Crispy Oven Roasted Parmesan Potatoes over Chicken

This is one we tried last night - very tasty! I'd recommend serving it with some sort of bread or something that will soak up the juices, because they are delicious! This recipe is courtesy of My Recipe Journey.

Crispy Oven Roasted Parmesan Potatoes Over Chicken

INGREDIENTS:
  4 large russet potatoes

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

1 teaspoon black pepper, divided in half

1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided in half

1 teaspoon onion powder, divided in half

 15 oz. can fat free beef broth

2 Tablespoons of butter

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into thin bite sized pieces

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

kosher salt

black pepper

chopped fresh parsley, garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut the potatoes into 1 inch cubes and coat with the 

olive oil and half the pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

In a medium sized pot simmer the beef broth and butter.

Then add the coated potatoes and bring to a boil for 8 minutes.

Season the chicken pieces with the other half of the pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

Also lightly season the chicken pieces

with kosher salt and pepper.

Grease a 12"x 9" glass baking pan.

Evenly spread out the seasoned chicken pieces

in the bottom of that pan.

Now pour the boiled potatoes and the broth mixture

evenly over the chicken pieces.

 Top with the grated cheese.

Bake uncovered on middle rack for 50- 60 minutes

or until nicely browned.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

Serve warm with pan juices.

Makes 4 servings.

I made this as directed, though I made it with 6 potatoes and about 1/2 a bag of chicken tenders, which ended up making a 9 x 13 pan, and a 10 x 8 pan as well. I doubled the liquid amount, and used chicken broth instead of beef broth. It seemed weird to me to use beef broth with a chicken/potato dish. The potatoes were deliciously seasoned and cooked perfectly. Compared to the potatoes, the chicken was a little less flavorful, but together, mmmmm, a piece of heaven. 

Chicken Enchilada Dip

Hey all! I know it's been awhile...there's been this whole job change thing that's thrown me for a loop. Hopefully life is settling back down finally! Anywho, I've tried a couple new recipes, including today's, which is a Chaley original! Enjoy :)

This made a really full 13 x 9 pan. Full of deliciousness! ;) But you can scale it down for more manageable amounts. I did freeze the leftovers after feeding about 8 people, plus leftovers. I'll let you know how that turns out. I served this with chips or tortillas.

1 2.5 lb bag of boneless/skinless chicken thighs

Chili Powder

Garlic Powder

Garlic Salt

Black pepper

Chicken bullion and water to taste

1 jar of White salsa queso

1 jar of green salsa with tomatillos

2 boxes if Mexican Rice mix (I used Rice a Roni), made as directed.

Monterrey Jack Cheese to sprinkle on top - about 1.5 cups or so, more if you want to mix it in the dip

Add the chicken, seasonings, a little bit of water and chicken bullion to the crockpot and cook. You can cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for 3-4. Seasonings are too taste. I was pretty liberal with them when I made it. You can always add more when you get everything together. 

Shred the chicken when cooked into a bowl big enough to hold all the ingredients. Cook the Mexican rice as directed on the box. Add to the bowl when finished. 

Add the salsa, and salsa queso, as well as any extra cheese desire. Gently mix until all the ingredients are pretty uniformly distributed. Put in to a lightly greased 13 x 9 pan, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted on top. You don't have to bake it if all your ingredients are hot at the same time - I made this the night before and kept it in the fridge overnight, but I think it made it extra tasty to get the slightly crispy melty cheese on top. 

 I don't have a picture of this one, but everyone who's tried it has asked for the recipe...so...good? ;) 

Listening to a little Steve Moakler, Rixton, John Legen, and the Plain White T's. 

Paella

This is a family standby at our house, though I realized when I was making it this weekend that I don't think I had made it since moving in to our house, which was over 2 years ago! Man, time flies when you're having fun! There are tons of different versions of Paella - it is a traditional Valencian dish, which is located in Spain. It is comprised of seafood, rice, green vegetables, and spices (and apparently beans, according to Wikipedia), the main seasonings being curry, saffron, and some type of spicy sausage. I'll be honest, I've never made it with saffron, just because I don't have any on hand! This recipe is the one passed down to us from the hubby's parents, and to them by his grandma, which is kind of cool. We've adapted it from there, but in the spirit of keeping the family recipe alive, I will post it as written and share my changes below.

Paella

      Ingredients
12 small fresh clams, 12 medium size shrimp in shells, mussels, squid, octopus, scallops, or any other shell fish
8 oz chorizo or pepperoni, sliced
2 Tbs. cooking oil
Chicken pieces (8 portions)
30 oz. chicken broth (about 4 cups)
1 medium sized onion, cut into wedges
1 sweet red or green pepper, cut into strips
1 tsp minced garlic
2 cups white rice, uncooked
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp saffron (if you have it)
2 tsp curry powder
5 oz. package of frozen green peas

     Directions

1. Clean and shell shrimp
2. Cook sliced chorizo, pepperoni or sausage in skillet for 10 minutes, drain fat, and set aside to cool. 
3. Heat oil in skillet and brown the chicken pieces for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove chicken and set aside.
4. In a sauce pan, heat chicken broth to a boil. Meanwhile, brown onion, pepper, and garlic in the oil remaining in the skillet used for the chicken. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees, and set the bottom shelf to the lowest setting.
5. Add rice and seasonings to the boiling broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and then remove from heat. 
6. Pour rice into Paella or Pyrex pan (use at least a 9 x 13)
7. Arrange chicken, sausage, and shrimp/shell fish on top of the rice. Scatter peas over it all. Set pan on the bottom shelf of the oven and bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until rice is done. NEVER STIR!
8. When done, remove and cover with a kitchen towel for ~5 minutes, then serve. 

Alright...so from the get-go, I hate peppers. Of any sort. So I don't put those in, ever. For seafood, I use 1 pound of the pre-cooked shrimp and no other shellfish - I've used any size from salad shrimp to jumbo shrimp, whatever your preference is should work. For sausage I use pepperoni cut into chunks (not sliced) and increase the amount from 8 oz to 16 oz. And for the peas, I usually use around 8-10 ounces, because I like peas. And it helps break the spiciness of the dish a little bit. I usually use chicken tenders for my chicken and cook however many will fit on the top of the 9 x 13 pan (usually 6-8). Instead of draining the pepperoni after cooking and using separate cooking oil, I brown the chicken in the skillet I used to cook the pepperoni. It gets an awesome flavor from the leftover pepperoni oil, and browns pretty well. 

As for changes in the cooking process, we have found that the rice is NEVER done in the 30 minutes allotted to it in the oven. Usually it takes 45-60 minutes if followed as directed. So to combat this, we combine everything except for the shrimp, peas, and chicken in the chicken broth and boil it for ~10 minutes. Then stir the shrimp and peas into the pot and immediately put into your Pyrex pan. Place the chicken pieces on top and cook for the specified 25-30 minutes. We have found that this keeps the peas from getting mushy and the shrimp from getting overcooked and chewy. This is a hearty dish, which just the right amount of spice to keep it interesting without being too spicy for me! 

I would love to hear if you have made paella before, or what changes you would make! 

Listening to The Piano Guys currently, and getting ready to watch Perception's first episode of season 2. Happy Sunday night to me. :) 

Roasted Chicken, Potatoes, and Veggies

It is summer, and I'm a firm believer that summer food is grilled food! Seriously, could live on anything grilled. So I started some chicken breasts marinating, with the purpose of grilling last night. Then realized that we were out of charcoal, and I wasn't going shopping until AFTER dinner. Well then. So what did I do with my yummy marinated chicken, you may ask? Created a masterpiece! :D This is a versatile creation, so play around with the seasonings and have fun!

        Ingredients
Makes 8 servings

4 chicken breasts, marinated in GrillMates Mexican Fiesta Marinade made as directed
~2 pounds of potatoes, cut into small chunks
Asparagus (I used a steamer box that was 8 oz...would increase next time!)
~3 Tblspn Olive Oil
1/2 cup butter, melted
Garlic powder, seasoning salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning to taste


        Directions
Preheat oven to 425. Once everything is cut into small pieces (chicken, potatoes, and veggies), drizzle in olive oil, pour over the remaining marinade from the chicken, add seasonings, and mix until evenly coated. Divide into 2 9x13 baking pans, and drizzle with melted butter. (I think it would be fine to leave this step out - the olive oil does a good job, but it did make it extra tasty!)  Bake both pans on the top rack of the oven for 30 minutes, then stir. Bake for another 30 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked and getting lightly brown. Serve, and enjoy!

My only addition/future change to this would be to add green beans as an additional veggie. I added some today when I reheated leftovers, and it was delectable! It just added that little extra something. I'd also like to try it mixing sweet potatoes in the mix, or maybe some acorn squash. The possibilities are endless! I definitely recommend marinating the chicken prior to roasting - the flavor was incredible, and I think without it, the chicken would be a bit bland.

Easy Chicken Taquito or Quesadillas

So I started this by following a recipe on Allrecipes...then I deviated so far from the recipe that it really wasn't even the original recipe anymore. Hence, a sort of original! :)

Ingredients
This made 8 corn tortillas, and 3 quesodillas

4 chicken breasts
Chicken broth
1 can Cream of chicken (mine had herbs in it, but you can use the original)
1 cup Monterrey Cheese, shredded
Taco seasoning to taste
Garlic salt to taste
Corn Tortillas
Butter to brush on the tops of the tortillas

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 400. Poach the chicken breasts by putting enough broth (or you can use just water) in a sauce pan just enough to almost cover the chicken breasts. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes, or until chicken breasts are fully cooked.

2) Shred the cooked chicken, pulling out any fat or gristle. The adding of the following ingredients is very subjective...use what you want! I added ~3/4 can of Cream of Chicken with herbs, 3 Tblspoons of taco seasoning, a sprinkle of garlic seasoning, and about 1 cup of shredded Monterrey cheese. Stir until fully mixed.

3) Put 2ish Tblspns of chicken mixture on a corn tortilla. Roll and place seam down in an 9x13 baking pan or baking sheet. Brush the tops with a small amount of butter. Bake in the pre-heated oven on the top rack for 20-30 minutes, or until the tops are slightly brown. Can be served with additional toppings such as sour cream, salsa, queso dip, green onions, etc.

Optional - if you want to make quesodillas, use large flour tortillas instead of corn tortillas. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Place several tablespoons of chicken mixture onto the tortilla and fold in half. Brush both sides with a small amount of butter and heat until brown, flipping once. Depending on your skillet, this takes anywhere from 1-3 minutes.

I think this will be a good and easy dinner that can be changed around to whatever mood I'm feeling like that day! The only addition I would have made to this batch was to add a little bit of hot sauce to the chicken mixture, adding a little extra kick. And maybe some extra cumin. And or onion powder. Oh, the places you can go! :)




      I had this situation earlier this week, and want to get some feedback from the internet world. What do you do when someone you have, or will be having, a professional relationship with, starts bad-mouthing one of their competitors? For me, it's a very frustrating moment. I don't need to hear about their competition - I would hope that their work can stand for itself, without putting others down.
     So what does one do? I have handled it both ways - I have ignored it and just let them talk, and I have interrupted them and asked them to get back to talking about whatever it was that pertains to their company. I don't want to be rude, or inconsiderate, but I do feel like if no one ever addresses it, the situation is never going to get better. It is never acceptable to go in to how your company is so much better than a specific other company. Be proud of what you do, and your company, but do it in a way that doesn't bring other companies in, or even say "this is something we do that a lot of other companies don't do".
     Thoughts? Is there a way to challenge this kind of sales pitch/marketing behavior without being considered a jerk? And if it happens, should it be addressed in your first meeting with the person, or later if it comes up again?

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

I thought I had posted this recipe, but apparently not. It's quickly become an old standby at our house, meaning I didn't think it was a new one anymore! ;) The hubby LOVES chicken noodle soup, and while I don't mind it, this soup is a similar enough to make him happy, and different enough to make me happy. Winner all around! It's a pretty versatile soup, you can change whatever you want (pretty much) and it comes out awesome.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Ingredients
Makes about 6 servings

 1 tablespoon olive oil
 1 small onion, diced
 3 stalks celery, diced
 3 cloves garlic, minced
 2 carrots, shredded
 1 pound cooked, cubed chicken breast
 4 cups chicken broth
 1 (16 ounce) package mini potato gnocchi
 1 (6 ounce) bag baby spinach leaves
 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional)
 2 tablespoons cold water (optional)
 2 cups half-and-half cream
 salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion, celery, garlic, and carrots in the hot oil until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in cubed chicken and chicken broth; bring to a simmer.
Stir gnocchi into the simmering soup and cook until they begin to float, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook until wilted, about 3 additional minutes.
Whisk cornstarch into cold water until smooth. Stir cornstarch mixture and half-and-half into simmering soup. Cook until soup thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

To start off, I make this recipe using a Rotisserie chicken. I have never tried it with regular chicken, and while I think it would still be good, I like the added flavor of the rotisserie seasonings. Plus all the meat that comes off of a rotisserie chicken is the perfect amount for soup. Anywho, so pick off all the meat and set aside. Boil the carcass and skin for several hours to make stock. (at this point I usually add some additional chicken bullion to the broth, do this to taste). I then dice 3-4 stalks of celery, 1 onion, and 1 bunch of organic carrots (trust me, I am not on the organic train for the most part, but definitely AM for carrots!), which equals to be about 5-6 smallish carrots. Then follow the recipe as directed. I haven't put spinach in it, because for many years, I've had a phobia of cooked spinach. I recently tried it in the Zuppa Toscana soup, and it was fabulous, so I think I'll start adding spinach to the final product. It is great served with nice crusty bread, and a fresh green salad. Definitely a keeper around this household! I haven't tried freezing it yet (the leftovers are equally awesome and tend to go quickly), but that is my next task. I'll let you know how it goes! 

Chicken Oscar Bearnaise

There isn't really a recipe for this, per se. I had it at a restaurant one time and did my best to recreate it. It's pretty forgiving, so try it however sounds best to you! It's super easy to throw together, and looks great on a plate - the most excellent of company food. ;)

Chicken Oscar

Time: About 20 minutes

           Ingredients

1 Chicken breast per person
Flour
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive oil
1/3 can of crab per person (not imitation - it has to be real! I usually used the canned lump crab)
Asparagus - 3-5 stalks per person
Garlic
Garlic Salt
1 package of Bearnaise sauce, made according to the package directions

        Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pound chicken breasts flat. Cover with flour, salt, and pepper until fully coated.
2. In a shallow baking dish, place the asparagus spears. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil and garlic, shake or stir until all the spears are coated with a light coating of oil. Use Garlic salt and pepper to taste. Put in the oven and roast for 10-15 minutes.
3. Once the asparagus is roasting, heat several tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan on medium high - once hot, add the chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until brown and fully cooked through.
4. Make Bearnaise sauce according to package directions.
5. To plate: Place 1 chicken breast on a plate. Place 3-5 spears of asparagus on top. Put ~1/3 can of crab meat on top (you don't need to heat it up prior - the heat from everything else takes care of it), and cover with bearnaise sauce to taste.


I looked it up, and it most of the time this is made with veal. I like the chicken option better. :) It's a fun recipe that looks cool, and all the flavors blend together really well. Enjoy!

Creamy Chicken on Linguine

This looked good, and as I love anything Alfredo-y, I gave it a shot. Truthfully, it's a chicken alfredo. And not my favorite one. Flavor-wise it's ok, just very heavy. Worth a try, but I doubt it'll make it into the regular meal rotation.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil 2 tablespoons butter 1 clove garlic, minced 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 (16 ounce) package linguini pasta 1 onion, chopped

1 cube chicken bouillon, crumbled 1/2 cup water 1 1/4 cups heavy cream 3/4 cup milk 4 green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large saute pan, heat oil, butter and garlic over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until juices run clear. Remove chicken from pan let cool and slice diagonally into long strips. Reserve oil in pan.
2.	Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain.
3.	Reheat oil in pan, add onion and saute, stirring often, until onion is soft but still white. Add bullion cube and water; bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for approximately 10 minutes. Stir in cream, milk, green onions and Parmesan cheese.
4.	Place pasta in a bowl, layer chicken slices in a decorative pattern over pasta, pour sauce over top of chicken and around pasta. Garnish with parsley or any herbs you desire. Serve immediately.