Asian Glazed Chicken Thighs

I should have listened to that little voice that kept telling me to stay home today.

Like when I was kept up most of the night by my neighbor's car alarm.

Or when I woke up to no electricity.

Or when I had to pry my kids out of their bed with a crowbar, bribes of a million dollars, and threats of never seeing the light of day again.

Maybe after those things I should know better then to take my freshly numbed and drilled son to Burger King, where he will inevitably chew his lips to bits, cry for days when his tomato falls out of his burger, and bite a chunk out of his friend's shoulder.

After said day I should have just expected that my totally innocent looking toilet was planning to completely flood the bathroom.

Thank goodness for reruns of Glee and lemon bars.

And thank goodness for recipes like this to save you after rough days. You can still end your day triumphantly with flavorful aromatic chicken thighs. Just marinate, bake, baste and enjoy.

Now let's all take a deep breath.

Asian Glazed Chicken Thighs
Cooking Light March 2011

Ingredients

1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons chile paste (such sambal oelek)
10 garlic cloves, minced
12 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned (we used boneless)
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Combine vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, chile paste, and garlic, stirring until honey dissolves. Pour vinegar mixture into a zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 1 hour, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from bag, reserving marinade.

2. Preheat oven to 425�.

3. Place reserved marinade in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes or until syrupy, stirring occasionally. Place chicken on a rack coated with cooking spray, and place rack in a roasting pan. Baste chicken with reserved marinade; sprinkle evenly with salt. Bake at 425� for 10 minutes; baste. Bake an additional 10 minutes; baste. Discard remaining marinade. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until done. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Per Serving: 306 cal, 15g fat, 27 prot, 12g carb

What do you do to recover from a tough day?

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Sometimes I think casseroles get a bad rap. Sure, they don't always make the healthiest meal, but when you think about it, you can basically fit your carb, meat, and vegetable all in the same dish. Not a bad deal for a busy weeknight. It's also pretty great when it's a casserole full of your favorite Mexican flavors. Salsa verde, corn tortillas, chicken thighs and lots of cilantro, so good! And while these don't quite qualify as enchiladas, this might be the best flavored enchilada dish I've ever had! And as far as health is concerned, this is a Cooking Light casserole, so I've got you covered there too!



Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Cooking Light March 2011

Ingredients

Cooking spray
4 bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups chopped onion, divided
6 garlic cloves, minced and divided
1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup salsa verde
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalape�o pepper
9 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425�.

2. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; saut� 4 minutes on each side. Place skillet in oven; bake at 425� for 10 minutes or until done. Remove chicken from pan; let stand 15 minutes. Remove meat from bones; shred. Discard bones. Place chicken in a medium bowl. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons cilantro, corn, and next 5 ingredients (through black pepper) to chicken; toss to combine.

3. Return pan to medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup onion; saut� 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 3 garlic cloves; saut� 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add onion mixture to chicken mixture; stir to combine.

4. Combine remaining 1 1/2 cups onion, remaining 3 garlic cloves, broth, salsa, 1/4 cup water, and jalape�o in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Carefully pour mixture into a blender; add 2 tablespoons cilantro. Process until smooth (if you have an immersion blender, it comes in very handy for this part).

5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tortillas; cook 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove tortillas from pan; repeat procedure with remaining tortillas. Cut tortillas into quarters.

6. Spread 1/2 cup salsa mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 12 tortilla quarters over salsa mixture. Spoon half of chicken mixture over tortillas. Repeat layers, ending with tortillas. Pour remaining salsa mixture over tortillas; sprinkle evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake at 425� for 15 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Top with remaining cilantro.

Serves 4

Per Serving: 371 cal, 12g fat, 23g prot, 45g carb, 5g fiber,

Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad

Ah spring. It's glorious isn't it? It's warm, sunny, bright, and CLEAN! The air is fresh, the grass is covering all the mud, and everyone is scrubbing and purging for the bright new season. Our dinner tables start to look different too. Instead of rich creamy soups and casseroles, we see a lot more fresh veggies and grilled meats.

This pasta salad definitely fits in that category. Penne pasta full of bright, fresh veggies, tangy roasted chicken breast and tossed in a light, but flavorful dressing. It's served cold or at room temp, which makes it perfect for a picnic. Just the thing you'd want to do on a beautiful spring day.

Southwestern Chicken Pasta Salad
Adapted from Cooking Light August 2005

Ingredients

1/2 pound uncooked penne rigate
2 chicken breasts
2 teaspoons lemon pepper
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup fresh corn kernels
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped plum tomato (about 2 tomatoes)
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (I used a blend of Mexican seasonings instead, about 2 teaspoons)
3 teaspoons chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Rub chicken breasts in lemon pepper and drizzle in olive oil. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through and juices are clear. Let chicken cool and dice it.

2. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and place in a large bowl. Add Chicken and next 5 ingredients (through tomato); toss well to combine.

3. Combine orange juice and remaining ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill. (Be sure to season well to your liking).

Happy Spring!!

Coconut Chicken Fingers

I had made a brief mention of these a week or so ago when I was in utter despair over my lost cameras. But as you know, the camera crisis had a happy ending and now I can give this chicken the credit it deserves.

My family doesn't like shrimp. None of them. I know. But, trooper that I am, I've learned to curb my shrimp cravings with similar substitutes like this fabulous coconut chicken.



This was the perfect meal to also experiment with my new olive oils that I received from Foodbuzz. When I was younger I had no idea that different oils served different purposes. I'm pretty sure I used olive oil in cake mixes several times. And while it probably wouldn't ruin your dish to use a less suitable oil, certain oils are best put to use in different things. The light olive oil is best for frying and baking, extra virgin for dipping, dressings and sauces, and pure for grilling, sauteing and marinades. I definitely learned something!



So I decided to have an oily night (yeah, oily just isn't a good adjective, even when you understand the context, but I digress) by using the light oil to shallow fry my chicken, and the pure oil to saute my peppers. They both turned out wonderfully. The chicken was sweet, crispy and a total family pleaser. The peppers were done simply, sliced and sauteed with salt and pepper, also sweet and crispy, a perfect side for the chicken.



Coconut Chicken Fingers
Cooking Light 2011

Ingredients

4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch-thick strips
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup rice flour
1 cup whole buttermilk
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
3 tablespoons canola oil
Sweet chile sauce (optional, but I highly recommend it!)

Directions

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish. Combine buttermilk and egg in a shallow dish, stirring well. Place coconut in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour; shake off excess. Dip chicken in egg mixture; dredge in coconut.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chicken to pan; cook 6 minutes or until done, turning to brown. Serve with chile sauce, if desired.

Serves 6

Per Serving: 298 cal, 12g fat, 28g prot, 1g fiber

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Green Pea and Garlic Sauce

I've heard that it's important to eat a lot of colors. Red, orange, purple, yellow and especially green food. Color means nutrients, which I'm convinced is why I'm so attracted to chocolate glazed donuts covered in pretty rainbow sprinkles!

Seriously though, I love colorful food. Not only is it pretty, but I know that I'm filling my body with things that will increase my immunity, fortify my blood, bones and muscles, and just make me feel better overall. And there's nothing hard about it when it comes in the form of a sweet creamy puree to slather on a meaty, tender chicken thigh. Not only is this crazy delicious, it's also a snap to make, and requires very few steps. We all loved this meal, including my pea-hatin' hubby. You've got to give this a try!


Roasted Chicken Thighs with Green Pea and Garlic Sauce
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Ingredients

6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided (I used a garlic infused olive oil for an extra kick)
1 shallot, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400. Arrange chicken thighs in a 9x13 inch casserole pan. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast chicken thighs for 20 minutes, or until cooked through and juices run clear.

2. While chicken cooks, heat remaining oil in a small saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add the shallot and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Whisk in the broth and wine and bring to a boil. Stir in the peas and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a blender and puree until completely smooth, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Serves 6

Per Serving (1/4 cup sauce, not including chicken): 70cal, 2.5gfat, 7g carb, 2g prot, 2g fiber

White Chicken (or Turkey) Chili

How was everyone's Thanksgiving? Ours was lovely. There really isn't anything like waking up, putting on the apron, some Christmas tunes, and cooking all day. I know that you can appreciate how fun that really is! And of course sitting down to eat it all is just the cherry on top.

As I'm sure you all do, we have a fridge chuck full of leftovers, and I can't stand to see a shred of it go to waste. Sometimes nothing is more satisfying then turning one delicious food into another, which is why I'm loving all of these great leftover ideas you guys are producing.

Our church put on a chili cook off for Halloween a month ago. My friend Calli had made a white chicken chili which I heard nothing but rave reviews about. Since I never got a chance to try it at the party, I asked her for the recipe, which I promptly made and DEVOURED. I like chili, but I LOVED this white chili, so creamy, so flavorful and I could not wait to eat the leftovers, which isn't typical for me. This would be a great way to use up that huge Tupperware full of turkey, trust me, your whole family is going to love this!



White Chicken or Turkey Chili
Adapted from Calli's fabulous recipe

Ingredients

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small cubes, cooked chopped turkey would work well too
1 med. onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 TBS vegetable oil
2 cans great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 can 14 oz chicken broth
2 cans 4 oz chopped green chilies
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup whipping cream, I used fat-free half and half
1 cup sour cream

Directions

In large saucepan, saute chicken, onion, and garlic salt in oil until chicken is no longer pink, if using cooked chicken or turkey, just add when onions are soft. Add beans, broth, chilies, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, uncovered for 30 min. Remove from heat, stir in cream and sour cream. Serve immediately!