Grilled Ranch Chicken with Spicy Ranch Mayo

I haven't been posting as regularly as normal.  I've had family come into town for my daughter's birthday and for the past couple of weeks I've had sick kids and been sick myself.  Needless to say I haven't felt much like blogging or cooking.  Luckily, I have tons of recipes that I have already made or created that I need to blog about. (Yes, I am that much of a planner.)

I originally made this recipe using Italian dressing as the marinade.  You can see that recipe here.  It is now one of our go to grilling recipes.  We liked that recipe so much that I decided to make a ranch version of this recipe. 

Grilled Ranch Chicken with Spicy Ranch Mayo (adapted from favorite family recipes)
Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Chicken marinade (see below)
8 slices thick-cut bacon
4 slices Colby Jack Cheese
4 fresh kaiser rolls, lightly toasted
Spicy Ranch Mayonnaise (see below)

Chicken Marinade:

1 pkg Ranch dressing mix
1/2 c. olive oil

 Spicy Mayonnaise:

1 c. mayonnaise
1 T. Ranch dressing mix
1 tsp. paprika
1 1/2 Tbsp. hot sauce

Instructions:

1. Pound chicken breasts until thin and place in ziploc bag.

2. Combine marinade ingredients and pour into ziploc bag with the chicken. Allow to marinade for at least 1 hour.

3. Cook the bacon until nearly done.

4. Toast the kaiser rolls

5. Remove the chicken from the marinade (throw away the marinade) and grill the chicken until cooked through.

6. As the chicken is grilling place the bacon on the grill. Be careful to not burn it.

7. Just before you take the chicken off the grill put the colby jack cheese on it.

8. Combine the spicy ranch mayo ingredients and spread over toasted kaiser rolls.

9. Add chicken and bacon to each roll.

Enjoy!
Shayna

Alfredo Chicken Sandwiches

 

This is another one of my favorite quick and easy meals.  I've made this a number of times when we're heading out to a ball game and want to eat before the game.  If you make these with a rotisserie chicken it's even easier.  Any leftover chicken can be used to make my Summer Harvest Chicken Salad or Chicken Fried Rice

 

Alfredo Chicken Sandwiches

Ingredients:

2 c. chicken, shredded

1 c. Alfredo sauce

4 English muffins, split in half

1 c. shredded Mozzarrella cheese

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Split English muffins in half and place on prepared cookie sheet.  Spread approximately 1 T. Alfredo sauce on each muffin half.  Place 1/8 c. shredded chicken on top of the Alfredo sauce.  Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top.  Heat for 5 - 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Enjoy!
Shayna

Summer Harvest Chicken Salad

 

This chicken salad is actually inspired by 2 different chicken salads that received raved reviews.  I used to work in a town that had an AMAZING sandwich shop.  One of the sandwiches there was a chicken salad with cranberry sauce and raisins and all sorts of yummy ingredients.  It was topped with a thick, crusty, sourdough bread that just added to the yumminess of this salad.  I'm seriously getting hungry just thinking about this sandwich. 

The other chicken salad that this chicken salad is inspired by is one that was served at my in-laws over the holidays.  Everyone was discussing how good this chicken salad was and how it would be good in a sandwich.  Ever since then I have been thinking about how I could copy this and make my own delicious chicken salad. 

While I was creating this masterpiece of chicken salad, I was having trouble deciding whether to use onions or celery.  I then remembered an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond where Frank gets upset with Marie for leaving out the celery in the tuna or chicken salad.  He kept saying that you need the crunch.  That was it!  I knew I needed to incorporate celery into this chicken salad.  If you prefer onions in your chicken salad go ahead and use them or use both celery and onion.  I have tried it with celery and with onion and I love each way.

Summer Harvest Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

2/3 c. low-fat plain Greek yogurt                                   

1 c. mayonnaise                                                           

2-3 c. chopped, cooked chicken breast (I used a rotisserie chicken)
1 c. green grapes, quartered                                   

1 c. dried cranberries

1/2 c. white raisins

1 c. pecans 
1 c. green apple, chopped                                  

1/2 c. chopped celery or onions 

 

Instructions

 

In a large mixing bowl, mix the grapes, dried cranberries, pecans, white raisins, celery, and chicken. In a small mixing bowl, mix the Greek yogurt, lemon juice and mayonnaise. Pour the mayonnaise mixture onto the fruit and chicken; still until coated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Enjoy!
Shayna

Pecan Chicken Pesto Macaroni

Happy Memorial Day!  I hope you are having a wonderful time with family and friends!  This recipe isn't exactly Memorial Day food, but it is a way to use up any leftover chicken that you may have from any Memorial Day celebrations. 

A friend posted a picture on facebook of this menu item from a restaurant near where she lives.  I decided to copy it based on ingredients listed in the menu.  I don't know if I got it exactly right, but I'm really happy with it and it was a big hit with my family. 

The pesto and the pecans combine together to make a wonderful nutty flavor and parmesan cheese enhances the flavor of this meal. 

Pecan Chicken Pesto Macaroni
Ingredients:
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 c. basil pesto sauce
1 c. whipping cream
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. pecans
8 oz. elbow macaroni
shredded parmesan cheese, to taste

Instructions:
Boil the elbow macaroni until tender and drain.  While the elbow macaroni is boiling, chop the chicken breasts into pieces, place onto a skillet and heat until cooked through.  Remove the chicken from the skillet and pour 1/2 c. basil pesto sauce into the skillet.  Mix in 1 c. whipping cream and 1/2 c. chicken broth.  Add in 1/2 c. pecans and the chicken.  Mix the elbow macaroni and basil pesto mixture.  Place desired amount on plate and sprinkle with shredded parmesan cheese.

Shared on Weekend Potluck
Shared on Melt in Your Mouth Mondays

Enjoy!
Shayna

 

 

Golden Mushroom Chicken

 

This is another crockpot meal I love.  My kids are always wanting to be outside.  The crockpot allows me to have a home cooked meal and still be able to watch the kids while they play outside. 

 

The recipe is originally from The Crockin' Girls cookbook.  Originally I thought that crockpots were only for soups, dips, and roasts.  I had absolutely no idea about all of the different things you can make with a crockpot.  Now I use it for most of my summer meals.  

 

Golden Mushroom Chicken (adapted from The Crockin' Girls)

Ingredients:

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8 oz. pkg. onion and chive cream cheese

1 can golden mushroom soup

1/2 c. white wine.

1 small pkg. mushrooms

 

Instructions:

Place the chicken breasts, onion and chive cream cheese, golden mushroom soup, mushrooms and white wine in the crockpot.  Mix all ingredients together.  Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

 

Enjoy!

Shayna

Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Spicy Mayo

I admit it.  I'm a lazy grocery shopper. I'm especially a lazy grocery shopper when I have my kids with me.  They are well behaved, but even the best behaved children have their limits.  My children's limits are usually reached around nap time or meal times.  When I went shopping for the ingredients for this recipe my husband was working on something in the backyard and my 2 1/2 year old was getting hungry.  My mission was to get in and out as fast as possible.  This was one of the reasons I did not have all the ingredients this recipe includes.  If I can't find it quickly then I'm sure I can grab something as a substitute that will be delicious. 

This recipe is perfect for summer when you don't want to heat up the house by turning on the oven or when you would like to do some grilling.  I've also included a vegetarian option as well.

Grilled Chicken with Spicy Mayo  (adapted from favorite family recipes)

Ingredients:
  

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Chicken marinade (see below)

8 slices thick-cut bacon

4 slices provolone cheese

4 fresh kaiser rolls, lightly toasted

Spicy Mayonnaise (see below)

 

Chicken Marinade:

1 pkg Italian dressing

1/2 c. olive oil

 

Spicy Mayonnaise:

1 c. mayonnaise

1/4 t. minced garlic

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. yellow mustard

1 1/2 Tbsp. hot sauce

 

Instructions:

1.  Pound chicken breasts until thin and place in ziploc bag.

2.  Combine marinade ingredients and pour into ziploc bag with the chicken.  Allow to marinade for at least 1 hour.

3.  Cook the bacon until nearly done.

4.  Toast the kaiser rolls

5.  Remove the chicken from the marinade (throw away the marinade) and grill the chicken until cooked through. 

6.  As the chicken is grilling place the bacon on the grill.  Be careful to not burn it.

7.  Just before you take the chicken off the grill put the provolone cheese on it.

8.  Combine the spicy mayo ingredients and spread over toasted kaiser rolls.

9. Add chicken and bacon to each roll.

Vegetarian Option

 

This recipe is so easy to make vegetarian.  I used a Quorn chicken cutlets and Morningstar Farms bacon in place of the chicken and bacon in this recipe.  I cooked it the same way as I did the non-vegetarian version.  It was wonderful!  I didn't miss the meat at all.