What's for dinner tonight: Pesto-Chicken Penne Casserole

Creamy, flavorful and so easy to fix, this meal-in-one will wow family and friends. Get ready for recipe requests for this easy chicken casserole! —Laura Kayser, Ankeny, Iowa

12 ServingsPrep: 20 min. Bake: 40 min.

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 ounces) penne pasta
• 6 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded Italian cheese blend
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1 can (15 ounces) crushed tomatoes
• 1 jar (15 ounces) Alfredo sauce
• 1-1/2 cups 2% milk
• 1 jar (8.1 ounces) prepared pesto
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large
• bowl, combine the chicken, cheese blend, spinach, tomatoes, Alfredo
• sauce, milk and pesto. Drain pasta and add to chicken mixture; toss
• to coat.
• Transfer to two greased 8-in. square baking dishes. In a small bowl,
• combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and oil; sprinkle over
• casseroles.
• Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the
• remaining casserole at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly.
• To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove
• from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake at

SOURCE:  http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pesto-chicken-penne-casseroles/print

I didn't have Alfredo sauce, so I'm making my own from this recipe:

l recipe makes 4 servingsChange Servings

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 2 cups milk
• 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

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Directions

1. Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve.

Source:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/quick-and-easy-alfredo-sauce/

Artichoke Lemon Pesto Chicken "pasta"

Artichoke Lemon Pesto Chicken Pasta

Prep time:  35 mins

Cook time:  20 mins

Total time:  55 mins

Serves: 4-5

 

Ingredients

• 1lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed (or chicken thighs if you prefer)
• 1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise (get a BIG one)
• 12-15 artichoke hearts, cut in half (I used jarred artichokes that were in olive oil for more flavor)
• ⅓ cup walnuts
• 4-5 tablespoons olive oil
• 4-5 tablespoons vegetable broth
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cup fresh parsley
• ½ cup fresh basil
• juice of 1 lemon
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 3-5 cups of spinach (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 405 degrees (not 450, stop questioning me)
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes or until squash gives when you poke the outside of it.
3. Use a spoon to remove the excess seeds then a fork to thread the strings from the squash. To make spaghetti, duh.
4. But while the squash is baking, make the pesto and chicken.
5. Place a large pan over medium-high heat, add a splash of fat and 1 minced garlic clove. As soon as the garlic becomes fragrant, add the halved artichokes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let cook until slightly browned and tender on all sides.
6. Once artichokes are browned, add them to a food processor along with the walnuts, olive oil, vegetable broth, and second garlic clove. Puree until smooth.
7. Then add the parsley, basil, lemon, and salt and pepper. Puree once more until smooth. Taste and add more lemon and salt and pepper to your preference.
8. Once pesto is done pureeing, add the chicken to the same pan that you sautéed the artichokes in.
9. Cook chicken over medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.
10. Once chicken is cooked through, add in about ¼ of a cup of the pesto to the chicken along with the spinach, in the pan and mix well to coat. Cover and let cook for 2-4 minutes or until spinach is wilted.
11. Then add the threads of spaghetti squash to the pan (or a large mixing bowl if you need more room). Mix spaghetti squash, pesto, and chicken all together.
12. Serve with some fresh basil on top.
13. Love pesto in a new way!

Source:  http://paleomg.com/artichoke-lemon-pesto-chicken-pasta/

Chicken Chilaquiles ala Martha Stewart

At Rachael Rydbeck's request... :)

Chicken Chilaquiles:

1 T olive oil

4 garlic cloves, chopped

1 can (28 oz) whole peeled tomatoes in puree (I always use diced tomatoes instead)

2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, from a small can, finely chopped (about 1 heaping teaspoon) plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (from same can).

Coarse salt

1 small roasted chicken/rotisserie chicken, skinned and shredded, about 4 cups

1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves (I always use tons more), chopped, plus additional for garnish

Tortilla chips

Sour cream

Feta cheese

Corn Salsa:

It's just a bag of steamed corn, salsa or pico de gallo, and cilantro mixed together.  :)  Portions to your taste.

Directions:

1.  Combine oil and garlice in large saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant and sizzling, 1-2 min.

2.  Add the tomatoes, chipotles and adobo sauce, and 1 C water.  Bring to a boil, season with salt.  Reduce the heat and simmer rapidly until lightly thickened, 6-8 min.

3.  Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until hot, about 1 min.  Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.

4.  Spoon into bowls, top with sour cream, feta, and corn salsa.  Eat with chips.  :)

Seriously, one of the easiest dinners ever.  Start to finish 15 minutes, other than getting the chicken ready, which I always do ahead of time.  I felt stupid even typing those directions up.  ;)

Chai Pani's Malabar Chicken:

I'm dying to make this!!


Source:  http://aspicyperspective.com/2010/08/chai-pani-dream-incarnate.html

Recipe: Chai Pani’s Malabar Chicken Curry

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil + 1 Tb.
• 1 ½ tsp. mustard seeds
• ½ tsp. fenugreek seeds
• 12-15 curry leaves, finely chopped
• 2-3 small dried red chiles (cayenne, bird)
• 4 cups chopped red onion (2 large onions)
• 2 ½ Tb. grated ginger
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 ½ Tb. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. turmeric
• ½ cup chopped cilantro (leaves and/or stems)
• 3 cups chopped tomatoes
• 2 Tb. fresh lime juice
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk

Instructions

1. Pour ½ cup oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, and red chiles.
2. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, then add the ginger and onions. Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the onions to brown until they are dark and soft enough the smash with a spatula—about 25-30 minutes.
3. Add the chili powder, coriander, turmeric, and cilantro—mix together.
4. Raise the heat back to medium and add the tomatoes, salt, and lime juice. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have disintegrated and the oil separates out—15-20 minutes.
5. Add ½ cup of water and 1 cup coconut milk. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat.
6. In a separate skillet, heat 1 Tb. of oil over high. Add the chicken to the skillet and brown on all sides, leaving the centers pink—2-4 minutes.
7. Add the chicken to the curry and simmer 5-7 minutes until the chicken has cooked through. Serve over basmati rice.
8. Cook’s Notes: I went to a small foreign market to collect some of the unique ingredients for this recipe. There, I had no trouble finding everything on my list. Extra curry leaves can be wrapped and frozen for later use. This is a GREAT make-ahead! Letting the curry sit overnight enhances the flavors!
9. *To make this a “slow carb” recipe, serve over lentils instead of rice.

Preparation time: 15 minute(s)

Cooking time: 1 hour(s)

Number of servings (yield): 4

Poblano Pepper Enchiladas...YUUUM.

Allright, now, I KNOW I'm not a professional food photographer already.  I know it.  You don't have to tell me.  :)

These are so delicious.  I think pablano peppers have the perfect amount of spice.

They look gross, but you should make them anyway.  They're delightful.

The only changes I made were to add black beans, put cheese inside AND on top when baking it, and bake it at 400 for 20+ minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
• 4 fresh poblano chilies
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 10 (6 inch) corn tortillas
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Place the chicken breasts, garlic, onion, water, and chicken bouillon into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 40 minutes. When finished, remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Measure out 1 cup of the chicken broth and discard the rest.
2. Roast the poblano chiles over an open flame, or underneath a broiler until the skin has blackened on all sides. Place the chiles into a plastic bag, or a bowl covered with plastic wrap, and allow to steam as they cool, about 30 minutes. When cool, peel the blackened skin off of the pepper, and remove the seeds and membrane.
3. Place the reserved chicken broth into a blender along with the roasted poblanos and sour cream. Puree until smooth and set aside.
4. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry the tortillas one at a time until softened and beginning to crisp. Place onto a plate and set aside. Pour the pureed poblano mixture into the skillet and simmer for 10 minutes. While the sauce is cooking, slice the cooled chicken breasts into 1/4 inch strips.
5. Using tongs, dip a tortilla into the sauce, coating both sides. Place some of the chicken in the center of the tortilla, roll tightly, then place on a serving dish with the seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Spoon any remaining sauce over top of the enchiladas, then sprinkle with the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Source:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/poblano-chile-enchiladas-a-la-gringa/detail.aspx

Baked chicken and spinach flautas:

I cut mine in half because I was bringing them to a party:

These are awesome!

They are truly easy to do, and can be made even healthier by using low-fat cheese and whole wheat tortillas.

I would highly recommend going the rotisserie chicken route, as it seems to save on time, money, and energy.  One chicken makes a good double/triple batch, although I would X3 or X4 the spinach for sure.  

Spinach cooks down SO much that X3 is at least 3 bags, X4 is 4 bags, etc.  Love it.  :)

Go.  

Right now.

Make these.  

And don't skimp on any of the spices!  Just be sure to wash your hands after cutting those jalapenos! :)

Baked Chicken and Spinach Flautas

Yields 10 flautas
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes

Baked flautas stuffed with seasoned, shredded chicken, spinach, and cheese are crispy, but don’t have the greasiness of fried versions. 

To shred poached chicken easily, put it into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on medium for 45 seconds. Store-bought rotisserie chicken can be substituted for the poached chicken to save time. 

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs (about 4)
• 16 ounces Beer
• 2 cups Water
• 1 teaspoon Paprika
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1 teaspoon ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Chili Powder
• 1 Jalapeno Pepper, minced
• 3 cups Baby Spinach, chopped
• 5 burrito-size Flour Tortillas (9 inches)
• 6 ounces Queso Quesadilla or other melting cheese, shredded
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil, or cooking spray
• Salsa, for serving

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 450*F.
2. Put the chicken thighs in a deep sided saute pan and cover with the beer and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the liquid and shred it. Mix together the chicken and seasonings.
3. Pour out all but 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Add the jalapeno and spinach and cook over low heat until for 2-3 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.
4. Cut the tortillas in half. Spoon 1/10th of the chicken (about 1 tablespoon) along the long edge of a tortilla. Repeat with the spinach and cheese. Roll the tortilla up, starting with the straight edge. Place seam-side down on an oiled baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
5. Brush the flautas with olive oil or spray with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn them over and bake for until 10 minutes, or until crispy. Serve with salsa.

Each flauta has approx. 180 calories, 9 grams fat, 6 grams carbs, 1 gram fiber, 18 grams protein

Source:  http://healthy-delicious.com/2012/03/baked-chicken-and-spinach-flautas/

Chicken Tikka Masala!

I adore Indian food, and so when my cousin Scott posted this video on FB the other day, I knew I had to make it.  It's a 3 minute video of Gordon Ramsey making chicken tikka masala.  I didn't have the garam masala on hand, so I ordered that from Amazon and then fudged a little bit...I didn't buy fresh coriander, I just used the ground stuff, and I used some curry powder instead of two fresh curry leaves.  It was pretty darn easy, and FAST!  I would say the sauce was done in 15 minutes, flat!  

Then I pan fried some chicken in salt, pepper, and some extra tumeric...and presto!  Dinner, served over rice.  Love it.