Simple Saturday: Savory Grilled Chicken

This is a light, healthy dish you can cook up in just a few minutes - and if you're on a freezer cooking kick, it's worth making in several batches for that impromptu dinner party get-together.  It is also very versatile, and you'll find it just as satisfying right off the grill in the summer, or hot out of the oven in winter.

Use your leftover Onion Onion mix to prepare
Onion Onion dip - great for a backyard barbecue!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. Onion Onion
• 1 Tbsp. Garlic Garlic
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
• 1/2 lime, juiced

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Combine all ingredients in a freezer bag.  Freeze.

To Serve

• Thaw completely.
• Arrange chicken on preheated grill.  Discard extra marinade.  Grill chicken to reach an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.
• Or, place chicken on a brimmed cookie sheet or broiling pan.  Pour extra marinade over chicken.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees until chicken reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.

Try these complementary side dishes with it:

Baked Baby Reds

Light and Delicious Veggie Grill

Simple Saturday: Tikka Chicken

In this recipe, curry powder transforms what would otherwise be a Mexican-flavored dish into a classic Indian-inspired meal.

Fiesta Party Dip Mix, prepared as dip - YUM!

Ingredients

• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 1 can (10.75 oz) golden mushroom soup
• 1/2 c mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp. Onion Onion
• 1 tsp. Fiesta Party Dip Mix
• 3 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1/2 c water
• 1 c frozen peas
• 1 c rice (uncooked)

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Combine chicken, soup, mayonnaise, Onion Onion, Fiesta Party Dip Mix, curry powder, and water in a freezer container.
• Measure frozen peas into a separate freezer container.
• Measure rice into separate freezer container.
• Combine containers, label, and freeze.

To Serve

• Thaw completely.
• Place chicken mixture into a greased slow cooker.  Cook on low 3-4 hours.  To cook longer, add 1/3 cup water.
• 30 minutes before serving, stir in peas.  
• Prepare rice as directed.
• Serve chicken and sauce over hot rice.

Try this dish with a side of steamed broccoli cooked in a few tablespoons of chicken broth with some Tastefully Simply Seasoned Salt.  

Have you tried this recipe?  Let us know what you think!

Devon Thurtle Anderson, Independent Tastefully Simple Consultant
Consultant ID #0119436
http://www.tastefullysimple.com/web/dthurtle-anderson

Creamy Pepperjack Chicken

This dish is one of the most customizable I have ever known, so have fun and go crazy with it!

Ingredients

6 chicken breast halves, cubed

1/2 onion, sliced

2 cloves minced garlic

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 family size cans condensed cream of mushroom soup (do not add water!)

10 slices pepperjack cheese

Make-Ahead Preparation

• In a large skillet, cook chicken. I prefer to cube it and add half an onion and minced garlic with black pepper and red pepper flakes. (These aren't in the original recipe.) I don't add salt because the soup has plenty. Drain liquid. Place in freezer bag or container.
• Add soup to freezer container; freeze.
• Place cheese slices in a freezer bag or container and freeze with other ingredients.

To Serve

• Thaw in refrigerator; or run cold water over bag to thaw. (If using this second method, add 10 minutes to your baking time in the next step.)
• Place chicken/soup mixture in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 for fifteen minutes.
• Top with cheese slices and bake for another fifteen. You will be halving the last two slices to cover the whole dish.

Serve as a hearty soup or spoon over rice or pasta. We like it over jasmine rice.

White Chicken Chili

This is a great chili for the upcoming cold weather. I love to pour my chili over fresh cornbread!!

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds of chicken, cut up into cubes

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 red pepper, chopped

1 yellow pepper, chopped

1 (4-oz) can, chopped (can substitute fresh chilis)

8 green onions, thinly sliced

3 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour (can substitute 2 Tbsp cornstarch for gluten-free preparation)

2 cups chicken broth

2 (14-oz) cans white northern beans

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried sage

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp pepper

Make-Ahead Preparation

• In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and saute until cooked through. Remove from pan.
• Saute onion, red and yellow pepper, chili peppers, and garlic in the same skillet. Return the chicken and add ginger, salt, sage, cumin, and white pepper. Mix thoroughly. Allow to cool, and transfer to freezer bag or container; set aside.
• In a separate dish or pan, melt butter and add the flour to make a roux. Whisk in the chicken broth. Stir this mixture into the freezer container with the sauteed vegetables and chicken.
• Add the beans with the liquid to the freezer container. (If you like it thicker I suggest that you don't put in the liquid from the beans.) Seal and freeze.

To Serve

• Stovetop: Thaw in refrigerator. Bring to a simmer in a medium pot. Simmer for 15-20 minutes and serve.
• Slow Cooker: Can cook from thawed or frozen. Place meal in slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours (or low for 6 hours).

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients
2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup thinly sliced celery
2-1/4 cups gluten-free biscuit mix (divided; 1/4 and 2 cups)
10 cups chicken broth
2 cups sliced carrots
1 tsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp baking powder
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper


Make-Ahead Preparation

• In a large non-stick pot coated with non-stick cooking spray over medium heat, stir chicken and onion about 5 minutes or until chicken is browned.
• Add celery, and sauté several minutes longer.
• Sprinkle chicken mixture with 1/4 cup flour and gradually stir in broth, carrots and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heated, stirring occasionally until chicken is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare dumplings as follows: In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups flour and baking powder. Stir in buttermilk and season with salt and pepper.
• Drop dumplings into soup by tablespoonfuls. Cover and cook over medium-low heat 15 minutes or until dumplings are done.
• Serve immediately, or to freeze: allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer to a freezer container, label, and freeze.

To Serve

• Defrost in refrigerator.
• Re-heat over low heat in a non-stick pan.

Calories: 307, protein 54g, carbohydrate 35g, fat2g, calories from fat (96) 7, saturated fat 1g, dietary fiber 4g, cholesterol 67 mg, sodium766 mg, diabetic exchange 3.5.

Check out more recipes from the book: Trim and Terrific Freezer Friendly Meals

Cherry Skillet Chicken

This chicken is excellent chopped over salad with red grapes, blue cheese, and sunflower seeds. Or try serving over rice.

Makes 3 entrees 4-6 servings each

Ingredients
6 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) chopped dried sweet cherries
1 cup hot water
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
6 Tbsp white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
3 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp sea salt
wax paper
3 one-gallon freezer bags, labeled

On hand for cooking each entree:
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Make-Ahead Preparation

• Rinse and trim chicken as desired.
• Lay each piece of chicken, smooth side down, between two sheets of wax paper. Using a rolling pin or a meat tenderizer, pound each chicken piece to 1 inch thick. Divide chicken evenly among the three freezer bags.
• Put cherries in a small bowl and cover with hot water.  Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Measure 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt into each freezer bag with chicken.
• Drain cherries. Divide cherries equally into the freezer bags with the chicken. Seal and gently shake bag to distribute cherries.
• Freeze

To Serve

• Completely thaw one entree in the refrigerator.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes on each side.
• Reduce heat to medium-low and pour cherries and juice over chicken. Cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes.

Pasta Fresca

For busy weeknights, nothing beats the ease of a one-dish meal.  This pasta salad, filled with flavorful sausage and all varieties of color (translation = vitamins!) will stash in the freezer for weeks and still deliver a healthy and fresh-tasting meal in minutes.

Simple Saturday: Restaurant Grilled Chicken

For some time now, I've been trying to recreate those juicy, flavorful chicken breasts you get at restaurants on top of caesar salads, pasta, and other dishes.  I've finally discovered the secret!

Agave Citrus Kebab Medley

This dish is a great way to keep your summer meals fun, delicious, and light; all in one.  This is a slight deviation from our usual fare, as it's not wholly a freezer meal; however, the make-ahead process works several days in advance, so you can prepare the whole meal the weekend before a camping or boat trip!

These kebabs also make a great make-ahead "hybrid" meal.  That is, you can prepare the meats several weeks ahead of time to freeze, and then hit the farmer's market the morning of your grill to get the fresh, sweet local fare that only that local produce can provide.

Breakfast Burritos

With a busy weekday schedule, it's important to remember breakfast.  But, we don't always have time to make a good breakfast every morning.  Here's one recipe that will help you get through those busy mornings, and out the door!

Mexican Chicken and Rice

My favorite kind of food?  That's easy: Mexican!  It's flavorful, full of nutrients (including important protein), and when it's prepared right, it can be quite healthy.  This meal is a great one to prepare when you're short on time, since it only takes a few minutes to put together and stash in the freezer.  Or, forego the freezing and pop it right in the oven for a quick and simple dinner.

Freezer Favorite: Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde (Cooking Light)

I love freezer meals! Before my son was born, I made about 20 different meals and stashed them in my freezer. It was so great to just pop something in the oven as my husband headed home rather than trying to juggle a newborn and prep dinner at the same time. These enchiladas are one of our favorites.

I usually poach the chicken myself, but I'd imagine you could use grocery store rotisserie chicken to save time. I also omit the cilantro from the salsa as we're not huge fans at our house. I've used both low-fat and full-fat cream cheese and although the full fat version is a bit richer, the low-fat version is great as well.

Although it seems like a hassle to cook the tortillas in the chicken broth before stuffing them, it really is a key step (especially if you are using corn tortillas, which are very brittle). I've tried to skip the step in the past and the tortillas crack as you attempt to roll them up to place them in the pan.

To freeze, I cover tightly with foil. To reheat, I place the dish in a 350 degree oven for about an hour. I will sometimes sprinkle the top of the dish with cheese, but it's definitely not necessary. I also add a very small amount of water to the pan to keep the enchiladas moist as they reheat.

I'm a big fan of CookingLight.com, which features all the recipes published in the magazine, compiled in an easy-to-use format. Each recipe lists nutritional information and the site also has a great review system that allows you to learn from other folks' mistakes/improvements when it comes to preparing a specific recipe.

Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde, courtesy of Cooking Light.