Herbed Chicken Fettucini

 

This pasta dish has been a favorite of our for at least 15 years.  It is one of my old standbys.  I can count on my family loving every bite and there are never any leftovers.  But the best part about it is that it's a one pot meal.  No need to dirty every dish in the house to cook dinner.  Serve with steamed veggies or a green salad and you've got dinner!

Herbed Chicken Fettucini
Serves 4
  
1 to 2 teaspoons salt-free seasoning blend 
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning 
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch strips 
2 tablespoons olive oil 
4 tablespoons butter, divided  
2/3 cup water 
2 tablespoons teriyaki sauce 
2 tablespoons onion soup mix 
1 envelope Lipton savory herb and garlic soup mix, divided 
8 ounces uncooked fettuccine or pasta of your choice 
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Combine seasoning blend and poultry seasoning; sprinkle over chicken. In a large skillet, saute chicken in oil and 2 tablespoons butter for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add the water, teriyaki sauce, onion soup mix and 2 tablespoons herb and garlic soup mix. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook fettuccine according to package directions. Drain; add to chicken mixture. Stir in the cheese, Worcestershire sauce, remaining butter, and remaining herb and garlic soup mix; toss to coat.


Source:  Taste of Home

Chicken Cakes

 

Have you ever tried Chicken Cakes?  Neither had I.  I'd never really even thought about making them.  I'm not a fan of crab cakes, and for some reason I just assumed that they would taste the same.  Dumb, I know.  But I have been smitten by Remoulade lately, so when I saw this, I knew I needed to try it!  Remoulade is a condiment that has a variety of uses. Louisiana Remoulade is my favorite.  It is spicy and makes a great sandwich spread or coleslaw sauce.  But I'm rambling again....

Let me tell you about these little beauties.  They are crispy on the outside, but moist and tender on the inside.  The remoulade can be a little spicy, so tailor it to your tastes, but don't skip it!  It totally makes this dish.  My family loved this so much that I made it twice in a week.  And from people who complain if they have to eat something twice in 6 months, that's saying something!

Chicken Cakes
Serves 6

2 Tbs. butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil  (Add more as needed when frying)

1 Tbs. Creole seasoning (I used Tony Cachere's)

1 Tbs. Creole mustard (Or spicy brown mustard.  Just don't use yellow mustard)

2 Tbs. Mayonnaise (Not Miracle Whip)

1 large egg, lightly beaten

3 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 clove minced garlic

4 green onions, sliced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1 cup Italian bread crumbs

Remoulade Sauce

1 cup Mayonnaise

2 green onions, sliced

2 Tbs. creole mustard (Or spicy brown.  Not yellow)

2 cloves minced garlic

1 Tbs. chopped parsley

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.  Add the bell pepper, green onions and garlic and saute until tender.  Stir together the bell pepper mixture, chicken, egg, mayo, mustard, creole seasoning and bread crumbs.  Form the mixture into about 8-10 patties.

In the same skillet, add the oil and heat until shimmering.  Fry the patties about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and sightly crispy on the outside.  Serve immediately with remoulade.

For the remoulade, mix all ingredients together and refrigerate 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.

Source:  Tasty Kitchen

Creamy Bacon Ranch Chicken

Time for some more deliciousness!  This is such a simple meal, but it got rave reviews from my kiddos.  I actually have to triple this recipe because my kiddos devour it.  I think it has something to do with the ranch dressing.  What is it with kids and ranch dressing?  All I have to do is mention that its in there and the meal is an instant hit.  Of course, the bacon is what makes it irresistible to me.  :)  

Another plus to this recipe is that I can have it on the table in less than 30 minutes and I only dirty 2 pans (if you count the one the pasta cooks in) so clean up is a snap.  Its perfect for those evenings when you've played chauffeur back and forth to piano lessons, soccer games and boy scouts!

Creamy Ranch Chicken

Serves about 4

6 slices of bacon, cut up

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

2 Tbs. flour

2 Tbs. dry ranch salad dressing mix

1 1/4 cups milk

3 cups dried medium noodles

1 Tbs. finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to package directions.  In a skillet, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Drain all but 2 Tbs. of grease. In the same skillet, cook the chicken in bacon drippings until no longer pink. Sprinkle flour and salad dressing mix over the chicken; stir well to coat all the chicken. Stir in milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Stir in bacon. Serve over egg noodles and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

Source:  Better Homes and Gardens

Rasta Pasta

I think I have (temporarily) found my new favorite meal.  I really love pasta dishes, but this one takes the cake.  The flavor is fabulous!  My kids took one look at it and said (and I quote) "Oh!  This is going to be good!"  And they were absolutely right.  Not only was it delicious, but it was quick and easy too.

Now I cooked my own chicken and made fresh Alfredo sauce, but you don't have to.  Rotisserie chicken would work great, and you can use jarred Alfredo sauce (although I wouldn't recommend it).  If you do use the Alfredo sauce recipe below, be sure to double it so you will have enough.

As for the pesto, don't leave it out.  It is the reason this dish is so great.  If you've never used pesto before, don't worry, you are in for a real treat.  Pesto is a sauce that is usually made with crushed basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil and Parmesan cheese (Sometimes there are other herbs thrown in.  My favorite variety has sundried tomatoes.).  It can be used in pasta dishes, as a sandwich spread, on Bruschetta, and in soups.  Once you taste it you'll be looking for ways to use it.  I've found it in the canned tomato section of the grocery store and in the deli section near the gourmet cheeses.

Rasta Pasta
Serves 6-8
1 14 oz box farfalle (bow tie) pasta
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T butter
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups packed spinach leaves
1 large roasted red pepper (jarred is fine)
2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite size pieces
3 cups prepared Alfredo sauce  (recipe below)
1/4 cup prepared basil pesto

Cook pasta according to package directions, and with 3 minutes remaining for the pasta cooking time, add the broccoli florets to the pasta pot to cook.

While pasta is cooking, saute the garlic in olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add spinach and broccoli, red pepper and grilled chicken and toss to combine. Stir in Alfredo sauce and pesto and cook until warm, about 5 minutes.

Drain pasta and add to the skillet. Toss to combine everything and serve.

Alfredo Sauce
Makes about 1 1/2-2 cups

1/3 cup butter
1 Tablespoon flour
1 2/3 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup skim milk
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In sauce pan, melt butter. Then add flour and mix until smooth. Mix in cream, milk, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bring to boil and then simmer until sauce is decreased by half and thickened. Stir in Parmesan cheese until melted. Pour sauce over cooked fettuccine and toss

Source: An original recipe