Roasted Tuscan Chicken

The other day I was looking for a summer tortellini salad recipe I used to make a lot and I ran across a completely different recipe I haven't made in ages. It's not really a summer recipe at all, but I had all the ingredients on hand and decided to give it a go.

As I was making it my husband and I were discussing how to tell a good recipe from a bad one. This is one I pulled from a magazine. It was an ad for Ragu spaghetti sauce from (gulp) 1997. I remembered liking the flavors but not liking the overall dish as much as I should have given the flavor combination. I quickly realized the flaws were in the directions and the prep. As always I reconnoitered and made it my own.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken tenders cut into 1" cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
4 medium potatoes cut into 1/2" cubes (about 4 cups)
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I like Paul Newman's Organic)
1 pound fresh or frozen green beans
1 teaspoon dried basil or fresh basil if you have it
salt and pepper to taste 

Preheat oven to 350. Saute (on medium high heat) chicken and garlic in olive oil until chicken is lightly browned. Add potatoes and peppers and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and pour into a 9x13" baking dish that has been sprayed or wiped with olive oil. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 35 to 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Remove foil for final 5 minutes of baking. Makes 6 generous servings.

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Cranberry Chili Chicken

This kind of recipe is why I like to keep my pantry stocked with odds and ends. I ran across the recipe in a cookbook a friend passed on to me which I then passed on to another friend. Incredibly easy, flexible, and tasty. You can use this on any type of chicken -- whole, bone in pieces, boneless breasts or thighs -- whatever strikes your fancy or you happen to have on hand. You can cook it in the oven or in the slow cooker. You could probably simmer it on the stove top in a dutch oven if you want!

Ready?

1 12-oz. bottle Heinz Chili sauce

1 14-oz. can Ocean Spray cranberry sauce (I use the whole cranberry because I like the texture)

Stir these 2 ingredients together and pour over chicken (around 3 lbs., but whatever!), cover the baking dish with lid or foil, and bake at 350* for 45 minutes. Check to see if your chicken is tender and adjust time as needed. (Bone in will take longer.) When done serve over rice, if you like.

See easy, flexible, and tasty!

I used boneless chicken thighs

Happy eating!

linking up with Made by You Monday

Coca-Cola Chicken Tenders

A couple of weeks ago we had some people over for chili. It was potluck and one person brought colas. We don't drink much cola around here, so I had some leftover Coke. I also had a cookbook a friend had shared with me, which I have now shared with someone else. Before re-sharing it though, I flipped through and pinned the recipes that looked interesting. This was one of them -- Coca-Cola Chicken Wings. The one problem being, I don't like wings. So I did a variation (shocked, aren't you?!?)

(before sauce)

1 cup brown sugar
12-oz. Coca-Cola®
onion powder
garlic salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into tenders OR presliced chicken tenders

Mix first 5 ingredients in a 9"x13" casserole that has been sprayed or greased. Stir to dissolve sugar. Place tenders in sauce flipping to coat. Cover with foil. Bake in a preheated 325 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes to caramelize the sauce. Remove from oven. Transfer sauce to a sauce pan reserving 1/4 cup in a measuring cup. Add 1 T. cornstarch. Stir well and add to remaining sauce. Stir over medium heat until sauce has thickened. Pour over tenders and serve.

Happy eating!

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