INSTANT CHICKEN TACOS

I got these from someone off Instagram. They are delicious and just happen to be GF. When mine were finished cooking put the tortillas on a cookie sheet and then added the chicken mixture to each. I topped them with cheese and then broiled them for a minute or two until cheese melted and edges of tortillas started to curl up. We then topped it with guac and hot sauce. Delish.

SWEET HAWAIIAN CROCKPOT CHICKEN

I think I got this from Alli. It's super similar to Mom's stir-fry sauce but made in the crockpot.

Ingredients:
1 c pineapple juice
1/2 c brown sugar
1/3 c soy sauce
2 lbs chicken breast

Directions:
Add all ingredients to the crockpot and cook on low6-8 hrs and they should just fall apart.

TERIYAKI MERINADE

• 1 (6oz) can pineapple juice
• 1/4 c vegetable oil
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 4-6 chicken breasts

Monterey Chicken With pico de gallo

Ingredients:

Chicken:
3 TBS dijion  mustard
3 TBS worcetershire sauce
2 TBS brown sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6 thin cut boneless skinless chicken breast

Toppings:
6 strips thick-sliced bacon
1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack or Monterey jack cheese
1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes, about 2 medium or 3 roma
1/4 cup small diced red onion (I used a little less than this)
2-3 TBS chopped cilantro
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
1 TBS finely minced jalapeno
1-2 TBS lime juice
drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Directions:
1.  For the chicken, in a small bowl, whisk together the mustard, Worcestershire, brown sugar, salt and pepper. 
2.  Place the chicken in a gallon-size zip lock bag pr shallow dish.  Coat the chicken with the marinade mixture.  Refrigerate for 30 minutes - 24 hours. 
3.  Toss cooked bacon and shredded cheese together in a bowl.  Set aside. 
4.  For the pico de gallo, in a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno and lime juice.  Drizzle with oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate until ready to serve. 
5.  Preheat the grill to medium - high. 
6. Grill chicken 4-5 minutes on each side or until 165 degrees at the thickest part. 
7.  Without removing the chicken from the grill, top the chicken with an equal amount of bacon/cheese mixture, cover the grill until the cheese is melted, another minute or so. 
8.  Serve the chicken with the pico de gallo and prepare to be wowed - it is delicious! 

*Note - I have made this with just the marinade and not toppings and it was delicious too. 
When I made it with the toppings I served it with Emily's cilantro rice recipe and it was a great combo. 

CHICKEN BROCCOLI AND RICE CASSEROLE

I know everyone has their own special way of making this but I found one recently I love above all others. I want to post it here so I don't forget about it! Enjoy.

Sauce:

• 2 cans cream of chicken soup
• 1 C sour cream
• 1/2 milk
• pepper to taste

Other Filling ingredients (these measurements can vary easily and still taste great):

• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or about 2 C shredded
• 3 C broccoli, lightly steamed 
• 3 C cooked rice

Topping:

• shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 C crumbled Ritz crackers
• 1/3 C butter, melted

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9x13 pan.
2. Layer rice, chicken, then broccoli 
3. Mix all sauce ingredients together and spread on top (I don't always use all of the sauce - I feel like it makes a little more than I like.)
4. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of sauce. 
5. Melt butter. Mix in crumbled Ritz crackers. Sprinkle on top of cheese. 
6. Bake for 30-35 mins. 

** Many people mix everything together instead of layering.. That is totally fine to do with this recipe. Also, I usually mix several veggies (broccoli, carrots, cauliflower) together instead of just broccoli and its delish.  

CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD

I found this on Pinterest but have made a few tweeks to it. You can add or take away whatever you like (I've seen people add avocado, mango, mandarin oranges, etc.). Also, with the salad ingredients, the measurements are just suggestions - - I usually add more of my favorite things (edamame and almonds) and less of what I don't love (green onions)...it's whatever you want.

Salad Ingredients:

• 2-3 chicken breasts marinated and baked in Lawry's Sesame Ginger marinade and cut into bite-sized pieces (while cooking, cover with tin foil and flip chicken once, half way through). 
• 1 (16-oz) bag coleslaw
• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1 c shelled and cooked edamame (I buy a frozen bag that can be thrown in the microwave)
• 1/2 c thinly sliced almonds
• 1/2 c thinly sliced green onions
• 2 (3-oz) pkgs of Ramen Noodles, crumbled (you will not use the seasoning)
• Asian Honey Vinaigrette (see ingredients below)

Asian Honey Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 2/3 c vegetable oil
• 1/3 c honey
• 1/3 c rice wine vinegar
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• pinch of salt and black pepper

Heat oven to 425. Spread crumbled ramen noodles and sliced almonds out on a baking sheet and stir to combine. Bake for about 5 mins, or until the almonds and noodles are slightly toasted and golden. Remove baking sheet and give mixture a good stir to toss. Return to the oven and toast for additional 3 mins. Keep a very close eye on the mixture so it does not burn. Remove and set aside. 

Add ingredients (including vinaigrette) together in a large bowl, and toss until combined. (Add the dressing slowly, while mixing - I have never had to use all of the dressing...even when I've made a bigger salad).

Mom's Marinated Turkey Breast (or any other meat marinade)

I never make this without someone asking for the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

 - 1 c soy sauce

 - 1 c vegetable oil

 - 2 c sprite

 - 1/2 tsp horseradish 

 - 1/4 tsp garlic

Mix and pour over meat. Marinate overnight in fridge. Grill and serve. 

TACOS - Green salsa

Tacos are our favorite food. We make them lots of different ways and love them all. Right before we moved to Dallas a friend had us over for dinner. The tacos we had that night have become our current favorite. Mostly because they are delish and partly because there are only 2 ingredients and it's SO SO easy.

Ingredients:

 - chicken breasts (goes a long way since you shred it)

 - at least 1 container Green salsa (you really need to use this brand - its way better than others for this)

Place chicken in crockpot and cover with this green salsa. I usually buy a couple cans and use the bigger size. I really like to cover my chicken well to make sure it doesn't dry out. A little too much is better than not enough in my book. I usually just put my frozen chicken in and turn on low for 4-6 hours. As soon as it is cooked through I shred it and put it back in on warm and let it marinate for at least 30 more mins (or until you are ready to eat). You can eat right away but tastes better if you let it marinate longer. Add whatever toppings you like...some things we use for these are listed below. 

Optional ingredients:

 - uncooked tortillas (in the refrigerated section. These are the BEST and we always use them when making tacos)

 - fresh limes (really yummy to squeeze lime juice on top)

 - shredded cheese

 - black beans

 - lime cilantro rice (or any kind of Mexican rice you like)

 - chopped cilantro (I only use this about half the time)

 - Regular red salsa

 - chopped tomatoes

Baked Honey Lime Chicken Taquitos

I found this recipe on pinterest this week and made them for dinner last night. It was a hit and really easy to make!!! If you like the cafe rio pork, these kind of taste like that, they are very sweet with a hint of spice in them. Also I think the cilantro lime cream dip would be yummy, however I did not take the extra time to make it. We just dipped ours in sour cream and salsa. 

SAVE PRINT

BAKED HONEY LIME CHICKEN TAQUITOS

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (I used a rotisserie)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• ⅓ cup honey
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 cups shredded cheese
• 10 soft taco sized flour tortillas
• Cooking spray

Cilantro Lime Cream

• 1 cup sour cream
• ⅓ cup green taco sauce (mild)
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken, lime juice, honey, chili powder, and garlic and mix to coat.
3. Lay out your tortillas, and divide chicken evenly on the center of each tortilla. Top each one with cheese.
4. Roll each tortilla tightly, leaving the ends open, and place them on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray or olive oil.
5. Spray the tops of the taquitos and sprinkle with salt.
6. Bake for 10 minutes, then serve with Cilantro Lime Cream.

Cilantro Lime Cream

1. In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients and pulse until smooth.

White Chicken Chili

WHITE CHICKEN CHILI

Okay I found this recipe while I was watching the Rachael Ray show one day a few years ago. It is pretty easy and I love it!! 

Ingredients

-1 32 ounce box chicken stock

-3 cans white beans drained

-5 cups cooked chicken (I usually buy a rotisserie chicken and put that in)

-1 16 oz jar salsa

-1 8 oz block pepper jack cheese grated. I am sure if your family does not like things too spicy you could replace the pepper jack cheese with whatever kind you want. 

-2 teaspoon ground cumin

-2 cloves garlic minced or just a bit of the dried flakes.

a pinch of salt and pepper

All you do to cook is put all ingredients together in a big pot on the stove on medium heat until cheese is fully melted and then eat with some corn chips and sour cream. YUM!!

CREAMY GREEN CHILI ENCHILADA SOUP

This is that delicious soup we found on Pinterest and made while I was home.

Ingredients:
 - 32 oz chicken broth
 - 24 oz chicken breasts (I used 3-4 pieces)
 - 2 cans Green Chili enchilada sauce
 - 4 oz can of diced green chilies
 - 3/4 c water
 - 2 tbsp ground cumin
 - 1 tbsp chili powder
 - 1 tsp onion powder
 - 1 tsp garlic powder
 - 1  frozen corn
 - 1 block cream cheese (cut into small pieces)
 - 3/4 c instant rice
 - salt and pepper to taste

 1. In crockpot, mix together the broth, green enchilada sauce, green chilies, water, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder and cumin.
2. Add chicken and cook on low for 7 hours.
3. At the 7 hour mark, remove chicken and shred. Put chicken back in crockpot. Ad the rice, corn, and cream cheese to the soup mixture and replace the lid. Cook for another 30 minutes and stir the soup, making sure to get the cream cheese is melted completely.

I served mine with cheese and tortilla chips.

Island Grilled Chicken

Emily introduced us to this chicken recipe this summer and it has been our favorite ever since!  We love it, and I always make twice as much so we can have it for left overs. 

INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1-2 lemons)
1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 clove garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2-4 chicken breasts

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients except chicken in a mixing bowl or large airtight plastic bag. Whisk or shake well until the marinade is well mixed. Add the chicken breasts to the bowl or plastic bag so that they are covered by the marinade. If using a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap. If using a plastic bag, press out all the excess air and seal the bag tightly. Refrigerate and marinate up to 10 hours (I would suggest marinading for at least 3 hours at the minimum).
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium heat. Grill the chicken for 6-7 minutes per side (depending on how thick the chicken breasts are), until the chicken is no longer pink in the center (if you have a meat thermometer, the chicken should register 165 degrees). Tent with foil and let the chicken rest for about five minutes before serving.

Ritz Cracker Chicken

3 cups of chopped cooked chicken (I usually boil the chicken to cook it)
1 can of cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 (8 ounce) carton sour cream
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 1/2 cups crushed ritz crackers
1/4 cup butter, melted

Combine the first four ingredients; spoon into a lightly greased baking dish.  Combine crushed crackers and butter, and sprinkle over the chicken mixture.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30 minutes.  About 4 servings
I usually make rice and serve it together and it feeds my family. 

MOM'S STIR FRY

1/3 c soy sauce
1/3 c water
1/2 c sugar
2 Chicken breasts
Veggies (I used carrots, broccoli, snow peas, cauliflower, celery)
Sliced almonds or cashews (optional)
Oil

Saute chicken in 1Tbs oil in a frying pan until cooked through. Place chicken on a paper towel.
Steam veggies in water until barely cooked (should still be slightly crunchy).
Combine soy sauce, water, and sugar in a bowl.
Pour sauce on chicken and veggies in a frying pan and simmer on low with lid on for 10 minutes.
Add nuts right before serving. Serve over rice.

PARMESAN-GARLIC CRUSTED CHICKEN

I got this recipe from The Fuller's recipe blog and we tried it last night. First of all, it was SUPER easy and fast. Second, we LOVED it.

Ingredients

• 1 c bread crumbs
• 1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese (I used shredded)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper (or Mrs. Dash - I used this)
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/4 c basil (I will not use quite this much next time)
• 1/4 c mayonnaise

 - Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, garlic, oil, and Mrs. Dash in a large bowl

 - Combine basil and mayonnaise in a small bowl

 - Pat chicken dry with paper towels

 - Cover chicken with mayo mixture then cover in bread crumb mixture and place on a baking sheet

 - Bake at 425 F for about 20 mins

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is the sweet and sour chicken recipe that I used to make at Gord and Jenn's house all the time back when we lived there. It was one of the few recipes I made that everyone loved and would actually eat. It is delicious!! Also- I always double the sauce recipe so we have extra to pour over our rice. Hope you enjoy- Love Nae

Sweet and Sour Chicken

from melskitchencafe.com

*Note: if you like extra sauce, double the sauce ingredients - pour half over the chicken and follow the recipe instructions; pour the other half in a small saucepan and cook the sauce on the stovetop at a simmer for 8-10 minutes until it reduces and thickens. Serve it on the side of the chicken.

*Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

Chicken:

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 large eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

Sauce:

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons ketchup

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon garlic salt

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. While the oil is heating, cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Season with salt and pepper. Place the cornstarch in a gallon-sized ziploc bag. Put the chicken into the bag with the cornstarch and seal, tossing to coat the chicken. Whisk the eggs together in a shallow pie plate. Dip the cornstarch-coated chicken pieces in the egg and place them carefully in a single layer in the hot skillet. Cook for 1-2 minutes and then flip each piece over to cook on the other side until nicely golden but not all the way cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl and pour over the chicken in the baking dish. Bake for one hour, turning the chicken once or twice while cooking to coat evenly with sauce. Serve over hot, steamed rice.

CREAMY GREEN CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

I got this recipe from my old roommate, Jeni Rawlins, way back at BYU. It is a crowd pleaser every time.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1 small can green chilis
• 1 pkg of tortillas
• sour cream
• 1 big can green enchilada sauce 
• block of pepper jack cheese
• black olive (optional)

Mix shredded chicken, chilis and 1/4 can of sauce together in a mixing bowl. Pour enchilada sauce over bottom of pan. Put chicken mixture in a tortilla. Put 1 Tbsp sour cream and sprinkle cheese on top of chicken mixture in tortilla. Roll tortilla up and place seam side down in pan. You can fit anywhere from 6-12 enchiladas in a 9x13 cake pan. When finished, pour the enchilada sauce on top, making sure to get in between each one. Sprinkle cheese generously over top. Bake at 350 F for 45 mins. 

** I mix the cheese and sour cream in with the chicken mixture and then scoop it all into the tortilla at once. It seems a lot easier to me that was and the everything is mixed up well. 

ANGEL HAIR PASTA with CHICKEN

2 Tbs. Olive Oil, divided
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 carrot, sliced diagonally into ¼ inch pieces
1 (10-ounce) package frozen broccoli florets, thawed
2 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces angel hair pasta
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. dried basil
¼ cup grated (or shredded) parmesan cheese

1.        Heat 1 Tbs. oil in a medium skillet over medium heat; add chicken.  Cook, stirring until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels.

2.       Heat remaining oil in the same skillet. Begin heating water for pasta.  Add carrot to skillet; cook, stirring for 4 minutes.  Add broccoli and garlic to skillet; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes longer.

3.       Cook pasta according to package directions.  While pasta is cooking, add chicken broth, basil, and parmesan to skillet.  Stir to combine.  Return chicken to skillet.  Reduce heat and simmer for 4 minutes.

4.       Drain pasta.  Place in a large serving bowl.  Top with chicken and vegetable mixture.  Serve right away.

 **I use more carrots than this recipe calls for.  I also let people mix their own pasta and vegetables.  I make extra chicken broth to put on top and also have extra parmesan cheese to top it with if anyone wants.  I use either angel hair pasta or spaghetti noodles.

CHICKEN TETRAZINNI

This is a recipe I got from Dan's Grandma Hislop. She says its an easy Sunday casserole that everyone likes.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts (or I shred a rotisserie chicken from Costco)
• 1 pkg Spaghetti noodles
• 4 Tbsp. margarine
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• 1 can evaporated milk
• Grated cheddar cheese (there was no amount on the cheese - I use maybe 2-3 big handfuls in the mixture and another on top). Do whatever looks good to you. 
• Parmesan cheese - again, no measurement. Just enough to sprinkle on top.

 - Break spaghetti noodles into 2 inch pieces; cook, drain, rinse

 - Cook chicken and cut up into small bite-sized pieces 

 - In a skillet: melt margarine, blend in cream of chicken soup and evaporated milk

 - Mix together in the chicken soup mix, noodles , and cheddar cheese 

 - Top with cheddar and Parmesan cheese

 - Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 min

*I added some pepper to mine while on the stove. 

*Grandma Hislop also told me that she often makes it on Saturday night and leaves it covered int he fridge until ready to cook on Sunday.