Chicken Zucchini Pasta

Chicken Zucchini Pasta

1 package of linguine noodles (gluten free if needed)

1 45oz jar of Prego Traditional spaghetti sauce

2 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

1 tsp chopped garlic

1 zucchini, quartered and sliced

1. Chop the chicken, onion and zucchini.

2. Heat a skillet with a little olive oil. Cook the chicken until no longer pink in the middle. Remove the chicken from the pan, draining any liquid. 

3. Add a 1/2 tbsp olive oil to the skillet over medium heat. Add the onions, zucchini and garlic. Stir frequently until the onion is translucent and the zucchini has softened. Put the chicken in this pan. Pour the jar of spaghetti sauce into the pan as well. Stir. Cover pan. Cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are ready. 

4. Fill a pot with water. Turn on the heat. Once the water is boiling, add 1 tsp of salt to the water. Add the noodles. Drain once cooked through. 

5. Fill a plate with noodles and top them with the sauce. Enjoy! 

Husband Rating: 4 stars

Boys say: thumbs up

Honey Garlic Chicken

Honey Garlic Chicken

from: therecipecritic.com

Ingredients:

• 6-7 Boneless Chicken Thighs
• 3/4 cup Honey
• 3/4 cup soy sauce (or coconut aminos for a gluten free recipe)
• 2 tbsp hoisen sauce 
• 2 cloves garlic crushed I used 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger root I used 1 tsp dry ginger
• 1 tsp seseame oil
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions:

• In a 5 quart slow cooker add the chicken thighs. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, hoisen sauce, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
• Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred. Whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Whisk it into the sauce in the slow cooker. Return the shredded chicken back to the slow cooker and let cook for another 15 minutes to let the sauce thicken. Serve over rice with roasted broccoli or cooked green beans for a healthy, easy and inexpensive meal. 

Boys say: thumbs up

Husband rating: 4.5 stars

Bourbonless Chicken

adapted from spendwithpennies.com

We don't drink alcohol so we never have bourbon on hand. If you have it, substitute this for the orange juice in this recipe.

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, breasts or a combination of these

2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 c low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos

1/4 c orange juice

1/4 c apple juice 

1/4 c dark brown sugar

1/2 tbsp chopped or grated garlic

1 tbsp fresh ginger grated or 1/4 tsp ground ginger

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes 

1/4 c water

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tbsp cold water

2 green onions thinly sliced, green tops only

Trim fat from chicken and cut into small chunks.

In a medium mixing bowl whisk together soy sauce, orange and apple juice, dark brown sugar, garlic, ginger, rice wine vinegar, red pepper flakes and 1/4 c water.

Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and mostly cooked through.

Pour sauce into skillet with chicken. Simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl whisk together cornstarch and cold water. Add to sauce and cook until the sauce thickens (3-5 minutes) mixing occasionally.

Garnish with green onion and serve over your favorite rice.

Tip: rice vinegar and rice wine vinegar are the same so use either one in this recipe.

Boys: thumbs up

Husband rating: 4 stars

Mango Chicken Tacos

from loveandlemons.com, heavily adapted

4 to 6 tortillas, lightly charred or warmed (this recipe is gluten free if you use corn tortillas) 
1/2 lime
2 chicken breasts, grilled and thinly sliced
2 cups shredded green cabbage
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1⁄2 mango, diced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons crumbled feta or cotija cheese
sea salt
Spicy mayo-if you don't see this at your local store in the asian or indian section for food you can try this:

1⁄3 cup mayo (highly recommend Sir Kensington's Avocado Oil Mayo) 
2 teaspoons sriracha

Instructions

1. Make the spicy mayo: In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise and the sriracha.
2. Toss the cabbage with a squeeze of lime (1 teaspoon or so) and a few pinches of salt.
3. Fill each tortilla with chicken, cabbage, avocado slices, diced mango, cilantro and cheese. Top with the spicy mayo.
   
   

Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken

from sallysbakingaddiction.com

Ingredients:

• 4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 c chicken broth (I recommend reduced sodium)
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice (I use closer to 1.5 Tbsp)
• 1/4 c finely chopped red onion
• 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes¹
• 3 tbsp heavy cream²
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
• optional: lime wedges and more cilantro for garnish, steamed asparagus for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. If the chicken breasts are uneven in thickness, pound them down so they're all even. This way all the breasts will cook through similtaneously. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper.
3. In a large ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 6-7 minutes, turning once. You want the chicken nice and browned on the outside. (It doesn't have to be cooked all the way through yet.) Set chicken on a plate and cover tightly with foil until step 5.
4. Remove skillet from heat and add the broth, lime juice, onion, cilantro, and red pepper. Return to heat. Cook and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil gently, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to around 1/4 cup. (During this time you can steam some veggies to have on the side, like asparagus.) Reduce heat to medium-low, then add the cream and butter. Stir until butter has melted.
5. Add chicken to the sauce and place the skillet in the preheated oven. Bake uncovered until the chicken is completely cooked through, about 5-10 minutes.
6. Serve chicken with sauce spooned on top and any of the listed optional garnishes. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a few days. Reheat to your liking.

Recipe Notes:

1. Adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to your liking. This amount made the chicken mildly spicy. The cream in the sauce mellows out the spice.
2. You can use whole milk instead, but for the thickest, richest sauce I highly recommend heavy cream. If using whole milk, make sure it is at room temperature to help prevent curdling.

Observations 

I used 6 chicken breast halves. For the first steps I had to cook them three at a time in the pan because they were so large. At the end I put them all in the same pan to go in the oven. I just made sure to scoop sauce over the chicken once while they cooked in the oven.

I also doubled the sauce. 

Our whole family enjoyed this recipe.

Husband rating: 4 stars

Boys say: thumbs up

One-Pot Paprika ChickenThighs

from reluctantentertainer.com, slightly modified

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 lb skinless, boneless chicken thighs, fat trimmed
• 1 tsp. each Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 Tbsp. McCormick Smoked Paprika (you can also use regular paprika)
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 lb. red and white small potatoes, in 1-inch chunks
• 2 cups baby carrots
• 2 Tbs. flour
• 1 1/3 cups chicken broth
• 3/4 cup white wine (or white grape juice)
• 1 1/2 Tbs. fresh thyme, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a Ziploc bag, combine about 2 T. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. each of salt and pepper. Mix together and add 4-5 pieces of chicken at a time, lightly shaking. Pull the chicken pieces out and put on a large plate. Repeat the process, adding more spices if needed, until all the chicken has been coated.
2. In a large heavy frying pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Repeat the process until all the chicken has been lightly cooked.
3. Add the garlic and onion to the frying pan, stirring for about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and stir another 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté for about 5 minutes.
4. Gently whisk the flour into the wine. Gradually pour into the vegetable mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add the chicken stock; stir. Return the chicken to the pan and bring to a boil.
5. Cover the pan, and reduce the heat to medium-low, simmering until the chicken and vegetables are cooked. Cook for about 30 minutes. Right before serving, stir the chicken and vegetables; add in the thyme. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper. Serve on farro, rice, or quinoa.

I saved time by using two pans and dividing the recipe evenly between the pans. One pan is too small and you have to do it in batches, which I'm not patient enough for! We aren't mushroom fans so we took those out. Also, I bought a bag of very small white and purple potatoes. My boys didn't even know purple potatoes existed before last night! I didn't even need to cut the potatoes in to chunks. I might try adding green beans next time. We did not sure this over rice or anything else. It was great as it was. 

We really liked the flavors in this dish. It made the whole house smell great too. Add a green salad and you'll have a delicious meal. 

Parent rating: 4.5 stars

Boys say: thumbs up

Southwest Chopped Salad

lightly adapted from lilluna.com

I love to have a great big healthy salad for dinner. This is one of our family's favorites. I promise there is lettuce under all those delicious toppings pictured above!

1 large head of Romaine lettuce
15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large orange bell pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved or quartered)
1 cup corn
1-2 grilled chicken breasts, chopped
1 avocado, cubed

1 cucumber, sliced

1 cup carrot sticks
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced (optional)
green onions (optional)

I make the Tomatillo Ranch Dressing found here to go on this salad. 

Husband rating: 4.5 stars

Boys say: thumbs up

Grilled Huli Huli Chicken

from lilluna.com

With a big family it can be hard to feed so many mouths and keep any money in the bank! This is an inexpensive, tasty meal.

1 cup packed brown sugar
3⁄4 cup ketchup
3⁄4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce* 

1⁄3 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons fresh ginger or 1/4 tsp ground ginger
2 teaspoons minced garlic
12 boneless skinless chicken thighs 

Mix brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, broth, ginger and garlic in a small bowl. Take out 1 cup to reserve for basting and refrigerate this.

Place the rest of the marinade into a large Ziploc bag with the thighs. Refrigerate overnight.

Discard marinade from chicken. Grill thighs until no longer pink, basting with the extra marinade as you grill. Or, place the extra marinade in a small pan. Heat until warm then drizzle this over the chicken and rice. 

Husband rating: 4 stars

Boys say: thumbs up

*with gluten-free soy sauce this is a gluten-free meal

Melanie's White Chicken Chili

The original recipe (that I lightly adapted) comes from a friend's daughter-in-law who happens to have the same name I do-Melanie!

1 large chicken breast 
1 15oz can black beans, drained
1 15 oz can corn, drained or 1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 10 oz can mild Mexican-style tomatoes (diced tomatoes with green chilis)
1 package ranch dressing
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 c water
1 8 oz package cream cheese

Put all ingredients in the crockpot, except the cream cheese. Put the block of cream cheese on top. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Take the chicken out and shred it. Put it back in the crock pot and mix all ingredients.

I have to double this recipe because our family likes it so much. The recipe should feed about 4-5 people as is.

Boys give this two thumbs up!

Tomatillo Ranch Chicken

adapted from life-in-the-lofthouse.com

This sauce makes a regular grilled chicken breast something special.

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3/4 c mayo
1/2 c buttermilk
1 (1 oz.) package ranch dressing/seasoning mix
2 tsp minced garlic
1 c cilantro
2 tomatillos, husked and cleaned
1 tsp lime juice
2 c prepared white or brown rice

In a blender mix the mayo, buttermilk, ranch dressing mix, garlic, cilantro, tomatillos and lime juice. Blend until creamy and combined. Pour 1 cup of dressing into a large ziplock bag. Add chicken breasts. Seal and chill at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat grill. Remove chicken from bag and discard the bag and dressing used for marinating the chicken. Grill chicken until no longer pink in the middle. Serve over cooked rice. Top with additional dressing and serve. Enjoy!

Husband rating: 4.5 stars

Boys say: thumbs up

Caramelized Baked Chicken

adapted from allrecipes.com, submitted by Sandy

3 pounds chicken wings, thighs or boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup soy sauce*
3/4 cup ketchup
3/4 cup honey
2 tsp minced garlic
dash crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F for meat with bone in. For boneless chicken breasts preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a saucepan mix together the oil, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, garlic and red pepper flakes. Simmer for 8 minutes. Pour over the chicken.

For wings or thighs bake in preheated oven for one hour, or until sauce is caramelized. For chicken breasts bake for about 40 minutes.

Husband rating: 4 stars

Boys say: thumbs up (even my pickiest eater loved this-score one for mom!)

*for gluten free version substitute gluten free soy sauce

Sweet Chili Lime Chicken

I made this for company last week. When company is over I often forget to take a picture! Since we liked this recipe I'll be making it again soon and taking pictures for the blog!

with a few changes from allrecipes.com, submitted by Grumpy's Honeybunch

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into thin strips
1 tsp minced garlic
6 tablespoons soy sauce*
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 lime, juiced and zested
1/3 cup chopped cilantro or green onions
4 wedges lime for garnish

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir chicken breast strips in the hot oil until the juices run clear and chicken is no longer pink inside, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet.

Mix soy sauce, brown sugar, red pepper flakes, lime juice, and lime zest in a bowl, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour sauce into hot skillet, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce begins to reduce slightly, 3 to 4 minutes. 

Mix cooked chicken into sauce and cook until sauce forms a glaze on chicken pieces, about 2 to 3 more minutes, stirring often. Serve over rice or couscous and garnish with cilantro or green onions and lime wedge.

*Substitute gluten free soy sauce to make this a gluten free dinner.

Husband rating: 4 stars

Boys say: thumbs up

Pineapple Yellow Curry

I was in Trader Joe's the other day buying more bbq sauce when I saw a jar of Yellow Curry Sauce. That reminded me of a pineapple curry dinner I had at a Thai restaurant once. I loved that and wanted to make something similar at home. This is what I came up with:

Pineapple Yellow Curry

2 tsp olive oil, divided
1 chicken breast or 2-3 pork chops, cut into small pieces
1/2 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits
1 jar Trader Joe's Thai Yellow Curry Sauce (or more depending on how saucy you want your dinner)

Coat a pan with 1 tsp olive oil and heat to medium-high. Add the meat and cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through. Remove meat to a plate and cover with foil.

Add the last tsp of olive oil to the pan. Add the onions and carrot. Cook over medium heat for 7 minutes. Add the peppers. Cook, stirring often, for 7 minutes.

Pour the sauce into the pan. Put the chicken and the pineapple in the pan. Mix to coat everything and heat through. Serve immediately over your favorite rice.

Husband rating: 4 stars
Boys say: thumbs up

Sweet Potato Chili

It's fall and time for another hearty warm dinner recipe! Dig in to this deliciousness. This chili is healthy, easy and inexpensive.

 adapted from pinchofyum.com

1 tablespoon oil
1 yellow onion, sliced
11⁄2 lbs turkey or chopped chicken
1 1/2-2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
3 sweet potatoes, skin removed and chopped into small pieces (this was about 6 cups)

3 cloves garlic
2 cups water
2-3 cups broth (start with 2)
1 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne for spice (more to taste!)

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a heavy, deep pot. Add the onion, turkey, 1 tablespoon chili powder, and 1 tablespoon taco seasoning. When the turkey is browned and the onions are soft, remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the sweet potatoes to the same pot with the remaining spices and stir to combine. When the sweet potatoes have browned just slightly, add the garlic, water, and broth. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 10 minutes or so, until the sweet potatoes are very soft.

Add the browned turkey, black beans, and cayenne - stir to combine.

Pinch of Yum Notes

The saltiness and flavor of the soup will depend on your taco seasoning. I added some salt and pepper and the end, which I recommend - just taste and adjust as you need to. At the risk of sounding crazy, I also added a spoonful or two of brown sugar and some red wine vinegar to give it some tang. I also added about a cup of cooked quinoa a few times to make it a little more hearty - that was good, too. You can top this with sour cream, cilantro, cheese, red onions, tortilla chips, avocado, or whatever else you like! The third cup of broth can be added at the end if you feel like it needs to be thinned out at all.

My Notes:
The original recipe called for using a blender to puree the potatoes after they cooked. So I did that. But I won't do it next time. I think the texture will be more appealing as I've written the recipe here. Also, if you use left over turkey from Thanksgiving don't put it in with the onions at the beginning. I would throw it in at the end with the beans. I also didn't use any cayenne at the end and thought the spice level was perfect as it was.

Husband rating: 4.5 stars
boys say: thumbs up

Greek Chicken

adapted from allrecipes.com, submitted by Michael

4-8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or chicken thighs
1/2 cup olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and paprika for about 30 seconds. Place chicken in a large resealable bag. Pour marinade over the chicken. Using your hands, work marinade into chicken. Cover and refrigerate for around 4 hours.

Preheat grill for medium heat. Cook chicken on grill until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear (until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees).

This is a tasty easy way to make chicken. It also goes great with just about anything. So put it with a salad, veggies or seasoned rice and you'll have a great dinner. 

Husband rating: 4 stars

Boys say: thumbs up

Chicken Pot Pie with a Twist

adapted from ourbestbites.com

The twist with this recipe is the addition of the cranberries. I've never put cranberries in chicken pot pie before. I don't think I'll want to make it without them now! Trust me-try it!

2 unbaked pie crusts 

1 lb. rotisserie chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces (or whatever cooked chicken you have on hand! I grilled mine)

1 12-16 oz. bag of peas and carrots or mixed vegetables, thawed

1 onion, minced

butter

5 medium-small red potatoes, diced

2 cans cream of chicken soup 

1 small can cranberry sauce with whole berries (I used about 3/4 of the can)

1/2 tsp. Kosher salt (more or less, to taste)

Ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. In a large pot place the diced potatoes. Add water to cover potatoes by about an inch. Boil potatoes until tender and drain the water. Meanwhile, heat about 1 Tbsp. butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. When the butter is bubbly, sauté the onion until it’s translucent and fragrant. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine cream of chicken soup, chicken, vegetables, onion, cranberries and potatoes. Season to taste.

Place one pie crust on the bottom of a pie plate, transfer the filling to the pie plate, and then top with the other pie crust. Crimp the edges and then cut a few vent holes on top.

If you’re making individual pies in oven-safe jars, mugs, or ramekins, fill the dishes with the chicken mixture and then top with a piece of pie crust slightly larger than the opening of the dish. Crimp the edges and cut some vent holes.

Place pie plate/individual pies on a baking sheet and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to stand for a few minutes before serving.

I used four pie crusts to make two 9 inch round pies (one on the bottom and one on the top of each pie). I also used closer to two pounds of chicken. The pies weren't as full as they could have been, but I thought they would be overflowing all in one pan!

Husband rating: 4 stars
Boys say: thumbs up

Pasta with Ratatouille-Style Vegetables

adapted from Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Fresh and Fast by Kristine Kidd

• 2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more as needed
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, thinly sliced and slices cut crosswise
    into thirds
• 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded, thinly sliced and slices cut
    crosswise into thirds
• 2 tsp. minced fresh thyme
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 can (28 oz./875 g) Italian tomatoes, preferably San Marzano,
    with juices
• 3/4 cup (6 fl. oz./180 ml) dry white wine
• Pinch of sugar (optional)
• 2 zucchini, chopped
• 1/4 cup (1/3 oz./10 g) chopped fresh basil
• 12 oz. (375 g) rotini or fusilli pasta, preferably multigrain
• Fresh goat cheese, crumbled, for serving

In a large fry pan over medium heat, warm the 2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the onion, bell peppers, thyme and a pinch of red pepper flakes, and season with salt and black pepper. Sauté until the peppers are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices and break them up with a spoon. Add the wine and zucchini and simmer, stirring frequently, to blend the flavors, 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a pinch of sugar if the sauce tastes too acidic. Then stir in the basil.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot three-fourths full of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta, stir well and cook until al dente, about 11 minutes. Drain the pasta, add to the sauce and toss to coat. Transfer to a warmed large shallow bowl. Sprinkle generously with cheese and serve immediately. 

I added 3 cooked and chopped chicken breast halves to this and we liked it.

Grilled Chicken and Vegetables with Indian Spices

If you've looked at even a few recipes you've probably noticed that not many of them receive 5 stars. My husband reserves all five stars for the very best of the best! And, I'm happy to say this recipe made that list! 

adapted from: Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Fresh and Fast by Kristine Kidd

• Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 tsp. curry powder
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, each 5 to 6 oz.
• 4 Asian eggplant, each cut lengthwise into 3 pieces
• 4 zucchini, each cut lengthwise into 3 pieces
• Olive oil for brushing

Prepare a hot fire in a grill.

In a small bowl, combine the curry powder, chili powder, cumin and coriander and stir to blend. Working with 1 chicken breast half at a time, place on a sheet of waxed paper and then cover with a second sheet of waxed paper. Using a rolling pin, hit the chicken a few times to flatten slightly to an even thickness. Transfer the chicken to a rimmed baking sheet.

Place the eggplant and zucchini on another baking sheet. Brush the top side of the chicken and vegetables with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the top of each chicken breast with 1/4 tsp. of the spice mixture, and then lightly sprinkle the vegetables with the spice mixture. Turn the chicken and vegetables over and repeat brushing with the oil and seasoning the ingredients (reserve any remaining spice mixture for another use).

Place the chicken and vegetables on the grill. Cover the grill and cook until the chicken and vegetables are just cooked through, about 5 minutes per side for the chicken and eggplant, and about 6 minutes per side for the zucchini.

I love pounding on the meat but didn't have time for that and it was just fine without that step. The flavors of this dish are wonderful. We had a melon and naan with the chicken and veggies. 

Chicken Curry

adapted from mietusinthekitchen.blogspot.com

2 chicken breasts
1 tsp olive oil
3 cups condensed chicken broth
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped tart apple
2-3 Tbsp. curry powder
2-3 pinches garlic powder
1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. cardamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
pepper as desired
2 tsp. lime peel
2 Tbsp. lime juice
cooked rice
condiments: raisins, peanuts, coconut, chutney

Add olive oil to skillet. Add chicken and cook until browned. Remove chicken. In skillet add 1/4 cup butter, onion, apple, curry powder and garlic powder. Sauté  about 5 minutes and stir in remaining ingredients. Add the reserved liquid and bring to boil. Then add chicken. Serve over rice with condiments of raisins, peanuts, coconut, and chutney. 

We only had enough limes for 1 tsp lime peel and 1 tbsp lime juice but the meal was still great. This will be making a regular appearance on our table!

Husband rating: 4.5 stars!

Boys say: thumbs up (that may have something to do with the fact that this dinner has "curry" in the name. Our boys, husband included, have been enjoying the NBA Playoffs and watching superstar Stephen Curry!)

BBQ Chicken Salad

Romaine

1/2 bbq chicken breast, chopped

1 tomato, chopped

1/4 c black beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 corn

ranch

additional options: 

shredded cheese

avocado, chopped

bacon slice, crumbled

Chop the romaine and top with ranch dressing. Mix. Then load on the the toppings. 

This was an easy lunch when I had left over bbq chicken. This would be great to prepare the ingredients at the beginning of the week and have two or three times. That way you only open one can of beans and use most of it over the course of the week. And that way you only cook the chicken at one time and have it ready to go. Healthy eating is much easier with healthy options ready to go!

My rating: 4 stars