Garlic Cheddar Chicken

I am so glad that I borrowed this recipe from a friend's blog -- thanks April! What could taste better than chicken and cheese?! I was able to prepare this between work and class, the only day of the week that I have about 2 hours to myself. Dinner was ready for Jared when he walked in the door. I also made garlic cauliflower as a side!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin (We used 3 breasts - not halved)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2) Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and cook the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.
3) In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, pepper, and salt.
4) Dip each chicken breast in the garlic butter to coat, then press into the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with any remaining butter and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture.
5) Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Recipe from: http://wineloverscookingdiary.wordpress.com/

Husband Rating: A
Jared loved the garlic flavor of the chicken, and of course the cheese topping!

Wife Rating: A+
I have found another great chicken recipe that I plan to keep! I loved the flavor, and it was very moist.

I will most definitely make this dish again. I think it would be a great dish to make for guests too!

Chicken Pot Pie

I have been thinking about making chicken pot pie for a long time because my coworker mentioned her recipe using leftover chicken. We had tons of chicken leftover from our roasted chicken, so we had the perfect reason to make pot pie. The recipe is from my coworker, so I do not have specifics.

Ingredients:
Leftover chicken
Frozen mixed vegetables (we had a bag of carrots, peas, green beans, corn, and Lima beans)
1 can of cream of chicken soup
2 pie crusts (we used the Pillsbury 2 pack)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2) Roll out pie crust and place in baking dish. Add chicken, vegetables, and cream of chicken soup.
3) Cover with top pie crust. Poke holes for ventilation.
4) Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until brown and bubbling.

Husband Rating: A
Jared loved the pot pie, minus the Lima beans. He said the pot pie brought back memories of childhood. He also said, next time he will be more selective with the veggies. :)

Wife Rating: A
Awesome -- this is such a quick, easy, and delicious meal. It does bring back many memories!


We'll make this again....definitely!

Lemon Roasted Chicken with Vegetables

Jared's mother gave us this chicken when she bought it on sale for a great price. We were waiting for a perfect time to cook it, and we found it -- tonight. Our pre-Valentine's Day dinner! The only thing missing were potatoes, but we added stuffing, so it was perfect.

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
1 bag of carrots, chopped or baby
1 celery bunch, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 can of chicken broth
Olive oil (1-2 tablespoons)
Salt, Pepper (to taste)

Stuffing for chicken:
1 onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic
1 lemon, quartered
Celery leaves from stalk

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Clean chicken and pat dry. Stuff with stuffing ingredients. Season with salt and pepper (both inside and on top of chicken). Squeeze juice of lemon on top.
2) Use kitchen twine to tie legs together. (We did not have twine).
3) Add veggies to roasting pan and pour in 1 can of chicken broth for basting.
4) Drizzle olive oil over chicken and veggies.
5) Cook for 20 minutes per pound.
6) Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Husband Rating: A
Perfectly moist and well seasoned.

Wife Rating: A
I really enjoy this dish, and look forward to it even more when we turn it into chicken soup! The stuffing was a bit dry, but only because we timed our food wrong....We also added a cucumber salad.


Of course we'll make this again in the future!!!

Chicken Piccata

Jared and I were looking forward to our chicken piccata, as we initially planned to prepare the dish when his brother was visiting. Our plans changed of course, so we did not get a chance to make the dish until tonight. I was really pleased with how it turned out -- and it was pretty easy to prepare. We served it with a side of green beans and some salad.

Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 egg
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup butter
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder (we used 2 bouillon cubes)
1/2 cup boiling water

Directions:
1) In a small bowl, beat the egg together with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Set aside.
2) In a shallow bowl or dish mix together the flour, garlic powder and paprika. Dip the chicken in the egg/lemon mixture, then in the seasoned flour.
3) In a large skillet, melt butter/margarine and brown the coated chicken pieces.
4) Dissolve the bouillon in the boiling water, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Pour liquid into skillet. Cover and let simmer for 20 minutes, turning chicken pieces after 10 minutes, until chicken is tender. Garnish as desired and serve.

Husband Rating: A
The chicken was moist and held the flavor well. Jared recommends to use chicken cutlets or thinner chicken breasts.

Wife Rating: A
Jared and I agree on this dish -- the chicken had awesome flavor.

We'll make this again.

Fast Fancy Chicken

Jared and I cooked dinner for another couple last night, which turned out great -- thanks to a friend's blog, http://www.anirishgirlwhocancookanddrink.blogspot.com/. We were initially hosting our friends last week, but plans changed and we rescheduled for the day after Christmas. I have been wanting to make Kat's recipe for the Fast Fancy Chicken, and last night was the perfect opportunity. Our friends are pretty easy going, and this dish was a big hit. We enjoyed the chicken with a side of corn, salad, and wine!

Ingredients:
6 Boneless Chicken Breasts
6 Slices Swiss Cheese
1/4 lb. Fresh Mushrooms, Sliced
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 Cup White Wine
2 Cups Herbed Stuffing Mix
1 Stick Butter/Margerine

Directions:

1) Pre-heat oven to 350. Place chicken in lightly greased 9x13 baking dish.
2) Top each piece with a slice of swiss cheese. Arrange mushrooms over cheese. Mix soup and wine and pour over chicken. Sprinkle stuffing mix over top and drizzle with butter.
3) Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes

Recipe from http://www.anirishgirlwhocancookanddrink.blogspot.com/
Picture from my kitchen

Husband Rating: A
Jared liked the moist chicken and the crunchy stuffing on top.

Wife Rating: A+
I really enjoyed this dish, especially the cheese and crunchy stuffing on top. All of the ingredients combined created a wonderful taste.

We'll make this again -- probably for family!

Bruschetta Chicken

On Wednesday we were planning to host friends for dinner, but unfortunately plans changed, and they needed to reschedule. Jared and I still decided to make the Bruschetta Chicken for ourselves, since he did not have it the first time I made it. This is such a great dish, and requires little effort!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup egg substitute
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp butter, melted
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
3 tbsp minced fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Directions:
1) Place flour and egg substitute in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken in flour, then in egg. Place in greased 13x9 in baking dish. Combine Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and butter, sprinkle over chicken.
2) Loosely cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until topping is browned.
3) Meanwhile in a bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Spoon over chicken. Bake 3-5 minutes longer or until tomato mixture is heated through.

Recipe from Taste of Home's Test Kitchen Favorites Recipe Book.

Husband Rating: A
The chicken was very moist; and the fresh ingredients make the dinner very flavorful.

Wife Rating: A+
I love this chicken and the garlic flavor! The bruschetta topping is awesome!

We'll definitely make this again!

Chicken Stuffed with Spinach & Ricotta Cheese

After last week's Chicken Parm, Jared mentioned that he was interested in trying a stuffed chicken dish. So, I looked around for some recipes and found a chicken stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese. The recipe I found last week, unfortunately was not the recipe I used tonight because I could not find that recipe anymore. :( So, I found one that was a bit more detailed, required bacon (which we did not have), so we had to modify the dish a bit. After prepping the chicken, I realized that the chicken did not really need a side dish.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 (10 ounce) bag washed fresh spinach (we used a box of frozen spinach, thawed)
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
8 slices thick sliced bacon (we omitted this ingredient)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9x13 inch baking dish.
2) Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook and stir until it begins to brown, about 30 seconds. Quickly stir in spinach, and continue cooking until the spinach has wilted. Transfer the mixture into a bowl, and set aside to cool.
3) Slice through the chicken breast horizontally to within 1/2 inch of one long edge, then open the meat like a book. Place each opened chicken breast in between two pieces of plastic wrap, and pound with a meat mallet to a thickness of 1/4 inch. (I did not flatten the chicken).
4) Stir the ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning, garlic salt, and onion powder into the cooked spinach until blended. Evenly divide this mixture among the chicken breasts, then roll each into an oblong shape, like a burrito, tucking in the ends. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with Italian seasoning. Wrap each breast with 2 strips of bacon, and secure with toothpicks. Place into the prepared pan.
5) Bake in preheated oven until the bacon is brown and crispy, and the chicken is no longer pink, 45 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before removing toothpicks and serving.

Recipe from www.allrecipes.com

Husband Rating: B+
Jared thought the top part of the chicken was dry....which was a result of omitting bacon. The spinach and cheese mixture had a nice flavor, and the garlic was prominent.

Wife Rating: B+
I had high hopes for this meal and I was somewhat let down. I enjoyed the spinach and cheese mixture, but the chicken was just ok. I agree with Jared -- it was a bit dry on top.

Although the dinner was just ok...I will attempt to make another stuffed chicken in the future.

Chicken Parmesan

I found the recipe for tonight's dinner on a fellow JKnottie/JFacie's blog. http://wineloverscookingdiary.blogspot.com/
When planning our menu for the week, we wanted a chicken dish that we have not cooked in a while. The chicken parmesan is prepared a bit differently than we have in the past, but this version is a bit healthier since the chicken is not fried. We served it over a Whole Grain Penne Pasta.

Ingredients:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Italian breadcrumbs
Garlic powder
Parmesan cheese
Marina Sauce (we made our own sauce)
Mozzarella cheese


Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) Combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and garlic powder. Mix in chicken to coat.
3) Place chicken in 13x9 baking dish and cook for 30 minutes.
4) After 30 minutes, remove chicken and cover breasts with sauce. Bake for 10 minutes.
5) After 10 minutes, top chicken breasts with mozzarella cheese and bake for 5 minutes.

Husband Rating: A
The chicken was very moist, full of flavor and the whole grain pasta was delicious.

Wife Rating: A
I love cheese -- and this was very cheesy! The pasta was delicious and the chicken was great. Definitely a good choice!


We'll make this dish again -- definitely!

Orange Honey Garlic Chicken

We were planning on making the Orange Honey Garlic Chicken on Saturday, but with my work schedule, we ran out of time. Plus, we did not marinate the chicken, so it would not have been ready. So, today was a perfect day, and we decided to make it for lunch. We prepared a tomato, cucumber, and red onion salad, along with scalloped potatoes (from a box). ;)

Ingredients:
1 (2 to 3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces (We used chicken breasts)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup orange juice
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika


Directions:
1) To Make Marinade: Combine the soy sauce, honey, orange juice, garlic, oregano, pepper and paprika. Mix all together and pour over chicken pieces. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3) Remove chicken from refrigerator. Place chicken and marinade in a 9x13 inch baking dish and bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Baste once.
* Since we used chicken breasts, the chicken only needed 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Recipe from www.allrecipes.com

Husband Rating:
Jared thought the chicken had good flavor and that the orange and honey flavors were prominent, but the garlic was very subtle.

Wife Rating:
I liked the chicken, but would add more garlic next time!

We'll try this again sometime, and will probably cook it with a whole chicken as the recipe states.

Garlic Chicken Fried Chicken (Wednesday)

Jared and I love garlic, so when I found this recipe, I thought this would be a great meal. In the end, I found out it is very similar to chicken cutlets, but with more seasoning. We did not have much time for cooking, so we were unable to add more side dishes. The chicken stuffing was a great choice.

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons garlic powder, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin
1 cup oil for frying, or as needed


Directions:
1) In a shallow dish, mix together the garlic powder, pepper, salt, paprika, bread crumbs and flour. In a separate dish, whisk together the milk and egg.
2) Heat the oil in an electric skillet set to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Dip the chicken into the egg and milk, then dredge in the dry ingredients until evenly coated.
3) Fry chicken in the hot oil for about 5 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from the oil with a slotted spatula, and serve.

Recipe from www.allrecipes.com

Husband Rating: A-
Jared thought the chicken was good, but could have used more garlic powder -- maybe fresh garlic.

Wife Rating: A-
I agree with Jared. The name of the recipe begins with garlic, I think the garlic should have been more prominent.

We'll make this again in the future. Next time, we'll add the zesty potatoes, and a veggie.

Baked Chicken Nachos

I am so glad that I "borrowed" this recipe from a fellow July Knottie's blog (http://wineloverscookingdiary.blogspot.com/). Jared and I love nachos, but have never made them this way before. They turned out so crunchy and cheesy AND we love cheese! The nachos were extra special tonight because Jared had dinner ready for me when I got home from work. I am so lucky!

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, crushed
6 green onions, sliced, white parts and tops separated
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 shredded cooked, whole chicken breast (we used Perdue Short Cuts Chicken)
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup salsa
1/2 (12 ounce) package tortilla chips
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Mexican Cheese blend
1/2 large tomato, diced

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2) In a 12 inch skillet over medium heat, cook and stir the garlic, white parts of the onions in oil until tender. Mix in shredded chicken, salt, and pepper. Toss until well coated with oil. Stir in the salsa.
3) Arrange tortilla chips on a large baking sheet. Spoon the chicken mixture over the chips. Top with cheese blend and tomato. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
4) Remove from heat and spring with green onion tops before serving. Top with sour cream and jalapeños (optional).

Husband Rating: A
Awesome!

Wife Rating: A+
I love nachos -- one of my favorite meals!

We will definitely make these nachos again -- especially for parties!

Thanks to April for finding the recipe on www.allrecipes.com.

Baked Garlic Parmesan Chicken

Jared and I enjoy a lot of chicken dishes, so it was no surprise that we liked this dish too! The preparation was easy, which means so was the clean-up! Salad and steamed cauliflower were also in attendance.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9 inch baking dish.

2) In a bowl, blend the olive oil and garlic. In a separate bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, basil leaves, and pepper. Dip each chicken breast in the oil mixture and then in the bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in the prepared baking dish, and top with remaining bread crumb mixture.

3) Bake for 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Recipe from: www.allrecipes.com

Husband rating: A
Jared cleaned his plate! (Although, I must admit that Jared cleans his plate just about every night -- I have not found a meal that he does not like.)


Wife Rating: A
Great chicken dinner! Very easy to make, and did not take a lot of time. If you love Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs, this is a great dinner!

We will definitely make this dish again in the future!