Spicy Chicken with spinach orzo

This is a quick an easy meal that is delicious (and can be made vegetarian)! I got the recipe from Rachel Ray's 30 minute dinners and I made a few alterations after the first time I made it (due to the ingredients I actually had on hand) and it was delicious both ways. It is one of my favorite go to meals when I don't know what else to make or don't feel like spending a lot of time in the kitchen. 

Ingredients:

(The ingredients are as follows but I honestly don't measure the pasta and spinach anymore, or anything for that matter. But for the first time, go ahead!)

- 1 1/2 cups orzo pasta

- 3 oz fresh spinach, rinsed

- 2 tbsp EVOO

- Salt and pepper

- 1 yellow onion, halved and sliced

- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped

- 1/2 Jalepeno chile, seeded and chopped (I used one whole one, depends on how spicy the pepper is)

- 1 lb skinless boneless chicken breast cut into 1/2 inch thick strips

- 3 tomatoes, seeded and chopped (here is where I made alterations, to save time I used canned diced tomatoes that were in garlic and olive oil and added one diced roma tomato just because I had one on hand)

- 1-2 lemons (depending on how juicy and big they are), zested and juiced.

Directions:

1. Cook orzo until al dente (approx 8 mins). Place spinach in a colander and rinse it. Drain orzo over spinach and return both to pot. Add 1 tbsp EVOO, season with salt and pepper, cover to keep warm.

2. In large skillet, heat 1 tbsp EVOO over med-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic and jalepeno and cook for 30 seconds. Push mixture to side of skillet (or temporarily remove and place on plate or in bowl, often if we are eating chicken the night before I cook one breast with just salt and pepper to save time on cooking it for this) and add chicken seasoned with salt and pepper.  Stir in 1/4 cup water, tomatoes, lemon zest, and lemon juice and cook until chicken is cooked through (or until the chicken is warm if it's already been cooked). Serve on a bed of spinach orzo.

**IF you are using precooked chicken, cook onion, garlic, and jalepeno according to directions. Add tomatoes (if using canned don't add 1/4 cup water), lemon zest, lemon juice, and add chicken. Simmer on low until chicken is warmed through. To be honest, I prefer this with the canned tomatoes in garlic and olive oil over using the fresh tomatoes...totally up to you!

This is really easy, and delicious. It can be modified in so many ways!

Chicken (and tofu) with black beans and rice

This is one of our "go to" recipes.  It's quick and easy and Danny has made it himself millions of times if I'm getting home later or just to be nice lol. Anyone can do it! It tastes yummy too! This can be made strictly vegetarian if you just omit the chicken as well :)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 1/2 to 3lbs chicken, diced (we use the breasts, your choice)

1/4 block extra firm tofu, diced (this is OPTIONAL...I add tofu for my dinner)

2 tablespoons of cooking oil (coconut, canola, olive, etc.)

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

1 - 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes with onion and green pepper, undrained

I cup tomato juice

1 cup frozen whole kernal corn (or canned corn, whichever you have)

2/3 cup brown rice

1/2 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1. In a large resealable plastic bag combine flour, 1 teaspoon of the chili powder, the salt, and black pepper. If you are doing tofu also, have a separate bag with these things in them as well, to be honest, you don't need to measure, it's just to coat and season the chicken and tofu. But if you must, measure away for both! Just keep them separate. Add chicken (tofu) pieces.  Seal the bag; shake to coat.

2. In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat and brown chicken and tofu on all sides.  Heat about 10 minutes turning occasionally. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, the beans, the undrained tomatoes, tomato juice, corn, rice, cayenne pepper, and garlic to the skillet. Bring to a boiling. Boil for about 5 minutes or so, not too long but we found that the brown rice needs to be boiled a bit longer so it cooks properly. Transfer rice mixture into a rectangular baking dish. Arrange chicken and tofu pieces on top of mixture.

3. Bake covered with foil in a 375 degree oven for 45-50 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and rice is tender. We have found that it may take a little longer because of the brown rice :)

Enjoy!

Chicken tortilla soup

Since winter has finally decided to show up and it has been bone chilling cold here I decided it was the perfect time to bust out the crock pot to make some soup! I decided to go simple...and made chicken tortilla soup...it turned out good! It was so easy, I tossed it all in the pot before I left for work this morn and it was done by the time Danny got home. I'm always a little hesitant when we use our crock pot because I'm scared it's going to catch on fire LOL.

Ingredients and Directions:

2 cans cilantro lime Ro-Tel diced tomatoes
2 cans low sodium chicken broth
1 can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can low sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced green chilis
1 can corn
1 small bunch of fresh cilantro (you can also use 1 tablespoon dried cilantro if you don't have fresh on hand)
1 tablespoon garlic powder (I used 4 fresh cloves)
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 chicken breasts...all natural, vegetarian fed, hormone free ;) (This is the only way I'll eat chicken...even this is rare!)

I tossed it all in the pot, mixed it, added the chicken and made sure they were submerged, then cooked it on low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, pull the chicken out and shred it if it hasn't already fallen apart on it's own and then put it back in. Serve. I suggest crumbling some corn tortilla chips into it and some shredded cheese on top. Sour cream would have been good as well but I didn't have any!