Quick & Easy Dinners: Cheese & Chicken Enchiladas

Written by Liz -

Enchiladas mean different things to different people. To some, they mean spicy chicken or pork, topped with red chile sauce. To others, they’re tangy green chile sauce with cheese. Still others add sour cream or cream cheese, potatoes, peanuts or almonds. And to purists, enchiladas mean simple tortillas heated on a stove-top one-by-one, dipped in chile sauce, then folded once and topped with cheese and onion.

This Cheese & Chicken Enchiladas recipe means quick, easy and scrumptious. I made them with my new boyfriend and my dad — they’ve cumulatively eaten a lot of enchiladas — and it was agreed these enchiladas were delicious (better the next day and even more so with a fried egg on top for breakfast).  And don’t forget flexible! This recipe features chicken, cheddar cheese, tomato salsa and cream cheese, but make a few changes and you can please even your pickiest friends and family members. Just use any variety of salsa or enchilada sauce you like (I used tomato-raspberry-chipotle salsa; the sweet/spicy combination was addictive!) and substitute different cheeses like smoked Gouda, sharp white cheddar or queso fresco. You can also use Greek yogurt or sour cream in place of cream cheese.

Find out what enchiladas mean to you.

Cheese & Chicken Enchiladas

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups cooked, shredded chicken breast meat
• 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 1 1/2 cups (12-ounce bottle) chunky salsa, divided
• 1/2 of an 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese
• 8 (7- or 8-inch) soft taco-size fat free or regular flour tortillas

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Spray large, nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Add onion; cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender.

Add chicken, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup salsa and cream cheese. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes or until cheeses are melted as shown above.

SPOON a scant 1/3 cup chicken mixture down center of each tortilla; roll up. Place in 13 x 9-inch (3-quart rectangular) baking dish as shown above.

Drizzle with remaining salsa. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar cheese (as shown with queso fresco above); cover. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through and cheese on top is melted.

I served mine with fresh cilantro (shown above), a dry rosé wine, and a green salad.

Salud!

More enchilada recipes:

Chicken Enchiladas in Red Sauce	Slow Cooker Enchiladas

Celebrate with Chicken Cordon Bleu

Written by Nick -

Food holidays… there’s one every day of the year. Pistachio Day, Chicken Soup Day, Rhubarb Day etc… So it takes a lot for a food holiday to cut through the clutter and grab my attention. Just so happens, April 4^th, is National Chicken Cordon Bleu Day and I think that’s a day worth celebrating.

Chicken Cordon Bleu holds a special place in my heart. It has always been one of my favorite meals. It was the “special occasion” dinner when I was growing up. The “you did well on that test so Mom will make anything you want” dinner. Or even the “I’m sorry you got cut from baseball team (I’ve always been terrible at baseball) so I made Chicken Cordon Bleu to cheer you up” meal.  Even when I went to college, my fraternity served “chicken bombs” for parents’ weekend. It was one of those dishes that just felt special to me.

So, I figured Chicken Cordon Bleu Day was the perfect excuse to try making it myself. I didn’t follow the recipe exactly. Turns out, you should probably check your pantry for all the ingredients before you invite over friends and start cooking. I didn’t have the can of NESTLÉ Media Crema Ligera Lite Table Cream, so I subbed CARNATION® Fat Free Evaporated Milk for both the breading and the sauce. I also used light Swiss cheese, hoping to keep the calories in check. When rolling the chicken I was nervous it wouldn’t seal and all the cheese would melt its way out in the oven. But I secured the chicken with a toothpick, just like the recipe said, crossed my fingers and put it in the oven.

I was so excited when I pulled the chicken out of the oven and saw the cheese stayed put! I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud of how a recipe turned out. As a novice in the kitchen, I’m always anxious when entertaining friends and trying a new recipe. This was a home run (probably the only one I’ve ever hit – terrible at baseball). It paired perfectly with a Caesar Salad and roasted asparagus. I went so far as to print off the recipe and keep it on the fridge for the next celebratory dinner.

Give this recipe a try the next time you’re entertaining. You won’t be disappointed.

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Creamy Mustard Sauce

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 can (7.6 fluid ounces) NESTLÉ Media Crema Ligera Lite Table Cream, divided
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons MAGGI Granulated Chicken Flavor Bouillon, divided
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
• 4 thin slices cooked ham
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F. Grease large baking pan.

MIX 1/2 can media crema and mustard in small bowl; set aside.

MIX bread crumbs, 1 teaspoon bouillon and oregano in a dish; set aside. Place remaining 1/2 can media crema in a separate shallow dish.

SPRINKLE chicken pieces on both sides with remaining 1 teaspoon bouillon. Place 1 ham slice and 1 cheese slice on top of each chicken breast. Roll up; secure with wooden pick. Dip each roll in media crema, then in crumb mixture, turning to evenly coat both sides of each roll with the crumb mixture. Place rolls on prepared baking sheet; drizzle with oil.

BAKE, turning chicken over halfway through baking time, for 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and crust is golden. Serve warm with creamy mustard sauce.

Links:

• Chicken Cordon Bleu with Creamy Mustard Sauce
• Caesar Salad
• Roasted Asparagus with Pesto & Lemon

Related Recipes:

Chicken Milanesa	Crispy Baked Dijon Chicken

Soup: The Remedy to the Winter Blues

Written by Nick -

It’s cold and flu season. It’s cold outside. It’s winter. February 2^nd is Groundhog’s day and I’m not optimistic that Punxsutawney Phil has gotten over the fear of his shadow. So, my prediction, more winter, more cold, more SOUP.

Soups are the perfect remedy for cold winter nights. Chris Recently posted the about the warm and comforting Roasted Butternut Squash Soup, which inspired me to put together this soup round-up. What’s your favorite winter soup?

Cream of Mixed Vegetable Soup

Prepare this in just minutes. It’s a great way to get some veggies and nourish your soul.

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Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

The rice adds great texture to this home-style recipe. It’s a great alternative to the classic cold remedy “Chicken Noodle Soup.”

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Baked Potato Soup

A baked potato with all the fixings – as a soup! This is one of my all-time favorite soup recipes. It’s comfort food at its finest.

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Pumpkin and Gorgonzola Soup

I love the flavors of Pumpkin and Gorgonzola. This warm wintery soup will have you feeling cozy in no time.

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Maggi Beefy Onion Soup

Nothing beats a beefy onion soup on a cold night. Serve this HOT topped with LOTS of cheese (just my opinion, but you can’t go wrong with lots of cheese).

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Pumpkin Cheesy Soup

I think the chopped pistachios topping is the real highlight of this recipe. I just love pistachios right now.

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Broccoli Cheese Soup

Broccoli and Cheddar cheese make the perfect pair. This soup is perfect as an appetizer or even as a main meal.

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Bachelor in the Kitchen – Keeping Resolutions with Baked Chicken

Written by Nick -

Like a lot of people, I have a New Year’s resolution to eat healthier. This has been a reoccurring resolution each and every year. This year it’s more important than ever that I actually stick to it. So, I’m constantly looking for recipes that are full of flavor with a healthier side. I’ve saved this Crispy Baked Dijon Chicken on my “to try” list for a while now. It’s both low calorie and low fat (and looks delicious in the photo), so mid January seems like the perfect time to finally get around to trying it.

Now, as the “bachelor in the kitchen,” I make it a point to cook each recipe I try. It’s important to me to write about recipes that a novice chef, such as myself, can make. But when I was getting down to trying this particular recipe, I had also come down with a cold (teaser – I’ll be posting about chicken soup later this month). So, I enlisted my brother, a surprisingly good cook, to help with dinner. Although, I wasn’t directly involved in the prep of this meal, I can assure this is a simple recipe!

I sometimes worry that chicken can become boring or bland but that’s not the case with this recipe, it was delicious! The Dijon is flavorful and the chicken is crisp and juicy. My brother served the chicken with some mixed greens and Roasted Asparagus with Pesto & Lemon. This recipe came at the perfect time… mid January is about as long as my New Year’s resolutions usually last. With recipes like this, I might make it the full year (or mid February?)!

Crispy Baked Dijon Chicken

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1/4 cup NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Fat Free Milk
• 3 to 4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup plain, dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup (.75 ounce) BUITONI Refrigerated Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 4 (about 1 1/4 pounds total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 475° F. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

COMBINE evaporated milk and mustard in shallow bowl. Combine bread crumbs and cheese in separate shallow bowl. Dip chicken into milk mixture, coating both sides, then into bread crumb mixture. Place in prepared dish.

BAKE for 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is golden brown and no longer pink in center.

Links:

• NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Fat Free Milk
• BUITONI Refrigerated Freshly Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• Crispy Baked Dijon Chicken

More Chicken:

Citrus Baked Chicken	Grilled Chicken Breasts with Fresh Herbs

Summer Grilling Recipe: Tangerine Adobo Chicken

Written by Ericka -

Please enjoy this guest post by Ericka Sanchez of Nibbles & Feasts.

Planning a family reunion this summer? Then a “parillada” (barbecue) needs to happen. It’s the perfect time to bond with your loved ones, enjoy the beautiful weather and reflect in the great outdoors.

We are at the peak of barbecue season and I took advantage of this time to invite my family over and prepare a batch of my younger sister’s famous Orange Tangerine Adobo Chicken a la parilla. I had been pleading with her to reveal the sweet, savory and spicy marinade recipe to me because everyone loves the flavor and it tenderizes the chicken beautifully. I promised her that if she shared her recipe with me, I would invite the family over and attempt to make this delicious family meal for everyone to enjoy.

With that promise, she did and I was delighted to have all the ingredients needed in my kitchen. There was no need to go out and buy costly marinades when I could make my own. The preparation was simple and the chicken marinated overnight as we hardly slept in anticipation.

The next day, when the chicken was cooked and gave it its last sizzle, we wrapped the juicy meat in warm corn tortillas, topped it with pico de gallo and devoured this newly inducted Meals.com family favorite until it completely disappeared.

Tangerine Adobo Chicken

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 4 cups Orange Tangerine Flavor NESTLÉ® JUICY JUICE® All Natural 100% Juice
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon MAGGI Seasoning Sauce
• 2 tablespoons chipotle chiles in adobo sauce from a can, chopped
• 8 chicken thighs (bone-in)

Directions:

HEAT Juicy Juice and sugar in a large saucepan; whisk until sugar is completely dissolved. Whisk in seasoning sauce and chiles; cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat; let cool.

PLACE chicken thighs in a large freezer bag; carefully pour in Juicy Juice mixture. Seal; refrigerate for 12 hours.

PREHEAT grill or broiler.

GRILL or broil chicken for about 7 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in center. To test, pierce a thigh with a knife and if juice is clear, the thighs are cooked.

Links:

• Orange Tangerine Adobo Chicken
• Nestlé Juicy Juice
• Maggi Seasoning Sauce
• Nibbles & Feasts

Related Recipes:

Turkey Enchilada Stack

Barbeque Chicken Drummettes

A Bachelor’s Guide to the Perfect Picnic

Written by Nick - 

Summer is finally here and the 4^th of July is right around the corner. Whether you’re packing a sandwich to watch the fireworks or making the most of the summertime sun, it’s the perfect time to have a picnic. So pack up your cooler or basket, grab a blanket and head outside.

If you’re going to be venturing outdoors there are a few things you’ll need to remember:

• don’t forget a blanket to sit on and a blanket to lie under in case it’s cold
• if you’re planning to use a picnic table consider a tablecloth – the birds can do some damage to a shaded picnic table
• you’ll want to pick the right meal – anything can get messy when you’re eating on a blanket in a park
• don’t forget the napkins – as I mentioned it can get messy if you’re not prepared.

This Summer Solstice I was lucky enough to make the most of the long daylight and have an evening picnic which turned out to be quite the romantic date.

I made these Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Pesto Mayo as wraps. The Buitoni pesto has a ton of flavor and creates a delicious sandwich or wrap. For picnic purposes, I decided to make these sandwiches as wraps (pictured below) and I used sun-dried tomatoes instead of juicy ripe ones. Don’t forget drinks and a side! This Limoncello Basil Cooler recipe is a refreshing cocktail for the summertime and the Apple-Infused Coleslaw in a Jar is a perfectly packable salad.

If you’re looking for more picnic tips be sure to check out the articles on meals.com for specific beach picnic essentials and day trip/hiking picnic tips.

Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Pesto Mayo

Ingredients for 8 Servings:

• 1 container (7 ounces) BUITONI Refrigerated All Natural Pesto with Basil, divided
• 8 (about 2 1/2 pounds total) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 cup light mayonnaise
• 8 ciabatta bread or French rolls, split horizontally
• 8 thin slices provolone or other Italian cheese

Directions:

PREHEAT grill or broiler.

SPREAD 3 tablespoons pesto over chicken breasts. Place remaining pesto and mayonnaise in blender; cover. Blend until smooth. Spoon into squeeze bottle or covered container and keep chilled until ready for use.

GRILL or broil chicken for 5 minutes over medium heat; turn over. Grill or broil for an additional 3 to 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center.

SPREAD pesto mayo over bread; top with chicken and cheese. Add lettuce, sliced tomato and sliced red onion, if desired.

Links:

• Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Pesto Mayo
• Planning a Beach Picnic
• Packing a Picnic for a Day Hike

Related Recipes:

Apple-Infused Coleslaw in a Jar

Limoncello Basil Cooler