Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake

I found this recipe on beyondthechickencoop.com and made some minor adjustments. The homemade pepper jack cheese sauce makes this a keeper and it’s flexible so add whatever you do like or take away anything you don’t. I doubled the garlic which is already reflected below. And I marinated my chicken in Italian seasonings, onion & garlic powder, lemon and olive oil for 30 min before grilling or sauteing in  a pan. I also added mushrooms but may not always for the mushroom haters. I didn’t bake it for the 20-30 minutes since everything was cooked through, just added a little parm & mozz on top then broiled. 

 

8 ounces penne pasta (whole wheat penne worked nicely too)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons flour

2-3 clove garlic minced (this is doubled from original recipe)

2 cups milk whole milk (Used 1 or 2% which is fine)

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

⅛ teaspoon Italian seasoning

4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese shredded, about 2 cups (can add mozzarella too)

¼ cup Parmesan cheese shredded

1 cup Mozzarella (if using in the mixture and on top like I did)

2 cups cooked chicken chopped (breasts or thighs work well)

1 cup canned diced tomatoes 15 oz can, drained

Topping

¼ cup Parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley chopped, optional

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well. In a sauce pan over medium heat combine oil and flour. Stir for 2-3 minutes. Add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Whisk in milk. Continue cooking over medium low heat, stirring often. Add seasoning. When milk begins to simmer, it will begin to thicken. Do not boil. Turn heat off and whisk in Monterey Jack cheese and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese. Fold in tomatoes and chicken gently. Add cooked and drained pasta and fold gently until covered with cheese sauce. Spray a 2 quart (8x11") casserole dish with a non-stick spray. Add pasta mixture. Top with remaining ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and mozzarella. Bake uncovered in a preheated 400° oven for 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbly. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Add chopped parsley before serving.

Chicken Bacon Ranch Sliders

Wow, what a treat! These were OUTSTANDING. 4 people gave them a 2 thumbs up. I adapted these from Alyssa Cooley's FB page & made quite a few changes. Her recipe description and picture did not add up at all because she mixed shredded chicken with bacon, ranch & parm and then spread it on the rolls yet the pictures showed a layered scene so I used it as a guide only and went with my cooking intuition. I also decided to cook seasoned chicken thighs which are so much more tender. Just do a search on her page if you want to see original. 

4-5 boneless skinless chicken thighs

Salt, pepper, garlic & onion powder
1 cup Ranch dressing
1 pkg bacon, cooked & torn into large pieces
3-6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
18 Hawaiian sweet rolls
1- 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13 baking pan and place the bottom half of the sliced Hawaiian rolls inside. Or use a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. 

In a small bowl, mix the melted butter with garlic powder. 

Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper, garlic & onion powder. Let sit on counter for 1/2 hr. This will allow even cooking. Heat a little olive oil in same pan as the bacon was cooked in. Cook chicken on each side for about 6 min until cooked through. Rough chop/shred.

Place the bacon pieces all over the bottom half of rolls. They should mostly cover every part without overlapping too much. Scatter the shredded parmesan cheese over bacon. Place chicken pieces all over parm. Drizzle ranch with a spoon. I made sure every roll had a nice amount but it was not drenched. 

Then scatter the cheddar cheese. Place the top half of rolls on top. Then brush the garlic butter over the top of the rolls.

Loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the sliders are heated through.

A little progress pics below.

 

Thai Honey Chicken Skewers

This is a wonderful light appetizer I made just recently for Labor Day weekend 2024 alongside a dip, since our main meal was skirt steak with some heavy sides. Everyone was surprised at how much flavor these chicken skewers had. The dry rub along with the marinade ensures a great visit to Flavortown!  

Chicken

1 lb chicken breast, cut into strips or use chx tenderloins
2 teaspoons Chinese 5-spice
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon honey 
2 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of one lime
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Chopped fresh cilantro & lime wedges for garnish

Sriracha Mayo

3 tablespoons mayo
3 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 teaspoon lemon/lime juice
Ground black pepper to taste

Toss chicken with the five-spice, cayenne pepper, salt & pepper.

In a small bowl combine honey, olive oil and lime juice. Toss chicken with marinade and put in refrigerator for at least 15 minutes (I marinate overnight for fullest flavor).

For Sriracha mayo, combine mayo, Greek yogurt, Sriracha, lime juice and pepper and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside. 

Soak 6-8" skewers in water for an hour. Then skewer chicken.

Heat a grill to medium-high and cook chicken until nicely seared, about 3 minutes per side, depending how thin the chicken. Transfer to a plate, scatter with sesame seeds & fresh cilantro. Serve with lime wedges & Sriracha mayo on the side.

Chicken Tequila Burgers

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & minced
1 lb ground chicken
3-4 tbsp. cilantro
Zest of ½-1 lime
1 1/2 oz. tequila
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs
Sea salt & pepper to taste
Provolone cheese

French hamburger buns

Blue Plate light mayo

Lettuce & tomato
Tortilla strips

In a bowl, mix the ground chicken, garlic and jalapeño. Add the fresh cilantro, lime zest, tequila, soy sauce, breadcrumbs, salt & pepper. Form 4 patties. I put mine on wax paper and in the freezer for about 20 minutes to keep them from falling apart on the grill. Grill on medium heat for 4-5 minutes each side.

Butter & grill hamburger buns for about a minute until they are nice and toasty. Top with patties, provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato and tortilla strips. 

{Food for thought}

We have tried these with peppers and onions but found they overwhelmed the burger too much. Lettuce and tomato is simple, adds texture and coolness to offset the kick in the burgers. Add a little tortilla strips for a little crunch if you'd like.

Melt In Your Mouth Chicken

This is all over the internet under the name "Melt In Your Mouth Chicken" and as much as this is a wonderful & quick way to make chicken for the convenient weekday meal, the chicken doesn't really melt in your mouth. Perhaps it does with the original recipe which calls for mayo instead of the yogurt but this is the healthy version that is also popular. Still, the hubs really enjoyed it and I don't want to lose track of it. I also made a variation or two, noted below.

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{Printable Recipe Here}

1/2 c parmesan cheese

1 c Greek yogurt -plain
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp seasoning salt
1/2 tsp pepper

4 chicken breasts

Combine the first  5 ingredients and spread all over chicken breasts. Bake at 375 for about a half hour. Check for doneness. 

Food for Thought

My variation includes not measuring precisely on the garlic powder as I like to be very liberal with it. I also add  some Italian seasonings to each breast & on occasion, breadcrumbs. If using breadcrumbs, I like to throw chicken under the broiler for a couple minutes to brown nicely.

Goes wonderfully with Parmesan Crusted Potatoes.

Chicken Pasta Primavera in a White Wine Garlic Cream Sauce

Inspired by a meal the hubs had while traveling out of town, of all places, a Hilton Garden Inn. After explaining what he had I put together this creation and he loved it. 

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

1 lb skinless boneless chicken breasts

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Italian Seasoning

Olive oil

3-4 garlic cloves, minced

8oz pkg sliced mushrooms

1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin

1 small Vidalia onion, sliced thin

White wine, such as Chardonnay, 500ml, about 3 glasses.

½ can of low sodium chicken broth

1 tblsp cornstarch mixed with about ¼ c water

A few bunches of fresh spinach, sliced

1 lb of fettucine or favorite pasta

Splash of cream (a little less then 1/4 c)

Fresh parmesan cheese

Shaved almonds (for garnish, optional)

Place chicken between 2 pieces of wax paper. With a mallet, flatten out chicken just to uniform thickness. This helps the chicken cook evenly as well as come out tender. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder & Italian seasoning. Let sit at room temp for ½ hour (my number one rule when cooking or grilling any meat).

Heat up water to boil for the pasta so you don’t have to at last minute. Heat a little olive oil in large sauté pan. Heat garlic until fragrant. Add the vegetables except for spinach and sauté until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Remove & set aside. Heat a little more olive oil in same pan. Add chicken breasts & cook over medium high heat for about 5 minutes per side. Set aside on plate to rest so all juices return to center.

Your pasta should be up to a boil now.

Your pan should be nice & brown. This is when you deglaze the pan to get up all that goodness. Pour in the wine & chicken broth & scrape up all the brown bits. Heat to a boil.  Meanwhile, slice the chicken on a thin slant.

Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the wine broth mixture & let it continue to boil for a minute or two. This is to thicken liquid just a little although this is not a very thick sauce. Add the cream, salt & pepper to taste. Add in the veggies, sliced chicken & spinach. Allow to heat through for a minute. Lower heat and add your pasta. Toss until thoroughly coated. Add some fresh parmesan cheese.

Garnish with shaved almonds and serve with more parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

Food for Thought

Use any pasta you'd like. Our fav for this dish is fettucine. Also, feel free to use the frozen pkg of bell peppers & onions for the veggies. This includes green & red pepper. You can add a little butter to the sauce to make it a little richer. It just depends on how healthy you want to keep it. I omitted the butter and it was just as good. This dish is even better the next day!

Chicken & Mushrooms in a Light White Wine Garlic Sauce

{ Printable Recipe Here }

1 pkg medium egg noodles

1 to 1 1/4 lbs skinless, boneless chicken, cut into 1 inch pieces

4 tblsp whole grain brown rice flour

Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder

3-4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2-3 large cloves garlic, minced

16oz freshly sliced mushrooms

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 tsp tarragon

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Red pepper flakes (optional)

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain & keep warm.

Place chicken in a shallow dish. Combine 3 tablespoons flour, a little salt, pepper & garlic powder, stirring well with a whisk. Sprinkle flour mixture over chicken; toss to coat.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Add remaining 1-2 tablespoons oil to pan. Add garlic, tarragon & mushrooms to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until liquid evaporates & mushrooms darken. Add white wine to pan; cook 1 minute. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, a little salt and pepper; cook 1 minute or until slightly thick, stirring frequently.

Return chicken to the pan. Cover and simmer 2 minutes. Uncover. Stir in noodles & cook 1 minute until thoroughly heated.

Serves about 6.

{Food for Thought}

This is not a saucy dish but everything is nicely coated with the wine/broth mixture. Some are not fans of tarragon but I highly recommend using it as it really lends something nice to the dish. I also loved the little kick from the red pepper flakes. I used Sauvignon Blanc for the wine & a mixture of cremini and white buttons for the mushrooms and wouldn't change a thing. I chose to use whole grain flour to healthify the dish further & it was wonderful. You could go even further by using whole grain pasta. I didn't because some people in the family don't enjoy it as I do.

Braised Paprika Chicken

Healthier dinners like the one below have helped me keep a good attitude along with doing the treadmill in the early morning. With sour cream being the only naughty ingredient, I get a satisfying meal but without the guilt. And I love how the sour cream helps to make the sauce a light but creamy one!

I have also become such a huge fan of the sweet Hungarian paprika in this dish, thanks to my amazing blogger turned real life friend Kacey. I am even visiting her & her family for the first time in just a few weeks. She once sent me a recipe where I needed to have this kind & only this kind of paprika. So don't skimp on it. It's worth it!!!!!

I re-wrote the recipe here since I made quite a few changes to this dish, making it lighter & faster by skipping the butter & using boneless chicken tenders instead of bone in chicken pieces, thereby cutting the cooking time in half.

BRAISED PAPRIKA CHICKEN  Adapted from Eating Well         

{ Printable Recipe Here }

1 1/2-2 lbs boneless chicken tenders

3/4 tsp coarse salt, divided

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tblsp olive oil
1 chopped red bell pepper
1 chopped green bell pepper
Pinch of sugar
16 oz pkg mushrooms
2 tblsp tomato paste
2 tblsp sweet paprika
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tblsp all-purpose flour
Dried parsley for garnish

S eason chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt & pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add bell peppers, mushrooms & sprinkle with sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies are soft & light brown. Stir in tomato paste, paprika & crushed red pepper.

A dd the chicken & stir it gently into the veggie mixture. Sprinkle with marjoram & add broth. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid or foil & simmer over medium-low heat until the chicken is very tender, about 20 minutes.

A t the 15 min mark, just before the chicken is done, whisk sour cream, flour & the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until smooth. Stir the sour cream mixture into the sauce; return to a simmer & cook, stirring, until the sauce coats the spoon. This will make the 20 minutes cooking time for the chicken. Serve garnished with parsley, dill and/or chives, if desired.

{ Food for Thought }

The original recipe called for 3 1/2 lbs of bone in chicken pieces, Canola oil instead of olive oil, the addition of butter & 4 cups of onions. I love onions but they bother some people in the family so I took them out altogether & have been since. I also upped the bell peppers & added mushrooms.

A little thought: recipes call for diced veggies often but in dishes like this I love to actually see the veggies so I just do a rough chop. It looks pretty & it saves on time!!!!!!

Chicken Piccata - Healthy Makeover

Hello everyone & Happy Friday!!!!!!!!!!! And I am definitely happy today, especially after a few days of going on the treadmill in the early morning before work. It's a perfect way to start the day on a good note.

It's been a while since I have done a Not So Fat Friday. If you look at my side categories on the right you'll see there are plenty more healthy recipes under this name. However, I do need to re-label as Recipes - Not So Fat Fridays but for now just go to the N's for Not So Fat Friday.

This dish was so light, fresh & just a little lemony & perfectly filling & I love having my whole grain pasta without the guilt.

CHICKEN PICCATA - HEALTHY MAKEOVER from Eating Well

{ Click for Printable Recipe }

6 oz whole grain angel hair pasta
1/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 chicken cutlets, (3/4-1 pound total), trimmed
3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 10-oz pkg mushrooms, sliced
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
2 tblsp lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tblsp capers, rinsed
2 tsp butter (optional)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta & cook until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes or according to package directions. Drain & rinse.

Meanwhile, whisk 5 teaspoons flour & broth in a small bowl until smooth. Place the remaining flour in a shallow dish. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt & pepper & dredge both sides in the flour. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken & cook until browned & no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; cover & keep warm.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms & cook, stirring, until they release their juices & begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add garlic & wine to the pan & cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved broth-flour mixture, lemon juice & the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer & cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes.

Stir in parsley, capers, butter & the reserved mushrooms. Measure out 1/2 cup of the mushroom sauce. Toss the pasta in the pan with the remaining sauce. Serve the pasta topped with the chicken and the reserved sauce.

{ Food for Thought }

Although I've never been a caper fan I loved them in this dish. I had them in the pantry so I wanted to use them up. If you don't want to go that route then this dish would be just as good without. I also didn't bother measuring out the sauce at the end. I just put the chicken back in with the sauce to warm through & served it all over the pasta on a large serving platter.

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I will definitely be getting around today & the next few days to catch up. I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!!!!!

Coming soon: a Banana Nutella Open Galette I recently created.

Bourbon Chicken

I am still behind in reciprocating visits from my SITS day so I've minimized my posting until I'm caught up. I do have a special treat on Friday which involves a wine & cheese party for you & an amazing apple gallette. I am excited so make sure to check in.

In other food news, this dish was wonderful served over Jasmine rice, one of my favorites! While it tasted a little different & healthier than the restaurant version, it was delicious. I will make it again but with the addition of some red bell peppers. Quick & easy yet truly satisfying for a weeknight meal. Since I love cooking with alcohol, I was disappointed to see no bourbon in this but feel free to add about 2 tblsp if you're looking for authenticity.

BOURBON CHICKEN

{Printable Recipe}

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1-2 tblsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 tsp dried ground ginger
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tblsp ketchup
1 tblsp cider vinegar
1/3 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tblsp cornstarch/1 tblsp water mixed (if needed)

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add chicken & cook until lightly browned. Remove chicken from skillet. Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium heat until well mixed and dissolved.

Add chicken and bring to a hard boil.


Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. If you prefer a thicker sauce, add the cornstarch/water mixture to reach desired consistency. Serve over hot rice, if desired.

{Food for Thought}

A MUST for me when making this again is to add some red bell peppers. They'll add another dimension to the flavor as well as a crunchy texture, all while enhancing the looks of this dish! Also, you can add 2 tblsp bourbon to the sauce if you prefer.

I lost my source for this recipe, another blog, so if it's yours let me know & I will link you. I have gotten in the habit of emailing recipes to myself so they show up on my iphone, this way I can shop for the ingredients straight from my phone. UPDATED: Thank you, Bake It After All

Whole Chicken in a Crockpot & Asian Inspired Asparagus

I invited my parents over for an easy mid-week dinner before they were heading up North for a few days. I wanted to make an effort without taking up too much time since I work all day. I had a whole chicken in the freezer so I researched putting one in a crockpot & this is what I found. It paired perfectly with Jasmine rice as well as some asparagus I put my own little Asian twist on.

And since I have missed joining Angie at 7 Seven Clown Circus since minimizing posts, I am pimpin' my recipe out to WW. After all, it's still a pic with a whole lotta words. Plus, you're bound to get hungry after hopping around Wordful Wednesday!

It was fall of the bone good!!!!!

WHOLE CHICKEN IN A CROCKPOT

{Printable Recipe}

1 (3 pound) whole chicken, skin removed
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sesame oil
2 tblsp minced garlic



Remove skin from chicken & empty inner cavity of contents within. Pat chicken dry with a paper towel & and place inside the slow cooker.

In a bowl, stir together the chicken broth, soy sauce, olive oil, honey, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, sesame oil & minced garlic. Pour mixture over chicken & cover.

Cook chicken on low setting for 8 hours, or 4 hours on high setting.

ASIAN INSPIRED ASPARAGUS

{Printable Recipe}


2 tsp sesame oil
1 pkg fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
Ground ginger
2 tblsp soy sauce
1 tsp Chili garlic sauce
A dash or two red pepper flakes (optional)

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add asparagus & toss for a minute or two. Add garlic & cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. If pan becomes dry, just add a little water. As soon as the steam rises, cover asparagus & cook over low heat, tossing occasionally, until it reaches your desired doneness. Tender with a little crisp took about 10-15 minutes over low heat.

{Food for Thought}

This asparagus definitely had a kick to it which is always welcome in my house but omit the red pepper flakes if you don't enjoy the heat.

This deliciousness is linked to:

Tempt My Tummy Tuesdays &

Crockpot Wednesdays &

Wordful Wednesdays &

Feels Like Home

Baked Chicken & Mushrooms

My son's 6th birthday ~ Spongebob Bikini Bottom pool party ~ is tomorrow!! I have been planning, crafting, researching, taste testing, scheming, glueing, taping, drawing, organizing, cleaning & ordering, up the wazoo, for the last 30 days. And now it's actually here. What ever will I do when it's over?

Maybe get back to cooking more!! I used to have a backlog of tried recipes waiting to get their time here but I have just about run out. So, by next week I hope to be back in full force.

{I will also be posting all the deets on the party & hosting a giveaway (my 2nd ever) for all of the Spongebob birthday supplies, purchased & crafted, for anyone who has a Spongebob lovin' boy}

For now, here is something easy, a recipe I adapted from Taste of Home.

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tblsp olive oil
1/2 cup sherry or chicken broth
5 green onions, chopped
2 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Arrange chicken in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, saute mushrooms in butter for 5 minutes. Add the sherry or broth, green onions, garlic, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil. Pour over chicken.

Bake 10-15 minutes longer or until a meat is cooked through. Top with cheese. Bake for 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Yield: 6 servings.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

And I love this shot of the steam fogging up my camera.


{Food for Thought}
Anything can be subbed here if you don't like mushrooms or scallions. Just use green pepper & vidalia onion instead. This would be great over rice too but I just LOVE slicing potatoes thinly & pan frying them in just 1 tblsp of olive oil for about 25-30 minutes over medium heat, adding in all my favorite spices like garlic, tuscan seasoning, a little oregano & some parmesan cheese.

Have a great weekend everyone. What will YOU be doing?

Greek Chicken & Pasta Salad

Another weekend is here & after a long work week nothing pleases me more. I made this salad last weekend & enjoyed it for lunch many days after. I originally enjoyed this at my girlfriend Tammy's house & knew I had to make it. It's not so fattening for today's Not So Fat Friday.

1 pkg Carved Chicken Breast, Original Roasted
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 6oz jar marinated quartered artichoke hearts, drained & coarsely chopped
1/2 medium cucumber, quartered lengthwise, seeded & cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, drained & halved
1/3 cup coarsely chopped red onion
1 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese
Freshly ground pepper for garnish

For the pasta:
6 ounces (2 cups) penne pasta

For the dressing:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tblsp finely chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 tsp pepper, or to taste
1/8 tsp salt, or to taste

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Meanwhile, whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the chicken, tomatoes, artichokes, cucumber, olives, onion & feta cheese. When the pasta is done, drain well. Rinse with cool water; drain again. Add to the salad mixture & toss. Taste & adjust the seasoning.

{Food for Thought}

I don't like using already packaged cooked meat because of the sodium levels so I used rotisserie chicken instead. To make this even healthier, using whole grain pasta is ideal.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

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I also want to share some before & after photos of the master bathroom that we have been renovating for the past 2 weeks. There were 16 tracking lights above the mirror, the kind that you see in theatre makeup rooms. They not only gave off so much heat but they were a pain to clean. Who needs that many. So, I am thrilled to have gotten rid of them as well as the old gold trim mirror.

We had taken down the old gold trim shower door a long time ago & temporarily put in a curtain.

The shower tiles were also re-done & we're currently waiting on our frameless shower door to arrive. I see my oasis awaiting after I get out of the kitchen!

Margarita Chicken

Don't let the bad photos fool you, this chicken was great!!!!! I had just cleaned out my grill earlier in the day so it was hotter than I expected & "seared" my chicken just a tad too much. But the flavors from the marinade really infused the chicken nicely. Bone-in chicken breasts aren't my favorite so I am really looking forward to trying this again with thighs, legs & even boneless chicken breasts.

Perfect for a summer eve's dinner, perhaps with a real margarita on the side!

4 bone-in chicken breast halves
1 10oz can frozen margarita mix, thawed
2/3 cup tequila
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tblspn chicken seasoning (McCormick Grill Mates)

Rinse chicken with water & pat dry. For marinade, combine margarita mix, tequila, cilantro & chicken seasoning. Pour over chicken in a zip-top bag. Squeeze air out of bag & seal. Gently massage bag to coat chicken. Marinate in fridge for 1-2 hours.

Remove chicken from fridge & let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes Heat grill to 350-400. Oil grate when ready to start cooking. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard marinade. Grill chicken for about 18 minutes on each side.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

I also wanted to share a photo of the pantry after we had the bifold door braced, making it open like a regular door, & shelves put up on the back of it for extra space. If you have a small pantry with bifold doors, contact your handyman, even if he's your hubs. This is easily done & totally makes life easier.

For more Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, please visit Blessed with Grace!

Wok Seared Chicken with Asparagus

The weekend is here & that's a beautiful thing. I hope everyone enjoys theirs. For me, there will be sunning & swimming on the homefront with a few meals thrown in as well as a minor home renovation I am very excited about.

We have one of those bi-fold pantry doors & the pantry is not very large. When the door is open it feels like it's taking up half the space to access the closet. So, we have someone coming in to brace the door, making it like a regular one. Then we'll also be able to put shelves on the door to create more space. Hey, sometimes it's the little things that make me happy.

Onto something else that made me pleased. I found this East meets West dish on Eating Well's site. It's delicious & really satisfies the craving for pasta without feeling guilty as well as fill the protein & veggie need.

1 tblsp toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 lbs fresh asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
4 scallions, trimmed & cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tblsp minced fresh ginger
1 tblsp oyster-flavored sauce
1 tsp chile-garlic sauce
1/4 cup shelled salted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add asparagus; cook, stirring, for 2-4 minutes, depending on how soft you like your asparagus. Add chicken; cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Stir in scallions, ginger, oyster sauce & chile-garlic sauce; cook, stirring, until the chicken is cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in pistachios & serve immediately. Makes 4 servings

{Food for Thought}

Regular sesame oil as opposed to toasted works just fine. I also did not use fresh ginger so I sprinkled it a few times. No exact measurement. I served this over whole grain thin spaghetti & once I added the pasta to the hot pan I also added just a little pasta water to help bind it all together.

{Click Here to Print Recipe}

Have a great weekend everyone!!!!! I'll be coming around to cath with you for sure.

Baked Ziti with Chicken & Spinach

This may not be fat free but it’s definitely a lighter version of most cheesy baked ziti dishes & without all the labor involved. I picked a recipe from my sidebar where I keep fellow bloggers’ recipes but I decided to re-vamp it a bit. I still really like the idea of hers, where she purees artichoke hearts & adds it to the sauce so I may try that next time. See here for the original. As for my version, it needs just a tad improvement but I wanted to catalog it since it really satisifies a craving for baked ziti without all the guilt.


8-16 ounces whole grain penne with fiber
1 tblsp olive oil
2 large boneless & skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz bag fresh baby spinach
3 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup 1% milk
3 tblsp Classico tomato pesto
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese
Crushed red pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta, drain & set aside. Heat olive oil in a pan. Saute chicken pieces a few minutes & then add onion & garlic. Cook for a few minutes until almost cooked through. Add spinach & cook until wilted. Place mixture in bowl & set aside.


In the same skillet, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in the flour until golden. Add milk & whisk until smooth. Add the pesto & blend until smooth. In a large mixing bowl toss the pasta, chicken mixture & sauce mixture with the Parmesan cheese & mix well. Pour into a greased 9x9 casserole. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake about 30 minutes. Serve with a little crushed red pepper & parmesan cheese.

{Food for Thought}

While I really enjoyed this, I would have liked a little more of a saucy feel but without the fat. So doubling the butter & flour is not an option. Maybe adding some chicken broth flavored with roasted garlic may do the trick next time or adding the pureed artichoke hearts from the original recipe. This was nice served with some whole wheat bread, brushed with a little olive oil, garlic powder & Tuscan seasonings then broiled for about 3 minutes.

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I hope everyone has a wonderful 4th! If you're looking for a great dessert to make, check out these mini cheesecake tarts from Paula Deen. I make them whenever I can. Lined alternately on a plate with cherry & blueberry filling, they will be perfect for the holiday.

Oven Baked Fried Chicken

I make a mean fried chicken but was really in the mood to try out an oven baked version for a healthy alternative. I saw a recipe recently that really got my attention but then I couldn't find it. After researching a few & combining elements from my regular fried chicken I came up with this one. It was for Sunday dinner & was a HUGE hit. You must give this a try. It was crispy on the outside & moist on the inside, you couldn't tell it was oven baked. This will definitely be made again & again.

For regular but out of this world fried chicken, check out this Southern Cross Fried Chicken I make. It's from a horse farm/guest ranch we visited in Georgia. I bought their cookbook since their food was amazing. This is where I got the idea to put the 2 special ingredients listed below.**

8 skinless chicken thighs
8 skinless chicken legs
3-4 cups buttermilk
3 tblsp hot sauce

1 tblsp salt

2 tsp pepper
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
1 tsp Paprika

3 tsp Garlic powder

2 cups Kelloggs Corn Flake Crumbs
Dash of garlic powder
Salt & Pepper
1 pkg Instant Tomato Cup of Soup (WalMart) **
or a few sprinkles of Chicken Tomato Bouillon powder like I used
1 pkg of Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix ** (optional)

Place chicken in a large 9 x 13 dish. Combine buttermilk, hot sauce & seasonings. Pour over chicken in dish or Ziploc bags & marinate for 8 hours or overnight. The longer the better.


Pre-heat oven to 400. Combine corn flake crumbs, seasonings & packets. Shake excess liquid from each piece of chicken & dredge in crumb mixture. Place on a baking sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Repeat with all chicken pieces. Spray the tops of chicken lightly with either butter or oil flavored cooking spray (some people drizzle melted butter).

You will need 2 baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn over carefully so that the breading doesn’t come off. You may want to use a spatula & your hands to gently turn. Bake for 15 minutes more. Turn your oven to broil & move your chicken so it's 6 inches from the heat. Broil for 1-2 minutes until you get a crispy coating. Turn chicken over & broil other side for 1-2 minutes or until desired crispiness.

{Food for Thought}

I always start off with about 2 cups of breading in a pie plate but usually have to refresh all the ingredients if I have a large batch. Just always taste your breading because that's what your chicken will taste like. Use what you like, it doesn't have to be exact measurements.

The secrets to an awesome fried chicken is a long buttermilk bath as well as the secret ingredients. For this baked version, the extra secret is your broiler. People have complained their baked chicken is soggy but they need to rely on their broiler more. But you MUST keep a close eye on it & never walk away. I always broil food in 1-2 minute increments & use my timer as well so I don't get easily distracted & forget.

** I don't ever go to WalMart so I wasn't able to get my hands on the Instant Tomato soup packet from the original recipe from the horse farm, so I ended up buying the chicken tomato bouillon powder at my local grocer & have been using it ever since. I do recommend you getting your hands on the Instant packet if you do frequent WalMart. I also didn't use the Good Seasons Italian Season packet on this baked chicken but definitely plan to next time so I wanted to keep it in the ingredient list.

And because I like to be honest, both hubs & I agreed that while this chicken was wonderful even a few hours later, it wasn't the same the next day after being in the fridge overnight. It seemed to be more crumby when we ate it cold so I would recommend warming it up in the nuke & then placing it under your broiler for a minute or 2 on each side.

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