Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wraps

School is over here in Jersey which means the hubs is on summer vacation.  Read: I'm home and bored and need entertaining.  Enter: old roommate looking to burn vacation days with a suggestion to head to Atlantic City.  My husband can't resist.  So off they went.

Since I had no idea what time they would be back and I had a beating session with the trainer at the gym, last night I popped some ingredients into the slow cooker and set it this morning to be ready when I got home from the gym.

This shredded chicken makes the best wraps ever.  Especially with my favorite lettuce alternative:  broccoli slaw.  The sweet and saltiness of the chicken mixed with the crunch of the slaw and a little hoisin (or as I call it, poison), these wraps are a mess to eat, but well worth the sticky fingers.

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wraps

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wraps

What You Need:

• 3 lbs boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
• 1/2 c teriyaki sauce (I used this)
• 1 tbps freshly grated ginger
• 4 large cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• tortillas
• broccoli slaw
• hoisin sauce

How You Do It:

1. Spray basin of slow cooker with cooking spray.  Add chicken.
2. In a small bowl, combine sauce, ginger, and garlic.  Pour over chicken and toss to coat.
3. Cook on low, 7-8 hours.
4. Shred using tongs, add sesame seeds, and toss to combine with remaining sauce from cooking.

How You Eat It:

• I spread a little hoisin in the middle of a tortilla, top with slaw, and chicken.  Wrap!

Slow Cooker Teriyaki Chicken Wraps recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.

Baked Chicken Panzanella

Have you ever had a panzanella salad?  You know, the Italian bread salad with tons of fresh bread and tomatoes tossed with leafy lettuce?  Well, this quick and easy casserole is a warm spin on said salad. 

The combination of flavors is subtle and amazing - diced chicken with seasoned diced tomatoes, seasoned croutons, and Italian dressing.  Nothing more than that.  Layered and baked, then topped with shredded parmesan, though I bet this would be just as good with an Italian blend or even shredded mozzarella (mom!).  Top it off with some fresh basil and you're good to go.

The croutons might be throwing you off a little, but the combination of some crunchy, some a little soggy really makes for an interesting twist.  I know, just give it a try!

Baked Chicken Panzanella

Baked Chicken Panzanella

What You Need:

• 2 c chopped cooked chicken
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with garlic, onion and oregano, drained
• 1 package (5 oz) Italian-seasoned croutons
• 1/4 c Italian dressing
• 3/4 c shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 c sliced fresh basil leaves

How You Do It:

1. In a square baking dish, layer chicken, tomatoes,  and croutons. Drizzle with Italian dressing. 
2. Cover and bake 350* 20 minutes.
3. Sprinkle with cheese and bake uncovered additional 10 minutes or until cheese melts.
4. Sprinkle with basil

Baked Chicken Panzanella recipe adapted from Betty Crocker.

Orange-Basil Chicken

Meet my basil plant:

Basil!

While it might not look like more than a basil plant to you, you must understand - I cannot keep plants alive.  My mother-in-law buys me a fresh basil plant every year and I almost always kill it off.  The first year she pitied me when I killed off the first one and came later in the season with a second, I then killed as well.   Last year, while we were away cruising the Mediterranean on our honeymoon, my basil plant stayed with my MiL, which was a treat, as when we got back, it had doubled, yes doubled, in size!  She really knows how to keep 'em healthy! 

So this year when she came over for our Memorial Day BBQ, she brought me my plant - and lo and behold, it's growing like crazy!  So with all this basil, I started on my search for basil-infused recipes that didn't include red sauce - something non-Italian.

Insert tonight's dinner - while the basil wasn't at the forefront (and honestly, I could have used more), this was a great balance of orange, soy, ginger, and basil.  The fresh broccoli added a nice crunch and the rice soaked up the sweet, yet salty sauce.

A good use for basil - but yes, stay tuned, we'll get my favorite bolognese and pesto recipes eventually.  Until then, say a prayer (if you believe in that sort of thing) for the well-being of my basil plant!

Orange-Basil Chicken

Orange-Basil Chicken

What You Need:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 3 tbsp cornstarch, divided
• 2 small broccoli crowns, cut into pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 3/4 c orange juice
• 5 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 c honey
• 3 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 c chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp grated orange rind

How You Do It:

1. Toss chicken with 2 tbsp cornstarch, and set aside.
2. Sauté broccoli in 1 tbsp hot oil in a large skillet, stirring occasionally until crisp-tender, remove from skillet and set aside.
3. Sauté chicken pieces in remaining 1 tbsp hot oil, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until done. Reduce heat to medium.
4. Whisk together orange juice, soy sauce, honey, ginger, and remaining 1tbsp  cornstarch. Add orange juice mixture and broccoli to chicken, and cook, stirring occasionally until sauce is thickened. 
5. Stir in basil and orange rind.

Orange-Basil Chicken recipe adapted from MyRecipes.com.

Mexican Layered Tortilla Bake

"I don't like this," he said as he put his fork down after the first bite.  At first, I thought maybe it was his stomach not agreeing with the Mexican.  Then, "I like refried beans, but that's all I can taste."  Ah hah.  Too much bean flavor.  I probably should have known better,  but I suppose I was just hoping for a better outcome.  That, sadly, was not the case.  So go-to pantry staple - pasta - went on the stovetop, for him. 

I, on the other hand, really love this recipe.  And frankly, what's not to love:  cheese, good! tortillas, good! ground meat (I used turkey), good!  salsa, good!  refried beans, good!  That's it - that's all you need.  5 minutes at the stovetop, 3 minutes to layer in the pan, and another 15 to marry it all together, and you're good to go.  Well, at least I was.

You win some, you lose some.

Mexican Layered Tortilla Bake

Mexican Layered Tortilla Bake

What You Need:

• 1 lb ground meat (I used turkey)
• 1 can refried beans (I used fat-free)
• 1/4 c salsa
• 2 c shredded Mexican blend cheese
• 4 tortillas (I used whole grain)

How You Do It:

1. Brown mean until no longer pink.  Stir in refried beans and salsa until combined.
2. Place one tortilla in the bottom of a deep pie pan.  Top with 1/4 meat mixture and 1/4 cheese.
3. Repeat layers ending with cheese.
4. Bake 350* 15 minutes.

Mexican Layered Tortilla Bake recipe adapted from my mom.

Seared Salmon with Tzatziki

If tonight's recipe could be described in one word, I would choose: refreshing.

There really isn't much to the recipe itself - the salmon was simply seasoned with pepper and a tiny pinch of salt, and seared on the the stovetop.  The main flavor of the dish comes from the homemade tzatziki - a cucumber-meets-herbs-meets-Greek-yogurt sauce.

That's all folks.  That's the dish.  But something about the refreshing cucumber paired with the fresh herbs and the creamy yogurt really makes a simple but oh-so-flavorful topping.  I served this with some whole wheat pitas, but a salad dressed with a lemon vinaigrette would have been the perfect touch.

Seared Salmon with Tzatziki

Seared Salmon with Tzatziki

What You Need for the Tzatziki:

• 1 6-oz container plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/3 diced seedless (English) cucumber
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 2 tbsp fresh dill, minced
• 1 tsp fresh mint, minced
• salt & pepper, to taste  

What You Need for the Salmon:

• 2 6-oz salmon filets
• Salt and pepper, to taste

How You Do It:

Seared Salmon with Tzatziki recipe adapted from An Edible Mosaic.

Skillet Chicken & Noodles

Do you ever have one of those nights when comfort food sounds like the only thing that will hit the spot but when you think about how many times you'll have to hit the gym to work if off,  you change your mind?

Well this skillet version of chicken pot pie actually isn't so bad.  Combining veggies with chicken, noodles instead of crust, and a low-fat sauce, you've got that comforting chicken pot pie sans pie.  And - it's all done on the stove-top in one pan.  Perfect for a weeknight comfort.

Skillet Chicken & Noodles

Skillet Chicken & Noodles

What You Need:

• 1 lb chicken breasts, sliced thin
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 c chicken broth
• 1 can condensed cream of celery soup (I used this)
• 1 package frozen vegetables
• 2 cups uncooked spiral pasta
• 1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning

How You Do It:

1. Cook chicken and onion in a large skillet with a cover until chicken is browned and onion is tender.
2. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook 15 minutes until noodles are tender and chicken is fully cooked.

Skillet Chicken & Noodles recipe adapted from Pillsbury.com.

Tex-Mex Turkey Tenderloin

Talk about an easy meal!  Two ingredients for the turkey, some rice, and condiments of your choice, you really can't beat this.  This is one of those recipes you could make over and over again, each time with a different end result. 

Start with a turkey tenderloin - my package came with three smaller ones, about one pound total.  Then, add some refrigerated salsa - preferably the fresh, chunky kind - to the heat and flavor of your liking.  I used a sweet onion variety.  A touch of water and you're good to go.  That's it.  It's that easy.

Served over rice and topped with your favorites - in our house it was cheese, avocado, and sour cream - you have a quick and easy - and healthy - meal!

Tex-Mex Turkey Tenderloin

Tex-Mex Turkey Tenderloin

What You Need:

• 1 lb turkey tenderloin, cut into 3/4" chunks
• 1 1/2 c fresh refrigerated salsa
• 1/4 c water
• rice and condiments of choice

How You Do It:

1. In a large skillet, cook turkey until lightly browned.
2. Add salsa and water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let cook about 5 minutes until sauce thickens and turkey is fully cooked.

Tex-Mex Turkey Tenderloin recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine.