Chicken Dumpling Soup

What? I'm back? How can that be? I apologize, I have been the worst blogger over the past few months. But I'm going to make a concerted effort to be better. PROMISE.

Yeah, yeah, that's what they all say. But in effort to make amends, check out this recipe for comfort in a bowl - chicken and dumpling soup. I'm not a fan of the traditional Southern dumplings that are fat and Bisquick-y, so the noodles in this are actually based on Tyler Florence's recipe for spaetzle.


Ingredients:
For the soup:
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 Tbsp flour
60 oz. reduced sodium chicken broth
1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
1/2 - 1 tsp. sage to taste
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. rosemary to taste
salt and pepper to taste

For the spaetzle:
1 cup flour
3/4 tsp/ salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk

Directions:
Place a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and heat. When olive oil is hot, add onion and saute. When the onion starts to turn translucent, add celery and carrot and saute a few minutes more. Sprinkle with flour and stir. Add chicken broth and spices. Cook until vegetables are fork-tender, around 30-40 minutes. Stir in chicken and heat through

While the chicken is heating, make the spaetzle. Combine flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, combine eggs and milk. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients until combined. Let the dough stand 10-15 minutes.

After the dough rests, add to the soup by the 1/2-Tablespoonful (make sure the soup is at a low boil). When the dumplings float, it's ready to go!

Almond Crusted Chicken with Orange Glaze

I made this dinner the other night, and it was fantastic! I was excited to blog it, turned the computer on, and lo and behold, the hard drive was DEAD. ARGH! So I've been computer-less for a while now, and I have plenty of posts to catch up on. So I'll start where I should have started a few weeks ago.For the chicken:
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup almonds
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Nonstick cooking spray

For the sauce:
1/2 cup orange juice
2 Tbsp. orange marmalade
1 Tsp. ginger

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Heat olive oil in large skillet on stovetop.

In food processor, chop almonds and bread crumbs until fine and combined. Empty processor bowl into larger bowl. Dredge chicken through egg, then through almond-bread crumb mixture. Cook in skillet until almond crust browns slightly, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and back for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cooked through.

While chicken is baking, make the sauce. In a small saucepan, combine ingredients over medium heat until sauce thickens. (If necessary, add 1/2 tsp. cornstarch to help thicken.) Pour sauce over chicken to serve.

Adapted from the Food Network

White Chicken Chili

I have read other bloggers' raves about white chicken chili for a while now. We tried one recipe back when I was pregnant - in.edi.ble. Too much spice (and I LOVE my spicy food!), too much cumin... blech.

Yet I stayed determined. While I was on maternity leave I saw Giada make a version that didn't appear too smoky and spicy on Giada at Home, and I decided to suck it up and try it. Fantastic! It's smooth, creamy, with just a hint of warmth rather than overt spiciness. I made a few modifications to her original recipe to accommodate what I happened to have in my kitchen, and we definitely weren't disappointed!


1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pounds ground chicken
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sweet paprika
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp chili powder
2 tablespoons flour
1 (15-ounce cans) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup fat-free half-and-half
1/4 cup light sour cream

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, around 30 seconds. Add the ground chicken, salt, paprika fennel seeds, oregano, and chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through.

Stir the flour into the chicken mixture. Add the beans and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 55-60 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half and the chili has thickened. Add crushed red pepper and simmer for another 10 minutes. Stir in half-and-half, Parmesan cheese, and sour cream, and stir until creamy.

Ladle into serving bowls. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper, if desired.

WW Info: 3 Points per one-cup serving

Source: Adapted from Giada at Home

Chili-Lime Chicken Tacos

I saw these tacos listed on Lovestoeat's Weblog, one of my favorite food blogs. This recipe is a great combination of tasty and healthy. Plus you cook these in your crockpot, so it makes life nice and easy. I made these in a 2-quart slow cooker; if you use a larger model, you may want to increase the recipe quantities or adjust the cook time accordingly.


1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 cup chunky salsa, plus additional for topping
1 package flour tortillas
Sour cream, shredded lettuce, cheese, and other favorite taco toppings

Place the chicken slow cooker. Combine lime juice and chili powder and pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low 5-6 hours or until chicken is tender and cooked through.

When chicken is cooked, remove from slow cooker and cool slightly. Shred and return to the slow cooker and stir in salsa. Cover and cook on low an additional 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve in tortillas with desired toppings.

WW Info:
7 Points for two tacos - two shells and 3 oz. chicken. Add additional Points for any additional toppings.

Adapted from Lovestoeat's Weblog.

Buffalo Chicken Sloppy Joes

I saw these on Rachael Ray a a year or so ago and decided they might be worth trying. I like buffalo chicken, my husband loves sloppy joes - it's the perfect combination for us! They are very good - not too hot, and just tangy enough. My one caution: Make sure you let them simmer for a little while after you add the sauce, or you'll end up with soggy bread when you make your sandwich.

I usually serve these with the mashed potato skins from the same episode.

I halved a lot of this recipe because making the original 2 lbs. of meat was just too much for the two of us. But the veggies I kept the same - you can never have too much celery and carrots with your buffalo chicken!

2 Tbsp. EVOO
1 lb. ground chicken
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (I used the garlic press on mine)
Salt and pepper to taste

For the sauce:
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup hot sauce
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup chicken broth

Heat a EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and break it up . Cook 5 to 6 minutes. Add in carrots, celery, onions and garlic, season with salt and black pepper, and cook an additional 7 to 8 minutes.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine the vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire, hot sauce, tomato sauce, and broth. Pour into the pan and stir to combine. Simmer a few minutes more until sauce thickens.

Pile onto your favorite buns and top with blue cheese, pickles, or whatever toppings you like!

Adapted from: 30 Minute Meals

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Wow, long time no post! Mid-year resolution: Blog more!

When I first tried the Laughing Cow Chicken recipe I found on Macaroni and Cheesecake, it was love at first bite. So I started looking for ways to play with the recipe to change it up some so we wouldn't get tired of it (as we often do when we find something we absolutely love). So I devised this way to make a modified Chicken Cordon Bleu.

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4-5 pieces Laughing Cow Original Swiss cheese (about 1 per breast, 2 if they're really big)
2 pieces of deli sliced ham per breast
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp onion flakes
1/2 tsp season salt
Ground black pepper to taste
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

In a small bowl, stir eggs, breaking the yolks. In a separate, medium bowl, combine bread crumbs and seasonings. Dredge one side only of chicken through eggs, then through bread crumb mixture. Place flat in baking dish.

Open cheese and 1-2 pieces into chicken breasts, depending on size of breasts. Top cheese with 2 pieces of ham, roll, and place seam-side down in baking dish.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Faux Buffalo Wings

Ok they're not actually chicken wings, and they're not deep fried. But they were delicious and took care of that craving.

Nonstick cooking spray
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
1 cup hot sauce
2 Tbsp. light butter, melted
Celery, carrots, Ranch or blue cheese dressing - any of your favorite wing garnishes

Coat skillet with nonstick cooking spray and heat on medium-heat. Add chicken pieces and cook until almost cooked through.

Combine hot sauce and melted butter and pour over chicken. Cook chicken and sauce until chicken is completely cooked through and sauce has reduced and thickened enough to cover the chicken when removed.

Chicken with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce

I saw this sauce recipe on Cooking Light, and thought it would be fabulous over chicken rather than just plain pasta. Trust me, it is. Plus, it makes for a very light, very filling meal.



1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
Whole wheat egg noodles (if desired)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (if desired)
Salt and pepper to taste
EVOO

For the sauce:
2 tsp. EVOO
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 cup FF half and half
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

Brush EVOO over both sides of chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Grill until cooked through. Boil water and cook egg noodles.

At the same time, heat 2 tsp. EVOO over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute until the onions are clear, around 2 minutes. Add roasted red peppers and cook until heated through, around 2 more minutes. Increase to medium-high heat and stir in vinegar, cooking until liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.

Whisk together half and half and tomato paste. Process pepper mixture in a food processor until smooth. Return to pan and cook over low heat until warm. Stir in half and half mixture and heat through. Stir in ground red pepper.

Serve chicken on a bed of egg noodles. Drizzle sauce on top.

WW Info:
7 points for 1 cup noodles, 3 ounces chicken, and about 1/4 cup of sauce

Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

This is an amazing Weight Watchers recipe I originally got from Aimee's Adventures. I made a few variations for the recipe below, but it's still incredible.


12 whole wheat lasagna noodles
1 cup of skinless breast meat from a rotisserie chicken (you could also use canned chicken for this if that's what you have on-hand - a can or two drained should work nicely)
3 cups Ragu 6-Cheese pasta sauce
1 cup buffalo wing sauce
1.5 cups water
15 oz. skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup Egg Beaters
*9 slices 2% pepperjack cheese (I only had regular, so I used 6 slices instead)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Shred chicken in bowl, and mix with pasta sauce, wing sauce, and water. Combine ricotta cheese and egg substitute in another small bowl.

Spray 9x13 pan with Pam. Spread 1 cup of sauce/chicken mixture in the bottom of pan. Arrange 4 uncooked noodles over the sauce. Spread more sauce, then a layer of ricotta/egg mixture. Add another layer of sauce, then noodles, etc., and end with a layer of sauce. Cover and bake 70 minutes. Uncover and add cheese, then bake another 15 minutes uncovered. Let stand 10-15 minutes.


*For less heat, you could use cheddar cheese, or a mixture of cheddar and bleu. You could also tame it by serving ranch and/or bleu cheese dressing on the side for dipping as needed. Just remember to up your Points values accordingly!

WW Points: 6 for 1/8 of the pan

Maple-mustard Glazed Chicken with Applesauce

I saw this recipe on Rachael Ray one day, and I couldn't resist it. The way the applesauce made the house smell was incredible.

Applesauce:
4 Golden Delicious apples, cored and chopped
1 cup apple juice
1 large handful of golden raisins (1/2 - 3/4 cup)
3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Combine the ingredients in a crock pot and cook over low heat until soft, around 4 hours.

Maple-mustard Glazed Chicken
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp spicy brown Dijon mustard
Dash salt and pepper

Heat EVOO in a large skillet over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet.

When almost cooked, pour maple syrup around edge of pan, add mustard, and stir. When sauce is reduced, dip cooked chicken in the syrup-mustard mixture to create a glaze. Top with applesauce.

I served this with broccoli macaroni and cheese, but the this mac and cheese doesn't warrant a post. Next time I make it, it will be better and I'll blog about it then. :-)

Chicken Parmesan

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, whisked
1 cup bread crumbs (don't worry, you won't use anywhere near the entire cup, it's just to ensure there's enough to coat all of the chicken)
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. oregano
Dash salt and pepper
EVOO
Part-skim mozzarella cheese
Pasta sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray skillet with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, oregano, and salt and pepper in a medium-sized bowl. Coat chicken in egg, then dredge through chicken mixture. Brush each side with EVOO and place in skillet. Heat on medium-high heat for 2 minutes, or until coating is crispy. Flip and do the same on reverse side.

Spray glass baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place chicken in dish and bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, add 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese to each chicken breast, and pour pasta sauce over entire dish (not enough to fill it up, just enough to cover the bottom). Bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown.

VERY good over whole wheat pasta!

WW Info:
6 Points per chicken breast
(Add additional points for any pasta)

WW BBQ Chicken

This is a fabulous, moist BBQ chicken without all of the added sugar of bottled sauces. This is pictured with oven fries - a favorite with this (and many other) recipes.


1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup ketchup
1 can Diet Coke (I prefer w/Splenda, but any Diet you have on hand will work)

Whisk together Diet Coke and ketchup in a bowl.

Spray a skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add chicken to skillet and cover with soda-ketchup mixture. Cook over medium-high heat for 35-40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. If you'd like a thicker sauce, reduce hear to medium-low and cover for about 10 minutes.

WW Info:
4 points (3 oz. serving)