Barbeque Chicken

With Memorial Day coming right up I thought I would post some great recipes for a cookout. Whether you are busting out the grill or attending a potluck. This week's recipes are all a great way to kick off the summer!
We'll start with an easy entree on the grill, followed by two yummy salads worthy of any potluck, and end with the best cookie recipe ever (I'm serious. I had some serious cookie critics name these the best ever!)

This recipe is so simple, that I feel a little silly posting it. But it is such a staple at our house in the summer time that how could I not post it? It's one of those entrees that is so simple so you can focus your attention on the sides and dessert. And that's how I like it.

Photo courtesy of somanyrecipes.com via google images

BBQ Chicken
Several pieces of chicken--I have used bone-in legs and thighs, but my favorites are the tenderloins
1 bottle good BBQ sauce any flavor--we like Sweet Baby Rays around here

-Brush the chicken with BBQ sauce, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour
-Preheat the grill to medium heat
-Brush the grill with oil to prevent sticking
-Place the chicken on the grill and cook on medium
-Flip partway through (the cooking time depends on what pieces of chicken you have and the thickness of the meat. Tenderloins cook very quickly, legs and thighs take a lot longer.)
-Once the chicken is cooked through (I would use a meat thermometer for legs and thighs) brush the chicken with more BBQ sauce and turn the heat up to high.
-Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, just until the sauce starts to caramelize and form a bit of a crust
-Serve with more BBQ sauce and lots of yummy sides!

Crispy Garlic Chicken

This is an easy and delightfully delicious chicken dish. I love the crispiness combined with the garlicky flavor. I served this with artichokes and rice pilaf and it was the perfect weeknight meal.
This recipe comes from www.melskitchencafe.com.

Crispy Garlic Chicken
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 thick slices whole wheat bread--for about 2 cups fresh bread crumbs (I used Panko bread crumbs instead)
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. Combine butter and garlic in an 8- or 10-inch skillet. Heat over medium heat until the butter has melted. Pour the butter/garlic mixture into a shallow pie plate or similar dish and cool to room temperature.
In the bowl of a food processor, tear the bread into large chunks, and pulse until the bread is ground into crumbs. Pour the bread crumbs into a shallow pie plate or shallow bowl and toss with the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.
Dip each chicken breast in the melted, cooled garlic butter. Transfer to the bread crumb mixture and turn until coated on all sides. Arrange the chicken in one flat layer on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle any of the remaining melted butter over the chicken. Bake the chicken until it is lightly browned and just cooked through, 40-50 minutes. The baking time will depend on the thickness and size of the chicken you are using. Don’t overcook or the chicken will be dry. (I used a meat thermometer poked in the side to make sure it was done without cutting it open.

Melt the garlic and butter together.

Mix the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to coat the chicken.

Place the breaded chicken on a greased cookie sheet covered in foil.

Bake until your meat  thermometer reads 165.

The perfect weeknight meal!

Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is a classic chicken cordon bleu recipe. I picked it up in my cooking class in college and it's not as tough as I thought it would be. This isn't a quick-throw-it-together kind of meal. But it is a delicious, impressive meal without too much work.

Classic Chicken Cordon Bleu
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 slices deli ham
1/4 melted butter or margarine
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
Sauce:
2 Tbs. butter or margarine
2 Tbs. flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp. chicken bouillon granules or 1 cube chicken bouillon
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 cup grated Swiss cheese (cheeses are optional, but highly recommended)

Preheat oven to 350. Place one chicken breast in a large ziploc bag with the air pressed out or between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. Pound flat with the flat end of a meat mallet or a heavy can until 3/8 inch thick. Repeat with remaining chicken. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Layer ham and Swiss onto each chicken breast. Roll chicken up and secure with wooden toothpicks. Roll chicken in melted butter and bread crumbs. Arrange in medium casserole dish and bake for 30-40 minutes until cooked through.
While chicken is baking make the sauce. Start by making a roux of flour and butter by melting the butter in a sauce pan then sprinkling the flour on top and cooking until a light golden color. Then whisk in milk and bouillon. Bring to a boil and stir constantly until thickened. Reduce heat and season to taste. Add cheese and stir until melted and incorporated. Serve sauce over hot chicken and mashed potatoes.

Put chicken between plastic or in a large ziploc bag.

Pound it thin with the flat side of a meat mallet or a heavy can.

Cover each piece of chicken with a single layer of Swiss cheese and ham.

Roll up the chicken and secure with toothpicks. Roll in melted butter and bread crumbs.

While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce. Start with a roux of butter and flour.

Add other ingredients and whisk until thickened.

Serve sauce over cooked chicken and mashed potatoes.

Chicken Kabobs

It is grilling season again and I couldn't be happier! Not only do I love the flavors that come off the grill, but I love being able to turn over a large chunk of the cooking to my awesome husband! I know my way around the grill, but he is the master. We had these kabobs last week and I can't wait to make them again!

Chicken Kabobs
2 chicken breasts, thawed and cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. red chili flakes
1/2 tsp. onion powder
wooden skewers (8-10)
rice for serving

Combine soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, chili flakes, and onion powder to make a marinade. Marinate chicken for 1-4 hours (longer is better). Soak skewers for 30 minutes to 1 hour to help prevent burning. Carefully thread chicken onto skewers, putting chicken next to each other, but don't pack it too thick. Grill on medium/low heat for 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked all the way through.

Marinate the chicken,

Thread onto skewers,

Grill em up,

Serve with rice and veggies.

Salsa Ranch Rollups

This recipe comes from my cousin Natalie via her sister Stephanie's Tried and True Cookbook. It is a favorite in our house. I love the flavors and the versatility. I usually just throw in whatever leftover veggies I have lying around. And these are so filling and full of lots of yummy stuff, they are a meal all on their own.

Salsa Ranch Rollups
flour tortillas (While I love the cook n serve tortillas, pre-cooked ones work best here.)
chicken cooked and chopped (great for leftovers)
salsa
ranch
your favorite cheese, shredded (I usually use cheddar, but Swiss is good too)
your favorite "sandwich" veggies, chopped (I usually use tomatoes, cucumbers for crunch, and bell pepper for bite)
butter for grilling

Heat 1-2 tbs. butter in large frying pan. Spread about 1 Tbs. salsa down the middle of each tortilla. Then squirt about the same amount of ranch dressing on top. Sprinkle with chicken, cheese, and veggies. Fold tortilla into thirds as tightly as you can without cracking the tortilla. Place rollup in melted butter, seam-side down. Grill until golden and crispy and cheese is melted, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Cut in half to serve and devour!

Prep all your ingredients

Start with the salsa and ranch

Add all your toppings

Roll em up and cook until golden

I dare you to eat just one!

Chicken Salad

I LOVE chicken salad! But I rarely order it at a restaurant because I am somewhat picky about my chicken salad. And I rarely make it for myself because one batch is way too much for just me. So I love a chance to help throw a baby shower so I can make chicken salad. I was asked to bring little sandwiches to a baby shower a couple of weeks ago and my chicken salad on cream puffs paired with these were such a hit!

Again, I forgot to take a picture. This one is courtesy of sheknows.com via google images. This one looks like it has red onion in it. I've never tried it that way, but I think it sounds like a good idea!

Chicken Salad
-2 large cans of chicken--the ones you get at Costco (This may be considered cheating, which I'm totally ok with, but it also keeps the chicken salad from getting too dry)
-1/2 cup mayo
-2-3 Tbs. spicy brown mustard
-1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper
-1/4 tsp. each garlic powder and onion powder
-1 tsp. curry powder
-2-3 Tbs. pickle juice (optional)

-1 apple, finely chopped (Braeburn or Gala are good. Nothing too sweet, nothing too tart.)

Ok, so most things in this are approximated because I don't usually measure with this one. I will give you my best estimates, but I would recommend being conservative, tasting as you go, and adjusting according to your preferences. :-)

-Drain all the liquid off of one can of chicken and half the liquid off the other. Dump chicken into the bowl of a food processor.
-Add mayo, mustard, pickle juice, and seasonings
-Pulse until everything is well blended and chicken is fine, but not mushy
-At this point taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. If the chicken is too dry, add more mayo.
-Once the seasonings are adjusted, fold in finely chopped apple
-Serve on your favorite bread. I would recommend a good croissant, toasted sourdough, or the cream puffs found below!

Teriyaki Chicken

It doesn't get much easier than this. Serve it over rice with your favorite veggie on the side and you've got yourself a meal!

Teriyaki Chicken
boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins (I always use tenderloins, and I don't even bother to (gasp) defrost them first.)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Place chicken in casserole dish. Combine last 5 ingredients and pour over chicken. Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 25-35 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. (I told you it was easy!) Flip the chicken about 15 minutes into baking. Remove foil last 5-10 minutes. Serve chicken, onions, and sauce over rice.

Baked Sour Cream Chicken Fingers

My daughter loves to eat anything that can be dipped. Sometimes dip is the only way to convince her to eat. So chicken fingers are a big hit at our house. (We're still learning how to dip and bite rather than dip and lick several times before biting, but that's a totally different issue.) I came up with this one night, and everyone in the family enjoyed them. Low fat, super easy, and delicious! The sour cream keeps the chicken extra moist and gives it great flavor. I think your family will enjoy these as well!

Baked Sour Cream Chicken Fingers
-Chicken breasts or tenderloins, cut against the grain into strips or "chicken finger" shape
-3/4 cup sour cream (I always buy reduced fat)
-2-3 Tbs. milk
-salt and pepper
-panko bread crumb, plain or Italian flavored (panko bread crumbs make the chicken fingers extra crispy)

Preheat oven to 375. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Mix sour cream and milk until sour cream is a pourable consistency. Coat chicken in sour cream mixture, shaking off any excess. Then roll in bread crumbs and place on greased cookie sheet. (You can try baking the chicken on a cooling rack placed on a cookie sheet to get the chicken extra crispy. My cooling racks were too big for my cookie sheets.) Bake for 15-20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

Coat, bake,

and serve! So easy, so good!

Chicken Saltimbocca

This week I thought it would be fun to highlight some of my favorite chicken recipes. I think chicken is one of those things that everyone knows how to prepare in one form or another. It can become a little boring or it can be fantastic. Everyone, myself included, could use a new chicken dish in their repertoire.  Hopefully this week will give you all some new ideas for an old classic.

Chicken saltimbocca is an Italian dish that my mom makes. It is one of the first dishes my mom made for my husband when we were engaged and he requests it each time we go to my parent's house.And I'm pretty sure it will be the first meal my brother will request when he gets off his mission in a few months. Traditionally saltimbocca is made from veal, but chicken is more readily available and just as good. I believe that the translation of saltimbocca is "jumps in the mouth," and it does just that! Serve it with angel hair pasta with a good pesto sauce or rice pilaf.

Chicken Saltimbocca
boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenderloins
prosciutto (If you haven't had prosciutto, it is an Italian cured meat similar to bacon, but edible straight from the package more like ham. It is paper thin and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! It can be found by the packaged gourmet deli meats and cheeses. It may seem a little spendy, but a little goes a long ways. One package can make saltimbocca for 4, twice!)
flour
salt
pepper
olive oil

-Pound the chicken to less than 1/2 inch thick. I like to put the chicken in a large ziploc and pound it with the flat side of a meat mallet. (You can also use a heavy tin can.)
-Once all the chicken is pounded, season both sides with salt and pepper. (Go light on the salt because the prosciutto is salty.) You might want to cut chicken breasts in half at this point to get a size that is easier to work with.
-Now place a single layer of prosciutto on one side of each piece of chicken. You might need to use more than one piece of prosciutto and piece them together like a puzzle to cover the whole piece of chicken, or cut off excess if prosciutto is too big.
-Heat 1-2 Tbs. olive oil in a large, heavy frying pan on medium heat.
-While pan is heating, put about 1/2 cup flour in a shallow dish. Lay each piece of chicken in flour, pat down, flip, and repeat to get flour coated all over the outside of the chicken and prosciutto.
-Once olive oil is warm place chicken, prosciutto side down, in oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and chicken is cooked all the way through. The prosciutto should cling to the chicken and get crispy. Remove from pan onto paper towel lined plate.
*Note: If chicken is browning very quickly, turn down the heat so chicken has time to cook all the way through.

Coat it in flour

Cook in a little olive oil

Drain on paper towels, and devour!

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

I LOVE chicken broccoli casserole. What I don't love is having to cook the chicken before assembling the casserole, so I usually only make it if I have leftover chicken from another meal. However, I discovered that making it in the crock pot cuts out that step. Another reason to love the crock pot: one step cooking. This might seem a little different than some chicken broccoli casserole recipes, but I think the mayo, lemon juice, and curry really make all the flavors pop!

Chicken Broccoli Casserole in a Crock Pot
6-8 chicken tenderloins or 2-3 chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
about 3/4 cup mayonnaise (depending how tangy you like it)
about 3/4 cup milk (depending how thick you want it)
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. curry powder (optional)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1-2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 package frozen broccoli or 1-2 heads fresh broccoli, chopped
Put chicken in greased crock pot (or use a crock pot liner, love those!) Combine soups, milk, mayo, seasonings, and lemon juice. Pour sauce over chicken. Dump broccoli on top. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. At this point you can serve as is, or shred the chicken. Serve over rice and sprinkle with seasoned bread crumbs (or crushed croutons).

Taco Chicken

This is so easy, I don't know if it counts as a recipe. But I'm passing it along in case you have a similar obsession to Mexican food as I do. This chicken is great in tacos, tostadas, and burritos. I bet it's even good in enchiladas, but I've never tried it that way.

Taco chicken
chicken
salsa
taco seasoning

Place frozen chicken in crock pot in as even of a layer as you can. Pour salsa on top. Make sure all the chicken is covered. The chicken doesn't need to sit in the salsa, but it does need to all have a layer on top. Sprinkle with taco seasoning and cook on low until chicken is cooked through. Shred and serve in your favorite Mexican dish.

Pour the salsa

Sprinkle the taco seasoning

Shred and enjoy!

Chicken Cordon Bleu in a crockpot

So the only way my family stayed alive during the last several weeks is thanks to my crock pot. I love being able to throw something in in the morning and not think about it again until right before dinner. So I decided to do a week dedicated to my favorite crock pot meals.

I found this one on thequeensofthekitchen.blogspot.com, a blog my cousin Monica collaborates with some friends on. I love chicken cordon bleu and while this is far from the classic, it has all the flavors and is oh so easy and yummy! So here's a great spin on a classic. Just cook some rice and throw together a salad and you have dinner!

Chicken Cordon Bleu in a crockpot

8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 7 or 8 tenderloins and it was plenty for us, the missionaries, and leftovers)

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp white pepper (or black)

1 tsp dried thyme leaves   (I omitted)

8 thin slices boiled ham

2 onions, chopped (1 was plenty)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (16 oz) bag baby carrots

1 (16 oz) jar Alfredo sauce

1 (10 oz) can cream of chicken soup

2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Rice

1. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and thyme. Wrap a slice of ham around each breast and secure with toothpicks.(My chicken was frozen and I didn't want to mess with pulling toothpicks out at the end, so I skipped them.)

2. Place onion, garlic, and carrots in a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker. Top with wrapped chicken breasts.

3. In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Serve over rice.

Chicken all seasoned and wrapped

Add the yummy sauce on top.

And that's all the pictures. I guess making sure 2 hungry missionaries had what they needed distracted me from taking a picture of the finished product. Just trust me, it was good.

Thai Honey Peanut Chicken

I found this recipe on my friend Heather, aka the menu mama's, blog a few weeks ago. (Check her out at www.themenumama.blogspot.com)  I think she got the recipe from The Pioneer Woman. I love that it is something different with ingredients I usually have on hand. And it is so easy and delicious!

 When it starts to cook it will look like this.

As it cooks down it looks more like this!

Thai Honey Peanut Chicken

1 lb chicken breast, cut in chunks (I used 5-6 tenderloins)

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 Tbsp honey

1 Tbsp lime juice

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 Tbsp peanut butter

1/2 tsp curry powder

1 tsp sriracha, or a few drops of tabasco

Mix ingredients and marinate chicken for 2-3 hours.

Cook chicken in the sauce over medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes or until chicken is done.

If the sauce starts to dry up before the chicken is cooked through, turn the heat down to medium so the sauce doesn't burn before the chicken is done.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds (I skipped this because I didn't have any) and serve with fried rice.

Coconut Chicken Curry

I got this recipe off of my cousin Vanessa's blog awhile ago. I have been wanting to make it for a long time, but since my husband does not like curry I saved it for my birthday so he could not complain. But, lo and behold, he liked it! He even took it for lunch the next day, and my 15 month old liked it as well. I love anything with curry, so this recipe was a good find. Thanks Ness!

Coconut Chicken Curry
2 lbs chicken, cut into small chunks
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 1/2 T veg oil
2 T curry powder
1 1/2 r paprika (or cayenne, if you want it spicy)
1/2 onion
2 cloves minced garlic
4 red potatoes, in small chunks
(I also added about 1 cup of frozen veggies)
1 14 oz can coconut milk
1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
3 T sugar

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat oil, curry powder, and paprika in a large skillet over medium-low heat for two minutes, until fragrant (but don't let it burn). Turn the heat up to medium and stir in onions and garlic and cook ten minutes more or until onions are very clear. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and is cooked through.

Add potatoes, then add coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine.

Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30-40 minutes or until sauce thickens. (I took off the lid for the last 10-15 minutes to let it really thicken up. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro.

Tortellini Caesar Salad

I love Caesar salad. This is a version that I used to make quite often in college, but just recently started making again. It stands well as a meal all on its own or you can pair it with some yummy bread.

Tortellini Caesar Salad
1 lb. cheese tortellini cooked (you can do this in advance if you want)
1 head Romain lettuce, chopped and washed
1 lb. chicken, cooked and chopped (I like to saute boneless, skinless chicken tenders in olive oil)
parmesan cheese
pepper
your favorite croutons (I love the Foccacia croutons our Costco used to carry, but I can't find them anymore)
your favorite Caesar dressing (I like Kraft's Classic Caesar)

Toss it all together and serve. You can prepare everything in advance and just toss right before serving or you can cook the chicken and tortellini right before serving. The salad might be slightly warm, but I kind of like it that way. Don't try to serve the dressing on the side with this one. It is absolutely necessary that the dressing be evenly dispersed among all the delightful elements of the salad. Perfect summer (or even winter) meal!

Chicken Fajitas

Wow! I can't believe I did a whole week without a dessert. I promise there is plenty of holiday baking coming up. These are a staple at our house. Simple, tasty, and Mexican, my favorite! I like to serve them with the Spanish rice in a rice cooker and black or refried beans on Costco's cook n serve tortillas, aka the best tortillas ever!

Chicken Fajitas
1 lb. or so of boneless, skinless chicken cup into bite-sized pieces (I like the tenderloins, and I usually use 5-6)
1 bell pepper sliced (I like it in strips,but you can dice it smaller if you want)
1 small onion, diced
1 packet taco seasoning
warm flour tortillas
sour cream
shredded cheddar cheese

Cook the chicken in a little olive oil in a saute pan. When the chicken is almost done add the onions and bell pepper. Once the onions are translucent and the peppers are cooked add the taco seasoning (I usually use between 1/2 and 3/4 of the packet.) Add about 1/4 cup water to help the seasonings evenly distribute. Cook until water is mostly evaporated. Serve in warm tortillas with a dollop of sour cream and cheese on top.