Cheesy Chicken Chowder

Oh, goodness, this is such a yummy soup! This kid-friendly soup is full of mild vegetables and chunks of tender chicken in a creamy cheddar cheese broth. I've also used turkey in this recipe with very good results. "Quick Beer-Wheat Bread", posted on 1/26/2015, was a wonderful accompaniment to this cheesy soup. This is a simple, yet hearty, meal for the family. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 cups chicken broth
2 cups diced peeled potatoes (I like the firm texture of Yukon Golds or red potatoes in this recipe)
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 tsp. salt, or more, to taste
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup unbleached flour
2 cups milk (the calorie count was figured using 1% milk)
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded medium cheddar cheese
2 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey

1. Prep vegetables. In a 4-qt. saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat; add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan; add flour and mix well. Gradually stir in milk; cook and stir over medium-low heat until slightly thickened. Stir in cheese and cook until melted.
3. Add chicken and cheese sauce to broth; cook and stir over low heat until heated through.

Yield: 9 cups
298 calories per cup
1 gm. fiber

This is another yummy recipe from a "Taste of Home" cookbook.

Fast Chicken Rice Soup

This recipe for chicken or turkey soup is wonderful, and takes very little time to prepare because everything goes into the pot without the need for sauteing. Omitting this step gets dinner on the table much quicker, and with far fewer calories. An added blessing at the end of a busy day when the family is tired and hungry. Blessings...

Recipe: 

8 cups chicken broth
1-1/4 cups thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
dash of black pepper
2 cups cubed, cooked chicken or turkey
1 cup uncooked instant brown rice

1. In a large saucepan, combine broth, celery, onion, pepper and poultry seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until celery is tender.
2. Add chicken or turkey, and rice; cover and set aside for 5 minutes. Stir and taste to make sure the meat is heated through and the rice is tender. Yummy!

Yield: 8-3/4 cups
116 calories per cup

Curried Cranberry Chicken Salad

This recipe is a bit different from traditional chicken/turkey salad recipes because of the addition of lime juice and curry powder. The combination of these two flavors works
beautifully with the sweet apple chunks and dried cranberries. Serve this salad alone or with a green salad, and maybe a tasty bread for a simple meal. Blessings...

Recipe:

3/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons lime juice
3/4 teaspoon curry powder
2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey
2 cups diced apple
1/3 cup sweetened dried cranberries
3/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1/4 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

1. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, lime juice and curry powder.
2. Stir in all of the remaining ingredients. Cover and chill. This salad is best served within 8 hours.

Yield: 5 cups
1 cup prepared with chicken breast = 260 calories
1 cup prepared with mixed white and dark turkey = 277 calories
3 gms. fiber

This recipe was adapted from a "Taste of Home Cooking School" magazine.

Pajaro Valley Coleslaw Crunch

This wonderful salad recipe is another of those that goes back to the days when we lived in the Aptos/Santa Cruz area. I got this recipe from a lady at church and have no idea where it comes from, but I do know that this type of salad was very popular in the 1980's and I saw many variations of it. The recipe feeds a crowd, so it is great for potlucks and barbecues. I also make it a main dish salad by adding chopped cooked chicken; we love it. Blessings...

Recipe: 

1 head cabbage
8 green onions
4 tbsps. sesame seeds
1 cup cashews
2 pkgs. ramen noodles, chicken flavor
Chopped cooked chicken, if desired to make it a main dish salad

1. Chop cabbage into bite-sized pieces. Slice onions and add to cabbage. Add sesame seeds and cashews.
2. Break uncooked noodles into small pieces and add to salad. (I put the noodles in a plastic bag and gently use a meat mallet on them to break them into small pieces.)

Dressing:

1 cup peanut oil
6 tbsps. apple cider vinegar
4 tbsps sugar, dissolved in vinegar
seasoning packets from noodles

Mix in blender or whisk together, and toss with cabbage using the amount desired.

Yield: 10 - 12 servings
Calories for the dressing: 81 per tablespoon

Slow Cooker Sesame Chicken

Slow cooker recipes are wonderful anytime of the year, but I especially appreciate them when the weather starts to turn cool. My niece contributed this recipe in a recipe group that we were a part of last year, and I readily tried it. The recipe is very easy, and so flavorful. Inexpensive chicken thighs are slow cooked until the meat falls off the bone. It is then shredded, added back into the sauce and served over stir-fried broccoli and cooked rice. A sprinkling of toasted sesame seed and dinner is ready! This recipe comes from www.emilylovesfood.com  Blessings...

Recipe:

6 skinless chicken thighs, bone-in
1/2 an onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced or 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup water (I used chicken broth; it adds better flavor)
2 cups broccoli florets, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 tsp. sesame oil to stir-fry the broccoli
rice
toasted sesame seed, if desired

1. Place the chicken in the slow cooker and turn the heat to high while the sauce is being prepared.
2. Whisk together the onion, garlic, honey, soy sauce, tomato paste and oil in a bowl; pour over the chicken. Cook on high heat for 1 hour; reduce heat to low and continue cooking for another 3 to 4 hours.
3. About 20 minutes before serving, remove the chicken from the slow cooker to a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. It's easy to shred the chicken in a large flat dish.
4. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and the water, or chicken broth, and stir into the sauce in the slow cooker. Turn the heat up to high to thicken the sauce.
5. Prepare the rice according to package directions.
6. Shred the chicken and add it back to the sauce to warm through.
7. In a skillet, heat the 1 tsp. sesame oil over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the broccoli pieces until they turn a fresh rich green color, their outsides look moist and they are crisp-tender. This only takes a few minutes.
8. To serve, top rice with broccoli, then chicken and sprinkle with sesame seed, if desired. Yummy!

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Chicken Fruit Salad

This chicken salad is wonderfully cool and refreshing. It is an easy main dish to prepare for the evening meal or lunch during these hot summer days. The combination of pasta, fruit, fruit juice and ginger make this recipe very different from the traditional flavors usually found in chicken salad. The salad can be put together in advance as long as the dressing is not added until just before serving. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 tablespoon finely minced onion, preferably red onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup seedless grape halves

1 cup thinly sliced celery

1 can (15 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained

1 cup cooked elbow macaroni (approx. 3/4 cup uncooked)

In a large bowl, combine chicken, onion and salt; mix well.  Add remaining four ingredients; stir gently to mix.

Dressing:

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth.  Pour over salad and stir gently to combine. Serve immediately.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Tip: After draining mandarin oranges, spread them on paper toweling to remove as much excess liquid as possible. Any excess moisture will dilute the dressing.

Strawberry-Basil Chicken Salad

The inspiration for the creation of this yummy salad came from a Taste of Home recipe that I found in one of my older cookbooks. The challenge was that the dressing ingredients for this recipe looked nasty, so I decided to try my favorite dressing recipe with the addition of fresh basil. The wonderful flavor of fresh basil and summer-sun-ripened strawberries is perfect for a main dish meal in the heat of summer. This recipe serves two but can easily be adapted for a larger family. Blessings...

Recipe:

4 cups torn salad greens
3/4 cup cubed cooked chicken
3/4 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1/4 cup mandarin orange slices, drained on paper toweling
1 green onion sliced, white and green parts
1/4 cup coarsely broken pecans, lightly toasted

Strawberry Vinaigrette:

2 tbsp. Balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp. water
1-1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup olive oil or oil of choice
1/2 cup strawberry jam
1-2 tbsp. minced fresh basil or 1-2 tsp. dried, crushed

1. Combine salad ingredients in a large serving bowl.
2. In another bowl whisk together first 6 dressing ingredients.
3. In a slow thin stream, whisk olive oil into dressing ingredients until well combined. Stir in strawberry jam and basil.
4. Add desired amount of dressing to salad, toss and serve.

Yield: 2 servings
Dressing Yield: 1 cup
Note: This salad dressing was created by the cooks at smuckers.com. For variations of the dressing see Yummy Spinach Salad posted on 2/13/2013.

Grape Caesar Salad with Chicken

My family loves salads of all kinds, but especially Caesar salad. This recipe is a variation of the traditional recipe with the addition of grapes and Swiss cheese for a wonderful new flavor twist. I keep it very simple by using my favorite bottled dressing and packaged Caesar croutons. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 head romaine lettuce
3 cups seedless grapes, halved (I prefer red or black grapes to green)
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
3 tbsps. grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups cubed cooked chicken
Caesar salad dressing
Caesar salad croutons

1. Tear lettuce into bite-sized pieces into salad bowl.
2. Add grapes of choice, cheeses, chicken, if using, and croutons; dress with Caesar dressing and toss.
    Taste and add more dressing if needed. Serve immediately

Yield: 6-8 servings as a side dish without the chicken
Yield: 4-5 servings as a main dish salad with chicken

  

Chicken Quesadillas

This recipe for chicken quesadillas is fast, fun and full of southwestern flavor. The chicken and bean filling can be as kid-friendly as you like depending on the heat in the salsa and beans. Top the quesadillas with extra salsa, sour cream and avocado or guacamole for real south-of-the-border flair. I served Guacamole Tossed Salad, recipe posted on 6/13/2014, alongside to complete our meal.  Blessings...

Recipe:

2 cups shredded cooked chicken
3/4 cup or more thick salsa
1 cup refried beans
6 flour tortillas (7-8 inches)
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
1-1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or Mexican Four Cheese Blend
vegetable oil for frying

1. In a small saucepan, combine chicken, salsa and beans. Stir together and heat through.
2. Spoon about 1/3 cup mixture over half of each tortilla; top with onion, cilantro and cheese. Fold over.
3. In a skillet over medium heat, cook quesadillas in about 1 tbsp. hot oil for 1-2 minutes on each side or until cheese is melted and tortillas are nicely browned, adding more oil to pan as needed. Cut into wedges and serve with additional salsa, sour cream and avocado.

Yield: 3-6 servings.

Chicken Salsa Soup

This is one of those recipes that came together when there was leftovers in the fridge that needed to be used up and I was in a hurry to get dinner on the table. Thankfully, this particular time the concoction worked, that isn't always the case. I still have some real failures in the kitchen, but isn't that how we keep learning no matter how long we have been cooking?  Blessings...

Recipe: 

4 cups chicken broth
1-1/2 cups Thick and Chunky Salsa
1 can (16 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
3/4 cup whole kernel corn, drained
2 cups cooked, diced chicken
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. Southwest seasoning
fresh cilantro, minced, if desired

Combine all of the ingredients in a 3 qt. saucepan. Heat just until soup begins to boil and turn heat down to low; cover and simmer for 30 minutes to blend flavors.

Yield: 7 cups
124 calories per cup
4 grams fiber per cup

Easy Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

This easy recipe comes from Campbell's Kitchen, one of my favorite sites to check out on occasion. If you would like to check out the site it is at www.campbellkitchen.com. The recipes are tasty and simple to put together, often with ingredients that we have in our pantries. I also find that most of the recipes are very kid-friendly being made with very simple ingredients. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (regular or 98% fat free)
1/2 cup sour cream, light is fine
1 cup picante sauce
2 tsp. chili powder
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I use Mexican blend)
6 flour tortillas (6-inch), warmed
1 small tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup), optional
1 green onion, sliced (about 2 tbsp.), optional

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Stir the soup, sour cream, picante sauce and chili powder in a medium bowl.
2. Stir 1 cup of the soup mixture, chicken and cheese in another bowl.
3. Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side down in an 11 x 7 x 2-inch baking dish. Pour the remaining soup mixture over the filled tortillas. Cover the baking dish.
4. Bake for 40 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling. Top with the tomato and onion if desired.

Serves: 6
Note: The enchiladas are served with Rice, Black Bean and Vegetable Salad. I will post the recipe tomorrow.

Hot Chicken Salad Casserole

There are many versions of this recipe and most of them have hard-boiled eggs, potato chips, and different kinds of vegetables in them. I stream-lined the recipe and made it a bit less complicated and more kid-friendly for our family years ago. Do taste the casserole before serving it in case you might like some salt and pepper added in. For my husband and I, I cut the recipe in-half and it serves us two meals, so this might serve as a bit of a guide for your family. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 cups diced chicken or turkey

1/2 cup finely diced onion

2 cups cooked rice
1 cup diced celery

3/4 cup mayonnaise (low-fat works fine)

3 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 cup shredded medium cheddar cheese (Swiss cheese also works well)

1 can (10-3/4 oz.) 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
slivered almonds to sprinkle on top for crunch and garnish

1. In a large bowl mix together the first four ingredients.
2. Stir together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, cheese and soup in another bowl; stir into chicken mixture until well-combined. Pour into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
3. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until heated through.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Cold Meat Salad

Salads are a great way to use leftover meat. This salad is wonderful on it's own as a main dish or used as a sandwich filling, as I have done here. The salad makes a nice filling for pita bread for something a bit different from the usuall sandwich bread. This tasty recipe comes from Marlene Sorosky's Cookery for Entertaining, with just a few minor adjustments. Blessings...

Recipe:

1/2 cup chopped green onions (I have also used white onion)
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, lightly toasted and cooled
1/2 (10-oz.) pkg. frozen peas, thawed and drained on paper towels
2 cups diced cooked ham, beef, chicken or turkey
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
2 tsps. prepared mustard

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl.
2. Whisk together mayonnaise and mustard until smooth; stir into salad until well combined.
3. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight to blend flavors.

 Yield: 4 cups
315 calories per 1 cup serving using lean ham and light mayo
4 gms. fiber
 Note: To toast pecans, spread on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes, stirring twice. I also use a frying pan over low heat for about 10 minutes. The pecans will begin to smell so fragrant and wonderful in about 10 minutes, and they will have a bit of crunch.
Note: We use about 1/2 cup salad for a sandwich.

Salsa Chicken over Lemon-Pepper Rice

Busy days don't need to keep us from putting a made-from- scratch meal on the table when it's an easy skillet meal like this one. The combination of a favorite salsa and chicken pieces are wonderful over the lemon-pepper rice. The rice can be made quickly in the microwave, if you like. The rice is also very good as a side dish with meat or fish. A simple fruit or vegetable salad go alongside this easy skillet meal very well. This recipe is another reader-contributed recipe to a Taste of Home cookbook. Blessings...

Recipe:

1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
oil for frying
1 medium green pepper, cut into thin strips (I used 1/4 cup chopped celery and 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots instead)
2 cups salsa

1. In a large skillet, saute chicken in oil for 3 minutes. Remove to bowl.
2. Add green pepper; cook for 3 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender.
3. Stir in salsa and chicken strips; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes or until heated through.

Lemon-Pepper Rice:

2 cups water
1 tsp. lemon-pepper seasoning
2 cups uncooked instant white rice (I use instant brown rice cooked in the microwave. If you do this, be sure to add a bit of butter or oil to the water to keep it from boiling over and making a horrible mess.)

1. In a saucepan, bring the water and lemon-pepper seasoning to a boil. Stir in the white rice.
2. Remove from the heat; cover and let the rice stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Yield: 4 servings

Baked Orange Chicken

This orange chicken recipe is very easy and helps to stretch the grocery dollars if you are inviting friends and family in for Easter dinner. There is no doubt that chicken is much cheaper to serve to a group than the traditional Easter ham. My brother and sister-in-law do chicken barbecue every year for Easter and ask the rest of the family to bring all the side dishes and desserts. This is just one of the many ways to make it as easy as possible on the host family when it comes to important holiday meals. The priority is the gathering of the family, not what is served, so keep it as simple as possible. The chicken is served here with Party Rice and Noodles, recipe posted on 4/11/2014 and Cherry Gelatin Salad, recipe posted on 4/18/2013. Blessings...

Recipe:

2 2-1/2 to 3-pound frying chickens or equivalent pieces
2 eggs
1/3 cup orange juice
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon orange zest (finely shredded peel)
6 tablespoons butter

1. Use a fork to beat together the eggs and orange juice in a bowl.
2. Mix the bread crumbs, salt, paprika and zest in a pie plate.
3. Melt the butter in a 10" x 15" jelly roll pan, or similar large baking pan, in a 400 degree oven. Watch carefully so it doesn't burn. Remove pan from oven.
4. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, then in crumb mixture, then turn in butter to coat; arrange skin side down (don't crowd).
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Turn chicken and bake for another 30 minutes. Cover with foil the last 10 minutes if the chicken is browning too quickly.

Serves 6-8 depending on appetites.

Cashew Chicken Salad with Sesame Dressing

I love main dish salads, especially those that have an Asian flair. One day, about a month ago, when I wanted to prepare a salad of this type for dinner but didn't have my favorite bottled dressing on hand, this low calorie dressing was created to meet the need. It has a very subtle sesame flavor that comes from a bit of sesame oil and the wonderful flavor of Chinese Five Spice Powder. Blessings...

Recipe:

1/2 tsp. sesame oil

2 tbsps. rice vinegar

2 tbsps. soy sauce

2 tbsps. honey

1/4 tsp. Chinese Five Spice Powder

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Serve dressing over a salad of:

Mixed greens or cabbage

Mandarin orange slices

Sliced green onion

Sliced celery

Dried sweetened cranberries

Cashew halves and pieces

Chopped cooked chicken

And of course, anything else that you and your family love in an Asian salad.

Dreamy Chicken Salad

This wonderful chicken salad recipe has only a few ingredients and doesn't take much time to put together. It isn't a traditional chicken salad at all in that it has minced crystallized ginger added. I had never tried crystallized ginger in a chicken salad until I came across this recipe in a catalog. I did adapt the recipe a bit for our taste. Do look for an Italian-Style seasoning blend in the market as opposed to Italian seasoning, which is stronger in flavor. The recipe would be very easy to double for a larger family or lunch with friends. Serve it with other cold salads for a lovely meal. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 cups cooked chicken breast chunks (about 1 lb. boneless/skinless chicken breast, cooked)

1/2 cup broken pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted

2 tbsps. crystallized ginger, finely minced

Dressing:

1/3 cup mayonnaise, regular or light

1/3 cup buttermilk

2 tsp. Italian-Style seasoning blend

1/4 - 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. salt, or more to taste

1. Combine first three ingredients in a salad bowl.

2. Combine dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until thoroughly blended and smooth. Pour over salad and stir well to combine thoroughly. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately.

Yield: 3-4 servings

430 calories per cup

Chicken Artichoke Casserole

This flavorful casserole is a combination of chicken and artichokes in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce which is then topped with herb-crumbs. Serve this saucy chicken mixture over noodles or rice, add a vegetable, and the meal is complete. Blessings...

Recipe:

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tbsp. butter, divided
salt and pepper to taste
1 pkg. (9 ounces) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed or 1 can (14 ounces) water-packed artichoke hearts, drained and halved
1/4 cup unbleached flour
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
1 tbsp. minced fresh savory or 1 tsp. dried - see note
1 tbsp. minced fresh thyme or 1 tsp. dried - see note
hot cooked noodles or rice

1. In a skillet, saute chicken in 1 tbsp. butter until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper. Place chicken and artichokes in a 11 x 7 x 2-inch baking dish; set aside.
2. In a saucepan, melt remaining butter; stir in the flour and nutmeg until smooth. Cook and stir for 1 minute. Gradually add broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese until melted. Spoon over the chicken.
3. In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and herbs; sprinkle over the chicken.
4. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree oven for 25 - 35 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Serve over noodles or rice.

Yield: 4 - 6 servings
Note: I use 1-1/2 tsps. dried savory and omit the thyme.

Orange Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

When I prepared this recipe this week, my husband asked me if this was a mini Thanksgiving meal. Yes, in that the chicken is spiced with some of the favored seasonings of the holiday season and served with sweet potatoes. The chicken cooks in the slow cooker on top of the sweet potatoes covered in a fruity sauce for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. The chicken is then served over rice; add a vegetable or salad and dinner is ready. Simple and tasty. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
2/3 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ozs. each)
2 tbsps. butter
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted (I use 98% fat-free)
3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2 tsps. brown sugar
1 tsp. orange zest
1/2 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms, if desired (I don't use)
Hot cooked rice

1. Layer the sweet potatoes in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Turn slow cooker on to low heat.
2. Combine the flour and seasonings in a pie plate. Coat each chicken breast completely.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken in butter for 3 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Arrange chicken on top on sweet potatoes.
4. Combine 3 tbsps. of the remaining seasoned flour with the pineapple juice, soup, brown sugar and orange zest in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and add mushrooms, if using. Pour over chicken and potatoes.
5. Cover and cook for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until chicken and potatoes are tender. Serve over rice.

Yield: 4 servings

Crunchy Onion Chicken

This chicken recipe is popular in a few different versions, but I really like this one for it's simplicity when I'm in a hurry to get dinner on the table. I served it this past week with sauted potatoes and green salad. Easy and delicious; blessings...

Recipe: 

1-1/3 cups French's Original Fried Onions
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)
1 egg

1. Lightly crush onion in a plastic bag with a rolling pin. I then put the onion in a pie plate because I get the onion to stick to the chicken better than shaking in the bag.
2. Beat the egg with a fork in a pie plate.
3. Dip the chicken in the egg and then in the onion. Place pieces on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until tender and juices run clear.

Yield: 3-4 servings
Note: Chicken does not reheat well in the microwave oven. The onion gets soft and soggy, so I cut the remaining chicken pieces in half and reheat them in a covered casserole in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.