Simple and Delicious Chicken Dinner

It's a new year and we are trying to cut out some of the carbs we eat.  Being Italian that is really hard to do.  I was brought up on pasta, bread, potatoes and anything sweet, that is a bad habit to break.  I love all of it, anything with tons of starch.  I crave it sometimes and will eat nothing but foods loaded with it all day long. But now, I have to change, getting older is not fun and a bigger waistline is even worse.  I have a grandson now that will soon be walking and I'll have to chase him around. I have to be able to move a little faster to catch him!  

So now everyday when I wake up, I try and think of foods that are low in carbs/starch for dinner, that will taste good, and everybody will like it.  This chicken dish that I put together was a winner and it was easy to make which made it even better!

Here is my smothered Chicken, Spinach and Mushrooms Parmesan.  I served it with just a side salad, it was very filling and everybody was happy. 

Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Parmesan

Ingredients

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons butter

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 teaspoons of kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons course ground black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

4 cloves garlic minced or use 1 T jarred minced garlic

5 cups fresh spinach

3 cups sliced portobello mushrooms

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Divide the olive oil between 3 frying pans (2 tablespoons in each).  Add the chicken to one and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. On medium high heat cook chicken until juices run clear and they are nicely browned on both sides.  While chicken is cooking, add spinach and minced garlic to one pan, and mushrooms and butter to the other.  Cook both over medium heat. Cook spinach until all is wilted and mushrooms until browned.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  When chicken is done cooking, place on baking sheet.  Top chicken with mushrooms, with tongs squeeze out excess liquid from spinach and place on top of mushrooms, then top with mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Put under the broiler in your oven until cheese is somewhat brown and all is melted.   Makes 4 servings.

Cheesy Baked Chicken

Chicken is a favorite in my house, so I am always trying to come up with new ways to make it.  I also have a few picky eaters which doesn't help either.  I went shopping in the pantry and pulled the fridge open, and with only three ingredients made the best, most moist chicken in all the land!  Recipe below.

To print the recipe, click on it, highlight and print.

I used light mayonnaise, save a little bit of calories when you can, it doesn't alter the taste, I also used grated cheese and plain breadcrumbs.

 Slather the mayo on each piece, then sprinkle on the breadcrumb mixture.

Bake for 45 minutes, and you have yourself some crispy, delicious, juicy chicken breasts.

 The mayo acts like a meat tenderizer, so no more dried out chicken breasts and they taste so good!

Cheesy Baked Chicken

Ingredients

Cooking Spray

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  With paper towels pat the chicken dry, absorb any water or juices.  Lay the chicken breasts on the baking sheet.  Divide the mayo between the two pieces and slater all over and around the sides of each piece.  In a small bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with the cheese and sprinkle all over the chicken.  Bake for 45 minutes, depending on the size of your pieces, juices should run clear when the chicken is done.

NOTE:  I only made 2 big chicken breasts, just up your ingredients for however many pieces you plan to cook.

Another Winner Chicken Dinner - Chicken Pesto Rollups

I got a little adventurous in the kitchen yesterday, I had chicken breasts to make for dinner and wanted to do something awesome with them.  There are so many different cuts of chicken which makes it so versatile, the hard part is figuring out what to do with it and not making the old standby favorites that I usually make.  I shopped my pantry shelves and my refrigerator and came up with Chicken Pesto Rollups.  This is how I made them, recipe below.  To print recipe, click, highlight and print.

With just a few ingredients I already had in the pantry and the fridge, I turned these chicken breasts into a star at my house!  Season and spread on the pesto.

 Add the provolone and the peppers.

Roll them up and place seam side down in prepared baking dish. 

 Cover with foil and let the magic begin.

 Pretty and bursting with flavor.  I had some leftover rolls, so I made herb garlic bread to go along with my chicken.

 I also made roasted grape tomatoes smothered in garlic, herbs and a little olive oil.

 Never mind those brownies in the back there, focus, focus.......I baked the tomatoes in the oven along side the chicken for about 20 minutes or just until they pop.  I tossed them with linguine as my side dish.

Dinner is served and it was F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S!

Chicken Pesto Rollups

Ingredients

Cooking Spray

4 large boneless, skinless, chicken breasts

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup prepared pesto

4 slices provolone cheese

1 - 12 oz. jar roasted red peppers, sliced

2 bamboo skewers, cut in half

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a baking dish with the cooking spray.  Place the chicken breasts in a resealable plastic bag and squeeze out all the air as you are sealing the bag.  This is so it doesn't explode as you are pounding the meat.  With the smooth side of a meat tenderizer, pound the breasts until they are flat. Transfer them to the baking dish smooth side down (the inside of the breast facing up) season the inside with half of the salt and pepper. Evenly spread the pesto on chicken breasts.  Place 1 slice of provolone on top of the pesto, then a few slices of roasted pepper.  Roll the chicken at one end and seal with a skewer to hold it together while it bakes in the oven, the chicken should be seam side down in the pan.  Sprinkle with the other half of the salt and pepper.  Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover the pan and baste the chicken breasts with some of the oil that has accumulated in the baking dish.  Cover back up and continue to bake for another 20 minutes, in the last 10 minutes of baking uncover the pan to brown the chicken.  All ovens vary, chicken is done when it is firm.  Makes 4 servings.

Yummy Grilled Chicken

Try this sandwich spread on grilled chicken breast.  It's fantastic and makes the chicken juicy and tender!

Grilled Garlic and Herb Chicken Breasts

4 chicken breasts, pounded to about 1/2 thick

1 cup of Kraft Mayo Garlic and Herb spread

1 large Zip Loc bag

Put the chicken in the bag and pound with the flat side of a meat tenderizer until about 1/2 inch thick.  Add the cup of mayo and massage the bag until chicken is covered.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Grill over medium heat 8 minutes on each side.