Arroz con Pollo (from Ladybug home daycare)

 http://www.ladybughomedaycare.se/recipes/index.html#home

Arroz con pollo, or rice with chicken, is a classic Spanish one-pot meal.

*Note: For freezing, try it without the rice in the pan and just serve it over freshly cooked rice.

1 cup uncooked rice
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn (or 1 cup frozen corn)
6 (4oz each) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

½ cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa
1 cup marinara sauce
½ cup red bell pepper, sliced
½ cup scallions, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro  (I imagine 2-3 TB parsley would work too)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup shredded cheese

Spray 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Prepare the rice according to package directions. Spread the rice over the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Layer the beans, corn, and chicken over the rice and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Set aside. In a large bowl combine the rest of the ingredients minus the cheese. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Sprinkle with cheese.

For dinner tonight... Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the internal temperature of the chicken breasts reaches 165F.

If you make double and want to freeze half... Before baking, cover the dish with foil. Label, date, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before cooking as directed above.

Grilled Turkey or Chicken Marinade

1 lb. turkey tenderloins or boneless, skinless chicken breast
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/4 c lite soy sauce
1/4 c 7-up (or generic)
2 T. lemon juice
dash black pepper
dash (or more) garlic powder
2 T. minced dry onion
1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Blend all ingredients and pour over poultry, turning to cover both sides.  Cover and marinate in the refrigerator several hours (overnight ok), turning occasionally.  Grill over hot coals 6-8 min. per side depending on thickness (chicken for less time).  Poultry is done when no longer pink in the center.

If freezing: Freeze flat in bags. Remove from freezer the night before you want to cook these so they will marinate properly.

Jen Wilson’s White Chicken Chili

This recipe is from a gal who won first place in our Phoenix ward’s Chili Cook-off.  Yum!  We tracked down the recipe to make and freeze at our “cook-a-thon” where three friends and I cooked and froze meals all day to use for several weeks.  It is a very spicy chili, so season with care J

1 can rotelle (diced tomatoes and chilies) available in spicy or   regular (mild) 

1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 can corn or mexicorn unrinsed (mexicorn is spicy)!

1-1 and 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Tony Chacharas seasoning (optional - very spicy)!

Salt and Pepper

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

About 2 cups of water

McCormick White Chicken Chili Mix Packet (available at Wal-Mart around here)

Cube chicken and fry, seasoning with Tony's and salt and pepper.

Add all the other ingredients together and mix in.

Add water.   Pour into bags to freeze flat.

Thaw and bring to a boil, and simmer 10 minutes.

Great with cornbread!

Much of this is to taste. Also, the chili mix seasoning is in a red packet and costs about  $1.  This stuff is HOT if you add mexicorn and Tony Chacharas so if you’d like, tone it down by using mild rotelle, plain corn, and very little spice.  Yummy!

Heidi's Mom's Chicken Enchiladas

20 corn tortillas (we substituted with corn so they would hold together - corn ends up mushy)
3 chicken breasts, cooked, diced (to save time you can purchase a pre-cooked chicken if you want)
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
2 small cans chopped green chilies
1 TB butter
26 oz. can cream of chicken soup
16 oz. sour cream
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 cup water
3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Salt and Pepper

In a Large casserole dish
1. Melt the butter in a large frying pan and saute the onions and green pepper until tender.  Add some salt and pepper. When tender, add the copped green chilies and mix together.  Remove from heat.  Add the chicken and mix well.

2 Mix together the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and coriander.  Add 1/2 cup of water.  Remove 1 cup of this sauce and set aside.  To the remainder of the mixture add 2 cups of the cheese and stir.

3. Mix the chicken/onion/pepper mixture with the sauce.

4.  Place a large spoonful of the mixture in the center of a tortilla and roll gently, not tightly. (corn tortillas will crack if you don't soften them first (place tortilla stack in damp paper towels and microwave for 2 min. to really soften them).  Flour will work ok for rolling.  Place seam down in casserole dish.  Fill the dish with enchiladas.

5. Pour the 1 cup of sauce over the enchiladas and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

6. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour or freeze.

Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

Shredded Chicken, Monterey Jack Cheese, Flour Tortillas, Green Chile Sauce

Cook and cube chicken (or shred). Dip tortilla in green sauce. Put chicken and monterey jack cheese, then roll. Fill Pan and then pour remaining green sauce over top. Sprinkle with monterey jack cheese. Cover and freeze. Thaw and cook on 350 for 30-45 min (until cheese is golden brown).

For extra tastiness, add frozen (or canned) corn and canned (and rinsed) black beans with the chicken when you roll it.

Baked Parmesan Chicken

Yield 6 servings:
Bake - 350 degrees, uncovered - 1 hour

1. Melt 1/2 cup butter (unsalted preferred)
2. Make bread crumbs with the following:

1 slice whole wheat breat (or as needed to make 1 cup crumbs)
2 sprigs parsley (about 1/4 cup minced)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder

3. Remove visible fat from chicken - 2 lbs. boneless chicken breast pieces
4. Coat pieces of chicken in melted butter in pan, then coat with crumb mixture; lay single layer in remaining butter in pan.
5. Garnish with paprika; bake uncovered at 350 degrees until tender, about 1 hour; baste 2 or 3 times during baking. Cover with foil if chicken begins to brown too much before done.

Chicken Cacciatore

3 chicken breast halves without skin -- cut into 1" pieces
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion -- thinly sliced
1 jar spaghetti sauce
3 tablespoons italian seasoning
5/8 pound mostaccioli
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
Cook chicken and onions in olive oil. Add italian seasoning. Cook 5-10 more minutes.
Add jar of spaghetti sauce (Classico Tomato & Basil is good). Freeze in 1-gallon ziploc
bag.
Thaw and serve over cooked mostaccioli pasta. Top with parmesan cheese.

Baked Chicken Kiev

8 chicken breast halves without skin
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup bread crumbs -- crushed fine
1 1/2 teaspoons oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons butter -- softened
1 tablespoon parsley -- chopped
4 ounces monterey jack cheese -- cut 1/2"x1.5" (8)
5 tablespoons butter -- melted

Place breasts, one at a time, between 2 sheets of wax paper and gently pound with
flat side of mallet, until 1/4" thick. Set aside.

In a pie pan combine bread crumbs, parmesan. cheese, 1 t. oregano, garlic salt, and
pepper. Set aside. In a sm. bowl stir together the 4 T. butter, parsley, & remaining 1/2 t.
oregano. Spread about 1/2 T. of herb-butter mixture across each breast about 1/2" from
lower edge; lay a strip of jack cheese over it. Fold lower edge over filling, then fold in
sides and roll up to enclose filling.

Dip each bundle in the melted butter and drain briefly then roll in crumb mixture.

Place seam-side down, not touching, in 9x13 pan. Drizzle remaining butter on top.

Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or until the next day. Bake uncovered @ 425degrees for 20 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink when lightly slashed.

Cider-Roasted Chicken

Brining overnight in a salt-and-cider mixture makes this chicken incredibly flavorful and moist; basting with reduced apple cider adds a hint of sweetness to the finished chicken. Use tongs to carefully remove skin from the hot chicken.
Yield 8 servings (serving size: about 4 ounces chicken and about 1 tablespoon jus)
Ingredients:
3 quarts water
1 quart apple cider
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 (6-pound) roasting chicken
2 cups apple cider
1 large onion, peeled and halved
4 flat-leaf parsley sprigs
4 garlic cloves, peeled
Preparation:
Combine the first 5 ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until salt dissolves. Remove from heat; cool completely. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Pour brine into a 2-gallon zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken; seal. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, turning the bag occasionally.
Preheat oven to 400°.

Bring 2 cups cider to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until cider has thickened and reduced to 1/4 cup (about 15 minutes). Set aside.

Remove chicken from bag; discard brine. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Place the onion halves, parsley, and garlic into cavity. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Tie legs. Place chicken on rack of a broiler pan. Bake at 400° for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until thermometer registers 175°. Remove from oven (do not turn oven off). Carefully remove and discard skin. Baste chicken with half of reduced cider; return to 400° oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven; baste with remaining cider reduction. Transfer chicken to a platter.
Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a small bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat. Serve jus over chicken.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 boned and skinned chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 slices extra lean boneless ham -- 1 ounce each
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup cornflakes -- crushed
1/3 cup skim milk
Place each chicken breast between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to about 1/4 inch
thickness. Sprinkle with paper and top with a piece of ham and 3 tablespoons of cheese.
Roll up like a jelly roll. Tuck in ends and secure with wooden toothpicks. Spray and 11x7
baking dish with Pam and set aside. In a shallow dish, combine paprika, garlic powder,
and cornflake crumbs. Dip each chicken roll in milk, then roll in cornflake crumb mixture,
turning to coat thoroughly. Place rolls in the prepared baking dish. Cover and freeze.
Thaw. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until fork tender.

Optional Sauce (make and pour over chicken just before serving):
1 TB butter
1 TB Flour
1 cup Milk
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/2-1 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste

In small saucepan, melt butter. With a whisk, beat in flour. When mixture bubbles, add milk all at once, stirring with a whisk to avoid lumps. Stir in cheese, garlic powder and salt and pepper to taste. Cook stirring constantly until it's think. Pour over baked Chicken Cordon Bleu just before serving.

California Citrus Chicken

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup orange juice, from frozen concentrate
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon dry yellow mustard
1/4 teaspoon tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
6 chicken breasts -- chunked or whole
1 cup green pepper -- diced
1/4 cup red pepper -- diced
4 tablespoons green onion -- chopped
1 cup mandarin oranges
parsley -- to taste
Sitr sauce ingredients together. Stir orange sections, chicken chunks or whole breasts,
and veggies into the sauce. Bag and freeze. When thawed, place in baking dish, cover
and cook for 30 minutes at 350. Garnish with parsley and serve over rice.