Chicken Noodle Casserole

I decided to make this for dinner last week because my husband had a cold. You know, the change of weather sniffles, sneezing, sore throat, etc. Don't worry, he's doing better now. Maybe it was this casserole that helped him out!

This was a really comforting meal that tasted like chicken noodle soup in a casserole! It was easy to make with ingredients that you probably have on hand. Although my husband said he couldn't really taste it (poor thing!) he said he liked the texture. But I'll vouch on the taste - it was great!

Ingredients
Source: www.Allrecipes.com

2/3 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive or canola oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 1/2 cups chopped carrots
3 celery ribs, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried savory
3 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1 1/2 cups 2% milk
1 1/4 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
8 ounces wide egg noodles, cooked and drained
1/2 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers (I added this)

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add chicken; cook and stir until no longer pink. (I cooked the chicken first, then added the onions and garlic). Add the broth, carrots, celery and savory. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in the flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in cheese until melted. Pour over chicken mixture. Add noodles; mix well.

Transfer to a 3-qt. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle crushed crackers over entire casserole. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until bubbly.

Chutney Chicken

First of all, let me just say I had no idea what to call this....but it has mango chutney in it so chutney chicken it is.

Actually, the reason I made this is because my aunt gave me a beautiful little jar of mango chutney. (I went on their website to scope out other products, but apparently they only ship to the UK! What a shame! There are so many things I'd love to try. But if you are in the UK, here's the website... Mrs. Bridges...and just know that I'm jealous!) Anyways, she won it at a bridal shower and told me that I would appreciate it more then her, so being the awesome aunt that she is, gave it to me. But truth be told, I had no idea what to do with it. I'm not familiar with chutney at all. I looked at things online that said it was good with cream cheese and in curry's. I have no idea what a curry even is (seriously) but I decided to go with the cream cheese thing.

It actually worked out really well! I just added a little of this and that, and it turned out deliciously! This could be made for one or two people, depending on how hungry you are! I just made it for myself, but definitely didn't finish it. But if you are feeding it to someone extra hungry, it's a very easy recipe to double.

Ingredients

1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/4 of a yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, diced
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 oz. cream cheese
2 tbsp. mango chutney
2-3 fresh basil leaves, chopped
salt & freshly ground pepper

Directions
In a medium skillet (coated with non stick spray) over medium-high heat, add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Keep the chicken moving until all the chicken pieces are light golden brown and cooked all the way through. Add onions and cook another 3-4 minutes until onions are softened. Finally, add garlic and cook for another minute or two, being careful not to burn the garlic. Next add the chicken stock, basil leaves, mango chutney and cream cheese. Stir until cream cheese is melted and incorporated into the sauce. Serve hot over white rice.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Cranberry Compote

I am personally a big fan of cranberries and often get annoyed that they're treated as a one-holiday food. The other day I was particularly in the mood for them, and thought they'd be good on chicken.

I stuffed my chicken with goat cheese for some added flavor and depth, then topped the whole thing with a quick and easy cranberry compote that I make every Thanksgiving.

The result was a deliciously moist and flavorful chicken that paired so nicely with the cranberry compote. I served it with white rice which worked wonderfully. This is a perfect dish for fall especially!

Ingredients
Cranberry Compote adapted from Emeril Lagasse

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded thin
Aprox. 2-4 tbsp goat cheese
1/2 cup frozen or fresh cranberries
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. good vanilla extract
2+ tsp. honey
1 tbsp. cornstarch
3 tbsp. milk
aprox. 1/2 tsp. lemon zest

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking dish with non stick spray. On the bottom of both chicken breasts, spread a liberal amount of goat cheese and "roll" chicken up and secure with toothpicks. Place in baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour, removing foil after 45 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, make the cranberry compote. In a medium saucepan, add cranberries, water, cinnamon, vanilla, zest and honey. Stir to combine. On medium heat, bring to a gentle boil and continue to cook until the cranberries have "popped" and the mixture thickens. Meanwhile in a small bowl, whisk together milk and cornstarch and add it to thickened cranberry mixture. Taste everything and make sure it's sweetened to your liking (if not, add more honey).

Pour on top of cooked chicken and serve hot.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken Stuffed with Cream Cheese

This is a recipe I came up with when I felt totally uninspired for dinner one night. I had bacon and cream cheese on the verge of going bad in the fridge and wanted to use them up. My husband and I were happily surprised with how this came out. The bacon added so much flavor to the chicken breasts while the creamy cheese in the center was a wonderful addition. This is a meal I'm definitely making again.

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded thin
3 oz light cream cheese
4-6 fresh sage leaves, minced
1 small shallot, minced
4-6 slices bacon
salt
pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a baking dish with non stick spray. In a small bowl, add the cream cheese and warm in microwave for 30 second intervals. After each 30 seconds, stir the cream cheese until it's completely smooth. Add sage, shallots, salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. On the bottom of both chicken breasts, spread a liberal amount of the cream cheese mixture and "roll" chicken up and secure with toothpicks. Wrap 2-3 slices of bacon around each chicken breasts and secure bacon to chicken in necessary. Place in baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 1 hour, removing foil after 45 minutes. Remove toothpicks and serve.

Pheasant Braised in Red Wine

First of all I want to wish my readers a very happy belated Thanksgiving! Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to get to post during the holiday since I was busy making a full Thanksgiving feast for about 30 people but I want you all to know that I was thinking about how blessed I am to have readers of my little blog! So thank you and I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

So recently my dad went hunting for pheasant and did very well. As a result, he gave me a beautiful fresh pheasant to make for dinner. I wasn't sure what to do with it in all honesty, but pheasant is just such a comforting meat to me so I wanted to make a really hearty meal of it. So I decided to braise it using red wine.

The pheasant came out great. Every piece was very tender and flavorful. If you've never had pheasant I urge you to try it, however it really doesn't taste much different from chicken and if you needed to sub out chicken that would obviously be fine. But this was a great variation from braised chicken and I really enjoyed it. Perfect for those cold winter days that lie ahead!
Ingredients
Adapted from this recipe by Good Things Catered, originally from Williams-Sonoma

1/3 c. all-purpose flour plus 2 Tbsp, divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 pheasant, broken down
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 c. red wine
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried thyme
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 bay leaf
About 5-6 small/medium potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Directions
-Preheat an oven to 375 degrees.
-In a large bowl, combine 1/3 c. flour, salt and pepper. Add the phesant and toss to coat evenly.
-In a Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the olive oil to almost smoking.
-Add half of the chicken and brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes total.
-Transfer to a plate.
-Brown the remaining pheasant and transfer to the plate.
-Add the onions to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes.
-Remove the pan from the heat and add the wine.
-Set the pan over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, to reduce, about 5 minutes.
-Return the pheasant to the pan and add the garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaf and potatoes.
-Bring to a boil, cover and transfer to the oven.
-Cook until the chicken is very tender, about 45 minutes.
-Season with salt and pepper and remove the bay leaf, pheasant and potatoes.
-Place Dutch oven over medium high heat.
-Add flour and whisk to combine, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
-Pour thickened braising sauce over chicken and serve immediately. Serves 4.

Buffalo Chicken Bites

My husband loves buffalo chicken bites, but I've never made them for him before! So one night I decided to take a crack at it and found a Rachel Ray recipe that looked good. I was intrigued that it called for pancake mix for the breading portion.

My husband and I both loved these. They were super easy to make and tasted great. I thought they had plenty of heat, but my husband said if I were making them just for him he'd like to add more hot sauce since he likes things more spicy then I do. We've made these twice so far and really love them. A perfect addition to our Friday night pizza!

Ingredients
Source: Rachel Ray

Vegetable oil (11/2 quarts), for frying
2 1/2 cups plain pancake mix
1 1/4 cups water
8 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco
11/4 pounds chicken tenders or skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
Salt
2 scallions, finely chopped (I omitted)
1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper (one-third palmful)
1 cup good-quality refrigerated blue cheese dressing, such as Marie’s brand
Store-bought celery sticks (I omitted)

Directions

In a deep skillet, heat 11/2 inches of oil over medium heat.

While the oil is heating, make the batter: In a wide mixing bowl, combine 2 cups of the pancake mix, the water and 6 teaspoons of hot sauce. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of pancake mix in another wide mixing bowl. Arrange the batter and the bowl of pancake mix near the stove. Line a plate with a few paper towels and keep within reach.

Once the oil is heated, toss the chicken pieces with the remaining 2 teaspoons of hot sauce, then toss them in the dry pancake mix, coat evenly and shake off the excess. (The dry pancake mix will help the batter stick to the chicken pieces.) Add some of the chicken to the batter (you’re going to batter and fry in 3 to 4 batches) and toss with your fingers or a fork. Remove the first batch from the batter, shaking off the excess, and carefully add the chicken to the hot oil. Fry the chicken for 2 minutes on each side, flipping once, until deep golden brown. Remove the fried chicken from the oil and drain on the paper towel–lined plate, then season with salt. Repeat until all the popcorn chicken bites are fried.

Stir the chopped scallions and pepper into the blue cheese dressing. Serve the chicken immediately with the dressing on the side. Garnish the platter with the celery sticks.

White Chicken Chili

After I told my good friend Julie that I had never had White Chicken Chili, she urged me to try this recipe and I was very anxious to do so! The weather is getting very cold (it actually SNOWED a bit north of where I live earlier this week!) and I am officially in the mood for soups and stews.

This recipe went above and beyond my expectations. It was perfectly seasoned and had a great, hearty flavor that is perfect for fall. It's also a 1-pot meal which is easy and great for clean up! This recipe is for the archives, you will absolutely love it.

Directions

Source: My friend Julie who got the recipe from her "Church Suppers" Cookbook

1 lb. BS chicken, cubed (about 2 large breasts)

1 onion, chopped

1-1/2 t. garlic powder (I used 3 cloves of freshly minced garlic instead)

1 T. oil

2 15 ½ oz. cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

14 ½ oz. can chicken broth

2 4 oz. cans green chilies (I used 1 can which I thought was the perfect amount of heat for me)

1 t. salt

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. dried oregano

½ t. pepper

¼ t. cayenne pepper

8 oz. container sour cream

½ cup whipping cream

aprox. 1/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar (I added this)

Directions

In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and whipping cream. Top with a sprinkle of cheddar. Serve immediately.

Zucchini Feta Casserole

This is by far one of my favorite summertime dishes. It's fresh, flavorful and filling! I always end up with way too many zucchinis from my garden, so this is a great recipe to make because it uses a whole zucchini. My inspiration was originally from a Cooking Light recipe, however I have altered it to my tastes quite a bit over the years, so I don't think it's much like the original! The reason I like this meal so much is because you can adapt it to suit your mood and tastes. Sometimes I add tomatoes, use different cheeses, or add in chopped chicken breast. I was also thinking that artichokes would be great in this, although I haven't tried that yet. In addition, it's a really quite a healthy recipe! Overall, this meal is the perfect summertime dinner.
Ingredients
Adapted from Cooking Light

1 14.5 oz. box Penne Pasta
1 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped and cooked (optional)
2 medium tomatoes, chopped (optional)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons all purpose flour
1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup (2 oz.) crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta in boiling salted water for about 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add about 1-2 tablespoons olive oil, then zucchini, onion and garlic. Cook for about 10 minutes or until onion is tender and opaque, and zucchini is wilted. Then add tomatoes (if desired) and cook for another 5 minutes or until tomatoes are soft. In a small bowl, whisk together chicken stock and flour until thoroughly combined, then add to vegetables. Cook for another minute or two, until sauce is thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a large bowl, combine pasta, zucchini mixture, feta cheese, and cooked chicken (if desired) until combined. Pour into a 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over entire casserole and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Chicken Parmesan Burgers

I have had this recipe printed out for ages now, and last week I finally tried it.

This was a great, simple burger filled with lots of flavor! I didn't really change anything in the recipe, except that I topped the burger with some fresh basil from my garden, and instead of mushrooms I used caramelized onions! But perhaps my favorite thing about this recipe is that I have everything needed in my pantry, so if I am ever unsure of what to make for dinner, this works perfectly!

Ingredients
Source: Elly Says Opa

1 lb. ground chicken (I used breast meat)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs (I used more - probably about 3/4 cup)
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 cup chopped flatleaf parsley (I omitted)
1 clove garlic, finely minced or pressed (I used 2)
1 shallot, finely diced
salt and pepper

1/2 cup pasta sauce
4 slices mozzarella or provolone (or 1/2 cup shredded)
sauteed mushrooms (optional) (I used caramelized onions instead)
4 buns (brushed with a little garlic butter, they are even better)

Directions

Lightly mix together all the ingredients for the burgers. Form into 4 patties. I like to make them about 30-40 minutes ahead of time, to let the flavors meld a little bit.

Preheat & spray the broiler with a little oil (or use the grill, or a pan). Broil the burgers for about 4 minutes on the first side, then flip and broil for 3 minutes. Top each chicken burger with 2 Tbsp. pasta sauce and a slice (or about 2T) of cheese. Place back under the broiler for 30-60 seconds, until cheese in melted and burger is cooked through. Top with mushrooms (or onions), if desired. Place the buns in the broiler for about 10 seconds, just until toasted.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This is another meal that is simple enough for a weeknight, but can also be dressed up to serve to company. Just remember that goat cheese tends to be something that you either love or hate, so if you do decide to make this for company make sure they like goat cheese first! Fortunately, my husband and I like it very much so this recipe was a winner.

The original recipe calls for frying the chicken in a saute pan, but I honestly prefer to bake my chicken. It makes much less of a mess and is healthier. Plus, you can just put it in the oven and forget about it while you make your side dish or vegetable without constantly having to hover over it. This recipe is quick, easy and flavorful. A combination that is always welcome in my book!

Ingredients
Adapted from: Williams-Sonoma Bride & Groom Cookbook, page 110

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (I used 2 whole breasts)
kosher salt and pepper
2 oz. fresh goat cheese
4 thin slices prosciutto (I used 2)
8 fresh sage leaves
2 cups flour (I used 1 cup)
2 eggs, lightly beaten (I used 1) with 1-2 tbsp. water
2 cups fine dried bread crumbs (I used 1 cup Panko)
1/4 cup olive oil (I omitted)

Directions
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper on both sides. Using a boning knife, cut a horizontal incision into each breast, without cutting the breasts in half, creating a pocket for stuffing.

Pound each breast between 2 pieces of parchment paper until they are about 3/4 of an inch thick. Rub each breast lightly with olive oil.

Stuff each pocket with about 1 1/2 Tbsp. of the goat cheese, spreading evenly, then follow with 1 slice of prosciutto and 2 sage leaves. I threaded a tooth pick through the incision to keep the stuffing in.

Arrange a plate with the flour, bowl with the eggs, and plate with the bread crumbs. Dredge each stuffed breast in flour, then dip it in the eggs, and dredge in the bread crumbs.

Lightly spray a baking dish with non stick spray, and place breasts in the dish. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 60 minutes, uncovering the dish for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove toothpick and serve.

Provincial Chicken with Swiss

This was a great meal that is perfectly easy to throw together on a busy weeknight. Herbs de Provence is the star of this dish, bringing so much wonderful flavor to the chicken. Swiss cheese adds a smooth bite while the Panko breadcrumbs bring texture. All in all, this is a flavorful and easy meal that will appeal to most palates.

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, pounded thin
1/2 cup AP flour
1 egg white
splash of skim milk
Aprox. 3/4 cup plain Panko breadcrumbs
aprox. 1-2 tsp Herbs de Provence
2 slices swiss cheese
salt
pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking dish with non stick spray. Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper. Using about 1/2 tsp. (or more) per chicken breast, rub herbs to provence into both sides of breasts and then dust with flour so the chicken is completely covered. In a small bowl, whisk together egg white and milk, then dredge chicken in the egg white mixture. Finally, coat chicken in Panko breadcrumbs so the chicken is completely coated. Place in baking dish. If desired, sprinkle a bit more herbs de provence over chicken. Cover dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Then, remove foil from dish, place 1 slice of Swiss Cheese over both breasts and bake for an additional 15 minutes, uncovered.

Herb Roasted Cornish Game Hens

Sometimes I buy something at the store, not knowing what I'm going to do with it or how I'm going to make it. It keeps me on my toes. Anyways, this was one of those times. My husband mentioned that his mom used to make Cornish Hens on special occasions and he really liked them, so I got them without knowing how I was going to make them.

I chose to simply roast them, like I would do for a chicken or a turkey so I didn't use a recipe, and they came out quite good! I sort of felt bad for the little hen because it was so small and was probably really cute, but that's just the former vegan in me coming back out!!! In my opinion, you either eat animals or you don't and I made the conscious decision to eat meat so I just needed to get over myself!

These were really easy to make (I don't think you need to wait for a special occasion to make them!) and packed with flavor. The herbs de Provence really added a lot to flavor the meat which was wonderfully tender.
Ingredients
2 Cornish Game Hens, thawed if necessary and dry
1/2 lemon, cut in half
1 sprig sage
1 sprig rosemary
1 tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp Herbs de Provence
salt
pepper
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stuff lemon, 1/2 sprig of sage, 1/2 sprig of rosemary, and a dash of salt and pepper into the empty cavity of the hen. Place on a roasting pan or dish sprayed with non stick spray, and rub 1/2 tbsp. of softened butter over each hen. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence and rub into skin. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. During the last 15 minutes of cooking, bring the oven temperature up to 400 degrees to brown the skin. Just make sure that they are in the oven for an hour total or until juices run clear. Let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Garlic Lime Chicken with a kick

I found this recipe on Allrecipes a long time ago, and it has since become one of my husband's favorites. This chicken definitely has a bit of a kick to it, and the lime pairs very well with it. But in all honestly, this is not one of my favorite chicken dishes. I really don't like spicy things, so I try and use a little less of the spice rub on mine. In addition, I always prefer to bake chicken, not pan fry it. But either way my husband really loves it, so I thought I'd post it because if he likes it someone else probably will too!!!

Ingredients
Adapted from Allrecipes.com

3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder (I omit)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (I use 2 whole chicken breasts, pounded thin)

2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder (I omit this)
3 tablespoons lime juice (I use the juice of a lime)
2-3 tbsp. chicken stock (I add this)
2 garlic cloves, minced (I add this)
Directions
In a small bowl, mix together salt, black pepper, cayenne, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, onion powder, thyme and parsley. Sprinkle spice mixture generously on both sides of chicken breasts. Heat butter and olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Saute chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes on each side. In another small bowl, combine lime juice, chicken stock and fresh garlic cloves and pour over cooked chicken breasts. Cook an additional 5 minutes or so, or until sauce has started to thicken. Stir frequently to coat evenly with sauce.

Roast Chicken

One thing that I've been wanting to do for a while now is roast a chicken. If I do say so myself, I make a pretty mean Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey, but I've yet to roast a chicken for my husband and I! So with nothing else to make on a Sunday evening, I decided to roast a chicken!

I went straight to Martha Stewart to find a recipe (that's where I got my favorite roast turkey recipe from) and was again, very happy with the results. The chicken was moist, tender and very flavorful! My husband really raved over it and it was honestly not that hard to make! A little time consuming perhaps, but it was definitely worth the effort! This was a really great Sunday dinner, and I will certainly be making it again!

Ingredients
Source: Martha Stewart

1 six-pound roasting chicken
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick
1 lemon
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
4 sprigs fresh thyme (I used Rosemary instead)
1 cup Chicken Stock

Directions

1. Let chicken and 1 tablespoon butter stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove and discard the plastic pop-up timer from chicken if there is one. Remove the giblets and excess fat from the chicken cavity. Rinse chicken inside and out under cold running water. Dry chicken thoroughly with paper towels. Tuck the wing tips under the body. Sprinkle the cavity of the chicken liberally with salt and pepper, and set aside.
2. In the center of a heavy-duty roasting pan, place onion slices in two rows, touching. Place the palm of your hand on top of lemon and, pressing down, roll lemon back and forth several times. This softens the lemon and allows the juice to flow more freely. Pierce entire surface of lemon with a fork (I just sliced the lemon in half and put both halves in the chicken cavity). Using the side of a large knife, gently press on garlic cloves to open slightly. Insert garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, and lemon into cavity. Place chicken in pan, on onion slices. Cut about 18 inches of kitchen twine, bring chicken legs forward, cross them, and tie together.
3. Spread the softened butter over entire surface of chicken, and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place in the oven, and roast until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and the juices run clear when pierced, about 1 1/2 hours. When chicken seems done, insert an instant-read thermometer into the breast, then the thigh. The breast temperature should read 180 degrees.and the thigh 190 degrees. (My chicken was getting very brown after an hour, so I covered it with foil to prevent it from burning).
4. Remove chicken from oven, and transfer to a cutting board with a well. Let chicken stand 10 to 15 minutes so the juices settle. Meanwhile, pour the pan drippings into a shallow bowl or fat separator, and leave onions in the pan. Leave any brown baked-on bits in the bottom of the roasting pan, and remove and discard any blackened bits. Using a large spoon or fat separator, skim off and discard as much fat as possible. Pour the remaining drippings and the juices that have collected under the resting chicken back into the roasting pan. Place on the stove over medium-high heat to cook, about 1 minute. Add chicken stock, raise heat to high, and, using a wooden spoon, stir up and combine the brown bits with the stock until the liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Strain the gravy into a small bowl, pressing on onions to extract any liquid. Discard onions, and stir in the remaining tablespoon of cold butter until melted and incorporated. Untie the legs, and remove and discard garlic, thyme, and lemon. Carve, and serve gravy on the side.

Lemon Chicken with Oregano and Feta

The other day I happened to find this recipe while browsing through FoodGawker, and thought it looked really good and fresh...perfect for this time of year. I hate being weighed down by "heavy" winter foods when it starts getting nice around here, so this looked like a great option and it really was! It definitely had a Mediterranean feel to it, and the flavors worked very well with each other. Plus, I've totally been craving lemon like crazy lately so this was another great way to sneak it in! The only thing I'd do differently next time is add a bit more feta, I was admittedly skimpy with it to try and save calories! Other then that, this recipe was a winner!

Ingredients
Adapted from Gina's weight watchers recipes

2 Boneless skinless Chicken breasts, pounded to an even thickness and patted dry
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 garlic clove, minced
Oregano to taste (aprox. 1 tsp)
salt
pepper
Feta cheese, crumbled

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a baking dish with non stick spray. Place chicken breasts in dish, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and oregano. Squeeze lemon liberally over both breasts. Cover dish with foil and bake for 55 minutes. Remove foil from baking dish and sprinkle feta over both breats. Broil chicken for 2-3 minutes or until feta is golden brown.

Lighter Chicken Parmesan

I felt like making Chicken Parmesan the other day, but my husband and I are really trying to watch what we eat before our vacation in a few weeks. So I remembered seeing a Light Chicken Parmesan recipe on Annie's Eats blog and decided to try it out.

It was really good, although my husband and I both like my traditional fried version better! But if you are looking for a light version of a not so light classic, this is a great recipe. I really liked toasting the panko before I breaded the chicken, it made for a super crispy crust. Either way, I will definitely be making it again!

Ingredients
Adapted from Annie's Eats
Originally from Cook's Illustrated, October 2006

1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs (I used Italian Style Panko)
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper
3 large egg whites (I used 2 egg whites and that was plenty)
1 tbsp. water
vegetable cooking spray
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and cut into halves (4 pieces total) (I used 2 chicken breasts, pounded thin, for a total of 2 pieces)
2 cups marinara sauce, warmed (I used about 1.5 cups)
about 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp. minced fresh basil (I omitted)

Directions
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees F**(see note)**. Combine the breadcrumbs and oil in a 12-inch skillet and toast over medium heat until golden, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Spread the breadcrumbs in a shallow dish and allow to cool slightly; when cool, stir in the Parmesan.

In a second shallow dish, combine the flour, garlic powder, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper together. In a third shallow dish whisk together the egg whites and water.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with vegetable oil spray (I used a baking dish). Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge each chicken piece in the flour to coat completely, shaking off the excess. Then dip into the egg whites and finally coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Press on the breadcrumbs to make sure they adhere. Place the chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake until the chicken is no longer pink and feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven. Spoon 2 tablespoons of marinara sauce over the top of each piece of chicken and top with 2 tablespoons of the shredded mozzarella. Return the chicken to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the fresh basil and serve as desired, with extra Parmesan and marinara sauce.

**Note: In terms of the cooking time, I put the chicken in for 1 hour at 350 degrees, which is what I always do for chicken parm. In addition, I cover the baking dish with foil. It always works out perfectly for me and leaves me with very moist chicken that I know is completely cooked through! About halfway through cooking time I add the Marinara and the cheese.

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic

I've seen this recipe all over the internet/food blogs, so I'm really not sure where I first saw it. Either way, I've been wanting to make it for a while now (chicken and garlic - what's not to love?) so I found a recipe on Williams-Sonoma.

This was absolutely fantastic. The garlic mellows right out and the chicken is just so moist, flavorful and tender. I served this with some classic mashed potatoes and freshly baked French Bread. (And let me just say, dipping the bread into this gravy was like heaven) And, with this dish I overcame my fear of making bone-in chicken!

I did make a few adjustments to make it work for just my husband and I, which I'll note in the recipe.

Overall this dish was fantastic and I highly recommend trying it if you haven't already!

Ingredients
Adapted from: Williams-Sonoma

2 chickens, each 4 lb., cut into 8 serving pieces (I used 1 Chicken)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
40 garlic cloves, peeled (I used about 25 cloves, since I only used 1 chicken instead of 2)
1 Shallot, Minced (I added this to the original recipe)
1 Tbs. minced fresh rosemary (I used dried)
1 Tbs. minced fresh thyme (I used dried)
Zest of 2 lemons (I used 1 lemon)
1/4 cup white wine (I used 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup chicken stock (I used 1/2 cup)
3 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room
temperature, cut into pieces

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 400°F.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a wide Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Working in batches, brown the chicken, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add the garlic and shallot to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the chicken, rosemary, thyme and lemon zest and stir to combine. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Baste the chicken with the accumulated juices. Continue roasting, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes more.

Transfer the chicken to a platter; leave the garlic in the pan. Cover the chicken loosely with aluminum foil.

Set the pan over medium heat and mash the garlic with the back of a spoon. Add the wine and cook for 3 minutes. Add the stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a sauceboat. Serve the chicken immediately and pass the sauce alongside. Serves 8. (I used the one chicken for my husband and I and we had tons of leftovers...our dogs were very, very happy)!

Chicken Stroganoff

I have to admit that I rarely use my crock pot. I think the only meal I've ever made in it is venison stew on Sundays during hunting season. The reason for this is I will not leave it alone during the day when I'm at work. I know, I know "that's what it was designed for" and "It is like keeping a lamp plugged in" blah blah blah. It gets hot and smells delicious and hot+ delicious smells = my husband's 120 lb dog jumping on the counter and starting the place on fire or making a disastrous mess.

However, I did see this Chicken stroganoff recipe on Lemons & Love and though it looked really good. So I made it on Sunday and got to smell the delicious aroma all day long!

This was really good! I stirred it too much during the day so I ended up with more shredded chicken then I did with chicken "chunks" which resulted in a less then desirable presentation. When I served my husband he kind of looked at me like "what is this slop you're feeding me?" but as soon as he took a mouthful I heard a really big "YUM" come from him! He and I both really loved it. It tastes WAY better then it looks and he has already requested I make it again. I was a little hesitant about the recipe itself because I felt like it should be cooking in the "creaminess" all day, but it really worked out well. I also added some onions, shallots and garlic just because I thought it would work well and my husband would be very disappointed if I made him a meal without onions.

Ingredients
Adapted from Lemons & Love, originally from www.Allrecipes.com

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed (I used 3 whole chicken breasts)
1/8 cup margarine (I used 3 tbsp unsalted butter)
1 .7 oz package dry Italian-style salad dressing mix
1 8 oz package cream cheese
1 10.75 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup (I made my own condensed cream of chicken soup..recipe can be found here)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 shallot, finely chopped
1 clove freshly minced garlic
3 tbsp Chicken Stock
Egg Noodles

Directions

Put chicken, margarine, dressing mix, onions, shallots, garlic and chicken stock in slow cooker; mix together and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours.

Add cream cheese and cream of chicken soup, mix together and cook on high for another 1/2 hour or until heated through and warm.

Serve over egg noodles.

Laughing Cow Stuffed Chicken

I recently "discovered" Laughing Cow cheese and how delicious it is! Perfect for an afternoon snack that won't ruin the diet. This laughing cow stuffed chicken recipe has been floating around the cooking board I frequent quite a bit, so I'm not sure of the original source. I personally found it on the Love Deliciousness blog, but forgot to print out the recipe! So this is how I made it, although I don't think it' s much different then the recipe I forgot to print out. I poured a little leftover homemade Alfredo sauce over my chicken which just added to the delicious cheeseyness of the meal! This dish is a great weeknight meal, but I mean, how can cheese stuffed chicken ever be bad?!

Ingredients
Adapted from Love Deliciousness

2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, rinsed and dried
2 wedges Laughing cow cheese
1/2 cup all purpose flour
aprox. 1/2 cup Panko Bread Crumbs (I used Italian style Panko)
Salt
Pepper
Cooking Spray

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a slit in both breasts and stuff one wedge of cheese in each slit. Using a toothpick, secure slit so cheese doesn't come out. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper, and then dredge both breasts in flour until completely coated. Then spray both breasts with a little non-stick spray (I used olive oil spray), and roll in Panko bread crumbs until completely coated. Place chicken breasts in a medium-large baking dish sprayed with cooking spray and cover with foil. Bake for aprox. 1 hour or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.

Crispy Coated Ranch Chicken

For dinner last night my husband requested "Chicken with a crispy coating." Don't you love how specific he is?! I didn't have time to find a recipe online, so I just came up with something when I got home. It was a super-simple weeknight meal that was very good. I served it with Creamy Parmesan Orzo. I thought it was lacking a little something but I couldn't figure out what. Maybe I just underseasoned it. Either way, my husband loved it and asked me to make it again so that's definately a good sign! It's certainly not a "refined" dish but it's great for the weeknight!

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - pounded to an even thickness
1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
1 tbsp milk
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 packet of dry ranch mix (I used hidden valley)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregeno
1/2 tsp dried thyme
kosher salt
pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If necessary, dry chicken breasts and then season with salt and pepper. On one plate add flour. On a separate plate, mix together Panko bread crumbs and dried basil, oregeno and thyme. In a shallow bowl beat eggs and milk. Open ranch packet and keep it close so you don't have to open it while your hands are in chicken! Coat chicken breast in flour, then dip in the egg wash, then lighly sprinkle on dry ranch mix (to your tastes), then press into Panko bread crumbs to create a nice, crunchy coating on both sides and place in a 13x9 baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. Repreat with remaining chicken breast. Cover dish with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Then, take off the foil, spray the top of the chicken breasts with non-stick spray, and bake for an additional 15 minutes for a nice, crispy crust.