Chicken Rollatini stuffed with Zucchini and Mozzarella

I've been searching for low-carb recipes lately and have been having a really hard time finding ones that I thought the kids and hubby would enjoy too.  We had this for dinner tonight and it was absolutely amazing!  The kids loved it too so it was a win-win!

Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 c zucchini, chopped (I used 2 small)
1/4 c + 2 T Romano or Parmesan, shredded
3 oz part skim mozzarella, shredded
3 chicken thighs (~6oz each)
1/2 c italian seasoned bread crumbs
Juice of 1 lemon
1 T olive oil
pepper
non stick cooking spray

Directions
Saute garlic in olive oil until brown.  Add zucchini and 1/4c Romano and cook another 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and let cool.  Once cool, mix in mozzarella.  Make 2 mixtures in 2 seperate bowls - 1 with bread crumbs and 2T Romano, and 1 with lemon, olive oil, and pepper.  Meanwhile trim fat off chicken thighs and lay flat on chopping board or other working surface.  Spread zucchini mixture over each thigh and roll tight.  Then dip the thighs in the olive oil mixture and then the breadcrumb mixture and place in a casserole dish that has been lightly coated with cooking spray.  Spray all chicken with more cooking spray when done and cook for 25-30 minutes in a 450 degree oven.

Source
Gina's Skinny Recipes

Chicken Piccata

I've been wanting to experiment with the "classic" Italian methods of cooking chicken, and I figured this would be a good one to start with. It's simple, quick, and the light breading makes it look like chicken nuggets, which never hurts when you are trying to get kids to eat.

Ingredients

2-4 Chicken breast cutlets
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 c flour
salt & pepper
4 Tablespoons olive oil
4 Tablespoons butter, divided
1/2 cup white wine (can substitute chicken broth)
3 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup brined capers
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions
If cutlets are too thick, place them between 2 layers of plastic wrap and pound with meat hammer (or rolling pin in my case) until they reach 1/4 inch thickness. Dredge chicken in a bowl filled with the combined flour, Parmesan, and salt and pepper. Prepare a skillet by heating olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium high heat. When thoroughly heated add the chicken and cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and add wine, lemon juice and capers to the pan, scraping up the brown bits from the chicken. Reduce the sauce by half, then whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Serve the sauce over the chicken and top with chopped parsley.

Source
Simply Recipes

Homemade Chicken Nuggets

I decided to try my hand at homemade chicken nuggets for Michaela's birthday dinner. I've seen this on several different blogs, but my recipe is most like this one from Itty Bitty Bistro. It's rare that I make a meal that everyone in the family likes, so I was super happy when Michaela munched these down and Philip said they were as good as McDonalds. :)

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts

1 egg

3/4 cup panko bread crumbs

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal

3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, finely grated

Directions

Cut off all visible fat from chicken and cut into strips. Place chicken in food processor and grind until the texture is that of ground meat. Meanwhile, mix the bread crumbs, flaxseed, and parmesan in a bowl. Put the egg in a seperate bowl and whisk. Roll the ground chicken into balls, dip them in the egg, and then in the breadcrumb mix. Place on a baking sheet that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 20 minutes in a 425 degree oven.

Partially Clothed Chicken Parmesan

A while back I ran across this recipe for Naked Chicken Parmesan; essentially chicken parm without any breading. I was intrigued by the idea, but quite frankly, I really really love the traditional breading. I don't, however, like the extra calories it brings to the dish. So for my version I basically only cover half of the chicken which is enough to give me my breading fix and still remain a healthier version of the classic approach.

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
Salt and pepper

breadcrumbs

1 can tomato sauce

oregano

Italian seasoning

garlic powder

onion powder

mozzarella cheese

Directions
Place your chicken between two pieces of Saran wrap and pound to 1/2 " thin with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and then cook in a skillet that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray for about 3 minutes on each side. Place the chicken in a casserole dish or baking sheet that has been either covered in foil or sprayed lightly with cooking spray. Top with enough breadcrumbs to cover most of the surface and spray very lightly with cooking spray. Meanwhile, heat tomato sauce in a small saucepan and season to taste with dried seasonings. Add sauce to top of chicken and sprinkle with mozzarella. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through with no more pink in the middle.

Real World Wednesday - Quesaninis

A few weeks ago we ate delicious gourmet quesadillas made with a George Foreman grill at a friends house. They looked like paninis, so I named them Quesaninis and vowed to recreate them at home. These are so quick and easy to put together, and you can use whatever ingredients you already have on hand.

Ingredients
tortillas or wraps (I used spinach herb wraps)
Sliced turkey breast, or any other meat
Sliced cheddar, or any other cheese
Sliced tomato
Sliced avocado
Sliced mushrooms
cilantro
Any toppings of your choice (Salsa, green chile, and bacon are a few other toppings I want to try.)

Directions
Lay out your tortilla or wrap and place ingredients on one half. Fold the other half over the ingredients and cook in a lightly greased George Foreman for 5 minutes or until warmed through and cheese has melted. If you don't have a George Foreman, cook for 5 minutes on each side in a non-stick skillet.

Aussie Turkey

There is a honey mustard chicken dish that I love making but Philip isn't too fond of it. This recipe for Aussie Chicken, which is a copycat of Outback Steakhouse's version, looks just like my dish but is much more man friendly because it adds bacon, mayonaise and cheese. For Michaela, my little meat hater, I shredded the turkey after it was cooked and added it to her mashed potatoes along with some corn.

Ingredients
4 turkey tenders
8 slices bacon, cooked and cut in half
1/4 cup mustard
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoon mayonaisse
1/2 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 cup cheddar cheese

Directions
Mix honey, mustard, mayonaise, and onion flakes in a bowl. Place the turkey in a 8x8 casserole dish that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Cover with the honey mustard mix and top with bacon and cheese. Bake in a 350 degree for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Notes
*The original recipe adds mushrooms. I didn't have any, but next time I would definitely try this.

Moroccan Chicken and Date Pastilla

Every month my Mom's Club hosts a potluck cooking club with various themes. I knew as soon as I heard that this month's theme was International Foods that I wanted to make something Moroccan. Have I ever had Moroccan food? No. In fact I had no idea if Moroccan food was even good, the name just popped into my head and I couldn't think of anything else. I googled Moroccan food (how would we survive without Google?!?) and found this dish that sounded oh so yummy and relatively kid friendly. I don't know why, but I have a thing for dishes that mix the savory and the sweet, and boy does this fit the bill. I realllly enjoyed this, and the other mommies seemed to also. Michaela didn't eat any because there was chocolate mousse and whipped cream in the room, which completely clouded her desire to eat anything else. I have a feeling that she would enjoy this, so I'll have to try feeding her the leftovers for lunch.

Ingredients

1 onion, diced finely
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon cloves
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon chili flakes
1 teaspoon + 1 pinch turmeric
2 lbs chicken breast
2 cups chicken stock
3 eggs
1 cup dates, pitted and chopped coarsley
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1/4 cup parsley, minced
3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Salt and pepper to taste
6 sheets phyllo dough
olive oil
powdered sugar and cinnamon

Directions
Saute onions in a bit of olive oil for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic and spices and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add chicken and chicken stock. Cook for 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and shred. Return to the pan along with the eggs, dates, raisins, cilantro, parsley, salt and pepper. Incorporate all the ingredients together.

Prepare your phyllo dough on a flat work surface. Lay out one sheet and brush with olive oil until the whole sheet is moistened. Lay another sheet tilted 45 degrees on top of the first and brush with olive oil. Repeat with 4 more sheets (6 total) tilting each 45 degrees from the previous one. Lay the phyllo dough in a 9 inch springform pan and fill with the chicken mixture. Fold the overhanging dough over the top to seal the pie. Brush olive oil on the top. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30-45 minutes or until brown. When cooled, top with powdered sugar and cinnamon and serve.

Notes
*To toast the almonds, spread them in a single layer on a baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until golden. You can use untoasted almonds, but toasting them releases their flavor.
*If you don't have a springform pan, a regular pie pan would be fine, you would just have to scoop out the servings.
*If you are using a larger pan (I used a 10 inch), your phyllo dough won't close over the top. Simply prepare another 6 pieces of dough as above and cover the top, tucking in the extra around the sides of the bottom crust.
*The original recipe calls for saffron, but this is not an ingredient readily available in my area. If you are using saffron, use a pinch in place of the extra pinch of tumeric.
*Tumeric stains! I didn't wipe up the juice from the chicken that fell on my counter until several hours later, and by then it had already left quite a stain. I managed to remove most of it with the magic eraser, but please be careful with this.

Real World Wednesday - Chicken Soup with Rice

This is my staple dish whenever I have a leftover turkey or chicken carcass. What I really call it is Carcass Soup, but that doesn't sound very appetizing. If I start this in the morning after breakfast, it is the perfect amount of time to have it finished for dinner. What a perfect meal for a cold day!

Ingredients

Chicken carcass

1 cup rice (I use a wild rice blend)

1 cup carrots, diced

1 cup spinach, torn into small pieces

Directions

Place carcass in a crockpot and cover with water. Cook on high for 3-4 hours or until meat is falling off the bones. Pour through sieve into a bowl and remove all skin, bones and cartilage from the broth, leaving only the meat. Return the broth and meat to the crockpot. Add rice, carrots, spinach and any other desired vegetables. Cook on high for another 3-4 hours.

Chicken Skin Bacon

I saw this idea around Thanksgiving time and thought it was an ingenious idea. I used the skin off a precooked rotisserie chicken. The taste is a tiny bit different than real bacon, but it is still delicious and would be a great addition to soups and baked potatoes.

Ingredients

Chicken Skins

Salt & Pepper

Directions

Place skins on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper and bake in 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

Honey Lemon Enchiladas

I'm generally a purist when it comes to Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas (a recipe which I'll have to post sometime soon), but this recipe caught my eye and had me intrigued. This flavor combination is such an interesting combination of savory and sweet, my tastebuds are already itching for tomorrows lunch of leftovers. Philip liked it but said it wasn't his favorite. Michaela didn't touch it, but it is so mild that I think kids who don't have an aversion to gloopy textures would really love the sweet notes in this dish.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons Honey

4 tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 tablespoons Chili Powder

2 tablespoons Garlic Powder

12 oz Chicken, cooked and shredded

1 cup Heavy Cream

1 jar Medium Green Chile Sauce (2 cups)

8 oz Cheddar Cheese, shredded

4-5 Flour Tortillas

Directions

Mix honey, lemon juice, chili powder, and garlic powder together. Pour half over chicken and let marinate at least half an hour. Combine the rest of the honey lemon mixture with the cream & jar of green chile sauce. Spread some of the mixture on the bottom of a 8 x 8 casserole dish. Fill each tortilla with some of the meat mixture and shredded cheese, roll like a burrito, and place side by side in the casserole dish. Top with remaining chile mixture and shredded cheese. Bake in 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Notes

• The recipe this is based off called for lime juice but I didn't have a chance to go to the store. I would love to try it this way some time.
• The chicken I used was just from a pre-cooked rotissere from the grocery store. So convenient!
• I think next time I'll try using homemade green chile sauce instead. Yum!

Real World Wednesday - Healthy Nachos

This recipe was born from one of those evenings where I had an empty fridge and pantry and had no idea what to make. I whipped this together from what I had on hand and it instantly became a favorite of mine and Philip's. It's too spicy for Michaela, so I usually set apart some non-marinated chicken and make a small quesadilla for her.

Ingredients
Chicken thighs, enough for your family
Salsa, enough to cover chicken
Corn Tortillas, 2-3 per family member
Cheddar Cheese, shredded

Directions
Marinate the chicken in the salsa for at least 1 hour. Cut or tear the corn tortillas into 8 triangles and lightly spray both sides with olive oil cooking spray. Lay out on a baking sheet and bake at 4oo for 7-10 minutes or until crispy. Cook the chicken in a skillet and then cut or shred. Layer the tortilla chips, chicken, and cheese on a plate and serve.

Cheese & Herb Stuffed Chicken

Oh. My. Goodness. Make this, eat it and love it! I'm not sure how healthy this is, but wow does it taste good! I definitely stepped out of my comfort zone to make it, but honestly it was not as hard to make as it sounded. My measurements for the ingredients might not be right, I just kind of added things without measuring until it looked good.

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts

4 oz goat cheese

3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon chives

1 small handful italian parsley

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons margarine

Kitchen string

Directions

Mix cheeses, chives, and parsley together. Butterfly the pieces of chicken and pound thin with a meat mallet or the bottom of a skillet. Spread a third of the cheese mixture lenthwise across the chicken breast and roll up like a burrito. Tie up with kitchen string and put in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Put the chicken in a casserole dish, presentation side up and pat all over with margarine. Bake in 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165. Put drippings from casserole dish in a saucepan with the chicken broth and reduce until it has the consistency of a sauce. Pour a little bit over each piece of chicken and serve.

Notes

• Use real parmesan cheese, not that nasty fake stuff from the green bottle.
• Chives are the top of a green onion. I'm just telling you this because the original recipe called for scallions and I didn't know what they were so I bought green onions. So I'm using the word chive just so that you know that I'm smart. I know things. Yeah...
• The original recipe calls for regular parsley but I bought Italian because it sounded fancier.
• I didn't have any kitchen string so I used some regular string that I had in my craft closet. I normally wouldn't use this because most craft string is waxed and might melt all over the chicken, but this string didn't look waxed so I figured it was ok. I also read that unwaxed floss would work too.
• I didn't have a meat mallet so I used a rolling pin. It was really refreshing to get all my frustrations out!

Crockpot Pineapple Chicken

I had some leftover rice from the previous post, so I decided to make a chicken dish to go along with it. This sounded intriguing, and tasted ok, but didn't come out quite as I wanted. If you follow the suggestions below the recipe, I think this could be really tasty.

Ingredients
Chicken, enough for 4
20 oz can pineapple chunks, drained
1/4 c soy sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Directions
Combine everything in the crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours or on high for 2-3. Serve with rice or over a bed of spinach.

Notes

• I used frozen chicken thighs. I only had 3 so that's all I used. I think this was what caused all of my problems with this recipe. There wasn't enough chicken so the soy sauce was waaaay too overpowering. I would use 6 or 7 thighs next time for this amount of soy sauce. Also, I think it would be fun using 1/8c soy sauce and 1/8c of the pineapple juice.
• All I had was pineapple slices, so I just diced those up and it worked just as well.
• I had ground red pepper but not the flakes. Since it was ground, the flavor was really able to get into the chicken and made it really spicy (too spicy for Michaela to enjoy). I would not reccomend using the ground unless you really want a kick.