Mini Chicken Pot Pies

I don't like pot pies because I don't like the crust. I can't say that I LOVE these either to be perfectly honest, but I can eat them. Matt really enjoys them though! 

INGREDIENTS:

1 can Pillsbury biscuits (not the large ones)

1 cup cooked chicken, diced

1 can cream of chicken soup

2/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup frozen mixed veggies

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1 teaspoon onion powder

black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Lightly grease a muffin pan. Place a biscuit in each cup. Press down and push up the sides.

In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients, mixing well.

Divide mixture evenly among biscuits.

 

 Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, around 12 minutes. Enjoy!

Taco Chicken Bowl

It is taco flavored and cooks in the crockpot. It is bound to be a favorite!

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast

16 oz jar salsa (whichever hotness you prefer)

15 oz can black beans, drained

8 oz frozen corn

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 Tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 Tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Salt and Pepper to taste

green onions (optional)

8 oz shredded cheddar 

Rice (brown or white, approximately 6 servings)

DIRECTIONS:

Place chicken breast (can still be frozen), salsa, beans, corn, and seasonings into crockpot.

Mix together, making sure chicken is mostly covered. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours.

By the time it is ready, the chicken will be super tender. Stir everything in the crockpot and the chicken should shred/fall apart easily.

Cook the rice (we used Minute Rice).

Scoop cooked rice into the bowl, topped with the chicken mixture, cheese, and green onions. Enjoy!

Lemon Dill Chicken

When our oldest boy was younger, this was the only chicken he would eat. If I made a different flavor, I had to make the lemon dill sauce to pour over his or he wouldn't eat it.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup butter or margarine

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1/2 cup chic
ken broth

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 green onions, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in butter until light brown, turning once.

 

 

Meanwhile, mix broth, dill weed, lemon juice, and salt.  Pour over chicken once its browned.

Heat to boiling. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer 10-15 minutes, until no pink.

Remove chicken. Heat sauce to boiling, for about 3 minutes. Pour over chicken and sprinkle with the green onions. 

 

 

Chicken and Rice

This is Matt's new favorite. He claims he could eat it every day. It is one of those that doesn't look so appealing but is good, so don't judge by appearance!

INGREDIENTS:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (however many you want and fit into a pan)
2 cups Minute Rice, uncooked (we use brown, original calls for white)
1 envelope onion soup mix
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can of water (this makes the rice rather sticky, but we like it. you might want more water)

DIRECTIONS:
Butter or spray with non stick spray a 9x13 pan.
Mix together 2 cans of soup, 1 can of water, and the rice. Pour into greased pan.
Place chicken on top of rice mixture. Sprinkle onion soup mix over the top. Cover with foil.
Cook @275 for 3ish hours (from original recipe), or @375 for about 1 hour (what we do).
Enjoy!

recipe from HERE

Crockpot Black Bean Italian Cream Cheese Chicken

I think this recipe needs a shorter name haha. I don't actually call it all that, I usually something more like "Its chicken with some other stuff. Eat it." Do not judge it based on appearance. It is one of those that don't look very appealing at all but taste yummy! It is a little on the runny side so we eat it over rice the first day. The leftovers (if you have any!) are still good over rice the next day but also work well on a tortilla since it thickens up in the fridge.

INGREDIENTS:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (I use a 2.25 lb bag and dump it all in, still frozen)
15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz can corn
15 oz can Rotel
1 pack dry Italian Dressing mix
8 oz cream cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Place chicken in crockpot. Top wtih beans, corn, Rotel, and dry Italian mix.
Cover. Cook 4-6 hours, stirring a couple times throughout.
Once chicken is done (and about 30 minutes before you want to eat), shred the chicken and add cream cheese. Mix in until well blended. It will probably be soupy. Keep cooking on low, but leave the lid off to help thicken.
Serve over rice or pasta (or however else you want).

Adapted from HERE

Ranch Chicken Lasagna

Delicious fresh out of the oven and just as good (if not better) reheated the next day.

INGREDIENTS
2 (12 oz) cans evaporated milk
1 (1 oz) pack dry Ranch Salad Dressing Mix (I actually used 1.5 but we are ranch lovers)
2-3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
9 lasagna noodles
1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

DIRECTIONS:
Mix evaporated milk and dressing mix in a saucepan. Heat over low heat approximately 25 minutes, stirring frequently. Add cooked chicken to sauce mixture.
Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.
Put 3 cooked noodles in a greased 9x13 pan. Top with 1/3 of the chicken sauce (it will be a very thin layer, don't worry about it). Top with about 1/3 cup of each cheese. Repeat all of the layers 2 times, except the last one use all of the remaining cheese. 
Bake @ 350F for 35-40 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Crockpot Honey Sauce Chicken

Easy and delicious! It has a little kick to it, but the amount of red pepper flakes can always be reduced. I like to eat this chicken with rice, pouring some of the extra sauce over the top.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
half a small onion, chopped
1/8 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and Pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place in crock pot.
Combine remaining ingredients in small bowl. Pour over chicken.
Cook on low for about 3 hours.
Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Cook another 10-15 minutes.

adapted from HERE

Crockpot Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is the only tortilla soup I have ever had, so I can't say how it compares to others. All I know is I love this one!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast (can still be frozen)
15 oz can whole peeled tomatoes, smashed
10 oz can enchilada sauce
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 
4 oz can chopped green chilies
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 14.4 oz cans chicken broth
10 oz pack frozen corn
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 bay leaf
Salt and Pepper (I don't measure these, just do what seems good to me)
6 corn tortillas (this is optional, you can just use tortilla chips)
vegetable oil or cooking spray (only needed if using tortillas)
Sour cream and shredded cheese for toppings

DIRECTIONS:
Throw everything (except tortillas and oil) into crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours.
Remove chicken, shred, and put back in crock pot. Cook additional 2 hours.
Brush both sides of tortillas with vegetable oil (or spray with cooking spray). Cut into strips (a pizza cutter works awesome!). Bake about 10 minutes in 400F oven, turning over half way.

Serve soup with tortilla strips, sour cream, and cheese.

adapted from HERE

Katie's Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

I have yet to meet someone that doesn't fall in love with these enchiladas (and trust me, I have made them for a lot of people. When Matt makes new friends at work, he invites them over for enchiladas every time). When we invite friends over for supper and give them the option of what we are going to eat, the answer is always enchiladas.

INGREDIENTS:
about 2 lbs chicken, cooked and shredded (I always use a 2.25 lb bag of boneless skinless breasts)
4.25oz can of chopped black olives
3-4 green onions, chopped (both white and green parts)
1 large tomato, diced
2 cups shredded cheese (I have used cheddar as well as cheddar jack, both are delicious)
4.5oz can of diced green chilies
16 oz sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 burrito sized flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS:
In large bowl, mix chicken, black olives, onions, tomato, and 1 cup of cheese. Mix well.

In medium bowl, mix sour cream, cream of chicken, and green chilies. Spread about a cup of this onto bottom of a 9x13 pan. Divide chicken mixture evenly among tortillas.

Roll tortillas up and place in pan, seam side down. Cover with remaining sour cream mixture. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake @350 for about 30 minutes, or til cheese is bubbly and enchiladas are heated through.

NOTES:
The easiest way we have found to serve them is to cut them in half. It doesn't always look as pretty but it is so much easier to dish up!

These can be made ahead of time and placed in the fridge until ready to bake. Just remember to take them out about 30 minutes before baking (if not, they still bake just fine but will need to be in longer to heat up the inside).

Lemon Garlic Grilled Chicken

This chicken is soooo good! It is good plain and on top of a salad. Im sure it would be delicious with pasta too but we haven't tried it that way yet.

INGREDIENTS:
6 tablespoons lemon juice
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into slices (big enough to grill, small enough to soak up the marinade)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients except for chicken. Pour over chicken and marinade in the fridge overnight. Grill and enjoy!

Adapted from HERE.

Spicy Thai Noodles with Chicken

Like most of my favorites, this is quick and easy! :)  

INGREDIENTS:
12 oz bag egg noodles
1 Tablespoon crushed red pepper
1/3 cup Sesame oil
5 Tablespoons honey
6 Tablespoons soy sauce, plus another 1-2 Tablespoons for chicken
Vegetable oil (enough to stir fry chicken, I didn't measure)
3-4 boneless skinless chicken breast fillets, cut into bite sized pieces
3-4 green onions, chopped
2-3 carrots, shredded

DIRECTIONS:
Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.
Heat sesame oil and crushed red pepper over medium heat for 2 minutes. Strain the pepper, reserving the oil.
Whisk honey and 6 Tablespoons soy sauce into oil.
Pour over noodles, tossing to coat evenly.
Stir fry chicken until no pink. Drizzle soy sauce over chicken, cook another minute. Add chicken to noodles. Mix together.
Serve warm, topped with carrots and green onions.

NOTES:
The original recipe (found HERE) called for 1-2 Tablespoons crushed red pepper, and many reviews stated 1 was plenty. For kids, 1 is probably on the spicy side, but Matt and I would have preferred a little more.

Cheesy Chicken Skillet Dinner

This is one of my absolute favorite meals. Im pretty sure I could eat it a couple times a week and never get bored with it.

INGREDIENTS
1 tsp Vegetable Oil
1.25 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite sized pieces (doesn't have to be exact, thats just how much is in the pack I buy for this)
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 green onions, sliced (both green and white parts)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil over medium high. Add chicken. Stir fry 4-5 minutes until no more pink. Remove from skillet.
Add carrots and zucchini to skillet. Stir fry 4-5 minutes until crisp tender.
Return chicken to skillet. Add soy sauce and toss until all is coated.
Sprinkle with onions and cheese. Cover skillet and heat until cheese is melted.

Crockpot Cheesy Bacon Chicken

I personally am not a huge fan of bacon, but this is definitely one of my favorite meals! The kids eat it willingly also, which is always a plus. Ill be honest, it doesn't necessarily look very appealing, but don't judge a book by its cover! ;)

INGREDIENTS:
4-6 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup Teriyaki Sauce
1/2 cup Ranch
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
10 pieces bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)

DIRECTIONS:
Place the chicken in the crockpot.
Mix together the teriyaki sauce, ranch, and garlic. Pour over chicken. Top with onion and bacon.
Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-8. When chicken is done, top with cheese and put lid back on crockpot until cheese is melted, it only takes a couple of minutes.

Adapted from HERE

Buffalo Chicken Mac n Cheese

Yummy and filling! My kids don't like spicy food, and since you layer the buffalo chicken in, its easy to make half with the chicken and half of it regular macaroni and cheese to please everybody.

I just love how evenly my oven bakes ;)

INGREDIENTS:
6 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
5 cups milk
3 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar
2 cups shredded jack cheese
1 pound cooked pasta
2 cups Buffalo chicken
Panko breadcrumbs (I didn't measure, just used what looked good)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease a 9x13 (or larger) pan.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter then whisk in the flour. Whisk 3-4 minutes.
Slowly add the milk to the mixture, continuing to whisk to break up clumps. Continue to whisk the mixture until it thickens (about 10 minutes).
Add the seasonings, 3 cups of the cheddar cheese and 2 cups of the jack cheese to the mixture, continuing to stir until all of the cheese is melted.
Place a layer of noodles over the bottom of the dish, then layer with the cheese sauce, shredded cheddar cheese and buffalo chicken, repeating until all of the food is layered.
Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top.
Bake at 375F until top is golden brown and cheese is bubbling (about 30 minutes).

NOTES:
If you don't have any buffalo chicken on hand, you can just cook some chicken, shred, and mix with desired amount of buffalo sauce. 

adapted from this site

Thin Crust Chicken Bacon Artichoke Pizza

Similar to Papa Murphy's Chicken Bacon Artichoke deLite pizza.

INGREDIENTS:

CRUST:
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups all-purpose or bread flour
1 teaspoon dry yeast
SAUCE:
1/4 cup Italian salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash black pepper

TOPPINGS:
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (I use Oscar Myer Fresh Deli chicken)
1 cup baby spinach leaves
6 oz marinated artichoke hearts, cut into small pieces
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 slices turkey bacon, cooked, broken into small pieces
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

DIRECTIONS:

In medium bowl, mix warm water and salt. Add yeast and 1 cup of flour. Mix together, then add 1/3 cup of flour. Knead into a sticky dough, adding a little more water if needed. Let dough rest, covered with a towel, for at least 10 minutes.  

 Butter a 16 inch round pizza pan. With buttery hands, spread dough thinly over pan. (It might seem like there isn't enough dough, but it works, be diligent!) 

Mix the Italian dressing, garlic powder, salt and pepper together. Spread over the crust. Let sit for at least 15 minutes.

Put toppings over the sauce in the order listed.

Bake @425 for about 15 minutes, until crust is browned and cheese is bubbly. Watch it carefully, the crust burns easily since its thin!

adapted from here

Italian Chicken Pasta

Only 5 ingredients and super yummy!

INGREDIENTS:
8 oz Penne
2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
3 Tbs beef seasoning
Parmesan cheese (I prefer shredded but I use grated sometimes as well)

DIRECTIONS:
Cook Pasta according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cool water, drain again.
Heat oil over medium high heat. Saute chicken with beef seasoning until no pink, about 5-7 minutes.
Reduce heat to low. Stir in cooked penne and heat through.
Sprinkle with cheese.

Crockpot Caesar Chicken

This chicken can be used in a variety of ways. I made both chicken Caesar sandwiches as well as a salad. Yum!  The kids gobbled it up and even asked for seconds.

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 
Caesar Dressing (didn't measure, probably about a cup)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried Parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper


DIRECTIONS:
Put chicken in slow cooker, along with 1-2 cups of water.  Add garlic powder. Cook on low 4-6 hours.
When fully cooked, remove chicken. Shred, discarding all fat. Discard water from slow cooker.
Return chicken to slow cooker, along with remaining ingredients. Use more or less of the dressing to preference. Mix evenly. Cook on low until heated through (30 minutes is plenty).

For sandwiches, put desired amount on burger bun, top with extra Parmesan and Romaine lettuce. I also topped with a little more dressing so the sandwich wouldn't seem dry.

For salad, put chicken on top of romaine lettuce. Add more cheese and dressing, if desired. 

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

This is definitely my new favorite meal! I knew I would like it since I love chicken enchiladas....I think I might like it more than actual enchiladas though! Try it, you'll like it! :)

It makes a lot! At least 8 good sized servings I would say (maybe more, I dunno, we still have leftovers in the fridge after all of us ate plus Matt took some to work). 

INGREDIENTS:
3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded. (I boiled them, adding pepper and a dash of chili powder to water)
2 Tbs olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, diced
4 oz diced green chilies
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
28 oz can green chili enchilada sauce
10 oz shredded colby & monterrey jack cheese
1 cup sour cream (plus more for topping)
12-16 oz Penne Pasta (I cooked 16 oz, but didn't use quite all of it)
tomatoes, for topping

DIRECTIONS:
Cook Pasta according to package directions.

Heat olive oil in skillet. Cook onions 3-5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper, cook additional 3-5 minutes.
Add chicken, green chilies, salt, chili powder, cumin, and sauce. Simmer about 10 minutes.
Add cheese and stir until melted. Mix in sour cream over low heat. Do NOT boil (sour cream will curdle).

Drain the pasta. My skillet wasn't big enough to add the pasta, so I put the sauce in the pot I cooked the pasta in (while the pasta was in the strainer). Then I added pasta until I felt like there was enough. I probably could have used all 16 oz but I could tell there was already more than enough .Mix together well and enjoy!

adapted from here

Chicken Garlic Pizza

This pizza is SO good! It is supposed to be similar to Papa Murphy's chicken garlic pizza, but I have never eaten that particular one from there, so I can't say how close it is. In any case, it is delicious!

Before the top layer of cheese:

 Right out of the oven:

INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup Ranch Dressing
3/4 Tbs minced garlic
2 cups shredded mozarella
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/4 cup grated parmesan
3/4 cup grilled chicken breast, bite sized pieces
3/4 cup diced Roma tomatoes
1/4 cup sliced green onion (green part only)
Homemade pizza crust

DIRECTIONS:
Mix ranch and garlic together. Spread over pizza crust.
Mix all cheeses together. Spread about half over the sauce.
Evenly spread chicken, tomatoes, and green onions on pizza. Top with remaining cheese.
Bake @ 425F for 12-15 minutes, til cheese is golden brown.

NOTES:
I use this chicken instead of making my own:

Also, any kind of tomatoes will work but if you use something other than Roma, be sure to drain off extra liquid/seeds.


adapted from here

Chicken Tamale Pie

One of Matt's favorite meals! He took leftovers in to work and it is now a favorite among co-workers. I made 2 just for him to take in the other night. He managed to get 2 pieces of them, and the rest was gone!

**Updated to include green chilies. Makes it even tastier!**

INGREDIENTS:
8.5 oz packet of corn bread mix
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (plus a little extra for topping)
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup chopped green onions (green and white parts)
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 tsp chili powder
small can of chopped green chilies

DIRECTIONS:
In mixing bowl, combine muffin mix, egg and milk. Add cheese. Spread into bottom and up sides of a greased 9 inch pie plate.
In saucepan, combine remaining ingredients. Heat through. Pour into crust. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake @ 400F for 20-25 minutes or til crust is golden and filling is hot.

NOTES:

I boil the chicken, and I add salt, pepper, and a dash of chili powder to the water for more flavor. I have also used canned chicken. Matt said he couldn't tell a difference (I could though. Still good, but not my favorite).