Chicken Tequila Burgers with Baked Onion Rings

If you're in the mood for a burger and onion rings, but are attempting to be at least semi-healthy with your diet, this is a good option. It's yummy and fulfills the "burger" craving, while still being a lot healthier than the traditional version.

Chicken Tequila Burgers
Source: annies-eats.blogspot.com

2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (feel free to use more jalapenos if you prefer more heat)
2 chicken breasts
3-4 tablespoons cilantro
Zest of 1/2 lime
1 oz. tequila (we don't have any tequila in the house, so I omitted this)
Dash of soy sauce
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

For Serving:
Burger buns (I used whole wheat to keep with the healthy vibe)
Sauteed bell pepper and onion
Lettuce

Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush lightly with olive oil. Combine garlic, jalapeno, chicken, cilantro and lime zest in a food processor. Pulse several times until the chicken is uniformly ground. Mix in the tequila, soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste and panko. Pulse a few more times until the ingredients are well blended. Form the mixture into 4-5 patties and place on baking sheet. Broil the burgers for about 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking to brown both sides. Check for doneness before serving. Place on bun and add toppings to serve.

Baked Onion Rings
Source: Cooking Light

3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup milk
2 large vidalia or sweet onions, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
1 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450. Combine everything through milk in a large bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a a separate shallow bowl. Dredge the onion rings in the flour mixture, then coat with the breadcrumbs. Place onion rings in a single layer on a baking sheet. Lightly spray with cooking spray. Bake for 15 minutes.

Thai Chicken Wrap

I just made this for dinner last night, and since it didn't look like anything too special (just a bunch of stuff wrapped up in a tortilla, after all) I didn't even bother taking a picture, but I was wrong about this not being special. It didn't take much time or require any really amazing cooking skills, but it was SO good. I think part of it was that I finally avoided overcooking the chicken (I'm salmonella paranoid!) and I'm a sucker for anything with a good peanut sauce! This is a simple, easy dinner that is seriously tasty!

3 (6 oz.) chicken breasts
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grill seasoning
2 cups cooked rice (I added cilantro and lime juice to my rice, just to add a little more Thai flavor pizazz)
1/2 cup julienned carrots
1/2 cup julienned cucumber
4 (12 inch) flour tortillas

Sauce:
1/4 cup room temperature chunky peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Heat grill pan over high heat. Toss chicken with soy sauce and oil and grill 6 minutes on each side. Meanwhile whisk peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar and cayenne together. Stream in oil. When chicken is done, slice on an angle. Toss with carrots and cucumber. In a very hot non stick skillet, heat tortillas for about 15 seconds on each side. Pile chicken, veggies and rice in wraps and drizzle liberally with the spicy peanut sauce before wrapping up.

Source: Rachael Ray

Peanut Soy Chicken and Veggie Bowl

I absolutely love the chicken pad thai from Pei Wei and this is a pretty good imitationton of it. Yum!

2 chicken breast, pounded very thin
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup soy sauce
Pepper
1/2 box thin spaghetti
1 can water chestnuts, sliced (skipped these)
1 orange bell pepper, sliced
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1 6 oz. bag snap peas
1 bunch cilantro
Sesame seeds, sesame oil, grated ginger or any other garnish of your choice

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Preheat grill pan to medium-high heat. In a shallow dish, whisk 2 tablespoons peanut butter with 1/4 cup soy sauce (microwave PB for about 45 seconds to loosen, if necessary). Add pepper, whisk. Pound chicken thin between plastic wrap. Spray pan with non-stick spray. Dip chicken in peanut sauce, then place in pan. Cook for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta and chop veggies. In another bowl whisk together remaining PB, soy sauce and pepper. Flip chicken, cook another 4 minutes, or until done. If desired, during the last minute of cooking pasta, add snap peas to take off bite. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water. Pour into the bowl with sauce. Toss to coat. Add veggies and toss again. Remove chicken from pan, slice and add to pasta. Top with garnish and serve.

Source: ashleescooking.blogspot.com

Potato, Chicken, and Fresh Pea Salad

This was kind of a different mix of veggies. It was actually really easy to make and made good leftovers.

1 lb. fingerling potatoes, cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces
2 cups fresh sugar snap peas
2 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast (I just cooked 2 chicken breasts and chopped those up)
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon (I skipped this)
salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Place potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until almost tender. Add peas; cook 2 minutes or until peas are crisp-tender. Drain; place vegetables in a large bowl. Add chicken, bell pepper, and onion. Combine oil and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over salad; toss gently to combine.

Source: Cooking Light

Chicken, Cashew and Red Pepper Stir Fry

This was SO GOOD! Colin and I both loved it and I swear it is as good as something you would get from Pei Wei!

3 3/4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
2 teaspoons dry sherry
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
1 lb. chicken breast tenders, cut lengthwise into thin strips (I just used regular chicken breasts and cut them into bite-sized pieces)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped unsalted cashews
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups julienne-cut red bell pepper (about 1 large pepper)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions

Combine 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and next 4 ingredients (through hot pepper sauce) in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Combine remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and chicken in a medium bowl; toss well to coat. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cashews to pan; cook 3 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring frequently. Remove from pan. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add chicken mixture to pan; saute 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove chicken from pan; place in a bowl. Add bell pepper to pan; saute 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and ginger; cook 30 seconds. Add chicken and cornstarch mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until sauce is slightly thick. Sprinkle with cashews and green onions.

Source: Cooking Light

Oven "Fried" Chimichangas

2/3 cup salsa
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, chopped
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
Additional cheese, salsa and green onions for serving

Mix chicken, salsa, cumin, oregano, cheese and onions. Place about 1/4 of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Roll up from the bottom and place seam-side down (I ended up folding mine more like an envelope, instead of rolling). Brush with melted margarine. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately.

Source: recipezaar.com

Hurry Up Pot Pie

2 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced, optional (I didn't use these)
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots

1/2 cup frozen green peas

(I also added about 1/2 cup of corn and 1/2 an onion, sliced)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups instant biscuit mix

1 cup milk

1/2 stick butter, melted (I only used about 1/4 stick)

Preheat oven to 350. In a greased 2 quart casserole dish, layer the chicken, carrots and peas. Mix the soup, broth and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken and veggies. Stir together the biscuit mix and milk and pour over the casserole. Drizzle the butter over the topping. Bake until topping is golden brown, about 30-40 minutes.

Source: Paula Deen

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Colin loved this, but I'm not sure that's saying much since I think he has loved every version of chicken parm that he's ever tried!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2 inch thickness

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

Seasoned breadcrumbs

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

8 slices mozzarella cheese (I used shredded since that's what we had and it worked just fine)
1 jar (16 oz) marinara sauce

Parmesan cheese

Whisk together the egg and milk. Dip the chicken breasts in mixture, then in breadcrumbs. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides until golden, 3-4 minutes on each side. Set chicken in a baking dish. Put 2 slices of mozzarella on each breast. Pour sauce over all. Sprinkle with Parmesan and a little more mozzarella and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This was good and it was fun to try an asian recipe but I'm not sure it was worth all the time and effort. Next time I want sweet and sour chicken I may just head to Pei Wei...

Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

Sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

4 tablespoons ketchup

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

Season chicken chunks with salt and pepper. Dip chicken into cornstarch, then egg. Fry in a little oil until brown, but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients together and pour over chicken. Bake for 1 hour at 325, uncovered. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. Serve over rice.

Honey Dijon Chicken with Smashed Red Potatoes

This chicken was really good and had tons of flavor. I definitely recommend it!

1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup dijon (next time I might use a little more dijon and a little less honey, just to suit my tastes)
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 chicken breasts
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Mix honey, mustard and butter in a small bowl. Place chicken breasts in a baking pan and pour the mixture over them. Sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs. Bake for 45 minutes at 375. Serve with any extra sauce from dish poured over top.

Serves 6
5 cups unpeeled and cubed red potatoes (about 2 lbs.)
2 tablespoons butter
Splash of milk
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

In a large saucepan combine potatoes and water to cover. Boil over high heat for approximately 15 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Drain potatoes. In a large bowl, combine hot potatoes and remaining ingredients. Stir with a spoon until blended and potatoes are coarsely mashed.

Source Taste of the South, Parties Edition

Chicken Bruschetta Bake

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 package (6 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing Mix for chicken
1/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 cup shredded mozzarella

Heat oven to 400. Mix tomatoes, stuffing mix, water and garlic just until stuffing mix is moistened. Layer chicken, basil, cheese and stuffing in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

This was tasty, easy and reasonably healthy. The bruschetta-like topping was the best part, so I'm thinking about trying this with veggies (eggplant, mushrooms, squash, etc.) instead of chicken next time.

I also served this with sauteed spinach with garlic:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lb. fresh spinach, washed and dried
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan (I skipped this to make it slightly healthier)

Saute garlic in oil and butter for about 30 seconds over medium heat or until lightly golden, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add spinach and saute until just wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with parmesan.