Chicken and Pasta Casserole with Mixed Vegetables

Ingredients

Original recipe makes 6 servings

•  1 cup dry fusilli pasta
•  3 tablespoons olive oil
•  6 chicken tenderloins, cut into chunks
•  1 tablespoon dried minced onion
•  salt and pepper to taste
•  garlic powder to taste
•  1 tablespoon dried basil
•  1 tablespoon dried parsley
•  1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
•  1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
•  2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
•  1 cup dry bread crumbs
•  2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
•  2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place fusilli pasta in the pot, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.
• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in the skillet, and season with minced onion, salt and pepper, garlic powder, basil, and parsley. Cook until chicken juices run clear. Mix in the cooked pasta, cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and mixed vegetables. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
• In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and butter. Spread evenly over the casserole.
• Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven until bubbly and lightly browned.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/

Wingers Sticky Fingers

Winger's Sticky Fingers {Copycat}
Recipe from Chef In Training
Serves 4-6
Ingredients: 

• 1 pkg. Tyson's chicken strips
• 1 & 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 6 Tbsp. Franks hot sauce {I prefer the sweet heat bbq}
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Cook chicken according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat the brown sugar, hot sauce and water over medium heat.
3. Stir until sugar is dissolved.
4. Fully coat the chicken with the sauce.

Easy Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Adapted from food.com
Makes 8 yummy enchiladas
Ingredients: 

• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, diced {I found this to be about 2 medium sized breasts}
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 {8 in} flour tortillas
• 1 & 1/2 cups monterey cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/4 cup butter, salted
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 {14.5 oz.} can chicken broth
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 {4.5 oz.} can chopped green chiles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-low heat. {How long do you heat it? Here's a fun trick - Use a wooden spoon and dip the handle in the oil periodically. As soon as bubbles begin to form around it, that's when you know it's hot enough.}
3. Add the chicken, onion, salt, and pepper and cover, stirring occasionally; cook until chicken is no longer pink inside.
4. Distribute the chicken evenly between the 8 tortillas and top each one off with 1 & 1/2 Tbsp. of cheese.
5. Roll tightly and place, seam side down, in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
6. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan.
7. Add flour and stir until mixture begins to bubble.
8. Add chicken broth slowly and bring to a boil.
9. Remove from heat and add sour cream and chiles.
10. Pour your sauce evenly over the enchiladas and top with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. {Or more...no judgements here.}
11. Bake uncovered for 17-20 minutes. 
12. Use any additional toppings you might like - sour cream, green onions, etc.

Skinny Chicken Enchiladas

Skinny Chicken Enchiladas
adapted from Simply Scratch

2 chicken breasts, shredded
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small yellow Onion, diced small
1 small red bell pepper, diced small
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced chipotle peppers
1 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt, more or less to taste
1/8 teaspoon pepper, more or less to taste
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1-1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup water
8 whole wheat tortillas
1/2 cup grated muenster cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and red peppers, and cook until onion is translucent, about five minutes. Add garlic, chipotle peppers, cumin, and salt and pepper, and cook another minute. Add flour and stir to make a paste. Whisk in the chicken broth and water, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until sauce has thickened, and remove from heat.

Spread a few tablespoons of sauce in the bottom of your baking dish. Place shredded chicken in a medium bowl, and toss with one cup of the enchilada sauce. Warm the tortillas in the microwave to make them more flexible.

Spoon 1/8 of the chicken mixture into the middle of each tortilla, and roll up. Place seam side down in baking dish. Complete with remaining tortillas and chicken. Pour remaining sauce over the enchiladas, and top with cheese. Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, or until cheese has melted.

Parmesan Chicken Pasta

Makes 4 servings
Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts, thawed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon onion salt
• 2 cups spaghetti sauce of your choosing (I won't feel bad AT ALL if you use my recipe :)
• your favorite pasta, cooked
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375º.
2. On a cutting board, pound out your chicken to about 1/2" to 3/4", just enough to tenderize it a little and to allow an even cooking.
3. Blend your egg in a bowl. Then, mix your bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and onion salt together in a separate, shallow bowl.
4. Get your olive oil nice and warm on medium high heat in a skillet.
5. While the oil is heating up, grab a chicken breast, dip it in the egg, then coat it with the bread crumb mixture on both sides.
6. When your oil is hot, place the breaded chicken in the skillet. Cook till golden brown on both sides.
7. This next part is something I did because I'm not a fan of greasy chicken. You can cut it out if you want. Put a cookie-cooling rack on a cookie sheet, thus creating a raised surface for your chicken to rest when in the oven. Put your chicken on the cooling rack and stick the whole contraption in the oven for about 10 minutes. This allows the grease in the chicken to drip off (onto the cookie sheet and not in your oven) AND it allows the chicken to crisp up a bit.
8. Serve the chicken on a bed of your favorite pasta and pasta sauce.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup
Baked by Rachel

1 lb chicken breast, trimmed
15 oz can sweet whole corn kernels, drained
15 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
5 C chicken stock
3/4 C onion, chopped
3/4 C green pepper, chopped
1 serrano pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp ground pepper, divided
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Seasoned tortilla strips

To your slow cooker add first 9 ingredients plus 1 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp ground pepper. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Prior to serving, remove chicken breasts. Transfer chicken to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for easy shredding. Alternately you may shred chicken by hand. Season chicken with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Return shredded seasoned chicken to slow cooker bowl. Stir gently. If serving immediately, divide among bowls. Top off with a generous helping of shredded cheese and seasoned tortilla strips. Soup may be stored in the fridge f

Chicken Pillows

Makes 8 chicken pillows.

{Blogging kind of runs in the family and our sister-in-law, Nikki, has shared this recipe on Chef In Training as well. Check it out!}

Ingredients:

• 3-4 chicken breasts
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 {8 oz.} pkg. cream cheese
• 1/4 cup {1 stick} salted butter
• 1 package refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 egg
• 1/2 sleeve club crackers, crushed
• 1 {10 oz.} can cream of chicken soup
• 1/2 can milk {more depending on consistency of liking}
• 3 Tbsp. sour cream
• 1/3 cup cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Place the chicken and water in a crockpot and let cook on low for 4-5 hours {Add an extra two hours if chicken is frozen.}
2. When chicken is completely cooked, shred it.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F.
4. Cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth. 
5. Add chicken.
6. Stretch each crescent roll out evenly and lay flat on a cookie sheet.
7. In a small bowl, beat the egg.
8. Pour the crackers in another small bowl.
9. Place a large spoonful of cream cheese mixture on the crescent dough.
10. Fold up and pinch crescent dough sides so as to seal it off. {This will be your 'pillow'.}
11. Dip the flat side of your pillow in the egg and then immediately in the crackers.
12. Place on cookie sheet with cracker side up.
13. Repeat steps 9-12 for all the other biscuits.
14. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
15. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, mix soup and milk together and stir constantly until hot.
16. Add sour cream and cheese and stir until well combined.
17. Pour sauce over chicken pillows and enjoy.

Chicken Alfredo Biscuit Bake

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. salted butter
• 2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 (16 oz.) jar Alfredo sauce {Or you could make your own sauce. Try this one out for an easy, healthy, and deliciousalternative}
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
• 2 cups frozen broccoli, thawed
• 1/4 tsp. dried basil
• 1 can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• 1 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Spray an 8 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
3. In a large, nonstick skillet, melt 1 Tbsp. butter over medium heat.
4. Cook the mushrooms and onions until soft. {About five minutes, stirring occasionally.}
5. Stir in the Alfredo sauce, milk, chicken, broccoli, and basil. 
6. Cook until thoroughly heated and bubbly, stirring occasionally.
7. Pour mixture into baking dish.
8. Separate your biscuits and cut each one in half, crosswise.
9. Arrange around the edge of the baking dish, overlapping slightly.
10. Drizzle the melted butter over the biscuits and sprinkle with cheese.
11. Bake 15-20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. {Make sure the biscuits are completely cooked before you get to eager to pull them out. We made this mistake the first time we had this and ended up eating doughy biscuits. Bleh.}
12. Serve with veggies or salad and enjoy. 

Chicken a la King

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/3 cup onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chicken stock/broth
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 large chicken breasts, cubed and cooked
• 2-3 pickled cherry peppers, chopped (should make about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt (or to taste)
• black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. If you haven't bought pre-cooked chicken, cook the chicken first, chop it into cubes and set aside. If you are a genuine noob to cooking and need to be told how to cook chicken (no judgements here) try soaking the thawed chicken in very salty water for about an hour before you grill/saute it. This will help keep it moist and tender.
2. Melt your butter in a large skillet, add the bell pepper and onion and saute for about 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue "the sizzle" for an additional 2-3 minutes (the mushroom might soak up the butter a little, no worries).
3. Add the flour and mix well. While the pan is still hot, add the milk and chicken broth. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring frequently, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the cooked chicken, cherry peppers, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper and mix well. When the Chicken a la King has reduced to a good consistency, you're DONE!

Cambodian Kung Pao Chicken

For your convenience and weight-watching needs, I have also included the calories per serving of this meal.  You are welcome.

Ingredients:

• 5 dried red chili peppers (for the small-fries), or 8-10 (for extra PAO... get it? Okay.)
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips (for calorie watching, make sure it's about a pound of chicken)
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
• 2 in fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
• 1 zucchini, halved (hot-dog style for those who need everything spelled out...) and sliced.
• 1/4 cup of oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons of soy sauce (low sodium is what we used, and there was still plenty of salt - promise)
• (Optional) Cilantro for garnish
• (Optional) 2 cups, uncooked white rice

Directions:

• Soak the dried chilies in warm water for 30 minutes or so.  Make sure they are completely submerged... they like to float.  You can use the superbly scientific method of placing a mug on top of them to get the job done, like yours-truly did.
• If you want rice, put it in the rice-cooker/pot now so it's nice and ready when everything else is.
• While the chilies are soaking, prep all the other ingredients. If you are like me, it will actually take 30 minutes... OCD or not, it's how I do things. 
• Heat the oil in a wok or large (very large) skillet and sauté the sliced chilies and cashews until the nuts are golden brown. Beware: this happens pretty quick!
• Add the chicken, garlic, and ginger and fry until the chicken just barely starts to brown. Add the zucchini chunks and bell pepper niblets and cook for another 3 minutes or so.
• It may look dry, DO NOT MESS WITH IT, because now you will add the soy sauce and oyster sauce. Dryness-crisis averted. Note: don't be alarmed by the funky smell of the sauce... there's a reason it's called oyster sauce. It will still taste awesome!
• Simmer until the sauce has reduced a little and the veggies are cooked to your liking.
This recipe is fantastic for left-overs and is pretty low on calories if you ask me. *Zach pretends you did ask him...* Here are the calories if prepared exactly as noted above:

Servings: 6 (about 2/3 cup of prepared Kung Pao per serving)
Calories per serving: 220 
Calories per serving with 3/4 cup of cooked white rice: 374

Bisquick Chicken Nuggets

Makes 3-4 servings.
Ingredients:

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves cut crosswise into 1/2" strips (I cut them smaller to make nuggets rather than strips... cause I'm still a kid-ish)
• 2/3 cup Bisquick mix
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 3 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 450°
2. Line cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
3. In a resealable freezer bag (a big one), mix bisquick, cheese, salt, and paprika.
4. Dip half the chicken nuggets into the egg and then place in the resealable bag. Seal the bag and shake what yo' mamma gave ya. Place the chicken on the cookie sheet and repeat the process for the remaining chicken.
5. Drizzle your butter over the chicken, and bake for 12-14 minutes, turning them over halfway through. Make sure to check one before you eat 'em. No salmonella issues peeps!