Chicken Cordon Bleu Meatballs

Chicken Cordon Bleu Meatballs
From Skinnytaste Cookbook
Serves 6
(2 meatballs and 1/4 cup of sauce = 312 Calories)

Meatballs:

Cooking Spray or oil mister
1 1/2 pounds 93% lean ground chicken (I just used my Ninja blender to "ground" chicken breasts)
1/4 cup seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parley
1 large egg
1 large garlic clove, crushed
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2 (1 ounce) slices lean deli ham, cut into 6 pieces each
3 slices reduced-fat swiss cheese, cut into 4 pieces each (2.2 ounces total)

Sauce:

1 TBS unsalted butter
1 TBS all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup 33% less sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup 1 % milk
1 TBS Dijon mustard
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/8 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. finely chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Spray a large nonstick backing sheet with oil.

For the meatballs:  In a large bowl, combine the ground chicken, bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, egg, garlic, and salt.  Form 12 meatballs using slightly wet hands to prevent them from sticking.  Stuff each meatball by making a hole in the middle and placing one piece each of ham and Swiss cheese in the center.  Seal the meatballs well by pinching them closed. Place on the prepared backing sheet and bake 20 minutes or until almost cooked through.

For the Sauce:  Meanwhile, in a large, deep nonstick skillet with a fitted lid, melt the butter over medium heat. sprinkle in the flour and cook, whisking constantly for about 1 minute, then whisk in chicken broth and milk.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until it thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.  Whisk in the mustard and lemon juice, and season with the salt and a pinch of black pepper; remove from the heat and keep covered.

When the meatballs come out of the oven, add them to the skillet with the sauce.  Cover and simmer the meatballs over medium-low heat until the meatballs are cooked through and the chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

To serve, place 2 meatballs on each of the 6 serving plates and top with the sauce and parsley.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Ramen Noodle Soup

Slow Cooker Chicken and Ramen Noodle Soup

1 1/4 lb boneless chicken
1 16 oz pkg. fresh baby carrots, cut in half lengthwise
1 medium stalk celery, chopped
1 8 oz can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 3 oz pkg. oriental-favor ramen noodle soup mix (i use 2 of these)
1 32 oz container of chicken broth (I use 2 of these)
1 cup frozen sugar snap peas, thawed
2 green onions, sliced

In 3 1/2 or 4 quart slow cooker, layer chicken, carrots, celery, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts and contents of seasoning packet from soup mix.  Pour broth over top.

Cover; cook on Low setting for 7 to 8 hours.

About 10 minutes before serving, remove chicken from slow cooker; place on large plate.  Shred chicken with 2 forks; return to slow cooker and mix well.  Coarsley break noodles from soup mix into soup.Stir in thawed sugar snap peas. Cover; cook an additional 10 minutes or noodles are tender.

Just before serving, stir in onions. If desired, salt and pepper to taste.

Chicken Ravioli Soup

CHICKEN RAVIOLI SOUP

8 cups chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
2 cups refrigerated mini-cheese-stuffed ravioli
1 cup cooked chicken- diced
salt and pepper

Heat chicken stock in a soup pot to boiling; reduce heat and add carrot and celery.
Simmer until vegetables are soft- about 20 minutes.
Add ravioli and cook according to package directions- usually about a 5 minute simmer.
Stir in cooked chicken, salt and pepper as desired and serve.

Skinny Chicken Pesto Bake

Skinny Chicken Pesto Bake- 6 points

2 (16 oz total) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and fresh pepper to taste
4 tsp Basil Pesto
1 medium tomato, sliced thin
6 TBS shredded reduced fat mozzarella cheese
2 tsp grated Parmesan cheese

Wash chicken and dry with a paper towel.  Slice chicken breast horizontally to create 4 thinner cutlets. Season lightly with salt and fresh pepper.

Preheat the over to 400 degrees.  Line baking sheet with foil or parchment for easy clean-up.

Place the chicken on prepared baking sheet. Spread 1 tsp of skinny pesto over each piece of chicken.

Bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.  Remove from over; top with tomatoes, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until cheese it melted.

I did this without tomatoes and it was amazing. Loved it.

Lighter Chicken Saltimbocca

I found this recipe at my new favorite Weight Watcher Recipes website. This site is awesome and has great pictures. http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010_05_01_archive.html
Next time I would not put the sage leaves in. I am not a fan of sage so I ended up just taking them out. This is very healthy and so yummy.

Lighter Chicken Saltimbocca
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 • Serving Size: 1 piece • Points: 3 ww pts
Calories: 155.2 • Fat: 4.3 g • Protein: 21.7 g • Carb: 4.5 g • Fiber: 0.2 g


3 (8 oz) chicken cutlet halves (24 oz total) , fat removed
3 (1.5 oz) slices paper thin prosciutto, cut in half
6 sage leaves
1/4 cup flour
olive oil spray
1 tbsp butter
salt and fresh pepper
3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
1/4 cup white wine
Cut each breast into two cutlets to make a total of 6. Pound each one to about 1/4".

Season chicken with pepper. Lay a sage leaf on top, then a 1/2 slice of prosciutto, fold over and lightly pound ends of chicken to seal.

Place flour in a shallow bowl and lightly dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess.


Heat a nonstick frying pan. When hot, spray olive oil. Sauté chicken 1 minute on each side. You may have to do this in a few batches.

Remove chicken from pan and deglaze the pan with wine, scraping up any brown bits. Add chicken broth, butter and return chicken to the sauce. Finish cooking on low, 5 minutes. Serve this over a bed of wilted greens and top with sauce.

Italian Style Chicken Rolls

I have been going through my past recipe exchange folders and am finally trying some of the recipes. This one is from my friend Cori and we LOVED it. Ben LOVES prosciutto so it knew it would be good. I love Chicken Cordon Bleu and this is a variation of that. Next time I make it, I am going to add a Moray sauce to go over it. I think it would be even better!

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (I did 3 and I cut them in half so I have 2 really thin breasts. This is easier for the rolling part)

2 thin slices of Swiss cheese or provolone cheese (I used 6 pieces-I wanted more cheese)

2 thin slices of prosciutto or lean ham (I used 6)

1 tsp. paprika
6 T. bread crumbs (I used seasoned but you can do plain)
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp garlic salt (or powder)
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried basil
3 T. of butter (melted)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pound each chicken breast to 1/4 inch thickness. (This is really easy after they are cut in half.)

Cut cheese and prosciutto slices into halves. (I did this so they were thinner but I still used 2 halves of each on each breast.)

Layer cheese and prosciutto on chicken; roll to enclose filling. Secure with toothpicks.

Mix paprika, bread crumbs, Parmesan, garlic salt (powder), oregano, and basil in a shallow dish. Dip chicken rolls in butter then roll in crumb mixture to coat.

Place rolls seam side down in a baking dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly and golden brown.

Tip: I find that when I am doing things like this, I like to put my "cooling rack" on the cookie sheet and then put the chicken rolls on it. This keeps the chicken off the sheet and cooks the bottom really well. Otherwise, the bottom often gets soggy or to brown when the butter or cheese comes out a little bit.

OPTIONAL MORAY SAUCE (Serves 4):

1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. flour
1 c. milk
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper

BBQ Chicken

I am definately not dieting anymore and enjoying trying new recipes. I have started going through our last recipe exchange packet and so far have found several that are definately blog worthy. The first is from Rachel Erickson. Thanks Rachel! My husband and kids loved this one and I actually think it goes best with white rice or rice-a-roni. Rachel likes it with baked potatoes. You decide.

Step 1- Flour and brown 6 chicken breasts in an oiled frying pan.
Step 2- Mix in a bowl:

1/2 cup ketchup
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup mustard
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped onion

Step 3- arrange chicken in a 9x13 pan
Step 4- pour mixture over the top.
Step 5- Cook covered for 2 1/2 hours at 325 degrees. Uncover for the last 15 minutes.

Chicken Ole'

I got this recipe from my friend Heather's family blog. Thank you Heather!!! I LOVE slow cooker recipes and this one is definitely worth repeating. It is basically chicken enchiladas in a slow cooker. I would suggest a variation: Do less tortillas in the casserole. Instead: slice up tortillas into triangles and put them on a baking sheet. Salt them and broil them until crunchy. You can then use these crunchy tortillas to scoop up the casserole and it was so good!!!


10 3/4 oz can cream of mushroom soup
10 3/4 oz can cream of chicken soup (or use 2 chicken if you don't like mushroom)
1 cup sour cream
2 T grated onion (I just minced mine)
1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
12 flour tortillas, each torn into 6-8 pieces
3-4 cups cubed, cooked chicken- I actually chopped mine with a chopper.
7 oz jar salsa- I used a lot more (YUM!)
1/2 grated cheddar (for garnish)

In separate bowl, combine soups, sour cream, onion, and 1 1/2 cups cheese. Spray your crock pot with cooking spray to avoid the tortillas sticking!!! Place one third of each of the following in layers in slow cooker: torn tortillas, soup mixture, chicken, salsa. Repeat layers 2 more times. Cover. Cook on Low 4-5 hours. (This recipe does not respond well to cooking on High.) Gently stir. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover. Cook on Low another 15-30 minutes.

You can also serve with tortilla chips and lettuce. This is really good with corn as the side dish. Oh- I think this could actually be ready in about 3 hours. If you needed to eat it then.

WW Balsamic Chicken with Mushrooms

We had this tonight and it was really, really good. The kids LOVED it and they never like whatever I cook. It is so easy. If you do not like mushrooms, do not do the mushroom part with the chicken broth and thyme. If you like mushrooms, they are really good on chicken and some rice. YUM!!! Oh...Allyson- these are only 3 points per serving!

2 tsp vegetable oil
3 TBS balsamic vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 large garlic clove
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4 oz pieces. (I actually did chicken tenders. The kids like those better.)
2 cups mushrooms, small sliced
1/3 cup canned chicken broth
1/4 tsp dried thyme, crumbled

In a skillet, heat 1 tsp oil.

In a medium bowl, mix 2 TBS of vinegar, the mustard and garlic. Add chicken and turn to coat.

Transfer chicken and marinade to skillet. Saute' chicken until cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a platter and keep warm.

heat remaining teaspoon of oil in skillet. Saute mushrooms for 1 minute. Add broth, thyme and remaining TBS of vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are deep brown, about 2 minutes longer.

Serve chicken topped with mushrooms.

WW Crusted Honey Mustard Chicken

Ben said he liked this one! He couldn't even tell it was a weight watchers recipe. That is always a good sign.

1 spray(s) cooking spray
2/3 cup(s) lite honey mustard dressing
1/8 tsp table salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dill, freshly chopped
1 medium scallion(s), finely sliced
1 cup(s) cornflake crumbs
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4 oz pieces

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a shallow pan with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, combine honey mustard dressing, salt, pepper, dill and scallions; remove 1/3 cup and set aside.
Place cornflake crumbs in a shallow bowl. Dip chicken into dressing mixture and then cornflake crumbs; place in prepared pan.
Bake until chicken is golden and no longer pink in center, about 15 minutes.
Drizzle remaining dressing mixture (the 1/3 cup that was set aside) over chicken breasts and serve. Yields 1 piece of chicken and about 1 1/3 tablespoons of dressing per serving.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

We had this for dinner tonight and loved it.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I would use 3 and cut them so they are very thin and you have 6 thin chicken breasts)
8 oz Chive and Onion Cream Cheese Spread
8 strips of bacon (raw)

Soften cream cheese. Pound and flatten chicken breasts and drop a heaping TBS of cream cheese in middle of each breast, pulling up the sides. Wrap with bacon strips and secure with toothpicks. Sprinkle with course black powder. Bake at 375 degrees uncovered for 30 minutes. Change the oven to broil and cook for 10 more minutes to brown the chicken and bacon. I actually did this and then rolled them over and did it again. I wanted the bacon crunchy and it worked well. Enjoy!

Chicken Chow Mein

This turned out really good (thanks Carrie). You can add whatever meets and variety of vegies you want. You can easily add carrots or celery if you want to. My advice would be to do the prep early in the day when you have a quiet moment. Once all the prep is done, you can just toss the chicken in to cook and throw it all together at dinner time. The kids loved it. Oh- You HAVE to get the crunchy chow mein noodles to have with it. The kids loved them.

12 ounces chinese noodles
8 ounces boneless chicken breasts, sliced thinly (freezing for about 20 minutes make this task easier)
3 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 ounces snow peas, trimmed
2 ounces ham, finely sliced
1 1/2-2 tablespoons oyster sauce
4 green onions, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

*You'll want to get your prep work done first, because this will cook up very quickly.*Cook noodles according to package directions.Rinse under cold water, and set aside.

After you slice the chicken, place it in a bowl with 2 tsp of soy sauce, the rice vinegar and sesame oil.Toss to coat.Heat half the olive oil in a wok or large frying pan over high heat.When the oil is nice and hot, add the chicken mixture. Stir fry for 2 minutes, then transfer the chicken to a plate and keep warm.Wipe the pan out and heat the remaining olive oil.Stir in the garlic, snow peas, and ham.Stir fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the drained noodles to the pan, and continue to stir fry till the noodles are heated through, about 2 minutes.Add the remaining soy, the oyster sauce, and season with salt and pepper to taste.You may find you don't need salt.Add the chicken and any juices back to the pan, then add the green onions.Give a final stir and serve immediately. 3-4 servings

Chicken Broccoli Divan

2 10 OZ BAGS OF FROZEN BROCCOLI
2 CUPS COOKED CHICKEN
2 CANS OF CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP
1 CUP MAYONNAISE
1 TSP LEMON JUICE
½ TSP CURRY POWDER
1 CUP SHREDDED CHEDDAR CHEESE
½ CUP SOFT BREAD CRUMBS (PIECES OF FRESH BREAD WORK GREAT)
1 TBSP MELTED BUTTER OR MARJARINE
2 CUPS COOKED RICE

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350°

COOK THE BROCCOLI AND DRAIN – I USUALLY STEAM IT

COOK RICE AND FLUFF

CUT UP CHICKEN INTO CUBES

MIX TOGETHER THE CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP, MAYONNAISE, LEMON JUICE, CURRY POWDER, AND CHEESE.

LAYER THE INGREDIENTS IN GREASED 9 X 13 PAN.  RICE, CHICKEN, BROCCOLI, SOUP MIXTURE.

MIX THE MELTED BUTTER WITH BREAD CRUMBS AND PLACE ON TOP.

BAKE AT 350° FOR 30 MINUTES

Chicken Rolls

Serve this with a mixture of Cream of Chicken (or mushroom) and milk for a gravy. Or you can serve it with chicken gravy. It goes great with corn and mash potatoes!

2 cups soda cracker crumbs (saltines)
Sage Seasoning
Poultry seasoning
8 oz Cream Cheese
4 TBS butter or margarine
½ tsp pepper
3 cups cooked chicken
2 pkgs. Crescent rolls

Crush the crackers and season them with sage and poultry seasoning. Mix the butter, cream cheese, pepper and chicken. Separate rolls and flatten them out. Put chicken on roll and fold. Dip rolls in melted butter, roll in cracker crumbs. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet @ 350º for 20 minutes.

BRAISED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOMS

This recipe can be made with pork cutlets as well. My husband just eats around the mushrooms and still loves it. Serve this with white rice.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
2 TBS of olive oil
1 lb white mushrooms, sliced ½ inch thick
4 garlic cloves, halved
½ cup dry white wine (optional)
1 ¾ cup chicken stock or broth
2 TBS chopped parsley

1.Sprinkle chicken breasts with ¼ tsp each salt and pepper. Heat 1 TBS oil in large skillet over high heat. Add chicken; cook until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.

2. Add remaining TBS oil to hot skillet. Add mushrooms, garlic, and ¼ tsp salt. Cover; cook over medium heat until mushrooms release their juices, 2-3 minutes. Remove lid. Cook over high heat, tossing occasionally, until mushrooms are golden, 4-5 minutes.

3. Pour wine, if using, into skillet; cook, stirring, until evaporated, 1 minute. Add stock and parsley; cook over medium-high heat until mushrooms are tender and liquid has reduced, 8-10 minutes.

4. Return chicken to skillet. Cover; simmer over
low heat until chicken is cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Serve cutlets with mushrooms and cooking liquid. Garnish w/additional parsley.

Chicken Breasts in Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

This is so much better if you cut the chicken in half to make it really thin and then put it over fettuccine or tortellini when done. It is a wonderful pasta sauce. I don’t even like tomatoes and I love this sauce.

1 Tbsp butter
1 garlic clove, pushed through press
1 Tbsp flour
¾ cup chicken broth, divided
½ cup heavy cream
2 Tbs sun-dried tomato slivers in oil
***2 Tbsp of sun-dried tomato slivers is = 4 sun-dried tomato halves
¼ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp crushed red- pepper flakes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
(4-5 oz each, flattened slightly)


In large skillet, melt butter over medium high heat. Add garlic and cook 20 seconds. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Stir in ½ cup broth, cream, tomatoes, thyme, salt and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and cook 1 minute. Pour into measuring cup; set aside. Wipe skillet with a paper towel.

Heat sun-dried tomato oil (1 Tbsp) over medium-high heat. Sauté chicken in oil for 8 minutes, turning once, until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate.

Add remaining ¼ cup broth to pan and bring to a boil scraping up browned bits with a wooden spoon. Mix in cream sauce; add chicken just to heat through.

Slow Cook Sunday Chicken

Great for Sunday Dinners.

½ cube butter (1/4 cup)
4-6 pieces skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 8 oz pkg.Cream Cheese
1 can cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup
1 pkg. Italian dressing (dry mix)

Put butter in crock pot and melt. Put in chicken and sprinkle the dressing on top. Simmer on high for 3-5 hours. When chicken is tender pour in soup and cream cheese. Melt and stir together. Serve over rice. I like to cut the chicken in smaller pieces before I add the soup and cream cheese. Ben likes me to add 1/2 cup chicken broth to this to make it more "gavylike". Then it mixes with the rice more. Either way is delicious.

P.F. Changs Lettuce Wraps

This uses a lot of random ingredients, but once you buy them you will have them for next time! These take a lot of time but are definitely worth it. If you are having it as a meal alone, double the recipe.

3 Tbsp oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnuts
2/3 cup mushrooms
3 Tbsp chopped onions
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4-5 leaves iceberg lettuce
Special Sauce:
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup water
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp sesame oil

Stir Fry Sauce:
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp rice wine vinegar

Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you’re ready to serve.

Bring oil to high heat in a wok (or large frying pan). Sauté chicken breasts for 4 to 5 minutes per side or until done. Remove chicken from the pan and cool. Keep oil in pan and keep it hot.

As chicken cools, mince water chestnuts and mushrooms to about the size of small peas.

Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.

When chicken is cool, mince it as the mushrooms and water chestnuts are.

With the pan still on high heat, add another Tbsp of vegetable oil. Add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts and mushrooms to the pan. Add the stir-fry sauce to the pan and sauté the mixture for a couple minutes then serve it with the lettuce cups. Top with the special sauce. *** I usually end up just mixing some of the special sauce in with the stir fry instead of pouring it on the lettuce wrap itself.***

If you want some spice, you can add a mixture of: 1 Tbsp hot mustard, 2 tsp water, and 1-2 tsp garlic and red chili paste.

Breaded Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Sauce

I love this recipe because I enjoy it over romaine lettuce, with hard boiled eggs, bacon, corn, cucumbers and more. The kids love the chicken in ketchup. We all win!

Chicken:
1 egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
1 ½ tsp garlic powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 quart oil for frying

Place chicken strips into a large, resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, mix the egg, buttermilk and garlic powder. Pour mixture into bag with chicken. Seal, and refrigerate 2 to 4 hours. In another large, resealable plastic bag, mix together the flour, bread crumbs, salt and baking powder. Remove chicken from refrigerator, and drain, discarding buttermilk mixture. Place chicken in flour mixture bag. Seal, and shake to coat. Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) Carefully place coated chicken in hot oil. Fry until golden brown and juices run clear. Drain on paper towels.

Honey Mustard Dressing:
¼ cup mayonnaise
1+ Tbsp prepared mustard
1+ Tbsp honey
½ Tbsp lemon juice
garlic powder to taste
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, honey, and lemon juice. Add more mustard and/or honey to your desired taste. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Costa Vida/Cafe Rio Chicken or Pork

(This is so similar to the restaurant and can be used for salads, burritos, or tacos. I have also included the rice recipe that is so good!)

4 Chicken Breasts or 1 pork loin
2 Cans jalapeno El Pato (in green can) (If you like the meat really sweet only use one can)
1 cup brown sugar
a dash of cumin
sprinkle of pepper
sprinkle of garlic salt

Combine all ingredients in crock-pot and cook for 6-8 hours. When done shred and use however you like.

Costa Vida Rice
1 cup rice
2 cups water
3 cubes chicken bouillon
½ tsp dried onion
¼ bunch cilantro
1 tsp oil
1 fresh lime

Cook rice with all ingredients on stove or cooker. Squeeze lime juice over rice and mix before serving.