Stuffing Chicken

 Original recipe from family.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb chicken pieces
• 2 c gravy
• 1 c sour cream
• 2 recipe stuffing, or one box

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Rinse chicken pieces and place in a 9x13 pan. Mix gravy with sour cream and pour over chicken pieces. Cover tightly with foil and bake 40-60 minutes, until chicken is cooked thorugh.
2. Make stuffing according to directions. Remove chicken from oven and set oven to broil. Remove foil and top chicken mixture with stuffing. Broil 3-5 minutes, until crispy on top. Serve with favorite veggies. 

Chipotle Chicken Chowder

Original recipe from Simply Recipes.

Ingredients 

• T oil
• 1 pepper, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 can tomatoes 
• 4-8 c broth (water + 1-2 T bouillon)
• 2 c potatoes, peeled & diced 
• 3 c corn (2 cans drained)
• 1 1/2 t chili powder
• chipotle peppers from 7 oz can, minced
• 1 c cream, sour cream, or whole milk
• 3 c cooked chicken, diced (2 cans
• shredded greens to taste, opt
• Cilantro, opt, for serving

Directions 

1. In a large pan over medium heat, warm oil. Saute veg. 
2. Add tomatoes, broth, potatoes, and seasonings and bring to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are soft.
3. Add remaining ingredients and heat through.

Taco Soup

 

Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 c taco lentils (optional)
• 2 c frozen corn (1 can)
• 2 c diced tomatoes (1 can)
• 2 c black beans (1 can)
• 2 c diced cooked chicken (1 12.5 oz can)
• 3 c broth (1 T boullion + water)
• 1 c diced greens, optional 
• 1 T taco season

Directions:

1. In a medium pan over medium heat, warm oil. Add onions and peppers and saute 5 min. Add garlic and saute a minute longer. 
2. Add remaining ingredients and heat through.
3. Serve with sour cream, cheese, avocado, corn bread, and/or tortilla chips.

Pozolé

Original recipe from the Food Network.

Ingredients

• 2 T oil
• 1 onion, diced 
• 3 peppers, diced (or three 4oz cans chopped green chiles)
• 4 garlic cloves 
• 2 T chili powder 
• 1 T cumin
• ½ t salt
• 1 t bouillon 
• 1⁄2 t pepper
• 1⁄4 t oregano
• 1⁄4 t cayenne 
• 3 cans hominy, drained and rinsed 
• 1 c cooked chicken, cubed (opt)
• 5 c water
• lemon/lime wedges
• radish, sliced
• cilantro, chopped 
• cabbage, shredded
• corn chips 

Directions

1. In a large pan over medium-low heat, warm oil. Sauté onion, peppers, and garlic. Add seasonings, water, hominy, and optional chicken. Heat through.
2. Garnish each serving with lemon/lime wedges, sliced radish, chopped cilantro, lots of shredded cabbage, and corn chips.

White Chicken Chili

Original recipe from the Chunky Chef.

Ingredients:

• 1 T oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• about 4 c broth (or water + 1 Tbsp bouillon)
• 2 c dry white beans, cooked (4 cans)
• 4 cans chopped green chilis
• optional: 1 c chopped chicken, cooked (1 can)
• 1 bag frozen corn
• 2 t cumin
• 1 t oregano
• 1 t chili powder
• fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
• 1 c cream or sour cream

Directions:

1. In a large pan over medium heat, warm oil. Sauté onions 5 min, then add garlic and sauté  1 min more. Add remaining ingredients but cream and cilantro, and bring to a simmer. 
2. Once flavors are well melded (about 10 min), stir in cream and cilantro. Serve with chips, cheese, hot bread, etc. Enjoy!

Hawaiian Chicken

Origional recipe from Cheap Meal Ideas. 

Ingredients:

• 2 T brown sugar
• 1/4 c soy sauce
• 1/4 c corn starch or flour
• 1/2 t ginger
• 1/4 t garlic powder
• 1 c white bean puree (optional, as a thickener)
• 3-4 chicken breasts cut into chunks (or 2 cans chicken)
• 1 c broth (or water + 1 t bouillon, or use broth from canned chicken)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 pepper, diced (or 1 can diced  green chilis)
• 2 cans pineapple with juice
• 2-3 clove garlic, minced
• 2 c dry rice or quinoa, cooked 

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients but quinoa (or rice) in a slow cooker or instant pot. Cook on low 6-8 hours, high 2-4 hours, or in the instant post for 10-15 min. Alternatively, simmer over a stovetop for 20-30 min, or until chicken is done.
2. Serve over rice or quinoa.
3. Alternatively, follow step one but combine them into a freezer bag. Freeze until ready to cook. 

Chicken Noodle Soup

Pictured: chicken noodle soup with yellow lentil noodles

Original recipe from family. Replace noodles with rice to make Chicken Soup with Rice. 

Ingredients:

• 1 T olive oil
• 4 stalks celery, diced 
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 c white bean puree (optional, as thickener)
• 4 c broth 
• 1/2 t salt or to taste
• 1/4 t pepper, thyme, sage, rosemary
• 2-4 chicken breasts, diced (or 2 cans with broth)
• 2-3 c dry noodles* (red and yellow lentil noodles are a favorite of ours)
• frozen peas, corn, or spinach (can be added to individual servings to cool soup)
• splash of red wine vinegar, opt
• *alternatively, add 3 c cooked brown rice in place of dry noodles

Directions:

1. In a large pan over med heat, warm oil. Add onion, celery, and carrots and saute. Add garlic, saute a minute longer and then add flour and combine (until no more dry white flour shows). 
2. Add broth one cup at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add chicken and salt/pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through (pre-cooked chicken will be ready within 5 min).
3. Optionally, blend 1-2 cups of soup and return to pan as a thickener.
4. Bring to a low boil, add noodles (or rice), and simmer 8-10 min (adding more boiling water as necessary). Add optional vinegar.
5. Add frozen veg  and heat through, or add to individual servings as a way to cool soup.

Alfredo Sauce (light and protein-packed)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c milk, or more to taste
• 1 c frozen (or fresh, packed) spinach or kale
• 2 T butter 
• 2 T cream cheese
• 4 T Parmesan
• 1/4 t garlic powder
• 1/4 t onion powder
• 1 c pureed white beans
• 1 c diced cooked chicken, optional
• 4 c diced frozen broccoli, thawed (16 oz freezer bag)

Directions:

1. In a blender (or blender cup), puree milk and spinach until smooth, adding more milk if necessary.
2. In a medium cast iron skillet over medium heat, melt butter and cheeses. Mix in seasonings, spinach mixture, and bean puree.
3. Add chicken and broccoli and heat through. If sauce is to thick, add a little more milk.
4. Enjoy your protein-packed, light and tasty sauce! Goes well over gnocchi, pasta, or in braided dinner bread.

Chicken Salad

Original recipe from Tamsyn.

Pictured: chicken salad topped with cilantro and served on toasted sandwich bread.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb cooked chicken (or 2 cans)
• 1 c mayo 
• 1 ranch packet
• 3/4 c candied almonds (add 1/4 c sugar and dry fry)
• 1/4 c diced celery
• 1 c roughly chopped greens
• roughly 1 c quartered grapes or raisins

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, mix chicken, mayo, and ranch packet. Add celery and chopped greens, then fold in grapes.
2. Serve on sandwiches or as a delicious salad side. 

Soup and Dumplings

Dumplings served over albondigas soup.

Original recipe from Holly Clegg's Freezer Friendly Meals.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 unbaked biscuit recipe 
• 1 recipe pot pie filling or other favorite soup
• 1-2 c broth of choice

Directions:

1. In a large pot, prepare pot pie filling as directed. Add 1-2 c broth for a more soupy consistency, and bring to a boil.
2. Drop biscuit dough over soup and cover. Simmer 15-20 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through. 

Crispy Baked Chicken

Original recipe from Homemaking on the Homestead.

Pictured: crispy baked chicken drumsticks.

Ingredients 

• 2 lbs chicken pieces, thawed and dried
• 6 T butter/olive oil
• 1/4 c flour
• 1 packet ranch dressing mix

Directions

1. Preheat to 400. In a 9x13 pan, melt oils together. 
2. In a large bowl, mix flour and dressing mix. Cover chicken pieces in it. Place chicken pieces in pan over oils. 
3. Bake 30 minutes. 
4. Flip and cover with wing sauce to taste. Bake 15 more minutes. 
5. Spoon juices over chicken and bake 15 minutes more or until crispy and well done.

Braided Dinner Bread

Original recipe from Mel's Kitchen.

Pictured: braided dinner bread filled with broccoli, ham, and cheese.

Ingredients:

• recipe for one loaf of your favorite bread
• 2-3 c filling of choice (suggestions below)
• cheese to taste
• sauce to taste 
• butter or olive oil to taste

Directions:

1. Make dough following bread instructions. Prepare fillings by sauteing vegetables and/or meat of choice.
2. Grease a cookie sheet. After the dough rises, instead of shaping it into a loaf, roll it out to cover the cookie sheet. Working down only the middle third of dough, spread sauce of choice. Sprinkle with filling and cheese. Fold dough up on either end to prevent filling spilling out.
3. Use a butter knife to cut across each side of remaining dough, from the filling to the edge, in 1-inch strips. Starting on one side, stretch dough strip across filling, alternating with a strip from the other side to give a braided look. Moosh the ends together to hold the innards. :)
4. Preheat oven to 400. Spread braided dough generously with butter, or brush with olive oil. Let rise until oven is ready, then bake 20-25 min. Let cool 5 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

Filling suggestions:

• ham and cheese: chop and saute 1 onion, 1 c broccoli, 1 c ham--use cheddar cheese and mayo

• BBQ chicken: chop and saute 1 c chicken, 1/2 c onion, 1/2 c peppers, 1/2 c mushrooms--use mozzarella and BBQ sauce

• veggie lover: chop and saute 3 c favorite veggies--use favorite cheese and pesto

• pizza: chop and saute mushrooms, onions, peppers, and pepperoni--use mozzarella and tomato pesto
• chicken alfredo: fill with one recipe chicken alfredo sauce

Pot Pie Soup

Original recipe from Food Network.

Ingredients:

• 1 unbaked pie crust
• 1 recipe pot pie filling
• 1-2 c broth of choice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Prepare pot pie filling as directed. Add 1-2 c broth for a more soupy consistency.
3. Roll dough flat, then place in pieces on a cookie sheet. Bake 10 min or until edges turn golden.
4. Serve soup with pie crust "crackers" dipped or crumbled in each serving.

Hawaiian Haystacks

Hawaiian Haystacks made with leftover rice, peppers, celery, dried tomatoes, pineapple, cashews, boiled egg, cheese, and chow mein noodles.

I'm excited to introduce....Hawaiian Haystacks, canned soup-free style! This is the perfect family dinner because it is so versatile. Build your own to meet your taste bud needs! :) I've included two recipes below: the leftover rice version, and the dry rice version.

If using cooked (leftover) rice
Ingredients:

• 2 c cooked brown rice or coconut rice
• 1/2 c broth
• 2-4 T chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4-1/2 c plain yogurt or sour cream

Directions:

1. In a small pot over medium heat, bring broth, onion, and garlic to a boil. 
2. Add rice, simmer until broth is mostly absorbed.
3. Add yogurt, heat through. If desired, continue to simmer until desired consistency is reached.

If using dry rice:

Ingredients:

• 1 c dry brown rice 
• 2 1/2 c broth
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4-1/2 c plain yogurt or sour cream

Directions:

1. In a small pot over med-high heat, bring broth, onion, and garlic to a boil. Add rice, return to boil.
2. Reduce heat to low, simmer until rice is done, about 40 minutes. 
3. Stir in yogurt, heat through or simmer to desired consistency.

To serve: start each plate with a good helping of rice. Provide the following toppings to choose:

• chopped peppers
• chopped celery
• chopped tomatoes
• pineapple chunks
• manderine orange chunks
• chopped olives
• chopped cooked chicken, turkey, or boiled eggs
• chopped cashews or almonds
• shredded cheese
• shredded coconut
• crunchy chow mein noodles (or leave these out for better nutrition, but they are a star ingredient)

Whole Chicken in the Slow Cooker

Pictured: slow cooker Thanksgiving turkey, roasted as per the original recipe.

Original recipe from The Little Kitchen.

As free-range chicken owners, this is our go-to for fresh chicken prep. Because they are not genetically modified, our birds always fit in the slow cooker; larger store-bought birds may not fit. We often brine the bird first to soften the meat, which won't be as pudgy as the factory variety.

Ingredients:

• 4 t salt
• 1 T chili powder
• 1 t thyme
• 1 t pepper
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4-5 carrots, chopped
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• one 3 1/2-4 1/2 lb chicken or turkey

Directions:

1. If desired, brine bird before cooking. We find this is necessary to soften fresh-pastured meat. 
2. In a small bowl, mix spices and set aside.  Place chopped vegetables in slow cooker.
3. Wash chicken, removing neck/organs (save for another recipe or toss), dry.
4. Rub chicken with spices, pulling skin away and rubbing underneath as much as possible.  Place garlic cloves inside cavity (from between the shoulders).
5. Place chicken breast side up on top of vegetables.  Cook on low 4-8 hours, until meat falls off bone, or internal temperature is 160°. For crispy skin, preheat oven to broil and brown for 5-10 minutes.
6. Remove chicken, let rest ten minutes (gather juices to make gravy at this point), and then carve.
7. For storing, peal away skin and shred the meat. Cool and then freeze in 1-cup portions for use in sandwiches and later recipes.
8. Reserve liquids for broth.  Use mooshy vegetables to make this delicious veg spread!
9. Also try our Thanksgiving roast turkey recipe.

Ultimate Quesadillas

Original recipe from me.

Quesadillas are a great place to hide extra nutrients while simultaneously pounding in the flavor.  :)

Optional Ingredients (besides two tortillas and cheese to taste per person):

• cooked black beans
• cooked chicken
• taco beef
• best burrito beans 
• salsa
• chips (for a crunch-wrap supreme)
• guacamole
• greens

Directions:

1. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat.  Place tortilla in pan, sprinkle with cheese and desired toppings.  Top with remaining ingredients.  After 3-5 min, use care when flipping.  Serve with salsa.  

Chicken Liver for Baby

Original recipe from Top 100 Baby Purees.

Babies need iron, and iron-fortified cereals are the main source for that in America. But there are other ways to get it, and chicken liver is one of them!

Ingredients:

• 1 T butter or olive oil
• 1/2 c onion, chopped
• 4 oz chicken liver
• opt: pureed apple, sweet potato, carrot

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and saute. Add liver and saute about 1 minute longer.
2. Dump ingredients into a blender, adding water as needed, and puree. Mix with pureed apple, sweet potato, carrot, or other preferred vegetables.

Turkey in the Grass

Pictured: turkey in the grass made with a veg medley of carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Original recipe from family.

This is was a favorite from my childhood that my own children seem just as fond of. Maybe it's the playful name? ;)

Ingredients:

• 1 c cooked cubed chicken or turkey
• 1 lb chopped fresh or frozen broccoli (or other veg)
• 2 d dry brown rice, cooked
• 1 c cheese
• 1 c milk
• 1/2 c yogurt or sour cream
• 1 t curry powder
• 1 t bouillon 
• opt: 1 c white bean puree

Directions:

1. Instant pot: after cooking rice in the instant pot, combine all ingredients on top of rice and mix well. Cook on manual for 2 minutes, or until heated through.
2. Oven: preheat oven to 350. Cook rice in a large pot. Combine all other ingredients and pour into a 9x13 pan. Cover and bake for 15-20 minutes until heated through. 

Chicken Pocket Salad

Pictured: hollowed out pitas filled with chicken pocket salad.

Original recipe from family.

Alternatively, make Lentil Rice Pocket Salad for the lentil version of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 c uncooked rice
• ½ tsp chicken bouillon
• 1 c cooked cubed chicken
• 2-3 chopped tomatoes
• 1 c steamed broccoli, chopped
• 1 boiled egg, chopped
• ¼ c mayonnaise
• 1 tsp mustard

Directions:

Cook rice with bouillon.  Stir together mayonnaise and mustard, combine with all other ingredients.  Add pepper to taste.  Serve warm or chilled with pitas or pita chips.

Thai Pineapple Chicken Curry

Original recipe from All Recipes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups dry rice, cooked
• 1 T olive oil
• 1 pepper, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup red curry paste
• 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut milk
• 1 c cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 can pineapple chunks with juice

Directions: 

1. In a medium pan over medium heat, warm oil. Add onions and peppers and saute 5 min. Add garlic and saute a minute longer. 
2. Add remaining ingredients and heat through.
3. Serve over cooked rice.