Breaded Baked Chicken with Cheesy Potatoes

Every once in a while I come up with a recipe that I'm seriously impressed with.  This cheesy potato and bacon recipe is one of them.  I was craving some potatoes, and I knew there was some bacon and cream cheese in the fridge that needed to get used soon. 
The chicken is a really simple recipe that can be altered to your tastes, just play with adding different herbs and spices.  Or marinate the chicken before breading them, like I did.  I started with barbecue marinated chicken breasts that we had in the freezer.
I know the calorie count for the potatoes seem a little high for a side dish, but when they were served up with the chicken and broccoli (like in the picture), the entire plate is less than 500 calories. 

Twice Cooked Cheesy Potatoes and Bacon

Ingredients

1 large potato, sliced
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2" pieces
3/4 cup chopped bacon
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 oz fat free cream cheese
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Lightly grease a 9x9 baking dish.
In a large pan, pan fry the potatoes, bacon, chopped onion and minced garlic. When the bacon is cooked and the potatoes are fork tender, transfer them to the prepared baking dish.
In the same pan, add the butter, flour, garlic powder and onion powder. Keep moving the butter and flour around the pan until it thickens. Add the milk, cheddar cheese, and cream cheese to the pan, stirring until everything melts and forms a sauce.
Pour the sauce over the potatoes in the baking pan, gently stirring the potatoes so they're well coated.
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and bubbly, and the potatoes are tender.

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 4
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 246.2

• Total Fat: 8.3 g
• Cholesterol: 32.7 mg
• Sodium: 478.9 mg
• Total Carbs: 26.3 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.4 g
• Protein: 15.6 g

Breaded Baked Chicken

Ingredients

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Combine the flour, garlic and onion powders together in a large, flat bowl. Press the chicken breast into the flour mixture, lightly coating both sides. Place them in a lightly greased baking dish.
Bake at 425 for about 25 minutes, flipping it over halfway through. Cut into the thickest part of one of them to check that they are cooked all the way through.

 

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 2
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 146.7

• Total Fat: 1.1 g
• Cholesterol: 55.0 mg
• Sodium: 331.1 mg
• Total Carbs: 7.8 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.4 g
• Protein: 24.1 g

Attempt One of Slow Cooker Coconut Chicken Curry

I love Thai Chicken Curry and have been attempting to create or find a recipe for it.  In Germany it was a little difficult sometimes because it was hard to find the curry paste and curry powder just didn't quite work.  I finally found some here and decided it was time to try to make it, again.  Well, it tasted just ok and wasn't really like the chicken curry I was trying to recreate.  I'll add the recipe on here just because someone else might find it good or it might be a good starting point for a recipe in the future. 

Ingredients

1 13.66 oz can lite coconut milk
3 tablespoons red curry paste
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons minced garlic
8 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup chopped celery
1 medium potato, chopped
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped bell peppers
4 cups cooked rice

 

Mix the coconut milk, water, curry paste, chili powder, and garlic in a bowl. Put the veggies and chicken in a slow cooker and pour the coconut milk mixture over it. Cook on low for eight hours.  Thirty minutes before serving, cut the chicken breast into bite sized chunks or shred it.  Serve over rice.

 

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 4
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 422.9

• Total Fat: 5.4 g
• Cholesterol: 32.5 mg
• Sodium: 514.7 mg
• Total Carbs: 73.0 g
• Dietary Fiber: 5.4 g
• Protein: 20.6 g

 

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

I love this recipe!  You can really alter to your taste, use spicier barbecue sauce if you like more of a bite (like my husband) or you can use a sweeter sauce if you prefer (like me).  Plus you can use whatever marinade you like, or none at all.  You can even grill it if you'd like a smokier flavor.  This recipe makes two servings, you can share the pizza or save some for later.  It's a really quick recipe, so it would be good for those nights when you don't know what else to make.  If you forget to pull out the chicken ahead of time, just microwave it for a few minutes to defrost it and use some barbecue rub instead of marinade.

 

Ingredients

1 small pizza crust (I used Mama Mia's Thin and Crispy 8")
4 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, marinaded in your favorite flavor and diced
3 tablespoons barbecue sauce
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425.
Cook the diced chicken breasts until no longer pink.
Spread the barbecue sauce over the pizza crust, then layer on the chicken and cheese.
Bake or grill it over indirect medium heat for 15 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown. 

 

Nutritional Info

• Servings Per Recipe: 2
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 241.4

• Total Fat: 4.8 g
• Cholesterol: 29.4 mg
• Sodium: 856.1 mg
• Total Carbs: 31.5 g
• Dietary Fiber: 1.0 g
• Protein: 17.0 g

Spinach Pesto Chicken Pasta



This would be a great dish to really make your own.  As I was putting it together I kept thinking of different things I could do to modify it in the future, like adding some cherry tomatoes or bacon.  Maybe topping it with a little extra shredded parmesan.  It's just around 300 calories, so as long as you don't go crazy you can add a few extras and still have it fit into your diet.

 

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup fresh spinach
1/2 cup fresh shredded parmesan
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 boneless skinless chicke breast, diced
3 cups cooked spaghetti noodles

Directions

Combine the basil, spinach, parmesan, garlic and onion powders together in a food processor, blend until smooth.
In a large frying pan, cook the chicken breast until lightly browned. Add the pesto and spaghetti noodles, stir until well mixed. You may have to add a little water so the pesto coats the spaghetti and chicken better (use the water used to cook the pasta).
 
Nutritional Info
• Servings Per Recipe: 4
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 293.0
• Total Fat: 4.6 g
• Cholesterol: 52.2 mg
• Sodium: 208.2 mg
• Total Carbs: 35.9 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.5 g
• Protein: 26.7 g

 

 

Taco Chicken Chili

I love slow cooker meals.  You toss a bunch of stuff in the cooker, put the lid on and just let it do it's thing.  It's really great for when you aren't sure when everyone will be home for dinner or if you have a busy afternoon/evening and you don't what to get stuck eating take out. 

Chili is one of those things that you can really make your own.  If you like it hotter, just add some extra chili powder or jalapenos to the slow cookers.  If you're like my husband, you can add a bunch of cheese, crushed corn chips and sour cream (or ranch dip).  If you're more like me, it tastes great just as it is.  This recipe will make a lot, so you can make it when you have company or save it for leftovers.  It's just about 200 calories for a one cup serving, so you could even splurge a little with the toppings or an extra serving.

Ingredients

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cans no salt added stewed tomatoes
1 can chili beans, undrained
1 can green chili peppers, undrained
6 ounces frozen corn
1 packet lower sodium taco seasoning
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts with visible fat removed

Directions

Combine all of the ingredients except the chicken in a crock pot. Lay the chicken breasts on top and cook for six to eight hours on high. If it looks a little dry add a small can of tomato sauce.  About 30 minutes before serving, take out the chicken and cut or shred into small pieces. Don't worry too much if it looks a little watery, most of it will will absorbed after you shred the chicken.
 
Nutritional Info
• Servings Per Recipe: 8
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 209.7
• Total Fat: 1.9 g
• Cholesterol: 40.0 mg
• Sodium: 945.7 mg
• Total Carbs: 32.0 g
• Dietary Fiber: 7.3 g
• Protein: 21.6 g 

Slow Cooker Barbecue Chicken over Grits

I love having this in the fall or winter.  There's pumpkin in the grits that give it a seasonal touch, not to mention a great added boost of vitamins that plain grits wouldn't have.  I used just plain Kraft barbecue sauce, but you can use whichever is your favorite and it'll change the flavor just a little.  Last time I made this I used Jack Daniel's barbecue sauce and my husband thought it was just a little sweet, this time it was right on for him.  You can also add a little sour cream, chopped chives or cilantro to your bowl if you'd like.

 

Ingredients

For the chicken:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup barbecue sauce
1 can no sodium chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the grits:
2 1/4 cups water
1 cup quick cooking grits
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup shedded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions

For the chicken:
Combine 1/2 cup chicken broth, the barbecue sauce, chili powder, can of tomatoes (including liquid) and cinnamon in a slow cooker.  Whisk to make sure everything is combined. Add the chicken and cook on low for five and half hours. Using two forks, shred chicken and let cook for another 30 minutes while you cook the grits.

For the grits:
In a large sauce pan, bring the other 1/2 cup of chicken broth and water to a boil. Stir in the grits and pumpkin. Lower the temperature and cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in the cheese.

To serve:
Place the grits in a bowl and top with the chicken mixture. If you would like, you can top with sour cream, green onions and/or cilantro (these haven't been calculated in the nutritional info.)


Nutritional Info
• Servings Per Recipe: 8
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 256.6
• Total Fat: 3.1 g
• Cholesterol: 35.6 mg
• Sodium: 806.2 mg
• Total Carbs: 40.9 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3.3 g
• Protein: 17.4 g



 

 

 

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta

I was in the mood for something fresh, so I came up with this.  I had some leftover cream cheese from another recipe and threw it in to add a little more creaminess.  I used real parmesan, the type that comes in a wedge and you grate yourself.  It's more expensive but you don't need to use as much of it.  I like throwing veggies into pretty much anything I make, partially because it's easier to get my husband to eat them if they have a little sauce on them.  Its also makes dinner stretch a little further.

Ingredients


4 ounces uncooked pasta, cooked according to directions
2 boneless skinless chicken breast (about 10 ounces), cut into bite sized pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped onion
10 ounces package of broccoli, cooked
3 tablespoons grated parmesan
15 fresh basil leaves, snipped into 1/4 inch pieces
2 small lemons
2 ounces cream cheese

Directions


Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package, set aside. Steam the broccoli (I just use the microwave steamer bags), set aside.

In a small bowl combine the snipped basil, parmesan, the zest and juice from the lemons with the cream cheese. Set aside.

In a large pan, saute the chicken, garlic and onions together. Add the pasta and broccoli to the pan and let them warm a little. Add the cream cheese mixture, stirring until everything is evenly coated. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Info


Servings Per Recipe: 4

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 217.2
Total Fat: 2.6 g
Cholesterol: 39.3 mg
Sodium: 311.2 mg
Total Carbs: 29.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 6.0 g
Protein: 23.3 g