chicken

easy mexican grilled chicken cobb salad.

March 31, 2020 by Becky Spoon

Wow! This mexican grilled chicken cobb salad is crazy good! Just look at it! Lettuce, tomato, grilled chicken, avocado, lettuce, beans, olives, cheese, eggs??? I’m sure I’m missing something because there’s so many ingredients! I actually had grilled corn I was going to add and I forgot it! Do you all do that?

The chicken is coated with a mixture of olive oil and taco seasoning mix. I used Taco Bell taco seasoning that I buy at my grocery store. Here’s a link for the taco bell seasoning: https://amzn.to/2vXl9F4

easy mexican grilled chicken cobb salad.

For the dressing I used a Chipotle Ranch Dressing that I made from adding a chipotle pepper and the adobo sauce to ranch dressing that I had made from the Hidden Valley spice mix. You can buy the Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce in cans. Here’s the link for the brand I had this time, but I’ve bought different brands. https://amzn.to/39teWhO

Before I work on the recipe, here’s another great salad I have on the blog: https://the2spoons.com/the-best-beautiful-chicken-taco-salad/

This is a great salad using ground chicken and it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!

Here’s the recipe for this new chicken Cobb salad. I think you will love it!

Mexican Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad

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Servings: 4 servings

Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

For the Tortilla strips

4-6 corn tortillas
oil for frying
salt to sprinkle after cooking

For the Chipotle Ranch Dressing

1-1 1/2 cups ranch dressing bottled or homemade
1-2 chipotle peppers from canned chipotle in adobo sauce
1-2 tbsp adobo sauce

For the Chicken

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 packet Taco Bell taco seasoning mix or taco seasoning mix of your choice
3-4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

For the remaining salad ingredients

2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
1 cup cooked black beans rinsed and drained or pinto beans rinsed and drained
1 cup fresh grilled corn on the cob kernels
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 can ripe olives
2 avocados, sliced and divided
1 cup Monterrey jack or cheddar cheese, grated
sliced limes for serving
salt and pepper to taste

Method

For the Tortilla strips

Cut the tortillas in half, then stack them on top each of other and cut into about 1/4 inch strips. Heat the oil in a skillet and add the tortilla strips, a few at a time and cook until golden brown. Repeat the process until all have been cooked. Sprinkle with salt and set aside.

For the Chipotle Ranch Dressing

Either use a bottled ranch dressing or use a homemade dressing. I used the Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing with the packet of ranch dressing mix with milk and mayonnaise. To that, add one or two chopped chipotle peppers and the adobo sauce to the desired heat that you like.

For the Grilled Chicken

In a gallon zip lock add the Taco Bell seasoning mix or the taco seasoning mix of your choice and the olive oil. Add the chicken breast and coat them on all sides. After your grill is ready, cook the chicken breast, turning until done. Chicken should reach an internal temperature of about 160, then allowed to rest for at least 5 minutes that the temperature will rise to 165 degrees.

To assemble the salad

In a large bowl combine the lettuce, cheese, beans, corn, olives and tomatoes in a bowl. Toss well to combine. Divide the mix among 4 plates. Slice each chicken breast and top each of the salad plates. Top each with the divided deviled eggs and the divided avocado, Top with the dressing and serve with limes if you like.

best easy cheesy chicken spaghetti.

March 16, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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Yum. This easy cheesy chicken spaghetti is delicious.! Not only is this casserole delicious but it will feed six and if you do have leftovers this dish is even better the next day.

During these times that we are trying to eat from our pantry’s, make meals stretch and feed the family dishes everyone will love, this dish checks all of those boxes along with the economical box. If you are feeding a crowd, double, triple, how many times over it works wonderfully. This is actually a great recipe to feed a crowd.

Every item in this recipe can actually be from your pantry expect for the fresh ingredients like onions and peppers, and of course the cheese. I used fresh mushrooms and chicken that I had leftover, but you could use jarred mushrooms and canned chicken! I did top it with a mixture of cheddar cheese and Italian bread crumbs but you could leave the bread crumbs out all together.

My boys loved this growing up. When my youngest son moved from home and shared a place with friends, I’d make a huge recipe of this and send it home with him! This makes a great dish to serve a crowd, and it is a perfect make ahead dish that you can freeze before baking!

easy cheesy chicken spaghetti.

So the main ingredients in this dish, other than the spices, oil and a little butter are spaghetti, bell peppers (I used red and green), onions, cooked chicken, mushrooms, pimiento, and of course cream of mushroom soup. Some recipes call for cream of mushroom soup and cream of chicken soup. You can add both if you like. I’ve seen recipes that add a can of rotel tomatoes instead of the pimiento.

As you can see most of the ingredients are common ingredients most of us always have on hand. I ALWAYS have cream of mushroom soup so I buy them in 6’s like you get a Sams club or online at amazon for a 4 pack. Here’s a link for the amazon 4-pack: https://amzn.to/2Wi5dbg.

easy cheesy chicken spaghetti.

Keeping the “cooking from the pantry” theme going, you can open a can of green beans to serve with this and that would be a great addition. Here’s my simple recipe for canned green beans: https://the2spoons.com/taste-like-fresh-easy-green-beans-with-pork/.

My Mom would have probably thrown in a green salad and bread because she always served complete meals that covered the food wheel and she would include dessert!

Here’s the easy recipe! Hope you enjoy!

Chicken Spaghetti

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Servings: 6 servings

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

12 oz spaghetti
2-3 cups cooked chicken
2 cups grated cheddar cheese (I use a combination of mild and sharp)
2-3 oz Velveeta cheese, cubed ( Optional, but I really like it in the dish)
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
6-8 large mushrooms, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 4 oz jar pimentos, drained
1 can sliced ripe olives, optional
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp Lawry's seasoned salt
1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup additional grated cheddar cheese for the top

Method

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Dice the chicken from a chicken you have cooked or a rotisserie chicken. I cooked mine in the instant pot. I placed the chicken in the pot, adding water up about 3/4 to the top of the chicken. I added 2 bay leaves, a stalk of celery, 2 carrots, 1/2 onion and a little salt. I set the Instant Pot for 30 minutes and allowed it to release on it's on. I then remove the chicken and strain the broth, discarding the vegetables. When cool, you can dice or tear the chicken into pieces. You will probably have more chicken than you need left, so use it for another recipe.
If you have a rotisserie chicken it will work, you'll just need some chicken broth in your pantry.
Cook your spaghetti according to packaged instructions.
While your pasta is cooking heat the butter and oil in a large pot. Add your onions and peppers and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until the water has evaporated from the mushrooms and they are starting to brown. Don't salt your mushrooms until they begin to brown because the salt will just release the water. When they start to brown add the seasoning salt and pepper. Now add the cream of mushroom soup, and your chicken broth. Cook and stir until your soup has completely heated through and all is combined. At this point I turn off the heat, allow the sauce to cool a little, then add the pimentos and olives.
When the spaghetti is cooked, drain and add it to a container large enough you can toss all the ingredients in. I usually add a touch of oil so the pasta won't stick. Add the chicken and toss. Then add the sauce that has cooled and has all the remaining ingredients in it, along with the cup of cheese. I combine again the pasta, chicken the sauce and cheese. You're going to add cheese to the top so you want the cheese combined throughout your dish. Now that it's all combined, dot with the Velveeta cubes and top with the remaining cheese.
Place mixture into a prepared casserole dish. Cover and cook for 30 minutes until bubbly, then remove the foil or cover and add your cheese. Cook an additional 15 minutes or until your cheese has melted. Enjoy!

so good. simple harissa chicken

March 8, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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This harissa chicken recipe was in the Food and Wine magazine issue for March 2020 and I just had to make it! I’m so glad I did because it is delicious!

Harissa is a North African hot chili pepper paste, the main ingredients of which are roasted red peppers, Baklouti peppers or serrano peppers, spices and herbs such as garlic paste, caraway seeds, coriander seeds, cumin and olive oil to carry the oil-soluble flavors.

I purchase it in a tube, however; I’ve seen it also in jars. Here’s a link to the brand and tube I buy. You can order it online or I am seeing it in grocery stores, like my local HEB now, so it is available in larger stores. https://amzn.to/2TGdxP8

so good. simple harissa chicken

Food and Wine Magazine had dried edible rose petals scattered over the finished chicken. i didn’t have any, but they made a beautiful presentation.

I wanted to serve these with something creamy to absorb the wonderful dishes. I thought about scalloped potatoes would be perfect and they were.

The potatoes were delicious. I used Yukon gold potatoes, sharp cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese and lot’s of thyme in this recipe. Oh, don’t forget the onions too. Here’s a link for the delicious potatoes. you won’t regret making them. https://the2spoons.com/easy-cheesy-scalloped-potatoes/

so good. simple harissa chicken

Here’s the recipe for the chicken. Enjoy!

Harissa Chicken

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Servings: 4 servings

Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Moroccon

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

3/4 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp plus 2 tsp harissa paste, divided
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
2 tsp grated garlic
1 tbsp black pepper, divided
4 10 oz chicken leg quarters
2 large shallots, halved
1 garlic head, halved crosswise
1 small lemon, halved
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp paprika

Method

Whisk together yogurt, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons harissa paste, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, thyme leaves, grated garlic, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Place chicken quarters in a large ziplock plastic bag. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken, and seal bag. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours, turning bag occasionally.
Preheat oven to 375°F with oven rack in upper third of oven. Let chicken stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Scatter shallots, garlic, and lemon halves, cut sides down, in a heavy-duty roasting pan or 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Add thyme sprigs. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken with remaining 2 teaspoons salt and remaining 1 teaspoon pepper; arrange chicken, skin sides up, in a single layer in roasting pan. Add 1/4 cup water to pan.
Roast chicken in preheated oven until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 140°F, 30 to 35 minutes. Turn broiler to high. Baste chicken with pan juices, and sprinkle chicken with paprika. Broil, basting chicken with pan juices every 2 to 3 minutes, until thermometer registers 165°F, 8 to 10 minutes.
Transfer chicken to a channeled cutting board; let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, squeeze 1 roasted lemon half and 6 roasted garlic cloves into pan juices; reserve remaining lemon half for serving and remaining garlic cloves for another use. Mash shallots and garlic with a fork. Pour pan juice mixture through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing to extract liquid; discard solids. Whisk in remaining 2 teaspoons harissa paste. Pour accumulated juices from cutting board into harissa mixture in bowl, and stir. Pour pan juice mixture onto a serving platter, and top with chicken. Serve immediately with reserved lemon half.

Delicious Chicken Paprikash, Fast or Slow Cooking

March 3, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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This Chicken Paprikash can be made in your Instant Pot pressure cooking or you can set it on the slow cooking mode or use another slow cooker. I used the pressure cooking method and the entire dish was complete in less than 30 minutes of which 10 of that was allowing the chicken to rest after 10 minutes of cooking.

Even my husband loved this. He loves the Hamburger Stroganoff that’s loaded with sour cream over egg noodles, so I thought he’d love this because the sauce also has sour cream and lots of dill. Love both of those flavors. The tartness of sour cream mixed with fresh dill is delicious.

I saw this recipe in the January-February 2020 issue of the Milk Street publication. By the way if you are’t familiar with the milk Street publicaton, check it out!

Fast or Slow Cooking – Chicken Paprikash

This recipe calls for a sweet paprika. I had a sweet smoke paprika on hand so that is what I used. If you can’t find sweet paprika in your local grocery store here is a link of some that I’ve purchased before. https://amzn.to/39h8vyZ

This is a Hungarian dish, so the sweet Hungarian paprika is a good choice. Make sure you use fresh paprika, because a stale paprika that’s been in your pantry for years will taste flavorless and dull.

You also want to use regular sour cream. The low fat will make your dish lack richness and will result in a watery dish.

Here’s the Hamburger Stroganoff for you to try also. My husband loves the stroganoff and it is such an easy dish for a weeknight and the kids love it too. Add a green vegetable and you have a perfect meal for your family.

Fast or Slow Cooking – Chicken Paprikash

Here’s the recipe for the Paprikash! Hope you try it soon and enjoy!

Chicken Paprikash

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Servings: 4 servings

Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: Hungarian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 tbsps salted butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp tomato paste
3 lbs bone in, skin on chicken thighs, skin removed and discarded after cooking
1 cup sour cream
1 tbsp cornstarch
4 tbsp chopped fresh dill, divided

Method

START: On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select More/High Sauté. Add the butter and let melt. Add the onion, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add the paprika and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in ½ cup water, scraping up the browned bits. Nestle in the chicken in an even layer, slightly overlapping the pieces if needed.
Cancel, lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; make sure the pressure level is set to High. Set the cooking time for 10 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, allow the pressure to reduce naturally for 10 minutes, then release the remaining steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.
SLOW: Press Cancel, lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Venting. Select Slow Cook and set the temperature to More/Low. Set the cooking time for 3 to 4 hours; the chicken is done when a skewer inserted into the largest thigh meets no resistance. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.
FINISH: Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a dish and tent with foil. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and cornstarch. Stir the mixture into the pot, then select More/High Sauté and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce begins to simmer and is lightly thickened. Press Cancel to turn off the pot, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons of dill. Using potholders, carefully remove the insert from the housing and pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons dill.

Easy Buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce Marinated Chicken Tenders

February 18, 2020 by Becky Spoon

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Buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce Marinated Chicken Tenders
These easy buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce marinated chicken tenders are so good! Doesn't everyone love chicken tenders? Honestly so tender and the best for making this kind of a recipe. You could use chicken breast that you slice which I have done many times, but the tenders really are so good. — Buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce Marinated Chicken Tenders

These easy buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce marinated chicken tenders are so good! Doesn’t everyone love chicken tenders? Honestly so tender and the best for making this kind of a recipe. You could use chicken breast that you slice which I have done many times, but the tenders really are so good.

I served these with my cream gravy that I added a splash of Franks Red Hot sauce for dipping! These would be great with a ranch or blue cheese too. So, the Ranks Red Hot Sauce is not real hot and I used it in the marinade to add that delicious flavor. These are not hot. I could have easily tossed these in straight sauce after frying them, but I didn’t want that intense heat like in a wing, just the flavor. I don’t know I’m just fond of a creamy gravy with chicken, but you choose the sauce you prefer.

Buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce Marinated Chicken Tenders

I love Frank’s Red Hot Sauce. This is the original. here’s a link if you aren’t familiar with this brand: https://amzn.to/37EpOIO. Frank’s has several different sauces but this is the cayenne sauce. I happen to love cayenne.

The other day I made steak fingers, similar to the tenders! Here’s the link for those: https://the2spoons.com/texas-chicken-fried-steak-fingers/.

Easy Buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce Marinated Chicken Tenders

To save time you can actually marinate these the night before. Just throw them in a zip lock with some buttermilk and Frank’s Hot Sauce and stick them in the fridge overnight. When you cook them all you’ll need to do is dredge them in some flour, fry them a couple of minutes in canola oil and you’re done. Make a quick gravy, some mashed potatoes and a side salad or a green vegetable and you have a great meal. Here’s a recipe for one of my mashed potato recipes: https://the2spoons.com/delicious-buttery-mashed-potatoes/.

Here’s the easy recipe! Enjoy!

Easy Buttermilk and Franks Red Hot Sauce Marinated Chicken Tenders

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Servings: 4 Servings

Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

12-16 chicken tenders
1 cup buttermilk (more if needed to cover the tenders)
1-2 tbsp Frank's Red Hot Sauce (I used 2 tablespoons)
pinch of salt and pepper for the marinade
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
3-4 cups oil for frying

Method

Combine the buttermilk and the Frank's Red Hot Sauce in a zip lock bag. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Allow the chicken to marinade at least 4 hours up to overnight.
Place the flour with the salt and pepper in a dish large enough to bread your tenders and whisk together.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup. Remove the chicken tenders from the marinade a few at a time and toss into the breading mixture. Be sure to press the chicken firmly into the breading so clumps adhere to the meat. (It's a messy job: use one hand to remove the wet tenders from the bag and the other to toss in the breading.) Set breaded tenders on the prepared baking sheet.
When I'm frying more than a couple of pieces I like to put my oven on warm. I also take a sheet pan and line the bottom with paper towel then I place a wire rack on it so that any excess oil can drain onto the paper towels.
Add oil to a large, high-sided pot until the level reaches about 3/4-inch. Heat over medium-high heat until oil is shimmering (about 350°). (If a cube of bread sizzles when you drop it in, it's ready.) Using tongs, place several chicken tenders in the hot oil without crowding the pan. Cook until golden brown on the bottom side, a few minutes, then flip and cook until the second side is also golden, a few minutes more. Set the cooked tenders on the wire rack to drain. Fry remaining tenders in batches adjusting the heat as necessary (if the tenders are browning too fast, lower the heat).
Serve hot with cream gravy, a ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing! These are great!

The Ultimate! 11 Herb and Spice Fried Chicken

September 14, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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This 11 Herb and Spice Fried Chicken is perfect for your Sunday lunch or for that matter, any day of the week. So flavorful, crispy yet so tender, is the perfect description for this chicken.

I have other fried chicken recipes on my blog; oven fried chicken, southern fried chicken are a couple that come to mind. Fried Chicken was always a favorite growing up. My Mom would make pot roast or fried chicken almost every Sunday. I mean, let’s face it, fried chicken just says Sunday lunch with your family. I have a few more fried chicken recipes on my blog. Here’s the link for my Oven Fried Chicken and my Southern Fried Chicken. They are both absolutely delicious! https://the2spoons.com/oven-fried-chicken/ and https://the2spoons.com/essential-southern-fried-chicken/.

The Ultimate! 11 Herb and Spice Fried Chicken

I made mashed potatoes and cream gravy to go with the chicken. Don’t you have to? It’s kind of a must in a southern home. I also made homemade creamed corn! Yum, so delicious. Fresh corn cut off the cob; then the cob is scraped down to release all of that sweet milk, it’s fried a little in butter, heavy cream is added and all this lusciousness is cooked until the corn is tender and the cream is cooked down!

The Ultimate! 11 Herb and Spice Fried Chicken

I made deviled eggs too to go with my Southern meal. I used Chef Jessee Houston’s recipe for deviled eggs (minus the caviar and fried shallots) that is on the menu at the restaurant Fine & Dandy in Jackson, Mississippi. I’ll add the recipe to the blog later, but until then here is the link from Garden & Gun: https://gardenandgun.com/recipe/jesse-houstons-fine-deviled-eggs.

Jesse Houston's Deviled Eggs — Jesse Houston’s Deviled Eggs

Hope you enjoy this recipe and have Sunday dinner with your family. If you don’t do that already, start a tradition. This is one of my favorite traditions started by my parents and it continues to this day in my home. It may be a couple of tables full of folks or it may just be my husband and I, but we always have Sunday lunch or dinner and it is always a little bit more special than other meals. Enjoy!

11 Herb and Spice Fried Chicken

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Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

For the Herbs and Spices

1 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp thyme, dried
1/2 tbsp basil, dried
1/3 tbsp oregano, dried
1 tbsp celery salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp dried mustard
4 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp garlic salt
1 tbsp ground ginger
3 tbsp white pepper

For the Coating

1 tbsp seasoning mix or more to taste
2 cups flour

For the Fried Chicken

6-8 pieces of chicken
some of the seasoning mix for dry bringing the chicken
3-4 cups buttermilk
the 2 cups coating mixture
Peanut oil, canola oil or other neutral oil for frying

Method

For the Herb and Spice

Combine all the ingredients and store in an air tight container for later use.

For the Coating

Combine the 1 tbsp seasoning mix with 2 cups of flour.

For the Fried Chicken

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with a light coating of the seasoning mix. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours up to overnight.
When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Pour the buttermilk into a container large enough to cover the chicken. Add the chicken pieces to the buttermilk and let it sit on the counter to come to room temperature.
Meanwhile place the coating mixture either in a paper sack for shaking or in a large bowl for coating the chicken.
In a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven heat your oil to about 335 to 350. Remove pieces from the buttermilk, place in the flour to coat shaking off the excess. Place the chicken skin side down in the heated oil in batches or as much as your pan will hold in a single layer. Brown on the first side about 10 minutes or so then turn. When you turn, place a lid on the skillet, reduce the heat a little and cook for about 15 minutes. After about 15 minutes, remove the lid, turn the chicken over, increase the heat to medium high and continue to cook without a lid until the internal temperature reaches 165. Drain on a rack fitted over a sheet pan and repeat until all your pieces have cooked. Keep in a warm oven until ready to serve.