Category Archives: Chicken

Baked Creamy Chicken (or Bean and Veggie) Taquitos

April 14, 2020

Another recipe I’ve been making for years that’s a favorite around here. My friend Megan who I haven’t seen in far too long made these for me when I visited her in Chicago (back when we had two less babies each… things have changed!). I was pregnant with Gwen at the time and couldn’t enjoy much of anything I ate… but these were so good! I made sure to snag the recipe and once I recovered my appetite again starting making them myself.

I add a few extra spices (oregano, cayenne) and some chopped spinach (because why not!) but otherwise follow the original recipe closely. BONUS they freeze well- instructions are provided below!

UPDATE: I recently made these vegetarian by replacing the chicken with black beans and corn and they were just as delicious! So I’ve since revised the recipe to include that option below.

Baked Creamy Chicken (or Bean and Veggie) Taquitos

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup (3 oz.) cream cheese
1/4 cup salsa verde (we LOVE Trader Joe’s brand)
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
pinch Mexican oregano (optional)
pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. sliced green onions
2-3 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken works great here) OR for a vegetarian version: 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed + 1 cup frozen corn
1 cup grated Pepper/Colby/Monterey Jack cheese (or Cheddar, Mexican blend, etc.)
1/2- 1 cup frozen chopped spinach (measured frozen), thawed and excess water squeezed out (optional)
8-12 (depending on size) flour or corn tortillas 
cooking spray or olive oil or melted butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

  1. To make the filling, heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it’s soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic, oregano, and cayenne. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken (or beans and corn), spinach (if using), and cheese and combine well. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
    (You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.)
  2. Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
  3. If using corn tortillas, work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave, wrapped in damp paper towels until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If using flour tortillas straight from the fridge, it helps to warm them in the microwave so they’re easier to roll. Place 2-3 T of chicken (or bean) mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1 inch from the edges. Roll up tortillas and place seam down on a baking sheet, not touching one another. Spray lightly with cooking spray, or lightly brush with olive oil/butter and sprinkle lightly with salt (optional).
  4. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving. Dip in sour cream, salsa, guacamole, etc. or our favorite sour cream-salsa verde combo*!

*Whisk to combine sour cream with extra salsa verde. I usually don’t measure but it’s about equal parts sour cream and salsa. It makes the BEST dipping sauce!

FREEZER INSTRUCTIONS: Prepare the taquitos through rolling them out and placing them on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze until solid, then transfer to a large freezer bag. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 425 and place the taquitos on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Adapted from Our Best Bites

Oven Rotisserie Chicken

April 10, 2020

Like my mama, I love a good roasted chicken. She’s always said it’s one of her favorite foods (along with Thanksgiving turkey) and now that I know how to make it right, I know why! I found this recipe a few years ago and fell in love at first bite. I buy rotisserie chickens regularly because they’re so convenient and my kids will devour the meat right off the bone. Now I can make a chicken just as tender, more flavorful, and without a lot more effort at home! It takes a little planning since the chicken roasts low and slow in the oven. But the prep is minimal and the result is worth it. We’ve also used this recipe to smoke a whole chicken on our Traeger Grill (a new purchase that we’re just getting the hang of) and it was also fantastic. 

Oven Rotisserie Chicken

INGREDIENTS

1 (3-5 lb.) whole chicken
5 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 lemon, quartered
2 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
3 Tbsp. olive oil
kitchen twine

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
  2. Remove the giblets from the cavity of your chicken and dry it well with paper towels. Stuff the cavity with garlic and lemon quarters.
  3. 3. In a small bowl, combine the paprika, salt, brown sugar, chili powder, black pepper, garlic powder, and cumin.
  4. Carefully run your fingers under the skin on the breast of your bird. Rub the breast underneath the skin with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and teaspoon of the spice mixture. Rub the remaining 2 tablespoons olive on the chicken’s skin, and season the bird all over with the remaining spice mixture. When you’re finished with the spicing, tie the legs together with kitchen twine and place the bird breast side up in an oven poof skillet or roasting pan (your choice!).
  5. Roast the chicken for 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours (depending on the size of your bird), basting at the 1 1/2- and 2 1/2 hour marks (no need for a baster- just spoon any juices in the pan over the bird) or until the meat is very tender and the skin is dark brown. (Don’t panic if the skin has blackened in some spots. That’s a good thing.)
  6. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

Adapted from Half Baked Harvest

BBQ Chicken Nachos

March 23, 2020

Yes, it’s really me here with a new recipe for you! It took a pandemic/quarantine and my husband’s office being forced to close for the next two months to allow me enough time to get black to blogging, but I’m excited to be here! I have almost a hundred recipes waiting to be shared. Most of them are simple/quick meals that have become favorites for feeding three hungry kids without sacrificing my love for good food.

I’ll try to share soon about our family and how we’ve grown and moved and all the changes over the last couple years as I post more recipes! Today I bring you BBQ Chicken Nachos, inspired by our favorite BBQ Chicken Pizza and just as delicious. These nachos are quick to throw together (especially if you use a rotisserie chicken), a complete meal on a pan, easy to feed a crowd AND clean up and equally fit for a party or weeknight dinner. (Notice I don’t include amounts because I never measure anything, adapt this recipe to your taste and needs…)

BBQ Chicken Nachos

INGREDIENTS

tortilla chips
chicken, cooked and shredded or diced (I use about half of a rotisserie chicken)
bbq sauce
Colby/Monterey/Pepper Jack and Smoked Gouda, grated
canned black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
corn

other toppings:
bell pepper
green onion/chives
cilantro, chopped
salsa
sour cream
avocado or guacamole
pickled jalapeno

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Toss chicken in bbq sauce to coat. Spread a layer of tortilla chips on the pan, top with a generous amount of shredded cheese, bbq chicken, beans, and roasted corn (and any other toppings you want baked in the oven). Sprinkle a bit more cheese on top.

2. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the cheese has fully melted and the chips are beginning to brown.

3. Remove from the oven and top with additional toppings: red pepper, onion/chive, cilantro, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, jalapeno, etc. and serve immediately.

NOTES:

tortilla chips- our favorites are Trader Joe’s organic blue corn tortilla chips, and Late July’s thin and crispy restaurant style tortilla chips

bbq sauce- our favorites are Bone Suckin’ and Whole Foods’ 365 brand Texas True

Smoked Gouda- I highly recommend using some smoked Gouda in this recipe, it gives it the perfect smoky bbq flavor!

corn- fresh, frozen, or canned, my favorite is Trader Joe’s frozen roasted corn kernels

Sheet Pan Chicken Parmesan

March 29, 2017

chicken parmesan

I made this sheet pan chicken Parmesan multiple times this past year. I like that it’s not fried but still crisp. You wait to add the sauce and cheese until the last few minutes in the oven so the panko coating stays nice and crusty. Line your sheet pan with foil and clean-up is easy.

The marina sauce you use here makes a huge difference so choose your favorite. We love Rao’s Homemade Marinara but it’s expensive ($8-10 full price depending on the size of the jar) so I buy it when I find it on sale and savor every drop. And then I freeze leftover sauce and use it as pizza sauce, make turkey meatballs subs, etc.

This chicken parm can be served with pasta (my kids’ and husband’s preference) or with crusty bread (my choice) or just as is, with a side of veggies or salad. We were having the leftovers for lunch today and Clara told me that when she grows up she would like me to give her the recipe. Hopefully it’ll still be right here for her when that day comes!

Sheet Pan Chicken Parmesan

INGREDIENTS

1  1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or cutlets, each about 1/2 inch thick (about 1 1/2- 2 lbs. total)
1 jar (24 oz.) good-quality marinara sauce (our favorite is Rao’s)
6-8 slices provolone cheese (I love smoked provolone, mozzarella will also work)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (or Pecorino) cheese

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400 F with a rack in the upper third. Generously mist a sheet pan with cooking spray.

2. Stir together the panko, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a large bowl to combine. In another bowl, whisk together the flour and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. In a third shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs.

3. Dip each chicken cutlet first in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess, then in the egg, and finally in the panko mixture, patting to coat thoroughly on both sides. Place the breaded chicken cutlets on the prepared pan. Mist the chicken with cooking spray to lightly coat.

4. Bake the chicken until the panko has browned and the cutlets are almost entirely cooked through (they’ll no longer feel squishy when you poke them), about 12-15 minutes.

5. Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Top each chicken cutlet with about 1/2 cup marinara sauce (use up the jar),  the provolone and the Parmesan, and return to the oven. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly, an additional 5-10 minutes. Serve hot.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Shutter Bean, originally from Sheet Pan Suppers)

*post contains affiliate links

Ground Chicken Tacos

May 4, 2015

IMG_7641-001

Last week I flew to San Francisco (Menlo Park specifically) to spend time with one of my best friends and her new baby. It was my first solo trip since becoming a mama myself and it was so relaxing! And then I returned just in time for Clara’s 3rd birthday. We celebrated with a few friends and had BBQ (pineapple pulled pork sandwiches and this southwest slaw) and a dreamy vanilla cake that I’ll share ASAP. It was busy/fun/crazy! And how is Clara already 3?! On to the recipe…

IMG_7647-001

I’m just realizing that tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo. Perfect timing for this post! Today’s tacos are made with ground chicken, red pepper, garlic, and my favorite ancho chili powder (among other things). So much flavor going on here. Serve with your favorite taco toppings- always avocado, cilantro, and salsa verde on a cheesy toasted tortilla for me!

Ground Chicken Tacos

INGREDIENTS

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1  yellow onion, finely diced
1 bell pepper (any color- I use red), finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. ground chicken (not super lean, a mixture of white and dark meat is preferred)
1 Tbsp. paprika
2 tsp. ancho chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (to taste)
~1 tsp. kosher salt (to taste)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup (8 oz.) tomato sauce (can use crushed tomatoes instead)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (can use 1 tsp. ground coriander instead, adding it with the other spices)

for serving:
corn or flour tortillas, warmed
shredded Mexican cheese (such as Monterrey, Colby, or Pepper Jack)
shredded lettuce or cabbage
diced onion
chopped fresh cilantro
diced tomato
salsa or pico de gallo
avocado or guacamole
sour cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the olive oil in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just starting to brown, 10-12 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a few minutes more. Add the ground chicken, paprika, ancho chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Turn the heat to high; use a wooden spoon to stir and break the chicken into small clumps until the chicken is partially cooked, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce, then turn the heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking chicken into smaller clumps, until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh chopped cilantro. Adjust seasoning to taste if necessary. Serve in warmed tortillas with lettuce, cheese, onion, cilantro, tomato, salsa, avocado, and/or sour cream.

Serves 6-8.

(Adapted from Once Upon a Chef)