(57) Risotto with Chicken and Beet Greens

I have to admit right here and now - my husband and I do not really love beets. So when I saw beet greens in the CSA box this week, I thought 'eh, ok'. But today I got up the nerve to find a good recipe for them and I'm sure glad I did!

This risotto was an excellent way to use the beet greens! I only had about 3/4 lb of greens and they were slim and sometimes short. The final product didn't taste overly 'beet-ish' at all, which was my biggest fear. Not sure if it's because I didn't have a pound, they were small, or that's just the way this recipe works! In any case, it was DELICIOUS and the perfect lunch for us!

As with any risotto, there's an awful lot of stirring and waiting. The recipe says it should take 20 minutes and mine took at least 2x that long. It's quite possible that I was overly cautious, but if yours takes that long too, don't worry! Slow and steady is better than speedy in this case!

For my vegetarian friends out there, you could easily omit the chicken and sub in veggie broth. And if you're vegan (hi Natalie!) if you can find a good vegan substitute for parmesan, you're golden! (I used asiago and parmesan, but any mix of sharp tasting cheeses, vegan or not, would work!)

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Risotto with Chicken and Beet Greens

Yield: 6 servings
Source: Gourmet Magazine, March 1996

5 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 pound beet stems and greens (from about 6 beets), stems trimmed and leaves washed well
1 small onion, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 whole skinless boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound total), cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons red-wine vinegar
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan (about 1 1/2 ounces)
freshly ground black pepper to taste

In a saucepan bring broth and water to a simmer and keep at a bare simmer.

Cut beet stems into 1/4-inch pieces and slice leaves thin. In a 4-quart heavy kettle cook beet stems and onion in 2 tablespoons oil over moderate heat until stems are tender, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and cook until opaque, about 2 minutes. Add remaining tablespoon oil and beet leaves and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring, until leaves are wilted and any liquid is evaporated.

Add rice to chicken mixture and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until absorbed. Stir in about 1 cup broth and cook at a bare simmer, stirring constantly, until absorbed. Continue simmering and adding broth, about 1/3 cup at a time, stirring constantly and letting each addition be absorbed before adding next, until rice is tender and creamy looking but still al dente, 18 to 20 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and stir in vinegar, grated Parmesan, black pepper, and salt to taste.

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Another favorite - Chicken Tetrazzini

This recipe is another one that I make all the time. I love it with all my heart and I recommend it to anyone who will listen!! Just like the stuffed shells, it makes 2 dishes. I love that because I can make one for a friend who's been sick or just had a baby and I can keep the other for us to eat! This also freezes beautifully, so you can freeze one and eat the other right away!

PS: I have made just half a recipe before and that worked out fine (but really, you might as well make 2!)
PPS: Amy's opera note - it's named after opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini!

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Chicken Tetrazzini

Yield: 2 casseroles, 6 servings each (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, March 2003

1 tablespoon butter
cooking spray
1 cup finely chopped onion
2/3 cup finely chopped celery
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 (8-ounce) packages pre-sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup dry sherry
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 (14.5 oz) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 1/4 cups (9 oz) grated fresh parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup (4 oz) 1/3-less fat cream cheese
7 cups hot cooked vermicelli (about 1 lb uncooked pasta)
4 cups chopped cooked chicken (about 1.5 lbs)
1 (1-ounce) slice white bread (Amy's note: I used canned breadcrumbs, just estimated the amt.)

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Melt butter in large stockpot coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, pepper, salt, and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add sherry; cook 1 minute.

3. Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup; level with a knife. Gradually add flour to pan; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly (mixture will be thick) with a whisk. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat.

4. Add 1 3/4 cups Parmesan cheese and cream cheese, stirring with a whisk until cream cheese melts. Add the pasta and chicken, and stir until blended. Divide the pasta mixture between 2 (8-inch square) baking dishes coated with cooking spray.

5. Place bread in food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form. Combine breadcrumbs and 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; sprinkle evenly over pasta mixture.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove casserole from oven; let stand 15 minutes.

* To freeze unbaked casserole: Prepare through step 5. Cool completely in refrigerator. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Wrap with heavy-duty foil. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.

* To Prepare Frozen Unbaked Casserole: Thaw casserole completely in refrigerator (about 24 hrs). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove foil; reserve foil. Remove plastic wrap; discard wrap. Cover casserole with reserved foil; bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 1 hour or until golden and bubbly. Let stand 15 minutes.

NUTRITIONAL INFO:
Calories - 380 (29% from fat); fat 12.2 g (sat 6.6, mono 3.4, poly .7); protein 33 g; carb 32.7g; fiber 2g; cholesterol 66 mg; iron 2.8 mg; sodium 964 mg; calcium 319 mg.

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(45) Chicken and Vegetables with Herbs

I just got a new shelf for my cookbooks (pictures coming shortly...) and this allowed me to actually organize my collection vs having it look like Barnes & Noble threw up in my family room. One of the things I found was this slow cooker magazine/cookbook! Yes! I'm feeling like slow cooking this week as things are gonna be a little crazy! So tonight was chicken. Chicken legs (thigh + drumstick) are on sale at Publix this week for CHEAP, so that was a double bonus on this meal!!

This recipe was a cinch to prepare. The picture in the magazine shows these beautifully intact chicken legs, but that was NOT the case here! The chicken completely fell apart so I ended up spooning it out in a pile and shredding/chunking the chicken and removing all of the bones. The baby was going to eat this, too (she loved it!), so I figured the boneless method was safest all around.

The flavor on this dish is very 'comfort-y'. It's not a strong, WOW flavor, but it was quite good! My only comment is that I think it needed a pinch of salt at the end, so use your tastebuds and add some if you think it needs it. I served over mashed potatoes (egg noodles would be good too!) for a totally comforting Sunday dinner.

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Chicken and Vegetables with Herbs

Yield: 4 servings
Source: Better Homes & Gardens Slow Cooker Meals

While fresh pearl onions need to be blanched and peeled, you can skip those steps with the frozen ones.

8 ounces mushrooms, halved
1 cup frozen pearl onions
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf (you gotta know I skipped this....)
4 small chicken legs (drumstick-thigh portion; skinned) (2 to 2-1/2 pounds total)
Chicken broth (optional)
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Hot cooked mashed potatoes (optional)
Fresh parsley sprigs (optional)

1. In a 5-1/2- or 6-quart slow cooker, combine mushrooms and pearl onions. Stir in the 1/2 cup broth, the wine, tomato paste, garlic salt, rosemary, thyme, pepper, and bay leaf. Add chicken legs to cooker.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 7 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3-1/2 to 4 hours.

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and vegetables to a serving platter. Discard bay leaf. Cover chicken and vegetables and keep warm.

4. For sauce: Skim fat from cooking liquid. Measure 2 cups of the cooking liquid, adding additional chicken broth, if necessary, to equal 2 cups total liquid. Transfer liquid to a medium saucepan. In a small bowl, stir the 1/4 cup broth into the flour; stir into liquid in saucepan. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly; cook and stir for 1 minute more. Spoon some of the sauce over chicken. Pass remaining sauce. If desired, serve with mashed potatoes and garnish with parsley.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 304, Total Fat (g) 9, Saturated Fat (g) 2, Cholesterol (mg) 159, Sodium (mg) 548, Carbohydrate (g) 9, Fiber (g) 1, Protein (g) 43

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Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

I very rarely cook without a recipe. What can I say!? I'm a Virgo, I need order and direction. Anyway, this is one of the few things that I make without thinking about it. I've never really measured out the ingredients and when people ask how I make these enchiladas, I just end up with a long sordid tale that probably is confusing! So tonight I busted out the enchiladas and decided to write down the measurements as I go. Hopefully it makes sense. We LOVE these enchiladas and it's one of the things my husband requests on a regular basis. Serve with some Spanish rice and refried beans and you have a great weeknight meals!!

PS: These are not soaking in sauce, so if you love your enchiladas with a ton of sauce, add an extra can of enchilada sauce! Put a little more on the bottom and the rest on the top. This recipe is versatile - you really can't go wrong mixing it up to suit your liking!

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Amy's Easy Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Source: An Amy original
Yield: 8 enchiladas

Cooking Spray
1 cup diced onion
1 4.5-ounce can diced green chiles, undrained
1 10-ounce can enchilada sauce, divided
3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I use 1 rotisserie chicken, picked clean and shredded)
1 Tbsp light sour cream
hot sauce (optional)
4 cups shredded cheese (use cheddar, Monterey jack, a mix of the 2, or Mexican blend - your choice!)
Sour cream for serving

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray and add oninos. Saute until soft and slightly brown (4-5 minutes). Add the undrained chiles and saute 1-2 minutes until well combined with the onions.

3) Place the shredded chicken in a medium bowl. Add the onion/chile mix and stir to combine. Add 2 Tbsp of the enchilada sauce and 1 Tbsp light sour cream and a few shakes of hot sauce, if you like it spicy! Stir to combine.

4) Spray a 13x9 pan with cooking spray. Spoon about 3 Tbsp of enchilada sauce into the bottom of the pan - just enough to coat it. Spread with the back of the spoon, if necessary.

5) Fill tortillas each with approx 2 Tbsp cheese (2 hearty pinches) and 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture. Roll up and place seam side down in the baking dish. Cover enchiladas with remaining enchilada sauce. Use the back of the spoon or a spatula to smoothe the sauce over the top of the enchiladas. Make sure you get the edges so they don't get too dried out! Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the enchiladas.

6) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes - just until the cheese is nice and melty and the sauce is bubbling around the sides!

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(39) Indonesian Chicken

I'm feeling the winter blahs and while I can't force warm weather (I WISH!), I could get some summer vibes into dinner by grilling! I expected this to be super spicy, but it was not. Next time - HOT SAUCE! :) But you know I like it spicy! Anyway, it was pretty easy to put this together and was mild, but flavorful. With each bite, you got another hint of lime, or ginger, or garlic. YUM!

PS:  No picture. You don't need to see a piece of grilled chicken. You've seen one, you've seen them all!!

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Indonesian Chicken

Source: Cooking Light, AUGUST 2001
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half)

"This recipe is one of my favorites because it's simple to make, tastes delicious, and is healthy. I have yet to find anyone who doesn't like it. I like to double the recipe and enjoy the leftovers. I prefer spicy food, so sometimes I'll add a dash of hot sauce. For friends who don't like spicy food, I just stick to the recipe. To get the best flavor, poke the chicken with a fork so it can really absorb the marinade."

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Cooking spray

Prepare grill.

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add chicken to bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade.

Place the chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 5 minutes on each side or until the chicken is done.

CALORIES 158 (19% from fat); FAT 3.3g (sat 0.9g,mono 1.1g,poly 0.8g); IRON 1mg; CHOLESTEROL 73mg; CALCIUM 19mg; CARBOHYDRATE 3.8g; SODIUM 238mg; PROTEIN 26.9g; FIBER 0.3g

(29) Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

This was our Superbowl meal - ready to cheer on the Saints to victory!! It was pretty easy to put together, very filling and very tasty. It wasn't spicy enough for my liking, so I added more Tabasco. I will make this again for sure!

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Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 2/3 cups gumbo and 1/2 cup rice)
Source: Cooking Light, JUNE 2007

1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion (1 large)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped green bell pepper (1 large)
1 cup finely chopped celery
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
8 ounces light smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces (such as Healthy Choice brand)
2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans no-salt-added organic diced tomatoes
2 (14-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
3 cups hot cooked rice

Place flour in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; cook 20 minutes or until light brown, stirring constantly with a whisk. (If flour browns too fast, remove pan from heat; stir constantly until it cools down.) Remove flour from pan, and set aside.

Add oil to pan. Stir in onion, bell pepper, and celery; cook 10 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring frequently. Stir in garlic; cook 30 seconds. Remove onion mixture from pan; set aside.

Increase heat to medium-high; add chicken and sausage to pan. Cook 4 minutes or until chicken is done; return onion mixture to pan. Remove pan from heat. Sprinkle reserved flour over chicken mixture; stir well. Return pan to medium heat. Drain 1 can tomatoes; stir in 1 can drained tomatoes and 1 can undrained tomatoes. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth, Worcestershire, and bay leaves; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaves. Stir in salt, black pepper, and hot sauce. Serve over rice.

CALORIES 419 (20% from fat); FAT 9.2g (sat 2.1g,mono 4.2g,poly 1.1g); IRON 3.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 82mg; CALCIUM 42mg; CARBOHYDRATE 44.2g; SODIUM 888mg; PROTEIN 35.8g; FIBER 3.3g

(27) Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

The key to an easy stir-fry experience is having everything chopped and ready to go when you put the first ingredient in the pan. This required a little chopping, but wasn't too difficult (overall) to make. The lemon flavor is dominant, but not overwhelming. We both really liked this!!

I served this over brown rice and it was a nice hearty serving size. Add some eggrolls and you're in business!!

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Lemon Chicken Stir-Fry

Spiked with lots of zesty lemon, this delectable chicken stir-fry has a colorful mix of snow peas, carrots and scallions. But feel free to substitute other thinly sliced vegetables, such as bell peppers or zucchini. Serve with: Rice noodles or brown rice.

Yield: 4 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each
Source: Eating Well Magazine, May/June 2009

1 lemon
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
10 ounces mushrooms, halved or quartered
1 cup diagonally sliced carrots , (1/4 inch thick)
2 cups snow peas , (6 ounces), stems and strings removed
1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces, white and green parts divided
1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1. Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest and set aside. Juice the lemon and whisk 3 tablespoons of the juice with broth, soy sauce and cornstarch in a small bowl.

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate with tongs. Add mushrooms and carrots to the pan and cook until the carrots are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add snow peas, scallion whites, garlic and the reserved lemon zest. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Whisk the broth mixture and add to the pan; cook, stirring, until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add scallion greens and the chicken and any accumulated juices; cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Per serving:
225 Calories; 6 g Fat; 1 g Sat; 3 g Mono; 63 mg Cholesterol; 14 g Carbohydrates; 27 g Protein; 3 g Fiber; 448 mg Sodium; 796 mg Potassium

(15) Chicken Baked in White Wine Marinade

I never cook chicken breasts on the bone, but they were on sale this week, so I thought I'd live on the wild side! This smelled SO STRONG (hello onions!) going in the oven, but they came out very mild and tender. Oh and I baked them in my favorite Le Crueset, because it had a lid and because my chicken was ginormous and would never have all fit in an 11x7 pan! This was easy to prep the night before and pop into the oven!

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Chicken Baked in White Wine Marinade

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 breast half)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, July 2008

Baking the chicken with the marinade infuses it with more flavor. Bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts stay moist and succulent; the skin is discarded after baking. For the prettiest presentation, remove meat from the bones, and slice thinly across the grain.

1 cup dry white wine
1 cup vertically sliced onion
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
4 (8-ounce) bone-in chicken breast halves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 4 hours or up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.

2. Preheat oven to 375°.

3. Place the chicken, skin side up, in an 11 x 7–inch baking dish. Pour marinade over chicken. Cover and bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 40 minutes or until done. Transfer chicken to a platter. Discard skin, bay leaf, and marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper.

Wine note: Chicken breasts such as these have a delicate flavor and work best with light wines. In summer, serve them with a cold pinot grigio, which is generally made without oak and is lighter and fresher than chardonnay. Try the snappy Tamás Estates Pinot Grigio from Monterey County, California and Livermore Valley. The 2006 is $12. —Karen MacNeil

CALORIES 184 (19% from fat); FAT 3.8g (sat 1.1g,mono 1.3g,poly 0.8g); IRON 1.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 90mg; CALCIUM 24mg; CARBOHYDRATE 2.1g; SODIUM 377mg; PROTEIN 33.2g; FIBER 0.3g

(12) Chicken Green Chili with White Beans

This recipe was a total hit in my book!! I couldn't find Anaheim chiles (ack!) so I bought poblanos. Delish! This soup was not spicy at all (I cleaned the seeds/ribs out of the peppers very carefully), but it was very flavorful. It was the PERFECT consistency/texture. The soft beans and the soft chicken with a swirl of the creamy sour cream = heaven in my mouth!!! I can't wait to eat these leftovers!

PS: I used olive oil instead of peanut oil. I wanted the baby to be able to eat some of this. It was fine. So if you don't have any peanut oil, just use what's on hand!

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Chicken Green Chili with White Beans

Yield: 6 servings
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, October 2004

Our kitchen has found that Anaheim chiles run the gamut from mild to fairly hot.

6 Anaheim chiles
1 tablespoon peanut oil
3 chicken leg quarters, skinned (about 1 3/4 pounds)
1 3/4 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (15.5-ounce) can cannellini beans (such as Goya) or other white beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
6 lime slices

Preheat broiler.

Cut chiles in half; discard seeds and membranes. Place halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet; flatten with hand. Broil 5 minutes or until blackened. Place in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 15 minutes. Peel chiles; discard skins. Chop chiles.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 6 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Return chicken to pan. Add broth, 1 1/2 cups water, and cumin; bring to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken; cool slightly. Remove chicken from bones; cut meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard bones. Add chicken to pan; stir in chopped chiles and beans.

Combine 1/2 cup water and flour, stirring with a whisk. Stir into chicken mixture. Bring to a simmer; cook 15 minutes. Stir in salt. Spoon about 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream. Serve with lime slices.

CALORIES 248 (20% from fat); FAT 5.6g (sat 1.5g,mono 1.9g,poly 1.4g); IRON 3.2mg; CHOLESTEROL 45mg; CALCIUM 87mg; CARBOHYDRATE 25.1g; SODIUM 903mg; PROTEIN 19.1g; FIBER 4.8g

(114) Garlic-Rosemary Roasted Chicken

I did not do the entire recipe (roasted garlic & onions) simply because I didn't have the time or energy. But the rosemary and garlic under the chicken skin was AMAZING. So flavorful! I also rubbed about 1 Tbsp of olive oil on the bird to help with crisping. I will make this one again!

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Garlic-Rosemary Roasted Chicken

When it first ran in our October 1996 issue, this dish was accompanied by five other roasted-chicken recipes, each one an herb-infused, earthy delight. Of all those recipes, this classic French version proved to be everyone's favorite. It's amazing how the simple combination of rosemary and garlic can so infuse the chicken, making it taste every bit as glorious as it smells when it's cooking in the oven.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 3 ounces chicken and 1 onion quarter)
Source: Cooking Light, APRIL 1997

1 (5 to 6-pound) roasting chicken
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
8 garlic cloves, crushed
2 medium red onions, quartered
2 whole garlic heads
2 teaspoons olive oil

Preheat oven to 450°.

Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken under cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers and gently pushing fingers between the skin and meat. Place rosemary and crushed garlic beneath skin of breast and drumsticks. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Place chicken, breast side up, on a broiler pan.

Cut a thin slice from end of each onion. Remove white papery skins from garlic heads (do not peel or separate cloves). Cut tops off garlic heads, leaving root end intact.

Insert meat thermometer into meaty part of thigh, making sure not to touch bone. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes. Brush onions and garlic heads with olive oil. Arrange onions and garlic heads around chicken. Reduce oven temperature to 350°; bake an additional 1 hour and 15 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 180°. Cover chicken loosely with foil; let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin from chicken. Squeeze roasted heads of garlic to extract pulp; serve as a spread on French bread, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 231 (30% from fat), Fat: 7.7g (sat 1.9g,mono 3.1g,poly 1.6g), Protein: 26.5g, Carbohydrate: 13.5g, Fiber: 2.7g, Cholesterol: 76mg, Iron: 1.4mg, Sodium: 78mg, Calcium: 50mg

(113) 20 Minute Chicken Creole

I got this recipe from our health & wellness website at work. I was a little leary, but figured hey, why not. I'm glad I took the chance! The veggies were a little crunchy, which was a nice surprise!! It was spicy, but not 'light you on fire' hot! I served over rice.

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This quick Southern dish contains no added fat and very little added salt in its spicy tomato sauce.

Yield: 4 servings--Serving Size: 1-1/2 cup

nonstick cooking spray
4 medium chicken breast halves, skinned, boned, and cut into 1-inch strips
1 can (14 oz) tomatoes, cut up
1 C low-sodium chili sauce
1-1/2 C green peppers, chopped (1 large)
1/2 C celery, chopped
1/4 C onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1 Tbsp fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
1 Tbsp fresh parsley or 1 tsp dried
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp salt

1. Spray a deep skillet with nonstick spray coating. Preheat pan over high heat.
2. Cook chicken in hot skillet, stirring, for 3-5 minutes, or until no longer pink. Reduce heat.
3. Add tomatoes and their juice, low-sodium chili sauce, green pepper, celery, onion, garlic, basil, parsley, crushed red pepper, and salt. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
4. Serve over hot cooked rice or whole wheat pasta.

Each serving provides:
Calories: 255
Total fat: 3 g
Saturated fat: less than 1 g
Cholesterol: 100 mg
Sodium: 465 mg

(111) Mediterranean Chicken Stew

A little bit of chopping beforehand paid off when it was time to actually cook! We all enjoyed this recipe. I didn't have any kalamata olives so I used regular black olives. This was delish eaten with the Creamy Polenta. For us, this was a 5 serving meal at a little more than 1c/serving. That was plenty!

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Mediterranean Chicken Stew

If you plan to make the polenta, bring water to a boil while chicken is browning, then add polenta to water when beginning step three of chicken recipe.

Source: Everyday Food, Jan/Feb 2005
Yield: 4-6 servings

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 teaspoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (15.5 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 plum tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (2 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped pitted Kalamata olives (about 5)
1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Creamy Polenta, for serving

1. Season chicken with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook, turning occasionally, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

2. Reduce heat to medium-low; add remaining teaspoon oil to skillet. Add garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add chickpeas and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

3. Add tomatoes; cook over medium heat until starting to break down, 3 to 4 minutes. Add olives, vinegar, and chicken along with any accumulated juices to pan; toss until warmed through, about 1 minute. Stir in parsley. Serve over polenta.

Nutritional Information for 5 servings (per sparkrecipes.com)
Calories 288.2, Total Fat 6.0 g, Cholesterol 81.7 mg, Sodium 1,163.7 mg, Potassium 355.4 mg, Total Carbohydrate 25.9 g, Dietary Fiber 5.3 g, Sugars 0.1 g, Protein 34.5 g

(98) Chicken Tamale Casserole

In an effort to have dinner on a busy weeknight, I decided to try this recipe. I made the cornbread the night before and put the dish in the fridge. I let it get to room temp while the oven was heating. With pre-shredded chicken (also done the night before) and pre-shredded cheese, this was a snap!

I'm still in stopped up nose territory, but what I could taste was yummy! My husband packed 2 servings for lunch tomorrow, so I'll take that as a good sign! Please try this and let me know what you think!

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Chicken Tamale Casserole

"I came up with this dish to satisfy my cravings for the tamales I had at Mexican restaurants when I was growing up in Houston. Homemade tamales are too time-consuming to prepare for weeknight meals, but I discovered a corn bread mix approximates the flavor." —Risë Minton, Smyrna, GA

Yield: 8 servings
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, November 2008

1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White) *I used Jiffy!!
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 354 (36% from fat), Fat: 14.1g (sat 7.1g,mono 3.3g,poly 1.2g), Protein: 18.9g, Carbohydrate: 36.3g, Fiber: 2.5g, Cholesterol: 58mg, Iron: 1.7mg, Sodium: 620mg, Calcium: 179mg

(86) Red Rocker Margarita Chicken

Red Rocker Margarita Chicken

These sandwiches were SO FREAKING GOOD (yes, I am yelling!). Wow. There were 2 changes/adjustments that we made. First, I used jarred roasted red peppers instead of roasting my own. When you fry these things up, oh heaven. Get a bib. You will be drooling (they're that good!). Secondly, we used bagged cole slaw mix vs. cutting our own cabbage. I highly recommend these sandwiches! They were so moist and flavorful!

Yield: 4 sandwiches
Source: Guy's Big Bite (foodtv.com)

2 jalapenos, thinly sliced rounds
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves
4 tablespoons tequila (recommended: Cabo Wabo Reposado)
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 limes, juiced
2 teaspoons salt, divided
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 red bell peppers, roasted, skinned, seeded, julienne
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 cups canola oil
4 Kaiser rolls
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/4 green cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
4 ounces provolone cheese, sliced

In a medium mixing bowl add jalapenos, cilantro, tequila, garlic, red chili flakes, cumin, oregano, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the chicken breasts and red bell peppers to resealable gallon bag and pour in marinade. Let marinate in refrigerator for 4 to 8 hours.

Heat grill to high. Remove chicken from marinade, and add chicken to the grill.

In a small mixing bowl add flour, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the granulated garlic.

Heat the canola oil to 350 degrees F.

Remove bell peppers from marinade and dredge in flour and fry until crispy. When done drain on paper towels.

Cook chicken thoroughly on both sides, remove from heat and cover. Let sit for 5 minutes Remove chicken from the bone and thinly slice or shred.

Lightly toast rolls. Spread mayonnaise evenly among the rolls and then stack evenly with the cabbage, onion, chicken breast, fried peppers, and top with cheese.

(81) Chicken and Cashews

When I was pregnant with our daughter, I was SO sick (for almost the entire pregnancy). I ended up gaining only 9 lbs and she was 7 lbs 7 oz at birth. Anyway, one of the things I'm STILL repulsed by is the smell of Chinese food (takeout). This is really sad for my husband, who loves the stuff. So he gets really excited when I make Chinese food at home!

This dinner was as tasty as any takeout. My only complaint is that it was not very filling if you make this 4 servings. We ended up only making it 3 servings and that was fine. Served with some rice and an egg roll. Delish!

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Chicken and Cashews

Source: Cooking Light, MAY 2009
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

Top tender chicken with an inspired Asian sauce loaded with cashews, ginger, honey, and sesame oil. Pair this entrée with a simple rice pilaf.

3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce, divided
2 tablespoons dry sherry
4 teaspoons cornstarch, divided
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped green onions (about 3 green onions)
1/4 cup chopped unsalted dry-roasted cashews

1. Combine 1 tablespoon soy sauce, sherry, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, and chicken in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 2 teaspoons cornstarch, broth, oyster sauce, and honey in a small bowl.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken mixture to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add ginger and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Return chicken mixture to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in broth mixture. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with green onions and cashews.

Rice pilaf: Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup chopped onion and 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup water, 1/2 cup long-grain rice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat; stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro.

CALORIES 257 ; FAT 9g (sat 1.9g,mono 4.2g,poly 2.3g); CHOLESTEROL 63mg; CALCIUM 45mg; CARBOHYDRATE 17g; SODIUM 584mg; PROTEIN 26g; FIBER 1.9g; IRON 2mg

(78) Mushroom-Herb Chicken

Truly a 30 minute meal, this recipe is filling and delicious!! My chicken breasts were HUGE but didn't take too long too cook. My only suggestion/tweak for this recipe is to cook the mushrooms and shallots in the sherry for more than a minute. Our mushrooms tasted a little boozy (is that a word?!), so don't let the shallots burn, but sautee for longer than the 10 seconds that the recipe suggests! I served with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli.

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Mushroom-Herb Chicken

Marjoram is oregano's mild cousin. Crush the dried leaves to release their delicate flavor. For this recipe, use the largest shallots you can find; three large shallots should yield 1 cup of slices. Refrigerated mashed potatoes and broccoli complete the meal.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half and 1/3 cup mushroom sauce)
Source: Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast, Oxmoor House, APRIL 2009

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
3 large shallots, peeled
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

1. Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/3-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; coat with cooking spray. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 5 to 6 minutes on each side or until browned.

2. While chicken cooks, cut shallots vertically into thin slices. Remove chicken from pan. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add mushrooms and shallots to pan; coat vegetables with cooking spray. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in sherry and marjoram. Return chicken to pan; cover and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and chicken is done. Transfer chicken to a platter. Pour mushroom mixture over chicken; sprinkle with freshly ground pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 226 (10% from fat), Fat: 3g (sat 0.6g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.6g), Protein: 41.6g, Carbohydrate: 5g, Fiber: 1g, Cholesterol: 99mg, Iron: 1.9mg, Sodium: 262mg, Calcium: 33mg

Brunswick Stew

This recipe doesn't get a number because it's anything but new to me. This recipe comes out of Virginia Hospitality cookbook. My mom has been making it for years and it's my perfect comfort food. Served with some good cornbread (Jiffy brand is my favorite!), this is an excellent meal. It makes a TON, but it's worth the effort. Please don't skip the chicken cooking part!

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Brunswick Stew
Source: Virginia Hospitality Cookbook – pg: 50

Amy’s Comments: I find myself adding water as this soup cooks. It's not meant to be super brothy, but if you don't add a little water here and there, you'll have a dried mess!

Recipe Comments: Vary amount of water for thick or soupy stew. Add a cup of chicken bouillon after the first or second serving (days).

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, cut up
1 onion, quartered
2 ribs celery, diced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
16.5 oz white shoepeg corn
10 oz frozen small butterbeans (aka lima beans to you northerners!)
1 pound canned tomatoes
2 small potatoes, cubed
1/3 cup ketchup
2-3 tbsp. vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp Worcestershire
1/2 tsp Tabasco
1/4 tsp marjoram
2-3 tbsp. butter

Directions:
1. Place chicken in Dutch oven and add enough water to cover well. Add onion, celery, salt, and pepper. Boil until chicken comes off bones easily. (30-45 minutes, in my experience)

2. Remove chicken to cool and add corn, butterbeans, tomatoes, potatoes, ketchup, vinegar, and brown sugar; cook 2 hours or until tender. (I normally only go about an hour here, mostly because I can't wait any longer!!)

3. Remove chicken from bones and add to vegetables along with Worcestershire, Tobasco, marjoram, and butter. (I normally let it cook 30 more minutes from this point to really meld the flavors)

Serves: 6-8 (more like 8-10 in my book)

(73) Spicy Basque-Style Chicken

I'm always my own worst critic when it comes to meals. I'll say something is good, but I rarely say "HOLY COW, I just cooked a killer dinner". Tonight, I said just that. And lots of Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm and a !MEOW! thrown in for good measure. I made this exactly as written. Do not leave out any of the items. They all are important in their own right.

I served this with yellow rice and steamed broccoli. While the rice was cooking, I made the chicken. This is truly a 30 minute meal, start to finish. If you can't find smoked paprika in your grocery store, check out one of my favorite places to shop, Penzeys!

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Spicy Basque-Style Chicken

Smoked paprika is a traditional ingredient in Spanish cuisine. Serve this dish with saffron rice to soak up the tasty sauce.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces chicken, about 1/2 cup sauce, 1 tablespoon prosciutto, and 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, June 2007

1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast tenders
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/4 cup sliced green olives
2 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1/4 cup finely chopped prosciutto
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Combine paprika and pepper; sprinkle evenly over chicken. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes. Add garlic to pan; cook 30 seconds. Turn chicken over. Add olives and tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes.

Remove chicken from pan. Increase heat to medium-high; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with prosciutto and parsley.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 264 (31% from fat), Fat: 9g (sat 1.6g,mono 4g,poly 2.2g), Protein: 36.2g, Carbohydrate: 8g, Fiber: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 94mg, Iron: 1.4mg, Sodium: 876mg, Calcium: 92mg

(67) Green Chile-Chicken Enchiladas

These were not hard to make at all, but they were a little time consuming. SO worth it in my book. YUM. As I mentioned in the sauce recipe, it was spicy, but the flavors were awesome and the texture so creamy. Will make these again for sure! (oh and I don't know why I always feel compelled to say this, but I left out the bay leaf *blech yuck spit phewweee blech*)

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Green Chile-Chicken Enchiladas

New Mexicans prefer these over the beef enchiladas associated with other Southwest cuisines. Prepare the sauce and the chicken mixture up to two days ahead, and refrigerate separately until ready to assemble the enchiladas.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 2 enchiladas)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, December 2007

3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion, divided
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
3 cups Green Chile Sauce
Cooking spray
16 (6-inch) corn tortillas
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Combine broth, 1 cup onion, and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaf) in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan; chill 15 minutes. Reserve broth mixture for another use. Shred chicken into bite-sized pieces. Combine chicken, remaining 1/2 cup onion, and sour cream in a bowl, stirring well.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Spread 1/4 cup Green Chile Sauce in the bottom of each of 2 (11 x 7-inch) baking dishes coated with cooking spray. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Spoon about 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place 8 filled tortillas, seam-side down, in each dish; pour 1 1/4 cups of remaining Green Chile Sauce over filled tortillas in each dish. Combine cheeses in a bowl. Sprinkle half of cheese mixture evenly over filled tortillas in each dish. Bake at 350° for 18 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 308 (30% from fat), Fat: 10.1g (sat 4.3g,mono 2.6g,poly 2g), Protein: 27.2g, Carbohydrate: 29g, Fiber: 3.4g, Cholesterol: 69mg, Iron: 1.2mg, Sodium: 382mg, Calcium: 198mg

(64) Southwestern Chicken Roll-Ups

I'm not a huge recipe tweaker and I certainly am not a make-it-up kind of girl. I am in awe of people who make up their own recipes. So what I say here is a rare statement from me - I'm gonna work on this one. I think this recipe has a LOT of potential, but as written, I didn't love it. It was pretty good, but has the potential to be awesome.

Next time I think I will mix the cream cheese and salsa together as well as chop up the cilantro and mix that in with it. The breadcrumbs were kind of awkward. I don't know if it needed egg wash (or salsa wash?) or maybe panko instead? In any case, I will keep you updated on my progress. I know you'll be hanging on the edge of your seats until then ;)

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Southwestern Chicken Roll-Ups

This recipe is fast and easy, and I can prepare it in advance for guests. Use toothpicks to secure the chicken before dredging. -CL Reader

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 chicken roll)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, June 2004

6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
6 tablespoons (about 3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
6 tablespoons picante sauce
6 cilantro sprigs
6 tablespoons Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Top each breast half with 1 tablespoon cheese, 1 tablespoon picante sauce, and 1 cilantro sprig. Roll up jelly-roll fashion, beginning at narrow end.

Dredge chicken rolls in breadcrumbs. Place rolls, seam sides down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; lightly coat rolls with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until chicken is done.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 257 (20% from fat), Fat: 5.8g (sat 2.7g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.6g), Protein: 41.7g, Carbohydrate: 6.9g, Fiber: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 109mg, Iron: 1.6mg, Sodium: 385mg, Calcium: 40mg