Chicken stir-fry and rice

I adapted this recipe from my beef and broccoli recipe, but when I only had chicken on hand. WE LOVED this dish and will definitely make it like this on a regular basis!

• 3 TBSP cornstarch
• 1 1/2 C Hot water
• 2 chicken boullion cubes
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce, reduced sodium
• 8 oz. chicken breast, thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1 pound frozen cut broccoli (or fresh)
• 1 C shredded carrots
• 1 can water chestnuts
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 small onion diced
• 1/2 tsp salt (more if desired)
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 
  

Directions

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, hot water, bullion, and soy sauce. Stir until sugar and cornstarch are dissolved.

In a large skillet or wok over high heat, cook and stir chicken 2 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add salt and onions and cook until translucent. Stir in broth mixture, ginger, garlic, and vegetables. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until sauce thickens.

ENJOY! :)

 Serves 7-8 one cup servings (depending on how many veggies you put in)

1 Cup of Chicken and veggie dish is 3 +points
1 Cup of Chicken and veggie dish served with 1/2 C brown rice is 6 +points 

Our "no Jack Daniels" Grill Glaze

• While browsing the internet a few months ago, I came across this copycat recipe for Jack Daniels glaze, like you would order at TGIFridays. While I don't know if it's identical, per se, it's really a great glaze! Not being alcohol drinkers, we omit the actual Jack Daniels....
• 
  
• We love this on burgers, chicken...ALL meat really. Be sure to add sauce liberally. It's delicious! :)
• 
  
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/4 cup Kikkoman's teriyaki sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 1/3 cups dark brown sugar
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 tsp roasted garlic (I just used minced)
• 3 teaspoons minced white onions
• 1 teaspoon crushed pineapple
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Combine water, pineapple juice, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce and brown sugar in a saucepan over medium high heat. Stir occasionally until mixture boils, then reduce heat to simmer.Add garlic and remaining ingredients to pan and stir. Let simmer for 35-45 minutes or until sauce has reduced by 1/2 and is thick and syrupy.
2. To use, grill meat until almost done, then use the glaze otherwise it will burn.

Enchiladas

originally found here. Shared here with my adjustments.

1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 tsp. canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. sugar
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 oz. shredded cheddar cheese, divided
½ cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
Cooking spray

Directions:
Combine the onion and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar, and cook just until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Mix in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through (160˚ F on an instant-read thermometer), about 12-20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside to cool.

Strain the sauce through a large mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing down on the onions and tomatoes to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the reserved solids to a large bowl and set aside. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste. (though in my opinion, you don't really need to add any because there are so many great spices already going on)

Shred the chicken into bite size pieces and add to the bowl with the onion mixture. Add in ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, 2 oz. of the shredded cheese, and the cilantro. Stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Oil a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Stack the tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 40-60 seconds, until warm and pliable. Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla around the filling tightly, and place in the prepared baking dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.

Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until the tortillas start to brown slightly.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400˚ F. Remove the enchiladas from the oven and pour the sauce oven the top. Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is browned. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 12 enchiladas

Serves 6 = (2 enchiladas per serving) 8 pt+

Southwest Eggrolls

1 chicken breast fillet

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons minced red bell peppers

2 tablespoons minced green onions

1/3 cup frozen corn

1/4 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 dash cayenne pepper

3/4 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese

5 7-inch flour tortillas

Preheat barbecue grill (or skillet) to high heat. Rub the chicken breast with some vegetable oil then grill it on the barbecue (or in the skillet) for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done. Lightly salt and pepper each side of the chicken while it cooks. Set chicken aside until it cools down enough to handle.

Preheat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red pepper and onion to the pan and sauté for a couple minutes until tender. Dice the cooked chicken into small cubes and add it to the pan. Add the corn, black beans, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cayenne pepper to the pan.Cook for another 4 minutes.

. Remove the pan from the heat and add the cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted.

Wrap the tortillas in a moist cloth and microwave on high temperature for 1 1/2 minutes or until hot. Spoon approximately one-fifth of the mixture into the center of a tortilla. Fold in the ends and then roll the tortilla over the mixture. Roll the tortilla very tight, then pierce with a toothpick to hold together.

Repeat with the remaining ingredients until you have five eggrolls. Arrange the eggrolls on a plate, cover the plate with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.

COOKING:

Preheat 4-6 cups of oil to 375 degrees. Deep fry the eggrolls in the hot oil for 12-15 minutes and remove to paper towels or a rack to drain for about 2 minutes.

Slice each eggroll diagonally lengthwise and arrange on a plate around a small bowl of the dipping sauce.

DIPPING SAUCE:

1/4 cup smashed fresh avocados (about half of an avocado)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried parsley
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1 dash dried dill weed
1 dash garlic powder
1 dash pepper
Garnish
2 tablespoons chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped onions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and garnish.

--A HUGE thanks to my sister-in-law Jenny for making these and introducing us to them! They are SUPER tasty!!!

EASY Chicken Rice Soup

Got this recipe from a gal over at Apron Girl's. I am going to post her original recipe and then the variations I made. :)

Chicken Rice Soup

1 boneless skinless chicken breast,cut into cubes
1 large can of chicken broth
1/2 a box of Uncle Ben's Long grain wild rice (Use half the rice mixture and half the seasonings mixture and save the rest for another time)
cut up some carrots

Put it all in a pot and cook on medium heat for 1 hour.


OKAY, My variation:
-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (already cooked--I cook them ahead and freeze them) Cut into cubes.
-1 large can of Chicken broth (plus a little more water added at the end of cooking--you can decide how much to add as per how much rice you decide to use.
-1 whole box of uncooked Uncle Ben's long grain wild rice, using all seasonings as well.
-half a bag of frozen cut carrots.

This was seriously 20 minutes. Hardly any prep. Done. :) And it was SO delicious. Because I used the whole box of rice, I did add a little bit of water with a bullion cube at the end and let it dissolve before serving, just so my soup wasn't too thick with the rice. But I thought it was PERFECT.

Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

I made this recipe up after trying a million recipes. I love it because it is so incredible easy and it isn't too spicy for my kids, but has just the right kick! :)

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can Southwestern Style Pepperjack soup (or Nacho Cheese soup--both are from Campbells)
1 1/2 C milk
1/2 C soup cream
1/4 C salsa
2 C cheddar cheese (divided)
1 can chicken - drained
8 tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix soup, milk, sour cream, salsa, and 1 C cheese together. Put about 1 C of this mixture in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. (a little more if necessary to lightly cover the bottom) Add chicken to the mixture in the bowl. Put about 1/4-1/2 C filling in the center of each torilla and roll up. Place tightly together in pan. Pour remaining soupy mixture over the enchiladas and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Chicken & Bows

I was trying to think of a more exciting name than Chicken and Bows...but I just couldn't. So, straight from the Simple & Delicious magazine, I present to you Chicken and bows...

I love this recipe for a variety of reasons. While my kids love peppers, most kids don't. This recipe presents a great way to put a veggie they might not normally eat in without it being overpowering. The second reason I love it it because it makes a TON of food and is VERY FREEZER FRIENDLY! So, without planning to or making special arrangements, you have another night's meal ready to freeze and reheat for a quick dinner another night. The meal on a whole was not very expensive at all--and divided by 12 would make it a very budget friendly meal. VERY tasty, very easy--the kids gobbled it right up!

1 package (16 ounces) bow tie pasta
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips (I used pre-cubed chicken that I got as a manager special at the store, so mine is cubed)

1 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 cups frozen peas
1-1/2 cups milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a seperate pan, cook chicken and red pepper in butter over medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until chicken juices run clear. Stir in the soup, peas, milk, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Stir in Parmesan cheese.

Drain pasta; add to chicken mixture and toss to coat. Serve half of the mixture immediately.

Cool remaining mixture; transfer to a freezer container. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Transfer to an ungreased shallow 3-qt. microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 8-10 minutes or until heated through, stirring once. Yield: 2 casseroles (6 servings each).

Chicken Green Bean Casserole

No, this isn't a side dish--a delicious combo of wild rice, chicken, and the good ol' Thanksgiving favorite sidedish, this is a true family favorite in our house!

Chicken Green Bean Casserole

1/2 C Miracle Whip (or Mayo)
1 can chicken
1 can Cream of Celery soup
1 pkg Uncle Ben's Long grain & Wild rice
1 Can of Durkee french fried onions
1 Can french cut green beans

Cook Rice according to package directions. In a large bowl mix green beans with half of the juice, soup, miracle whip, and chicken. Blend well. Once the rice is finished, add it to the bowl mix. Put in an 8x8 pan and sprinkle fried onions all over the top (we LOVE these!) Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.(this is great for turkey leftovers and also freezes well--just don't freeze with onions!)

If you are questioning my math skills because this technically has 6 ingredients but I put it in the less than 5 category, it is SOOOO easy that it might as well have 5-- :) And WORTH IT! Yum! The kids gobble this up every time!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
1-2 pounds chicken nuggets
8 oz. swiss cheese, cubed
8 oz. ham, diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 C milk

Place nuggets as the bottom layer of a baking dish. Add cubes of swiss cheese and small pieces of ham. Mix cream of chicken soup with 1 C milk. Mix well and pour over the rest of ingredients in the dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

This spot is saved for my favorite chicken noodle soup recipe...now, if only I could find it! :)

I love a good bowl of chicken noodle soup--is is just something that soothes the soul. I have a favorite chicken noodle soup recipe--it is thicker (almost stew-like) and SO delicious! But somehow in our move, I have lost it. Now, what I also love about chicken noodle soup is that it is a good "clean out the fridge" food. I had some veggies, chicken, and all sorts of random noodles I needed to use, so the one in the picture is really just a good base with some basil and oregeno and all my leftovers. But it was rather good. I am now in search of that delicious creamy soup recipe. Anyone ever had it? If so, please post the recipe!!! :) In the meantime, I will

be on the lookout...

Parmesan Ranch Chicken

Parmesan Ranch Chicken

--Each juicy bite is packed with flavor!--

1 EGG, beaten well
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 packet Ranch salad dressing mix
8 (4 oz) chicken breasts (though I usually only cook 4 at a time, and just freeze the other half of the mix for the next time)

***I like to take my chicken breast and slice them in half, horizontally, so it is a thinner breast. Makes cutting so much easier and they cook nice and even!

Mix breadcrumbs, parm cheese, and ranch mix together in a bowl (I like to do mine in a baggie so I can toss my chicken for coating). In a separate bowl,beat eggr. Rinse your chicken and pat dry--then dip in egg mix. Proceed to coat your chicken (bag or bowl) with the ranch mixture. Place in a 9x13 pan, uncovered, at 375 for 50 minutes...