White Chicken Chili

January 25, 2015 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

Tender shreds of chicken, beans, corn, and spices, in a rich, flavorful broth. Load it up with cheddar cheese, sour cream and sliced green onions, and it’s a meal in itself. Healthy, hearty and easy to make, this White Chicken Chili will certainty be a hit for Super Bowl Sunday or any occasion.

I hope you’ve been doing well! We’ve been busy this week with projects, cooking (of course), a trip to Costco, and a check-up for Charlie. He’s tipping the scales at 17.1 pounds! He loves his toes, his brothers, and putting everything and anything in his mouth. He also loves laughing, and being the center of the action. 🙂

The big event for us this weekend was heading to the North American International Auto Show! Cars, lights, glitz and glam. The boys loved getting in all of the fun, new cars. What a great family outing!

Here are a few pictures from the auto show and our adventures this week:

In the freezing cold month of January, there’s nothing better than a hearty meal to warm you up. My inspiration for this recipe came from a sweet friend of mine. A few years ago, after I had surgery, she brought us a wonderful chicken chili for dinner. Is there any better gift than a home cooked meal that you didn’t have to cook, just after surgery? Definitely not! It’s just pure love. I liked it so much, I knew it was something that I wanted to recreate for us one night. With ideas from my friend, and from Betty Crocker, I present to you, my take on this new family favorite, White Chicken Chili.

This White Chicken Chili is the perfect mix between soup and chili. A delicious, and soupy broth, combined with all the flavors of a rich chili taste. When you’re craving that “lighter” chili fair, this is certainly the recipe for you. It’s easy to make, incredibly satisfying, and oh so tasty!

Guess what else? It’s even freezer friendly! I mean, let’s face it, there are just some days when you don’t feel like cooking. So while you’re making it, go ahead and double, or even triple your batch, and add it to your stash of freezer meals. That way, you’ll always have a great tasting, good for you meal, ready to go whenever you need one. Just pull it out of the freezer the night before, and pop it in the fridge. When dinner time rolls around, dump it in a pan and heat until hot. Grab the toppings, and sit down to enjoy your homemade feast, that you barely had to lift a finger for.

We love to serve this topped with all the fixings! Sour cream, lots of cheddar cheese, and scallions. Sometimes we’ll even add fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Covered, smothered, scattered, or plain, however you decide to serve this up, it is sure to be a winner. Whip up a batch of your favorite corn bread on the side, and you’ll have yourself the perfect Super Bowl meal!

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced (2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15 to 16 oz) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 to 16 oz) butter beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups frozen yellow sweet corn
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound chicken breasts (about 2 large), cooked and shredded (about 4 cups)
Salt and pepper

Instructions

In a large dutch oven over medium heat, add oil and heat until shimmering. Add onions and salt, and cook for about 5-7 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans, corn, broth, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper. Stir together and over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Stir in chicken, and simmer for 5 more minutes or until hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with sour cream, cheddar cheese, sliced green onions, and a garnish of fresh chopped cilantro and a slice of lime if desired.

Notes

To cook the chicken: pat chicken breasts dry with paper towels, then lightly season both sides with salt and pepper. Add one tablespoon oil to a grill pan or large skillet, and cook chicken over medium heat, turning occasionally, until cooked through. Move chicken to a clean plate, and when cool enough to handle, shred (pull apart) into thin pieces.

http://elizabethshome.com/white-chicken-chili/

Feel free to stop by my old blog and check out the first version of this White Chicken Chili.

Healthy and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

January 11, 2015 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

Tender bites of chicken, with chunks of carrots, celery, and onions, surrounded by fluffy egg noodles, swimming in a rich and flavorful broth. Healthy and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup is hearty, filling and nutritious. It’s the perfect thing to fill your tummy, and warm you up on a freezing cold night.

A belated Happy New Year to you!!! What a crazy year 2014 was! I’m just glad that last year is behind us, and I’m looking forward to everything that 2015 has in store. I hope you’ve had an excellent start to the new year so far!

The last two weeks have sure been busy around here. Besides the normal day-to-day routine of work, errands, laundry, cooking, fun, etc., we’ve also had a few other adventures. We had a very fun (and quiet) New Year’s Eve celebration at home. William loved going to a friend’s bowling birthday party last Sunday. He’s starting to become quite the bowler, and is especially good at Wii bowling. (Today he bowled over 200!) Andrew and I had a wonderful and super relaxing date night out on Friday night. We went to Crispelli’s, and enjoyed amazing brick oven pizza. Sometimes I forget how nice it is to have a night just to focus on each other.

This week was also the one year anniversary of my first post on Elizabeth’s Home! It seems like yesterday that Andrew and I were hard at work trying to get Elizabeth’s Home up and running. I can’t believe we’ve been posting for a whole year! We celebrated last night by popping a special bottle of Santa Margarita wine.

We first tasted this wine when we were in Santa Margarita, Italy on our honeymoon. Ever since then this wine has become a very special and sentimental favorite for us. Here are two pictures of Santa Margarita from our honeymoon.

I’m so thankful for Andrew and all that he does for this blog! I am also thankful for you, my wonderful and loyal followers! I am honored that you keep coming back to read about our lives, and to share in the enjoyment of our favorite recipes. I’m so excited to share many more memories and fun recipes with you in 2015!

Here are a few pictures from the last two weeks:

After all of the delicious and filling holiday goodies, here’s a great recipe to help lighten up your new year’s resolutions. There is just something so wonderful about a nice warm bowl of soup. This soup is EASY to make and comes together pretty fast. I love the depth of the flavors, with the juicy chicken and tender veggies. It is just sooo yummy! Another plus is that it even freezes well, too! This was one of my many recipes that I made a triple batch of right before Charlie was born. It’s always nice to have a stash of homemade chicken soup on hand whenever you might need it!

Sometimes I use organic chicken broth or stock with this soup, but lately my favorite thing has been Better Than Bouillon Organic Chicken Base-Reduced Sodium. It’s super easy to keep around, and it basically lasts forever in the fridge. It’s especially great if your recipe only calls for a cup or two of chicken broth, but I’ve also been using it with this soup and we’ve been loving it!

As the temperature continues to drop, and you’re searching for that good-for-you comfort meal, this Healthy and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup is just what you need! This soup makes the perfect meal for many occasions. Comforting on a chilly night, nourishing during sickness, or just delicious anytime. I love to serve it with a green salad and crusty french bread or crackers.

Healthy and Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 ribs celery, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 quarts all-natural chicken broth or stock (reduced-sodium)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
4 teaspoons dried parsley (or 1/4 cup fresh minced parsley added after cooking)
1 bay leaf
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded or cubed (1 1/2 pounds)
2 cups wide egg noodles
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery and salt. Stir together and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. Then cover and cook until veggies are slightly softened, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the broth, thyme, dried parsley (if using), and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the chicken and stir in the noodles, and continue cooking over medium-high heat until pasta is cooked, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season soup with salt and pepper to taste, and add fresh parsley if using.

Notes

To cook the chicken: Place raw chicken breasts in a medium sauce pan and add water to just cover. Add 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon onion powder to the water. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes or until chicken is just cooked through. Carefully remove chicken from pan and set aside on a plate to cool. When cool enough to handle, shred or cube chicken.

To freeze: Cook soup as instructed and omit noodles. After freezing, reheat soup and add dry noodles when simmering, and cook until noodles are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

http://elizabethshome.com/healthy-and-easy-chicken-noodle-soup/

Feel free to check out my first version of this Quick Chicken Noodle Soup on my old blog. 🙂

Honey Balsamic Chicken Tenders

August 24, 2014 by Elizabeth

Sweet, juicy, mouth-watering, glazed chicken. Honey Balsamic Chicken Tenders are super easy and incredibly delicious. These amazing little strips are great on a salad, with your favorite cheesy pasta, on a sandwich, or just eat them as is. The possibilities are endless!

It’s Sunday, and you know what that means… recipe time! But first, I decided to take the plunge for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. This afternoon we donated, and then dumped 🙂 See…. Ps. That water was cooooold!

Brrr! Let’s warm up and talk about these Honey Balsamic Chicken Tenders. This is one recipe you’ll want to keep close by. It’s so easy, and seriously my favorite new way to cook chicken. I just can’t get enough of them!!! (They even freeze well, too!) Just toss everything in a ziplock bag in the morning, (or if you’re short on time, just an hour before you want to eat), and at dinner time, grab your pan and cook them up in a flash.

I love how the honey and vinegar in the marinade come together to delicately cover each piece with a rich caramelized coating. My favorite white balsamic vinegar is the one from Trader Joe’s. It has a fantastic flavor at a great price! These tasty little morsels are out of this world! Make them once, and I can guarantee you’ll be hooked 🙂

Honey Balsamic Chicken Tenders

Ingredients

1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken tenders (or breasts- cut into 6 tenders)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

To Double:

3 to 3 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (or tenders)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

Place a gallon size ziplock bag over a small bowl (to prevent spilling), add chicken tenders to bag. Then add garlic powder, onion powder, vinegar, oil, honey, salt and pepper. Remove most of the air from the bag, and close. Gently shake and rotate bag to combine ingredients, until marinade is mixed, and chicken is well coated.
Lay plastic bag on a paper towel lined plate, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 24. (Be sure to shake and rotate bag at least once while marinating.)
When ready to cook chicken, heat a large nonstick skillet, coated with cooking spray or 2 teaspoons oil, over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, use tongs to remove half of the chicken from bag, and add to pan. Cook chicken on one side for about 2 minutes, then turn, and continue cooking for about 4 to 6 more minutes. While cooking, rotate and flip chicken often, soaking up the sauce in pan with the tenders. Towards the end, be sure that the pan is hot enough so that the chicken starts to caramelize, but not too hot that it starts to burn. (You may need to adjust the heat accordingly.) Cook chicken until no longer pink in the middle.
Move cooked chicken to a clean plate, and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Wash out pan and repeat the same process with the remaining chicken tenders. Serve chicken immediately, or cool,and refrigerate for up to three days, or freeze up to 3 months.

http://elizabethshome.com/honey-balsamic-chicken-tenders/

For those of you who read the whole post – outtake #1!

Light Chicken Lettuce Wraps

August 10, 2014 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

Marinated, ground chicken, tender mushrooms, and crunchy water chestnuts, sautéed together in a flavorful sauce. These Light Chicken Lettuce Wraps are served inside fresh, crispy lettuce leaves, topped with slivered almonds, scallions, and a mouthwatering hoisin dipping sauce.

Happy Sunday! If you missed my other post from earlier this week, be sure to check out pictures from our trip to Rome and my recipe for Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil and Fresh Mozzarella. I hope you had a great weekend like we did. Yesterday’s fishing rodeo was of course the highlight for us! What a fantastic little event put on by our community. The boys had such a BLAST! They loved fishing, the midmorning donut snack, getting to pick out a prize, and the whole experience in general. Here are some of our favorite pictures from our time at the pier.

I love wrapping up a wonderful week with a fantastic meal. The first time I made this recipe, we all stuffed our faces, and thoroughly enjoyed it. William even found a second to give me a huge thumbs up from across the table, and said, “These are so good! They should go on your blog!” So, I decided to follow his great advice. 😉

These Light Chicken Lettuce Wraps have quickly moved to the top of our favorite recipes. This is one dish that I am super excited to share! You will definitely want to add these tender, tasty, delightfully refreshing lettuce wraps to your menu this week!

The first lettuce wraps that Andrew and I ever tasted were the chicken lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang’s. They are quite good, and are clearly a popular item on their menu. The last time we had them was on our San Diego Trip 2014. We even had to get a second order because we had no idea the boys would like them so much. However, my biggest gripe with them is that they are SO greasy! I mean for something that sounds healthy, they actually aren’t. They nailed the flavor, but with all the added salt, fat, and tons of chemicals, I guess it’s a no brainer that there’s some room for improvement.

The other example for this recipe came from our local favorite Chinese restaurant, Golden Chopsticks. Their lettuce wraps are also very good! They are a lot less greasy than P.F. Chang’s, but the hunt was still on for the perfect lettuce wrap.

With the flavors of inspiration dangling in my head, I knew that I just had to figure out my own version of chicken lettuce wraps. I spent a lot of time researching and testing this one! I used some ideas from America’s Test Kitchen’s Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps as my foundation for this recipe, and then followed my own instincts and trial and error from there. I wanted to give the hoisin dipping sauce a little kick, and slightly modified this Spicy Hoisin Dipping Sauce in my recipe. Additions, subtractions, and multiple versions. I tried to take everything I liked about both of my favorites, leave out the things I didn’t, and voila! May I present to you, Light Chicken Lettuce Wraps.

Easy enough for a week night, fancy enough for a special occasion, and impressive enough for company. When you’re craving that “take-out fix”, but don’t want to go out, these Light Chicken Lettuce Wraps are just what you’re looking for!

Light Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
.4 to .5 oz dried shiitake mushrooms (about 1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions (about 3 large or 5 small)
1 (8 ounce) can water chestnuts, drained and diced
2 teaspoons canola oil

Marinade:

2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce

Stir-Fry Sauce:

3 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 teaspoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/4 teaspoon Sriracha hot chili sauce

Hoisin Dipping Sauce:

1/2 cup hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon Sriracha hot chili sauce
3 tablespoons warm water

Serving:

Iceberg or romaine lettuce leaves (washed, dried and left whole)
Sliced scallions
Toasted, slivered almonds
White or brown rice

Instructions

Cut each breast into 4 pieces. Place 6-8 chicken pieces into food processor at a time, and pulse until chicken resembles very fine, minced pieces. Scrape chicken into a clean bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine ingredients for the marinade: cornstarch, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and soy sauce, and whisk together. Pour marinade over chicken and mix together until chicken is well-coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or up to two hours.
While chicken is marinating, in a small, heat-proof bowl, add dried mushrooms and add enough boiling water to fully cover them. Allow mushrooms to sit for 20 minutes. Drain mushrooms from water and press out additional water. Place mushrooms on a cutting board and dice. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine ingredients for stir-fry sauce: oyster sauce, hoisin, water, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, honey, and Sriracha, and whisk together, and set aside.
Combine ingredients for hoisin dipping sauce in a tiny bowl: hoisin, Sriracha, and water, and stir together. Set aside for serving.
In a large, nonstick frying pan, heat 1 teaspoon canola oil over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, stirring and breaking up chicken while cooking, until chicken is cooked through. After cooking, move chicken to a clean bowl.
Using the same pan, (not cleaned) heat an additional teaspoon of canola oil. When hot, add mushrooms and stir, cook for about 2 minutes. Then stir in garlic, scallions, and water chestnuts, and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the marinated chicken and stir-fry sauce (stir sauce again right before adding to pan), and mix together, until combined. Cook for about 1 to 2 more minutes, until all ingredients are hot. Remove from heat.
To serve, place about 1/4 cup of chicken onto a piece of lettuce. Top with scallions, slivered almonds, and a small spoonful of hoisin dipping sauce. Repeat!

Notes

To make these more filling as an entree, serve with a side of white or brown rice, or even add a small scoop of rice to each lettuce wrap.

http://elizabethshome.com/light-chicken-lettuce-wraps/

2014-02-21 Chicken Lettuce Wraps-029-Edit

Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad

May 26, 2014 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

Tender chicken, finely chopped lettuce, Asian cabbage and other veggies, tossed together and topped with crunchy peanuts and thick, creamy Thai peanut dressing. It’s the perfect dose of freshness that we’ve been needing after all of those winter meals. Dive into this Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad, and you can taste the freshness of summer in each bite.

Happy Memorial Day weekend! It has already been a very fun weekend around here! We’re trying to make the most out of our very last weekend as a family of FOUR! Lots of fun, family time, date nights, spoiling our kids, etc. Andrew and I had a great date night out on Friday! Yesterday we headed to the zoo for a little family fun, and after all of that walking around, Andrew treated me to a very relaxing and much needed pedicure. Today we had a great family fun day outside in the yard, playing and goofing around, and then after nap time, headed down to the pool for some swimming and more fun in the sun. Andrew even surprised me again today with two dozen gorgeous pink roses! What a great weekend so far!

With all of the blue skies and warm weather, I can’t wait to start enjoying some amazing summer meals. What could welcome the summer better than a fantastic new salad? I have been so excited to share this one!!!

A little side note: All of the recipes on my blog are my own, original creations, unless I tell you otherwise. That means that I basically spend a lot of my (few moments of) free time, brainstorming and playing around with recipe ideas and combinations. It also means that sometimes my great ideas just don’t work out, or need a few improvements or adjustments before they’re worth sharing. Sometimes however, I am happy to say that after scribbling and jotting down about 100 ideas for one recipe, there are times when my ideas are successful right off the bat! After seriously researching, and playing around with my ideas for the “perfect” Thai chicken salad, I am thrilled to say that this one is a clear WINNER!!!

Dive into this salad and you’ll feel like you’re dinning at a gourmet Thai restaurant. It’s everything that you have always wanted in a Thai chicken salad, but never thought you would ever dream of creating at home. This Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad is an explosion of textures and flavors that are sure to wow your taste buds, and your loved ones!

Crunchy Thai Chicken Salad

Ingredients

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 4 strips (or tenderloins)

Marinade:

2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Thai red curry paste
1 teaspoon fish sauce

Salad:

1 heart romaine lettuce, sliced (shaved) very thin
1 medium head napa cabbage (about 1 pound), sliced (shaved) very thin
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated (medium grate)
2 large (or 3 small) green onions, sliced very thin
1 red pepper, ends cut off, and cut into 1" long, thin matchsticks
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (plus more for serving)
3/4 cup chopped peanuts (for serving)

Creamy Thai Peanut Dressing:

1/2 cup natural peanut butter
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon water
4 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce

Instructions

Place chicken in a gallon sized ziplock bag, and add to it: olive oil, honey, lime juice, garlic powder, onion powder, curry paste, and fish sauce. Close bag and shake to combine. Place bag on a clean plate, lined with a paper towel, and allow to marinate in fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.
To assemble the salad, combine the romaine, cabbage, carrots, onions, red pepper, and cilantro in a large bowl and toss together. Set aside or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
To prepare the dressing, add to a blender: peanut butter, garlic, honey, lime juice, vinegar, water, soy sauce, and fish sauce, and blend together until creamy and smooth.
After chicken has marinated, cook chicken in a large non-stick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium high-heat. Cook chicken until no longer pink in the middle, about 5-8 minutes. Move chicken to a clean plate, and once cool enough to handle, pull apart and shred chicken. Place shredded chicken in a clean bowl.
Serve salad topped with chicken, chopped peanuts and cilantro, and a hearty helping of peanut dressing. Enjoy!

http://elizabethshome.com/crunchy-thai-chicken-salad/

Chicken Breasts with Turmeric, Apples and Shallots

February 5, 2014 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

Thin, marinated breasts of turmeric covered chicken, topped with a mountain of mouthwatering, sweet apples and caramelized shallots. Serve Chicken Breasts with Turmeric, Apples and Shallots with rice, your favorite veggie or a side salad and you’ll have the perfect “good for you” meal that will certainly be an unforgettable family favorite.

It’s another cold and snowy day here in Michigan. I guess that’s how the last few Wednesdays have been around here. Well, if it has to be bitter cold outside, I’m at least happy to report that we have been staying warm and toasty by heating things up in our kitchen. The boys and I have been cooking up a storm this week! I’ve been putting them to work in the kitchen whenever possible, and they have been a huge help. I have also been enjoying a few minutes to test some recipes without my little helpers. That’s when I’ve been turning to nap times, nights and weekends when I need that extra minute to actually think about what I’m doing. 😉

I’ve been having such a blast creating all sorts of healthy and delicious recipes. OBSESSED might be the right word, but I’d prefer to stick with something a little less dramatic. Let’s just say that I have been on a total role lately, in the creating and cooking department. Lots and lots of fun goodies have been emerging from our kitchen these days. I will most definitely be sharing the winning recipes with you! So don’t even worry.

Ok, so more about this little creation. William was super excited about this dinner before I even made it! While we were out grocery shopping the other day, and busy gathering a few necessary ingredients, he exclaims, “Momma, I’m REALLY excited about that apple thing for dinner!” Well, if that doesn’t sell it, I don’t know what does. 😉 Clearly, this has become an instant family favorite! It’s sweet and savory, super easy, incredibly healthy, and just so yummy! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Chicken Breasts with Turmeric, Apples, and Shallots

Yield: 5-6 Servings

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups diced shallots (about 5 large)
2 medium gala apples, peeled and diced (about 2 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup water
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Instructions

Slice chicken breasts in half, to create 8 thin breasts. Place chicken in gallon ziplock bag, and add 1 tablespoon of the oil and shake to coat.
In a small bowl, stir together the turmeric, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add spice mixture to chicken. Close bag and shake again to evenly coat the chicken. Place ziplock bag on a clean plate and refrigerate for 2-6 hours.
Cook chicken breasts on grill or in a grill pan on the stove. Make sure to spray grilling surface with nonstick cooking spray before adding chicken. (If using a pan, grill in two batches to avoid overcrowding.) Remove cooked chicken from grilling surface to a clean plate, and cover with foil to keep warm.
In a large, nonstick saute pan, over medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil. When oil is almost shimmering, add the shallots and apples. Cook for about 5 minutes until apples and shallots are softened a bit. Then stir in the honey, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 cup water and 2 tablespoons vinegar. Cook for 10-15 minutes until apples and shallots start to caramelize and are softened. Then add the remaining 1/2 cup water and 2 tablespoons vinegar and stir together for about 20 seconds to loosen the sauce.
Remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon over chicken breasts and enjoy!

http://elizabethshome.com/chicken-breasts-turmeric-apples-shallots/

Thai Peanut Curry Chicken

January 16, 2014 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

Tender bites of chicken surrounded by baby corn, crunchy water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots, covered in a light coconut peanut curry sauce. This recipe brings “take-out” from your stove to your table.

Do you remember the movie LOL starring Miley Cyrus? Well, honestly the only reason that I was excited to see it was because they filmed parts of it in my hometown and at my old high school! I wasn’t the biggest fan of the movie (it was horrible), but I did love seeing the old hallways and classrooms of my high school. It’s not everyday they film a movie in your hometown, or at least mine.

While they were here filming, the word around town was that Miley Cyrus visited our favorite Thai restaurant TWICE while she was here! If Miley likes it, it must be good! (lol) But honestly, Andrew and I have had a number of great meals there, and of course found a family favorite that we all seem to go back for. Our favorite there is the “Curry Peanut with Chicken”. It has chicken, baby corn, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots in a peanut curry sauce. It’s pretty darn delicious.

It became such a hit around here that one day I decided to put my chef’s hat on and get creative. I mean, why not try and create your favorite restaurant meal at home? I have been working on perfecting this recipe for a while, and now I am finally happy with it!

I just made this again the other night and we devoured it. The boys even loved it too. The peanut butter, curry and coconut sauce combined with the chicken and variety of veggies really make this dish something special.

Thai Peanut Curry Chicken

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

Yield: Serves 3-4

Thai Peanut Curry Chicken

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
1 (8 ounce) can sliced bamboo shoots, rinsed and drained and cut into match-sticks (cut in thirds the long way)
1 (15 ounce) can baby corn spears, rinsed and drained (cut into thirds)
2 (14 ounce) cans light coconut milk (NOT sweetened)
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1/4 cup natural creamy peanut butter
4 teaspoons sugar
4 teaspoons fish sauce
2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 medium onion, halved then cut into thin slices (about 1 1/2 cups sliced onion)
3 cloves minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Slice chicken breasts very thin, into strips about 1/4" thick. Put in bowl and toss with salt and pepper, and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Rinse, drain, and cut water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, and baby corn as mentioned above, and combine in a small bowl and set aside.
In a medium sauce pan, heat coconut milk, curry paste, peanut butter, sugar, and fish sauce over low heat until they come to a very small boil. Set aside and cool for a few minutes, then whisk in the cornstarch to thicken.
In a large non-stick frying pan, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil until hot, then add the onion and cook until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove onion and garlic from pan, into a clean bowl, and set aside. Using the now empty pan, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil, and then add the chicken and stir-fry until cooked through.
Now add the water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, baby corn and onion and garlic to the chicken mixture. Stir together and warm for about 2 minutes. Then add the sauce and stir, and heat for a few more minutes until everything is hot. Serve over white or brown rice.

http://elizabethshome.com/thai-peanut-curry-chicken/

Chicken Piccata & Announcement

January 9, 2014 by Elizabeth 6 Comments

Lightly sautéed chicken breasts, in a lemon-butter sauce with capers and parsley. Served over a lovely side of perfectly cooked pasta. Chicken piccata used to be a dish that I overlooked, and clearly did not appreciate enough. Who knew that boring chicken breasts could be transformed into something so wonderful?

I just made this recipe for Andrew and I on one of the coldest nights that Michigan has seen in a LONG time! I loved creating this restaurant-quality, date-night dinner for us on a Monday night.

When I started brainstorming this recipe, I remember asking Andrew if he liked chicken piccata. His underwhelming response was, “Um, I guess”. Not exactly what I wanted to hear from a big part of my audience, but I decided to go through with it anyway, in case he was mistaken on his likes. Well, let me just be the one to say that after taking his very first bite of this dish, his new answer was, “YES! I LOVE chicken piccata!” You can’t blame the guy for being honest. That’s definitely one of the things I love about him. 🙂

And speaking of Andrew, we have a little news for you. We’re expecting another baby in June!!! Yep, baby #3 is on the way! We have been so excited ever since we found out in late September, and now we are equally excited that we get to share our news with you! We just went to the doctor today for our big ultrasound. They checked the baby and everything looks great so far! We even found out the baby’s gender.

Drum-role please…..

Baby number three is a……

BOY!

That will make THREE boys for our little family! We couldn’t be happier!

Chicken Piccata

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

Yield: 4 servings

Chicken Piccata

Ingredients

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 1/2 lemons)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Lay chicken breasts flat on cutting board, and slice in half to create thin cutlets. Pat dry with paper towel and season both sides with salt and pepper.
Spread the flour in a shallow dish. Then dredge cutlets in flour to coat, shaking off any excess.
In a large non-stick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering. Add four of the cutlets and cook for about 5-7 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and lightly cover with foil. Repeat with the remaining oil and cutlets.
Using the same skillet, and the brown bits and oil that remain, add the garlic and shallot to the pan and cook over medium heat until softened, about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the broth and sherry and simmer for about 8 minutes, until broth has thickened a bit.
Stir in the lemon juice, capers, and any chicken juice from the plate. Turning the heat to low, whisk in the butter, one third at a time. Remove pan from heat and stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
When ready to serve, spoon the sauce over the chicken. Serve with pasta, especially fettuccine or thin spaghetti.

http://elizabethshome.com/chicken-piccata/

White Chicken Enchiladas

December 29, 2013 by Elizabeth Leave a Comment

My husband found an idea for these about two years ago on Pinterest and had been asking me to make them. While red enchiladas are not my favorite thing to eat, I was very curious about white ones. For Valentine’s Day 2012, I surprised him with these very very yummy white chicken enchiladas. They were delicious! Of course, I took the original recipe, and gave it a little make-over. Because, well, that’s what I love to do 😉

Incase you’re wondering, “So, how are these better than the Pinterest ones?” Here’s how:

My biggest addition was adding an onion! Yes, it is sooo needed in these.
Next, I added a bit more cheese on top, as well as inside the tortillas.
I also added a little bit of pepper jack cheese to give them an extra kick.
My favorite little sneaky swap was using reduced-fat sour cream instead of regular.
I also opted for low-sodium chicken broth.

So, a few health-conscious substitutions, a bit more cheesy goodness, and a little more punch. What’s not to love?!

I just made these again tonight for our little Saturday date-night at home, and let’s just say they were a very well-deserved treat after a busy day. We served them with a great fresh salsa that Andrew picked up from Costco, called Jack’s Special Medium Salsa by Garden Fresh Gourmet. We really enjoyed this salsa and thought it paired well with these enchiladas.

Go grab your favorite salsa, and give these White Chicken Enchiladas a try! And let me know what you think 🙂

White Chicken Enchiladas

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

White Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients

1 small onion, diced
3 1/2 tablespoons butter
10 soft taco shells (flour)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken*
3 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 (4 oz) can diced green chillies, drained

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
In a medium sauce pan, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter, then add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened but not browned, 3 or 4 minutes. Transfer onion to a medium sized mixing bowl, and set aside.
Rinse and dry sauce pan, and return to stove. Then melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and whisk in flour and cook for about 1 minute. Gradually add the broth and whisk until smooth. Warm over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and chilies. Season with salt and pepper. (Do not boil.)
Add the chicken, 1 1/2 cups monterey jack cheese, and pepper jack to the mixing bowl with the onions and stir together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place a scoop (about 1/10th) of the filling in each tortilla, roll up tightly and place seem-side down in pan.
Pour sauce over enchiladas and top with remaining cheese.
Bake for 22 minutes and then broil for 3 minutes to brown the cheese. Serve with salsa or picante sauce on the side.

Notes

*The best way to cook the chicken is in a large nonstick skillet, coated with cooking spray, or about 1-2 teaspoons oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper, and cook until chicken is cooked through, and no longer pink, about 7 minutes per side. Then transfer to a clean plate and let cool. When cool enough to handle, pull chicken apart by hand, and shred.

http://elizabethshome.com/white-chicken-enchiladas/