chicken kabobs

Thanks to George Foreman, we backyardless people can enjoy delicious summer food.

Grilled Chicken Kabobs

• 4 chicken breast halves, cut into 2 in. cubes
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1-2 Tbsp honey
• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (reduce for less kick)
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Veggies

• grape tomatoes
• 1 zucchini, cut up
• 1 bell pepper (any color works), cut up
• fresh pineapple, cut up

Mix oil, lemon juice, honey, thyme, pepper flakes, pepper and salt and put in flat baking dish. Place chicken in dish to marinate for 4 hours (or how ever long you want). Turn on your grill. Skewer everything up as seen above and slap it on the grill. Cook until chicken isn't pink (duh). So good!

Zesty BBQ Chicken in the Crock Pot**

This one is from my SIL. It's so good and EASY!

INGREDIENTS
• 6 boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce (I always use Sweet Baby Ray's)
• 1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
DIRECTIONS
Put chicken in a crockpot. In a bowl, mix the barbeque sauce, Italian salad dressing, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour over the chicken. My crockpot cooks this in 4 hours on low.

**Question: is it crock pot or crockpot or crock-pot. :)

Fake rotisserie chicken in the crock pot

Ingredients:
- 2 lbs chicken breast
- 1 can chicken broth
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- 1 Tbsp melted butter
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2-3 cloves minced garlic

Directions
Put the chicken in the crockpot. Mix everything else in a bowl and pour it on top. My crock pot cooks this for 4 hours on low or 2 hours on high. She makes things fast. Do not over cook!

Chicken Tikka Masala

I'm not sure if I already posted this recipe but I couldn't find it on here. Anyhow, one of my most favorite recipes ever. This is as close as I have found to the Bombay House in Provo. Watch the spiciness! I'd leave out the cayenne and paprika and jalapeño until you've tried it once... then add it if you want it spicier.

Chicken Tikka Masala

1 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (you can substitute paprika for the cayenne so it isn't too hot)
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (I have used powdered too)
1 teaspoon salt
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine all ingredients except chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and refrigerate for one hour. Grill or cook chicken in frying pan. Discard marinade

I double the sauce:
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper finely chopped (I de-seed it)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup cream (1 ¾ cup when doubled)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
sometimes I add some garam masala spice

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic and jalapeno for one minute. Season with cumin, paprika and salt. Stir in tomato sauce and cream. Simmer on low heat until sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. Add grilled chicken and simmer for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve over hot rice.

Sweet and Spicy Asian Chicken

This sauce for the chicken is so yummy. I served it with a veggie stir fry and it was a big hit.

Recipe from Mrs. Harding Cooks.

Ingredients:

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons oil (for pan-frying)

Sauce:
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon ginger (I used ground ginger)
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup apple juice
⅓ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
½ cup water
⅓ cup soy sauce

Directions:

- Cut chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.

- Heat oil in your wok and fry chicken bits in batches until lightly browned.

- Drain on paper towels and set aside.
- In a bowl combine all sauce ingredients.

- Pour into wok and bring to a boil.

- Add chicken bits back to the pan, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

- Serve over rice, or by itself.

Crockpot Applesauce Chicken

I made this last night, and it was a hit with my family! We served it with mashed sweet potatoes.

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts
1 1/2 c. applesauce
1 T. dried onion flakes, or 1/4 yellow onion, chopped finely
1 T. Apple cider vinegar
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced

1. Put chicken breasts in the bottom off a 3-4 quart crock pot and add chopped onions on top. (If you're using dried onion, add that to the applesauce first).

2. In a bowl, mix applesauce, vinegar, garlic, and spices together. Pour on top of the chicken.

3. Cover and cook for 5-7 hours on low, or on high for 3-4.

(This recipe came from A Year of Slow Cooking....LOTS of good recipes on there).

Chicken Sesame Pasta Salad

I had this at a baby shower last weekend and everyone there agreed that it was fantastic.

1 1/2 c. chicken, cooked and cut up
1 12-oz. bag pasta, cooked and drained (bowtie pasta is great)
1 bag baby spinach
1 green pepper, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 c. sliced almonds
3 T. sugar

Melt sugar over medium heat and add almonds. Stir until almonds are fully coated and sugar begins to crystallize. Combine all other ingredients in large bowl. Add almonds and dressing just prior to serving. Serves about 8.

Dressing
1/2 c. oil
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. toasted sesame seeds
1/4 c. fresh parsley
2 T. sugar
salt and pepper

my Fettuccine Paolo

Ingredients:
• 1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 broccoli crown
• 4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 oz whole wheat fettuccine, cooked according to package directions
• 1 1/3 cups chicken stock or broth
• 4 tsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken (I used left over crockpot chicken)
• parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Directions:
In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add red bell pepper and broccoli, cook until tender. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add stock/broth and vinegar, chicken, and basil bring to a boil, and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Add fettuccine. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm and serve with parmesan.

Grilled Chicken with Poblano Cream Sauce

YUM.  Adapted from Mexico The Beautiful Cookbook.

Ingredients:

3 whole chicken breasts, cut in half

1 large chile poblano

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions: 

- Remove the stem, seeds, and membranes from the chile, then puree in a blender with 1/4 cup milk.

- In a separate bowl, mix the sour cream, yogurt, and 1/4 cup milk together.  

- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a small saucepan.  

- Add the flour and stir until smooth.

- Add the chile puree and stir.

- Add the sour cream mixture and stir constantly over low heat until the mixture boils and thickens.

- Remove from heat and salt to taste.

** This sauce can be made up to 6 hours in advance and reheated over low heat before using. **

- Preheat the oven to 350F.

- Melt the remaining two tablespoons butter in a skillet, add the chicken breasts, and saute for 2-4 minutes on each side until cooked through.

- Transfer to a lightly greased 13x9 dish, cover with the poblano sauce, and sprinkle with cheese.

- Bake for 15 minutes.

Serves 4-6.

Fettucine Alfredo with Chicken

I made this tonight....DELICIOUS. It comes from this month's Kraft Food & Family magazine. (It's free, which is always good...and always has a few good recipe nuggets in there).

Note: Their recipe is for 1/2 lb of pasta...but I cooked the whole box of fettucine (1lb), so I doubled the ingredients when I made it tonight.

For 1/2 lb of fettucine (uncooked):

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 1/4 cup chicken broth

4 t flour

4 oz cream cheese

3 T parmasean cheese

1/4 t garlic powder

1/4 t pepper

1. Cook pasta as directed

2. cut chicken into chunks and cook in large, nonstick skillet.

3. Remove chicken from skillet.

4. In the same skillet, mix broth and flour, then add cream cheese, parmasean cheese, garlic powder and pepper. Stir constantly until thickened.

5. Stir in chicken.

6. Mix pasta and sauce mixture in large bowl....sprinkle with parmasean cheese.

Another note: I only used 1 chicken breast and it was PLENTY....even with doubling the recipe. I had some chicken already cooked that I just shredded and added at the end.

Yummy.

Honey Curry Chicken

Super easy, super good, and pretty healthy too!

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (or 8 drumsticks)
1/4 c. butter, melted
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. prepared mustard
1 t. salt
1 t. curry

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Place chicken pieces in a shallow baking pan, skin side up.
3. Combine the melted butter, honey, mustard, salt and curry powder and pour the mixture over the chicken.
4. Cover in foil.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes and then remove the foil.
6. Cook an additional 30 minutes uncovered.
** Baste the chicken every 15-20 minutes with pan drippings, until the chicken is nicely browned and tender and the juices run clear.

Chicken Gyros

I really can't remember where I got this recipe, I think it was from here. They are Delicious and very easy!!

Chicken Gyros

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4" strips
2 Tbsp. finely chopped dill
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 large onion, thinly sliced
a few tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper

For serving:
Tzatziki (recipe follows)
8-10 small pitas
fresh lemon juice

(I place everything in a gallon-size freezer bag to let it marinate.)

Let the chicken marinate anywhere from 1/2 hour to overnight. (I usually let it marinate for 2-3 hours.)

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little olive oil. Saute the chicken and onions until chicken is cooked through. (I sometimes remove the chicken pieces and let the onions cook a little longer.)

To serve--place some of the chicken on the pita, top with tzatziki and a little fresh lemon juice. Fold up and enjoy!

Tzatziki (Yogurt Dill Sauce)

1 large container Greek Yogurt
1/2 seedless cucumber, grated and drained (see note and picture below)
2-3 Tbsp. fresh dill, finely chopped
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
1-2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
a drizzle of olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper--to taste

Combine all the ingredients and chill for several hours to allow flavors to meld. Yields about 2 1/2 cups.

(I prepare it at the same time as the chicken marinade.)

Note: Cucumbers are so full of water that it is necessary to let them drain in a sieve before using in the yogurt sauce. You may even notice up to 1/4 cup liquid in the bowl after draining.

Spinach Pasta Chicken Salad

Recipe given to me from BWeed (who recommended involving a lawyer to sort out who gets the leftovers...and it is that good).

Spinach Pasta Chicken Salad
Dressing:
1/2 C. oil
1/2 C. sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil
3 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs seasoned oregano rice vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame seed oil
1 tsp grated fresh garlic

Salad:
1 sm package baby spinach
1 package bowtie pasta (cooked, drained, and cooled)
2-4 Tbs sesame seeds
1/2 C. sunflower seeds
1 can sliced water chestnuts
1 C. sprouts
3 chicken breasts (cooked, seasoned heavily with lemon pepper and cut into bite-sized pieces)

Mix dressing ingredients together, set aside. In large bowl, combine salad ingredients. Add dressing to salad and mix together. Enjoy.

**I topped each serving with a few chow mein noodles**
**I used olive oil instead of sesame oil (b/c I didn't have any)...still tasted great**
**I used 1/2 tsp of jarred minced garlic instead of grated fresh**
**I couldn't find seasoned oregano rice vinegar, so I used seasoned rice vinegar**

Basil Chicken Hash

An Ina Garten recipe. My husband loved this. I just did the whole thing in one pan, instead of two like the recipe recommends.

2 whole (4 split) chicken breasts, bone-in, skin-on
16 basil leaves
Olive Oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 pounds boiling potatoes, peeled and large diced
2 red onions, chopped
2 red bell peppers, large diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon paprika
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 minced scallions, white and green parts
1/4 cup chopped fresh leaf parsley
Sour cream, Cheddar and sliced lemons, for serving

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet. Loosen the skin from the meat with your fingers, leaving one side attached. Place 4 basil leaves under the skin of each chicken breast. Pull the skin over as much of the meat as possible so the chicken won't dry out. With your hands, rub each piece with olive oil and sprinkle very generously with salt and pepper. Bake the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes, until the skin is lightly browned and the chicken is just cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones. Cut the chicken in large dice pieces and set aside.

Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan. Add the potatoes and onions, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until evenly browned and cooked through.

In a separate saute pan, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the red peppers, garlic, thyme, paprika, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the edges of the peppers are seared.

Add the chicken and the pepper mixture to the potatoes and heat through. Add the scallions and parsley, toss together and place on a serving platter.

Goldfish Chicken

I am so embarrassed to post this. But I'm trying to empty our pantry and freezer, so this worked out nicely for our Costco box of goldfish that my son now refuses to eat. Also, Chris commented that it was "really good," and then I told him what it was made of. He still ate it, though.

Goldfish Chicken
1 lb of chicken tender cutlets
1 cup sour cream (fat-free yogurt works too)
3 cups of Goldfish, crushed
1 cup of margarine, melted

1. Dredge the chicken through the sour cream/yogurt.
2. Roll in crushed Goldfish.
3. Place in baking dish with melted margarine.
4. Turn over carefully so both side of chicken get coated with margarine.
5. Place in a preheated 375 degree oven and bake for 40 mins.
Makes 4 servings

White Chicken Chili

I worked for the Marriott School at BYU for a couple of years and they had all of the faculty and staff submit recipes for a cookbook...I found this one this week, and it was FANTASTIC.

This recipe came from Linda Rich...I can't remember what department she worked in, but let's give credit where credit is due.

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless/skinless chicken (cut in cubes or shredded)*
1 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 t. garlic powder
1 T vegetable oil
3 (15oz) cans white cannellini beans
1 (14 1/2 oz) can chicken broth
1 (4oz) can chopped green chilies
1 t salt
1 t ground cumin
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t pepper
1/4 t cayenne powder (optional)
1 c sour cream
1/2 c whipping cream OR evaporated milk

1. In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion, and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink.

2. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to boil.

3. Reduce heat and summer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and whipping cream or evaporated milk. Serve immediately.

*I took two chicken breasts and cooked them in the crockpot overnight...then I took them out and shredded them...eliminating step 1 above. I just threw all of the ingredients into the crock pot, cooked on low all day, and skipped to step 4 when it was time to serve.

Haystacks

Have you ever made "Hawaiian" haystacks? They're great for feeding large groups of people. Here's what you do.

1) Make a big pot of simple rice (brown or white).

2) Make a creamy sauce in the crock pot. Use a couple of shredded cooked chicken breasts, a carton of sour cream, a can or two of cream of chicken soup, and two cups of shredded cheese. If your chicken is already cooked you can expect the whole mixture to cook and become creamy in just a couple of hours. You could also add milk or chicken broth to thin it, or cream cheese to thicken it up a little. Whatever you like.

3) Put out bowls of toppings like: chopped celery, diced tomatoes, canned pineapple chunks, shredded coconut, sliced almonds, chow mein noodles, shredded cheese, anything else that you think sounds good.

Then just put everything on the table and let your guests make piles on their plates! Rice, then sauce, then any of the toppings that appeal to them. It's super-yummy and very easy to make large amounts.

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

I love easy recipes that also look fancy and taste really good which is why I love the Kraft Foods website. This recipe is one of our favorites that we have found on there and we've adapted it slightly to make indoors on our griddle (for when it's 30 degrees outside).

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

1/4 cup Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing, divided

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)

1 medium tomato, finely chopped

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese (we usually just use colby-jack and it tastes great)

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil leaves

PLACE large sheet of heavy-duty foil over half of grill grate; preheat grill to medium heat. Pour 2 Tbsp. of the dressing over chicken in resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Turn bag over several times to evenly coat chicken with the dressing. Refrigerate 10 min. to marinate. Remove chicken from marinade; discard bag and marinade.

GRILL chicken on uncovered side of grill 6 min. Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cheese, basil and remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing.

TURN chicken over; place, cooked-side up, on foil on grill. Top evenly with tomato mixture. Close lid. Grill an additional 8 min. or until chicken is cooked through (165ºF).

Chicken with Prosciutto, Mushrooms, and Cream Sauce

I got the basics of this recipe from Allrecipes, but modified it to fit my needs. It turned out great - both Chris and I LOVED it. It was actually pretty easy, too.

Ingredients:
3 T butter, melted
8 chicken thighs
salt and pepper to taste
8 slices prosciutto, thinly sliced (you can also use bacon)
8 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 8oz. package of sliced mushrooms (I used baby bella, oyster, and shiitake mushrooms, and it was AWESOME)
1/4 c. dry white wine or low-sodium chicken broth (optional)
1 c. sour cream

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Drizzle butter into a casserole dish. Sprinkle mushrooms into dish. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon garlic (don't go overboard on salt here, especially if you're using prosciutto, since it's already a salty meat). Wrap chicken thighs in prosciutto, and place in casserole dish on top of mushrooms. Sprinkle the remaining garlic on top of chicken.
Bake in a preheated oven until juices run clear, about 1 hour. Remove chicken and mushrooms to a platter, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
Pour drippings from casserole into a skillet set over medium-low heat. Whisk in wine/broth and sour cream, and cook until warmed through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Pour over chicken, and serve.

Chicken Enchiladas

This is a variation of a recipe my Grandma uses... and I have two different ways that I make them... the less-Mexican way, and the much-less-Mexican way. :)

Ingredients:
1 cooked chicken (or 8-10 cooked chicken tenders), shredded
4 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, coarsely diced
2 4oz. cans diced green chiles (you can substitute one can of diced jalapeños if you like things muy picante, like me)
2 8oz. packages cream cheese
12-18 tortillas, depending on size (I usually use the medium size, and end up using about 14 tortillas... 8 if you're using the variety that Costco sells)
8 oz. shredded cheese (white for version #1, orange and white for version #2)
1/4 cup milk (for version #1 only)
1 can enchilada sauce (for version #2 only)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While preheating, stick in a 13x9 pan with 2 tablespoons butter in it to melt. Remove the pan when the butter is almost completely melted, set aside.
Saute the onions in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until about half-soft.
Add the green chiles, saute until the onions are soft.
Add the cream cheese (both packages) to the onion/chiles mix. Stir on low heat until well mixed.
Add the shredded chicken, remove from heat.
Assemble - put chicken mix in the tortillas, place in buttery pan with the seam of the tortilla down. Repeat until your pan is full or you're out of stuff. Sometimes it takes two pans (sorry, guys).

VERSION #1 - Sprinkle shredded white cheese (I usually use mozzarella or monterey jack) on top of the enchiladas. Pour 1/4 cup milk on top of the enchiladas. Cook for 20 minutes.
OR
VERSION #2 - Pour enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Top with shredded cheese (I use the Mexican blend from Costco that I drive 3 hours to get). Cook for 20 minutes.

Enjoy. I often top with sour cream, lettuce, and possibly salsa.