Chicken and Blackbean Soup

I saw a crock pot recipe for a chicken, salsa and blackbean soup and decided that that was what I was going to have for dinner tonight. But I wanted to use my leftover rotisserie chicken and I didn't want to use the crockpot. So after unsuccessfully trying to find a recipe I wanted to use here's what I came up with. The ingredient list is kinda long...but if you have a well stocked pantry you should have most everything on hand.

2 cups diced cooked chicken (I just tore the chicken into smallish pieces)
2 cans chicken broth
1 can of water
1.5 tbs cumin
1 tbs chili powder
1 tsp mexican oregano (optional)
2 cans black beans rinsed
1 can corn
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs hot sauce (optional)
2 cups salsa (I used Old El Paso)
optional add-ins:
cooked brown rice
sour cream
shredded cheddar
chopped green onions

In a large pot saute the garlic in the olive oil for about 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth plus fill one can with water and add to the pot. Add the black beans. Using a potato masher mash the black beans to your preferred consistency (I also added 1 extra can of black beans I had run through the blender to make the soup thicker). Add all other ingredients except the add-ins. Bring to a boil then turn down the heat and let simmer for 30-45 mins. Put rice on the bottom of your bowl then spoon in the soup and top with sour cream, cheese, and onions. Enjoy!

NOTE- I made two seperate pots of this. Once I added everything but the meat I set aside a small pot for the Vegetarian. Instead of adding chicken I added 2 veggie bugers that I had cut up. In retrospect I would have just added one to such a small pot. Though honestly, it really didn't need anything extra since I had already added that extra can of beans. We all loved it. And the Veggie's friend ate 2 bowls...which is a big deal, this boy eats like a bird. My toddler loved it, and it didn't take near as long to have her finish her dinner than the usual days. This is definately something we'll make again.

Chicken Curry Soup

I made this last night for the sick vegetarian staying with us. Her friend...who's a boy (but don't say boyfriend)...took her to the ER yesterday b/c she had a high fever and was feeling awful. Knowing they'd be there for quite a while and would be hungry when they came back I made this soup for her. It's pretty good. I liked it. I didn't add chicken but I would next time I make it for the rest of us.

1 cup thinly sliced chicken breast (this is easier to do if the meat is a slightly frozen)
2 tbs olive oil
2 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock)
2 cups water
1 chicken or veggie bullion cube
2.5-3 tbs curry powder
1/2 tbs parsley
4 cloves smashed garlic
1 clove smashed and minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 butternut squash diced into larger pieces
1 med sweet potato diced
1 large diced carrot
1 small onion, diced
1 stalk celery diced

saute the chicken on med-high heat with salt and pepper and 1 clove of minced garlic until no longer pink. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Let simmer for 30 mins or until veggies are soft.

NOTE-My vegetarian doesn't mind chicken stock but to make this truly vegetarian stick with vegetable stock. You can also substitute the chicken for Quorn chik'n tenders or tofu. This soup isn't spicy but it has a lot of flavor and is perfect for what ails ya.

Spicey Breaded Roasted Chicken

1 1/3 c (crushed) cornflakes or rice crispies
1 tbls canola oil
2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp balck pepper
1 tbls Dijon mustard
1/2 cup mayo
4 pieces boneless skinless chicken

Combine mayo and Dijon.

Combine dry ingredients and oil in large ziplock bag.

Dip chicken in mayo/mustard mixture. Toss in dry ingredients. Roast on pan at 425.

Chicken Noodle Soup

It's been way too long since my last post. I've made plenty of yummy meals thinking "I need to blog this!" But I'm a procrastinator and I can't remember most of what I wanted to post. So I was determined to post this since we all loved it! And since my resident vegetarian has been MIA this week I could devote all my attention to a yummy meat filled meal! :)

This was adapted from a recipe in my Betty Crocker cookbook (I love that cookbook!)

Total prep/cook time: appx 1 hr 30 mins

3-3 1/2 lbs cut up chicken (I had 3 1/2 lbs of fresh bone-in breasts so I used those)
6 cups cold water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 chopped stalk celery
2 chopped medium carrots
1 chopped small onion (I roughly chopped it)
2 sprigs of thyme
1 tbs chicken bouillion granules
4 cloves of garlic-smashed but not crushed
1 cup of chopped asparagus
1-1 1/2 cup of egg noodles
1 cup boxed chicken stock (optional)

Start by making the chicken and broth. Now, really you're supposed to make the broth, discard the veggies, cut new veggies and make the soup. But I thought that was a waste of veggies and time. Remove excess fat from chicken, place chicken (giblets-except liver, and neck if you're using a whole cut up chicken) in a 4 quart pot. add remaining ingredients except noodles and asparagus and heat to boiling. Skim any foam from the broth and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 45 mins or until chicken is fully cooked (use a meat thermometer or check if juices run clear). Remove chicken from the broth and debone. Using only breasts really helped this process go quickly. You might want to let the chicken cool...my poor fingers. waiting for the chicken to cool is a good time to skim the fat from the broth. Cube chicken then add back to the pot. Add the noodles and asparagus and heat to boiling then reduce the heat and allow to simmer uncovered for 7-10 minutes or when noodles are soft. Serve with bread or crackers (my daughter loved that I added goldfish crackers to swim in her soup).

Note: Now, when I made this I had a box of chicken stock in my fridge and I didn't feel like I had enough "juice" (as my daughter would say) once I added the noodles. So I added probably a cup of stock. Then today when we reheated it I added another cup of stock. It was chock full of chicken and noodles and so yummy and really didn't take much effort! Next time I might add shredded cabbage and/or squash just to play around with it a little. I hope you enjoy this recipe!!

Chicken and Dressing

With the Holidays around the corner, I thought this would be good to post. It is my grandmothers and it makes enough to serve about 50 people so unless you are feeding that many, don't forget to scale it down!

1 large package of chicken- legs and thighs
1 large package of chicken- breasts
2 boxes Stove Top stuffing, chicken flavor
4 9-inch rounds of cornbread
8 chopped onions
4 tbsp sage
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp black pepper
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans cream of celery soup
12 eggs, beaten
2 gallons of chicken broth
6-8 c of bread crumbs (loaf bread, buns, etc)

Boil chicken in 2 large pots for about an hour. Have cornbread made ahead of time and crumbled. Remove chicken from both. Pour broth into large pan. Add soups and mix well. Add crumbled cornbread, stuffing mix and bread crumbs. Mix well. Add all other ingredients. Mix well. Pull chicken from bone, cut in bite-size pieces and mix in dressing. Pour dressing into large 12x19 pan or 2 9x13 pans. Bake at 325 degrees for about an hour or until done. Dressing is better to make ahead and freeze.

Chicken and Dumplings

4-5 large chicken breasts
5 qt water
1 can cream of chicken soup
salt and pepper to taste

Dumplings:
3 c self-rising flour
1/4 c shortening
1 c to 1-1/4 c milk

Boil chicken in water, add salt and pepper. Let boil over medium heat for about an hour. Remove chicken from broth. Let chicken cool while making dumplings. Add can of soup to the broth and mix well.

Dumplings: In large bowl, put flour and cut in shortening, resembling pie crust. Add milk. Stir to make dough. Roll out on floured surface to about 1/8-inch thick or so. Cut in strips and cut strips in about 2-inch pieces. Have broth boiling, add chicken (cut into bite-size pieces), add strips, one at a time, stirring occasionally. When all dumplings are in, place lid on and simmer 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This recipe is my grandmothers. She has made it countless times and it is always the best!

Chicken Noodle Soup

4 chicken breasts boiled and cut into pieces
2 qt water
8 chicken bouillon cubes
5-6 cups egg noodles
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 8 oz sour cream

Bring water to boil, add bouillon cubes. Add egg noodles and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Add soup and heat thoroughly. Add chicken. Just before serving stir in sour cream. This recipe is from a lady at our church, delicious!

King Ranch Chicken

I have never had a dish requested by as many people or as often as this one. I was famous for it in college and didn't divulge how easy it is to make until after I graduated and moved. :)


~Shredded cooked chicken. I have often used leftovers from any other chicken I've recently made.
~Torn up corn tortillas. White or yellow, it doesn't matter.
~Grated cheddar. The more the happier your family will be.

In a medium sized bowl, mix:
~1 can of cream of mushroom (fat free is fine)
~1 can of cream of chicken (fat free is fine)
~ 2 cans of diced tomatoes with green chiles OR 3 cans of Rotel


In a casserole dish, layer in the following order:
~sauce
~tortillas
~sauce
~chicken
~cheese
~tortillas
~sauce
~chicken
~cheese
~tortillas
~sauce
~cheese


Cover and bake at 375 until the cheese bubbles. Put a pan on the rack underneath to catch any cheese that bubbles out. (I've been known to microwave it in a pinch, but it always turns better in the oven.)


Serve it with a dollop of sour cream. My family eats it w/ tortilla chips instead of forks. :)

Enjoy!

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

This is a favorite of my sisters! Hope you enjoy!

4 chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup or 1 large family size can.
1 carton sour cream, 16 oz
1 roll Ritz crackers, crushed
2 Tbsp poppy seed
1 stick margarine, melted
Salt and pepper to taste

Boil chicken with salt and pepper. When chicken is done, debone and cut into bite-size pieces. Mix soup, poppy seed and sour cream well. Pour mixture over chicken and mix. Pour crushed crackers on top of chicken mixture. Drizzle margarine over crackers. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Chicken Spaghetti

This is a favorite dish of mine. It is very filling and "comfort food" at its finest! I like this dish because it is very versatile, I'm going to put the full recipe as I received it but I have made it before without the peas, pimento or bell peppers, so if you do not like these items then you can leave them out!

INGREDIENT LIST:
4 chicken breasts (I have found that you get a better flavor with the chicken if you buy the chicken on the bone)
1-2 bell peppers, chopped finely
1-2 onions, depending on your taste, chopped finely
1 large can English peas
1 small jar pimento
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes (this dish has a kick to it but it you want to kick it up even more you can add the hotter variety of Ro-Tel)
1 package spaghetti noodles, 16 oz.
One large box Velveeta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Boil chicken with salt and pepper. After chicken is cooked debone and cut into bite size pieces.
2. At the same time the chicken is cooking, boil spaghetti noodles, onions and bell pepper until pasta is done.
3. When pasta is almost done, melt cheese in microwave. When cheese is melted, (it is okay if cheese is a little lumpy) add Ro-Tel (with the juice), pimento and English peas to the cheese. After pasta is done, drain all water and add cheese mixture to noodles. Mix well. Add chicken.
4. Pour into large casserole dish, mix well and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Another favorite from Allrecipes.com! I made this as stated and it was absolutely delicious!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chicken-Cordon-Bleu-II/Detail.aspx

INGREDIENTS

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 6 slices Swiss cheese
• 6 slices ham
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges. Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
2. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Serve warm.

Yummy Honey Chicken Kabobs

Another great recipe courtesy of Allrecipes.com! Jammie can back me up on this one, it is FABULOUS! I marinated the chicken separately from the veggies, more so just so the flavor of the veggies didn't overpower the chicken while marinating. I used onion, and green and red pepper the first time that I made this dish. It would also be great with button mushrooms, grape tomatoes or pineapple added into the mix! It's a very versatile recipe when it comes to the veggies.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Yummy-Honey-Chicken-Kabobs/Detail.aspx

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 5 small onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 2 red bell peppers, cut into 2 inch pieces
• skewers - Don't forget to soak them!!!
  

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, whisk together oil, honey, soy sauce, and pepper. Before adding chicken, reserve a small amount of marinade to brush onto kabobs while cooking. Place the chicken, garlic, onions and peppers in the bowl, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours (the longer the better).
2. Preheat the grill for high heat.
3. Drain marinade from the chicken and vegetables, and discard marinade. Thread chicken and vegetables alternately onto the skewers.
4. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place the skewers on the grill. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until chicken juices run clear. Turn and brush with reserved marinade frequently.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Casserole

1 can of cheddar cheese
1 can of cream of mushroom (or cream of broccoli)
2 cups cooked rice
1/2 bag of frozen chopped broccoli (cooked)
1/2 cup of milk
1 cup of cooked diced chicken or Quorn chik'n tenders
1 tsp crushed garlic
1 tsp soy sauce (optional)
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups shredded cheddar

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all the ingredients except shredded cheddar together in a bowl and place in a lightly greased casserole dish. Bake for 25 mins, top with cheddar, bake another 10-15 mins until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.

*Thanks to Joyce for helping me tweak and correct this recipe!*

Chicken Gorgonzola

I was inspired by a meal that I saw at Trader Joe's last week and I thought to myself, "Hey, I can make that!" and my oh my I am so glad that I did and the best part...Start to table in 30 minutes!! I think the kids would love a "naked" version of this, just chicken and the cheese sauce.

• 3 Chicken Breasts
• Whole wheat flour
  
• 3 Tbs Olive Oil
• 1/3 Cup Portabella Mushrooms, cut into pieces
  
• 1 Small Shallot, chopped
  
• 2 Cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 Cup half and half
• 1/2 Cup Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese
• 1 Roma Tomato, chopped
  

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in large pan. Add in mushrooms, shallot, and garlic and cook until shallot is tender. Lightly dredge the chicken through the flour and add to the pan cooking until juices run clear. Meanwhile, heat half and half in a saucepan until warm, add in Gorgonzola cheese stirring until creamy. When the chicken is cooked through remove from pan and top each breast with the mushroom mixture and chopped roma tomatoes. Drizzle cheese sauce over top of chicken and top with parsley flakes if desired.

Cheesy Potato Casserole Supreme

I got this recipe from a Betty Crocker cookbook and put my own spin on it. It was REALLY good. One of the household members described it as "cheesy potatoes in awesomeness". It originally calls for 1 can of cream of chicken soup but I replaced it with 1 can of cheddar cheese sauce. And I also added chopped Quorn Chik'n Tenders.

Prep: 15 min; Bake: 50 min

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cheddar cheese sauce
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (30-ounce) package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (I used O'brien potatoes)
8 medium green onions, sliced (1/2 cup) (I omitted the green onions since I used the O'brien potatoes)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1 1/2 cup of diced cooked chicken or Quorn Chik'n Tenders (optional)

Heat oven to 350°. Grease rectangular baking dish, 13 x 9 x 2 inches. Mix soups, sour cream, milk and pepper in very large bowl. Stir in potatoes and onions. Spoon into baking dish. Bake uncovered 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and bubbly around edges.

Notes: You could also add chopped broccoli or carrots or other veggies to sneak veggies into your kids' dinner. I would recommend making this with frozen O'Brien potatoes since it has onions and bell peppers already added. It adds great flavor and color to the dish and saves you an extra step!

NUTRITION FACTS: 1 Serving:; Calories 325 (Calories from Fat 135); Fat 15g (Saturated 8g); Cholesterol 40mg; Sodium 1,060mg; Carbohydrate 39g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 9g % DAILY VALUE:; Vitamin A 10%; Vitamin C 10%; Calcium 16%; Iron 6% DIET EXCHANGES:; 2 Starch; 2 Vegetable; 3 Fat

From "Betty Crocker's Complete Cookbook, Everything You Need to Know to Cook Today, 9th Edition." Text Copyright 2000 General Mills, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Chicken Fried Rice

Have I mentioned that I'm so glad to have Jammie to share recipes with? :) Once again she came to my rescue and helped me with supper. I only made half the recipe because, well frankly I accidentally made half the rice I was supposed to and could only make half, but it came out with more than enough, so that's what I'm going to post. I didn't follow an exact recipe, so this is as close as it gets. Feel free to change what you'd like. :)


Chicken Fried Rice

4 pieces of chicken, seasoned w/ garlic and ginger, broiled and then cubed (Or cube and then stirfry them w/ sesame oil, garlic, ginger, and soy sauce and then add the rest)
2 cups of cooked rice
1 cup of frozen carrots
1 package of frozen broccoli (feel free to use whatever frozen veggies you'd like)
Sesame Oil
Soy Sauce
Minced Garlic (approximately 1 clove)
Ginger
Water Chestnuts (ok, so this wasn't in the recipe at all, but I had some and love them so in the pan they went)

Heat the sesame oil in your skillet. Add the rice and frozen veggies. Add the garlic and ginger (can be adjusted to taste). Throw in the chicken. Add the soy sauce until it looks right. :) I added the water chestnuts VERY last to keep crispy.
Allow it to simmer until the veggies are cooked.


Yummy! Alex ate THREE helpings! And here is what Kairi thought of it:

Roast Chicken

Cut 1-3 potatoes into small chunks.
Layer the bottom of your crock pot.
Slice a carrot.
Put in the crock pot.
Add in any extra frozen veggies you'd like.

Stuff a whole chicken with chopped onions and garlic cloves. Put it in the pot. Season the top w/ garlic salt, parsley, and onion powder.

Leave it on high for 6-8 hours.

Foil Pack Taco Chicken Dinner

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves
* 4 teaspoons TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Seasoning Mix
* 2 cups thinly sliced peeled potatoes
* 1 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Shredded Cheese
* 1/2 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa
* 1/4 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream



DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Sprinkle chicken evenly with seasoning mix. Place 1/2 cup of the potatoes on center of each of four large sheets of heavy-duty foil; top each with 1 chicken breast, 1/4 cup of the cheese and 2 tablespoons of the salsa.
2. Bring up foil sides. Double fold top and both ends to seal each packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place in single layer in 15x10x1-inch baking pan.
3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (170 degrees F) and potatoes are tender. Remove packets from oven. Let stand 5 minutes. Place one packet on each of four dinner plates. Cut slits in foil with sharp knife to release steam before opening. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon of the sour cream.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Foil-Pack-Taco-Chicken-Dinner/Detail.aspx


After tryings this, we agreed that it definitely needs to be made with chicken breasts, not thighs. And it would be DELICIOUS on the grill.
Also, serve it with a bean dip and chips. Yum.

Onion Soup Chicken

Onion Soup Chicken
1 package of onion soup
2 tablespoons of flour
1 cup of water
Mix together.

Cut up 2 potatoes, 3 med carrots, and another veggie. Put in oven bag. Add mixture. Shake until all veggies are well-coated.

Add chicken.

Bake at 375 for an hour.

If your carrots and potatoes are already cooked, then you can do it in the microwave for approximately 15 minutes instead (w/o the bag). Or you can combine then and throw them in the crockpot.

Spicy Black Bean Chicken Soup

Spicy Black Bean Chicken Soup

Shredded boneless skinless cooked chicken (I usually just use leftover chicken from the past night or so.)
2 drained and rinsed cans of black beans
1 can of chicken broth
1-2 cans of rotel (according to taste)
Occasionally I add corn.
Garlic salt
Onion powder
Pepper

Combine in pot and simmer for 30 minutes.