Sweet Italian Chicken Sausage and Tortellini Soup

This is the recipe that got my mom into liking chicken sausage.  I had tried it once at Trader Joes and loved it, but my mom said she only like sausage with pork or turkey.  "Chicken is definitely not sausage," she would say.  However, she caved and said yes when I asked if I could make this recipe, and she definitely did not regret it once she tasted this wonderful soup.  It's very hearty, filled with lots of veggies, cheesy tortellini, and flavorful chicken sausage (which is also healthier than pork).  The broth is very flavorful as well, with tomato juice, white wine, and chicken broth.  I recommend (just like any other one of my soup recipes, really) enjoying this soup with some [garlic bread] on the side for dipping. Yum(: If you like spicy things, feel free to add as much red pepper flakes as you want.  This is is such a great recipe for a chilly night, not to mention its easy and economical.

Ingredients:

1 8-ounce package sweet Italian chicken sausage links (mine had roasted peppers in them)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup sliced carrots 

1 cup chopped onion

3/4 cup sliced mushrooms

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup white wine

4 ounces canned, petite diced tomatoes (with juice)

2 14-oz cans low sodium chicken broth

9 ounces refrigerated cheese tortellini (I used half an 18-ounce bag)

3/4 cup fresh, chopped red tomatoes

8 ounces spinach leaves

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Freshly ground black pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

Garnish: Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. Heat Dutch oven with 1/2 tsp of oil to coat and saute chicken sausage until browned and just cooked through. Remove from pan, let cool slightly, slice into small slices (about 1/2 inch thick) and set aside.
2. Heat remaining oil in pan, add carrots and saute for about 4 minutes.  Add onions and mushrooms, and saute about 8 minutes more, or until the carrots are tender.  Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds, stir in wine, broth, and canned tomatoes and bring to a boil. Cook for about 2 minutes, then add tortellini. Cook for another 5 minutes and then stir in spinach and tomato. Cook until the spinach wilts, 2 minutes.
3. Return sauteed sausage pieces to the soup, cook for an additional 5 minutes, add the butter, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste and serve when butter is melted. Garnish with Parmesan if desired.

Sweet-and-Salty Tomato Chicken

• 
• This is the best chicken recipe I've ever made!  What I love the most about it is it's so unique; I've never tasted anything like it before.  It tastes like something prepared at a five-star restaurant.  The tomato sauce has the perfect amount of sweet and salty, and the red wine makes it oh-so savory.  It's light, but tastes rich and comforting all at the same time.  And the result is so incredibly tender.  It broke apart very easily; I didn't even need a knife!  Oh -- and the sauce is the best part.  The sauce is awesome dipped with bread, or poured over rice.  Mmmm...so yummy!  Add the amount of cayenne and red pepper flakes based on how spicy you like it.  I served this with a side of green beans and some crusty, french bread, and it was a phenomenal meal.
• Yield: about 4 servings
• Ingredients:
• 4 boneless chicken breasts 
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 T butter
• 2 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp dry mustard
• 14.5 oz can plain, diced canned tomatoes, with liquid
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 T brown sugar
• 2 T white vineger
• 1/2 tsp celery seed
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes
• cayenne pepper to taste
• 
  

Directions

1. In a shallow dish or bowl, combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and ground black pepper. Coat chicken breasts with flour mixture. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and brown chicken on all sides. Remove from skillet, and drain on paper towels.
2. In the same skillet, combine the tomatoes, wine, chicken broth, brown sugar, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt, chili powder, mustard, celery seed, garlic and hot pepper flakes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and return chicken to skillet. Cover, and simmer for 25 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is tender, no longer pink and juices run clear.

Rosemary Ranch Chicken Kabobs

I'm not a huge fan of dressings.  Whenever I have a salad, I don't usually use that much dressing; its just never been my thing.  However, after making this recipe, my whole viewpoint of dressing completely changed.  Who knew that ranch dressing could make chicken so........wonderful??  The ranch dressing added sooo much incredibly delicious flavor to the chicken, and made it perfectly salty and wonderfully moist.  You truly can't get any moister than this chicken is.  This is definitely one of my new favorite chicken recipes.  Ohmygoodness, just typing about it makes me want to eat a bunch of it.  The chicken literally melts in your mouth, and it's super duper addicting.  The sauce is awesome too, especially over rice!

Yield: about 6 servings

Ingredients

• ½ cup olive oil
• ½ cup ranch dressing
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste (optional)
• 5 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cut into 1 inch cubes

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the olive oil, ranch dressing, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, salt, lemon juice, white vinegar, pepper, and sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes. Place chicken in the bowl, and stir to coat with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
2. Preheat the grill for medium-high heat. Thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade.
3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Grill skewers for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear.

Chicken Piccata

I think this was the first time I actually liked chicken piccata.  I've tasted it in restaurants before, but I always thought it had too much wine, lemon, or caper flavor.  This chicken piccata is just right.  It has juicy, tender chicken swimming in a light, lemon-wine-butter sauce.  This is the perfect dish for the summer, and looks very impressive...not to mention incredibly easy to prepare!  I recommend serving it over rice or pasta, but it's so good any way you wanna have it.  It's also super yummy to dip some garlic bread or roasted potatoes in the tasty lemon sauce.  I would tell you how it tastes the next day after sitting in the sauce over night, but there weren't any leftovers (and I doubled the recipe).

Yield: about three servings

Ingredients:

• 3 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded thin
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons minced Italian (flat-leaf) parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (95 degrees C). Place a serving platter into the oven to warm.
2. Season the chicken breast pieces with salt and pepper and dredge them in flour. Shake off excess flour. Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet; pan-fry the chicken pieces until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Work in batches and do not crowd skillet, adding oil as needed . Place the chicken pieces onto the warmed platter in the oven. When finished with all the chicken, drain most of the oil from the skillet, leaving a thin coating on the surface of the pan.
3. Cook and stir the minced garlic in the skillet until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Pour in the chicken broth and white wine. Scrape and dissolve any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the lemon slices and bring the mixture to a boil. Let cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces to about 2/3 cup, 5 to 8 minutes.  Remove lemon slices and discard. Add the lemon juice and capers; simmer until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes more. Drop the butter into the skillet and swirl it into the sauce by tilting the skillet until the butter is melted and incorporated. Add the parsley; remove from heat and set aside.
4. Arrange the chicken medallions on serving plates and spoon sauce over each portion to serve.

King Ranch Mac and Cheese

I first spotted this recipe on the cover of a Southern Living Magazine, and I knew I had to make it.  This takes comfort food to a whole new level.  It's cheesy, creamy, slightly sticky, and filled with different flavors that make this way more unique than the classic macaroni and cheese.  There are peppers, chicken, and lots of tex-mex spices that give this so much wonderful flavor.  It tastes just like cheesy chicken enchiladas!  I absolutely LOVE the crispy, cheesy crust that forms on top of this dish too.  My family and I ate so much of it in one sitting, and my friend and I gobbled the rest of it up a few days later as leftovers.  My friend said it was one of the best macaroni and cheeses she'd ever had and loved how there was chicken in it.  The next time I make this, I think I'm gonna try substituting other things for the chicken, like crab or - omg! ----> lobster!!!  Mmmm.  I'll let you know how it tastes!  This also makes amazing left overs...it tastes just as delicious a few days later.  This is such an easy, quick, super yummy dish that will definitely be a regular on your weekly dinner menu.

You can find this recipe here.

Quickest and Tastiest Chicken Alfredo

I can't believe how easy this was!!  Wanna know the secret ingredient? Cream cheese.  Whoever first thought of using this magnificent ingredient in Alfredo Sauce was pure genius. You can't tell it's in there at all!  The result is cheesy...rich....smooth...and just perfect.  Not to mention it's super creamy and comforting.  It's everything you love about the perfect Alfredo dish.  I don't usually like the Alfredo Sauce you buy in the jar, but I like what most restaurants have and I absolutely LOVE this!! The next time I make this, I'm adding chopped asparagus, sun dried tomatoes, and mushrooms.  If you'd like to make this even richer (you totally don't need to, but some people think the richer the better), you can substitute cream in place of the milk.  


Yield: about 6 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 (8 ounce package cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/3 cups milk
6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pinch of nutmeg
salt to taste



1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite sized pieces
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese, garlic, and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan, pepper, and nutmeg. Add salt to taste. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Set heat to the lowest setting, and place sauce over that when it reaches the low temperature to stay warm while you make the chicken.  Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long.  
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Cook chicken until it's no longer pink in the center and juices run clear.  Drain excess fat.  
3. Stir chicken into prepared sauce.  Toss with hot pasta to serve.

Cheesy Garlic Chicken

   

Who doesn't love cheesy, buttery, chicken?  This is a perfect comfort food recipe: chicken breasts dipped in garlic butter and cheddar bread crumbs, then drizzled with more butter and sprinkled with crushed croutons.  Mmmmmm.  I served this a few days ago with my cucumber tomato salad recipe, found here.  The combo was so delicious together and my parents wouldn't stop telling me how amazing the meal was.  I can't wait to experiment with this recipe by using different cheeses, breadcrumbs, and crackers/croutons.  I want to try it with Ritz crackers and white cheddar cheese next(:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup dry, italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup crushed croutons
• 8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat, and cook the garlic until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Cheddar cheese, parsley, oregano, and pepper.  Sprinkle some breadcrumbs (not from the mixture) onto the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish in a thin layer.
4. Dip each chicken breast in the garlic butter to coat, then press into the cheddar bread crumb mixture. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in the 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with any remaining butter and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture.  Sprinkle crushed croutons on top, lightly pressing them onto the chicken to keep from falling off.
5. Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.

Baked Chicken Nuggets

 

I will never again order chicken nuggets at a restaurant (unless it's Chick-Fil-A of course...I just can't get enough of those), because I can now make them just as good at home!    I wanted to create a much more healthy alternative than deep fried nuggets and these baked ones actually taste better!   They are so much better than any fast food place or frozen nuggets. The milk really tenderizes the chicken and makes them super juicy.  And broiling them for the last five minutes makes the outside perfectly crisp.  Who says chicken nuggets are just for kids?  My mom and I finished all of these off in one sitting; [we just couldn't stop popping them into our mouths!] We had them as a main dish for dinner, but they would be great as an appetizer too. Serve these with ketchup and/or honey mustard...Mmm Mmm Mmm...

Ingredients:

• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 1 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Cut chicken breasts into 1 1/2-inch sized pieces. In a medium bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, cheese, salt, thyme and basil. Mix well. Put milk in a bowl or dish for dipping.
3. Dip chicken pieces into the milk first, then coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the well-coated chicken pieces on a lightly greased cookie sheet in a single layer, and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Set the oven to broil, and bake for 5 more minutes.  Immediately remove cooked nuggets from cookie sheet and place on a cooling rack.  Place the cooling rack over the used cookie sheet to prevent crumbs from falling and to keep nuggets warm.

Chicken Parmesan

This is the best chicken Parmesan ever.  I won't order it in restaurants because I never like any other nearly as much as this one.  My mom makes this every week, and it's always perfect.  I think the secret is that the chicken breasts are thick and juicy, instead of pounding them thin.  I hate when chicken Parmesan has breasts that are really breaded...and then the chicken is really thin.  It makes the breaded part way too overpowering and you can't taste the chicken as much.  In this recipe, every bite is a thick, juicy, full of flavor, cheesy chicken chunk slathered in tomato sauce. Mmm-Mmm!


Ingredients:
6 skinless chicken breasts - about 1 inch thick
Tomato (Spaghetti) Sauce
Shredded Mozzerella cheese
Italian seasoning 
3 cloves of crushed garlic
3 tablespoons olive oil
Italian bread crumbs
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Your choice of pasta (I usually use penne, angel hair, spaghetti, or bow tie)


Instructions:
1. Cover chicken breasts with bread crumbs in a thin coat until evenly coated.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil and 3 cloves garlic in a large skillet.  Fry chicken breasts 2 minutes on each side.  Place on paper towels to remove excess liquid.
3.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4.  Place chicken breasts in a greased baking dish.  Pour spaghetti sauce on top of breasts, and coat evenly.  Sprinkle a generous amount of mozzarella cheese on top so it covers nearly all of breasts.  
5.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and add a generous amount of Parmesan cheese.  Cook for 5 more minutes (until cheese is completely melted).
6.  Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes.
7. Cook pasta according to manufacture's instructions and serve chicken breasts over pasta.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

You may have read in my "about" section how I'm definitely more of a baker than a cook.  I've tried multiple times to make my parents dinner, and it usually doesn't go well. There was the time I made a stir fry (out of my childrens cook-book) and it was wayyy too salty... I made a sweet and sour chicken but it had absolutely no flavor...and I made a vegetable lasagna a few month ago for them, but my mom refused to eat it...she hated it that much.  I honestly didn't think it tasted that bad..so I pretty much had to eat the entire thing myself throughout the week.  My parents have made it pretty darn clear that I'm not very good at preparing dinners.  "Stick to desserts." ---> that's what they tell me.  So this past weekend, I asked them for a chance to redeem myself.  I could tell they were kind of nervous (I probably would be too..if I was in their shoes, based on my past failures), but I looked up the top recipes on allrecipes.com, and the 10th place, 5 star, 2985 reviewed recipe was Chicken Cordon Bleu.  And let me tell you: it was so easy. It seemed too easy actually.  Especially since it had so many good comments.  It only took me about 45 minutes tops to make. Place a piece of ham and cheese on a chicken breast, roll it up, fry it, pour in the sauce ingredients, and simmer for 15 mintues.  That's it. 

I did alter it slightly:

•  I used half olive oil and half butter, instead of all butter, because it prevents the butter from burning.  And it makes it healthier! :) 
• I cooked it less than it stated (15 minutes instead of 30) because overcooking chicken will ruin any recipe...and it turned out perfectly moist, so I'm very glad I did. 
• The last thing I changed was adding fresh parsley to the sauce and sprinkling it on top of the chicken, just to add a little more flavor.

The result? I'm not lying when I tell you: it was deeeelish.  Definitely one of the best dinner recipes I've ever made.  I served it with steamed broccoli and mushrooms.  The only thing I would do different next time is serve it over rice.  The sauce was incredibly delicious with the veggies, and I know it would taste very good with the rice as well. I guess you can conclude that I have redeemed myself and am now proud to say that I will be cooking my parents dinner every Sunday :D  I'll keep you posted on them.

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 6 slices Swiss cheese
• 6 slices ham  (good quality please!)
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley (fresh is best)

Directions:

1. Pound chicken breasts if they are too thick. Place a cheese and ham slice on each breast within 1/2 inch of the edges (it's a good idea to fold the ham over the edges of the cheese. This prevents the cheese from melting when frying). Fold the edges of the chicken over the filling, and secure with toothpicks. Mix the flour and paprika in a small bowl, and coat the chicken pieces.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, and cook the chicken until browned on all sides. Add the wine and bouillon. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear.
3. Remove the toothpicks, and transfer the breasts to a warm platter. Blend the cornstarch with the cream in a small bowl, and whisk slowly into the skillet. Stir in the parsley.  Cook, stirring until thickened, and pour over the chicken. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve warm.