Chicken & Gravy with Homemade Noodles

This was delicious, it could easily be baked in a yummy crust to make a wonderful chicken pot pie. Unfortunately, my husband doesn't like pot pie so I settled for serving it over noodles. It can be prepared beforehand with ease. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 c. chicken stock
1 – 2 lb. chicken breasts or thighs
1/2 lb. baby carrots
2 t. dill
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. black pepper
1 bag egg noodles

Directions:

1. In a large sauce pan or stock pot, combine chicken stock, chicken, carrots and seasoning. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until chicken is fully cooked. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.
2. Add cut noodles to pot. Return to a boil and let boil until noodles are desired tenderness, about 7-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the noodles. The broth will thicken as the noodles cook until it is a gravy consistency.
3. Shred or dice cooled chicken and return to pot. Stir to combine and continue cooking until heated through. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and warm on the stove before serving.

Recipe from: http://www.stolenmomentscooking.com/

Cajun Chicken Pasta

This recipe is an original by my husband. If anyone tries it, please let me know, he will be excited!

Ingredients
1/2 Onion
1 Bell Pepper (Green, Red, Yellow or any color)
1 hand full of mushrooms
Cajun Hot sauce (Easier to find at Harmon’s, there are several types with varying degrees of spiciness.)
your favorite Pasta, preferably one that is easy to eat like bow tie or curly types (The more edges and caverns in the noodle allow it to carry more flavor)
1 tbsp of Corn starch
1/2 cup of Spaghetti Sauce, preferably Prego or Classico
1-2 cups of water (The corn starch is added to the water to thicken the sauce)
1 lbs of your favorite meat (Chicken is traditional, however Chorizo is also preferable, we tried sausage and it was fine), the meat is not the main item it is just a garnish for the sauce
Salt, apply according to your desire

Directions
Dice the meat and cook in a saute pan on medium to medium high heat
Chop the onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms and place off to the side until the meat is cooked and then add them to the meat.
Cook for about 8-12 minutes or until the onions turn a slight tan color.
Add the spaghetti sauce and mix all ingredients
Add the water
Add the corn starch through a small screen strainer and pour it around the entire pan to maximize thickening.
Stir and cook until the sauce boils.
Add the Cajun sauce gingerly. Sample the sauce after adding to make sure you don’t add too much. As mentioned above there are varying types of Cajun sauces with varying degrees of spiciness. One time I used the entire bottle because it was pretty weak. The bottle I have now is really powerful so I only add about a tbsp.
Add salt to bring out the flavor.
Pour over the pasta and enjoy.

It really was yummy! Great job husband!

Baked Chicken Supreme

Yummy flavorful chicken. Serve with some tasty rice!

1 clove garlic, pressed
1.5 cups sour cream (we went low fat)
2 tbsp lemon juice
1.4 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp paprika
dash hot sauce
3 pounds chicken (I just did five chicken tenders, but you could easily do much more chicken with the amounts listed)
1.5 cups breadcrumbs

Place first six ingredients in large zipper-type bag; mix well. Add chicken pieces and marinate overnight. Remove chicken. Roll each piece in crumbs and place in coated baking dish. You could drizzle with melted butter at this point. Bake at 350 degrees until chicken is tender and golden brown, 30-40 minutes depending on your oven.

(from RushHour Recipes)

Easy Lemon Pasta with Chicken

That title does not fit this meal, let me tell you. It was more like an amazing garlic-pepper party in your mouth! I knew my husband would love it instantly. I prefer creamier pasta sauces, but I was just as satisfied with the light coating of this oil-based sauce. I will probably add only 1/8 tsp of red pepper flakes next time because we do have a toddler around here, but for adult palates the amount called for is perfect. I might also add some type of a vegetable into the mix, that would have been a nice addition. Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 pound dried penne
2 chicken cutlets, cut into fingers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, until al dente. Drain well.
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large grill pan over medium high and add chicken. Grill until golden and completely cooked. Remove to a plate and slice.
Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to a saute pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and saute until fragrant. Add the cooked pasta and turn heat off. Mix all together.
Remove pasta to a large bowl. Add chicken to the warm pasta and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle in chopped parsley. Add the juice of 2 lemons and mix. Before serving top with Parmesan.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/down-home-with-the-neelys/easy-lemon-pasta-with-chicken-recipe/index.html

Blackened Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

This was a huge hit! Try it for yourself to see!

Blackened Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

1 T. olive oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 T. blackening seasoning
1/4 c. Caesar dressing
Monterrey Jack or Munster cheese slices, optional
Lettuce & tomatoes
Rolls

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Cover both sides of chicken with blackening seasoning. Place in skillet and cook about 5-8 minutes per side, until chicken is fully cooked. (You may need to increase cook time if your chicken breasts are very thick.)

2. Cut the cooked chicken into slices. Pile onto buns, top with Caesar dressing, cheese (if desired) and lettuce and tomatoes. Super simple!

I didn't have blackening seasoning, so I made this:

Blackened Seasoning
INGREDIENTS:
1 heaping tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 heaping teaspoon garlic powder
1 heaping teaspoon onion powder
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons black pepper
1/2 teaspoon leaf thyme
1/2 teaspoon leaf oregano

PREPARATION:Mix the ingredients well and funnel into a shaker. Seal well and store in a cool dry place.

http://stolenmomentscooking.com/

Ramen Stir-Fry

1 pound beef boneless sirloin
2 cups water
1 package (we used two) oriental-flavor ramen noodle soup mix
1 bag (16 ounces) fresh stir-fry vegetables
1/4 cup stir-fry sauce

1. Cut beef into thin strips. Spray 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Cook beef in skillet 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until brown. Remove beef from skillet.

2. Heat water to boiling in skillet. Break block of noodles from soup mix into water; stir until slightly softened. Stir in vegetables. Heat to boiling. Boil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender.

3. Stir in contents of seasoning packet from soup mix, stir-fry sauce and beef. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until hot.

This was AMAZING and much better than our regular stir-fry. Aaron cooked it up and did an amazing job. We are going to try it with Chicken Ramen as well.

Betty Crocker's Quick and Easy

Wild Rice and Chicken

1 package (6.2 ounces) long grain and wild rice, with seasoning packet
1 1/2 cups water
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a bowl, combine rice, seasoning packet, and water. Pour mixture in to a greased 9x13-inch pan. Place chicken over rice mixture and sprinkle with basil and garlic powder. Cover and bake 1 hour. Makes 4 servings.

YUMMY!

101 Things to Do with a Casserole

Broccoli Chicken Alfredo Lasagna

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

• 1/2 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
• 1/2 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli
• 1-1/2 cooked, boneless chicken breast halves, diced
• 1 (16 ounce) jar Alfredo-style pasta sauce
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Cook broccoli according to package directions; drain.
2. In a medium bowl, combine chicken and one jar of alfredo sauce, stir together.  Add ricotta and drained, cooked broccoli, and stir.
3. In a 9 x 13 baking dish, layer first with some alfredo so noodles don't stick, place one layer of lasagna noodles, edges overlapping. Pour chicken mixture over noodle layer and spread evenly. Sprinkle 1 cup of shredded mozzarella over chicken mixture. Top with another layer of noodles. Sprinkle another cup of mozzarella over sauce, lay on the final noodle layer and top with remaining 2 cups of mozzarella and salt and pepper to taste. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, until top is brown and bubbly.

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Aaron had this once at Olive Garden and he asked me if we could try and find a recipe for it to make at home. Would you believe that Olive Garden has a recipe section on their website where you can even input how many servings you want and it adjusts the recipe? Awesome. We are trying this in a couple of weeks!

Tuscan Garlic Chicken

Serving Calculator (2-24 servings)

prep: hr(s) 15 min(s)
cook: hr(s) 30 min(s)

Ingredients

1 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup(s) flour, plus 1 tablespoon
5/16 Tbsp salt
11/16 tsp black pepper
11/16 tsp Italian herb seasoning
5/16 lb(s) curly or regular fettuccine
5/16 Tbsp garlic, chopped
5/16 red pepper, julienne cut
3/16 cup(s) dry, white wine
3/16 lb(s) whole leaf spinach, stemmed
3 oz heavy cream
5/16 cup(s) Parmesan cheese, grated

Procedures

- Combine 1½ cups flour, salt, black pepper and Italian herb seasoning in a shallow dish.

- Dredge chicken in the mixture, shaking off any excess.

- In a large, nonstick, ovenproof skillet, add 3 Tbsp of olive oil – enough to coat – and sauté chicken in batches over medium-high heat for about two to three minutes on each side, or until golden brown and crisp. Add additional olive oil for each batch as necessary.

- When finished, transfer the skillet to a preheated oven at 350 degrees F. Cook for approximately 10 to 15 minutes or until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F.

- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside until needed.

- While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 Tbsp of olive oil in a sauce pan. Add the garlic and the red pepper and cook for approximately one minute.

- Add remaining 1 Tbsp of flour and stir to combine.

- Next, add the wine and bring to a boil for one minute. Add the spinach and the cream and bring to a boil. The sauce is done cooking when the spinach becomes wilted. Complete by stirring in the Parmesan cheese.

- Partly coat the pasta with the sauce, transfer to a large bowl (or individual dishes) and then top with the chicken, the remaining sauce and extra Parmesan cheese.

http://www.olivegarden.com/recipes/

One-Dish Chicken Skillet

One-Dish CHICKEN SKILLET.
Prep Time:5 min Total Time: 25 min Makes: 6 servings

1-1/2 cups hot water
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.)
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of mushroom soup * I used Cream of CHICKEN*
1/3 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

MIX hot water, butter and stuffing mix; set aside.

SPRAY nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Add chicken; cook on medium heat 5 min. on each side.

MIX soup and sour cream; pour over chicken. Top with the prepared stuffing. Reduce heat to low; cover. Cook 10 min. or until chicken is cooked through.

~ recipe from Kraft Foods /Stove Top ~

Sweet Salsa Chicken with Sour Cream Salsa and Lime Cilantro Rice

This meal is a hit every time. We love to serve it on the Tortilla Land freshly cooked tortillas! Yummy :)

Sweet Salsa Chicken with Sour Cream Salsa and Lime Cilantro Rice

Sweet Salsa Chicken:
1 package Taco Seasoning
4 chicken breasts
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup salsa
1/4 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 (15 oz.) can Black beans, drained and rinsed

Cut chicken breasts into bite size pieces. In large skillet, heat oil; add chicken and taco seasoning. Cook until juices run clear. Add salsa, apricot jam, water, cilantro and lime juice. Bring to boil. Stir in beans, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Serve over rice.

Sour Cream Salsa:

This is the sauce to serve over the chicken and rice

1 cup sour cream
2 tsp lime zest
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1/3 cup Cilantro, chopped
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1/2 tsp saltMix all ingredients together and serve over chicken and rice

Lime Cilantro Rice:

2-4 Tbsp butter
2 green onions peeled and minced
2 cups jasmine rice or long grain rice
grated zest of 2 limes
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro washed
4 cups hot chicken stock/broth
kosher salt and pepper to taste

Saute green onion in butter then add to all the other things in a 9x13 pan. Cover with foil. Cook at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until all liquid is gone and rice is soft.

Pollo Asada

Pollo Asada

4 chicken breasts
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup lime juice (or lemon)
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 onion
1 tsp salt
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp dried red pepper flakes

Place all ingredients EXCEPT CHICKEN into a blender. Blend. Pour over chicken breasts. Marinate 2 - 24 hours. Grill - slice - serve with hot fresh tortillas, and fresh salsa.
http://passtherecipebox.blogspot.com/2008/05/pollo-asada.html

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Tortilla Soup
INGREDIENTS
2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup chunky salsa
8 ounces corn tortilla chips
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
DIRECTIONS
In a large pot over medium heat, saute the chicken in the oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin and mix well. Then add the broth, corn, onion, chili powder, lemon juice and salsa. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes.Break up some tortilla chips into individual bowls and pour soup over chips. Top with the Monterey Jack cheese and a little sour cream.

http://passtherecipebox.blogspot.com/2008/06/chicken-tortilla-soup.html