Rusty Tacos

Rusty Taco is a fun little taco joint in the cities 

that serves up several unique taco varieties. 

The #10 fried chicken taco is our favorite and this is our at home version.

The #10
 
popcorn chicken
corn tortillas
ranch dressing
chopped jalapeno

Lime-Cilantro Slaw

3T fresh lime juice
1T olive oil
2 t sugar 

salt

pepper
1/4 c chopped green onion
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro
1 (12 ounce) package coleslaw mix

Bake popcorn chicken according to package directions.

Mix up slaw by combining the first 5 ingredients and pouring over the last 3 ingredients.

Warm up your tortillas and assemble with chicken, ranch dressing, jalapenos, and slaw.

Serve with a wedge of lime.

Chicken Pad Thai

Homemade Pad Thai as good as takeout!

Chicken Pad Thai
adapted from A Year At The Table


14 oz dried rice noodles (flat)
1 t minced fresh garlic
2  chicken breast,thinly sliced

2 eggs
1/3 c chopped green onions
12 oz bean sprouts
1 t red chile flakes
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro
¾ c  peanuts, chopped 
6 lime wedges

Pad Thai Sauce
1/2 c vinegar (i combined white and black vinegar)
1/4 c sugar
1/3 c soy sauce
1 T sesame oil
1/2 t paprika
zest of 1 line

Put rice noodles in a bowl or 9x13 pan and cover with warm water.
Soak for 20 min. until softened then drain. (do not over soak they will still be slightly firm)

Prepare sauce by mixing all ingredients.

Heat some oil in a wok or large sauté pan over medium high heat. 
Add chicken and garlic stir-fry until cooked through. 
Add soaked noodles and sauce.
Stir noodles then cover and bring sauce to simmer. This will finish cooking your noodles.
Move noodles to one side of wok. Crack eggs into pan and scramble and cook.
Gently fold eggs into noodles.
Remove pan from heat and add green onions, bean sprouts, peanuts, chiles and cilantro to noodles.
Serve with lime wedges.

Roasted Veggie Pesto Bread

 Slice open a French loaf of bread. 

Spread on some pesto and ricotta cheese. 

Pile on some roasted veggies, maybe some grilled chicken. 

Sprinkle a little cheese on top. 

Pop it into the oven to heat through.

Dinner is served!

Roasted Veggie Pesto Bread
adapted from Budget Bites

1 loaf French Bread
Pesto
Ricotta cheese
roasted veggies (I used zucchini, carrots, onion on this day)
grilled chicken
mozzarella cheese

Slice loaf in half length-wise and place on baking sheet
Spread each side with 2-3 T pesto
Spread about a 1/2 c of ricotta cheese on top of pesto
Combine grilled chicken and roasted veggies (pine nuts would be good, too!) and divide evenly between the two halves
Top with mozzarella cheese
Bake at 400 degrees for 10-15 min or until heated through and cheese is melted.

Yakisoba Noodles

This is my knock-off version of Costco's Yakisoba noodles. 

We thought it turned out really quite similar.  

The recipe below serves about 10-12. I would go ahead and make the whole thing and then freeze half of it for another time.  

It reheats well, and anyway, that's how it comes from Costco :)

Yakisoba Noodles

chicken 

1 16oz pkg of spaghetti noodles 

veggies for stir frying

- sauce- 

1/2 c soy sauce 

2 T rice wine

2 T black vinegar 

1 T seasame oil 

2 T honey 

2 T grated fresh ginger 

-directions- 

cook noodles according to package directions drain and rinse with cold water.

cook chicken. (I used 6 thighs, but breasts work too)

steam or cook veggies. (I picked up two small  packages of frozen stir fry veggies at Wal-mart)

make the sauce by combining all the ingredients.

oil the pan with a tablespoon of oil then add half of your noodles and drizzle with half of your sauce. 

cook about 5 min until they start to look darker and dryer. repeat with other half of noodles.

add cooked chicken and cooked veggies to all the noodles and serve it up.

Loaded Chicken

So you know how there is loaded baked potatoes, right? 

Well, same idea here....just chicken!

Simply grill some chicken breasts and top them with whatever you want. 

I used cheese, bacon, and chives. But you could add tomatoes, peppers, etc.

A simple way to change up your chicken this week!

Chicken-Veggie Tray

So there isn't even a recipe for this meal. 

Very easy. Very versatile. Very tasty.

Simply take some chicken -legs, thighs, whole chicken cut-up, whatever- and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Put on a cooking tray and broil on high about 6 inches away from broiler, turning until brown on both sides (about 6 min per side).

Next, add any veggies you want: potatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, onion, etc. 

Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper.  

Add to tray of chicken and move to about 10-12 inches away from broiler.

Keep an eye on it and stir it once and a while. 

Pull out when chicken is 165* and veggies are soft. (approx. 20 min.)

Some veggies, like broccoli, won't take as long to cook and you may want to add in the last 10 min.

There you go! A whole meal on one tray!
Add whatever fixin's you like- BBQ sauce, bread and butter, a salad 

Chicken a la King

A savory way to use up Sunday's chicken dinner. 

Serve over puff pastry, english muffins, biscuits, or even toast.

Chicken a la King

 

1/4 c olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

3/4 c carrots, chopped

1 t garlic, chopped

1 t salt 

1/2 t pepper

1 T parsley

1/4 t thyme

dash cayenne pepper

1/2 c flour

30 oz box of chicken broth

2 c chicken, cooked and cubed

1 c corn

1 c peas

heat oil in large pot, add onion and carrots, cook until tender

add garlic and spices, cook another minute

add flour and stir well, cook for one minute

add broth and bring to a simmer

add chicken, corn and peas

serve over buttered biscuits

Smoked Chicken with White BBQ Sauce

I'd never heard of white BBQ sauce.
Have you?
This chicken is smoked on the grill over indirect heat with a pan of soaked wood chips.
The flavor is amazing!
best. chicken. ever.
And of course it's from America's Test Kitchen, so you know it's gonna be good, c'mon!

Alabama BBQ Chicken
Cook's Country - America's Test Kitchen

White BBQ Sauce

• 3/4 c mayo
• 2 T vinegar
• 2 t sugar
• 1/2 t horseradish *(I went w/o the horseradish and it was still good)
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Chicken

• 1 t salt
• 1 t pepper
• 1/2 t cayenne pepper
• 2 whole chickens (3 1/2- to 4-pound), patted dry and split
• 2 c hickory wood chips
• Vegetable oil for grill grate

Instructions

• 1. For the sauce: Mix all ingredients in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Refrigerate sauce in airtight container for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
• 2. For the chicken: Mix salt, black pepper, and cayenne in small bowl. Rub spice mixture all over chicken.
• 3. Soak wood chips in bowl of water to cover for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, open bottom grill vents completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (about 90 coals) and burn until charcoal is covered with fine gray ash. Place 13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan in center of grill. Pour half of coals into pile on each side of grill, leaving pan in center. Scatter wood chips evenly over coals and set cooking grate in place. Cover, with lid vents positioned over center of grill and opened halfway. Let grill heat for 5 minutes.
• 4. Dip wad of paper towels in oil and oil grate, holding paper towels with long-handled tongs. Place chicken skin side down on center of grill. Cover (with half-opened lid vents over chicken).
• 5. Grill chickens until skin is well browned, 35 to 45 minutes. Flip chickens skin side up and grill, covered, until breast meat registers 165 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes longer.
• 6. Transfer chickens to cutting board, brush with 2 tablespoons sauce, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes. Remove foil and brush chicken with 1 tablespoon sauce. Carve and serve, passing remaining sauce at table.

Shoestring Chicken Salad

I remember having this chicken salad with the shoestring potatoes at church functions when I was growing up and loved the added crunch of the shoestring potatoes.
This is really only good right away as the potatoes get soggy quickly, so only make enough for what will be used.

Shoestring Chicken Salad

1 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. chopped onions
1 c. grated carrots
3 c. cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
1/4 c. whipped cream
3/4 c. Miracle Whip
1 tsp. salt
2 cups shoestring potato chips

combine all ingredients except for the shoestring potato chips and mix well.
chill until ready to use.
mix in potato chips right before serving.

Everest Chicken Curry

This recipe was inspired by a dish we had at Everest on Grand in St. Paul. If you ever get the chance, you should eat there. Everything we've had there is amazing! Authentic Tibetan/Nepali cuisine.

Everest Chicken Curry
inspired by Kukhurako Maasu ( Chicken Curry) from Everest on Grand


olive oil
1 onion, pureed
1 T garlic, pureed
1 T ginger root, grated
4 T curry powder*
1 t cardamon
1 14 oz can coconut milk
1 lime, juiced
12 boneless/skinless thigh meat
salt
pepper
1-2 bell peppers, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 c pea pods


heat enough oil in a large skillet to coat bottom of pan.
add onion paste, garlic, and ginger and cook 3-5 min.
add curry powder and cardamon. cook another min.
add coconut milk and lime juice.
once simmering, add chicken and salt/pepper. cook until chicken is cooked through - about 10-15 min.
meanwhile, in another pan fry sliced peppers and onions until tender and browned.
add to chicken along with pea pods continue cooking another 1-2 min until everything is heated through.
serve over rice and naan.



* The curry I found was at Cub Foods in the Ethnic Foods area and had the following ingredients:
turmeric, coriander, chili, fennel, anise, cumin, fenugreek, salt, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg, bay leaves, and cloves.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

It's hard to go wrong with making up a soup recipe. There aren't a lot of rules to making soup. I was pleasantly surprised how well this one came together. We'll definitely be making it again, especially since I now believe that winter is never going to end this year!

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1/4 c oil 1 onion, chopped
1 t garlic, chopped
1/2 t cumin
1 t coriander
1 t salt pepper
1 box chicken broth
2 small cans chopped green chilies
1 can white beans (pinto or garbanzo)
2-3 chicken breasts big handful of crushed tortilla chips
1 c corn

heat oil in soup pan.
cook onions until tender.
add garlic and spices and cook for 1 minute.
add broth and bring to a boil.
add chicken breasts.
simmer until chicken is cooked through.
remove chicken and shred into bite-sized pieces, then return to soup.
add beans, chilies, corn, and crushed chips.
serve once heated through and top with cheese, sour cream, avocado, cilantro, more chips.

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

Another easy, brilliant, yummy (and a one-pan meal) from America's Test Kitchen. I love these guys!

Skillet Chicken Parmesan
Cook's Country - America's Test Kitchen

1 1/2	c fresh bread crumbs
3	T olive oil
1 1/4	c fresh parmesan cheese
1/4	c chopped fresh basil
2	cloves garlic , minced
1	(28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2	c flour
4	chicken breast, cut in half horizontally
3	T oil
3/4	c mozzarella cheese
3/4	c shredded provolone cheese

Instructions

1. Toast bread crumbs in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and half of basil. In separate bowl, combine remaining olive oil, 1/4 cup Parmesan, remaining basil, garlic, tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste.
   

2. Place flour in dish. Season chicken with salt and pepper and coat with flour. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add 4 cutlets and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to plate and repeat with remaining
   cutlets and vegetable oil.

3. Reduce heat to medium-low and add tomato mixture to empty skillet. Return cutlets to pan in even layer, pressing down to cover with sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella, provolone, and remaining Parmesan over chicken. Cover with lid and cook until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with bread crumb mixture and serve.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

Soup definitely warms the soul on a cold winter's day. And it has been mighty cold around here lately. This recipe comes from my childhood church cookbook.

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

1/4 c olive oil
1/2 c chopped onion
1/2 c chopped celery
1 c shredded carrots
1/2 c flour
1 t salt
pepper
2 14 oz cans chicken broth
2 c wild rice (or white and wild mixture)
2-3 chicken breasts
1 c half and half

Heat oil in large pot.
Add onions, celery, and carrots and cook until tender.
Sprinkle with flour, stir and cook for 1 minute.
Add broth and cook until mixture comes to a boil.
Add in rice, chicken, salt and pepper.
Reduce to a simmer and cook until chicken and rice are done.
Remove chicken and cut into bite-sized pieces then return to pot.
Add half and half.

Chicken Skillet Stew

A nice, hearty, cold-weather meal.

Chicken Skillet Stew

8 chicken thighs
salt
pepper
thyme
oregano
parsley
olive oil
-
garlic, diced
onion, chopped
red pepper, chopped
4-5 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 c baby carrots
2 T flour
2 c water

Heat oil in large skillet.
Season chicken with salt, pepper and herbs.
Cook chicken until browned on both sides.
Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add garlic, onion, red pepper, potato, and carrots to skillet.
Cook and stir about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with flour stir and cook another minute.
Add 2 cups of water and scrape up bottom of pan.
Season with more salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil.
Place chicken back in pan and cover.
You can either continue cooking on low on stove top or place in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
If it is too saucy, place on stove top and remove cover and cook on high until some water evaporates and sauce is thickened.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

My sister-in-law Ann found this recipe from Cooking Light and prepared it for us at a family gathering a while ago. Everyone really liked it and I finally got around/remembered to give it a try. Don't worry, we took all the 'Light' stuff out it so it's good to go!

Chicken Tamale Casserole
adapted from Cooking Light

1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 c milk
1 egg
1 t cumin
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1 can cream style corn
1 box jiffy corn muffin mix
1 can enchilada sauce
2 c cooked shredded chicken breast

toppings-sour cream, tomatoes, avocado, salsa, black olives, cheese, etc.

Combine 1/4c cheese and the next 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring just until moist.
Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 dish and bake at 400 degrees for 15 or until set.
Pierce surface liberally with a fork and pour desired amount of enchilada sauce over the top.
Top with shredded chicken and remaining cheese.
Bake for another 15 minutes.
Serve and top with favorite toppings.

Chicken Tikka Masala

You should try this tonight, as soon as you go out and find the spice "garam masala". Do not make this dish without it. If you just can't find it, here's how you can make your own: 1 T of each of the following- ground coriander, cumin, black pepper, cayenne pepper, fennel seeds, ginger, cardamom, nutmeg, and 1 teaspoon of ground cloves.

Alright, enough chit-chat. Here's the recipe.

Chicken Tikka Masala
adapted from Pioneer Woman

3-4 chicken breasts
cumin
ground corriander
salt
1/2 c plain yogurt
2T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2" chunk of ginger, grated
3 T garam masala
28 oz crushed tomatoes
1 t sugar
1 1/2 c heavy cream
cilantro

season chicken with salt, corriander, and cumin.
coat completely in yogurt.
place chicken on a cooling rack on a cookie sheet and broil 10-12" away from flame until slightly blackened on both sides.
meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat oil and saute onion until translucent, then add garlic, ginger, 1 t salt, and 3 T garam masala.
cook for 1 minute.
add tomatoes and sugar.
simmer for at least 15 min.
add heavy cream.
chop up chicken and add to sauce.
add some chopped cilantro.

serve over rice and enjoy with flatbread.


*this dish is GF as long as your yogurt and cream are GF.

Mediterranean Chicken

This is another knock-off dish. Tony and I like to eat at authentic hole-in-the-wall little mom-n-pop shops. The kind where the husband and wife are the only employees, and they don't speak English, and they don't accept credit cards. Because you know it's gonna be good! This one is inspired by a dish from The Black Sea on Snelling Ave in St. Paul. If you can find it, you should eat there!
The Chicken
4 chicken breasts
1 med. onion
2 T paprika
1 T garlic
salt
pepper

Puree onion in blender or food processor. Add rest of ingredients. Marinate chicken in it for at least 15 min, but feel free to do more.
Grill and slice.


The Pita Bread
I usually just buy it, but one time I had a crowd to feed and pita bread ain't cheap so I tried this recipe from Smitten Kitchen. It was fun to make because they puff up like cute little yummy pillows!


The tzatziki sauce
This is what really makes the dish. REALLY! If you don't have this, I wouldn't bother. The rest is actually just an excuse to devour this sauce. If you ever see a container of tzatziki sauce (a.k.a. cucumber sauce) buy it! Buy 10 of them and freeze them! But it's hard to find, and not all brands are the same, so luckily I found an awesome recipe from this blog. (Don't you love the interweb!) So now I can make it whenever I want, or run out, or see cucumbers on sale, or hear the word pita. Really! It's that good!

Eating it up
So, what we do is just put out all the ingredients in the middle of the table. Besides what is mentioned above we also do rice pilaf, lettuce, tomato, peppers, and onions.
Then you take a little pita wedge and assemble to your liking--a little sauce, a little rice, a little chicken, a little more sauce, some veggies--then dip it in some more sauce and eat it up! Then repeat until you are stuffed, or the sauce is gone, or you are the last one at the table.


**Hey! It's GF without the pita and the pilaf (just do plain rice).

Nachos Supreme

I love mexican food. I could eat it every night. This really isn't a recipe. Just set out a bunch of stuff to load up on chips and let everyone build their own.

Here's some topping ideas:

seasoned beef or chicken
cilantro-lime rice
cheese
sour cream
lettuce
salsa
beans
peppers
onions
guacamole
cilantro
avocado
tomatoes

Honey-Mustard Chicken

This dish is an easy, tasty favorite at our house. The flavor of all the ingredients combined marry together wonderfully! FYI-if you aren't a big mustard fan I'd still give this a try. Somehow cooked mustard tastes different, especially when paired with honey. The flavor is very mellow. This is another one that I don't have a recipe for-you just squirt some of this and add some of that-but I'll try to assign some #'s to it for ya.

Honey-Mustard Chicken

4-5 chicken breasts
1 small onion
1 pint mushrooms, sliced
salt
pepper
honey
mustard
dill

Brown chicken in a large skillet on med-high heat with a little bit of olive oil.
While browning season chicken with salt and pepper.
Squirt some honey and mustard on each piece and sprinkle with dill.
Turn each piece over and repeat. (see pic below.....maybe about a tablespoon sized squirt on each?)
Add sliced mushrooms and onions.
Cook until liquid has evaporated, chicken is cooked through, and mushrooms and onions start to caramelize-about 20min.

Chicken Enchiladas

I really like green salsa. Not sure why. I think because it's not as acidy as red salsa. Anyway this recipe is super easy and super tasty. And it freezes well. So it's a great dish to stash away for a rainy day, or give away to someone who needs a meal.

Chicken Enchiladas
adapted from Everyday Food

3-4 large frozen chicken breasts
salt and pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T cumin
2 jars (16oz) green salsa
1 cup sour cream
12 corn tortillas
2 c shredded mozzarella or monterey jack cheese
fresh cilantro, green onion for garnish

In a large pot, boil chicken until cooked through. Drain and shred meat. Add salt, pepper, garlic, and cumin. Set aside.
In a bowl large enough to dip tortillas, combine salsa and sour cream. Mix well.
Add 1/2 c salsa mixture to shredded chicken.
Assemble by dipping one tortilla at a time into salsa mixture, then place in a 9x13 pan and fill with 1/3 c of chicken mixture, sprinkle with some cheese, then roll up and arrange, seam side down. 8 enchiladas lengthwise and 4 crosswise.
After all are assembled, pour remaining salsa mixture over top, then remaining cheese.
Cover and freeze at this point or bake in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 min. Until cheese is browned and salsa is bubbling. Sprinkle with garnish.

Note: This is GF as long as your salsa and sour cream are GF.