Crock-pot Chicken Taco Filling

I love using just a few ingredients when I cook, that’s because sometime some of the simplest dishes are the best!

The hardest choice about the dish is choosing weather to chose a soft or hard taco shell or maybe to just go for it and have a burrito.

You can see that I decided to have both a hard and soft taco. And there is plenty left over so that I can have a burrito later.

Crock-pot Chicken Taco Filling

2 pounds chicken breast
1 package taco seasoning
1 (16oz) jar salsa (your choice of heat)

Place all ingredients in a crock-pot, cook on low for 6-8 hours. When done shred meat and return to crock-pot. Serve.

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Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

This is a very popular recipe and I have seen many different versions. This is my twist on the recipe.

 If you don’t know what Ro-Tel it is a spicy canned tomato and you can usually find it on the same shelf as your regular tomatoes. If you still can’t find them you can use tomatoes with diced green chilies. . I used the mild Ro-Tel tomatoes because Ariel doesn’t like it when I make things to spicy.

Now how does it taste, will I asked both Richard and Ariel and they both said the same thing. CHEESY! And that it was a keeper!

Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

1 pound cooked chicken, shredded

1 small onion diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can Ro-Tel (or 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies)
1 pound Velveeta cheese, cubed

12 oz package spaghetti; Cooked according to directions on package. Drain.

In a large skillet sauté onion and garlic until tender; add soups, Ro-Tel and Velveeta cheese cooking until cheese is melted. Combine pasta, chicken and cheese sauce together; pour into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes in a 350⁰F oven.

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Easy Creamy Chicken

Its funny how my mind works sometimes, it goes into what I call recipe mode and I can’t turn it off until I make something new. You see I rarely cook the same recipe twice except when it comes to baking. Yes I have a lot of tried and true recipes that I love to bake. But when it comes to cooking I always want to eat something new and try something different.

I was talking to Richard about that this morning. And he said that’s one of the things that he loves about me is my ability to throw things together and come up with something new each time. Now this recipe has really good flavor, (Richard says it reminds him of pot pie) but I am already thinking about changing it up a bit.

Easy Creamy Chicken

1 pound chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 (10 ¾) can cream of mushroom soup
1 package dry vegetable soup mix
1 (14.5) can chicken broth

In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil over medium-high heat. Add mushroom soup, dry vegetable soup mix and chicken broth. Bring sauce to a boil; reduce heat and simmer uncover for 15 minutes. Serve over rice or egg noodles.Pin It

Slow-Cooker Barbecue Chicken

My daughter Brandy is a little obsessed with this show called Extreme Couponing, to the point when she came home for a visit the other day she turned it on and had me and Ariel watch it. When they saved a lot of money she got just as excited as the people on the show. She says that’s why we need to clip coupon too. So when we went to the store, so that she could buy Richard a father’s day gift. She said she had to buy this magazine All You to, because it always has a lot of coupons in it and also good recipes. So I took a look at the magazine and saw this recipe. So I changed it just a little the way I always do. And because I didn’t take out the chicken to thaw I just threw it in the slow-cooker frozen and cooked it on high for 5 hours, it turn out great. I will be making this again.

Slow-Cooker Barbecue Chicken

4 boneless, chicken breast
1 cup barbecue sauce
¼ cup Italian salad dressing
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce or to taste

Put chicken in slow cooker. In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients, pour sauce over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. Remove chicken to a cutting board and shred with 2 forks. Return to slow cooker and cook for another 30 minutes.

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Chicken and Dumplings

What could be more comforting on a cold winter s day than a bowl of chicken and dumplings?
When I was a work the other day I told Bertha my co-worker you know what I am in a good mood. I am going to go home and make chicken and dumplings for dinner tonight and brownies for dessert. That will be a feel good dinner for my feel good mood!

Chicken and Dumplings

2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite size pieces

1 (14oz) can chicken broth

1 cup milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup baking mix
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ cup milk

In a large soup pot combine, chicken, chicken broth, milk, frozen vegetables, poultry seasoning and pepper; bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
In bowl combine, baking mix, dried parsley, and milk blend until moistened. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls into simmering soup. Cover pot with lid and simmer for 12 minutes (do not stir pot or lift the lid during this time).Pin It

Chicken Noodle Skillet

Who doesn’t have a couple of packages of Top Ramen noodles in their pantry and a bag of frozen vegetables in their freezer. If you don’t then you need to go out and buy some! I don’t know a kid out there who doesn’t love these noodles. And can you think of a simpler way to make them, not to mention getting in a serving of veggies. I know you will love this dish!

Chicken Noodle Skillet

2 teaspoons oil
1 pound chicken breast cut into 1-inch cubes
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups water
2 packages chicken flavor Ramen noodle soup mix
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 (12oz.) bag frozen California Blend mixed vegetables (or any kind you like)

Over medium-high, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add chicken and garlic; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until chicken is browned. Stir in 2 cups water, seasoning packets from soup mixes, Italian seasoning and mixed vegetables; bring to a boil.

Gently break each block of noodles in half; add noodles to skillet. Bring to a boil, boil uncovered 5 to 6 minutes or until noodles are cooked, separating noodles gently as they soften.Pin It

Herb Roasted Chicken with Pan Gravy

I once had a co-worker ask me how to roast a chicken, will this is one way that I do it. You can serve it with or without the gravy. I hope I explained well enough how to make the gravy, I like to use the same pan to make my gravy in that I used to cook my chickens or turkeys in, that’s because I like to use all the brown bits that stick to the bottom of the roasting pan; this make the best gravy.

If you have never roasted a whole chicken before you need to give it a try, it’s easier than you think, not to mention how impressive it look to serve a whole chicken to you family and friends.

 

Herb Roasted Chicken with Pan Gravy

3 to 3 ½ pound whole chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper
Gravy

Pan drippings

2 cups chicken broth
¼ cup flour

Preheat oven to 350⁰F.

Rinse chicken inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Place chicken breast side up in a shallow roasting pan. Tuck wings under chicken back; brush chicken with oil. In a small dish combine poultry seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper; rub seasoning mixture over chicken.
Roast in oven uncovered for 1 ½ to 1 ¾ minutes or until meat thermometer inserted in thigh reaches 180⁰F. Remove from oven cover with foil and allow chicken to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Pour pan drippings from chicken into a gravy separator or into a glass measuring cup; skim off fat. Pour dripping into a medium sauce pan or back into the roasting pan, ( use the roasting pan if it is also stove top safe). In a medium bowl mix together 2 cups chicken broth with ¼ cup flour whisking until smooth; add to drippings in sauce pan. Cook stirring constantly over medium heat until thick and creamy about 5 minutes; salt and pepper to taste. Serve with chicken.

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Chicken Pot Pie Soup

It’s a cold and raining day in California. On a day like today I want soup, but I have wanted chicken pot pie for a week. I was wondering if I could have both. So after a quick run to the store this is what I came up with. It came out pretty good if I do say so myself. I asked Ariel what she thought of the soup, her one word was YUMMMY!

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups potatoes, diced
1 (16oz.) bag frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups cooked chopped chicken
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste

1 pie crust cooked according to package directions. Cooled and broken into pieces.

In a large pot combine chicken broth, potatoes, and frozen mixed vegetables; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender; add cooked chicken return to a simmer.
In a medium sauce pan over med-high heat melt butter; add flour; whisk until smooth cooking 1 minute. Slowly add milk and cook until mixture thickens. Add milk mixture to soup and simmer 15 minutes.
Serve in bowls with pie crust pieces.Pin It

Chicken Marsala

I love this chicken! The first time I had chicken Marsala was at an Italian restaurant and of course I had to learn to make it myself and I was so glad to find out the recipe was so simple.

Chicken Marsala
4 chicken breast
¼ cup flour
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons butter
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
¾ cup Marsala Wine
¼ cup chicken broth or water
1 tablespoon dried parsley

Pound chicken breast until thin, season with salt and pepper; dredge lightly with flour on both sides. In a large skillet melt butter over medium-high heat; add chicken cook on each side until golden brown. Add mushrooms, Marsala Wine, chicken broth or water and dried parsley. Cook until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through.Pin It

Chicken Curry

I adapted this recipe from my 29 minutes to dinner cookbook by The Pampered Chef.
I love curry, my family not so much. When every I have come across a new recipe for curry I just have to give it a try.
This recipe is not spicy like some of the other version that I have prepared in the past; it’s very mild with a nice curry flavor. If you have always wanted to try curry, but was always a little leery may I suggest you give this version a try?
And if you would like to know how to get your own 29 minutes to dinner cookbook by The Pampered Chef just send me an email at gogetzm@comcast.net and I will let you know!

Chicken Curry
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons curry powder
½ cup golden raisins
1 can (13-5 oz) coconut milk

Cut chicken into bite-size pieces and place into a medium size bowl. Combine salt and pepper in a small bowl; sprinkle ½ of the salt and pepper mixture over chicken in bowl toss to coat.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add seasoned chicken and cook until a golden brown about 2-3 minutes per side or until center is no longer pink. Remove from skillet: set aside.
Add carrots and onion to skillet and sauté for 5 minutes or until crisp tender, stirring occasionally. Stir curry powder, raisins, coconut milk and remaining salt and pepper mixture into skillet. Add chicken; simmer 3-5 minutes or until sauce begins to thicken.
Serve chicken curry over a bed of rice.Pin It

Margarita Grilled Chicken

When I made the guacamole a few weeks ago I asked Richard if he could run to the store and pick me up a lime; he came home with 12 limes. When I asked him why did he buy so many he replied that they were on sale 12 for a dollar, now what am I going to do with all these limes. So when I was a Costco the other day I saw the Margarita mix and I remember that I still had some at home and Richard did take chicken out for dinner and I still had all those limes, so my brain went into recipe mode and I came up with this marinade. The chicken turned out so tender and tasted just like a margarita. I served it with Spanish rice, beans and tortillas.

Margarita Grilled Chicken
4 to 6 boneless chicken breast
1 cup Margarita mix
¼ cup Tequila
Juice of 2 limes
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Combine all ingredients in a gallon size zip lock bag. Marinade in refrigerator for 2 hours. Grill chicken on a hot grill until done.Pin It

Easy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo

I have been making this dish for years. It is so easy and fast to throw together when you don’t have a lot of time to make dinner. It has always been a favorite of Richard and the girls. It doesn’t cost a lot to make because I usually buy the least expensive Alfredo sauce or whatever brand that is on sale. I believe that sometime the simplest dishes taste the best.

Easy Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
1 pound chicken breast, sliced into bite-size pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jar store bought Alfredo sauce
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 8 oz. box Fettuccine pasta
½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to the direction on the box in a large pot. Meanwhile in large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat, add cut-up chicken pieces and minced garlic; cook until chicken is a golden brown. Add Alfredo sauce and Italian seasoning; simmer for 5 minutes.
Drain cooked pasta return to pot add chicken- Alfredo mixture; toss with parmesan cheese; serve.Pin It

Crispy Ranch Chicken

The other day I received in the mail some sample recipe cards from Great American Recipes and this is one of the recipes. I change it up a bit, I used 1 whole egg instead of 2 egg whites and I used chicken breast instead of the chicken thighs the recipe called for. I liked this recipe a lot, Ariel says that it is really, really good and Richard told me that chicken you made was very good. Because Richard works nights he is not home when I cook so I always make his dinners to go. So this tells me that this chicken is even good the next day. I definitely will be making this recipe again

Crispy Ranch Chicken
2 cups crispy rice cereal
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 envelope (1oz.) ranch salad dressing mix
1 egg, beaten
4 chicken breast

Preheat oven to 350⁰F. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Combine the rice cereal, Parmesan cheese and ranch salad dressing mix in a large bowl.
Place beaten egg in a medium bowl. Dip each chicken breast in beaten egg and then in cereal mixture to coat evenly.
Arrange the coated chicken on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until golden and juices run clear when chicken is pieced with a knife, 20-25 minutes. Serve hot.Pin It

Chicken Chili with Cheddar Cornbread Dumplings

The weather here and California has been so strange this year, it has been so cold and raining for the past two days, it seems like we are having a second winter this year. Because it has been so cold it has put me in the mood for chili. At work today I was looking through an old Better Homes and Garden magazine when I came across a recipe for chili with corn bread dumplings, I thought that it sounded so good and simple. So when I came home today I made up this chili recipe and I used their dumpling recipe I just changed it a little. This recipe is a keeper, it so hits the spot on this cold “second” winter day.

Chicken Chili with Cheddar Cornbread Dumplings
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast
1 tablespoon oil
1 small onion, diced
1 (14oz.) can diced tomatoes
1(15oz.) can tomato sauce
1(4oz.) can diced green chilies
1 cup water
3 tablespoon chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cumin powder
1(15 oz.) can red kidney beans
1 small box cornbread mix
1 egg
½ cup cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 cup water

In a Dutch oven sauté diced onion in oil over medium high heat until tender; add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, diced green chilies, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, kidney beans and cooked chicken breast. Bring to a boil.

In a small mixing bowl combine corn bread mix, egg, cheese and 1/3 cup water, drop by tablespoons into boiling chili, lower to a simmer; cover and cook without opening the lid for 15 minutes. Serve with extra grated cheddar cheese.Pin It

Simmered Chinese Chicken

I found this recipe on the back of a package of a Foster Farms chicken many years ago. I made a few changes over the years. The recipe called for the chicken to be cooked whole in a Dutch oven. I did this the first time I cooked the recipe, I find it easier to cut the chicken up into pieces before cooking. That way the pieces of chicken slowly simmer in the sauce taking on its flavor. This sauce has a tangy taste with a slight kick. I love to serve this saucy chicken over a bed of rice.

Simmered Chinese Chicken
1 whole chicken, cut-up
1 tablespoon oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon catsup
¼ cup dry sherry
½ to ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown chicken in oil.

In a small bowl mix together soy sauce, brown sugar, water, catsup, dry sherry, crushed red pepper and garlic. Pour mixture over chicken in skillet. Cover and simmer 30 to 45 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, turning chicken occasionally.

Remove chicken to platter, Blend together cornstarch and water and stir into sauce in skillet. Stir sauce constantly until thickened. Serve sauce with chicken.Pin It

Chicken alla Pizzaioli

The first time that I had heard of this dish was on the television show called Everybody Loves Raymond. At that time I was wondering what was it and how to make it. I tried to search for the recipe but over time I forgot about it. Then the other day I was looking over a few cooking blogs and came across Katy’s Kitchen and low and behold there it was. I just had to give it a try. The only thing that I did different from the recipe was that I added a clove of minced garlic and simmer uncovered for a few minutes to help thicken the sauce. I served it with a side of Orzo to which I added some sliced mushrooms that I had leftover from the pizzas that I made the other night. I am glad that I came across this dish, it is a keeper I will be adding this to my family cook book.


If you are wondering what is herbs de Provence, it is a seasoning blend of thyme, basil, rosemary, lavender and a few other spices. You can find it in the spice aisle at your grocery store. You can add this seasoning to soups, sauces, or marinades there is no limit to what you could add this seasoning to. So give it a try you will not regret it.

Orzo with Parmesan and Basil

Chicken alla Pizzaioli
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
2 T. olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp. herbs de Provence
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil and heat until the oil runs smoothly in the pan. Cook the chicken on each side until almost done. Remove the chicken to a plate and tent with foil and place in the microwave to keep warm. Add the onions to the pan and sauté until softened. Add the diced tomatoes and seasonings.

 Add the chicken back into the pan and reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes; uncover continue cooking until the sauce begins to thicken and the chicken is done.

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Chicken and Pastry

Oh how I love this dish. Most people on the west coast have never even heard of chicken pastry. They have heard of dumpling but not pastry. When I was young I would watch my grandma Anne Mae Whitley roll out the dough on a big white sheet dusted with flour, then cut the dough into strips and drop them into hot broth. When I worked at the mall in Rocky Mount NC I would go to the K&W Cafeteria and eat a bowl for lunch. When Brandy was a little girl she asked me if I would make it for her wedding dinner when she got married. Out of everything that I cook for my family I believe that this is their favorite, the one that everyone wants to be home for.

Chicken and Pastry
1 3-4 pound whole chicken
6 to 8 water
4 bouillon cubes
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

Place chicken in a large pot; cover with water; add bouillon and bring to a boil; cook chicken about an hour or until done. Remove chicken from pot; and cool.

Meanwhile prepare pastry; Sift flour into a large bowl; add ½ to ¾ cup of the broth from the pot to the flour and mix with a fork until a stiff dough forms. Place on a flour surface and knead slightly. Roll out on floured surface to ¼ inch (use more flour as needed it will help thicken the both); let rest. Debone the chicken; set aside.

Bring broth back to a boil. Cut pastry into strips and drop into boiling broth, stirring gently to cover all strips.

When all the strips are in the pot boil 10 minutes; return chicken to pot and boil 5 more minutes. Pepper to taste.

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Chicken Parmesan

I do not remember where I found this recipe, but I have been making it for years. I love how tender the chicken turns out. This recipe is so simple because you can use your favorite store bought pasta sauce. And you make the whole thing in the oven.

Chicken Parmesan
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasonings
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 egg, beaten
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350⁰. Lightly grease a medium baking sheet.
Pour egg into a shallow bowl. Place bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasonings and garlic powder in a separate shallow bowl. Dip chicken into egg, then into bread crumb mixture.

 Place coated chicken on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the oven for 40 minutes, or until no longer pink and juices run clear.
Pour ½ of the spaghetti sauce in to a 9x13 inch baking dish. Place chicken over sauce, and cover with remaining sauce.

 Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and return to oven for 20 minutes.

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Oven Fried Chicken

Sometimes the southern girl and me comes out and I just get a craving for fried chicken. But I don’t eat a lot of fried food these days. I have a lot of fond memories of my grandmother Whitley’s fried chicken, and all the time she would spend frying up the chicken in her skillet. I love to find easier ways of doing things, and what better way than to fry the chicken up in the oven. So when those cravings hit this is the recipe I throw together. The best part of this recipe is picking at all the crunchy pits that are left in the pan.

Oven Fried Chicken

1 whole chicken; cut into 8 pieces (0r chicken pieces of your choice)
1½ cups flour
2 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup butter; melted

Preheat oven to 425⁰ F. Pour melted butter into a 9x13 inch baking pan.
Mix together flour, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
Coat chicken pieces with flour mixture; place in baking pan.
Bake for 25 minutes; turn, and bake for another 25 minutes more.Pin It

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

I don’t know who first came up with this recipe, but it’s a keeper. I went searching for a recipe similar to this when I first saw something like it at Target in the frozen dinner section. That version had pasta in the dish, but I gave this recipe a try anyway, I'm glad I did!

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

2 pounds chicken breast, cubed
1 cup dry seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
8 ounces Swiss cheese, cubed
8 ounces ham, cubed
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk

Mix egg and 1/2 cup milk. Dip chicken in egg mixture, and then toss in bread crumbs.

In a large skillet brown chicken in oil until golden brown;

Place chicken, ham and cheese into a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.

 Mix soup and 1 cup milk. Pour over chicken mixture in pan.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, until bubbly

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