chicken

Chicken Bacon Pesto Flatbread

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I’m going to come right out and tell you the truth about something.  I like to leave the dinner table feeling full! Doesn’t everyone? I want my supper — do you call it dinner or supper? — to be the most satisfying meal of my day.  I’m not the kind of person who allows a lot of extra time in the morning — hello, snooze button! — so this often means very little for breakfast, and I don’t leave work for lunch.  Supper is my time to relax and indulge in good food. This leaves me looking for ways to feel like the meal was an indulgence without sending it into calorie overload. This Chicken Bacon Pesto Flatbread is so filling and full of flavor that you might even get away with eating half of one, but I think you’ll want the whole thing! ~Tracy

Ingredients:

3 Joseph’s Lavash Bread (I use the flax, oat bran, and whole wheat)

3 cups shredded white meat chicken (I often use rotisserie chicken)

3 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced

½ c. finely chopped purple onion

2 large cloves garlic, minced

4 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Spreadable Cheese 

¼ c. reduced fat pesto

3 T. real bacon bits

¾ c. 2% shredded Colby Jack cheese

1 ½ c. grape tomatoes, halved

3 T. grated parmesan

Cream the Laughing Cow cheese and pesto together in a small dish.  Set aside.

In large skillet, sauté the chicken and jalapenos until onions on medium-low heat until onions become tender.  Add garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Place the three Lavash breads on individual pieces of parchment.  Evenly spread one third of the pesto mixture onto each bread as you would a pizza sauce.  

Sprinkle 1 T. bacon bits over the cheese mixture on each bread.

Top each bread with one third of the chicken mixture, spreading evenly.  Add ¼ cup of shredded Colby Jack to each. Spread ½ c. of tomatoes on each bread and sprinkle on 1 T. shredded Parmesan over each.  

Bake each bread at 325 degrees for 10-15 min. or until cheese is melted and edges of bread begin to turn golden brown.

Each whole flatbread is 11 WW Freestyle Points or 6 WW Freestyle Points for half.

Caribbean Chicken Lettuce Wraps

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Summer is meant for grilling.  It’s getting hot in Oklahoma and, because we’ve had a ton of rain, the humidity is at somewhere around 1,000%.  That means it’s too hot to cook a full meal in the kitchen.  I’m all about grilling out, as much as possible.  These Caribbean Chicken Lettuce Wraps are the perfect summer grill meal because you can put your chicken on the grill while you stay inside (for the most part), in the air conditioning, sipping a cold beverage and chopping a few fruits and veggies.  By the time the chicken is done, you’ll be ready to throw it all together, wrap it in a crisp lettuce leaf, and go to town on it… grilled chicken, mango, onions, jalapeno, and spices, wrapped in a big leaf of green lettuce… this recipe is the perfect fresh, light, summer meal.  It’s so flavorful, you might even find yourself eating it straight from the bowl with a spoon, like this little guy.  By the looks of that messy, nearly-empty bowl, he’s enjoying it!  ~Erin

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Ingredients

  • 8 oz. grilled boneless, skinless chicken breast, seasoned lightly with garlic powder, salt, and pepper (baked or rotisserie chicken breast would also work fine) – room temperature
  • 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • Juice of 1 lime
  • ¼ tsp. each of garlic powder, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika, and salt
  • ¼ c. chopped red onion
  • 1 c. diced mango
  • 1 jalapeno (seeded and deveined) chopped
  • Bib or romaine lettuce leaves, washed
  • Sliced avocado, optional

In a medium bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, and spices; set aside.

When the chicken has come to room temperature, chop in bite-sized pieces and add to the bowl.

Add the onion, mango, and jalapeno.

Toss gently until the dressing and ingredients are evenly distributed.

Serve, topped with avocado (if desired), wrapped in a leaf of lettuce.

WW Freestyle Info.:  The recipe makes 4 servings of ¾ cups each.  Each serving is 1 SmartPoint, not counting the optional avocado.

Tip:  Measure your avocado in grams – you get more for the points!

Chicken and Tomato Crumble Casserole

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I got this recipe from Tracy, and it’s one of the very first things I made on my own often.  As a sophomore in high school, I would have won the state level A-OK Cookoff with this dish had I not been marked down because I didn’t properly contrast my plate with the color of the meal (I’ve improved my presentation since then, my dear Home Ec. teacher — it’s Family & Consumer Sciences now — at the time would be proud to know, God rest Deanne Pence’s soul).  I had even learned how to make garnish roses out of tomato skin for the occasion, a skill I have since lost, but that’s okay because I think I was over-relying on those to get me through on the presentation category.  I got the highest marks in taste though, which is always most important to me!  The tomato is just the little bit of acidic kick this chicken needs to contrast with the creamy soup and the crunchy buttery topping.

It’s such a great comfort food dish that it’s the first thing I chose to cook for Barry when we were first dating.  I don’t have a picture of that date, but here’s Valentine’s Day just a couple weeks earlier (yes, my hair was made for the 90s); now our 18th anniversary is just around the corner, and we’ve cooked more than a few meals for each other.

I make this dish year-round, but I like it best when I have fresh garden tomatoes from the farmer’s market. Now is the time to give it a try! ~Robin

Ingredients:  

  • 2 lbs. of chicken breast
  • 8 slices of American cheese (Kraft 2% slices)
  • 2 10.5 cans of cream of chicken soup (98% fat free)
  • 2 large tomatoes
  • Pepperidge Farms Herb Seasoned Dressing (Dry bag of breadcrumbs)
  • 1 stick of salted butter
  • White rice (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Beat dressing crumbs lightly before opening the bag to create fairly consistently sized crumbs.  In a large microwave safe bowl, melt butter, then add the whole bag of crushed stuffing and stir to soak all crumbs with butter.  Set aside.

Slice tomato as you would for a burger (or maybe a bit thicker) and set aside.

Trim fat from chicken and cut into chunks (about one inch cubes).

Place chicken evenly across the bottom of a 9×13” pan.  Add salt and pepper.

Cover chicken with soup and salt lightly again.  Then lay cheese over the top of the soup evenly across the pan.  It will fit about 8 slices.  On top of each piece of cheese, place a slice of tomato.  Finally, spread dressing crumble over the top.

Bake for about one hour; keep a close eye on the topping. I usually have to cover the top of the dish with foil after about 15 or 20 minutes to keep it from getting overly browned.

This dish may be served over rice, but I prefer it on its own myself.

WW Info.:  This serves 8 really generous portions at 14 points each.  This is more of a point splurge than I normally do, but in my book it’s well worth saving some points.  (Does not include optional rice.)

Avocado Chicken Salad

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Don’t you love it when two of your favorite things come together in perfect harmony?  Things like your favorite song on the radio and being in the car alone, hitting all of the green lights when you’re in a hurry, or the perfect concoction of chicken and avocado?  I know, I know…these things rarely happen, and I’m sorry to say that I can’t help you with the traffic lights.  I can, however, hook you up with the perfect summer combination in this Avocado Chicken Salad!  It’s become one of my favorite summery dinners – especially if I can make it with at least a few of the ingredients right out of my own garden (though I haven’t yet figured out how to grow avocados in the Oklahoma climate).  Everyone in my family goes back for seconds on this dish, and sometimes, when they aren’t looking, I might indulge in a third helping! ~ Tracy

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Ingredients

  • 350 grams of avocado, usually 3 medium avocados
  • ½ c. finely chopped yellow or white onion
  • 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ c. grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
  • ½ c. cilantro, chopped
  • 2 cups chopped grilled chicken breast
  • Juice of one lime
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Remove the avocado from the rind.  Discard rind and pit.

Roughly mash the avocado with large fork or potato masher.

Mix all ingredients together, stirring gently.

Serve in your favorite tortilla or wrap.

Makes 4 cups.  Each ½ cup serving is 2 WW Freestyle Points.

Spicy Asian Chicken Meatballs with Broccoli

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Confession…I did not grow up an adventurous eater. I was sort of a poster child for, “I won’t eat this, or I’m going to pick that out.” I’m pretty sure I never ate in an Asian restaurant until after I was married. As an adult though, I realized that if I was going to have anything remotely close to a healthy diet, I was going to have to branch out beyond my favorite comfort foods. Confession number two….I’m still not all that adventurous, but I’ve learned to introduce myself, and my kids, to different flavors and foods. I’ve learned that there are better sauces than barbecue or ranch, and that fruits and vegetables can add beautiful flavor and color to our plates. Don’t get me wrong – I still load up my plate with macaroni and cheese on occasion (try ours here), but more often than not, we’re eating something like these Spicy Asian Chicken Meatballs with Broccoli. I think you’ll like it just as much as that take-out comfort food! ~Tracy

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Ingredients for meatballs

  • 1 ¼ lb. ground white meat chicken
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ c. bread crumbs.
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 T. crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 T. fresh peeled ginger, grated
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper

Ingredients for sauce

  • ¼ c. teriyaki sauce
  • ½ c. water
  • 1 T. fresh peeled ginger, grated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • ¼ c. lightly packed brown sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 2 c. steamed broccoli (reserved until adding sauce to meatballs)

Mix all meatball ingredients until well combined. Use a small ice cream scoop to form 24 meatballs.

Place meatballs on large baking sheet, lined with parchment.

Bake at 350, for approximately 25 minutes, or until each meatball begins to turn golden and all juices are clear.

While meatballs are cooking, combine all sauce ingredients (except broccoli) in a small saucepan and whisk together. Heat to a low boil, reduce heat and simmer for two minutes.

Place cooked meatballs and steamed broccoli in a large metal or glass bowl. Cover with sauce and toss together.

This recipe makes 6 servings (4 meatballs per serving). Each serving is 3 WW Freestyle Points.

Serve over rice, but remember to figure WW points on rice separately if desired.

Crock Pot Spinach & Artichoke Chicken

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Spring is finally here, which means we are reaching the season of the year when my husband and kids start hollering, “let’s go fishing!”  My husband is the type that will go fishing in a full snow-suit or rain gear.  He’s what you would call obsessed.  He reads fishing magazines and watches pro-fishing on TV.  Like I said… obsessed.  However, there are worse hobbies for a person to have, so I tolerate the fishing string remnants that gets caught in my vacuum cleaner beater bar.  I am more of a fair-weather fisherman… fisherwoman?… Let’s go with “angler.”  I like to fish but only when it’s sunny and warm.  I want no part of being on the lake in winter gear. 

Recently, on a particularly warm and sunny afternoon, we decided it would be a good day to do a little fishing.  Before we ventured out, I threw a supper in the Crock-Pot because I didn’t want to go straight to the kitchen after being out all day.  Oh man, I’m glad I did.  I wish I could say we arrived home with some fresh fish to fry, but let’s just say I was glad we planned to have chicken.  This Crock Pot Spinach & Artichoke Chicken smelled amazing after a day at the lake.  A few minutes to slice and toast some bread was basically all it took to have supper ready.  ~Erin

  • 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 (9 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed
  • 1 (14 oz.) can quartered artichoke hearts, packed in water; drained
  • 1 T. minced garlic
  • 1 (8 oz) package fat-free cream cheese
  • ½ c. shredded parmesan
  • ½ c. low-moisture part-skim mozzarella
  • 1/3 c. fat-free half & half
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • Sliced, toasted French bread, for serving

Place chicken in the bottom of a slow-cooker. 

Squeeze as much water as possible from the thawed spinach and add it to the slow-cooker along with the garlic and drained, quartered artichoke hearts.

Cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8.

Remove the chicken from the slow-cooker and shred; return it to the pot.

Add cream cheese, shredded parmesan, mozzarella, half & half, and salt & pepper; stir until melted and creamy.

Serve on toasted French bread slices (optional).

WW Freestyle Info:  This recipe makes approximately 8 half-cup servings.  Each serving is 2 SmartPoints. 

Brown Sugar & Bacon Chicken

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My daughter is turning 12 soon.  She’s just like me as a child in that she starts planning her birthday months in advance…. possible theme, cake flavor, birthday dinner, etc.  I give my kids the option of either going out to eat or having Mom cook whatever favorite dish they want.  This year she’s decided she wants her favorite food of all… bacon.  My response to this request was, “Bacon and what? It’s not really a meal by itself.” That’s actually not true, in my opinion, but she doesn’t need to know that.  So she decided on this bacon-wrapped chicken dish and mashed potatoes as the side.  No other veggies because she “doesn’t have to eat veggies on her birthday.”  You got it, Sweetie! 

This is no ordinary baked chicken.  Dredged in a spiced brown sugar mixture and wrapped in bacon, it’s birthday-dinner worthy!  ~Erin

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ to 2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts; about 3 large breasts cut into 6 chunks each for a total of 18
  • 9 slices center-cut bacon, halved
  • ½ c. packed brown sugar
  • 1 ½ T. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 375°F (If using an air fryer, no need to preheat).

Line a sheet pan with foil and place a wire rack on top.  Spray with cooking spray and set aside.

In a gallon zipper baggie, mix spices together with brown sugar until well-combined. Place chicken pieces in the baggie, seal and shake to coat.

Take the chicken pieces out and wrap each piece in a half slice of bacon; place on the wire rack or in the basket of an air fryer.  Do not crowd together. Drizzle any remaining spiced brown sugar mixture left in the baggie evenly over the chicken.

Bake in the oven 30 minutes, or until bacon is crispy; or bake in the air fryer at 330° for 13-14 minutes. 

WW Freestyle Info.:  This makes 18 bacon-wrapped chicken pieces.  Each piece is 2 SmartPoints.

 

Lemon Chicken Piccata

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If you’ve been following us for a while, you know that each year, we sisters take at least one trip together.  In fact, one of our “when the kids are all older” dreams is that we can travel much more often. We enjoy a little bit of luxury in a nice hotel, and we shop (a lot).  But, we have to admit…and most of who are close to us won’t be surprised to hear…that our favorite thing to do is eat at new places. When we visited Charlotte, NC, a few years ago, we had an amazing chicken recipe that we were still talking about months later.  This is how many of our recipes are born, folks. During a weekend of cooking and blogging, we worked to create this perfect Lemon Chicken Piccata. Don’t let the long list of ingredients fool you. It really is a fairly fool-proof recipe that we hope may also remind you of one of your favorite restaurant meals.  ~Tracy


For Chicken: 
  • 2 T. chicken broth
  • 5 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
  • 3 eggs
  • ¼ tsp. hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)
  • 1 c. flour
  • 1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/3 c. fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • dash ground cayenne pepper
  • 3 T. olive oil

For Sauce:

  • 6 T. butter
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • ¾ c. chicken broth, divided
  • 8 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 T. capers, drained
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. pepper
  • ½ tsp. crushed red pepper
  • 1 tsp. cornstarch
  • angel hair pasta

Flatten each chicken to ¼ inch thickness.   In a shallow dish, whisk the eggs, chicken broth, lemon juice, garlic and pepper sauce.    In a gallon sized zip top bag, combine flour, cheese, parsley, salt, garlic and onion powders, and cayenne pepper.

Dip each chicken breast in egg mixture then into flour mixture, coating completely.   Place on baking rack to rest for 15 minutes. In a large non-stick skillet, brown chicken breasts on both sides, over medium heat, in several batches, using approximately a tablespoon of olive oil each batch.  Be sure not to crowd the chicken in your pan as this will impact the browning. Remove to baking sheet and keep warm in a 200 degree oven.

For sauce:  Reserve 3 tablespoons of chicken broth in small bowl.  In the same skillet used to cook chicken, melt butter over medium low heat.  Add minced garlic, stir for one minute. Add chicken broth and lemon juice.  Add salt, pepper and crushed red pepper. Bring to low boil. Stir cornstarch into reserved chicken broth.  Pour into sauce mixture, return to a boil. Add capers and stir. Remove from heat.

Top cooked angel hair pasta with one chicken breast.  Drizzle approximately ⅓ c. sauce over each breast and pasta.  Serve immediately.

Lower Carb Chicken Noodle Soup

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Have I mentioned that my sisters and I are big fans of old fashioned comfort food?  Especially during the winter, I’m capable of carb loading like your average pre-hibernation bear.  Bread, noodles, and baked goods take the place of all other food groups. I have lovingly joked that I am blessed with a large, loud, and loving family….but not blessed with the genetics of a fast metabolism.  I also have two teenage boys to feed who have inherited their mother’s love of carbs. So, in the interest of health for all of us, I always look for ways to cut even the smallest amount of fat or carbs from our diet without sacrificing flavor.  Bless the hearts of those of you can be successful on seriously low or no carb diets. You have the will power of Super Woman (or man) in my opinion, but the reason I love Weight Watchers – now known as “WW” with the tag line of Wellness Works, because it really does work – and I can still eat the carbs!!

This recipe is born from one of my taste tests of a pasta product called Carba-Nada Egg Fettuccine from the Al Dente Pasta Company.  One cup of regular cooked egg noodles is 6 WW Freestyle Points. These Carba-Nada Fettuccine Noodles are only 4 WW Freestyle Points for one and a half cups!  More for less is always great in my book, and nobody in my family had any clue that they were a little bit healthier, and a little lower carb, than regular egg noodles.  

You can find the egg noodles using this link.  I highly recommend them! 

Ingredients:
  • 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1T. reduced calorie margarine
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/2 c. finely chopped white or yellow onion
  • 3/4 c. finely chopped celery
  • 1/2 c. chopped baby carrots
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 5 cups fat free chicken broth
  • 1 10 oz. can Campbell’s 98% Fat Free Cream of Chicken Soup
  • 10 oz. fat free milk (one soup can)
  • 2 c. chopped or shredded chicken breast (I use shredded rotisserie chicken breast)
  • ~1 10 oz. package Carba Nada Egg Fettuccini

Instructions:  

  1. Gently heat the olive oil and margarine in a large stock pot.
  2. Once heated, place your celery, onions, and carrots into the stock pot.
  3. Cook over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften slightly.
  4. Add salt, pepper, the bay leaf, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, and milk.
  5. Stir gently to combine and bring to a low simmer.
  6. Add chicken breast and the entire package of egg noodles.
  7. Simmer slowly until the noodles are cooked to an al dente texture. Probably no more than 6 or 7 minutes, but check them frequently.
  8. Remove the bay leaf and discard it before serving.

WW Freestyle Info.:  This recipe makes approximately 9 one cup servings. Each serving is 3 points using the Carba-Nada pasta. Using regular egg noodles, each serving is 5 points.

We would earn a fraction of the funds should you choose to order your egg noodles via our Amazon affiliate links, though it won’t cost you any extra.

Chicken Fajita Meatballs

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Like all great ideas, this recipe inspiration came to me in the middle of the night.  Every cloud has a silver lining – even a little short-lived insomnia. Surely I’m not the only one who makes meal plans when I can’t sleep!  Anyway, I love meatballs of all flavors and I thought a chicken fajita meatball sounded pretty tasty! After some experimenting in the kitchen (during daylight hours), these babies were born.

These are delicious served with sour cream and your favorite salsa, but they are even more amazing with this zero point Creamy Cilantro Sauce.  If you like cilantro, that is. I find that most people either love it or hate it. I happen to love it. This sauce is easy to make in your blender and will store in the fridge for up to a week. Try them together for the perfect healthy meal.  ~Erin

Ingredients: 

  • 1 lb. 98% lean ground chicken (or turkey) breast
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 1 bell pepper (I used half a red and half a green for color), finely diced
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • ¾ c. plain breadcrumbs
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. paprika
  • ½ tsp. onion powder
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. cumin
  • The juice of half a lime

Optional serving choices: corn tortillas warmed in a skillet, chopped onion, cilantro, additional lime wedges for squeezing over meatballs, sour cream, salsa, and of course Creamy Cilantro Sauce

Instructions:

  1. If cooking in a conventional oven, preheat to 375° F.  If cooking in an air fryer, there is no need to preheat.
  2. In a medium skillet, sauté the onion and peppers in the olive oil until the onions are tender (about 5 minutes); set aside to cool to room temp.
  3. In small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with the spices (chili powder, salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and cumin) until combined); set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, mix together the ground chicken, the sautéed veggies, egg, and lime juice.  Then work in the bread crumb mixture.
  5. Roll the meat mixture into 18 golf ball sized balls and place on a cookie sheet lined with foil or parchment.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or in the air fryer at 350° F for 12-13 minutes.   
  7. Serve as an appetizer with dipping sauces or on tortillas.

WW Freestyle info:  This recipe makes 18 meatballs.  Each meatball is 1 SmartPoint.