Baked BBQ Chicken with Peach Salsa

I have finally mastered a baked bbq chicken recipe! The key to this recipe is making little individual  boats for your chicken and of course...butter. If you do this, the chicken will be very moist and yummy.The peach salsa was the perfect contrast to the bbq chicken. I served this with a side of onion and garlic cous cous. Delicious!


Baked BBQ Chicken:

4 chicken breast
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Garlic Powder to taste
Butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. While your oven is heating, cut pieces of foil large enough to completely wrap each piece of chicken. Season chicken breast  in the foil with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Once seasoned, layer the chicken with bbq sauce and put a small piece of butter on top of the chicken. Press all sides of foil together so that the chicken is completely covered. (should look like a boat). Bake in a pyrex for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Top with peach salsa if desired (recipe below).


Peach Salsa:
2 medium firm peaches
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 red onion, diced
1/4 cup of fresh lime juice
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Directions:

Dice peaches, jalapeno peppers and onion and toss. Toss in fresh lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Let the mix sit for at least 5 minutes before tasting for seasoning. Make at least 1 hour ahead or up to 2 days ahead so the flavors will blend

Braised Chicken Thighs with Rosemary and Potatoes

Christian and I have both had very busy weeks for the past few weeks but still want to enjoy a nice homecooked meal when possible. Enter the slow cooker. I really can't decide which I love more...the slow cooker or the food processor. They both amaze me. When we got home from work tonight the apartment smelled so good that we had to dig in immediately. If you are pressed for time and want a good meal to come home to, you should definitely try this recipe. It's a winner!

Braised Chicken Thighs with Rosemary and Potatoes

Adapted from Southern Living

8 chicken thighs (about 2 1/2 lbs)  -- i used skinless

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided

1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 large baking potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs), peeled and sliced ( i used about 2 1/2)

2/3 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary 

4 garlic cloves, minced

Directions:

-Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side or until browned

-Place onion in a 4 quart slow cooker; top with potato. Arrange chicken on top of potato

-Combine remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, broth, rosemary, and garlic in a small bowl; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour; reduce to low and cook 4 hours until chicken is done and vegetables are tender. (I cooked on low for about 8-10 hours). 

Chicken Enchilada Verdes

Lime Shrimp Tortillas...Chicken Enchiladas Verdes, can we say that I am on a Mexican food kick this week? I watched one of my favorite cooking shows, America's Test Kitchen , the other night and they made these yummy enchiladas that I just could not resist. So, I decided to make them for  a weekend lunch and have a couple of friends over. They weren't exactly the fastest dish to make but let me tell you, these were amazing! These were much better than traditional enchiladas with red sauce. They were a perfect combination of tanginess, sweetness, and heat and the chicken was delicious and tender. I cant wait to make these again!

Chicken Enchilada Verdes
Courtesy of America's Test Kitchen 

4	teaspoons vegetable oil
1	medium onion , chopped medium (about 1 cup)
3	medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/2	teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2	cups low sodium chicken broth
2-3	boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of excess fat
1 1/2	pounds tomatillos (16 to 20 medium), husks and stems removed, rinsed well and dried  (canned is a fine substitute)
3	medium poblano chiles , halved lengthwise, stemmed, and seeded (see note)
1 - 2 1/2	teaspoons sugar
	ground black pepper  table salt
1/2	cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
8	ounces Pepper Jack cheese or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (2 cups) ( I used pepper jack)
12	(6-inch) corn tortillas 1. Adjust oven racks to middle and highest positions and heat broiler. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering; add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons garlic and cumin; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Decrease heat to low and stir in broth. Add chicken , cover, and simmer until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 160 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken  to large bowl; place in refrigerator to cool, about 20 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup liquid from saucepan and set aside; discard remaining liquid. 2. Meanwhile, toss tomatillos and poblanos with remaining 2 teaspoons oil; arrange on rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, with poblanos skin-side up. Broil until vegetables blacken and start to soften, 5 to 10 minutes, rotating pan halfway through cooking. Cool 10 minutes, then remove skin from poblanos (leave tomatillo skins intact). Transfer tomatillos and chiles to food processor. Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees. Discard foil from baking sheet and set baking sheet aside for warming tortillas. 3. Add 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, remaining teaspoon garlic, and reserved cooking liquid to food processor; process until sauce is somewhat chunky, about eight 1-second pulses. Taste sauce; season with salt and pepper and adjust tartness by stirring in remaining sugar, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Set sauce aside (you should have about 3 cups). 4. When chicken  is cool, pull into shreds using hands or 2 forks, then chop into small bite-sized pieces. Combine chicken with cilantro and 11/2 cups cheese; season with salt. 5. Smear bottom of 13- by 9-inch baking dish with 3/4 cup tomatillo sauce. Place tortillas on 2 baking sheets. Spray both sides of tortillas lightly with cooking spray. Bake until tortillas are soft and pliable, 2 to 4 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Place warm tortillas on countertop and spread 1/3 cup filling down center of each tortilla. Roll each tortilla tightly and place in baking dish, seam-side down. Pour remaining tomatillo sauce over top of enchiladas. Use back of spoon to spread sauce so that it coats top of each tortilla. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and cover baking dish with foil. 6. Bake enchiladas on middle rack until heated through and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes *top with sour cream and chopped fresh green onions

Baked Chicken Spaghetti

                                




My mom's friend used to make this all of the time and when I am home over the holidays I always beg her to make a batch for me. Yesterday I had a craving for chicken spaghetti and I simply couldn't wait for someone else to make it for me. Now, this is not an ideal dish for someone without a family (such as myself). I didn't realize the recipe would make so much! I ended up freezing a lot of it and giving some to my brother. This is such a yummy twist on traditional spaghetti and best of all...it's easy and delicious!

Ingredients:




1 chicken, cooked and deboned or 4 to 5 chicken breast
  1 onion
  2 tbsp. butter
  1 can cream of mushroom soup
  1 can cream of chicken soup
  1 can cream of celery soup
  2-3 cups Chicken Broth
  1 bell pepper
  1 pkg spaghetti
  1 lb. Velveeta, diced
  1 can Rotel

 Directions:

 Dice onion and bell pepper; saute in butter. Cook spaghetti
in chicken broth. In large bowl, mix cream of
chicken, mushroom, celery, chicken, Velveeta, pepper and
onion mixture. Add 1 can drained Rotel; mix well. Add
cooked spaghetti and 1/2 cup chicken broth and mix well.
Pour into large baking dish. Top with a few slices of velveeta cheese if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Tomato Stuffed with Chicken Salad

I decided to save some time in the morning and make my lunch tonight. I haven't made chicken salad in forever and for some reason it has been on my mind for the last two weeks! Needless to say, I was excited to finally get around to making it and will be even more excited around lunch time tomorrow. I got this recipe a few years ago from my good friend, Susannah. It was so different and I fell in love with it immediately. I love chicken salad and I always like to look for unique ways to make it so if you have a recipe send it my way. This is one of my favorites. The white pepper is such a nice surprise! I eyeballed the measurements so just taste as you go.

Chicken Salad:
2 cups of diced cooked chicken (I use white)
1/2 cup of fat free mayonnaise  
1 medium red onion
1/2 cup sliced almonds
white pepper to taste
a few dashes of hot sauce

Stuffing the Tomato:
Slice the tomato to remove top. Cut and spoon out inside of the tomato until clean.

*The original recipe calls for celery as most traditional chicken salad recipes do. I don't like celery so I left it out.

Friday Night Dinner Part 2

Well, obviously I have not been in the kitchen this week. This "staycation" turned into a little vacation and I've been spending most of my time on the road, poolside, or at the beach. Not a bad way to pass time, huh? With that said, I still need to post pictures and update you on our little dinner party from last week.

We had such a great time! I was a little stressed at first since dinner was to be on the table at 7:30 and I didn't leave the grocery store until around 5...with a list of chores still waiting for me. Somehow, things came together wonderfully.

Roasted BBQ Chicken:

Courtsey of Christian Haines

1 Chicken cut into pieces (2 each of: Breasts, Thighs, Wings, and Drumsticks)

1 Large Yellow Onion
Olive Oil
16-18 oz. of Barbeque Sauce (Bullseye or Sweet Baby Rays)
Spice Rub Ratios (didn't really measure the spices but here is an estimated guess)
3 parts Brown Sugar
2.5 parts Kosher Salt
1 part Garlic Powder
1 Part Paprika
1/2 Part Cayenne Pepper
1/2 Poultry Seasoning


Directions:
Mix the spices together until homogenous. Coat both sides of the chicken thoroughly with the rub and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Add olive oil to skillet and brown the chicken until a golden brown crust forms on all sides.

Slice the onion and coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 pyrex casserole dish.

Place the chicken in the dish and add enough barbeque sauce to cover

the chicken.



Cook for 35-45 minutes, or until the breasts are done.

Pesto Chicken Salad

Lunch is usually my most unsatisfying meal of the day. I am guaranteed to pack a turkey sandwich, a lean cuisine, or grab a sandwich from Subway if I happen to forget to pack a lunch. So as you can see, I need to make some serious changes. I am looking for ways to spice it up a little this week and make something that is delicious, affordable, and interesting. I absolutely love chicken salad but clearly the idea of having a traditional chicken salad isn't exactly "spicing it up." I started to search for different recipes and I found a pesto chicken salad. I completely understand if the picture doesn't make you want to try it.. but hopefully the recipe will. It is a bit salty so if you don't enjoy salty things just cut out the kosher salt and I think you will be fine. I tried a spoonful after I made it and it was so refreshing! I plan to stuff a pita pocket with the mixture and add a few slices of tomato for lunch today. Next time I make this I think I will leave out the mayo, substitute basil for the arugula, and use the mixture to make a hearty chicken pesto pasta.

Pesto Chicken Salad
Courtesy of FoodNetwork.com

1/4 cup low-fat or fat free mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup Arugula Pesto, recipe follows
1 store-bought rotisserie chicken diced
Arugula pesto (recipe below)


For the pesto, blend the arugula and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the oil until well blended. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in Parmesan and salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon zest and Arugula Pesto. Stir in the diced chicken.


Arugula Pesto:
2 cups packed arugula
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper