chicken – Page 7 – Fun Foodie Family

Grilled Chicken Caesar Wraps

Another snow day! I am ready for winter to be over, but since I am stuck at home, I can at least make a healthy lunch for my family! My husband got the idea at the store the other day to take this to work for lunch, but since we are home, we all got to enjoy.

I butterflied and grilled up some chicken breasts on my cast iron stove top grill. These are a great investment for grilling in the winter. Then I sliced up some romaine lettuce and warmed up some Naan bread (you could use pita, flat bread, or tortilla) on the eye of the gas stove. I sliced up the chicken on the cutting board. My husband and I built our sammies and topped it with Caesar dressing.

I served the girls “deconstructed,” because the girls are not really into lettuce or dressings, but we make them try everything at least once each time at the table. Lizzie is beginning to get the taste for lettuce, so hopefully the others will come around.

Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta

Chicken, Leftovers/ Freezer Meals, Pasta

Wednesday night is a late dinner night for us. R has gymnastics until 6:30, so dinner is usually close to 7. I stay home with the other 2 girls, and hubby takes R to class. I cook dinner and we eat when they get home around 6:45-7. Usually, I cook dinner and sometimes we have a clean out the fridge night or we get Chinese or something. Last night, my neighbors brought over about 8 tomatoes. They were just sitting on the counter begging to be used.

Hmmm. What to do… I cut them up and threw them in a pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil, 5 heads of crushed garlic, 1 finely diced onion, a bunch of dried and fresh herbs (oregano, rosemary, sage). Add one can of tomato sauce. I also added 2 tablespoons of sugar (cuts the acidity and metal taste of the can sauce) and a few squirts (tablespoons) of tomato paste (adds richness). I put a lid on it and cooked it for an hour. I strained it halfway and at the end. That gets rid of seeds, tomato skins, leftover garlic, and whole herbs. Take off the heat and add a tablespoon of butter. Then add your heavy cream; about 1/3 of a cup. Not a lot. I just want to add a touch of velvety creaminess to this sauce without taking away from the tomato flavor. Thinking this might make a great thick soup…

I had my 2 chicken leg/thigh quarters, so I browned them on both sides in a cast iron skillet them placed both in a 350 oven for 30 minutes. I took them out and cooled them to touch and hand shredded. Add to sauce.

Cook pasta to al dente. Mix with chicken and sauce. 10 thumbs up! Plus, more for leftovers!

Oven Baked Chicken

Chicken

I had a friend recently tell me she cannot eat chicken with skin and bones. It freaks her out somehow. Such a pity. Well, this dish is for her. Oven baked chicken breasts that I didn’t even touch. Here is how I did it.

I bought some chicken breast cutlets; not too big, not too small. I slid the chicken in a zip-top bag. Then I added my seasoning; salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil. Then I closed the bag and gave it a nice massage. I put it in a aluminum foil lined baking dish. Bake at 350 for about 40 minutes or so.
I served it with couscous, snap peas, and B and I had a bit of that leftover pasta I mentioned in my weekly meal plan.

Here is another idea for this popular idea…https://funfoodiefamily.com/2014/06/05/homemade-shake-and-bake/

Skillet Chicken and peppers with Farro

Chicken, Side dishes...veggies, potatoes, grains

Hey all! I am so happy tomorrow is Friday! 3 day weekend! I found myself with an empty house tonight… Hubby is working late and grandparents took the kids to dinner! I relaxed from a long day by cooking for myself! Some people find cooking stressful and do not look forward to it. I just love it and wish I could spend a nice relaxing day in the kitchen. I love the feeling of the knife in my hand when I am slicing up some peppers; I relish in the sizzle of a screaming hot pan. Although I love cooking so much, I would never want to be on one of those cooking shows that are timed. I don’t want to feel the pressure of the clock at all! The only thing I want to measure time by is how many cups of coffee, diet cokes, wine glasses that I drink…depending on the time of day =)

So tonight, I planned on making chicken, some Farro, and a veggie. Well, I stuck to that plan, except I Amyfied it a bit. If you know me personally, you know what this means. Fresh ingredients that are healthy but with a splash of something not so healthy(like heavy cream, wine, butter, bacon, cheese, etc.). I am not one for frozen foods (except frozen veggies; they are perfectly acceptable when the fresh is not looking so good. Plus anything desert related…ice cream, puff pastry, etc.), and canned foods, especially canned meats and seafood…GROSS (tomatoes, black olives, beans, and Annie’s Spaghetti O’s for R are perfectly acceptable).

Tonight’s dinner was spectacular… Here are my steps I took…

1. Pour 1 glass of wine to sip on.
2. Brown chicken on both sides with plenty of salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.
While it is browning, slice up 4 small peppers and 1 onion. For the onions, I use 1/2 of a white onion I had left and a small red onion (Red onions are really purple. I think the guy who named it was color blind. used ALL colors. My favorites in order of how I like them; Yellow, orange, red, green. Green peppers are just kind of blah for me, but we had one going bad and I didn’t want it to go to waste.
3. Take out beautifully browned chicken and add a splash or 2 of white wine to deglaze the pan. Then add a pat of butter and your peppers and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Cook a pan of Farro according to the package. You could substitute brown rice, quinoa, or even a pasta if you choose. Cube the browned chicken and add back in to the pan.
5. Add almost finished Farro to the pan with chicken, veggies, and one more splash of wine. Cook until Farro is done!
6. Pour yourself one more glass of wine and enjoy!

Cheesy Chicken Bake

Chicken

I was going through my new Rachel Ray magazine, and I found a recipe that looked easy and delicious; Cheesy Chicken Bake. The first time I read this recipe, I thought it was a mistake. How in the world would a chicken breast cook for 10 minutes on the first side and 8 minutes on the second side without still being raw in the middle? Then there it was…a 6 oz. chicken breast. Where can I find this mysterious 6 oz. chicken breast? The ones I ever see are at least 10 oz… even many organic ones.

I took some liberties with the recipe…I used my 10 oz. chicken breast that was on sale, but I butterflied it. Instead of fresh cubed tomatoes; not a good garden this year, and store ones are not that great, I used 1 28 oz. can of diced tomatoes. Instead of one chopped onion, I used 2 small Vidalia onions, thinly sliced. Then I added crushed, sliced garlic. Add salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, and chopped parsley. I added the chicken breasts on top and add it in a preheated broiled oven. I cooked on one side for 12 minutes and the second side for 10 minutes. Add shredded fontina cheese on top and broil until bubbly!

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