Crock Pot: White Chicken Chili

This was an amazing easy recipe, and perfect for the rainy crappy weather we have been having. I adapted this recipe from a blog I follow. A mom and her twin little girls, and she understands the need to make quick and yummy recipes!

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

3 (15oz) cans white northern beans (drained and rinsed)
1 (15oz) can garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)
1 lb chicken (fresh or frozen)
2 (4oz) cans mild green diced chilies
1 (15oz) can chicken stock
2-3 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 packet dry ranch seasoning
3-4 cloves garlic minced

Throw all in crock pot, stir, cook on low for 7-8 hours. Come home, stir and shred chicken. Serve with sour cream, cheese and/or avocado.

Side note: Make sure the crock pot is plugged IN before leaving the house!!! This was not my day.
Thankfully I have an amazing husband who came back home (on bicycle) to plug it in.

My adaptations: I like a variety of beans, you can probably even use white kidney beans or cannellini beans. I used only 2 teaspoons of the ranch packet, but I figured next time I will dump the whole packet in. I also added the chicken stock. If you are like me and buy the giant stock cartons when they are BOGO just fill an empty bean can with stock and dump in. I eyeballed it this time, because I only had a little left in the carton and dumped it all in.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

Tuesday night dinner
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
Garlic Bread
Sauteed zucchini
5- Minute bread pudding

This was an amazingly simple and DELICIOUS dinner. My best friend came over for dinner and she is not a big "Alfredo" fan, but this was great. Its not your typical Alfredo overly creamy sauce. Its the perfect amount. Defiantly a make again dinner and must try.

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast-cut in 1 inch cubes
1 lg onions
4 c. broccoli florets
1 can (14.5 ounce) petite diced tomatoes-drained
1/4 c. onion & chive cream cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp flour

1. Heat large nonstick skillet to medium-high heat with olive oil. Add the chicken chucks and cook until brown. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

2. Reduce heat to medium, add a drizzle of olive oil. Add onions and salt and pepper, cook until softened. Add flour to skillet and coo about 1 minute stirring. Add broccoli and 1/2 cup of water to skillet; cover and cook for 5 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender.

3. Remove cover add chicken back to pan. Add the canned tomatoes and cream cheese; stir until well blended.

~Enjoy
Happy cooking!

Curry Chicken Pot Pie

Thursday night dinner:

Curry chicken pot pie

Salad

Sugar cookies

This recipe came form Good Eats with Alton Brown. Let me just say- Alton Brown is my other lover! This recipe of his is no disappointment. The boyfriend is scarfing down my left over from last night right now as I type. Must try this one, its worth it!

Curry Chicken Pot Pie

4 c. frozen veggie mix

1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil

3 Tbsp butter

1 onion-chopped

2 celery stalks-chopped

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. milk

3 Tbsp flour

1 tsp curry powder

2 Tbsp dried parsley

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 c. chicken-roughly chopped (I used a rotisserie)

1 pkg puff pastry

1. Preheat oven to 400.

2. Toss frozen veggies with vegetable oil & spread evenly on sheet pan. Place in oven and cook until slightly golden brown (toss a few times).

3. In large saute pan over medium heat 1 tbsp of butter and sweat the onion and celery. In another sauce pan, heat the broth and milk.

4. Add 2 more tbsp of butter to the onion/celery mixture. Add the flour and curry and cook for 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk mixture and cook until slightly thickened. Add the parsley, salt & pepper.

5. Toss in the browned vegetables and chicken, coating all.

6. Pour into a shallow baking dish or terra cotta pot base lined with foil and top with 6-8 rounds of puff pastry. OR Spoon mixture into individual serving dishes and cover the whole top with a puff pastry circle. Place in 400 degree oven and bake until golden brown and bubbly about 25 minutes.

ENJOY!!

Coconut Curry Chicken

Tuesday night's dinner:
Coconut curry chicken
Rice
Green beans with almonds
Moroccan green mint tea

This was a very easy and quick dinner. All the flavors went together well and they were very subtle. My mom isn't a fan of curry and she loved this dish. The mint green tea really pulled it all together nicely and added a nice refresher. We served the chicken over the rice.

Coconut Curry Chicken

3 tsp. olive oil
12 oz. skinless, boneless chicken breast cut into 1 in cubes
1 med. onion thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
1/2-1 minced jalapeno chile
2 tsp. grated peeled fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1/2 tsp. curry powder
3/4 c. coconut milk
2 tbsp. cilantro chopped

1. In large skillet heat 2 tsp oil on medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken chunks with salt and black pepper. Add to skillet and cook 3-4 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer chicken to clean plate.

2. While chicken is cooking. Make your choice of rice according to directions.

3. In same skillet on medium add remaining 1 tsp of oil. Add onion and cook 3 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in bell pepper, jalapeno, ginger and garlic; cook another minute. Stir in curry powder; cook another minute. Stir in coconut milk making sure to scrap any browned bits from the bottom.

4. Return chicken to the skillet and cook another 3-5 minutes to heat through and slightly thicken sauce. Add cilantro and save some for garnish.

Green Bean w/ Almonds

Take a bag of frozen green beans, heat according to directions with a small pad of butter, once heated through stir in sliced almonds.

Moroccan Iced Tea

5 c. water
3 green tea bags
4 Tbsp sugar
1 c. mint leaves

1. Boil the water- once at a boil add tea bags
2. Muddle the mint leaves with the sugar
3. Let the green tea steep for 5 minutes
4. Add all ingredients into 1/2 gallon pitcher and fill remainder up with cool water

Happy eating.

~Enjoy~

Apricot Chicken

Yummm.... This is a winner dish. Serve with couscous and a squash or zucchini.
::kisses finger:: cest magnific!

Apricot Chicken

3-4 Boneless chicken breast
salt and pepper to taste
1 lg onion, roughly chopped
2 tbsp cider vinegar
12-15 died pitted apricots, chopped
2 cups (or 1 14oz can) chicken broth
1 cup apricot preserve

1. Heat large skillet with a lid over medium high heat, and add olive oil to just cover the bottom.

2. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper, and add to the pan. Lightly brown chicken on both sides.

3. Add onions and cook until tender (about 5 minutes).

4. Add vinegar to the pan and let it evaporate.

5. Add apricots and broth. Lightly boil until liquid reduced by about 1/3-1/2. Stir occasionally.

6. Cover pan, reduce heat to a simmer, and let chicken continue to cook all the way through (about 15-20) minutes.

7. Serve and ENJOY!

Recipe courtesy of Rachel Ray (with minor adjustments)

Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

Since football season is here this is a great and easy recipe to make while watching the game, and you wont even miss any of it.

Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas

1 store bought rotisserie chicken, shredded
3/4 cup buffalo sauce (Franks is the best to use)
1 1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
12 soft flour tortillas
nonstick spray
blue cheese dressing
celery sticks

In a large bowl, combine chicken with sauce, and stir to evenly coat. Add cheese and toss. Divide mixture on six tortillas and top each with remaining tortillas. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray over medium high heat. Cook quesadillas, one at a time, abut 3-4 minutes per side. Cut into quarters and serve with blue cheese and celery sticks.