Slow-Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala

via Tasty Kitchen

Good homemade Indian food did not seem like a real possibility.  This was really, really tasty.  Served with TJ's naan.  Yum.  A little involved.

Ingredients

• FOR THE CHICKEN:
• 9 whole Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Coriander
• 1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1 cup Yogurt
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Jalapeno Pepper, Stem Removed, Pepper Pierced Several Times With A Sharp Knife
• FOR THE SAUCE:
• 4 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 whole Large Onion, Peeled And Diced
• 6 cloves Garlic, Peeled And Minced
• 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
• 3 Tablespoons Garam Masala
• 1 piece Fresh Ginger, About 2-3 Inches, Peeled And Grated
• 4 cups Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon Raw Sugar (can Substitute White Granulated If Necessary)
• 2 teaspoons Cornstarch Or Cleargel
• 1-½ cup Heavy Cream
• TO SERVE:
• Hot Buttered Rice And Peas
• Chopped Fresh Cilantro

Directions:

Cut the boneless, skinless chicken thighs into 1- 1 1/2 inch pieces. Sprinkle the coriander, cumin and salt over the chicken, then stir in the yogurt until all the pieces are evenly coated. Cover lightly and let sit for 10 minutes before proceeding.

Melt 1 tablespoon the butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Raise the heat to medium high and quickly brown about 1/4 of the chicken. Transfer browned chicken to the slow cooker as it is finished, using 1 tablespoon of butter per batch, and repeat until the chicken is all in the slow-cooker. Throw the pierced jalapeno in on top of the chicken.

Prepare the sauce. Return the pan to the heat and melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, and kosher salt, then stir. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to lightly brown around the edges.

Stir in the garam masala and ginger and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute) before raising the heat to high and adding the crushed tomatoes and raw sugar. Stir well, scraping the caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan, and bring to a boil. Pour over the chicken in the slow-cooker.

Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours, or until the chicken is very tender.

Use a fork or whisk to stir the cornstarch or cleargel into the heavy cream until smooth. Pour into the slow-cooker and stir gently until the colour is even. Replace the lid and let cook for 10 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.

Serve over hot rice and peas, topped with a generous amount of chopped cilantro.

Cilantro Lime Chicken

via Farm Flavor

Ingredients

• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon fine pepper
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• ½ cup cilantro, chopped
• ½ cup olive oil
• 6 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Instructions

1. Place chicken breasts in zipper-seal bag. Using a rolling pin or similar implement, flatten the thicker parts of the chicken so they match the thinner parts. You want a consistent thickness (no thinner than 3/4 of an inch) throughout to ensure the chicken cooks evenly.


2. Mix marinade ingredients and pour over chicken. Marinate at least 2 hours or overnight.


3. Remove from bag.


4. On gas grill over medium-high heat, grill chicken breasts with lid down for six minutes. Turn and grillwith the lid up 6 to 10 more minutes or until chicken reaches 170 degrees on a meat thermometer.

Olive Garden Copy Cat Chicken Scampi

via CopyKat.com

Because M wanted it. Sauce was a little bland; chicken was great.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 tablespoons olive oil - divided use
• 1/2 green bell pepper sliced thin
• 1/2 red bell pepper sliced thin
• 1/2 orange bell pepper sliced thin
• 1/2 medium sized red onion sliced thin
• 1 clove garlic sliced thin
• 1 pound pasta cooked according to package directions
• 3/4 cup white wine
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasonings

Instructions

Place flour, salt, and pepper into a shallow dish and mix well with a fork. Place milk in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken first in flour, then dip into milk, and then dredge again in the flour. Place breaded chicken on a wrack and allow to rest 10 minutes before cooking. While the chicken is resting, cut peppers, onions, and garlic.

Saute peppers, onions, and garlic in a large heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season peppers, onions, and garlic with a light spinkling of salt. Saute until peppers begin to brown. Remove from skillet.

Place remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in hot skillet. Place chicken in skillet. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side until the chicken has browned on both sides. Remove chicken from pan. Deglaze the pan by adding white wine to the pan and add italian seasoning blend. Scrape the bottom with a spoon scrapping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Add heavy cream and mix well. Return cooked vegetables to the pan and stir. Add cooked pasta to the skillet. Plate the pasta and sauce, placing a few pieces of cooked chicken with each plate.

Slow Cooker Lemon Pepper

from the Recipe Critic

This was tasty.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 package dry italian dressing/seasoning mix
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• salt and pepper to taste

1.  Prepare your chicken by rinsing it and trimming the fat.  Since the chicken breasts that I buy are always huge, I cut them in half making them more like tenders.

2. In a shallow dish, combine the flour and pepper.  Coat the chicken in the flour.

3.  Melt the butter in a saucepan on your stovetop over medium heat.  Once melted, brown each side of the chicken, but not cooking it throughout because you will be putting them in the crockpot.  You just want them to have a nice golden brown breading on each side.

4.  Spray crockpot with cooking spray and place the chicken into the crockpot.  Sprinkle the italian seasoning package top of the chicken.  

5.  Mix together the lemon juice and chicken broth.  Pour over the chicken and seasonings.

6.  Cook on low for 3-4 hours.  Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Life as a Lofthouse

Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/creamy-chicken-and-rice-casserole-with-no-cream-soups

Casserole without pre-made soup.  Tasty--lots of possibilities for variations.

Creamy Chicken and Rice Casserole

4 cups chicken broth (I avoid canned broth or bouillon because they are also loaded with MSG.  Here’s my easy homemade chicken broth recipe, which includes frighteningly ugly pictures of a chicken carcass.  Again, try not to scream.)
4 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups brown rice2-3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
1/2 teaspoon (or more) garlic powder
Sea salt, to taste
1 1/2 cups cream (heavy whipping cream, or fresh cream which has risen to the top of whole, raw milk)

In a large pot, bring chicken broth, carrots and onion to a boil at high heat.  Add rice, stir, and place the lid on the pot.  Reduce heat to low and cook the rice and vegetables in the broth for 45 minutes.  (To avoid sticky rice, don’t stir the rice while it’s trying to cook – just walk away and ignore it for the entire 45 minutes.  You can do it.)

When the rice is done, stir in cooked chicken, garlic powder and cream.  Shake in liberal amounts of sea salt for best flavor.  (I use Redmonds Real Sea Salt, which is unbleached and full of natural minerals.)  Cook ingredients for about five more minutes to heat the chicken and cream.  Serve directly from pot, or pour into a 9×13 inch baking dish.  This meal can be prepared ahead of time, refrigerated and reheated in the oven at serving time.  Cover and heat in a 350° oven for 20-30 minutes or until hot through and through.  Serves eight.

(You can also freeze this meal.  To reheat, simply put the frozen, covered casserole into the oven, turn the oven onto 350° and cook for about 1 1/2 hours or until it is heated thoroughly.)

Parmesan/Greek Yogurt Baked Chicken

 via feedingmytemple.com

 Easy peasy.  Tasty.

 INGREDIENTS:

• 4  boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 5 ounce container 0% plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

 DIRECTIONS: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Combine yogurt, Parmesan cheese, and seasonings.
3. Spread over chicken breasts. Bake for 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and topping is browned. Serve immediately.

Chicken Lime Tortilla Soup

via A Hint of Honey and Rachael Ray (inspired by Erica's Pinterest. :))

I performed a recipe mash up for this soup that ended up tasting exactly how I was hoping.  Yes!  My pregnancy cravings were so pleased. Yum.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
1 onion, finely chopped 
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 
6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 tsp. Adobo seasoning

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. paprika

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

pinch cayenne pepper, to taste 

6 cups chicken broth 

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro 

Juice of 2 limes

Avacado

Black beans

corn (optional)

cheese (optional)

tortilla chips (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, lower the heat to medium and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Increase the heat to high, push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the chicken and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the Adobo, cumin, chili powder, and paprika and cook for another minute. Add 6 cups of chicken stock, the black beans, and corn.

Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, skimming any foam. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice; season with salt and pepper. 

Place 2 avocado slices in each of 6 soup bowls and pour in the soup. Top with the tortilla chips. 

 15 30 45

Baked Herb Crusted Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

6 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups plain dry breadcrumbs
6 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Lemon wedges

DIRECTIONS:

Using meat mallet, pound chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap to 1/2- to 3/4-inch thickness. Arrange chicken in 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Pour lemon juice over. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour. Remove chicken from dish and pat dry with paper towels.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Melt butter with oil in small saucepan over medium heat; cool slightly. Mix breadcrumbs, basil, parsley, rosemary, salt, and pepper in pie dish. Brush chicken breasts on both sides with melted butter mixture. Coat chicken on both sides with breadcrumb mixture. Place chicken on baking sheet. Bake until chicken is cooked through and breadcrumbs are golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to plates. Serve, passing lemon wedges alongside.

The infamous "Cafe Rio Recipes": Chicken

via Everyone

INGREDIENTS

5 lbs chicken breast, boneless, skinless
1 sm bottle zesty italian dressing
1 T chili powder
1 T cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingred together in a large crock pot. Cook on high for 5-7 hours. Remove chicken
and shred. Reserve a small amount of juice and pour over shredded chicken. Keep warm.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

from Rachel Ray, via Lindsay

INGREDIENTS

6 T honey
5 T lime juice (or juice from one lime)
1 T chili powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1 lb chicken, cooked and shredded (I sometimes use canned as a shortcut)
8-10 flour tortillas
1lb shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
16 oz can green enchilada sauce (green salsa can substitute)
1 C heavy cream (half and half can substitute)
chopped tomatoes and green onions, optional

DIRECTIONS

Mix the first four ingredients and toss with shredded chicken. Let it marinate for at least 1/2 hour. Pour about 1/2 cup enchilada sauce on bottom of 9x13 baking dish. Fill flour tortillas with chicken, green onions, and shredded cheese, saving about 1 cup of cheese to sprinkle on top of the enchiladas. Mix the remaining enchilada sauce with the cream and leftover marinade. Pour sauce on top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese, remaining green onions, and tomatoes. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until brown and crispy on top.