chicken and spinach stuffed shells

serves 8-10

6 oz pasta - jumbo shells, cooked 2 minutes less than package directions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz ricotta cheese
2 - 8 oz packages cream cheese
5 oz Parmesan cheese
1 egg beaten
1 Tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 cups mozzarella cheese
26 oz spaghetti sauce

preheat oven to 350. grease 2 9x13 baking dishes. combine chicken and the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and sauce. stir in 1 cup cheese and spoon mixture into shells. spread half the sauce in baking dishes. arrange shells over sauce and top with the rest of the sauce. cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. uncover, sprinkle the tops with the remaining cheese and bake for 5-10 minutes.

you can prepare both dishes just up to baking and cover one with foil and freeze for later.

baked creamy chicken taquitos

Recipe by OurBestBites.com

1/3 C (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 C green salsa
1T fresh lime juice
1/2 t cumin
1 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/4 t granulated garlic
3 T chopped cilantro
2 T sliced green onions

2 C shredded cooked chicken
1 C grated pepperjack cheese

small corn tortillas
kosher salt
cooking spray


Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.

You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.

Place 2-3 T of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges.

Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Dip them in salsa, sour cream, or guacamole.

chicken fajita bake

from good things utah

4 chicken breasts
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
8 – eight inch flour tortillas
4 Tablespoons McCormick Mesquite Grilling Mates Seasoning
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons real butter
1 lb. Shredded Monterey Jack cheese (divided)
1 can Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup
2 cups salsa
sour cream
avocados
fresh jalapeno slices

Place chicken in a large zip lock baggie with mesquite seasoning and let marinate for 2 hours, no more than 4. Grill or fry chicken until cooked through. (Sometimes I just cook them in the crock pot with some water and the grill seasoning.) Slice thinly and set aside. Sauté peppers and onions in butter until tender. Add soy sauce and sauté a minute more In a medium bowl, mix together cheddar cheese soup and salsa. Pour 1 cup of the mixture in a 9x13 pan, spreading evenly. Roll equal amounts of chicken, Monterey Jack cheese, peppers and onions in the 8 tortillas and place in the baking dish. Pour over the remaining soup/salsa mixture and top with remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Bake at 350 covered with foil for 30 minutes and uncovered for 10 or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Serve with sour cream, avocado slices and jalapenos if desired.

thieves pasta

Adapted from 365 Days of Slow Cooking

Serves 4

8 oz penne pasta
8 oz chicken breasts
14 1/2 oz diced tomatoes with juice
8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 tsp Italian seasoning
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups frozen spinach (loosely packed)
1 1/2 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
4 oz cream cheese
1 Tbsp tapioca
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
feta cheese

Spray sides of slow cooker with cooking spray. Combine chicken, tomatoes, Italian seasoning, garlic, sugar, and red pepper in slow cooker. Cover. Cook on low for 4 hours (until chicken is cooked through). Place spinach in a strainer. Run hot water over it and drain. Add spinach, cream cheese, and tapioca to slow cooker. Stir. Cook for an additional 30 minutes. Add cooked and drained pasta and pine nuts and stir and serve. Salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle some feta cheese on top.

balsamic chicken noodle bowl

* Serves 6 - 8
adapted from tastykitchen.com

12 oz linguine
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
4 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoon dried basil
2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
1 1/2 cups shredded or cubed mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup feta cheese

Cook the linguine according to package directions. Drain.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. When combined, slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing is completely combined.

While the pasta is boiling, heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a 12 inch non-stick skillet over medium heat and add the bell pepper. Cook briefly until crisp-tender. Add the cooked chicken and cook for 1-2 more minutes until the chicken is heated through.

Add the hot noodles to the skillet with the red pepper and chicken and toss. Add the shredded or cubed mozzarella and toss quickly to combine before the cheese melts. Pour the dressing over the top and toss with tongs to coat all the ingredients with the dressing. Crumble the feta cheese and sprinkle on top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*jessica's note: i also added some sauteed mushrooms, fresh diced tomatoes, and a few handfuls of fresh spinach to the warm pasta. yum!

bowtie chicken caesar salad

i got this recipe from my friend meg, who got it from her sister-in-law, joslyn. it makes a ton so it's ideal for bridal/baby showers and other large gatherings. but don't count on having any leftovers.

serves 30-40

16 oz farfalle pasta, cooked per package directions
2 heads romaine lettuce, washed, spun dry, and chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 cups chicken, cooked and cubed
1 - 4 oz pkg slivered almonds, sugared
1 - 6 oz pkg grated parmesan cheese
1 - 6 oz pkg croutons
1 - 8 oz carton mushrooms, sliced
24 oz of your favorite caesar dressing

to sugar the almonds: in a dry skillet, add 1/2 cup sugar and almonds, turn the burner to medium. in a few minutes, the sugar will start to melt. stir to coat the almonds. when the sugar reaches a light golden color-it will happen quickly, remove from heat and spread the almonds on waxed paper to cool, then break apart. you can also follow the directions on this website: jeenaskitchen

to prepare the salad: combine all the ingredients in two+ large bowls. (it make so much, you won't be able to fit it all in one.) toss to coat everything with the dressing.

jessica's note: i'm not a fan of soggy lettuce, so i wait until just before serving to stir it in. also, i didn't bother sugaring the almonds and the salad was still awesome.

thai chicken and rice

this is based on a recipe i found on the website 365 days of slow cooking. i'm not sure how authentic it is to thai food, but it turned out pretty tasty and my family likes it a lot. you can find the original recipe here.

serves 6

1 1/2 lb chicken cut in bite-sized pieces
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup carrots, cut in short strips
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2" piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 red bell pepper, cut in short strips
1/2 can of coconut milk*
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup cornstarch

hot cooked rice
3/4 cup peanuts or cashews, chopped (i prefer cashews)
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
3/4 cup cilantro, chopped (i leave it out)

place the first 7 ingredients into a slow cooker. cook on low for 3 hours. mix cornstarch and lime juice. turn slow cooker to high. stir in peanut butter, cornstarch/lime slurry, coconut milk, and red bell pepper strips. cover and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour or until sauce is thickened and chicken is cooked through. place broccoli and 1/4 cup water in a microwave safe bowl. cover with plastic wrap and cook in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes or until crisp-tender. drain the broccoli. serve the chicken and sauce over rice, add steamed broccoli to each serving, and sprinkle with nuts and cilantro.

*check out this recipe to see what to do with the leftover coconut milk.

street chicken tacos

from good things utah

okay, so the online directions are pretty bad. they don't give much detail, so i am going to explain what i do. if you used the giant chicken breasts (like from costco) the full recipe can serve up to 12 people.

4-6 boneless chicken breasts – trimmed
1 large can green enchilada sauce, bigger than the one in the picture
2 cans el pato (found at the grocery store by the enchilada sauce)
1⁄2 cup cilantro (or desired amount for garnish)
1 sweet onion – diced
1 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
corn or flour tortillas ( i like the 6 inch corn tortillas)
cheese
shredded lettuce, optional
sour cream, optional

simmer chicken for 30 min. (i actually put the chicken breasts in a crock pot, fill with water and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until it is cooked through and falls apart. drain the water.) shred the chicken. combine the green chili sauce, el pato, onion, and brown sugar in the crock pot and get it warming up. place shredded chicken in the sauce and cook on low heat for 3-4 hours.

rice *this makes a ton so you might want to cut it in half or fourths unless you are making it for a crowd*

2 cups white or wheat rice
4 cups water (i use chicken broth)
1⁄2 onion diced
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
season salt (i like to use 1 teaspoon ground cumin and a few shakes of the season salt)

combine rice, butter, onion and garlic and sauté on med heat till onions have softened. add the water (or broth) with the spices, and allow the rice to come to a boil. simmer on low until all liquid is absorbed. mix the black beans in with the rice.

how i assemble the tacos:

heat a nonstick skillet on medium high heat. put a few tortillas in the pan and heat for 30-60 seconds on each side to soften them. on the warmed tortillas, spoon some of the chicken, rice and beans, cheese, lettuce, and sour cream. fold in half if using the 6", or do the burrito wrap if using a large tortilla.