Lemon Chicken

The other night I asked the hubby what he wanted for dinner.  Its always a loaded question.  He always comes up with something way off in left field.  This specific night when I asked he first said, "well, what are my choices" and so I started naming off a few things I knew I had all the ingredients in the house to make.  Then he says "I want lemon chicken!"  Lemon chicken?  Where did that come from?  I checked my produce basket (I love my produce basket!  See picture below)  and I actually had several lemons that needed to be used so I started throwing things together to make some lemon chicken.  No recipe, just my imagination, I hope I can remember what I put in it since I made it 4 days ago!

Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders

salt and pepper to taste

small onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (14 oz) can chicken broth

2 lemons, zested and juiced

1 1/2 teaspoon corn starch

Cooked rice

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Saute onion and garlic for a few minutes, until soft, about 3 minutes.  Salt and pepper both sides of chicken tenders.  Add chicken to onions and garlic, cook for about 3-4 minutes per side.

2. Remove chicken from pan, add most of the chicken broth (reserve about 1/4 cup to mix with the corn starch).  Bring broth to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, mix reserved broth and corn starch in a small bowl.  Add starch mixture to the simmering broth and allow to thicken.  

3. Add chicken back into pan with lemon juice and zest, cook until chicken is completely cook through.

4. Serve chicken over rice with lemon gravy.

Chicken Parmesan w/orzo

I don't make chicken parmesan very often.  I'm not really sure why.  It's just not one of those dishes that come to me when I'm in the kitchen opening and closing my refrigerator and pantry trying desperately to find something to make for dinner.  You know you do it too!  I'll open the refrigerator, glance, close it, open the freezer, glance, close it, walk to the pantry, open the doors, glance, close it and start all over again.  I'll do this 3 or 4 times before I finally figure out something to make!  This chicken parmesan recipe is pretty quick to get it together and its tasty.  I hope you enjoy it like I do.

Chicken Parmesan
adapted from Cooking Light's Herbed Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (of course I use more, I'm a cheese addict!)
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 pound chicken tenders
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/2 cups your favorite jarred tomato-basil pasta sauce
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup shredded provolone cheese (I had provolone slices that I used instead of shredding it)
Cooked Orzo (follow package directions)


Directions
1. Preheat broiler.
2. Combine 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley, basil, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish.  Place egg whites in a shallow dish.  Dip each chicken tender in egg whites, dredge in breadcrumb mixture.  Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken, cook 3 minutes on each side or until done.  Set aside.
3. Combine 1/8 teaspoon salt, pasta sauce, vinegar, and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap, vent.  Microwave mixture at High 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Pour over chicken in pan.  Sprinkle evenly with remaining Parmesan and provolone cheese.  Wrap handle of pan with foil, broil 2 minutes or until cheese melts.
4. Serve over cooked orzo.

Chicken Broccoli Poppy Seed Casserole

My husband has been working up in North Dakota for the last couple of months.  He went up there the end of September and just came home November 16th.  He was home with us for 2 weeks.  The living arrangements aren't the best up there for him.  He is living in a motel and eating out (usually fast food) for most meals.  So his last night home I asked him what he wanted me to make him for his last home cooked meal.  His answer "Chicken Broccoli Poppy Seed Casserole."  Out of all the things I make this is what he wanted to eat...its no where near my favorite meal but he loves casseroles.  So, since he loves the dish so much I figured I better post it in case there are other huge casserole lovers out there.

Chicken Broccoli Poppy Seed Casserole

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 cup uncooked rice, cooked and cooled
14 oz can cream of chicken soup
2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup milk
frozen broccoli
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 sleeve of Ritz crackers

Directions
1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Spray a 13X9 casserole pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine first 7 ingredients in a large mixing bowl, pour contents into casserole pan.
3. In a ziploc bag break up the crackers into small pieces, pour melted (and slightly cooled) butter into ziploc bag and toss to coat all crackers with the butter.  Sprinkle buttered cracker crumbs on top of casserole mixture.  Bake 30-40 minutes, until mixture is bubbly and cracker crust is slightly browned.