Category: Poultry

Pesto Chicken, Blistered Tomatoes and Orzo & Herb Pilaf

You can never have too many weeknight meals, especially chicken recipes! For this dinner, I combined two Cooking Light recipes  (Pesto Chicken with Blistered Tomatoes and Orzo and Herb Pilaf) to make one dinner, and served it with a simple salad on the side.

Pesto Chicken, Blistered Tomatoes and Orzo & Herb Pilaf

Any recipe that uses pesto is a winner in my book. This particular pesto uses spinach, basil, and parsley to deliver a more complex flavor.

Ingredients:

Pesto:

  • 2 cups packed fresh baby spinach
  • 1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 6 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 1/2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Chicken:

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 4 (6-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
  • 1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
  • 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 6 tablespoons spinach pesto (recipe below)

Tomatoes:

  • 3 cups multicolored cherry tomatoes
  • 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Orzo and Herb Pilaf:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 3/4 cup uncooked orzo
  • 1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • blistered tomatoes (recipe below)
  • 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Continue reading Pesto Chicken, Blistered Tomatoes and Orzo & Herb Pilaf

Chicken Yassa (Senegalese Lemon Chicken)

Chicken Yassa is a popular chicken dish originating from Senegal. This meal is the epitome of comfort food: marinated roasted chicken with onions, lemon juice, olives, garlic, and broth served over rice. It has a subtle heat to it as well that really makes for a flavorful meal.

This recipe makes quite a bit of food, a good 8 servings. However, in my house, leftovers this good don’t last very long!

 

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups sliced onion (about 3 pounds)
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 lb chicken drumsticks
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 cups thinly sliced carrot
  • 1 1/2 cups less-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed olives
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, pierced with a fork
  • 4 cups hot cooked long-grain rice (optional)

Continue reading Chicken Yassa (Senegalese Lemon Chicken)

Chimichurri Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Onions

My husband and I just moved into a new home, so I wanted to make one of my first meals here extra homey!

This recipe for Chimichurri Roasted Chicken is perfect for a Sunday night and is hearty to feed 6 people.

The original recipe used cilantro in the chimichurri, but I didn’t have any on hand, so I used parsley instead.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, divided
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 2 bone-in chicken breasts
  • 3 bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1.5 pounds baby red potatoes
  • 2 small red onions, cut into wedges

Continue reading Chimichurri Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Onions

Fesenjan Persian Chicken Stew with Walnut and Pomegranate Sauce

I am still working through my supply of pomegranates; I’m having so much fun finding different ways to use the arils!

This recipe caught my eye immediately during my search for pomegranate recipes. It uses both pomegranate molasses (made from pomegranate juice) and pomegranate arils.

Fesenjan is a Persian stew made with ground walnuts, pomegranate molasses, and typically chicken.

And, well, it’s not the prettiest dish I’ve ever made but the flavors are absolutely fantastic!

This recipe is from Simply Recipes.

Ingredients:

Chicken Stew:

  • 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (recipe below)
  • 1/2 pound walnut halves (about 2 cups)
  • 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces,
  • 2 cups chicken stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • Salt
  • 1/2 cup fresh pomegranate seeds, for garnish
  • chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Pomegranate Molasses:

  • 2 cups pomegranate juice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Continue reading Fesenjan Persian Chicken Stew with Walnut and Pomegranate Sauce

Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

I am always looking for a new and different slow cooker meal. I personally could eat a tomato-based sauce with meat over rice, pasta, polenta, you-name-it every day. My husband would prefer something new every now and then, which is fair.

So this time, I attempted to make a takeout favorite — Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken!

This recipe is really simple, but it can become a legit salt lick if you aren’t careful about your ingredients. Be sure to use lower sodium soy sauce and unsalted cashews!

Ingredients:

  • 3 lbs boneless skinless chicken (breasts and/or thighs)
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or canola oil)
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1 cup low sodium soy sauce (use a wheat free soy sauce to make gluten free)
  • 1/2 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup sweet chili dipping sauce
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
  • 2 cups unsalted cashews

Continue reading Slow Cooker Cashew Chicken

Jambalaya

This weekend, I cooked my little heart out. I realized Labor Day is only a couple of weeks away, so it’s time to stock my freezer with ready-made meals for busy nights in the fall, like this freezable Jambalaya!

I made tomato sauce, slow cooker chicken cacciatore, bacon-topped meatloaf, and this recipe for Jambalaya. (It was a busy weekend!)

This recipe was simple to make, although I did take some shortcuts from the original recipe. It freezes really well too!

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound andouille sausage, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 cups diced sweet onion
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 (10-oz.) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups uncooked rice
  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 1 pound frozen peeled, medium-size raw shrimp, deveined
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Continue reading Jambalaya

Grilled Chicken Cacciatore

One of my favorite things to throw on the grill are vegetables, something magical and delicious happens when vegetables are grilled. One night, we were doing a bit of a fridge cleaning meal and ended up with ingredients for chicken cacciatore — mushrooms, peppers, chicken, etc. But, we wanted to use my Coyote Outdoor Grill, so Grilled Chicken Cacciatore was born.  I didn’t have 2 big enough grill-safe pots, so this entire recipe isn’t made on the grill, but it can be if you’d like!

(To see some of my other recipes I’ve made using my beloved grill, check them out here.)

I threw in some summer squash and zucchini too, because it’s summer and we had some in the fridge. Feel free to omit.

Ingredients:

For the grill:

  • 2 bell peppers, any colors, chopped into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 (8 oz) container sliced baby bella mushrooms
  • 1 zucchini, thinly sliced
  • 1 summer squash, thinly sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 4 chicken breasts (or chicken tenders like I used)
  • 4 chicken drumsticks
  • olive oil, to taste
  • salt and pepper, to taste

For the stovetop (unless you have oven-safe pots):

  • 1 cup rice
  • 1 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1 tablespoon dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • fresh parsley, for garnish

Continue reading Grilled Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken Sausage and Peppers

Note: I was sent a variety of First Fresh Foods Chicken Sausages. Opinions are my own.

It may be relatively apparent on my blog that I really don’t eat much pork; I tend to gravitate towards other proteins. So, I also rarely eat sausage, and if I’m being perfectly honest, I’m not the biggest fan of them anyways.

So when First Fresh Foods contacted me about trying their chicken sausages, I figured why not! I decided to keep it pretty traditional and try their mild Italian sausages in Sausage and Peppers to make this recipe for Chicken Sausage and Peppers.

The Italian sausages resemble traditional sausages but are made from ground white breast meat, which delivers similar taste with 78% less fat. They are gluten-free, with no MSG and no hormones.

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 package First Fresh Foods mild Italian chicken sausage
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 green bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 yellow onion, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 (15-ounce) can tomato puree
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 5 hot dog rolls (omit to make gluten free, or use gluten free rolls)
  • fresh basil, for garnish

Continue reading Chicken Sausage and Peppers

Pumpkin Curry Chicken with Potatoes and Peas

Note: I was sent two jars of Herb ‘n Zest Cooking Sauces in order to make this Pumpkin Curry Chicken with Potatoes and Peas. All opinions are mine alone.

As someone who works full-time, my biggest requirement for a dinner option is that it can be made in under 40 minutes. By the time I get home, I’m ready to eat! Although it’s not usually too much of a problem, I rarely get the chance to make dinners with the depth of flavor brought to food when it is simmered over a stove for a while.

A local Philadelphia company, Herb ‘n Zest, is changing that. Their innovative condiments and sauces allow home cooks to add quick flavor to meals in no time. All products are fully cooked and can just be added to dishes as sauces or dips.

I was sent a jar each of Herb ‘n Zest’s two most popular sauces: Chive Tomato Cooking Sauce and Curry Pumpkin Cooking Sauce. The Chive Tomato Cooking Sauce is made with Jersey Fresh tomatoes sauteed with chives and spices in olive oil. while the Curry Pumpkin Cooking Sauce is a savory pumpkin sauce seasoned mildly with curry and sunflower seeds. Both sauces are also vegan, soy-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and use non-GMO ingredients.

 

I love love love pumpkin, so I knew I had to try that one first! I decided to make a chicken and potato curry with the sauce and serve it over coconut rice, resulting in this recipe for Pumpkin Curry Chicken with Potatoes and Peas. To make vegetarian/vegan, omit the chicken.

Want to try the sauces for yourself? Herb ‘n Zest is offering a great discount through my blog: 25% off the Home Chef Starter Pack with the code get25icancook! Just click the photo of the jars below and enter the code at checkout!

Buy 6 Jars of Cooking Sauce (Home Chef Starter Pack)

You can also enter their summer giveaway worth $50. Just take a picture of yourself with a jar of Herb 'n Zest, upload it to Instagram & tag the image with #herbnzest. The summer giveaway draw will happen on August 15, 2016, so be sure to purchase your jars soon!

Ingredients:

  • 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
  • 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium sized onion, chopped
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized pieces
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 (12 oz) bag frozen peas
  • 1 (16.75 oz) jar Herb 'n Zest Curry Pumpkin Cooking Sauce

Continue reading Pumpkin Curry Chicken with Potatoes and Peas

Grilled Southwest Turkey Burgers

Note: I was sent a coupon for Sargento Ultra Thin Cheese Slices through Cooking Light Bloggers’ Connection. Opinions are mine alone.

Well, summer weather came out of nowhere, didn’t it? Rising temperatures mean it’s grilling season! Throwing a burger on the grill doesn’t have to mean an super unhealthy meal though!

AND you don’t even have to skip the cheese to make a healthier burger! These turkey burgers are filled with deliciousness without being heavy and are topped with Sargento® Ultra Thin® Colby Jack Cheese Slices, pico de gallo, and avocado slices.

At 40 calories a slice, Sargento® Ultra Thin® Colby Jack Cheese Slices do nutritious in the most ultra-delicious way. The cheese slices are made of 100% real, natural cheese but are sliced thinner, so you can enjoy the cheesy deliciousness in moderation.

Ingredients: (recipe makes 3 larger burgers or 4 smaller burgers)

  • 1 pound  ground turkey
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper
  • 2 tablespoons pico de gallo
  • 2 tablespoons sliced green onions (scallions)
  • 3-4 hamburger buns
  • 3-4 slices of Sargento® Ultra Thin® Colby Jack Cheese Slices
  • 1/2 avocado, sliced
  • pico de gallo, for topping

Continue reading Grilled Southwest Turkey Burgers

Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole

My fiance is obsessed with leftovers. For whatever reason, he seems to think that most food tastes better the second time around. So I typically make a few more servings than we need so that he has his beloved leftovers the next day.

OXO makes cooking and storing food/leftovers super simple with their new 14 Piece Glass Bake, Serve & Store Set (paid link). The set is awesome to prepare foods beforehand, or to easily refrigerate/freeze any leftovers. It includes a Glass 3 Qt Baking Dish with Lid, Glass 2 Qt Baking Dish with Lid, Glass Loaf Pan, Glass Pie Plate, 1 Cup Round SNAP Container, 2 Cup Round SNAP Container, and 4 Cup Round SNAP Container.

For make ahead recipes, this glass bakeware is a huge time saver: they are made of thermal shock-resistant borosilicate glass, which allows dishes to be taken directly from the freezer to the oven or microwave — no need to fully thaw. The glass can withstand up to 250 degrees F of temperature change! Generous handles make removing dishes from the oven super easy, even when wearing oven mitts.

This set is perfect for recipes on the go as well; the baking dishes and SNAP containers come with raised slosh-proof lids for easy transportation. The SNAP Glass Food Storage is also microwave safe for reheating leftovers (just undo the tabs of the lid first), and provides a leak-proof seal, so it’s great for lunches to take to work!

I made this recipe for Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole recently for dinner using OXO’s 3 quart baking dish (9×13). Chilaquiles are actually typically a breakfast recipe, using lightly fried tortillas and salsa. This version is a casserole take on the traditional, and uses grilled corn tortillas baked with a quick homemade tomatillo salsa, rotisserie chicken, and cheese.

Ingredients:

  • meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded (~3 cups)
  • 1 cup 1% low-fat milk
  • 1/3 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1 (26 oz) can whole tomatillos, drained
  • 1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chilies, drained
  • 1/2 cup chopped scallions
  • 1 cup finely chopped Monterey Jack cheese, divided
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • cooking spray
  • 16 (6 inch) corn tortillas
  • chopped red bell pepper and cilantro, for garnish

Continue reading Chicken Chilaquiles Casserole

Mustard Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Potatoes

So. This is kind of an autumnal meal. But it’s been raining and chilly for about a week now, so I’ve been making more “comfort food” kind of meals. And this one is a definite go-to of mine, it’s so tasty!

I found the recipes for the Chicken and Brussels Sprouts and the Potatoes both on Cooking Light. The chicken and potatoes both cook at 450 degrees F, so these recipes pair perfectly together for a meal that’s on the table in under 40 minutes!

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
  • 1 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
  • 12 ounces halved baby potatoes
  • 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
  • 3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
  • 1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider
  • 2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons butter, divided (or margarine or olive oil to make dairy free)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

Continue reading Mustard Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Roasted Potatoes

Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken #ChineseNYeats

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ChineseNYeats #CollectiveBias

Next Monday begins the Year of the Monkey, according to the Chinese Lunar New Year calendar. Celebrations are held around the world, particularly in places with large Chinese populations, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Locally, Philadelphia’s Chinatown holds a bunch of different events to celebrate, including a parade and a midnight dance performance on the 8th.

My favorite place in the city, Reading Terminal Market, along with the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, is featuring demonstrations of the cuisine and cultures of Asia next weekend. To get in the spirit, I decided to make one of my favorite Thai dishes: Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken.

 

This recipe comes together really quickly with the help of Minute Rice, Dole and Kikkoman.

For this recipe, I used White Minute Rice, Dole Pineapple Chunks, and Kikkoman Less Sodium Soy Sauce and Sriracha Sauce, which I picked up at my local Wegmans, which were found in the rice aisle, canned fruit aisle, and Asian foods aisle, respectively.

Continue reading Pineapple Fried Rice with Chicken #ChineseNYeats

BBQ Chicken Tacos with Corn Salsa #GameDaySnackHacks

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GameDaySnackHacks #CollectiveBias

Now that it’s January, Football Fever seems to be everywhere! If you are planning on hosting friends and family for the big game, I have a great way to feed a crowd without forcing you to be in the kitchen all day (and all game).

With the help of Farm Rich’s Boneless BBQ Chicken Bites, you can make simple but delicious food for a group! The Chicken Bites are made with all white-meat chicken and are breaded to deliver that much needed crispy crunch, then are tossed in a tangy BBQ sauce. Farm Rich Snacks are Real-Life GoodTM and make game day meals a cinch to prepare!

These BBQ Chicken Tacos with Corn Salsa come together in no time, and allow even the pickiest eaters to customize their meal to their liking.

I picked up all of the ingredients needed for the tacos and corn salsa at Walmart. You can find Farm Rich products in the frozen food aisle.

What really makes the corn salsa stand out is roasting the corn in the oven beforehand, which can be done while also cooking the Boneless BBQ Chicken Bites. You can have a little taco bar ready to go in just 30 minutes!

Ingredients (serves 4, multiply as needed):

For Roasted Corn Salsa:

  • 1/2 of (8 oz) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, minced
  • 1/2 red onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 pint cherry tomatoes, cut into eighths (about 1/2 cup)
  • the juice of one lime
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro

For the tacos:

  • Farm Rich BBQ Style Boneless Chicken Bites, cooked
  • White corn tortillas
  • 1/2 cup shredded monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 8 lime wedges (1 lime)
  • 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, minced
  • the remaining canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  • the remaining roasted corn
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • Cilantro, chopped

Continue reading BBQ Chicken Tacos with Corn Salsa #GameDaySnackHacks

Chicken Agrodolce with Creamy Polenta

Happy New Year! Our unseasonably warm weather seems to have left with 2015, and colder temperatures are here to stay for a while. This recipe for Chicken Agrodolce with Creamy Polenta from Cooking Light’s December 2015 issue is great for cold nights — it’s comforting without being too heavy.

Agrodolce means “sweet and sour” in Italian. In this recipe, the golden raisins provide the sweetness while the red wine vinegar adds a touch of sour flavor to the sauce. The chicken thighs are simmered in the sauce and served with a creamy polenta to soak up the flavors.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups 1% low-fat milk
  • 2 1/3 cups unsalted chicken stock, divided
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 2/3 cup cornmeal
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 4 (6-ounce) bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 1/4 cup golden raisins
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 ounce pitted green olives, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Continue reading Chicken Agrodolce with Creamy Polenta

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