CRUNCHY THAI CHICKEN SALAD WITH PEANUT DRESSING
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I love the flavors and crunch of this salad I found at Lauren's Latest!

4 cups romaine lettuce, washed and torn into bite size pieces

1/2 c. thinly sliced or shredded carrots

3 thinly sliced radishes

1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

1 grilled chicken breast, chilled and sliced-leftover or rotisserie

works well too

3 T. fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

3 T. dry roasted peanuts

3 T. chow mein noodles

Peanut Dressing

2/3 c. natural peanut butter

1/4 c. honey

2 T. soy sauce

juice of 1 lime

pinch of red pepper flakes

hot water

Combine salad ingredients in a bowl. For the dressing, stir peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, lime juice and red pepper flakes together. Slowly whisk in hot water until dressing is the consistency you want. Drizzle over salad and serve to hungry people.

Don't faint, it's really me, posting a recipe! Yeah, it's been awhile but let's not discuss that. Let's see if I remember how to do this. This recipe is so easy and tasty I really wanted to share it. You could also use leftover or a rotisserie chicken in this thick and hearty soup. Found via Pinterest at Rita's Recipes.

CROCKPOT CHEESY CHICKEN CHILI
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2 chicken breasts, still frozen is fine

1 can Rotel tomatoes*

1 can corn kernels, do not drain

1 can black, white, or desired variety beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix

1 T. cumin

1 tsp.chili powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese (I use light)

*We find Rotel too spicy so I just use 1 can diced tomatoes and a little salsa.
Assemble ingredients in crock pot in order given. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours, stirring occoasionally with a whisk to smooth out the cream cheese. Shred the chicken into large pieces and serve as a thick soup or over rice.

BUFFALO CHICKEN MACARONI & CHEESE
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I adapted this recipe from several sites including the Food Network, The Girl Who Ate Everything, and Plain Chicken. These sites are all favorites of mine so I recommend checking them out.

1 lb. elbow macaroni (or other pasta)
1 c. diced celery
1/2 c. diced onion
4 T. butter
3 c. shredded rotisserie chicken
3/4 c. buffalo wing sauce
3 T. flour
2 tsp. dry mustard
2-1/2 cups milk or half and half
3 c. cheese, shredded ( I used colby jack and pepper jack)
1/3 c. sour cream
1/3 c. bleu cheese dressing
1/2 c. crumbled bleu cheese or gorgonzola (optional)
2/3 c. panko breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray. Saute celery and onion in a pan until softened, about 10 minutes. You can use some butter but I usually just spray the pan well with cooking spray and stir frequently. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until done to your liking. Drain. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Stir in the flour and mustard and cook and stir until smooth. Whisk in the milk or half and half, then add the buffalo sauce and stir until thick, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the cheese, until melted (I saved  a little cheese for the top) then whisk in the sour cream and dressing until smooth. Don't boil, just heat through. Combine noodles,chicken, veggies, and cheese sauce. Pour into lightly greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle bleu cheese or gorgonzola and reserved shredded cheese over the macaroni. Top with panko. Bake until bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.  Serve with extra buffalo sauce, sour cream, or bleu cheese dressing.

EASY CROCKPOT ROTISSERIE CHICKEN
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This is such an easy way to cook chicken on one of those busy days! It doesn't brown and crisp up like ones cooked on an actual rotisserie, but it makes for moist chicken that is wonderful eaten as is or shredded/chopped to use in recipes. I found this recipe on one of my favorite Weight Watcher's blogs Aimee's Adventures.

1 4-6 lb. whole chicken
olive oil cooking spray
seasoned salt
lemon pepper

Clean chicken and remove innards. Spray with olive oil spray (or drizzle with olive oil). Sprinkle with desired saesonings. Spray inside of crockpot with cooking spray. (Do not put any water in the crockpot). Roll some balls of aluminum foil in the bottom of the crockpot. The chicken is going to sit on these. Cook on High for 4-6 hours. (Note: this will not come out the same if cooked on Low.

GRILLED MALIBU CHICKEN

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Six Sisters Stuff posted this and I just happen to have chicken thawing in the fridge with no plan for it. It reminded us of the one Sizzler has on their menu that I grew up ordering and loving. This one is a little more grown up and had fewer carbs, though! The changes I made to my family's taste were: omitting the pineapple (although grilled pineapple is really good-especially fresh pineapple- have you tried it?), and making a simple dipping sauce of mayo, mustard, and a little agave or honey.

6 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
12 slices deli ham (thin)
6 slices canned pineapple, reserving juice
6 slices Swiss cheese
1/2 c. pineapple juice

4 T. unsalted butter, melted
2 T. BBQ seasoning (I used Famous Dave's)
1 T. yellow mustard
1 T. honey
1 T. molasses
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. chili powder

Put a breast in a gallon zip top bag and pound the thick end until the entire breast is uniform in thickness, then move to a platter or rimmed sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining breasts. Season both sides of each breast with the BBQ seasoning, cover and refrigerate at least an hour. Combine the butter, pineapple juice, mustard, honey, molasses, Worcestershire sauce and chili powder a medium mixing bowl and whisk until smooth, then set aside. Grill one side of each breast and each pineapple ring over direct heat until they are seared and have nice grill marks, about 2 minutes. Flip each breast and ring, brush with the sauce, and cook another two minutes. Move the chicken to the indirect part of the grill and brush the top of each with the sauce. Top each breast with two slices of ham and drizzle the ham with the sauce. Put a slice of cheese then a pineapple ring on each breast and drizzle again with the sauce. Continue cooking with the grill lid down until the internal temperature reaches 160º, about 10 minutes.

BUFFALO CHICKEN CALZONE
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I can't help it. Whenever I see the word "buffalo" in front of chicken, it's all I can do to resist trying it that very day. The thing I like about this recipe is that the buffalo is interchageable. You could use barbeque sauce in place of the buffalo sauce or even spaghetti sauce. You don't have to use one specific type of crust. You could make your favorite dough recipe, use pizza crust from a can, or even use frozen bread dough. Whatever floats your calzone boat!

1 can of crescent roll dough

2 c. chicken breasts, cooked and diced

1/2 c. buffalo wing sauce
1/2 c. celery, diced fine
1/8 c. onion, diced fine (optional)
2 T. blue cheese or ranch dressing
1 c. mozzarella Cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to temperature in your dough recipe. Line a baking sheet with parchment or spray with baking spray. Roll out dough onto baking pan. In a bowl, combine the chicken, hot sauce, and vegetables until coated. Top one half of dough with chicken mixture, leaving about a 1/2 inch on all sides. Drizzle with dressing and top with shredded cheese. Fold dough over and crease edges to seal. Cut 2 slits in the top of the dough. Bake for recommended baking time or until done, for crescent dough it is about 12-15 minutes at 375. Slice and serve with more dressing if desired.

RACHEL RAY'S CHICKEN LIME TORTILLA SOUP
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This soup is easy and very tasty. Sometimes I add some extra canned beans or veggies to bulk it up such as chopped celery or bell peppers. After you buy the chipotle peppers in adobo, you can use the leftover in this Cafe Rio recipe as well!

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

6 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce

6 c. chicken broth

1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of 2 limes
salt and pepper

1 avocado, thinly sliced

crushed tortilla chips

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Increase the heat to high, push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the chicken and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chipotles and adobo sauce, then stir in the chicken broth. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, skimming any foam. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice; season with salt and pepper.  Place 2 avocado slices in each of 6 soup bowls and pour in the soup. Top with the tortilla chips.

AUTUMN CHOPPED SALAD
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This is a really tasty salad for a Fall lunch! Found this one at Espresso and Cream. I added chopped cooked chicken to ours to make it a little more like a meal.

6 to 8 c. chopped romaine lettuce
2 medium pears, chopped*
1 c. dried cranberries
1 c. bacon, cooked and crumbled
4 to 6 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
1-2 c. chopped, cooked chicken (optional)
1 c. Poppy seed Salad Dressing and Balsamic Vinaigrette (mixed in about a 70/30 ratio)*

On a large platter, combine the lettuce, pears, cranberries, pecans, bacon and feta cheese. Drizzle with dressings. Serve immediately.

*I bought some pears but they were taking FOR-EV-ER to ripen. I used chopped green apples instead.
*Instead of buying 2 salad dressings, I used poppy seed dressing plus balsamic vinegar to taste.

CROCKPOT TERIYAKI CHICKEN
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Found via Pinterest from Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen. This was really good but makes a ton so I halved it.

12 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 3 pounds) or chicken breasts
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c.  soy sauce
6 T. cider vinegar
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. pepper
4 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
4 1/2 tsp. cold water
hot cooked rice

Place chicken in a 4 qt. slow cooker. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, soy sauce, cider vinegar, ginger, garlic and pepper. Pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 5 hours or until chicken is tender. (Breasts instead of thighs will take less time). Remove chicken to a serving platter; keep warm. Skim fat from cooking liquid. Place liquid in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Gradually stir into liquid and stir until sauce is thickend. Serve over rice.

MEXICAN PENNE

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I like this Taste of Home Recipe because it is so simple but so tasty, too! You can choose the queso dip according to the hotness level you like.

3 c. dry penne pasta

2 c. cubed cooked chicken

1 1/4 c. salsa con queso dip

1/2 c. milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 large tomato, chopped

3 green onions, sliced

1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
additional toppings (optional): sour cream, cilantro, jalapenos, etc.

Cook pasta as directed on package. Drain. In the same pan, combine chicken, cheese dip, milk, and beans. Season, if needed, with salt. Add cooked pasta and stir to combine. Heat through. Top with chopped tomatoes, green onions, and cheese.

BUFFALO CHICKEN GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH

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I have a new online obsession. I had to check out what all the fuss was about at Pinterest, and boy am I glad I did! This is the first recipe I tried that I found on there and it was delicious! Original recipe from Closet Cooking. This spicy sandwich is sure to warm you right up!

Per sandwich:

1/4 c. cooked shredded chicken, warm
1 T. wing sauce
1/2 T. mayonnaise (optional)
1 slice cheddar or provolone cheese, room temperature
1 T. red onion, sliced or diced
1 T. crumbled blue cheese, room temperature
sandwich bread
1 T. butter

carrot and celery sticks with blue cheese dressing on the side

Combine the shredded chicken with your favorite spicy wing sauce and mayo (if using). Assemble sandwich in the following order: slice of cheese, shredded chicken, onion, blue cheese. Grill in butter and have extra napkins available!

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CAESAR SANDWICHES
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You can feel Fall in the air! Time to dust off the crockpot. Recipe found at The Girl Who Ate Everything.

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs or split breasts
1/2 to 1 c. of your favorite Caesar dressing (I like Cardini's)
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 c. fresh chopped parsley or about 2 tsp. of dried parsley
1/2 tsp. ground pepper
2 c. shredded romaine lettuce
Other toppings, optional such as: sliced tomatoes, diced avocados, etc.
12 slider buns or 4-6 regular sized hamburger buns

Place chicken in a 3-4 quart slow cooker with 1-2 cups of water, cover and cook on low heat for 4-6 hours. Remove chicken from cooker using a slotted spoon and drain the water from the slow cooker. Place chicken on a cutting board and pull chicken into shreds, discarding any fat. Place chicken back in the cooker and pour dressing, Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper over the top. I really make sure that I discard any fat pieces so by the time I was done I only used about 1/2 cup of dressing but you make need more if you have more chicken. Stir until mixed evenly. Cover and cook on high heat for 30 minutes or until mixture is hot. Spoon 1/4 cup mixture onto each slider bun if you are making sliders or more for regular sized buns. Top with extra shredded Parmesan cheese and lettuce to serve.

SPICY GREEN CHILI MAC & CHEESE

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I added shredded chicken to this and it made a yummy, filling lunch. Found in my All You magazine.

2 c. uncooked macaroni
6 T. unsalted butter
1/2-1 small onion, chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded, chopped finely (I used the pickled, bottled kind instead)
1/2 c. flour
4 c. milk, slightly warmed
1-2 cans chopped green chiles, drained
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated
1 c. monterey jack or pepper jack cheese
1 1/2 c. crushed tortilla chips
1-2 c. cooked, shredded chicken (optional)

Cook macaroni as directed on package in salted water; drain. Preheat oven to 375 and spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and jalapenos. Saute until softened, about 6 minutes or so. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir and cook for 3 minutes. Add milk and stir until thick and bubbly. Stir in green chilis. Reserve about 1/2 c. of the cheese for the top and add the rest to the sauce. Stir until melted and smooth. Season with salt if needed. Add cooked macaroni (and chicken it using). Pour into casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and crushed chips. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top and bubbly.

COBB SALAD SANDWICHES
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Yum on a bun! Well, a croissant. Found at The Girl Who Ate Everything.

4 croissants, cut in half lengthwise
4 lettuce leaves
1 tomato, sliced
4 slices of crisply cooked bacon, halved
8 slices of deli ham, turkey, or chicken
4 slices of red onion
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 ripe avocado, sliced
1/4 c. blue cheese crumbles
Your choice: mayonnaise, blue cheese dressing, or ranch dressing

Spread with your choice of mayonnaise, blue cheese dressing, or ranch dressing onto croissant. Layer one half of each croissant with lettuce, tomato, bacon, 2 slices of ham (or turkey\chicken), onion, sliced egg, 2 avocado slices, and a tablespoon of blue cheese crumbles. Place other croissant half on top and enjoy!

CASHEW CHICKEN

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I have a confession. Every recipe posted on our blog has been tried by my sister or I first and must be deemed "blog-worthy" -aka- the majority of those it was served to would want it again. I am short on main dish recipes and decided to post one I would LIKE to try but haven't yet. I'm posting this as-is but when I do make it, I'm sure I will have to cut down the amount of oil. If you try it before me, be sure to come back and let me know how you like it! Found at Amanda's Cookin.

3 large boneless chicken breast fillets, cut into bite sized pieces

2 T.cornstarch

2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 T. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
5 T. canola oil, separated
2 c. cashews
1 tsp. fresh ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 stalks celery, leaves and ends removed, cut into thin slices
1 small onion, peeled & cubed
6 oz. snow peas
6 green onions, cut into 1" pieces
3 tsp.cornstarch
1 1/2 T. Hoisin sauce (find in the asian food section)
3/4 c. chicken stock

Place chicken pieces into a bowl. Add cornstarch, stir to coat. Mix together salt, sesame oil, soy sauce, and sugar. Add to the chicken and stir to combine. Set aside to marinate.Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok and quickly stir fry cashews until golden brown. Remove to paper towels to drain.Add 1 tablespoon of oil to pan. Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add 1-2 more tablespoons of oil and fry chicken for 3 to 4 minutes. Add snow peas, celery and cubed onion. Stir fry 3-4 more minutes.Add cashews and green onions and stir fry another minute or so. Mix cornstarch, Hoisin sauce and chicken stock. Pour this sauce over chicken. Mix well and cook until the sauce thickens. Good served over rice.

PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN IN CREAM SAUCE

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6 Ritz Crackers, finely crushed
2 Tbsp grated parmesan cheese (in the can)
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)
2 tsp. vegetable oil
½ cup Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread
½ cup chicken broth

Serve with cooked White Rice, Brown Rice, or I like to use Best Ever Seasoned Rice. Start cooking rice first so it will be close to being done after you finish cooking the chicken.

Mix cracker crumbs and Parmesan cheese on plate. Rinse chicken with cold water; shake off excess water. Dip chicken in cracker mixture, turning to coat.

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; cook 5-6 min. on each side or until chicken is golden brown and cooked through. (Add more oil if needed.) Place chicken on plate lined with paper towels and set aside; keep warm.

Mix cream cheese and chicken broth together in small saucepan. Cook on medium heat until mixture just comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer 3 min. or until sauce thickens.

When I serve this meal, on each plate I put a scoop of rice on the plate first, topped with chicken and then drizzled desired amount of cream sauce over chicken. I usually have to double or triple this recipe to have enough for our family because everyone eats it really well. Serve with a cooked green vegetable and your meal is complete.

BUFFALO CHICKEN SLAW
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8 ozs. shredded green cabbage
4 green onions, minced
1/4 c. blue cheese dressing
1 c. cooked & shredded chicken breast
2 T. buffalo wing sauce

Place cabbage and onions in a bowl and add the blue cheese dressing. Stir to coat. In another bowl, combine chicken and wing sauce. Combine all ingredients and enjoy!

KRAFT SANTA FE CHICKEN ENCHILADA SOUP

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This soup also uses the Cooking Creme that was in the Santa Fe Chicken Casserole. It is really creamy and tasty, even when I substituted chicken broth for the milk.

4 corn tortillas (6 inch), cut into strips+
1 tsp. oil OR buy these
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and chunked or shredded
1 tub (10 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese Santa Fe Blend Cooking Creme
1 c. milk
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed
1 can (11 oz.) corn with red and green bell peppers, drained
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

If making your own tortilla strips, preheat oven to 400°F. Toss tortilla strips with oil then spread into a single layer on baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until crisp, stirring occasionally. In a pot, heat milk (or broth), beans, corn, and tomatoes. Simmer on medium-low heat until heated through, stirring frequently. Stir in cooking creme and warm through. Add chicken. Serve soup topped with tortilla strips and cilantro.

SANTE FE CHICKEN CASSEROLE

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I wanted to try this new Cooking Creme product from Kraft and there was a high value coupon floating around for it. It really adds alot of flavor and creaminess to the dish.

3 c. cooked chicken breast halves, shredded
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz.) no salt added diced tomatoes, drained
2 green onions, chopped
1 tub (10 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese Santa Fe Blend Cooking Creme, divided
3 flour tortillas (6 inch)
3/4 c. shredded cheese, divided (I used cheddar)

*optional: I crushed some tortilla chips and sprinkled them on top after I uncovered the casserole for some crunch.

Preheat oven to 375º F. Combine chicken, beans, tomatoes, and green onions. Stir ¾ cup of cooking creme into mixture. Spoon 1/3 of the chicken mixture into 9-inch pie plate. Top with 1 tortilla, half the remaining chicken mixture ,and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Cover with second tortilla, remaining chicken mixture, 1/4 cup shredded cheese and remaining tortilla. Top with remaining ¼ cup cooking creme and shredded cheese; cover. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through then uncover. Add crushed chips, if desired. Bake 5 additional minutes or until cheese is golden brown. Serve with sour cream if desired.

RACHAEL RAY'S SLOW COOKER

HONEY LEMON CHICKEN & POTATOES
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This was a recipe on Rachael's Top 10 Most Downloaded Recipes of 2010 show. Doesn't it just sound like comfort?

1-2 T. extra virgin olive oil
8 chicken thighs
salt and black pepper
1 1/2 lbs. baby potatoes
1 small onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic
4-5 sprigs thyme, leaves picked and chopped (I didn't use)
2 lemons, thinly sliced
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. chicken stock or water

Optional: Fancy Schmancy Topping: (I didn't use)
zest of 1 lemon, cut into strips
1/2 c. flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 c. pine nuts, toasted
balsamic vinegar

In a skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and brown on both sides. Add the potatoes, onion, garlic, thyme and lemon slices into the crock pot. Season with salt and pepper. Lay the browned chicken over the veggies and drizzle with honey. Add the stock or water, cover and cook, undisturbed, for 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.
If desired, serve each portion topped with a combination of the lemon zest, parsley, toasted nuts and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.