Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

I love this recipe. Love, love, love. Sadly, my nephew isn't feelin' the love, so we don't have it nearly as often as I would like. I think that most people who like Rotel Dip would like this recipe. Maybe even certain people who are trying to get rid of a bunch of turkey leftovers. Just a thought.

Ingredients:
8 oz. spaghetti
1 lb. velveeta (cubed)
1 can rotel (use mild if you're not wanting much of a kick to it)
2 cooked chicken breasts (cubed or shredded)

Instructions:
Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in saucepan coated with cooking spray, combine Velveeta and Rotel; cook and stir until cheese is melted. Add chicken; heat through.

Drain spaghetti; mix all together.

Chicken Flautas

Here's a recipe that was accidentally retired from our house, because for some reason I had never made a recipe card for it. I discovered it on my computer last week and made them tonight. So glad that we have rediscovered this!! :)

Ingredients:
12 6-inch flour tortillas (the recipe says 12, but we were able to make 15)
2 c. finely shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)
1-1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken
1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2/3 cup salsa
8 tsp. vegetable oil

Instructions:
Heat tortillas as directed on package. (I used the microwave method: four tortillas between two damp paper towels, microwaved for thirty seconds.) Meanwhile, in bowl, mix cheese, chicken, and cumin.Place about 1/4 c. chicken mixture on each warm tortilla. Top each with 1 Tbsp. salsa. Roll up tightly; secure each with toothpick. Brush filled tortillas with oil.

In 10-inch skillet, cook filled tortillas over medium heat 4 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, until filling is hot and tortillas are toasted. Remove toothpicks before eating.

Teriyaki Chicken Kabobs

I fixed these kabobs for the first time two weekends ago for a cookout at my son's house. They were a hit with us... even with those of us, myself included, who normally wouldn't touch a pepper or a zucchini with a ten-foot pole! 

Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
3/4 c. Lawry's Teriyaki Marinade with Pineapple Juice, divided
2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 or 2 (I used two) red or green bell pepper(s), cut into 1-inch pieces
1 8-oz. can pineapple slices, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces


Instructions:
Place chicken and vegetables* in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add 1/2 cup of the marinade; turn to coat well. Reserve remaining marinade for brushing.

Refrigerate 30 minutes (or longer for extra flavor). Remove chicken and vegetables* from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade. Alternately thread chicken, vegetables, and pineapple onto eight skewers.

Grill kabobs over medium heat 10-15 minutes (I think it took longer than this), or until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, turning occasionally and brushing with reserved marinade.

*The recipe said to marinade the chicken and the vegetables, but didn't mention the pineapple, so I didn't. But I'm not so sure that it would have hurt anything!

Note: If using wooden skewers, soak in water for at least 30 minutes to prevent burning. I read a tip somewhere that you can also soak them in a liquid that goes with what you're cooking, so I added some pineapple juice to the water that I soaked them in. 

Salsa Chicken with Rice

I should call this recipe "Miracle Chicken", because it's a miracle that I've actually posted THREE recipes this month!  :)  I decided the other day to institute the tradition of a "Sunday dinner" (actually, lunch) each week in our home, and so today I started this in the crockpot before we left for church.

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1-1/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup salsa 
1 Tbsp. olive oil (I used vegetable oil)
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:
Spray interior of slow cooker with cooking spray. Pour rice into slow cooker. Add chicken broth and salsa. Stir together well.

Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to skillet and brown chicken 2 to 3 minutes per side. Place chicken breasts on top of salsa mixture in slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low 4-6 hours or until chicken and rice are tender. Top with cheese just before serving.

Crunchy Onion Chicken

Seriously??  It's been FOUR MONTHS since I posted anything here??  I should be ashamed.  And I am!

Last night, I tried this new recipe, which I tore out of a magazine a long time ago.  It was part of an ad for French's french fried onions.  Everyone liked it, so it has been deemed "a keeper."  As a side note, I have found that cooking meals for the brother-in-law who is snowed in with us and spending the week with us is really a joy.  Over the past ten years or so, he has probably only eaten the equivalent of about three months of home cooked meals... and so it's really been fun to cook meals and see his reaction over them.  I hope after experiencing compliment after compliment from him over my meals, it will remind me to be equally complimentary of meals that other people cook for me.  It really does a cook's heart good to be complimented and thanked.  :)

Ingredients:
2-2/3 c. French's french fried onions (I used generic)
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 eggs, beaten

**Note:  I found this to not be enough french fried onions to completely coat the chicken breasts.  I guesstimated the chicken, so maybe I was using more than two pounds.  But just be advised that you may need more of the french fried onions than what is stated here.**

Instructions:
Crush french fried onions in plastic bag.  Dip chicken into egg; then coat in onion crumbs.  Bake 20 minutes at 400F until cooked through.

**Another note:  The chicken breasts I used were thick, and so I probably ended up doubling this baking time.  It was definitely at least 30 minutes.  Also, be sure to use a baking sheet with sides, because the french fried onions do produce grease.**

Chicken Potato Delight

Another successful new recipe attempt... kind of.

Make this casserole at your own risk! I followed the directions exactly, and ended up with a thick layer of burnt cheese on the top. I ended up having to take that layer off, donate it to the trash can, and then add another layer of cheese and just put it into the oven long enough for it to melt. The next time I make this, I'll wait until about 10 minutes before it's done and then add the cheese and put it back in for the last 10 minutes, rather than following the directions.

It was pretty annoying, but since my nephew announced, "Bikki Boo, this one's a keeper!" and my niece proclaimed it to be "the bomb", I've decided to add it to our recipe collection. :)

This is the original recipe...

Ingredients:
1 can (10-3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

3/4 c. sour cream

1/4 c. milk

1 c. cubed cooked chicken (I thought that seemed pretty skimpy, so I doubled the chicken)

2-1/2 c. (10 oz) shredded cheddar cheese, divided

2-1/2 c. frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed

1 can (2.8 oz) french-fried onions

1 c. crushed sour cream and onion potato chips

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine soup, sour cream, milk, chicken, and 1-1/4 cups of the cheese. Spread 3/4 of the mixture into a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle hash browns over the top and press down lightly. Spread with the remaining soup mixture.

Sprinkle with onions, potato chips, and remaining cheese. (Caution! See my note above.) Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 1 hour or until bubbly. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.