Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

• 10 cups chicken broth
• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 sweet onion
• 1 large lemon, zested
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup israeli (pearl) couscous
• 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
• 2 ounces crumbled feta
• 1/3 cup chopped chive
• Salt and pepper
• Fresh squeezed lemon juice
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• Place the olive oil in a large 6-8 quart sauce pot over medium-low heat. Peel the onion. Then quarter it and slice into thin strips. Once the oil is hot, saute the onion and minced garlic for 3-4 minutes to soften.  Add the chicken stock, chicken breasts, lemon zest, and crushed red pepper to the pot. Raise the heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, then simmer for 5 minutes.  Stir in the couscous, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Simmer another 5 minutes. Then turn the heat off.  Using tongs, remove the two chicken breasts from the pot. Use a fork and the tongs to shred the chicken. Then place it back in the pot. Stir in the crumbled feta cheese and chopped chive. Taste and salt and pepper as needed. Just before serving add fresh lemon juice. 1 T to 1/4 C depending on your taste....start small. (Or less...and possibly even more.)  Garnish with a little more feta. 
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• **Recipe adapted from aspicyperspective.com
• **I followed this recipe exactly and when I tasted it, I couldn't really taste lemon. So I added the fresh squeezed lemon juice to the ingredient list. It made all the difference.  The family loved it! Served with warm pita bread!

Southwestern Chicken...for days!

Southwestern Chicken...for days!

2 T chili powder

1 T ground cumin

1 t coriander

2 t salt

1/2 t black pepper

6 lbs chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)

2 large onions, finely chopped 

6 cloves minced garlic

1 large bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 28 oz can petite diced tomatoes

116 oz pkg frozen sweet corn

In a large bowl, combine the spices.  Add the chicken and toss as best you can to coat.  Layer the onion, garlic and peppers on the bottom of the crock pot and top with the chicken.  Add the tomatoes with their juice and the corn.  Cook on high until chicken is tender, 4 hours.  Shred chicken and add some of the liquid to keep the chicken moist, but reserve most of the liquid, because it is the base to an awesome soup recipe...see below!

**The best part of this recipe is we use it for 3 different meals!  The first night, we either eat the shredded chicken over rice or quinoa, or we make burritos (add rice, avocado, cheese and salsa).  The second day can be burritos or tacos, just mix up the flavor with different toppings (a chipotle salsa or a salsa verde totally change the flavor).  The 3rd day if there is any chicken left, we add it to the soup recipe below, but if the chicken is all gone, the soup is awesome without too!

 Black Bean and Corn Tortilla Soup

4-5 C of the sauce/liquid and vegetables from the southwestern chicken recipe
1 or 2, 15 oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
3 C low sodium chicken broth
8 corn tortillas, cut into small 1 inch squares
Any left over shredded chicken from the southwestern chicken recipe (it's ok if there isn't any)

Optional toppings: corn chips, cilantro, salsa and cheese

Combine the sauce-vegetable mixture, beans and broth in a soup pot.  Bring to a simmer.  Add corn tortilla pieces and chicken,   bring to a boil for 5 minutes.  Corn tortillas begin to break down and thicken the soup.  If it gets thicker than you like, just add more broth.  Serve with any of the toppings you like.

*This picture does not do this soup justice!  I'll get a better one.  The flavor from the crockpot sauce is amazing, and adding the corn tortillas gives it that extra earthy, Mexican feel!  I love it!

* recipes adapted from Ellie Krieger
*These recipes helped us survive basketball season.  It's a lot of chicken, feel free to half it, but Gray eats a ton of it for left overs and 3 real meals during the school week is really all we get these days!

Chicken Marsala

Chicken Marsala

4 skinless, boneless, chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
flour, for dredging
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
16 ounces mushrooms, sliced thickly
1 cup Marsala wine
1 cup chicken stock
4 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Slice chicken breast in half to make them a thinner breast. Put the chicken breasts on plastic wrap and lay a piece of plastic wrap over them; pound with a flat meat mallet, until they are about 1/4-inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter and season with salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly.

Heat the oil over medium-high flame in a large skillet. When the oil is nice and hot, dredge both sides of the chicken cutlets in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. Slip the cutlets into the pan and fry for 5 minutes on each side until golden, turning once – do this in batches if the pieces don't fit comfortably in the pan. Remove the chicken to a large platter  in a single layer in 200 degree oven to keep warm.

Lower the heat to medium and add the prosciutto to the drippings in the pan, saute for 1 minute to render out some of the fat. Now, add the mushrooms and saute until they are nicely browned and their moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Pour the Marsala in the pan and boil down for a minute or so. Add the chicken stock and simmer for a minute to reduce the sauce slightly. Stir in the butter and return the chicken to the pan; simmer gently for 1 minute to heat the chicken through. Return chicken to the warm serving dish.  Taste sauce and season with salt and pepper to liking. Pour sauce over chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving. Yummy served with parmesan spinach potatoes.

** Grayson picked this for his 17th birthday dinner and I couldn't believe that it wasn't already on the blog, it has been a family favorite for years! Even though some of the kids hate mushrooms, they all love this and they just quietly take off the mushrooms....then I eat them!
**I often make the sauce first, to save on last minute timing and then add it to the chicken in the pan for the "second" cooking.

Green Enchiladas

Green Enchiladas

Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce (recipe below)
12 corn tortillas (either warmed in microwave or softened in oil)
4 chicken breast cooked and shredded (or a rotisserie chicken)
8 oz cream cheese
2 C grated jack or pepper jack cheese
radishes

Visually separate chicken in half and in half again, that amount should fill 3 enchiladas....I seem to do it different every time. 

Place 1/2 C enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Spread 1-2 T cream cheese on a tortilla, place chicken on top and sprinkle with cheese.  Roll up and place seam side down in pan.  Continue using all of the tortillas.  Top with enough enchilada sauce to cover enchiladas, but not drowned them. Use remaining cheese to sprinkle on top of enchilada sauce.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until warm and bubbly.

When serving, top with sliced radishes.

 Tomatillo Enchilada Sauce

2 lb tomatillos, peeled and washed
1 large onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
8 C water
1/2 C cilantro, finely chopped (or add it in the last few seconds of blending)
1 1/2 T chicken base
1/4 C cornstarch dissolved in cold water

Boil tomatillos, onion, jalapeno in the water for 20-30 minutes.  Take out solids with a slotted spoon and blend.  Add back to water. Add the chicken base and the cilantro.  Bring back to a boil and add cornstarch.  Let boil down until desired consistency.  (Usually 20 more minutes or so.)

**Usually, I have 2-3 C left over, so probably enough for 2 pans of enchiladas, but I usually keep it in the fridge for a week and make another variation or a smothered burrito.

**Our neighbor Howie Nelson shared some great recipes he created from a restaurant he had a few years ago.  His quantities were huge, so I cut it down and made some adjustments. Then our other neighbor Nena Maw told me how Howie told her to make a simple enchilada with cream cheese and radishes.  This is what I came up with after listening to her description.  My kids love them, but only Hans and I appreciate the radishes....it takes them to a different level!

Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup
    
 3-4 C chicken, cubed
8 C broth
½ t salt                     
¼ t pepper                  
½ t basil
1 t parsley                  
1 1/2 C carrots
1 1/2 C celery
Add pam or oil to large soup pot and cook chicken until no longer pink.  Add broth, salt, pepper, basil and parsley.  Bring to a boil, add carrots and celery, continue cooking for 10 minutes.  While soup is cooking prepare egg noodles.

Egg Noodles
1 beaten egg                  
½ t salt
2 T milk                  
1 C flour (maybe a touch less depending if you aren't using a lg egg)
Mix and roll out as thin as you can, let stand for 5 minutes, cut into small squares using a pizza cutter and add to boiling soup.  Cook and additional 15 minutes.

**This is an awesome soup that everyone enjoys. The little square noodles are so fun and a little thicker than normal noodles.  It's also a great soup to take to a sick friend...right Kathy? :)
**If you don't want to bother with the noodles, just add 2 C cubed potatoes when adding the carrots and celery, and cook until tender!

Pea Pot Pie

Pea Pot Pie

Monette's Pie Crust
            and
1 C diced, sauteed onions
1 C diced, cooked carrots
1 C frozen peas, thawed
1 C frozen corn (petite, white), thawed
2 C diced, cooked potatoes
3 C cooked, diced chicken
2 T butter
2 T flour
2 t chicken bouillon granules
2 C milk

Prepare vegetables and place in a large bowl or pot.  Melt butter in saucepan and whisk in flour.  Cook for 1 minutes.  Add bouillon granules and milk (or half and half if you like it really creamy), cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.  Pour over vegetables and stir to mix sauce in.  Place in a 9 x 13 pan or other casserole dish that can fit all the vegetables.  Roll out pie crust recipe and top pan. Cutting vents for steam.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until crust is golden.

**My kids love this, and it's called Pea Pot Pie because that is what Grayson called it when he was 2 and it stuck.  They always wish there was more crust, but I'm trying to keep it a bit healthy and the crust is the unhealthy part.  You can take out or add any vegetables you like, keeping the quantity around 8-9 C before the sauce goes in.
**I have only made it when the filling is warm, so there isn't much cooking or warming up of the inside, just the crust.  So if you prepare it before hand, take that into consideration when calculating your bake time.
**When I cook the vegetables, I use one pot.  I saute the onions and take them out.  Fill it with hot water and add the potatoes and carrots (that are cut to similar size), when they are close to done, I throw in the peas and corn.  After a minute I pour the whole pot into a strainer, then return the vegetables to the pot and add the chicken.
**I've never decorate it the same, I used a heart cookie cutter around valentines and layered the hearts, I've cut out an "M" for Magleby and a lot of other fun things.  Be creative for your family!

Butternut Chicken Curry

Butternut Chicken Curry

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced
1 (14 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk, lite or regular
1 heaping T mild Indian curry paste (such as Patak's)
1 medium onion, diced
3-4 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
1 T brown sugar
1 T Thai fish sauce

Place squash in a microwave-safe dish and add enough water to just cover bottom of dish.  Cover and microwave for several minutes until squash is very tender.  Drain water.  Mash squash slightly and set aside.

Bring 1/2 C of coconut milk and curry paste to a simmer in a large skillet over medium heat, whisking constantly. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes.  Stir in remaining coconut milk, sugar and fish sauce.  Then add chicken and squash.  Simmer until chicken is cooked through, stirring often, 6-8 minutes.  Serve over rice, couscous or pilaf.

**I used quinoa, my grain of choice.  I absolutely love this meal.  A meal all in one bowl makes me happy, it feels like fall!
**From Keeping Up Cookbook
**PS. Rock was thrilled that his dinner was the one photographed...cute guy.

BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad

BBQ Chopped Chicken Salad

grilled chicken chopped in 1 inch or smaller pieces (marinate in lowry’s mesquite lime and grill)
1-2 C shredded cabbage
1 head romaine lettuce chopped
1-2 tomatoes chopped
4 green onions chopped
1 C thawed frozen sweet corn
1 C black beans drained and rinsed
1 C jicama diced or julienned
1 C red pepper diced
1 C shredded jack cheese
1 C avocado diced
1 C coarse crushed corn chips

Mix ½ C BBQ sauce with ¼ ranch dressing (lighthouse peppercorn ranch or homemade ranch). Toss together all ingredients and mix in dressing to taste.  Serve with extra chips and fresh lime juice.

** This recipe was created 10 plus years ago after my first trip to California Pizza Kitchen and having this salad.  I studied it, had my friend Shannon order it the next week and list off the ingredients to me over the phone, and I made it.  Now we have CPK here, but funny thing is...I like my salad better!

** I find that this salad is best served at a party with the cheese, avacado, chips and dressing on the side.  Then if the salad isn't eaten in one sitting, it stays fresh. Great for a big group and so yummy at a BBQ!

*PS Thanks Kate for the photo!

Chicken Edamame Chowder

Chicken Edamame Chowder

1 lb cubed chicken breasts
2 8oz pkgs frozen edamame
1 lg sweet pepper (orange, yellow or red), chopped
1 lg onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, finely chopped
2 t ground cumin
2 t ground coriander
1/2 t salt
1/4 t black pepper
4 C chicken broth
8oz sour cream
3 T flour
2 medium zucchini, halved and sliced
Toppings: cilantro and cheese

Spray soup pot with pam and cook chicken. Add edamame, peppers, onion, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper.  pour chicken broth over all and stir to combine.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes or so.  Combine sour cream and flour.  Stir (whisk) into soup until well combined.  Add zucchini.  Increase heat and bring to a boil to thicken soup and to cook zucchini. As soon as soup is thickened and zucchini are just tender, take off heat. Serve topped with  cilantro and cheese. About 8 servings.

*Crazy yummy and healthy.

Soyu Chicken

Soyu Chicken

1 part soy sauce
2 parts water
1/2 part sugar
Chicken breasts, tenders or whatever cut is desired.

Mix enough sauce to just cover chicken in heavy pot. Simmer chicken until done. Serve with rice.

**This is a Pinegar family favorite and it's what we always have to celebrate Cory's birthday Feb 22, or at a gathering close to that. We also serve orange jello with mandarins and cool whip, peas, rolls, salad and brownie torte.  This is what Mom wrote down in her journal that Cory picked for his last birthday dinner  before he died. A small little miracle that she wrote it down!

White Chicken Chili

White Chicken Chili

1 lb chicken cubed    
1 onion chopped
1 ½ t garlic powder              
1 T veg. oil
Cook all together in large soup pot until chicken is done.

Add:
2 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained  
1-2 cans chicken broth (just thickness preference)
2 can chopped green chilies          
1 t salt
1 t cumin                  
1 t oregano       
½ t pepper                  
¼ t cayenne pepper (optional)

Heat through, take off heat and add:
1 C sour cream
½ C whip cream

** I sometimes use fat free sour cream and half and half.  Less calories but still the same great flavor, just not as rich.  Also I use rotisserie chicken often as a time saver!

Chicken Picatta

Chicken Picatta

4 chicken breasts (sliced in half horizontally to make thinner and pound out between plastic wrap to make thin.)
4 T olive oil                          
1 C white wine
2 t garlic                          
1 1/2 C Chicken broth
4 T fresh lemon juice                     
5 T unsalted butter
fresh lemon slices                      
chopped fresh parsley

Season chicken with salt and pepper then dredge in flour.  Shake off excess and place in hot pan and oil (only use 2 T for first 4 pieces, then add 2T more).  Cook chicken for approx 2 minutes per side.  Transfer chicken to a warm serving platter in oven.  Deglaze pan with wine and add minced garlic.  Cook until boils for 1 minute.  Add broth and lemon juice.  Return chicken to pan and cook each piece for 1 minute.  Return chicken to oven.  Add butter and lemon slices to pan and cook until butter is melted and mixed well.  Pour sauce over chicken.

*Best served with thin spaghetti.  Cook spaghetti and place on platter, put chicken on top and then pour sauce over chicken and spaghetti.

Chicken Elizabeth

Chicken Elizabeth (serves 4)

8oz soft Cream cheese
1/2 c soft butter
1 t pepper
1 t fresh basil
1 t fresh thyme
1 t fresh oregano
1 t fresh tarragon
1 t fresh parsley
1 t minced garlic
Mix all of the above items to make a borsin cheese.  If you are using dry spices, use about 1/2 t of each.
4 chicken breasts
12 cherry size tomatoes - halved
4  oz prosciutto ham (deli sliced)
white cooking wine
Pound breasts out to uniform thickness.  Place one slice of ham on chicken breast, then 1/4 C borsin cheese mixture, 6 tomato halves in the middle and roll up chicken breast.  It gets kind of messy.  Place seam side down in baking dish sprayed with Pam. Place a dollop of borsin cheese on top of each breast and sprinkle the entire dish with white wine (generously).  Bake @ 375 for 30 min uncovered.

**I sometimes slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally before pounding them out, just to reduce the serving size.  I have also used store bought "borsin" cheese, but added 1/4 C butter, 3 oz cream cheese and some dry spices.

Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings

4 T softened butter
1/2 t pepper
2/3 C drained canned mushrooms
6 ounces cream cheese room temp
2 C cooked cubed chicken
Mix together butter, cream cheese and pepper until combined. Then mix in mushrooms and chicken.

2/3 C herb dressing
6 T melted butter in a bowl
2 can crescent rolls

Place 1/4 C mixture on roll and wrap up.  Dip into butter and stuffing.  Bake at 375 for 20-30 minutes.

Gravy:

2 T butter
2 T flour
2 C milk
2 t chicken base or bouillon

Melt butter, whisk in flour and bubble for 1 minute.  Add milk and chicken base.  Bring to a boil while stirring as to not have any scorching. Add pepper to taste and parsley for looks.