Sweet & Spicy Orange Chicken

Tender chicken breasts cubes marinated in orange juice, garlic and ginger.  A simple saute makes for the best orange chicken ever!  Choose your sides - steamed broccoli, jasmine rice and dinner is served.  Fresh ingredients always replace take out!

For the sauce:
1-1/2 cups water 1/4 cup orange juice 1/3 cup rice wine or red wine vinegar 2-1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce 1 Tbsp. orange zest 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp. freshly grated ginger 2 Tbsp. grated onion 1 clove garlic minced 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes (or to taste) 3 Tbsp. cornstarch 2 Tbsp. water 3 Tbsp. olive oil 2 large chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes
For the coating:
1 cup flour 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Mix all marinade ingredients except for the cornstarch and water.  Bring to a boil and let cool until room temperature, about 15 minutes.  Cube chicken breasts and place in a ziploc bag with 1 cup of the cooled marinade.  Reserve remainder.  Place chicken in refrigerator for 2 hours. 
Mix 1 cup of flour with salt and pepper.  Add chicken cubes and shake em up until coated with flour.  In a large saute pan, heat 3 Tbsp olive oil.  (You may need additional oil as I had to fry these in three batches - don't overcrowd the pan!  Shake off excess flour and saute chicken in batches until golden brown - about 2-3 minutes per side.  Transfer cooked chicken to a plate to keep warm.  Wipe out pan.  Add reserved marinade and bring to a boil.  Add cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened, about 1 minutes.  Add chicken and simmer on low, covered for 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cranberry Honey Glazed Walnut Chicken Salad

This is not your typical chicken salad.  Inspired by a local restaurant, I came up with my own version of the best chicken salad I have ever made.  Just take a few minutes to glaze your walnuts and this salad comes together in minutes.  Serve on pita bread, in a wrap or as a simple salad on romaine leaves.

Honey Glazed Walnuts
1-1/2 cups chopped walnuts 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter 3 Tbsp. honey
Melt butter in a medium size saucepan.  Add walnuts and honey and stir until fragrant and thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes.  Spread out on parchment paper or lightly sprayed foil to cool.  

You won't be able to stop munching on these!
Chicken Salad
2 cups cooked, cubed chicken 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard 1 tsp. lemon juice 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup Honey Glazed Walnuts Salt and Pepper to taste
Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl and chill.

Enjoy!

Mediterannean Grilled Chicken Hummus Panini

For the past few months or so, my co-worker Donna and I have been doing demos together on the weekends at my local ShopRite.  These next few weeks we are focusing on getting and staying healthy for the New Year.  I wanted to use a few new products in the store to create this delicious and healthy panini.  Everyone just loved it and the buzz is still going around the store about how good this sandwich was!
The products we used in the sandwich were Sabra Spreads and Brooklyn Bred Bistro Buns.  Credit also goes to Karla in our Cheese Department for suggesting the best Provolone Cheese that brought this sandwich over the top!

You will need:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil or butter, softened 4 squares of Brooklyn Bred Bistro Buns 6 Tbsp. Sabra Spread Sea Salt and Cracked Black Pepper 1/2 lb. grilled chicken, (you can use Rotisserie Chicken) or Deli Chicken or Turkey Slices of Imported Provolone Cheese (we used Auricchio) Thinly sliced English cucumber Marinated Roasted Red Peppers Sliced Kalamata Olives Crumbled Feta Thinly sliced red onion

1. Preheat grill pan or panini press.  We improvised at the store.  We used a skillet and placed foil on the bottom of a heavy pot to press the sandwich.  Brush olive oil or butter on one side of each Bistro Bun.  On the other side of each square, spread a thin layer of Sabra Spread.  Place buns hummus side up and layer on chicken, provolone cheese, cucumber, roasted peppers, kalamata olives, feta and red onion.  Close with top pieces of bread with olive oil or butter sides facing up.

Place sandwich carefully onto hot grill pan butter side down.  Grill for about 3-5 minutes, until toasted and grilled on the bottom.  Flip and grill for an additional 3-5 minutes.  Place a heavy pot or skillet on top of the sandwich to help press it together.

Cut each sandwich in half and serve warm.

This is NOT a sponsored post.  Opinions are strictly my own. Recipe adapted from Picky Palate

Maple-Glazed Chicken Tenderloins with Sweet Potatoes

A super quick weeknight meal with the help from refrigerated mashed potatoes!  The spicy steak seasoning just adds a kick of spice!

1 lb. 8 oz. package mashed sweet potatoes 1 lb. chicken breast tenderloins 2 tsp. steak grilling seasoning blend, such as Montreal 2 Tbsp. butter 1/2 cup maple syrup 1/2 cup scallions, sliced
Directions:
Prepare sweet potatoes in microwave oven according to package directions. Lightly coat chicken with steak seasoning.  Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken.  Cook 5 to 6 minutes until no long pink, turning once halfway through cooking.  Remove from skillet; cover and keep warm.  Stir maple syrup into hot skillet; cook 2 minutes.  Stir in green onions.
Drizzle potatoes and chicken with maple syrup mixture.

Serves 4 Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

CrockPot Chicken 'n' Dumplings

Warm up during this cold snap with a steamy bowl of old-fashioned Chicken "n" Dumplings.  It really doesn't get any easier to make this tasty comfort food.  

Ingredients:
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 can condensed cream of celery soup 3-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 medium onion, chopped 1 cup shredded carrots 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 can Pillsbury Crescent Roll Sheet Chopped fresh parsley Additional freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Spray 6 quart slow cooker with cooking spray.  In slow cooker, mix both soups, broth and onion and carrots.  Arrange chicken in slow cooker.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot with butter.
Cover, cook on LOW setting for 5-1/2 hours.  Uncover, shred chicken using two forks and return chicken to slow cooker.
On work surface, unroll crescent roll dough.  Cut into 1" x 3" strips.  Place strips in stew, pressing gently with back of spoon to submerge into liquid.  Cover and cook on HIGH an additional 30 minutes or until dumpling are cooked through.  Sprinkle with addition pepper.

Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage

Making homemade sausage is easier than you think!  Mix your own sausage and it can be free of preservatives that are found in processed foods.  To cut the fat, these sweet and savory sausages can be made with ground chicken or turkey.
You can easily make these into patties - but if you get a bit more ambitious, you can have the traditional shaped sausage without using any casings.

Sweet Apple Chicken Sausage
1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 Gala or Honeycrisp apple, grated 1/2 cup grated sweet onion 1 clove garlic, minced 1/3 cup fresh parsley, chopped 1 tsp. poultry seasoning 1/2 tsp. thyme leaves 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, ground Dash of paprkia 1 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper 1 lb. ground chicken
Directions:
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat.  Add apple and onion.  Cook about 2 minutes or until apple and onion begin to release their juices, about 2 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.  Set aside to cool.
If you are grinding your own chicken, cut boneless, skinless pieces into one-inch cubes.  Place in food processor in batches.  Cover and pulse until the ground meat holds together.  Do not over process.
In a medium bowl, place chicken, cooled apple and onion mixture, parsley, poultry seasoning, thyme leaves, ground fennel, paprika and salt and pepper.  Mix well with your hands, just to combine.  Refrigerate one hour for flavors to blend.
To make sausage:
Place one piece of plastic wrap, approximately 12 x 16 on counter top.  Place 1/3 cup of sausage mixture in the center.  Fold over plastic wrap and mold into a cylinder.  Twist ends in the opposite direction and tie ends.  Cut off any excess plastic wrap.

Fill a medium saute pan about 2/3 cup filled water water.  Bring to a low simmer.  Lower sausages into barely simmering water.  Cover and poach until cooked, about 10 minutes.

Remove from simmering water and let cool enough to handle.  At this point you can refrigerate or freeze.

All the juices are trapped inside these little bundles.
Remove water from skillet.  Dry with a paper towel and add 1 Tbsp. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. butter and heat over medium heat.  Cut end of sausage casing with scissors and squeeze out sausage (along with the juices) into saute pan.  Saute until most of the liquid evaporates and sausage are nicely browned on all sides.

Serve warm with a drizzle of maple syrup and a stack of pancakes or waffles.  This makes a great "breakfast for dinner" meal.
Enjoy!

Crouton-Crusted Chicken Caesar Salad

In this recipe for Chicken Caesar Salad, the chicken is almost as crunchy as the croutons!  The secret to a crusted chicken breast that's crisp on the outside and juicy on the inside.  This salad can be made easily on a work night.  Make extra and take for lunch the next day.

Ingredients:
2 large skinless, boneless chicken breast (6-8 oz. each) 1 cup coarsely chopped Texas Toast Croutons (any variety you like)  I used Garlic and Butter. 1 tsp. kosher salt 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup of your favorite Caesar Dressing plus 2 Tbsp. Freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1 large head Romaine Lettuce Extra croutons for garnish
Directions:
Process croutons until coarsely chopped.  Transfer to paper plate or shallow dish. Trim excess skin and fat from chicken.  Slice each breast in half lengthwise.  Place chicken in a plastic bag with a little water inside.  Lightly pound to an even thickness.  Season with salt and pepper. Dip both sides of prepared chicken into 2 Tbsp. Caesar Dressing.  Transfer the chicken to the dish containing crumbs.  Pat crumbs on both sides of chicken - it's OK if some crumbs fall off.
Heat oil in large non-stick pan.  Lay chicken in the pan.  Saute chicken until golden, 3-4 minutes.  Carefully flip chicken and saute until completely cooked.   Slice romaine lettuce in half and remove core.  Slice into thin shreds.  Place in colander and rinse well with cold water.  Dry well with paper towel and refrigerate until ready to prepare salad.  I leave a piece of paper towel in with the lettuce while it's chilling to absorb excess moisture.

Slice chicken breast into strips or cubes.  Toss chilled romaine with Caesar Dressing - just enough to coat the lettuce.  Add chicken and croutons.  Drizzle with a little extra dressing and grate plenty of parmesan cheese on top.

Enjoy!
Prep Time:  15 mins. Cook Time 10 minutes Servings:  4 generous

Saucy Peach-Apricot Garlic Chicken

Saucy Susan Peach/Apricot Sauce has been around for as long as I can remember.  My last recipe for Coconut Chicken Tenders with Sweet & Sassy Dipping Sauce brought on a lot of comments that most folks could not find it in the supermarket.  If it's not available in your area, simply substitute apricot or peach preserves with some white vinegar, honey and crushed red pepper flakes to taste or use Asian Duck Sauce.

Ingredients: 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 cup onion, chopped 1 tsp. fresh ginger, grated 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes 1/4 cup white wine 1/2 cup Saucy Susan Peach Apricot Sauce 1/2 Tbsp. Asian Chili Garlic Sauce (to taste - add more if you like it spicy) 1 cup chicken broth 1 tsp. teryaki sauce Salt & Pepper
Directions:
In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add onions and saute until softened and lightly golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper.  Add chicken cubes and brown lightly on all side.  Deglaze with white wine.  Let wine reduce by half, about 5 minutes.  Add Peach Apricot Sauce, Chili Garlic Sauce, chicken broth and teryaki sauce.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a low simmer.  Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened, about 30-40 minutes.
Serve with white rice and stir fried broccoli.

Chicken Tortilla Soup + #Healthy Solutions Spice Blends Giveaway!

Did you know?
The natural salt in food accounts for about 10 percent of total intake, on average according to the FDA.  The salt we add at the table or while cooking adds another 5 to 10 percent.  About 75 percent of our total salt intake comes from salt added to processed foods by manufacturers and salt that cooks add to foods at restaurants and fast food.

Healthy Solutions Spice Blends are made using only the highest quality spices and have no fillers or preservatives, no MSG, and are low in carbohydrates.  Most blends are made with no salt or sugar.
It's difficult to cook without salt!  Food needs salt to taste good!  But if you put together the right combination of spices, you add flavor and Healthy Solutions makes it easy!  There are so many delicious blends to choose from such as Hearty Beef Stew, Italian Meatballs, Perfect Steak, Ultimate Burger, Cajun Seafood, Shrimp Scampi and more!  The packages contain plenty of product and can be used for several meals.  Follow and 'Like' Healthy Solutions Spice Blends for more recipes for the Holidays and everyday meals.

I used the Authentic Chili/Tacos Spice Blend for my Chicken Tortilla Soup.  I have made several recipes using this blend since my family loves Mexican Food!  It's not overly spicy and gives any Mexican dish a great flavor.

Ingredients:
3 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded 2 large ripe tomatoes 1 clove garlic 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded 2 Tbsp. Healthy Solutions Authentic Chili/Tacos Spice Blend 1 Tbsp. canola oil (plus 4 Tbsp. for frying tortilla strips) 1 cup onion, chopped 6 cups low sodium chicken stock 1 can low-sodium cream of chicken soup 1 cup half & half 1 10 oz. package frozen corn 1 small can chopped green chilies 1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed 3 corn tortillas, divided
For Garnish: 1 ripe avocado, cubed or sliced Fresh cilantro Shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese Fried tortilla strips
Directions: Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Sprinkle chicken breasts with about 1 Tbsp. of Authentic Chili/Tacos Blend and a drizzle of olive oil.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through.  Prepare soup base.
Set a skillet over medium heat.  Once it is hot, toast the chiles for about a minute per side.  In a medium saucepan, place the toasted guajillos, tomatoes and garlic clove and cover with water.  Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until tomatoes are cooked and mushy and the guajillos have rehydrated and plumped up, about 15 minutes.
Place the guajillos, tomatoes, garlic, onion and 1 Tablespoon Authentic Chili/Tacos Blend, along with the simmering liquid.  Puree until completely smooth.   In a soup pot, heat 2 Tbsp. canola oil over medium high heat. Once hot, pout in the tomato puree.  Cook until slightly thickened and puree turns a deep red, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add chicken stock, cream of chicken soup, half and half, corn, green chilies and beans.  Bring to a simmer.  Tear up one corn tortilla and add to soup.  Simmer to blend flavor, about 30 minutes.  Stir in shredded chicken.
For Tortilla Crisps:
Heat 4 Tbsp. oil in a small skillet.  Stack two corn tortillas and cut into thin strips.  Fry in hot oil until lightly brown and crisp, about 2 minutes.  Place on paper-towel lined plate and sprinkle lightly with salt and Authentic Chili/Tacos Blend
Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, cheese of your choice and fresh avocado cubes or sliced.  Add a handful of tortilla strips.
Makes about 2 quarts.  Fry additional tortilla strips to garnish. Guajillo chiles can be found in most supermarkets in the Latin section.
Enter below and choose your favorite blend! a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Buttermilk Fried Chicken Fingers with Honey Dijon Dipping Sauce

These chicken fingers are not your average.  I used the spices and method from my Perfect Buttermilk Fried Chicken recipe.  Crispy and crunchy with the most delicious dipping sauce!  

For the Dipping Sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise 3 Tbsp. Dijon Mustard 3 Tbsp. Honey 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Chicken Fingers: 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into approx. 4" long x 1" wide strips 2 Tbsp. kosher salt, divided 2 tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. black pepper 1-1/2 tsp. paprika 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 tsp. onion powder 1 cup buttermilk 1 large egg 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp. cornstarch Canola oil (for frying)
Pound chicken strips into 1/2" thickness. Whisk 1 Tbsp. salt, 2 tsp. black pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder and onion powder in a small bowl.  Season chicken strips with spices.  Place in a medium bowl and cover and chill for 1 hour. 
Whisk buttermilk, egg and 1/2 cup water in a medium bowl.  Whisk flour, cornstarch, remaining 1 Tbsp. salt and remaining 1 Tbsp. pepper in a shallow bowl.
Pour oil into a 10-12" cast iron skillet to a depth of 1/2".  Heat oven medium-high heat until temperature reaches 350 degrees F.
Dip chicken in buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip back into bowl.  Dredge in flour mixture; shake off excess.  Place 4 or 5 pieces of chicken in skillet.  Fry, turning once until golden brown and chicken is cooked through- approx. 2-3 minutes per side.  Remove chicken and transfer to a cooling rack.

Serve with Honey-Dijon Dipping Sauce ENJOY! Coconut Chicken Tenders with Sweet & Sassy Dipping Sauce

Rotisserie Crescent Chicken Pot Pie

Did you know that the first pies were often made from pastry that was intentionally barely edible?  Pastry was used as a method of keeping meats and fillings moist during cooking and also to seal the filling to keep it from spoiling. YUM.  

Many believe the term "pie" has its beginnings from "magpie", a bird that collected a variety of different objects.  

The Chicken Pot Pie was the first frozen pot pie available in the US, developed by the Swanson Company in 1951.  As the saying goes, the rest is history.

With a few store-bought ingredients and some fresh veggies, you can make a delicious home-made chicken pot pie in about 30 minutes.
Rotisserie chicken can be a life-saver for a quick dinner.  It's moist and juicy, and all the work is done for you.  I bought just a whole breast and only used half of it for these four pot pies.  You can double the recipe for a larger family.

INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 Rotisserie Chicken Breast 1 cup onion, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped 1 large potato, diced 1 tsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried) 1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley 6 Tbsp. all-purpose flour 3 cups chicken stock 1 cup frozen peas and carrots Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 1 tube Crescent Rolls
DIRECTIONS
In a medium saute pan, melt butter and olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion, celery and potatoes and saute until onions and potatoes begin to brown slightly, about 5-7 minutes.  Add salt, pepper, parsley and thyme.

Stir in flour and stir to combine.  Cook for 2-3 minutes to cook the raw flour and it begins to smell toasty.  Add chicken stock and peas and carrots and bring to a simmer.  Simmer 5-10 minutes until thickened and vegetables are tender.

  Remove half of chicken breast and cut into chunks.  Stir into gravy.  Add any accumulated juices left in the container from the chicken.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Divide filling among 4 ramekins and fill them up to the brim! Remove dough from package.  Roll out and pinch together perforations.  Roll out slightly to measure 8 inches across.  Cut four squares measuring 4 x 4 inches.  Drape over filling, stretching slightly so dough hangs over the edge of the ramekin.  Brush with egg wash and top with Sea Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown and filling is bubbly.

How easy was that? Let cool slightly before serving.
Makes 4 generous pot pies.

Colavita Summer Grilling Recipes + Giveaway!

Most of us have been to wine tastings.  It's a fun and interesting way to try new wines, pair them with food and expand your tastebuds.  Have you ever thought of having an Olive Oil Tasting?  The generous folks at Colavita asked me to host a Summer Grilling party with olive oils, cheeses and dessert - all made on the grill!  I received some olive oils from around the world to pair with these delicious summer recipes.  
We started off with Classic Brushcetta on crispy, grilled semolina bread to get the party started!

Classic Italian Bruschetta
8 Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced 1/3 cup Vidalia onion, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves 1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar 1 Tbsp. Colavita Extra Virgin Olive Oil Salt and pepper to taste Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano slivers Semolina bread
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil.  Cut an "X" in the bottom of each tomato.  Submerge in water for about 1 minute.  Rinse in cold water and peel.  Remove core and seeds and cut into cubes.  Add onion, garlic, basil, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper.  Let marinate for at least one hour.  Grill slices of semolina until lightly charred.  Brush with a small amount of olive oil and top with tomato mixture.  Top with slivers of cheese.
Before the main course, we tasted some of the olive oils from around the world.  It's a nice way to break the ice and get some good conversation going!  It was interesting to see what everyone liked!  Some are peppery while others have a strong fruit flavor that finishes off differently as you taste.
Just cut up some cubes of crusty bread, pour each of the oils into a small dish and start dunking!

  For the main course grilled, boneless chicken breasts.

Chimichurri Chicken  Chimichurri is an essential part of Argentinean cuisine; a bowl of chimichurri can be found on every dinner table. Chimichurri is typically served with steak, but it's also great on grilled fish and chicken.
Chimichurri can also be used as a marinade.  I made a double batch.  One to marinate the chicken and another batch to serve on the side.  This marinade has so much fresh flavor and really made this grilled chicken unforgettable! 5 large boneless chicken breasts, trimmed, halved horizontally and pounded thin. 1 cup fresh Italian parsley 3-4 garlic cloves 2 Tbsp. fresh oregano or 2 tsp. dried 1/2 cup Colavita Spanish Olive Oil  (best choices:  Extra Virgin, Spanish, Greek or Argentinian) 2 Tbsp. Colavita red or white wine vinegar 1 tsp. sea salt 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Process the fresh herbs in a food processor along with all other ingredients.  Pour marinade over chicken and refrigerate 3-4 hours. Serve immediately if using as a condiment or refrigerate.  If chilled return to room temperature before serving.
For dessert - use your grill!  Toasted, grilled pound cake is delicious topped with fresh berries and a sweet/tangy balsamic glaze.

Grilled Pound Cake with Strawberries and Balsamic Glaze
2 cups Colavita Balsamic Vinegar 1 tsp. honey or brown sugar Pinch of salt
Bring the vinegar to a boil in a small heavy saucepan.  Reduce to a simmer and add the honey or brown sugar.  Cook until reduced by half and thickened, about 15-20 minutes.  Remove from heat and season with salt.  Let cool completely.
Grill slices of pound cake.  Top with fresh strawberry slices and drizzle balsamic glaze over berries and cake.  Top with whipped cream or strawberry ice cream.
FOR MORE GREAT RECIPES VISIT COLAVITA'S RECIPE LIBRARY! Colavita is not just Olive Oil!  Browse through the COLAVITA STORE for pasta, risotto, tomatoes, sweets/coffee, gourmet gifts and more using COUPON CODE CC15  for 15% off your online purchase.  This code will be active through August 11, 2014.     
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Recipes adapted from Olive Oil and Food Pairing Guide Ingredients courtesy of Colavita