Tandoori Chicken Naan Pizza

I love food with flavor, herbs, and spices, and this one is FULL on flavor with a perfect spicy kick. It is so good! I made my own naan bread (as you can tell by the irregular shapes), but you can use purchased naan if you like. I forgot to buy mozzarella, so I made it with gruyere that I had. 

I found this recipe on Host the Toast, and knew that I had to make this right away. So glad I did! The ingredients list is a little long, but this is easy to make, and very worth it. 

Tandoori Chicken Naan Pizza

3 pieces naan bread
1/2 c. plain yogurt, plus more to top
Lemon zest for yogurt topping
Juice of 1 lemon
2 T. vegetable oil, plus more for brushing
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T. ginger
1 t. hot paprika
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. garam masala
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 T. tomato paste
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 cup mango, sliced
1 c. mozzarella, shredded
Mint, to garnish
Cilantro, to garnish
Plain yogurt

Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, garlic, ginger, paprika, cumin, garam masala, and cayenne pepper in a food processor. Process until smooth.

Sprinkle the chicken thighs with salt and place in a freezer bag with half of the marinade, turning to coat well. Reserve the remaining half of the marinade in a separate container. Refrigerate all for 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Grill the chicken 5 minutes per side, or until it reaches 160° F. Remove from heat and chop chicken.

Brush the naan with oil. Mix the previously reserved marinade mixture with 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Add additional yogurt to thin, if necessary, to give a spreadable consistency.

Spread the naan with the tomato-yogurt mixture. Top with red onion, chicken, mango, and mozzarella. Turn down the heat on the grill and place the naan pizzas on the grate, or put the naan pizzas on a shelf above the grill grate. Close the lid and grill until the cheese melts. Remove from heat.

Alternatively, preheat the oven to 400° F and cook pizzas on a cookie sheet or pizza stone.   

Mix the extra yogurt with lemon zest. Top the pizzas with mint leaves and cilantro, drizzle with yogurt, and serve.

Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken

I'm always looking for quick recipes that make a delicious dish that doesn't look quick. This slow cooker dish is definitely that. I saw it at Creme de la Crumb and just made it for the first time. It's flavorful and pretty.

I cut some of the red peppers into hearts, although they didn't look as much like hearts after they cooked. I served it with vegetables and a rice and couscous side. 

Slow Cooker Mediterranean Chicken

4 medium-large boneless skinless chicken breasts 
Salt and pepper to taste
3-4 t. Italian seasoning
Juice of 1 medium lemon (about 2 T.)

1 medium onion, chopped
1 c. Kalamata olives
1 c. roughly chopped roasted red peppers

2 T. capers
Fresh thyme, oregano, or basil for garnish, optional
 
Season chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste. Cook in a large skillet over medium-high heat 1-2 minutes on each side just until browned. Transfer to greased slow cooker.

Add onions, olives, red peppers, and 1 tablespoon capers to slow cooker around chicken, not on top. Whisk together remaining Italian seasoning, lemon juice, and garlic. Pour over chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 4 hours or on high for 2 hours. Add remaining capers and cover. Cook for 15 more minutes. Garnish with fresh herbs if using and serve.

Honey Citrus Grilled Chicken with Basil Butter

Cookies and Cups has some good recipes and this is one of them! I marinated the chicken less than the 3 hours it instructs, but the citrus still came through well. The chicken was tender and flavorful and moist. Sometimes I don't feel like going outside to grill, but this recipe is easy and the taste definitely makes it worth it. Gonna make it again soon.

Honey Citrus Grilled Chicken with Basil Butter

Juice of 2 lemons
Juice of 2 limes
2 T. honey
1 t. kosher salt
½ t. black pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Basil Butter
½ c. butter, room temperature
½ t. garlic powder
¼ c. minced fresh basil leaves
¼ t. crushed red pepper, optional

Whisk all marinade ingredients together. Place chicken in a plastic zip bag and pour marinade on top. Marinate for at least 3 hours.

Basil Butter

Combine all the butter ingredients in a small bowl and combine evenly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Remove chicken from the refrigerator. Preheat your grill to medium high heat. Grill chicken for 6-7 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of your chicken. Remove from grill and serve with a pat of basil butter on each chicken breast.

Chicken Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion

Making stuffed chicken always sounds like so much work, but it's really not difficult. This recipe from A Dish of Daily Life makes a flavorful and tender chicken. I will make the sauce a little thinner next time. I used whipping cream instead of heavy cream since I had some on hand. 

Elegant and tasty!

Chicken Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion 

2 T.  butter
2-3 onions, chopped
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar
8 oz. goat cheese
2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken
1 lg. egg
¼ c. milk
Panko bread crumbs
Oil or more butter for pan frying
1/4 c. cream (optional, only if you decide to make a sauce with the leftover goat cheese)

Caramelizing the Onions:
Melt your butter over medium heat. Add your onions
to the pan; stir to coat. Check on your onions every
10 minutes or so and give them a stir; lower the heat
if you need to. At around 50 minutes, add 1/4 cup of
balsamic vinegar. Continue to stir the onions for a
few more minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool.

Once the caramelized onions have cooled, combine
the onions with goat cheese. Mix well.

Whisk together egg and milk.

Place a couple tablespoons of the goat cheese
mixture on each tenderloin. Be as generous as you
can without making it too difficult to roll.

Once your chicken is rolled, dip it in the egg and milk
mixture, then coat with bread crumbs. Set aside until
all your tenderloins are rolled.

Heat enough oil or butter to coat your pan and start pan frying the chicken. Once they are golden brown,
remove from heat.

Finish cooking the chicken in the oven at 350° until
they are cooked all the way through.

Sauce (optional):

When chicken is ready for the dinner table, take any
leftover of the goat cheese mixture and whisk
together with cream. Once the goat cheese has
liquefied, spoon over your chicken.

Southwestern Chicken Cups

Found the recipe for these at Kevin and Amanda (lots of great recipes there) and tweaked it just a tiny bit. I love the crisp won ton wrappers and the combination of flavors. They're cute for a dinner or party food! Next time I might try it with just a little sour cream and some avocado on top before serving. 

Southwestern Chicken Cups

1 T. olive oil

2 c. frozen diced bell pepper and onion mix (or 1 c. each, fresh)

2 c. corn kernels (canned, fresh, or frozen)

1 t. salt

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. canned black beans, drained

12 oz. (2 c.) cooked chicken, chopped or shredded

1 t. pepper

2 T. cilantro, chopped

Crushed red pepper, to taste 

1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese

24 won ton wrappers

Preheat oven to 375°. Generously coat a standard-size muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Add olive oil to a large skillet over high heat. When the oil is very hot, carefully add the onions, bell peppers, salt. If you're using frozen corn, add it now. If you're using canned or fresh corn, add it later with the beans. Cook the veggies, stirring occasionally, until slightly blackened on the edges, about 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low, add the minced garlic, and stir until fragrant and well incorporated, about 30 seconds. Add the beans, chicken, and pepper. Stir to combine. Remove from heat and set aside.

Place one full won ton wrapper and a half won ton wrapper overlapping (to make a slightly larger wrapper) in the bottom of each cup in the prepared muffin pan. Fill with chicken mixture and top with about 1 tablespoon cheese.

Bake for 12 minutes, until heated through and edges are golden.

Crispy Stuffed Chicken Caprese with Fresh Tomato Basil Relish

A classic and delicious flavor combination that makes a pretty dinner. I found this recipe on The Cozy Apron.

Crispy Stuffed Chicken Caprese with Fresh Tomato Basil Relish

4 chicken breasts, skinless and boneless

Olive oil

2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press

Salt and cracked black pepper

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 t. lemon zest

4 ripe pearl tomatoes (or 8 cherry tomatoes), sliced ¼” or thinner

1 T. balsamic vinegar

16 slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced ¼ ” or thinner (from an 8 oz ball or log)

16 large, fresh basil leaves

½ c. flour

2 eggs

1 c. panko breadcrumbs

1/3 c. grated parmesan cheese

½ t. Italian seasoning

Fresh Tomato-Basil Relish (recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 400°, and line a baking sheet with foil.

Prepare the chicken breasts by butterflying each breast, being careful not to cut all the way through (you want to end up with a thinner, flatter chicken breast); place each butterflied chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and gently pound the chicken out with a mallet to about ¼” thickness; place the chicken breasts into a bowl, and add a drizzle of olive oil, the garlic, a couple of pinches of salt and pepper, the lemon juice and zest, and marinate the chicken for about 15-20 minutes.

Next, place the thinly sliced pearl tomatoes into a small dish, and add to them the balsamic vinegar and a pinch or two of salt and pepper, and allow them to marinate while the chicken marinates.

To prepare the chicken, place one marinaded chicken breast in front of you, vertically; giving yourself about a ½” border at the bottom, begin by adding 2 of the fresh basil leaves, then 2 slices of the fresh mozzarella cheese, next 4 slices of the marinated tomato, then another 2 basil leaves and finally 2 more slices of mozzarella onto the chicken; starting at the bottom, fold the chicken over the ingredients, gently rolling upward until wrapped; place 2-3 toothpicks through the seam at angles to secure the filling and to keep the chicken held together, and place it onto a clean plate to hold; repeat the process with all four chicken breasts.

To bread the chicken, add the flour into a medium-size bowl; add the eggs into a another medium-size bowl, and whisk well; add the panko breadcrumbs, the grated parmesan, the Italian seasoning and a pinch of cracked black pepper into another medium-size bowl, and toss to combine; gently dredge each chicken breast in the flour, then in the eggs and finally in the panko-parmesan mixture, and set aside on the plate while you heat your oil.

To fry, add enough olive oil to a large heavy-bottom pan or skillet for a shallow fry (roughly 1 cup), and place over medium-high heat; once the oil is hot, add in 2 of the rolled and breaded chicken breasts seam-side down, and cook until golden-brown and crispy, about 2 minutes per side (about 8 minutes total); remove from oil and place onto a paper towel-lined plate, and repeat the process with the remaining two breasts; to finish the chicken, add the fried breasts to the foil-lined baking sheet, and place into the oven for about 4-5 minutes, until completely cooked through and the cheese is melted and gooey; to serve, remove toothpicks, and serve on a bed of the Fresh Tomato-Basil Relish.

Fresh Tomato-Basil Relish:

8 ripe pearl (or Campari) tomatoes, diced very finely

2 cloves of garlic, pressed through garlic press

¼ c. julienned fresh basil leaves

Olive oil, drizzle or two

Pinch or two salt

Pinch or two freshly cracked black pepper

1 T. balsamic vinegar

Add all ingredients in a small bowl, and gently fold together to combine; cover with plastic wrap and keep in fridge until ready to use with chicken. (Prepare shortly before use)

Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

I changed a recipe I found at Petit Foodie just a little bit, adding chicken and celery and ended up with a bowl full of goodness! I love how fresh it tastes because of the lemon. All these flavors in one spoonful make a delicious lunch or dinner. We had it for dinner with homemade rolls and I was sad that I didn't have any leftover soup for lunch the next day. This is in my yum-yum file now!!

There was more broth, but I wanted you to be able to see what's in the broth so I didn't add a lot to this bowl.

Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

1 T. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, roughly grated

2 celery stalks, chopped

7 c. chicken broth

½ c. orzo

2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped

1/2 lemon, zest and juice

½ t. salt

¼ t. pepper

1 t. dried basil

1 t. crushed red pepper

In a large pot heat olive oil. Add in garlic and onion. Sauté until translucent.

Add in carrot and celery. Sauté for a few minutes. Pour in chicken broth and bring to boil. 

Add orzo and chicken. Cook about 10 minutes. 

Squeeze in juice of half lemon and add zest. Season with salt, pepper, basil and crushed red pepper. Let simmer until serving.

Chicken Avocado Quesadillas

These are an easy snack or dinner that I found at Butter with a Side of Bread. I can't believe that there was a time that I didn't like avocados because I really like them now and they make chicken quesadillas irresistible.

I actually marinated the chicken in the lime juice for a little bit before adding the salsa and proceeding with the recipe. 

Chicken Avocado Quesadillas

4 soft taco size flour tortillas

2 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 1/2 c. diced cooked chicken

1 avocado, sliced in half, then diced

2 T. green salsa

Dash of lime juice

Salt & pepper, to taste

Cilantro, sour cream and salsa, for dip

Cook each tortilla on a warm skillet for 30 seconds on each side. Set aside.

Combine diced chicken with salsa and lime juice, stir to combine. Add several leaves of cilantro, the salt and pepper.

Reduce skillet heat to about medium-low. Place tortilla on the skillet, then top with 1/2 cup cheese and about 3/4 cup chicken mixture. Add 1/2 a diced avocado, then another 1/2 cup cheese and another tortilla. Gently press down on quesadilla. Cook for about 3 minutes, then flip over and cook an additional 2 minutes, until all cheese is melted. Remove from heat and let stand 1-2 minutes. Slice into triangles with a pizza cutter and serve with sour cream, salsa and additional cilantro.

Chicken Bacon Garlic Alfredo Roll Ups

I'm one of those strange Americans who doesn't like bacon. I don't hate it. It's just not something that I usually choose to eat on other food and never on the side for breakfast. So when I said I was making this recipe that I found on The Recipe Critic, Sabrina said, "What? You don't even like bacon." But both of my daughters do, so I decided to make it. And guess what. I decided this tastes pretty good with the bacon. 

Not that it cuts down on much of the fat, but I actually used only 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and 1 cup of 1% milk, and then just a little less butter than it called for. I also used Neufchatel cheese. 

Chicken Bacon Garlic Alfredo Roll Ups

8 lasagne noodles

2 c. chicken, cooked and shredded  

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

Garlic Alfredo Sauce:

½ c. butter

1 pint heavy whipping cream (2 c.)

4 oz. cream cheese

½ t. minced garlic

1 t. garlic powder

1 t. Italian seasoning

¼ t. salt

¼ t. pepper

1 c. grated Parmesan cheese 

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray an 9x13-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water and lay them on a paper towel to remove excess water.

In a medium saucepan add butter, heavy whipping cream, and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat and whisk until melted. Add the minced garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk until smooth. Add the grated Parmesan cheese. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook for about 3-5 minutes or until it starts to thicken. Line the bottom of the 9x13-inch pan with 1 cup of the Alfredo sauce.

Spread 2 tablespoons of the Alfredo sauce over each noodle. Take ⅛th of the shredded chicken and bacon and spread evenly over each noodle and top with about 3 tablespoons shredded cheese. Carefully roll up each lasagna noodle and place seam side down in the prepared pan. Repeat with other 7 rolls.

Once they are all in the pan, pour the remaining Alfredo sauce over the top and top with remaining cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes until heated through and cheese is bubbly.

Chicken Pasta with Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce

I made this back in October, but forgot to post the recipe. I saw the pics on my computer today and now I want it again. I've been in the mood for pasta and this unique dish using cilantro and lime with an Alfredo sauce is fresh and delicious. Found this keeper at Julia's Album.

This would make a great meat-less main dish side dish too if you don't add the chicken.

Chicken Pasta with Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce

2 T. olive oil
1 lb. chicken breast, sliced
Salt and pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. freshly squeezed lime juice 
1/4 c. chicken broth
1 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
2/3 c. heavy cream
2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. mozzarella or Parmesan cheese, grated
8 oz. spaghetti pasta 
1 t. fresh cilantro, chopped

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium-hot heat. Generously season sliced chicken with salt and pepper, add to the hot skillet and cook for about 5 minutes until done. Remove sliced chicken from the skillet.

To the same skillet, add minced garlic, lime juice and chicken broth. Cook for 1-2 minutes on high heat, deglazing and scraping the skillet until the liquid is reduced and making sure garlic does not burn and brown too much. Mix in chopped cilantro.

Add heavy cream and milk. Bring to boil, the immediately add cheese and mix in until melted, while boiling. Then, remove from heat.

Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain, reserving some cooked pasta water.

Add pasta to the sauce, along with the half of the chicken. Mix everything in and season pasta with more salt, if needed. Top with the remaining half of the chicken and more chopped cilantro.

Pasteles de Pollo con Verduras (Colombian-Style Chicken Pastries)

Yummmmm! Yummmmmm! I absolutely loved these. I made them for the first time to take to my parents' house for a family dinner. It only made around a dozen, but they are a good sized handheld pocket of deliciousness. Since there weren't very many to share, I only had 1 and I can't wait to make them again and maybe eat 2! Thanks to My Colombian Recipes for sharing this! 

The only thing I changed was that I brushed the tops with the egg wash.

Pasteles de Pollo con Verduras (Colombian-Style Chicken Pastries)
1 pkg. frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
2 T. butter
1/2 c. onion, finely chopped
1/2 c. red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1/2 t. ground cumin
2 chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1/2 c. of peas
1/4 c. chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten with 1 T. of water

Melt the butter in a sauce pan. Add the onions, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, and cumin. Cook for 7 minutes over medium low heat, stirring occasionally.
 
Add the shredded chicken, salt and pepper and stir well. Add the broth and peas; continue cooking over low heat for another 5 minutes.Let the chicken filling cool down.
 
Preheat an oven to 400°. Flour a clean, dry counter top or other flat working surface. Lay out the puff pasty on the floured surface. Flour the top of the dough. Roll out the puff pastry until it is half as thick (about 1/8-inch).
 
Using a large cookie cutter, cut into 24 circles and brush the edges of each circle with the egg. A little off center of 12 circles, place about 2 tablespoons of the filling. Place another circle on top to enclose the filling.
 
Crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers. Repeat with the remaining pasteles, placing them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet as you go. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.

Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls with Lime Quinoa

I know this list of ingredients is long, but most if it consists of things you already have in your kitchen and none of the steps are at all difficult. It is soooooo worth it! Delicious, healthy and filling.
Thanks to Viance for the recipe.

Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls with Lime Quinoa

Honey Chipotle Chicken
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1/4 c. olive oil
3 T. adobo sauce, from a can of chipotle in adobo
2 T. honey
1 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. honey mustard
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro
4 garlic cloves, minced
Salad
6 c. spring greens
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 c. torn fresh cilantro
4 green onions, sliced
1 avocado, sliced
1 lime, juiced
1 T. olive oil
1/2 T. honey
Lime Quinoa
1/2 c. uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 c. low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 T. coconut oil
1 lime, juiced and zest freshly grated
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper

Add the chicken breasts to a baking dish or sealed bag and season with salt and pepper. In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, adobo, honey, mustards, cilantro and garlic. Pour the marinade over the chicken, covering it evenly. Place it in the fridge and marinate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

After marinading, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tiny bit of olive oil and add the chicken, then cover the skillet and cook until the chicken is deeply browned on both sides and cooked in the center, about 6 minutes per side.
To make the salads, add the greens in a large bowl and toss them with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add the chicken on top along with the quinoa, the tomatoes, cilantro, green onions and avocado. Drizzle the bowl with the lime juice, olive oil and honey just before serving. 

Lime Quinoa
Add the quinoa and stock to a saucepan over high heat and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and cover the pot. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the coconut oil, lime juice, zest, salt and pepper.