Slow Cooker Southwest Chicken Stacks

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups frozen corn
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 large frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
• 1 1/2 cups salsa

DIRECTIONS

1. Lightly grease the bottom and sides of the slow cooker. Pour frozen corn into the bottom of the slow cooker and place the frozen chicken breasts on top. Cover with beans and salsa. Cover slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred with forks. Return to the slow cooker and stir until the chicken, corn, beans and salsa are combined.
2. Serve on a bed of tortilla chips and top with additional garnishes: lettuce, tomato, avocado, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, lime wedges, etc.

BBQ Chicken Pizza

1 prepared pizza crust
1/2 c Famous Daves bbq sauce, divided
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 large chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1 1/2-2 c mozzarella cheese
1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped

Preheat oven to 400. If you have a pizza stone (they make the best pizzas), put it in the oven to preheat as well. Toss shredded chicken with 1/4 c bbq sauce. Remove hot pizza stone from oven and sprinkle with corn meal. Roll or toss dough and place on stone. Spread remaining 1/4 c bbq sauce over dough. Arrange onion slices over sauce. Spread chicken over onions then top with cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. (That time is for a pizza stone – if you are using a cookie sheet, it may be a shorter time) Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and slice into 8 wedges.

In case you don’t have a good pizza dough recipe, here is the one I like:

1 cup very warm water
1 tsp sugar
1 scant Tb yeast
3 Tb oil
2 1/2 c flour
1 tsp salt

Dissolve sugar in warm water then sprinkle yeast on top and float for 1 minute. Stir in yeast and proof (let it sit) for 10 minutes- yeast should foam. Stir in oil, salt and flour and knead for 10 minutes. Place dough in oiled bowl and let rise for 1 1/2 hours.

Creamy Cajun Pasta with Blackened Chicken

Creamy Cajun Pasta with Blackened Chicken

3 boneless/skinless chicken breasts halves

2-3 Tb Cajun seasoning

1 Tb canola or olive oil

8 oz. gemelli or penne pasta

1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes with onion and garlic

1 tsp dry basil (or 3 Tb fresh)

1tsp sugar

2/3 cup cream

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (plus more for garnish)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and keep warm.  Pour tomatoes into a small sauce pan and add dry basil and sugar.  (*If using fresh basil, stir in at the end.)  Reduce the tomatoes over medium-high heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. 
2. While tomatoes are cooking, rub chicken breasts with desired amount of Cajun seasoning. {I like to use 3 Tb but we like it spicy at our house.  When I’ve used 2 Tb in the past, it has a mild kick of spice – still very delicious and probably perfect for finicky kids… or adults!}  Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat (careful not to burn the oil).  Add chicken and cook 7 minutes on each side or until juices run clear when pierced.  Remove from skillet and slice thinly across the grain. 
3. Once the tomatoes have thickened, reduce heat and stir in cream. Heat through but DO NOT BOIL!  Toss with pasta and parmesan cheese. 
4. Serve sliced chicken on top of pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Thai Peanut Chicken Pasta

INGREDIENTS

Pasta, Chicken and Extras:
• 8 ounces linquine, thin spaghetti or regular spaghetti (whole wheat works great)
• 3 cups diced, cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken meat works great here as well as this simple skillet method for quick, shredded chicken)
• 1 pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted (optional but adds great flavor)
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 English cucumber, diced
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• Chopped fresh cilantro, to taste
Peanut Sauce:
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon red wine or rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey
• 6 tablespoons chunky or smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
• Hot sauce (like sriracha, to taste)
• 3 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Pinch of black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot of salted, boiling water, cook the linguine according to package directions. During the last two minutes of cooking time, add the asparagus pieces. Drain the pasta and asparagus together in a colander. 
2. While the pasta cooks, make the sauce by combining the garlic, vinegar, brown sugar, peanut butter, soy sauce, and hot sauce in a blender or food processor. Blend until well-combined. With the blender or food processor running, drizzle in the sesame and olive oil and process until blended and smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside. 
3. Transfer the pasta and asparagus to a large serving bowl. Add the chicken. Pour the sauce over the top along with two tablespoons of the sesame seeds. Toss to combine so the ingredients are coated with the sauce. 
4. Top the pasta dish with the green onions, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, cilantro and sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Sundried Tomato Chicken Penne

Uncooked penne pasta
1 tablespoon butter
2 jars sun-dried tomato alfredo sauce
chicken
2 cups sundried tomatos
1/8 t pepper
1-1/2 c. shredded parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. In a large bowl, combine alfredo sauce, chicken, tomatos, pepper. Drain pasta; stir into chicken mixture. Spoon into greased 9x13 pan.
3. Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for 5-8 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Chicken Pot Pie Baked Potato

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup small diced carrots
• 1/2 cup small diced celery
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 2-3 cups cooked, diced chicken
• Salt and pepper to taste
Potatoes and Toppings:
• 6 medium russet baking potatoes, scrubbed clean
• Cheddar cheese for topping, optional
• Cooked, crumbled bacon for topping, optional

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Lightly rub the potatoes with olive oil and wrap each potato in tin foil. Pierce through the foil and skin of the potato with a fork a couple of times.
3. Bake the potatoes for an hour or until tender. 
4. Toward the end of baking time, make the sauce by melting the butter in a large, 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic, salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are crisp-tender (but not mushy), about 5-7 minutes. 
5. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetable mixture and cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. The mixture will be crumbly. 
6. Slowly add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth whisking quickly until thick and combined (adding a little liquid at a time will help avoid lumps). Continue adding 1/2 cup of the broth and milk at a time until it has all been stirred into the skillet and the sauce is smooth and creamy.
7. Cook the mixture at a low simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thickened. 
8. Stir in the peas and chicken and heat through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 
9. Serve over baked potatoes with cheddar cheese and cooked bacon, if desired.