Thai Green Curry Chicken

This recipe is adapted from allrecipes

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves cut into 1 inch cubes

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

1 tbsp flour

2 tbsp canola oil

2 tbsp green curry paste

2 green onions with tops, chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped

1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled & finely chopped

2 cups coconut milk (1 can is sufficient)

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

2 tbsp white sugar

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, for garnish

Toss chicken first in 1 tbsp soy sauce, then in the flour, coating pieces evenly.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Place chicken in the skillet, cook and stir chicken until browned, about 5 minutes.  Remove chicken. 

Reduce heat to medium.  Add curry paste, green onions, garlic, and ginger.  Cook while stirring 1-2 minutes.  Return chicken to the skillet, stirring to coat with the curry mixture.  Stir the coconut milk, fish sauce, 1 tbsp soy sauce, & sugar into the chicken-curry mixture.  (I like to add 2 cups chopped vegetables at this point).   Allow to simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes until the chicken is tender.  Serve over hot rice, garnish with cilantro leaves.

This recipe freezes well.  Microwave to reheat.

Baked Cheesy Chicken Penne

This recipe is from Real Mom Kitchen

·         6 tablespoons butter, plus more for baking dishes

·         kosher salt and black pepper

·         1 pound penne rigate

·         1 teaspoon olive oil

·         4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 8 ounces each), halved horizontally (I used perfect chicken)

·         1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

·         6 garlic cloves, finely minced

·         6 cups whole milk

·         10 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced (I used 8 oz of button mushrooms)

·         1 cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained (I omitted these)

·         1 1/2 cups shredded provolone (6 ounces) (I used an italian blend that had provolone in it)

·         1 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 6 ounces)

Preheat oven to 400. Butter two shallow 2-quart baking dishes. If you’re going to freeze one, use a disposable foil pan.  In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta and set aside.

While pasta is boiling, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise.  While chicken pan is still hot, toss the mushrooms in and saute until golden brown (3-4 minutes).  Use a little extra olive oil if needed.(Since I used left over chicken, I just cooked the mushrooms in the olive oil)

In a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot , melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking, 1 minute. While whisking constantly, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer.  Keep whisking frequently as sauce thickens, about 1 minute more. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and and gradually stir in provolone and 1/2 cup Parmesan.

Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide pasta mixture between baking dishes.  If freezing, place remaining parmesan cheese in a zip-top baggie.  If cooking, sprinkle on top.

Bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Freezer instructions:

To freeze, prepare through step 4 and then let pasta cool.  Cover pan well with plastic wrap.  Place extra cheese in baggie (for topping) on top and then cover entire pan well with foil.  Freeze for up to 3 months.  To bake, preheat oven to 400.  Remove foil and plastic from pan and set cheese baggie aside.  Place foil back on pan and bake for about 1 1/2 hours.  Remove foil, stir pasta, and top with cheese.  Return pan to oven and bake for an additional 15 minutes (I only did 10 minutes)  or until mixture is hot and bubbly throughout.

Perfect Chicken

This recipe is from the Recipe Crayon Box

2-4 boneless chicken breasts with or without rib meat

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. onion powder

1/2 t. paprika

2-3 T. olive oil

Mix salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika in a small bowl (I use my old 1/4 cup). Coat the chicken breasts in the seasoning, rubbing in to coat. Pour olive oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven, and heat to med-high. When nice and hot, add chicken to the pan (in batches if necessary). Cook 2-3 min per side. If any chicken has been removed, add it back to the Dutch oven. Place uncovered Dutch oven in a 350 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until juices run clear. Let sit on a plate 5-10 minutes before cutting, shredding, or eating.

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

recipe from: Our Best Bites and Pennies on a Platter
Yield: 12 taquitos

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (juice from half a lime)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Mexican flavored cheese
small flour or corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray

 Preheat your oven to 425˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, salsa, lime juice, ground cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic. Once combined, stir in the cilantro and green onions. Add the chicken and cheese; mix thoroughly.

(If you decided to prep this in advance, refrigerate the mixture at this point until ready to continue.)

Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave between two paper towels until they are soft enough to roll (about 20 – 30 seconds).  Spoon 2-3 Tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the lower third of a tortilla. Roll the tortilla as tightly as you can.  Place the rolled tortilla seam side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas until the mixture is gone.  Make sure the taquitos are not touching each other.  Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with kosher salt.Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until crisp and golden.

Serve with salsa, sour cream or guacamole.

**To freeze:  Before baking, flash freeze the taquitos in a single layer on a baking sheet then place in a labeled freezer bag and store up to 3 months.  To bake a frozen taquito (no need to thaw first): Preheat oven to 425˚F and bake for 20 minutes.  (Flash Freeze means freezing the taquitos in a single layer for 15-20 minutes (until hardened) so that when you add them to the freezer bag, they will not all stick together).

Cashew Chicken

6 cups boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup whole cashews

Marinade:
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp white wine or chicken broth
1 cup soy sauce 
1 cup water
1 1/2 cup brown sugar.

Mix ingredients for marinade.  Divide the marinade in half.  Use 1/2 to marinate chicken for 20 minutes.  Drain & discard marinade.  Heat oil in wok or large skillet to 375 degrees.  Stir-fry chicken in oil until done.  Add remaining marinade to chicken and heat until warm.  Add cashews & serve over hot rice. 

To freeze:  Do not freeze cashews with chicken mixture or they will become mushy.  Store them for later.  Cool chicken slightly & put chicken into freezer bags.  Label and freeze. To heat: warm in oven or place in microwave-safe bowl.  Lightly cover bowl and heat chicken mixture.  Add cashews and serve over hot rice. 

Outback Alice Springs Chicken

This recipe is from Favorite Family Recipes.

Ingredients

Honey Mustard Marinade:

• 1 c. Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
• 1 c. honey
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. lemon juice

Chicken:

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 2 c. sliced mushrooms (10?12 mushrooms)
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• salt and pepper
• paprika
• 8 slices bacon, cooked
• 1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

• Use an electric mixer to combine the mustard, honey, mayonnaise, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Whip the mixture for about 30 seconds. Place chicken in a Ziploc bag and pour in about 1/3 of the marinade. Seal the bag and press out as much air as you can and marinate in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
• Chill the remaining marinade until later. After the chicken has marinated, remove chicken from bag and discard the marinade that it has been soaking in. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and heat an ovenproof frying pan large enough to hold all four breasts and 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat. (If you don't have an ovenproof frying pan, transfer the chicken to a baking dish).
• Sear the chicken in the pan for 3-4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove pan from heat but keep chicken in the pan. As the chicken is cooking, in a small frying pan saute the mushrooms in the butter. Brush each seared chicken breast with a little of the honey mustard marinade being sure to save a little extra that you can serve on the side later with the dish.
• Season the chicken with salt, pepper and paprika ( I am usually pretty generous with the paprika, I love the flavor). Stack two pieces of cooked bacon, crosswise on each chicken breast. Spoon the sauteed mushrooms onto the bacon, being sure to coat each breast evenly. Sprinkle 1/4 cup Monterey Jack cheese evenly onto each breast followed by 1/4 cup of cheddar.
• Bake the pan of prepared chicken breasts for 7-10 minutes or until cheese is thoroughly melted and starting to bubble. Sprinkle each breast with 1/2 teaspoon parsley before serving. Put extra honey mustard marinade into a small bowl to serve on the side.

Chicken Hurry

2.5 pounds chicken, cut up
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 envelope dry onion soup mix

Arrange chicken in a baking dish.  In a small bowl combine ketchup, water, sugar, & soup mix.  Mix together well.  Spoon over chicken.  Bake covered at 350 for 1 1/2 hours until very tender.  Uncover & continue baking 15 minutes.

(Okay, that name is deceptive.  Only the prep is fast).

Café Rio Chicken

Café Rio Chicken
1 small bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 TB chili powder
1 TB cumin
3 cloves garlic--minced
5 lbs chicken breasts

Combine ingredients in crock-pot and cook on low 4-6 hours. Shred meat and cook one additional hour. Freeze in quart bags.

Chicken Florentine

4 Tbsp butter
3 scallions, chopped
1 clove minced garlic
2 large chicken breasts, cute into pieces & salted & peppered
1 cup sliced mushrooms (or more)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp flour
Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 350.  In a large skillet saute scallions and garlic in 1 Tbsp until soft; remove & set aside.  Add 1 Tbsp butter & saute mushrooms just until tender.  Remove & set aside.  Add 2 Tbsp butter & brown chicken; remove & set aside.  Add chicken broth to pan and cook for about 2 minutes.  Mix flour thoroughly with sour cream; add sour cream to pan & mix.  Add scallions, garlic, mushrooms, and chicken and heat through. 

Pour into casserole dish & sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 20-30 minutes.  Serve over rice or pasta. 

Dill Chicken Stroganoff

4 chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 tsp dill
1 can cream of mushroom
1/2 cup butter
3 green onions, chopped
1 can cream of chicken

Saute onions and dill in butter.  Add chicken & cook through.  Add soups, simmer, & serve over pasta.

Hawiian Haystacks

Combine 1 can cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup, 3/4 cup milk, & 1 cooked, diced chicken breast (I often used canned chicken).  Heat through.

Cook 1 cup of rice according to package directions.

Prepare remaining ingredients:

• sliced celery
• diced tomato
• pineapple tidbits
• shredded coconut
• chow mien noodles
• diced ham
• sliced green onion
• grated cheese
• sliced almonds

To serve, top top rice with cream soup mixture.  Allow each person to select their desired toppings.  

Roast Chicken

3-4 lb. chicken
1 lemon, halved or quartered
1 head garlic, cut crosswise
1 bunch thyme (25-30 stems)
2 tblsp. butter
Salt
Pepper
Carrots
Potatoes
Onions
¼ cup chicken broth

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Dry the chicken with paper towels before beginning. It helps the butter, salt and pepper stick to the surface of the skin. You could use olive oil if you want, but the butter gives the skin a richer color and helps it crisp up better than oil.

Start by lightly salting and peppering the inside of the chicken. Then place the lemon, garlic and about 2/3 of the thyme into the chicken. Spread the butter all over the surface of the skin (I just use my fingers) and then liberally salt and pepper the skin.

Prepare the vegetables by cutting the carrots and potatoes into bite-size chunks. Roughly cut the onions into large pieces. Place all the vegetables in the bottom of a roasting pan. Add the chicken broth and scatter the remaining thyme over. Place the chicken on top of the vegetables in the pan. The vegetables act like a roasting rack to keep the chicken off the surface of the pan. Pretty neat, huh?

Cook for 1 to 1 ½ hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken from the pan and cover with foil. Allow the chicken to rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. If desired, return the vegetables to the oven for an additional 10-15 minutes while the chicken rests.

This recipe is from lanascooking.com & has become one of my favorite meals.  It's also good cooked in a crock pot. 

Sweet & Sour Chicken

1 diced green pepper
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup pineapple tidbits, drained (reserve juice)
2 cups cubed chicken
2 Tbsp soy sauce (or half soy sauce, half water)
3 Tbsp vinegar (or half vinegar, half water)
2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup pineapple cuice
1 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt

In pan with a smidgen of oil, brown 2 cups cubed chicken.

Remove the chicken from the pan and saute vegetables for 3 minutes.

In a bowl combine soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, pineapple juice, chicken broth, cornstarch & salt. (I halve the soy sauce & vinegar for a milder flavor). Stir to dissolve cornstarch. Pour over vegetables and cook while stirring until sauce is thickened. Add chicken and heat through. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over rice.

Ranch Chicken

3/4 cup crushed cornflakes or bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Ranch salad dressing mix
1/2 cup butter, melted
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 16 chicken tenders

In a shallow bowl combine cornflakes, Parmesan cheese, and salad dressing mix. Dip chicken in butter, then roll in cornflake mixture to coat. Please in greased 13x9 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until chicken is done. Reduce baking time for chicken tenders.

Chicken Nachos

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 6 green onions, sliced, white parts and tops separated
• 1 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 shredded, cooked, whole chicken breast (I sometimes use canned chicken)
• 1 small call diced green chilies
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 (12 ounce) package tortilla chips
• 1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend
• ½-1 large tomato, diced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a 12 inch skillet over medium heat, cook and stir the garlic and white parts of the green onions in canola oil until tender. Mix in shredded chicken, salt and pepper. Toss until well coated with oil. Stir chilies.

3. Arrange tortilla chips on a large baking sheet. Spoon the chicken mixture over tortilla chips. Top with Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese blend. Bake in the preheated oven 5-10 minutes, or until cheese has melted. Remove from heat and sprinkle with diced tomatoes and sour cream before serving.

Easy Crock Pot Ranch Chicken

2 lbs of chicken breasts or chicken tenders

Mix the following & pour over the chicken:
2 tbsp butter
1 pkg. dry ranch dressing mix (or Italian)

Cook in crock pot on low 4-5 hours

During the last 1/2 hr. add:
4 oz. cream cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Serve over rice, noodles, or potatoes

Parmesan Chicken

This recipe is from my amazing friend Jadi. We're having it again tonight. Easy and delicious. I love it.

2 c crushed Ritz crackers
3 T grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp garlic salt
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 c plain yogurt or 1/2 c melted butter (we like the yogurt version)
1/4 c butter, melted

Combine cracker crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and garlic salt. Dip each piece of chicken in yogurt to coat and then in crumb mixture. Arrange in greased 9x13 baking dish. Drizzle with 1/4 c melted butter. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. Top with sour cream chicken sauce if desired (we never have).

Sour Cream Chicken Sauce

2 (10 3/4-ounce) cans cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 c sour cream

In a small saucepan heat soup and sour cream together over low heat, stirring frequently.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Bundles

12 Rhodes dinner rolls
1 c. lean cooked ham, cubed
1/2 tsp basil
pinch of marjoram
1 egg white, beaten
1 c. cooked chicken, cubed
1 c. Swiss cheese, grated
1/4 tsp oregano
pinch thyme
sesame seeds

Thaw rolls in refrigerator overnight or 4 hours at room temperature. Allow refrigerated rolls to warm to room temperature for 1 hour. In a bowl, mix chicken, cheese, ham, and seasonings. Flatten 2 dinner rolls together into about a 6 inch circle. Scoop about 1/2 cup of the filling into the center of each circle. Pull edges up and around filling and pinch together. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place in a 9x13 inch pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap & let rise for about 15 minutes. Remove wrap and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes. I like to serve these with Alfredo sauce for dipping. I use the McCormick dry packets, because I keep them in my food storage.

Sometimes I mix about 1 cup of pizza sauce, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, and other pizza toppings for the filling. Roll out and bake the same as the chicken. I skip the sesame seeds.

Oven Baked Chicken Parmesan

The real recipe:

2 lbs chicken breasts (about 6)
1 packet Shake 'n Bake original
2 cups spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup Parmesan
1 tsp dried oregano leaves

Method:
Coat chicken with coating mix as directed on package. Place in 13x9 pan. Bake at 400 for 20 min or until chicken is baked through. Top each chicken breast with sauce and cheese. Sprinkle with oregano. Bake 5 more minutes until cheese is melted.

What I really do:
I flatten 1 lb of chicken breasts or tenders with a meat mallet, then coat with Italian bread crumbs. Bake 15-20 minutes at 400 or until the chicken is baked through. Top each chicken breast with a spoonful of spaghetti sauce and top with one slice of mozzarella, or whatever cheese I have and bake 5 more minutes.

Chicken Puffs

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1/4 c. softened butter or margarine
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 chicken breast, cooked and diced or shredded
2 can refrigerator crescent rolls
1/2 stick melted margarine or butter
~2 cups bread crumbs
1 pt. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can mushrooms (optional)
1 can water chestnuts (optional)

Cream together cream cheese, 1/4 cup soft butter, mushrooms or water chestnuts, garlic salt & pepper. Add chicken to creamed mixture. Separate crescent rolls. Place a spoonful of chicken filling in the middle of each roll and roll crescents until all sides are sealed. Dip each "puff" into melted butter and then roll in cornflakes. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

Mix cream of chicken soup and sour cream in saucepan and heat. Add milk to thin if desired. Serve over chicken puffs. Serves 6-8