Cream Cheese Chicken (Slow Cooker)

So this is a pretty common recipe but I've tried a couple and this one is my favorite. This actually isn't my favorite meal but my husband and son love it and it's one of their favorites. Plus, it's super easy and the slow cooker can't be beat for ease. The recipe calls for frozen chicken breasts but I have used fresh chicken breasts and just shortened the cooking time. Also, I've included the cooking time from the original recipe but my slow cooker always cooks faster than the recipe calls for by one or two hours. Your slow cooker might also cook this faster so keep that in mind.  I often use 1/3 less-fat cream cheese for the sake of my caloric intake and it's worked well.

Ingredients:
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup chicken broth
2-3 frozen chicken breasts
1 packet of Italian salad dressing mix
2 cloves minced garlic
1 8 oz. block of cream cheese, cut into chunks
pasta of your choice

Put everything except the cream cheese into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily. Remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and add the cream cheese. Switch the slow cooker to high and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is fully melted. Prepare pasta as directed on package. Serve over pasta.

Chicken Primavera

This is another recipe I adapted from Cooking Light. Originally, it was a vegetarian dish but I added chicken. So, if you don't have chicken, it would still be a great dish. I've made it without the asparagus and green beans when I only had broccoli. Feel free to adapt based on what you have on hand. I tend to like a bit more garlic so if you don't like strong garlic, use only 2 cloves.

Ingredients:
2 cups green beans, trimmed (optional)
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup asparagus (optional)
8-10 ounces uncooked fettuccine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
2-4 minced fresh garlic
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
2/3 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. 
chopped fresh basil to taste

Cook green beans in boiling water 1 minute. Add broccoli and asparagus; cook 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from pan with a slotted spoon; place in large bowl. Return water to a boil. Add pasta; cook 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and add to vegetable mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup onion, and saute for 2 minutes. Add chicken, garlic and red pepper; saute until chicken no longer pink. Add peas and saute for an additional 1 minute. In a small bowl, combine half-and-half, cornstarch and salt, stirring with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium. Add half-and-half mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with basil and cheese. Serve immediately.

Yield 4 servings
(9)

Lemon Chicken Soup

Once upon a time I worked near a Greek restaurant. It served the best lemon soup ever. This easy recipe reminds me of that soup (although I'm not sure anything will ever come close to the original). I adapted this from a recipe I found and is great as a quick meal. I've used fresh chicken and let it cook in the broth. It's also easy to use leftover cooked chicken or from a rotisserie chicken.

Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup orzo
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen green beans
3 cups chopped chicken
2 eggs
3-4 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:
1. Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until light brown, about 1 minute. Add broth, pepper and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add orzo and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until orzo is tender (aprox. 8 minutes).
2. Add green beans and chicken and simmer 2 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs and 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a medium bowl. Warm egg mixture by gently whisking in about 1 cup hot broth in a thin stream.
3. Whisk egg mixture into soup and warm briefly over low heat 2 minutes. Do not boil or eggs will curdle. Adjust seasoning as needed with more lemon juice, salt, or pepper and serve.

4 servings
(8)

Swedish Meatballs (except with chicken)

This is yet again another Cooking Light recipe that I made some adjustments to and have adopted as a regular in our dinner rotations.

The recipe calls for bread crumbs. Because I use bread crumbs regularly, I keep them in my freezer. Whenever I have a few slices of bread that are almost ready to be thrown out, I'll put it in the food processor and freeze them so I can easily use them later.

The recipe also calls for ground chicken. Although it is pretty easy to pick up a pound of ground chicken from the grocery store, I prefer to put chicken breasts in the food processor. It makes a huge difference. Typically, you can get three breasts in a package which is almost 3 pounds. I'll just grind the entire package, split it, use half and freeze the other half.

If you start heating the water for the noodles after you've put browned all the meatballs, it usually turns out timed perfectly. Well, at least with my stovetop. If you have a better range, it might not work out as accurately :) Okay, enough with my tips. On to the recipe!

Ingredients:
1 cup bread crumbs
1 pound ground chicken breast
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons parsley (I use dry although it would probably taste better if you used fresh)
1 large egg white
1 tablespoon canola oil
1-14 oz. can fat free chicken broth
1 1/2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free sour cream
12-16 oz. wide egg noodles

Directions:
1. Place bread crumbs, chicken, 1/2 teaspoon salt, nutmeg, pepper and egg white in bowl. Stir until combined. Shape into small 1-inch meatballs.
2. Heat oil in large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add meatballs. Brown on all sides. Remove meatballs from pan.


3. Reserve a some of the chicken broth in a small bowl. Pour the rest into the pan. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to pan. Add the flour (for thicker sauce, add more flour) to the reserved chicken broth and stir well. Pour the flour-chicken broth mixture into the pan. Stir with a whisk until well combined. Bring to a boil and cook for a minute or until slightly thickened.


4. Stir in sour cream and return the meatballs to the pan. Reduce heat to meadium-low. Cook for 10 minutes or until meatballs are done and sauce has thickened.

Chicken and Fresh Vegetable Pasta Salad

This is attempt number 2 at documenting a recipe that is stored in my magic brain. Sorry if it is a little vague but this is another recipe that is great because of the ease of making variations.

Most of my staple recipes are based upon items that in bulk (ahem, Costco). I also typically buy a family pack of chicken and grill several breasts all at once on my George Foreman so that I can use the chicken the next night in a different recipe (such as Artichoke-Chicken Penne, Chicken Tetrazzini or Chicken Enchilada Pie). I simply put a little Season-All on the chicken and grill on my trusty George Foreman.


Also, for this recipe I like to use at least three or four different vegetables. I always use tomatoes and cucumbers. I love sweet peppers - orange, yellow or red. If you don't like sweet peppers, try adding carrots. I'm not a big fan of carrots but they would be a good substitute for the peppers. The amounts I've listed in the recipe can certainly be altered to taste. Use your favorite vegetables so you will really enjoy the salad.

If you do use sweet peppers, I usually only use a quarter of each. I think it is the perfect amount.



Ingredients:
16 oz. Rotini pasta
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
other vegetables as desired (sweet peppers, carrots, spinach, etc.)
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup Feta cheese (if you don't like Feta, try Parmesan instead)

Dressing:
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 package of Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix.

Begin by grilling your chicken. While you are grilling, start your water boiling for the pasta. Begin cutting your vegetables and place in a large bowl. Allow the grilled chicken to cool a bit and then chop. Once the pasta is done, drain and rinse.

Add all ingredients to a large bowl and stir. In a small bowl mix ingredients for dressing. Add dressing to salad and toss.

Artichoke-Chicken Penne

This is my first attempt at writing down a recipe that I just have in my head. It evolved from the desire to something similar to a dish I had at Noodles and Co. Forgive me but I'll have to be a little Rachel Ray on this and give approximate measurements. But the great thing about this recipe is that you can easily make variations. Again, the measurements are approximate because I never measure - I just throw it in.

Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts, chopped
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked (grilled or sauteed) and shredded
10 oz. penne pasta, cooked and drained
handful of fresh Spinach, rinsed
2-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4-1/2 cup feta cheese

In a large skillet, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. Cook for one minute.

Add chicken and noodles. Stir and heat through. Add Spinach and cook until spinach is wilted.


Add balsamic vinegar and heat through. Add feta cheese before serving.

Spicy Chicken Cakes with Horseradish Aioli

We dug out an old Cooking Light magazine and found this little gem. The recipe called for bottled minced garlic but I recommend freshly minced garlic. I can't guarantee that there is a difference but in my experience, fresh garlic will make any recipe better than when using the bottled stuff. The recipe also calls for fresh chives but I substituted with green onions since I had them on hand. I have to admit that the highlight of this recipe is the Horseradish Aioli. It's a treat.

I served it with blue cheese mashed potatoes (I'm still on my blue cheese kick) and asparagus. While the potatoes were cooking, I prepared the chicken cakes. Once I had the chicken cakes on, I made the Aioli and asparagus.

Cakes:
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast (aprox. 2 large chicken breasts)
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites

To prepare cakes, place bread in a food processor to make coarse crumbs. Measure 1 cup and add to a medium bowl. Place chicken in food processor and grind. Add chicken to bowl and remaining ingredients. Mix well. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat two teaspoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add patties; cook 7 minutes on each side or until done.

Aioli:
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt

To prepare aioli, combine ingredients in a small bowl.

Chipotle Chicken Chili

Although I generally avoid chili served from any restaurant, I do love chili. This chili recipe is so easy and the chipotle peppers make it such a distinct and delicious meal. If you've never used chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, you can find it on the international aisle (with the Mexican food) in the grocery store. Add more chipotle peppers if you like it really hot or decrease if you can't take the heat. Also, you could use ground turkey in the recipe but I think the peppers really compliment the chicken.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chicken
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cans (14 oz.) diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 can black beans, drained
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained
2 tablespoons chopped canned chiptle peppers in adobo sauce

Directions
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, onion and garlic; cook until chicken is no longer pink. Stir frequently to break up the chicken into small crumbles.
2. Note: if your skillet is not large enough to hold aprox. 8 cups, move the chicken to a large saucepan. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

WW: 4 points/aprox. 1 cup serving

Cafe Rio Chicken

I somehow ended up with a copy of this recipe and I finally tried it. It is really good whether or not it tastes like the real Cafe Rio chicken. I can't judge since I don't ever get the chicken at Cafe Rio. Anyway, it makes a ton so make sure to either plan on inviting over some people or an unreal amount of leftovers.

Ingredients:
1 16 oz. bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 lbs chicken breast

Cook all together in a crock pot on high for 4 hours. Shred chicken and return to crock pot for an additional hour.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Here is a quick and easy casserole. I often make it by estimating the ingredients. I like to grill the chicken on our George Foreman grill and use some "All-Season" to give the casserole a little extra flavor. Also, I sometimes use a red onion but it is very strong so it is best to reduce the amount if you do use a red onion.

Ingredients:

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup non-fat milk

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup non-fat sour cream

2 chicken breasts, chopped

1 small zucchini, cut in half and thinly sliced

8 oz. thin spaghetti (cooked)

Mix soup, milk, onion, cheese and sour cream. Add chicken, zucchini and spaghetti. Toss to coat. Spoon into casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot.

If divided into 6 servings, 1 serving is 6 WW points

If divided into 8 servings, 1 serving is 4 WW points

Salsa Chicken

OK, so I like to make up recipes, so my measurements are never specific, so I will try my best to give an accurate account on this one. This has become Brett's favorite of the moment.

It can be done in the crock pot on low for 8 hours or in the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour, depending on how much chicken you put in.

Ingredients:
Chicken- I use the tenders from Costco and put about 8 or 10 pieces in
1 can - cream of chicken soup - I use the healthy request kind
1 cup (or so) - salsa
1 pkg - taco seasoning

Mix it all up in the crock pot or casserole dish and bake!

Mix in fat free sour cream once it's cooked and serve over rice.

Chicken Enchilada Pie

Here's another fabulous recipe from my sister-in-law (thanks, Tara). It is so easy and it's quick to memorize. Oh, and it's so good! I serve it with Spanish rice and black beans. I think the most important part about this recipe is to make sure you use delicious tortillas. If you have good tortillas, you can use low-fat sour cream to lower the fat content.

Ingredients:
1/2 to 1 lb. chicken breast
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 small can of Salsa Verde (Herdez brand, if you can find it)
1 small can diced green chilies
4-6 tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions:
Boil chicken and shred. Mix with soup, sour cream, 3/4 can of Salsa Verde and 1/2 can of chilies. In casserole dish, layer ripped up tortillas and chicken mixture. Top with remaining Salsa Verde, chilies and remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.