Poppy Seed Chicken

I think every wife/mother/woman out there (including me) is aways looking for a new recipe for chicken. I am continually getting bored with the same old chicken dishes. Well this is a recipe that you may not have tried before.

Okay okay... So I will admit. I'm kind of a casserole addict!

They're just so easy and there are too many yummy ones! So it's not my fault.

This recipe can be prepared in 20 minutes or less! Who could ask for more than that? And again, it's a casserole so it's a snap to put together and you probably already have everything you need!

After I had my baby girl, one of my sweet neighbors brought us dinner. My husband and I fell in love with it! We never got the chance to get the recipe from her before we moved. But as I was browsing my Taste of Homes Casserole book I saw this recipe. It just so happened to be the same yummy dinner our neighbor brought us! I just had to make it!

I just love the crisp poppy seeds and crunchy crackers. It really makes this dinner absolutely delicious! I hope everyone enjoys this one.

 

 

Poppy Seed Chicken
Adapted from Taste of Home Casserole Book
Serves 6

3 cup cubed cooked chicken breast
2 cans (10-3/4 oz. each) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup (8oz.) reduced-fat sour cream
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
2 cups crushed reduced-fat Club Crackers
1/4 cup reduced-fat butter, melted
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Hot cooked rice or noodles (optional)

1. In large bowl, combine the chicken, soup, sour cream and poppy seeds In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs and butter; set aside 1 cup for topping. Stir remaining crumbs into chicken mixture.
2. Transfer to an 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with reserved crumbs; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly.
3. Serve alone or on top of hot cooked rice or noodles.

Greek Chicken Nachos

 

I have been a brave one lately.

 

Normally I wouldn't even give this recipe a second glance but for some reason I decided to give it a go. Guess what? It's awesome! Of course it's good; it came out of the Taste of Home Casserole book. Everything I've made in there has been super delicious!

 

The best things about a casserole is

1. You can feed your whole family. (Or eat leftovers for 3 days)

2. They're usually pretty simple to assemble.

3. You most likely already have everything you need in your fridge and cupboard.

 

This casserole has the taste and texture of regular nachos but with a Greek flair! Feta cheese, hummus, tomatoes, olives; yes please!

I hope you all will try this. Don't be intimidated! It's really simple and so so so yummy! It's so much fun trying something new! 

 

 

 

Greek Chicken Nachos
Adapted from Taste of Home casserole book

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, marinated
2 (15 oz.) cans garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
4 cups coarsely crushed tortilla chips
1 (4 z.) package crumbled tomato and basil or plain feta cheese
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup black olives, chopped
2 cups (8 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Marinade
Juice of 1 lemon or 1/4 cup lemon juice
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. ground black pepper
Salt

1. Make sure chicken is thawed. In a shallow glass baking dish, combine fresh lemon juice with olive oil, garlic and black pepper. Mix together with a fork.
2. Place chicken breasts in the dish and turn several times to coat. Let mixture sit for 30 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes, sprinkle chicken breasts with salt. Cook on medium to high heat until cooked all the way through.
4. Meanwhile, place the garbanzo beans and salad dressing in a food processor; cover and process until smooth. Dice chicken. In an ungreased 13-in x 9-in. baking dish, layer half of the bean mixture, tortilla chips, chicken, feta cheese, tomatoes, olives and mozzarella cheese. Repeat the layers.
5. Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.  

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup

For the most part, I really dislike winter time. Mostly because it's freezing and you have to bundle up EVERY time you go outside. Long gone are the days of going out in a short sleeve shirt. Hmm... I miss spring and summer already! The one thing I DO like about winter is all the delicious warm meals that we get to enjoy. Soups, in particular, are the best lunch and dinner when your toes are frozen!

If you make anything in your slow cooker this week, it has to be this soup!

Dinner cannot get any simpler than this. This is my go-to recipe that I've made over and over again. My husband gets so excited when I made this soup and I get so excited because it's so easy! 

Most of the ingredients are probably in your pantry right now.

So let's get cooking! 

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Soup
Adapted from allrecipies.com

1 onion, chopped
1 (16 oz.) can kidney beans
1 (15 oz.) can black beans
1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn,drained
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water
2 (4 oz.) cans diced green chilies
1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (1.25 oz.) package taco seasoning
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Sour cream (optional)
Crushed tortilla chips (optional)

1. Place the onion, kidney beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, green chilies and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker on low heat, cover and cook for 5 hours.
2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips if desired.

Spanish Chicken & Potato Roast

This is a beautiful dish for a bargain! 

Buying chicken thighs can save so much money. I bought a package at Smith's for $5! That would feed a family of four easily. The seasoning is so simple but it has such a wonderful flavor! It's amazing what a few ordinary ingredients will do for chicken and potatoes. Paired with a green salad, it's the perfect Sunday meal!

Spanish Chicken & Potato Roast

Recipe adapted from foodnetwork.com

1 1/2 lbs. large Yukon gold potatoes, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces

4 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

1 1/2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken thighs (5 to 6 pieces)

2 tsp. smoked paprika

Freshly smoked pepper

4 Tbsp. roughly chopped fresh parsley or 4 tsp. dry parsley

1 lemon, juiced

2 large or 3 medium red onions, halved and thinly sliced

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Place a large cast-iron baking dish or a rimmed baking sheet on the rack and preheat to 500 degrees F. Put the potatoes, garlic, olive oil, 1 tablespoon water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large microwave-safe baking dish and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap, pierce the plastic in a few places with a knife and microwave 8 minutes to partially cook.

Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry and transfer to a bowl. Sprinkle with the paprika, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Add 2 tablespoons parsley (or 2 tsp. dried) and the lemon juice; toss to coat. Set aside.

Remove the hot baking dish from the oven; carefully add the potatoes and spread in an even layer. Scatter the onions on top. Roast until the potatoes start to brown, about 12 minutes.

Flip the potatoes and lay the chicken pieces on top, adding any accumulated juices from the bowl; return to the oven and roast until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 12 more minutes. Remove from the oven and top with the remaining 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (or 2 tsp. dried).

Preparing the chicken.

Adding the chicken with the potatoes and onions.