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Walnut Chicken Salad





INGREDIENTS

4 skinned and boned chicken breast halves

3 tablespoons buttermilk

1 cup finely ground walnuts

1/2 cup fine, dry breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 cups torn mixed salad greens

4 cups torn fresh spinach

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend

16 cherry tomatoes, cut in half


PREPARATION

Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Brush buttermilk evenly over chicken.

Combine walnuts, breadcrumbs, and salt in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in mixture.

Pour oil into a large skillet; place over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken, and cook 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Cut chicken crosswise into thin slices.

Combine salad greens and spinach, and arrange on each of 4 individual plates. Sprinkle with cheese, and top with tomato halves and chicken.

Cheesy Chicken Taco Casserole






INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper

1 (24 oz.) jar pasta sauce

9 (5-inch) corn tortillas

1 cup chopped cilantro

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack (8 oz.)

1 small tomato, sliced


PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 400°F. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place in a small skillet and add cold water to cover. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, turning once or twice, until opaque and firm, about 10 minutes. Remove, let cool and cut into small pieces or shred. You should have about 3 cups cut-up chicken.

Spread one-third of sauce over bottom of a 7-by-11-inch baking dish. Arrange 3 tortillas, slightly overlapping, on top. Sprinkle one-third of chicken and cilantro over tortillas. Top with a third of cheese. Make two more layers of sauce, tortillas, chicken, cilantro and cheese. Arrange tomato on final layer of cheese. Cover with foil and bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and cook until top is lightly browned, 10 minutes more

Baked Buffalo Chicken Strips with Blue Cheese Dip





INGREDIENTS

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 1/2 cups plus 1/2 cup buttermilk

2/3 cup hot sauce

1 cup sour cream

5 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Salt and pepper

8 ounces Ritz crackers (2 sleeves)

3 tablespoons Buffalo wing seasoning mix

4 tablespoons canola oil

6 large celery ribs, cut in quarters lengthwise


PREPARATION

Cut each chicken breast into 4 strips, lengthwise, and place in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups buttermilk and hot sauce until blended. Pour over chicken; mix until chicken is coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Make dip: In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, 1/2 cup buttermilk, blue cheese, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Whisk to mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Mist 2 large baking sheets with cooking spray. In a food processor, pulse crackers until crushed. Add seasoning mix and pulse to combine.

Spread cracker mixture on a large platter. Remove chicken from marinade and carefully dredge each strip in cracker mixture.

In a large skillet, warm 2 Tbsp. oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of chicken and cook, turning, until brown and crisp on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining oil and chicken.

Place baking sheets in oven and bake until chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Serve chicken hot with celery and blue cheese dip.

Chicken Rice Casserole




INGREDIENTS

Cooking spray

1 cup chopped onion

1 (8-ounce) bone-in chicken breast half, skinned

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon butter

1 (8-ounce) zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 (8-ounce) yellow squash, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

2 cups cooked long-grain white rice

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh pecorino Romano cheese, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt


PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Lightly coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon pepper; add chicken, meaty side down, to pan. Cook 6 minutes or until browned; turn chicken over. Add broth to pan. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken from pan, reserving broth in pan. Let chicken stand 10 minutes. Remove chicken from bones; shred. Discard bones. Place chicken in a large bowl.

Bring broth to a boil; cook, uncovered, until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 10 minutes). Add broth mixture to chicken. Melt butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add squash to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add squash mixture, rice, and minced rosemary to the chicken mixture, and toss gently to combine.

Place flour in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually add milk, stirring until smooth; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat; let stand 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup cheese; stir with a whisk until smooth. Add remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper, milk mixture, and salt to chicken mixture; stir to combine. Spoon chicken mixture into a broiler-safe 8-inch ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese over rice mixture; bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove casserole from oven.

Preheat broiler.

Broil casserole 5 minutes or until golden.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION Calories (337); Fat (9.7g/sat 5.7g/mono 2.7g/poly 0.6g); Protein (23.9g); Carb (38.2g); Fiber (2.8g); Chol (56mg); Iron (2.3mg); Sodium (592mg); Calc (331mg)

Chicken Cacciatore





INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into pieces

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped

1 carrot, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes

1/3 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped


PREPARATION

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Working in batches, lightly coat the chicken with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add some of the chicken to the pan and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; set aside. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Add the onion to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

Crush the tomatoes in the can with a large spoon and stir them into the vegetables along with the wine and the remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Add the chicken, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley

Chicken Fajitas





INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 onion, sliced

2 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, or a combination, cored and sliced

Salt, to taste

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin, or to taste

1 teaspoon ground chili powder, or to taste

6 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

1 (3- to 4-pound) roasted whole chicken, chopped

8 (8-inch) flour tortillas


Toppings

salsa, sliced avocado or prepared guacamole, sour cream, and sliced green onions


PREPARATION

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onion, bell pepper, and salt, and cook 3 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and chili powder, and cook 1 minute or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from heat, and stir in 2 tablespoons lime juice and 2 tablespoons cilantro.

Heat tortillas according to package directions.

Whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 4 tablespoons lime juice, and 2 tablespoons cilantro in a small bowl; season with salt. Drizzle dressing over chicken; toss to coat. Arrange chicken, vegetables, and warm tortillas on platter. Serve with toppings.

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu





INGREDIENTS

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

6 skinned and boned chicken breast halves

1 (5.5-ounce) box seasoned croutons, crushed

1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2 egg whites

2 tablespoons water

12 thinly sliced smoked ham slices

6 Swiss cheese slices

Honey mustard dressing (optional)


PREPARATION

Sprinkle salt and pepper evenly over chicken; set aside.

Combine seasoned crouton crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a large zip-top plastic bag. Whisk together egg whites and 2 tablespoons water in a shallow bowl.

Dip chicken in egg white mixture, and drain. Place 1 breast half in bag; seal and shake to coat. Remove to a lightly greased aluminum foil-lined baking sheet, and repeat with remaining chicken.

Bake at 450° for 20 minutes or until chicken is done. Top each breast half with 2 ham slices and 1 Swiss cheese slice. Bake 5 more minutes or until cheese melts. Serve with honey mustard dressing, if desired.