Thai Chicken Salad

Mixed greens
Chopped cooked chicken
Orange and red bell pepper, chopped
Edamame
Carrot, shredded
Fresh cilantro, chopped
Wonton strips
Peanuts, chopped
Asian ginger/toasted sesame dressing {we made this using Kraft brand, but any Asian salad dressing will do}

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a large salad bowl. Drizzle salad dressing on top and toss salad until evenly coated. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Recipe Source: For the Love of Cooking

Sweet and Sour Chicken {Baked}

Ingredients:
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Sauce:
3/4 cup sugar
4 T. ketchup
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. garlic salt

Directions:
Cut the chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients together in a bowl and pour over chicken.

Bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes so it is evenly coated with the sauce. Serve over white or brown rice.

* I double the sauce ingredients.


Recipe Source: Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup sugar
2 T. red wine vinegar
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
4 T. soy sauce

Place chicken breasts in lightly greased crock pot. Combine other ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. Serve over hot sticky white rice.

Recipe Source: Ivory Family Favorites Cookbook, pg. 148

(p.s. of all the cookbooks I own, this one is hands down my favorite and is used most frequently! It's such a fun cookbook with great tips & tricks, and every recipe is delicious! It can be purchased through Make-A-Wish Foundation :)

Bourbon Chicken

This chicken is kind of like a general tso's, and is so delicious! I'm not sure why it's called 'Bourbon Chicken' because there isn't any bourbon in it, but whatever the reason, I'm glad I stumbled across this gem of a recipe!


Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 T. oil {for pan frying the chicken}
Cornstarch {for dusting the chicken}

Sauce:
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 c. light brown sugar
2 T. ketchup
1 T. cider vinegar
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. soy sauce

Cut chicken into bite size pieces and lightly dust with cornstarch. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan and and fry chicken bits until lightly browned. Drain on paper towels and set aside.

In a bowl combine all sauce ingredients. Pour into wok or frying pan and bring to a boil. Add chicken back into the pan. Reduce heat ans simmer for 10 minutes.

Serve chicken over piping hot white sticky rice. Enjoy!


Recipe Source: adapted from Blog Chef

Shredded Chicken Tacos {Slow Cooker}

{Sour cream, anyone?}

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts {it's o.k. if they're still frozen}

1-14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

Diced white onion

1 packet taco seasoning

Favorite Toppings:

Lettuce

Shredded cheese

Avocado/guacamole

Olives

Tomatoes

Salsa/hot sauce

In a medium size bowl, mix the diced tomatoes, diced onions and taco seasoning together. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker. Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Before serving, shred the chicken with forks and mix all together in the slow cooker. Serve in warm flour tortillas with your favorite toppings.

** THIS is my new favorite hot sauce. It is SO addicting! I search out Mexican recipes I can make just so I can have an excuse to eat it! :)**

Panda Express Mushroom Chicken

This is a CopyKat recipe of the mushroom chicken at Panda Express. It is one of my favorites! Now it is such a treat to be able to make it at home :)

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

cornstarch (for dusting)

1 T. vegetable oil

1 T. sesame oil

2 T. soy sauce

1 T. balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 package fresh mushrooms

4 small zucchini

Cut chicken into 1 inch chunks and lightly dust with cornstarch. Halve zucchini and mushrooms and set aside. In a wok or a large skillet heat the vegetable oil and sesame oil and fry the chicken until a golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Add zucchini and mushrooms to the skillet and stir fry for a few minutes. Add soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic and ginger stirring to coat and stir fry until mushrooms and zucchini are fully cooked. Return the chicken to the pan and coat with sauce, heating thoroughly. Serve over sticky hot white rice.

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Pineapple and Vegetable Stir-Fry

Another delicious recipe that tastes like take out! This is the first time I have ever made stir-fry without using a seasoning packet. Making the sauce homemade is super easy, and this dish was surprisingly quick to throw together!

I chopped the vegetables up in the afternoon and put them in a Tupperware, and I let the chicken marinate in the fridge all day. When dinner time rolled around I put everything on the stove in a pan and viola, dinner was served!

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 T. soy sauce

2 T. rice vinegar

3 T. vegetable oil

1 T. ground ginger

1 medium red onion, cut into thin strips

1 can pineapple chunks (save the juice!)

3 green onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped into big chunks

3 cloves minced garlic

Sweet and Sour Stir Fry Sauce

5 T. red wine vinegar

5 T. sugar

3 T. tomato sauce

3 T. pineapple juice reserved from can

½ tsp. salt

Combine sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Cut the chicken into chunks. Place in a large Ziploc bag and toss with the soy sauce and vinegar. Let it marinate for at least 15 minutes, but the longer it marinates the better it will taste.

Cook the chicken in vegetable oil in a pan on the stove for 3 minutes. Set aside in a separate bowl the chicken and all the liquid.

In the same pan cook in vegetable oil the onions, green pepper, and when they’re done add the drained pineapple and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the garlic and ginger; cook everything together. Return the cooked chicken and liquid to the pan. Stir in the sweet and sour sauce and stir fry together for 2 minutes. Serve piping hot over white rice.

Baked Chicken and Black Bean Tacos

Filling:

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1 can (14.5) oz. diced tomatoes with chilies, drained {SAVE THE JUICE FOR THE SAUCE!}

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

diced white onion

Sauce:

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup sour cream

juice from the canned tomatoes with chilies

salt and pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

corn tortillas

favorite hot sauce

avocado slices

In 2 separate bowls, combine the filling ingredients and set aside. In the other bowl mix together using a whisk the ingredients for the sauce. Place the filling mixture into the corn tortillas, spoon the sauce over the mixture, and then top with shredded cheddar cheese. Place the tacos in a greased 9x13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

*I took this picture before I baked my tacos in the oven. When they're done, the cheese will be all melted. Top with your favorite hot sauce and avocado slices. Enjoy!*

Coconut Chicken and Vegetable Curry

I love making dinners that taste like take-out. This is definitely one of them! It was so easy to make and it made for wonderful lunch left-overs the next day. I will for sure be adding this to my dinner rotation. Even my children loved it, and they are 3 and 6, so that alone makes it a keeper :)

{Just a side note, if you make this, your house and the clothes you wore while cooking this WILL smell like curry for 2-3 days after, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, the fragrant smell just really lingers, so plan on doing some wash and lighting a bunch of candles after dinner...}

2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

1/2 white onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup frozen peas

3/4 cup chopped carrots

1 cup fresh cut frozen green beans

1 1/2 T. vegetable or canola oil

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 T. curry powder {found in the spice section}

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 can coconut milk

1-14.5 oz. can stewed tomatoes

1-8 oz. can tomato sauce

3 T. sugar

2 cups cooked white rice

fresh cilantro

Season chicken chunks with salt and pepper {I do this in a large Ziploc bag. Just put the chicken and salt and pepper in the bag and "mush" it all around}. Heat oil, curry powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic and cook for about 10 minutes. Add chicken and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 7-10 minutes. Add the vegetables, then the coconut milk, the stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce and then the sugar. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30-40 minutes, or until the curry sauce thickens. Serve over white rice and top with cilantro.

Chicken and Vegetable Chowder

1 lb. (2-3) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 regular carrots, diced
1/2 cup onion, diced
3 potatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk
4 T. flour
1-8 ounce package cream cheese
2 T. butter
Salt and pepper


In a large pot melt butter, and add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the chicken broth and potatoes. Simmer the soup for about 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk and flour together until smooth. Whisk the mixture into the soup, stirring quickly for 3-4 minutes until the soup begins to thicken. Make sure the cream cheese is really soft (even almost melted) before adding it to the soup to avoid chunks. Add cream cheese to the soup in small "cubes" and mix into the soup well with a whisk. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Once the soup in finished it is ready to serve, or you can also have it "warming" in the crock pot until dinnertime. Perfect with warm rolls and a green salad. Enjoy!


*This soup also freezes really well. I like to freeze my soups in the large ziplock freezer bags. They stack very nicely on top of each other in the freezer. Just be sure to label with a Sharpie on the bag the name of the soup and the date it was made. Freezer soups are a real dinner lifesaver for those crazy busy days!*

Apricot Chicken

The other day I was in a big rush to make something yummy for dinner (I had a hungry man outside mowing the lawn ;) and I found this recipe in a cookbook where everything is 5 ingredients or less. Talk about quick and easy! This chicken was a hit (he was all but licking the pan!) I will certainly be adding it to my dinner rotation :)

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (can still be frozen)
1 package onion soup mix (like Lipton)
1 bottle Russian dressing
1 jar apricot preserves

In a large bowl, mix the Russian dressing, apricot preserves and onion soup mix with a wire whisk. Place chicken breasts in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Pour sauce over the chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, turning chicken over half way through. Serve over sticky white rice.

Southwestern Chicken

6 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

1 large bag frozen corn

3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1-16ounce jar medium salsa

Toppings:

Shredded cheese (cheddar, or fiesta/Mexican blend pre-shredded)

Diced avocado

Diced tomatoes

Cilantro

Sour cream

Hot sauce (Louisiana Hot Sauce is my favorite!)

*you will also need tortilla chips*

In a slow cooker, layer first the corn, chicken, black beans and then salsa. Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours. When it's finished cooking, shred chicken with a fork and stir everything together. Serve on top of tortilla chips and top with favorite toppings. So yummy!!

*This recipe is also really easy to cut in half -- the one above makes a ton!*

Slow Cooker Creamy Italian Chicken

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

8 oz. pkg. cream cheese

1/4 c. Italian dressing

mushrooms

baby carrots

purple onion

pepper

In a greased slow cooker, lay chicken breasts along the bottom. Pour dressing over the top, then soup, then layer the vegetables. Season with pepper. Cook on high for 4-6 hours, or on low for 8-10 hours. During the last hour, add cream cheese. Stir sauce well before serving. Serve over egg noodles.

Chile Verde Chicken Enchiladas

6 flour tortillas
3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
1 large can chile verde enchilada sauce
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. sour cream

1/2 c. cream cheese
chopped onion
shredded cheddar cheese
pepper

In a mixing bowl, combine the chile verde sauce, soup, sour cream and pepper. Stir together to make a sauce (I use a whisk for this). In each tortilla pile chicken, onions, cheese, and sauce. Roll like a burrito. Place each tortilla in a greased casserole dish. Spread remaining sauce on top, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake just long enough for the cheese to melt, at 450 for about 15 minutes.

Chicken Artichoke Paninis

Sliced chicken
Artichoke hearts
Roasted red pepper
Carmelized onion
Muenster cheese
Bread (we like the Beehive White from Great Harvest)
Newman's Own Light Honey Mustard Dressing
PAM cooking spray

Build sandwich on favorite bread: chicken, roasted red pepper, artichoke hearts, caramelized onion, dressing, and cheese. Spray both sides of the bread lightly with PAM cooking spray. Place in ungreased panini griddler and cook for about 5 minutes.


** I have the Cuisinart Gourmet Griddler, which is perfect for making so many yummy things, including paninis! You can also use a George Foreman Grill, that works wonderfully too :)

Southwestern Chicken Burritos

4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1/2 c. BBQ sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
minced onion
1/4 c. sour cream
2 T. lime juice
romaine lettuce leaves
flour tortillas (I love the homemade tortillas from Costco!)

Over medium heat, add cooked chicken, BBQ sauce, beans, corn, onions, sour cream and lime juice. Stir to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes.
To assemble, place a lettuce leaf of flour tortilla and top with chicken mixture. Roll like a burrito. Serve with avocado slices or mango salsa.

Fajitas

Chicken (you can also use shrimp or steak meat)

1 green pepper, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced

1 green pepper, sliced
1 purple onion, sliced
2 T. olive oil
2 T. lime juice
2 T. (or 1 packet) fajita seasoning
pepper to taste
Tortillas (I love the homemade tortillas from Costco!)
Favorite toppings: cheese, sour cream, avocados, tomatoes, salsa...

Cook chicken in 2 T. olive oil. When it's almost done, add the vegetables. Season everything with fajita seasoning, pepper, and lime juice. Serve in a warm flour tortilla and top with your favorite toppings! Enjoy!

Red Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I cut mine into strips)
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar or red wine vinegar
onion slices (optional)
1 lemon, sliced

Place chicken in a single layer in sprayed baking dish. Place lemon slices and onion slices over chicken. In a separate bowl, combine ketchup, brown sugar, and vinegar. Pour over meat. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes {covered}. Serve over rice.

Oriental Orange Chicken

4 chicken breasts, cut into strips (or you can use chicken tenders)
2 tsp. garlic salt
1 c. cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
½ c. vegetable oil

Mix together salt and cornstarch. Dip chicken in cornstarch, then in beaten eggs. Fry in oil on medium heat until lightly browned. Place in casserole dish.


Sauce:
¾ c. sugar
½ c. red wine vinegar
¼ c. pineapple juice
3 T. catsup
1 T. soy sauce

Heat sauce ingredients on low; pour over chicken. Bake at 350 for 45 min. to 1 hour, turning over half way. Serve with rice.

* I usually double the sauce*

Chicken With Mushroom Cream Sauce Over Fettuccine

2 chicken breasts
1/4 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 package sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup white cooking wine or chicken broth
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
salt and pepper


Brown chicken breasts on both sides in a skillet and remove and set aside. Saute onions in a little bit of olive oil. Add garlic and saute, then add sliced mushrooms and saute. Add white cooking wine or chicken broth to deglaze the skillet. Add 2 cans of soup. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine everything as to look like a sauce. Put the browned chicken breast in the sauce to finish cooking, simmering for about 10-15 minutes. Serve over cooked fettuccine. Top with Parmesan cheese.