Chicken Enchilada Soup

Ingredients

• 2 Cups Beef Broth, fat free
• 2-3 Chicken Breast
• 1 Can Sweet Cream Corn (or half bag of frozen corn)
• 2 Cans Enchilada sauce
• 1 Can Rotel
• 1 Can Green chiles
• 1 Can Black beans, rinsed
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 Teaspoon Cumin
• 3 Teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese (or use reduced fat 2% milk)
• 1/2 Package Cream cheese (can use reduced fat)

Directions

1. Step One

   Put the first 11 ingredients in the slow cooker. (To make it a freezer meal, put these ingredients in a gallon freezer bag)

2. Step Two

   Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

3. Step Three

   Pull the chicken out and shred it. Use a hand mixer to blend everything else in the slow cooker. When you blend the beans up, it thickens the soup so you don't have to use masa or corn starch.

4. Step Four

   Add the cream cheese and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese 30 minutes before cooking time is done.

5. Step Five

   In your bowl, top with black pepper and sprinkle with cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and some broken up tortilla chips. If you want to make this soup healthier, use the low fat options indicated with the (parenthesis ).
6. 
   
7. From Crockin'Girls.com

Barbecue Chicken Sandwiches

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle BBQ sauce
1/2 c Italian dressing
1/4 c brown sugar
2 T Worcestershire sauce


Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients, pour over frozen chicken and cook on low 5-6 hrs.
2. Shred about an hr before serving then return to sauce.
3. Add to hamburger buns and enjoy!! It melts in your mouth!!

(From: crockingirls.com...)

Chicken n Dumplings

5-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 large cans of cream of chicken soup

2 cans of chicken broth (I used 3 cups water and 3 bullion cubes)

Half a chopped onion

Garlic, to taste

1 can of refrigerator biscuits (could have used another 1/2 can and baked the leftovers)

Directions:

1. Put ingredients in slow cooker.
2. Cook on high for 5-6 hours.
3. Take out the chicken and pull apart (will be really tender and will come right apart).
4. Put chicken back in.
5. Take biscuits and cut into quarters (i used frozen dumplings that you break off) drop in one by one into the chicken mix and 'dunk' it to make sure it gets covered.
6. Let it go for about 30 mins to an hour. (30 minutes was not long enough)

Dish out and enjoy.

(From: crockingirls.com...It's my new favorite website. Chris' grandmother used to make chicken and dumplings and he always wanted me to make them but sorry Nonnie, because Chris has now said that these might be his new favorite!)

Chicken & wild Rice Casserole

I found this in a Paula Deen cookbook. I'm all about casseroles because of how easy they are to just mix together and you have a yummy dinner! I did adjust the real recipe just a tad and I marked those changes in parenthesis.

Serves 8

1 - 6ox pkg long-grain and wild rice, cooked according to directions
4 cups diced cooked chicken breasts
2 - 10 3/4 oc cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup mayonaise (that was too much so I reduced it to 1/2 cups instead)
2 tsp curry powder, or to taste (I'm not a fan of curry so I looked up a substitue online and found this: 1tsp onion powder + 1 tsp garlic powder, it was great)
1 - 8oz pkg Pepperidge Farm Cornbread Dressing mix
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

Put the rice in a greased 2-qt casserole. Layer the chicken on top of the rice. Mix the soup, mayonaise, and curry powder, and pour this over the chicken. Sprinkle the dressing mix over the casserole and dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

(From: The Lady & Sons, Too! by Paula Deen)

Tortilla Soup

1 1/2 lbs. cooked chicken (3-4 breasts)
1/2 chopped onion
1 clove of garlic, chopped
oil (enough to saute onion and garlic)
32 oz. chicken broth
14.5 oz. can diced tomato with juice
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp cilantro
1 tsp parsley
1 can rotel
1 tsp oregano
4-5 corn tortillas cut into strips

After cooking and tearing up chicken, saute onion and garlic until soft. Mix all ingredients together in a large pot and let simmer for a while! (the longer the better so the tortilla strips can get soft)

(From: Joy Haynes - I puree all of the veggies or "giblets" and then Chris loves it!)

Sensational Lasagna with Artichoke-Spinach Dip Top Layer

Makes about 12 servings

2 (10.75-oz) cans Campbells cream of celery soup
1 soup can whole milk
1 (15-oz) container whole-milk ricotta cheese, divided
2 (8-oz) package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 C grated parmesan cheese, divided
3 large eggs, divided
4 Tbsp chopper fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 (14-oz) can artichoke hearts, drained, rinsed and chopped
1 (10-oz) package frozen chopper spinach, thawed and drained
2/3 C prepared Alfredo sauce
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 C sour cream
1 (1-lb) package lasagna noodles, cooked according to package directions and drained on paper towels
1 1/2 lbs chopped cooked chicken
1 (8-oz) package sliced provolone cheese

1) Preheat over to 375 degrees.
2) In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine soup and milk. Microwave on High for 2 minutes or until warm.
3) In a large bowl, combine 2/3 ricotta, 1 pkg mozzarella cheese, 3/4 C parmesan cheese, 2 eggs, parsley, seasoned salt, and pepper.
4) In a large bowl, combine remaining 1/3 ricotta, artichokes, spinach, Alfredo sauce, garlic, cream cheese, sour cream, remaining 1 egg and remaining 1/4 C of parmesan cheese.
5) Spread 1/4 soup mixture evenly in bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan. Arrange 3 noodles lengthwise over soup mixture. Spread with 1/2 ricotta-mozzarella mixture. Top with 1/2 of chicken. Spoon 1/4 soup mixture on top of chicken. Arrange 4 noodles crosswise over soup mixture, cutting ends of noodles if necessary. Spread with remaining 1/2 ricotta-mozzarella mixture. Top with remaining 1/2 of chicken. Spoon 1/4 soup mixture on top fo chicken. Arrange 3 noodles lengthwise over soup mixture. Top with artichoke mixture. Spoon remaining 1/4 soup mixture on top of artichoke mixture. Top evenly with slices of provolone cheese. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 package mozzarella. Cover with foil, sprayed with Pam to prevent sticking. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for 25 minutes longer. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

(From: Cooking with Paula Deen Magazine, Nov/Dec 2009)

Chicken and Artichoke Casserole

Picture from Cooking with Paula Deen

Chicken and Artichoke Casserole
1/2 cup butter*
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (5-ounce) package grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichokes, drained and chopped
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
**2 cups (1/2-inch-cubes) French bread
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350˚.   Lightly grease a 21/2-quart casserole dish or 6 individual baking dishes.

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallot; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in wine; cook 3 minutes. Lower heat a bit so you don't scorch the next ingredients!  Stir in cream; simmer 5 minutes. Add cream cheese and Parmesan cheese, stirring until combined. Stir in chicken, artichokes, spinach, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat. Spoon into prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine French bread cubes and melted butter, tossing to coat. Sprinkle evenly over casserole. 

*I cut the 1/2 cup of butter down to 1/4 of a cup.  Really, you just need enough to saute the onions/garlic in. 

**If you'd rather use croutons, it's easier and quicker!  I use the "New York Brand Texas Toast" croutons . .. obviously don't add the extra 3 TBSP of butter or the french bread!

***For a side note -- I usually use the Weight Watchers brand cream cheese, just because I like the way it melts and tastes.  I have never substituted anything for the heavy whipping cream.  I hate to give up a good thing!

Bake 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Makes 6 servings  (and if you look at the picture -- you'll see a salad, which is exactly what I put with this!)


(From: Paula Deen but I first had this at Karen McNeece's Home for our monthly minister's wives luncheon. It was so good and I'm excited to have the recipe!)

Chicken Spaghetti

1/2 stick butter

1 cup chopped onion and 1 cup chopped bell pepper

1 can Rotel tomatoes

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 small jar diced pimento

1 pint chicken broth

1 cup chopped cooked chicken breast

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Saute onions and bell pepper in butter. Add rotel, mushroom soup, pimento, broth and chicken. Cook until veggies are tender. Cook and drain a 12 oz package of spaghetti. Add veggie mix to the spaghetti and mix throughly with about 1/4 of the cheese. Put into a greased casserole dish and top with the rest of the cheese. Bake in a 325 oven until the cheese is melted. May be frozen for later use. Serves 6. With french bread and a salad, the dinner is complete. Bake 2 of these at a time and put one in the freezer and just pull it out of freezer in the morning and let it sit in fridge until you get home from work. Bake it while chopping salad.

(From Trudy Cox's Blog - It's an easy great recipe that is just as good for leftovers! I did puree the rotel (so there would not be any tomato chunks) and left out the pimentos, onion and bell pepper...yes, my family is super picky...starting with my husband!)

Chicken Puffs

4 Chicken Breast boiled, chopped up
1 can of Crescent Rolls
½ stick of Butter melted
1 small package of Cream Cheese - melted
Cavendar’s Greek Seasoning – to taste – 2 tsp maybe- I usually put a lot
Italian Bread Crumbs ½ cup or so to sprinkle on top of puff
Makes 4

Boil chicken and cut up.  Mix chicken, cream cheese and Greek seasoning.  Unroll crescent rolls.  One can will make 4 puffs.  You will combine to rectangles to make a square.  Each can has 8 rectangles.  So you will make 4 squares.  Mash together the seams on all the crescent roll squares.  Place a spoonful of the chicken mixture in the middle of each square.  Bring the ends of the square together at the top and twist.  Make sure all the seams are together so the chicken does not leak out while baking.  Then, spoon one spoonful of melted butter over each chicken puff.  Then spoon a spoon full of bread crumbs over the top of each puff.  Bake 350 for 20 minutes until brown.

(From: Debbie Spoonemore - she brought this dinner to us when Hudson was born and it was so yummy!)

Tex-Mex Lasagna

2 C chopped cooked chicken
1 C chopped red bell pepper
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 (15.25oz) can corn, drained
1 (15oz) can black beans, drained
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce
1 (10oz) can Rotel
1 (8oz) can tomato sauce
2 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1 (16oz) container sour cream
1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
6 oven ready lasagna noodles
1 (8oz) package Monterey Jack cheese with peppers, grated
1 (8oz) package Cheddar cheese, grated

In a Dutch oven, combine chicken and next 12 ingredients. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cream cheese.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.

Spoon 1/3 of sauce into prepared dish. Top with 3 uncooked lasagna noodles. Spread 1/2 of sour cream mixture over noodles, top with 1/3 sauce. Sprinkle with half of cheeses. Repeat layers. Bake 35-45 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

(From Paula Dean Magazine (Sept/Oct 2010))

Chicken & Rice Casserole

Serves 6-8

3 cups diced cooked chicken
1 medium onion, diced and sauteed (I leave this out)
1 8-oz can water chestnuts, grained and chopped (I leave these out)
2 14 1/2-oz cans French green beans, rinsed and drained
1 4-oz can pimentos, rinsed and drained (I leave these out)
1 10 3/4-oz can condensed cream of celery soup
1 cup mayonnaise
1 6-oz box Uncle Ben's long-grain and wild rice, cooked according to package directions
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat over to 300 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a 3-quart casserole. Bake for 25 minutes.

(From: Paula Deen's Kitchen Classics; this is a great casserole with chicken, rice and green beans (3 foods groups all together) and my family loves it! I've tried freezing it and it didn't taste the same once thawed. The rice was a little grainy...but it's great refrigerated and the leftovers are just as good as the first time around!)

Chicken Cordon Bleu

(this is paraphrased from Nancy telling me the recipe)

Boneless chicken breasts pounded flat - layer a slice of imported ham sliced thin and a slice of swiss cheese on top of the pounded chicken breasts.
Roll up the chicken, ham and cheese and secure with multiple toothpicks. Roll the chicken egg and then again breadcrumbs.
Pan fry until golden brown.
Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees to finish cooling and melt cheese.

(Nancy Sember made this for Chris when he lived out in West Palm Beach, FL for the summer before our senior year while interning at a church in college. I flew out at the end of the summer to drive home with Chris and stayed in the Sember's home. Chris made sure she gave me this recipe because it was one of this favorites!)

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Marinating the chicken in buttermilk makes the meat moist and flavorful. Chicken breasts cook faster than other parts, so fry them separately in the last batch.

2 C low-fat buttermilk
course salt
3 tsp cayenne pepper
2 whole chickens (2 1/2 to 3 lbs each), each cut into 10 serving pieces (wings, thighs, drumsticks, and 4 breast pieces)
3 C all-purpose flour
4 C vegetable oil

1) In each of two 1-gallon resealable plastic bags, combine 1 C buttermilk, 1/2 Tbsp salt, 1/2 tsp cayenne, and half the chicken pieces. Shake to coat; refrigerate up to 2 days.
2) In a large, shallow bowl, whisk flour with 1 Tbsp salt and remaining 2 tsp cayenne. Dredge chicken pieces one at a time in mixture, shaking off excess.
3) In a 12-inch cast iron skillet (I use a frying machine) (or other heavy-bottom skillet), heat oil to 350 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer (or until a pinch of flour sizzles when dropped in the oil).
4) Carefully add 1/3 of the chicken. Cook 10 minutes; turn chicken with tongs. Cook until golden brown, juices run clear, and internal temperature is 165 degrees, about 10 minutes more. Transfer to a rack to drain. Season with salt, if desired.
5) Return oil temperature to 350 degrees. Repeat with remaining chicken.
6) I also lay the cooked pieces on a paper bag or a clean pizza box top to drain and cool before eating.

(I LOVE fried chicken and the drumsticks are my favorite so I usually wait until those go on sale at the grocery store and stock up for fried chicken night!)

Lime Chicken w/ Strawberry Salsa

Chicken Marinate:
3 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp freshly grated lime peel
1/4 tsp salt
1 garlic clove crushed
4 boneless skinless chicken breast

Strawberry Salsa:
3/4 cup coarsely chopped strawberry
1 Tbsp dried cranberries
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 tsp freshly grated lime peel
1 green onion*

Mix all ingredients together and let stand in refrigerator at least 1 hour before serving. Mix Marinade items together and place in a large freezer bag to marinade. Turn chicken every few hours. Marinade at least 1 hour but no more than 24 hours. Grill chicken until juice of chicken is no longer pink. Occasionally brush marinade over chicken while on the grill. Serve with salsa over top.

(From: Shanna Lehr - she made this for us last summer when we were all up in Colorado and it's so yummy!)

Chicken 'n Dumplings

2-3 chicken breasts
2 tsp. salt
1/2 stick margarine
1 1/2 C milk

Dumplings: 2 C Bisquick, 2/3 C milk. Stir until soft dough forms.

Boil chicken breasts until tender. Cover with water and add salt, stick of margarine and milk. Bring to a boil. Drop dumplins by spoonfuls into boiling stew. Cook on low for 10 minutes uncovered. Take spoon and cut through dumplings. Cover and cook 10 more minutes. Do not take lid off until finished.

(From: Nonnie (Chris' grandmother) This is one of his favorite foods)