Easy One Skillet Chicken Stir Fry

This dinner is one of my kids FAVORITE meals and it is sooooo easy!! You can add more veggies, try out different stir fry sauces....lots of opportunities to change this up!!

Easy One Skillet Chicken Stir Fry 

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless chicken breasts 

2 bags frozen stir fry vegetables (or one stir fry veggies and one broccoli)

1 can water chestnuts (my kids love these, so I put in extra!)

1/2 cup stir fry sauce (my favorite is the Wegman's brand)

Optional - garlic powder 

2 cups brown rice 

1 1/2 cups water

Directions: 

• Cut the chicken breasts into bite sized pieces and cook in the skillet until no longer pink.
• Add frozen vegetables, water chestnuts, stir fry sauce and water and bring to a boil. 
• Stir in rice, reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.
• Stir and remove from heat for another 5 minutes

Crockpot Chicken Philly Stuffed Peppers

Fall is in the air and Football season is starting up...who doesn't love a Chicken Philly Sandwich?!

I decided to try a recipe that satisfied the craving without sacrificing too many calories (and it's in a slow cooker so it saved me on time!!)

Crock Pot Chicken Philly Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients: 

4 large peppers
1 lb boneless chicken breast
1 Onion (Chopped)
2 tbsp chopped garlic
1 can sliced mushrooms
4 Tbsp Steak Sauce 
Provolone or Mozzarella Cheese

**You could also add rice or quinoa to this recipe if you wanted 









Directions: 

• Cut the tops of the peppers off - chop up the pepper tops for the filling.
• In a skillet, cook the chicken with onions and garlic with margarine until no longer pink
• Combine chicken and onions with chopped peppers, mushrooms and steak sauce.
• Put peppers in the crockpot and add the chicken filling
• Cook on low 8 hours
• Before you are ready to serve, add cheese into the peppers so it is melted.

Crockpot Summer Vegetable and Chicken Sausage Soup

This recipe was perfect for the end of summer and I think you can alter it to make different soups or just to your specific tastes (add lentils instead of orzo, add peppers or other summer veggies!!).

I used the tomato soup ingredients from my Crockpot Hamburger Soup as my base (tomato soup, garlic and beef bouillon) - it is so easy and gives the soup a really nice flavor.

When I did this recipe, I doubled it so I had enough to freeze and enjoy once the school year gets underway and we are running to different events with little time to cook a healthy meal! 

Summer Vegetable and Chicken Sausage Soup: 

3 Chicken Sausage links (I used fully cooked- no prep!) 
Corn (1 can or 1/2 bag of frozen or 1.5 cups fresh)
Green beans  (1 can or 1/2 bag of frozen or 1.5 cups fresh)
1 Zucchini - cut in half and then sliced
1 Can of Diced Tomatoes (I used onion and garlic flavor)
1 Tsp minced garlic
1 Can condensed tomato soup
1 Beef bouillon cube
2.5 cups water
1 Cup Orzo Pasta (add in 30 min before serving)
Salt/Pepper to taste

Peach Ginger Crockpot Chicken

I love my crockpot in the summer as much as I do in the cooler months, especially when I can combine summer flavors in my recipes!!

Peach Ginger Chicken 

Ingredients:
2 lbs chicken breast
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp ginger (I used minced)
1 tsp nutmeg
12 basil leaves
1 cup orange juice
4 large peaches - sliced thinly

Directions:
1) Season the chicken with the salt and pepper on both sides
2) Put chicken in the crockpot
3) Add remaining ingedients into the crockpot with the chicken
4) Cook on low 3-4 hours



Here are the two dinners that I made with the chicken:

Peach Chicken on Wild Rice

 

Peach Chicken Salad with Goat Cheese and Honey Roasted Pecans

Mixed Greens
Sliced Peach Chicken and Peaches
Honey Roasted Pecans
Goat Cheese
Balsamic Vinegar

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken Caprese Kabob

I love grilled chicken and this summer, we've been grilling extra chicken and using the left overs for meals during the week.

Here was a really simple but delicious and healthy left over chicken meal that I made this week.

Chicken Caprese Kabob 

Ingredients: 
Grilled Chicken Breast - cut into bite sized pieces
Cherry Tomatoes
Fresh Basil leaves
Fresh Mozzarella cut into squares
Balsamic Vinegar (I use the kind in the spray bottle)
Pasta (you can really use any pasta, I had fettuccine in my pantry so that what I used!)
Olive oil (just a tsp or so to toss in the pasta)

Directions: 
Put chicken, basil, mozzarella and tomato onto a skewer in a repeating pattern.
Cook pasta and toss with olive oil and some basil
Place skewer on top of pasta on a plate and spray with balsamic vinegar

**Tip: If you are looking for an easy appetizer, I love putting fresh mozzarella, basil and a tomato on a toothpick and spray with the balsamic vinegar!!  

Summer Salad on the Go!

This is my new road trip lunch solution!! I am officially in love with these Arnold Whole Wheat Pita Pocket Thins - they are 100 calories per half and I've started putting salads in them for healthier eating options on the go!

I made this one this weekend and it was a such a better option than drive thru or a standard sandwich!

Chicken Mango Salad Pita: 

• 1 cup spinach greens
• 1/2 cup chopped chicken breast
• 1/4 cup mango 
• Golden Raisins
• Fresh chopped cilantro
• Lite Balsamic Vinaigrette** 

Toss all the salad ingredients together in a bowl and then put in the pita pocket!

 **If you are packing this as a meal for later in the day, I would put the vinaigrette in a small separate Tupperware container and add it right before you are ready to eat. Otherwise, your pita might get soggy!

Other Summer Salads to try in a pita pocket:

• Chicken Poppy Salad - Chicken, Strawberries, Blueberries, Greens, Poppy seed Dressing 
• Greek Salad - olives, feta, greens, chicken and a greek dressing
• Cobb Salad - greens, chopped egg, turkey bacon, tomato with Ranch 
• Southwest Salad - chicken, greens, black beans, corn, onions, tomato and salsa ranch dressing
• Steak & Blue Salad - sliced Steak, blue cheese, walnuts, greens with a Balsamic
• Caprese Salad - fresh mozzerella, tomato slices, basil leaves and Balsamic

One Bulk Package of Chicken, Five Easy, Yummy and Healthy Meals!

I've been really focusing on meal planning this year and keeping my meals healthy and my grocery bill in check. One thing I learned was to take advantage of and plan your meals around meats that are on sale. So, I purchased a bulk package of chicken (it was just under 6lbs!).

For the first meal, I just took the chicken out of the package and right into the crockpot. I then baked the remainder of the chicken in the oven with some Italian Dressing as a marinade. I kept the cooked chicken in Tupperware in my fridge and used it for the rest of the recipes - it made life sooo easy (ok, the cooking part of my life that is!!).

Meal 1: Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken (I doubled the recipe)

Ingredients:

• 2lbs uncooked chicken
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 can corn (drained)
• 1 packet of McCormick Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken seasoning

Directions: 
Place all ingredients into a crockpot. 
Set crockpot to low for 8 hours
Shred the chicken before serving.

We ate it like a chili with some shredded cheese on top, but you could also serve with:
- Rice
- Pasta
- In a burrito

Topping ideas: 
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Greek yogurt
- Shredded Cheese 
- Fresh Cilantro

Meal 2: Quinoa Fiesta Chicken Casserole

Ingredients
Left Over Fiesta Chicken 
1 cup Red Quinoa
Shredded Cheese 

Directions
Combine cooked Quinoa with left over Fiesta Chicken
Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese on top
Bake in oven at 350 until hot and cheese is bubbling

Meal 3: One Skillet Chicken Stir-Fry

Ingredients
2 cups Instant Brown Rice
1 package frozen vegetables (I use the stir fry veggies or broccoli and carrots)
1 can water chestnuts
2 cups diced chicken
3/4 cup Stir Fry Sauce (I love the Wegman's brand!)

Directions: 
Combine all ingredients into a large skillet. Cook on high until it is at a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes until rice is tender.

Top with fried noodles

Meal 4: Tuscan Chicken & Broccoli Pasta

Ingredients: 
1/2 package Linguine (I like to use the wheat)
2 cups diced chicken breast
1 package of frozen broccoli
1 cup cherry tomatoes
Olive Oil
1-2 Tbsp Tuscan Bread Dipping Seasoning**

*I had a jar of seasoning from a local Olive Oil store (Olive on Brooklea for anyone who is local to Syracuse, NY) or you can make your own:

1Tbsp dried Oregano
1 Tbsp Dried Basil
1 Tbsp Dried Rosemary
1/2 tsp Dried Powdered Thyme
1 Tbsp Crushed Red Pepper
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder

Directions: 
Cook linguine in a pot
In a large skillet, heat olive oil and then add chicken, broccoli and cherry tomatoes
Add the cooked linguine to the skillet and toss all the ingredients together with the Tuscan Seasoning.

Meal 5: Grilled Chicken Wraps 

Ingredients: 
2 Cups diced cooked chicken
4 Tortillas
Shredded Cheese
Lettuce
Any other toppings you can think of! 

Directions: 
Throw all your ingredients into a tortilla and enjoy!!

Quick Crockpot Recipe - Fiesta Chicken

Here is the EASIEST crockpot recipe I have made to date - 5 minute prep time and 5 ingredients!!

My kids DEVOURED it, my husband raved about it - how could I not share it?!

Crockpot Chicken Fiesta

• 2lbs chicken (I had a bag of frozen chicken tenderloins from Target that I dumped in the crockpot frozen!)
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
• 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 can corn (drained)
• 1 packet of McCormick Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken seasoning

 
I set my crockpot to low for 8 hours and then it warmed for 2 hours. My husband came home and shredded the chicken and when I walked in the door, it was ready to be served!

We ate it like a chili with some shredded cheese on top, but you could also serve with:
- Rice
- Pasta
- In a burrito

Topping ideas: 
- Sour cream
- Avocado
- Greek yogurt
- Shredded Cheese 
- Fresh Cilantro