Coke Chicken

I got this recipe from my friend Shelley Moore when I was in college.  She used to make this on dates when she wanted to impress a guy with her cooking skills.

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast or chicken tenders
• 1 c ketchup or 1/2 c ketchup and 1/2 c BBQ sauce (I usually use the ketchup/BBQ sauce combo for more flavor)
• 1 (12 oz) can Coke or Pepsi
• 1 tsp brown sugar

Mix sauce ingredients and spread over chicken in a skillet.  Simmer for 30 minutes uncovered, then 30 minutes covered.  STIR OFTEN TO PREVENT BURNING THE SAUCE!

Chicken Fajitas

This recipe also works for beef fajitas - I just normally make it with chicken.  This is one of our favorite meals.

• 3 medium or 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 medium to large onion
• 3 bell peppers (My husband isn’t really into green peppers so we usually stick with the red, orange and yellow, but you can use any bell peppers you like.)
• 1 packet fajita seasoning (The brand isn’t real important.  I’ve used Lowry’s and Carlita’s and been happy with both.)
• olive oil or vegetable oil
• soft tortillas
• sour cream
• cheddar cheese

Cut bell peppers, onion, and chicken into strips.  It’s a matter of personal preference how wide your strips are, but I normally cut the peppers & onions into 1/4 to 1/2 inch strips and the chicken into 1/2 to 1 inch strips.  Heat oil in 12″ nonstick skillet.  When oil is hot, saute peppers and onion in skillet until tender.  Remove to a bowl & set aside.  In the same skillet, cook chicken until no longer pink (you may have to add a little more oil to the pan).  When chicken is done, add the peppers and onions back to the skillet and combine with chicken and cook a couple minutes longer.  Add the fajita seasoning and stir to coat.  Cook about 1 minute more and remove to serving bowl.  To serve, spread a small amount of sour cream on a soft tortilla.  Top with chicken & pepper mixture.  Sprinkle a little cheddar cheese on top.  Roll up like a burrito or taco and enjoy!

Mozzarella Chicken

Here’s a great fast dinner idea.  This chicken is really good served over a bed of spaghetti noodles with a side of your favorite veggies.

• 1 c bread crumbs
• 3 Tbsp Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 3 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley
• 4 chicken breast fillets
• 1 c flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 beaten egg
• 3 oz Italian salad dressing (I actually prefer the Zesty Italian Dressing.)
• 1/4 c margarine or butter (The original recipe calls for margarine, but I prefer the taste of butter better.  Go with what you like here.)
• 4 slices mozzarella cheese (You can substitute shredded mozzarella.)

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley in bowl; mix well.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper.  Dredge chicken in flour mixture.  Dip into egg; coat with crumb mixture.  Melt margarine or butter in skillet.  Brown chicken in skillet with margarine or butter.  Place in 8×8″ baking dish.  Pour salad dressing over chicken.  Top with cheese slices.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.

Italian Stuffed Chicken Breasts

This recipe takes a little extra preparation time, but it’s well worth the effort.  It tastes delicious and it’s fairly low in fat and calories.  Enjoy!

• 1 tsp olive oil, divided
• 3/4 c minced onion, divided
• 1/4 c (1 oz) chopped prosciutto or lean smoked ham
• 1 Tbsp grated fresh Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp dry bread crumbs
• 1 1/2 tsp minced fresh rosemary, divided
• 4 (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 c low-salt chicken broth
• 1/4 c dry white wine
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Rosemary sprigs, optional for garnish

Heat 1/2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add 1/2 c onion.  Saute 4 minutes.  Combine onion, prosciutto, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, and 1 tsp rosemary in a bowl.  Stir well and set aside.  Cut a horizontal slit through the thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket.  Stuff about 3 Tbsp onion mixture into each pocket. 

Heat 1/2 tsp oil in skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken.  Saute 6 minutes on each side or until chicken is done.  Remove chicken from skillet.  Set aside and keep warm.  Add 1/4 c onion to skillet and saute 3 minutes.  Add 1/2 tsp rosemary, chicken broth, wine and garlic.  Bring to a boil.  Cook 5 minutes or until reduced to about 3/4 cup.  Return chicken to skillet; cover and simmer 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Serve sauce with chicken.  Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Wild Rice Soup

This is supposedly close to the recipe that the Byerly’s store makes in their deli.  We love it!  It’s pretty fast and easy to make, but you’ll want to cook the wild rice ahead of time.  It says to make in a stock pot, but unless you’re making a double or triple batch, a large saucepan such as a Dutch Oven is plenty big.  Enjoy!

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp chopped onions
• 1 Tbsp sliced green onions
• 3 Tbsp slivered almonds
• 1/3 c finely diced carrots
• 1 Tbsp finely chopped celery
• 2 c cooked wild rice
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 c low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 c chopped ham
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped
• pepper to taste
• In cheesecloth or a tea ball combine: 1 sprig each fresh or 1 tsp each dried parsley, marjoram, thyme and basil
• 1/2 c half-and-half

In a stockpot (or large saucepan), melt butter.  Add the onions, green onions and almonds and saute until vegetables are slightly softened, 3-5 minutes.  Add carrots, celery, wild rice, sugar, turmeric, bay leaves, chicken broth, pepper, and herbs in tea ball or cheesecloth.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add ham and chicken breast and cook for 10 minutes.  Remove the tea ball with the herbs.  Add half-and-half and cook until heated through.  Remove bay leaves and serve.  Makes 4-6 servings.