Cranberry Chicken - A Freezer Favorite

I don't need to say much about this dish, except don't count it out before you try it!

I have made this freezer meal for many new mommies and I am ALWAYS asked for the recipe.

This recipe comes from the fabulous freezer cookbook "Don't Panic: Dinner's in the Freezer." What a wonderful resource! Worth the money and the time it saves you in meal prep!

Cranberry Chicken

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can (15 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce
8 oz catalina or russian dressing
1 packet of dry onion soup mix

Directions
Put chicken breasts in a gallon freezer bag.

Mix all other ingredients and pour over the chicken in the bag. Freeze bag flat in the freezer.

When you're ready to have it for dinner, pull it out of the freezer and thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight.

Pour all contents of the bag into a greased baking dish and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1-1 1/2 hours.

I like to serve this with rice - delicious and easy!

Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken

This is one of my favorite ways to make chicken - and it came from a heart-healthy magazine!

I used to try recipe after recipe for oven fried chicken looking for that perfect crispy exterior - I have I mentioned I love fried chicken? - but I had very little luck.

When we tried this one, I was very happy with the results and it is now on our menu every month!

I use boneless skinless chicken breasts and cut them into strips to make our own homemade chicken tenders! It's a hit with the whole family, especially with dipping sauces...Jeremiah-ketchup, me-honey, Stephen-marinara!

Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken

Ingredients
Vegetable oil spray
4 cups wheat-flake or cornflake cereal, lightly crushed
1 medium garlic clove, crushed (optional)
1 teaspoon ground ginger, or to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
Pepper to taste
6 pieces skinless chicken with bone (about 2 1/4 pounds), all visible fat discarded
Vegetable oil spray, butter-flavored or original

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray.

In a pie pan or on a piece of aluminum foil, stir together the cereal and garlic.

In a small bowl, combine the ginger, paprika, salt if using, and pepper. Sprinkle the seasonings on both sides of each piece of chicken.

Roll the chicken in the cereal crumbs to coat. Lightly spray the chicken on all sides with vegetable oil spray and put on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown, tender and no longer pink in the center. (Timing will vary according to the thickness of the chicken pieces.)

Chicken Stuffing Casserole

I've been searching for great freezer meals lately. Lots of babies being born, friends in need and freezer space! I love the feeling of having meals in the freezer ready to help out.

This one has been a hit, especially with new moms - not spicy or tomato-based. I cannot say I have tried it because I do not eat cheese - pause for the gasps - but I have had requests for the recipe. That has to be a good sign!

I experimented with taking pictures of each step a la the Pioneer Woman but I have to say that it was a little more stressful than I thought! I may do it again, but definitely not all the time!

Here it is...Chicken Stuffing Casserole!



Ingredients:
• 2 packages (6 ounces each) chicken stuffing mix
• 2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
• 1 cup milk
• 4 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 2 cans (8 ounces each) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Prepare stuffing mixes according to package directions.


Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine soup and milk; set aside.


You'll need two 8-in. square baking dishes. No, those are not square. The circles were all I had. And it worked. Either way, your dishes will be very full. Just preparing you.

Grease the pans.

Spread the stuffing equally into each pan.

Then layer chicken...

corn...

mushrooms...

soup mixture...

and cheese.

I told you it would be full!

Cover and freeze one casserole for up to 3 months. Cover and bake the second casserole at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Note: I usually just freeze them both but you could make one for yourself for dinner and freeze the other!

To use frozen casserole: Remove from the freezer 30 minutes before baking (do not thaw). Bake at 350° for 1-1/2 hours. Uncover; bake 10-15 minutes longer or until heated through.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is in the crock pot right now. I know most people don't like soup in the summer but this just sounded good to me so it was put on the menu. Plus, it's really easy. Do I say that too much?

The recipe came from my good friend Ci, who made it for our small group once.

She would probably hate these pictures (which are from a year ago), but I love them because they show how fun she is! She is super good with the kiddos - I love that. And she loves the Lord - I really love that.

She is also amazingly (is that a word?) talented and creative. She took these photos, which I am in love with. And not just because they are of my son :)

Did I mention she has a beautiful voice? She does. I could go on and on. Really.

Anyways, the recipe.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:

2 cans chicken broth

1 can tomato soup

1 can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes (undrained)

1 large can chunk chicken breast (today I used 2 cups of cubed chicken breast)

2 cups frozen corn

Directions:

Are you ready for this?

Dump these ingredients into a crock pot. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3.

Didn't even break a sweat, did you?

You can top with whatever you like, but we especially like colorful fried tortilla strips. Plain old crushed tortilla chips will have to do for today - still yummy, just not as pretty. Stephen tops his with cheese and I know several in our small group added sour cream.

Enjoy. Thanks Ci!

Chicken Veggie Pasta

A good friend of ours brought this over after we had Joshua and it has been on our menu ever since! It is a perfect summer dish and I love that the veggies are mixed right in!

I am posting the original recipe, but our veggies usually include carrots, broccoli, mushrooms and red/yellow peppers. We've also switched over to whole wheat spaghetti - I highly recommend this! We think it is very yummy!

This was on the menu for tonight but will have to be put on hold - busy night and lots of leftovers to consume!

Chicken Veggie Pasta

Ingredients:

1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast cut lengthwise into strips
1 box spaghetti noodles
1 medium zucchini sliced
1 medium carrot sliced
1/2 small onion sliced
1/2 large green pepper chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 bottle reduced-fat Italian dressing

Place chicken strips in a bowl or 1 gallon ziploc storage bag and cover completely with Italian dressing. Refrigerate and let marinate at least one hour before cooking.

Prepare spaghetti noodles as directed on box. Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat, add zucchini, onion, green pepper and carrot. Saute until zucchini, green pepper and carrot are soft and onion is transparent. When noodles are done, drain and add them to vegetable mix in skillet. Turn heat to low.

Grill chicken (I did ours on the George Foreman, if you have one) or brown chicken in separate skillet until there is no pink in the middle. Add chicken to noodles and veggies. Pour Italian dressing over mixture to taste. Toss noodles and veggies in dressing until coated evenly.

Serve warm. Top with Parmesan cheese if you wanna!

Chicken Marinara

This is one of Stephen's favorite meals. I've become pretty fond of it as well. Especially with some yummy garlic bread or breadsticks on the side.

This is what my plate looks like (sorry for the poor pictures - in a hurry to eat)...

And here is Stephen's plate.

He loves olives and Parmesan. I won't eat either.
And yet we still love each other :)

And here is the recipe. Enjoy.

Chicken Marinara

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)

2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried basil

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 jar (28 oz.) meatless spaghetti sauce (I use Newman's Marinara - love it)

1/2 cup chicken broth

hot cooked spaghetti

In a nonstick skillet coasted with nonstick cooking spray, cook chicken for about 6 minutes on each side or until no longer pink; remove and keep warm.

Add mushrooms, garlic, basil and Italian seasoning to skillet; saute until mushrooms are tender. Stir in spaghetti sauce and broth. Add chicken; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until heated through.

Serve over pasta.

Confessions: I often substitute canned mushrooms pieces and stems for the fresh mushrooms and garlic powder (or Tastefully Simple's Garlic Garlic) for the garlic cloves. This is one of those recipes where I don't even measure out the ingredients anymore! And it still turns out yummy!

Crockpot Brown Sugar Chicken

I saw this recipe sometime last year and knew I needed to try it. I finally got around to it last night. I was not disappointed. I thought it was excellent AND easy! Stephen thought it was ok, Jeremiah was being difficult about eating (what's new), and Joshua ate his fair share (big surprise).

I used four large frozen chicken breasts in a 4-qt crockpot. I cooked it on low for 8 1/2 hours. I always have a problem with chicken drying out in the crockpot, but not the case this time!

I served it over white rice with the "sauce" ladled over it. Then I shredded the extra and used it on a salad today.

The "Crockpot Lady" is done with her year of crockpotting, but all the recipes can still be found on her blog and she posts new ones every once in a while. Brown Sugar Chicken is definitely worth trying for your family!

Honey-Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry

This was dinner tonight. One of our favorites (from the good old Better Homes and Gardens cookbook) and its not difficult to make. I use broccoli and carrots for the veggies. We usually have it with white rice, but last time I tried it with quinoa. Stephen was not a fan, but I didn't mind it, especially with some extra glaze over the mixture. I love having leftovers of this around!

Honey-Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry

Ingredients
12 oz. Skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thighs
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Vinegar
2 tbsp Orange juice
4 tsp Soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp Cornstarch
2 tbsp Cooking oil
4 cups Cut-up vegetables, such as broccoli, sweet pepper, onion, and/or mushrooms
2 cups Hot cooked rice


Preparation
Cut chicken into bite-size strips; set aside. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together honey, vinegar, orange juice, soy sauce, and cornstarch; set aside.
Pour oil into a wok or large skillet. Heat over medium-high heat. Add vegetables to wok; cook and stir for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are bright and crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from wok.
Add chicken; cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Push chicken from the center of the wok. Stir sauce; add to center of the wok. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly.
Return cooked vegetables to wok. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve over rice.

Cajun Chicken Strips

This was a yummy meal my mom made when we were growing up. It was from an old Quick Cooking (Taste of Home)magazine. It has a little kick, but not enough to turn Stephen off to it (he's not a spicy food guy). Last night, I served it with rice and corn, but there is a great Corn Bread Casserole recipe that goes well with it also. By the way, does anyone have a great sweet corn bread recipe? Let me know :)

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-in. strips
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
Italian parsley and chili peppers, optional

Directions:
In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first six ingredients. Add chicken, half at a time, and shake to coat. In a large skillet, cook chicken in butter for 8-10 minutes or until the juices run clear. Garnish with parsley and peppers if desired. Yield: 4-6 servings.

Apple-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Like, I've mentioned before, I love to try new recipes. I know we have success when my husband asks me to make something again - I LOVE that feeling :) This is one of those successes and it is super easy. It comes from Mary Hunt and her Everyday Cheapskate e-newsletter (a daily e-mail I love to read - great ideas for saving money). The best part about this recipe is it doesn't require many ingredients and I always have these things on hand. NOTE: I used a George Foreman grill when it was really cold outside and that worked perfect!

Apple-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut in half
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 medium cooking apples (peeled and cut into thin slices)
1 cup apple cider
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Heat coals or gas grill. Place chicken breast halves between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound chicken to 1/8-inch thickness. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Coat apple slices with sugar mixture. Divide apple slices among chicken breast halves. Fold chicken around apples; secure with toothpicks.Place chicken 4 to 6 inches from medium heat, cover and grill for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until juice is no longer pink when centers of thickest pieces are cut. Remove chicken from grill, remove toothpicks. Mix apple cider and cornstarch in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Spoon over chicken and serve. Servings: 8.

Chicken Chili

In honor of the cold and wind that has taken over our area, I am posting my mom's Chicken Chili recipe today. Yes, it makes a LOT but it freezes well and is SO yummy. Here is the original recipe with some notes at the end about how I have modified it. This recipe just fits into my 8-qt. stock pot. (The picture is a double batch.)

I don't have any witty remarks or fabulous pictures like PW or Mindee, but I do think this is one darn good chili and totally worth the effort - just ask my husband.

Chicken Chili
8 cups chopped onion (6 onions)
¼ cup good olive oil (plus extra for chicken)
¼ cup minced garlic (8 cloves)
4 red peppers, cored, seeded & large diced
4 yellow peppers, cored, seeded & large diced
2 tsp chili powder
½ tsp dried red pepper flakes
2 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp pepper (plus more for the chicken)
4 tsp kosher salt (plus more for chicken)
4 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes in puree, undrained
½ cup minced fresh basil leaves
8 split chicken breasts, bone-in & skin-on

Cook onions in oil over medium low heat for 10-15 minutes. Add garlic and cook one more minute. Add pepper, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, pepper & salt. Cook one minute. Add crushed tomatoes with puree and basil to the pot. Bring to boil, then reduce heat & simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub chicken with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and pepper. Roast chicken 35-40 minutes. Separate the meat from bones and skin. Cut into chunks. Add to chili and simmer uncovered 20 more minutes. Serve with optional toppings: chopped onion, corn chips, grated cheddar, sour cream, etc.

Again, this makes a huge recipe but it freezes well.

***I use cayenne pepper instead of red pepper flakes and dried basil rather than fresh basil. The amount of dried basil is much less than ½ cup - follow your instincts. We also cut the amount of onion in half. Make sure you use coarse kosher salt (like you find on pretzels). It comes in a box. I also roast and cut the chicken the night before I make this to make life easier. Enlist someone to help chop the onions and peppers - trust me.