Chicken Tortilla Soup

Gary discovered this recipe at allrecipes.com quite a while back. It's easy and yummy, and you can make it just like that. However, given a few more seconds of your time, you can make it something spectacular. I'm talking really only a few minutes. I thought I had written this already, but puzzling-ly, I have not.

Here's what I did the other day:
1 large onion (or 1 1/2 medium/small onions), diced
2 T bottled minced garlic (if you're using fresh, use less, but this is my fast recipe)
1 jalepeno, seeded and diced

Cook those in the bottom of the pot (in a little oil) on low to release their flavors while you go get all of the cans out. Or, to speed things up, cook on medium-high. The flavors get locked in more, but oh, well.

Now dump into the pot:
2 cans beans (I like one black, one pinto, but whatever works)
2 cans diced (or petite diced) tomatoes
2 cans diced green chiles (if you already have them in the tomatoes, you won't need this)
2 cups frozen corn, or a can of corn (really, I just eyeball this, 2 cups is a guesstimate)
1 can Preston-canned chicken or size equivalent of canned or other shredded chicken (rotisserie works great), be sure to add the broth. If you don't you will need more broth than I used.
1 cup chicken broth (or water and boullion)

Stir it all up and season with:
A lot of cumin
A lot of chili powder
some salt
some pepper

Maybe next time I'll measure. But really, if it tastes bland, add more. Measuring takes time. :) It's how you like it.
You may need to add a bit of sugar or red wine vinegar to cut the acid. To taste. Make sure it's hot, but really, everything in there is cooked. It will taste better as it sits and the taste comes together, but you haven't got all day. Unless you do, it will be yummier.

Now, for the grand finale. Serve with:
lots of lime
Tortilla chips
sour cream
cilantro
green onions
avocado
queso fresco or cojita . . . or monterey jack or cheddar
hot sauce, should you feel inclined (just a teensy of Chipotle Tobasco, and yum!)

This is super fast. Of course all of the extras are not necessary, but they are really good. You can serve it plain with cornbread, too. If you don't have time to dice an onion you can throw in onion power, if you have no minced garlic, you can throw in garlic powder. You can leave out the jalepeno entirely, but really, it's good, and when seeded, not hot in the final product.

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

So I am posting this because it was so easy and really delicious (especially for it's simplicity) And you know if I am posting it then it really is easy and quick. Here is the link:

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

And then I made it with this because the blog suggested it. I am so creative:

Rice Pilaf With Almonds

Easy Teriyaki Chicken

I like the Our Best Bites teriyaki recipe a lot, but this is something totally different. It doesn't really have a thick sauce, and it's got a hint of lemon . . . the point of this is SUPER easy and quick. It's Deanne's recipe, so you know it can feed a lot of people fast.

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp ginger powder, or more to taste (I grate in fresh ginger root. Way tasty.)
garlic powder to taste (I saute a little minced garlic before adding water instead)
lemon zest to taste

Let these ingredients come to a boil, then add chicken pieces. Let it simmer (a strong simmer), until the chicken is done. Serve over rice.

Sweet Potato Chicken Curry

I'm posting this in honor of DP's birthday, because he likes it enough to request it as a birthday meal. And it's totally and completely delicious. I will tell you that this dish is equally good with and without the curry. I make it both ways, just depending on what we're in the mood for. I have never used turmeric just because I never have it, but someday I will buy it so I'm keeping it in the recipe.

Also. I always always make this in the crockpot, so I've never followed these instructions precisely. But because I love you a lot, I typed it up so you can choose between the original method or the crockpot method. You will serve this over rice, and it's also delicious with a side of flatbread from OBB.

Oh goodness. You really need to make this! It's one of our favorite dishes. Oh, and it originally came from Cooking Light.


Sweet Potato Chicken Curry
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 bay leaf
1.5 tsp olive oil
1.5 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1.5 cups vertically sliced onion
1.5 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves
1 14-oz can chicken broth
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups (1/2-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
3/4 cup canned chickpeas, rise and drained
1 cup frozen green peas
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Combine curry powder, coriander, turmeric, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf in a small bowl.

Heat oil in a large Dutch over over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; saute 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove chicken from pan. Reduce heat to medium. Add onion to pan; cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Increase heat to medium-high; return chicken to pan. Cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

Stir in ginger and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add curry powder mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour. Stir in potato and chickpeas. Cook, uncovered, 30 minutes. Add peas; cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in lemon juice. Discard bay leaf. Serve over rice.

Crockpot Instructions
Saute onions and garlic; put in crockpot. Don't cut up the chicken! Just brown it, adding spices (including ginger) for last minute or two as instructed above. This really makes a huge difference in the flavor. Put it all in the crockpot and then add sweet potatoes, chicken broth, tomatoes, and chickpeas. I usually just do a whole can of chickpeas (or about 1.5 cups if I've cooked the chickpeas in advance).

Cook on low or high, depending on how much time you have. Today I'm doing high for about 4.5 hours. This will result in the most tender, pull-apart chicken ever. About half an hour before you want to eat, remove the chicken and dice it up. Don't shred it exactly; you just want chunks. Add the peas and finish cooking. Right before you serve this, stir in the lemon juice.

Cream of Chicken Soup

I mentioned on another post that I often make my own cream of chicken soup to add into recipes. It's basically a white sauce and is really easy as long as you make sure you're using real butter. It takes maybe five minutes and is definitely cheaper and probably a lot healthier than using the canned version. I will say that it doesn't taste exactly like the canned, so there are some cases when I would rather use a can because I want that particular flavor. Most of the time, however, this is a yummy improvement anyway. On to the recipe!

Cream of Chicken Soup

1 Tbsp flour
3 Tbsp butter (REAL!)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
salt & pepper, to taste

Melt butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat. When melted, whisk in flour. Whisk until smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in chicken broth and milk. Return to heat and bring to gentle boil, whisking constantly, until soup thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. Substitute for one can of soup.

What To Do With Canned Chicken

I thought it would be a good idea to share with everyone what we do with canned chicken. I have written down the ones that I thought of off the top of my head, with links to the ones with recipes. Please feel free to add to this post. I will try to add links to the ones without them at another time.

chicken enchiladas
chicken roll-ups
chicken noodle soup - this link is just for the noodles, we can post more instructions later
chicken tortilla soup (This is good as-is, but usually I add stuff. Can post more later.)
fast chicken tacos
easy chicken bake (w/stove top)
creamy chicken taquitos
chicken cashew salad
BBQ chicken sandwiches - Just mix chicken with BBQ sauce, it's yummy
chicken salad sandwiches - any kind you find a recipe for, or just add stuff
chicken, rice, broccoli casserole
chicken quesadillas
chipotle chicken taco salad - I prefer this one with grilled chicken, but it's a yummy way to use leftover canned chicken
chicken pot pie
saucy chicken over rice
easy chicken and rice soup
baked chicken chimichangas (or fried)
chicken and mushroom crepe filling

Honey Sauced Chicken

We tried this yesterday, and it gets all of the kids' approval. It is very easy, and doesn't require me to work with raw chicken on days when I don't want to. If you try the dice it first and put it in the oven version, let me know how it turns out. The sauce is probably thicker. This is pretty healthy, except for kinda high in sodium (soy sauce). You could also try reducing the oil and let me know what happens.

FYI, this tastes like Chinese food, in case you didn't know what to have with it.

I got the recipe from MMM . . . Cafe. Who got it from the Crock Pot recipe card collection.

1.5 pounds chicken (of your choice)

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 cup honey

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup chopped onion (or 1/8 cup onion flakes)

1/4 cup ketchup

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (if you hate spicy, leave this out, but I would implore you to at least sprinkle a couple. The flavor is so great.)

Season both sides of chicken with salt and pepper, put into crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour over chicken. Cook on low for 3 hours or on high 1 1/2 hours. Cut chicken into bite size pieces, then return to pot and toss with sauce. Serve over rice or noodles. (We did rice.)

To bake chicken as a 30 minute meal:

Dice chicken and season both sides with salt and pepper, place in 8x8 pan. Pour sauce over chicken and bake at 350 for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.

Serves 4 is what the recipe said, but it fed our whole family and also Gary took some to lunch today. I'd say 4-6, depending on sides and appetite.

UPDATE: I put this in the crock pot yesterday before our family went to Seven Peaks. When we came home 7 hours later, it looked like it had almost burned, but actually it was DELISH. The sauce was almost carmelized, and not thin and soupy like usual. Gary was loving it, and kept asking me where I found the recipe. I reminded him many times we'd had it before, but it was so different, he didn't believe me. So, 7 hours on low was a winner.

Easy Chicken Bake

Out of all of the amazing recipes I plan on posting on this blog, I can't believe I'm going straight to this one. Why? Because it is SOOO easy, and that's the mode we're in right now. It may not be gourmet, but it's got all of the parts of a meal and takes so little effort . . .

I read this on the back of a Stove Top mix a long time ago, and it is always there. I never really use the recipe, though, it's not a science.

1 pkg. stuffing (it says Stove Top, but any type will do. I bet you could do dried bread and a few dried herbs, too.)
1 1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces (I use one large can of chicken)
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/3 cup sour cream (I just dump some in, really)
1 bag (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables, thawed and drained (I don't worry about 16 oz, I just pour some of my huge Sam's Club bag of mixed veggies in.)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare stuffing mix as directed on package; set aside.
2. Mix chicken, soup, sour cream, and vegetables in a 13x9 inch baking dish; top with stuffing
3. Bake 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. (Since I always use cooked chicken, it doesn't take 30 minutes. It's just warming the stuff up.)

I eat it with a can of cranberry sauce. Perfect for when we have nothing fresh in the house and no time.

Easy Shredded-Meat Tacos

This is delicious. And deliciously easy. Another one of my I'm-not-sure-how-much-I-use recipes, but since I don't really know and never go too wrong, I doubt you will, either.

You will need:
chicken or pork
salsa
brown sugar

Flavors will be enchanced with:
minced garlic (I buy it pre-minced, in bulk from Sam's Club)
dried minced onion (Yes, fresh would be yummy, too, this is my shortcut)
oregano
salt and pepper
cumin

Put a little salsa in the bottom of your crockpot. Put the meat on top. Cover the meat with salsa. Throw a bunch of brown sugar on top, followed by some minced garlic, sprinkle around some dried minced onion, oregano, salt, pepper, and cumin. You can't taste it now, obviously, but don't be afraid to be generous with spicing, it will taste great. If you only put brown sugar and salsa with the meat, it will still taste great.

Today I cooked about 1.5 lbs of chicken on high, and it took about 2.5 hours. Maybe less, that's when I checked. Lower and slower is always good when trying to get tenderness, but mine was just fine. For that much chicken I used about 1/3 cup of brown sugar and a couple of teaspoons of garlic.

SO EASY, DO IT! You dump a couple of things in a crockpot, and then at dinner time all you do is slice lettuce and tomatoes, warm some tortillas, go to all the effort of getting sour cream out of the fridge, and voila! Josh said he loves this food. It's the idea behind all of the Cafe Rio recipes, but way simpler. So, add to it what you want, serve with it what you want, but as for me and my pregnant self, I had a delicious dinner with 10 total minutes of work. Not bad.

Super Fast Chicken Tacos

Gary and I made this up. And you people like it. We like how fast it is. Maybe someday we will measure when we make it . . . but wouldn't that take away from the speed?

You will need:
canned chicken
onion (or onion powder)
garlic (or garlic powder)
cumin
italian dressing
salt and pepper
and maybe some chili powder, lemon juice, vinegar, and/or brown sugar

Start out by sauteing the onion and garlic in a pot. I think this is delicious, but if you have no fresh ingredients or time, skip it.
Add the canned chicken. The broth usually helps keep it moist.
Sprinkle liberally with cumin, italian dressing, salt, and pepper. If you have no italian dressing you can add vinegar or lemon juice. Or nothing. Or add it even if you have the dressing. This is all to taste.
Stir and heat. Taste until it tastes right. Chili powder and brown sugar are yummy, too. Add water if it seems too dry, it will soak into the chicken or evaporate out, so don't worry about it getting watery unless you really go for it on the water.

When it tastes yummy serve in tortillas (we like corn tortillas) with all the fixin's . . . sour cream, salsa, lettuce tomatoes, avacado if you have them, whatever else mexican-ish you want. Rice and beans . . .

Super-exact recipe, sorry. I would say don't be shy when adding the flavorings, it's not as tasty when you add too little. In no time flat you will be munching on tasty tacos!

Link: Crispy Coconut Fingers

Easy, delicious recipe from Our Best Bites. The only ingredient I didn't have on hand was Panko crumbs, which were not hard to find. Here it is:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/11/crispy-coconut-chicken-fingers/

I made a dipping sauce by mixing peach jam, ginger, spicy brown mustard, lime, and a few red pepper flakes. Just kind of threw stuff together until it was yummy. And it was! We really loved this chicken, will be making it a regular.

Saucy Chicken over Rice

This recipe doesn't really have a name because I made it up one time, although it reminds me of a dish that I often ate in Germany. I'm sharing it with you because it has become one of our favorites. It's fast, easy, and delicious. Also, I'm just giving you general guidelines, not an exact recipe, and you can adjust to how much your family generally eats.* Really, try this dish and you won't be sorry.


Yumminess

• red bell pepper, cut in strips
• mushrooms, sliced
• onion, sliced
• chicken, cooked and diced or shredded
• whole milk
• sour cream
• salt
• pepper
• onion salt
• paprika
• rice

Saute pepper, mushrooms, and onions in butter until tender. Add chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with onion salt and a liberal amount of paprika. (I don't have any guideline for you, but I use quite a bit.) Pour in milk (enough that mixture is nearly covered but not quite) and let simmer a bit with the lid on the pan. Then add a couple spoonfuls of sour cream and stir. Don't add too much or the sour cream taste will overpower the dish rather than simply giving it depth.

The sauce won't be thick, but it will be yummy. Serve over rice.

*I'll give you an idea of the amounts I used tonight so you can adjust accordingly: one red bell pepper, two huge mushrooms (probably the equivalent of 6 normal ones), one small onion, and half a can of chicken.

Cheddar Chicken & Penne

I found this recipe in a magazine ages ago, and I love it. It's simple and incredibly fast--you can have it on your table within 20 minutes of beginning to cook. A few nights ago I served it with a toasted baguette and a fresh green salad. Without further ado, here's the recipe:

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 3/4 cup chicken broth (14 oz.)
• 8 oz. (1/2 pkg) penne rigate, uncooked
• 16 oz (1 pkg) frozen vegetable mix
• 2 cups (8 oz) shredded cheddar cheese*

In 5-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Sprinkle chicken with garlic powder, cook in butter until no longer pink, about 5 minutes, turning occasionally.* Add broth; heat to boiling. Add uncooked pasta and frozen vegetables, stirring to coat pasta with liquid. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 10-12 minutes or until pasta is tender and most of liquid is absorbed, stirring every 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted.

*Notes: The last couple of times I made this, I cooked the chicken separately and then added it at the end so I could do it all faster. Also, I probably only use 3/4 cup cheese and it seems like plenty to me.

Sweet & Sour Chicken

This has become one of my favorite recipes. It's completely yummy and flexible and can easily be prepared ahead of time.

• chicken, cooked and cubed (I usually do one chicken breast for my family)
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 garlic clove, chopped (I use minced garlic from Sam's; so much easier in my opinion)
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 small carrot, sliced (I usually julienne them, just because I like it)
• 1/2 can drained canned pineapple chunks (save the juice for the sauce)
• 2 Tbsp malt vinegar (I've never used malt vinegar, just whatever vinegar I have--if you use white, only do half the amount)
• 3 Tbsp ketchup
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 Tbsp cold water
• salt
• ground black pepper
• rice, to serve

Cook chicken however you want. You could broil it, but I usually cook it in a frying pan with garlic powder, onion salt, salt, pepper, etc. Then set meat aside while you cook the rest.

Heat oil in nonstick frying pan until very hot. Stir-fry the garlic and onion for a few seconds, then add the green pepper and carrot and stir-fry for 1 minute. Stir in pineapple chunks, vinegar, ketchup, pineapple juice, and sugar. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 3 minutes. Add cooked chicken to vegetable mixture and cook for about 2 minutes. Mix cornstarch to a paste with the water. Add mixture to pan and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened. Serve with rice.

**I follow this recipe very loosely. I often mix the sauce together before putting it in the pan, including the cornstarch and water. That saves a step and works really well. Sometimes I add more sugar or pineapple juice to taste. Also, I often add other veggies. I really like it with chunks of yellow or red pepper. Pretty much just use this recipe as a guide and do what you want. If you like a lot of sauce, double the sauce.

Chicken and Wild Rice Salad

Delicious summer salad I almost forgot about this year . . . no!! We originally got this recipe from a Dr's wife during Dad's residency, I believe. So tasty with the homemade french bread.

Dressing
1/2 cup salad dressing (Miracle Whip, mayonaise, etc.)
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed marjoram leaves
1/8 tsp white pepper (really just for looks)

Salad
3 cups cooked wild rice, chilled (usually use half white rice and half wild rice)
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1/2 cup diagonally sliced celery
1/2 cup red bell pepper, cut into pieces
1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup diagonally sliced green onion
Lettuce
Tomato wedges
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds

In small bowl combine all dressing ingredients and set aside. In large bowl combine cooked rice, chicken, celery, red pepper, mushrooms, and onions. Add dressing to salad mixture; toss gently.

Cover; refrigerate 2-3 hours to blend flavors. Serve with lettuce leaves and tomato wedges. Garnish with toasted almonds. 6 one cup servings.

Hawaiian Chicken

This recipe is from Lion House Classics, tweaked a tiny. It's pretty easy to make (although the first time with a new recipe always takes longer), and we all really like it. It's one of the only meals Josh will consistently finish (knock on wood!).

4 to 6 chicken breasts (less if you're using those really big ones)
flour
salt
cooking oil
1 can (15 1/2 ounces) pineapple chunks
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 chicken bouillon cube
1 green pepper, cut in 1/4-inch strips

Roll chicken pieces in flour and sprinkle with salt (I like pepper, too). Brown in oil. Drain pineapple; reserve pineapple chunks, and pour juice into measuring cup. Add water to make 1 1/2 cups. Add honey, cornstarch, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and bouillon cube; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over chicken pieces in 2-quart bakking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Add pineapple chunks and green pepper; bake 5 minutes longer. Serve with cooked rice. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

I like to sprinkle a little pepper in the sauce to offset the vinegar taste. You may want to add some brown sugar if you like it sweeter. Our favorite vegetable to eat with it is peas.

Chicken Stroganoff

I got this recipe from Sarah, who got it from our roommate Kristi, who got it from her mom . . . don't know the origins beyond this. You can add onions and mushrooms if you want, but I rarely take the time.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed

1/3 cup margarine
1 packet italian dressing mix (dry)

Combine above in crockpot and cook on high for 2-3 hours until chicken is cooked. Mix together and add:

1 8-oz package cream cheese
1 cup milk
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Cook for another 30 to 60 minutes.

**This recipe is totally flexible. I rarely worry about using that much chicken. I usually use about half the cream cheese so it's lower calorie and it's still totally delicious and rich enough. Lately I've been putting in the chicken without cubing it, letting it cook, and then cutting it up. Mostly that's so I don't have to deal with raw chicken because sometimes I hate raw chicken, but it seems to work really well. (note by Sarah)

Parmesan Ranch Chicken

3/4 cup crushed cornflakes 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast

In a shallow bowl combine cornflakes, parmesan cheese and ranch dressing mix. Dip chicken in butter and roll in cornflake mix to coat. Place in a greased 13x9 baking dish. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.

CHICKEN MARBELLA

4-6 split chicken breasts 1 head garlic 1/4 cup dry oregano 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 1 cup olive oil salt/pepper to taste 1/2 cup Spanish olives (salty ones) 1 cup prunes, chopped 6 bay leaves

Put everything in a 9 x 13 baking pan and cover with foil. Marinate overnight or for several hours. Before baking mix 1 cup brown sugar with 1 cup white cooking wine (Stokes vinegar section) or white grape juice. Pour over chicken and bake at 350° 50-60 minutes.

Chicken Roll Ups

Oven- 325

8 cups cooked, cubed chicken
1 (8 0z) pkg. cream cheese
1 tbsp. chopped green onion
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional, I don't really like them)
4 pkgs. crescent rolls, separated
crushed corn flakes (optional)

Mix all ingredients except for crescent rolls, butter, and corn flakes. Put a rounded tablespoon in center of one crescent roll. Fold over sides and roll up. Dip into butter and roll in corn flakes. Bake on a cookie sheet for 25 min. Serve with creamy (use only 1/2 can of milk) chicken mushroom/ cream of chicken soup as gravy.