Hawaiian Chicken and Rice

I was feeling like having a little something exotic for dinner - something sweet and savory. First thing that came to mind was fruit with chicken. I had a gorgeous pineapple on hand, so I through together a simple Hawaiian Chicken dish. Same flavors of a Hawaiian Pizza but instead of using ham, I used chicken breast. Easy to put together and it definitely hit the spot. I think the only thing I would change is that I would add a bit of spice to it next time. Maybe Sriracha or something. Oh and some nuts! I'd love a nice crunch in there. Got to get back to the baby - it's his feeding time! Enjoy!

Hawaiian Chicken and Rice

Cook Time: 25 minutes
Prep Time: 4-8hrs (marinating) & 20 minutes for the meal
Serves: 5

Ingredients:
Marinade:

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp tamari
• 1/4 cup fresh pineapple juice (reserved from cutting the pineapple)
• 1.5lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced

• 1 tsp coconut oil
• 1 vidalia onion, diced 
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 cups fresh pineapple, diced (approx.)
• 1/2 tbsp tamari
• pepper to taste

Garnish (optional):

• sesame seeds
• fresh parsley, minced

In a zip top bag or bowl, combine the marinade ingredients and the chicken. Seal well and allow it to marinate from 4 hours to 8 hours in the fridge. 

Once the chicken has marinated, begin cooking the diced onion in the coconut oil over medium heat.

After sauteing the onion for about 3 minutes, add the garlic and the marinated chicken (throw away any excess marinade). Cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. 

Add the pineapple pieces, tamari and pepper. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, until the pineapple is softened slightly and warm. 

While the chicken is cooking, you can begin cooking the rice.....

Rice:

• 2 cups of long grain white rice
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 cup fresh pineapple, diced
• salt and pepper, to taste 

Using a rice cooker:

add the rice, water, garlic, oils, pineapple and salt & pepper. Stir everything well. Turn on and allow to cook all the way through.

Cooking on the stove:

Heat a medium/large pot over high heat. Add the rice, water, garlic, oils, pineapple and salt & pepper. Stir everything well.

Allow it to come to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let the rice cook for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed.

With a fork, fluff the rice well. Serve the rice piping hot along with the chicken.

Nutritional Info for 1 serving of Chicken (about 2/3 cup):

Calories: 215 ; Fat: 3.5g ; Carbohydrate: 12g ; Fiber: 1.5g ; Sugar: 8g ; Protein: 32.5g 

Nutritional Info for 1 serving rice (about 2/3 cup rice):

Calories: 190; Fat: 1.5g ; Carbohydrate: 39g ; Fiber: 1g ; Sugar: 3g ; Protein: 3.5g

Baked Chicken Pan Pie w/ Drop Biscuits

I grew up having chicken pot pie practically once a week, it's my favorite! My mom would buy the frozen pie crusts, throw in a can of veg-all, a can of cream of chicken and 1 lb of diced up boiled chicken. Not exactly the healthiest meal - but I craved it. It's true comfort food for me. I would even order it at restaurants, if they had it available on the menu. But chicken pot pie can be taxing on any diet. It's heavy, creamy and bread-y. So let's lighten it up and make it better. I started by adding a ton of veggies, using very little oil (no butter) and skim milk (instead of cream). My version is so much better than any chicken pot pie I've ever had.  It has just enough of the creaminess I love, but not too much. It is so veggie loaded that most of the room that sauce would take up, is being taken up by the nutrient rich veggies. Having little drop biscuits on top allow you to control how much bread you want. I personally am fine with one 1 biscuit and a nice large spoon full of the chicken pie mixture. Now you might be thinking, why am I still calling it chicken pie, if there is no pie? Well, to me the dish is called chicken pot pie and that's what it reminds me of, even if there is no pie crust. So I'll just stick with it - makes it easier to explain. 


I used King Arthur's White Whole Wheat Flour, it's a lighter version on whole wheat flour. I used it so the biscuits wouldn't be so dense. I also used homemade chicken stock, but if you don't have any one hand, then I recommend a low sodium chicken stock. If you want to add more veggies or omit some, that would work. It's easy to customize what you want to have in the chicken pie mixture. As for the biscuits, the dough is sticky, but that is normal. If you want to add a little more flour to your hands, so you can handle them, that's fine. Just don't add too much. I just used a large spoon to scoop up the dough, and pushed it off with my finger on top of the chicken pie mixture.

Baked Chicken Pan Pie w/ Drop Biscuits

Cook Time: 35 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 6-8


Ingredients:

• 2 tsp of oil
• 1 lb of free-range boneless, skinless chicken breast
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 stalks of celery, diced (leaves removed)
• 3 carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, mince
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 3 tbsp of white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/3 cup of organic skim milk
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• 8oz baby bella mushrooms, sliced 
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced

Drop Biscuits:

• 1 cup organic skim milk
• 1/4 cup organic coconut oil
• 2 cup white whole wheat flour, sifted
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced

In a large skillet, heat 1 tsp of oil over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add to the hot skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, turn and repeat on the other side. Cover, lower the heat slightly and let the chicken cook until complete cooked all the way through or has an internal temp of 165F (about another 10 minutes or so, depending on the thickness of your chicken). Dice the chicken breasts in bite sized pieces and set aside.

While the chicken is cooking, heat the other tsp of oil over medium heat. 


Add the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper to the pot. Stir well and cook the mixture for about 8 minutes, or until all the veggies are soft. 

Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir well. Cook for about a minute (to get some of the flour taste out.)


Add the milk and chicken stock to the pot and stir well. Let the mixture cook for about 4 minutes or until it has begun to thicken. 


Add the mushrooms, peas, red wine vinegar, parsley and diced chicken. Stir together well. Remove the pot from the stove and let it cool slightly, while you make the biscuit dough.


Drop Biscuits - in a large bowl add the milk and coconut oil. Stir well. Then gradually add the sifted flour, baking powder, salt and parsley. Stir until combined, but don't over mix. The dough will be sticky, that is fine. Since these are drop biscuits, you don't have to use your hands. 


Now, pour the chicken mixture into a 9 x 11 baking dish. Spread out evenly. 

Top with dollops of the biscuit dough, a bit bigger than a tbsp of dough. You should have 16 biscuits in total. 4 x 4. 

Bake at 450F for 18-20 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown. 

Let the chicken pan pie rest for a few minutes before serving. 


When serving, scoop the mixture with a large spoon and re-top with the biscuits. 

Nutritional Info for 2/3 cup of chicken mixture and 2 biscuits(assuming it serves 8):
Calories: 290 ; Fat: 9g ; Carbohydrate: 29g ; Fiber: 5g ; Sugar: 4g ; Protein: 22g

Earthy Spinach and Mushroom Chicken

The mushrooms in this dish really shine. There is such an earthy flavor going on. It is hearty enough for any appetite - full of veggies, lean protein and very little oil used. Excellent meal to serve any weeknight. It comes together quickly and uses only 1 pot. Also most of the ingredients are pantry staples, so no need to make an extra trip to the store. 


I used baby bellas, as they stand up well during the cooking process. I didn't discard the stems though. I cut up the stems and used them in this recipe. It helps make the flavor earthy and full. I really like using chicken thighs, as they tend to stay moist and have a bit more flavor than chicken breast. This meal can be easily halved or doubled, depending on how many mouths you need to feed. It is great for leftovers or next day lunch. The flavors really come together the second time around. 


I opted to toss the spinach, mushroom and chicken mixture with freshly cooked pasta, but it is completely optional. By omitting the pasta, this is a wonderful Primal, Low-Carb or Gluten-Free meal. Same goes for the cheese that I used as a garnish - completely optional. By omitting the cheese, this is a dairy-free. 

Earthy Spinach and Mushroom Chicken

Cook Time: < 30 minutes
Prep Time: < 10 minutes
Serves: 4 


Ingredients:

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 large onions, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 lb of organic boneless skinless chicken thighs
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tsp of Herbs de Provence 
• 2 tbsp organic tomato paste
• 8oz baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced (use stems)
• 1/2 cup frozen organic chopped spinach
• 1/4 cup dry red wine (I used Shiraz) or chicken stock

Optional:

• 8oz of dry spaghetti (cook according to directions on container)
• freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano 
• fresh parsley, minced 

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. 


Optional: Heat another large pot with salted water - for the pasta. Cook the pasta according to directions


Add the diced onions to the oil and saute for about 5 minutes. Then add the garlic and saute for 3 minutes. Make sure to stir every so often.


Add the chicken thighs, salt & pepper, Herbs de Provence. Let the chicken thighs brown on 1 side for about 5 minutes, then turn. Cook for another 5 minutes. 


Add the tomato paste, mushrooms and spinach. Stir in well. Cook for about 5 minutes. 

Add the red wine and cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the alcohol to cook out. 


Serve as is, or as I chose to - tossed with spaghetti, Parm and parsley.


Nutritional Info per Serving (not including optional toppings/pasta):
Calories: 215 ; Fat: 6g ; Carbohydrates: 12g ; Fiber: 3g ; Sugar: 2g ; Protein: 26g

Easy Chicken Stock

Making chicken stock is fool-proof. Dump a bunch of ingredients in a pot and let it simmer for hours, while you take care of other important things. Instead of throwing away the chicken carcass/bones, it gets used for flavoring a bunch of future dishes. Everyone has carrots, celery and onion on hand - so this is a pantry cleaner. You can also save the shavings from carrots, leaves from celery and other odds and ends as part of flavoring this stock. Re-purposed food!


If you want to removed any excess fat, once the chicken stock has cooled, place in the refrigerator for about a day. The next day, any fat should float to the surface. Just use a slotted spoon to scoop the fat solids. 


Storing the stock in the fridge in glass jars makes for an easy flavor enhancer to simple dishes such as rice or soups. Use it as you would water, but reduce the amount of salt you may use in the dish. You can also freeze the stock and use it as needed. You can store it in freezer safe containers or an ice cube tray (for instant portion control). I like to freeze at least 1 ice cube tray with stock. It makes for a quick flavor boost to any entree. 

Easy Chicken Stock

Cook Time: at least 4 hours
Prep Time: < 5 minutes
Serves: Makes about 8 cups of stock


Ingredients:

• 8 cups of cold water
• 1 chicken carcass
• 2 large carrots, cut into large chunks
• 3 stalks of celery, cut into large chunks
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 1 tsp of dried coriander seeds
• 1 tsp of sea salt
• 1/2 tsp of pepper
• extra salt and pepper, to taste

In a large stock pot, add all of the ingredients over low heat. Cover and let simmer for at least 4 hours. Stir on occasion. 


Once the stock is done - using a colander, drain the stock from the pot into a large glass jar or bowl. Allow the stock to cool. Keep in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for use later. 

Spinach, Sun-Dried Tomato & Feta Stuffed Chicken

With a little bit of assembly, you can transform bland chicken breasts into a main dish that is elegant and simple to make. I love the combination of spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and feta! They work so well together. Especially when warmed. If you have picky eaters in your house, this is a great way to sneak in a little green in without it being overwhelming.

I don't usually add salt to this recipe because of the Parmigiano and the Feta, which are both salty, but if you enjoy it saltier, then add some to taste. Same goes for the cayenne. I enjoy my food with a little kick, but it can easily be omitted.

As for dietary restrictions, you can omit the cheese in this recipe and substitute the feta for a tsp or so of vegenaise or mayonnaise to give it a little creaminess. Also subbing the bread crumbs for gluten-free bread crumbs is doable as well. You can make your own by putting 2 stale slices of gluten free bread in a food processor and process until you've got bread crumbs. If you make your own bread crumbs, make sure the bread it stale or slightly toasted because the moisture will make it difficult to achieve crumb consistency. 

Spinach, Sun-dried Tomato and Feta Stuffed Chicken

Cook Time: 40 minutes @ 350 degrees

Prep Time: <15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded out to about 1/4 in thickness
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (gluten-free breadcrumbs)
• 1/4 tsp of pepper
• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• cayenne pepper to taste(optional)
• salt to taste (optional)
• 1 cup of fresh spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup of feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup of sun-dried tomatoes (hydrated or jarred)
• Oil Spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a large rimmed cookie sheet or oven safe baking dish with olive oil or oil spray of choice. Set aside.

Prep a flat surface with either parchment paper or use a cutting board (this is where you will construct the stuffed chicken). Place one thinly pounded chicken breast on the surface (salt and pepper the chicken, if you'd like). Place about 6-8 leaves of spinach on one side of the chicken breast and 1-2 pieces of sun-dried tomato. Then sprinkle about 2 Tbsp of feta cheese on top. Grab the side that you have the filling on and start to roll towards the other side. You should be able to complete one whole roll. Keep seam side down (secure with toothpick if you'd like). Repeat these steps with the remaining chicken breast.

In a shallow bowl, beat the egg whites until well combined and slightly frothy.

In another shallow bowl combine bread crumbs, pepper, parsley, Parmigiano, cayenne and salt.

Now let's bread the chicken! Take the whole roll and dip into the egg white mixture. Let the excess liquid drip off, then place in the breading mixture bowl and coat the entire outside with the bread crumbs. Place the breaded chicken breast on the cookie sheet and repeat these steps with the other stuffed chicken breasts.

Next, spray the tops of the breaded chicken breasts with a little oil spray and place in the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the until temperature reads 165 degrees. Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Fajitas

It's Cinco De Mayo!!! And of course I'm celebrating with a simple, one pot meal that satisfies the belly. I wasn't 100% sure what to call this, but fajitas came to mind, so I'm going with it. When it comes to Mexican food, I find a lot of people use pre-packaged taco seasoning packets to flavor their meals. Well in this recipe you don't have to. The combination of the spices used here are pretty much what come in those packet, minus the chemicals, preservatives, excessive salt and added sugars. These are pretty basic spices that most people have in their pantry, so there is no need to spend the extra money on a seasoning packet. Also you can control how much spice, salt, and smokiness you prefer. 

I am a lover of anything spicy, so I included hot sauce in this recipe but if you aren't a fan, just omit it. Same goes for topping the fajita, if you dairy-free, then using cheese alternatives or no cheese as at all is perfectly fine. If you are on a gluten-free diet, then instead of the flour tortilla, try corn tortilla. Clean Eaters and the like - just omit the tortilla and enjoy the fajita mixture. This dish is flavorful enough to be eaten without toppings. Also I love being able to customize a dish to my liking (extra lime please!). A majority of this fajita mixture is veggies, so if you are trying to be a sneaky chef, this is your recipe! 

Chicken Fajitas

Cook Time: < 30 mins
Prep Time: < 10 mins
Serves: 4


Ingredients:

• 1 tsp of canola oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 green or red pepper, diced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tbsp of cumin
• 1/2 tbsp of chili powder
• 1 tsp of dried oregano
• 1/2 tbsp hot sauce (optional)
• 1 14.5oz can of organic diced tomatoes (drain some of the liquid)
• 1 lb of boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into bite size pieces
• 1 lime
• 3 Tbsp of fresh cilantro, minced (optional)
• 1/2 cup shredded organic Mexican blend cheese (optional)
• 8-10 flour or corn tortillas (taco-sized) (optional)

Heat the oil in a large skillet to med-high heat. Add the onions, peppers and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes until softened. Add the spices and in corporate well. Now add the tomato and the chicken, stir in well. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Let this simmer for about 10 minutes. 


Now remove the lid and bring the heat up to med-high. Let cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the chicken is cook thoroughly (about 10 minutes). Right before serving, squeeze the 1/2 lime over the top of the chicken mixture. 


Optional: Serve in a warmed flour or corn tortilla, sprinkle about 1 tbsp of cheese and top with fresh cilantro. Feel free to incorporate your favorite toppings as well. I reserve the other half lime to anyone who may want to add more lime to theirs. This recipe makes about 2 fajitas per person. 


Nutritional Info for 1/4 of the chicken mixture(not including optional ingredients):
Calories: 165 ; Fat: 2g ; Carbohydrate: 8g ; Fiber: 2g ; Sugar: 3g ; Protein: 27g 

Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken

Roasted Chicken is a simple meal to make and very versatile. If you want to change the herbs or omit the lemon, you can. It will still turn out delicious. I chose to use lemon and rosemary because that is what sounded good. But you can use sage, thyme, herbs de Provence, or just plan salt and pepper. Also what is great is that after you've eaten your meal, the chicken bones can be used to make homemade chicken stock. Buying the whole chicken is usually less expensive than buying the chicken already cut up into sections and it can accommodate the dark and the white meal eaters in your family. 

I used Petaluma's Rocky Whole Chicken. It is free range, contains no antibiotics, fed a vegetarian diet and is humanely treated. If you are Clean Eating, remove the skin and focus on eating mostly white meat. 

Roasted Lemon Rosemary Chicken

Cook Time: 2 hours @ 350 degrees

Prep Time: 5 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 4 lb Free Range Whole Chicken (remove innards and giblets, if it contains it)
• Juice from 1/2 an organic lemon
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary (minced)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup organic low sodium chicken stock

Preheat oven to 350. Place the chicken in a roasting pan or an oven proof dish. 

Squeeze the 1/2 lemon over the top of the chicken. Sprinkle the rosemary, salt and pepper onto the chicken and rub into skin well (make sure to do this all over the chicken). Pour about 1/4 cup of chicken stock into the bottom of the pan (it help keep the chicken from drying out). 

Then place the pan into the oven and let it cook for about 2 hours or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees.  If you have a larger or smaller chicken adjust the time by 15-20 minutes per pound.

Once you remove it from the oven, let the chicken rest for about 5-10 mins before carving. 

Nutritional Info per Serving (including skin):

Calories: 330 ; Fat: 17g ; Carbohydrate: 1g ; Fiber: 0g ; Sugar: 0g ; Protein: 40g

Nutritional Info Per Serving (without skin):

Calories: 215 ; Fat: 4g ; Carbohydrate: 1g ; Fiber: 0g ; Sugar: 0g ; Protein: 36g