White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce

WHITE CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH GREEN CHILE SOUR CREAM SAUCE

4 words:  you must try this!  These were soooooo good!  To top it off, it was one of the quickest dishes to put together.  Huge hit in our house!

White Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sour Cream Sauce (Let's Dish)

Ingredients:

8 soft taco size flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese, divided
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chiles
Chopped, fresh cilantro for garnish

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan with cooking spray; set aside. Mix the chicken together with 1 cup of the cheese. Distribute the chicken and cheese mixture evenly among the tortillas. Roll up and place seam side down in the prepared pan. In a large saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Continue cooking over medium heat until sauce is thick and bubbly. Stir in the sour cream and diced green chiles. Pour the sauce in an even layer over the enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Sprinkle with cilantro just before serving.





Chicken Pasta Salad with Toasted Pecans

CHICKEN PASTA SALAD WITH TOASTED PECANS

This chicken salad was delicious.  I kept it pretty basic, but the toasted pecans give it amazing flavor.

Chicken Pasta Salad with Toasted Pecans (adapted from Allrecipes)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken meat

1/2 cup toasted pecans

1 stalk celery, finely chopped

1.5 cup of pasta shells, cooked

DIRECTIONS:

To toast pecans, put them on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven at 300 degrees for about 5 minutes, or until they become aromatic.  Watch them, because they can burn easily.

In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise, lemon juice, and pepper. Toss with chicken, pecans, pasta and celery.

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

There is no other word to describe this recipe other than YUM!  It was so flavorful and was simple to put together.  This will become a regular staple.

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken (Kraft)

INGREDIENTS: 
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.) 
1/4 cup  KRAFT Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing, divided 
1 tomato, finely chopped  
1/2 cup  KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese 
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

DIRECTIONS:

HEAT grill to medium heat.
COVER half the grill grate with sheet of heavy-duty foil. Place chicken in large resealable plastic bag. Add 2 Tbsp. dressing; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with dressing. Refrigerate 10 min. Remove chicken from bag; discard bag and dressing.
PLACE chicken on uncovered side of grill; cover with lid. Grill 6 min. Meanwhile, combine remaining dressing, tomatoes, cheese and basil.
TURN chicken over; place on foil. Top with tomato mixture. Grill, covered, grill 8 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF).

Caribbean Jerk Chicken Skewers

CARRIBBEAN JERK CHICKEN KABOBS

Loving our Weber grill.  It's so easy and makes clean-up a breeze.  This recipe was really good.  The chicken was tender, flavorful and just flat out delicious.  The only thing I'd change next time is to only use a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.  Matt's not a pinapple fan, so I used red onion.  Other than that, it was very tasty.

Caribbean Jerk Chicken Skewers (Kraft)

INGREDIENTS:

1 env. (0.7 oz.) GOOD SEASONS Italian Dressing Mix

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

2 Tbsp.oil

2 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp.ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground thyme

1/2 tsp.ground red pepper (cayenne)

1-1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

3 red bell peppers, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces

1 fresh pineapple, cut into 1-1/2-inch chunks (I substituted red onion)

 

DIRECTIONS:

MIX first 7 ingredients until well blended; pour over chicken in large bowl. Stir to evenly coat chicken. Refrigerate 30 min. to marinate.    

 

HEAT grill to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Thread chicken onto 12 skewers alternately with bell peppers and pineapple.    

GRILL 15 min. or until chicken is done, turning frequently.

Tuscan Chicken Soup

This was absolutely delicious. I'm not one for soupy soups and this one fit the bill. It was extremely flavorful, filling and made for great leftovers. One-dish dinners are awesome!

Tuscan Chicken Soup

Weight Watchers Best One-Dish Dinners Fall 2010 Magazine

INGREDIENTS:

Cooking Spray
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup chopped onion
1 pound ground chicken breast
2 (14.5-oz.) cans fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
½ cup uncooked orzo
1 (14.5-oz.) can stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (16-oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 (6-oz.) package fresh baby spinach
6 teaspoons shredded Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat, coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic and onion; sauté 5 minutes or until just tender. Add chicken, and cook 5 minutes, stirring to crumble.
Add broth and next 6 ingredients. Bring to boil; reduce heat, and simmer 22 minutes or until orzo is done.

Stir in spinach; cook 3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Ladle soup into bowls; top with cheese.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 ½ cups soup and 1 teaspoon cheese).

Per Serving: CAL 253 (8% from fat); FAT 2.2g (sat 0.7g); PRO 26.1g; CARB 33g; FIB 5.4g; CHOL 45mg; IRON 3mg; SOD 785mg; CALC 88mg

Benchiladas

BENCHILADAS

Thanks to Annie for this fabulous recipe.  It was incredibly easy to put together and was a big crowd pleaser!  I'll be putting this recipe into regular rotation. 

Cheesy Chicken "Benchiladas" (Annie's Eats)

Ingredients:
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
8 oz. reduced fat sour cream
8 oz. Ranch salad dressing
flour tortillas (10-15) - we like Azteca, packs of 10
jar of salsa
shredded mexican cheese (I usually use close to 4 cups, I love cheese!)

Directions:

Cook chicken breasts by preferred cooking method until cooked through. Set aside to cool a bit.

While chicken is cooling, mix up the sauce. In a large mixing bowl, combine half of the sour cream and half of the Ranch dressing. In a small bowl, combine the rest of the sour cream and Ranch dressing. Stir both until well combined. Shred or chop the cooked chicken and add to the large mixing bowl. Mix well with sauce.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Grease a 9 x 13" pan (and possibly another, smaller pan if needed). Take one tortilla and top with a little less than 1 tbsp. of the sauce from the small bowl. Spread over the tortilla in an even layer. Add some of the chicken mixture to the center of the tortilla. Top with salsa to taste. Sprinkle with shredded cheese, to taste. Roll up tortilla and place, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with remaining ingredients (usually makes 10-15 enchiladas).

Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes (30 for a crispier tortilla). Allow to cool a few minutes before serving.

**I boiled my chicken breast in 4 cups of chicken broth for about 25 mins and then chopped it up after it was cooled**

White Bean Chicken Chili

WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI

I'm so glad I finally made this recipe. This is the first time I've ever made a white chili and now I'm hooked. So, so tasty and easy to put together. I followed Annie's recipe exactly. I highly recommend this dish. You'll love it! Be sure to check out Annie's Eats, as she has amazing recipes. Thanks, Annie!

WHITE BEAN CHICKEN CHILI
(Annie's Eats)

Yield: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½ -inch cubes
1 medium onion, chopped
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. oil
2 (15.5 oz) cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chiles
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
½ cup whipping cream
fresh cilantro and paprika, for garnish

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, sauté chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chiles and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; let simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream and whipping cream. Sprinkle with paprika and top with fresh cilantro for garnish, if desired.

Crispy Yogurt Chicken

CRISPY YOGURT CHICKEN

I have seen so many people make this recipe lately, so I finally decided to do it. Matt loves breaded chicken and garlic so I knew this would be a hit! The chicken turned out super crispy and tasted fabulous! This dish is making its way into our regular rotation!

CRISPY YOGURT CHICKEN
Adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks

INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
6 ounces plain, unflavored yogurt
5 garlic cloves, pressed
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt & pepper, to taste
2 cups of panko bread crumbs (approximately)
cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 365 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean up) and place a rack/cooling rack on top of it. Spray the rack with cooking spray.

In a large Ziploc bag, add the yogurt, pressed garlic, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Seal the bag and shake/squeeze it to combine. Add the chicken breasts to the bag, re-seal and shake the bag to coat the chicken. Put the chicken in the fridge and let it marinate for 20-30 mins (you could also skip this step).

In a shallow dish, combine the panko, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to your tastes . Carefully dip the chicken breasts into the panko mixture to coat. Place the chicken on the rack and spray the top with cooking spray. Bake about 20-30 minutes or until done.

Chicken Stew with White Beans and Spinach

CHICKEN STEW WITH WHITE BEANS AND SPINACH

This is my most favorite, favorite stew. I have already made it so many times. I have no idea why I haven't blogged about it yet. I mean, it's one of my favorite weeknight dishes.

Anyway, credit goes to Elly for this recipe. It's one of her many recipes that have gotten rave reviews in my house. This recipe was so good that Matt was mad that I didn't double it. Be sure to check out Elly's blog for more fabulous dishes. She's got tons of them!!!

I follow this recipe exactly most of the time. However, sometimes I can't find chicken thighs in the grocery store, so I use boneless skinless chicken breasts instead. Either work great. I usually cut the chicken up in chunks too.

CHICKEN STEW WITH WHITE BEANS AND SPINACH
(Elly - Elly Says Opa)

INGREDIENTS:
2-3 slices bacon, chopped
4 chicken thighs, bone-in and skinless
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. oregano
1 can cannellini or other white beans, drained
2 cups fresh spinach
salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a large saute pan with lid, cook the bacon until it has rendered its fat. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off the bacon fat until about 1 Tbsp. remains in the pan.

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and sear it in the bacon fat, to brown, on both sides. Remove from pan.

Add the onions and cook until tender. Stir in the garlic and once the garlic becomes fragrant, stir in the tomato paste. Cook approximately one minute.

Add the wine to the pan to deglaze. Cook for about 2 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the chicken broth, bay leaf, oregano, salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a boil. Add the chicken back in the pan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash about 1/3 of the can of beans with a fork or the back of a wooden spoon--not into a paste, but just breaking up some of the beans (this will make the texture of the final product better). After the chicken has simmered 15 minutes, add the whole beans and the mashed beans into the pan. Cover, simmering an additional 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Add back in the bacon and the spinach. Cook just until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.

Nutritional Information per serving (for 2 servings; based on sparkrecipes.com): Calories: 490 / Fat: 10.9g / Saturated Fat: 3.2g / Carbs: 44.7g / Dietary Fiber: 10.1g / Protein: 44.5g

(We can usually get 3-4 servings out of this, so adjust the nutritional information accordingly)

Chicken Shawarma

CHICKEN SHAWARMA

This is BY FAR the BEST Cooking Light recipe I have made and it's finally making its way to my blog. I've made this 3 different times. It's so good that we eat it so fast and I forget to take pictures!! The flavor is so, so good. If you love garlic, you'll love this. This is a must make. You won't be sorry ... and it's WW friendly!

CHICKEN SHAWARMA - (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken:

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

3 garlic cloves, minced (I used a couple extra)

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 16 (3-inch) strips

Sauce:

1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt (such as Fage)

2 tablespoons tahini

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 garlic clove, minced (I used a couple extra)

Remaining ingredients:

Cooking spray

4 (6-inch) pitas

1 cup chopped romaine lettuce

8 (1/4-inch-thick) tomato slices

Sliced onions (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. To prepare chicken, combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss well to coat. Let stand at room temperature 20 minutes.

3. To prepare sauce, combine yogurt and next 4 ingredients (through 1 garlic clove), stirring with a whisk.

4. Thread 2 chicken strips onto each of 8 (12-inch) skewers. Place kebabs on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until done. (I broiled my chicken for about 15 mins)

5. Place pitas on grill rack; grill 1 minute on each side or until lightly toasted (I put the pitas in the toaster oven for a few mins). Place 1 pita on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1/4 cup lettuce and 2 tomato slices. Top each serving with 4 chicken pieces; drizzle each serving with 2 tablespoons sauce.

Yield
4 servings

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 384(23% from fat); FAT 9.8g (sat 2.1g,mono 4.1g,poly 2.7g); IRON 4.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 64mg; CALCIUM 106mg; CARBOHYDRATE 40g; SODIUM 821mg; PROTEIN 34.4g; FIBER 2.5g

Parmesan Chicken and Rice

PARMESAN CHICKEN & RICE

I'm still following Weight Watchers and coming along great! Since going back to meetings on June 28, I am down 13 pounds! Cooking Light has become my new favorite site for recipes. It's great because they calculate the nutritional information for you, so all I have to do is calculate the points. Easy!

This dish turned out great. It had really good flavor, it only required one pot and I had all of the ingredients on hand. This will definitely make it into our regular rotation.

Parmesan Chicken & Rice - (Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 (8-ounce) package pre-sliced mushrooms (I only sliced up 3 mushrooms)

3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup uncooked instant rice

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese (I only used 1/4 cup)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

crushed red pepper, to taste (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Add chicken; sauté 4 minutes or until the chicken is lightly browned. Add wine, salt, and pepper; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.

Stir in rice and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

Stir in cheese and parsley.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

Nutritional Information
CALORIES 395(18% from fat); FAT 8g (sat 2.8g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.8g); IRON 4.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 57mg; CALCIUM 171mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.4g; SODIUM 656mg; PROTEIN 29.9g; FIBER 2g

Spicy Peanut Chicken

SPICY PEANUT CHICKEN

I've really been concentrating on eating better and exercising! In an effort to keep up with our new healthy lifestyle, I am trying to change over to more healthy dishes.

I found this recipe in my latest issue of Cooking Light. When I read the recipe, it stood out. It's rare that you find recipes that you have all of the ingredients already in your pantry.

This dish was so, so good! It was packed with flavor and the chicken was so tender. The recipe makes a good amount and we'll have leftovers for a day or two! Gotta love that!

SPICY PEANUT CHICKEN
(Cooking Light)

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon peanut oil (we used Canola oil)
1 cup chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
2 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (we used a heaping tsp)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
3 cups chopped plum tomato (about 6 tomatoes) (we used canned diced tomatoes)
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
8 cups hot cooked brown rice
3/4 cup 2% Greek-style yogurt (such as Fage) (we omitted)

DIRECTIONS
Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic to pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes or until chicken is done, stirring frequently. Stir in peanut butter and next 5 ingredients (through tomato paste); cook 1 minute. Add tomato and broth to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Serve chicken mixture over rice; top each serving with yogurt.

Yield 12 servings (serving size: 3/4 cup chicken mixture, 2/3 cup brown rice, and 1 tablespoon yogurt)

Nutritional Information:
CALORIES 340(20% from fat); FAT 7.6g (sat 1.6g,mono 3.1g,poly 2.2g); IRON 2.1mg; CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 59mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38g; SODIUM 523mg; PROTEIN 30g; FIBER 4.6g

Shish Taouk

SHISH TAOUK

Thanks to Katie for this great recipe. I made dinner for the family yesterday and these kabobs were perfect. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera, so I has to take a de-skewered picture after I got home. Regardless, YUM! They were a big hit! I tripled the recipe!

I served these with salad, hummus, pita bread, kibbee and rice pilaf. Stay tuned for kibbee recipe. It was soooo good!

Recipe from: Good Things Catered ~ Katie

INGREDIENTS:
4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded evenly and cut into 2 in pieces
1 large red pepper
1 large yellow pepper (I used green instead)
1 large sweet onion (I used a combo of red and sweet onion)
2 large zucchini (I omitted)
1/3 c. olive oil, divided
1 lemon, juiced
1 can (6oz) tomato paste
1 c. yogurt
3 large garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 Tbsp za'atar
1 Tbsp paprika
1 teaspoon salt, divided
2 teaspoons black pepper, divided

DIRECTIONS:
In large bowl combine 1/4 c. oil, lemon juice, tomato paste, yogurt, garlic, za'atar, paprika, 1/2 tsp salt and 1 1/2 tsp pepper.

Stir to combine thoroughly and add chicken pieces.

Coat chicken pieces evenly with marinade and place into fridge for at least 2 hours and up to 10.

Preheat grill on high while you make skewers.

Wash, prep and cut peppers, onion and zucchini into 1 1/2 - 2 inch pieces.

Place cut vegetables in a large bowl and coat with remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to combine.

Take chicken out of fridge and out of marinade onto paper towel lined plate.

Pat some excess marinade off chicken (not all) and thread onto skewer.

Thread peppers, onion, and zucchini between pieces of chicken.

Repeat until all ingredients are made into skewers.

Turn grill down to medium and place skewers on grill racks.

Cook until nice grill marks are obtained and flip.

Repeat on other side and turn the heat down to low to finish cooking.

When chicken has reached proper internal temperature (no longer pink) remove from grill and place on plate tented with foil for 10-15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Blackened Chicken

BLACKENED CHICKEN

I love blackened chicken. I've been making this a lot lately ... like 3 times this week. Not only is it healthy, it's tasty and easy to throw together. I found the original spice recipe on Allrecipes and have changed it to suit our taste.

INGREDIENTS:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (pounded thin)
Salt, to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a small baking dish with aluminum foil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

Rinse the chicken breasts under cool water and pat dry with a paper towel. Season both sides with salt.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Once combined, rub the spice mixture on both sides of the chicken. Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish and bake for 20-30 mins, or until no longer pink and the juices run clear.

Chicken Francese

CHICKEN FRANCESE

I had to try this recipe after Ally raved about it. Oh my, this was so good! Most definitely a pan-licker! Matt and I both really loved this dish. It really hit the spot! I followed Ally's recipe exactly. The only thing I didn't do was halve my breasts horizontally, so Ally's are much thinner. The breasts I was dealing with were oddly shaped, so halving them would've been nearly impossible. This recipe originates from Cooks Illustrated's website.

Be sure to check out Ally's page for this and other great recipes. She has a bunch!

INGREDIENTS:
SAUCE:
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 small onion, minced (about 1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
1/3 cup lemon juice from 2 lemons
2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Table salt and ground black pepper

CHICKEN:
1 cup all-purpose flour
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4 inch thickness
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced
fresh parsley leaves

DIRECTIONS:
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 200 degrees. Set wire rack on a foil-lined, trimmed baking sheet and place sheet in oven.

2.FOR THE SAUCE: Heat 1 tablespoon butter in medium nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. When foaming subsides, add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add flour and stir until light golden brown, about 1 minute. Whisk in wine, lemon juice, and broth; increase heat to high and bring to boil, whisking constantly. Lower heat to medium-high and cook, whisking occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 10 to 15 minutes. Strain sauce through mesh strainer, return to saucepan, and set aside.

3. FOR THE CHICKEN: Whisk together flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in pie plate. In second pie plate, whisk eggs and milk until combined. Season both sides of each cutlet with salt and pepper. Using tongs and working with 2 cutlets at a time, coat cutlets in seasoned flour; shake off excess flour. Transfer cutlets to egg mixture; coat evenly and let excess run off. Return cutlets to seasoned flour; coat evenly and shake off excess flour.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon each butter and oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; when foaming subsides, place 4 cutlets in skillet. Cook until well browned, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Carefully flip cutlets and continue to cook until lightly browned on second sides, 30 to 60 seconds. Transfer chicken to wire rack in oven. After transferring chicken to oven, wipe out skillet with paper towels.

5. TO FINISH SAUCE AND SERVE: Transfer sauce to now-empty skillet and set over low heat; cook until sauce is heated through, about 1 minute. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Remove baking sheet with chicken from oven; transfer 4 cutlets to skillet, turn to coat with sauce, then transfer each serving (2 cutlets) to individual plates. Spoon 2 tablespoons additional sauce over each serving and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately, passing extra sauce separately.

Cornmeal Crusted Chicken Stuffed with Poblano and Cheddar

CORNMEAL CRUSTED CHICKEN STUFFED WITH POBLANO AND CHEDDAR

Another fabulous recipe from Elly. This was perfect. Matt loves crunchy, coated chicken. When Matt first looked at it, he was trying to figure out what was in the center. When I told him it was poblano pepper, he was excited because he loves peppers!!

This chicken had such great flavor and was so easy to make. We will definitely be making it again!

INGREDIENTS:
2 chicken breast halves
1 poblano pepper
1/3 cup shredded or sliced sharp cheddar
1 egg, beaten and mixed with a Tbsp of water (buttermilk would also be great here)
1/3 cup cornmeal
salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat your broiler and then broil the poblano for a couple minutes, turning it once the skin has blistered and blackened. After all sides of the pepper look charred, remove it from the broiler and put it in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to let the pepper cool.

Preheat the oven to 400. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean up) and place a rack/cooling rack on top of it. Spray the rack with cooking spray.

When the pepper is cool enough to handle, peel the skin off (it should come off easily at this point) and dice the poblano. Slit a pocket into the chicken breasts. Stuff the pocket with the diced poblano and cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.

Combine the cornmeal with salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper to your tastes. Carefully dip the chicken breasts into the egg wash, and then dredge in the cornmeal mixture.

Place the chicken on the rack and spray the top with cooking oil. Bake about 20 minutes or until done, turning once in the middle of cooking.

Chicken Marsala

This is one of my favorite ways to eat chicken. I found this recipe on Katie's blog and knew it had to be a good one. This turned out really, really great and I'll definitely make it again!


INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5-6 oz each), fat trimmed
1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
salt and ground black pepper
2 Tbsp oil
2 ½ oz. (about 3 slices) pancetta, cut into 1 by 1/8 in. pieces
8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced (about 2 c.)
1 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tsp tomato paste
1 ½ c. Marsala (I only like dry, the recipe calls for sweet)
1 ½ Tbsp juice from lemon
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley leaves




DIRECTIONS:
-Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position on the over, place a heatproof plate on the rack, and heat the oven to 200 degrees.

-Pat the chicken breasts dry.

-Place flour in a shallow baking dish or pie plate.

-Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper.

-Working with one at a time, coat both side of chicken with flour.

-Lift the breast from the tapered end and shake to remove excess flour and set aside.

-Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large 12-in heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.

-Place the floured chicken in a single layer in the skillet and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

-Using tongs, turn the cutlets and cook on the second side until golden brown and the meat feels firm when pressed with a finger, about 5 min longer).

-Transfer chicken to the heated plate and return plate to the oven.

-Return the skillet to low heat and add the pancetta.

-Sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping the pan bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits, until the pancetta is browned and crisp, about 4 min.

-With a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to paper towels to drain.

-Add the mushrooms to the pan and increase the heat to medium-high.

-Sauté, stirring occasionally and scraping pan bottom, until the liquid released by the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms begin to brown, about 8 min.

-Add the garlic, tomato paste, and cooked pancetta and cook, stirring constantly, until the tomato paste begins to brown, about 1 min.-Off the heat, add the Marsala.

-Return the pan to high heat and simmer vigorously, scraping browned bits from the pan bottom, until the sauce is slightly syrupy and reduced, about 5 min.

-Off the heat, add the lemon juice and accumulated juices from the chicken.

-Whisk in the butter, one Tbsp at a time, until incorporated.

-Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

-Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve immediately.

Chicken Enchiladas

Tonight, I decided to make chicken enchiladas. I found this recipe on PC's blog. I've wanted to make these for such a long time, and tonight was the perfect night! For the original version of this recipe, you can find it on Cooks Illustrated.

They were very easy and tasted great! I will definitely make them again! Next time, I may make some extra sauce. That would be my only change!

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS WITH RED CHILE SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1 tsp. vegetable oil

3 medium cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp. chili powder

3 tsp. ground cumin

2 teaspoons sugar

2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce

1 cup water

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded

3 tbsp. pickled jalapenos, chopped

1 fresh jalapeno, chopped

1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro

12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas

Vegetable cooking spray

1 lime, cut into wedges (for serving)

Salt

Ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the onion, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions have softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce and water, bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

2. Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the thickest part registers 160 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate; set aside to cool. Strain the sauce through a medium-mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing on the onions to extract as much liquid as possible. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces. Toss together the shredded chicken, 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup of the cheddar, the jalapeños, and cilantro, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Stack the tortillas on a microwave-safe plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40 to 60 seconds. Spread the warm tortillas out over a clean work surface. Place 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each tortilla. Tightly roll each tortilla around the filling and lay them seam-side down in a 13 by 9-inch baking dish.

5. Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with vegetable oil spray. Pour 1 cup of the remaining sauce over the enchiladas to coat them thoroughly. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup cheddar down the center of the enchiladas. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake until the enchiladas are heated through, 20 to 25 minutes.

6. Remove the foil and continue to bake until the cheese browns, about 5 minutes longer. Serve, passing the remaining 1 cup sauce and the lime wedges separately.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I got this recipe from Elly. It was such a great soup. The only change I made was that I garnished it with cilantro. Other than that, I followed her recipe exactly!

Be sure to check out Elly's blog for other great recipes!

Chicken with Lemon & Garlic

Thanks to Ashley for her great pan sauce recommendation. This recipe is so versatile. My recipe it noted below.

This chicken was wonderful and easy to make. Matt really liked it, so we'll definitely be making it again!

My version didn't have much of a sauce because I dredged the chicken in flour. If you like it more saucy, just omit the dredging in this receipe.

Be sure to check out Ashley's blog for her version, which I'm sure is just as tasty!

CHICKEN WITH LEMON & GARLIC SAUCE

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1lb chicken tenderloins
1/2-3/4 cup flour for dredging
1 small cooking onion, thinly sliced
3 large cloves of garlic, pressed
1 1/2 tablespoons parsley
Juice of 1 medium lemon
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
1/2 tablespoon butter
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dip chicken tenderloins in flour mixture to coat and shake off excess.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook about 4 minutes per side, or until done. Remove the chicken from pan and keep warm.

Add the onions to the pan and saute until tender (you may need to add an extra teaspoon of olive oil at this point). Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the white wine and cook until it's reduced by half. Add the chicken broth, doing the same. Add the lemon juice, butter, parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Return the chicken to the sauce and simmer for 10 minutes, flipping the chicken half way through.