Category Archives: Chicken

Creamy Tuscan Tortellini Soup

May 27, 2020

We loved the last one so much I made another tortellini soup! This one has a creamy tomato base, Italian sausage (or you can use shredded chicken), white beans, carrots, spinach, and of course, lots of Parmesan cheese on top. Adding tortellini seems to be the only way I can get one of my kid to eat soup. You could substitute any pasta but the cheese-filled tortellini gives it an extra boost of flavor. Other suggestions: up the veggies by adding mushrooms or zucchini, etc. Skip the meat and use veggie broth to make it vegetarian. Ravioli instead of tortellini would be awesome. Stir in cream instead of the milk/flour combo. That would be decadent. Use fresh herbs instead of dried. This is such a great base recipes the options are really endless…!

Creamy Tuscan Tortellini Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 cup diced carrots (about 3 medium carrots, peeled)
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 cups chicken broth (I use low-sodium)
28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
10 oz. cheese tortellini
1 1/2 cups milk (I use whole milk)
3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 (15-oz.) can Great Northern or Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
8 oz. Italian chicken sausage- mild or spicy (OR pork/turkey sausage OR 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken)
2-3 cups lightly packed, coarsely chopped fresh spinach (I used 1 cup frozen chopped spinach, measured before it was thawed)
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onions and carrots. Cover the pot and cook/sweat the mixture, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for about 30 seconds. If you’re using sausage, you want to add it now and cook it until browned. (If you’re using chicken breast you’ll add it later.)
  2. Add the broth, crushed tomatoes, basil, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the tortellini. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the tortellini are mostly tender (they’ll continue to cook for a few minutes in the next step).
  3. Whisk or blend the flour and milk together until smooth and add it to the soup, stirring constantly. Add the beans, chicken (if using shredded chicken) and spinach. Bring the soup to a low simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and all the ingredients are heated through and the tortellini are tender. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  4. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top, if desired.

Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Grilled Chicken, Peach, and Mozzarella Salad

May 25, 2020

Since it’s Memorial Day, which means the unofficial start of summer, I’m sharing something extra fresh and summery, perfect for grilling season! I actually posted this recipe on Instagram sometime last year but had never shared it on the site. It comes from our former next-door neighbors and friends the Mattsons. We rented a home north of Seattle for the first 3 years we lived here and they were the best part of that home/neighborhood. We’ve both since moved and we miss them so much! This salad was one of the delicious meals they made when we had cookouts in their backyard.

I usually just grill chicken with some salt and pepper but you could make extra dressing and marinate the chicken in that before grilling for even more flavor. The corn can go on the grill at the same time. Grilled corn is one of the best summer treats! (I remove the husks, rub them in some olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and grill, turning occasionally until the outside gets nice charred marks and the corn is tender-crisp.) Toss with fresh greens, ripe peaches (which you can also grill, but they get a little mushy that way), tiny mozzarella balls, pistachios, avocado, and a sweet and tangy orange balsamic dressing.

Grilled Chicken, Peach, and Mozzarella Salad

INGREDIENTS

chicken breast, seasoned with salt and pepper and grilled
fresh peaches, pitted and sliced
mini fresh mozzarella balls (often called pearls)
unsalted pistachios, toasted
avocado, pitted and diced
fresh sweet corn, grilled and cut off the cob
mixed greens (I used red leaf lettuce, romaine/green leaf/butter lettuce would all be good)

Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette:

1/2 navel or cara cara orange, juiced
1 tsp. orange zest
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. pure Maple syrup (can use honey)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the dressing, whisk together all ingredients until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Place salad ingredients in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, drizzle with dressing, toss and serve.

Recipe from the Mattson Family

Three Cheese Chicken and Spinach Pizza with Garlic White Sauce

May 18, 2020

garlic chicken spinach pizza

Dustin finally gets to go back to work tomorrow (Which is such a relief! Though we’ll miss having him home 24/7…) so my posting probably won’t be as frequent. This time stuck at home together has been a mixture of fun and stress and sometimes just strange. But I’ve been cooking so much more and taking pictures and writing again and that feels good!

three cheese pizza spinach white sauce

We have pizza almost weekly and I don’t always make my homemade dough. Sometimes I use pita or naan or another flatbread for the crust because it’s quick and convenient and still tastes good. But every so often making your own dough is totally worth it! I came across this pizza topped with a garlic white sauce, three cheeses (including some pepper jack which is my 8-year-old daughter’s cheese obsession right now), and chicken and knew I had to make it right away! It was worthy of a homemade crust. The garlic white sauce is dreamy. I had to stop myself from licking it all up before it made it onto the pizza. Luckily the sauce makes enough for 2 pizzas, so double the dough or freeze half for later. I made two pizzas and didn’t regret having some leftover the next day!

My addition to the original recipe was some spinach. I keep frozen chopped spinach on hand because it’s so easy to use- just measure some out and pop it in the microwave to thaw. The red onion is optional- I included it on my part of the pizza, left it off for the kids. Chives and extra crushed red pepper are optional too, but always recommended! (The pepper jack doesn’t make this pizza very spicy so if you want more heat go for the pepper flakes.) We all loved this one- definitely going to be a repeat pizza over here!

Three Cheese Chicken and Spinach Pizza with Garlic White Sauce

INGREDIENTS

Pizza:
~1/2 cup garlic white sauce
2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano)
1 medium chicken breast (about 1 1/2 cups), cooked and shredded
1/2- 3/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and moisture squeezed out (measured before thawing)
red onion, sliced (optional)
1 1/4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
3/4 cup pepper Jack cheese, shredded
salt and freshly ground black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
chives for garnish (optional)

Garlic White Sauce:*
2 Tbsp. butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1 cup milk
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano)

*This makes enough sauce for 2 pizzas!

DIRECTIONS

  1. Prepare pizza dough according to recipe directions.
  2. To make the garlic white sauce, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, cooking for 30 seconds before whisking in flour, pepper, salt and oregano. Whisk to combine well. Slowly add milk, whisking until well combined. Continue whisking occasionally until desired thickness is reached. Remove from heat, stir in cheese until smooth. Use immediately or cover and chill until ready to use.
  3. Preheat oven and pizza stone to 450 F.
  4. Spread 1/2 cup (or approx. half of the) garlic white sauce over the prepared crust. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Top off with shredded chicken and optional red onions. Sprinkle with mozzarella and pepper Jack cheese. Dust with black pepper (and a pinch of salt if you used unseasoned chicken and spinach).
  5. Bake in preheated oven on pizza stone for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is puffed and the cheese and crust are golden. Top with fresh chives (optional). Slice and serve with crushed red pepper flakes for more heat (optional).

Adapted from Baked by Rachel

Easy Salsa Verde Enchiladas

May 12, 2020

I had some issues last week uploading photos to my site. But I found a solution and I’m back with the promised enchilada recipe today! (I was also having fun with my sister visiting and enjoying some summer-like weather. We were picking up takeout at our favorite places- including Pike Place market that has some amazing pickup options- and hiking/playing at the state parks that just reopened.) But back to the enchiladas…

This is my easy salsa verde enchilada. It uses a jar of salsa verde (we always buy it from Trader Joe’s because it’s the best!) mixed with sour cream for the sauce. I’ve made the filling many ways- with shredded chicken or a combo of chicken and spinach, sometimes corn too, chicken and beans, or just veggies such as mushroom, spinach and corn. I season it with some cumin, garlic, paprika, and oregano- you could throw in a 1/2 tsp. or so of chili powder if you want or up the cayenne for more heat. And of course there’s lots of cheese. The hardest part is filling and rolling up all those tortillas. The sauce and more cheese go on top and it bakes until golden and bubbling. Then I sprinkle on some onion and cilantro and serve it with all the toppings… black olives for the olive lovers around here, shredded lettuce, tomatoes/salsa/pico, avocado, extra sour cream. It’s easy and adaptable and one of my favorite Mexican comfort foods.

p.s. This makes a great dish to take friends/family who need a meal. You can bake it for them and take it hot or give it to them unbaked and provide instructions for baking it later. I suspect it can be frozen and baked right out of the freezer (you’ll need to extend the baking time depending on how cold it is). Provide the toppings on the side and you’re all set! We usually eat these enchiladas with refried beans and tortilla chips (because I want to keep it easy). If you have some extra time, this Mexican rice and black bean dish is sooo good!

Easy Salsa Verde Enchiladas

INGREDIENTS

16 oz. salsa verde (we love Trader Joe’s brand)
1/2 cup sour cream
~4 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried Mexican oregano
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. cayenne
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8-12 tortillas (I use flour, if you use small corn tortillas you will need more)
~2 cups grated cheese (Colby/pepper jack, cheddar, Mexican blend, etc.)

optional toppings:
black olives
shredded lettuce
diced tomato, salsa, or pico de gallo
avocado or guacamole
sour cream
chopped cilantro
sliced green onion or chives

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the salsa verde and sour cream.
  2. In a second bowl, combine the chicken with the spices and season to taste with salt and pepper. (If you’re using a rotisserie chicken the meat won’t need much seasoning but plain chicken breast will need more.) Add 1 cup of the cheese and 1/4 cup of the salsa/sour cream mixture to the chicken and toss to combine.
  3. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (or butter/oil). Place some filling in each tortilla and roll up tightly. Place filled tortillas in the prepared baking dish.
  4. Pour the remaining salsa verde-sour cream mixture over top of the tortillas in the dish. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese (or more if you like it extra cheesy)!
  5. Bake in preheated 375 F oven for 20-25 min until the top has browned and the filling is bubbling. When it comes out of the oven I sprinkle mine with onion and cilantro. Serve with toppings of choice.

Makes a 9×13 pan of enchiladas.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

April 17, 2020

Chicken noodle soup is good but replace the noodles with cheese-stuffed tortellini and chicken soup is suddenly much more exciting! I have one child who doesn’t eat soup (it’s a texture thing I’ve realized), but even she enjoys this one if I drain off most of the broth. It has a touch of creaminess but isn’t too indulgent and packed with good for you things like carrots and garlic and celery (and spinach if you choose to add some like I do). I also stir in a handful of freshly grated Parmesan, and serve extra for sprinkling on top.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. butter
1 small sweet onion, diced
2 large carrots, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped (I used 1/2 tsp. celery salt instead)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
dash red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2-3 cups cooked shredded chicken
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 8-10 oz. package of your favorite tortellini
~1/2 cup frozen spinach (optional, 1-2 cups chopped if you used fresh)
1 cup whole milk or half and half
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat a large pot over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts, add in the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, oregano, red pepper, salt and pepper. Stir and cook until the veggies soften, about 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the shredded chicken and cook for a minute or two. Add in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Add in the tortellini and spinach (if using) and cook it for 5 minutes.
  2. While the tortellini is cooking, fill a shaker cup with the milk. Add the flour to the milk and shake the cup for at least 30 seconds. After 5 minutes, stream in the milk slurry while stirring. Bring the soup back to a simmer and let it simmer for 10 or 15 minutes as it thickens.
  3. Taste it and season more with salt and pepper to taste, if necessary. Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan and serve.

Serves 4.

Adapted from How Sweet Eats