Chicken Avocado Salad on Croissants

Super summery! I made these last weekend and we had them by the pool for a light dinner.  Tony loves bread so I made sandwiches out of the salad but it would be wonderful on a bed of lettuce or in a tomato, or in an avocado half...the options seem endless! Be creative!

~Recipe~
There are no real measurements in this....make as much or as little as you like!
chicken, cooked and shredded I had some left over roasted chicken and it was perfect!

avocado I used 2 for 4 servings of the saladmayogreen onion, slicedcilantro, just a touchlime juice to tastesalt/pepper to taste
Mix and serve! Easy and wonderfully light! Enjoy~

General Tso's Chicken

HOLY COW!!! or in this case HOLY CHICKEN!!!! This is a wonderful recipe! I am not a rice fan, or an Oriental dish fan but this is a keeper! The kids have asked for it several times since I made it! It is a must try for you....

~Recipe~

Sauce~ 1/2 c hoisin sauce
               1/4 c white vinegar
                3 Tbsp soy sauce*I use the less sodium version*
                 3 Tbsp cornstarch
                 1 1/2 cup water
                  1 Tbsp canola oil
                  4 garlic cloves, minced
                  2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced*I used ground, I don't like fresh ginger*
                 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Coating and frying~
1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in 1 inch pieces
3 large egg whites
1 1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
canola oil for frying
2 green oinions for garnish and sesame seeds
Cooked rice

To make the sauce whisk the hoisin sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch and water in a bowl. Set aside and wait for the rest to cook.....Heat the oil in a large skillet over med-hi heat and saute the garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes until it smells YUMMY! Add the hoisin mixture and sit the sauce until it is dark brown and kinda thick.  Remove from heat and cover....

Whisk the egg whites in a shallow dish, I used a pie plate, until foamy. Stir the cornstarch,flour and baking soda together in another shallow dish(Yes, there are a lot of dishes to wash after this is made...BUT I promise it is worth it).  Toss 1/2 of the chicken chunks into the foamy eggs until they are all coated then toss them in the flour mix.  Make sure they are completely covered Put on yet another dish and repeat with the rest of the chicken. Heat the oil in a large pan, fryer or even a wok, in you have one. The oil should reach 325 degrees and you are good to fry up the chicken in batches until they are golden brown*About 2-3 min per side* Drain on a paper towel to drain.  WArm the sauce again until it bubbles and add the chicken and coat the m.  Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.  I served this over rice.  YUM! Now is the fun part of cleaning all the dishes.....sorry!!
Enjoy~

Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken

I have a lot of recipes ready to be posted since my mom was here.  I will get these this week and  try not to overload you with the Thanksgiving week.  I need to get them on here.  They were all so good and very easy to throw together.  We were on the run all day so they are all easily made within a short time.  I have no pictures to go because we cooked and ate! :( The pineapple in this recipe was  very good and added a dimension that was unexpected! I will make this a lot.

~Recipe~

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, breasts or both*I used only breasts*

1 whole (large) onion sliced into chunks*I chopped the onion because Tony and Brenn do NOT like onion*

1 20 ounce can of pineapple*I used crushed* Make sure to drain the pineapple.  You can use the juice if you want.  *I did*

1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce, 20 ounce bottle *I used Stubbs BBQ sauce*

Buns of your choice

Throw the thawed chicken breasts into the bottom of the crock pot.  Put the onions and pineapple in and then pour the bottle of BBQ sauce over the top. You can add up to 1/2 cup of pineapple juice here if you want the sauce to be sweeter. Cook on low in the crock pot for 8 hours(high for 4-6).  An hour or 2 before it is done you will want to shred the chicken with 2 forks and stir to combine all the sauce with the chicken.  Cook another hour or 2 so the chicken cooks with the sauce.  Serve on buns! Enjoy~

Poblano Chicken Chowder

My goodness! This is soooo good!!! My friend, Tonya, from my hometown sent this to me and I love it! I made it for my mom and she loved it, too! YUM!!! A great dinner for a fall night.

~Recipe~
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large carrots, diced
2 onions, diced
5 stalks of celery, diced
1/8 c minced garlic
2-3 poblano peppers, seeded and diced*Tonya used Anaheim chiles to cut the heat, a great idea*
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp ground cumin*or more to taste*
1/4 tsp thyme*or more to taste*
1 Tbsp chicken bouillon granules
3 quarts of chicken broth
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, minced
3 cups diced chicken*Tonya used rotisserie, I roasted a chicken and shredded it...either way is great*
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 c flour
1/2 tsp hot sauce*or more to taste*
1 c heavy cream*YUMMY*

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add the carrots, onion, celery, garlic, peppers, salt, white pepper, cumin and thyme.  Saute for 6-8 minutes or until veggies are beginning to soften.  Stir in the bouillon and add the broth and cilantro, cook for 10-12  minutes until carrots are tender. Stir in the chicken and cook, stir often, until it is thick and chicken is heated.  Before the chowder is done, melt the butter in a large pan over med-heat.  Add flour and stir to combine.  Cook, stir often for 3-5 min to cook the flour.  DO NOT allow the mixture to brown. LAdle 1 cup of hot liquid into the pan from the stockpot.  Whisk constantly. When the 1st cup is incorporated add another 2 cups of liquid, 1 at a time.  Then pour the mixture back into the stockpot and whisk to blend well.  Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes longer until it begins to thicken.  Remove from the heat and add the hot sauce and cream and stir to combine.  Serve! I served this with cornbread and salad.  It was a great dinner! Thanks Tonya for sharing!

Creamy Chicken Tacos/Nachos

This is versatile and super easy! I have been sick this week and I knew I was not going to want to cook tonight so I browsed the internet(here) to come up with something I could throw into the crock and let it cook all day.  I don't keep meat on hand but I did  have frozen chicken breasts(Tony doesn't like chicken) that I needed to use. This called for FROZEN chicken breasts! Ta da! Winner winner chicken dinner...literally! :) This is a horrible photo....the color is better than this looks.  It was a hit, so don't judge the photographer....remember I am not feeling well... :)

~Recipe~

5 frozen(yipee) chicken breasts
1 1/2 cup salsa
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 1/2 T taco seasoning
1 T maple syrup
1 tsp fresh lime juice
1 T butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can chili beans**I added these at the end because the gravy was so runny**

Serve over tortilla chips or as a taco!

Spray the crock with cooking spray and place the frozen chicken breasts in the bottom.  In a mixing bowl stir the ingredients except the butter and sour cream.  Pout it over the chicken.  COver and cook for 4 hours on high or 6-7 on low.  SHred the chicken and add the butter and sour cream, stir and cook 1 more hour! Easy and Yum!! It uses all ingredients that are staples in my pantry so it was perfect for a low key cooking day! Enjoy~

Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese

WOW! Clash of yumminess! 2 great foods come together and make a delish dish! It is definitely NOT fat free....it IS rich and filling.  It takes a while and a whole lots of pans to get this in the oven but it is well worth it.

~Recipe~

7 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound elbow macaroni or rotini
1 small onion, finely chopped 
2 stalks celery, finely chopped 
3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken or cooked chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced 
3/4 cup Buffalo wing sauce 
2 tablespoons  flour 
2 teaspoons dry mustard 
2 1/2 cups half-and-half 
1 pound yellow sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces gouda, shredded 
2/3 cup sour cream 
1 cup panko breadcrumbs  
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese 
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain. 
Meanwhile, melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chicken and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Then add 1/2 cup hot sauce and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 more minute. 
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a separate saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and mustard until smooth. Whisk in the half-and-half and add the remaining 1/4 cup hot sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheddar and gouda, then whisk in the sour cream until smooth. 
Combine the chicken mixture, cooked pasta, and cheese sauce and toss to combine.
Put the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave until melted. Stir in the panko, blue cheese and parsley**This is incredible! I will make this topping on a few different dishes**. Sprinkle over the macaroni and bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before ENJOY~

Chicken Salsa Verde

I found this recipe on the back of a hash brown package! This is so easy and quick to throw together.  I had both teens running in different directions so it fit the bill.  Brooklyn said it was one of her favorites now!

This is definitely NOT a good picture...I had to take it  before the whole pan was gone.  Sorry!

~Recipe~
1 pkg Southwest style hash browns(basically add onions and peppers to the hash browns)
8 ounces of sour cream
4 chicken breasts
ground mesquite seasoning
2/3 cup green  salsa(salsa verde)
shredded cheese
avocado
onion

Heat oven to 400.  Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Mix the potatoes and teh sour cream together and place in the bottom of the dish.  Pat the breasts with the mesquite seasoning and place on top of the potatoes.  Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes or until chicken is tender.  Pour the salsa over the chicken and top with cheese.  Bake again until the cheese is melted! YUM!  I served with tortillas, queso, chips and fruit! Easy!  Enjoy~

Citrus Chicken Marinade

YUM! It is grillin' season again! Woo Hoo! Love to grill everything and I love to try new marinades and recipes.  This was a huge hit...juicy and flavorful! Make sure to allow plenty of time for the marinade to sit with the meat.

~Recipe~
4 boneless and skinless chicken breasts ** I doubled this for our family**
1 1/2 cups of white wine
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 orange
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp peppercorns
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons of fresh basil, chopped
3 bay leaves
2 additional Tbsp vegetable oil
Mix all of the ingredients well in a bowl.  Place chicken in a large ziplock bag pour the marinade over the chicken. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours. Turn occasionally to make sure all the chicken gets marinade time. Throw away the marinade before you grill.  Brush the breasts with the oil and grill for 10-12 minutes r until cooked through. Easy...Enjoy~

Chicken and Asparagus in White Wine Sauce

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  • I came across this recipe in an old issue(from 2007) of Cooking Light! I love to make asparagus and I found some great spears, tops only, really tender and YUMMY! I thought this would be fabulous. MY only complaint is that it did not keep well.  Tony was a little late from the airport and his asparagus wasn't as good as ours was when he ate it.  But the kids and I really enjoyed it!
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  • ~Recipe~
  • 4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 3/4  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
  • 2  tablespoons  butter
  • 1/2  cup  all-purpose flour
  • 1/2  cup  dry white wine
  • 1/2  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
  • 2  garlic cloves, minced
  • 1  pound  asparagus spears, trimmed
  • 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh parsley
  • 1  tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
  Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Sprinkle chicken breasts evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

  Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place flour in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Add wine, broth, and garlic to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits; cook 2 minutes. Add asparagus; cover and cook 3 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and juice. Serve asparagus and sauce with chicken. I served it with broiled garlic bread and it was great! Enjoy~

  

  
  

  
  

Garlic Cheddar Chicken

This has been a go-to recipe for my family for a couple of years.  It is easy and fast. Make sure you pound the chicken...I tried to do a fast job and it is not as good...AT ALL! :)

~Recipe~

• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin!!!!!
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  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F .
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  1. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and cook the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.
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  1. In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, pepper, and salt.
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  1. Dip each chicken breast in the garlic butter to coat, then press into the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with any remaining butter and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture.
  
  

  1. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Enjoy!

Lemon herb roasted chicken

I found this recipe and had to make it in my new slow cooker.  It takes NO prep work and is so tender and good. I served it with garlic mashed potatoes, corn and the cocoa cake. A great dinner of comfort food.

~Recipe~
4-6 pound whole roasting chicken
1/2 cup chopped onion**I just put 1/2 onion in the cavity**
1-2 Tbsp butter
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp fresh parsley
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/3 tsp paprika
Pace the onion in the cavity of the chicken and rub the chicken skin with the butter.  Place chicken in crock pot.  Squeeze lemon juice over chicken and sprinkle with the remaining seasonings.  Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours. EASY!! Enjoy~

Lemon-Basil Chicken with Basil Aioli

I love basil and I had a whole bunch to use so I have been browsing my favorite sites in order to find a good recipe that uses a lot of basil! This recipe has good flavor, but I will definitely grill the chicken next time. The sauce is great and it is even good with the pasta. I changed it a little from here.
Ingredients
CHICKEN:
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/3 cup chopped green onions**I did not use, remember Tony's aversion to onions? Yes, well, this recipe doesn't really need them, if you were to use them, I would definitely use the green onions not red or white.**
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar **I am not a heavy vinegar taste lover so I cut this in half and added more olive oil and it still had a vinegar taste**
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray

BASIL AIOLI:= Y.U.M!!!
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil **I used almost 3/4 cup**
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise **I used regular mayo, NOT Miracle Whip**
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard **I used spicy since I had that open**
3/4 teaspoon bottled minced garlic**I always think fresh garlic is better, so I chopped 1 1/2 cloves**
1/2 teaspoon olive oil**remember I used more to instead of the whole amount of vinegar**
Preparation
To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chicken to basil mixture, turning to coat.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 8 minutes on each side or until done. **I will definitely GRILL it next time after marinating the chicken**
While chicken cooks, prepare aioli. Combine 1/4 cup basil and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Serve with chicken. **I added rotini tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and grated parmesan cheese as a side dish.** Enjoy!

Baja Chicken

I had left over black beans from the Mojito chicken night...so....I had to use them. Baja chicken is a favorite of ours and so easy and I had a busy day so it all pointed to Baja Chicken!
3-5 chicken breasts(depending on how many you are cooking for..then adjust the rest ingredients)
1 tablespoon cumin
1\2 cup salsa
1\2 cup or more of brown sugar**I usually add about 1/4 cup more**
1 can green chiles**If you have roasted fresh that is great! I used some from the Hatch green chile festival I went to last weekend**
6 ounces of Sprite of 7up
Put it all in a slow cooker on low for 5 hours. Shred chicken and put back in the cooker and add cornstarch to thicken. Cook 1 more hour. Serve with tortillas, queso, black beans, chips, salsa, guacamole.....Enjoy!