Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

Please forgive me. This recipe is anything but healthy. It is pretty tasty, though. :) It's one of those recipes that my mom made when I was young and I copied it before I left for college. I still have the recipe card that I wrote back in high school.

Sauce:
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp salt
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis
1 cup chopped, cooked chicken or turkey

* Combine all ingredients and stir until smooth.

Filling:
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped onions

* Combine in separate bowl.

Other ingredients:
12-15 Corn tortillas
1 (10 oz) can enchilada sauce
cooking oil
sour cream
Cheese, grated, for topping

* Dip corn tortillas in hot oil to soften.
* Spread a small amount of sauce over each tortilla and place potion of filling (onion and cheese mixture) across center of tortilla.
* Roll each tortilla and place seam-side down in a 9x13 baking dish.
* Fill as many tortillas as you have filling for, but leave some of the sauce for the top of the enchiladas.
* Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas, and then pour the can of enchilada sauce over the top.
* Sprinkle generously with cheese and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, until bubbly hot.
* Serve with green onions, salsa, and/or sour cream.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This is a recipe from my friend Mariana. It is always a favorite! I have tried this recipe with boneless, skinless chicken and was not as happy with it. I have also tried it in the crock pot (instead of baking for an hour in the oven, place the chicken and then the sauce in the crock pot and cook on low for about 8 hours). The breading is not as crispy, but the flavor is fabulous! It definitely works well as a crock pot dish.



2 1/2 pounds chicken pieces (not boneless-skinless--our favorites are drumsticks)
garlic powder
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup flour
4 Tbsp margarine
2 cups sugar
1 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp soy sauce

Wash and pat dry chicken pieces. Sprinkle with garlic powder. Dip in beaten egg, then in flour to coat. Brown in margarine in a saute pan. Place in baking dish. Combine all other ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, turning once.

Angel Chicken (Crock Pot)

This is a recipe that I was given many years ago. I tried it and loved it, and then passed it on to a few friends. It soon became a favorite of their families, too. It's fun to hear, 10 years later, that it's still one of their favorite dishes to make for their families.

1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter
1 0.7 oz pkg. dry Italian salad dressing mix
1 10 1/4 oz can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 of 8 0z tub of cream cheese with chives and onion

Hot, cooked angel hair pasta

Place chicken in crock pot. In medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in dressing mix. Stir in soup, broth, and cream cheese until combined. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours. Serve over hot cooked pasta. Makes about 6 servings.

Chicken Pockets

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken
1 can great northern beans (or another variety of beans)
4 oz of cream cheese (half a package)
1 Tbsp chopped green onion
2 Tbsp pesto sauce
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 Tbsp milk
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup crushed croutons
2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine (I used a lot less)

Mix all ingredients except for crouton crumbs, crescent rolls, and butter in a medium mixing bowl. Unroll tube of crescent rolls. Each can contains 8 triangles. Press two triangles together so that you have 4 rectangles (per can). Place about 1/4 cup of the mixture on each rectangle, fold dough over filling, and pinch edges to seal. Brush melted butter on each pocket and then coat with crouton crumbs. Place pockets on a baking sheet and bake at 350 F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: I found this recipe in a freezer meal cook book and changed it around a lot. If you want to freeze this meal to make ahead, simply freeze the chicken mixture in a freezer bag. Store the crescent rolls in the fridge until ready to use.

Greek Chicken Pasta

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com when I was searching for ways to use my enormous jar of artichoke hearts. It was a huge success. I can't wait to have it again!

* 1 pound uncooked pasta
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1/2 cup chopped red onion
* 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast meat - cut into bite-size pieces
* 1 (14 ounce) can marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
* 1 large tomato, chopped
* 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons dried oregano
* salt and pepper to taste
* 2 lemons, wedged, for garnish

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion, and saute for 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 5 to 6 minutes.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add the artichoke hearts, tomato, feta cheese, parsley, lemon juice, oregano and cooked pasta. Stir until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and garnish with lemon wedges.

Chicken Fricassee in the Crock Pot

3-4 lbs chicken pieces, skin removed (you may use boneless, skinless)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
2 medium onions, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 bay leaf
1 cup chicken broth
½ cup flour
½ cup water

1. Place vegetables and bay leaf in crock pot. Place chicken pieces on top and sprinkle with salt and paprika. Pour in broth. Cover and cook on low for 8-12 hours, or on high for 4-6 hours.

2. One hour before serving, turn to High. Remove chicken pieces and de-bone (if necessary), and return meat to crock pot. Make smooth paste of flour and water, and stir into liquid in crock pot. Cover and cook until thickened.

3. Serve over hot noodles; garnish with parsley. Serves 6-8.

Chicken Pot Pie

Pie crusts for bottom and top of pie (you can either make your own recipe or use frozen pie crust dough)
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 ½ cup chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 to 3 cups cooked chicken (or turkey left-overs!)
2 cups frozen vegetables, thawed (ie—corn, carrots, and peas)

1. Heat oven to 425 F. Prepare piecrusts and place bottom crust in 9-inch pie pan.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter. Add onion and cook 2 minutes. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper until well blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk; cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly and thickened.
3. Add chicken and vegetables; remove from heat. Spoon chicken mixture into crust-lined pan.
4. Top pie with remaining crust; cut slits in several places. Bale at 425 F for 30-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Makes 6 servings.

White Chicken Chili

This recipe comes by special request. It is one of our family's favorites, and actually won a chili cook off about 7 years ago. It is more of a soup than a chili, in my opinion, though. It is not thick like a chili. Oh, but so yummy!

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 10 minutes

¼ cup butter
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 cups cooked chicken or turkey, cut or shredded into bite-sized pieces
3 cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp dried basil leaves
2 Tbsp ground red chilies or chili powder
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 cans great northern beans, undrained
1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cups)
Tortilla chips

1. Melt butter in large pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic in butter, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients except tomato and tortilla chips. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

3. Serve with fresh tomatoes and tortilla chips.

Note: I often cook this in my crock pot. After step one, I add all ingredients (except for the tomato and chips) to the crock pot and cook on low for several hours. Because the chicken is already cooked, this doesn’t need all day in the crock pot.

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup

I used to keep a hearty stock of canned Cream of Chicken soup on my shelf, until I realized that my cooking style was moving away from the standard "cream-of-something" casserole dishes. When I realized that all of my cans had expired, I figured I'd better stop buying the stuff. Then I regretted NOT stocking up when I needed a can for a recipe. I searched the internet until I found a recipe that used common ingredients, so that I could whip up some homemade cream of chicken soup any day. Please notice the special note at the end of the recipe when considering substituting this for the good old can. :)

PS--as with anything homemade, it tastes SO much better than the canned version!


4 cups milk
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp sugar
2 cups finely chopped, cooked chicken
½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp garlic powder

1. In a 3 qt saucepan, heat oil. Gradually stir in flour. Let this form a paste. Then gradually stir in the milk and continue stirring until thickened.

2. Add chicken to white sauce mixture. Add sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well and simmer for 20 minutes over low heat.

3. If soup is not as thick as desired, mix a small amount of corn starch with a small amount of water and add to soup. Simmer for 10 minutes.

4. This soup can be used in recipes that call for a can of cream of chicken soup…but remember—this is not concentrated like the cans, so you will need to reduce the other liquids you add to the recipe.

Caribbean Pelau

This is a recipe handed don to me from a dear friend from Trinidad. I haven't made it yet myself (I'll let you know how it turns out this week, along with any tips or notes about the recipe)


2 ½ lb chicken, cut up (June's recipe did not specify boneless or bone-in. I say--you chose!)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp margarine or butter
3 carrots or 1 lb sliced carrots
green onions, chopped
½ onion, chopped
½ green pepper, chopped
1 cup long grained rice
1 can pigeon peas (gandules)

Put lemon on chicken and leave for 20 minutes. Rinse lemon off, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat oil and stir brown sugar until golden brown. Put in cut up chicken and stir thoroughly. Lower heat to medium and cover, cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add all other ingredients, cook until tender. Since you'll be adding uncooked rice here, you'll need to cover and cook a decent amount of time (30+ minutes?). The original recipe did not specify.

Chicken Caesar Salad Wraps

1 ½ lbs chopped cooked chicken
Flour tortillas

Dressing:
1 clove garlic, puree
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worchestershire sauce
1 tsp anchovy paste or salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

Salad:
Romaine or other lettuce, chopped
½ cup Parmesan cheese
1 cup croutons, crushed
1 cup chopped tomatoes (optional)

Mix dressing together in bowl and whisk. Assemble wraps by placing desired amount of salad, chicken, and dressing on each tortilla. Tuck bottom of tortilla up over the filling, and roll the sides.

Note: You can TOTALLY use store-bought Caesar salad dressing and a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, making this a super easy meal to make!

Lemon-garlic Chicken (Crock Pot)

1 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp seasoned salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 lbs chicken (breasts or drumsticks both work) **Boneless work great, too!**
2 Tbsp butter or margarine
¼ cup water
3 Tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp chicken bouillon
1 tsp minced fresh parsley

1. Combine oregano, salt, and pepper. Rub mixture onto chicken. Brown chicken in melted butter in skillet. Transfer to crock pot.

2. Place water, lemon juice, garlic, and bouillon in skillet. Bring to boil, loosening browned bits form skillet. Pour over chicken.

3. Cover. Cook on low 4-5 hours, or on high 2-21/2 hours.

4. Add parsley and baste chicken. Cover and cook on high 15-30 minutes.

Note: I added extra oregano and generously sprinkled with lemon pepper.
Serve over rice or pasta.

Popover Chicken with mushroom sauce

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 Tbsp cooking oil, divided
1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups flour
¾ tsp thyme
¾ tsp salt
3 eggs, beaten

Sauce:
4 Tbsp butter
½ to ¾ cup sliced mushrooms
2 Tbsp flour
½ tsp salt
dash of pepper
1 cup milk

Brown chicken in 3 Tbsp oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place in greased 9x13 pan. Stir together milk, 1 Tbsp oil, flour, thyme, and salt. Add eggs to flour mixture. Mix well until smooth. Pour over chicken and bake. Remove from oven when popover has a slightly browned crust.

My husband complained that the finished chicken popover is not very photogenic...but at least this way, you'll know what it looks like w/o the sauce

Sauce: Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a heavy saucepan. Saute mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and reserve. In the same pan, melt remaining butter. Slowly add flour, salt, and pepper. Add milk gradually. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Add mushrooms and heat through. Spoon over chicken when serving. (My kids don’t like mushrooms, so they eat the chicken popovers without the sauce. I take their extra mushrooms. Yum!)

Chicken Paprikash

2 Tbs vegetable oil

2-3 lbs boneless skinless chicken, cut into 1-2 inch pieces (dark meat is also great in this recipe)
1 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
½ cup chicken broth
2 Tbs paprika
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
¾ cup chopped tomato
1 green bell pepper, cut into ½-in strips
1 cup sour cream

1. Heat oil in 12-in skillet over med heat. Cook chicken in oil about 15 min or until brown on all sides; remove from skillet.

2. Cook onions and garlic in oil in skillet over med heat about 3 min, stirring occasionally, until onions are crisp-tender; drain oil from skillet.

3. Stir broth, paprika, salt, pepper, and tomato into onion mixture in skillet. Return chicken to skillet. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

4. Stir in bell pepper. Cover and simmer 10-15 min longer until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from skillet, keep warm.

5. Skim fat from liquid. Stir sour cream into liquid. Heat over medium till heated through. Serve over hot cooked rice.

Chicken Nuggets and Buffalo Fries with Honey Mustard Dip

First, the Chicken Nuggets:
This is not a conventional recipe. I just throw things together. So, be brave....It's worth it!!

I cut up a few chicken breasts into bite sized pieces, dip them in a mixture of melted margarine (Maybe 4 Tbls) and a few drops of Worchestershire sauce, and then coat them with a mixture of bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, parmesan cheese, and Italian seasonings (I use whatever I have around). I cook the chicken nuggets at 450ºF for 7-9 minutes. The kids love them, and I think they taste a lot better than the nuggets you get at fast food places!


Next, the potatoes:
3-5 medium potatoes, cut into strips
2 Tbls margarine, melted
1/4 tsp ground red pepper

Mix margarine with red pepper; mix with potatoes. Bake at 450º for 30-40 minutes, turning every 10 min.

Honey mustard dip:
1/2 cup mayonaise
4 tsp dijon mustard
1 Tbls honey

Stir and serve cold with fries and nuggets.