#2,810: Thai Chicken Salad

We have a disagreement at school during lunch about which is better canned shredded chicken or fresh shredded chicken.  I am the minority of that vote who greatly prefer canned chicken over fresh chicken.  So in the recipe photo above (which I was making just for myself, I used canned chicken.  The salad was delicious and I decided to make it again for some friends, but this time I figured I'd actually cook and shred fresh chicken and add that into the salad.  Although I will deny saying this to my friends, the fresh shredded chicken was actually quite good!  The dressing in this salad is tangy, a bit sweet, and yet a tiny bit spicy.  I like it.  (In my head I said that last sentence with a weird, definitive accent, so please try to read it that way! 🤣).  I strongly recommend this salad...it was THAT good.  

2 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded

2 cups red cabbage, chopped

1 bell pepper, diced

1/2 cup peanuts, roasted & unsalted

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

1 cup Greek yogurt, plain

2 tbsp maple syrup

3 tbsp rice vinegar

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Instructions

In a large bowl, add all ingredients listed in the order above and mix with spatula until well combined.

Store: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

#2,807: Sweet and Spicy Sticky Chicken

My family was such a big fan of this chicken that we literally ate it two nights in a row and both times we were fighting over the last piece!  And I don't even like chicken thighs...but I did for THIS recipe!  This recipe requires you to brown it on the stove and then finish baking in the oven.  But I wasn't happy with the sauce (it was too liquidy), so I threw it back onto the stove top at the end and it thickened up so nicely (see photo above).  We will definitely be eating this one again...soon!  

FOR THE SPICE RUB

2 teaspoons , or to taste, chili powder

1 teaspoon or to taste , paprika

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

FOR THE HONEY SAUCE

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

FOR THE CHICKEN

1 tablespoon unrefined , cold pressed coconut oil

6 to 8 boneless , skinless chicken thighs

green onions , for garnish

Preheat oven to 375F.

Melt coconut oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat.

Combine the spice rub ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. 

Rub the chicken with the prepared spice rub and toss to coat.

Add chicken to skillet and cook for 5 minutes on each side, or until browned.

Prepare the honey sauce by combining honey and apple cider vinegar in a mixing bowl; stir until well incorporated.

Remove chicken from heat and pour honey sauce over the chicken thighs, turning to coat.

Bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Remove from oven and let stand couple minutes.

Plate and garnish with green onions.

#2,805: Thai Baked Chicken

I personally was so scared of this recipe because I don't love chicken if it's not grilled, or battered and fried.  I am really not a fan of baked chicken, but this recipe got such good reviews I wanted to give it a try.  Even as I was making it, I was thinking I wasn't going to like it because the chicken was too.........chicken-y.  (go ahead....give an eye roll!)  But I was pleasantly surprised that this chicken was so moist and tender.  Although I ate a little bit of it as seen above, I really enjoyed this in a quesadilla instead!  My kids loved this chicken and we even ate it two nights in a row (one as the chicken with a side dish and once as a chicken quesadilla).  I think this would also be good as a chopped up chicken filling for tacos or enchiladas. 

6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or 12 boneless chicken thighs

1 tbsp oil (for skillet)

Marinade

1-1/2 cups chopped fresh cilantro

3/4 cup canned coconut milk

12 leaves fresh basil

1 large or 2 small jalapeños, seeds removed

3 cloves garlic

1/4 inch slice of fresh ginger

1-1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3/4 tsp ground coriander

2 tsp packed brown sugar, or coconut palm sugar

2 limes cut into wedges, for garnish

Add marinade ingredients to food processor and purée until smooth.

Arrange chicken parts in a single layer in a large freezer bag. Pour marinade over chicken, seal tightly or vacuum seal and massage the marinade into the chicken a bit. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours, or simply lay it flat in the freezer and freeze for another day.

When ready to cook, thaw completely. The safest way to thaw is in the refrigerator overnight.

To bake: Preheat oven to 375F. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium to high heat. Add oil and wait until it ripples or shimmers. Add chicken pieces and sear on each side for 3-4 minutes, then place skillet in oven for 15 - 20 minutes or until it has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Cover with foil and let stand on a platter for 5-10 minutes before serving.

If you want to grill it instead: Place chicken on medium-hot well-oiled grill. Turn when chicken has grill marks (approx. 5-6 min). Cook until internal temperature is 165 degrees at the thickest part (about 7-8 minutes).

Sprinkle with more chopped cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

#2,788: Hawaiian Chicken Sandwiches

Sometimes it's hard to make chicken in the crockpot if you are going to be gone ALL day because it doesn't need as much time to cook all the way through.  This is a great recipe you can make on the weekend (or even after work if you cook it on high) and reheat it the next day for dinner.  We ate these on toasted Hawaiian rolls with some cheese (as you can sort of tell from the picture), but you could eat this over rice or cauliflower rice as well!  If you do eat this as a sandwich, I strongly suggest toasting your rolls or getting crusty bread because the sauce on this chicken soaks into the bread a bit and can make your rolls a bit soggy if not toasted.  

My kids loved this recipe and we've already eaten it twice already.  I'm sure this will be part of our regular rotation.  

3 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 c. chopped onion

2 c. pineapple juice

1/2 c. brown sugar *edited from the original recipe, which called for 1 cup

3/4 c. ketchup

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

4 garlic cloves minced

1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. ginger

Combine pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and spices in a large measuring cup or mixing bowl. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated, then set aside.

Place chicken in slow cooker and add diced onion.  Pour pineapple juice mixture over the chicken to cover completely.  Cook on low heat 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. 

*If sauce is not as thick as you'd like it to be, you can prop open the lid and let some additional liquid evaporate before shredding and serving.

Shred chicken and then add it back to the sauce. 
See note above on how to serve this.

#2,659: Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes

So the original intent was to throw the chicken on the grill.  But I was not in the mood to go out there so I changed plans last minute and decided to try this recipe instead.  It was SUPER easy to make, but my only complaint was that the original recipe said to brown the chicken and the potatoes in the Instant Pot on sautee setting but mine never would brown.  I don't know what the deal was!  So I threw mine under the broiler for a few minutes but I'm still not sure it really made any difference.  Taste-wise though, we really enjoyed this.  The chicken and potatoes were done in the same amount of time as the roasted broccoli so it was perfect! 

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 1 lb)

2-3lbs. small golden potatoes (I used about 4 russet potatoes cut into cubes)

2 tbsp. butter (I used 1 tbsp)

Olive Oil

1/2 tsp. oregano (I just eye-balled a decent amount)

1/2 tsp. basil (I just eye-balled a decent amount)

1.4 tsp. rosemary (I just eye-balled a decent amount)

Salt and Pepper to Taste

3 cloves of minced garlic

1 c. chicken stock or broth (I used a little less than a cup)

Parmesan cheese

Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and toss in a bowl with oregano, basil, rosemary, salt and pepper.

Halve the small potatoes and place in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and toss until coated.

Turn your Instant Pot on and set to the saute setting. Saute garlic in 2 tbsp. of butter for a minute or two. Add in the chicken and saute to get some color on the chicken.  A few minutes later, add in the potatoes and saute a few more minutes to get some color on the potatoes as well. Pour in the chicken stock or broth.

Close the lid on your pressure cooker and set it to pressure cook manually for 10 minutes. When finished, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

#2,645: Bacon Ranch Chicken Poppers

I'm going to be really honest, I was scared to death to eat these, and I was even more scared to serve them to my family.  My 9 year old took one look at them and with huge disdain (and a bit of horror) said "There's carrots in that!  I know it!  You put carrots in the meatballs!" We've been battling the 6 year old a bit at dinner time because he's just like his dad rebelling against all vegetables.  He used to at least eat carrots but he's even crying to eat those.  So since he's going to cry anyways, I'm broadening his tastes and giving him more variety of veggies...and I'm sticking one or two on his dad's plate too!  Some days those boys will actually like and eat their veggies.

So I figured the only chance I had of this crew willingly eating/trying these was to serve it with something they like...spaghetti.  I expected them to want to dip these in ranch (obvious choice) or catsup, but they dipped them in their spaghetti sauce instead AND no one complained about these!  The girls even had seconds!  (insert shocked face!).

Personally I liked these, but the dill gives it a flavor I don't love...but I don't totally love dill either.  I think it can be over powering.  I even cut back on the amount of dill this recipe called for!  I don't know if I'll love these as leftovers/reheated, but for dinner I enjoyed them.  They are different...I like that!  

Now, if you bake this on parchment paper like the original recipe suggest, yours will not be almost burned darker in color like mine.  I however, would not have eaten it if these weren't dark enough!  Personally I think parchment paper makes it too mushy because the oil/fat that is released just sits on the parchment paper so the meatballs steam more than they bake.  So I let it cook half of the time on the parchment paper, and then pulled the parchment out.  I finished cooking directly on the cookie sheet and flipped them one more time so both sides would be darker in color.  

1 lb raw ground chicken (or turkey)

2 cups raw shredded carrots (this was 4 large carrots for me)

3 slices raw sugar free bacon

2 tbsp coconut oil (I used avocado oil)

2 tbsp coconut flour

2 tbsp dried parsley

2 tsp dried chives (I omitted b/c I was out)

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp dried dill (I used 1 tsp)

2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp sea salt

2 tsp nutritional yeast (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Add the shredded carrots to a food processor along with the bacon and blend on high. You want both the carrots and the bacon to be very finely shredded.  Remove the carrots and bacon from the food processor and add to a mixing bowl.  Stir in the raw ground chicken, seasoning, coconut oil and flour and thoroughly combine.  

Line 2 baking sheets (or one large baking sheet) with parchment paper.  Roll the mixture into small poppers and slightly flatten them (I got about 35 out of mine). Bake for 30-35 minutes, flipping them half way through.  OPTIONAL- Place them under the broiler for 5 minutes to crisp before serving (or see my directions above).  Serve warm with ranch dressing and enjoy! 

#2,729: Marinated Grilled Chicken

We do a lot of grilling when we are at the lake, and we try to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible.  So I made this marinade right after breakfast and just let the chicken soak in it all day until dinner.  My husband grilled these up for us and said that when you put it on the grill it really makes some flames, so be careful when putting these on the grill.  Our family really enjoyed this recipe and I was happily surprised when the kids kept asking for more!  

To make this marinade simply combine

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar

Mix the chicken in the marinade and let it sit in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.

#2,725: Instant Pot Pulled Chicken

We don't eat a ton of chicken in our house because I'm so picky about the flavor of it and what I like.  But when I came across this recipe for my instant pot (and the minimal ingredients I would need to get), I figured we'd give this a try.  I didn't make too many changes to this recipe except to use mild green chiles and to add an extra chicken breast.  I also preferred to serve this on a crustier bread, so we used toasted ciabatta rolls instead.  I think that was a really good idea.  I think this would have been too soft on a hamburger bun.

I surprised myself a little with how much I enjoyed this.  Because I didn't use the fire roasted chiles it wasn't spicy at all, which was perfect for my crew.  But if you like heat, definitely add the original ingredient.  Most of us really enjoyed this, only one didn't enjoy it (I'm sure you can guess which picky eater wasn't a fan!  Ps..it was Matthew, age 6).  

This was super easy to make/throw together.  You could easily make the sauce the night before and then just throw it all in the instant pot when you get home from work/school/kids activities.  This also made enough for 2 meals plus leftovers for Brian for my crew!  

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1 4-ounce can fire-roasted diced green chiles (I used mild green chiles)

1 corn tortilla, torn

1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro (leaves and tender stems), plus 2 tablespoons chopped leaves

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon sugar

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, about 8 ounces each (I used 4 chicken breasts)

1 lime, cut into wedges

4 hamburger buns, for serving (We used ciabatta rolls)

Combine the tomato sauce, 1/2 cup water, the chiles, tortilla and 1/4 cup cilantro in a blender. Add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper; blend until smooth.

Rub the bottom of an Instant Pot insert with the vegetable oil. Add the chicken breasts to the Instant Pot along with the pureed sauce. Stir to combine. Put on the lid, making sure the steam valve is in the sealing position, and set to cook on high pressure for 9 minutes. When the time is up, press the cancel button and let the steam release naturally, for 15 minutes. (You can also cook frozen chicken breasts in an Instant Pot: Rinse the chicken briefly under cool water and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes.) 

Remove the lid and transfer the chicken to a bowl.

(Since I used an extra chicken breast, I only had to sautee for about 2 minutes) Set the pot to sauté at high heat. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Break the chicken into large chunks with two forks and return to the sauce; stir to coat. Simmer, stirring to prevent sticking, until the sauce thickens, about 8 minutes. Turn off the Instant Pot. 

When the sauce stops bubbling, stir in the chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice (I used half of a lime); season with salt and pepper. Serve the chicken on buns with lime wedges.

#2,680: Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

I was looking for a recipe that I could make to take to a friend for lunch and definitely wanted something I could use as a way to try in my new favorite cooking vessel, my Instant Pot.  I loved that this recipe required me to throw everything into the Instant Pot at once and I had almost all of the ingredients already on hand. 

Once this recipe was done, I pulled the chicken out and shredded it in my stand mixer.  Personally this recipe calls for WAY too much chicken!  I only had .6 lb of chicken thighs and only used about 2/3rds of it in the chili.  But I'm not a huge chicken fan so maybe if you love chicken thighs you'll want to add it all it.  I thought it seemed like a crazy amount. 

I stole a bowl of this for myself (sorry Heather!) and topped mine with some chopped cilantro, a little bit of sour cream, and some crushed up tortilla chips.  I enjoyed this a lot!  I would definitely make this recipe again! 

1.3 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs (I only used about half a pound or less and shredded it after it cooked)

5 cups chicken stock homemade or store-bought

2 cloves garlic finely minced

1 medium onion diced

2 (15 oz) cans can white northern beans drained and rinsed

4 oz diced green chilies, undrained

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot, and place the lid on and lock it.  Use the manual keys to set the Instant Pot to 13 minutes manual.

After the cooking has completed, use the quick release lever to release the pressure.  Carefully remove the chicken thighs, and use two forks to shred the chicken.  Return chicken to the pot, and serve immediately.

#2,677: Instant Pot Asian Chicken

This recipe was SO easy to throw in the Instant Pot and then walk away from.  What was that infomercial that probably coined the term "set it and forget it?!"  This recipe would definitely be one of those types of meals.  My cousin-in-law suggested getting different plastic rings for your instant pot and this recipe showed me exactly why you might want/need to do this.  Long after I made this recipe, I could still smell the sauce on the ring when I opened the lid.  I even tried doing a vinegar soak I found online, but it didn't seem to have made a difference.  SO if you are going to make this recipe in your Instant Pot and then follow up with making a dessert in your Instant Pot, I'd get more plastic rings! 

Regardless, our family enjoyed this meal.  I thought I'd have to set out rolls for my kids to make this chicken into mini sandwiches (which they often prefer to do with shredded chicken) but they didn't ask for it and all ate it, so that's a huge win in my book! 

1-2 lbs of chicken thighs (1lb for 4-5 servings)

1/4 cup of honey

1/3 cup of coconut aminos

1 T tomato paste

2 tsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

a dash of crushed red pepper

2 tsp rice flour (optional) (I used cornstarch instead)

Place chicken in a 6 quart Instant Pot.  

In a small bowl, mix the rest of the ingredients together, except flour.  Pour over chicken and place the top on the pressure cooker.  Turn to high pressure and set for 15 minutes.  After the timer is up, switch to quick release.

To thicken sauce, remove chicken and set to saute. Whisk in two teaspoons of flour, if desired, and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently.  (You can leave the chicken whole or chop into pieces...I decided to shred ours) Then add chicken back in and stir.  

I served our chicken over rice and added some chopped green onion on top.  

**If you are using an 8 quart pot, add 2/3 cup of water to the sauce mixture.**

#2,674: Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowls

Ok...here's the first real recipe I decided to try using my new Instant Pot!  Eeek!  I had super low expectations for this recipe mainly because I have no idea what I'm doing!  As I've mentioned the last several months, I'm trying to use different cuts of meat besides boneless skinless chicken breasts, and ground beef/turkey.  So when I found this recipe which used chicken thighs, I knew I needed to give it a try, rather than sub in some ground beef instead (as I normally would do).

I also knew that serving my family burrito bowls would not go over very well, so although I ate mine this way, I gave the rest of them a tortilla and they filled it with some of the chicken, rice, and cheese.  

This was really good!  There was a little too much rice, but personally I liked it that way.  I added some chopped cilantro and avocado to mine, and topped it with a little sour cream.  I also scooped some of it up with mini tortilla chips.  Yum!  Yes, I would definitely make this again! 

1 1/2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, divided

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed (I omitted from the Instant Pot and added it in at the end)

1 cup frozen corn kernels (I omitted from the Instant Pot and added in canned corn at the end)

1 (16-ounce) jar salsa (I used mild picante sauce)

1 cup long-grain white rice

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Add the oil to the Instant Pot, turn on sauté setting, and heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cumin. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth and cook, gently scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any stuck-on bits, and simmer for 1 minute.

Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, beans, corn, salsa, and stir to combine. Sprinkle the rice on top of the chicken and beans mixture and pour the remaining 3/4 cup broth on top of the rice, but do not stir. Using the pressure cooker's manual setting, set the pressure to HIGH for 10 minutes. Close and lock the lid. It should take the pressure cooker about 10 to 12 minutes to come to pressure and begin the 10 minute countdown. When cooking time is complete, do a quick release of the pressure.

Gently stir everything together. Divide between bowls and top with the cheese and cilantro.

#2,064: Crockpot Chicken Cacciatore

It was one of those days where I wasn't totally sure what I wanted to make for dinner because I didn't have any definite plans (a lot of times I do).  I knew I wanted to make something ridiculously easy, and I had some chicken thighs in my freezer, so I figured I'd do a quick search for something...and something that would go well with pasta as a side dish. Enter this recipe!  It was so simple, and I literally had all of the ingredients on hand.  Well I didn't have any mushrooms on hand, but my husband wouldn't want them in this dish anyways.  

I love recipes when dinner is in the crockpot and cooking within minutes!  That was definitely this recipe! 

Overall, my family really did enjoy this meal...there weren't any leftovers, so that's always a great sign!  The chicken was tender and moist, and I'd make this again. Although I was the only one who ate it on top of pasta...everyone else ate it on the side, and Allison put it into a little roll to make a chicken sandwich.  To each his own!  

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 pound sliced fresh mushrooms (I omitted)
1/2 yellow onion, minced
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and diced (I didn't have green on hand, so I used red bell pepper)
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) 

Place chicken in a slow cooker; stir in spaghetti sauce, tomato paste, mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, garlic, oregano, basil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cover. Cook on Low until chicken is tender, 6 to 8 hours.

#2,042: Slow Cooker Asian-BBQ Fusion Chicken

I am trying to use chicken thighs more because I know they are a bit easier on the grocery budget, but they aren't my favorite type of meat.  I made this because it looked SO good to me, but I didn't know if my boys would enjoy it as much (the girls were out of town).  No surprise, the littlest boy (5) wasn't a big fan and we had to coerce him to eat it.  The big boy (40) actually surprised me by liking this.  He did, however, prefer to eat the leftover chicken in a roll (more like a BBQ chicken sandwich) instead. 

6 chicken thighs, skin removed.

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp chili powder

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed (or 1 Tbsp minced jarred garlic)

1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger (or 1 tsp dried ground ginger)

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup honey

Juice from 1 lemon (or 3 Tbsp lemon juice)

Lemon zest (if using a fresh lemon)

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

1/2 cup tomato sauce

Toasted sesame seeds

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 cup cold water

Place chicken in the bottom of the slow cooker.  Season chicken with the spices.

Add all of the ingredients on top except for the water and cornstarch. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8.

In a small saucepan, whisk the cold water with the cornstarch until well blended.

Add about 1/2 cup of the liquid from the slow cooker to the saucepan and whisk.

Heat over medium heat until it bubbles and thickens.

Mix the thickened liquid back into the slow cooker and stir. Let it cook for another 10 minutes.

Serve chicken over rice. Top with some of the sauce and then some sesame seeds.

#2,034: Easy Crockpot Orange Chicken

I had 2 large frozen chicken breasts that I wanted to use up in a very easy way, so I figured I'd give this recipe a try.  I knew I was pushing my luck because my family typically doesn't eat a ton of meat that's served over rice (if I throw it in a roll, that's usually a better outcome for us), and asking my husband to eat something with "marmalade" would have been a flat out no.  So I had to sneak this one past them and hope for the best.  I figured the addition of the BBQ sauce was a good starting point for sneaking this one by them. 

The original recipe says to cook the chicken first by itself, and then drain the natural liquid released from the chicken before adding in the sauce ingredients, but I was not about extra steps.  So I cooked it all together and and it turned out just fine. 

My family wasn't big fans of this recipe.  It was too "citrusy" for their liking.  I liked it, but I didn't love it.  I would certainly eat this again, but it's not something that will be on my menu again any time soon. 

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
3/4 cup orange marmalade
2 tbsp soy sauce
Rice (white, brown, jasmine, etc) for serving
Optional toppings: sesame seeds, sliced green onion, crispy Chinese noodles, etc. 

Cut 3-4 chicken breasts into small chunks.  Place them in a crockpot.
In a medium bowl, combine the BBQ sauce, soy sauce, and orange marmalade.  Mix to combine, and pour over the chicken.  Stir to coat the chicken.  Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  

Serve with rice and additional toppings (if desired).

#2,026: Crockpot Bourbon Chicken

I am not a fan of chicken thighs, and often will sub out boneless skinless chicken breasts instead in a recipe.  But I know that chicken thighs are less expensive, so I thought I'd try and give this recipe a try.  We really enjoyed this recipe, and I loved how easy it was to throw together!  I added some water chestnuts and some crispy chinese noodles to give it more texture, which made me enjoy it even more!  I didn't love it reheated as much as I did the first night we ate this, but I'm so picky with chicken.  

3 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup sliced green onions (or more to taste)
1 can of sliced water chestnuts
Crispy chinese noodles (to top)

Jasmine (or white) rice (to serve over)

SAUCE

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes

1/3 cup apple juice

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup ketchup

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup Bourbon (I used wiskey because that's all I had on hand)

1/4 cup soy sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Place chicken in slow cooker, pour sauce over top. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours or on high 3 hours.

Remove chicken and chop into bite-sized pieces and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine 3 tablespoons water with cornstarch. Turn slow cooker up to high. Whisk cornstarch slurry into the sauce. Cover and allow to thicken, stirring occasionally (about 10 minutes). Stir chicken (and water chestnuts) back into the sauce and add in green onions.

Serve over rice.

#2,010: BBQ Chicken Supper Pie

I found this THREE INGREDIENT main dish in a recent issues of Taste of Home edition of Name Brand Hacks.  What?!  A super fast dinner I could get in the oven in less than 5 minutes and ready to eat in about 30?  YES please!  This was supposed to be made with sweet potato waffle fries, but I used regular waffle fries instead.  My family had mixed reviews over this recipe but overall liked it.  3 of us liked it a lot, 1 liked it enough to eat it again, and one complained the whole time (the 5 year old!).  If I make this again I'd actually make 2 changes: 1 double the bbq chicken.  2.  Add a whole lot more waffle fries.  I wasn't sure if I was supposed to use the whole package of the waffle fries so I just did 2 layers of fries in the pan.  The layer touching the bbq chicken got soft and mushy (one of us didn't like that part of it...the rest of us didn't care), but the top layer was much crisper.  The recipe says this serves 8, but this does NOT make a huge pan, so I would say it would serve a family of 3 best.  That's why I think if I added more bbq chicken, it would be a more filling meal.  I also couldn't add a whole bag of corn....I already had to listen to griping from the little bit I added.  

16-oz. tub of Lloyd’s Seasoned Shredded Chicken in Original BBQ Sauce
1 package fo Green Giant Roasted Corn (I used about 1 cup)
1 package of Alexia Waffle Cut Sweet Potato Seasoned Fries (I used regular waffle fries)

In an 8-in. square baking pan, combine the Seasoned Shredded Chicken with a package of Green Giant Roasted Corn. Top with Alexia Waffle Cut Sweet Potato Seasoned Fries; bake at 425° for 25 minutes. Makes eight servings.

#1,867: Baked Balsamic Chicken

I am not the biggest chicken fan, but my husband is and when I ask him what he wants me to add to our menu, chicken is often requested.  I also want/need to serve it so my kids learn to love it more than I do AND because it's a healthy protein option for us all.  So I found this recipe for a super easy baked balsamic chicken recipe that you can make ahead of time (or at the last minute like me if you forget to put the marinade together!)

This was super moist chicken and my family really enjoyed this.  I was afraid they were not going to like this because of the chunks of onion, so I had to scrape it off their chicken pieces.  Next tim I will probably leave the onion in much bigger slices so it still flavors the dish, but I can pick it out for the kiddos...and my husband. 

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used chicken breast tenders) 

1/2 small onion, diced

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp. olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp. dried oregano

1/2 tsp. dried rosemary

2 tsp. coarse whole grain mustard (optional) (I DID add this)

Salt and pepper

Combine all the ingredients into a Ziploc bag and give it a good massage with your hands to coat the chicken. Let the chicken marinate several hours up to overnight if you have time.  If not, you don't have to let this sit. 

Preheat oven to 400F. Place the chicken into a glass dish in a single layer and pour any excess marinade on top. Season with extra salt and pepper if desired. Place into oven, uncovered, and bake for 20 minutes.

Boneless Chicken Breasts

Start checking your internal temperature chicken at 20 minutes. They may need only 5-10 minutes more (depending on thickness of meat.).  Chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 160F.