Category: Chicken


Apr
2020

Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes
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Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken features pan-seared chicken breasts, topped w/ a buttery lemon cream sauce with tarragon & green onions, served on rice.
Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken features pan-seared chicken breasts, topped w/ a buttery lemon cream sauce with tarragon & green onions, served on rice.

Looking for an easy to prepare, super yummy chicken recipe? Well then, you should give this recipe for creamy lemon tarragon chicken a try. It’s delicious, and is super simple to make, without a ton of ingredients! The sauce has lots of flavor, thanks to fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, dried tarragon, cream, butter, and sliced green onions. It is soooo good.

When I took the photos for this blog post, I had my husband do the cooking. We changed it up a bit so we could BOTH be in the kitchen cooking together (I did some of the prep work and plated it). He did a fabulous job cooking the creamy lemon tarragon chicken, and we both LOVED this dish. Here’s how to make it:

Scroll Down For a Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Chicken Breasts

The recipe calls for boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You will need to “pound them” with a meat mallet (or heavy skillet like cast iron) until they are about 1/4″ thick. To do this, place plastic wrap on a surface. Lay one chicken breast on the plastic, then cover with another sheet of plastic wrap, and seal edges.

Use the flat side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet to pound the chicken out. Once the chicken is flattened out to 1/4″ thickness, set it aside. Repeat with the other chicken breasts. Once all have been flattened, slice each piece of chicken in half, length-wise, then cut each half into 3 pieces.

Chicken breasts are pounded until 1/4" thick between pieces of plastic wrap.Pieces of chicken breast are cut into halves, then into thirds before cooking.

Cook The Chicken

Sprinkle the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper. Melt butter in a large skillet, and then add the chicken pieces in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat. When the bottom of the chicken is golden brown, turn chicken to the other side, and cook 2-3 more minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked through.

The photo below is the only picture I got of this step, but you can see my hubby busy cooking the chicken. Once the chicken is done, remove the chicken pieces from the skillet to an oven-proof dish, cover with foil, and keep the pieces warm.

TIP: We put the covered, cooked chicken in a 200 degree oven to keep warm. The chicken needs to stay warm while you make the sauce. **DO NOT CLEAN OUT THE SKILLET (you will use the leftover butter and little browned bits in it to make the sauce!).

Pan-searing the chicken breast portions in butter.

Make The Creamy Lemon Tarragon Sauce

Now it’s time to make the creamy sauce that will cover the chicken. Sauté the green onions on medium-low heat in the leftover butter in the skillet until they become tender (a couple minutes). Add freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, and dried tarragon to the skillet and stir, to combine. Measure and pour the whipping cream into the skillet.

Lemon juice, zest, green onions and seasonings are cooked in skillet.Heavy cream is added to the sauce for creamy lemon tarragon chicken.

Whisk or stir the sauce well, while continuing to cook on medium-low heat. Cook the sauce until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook sauce 4-5 more minutes, or until sauce has thickened slightly, and is fully heated through. Remove the sauce from the heat.

The creamy lemon sauce is stirred and cooked until slightly thickened.

Serve The Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken

Once the sauce if fully heated through, your creamy lemon tarragon chicken dinner is ready to be plated for serving! Place a portion of cooked white or brown rice onto each dinner plate. Spread the rice out so it becomes the base for the chicken and sauce.

Place 3-4 pieces of warm chicken on top of the rice, and then spoon the hot creamy sauce over each piece to cover. You should have enough yummy sauce to cover all the chicken pieces, so be generous with the sauce. And that’s it… see how simple it was to make this creamy lemon tarragon chicken dish? Hope you enjoy it! It really is quite delicious.

Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken is served on rice, with zucchini on the side.Thick creamy lemon sauce covers the pan-seared chicken pieces on top of rice.

Thanks for visiting. I hope you will come back again soon, and trust you will have consider making this creamy lemon tarragon chicken recipe for yourself and those you love. Take care, and have a great day.

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find all of my chicken recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I’ve got LOTS of them, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
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Author's signature

Original recipe source: unknown (found written on 3×5 card in one of my really old recipe boxes)

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Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
6 mins
Total Time
21 mins
 

Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken features pan-seared chicken breasts, topped w/ a buttery lemon cream sauce with tarragon & green onions, served on rice.

Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: creamy lemon tarragon chicken
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 505 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1½ pounds chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) , about 3 large
  • Salt & black pepper , to lightly season chicken
  • ¼ cup butter (= 4 Tablespoons)
  • 2 Tablespoons green onions (scallions) , thinly sliced
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (fresh)
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest , finely grated
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • white or brown rice , pre-cooked, hot
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Prepare Chicken: Flatten chicken breasts by placing one chicken breast at a time between sheets of plastic wrap. Use the flat side of a meat mallet or the bottom of a heavy skillet to pound the chicken out. Once the chicken is flattened to about 1/4"thickness, set it aside; Slice each flattened piece of chicken in half length-wise, then cut each half into 3 pieces. Season chicken with salt/pepper.

  2. Cook Chicken: Melt butter in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces in single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes until bottom side is golden brown; turn chicken over; cook for 2-3 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove chicken to oven-proof plate, cover, keep pieces warm (we used 200°F. oven). **DO NOT CLEAN THE SKILLET OUT (will use it to make sauce)

  3. Make Sauce: Sauté sliced green onions in leftover butter in skillet on medium-low heat until they become tender (about 2 minutes). Add lemon juice, lemon zest, and dried tarragon to skillet and stir, to combine. Pour whipping cream into skillet. Whisk or stir the sauce well, while continuing to cook on medium-low heat. Cook the sauce until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook sauce 4-5 more minutes, or until sauce has thickened slightly, and is fully heated through. Remove the sauce from the heat.

  4. To Serve: Place prepared rice onto each dinner plate. Spread the rice out, so it becomes the base for the chicken and sauce. Place 3-4 pieces of warm chicken on top of rice, and spoon hot creamy sauce over each piece to cover. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: The caloric calculation does NOT include the rice, as different types or portion sizes might be used.

Nutrition Facts
Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 505 Calories from Fat 342
% Daily Value*
Fat 38g58%
Saturated Fat 22g138%
Cholesterol 221mg74%
Sodium 322mg14%
Potassium 689mg20%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 38g76%
Vitamin A 1331IU27%
Vitamin C 7mg8%
Calcium 56mg6%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Creamy Lemon Tarragon Chicken features pan-seared chicken breasts, topped w/ a buttery lemon cream sauce with tarragon & green onions, served on rice.

 

 


Apr
2020

Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich (copycat)

categories: Chicken, Copycat Recipes, Main Dishes, Sandwiches
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Enjoy a tasty copycat Carl’s Jr. Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich. Marinated chicken, cheese, Southwest sauce, green chile, & lettuce on a toasted bun. YUM!
Enjoy a tasty copycat Carl's Jr. Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich. Marinated chicken, cheese, Southwest sauce, green chile & lettuce on a toasted bun. YUM!

Well… we’ve entered another week of “stay-at-home”, due to current coronavirus guidelines. I made my husband and I delicious chicken sandwiches for dinner last week, using a recipe I was given many years ago.

The recipe is a copycat for one of Carl’s Jr. restaurants chicken sandwiches, which we used to order! Honestly, I’m not even sure if they still have this sandwich on their menu. All I know is… it’s GOOD, and we really enjoy these sandwiches!

I knew I had 99% of the ingredients in our kitchen, so I decided to make these sandwiches again (it’s been a while!). The recipe calls for teriyaki sauce (and that was the ONE thing I was out of)! Since we are trying NOT to go to the grocery store too much (social distancing), I used my recipe for homemade teriyaki marinade (easy) to marinate the chicken! Problem solved. HOORAY!

The sandwiches were (as always) a big hit, so I’m sharing the recipe here, so you can enjoy it, too. Here’s how to make Santa Fe Chicken Sandwiches:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

First – Marinate The Chicken

The recipe (as written in printable recipe below) makes 4 sandwiches, but since I was only making them for my husband and I, my photos reflect the fixings for TWO! Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts into a resealable plastic bag or container (with a lid).

Add teriyaki sauce to the chicken, and turn to fully cover the chicken with the sauce. Let the chicken marinate (covered or sealed) in the refrigerator for thirty minutes, so the flavors can permeate the meat. Use the time the chicken is marinating to prepare other parts of the recipe.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are marinated in teriyaki sauce.

Prepare The Southwestern Sauce – EASY!

Making the Southwestern sauce for the sandwich is incredibly simple.  Measure the mayonnaise, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper, and curry powder into a small bowl.

Stir well, until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Set the bowl aside. This will be the sauce you put on the sandwich! See how EASY that was?

Southwest-inspired spices are mixed together with mayonnaise to make sauce.The sauce for the sandwich is mixed, and is ready to spread on.

Prepare The Canned Green Chiles- EASY!

Open and drain the green chiles. Below you can see the type of chiles I used. There should be 4 whole ones in the can. Carefully slice them open, and remove the seeds with a butter knife or spoon. Each sandwich requires one of these mild chiles. Pat the chiles dry with a paper towel. Now you can set them aside until you’re ready to build the sandwiches.

Whole green chiles are split open and seeds are removed before adding to sandwich.

Cook The Marinated Chicken

Once the chicken breasts have marinated for 30 minutes, remove them from the container (or bag), and let the excess sauce drip off the chicken. Discard the sauce. Grill the chicken on an outdoor grill, or in a lightly oiled pan or indoor grill on medium-high heat. I use a cast iron grill on my stove top to cook the chicken (see photo below).

When the chicken is nicely browned on the bottom after 6-7 minutes, carefully turn the chicken over, and continue grilling the other side for an additional 6-7 minutes. The time it will take to cook the chicken will vary, depending on the thickness of the chicken you use, of course. When done, the chicken should be cooked all the way through (internal temp of 165°F.), and be nicely browned on all sides.

Marinated chicken breasts are grilled for the sandwich.The marinated chicken breasts are grilled on both sides until done.

Time To Build Your Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich!

Okay… now it’s time to put the sandwiches together. Lightly toast the hamburger buns. I’ve found the easiest way is to lay them open on a lightly buttered skillet or griddle, and let them “toast” on low heat for a minute or two.

Spread the Southwestern sauce onto both sides of each of the toasted buns. Place a lettuce leaf on the bottom bun, and then top it with one of the green chiles.

Southwestern sauce is spread on both top and bottom of toasted bun.Lettuce and a whole green chile is added to the toasted buns with sauce.

Now lay the warm marinated, grilled chicken breast on top of the chile. Add a slice of American cheese (or thin cheddar, if using) to the top bun, and place it on the chicken.

Now your Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich is completely ready to enjoy! The heat from the toasted bun and the chicken will help to slightly melt the cheese, too!

Repeat the steps for each Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich. All that is left for you to do after that is serve and enjoy these delicious, flavorful chicken sandwiches. Hope you enjoy them… we sure do!

Marinated grilled chicken and cheese are added to the Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich.

A Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich is served on a plate, with sliced apples on the side.

Thank you for stopping by. The printable recipe is shown below, in case you would like to make these at home. Stay safe, and be an encouraging friend and family member to those around you who might be hurting.

God bless you, and I sincerely hope you have a GREAT day. There is ALWAYS something to be thankful for, right?

Looking For Other SANDWICH Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have several sandwich recipes there, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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Author's signature

Original recipe source: unknown (I received it many years ago from a friend and wrote it down- original source unknown)

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
14 mins
Marinating Time (Inactive-included in total time)
30 mins
Total Time
49 mins
 

Enjoy a tasty copycat Carl's Jr. Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich. Marinated chicken, cheese, Southwest sauce, green chile & lettuce on a toasted bun. YUM!

Category: Dinner, Lunch, Sandwich
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Calories Per Serving: 441 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Chicken:
  • 4 medium chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) (the thinner, the better!)
For Teriyaki Marinade: (can also use purchased teriyaki sauce or marinade instead of making homemade sauce)
  • ½ cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons honey
  • 2 Tablespoons water
  • 1 Tablespoon brown sugar light or dark
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh ginger finely grated
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
For Southwest Sauce:
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise (regular or light)
  • ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon curry powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 pinch kosher salt
  • 1 pinch ground black pepper
For Sandwich:
  • 4 hamburger buns lightly toasted
  • 4 lettuce leaves
  • 7.5 ounces canned whole green chiles (1 can has about 4 chiles)
  • 4 slices American cheese or thin sliced cheddar
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. MAKE TERIYAKI SAUCE: Combine teriyaki marinade ingredients in medium bowl; whisk together until combined.

  2. MARINATE CHICKEN: Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts into resealable plastic bag or a container (with lid). Add teriyaki sauce; turn to fully cover chicken with sauce. Let chicken marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

  3. PREP #1-MAKE SAUCE: Measure mayonnaise, cayenne pepper, paprika, onion powder, salt, pepper and curry powder into a small bowl. Stir well, then set bowl aside. PREP #2-PREPARE CHILES: Open can; drain green chiles. Carefully slice chiles open. Remove seeds. Pat chiles dry with a paper towel. Set aside.

  4. COOK CHICKEN: After marinating 30 minutes, remove chicken breasts from bag (or container); let excess sauce drip off the chicken. Discard sauce. Cook chicken on an outdoor grill, or in a lightly oiled pan or on indoor grill pan on medium-high heat. Cook for approximately 6-7 minutes. Turn chicken over; continue grilling other side for an additional 6-7 minutes. The time it takes to cook depends on the thickness of chicken you use, of course. When done, chicken should be cooked all the way through (internal temp of 145-150°F), and be nicely browned on all sides. Remove from pan or grill. Keep chicken warm.

  5. TOAST THE BUNS: Lightly toast the hamburger buns. Easiest way is to split and lay them open on a lightly buttered skillet. Let them "toast" for 1-2 minutes on low heat, until golden brown.

  6. TO BUILD EACH SANDWICH: Spread sauce onto both sides of each toasted bun. Place lettuce leaf on bottom bun; add a green chile, followed by the chicken breast. Add a slice of American (or cheddar) cheese to the top bun, and place it on the chicken. Repeat with other sandwiches, serve warm, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Caloric calculation was made using light mayonnaise and 1/4th of the marinade's total calories, as marinade is only used to flavor meat and total amount of marinade is not fully consumed.

Nutrition Facts
Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich
Amount Per Serving (1 sandwich)
Calories 441 Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Trans Fat 0.3g
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Monounsaturated Fat 4g
Cholesterol 96mg32%
Sodium 2187mg95%
Potassium 748mg21%
Carbohydrates 41g14%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 16g18%
Protein 36g72%
Vitamin A 2176IU44%
Vitamin C 25mg30%
Calcium 333mg33%
Iron 4mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Enjoy a tasty copycat Carl's Jr. Santa Fe Chicken Sandwich. Marinated chicken, cheese, Southwest sauce, green chile & lettuce on a toasted bun. YUM!


Mar
2020

Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes
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Delicious Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs are pan-seared, then covered in a cream sauce with garlic, mushrooms, herbs, and Parmesan cheese to serve!
Delicious Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs are pan-seared, then covered in a cream sauce with garlic, mushrooms, herbs, and Parmesan cheese to serve!

If you’re looking for a delicious chicken recipe, may I suggest THIS ONE? It is so good! In a nutshell, you brown seasoned chicken thighs, make a quick sauce with milk or cream, mushrooms, garlic, herbs and cheese, then cover the chicken with sauce, and serve! We LOVE this dish!

The sauce is creamy, thanks in part to using either whipping cream, half and half OR canned evaporated milk. It’s your choice! I use evaporated milk for less calories, but if calories don’t matter, go for the whipping cream or half and half. YUM! Several of the spices used double up, meaning the same spices are used to season the chicken AND the sauce.

The recipe is easy to follow, and I recommend serving the finished chicken on top of brown or white rice, or egg noodles, for a filling main course! Hope you enjoy it! Here’s the “play by play” on how to make this wonderful dish:

Scroll Down for A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Season The Chicken Thighs

The first thing you will need to do is make the seasoning mix for the chicken. It’s EASY! Simply stir together garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme and rosemary, along with salt and black pepper.

Pat the boneless, skinless chicken thighs dry with paper towels, and trim off any extra fat. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the chicken thighs, and pat gently to adhere the spices.

A dry spice mix is made to season chicken thighs.Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are seasoned with spices and are ready to cook.

Brown The Chicken

Measure 2 Tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet. Heat on medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, but not smoking, carefully add the chicken spice side down, in a single layer. Once they are in the skillet, do not move the chicken. Sear the thighs in the hot oil about 7-8 minutes, or until browned.

Carefully turn the chicken to the other side, and cook for an additional 7-8 minutes. Depending on the thickness of the chicken thighs used, this may take a minute or two longer. Cook until second side is browned, and the center of the chicken is no longer pink. Once the chicken is cooked, remove thighs from the skillet, transfer to a plate, and cover to keep them warm while you make the sauce.

NOTE: If you have to cook the chicken in batches, due to skillet size, cook each batch in 1 Tablespoon oil (half of the total amount).

Seasoned chicken thighs are pan-seared in hot olive oil in skillet.The chicken thighs are cooked on both sides until golden brown.

Prepare The Creamy Mushroom Garlic Sauce

Now it’s time to make the creamy sauce. Use the same skillet you used to cook the chicken in, but do NOT clean it. All the brown bits on the bottom will help to flavor your creamy mushroom garlic sauce!

Melt the butter in the skillet (medium heat), and then add the sliced mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms for about 2-3 minutes until they soften. Now add minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and parsley to the skillet. Stir to combine, and cook for one more minute, stirring often, so the garlic doesn’t burn.

Sliced mushrooms are first cooked in skillet to begin creating a sauce.Garlic and herbs are added to the cooked mushrooms in skillet

Finish The Creamy Sauce

Pour in the whipping cream, half and half, OR evaporated milk (your choice). Any of those three will work perfectly. NOTE: I used evaporated milk (less calories) in the sauce, and it was delicious! Bring the liquid to a simmer (on medium heat). Once it is simmering (but NOT boiling), reduce the heat to LOW.

Keep on cooking the sauce until the liquid has reduced in volume a bit, and has thickened slightly. Add freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and stir to combine. Continue cooking for about 1-2 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. Add the chicken thighs back into the skillet and spoon sauce over the top of each piece.

Cream or evaporated milk is added to the mushrooms to make a sauce.Cooked chicken thighs are added back into sauce and covered.

Finish The Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs!

Cook the chicken and sauce until heated through (this will take a couple minutes). Stir and spoon sauce over the chicken while it reheats. Taste test the sauce, and add additional salt and pepper, to suit your taste.

Right before serving, sprinkle the top of the creamy mushroom chicken thighs with grated Parmesan and chopped fresh parsley, if desired. This is optional, but it sure looks great!

Grated Parmesan cheese and parsley are added to garnish creamy mushroom chicken thighs.

Ready To Serve Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs

Transfer the chicken thighs to a serving platter and spoon any of the sauce left in the skillet over the pieces. Serve each piece of chicken on top of a bed of white or brown rice (or egg noodles), top with sauce, and enjoy!

Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs are served on a white platter.The chicken thighs were served on brown rice, with green beans on the side.

I really hope you will consider trying this delicious recipe for creamy mushroom chicken thighs! The sauce is delicious, and the chicken tastes WONDERFUL! May you find moments of great joy as you go throughout your day. God Bless You.

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a lot of chicken recipes you’ll enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: Karina, at cafedelites.com/chicken-thighs/

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Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Delicious Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs are pan-seared, then covered in a cream sauce with garlic, mushrooms, herbs, and Parmesan cheese to serve!

Category: Dinner, Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: creamy mushroom chicken thighs
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 327 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
For Chicken/Spice Mix:
  • 6 medium chicken thighs (boneless, skinless)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
For Mushroom Sauce:
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 8 ounces sliced mushrooms (button)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced) (or 1 Tablespoon minced)
  • 1 Tablespoon parsley (fresh, chopped)
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1½ cups evaporated milk (canned)* *can substitute whipping cream/half and half)
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese , grated
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Stir together garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels, and trim off any extra fat. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly over chicken, and pat gently, to adhere spices.

  2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, but not smoking, carefully add chicken (spice side down), in a single layer. Once in skillet, do not move chicken. Sear the thighs for 7-8 minutes, until browned on bottom. Carefully turn chicken to other side; cook another 7-8 minutes. Depending on chicken thickness used this may take 1-2 minutes longer. Cook until second side is browned, and center of chicken is no longer pink. Once done, remove thighs from skillet, transfer to a plate, and cover them to keep warm. NOTE: If you have to cook chicken in batches, due to skillet size, cook each batch in 1 Tablespoon oil (half of the total amount).

  3. Make sauce: Use the same skillet, but do NOT clean it. All the brown bits in the skillet will help flavor sauce! Melt butter (medium heat), and then add mushrooms. Cook 2-3 minutes until they soften. Add minced garlic, thyme, rosemary, and parsley. Stir to combine; cook for 1 minute, stirring often so garlic doesn't burn.

  4. Pour in evaporated milk, whipping cream, OR half and half (your choice). Bring liquid to a simmer (medium heat). Once simmering (but NOT boiling), reduce heat to LOW. Continue cooking until liquid has reduced in volume and thickened slightly (1-2 minutes). Add grated Parmesan cheese; stir to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes, or until cheese melts. Add chicken thighs back into skillet and spoon sauce over each piece. Cook until chicken is heated through (2-3 minutes).

  5. Serve chicken on a bed of steamed rice or egg noodles, topped with additional sauce. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs
Amount Per Serving (1 thigh + sauce)
Calories 327 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 7g44%
Cholesterol 137mg46%
Sodium 516mg22%
Potassium 613mg18%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 31g62%
Vitamin A 360IU7%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 279mg28%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Delicious Creamy Mushroom Chicken Thighs are pan-seared, then covered in a cream sauce with garlic, mushrooms, herbs, and Parmesan cheese to serve!

 

 

 


Feb
2020

Chicken Veggie TexMex Skillet

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes, Mexican / Southwestern
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Southwest flavors shine in this deliciously seasoned, low-calorie Chicken Veggie TexMex Skillet, with zucchini, onion, yellow squash, & bell peppers!
Southwest flavors shine in this deliciously seasoned, low-calorie Chicken Veggie TexMex Skillet, with zucchini, onion, yellow squash, & bell peppers!

Anybody out there enjoy fajitas? I sure do, and chicken fajitas (in flour tortillas) are my favorite. This recipe for chicken veggie TexMex skillet is one I came up with while trying to cut out some carbs from my diet a few years ago. I wanted to enjoy the TASTE of fajitas, but with far less calories from tortillas, sour cream and guacamole!

Well… here’s a tasty solution! Southwestern-inspired spices, chicken breast strips, onions, peppers and green and yellow zucchini squash are featured in this simple dish! Everything can be eaten as is (no tortillas), for a “healthier” yet delicious TexMex meal!

It’s REALLY GOOD, and you get your protein (chicken) AND veggies, without a lot of extra calories! Here’s how to make a chicken veggie TexMex skillet:

Scroll down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Chicken

Pat two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Slice into strips, about 2″ long and 1″ wide. Mix together the Southwest-inspired spices and sprinkle lightly over the chicken pieces. The spices used are ground cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper.

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are cut into strips before cooking.Salt, chili powder, cayenne pepper, pepper, cumin and garlic powder are the seasonings for chicken.

Pan-Sear The Seasoned Chicken

Heat 1½ Tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Once the oil is very hot (but NOT smoking), add the chicken pieces. They should sizzle when they hit the pan.

TexMex seasoned chicken is pan-seared in hot oil in a skillet.

Cook the chicken until the pieces are lightly browned on the bottom. This will take 2-3 minutes, depending on how hot the oil in the skillet is.

Turn each piece of chicken over, and finish cooking on the second side (a minute or two). Once the chicken is cooked all the way through and golden brown, remove the skillet from the heat, and set aside.

The chicken strips are turned halfway through cooking to brown the other side.

Prepare And Cook The Veggies

Prepare the veggies by slicing the onion and the red and green bell peppers into thin strips. Cut the squash into “planks”, as shown below, and then combine the all the veggies.

To cut the zucchini and yellow squash, remove both ends. Cut the squash in half, as shown in Step #1 below.  Now cut the half portion in half (step #2- below). Finally (step #3-below), slice each piece into planks, about 1/2″ wide.

Zucchini and yellow squash are cut into plank shapes using 3 steps, as shown.

Cook The Veggies

Heat the remaining 1½ Tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Once the oil is hot, but not smoking, add the prepared veggies, and stir. Lightly season with additional salt and pepper (if desired).

Continue to cook the veggies, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes, or until they have softened, and are fully heated through.

Veggies are cooked to add to the chicken veggie TexMex skillet.

Last Step For The Chicken Veggie TexMex Skillet!

Once the veggies have cooked through, add the seasoned chicken pieces back into the pan. Stir to combine all the ingredients in the chicken veggie TexMex skillet, and cook until the entire dish is heated through. When ready to serve, portion out the chicken and veggies onto plates.

We enjoy eating it, as is, as a delicious low-calorie dish of meat and veggies. HOWEVER, if you really want something else to go with it, place it on top of steamed rice, or throw it in a warmed tortilla!

You can even go crazy and top it with grated cheese, sour cream or guacamole, if calories aren’t a concern! .

Chicken Veggie TexMex Skillet is fully cooked and ready to eat!

 I truly hope you enjoy this dish. Thank you for spending a bit of your valuable time on this blog today, friends. I appreciate it, and hope you have the opportunity to make this meal for those you love.

Have a wonderful day, take care, and may God bless you!

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find ALL of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have LOTS of recipes featuring chicken, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

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Chicken Veggie TexMex Skillet
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

Southwest flavors shine in this deliciously seasoned, low-calorie Chicken Veggie TexMex Skillet, with zucchini, onion, yellow squash, & bell peppers!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Southwestern
Keyword: chicken veggie texmex skillet
Servings: 3
Calories Per Serving: 245 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 large chicken breasts (boneless skinless) , cut into 2" strips
  • 1½ Tablespoons vegetable oil , for cooking chicken
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper (¼ tsp. EACH)
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1½ Tablespoons vegetable oil , for cooking veggies
  • 3 cups zucchini and yellow squash (1½ cups EACH) , cut into 2" long x 1" wide planks
  • ½ medium red bell pepper , seeded and cut in thin strips
  • ¼ medium green bell pepper , seeded and cut in thin strips
  • ½ medium brown onion , thinly sliced
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Pat two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts dry with paper towels. Slice into strips approx. 2" long by 1" wide. Mix spices together and sprinkle lightly over chicken, to season. Mix by hand, to distribute spices onto chicken.

  2. Heat 1½ Tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet, on medium-high heat. Once oil is very hot (but NOT smoking), add chicken. Chicken should sizzle when it hits the pan. Cook until lightly browned on the bottom (approx. 2-3 minutes). Turn each piece of chicken over, and finish cooking for and additional 1-2 minutes. Once chicken is fully cooked through and golden brown, remove skillet from heat, and set aside.

  3. Slice onion and red and green bell peppers into thin strips. Cut squash into "planks", and then combine all veggies. Heat 1½ Tablespoons of oil on medium-high heat in large skillet. Once oil is hot, but not smoking, add veggies, and stir. Lightly season with additional salt and pepper (optional- if desired). Continue to cook, stirring often, for 5-6 minutes, or until veggies have softened, and are fully cooked through.

  4. Once the veggies have cooked, add the seasoned chicken pieces to the veggies. Stir to combine all ingredients, and cook on medium heat until heated through. To serve, portion out chicken and veggies onto plates. Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Chicken Veggie TexMex Skillet
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/3 of total))
Calories 245 Calories from Fat 153
% Daily Value*
Fat 17g26%
Saturated Fat 12g75%
Cholesterol 48mg16%
Sodium 296mg13%
Potassium 688mg20%
Carbohydrates 8g3%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 18g36%
Vitamin A 1012IU20%
Vitamin C 58mg70%
Calcium 28mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Southwest flavors shine in this deliciously seasoned, low-calorie Chicken Veggie TexMex Skillet, with zucchini, onion, yellow squash, & bell peppers!

 


Feb
2020

Cajun Chicken Strips

categories: Chicken, Lunch - Quick and Easy, Main Dishes
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Making these yummy Cajun Chicken Strips couldn’t be easier! Dry spice seasoned chicken is pan-seared in butter for this EASY, quick lunch or dinner!
Making these yummy Cajun Chicken Strips couldn't be easier! Dry spice seasoned chicken is pan-seared in butter for this EASY, quick lunch or dinner!

Do you enjoy chicken strips, or tenders, as they are often called? We sure do, and today I want to share a ridiculously EASY way to make CAJUN chicken strips! There’s no long prep time, and before you know it, you can be munching on this delicious chicken!

Whether you prefer to call them chicken strips, chicken planks, or chicken tenders, these “pieces of chicken” are really yummy, and are a quick dish to whip up for lunch or dinner!

In this simple recipe, chicken breasts are cut into strips, coated in a mild Cajun spice mix, and then pan-seared and browned in butter until done. BOOM! Talk about EASY!!!! This is a GREAT recipe to have in your “bag of tricks”. Here’s how to make this dish:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Chicken

Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts on a cutting mat or board. Slice the chicken into strips, about 3/4″ wide. Pat the chicken pieces dry, using paper towels, to absorb some of the moisture.

Boneless chicken breasts are cut into strips before adding spices.

Season The Chicken Strips

Measure the spices for the seasoning mix into a resealable container or plastic bag. The spices you will need are flour, poultry seasoning (mine’s homemade), garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.

Once the spices are mixed, add the chicken strips, and mix together until the chicken is well coated. You “might” need to do this in batches, depending on the amount of chicken strips you will be making.

The spices for the chicken strips seasoning are ready to mix.

Chicken strips are added to spice mix in plastic bag, and combined to coat.

Time To Cook The Cajun Chicken Strips!

Once the chicken is seasoned, it’s time to cook the strips! You might need to cook the chicken in a couple batches, depending on the size skillet you are using.

Melt the butter in a large skillet, and let the skillet get very hot (but not smoking). Add the Cajun chicken strips in a single layer, but be sure to not overcrowd the skillet. Cook the chicken strips for about 4 minutes without moving them.

Butter is melted and heated in skillet before adding seasoned chicken strips.Cajun chicken strips are added to the hot skillet to brown.

Carefully flip the chicken strips to the other side after about four minutes. The chicken should be well-browned on the bottom before you turn them over.

Continue to sear the chicken for 4-5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken from the skillet, once done. If your chicken strips are really thick, it may take a couple minutes longer to cook all the way through.

The chicken strips are flipped to cook the other side after browning.

Time To Eat Some Cajun Chicken Strips!

Once the chicken is cooked through and is golden brown on all sides, these yummy chicken strips are ready to serve! They have a very mild kick to them (but not too much), and taste wonderful served as is, or with a dipping sauce (Ranch dressing or Bleu cheese).

A plate full of cajun chicken strips, cooked and ready to eat!Close up of browned chicken strips with cajun seasoning on a plate.

We have even had these served alongside a delicious broccoli corn casserole (so we could get our veggies in, too!). The chicken is tender, seasoned nicely, and was a super simple twist on plain chicken strips!

A few Cajun chicken strips, served with broccoli corn casserole on the side.

Hope you will consider trying out this really easy recipe for Cajun chicken strips. They are flavorful, but mild enough for kids and adults who don’t like things too spicy! Thank you for stopping by and spending some of your valuable time on this blog. I hope you enjoy a wonderful day!

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have many chicken recipes for you to enjoy, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
Would you like to join our growing list of subscribers?

There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use.
You can submit your e-mail address there, to be added to my mailing list.

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Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Author's signature

Original recipe source: unknown. Found handwritten on a 3×5 card in one of my old recipe boxes.

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Cajun Chicken Strips
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Total Time
18 mins
 

Making these yummy Cajun Chicken Strips couldn't be easier! Dry spice seasoned chicken is pan-seared in butter for this EASY, quick lunch or dinner!

Category: Dinner
Cuisine: Cajun
Keyword: cajun chicken strips
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 255 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , cut into 3/4" strips
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • 1 Tablespoon flour
  • ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper (¼ tsp. each)
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts onto a cutting mat or board. Slice chicken into long strips, about 3/4" wide. Pat chicken pieces dry, using paper towels, to absorb some of the moisture. Set aside.

  2. Measure spices into a resealable container or plastic bag, and stir, to combine. Once mixed, add chicken strips; mix until chicken is well coated. You "might" need to do this in batches, depending on the amount of chicken you make.

  3. Melt butter in a large skillet. Once skillet is very hot, add chicken strips in a single layer. Don't overcrowd skillet. Cook for 4 minutes without moving them. Once bottom is well-browned, carefully flip chicken to the other side. Continue to cook for 4-5 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Note: If your chicken strips are really thick, it may take a couple minutes longer to cook all the way through. Remove chicken from skillet, once done. Serve chicken strips as is, or with a dipping sauce! Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Cajun Chicken Strips
Amount Per Serving (1 (1/4 of total))
Calories 255 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 5g31%
Cholesterol 124mg41%
Sodium 393mg17%
Potassium 629mg18%
Carbohydrates 2g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 37g74%
Vitamin A 414IU8%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 13mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Making these yummy Cajun Chicken Strips couldn't be easier! Dry spice seasoned chicken is pan-seared in butter for this EASY, quick lunch or dinner!


Jan
2020

Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet

categories: Asian, Chicken, Main Dishes
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Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet is a delicious, EASY dish to make. Chicken thighs are pan-seared, then covered and cooked in a simple Asian garlic sauce!
Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet is a delicious, EASY dish to make. Chicken thighs are pan-seared, then covered and cooked in a simple Asian garlic sauce!

If you’re looking for a simple, yet DELICIOUS way to cook chicken thighs, may I suggest this dish? It truly is a simple dish to make, and is packed with flavor!

Skinless chicken thighs (bone-in or no-bone) are pan seared, then are cooked for a short time in a 4-ingredient Asian sauce, along with minced garlic and red pepper flakes. The result is perfectly cooked chicken thighs, covered in an amazing tasting sauce, and then served on a bed of rice!

The Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet only takes about half an hour to make, and requires very few ingredients. **NOTE: The recipe calls for using SIX chicken thighs, but as you will see, I only made four thighs, so my photos will reflect that!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Asian Sauce

The first thing you will need to do is make a quick, Asian-inspired sauce. Easy! Simply mix together soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ground ginger in a small bowl. Once fully combined, set the bowl of Asian sauce aside.

A sauce is made with soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ground ginger.

Brown The Chicken Thighs

The next step is to brown the chicken thighs! To do this, first heat the oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. I used a cast iron skillet, but it really doesn’t matter. Once the oil is very hot, but NOT smoking, carefully add the skinless chicken thighs to the hot oil.

Let the chicken cook (without disturbing) for 5 minutes, and then carefully turn each piece to the other side. The chicken thighs should be lightly browned before turning them over. Continue to cook for 5 more minutes on the second side.

Skinless chicken thighs are browned in hot oil in skillet.The chicken thighs are flipped over once browned.

Add Seasonings And Sauce To The Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet

At this point, you need to add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the skillet, and stir, to combine. Continue to cook for about 2 minutes, stirring often, to keep the garlic from burning.

Garlic, red pepper flakes and sauce are added to the Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet.

Pour the Asian sauce you previously set aside into the skillet. Stir well, to combine. Cover the skillet, turn the heat down to medium and let the chicken cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes.

Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet is covered to let meat cook in sauce for 15 minutes.

Time To Finish The Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet!

After the 15 minutes of covered cooking time, carefully remove the cover on the skillet. Let the chicken and sauce cook uncovered for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. While cooking, spoon the sauce on top of each piece of chicken several times.

The sauce will slightly thicken as it cooks, and the chicken will become beautifully browned, thanks to the flavor-filled sauce. When done, the chicken should have an internal temperature of 165°F, and then it is ready to serve!

Some of the Asian sauce is spooned on top of chicken thighs before serving.

Time To Enjoy This Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet!

Once the chicken is cooked through to the proper temperature, and the sauce has slightly thickened, it is time to eat!

We enjoy this chicken best when served on top of some steamed rice! Spoon some of the sauce over each piece of chicken when serving, for an added flavor boost! Can you see all that minced garlic on top of the chicken? That’s some GOOD flavor there, friends!

Finished Asian chicken thigh skillet dish is served on top of steamed rice.Chicken thigh with sauce is served on steamed rice, with broccoli on the side.

I really hope you will consider trying this simple recipe for Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet! We truly enjoy this meal, and trust you will, too! Have a wonderful day, and thank you for visiting!

Looking For Other CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have many chicken recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: unknown (recipe found written on a 3×5 card from many, many years ago)

3 from 1 vote
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Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
17 mins
Total Time
32 mins
 

Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet is a delicious, EASY dish to make. Chicken thighs are pan-seared, then covered and cooked in a simple Asian garlic sauce!

Category: Entree
Cuisine: Asian
Keyword: Asian chicken thigh skillet
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 325 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 6 medium chicken thighs , skin removed
  • ¼ cup vinegar
  • 3 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoon honey
  • 2 Tablespoons peanut oil (or veg. oil)
  • 10 cloves garlic , coarsely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
  • cooked rice (optional-for serving)
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, mix together soy sauce, vinegar, honey and ground ginger. Set aside.

  2. Heat oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Once oil is very hot, but NOT smoking, carefully add skinless chicken thighs. Let cook (without disturbing) for 5 minutes, and then carefully turn them to the other side. The chicken thighs should be lightly browned before turning them over. Continue to cook 5 more minutes on second side.

  3. Add minced garlic and red pepper flakes to skillet, and stir, to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring often, to keep garlic from burning. Pour reserved sauce into skillet. Stir well, to combine. Cover skillet, turn heat down to medium and let chicken cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes.

  4. After 15 minutes, carefully remove cover from skillet. Let chicken and sauce cook uncovered for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. While cooking, spoon sauce over top of chicken thighs several times. Sauce will slightly thicken as it cooks, and will become beautifully browned, thanks to the flavor-filled sauce. When done, chicken should have an internal temperature of 165°F, and then it is ready to serve! Serve over steamed rice, spoon some sauce over the top of the chicken, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet
Amount Per Serving (1 thigh)
Calories 325 Calories from Fat 216
% Daily Value*
Fat 24g37%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 111mg37%
Sodium 360mg16%
Potassium 273mg8%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 19g38%
Vitamin A 187IU4%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 18mg2%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Asian Chicken Thigh Skillet is a delicious, EASY dish to make. Chicken thighs are pan-seared, then covered and cooked in a simple Asian garlic sauce!

 

 


Jan
2020

Air Fryer Chicken Breasts

categories: Air Fryer Recipes, Chicken, Lunch - Quick and Easy, Main Dishes
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Simple spices and butter provide wonderful flavor for these easy air fryer chicken breasts! Use your air fryer to make this tasty main dish quickly!
Simple spices and butter provide wonderful flavor for these easy air fryer chicken breasts! Use your air fryer to make this tasty main dish quickly!

This past summer I received a Cosori air fryer for my birthday. It’s fun to cook foods with hot air, and with only a minimum amount of oil! I’ve been having fun with it ever since, trying out recipes for both main dishes, muffins, side dishes and desserts!

I’ve already posted a few delicious air fryer recipes, including:

Last month I made air fryer chicken breasts.  I knew I wanted to experiment with our family favorite sauce we use for grilling chicken breasts outside, but wanted to re-create it using my air fryer! Guess what? It turned out fabulous, so I want to share the recipe for this EASY dish.

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

Make The Basting Sauce For The Chicken Breasts

The basting sauce recipe for the chicken breasts came from my Mom. It was how we ate our grilled chicken while growing up. We use it all summer long when we grill chicken on our BBQ, and have used the same recipe for almost 50 years. I thought it would be a perfect seasoning for these air fryer chicken breasts! And it WAS!

To make the sauce, combine the seasonings (garlic powder, celery salt, seasoning salt and coarse black pepper) with melted butter. Stir, until fully combined. Easy, right?

Sauce for chicken is made with combining melted butter and a few common spices.

Brush the sauce over 1 side of the boneless, skinless chicken breasts.

Seasoning sauce is brushed over one side of the chicken breasts.

Ready To Cook Air Fryer Chicken Breasts!

Preheat your air fryer to 370° (this usually takes about 3-4 minutes). TIP: To save time, preheat the air fryer while making the sauce and basting the chicken.

Place the chicken breasts, with the sauce side down in the basket of the preheated air fryer. Now brush the remaining sauce over the top of the chicken.

The chicken is placed in preheated air fryer, and other side is basted with sauce.

Cook the chicken breasts in the air fryer for 4 minutes, and then pause the air fryer and flip the chicken to the other side. Continue cooking for 4-5 additional minutes, or until chicken is golden brown, cooked through and is at a safe internal temperature of 165° F.

Your cooking time may vary a little bit, due to two factors: the size and weight of the chicken breasts you are using, and the ambient temps with air fryers. Because air fryer temperatures can vary, make sure to check the chicken while cooking to make sure you know when it is done.

The photo below shows the chicken breasts about halfway through the cooking time. You can see that the pieces are already beginning to brown.

Halfway through cooking time, air fryer chicken breasts are turning golden brown.

When the air fryer chicken breasts are finished cooking, carefully remove them from the hot basket, and serve immediately! BOOM! See how easy that was?

Now it’s time to enjoy one of the air fryer chicken breasts with some home canned green beans, and some orzo with Parmesan on the side. YUM! It was a good dinner!

Air fryer chicken breasts were served with orzo and green beans.

The air fryer chicken breasts were fully cooked and juicy inside, had a bit of a browned, crunchy crust on them, and had GREAT flavor! They were soooo good!

One of the air fryer chicken breasts in a close up photo.

If you have an air fryer, then I hope you will enjoy this quick and easy chicken recipe! Have a great day, friends! Why not look for ways throughout the day to be an encourager, because there are LOTS of hurting, lonely people around. Won’t you join me in trying to make a difference? Have a great day.

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find all of my chicken recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have lots of them… including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe source: my brain, and my mom’s recipe for basting sauce

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Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
8 mins
Total Time
13 mins
 

Simple spices and butter provide wonderful flavor for these easy air fryer chicken breasts! Use your air fryer to make this tasty main dish quickly!

Category: Entree, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer chicken breasts
Servings: 2
Calories Per Serving: 295 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 12 ounces chicken breasts
  • 2 Tablespoons butter , melted
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon celery salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon seasoning salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat your air fryer to 370° (this usually takes about 4-5 minutes). TIP: To save time, mix the sauce and baste the chicken while the air fryer preheats.

  2. Combine garlic powder, celery salt, seasoning salt and coarse black pepper in a small bowl with the melted butter. Stir, until fully combined.

  3. Brush half of the sauce over 1 side of the boneless, skinless chicken breasts. When air fryer is at temperature, place chicken breasts, sauce side down in the basket of the air fryer. Brush remaining sauce over the top of the chicken.

  4. Cook at 370° F. for 4 minutes; pause the air fryer and turn chicken to the other side. Continue cooking for 4-5 more minutes, or until chicken is golden brown, cooked through and has an internal temperature of 165° F. When done, remove chicken, serve, and enjoy!

    NOTE: Your cooking time may vary, due to two factors: the size and weight of the chicken breasts you are using, and the ambient temps with air fryers. Because air fryer temperatures can vary, be sure to check the chicken while cooking to make sure you know when it is done.

Nutrition Facts
Air Fryer Chicken Breasts
Amount Per Serving (1 chicken breast)
Calories 295 Calories from Fat 144
% Daily Value*
Fat 16g25%
Saturated Fat 8g50%
Cholesterol 139mg46%
Sodium 588mg26%
Potassium 629mg18%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 36g72%
Vitamin A 401IU8%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 9mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Simple spices and butter provide wonderful flavor for these easy air fryer chicken breasts! Use your air fryer to make this tasty main dish quickly!


Dec
2019

Easy Chicken Rice Casserole

categories: Casseroles, Chicken, Main Dishes
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Making this easy chicken rice casserole is a cinch, with only 10 minutes prep work before baking! Rice and mushrooms cook in the same dish! YUM!
Making this easy chicken rice casserole is a cinch, with only 10 minutes prep work before baking! Rice and mushrooms cook in the same dish! YUM!

My mom is moving from Southern California to Georgia, and recently sent me some of her old cookbooks, as she was “downsizing”. I found this easy chicken rice casserole in one of her old cookbooks, and decided to give it a try.

The casserole was incredibly easy to make, and I loved that it was a one dish meal! Rice, mushrooms, and sauce are cooked in the same pan as the chicken breasts, so it really is “no fuss”! The prep time is only about 10 minutes (or less), and then you can sit back while this dish bakes! Perfect for busy nights. Here’s how to make this delicious casserole:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At the Bottom Of The Page

Prepare The Chicken Breasts

Preheat the oven to 350° F. and get out an 11 3/4″ x 7 1/2″ baking dish. This casserole is quite economical, because you only need TWO large chicken breasts and only a few other ingredients to serve 4 people.

Slice two large boneless skinless chicken breasts in half horizontally to create 4 thin breasts total. Set the chicken aside while you make the simple sauce.

Two large chicken breasts are cut in half horizontally, to create 4 thin pieces of chicken.

Make The Baking Sauce For The Casserole

Okay… this sauce is super easy to make! Mix a can of cream of chicken soup (YES- you can substitute cream of mushroom) and milk in a medium sized bowl. Whisk until fully combined. IMPORTANT: MEASURE OUT AND RESERVE 1/2 CUP OF THIS SAUCE FOR LATER!

Cream of chicken soup and milk are combined to start making the sauce.

Now mix HALF an envelope of dried onion soup mix in with the remaining soup mixture left in the bowl. Add uncooked white rice, and the mushroom pieces (including the liquid from can) into the sauce mixture. Stir until completely blended.

A packet of dried onion soup mix is used in this recipe.

Pour the sauce into an (ungreased) baking dish, and spread it out to fully cover the bottom of the dish. Lay the 4 chicken breasts on top of the sauce in a single layer. BEFORE BAKING: Pour the reserved soup/milk mixture over the top of the chicken pieces. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining 1/2 of the dried onion soup mix left in the envelope.

Sauce for the easy chicken rice casserole is spread into a baking dish.Four pieces of chicken breast are placed on top of the sauce.

Bake The Easy Chicken Rice Casserole

Cover the easy chicken rice casserole with aluminum foil before baking. Bake the casserole in a preheated 350° F. oven for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove the foil from the dish. Place casserole back in the oven and continue baking (uncovered) for 15 more minutes. Carefully remove the casserole from the oven once done, and let it rest for 3-4 minutes before serving.

The chicken casserole is baked, and is now ready to serve.

Time To Serve The Easy Chicken Rice Casserole!

To serve this easy chicken rice casserole, spoon out the creamy rice from under the chicken and portion it out onto plates. Top each serving with one of the chicken breasts.

Now you have a perfectly cooked chicken breast, served atop a creamy bed of fully cooked rice in a delicious mushroom and onion sauce. Serve a veggie or salad on the side, and it’s time to eat!

Easy chicken rice casserole is served on plate, with vegetables and rolls.

I truly hope you enjoy this easy to prepare casserole! The leftovers were wonderful heated up in the microwave, too! Have a fantastic day!

Looking For More CASSEROLE Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a nice variety of casserole recipes you might enjoy, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Recipe adapted from: “Betty Crocker’s Meatless-Main Dishes” cookbook, published 1973, by Golden Press NY and Western Publishing Co., Inc. Racine, Wisconsin, page 8.

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Easy Chicken Rice Casserole
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
 

Making this easy chicken rice casserole is a cinch, with only 10 minutes prep work before baking! Rice and mushrooms cook in the same dish! YUM!

Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken rice casserole
Servings: 4
Calories Per Serving: 379 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts , sliced horizontally (approx. 14 ounces)
  • 10¾ ounces cream of chicken (or mushroom) soup (1 small can)
  • 10¾ ounces milk (use soup can -fill with milk)
  • ¾ cup uncooked white rice
  • 4 ounces mushroom stems and pieces (1 small can), drained
  • 1½ ounces dry onion soup mix (1 envelope) I used Lipton's, divided
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally to create 4 thin breasts total. Set chicken aside.

  2. Mix cream of chicken soup (YES- you can substitute cream of mushroom) and milk in a medium sized bowl. Whisk until fully combined. IMPORTANT: MEASURE OUT AND RESERVE 1/2 CUP OF THIS SOUP/MILK MIXTURE FOR LATER!

    Mix HALF an envelope of dried onion soup mix in with the remaining soup mixture in the bowl. Add the uncooked rice, and can of mushroom pieces (including liquid from can) into the sauce mixture. Stir until completely blended.

  3. Pour sauce into an (ungreased) 11¾" x 7½" baking dish, and spread to fully cover bottom of the dish. Lay chicken breasts on top of sauce in a single layer. BEFORE BAKING: Pour the reserved soup/milk mixture over the top of the chicken pieces. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining 1/2 of the dried onion soup mix left in the envelope.

  4. Cover the casserole with aluminum foil before baking. Bake at 350° F. for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the foil. Place casserole back in the oven and continue baking (uncovered) for 15 more minutes. Carefully remove casserole from oven when done, and let it rest for 3-4 minutes before serving. to serve, spoon out the creamy rice from under chicken and portion it onto plates. Top each serving with one of the chicken breasts. Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Easy Chicken Rice Casserole
Amount Per Serving (1 serving (chicken/rice))
Calories 379 Calories from Fat 72
% Daily Value*
Fat 8g12%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 73mg24%
Sodium 1659mg72%
Potassium 672mg19%
Carbohydrates 45g15%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 29g58%
Vitamin A 318IU6%
Vitamin C 2mg2%
Calcium 139mg14%
Iron 2mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Making this easy chicken rice casserole is a cinch, with only 10 minutes prep work before baking! Rice and mushrooms cook in the same dish! YUM!


Nov
2019

Marinated Baked Chicken Thighs

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes
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Need an easy, yummy entree? Try Marinated Baked Chicken Thighs! Chicken is dry-rubbed with spices, marinated in a sweet soy & garlic sauce, and baked.
Need an easy, yummy entree? Try Marinated Baked Chicken Thighs! Chicken is dry-rubbed w/ spices, marinated in a sweet soy & garlic sauce, and baked.

Easy and delicious is the way I would describe this recipe for Marinated Baked Chicken Thighs! I you’re looking for a new chicken recipe, may I suggest this one? It’s yummy, and ridiculously EASY to prepare!

You can season the chicken thighs with the spice rub and let it marinate in the fridge early in the day, and then all you’ll need to do is throw it in the oven before dinner! Easy Peasy! Here’s how to make this dish:

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make A Dry Rub for The Chicken Thighs

Measure smoked or sweet paprika, dried rosemary, thyme, and basil into a small bowl. Mix these ingredients together. This is the dry rub spice mixture that will be used to season the chicken. See how easy that was?

Paprika, thyme, basil, salt, pepper and rosemary are crushed for chicken seasoning mix.

Rub the spice mixture over the chicken thighs, until well coated on all sides. Sprinkle the chicken very lightly with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a single layer in a 9×13″ baking dish, and set aside. NOTE: Please note that this recipe is written using 6 chicken thighs, but I only used 4 when I took these photos.

Four chicken thighs are rubbed on all sides with dry seasoning mix.

Make The Marinade For The Chicken

Now it’s time to make the marinade for the chicken! Measure soy sauce, maple syrup, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar and minced garlic into a small bowl. Whisk the ingredients until the oil is fully incorporated into the marinade. Ta Da! It’s done, and you hardly broke into a sweat, right?

A sweet soy and garlic sauce is whisked together for marinating chicken thighs.

Marinate The Chicken Thighs

Pour the marinade sauce over the chicken thighs in the baking dish. Cover the dish, and place it in the refrigerator for one hour, to marinate the chicken. TIP: The chicken can be marinated for up to 8 hours, so if it’s more convenient to marinate chicken early in the day, it’ll be ready to bake later!

The chicken thighs are marinated in the sauce before baking.

Cooking The Marinated Baked Chicken Thighs

When you are ready to cook the marinated baked chicken thighs, preheat the oven to 425° F. While the oven preheats, remove the chicken from the refrigerator, to take the chill off before baking.

Bake the chicken thighs (uncovered) for 35 minutes, or until they reach a safe internal temp. of 165° F. HALFWAY through the baking time, spoon some sauce (in the dish) over the top of the chicken. Once the chicken bakes for 35 minutes or reaches an internal temperature of 165° F, it’s done.

TIP: If you want to brown the chicken more, turn on the oven broiler and let it cook 5-6 inches under the broiler for a couple more minutes. Keep an eye on it, though, so it doesn’t burn.

Time To Eat The Marinated Baked Chicken Thighs

Remove the chicken from the oven, and let it rest for 4-5 minutes before serving. Transfer the marinated baked chicken thighs to the serving plates. Spoon a little sauce over the top, and then sprinkle with sliced green onions. Serve, and enjoy! Doesn’t it look good?

Two pieces of marinated baked chicken thighs, served with rice, bread and broccoli.

I really hope you enjoy this simple, yet delicious recipe! The chicken is juicy and full of flavor, and hardly takes any effort to make! That’s a win-win, in my book. Have a great day!

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find ALL of my chicken recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have a LOT of them including:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source: Katrina, at: https://diethood.com/oven-baked-chicken-thighs/

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Marinated Baked Chicken Thighs
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Marinating Time (inactive time)
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 45 mins
 

Need an easy, yummy entree? Try Marinated Baked Chicken Thighs! Chicken is dry-rubbed w/ spices, marinated in a sweet soy & garlic sauce, and baked.

Category: Entree
Cuisine: American
Keyword: marinated baked chicken thighs
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 202 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 6 chicken thighs (skinless, bone-in)
  • salt and pepper , to season chicken to taste
For Dry Rub
  • ½ teaspoon smoked or sweet paprika
  • ½ teaspoon dried basil
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
For Marinade
  • ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 3 Tablespoons maple syrup (regular or sugar-free)
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic , minced
  • green onions (scallions)- OPTIONAL , sliced for garnish
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Measure paprika, dried rosemary, thyme, and basil into a small bowl. Mix these ingredients together. Rub the spice mixture over the chicken thighs, until well coated on all sides. Sprinkle the chicken very lightly with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a single layer in a 9x13" baking dish, and set aside.

  2. Measure soy sauce, maple syrup, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, apple cider vinegar and minced garlic into a small bowl. Whisk until the oil is fully incorporated into the marinade. Pour marinade over the chicken. Cover dish, and place in the refrigerator for one hour, to marinate. TIP: If necessary, the chicken can be marinated for up to 8 hours, so if it's more convenient to marinate the chicken early in the day, it will be ready to bake later!

  3. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425° F. While the oven preheats, remove chicken from refrigerator, and let it sit on the counter (to take the chill off). Bake the chicken (uncovered) for 35 minutes, or until the thighs reach a safe internal temp. of 165° F. If you want to brown the chicken more, turn on the oven broiler and let it cook for a couple more minutes. Keep an eye on it, though, so it won't burn.

    NOTE: HALFWAY through baking time, spoon sauce from dish over the top of the chicken.

  4. Once done, remove chicken from oven, and let it rest 4-5 minutes before serving. Transfer chicken to plates, spoon a little sauce over the top, and garnish with sliced green onions. Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts
Marinated Baked Chicken Thighs
Amount Per Serving (1 thigh)
Calories 202 Calories from Fat 81
% Daily Value*
Fat 9g14%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 97mg32%
Sodium 474mg21%
Potassium 322mg9%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 20g40%
Vitamin A 107IU2%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 30mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Need an easy, yummy entree? Try Marinated Baked Chicken Thighs! Chicken is dry-rubbed w/ spices, marinated in a sweet soy & garlic sauce, and baked.


Nov
2019

Traeger Chili Smoked Chicken Breasts

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes, Traeger Grill Recipes
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Cook delicious chili smoked chicken breasts on a Traeger or pellet grill. Chicken is basted with a simple seasoning, then smoked and grilled to finish!
Cook delicious chili smoked chicken breasts on a Traeger or pellet grill. Chicken is basted w/ a simple seasoning, then smoked and grilled to finish!

Here’s another easy smoked and then grilled chicken breast recipe for the ol’ pellet grill. We love to try new recipes on our Traeger, and really enjoyed this one, that uses boneless, skinless chicken breasts!

This past summer we enjoyed making Smoked Chili Rib-Eye Steaks, and so I decided to use the same chili-flavored basting sauce on boneless skinless chicken breasts. The result? Some really good tasting chicken! Here’s how easy this recipe is to make!

Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page

Make The Chili Basting Sauce

It’s very easy (and quick) to make the chili basting sauce that will be applied to the chicken. The ingredients are chili powder, worcestershire sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, ground cumin, minced garlic and salt (I used sea salt).

The ingredients used to make the chili rub seasoning.

Start by placing finely chopped fresh garlic and the salt into a small bowl. Use a fork, and mash these two ingredients together until it forms a thick, paste-like mixture.

Garlic and salt are mashed together into a paste for the spice rub.

Add the other chili sauce ingredients to the bowl of garlic and salt mixture, and stir well, to fully combine. That’s it… your basting sauce is now ready. See? That’s how quick the sauce comes together!

The chili basting sauce for chicken breasts is mixed together in a bowl.

Prepare The Chicken

Brush the chili sauce over all sides of the boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Use all of that tasty seasoning sauce!  Once done, cover the chicken and let it refrigerate for 1 hour. NOTE: The chicken can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours, if necessary. Remove chicken from the fridge about 30 minutes before putting it on the grill, to take the chill off of the meat.

Sauce is brushed onto the chicken breasts before putting them in the smoker.

Time To SMOKE The Chicken Breasts!

Okay… now it is time to smoke the chicken! Set the Traeger grill to the SMOKE setting. Keep the lid open and let it go for about 4-5 minutes, until the fire is established and the grill is smoking. We used mesquite pellets in the hopper, but use whatever you have on hand!

Now turn the temperature gauge to 225°F, and preheat (lid closed), for about 10-15 minutes (or until it reaches temperature). Once the grill is at 225°F., you’re ready to smoke the chicken! Place the chicken breasts directly on the grill grate, and let them smoke (lid closed) for 25 minutes.

Chili smoked chicken breasts on the Traeger grill.

Once the chili smoked chicken breasts are done “smoking”, remove them from the grill (and wrap to keep them warm). Turn the temperature setting on the grill to HIGH (450°F), and preheat for about 10 minutes (or until it reaches temperature).

The Traeger chili smoked chicken breasts are removed after smoking and before grilling.

Time To GRILL The Chili Smoked Chicken Breasts!

Once the grill is at the HIGH grill setting (450°F), place the chili smoked chicken breasts back onto the grill.  Grill the chicken for 5 minutes on High, then flip the pieces over, and grill the other side for 5 minutes. This will help sear the chili basting sauce to the chicken.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Since pellet grills often vary quite a bit temperature-wise and have fluctuating heat levels, it is best to check the internal temperature of the chicken breasts once you flip them. Place the temperature probe into the thickest part of the chicken. Remove the chicken once it reaches 165°F  (it will continue to cook a bit as it rests off the heat).

Let Chicken Rest Before Serving

Let the chili smoked chicken breasts rest for 3-4 minutes before serving, to let the juices redistribute inside the meat. I think we can all agree that juicy chicken is perfect!

After grilling, the chili smoked chicken breasts rest before they are served.

I hope you enjoy this simple, but delicious recipe for chili smoked chicken breasts. We sure did! They are not too spicy, but have a great depth of flavor from the mesquite pellet smoking, and the chili basting sauce.

Any leftover chicken will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. The leftover smoked chicken tastes great sliced and added to the top of a mixed green salad or added into quesadillas! Yum! Hope you enjoy this recipe, and trust you will have a good day!

Looking For More TRAEGER Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. A few favorite Traeger recipes include:

Interested In More Recipes?

Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so.  If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks

Author's signature

Original recipe source for chili seasoning sauce: https://www.traegergrills.com/recipes/beef/chili-rib-eye-steaks

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Traeger Chili Smoked Chicken Breasts
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
35 mins
Refrigeration (included in total time, but inactive time)
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 45 mins
 

Cook delicious chili smoked chicken breasts on a Traeger or pellet grill. Chicken is basted w/ a simple seasoning, then smoked and grilled to finish!

Category: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chili smoked chicken breasts
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 220.06 kcal
Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Ingredients
  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts , fairly thin (approx. 5 ounces per piece)
For Chili Seasoning:
  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 Tablespoons worcestershire sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar (packed)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
US Customary - Metric
Instructions

  1. Place finely chopped garlic and salt into a small bowl. Use a fork to mash these ingredients together until it forms a paste-like mixture. Add remaining chili sauce ingredients to mixture, and stir well, to combine. Brush sauce over all sides of chicken. Cover chicken and refrigerate for 1 hour.  NOTE: Chicken can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours, if necessary. Remove chicken from fridge about 1/2 an hour before putting on grill, to take the chill off the meat.

  2. Set temperature gauge to SMOKE setting. Keep lid open and let it go for about 4-5 minutes, until fire is established and grill is smoking. Now turn temperature to 225°F, and preheat (lid closed), for 10-15 minutes (or until it reaches temperature). Once grill is at 225°F., you're ready to smoke the chicken! Place chicken breasts directly on grate, and let them smoke (lid closed) for 25 minutes.

  3. Once done "smoking", remove chicken from grill (and wrap to keep them warm). Turn temperature setting on the grill to HIGH (450°F), and preheat for 10 minutes (or until it reaches temperature). Once grill is at 450°F, place chicken back onto grill.  Grill for 5 minutes, then flip over, and grill other side for approx. 5 minutes. This helps sear the chili basting sauce to the chicken.

    IMPORTANT NOTE: Since pellet grills often vary quite a bit temperature-wise and at times have fluctuating heat levels, it is best to check the internal temperature of the chicken breasts once you flip them. Place the temperature probe into the thickest part of the chicken. Remove chicken from grill once it reaches 165°F  (it will continue to cook a bit as it rests off heat).

    Let the chili smoked chicken breasts rest for 3-4 minutes before serving, to let the juices redistribute inside the meat. Serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: If using large chicken breasts (thick), you may need to adjust the grilling time (cook longer) to bring to internal temperature of 165° F.

Nutrition Facts
Traeger Chili Smoked Chicken Breasts
Amount Per Serving (1 piece)
Calories 220.06 Calories from Fat 79
% Daily Value*
Fat 8.8g14%
Saturated Fat 1.52g10%
Cholesterol 90.72mg30%
Sodium 652.28mg28%
Potassium 627.76mg18%
Carbohydrates 3.56g1%
Fiber 0.93g4%
Sugar 1.43g2%
Protein 30.58g61%
Vitamin A 833.19IU17%
Vitamin C 2.75mg3%
Calcium 26.86mg3%
Iron 1.51mg8%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!Cook delicious chili smoked chicken breasts on a Traeger or pellet grill. Chicken is basted w/ a simple seasoning, then smoked and grilled to finish!