Easy Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken with Ham fried Rice

I love Pinterest!

One of my latest finds is this tasty meal found HERE.  It is easy, light and filling and my kids vaccuum it down knowing there is plenty more.  I'm adding this to the label "under $10" because we had every indgredient but the chicken on hand which cost me six dollars to feed 8.

The chicken coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts (I used the stir fry cut packages)

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

This is about half way done in the oven.  My fully finished golden brown version had a corrupted file.

Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs. Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes

Fried Rice : This is so dang easy and it tastes just like restaurant ham fried rice.   

3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!)

3 tbs sesame oil

1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)

1 small onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup soy sauce

(I added ham)

On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated!

Chicken Waldorf Salad Sandwich

Chicken Waldorf Salad Sandwich

Ingredients:
Chicken (1 can chunk chicken or 1-2 cups roughly chopped chicken left overs)
1 gala apple diced small
1 celery stock diced small
1-2 cups sliced red seedless grapes
Optional 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Bread/Crusty Roll/Croissant

Dressing Ingredients: (these are guesstimates as I just added each to the bowl free handed)
1/4 cup mayo (what ever kind you like - lite/fat free/olive oil base/regular/miracle whip)
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
1/8 cup honey
palm full of poppy seeds
S&P to taste

Make dressing in a large bowl first. Whisk together all ingredients and set aside to marinade while getting the other ingred ready.
Chop chicken, apples, celery and grapes and toss in dressing. Check seasoning and adjust here if needed. Add walnuts directly before serving. This is great as a sandwich but it's also great as a regular salad.

Chicken Artichoke Pasta Toss

Chicken Artichoke Pasta Toss

Ingredients:

Pasta of your choice

Olive oil

3-4 pads butter

1 can chicken chunks or any chicken leftovers shredded

fresh tomatoes diced

1/2 sweet yellow onion diced

artichoke hearts (canned or frozen is fine -which ever is on sale)

Thyme

S&P

While water is boiling for the pasta...shred chicken, dice up tomatoes, onion and artichokes (if pieces are large).

 Add butter and olive oil to the pan. Then add onion and saute until soft and fragrant. Add spices, tomatoes, artichokes and chicken to the pan and toss. Cook for just a few minutes to warm ingredients through.
When pasta is ready add pasta directly into pan with the rest of the ingredients and toss.  Add any additional butter, olive oil or spices here to taste.

Plate warm with Parmesan cheese over the top.

You can also add Alfredo sauce to this for a delicious left over makeover that is sure to please the whole family.

Wandering Gypsy Girl Roasted Chicken

What you'll need.

Preheat the oven to 400

In a small bowl combine spice mixture, lemon rind and butter. Spices: cumin, paprika, marjoram, thyme (there should be mostly thyme), S&P. Make a thick paste - this will go between the skin and meat as well as over the top of the skin for flavor and moisture.

Gently lift skin away from meat with fingers. Rub butter mixture in as you go.

Place thinly sliced apples and lemons between the skin and meat (over the herb butter). Layer the apples closest to the skin - the acid from the lemons will help bring out the sugars in the apples to flavor the meat. Stuff the cavity with onion, oranges, lemon, apples, and garlic that have been seasoned with S&P.

In your roaster create a bed for your chicken to cook on (this prevents it from sticking to the bottom - you may also use a rack or insert...but using vegetables and fruit adds far more flavor for the meat and the gravy after).

Saute roughly chopped onion, celery, carrot, lemon, orange, and apples briefly.

Nestle the chicken into the warm vegetables and fruit and cover the chicken with bacon (the fat from the bacon will keep the bird moist without braising. By increasing the initial fat content and cutting out the step for braising you allow the oven door to stay closed through cooking thus allowing for a more even cooking temperature throughout the process.

Cook at 400 for 20min then reduce heat and continue to cook for 20min per pound or until the juices run clear. Remove bacon about 10-20min before you are ready to remove the chicken to allow the outer skin to brown.

Once the juices run clear remove the chicken from the oven. The skin over the fruit will be thin d/t the high acidity.

Remove the chicken from the pan into a bowl breast side down. Allow to rest.

By allowing the chicken to rest breast side down you are allowing the juices to redistribute into the breast meat keeping the bird very moist.

Break down the chicken by removing the breast meat in whole pieces.

Separate the legs, thighs, wings and accessory meat. Serve on a formal platter for parties or separate and store if you are using the meat for other meals/recipes such as some of the leftover makeovers listed previously on the blog.

If serving immediately serve along side a nice bright vegetable such as green beans and a flavorful starch.

Homemade chicken stock

Waste not ... Want not! In my childhood home my mother almost always had something on the stove simmering away. From tomatoes to chicken bones my mother could transform leftovers and extras into delectable freezable's that could be used again and again.

To make Chicken Stock

Remove the giblets, and neck bone (leave the skin on the neck bone/meat). Roughly chop celery, onion, carrots and garlic. (If you are deboning the chicken instead of cooking it whole you can add ALL of the bones to the stock pot. The bones add a great deal of flavor.)

Add all ingredients to a stock pot with 1-2 pads butter, thyme, a bay leaf, and S&P. Saute for 5-10 minutes over medium heat until onions are soft but not burnt. Cover with water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and then cover with a lid. Simmer over very low heat for a few hours.

Once the stock is rich in color and flavor remove from heat and allow to cool.

Strain stock through a fine mesh screen or cheese cloth.

Discard the vegetables, giblets and bones. You now have a rich flavorful stock that can be used for cooking right away, can be stored in the fridge temporarily, or frozen or canned for longer storage periods.

Crock Pot Cajun chicken

I found this recipoe HERE along with a ton of other Crock Pot recipes.

11/2 to 2	lb.	meaty chicken (breasts, thighs, drumsticks)
		non-stick spray coating
2	tbsp.	nonfat milk
2	tbsp.	onion powder
1/2	tsp.	dried thyme, crushed
1/4	tsp.	garlic salt
1/4	tsp.	white pepper
1/4	tsp.	black pepper

Remove skin from chicken. Rinse chicken, pat dry. Spray inside of Crockery Pot with nonstick coating. Arrange the chicken, meaty sides up in Crockery Pot. Brush with milk. In small bowl mix onion powder, thyme, garlic salt, white pepper and black pepper. Sprinkle over chicken. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours (high 4 to 5 hours) until the chicken is tender and no longer pink.



Curry or Vindaloo Chicken

I've recently been inspired to learn to make Indian food. A friend from work who is actually from India has been giving me tips and tricks and I have come to learn the basic make up of most curries is essentially the same - from Vindaloo to Masala to Green Coconut Curry the big difference comes in the combination of spices and the finish.

Start with the basics - your choice of meat (you can use chicken, turnkey, pork, lamb) onions, garlic, ginger, and the combination of spices you are using. I like using the microplane grater for the garlic and ginger.

Saute onions until very soft and slightly brown. Add garlic and ginger last and only cook a few moments to prevent burning.

Add spices (and if making masala add the tomato paste here too). Make a thick paste with the onions and then after cooking the spices though a few moments add in the meat.

Add the stock to allow for enough moisture to simmer the meat and prevent the spices from being burned. The longer and slower the meat simmers the more tender it is.

Using a spatula or spoon keep the mixture moving. If you walk away the mixture will burn and stick to the bottom of the pot creating a burnt flavor.

Once cooked through taste and add additional S&P as well as any heat spices such as cayenne or red curry to taste.

If you are making masala add the heavy whipping cream here. If you are making green curry add the coconut milk here. - Wait to add the cream until after the meat is cooked all the way through. Simmer for a few moments after adding and then plate while hot.

Serve over rice and garnish with a bright green herb (cilantro is a very popular choice in Indian cuisine). Traditionally curries are served with Naan or rice pancakes and with yogurt. When eating you add the yogurt to the meat and rice to help make the mixture creamy and to cool off any heat from the spices that may be a little to hot.

Chicken Masala

2lbs boneless chicken diced into bite sized pieces.

1 large yellow sweet onion diced small.

2 cloves garlic diced or mashed into a paste

1/2 tsp fresh ginger

5tbl EVOO

3tbl butter

1 small can tomato paste

chicken stock as needed

Heavy cream

4tbl masala spice mix

1/2 tbl turmeric

S&P to taste

cayenne or spicy red curry to taste (for heat)

Suate diced onion's in oil and butter until soft and slightly brown (not burned or crispy). Add garlic and ginger- saute until fragrant. Add spices and cook through but be careful not to burn.

Add can of tomato paste and combine thoroughly.

Add chicken to the pot and add 1/2-1 cup chicken stock to help all spices to coat chicken. Simmer until cooked through.

Add more chicken stock until you have a good amount of gravy. Slowly stir in heavy cream. Add S&P and any additional cayenne to taste.

Serve over Basmati rice and naan.

Garnish with cilantro or parsley.

Crockpot Creamy Chicken and Rice

This is probably my #1 go to thing I do with my crockpot. You know those packages of rice mixture thingies?? You know these ones:

Yeah! So I use these glorious mixes to make crockpot chicken. I've only used these 2 flavors so far but it is always a hit and always yummy and so easy! In my photo above I've used the cheddar broccoli one with frozen broccoli. Here is the recipe.

2 chicken pieces I usually use boneless skinless breasts

1 package of rice mixture

2 cups water/broth

1 can of cream of chicken

1 package of cream cheese. I love using the new cooking cream ones from Philadelphia

1 package of frozen veggies

2-4 tablespoons butter

salt and pepper optional

(Recipe can be doubled)

Place chicken in crockpot with butter and you can salt and pepper if you choose. Dump in the rice package and pour the water/broth over that. Then mix together the cream of chicken and cream cheese in a bowl and pour over chicken and rice.

Cook on low for about 6 hours or on high for 3. Can use frozen chicken if you want just adjust your cooking time. At the last hour or 2 pull out the chicken and cut it up or shred it. Put it back in the rice mixture and stir everything together. Add frozen veggies and stir to combine. Sometimes I add a little milk to thin it out just a tad but that is completely optional. Then let it all come back up to temperature and the veggies thaw as well. You could even add some cheese if you wanted.

Enjoy!!

Better Broccoli, Moister Meat

Cooking tip:
To keep chicken moist- Cook chicken to your skillet just long enough to get a nice sear on it, but not cooked completely through. Then add about 1/2 cup- 1cup of chicken broth to the pan and let it finish cooking.  The broth helps keep the meat moist and tender!

Cooking tip:
At the stage where your meat is seared and you are adding in your broth, throw in your cut or frozen veggies. It adds SO MUCH flavor. Broccoli absorbs the flavor of the chicken and really hardly tastes like broccoli anymore. (It's how I've gotten my kids to eat their veggies!)

"Enchilada" Potato Soup, Quick!

This recipe is based off to my Potato Soup, Quick recipe with a few minor changes. Here's this version...

 

1/2 package (24 oz) thawed, unseasoned, frozen hash browns (shredded or cubed is fine)
1/2 cup chopped onion (OPTIONAL if you don't like onion)
butter (about a 1/2 cup, but I don't really measure)

1 can Stokes Pork Green Chile Sauce
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1-2 cups frozen corn (you could also used canned...)

1-2 cups cooked, cubed chicken

taco seasoning, to taste
garlic salt, to taste

cheese, to top it off

In a large sauce pan, cook and stir the onion and potatoes in butter then heat until cooked through, roughly about 10 minutes.  Stir in all other ingredients. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle some grated cheese on top. (Sometimes I even dollop a spoonful of sour cream on top, too!) We serve it with warm tortillas and corn chips. YUM.

Chicken, Avacado, and Wild Rice Salad

1  4.3 oz. package mixed white and wild rice
2 ripe avacados, sliced
3 cups cooked chicken cut into bite sized pieces
4 scallions, chopped
1 cup italian dressing
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 toasted pine nuts or sliced almonds
1 cup cherry tomatoes


1. prepare rice according to package directions
2. stir in chicken and scallions; add the dressing and toss well.
3. Pour into a serving dish (and if you want a cold salad, chill up to an hour)
4. Toss avacados with lemon juice.
5. garnish salad with avacados, nuts and tomatoes

Teriyaki Chicken

Marinade: 1 bottle teriyaki sauce   1 bottle italian dressing

marinade 8 large chicken breasts overnight.

Grill/broil

easy peasy

Carrabbas Chicken Bryan!

I believe angels looked down from above and guided me to this recipe online.  LOL I stumbled upon it and can now feed this fantastic dish to my whole family for half the price of one plate at the restaurant.  It was SO easy and the whole family ate it.  The kids didn't even complain that I fed them goat cheese!

Here is my picture of tonight's meal.  I am so happy with the way it turned out.

The recipe came from Food.com  You can get their recipe HERE.

I differed from their recipe by using 1/2 the amount of basil and I used dried

I also sweeted some white cooking wine instead of dry white wine.

I broiled the chicken as I cannot seem to work the grill.

Sorry Carrabbas.  I need you no more.

Chicken and Asparagus tossed with Penne with a side of Bruchetta

This is a very light and healthy meal.  The kids had seconds and asked me to make it again.  It went well with My husband and my low sodium diet and my parent's low carb diets.  It isn't often we can please the kids, have them get the square meal they need, and everyone's dietary needs  Thanks to the Mayo Clinic and the Recipe. 

Rapture Food!

This past Saturday, in honor of the Rapture, I hosted a Rapture party at our home.  It was a pot luck.  The challenge was to bring some sort of punny food to share. 

The main coarse was build-it-yourself Shish Kabobs (Because during the rapture and the end of the world, how much of a shish kabob you end up is really of your own making.):

I cut up strips of Chicken breast and rubbed then with lemon pepper ahead of time and let them stew in their own juices in the fridge.

Then we had bowls of red and green peppers, fresh mushrooms, pineapple, cucumbers, zuccini, mandarine oranges, and baby red potatoes (pre-boiled.)

Everyone took their pre soaked scewer and built their Kabob the way they liked it.  It saved time and the kids all enjoyed their kabobs.


The other foods brought were:

"Judgement Bars"  AKA Eagle Brand Magic Cookie Bars

Rotisserie Chicken

Angel Food Cake with Straw berry shortcake toppings

Living Watermelon

Pistaccio NUTS

Kool-aid --But we didn't ALL drink it.  LOL

Party games prizes: large bags of Life Savers hard candy to better help survive the Zombie Apocolypse.

Other options I considered were: Chicken Rapture-tore, Roast, Divinity, devil's food cake, etc.

It was so funny to see people's reactions... and unfortunately none of us were raptured. 

Mexican Chicken Chowder

1 onion chopped (from bountiful basket)

1-2 green pepper chopped (from bountiful basket)

6 cloves of garlic pressed

1 stick of butter

2 tblsp olive oil (divided)

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

1 can cream of chicken soup

32 oz chicken broth

2 cans green chillies

1 can diced tomatoes with green chillies

3/4 bag of frozen corn (or a can drained)

salt

pepper

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin

2 limes juiced

2 tblsp chipolte adobo sauce

2 large chicken breasts

sour cream garnish

Mexican blend cheese garnish

tortilla strips garnish

cilantro leaves garnish

(You could add black beans if you wanted. I just hate beans and don't eat them ha ha!)

Season (with salt pepper and 1 tblsp olive oil) and cook chicken breasts in crock pot on low for about 6 hours(You can cook the chicken any way you want really. Or even get a rotisserie chicken from the store.) When chicken is done, pull them out of crock pot and place on a plate to cool. In a very large pan melt butter and 1 tblsp olive oil add onion, press garlic and green pepper and cook until tender. Stir in flour until all veggies are coated. Then stir in milk. Pour in chicken broth and stir together to combine. Add cream of chicken and stir that to combine. Add green chillies, tomatoes, and corn. Then add chipolte sauce, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Juice 2 limes and stire all together. Bring to a slow boil and then turn burner down. After chicken has cooled, chop/shred the chicken and add to the chowder. Stir to combine. Simmer on low for 15-hour or whenever you are ready to eat :)

Serve in bowls with cheese, sour cream, chips and fresh cilantro leave for garnish.

This soup was DELICIOUS!! Even my kids ate it! I had to hurry and blog it so that I wouldn't forget it! All measurements are estimates because I made this recipe up as I went.

Chicken Breast with Salsa

6 boneless skinless chickien breasts
3 lemons squeezed (just use the juice)
3/4 C olive oil
2 Tbsp crushed Garlic
Salt and Pepper
Salsa

Mix lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and salt and pepper in a dish large enought to marinate your chicken in.  Marinate for 15 minutes on each side, then grill.  Top with Salsa.

Tonight I got lazy and actually baked the chicken IN the marinade on 350 till the juices ran clear and it was SUPER moist.  I also cut up the chicken breasts into halves or fourths.  They aren't as pretty, but they cook faster.

We served it with Cous cous and green beans.

General Tso's Chicken

1 Large egg white

3tbl cornstarch

3tbl Chinese cooking wine (or white wine of your choice)

3tbl soy sauce

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken (diced)

1/4 cup chicken stock

2 tsp white vinegar

2 tsp sugar

vegetable oil for frying (sesame, peanut, etc)

12 dry red chili peppers

1 tbl minced ginger

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup roughly chopped cashews (optional)

Green onion tips sliced on the bias for garnish

In a bowl whisk together egg white, 2 tbl cornstarch, 2tbl wine, 1tbl soy sauce. Add chicken and toss to coat. Allow to marinade up to 2hrs.

Make sauce in a separate bowl - whisk together 1 tbl cornstarch, tbl chicken stock, (whisk together until smooth), add remaining 3tbl chicken stock, 1 tbl wine, 1 tbl soy sauce, vinegar, & sugar - set aside.

In a large wok heat 3inches of oil to 350. Cook chicken in oil until crispy. Remove and set aside to drain on a towel. Discard all but 1 tbl of oil from wok. Add chili peppers, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes & 1/2 cup green onions. Stir fry until fragrent (about 15 sec). Add chicken stock sauce, bring to a boil and cook - stirring constantly - until sauce thickens (about 1min).

Remove from heat - toss with chicken - serve over rice with green onion and cashew garnish.

Lemon Pepper Chicken Breast with Garlic Asparagus

Being inside so much this month, I decided to make things a bit 

"Fancier" But honestly this meal is so EASY!

The Chicken breast is simply sprinkled with Lemon Pepper, in a baking dish with a small amount of water to keep from drying out.  Then bake, covered at 350 until juices run clear when poked.

The asparagus is rinsed, snapped, placed in a pot with water just even with the spears and brought just to a boil with about a tsp of fresh minced garlic.  When just to a boil, place in a dish and top with butter allowing it to melt.

We also had Chicken Rice-a-roni, peas and carrots, and fresh fruit.