Bacon Wrapped Chicken

I'm sure most people get kind of tired of chicken, especially if you use the same recipes over and over...I know I can!  I found this recipe on Pinterest and tried it since I already had everything (which never happens!).  I didn't take a picture, but here is the picture from the blog, Blog Chef with the recipe.

Ingredients:
Boneless skinless chicken breasts (how many you want)
Bacon slices (turkey bacon is cheaper and better for you, we had the real stuff though)
Cream cheese
Butter
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Chives (or parsley, oregano)
Salt
Pepper
Toothpicks

1. Pound chicken breasts until flat (if they are frozen thaw first).
2. Liberally spread each chicken breast with cream cheese and a little butter.
3. Top with seasonings (you don't have to use the ones listed, that's just what I used and it was good).
4. Roll up each chicken breast, wrap with bacon and put a toothpick in each piece.
5. Bake @ 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes in a casserole dish or cookie sheet (with sides)
6. Turn on broiler and cook for 5 minutes about six inches away from the boiler to get the bacon crispy.
7. Serve with rice, a veggie or pasta.  Enjoy!

We had large pieces of chicken breast and smaller ones (smaller than my palm) and the smaller were so good!  So I recommend cutting the large pieces in half before putting cream cheese on it.  The original recipe called for chive and onion cream cheese but I didn't have that so I used an opened block I had and just added the spices.  It was so good and very easy!! (Brett did most of the work actually because I was doing school work!) 

Funny story, for some reason we only have colored toothpicks (I don't even recall buying them that's how long I've had them).  Well the color came off in the chicken so some pieces of chicken were colored! Haha  It tasted fine and we got a good laugh (Brett didn't even notice, I had to tell him!)  :)

Baked Parmesan Chicken

Chicken Breasts

1 stick of butter

¾ cup bread crumbs

¾ cup parmesan cheese

½ tsp. garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix bread crumbs, cheese and garlic powder together. Melt butter in separate dish. Dip chicken breast in melted butter, then coat in breadcrumb mixture.  Place chicken in greased baking dish (I use a foil-covered cookie sheet for easy clean-up).  Pour remainder butter over chicken and sprinkle additional bread crumbs on top.  Bake for 1 hour.

Mexican Chicken Alfredo

The alfredo sauce is what makes this pasta!  I've tried many mexican pastas hoping they would be delicious but they usually aren't creamy enough-this one is perfect!

1-16 oz. package of spiral pasta
2-3 pieces of cubed chicken breast
1/2 a medium, chopped onion
1 Tbsp. canola oil
2 jars (15 oz. each) alfredo sauce
1 C grated Parmesean cheese
1 C medium salsa
1/4 C milk
2 tsp. taco seasoning

Cook pasta.  Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, cook chicken and onion in oil.  When chicken is no longer pink stir in alfredo sauce.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in cheese, salsa, milk and taco seasoning.

Drain pasta and toss with chicken mixture.

You can divide the recipe into 2-8 in. square dishes and freeze one up to 3 months.  Cover and bake the remaining casserole at 350 for 30 minutes or until bubbly.  For the frozen casserole, thaw overnight then let it thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes.  Cover and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.

I combined the whole recipe and cooked it in a 9x13 for 35 minutes and I thought it was fine since the chicken was completely cooked.  YUM!

Now this doesn't look very good, my yellow plates and the dish wash everything out-don't go by the picture!!!

Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Dip

What you will need:

1lb chicken (tenders or breasts or even canned chunk chicken)

1 block low fat cream cheese

2/3 cup fat free ranch dressing

3/4 to 1 cup buffalo wing sauce

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese and a little more to top it off

What you will need to do:

1) Boil chicken until just done

2) Shred chicken, cut off any fat or skin

3) Heat cream cheese, cheddar cheese, ranch, and buffalo sauce until heated through.  Then add chicken until all is coated

4) Transfer to a small crock pot (top with shredded cheddar, if you want) and keep on warm or low.  It is ready immediately, since everything is cooked, but it's great take to bible study or a get together in the crock pot!  Serve with tortilla chips or pita chips.

Chicken Braid

This is a recipe my mom first got from Pampered Chef but over time I've slightly altered it to our taste!

Ingredients:

2 cans of crescent rolls
2 C chopped/shredded cooked chicken
1 C chopped fresh broccoli
1/2 C chopped red pepper
1 clove of minced garlic
1 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 C mayonnaise
couple shakes of salt

Preheat oven to 375.

Unroll dough, still sealed, onto ungreased, nonstick cookie sheet, laying it out as a long rectangle.

Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl.

Place mixture down the center of the dough.

Wrap the remaining dough around the mixture, sealing up the ends.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a toasty brown.  Don't undercook, your bottom crust will be gooey ;)

Cranberry Chicken

Directions:

1. preheat oven to 350

2. mix half of a bottle of Russian dressing, a jar of cranberries and 1 packet of onion soup mix in a bowl

3. place chicken in glass dish

4. pour mixture over chicken

5. bake for 1 hour

I served with steamed carrots and broccoli and sourdough toast but roasted red potatoes are very good with this as well. This is one of Will's favorite dishes.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

My mom sent me this recipe the other day when I was in desperate need for a quick recipe to take to a couple with a new baby!  So this recipe makes A LOT.  Definitely enough for 4-6 people.

You will need:

1-1.5 lb thawed chicken breast, cubed

3-4 tbs corn starch

1/2 onion, cut in 1/2 inch pieces

1 red pepper, cut in 1/2 inch pieces

1 yellow pepper, cut in 1/2 inch pieces

2-3 medium carrots, sliced diagonally

fresh sliced mushrooms, I used a whole pack for this large recipe

You can replace or add any of the veggies.  Other options are water chestnuts, bok choy, etc.

For the sweet and sour sauce:

1 can chunk pineapple in it's own juice (use juice and all)

1 cup water

1/4 cup white vinegar

3 tbs ketchup

1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tbs corn starch

crushed red pepper fleck to taste

What you need to do:

1. Cut up yo veggies

2. Cut up yo chicken

3. Put cut chicken in a ziplock bag with 3-4 tbs cornstarch and shake until coated

4. Cook chicken pieces in hot EVOO just until done (about 4 min).  Set aside.

5. Stir fry the veggies in a drop of EVOO until tender.

6.  I didn't take a picture of this, but start cooking your sauce in a separate sauce pan.  Pull all ingredients for sauce in the pot and bring just to boiling, stirring constantly.  Cook 2-3 min.  It will thicken over time.  Then add sauce to tender veggies.

7.  Add chicken to sauce and veggies to heat through.

8. I didn't take a final picture either, but serve a scoop of the mixture over white rice and voila!  Homemade sweet and sour chicken!

I took half of this to the couple with a new baby and we had enough for two meals also.  Like I said, it makes a lot!  My two cents...don't over cook the chicken!  And if your sauce gets too thick, add a tad more water or pineapple juice while it's cooking.

Chicken Salad

This recipe has been served in our family as long as I can remember. My grandmother came up with it and my mom makes it on a monthly if not weekly basis. And it is YUMMY.

Ingredients:

2 Cans of white chicken breast, drained

Marzetti Dressing

1 cup of sliced grapes

1 cup of chopped pecans

1/2 cup of chopped celery

1/8 cup of chopped onion

Shred chicken with a fork. Pour Marzetti Dressing to get consistency you want. Mix all other ingredients. Refrigerate. It will taste better after being refrigerated for several hours. It is especially good on croissants.

Chicken Enchiladas

1 can enchilada sauce (19 oz)

1 block of cream cheese

1 (8oz.) sour cream

1 can of corn-or 1/2 bag of frozen is what I prefer

2 cups shredded cheese

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

8 soft tortilla shells

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook chicken breasts (boil or on a griddle). Let chicken cool and then shred it. Mix cream cheese, sour cream and 3/4 can of enchilada sauce. Add corn, 1 cup shredded cheese and chicken to the mix. Put mixture in tortillas and roll up (use toothpicks to hold it together). Grease a 9X13 glass dish and place tortillas in the dish (usually holds between 4-6). Drizzle the rest of the enchilada sauce over the tortillas and sprinkle with the remainder of shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes! The mixture is usually enough for 6-8 enchiladas depending on how full you want them to be!

Yummy Chicken Alfredo and Garlic Bread

So I am addicted to Olive Garden's chicken alfredo dish so I attempted to make it today and turned out perfect! No leftovers even. I forgot to get garlic bread when at the store so I improvised when I got home and it was so yummy!






(Oh and I forgot to take a picture at first so I just did it with my phone, sorry doesn't look all cute on a real plate, no time for that with 2 kids!)




Chicken Alfredo (Serves about 4)


1/2 cup butter


1 pint heavy whipping cream


1 tsp garlic salt


salt and pepper to taste


2/3 cup fresh grated parmesan


1lb box fettuccine noodles (prepared as box says)


2 large chicken breast (boiled)


3oz of cream cheese (pinched into small peices)





Over medium-low heat melt butter, add cream, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Simmer 20-30 mins, stirring constantly until thick. After hot can add the cream cheese to help thicken up some. Remove from heat, add parmesan and mix. Cut chicken into small pieces once done. Mix in fettuccine noodles with the sauce and chicken pieces.








Sweet Garlic Bread


Sweet Hawaiian Rolls (cut in half)


Shredded cheese (whichever your family keeps in the fridge should be fine, ours was colby and monteray jack mix bag)


Garlic Salt


Butter





Spread small amount of butter on roll halves. Top with sprinkle of garlic salt and then cheese. Bake at 350 for about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.