Grilled Jalepeno Chicken

It's getting warmer outside, let's spice it up with some Grilled Jalepeno Chicken! FYI this takes some advance prep since it needs to marinate, so plan on getting everything in the fridge the day before so it can marinate overnight.


Grilled Jalepeno Chicken





6 chicken breast halves
1/3 cup lime juice
2 tbs fresh chopped cilantro
3 jalepeno peppers, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup honey
2 tbs soy sauce


1. Place chicken in a heavy duty zip-lock bag. Add lime juice and remaining ingredients to the bag. Close the bag and kneed ingredients until well incorporated. Place in fridge let marinate overnight.
2. Grill chicken, basting with marinade. Grill until cooked through. Remove jalepenos from marinade and saute in a pan until tender. Top chicken with jalepenos and serve. Enjoy!

Chicken Marengo with CousCous

A little something different to change it up! This is quick and a cheap dinner that everyone will love. It has great flavor and texture while still keeping it easy. This recipe makes 4 servings.


Chicken Marengo with CousCous





8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 tbs butter
2 1/2 lbs chicken breasts, cut into one inch pieces
2 tbs olive oil
2 green onions, sliced
1 clove minced garlic
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tomatoes, peeled
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp tarragon
2 tbs parsley
1 package of couscous


1. Melt butter in skillet. Add mushrooms, saute 2 minutes and set aside.
2. Cook chicken in oil until browned. Remove chicken from pan and set aside, reserving drippings in pan.
3. Saute green onions and garlic in drippings until tender. Cut tomatoes into wedges. Cook couscous according to package directions.
4. Add wine, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and tarragon to pan. Stir, scraping bottom. Add chicken to pan, cover reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes until chicken is tender. Add mushrooms, sprinkle with parsley. Serve over couscous. Enjoy!

Chicken Stroganoff

For a pasta dish, this is surprisingly low calorie for the portion size. It's delish and not too heavy either. This recipe makes 4 servings.




Chicken Stroganoff





12 oz egg noodles
3 tbs butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups cremini mushrooms sliced
1 lb chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tbs flour
1 tsp paprika
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbs Worecestershire sauce
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 tbs parsley
Salt
Pepper




1. Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.
2. Melt 2 tbs butter in a skillet, add onion and cook for two minutes. Add mushrooms to pan and cook until browned.
3. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter, chicken, flour, paprika, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, stir and cook until chicken is browned.
4. Add chicken broth and worecestershire, bring to a simmer and cook until thickened. Add sour cream, stir, season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue simmering until chicken is cooked through.
5. Combine chicken mixture with noodles, toss until noodles are well coated. Plate portions, top with sour cream if desired, and sprinkle with parsley. Enjoy!

Coconut Chicken

A step up on chicken fingers! I could not get enough of these when we made them. We paired the tenders with a sweet and spicy asian dipping sauce but they will go well with whatever your favorite sauce might be! You could even cut them in smaller pieces and serve as an appetizer at parties!


Coconut Chicken







3 chicken breasts, cut into strips
1/2 c flour
1 c coconut flakes
1 c panko bread crumbs
2 eggs
2 tbs water
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chili powder


1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Chop coconut until it is around the same size as the panko. Mix the coconut, panko, and spices in a shallow bowl. Place the flour in a separate shallow bowl. Break eggs into a third shallow bowl beating well, add water to thin the egg mixture and beat again.
2. To bread the chicken, first dredge the strip in flour, then in egg, and finally coat in coconut mixture patting lightly to make sure coconut sticks to chicken. Place the chicken on a lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining strips.
3. Bake for about 20 minutes, until cooked through, turning at halfway point. Once chicken is cooked through remove from oven (chicken may not brown evenly, cut a strip open to make sure it is cooked through). Enjoy!

Artichoke Chicken Piccata

A bit of a twist on a classic Chicken Piccata. I think the artichokes add a little something special while still maintaining the classic flavors.




Artichoke Chicken Piccata





1 1/2 lbs chicken breast halves
1/3 c flour
2 tbs grated parmesan cheese
4 tbs olive oil
1/2 c dry white wine
3 tbs lemon juice
1/4 c capers
1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
2 tbs butter
salt and pepper

1. If chicken breasts are thick, cut in half length wise to make two thin pieces. Breast should be 1/4 inch in thickness.
2. Mix flour, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour mixture until pieces are lightly coated.
3. Heat olive oil in frying pan over medium heat. Add chicken. Cook until browned on each side.
4. Remove chicken from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Keep chicken warm.
5. Add wine, lemon juice, capers and artichokes to pan. Stir with spatula scraping the bottom of the pan. Reduce mixture by half. Add butter. Once butter is well incorporated, remove from heat.
6. Pour sauce over chicken. Enjoy!

Pecan Crusted Salmon

This meal is without a doubt a staple in my house, perfect for a weeknight dinner. It is a real quick make, healthy and of course delicious!
Note: 1 pound of salmon feeds 2 people




Pecan Crusted Salmon





1 lb Salmon
1 tbs butter, melted
1 tbs honey
1 tbs mustard
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tbs parsley
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans (you can also use hazelnuts if you prefer)
salt
pepper




1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse salmon. Lay skin side down on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Combine melted butter, mustard and honey in a small bowl. Mix until well incorporated. Brush salmon liberally with mustard mixture.
3. Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, and chopped pecans, mixing until well incorporated. Bread salmon liberally with breadcrumb mixture, lightly patting breadcrumbs into mustard mixture so breading sticks to salmon.
4. Bake salmon at 350 for 20 minutes until fish flakes easily. Serve fish carefully detaching from skin using a spatula. Enjoy!

Chili with Jalapeño Cornbread

Brrr... it's been cold outside, and this is the perfect meal to warm you up! What's better to warm you up than homemade chili and adding a little extra heat with some jalapeño cornbread? Yummy :)




Chili with Jalapeño Cornbread








Chili


1 lb lean ground beef
1 large onion chopped
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
1 can 16 oz crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
2 medium stalks of celery thinly sliced
2-3 tbs chili powder
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp red pepper
1 can kidney beans


1. Cook ground beef, onion and garlic in a frying pan over medium high heat, using spatula to chop beef into small pieces. Saute until browned.
2. Transfer beef mixture into a large pot. Add tomatoes with liquid, tomato sauce, celery, chili powder, salt, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and red pepper. Stir, heat to boiling. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour. Periodically taste chili and add more red pepper if needed (I like my chili hot so I added more as I went).
3. Stir in beans. Heat to boiling, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until hot about 15 minutes. If you prefer thicker chili, continue simmering until at desired thickness. Enjoy!


Jalapeño Cornbread


1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
2-4 tbs sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 can corn
3 tbs chopped jalapeños
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 tbs vegetable oil


1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl combine corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
2. Add milk, egg and 1/4 cup vegetable oil. Beat until smooth about 1 minute. Stir in corn, jalapeños, and cheddar cheese.
3. Add 2 tbs vegetable oil to cast iron pan. Pour corn meal mixture evenly into cast iron skillet.
4. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-23 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Slice into 9 even slices. Enjoy!