Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo

 

• For the Chicken:

  • 2 chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise so they are thin
  • 2 eggs, beaten with 2 Tbsp. milk
  • 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
  • ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup flour
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • ½ tsp. smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • Pepper, to taste
  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 1 tsp. olive oil

  For the Alfredo Sauce:

  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
  • ⅛ tsp. pepper
  • 2 Tbsp. parsley
  • 16 oz. cooked pasta

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Instructions

  1. Prepare the coating:
     In a pie dish, stir together breadcrumbs, Parmesan, flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. In a second pie dish, whisk together eggs and milk.
  2. Coat the chicken:
     Toss chicken in the flour/breadcrumb mixture, then in the egg mixture, and then again in the flour/breadcrumb mixture for a thick, crispy coating.
  3. Cook the chicken:
     Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in olive oil. Add the coated chicken and cook for 4–5 minutes per side, until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm.
  4. Cook the pasta:
     Boil pasta in well-salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
  5. Make the Alfredo sauce:
     In a clean, high-sided skillet, melt ½ cup butter over medium-low heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Sprinkle in flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the cream and milk until smooth.
  6. Finish the sauce:
     Return skillet to medium-low heat. Stir in Parmesan cheese and pepper. Simmer gently until the cheese melts and the sauce thickens slightly.
  7. Combine:
     Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce. (It might seem a little soupy at first, but the pasta will quickly absorb more sauce for the perfect creamy texture.)
  8. Serve:
     Plate the pasta, top with sliced chicken, sprinkle with extra Parmesan and parsley, and enjoy!

Salsa Chicken in the Instant Pot

I have made a similar recipe in the crockpot a lot, recently I tried it in the Instant Pot.  It turned out really good!  My chicken was even frozen when I started. You can use fresh thawed chicken too. 

 

Salsa Chicken

1- 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast
1 (16 oz.) jar salsa - chunky works great as well as home canned salsa
1/2 packet taco seasoning
garlic salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)


Place the chicken in the bottom of the Instant Pot and Sprinkle just a little garlic salt over the chicken.  Sprinkle taco seasoning over both sides of the chicken breasts.  Poor the salsa over it all.  Set the pressure cooker to 30 minutes high pressure. (If your chicken is thawed it will take 20 minutes).  When it is done, you can quick release or let it set about 15 minutes first (whatever you have time for).  Open the lid and shred the chicken with two forks. 

Optional:  Add in about 1/4 cup chopped cilantro after it has cooked and you've shredded it. 

This is great for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and chicken salad! 

NOTE: I rinsed my chicken first because it was so frozen, and I wanted to have a stickiness to it so the seasonings would stick to it.

This is before it's cooked.  I sprinkled some garlic salt, then added taco seasoning and salsa. 

This is what it looked like after it was cooked, but before I shredded it.

I like to add chopped cilantro in after it's cooked and after I've shredded the chicken.

 

 

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

1 (16 oz) jar salsa
1 (1.25 oz.) package dry taco seasoning mix
1 lime, juiced
3 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
3 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into serving portions.

Place the salsa, taco seasoning, lime juice, and cilantro in a slow cooker.  Add the chicken breasts,a and stir all together.  Cook on high about 4 hours, or low 6-8 hours.  Shred chicken and ease over rice, in burritos, a salad, etc.

Chicken Fajitas

Chicken Fajitas

2 chicken breasts, cut in thin strips
2 tbs. oil
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. vinegar
dash of red pepper
1 tsp. chili pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 purple onion, sliced
sliced bell peppers

Mix all together and let the peppers, onions, and chicken marinade for a few minutes.  Sauté the vegetables first, and then add the chicken (along with all the juices).  Heat flour taco shells and squeeze a little lime on them.  Top with the following:

Avocado or guacamole
sour cream
salsa
cheese

Garlic Chicken with Sun Dried Tomatoes (pressure cooker)

Garlic Chicken with Sun Dried Tomatoes

2 lbs. fresh chicken breasts, sliced across the breast so they are thin, and cut into serving sizes
2 cloves garlic
3 tbs. oil
1/2  tsp. salt
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 c. chicken broth (1/2 c water and 1/2 tsp. chicken bullion)
3/4 c. whipping cream
1 tsp. Lawry's season salt
1/2 c. fresh Parmesan, grated
1-2 c. fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes, chopped

Put the chicken in a Ziploc baggie and pound with a meat tenderizer.  Mix together the oil, garlic, salt, and Italian Seasoning and rub it all over the chicken. If your electric pressure cooker has the saute feature, turn it on and wait a few minutes for it to heat up.  Brown the chicken pieces on both sides.  When they are browned, add in the chicken broth and scrape the pieces off the bottom of the pan.  Set the pressure cooker to high pressure and cook 4 minutes.  Do a quick release once done.

Open pressure cooker and add in the cream and the seasoning salt.  Turn the pressure cooker back on to Saute.  Stir together well and let the cream reduce by half, about 5 minutes.  Add in the Parmesan cheese and stir until it's melted.  Add in the spinach and tomatoes and let it simmer for about 2 minutes.

Serve over your favorite pasta!

Chicken Stir Fry

I have only ever used this with chicken as the meat, but I suppose other meats like steak might work just as well.  I love this recipe!  I love the fresh veggies.  I rarely spend the extra money during the winter for pea pods, but when the garden is on sugar snap peas are soooo good in this!


Chicken Stir Fry

2 chicken breasts cut into small pieces
3 Tbs. cornstarch
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

--Cut chicken small, and then coat with the cornstarch.  Add other ingredients and fry in about 2 Tbs. oil or so until chicken is no longer pink. Remove from the pan, and set aside.

Suggested Veggies (cut small):
Broccoli
Asparagus
Carrots
Green and/or red pepper
Pea Pods
Zucchini and/or crookneck
Water Chestnuts
Onions
etc.

Add veggies to pan w/ more oil and cook until tender (about 5-10 minutes).  I cover the pan with a lid and stir frequently.

Mix the following together and then add and the cooked chicken to the veggies.

1 c. water
1 tsp chicken bouillion
2 Tbs. soy sauce
scant 1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp cornstarch

Cook about another 10 minutes depending on how crisp you like the veggies.  Serve over rice.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

These are the same ingredients I use to make chicken enchiladas.  However, I've learned that casserole is so much faster and easier than enchiladas, and they are just as good.  So go ahead and make enchiladas if you prefer.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

1 c. cooked chicken (or more if you prefer)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 can diced green chilies (optional, sometimes I make the kids happy by only putting them in half)
1 tsp. chili powder
10-12 corn tortillas, torn into bite-sized pieces
fresh or canned mushrooms (optional)
Shredded cheese

Mix everything together.  Spread into a 9"x 9" casserole dish.  Cover with foil and back at 375 for about 25-30 minutes.
 

Baked Chicken Strips

I'm sure this recipe could be fried instead of baked if you prefer, but I like the baked option.  Sorry, I didn't take hardly any pics.
  

Chicken Strips:

1 c. bread crumbs (I use Italian flavored)
1/2 c. parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. salt
1 cube melted butter
chicken cut into strips

Mix crumbs, cheese, garlic salt, and salt.  Roll chicken breasts in butter and then in the crumb mixture.  Bake at 375 for 40 minutes, turning half-way through the cooking process.

Notes: Ignore that in the picture I put the chicken strips on a wire rack before baking them.  This was an experiment, and I din't like the results as well as just placing the chicken on the pan directly.  For easy cleanup line the pan with tin foil first.

Sweet and Sour Chicken

From Jill Adams

3-4 lbs. chicken cut into small bite-sized pieces

2 beaten eggs

1/2 c. cornstarch

1/2 c. flour

oil for frying

-Take all of your cut pieces of chicken and put them in a baggie (I just use my gallon sized bags I use for bread.  Poor the beaten eggs over top and mix it all around so as to coat every piece of chicken.  In a seperate bowl combine the cornstarch and flour (and I also sprinkle some salt and pepper), and then dump this over top of the egg-coated chicken.  Shake the bag, again ensuring that every piece gets coated.  Fry the chicken pieces in about 2-4 tbs. hot oil until no longer pink.  Place chicken in a glass casserole dish.  

Sauce:

3 c. suggar

1 1/2 c. vinegar

2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1 c. ketchup

1 Tbs.. soy sauce

-Cook about 5-10 minutes (make sure the sugar is dissolved.) Pour it over top of the cooked chicken.  Bakee at 325 degrees for about 20 minuts.  

-Serve over rice.  

*Tips:

When coating the chicken in egg and flour/corn starch mixture I like to just dump the enitre bag, egg flour and all, into the hot frying pan.  This will get the sauce to thicken a little more in the oven.  

Wild Rice Chicken Soup

3 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1/2 c. chopped celery 

1/2 c. chopped onion

10 cups water

2 c. carrots

1 Tbs. chicken bouillion or chicken soup base

2 boxes RIce a Roni long grain wild rice or Uncle Ben's long grain wild rice

3/4 c. frozen peas

Bring the water and boiullion to a boil, then add the vegetables, rice (along with the seasoning packets), and chicken.  Cook 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.  The last 4 minutes of cooking add the frozen peas.  

SUPER EASY and very tasty!  

Tips:

You can used canned chicken when you're in a pinch, or cook the chicken in bouillion, garlic, and water in the crockpot for 4-5 hours.  

Grilled Chicken Marinade

From Annabeth Olson

1 c. soy sauce

1 c. oil 
1 (12 oz.) can lemon-lime soda 
1 Tbs. Horseradish 
1 Tbs. minced garlic

Mix together and marinate the chicken for about 20 minutes (or whatever you have time for), turning once.  Grill and enjoy.  

Notes: I buy fresh chicken in a big case and then cut off the fat and bad pieces and freeze it in quart-sized Ziploc bags.  I like to freeze it in the marinade.  That way, when you thaw the chicken it is also marinading it.  

Sesame Seed Chicken

Sesame Seed Chicken                                                                                   Amy Blaisedell Angell

¼ c. flour
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp pepper

Combine together.  Cut 2 chicken breasts into small cubes and roll in the above mixture.  Cook chicken in about 2 tbs. oil and set aside.

Combine in small sauce pan:
¼ c. soy sauce
¼ c. sugar
Cook on medium until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from head and add:

½ tsp. pure dark sesame seed oil
2 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds

Mix chicken and sauce together.  Serve over rice.  Add ¼ c. chives to sauce if desired.  

*Notes: You can find sesame seed oil in the Asian food section at your supermarket.  Keep it in the fridge to keep it from going bad.