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Skillet Chicken Parmesan with Artichokes

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The level of deliciousness of the artichoke is debatable. We happen to enjoy them in any form, but some do not share our affinity. If you are one of those people (or families) who don’t currently love artichokes but strive to, this is a terrific recipe with which to test the waters. Jarred marinated artichokes are browned a little and become part of a savory and highly flavorful sauce; you can give them a fine chop and your picky eaters will consume them unawares of the nutrients they are receiving. Other ingredients that flavor this dish – fresh basil, fresh mozzarella, and parmesan – are classically Italian and the result is a beautifully rustic, comforting, and pretty healthful dinner (520 calories per serving).

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This sauce of browned artichokes, garlic, red pepper flakes, and canned San Marzano’s is truly spectacular:

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Tips (unsponsored): If you’re worried about the cubed bread becoming mushy – don’t. We are very sensitive to mushy bread and this is nothing of the sort. Trader Joe’s sells a loaf of rosemary focaccia that has olives and cheese atop, which is what we use. You only need a small amount for this recipe so you can heat and enjoy the remainder of the loaf another time.

Just four ounces of fresh mozzarella and 1/4 cup parmesan is all it takes to make this dish melty and satisfying:

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Have your kids help you sprinkle bread crumbs, cheese, and basil. As you prepare and enjoy this dish with those you love, teach them a few things about some of the ingredients:

  • Marinated artichokes contain a lot of vitamin C, which helps your body heal more quickly when you are wounded.
  • Basil helps to fight-off bad bacteria.
  • Garlic helps your body have healthy blood flow.

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Let’s learn a few things about Italy and it’s people:

  • Italian women usually only have one child.
  • Italy has 2 active volcanos and both are near big cities. It is pretty scary that they could erupt at any time!
  • There are lots and lots of old people in Italy. Like a lot.

skillet-chicken-parmesan-with-artichokes-collage

From: Skillet Chicken Parmesan with Artichokes

Skillet Chicken Parmesan with Artichokes
 
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Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $24
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 10 -ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed (TAC note: we used drained jarred marinated artichoke hearts)
  • 1 clove garlic, chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 28 -ounce can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 cups chopped (not shredded) rotisserie chicken (skin removed)
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, roughly chopped, plus more for topping
  • 4 slices rosemary focaccia, cubed (about 4 ounces)
  • 4 ounces fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat the broiler. Heat the olive oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the artichokes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is soft, about 30 seconds.
  2. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken and basil; season with salt.
  3. Meanwhile, toast the focaccia in a toaster oven or under the broiler and let cool slightly; roughly chop to make coarse breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the crumbs over the chicken mixture and top with the mozzarella and parmesan.
  4. Transfer the skillet to the broiler and cook until the breadcrumbs are browned and the cheese is bubbling, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool, 5 minutes. Top with basil.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 520 Fat: 20 g Saturated fat: 7 g Carbohydrates: 45 g Sugar: 8 g Sodium: 1,440 mg Fiber: 7 g Protein: 39 g Cholesterol: 100 mg

 

Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake

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chicken enchillada rice bake, end product, inside texture-9

We think it’s pretty safe to say that most kids like Mexican food. And chicken. And rice. And cheese. See where we’re going with this? This Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake is a pretty safe bet to feed your ravenous family tonight. You (the family chef) will love that it’s a one-pot meal = not many dishes, calls for rotisserie chicken = super easy, and has a $13 price tag = practical. You’ll get the feel and flavor of chicken enchiladas without all the fuss of filling and rolling individual enchiladas. This recipe also boasts 20 minutes active time and about 640 calories, which isn’t remarkably low for dinner unless you factor in that there are tortillas and cheese involved here. We think you’ll enjoy this simple, straight-forward Mexican inspired dish.

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Tip (unsponsored): Converted rice is simply rice that has been parboiled. It isn’t the easiest of ingredients to find – we find ours at Walmart.

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Let your kids help you by giving them some cilantro to tear. If you have a knife that’s a little dull and they are at an age that you’re comfortable with, let them try their hand at cutting:

gigi chopping cilantro for chicken enchilada rice bake, horizontal pic-1

Some degree of silliness is expected:

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As you prepare and enjoy this meal with those you love, teach them a few things about the ingredients:

  • White rice has amino acids that give you energy and help your muscles stay strong.
  • Cilantro has lots of vitamin A, which helps your kidneys stay healthy.
  • Onions provide your body with a flavonoid that can help prevent cancer.

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Kids can also lay tortillas:

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And sprinkle cheese:

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Let’s learn a few things about Mexico and it’s people:

  • Most Mexicans speak Spanish, but there are about 60 other indigenous languages spoken as well.
  • Indigenous Mexicans don’t grow wisdom teeth.
  • People LOVE soccer in Mexico. Like a lot.

chicken enchillada rice bake, end product, partial view-8

chicken enchilada rice bake collage

Adapted slightly from: Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake

Chicken Enchilada Rice Bake
 
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Prep time
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: about $13
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon taco or fajita seasoning
  • 1 14 .5-ounce can chopped tomatoes with green chiles
  • 1 cup converted long-grain white rice
  • 3 cups chicken STOCK (TAC suggestion, instead of water)
  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (skin removed)
  • 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (about 8 ounces)
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, plus more for topping
  • Kosher salt
  • 6 corn tortillas, cut into quarters
  • Sour cream and pickled jalapeno peppers, for topping
Instructions
  1. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and taco seasoning and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, rice and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.
  2. Preheat the broiler. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the chicken, 1 cup cheese, the cilantro and ½ teaspoon salt. Arrange the tortillas on top to cover and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheese. Broil until the cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Top with sour cream, pickled jalapenos and more cilantro.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 640 Fat: 30 g Saturated fat: 14 g Carbohydrates: 67 g Sugar: 4 g Sodium: 920 mg Fiber: 3 g Protein: 24 g Cholesterol: 85 mg

 

 

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

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greek lemon chicken soup, from above-1

We know, we know – if you’re feeling the summer heat right now, soup doesn’t sound so appealing. HOWEVER, this is a superbly light and refreshing soup. Lemon and dill lend a lively, summery freshness, farro and carrots add heartiness, and rotisserie chicken makes this soup ridiculously easy. Pita bread stuffed with feta and dill then toasted makes for a perfectly pungently Greek dipper. Fifteen minutes prep time and $12 gets you a truly flavorful, healthful and lower-calorie soup that is delightfully different from the norm.

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Farro is a hearty, delicious, and underappreciated grain.

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Tip (unsponsored): We find our farro at Trader Joe’s (this package contains just over 1.5 cups farro). We’ve also gotten it at Sprouts.

greek lemon chicken soup, farro package-1

Have your kids help you juice the lemons, shred some chicken, and tear some dill, taking note of it’s unique aroma. As you prepare and enjoy this meal with those you love, teach them a few things about the ingredients:

  • Lemons contain flavanoids that help kill the free-radicals that can cause bad cholesterol build-up.
  • Farro is an “old world grain” that provides even more fiber than quinoa and lots of protein.
  • Eating dill can help kill bad bacteria in your body.

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greek lemon chicken soup collage

Adapted slightly from: Greek Lemon Chicken Soup

Greek Lemon Chicken Soup
 
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Author:
Difficulty: Easy
Est. Cost: $12
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 1 cup farro
  • 7 cups chicken STOCK
  • 1 wide strip lemon zest (removed with a vegetable peeler), plus the juice of 2 lemons
  • 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken breast, skin removed
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup crumbled feta cheese (about 2 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus more for topping
  • 2 pitas, halved
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots, onion, ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add the farro and cook, stirring, until toasted, 1 minute. Add the chicken broth; cover and bring to a boil. Add the lemon zest, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, until the farro is almost tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken.
  2. Whisk the eggs and lemon juice in a bowl; drizzle ½ cup of the hot broth into the eggs, whisking constantly. Gradually stir the hot egg mixture into the pot. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon salt.
  3. Combine the feta and dill in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Fill the pita halves with the feta mixture and lightly brush with olive oil. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until the cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Top each serving of soup with more dill; season with pepper. Serve with the stuffed pitas.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 530 Fat: 24 g Saturated fat: 7 g Carbohydrates: 53 g Cholesterol: 190 mg

 

 

Roasted Corn and Chicken Chowder

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roasted corn and chicken chowder-1

The thing we love most about soups and chowders is that it’s easy to pack in lots of vegetables, herbs and flavor (and little to no meat) without adding tons of calories. This gorgeous, vibrant chowder is packed with sweet potatoes – a known superfood. If you or your children are leery about sweet potatoes, start by using half russets, half sweet potatoes in this recipe. You really won’t even notice the sweet potatoes and your children will think they are carrots. Make it a point to taste the sweet potato and you will see how delicious and slightly sweet they are, eliminating your trepidation for future sweet potato encounters. A word about the difference between sweet potatoes and yams: sweet potatoes are almost always mislabeled as “yams” in the supermarket. Apparently, true yams (which aren’t tapered at both ends and have a thick, bark-like skin) aren’t even grown here, in the U.S. and are natives of Asia, the Caribbean, and West Africa. So, unless you’re in a pretty posh American grocery store or an ethnic food store, you probably haven’t ever seen a true yam (http://colinpurrington.com/projects/yams-versus-sweet-potatoes/). That said, it’s pretty safe to say that anything labeled “yams” or “sweet potatoes” are, in fact, all sweet potatoes, just different varieties ranging from the deep orange flesh of the “garnets” and “jewels” to the lighter varieties with almost white flesh. Use whatever kind you like best for this recipe! The deep orange-fleshed ones are totally striking in this chowder, so we suggest using those.

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The fresh thyme is prominent in this dish, and the rotisserie chicken makes it easy as pie (hold on….pie isn’t usually easy…unless you’re using a store-bought crust…deep thoughts).

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Have your kids help you husk the corn and pick thyme leaves from their sprigs. They will also enjoy “helping” you shred chicken, and this recipe only calls for 2 cups so you will be able to afford to lose some to their hungry mouths. As you prepare and enjoy this meal with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits of some of the ingredients:

  • Sweet potatoes help your body keep healthy levels of sugar in your blood.
  • Thyme helps to protect your cells, which helps you stay healthy all-around.
  • Corn has a lot of lutein, which is great for your eyes.

I realize that this is a very, very long stretch, but since this dish didn’t scream any particular ethnicity, and since we mentioned that true yams come from West Africa, among other countries, let’s learn a few things about West Africa and it’s people. Because how often do we get to do THAT? Particular to Nigeria:

  • Most schools in Nigeria have really strict dress codes, right down to hairstyle and jewelry.
  • Nigerians LOVE soccer.
  • A common thing eaten with many meals are plantains, which are like tough bananas. They are usually fried or toasted.

Adapted from: Roasted Corn and Chicken Chowder

Roasted Corn and Chicken Chowder
 
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Author:
Difficulty: easy
Est. Cost: $15
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 2 ears of corn, husked
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 6 scallions, sliced
  • 1 celery stalk, diced
  • 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
  • 1½ teaspoons chopped thyme leaves (from 4 large sprigs)
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup cornmeal
  • 2.5 cups chicken STOCK
  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken breast (about 10 ounces; skin removed)
  • ½ cup whole milk
  • 4 whole-grain dinner rolls, for serving
Instructions
  1. Preheat the broiler. Put the corn on a rimmed baking sheet; broil, turning, until lightly charred on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes. (Alternatively, char the corn directly over a gas burner or on a grill over medium-high heat.) Transfer to a cutting board; let cool slightly, then cut off the kernels and transfer to a bowl. Working over the bowl, run the back of a chef's knife down the cobs to extract the juices; discard the cobs.
  2. Melt the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add all but 2 tablespoons of the scallions, the celery, sweet potato, thyme, cayenne, ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper. Cook, stirring, until softened, 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the cornmeal; cook, stirring, until lightly toasted, 1 minute. Add the corn, its juices, 2.5 cups water and 2.5 cups STOCK. Increase the heat to high and bring to a simmer. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sweet potato is tender and the soup has thickened slightly, 15 minutes.
  3. Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in the chicken and milk. Cook until the chicken is warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes (do not boil). Season with salt and black pepper. Top each serving with the reserved scallions and serve with the dinner rolls.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 465 Fat: 11 g Saturated fat: 5 g Carbohydrates: 68 g Sodium: 827 mg Cholesterol: 62 mg

 

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

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chicken and cheese enchilladas - 1

Who on earth doesn’t like themselves a great enchilada? These are more on the authentic side (as far as we gringos can tell) and we really appreciate that they aren’t drowning in a salty/sugary sauce that sorta tastes like a steel can. This slightly sweet and tangy enchilada sauce is made by broiling red onion, tomatillos, and serranos until they are forced to surrender every bit of their fantastic flavors and juices. The recipe is made quite easy by using shredded rotisserie chicken: genius. Topping with your favorite Mexican cheeses, like oxaca, queso fresco, cotija and monterey jack will make it taste like you’re indulging in some naughtiness, when in reality these are only 626 calories per serving – a pretty low number for an amazing enchilada. Thin rings of fresh red onion and cilantro to garnish make it look like you really know what you’re doing.

Tip: When choosing tomatillos, look for those with green husks as opposed to dried brown ones. We peel back the husk a bit to observe the condition of the fruit – it should be a lovely bright green and, right or wrong, we choose ones that are just a bit softer than rock-hard. Tomatillos are much more firm than ripe tomatoes, but they will soften beautifully when you broil them. Be sure and rinse them after husking as they will be sticky.

Levi husking-1

Have your kids help you husk the tomatillos, they will think it’s the coolest and will love the stickiness they uncover. Also, have them top you off with cilantro as you fill the tortillas – kids love to feel like an important part of an assembly line.  As you prepare and enjoy this meal with your family, teach them about some of the health benefits of some of the ingredients:

  • Tomatillos have lots of fiber, which helps your body digest things properly.
  • The thing that makes serranos taste hot is an antioxidant that keeps your cells healthy.
  • Red onions help your heart stay strong by keeping your blood vessels healthy.

A few facts about Mexico and it’s people:

  • Chocolate was discovered in Mexico (bless you, Mexico!)
  • Mostly Catholic, many Mexican children have to wait till Jan. 6th to get Christmas presents.
  • Mexico City was built on a lake and it is slowly sinking.

Adapted from: Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas
 
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Author:
Difficulty: easy
Est. Cost: $21
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 small red onion, halved
  • 1½ pounds tomatillos, husked and rinsed
  • 1 to 2 serrano chile peppers, stemmed and seeded
  • ½ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • Kosher salt
  • Pinch of sugar
  • 8 large or 12-14 small corn tortillas
  • 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 3 cups shredded cheese, choose your favorite: mozzarella, monterey jack, oxaca, or cotija
  • ⅓ cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
  • ¾ cup crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat the broiler. Slice half of the onion into thin rings and set aside. Place the other onion half, tomatillos and serranos on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil until the vegetables are soft and slightly brown, turning as needed. Start checking for doneness at 7 to 10 minutes, and remove done items while continuing to cook those that need more time. Transfer the vegetables and any liquid to a blender, add the broth and puree. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and the sugar.
  2. Meanwhile, stack the tortillas, wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave just until warm and soft, 1 minute; keep covered. Toss the chicken with 2 cups shredded cheese in a bowl. Spoon a portion of the chicken mixture down the middle of each tortilla. Add a few cilantro leaves and roll up. Place the enchiladas side by side in a lightly oiled 9-by-13-inch baking dish and brush with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Broil until crisp and golden, 3 minutes.
  3. Pour the tomatillo sauce over the enchiladas and top with the remaining ½ cup shredded cheese. Return to the oven and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Garnish with the onion rings, queso fresco and any remaining cilantro.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 626 Fat: 32 g Saturated fat: 13 g Carbohydrates: 46 g Sodium: 1056 mg Fiber: 6 g Protein: 47 Cholesterol: 98 mg

 

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