Day 2 Recap & Recipe for Homemade 'Deli' Chicken Breast

Supposedly there comes a point during this challenge where you wake up and jump out of bed with endless energy.

Today was not that day....

Even though I got my full 7+ hours of sleep that the challenge encourages, I still was dragging when my alarm went off at 6am. But I managed to make myself look pseduo-presentable, pack up my breakfast {eggs with turkey sausage and sweet potatoes} and snacks {trail mix of almonds, cashews and dates & Well Fed's "antipasto" snack of red pepper strips, black olives, a few slices of cold roasted chicken {recipe below}, and a pickle}, and make it out the door in time.

I had my morning cup o' joe {black} when I got into work. I'm thinking about making this recipe for a paleo creamer and keeping it in the office fridge. I don't completely hate drinking my coffee black, but smoothing it out with a little creamer does sound lovely. I didn't get hungry for breakfast until around 9:30 {this is normal for me- I've never been able to eat first thing in the morning}, so I made my way to the kitchen to nuke my eggs.

Not the prettiest girl at the prom, but still delicious.

The rest of the morning was pretty uneventful {life as a desk monkey usually isn't very exciting} and I went home for lunch around noon. Lunch was this week's "specialty" of italian chicken sausage {Target's Simple Balanced brand if you're curious where I found a Whole30 approved sausage} and roasted brussels sprouts.

This is literally one of my favorite paleo meals and I'm sure it will make its appearance a couple more times before the challenge is over. I followed it with a bit of my trail mix that had gone untouched throughout the morning {mostly because I ate breakfast so late} and headed back to the office.

Snacked on my "antipasto" around 3pm. Personally, I like to eat about 2 hours before I work out. I don't really see it as a "pre-workout" meal in the traditional sense of needing to fuel myself before hitting the gym with the correct ratio of protein/fat/carbs but rather I find my workout goes just a little better when I'm not on a completely empty stomach.

After a WOD full of hang snatches, lateral jumps, and burpees I went home, downed a banana {mmmmm....after workout carbs} and a couple more pieces of cold chicken breast, and got to work on dinner. I made PaleOMG's Spaghetti Squash Pizza Pie. It took a bit longer than I would've liked {mostly because you have to bake it twice- once roasted the squash and a second baking the entire casserole} but it came out awesome. If I make this again, I'll probably pre-roast the squash on my prep day so it's ready to go and doesn't take so long to make the night of. I also made my own italian sausage by mixing in this seasoning blend with ground turkey {my grocery store didn't have any ground pork this week (sad)} and added in mushrooms and some red bell pepper for more veggies.

In order to dissuade myself from snacking on a ton of fruit after dinner, I immediately brushed my teeth. It's actually kinda working. More because I'm so lazy and if I ate something, I'd have to brush again and who wants to do that? I shall now spend the rest of my night sipping on water {and staying out of my pantry} and watching Juan Pablo on the Bachelor.

Now, my apologies for anyone that came here just looking for a simple chicken recipe and had to read all about my day. Here ya go :)

Homemade Deli Chicken Breast

What You Need:

• 1 lbs Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
• Salt
• Pepper
• Dried Oregano
• A couple cloves Garlic, minced
• A couple tsp Lemon Juice

What To Do:

1. Preheat over to 350F
2. Season both side of the chicken breast with salt, pepper, and oregano. Lightly rub on minced garlic.
3. Place in glass baking dish and lightly drizzle with lemon juice. You don't need a ton, just a bit to give it some brightness
4. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes, until juices run clear.
5. Allow to cool in the fridge for about 30-45 minutes then slice thin {It's important to really cool it before slicing. This will help get really thin slices. You could also toss it into the freezer for not as long to firm it up}
6. Store in fridge and snack at your leisure. Also really good on salad and in lettuce wraps!

Fake Out Mexican Pot Pies

Dear pot pies of the world-


I'm sorry I never gave you a fighting chance.  I'm sorry I never had fond memories of you as a child.  For all I knew, you used to live in the freezer.  I would pop you in the microwave and you would come out bland and soggy and hot as lava.  Good bye taste buds. 

I'm sorry I resisted you for so long.  I never knew how delicious you could be.  That you could have depth and flavor but still be crazy easy to make. 

And if you see him, could you please tell your friend frozen puff pastry that I think I love him? He kinda rocks.

Love,
Sarah


Note for the pot pie aficionado out there, be kind to this dish.  It's not a true pot pie like you know and love.  It's more of a super thick, creamy soup topped with an awesome puff pastry topper.  Just go with it- it's delicious, no matter what you call it.

"Frito Pie" Buffalo Chicken Chili

No offense to the fantastic lunch ladies at Jane Addams Elementary, but their culinary creations were never the best.  

Square, tasteless, luke warm pizza? Not my fave.  BBQ Ribber (the school lunch version of a McRib)? Not even sure what meat it was made of..... And don't even get me started on chicken nuggets that you could bounce off your tray....

However, there was one meal they made that I absolutely loved and was every kid's favorite. Taco in a Bag. Let me repeat- Taco. In. A. Bag.  Need I say more?

Wait? You don't know what I'm talking about? You've never experienced a snack size bag of Nacho Cheesier Doritos filled with taco meat, lettuce and cheese? I'm so sorry- you must've had a tragic childhood.

Apparently there's another version of this found in gas stations across the South called a Frito Pie. Similar concept: Fritos + chili + cheese.  Well, this chili is the result if Taco in a Bag met a Frito Pie, fell in love and had a Chicken Chili Baby.

Ok- I realize that probably does sound too amazing, but you have to trust me- it'll knock your socks off.  Soooo good.  Also, perfect for any Superbowl parties you may have coming up :)

Chicken Breast with Mushroom-Red Wine Sauce

I can’t help it. Try as I might, I will always be a Midwestern girl.  I’ll forever call it “pop” no matter how many people correct me and tell me it’s “soda”.  Chicago will always be my favorite city in the whole wide world.  And for me, meat and potatoes is what hits the spot on cold dark winter nights. 

Well, that and watching Love Actually all December long. It’s in my top 5 Christmas movies. (And I don’t care what you say- yes, it’s a Christmas movie).

So when I came upon this dish in my binder o’ recipes and realized a) it sounded fantastic and b) I’d never made it before, I had to give it a whirl.

Earthy, meaty mushroom. Red wine. Thyme. Oh so fantastic.  And incredibly easy.  The entire dinner took me like 15 minutes start to finish. (Yes, I did cheat and used boxed mashed potatoes. If you’re not keen on them, obviously it’ll take you a bit more than 15 minutes to make traditional potatoes. I don’t have the patience for that)

Bruschetta Chicken

I know, I know- another Italian-inspired chicken meal- how original....


But I swear I've branched out this summer.  Over the past few months, I've experiemented with Indian and Thai dishes, whipped up some plates featuring shrimp (what?!) and mahi mahi (gasp!) and salmon (holy cow!), and figured out the perfect guacamole recipe (something I hated until a couple months ago).  And I've loved it all. 

But I stumbled upon this little gem of a dinner and couldn't let it go.  Hopefully some of you have a garden overflowing with tomatoes that you can use for this incredibly simple and fresh dish.  I had to go to my local grocery store to pick some up because I can kill a plant just by looking at it....But I did get the ones "on the vine"- so it's kinda like I grew them, right?

Inspired by Skinny Taste


What You'll Need:
8 oz Whole Wheat Spaghetti
1/4 cup chopped Red Onion
2 Tbsp EVOO, divided
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
S&P to taste
3 Tomatoes
2 cloved Garlic, minces
2 Tbsp Fresh Basil, chopped (splurge and use fresh this time- makes ALL the difference)
3 oz Mozzarella, cubed
1 1/4 lb Chicken Breast, cubed into 1 inch chunks
4 Tbsp Pesto (optional)


What To Do:
1. Get a pot of water boiling and cook up your pasta.  While that goes, in a large bowl, combine onion, 1 Tbsp EVOO, balsamic, and S&P and let it "chill out" for a while.  While that sets, chop up the tomatoes and add to the onion-oil-balsamic mix along with adding the garlic and basil. Set aside in the fridge. 

2.  While the veggies marinate, heat the remaining 1 Tbsp EVOO in a medium pan.  Season chicken with S&P and cook up until done.  Toss mozzarella into bruschetta mixture once ready to serve.

3.  On a plate, lay down a bed of spaghetti. Top with chicken and bruschetta.  If you want everything a little bit "saucier", stir in a Tbsp or so of pesto.

Orange Chicken

In general, I don't eat out too often.  It's expensive. Usually it's full of fat and grease and gross. Plus I just like cooking.

But I do have my weaknesses.  We all know about my love of chocolate and coffee.  I've managed to keep my cravings for Sausage and Green Pepper Pizza at bay with this crust recipe.  But there was still one more- Orange Chicken. 

Sweet. Spicey. Fried to a crispy goodness. Yeah, that last part can be an issue.  But not with this version.  A light breading sauted in just a bit of oil gives you all the flavor without the extra 1000 calories (not kidding....). The sauce is crazy simple to make.  Cook up the veggies, throw it over top of some brown rice and you have a meal my friend

Chicken with Roasted Peppers

There's only one word to describe the weather here as of lately: crappy.  I feel like I've been teleported to Seattle minus all the awesomeness of amazing coffee and fantastic music.  Instead I'm stuck with cold and clouds and rain.  And the Amish.  Which I pass everyday on my way to work.  Which is reason #482 why I need to find a new job.  Preferably one that allows me to wake up at 10am and be done by 3pm.  And that lets me work in my PJs with my hair a hot mess.  And pays me to spend my entire day in my kitchen baking and cooking and taking pictures and typing. But I digress......

 

So what do I do when the weather doesn't agree with my desire to have cocktails on my back porch?  I search my cook books and magazines for something all nice and cozy and comforting.  And what fits the bill better than a near-stew of chicken and roasted peppers in an amazing tomato sauce and plenty of bread to mop up the left over goodness?  Props to Rachael Ray magazine for the recipe.

Asian Chicken Stirfry

So, if you've been an observant reader of my random recipes, you'll notice I tend to lean towards 1) chicken, 2) Italian-esque dishes, or 3) Mexican flavored things.  I admit it, my tastes are simple.  Don't get me wrong, I like plenty of other things, but for some reason, when I'm looking for things to make, those are my go-to's.
So I wanted to try something I normally wouldn't.  Yes, its still chicken, but we're going Asian tonight.  I based this this recipe off of one from (once again) SkinnyTaste.com.  In her version, she makes glazed drumsticks.  I already had frozen chicken breasts at home and figured the sauce would be awesome with veggies as well, so just threw it all together. 



Asian Chicken Stir-fry





How Long Is This Gonna Take: About 40 minutes 

But Is It Good For Me:
Makes 4 servings, 6 points+ per serving 

What You'll Need:

What To Do:
1. Coat a large saucepan with some cooking spray and add chicken. Once cooked through, remove from pan and cover with foil to keep warm.  To the same pan, add water, chili sauce, balsamic, soy sauce, sugar, and garlic.  Bring sauce to a boil.  Then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes

2. Then remove cover and bring heat back up to high.  Reduce glaze down until it thickens, about 8-10 minutes.  Careful not to burn the glaze.  While glaze reducing, steam your veggies (I bought the "steam in the bag" ones and was able to just throw them in the microwave).  Once reduced, turn off heat, add chicken and veggies to the pan and coat with glaze.

3.  Dish out onto plates/bowls and top with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.


Sorry there aren't more pictures. This one isn't too "aesthetically pleasing" until assembled



Chipotle-BBQ Chicken with Red-Skinned Mashed Potatoes

There's nothing more tasty on a chilly November evening than good ol' hearty meat 'n' taters. However, the chicken-lover that I am didn't want to cook steak (plus I'm cheap and already had a ton of chicken in the freezer hehe). I don't remember if I tore this recipe for Chipotle-BBQ Chicken with Red-Skinned Mashed Potatoes out of my Food Network magazine or the latest issue of Rachael Ray, but its from one of the two :) Its got a little bit of heat to it (which I intensified with the addition of some extra chipotle pepper seasoning), but it can easily be made more mild but just cutting out some of the pepper or the addition of lime juice if you're a little adventurous to add some citrus (Chipotle pepper and lime juice is an EXCELLENT combo- great flavor profile for an easy grilled chicken salad so you don't need to add fatty dressings)

How Long Is This Gonna Take Me:
Roughly 1 hour, split between 30 mins prep and 30 mins baking time for the chicken. I always do my "baked" dishes on the weekends because I'm willing to give them more time.


What You'll Need:
6 tbsp butter (so you KNOW it has to be awesome. hehe)
6 large cloves garlic, chopped (or 1 tbsp minced from a jar)
1 large onion, chopped (I used about 1/2 a large red onion- any more would have been too much in my opinion)
1/4 cup chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped (I didn't have to buy these since I had them left over from a couple weeks ago when I made the Fiery Chicken Chili- I just kept them in a sealed container in my fridge and they were as good as new)
3/4 cup ketchup
3 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
8 chicken thighs, about 2 pounds (I used 2 very large chicken breast, each sectioned into 3 fairly equal sized pieces for quicker cooking)
1.5 lbs small red-skinned potatoes (cut into half if you get the "baby" ones, or cubed if you get the larger ones)


What To Do:1. Preheat oven to 425F. Cover a rimmed baking dish with foil (and I then sprayed it with cooking spray for "extra protection"). In a deep skillet, melt 3 tbsp of the butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until golden, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to then remove garlic and place in small bowl (don't worry if you can't get it all- its not a huge deal). Add onions to skillet and cook until golden, about 5-7 minutes.

2. Add in chipotle chilies (with some extra sauce if you want some more heat), ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, worcestershire, and garlic (that you pulled out earlier) and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened.




3. Use tongs to coat chicken in sauce and place on baking sheet (feel free to spoon extra BBQ goodness over the top. That's what I did which is why the picture just looks like a mass of sauce.) Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes (a meat thermometer is your friend...worth the investment)

4. While the chicken cooks, in a large pot, cover the potatoes with salted water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Drain and then mash with remaining 3 tbsp butter. Mine looked a little dry so I added some milk too. Serve alongside the chicken.

Chicken Burgers on Garlic Bread

Who doesn't love burgers? But lets be honest...too many and we start looking and feeling like Morgan Spurlock on day 30.... Here's a pseudo-healthy burger that still tastes AMAZING. This Chicken Burger on Garlic Bread is from the cookbook Weight Watchers in 20 Minutes. (Its 7 points for those interested)


How Long Is This Gonna Take:
As the title of the book says, about 20 minutes. Yay! Quick and Easy!!


What You'll Need:
1 pound ground chicken (I actually used ground turkey as I find it more flavorful)
2 tbsp bread crumbs
2 tbsp Dijon mustard (I used this horseradish mustard M always buys to put on sandwiches)
2 shallots, minced (I substituted about 1/4-1/3 cup chopped red onion)
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 loaf french bread, cut into 4 pieces and then split (I bought rolls from the bakery instead-cheaper)
2 tsp EVOO
1 garlic clove, halved


What To Do:
1. Spray rack of broiler pan with non-stick spray and preheat broiler (I put mine on Low because High on my broiler sets my oven to "fire and brimstone")


2. Mix together chicken (turkey), bread crumbs, mustard, shallots (onions), thyme, and S&P in a medium bowl until combined. With damp hands, form into 4 patties


3. Place patties on broiler rack and broil 4 inches from heat, roughly 5-6 minutes on each side (Internal temp should reach 165F )

4. While burgers are cooking, brush the cut sides of the bread (or rolls) with oil. Broil, cut side up, alongside the burgers until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes (keep an eye on them...)






5. Once the bread is toasted, rub the cut side of the garlic over the toasted side of the bread. Create your burger. We topped ours with lettuce and white American cheese :)

Fiery Chicken Chili with Herb Focaccia

I really starting to finally feel like its fall. The weather's getting cooler, the leaves are changing, I've pulled out my sweaters from storage. So I was really feeling a good, warm, hearty dish. Thus, I decided to give RecipeGirl.com's Fiery Chicken Chili a test drive. However, whenever I have soup/stew/chili, I love to have some bread on the side for dunking. About a week ago, M and I were dining out and he ordered a chicken and rice soup that was served with a side of focaccia bread. I LOVED it. So I thought I'd bake some to go allow with the chili. I used an Herb Focaccia recipe from AllRecipes.com. I was a little concerned because the chili definitely had a Mexican taste and the focaccia is very Italian, but they actually paired together great.


How Long is This Gonna Take:
If you're good at multi-tasking, about one hour. If you can't handle having a few things going at a time, add 30 minutes.


What You'll Need:
6 tbsp EVOO, divided
1 yellow onion, chopped, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp dried oregano
2.5 tsp ground cumin
1.5 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1-2 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, finely chopped, sauce reserved
3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into bite-size pieces
2-28oz cans diced tomatoes with their juice
2-15.5oz can of pinto beans
cheddar and sour cream to top if you wish (I left them off)
1 pkg Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix (found in the baking aisle)
1 cup warm water
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme


What To Do:1. Preheat oven to 375F. In a large pot, heat 3 tbsp EVOO over medium heat. Add 3/4 of the onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, and paprika. Stir occasionally and cook until the onions are soft, about 7 minutes.



2. While the onions cook, mix up the focaccia dough. Mix together the hot roll mix and the yeast (included in the box). Add in the water, egg, and 2 tbsp EVOO. Beat for 2 minutes or until the dough starts to pull away from the bowl.





3. Now back to the chili- add in the chipotle, 1 tbsp adobo sauce, and the chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken begins to turn opaque (about 2 minutes). Add in the tomatoes and beans and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer briskly, stirring often, for 30 minutes or until its thickened to your liking.


4. While the chili cooks and reduces, knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place in a bowl coated with cooking spray and turn over dough so that all is coated in oil. Let rest for 5 minutes.


5. While the dough rests, saute the remaining onion, 1 tbsp EVOO, rosemary and thyme until the onions are soft.




6. Roll out dough- depending on what baking pans you have, this is the shape you're going for. The original recipe calls for 2-12in pizza pans. I used a one large bar pan. Whatever pan you use, coat with cooking spray and place dough in pan(s). Use your finger to create indentations 1 inch apart. Spread onion/rosemary/thyme mix over the bread, cover, and allow the rise in a warm place until doubled (about 30 minutes). Cook for 14-18 minutes.


7. While the focaccia is rising and cooking, the chili will have gotten to its appropriate thickness. Cover and turn to low to keep warm but stop reducing. Feel free to add more adobo sauce if you'd like more heat at this point (I added an extra tbsp and it definitely gave it a punch and I was very happy I had the bread to help with the heat). Once the focaccia is done (it will be slightly browned on top), allow to cool slightly, slice (I used a pizza cutter) and serve as a side to your chili.


8. Yum!