Main Dishes Archives

Category: Main Dishes

04
Jan
2021

Easy Baked BBQ Chicken

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Easy Baked BBQ Chicken is just that… EASY! The homemade BBQ sauce is simple to make, and compliments the browned, baked chicken perfectly!

Today I want to share a recipe (from my trusty old recipe box) that I’ve had for years and years, for easy baked BBQ chicken. I don’t know the source of the original recipe, because I jotted the ingredients/directions down on an index card over 20 years ago, but it is very easy! Basically, you will cook a quick and delicious BBQ sauce, lightly pan-sear chicken pieces, then douse the chicken with the sauce and put it all in the oven to bake.

This recipe is a perfect way to enjoy good BBQ chicken when it’s just too cold, rainy or snowy to get out and cook BBQ chicken on the old family grill.

The prep time is only about 20 minutes total, and then the chicken bakes for about an hour, filling your kitchen with a delicious aroma as it cooks. You can start watching a Hallmark movie, remodel your house, or play with the kids while the chicken bakes… yahoo! The end result? Absolutely DELICIOUS easy baked BBQ chicken, with minimal hands-on time! Here’s how easy it is to make:

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

What Ingredients Will I Need?

First and foremost, you will need approx. 8 pieces of chicken. Use whatever type of pieces you want (legs, thighs, breasts, skinless, skin-on, bone-in, boneless, or any combo, etc.). IT’S YOUR CHOICE.

The ingredients you will need for the easy BBQ sauce are: onion, butter, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, worcestershire sauce, water, salt and pepper.

Make The BBQ Sauce

In a medium saucepan, sauté chopped onion in melted butter. Cook for a couple minutes, stirring often, then add the rest of the ingredients (except for the chicken). Let the sauce simmer (uncovered) on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, set aside.

TIP: If you are a multi-tasker and like to save time, you can brown the chicken pieces (see below) while the sauce cooks. That way they will be done about the same time.

Lightly Brown The Chicken Pieces Before Baking

Pat each of the chicken pieces you will be using with paper towels to absorb extra moisture before cooking. Pour just enough oil into a large skillet to cover the bottom. Heat the oil on medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking.

Carefully add the chicken pieces in a single layer to the hot oil and do not move them once they hit the pan. You may find it necessary to brown the chicken in batches, but it doesn’t take long at all to brown them, so nor worries! Brown the first side for 2-3 minutes, then carefully turn over each piece to lightly brown the other side.

Place the lightly browned chicken pieces in a single layer in a 13″x9″ baking dish. Repeat browning process with 2nd batch, if necessary. I cooked mine in two batches. You do not want them to be fully cooked or very brown, just enough to lightly brown and to help seal the juices in the meat.

Time To Cook Easy Baked BBQ Chicken

Once all the chicken has been browned and added to the baking dish, pour all of the BBQ sauce over the chicken. Turn to make sure both sides are fully coated in that yummy BBQ sauce!

Bake the chicken (uncovered) at 350°F. for 1 hour, or until the chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F. Once done, remove from oven. Let chicken “rest” for 3-4 minutes, and then the easy baked BBQ chicken is ready to be served.

Time To Eat Some Easy Baked BBQ Chicken!

Place chicken onto a platter or individual plates. Before serving, spoon some of the extra sauce from the baking dish over the top of each piece of chicken.

That’s it! With minimal prep, and a lot of “inactive” baking time, this meal is ready to be enjoyed. The flavor of the bbq sauce-coated chicken is wonderful, in my humble opinion. We enjoyed our meal of easy baked BBQ chicken with mashed potatoes and a spinach salad (with warm bacon dressing) on the side. It was wonderful!

I truly hope you have the opportunity to make this easy chicken recipe for those you love. It doesn’t matter what kind of chicken pieces you use (breasts, legs, thighs or a combo); the result will be delicious. Have a great day, and thank you for visiting. Come back again soon!

Looking For More CHICKEN Recipes?

You can find all of my chicken recipes (there’s a LOT) in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. There are many delicious chicken recipes there, including:

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Original Recipe Source: unknown

0 from 0 votes

Easy Baked BBQ Chicken

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Total Time

1 hr 20 mins

Easy Baked BBQ Chicken is just that... EASY! The homemade BBQ sauce is simple to make, and compliments the browned, baked chicken perfectly!

Category: Dinner, Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: easy baked bbq chicken

Servings: 8

Calories Per Serving: 217 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For BBQ Sauce:

3 Tablespoons butter
⅓ cup chopped yellow onion
¾ cup ketchup
⅓ cup white vinegar
½ cup water
3 Tablespoons brown sugar , light or dark
2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
1½ Tablespoons worchestershire sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

For Rest of Dish:

8 pieces chicken (breasts, thighs, legs)
vegetable oil (enough to cover bottom of large skillet)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a medium saucepan, sauté chopped onion in melted butter. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often, then add remaining ingredients (except for chicken). Let sauce simmer uncovered on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When done, set aside. TIP: If you are a multi-tasker and like to save time, you can brown the chicken pieces (see below) while the sauce cooks. That way they will be done about the same time.
Pat each of the chicken pieces you will be using with paper towels to absorb extra moisture before cooking. Pour just enough oil into a large skillet to cover the bottom. Heat oil on medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Carefully add chicken pieces in a single layer to hot oil. Do not move them once they hit the skillet. Brown first side for 2-3 minutes, then carefully turn over each piece to lightly brown other side. Place chicken in single layer in a 13"x9" baking dish. Repeat browning process with 2nd batch, if necessary.
Pour all of the BBQ sauce over chicken. Turn to make sure all sides are fully coated with sauce before baking. Bake chicken (uncovered) at 350°F. for 1 hour, or until chicken reaches a safe internal temperature of 165°F. Once done, remove from oven. Let chicken "rest" for 3-4 minutes. then place chicken on platter or individual plates. Spoon extra sauce from baking dish over each piece, then serve. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

***PLEASE NOTE: This caloric calculation is an estimate only, because the sizes/weights, and variety of chicken pieces (bone-in or boneless, skinless or skin-on) YOU use will be different. The caloric calculation for this recipe was made using boneless, skinless chicken breasts as a point of reference. Using thighs and legs or any combination of pieces/sizes, will result in a different caloric value per serving.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Baked BBQ Chicken

Amount Per Serving (1 breast)

Calories 217 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Cholesterol 84mg28%

Sodium 493mg21%

Potassium 530mg15%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 10g11%

Protein 24g48%

Vitamin A 281IU6%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 19mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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08
Dec
2020

Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

categories: Holidays!, Main Dishes, Pork

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Brown Sugar Glazed Ham is perfect for dinners or holiday feasts! A honey, brown sugar, OJ and spice glaze coats the ham (boneless or bone-in).

My husband LOVES ham! We don’t have it that much during the year, but wow, does he ever love it at Christmas time and at Easter. In the past we’ve bought pre-glazed hams (at Honey-Baked using gift certificates).

We’ve also bought hams at the grocery that come with the cute little glaze package attached (where all you add is water).

Those are all wonderful options, but truthfully, it is sooo easy to make your own homemade brown sugar glazed ham. Today I will show you how you can make your own sauce to baste your holiday ham.

The “recipe” is incredibly simple, and the ham tastes wonderful after being fully glazed at 3 different points during the baking time.

The recipe as written is for a six pound ham, but can be easily adapted for a much larger one, too! Here’s how easy it is to make this delicious glazed ham:

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

Make The Brown Sugar Glaze

Simple, simple, simple. The sweet glaze is super easy to make! Basically it involves placing the ingredients in a pan and cooking for a couple minutes. That’s it!

Place brown sugar, orange juice, honey, white vinegar, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Whisk the ingredients together. Once combined, bring the sauce to a simmer on medium-low heat.

Let it cook for about 2 minutes (stirring occasionally) or until the sauce has slightly thickened, then remove the pan from the heat source.

Time To Glaze The Ham – Glaze #1

TIP: Take the ham out of the refrigerator about an hour before beginning, so some of the “chill” can be take off the meat. *It will cook more evenly if you do this.

Lay two large pieces of aluminum foil on counter (overlapping slightly in middle). Place your ham right in the middle of the foil. Use 1/3 of the brown sugar glaze to cover the entire outside surface of the ham.

If you are using a spiral sliced ham, let some of the glaze drizzle down between slices, if desired. Wrap up the ham tightly with the aluminum foil, until it is well sealed.

Place the ham in a large baking dish, flat side of the ham facing down in the dish, then place the dish into a preheated 325°F oven (on a middle rack).

Baking The Brown Sugar Glazed Ham – Glaze #2

Bake the brown sugar glazed ham at 325°F for 15 minutes for every pound of meat you are cooking, OR until the internal temperature of the ham reaches 100-110°F. For example, this 6 pound ham was cooked for 90 minutes. As the weight of your ham may vary, it is important to follow these guidelines to ensure a juicy ham!

Remove the ham from the oven, but TURN up the oven temperature to 400°F, as you remove it. Carefully open the foil wrap, and brush the ham with another 1/3 of the brown sugar glaze all over. Place the ham STILL UNCOVERED back into the now 400°F oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes more. Keeping it uncovered will help the sugar to slightly caramelize on the ham.

Glaze # 3- The Final Glaze

Remove the ham from the oven after 15-20 minutes OR when the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Brush the remaining glaze over the surface of the ham, then tightly seal the foil back up, and let the ham rest for 10 minutes (covered), before slicing.

The ham’s internal juices will redistribute throughout the meat during this 10 minute “resting” time. This will help it to stay juicy when serving. Once “rested”, the ham is ready to slice and eat.

Ready To Eat

Slice the ham and serve to your hungry family or guests. This boneless brown sugar glazed ham sliced easily, the meat was fully cooked and juicy, and the glaze added extra flavor!

You can also use this glaze for your spiral-sliced bone-in hams, too. The simple, but sweet glaze adds a wonderful layer of extra flavor to any ham.

We enjoyed our delicious ham slices with French-style green beans and maple cinnamon sweet potatoes. It was a simple, but absolutely delicious meal.

The ham leftovers were pretty incredible too, and were used to make ham and cheese scrambled eggs, ham sandwiches, and more. YUM.

I hope you will consider trying this simple brown sugar glazed ham. I’m confident you will enjoy it on your favorite variety of ham.

Thank you so much for visiting this blog. May God bless and keep you, and make His face shine upon you. Have a GREAT day, friends.

Looking For More HAM Recipes?

You can find my recipes that use ham (or pork) in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have some delicious recipes, including:

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Recipe adapted from: Melissa, at: https://www.blessthismessplease.com/brown-sugar-glazed-ham/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 45 mins

Total Time

1 hr 50 mins

Brown Sugar Glazed Ham is perfect for dinners or holiday feasts! A honey, brown sugar, OJ and spice glaze coats the ham (boneless or bone-in).

Category: Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brown sugar glazed ham

Servings: 12

Calories Per Serving: 598 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

6 pound ham (bone-in or boneless) pre-cooked (intact or spiral cut)
½ cup dark brown sugar (firmly packed)
¼ cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
1½ Tablespoons honey
⅓ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Remove ham from fridge 1 hour before beginning, to take chill off. Preheat oven to 325°F.
Place remaining ingredients in a medium saucepan. Whisk together, to combine, and bring to a simmer on medium-low heat. Cook for 2 minutes (stirring occasionally) or until sauce has slightly thickened. Remove pan from heat source.
Lay two large pieces of aluminum foil on counter (overlapping slightly in middle). Place ham in middle of the foil. Brush 1/3 of the brown sugar glaze on, to cover surface of ham. If using spiral sliced ham, let glaze drizzle down between slices. Wrap ham with foil, until well sealed. Place ham in a large baking dish, flat side down. Place dish on middle rack in 325°F oven.
Bake at 325°F for 15 minutes for every pound of meat you are cooking, OR until the internal temperature of the ham reaches 100-110°F. As ham weights vary, it is important to follow these guidelines to ensure juicy ham! Remove ham from oven, and TURN up oven temperature to 400°F. Carefully open foil, and pull it slightly away from the meat (but leave it in pan); brush ham with another 1/3 of the brown sugar glaze.
Place ham (STILL UNCOVERED) back into 400°F oven. Cook 15-20 minutes more. Remove ham after 15-20 minutes OR when the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Brush ham with remaining 1/3 glaze; seal the foil back up, and let ham rest for 10 minutes (covered), before slicing to allow juices to redistribute through meat. Once "rested", it's ready to slice and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Brown Sugar Glazed Ham

Amount Per Serving (1 (8 ounce slice))

Calories 598 Calories from Fat 342

% Daily Value*

Fat 38g58%

Saturated Fat 14g88%

Cholesterol 141mg47%

Sodium 2709mg118%

Potassium 671mg19%

Carbohydrates 12g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 12g13%

Protein 49g98%

Vitamin A 10IU0%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 23mg2%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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23
Nov
2020

Creamy Avgolemono Soup

categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Soups

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Creamy Avgolemono Soup is a classic Greek dish (with rice) that is delicious, rich and lemony, and very easy to make in under 30 minutes.

For many years I have read about, looked at recipes, and wondered about Avgolemono soup. It sounded quite unusual. I was tempted many times to give it a try, but never did, until last month. Whoa! I LOVED this soup! Who knew that a lemon-flavored creamy rice soup could taste so incredibly GOOD?

Creamy avgolemono soup is a classic Greek beloved soup, one of their signature dishes, to be sure. “Avgolemono” comes from the Greek language. “AVGO” means egg, and “LEMONO” means lemon. This light and creamy simple soup only uses a few ingredients, is EASY to make, and tastes wonderfully bright and fresh! I hope you will give it a try… it will surprise you, most likely. Here’s how to make it:

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

How To Make Creamy Avgolemono Soup

Heat six cups of chicken broth in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil, and then pour in a half cup of uncooked long grain rice. Stir well, to combine.

Cook the broth and rice, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes on medium-high heat, until the rice becomes tender. Stir the rice occasionally while it is cooking, to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Temper The Egg Mixture Before Adding To Hot Soup

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk four egg yolks lightly, and then add fresh lemon juice and finely grated lemon zest, whisking to combine. Now it’s time to “temper” the egg mixture. This is a VERY important step!

*Tempering the eggs means slowly adding in hot broth VERY SLOWLY. This raises the temperature of the eggs, so that when they’re added to very hot soup, they won’t become “scrambled eggs”. Here’s how to temper the egg mixture:

Slowly drizzle 1 cup of the hot broth into the egg mixture, whisking constantly as you add it. Continue whisking until all the cup of broth has been added. Turn the heat down to medium-low under the broth in the pan , and then slowly add the warmed egg mixture back into the hot broth in the pot, whisking as you add it.

Finish Cooking The Soup

Let the soup continue to cook on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. DO NOT LET THE SOUP COME TO A BOIL! The creamy avgolemono soup will thicken up a little bit as it continues to cook. Once it has fully heated through (about 3-4 minutes), remove the pan from the heat. Season lightly (to suit your taste) with salt and pepper.

Ready For A Bowl Of Creamy Avgolemono Soup!

Once heated through, the creamy avgolemono soup is ready to eat! Ladle the hot soup into serving bowls, and garnish each serving with chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (and strips of lemon peel, if desired).

The parsley and lemon peel add a “pop” of color, and another layer of flavor, but are not absolutely essential if you don’t have them handy! The soup is thick and creamy, bursting with lemon flavor, and the rice is very tender (and filling). We enjoy this soup with crusty slices of garlic bread on the side. YUM!

I truly hope you will give this creamy avgolemono soup a try- it’s quite delicious! The leftovers were microwaved for lunch the next day, and were wonderful, as well! Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you will come back soon. Take care.

Looking For More SOUP Recipes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have lots of soup recipes you’ll enjoy, including:

Mom’s Old-Fashioned Chili
Grandma’s Southern-Style Chicken n’ Dumplings (my #1 pinned recipe)
Chicken Noodle Soup
Garden Vegetable Chowder

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Original recipe source: The cookbook: “Williams-Sonoma Soup Of The Day”, by Kate McMillan, published by Weldon Owen, Inc. 2011, page 15

5 from 3 votes

Creamy Avgolemono Soup

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

25 mins

Creamy Avgolemono Soup is a classic Greek dish (with rice) that is delicious, rich and lemony, and very easy to make in under 30 minutes.

Category: Dinner, Soup

Cuisine: Greek

Keyword: creamy avgolemono soup

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 200 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
½ cup long grain white rice , uncooked
4 large egg yolks , slightly beaten
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest (finely grated lemon peel)
salt/pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley (flat leaf) , chopped for garnish

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat broth in large saucepan on medium-high heat. Bring to a boil; add uncooked rice. Cook uncovered, 15-20 minutes on medium-high heat, until rice is tender. .Stir occasionally while it cooks, to prevent rice from sticking to bottom of pan.
In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks lightly. Add lemon juice and zest, whisking to combine. "Temper" the egg mixture. *Tempering eggs means slowly adding in hot broth VERY SLOWLY. This raises the temperature of the eggs, so that when added to hot soup, they won't scramble. Here's how: Measure out, then slowly drizzle 1 cup of the hot broth into the egg mixture, whisking constantly as you add it. Continue whisking until the entire cup of broth is added.
Turn the heat down to medium-low under the broth in pan; slowly add the warmed egg mixture back into the broth in pan, constantly whisking as you add it back in. Let the soup continue cooking on medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. DO NOT LET THE SOUP COME TO A BOIL! Soup will thicken up a bit as it cooks. Once hot (3-4 minutes), remove pan from the heat.
Season lightly (to suit your taste) with salt and pepper. Ladle hot soup into bowls, and garnish each serving with chopped parsley (and strips of lemon peel, if desired). Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Creamy Avgolemono Soup

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 200 Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 184mg61%

Sodium 117mg5%

Potassium 376mg11%

Carbohydrates 25g8%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 12g24%

Vitamin A 414IU8%

Vitamin C 9mg11%

Calcium 45mg5%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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06
Nov
2020

Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops

categories: Main Dishes, Pork

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Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops are a cinch to make and bake! These tasty, juicy, boneless or bone-in chops are ready to eat in under 30 minutes!

Have some pork chops and are looking for a quick and EASY way to fix them? May I suggest these simply-seasoned pork chops? They are ridiculously SIMPLE to make, but have great flavor!

If you don’t have much time to fix a fancy dinner, these simply-seasoned pork chops are the way to go! Season them, and toss ’em in the oven until done. BOOM! A delicious main dish is ready to go in under 25 minutes! Here’s how to whip up this recipe:

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

Make The Spice Rub

Before making the spice rub, make sure to preheat your oven to 400°F. This recipe comes together quickly, so you want your oven to be ready. Now… on to the simple seasoning, which is a CINCH to make. Simply mix together paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and oregano in a small bowl. This is the spice rub for the simply-seasoned pork chops!

Prepare The Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops

Place the pork chops on a work surface. I use boneless pork chops for this simple recipe, but have included a cooking (timing) tip in the printable recipe card (below) in case you are using bone-in chops. Bone-in will take just a tiny bit longer to cook.

Drizzle HALF (1 Tablespoon) of the olive oil over the chops, on BOTH sides. Rub it in, to cover. Sprinkle the prepared spice mix over both sides of the pork chops. Rub the spice mix into the pork with your fingers and press to ensure it sticks to the meat. Make sure all sides of the meat are covered with spices.

Bake The Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops

Place the pork chops into a small baking dish that is just big enough to hold the pork chops in a single layer. Juice will tend to accumulate in the pan during baking. You want the meat juices to “pool together” so they don’t evaporate in a larger baking pan while baking. Drizzle the chops with the remaining Tablespoon of olive oil before baking.

Bake the pork chops at 400°F for 18 minutes, OR until they reach an internal temperature of 140° F. See my note in the printable recipe card below. Make sure to NOT overcook the chops, because that will dry them out!

When done, remove the pork chops from the oven, and let them REST in the baking dish for 5 minutes. They’ll continue to cook as they rest (safe internal temperature for pork chops is 145°F), and the juices in the meat will time to redistribute through the meat, for juicier chops. As you can see from the photos below, some juice from the meat has accumulated in the dish. You can use that, if desired, to drizzle on a veggie side dish OR as the base for a quick gravy, because it has GREAT flavor.

Time To Eat!

Once the simply-seasoned pork chops have rested for 5 minutes, they are ready to serve. Transfer to individual serving plates and serve with your favorite side dishes. We enjoyed the simply-seasoned pork chops with creamy mashed potatoes and baked praline acorn squash slices.

The pork chops were nice and juicy inside, perfectly baked, and had wonderful flavor. It was nice to enjoy such simple, tasty pork chops that didn’t require a lot of effort to prepare. Hooray!

I truly hope you will have the opportunity to make these delicious pork chops for yourself or those you love. Thank you for stopping by my blog. I sincerely hope you will come back again. Have a blessed day!

Looking For Other Recipes Using PORK CHOPS?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few pork chop recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

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

Original recipe source: https://www.theendlessmeal.com/juicy-baked-pork-chops/

0 from 0 votes

Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

18 mins

Total Time

23 mins

Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops are a cinch to make and bake! These tasty, juicy, boneless or bone-in chops are ready to eat in under 30 minutes!

Category: Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: simply-seasoned pork chops

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 285 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 boneless pork chops (1¼" thick)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Make Spice Mix: Combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and oregano in a small bowl.
Prepare Chops: Drizzle HALF (1 Tablespoon) of olive oil over chops, on BOTH sides. Rub it in, to cover. Sprinkle spice mix over both sides of chops. Rub spices into pork to ensure it sticks to meat. All sides of the meat should be covered.
Place pork chops into a baking dish just big enough to hold the chops in a single layer. Drizzle chops with remaining Tablespoon of oil. Bake at 400°F for 18 minutes (see note below), OR until they reach an internal temperature of 140° F. Make sure to NOT overcook them, because that will dry them out! When done, remove them from oven; let meat REST in baking dish for 5 minutes. They'll continue to cook as they rest (safe internal temperature for pork chops is 145°F), and the juices in the meat will time to redistribute through the meat, for juicier chops. After resting, they are ready to serve. Enjoy.

Recipe Notes

BAKING NOTE: At 400°F, as a general guide, boneless chops should be baked approx. 6-7 minutes per 1/2" thickness (as thickness of chops will vary). Bone-in chops will require an additional 1 minute of cooking time per 1/2" thickness.

Nutrition Facts

Simply-Seasoned Pork Chops

Amount Per Serving (1 pork chop)

Calories 285 Calories from Fat 153

% Daily Value*

Fat 17g26%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 90mg30%

Sodium 649mg28%

Potassium 567mg16%

Carbohydrates 3g1%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 1g1%

Protein 30g60%

Vitamin A 862IU17%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 25mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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17
Oct
2020

Sweet Spicy Salmon

categories: Main Dishes, Seafood

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Sweet Spicy Salmon is an easy-to-make, delicious seafood dish! Seasoned fillets are covered with a pineapple/Asian-inspired sauce and baked.

I really think you’re gonna love this totally EASY salmon dish. It is so simple to prepare in only a few minutes, and then into the oven it goes.

The end result is a flaky and delicious, baked salmon fillet, covered in a “not too sweet and not too spicy” delicious sauce. YUM! This recipe as written serves two, but can easily be doubled or tripled.

Basically you will lightly season the salmon, cover it with a simple flavorful sauce, bake it, and then put it under the broiler to crisp it before serving. Truly, it could not be any more simple than that!

We love salmon, and love this recipe for it, too, so I wanted to share it with you. Here’s how easy it is to make sweet spicy salmon:

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

Prepare The Salmon For Baking

Preheat your oven to 425° F. Line a baking dish (or small cookie sheet) with a large piece of aluminum foil. You will want the piece of foil to be much larger than the pan, so the edges can be turned up to “hold the sauce in” later.

Spray the foil lightly with non-stick baking spray. **NOTE: If doubling the recipe, you can use a rimmed cookie sheet to have room for the additional pieces of salmon.

Place skinless salmon fillets in the prepared dish, leaving about an inch between each one. Lightly sprinkle the top of the salmon fillets with salt and black pepper.

Drain pineapple rings, RESERVING THE JUICE FOR LATER. Slice pineapple rings in half. Place the halved rings around the long sides of the fillets, and in between the pieces.

Pull the foil up to “snuggle” the salmon so that any “runaway” sauce will be “held captive” in the pan, once added. Set the salmon aside while you make the sauce.

Make The Sauce

The sauce is a cinch to make. Place sweet Thai chili sauce (I use Mae Ploy), rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and pineapple juice (reserved from the can) in a small bowl. Whisk well, to combine the ingredients.

Spoon or pour the sauce over the top of each piece of salmon, to fully cover the surface of the fish. The foil will help “catch” any runoff sauce. Now the sweet spicy salmon is ready to bake!

Cooking The Sweet Spicy Salmon

BAKE the sweet spicy salmon, uncovered, at 425°F. for 12-15 minutes. This amount of time will vary due to the thickness of the fish YOU use. Check it at 12 minutes. The fish should be easily flaked with a fork when finished baking. Immediately switch your oven to the BROIL setting.

Place the pan under the broiler heating element. Broil the fish for 2-3 minutes or just until the top and edges begin to blacken and crisp up slightly. Remove the pan from the broiler.

If desired, garnish the salmon with chopped cilantro before transferring to serving plates. I recommend this, as the cilantro not only adds color, but additional flavor to this dish, as well.

Time To Serve The Sweet Spicy Salmon

Carefully transfer the sweet spicy salmon fillets (use a spatula) to serving plates when ready to serve. Place pineapple rings around the edges of the salmon. Spoon some of the sauce from the pan over each piece of salmon.

The salmon will be nice and flaky, and is so yummy I think you will gobble it up! You will also find that the fish (with the sauce) isn’t too spicy, after all.

The first time I made this dish, I thought it would be really spicy… NOPE! It’s perfect, and the sweet/spicy sauce compliments the salmon very well.

I really hope you have the opportunity to try this recipe for sweet spicy salmon. The recipe can be EASILY DOUBLED, and has a wonderful flavor.

Thanks for stopping by today. Have a wonderful day, and I sincerely hope you will come back again soon. Take care, and may God bless you and those you love.

Looking For More SALMON Recipes?

You can find all of my salmon recipes in the Recipe Index, which is located at the top of the page. I have quite a few (we love salmon!), including:

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Original Recipe Source: Danelle, at: https://letsdishrecipes.com/sweet-and-spicy-pineapple-salmon/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Sweet Spicy Salmon

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Total Time

20 mins

Sweet Spicy Salmon is an easy-to-make, delicious seafood dish! Seasoned fillets are covered with a pineapple/Asian-inspired sauce and baked.

Category: Entree, Main Dish, Seafood

Cuisine: All Cuisines

Keyword: sweet spicy salmon

Servings: 2

Calories Per Serving: 335 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

2 6 ounce salmon fillets , no skin
salt/pepper, to season
4 canned pineapple rings , cut in half (JUICE RESERVED)
chopped cilantro (Optional, for garnish)

For Sauce:

¼ cup sweet Thai chili sauce (I used Mae Ploy)
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
½ Tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons brown sugar
⅛ cup reserved pineapple juice (from can)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425° F. Line a baking dish (or small cookie sheet) with a large piece of aluminum foil (larger than pans so edges can be turned. Spray lightly with non-stick baking spray. **NOTE: If doubling recipe, use rimmed cookie sheet to have room for additional pieces.
Place salmon in prepared dish; leave 1" between each one. Lightly sprinkle salmon with salt/pepper. Drain pineapple rings, RESERVING JUICE FOR LATER. Slice rings in half. Place halved rings around long edges of fillets, and in between. Pull foil up to "snuggle" salmon so that any "runaway" sauce will be "held captive" in foil, once added. Set aside.
Make sauce: Place sweet chili sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, brown sugar and pineapple juice (reserved from can) in a small bowl. Whisk well, to combine the ingredients. Spoon or pour sauce over the top of each salmon fillet, to cover surface.
BAKE, uncovered, at 425°F. for 12-15 minutes. Cooking time may vary slightly, due to thickness of fillets used. Check it at 12 minutes. The fish should easily flake with a fork when done. Immediately switch oven to the BROIL setting. Broil salmon for 2-3 minutes or just until the top and edges begin to blacken and crisp up slightly. Remove pan from oven. If desired, garnish each piece with chopped cilantro before transferring to serving plates.
Carefully transfer salmon (use a spatula) to plates to serve. Place pineapple rings around the edges. Spoon sauce from the pan over each piece. Serve, and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Sweet Spicy Salmon

Amount Per Serving (1 fillet)

Calories 335 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Fat 11g17%

Saturated Fat 2g13%

Cholesterol 94mg31%

Sodium 529mg23%

Potassium 853mg24%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 21g23%

Protein 34g68%

Vitamin A 68IU1%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 20mg2%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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02
Oct
2020

Black Beans And Rice

categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Mexican / Southwestern

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Black Beans and Rice is a scrumptious, budget-friendly, meatless meal for the family! A lot of flavor, fiber, and protein in this easy dish!

If you’re looking for a “meatless Monday” kind of meal, may I suggest this easy recipe for black beans and rice? Not only is it meatless, it is fairly inexpensive to prepare, and tastes fantastic! My husband and I recently began setting aside at least one night a week for meatless meals. We are true meat-eaters, but find it to be a wonderful break for us. I originally found this recipe while searching for meatless meals online. I only “tweaked” the original recipe I used very slightly.

This recipe features black beans, brown rice, veggies and spices, which are great options in any tasty meal. Black beans are a wonderful source of protein and have lots of fiber, which helps add to a feeling of fulness. Brown rice also has more fiber, antioxidants, vitamins & minerals than white rice, so it will also help “fill you up”. That’s a win-win, in my book. Here’s how to make black beans and rice:

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

Prepare The Spice Mixture

Before beginning to cook this simple dish, I start by getting the spices together, so they’ll be ready to dump into the skillet later! The spices used add wonderful flavor (and is not too spicy) to the black beans and rice.

The spices you will need for this dish are dried parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Measure them into a small bowl, and give them a stir, to combine. Set the spice mixture aside until later.

A Note About Cooking The Brown Rice

You will need to cook the brown rice in broth (vegetable OR chicken). Brown rice tends to take a bit longer to cook than white rice, so plan a bit ahead on this one, ok? I try to get the rice almost fully cooked before preparing the rest of the dish. You can make it ahead to save time, and then fluff it with a fork before adding it to this dish, if that’s more convenient.

Cook the rice according to the package instructions, but substitute vegetable or chicken broth for the water needed. The broth adds another layer of flavor. It is not absolutely essential to do this, but I highly recommend it! Once the rice is fully cooked, and the liquid has been absorbed, remove it from the heat source, fluff it with a fork, and set aside.

Preparing The Black Beans And Rice

Now it’s time to put this meal together. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large skillet until very hot. Add chopped green peppers and yellow onion to the hot oil. Sauté the veggies for 4-5 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking or burning.

Once done, add drained black beans, minced garlic, diced fresh tomatoes, and the spice mixture to the skillet. Stir well, to fully combine all the spices with the ingredients. I was happy to be able to use a jar of my homemade canned black beans in this meal (YAY).

Add one more cup of vegetable or chicken broth to the skillet. Cook the mixture, uncovered, on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. This just adds in another layer of flavor. When finished cooking, the liquid should be reduced/absorbed.

Add the cooked brown rice to the skillet, and stir well, to incorporate it into the veggies. Cook on medium heat for a couple minutes, stirring often, until the black beans and rice are heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat source.

Time To Serve The Black Beans And Rice

Now the black beans and rice are ready to serve immediately, while hot. The recipe make 3 good sized servings, or 4 smaller servings, and can be easily doubled. When we enjoy this meal, we like to top each portion with a few fresh avocado slices, and a dollop of sour cream (optional). These toppings add color, extra flavor, creamy texture and taste to perfectly complete this yummy, filling meal!

We really love flavor-filled black beans and rice, and I hope you have the opportunity to try this meal soon! Pretty sure you won’t even miss the meat! Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you will come back for a visit again soon.

Looking For More MEATLESS MEALS?

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

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Original recipe source: Ginny, at https://veganinthefreezer.com/acadian-black-beans/

0 from 0 votes

Black Beans and Rice

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

35 mins

Black Beans and Rice is a scrumptious, budget-friendly, meatless meal for the family! A lot of flavor, fiber, and protein in this easy dish!

Category: Entree, Meatless Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: black beans and rice

Servings: 3

Calories Per Serving: 352 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

Spice Mix:

½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

For Remainder Of Dish:

1¾ cup vegetable or chicken broth , low sodium
¾ cup uncooked brown rice
½ Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ medium yellow onion , peeled and chopped
½ medium green bell pepper , seeded and chopped
15 ounces canned black beans , rinsed and drained
¼ cup diced fresh tomatoes
1 large garlic clove , minced
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth (additional) , low sodium

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Measure spices into small bowl. Stir to combine/set aside.
Cook rice according to pkg. instructions, substituting 1¾ cups vegetable or chicken broth for water called for. Once done, and liquid has fully reduced, remove from heat; set aside.
Heat olive oil (medium heat) in a large skillet until hot. Add green peppers and onion. Sauté 4-5 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking/burning. When done, add black beans, minced garlic, diced tomatoes, and spice mixture to skillet. Stir well.
Add one add'l. cup of broth to skillet. Cook uncovered, on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often. When finished, liquid should be fully reduced/absorbed. Add brown rice. Stir well. Cook on medium heat 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until heated through.
Serve immediately, topping each portion with avocado slices/sour cream dollop, if desired, Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

Black Beans and Rice

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 352 Calories from Fat 36

% Daily Value*

Fat 4g6%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Sodium 936mg41%

Potassium 641mg18%

Carbohydrates 66g22%

Fiber 13g54%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 14g28%

Vitamin A 246IU5%

Vitamin C 22mg27%

Calcium 71mg7%

Iron 4mg22%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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15
Sep
2020

Chicken Pasta Casserole

categories: Casseroles, Chicken, Main Dishes

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You’ll enjoy this Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rotini pasta, zucchini, onions, red bell peppers, Parmesan and mozzarella, in a creamy sauce!

I don’t know about you, but we enjoy a tasty casserole every now and then. Casseroles seem to have a little bit of everything in them, feed a crowd, and the leftovers are great the next day! THAT’S a win-win, in my book. This chicken pasta casserole (which is also easy to make) is no exception to that theory. Years ago I made a few changes to the original recipe, and have been happy with the results.

Filled with chicken breast, veggies, curly rotini pasta, spices and two kinds of cheese, it practically has all the food groups represented (except for fruit or dessert, wink wink!). I found my handwritten recipe on an index card in a very old recipe box.

I made this casserole several times many years ago (at least 15), and had written “GREAT” on the recipe, so I decided to cook it again, photograph the process, and share it here on my blog. Here’s how to make this delicious casserole:

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

Prepare The Pasta

Cook rotini pasta (or rotelle) according to the package directions in boiling, salted water. Once the pasta is fully cooked, drain the pasta, and then set it aside. TIP: Make the sauce for the casserole while the pasta is cooking, to save time!

Make The Sauce For The Chicken Pasta Casserole

To make the sauce, first melt butter in a large skillet on medium heat. Add chopped onions, red bell peppers, and sliced zucchini halves to the skillet. Sauté the veggies just until they become crisp/tender (approx. 3-4 minutes). Stir in flour until it’s combined with the veggies.

Cook The Sauce Until Thickened

Now add milk, chicken broth, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and basil to the skillet. Stir to combine all ingredients. Continue cooking, stirring often, on medium heat until the mixture has thickened and is bubbly. Once thickened, add 2 Tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese, and stir again, to combine.

Stir in the cooked pasta and the chicken. Make sure to get everything covered with the sauce. Now you’re ready to put it all in a greased casserole dish, and bake!

Bake The Chicken Pasta Casserole

Spread the casserole mixture into a greased 3 quart casserole dish evenly. Sprinkle the top of the pasta with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, followed by the grated mozzarella cheese.

Cover the pan with aluminum foil, and bake, in a preheated 400°F. oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the foil, and continue baking for 15 additional minutes. It’s done when the cheese has melted and the casserole is fully heated through.

That’s it! Once it comes out of the oven, the chicken pasta casserole is ready to serve, and eat! You can add additional Parmesan cheese to the top as a garnish (if desired), but it really isn’t necessary. This dish is really quite tasty, fresh from the old oven!

I truly hope you enjoy this delicious casserole. You can store leftovers covered in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. Reheat in a microwave for a quick lunch the next day!

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you come back soon for more family-friendly recipes! Have a wonderful 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 quite a few delicious casserole recipes, including:

Interested In More Recipes?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Original recipe source: unknown

5 from 2 votes

Chicken Pasta Casserole

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

40 mins

You'll enjoy this Chicken Pasta Casserole, with rotini pasta, zucchini, onions, red bell peppers, Parmesan and mozzarella, in a creamy sauce!

Category: Entree - Casserole

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken pasta casserole

Servings: 5

Calories Per Serving: 428 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

8 ounces rotini pasta , cooked and drained
1 cup yellow onion , chopped
1 large zucchini , sliced, then slices cut in half
½ cup red bell pepper , seeded and chopped
3 Tablespoons butter
¼ cup all purpose flour
1½ cups chicken broth
½ cup lowfat milk
1 Tablespoon tomato paste *See note
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon basil
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese , divided
2 cups cooked chicken breasts ,cut in bite-sized pieces
⅓ cup grated mozzarella cheese

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook pasta according to package directions. Once done, drain pasta; set aside. TIP: Make the sauce for the casserole while pasta cooks, to save time!
Melt butter in large skillet. Add onions, red peppers, and zucchini. Sauté veggies until crisp/tender (approx. 3-4 minutes). Stir in flour.
Add milk, chicken broth, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and basil to skillet. Stir to combine. Continue cooking on medium heat, stirring often, until mixture thickens and is bubbly. Add half (2 Tbsp.) of grated Parmesan cheese, and stir again. Stir in cooked pasta and chicken until ingredients are coated with sauce.
Grease a 3 qt. baking dish with non-stick baking spray. Spread casserole evenly in dish. Sprinkle pasta with remaining 2 Tbsp. of Parmesan cheese, followed by grated mozzarella. Cover dish with aluminum foil, and bake in a preheated 400°F. oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the foil, and continue baking for 15 additional minutes. When done, serve, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: You can substitute spaghetti sauce or tomato sauce if you do not have access to tomato paste, but increase amount needed to 1.5 Tablespoons.

Nutrition Facts

Chicken Pasta Casserole

Amount Per Serving (1 1/5 of total))

Calories 428 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 7g44%

Cholesterol 74mg25%

Sodium 864mg38%

Potassium 623mg18%

Carbohydrates 47g16%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 7g8%

Protein 30g60%

Vitamin A 993IU20%

Vitamin C 39mg47%

Calcium 171mg17%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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04
Sep
2020

Easy Chicken Jalapeño

categories: Chicken, Main Dishes

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Easy Chicken Jalapeño is a delicious entree, with seasoned pan-seared chicken breasts topped with a brown butter, sweet & mild sauce for serving.

If you’re looking for a simple, but delicious chicken dish with very few ingredients, may I suggest this recipe for easy chicken jalapeño? Seasoned, boneless chicken breasts are pan-seared in butter, then covered with an amazingly SIMPLE, but delicious slightly sweet, and mildly spicy sauce to serve. It can be made in under 20 minutes, too. Hooray!

I have used homegrown and store-bought jalapeños in several recipes over the years, including my Jalapeño Cheddar Bagels and Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread. I like the little bit of spice and “oomph” they give a dish (remove the seeds for less spicy peppers).

When I saw the words jalapeno chicken in one of my old cookbooks, I was afraid it was going to be spicy. It is not! There is a wonderfully flavored, simple sauce that covers the cooked chicken, and it is FAMILY-FRIENDLY! I think you will enjoy it, like we do! Here’s how to make this yummy chicken dish:

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

Prepare The Chicken Breasts

NOTE: The recipe (as written) yields 4 chicken breast servings, but my photos will only reflect the two that I made just for my husband and myself. I also used a huge chicken breast (about 12 ounces), and sliced it horizontally in half, which gave me two cutlets, each about 6 ounces.

Pat the chicken breasts dry. Lightly season each chicken breast ON BOTH SIDES with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place each piece between two pieces of plastic wrap, sealing edges. Pound the chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat mallet (or heavy skillet) until about 1/2″ thick, but still hold their shape.

Pan-Sear The Chicken Breasts

In a large skillet (I used cast iron), melt butter on medium-high heat. Once melted, add the chicken breasts in a single layer. Cook on medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, without moving the chicken.

Carefully turn the chicken over, and cook the other side for 4-5 minutes, or until fully cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F.). The thickness of the chicken will determine how long they take to cook through. Once done, transfer the chicken from the skillet to a plate, and cover with foil to keep it warm. **Do NOT clean the skillet out!

Make The Sauce For Easy Chicken Jalapeño

To make the sauce for the easy chicken jalapeño, you will need all the leftover browned butter and little browned “bits” left in the skillet from the chicken.

Turn the heat to medium. Add the pepper jelly to the skillet, and whisk or stir to incorporate the jelly into the browned butter. Bring the sauce to a boil, continuing to stir until the jelly is fully incorporated, and the sauce is smooth. Remove the sauce from the heat. Now you’re ready to serve this dish!

Serve Easy Chicken Jalapeño

Once the sauce is smooth and hot, it’s time to serve the easy chicken jalapeño! Place a piece of chicken onto each serving plate, and spoon the sauce over the top of each portion. If desired, you can garnish the chicken with jalapeño slices (seeds removed), and then add a spoonful of colorful salsa.

NOTE: You do NOT need jalapeño slices OR salsa for this dish to be perfect, but they DO add some color, and additional flavor. If you do not want to garnish… no worries! The chicken, served with only the yummy sauce on top tastes absolutely wonderful as is!

A Quick Note About Jalapeño Pepper Jelly

I used my own homemade jalapeño pepper jelly, which you can see in the photo below. However, many stores carry it (Walmart, Target, etc.), and it can also be ordered online (Amazon) or found at many farmer’s markets. It can also be used as a topping on cream cheese and crackers (yum!), so it’s a perfect idea for a way to use any leftover jelly!

I hope you enjoy this recipe for easy chicken jalapeño. It really is quite delicious, and is incredibly simple to prepare. Thanks for stopping by… 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?

You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:

Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
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Original recipe source: Juanita Alexander, in “Southern Living Cookbook 1992”, page 310, published by Oxmoor House, 1992.

0 from 0 votes

Easy Chicken Jalapeño

Prep Time

7 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

17 mins

Easy Chicken Jalapeño is a delicious entree, with seasoned pan-seared chicken breasts topped with a brown butter, sweet & mild sauce for serving.

Category: Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Southwest

Keyword: easy chicken jalapeño

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 317 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

For Chicken and Sauce:

4 medium chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) (approx 6 ounces per breast)
salt, pepper, garlic powder to lightly season meat on both sides
2 Tablespoons butter melted
½ cup jalapeño jelly

Optional Garnish: (sliced jalapeños, salsa)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pat chicken breasts dry. Lightly season ON BOTH SIDES with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Place each piece between two pieces of plastic wrap. Pound chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat mallet (or heavy skillet) until about 1/2" thick, but still hold their shape.
In a large skillet, melt butter on medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts in a single layer. Cook on medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, without moving chicken. Carefully turn the chicken over, and cook other side for 4-5 minutes, or until fully cooked through (internal temperature of 165°F.). The thickness of the chicken will determine how long they take to cook through. Once done, transfer the chicken from the skillet to a plate, and cover with foil to keep it warm. **Do NOT clean the skillet out! The remaining browned butter and "browned bits will be used for the sauce.
Make Sauce: Turn heat to medium. Add pepper jelly to skillet; whisk or stir jelly into browned butter. Bring to a boil, continuing to stir until the jelly is fully incorporated, and sauce is smooth. Remove sauce from the heat.
TO SERVE: Place chicken breast onto individual serving plate; spoon sauce over the top. OPTIONAL: garnish with jalapeño slices (seeds removed), and colorful salsa. NOTE: You do NOT need jalapeño slices OR salsa for this dish, but they DO add color and additional flavor. ENJOY!

Recipe Notes

The caloric calculation was made based on using 4 chicken breasts (approx. 6 ounces each) AND a commercially prepared jalapeno pepper jelly with approx. 300 calories per 1/2 cup. Because pepper jellies widely vary in caloric counts, yours may differ, and will impact the total calorie count per portion.

Nutrition Facts

Easy Chicken Jalapeño

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 317 Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value*

Fat 10g15%

Saturated Fat 5g31%

Cholesterol 124mg41%

Sodium 839mg36%

Potassium 629mg18%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Sugar 17g19%

Protein 36g72%

Vitamin A 429IU9%

Vitamin C 4mg5%

Calcium 9mg1%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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21
Aug
2020

Awesome Grilled Pork Chops

categories: For The BBQ Grill, Main Dishes, Pork

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Awesome Grilled Pork Chops are easy, flavorful & juicy! They’re brined in salt/water/sugar overnight, and coated with spices before grilling.

Do you enjoy pork chops? We do, and have them every two or three weeks! Today I want to share a recipe for grilled pork chops that are ridiculously EASY to make, juicy (not dry), and taste WONDERFUL!

The only catch is that you need to plan ahead, because the pork chops will need to soak overnight in a simple brine (which adds flavor, tenderness, and keeps ’em juicy).

The brine only takes a couple minutes to make, and then into the fridge they go. The next day, it only takes a minute or two to make a dry spice rub, and place on the brined chops. Then all that is necessary is someone to grill the pork chops on the ol’ BBQ!

It’s really a totally EASY recipe to make, and I’m confident you’ll enjoy these grilled pork chops! The recipe calls for bone-in chops, but you can substitute boneless if you want (we prefer the bone-in!) Here’s how to make them:

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

Prepare The Brine For The Pork Chops

Making the brine solution is easy! Basically, brining is a technique where meats of all kinds are soaked for several hours in a water/salt (etc.) solution to increase flavor, tenderize, and keep meats juicy. For an interesting quick read on the pros of brining, check out this article.

For this brine, you will combine salt, water and sugar in a large saucepan. Stir and cook the brine on medium heat, until the sugar and salt particles have dissolved.

Take the pan off the heat, and add ice cubes. Let the ice cubes melt; once the brine is at room temperature, it’s ready for the pork chops! See how easy it is to make?

Place the pork chops in a large container with a lid, or in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. The container needs to be large enough so the pork chops are in a single layer (to soak up that brine!).

Turn to coat both sides. Let the chops brine overnight (covered) in the refrigerator.

Make The Spice Mix For The Easy Grilled Pork Chops

The pork chops are coated in a flavorful spice mixture on all sides, before putting them on the grill. The ingredients are paprika, garlic powder, cumin, onion powder, ground mustard, black pepper, and chili powder.

Combine the spices, and then set the spice mixture aside until you’re ready to cook the brined pork chops.

Ready To Grill!

Rinse off the brine and then pat each pork chop dry with paper towels. Generously sprinkle each chop with the spice mixture (on all sides). Rub the spice mixture onto the surface of each pork chop so that it adheres to the meat.

Place the pork chops onto a hot grill. Cook for approximately 10-11 minutes, and then turn chops over. Cook for an additional 10-11 minutes or until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.

The thickness of the chops used will determine the actual length of cooking time. **Our chops were about an inch thick, and took about 11 minutes per side**.

Once done, remove the pork chops from the grill and let them sit for 4-5 minutes, to let the juices redistribute throughout the meat.

Time To Eat Some Awesome Grilled Pork Chops!

Once done, transfer the meat to a serving platter, and get ready to enjoy these awesome grilled pork chops!

We enjoyed them served with green beans, garden fresh Sun-Gold cherry tomatoes and creamy scalloped potatoes on the side.

The chops are quite juicy, and taste absolutely wonderful!

I hope you enjoy this recipe for awesome grilled pork chops! Pretty sure you’re really going to like them.

Thank you so much for stopping by, and please pop in again sometime for another visit, and some wonderful recipes! Have a GREAT day.

Looking For More PORK CHOP Recipes?

You can find all of my pork recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) with lots of recipes, tips, etc..
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Original recipe source: Stephanie, at: https://www.plainchicken.com/the-ultimate-pork-chops/

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

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Awesome Grilled Pork Chops

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

22 mins

Brining Time (inactive)

8 hrs

Total Time

8 hrs 32 mins

Awesome Grilled Pork Chops are easy, flavorful & juicy! They're brined in salt/water/sugar overnight, and coated with spices before grilling.

Category: Entree

Cuisine: American

Keyword: awesome grilled pork chops

Servings: 4

Calories Per Serving: 291 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

¼ cup salt
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 cups water
2 cups ice cubes
4 1" thick bone-in pork chops (approx. 6 ounces per chop)

Spice Mixture:

3 Tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon black pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make Brine: Combine salt, water and sugar in large saucepan. Stir; cook brine on medium heat until sugar and salt dissolves. Remove pan from heat; add ice cubes. Let brine cool to room temp.
Place pork chops in a large container in a single layer, or in a gallon-sized resealable plastic bag. Add the room temp. brine. Let the chops brine overnight, or 8-12 hours in the refrigerator (covered, if using container) .
Make Spice Mix: Combine spices in bowl; set aside until ready to cook brined pork chops.
When Ready To Grill: Rinse brine off chops; pat dry with paper towels. Generously sprinkle chops with spice mix (all sides). Rub spices onto each pork chop so it adheres. Place chops on hot grill. Grill approx. 10-11 minutes; turn chops over. Cook additional 10-11 minutes, or until pork reaches internal temperature of 145°F. Remove from grill. Let chops sit for 4-5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

PLEASE NOTE: The salt/sugar in the brine is not included in the caloric calculation (for sodium or sugar content), since almost all of the brine is rinsed off the meat prior to cooking.

Nutrition Facts

Awesome Grilled Pork Chops

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 291 Calories from Fat 117

% Daily Value*

Fat 13g20%

Saturated Fat 4g25%

Cholesterol 88mg29%

Sodium 84mg4%

Potassium 585mg17%

Carbohydrates 17g6%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 13g14%

Protein 28g56%

Vitamin A 2734IU55%

Calcium 41mg4%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!

14
Aug
2020

Easy Cheesy Enchiladas

categories: Main Dishes, Meatless Meals, Mexican / Southwestern

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Yum

Make a yummy batch of Easy Cheesy Enchiladas in a flash, with cheddar and jack cheese, canned enchilada sauce, onions, and corn tortillas.

One of my lifetime friends gave me her family’s “recipe” for making basic cheese enchiladas over 42 years ago. I have been making them, in one form or another ever since! The recipe (as shown in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page) is her recipe for basic cheese enchiladas, perfect for “Meatless Mondays” (or anytime, for that matter!).

My friend, Nadine, says lightly frying the corn tortillas in hot oil BEFORE filling them, is the secret to making them. Nadine says it’s because the slightly cooked tortillas won’t tear as easily as dry tortillas might when filling them.

I’ve always made our enchiladas this way, and now (42 years later), I’ve probably used this little basic recipe hundreds of times! You can even go WILD (ha ha) and add seasoned ground beef, chicken, turkey or shredded pork, if you want to add some “meat”.

We have enjoyed these little enchiladas so long now, I feel like they are part of our family! It really doesn’t take much effort to make a pan of eight enchiladas (and the recipe can be easily doubled). Here’s how to make them:

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

Preparing To Make Enchiladas

Preheat your oven to 350° Place the chopped onion, and grated jack and cheddar cheeses into individual bowls. NOTE: Set aside about 1/4 cup each of the two cheeses and save for later. You will need this cheese to sprinkle on top of the filled enchiladas before baking.

I like to set the bowls close together, right next to where I will be filling the enchiladas, so it is easy for me to grab the ingredients.

Quick Fry To Soften Tortillas

Heat the oil in a small skillet (large enough for the tortillas, though!). You only need a small amount of oil, (usually about 3 Tablespoons) to barely cover the bottom of the skillet. You amount may vary, based on the size skillet you are using.

Heat the oil on medium-high heat until it is very hot, but NOT smoking. Lay a tortilla in the hot oil, and let it cook for about 15 seconds, then flip it to the other side, using tongs.

Cook 15 more seconds, and then carefully (using tongs) lift the tortilla out of the hot oil, letting the excess oil drip back into skillet, and place tortilla on a paper towel.

Repeat process with all 8 tortillas. When done, carefully blot the tortillas with paper towels to soak up any extra oil. Stack the tortillas on top of each other. Now you’re ready to fill the tortillas, and they should be nice and pliable, so they don’t tear.

Filling And Rolling Easy Cheesy Enchiladas

Before filling the enchiladas, spoon just enough of the enchilada sauce in a 9×13 baking dish to cover the bottom. Then, as you fill each enchilada, place it directly on top of the enchilada sauce.

If you’re interested in making your own enchilada sauce (it’s a cinch!), check out my recipe for Easy Homemade Enchilada Sauce!

To fill the enchiladas, place a small handful of grated cheddar cheese right down the middle of the tortilla. Top with the grated jack cheese, and then sprinkle with chopped onion.

TIP: You will have to “guesstimate” on the amount of cheese used to fill each tortilla. Remember you need to divide the cheeses and onions evenly between 8 tortillas!

Once filled, roll the tortilla tightly up and over the filling. Place it in the prepared baking dish, with the seam side DOWN. Repeat this process for each enchilada. Your fingers can get a little messy, but who cares? It’s homemade enchiladas!

Finishing Enchiladas BEFORE Baking

Lay each remaining filled enchilada tightly next to the others. Pour or spoon the remaining enchilada sauce over the top of the enchiladas, until all are fully covered. Cover any exposed tortilla with the sauce (that will help them not dry out while baking).

Use all the sauce to cover those enchiladas! Once done, sprinkle the reserved cheddar and jack cheeses over the top of the enchiladas. If you want more, simply add as much as you wish. Sometimes I even add a bit more chopped onion or chopped black olives, too!

Time To Bake

Easy cheesy enchiladas should be baked in a preheated 350°F. oven. Bake them for approximately 20 minutes. When done, the sauce and cheese should be bubbly around the edges, the cheese on top will be melted, and enchiladas will be heated through.

Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack, and let the easy cheesy enchiladas cool for just a couple minutes. This lets the cheese slightly firm up, so they are easier to remove from the dish for serving.

Serving Easy Cheesy Enchiladas

Use a spatula to remove each enchilada from the pan, and transfer to individual serving plates. These enchiladas go really well with my crock pot refried beans or Spanish rice.

Some of our favorite ways to serve cheesy enchiladas include adding chopped cilantro the the top of each enchilada. It’s really your own personal taste that will determine how you top them (and totally optional to add any extra topping at all!).

You can also just go with a dollop of sour cream on each one, OR you can go wild, and add fresh guacamole AND sour cream. However you serve these enchiladas, I’m pretty sure you will enjoy them. We sure do!

I hope you enjoy these easy cheesy enchiladas. We sure do! It’s a perfectly delicious tasting “meatless meal”. Thank you for stopping by, and I sincerely hope you will stop by again. The printable recipe card is below.

Looking for for Mexican/Southwestern Main Dishes?

You can find all of my recipes in the Recipe Index, located at the top of the page. I have quite a few Mexican or Southwestern inspired recipes, including:

Want More Recipes? Get My FREE Newsletter!

I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1^st and 15^th) 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.

Find Me On Social Media:

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

Original recipe source: my friend Nadine Massey, over 42 years ago

↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓

0 from 0 votes

Easy Cheesy Enchiladas

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

35 mins

Make a yummy batch of Easy Cheesy Enchiladas in a flash, with cheddar and jack cheese, canned enchilada sauce, onions, and corn tortillas.

Category: Main Dish

Cuisine: Mexican, Southwest

Keyword: easy cheesy enchiladas

Servings: 8 enchiladas

Calories Per Serving: 305 kcal

Author: JB @ The Grateful Girl Cooks!

Ingredients

8 medium corn tortillas
19 ounces red enchilada sauce (canned) , 1 lb. 3 ounce can
2 cups grated cheddar cheese , divided
2 cups grated jack cheese , divided
⅓ cup onion (yellow) , chopped
enough oil to cover bottom of small skillet (approx. 3 Tablespoons)

OPTIONAL GARNISH: sour cream, guacamole, chopped cilantro

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

PREP:

Preheat oven to 350° Place chopped onion, and grated jack and cheddar cheeses into individual bowls. NOTE: Set aside about 1/4 cup each of the two cheeses and save for later. You will need this cheese to sprinkle on top of the filled enchiladas before baking. Pour just enough of the enchilada sauce in a 9x13 baking dish to cover the bottom.

Making Enchiladas:

Heat oil in a small skillet (large enough for tortillas) on medium-high heat until very hot, but NOT smoking. Lay a tortilla in hot oil; let it cook for about 15 seconds, then flip it to other side, using tongs. Cook 15 seconds, and then carefully (using tongs) lift tortilla from oil, letting excess oil drip into skillet; place on a paper towel. Repeat process with all tortillas. Blot tortillas with paper towels to soak up oil.
Fill enchiladas: place a small handful of grated cheddar cheese down the middle of the tortilla. Top with grated jack cheese, and then sprinkle with chopped onion, dividing cheeses and onion evenly between 8 tortillas. Once filled, roll tortilla tightly up and over the filling. Place in prepared baking dish, seam side DOWN. Repeat process with each enchilada.
Pour or spoon remaining sauce over enchiladas, until fully covered. Once done, sprinkle reserved cheddar and jack cheeses over the top.
Baked at 350°F. for approx. 20 minutes. When done, sauce and cheese should be bubbly around the edges, cheese melted, and enchiladas heated through. Transfer dish to a wire rack; let cool for 2 minutes, before serving. OPTIONAL: Serve, topped with sour cream, cilantro, guacamole or other toppings of your choice. Enjoy.

Recipe Notes

Oil used to quickly "fry" tortillas not included in caloric calculation. Most oil remains unused (and amount to cover skillet bottom will vary per user).

Nutrition Facts

Easy Cheesy Enchiladas

Amount Per Serving (1 enchilada)

Calories 305 Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g29%

Saturated Fat 11g69%

Cholesterol 55mg18%

Sodium 923mg40%

Potassium 109mg3%

Carbohydrates 18g6%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 17g34%

Vitamin A 949IU19%

Vitamin C 2mg2%

Calcium 437mg44%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest pages!