dinner in ten minutes?  sure!  this recipe couldn’t be simpler, it’s super yummy and perfect for summer.

• 1/2 mango, chopped
• 1 kiwi, chopped
• 3 tbs fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbs onion, chopped
• salt and pepper
• splash of white wine vinegar
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast

combine all ingredients in a bowl (except chicken obviously) and set aside.

season your chicken with salt and pepper and place under the broiler.  cook about 4 minutes on each side.

serve chicken with a generous dollop of salsa.

• 1 cup shredded chicken
• 2 tbs fat free, shredded cheddar cheese (you can substitute w/ reduced fat if you like)
• 2 tbs onion, chopped
• 1/2 fuji apple, chopped
• 2 wedges laughing cow light, french onion flavor, room temperature
• 2 low calorie/carb, whole wheat tortillas, like the kind by
• salt and pepper

spray a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and over medium heat, saute onions and apples down about 10 minutes, season with salt and pepper.  transfer to a bowl and mix in cheese wedges. 

wipe the pan out and spray again with nonstick spray.  lay your first tortilla down in the pan, add your filling on top and spread out, leaving about a 1″ border.  top with your second tortilla and cook about 2 -3 mins per side, or until nice and brown.  cut into wedges serve em up with fat free sour cream and salsa.

this recipe is perfect if you’ve got leftover rotisserie chicken!  i’m a huge fan of them!  see my post here.

PS – sorry these pics are so dark!!

Chicken pot pie is truly one of the classic comfort foods.  Delicious and damn tempting but by no means healthy.

Well, fear not because our version has been revamped and slimmed down!   Trust me, your waist line will thank you.

• 1/2 package reduced fat crescent rolls *
• 1/2 of a leftover rotisserie chicken cut into 1″ chunks (or just use 2 chicken breasts)
• 1 medium size baking potato
• 1/2 white onion
• 1 cup of baby carrots
• 3 stalks of celery
• 1 can of 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
• 2 springs of fresh thyme (you can substitute dried)
• 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
• salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 375.

Start by cutting all your potato, onion, celery and carrots into bite size chunks.  Then, toss them in a microwave steamer bag and nuke for about 5 minutes.  If you don’t have these (and you should!)  you can always steam your veggies the old fashioned way.

Next, combine chicken, veggies, seasonings and soup in a large casserole and toss to combine.

Bake for 30 minutes, remove from oven and set aside.

Roll out your crescent into the shape of your casserole and place on top of your chicken mixture.

Return to oven and bake for an additional 15 – 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Now, devour!

* Use the rest for breakfast tomorrow!  Spoon a dollop of your favorite jam inside, roll up and bake as directed.  Sooo yummy!

I could seriously eat lettuce wraps every day.  I love the whole process of assembling each one.  The fact that you can customize and dress them up any way you please makes dinner time that much more fun!

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/2 tsp sumac*
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 head butter lettuce (sometimes called bib or Boston lettuce)
• 1/4 cups pine nuts, toasted
• handful fresh mint, chopped

Yogurt Sauce:

• 3/4 cup plain, fat free yogurt
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/8 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/8 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp sumac
• salt and pepper

For sauce, simply combine all ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.  It’s best if made a few hours ahead.

Spray your pan with non-stick spray over medium – high heat and toss in garlic and onions.  After about a minute, add in your chicken.  Season with spices, break up the meat a bit with a wooden spoon and then add in your apricots.  Continue to cook until chicken is browned, about 10 minutes.

To assemble, lay a lettuce leaf out on your plate and top with chicken mixture, finish off with a bit of your yogurt sauce, pine nuts and some fresh mint.

These were a big hit as is but I think next time I make them I’ll throw in some golden raisins too for extra sweetness.

*sumac can be found in Middle Eastern grocery stores or at a variety of places online.

Sort of like a Cordon Bleu, only minus the cheese, and made with Italian ingredients instead of French.  Okay, so it’s nothing like a Cordon Bleu but it’s definitely delicious!

• 1 lb of scallopini style chicken breast (or, you can pound your own)
• 4 slices of prosciutto
• 4 tbs sun dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
• 1 cup Fiber One cereal
• 1 tbs Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs

Preheat oven to 375.

Add Fiber One to food processor and pulse until it reaches a crumb like consistency.

Add to a large plate along with breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.

Whisk eggs in a large bowl.

Lay chicken out and top each breast with a slice of prosciutto and 1 tbs of sun dried tomatoes.  Roll up and secure ends with a toothpick if necessary.

Dip chicken rolls in egg and then breading mixture.

Allow them to sit a few minutes so that the breading sets up a bit.

Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes or until juices run clear and internal temp reaches 16o.  Allow chicken to cool a few minutes as they will be hot, hot, hot!

We served ours topped with a generous dollop of the most delicious, sweet meets savory Roasted Garlic and Onion Jam courtesy of Giant’s Simply Enjoy line.

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 cup instant mashed potatoes
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• salt and pepper
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbs butter
• 1 pack of baby bellas
• 1/2 white onion, sliced
• 1/2 cup Merlot (or your favorite red wine)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbs champagne vinegar
• 1 tsp porcini mushroom powder (see note)

Preheat oven to 375.

Whisk eggs together in a bowl.

Place potato flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper on a large plate and mix to combine.

Dip chicken breasts in egg then potato mixture.

Get a skillet going over medium – high heat and add 1 tbs of butter.  Once butter has melted add chicken breasts to pan and cook 4 minutes per side.  Don’t move them around.  You want a nice crust to form.

Transfer chicken to a baking dish and place in the oven.  Allow chicken to continue cooking about 8 minutes more or until internal temperature reaches 165.

Using the same pan you cooked the chicken in,  on medium – high heat, release the drippings from pan by adding in your wine and using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the bits.  Next, add in your mushrooms, garlic, onions, champagne vinegar, salt, pepper and porcini mushroom powder.  Allow mixture to cook down for about 15 minutes, stirring occassionally until all the wine has evaporated.  As a final step, add in 1 tbs of butter to add a nice velvety richness to the sauce.

Note:

This stuff is super earthy and delicious.  JR Mushrooms & Specialities makes a great one!

This dish is a feast for the senses!  There are lots of flavors, colors and textures going on here.

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs (Foreman)
• handful of fresh chopped mint
• 2 tbs whole grain mustard
• 3/4 cup apricot preserves
• 3 tbs cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt and pepper
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1/4 cup pistachios
• more chopped mint for garnish
• 2 apricots, halved

Start by marinating your chicken.  In a large bowl, add mustard, chopped mint, apricot preserves,  vinegar, olive oil, turmeric, garlic, salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Take half of this mixture and reserve in a separate bowl to use later on.

Add chicken to marinade and toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate about 3 hours.

We grilled our chicken on the Foreman but you could grill outdoors or on a stove top grill pan.

Add chicken to grill and cook about 4 minutes per side, or until juices run clear and internal temperature reaches 160.   (Obviously, this will differ slightly if using the Foreman as there is no need to flip your chicken)

While your chicken is cooking, halve your apricots, rub them with a little bit of  olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Once chicken is done, add apricots and grill, cut side down, until golden brown, about 2 minutes.

To serve, drizzle chicken and apricots with reserved sauce and garnish with pistachios, chopped mint and scallions.

I know, I know, one hears the dreaded word fiber and immediately thinks “old head”  but trust me, Fiber One is where it’s at!  If you’ve never had it, you don’t know what you’re missing!  It’s good for you of course but it’s actually good too!  It has a slightly sweet taste - not sugary, just the perfect hint of sweetness.  Makes for one great bowl of cereal, or, in this case, an awesome breading for chicken!

• 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into about 2 - 3 inch chunks
• 2 cups Fiber One cereal
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tbs Good Seasons dry Italian dressing mix
• 2 eggs
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375.

Crack eggs into a bowl.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Place Fiber One in food processor and pulse until fine.  Mix with breadcrumbs, Italian dressing mix, salt and pepper on a large plate.

Dip chicken in egg, then dry mixture until evenly coated.  Transfer to baking sheet.

Bake nuggets for about 15 minutes or until internal temperature reads 155 – 160.

Serve with honey mustard dipping sauce.  You can use store bought or make your own simply by mixing honey and mustard together –  2 parts honey, 1 part mustard.  I like to use a combination of yellow and whole grain mustards.

We served these up along side frozen spinach that we doctored up by adding the zest and juice of 1 lemon, a bit of crumbled goat cheese, salt and pepper.

I’m loving those store bought rotisserie chickens lately.  They yield so much meat and are super moist and tender.  The leftover possibilities are endless!

• 4 cups leftover chicken, chopped
• 1 15 oz. can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 15 oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• handful of fresh, flat leaf parsley, chopped
• handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder
• juice of 2 limes, zest of 1
• 6 tomatoes, seeded and chopped*
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
• sour cream for garnish
• pickled jalapenos for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, top with a dollop of sour cream, some pickled jalapeno slices and a dash more chili powder.

*I tend to use Campari tomatoes but you can substitute cherry, just throw in a few more.  To seed your tomatoes, simply halve them and squeeze to release the seeds.  This cuts down on the water content.

I love me some falafels.  Traditionally, they are a vegetarian dish but I added a can of chicken to these.  No harm, no fowl right?

Burgers

• 1 15.5 oz can of chickpeas
• 1 5 oz can of white chicken
• 1/4 small red onion
• 1/4 tsp tumeric
• 1/4 tsp ground Ginger
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• Dash of nutmeg
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 small handful of fresh parsely
• Small handful of cilantro
• 1 tbs sesame seeds
• 1 tbs water
• Salt and pepper

Toppings

• 1/4 red onion, sliced
• 8 cherry tomatoes, sliced
• 1/2 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 1/2 cucumber, sliced
• tahini (this is paste made from ground sesame seeds and can be found in the International aisle)
• 4 pita loaves

Combine all ingredients in food processor.  Transfer to bowl and allow mixture to sit for about 20 mins then form into 4 patties.

Add olive oil to a medium skillet over medium heat.  Cook about 5 minutes per side or until patties are browned.

To serve, spread pita with hummus, and top burger with olives, cucumber, red onion, tomato, and a dollop of tahini.

This is the best way to use up leftover chicken and throw together a weeknight meal in minutes.

• 2 cups leftover chicken breast, chopped
• 1/4 red onion, sliced
• 2 wedges of  The Laughing Cow Light Cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
• 2 whole wheat tortillas (I love Tamxicos!)

Take one tortilla and spread it with The Laughing Cow Light Cheese.  Top with chicken, onion and shredded cheese and place second tortilla on top.

Spray a skillet with non-stick cooking spray and cook quesadilla over medium heat about 3 minutes per side.  Once heated through, slice into wedges and serve with salsa and sour cream.

Guac shouldn’t be reserved for chips only.  Throw some on top of chicken for a speedy weeknight dinner and if you miss the chips that much, you can serve them on the side.

Guac

• 1 ripe haas avocado
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 5 campari tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tbs red onion, chopped
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander (cilantro)
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper

Peel your avocado and immediately drizzle lime juice over top to prevent oxidization. (that yucky brown color) Break the avocado up with a fork and add in the rest of your ingredients.  Mix to combine and set aside.

Chicken

• 1 package of thinly sliced chicken breast (or use regular and pound them out)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• salt and pepper
• 2 tbs olive oil

Heat a large skillet over medium – high heat and add in olive oil.

Lay your chicken out on a plate and top each one, front and back with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.

Cook chicken about 2 minutes per side.

To serve, top with a dollop of guac and enjoy!

• 1 lb pack of chicken tenderloins cut into 2″ chunks
• 2 tbs flour
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 1 white onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbs minced ginger
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3 tbs apricot preserves
• 1/2 cup green olives, chopped
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• juice of half a lemon
• salt and pepper
• slivered almonds for garnish

Place chicken in a bowl with flour, salt and pepper and toss to coat.

Heat a large skillet over high heat and add in olive oil.  Allow oil to heat up a minute and add in your chicken.  Brown chicken on both sides to form a crust.  This only takes about a minute on each side since since the tenderloins are so thin.  Remove the chicken and set aside. (It won’t be cooked through yet but you’ll finish cooking it later.)

Reduce heat to medium and add in onion, garlic and ginger.  Saute for about 3 minutes.

Stir in coriander, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg and paprika and saute until aromatic, about 30 seconds or so. 

Add your chicken back in along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, apricot preserves, chicken broth and olives.  Cook down a few minutes until the chicken is cooked through, all the flavors marry, and the sauce begins to thicken.

To serve, top with slivered almonds.

I read online yesterday that The 44th Annual Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest submission deadline is April 20th.  Nothing like being under the gun to come up with a quick idea on the fly!  Tried this recipe out last night and they came out great.  I’m going to submit it today.  Wish me luck!

Contest rules state that you have to incorporate two ingredients from their suggested list into your recipe.   My two ingredients are the Pillsbury Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls and the Eggland’s Best Egg.

• 1 8 0z can of Pillsbury Reduced Fat Crescent Rolls
• 2 cans Valley Fresh white meat chicken
• 5 tbs Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce
• 1 large Eggland’s Best Egg
• 2/3 cup crumbled bleu cheese, plus a few tbs for topping each one before baking
• 1/3 cup reduced fat sour cream
• 1/3 cup mayo
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375.

In a medium bowl, add chicken and break up with a fork.  Add in hot sauce, mix to combine and set aside.

In a separate bowl, add sour cream, mayonnaise, bleu cheese crumbles, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Set aside for dipping.

Place egg in a bowl along with a splash of water.  This will be used as your egg wash.

Coat a cookie sheet with a bit of non-stick spray.  Unroll each crescent onto the baking sheet. Take a heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture and place in the center of the triangle.  Top chicken with a few crumbles of bleu cheese.  Take the shortest tip of the triangle and fold over the chicken.  Then fold in each side to form what looks like a little purse.  Pinch sides to prevent any filling from spilling out as it bakes.

Brush each buffalo bite with egg wash.

Bake on 375 for about 18 – 20 minutes or until nice and brown on top.

Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve with bleu cheese dipping sauce.

*** UPDATE: US Mills, the company that distributes the Erewhon brand Crispy Brown Rice cereal we used in this dish asked if they could include this recipe on their site.  Check out our recipe featured here and check out all the other cool recipes they have online.***

This dish sounds fancy but it’s actually quite easy and sure to impress!  The trick to this is using the crispy brown rice cereal to make a light but very crispy crust.  Finished off with a lemony, nutty sauce, the whole dish packs a wallop in every bite.  

Watch out, this chicken is about to sock you in the mouth with flavor!

Ingredients:

• 1 pack of thin sliced chicken breast (usually yields about 5-6 pieces)
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• salt and pepper
• 1 egg, plus a splash of water
• 2 cups crispy brown rice cereal (I used Erewhon brand)
• 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
• 4 tbs butter

Directions:

1. In a medium sized bowl, crack your egg and add in a splash of cold water, a pinch of salt and pepper.  Beat the mixture to combine.
2. Place your brown rice krispies in a ziploc bag and add 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.  Squeeze out the air, seal the bag and then break the pieces up really good.  You’re not looking for a powder consistency, something more like big crumbs.  Place the mixture on a large plate. 
3. Take your chicken and coat in the egg mixture, allow the excess to drip off and then coat well with your brown rice crumbs.  When all pieces are coated, set aside for about 15 minutes.  If you fry them up right away, the mixture won’t adhere to the chicken as well, waiting a little while allows the coating to set up.
4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the pan is hot, melt in your butter.  Add in your chicken and don’t move them around in the pan at all, you want to build up a nice crust.  Cook the chicken about 3 minutes per side, remove and set aside.
5. Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tbs butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and pecans to your pan.  Stir well and heat the mixture for about 5 minutes.
6. To serve, spoon the pecan brown butter over the chicken and enjoy.