Chicken Broccoli Casserole

From @realsimplegood on Insta

Gary LOVED.

Chicken from 1 rotisserie chicken, chopped
10 pieces of bacon, diced
1 bag riced cauliflower (TJs)
4 cups chopped broccoli
2 cups mushrooms, small dice
1/4 c flour
2 tbsp. minced garlic
1.5 c almond milk
1 tsp. salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400.  Place bacon in dutch oven and cook until just crispy.  Remove with slotted spoon and place on paper towels.

Using same pan, add mushrooms and cook for about 2 minutes.  Add in the flour and garlic and stir to mix well.  Slowly add in the milk, whisking constantly for 2 minutes.  Stir in salt and pepper.

Add the chicken, cauliflower, broccoli and bacon and stir well.  Transfer to baking dish and bake for 25 minutes.

Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

Photo from Real Simple

I made this tonight, and aside from the fact that it is delicious, it was one of the most simple recipes I've ever made!  I adapted it slightly from Real Simple, and some of their reviews weren't good (people said it was too lemon-y), but I found the lemon perfect (I used less than directed).  This is definitely a new go to!

Another plus: it makes your house smell divine!  I left it in the oven when I went to pick up the kids, and when we came home, it smelled so good!  Even Ella said, "what's that smell, mommy?"

INGREDIENTS
6 tbsp. olive oil
1 lemon (half thinly sliced, half juiced)
4 garlic cloves, minced (or 2 tsp. crushed garlic)
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
3/4 lbs. green beans (I used about half or 3/4 of the bag of TJ's frozen French green beans- I blanched them first so they weren't frozen when I put them in the casserole dish)
24 oz. (1 lb. 8 oz.) bag baby red potatoes, quartered
3-4 chicken breasts (I used 3, about 1.3 lbs.)
Chicken broth

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 450.  Coat a large baking dish with 1 tbsp of the olive oil.  Arrange the lemon slices in a single layer in the bottom of the dish or skillet.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining oil, lemon juice (I used only about 1 tsp), garlic, salt and pepper; add the green beans and toss to coat.  Using a slotted spoon (or your hands!), remove the green beans and arrange them on top of the lemon slices.  Add the potatoes to the same oil mixture and toss to coat.  Remove the potatoes and arrange around the edge of the dish over the green beans.  Place the chicken in the oil mixture and coat thoroughly.  Place chicken in dish on top of green beans.  Pour any of the remaining oil mixture over the chicken.  At this point, I pour about 3/4 cup of chicken broth into the baking dish.

Roast for 50 minutes.

Crock Pot Honey Sesame Chicken

I made this one tonight- VERY easy and VERY delicious.  Gary loved it!!  So did Everett.  Ella liked the rice and broccoli but declared that she no longer likes chicken because it's "gross".  Nice.

I slightly altered the recipe from this blog.

4 chicken breasts (I used only 3)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic minced (or 1 tsp. crushed garlic)
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Pinch red pepper flakes
Cooked brown rice
Sesame seeds
2 scallions, chopped

Place chicken in crock pot and lightly season with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine onion, garlic, honey, ketchup, soy sauce, oil and pepper flakes.  Pour over chicken.  Cook on low 3-4 hours or high for 2 hours.  Shred chicken in crock pot.  Serve over rice.  Sprinkle with sesame seeds and scallions.

As you see, I served it with broccoli, which was delicious mixed in with the rice and chicken!

White Lightening Chicken Chili

I made this last night, and it was amazing!!  Even Ella liked it.  I think we all liked it better than my other white chicken chili recipe.  Instead of using all navy beans like the recipe calls for, I used 3 different varieties:

1 large sweet onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced (I used 2 tsp crushed garlic from TJ's)
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cups shredded cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)
2 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth (I only used 16 oz. and will use less next time)
2 (4.5 oz.) cans chopped green chiles, undrained
1 (1.25 oz.) package white chicken chili seasoning mix (I used McCormicks- great flavor)
3 (16 oz.) cans navy beans, undrained (I used cannellini, great northern and navy)
Shredded cheese for topping
Chopped avocado for topping (did not use)
*we added Fritos to the bottom of each bowl!

Saute onion and garlic in hot oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until onion is tender.  [From here, I put the beans in a crockpot, mashed some of them and then added the rest of the ingredients; put on low for about an hour and then switched to the "warm" setting until we were ready to eat; served with Fritos on the bottom of the bowl & cheddar cheese on top- this enabled me to make it earlier in the day since late afternoons are always too busy for cooking in our house!].  Stir in chicken, next 3 ingredients and 2 cans navy beans.  Coarsely mash remaining can navy beans and stir into chicken mixture.  Bring to a boil, stirring often; cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.  Serve with desired toppings.

Southern Living mag.

**I made this again but cooked it all day in the crockpot.  I sauteed the onion and garlic in oil, and then put them with all other ingredients (except the chicken broth) in the crockpot with 3 fresh chicken breasts (about 1.25 lbs.), mixed it up, cooked on low for 8 hours.  I shredded the chicken with 2 forks after about 7 hours.  YUM!

Slow Cooker Barbecued Chicken

I made this tonight, and it was SO tasty!!  BUT, I halved the entire recipe and used about 1.3 pounds chicken breasts (which was 3 chicken breasts) and no lemon.  I shredded the chicken in the crockpot after about 6.5 hours on low, then stirred it a bit and put the crockpot on the "warm" setting.  Gary ate it on buns, but I just ate it plain- yum!  Both kids liked it too.

2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1 (3-3.5 lb.) cut-up whole chicken (I used 1.3 pounds chicken breasts)
1/2 cup cola soft drink (I used diet Coke)
1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp bourbon (I used Jack Daniels because it's all we had in the house!)
1 lemon, sliced (I did NOT use any lemon)

1. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a small bowl.  Sprinkle over chicken.  Place chicken in a single layer in a lightly greased 6-qt slow cooker.

2. Whisk together cola soft drink and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl.  Slowly pour mixture between chicken pieces (to avoid removing spices from chicken).  Place lemon slices in a single layer on top of chicken.

3. Cover and cook on high 5 hours (or on low 6.5 to 7.5 hours) or until done.

4. Transfer chicken pieces to a serving platter; discard lemon slices.  Skim fat from pan juices in slow cooker.  Pour pan juices over chicken; serve immediately.

*OR*

Prepare through step 3 then remove chicken from slow cooker and let cool slightly, discard lemons.  Skin, bone and shred chicken.  Skim fat from pan juices and pour over chicken.  Serve chicken on buns.

From Southern Living mag.

Lighter Sesame Chicken

I can't remember what magazine I got this recipe from, but it's delicious!

3/4 cup brown rice
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed
1/4 cup corn starch
2 tbsp vegetable oil, such as safflower
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch chunks
1 1/2 lbs broccoli, cut into large florets, stems peeled and thinly sliced
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 large egg whites
Coarse salt and pepper
4 scallions, thinly sliced

1. Steam rice and cook rice.

2. Make sauce: in a small bowl, combine honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce and garlic; set aside.  In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and cornstarch.  Add chicken; season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.

3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat.  Add half the chicken; cook, turning occasionally, until golden and opaque throughout, 6-8 minutes.  Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining tbsp oil and chicken.  Return all the chicken to skillet; add reserved sauce and scallions and toss to coat.

4. Mix the chicken with the broccoli and serve over rice.

Lemon & Herb Roasted Chicken with Potatoes

This is my very favorite go-to roasted chicken recipe from Tyler Florence.

Ingredients

• 1 (4 to 5 pound) free-range chicken
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 head garlic, halved
• 1/4 bunch each fresh rosemary, thyme, and parsley
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1-1/2 pounds red new potatoes
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1-2 cups chicken broth

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Rinse the chicken with cool water, inside and out, then pat it dry with paper towels. Season the cavity with salt and pepper, and then stuff the lemon, garlic, and herbs inside. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in a roasting pan. Tie the legs of the chicken together with kitchen twine to help hold its shape. Toss the potatoes and onions around the chicken. Season the whole thing with a fair amount of salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.  Pour the chicken broth into the pan.  Roast the chicken and potatoes for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Don't forget to baste the chicken with the drippings and rotate the pan every 20 minutes or so to insure a golden crispy skin. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer says 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (the legs of the chicken should wiggle easily from the sockets too.) Remove the chicken to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes, so the juices settle back into the meat before carving. Serve with the roasted potatoes on the side.

Chicken & Vegetable Enchiladas

After looking at about 50 enchilada recipes, I gave up and decided to make up my own recipe because I wanted them to be healthy and full of vegetables...they turned out delicious!!!
 

2 tbsp vegetable oil

½ red onion, finely chopped

1 chopped yellow squash

1 chopped zucchini

2 garlic cloves, crushed/chopped

1 bag fresh baby spinach

1- 4 oz can fire roasted diced green chile (you can get these at trader joes)

1- 28oz can diced tomatoes

Shredded chicken from rotisserie chicken (about 2 cups)

2 tsp cumin

½ tsp chili powder

1- 8 oz can enchilada sauce

Shredded Mexican blend cheese (about 2 cups or as much as you like)

1 small can chopped black olives

12 corn tortillas

Sauté the onions, yellow squash, zucchini and garlic in the oil and season with salt and pepper.  Add the cumin and chili powder.  When the onions begin to get translucent, add the spinach, chicken, diced tomatoes and green chilies.  Simmer on low for 5 minutes.

*Optional: In the meantime, spray each tortilla with olive oil spray and heat on the grill for about 30 seconds per side and lightly salt.  This isn’t necessary, but we always do this when we make tacos, etc. because it makes the tortillas so tasty!  If you don't do this, microwave the tortillas for a few seconds so they are more pliable. 

Spread about ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of a 9x11 casserole dish.   Place a couple spoonfuls of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla, roll and place very close together in the casserole dish.  Top with remaining enchilada sauce.  Top with shredded cheese.  Top with a handful of chopped olives.

Bake on 350 for 15-20 minutes.

*If you want to make these vegetarian, just take out the chicken and add black beans and corn!

This is the amount of onion, squash and zucchini I used...

Once all the ingredients are mixed together...

Cover the bottom with enchilada sauce...

Before the enchilada sauce, cheese and olives...