Baked Chicken Fajitas

I found this recipe and picture on Pinterest.  It comes from Six Sisters Stuff.  It looked really quick and easy and that is definitely a good thing in my life right now.  

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilies
1 medium onion, sliced
1 large bell pepper, seeded and sliced
2 T vegetable oil
2 t. chili powder
2 t. cumin
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. salt
12 flour tortillas, warmed to serve

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 13×9 baking dish. Mix together chicken, tomatoes, chilies, peppers, and onions in the dish.

In a small bowl combine the oil and spices. Drizzle the spice mixture over the chicken and toss to coat.
Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Serve with warmed tortillas and enjoy!

Vegetable Enchiladas

I saw this recipe on Pinterest and it came from Perry's Plate. I was a little skeptical, but we didn't miss the meat at all. I am kind of picky right now about strong flavors and I only like what I like. Hopefully it will get better in a few months. I loved these and two of my four kids loved them. I have two kids that think black beans are pure torture to eat. Definitely a quick fix meal and easy to substitute in things if you wanted.

1 10-oz can mild enchilada sauce
3 cups (12 ounces) grated pepper jack cheese or whatever you have on hand
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels, thawed or 1 can corn kernels, drained
6 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
1 teaspoon cumin
1-2 teaspoons Williams-Sonoma Spicy Chipotle Rub  (I just used taco seasoning)
1 teaspoon salt [if using 2 teaspoons rub or taco seasoning, reduce to 1/2 teaspoon and add more as needed]
1/2 teaspoon pepper
16 small corn tortillas (6-inch) or 8-10 (depending on how big you roll them) flour tortillas [we used 6-inch tortillas and ended up with 12 enchiladas, and filling to make 2 more if we had room in the pan]

Make the filling: In a large bowl, combine 2 cups pepper jack cheese, black bean, corn, scallion whites, rub (or taco seasoning), and cumin. Season mixture lightly with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a 9×13 baking dish [two 8-inch square baking dishes will also work, and set aside. Stack the tortillas, and wrap in damp paper towels; microwave on high for 1 minute, or, if you have a moral objection to bombarding your food with microwaves, stack and wrap in aluminum foil and heat them in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

Top each tortilla with a heaping [seriously – heaping] 1/3 cup of filling, roll them up tightly and arrange, seam side down, in prepared baking dishes. Sprinkle the enchiladas with remaining 1 cup pepper jack cheese.

[If you want to make this ahead of time, you can stop right here, cover the dishes with plastic wrap and foil, and freeze the enchiladas for up to 2 months.]

Top with enchilada sauce. Bake the enchiladas uncovered until hot and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. [If baking from frozen, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes first, then uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.] Cool for 5 minutes and serve garnished with scallion greens.

**The original recipe called for frozen spinach thawed and squeezed dry and added to the filling.  

Baked Creamy Taquitos

This was a recipe I saw on Pinterest.  It came from Our Best Bites.  It looked really easy and simple.  I did find that I used more chicken and cheese than the recipe called for and so I had to double the sauce.  They were delicious.  My 18 month old, who doesn't have a very adventureous appetite, loved these.  She ate a whole one by herself. 

1/3 cup (3 oz) cream cheese
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons sliced green onions
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
1 cup grated pepperjack cheese (I just used shredded colby jack and it was still delicious)
about 12 small corn or flour tortillas (I used whole wheat flour tortillas)
kosher salt
cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.  Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder and garlic powder and mix well. Add cilantro, green onions, chicken and pepperjack cheese and combine well.

The corn tortillas are harder to roll without cracking. For the corn tortillas: work with a few tortillas at a time and heat in the microwave until they are soft enough to roll without cracking. It helps to place them between damp paper towels. Usually 20-30 seconds will do it. If you find yours are cracking when you roll them or come unrolled right away, just try heating them longer and try the paper towel thing.  Place 3 Tablespoons of chicken mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Then roll it up as tight as you can.

Place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or an oil mister and sprinkle some kosher salt on top.

Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown. Makes around 12 taquitos.  We dipped our taquitos in a green salsa/sour cream mix.

Huevos Rancheros

My friend in CA always talked about making Huevos Rancheros, but I always thought it sounded a little strange.  I obviously didn't know what I was talking about.  I made these tonight, and I had to force myself to only eat one.  They were a hit.  My boys ate them so fast.  Some in my family aren't runny yoke kind of folks, so I made them scrambled eggs or hard cooked eggs.  I loved the runny yoke and thought it was perfect!   I saw this recipe on Skinnytaste.com and thought it looked awesome. 

2 tsp oil

1 onion, minced
2 medium tomato, minced
1can chopped green chiles
oil spray
salt and pepper
pinch cumin (optional)
large eggs
shredded lettuce
shredded cheese
chopped cilantro
olive oil spray
corn tortillas

Heat oil in a small pan.  Add onions and cook one minute, add tomatoes, chilies, cumin, salt and pepper and cook another few minutes. Set aside and keep warm.  In another medium non-stick pan, lightly spray the tortillas with oil on each side and heat a few minutes on both sides until tortillas gets crispy and pockets or air bubbles start to form inside.  Set aside.  In the same pan, lightly spray more oil and add eggs, salt and pepper. Cover and cook until sunny-side up or to your liking. To serve, place a tortilla on each plate, top with egg, tomatoes, lettuce, cheese and cilantro. 

Lentil Tacos

Okay, I don't know if anyone else feels the same way I do, but lentils have intimidated me for awhile.  I have a bunch of bags of these things in my food storage, but I have never attempted to use them because I didn't know what to do with them.  Now I do.    These tacos were great.  We didn't miss the meat and my kids (minus one legume hating child) ate these up.  This recipe could be made into macho nachos or any other variation.

From Healthy Mom's Kitchen

Step 1

1 small Onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Minced Garlic
 
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until tender.
 
Step 2
 
1 cup Dried Lentils, rinsed
1 tablespoon Chili Powder
2 teaspoons Cumin
1 teaspoon Oregano
2 1⁄2 cups Chicken Broth
 
Add the lentils and spices; cook and stir for 1 minute. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the lentils are tender (depending on the lentils you use, this could take longer - some may choose to soak their lentils in water for a few hours before making this recipe. I used red lentils and the time was fine for me). Uncover and cook for a few more minutes until the mixture is thickened. Mash lentils slightly.
 
Make tacos, taco salad, or any variation you like with all your favorite taco toppings (tomatoes, avocados, cheese, etc...)

Pork Carnitas

So I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen.  I really like shredded pork tacos.  I love the Cafe Rio version, but most times I don't have all the ingredients to make it.  I saw this recipe and thought it looked delicious.  It was awesome!  I actually liked it a little better than the Cafe Rio recipe. 

3 pounds Boneless Pork Shoulder, Cut Into Cubes
3/4 cups Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
½ whole Lime, Juiced
7 cloves Garlic
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Cumin
¼ cups Cilantro, Chopped
¼ cups Chicken Or Beef Stock
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients (except olive oil) and stir. Arrange the pork so it sits as a single layer at the bottom of the pot. Set slow cooker to High for 4 hours or Low for 8 hours. 

Once the pork is done, it should be tender enough that you can shred it with a spoon. Heat a pan with the olive oil. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork from the pot to the pan. Fry the pork until brown and crispy, breaking it up as you fry it.

Serve on tortillas garnished with chopped onions, avocado, fresh cilantro and lime wedges.

Oven Roasted Mexican Chicken

This was another recipe from The Crepes of Wrath.  I didn't cook it in the oven.  I cooked it outside on the grill.  The flavor was really rich and really good.  I thought it would be too spicy for my kids, but they loved it.

3 chicken breasts or legs (the drumstick + thigh attached), fat trimmed
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
juice of 1 lime
3 cloves garlic, minced

1. Combine all of the ingredients, except the chicken, in a small bowl and whisk together. Place the chicken in a sealable container or bag, then pour the marinade over the chicken. Allow to sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet (preferably covered in tin foil to prevent the juices from burning to your baking sheet). Bake for 30-40 minutes, until cooked through and the juices of the chicken run clear. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving with some fresh summer veggies.

Oven Fried Chicken Chimichangas

I found this recipe on Food.com.  I thought it looked good, but was concerned with how heavy it might be.  These were delicious and really not heavy at all.  Port even commented that these might be his new favorite.

2/3 cup picante sauce or 2/3 cup your favorite salsa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 green onions, chopped with some tops (about 1/4 cup)
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas (I used whole wheat)
Cooking spray
shredded cheddar cheese, for serving
chopped green onion, for serving
picante sauce, for serving

Mix chicken, picante sauce or salsa, cumin, oregano, cheese and onions. Place about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla. Fold opposite sides over filling.  Roll up from bottom and place seam-side down on a baking sheet. Spray a light coating of canola cooking spray over the top if you want. Bake at 400°F for 25 minutes or until golden.  Garnish with additional cheese and green onion and serve salsa on the side.

Pollo Grande Quesadillas

For Mother's Day I got this fantastic cookbook called, "The Worldwide Ward Cookbook". It is full of some great recipes that are really family friendly. This recipe is in the book. The recipe seemed pretty ordinary, but turned out surprisingly extraordinary. These quesadillas are definitley on our family favorites list. It was difficult to tear myself away from these. They also didn't last long enough to take a picture!

Quesadillas:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
1 large sweet onion, coarsely diced
5-10 T. oil, divided
Fajita seasoning to taste
2 bell peppers (any color), very coarsely chopped
8 0z. mushrooms, sliced (optional)

Jalapeno Cheese Sauce: (I doubled this portion of the recipe)

4 oz. Neufchatel cheese
1/4 c. fat-free sour cream
1/2 tsp. garlic (I used garlic powder)
1/4 C. milk
2-5 T. pickled jalapeno peppers, seeds removed

For assembly:

10-12 tortillas (I used whole wheat tortillas)
12 oz. cheese (Monterey Jack or cheddar), shredded

In a pan, fry chicken and onions in 1-2 T. oil and fajita seasoning to taste until chicken is cooked and onions are tender. In a separate in 1-2 T. oil unitl crisp-tender, adding the mushrooms to the peppers during the last 4-5 minutes of frying, if desired. In a blender, puree all Jalapeno Cheese Sauce ingredients. To assemble, layer one half of each tortilla with chicken mixture, peppers and mushrooms, 2 T. shredded cheese, and 1-2 T. Jalapeno Cheese Sauce. Fold over the other half of the tortilla, enclosing all of the filling. On a griddle or pan lightly brushed with the remaining oil, fry the quesadilla until the tortilla is light brown and the cheese inside has melted. Makes 10-12 servings.

**I didn't brush the tortillas with thet oil and I used my electric grill to cook the quesadillas.

Grilled Chicken Fajitas

I am usually not a huge fan of fajitas, but I am now a fajita lover because of this recipe. It was really easy and the flavors were awesome!

Adapted from Annie's Eats

Ingredients:

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

6 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1½ tsp. brown sugar

1 jalapeño, seeded, ribbed and diced

1½ tbsp. minced fresh cilantro

1 tsp. salt

¾ tsp. pepper

2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 large red onion (about 14 oz.), sliced into ½-inch thick slices, rings not separated

2 large bell peppers (about 10 oz. each), stemmed, quartered and seeded

8-12 (6-inch) flour tortillas

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the lime juice, 4 tablespoons of the vegetable oil, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro, salt and pepper. Reserve ¼ cup of the marinade; set aside. Place the chicken strips in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the marinade and transfer to grill. I used my countertop grill (aka.George Forman); discard the left over marinade. Cook chicken on grill until browned and internal temperature is 160 degrees. Remove chicken and cover with foil. Place the onion rounds and peppers on the grill. Cook onions and peppers until spottily charred and crisp-tender, about 8-12 minutes, turning once or twice as needed. When the chicken and vegetables are done, transfer them to a large plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
In 2 or 3 batches, transfer the tortillas in a single layer to the now empty grill. Cook until warm and lightly browned, about 20 seconds per side. When the tortillas are done, wrap them in a clean kitchen towel or foil.
Separate the onions into rings and slice. Place them in a medium bowl. Slice the bell peppers lengthwise into ¼-inch strips and add them to the bowl with the onions. Add chicken to peppers and onions. Pour the reserved marinade onto the ingredients and stir to combine. Microwave for 1 minute to heat through. Arrange the chicken and vegetables on a large platter with the warmed tortillas and serve with toppings (sour cream, salsa, cheese).

Cafe Rio Chicken

This is a new favorite at our house. It is so good. We have made it twice in the last two weeks, which hardly ever happens. Port loves to take it and put it on salads or in wraps. My four year old said, "Mom, this is dad-blasted good!"

From Kitchen Cafe

1 (16 oz.) bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 skinless, boneless chicken breast

Cook all together in a crock pot on low for 4 hours, shred meat and cook 1 additional hour.

Slimmed Down Quesadillas

From Prevention Magazine Online

Ingredients

6 oz white mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 whole wheat tortillas (12" diameter)
4 oz cooked chicken breast, sliced
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 jarred roasted red pepper packed in water, sliced
1/2 C shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
1/2 C salsa
3/4 avocado, sliced and sprinkled with lime juice
lime wedges (garnish)

Directions

1. In small nonstick skillet, saute mushrooms and garlic over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender, 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Heat sandwich press or waffle iron 5 minutes and spritz with cooking spray.
3. Divide mushroom mixture onto half of each tortilla. Layer on chicken, onion, pepper, and cheese, and fold over tortilla. Place on press or iron and close top.
4. When quesadilla is warmed through and cheese is melted, 5 to 7 minutes, remove from heat. Serve hot, with salsa, avocado, and lime wedges on the side.

Skillet Nachos

This was so fast and easy and it was huge hit with my family. Definitely will be making this again.

From Sisters Cafe

½ lb ground beef
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
1 small zucchini, chopped (1 cup)
1 cup chili beans in chili sauce (from 15-oz can)
1 cup thick-and-chunky salsa, divided
Tortilla chips
1 ½ c. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (6 oz)
sliced ripe olives
diced fresh tomatoes
sour cream

Brown ground beef. Drain and remove ground beef to a plate; set aside. Using the same pan, stir-fry bell pepper and zucchini for 2 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Stir in chili beans and ½ cup of the salsa; cook until hot. Stir in ground beef.
Line tortilla chips on a broiler safe pan. Spoon dollops of the mixture atop the chips. Sprinkle with olives and tomatoes. Sprinkle with cheese, to your liking. Put under broiler (not super close) until cheese is melted, only a couple of minutes.
Serve with remaining salsa and sour cream.

White Chicken Enchiladas

From Pioneer Woman Cooks
These were really yummy, but a little spicy. My husband thought they tasted like they came from a restaurant. I could have just grabbed tortillas and dipped them in the cheesy sauce.
Ingredients
2-½ cups Cooked, Shredded Chicken
2 cups Chicken Broth
3 Tablespoons Canola Oil
12 whole Corn Tortillas
1 whole Large Onion, Diced
3 whole 4 Oz Cans Whole Green Chilies, Diced (If you don't like a lot of spice, I would use less)
1 whole Jalapeno, Seeded And Finely Diced
1 teaspoon Paprika
½ cups Heavy Cream
2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Flour
1 cup Sour Cream
2-½ cups Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
Salt And Pepper (to Taste)
Picante Sauce (optional)
Cilantro, Chopped



Preparation Instructions



Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas for no longer than 20 seconds, just to soften (do not allow to become crisp.) Place tortillas on a large towel or stack of paper towels to drain.
Heat 1 tablespoon canola oil in separate skillet over medium heat. Add onions and jalapenos and saute for 1 minute, just to start the cooking process. Add chicken, half of the green chilies, and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Stir together. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and stir. Add cream and stir, allowing mixture to bubble and get hot. Turn off heat and set aside.
In a separate large skillet, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together and cook over medium heat for one minute. Pour in 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Whisk together and cook for another minute or two. Stir in the other half of the chilies. Reduce heat, then stir in sour cream. Add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese and stir to melt. Add 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Check seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
To assemble, spoon chicken mixture on top of tortillas, one by one. Top with plenty of cheese and roll up. Place seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish.
Pour cheese mixture all over the top of the tortillas. Top with extra cheese if you’d like, then bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle generously with chopped cilantro.
Serve with picante sauce, if desired.

Crockpot Cheesey Salsa Chicken

This is another recipe and picture from "Cooking Mamas". So easy and I loved that there are only a few ingredients.

1 16 oz. jar of salsa

5 large chicken breasts

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 c. grated cheese

2 c. rice

Put chicken in crock pot. Combine salsa and soup and mix together and pour over chicken. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. 15 minutes before serving stir in cheese.

Honey Lime Enchiladas

From Sisters Cafe

1.5 lbs pork or chicken, cooked and shredded
Sauce:
1/3 c honey
1/4 c lime juice
1 Tb chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 (10 oz) cans green enchilada sauce
equal parts mixed together of:
mozzarella cheese, shredded
cheddar cheese, shredded
flour tortillas

Mix together sauce ingredients then add to shredded pork or chicken. Let the sauce soak into the meat for about 30 minutes.
Lightly spray 2 pans with non-stick baking spray. (I usually use one 9x13 and one 9x9 but it may vary with how thick you stuff your enchiladas) Pour green enchilada sauce into pans to coat the entire bottom. Fill tortillas with shredded meat and desired amount of cheese. Roll and place in dish.
Pour remainder of sauce over enchiladas and sprinkle more cheese on top - don't be stingy! (I sometimes use more like 1 1/2 cans- you can freeze left over enchilada sauce in a baggy.) Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then turn on broiler and place enchiladas nearer the top of oven. Let it broil until cheese is slightly brown and crispy. It is now time to WOW your family!!

Cafe Rio Pork

Night before:
3 ½-4 lb. pork roast
2Tbs brown sugar
1 to 1 ½ tsp. red pepper (cayenne pepper)
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
Mix together and rob on to pork roast. Put in crock-pot on low overnight.

Next morning:
Add to crock-pot
1 can coke
1 cup chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion. Chopped


About 1 hour before you serve: (I ususally cook until about 4 p.m.)
Shred roast and add 1 cup brown sugar, put back in crock-pot.

CHICKEN PINEAPPLE BLACKBEAN ENCHILADA'S

From The Hive

1 large chicken breast cut in bite size pieces
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 T. lime juice
2 tsp. olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 can (20 oz.) pineapple tidbits, drained or 1 ½ C. fresh chopped pineapple
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (4.5 oz.) chopped green chilies
½ C. chopped fresh cilantro
2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1 can (10 oz.) enchilada sauce
8-10 flour tortillas
shredded lettuce, olives, tomatoes & sour cream for topping

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees, spray 9x13 pan glass baking dish with cooking spray.2. In a nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium/high heat. Add chicken, lime juice, salt & pepper; and cook until juices run clear. Add onion and red bell pepper cook 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in pineapple, beans, and green chilies. Cook and stir until thoroughly heated.3. Remove from Heat, stir in cilantro and mozzarella cheese.4. Spoon and spread 1 tablespoon enchilada sauce onto each tortilla. Spoon about ¾ cup filling mixture over sauce on each. Roll up tortillas; place seam side down in baking dish.5. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over center of enchiladas and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.6. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until cheese is melted and enchiladas are bubbly.7. Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce,topped with sour cream, olives & chopped tomatoes. (optional)