Chicken Stew with Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

PREP 10 MIN COOK 45 MIN SERVES 6

4 cups unpeeled cubed red potatoes
2 cups whole baby carrots
1 cup chopped red onions
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme, divided
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, divided
1 tsp dried tarrogon
1/2 tsp each salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sliced green beans
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 lbs (907g) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1. Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray. Add potatoes, carrots, onions, vinegar, oil, garlic, 1 tsp rosemary, tarragon, salt and pepper. Mix well. Roast, uncovered, at 425'F for 30 minutes. Stir once, halfway through cooking time. Add green beans and roast for 10 more minutes.

2. Meanwhile, pour wine into a large pot. Add remaining 1/2 tsp thyme and 1/2 tsp rosemary. Bring to a  boil. Add chicken pieces and reduce heat to medium-high. Cook, uncovered, until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

3. Add roasted vegetables to chicken and wine. Stir in 2 1/2 cups broth. In a small bowl, whisk together flour with remaining 1/2 cup broth until lump-free. Add flour mixture to chicken and vegetables. Cook until stew is bubbly and has thickened, about 3 minutes. Serve hot.

Very good and filling too!! Great cooler evening meal!

PER SERVING (SERVES 6): CAL 298, FAT 4.6g (SAT FAT 0.5g), PROT 31g, CARBS 30g, FIB 3.8g, CHOL 66mg, SOD 368mg

Chicken and Wild Rice Skillet

PREP 5 MIN COOK 45 MIN SERVES 4

3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/4lbs / 568g)
2 tsp olive oil
3 cups sliced mushrooms (8oz / 227g package of preliced mushrooms)
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 tsp minced garlic
1 pkg (6.3oz / 180g) Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice original recipe
1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

You will need a 10-inch, non-stick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.

1. Cut chicken breasts into large chunks (about 6-10 pieces per breast). Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring often, until chicken is lightly browned all over. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.

2. Add mushrooms, onions and garlic to the same skillet. Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 3 minutes. If vegetables start to stick, add a little water or broth.

3. Add rice and seasoning pouch. Mix well and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in broth and wine. Return chicken to skillet. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

PER SERVING (1 CUP): 404 CAL, 6.3G TOTAL FAT (2G SAT FAT), 41G PROT, 37G CARB, 1.8G FIB, 89MG CHOL, 672MG SOD

Simple recipe with a simple taste. Nothing spicy about this one, so if you're not in-to spicyness or intense flavours then this recipe is just "the recipe" for you! ;-)

Chicken Linguini a-la-Orient Express

PREP 10 MIN COOK 10 MIN SERVES 4

12 oz (340 g) uncooked whole wheat linguini
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
3 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tbsp each freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp grated gingerroot
2 tsp liquid honey or brown sugar
1 tsp hot pepper sauce
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cups chopped or sliced cooked chicken breast
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 cup carrots, cut into thin (julienne) strips

1. Prepare linguini according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

2. While pasta is cooking, prepare sauce. Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic.

3. Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Add broth, soy sauce, ketchup, vinegar, lemon juice, sesame oil, gingerrot, honey, hot pepper sauce and black pepper. Mix well and bring to a boil.

4. Blend conrnstarch with an equal amount of water until smooth. Add to sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is bubbly and has thickened, about 1 minute.

5. Add cooked chicken pieces, broccoli, red pepper and carrots to sauce. Mix well. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until vegetables are tender-crisp. Pour chicken-vegetable mixture over warm linguini and toss to coat evenly. Serve hot.

Absolutely de-li-cious!! This is surely a keeper in our home. We kind-of-figured it would be and doubled our batch when we made it and... let's just say we had just enough for my hubby's lunch tomomrrow!! ...and he was happy about that! :)

Slow-Cooked Peanut-Ginger Chicken

PREP 5 MINS COOK 5 TO 6 HOURS SERVES 6

1 cup medium salsa
1/3 cup light peanut butter
2 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbso liquid honey
1 Tbsp grated gingerroot
1/2 tsp curry powder
12 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 2 1/4 lbs / 1 kg)
Chopped green onions and chopped peanuts for garnish (optional)

1. Whisk together salsa, peanut butter, orange juice concentrate, soy sauce, honey, gingerroot and curry powder in the crock of a slow cooker.

2. Place chicken thighs over sauce. Turn pieces to coat both sides with sauce.

3. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or high heat setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until chicken is tender.

4. Garnish chicken with chopped green onions and chopped peanuts, if desired.

Recipe Tip: This recipe tastes great served on a bed of hot basmati rice or coconut rice with sweet green peas on the side.

PER SERVING: ( 2 THIGHS) 283 CAL, 11G FAT (2.4 SAT FAT), 31 CARB, 1G FIB, 26MG CHOL, 479MG SOD

Delicious! I was a little reluctant to try this recipe... well due to... salsa and peanut butter?? and then orange juice... it was just getting weirder and weirder... so weird that I had to try it! And to boot I found the recommended basmati rice (which is a nut flavored rice) and it was a great addition, really! :) Glad I decided to try it!

Baked Spicy Cavatappi Pasta

PREP 10 MIN COOK 40 MINS SERVES 6

12 oz (340g) uncooked cavatappi pasta (corkscrew-shaped macaroni) or medium shell pasta pasta (about 4 cups dry; look for whole wheat)
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb (454g) ground turkey or chicken
1 cup chopped onions
2 tsp minced garlic
3/4 cup each diced red and green bell peppers
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 cups low-sodium tomato pasta sauce
3/4 cup salsa (mild, medium or hot)
1 tsp each dried oregano, ground cumin and chili powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup 1% cottage cheese or part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup packed shredded light Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese (2oz/57g)
1 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro or parsley

1. Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey, onions, garlic, green and red peppers and jalapenos. Cook and stir until turkey is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain off any fat. Add pasta sauce, salsa, oregano, cumin, chili powder and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

3. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spreed a bit of pasta sauce over bottom, followed by 1/2 the pasta and 1/2 the remaining sauce. Spread cottage cheese evenly over sauce. Spread remaining pasta over cottage cheese, followed by remaining sauce. Top with shredded cheese.

4. Cover and bake at 350'F for 30 minutes, until completely heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve hot.

PER SERVING: 423 CAL, 9G TOTAL FAT (3.1G SAT FAT), 30G PROT, 57G CARB, 6G FIBER, 69MG CHOL, 662MG SOD

Believe it or not our little grocery store didn't have any ground chicken or turkey - today! So I just opted to use ground beef. Also in some of the other choices - I opted to using ricotta cheese instead of the cottage cheese and use the parsley instead of the cilantro.

Lip-Smacking BBQ Sauce Baked Chicken

PREP 5 MIN COOK 30 MINS SERVES 4



4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lbs / 680g)

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

1/3 cup hickory-flavoured barbecue sauce

1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tsp grated ginerroot

1/2 tsp chili powder

1. Preheat oven to 400'F. Spray a medium casserole dish with cooking spray.

(The dish should be just large enough to hold the chicken breast in a single layer.)

2. Whisk together all remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Spoon sauce over chicken. Turn pieces to coat both sides with sauce. Bake, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center. Spoon sauce from bottom of pan over chicken and serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 252 CAL, 3.3G TOTAL FAT (0.7G SAT FAT), 40G PROT, 13G CARB, 1G FIBRE, 99MG CHOL, 628MG SOD

Recipe Tip: You can substitute 12 boneless skinless chicken thighs for the chicken breasts (add 10 minutes to the cooking time).

Well this was delicious, and absolutly lip-smacking good!!  



Worth Every Penne

Whole wheat penne noodles with chicken, bacon, vegetables, and pesto sauce.

PREP 10 MIN COOK 10 MIN SERVES  6


Sauce
2 Tbsp basil pesto
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper


2 cups uncooked whole wheat penne noodles (about 8ox / 227g)
4 slices reduced-sodium bacon, chopped 
3 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup chopped red onions
3 big handfuls baby spinach leaves
12 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
3 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (*see tip down below*)
1/4 cup shaved Parmesan or Romano cheese, or
   1/2 cup crumbled light feta cheese (2oz / 57g)
Freshly ground pepper to taste


1. To prepare sauce, whisk together all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Cook penne noodles according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

3. While pasta is boiling, cook bacon in a large, non-stick or wok over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes. Remove and discard 1 Tbsp bacon drippings from skillet. Add mushrooms and onions to skillet. Cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add spinach leaves and tomatoes. Cook until spinach is wilted. Stir in chicken and cook just until chicken is heated through. Add cooked penne noodles and mix well. Add reserved sauce and mix again. Remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle pasta with Parmesan cheese and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.


* Tip: To save work and time, buy a rotisserie chicken at your grocery store and chop up all of the breast meat for this meal. Save the dark meat for tomorrow's lunch. *

PER SERVING: (1 CUP) 331 CAL, 10.6 FAT, 2.9 SAT FAT, 27 G PROT, 31 G CARB, 5.7 G FIB, 50 MG CHOL, 270 MG SOD
PointsPlus Value: 8

Earning it's title, this was indeed worth every "penne". 
The pasta, bacon, and chicken is what sold our house-hold! ...and then you get to top it all off with cheese - Parmesan cheese - superb! 

Kickin' Chicken

Full meal: Rice, carrots, and Kickin' Chicken!

Spicy baked chicken in a super-simple and extra-flavorful peanut sauce.

PREP 5 MIN COOK 35-45 MIN SERVES 6

12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or
     6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 1/4 lbs / 1 kg)
3/4 cup bottled light peanut sauce 
1/2 cup medium or hot salsa
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

1. Preheat oven to 400'. Spray a 9x13" baking pan with cooking spray.
Arrange chicken thighs in pan in a single layer. If using chicken breasts,
cut them in half to make them fit in pan if necessary.

2. Combine peanut sauce, salsa, and basil in a medium bowl.
Pour sauce evenly over chicken and make sure all pieces are well-coated with sauce.
Bake, uncovered, for 40 to 45 minutes for thighs and 35-40 minutes for breasts, or until chicken is no longer pink in the center and sauce is bubbly.

3. To serve, arrange chicken on a serving platter and pour extra sauce from pan over top.

PER SERVING:

(2 THIGHS PLUS SAUCE) 234 CAL, 8.8G FAT, 29 G PROT, 5G CARB, 0.4G FIB, 126MG CHOL, 546MG SOD
PointsPlus Value: 6

(1 BREAST PLUS SAUCE) 241 CAL, 5G FAT, 41G PROT, 5G CARB, 0.4G FIB, 99MG CHOL, 526MG SOD
PointsPlus Value: 6

Super filling and delicious!! I used the chicken breasts and cut them up in med-sized chunks. I found the peanut sauce in the Asian isle of our local grocery store however there are notes online stating that it can be found near salad dressings or barbecue sauces.
The spicy-factor for this recipe can be adjusted to your taste-bud-liking by choosing sauces that suit your heat-tolerance levels. You can choose your "sauce" rating for both the salsa and peanut sauces - most come in various 'ratings' such as: mild, med and spicy.  
We used a med-salsa and a regular peanut sauce and it had just a hint-of a kick.
Might bump it up a little more next time. :)

Our version of this recipe include some side dishes of rice and steamed vegetable:

After baking - in the baking dish

Crock Pot Cashew Chicken

PREP 5 MINS COOK 3-4 HRS OR 6-8 HRS SERVES 6

1 10.75-oz can condensed golden mushroom soup
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1-1/2 lbs chicken tenders
1 16-oz pkg frozen broccoli stir-fry vegetable blend
1 4-oz can (drained weight) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup cashews
Hot cooked brown rice (optional)

1. In a 3-1/2 or 4-quart slow cooker, combine mushroom soup, soy sauce, and ginger. Sitr in chicken, stir-fry begetables, and mushrooms.

2. Cover an cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours.

3. Stir cashews into chicken mixture. If desired, serve over hot cooked rice.

PER SERVING: 256 CAL, 8 G FAT, 13 G CARB, 3 G FIB, 31 G PROT
PointsPlus Value: 6

Great recipe! We opted (this time) to not include the rice however I'm sure it would be great with rice too!

Stuffed Chicken Breasts

PREP 10 MINS   COOK 20 MINS   SERVES 4

1/2 cup shredded Gouda cheese, preferably smoked
2 Tbsp chopped scallion
1 Tbsp sliced pimientoes, chopped
1 tsp paprika, divided
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 1/4 - 1 1/2 lbs total), trimmed and tenders removed (see Tip)
1/2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper, divided
1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1. Preheat over to 400'F.

2. Combine Gouda, scallion, pimientoes and 1/2 tsp paprika in a small bowl.

3. Cut a horizontal slit along the thin, long edge of each chicken breast, nearly through to the opposite side, and open like a book. Sprinkle the breasts with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Divide the cheese filling among the breasts, placing it in the center of each. Close the breast over the filling, pressing the edges firmly together to seal. Sprinkle the breasts with the remaining /12 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp salt and pepper.

4. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on one side, about 2 minutes. Turn the chicken over and transfer the skillet to the oven. Bake until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165'F, about 15 minutes.

PER SERVING: (1 STUFFED BREAST) 200 CAL, 10 G FAT, 76 MG CHOL, 1 G CARB, 26 G PROT, 0 G FIB, 445 MG SOD
PointsPlus Value: 5

Well this was different - I hadn't , well we all hadn't, had Gouda cheese before so this was a first. The smell of the smoked cheese was actually good (if you like smoked foods).
As a side dish, we opted to add a vegetable rice medley - this upped the PointPlus value an extra 5 which then totals this entire meal at 10 PointsPlus.

Dirty Rice

PREP 10 MIN COOK 50 MIN SERVES 6

1 1/2 cups long-grain brown rice
3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp peanut oil, or canola oil
10 oz cooked chicken andouille, or other spicy chicken sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 1/4 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 cloves gralic, minced
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/4 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt

1. Bring rice and broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer at the lowest bubble until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 50 mins. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

2. While the rice is standing, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, stirring, until it begins to brown about 5 mins. Add onion, celery, green and red bell pepper and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft, about 5 mins more. Stir in thyme, cayenne to taste and salt. Stir the sausage mixture into the rice and serve.

PER SERVING (ABOUT 1 1/3 CUPS): 296 CAL, 7 G FAT, 36 MG CHOL, 48 G CARB, 13 G PROT, 5 G FIB, 428 MG SOD.
PointsPlus Value: 8

Obviously you probably could tell by my picture, I didn't have a red bell pepper on-hand... so I just up'ed my green peppers. Also I have no idea what "chicken andouille or chicken sausage" is - so I just used regular skinless, boneless chicken cut into t 1/2-inch pieces (always a hit!). And instead of fresh thyme leaves (which I also didn't have on-hand), I used the dried version - cut the amount in half, so added 1 tsp instead.

This was good - I liked it. Was easy and delicious... if you like it spicy!

Taco Casserole

Taco Casserole (without Salsa topping)

 PREP 8 MIN COOK 30 MIN SERVES 8

1 lbs ground skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup bell peppers, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
8 oz taco sauce
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1 cup low-fat tortilla chips, whole or broken up
1 cup low-fat cheddar cheese, shredded
3/4 cup salsa

1. Heat oven to 400'. Spray cooking spray on bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish; set aside.

2. In a skillet, cook chicken, onion, peppers, and garic clove until tender. Add seasoning mix and taco sauce; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream and cottage cheese; set aside.

3. Place half the broken chips in the bottom of casserole dish. Add meat mixture to cover the chips, then cover the meat with sour cream mixture. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining crushed chips. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until cheese has melted. Top with 3/4 salsa if desired.

PER SERVING: (1 CUP) 287 CAL, 4 G FAT, 25 G PROT, 34 G CARBS, 43 MG CHOL, 2 G FIB
PointsPlus Value: 7

Another hit in our house-hold. It's got "chips" (tortillas) and cheese - Hello!! Even my neices visiting the next day (I was eating left-overs) were commenting on how good it looks!
One note: Our house-hold aren't big fans of cottage cheese - so I opted to not include it in our version at home. Either way, with or without it - it's good!!

Taco Casserole (with Salsa Topping)

Taco Casserole (in Casserole - Top View)

Chicken a la King

PREP 5 MIN COOK 15 MIN SERVES 6

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp canola oil, divided
10 oz white mushrooms, quartered
1 large green bell pepper, diced
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 cup dry sherry
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup low-fat milk
1 4-oz jar sliced pimientos, rinsed
1/2 cup sliced scallions

1. Toss chicken and flour in a medium bowl until coated. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Reserving the remaining flour, add the chicken to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

2. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil to the pan. Add mushrooms, bell pepper, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are softened and starting to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour in sherry; bring to a boil and cook, stirring to scrape up any browned bits, 3 minutes.

3. Whisk broth and milk into the reserved flour until smooth. Stir the mixture into the pan. Bring to a simmer, stirring often. Stir in pimientos and the chicken and return to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender and the chicken is cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in scallions and serve immediately.

PER SERVING: (1 CUP) 271 CAL; 8 G FAT; 66 MG CHOL; 15 G CARB; 28 G PROT; 1 G FIB; 40 MG SOD
PointsPlus Value: 6

This was good. We didn't have any sherry so we just opted to not include it in the recipe. The "a-la-king" gravy / sauce mixture is fairly basic and reminded us of the typical flour/broth type gravy combination - which is always ...mmmm good comfort food / taste!

Chicken Burritos

PREP 17 MIN COOK 20 MIN SERVES 4

1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
6 oz Chicken breast, roasted without skin, cubed
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed or fresh
1/2 small onion, minced
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp table salt
8 oz tortilla, flour, fat-free, about 4 burrito-size tortillas
1 cup salsa

1. Preheat oven to 350'F.

2. In a nonstick pan, lightly sauté pepper and zucchini until slightly cooked, about 3 to 4 minutes.

3. Combine chicken, pepper, zucchini, corn and onion with yogurt, cumin, chili powder and salt.

4. Place 1/4 of mixture in centre of each tortilla. Fold in sides of tortillas and then roll closed from bottom. Place each burrito, opening-side down, in a baking pan; cover burritos with salsa. Bake until tortillas begin to brown and filling warms through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Per Serving: (1 burrito) To be added in a bit - haven't got all of this information.
When I try out a recipe directly from Weight Watchers; they don't always supply the nutritional information??
Points Plus Value: 6

These were actually pretty good! Our youngest teen wasn't too keen about the wrap being baked so he simply ate the inside of the burrito - and really enjoyed it too. I like the entire combination - shell and all; thought it was great as is.

Tex-Mex Chicken Casserole

Tex-Mex Chicken Casserole (in Baking Dish)

PREP 5 MIN COOK 45 MIN SERVES 6

Nonstick cooking spray

12 oz chicken breast strips for stir frying

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp chili powder

2 tsp canola oil

1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced

1 medium red or green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 (10oz) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1 1/2 cups salsa

4 (6 inch) corn tortillas, coarsely torn

3/4 cup reduced fat Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped (optional)

1/2 of an avocado, pitted, peeled, and chopped (optional)

Fresh cilantro leaves (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350'F. Coat an unheated large nontick skillet with cooking spray. Preheat skillet over medium high heat. In a medium bowl, toss together chicken, garlic and chili powder. Add to hot skillet. Cook 4 to 6 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink, stirring frequently. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside.

2. Pour oil into hot skillet. Add onion and bell peppers. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach.

3. Coat a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Spread about 1/2 cup of the salsa into the bottom of the baking dish. Top with half of the tortilla pieces, half of the chicken mixture, and half of the vegetable mixture. Pour half of the remaining salsa over the vegetables and top with half of the cheese. Repeat layers once, except do not top with the remaining cheese.

4. Bake covered, 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. If desired, garnish with cherry tomatoes, chopped avocado and/or fresh cilantro.

PER SERVING: (1/6 OF RECIPE) 196 CAL, 15 G FAT, 4 G FIB, 20 G PROT

PointsPlus Value: 5

Well this was different, and good. :-)

A few minor comments/suggestions: I didn't add the tomatoes, avocado and cilantro since these were all optional (and I also didn't have this on-hand at this very moment).

I also, the next time, would tear the tortillas into smaller pieces. I had torn them up, but I guess they were still a little too big (I had torn them up to the side of the palm of my hand) and so several of them overlapped eachother and so when they baked they stuck together and so when eating this layer, it was at some parts thicker then what I would have liked.

Tex-Mex Chicken Casserole serving in bowl

Sweet 'n' Spicy Chicken Stir-Fry

PREP 10 MIN COOK 15 MIN SERVES 6

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch pieces

1 Tbsp cooking oil

3 cups cut up mixed fresh vegetables (red and green bell peppers, baby carrots, mushrooms and snow peas)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup catalina salad dressing

2 Tbsp hoisin sauce

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

2 cups hot cooked long grain white rice

1. Cook and stir chicken in hot oil in skillet on high heat 3 minutes.

2. Add vegetables and garlic; cook and stir 5 to 6 minutes or until chicken is lightly browned.

3. Stir in all remaining ingredients except rice; cook 2 minutes or until chicken is done and vegetables are crisp tener, stirring occasionally.

Serve over rice.

PER SERVING: (1-3/4 CUPS) 250 CAL, 14 G CARB, 10 G FAT, 2 G FIB, 26 G PROT
PointsPlus Value: 6

Great recipe with a kick (spicy kick)!
This was enjoyed by all and will become a regular in our house-hold. :-)

3 Meat Barbecued Burgers

3 Meat Barbecued Burger

PREP 10 MINS COOK 18 MINS SERVES  6

2 Tbsp soft bread crumbs
2 tp refrigeratred or frozen egg product, thawed
1/4 tsp barbecue seasoning or barbecue spice
8 oz raw ground chicken
1 lb uncooked ground turkey breast
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
6 slices turkey bacon
1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese (optional)
6 whole wheat English muffin, split and toasted
2 Tbsp bias-sliced (slanted / but on an angle) green onions

1. In a medium size bowl, combine bread crumbs, egg product and barbecue seasoning. Add chicken; mix well. Shape chicken mixture into six 1/4 inch thick patties.

2. In another medium size bowl, combine turkey, garlic powder and pepper. Shape mixture into six 1/2 inch thick patties. Place chicken patties on top of turkey patties. Shape the edges of the turkey patties up the sides of the chicken patties, pinching the patties together to seal. Wrap a bacon slice around each patty and secure with a wooden toothpick.

3. For a charcoal grill; grill patties on lightly greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium hot coals for 14 to 18 minutes or until an instal read thermometer inserted into the side of each patty registers 165'F. turning once halfway through grilling. If desired sprinkle cheese on patties for the last minute of grilling. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place patties on lightly greased grill rack. Cover and grill as above).

4. Remove toothpicks. Place patties on top of muffin bottoms.
Top with green onion and muffin tops.

PER SERVING: (1 BURGER AND 1 ENGLISH MUFFIN) 331 CAL, 10 G FAT, 83 G CHOL, 28 G CARBS, 5 G FIB, 34 G PROT
PointsPlus Value: 8

Another great chicken burger! ...well 3 meat variation burger, but still good. It's huge and filling too!
The turkey bacon is great since it's wider than regular pork bacon which is too thin and narrow, which made it so much easier for the wrapping part. I grilled these on my BBQ and so cooking time may varie (as long as you make sure that your instant read thermometer reads 165'F they'll turn out great!

Spicy Chicken and Broccoli Stir-Fry

PREP 10 MIN COOK 10 MIN SERVES 4

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
5 cups broccoli florets
1 orange bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 boneless skinless chicken breast
3 scallions (green onions), cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
2 cups hot cooked quick-cooking brown rice

1. Stir together 1/2 cup of the broth, the teriyaki sauce, garlic, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl until smooth; set aside.

2. Combine the remaining 1/2 cup broth, the broccoli, and bell pepper in a nonstick wok or large deep nonstick skillet and set over medium-high and simmer, covered, until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cut the chicken crosswise into 1/4-inch slices. Add to the wok and stir-fry until heated through, about 1 minute. Add the teriyaki mixture and scallions; stir-fry, until the sauce bubbles, about 1 minute longer. Serve with the rice.


PER SERVING: (1 3/4 CUPS CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE MIXTURE AND 1/2 CUP RICE)
346 CAL, 8 G FAT, 2 G SAT FAT, 0 G TRANS FAT, 86 MG CHOL, 858 MG SOD, 31 G CARB, 6 G FIB, 38 G PROT, 87 MG CALC
PointsPlus Value: 8

Well this was good! There was even enough left-over for lunch the next day! 
Also don't let this title fool you - I didn't find this spicy. There where a few bites where you can taste some spiciness however overall, it wasn't very spicy at all (still good!). 

Chicken Linguine

6 oz dry linguine pasta
2 cups broccoli florets
2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp lemon-pepper
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, (12 oz total),
cut into bite-size strips
2 tsp olive or cooking oil
1/2 tsp dried tarragon or dill, crushed

1. Cook pasta according to directions, adding broccoli the last 4 minutes. Drain; keep warm.

2. Combine broth, cornstarch and seasoning; set aside.

3. In a large nonstick skillet, cook chicken in hot oil 4 minutes or until no longer pink, stirring often.

4. Stir cornstarch mixture; add to skillet. Cook and stir until thickened. Stir in tarragon; cook for 2 minutes. Serve over pasta.

Per serving: (1.5 Cups) Cal 293, Cholesterol 49 mg, Carbs 36 g, Fat 4 g, Fiber 2 g, Protein 27 g
PointsPlus Value: 7

Great recipe - everyone enjoyed this one too! Was fairly simple and delicious. 
I wasn't sure how it would taste since most of the 'mixture' was absorbed by the chicken in the skillet and so when I added it to the linguine and broccoli I was a little worried that it would be sticky and pasta-ish... but it wasn't! It was very tasty and very good! :-)

Moroccan-Style Chicken Stew

PREP 5 MIN COOK 15 MIN SERVES 4

1 lb chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (12-ounce) package frozen squash puree, thawed
1 cup frozen corn kernels


1. Season the chicken with 1/2 tsp of the salt and 1/8 tsp of the pepper. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook stirring, until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, cumin, and cinnamon; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer.

2. Add the broth, squash, corn, and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until the corn is tender and the sauce is heated through, about 5 minutes.

PER SERVING (1 1/4 CUPS): 260 CAL, 8 G FAT, 1 G SAT FAT, 0 G TRANS FAT, 68 MG CHOL, 745 MG SOD, 20 G CARB, 4 G FIB, 29 G PROT, 62 MG CALC.
PointsPlus Value: 7


Well first off - this tastes better than what it looks. 
It actually wasn't bad... when I was putting it together, I kept thinking... "Geez, this looks different. But I've eaten (separately) everything I've put in here so it can't be that bad...", and it wasn't.
I enjoyed it, was a little different at first, but I got over it and finished it off!


My kids (teens) on the other-hand, they didn't even want to try it (the look threw them off). I told them the ingredients but still... ah-well means I get left-overs! ;-)