Chicken Enchiladas

The enchiladas that I grew up on. That my family LOVES. That Julia has requested 3 years in a row for her birthday dinner. I think my mom got this recipe from my Aunt Cindy originally.


3 chicken breast, cooked, shredded
¾ c. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. milk
¾ c. salsa
12 corn tortillas
2 c. shredded cheese

Mix soup, milk & salsa. Heat in microwave on medium heat, 3 minutes. Add sour cream, heat 1 minute. Heat tortillas by wrapping 4 at a time in wet paper towel and heating in microwave for 1 ½ mins. Take 1 tortilla & place in greased 9x13 pan. Put 1 ½ Tbsp. chicken, 1 ½ Tbsp. cheese, 2 Tbsp. soup mix in the middle and roll up placing edge on bottom of pan. Reserve about 1 c. soup mix and 1 c. cheese to cover entire casserole. Bake at 350F for 30-40 mins or until bubbly (may be covered for more moist enchiladas).

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And I'm back...

So last time I said I was done hibernating...I guess I wasn't. This time, it's for reals.
I'm back to cooking. And it feels good.
I'm trying out some new stuff.

Tonight I made these recipes from The Pioneer Woman Cooks (HUGE fan of hers):
she has pictures on her blog so I won't post any here- plus we all ate it too fast to take a pic!
Try these ones out. She was right- these two dishes go perfectly together. Yum. Yum.

Fluffy New Potatoes
9 or 10 medium to large new potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup sour cream
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1½ cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 garlic clove, pressed
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Rinse and dry the potatoes, then place them on a baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes and massage to coat. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Place the sour cream, cream cheese, Monterey Jack, chives, garlic, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Cut each potato in half lengthwise.
With a spoon scoop out inside of the potatoes, leaving a very thin rim of potato inside the skin. Add the potato pulp to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients. Using a fork, gently mash the ingredients together until fluffy and smooth. Spoon the mixture back into the potato shells.

Bake the potatoes in a 375 degree oven until thoroughly warmed through. The potatoes will soften, “melt”, and fill the potato shells as they bake. It took mine about 20ish minutes- I just watched them.

Ranch Style Chicken

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
Thick cut bacon
Bacon grease
HoneyDijon Mustard
Lemon juice
Paprika
Crushed Red Pepper (optional)
Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Canola oil
To begin, mix together 1/2 cup Dijon or country/grainy mustard with 1/2 cup honey. Add juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle in some crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne if you like things a little spicy.
Whisk it together until smooth.
Next, rinse the chicken breasts under cool water and pat them dry.
Pound the chicken breasts so they have a more uniform thickness, which means they’ll cook more evenly and won’t be dry around the edges.
Place one chicken breast between two sheets of waxed paper…
Lightly pat the waxed paper so it adheres to the chicken. With a mallet or a rolling pin (you can also use a heavy can!) lightly pound the chicken breast so that the thickness is uniform. By the time it all evens up, it’s usually around 1/2 to 3/4″ thick.
Next, just add all the chicken to the bowl with the marinade. You’ll want to cover this with plastic wrap and let it marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.
While the chicken is marinating, go ahead and fry up some bacon:
any kind of bacon will do; just keep in mind that the bacon will eventually go into the oven, so you don’t want to get it too crisp in the skillet.
Next, and this is important, reserve 1/4 cup of the bacon grease, and go ahead and clean out the skillet. Otherwise, it’ll get too smoky.
When you’re ready to prepare the chicken, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the chicken from the fridge and pour off excess marinade into the sink. Heat half of the reserved bacon grease with an equal quantity of Canola Oil in the clean skillet over medium-high to high heat. (We want to sear the chicken, not cook it completely.) When the grease is sufficiently heated, add a batch of chicken to the skillet. Don’t overcrowd the skillet—just 3 pieces is usually enough.
Watch the chicken, and when it starts to get brown/black on one side…
Flip it to the other side. Cook just until brown/blackish areas appear. Each side should cook for a maximum of 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
Repeat with all the chicken breasts, then set them on a large baking sheet. If you look a little closer, you’ll notice the chicken is definitely not fully cooked.
Go ahead and throw the pan of chicken into the hot oven for about ten minutes to continue cooking. Then remove the pan from the oven…
And lay a couple of bacon slices over each chicken breast.
Next, grab some grated sharp cheddar and sprinkle it over the top as generously as you’d like.
Just return the pan to the oven for an additional five minutes, or until cheese is melted and bacon is sizzling.
Then serve immediately…

Next I plan to make these recipes. I'll let you know how they go.
Oh and I also made these but made them cookies instead of bars. Really good.

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Sweet n Sour Chicken

This recipe comes from my Aunt Lisa and is one of Josh's very favorites. I'm planning on making it sometime this week so look for a pic.

2-3 chicken breasts
1 white onion
1 green bell pepper
1/2 c. ketchup
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
5-6 tsp. Worchestichire sauce
2 c. pineapple juice
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. flour
1 can pineapple chunks

Saute onion and bell pepper. Combine ketchup, garlic salt, pepper, W.s. sauce, pineapple juice (reserved from can of pineapple chunks), brown sugar and flour in a separate pan and heat until thickened. Add sauted onion, bell pepper and pineapple chunks. Pour mix over chicken and place in oven at 350 for 1 to 1 1/2 hours til chicken is done. Serve over white rice.

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Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Another find from the ward cookbook my mom gave me for Christmas- gotta love those ward cookbooks. I made it for the first time last night and broke the cardinal rule of never serving something you haven't made before to company. I thought it tasted great. I did alter the recipe a bit. I'll put the exact recipe below and then my adjustments under neath.

4 medium chicken breast halves

3/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese

1/4 c. chopped peanuts

1/4 c. bacon pieces

salt & ground black pepper

paprika

ranch dressing

Preheat oven at 350. Skin chicken, if desired. Using a sharp knife, make a pocket in each breast by cutting horizontally from side to side, leaving edges intact. In a bowl, combine mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, peanuts and bacon. Spoon filling into pockets, packing lightly (pockets will be full). Place chicken, bone side down, in a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Lightly sprinkle chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and paprika. Bake, uncovered, for 50-55 mins. Drizzle ranch dressing over chicken breasts before serving.

Ok here's what I did different from the recipe:
*used boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*didn't cut slits, I flattened the chicken breasts and spooned the mix onto the chicken, then wrapped them and used toothpicks to hold them together. Put in dish seam side down.
*omitted peanuts (Josh doesn't like nuts)
*baked for only 47 mins.
*served with ranch-to dip in it- not drizzled

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Chicken- Chile Quesadillas

Quick, easy- whole family loves it. I make it on our skillet. Umm umm good.

1 package flour tortillas for burritos
2 cups finely shredded Mexican cheese blend
2 cups shredded or finely chopped cooked chicken
1 can chopped green chiles
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 cup salsa

1. Top one half of each tortilla with cheese, chicken and green chiles. Fold other half of each tortilla over filling; press down with back of pancake turner. Lightly brush melted butter on both sides of each filled tortilla.

2. Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook 2 filled tortillas at a time 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and hot. Cut into wedges. Serve with salsa.

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Poppyseed Chicken

Not for the anti-casserole person. This is indeed a casserole. One I happen to like. Pic next time.

2 cups cooked chicken, diced
1 (4 ounce) packet Ritz cracker
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup butter, melted

Combine chicken with soup and sour cream in a bowl.
In another bowl add crushed crackers and poppy seeds to melted butter.
Mix well.
Mix half of cracker mixture in chicken.
Put in casserole dish.
Spread remaining cracker mix on top.
Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Cover for first 15 minutes and then uncover for last 15 minutes.

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"Turkey Tetrazzini"

I put it in quotation marks because I use chicken and whatever pasta I have (usually egg noodles or spaghetti but I'm sure most would work). So it's not really Turkey Tetrazzini- it's more ChickenWhateverNoodle. My mom used to make this after Thanksgiving with left over turkey. I've always loved it. Last night J (my by far pickiest eater) went back for seconds :)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1/2 c. sliced mushrooms
1/2 c. sliced onions
1/4 c. margarine
1/4 c. flour

2 c. chicken broth
1 c. 1/2 & 1/2 (I've used milk before and it was fine, also used whipping cream it was great)
1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 8 oz pkg spaghetti noodles (or whatever you have), cooked, drained

3 c. cooked, diced turkey (I always use chicken except right after Thanksgiving)
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Lightly brown mushrooms and onions in margarine. Stir in flour. Cook until bubbly. Stir in the broth and cream. Add salt & pepper. Cook, stirring often until mix boils. Place a layer of noodles in a buttered 9x13 pan. Mix remaining noodles with sauce and meat. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 mins or until bubbly.

This can be made ahead and refrigerated until baking time.

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Chicken *Parmesan Bundles

Yeah- another successful new meal to added to my favorites. Not too much work and it's good. I got the recipe here -again Kraftfoods is a great, quick, easy resource. If you haven't already, check it out.

4 oz. PHILADELPHIA Brick Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained ***I used a bit less
1-1/4 cups KRAFT Mozzarella Shredded Cheese, divided
6 Tbsp. KRAFT 100% Parmesan Grated Cheese, divided **I used fresh grated Romano
6 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1-1/2 lb./750 g), pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1 egg
10 RITZ Crackers, crushed (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 cups pasta sauce, heated

PREHEAT oven to 375ºF. Mix cream cheese, spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and 3 Tbsp. of the Parmesan cheese until well blended; spread evenly onto chicken breasts. Starting at one of the short ends of each breast, roll up chicken tightly. Secure with wooden toothpicks, if desired. Set aside.
BEAT egg in shallow bowl or pie plate. Mix remaining 3 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese and the cracker crumbs in separate shallow bowl or pie plate. Dip chicken bundles in egg, then roll in crumb mixture. Place, seam-sides down, in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
BAKE 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through (170ºF). Remove and discard toothpicks, if using. Serve topped with the pasta sauce and remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese.

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Chicken Amandine

I found this recipe here. We had it for dinner last night. It was good and a little different from what we normally eat. I would use less water chesnuts next time. And I didn't have swiss cheese, so I just used mozarella. Also Josh doesn't like nuts so I only put almonds on half of it so he had nothing to complain about!! I served it with cooked carrots and broccoli.

3 cups cubed, cooked chicken

1 can (10 1/2 oz.) cream of chicken, celery, or mushroom soup

1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, sliced and drained

1/4 cup chopped green onions

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup sour cream

1 (8 oz.) package crescent roll dough

2/3 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1/2 cup slivered almonds

2-4 Tbs. melted butter

Preheat oven to 375. Combine the first eight ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until hot and bubbly. Pour into an ungreased 12 x 8 baking dish. Unroll the crescent roll dough into two long rectangles. Place over the hot chicken mixture. Combine remaining ingredients and spread over the dough. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Serves 4-6.

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Farmhouse Chicken

(not my pic...will post one soon)

This one comes from Tammy's Recipes. It's good and easy. Everyone loved it.

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

2 cup milk

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

4 celery ribs, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

12 ounce package of stuffing mix
Instructions:
1. Saute onion, and prepare stuffing mix according to package directions and set aside.
2. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and then add flour. Stir until bubbly, then cook one minute. Slowly add in milk, stirring continually to avoid lumps.
3. Add chicken, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 5-10 minutes, until chicken is done and celery is starting to get tender.
4. Pour mixture into an 8x8-inch casserole dish. Top with stuffing. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

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Avocado Chicken

I'm starting to think all the chicken stuff I do looks exactly the same in pictures. Maybe it does. But they all taste different. Promise. Anyway, here's another ward cookbook hit! YUMMMMM.

6-8 chicken breasts

salt, pepper and flour

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1 pkg. fresh sliced mushrooms

2 Tsp. flour

1 tsp. celery salt

1/2 tsp. white pepper

1/2 c. chicken stock

1/2 c. white grape juice

1 avocado, peeled and mashed

1 1/2 c. grated Monterey jack cheese (mine had Colby with it too)

Between waxed paper, pound chicken to 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dust with flour. Melt 1/4 c. butter and quickly saute breasts, a few at a time until golden. Remove to plate and set aside. Preheat oven to 350. Melt remaining butter in same skillet and saute onin, garlic and mushrooms slowly until cooked, not brown. Stir in flour, celery salt, white pepper, chicken stock and juice. Cook over low heat until thickened, about 4-5 mins. Stir in mashed avocado and 1/2 c. cheese and season to taste. Arrange breasts in 9x13 pan and spoon avocado mix on each and sprinkle with remaining cheese over top of chicken breasts. Bake 20-30 mins at 350 until chicken is cooked and cheese is melted.

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Chicken Tortilla Verde

Super easy from a ward cookbook my mom gave me for Christmas. It takes like enchiladas sorta. I'll take a pic next time I make it.

4 cooked chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup (called for mushroom but I prefer chicken)
1 (80z) sour cream
1 (40z) can diced green chiles
12 corn tortillas, cut into strips
2 c. shredded cheese.

Grease the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Mix chicken, soup, sour cream and green chiles. Layer tortilla strips, chicken mix, then shredded cheese. Repeat until ingredients are gone. Bake at 350 for 45 mins.

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Rosemary Chicken Pasta

We had this for dinner tonight and I finally managed to take a pic (don't mind the Buzz Lightyear plate. And I HATE taking pics with flash but it was dark. Oh well). Poor Josh- this is one of his favorites and he decided to go on the Atkins diet so he couldn't eat with us! Bummer. Anyway good as usual (even got the thumbs up from the in-laws- score!). This recipe comes courtesy of my friend Megan. It's a staple for sure.

2 tsp. Salt
½ C. Butter
1 pint Whipping cream
1½ tsp Corn starch
Chicken—cubed—about 3 breasts
½ carton fresh Rosemary or use 2 T. or so of dried (more or less depending on what you want)
2 cloves garlic ( I use a spoonful of minced garlic from the refrigerated jar)

This recipe is from Italy ! Sauté chicken in the butter, garlic & Rosemary. When chicken is cooked add whipping cream, corn starch & salt. Simmer on low-med heat. The sauce will begin to bubble and thicken, stir frequently. After sauce is to desired thickness decrease temp to low until your noodles are ready. Top over bowtie noodles (you can use whatever kind of noodles you want or have in your pantry) and enjoy!

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Slow Cooker Tex Mex Chicken

This is a new one. Tried it tonight for the first time. It was good. I knew I'd be gone most of the afternoon with no time to cook so I switched my menu up a bit and decided to do a crockpot meal tonight. I got the recipe here. All kids liked it...it was spicy but not too bad. The picture does not do it justice (looks like chili in the pic but tastes nothing like it). Next time I think I'll top it with sour cream too.

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
2 Tbsp. (1/2 of 1-1/4-oz. pkg.) Taco Seasoning Mix
2 Tbsp. flour
1 each: green and red pepper, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
1 cup frozen corn
1-1/2 cups salsa
1 cup Mexican Style Shredded Four Cheese (I just used regular cheddar)
TOSS chicken with seasoning and flour in slow cooker. Stir in all remaining ingredients except the shredded cheese; cover with lid.
COOK on LOW for 6 to 8 hours (or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours).
STIR just before serving. Top with the shredded cheese. Serve over rice.

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Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe is courtesy of my Mom. This was one of my favorites growing up.
3 chicken breast, cooked, shredded
¾ c. sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 c. milk
¾ c. salsa
12 corn tortillas
2 c. shredded cheese

Mix soup, milk & salsa. Heat in microwave on medium heat, 3 minutes. Add sour cream, heat 1 minute. Heat tortillas by wrapping 4 at a time in wet paper towel and heating in microwave for 1 ½ mins. Take 1 tortilla & place in greased 9x13 pan. Put 1 ½ Tbsp. chicken, 1 ½ Tbsp. cheese, 2 Tbsp. soup mix in the middle and roll up placing edge on bottom of pan. Reserve about 1 c. soup mix and 1 c. cheese to cover entire casserole. Bake at 350F for 30-40 mins or until bubbly (may be covered for more moist enchiladas).

***Note- Josh prefers flour tortillas so I usually use flour tortillas now instead of corn (even though I prefer corn personally). You can use whatever floats your boat.

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French Country Chicken

One of my latest newfound favorites. I was trying to find a recipe that was close to the French Country Chicken at one of my favorite local restaurants & this is pretty close. It tastes great with a side of mashed potatoes and broccoli. I found it on Recipezaar. This picture does not do it justice!


2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 cups water
1 package Knorr vegetable soup mix
1 slice lemons
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon dry dill weed

In a large skillet, melt margarine over medium high heat.
Add chicken and saute for 5 minutes.
Stir in water, soup mix and lemon.
Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to low.
Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
Remove chicken and discard lemon.
In small bowl, combine sour cream, corn starch and dill weed.
Add to skillet, stirring constantly.
Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Reduce heat, simmer 1 minute.
Serve over chicken.

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Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Pesto Butter

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Pesto Butter
from Mrs. Pear and re-worked a bit

This is one of my favorite new recipes that I've tried recently.

6 Deboned chicken breast halves

1/2 cup Fresh basil leaves, washed and dried

1/4 cup Grated parmesan cheese

1 clove Minced garlic

1/2 cup butter

1 eggs

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

Directions: In food processor combine basil, parmesan cheese, garlic and butter. Process until well combined. Cut a small slit in the side of the chicken breast with a boning knife, from that slit form a "pocket" in the chicken to stuff the butter into. (I just pound the chicken flat and roll the ingredients and use toothpicks to secure). Dip the chicken in the egg, dip them in the breadcrumbs. (I always need more egg and breadcrumbs). Place on pan to cook at 350F for about 35-45 minutes.
P.s. I think you could use the pesto butter on some french bread or for something else too...I'll try it out and post about it.

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Zesty Crockpot Chicken

By far Josh's favorite new dish. He LOVES this. He kept saying over and over, "This is really good." I like it too (not quite as much as he did) and so did the kids. And it's awesome to put it in the crockpot and forget about it.

4 boneless, thawed chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pkg Good Seasons zesty italian salad dressing mix
1 c. water
1 tsp. parsley
1 pkg cream cheese

Place chicken in crock pot. Blend soup, dresssing mix, water and parsley, add to crock pot. Cook on low for 6to8 hours. 1 hour before serving, add the package of cream cheese. Serve over rice or noodles (we love both but prefer noodles).

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Mom's Chicken Something

My mom gave me this recipe awhile ago but doesn't remember....we tried it out and everyone (especially Josh) loved it. It's a great summer, refreshing dinner. Yum!

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup finely chopped bell pepper (1 medium )
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped pine nuts
1 tablespoons veg. oil (or evoo)
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Flatten each chicken breats to 1/4 inch thickness between plastic wrap. Mix remaining ingredients, and spread 1/4 of mixture on each breast to 1/2 inch of edge. Roll up tightly: secure with toothpicks.Broil chicken, seam down, 4 or 5 inches from broiler, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until juices run clear. Remove toothpick. Cut each roll in 1/2.
Serve with peach-mango-papaya relish.

Peach-mango-papaya Relish:
2 Tbsp sliced green onions
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 large mango, chopped
1 papaya, chopped
1 peach, chopped
Mix all ingredients. Top chicken.

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Drumettes

Another courtesy of my mom. This is super easy. And I found a crockpot version too.
1 pkg French onion soup mix
1 c. orange or apricot marmalade
1 c. Russian dressing
1 pkg. chicken drumettes

Put drumettes in casserole dish. Mix other ingredients and pour over drumettes. Bake at 325F for 1 ½ hours.

For the crock pot version, use 6 frozen skinless, boneless chicken breasts (not thawed) instead of drumettes. Put all ingredients in a crock pot & cook 6-8 hours on low and serve over rice. Again, so easy but good.

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