Honey Chicken (or Chicken, Honey!)

I can’t tell you how long I’ve had this recipe sitting around in my folder. I’m talking years. Maybe 12 years! I’m not kidding. It would get shuffled around, put in the “maybe” pile, removed, added back, over and over again until finally it made its way to the top of the heap and I actually cooked it! Oh. My. Goodness. I was crazy not to try it sooner. Delicious, and super simple to boot. So, break out your honey and enjoy some chicken!

Ingredients

1 to 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
salt, pepper, and garlic powder (about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon each depending on your tastes)

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a single layer in a greased, shallow pan or baking dish. Set aside.

In a small bowl, beat egg yolk slightly. Add melted butter, soy sauce, lemon juice, honey, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Stir to blend.

Pour sauce over chicken, turning pieces to coat well. Bake at 300 degrees for one hour, removing from oven once or twice during baking to turn pieces and baste.

Notes

• One of the beauties of this recipe (beyond its wonderful taste of course) is that you can cook for a crowd or cook for yourself! The sauce will cover up to two pounds of chicken (maybe even more!) so make as much or as little as you need!
• I use thin-sliced breasts, but they are not required. I just happen to prefer them to the thicker cuts.
• A print-friendly version of this recipe can be found here.

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Many thanks to my food photographer!
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Chicken Teriyaki

Everyone has a favorite teriyaki recipe. If you’re still searching for yours, this one is quick and simple!

Ingredients

1/4 cup Italian salad dressing, any variety (even low fat!)
1 pound boneless chicken breasts, cut into chunks or strips
1-1/3 cups water
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups frozen broccoli florets
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking rice (uncooked)

Directions

In a large, non-stick skillet, heat Italian dressing over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until cooked through (the length of time will depend on how small you cut your chicken chunks!)

Add water, teriyaki sauce and garlic powder to chicken. Stir, then heat until boiling. Add broccoli florets and rice. Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, five more minutes. Fluff and serve!

Notes

• I will up the broccoli to three cups next time, I thought it needed more.
• If you’re out of teriyaki sauce you can make a reasonable substitute by combining soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder and onion powder. It won’t be exactly the same, but you’ll be able to concoct something tasty!
• I used a combination of white and brown rice, just because that’s what I had on hand. Either will work.
• A printer-friendly version of this recipe can be found here.

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Many thanks to my food photographer!
Connect with White Pine Photo: Website | Photo Blog | Facebook | Twitter

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Chicken and Caramelized Onion Quesadillas

I’m a big fan of caramelized onions, a big fan of chicken, a big fan of quesadillas, and a really big fan of recipes you can modify to suit the tastes of you and your family. So this is a winner for me!

Ingredients

1 large onion
1-2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper
water
1-1/2 to 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (I use a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, or you can poach your own)
1 cup or more shredded cheese (any variety)
8 flour tortillas (medium size, about 10″ in diameter)

Picture Directions
(for a printable version of this recipe, click here)

Finely chop the onions

In a large frypan, melt butter and add onions. Season with salt and pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon each, more or less to taste).

Cook the onions over medium heat until they begin to brown. Add a teaspoon or two of water to the pan and stir to incorporate the tasty bits from the bottom of the pan.

Continue cooking for about 20-30 minutes total, adding water every once in awhile, until onions are very soft and well-browned.

Chop the chicken finely

Add the chicken to the onions and heat through.

Place four tortillas on baking sheets. Divide chicken/onion mixture between the tortillas.

Add about 1/4 cup shredded cheese to each

…then top with another tortilla. Bake in a 350 oven until tortillas are warmed through and cheese is melted.

Cut into wedges and serve.

Notes

• There are almost too many variations to mention. Add some bell peppers (chopped) to the pan while frying the onions. Or, for an extra kick, try some jalapenos! Have some leftover broccoli? Chop it up and add it to the frypan. Or, try some minced garlic! Maybe add some tomato slices between the chicken and the cheese. Really you could add anything you’d like.
• Serve with salsa, or sour cream, or both. Or, as is.
• These reheat well in the microwave. They also freeze very well.
• A printable version of this recipe can be found here

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Hand Divan

I’ve rarely met a Chicken Divan recipe I didn’t like, no matter how simple or difficult. This is really simple and what’s more, you can carry it in your hand to eat it! So I named it “Hand Divan!”

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup frozen broccoli, thawed
1-1/2 teaspoons milk
1/2 cup cooked chicken
1 can crescent rolls
1 cup shredded cheese (any variety)
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
coarse salt

Directions

Chop the cooked chicken finely.

Chop the broccoli finely.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add broccoli and milk. Cook a few minutes until broccoli is heated through. Stir in chicken and remove from heat.

Separate crescent rolls into four rectangles, pressing perforations together. (Or, use the crescent roll solid sheet and cut into four pieces.) Add about 1/4 cup broccoli/chicken mixture to each crescent rectangle.

Add about 1/4 cup shredded cheese to each crescent. They will look impossible to close, but don’t worry, they’ll stretch! Fold crescents over filling, press the edges together to seal, and place onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

In a small bowl, add water to beaten egg to make a wash. Brush each crescent with egg wash, the sprinkle with a bit of course salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool slightly before serving, especially if you plan to actually use your hands. 🙂

Notes

• A print-friendly version of this recipe can be found here.

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Crockpot Chicken Noodles

Well, the title isn’t completely honest! The noodles aren’t cooked in the crockpot, but the chicken is. The sauce is yummy and cooking doesn’t get any easier than this!

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound egg noodles, cooked until tender

Directions

Cut chicken breasts with kitchen shears into bite-sized chunks, and place in crockpot. Mix the undiluted soups together with the garlic powder and pour over chicken. Cover and cook 6-8 hours on low. Serve with sauce over noodles.

Notes

• I use low-fat cream of chicken soup exclusively with no ill-effects.
• I’ve played around with the seasonings on this a bit. As written it seems to need salt and pepper. But if I season the chicken beforehand it’s too salty. Be sure the cooking water for your noodles is well-salted.
• Try serving over rice instead of noodles if you prefer.
• My better half adds hot sauce!
• A print-friendly version of this recipe can be found here.

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Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts

I’m always looking for simple chicken recipes that don’t taste like the “same old thing.” These are great, the mayonnaise holds in the moisture and gives them a nice flavor. Super simple too!

Ingredients

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 to 3/4 cups bread crumbs
Spices to taste (if bread crumbs aren’t pre-seasoned)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and set aside. Pound chicken lightly between two sheets of plastic wrap or wax paper to even out the thickness.

In a large zip-top plastic bag, combine mayonnaise, parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Add chicken breasts and seal the bag. Work the bag around in order to ensure chicken is well-coated with mayonnaise mixture. In a shallow dish, combine bread crumbs with spices (see notes.) Remove chicken from bag, coat with bread crumbs, and place on baking sheet.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork.

Notes

• I’ve made this recipe with as few as two and as many as six chicken breasts. The mayonnaise mixture goes a long way, I’ve never had to make more even if I’ve increased the amount of chicken.
• I buy thinly-sliced chicken breasts when they are on sale and use them instead of pounding thicker pieces. This recipe also works very well with chicken tenders.
• I use fat-free mayonnaise or Miracle Whip with great results!
• If your bread crumbs aren’t seasoned, add spices to taste. I usually use some salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and poultry seasoning. But anything you like will work: parsley, Italian seasoning, sage, thyme, or anything else you might like. Be liberal.
• A print-friendly version of this recipe can be found here.

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Grape Chicken Salad

It was 92 here today, 95 tomorrow, 91 the next day. Who wants a hot lunch? Not me! There is nothing simpler than this tasty salad which combines the sweet and the savory. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Cooked chicken, chopped (if you don’t have any leftover chicken, here’s how to poach it!)
Grapes (use green, red, or purple, whichever you like best!)
Plain yogurt
Salt
Pepper

Directions

Combine equal parts chicken and grapes in a bowl. (You can cut the grapes in half if they are large.) Add yogurt and stir gently to combine. The quantities are completely to taste, but to give you an idea, I had about a cup apiece of chicken and grapes, and I ended up using about 1/2 cup of yogurt. Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste (I used about 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.) This can be served on top of  lettuce (or you can eat it right out of the bowl!)

A print-friendly version of this recipe can be found here.

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Poached Chicken (for recipes)

I’ll be honest. When I need cooked chicken for a recipe I usually buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Easy, tasty, and quick. But it’s really more cost effective (not to mention nutritionally better) to do it yourself. The instructions are a little bit different depending on whether you use boneless or bone-in chicken. Here are both methods.

Boneless Chicken Breasts

Place chicken breasts is a saucepan and fill with water or chicken stock until chicken is just covered. If you use water, add 1/2 teaspoon salt. If you happen to have a celery leaf and/or parsley sprig on hand, add that too. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10-12 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate and allow to cool (discard liquid), then chop as needed to use in recipes.

Whole Chicken Breasts

Add four cups of water or chicken stock to a large pot. If you use water, add 1/2 teaspoon salt. If you happen to have a celery leaf and/or parsley sprig on hand, add that too. Bring liquid to a boil, then reduce heat, add chicken and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Do not remove chicken from pot. Rather, allow it to cool to room temperature in the liquid. Discard liquid, and pick chicken from bones to use in recipes as needed.

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Chicken Noodle Soup Casserole

This is another Pioneer Woman recipe however I got it from the Tasty Kitchen section of her site, where others can also post recipes. It’s just fantastic. Here is a link to the original recipe, or you can follow my version below.

Ingredients

1-1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
12 oz. egg noodles or other pasta of your choice (I used broken thin spaghetti)
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 sleeve Ritz or saltine crackers, crushed

Instructions

• Poach the chicken. Place chicken in a single layer in a deep skillet and cover with water. Add a pinch or two of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 10-12 minutes. Check the chicken to ensure done-ness. It’s done when it’s no longer pink inside.
• Meanwhile, chop the onions, carrots and celery, and cook pasta according to package directions. (I like to under-cook pasta that will be baked, by about one or two minutes.) Drain and set aside.
• Once the chicken is cooked, chop it into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
• In a large skillet melt butter. Add onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook until onions are translucent.
• Add both cans of soup and mix well. Add sour cream and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Add chicken, noodles and parsley and mix well.
• Spoon into a greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
• Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle crushed crackers on top and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.

Notes

• I used low fat cream of chicken soup and low fat sour cream and couldn’t tell a difference.
• You can mix and match the cream soups. The original recipe called for one can of cream of mushroom and one can of cream of chicken. Or, how about cream of celery? Anything works!
• I used saltines rather than Ritz crackers. I might try oyster crackers sprinkled on top next time!
• I forgot the parsley and it was still good. 🙂
• A printable version of this recipe can be found here.

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Broccoli and Bowties

This is one of those recipes that isn’t a “recipe.” I just make it out of my head. But that’s the beauty of it, you can make it out of your head too! And you can customize however you like. Let’s get started!

Ingredients

1 pound bowtie pasta (or whatever shape you like)
2 pounds frozen broccoli florets (or similar amount fresh)
Chicken picked from 1 grocery store rotisserie chicken
Chicken bouillon granules/cubes or 1 cup prepared chicken stock
2-3 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup or more shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
(The remaining ingredients are optional. Add/remove/substitute based on what you have on hand and what you like!)
Poultry Seasoning
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Freshly Ground Pepper
Parsley

Directions

Boil the pasta according to package directions. If you are using bouillon, prepare one cup according to package directions using a ladle full of the pasta water which will already be boiling. Set aside.

While your pasta is cooking, steam the broccoli until tender.

Heat chicken. (I use the microwave.) Give the chicken a good sprinkling of poultry seasoning if you like it.

After you’ve cooked and drained the pasta, return it to its pot and place on the stove over very low heat. Add butter and stir to melt. Add about half of the chicken broth. Next add the broccoli and chicken and stir well.

Now, spice it up! Sprinkle in some garlic powder, some onion powder, some pepper and some parsley, stirring well after each addition. This is where your taste buds will play a part. Spice a little, taste a little. Repeat as necessary. Remember, it’s better to add too little spice than too much, because you can always add more. Also add 1/2 cup or more shredded Parmesan cheese. At this point you may or may not want to add the remaining chicken broth, depending on whether it seems to need a little more moisture. When your spices are to your liking, serve with some additional Parmesan!

Notes

• Don’t be afraid to experiment! Like chives more than parsley? Throw them in! Have extra ham on hand instead of chicken? It’ll work!
• How about some hot sauce or crushed red pepper? Anything goes! I’ve probably made this a dozen times and it’s been different every time.
• I’ve never tried it, but I bet some sauteed onions would put it over the top!
• With the proportions I mentioned above, we’ve eaten three full meals with a single large serving still left. There are two of us, so that’s 6+ servings.
• A printable version of this recipe can be found here.

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