Thursday, December 9, 2010
Chicken Enchilada Ring
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Jalapeno Chicken Casserole
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. flour
20 oz chicken stock
salt and pepper, to taste
10 oz pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 Tbsp. pickled jalapenos, diced
2 Tbsp. jalapeno pickling liquid
2 c. light sour cream
4 green onions, tops only, diced
2 Tbsp. lime juice, or about 1 lime
1 large bag of tortilla chips
1 lb chicken, cooked and chopped
2-3 c. cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
fresh cilantro, chopped
Melt butter in a large pan over medium heat. Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Saute onions, jalapenos, and garlic until soft. Sprinkle flour over jalapeno mixture and cook for several minutes until golden. Add chicken stock to pan and stir until smooth. Cook, stirring often, until simmering and slightly thickened. Season sauce with salt and pepper, to taste.
Meanwhile in a medium bowl, combine spinach, pickled jalapenos and liquid, sour cream, lime juice and green onions. Add chicken stock mixture to sour cream mixture and stir thoroughly until mixed.
In a 9 x 13 baking dish, layer a handful of crushed tortilla chips, chopped chicken, and half of the sauce mixture. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Add another layer of crushed tortilla chips, and the rest of the chicken and sauce mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Top casserole with another layer of crushed tortilla chips and sprinkle with fresh cilantro.
Bake casserole for 30 to 40 or until hot and browned. Top with fresh pico de gallo, if desired.
I served mine with a big pot of pinto beans.....mmm mmm good!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Chicken Suiza Tostadas
Juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp. honey
1 1/2 c. store-bought salsa verde
1/2 c. sour cream
1 rotisserie-style chicken, skin discarded and meat shredded
4 tostada shells
4 slices Monterrey jack cheese (I just used shredded)
1. Preheat the broiler. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and honey, then stir in the salsa and heat through. Mix in the sour cream. Stir in the chicken to coat.
2. Pile the chicken mixture on the tostada shells. Top with the cheese and broil to melt. Serve with extra sour cream and salsa if desired....and of course....a side of beans!
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Creamy Chicken Taquitos
1/4 c. green salsa
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
3 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp. sliced green onions
1 (12.5 oz) can solid white chunk chicken, drained (Or sub 2 cups cooked chicken)
1 c. grated pepperjack cheese
12 small corn tortillas
Kosher salt
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.
Warm the cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir to combine, and then add cilantro and green onions. Add chicken and cheese and combine well.
Working with a few tortillas at a time, heat them in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. Place 2-3 Tbsp. of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges, and then roll it up as tight as you can. Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Spray the tops of the tortillas lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.
Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.
Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa and/or shredded cheese!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Alton Brown's Buffalo Wings
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Pollo Fundido
For those of you not familiar with Pollo Fundido, it is one of my all-time favorites to order at Mexican restaurants. It is basically a chicken chimichanga, covered in a jalapeno cream cheese sauce and melted cheese. It is cheesy, gooey and spicy all rolled into one, basically it is just plain delicious! I have been on a mission for the last few months to try and re-create the jalapeno cream cheese sauce that comes with fundidos, and not because I wanted to make a fundido, but because I am obsessed with using it as a dip for chips...it is like a cold queso dip...divine! I have tried a few versions before, and none of them ever quite worked out. I recently came across a recipe for a version of the cream cheese that called for chicken base. I wasn't quite sure what chicken base was, so I of course googled it, it turns out that it is a liquid form of chicken bouillon. Well, chicken base is not that easy to track down, I searched grocery stores far and wide, and was finally able to find some at Super Wal-Mart...jackpot!
So tonight was the night that I decided to put all the pieces together, to make one of my favorite meals! The chicken cooked in the Crock Pot, and then after that, the sauce came together in about 2 minutes, and 10 minutes later, I had dinner! This chicken was delicious, and I am not usually a chicken person, I much prefer beef or pork, but I can for see using this in quesadillas, tacos, burritos and tostadas too. I am planning to freeze some to keep for another time...which means I can have Pollo Fundido....pronto!
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Greek Chicken Nachos
This dish was simple to throw together once the prep work was done, and the girls demolished it! Looking at the dish before it went into the oven I was thinking to myself how I was going to have a lot of leftovers, but nope, they scraped the dish clean! I served it with a side of baby zucchini and roasted red peppers, sauteed in olive oil and garlic (other items in my "well-stocked" kitchen). It was a delicious dinner, but the company was the best part of the meal!
Disclaimer: This does not photograph very well, and I forgot to take a picture until after I had served everyone. It may not look pretty on the plate, but it will be tasty on the taste buds!
Greek Chicken Nachos
adapted from Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious Jan/Feb 2009
Place chicken in a large resealable bag and pour in marinade. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Remove chicken from marinade and bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes or until juices run clear. (You could also grill the chicken if desired).
While chicken is cooking, place garbanzo beans and salad dressing in a food processor, cover and process until smooth. When chicken is cooked, dice into bite size pieces.
In an ungreased 13 x 9 inch baking dish, layer in this order, half of the bean mixture, pita chips, chicken, feta cheese, tomato, olives and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers one more time.
Bake, uncovered, at 325 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Enchiladas and Idol
Whitney, Laura and I have a lot in common, including a deep love for Mexican food....including beans!! I was trying to come up with something quick, easy and tasty to try out....and after surfing around online, I decided to go with chicken and spinach enchiladas. I looked at a couple of recipes and kind of melded them together, and they turned out quite tasty! Both Whitney and Laura were excited when I offered them the leftovers....and the next day I got e-mails informing me how their office mates were jealous of their lunches!
Here is the recipe for the enchiladas. I served them with some fiesta corn and seasoned black beans with a dollop of sour cream on top! My taste testers are not the biggest fans of spice, so I kept these mild, but next time, I am going to kick them up a notch! I also made a mint chocolate chip ice cream pie in an Oreo crust for dessert....and Whitney got to keep the leftovers, lucky girl!
So if you are feeling like having a fiesta....give these a try!

Creamy Chicken and Spinach Enchiladas
1 c. chopped onion (white or yellow)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 c. cooked chicken; chopped or shredded (I just purchased a rotisserie chicken)
3 c. fresh baby spinach, washed and stemmed
½ c. sour cream
½ c. cream cheese
1 (16 oz.) can red enchilada sauce
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies (I didn’t use these, but next time I make them I will add them for a bit of heat, but you can leave them out)
2 c. shredded cheese (Mexican blend, Monterrey jack or cheddar)
12 small flour tortillas
Add 1 Tbsp. of olive to a pan, add onions and garlic and cook until softened. Add spinach to pan and cook until slightly wilted. Add cream cheese, sour cream and 1 cup of cheese to mixture, stir over low heat until cheeses are melted. Add chicken to the pan and mix well.
Spoon chicken mixture into tortillas and roll up, place seem side down in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Repeat until all the tortillas are used. If there is any remaining chicken mixture, spoon over the top of the tortillas. Cover with the enchilada sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 – 25 minutes, until cheese starts to bubble.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Wednesday Night Dinner
Raspberry Black Bean Dip (I rebelled here....there were 2 different cheeses in this dish!)
Main Course:
Dessert:
Chicken & Bean Tacos in the Crock Pot
Place chicken in a 4 quart crock pot. Sprinkle taco seasoning over chicken. Top with beans, tomatoes, chilies and lime juice in that order. Cover and cook on low for 7 - 8 hours or until chicken shreds apart easily. Shred chicken with 2 forks and stir everything together.
