Sweet and Sour Chicken

Everyone in my household loves take-out "Chinese" food, but we do not love the mystery ingredients. This is a nutritious version of sweet and sour chicken that is so good you will not miss the take-out version.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

My husband makes really delicious chicken enchiladas from scratch, but they are quite labor intensive and so we don't have them very often. I made this recipe to be able to enjoy all the flavors of chicken enchiladas with less work.

Boneless Chicken Stuffed with Ham

Don't let the "fancy" name deter you from trying this super easy, throw it together chicken dish.

The Perfect Roast Chicken

One of the ways I use my blog is as my own personal recipe book--these recipes are all things that I actually make my family. And, one of the meals we really enjoy is very easy, that is, a simple roasted chicken. Over the years, I have found that this particular recipe really is the most delicious and simple.

It is adapted from Ina Garten's Perfect Roast Chicken, which you can find here. I do make slight changes to the recipe every time, based on what I have in the house, but the gist of it is presented below and I think you will enjoy it as well.

Chicken with Garden Vegetables

You will truly appreciate the flavors of your summer garden in this meal.

White Chili

This is a great twist on a classic.

Baked Chicken

We all have those days where we just need to get something on the table. This is one of my go to meals when I am out of time.

Lemon Chicken

I had lunch with a friend of mine, Tracy, and she mentioned that she made lemon chicken over the weekend that turned out really well. I had a bag of Meyer lemons in the refrigerator that I needed to use up and this was perfect.

Try serving this quick dish over Soba noodles, a thin noodle made from buckwheat flour. Buckwheat is actually a fruit, although often categorized as a grain. Buckwheat noodles are low in fat, and one serving contains 4% DV of fiber and 28% DV of protein.

Baked Chicken Legs

My dad is on an eternal search for tasty foods. He laments that everything he cooks is tasteless and is often annoyed with the entire obligation of having to eat in general... That being said, he does occasionally attempt to make something that tastes really good and these chicken legs are an example of one of his successes. According to my dad, the key to the success of this method is to use a baking rack that allows you to cook the legs in a vertical position. See the attached link for an idea of the types of racks out there.

Turkey and Green Beans

This is a great recipe for leftover turkey. It is reminscent of green bean cassarole and is a real comfort food-- perfect for cooler weather. It is also extremely easy (if you make it using up leftovers) and very delicious! You can serve over brown rice.

About 2 cups cooked turkey (or chicken)
About 1 to 2 cups home made cream of mushroom soup
About 1 cup green beans
About 1/3 cup stock or leftover gravy (optional)
About half one medium onion, sliced
1 tsp tarragon
Sea salt & pepper to taste (I like to go heavy on the pepper in this recipe)
Olive oil

In a large saute pan, saute the cooked turkey and green beans in a little olive oil for about five minutes (over medium heat). In the mean time, in a small saute pan, brown the onions in a little olive oil over medium heat. Add cream of mushroom soup and season with salt, pepper, and tarragon. If adding the stock or gravy, do so now.

Simmer on low about ten minutes or so until green beans are cooked through. Serve with onions on top. You can serve this over brown rice, delicious.

Comments: The "gravy" ingredient is included as optional because you may have leftover gravy from your original turkey dinner that you would like to use up, and it adds to the overall heartiness of this recipe. However, it is not necessary for a delicious dish, and can easily be excluded. My husband loves the traditional green bean cassarole from his childhood and I made this with those flavors in mind.

You should know that I agonized over a name for this recipe and could not come up with anything better than Turkey and Green Beans!

**By the way, I am so frustrated with how unappetizing this picture turned out, because this was so very good and the picture does not do it justice.

Stock (made from a Chicken or Turkey Carcass)

Ingredients:
1 turkey or chicken carcass (farm raised, free-range is the best)
Various vegetables (an onion, 2-3 stalks celery, 2-3 carrots, leeks, garlic, parsley, etc.)***
About 2-3 tbsp vinegar
2 - 3 dried bay leaves, if you have it
1 tbsp peppercorns, if you have it
Water to cover, filtered is best

How To:
1. Place carcass in a large stock pot with any other ingredients. Fill pot with filtered water until the carcass is covered or mostly covered and add your vinegar. If it's sticking out a little, you'll be able to push it down into the pot after it's cooked a bit. You don't want to add too much water (ratio of 3-4 lbs bones per 4 quarts water).

2. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and then reduce heat to low and simmer. If the stock is simmered at too high of a heat, the heat will break down the collagen and your stock won't gel. You should not lose much water during this cooking process, so if you start to see that you're losing a lot of water, you have the heat too high.

3. Simmer for 6-24 hours, the longer the better. If scum or foam rises to the top, simply skim it off with a spoon. When done, strain or remove meat and bones with a slotted spoon. Refrigerate and cool until broth forms a gel, then freeze for future use.

Comments:
***I like to use "trimmings" to fill my stock pot-- simply save carrot tops, celery tops, the green parts of leeks, etc. in the freezer and then when you are ready to make your stock, add these items to your pot with the carcass. You can pick through the meat you've strained away from the broth and use for any recipes requiring cooked meat (like this pot pie recipe from Mrs. Scratch.Love). Save in the refrigerator or use immediately. This meat is also perfect for Turkey and Green Beans, Fajitas, Tortilla Soup, Chicken and Stuffing Bake, and/ or Black Bean Enchilada Cassarole.

When I make a carcass stock, I can't help but think of my grandma who makes a carcass turkey soup after every Thanksgiving. So, I usually reserve at least a portion of my stock, most or all of the meat I've gotten off the carcass, and I add a few vegetables, small quinoa pasta, brown rice, etc. and make a hearty, nutritious soup (try this Turkey Noodle Soup).

Stock is one of the most rewarding things you can make because there is a wonderful satisfaction in using up every bit of the animal and the health benefits of stock are numerous. When picking through the meat, be careful to watch for little bones that you will not want to end up in your soup, or elsewhere.

Here is a great resource for troubleshooting tips from the Healthy Home Economist.

Please visit the following links for additional information about stock.

http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/broth-is-beautiful

http://nourishedkitchen.com/recipes/?recipe_id=6003338&prev_term=broth

Chicken and Stuffing Bake

This recipe is from my new favorite blog - the Joy of Clean Eating. I was looking for a way to use up leftover cooked chicken and found this Chicken and Stuffing Bake, which I modified only slightly.

About 0.75 to 1 pound cooked chicken (or turkey), cubed
2 cups cream of mushroom soup (NOT THE CANNED KIND, click link)
4 to 6 ounces swiss or gruyere cheese, shredded
6 slices whole grain bread, I use Ezekial brand, cubed
2 T organic butter from grass-fed cows, moo
1 stalk celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp salt free poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp sea salt
Black pepper to taste
1 cup broth (chicken or vegetarian)
A little olive oil (about 2 T)

First toast your cubed bread (in oven on a baking dish at 300 for 20-25 minutes or in a toaster oven, your preference). When done, you'll want to change the temperature of the oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, in a large skillet saute celery and onion in the olive oil and butter. When onion is clear, about five minutes, add the garlic and saute another minute. Add the parsley, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Add the broth, boil, then reduce heat and simmer about a minute or two. Turn off the heat and fold in the bread cubes.

In a 9x13 dish, layer chicken then sprinkle cheese then pour the soup and then spoon the "stuffing" over top and spread evenly. Cover with foil and bake uncovered 15-20 minutes.

Comments: This serves about four to six and if you had leftover turkey or chicken and cream of mushroom soup already made and frozen in the refrigerator, this would be a super easy, super fast dish. As it is, with all the cutting and chopping I think this took me an hour to make, plus cook time, but I also made the cream of mushroom soup too. This serves four to six and we all really liked it, especially my husband. My brother in law was over and ate with us and he said he liked it too. It is a nice, warm comfort food.

Black Bean & Pork/Chicken Enchilada Cassarole with Ranchero Sauce

Looking for an excellent comfort food recipe with nourishing ingredients? Look no further. Don't let the long ingredient list keep you from trying this one. Most are the spices included to season the dish. Also, you could make your ranchero sauce in advance and freeze and then this would be a super quick and super easy meal to make.

Ingredients:
About 1/2 pound cooked pork or chicken, diced -- use leftover if possible, and more or less than half a pound. You'll want enough for one layer
2 dried ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 cups water
1 small to medium onion chopped and divided (about 1/4 cup to sprinkle)
5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 cups broth, low-sodium organic if possible (any flavor, I used vegetable)
1 1/2 tbsp dried oregano
2 tbsp tomato paste, no added salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp fresh lime juice (about one lime juiced)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 15-ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups "Mexican-style" cheese, grated (I used a chipotle cheddar I found, but use whatever you can find in your store)
10-12 corn tortillas, the small ones
Olive oil

How To:
1. Prep Chilis: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the ancho chiles and 2 cups of water in a small saucepan. Boil, reduce heat to low and simmer five minutes. Turn off heat and let sit another 5 minutes. Drain, but reserve 1 cup of the liquid. Set aside.

2. Make Ranchero Sauce: Add onion to olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until soft, add garlic and salt. Cook another five minutes until lightly browned. Add broth, oregano, paste, and cumin. Cook about 5-8 minutes until thickened, stirring occassionally. Then pour entire pot into a blender, add chiles and reserved liquid. Blend until smooth (remove center piece in lid to allow steam to escape, but cover with a towel so the hot liquid does not splatter). Stir in lime juice and cayenne pepper. This is your ranchero sauce.

3. Make Cassarole: Using about 1/2 cup of the ranchero sauce, cover the bottom of a 9x13 pan and line with half the tortillas. Sprinkle on beans, chicken or pork, onions, and half the cheese. Cover with sauce, about half what you have left. Top with the remaining tortillas, the rest of the sauce, and the rest of the cheese. Cook uncovered about 15-20 minutes.

Comments:
This is modified from a vegetarian dish in the October 2011 Cooking Light magazine. I added meat (for my husband) and we had this pork tenderloin to use up. I also eliminated the steps in the original recipe that made this actual enchiladas. The "cassarole-style" is much easier to make. We also served with sauteed poblano peppers on top and over short-grained brown rice and this was SO delicious.

This looks kind of complicated, and did take more time than I usually like to spend. The original recipe says 55 minutes hands on, but I think that is way over-stated and perhaps I save a lot of time with my version by not actually making enchiladas, but just layering the ingredients. I think it was 30 minutes hands on and then the 15 minutes of cooking. Also, the original recipe I followed says you can make the ranchero sauce a day or two ahead to save time (or even freeze), and that really is the part that takes up most of the time. I also keep a few containers of this ranchero sauce in my freezer for an easy dinner when we are short on time.

DELISH!

 

 

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Kung Pao Chicken

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked short grain brown rice (or your rice preference)
3 tbsp. naturally fermented soy sauce, divided, like this one
1-2 tsp. white wine (pick one you like to drink)
3 boneless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup chicken or turkey stock, make your own
1/8 cup rice vinegar and 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar to make 1/4 cup
4 1/2 tsp. arrowroot powder, like this one
1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp. sesame oil, like this one
1 tsp. hot chili oil, you can make your own
1 large bell pepper, diced
1/2 medium onion diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
a 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
3 tbsp. chopped (soaked & dried) cashews

How To:
1. Make Rice, Marinade, and Sauce: Prepare rice. In the meantime, combine 1 tbsp. soy sauce and white cooking wine with the chicken and set aside at room temperature. In another bowl, combine broth, vinegar, 2 tbsp. water, arrowroot, sesame oil, and remaining 2 tbsp. soy sauce. Set aside at room temperature.

2. Cook Chicken & Combine: When rice is about 10 minutes from being done, heat sesame oil and add chicken. Cook until done. Add bell pepper, onion, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring frequently until bell pepper begins to soften--2 to 3 minutes. Add broth-vinegar mixture and stir until sauce thickens, just a few minutes. Add cashews on top and serve over rice.

Comments: This is a really delicious dish. You can add more hot chili oil and even chili peppers if you like a spicier dish. However, with a six-year old in mind, I try to keep the heat level low. He thought it was a little spicy but still ate three helpings when I made it for dinner tonight, and he hates chicken. Ha!!

Chicken Cashew Curry

This is a simple, delicious curry with the use of ground cashews to thicken the sauce.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter or ghee
2 medium onions, diced - about two cups onions
3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
3 tbsp curry powder
2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 to 1.25 pounds boneless, skinless chicken (breasts, thighs, etc) - cut into chunks (about 1/2 to 1 inch)
2 cups diced tomatoes plus 1/2 cup water or stock
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup cashews, soaked and dried - grind in a food processer until fine
3/4 cup plain, Greek yogurt (one container)
2 cups cooked rice

How To:
1. Heat butter in 5 to 6 quart saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and ginger and stir, cooking until soft, about five minutes. Add curry powder, salt, cumin, and cayenne and cook about two minutes, stirring.

2. Add chicken and cook, stirring to coat, about five minutes. Add tomatoes including juices and 1/2 cup water or stock. Add chopped parsley. Simmer, then reduce heat, cover and cook about 15-20 minutes (until chicken is done).

3. Add ground cashews and yogurt and simmer about five minutes until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat and serve sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Serves about 4-6, takes about 30 to 45 minutes to cook and prepare.

Comments:
The original recipe is at the following link, but I've modified it a bit. This came highly recommended from my friends and favorite foodies, Steve and LeAnn. I am so happy I tried this recipe. Everyone in the family enjoyed it. I serve over rice, and Steve and LeAnn recommend basmati. Any type will be great.

You should note that the original recipe uses cilantro and not parsley. I don't care for cilantro, so have substituted parsely instead. However, if you are a cilantro type, then I would suggest using that instead of the parsley.

Finally, when you soak your cashews be sure not to soak for more than six hours as they have a tendency to become slimy if you do so.

 

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This post was shared on Wednesday Extravaganza, Thank Your Body Thursday, Fight Back Friday, Monday Mania, and Healthy 2Day Wednesday.

Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients:
1 package (about one pound) chicken
Assorted chopped vegetables such as zucchini, onion, pepper, baby corns, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, carrots, etc.
About 2 to 3 teaspoons Chinese 5-spice seasoning
Soy sauce, low-sodium, to taste
Sesame oil

How To:
1. Over medium heat, cook chicken until done - season with soy sauce and 5-spice.

2. Add sesame oil to pan if needed, and add the remaining vegetables.

3. Sauté and season with soy sauce until vegetables are crisp cooked.

Comments: Using the vegetables above, I used half a zucchini (julienned), about 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped bell pepper, half a can of baby corns, half a small can of bamboo shoots, half a medium red onion, and one whole carrot sliced at an angle. This serves 4-6 people.

 

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Chicken with Mushroom Gravy

We love to make a quick mushroom gravy to serve with boneless chicken.

Chicken Parmesan

About 1 pound boneless chicken breasts
About 3 lbs marinara sauce
About 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (2% skim)
About 3 T Parmesan and/or romano cheese, grated
About 1 1/2 cups breading (I used half ground flax seeds and half spelt)
1 egg, beaten with a little water
Italian seasonings, salt, pepper
Olive oil

If chicken is thick, pound to a thinner width (about 1/4 inch). Dredge in egg then breading (mixed with italian seasonings, salt, & pepper). Cook on stove until done. I had to do mine in two batches and let the cooked, breaded chicken rest on a plate covered with a paper towel to soak up any excess oil.

In the meantime, prepare marinara sauce (see separate recipe for step by step directions). Place the chicken in one layer along the bottom of a cassarole dish. Cover with sauce, sprinkle with cheeses, cover, and bake about 15-20 minutes. Done!

The chicken takes about 10 minutes to pound flat and bread and then cook time is about 10 more minutes per "batch". Marinara sauce can be made while doing this, if you don't have any pre-made. I served this with about a cup of quinoa shell pasta (our six-year old loves pasta) and used remaining marinara sauce on that. We also served with a salad, which I was also able to make while the chicken was cooking/baking.

Finished Chicken Parmesan

Quinoa Pasta with Remaining Sauce

Breaded Boneless Chicken Breasts

If you are looking for a quick and easy and unbelievably delicious dinner, this is going to be it. Every single time I make this, I get rave reviews. Even Mr. "I Hate Chicken" loves this. Loves it.

In addition, it is a really flexible meal. You could make it by itself-- breaded chicken with vegetables on the side. It's the perfect starter for chicken parmesan. Sliced, it's a fabulous addition to stir fries and salads and it makes a killer sandwich. I think you could even use as a base for a modified Cordon Bleu. This one recipe will provide you with a lot of really incredible options and I hope you will give it a try.

 

 
Ingredients:

• 1 package boneless chicken breast filets (mine usually have two or three breasts), pound thin (1/4 inch) and cut in half if they are too large, try this or this (about 1 to 1 1/2 lbs)
• 1 tbsp Italian seasonings, try this
• Sea salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tsp garlic powder (approximate & optional)
• 3/4 to 1 cup of a "breadcrumb" mixture (try ground nuts, ground flax seed, spelt, corn meal, rice flour, quinoa flour, oat flour, coconut flour, amaranth flour, etc. --we use a different combination every time)
• Olive oil (try this) and/or ghee and/or butter to fry chicken, you'll need enough to cover the bottom of the pan completely with about 1/4 inch, maybe less. Try less, add more if needed.
• 1 pasture egg, whisked with a little water or milk (less than a tbsp)

How To:

1. Chicken Prep: In a shallow bowl, combine the ingredients you will use for your "breading" as well as your salt, pepper, Italian seasonings, and garlic powder, if using. In another shallow bowl, prepare your egg by combining with milk/ water and whisking.  
 

 
2. Coat: Dredge chicken in egg mixture and then coat with your "bread crumbs", and ensure that the entire piece of chicken is covered.
3. Cook: Saute about 5-10 minutes per side, depending on thickness, over medium to medium-low heat. Transfer to a plate with a paper towel to absorb a little of the excess oil, if necessary, before serving.

Comments:

Chicken is always delicious this way and by using an alternative bread crumb, you do not have to feel guilty. Takes about 15-20 minutes total time (prep and cook time)—you’ll have to do two batches unless you have a ginormous frying pan. Be creative with the breading. We will typically use a combination of whatever we have available. There are many whole-grain and/or gluten-free options and I think they all are tasty with a little seasoning added. This serves about four people--with the three of us we always have a little for lunch the next day.

 

By the way, you could use coconut oil to fry this chicken, which works out great, but keep in mind, it will leave a noticeable coconut taste. That may be great if you are serving by itself, but could be less desirable if you are including as part of another dish (oh, for example, chicken parmesan... been there done that and not so great....).

***Just to get an idea of the amounts to use, for 1.4 lbs of chicken, I used 1 cup total of spelt, almond flour, and flax seed mixed with 3/4 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tbsp Italian seasonings (as well as salt & pepper, probably about 1/4 tsp each). I also used one egg whisked with about 1 tbsp milk.

Made with half spelt flour and half flax seeds

 

Made with equal parts spelt, flax, and almond flour

 

This post was shared on Healthy 2Day Wednesday, Real Food Wednesday, and Foodtastic Friday.

Fajitas

This is one of our favorites. Everyone loves fajita night!

Ingredients:
2-3 chicken filets (or pork or beef), sliced thinly
Bell pepper, sliced (any color)
Small red onion, sliced
Lime (this is optional, but if you have one on hand it adds a nice flavor)
Various seasonings to taste - I use a Fiesta Lime and Garlic Herb seasoning, as well as salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, and/or onion powder. Basically just what I grab from the cabinet.
Corn tortillas
Salsa
Mozzarella Cheese (skim), shredded

How To:
Cook chicken (or pork or beef), bell peppers, and onions in olive oil in pan (cook chicken first and add bell peppers and onions after it is almost cooked). Season to taste. When this is nearly done, warm tortillas in the microwave (or on stove top). Place a little chicken/peppers on each tortilla with a sprinkling of cheese and salsa as desired. Roll and serve.

Takes about 10 minutes is using cooked meat (leftover) or a little longer if you have to cook the meat for this meal.

Comments:
The really great thing about this recipe is that we typically will use it as our "leftover" recipe to use up leftover meat from a previous night's dinner. The only change in doing it this way is that I will add the chicken (or other meat), which is already cooked, to the peppers and onions after they have gotten a little soft. My husband and six-year old love fajita night and I do as well since it is a tasty and easy (quick meal). I will frequently serve this with bean soup or fried, sliced pre-cooked polenta, but you could serve with refried beans or rice, or a quick vegetable, etc.

Also, it would be easy to make a vegetarian version and replace the meat with portobello mushrooms.