Crock Pot Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Ingredients

2lb boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buffalo wing sauce (from 12-oz jar)
3/4 cup ranch dressing
1 package flour tortillas for burritos (8 tortillas)
3 cups shredded lettuce

In 1 1/2-quart slow cooker, place chicken; sprinkle with salt. Cover; cook 6 to 7 hours (if slow cooker has heat settings, use Low).

With slotted spoon, remove chicken from slow cooker and place on cutting board; discard liquid in slow cooker. In slow cooker, mix buffalo wing sauce and 1/4 cup of the ranch dressing. With 2 forks, shred chicken. Return chicken to slow cooker; stir gently to mix with sauce.

To serve, spread each tortilla with 1 tablespoon remaining ranch dressing; top each with about 1/2 cup chicken mixture and about 1/3 cup lettuce. Roll up tortilla; secure with toothpicks.

For something different, substitute blue cheese dressing for the ranch, or top with a little crumbled blue cheese.

Feta-Chicken Bake

Ingredients:

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1-1/2 lb.)
2 Tbsp. lemon juice, divided
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 pkg. (4 oz.) crumbled Feta cheese with basil & tomato
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell peppers
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Drizzle with 1 Tbsp. lemon juice. Season with black pepper. Top with cheese; drizzle with remaining lemon juice.

Bake 35 to 40 min. or until chicken is done (165°F). Top with red peppers and parsley.

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

Ingredients

Chicken Mixture

1tbsp vegetable oil

1lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 cup chicken broth

1cup frozen mixed vegetables

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

Baking Mixture
1/2 cup Original Bisquick mix

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook chicken in oil 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center. Add onion and chicken broth; heat to simmering. Add frozen vegetables and seasonings. Heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Cool 5 minutes; stir in cheese.

In medium bowl, stir baking mixture ingredients with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture into each muffin cup. Top with about 1/4 cup chicken mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture onto chicken mixture in each muffin cup.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. With thin knife, loosen sides of pies from pan; remove from pan and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes longer, and serve.

This recipe could also be made with the left-overs from a grocery store rotisserie chicken.  Shred the leftovers and mix with thawed vegetables, cheese and seasonings. Omit chicken broth and skip the skillet step. Follow remaining steps as directed.

Southwest Buffalo Chicken Tacos

Makes: 4 tacos
Total Time: 10 min

Ingredients
1/2 tsp corn starch
3 Tbsp taco sauce
7oz chunk chicken breast
1 stalk celery, diced
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
4 taco shells

In a small bowl, combine corn starch and taco sauce, stir well.
Heat small skillet. Add chicken to the pan, add taco sauce and stir.  Reduce heat until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Stir to prevent sticking.
Divide into 4 taco shells, top with celery and blue cheese mixture.

Crockpot Italian Chicken

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts
1 packet dry Zesty Italian dressing
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1-2 cans cream of chicken soup (depending how much sauce you want)

Place the chicken in a crockpot and sprinkle Italian dressing over it.
Combine cream cheese and cream of chicken soup in a small pot over low heat and pour over chicken. Cook on low in the crockpot for at least 4 hours. You can leave it in there all day.
Once chicken is done you can leave the chicken breasts whole, cube it, or even shred it.
Once you have cut up the chicken, throw it back in the crockpot and stir into the sauce. If you feel the sauce is too thick you can thin it to your preferred consistency with a little milk.
Serve over pasta or rice.

From: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Prep Time: 5min
Bake Time: 20min
Makes: 4 cups

Ingredients
1 pkg (8oz) cream cheese, softened
2 cans (12.5 oz each) canned chicken breast, drained OR 2 cups cooked chicken
1/2 cup Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce
1/2 cup blue cheese salad dressing
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
Assorted fresh vegetables, and or crackers for dipping

Mix ingredients in deep baking dish until smooth.
Bake at 350F for 20min until hot and bubbling.

From franksredhot.com

Beef and Bean Taco Casserole

Ingredients
1 pound lean (at least 80%) ground beef

1 can (16 ounce) refried beans

1 jar (16 ounce) salsa

1 package (1 ounce) less-sodium taco seasoning mix

2 1/2 cups coarsely broken tortilla chips

1/2 medium green bell pepper, chopped (3/4 cup)

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

2 medium tomatoes, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese

1/4 cup sliced ripe olives

1 cup shredded lettuce

Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In 12-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in refried beans, salsa, and taco seasoning mix. Reduce heat to medium. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
In ungreased 2-quart casserole, place 2 cups of the broken tortilla chips. Top evenly with beef mixture. Sprinkle with bell pepper, onions, 1 cup of the tomato, the cheese, and olives.
Bake uncovered 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and cheese is melted. Top baked casserole with lettuce, remaining 1/2 cup tomato, and remaining 1/2 cup tortilla chips.

Notes: There are some great variations on this recipe to make it healthier and/or easier to make.

1) Use lean ground turkey instead of beef

2) Make your own taco seasoning to control the amount of sodium

3)Place in crock pot instead of baking

4) Use frozen or thawed chicken breasts instead of beef/turkey when making in the crock pot.

5) Substitute black beans for the refried beans

6) Substitute torn up corn tortillas for the chips

7) Add a can of corn (drained)

From: Recipe.com

Chicken Cooking Times

Chicken Cooking Times

A nice by-pound time frame for roasting, simmering, or grilling chicken.

Best. Broth. Ever.

This is really easy to make and only takes about an hour.

1 chicken carcass, juices from carving if possible
1 Tbs kosher salt, or to taste
5 to 10 peppercorns
1/2 an onion
1 carrot
1 rib of celery
3 to 4 fresh thyme, bay leaf, or rosemary sprigs, whichever you prefer

Put chicken carcass in a large pot with all ingredients and fill with water until the bones are covered by at least 2 inches.

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook partially covered for 1 hour.

Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Strain and discard solids. Transfer to airtight containers and store covered in fridge for up to 3 days or freezer for 3 months.

Use it for...
Soups: Anything from chunky vegetable puree to chicken noodle will be better with stock.
Risotto: Nothing makes it taste richer and creamier.
Polenta: Stock adds a richer and more luxurious taste.
Braised Vegetables: Cook them slowly in homemade stock to absorb the broth's flavor.
Grains and Legumes: you can add great flavor to rice, bulgur, quinoa, or lentils by using stock instead of water.

Simply Roasted Chicken

Use this recipe as the master recipe for other fantastic dinners.

1 4-5lb whole chicken
1 tsp olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Heat oven to 400F. Pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels (if there is a giblets package in the bird, remove it).

Rub olive oil over the skin of the legs, wings, and breast. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a roasting pan (with or without a rack) or another large heat-proof baking dish an put it in the oven.

Let cook undisturbed for 30 minutes; check the chicken to make sure the breast isn't browning too fast; if it is, cover it loosely with aluminum foil. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 170F when inserted I to the thickest part of the thigh ( don't let the thermometer touch bone or you'll get an inaccurate reading).

Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving (when you do carve, save all the juice for your stock).

Meal Deal of the Week: Taco Chicken with Corn Salsa

2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut in half again to make 4 pieces (1lbs)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 pkg taco seasoning
1/4 cup zesty italian dressing
2 cups plain bread crumbs (italian works too)
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
4 handfuls of Fritos or cornchips (optional)

Place chicken breasts, italian dressing, and 2 tbsp of taco seasoning into a ziplock bag. Remove all air from the bag and massage breast well, coating completely with marinade.  Refrigerate for an hour to overnight.

Mix corn, tomatoes, and 2 tsp taco seasoning in a microwaveable bowl. Cover and microwave for 3 - 4 minutes, or until warm.  Can also be served cold.

Heat vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Mix remaining taco seasoning and breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in breadcrumbs until completely covered. Cook chicken in oil 3 to 5 minutes, turning once, until brown. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook about 8 minutes, turning once, until chicken is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. This recipe can also be baked at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes on a rack placed inside of a cookie sheet.

Serve with corn salsa and chips.

This meal costs $1.73 per person & $6.92 total.

Boneless skinless chicken breasts: $1.88 per pound at Kroger this week / 4 pieces = $0.47 per serving

2 tbsp vegetable oil: 1 container (48 oz) at $2.90 / 48oz = $0.06 per oz (2 tbsp) / 4 servings = $0.015 per serving 

1 pkg taco seasoning = $0.97 / 4 servings = $0.24 per serving

1/4 cup zesty italian dressing = $1.00 per container / 16oz x 2oz (1/4 cup) / 4 servings = $0.03 per serving

2 cups plain breadcrumbs = $3.00 per containter / 24 oz x 16oz (2 cups) / 4 servings = $0.50 per serving

1 can corn = $0.50 per can / 4 servings = $0.125 per serving

1 can tomatoes = $0.50 per can / 4 servings = $0.125 per serving

4 handfuls Fritos = $1.99 / 9 serving per bag = $0.22 per serving

Chicken Dishes on the Fly

Start with 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves and you can have a
great tasting dish ready in under 20 minutes.

FRESH HERB CHICKEN
Melt a tablespoon of butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add
chicken and brown on each side. Add a quarter cup of dry white wine or chicken
broth, a couple tablespoons of chopped fresh basil, dill or chives and salt to taste.
Cook about 8 minutes, turning once, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.

RANCH CHICKEN
Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Dip
chicken in a quarter cup of bottled ranch dressing, then coat with about a third of a
cup of dry Italian-style or seasoned bread crumbs. Cook about 10 minutes, turning
once, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center.

CAESAR CHICKEN
Heat about a quarter of a cup of Caesar dressing from a purchased bottle (not the
creamy type) in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook
about 10 minutes, turning once, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. A few
minutes before removing from heat, sprinkle chicken with a cut-up tomato and about
a half of a cup of crumbled feta cheese; cover the skillet to soften the cheese.

BUFFALO CHICKEN
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken
and brown on each side. Mix together about 2 cups of barbecue sauce and 1
teaspoon red pepper sauce. Pour over chicken, turning to coat. Cook about 8
minutes, turning once, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. A few minutes
before removing from heat, sprinkle each chicken breast with about 2 teaspoons
crumbled blue cheese; cover skillet to melt cheese.

FAJITA CHICKEN
Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat
chicken with an entire 1.27 ounce envelope dry fajita seasoning mix. Add chicken
and cook about 8 minutes, turning once, or until chicken is no longer pink in center.
During the last 4 minutes of cooking, add 1 small bell pepper, cut into strips, and 1
medium onion, thinly sliced, stirring, once or twice.

Easy Chicken & Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup salsa
2 tsp chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 shredded monterey jack cheese
6 flour tortillas (6")
1 small tomato, chopped
1 green onion, sliced

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Stir soup, sour cream, salsa and chili powder in medium bowl.
Stir 1 cup salsa mixture with chicken and cheese in separate bowl.
Divide chicken mixture among tortillas. Roll up tortillas and place seamside up in 2qt shallow baking dish. Pour remaining salsa mixture over filled tortillas. Cover baking dish.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with tomato and onion.

Make this in the crockpot two different ways!

1) Follow the above directions, but assemble in layers in a crockpot instead of a baking dish: Tortillas, chicken mixture, tortillas, salsa mixture, repeat.  Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until heated and bubbly.

OR

2) Omit 2 cups chopped cooked chicken and Add 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Place chicken breasts on the bottom of crockpot. In a separate bowl, mix soup, sour cream, salsa & chili powder.  Pour over chicken breasts in crockpot. Cover with shredded cheese. Cook on low 7 to 8 hours.  Shred chicken in crockpot and stir mixture.  Serve on tortillas.

I find that cooking the chicken in the crockpot is the easiest and most convenient way for me. I rarely have the time or desire to first cook chicken breasts and then assemble this recipe.  It also cuts down on dishes and cleanup!

Italian Baked Chicken

1/4 c zesty Italian salad dressing
2 c Italian seasoned bread crumbs
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil cooking spray

Marinade chicken in Italian dressing in refrigerator for 1 hour to overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place bread crumbs in shallow dish.
Take chicken from marinade and coat in bread crumbs.
Arrange the chicken on a cooking rack placed on top of a cookie sheet.
Spray the chicken lightly with the cooking spray and bake until golden brown and centers are no longer pink, about 20 minutes.

This goes great on top of pasta with marinara sauce and sprinkled with shredded parmesan cheese.

Crunchy Cajun Oven Fried Chicken

Ingredients
2 cups original or cheddar french fried onions

1 tbsp cajun seasoning, or to taste

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix french fried onions and cajun seasoning in ziplock bag. Crush onions with rolling pin or your hands.

Place in a shallow dish or pie pan.

Dip chicken in egg, then coat in onion crumbs, pressing firmly to adhere.

Place chicken on a cooling rack placed on top of a cookie sheet. This allows the oven heat to surround the chicken, keeping the coating crunchy.

Bake for 20 minutes or no longer pink in the center.

Great alternative:  Crunchy Cajun Pork Chops

Follow the recipe above, but substitute pork chops for the chicken.  Baking time and temperature remain the same.