One Pot Creamy Tomato and Basil Pasta

Lazy...and no desire or time for washing more than one pan when we are done with the meal.  That's a good way to describe me lately.  I threw what we liked together in a pot and this is what I came up with.  

I can see several substitutions and additions to this dish that would be just as wonderful. Some ideas I had were to substitute chicken broth for the water and using some chopped veggies  (like squashes) from the garden.

One Pot Creamy Tomato and Basil Pasta                                        Printable Recipe

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 medium onion, diced

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

14 leaves of fresh basil, sliced thin

2 dashes of cayenne pepper

3-1/2 cups water

9 ounces spaghetti (I used Jovial's Einkorn pasta but you could use GF too)

12 ounces grilled chicken, cut into chunks (optional)

1/2 cup whole milk (or cream)

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper as desired

65+ Grilled Chicken Recipe Round Up - No Bones About It!

I LOVE chicken and boneless is the way to go, in my opinion.  It cooks faster and there is less waste.  Grilled?  Even better!! I love the flavor a grill imparts on a dish.  

I’m happy to share with you these chicken recipes that are perfect for this summer BBQ season. Chicken dishes are one of those things where you can get stuck in a rut for flavor ideas so I’m always looking for new and delicious ways to make it.  Many of the recipes here are a whole meal already but if they aren't you can serve them up with a simple side dish or salad to complete it.

Top 10 Recipes of 2015

2015 has drawn to its end and it's always fun to look back and see some of the fan favorites.  Most of them are from this year but a few from last year snuck in. 

I hope you enjoy the look back with me. Click on the title to see the recipe or click on the "pin it" link to go right to Pinterest to re-pin for later!

Crock Pot Chicken Chili with Rice

In October I met up with 9 other bloggers to learn about corn.  I am familiar with sweet corn and use it in many of our dishes.  I love the crunch and sweetness it adds.  It is also a good source of fiber, antioxidants and Vitamin Bs.

 I prefer it fresh but when I can't have it fresh I use what I have that I froze during the summer months. You can read all about how I preserve it here.  Want to know more about our Iowa Corn Quest?  This link will show you more! #iacornquest

Crock Pot Chicken Chili with Rice                                                       Printable Recipe

1-1/2 pounds chicken tenders*

1/2 small onion, diced

15 ounce can black beans, drained (not rinsed)

14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes (not drained)

1 cup whole corn, drained if needed (thawed if frozen)

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2-4 dashes cayenne pepper

salt (to taste)

2 cups cooked brown rice

sour cream

shredded Mexican blend cheese

20+ Leftover Turkey Recipes

If your family is anything like my family there is always leftover turkey after the big Thanksgiving meal.   Every year it seems that it is the same ol' sandwiches or heated up leftovers. This year let's change up the sandwiches and meals!

I called out to the food blogging community and found many fantastic tasty ideas to use up  your turkey.  Some of them are chicken recipes but leftover turkey will do just fine.  Same goes for the turkey ones,  you can absolutely use leftover chicken.  

Bon appétit!

Chicken Parmesan

An Italian classic with a little twist. I start with a light pan fry and finish cooking it in the oven.  This lessens the need for all of that oil that gets absorbed when you fry. Baking the breaded chicken alone as opposed to smothering it in the sauce let's the crunch of the bread crumbs come through. I love that it's creamy and crunchy all in one dish. 

You can purchase your marinara sauce but make your own garlic cream sauce.  It's easy - if you can make a white sauce or gravy you can make it - and it's delicious with just a few ingredients.  Use the extra to dip breadsticks in!

Chicken Parmesan                                                                                      Printable Recipe

4 skinless boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 beaten egg
1 cup breadcrumbs
olive oil
6 ounces of spaghetti
Jar of your favorite pasta sauce ( I used my own Roasted Marinara)
One recipe Garlic Cream Sauce
Chopped basil for garnish

Baked Chicken with Honey and Soy Sauce Glaze

For a quick, effortless meals boneless skinless chicken thighs are a great meat to use.  No bone to eat around and the meat is always juice and tender. Chicken is a very versatile, taking on any seasoning or flavor you pair it with. 

This marinade is a little sweet and little salty.  Serve it with your favorite side dish, salad or vegetable to round out the meal.

Baked Chicken with Honey and Soy Sauce Glaze                          Printable Recipe

1-1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 Tablespoons soy sauce (or 4 Tablespoons fauxy sauce - a homemade no-soy sub)
5 Tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Creamy Chicken and Rice

This dish is another one pot meal making for easy clean up.  Although, if you want to amp the flavor (and color) up a bit grill your chicken instead and then add to the cooked veggies.  The dish seemed a little lacking so I added carrots as an afterthought so you won't see them in my step by step photos.

Creamy Chicken and Rice                                                                 Printable Recipe

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1-1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" hunks
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine (optional)
1 cup instant brown rice*
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan
Few pinches dry parsley (or 1/4 cup chopped parsley)
Salt and pepper (as needed)

Herb-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables

One pan and one bowl, that is all this recipe needs so clean up is minimal.  It is also quick.  You can have this meal on the table in just a little over 30 minutes.  Using chicken thighs means your meat will stay tender.  You can change your chicken pieces or use bone-in but you may need to up your baking time so make sure you cook your chicken through.

Variations can also be made by using different seasonings that suit your taste.  This is a very versatile dish and you can make it your own!

Herb-Roasted Chicken and Vegetables                                              Printable Recipe

3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, chunked
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs (I used Just Bare)
1 pound Roma tomatoes

Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cherry Citrus Glaze

Change up that plain ol' chicken dinner with this sweet fruit glaze.  A little goes a long way so be sure not to drown your chicken.  This main dish is ready in less than 30 minutes so you can have your meal in no time!

Grilled Chicken Tenders with Cherry Citrus Glaze                     Printable Page

1/4 cup cherry all fruit spread (I used Polaner)
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1-1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
2-3 teaspoons bourbon
olive oil
1 pound chicken tenders
salt and pepper (if desired)

Top 10 Recipes of 2014

2014 is drawing to an end and I thought we should take a look back at some of the fan favorites.  Most of them are from this year but a few from last year snuck in. 

I hope you enjoy the look back with me. Click on the title to see the recipe or click on the "pin it" link to go right to Pinterest to re-pin for later!

Tuscan Roma Chicken and Pasta

There is this pizza, called Tuscan Roma, that I LOVE from a local pizza chain . It's Roma tomatoes, spinach, alfredo sauce and of course cheese! I have my own recipe to make it a home.

This hearty pasta takes all of those flavors I love and puts it all together in this creamy pasta dish.  Italian comfort food, good for the tummy and good for the heart!

Tuscan Roma Chicken and Pasta

1-1/4 pound chicken breasts or tenders

olive oil

salt and pepper

Sauce:

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1-1/2 Tablespoons flour*

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

1-1/2 cups whole milk or half and half if you prefer it richer

4 ounces fresh spinach, chopped

6 ounce bag (1-1/2 cups) shredded Parmesan (not the stuff in the shaker)

1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped

4 ounces spaghetti noodles (or other favorite pasta, GF works well too)

Creamed Chicken and Biscuits

If you are looking for a belly-warming dish my creamed chicken and biscuits are simple to make.  Yes, even the biscuits. You can skip the biscuits and serve over noodles or mashed potatoes but nothing compares to the flaky fluffiness of these biscuits.

Creamed Chicken and Biscuits                                                   Printable Recipe

3 cups cubed cooked chicken (breasts and/or thighs)

3 cups chicken broth 

15 ounce can mix vegetables, drained  or 1-1/2 to 2 cups frozen vegetables

3 Tablespoons butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

salt and pepper to taste

fluffy biscuits

Chicken, Corn and Potato Chowder

This chowder contains so many of our favorite flavors. Smoky bacon and good ol' Iowa sweet corn take it to the next level.  Won't you join me for a bowl...or two?

Chicken Corn Potato Chowder

olive oil
salt
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast or tenders
2 cups chopped Yukon gold potatoes (skin on)
6 slices bacon, chopped
1/3 cup diced onion
2 jalapenos, diced

2 cups chicken broth
2 cups sweet corn with juice or 1 can creamed corn
1/2 cup milk
3 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour (for GF use oat flour)
salt and pepper to taste

Boil and drain potatoes. Set aside.

Drizzle some olive oil on the chicken breast to lightly coat.  Sprinkle with salt (pepper if desired.)  Grill chicken breasts until no longer pink.  Chop and set aside.

In large pot, cook bacon until done.  Remove bacon and dump out all but about 1 tablespoon grease.  

Add onions and jalapenos and cook, stirring constantly until onions are translucent.  Do not walk off or it will burn.

Add chicken broth, corn, cooked potatoes and heat. Let cook for a bit to let the flavors mingle.  

 Add chicken and allow to reheat. Stir in milk.

In small saucepan melt butter. Add flour and whisk smooth.  Cook for about a minute to get rid of the raw flour taste. This is called a roux.  

Whisk roux into hot soup to thicken.

Ladle into soup cups or bowls.  Top with extra bacon if you like!

Mexican Chicken Alfredo

Most times when I go to the Mexican restaurant or even here at home when I make my own chicken fajitas I have leftovers  Although delicious, sometimes another meal of the same dish just doesn't appeal.  I took my garlic cream sauce (minus the garlic and spinach) and mixed it with pasta and my leftover chicken fajitas to make this re-vamped dish.  So creamy but with a little kick!

Mexican Chicken Alfredo

Olive oil
1 T flour** 
1/2 cup white wine (less if yours is strong flavored)
2 cups half and half (I use whole goat milk)
1 to 1-1/2 cups shredded Parmesan (not the stuff in the shaker)

6 ounces pasta, cooked and drained (I used Tinkyada gluten free)
Leftover chicken fajita meat and veggies, chopped
1 to 2 cups shredded Mexi blend cheese, Chihuahua cheese, and/or mozzarella

Chicken Fajitas

When I go out to the Mexican restaurant I always order chicken fajitas.  I think it must be the sizzle of the cast iron serving vessel that gets my taste buds drooling.  It's an easy dish to make and you can eat the chicken fajitas wrapped in tortillas like they serve at the restaurants, on a pizza, in a quesadilla, or Mexican Chicken Alfredo (coming soon to the blog!)

The restaurant serves it with lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, sour cream, refried pinto beans, and rice.   They also keep their veggies on the crunchy side.  We prefer our veggie soft and caramelized but cook them how you like them.  

There isn't really a recipe here but guidelines to which spices and flavors to use.  If you make it a lot like I do you'll learn what you like.  I like cumin so I use fresh ground and it's my star here.

Chicken Fajitas

boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders
sliced green peppers, red, orange or yellow peppers 
sliced onions
olive oil
cumin (fresh ground if you can)
granulated garlic
granulated onion
cayenne pepper (dash or two)
salt and pepper
lime juice

refried beans
salsa
guacamole

Schnitzel and Jäger Sauce

My family lived in Germany (called West Germany at the time we were there in the late 70s) when my dad was in the Army.  My mom learned to cook quite a few German dishes.  This plate of schnitzel and jäger sauce is one of our favorites.  

Traditionally made with pork or veal (Wiener-Schnitzel,)  she was introduced to it as chicken once and that is how we always eat ours now. The name for the chicken version is Hänchen-Schnitzel but we just call it schnitzel. Served with the sauce it is called Jäger-Schnitzel and if you put a slice of cheese on it, Käse-Schnitzel.  Sometimes we do both sauce and cheese so I laughed and asked if we were technically eating Jäger-Käse-Hänchen-Schnitzel?  Maybe so, but we'll keep it simple and say schnitzel and know that all will be available when served at our houses. 

Schnitzel and Jäger Sauce

For Jäger sauce:
One slice of bacon,cut up
8 ounce can of mushrooms, undrained
2 med onions, sliced thin
3-4 cups of water (or use beef broth and leave out bouillon cubes)
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 Tablespoon Kitchen Bouquet (aff link on Amazon)
cornstarch

For schnitzel:
boneless skinless chicken breasts (1 per person)
flour *
eggs, lightly beaten*
container bread crumbs*
canola oil

SPAETZLE Noodles recipe 

JÄGER SAUCE:
Add bacon to saucepan and cook until brown. Careful not to burn.

Add mushrooms with their juice, 

the sliced onions,

water, bouillon cubes (or beef broth) 

and lastly the Kitchen Bouquet.  

Boil until the onions are as soft as you like them.  Make a slurry out of cornstarch and water. Start with 2-3 tablespoons of cornstarch and enough water to make it runny.  Add, while stirring, to the pan a little at a time. It should thicken up quickly. You may not need it all or you may need to make more slurry.  Each batch is different.

SCHNITZEL:
Dump some flour in a shallow dish or paper plate.

Add beaten eggs to a shallow dish and add some bread crumbs to a separate shallow dish or dump onto large sheet of waxed paper.

Coat the chicken with flour.

Then coat the chicken in the eggs. 

Coat the chicken with the bread crumbs.  If you use the waxed paper you can use the paper to push the bread crumbs up on the chicken to keep your hands clean.

Coat all your chicken while heating the oil.  

The oil should be heated in a large skillet.  You should have enough oil to cover about half of the chicken when it is placed in the pan.  Maybe 1/2 to 1".  You can test your oil by putting the end of a wooden spoon in your oil and it should bubble around it or if you are brave like me I sprinkle in a little bit of water and it bubbles.  Fry on one side until golden brown and then the other.  Approximately 3-4 minutes per side. 

Serve with spaetzle noodles.  Growing up I did not like the gravy as it was full of onions and mushrooms.  I ate my schnitzel with a drizzle of lemon juice which is another traditional way of enjoying in. 

* Start with 2-3 eggs for 6-8 pieces of chicken.  Flour and bread crumbs can be added to your dishes as you coat your chicken and find yourself running out.

Jager

Southwestern Chicken and Rice

Southwestern Chicken and Rice

olive oil

2/3 cup diced red pepper

2/3 cup diced green pepper

2/3 cup diced onion

1-1/4 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts (can use boneless thighs) cut into 1 inch pieces

1-1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning

1 cup instant brown rice*

1 cup salsa

1-3/4 cups chicken broth

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

3/4-1 cup whole corn, drained

2 cups shredded Mexi-blend cheese, cheddar, Chihuahua cheese

Drizzle some olive oil in the bottom of skillet.  Cook veggies until almost done. 

Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs

I love to grill and do so no matter the time of year.  You can't beat the flavor!  If the weather is not playing nice (like a downpour) I will use the grill pan indoors or you could leave the chicken off the sticks and cook them in a cast iron skillet.  

Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs (serves 3-4)                                   Printable Recipe

1/4 cup soy sauce* (or use my soy-free Fauxy Sauce)
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup Mirin (sweet cooking rice wine)
2 Tablespoons honey
1" knob of ginger (microplaned or chopped small)
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into chunks
bamboo skewers (soaked in water**)

Mix together soy sauce, Mirin, water, honey, and ginger for the marinade.  If your honey does not want to dissolve you can heat the liquid a little bit but be sure to cool it before you add your chicken. Cover and marinade for several hours.  

Walking Tacos

Food in a bag is fun.  Our church makes walking tacos to sell at our church "tent" in late summer at a local event in a nearby town.  They don't use tomato sauce in theirs but I like it saucy so I added it to mine.  It helps everything blend together when you stir.  If you really want to ditch the clean up, use a plastic spoon or fork instead of a metal one you have to wash. 

Walking Tacos

1 pound ground beef

2/3 cup diced green peppers

2/3 cup diced onion

8 ounce can tomato sauce plus 1 can water

2-1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning

4 dashes cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicy!)

4- 1 ounce size bags of Fritos corn chips or Doritos Nacho Cheese chips

Toppings:

shredded Mexi-blend cheese, cheddar, or Chihuahua cheese

thinly sliced lettuce

sour cream

salsa

cheater's guacamole

Cook beef, green pepper, and onions until veggies are soft and the beef is cooked through. 

Add tomato sauce to pan then fill can with water and dump that into pan also.

Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until liquid is almost gone.  It still needs to a be a little saucy.

Time to start layering. For individual bags of chips* open them on their side with a pair of scissors.   They put so much air in bags anymore you will have plenty of room for your toppings.   If you are using Doritos you will want to give your chips a smash to break them up a little.

Sprinkle in some cheese.  I like to add cheese now so when I add the meat the heat will melt it!

 Next is the meat mixture.

 Lettuce. 

 Sour cream.

 More cheese.

 Salsa and guacamole if you feel like it.

Stick a fork or spoon in it, stir and enjoy!  

If you don't want to buy the bags you can layer all your yummies into a bowl.  Just as good, just not as fun!

*(The best I could find for a single size sack was larger (4 oz) without buying several bags together so I had to cut it in 1/3 and dump out some chips to make it equal an individual size.)