Creamy Artichoke Lemon and Chicken Pasta

This was a great pasta dish!  Definitely one you could add things to as you see fit.  Maybe asparagus?  The sauce was a bit thin so I think next time we’ll try to thicken it up some more.



Creamy Artichoke Lemon & Chicken Pasta (from Confections of  a Foodie Bride)

Ingredients:
12 oz spaghetti
3 slices bacon
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, halved and pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Salt
Pepper
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
2 tsp capers, drained
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp butter, chilled
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

In a large Dutch oven, cook the bacon over medium heat, cook through. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. In a bowl, stir together flour, salt, and pepper. Lightly coat chicken with flour mixture. Without crowding, carefully place chicken in the bacon grease. Fry until cooked through and golden brown on both sides. Remove the chicken to paper towels. Stir the mushrooms, artichokes, and capers into the pan. Deglaze the pan with the wine. Cook for 2 minutes. Add the broth and lemon juice, cook for 2 minutes more. Stir in the cream and the butter to the sauce, stirring until completely incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the chicken breasts into strips, and return them to the pan. Stir the pasta and bacon into the chicken mixture. Serve.

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Tandoori-Spiced Chicken

This was a good dish but certainly not the best chicken dish we’ve had.  I think we’ll keep looking for the right tandoori chicken recipe.  I think I’d prefer it grilled.

Tandoori-Spiced Chicken (from Cooking Light)

• 1 1/2  cups  plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
• 2  tablespoons  grated onion
• 1  tablespoon  grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil
• 1  teaspoon  ground cumin
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground red pepper
• 1/4  teaspoon  ground turmeric
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• Cooking spray

1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning occasionally.

2. Place a small roasting pan in oven. Preheat broiler to high. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with salt. Place chicken on preheated pan coated with cooking spray. Broil in lower third of oven for 15 minutes or until done, turning after 7 minutes.

 

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Sichuan-Style Stir-Fried Chicken With Peanuts

Not much to say other than yum!  This was a great stir fry, just spicy enough but not overboard.  You can add whatever veggies you like.  I ate every last bite!

Sichuan-Style Stir-Fried Chicken with Peanuts (from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:

Marinade:

• 2  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons  rice wine or sake
• 1  teaspoon  cornstarch
• 1  teaspoon  dark sesame oil
• 1 1/2  pounds  skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• Stir-Frying Oil:
• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil, divided
• Sauce:
• 1/2  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2  tablespoons  sugar
• 2 1/2  tablespoons  low-sodium soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons  rice wine or sake
• 1  tablespoon  Chinese black vinegar or Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/4  teaspoons  cornstarch
• 1  teaspoon  dark sesame oil
• 2  tablespoons  minced green onions
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  minced garlic (about 7 cloves)
• 1  teaspoon  chile paste with garlic
• Remaining Ingredients:
• 1 1/2  cups  drained, sliced water chestnuts
• 1  cup  (1/2-inch) sliced green onion tops
• 3/4  cup  unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts
• 6  cups  hot cooked long-grain rice

Directions:

To prepare marinade, combine first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl; cover and chill 20 minutes.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken mixture; stir-fry 4 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove from pan; set aside.

To prepare sauce, combine broth and next 6 ingredients (broth through 1 teaspoon sesame oil); stir well with a whisk. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in pan. Add 2 tablespoons green onions, ginger, garlic, and chile paste, and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Add broth mixture, and cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly.

Stir in cooked chicken, water chestnuts, sliced onion tops, and peanuts; cook for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Serve over rice.

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Pan-Fried Chicken Fingers with Spicy Dipping Sauce

These were a great alternative to your standard chicken fingers.  The sauce definitely had a kick to it, but Tyler altered the recipe a bit so it wasn’t too much.  We’ll definitely make these again, I think they’d be great with a variety of dipping sauces, whatever floats your boat!

Pan-Fried Chicken Fingers with Spicy Dipping Sauce (from Cooking Light)

• Sauce:
• 1/4  cup  canola mayonnaise
• 1  teaspoons  chili-garlic sauce
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1  teaspoon  fresh lime juice
• 1/2  teaspoon  lower-sodium soy sauce
• Chicken:
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  paprika
• 2  large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1  tablespoon  water
• 3  cups corn flakes , finely crushed (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1  pound  chicken breast tenders
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1 1/2  tablespoons  canola oil

1. To prepare sauce, combine the mayonnaise, chili-garlic sauce, lime juice, honey, and soy sauce in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cover and chill.

2. To prepare chicken, combine flour, black pepper, and paprika. Place flour mixture in a shallow dish. Combine eggs and 1 tablespoon water; place in another shallow dish. Place crushed cereal in another shallow dish.

3. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken in flour mixture. Dip in egg mixture; dredge in cereal.

4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add chicken pieces to pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Serve immediately with sauce.

 

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Salad with Spicy Pineapple Dressing

Tyler whipped this up for dinner tonight, I was a little unsure about the addition of pineapple, but it fit really well.  Loved the cilantro dressing!  We added goat cheese, which fit nicely.

Grilled Chicken and Spinach Salad with Spicy Pineapple Dressing (from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:

• 1  pound  skinless, boneless chicken breast
• 1  teaspoon  chili powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• Cooking spray
• 1 1/4  cups  (1-inch) cubed fresh pineapple (about 8 ounces), divided
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh cilantro
• 2  tablespoons  fresh orange juice
• 4  teaspoons  apple cider vinegar
• 1/2  teaspoon  minced habanero pepper
• 1  large garlic clove
• 1/4  cup  extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4  cup  julienne-cut peeled jicama
• 2/3  cup  thinly sliced red bell pepper
• 1/2  cup  thinly sliced red onion
• 1  (5-ounce) package fresh baby spinach (about 8 cups)

1. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap, and pound to an even thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle both sides of chicken evenly with chili powder and salt. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook for 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; set aside.

2. Combine half of pineapple, cilantro, orange juice, vinegar, habanero, and garlic in a blender; process until smooth. With blender on, gradually add olive oil until blended.

3. Combine remaining pineapple, jicama, and the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with 3/4 cup dressing, and toss gently to coat. Divide salad evenly among 4 plates. Cut chicken across the grain into thin slices; divide chicken evenly over salads. Drizzle salads evenly with remaining 1/4 cup dressing.

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Yolanda’s Famous Chicken

This was a GREAT chicken recipe, definitely one we will make again.  It was super easy, especially if you already have bread crumbs on hand.  I sautéed some zucchini and green beans from our garden as a side dish.  I love cooking from the garden!

Yolanda’s Famous Chicken (from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:

• 2  (1 1/2-ounce) bread slices
• 4  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4  cup  all-purpose flour
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  dried marjoram
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 1  tablespoon  2% reduced-fat milk
• 1  large egg
• Cooking spray
• 4  teaspoons  olive oil, divided
• 4  lemon wedges

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Tear bread into pieces. Place bread in a food processor; pulse until breadcrumbs measure about 1 3/4 cups.

3. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound chicken to 1/2-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet.

4. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a second shallow dish. Combine milk and egg in a third shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Working with 1 breast half at a time, dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Dip into egg mixture; dredge in breadcrumb mixture, pressing to coat evenly on both sides. Place chicken on a large plate. Repeat procedure with remaining breast halves, flour, egg mixture, and breadcrumb mixture; refrigerate for 30 minutes.

5. Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray; add 2 teaspoons olive oil, swirling to coat. Add 2 breast halves to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil and remaining breast halves. Bake at 375° for 12 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°. Serve with lemon wedges.

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Spiced Chicken with Couscous Salad

This was a great summer recipe, perfect with basil and grape tomatoes from our garden!  We had to leave out the snap peas because the only ones the store had looked gross and were $6/pound.  If you like cucumber it would be a great addition to this salad.

Spiced Chicken with Couscous Salad (from Real Simple, June 2010)

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 ounces each)

1 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

kosher salt and black pepper

3⁄4 cup couscous

3/4 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered

1/4 pound snap peas, thinly sliced crosswise (about 1 cup)

1/2 cup torn fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with the paprika, cumin, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes per side; transfer to plates.

Meanwhile, place the couscous in a large bowl. Add 1 cup hot tap water, cover, and let sit for 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. Add the tomatoes, snap peas, basil, lemon zest, lemon juice, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and toss to combine.  Slice the chicken and serve with the couscous.

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Mediterranean (un)Stuffed Chicken

So on my last trip to Costco I was in a bit of a rush and grabbed the first bag of chicken breasts I found.  Turns out they were the wrong brand (I prefer the ones that are individually sealed, make less of a mess when you thaw them out) and they are filets.  So they are way too thin to be stuffed!  So Tyler just put the filling on top, as a kind of salsa.  It was still delicious!  This is a 5 ingredient recipe, making it super quick to put together.  We really enjoyed it, and next time we have regular chicken breasts, we will actually stuff them!

Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken (from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:

• 1  large red bell pepper
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped pitted kalamata olives
• 1  tablespoon  minced fresh basil
• 8  (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Directions:

Preheat broiler. Cut bell pepper in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membranes. Place pepper halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 15 minutes or until blackened. Place in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel and finely chop. Prepare grill to medium-high heat. Combine bell pepper, cheese, olives, and basil. Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff 2 tablespoons bell pepper mixture into each pocket; close opening with a wooden pick. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Place chicken on a grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill 6 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from grill; cover loosely with foil, and let stand 10 minutes.

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Chicken Fajitas on the Grill

It was actually a little cold out tonight but we grilled up dinner anyway and just ate it inside while watching last week’s Top Chef Masters.  These were delicious, I devoured them!  Loved the texture of the grilled peppers and onions, and the chicken was really juicy and flavorful.  I liked that the marinade was quick to mix up and that you didn’t have to marinate the chicken for too long (this is great when you work all day but still want marinated chicken at dinner!)

Chicken Fajitas (as seen on The Way the Cookie Crumbles, originally from Cooks Illustrated)

Ingredients:

⅓ cup juice from 2 to 3 limes
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1½ teaspoons brown sugar
1 jalapeno, seeds and ribs removed, minced
1½ tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
table salt and ground black pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1½ pounds), trimmed of fat, tenderloins removed, pounded to ½-inch thickness
1 large red onion (about 14 ounces), peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick rounds (do not separate rings)
1 large red bell pepper (about 10 ounces), quartered, stemmed, and seeded
1 large green bell pepper (about 10 ounces), quartered, stemmed, and seeded
8-12 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, 4 tablespoons oil, garlic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, jalapeno, cilantro, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¾ teaspoon pepper. Reserve ¼ cup marinade in a small bowl; set aside. Add another teaspoon salt to the remaining marinade. Place the chicken in the marinade; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 15 minutes. Brush both sides of the onion rounds and the peppers with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper.

2. Meanwhile, using a large chimney starter, ignite 6 quarts of charcoal briquettes and burn until the coals are fully ignited, about 20 minutes. Empty the coals into the grill, spreading them in a single layer; place an additional 20 unlit coals over the lit coals on one side of grill to create a two-level fire. Position the grill grate over the coals and heat the grate for 5 minutes; scrape clean with a grill brush. (For a gas grill, light all burners and turn to high, cover, and heat the grill until hot, about 15 minutes; scrape the grill grate clean with a grill brush. Leave one burner on high heat while turning the remaining burner(s) down to medium.)

3. Remove the chicken from the marinade and place it smooth side down on the hotter side of the grill; discard the remaining marinade. Place the onion rounds and peppers (skin side down) on the cooler side of the grill. Cook the chicken until it’s well browned, 4 to 5 minutes; using tongs, flip the chicken and continue grilling until it’s no longer pink when cut into with a paring knife or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers about 160 degrees, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Meanwhile, cook the peppers until spottily charred and crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once or twice as needed; cook the onions until tender and charred on both sides, 10 to 12 minutes, turning every 3 to 4 minutes. When the chicken and vegetables are done, transfer them to a large plate; tent with foil to keep warm.

4. Working in 2 or 3 batches, place the tortillas in a single layer on the cooler side of the now-empty grill and cook until warm and lightly browned, about 20 seconds per side (do not grill too long or the tortillas will become brittle). As the tortillas are done, wrap them in a kitchen towel or a large sheet of foil.

5. Separate the onions into rings and place them in a medium bowl; slice the bell peppers lengthwise into ¼-inch strips and place them in the bowl with the onions. Add 2 tablespoons reserved unused marinade to the vegetables and toss well to combine. Slice the chicken into ¼-inch strips and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons reserved marinade in another bowl; arrange the chicken and vegetables on a large platter and serve with the warmed tortillas.

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Chicken Lasagna Florentine

Tyler’s dad made this dish a couple of months ago and we loved it, so when I was over there last week I copied down the recipe, then tweaked it a bit.  Tyler’s dad made his own cream of mushroom soup instead of using the canned stuff, which was awesome.  I think next time we make this we will add more spinach and mushrooms.  This is a very rich but very delicious lasagna, the pecans are a great addition!

Chicken Lasagna Florentine (adapted from Southern Living)

Ingredients:

• 2  cups  chopped cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken from the store)
• 1  (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1  (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained (I wilted some fresh spinach instead)
• 2  cups  (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1  (6-ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained (I used 4 oz fresh sliced and sautéed mushrooms)
• 1/4  teaspoon  pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 T cornstarch
• 8oz  light sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 9  lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
• 1  cup  grated Parmesan cheese

Topping:

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 2 T butter

Preparation:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  Combine first 12 ingredients (through mayo) in a large bowl, stir until well combined. 

3.  Spray a 13×9 dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Assemble lasagna in this order: 3 noodles on bottom of dish, half of filling, 3 more noodles, remainder of filling, final 3 noodles on top.  Then cover with the parmesan cheese. 

4.  Melt butter in a pan and cook the pecans for approximately 3 minutes. 

5.  Sprinkle pecans on top of lasagna and cover dish with foil.

6.  Bake dish for 45 minutes covered, then 10-15 more minutes uncovered.  Remove from oven and let stand for approximately 15 minutes before serving.

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