Category Archives: Chicken

Pesto Turkey (Or Chicken) Sandwich

September 7, 2020

I’ve been making this sandwich combination of turkey/chicken with a creamy pesto mayo for years and it’s about time it made it to the site! There are lots of options for how to prepare it- crusty sliced sourdough, ciabatta, and herb focaccia (as pictured) are all favorite bread choices. You can add arugula and tomatoes as I’ve done. Sliced red onion and bacon are also a good idea. And pick a cheese that melts well as this sandwich is best served hot! You can make your own pesto (I linked to a recipe below) or I often buy it prepared (Costco has great pesto) and what I don’t use right away I stash in the freezer for later.

Pesto Turkey (Or Chicken) Sandwich

INGREDIENTS

thinly sliced or shredded turkey or chicken (here I used a rotisserie chicken)
crusty bread or rolls, sliced (here I used an herb Focaccia)
basil pesto
mayonnaise (can use half mayo and half plain Greek yogurt)
sliced cheese, such as Provolone (smoked Provolone is especially delicious), Fontina, Havarti, etc. 

optional add-ons:
thinly sliced red onion
arugula or baby spinach
sliced tomato or roasted red pepper
bacon

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a small bowl, miix equal parts mayo (can use half Greek yogurt) and basil pesto until well combined.
  2. Spread the pesto-mayo on one side of the top and bottom slices of bread/roll. Top with sliced cheese, turkey/chicken, and any optional add-ons (red onion, arugula, tomato/roasted red pepper, and/or bacon). Top with the second slice of bread (spread side down). Repeat to make as many sandwiches as needed. 
  3. To bake*, preheat oven to 350 F.  Place sandwiches on a baking sheet and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the cheese has started to melt. Uncover and bake for 5 more minutes until the top is crisp and the sandwich is warmed throughout. Slice and serve. 

*Or sandwiches can be grilled on a pan/panini press or placed open-faced under the broiler (watch closely- they’ll go quick!) until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted.

 

Cranberry Avocado Spinach Salad with Chicken and Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

August 25, 2020

I’ve made this salad more than any other on my site. It’s silly it has taken me this long to take a picture of it and share the recipe here! It’s one of my favorite salads to make for a lunch with friends. (But my kids and husband enjoy it too.) The grilled chicken, almonds, and avocado make it hearty. The creamy goat cheese and sweet-tart cranberries make it more interesting. But the dressing is the star. It’s soooo delicious! One of- maybe THE- best salad dressing I’ve ever made/eaten.

Cranberry Avocado Spinach Salad with Chicken and Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

INGREDIENTS

Orange Poppy Seeding Dressing:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup canola oil (I’ve also used grape-seed oil)
2 tsp. orange zest
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds

Salad:
grilled chicken, sliced
baby spinach (I used a mixture of spinach, mixed greens, and romaine)
avocado, pitted and diced
crumbled goat cheese (or feta)
sliced almonds , toasted
sweetened dried cranberries

DIRECTIONS

  1. Add olive oil, canola oil, orange zest, orange juice, lemon juice, honey, dijon mustard and salt to a blender. Pulse until well emulsified. (Or you can whisk to combine all the ingredients in a bowl.) Pour into a jar and stir in poppy seeds. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  2. Add all salad ingredients to a large bowl. Pour dressing over top and toss to evenly coat. Serve immediately.

Dressing serves 4.

Adapted from Cooking Classy

Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas

August 19, 2020

I’ve been making salsa verde chicken (throw some chicken breast or thighs in the slow cooker with a few spices and jar of salsa verde and a few hours later it’s done!) for years now and using it in burritos/tacos/quesadillas but this is the first time I’ve made tostadas and it was a big hit! And I love the simple refried bean recipe I found to top the tostadas. We can’t unanimously agree on a brand of canned refried beans but we all liked these! (This recipe uses canned pinto beans cooked with some garlic, olive oil, and a few spices to make your own and it’s quick and easy.) I bought the tostada shells but you can certainly make your own- I provided a link to a recipe below.

Salsa Verde Chicken Tostadas

INGREDIENTS

Slow Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken:
1 1/2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast (or thighs)
1 12 oz. jar salsa verde (I use Trader Joe’s brand)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. Mexican oregano
pinch cayenne
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tostadas:
tostada shells (I used Guerrero brand, here is a recipe to make your own)
refried beans (canned or see recipe below)
grated cheese (Cheddar, Pepper/Colby Jack, Mexican blend, etc.)
shredded lettuce
guacamole or sliced avocado
diced tomatoes or pico de gallo
sliced green onion
sour cream
chopped cilantro (optional)
pickled jalapeno (optional)
lime wedges, for serving

Refried Beans:
2 (16 oz.) cans pinto beans
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper (~1/2 tsp. each or to taste)
pinch cayenne pepper (to taste)

DIRECTIONS

Slow-Cooker Salsa Verde Chicken:

  1. Season chicken with garlic powder, cumin, oregano, a pinch of cayenne and salt and pepper and place in the bottom of the slow cooker. Cover with salsa verde, cover and cook HIGH 2 hours.
  2. Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred with 2 forks. Remove 2/3 cup of liquid from the slow cooker, and discard. Place shredded chicken back into the crock pot with remaining salsa, adjust seasoning to taste if needed and keep warm.

Refried Beans:

  1. While chicken is cooking, make the refried beans. Place two tablespoons of olive oil into a saucepan over medium low heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute, be careful to not burn garlic. Add two cans of pinto beans, undrained (I drained and rinsed my beans and then added about 1/2 cup water back in), to the garlic mixture. Add chili powder, coriander, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper to the beans. Mix well. Cook for about 10 minutes on medium heat. Adjust seasonings to taste.
  2. Using a potato masher, smash the beans until fairly smooth. (I used an immersion blender and blended until smooth, adding some more water to thin them.) The beans will continue to thicken as they cool. Remove beans from heat, place in a bowl or keep warm until ready to serve.

Tostadas:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  2. Place tostada shells on a baking sheet. When the oven is hot, spread some refried beans on top of each tostada shell, top with salsa verde chicken and sprinkle with grated cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted and the shells are crisp, about 4 minutes.
  3. Remove tostadas from the oven and top with lettuce, guacamole/avocado, tomatoes/pico, green onion, sour cream, cilantro, pickled jalapeno, etc. and serve with a squeeze of lime.

Serves 6.

Adapted from Skinnytaste and A Bountiful Kitchen

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

July 28, 2020

I have a weakness for anything with Chipotle pepper in it! I love the smokey heat it imparts to this otherwise simple grilled chicken taco salad. The chipotle in adobo is blended with sour cream, fresh cilantro, lime, and a few spices to make a creamy dressing that I’d be happy to pour over just about anything. I’ve included my latest favorite way to grill chicken- an easy buttermilk marinade that tenderizes the meat and adds just enough flavor but doesn’t overwhelm the other ingredients. If you’ve got some fresh corn, throw that on the grill too! This light taco salad is what summer dinners should be.

Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad

INGREDIENTS

Dressing:
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2/3 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp. minced chipotle in adobo (I used 1/2 Tbsp. for a mild kick)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
4 tsp. fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Salad:
Buttermilk Marinated Chicken* (rotisserie chicken also works well here)
shredded romaine lettuce
cherry tomatoes, halved
sliced avocado
thinly sliced red or green onion
black or pinto beans
corn (fresh and grilled or frozen and toasted in a dry skillet)
cheese (I used grated cheddar and Pepper Jack, as well as some crumbled Cotija)
sliced lime, for serving
tortilla chips, for serving (optional)

*Buttermilk Marinated Chicken:
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breast, halved or sliced into strips
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS

  1. To make the dressing: Combine the ingredients and whisk well (I prefer to blend them in a food processor). Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  2. To make the buttermilk marinated chicken: Combine the buttermilk, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a bowl or resealable plastic bag, then add the chicken and stir to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes or up to about 8 hours. Drain the marinade, season the chicken with a bit more salt, and grill over medium-high heat until cooked through. Let rest a few minutes before slicing to serve.
  3. To assemble the salad: Combine the salad ingredients in a large bowl or on individual plates and top with chicken, drizzle with dressing, and serve with lime wedges and tortilla chips on the side.

marinade 30 min to full day, season with salt after draining marinade

(Salad adapted from Cooking Light and marinade adapted from Fine Cooking)

Grilled Lemon Garlic Chicken Wraps

July 21, 2020

Next to the prosciutto-wrapped asparagus I just posted, this is probably the most-repeated recipe of the last few years over here. We really love this middle-eastern inspired chicken… marinaded in garlic and lemon and spices, grilled, then wrapped in soft flatbread with lettuce and sliced tomato and topped with a spicy creamy garlic sauce. If you prep the chicken and spicy sauce ahead of time, it makes dinner quite easy. And the flavors are really incredible! I like to serve it with fresh veggies and hummus or roasted vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower and/or potatoes.

p.s. Don’t skip the tahini in the sauce… it’s what makes it extra unique/delicious!

INGREDIENTS

Chicken + Wraps:
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic (about 1 1/2 tsp.), minced
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
juice of 1 large lemon (2-3 Tbsp.)
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. ground coriander

bamboo or metal skewers for grilling
flatbread/naan/pita bread wraps (store-bought or homemade)
spring lettuce mix (or romaine/spinach/arugula/etc.)
sliced tomatoes
thinly sliced red onion (optional)

Spicy Garlic Sauce: 
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (low-fat yogurt is OK, can also use sour cream)
1 Tbsp. tahini
2 cloves garlic (a heaping tsp.), finely minced or pressed through a garlic press
1-2 tsp. sriracha/hot sauce (more or less to taste) AND/OR a pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Pinch black pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (~1/2 tsp)

DIRECTIONS

  1. For the chicken, place the cubed chicken in a flat dish or in a gallon ziploc bag.
    Whisk together the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, oregano, cumin, paprika, and coriander. Pour over the chicken, toss to coat, and cover the dish (or seal the bag) and place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least an hour or up to 8 hours.
  2. Thread the chicken pieces on metal or bamboo skewers and grill on medium-high, flipping halfway, until the chicken is cooked through, about 6-8 minutes total.
    Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.
  3. For the garlic sauce, combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth (you can also whisk together in a bowl). I like to pour the mixed sauce into a squeeze bottle for easy serving. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (The sauce can be made up to several days ahead of time.)
  4. To serve, place lettuce greens down the center of each wrap, followed by slices of tomato, red onion (if using), grilled chicken and a healthy drizzle of spicy garlic sauce.

Serves 6.

Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe and The Cozy Apron