Chicken Enchilada Casserole

INGREDIENTS

3 cooked chicken breasts, shredded (I used 2 large cans of chicken to cut down on time)

2 cups minute rice

3 cans (10 oz each) Enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso)

1 can (16 oz) black beans

1 cup cheddar, shredded

1 cup Monterey Jack or pepper jack cheese, shredded

1 can (11 oz) corn kernel, drained

salt and ground black pepper to taste

sour cream and/or cilantro to garnish (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS 

Cook the rice as directed.

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.

Mix the 2 cheeses together.

In a large bowl mix the shredded chicken with the enchilada sauce, corn, black beans and half of the cheese. Add rice, season with salt and pepper if needed, and mix well. Pour rice mixture into a large casserole dish. Top with remainder of cheese.

Bake for about 20 to 30 minutes or until cheese melts and is bubbly.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and/or sour cream and serve warm.

Adapted from JoCooks

Chicken and Veggie Bake

Ingredients

-Skinless chicken breasts chopped into 2 inch cubes

-1/2 cup chicken broth

-1 lb red potatoes chopped into 2 inch cubes (you can do sweet potatoes instead, but you’ll have to extend the cooking time to an hour)

-1/2 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces.

-Red and yellow peppers sliced into 1 inch pieces.

-1 onion sliced

-1/3 cup fresh basil

-4 garlic cloves sliced thin

-1.5 tbsp Olive Oil

-1 tsp fresh chopped rosemary

-Ground pepper to taste

*Optional: Carrots can be added. 2 large or 1/2 cup of baby cut carrots

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and add chicken, potatoes, veggies, basil, garlic, chicken broth and olive oil (I mix it in a bowl first so it’s all evenly seasoned). Sprinkle with rosemary add pepper if desired. Bake for approximately 45 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender! ENJOY!

Original recipe found here. 

Crockpot Chicken, Potatoes and Green Beans

I've seen a similar recipe to this floating around pinterest, but it used a crazy amount of butter. This not only tastes great, but is seasoned nicely without the nasty fats! 

Ingredients

• 1.5- 2lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• ½ lb. fresh green beans, trimmed (about 2.5 cups)
• 1.25 lb. diced red potatoes (about 4 cups)
• ⅓ cup FRESH lemon juice
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ¼ tsp. onion powder
• 2 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions

1. Start by placing the chicken in a 6-quart slow cooker, in the center. Next add the green beans on one side. Then for the potatoes, you will need to mound them high off to the other side.
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic cloves.
3. Pour this mixture evenly over the chicken, green beans and potatoes. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours, without opening the lid during the cooking time.

Original recipe found here. 

Cajun Chicken Pasta on the Lighter Side

This was seriously amazing! It was a huge it with my husband (he said it tasted like the cajun chicken pasta dish from TGI Friday's). The amazing thing? It's healthy! This will definitely become a recipe that becomes a regular to our menu. This could easily be made for a big crowd as well. This dish comes together rather quickly once all your vegetables are chopped.

You can make this with shrimp instead of chicken, or use a combination of both. Make this vegetarian by leaving the chicken out or replacing it with tofu and the chicken broth with vegetable broth. You can also make this gluten-free by using brown rice pasta and replacing the flour with 1 teaspoon of corn starch. Hope you enjoy!!

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces uncooked whole wheat linguine
• 1 pound chicken breast strips (I already had cooked chicken in cubes in the freezer that I used)
• 1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced (I add mushrooms and it was still amazing)
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp light cream cheese
• fresh cracked pepper
• 2 scallions, chopped
• salt to taste
• cooking spray

Directions:

Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt (my chicken was already cooked and cubed, so I just added the seasonings to the bag and gave it a good shake).

Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.

Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray and add half of the chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.

Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes.

Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender.Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.

Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes.

Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat. Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!

recipe and picture found here: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/02/cajun-chicken-pasta-on-lighter-side.html#more

Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie Cups

This was another recipe I found thanks to Pinterest! I am in LOVE with cupcake recipes because it makes serving sizes easier to calculate since I'm trying to lose baby weight and they're less messy for an entire meal! I hope you enjoy as much as I did...

- 1 can of reduced fat biscuits (I actually was able to use TWO cans at a total of 16 biscuits)

- 1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced (I used a *large* canned chicken - no cooking!)
- 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
- 2/3 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
- 1 cup of frozen mixed veggies
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Separate biscuits and place each biscuit in a cup of a lightly greased 12-hole muffin pan, pressing dough up sides to edge of cup.
3. In a medium bowl, combine chicken, chicken soup, veggies, cheddar cheese, onion powder, parsley flakes, and black pepper. Mix well to combine.
4. Evenly spoon chicken mixture into prepared biscuit cups.
5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
6. Remove from oven. Place muffin pan on a wire rack and let set for 2-3 minutes. Serve at once.

*Original recipe found here

Crispy Chicken Roll Ups

picture from kraftrecipes.com

Holy freakin' yummo! This will rock your taste buds to the max! You know a recipe is good when the kiddos beg for more!!

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

12 slices smoked ham

6 extra thin Swiss cheese slices

2 eggs, beaten

15 saltine crackers, finely crushed (about 2/3 cup)

3 tbsp. butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place chicken, top sides down, on cutting board; cover with ham and cheese.

Starting at one short end of each, roll up tightly. Secure with toothpicks.

Dip chicken in eggs, then roll in cracker crumbs until evenly coated on all sides.

Place in 13x9 glass baking dish coated with cooking spray, drizzle with the melted butter.

Bake for 40 minutes or until chicken is done and juices run clear. Remove and discard toothpicks before serving.

*I served this with brown rice and steamed broccoli.

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/crispy-chicken-roll-ups-55081.aspx

Cajun Alfredo Skillet

This was a huge hit with my kiddos! With a new little guy in the house I've been making more easy, hearty recipes. This definitely made it to the recipe book!

1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 tbsp. Cajun seasoning, divided (I used Emeril's Cerole Essence)

2 tsp. oil

1 cup each halved green and red pepper strips

1 onion, slivered

1/2 lb. smoked sausage, sliced, then halved (I used Oscar Mayer turkey sausage)

1 tub (10 oz.) PHILADELPHIA original Cooking Creme

1/4 cup milk

2 cups hot cooked penne pasta

Toss chicken with 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning.

Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat.

Add chicken and vegetables; cook 6 to 7 minutes or until chicken is done and vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring frequently.

Add sausage; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add cooking creme, milk and remaining seasoning; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.

Stir in pasta.

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/cajun-alfredo-skillet-122136.aspx

Szechwan Chicken & Peanuts

We got this recipe from my mother-in-law a few years back and forgot about it until recently! With my husband traveling a lot with the military, I rarely make anything he wants or craves because he's rarely here. But with him having a week off, he wanted to eat this badly so we pulled it out and I just had to share it! It takes a little time and effort, but it's worth it. So tasty!

What you need:

1 lb uncooked chicken, cubed

2 tbsp cooking sherry or sake

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp water

2 tbsp parsley (or a big sprinkle of dried)

3-4 cloves minced garlic

6 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp tabasco

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tbsp sliced green onions (scallions)

1 tbsp minced gingerroot

1 cup dry roasted peanuts

2 quarts water

7 oz egg noodles

1/2 pound spinach leaves, rinsed and stemmed

Directions:

1. Blend wine, cornstarch and salt. Cover chicken with mixture and refrigerate for one hour.

2. Stir peanut butter, soy, sugar, 2 tbsp water, parsley, garlic, 1 tbsp of oil and tabasco sauce. Cover and set aside.

3. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in skillet until very hot. Add chicken and red pepper flakes. Stir fry 1-2 minutes or until no longer pink; set aside.

4. Add 2 tbsp more oil to pan. Heat onion and gingerroot for 15 seconds. Return chicken to skillet and cook until light brown.

5. Add peanuts and 2 tbsp peanut butter mixture or until chicken is covered in sauce.

6. Cook noodles according to package directions. During last 30 seconds or so, add spinach until limp; drain.

7. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and enjoy!

one pot lemon chicken & rice

photo from google

this simple "good for you" recipe is great for tight schedules and also delicious left over after flavors have a chance to meld together.

ingredients:

1 lb bonelss skinless chicken breast, diced into 1" cubes
1 TB extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic, grated
1 medium red onion, diced
1 cup carrots, sliced very thin
15 oz. low sodium all natural chicken broth
1 TB cornstarch
juice of two lemons
zest of the same two lemons
1 1/2 cups brown minute rice (uncooked)
1 1/2 cups broccoli, chopped rough
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped rough
1/2 cup cream of mushroom soup
fresh ground salt and pepper to taste

directions:

in a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. add garlic, onion and carrots, saute for a few minutes.

season your chicken with salt and pepper

turn heat to medium and add chicken. stir often, rotating chicken so it browns on all sides.

meanwhile, combine chicken broth, corn starch, lemon juice, lemon zest and brown rice in a small bowl. also, salt this mixture.

once the chicken is cooked through, add your liquid mixture to the pan and turn heat back up to medium-high.

you want to bring the mixture to a boil. once it is boiling, add your parsley, broccoli and cream of mushroom soup. mix well and reduce to low.

cover and let simmer 10-15 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed, the rice is tender and the dish is nice and creamy.

this recipe makes four servings.

my findings:
*make sure you use fresh broccoli, it just makes this dish better
*i had to add a cup or so of water after i added the broccoli so that it wasn't super thick.

Recipe found here
Sorry to Janetha in which I didn't give proper credit. Forgot!

Individual Chicken Pot Pie Pockets

I saw this on Rachel Ray a few years ago and absolutely fell in love with the genius idea of making chicken pot pie so you can hold it in your hand! My family and friends love this oh-so-yummo meal.

2 tbsp. butter, plus additional to grease baking sheet

2 tbsp. flour, plus additional for rolling out pie dough

1/2 cup chicken stock

1/4 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 cup finely chopped chicken, cooked

2 green onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup frozen tiny green peas

1 small carrots, grated and finely chopped (I use match sticks carrots and chop them)

2 tbsp dill

2 sheets prepared pie dough (in the refrigerated section)

1 egg, lightly beaten with a splash of water

YEILD: 8 appetizers or serves 4 as entree, 2 pockets per person, witha green salad.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat with 2 tbsp. butter. When the butter is melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the stock and milk and season with salt and pepper. Cook the sauce, whisking often, for a couple of minutes until it is thickened up, then stir in the Dijon and remove pan from heat. Add in the chicken, green onions, peas, carrot and dill and give it a good stir to combine everything. Set this mixture aside while you prepare your pie dough.

Grease a baking sheet lightly with butter. Lightly dust your work surface with flour and lay out the pie dough. Cut the dough into eight evenly sized triangles (just like you're cutting a pie). Transfer the triangles to the baking sheet and repeat the rolling and cutting with the remaining dough.

Divide the filling among the triangles on the baking sheet leaving a little at the edges to seal the pockets. Brush the edges of each triangle with some beaten egg and then top each triangle with the remaining wedges of dough, pressing lightly around the perimeter to seal the filling inside. If you like, you can take a fork and lightly press the very ends of the tines into the border of each pocket to give it a fancy finish.

Brush the tops of the pockets with the remaining egg wash and cut a small x in the top of each one with a paring knife to let the steam escape. Bake the pockets until they're deep golden brown and crisp, about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=1873

Hawaiian Haystacks

My mom made these a couple times growing up and I had totally forgotten about them until my BFF was feeding my kids and me dinner one night while my husband was away. The fun thing about these is that you can dress them any way that you'd like! That and they're super quick and super easy!

Here are a few things I like to use!

For the sauce/gravy:

1-2 Shredded chicken breasts or a large can of chicken

1 Can of cream of chicken soup

1 Cup chicken broth

1/2 Cup sour cream

Salt/Pepper to taste (optional)

3-4 Cups cooked rice of your choice (or however much will feed your family)

Combine the soup and broth and stir. Add chicken and simmer ten minutes. Then add the sour cream and heat another couple minutes until warm. Serve rice with gravy over it and add garnishes.

Garnishes (use any or all):

Chow mein noodles

Diced tomatoes

Sliced olives

Chopped celery

Chopped green onions

Chopped green peppers

Pineapple tidbits

Grated cheese

Slivered almonds

Salt/Pepper to taste

Soy or Teriyaki sauce

Add all the desired garnishes to your rice and gravy and enjoy!

Wingers' Sticky Fingers!

So, I was strolling through a new blog I found the other night and came across these bad boys. If you've never heard of Wingers, I'm so sorry. Their sticky fingers are about the most amazing thing I've tasted.... ever. That is how much I love them. Now that I no longer live in Utah, I was sad I couldn't feast on them at will any longer. I saw this recipe and thought what the heck... and super glad I did. These taste EXACTLY like Wingers. It's uncanny. I accidentally bought pre-breaded chicken nuggets instead of chicken fingers and it was still so yummy that I couldn't even handle it. You're about to have a party in your mouth.

For the sauce (covers about 8-10 fingers):

3 TBSP Franks Red Hot Sauce (apparently no other sauce works, it must be Franks - found it in the BBQ sauce aisle no problem)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

2 TBSP water

Heat up all sauce ingredients until sugar dissolves. Keep on low/warm until chicken has been cooked.

For the chicken fingers:

1 cup oil

1 package frozen breaded chicken fingers (nuggets worked fine, but I'd definitely get fingers next time)

In frying pan, heat oil and cook frozen fingers until crispy, browned and warm. Place on paper towel to remove some of the excess oil and then coat in sauce. I found it easiest to pour the sauce in some tupperware and shake the chicken up in it. Serve with ranch or bleu cheese dipping sauce and enjoy!

*Adapted from original recipe found here

(In case you need help finding Franks hot sauce, I posted a link on it's name in the ingredients)

Chicken Parmesan

This is by far the best Chicken Parmesan I've ever had, but I can't remember where I found it! It's a favorite that my family eats up every time.

Tomato Sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup chopped basil leaves

Chicken:

cooking spray

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half

salt to taste

2 large egg whites

8 tablespoons dry Italian bread crumbs

3 tablespoons grated Parmesan

5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4-5 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Your favorite whole wheat pasta

TOMATO SAUCE:

Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, salt, and red pepper flakes; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered until the flavors are blended and the sauce begins to thicken slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in basil.

CHICKEN:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Sprinkle the cutlets with the salt. Lightly beat the egg whites in a medium bowl. Combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan on sheet of waxed paper. Spread the flour on another sheet of waxed paper. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, dip in egg, then flour, egg again, then press both sides into the breading to coat.

2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken (in batches, if necessary) and cook until browned, 4-5 minutes. Transfer the chicken, in 1 layer, to the baking dish. Spoon the sauce over the chicken then sprinkle with the cheese. Bake, covered loosely with a tent of foil, until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbly, about 12-15 minutes.

3. While chicken is cooking in oven, cook your favorite pasta according to package directions.

4. Put pasta on a plate and spoon sauce and chicken over top.

Southwest Chicken Hasbrowns

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup finely chopped red onion

1 large red potato, shredded (I used a baking potato, it worked fine!)

4 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro, if desired

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil

Salsa & Sour Cream for garnish

1. In medium bowl, mix chicken and onion. Rinse shredded potatoes with cold water; drain on paper towels (be sure to drain them well; I didn't and mine were a slight bit on the soggy side). Add to chicken mixture. Stir in cilantro and salt.

2. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil over medium-high heat. Spread potato mixture evenly in skillet. Cook, without stirring, 6 to 9 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center and bottom of potato mixture is golden brown and crisp.

3. Place large plate over skillet; turn potato mixture upside down onto plate. Add remaining teaspoon oil to skillet. Slip potato mixture back into skillet, browned side up; cook 5 to 7 minutes, pressing lightly with pancake turner, until golden brown and crisp.

4. With pancake turner, divide chicken mixture in half; place on 2 plates. Top each with sour cream and salsa.

*Recipe found here

Bourbon Chicken

What you need:
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

Olive Oil Cooking Spray (or 1 tbsp. olive oil)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons ketchup
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1/3 cup reduce sodium soy sauce
1 Tablespooon cornstarch/1 Tablespoon water (optional)

Spray a large skillet with olive oil cooking spray (or use the 1 tbsp. olive oil). Add chicken and cook over medium heat until lightly browned. Remove chicken from skillet.

Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium heat until well mixed and dissolved. Add chicken and bring to a hard boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

If you prefer a thicker sauce, combine 1 tbsp. water and 1 tbsp. cornstarch in a separate bowl and add a little at at time to reach desired consistency. Serve with rice... enjoy!

* Recipe found here

Tomato Basil Linguine with Chicken

What you need:

5 oz linguine

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed

2 teaspoons garlic

1 can diced tomatoes with Italian herbs

1 1/2 teaspoons basil

Parmesan cheese for garnish

1. Cook linguine as directed on package. Drain and cover to keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and garlic and cook until chicken is no longer pink.

3. Stir in tomatoes and basil. Heat to boiling, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Gently stir in linguine. Sprinkle with parmesan and enjoy!

* Recipe found here

Chicken Pasta Salad

1 lb box bowtie pasta, cook in salted boiling water. When cooked, rinse in cold water & drain.

While pasta is cooking, prepare following:

1 1/2-2 cups red grapes, cut in half

8 oz can pineapple tidbits, drained

12 oz can cashew, bits & pieces

2 stalks celery, diced small

3 large cans chunk white chicken, drained

*optional: handful chopped green onions

Dressing: Mix in separate bowl until well combined

1 cup light mayo

3/4 bottle Kraft coleslaw dressing

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. I usually add some onion salt to taste. Refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

This is always a hit at any party, and we actually get requests for it several times a year.

*recipe from my mom

Sweet & Spicy Crockpot Chicken

This is super quick and super easy to throw together and tastes amazing! Don't let the lack of ingredients fool you!

1 pound (about 2) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 (14-ounce) can petite or regular diced tomatoes, undrained (I used diced tomatoes that included diced green peppers and onions and it was amazing!)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more if you like extra heat – with this amount it is mild enough for my kids to eat it up but spicy enough to help offset the sweetness)

Place the chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine the tomatoes, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Pour over the chicken. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or on low for 8-9 hours. Remove the chicken to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Return to the slow cooker and mix the chicken with the juices from the tomato/brown sugar sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over rice.

*adapted from mel's kitchen cafe

My favorite pasta

1 1/2 cups of Cooked diced or shredded Chicken breast (I like to use Rotisserie)

1 cup of diced fried ham
1 cup of crumbled cooked bacon (for the top)
1 tablespoon of Brown Sugar

1 diced Roma Tomato (for the top or can mix in)

5 to 6 stalks of cooked Tender Asparagus for the top (optional)

1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese and additional for the top

Pasta: Whatever your family likes.

SAUCE:

1 cup milk
1 cup chicken Broth
1 cup Whipping Cream (You can change this up if you like: for example: Use 1/2 cup Whipping Cream, 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 cup broth)
1 cup grated Cheddar Cheese
1 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
*Can add more seasoning to your taste a few sprinkles of Red pepper flakes (opt)
1 Teaspoon white sugar
1/2 tsp. cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS

Fry bacon until crispy, place on Paper towels and set aside. Fry pieces of Ham in a small amount of the bacon grease. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Brown Sugar on top of the ham, and toss until the ham is golden and the Brown sugar has caramelized. Chop or shred the Chicken Breasts, chop tomato, and chop tender cooked Asparagus. (If you don’t care for Asparagus, you could use Broccoli or any vegetable your family likes, or just leave it out entirely)

Over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add 2 tablespoons flour, seasonings, sugar and whisk together with the butter until bubbly. Continue whisking, and slowly add the milk, cream and the chicken broth. Whisk Constantly, so that you don’t get any lumps. You want your sauce to be nice and smooth. Keep whisking until the sauce has thickened. Turn heat to low, and add the grated cheddar and Parmesan cheese. Once melted and mixed thoroughly. Add ham and chicken. Turn your heat to the lowest temperature and cover. Prepare your pasta until al dente. Drain well.

Plate the pasta, and serve the sauce over the top. Crumble your bacon on top of the sauce, and also top with Asparagus, tomatoes and more grated Parmesan Cheese.

Serve with Parmesan Knots

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded (I used can chicken and it worked great!)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10-oz) cans green chili enchilada sauce (I used mild)
2/3 cup red enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 can large black olives, cut in half
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
16-20 oz. penne pasta (Depending on how "saucy" you want the pasta)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until pepper is barely tender. Add the cooked chicken, green chilies, spices, enchilada sauces and olives. Let the sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add the sour cream and cheese and heat through, until the cheese is melted (but don't boil!). Pour the sauce over the hot pasta. Garnish with extra sour cream, cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions or crushed tortilla chips.

Serving size is 2 cups. Nutritional info per serving:

315 calories

13.1 grams fat

0 g trans fat

40 mg cholesterol

29 g carbs

15.9 g protein