Honey Garlic Chicken with Stir Fried Vegetables

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken recipe courtesy of Slender Kitchen, Sitr-Fried Vegetables adapted from Weight Watchers.

Ingredients:
Honey Garlic Chicken
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 tsp. dried basil
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
1/4 cup honey
Pinch red pepper flakes

Vegetables
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 1/2 Tbsp ginger root, finely chopped
3 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), finely chopped
Assorted vegetables: I used 1 sweet red pepper, 1 head of broccoli and half a pound of sugar snap peas
2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce

Directions:
Honey Garlic Chicken

Whisk together the garlic, basil, soy sauce, ketchup, and honey. Add the chicken to the crockpot. Pour the sauce over and mix everything together. Cook on low for 4 hours. If at any point the chicken seems to be drying out, then add a but of chicken broth. For crispy outside, spread onto a baking sheet and broil for 3-5 minutes.

Vegetables

Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add vegetable oil, sesame oil, ginger and garlic; cook 15 seconds. Add vegetables; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Pour in soy sauce and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes more.

Spicy Chicken Chipotle Sausage with Sweet Corn Polenta

I was looking for recipe to use my Chipotle Chicken Sausage and when I came across this recipe from the 2010 Epcot Food & Wine Festival, I knew I had to try it.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, diced small
2/3 c. corn kernels
1 c. water
1 c. fat free milk
1/2 c. sugar free maple syrup
1/3 c. regular yellow polenta
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
coarse salt, freshly ground pepper, to taste
12 oz. Al fresco Chipotle Chorizo chicken sausage

Directions:
Heat olive oil in large oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add onion and corn, cook 3 – 5 min. Add water, milk, maple syrup. Bring mixture to boil.

Reduce heat to low, stir in polenta. Cook on low until done, about 20 min, while continuing to stir. Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese. Season to taste.

Broil sausages, slice in half. Serve by spooning polenta into warmed bowls, top with sausage.



One Year Ago: Beef Stew
Two Years Ago: Jam Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting

Apple Braised Chicken

Adapted from Weight Watchers recipe.

Ingredients:
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4-oz pieces
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 large onion, sliced
2 medium apples, firm, cored and sliced
1 cup fat-free chicken broth
1 cup Mott's Apple Juice
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Instructions:
In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, warm oil over high heat. Toss chicken with flour in a medium bowl, patting off excess. Place chicken in skillet and brown well on both sides. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

Reduce stove temperature to low and add onion to skillet. Sauté, stirring often, until onion is tender and lightly browned.

Stir in juice, chicken broth, salt, ginger and chicken. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, adding in apples halfway through.

Yields 1 chicken breast and about 3/4 cup of apple-onion mixture per serving.

Chicken Chili

Adapted from a Weight Watchers recipe.

Ingredients:
2 tsp canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, seeded and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 oz chopped green chilies, canned, mild
6 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp Durkee Ground Cumin Seed, or other brand
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp table salt
1 pound uncooked extra lean ground chicken breast, skinless
1 cup salsa, mild, chunky variety
1 cup Ragu Traditional Tomato Sauce
1 cup water
1/2 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the chiles, chili powder, cocoa, cumin, cinnamon, sugar, and salt. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken and cook, breaking itup with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 8 minutes.

Add the salsa, tomato sauce, and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the flavors blend and the chili thickens slightly, about 1 hour. When serving, sprinkle with the cheese.

Chicken Breasts with Mushrooms in a Thyme-Dijon Cream

Recipe found via Google Search of the ingredients I had on hand - here.

Ingredients:
2 Chicken breasts, skinless and boneless
2 cups Fresh Mushrooms
1/4 cup Sour cream
2 tsp Dijon Mustard
1 medium 0nion, thinly sliced
2 Garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp Thyme leaves
Olive oil
1/8 tsp Sugar
1/8 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Water

Directions:
Marinate chicken breasts in glass dish with salt, pepper, garlic powder and 2 tbs olive oil. Leave aside for at least an hour.

Heat the pan on the stove on medium high heat til it is hot. Add 1 tbsp olive oil first till fuming. Add the marinated chicken and cook on each side til it is golden brown. Remove chicken to a platter and set aside.

In the same pan, add a tbsp of olive oil and add the garlic and onion. Once the onion is soft, add the sliced mushrooms & stir. Sauté until mushrooms release stored water and turn soft and limp.

Lower heat to medium and add the sour cream, Dijon mustard, salt and sugar. Stir till well mixed. Return the chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over the chicken. Add thyme leaves, crushing between fingers to release the oils and aroma. Add the water and lower flame to lowest setting. Cover with a tight lid and cook for 5 minutes.

Chicken Sausage and Pepper Hoagies

My own creation!



Ingredients:
1 package chicken sausages (for this recipe I used italian style sausages), slices into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp olive oil
1 red pepper, sliced
1 onion, sliced
Tomato sauce
2 hoagies
Minced garlic

Directions:
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers, and 1 tsp minced garlic. Saute until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chicken sausage pieces and saute until pepper is softened and sausage is browned. Add a little bit of tomato sauce to bind everything together and season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Cut open the hoagies, sprinkle with olive oil and spread minced garlic over bread, to taste. Bake hoagies until toasted, about 5 minutes.

To serve, fill each toasted roll with sausage, onion and pepper mixture.

Orange Chicken with Peppers

Recipe from my cookbook: Reader's Digest Great Chicken Dinners.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp grated orange zest
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
3/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp minced ginger
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups broccoli florets
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 piece chunks
1 onion, cut into chunks
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, orange zest, orange juice, soy sauce, and salt. Set aside.

In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add ginger and garlic, and cook 30 seconds. Add broccoli, peppers, onions, and 1/4 cup water, and stir-fry 4 minutes or until broccoli is crisp-tender.

Stir in chicken, increase heat to medium-high, and stir fry 2 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Stir cornstarch mixture and pour into skillet. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Serve with brown rice.


I've decided to totally copy smittenkitchen.com (one of my favorite food blogs) and start linking back to old recipes.
One Year Ago: French Onion Orzo
Two Years Ago: Good Eats Meatloaf

Chicken Braised in Herbed Cream Sauce

Recipe from my cookbook: Reader's Digest Great Chicken Dinners.

Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts
1/4 cup flour
1 large onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp snipped chives
3/4 tsp salt
8 ounces broad egg noodles
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tsp dried tarragon

Directions:
In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Add chicken to pan and saute 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. With slotted spoon, transfer chicken to plate.

Reduce heat to low. Add onion and garlic to pan, and saute 5 minutes or until soft. Add wine to pan, increase heat to high, and cook 2 minutes. Add broth, chives, and salt, and bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and divide among plates.

When chicken is done, place atop pasta. Add peas, cream, and tarragon to pan and cook over high heat until sauce is slightly reduced and peas are heated through. Spoon sauce over chicken and noodles.

Chicken Breasts in Garlic Butter

Recipe from my cookbook: Reader's Digest Great Chicken Dinners.



Ingredients:
2/3 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Juice of one lemon
2 ounces minced garlic
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp butter, cut up
1/4 cup snipped chives
8 ounces egg noodles

Directions:
Whisk together broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper.

In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. Add chicken to pan and saute 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. With slotted spoon, transfer chicken to plate.

Whisk broth mixture to combine and pour into skillet. Bring to a boil, return chicken to pan, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and divide among plates.

Transfer chicken to dinner plates on top of egg noodles. Return sauce to a simmer. Remove from heat and swirl in butter until creamy. Stir in chives and spoon sauce over chicken.

Chicken, Black Bean, and Corn Enchilada Casserole

Trying to be healthy - this is a Weight Watchers recipe! The original recipe calls for an Enchilada Sauce Mix - but I could only find canned enchilada sauce. Since I accidentally didn't buy enough to make the full 3 cups worth, I supplemented it with the tomato paste and water.

Ingredients:
3 cups canned Enchilada Sauce
5 cups water, divided
2 Tbsp canola oil
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups uncooked yellow cornmeal
Cooking spray
15 oz canned black beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz canned yellow corn, drained and rinsed
2 cups cooked chicken breast, skinless, diced
1 1/2 cup Weight Watchers Shredded Mexican Cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring until translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove 1 cup of onion mixture and place in a large mixing bowl; set aside. Stir 3 cups of water into remaining onion mixture and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, add cornmeal to remaining 2 cups of water in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Gradually add cornmeal mixture to boiling water-onion mixture. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until cornmeal is thickened, about 4 to 6 minutes.

Coat a 9 X 13-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Spread cornmeal mixture evenly over bottom of dish. Spoon beans, corn and chicken into reserved onion mixture; combine thoroughly.
Spread half of enchilada sauce over cornmeal layer. Top with all of bean mixture and then remaining enchilada sauce; sprinkle with cheese. Bake until heated through and cheese is melted, about 45 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve.

Note: This recipe is a bit saucy. For a firmer consistency, reduce the amount of enchilada sauce by 1/2 to 1/3.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Another delicious recipe from Eating Well!



Ingredients:
2 cups instant brown rice
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely grated or minced ginger (I used ground ginger)
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 cups bite-size pieces of vegetables, such as snow peas, broccoli and bell peppers
(I used a bag of frozen mixed veggies - broccoli, cauliflower, edamame, asparagus, green beans and carrots, and I added some chopped up red pepper)

Directions:
Prepare rice according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, cornstarch and apricot preserves in a small bowl. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink on the outside and just starting to brown in spots, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic and ginger to the pan and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 20 to 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add vegetables, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Whisk the reserved sauce and add to the pan. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and the chicken is heated through, about 1 minute. Serve with the rice.

Chicken Paprikash

I'm on a renewed kick of cooking more (and more healthily) - though unfortunately I have to get back into the habit of snapping a picture before I dig in! Tonight was a recipe I found from Eating Well.

Ingredients:
2 skinless chicken breasts, trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 large green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large onion,halved and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons hot or sweet paprika
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

Directions:
Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add bell peppers and onion to the pan and cook, covered, over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add paprika and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add wine; increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until mostly evaporated, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth and lemon juice; bring to a boil. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan; reduce heat to a lively simmer. Spoon some sauce over the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, until the sauce is reduced and the chicken is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream.

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

Based off of a friend's recipe, plus these recipes from Allrecipe and recipezaar. Below is my version, using chicken sausage since I don't eat the real thing!




Ingredients:
1 1/4 lb chicken breasts
1 package of al fresco Spicy Jalapeno chicken sausages (package of 4), cut in half vertically, then sliced into bite size pieces
1 large onion, chopped into bite size pieces
2 bell peppers (I used red and green), chopped into bite size pieces
4 stalks celery, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 cups chicken stock (I used bouillon cubes)
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cajun seasoning
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
About 2 cups frozen chopped okra
Optional: Hot Sauce (preferably Louisiana brand)
Brown rice, cooked

Directions:
Boil the chicken until cooked through, about 20 minutes. Once cooked, shred into bite size pieces.

Heat oil over medium heat in saute pan. Add sausage, onions, peppers, celery, and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent and celery is soft.

Meanwhile, heat the vegetable oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. When hot, whisk in flour. Continue whisking until the roux has cooked to the color of chocolate milk, 8 to 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn the roux. If you see black specks in the mixture, start over.

When you're happy with the color of your roux, add 2 cups of chicken broth, stir, making sure there are no lumps or anything sticking to the bottom of the pan. Then add the remaining 2 cups of broth. Add in the sausage/vegetable mixture once that is soft enough as well as the reserved shredded chicken. Add bay leaf, cajun seasoning, thyme, salt and pepper. Simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Add okra and another 1-2 cups of water depending on how thick you would like the gumbo. Simmer for another 20 minutes.

Serve gumbo over brown rice, or mix rice into the gumbo right before serving.

Cucumber Chicken

A recipe from my 365 Healthy Favorites cookbook!

Ingredients:

2 Kirby cucumbers

1 (14 1/2 oz) can reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

4 (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

2 teaspoons snipped fresh dill

Directions:

1. Score the skin of the cucumbers by dragging a dinner fork along the length of the cucumbers to make stripes. Cut the cucumbers in half lengthwise and use a spoon to remove the seeds. Cut the seeded pieces crosswise into thin slices to set aside.

2. Combine the broth and garlic poweder in a large skillet and heat to boiling over medium-high heat. Add the cucumbers and chicken and poach until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken and cucumbers to a serving platter using a slotted spoon.

3. Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, cornstarch, and dill in a bowl and stir until blended. Whisk into the broth in the skillet and heat to simmering over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Pour the sauce over the chicken and cucumbers.

Southern-Style Chicken Stew

New pic! Added June 09

Recipe Summary:
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 Minutes
Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients:
2 medium onions, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 cup water
1 (24-oz) jar marinara sauce
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 (10-oz) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 (10-oz) package frozen lima beans, thawed

Directions:
1. Grease the bottom of a Dutch oven with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onions, bell pepper, and celery and saute until they start to stick, about 4 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the water and heat to boiling, stirring. Cover and simmer over medium heat until the vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the pasta sauce to the pan, rinse out the jar with the remaining 1/2 cup water, and add to the pan. Add the chicken and stir to mix. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, cover, and simmer over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

3. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and add the corn and lima beans to the pan. Stir the stew and let simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat to allow the flavors to blend.

4. Pull the chicken into shreds with a fork or your fingers. Stir the meat into the stew and heat through.

Each serving:
608 calories
36g protein
44g carbohydrate
33g total fat
0mg cholesterol
816mg sodium

Chicken Parmesan

Another Ellie Krieger recipe. Made this with some whole wheat spaghetti. It was delish!!

Ingredients:
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 egg whites
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 (6 ounce) skinless boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
Olive oil cooking spray
1/2 jar good-quality marinara sauce
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoons shredded Parmesan

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, toss the bread crumbs with oregano, garlic powder, paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites and milk together. In a third bowl stir together the flour, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Dip each piece of chicken, 1 piece at a time, in flour, shaking off excess, then egg, then bread crumbs, shaking off excess.

Place breaded breasts in a glass baking dish and spray on each side with cooking spray, about 5 seconds total per side. Bake breasts until cooked though and crumbs are browned, about 15 minutes. Top with marinara sauce, mozzarella and parmesan and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes, until cheese is bubbling.

Chicken Fricassee Cuban Style

Adapted from this recipe from recipezaar.com.

Marinade:
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
6 garlic cloves, peeled & minced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon cumin
1/3 cup olive oil
2 red potatoes (or amount to equal 1 cup, peeled and cubed)
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:
In a large non-metallic bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken pieces, cover and refrigerate a minimum of 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Remove chicken from marinade & blot on paper towels to dry. Reserve marinade.
Sprinkle chicken with cumin & dust lightly with flour.
In a large frying pan, heat oil until it starts to smoke. Quickly add the floured chicken, browning on both sides, just a minute or 2 on each side. (Do this in 2 batches to avoid overcrowding in pan). Remove chicken and set aside.
In the same pan, sauté the potato cubes until lightly browned on all sides.
Remove potatoes then sauté onion and pepper until limp.
Return chicken and potatoes to pan. Add reserved marinade, tomato sauce, wine, and raisins.
Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer until the chicken is done, 20-30 minutes. Don't overcook.
Serve the chicken pieces over white rice with plenty of sauce.

Chicken Makhani & Cauliflower, Potato, and Pea Curry

For the Oscars this year, I decided to cook a meal to honor Best Picture Nominee (and later Winner) Slumdog Millionaire I've never cooked Indian before so I was really excited to buy some Garam Masala and try it out! The Chicken Makhani was a huge winner, with Justin requesting it to be added in heavy dinner rotation. I picked the Cauliflower, Potato, and Pea Curry dish because we love Aloo Gobi, but something was a bit off there; not as flavorful as it should have been. I think I'll find another recipe next time I try it.

Chicken Makhani
Adapted from this recipe from Recipezaar.com

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon ginger powder
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup tomato puree
1 pinch salt
1 pinch black pepper
1 tablespoon oil
2 chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Saute onion until soft and translucent. Stir in butter, lemon juice, ginger, garlic, 1 teaspoon garam masala, chili powder, and cumin. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomato puree and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in heavy whipping cream. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt, pepper and cayenne. Remove from heat and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large heavy skillt over medium heat. Cook chicken until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat and season with 1 teaspoon garam masala and cayenne. Stir in about 1/3 of the sauce and simmer until liquid has reduced and chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Pour the rest of the sauce into the chicken. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until thickened.


Cauliflower, Potato, and Pea Curry
Adapted from this recipe from FoodandWine.com

Ingredients:
1/4 cup cooking oil
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon dried red-pepper flakes
1 medium head cauliflower (about 1 pound), cut into large florets (about 4 cups)
1 bag of small red potatoes, cut into quarters
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup frozen petite peas

Directions:
In a large deep frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the cumin, turmeric, and red-pepper flakes and stir. Add the cauliflower and potatoes and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables start to soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, the water, and the salt. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cook, covered, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the peas and cook, covered, until the peas are tender, about 2 minutes longer.

Southwest Chicken Black Bean Soup

Recipe found on recipezaar.com

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, strips
1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans chicken broth
3 (15 ounce) cans black beans
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 small onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
6-8 slices jalapeno peppers (the pickled kind from a jar) - CB Note: I omitted these
2 tablespoons margarine
1 bay leaf
1 pinch tarragon
1 pinch oregano
1 pinch cinnamon
(I also added some cumin, chili powder, and cayenne pepper)

Directions:
In a medium sized skillet cook chicken until done and no longer pink. Dice and set aside.

Chop bell peppers, onion and jalapeño slices, combine, and add lemon juice and a pinch of salt.

Melt margarine in a large stock pot. Sauté pepper and onion mixture until soft. Add can of crushed tomatoes, stirring, and three cans of black beans, undrained. Add chicken to pot, stirring carefully; then add chicken broth to soup and stir. Next, add all spices. Let simmer until flavors are combined and peppers and onion are soft and tender, about one hour, or until it smells so good you cannot wait.

Spanish Chicken and Rice

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2 1/2-inch pieces
Kosher salt and pepper
1 medium onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, including liquid
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup pimiento-stuffed Spanish olives, chopped (optional) - I omitted these

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until golden brown, 2 minutes per side.

Add the onion and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine, tomatoes and their liquid, rice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

Stir the peas into the rice and chicken and cook, covered, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Spoon the chicken and rice onto individual plates and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with the olives, if desired.