Posts Tagged ‘chicken’
Chicken Pesto Lasagna Rolls
October 3, 2012 | 
Author With cooler temperatures creeping up on me, I am desperately trying to use up all the basil leaves left on my basil plants before they start to freeze off at night. It will likely result in a freezer-full of pesto because new ones sprout up when I’m not looking. Any other basil-utilizing suggestions?
Of course I couldn’t freeze all of the pesto, so I made these lasagna rolls that I had bookmarked long ago. The homemade pesto in this was essential for me. Even though I’ve never made this recipe with store-bought pesto, I could definitely tell that there was fresh pesto rolled up in there. Good thing I have a stock-pile of homemade pesto to last me through the winter so I can make these lasagna rolls again. Maybe I’ll venture into the world of homemade lasagna noodles next time. Look at me living on the edge 
.
Also, don’t forget to add you favorite brownie/bar recipe to the #BYOBrownies link up party!
One year ago: Pesto Burgers
CHICKEN PESTO LASAGNA ROLLS
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp whole wheat flour
1 cup milk
Salt & pepper
1 cup shredded chicken
15 oz container of low-fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup homemade or store-bought pesto sauce
6 whole wheat lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
1 cup of your favorite chunky marinara sauce, divided
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat a 8×8-inch pan with non-stick spray.
- Melt butter over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir until mixed. Let cook for a minute. Stream in the milk, whisking until completely smooth. Add salt and pepper, and then cook until thickened.
- Place 1/4 cup of white sauce in the bottom of prepared pan.
- In a bowl, stir together the chicken, ricotta, 1/4 cup mozzarella, pesto, salt, and pepper. Spread ~1/3 cup of the ricotta mixture over each lasagna noodle and roll up. Place the roll in the prepared pan. Repeat for the remaining noodles.
- Spoon the remaining white sauce over the lasagna rolls. Spoon the red sauce over the lasagna rolls and top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Bake for ~30 minutes, until hot, bubble, and the cheese begins to brown.
Source: Adapted slightly from Confections of a Foodie Bride.
Posted in Chicken, Entree, Pasta | 
Tags: chicken, lasagna, mozzarella, pesto, ricotta, whole wheat | 
8 Comments »
Chicken, Broccoli and White Cheddar Pita Pizzas
This is another recipe recreated from my undergraduate years at Ohio State. I pretty much rotated through these pita pizzas, stir frys, the Asian BBQ Chicken, and pasta with meat sauce when I lived off campus the last two years. Oh the days before my need to try a new recipe every single stinking day. Nowadays I rarely repeat recipes in my kitchen. Mostly because there are too many others I want to try and cooking for one slows me down. Which was one bonus to staying with my parents in Knoxville in August, because I had the ability to cook entrees more often and therefore actually did remake past recipes. What a treat to have some of them again!
When making the pitas for this recipe, I was also reminded how much better it is homemade than store bought. The store stuff is stale and dry in comparison, and I find it difficult to even entertain the idea of purchasing them ever again. Especially since it’s so fun to watch them puff up in the oven.
One year ago: Falafel Pizza
CHICKEN, BROCCOLI AND WHITE CHEDDAR PITA PIZZAS
Serves 3
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 head broccoli, trimmed and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 large chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
Salt and pepper
4 oz. white cheddar, shredded
3 whole wheat pitas, lightly toasted
Directions:
- Place 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the broccoli and saute until bright green and still crisp. Transfer from pan to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Wipe out the pan and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until no longer pink, and slightly golden on the outside.
- Top pitas with chicken and broccoli, followed by shredded white cheddar cheese. Let sit a minute, allowing the cheese to melt. Or place under a broiler for a minute. Serve immediately.
Source: The Spiffy Cookie original.
Rosemary Brie Chicken Burgers
Guess who I had the pleasure of having lunch with on Friday? Amy of The Fearless Homemaker! A great impromptu meetup sparked by my asking for lunch recommendations in Nashville. It was fun to meet her in person while enjoying some delicious food at Silly Goose. She even made sure I had my daily dose of dessert by pointing out Jeni’s Ice Cream right next door. I had the roasted strawberry buttermilk and the sweet corn black raspberry. Totally need that cookbook now. Meeting her also made me wish I knew food bloggers in Memphis after hearing about the Nashville food blogger outings. Guess I need to visit Nashville more often and hope they adopt me 
.
In less exciting news, I missed my flight to my conference in San Francisco by 15 minutes yesterday because I mistakenly thought my flight was later in the day even though I had just printed my boarding passes that morning. I didn’t realize my error until I was pulling up to the terminal. Since the next available flight wasn’t until this evening for a price of over $1000, I ended up not going at all 
. I was and still am incredibly disappointed in my idiocy resulting in missing out on presenting my work at the last conference of my graduate career. Especially since I really like my poster! I wanted to stand proud in front of it, but am stuck in Memphis instead. Ugh…
As for this burger, it may be the best I had this summer. The melt-y Brie on top was enough to send me over the edge, but the additional flavors of rosemary, walnuts, and cranberry all mixed in with the chicken was simply wonderful. A very flavorful and juicy burger for sure! And now I want to top everything with melted Brie.
ROSEMARY BRIE CHICKEN BURGERS
Serves 6
Ingredients:
1/2 cup died cranberries, finely chopped
1/2 cup boiling water
1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 Tbsp fresh snipped rosemary
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 lbs ground chicken
4 oz Brie cheese, thinly sliced
Directions:
- In a small bowl, combine cranberries with just enough water to cover. Let stand for 10 minutes, then drain well.
- In a large bowl, combine cranberries, walnuts, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, rosemary, and ground chicken; mix well. Shape mixture into size 3/4-inch thick patties. Cover and chill at least 2 hours to overnight.
- When ready to chow down: preheat a grill to medium heat for 20 minutes. Place patties on grill and cook for 14-18 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Top with cheese, cover and cook 2 minutes more.
- Serve on toasted rolls with mayo and lettuce.
Source: Pass the Sushi
Posted in Chicken, Entree, Sandwiches | Tags: Brie, chicken, cranberry, rosemary, walnuts | 13 Comments »
Chicken Salad with Grapes, Apple, and Pecans
For some reason chicken salad is never something I really want to take on a dance with my taste buds on a regular basis. Not that I don’t like the taste, it’s just not visually appealing. Guess it makes me think of tuna salad, and if you haven’t noticed from the minimal amount of seafood on my blog I don’t really enjoy it.
But when my friend Brandi made a version of chicken salad with chopped up apples, grapes and nuts, it was both visually and texturally satisfying. I love the little bits of crunch that the apples and nuts and reminds me of a Waldorf chicken salad.
CHICKEN SALAD WITH GRAPES, APPLE, AND PECANS
Serves 8
Ingredients:
2 cups plain non-fat Greek yogurt (I used 0% Chobani)
1 pkg powdered ranch dressing
1 tsp celery salt
1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed from bones and shredded (approximately 4 cups)
1-1/2 cups purple grapes, quartered
1 apple, diced (I used Gala)
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt, powdered ranch dressing, and celery salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss together the chicken, grapes, apples, pecans and sunflower seeds. Stir in the yogurt mixture until evenly distributed.
- Serve however you enjoy eating chicken salad. I prefer wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla with fresh baby spinach leaves and a side of chips.
Source: Adapted from Brandi
Posted in Appetizers & Snacks, Chicken, Entree, Salads | Tags: apples, chicken, grapes, Greek yogurt, pecans, ranch, sunflower seeds | 6 Comments »
Caprese Chicken with Balsamic Reduction
It’s official. Not only am I broke (after paying fees for grad school, car repairs, and new contacts), but I am also low on time. In a little over a week I will be packing up and moving to Knoxville for a month to work with a collaborating lab to do mouse studies for my research.The list of things I need to get done before then is ridiculous. And I don’t think the stress is allowing me to sleep properly at night still because I wake up exhausted even after 8 hours. So what does that mean for you? Hopefully nothing other than hearing me complain or freak out from time to time. I don’t plan on letting my blog suffer but just in case I don’t post one day, blame my stress.
Continuing on with quick dinners for my life-style as of late, enter this caprese-style chicken. This recipe is very similar to the Grilled Balsamic Chicken with Mozzarella and Pesto but instead of pesto you use fresh basil leaves and then add a tomato. Maybe next time I’ll mesh the two recipes together and use Mozzarella, pesto AND tomato – watch out for me I’m a risk taker (note sarcasm).
Speaking of fresh basil, I have started growing my own in pots on my porch! They are cute little things at the moment, but I still have to resist the urge to pluck off their tiny leaves to eat. Which reminds me I need to take those with me when I leave…
One year ago: Beef Negimaki with Broccolini and Rice
CAPRESE CHICKEN WITH BALSAMIC REDUCTION
Serves 6
Ingredients:
6 grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp butter
6 slices fresh Mozzarella cheese
6 slices tomato
6 large basil leaves
Directions:
- Prepare chicken on the grill. As chicken is cooking, pour balsamic vinegar into sauce pan or skillet and cook until reduced by half. Add in butter and stir with a flat whisk until completely combined. Set aside.
- Top chicken with mozzarella cheese, basil leaf, and then tomato slice.
- Drizzle with balsamic reduction and serve warm.
Source: Add a Pinch
Posted in Chicken, Entree | Tags: balsamic vinegar, basil, chicken, mozzarella, tomatoes | 5 Comments »
Pesto Chicken Burger
There is a juicy, flavorful burger recipe in this post today. It involves homemade pesto using basil, spinach and walnuts, which is mixed into a chicken burger and is then topped off with a blob of fresh Mozzarella that becomes perfectly melted over the hot burger. Oh and I almost forgot to mention the grilled tomatoes that are assembled into the burger. You should probably spread some of the pesto on your bun too.
And of course since I am always thinking about you, I have shared this in time to plan you Independence Day menu around it. You’re welcome 
.
In other news, here in Memphis we are experiencing yet another grossly hot summer full of sun, humidity and a lack of clouds and rain. This is most upsetting to me because I love being outdoors, but I can barely stand being outside for more than five minutes. And the pool doesn’t fix the problem either. Have you ever gotten out of the pool and then lied down to wait for the sun to dry you off? Yea that doesn’t work because as the water evaporates, you begin to sweat, a lot. I think homemade popsicles are in order soon.
One year ago: Bubble Up Pizza
PESTO CHICKEN BURGER
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup baby spinach
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup walnuts
4 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for grilling
1 Tbsp water
Salt and pepper
1 lb. ground chicken breast
2 large tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch slices
3 oz. fresh mozzarella, sliced
4 whole wheat buns, halved
Directions:
- In a food processor, puree basil, spinach, garlic, walnuts, oil, and water. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high. In a large bowl, combine 1 tablespoon pesto, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and chicken. Form into 4 patties. Lightly oil hot grill. Grill patties, covered, or 4 minutes. Flip patties and top with cheese.
- Brush tomatoes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Add tomatoes to grill and cook, flipping once, until tomatoes and lightly charred and burgers are cooked, approximately 4 minutes.
- To serve, spread remaining pesto onto burger buns and assemble burger with a tomato slice.
Source: Adapted slightly from Everyday Food July/August 2012.
Posted in Chicken, Entree, Sandwiches | Tags: basil, chicken, mozzarella, spinach, tomatoes, walnuts | 7 Comments »
Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas
Did you ever try the cream cheese chicken enchiladas I posted? They are the #1 most viewed recipe on this blog of mine, so it seems as though you should if you have not yet. But before I send you away, focus on this new enchilada recipe I am sharing with you today. It is another deliciously creamy enchilada, but this one is packed with avocado and some spicy serrano pepper! Do you think it could be a serious contender for the future #1 spot? I certainly enjoyed it and the leftovers .
If you are not into spicy things, seed the serrano pepper or use a jalapeno (which is less spicy), and use mild salsa verde instead of medium. I think these could also be prepared ahead of time, but I did not try it out for myself yet.
SPICY AVOCADO CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
SAUCE
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 serrano pepper, minced (remove seeds for less heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (plus more for garnish if desired)
1 cup medium salsa verde
1/2 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt (such as 0% Chobani)
ENCHILADAS
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
8 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded & divided
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 avocados, peeled and chopped
8-10 whole grain flour tortillas
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium sauce pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Saute serrano pepper and garlic, for 1 minute. Stir in flour, constantly stirring, and cook for 2 minutes. Whisk in the chicken broth, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a low boil. Once boiling, whisk in the sour cream, salsa verde and cilantro. Remove from heat.
Grease a 9×13 baking dish. Add 3/4 cup sauce to the bottom of the pan. In a large bowl, combine chicken, 3/4 of the shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, onion and avocado. Place mixture into the center of each tortilla and roll, placing seam-side down in the dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Top with leftover cheese and bake for 15-20 minutes or until bubbling and lightly brown on top. Serve immediately garnished with cilantro.
Source: Adapted slightly from The Novice Chef.
Posted in Chicken, Cinco de Mayo, Entree, Holidays | Tags: avocado, chicken, Mexican, monterey jack, serrano peppers | 11 Comments »
Spicy Basil Chicken
I picked up Brady from the vet yesterday and was none too pleased to be stuffed back into his cat carrier, but upon his release back home he was happy as a clam! I was sent home with two weeks worth of antibiotics and hopefully it will be smooth sailing after that. Definitely do not like that I will be leaving town again soon, but he will have a good cat-sitter who has been given advanced approval to take him to the vet at the first sign of any new flare-ups. But for now, hooray happy kitty! Totally enjoyed reading on the couch with him snuggled up next to me again last night.
Now that all is well let’s talk about dinner. I am guilty of being subscribed to several cooking magazines, yet rarely do I cook from them. I will fold over pages and drool over everything in sight but for some reason I easily forget even the most tantalizing images. I have this problem with many of the amazing cookbooks I own as well. Although while we are at it, I probably only ever make a fraction of the number of recipes I bookmark online. Alas.
Thankfully for me, I managed to make this stir-fry from a recent issue of Cooking Light. This meal satisfies the taste buds with all the great flavors going on. A spicy basil sauce coats the chicken which is served with sautéed snow peas and peppers and brown rice with sesame seeds. But if you are looking to cut back on time, you can use instant brown rice and some steamed vegetables instead. The chicken holds the spotlight anyway.
One year ago: Buttermilk Ranch Mac & Cheese
SPICY BASIL CHICKEN
Serves 4
Ingredients:
CHICKEN
2 tsp canola oil
1/4 cup minced shallots
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
6 (4-oz.) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 Tbsp fish sauce (I used additional soy sauce instead)
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
1-1/4 tsp chile sauce with garlic
1 tsp water
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup sliced basil leaves
VEGETABLES
2 tsp dark sesame oil, divided
2-1/2 cups fresh snow peas, trimmed
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
RICE
1 cup uncooked brown rice
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Directions:
- For the chicken, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add shallots and garlic to pan; cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add chicken to pan; cook 13 minutes or until chicken is done.
- Meanwhile, heat another large skillet over medium-high heat for the vegetables. Add 1 teaspoon sesame oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add snow peas and bell pepper to pan; sauté for 4 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from heat. Drizzle vegetable mixture with remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, and toss well to combine. Set aside.
- Cook rice according to package directions, omitting fat. Stir in juice and salt. Sprinkle with seeds. Set aside.
- Combine fish sauce and the next 6 ingredients (through salt) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add fish sauce mixture to pan with the chicken, and cook for 1 minute or until mixture thickens, stirring to coat chicken. Remove from heat. Stir in basil and stir with rice and sautéed vegetables.
Source: Cooking Light, April 2012
Posted in Chicken, Entree | Tags: basil, chicken, lime juice, peas, red bell pepper, shallot, soy sauce | 10 Comments »
Blackened Chicken with Cilantro Lime Quinoa and Avocado Cream Sauce
Today is most unfortunate because I must return to Memphis after a very eventful weekend. Does anyone want to have dinner ready for me upon my return? I would totally be okay with something simple such as this dish. You heard correct, this long titled meal is actually easy to make.
Oh and the flavors in this dish: lime, avocado, cayenne, cilantro and some creaminess brought to you by Greek yogurt. Amazing-ness. And it’s even gluten-free. Just looking out for all my friends out there .
By the way, Luke pictures from my visit are on their way tomorrow!
BLACKED CHICKEN WITH CILANTRO LIME QUINOA AND AVOCADO CREAM SAUCE
Serves 2-3
Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp olive oil
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 limes, zested and juiced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 avocado
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt (I used Chobani 0% plain)
Directions:
- Combine all the dry seasonings in a small bowl. Mix them together and then season both sides of each chicken breast.
- Add the teaspoon of olive oil to a medium pan or skillet. Heat the olive oil for a minute over medium/high heat. Add the chicken breasts to the pan. Cook for seven minutes on each side with the lid on.
- Add the chicken broth and quinoa to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a simmer over medium/low heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for10-15 minutes with the lid on, until all the broth has been absorbed.
- After the chicken breasts have cooked all the way through, remove them from the pan and let them rest for seven minutes before slicing them.
- Remove the warm quinoa from the heat. Toss in the lime zest, lime juice, and chopped cilantro. Mix to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the flesh from an avocado along with two tablespoons of Greek yogurt in a small bowl and mash together until until smooth.
- Serve the sliced chicken breast on top of the quinoa with avocado sauce.
Source: Adapted slightly from Sarcastic Cooking.
Posted in Chicken, Dressing Sauces & Condiments, Entree | Tags: avocado, chicken, cilantro, Greek yogurt, limes, quinoa | 9 Comments »
Thai Chicken Pizza
Please take a moment to check out Wilde in the Kitchen’s Bake Sale benefitting Relay for Life. And bid on my “Big, Fat, Chewy Multichip Cookies” or any of the other delicious treats up for grabs!
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I enjoy both traditional and nontraditional pizzas. But with how frequently I have pizza for dinner it’s refreshing to have some very different options out there.
So now it is time for a very nontraditional pizza. There is no tomato sauce or even pesto, instead the sauce is sweet Asian chili sauce. To continue with the lack of tradition, it’s topped with zucchini, peanuts and cilantro. The only things not out of the ordinary are the chicken, mozzarella and basil. But do not fear the unexpected because your taste buds will love this – that is if you are into nontraditional pizzas and Asian flavors.
In other news, I am off to a wedding in northern NJ on Friday followed by a day trip to NYC and then snuggles with my nephew Luke in Boston! Consider this your warning for baby pictures appearing next week.
One year ago: Grilled Steak Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
THAI CHICKEN PIZZA
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
1 recipe pizza dough
Olive oil, for brushing
1/4 cup sweet Asian chili sauce, plus extra for drizzling
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 large zucchini, thinly sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup shredded cooked chicken
2/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3 Tbsp chopped peanuts
2 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
2 Tbsp minced fresh basil
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 500 with a pizza stone on the bottom third. Roll out the pizza dough into a 12-14 inch round. Lightly brush the perimeter of the dough with olive oil. Spread the chili sauce over the crust in an even layer. Layer with the shallot, zucchini, red pepper flakes, shredded chicken, and cheese.
- Transfer the pizza to the preheated pizza stone and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling and the crust is lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Sprinkle evenly with the peanuts, cilantro, and basil before slicing and serving, with additional sauce drizzled on top if desired.
Source: Annie’s Eats
