Chicken

Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie

June 18, 2013 by Denisesawyer 3 Comments

This comfort food dish is one that will make you want to do the happy dance. Why? Because you can make this dish, from scratch, in less than thirty minutes! And, it is a delicious meal that everyone will love.

It should also be said that this dish is a family friendly, budget friendly dish – it is a great way to stretch a little meat and to get a good serving or two of veggies in your kiddos!

I made my Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie with homemade cream of chicken soup – no canned soup here. The end result was fantastic. My husband nearly licked his plate!

:: Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie

1 big, raw chicken breast, diced into small chunks (I use local, hormone/antibiotic free, humanely raised chicken)
1 recipe for homemade cream of chicken soup
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 and 1/2 bags (10-12 oz each) of mixed vegetables

First, I browned the chicken in the butter and olive oil {from the cream of chicken soup recipe along with the garlic. While the chicken browned, I placed 6 biscuits in the oven. After the chicken was browned and had a good crust on it, I added the flour {from the homemade cream of chicken soup recipe}. Finally, add the remaining ingredients from the homemade cream of chicken soup recipe.

When the soup begins to thicken, add the milk {from the cream of chicken soup recipe} along with the frozen veggies. Allow the mixture to cook on low until everything is done/warm.

Once the biscuits were done, I split one and poured the chicken mixture over it. This made enough for all 6 biscuits. So, for my family, it was enough for dinner and lunch for my husband tomorrow. Can’t beat that! One nice piece of meat to feed 4!

Call it Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie, call it Chicken Stew over biscuits, I’m calling it delicious! This recipe is definitely a keeper!

I’ve served this meal to many of my extended family members and friends and everyone goes wild for it. It is definitely a people-pleaser. You can’t go wrong with some chicken gravy and biscuits.

Want to go all out… try this with my whole wheat buttermilk biscuits.

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Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

June 14, 2013 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

Have you been trying your best to kick the processed foods out of your house? Are you a Southerner that likes your “cream of something” soup? I mean come on, there are about a gazillion recipes now days that call for at least one can of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom or Cream of Chicken Soup. It seems that any short cut family meal must contain at least one can of soup.

Have you read the label? Have you been avoiding it on purpose? Don’t go hide under your bed! I confess! I confess! I was also hanging on to my beloved cream of something soups! It was just so convenient and the thought of going an extra step to make my own made me sweat. I just knew it would be difficult and time consuming.

Well, I am about to show you the magic behind the curtain and you are going to be so surprised! I’ve been making my own for a while now and I haven’t been buying it in a can…and I haven’t missed it. Why? It is REALLY simple! And, what is better, it only takes a couple of ingredients you probably already have on hand. Are you as excited as me!? You can finally kick that can to the curb! Processed foods be gone! Real food tastes good and is good for you!

:: Cream of Chicken Soup

2 Tbsp of butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp of flour
2 cups of homemade chicken stock {or store bought will work too-preferably organic}
1 cup whole milk {raw or organic is preferred}
1 tsp Better than Bullion, organic chicken base

Melt the butter in a large sauce pot or Dutch oven. Add the olive oil and the flour. You’ll want to add enough to soak up all the extra oil/butter and allow it to cook a minute to get rid of any flour taste. The flour will bubble and simmer for a minute. Add the chicken stock and chicken base (better than bullion) and allow it to simmer a few minutes. Add the whole milk and let the soup boil for a few minutes, until it has thickened.

This is soup is great in my Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie or any dish that normally calls for Cream of Chicken Soup! Enjoy!

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Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Soups and Stews, Uncategorized, Wholesome Food, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: chicken, chicken soup, cream of chicken, cream of chicken soup, homemade

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Moroccan Flatbread with Rockin’ Raisin Marinara

May 14, 2013 by Denisesawyer 4 Comments

When I was faced with making a new appetizer recipe incorporating raisins I immediately thought of all the sweet foods I enjoy raisins in: cookies, pastries, pies, and charoseth. But, I wanted something different. My brain went to a Moroccan dish that a friend made for me once: Moroccan Chicken Stew. I remembered this dish had golden raisins and tomatoes, along with beans and peppers, and chicken and I loved the sweet and spice together. I thought about how to spin this dish into something more portable. Something a guest could hold while sipping a glass of wine. Pizza! Everyone loves pizza, right?

Well, this is a Moroccan spin on pizza… flatbread. Flatbread made from pita to be exact. Instead of a traditional Italian marinara I decided to add spices that would be more “Moroccan” like cumin, mint, and raisins in place of oregano and basil. The raisins are the real star in this dish – not only adding a powerful cancer fighting punch with it’s team up with tomatoes, but also the raisins give the sauce an element of sweetness. The sweetness of the raisins in chorus with the smokiness of the cumin makes for a great flavor combo.

What became of this kitchen experiment was something magical. My guinea pigs {also known as my family} gave it rave reviews. We were all shocked at how delicious this turned out. It really is a fine dining restaurant quality dish that you can make in your home fairly simply.

I used homemade whole wheat pita which added an hour to my prep time. You can get the recipe here. But you can totally use store bought flatbread or pita for this to speed up the process a bit – especially if you are preparing this appetizer for a large party. I also used rotisserie chicken, another great time saver. If you use store bought pita and deli rotisserie chicken, you’ll be able to whip this recipe up in 15 to 20 minutes.

Here’s how to make your own:

:: Moroccan Flatbread with Rockin’ Raisin Marinara

5 flatbreads or pitas
1 cup of shredded rotisserie chicken
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cup of shredded mozzarella

For the Rockin’ Raisin Marinara
1 can {15 oz} tomato sauce
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 cup of purple raisins, chopped
1/4 cup of golden raisins, left whole
fresh mint leaves, cut into ribbons

Preheat the oven to broil. Prepare the sauce: saute the chopped onion and garlic in a saucepan. When the onions and garlic have been sauteed, add the tomato sauce, cumin, and both raisins. Allow the mixture to boil. Then, turn the sauce down to a simmer. When the sauce begins to thicken, turn it off.

Spread each flatbread with a couple spoonfuls of sauce. Top with shredded chicken, some sliced onions, and some shredded mozzarella. Place the flatbreads into the oven and keep an eye on it. Remove when the cheese begins to turn golden brown and bubbly.

Top with some fresh mint. Slice the flatbreads into long thin strips for a simple to hold appetizer.

Fun Fact: California Raisins are grown in the San Joaquin Valley in California by FAMILIES. It is a family business and many of the farms have been in the family for more than a century and knowledge is passed from generation to generation. Doesn’t that make your feel warm and fuzzy?

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Filed Under: Appetizers, Chicken, Main Dishes, Uncategorized, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: appetizer, moroccan food, moroccan pizza, raisin marinara, raisins

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Chicken and Broccoli Rice Cups

April 20, 2013 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

Need a quick, one pan meal? Trying to get the kiddos to eat their veggies? This is a great little meal that will please even the kiddos. Who doesn’t love broccoli and cheese? With a little left over rotisserie chicken, this meal hits just about all the food groups! Just add some fruit like cantaloupe, watermelon, or even some sliced tomatoes and you’ve got everything you need!

Cooking this dish in muffin cups make it fun and freezable! You can make a big batch and freeze half for a second dinner or quick lunch. Just place in the fridge the night before to thaw and then pop in the oven to heat through.

:: Chicken and Broccoli Rice Cups

1 cup rice (uncooked)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup rotisserie chicken
1 1/2 cups of frozen broccoli
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (reserve 1/2 cup for topping)
1/4 cup of Stonyfield plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp milk
2 eggs, beaten

Cook rice in 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a boil and then turn it down to simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook frozen broccoli until just done.

Saute the shallot in 1 Tbsp of butter.

Place shallot, chicken, rice, broccoli, salt, 3/4 cup of cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup of yogurt, milk, and eggs in a large bowl. Mix well.

Butter 12 standard muffin cups. Divide the mixture into all twelve muffin wells. Top with reserved cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 for approximately 25 minutes.

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Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: broccoli rice cups, casserole, chicken, chicken broccoli rice cups, dinner, freezer meals, leftovers

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Rock Your Socks Off Homemade Ramen

April 4, 2013 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

Let me preface this recipe with this statement: My son WILL NOT eat soup. I could stand on my head, promise him the moon, bribe him with cold hard cash, a trip to the toy store… to no avail. He is like the character in the Dr. Seuss book who will not eat green eggs and ham…not in a box, not on a train… you get the idea.

However, HE ATE THIS SOUP. You heard me correctly. Without any aforementioned bribery, he at this soup. It think it may have had to do with the length of the noodles. At first I showed him the soup and he quickly made his mind up that this was not for him. I didn’t push the subject. I offered him a bite of mine and showed him a long noodle from my bowl and quickly slurped it up with a very rude and messy “SLURP.” His eyes lit up and he was sold. He decided, maybe I’ll just have one bite of your noodles. So, I offered him a very long one and made sure to make a big deal about how this was the “longest noddle I had ever seen!” He ate it. The earth stood still. No one breathed a breath. And, then Judah declared, “this is the best soup ever! I want to have this every day!” Did you just read that. EVERY. DAY.

My husband had an equally enthusiastic expression about the soup, stating that this should be on the weekly rotation. I don’t know that I’ll make this every week, but it is very good, and very easy. So, it will be showing up as a family favorite.

The secret is using store bought {extremely cheap, it will take you back to college days} ramen. But, make sure you get this memo: THROW AWAY THE SEASONING PACKET. You don’t need it, your’re going to make a broth that taste eleventy thousand times better. Plus, it is full of ingredients you can’t pronounce any way – not real food.

:: Homemade Chicken Ramen

8 cups of “liquid” (You can use some chicken broth and some water in any combination) I used 5 cups of homemade chicken broth and 3 cups of water… because that is what I had on hand. I added 1 Tbsp of better than bullion chicken paste to flavor the water.

2 packs ramen noodles {Throw away the seasoning packets}
1 clove garlic, minced
1 chicken breast, thawed and diced into bite sized cubes
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 head of cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 package of fresh mushrooms (about 8 oz), sliced
1/4 cup soy sauce (Make sure it is a fermented soy – I recommend San J)
1/4 tsp ginger powder

Put olive oil, chicken, and garlic into a large soup pot over high heat {I used my enamel coated cast iron Dutch oven}. When chicken is cooked through, add liquid and cabbage. Boil for about 15 minutes, or until cabbage is soft.

Add mushrooms, soy sauce, and ginger to the pot. Cook for another 5 minutes.

Finally, add ramen noodles to the pot and cook for 3 minutes. Serve hot.

This makes enough for about 4 people. My family devoured it all except one bowl that my husband took to work.

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Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Soups and Stews, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: chicken ramen, homemade ramen, ramen, ramen noodles, toddler meals

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Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Cream Sauce

January 24, 2013 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

avocado 2

I LOVE avocados. I would eat them with every meal. They are FULL of healthy fats and are a power house of vitamins. I call them brain food. They were one of the first foods I fed my children since they have a naturally soft texture. Both of my kids love them too! So, making a recipe loaded with avocados sounded like a no-brainer to me.

I found a recipe on pinterest called Avocado Cream and Chicken Suiza Enchiladas that sounded fantastic. The only problem – they included 2 CUPS of whipping cream. Avocados are also high in fat – although good fats. But still, I just couldn’t bring myself to serve this to my family as it – especially since my hubby is really working hard to lose weight. This sounded counter-productive! I decided to do a little tweaking to the original recipe and drastically reduce the calories. Here’s my take on Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Cream Sauce…it was a real crowd pleaser!

avocado cream

:: Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Cream Sauce

4 cups cooked and skinned shredded chicken (about 1 store-bought rotisserie chicken)
1 (4-ounce) can diced green Chiles
½ medium white onion, diced
1 1/2 cups of milk (I used 2% organic)
1 cup fat free sour cream
1 cup chicken broth
2 avocados
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Juice of one lemon
2 ½ – 3 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
8-10 7”-8” flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Process milk, sour cream, chicken broth, avocados, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and lemon juice in the blender until smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix chicken, green chiles, onion, and 1/2 of the avocado cream.

Layout the tortillas and place a spoonful of the chicken filling on them. Sprinkle with cheese. Roll the tortillas up. Place the tortillas in a baking dish prepared with cooking spray seam side down. Pour the remainder of the avocado cream sauce over the enchiladas.

Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and top the enchiladas with about 1 cup of cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes or until the enchiladas are warmed through and cheese is bubbly and melted.

Serve with chips and salsa.

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Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: avocado, avocado cream, chicken, enchiladas, mexican food, recipe, tortillas

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Easy Garlic & Herb Sauteed Chicken and Roasted Potatoes

December 26, 2012 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

001

We recently had the opportunity to give the new Land O Lakes Saute’ Express a try! They come in 4 great flavors…Italian Herb, Savory Butter & Olive Oil, Lemon Pepper and the Garlic & Herb. We bought some of the garlic and herb and decided to give it a try. Each pack comes with 6 cubes. I used two cubes for this dinner of sauteed chicken, sauteed asparagus, corn on the cob, and roasted potatoes. I used the garlic & herb butter for the chicken and the potatoes.

land o lakes

First, I put a cube in the sautee pan and put the thawed chicken breasts in it to cook. Leave it alone. It is important not to move them around a bunch so that they get that delicious golden brown. Once they have a good bit of color on one side, then flip and leave them alone until cooked through. That is absolutely all I did to the chicken. And it was so flavorful! Really delicious just plain like this with some sides. But, these chicken breasts would also be delicious as grilled chicken sandwiches or on top of salad or pasta. {I cooked a couple extra breasts this way and used it for my chicken, ditalini and pea soup the next evening – delish! I love getting extra mileage out of my dishes!}.

land o lAKEs2

I also used another cube of garlic & herb butter to make roasted potatoes. I usually use just olive oil and salt. This time I used the garlic & herb butter and some salt. First, I cut the potatoes into chunks. Then, I melted the butter and poured it over the potatoes. I spread them out over a foil lined pan and then added a good bit of sea salt. I roasted them at 425 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes. Until a bit crispy and browned.

The butter burned a bit on the pan, so I was glad I lined it in foil. But, the potatoes tasted great. I couldn’t tell the flavor as strong on the potatoes as I could on the chicken though.

My family gobbled the whole dinner up – no leftovers {thank goodness I put away a few of the chicken breasts for the next night’s dinner}.

Disclosure: I am a Walmart Mom. This post is sponsored by Walmart. Walmart has provided me with product and/or compensation in exchange for my time and efforts in creating this post. My participation is voluntary. As always, my opinion is my own.

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Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Side Dishes, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: chicken, dinner, garlic and herb, land o lakes, potatoes

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Recipe: Chicken and Risotto {aka Rice}

November 6, 2012 by Denisesawyer 2 Comments

I promise this is going to blow your mind. This is THE best chicken and rice you have ever tasted. Every family has a recipe for chicken and rice. It’s simple, belly filling, comfort food at its finest. But this is different. It’s still filling, comfort food, and it IS simple, but this chicken and rice is full of flavor and is so good you’ll want it every week.

As a matter of fact, my family has requested it to be just that. We’ve toyed with the idea of having Roasted Chicken every Friday night and then we’d have the left over chicken to make a second simple meal for the weekend. this recipe makes good use of all the leftovers from a whole roasted chicken: the stock {from boiling the leftover juices and chicken carcass in the crockpot overnight}, the chicken meat, and any roasted carrots that didn’t get scarfed up. So, my husband says this will be a mandatory follow up meal.

I told you. It’s really that GOOD. Now go make some.

:: Chicken and Risotto {AKA Chicken & Rice Refined}

1 1/2 to 2 cups of shredded chicken {I used the leftover meat from a roasted chicken I cooked the night before}
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup carrots, finely chopped {I used the leftover carrots from the chicken the night before}
3 Tbsp of butter
2 cups of chicken stock
1 1/2 cups of Arborio rice
1 Tbsp of better than bullion chicken base
3/4 cup frozen peas (do not thaw)
1/4 – 1/2 cup of fresh grated Parmesan {to taste}

Saute onion (and carrots if using fresh) in 2 tbsp of butter {save the other Tbsp of butter for later}. After the onion has become transparent add the rice and toast it up a minute or two in the butter. Then, add the chicken stock and cook until rice is nearly done to taste. You might need to add more water or stock if the rice gets dry before it gets done. Add in 1 Tbsp of better than bullion chicken stock, peas, chicken, {and roasted carrots, if using leftover carrots instead of fresh} just before the rice is done.

When the rice is done, stir in Parmesan and the last Tbsp of butter. Enjoy – and try not to inhale.

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Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: chicken, chicken and rice, chicken and risotto, dinner, recipe

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Bacon Crispy Bake Chicken

October 23, 2012 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

I had the opportunity to try a new product – J&D’s Bacon Crispy Bake. I was giddy. Why? My family doesn’t eat pork. It hasn’t always been that way. We used to eat pork and for personal and health reasons we just decided to give it up. But, there is one thing I miss. BACON. I mean, don’t get me wrong, turkey bacon is good. It just isn’t bacon.

So, I was thrilled to hear the details about J&D’s Bacon Crispy Bake. It’s the world’s first bacon flavored breading. It was born from the realization that bacon goes with just about anything you could ever want to bake or fry AND it is both Kosher and Vegetarian. It is new to Walmart and available only in Supercenters, with a national product price of $2.49.

I used it to make this Bacon Crispy Bake Chicken. I also used their other product – Bacon Salt – to make some twice baked potatoes. Here’s the recipe:

:: Bacon Crispy Bake Chicken

boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup of Bacon Crispy Bake

Press chicken breasts into crispy bake. Place on baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

::Twice Bake Potatoes

Potatoes, washed, pricked with a fork
cheddar cheese
butter
chives
J&D’s Bacon Salt

Microwave potatoes. When the potatoes are done cut them in half and scoop out the flesh of the potato. Put the potato flesh in a bowl and stir in a handful of cheese, some butter, and sprinkle in some chives. Fill each potato half with the mixture and sprinkle Bacon Salt over the tops. Broil potatoes on Hi for about 5 minutes (watch them).

Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Product Reviews & Giveaways, Side Dishes, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: bacon crispy bake, bacon salt, chicken, potatoes, recipe

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Chicken Chili Verde

October 15, 2012 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

Tonight’s dinner was a hit! I made Chicken Chili Verde from Betty Crocker’s site. With a few small changes, I made it my own. It took just 20 minutes to throw it together. It was perfect for a cool Fall night like tonight. I’ll definitely be tucking this recipe into my – need it in a hurry, weeknight dinner file.

:: Chicken Chili Verde

1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
1 (18.5 oz) can of Progresso Chicken Corn Chowder Soup
1 (15 oz) can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups of homemade chicken stock
1 small can of white shoepeg corn

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in a medium to large Dutch Oven (or other soup pot). Add chicken and cook until no longer pink in the center.

Add Progresso soup, chicken stock, corn, and beans and heat until bubbling. Simmer 5 minutes. Serve with sour cream, corn tortillas, and/or corn chips.

What makes this dish come together so quick? Progresso Soup. I love using soup as a jump start to dinner. I have several recipes like this one that help me get dinner on the table fast when I need to. My Lazy Mama Vegetable Soup is another example of a soup that comes together “souper” quick.

What recipes do you have tucked away for a weeknight when the kids are starving and you’re low on time, energy, or both!?

Filed Under: Chicken, Main Dishes, Soups and Stews Tagged With: chicken, chicken chili verde, dinner, recipe, soup, stew, white chicken chili, white chili

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Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie

:: Deconstructed Chicken Pot Pie

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

:: Cream of Chicken Soup

Moroccan Flatbread with Rockin’ Raisin Marinara

:: Moroccan Flatbread with Rockin’ Raisin Marinara

Chicken and Broccoli Rice Cups

:: Chicken and Broccoli Rice Cups

Rock Your Socks Off Homemade Ramen

:: Homemade Chicken Ramen

Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Cream Sauce

:: Chicken Enchiladas with Avocado Cream Sauce

Easy Garlic & Herb Sauteed Chicken and Roasted Potatoes

Recipe: Chicken and Risotto {aka Rice}

:: Chicken and Risotto {AKA Chicken & Rice Refined}

Bacon Crispy Bake Chicken

:: Bacon Crispy Bake Chicken

::Twice Bake Potatoes

Chicken Chili Verde

:: Chicken Chili Verde

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