Cajun Chicken on the Lighter Side

Start to Finish: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked linguine
1 pound chicken breast strips
1-2 tsp Cajun seasoning (or to taste)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
8 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup fat free low sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup skim milk
1 tbsp flour
3 tbsp light cream cheese
fresh cracked pepper
2 scallions, chopped
salt to taste
Smart Balance cooking spray

Directions:
1. Prep all your vegetables. In a small blender make a slurry by combining milk, flour and cream cheese. Set aside. Season chicken generously with Cajun seasoning, garlic powder and salt.
2. Prepare pasta in salted water according to package directions.
3. Heat a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; spray with cooking spray and add half of the chicken. Sauté 5 to 6 minutes or until done, set aside on a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken. Set aside.
4. Add olive oil to the skillet and reduce to medium; add bell peppers, onions, and garlic to skillet, sauté 3-4 minutes.
5. Add mushrooms and tomatoes and sauté 3-4 more minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with 1/4 tsp salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper to taste.
6.Reduce heat to medium-low; add chicken broth and pour in slurry stirring about 2 minutes.
7. Return chicken to skillet; adjust salt and Cajun seasoning to taste, cook another minute or two until hot, then add linguine; toss well to coat. Top with chopped scallions and enjoy!

Notes: So far, this is my favorite recipe from skinnytaste. It is spicy, creamy, and delicious. It made plenty of food and the leftovers were equally as good. My husband also loved it. Definitely one we will be making again.

Servings: 5 (1 serving equals 1-1/2 cups)

Estimated Price: $12.00

Source: skinnytaste.com
Nutrition Facts per serving: Calories: 323.8 • Fat: 6.2 g • Protein: 25.9 g • Carb: 44.1 g • Fiber: 6.3 g • Sugar: 3.2 g Sodium: 126.5 mg (without salt) 

Cashew Chicken and Broccoli

Start to Finish: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger root

2 cups fresh broccoli florets

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups frozen sugar snap peas

3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon sugar

2 medium green onions, sliced (2 tablespoons)

3 cups hot cooked brown rice

1/4 cup salted roasted cashew halves

Directions:
1. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and Ginger root; cook and stir 4 to 5 minutes or until chicken begins to brown.

2. Add broccoli, 1/2 cup of the broth and the pepper flakes. Cover; cook over medium heat 2 minutes, stirring once. Add peas; cook 2 to 4 minutes longer, stirring once, until vegetables are crisp-tender.

3. In a small bowl, mix remaining 1/2 cup broth, the soy sauce, vinegar, corn starch, and sugar; stir into chicken mixture. Add onions; cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Serve over rice; sprinkle with cashews.

Notes: My four year old picked this out and helped me make it. It turned out really good. The sauce did not thicken for me, but it still had good flavor. It was easy to make and fed 6 (4 adults and 2 children), with leftovers.

Servings: 4

Estimated Price: $8.00

Source: Eat Better America
Nutrition Facts per serving: 452 cal., 11.9 g total fat (2.3 g sat. fat), 381 mg sodium, 60.8 g carbo., 3.7 g fiber, 24.5 g pro. Daily Values: 8% vit. A, 50% vit. C, 6% calcium, 17% iron

Slow Cooker Chicken with Volcano Mashed Potatoes

Start to Finish: 7 hours

Ingredients:
2 (10-3/4 oz) cans cream of mushroom soup
1 (10-3/4 oz) can cream of chicken soup
1 whole chicken, cut into separate pieces
Instant mashed potato mix

Directions:
1) Place the cream of chicken soup in the slow cooker. Stir to mix.
2) Place the chicken pieces into the slow cooker. Place the lid on the slow cooker and turn the dial to low. Cook for 6-8 hours on low.
3) When the chicken is done cooking, prepare the instant mashed potatoes. Place potatoes in the center of the plate with some of the cooked chicken on the side. Use the sauce from the slow cooker as gravy.

Servings: 6

Notes: This tasted good. Potatoes, chicken, and gravy are always a good combination.

Variations: Use real potatoes and make mashed potatoes from them. I think that tasted better. Also, instead of a whole chicken I just used two boneless skinless chicken breasts.

Estimated Price: $6.00

Source: A Cookbook for Mommy & Me
Nutrition Facts per serving: 572 cal., 14.3 g total fat (4.2 g sat. fat), 154 mg chol., 1302 mg sodium, 45.8g carbo., 62.3 g pro. Daily Values: 5% vit. A, 2% vit. C, 9% calcium, 21% iron

Oven-Fried Coconut Chicken

Start to Finish: 55 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/4 cup fine dry seasoned bread crumbs
2-1/2 to 3 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breasts, thighs, and drumsticks)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Directions:
In a shallow bowl stir together coconut and bread crumbs; set aside. Brush chicken pieces with melted butter. Roll chicken pieces in coconut mixture to coat all sides. In a 15x10x1 or 13x9x2-inch baking pan arrange chicken, skin side up, so pieces don't touch. Drizzle any remaining butter over chicken. Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until chicken is tender and no longer pink (170 degrees F for breasts; 180 degrees F for thighs and drumsticks). Do not turn.

Servings: 6

Notes: This was good. The chicken was sweet, but not overpowering. I wasn't sure how I would like coconut on chicken, but it was tasty.

Estimated Price: $11.00

Cookbook: Better Homes and Gardens 500 Five Ingredient Recipes
Nutrition Facts per serving: 332 cal., 21 g total fat (10 g sat. fat), 108 mg chol., 284 mg sodium, 6 g carbo., 29 g pro. Daily Values: 6% vit. A, 2% calcium, 7% iron

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

Start to Finish: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients:
3 whole chicken breasts
3 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream
1 can of diced chilies (4 oz)
2 cups Mexican style shredded cheese
10 flour tortillas

Directions:
Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Cook chicken and let cool. In large mixing bowl combine 2 cans of soup, chilies, 1 cup of sour cream, 1 cup of cheese, and chicken. Scoop mixture into flour tortillas and roll up. Combine remaining can of soup and sour cream. Spread evenly across the top of the enchiladas. Sprinkle enchiladas with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-60 minutes.

Servings: 5

Notes: This is great. Easy to make and tastes great. The chilies add a lot of flavor! My mom makes this for company lunches on request because an employee that used to work there made them all the time and they love it.

Variations: My mom uses canned chicken. It is more expensive, but saves on time.

Estimated Price: $7.00

Nutrition Facts per serving: 739 cal., 27 g total fat (10 g sat. fat), 102 mg chol., 2430 mg sodium, 90 g carbo., 33 g pro. Daily Values: 23% vit. A, 9% vit. C, 25% calcium, 1% iron

Chicken Salad

Start to Finish: 45 minutes

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon olive oil
3/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 stalks celery, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup cauliflower puree
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup green grapes, coarsely chopped

Directions:
1) Place the eggs in a small saucepan and add cold water to cover. Cover, set the saucepan over high heat, and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and let stand, still covered, for exactly 15 minutes. Run the eggs under cold water to cool, then peel them. Separate the yolks from the whites. Chop the whites and discard the yolks (or refrigerate for another use).
2) Sprinkle the chicken with salt, chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil and then the chicken. For cutlets, cook 4 to 5 minutes per side until lightly browned and no longer pink in the center. For chicken breast, cook 5 minutes per side, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 9 to 10 minutes longer. Let the chicken cool completely before cutting it into bite sized pieces.
3) In a large bowl, stir together the chicken, mayonnaise, celery, cauliflower puree, yogurt, grapes, and chopped egg whites. Serve warm or chilled.

Servings: 4

Notes: This is delicious! Creamy and had a great flavor. The yogurt added a lot of flavor. Also, it made a lot more than the 4 servings the book said it would make. Great leftovers as well.

Variations: We added lettuce to the sandwich and that was great. Also, we used Hoagie rolls, but the nutrition facts are based on whole wheat bread.

Estimated Price: $7.00

Cookbook: Deceptively Delicious
Nutrition Facts per serving: 339 cal., 15 g total fat (3 g sat. fat), 26 mg chol., 1311 mg sodium, 39 g carbo., 7 g fiber, 21 g pro. Daily Values: 6% vit. A, 2% vit. C, 17% calcium, 7% iron

Honey-Chicken Sandwiches

Start to Finish: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced (1/3 cup)

12 ounces thinly sliced cooked chicken, halved crosswise

4 purchased croissants, halved horizontally and toasted

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet combine honey, thyme, and red onion. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until warm (do not boil). Stir in chicken; heat through. Serve in croissants.

Servings: 4

Notes: The honey made this a sweet sandwhich, which tasted delicious. The onions were not overpowering and the chicken was very tender. Yummy!

Variations: I broiled and shredded chicken instead of using thinly sliced chicken. Also, I do not like red onions so I used yellow onions. Also, I actually am not fond of the texture of onions, but can handle chopped onions so I chopped the yellow onions instead of thinly slicing them.

Estimated Price: $5.00*

*If you make your own croissants, which I did. Otherwise, a 4 pack of croissants will cost you $3.49, unless you get them on a day old shelf at the bakery. So, then the cost would be around $8.50.

Cookbook: Better Homes and Gardens 500- Five Ingredient Recipes

Nutrition Facts per serving: 445 cal., 18 g total fat (8 g sat. fat), 118 mg chol., 498 mg sodium, 40 g carbo., 2 g fiber, 29 g pro. Daily Values: 7% vit. A, 2% vit. C, 4% calcium, 13% iron