slow cooker jerk chicken

The slow cooker wins again! This incredibly easy recipe boasts big flavor and very, very little work. Just mix up a fragrant spice rub in your blender, slather it over the chicken, and then let the slow cooker do the rest. You will want to pop the chicken in the oven under the broiler for a few minutes at the end to get that nice, charred, crispy skin that is just not achievable in a slow cooker, but still... SO little effort!

Cooking the chicken in the slow cooker makes it juicy and fall-off-the-bone tender. I don't advocate cooking this on low because even on high it takes a while for the chicken to reach safe temperatures. So, plan this dish for a day when you'll be home and can get back to it after four hours.

This did make a LOT of chicken, but the recipe can easily be halved to fit smaller slow cooker or to feed a smaller crowd. My slow cooker is somewhere around 6 quarts and so a whole cut up chicken fit nicely. If you have a smaller slow cooker, you can buy a 2 pound pack of chicken thighs, drumsticks, or even a couple of breasts and just halve the spice rub. It's that simple.

Jerk chicken is famous for it's spicy heat, but you can eliminate the serrano pepper and still have some freaking delicious chicken. To make it extra spicy, add the serrano to the spices in the blender. For medium spicy, add the serrano sliced up to the slow cooker like I did. And for mild, just skip it all together!

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oven fajitas

Ooo, these are my new favorite thing!!

I love fajitas, but have had a hard time replicating their smoky goodness at home. I don't have a grill or a cast iron griddle, so it's been difficult to achieve that authentic fajita flavor. I've seen this oven method around the interent a lot lately, so I thought I'd give it a shot. SO glad I did!!!

Roasting the meat and vegetables in the oven gives them a slightly charred edge and a hard to replicate sweetness that you just can't get in a plain old skillet. Even better yet, you don't have to stand over the stove and babysit it while it cooks! Set it and forget it! YES. (can you tell how excited I am about this?)

I went with a vegetable heavy mix to keep costs low. I specifically used more green bell pepper and onion than anything else, because these are the two least expensive vegetables. I only used one small chicken breast (probably about 3/4 lb.) and sliced it very thin. The meat to veggie ratio was perfect after everything had cooked down. If you want to make this vegetarian, try using sliced portabello mushrooms in place of the chicken.

I like to keep my fajitas simple, with just a splash of lime, a few cilantro leaves, and a dollop of sour cream. I find that the lime really makes the flavors pop, but the other toppings are completely up to you! Play with it! :)

Oh, and although the ingredient list may look long, most of that is the fajita seasoning mix. If you want, you can just buy a packet of fajita seasoning instead, although they're charging you a great deal for the simple act of stirring spices together!

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honey mustard chicken salad

I was really craving some chicken salad this week, so I set out to find a new twist on the old classic. I knew I wanted cranberries, so I took quick inventory of my fridge and pantry and came up with this honey-dijon mustard dressing and added celery to bulk the whole thing out and stretch the cost.

Chicken salad is always going to be on the expensive side and the total cost will depend heavily on the price of your chicken. Even if chicken is fairly expensive in your area, I'm willing to bet that making chicken salad yourself will be far less expensive than buying it pre-made from the deli, where it can sometimes top $10/lb.

You can eat this salad on a sandwich, piled onto some spinach leaves, with yummy crackers, or by itself with a fork (like I did once I realized that I had no bread, no pita, no crackers, and no spinach - ha!). However you eat it, it's quick, delicious, and filling!

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salsa chicken casserole

I'm still all about these easy, one dish dinners. This one is very similar to the ultra popular Taco Chicken Bowls, but it's made in the oven and takes about an hour, as opposed to eight in a slow cooker. The directions go something like this: dump, stir, cover, cook, eat, be happy.

One little jar of salsa adds so much flavor to this dish that I almost feel like it's cheating and the little bit of cheddar on top really made it rich and satisfying. Next time I might even try a little dollop of sour cream! Either way, this recipe was a no brainer to make and a definite tummy pleaser!

I used a couple Budget Bytes tricks to make it more affordable. As usual, I used reconstituted bouillon for the broth instead of canned chicken broth. I've also been buying big 2lb. bags of shredded cheese and then dividing them into four freezer bags (2 cups each, the same size as normal bags of shredded cheese) and this really saves me a lot. Then there's the chicken. I still only buy my chicken breasts on sale. I can usually get them for $1.99/lb. (sometimes less!) if I really keep an eye out. I know not everyone will be able to find this deal, but it's worth mentioning and looking out for!

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chicken in peanut sauce

2013 is going to be GREAT, I can feel it!

This is the first recipe of the year and I already know that it's going to go on next year's "best of" list! It's SO good and SO easy. Peanut and coconut combine to make an incredibly luxurious and creamy sauce for the chicken, which is then sassed up with just a little soy sauce, brown sugar, lime, and sriracha! If you don't have sriracha, you can just add a pinch of red pepper flakes... or just leave it out for a mild version.

Of course this "luxurious" sauce is a little high on the fat content, so make sure to serve this up with a side of some yummy vegetables, like this Crunchy Asian Salad. And, if you can find it, serve it over brown jasmine rice for some added fiber.

Enjoy and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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chicken enchilada pasta

This is a super easy, quick fix for dinner. I made the basic version with just chicken, pasta, sauce, and cheese, but you could get really creative with the add-ins. Try black beans, corn, green chiles, or anything else that usually goes good in enchiladas. I'm sure you could even make this into a delicious vegetable enchilada pasta, too! Saute up some squash and other veggies instead of the chicken and you're good to go!

I used homemade enchilada sauce, which only takes a few minutes to make, tastes better, and costs much less than store bought. Of course, you could always use canned instead, but at least check out the recipe because it's super easy. You could also use shredded rotisserie chicken for this if you don't have chicken breasts.

I got a couple of good deals that also helped keep the price of the recipe low. 1) This is chicken that I had in my freezer from when it was on sale for less than $2 per pound. 2) The pasta was on sale $1/lb. Both of those ingredients are things you can stock up on when they're on sale and then save for later. Always keep your eyes open for deals like that when you're in the store because taking advantage of them will save you a lot in the long run. You just have to remember to actually use it later ;)

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chipotle chicken chili or "C3"

I know, I know, I just made a chicken soup-type dish. Well, sometimes you've gotta work with what you've got. I have a ton of chicken in the freezer, I had some chipotle peppers in adobo sauce left over from another test recipe, and it's getting all fall-like outside. What does that add up to? Chili, of course.

I went pretty light on the chicken in this recipe to keep costs down (even though I got a crazy-good deal on the chicken) and beefed it up with a couple different types of beans and corn. Most of the flavor in this dish comes courtesy of the sweet-spicy-smokey chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. They definitely have a kick, so start with just two peppers and a couple spoonfuls of sauce, and add more to taste.

The V8 juice was my biggest cost and I could have done better. V8 offers a depth of flavor that plain tomato juice can't, so I wouldn't suggest skipping this secret ingredient. Check the bottom shelves of the juice aisle for the large metal cans because they cost less than the resealable plastic jugs. If you have some left over, into the freezer it goes! (makes a great base for soups and cocktails!)

If you can't get a good deal on chicken like I did, you can easily make this into a vegetarian stew. Just add some diced sweet potato for bulk and you're good. Although it's so far from chili at this point that I don't know if it can go by that name anymore, but who cares, it tastes good.

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chicken & lime soup

It's soup season and I couldn't be happier. Soup is tasty. Soup is filling. Soup freezes well. Soup is where it's at.

This is kind of a remake of my old caldo xochitl recipe, but better. A recent trip to a Mexican restaurant made me want to redo this recipe and add more lime, among other things. What we have here is the perfect mix between spicy, salty, and sour - that same famous combo that makes Chinese hot & sour soup so delish. I highly suggest adding a few cubes of avocado because the creaminess perfectly balances the other sharp flavors. If avocados aren't affordable, try sour cream or some cheese.

This soup really doesn't need a whole lot of chicken because it's shredded, which means that you'll have a little chicken in every spoonful. I used only one chicken breast that was about .75 pounds. And before you ask, I bought the chicken breast on special for $1.87 per pound. These sales aren't always around, but when they are you have to take advantage and just stock up your freezer. Keep your eyes peeled for deals, they're out there!

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how to: make chicken broth

I'm going to start this by admitting that this is the VERY first time that I've ever made my own chicken broth. I've been meaning to for years... and it's almost hypocritical of me not to, but for some reason I never got around to trying it.

So, don't read this post as a "definitive guide" to making chicken broth, but rather a "here is my experience, you should try it too!" Also, because I know there are A LOT of you who have been doing this for years, I'd love it if you'd share your tips, tricks, and experiences in the comments so that we can all learn from each other :)

So what was my experience? OMG, so easy. Seriously, dump it all in the pot and let it go. Come back later and you have a magical golden liquid full of flavor and good for you nutrients. Why wouldn't you want to do this?! Plus, I always get warm and fuzzy inside when I know that I've reduced my waste. By making broth you get to use every last bit of goodness in your chicken and vegetable scraps. I can't wait to make some vegetable broth too!

A couple good tips I've already gotten from readers:

1) Save your vegetable scraps from other recipes in the freezer until you're ready to make broth. Just make sure they're well washed first to remove sand and dirt.

2) Theresa suggested making the broth in a slow cooker instead of on the stove top for even less baby sitting. Let it go all night and you'll have an ultra-amazing broth by morning!

I can't wait to hear everyone else's tips!

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slow cooker chicken

Cooking a whole bird is probably my least favorite task in the kitchen. Something about it just makes me want to moan and groan and ... well, just find someone else to do it!

Until I found this method. It's SO EASY. I first saw this on Slow Cooker From Scratch, and have since been seeing it all over pinterest. So, of course, I had to try it out.

It's easy, you can season it any old way you like, and it's a great alternative to the store bought rotisserie chickens. The meat is ultra tender when done and with just a few minutes under the broiler, the skin is just as golden and crispy. You can serve this whole as a main dish or pick the meat off to use on sandwiches (say good bye to salty deli meat!), burritos, tacos, enchiladas, salads, or a million other things.

I have a fairly large slow cooker and to this day I still don't know it's official size - it's somewhere between 5 and 7 quarts. I chose a 5 pound chicken, which by the look of it, would fit nicely in my cooker. It just barely fit. So, my suggestion is to find a chicken that looks like it will fit, and then pick one that is smaller than that one ;) My chicken yielded about 6 cups of cooked meat.



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honey balsamic chicken tenders

Funny story - I was going to make this recipe with chicken thighs, but they were $3.49/lb. and the boneless, skinless chicken breasts were on sale (again) for $1.99/lb... so... yeah. Chicken tenders it was!

Obviously not everyone will catch this $1.99/lb. chicken sale as often as I do, so go with whatever cut is the best deal. To make this recipe with something like chicken thighs, just brown the thighs in the skillet (just like I did with the breasts) and finish cooking them in the oven for about 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees. Prepare the sauce in the skillet in the same manner as listed below. The sauce should be enough for four medium sized chicken thighs.

This chicken is bursting with flavor from the tangy balsamic vinegar, sweet honey, and rich butter. I seasoned mine simply with salt and pepper, but if you want a more herbal flavor you could always add a pinch of dried basil or thyme.

I've been eating my Honey Balsamic Chicken Tenders with the Jewel Pasta from earlier this week and they're a perfect pair!!

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curry chicken salad

I was definitely slow to get on the curry train. In fact, I distinctly remember not linking curry spices. Luckily, people grow and change as they experience life and I eventually came around (thanks to experiences like quick curried chickpeas!).

Out of all of the recipes I've made with curry spices, this might just be my favorite. Something about the curry with the creamy mayo/yogurt dressing is just perfect! Not to mention the subtle sweetness of the raisins to balance it all out... Mmmm.

Chicken salad is never really "cheap", but when you get your chicken on sale (as I did here for $1.99/lb) it approaches affordable. And then when you consider the fact that you can sometimes pay $10/lb. for pre-made chicken salad at the deli, this is actually quite a steal. So, even if you have to save this for a special occasion, bookmark this recipe because you won't be sorry you did!

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tandoori chicken bites

A week or so ago, I got a wonderful email from a fellow New Orleanian (is that a word?) who said she had seen some yummy looking tandoori chicken nuggets at Whole Foods and she wondered if I could try my hand at making some. Well, I ran right out to that very same Whole Foods, bought the chicken nuggets to taste them, and set to work making my own.

I think I achieved a pretty close replica! Neither nuggets (store bought or my own) are breaded, but if you prefer a breaded nugget, the marinade would make an excellent base to adhere some bread crumbs too. I thought about it, but in the end didn't feel like breading would mix well with the tandoori flavor.

The tandoori spice mix that I used for this recipe was adapted from this recipe. Since most of the marinade is wiped off prior to baking, it wasn't at all spicy. I wanted mine spicy, so next time I think I'll sprinkle on a little bit more cayenne just before baking.

I baked the nuggets because that's just what you do with nuggets, but realized later that it would have been much faster and easier to just toss them onto my George Foreman grill. They'd be a little bit flatter on the grill, but SO much less time and effort.

Oh, and in anticipation of these chicken bites being spicy (which they weren't), I made a cooling raita dipping sauce to go along side. That will be posted later today!

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honey spice chicken thighs

So, I got a really excellent deal on chicken thighs this week - $0.99 / lb. Ironically, the regular 2 lb. package was the same price as the large, 5 lb. "value pack." No sale or anything! Sometimes you just need to look a little closer!

Obviously not every store will have this fantastic deal on chicken thighs, but this recipe will probably be pretty inexpensive either way. The other ingredients required are also fairly inexpensive.

I used 8 of the 10 chicken thighs in the package and froze the other two for later use. The thighs were pretty big, so I am costing it out at one thigh per serving. Also, I experimented with skin on and skin removed thighs and, I have to say, the skin off were much better!

If you're not into spicy, you can leave out the cayenne and this recipe will still be excellent! The seasoning glaze is a great mix of sweet, smokey, and garlicky. The cayenne just gives it an extra kick.

This recipe is super easy to prepare and requires little attention, so you can use the extra time to prepare a salad or whatever side dishes you want!


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chicken yakisoba

Let me first say that I'm sure this is not authentic yakisoba. I've never eaten yakisoba on the streets of Japan, but I have seen Mark Bittman make this yakisoba on his show, The Minimalist, and I knew I had to make some.

It looked easy, it had tons of vegetables, and the sauce looked like an interesting combination of salty, sweet, tangy, and spicy. I've grown tired of my usual teriyaki sauce that I use on most of Asian dishes, so this was a nice deviation. The sauce contains worcestershire and ketchup, which truly does offer a unique flavor. I used a whole tablespoon of sriracha in my sauce, but as you may know by now, I like things spicy. If you're not into spicy, you can leave that out all together or just add a dash or two of sriracha or any hot sauce. I suggest using at least a little because it does add some flavor and if you use just a bit, the heat won't even be detectable.

I will admit that I may have overcooked my vegetables and noodles, but guess what? It was still so freaking delicious that I couldn't wait until I was finished photographing to eat a bowl. You gotta try this stuff!

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chicken noodle soup

It's been incredibly warm and summery here all winter, but today was cold, dark, and rainy. Which is perfect because I had planned to make a big 'ol pot of chicken noodle soup to soothe my tired, achy body. I hadn't made chicken noodle soup from scratch in probably 6 or 7 years, but I knew it was exactly what I needed. There's no bouillon needed here, folks. This broth is the real deal. Every time I've made this soup I'm always surprised at how just a few simple ingredients can create such a flavorful broth.

This soup is seriously easy but it does require some time to simmer. It can easily be adapted for the slow cooker, if that fits your schedule better. Just pop everything in the slow cooker and cook on high for four hours or low for eight. Pull the chicken out at the end and remove the meat from the bones in the same manner.

Speaking of bones, you really want to get chicken on the bone for this recipe. The bones and connective tissue add a lot to the flavor of the broth. Yeah, it sounds scary to the uninitiated, but I promise, bones are the secret to a good broth.

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chicken piccatta

Need a main dish that's full of flavor but only requires a few ingredients? I've got you covered. This dish is simple, flavorful, yet elegant enough to impress a date or your in-laws. When garlic and lemon come together with a little butter and fresh parsley, you just can't lose.

Chicken piccatta is traditionally made with white wine in the sauce, but I didn't have any around (I know, I was shocked too) so I subbed it with chicken broth. The sauce was still finger-lickin' good so I didn't feel like I was missing out. But, if you have wine around, by all means, use some of it for this dish!

The serving size might seem small (each piece is about the size of a deck of cards), but you can bulk it out by serving the chicken over pasta, or if you want something fancier, try this lemon parsley pasta. Or, just serve it with a green side salad and some garlic bread for a classic meal.

And, as always, I get great prices on my chicken breasts by buying a large pack (5 lbs.) and freezing them in recipe sized portions (2-3 breasts per freezer bag). When purchased this way, the price is often at least $1 less per pound. You can double up on the savings buy keeping an eye out for sales as well.

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thai chicken pizza

Due to poor planning on my part, I only came out of this weekend with one recipe to post... but boy, oh boy, is it a GOOD one!! These little individual Thai chicken pizzas on homemade naan bread are just heavenly. ...to say the least.

I made my pizzas on homemade naan, but if you don't want to make a batch, you can always use store bought naan or even pita bread. But if you haven't tried this naan recipe yet, you definitely should. It's soft, light, fluffy, and full of flavor.

I tried to keep it simple with the ingredients and toppings because, if you ask me, there's nothing worse about making homemade pizzas than to have them be really complicated. If you want to go a step or two further and try some more toppings, try pineapple, jalapeno, Thai basil, or green onion. If you want an extra special peanut sauce for the base (instead of the super quick version that I made here), check out this peanut sauce recipe.

Lastly, I have all of the ingredients/toppings for these pizzas stored in individual containers in my fridge. This way, I can quickly top and cook a pizza "to order" and have them hot and fresh! These pizzas are so easy and delicious! I will be making them again!

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pineapple teriyaki chicken thighs

Ever since making the Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Chicken Thighs, I've kind of fallen in love with baked chicken thighs. They're super easy, the flavor possibilities are endless, they're juicy and tender, and they're usually fairly inexpensive.

So this week, I whipped up a quick pineapple teriyaki sauce to paint the thighs with and they turned out really delicious. I experimented with baking some with skin and some without. They both turned out very juicy and delicious! The pineapple sauce held the moisture in the skinless thighs nicely. The thighs with the skin on were definitely prettier, but not any more moist.

I baked the thighs at 375 degrees until the sauce on top turned a nice golden brown. It ended up taking close to an hour so next time I think I'll increase the temperature to 400 degrees. With a small increase in temperature like that I don't think you'll be in danger of not having the inside cooked before the outside browns, and it should make the whole process a bit faster. Since I cooked at 375, I'm still going to write the recipe that way. I just wanted to present the option.

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turmeric chicken

I fell in love with Indian food last year and have craved it ever since. I've experimented here and there but it's still completely uncharted territory to me. I recently discovered the show Spice Goddess on the Cooking Channel and I watch it whenever I get a few spare minutes.

Last week I saw her make this Chicken South Indian Style and was totally inspired. Sure, I didn't have *any* of the spices called for in the recipe, nor did I have time to go hunt them down, but cooking is all about improvising. My yellow jasmine rice is one of my all-time favorite recipes that I've ever made for the blog, so I decided to use a similar mix of spices for this recipe.

And of course, there is the jasmine rice. So simple, so aromatic, SO important. This dish just wouldn't be the same without the jasmine rice. It's worth hunting down if your local market doesn't have it. Ethnic markets or major supermarkets with well stocked ethnic aisles should carry jasmine rice in large, 5 lb. bags, which will be a fraction of the cost of the small "gourmet" rice brands. Check the bottom shelf, it's usually hiding there.

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