Chicken is one of the most loved meals in the world. Normally we are held back by the different ways of preparing the meals. Below are a few ways one can prepare the chicken.
Category: main course
Instant Pot Cajun Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning divided
- 1 tablespoon oil olive or avocado
- 1 small onion diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1.5 cups white rice (I have used regular white, Jasmine and parboiled rice with success) well rinsed
- 1 bell pepper, diced (I’ve also used 1-2 cups of frozen peas, carrots and corn instead)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1.75 cups chicken or vegetable broth.
Instructions
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Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. This helps remove starches that may otherwise scorch at the bottom of your Instant Pot.
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Cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make then thinner. Season well from both sides with Cajun seasoning (about 2 teaspoons).
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Optional step: Soften first the onion and then garlic with the oil using the sauté function. Deglaze with a couple tablespoons of water and scrape up any brown bits. There should be NOTHING left stuck to the bottom, otherwise the Instant Pot will not be able to pressurize properly.
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Then add rice, bell peppers, tomato paste and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (or more to taste and more heat). Stir until well combined.
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Pour the broth over the rice mixture and carefully arrange the chicken breast halves over top.
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Close the lid and turn the valve to ‘Sealing’. Cook on ‘Manual’ high pressure for 7-8 minutes (the latter at high altitude).
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Let the pressure release naturally (NPR) for 5 minutes, then release remaining pressure by turning the valve to ‘Venting’.
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Once the pin drops, carefully open the lid. Shred the chicken with two forks, then stir to combine the Cajun chicken with the rice. You can adjust the seasoning to taste at this point.
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Serve with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
Yum! Yum!
Preparing Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Salmon
Ingredients
- 4 salmon fillets, skin off (or Trout or any white fish)
- Salt and pepper, to season
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 6 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1/3 cup dry white wine (OPTIONAL) — (do not use a sweet white wine)
- 5 ounces (150 g) jarred sun dried tomato strips in oil, drained of oil
- 1 3/4 cups half and half
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 cups baby spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese, (do not include for dairy free option)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch (cornflour) mixed with 1 tablespoons of water (optional)**
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon filets (or fish if using) on both sides with salt and pepper, and sear in the hot pan, flesh-side down first, for 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking. Once cooked, remove from the pan and set aside.
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Melt the butter in the remaining juices leftover in the pan. Add in the garlic and fry until fragrant (about one minute). Fry the onion in the butter. Pour in the white wine (if using), and allow to reduce down slightly. Add the sun dried tomatoes and fry for 1-2 minutes to release their flavours.
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Reduce heat to low heat, add the half and half (or heavy cream), and bring to a gentle simmer, while stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.
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Add in the spinach leaves and allow to wilt in the sauce, and add in the parmesan cheese. Allow sauce to simmer for a further minute until cheese melts through the sauce. (For a thicker sauce, add the milk/cornstarch mixture to the centre of the pan, and continue to simmer while quickly stirring the mixture through until the sauce thickens.)
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Add the salmon back into the pan; sprinkle with the parsley, and spoon the sauce over each filet.
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Serve over pasta, rice or steamed veg.
Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Crispy Goat Cheese
Ingredients:
For the Mushrooms:
- 8 large portobello mushrooms (see tips of success), stems trimmed
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
For the Sautéed Spinach:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely sliced
- 6 ounces baby spinach
- salt and pepper
For the Crispy Breadcrumb Topping:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 garlic clove, finely minced
- salt and pepper
For Assembly:
- 1 and 1/2 cups high-quality store-bought (I highly recommend Rao’s Homemade brand) or homemade marinara sauce (*see recipe notes)
- 4-ounce log soft goat cheese, cold
Directions:
- Roast the Portobello Mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit with a rack in the center position. Lightly spray or brush a standard sheet pan with olive oil. Distribute the portobello mushrooms, cap side up, on the baking sheet and brush or spray lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender. If any moisture collects in the mushroom caps, carefully drain and discard. Set aside on a large plate as you prepare the filling and crispy panko breadcrumb topping.
- Prepare the Sautéed Spinach: Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the sliced shallots and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, or until soft and translucent. Add the baby spinach, increase the heat to medium-high. Sauté until just wilted, stirring continuously. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Prepare the Crispy Breadcrumb Topping: Melt the butter in a small sauté pan over medium heat. Once the butter is just beginning to sizzle, add the chopped shallots and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Add the panko breadcrumbs and minced garlic, and toast for three to four minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the breadcrumbs from burning, or until the breadcrumbs are very light golden in color. Transfer to a shallow bowl.
- Assembly: Reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the same sheet pan with parchment paper (*note: if you have a baking rack that can be set within a baking sheet, I prefer to place the mushrooms on this, as it helps prevent the mushrooms from sitting in any juice that releases during cooking).
- Distribute the roasted mushrooms, cap side up, on the sheet pan, in the center of the sheet pan so that they are just touching each other. Fill each mushroom with a large spoonful of marinara sauce. Distribute the sautéed spinach evenly among the mushrooms, spooning it on top of the sauce.
- Slice the goat cheese into 1/2″ thick slices (roughly half an ounce). It may crumble a bit, but do your best to keep it in a roughly round slice. Carefully press the goat cheese slices, on both sides, in the panko breadcrumb topping and place on top of each mushroom. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the remaining breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, or until heated through and the breadcrumbs are golden brown and goat cheese is just beginning to soften. Be careful to ensure that the breadcrumbs do not brown. Serve immediately.
Preparing Baked Parmesan Chicken Strips
INGREDIENTS
Serves 6
3 chicken breasts, sliced into strips
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
½ cup flour
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
3 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
½ cup parmesan cheese
PREPARATION
1. Preheat oven to 400˚F/200˚C.
1. Cut chicken breasts into strips and season with salt and pepper.
3. In a re-sealable plastic bag, combine flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and Italian seasoning.
4. Add the seasoned chicken strips into the flour mixture and seal the bag. Shake until the chicken strips are well coated with the flour mixture.
5. Beat 3 eggs in a small bowl and dip each piece of chicken until well coated.
6. In another bowl, combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and coat each piece of chicken with the mixture.
7. Place the coated chicken strips on a greased baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes, flipping halfway, and bake until golden brown (times and temperatures may vary based on oven).
8. Enjoy!
Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach, and Bacon Chicken
Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach, and Bacon Chicken recipe – the chicken breasts are seasoned with dry Italian salad dressing mix, smothered with the creamed spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and bacon, and baked to perfection!
Chicken is very good protein. Proteins are good for body building. Spinach and tomatoes are good vegetables that are rich in fiber which helps in digestion and body maintenance.
The following are the ingredients and preparation of sun dried tomato, spinach and bacon chicken.
Ingredients
Baked Chicken Breasts:
- 1.5 lb chicken (4 small chicken breasts or 2 large chicken breasts sliced horizontally in half)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 0.5 oz Italian Dressing mix packet (half the packet)
Creamed spinach:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 oz baby spinach fresh
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2/3 cup half and half
- 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Other ingredients:
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes drained of oil, chopped into smaller bites
- 4 slices bacon cooked
- 4 slices Pepper Jack cheese or Monterey cheese with jalapenos
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Use 4 small chicken breasts or 2 large chicken breast, sliced horizontally in half.
Butter the bottom of the baking dish. Season chicken breasts from both sides with the Italian salad dressing mix. Place the chicken breasts, flat side down, into the greased baking dish and bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 F.
In the mean time, make the creamed spinach. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add spinach and cook for only 1 or 2 minutes until it is heated through and starts to wilt. Remove from heat. Add minced garlic and half and half. Bring to boil. Add shredded mozzarella cheese and keep stirring, on high heat, until mozzarella cheese starts to melt – about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to simmer and keep stirring until you have a nice, smooth creamed spinach – about 30 seconds or 1 more minutes. The creamed spinach should be pretty thick in texture, not watery. If watery, bring to boil again and cook off extra liquid, constantly stirring. Season with salt. Remove from heat.
Remove the baking pan with chicken breasts from the oven (you baked them for 15-20 minutes):
Top each chicken breast with creamed spinach:
Then, top with sun-dried tomatoes (drained from oil and chopped into smaller bites):
Next, top with chopped cooked bacon:
Next, top with the broken slices of pepper jack cheese.
Bake in the oven, uncovered for 15-20 more minutes, until the smothered chicken is completely cooked through, no longer pink in the center, and the juices run clear:
These are really some of the best baked chicken breasts I ever made!
Below is a quick video to make this preparation much easier for you.
It will be a motivation for you to keep trying out healthy styles of preparing chicken.
Jolly meals 
