Chicken & Poultry Archives - Crafty Cooking Mama

One Pot Pasta & Meatballs

May 1, 2018 by Amanda 1 Comment

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Cooked Perfect® Fresh Meatballs for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

This quick, delicious & hearty one pot pasta recipe is perfect for all your busy nights! Get dinner on the table in less than half an hour!

The weather is slowly starting to warm up. The winter hibernation is just about over and the hustle & bustle of warm and sunny days will begin.

Each year it seems like I’m everywhere but in the house during warm weather. So much work to do outside. So many places to go, be and see.

Less time in the house means less time in the kitchen. Preparing meals from scratch can be timely, but I still try to get it done as much as possible.

Some days though – it’s just not happening. I try my best to stay away from fast foods and heavily processed prepared foods.

I keep my kitchen stocked with ingredients to keep myself from falling into unhealthy mealtime scenarios. Ingredients that can be easily tossed together for last minute, quick cooking meals.

I recently discovered Cooked Perfect Fresh Meatballs. They are fresh and homemade without being homemade by you!

Cooked Perfect Fresh Meatballs are fully cooked and ready to heat. Seriously. They’re perfectly packed in a Microwave Steam in Pouch. About two minutes in the microwave and you have a flame broiled meatball, LOADED with flavor, ready to add to your quick culinary creations.

Cooked Perfect Fresh Meatballs are all natural, with no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. Something you can feel good about feeding your family.

You’ll find Cooked Perfect Fresh Meatballs in 6 mouthwatering flavors in the refrigerated meat & poultry section at your local grocery store. There’s something for everyone – for every meal idea and flavor combination.

Italian Style Beef & Pork
Korean BBQ Beef & Pork
Sundried Tomato & Roasted Garlic Chicken
Italian Style with Parmesan & Mozzarella Chicken
Spinach and Feta with Parmesan & Mozzarella Chicken Meatballs
Taco Seasoned Glazed Beef and Pork Meatballs

I’ll admit – I grabbed all the available flavors at my store. I tried them all – and they tasted fantastic as a stand alone. My favorite was Sundried Tomato & Roasted Garlic Chicken.

Cooked Perfect Fresh Meatballs make it simple to make a quick and complete meal. I cooked some pasta, dumped in some tomato sauce and added sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers and a bag of shredded cheese. I threw the meatballs in the microwave and tossed them into the pot of pasta. That’s it! Served with a salad & bread – dinner is complete.

Here’s to keeping junk food off your dinner table!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Amanda ♥

**Ready to eat? Find Cooked Perfect Fresh Meatballs at a store near you**

**Snag a coupon!!! save $1.00 on Cooked Perfect Fresh Meatballs**

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One Pot Pasta & Meatballs

This quick, delicious & hearty one pot pasta recipe is perfect for all your busy nights! Get dinner on the table in less than half an hour!

Cook Time25 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Pasta

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

1 pound of pasta
2 - 24 oz jars of your favorite tomato sauce or 5-6 cups of your own sauce
Sun-dried tomatoes chopped (I used a 7.5 oz jar)
1/4 cup roasted red peppers chopped
2 cups shredded cheese Italian blend
2 packages of <em>Cooked Perfect</em> Sundried Tomato & Roasted Garlic Chicken Meatballs

Instructions

Cook pasta & drain. Return to pot.
Stir in sauce and heat pot over medium/low heat.
Stir in sundried tomatoes, red peppers or whatever add-ins you prefer.
Stir in cheese.
Microwave each pack of meatballs. Add to pasta.
Serve immediately. Enjoy!

Flatbread Pizza & Quesadillas

May 8, 2017 by Amanda 4 Comments

This post was sponsored by Weight Watchers® International as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

Chicken Parmesan Pizza & Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas using Flatout® Flatbreads (endorsed by Weight Watchers®). Quick, delicious & better for you meals! Oh, and I have coupons to share!

Ahhhh….warm weather and sunny days. After months of intolerable weather, there is no place I’d rather be than outside.

Some days the last thing I want to think about is dinner….and then dinner time happens. Man, I’m hungry and I got three other people to feed!

I do my best to feed my family well. A nutritious & well balanced diet is important to me. I stay away from fast foods & ready made, prepackaged meals.

In addition to a well-balanced diet, well, I’ll cut to the chase – swimsuit season is just a month away! Lighter meals are a must for me this time of the year. Baking breads & sweets all thru the winter certainly has it’s advantages & disadvantages 😉

I’ve learned a bit of meal prep is important to keep myself on track for quick & healthy meals. Nothing complex, no whole day cooking marathons. Cook up a few chicken breasts, marinate some meat so it’s ready to cook, soak and cook some beans, chop up some veggies, make some salsa – simple ingredients that can go in any direction.

I’m not big into meal planning. I enjoy being sporadic and cooking whatever strikes me. I keep a well stocked pantry and lots of fresh ingredients on hand. Food should be fun – not a scheduled chore.

Flatout® Flatbread (endorsed by Weight Watchers®) are one of my secrets to making quick meals healthy & delicious. I love these flatbreads and always keep a few varieties on hand. They’re BIG on flavor but LOW in carbs and sugar – plus they’re loaded in protein and fiber! Who doesn’t love a customized pizza or a quesadilla loaded with their favorite ingredients?! I use Flatout Light Original for quesadillas & Flatout Thin Crust Flatbread Pizza Rosemary Olive Oil for pizzas!

I use Weight Watchers® Shredded Cheese to LOAD up on my Flatbread creations. Low-fat doesn’t always mean sacrificing of flavor or scary ingredients. The only difference is Weight Watchers® cheese is made using low-fat milk.

I’ll mention snacking, because yes, we all snack. I was fortunate enough to sit in on a few dietary classes a few months ago. Snacking came up over & over again. Snacking is great – unless it becomes overindulgent. The key is a healthy snack and controlling your portion sizes. You know what was on the top five list of best snacks? Popcorn. Now we’re not talking your bucket of movie theater popcorn drenched in butter – because that’s the overindulgent part. But one serving of popcorn – that’s just about the perfect snack!

JOLLY TIME® Healthy Pop® Popcorn (endorsed by Weight Watchers®) has made snack time easy, delicious & totally foolproof. No measuring, no counting calories or carbs – the perfect portion is all ready to go for you!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you enjoy these “better for you” snack & meal ideas! What are your go-to nutritious meals when pressed for time?

-Amanda-

I found everything I needed to create these delicious recipes at my local Giant Food Stores. Flatout® Flatbread (endorsed by Weight Watchers®) are located in in the deli/bakery section.

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5 from 1 vote

Flatbread Chicken Parmesan Pizza

A quick, delicious & lighter pizza made with grilled chicken & Flatout® Flatbread Pizza (endorsed by Weight Watchers®)

Cook Time8 mins

Total Time8 mins

Course: dinner

Servings: 1 -2 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

Flatout® Thin Crust Flatbread Pizza Rosemary Olive Oil
cooked chicken breast cut into strips (approximately 1/4 pound)
3/4 cup shredded cheese approximately I used a blend of Parmesan & Weight Watchers® Mexican Style Blend
tomato sauce I used about 3 tablespoon
dried or fresh Italian herbs garlic powder, salt & pepper - any seasonings you prefer.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Place just Flatout® Thin Crust Flatbread Pizza on an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 2 minutes. Remove from oven.
Layer with toppings. Layer with cheese first, then chicken, sauce, more cheese and any herbs or seasonings you'd like. Use less or more amounts of cheese, chicken, sauce to your preference.
Bake for 4-6 minutes or until cheese is melted through.
Slice & enjoy!

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Flatout Cheesy Chicken Quesadillas

A quick, delicious & Cheesy Chicken Quesadilla made with grilled chicken & Flatout® Flatbread (endorsed by Weight Watchers®).

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time10 mins

Course: dinner

Servings: 1 -2 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

1 Flatout® Flatbread Light Original
1 cup Weight Watchers® Mexican Blend Shredded Cheese approximately
1/4 pound cooked chicken breast cut into strips (approximately)
drizzle of olive oil
optional toppings - sour cream salsa, tomatoes, avocado, peppers, cilantro, hot sauce

Instructions

Heat up a griddle or frying pan over medium / medium-high heat.
Drizzle or spritz olive oil over cooking surface.
Fold the Flatbread in half. Fill with chicken & cheese (more or less if you'd like)
Place on griddle - cook until both sides are golden brown and cheese is melted, 3-5 minutes each side.
Serve with sour cream, salsa, tomatoes, avocado, peppers, cilantro or hot sauce if you'd like.
Enjoy!

Kefta Kabobs & Grilled Turkey Bratwursts

April 24, 2016 by Amanda 21 Comments

“This post was sponsored by Shady Brook Farms turkey brand as part of an In-Home Party Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.”

It’s beautiful out! The birds are chirping, the plants are coming to life – I look out my windows and finally see green again. Yay! The nicer it gets out, the less time I want to be inside. I just spent months hibernating indoors – it’s time to get outside and live!

In my younger days I loved going out, going away – being anywhere but home. Not anymore. I adore my home and love to entertain. There’s nothing I enjoy more than hanging around and cooking out with family & friends. BBQ chicken, burgers & hot dogs – yes, yes, yes! These are fine as accompaniments to any BBQ you may have, but they certainly shouldn’t be the main event. I like to mix it up. My guests have come to expect, shall we say, something in addition to the normal.

A few thoughts, first. I often keep this blog lighthearted and stay neutral about issues that might mean more to me than I let on to. I won’t get pushy, I promise. I would like to stress how very important it is to know where our food comes from and how it’s been processed and handled. I feel it’s also our duty to strive for all livestock to be treated ethically and compassionately.

All the more reasons I’m excited and honored to be working with Shady Brook Farms. Shady Brook Farms is dedicated to bringing wholesome, natural turkey raised with care and respect, and without the use of growth promotants. All while keeping it affordable. Each & every Shady Brook Farms package you pick up is clearly marked with which of it’s 700 independent family farms your product came from. How’s that for knowing where your food comes from?

Okay, you’ve waited long enough. Let’s talk food and drinks.

I often stress the importance of keeping things uncomplicated while entertaining. Plan ahead, do whatever prep work you can ahead of time and keep the food & drinks laid back. You don’t want to be playing master chef all day – you want to cook, hang out and have fun with friends and family. You’re company is not just at your house for food – they’ve come to see you!

First we’ll talk drinks. Nothing fancy, just something sweet and simple. I love kicking back, relaxing and sipping on a glass of iced tea. Meadow Tea is my favorite, but Spring has just arrived and my mint isn’t in full effect yet. So instead I made an iced green tea. Lightly sweetened with sugar and a tad of honey and lemon – it’s a wonderful warm weather drink.

This was my first time grilling out this year and I was excited to make something I haven’t had in quite sometime. Kefta Kabobs. It is one of my (many) favorite Turkish foods but instead of lamb or beef, I switched it up and used Shady Brook Farms ground turkey.

Kefta kabobs do involve a little prep work – but this was all done well before my company arrived. I prepped everything in the morning and when it was time to cook all I had to do was throw the kabobs on the grill.

I served these flavorful kefta kabobs with LOTS of tzatziki sauce, a simple salad, pitas, hummus, feta cheese & olives. Awesome with tabbouleh, too. Such a delicious plate!

Keeping it simple, I threw some Turkey Bratwursts with coarse ground mustard and onions on the grill. Delicious! Accompanying this was grilled cabbage wedges wrapped in bacon. Seriously – who ever knew cabbage could be so good. Killer plate!

Oh, and of course I made some burgers and hot dogs. It’s traditional 😉

So get out there, enjoy this weather and get to cooking!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

-Amanda-

Shady Brook Farms is all about turkey with a purpose. To learn more, visit: bit.ly/1SO4Uxi

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5 from 2 votes

Ground Turkey Kefta Kabobs & Tzatziki Sauce

Delicious Kefta Kabobs made with ground turkey. Simple to make and loaded with flavor!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course: Chicken &amp, Poultry

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

FOR KEFTA KABOBS:
20 oz package of Shady Brook Farms ground turkey
1 medium onion chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro loosely packed
1/4 cup fresh parsley loosely packed
2 tablespoon fresh mint
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon pepper
skewers
FOR TZATZIKI SAUCE:
2 medium sized cucumbers
kosher salt
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herb of choice dill, mint, parsley
2 tablespoon lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

For Kefta Kabobs:
I throw the chopped onion and cilantro, parsley and mint into a food processor and pulse until everything is super fine - it will be like a saucey salsa. Alternatively, you could dice everything fine by hand.
In a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine ground turkey, onion & herb mixture and salt, paprika, cumin, cinnamon and pepper.
Shape meat mixture into sausage form and insert skewers.
(This can be done well ahead of time & refrigerated until needed)
Grill about 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. (I grilled these on top of aluminum foil)
Serve with tzatziki & enjoy 🙂
For tzatziki:
Peel, seed and dice cucumbers. (To seed cucumbers - cut in half lengthwise and use spoon to scoop out seeds)
Sprinkle a generous amount of salt over cucumbers and toss.
Let cucumbers drain for 1-2 hours in a colander over a bowl. Occasionally toss cucumbers around and press with a spatula or spoon to force out liquid. Before using, wrap cucumbers in paper towels and squeeze out any excess liquid.
In a bowl, combine cucumbers, Greek yogurt, garlic, fresh herb and lemon juice. Stir.
Add a crack or two of fresh pepper.
Sauce can be served immediately, but is best after refrigerating for an hour or two to allow flavors to blend.
Tzatziki sauce can be stored for a day or two in the fridge. If liquid starts to form (from the cucumbers), blot up with a paper towel & stir.

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5 from 2 votes

Grilled Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Wedges & Turkey Bratwursts

Turkey Brats & Bacon Wrapped Cabbage Wedges on the grill.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time50 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: dinner

Servings: 4 -6

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

For Cabbage:
1 small/medium size head of cabbage
1 pound of bacon
salt & pepper
aluminum foil
For Bratwursts:
Shady Brook Farms Turkey Bratwursts 20 oz package
coarse ground mustard
large onion chopped
salt & pepper

Instructions

For Bacon Wrapped Cabbage:
Rinse cabbage, pat dry.
Cut cabbage into quarters & chop off bottom stem. I leave the core intact, but you can remove it if you prefer.
Salt & pepper cabbage wedges.
Wrap cabbage wedge in bacon - I used three slices of bacon per wedge.
Wrap wedge in aluminum foil and grill over medium direct heat until tender and bacon is of desired crispness. Plan on 45 mins - 1 hour.
For Bratwursts:
Salt, pepper & grill onions - this is done easily on a grilling tray or on aluminum foil.
Coat bratwursts in coarse ground mustard and grill on indirect heat until cooked through.
Serve with onions and additional mustard.

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5 from 2 votes

Iced Green Tea with Honey & Lemon

A Simple Iced Green Tea sweetened with sugar and a tad of honey & lemon.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 5 mins

Course: Drinks

Servings: 3 quarts

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

12 cups water
2 bags of green tea regular size teabags
1/2 cup - 3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoon honey
1 medium lemon juiced

Instructions

Bring water to boil in a large saucepan.
Remove from heat, add teabags, cover and let steep for an hour.
Remove tea bags. Stir in sugar, honey and lemon juice.
Pour into 3 quart iced tea jar (pictured) and chill.
Serve with ice and enjoy. Keep refrigerated.

Shady Brook Farms turkey products are available in the following states: ME, NH, VT, NY, NJ, MA, VA, RI, CT, PA, MD, DE, WV, NC, SC,GA, and FL. For those outside of those states, look for Shady Brook Farms’ sister brand, Honeysuckle White!

Spicy Smoky Chipotle Chicken Meatballs

January 14, 2016 by Amanda 6 Comments

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #VivaLaMorena #CollectiveBias

Chipotle Chicken Meatballs with a homemade chipotle hot sauce. Loaded with smoky heat – these chicken meatballs will make you forget all about wings!

Football season. We love it! It’s such a fun time of the year, win or lose. It’s not just about the game – it’s about the experience. Good friends, good food, good times.

Football food should be fun. I’ll rephrase that, football food IS fun. What’s not fun is spending all your time in the kitchen preparing food – missing half the game and all the fun.

We always made chicken wings for the big game, we even traveled with our wing set up when need be. Everyone loved it. Thing is – it’s a major production. A lot of time, work and cleanup. That’s no fun for anyone.

It was time to rethink our menu. Time to put the turkey fryer away and focus on easy yet delicious foods and snacks that we could all enjoy – together. These Chipotle Chicken Meatballs totally fit the bill.

Making a homemade chipotle hot sauce may sound like a lot work – but it’s really not. Throw everything in a food processor and then in a saucepan to simmer. That’s it. Simple, delicious and totally earns you bragging rights! Plus, this can be done days before you need it – so it’s one less thing you need to worry about on game day.

There is only one brand of chipotle peppers that I use. Ever. It’s La Morena Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce. La Morena has set the standard for quality and taste in peppers & chiles. When I open a can of these peppers I always know what I’m going to get – the authentic Mexican smoky peppers and adobo sauce that I know, expect and love.

Back to our homemade Chipotle Sauce. I like things hot and this sauce has definitely got some heat. If you’re familiar with chipotle heat, you’ll know that it does have a different heat index to it. It’s not a “burn your gut up heat” – it’s more of a “smoky mouth heat”. I would suggest tasting and making any adjustments after the sauce has had at least 10 minutes to simmer.

The chicken meatballs are ridiculously easy. Mix them up and bake. These can also be made ahead of time and reheated prior to serving. Heat em’ up, toss them with the Chipotle Sauce and you got yourself some real good eats. I serve these smokey bites topped with crumbled Queso Fresco and lots of Mexican Crema. These two ingredients perfectly finish these Chipotle Chicken Meatballs. Perhaps keep some ranch or blue cheese dressing around for the less adventurous.

I hope these Chipotle Chicken Meatballs are enjoyed by all! Less time in the kitchen means more game time & fun time for you! Have fun!

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Cooking 🙂

-Amanda-

Want to know more? Head over to La Morena for product information, mouth watering recipes & merchandise!

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5 from 2 votes

Hot & Smoky Chipotle Chicken Meatballs

Chipotle Chicken Meatballs with a homemade chipotle hot sauce. Loaded with smoky heat - these chicken meatballs will make you forget all about wings!

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 24 meatballs

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

For Sauce:
1 - 7 oz can of La Morena Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce UNDRAINED
6 tablespoon vinegar
6 tablespoon water
4 tablespoon tomato sauce
2 tablespoon turbinado or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
For Meatballs:
1 lb ground chicken ground turkey can be substituted
3/4 cup panko
3 tablespoon chipotle sauce your homemade stuff
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
To Serve Sauce:
3/4 cup homemade chipotle sauce
3-4 tablespoon butter
Top with Queso Fresco & Mexican Crema optional - ranch or blue cheese dressing
toothpicks

Instructions

For sauce:
Empty entire contents of chipotle pepper can into food processor (Seriously, the adobo sauce is like liquid gold)
Process until peppers are smooth.
Add vinegar, water, tomato sauce, sugar, garlic, onion and cinnamon. Process until completely smooth. This will be a thick sauce.
Pour sauce into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring often.
I suggest letting the sauce simmer for at least 10 minutes before tasting and making adjustments.
Set sauce aside until ready to use. Refrigerate in a sealed jar if making ahead of time. I usually make the sauce a few days prior.
*You will have more sauce then needed for recipe*
For Meatballs:
Preheat oven to 400°. Prep a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease/spray.
In a large bowl, mix together ground chicken, panko, chipotle sauce, egg and salt.
Form approximately 24 meatballs. They should be just about the size of a golfball. I use a "2 Tablespoon Cookie Scoop" to do this.
Bake for 17-22 minutes or until done.
To Serve:
In a saucepan combine chipotle sauce and butter.
Stir until butter is melted and sauce is heated through.
Gently toss and coat meatballs in sauce. I use a spatula to do this.
Pop a toothpick in each meatball and plate. Serve with crumbled Queso Fresco and lots of Mexican Crema.
This recipe easily doubles (you wouldn't have to make any more sauce) and can be made ahead of time and heated prior to serving.
Enjoy!

Bay Chicken – 8 Bay Leaf Chicken

June 11, 2015 by Amanda 2 Comments

8 Bay Leaf Chicken. Delicious, Tender, Bold & Exotic Flavor Made with Basic On Hand Ingredients, Herbs & Spices. Quick & Easy to Make.

This Bay Chicken is really one of my favorite chicken dishes. Not only does it have such bold and unique flavor, it’s also super simple to make with basic ingredients. Oh, and it breaks some rules along the way. That’s always fun.

Everyone loves the taste but few can place the herbs and seasonings used to make it. It tastes far more exotic then it really is. People guess it’s some kind of Mediterranean dish or perhaps Indian inspired. My husband says it reminds him of a dish he’s had in Malaysia. I suppose they were all influences while first searching for this perfect flavor years ago. I originally made this as a stew but over the years have simplified it to a chicken and rice dinner.

So what is the flavor know one can guess? Simple. Some oregano, garlic, adobo seasoning salt and a handful of bay leaves. No exotic ingredients – all stuff you’ll have in your spice cabinet. What’s unexpected is the amount of bay leaves used – I use 8 leaves in this chicken. Traditional cooking rules and many “fuddy duddy” cooks says that just can’t be. It’s said that using too many bay leaves will leave a dish too bitter and pungent – “just one or two will do”. Yet this dish isn’t bitter, pungent or overwhelming in the least bit. It’s always fun being able to think outside the box and experiment with new flavor combinations.

This chicken really is effortless to make. It makes a perfect dinner for a busy weeknight. I lightly brown the chicken thighs in a dutch oven, then throw everything else in and simmer for about an hour. Serve it with rice or couscous and a spoonful of broth/juices from the chicken. This would also go well with potatoes or other root veggies. Yum! Quick, delicious, healthy dinner that won’t bore everyone out of their minds.

My family and I love this Bay Chicken and I hope yours does too! Thanks so much for stopping by : )

-Amanda-

Print Recipe

Bay Chicken - 8 Bay Leaf Chicken

8 Bay Leaf Chicken - Delicious, Tender, Bold & Exotic Flavor Made with Basic On Hand Ingredients, Herbs & Spices - Quick & Easy to Make.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Course: Chicken &amp, Poultry

Servings: 4 -6 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

1 - 2 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 - 3 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (or bone - in if you prefer)
2 cup chicken broth - i use a chicken & tomato bouillon
8 bay leaves
1 tablespoon Adobo seasoning Goya
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried parsley
salt & pepper to taste
prepared rice i use about 1 1/2 cups uncooked

Instructions

Heat up oil in a dutch oven or large skillet over medium/high heat.
Salt & pepper both sides of chicken. Add chicken to dutch oven and lightly brown on both sides.
Add broth, bay leaves, adobo, garlic, oregano and parsley.
Bring to a boil. Stir occasionally and simmer for a few minutes until all broth & spices seem well combined.
Reduce heat to low/med-low. Simmer, covered, for about an hour. Make sure you keep bay leaves in broth. Spoon broth over chicken occasionally & flip chicken thighs once or twice during cooking. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
I like to serve this in a pasta bowl. I place a piece of chicken and a few tablespoons of broth in the bowl - then spoon in a serving of rice on top. This way you can eat the rice & broth together but the rice doesn't get too mushy.
Enjoy : )

Filipino Chicken Adobo

April 10, 2015 by Amanda 3 Comments

Adobo is a confusing word to many Americans. People associate it with Goya brand seasoning, a dish from the Philippines or a sauce that chipotle peppers are in. So, you ask, what is it and what’s with the deal with the broad use of the term? Adobo is a Spanish word and translates to marinade, sauce or seasoning. Considering that Spanish is the official language of 20 countries and spoken in many more – it’s no wonder that so many dishes and ingredients are referred to as adobo. Now you’re probably even more confused, knowing that Spanish is not spoken by Filipinos. The name Adobo was influenced by the Spaniards who colonized the Philippines for over 300 years. Enough with history and language lessons. Today we’re talking about the Filipino Chicken Adobo.

I make Chicken Adobo often. It’s simple, consists of ingredients I always have on hand and is unbelievably delicious. It’s one of my go to meals when I’m in a dinner rut. The smell of it simmering on the stove is almost intoxicating and it makes the whole house fondly reminiscent of your delicious dinner for hours to come.

You’ll find many different Adobo recipes but they’re all pretty much the same. Vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, pepper and bay leaves of varying amounts – it really comes down to personal taste. Any meat can be used, though chicken and pork are favorites. A little planning ahead is involved here – Adobo Chicken needs to be marinated. Most recipes will call for it to be marinated overnight, which turns out wonderful, but three to four hours has proved to produce a delicious Adobo for my last minute kinda self.

Marinade, brown, simmer and it’s done. Chicken Adobo is sweet, tangy, salty and sour – pairs perfectly with a heaping spoonful of white rice. This Filipino dish may be new to you – but I’m betting you’ll becoming a lot more familiar with it after tasting it.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Cooking!

-Amanda-

Print Recipe

Chicken Adobo

Chicken Adobo - a sweet, sour & salty Filipino dish made with vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and pepper. Delicious, simple and cheap to make!

Prep Time4 hrs

Cook Time55 mins

Total Time4 hrs 55 mins

Course: Chicken &amp, Poultry

Cuisine: Filipino

Servings: 4 -6 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

1 cup vinegar
1/2 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
6 large cloves garlic minced
4 bay leaves
1 teaspoon black pepper
pinch red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons peanut oil
3-4 pounds of bone-in chicken thighs

Instructions

Combine vinegar, soy sauce, minced garlic, bay leaves, black pepper and red pepper in a 13x9 glass casserole dish or an appropriate sized container/bag.
Add chicken, turn to coat. Cover and marinade for at least at least 3-4 hours, up to overnight.
In a dutch oven or large saute pan, heat up oil over high heat and brown chicken, about 5 minutes each side.
Stir in marinade.
Cover, reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally and flipping chicken once or twice.
Uncover, increase to medium-high heat. Stir occasionally and flip chicken once or twice, continue to cook until sauce has thickened and reduced a bit, about 15 - 20 minutes.
Serve and enjoy : )

Lazy Day Spanish Style Chicken Breasts in the Crockpot

February 18, 2015 by Amanda 2 Comments

I have many, many nights where getting dinner on the table feels like an impossible feat. The day is too hectic, too busy, too kid crazy or I’m just beat, exhausted and done. These nights consist of leftovers, sandwiches, tortilla pizzas, a quick breakfast for dinner or occasionally some take out. I really try to stay away from frozen foods and prepackaged foods as much as possible – eating is better, healthier and cheaper that way.

I’ve learned to fill these nights (becoming more frequent) with lazy, effortless dinners that involve as little work as possible. Plan a bit ahead on these days and the crockpot could become your backup.

Chicken breasts cooked in the crockpot are notoriously known for being bland and dry. Blame it on all the those old crockpot recipes we were subjected to as kiddos. Chicken breasts, a cup of water, some salt and pepper – 8 hours later a barely edible protein was on the table. Blah. News is, though, that amazing chicken can come from the crockpot.

I think it takes more time to gather the ingredients for this dinner than it does to put it all together. Throw the chicken in the crockpot, sprinkle all the spices on top of the chicken and pour the broth over it all. Cook on high for 3 1/2 hours. After 3 1/2 hours, remove chicken, shred it and dump it back in the crockpot. Let it cook for another 10 minutes or so – giving it some time to soak up some of that seasoned broth. That’s it. Really. Dinner ridiculously simple.

This isn’t meant to be eaten soup style, so remove the shredded chicken from the crockpot with a slotted spoon to strain all the excess broth. The broth the chicken is cooked in will be very salty – not so yum. I serve this chicken with a plate of rice and beans. On the sidelines is some chipotle sauce, avocado slices, shredded lettuce, sour cream or whatever else I might have around.

I get a twofer from this dinner and make double the amount we need. This juicy chicken booming with flavor is perfect for some oven baked chicken and cheese quesadillas. Awesome use for leftovers and another easy dinner! Score and Score!

So go ahead and be a little lazy. You’ll find that sometimes the search for simplicity results in surprisingly impressive results.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you swing back soon! Happy Cooking!

-Amanda-

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5 from 1 vote

Lazy Day Spanish Chicken (Crockpot)

A lazy day, throw it together chicken dinner for the crockpot.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time3 hrs 40 mins

Total Time3 hrs 50 mins

Course: Chicken &amp, Poultry

Servings: 6 -8

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

2 pound chicken breast tenders
1 packet sazon seasoning Goya
2 teaspoon Adobo seasoning Goya
2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
pinch of oregano
2 cups chicken broth I use a chicken/tomato bouillon

Instructions

Place chicken in crockpot.
Sprinkle all spices over chicken.
Pour chicken broth over chicken and seasonings.
Cook on high for 3 1/2 hours.
Remove chicken, shred and put back in crockpot.
Cook for another 10 minutes.
Remove chicken with slotted spoon to strain excess broth.
Serve and enjoy.

Chicken Barley Chili

February 5, 2015 by Amanda 13 Comments

Try this delicious, creamy, filling, hearty Chicken Barley Chili. So simple to make and it feeds an army!

I really can’t say enough about this Chicken Barley Chili. It’s unbelievable. Who would have thought a recipe of such greatness would be printed on the back of a Quaker Oats Barley box.

This stuff gets devoured in my house! No critiques, no complaints – it’s a silent dinner with an occasional “mmmmm” and “it’s so good”. Total win for me – delicious, filling, it’s so easy to make and everyone loves it. Oh – did I mention the leftovers? I loovvve the leftovers! This makes a ton of chili – I’d say about 10 large servings. You’ll love the leftovers too – soups, stews and chili always have a way of tasting better the next day.

This chili really isn’t much more than sauteing an onion and some garlic and throwing a bunch of canned ingredients together in a pot. The original recipe calls for a 16 oz jar of salsa. All three times I made this I didn’t have any jarred salsa, so I subbed it with a 15 oz can of tomato sauce. The first time I added a few tablespoons of sofrito, the next time I added a packet of sazon and the final time I used just the sauce. All three ways were delicious and the flavor really didn’t vary much at all. Or use a jar of salsa. Whatever works : )

You’ll notice ” 1 1/2 pounds of cooked chicken” is listed as an ingredient. I’m going to recommend poaching the chicken in a heavily seasoned broth. There’s absolutely no reason you should add bland chicken to this chili. Take it up a notch. Create layers of flavor – you’ll appreciate every bite.

Poaching is such a simple technique and results in foolproof tender and flavorful chicken breasts. I used a large skillet where all chicken breast tenders fit in without too much crowding. I added 1 1/2 cup of broth made from a tomato/chicken bouillon, 1 heaping tablespoon Adobo seasoning (Goya brand), 1/4 teaspoon pepper and a pinch of oregano. The chicken goes into the chili towards the end of cooking. So get the chili going then poach the chicken and shred it.

Serve this chili with a big spoonful of sour cream and shredded cheese. This chili is delicious as is – but the sour cream and cheese take it to a whole other level. It’s so thick, creamy, delicious – it’s almost like a dip. Oh my yum. Don’t forget a bowl of tortilla chips for dipping or crushing on top. If you feel the need for a little heat, add a few shakes of chipotle hot sauce. It’s all good.

I love, love, love this Chicken Barley Chili and I hope you do too! I’d love to hear your thoughts on it! Until next time…Happy Cooking : )

-Amanda-

Recipe Adapted from the Back of The Quaker Oats Barley Box : )

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Chicken Barley Chili

Try this delicious, creamy, filling, hearty Chicken Barley Chili. So simple to make and it feeds an army!

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

Course: Soups &amp, Stews

Servings: 8 - 10 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

1 medium onion diced
3 clove garlic minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes undrained (14.5 oz can)
1 can chicken broth 14.5 oz or 1 3/4 cup broth
1 jar/can tomato sauce OR salsa 15 oz - 20 oz
4 cup water
1 cup Quaker Medium Barley
3 tablespoon sofrito optional
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon chipotle powder optional
pinch of pepper
1 can black beans drained and rinsed (15 oz)
1 can corn undrained (15 oz)
1 1/2 - 2 pound chicken breast cooked and shredded (I recommend poaching in a heavily seasoned broth)
1 tablespoon shredded cheese each serving
1 tablespoon sour cream each serving
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a LARGE saucepan or a stockpot, heat up oil and add onions. Saute for about 10 minutes or until onions are golden.
Add minced garlic, saute for a minute.
Add in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce (or salsa), broth, water, barley, sofrito, chili powder, salt, cumin, chipotle powder and pepper.
Over medium-high heat, stirring often, bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low. Simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add beans, corn and chicken. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Check that barley is tender. Remove from heat.
Season to taste with salt & pepper if necessary.
Top with a spoonful of shredded cheese and sour cream and mix it all up. Serve with tortilla chips. Enjoy : )
Recipe adapted from Quaker Oats

Crockpot Sofrito Chicken

January 21, 2015 by Amanda 5 Comments

Years ago my crockpot was just another kitchen contraption collecting dust. Occasionally I’d throw a hunk of beef in there and make some stew, but for the most part the crockpot just wasn’t getting any love. The past few years I’ve really started embracing it’s convenience and enjoy trying new dishes in it. My Sofrito Chicken is a fine example of how awesome a crockpot can be!

I tend to use the crockpot on days where I know I have a lot going on or when I just don’t want to deal with a dinner time production. Throw it all together, pop a lid on it and 4-8 hours later dinner is ready to go. Of course any crockpot recipe can easily be made in the oven or a dutch oven, if you’d like.

Onto sofrito. For those not familiar with it, it’s best described as a liquid seasoning, it has a thin salsa consistency. A few tablespoons is used in anything and sometimes almost everything in Latin food – meats, stews, rice, beans. Everyone makes it a little different. It’s basically a combination of pureed or chopped peppers, onions, garlic and cilantro. You can buy this stuff already made at the store in the freezer section, but I suggest making it yourself to experience the real flavor.

This chicken recipe is slow cooked in a what’s basically a big batch of sofrito, some herbs and spices and chicken broth. I know you’re looking at the longer than usual list of ingredients thinking “Whaaat!? I don’t have some of this stuff”. Hear me out….

Cubanelle peppers. This is a long, sweet, yellow/green pepper. Cubanelles are a pretty common pepper, often referred to as simply “cooking peppers” or “yellow peppers”. If they are not available, substitute a bell pepper.

As for Sazon and Adobo – I swear I’m not a spokesperson for Goya products. ( Not yet, anyhow. A *hint, hint* to Goya lol. ) I do use both seasonings often in my cooking. I absolutely, positively recommend picking both up. Sazon comes in a small box with individual packets inside and Adobo is in a regular spice container – you’ll usually find them in the “ethnic section” of your grocery store. They both lend important flavors to this recipe and many other Latin recipes. Good news is, buying both of these will only set you back a few bucks and I’m sure you’ll find plenty of other uses for both seasonings.

As most crockpot recipes – there’s some prep work involved and then you’re pretty much done. Throw the chicken thighs in the crockpot, no browning is necessary. I wash, prep and roughly chop the green pepper, cubanelle peppers, onion, garlic and cilantro. I toss them all into my food processor, pulse it and drizzle in the olive oil. Process until mixture is a runny salsa consistency. Alternatively, if you don’t have a food processor or a blender, you could finely chop or grate everything by hand.

Pour the sofrito on top of the chicken in the crockpot. Follow with remaining ingredients and pour warm chicken broth over it all. Pop the lid on and cook for 4 hours on low or 8 hours on high – whichever works for you.

That’s it. I serve this almost like a stew. I dish out a giant spoonful of all that “sofrito sauce goodness” into a pasta bowl, top with some rice and a piece of chicken. Sprinkle with a pinch of chopped cilantro if you’d like.

There’s just so much flavor in this chicken. Bright, bold, fresh – it’s a wonderful change of pace. Liven up that chicken with this Latin inspired crockpot dinner.

I do hope you love this recipe as much as we do. I’d love to hear your comments! Thanks for stopping by : )

Until next time…..

-Amanda-

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Crockpot Sofrito Chicken

A flavorful Latin inspired Sofrito Chicken for the crockpot. Peppers, onions, tomatoes, garlic and cilantro make this slow cooked chicken a must try!

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time8 hrs

Total Time8 hrs 20 mins

Course: Chicken, Crockpot

Cuisine: Latin

Servings: 6 servings

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

3 lbs chicken thighs bone-in
1 large green bell pepper
2 medium cubanelle peppers
1 large onion
4 cloves garlic minced
1 handful of cilantro optional
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes undrained (14.5 oz)
small can tomato sauce 8 oz
1 packet goya sazon seasoning
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon goya adobo seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
pinch of oregano
10 olives + 2 tablespoon olive juice
1 1/2 cup warm chicken broth
prepared rice

Instructions

Place chicken in crockpot.
Wash, prep and roughly chop peppers, onion, cilantro and garlic for food processor.
Process veggies, drizzle in olive oil. Pulse until you have a thin salsa consistency. This is your sofrito.
Pour sofrito over chicken.
Pour can of undrained diced tomatoes and tomato sauce over chicken.
Add packet of sazon, bay leaves, adobo, cumin, paprika, salt, pepper, oregano, olives and olive juice.
Pour warm chicken broth over top.
Cover crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours - whichever works for you.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Eat this almost like a stew. Serve chicken with a BIG ladle of sofrito/juices/sauce and a hearty portion of rice. Sprinkle with a pinch of chopped cilantro if you like.
Enjoy : )

Oven Baked Chinese BBQ Chicken

January 11, 2015 by Amanda Leave a Comment

Barbecue seemed to be the theme of the week at my house. First ribs, now oven baked BBQ chicken. It’s been a cold week – 10° or colder. That’s dreadfully cold and it only gets worse. California dreaming on such a winters day.

Now I don’t venture outside any more than I have to during the winter. I know there’s a lot of “diehards” that cook out on the grill year round. I’m not one of them. I make do with what can be done in the warmth of my home and oven.

I’ve been playing around with this Chinese barbecue chicken for quite sometime now. I’ve tried numerous recipes – they’re always too salty, too peppery, too hot, too sweet, too bland, too seasoned – just never quite right. After many failed dinners – I finally ended up with a flavor I’m happy with it. It’s got a sweet, salty & bbq taste with a nice bite of heat from the sesame chili oil. Yum.

This is an easy dinner, great for busy weeknights. Recipe amounts will work with 3 – 5 pounds of chicken drumsticks. You can bake the chicken in a 13X9 baking dish or a larger baking sheet with higher edges lined with aluminum foil. Just keep in mind that the BBQ sauce in this recipe becomes liquid so you’re dish needs edges to contain it.

There’s not much to this recipe. Mix together the soy sauce, BBQ sauce, worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, sage, ginger and pepper. Heat and stir until combined. You can do this in the microwave or stove top. When heated through, stir in 2 teaspoons of sesame chili oil. Taste the sauce – if you’d like to heat it up a bit more, stir in an additional teaspoon or two of chili oil.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken and bake. I usually let it bake without bothering it for the first 15 – 20 minutes. After that I baste the chicken with the sauce every 10 minutes or so. The chicken will be finished in about an hour. You can broil it for a few minutes after baking if you’d like to brown it up a little.

That’s it, folks. Easy, oven baked barbecue chicken with a different but delicious sauce. I served this with steamed green beans and sticky white rice. This would also be great with typical barbecue fare – maybe a baked potato and some corn on the cob. It’ll make a great dinner served with whatever you got.

This is a tasty, family pleasing recipe made with pantry staples. If you don’t have sesame chili oil on hand you could substitute some sriracha hot sauce. Perfect for the night when you have chicken to make and no idea what to do with it.

Hope you try this chicken some night soon – I’d love to hear about! Thanks for reading : )

-Amanda-

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Oven Baked Chinese BBQ Chicken

A tasty oven baked Chinese BBQ chicken made with pantry staples and sesame chili oil. This has great flavor and a bite - not your everyday boring BBQ chicken recipe!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr 5 mins

Total Time1 hr 15 mins

Course: Chicken &amp, Poultry

Cuisine: Barbecue

Author: Amanda

Ingredients

3-5 lbs chicken drumsticks
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup worcestshire sauce
3/4 cup brown sugar packed
1 1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoon sesame chili oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°
Prep baking dish/pan.
Mix together the soy sauce, BBQ sauce, worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, sage, ginger and pepper.
Heat and stir until combined. You can do this in the microwave or stove top.
Stir in sesame chili oil. Taste sauce. If you'd like more heat, stir in an additional 1-2 teaspoons of chili oil.
Spoon sauce over chicken and bake.
Let chicken bake without bothering it for the first 15 - 20 minutes. After that, baste the chicken with the sauce every 10 minutes.
Chicken will be done after an hour. Go ahead and broil it for a few minutes if you'd like to brown it up a little more.
Serve and enjoy : )

This quick, delicious & hearty one pot pasta recipe is perfect for all your busy nights! Get dinner on the table in less than half an hour!

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One Pot Pasta & Meatballs

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Try this delicious, creamy, filling, hearty Chicken Barley Chili. So simple to make and it feeds an army!

Chicken Barley Chili

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Crockpot Sofrito Chicken

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Oven Baked Chinese BBQ Chicken

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