional, but I left them in to preserve authenticity)
• 1 red bell pepper , diced into 1" strips
• 1 yellow bell pepper , diced into 1" strips
• 1/2 white onion , sliced into 3/4 inch wedges
• 1 teaspoon white wine (any cooking wine would work here including Shaoxing wine)
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

INSTRUCTIONS
Note: click on times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer while cooking.

1. Mix the sesame oil, cooking wine, soy sauce, cornstarch mix and water in a small cup.
2. Heat wok over high flame. Add canola oil until it is heated through.
3. Add chicken breast and cook over high heat for 1 minute.
4. Remove the chicken and add in the onions and red and yellow bell pepper and cook for 30 seconds.
5. To the pan of vegetables, add whole dry chili peppers into skillet and stir until they darken, for about 30 seconds.
6. Add the ginger, garlic, crushed red chili pepper and washed black beans into skillet and stir for another 30 seconds.
7. Add the chicken and the mixed sauce ingredients to the pan and stir until the sauce thickens.
8. Serve immediately.

Source : dinnerthendessert

STICKY ASIAN GLAZED CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Pound thinly sliced Chicken Breasts, or boneless chicken thighs
• 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 Tablespoon Sweet Chili Sauce
• 1 Tablespoons ginger, peeled and grated
• Pinch of dried red pepper flakes, to taste
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• Juice of one lime

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add 1 Tbs of olive oil. Add the chicken and salt and pepper. Cook chicken about 3 minutes on each side or until thermometer reads 165 degrees and brown on each side. Set chicken aside on plate.
2. In the skillet whisk together brown sugar, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sweet chili sauce, ginger, red pepper flakes, garlic and lime juice. Bring to a boil over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until sauce thickens. 
3. Add chicken back to the sauce and coat each side with the sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds and chopped green onions.

Recipe source: therecipecritic

Grilled Maple Sriracha Chicken Kebabs Recipe

Grilled maple sriracha chicken kebobs are the best combination of salty, spicy, and sweet!

servings: 2 -3calories: 275 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 large chicken breasts, cubed
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce

Instructions
1. Place cubed chicken breasts in a large resealable plastic bag. Whisk together soy sauce, maple syrup, and sriracha sauce. Pour over the top of the chicken and massage into the chicken. Marinate for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator.

2. Once chicken is done marinating, soak wooden skewers in water for 10 minutes. Then skewer the chicken pieces on to the skewer. We had about 6 skewers with maybe 6-7 pieces of chicken on each skewer.

3. Turn your outdoor grill on high (or you can use an indoor grill or your stovetop) and grill chicken until thoroughly cooked through.



Source : tablefortwoblog

Grenn Chicken Smothered Burritos Easy Recipes

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE GREEN BURRITO SAUCE:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 (14 ounce) can green enchilada sauce (use Hatch brand if you can find it)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
FOR THE BURRITO FILLING:
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 (4 ounce) can mild diced green chiles drained
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground black pepper to taste
FOR THE REST:
6 burrito size (10") flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a combination of sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
Optional toppings: cilantro avocado, sour cream, hot sauce or salsa


INSTRUCTIONS
FOR THE GREEN BURRITO SAUCE:
Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over LOW heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for a minute or two until mixture is just beginning to get lightly golden brown. Whisk in the chicken broth, enchilada sauce, cumin, salt, and pepper. Increase heat to MEDIUM-HIGH and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat enough to keep mixture at a low simmer and whisk lightly until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
FOR THE BURRITO FILLING:
Combine chicken, sour cream, drained diced green chiles, and 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 13" x 9" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Place the stack of 6 tortillas between two paper towels and heat in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds to soften slightly.
To assemble burritos, divide the filling between tortillas, fold edges inward over the top of filling and roll up. Place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the sauce over the top and cover the dish with foil.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle burritos with shredded cheese. Return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly around the edges.
Sprinkle with sliced green onions and serve with additional toppings of your choice.




Source : fromvalerieskitchen

Black Pepper Chicken Best Recipe

Ingredients
1 pound (450 grams) chicken breasts or thighs, sliced against the grain into 1/4-inch (5-mm) thick pieces
Marinade
1 tablespoon light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons light soy sauce (or soy sauce)
2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
2 teaspoons dark soy sauce (or soy sauce)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
Stir fry
2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
1 teaspoon minced ginger
2 cloves garlic , minced
1/2 white onion , chopped
2 bell peppers , chopped (I used mixed colors)


Instructions
1. Combine chicken, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Gently mix by hand until the chicken is coated with a thin layer of the mixture. Marinate for 10 to 15 minutes.

2. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.

3. Chop the aromatics and vegetables. Add the ginger and garlic to a small bowl. Add the onion and all the chopped peppers to another bowl.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok (or nonstick pan) over high heat. When oil is hot, add the chicken. Immediately spread the chicken into a single layer using a spatula. Sear for 30 seconds or so, until the bottom is lightly browned. Flip the chicken. Let cook for 15 to 20 seconds. Stir occasionally, until both sides are browned but still a bit pink inside. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.

5. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil into the wok. Add the ginger and garlic. Give it a quick stir until fragrant. Add the white onion and peppers. Stir and cook for 20 seconds.

6. Stir the sauce mixture until the cornstarch is dissolved completely, and pour it into the skillet. Stir with a spatula immediately and cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, a few seconds. Add back the cooked chicken. Quickly stir a few times to coat everything with the sauce. Turn off heat and remove the skillet from the stove. Immediately transfer everything to a big plate so the ingredients won’t keep cooking in the hot skillet.

7. Serve hot with steamed rice or on top of boiled noodles.



Source : omnivorescookbook

Peppers and Chipotle Chicken Burgers on a Portobello Bun Recipes

Prep time:  10 mins Cook time:  25 mins Total time:  35 mins
Serves: 4 burgers

Ingredients
2 pounds organic ground chicken breast
1 medium yellow onion
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 serrano pepper, seeded and minced
½ poblano pepper, seeded and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 - 7oz can chipotle peppers in adobo - will use 4-5 chipotle peppers (diced) with 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce (brand: La Morena)
1 egg white
8 large portobello mushrooms
Burger Toppings: smoked gouda, 4 bell peppers, 3 poblano peppers, spinach and arugula mix


Instructions
1. Heat a skillet over medium and sauté onions, jalapeños, serrano and poblano peppers in 1 teaspoon of olive oil until softened and translucent.

2. Add chopped garlic and sauté for 1-2 more minutes. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly.

3. To the mixing bowl add ground chicken breast, chipotle peppers, 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce and the egg white. Gently mix all of the ingredients until evenly combined. (The mixture will be very very wet and sticky - don't fret, that is normal.)

4. Once mixed, cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.
Preheat grill to high.

5. Char remaining poblano and bell peppers on the grill until blackened on all sides then remove and place peppers in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. When cooled, peel skin off of peppers, remove stems and seeds, cut into long slices and set aside. (Note: The peppers can be prepared 2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.) If you don't have a grill, char peppers by placing them over the flame on your stovetop.

6. Remove stems from mushrooms and clean any dirt on the caps with a damp paper towel.
Drizzle a tiny amount of olive oil over tops of caps and sprinkle with a touch of salt and pepper.

7. Grill mushrooms upside down, gills facing up, on high for 3-4 minutes - you will see the mushroom's liquid pool inside the cap. Flip mushrooms over, gills touching the grates, and grill over medium-high for another 2-3 minutes or until caps are tender yet still slightly firm. Remove and set aside. (If you don't have a grill roast portobello mushrooms in the oven at 425 degrees F until tender but still firm. Use the same method as the grill and remember to flip mushrooms halfway through cooking process.)

8. Remove chicken mixture from refrigerator and score meat into 4-8 oz patties.
Season tops and bottoms of each patty with a drizzle of olive oil, kosher salt and black pepper.
Grill patties over high heat for 4-5 minute on one side, lower heat to medium-high and flip patties, cooking them for another 4-5 minutes or until ground chicken breast is cooked through. (The cooked patties will feel slightly firm to the touch but not completely stiff. Do not overcook but make sure not to undercook. Chicken must be cooked through!)

9. In the last minute of cooking place smoked gouda over each patty in order to melt cheese.
To build burger, place cheese covered chicken patties over grilled mushroom caps and top with roasted bell peppers, poblano peppers, and spinach/arugula lettuce mix. Cover burgers with remaining mushroom caps and serve alongside chips, cole slaw or a light salad.



Source : theleanerapproach

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Happy New Year! The holidays are over! Yay! The kids are back in school! Yay! My husband is working normal hours at the office! Yay! And I got to spend a few days at home while the rain came pouring down...Yay! 

And do you know what goes great with rain? That's right. You got it...SOUP!

Inspiration for this soup came from a Chicken Pot Pie Soup from Shugary Sweets. What caught my eye was the broccoli and the pie crust. You don't usually see broccoli in Chicken Pot Pie, so I loved her addition of it and I loved her idea to use pie crust as a soup topper. The pie crust really makes this soup really fun and extra delicious!

I used her basic recipe as a guide and adapted it a bit by adding a few extra layers of flavor to the soup. I increased the chicken broth and added garlic, thyme and Parmesan cheese to flavor the soup base and then added sweet white corn to add some sweetness and texture. I used leftover herb chicken which also added another layer of flavor and let me tell you...This soup was delicious!
I'll admit, I added a ton more pie crust once the photos were done! My soup was loaded with crust, the best part!  Enjoy!

 

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

(Adapted recipe from Shugary Sweets)
Serves 6-8

1 frozen pie crust dough, thawed
2 T olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, small dice
1/2 cup celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced 
1-2 cups cooked chicken, diced (I used leftover grilled chicken breast) 
1/2 cup white corn kernels
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk 
1 t fresh thyme leaves
dash of red pepper flakes (optional) 
1/4 cup flour plus 2-3T water mixture (for thickening)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 
1 cup broccoli florets, cut up 
salt and pepper (to taste)
grated Cheddar or Parmesan cheese for topping


Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 
Place thawed pie dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet and cut into wavy strips with a pastry cutter. Bake strips in a 450 degree oven for 6-8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely. Break up strips into 1-2 inch pieces. Set aside.

In a large Dutch oven, add olive oil, onion, garlic and celery and heat over medium high heat until vegetables are tender-crisp, ~5 minutes. Add cooked chicken, corn, chicken broth, heavy cream, milk, thyme leaves, red pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. Add flour mixture to thicken the soup and simmer another 5 minutes. Add Parmesan cheese and continue to heat for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and soup is thickened. Turn off heat and stir in broccoli florets. Cover soup and set aside to let the broccoli cook in hot soup for 5-8 minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with cheese and broken pie crust croutons.

Other recipes to try:
White Bean,Sausage & Kale Soup             Pork Verde and Hominy Stew

Pineapple Chicken with Coconut Rice

 

Summer vacation is finally here, and what better way to kick of the steamy summer months with an amazing grilled chicken dish! This recipe has got to be my new favorite recipe! It's INCREDIBLE tasting and super easy to make.
The chicken is marinated in pineapple juice, lots of garlic and lemon zest/juice and then it's grilled. Which in itself is pretty delicious, but then you top the whole kit and caboodle with big rustic chunks of pineapple and red bell peppers that have been sauteed in...wait for it...brown butter, honey and Dijon mustard! To. Die. For. It is really that delicious!

I love the look of this chicken dish with its rustic chunks of pineapple and red pepper served family style on a big platter! But I imagine this would be equally amazing as kabobs, brushing on the browned butter mixture after grilling, just like BBQ sauce...yummy.  Sounds perfect to me, I'll give the kabobs a try this summer!  Hope you will too, enjoy!

Pineapple Chicken with Coconut Rice (adapted recipe from Diethood)
Serves 4

4 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
1 20-oz can of pineapple chunks, juice reserved
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
Zest and juice of one lemon
1/4 t paprika
1/8 t cayenne pepper

Topping
3 T Brown butter (from ~4T unsalted butter)
2 T Honey
1 T Dijon mustard
Reserved pineapple chunks
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into 1-inch pieces

Coconut Rice
1 3/4 cup Jasmine Rice
1-14 oz. can low sodium chicken broth (~1 3/4 c)
1-14 oz. can lite coconut milk (~1 3/4 c)
1-2 T Canola Oil

Marinade: 
Combine pineapple juice, minced garlic, salt & pepper, lemon zest and lemon juice, paprika and cayenne pepper into a Ziplock freezer bag and add chicken breasts. Zip bag closed and allow chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. 

To make Coconut Rice:
Over medium heat, add canola oil into large saucepan and then add Jasmine Rice. Toast rice, stirring often for about 4 minutes taking care not to burn the rice. Then a add coconut milk and chicken broth and stir well. Cover and let cook for about 10 minutes. Turn off heat and then let sit for 15 minutes.

Grill the chicken, wrap with foil to keep warm. 

To make browned butter: (or substitute with regular melted butter)
In a small skillet, heat 1/4 cup butter and allow the milk solids to brown to a dark golden color. Pour off the liquid portion of the browned butter into a clean large skillet, leaving behind the browned solids in the smaller skillet to discard.

Stir the Dijon mustard and honey into the melted browned butter and then add the pineapple chunks and red bell peppers. 
Over medium high heat, saute until bubbly and fragrant about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

Pour the sauteed pineapple over your grilled chicken and serve with Coconut Rice. 
Garnish with sliced green onions.

Other Chicken recipes:
Chicken Florentine                            Easy Ranch Chicken                      Honey Butter Chicken

Mustard Braised Chicken

Two weekends ago we finally had a small bout of actual fall weather, which surprisingly enough, came with a full day of rain. Yay! For us here in Southern California, it was a nice departure from our endless hot days that it got me in the kitchen to make two comforting fall dishes. The first one being my mom's recipe for this delicious Mustard Braised Chicken. I love Dijon mustard and this sauce is absolutely to die for. The flavors of the sauce are so complex with the layers of thyme, rosemary and marjoram bending with the Dijon, onions and wine...one word, Amazing! 

Stay tuned for the second recipe. I made an adapted version of my mom's Sweet Onion Casserole that's completely addicting. I ate it for breakfast for three days in a row. It's the perfect side dish for Thanksgiving...or even breakfast! :)
Enjoy!

Mustard Braised Chicken
Serves 4

3 T olive oil, divided
2 T minced fresh thyme, divided
3 t. minced fresh marjoram, divided
1 1/2 t. dry mustard
1 t. minced fresh rosemary,divided
3.5 lbs chicken, cut into 8 pieces (I used thighs and legs)
salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
2 T minced garlic
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
6 T Dijon mustard

Stir 1 T olive oil, 1 T thyme, 1 1/2 t each of marjoram, dry mustard and 1/2 t of rosemary in a small bowl until a paste forms. Rub paste all over chicken. Place in a bowl and chill 2 hours or overnight.

Heat 2 T olive oil in heavy large pot over medium high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pot and cook until brown on all sides, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Add onions to the pot, saute over medium high heat until tender, about 8 minutes. Add garlic; saute 2 minutes. Add wine, broth, Dijon mustard and 1 T Thyme, 1 1/2 t marjoram and 1/2 t rosemary to pot. Bring to boil. return chicken to pot, reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked, about 25 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a plate and cover to keep warm. Reduce liquid in pot until thickened to sauce consistency, whisking often, about 15 minutes. Pour over chicken. 

 Other recipes to try:
Pork Tenderloin with Mustard-Caper Sauce
Corned Beef Rolls with Mustard Cream Sauce

Chicken Panini with Swiss Chard and Leeks

After our little excursion to San Luis Obispo's Farmer's Market over Spring Break, I had renewed inspiration seeing all that gorgeous produce. Prior to our little trip, I'd been nursing a pretty serious case of cooking block...my culinary equivalent to writers block. It was self imposed actually. I filled up my days, taking on tasks and responsibilities that honestly weren't fun. They dominated my time and zapped my creativity. When I'm not in the kitchen or writing I am not a happy camper and since most of what I write is inspired by food and cooking, it makes sense, that if one goes, the other follows. But thankfully my cooking block was lifted with just a little inspiration in the form of Rainbow Swiss Chard. 

The vivid colors grabbed my attention at first, but the discovery that these ruffled, leafy greens weren't bitter, was what sold me. I knew very little about Swiss Chard, so I read up a little about it. Swiss chard is a member of the beet family, but unlike beets that are mostly grown for their roots, Swiss chard is grown only for its leaves. And it comes in many different colors. See how beautiful it is with it's multi-colored stems, how could you not buy some? Incredible! 

I love to cook, but I'm not a trained chef by any stretch of the imagination. I like to stumble along and throw this and that together and hope it tastes good in the end. Trial and error makes for some pretty good recipes but you still have to eat through the bad ones. 

What a delicious metaphor for life, right?

Luckily, this recipe is one of the good ones. Paninis are basically glorified grilled cheese sandwiches. I pulled these together using some left over chicken and muenster cheese. Adding the Swiss chard and leeks, just kicked it up to fancy land, but don't be intimidated. It is so simple that you'll wonder why you've never made Paninis before. If you don't have left overs, you can also use some sliced deli meats, turkey or ham or whatever you prefer. Enjoy!

Chicken Panini with Swiss Chard and Leeks
Serves 4-6

4-5 leaves of Rainbow Swiss Chard, thinly chopped
1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and rinsed well
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
2 cooked chicken breasts, sliced (I used left over herb chicken)
Muenster Cheese
8 slices of San Luis Sourdough with Rosemary and Olive Oil
Butter

Prepare vegetables. Take care to rinse the chopped leeks to remove all the fine sand and dirt. Place Swiss Chard, leeks, garlic and olive oil into a large skillet and saute vegetables until they are softened, about 12 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste and set aside. The chard is so beautiful with it's spots of color confettied against the green.

Slice the chicken and set aside.  Butter the outside of the bread and layer one slice of muenster cheese on the dry side of the bread. Add a single layer of sliced chicken and then the Swiss Chard and Leek mixture. Top with another slice of cheese and the other piece of bread, butter side up. Place sandwich in a Panini Maker or a George Foreman Grill...or if you are like me and don't have either of those things...make your own makeshift grill.

I placed the sandwich on my grill pan (or skillet) and topped the sandwich with a small cookie sheet which I weighted down with 2-3 cans of canned beans. Grill sandwich for about 5 minutes to melt the cheese and toast the bread. Take a peek to ensure it is browning evenly and to your desired taste. Add time as needed. Next, remove the cans and small cookie sheet and flip the sandwich over, grilling the other side for another 5 minutes. Remove from pan, cut along a diagonal and enjoy! 

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Honey Butter Chicken

Despite having a food blog, I am like everyone else when it comes to indecision or boredom over what to make for dinner. I peek into the freezer and all I see are the usual suspects...chicken breasts, pork and ground beef. Not every meal is a blog-worthy meal in my house, Some days, I'd just as soon have a bag of Cheetos and a glass of wine for dinner. :)

So...I eyed the chicken thinking maybe I can make my standard, boring, weekly meal of grilled chicken, rice with salad. My kids are so tired of my grilled chicken, "I hate your chicken Mama!" They say. There's no accounting for my kid's taste, all the delicious food I make and they want chicken nuggets...where did I go wrong? (sigh*) 

Anyway, it's hard to get creative over chicken, but I stumbled upon this amazing little recipe that will be sure to kick start your boring chicken menus. The original recipe was for pork tenderloin, which I gladly made as written and I absolutely loved it! The pork tenderloin was amazing with this yummy honey butter sauce. Slightly sweet and decadently buttery with a hint of spiciness. Delicious and I thought it would be perfect for chicken as well! So here's my slightly adapted version of that recipe using chicken that I'm sure will become a favorite in your house.  

Note:
I strongly recommend using clarified butter in this recipe. 
What is clarified butter?  
Clarified butter is butter with the milk solids and some of the water removed. You remove these things by simply heating and melting the butter. Some of the water is removed via heating and the milk solids separate and remain in the bottom of the pan. The liquid portion, the clarified butter, is then poured in to an air-tight container for use. Removing the milk solids raises the smoke point of oil which allows food to be cooked at higher temperatures without the butter scorching or burning. It makes clarified butter ideal for sauteing vegetables and meats and making delicious butter sauces, like this one.

Trader Joe's carries convenient jars of clarified butter, but if you don't have a Trader Joe's nearby, you can make your own clarified butter simply, just by melting it in a saucepan. Easy!

Clarified Butter
2 sticks of unsalted butter, cut into pieces

In a large skillet, melt the butter slowly on low heat. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly. Skim foam off the top and then pour the liquid butter into an air-tight container that has a tight fitting lid. Take care to only pour off the liquid into your air-tight container and leave the milk solids in the skillet. Use the butter in this recipe and then store the remaining clarified butter in the fridge.

Honey Butter Chicken (adapted recipe from foodgawker)
Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Cajun or Creole Seasoning
3 T clarified butter
4 T honey
~1/4 cup water

Generously sprinkle chicken breasts with Cajun or Creole seasoning and set aside. I used Creole seasoning. In a large cast iron skillet, melt clarified and honey together. Add chicken breasts to the skillet, as they cook, use a large spoon to ladle or baste the chicken with some of the honey butter sauce from the skillet. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan and cover with foil to keep hot.
Honey Butter Sauce: To the warm skillet, add ~1/4 cup of water to the honey butter sauce, stir and heat for about 2 minutes. This step just adds some water back in that was lost during cooking and thins the sauce out a bit. Coat each serving with this decadent butter sauce and serve with your favorite side dish. Enjoy!


Other easy chicken recipes to try:

Easy Ranch Chicken
Chicken Florentine
Thai Chicken Enchiladas
Easy Chicken and Soy Chorizo Chili