Baked Chicken Sandwiches-Freezer/camping meal

We made these last year from Once a Month Mom's recipe here to take camping.  They were a big hit and very yummy. 

This time, I added a little extra chicken and celery and stretched it into two bags.  Each bag has five 1/3 cup servings in it.  I will take the bag out of the freezer, put it into the camping fridge to defrost and then put the sandwiches together before cooking them.

(I will try to update after we eat these and I get a photo!)

Baked Chicken Sandwiches
(includes my updates)
Ingredients:
2-3 cups Chicken (or Turkey), cooked & cubed
6-8 ounces Cheese, shredded (I used a Mexican blend)
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
2-3 cups Celery, diced very small
2 Tablespoons Onion, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
10 Hamburger Buns

Directions:
In a bowl mix all ingredients (except buns). Season to taste. Divide into one or two freezer bags (I divided it up for two separate meals for us). Press out all of the air and double bag your bags to prevent freezer burn. You could bag it up along with five buns if you wanted to be fully prepared.  Freeze.

To prepare:
Defrost in the fridge. Add approximately 1/3 cup of chicken mixture onto each bun, wrap in aluminum foil, bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Alternatively, I bet you could cook these on a grill (covered).  Be sure to turn them often if using a grill!
Servings: 10 (or 5 per meal)

Chicken Parmesan (healthy!)

We have made this many times and it is excellent!  The kids love it.  I love it.  Hubby loves it.  You need to try it so you can love it, too!

Chicken Parmigiana

(makes 4 servings)
1 lb uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly pounded (4- 4 oz pieces)
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
½ cup dried bread crumbs (premade or grind a couple of slices of bread to a fine consistency.)
1 TBS Italian seasoning (more or less to your taste)
½ tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil
1 ½ cups spaghetti sauce (whatever kind you like!  Homemade, jarred, etc. or even just spiced up tomato sauce)
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 TBS grated parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat an 8-inch square pan with cooking spray.

Place egg whites in a shallow bowl. Combine bread crumbs with Italian seasoning and salt; pour into another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in egg whites; turn to coat. Dip chicken in bread crumb mixture; turn to thoroughly coat.

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and add oil; heat over medium-high heat. When hot, add chicken and cook until lightly browned and no longer pink in center, about 4 minutes per side.
Pour 1/2 cup of sauce into prepared baking dish; place chicken in dish and pour remaining sauce evenly over chicken. Sprinkle with cheeses and bake until chicken is cooked through and cheese is bubbly, about 25 minutes.

**I like to have this with just a big salad.  It would be great with pasta as well.  I usually double this since we love it and the leftovers are great as well.

Herbed Lemon Chicken-recipe

When my friend Melanie visited us in Utah, she made this yummy chicken for us. Ever since then, I have been after her to send me the recipe and she couldn't find it anywhere! So I finally got an email a couple of weeks ago from her...she found it!  Yay! This is quite peppery so if you don't like pepper, you might want to use a regular lemon seasoning instead of the lemon pepper.  But Jeremy and I love this...and so do the kids (although I scraped off some of the seasoning from their pieces). I hope you enjoy it!

Herbed Lemon Chicken

WW- Makes 4 servings @ 3 points per serving

2 Tbsp. Ms. Dash Lemon Pepper seasoning
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
12 ounces of boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
½ medium lemon
1 c. low sodium chicken broth

1. On a large plate, combine lemon pepper seasoning and flour; pat chicken Dry and roll in mixture.
2. Heat butter in large skillet; add chicken And brown on both sides (about 3 minutes each side).
3. Meanwhile; remove zest from lemon; squeeze juice from lemon and mix zest and juice w/chicken broth.
4. Pour over chicken , cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove lid and cook for a further five minutes or until juices run clear. (I kept the lid on until it was cooked...took about 20-25 minutes for me.) Serve immediately. The juice is so yummy poured over veggies and quinoa (or rice). :)

Thanks Melanie!!!!
Happy cooking & eating!
Stacey

Lean and Green Chili

Not a St. Patty's day food, but I thought it was appropriate since it's green. :) This is a really tasty chili (it's actually a little more soupy than chili-ish).  I rarely follow recipes exactly as written so I included some of my changes.  The first time I made this, I made the little tortilla strips but we just used a few tortilla chips this time instead.  I hope you enjoy this!!

Lean N Green Chili

(I got the original recipe from a Pampered Chef cookbook but I have seen close variations a couple of places online.)

6 servings...about 1 1/4 cup each

WW- 5 points a serving

Ingredients:

8 6-in. corn tortillas, divided

2 tsp. vegetable oil, dived (I used olive oil)
1 c. chopped Poblano Chile peppers (or green bell peppers) (I used half red and half orange bell peppers instead)
1/2 c. chopped onion (I probably used more)
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into ¾-in. pieces
1 tsp. ground cumin (I probably used more...I don't usually measure spices.)
1 garlic clove, pressed (I used 3 cloves I think)
2 cans (14.5 oz.) 99% fat free chicken broth
2 cans (15 oz.) pinto beans, drained and rinsed (I used one can pinto and one can black beans.)
1 1/4 c. salsa verde (or 1 can green Chile enchilada sauce) (I used enchilada sauce PLUS a little green salsa)
3-4 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro (I used more and added it about 10-15 minutes before finishing to let the flavors blend.)

Preheat oven to 400 F. Cut four of the tortillas in half and stack them one on top of another. Cut the tortillas into ½ inch strips. Place in bowl and toss with 1 tsp of the oil. Spread in a single layer in a baking pan. Bake 10 – 12 min or until crisp, stirring once. Remove from oven.

Chop peppers and onion. Cut chicken into ¾ inch pieces; toss with cumin in small bowl. Fold one tortilla to fit into a food processor coarsely grate. Repeat with remaining 3 tortillas. Set aside.

Heat remaining 1 tsp oil in large pot over medium heat. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 min. Remove chicken from pot; add Chile peppers, onion, and garlic. Cook and stir 3 min. Stir in chicken, broth, beans, salsa and grated tortillas. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15 min. (I simmered it a little longer and added the lid after the first 15 minutes.) Stir cilantro into chili. Ladle soup into bowls; top with baked tortilla strips.

Orange Chicken-recipe

This was a really yummy dish.  The munchkins devoured it and even asked for seconds.

Orange Chicken

Makes 4 servings at 4 WW points each
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, (about 2 large chicken breasts)
Rind of a small orange sliced into thin strips
1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup chicken broth, divided
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 medium scallions, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, (optional-makes it a little spicy. Add more or less to your taste.)
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

Directions:
1. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, broth, sugar, cornstarch, ginger, and vinegar, then set aside.
2. Season breasts with a little salt, pepper and garlic powder.
3. In a large skillet, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and brown on both sides.
4. Add orange rinds, scallions, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 2 minutes. Add ½ cup of broth, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through. (Add a little more water if needed when cooking the chicken...don't let the pan get dry.)
5. Remove the chicken and chop into chunks. Put both the chicken and the sauce mixture into the pan and let simmer until the sauce starts to get thick, this should take approximately 3-4 minutes. Serve chicken and sauce over rice.
Enjoy!!

Garlic Chicken and Broccoli

Here's a yummy and easy new recipe for you to try. :) This was the first time we made it and everyone liked it.  Joshua and Abby both had seconds and practically licked their bowls clean. LOL 

Garlic chicken and broccoli

Makes 4 servings @ 4 WW points each (about 1 cup each serving)

2 tsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts (skinless, boneless)
Dried thyme (about 1 tsp), salt and pepper to taste
6 garlic cloves, chopped up
4 cups of chopped fresh broccoli
1 can (or about 2 cups) fat free chicken broth (I used low sodium)
1 ½ TBS cornstarch

Directions:
1. Season chicken with thyme, salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken to skillet and brown on both sides.
2. Add garlic to skillet and cook for about 1 minute. Pour half of the broth into the pan. Cover, reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
3. Remove chicken and set aside. Add broccoli to the pan, cover and cook for about 5 -8 minutes or until it is cooked how you like it (we like it on the firmer side.) While the broccoli cooks, chop up the chicken then add it back into the pan.
4. Mix the cornstarch with the rest of the broth and add it to the skillet. Simmer until the sauce is thickened (should only take a couple of minutes.) 

Serve over rice (extra points).
Enjoy!!!

Cranberry Chicken-Freezer Meal

This is really tasty and sooo easy!

Cranberry Chicken –FREEZER MEAL

1- 8 oz. Fat Free French Dressing
1- 8 Oz. can cranberry sauce
1 package – Dried Onion Soup Mix
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts

To freeze: Dump all ingredients into 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag. Lay flat in freezer.
To cook: Defrost in fridge overnight. Mix all ingredients in a 13 x 9 glass pan. Cover with tin foil. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Stir and serve over rice or noodles.

Note-I tried cooking this in the crockpot and it still turned out yummy!

White Chicken Chili- crock pot

White Chicken Chili- Crock pot
1 can great northern beans-drained
1-2 chicken breasts
1 small can of diced green chilis
3 cups chicken broth
2 tsp cumin
½ tsp oregano
1 tsp chili power
2-4 garlic cloves chopped
1 cup chopped onion
Add all ingredients and cook all day on low. Serve with shredded cheese and sour cream. Chopped cilantro is good on it, too. Serve alone or over rice.

**Sometimes I add some corn to this and I usually add a couple TBS of instant tapioca to thicken it an hour or so before eating.

Bloody Mary Chicken

This is a super easy, healthy and yummy recipe my friend Christine sent to me.

Bloody Mary Chicken
Chicken breasts (up to four)
1 can cream of something soup (I usually use cream of celery or mushroom)
Fresh or canned mushrooms (if desired)
1 cup V-8 juice (I just use a whole can of V8)
3 cloves garlic
dash celery seeds
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 dashes Tabasco
Diced celery

Directions:
Combine ingredients in crockpot.
Add chicken and cook on low all day. Serve over rice.

Almond Chicken-Crockpot

I can't remember where I got this recipe or if I made any changes to it...but we are making it this week so if I make any changes, I will update this post to let you know. We have made it (a long time ago!) and liked it, though.

Almond Chicken
1 can chicken broth
2 strips bacon-cooked and crumbled
2 TBSP butter (I might leave this out)
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or tenders)
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 1/2 cups diced celery
1 cup slivered almonds

Directions: Combine everything but the almonds in the crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over rice and sprinkle with almonds.

Sticky Chicken

This is so easy and yummy!! This is a recipe from the Scrapshare cookbook that isn't available to buy anymore. This sauce is so good, sometimes I double the amount!!

Sticky Chicken
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 425°. In large bowl, whisk all ingredients together. Coat chicken pieces in mix. Place in greased baking dish. Spoon remaining sauce over chicken. Bake 20-25 minutes, basting every 5 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Chicken and Dumplings

This is sooo yummy!! It's a combination of different recipes I have found and tried. We all love this!

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:
6 cups water
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 chicken bouillon cubes
½ tsp celery seed
1 ½ tsp poultry seasoning
¼ tsp pepper

Directions:
1. Boil water and add the chicken.
2. Simmer until chicken is cooked through (30-40 minutes).
3. Remove chicken from pot.
4. Add bouillon, veggies and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
5. Cut meat into chunks & add to pot.
6. Simmer about 20-30 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Prepare the dough for your dumplings while it simmers.
7. Taste the broth. Add a little salt if it needs it but it probably won’t since bouillon is salty. Turn heat so the broth is simmering slowly.
8. Scoop out small rounded scoops of the dough with a teaspoon and drop them into the soup on top of everything. Just let them rest on top. Don’t push down on them.
9. Put the lid on the pot and let it slowly simmer for a full 20 minutes. DO NOT LIFT THE LID!

Dumplings (this makes a lot of dumplings…feel free to cut it in half. I don't, but we really like the dumplings!LOL))
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup milk
2 ½ cups flour
1 TBS baking powder
1 tsp each salt and sugar

Directions for the dumplings:
1. In a big bowl, mix the oil and milk.
2. Add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
3. Mix it up until it forms a stiff batter. Set aside until you need it.

Green Chicken Chili Casserole-Updated!!

Ok, I know I already posted a recipe for this, but here is an updated version with my changes. I tend to make a lot of changes to things while I am cooking and rarely write down what I do so I can't ever seem to remember! LOL Anyway, I wrote down exactly what I did this time and I think it suits our taste buds better than the original (so funny how everyone is so different!). I also modified it to feed our family-using less chicken (but the same amount of sauce). It was enough to stuff us all and have just enough for lunch for hubby tomorrow.

Green Chili Chicken Casserole

1 cup diced onion
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 can mild green enchilada sauce
1 small can of diced green chilis
1 cup sour cream (I used fat free)
1 can cream of chicken soup (I used the lowfat kind)
Optional-1/4 tsp (or more) cumin
Optional-1/2 tsp dried cilantro (or a couple TBSP of fresh cilantro if you have it!)
salt and pepper to taste
4-5 flour tortillas-cut/torn into large pieces (I used 5 of the soft taco size)
2 cups cooked and diced or shredded chicken
2 cups shredded cheese (I used cheddar, but pepper jack would be good, too!)


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Saute the onions and garlic in a bit of olive oil or cooking spray over medium heat for a couple of minutes.
3. Add the soup, enchilada sauce, green chilis and sour cream and stir over medium/low heat.
4. Add the cumin and cilantro if you want to use it. I think it adds a nice flavor. Fresh cilantro would be wonderful but I didn't have any so I used dried. And the ONLY place to get dried cilantro, in my opinion, is the Spice House. It is the only one that actually adds a real cilantro flavor when added to food. I have tried several and this is the only one I like! I get all of my spices there, by the way.
5. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. I used a few grinds of fresh pepper and a couple small pinches of kosher salt.
6. Add the cooked chicken and heat through but don't boil.
7. Spray an 8 1/2 x 11 baking dish with cooking spray. Add about a cup of the sauce mixture (or enough to cover the bottom of the dish). I tried to get mostly sauce and not much chicken for this layer...but I don't think it really matters!
8. Place a layer of tortillas over the sauce. They can overlap a bit. It just makes it a lot easier to serve and eat if the tortillas aren't whole.

9. Add a layer of sauce and chicken.
10. Sprinkle on about half of the cheese.
11. Add another layer of tortillas and cover with the rest of the sauce.
12. Top with the rest of the cheese and bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Let me know if you try it! I'd love to know what you think!!!