Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry

From: Salt and Lavendar

Ingredients:

• 2 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• Pepper to taste
• 3 Tbsp cornstarch 
• 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1/2 medium onion
• 2 cups broccoli florets 
• 1/2 red bell pepper

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup chicken broth 
• 3 Tbsp mirin
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves minced garlic 

1. Prep the ingredients before you start cooking. Once the recipe is started, it goes quickly. Cut the veggies into bite-size pieces so they cook at a similar rate.

2. Add the sauce ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk everything together.

3. Cut the chicken into one-inch pieces and add them to a bowl. Sprinkle the pieces with the garlic powder and some pepper. Stir to combine. Add the cornstarch and stir until the chicken is coated.

4. In a deep skillet, over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp of the oil. Let the pan heat up for a few minutes.

5. Add the chicken pieces, shaking off the excess cornstarch prior to adding them to the pan. Cook for 4 minutes and then flip and cook another 3 to 4 minutes or so. Chicken should be browned and cooked through. For the second batch (there should be enough chicken to need to do 2+ batches), I add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Transfer each batch of the chicken to a plate once it's done.

6. If the pan is dry, add a small splash of olive oil, and then add the onions. Cook for 1 minute, stirring a few times.

7. Add in the broccoli and peppers, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often. Veggies should be tender-crisp. Give it a little longer if you want them softer.

8. Add the chicken back to the pan and stir in the sauce. ( Whisk it again quickly prior to pouring it in.) Let it bubble until thickened, stirring constantly so everything is coated. Take the pan off the heat and serve immediately.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! Oh my gosh, the flavor on this was ON POINT. The whole family really enjoyed it!

What I did differently (or would do in the future):

I cooked about 2lbs of chicken because I knew just two chicken breasts wouldn't be enough for us. And I left some out of the sauce so people could do half and half. I should have used more broccoli - all of us love broccoli so much that we went through that really quickly. I left out the bell pepper because I'm the only one who enjoys it, but I cooked my onions separately, so in hindsight, I should have just done the bell pepper separately as well. I used coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. 

Please note - it does say once the recipe is started, it goes quickly, and that's semi-true. It took me about an hour and 15 minutes to make this from start to finish, but that's most likely because of how much chicken I was cooking! If I was only cooking for two, it would probably have gone much faster.

We added rice and it went together perfectly!

Alfredo Chicken Pasta Toss

 From: Pillsbury Annual Recipes Cookbook 2007

Ingredients:

• 4 cups uncooked rotini, penne, or farfalle pasta
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1 cup chicken breasts, cut into thin bite-size pieces
• 1 jar (16 oz) alfredo pasta sauce
• 2 tsp dried basil leaves

In a Dutch oven, cook and drain pasta as directed on package, adding peas and carrots during last 5 minutes of cooking. Drain; return to Dutch oven.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken, cook 9-11 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink in center.

Stir chicken, alfredo sauce, and basil into pasta mixture in Dutch oven. Cook and stir over medium heat until thoroughly heated.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! This was much more of a "shortcut" version of alfredo from what I normally make. In my opinion it wasn't as good as the homemade cream sauce I usually would make, but it was fast and simple, and that counts for something! My whole family liked it, so I could easily throw this into the rotation of meal planning.

Air Fryer Glazed Chicken Tenders

 From: Recipe Teacher

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 6-8oz each
3 tbs olive oil
3 tbs balsamic vinegar
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbs brown sugar
11/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry crushed rosemary
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder

Combine all ingredients, except chicken, in a shallow baking dish and whisk together.
Add chicken and coat well so it’s all submerged in the mixture. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. 2 hours is better; overnight is best!
Preheat air fryer to 360 degrees for 5 minutes.
Add chicken breasts to air fryer and air fry at 360 degrees for 18 minutes, turning after 10 minutes.
After time is complete, remove chicken and place on a plate or cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! This was a good, tangy, sweet marinade. And wow - the air fryer was SUCH easy cleanup and seemed to be way less hassle than pulling out the grill or mucking up pans in the oven! You could definitely grill this or bake it in the oven as well.

Grilled Chicken with Homemade Spice Rub (Whole 30)

 From: Joyful Healthy Eats

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

In a small bowl, mix everything but the chicken (and the kitchen sink?). Rub the mixture over both sides of the chicken. Place chicken on preheated grill and grill on each side until it's no longer pink in the middle.

Verdict:

This chicken was DEEEEVINE! The smoky flavor was on point. I didn't have coriander on hand so I substituted garam masala since it has coriander in it. Seriously, this was so flavorful and I was so mad I didn't make more at one time to save for later!

Creamy Tuscan Chicken (Whole 30)

 From: Paleo Running Momma

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs chicken thighs boneless and skinless
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil plus additional if needed
• Sea salt and pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1 small onion chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 Tbsp tapioca flour or arrowroot (I used almond flour)
• 1 cup chicken bone broth
• 1/2 cup coconut milk full fat, blended before adding if needed
• 1/2 Tbsp stone ground mustard
• 1 1/2 Tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning blend
• 1/4 tsp sea salt or to taste
• 1/8 tsp black pepper or to taste
• 2/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped

Season the chicken with sea salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder. In a large skillet add the coconut oil and cook the chicken thighs on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until browned and no longer pink in center. Remove chicken and set aside on a plate.

Add additional oil if necessary and cook the onions over medium heat until soft, then stir in the garlic and cook another 45 seconds.

Whisk in the tapioca or arrowroot, then add the broth and coconut milk. Stir to combine, then stir in the mustard, yeast, Italian seasoning, sea salt and pepper. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until it starts to thicken.

Add the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes and allow mixture to simmer until spinach is wilted and tomatoes are softened. Add chicken back to the skillet and simmer another 2 minutes. Serve over cauli rice, zucchini noodles, or with roasted potatoes. Enjoy!

Verdict:

Thumbs up! I don't normally cook with chicken thighs and I remember why... they're so fatty! Yes, they were cheap, but I had to trim a ton of fat off. I'd rather just buy breast cutlets next time for this recipe. The sauce, though, I was LOVING! I was a little surprised because I don't like coconut anything, so I was afraid the coconut oil and milk would be too much in this recipe. I couldn't pick out that flavor at all though. I really liked the tanginess of the sundried tomatoes. I think they added a lot to the recipe. All in all, very good, and I will probably make again, although I will half the recipe next time because I could see me doing this for a nice lunch for myself the next time I cook it.

Whole 30 Chicken Salad

 From: Mary's Whole Life

Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken breasts
• 15-20 grapes, sliced in half
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries or diced apple
• 1/4 cup pistachios or pecans, raw or dry roasted
• 1/4 cup chopped celery, (optional)
• 1/4 cup mayo , Use Primal Kitchen for Whole30
• 1/2 tsp sea salt, more or less to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1/2 tsp paprika

Cook chicken: Bring a large pot of water to a boil with chicken breasts inside. Once boiling, cover and remove from heat. Let the breasts sit in the covered pot for 15 minutes. Chop/shred and add to a bowl. Omit this step if using rotisserie chicken! (If doing Whole 30, make sure any rotisserie chicken is compliant!)

Add remaining ingredients into a large bowl with the cooked chicken. Mix well until combined. Refrigerate until ready to eat! Can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Verdict:

Such a big thumbs up! This was absolutely delish. I used grapes, apples (beware of dried cranberries like they suggest, because the ones I almost used from my pantry were NOT compliant), celery, and almonds. I used the Primal Kitchen mayo which is my saving grace for many meals. It honestly didn't taste different to me than regular chicken salad! Perfect for a quick lunch.

Barbecued Chicken Wings Bahama

From: Heinz Ketchup cookbook

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken wings
2/3 cup Heinz ketchup
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp red pepper
1/8 tsp garlic powder

Cut off wing tips and discard; cut each wing in half at joint.

Place wings on broiler rack. Bake in 400 degree oven for 40 minutes, turning once.

Meanwhile, combine ketchup, lime juice, brown sugar, allspice, red pepper and garlic powder; brush on wings.

Broil 2 to 3 minutes. Turn wings and brush with sauce.

Broil an additional 2-3 minutes.

What I did differently:
I always save my wing tips for making chicken stock. Just freeze them for later instead of discarding. Also, I did 2 pounds of wings and I didn't need to cook them 40 minutes - maybe 25 or 30 before broiling them.

Verdict:
These were okay. They weren't my favorite barbecue sauce ever, mainly because I felt like the ketchup flavor overpowered everything else. I probably won't make this recipe again because I have too many other good barbecue sauces I like.

Chicken Pizzaiola

From: Heinz Ketchup cookbook

Ingredients:

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 egg, well beaten
1/3 to 1/2 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
1/4 cup Heinz tomato ketchup
1/4 tsp dried oregano leaves, crushed
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
4 slices (1 oz each) mozzarella cheese

Flatten chicken breasts to 1/4-inch thickness.

Dip each breast in egg, then coat well with crumbs.

Slowly saute chicken in butter until lightly browned on both sides and chicken is cooked.

Combine ketchup and oregano and spoon 1 tablespoon mixture over each breast.

Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and place mozzarella on top.

Cover, and heat about 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.

What I did differently:
I always use tenders in this recipe, or I'd use the pre-sliced breasts that are much thinner. It's just faster for cooking. Also, I tend to make this on nights that I need something cooked really fast, so if I don't have sliced mozzarella on hand I use shredded. It's not quite the same for melting purposes, but it gets the job done.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Like I said, this is a great recipe for when you're fumbling for what to cook for dinner. It takes about 20 minutes or less, and I can't say enough good things about one-pot recipes! We always eat ours over noodles.

Chicken and Rice Soup

From: A Pinterest Pin 

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter
3 carrots, sliced
3 celery ribs, sliced
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 Tbsp minced garlic
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cooked chicken
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup rice, cooked
2-3 cups water

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Saute the celery and onion for about five minutes. Add the minced garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add all of the remaining ingredients into the pot and heat through. Can be frozen for up to two months.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! The instructions didn't say when to add the carrots, so I added them with the garlic and cooked them a bit longer with some broth from when I boiled the chicken. This was a very easy, quick recipe to make, and quite tasty! A "comfort food" as my parents would say!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

From: Southern Living

Ingredients:
1 small onion, chopped
1 cup shredded carrots
5 cups water
1 (6.2 ounce) package fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (8 ounce) loaf pasteurized prepared cheese product, cubed
1 (10 ounce) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

Saute onion and carrots in a lightly greased Dutch oven over medium heat 5 minutes.

Add 5 cups water, seasoning packet from rice, broccoli, and chicken. Bring to a boil, and stir in rice; reduce heat, cover, and cook 5 minutes.

Add cheese and soup; cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! This was a delicious, filling soup. For the rice, I used a package of Uncle Ben's rice that was already cooked. I just threw it in a little later than what the recipe said. I used Velveeta for the cheese product. This was a really simple soup to make and the flavor was incredible. One of our new favorites!

Chicken Soup with Rice and Barley

From: Automatically Light! cookbook

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
1 cup carrots, coarsely chopped
2 cups onion, coarsely chopped
3 cups chicken broth, defatted
4 cups water
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup white rice
1/4 cup medium barley
1 tsp dried thyme

Place chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients through pepper. Cook on low for 7-8 hours or until a fork pierces meat easily. Remove chicken and vegetables. Puree vegetables in a blender. Skim all fat from broth. Cut chicken into small pieces.

Return broth and pureed vegetables to the slow cooker and add rice, barley and thyme. Cover and cook at high for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until rice and barley are very tender. Add chicken during the last 15 minutes.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! What a classic comfort food recipe. I didn't use the slow cooker. I used the stove instead. I put all ingredients through pepper in a soup pot and brought to a boil. I simmered for about an hour and a half. I removed the chicken and veggies but I did not blend them, because I thought that sounded kind of gross. I added rice and barley to the broth/water and cooked for about 45 minutes. I then added the chicken and vegetables back in and cooked another 10-15 minutes to make sure it was all warm. Voila!

Impossibly Easy Mini Chicken Pot Pies

From: Betty Crocker

Ingredients:
Chicken mixture:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Baking mixture:

1/2 cup Bisquick

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

 

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray. 


In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Add onion and chicken broth; heat to simmering. Add frozen vegetables and seasonings. Heat until hot, stirring occasionally until almost all liquid is absorbed. Cool 5 minutes; stir in cheese.

In medium bowl, stir baking mixture ingredients with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon baking mixture into each muffin cup. Top with about 1/4 cup chicken mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture onto chicken mixture in each muffin cup.




Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. With thin knife, loosen sides of pies from pan; remove from pan and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes longer, and serve.

 

Verdict:
Thumbs up! This is a really easy recipe to throw together. I love chicken pot pie and this had the perfect balance of "crust" and mixture. I also loved how easy it was to heat up the leftovers and eat them on the run! I will definitely be making these again!

Chicken Honey Stir-Fry

From: An old index card

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast
3/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup honey
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp ginger
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 carrots, some broccoli
hot rice

Cut chicken into thin strips. In a small bowl, mix orange juice, honey, soy sauce, cornstarch and ginger. Heat oil over medium heat in skillet. Add vegetables and cook for 3 minutes. Remove vegetables. Add a little more oil if necessary. Add meat and cook until it's not pink anymore. Add the vegetables and the sauce mixture. Cook until thick. Serve over rice.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Yes, I ate the entire recipe by myself. No shame. This was totally delicious. The only change I made was I used one tablespoon of soy sauce instead of three. Sometimes I feel soy sauce is overwhelming. This was a really fast recipe that was filling and delicious. I will definitely be making this again. 

Baked Chicken Honey

From: Blisstree

Ingredients:
Thighs, drumsticks, wings from 1 3-4 lb. chicken
1/2 cup soy sauce
the juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons minced garlic
freshly ground black pepper to taste
salt, optional

Marinate chicken pieces in the rest of the ingredients, except for the salt, for 4 hours or overnight, turning occasionally to redistribute. Drain chicken from marinade and transfer to greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, turning once, or just until cooked through and juices run clear. While chicken is baking, cook marinade in a small saucepan, until thickened. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. When chicken is done, dip each piece into the cooked marinade and return to baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes or until just golden. Serve hot with the sauce over steamed rice.

 

 

Verdict:

Thumbs up! I love trying new chicken recipes. I love recipes that involve ingredients I already have on hand, so I can decide to make them last minute! This is a yummy, quick-cooking recipe that I'll definitely make again in the future.

Chicken Pot Pie Pasta

From: Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

• Salt and pepper
• 3/4 pound penne or other short tubular pasta
• 1/3 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small yellow onion, minced
• 1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
• 2 carrots, diced medium
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups diced cooked chicken

 

In large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes less than package instructions. Add green beans and cook 3 minutes, then drain.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high. Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and season with salt and pepper.

Stir pasta into chicken mixture.

Verdict:

Thumbs up! I used Tyson grilled chicken chunks to make this meal prep even faster. This was a great meal. My whole family liked it, and I think it was because the flavor was so simple. My husband and daughter don't like things that have a lot of flavor or sauces, so this was right up their alley. I can definitely see myself making this again in the future. 

 

Italian Herb Marinated Chicken

From: McCormick

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
1/4 cup olive oil 
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 Tbsp McCormick montreal chicken seasoning
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1. Mix oil, vinegar, Chicken Seasoning and Italian seasoning in small bowl. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add marinade; turn to coat well.
2. Refrigerate 30 minutes or longer for extra flavor. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade.
3. Grill chicken over medium-high heat 6 to 7 minutes per side or until cooked through.

Verdict:
Well, here's the deal. My whole family and I found the herb flavor of this chicken to be too overwhelming for our tastes. So I shredded mine and made a wrap out of it. I found that to be the perfect offset to the herbs. If you like strong herb flavors such as oregano, rosemary, thyme, etc. you will really like this chicken. I would actually make this again and just not use as much of the seasonings.

Nutrition information: (based on my ingredients; per tenderloin)
117 calories
1g carb
6g fat
16g protein

Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole

From: Campbell's magazine ad

Ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/3 cups water
3/4 cup uncooked white rice
2 cups fresh or frozen vegetables (I used one can of Veg-all)
1/2 tsp onion powder
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (I used 7 tenderloins instead of breasts)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Stir soup, water, rice, vegetables and onion powder in 12x8 shallow baking dish.

Top with chicken. Season chicken as desired. Cover.

Bake at 375 F for 45 minutes or until done. Top with cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! Oh my goodness, what a great combination of flavors. Loved this and I will definitely be making this again in the future.

Nutrition info: (1 serving)
206 calories
28g carbs
4g fat
14g protein

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

From: An old magazine

Ingredients:
1/2 of a 16 oz pkg. linguine
1 cup fresh or frozen broccoli flowerets
2 Tbsp butter
1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into little pieces
1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
14 tsp black pepper

Prepare linguine according to package instructions. Add broccoli during last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain linguine and broccoli well in colander.

Heat butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until well browned, stirring often.

Stir soup, milk, cheese, black pepper and linguine mixture into skillet. Cook until mixture is hot and bubbling.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I love alfredo sauce, and this was incredibly simple to make at home. This recipe is very filling and thick. I'm sure you could add more milk if you wanted to thin the sauce out some, but I enjoyed it like this. I can definitely see throwing some shrimp on top. I will definitely be making this again!

Stove Top One-Dish Chicken Skillet

From: Food & Family magazine

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups hot water
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 pkg Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken
6 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1 can condensed cream of mushroom or chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream

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

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

Mix soup and sour cream; pour over chicken. Top with stuffing; cover. Cook on low heat 10 minutes or until chicken is done.

Verdict:
Thumbs up! I have had this recipe for years. I wanted something really quick for dinner so I finally got my chance to try this recipe. Great, great flavor. I was really surprised. I could see myself making this again in the future if only the majority of my family would eat it... But maybe you'll have better luck with your family!

Crockpot Barbecue Chicken

From: Stick a Fork in It

Ingredients:
4-6 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts (Frozen, if you like)
1 bottle BBQ sauce
1/4 c vinegar
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder

Mix BBQ sauce with all ingredients listed under it. Place chicken in crockpot. Pour sauce over it and cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Verdict:
Two thumbs up! Okay, please don't judge based on my picture. I'm not a photographer, I'm a cook (ish). This barbecue chicken recipe was so good I found myself making it three times in just over a week. You literally cannot get any easier than this recipe. And it turns out perfectly every time. I make it with tenderloins instead of breasts, but you do what you want. I can see this cooking well in the oven, too, but why make any extra work!? My husband told me not to make any other barbecue chicken recipe again. He said this is the one. So, we highly recommend this recipe.