Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Chicken

I've realized one thing from this recipe...I don't use my slow cooker nearly as much as I should. 

I've made this recipe before just haven't shared it with you. It's pretty much the only recipe I use that includes my slow cooker. That's a problem! Slow cookers are awesome. You come home from work and your dinner is ready! The only thing I had to do when I got home from work was shred the chicken! Success. Additional success, we had leftovers!

Aside from the ease of the recipe it's also very tasty. The honey really adds a nice sweetness while the chiles add a kick of spiciness. I made this for a family BBQ last summer. I did one bunch with out the chiles and one with. Both very tasty, just want to make one a little more kid friendly without the spice.

 The recipe calls for thighs, I substituted boneless, skinless breasts which worked just as nice. The first night we had these, I served them on rolls. The next night I served over cornbread. Both ways were very good. It's nice to change up leftovers. 

Make this for yourself or for a crowd! I promise you'll (and they'll) enjoy!

Barbecue Pulled Chicken

From EatingWell.com

1 8-ounce can reduced-sodium tomato sauce
1 4-ounce can chopped green chiles, drained
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon sweet or smoked paprika
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced

Stir tomato sauce, chiles, vinegar, honey, paprika, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, ground chipotle and salt in a 6-quart slow cooker until smooth. Add chicken, onion and garlic; stir to combine.
Put the lid on and cook on low until the chicken can be pulled apart, about 5 hours.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and shred with a fork. Return the chicken to the sauce, stir well and serve.

Buffalo Chicken Nachos

This past Sunday was the Super Bowl. Did you watch? Was your team playing? I'm not a huge football fan but I do live in Philadelphia were the city goes crazy for the Eagles. If they were to make it to the Super Bowl, I'd totally hop on the band wagon and cheer them on. Alas, the Giants and Patriots were the champions so we stayed home which was a perfect excuse to make buffalo chicken nachos that I've been seeing pop up all over Pinterest (follow me if you're on)! The combination of buffalo chicken & nachos is complete heaven to me. This tasty treat was oh so easy and oh so yummy.  It's perfect for a party (or no party at all)! 

Buffalo Chicken Nachos (adapted from foodnetwork.com) 

 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups wing sauce

1/2 cup water

4 cups shredded cooked chicken

Tortilla chips

3 cups cheddar cheese

blue cheese & chopped celery

Bring wing sauce and water to a simmer.  Add chicken, strain the chicken and reserve the wing sauce. Spread tortilla chips over cookie sheet, top with chicken and cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 until cheese is melted. Top with blue cheese, chopped celery and reserved wing sauce.

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken

Yes, roasting a whole chicken sound intimidating but it really isn't. 

 

I promise. I'm still such a novice in the kitchen and I find roasting a whole chicken to be very simple yet so rewarding. I've roasted a whole chicken several times and I'm always happy with the results. There are so many ways you can roast a chicken and so much you can do with the end result.

I always fall back on the very simple lemon rosemary recipe from the one and only, Martha. I find that it has great flavor. The sliced up lemon really helps keep the chicken nice and moist and I've always loved the flavor of rosemary. 

Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken: Martha Stewart

• 4 sprigs rosemary
• 2 lemons, washed and quartered
• 1 whole chicken, (3 1/2 pounds), rinsed and patted dry
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Stuff rosemary and 1 cut lemon into chicken cavity. Tuck wings under and tie chicken legs together with kitchen twine. Set chicken on a rack in a roasting or baking pan.
2. Rub chicken all over with oil, and season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in the thickest part of the thigh (avoiding bone), 45 to 50 minutes. Serve with fresh lemon quarters.

Panko Crusted Chicken Bites

A few weeks ago this little guy, Nico, was over while his mama was getting some stuff done at their house. Isn't he so cute?? His mama thinks he's especially cute when he's up in the middle of the night. While listening to Nadya and him sing some wonderful tunes this great chicken meal was made! Pretty soon he'll be able to eat stuff off this blog! Can't wait for that! He's already a huge fan of his rice cereal. 


I can go on and on about this cutie but I'll get moving to the recipe...

I always keep panko on hand. I actually favor panko compared to breadcrumbs and usually substitute panko when breadcrumbs are called for in a recipe. I find they taste and work better. This meal wasn't planned but I had all the ingredients in the house and had it on my 'to make' list for quite some time. It ended up being really tasty. Another home run from Martha!  I think the next time I make it, I'll make them buffalo style!These are great for a crowd too.

 

Panko Crusted Chicken Bites: Martha Stewart

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 2 pounds), cut into 1-inch cubes

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and fit with a wire rack. Spray with cooking spray; set aside.
2. Place flour in a large bowl and season very generously with salt and pepper. Whisk eggs in another large bowl with 2 tablespoons water until well combined. Place the breadcrumbs in a third large bowl, and drizzle with olive oil; toss to coat. Stir in cheese and cayenne and mix well.
3. Place chicken pieces in the seasoned flour and toss to coat. Working in 3 batches, shake off any excess flour from chicken pieces and transfer to egg mixture; stir to combine. Transfer coated chicken pieces with a slotted spoon to the breadcrumb mixture and toss until completely coated. Place the breaded chicken pieces on a rack-lined baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart. Repeat process until all the chicken is breaded. Bake until golden brown and chicken is cooked through, 18 to 20 minutes

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Green Beans

I love Chinese food. I really do! But it really isn't all that healthy...BUT making it at home makes it a bit healthier! It's amazing how cooking at home can really cut the calories of some meals in half. After having this meal stare at me on the cover of an issue of Every Day Food, I knew I had to make it and I'm happy I did.

 

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 bell peppers (any color), seeded and diced large
• 1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and halved
• 5 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts (optional)

1. Cook rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, and vinegar. Set aside.
   
2. In a large skillet or wok, heat oil over high. Add chicken, bell peppers, and green beans and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add scallions, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 4 minutes.
   
3. Whisk soy sauce mixture, add to skillet, and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Fluff rice with a fork. To serve, spoon chicken mixture over rice and top with peanuts if desired.

A Guest Post from Sara Hayes!

Hello Lots to Ladle readers! I'm so excited Lynnie asked me to guest blog. I've learned a lot from her and this blog, and just like her, I've adapted a Martha Stewart recipe to share today!

Martha has a very easy recipe for tortilla soup with black beans. I added some shredded chicken and left out the tortilla chips for a lighter version. This soup is perfect for an easy dinner. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Chicken Tortilla Soup with Black Beans

1 tbsp. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. chili powder

2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes in juice

2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (14.5 oz) reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 package (10 oz) frozen corn kernels

course salt and ground pepper

1 cup crushed tortilla chips (optional)

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium. Cook garlic and chili powder until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes (with juices), beans, broth, corn, and 1 cup water; season with salt and pepper.

In a separate, smaller saucepan, add chicken breast. Add water or chicken broth so chicken is covered by about 1-2 inches. Season with salt and pepper. Bring water to just under a simmer on medium-high heat. Simmer for about 10-12 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. After chicken is cooked, shred and add to the soup.

Bring soup to a boil; reduce to a simmer. Add to tortilla chips; cook until softened, about two minutes. Remove from heat; stir in lime juice, and season with salt and paper. Serve soup with lime wedges and, if desired, more chips.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

 

 I had some of this in the freezer and came up with......

Buffalo Chicken Pizza!

There's a pizza place near my house that makes a great buffalo chicken pizza; instead of ordering it in one night I decided to try it out at home. I'm happy I did because it actually came out pretty darn good and was really easy to do. 

I'm a huge fan of hot, spicy foods which is probably why I enjoy this pizza so much. I believe this was one of those nights that I didn't have anything planned. So I started looking through the kitchen to see what I can mix up...I had chicken, pizza dough, hot sauce, and blue cheese. The stars were aligned! 

You can make this pizza as spicy as you wish.  If you're not a fan of blue cheese, try Gorgonzola.  I always find the pizza dough bakes up nicely when I pre bake it. 

Ingredients: 

Pizza dough (see recipe here) 

1 cup Hot sauce, plus 2 tablespoons butter

1 lb grilled chicken breast, chopped

1/2 cup blue cheese grumbles 

Bake pizza dough for 12 minutes at 375. While pizza dough is baking, combine hot sauce and 2 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan on medium heat.  (Add more hot sauce if you wish.) Layer chicken, hot sauce, and cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Chicken Tostada Salad

This recipe comes from the May 2010 issue of Everyday Food.  I made this meal around Cinco de Mayo ( I know, I know! I'm sorry I'm just posting it now). Tostada is exactly what it sounds like, a toasted tortilla. The tostada serves as the crunchy shell to this very simple salad. This was a very tasty and simple meal to prepare. Next time I'll make a lime vinaigrette to go with the salad. I didn't think there was enough flavor from the lime juice alone. It was a bit too dry.

Ingredients: 

4 corn tortillas

3 tablespoons of olive oil

3/4 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 small red onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 garlic clove, minced

breast meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, torn into bite-sized pieces

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1/2 head romaine lettuce

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, and diced

fresh cilantro

1. Preheat oven to 400. Brush each side of the tortillas with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes. Divide cheese among tortillas and return to oven until cheese is bubbling, about 3 minutes. 

2. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high. Add half the red onion and cook until softened. Add chili powder and garlic and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add chicken and 1/4 cup of water and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2  minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon lime juice and remove from heat. 

3. In a large bowl combine lettuce and 1 tablespoon lime juice; season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat and divide among tortillas. Top each with chicken mixture, tomato, avocado, remaining onion, and cilantro.

Pear Salad

This is a popular salad that's popping up on menus at just about every restaurant I go to. I add grilled chicken to this pear salad for some protein and to make it a more filling meal but most any meat will work with this salad. It's also tasty without meat. The combination of the pear, nuts, dried cranberries, and blue cheese makes this salad so deliciously perfect!

Ingredients:

Mixed greens

Dried cranberries

Pecans (walnuts work well too)

Red grapes, halved

1 pear, thinly sliced

Blue-Cheese

Grilled Chicken

Dressing of your choice (I recommend this one)

Use the amount of each ingredient depending on your liking. Toss all ingredients together and enjoy!

Sauteed Chicken in a Mustard Cream Sauce

 I'm always flipping through the pages of my numerous cookbooks looking for recipes & ideas. I'm usually looking for a quick meal since there's not much time after working a full day. I've been flipping past this recipe for a couple months and finally decided to make it especially since it's asparagus season. 

This recipe came from my Everyday Food cookbook (remember this is the one my sister got me for Christmas). The mustard cream sauce came out really well. The tarragon complimented the sauce really well too! If you're not a fan of tarragon try making it with thyme. 

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 ounces each)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry white wine, or chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh)

1. Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; saute until cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Transfer to a plate; keep warm.
2. Pour wine into hot skillet; cook, stirring, until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Whisk in cream, mustard, and tarragon. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 2 minutes.
3. Pour any accumulated chicken juices into sauce. Right before serving, drizzle cream sauce over chicken.

Pizza: Whole Wheat Pizza Dough with Pesto, Roasted Red Peppers, Grilled Chicken & Mozzarella Cheese

I came up with the idea for this pizza based off one of my favorite panini's (roasted red peppers, mozzarella, & pesto).

The pizza dough is so simple that it will make you question why you use store bought. This recipe for pizza dough makes enough for 2 large pizzas or 8 individual ones. I used one for this recipe and put the other half in the freezer for later use (probably sometime later this week).

Ingredients:
1 whole wheat pizza dough (recipe here)
Pesto
2 Red Bell Peppers, roasted
8 ounces of Mozzarella cheese
1 lb of grilled chicken breast, cubed

Prepare pizza dough according to directions. Bake for 8 mins.

Spread pesto on crust, top with roasted red peppers, grilled chicken, & mozzarella cheese. Bake at 450 degrees for 12-16 mins.

Lighter Chicken Pot Pie

I've been meaning to make this recipe for quite a while. I've always been a fan of chicken pot pie; however, sometimes it's just too filling. This recipe substitutes the traditional pie crust with phyllo dough. Phyllo dough is a Greek pastry dough; it's paper thin and very delicate. I made it as one large chicken pot pie; however, you can make these into individual chicken pot pies.

I substituted the fresh tarragon for fresh thyme and omitted the peas since I'm not a huge fan of peas. It was very tasty for a cool fall day!

You can find the recipe here

Comfort food: Chicken Ala King

I love cooking when there's a chill in the air. This time of year is perfect and it always puts me in the mood for some good comfort food. I've been wanting to make chicken ala king for awhile now and finally got around to it last night.

About a year ago I went to a "Tastefully Simple" party. Have you ever heard of this company? They're known for making things super easy. I bought this biscuit mix and finally got around to making them for chicken ala king. They were very easy and very good!

I got the chicken ala king recipe from Rachel Ray. I'm not a big fan of peas so used celery instead. This is one of her 30 min meals; however, it took me about an hour. All in all it was very good meal. I'll be making this one again.

You can find the recipe here

General Tso

I've been craving Chinese food for awhile now so I decided to give into that craving by making Martha's version of general tso chicken. The process is timely but the end product was well worth it.

You can find the recipe here

Chicken Cacciatore with Whole Wheat Pasta

I've been wanting to make this meal for a while. I saw Giada making Chicken Cacciatore on Everyday Italian on the Food Network while surfing the channels about a year ago.

The whole process was lengthy but everything was very tasty. The chicken was very flavorful and moist. I cooked up some whole wheat pasta which went very nice with the meal. The recipe makes plenty which is always good for left overs.

*You can find the recipe here

Winter Grilling: Grilled Chicken with Lemon and Oregano

Just because it's winter it doesn't mean you can't grill! I have an indoor grill and I grilled up some chicken.

I made grilled chicken with lemon and oregano, green beans with lemon zest, & some brown rice.

I steamed the green beans-mixed 1 tablespoon of lemon zest, butter, salt & pepper.

For the chicken I followed this recipe.

*I used chicken tenderloins instead

Comfort Food: Chicken & Dumplings

I've been craving chicken and dumplings for quite some time. I finally got around to making it tonight and I was very pleased with the flavor of this dish. It was very simple; a bit lengthy for a week night meal but well worth it. To save some time I used baby carrots and instead of using water I used chicken broth for some extra flavor.

*You can find the recipe here

Chicken Scaloppine with Arugula, Lemon, and Parmesan

Yummy!

Scalopinne: sauteed cutlets (usually veal or poultry) that have been pounded thin. This is a great, simple, and healthy recipe! Enjoy!

You can find the recipe here

Chicken Stir Fry Lettuce Wraps (yet again adapted from Martha)

These lettuce wraps were full of flavor. Martha pulled through again!

I didn't have cornstarch so I used flour. (For every tablespoon of cornstarch use 2 tablespoons of flour)

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved horizontally and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large red bell pepper, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch, mixed with 1 tablespoon water
12 to 16 Boston lettuce leaves (about 2 heads)

Directions
Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over high heat. Add half the chicken; cook, stirring constantly, until opaque throughout, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining chicken.

Add remaining tablespoon oil to pan, along with the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until onion is tender and golden, about 4 minutes (reduce heat if browning too quickly).

Reduce heat to medium; add garlic, ginger, and red-pepper flakes; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds.

Stir in soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch mixture; remove from heat. Add chicken and any accumulated juices; toss to coat. Serve in lettuce cups.

Lighter Sesame Chicken (Adapted from Martha Stewart)

Serves 4:

Ingredients:
3/4 cup brown rice
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 garlic clove, finely chopped or crushed with a garlic press
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch chunks
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, such as safflower
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 pounds broccoli, cut into large florets, stems peeled and thinly sliced

Directions:
Place a steamer basket in a large saucepan, and fill with 1 inch water; set aside for broccoli. Cook rice according to package instructions.

Meanwhile, make sauce: In a small bowl, combine honey, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and garlic; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and cornstarch. Add chicken; season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add half the chicken; cook, turning occasionally, until golden and opaque throughout, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate; repeat with remaining tablespoon oil and chicken. Return all the chicken to skillet; add reserved sauce and scallions, and toss to coat.

Meanwhile, place saucepan with steamer basket over high heat; bring water to a boil. Add broccoli, and cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve sesame chicken with broccoli and rice.