Chicken Tikka Masala

This chicken tikka masala was a hit!  Between basketball practices, games and everything else that fills up our days, it was so nice to put everything in the crock pot in the morning and by dinner, presto-deliciousness!

Chicken Tikka Masala

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 large yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoon freshly, finely grated ginger
1 jalapeno, stemmed, sliced in half, seeded
1 28-ounce can tomato puree
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon Garam Masala
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 bay leaves
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
Prepared Jasmine or Basmati Rice
Chopped cilantro

 
In a large mixing bowl combine chopped onions, minced garlic, grated ginger, sliced jalapeno, tomato puree, plain yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, Garam Masala, cumin, paprika, salt, cinnamon, pepper and cayenne pepper.  Stir to combine.  Pour half of sauce mixture into a large slow cooker then add in cut chicken, followed by the remaining sauce mixture.  Add two bay leaves.  Cover slow cooker with lid and cook on low heat for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

 
In a mixing bowl, whisk together heavy cream and cornstarch, pour mixture into slow cooker and gently stir.  Allow mixture to cook for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the rice.  Remove bay leaves and sliced jalapeno from chicken tikka masala and serve over rice with a good sprinkle of cilantro.

 
*The original recipe called for 1-3 teaspoons of cayenne (WOW!  3 teaspoons would be really hot, like drink a gallon of milk with your dinner hot).  I used 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne and it was still spicy (good spicy, I can still taste my food spicy).  Use less cayenne if you're nervous about it being too spicy.


Recipe from Cooking Classy

Chicken Pot (Pock) Pie

Preston my eight year old has called chicken pot pies, "chicken pock pies" since he was little.  Someday soon he may grow out of it (or it may stick), but for now, it makes me feel like he's still a little boy (even though he's getting bigger by the minute) and I'm more than okay with that!  Everyone gets their first initial cut into the crust of their pot pie (instead of slits to let the steam escape).

Chicken Pot Pie

1 recipe for pie dough
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can low-sodium chicken broth with water added to equal 2 cups
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium-large onion, chopped fine
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise 1/4-inch thick
2 small celery stalks, cut crosswise 1/4-inch thick
Salt and ground black pepper
4 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
3 tablespoon dry sherry
3/4 cup frozen green peas, thawed
3 tablespoons minced fresh parley

Make pie dough and refrigerate until ready to use.

Adjust oven rack to low-center position; heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Put chicken and broth in small Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.  Cover, bring to simmer; simmer until chicken is just done, 8 to 10 minutes.  Transfer meat to large bowl, reserve broth in measuring cup.

Increase heat to medium-high; heat oil in now empty pan.  Add onions, carrots, and celery; sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  While vegetable are sautéing, shred meat into bite-sized pieces.  Transfer cooked vegetables to bowl with chicken; set aside.

Heat butter over medium heat in again-empty skillet.  When foaming subsides, add flour; cook about 1 minute. Whisk in chicken broth, milk, any accumulated chicken juices, and thyme.  Bring to simmer, then continue to simmer until sauce fully thickens, about 1 minute.  Season to taste with salt and pepper; stir in sherry.

Pour sauce over chicken mixture; stir to combine.  Stir in peas and parsley.  Adjust seasonings.  Pour mixture into 13 x 9-inch pan or any shallow baking dish of similar size.  Top with desired pastry dough; bake until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 30 minutes for large pies and 20 to 25 minutes for smaller pies.  Serve hot.

*I use small bowls or ramekins and make individual pot pies.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

This past January my little Stells had surgery on her left foot.  The night before her surgery, I made a meal that I knew she would eat and like.  We had baked chicken taquitos, black beans, and Brazilian lemonade and everyone had happy mouths.  

Baked Chicken Taquitos

1/3 cup (3 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup green salsa

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons sliced green onions

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1 cup grated pepper jack cheese

Small flour tortillas (I like fajita size)

Kosher salt

Cooking spray

Heat oven to 425.  Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Combine cream cheese, green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic.  Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions.  Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time.  Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. 

Place 2-3 tablespoons of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edge.  Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet.  Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other.  Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with kosher salt.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.  Serve with salsa, sour cream and guacamole.  Yum!

*I didn't have pepper jack cheese and so I added 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper to the cream cheese mixture and used Colby jack cheese.

Recipe from Our Best Bites

Chicken and Apple Curry with Golden Raisins

My little family really likes curry (even my little ones, which is sometimes surprising to me). This curry recipe is yummy and so easy to make!

Chicken and Apple Curry with Golden Raisins

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup chopped and peeled Granny Smith apple

3/4 cup chopped shallots

2/3 cup diced celery

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 1/3 cup 2% reduced-fat milk

1/2 cup golden raisins

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 1/2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Toasted coconut

Peanuts, chopped

Melt butter in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat.  Add apple, shallots, celery and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until lightly browned.  Stir in flour and curry powder; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently.  Gradually add milk, raisins and broth, stirring constantly with a whisk; bring to a boil, stirring frequently.  Reduce heat, and add chicken, salt and pepper.  Simmer until thick (about 5 minutes).  Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.  Garnish with toasted coconut and chopped peanuts.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Shredded Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

Noah and Preston loved these sandwiches!  They were so easy (I love easy) and really quite tasty.  They will definitely make many more appearances at our dinner table!

Shredded Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

4-6 chicken breasts (depending on size)

1/2 to 1 cup favorite Caesar dressing (My favorite is Litehouse Caesar.  I don't know why they spell it like that.  When I see the word "lite" it makes me think "lite" in calories and this dressing it is most definitely not, but we can pretend.)

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Romaine lettuce

Slider buns or hamburger buns

Place chicken in a crockpot with 1 cup of water, cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours or until chicken is cooked and shreds easily.

Remove chicken from crockpot and shred with two forks (or fingers).  Place chicken in a large mixing bowl and add dressing, Parmesan cheese, parsley and salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Before serving, slice buns in half and spread the cut side of each bun with softened butter.  Place cut side of bun on a preheat skillet or griddle and cook until golden and toasty (Yum!).

Spoon shredded chicken onto the bottom half of each bun, followed by an extra sprinkling of Parmesan cheese and a piece of romaine lettuce.  Cover with the top half of the bun and serve. 

Recipe adapted from Sweet Treats and More

Shredded Chicken Tacos

These tacos are easy, I mean really, really easy and very tasty too!

Chicken Tacos

1 envelope Taco Seasoning

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (depending on size)

1 jar salsa (16-ounces)

Tortillas

Sour cream

Salsa

Guacamole

Shredded cheese

Cilantro

Put chicken, salsa and taco seasoning into a crockpot and give it a little stir to blend the seasoning with the salsa.  Cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours.  Shred chicken with a fork.  Make a taco and eat it!

Recipe from Tasty Kitchen

Thai-Style Chicken Wraps

These are great for a light dinner and perfect for a yummy lunch. 

Thai-Style Chicken Wraps

4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 1/2 tablespoons hot water

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 (8-inch) flour tortillas

2 chicken breasts, grilled and sliced thin

1 cup red bell pepper, julienned

1 cup carrots, julienned

1 cup English cucumber, julienned

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup minced cilantro

Combine first six ingredients in a medium bowl; stir until smooth.  If the peanut sauce seems a little on the thick side, add a little more hot water.  Spread peanut sauce on tortilla, top each tortilla with sliced chicken, red bell pepper, carrots, cucumber, green onions, and cilantro.  Roll up and eat.

*The recipe for the peanut sauce is doubled because I like to have a little extra sauce to dip my wrap in and any extra veggies.
*I like to use smaller tortillas and eat them like a street taco.

Recipe Adapted from My Recipes

Coconut Chicken Curry Soup

No complaints from my little ones, Hurray!

Coconut Chicken Curry Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 of a medium yellow onion, chopped

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 14-ounce can coconut milk

2 teaspoons curry powder

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 jalapeno, seeded, minced

3 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite sized pieces

1 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup chopped green onion

1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus extra for garnish

1 tablespoons lime juice

2 cups cooked jasmine rice

Toasted coconut

Chopped peanuts

Heat olive oil in a medium sized soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onions to the pot and sauté until softened.  Add the garlic and sauté for an additional minute.

Next, add the chicken broth, coconut milk, curry powder, brown sugar, jalapeno and chicken to the soup pot.  Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook for at least 15 minutes.

Next, add the diced bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro to the soup and simmer for 3 minutes.  Stir in the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.  Spoon rice into bowls and top with a ladle or two of soup.  Garnish with toasted coconut, chopped peanuts, and cilantro.  Serve immediately (the green onions and cilantro lose their bright green color as the soup sits).  Serve with pita bread.

*Next time I may try using red curry paste for additional heat.

Recipe adapted from good life eats 

Cilantro Lime Chicken

I love the flavors of this chicken!

Cilantro Lime Chicken

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Garnish

Pico de Gallo

Sour Cream

Combine first nine ingredients.  Add chicken and marinate for 1-2 hours.  Grill until cooked through.  Serve with sour cream and Pico de Gallo.

*I like to make extra marinade and drizzle it on the chicken after it has been grilled.

This recipe is from a Nordstrom cookbook

Thai Chicken Pizzas

This is a quick and easy meal that is light and great for summer time.  I love that when I am finished with this meal, I don't feel totally stuffed, leaving plenty of room for a scoop or two of homemade raspberry pretzel dessert ice cream (recipe to come).

Thai Chicken Pitas

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

3 tablespoons peanut sauce

1/2-1 teaspoon chili paste with garlic

4 (6-inch pitas

2 cups diced cooked chicken

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup diced yellow, red, or orange peppers

1/4 cup sliced green onions

2 tablespoons cilantro

Mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 450.  Combine first 3 ingredients; stir well.  Spread 2 tablespoons sauce mixture on each pita.  Place pitas on a large baking sheet.  Top each pita with 1/2 cup chicken, 1/4 cup carrot, 1/4 cup peppers, and 1 tablespoon green onions.  Sprinkle cilantro and shredded cheese evenly over each pita.  Bake at 450 for 8 minutes or until thoroughly heated and lightly browned around the edges.

*I like to grill the chicken and slice it really thin instead of dicing it.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Chicken Curry Pitas

This is great summer meal that my family loves and is easy to throw together.  If I have time and plan ahead, the homemade pitas are especially delicious! 

Chicken Curry Pitas

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

1/3 cup celery

1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons golden raisins

1 tablespoon chopped green onions

2 tablespoons mango chutney

1 teaspoon curry powder

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

4 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half

Combine the first 8 ingredients in a medium bowl.  Spoon 1/2 cup chicken mixture into each pita half.  Serve.

*Adapted from Cooking Light

Pita Bread

3 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon honey

2 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast

2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix flour, salt, and yeast together in the bowl of a mixer fitted with paddle attachment.  Add 1 1/4 cups of water and olive oil to flour mixture and mix until it comes together.  The ingredients should form a ball.  If there is flour that won't incorporate add water a couple of teaspoons at time. 

Once a ball is formed, switch the paddle attachment to the dough hook and knead on low speed for 10 minutes.  When the dough is done kneading, transfer it to a lightly greased bowl, rolling the ball of dough around so that it is lightly coated with oil.  Cover with the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise until it has doubled in size, approximately 90 minutes.

When it has doubled in size, punch the dough down and divide into 8 pieces.  Form each piece of dough into a ball, cover the dough with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  If you have a baking stone, put it in the oven to preheat as well.  If you don't have a stone, turn a cookie sheet upside down and place it on the middle rack of the oven while you are preheating the oven.  This is the surface you will bake your pitas.

After the dough has rested, lightly flour your work surface and place one ball of dough there.  Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a circle between a 1/8 and 1/4-inch thick.

With a spray bottle filled with water, spray a light mist of water onto your baking stone or cookie sheet and close oven for 30 seconds.  This step reduces the blistering on the outside of your pitas.

Open the oven and place as many pitas as you can fit on the hot baking surface (I can only fit one).  Bake for 3 minutes.  Remove from oven and cover with towel until ready to eat.

*This recipe is a shortened and slightly adapted version from thefreshloaf.com