CHILI LIME CHICKEN BURGERS RECIPE

Ingredients

1 pound Ground Chicken

¼ cups dice Green Onion (Scallion)

¼ cups dice Bell Pepper, Red

2 tablespoons chop Cilantro, Fresh

2 teaspoons mince Garlic, Cloves

½ teaspoons Salt #1

¼ teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes

¼ cups juice Lime

Instructions

1. Combine chicken, green onions, red bell pepper, cilantro, garlic, salt #1, red pepper flakes and lime juice in a bowl.
2. Mix until thoroughly combined.
3. Form into equal patties.
4. Flash freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet.
5. After flash freezing, divide among indicated number of freezer bags. Remove as much air as possible, then label & freeze.

__________________________________________________

Serving Day Ingredients

1 medium Avocado

¼ teaspoons Garlic Powder

⅛ teaspoons Salt #2

⅛ teaspoons Black Pepper

4 individual Hamburger Buns

Serving Day Directions

1. Grill in a greased skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side, until cooked through.
2. To make guacamole: mash avocado with garlic powder, salt #2 & pepper.
3. Place on top of burger and serve on a bun.

Brown Sugar Salmon

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. skinless salmon fillets
1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water
Salt to taste
Lemon pepper to taste
Garlic powder to taste
Lemon slices for garnish


Instructions

1. Season the fillets to taste with the salt, lemon pepper and garlic powder.

2. In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, soy sauce, water and oil until sugar is dissolved.

3. Put the seasoned fillets into a Ziploc bag, pour in the marinade mixture, seal and turn to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Line a broiler pan with aluminum foil and make a few slits through the foil with a knife to allow juices to drain while cooking. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.

6. Place your fillets on the broiler pan and discard the leftover marinade.

7. Place the fillets into your preheated 450 degree oven for 15 minutes.
Then move the fillets to an oven rack close to the broiler and broil on high for an additional 5 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Recipe from: http://bitzngiggles.com/brown-sugar-salmon/

Honey-Garlic Chicken Wings

These are ridiculously delicious wings and great for anyone avoiding nightshades.  If you cook them on the barbecue (which is the way we like them!), they end up as a “dry” wing (they are still moist and tasty though!).  You can also cook them in the marinade in the oven for a sticky, gooey wing (but these will also have more sugar this way).  They are delicious either way!

 Ingredients:

• 3 lbs chicken wings, separated
• 1/3 cup Honey
• ¼ cup Lemon Juice
• ¼ cup water
• 2 Tbsp Coconut Aminos or Reduced Sodium Tamari Soy Sauce
• 2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tsp Garlic Powder
• ¾ tsp Ground Ginger
• 1 tsp smoked paprika (if nightshades are ok for you)

1.    Heat honey, lemon juice, water, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and ginger in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Turn heat down to low once it starts to simmer and let simmer for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.
2.    Pour marinade over chicken wings (I like to do this in a large ziplock bag but you could do this in a bowl or baking dish too).  Let marinade in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (the more the better).
3.    Barbecue chicken wings until cooked, turning once (something like 20 minutes total, depending on how hot your barbecue is).  Alternatively, place in a greased baking dish (or line with foil) and bake at 400F for 1 hour, turning once.  Enjoy!

Paleo Chicken Salad Snack Wrap

Ingredients:

1 shredded chicken breast
2 Cloves of garlic minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
(This is how I prepare our chicken...I simmer 1 chicken breast in a pot of water with chunks of onion, whole pieces of garlic and spices (basil, parsely, whatever) for 60 minutes.  Then I take the chicken, garlic and chunks of onion and toss it into the kitchen aid with the paddle attachment. Turn it on 1 speed and you get instant shredded chicken, garlic and onions in about one minute!

Then I mix in:
2 Tbs honey
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red wine vinegar
Season with pepper and dried basil 

Then I add in:
1 Fuji apple chopped
1 cup red grapes chopped

Take the whole mixture and wrap in a Romaine lettuce leaf

Gluten Free Spicy Asia Lettuce Wraps

This is adapted from a couple of different recipes from Our Best Bites

Asian Lettuce Wraps
Recipe adapted by Our Best Bites

1 lb ground chicken*
1/2 C thinly sliced green onions

4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger


1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced 
1/3 C roughly chopped cilantro

1 lemon juiced (about 3-4 Tbs juice)

1 Tbs coconut aminos
4 Tbs honey


1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1-2 heads romaine lettuce

*To prepare your own ground chicken, cut boneless skinless chicken breasts into large chunks and pulse in a food processor until ground.

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, combine the ground chicken, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Cover and refrigerate until dinner time or allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

When ready to cook, heat about 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken mixture until it’s browning and crumbly.

While the chicken is cooking, combine the lemon, coconut aminos, honey, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Place the remaining ingredients in a large bowl. When the chicken is done cooking, add it to the vegetable mixture. Drizzle with the sauce and toss to combine. Serve immediately in leaves of lettuce. Makes 4 servings.

Yield: about 5 C chicken mixture.  Makes 14-16 lettuce wraps.

Crockpot Honey Sesame Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, about 5
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup of honey
1/2 cup of coconut aminos
2-3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place the chicken thighs in the crockpot insert and sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides.
In a medium sized bowl, combine honey, coconut aminos, red wine vinegar, butter, garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine well. Pour over the chicken in the crockpot.
Cook on low for 3-4 hours or high for 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours.
When done, remove chicken from stock pot and cut into chunks. Throw the chicken back in and stir around to recoat the chicken in the sauce.
Serve hot over a bed of brown rice (optional) and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top.

Pistachio Curry Gluten Free

Chicken and Rice with Coconut Milk and Pistachios Gluten Free

Chicken and Rice with Coconut Milk and Pistachios

from melskitchencafe.com (altered to be gluten free)

*Be sure to use chicken breasts that are about the same size to make sure the chicken cooks evenly.

4 (5 to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, minced

1 1/2 teaspoon garam masala (an Indian spice blend found in most supermarkets)

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice

3 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk

1 cup frozen peas

1/2 cup chopped pistachios, lightly toasted

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves

Pound each chicken breast between two sheets of plastic wrap to a uniform 1/2-inch thickness.

Pat the chicken breasts dry with a paper towel, then season with salt and pepper

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the butter oil is rippling. Carefully lay the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook until lightly browned on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and return to medium heat until rippling. Add the onion, garam masala, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in the chicken broth and coconut milk, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle the chicken into the rice and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the chicken is done, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a clean plate, brushing off any rice back into the skillet. Tent the chicken loosely with foil to stay warm. Cover the skllet and continue to cook the rice over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, about 10 minutes.

Off the heat, sprinkle the peas over the rice, cover, and let warm through, about 2 minutes. Add the pistachios and cilantro and gently fold into the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with the chicken.

Filipino Chicken Adobo Crockpot !!

Josh served his mission in the Philippines and introduced me to Chicken Adobo.  I instantly fell in love with the dish and craved it SO bad during my pregnancy with Jackson.  There was a place called Little Manilla down the road that I ate at weekly back in 2006.  Unfortunately the owner had to move back to the Philippines and I have been missing it ever since!  So about a month ago I was making a cashew chicken Recipe, but didn't have cashews or rice wine vinegar.  So I obviously left out the cashews and substituted Red Wine Vinegar.  AND GUESS WHAT HAPPENED?!?  Holy Smokes I accidentally made Chicken Adobo.  It tastes awesome!  Enjoy!!!

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thigh tenders  (don't use chicken breasts)

1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup soy sauce
4 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp garlic pepper
4 Tbsp ketchup
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 medium onion chopped and sauted
1 medium potatoe chopped
cup carrots chopped


Chop onion. Heat butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions for about 5 minutes on each side.

Chop chicken, potatoes and carrots and place in slow cooker. Once onions are done sautéing place in slow cooker.


Combine soy sauce, vinegar, garlic pepper, ketchup, sugar, garlic, and ginger in small bowl; pour over chicken. Cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.  Server over rice. Makes 4-6 servings.

Cashew Crockpot Chicken

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thigh tenders (don't use chicken breasts)

1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (omit if feeding kids because it makes it too spicy)
1/2 cup cashews

Combine flour and pepper in resealable food storage bag. Add chicken. Shake to coat with flour mixture. Heat butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken about 2 minutes on each side. Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, sugar, garlic, ginger, and pepper flakes in small bowl; pour over chicken. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours. Add cashews and stir. Server over rice. Makes 4-6 servings.

Review:
We actually made this without the cashews and it was still amazing!

Pasta Fresca from Noodles and Co.

This is the recipe for the Pasta Fresca dish served at Noodles and Company. This is one of my favorite things to get there and I like to add Chicken also.

NOODLES & CO. PASTA FRESCA

Sauté Instructions:
In a very hot sauté pan, add:
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 1/2 cups pre-cooked penne (bow-tie works well too)
1/4 cup cubed roma tomatoes
1/4 cup diced red onions
2 shakes of kosher salt & cracked pepper

Sear noodles, stirring occasionally until steaming hot

Add:
1 cup baby fresh spinach
1 oz. fresca sauce (recipe below)
Toss to combine, serve with freshly shaved parmesan cheese or fresca (hence the name)

FRESCA SAUCE:
(for 15 servings)
1/4 cup fresh garlic
2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup sweet white wine (I always use apple juice as a substitute and it taste perfect)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

From: Noodles & Co.

Chicken Cacciatore

Start by chopping onion and garlic and sauteing in olive oil

Remove that mixture and place it in your blender.

Add whole chicken thighs (or you can chop them up) to pan and cook until golden.

Remove from pan and set on a papertowel.

Add chicken broth, wine, tomato paste, thyme, salt, pepper and marjoram to the onions and garlic in the blender and blend it until smooth.

Place chicken in a slow-cooker and pour that yummy sauce right over it. Pop in a bay leaf on top and cook for a few hours. When you have about 1/2 hour to go, add the mushrooms and the chopped green pepper. When it’s all done serve over your favorite pasta with a little parmesan and fresh herbs if you feel like it. (And doesn’t feel like cheese??)

Yummy yummy yummy yummy yummy. I could drink it.

Chicken Cacciatore

1 lb. chicken thighs, (cut into bite-sized pieces if you want too, I usually don't cut them till after I take them out of the crockpot)

1 tsp. Kosher salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/2 c. olive oil

1 onion, roughly chopped

5-6 cloves garlic, peeled and either crushed or halved

1 6-oz. can tomato paste

1 c. white wine (you can also use apple or white grape juice mixed with 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar)

1 1/2 c. chicken broth

1/4 tsp. thyme

1/4 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. salt (omit if using cooking wine; you may shrivel up and die if you add the salt in addition to cooking wine because cooking wine is treated with salt to make it undrinkable)

1 c. sliced mushrooms (or more if you love them. Mushrooms are divine in this dish!)

1 green bell pepper, chopped (can substitute other colors)

Heat olive oil in skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions and garlic and stir frequently until onions are tender and garlic is fragrant. Remove with a slotted spoon (this is why you need to keep the onion and garlic pieces big), shake off excess oil (you don’t have to go crazy here, a little olive oil never killed anyone!), and transfer to your blender. Increase heat to medium-high.

Add chicken pieces into the hot pan and stir quickly to prevent pieces from sticking together. Saute until chicken is golden. Remove chicken with slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. Turn off the heat under the oil, lest you start a grease fire. I am NOT speaking from ANY kind of firsthand experience here… ;)

While chicken is draining, add wine, chicken broth, tomato paste, thyme, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. black pepper and marjoram to the onions and garlic in the blender. Blend until smooth. Place chicken and bay leaf in your slow cooker and then pour the sauce over the chicken. Place lid on slow cooker and cook on high for 3.5-4 hours. When you have about 1/2 hour to go, add the mushrooms and the chopped green pepper. Cook until mushrooms and pepper are tender. Remove bay leaf and serve over pasta.

FREEZER MEAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Complete steps through browning the chicken. Instead of placing chicken in your slow cooker, place it in a freezer-safe container and cover with sauce. When ready to eat, place frozen mixture in your slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours. You can either cut the mushrooms and peppers ahead of time and freeze them separately from the chicken and sauce or you can just plan to have those in your fridge when you’re ready to make this.

Taco Chicken

Okay. I’m being a board hog today. I’m also craving Mexican food. One of the major disadvantages to living in the South is that there is very little in the way of good Mexican food, so I have to make it myself. I’ll be posting a recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup on Friday, but I wanted to share some tips with you today as well as a recipe for chicken that you can use for anything–fill small flour tortillas with this chicken, some cheese, a little cabbage, guacamole, and pico de gallo, and you’ll think you’ve gone to heaven. Make taco salads with this instead of ground beef. The best thing about it is that you probably have (or will have) all or most of the ingredients in your house and that it’s EASY.

Here’s the lineup (other than chicken of course):

Juice 2 limes and combine them with a couple splashes of red wine vinegar and some garlic. Pour over chicken. This will not completely cover the chicken; just turn it occasionally as needed. Marinate for at least 4 hours, no longer than 8.

Heat an outdoor grill (you can also use a grill pan inside. Or your broiler in your oven.) Combine salt, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper in a small bowl. Remove chicken from marinade and rub the spices all over the chicken. Isn’t raw meat disgusting-looking?

Grill about 7 minutes per side.

Remove from heat and allow to stand a few minutes so it doesn’t lose its juiciness. You can either eat the chicken as it is, maybe with Mexican rice and beans, or use slice it up and use it as you would taco meat.

Taco Chicken
Recipe by OurBestBites.com

1 lb. chicken breasts or thighs (I can tell you right now that I’m a breast girl and Sara prefers thighs.)
A couple of juicy limes
A splash of red wine vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or coarsely chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Juice the limes and combine with a couple splashes of red wine vinegar. Add garlic. Pour over chicken. This will not completely cover the chicken; just turn it occasionally as needed. Marinate for at least 4 hours, no longer than 8.

Heat an outdoor grill (you can also use a grill pan inside. Or your broiler in your oven.) Combine salt, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper in a small bowl. Remove chicken from marinade and rub the spices all over the chicken.

Grill about 7 minutes per side.

Remove from heat and allow to stand a few minutes so it doesn’t lose its juiciness. You can either eat the chicken as it is, maybe with Mexican rice and beans, or use slice it up and use it as you would taco meat.