Alice Springs Chicken

 1/4 cup sour cream or greek yogurt

1/2 cup dijon mustard

1/4 cup honey

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast

1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

1 1/2 ounces cooked bacon- diced

Place chicken in the bottom of a 9X13 pan. Mix together yogurt, dijon mustard, honey and lemon juice.

Pour mixture over chicken, top with bacon and cheese. Cover with foil. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes or until chicken reaches 165 degrees.

Macros- P-40 , C-14 F-17 Cal- 380 for a 229 gram serving with sour cream

Macros- P- 41C- 14 F15 Cal- 366 for a 229 gram serving with plain green yogurt

Sheet Pan Harvest Chicken And Vegetables

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved

12 ounces butternut squash, peeled and diced

4 ounces diced red onion, diced

6 Marketside Apple Chicken Sausages, sliced

6 slices bacon, cooked

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

Add Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, onion, chicken sausage and bacon to the sheet pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, maple syrup, thyme, sage, oregano, salt and pepper. Pour over chicken sausage and vegetables and toss to coat.

Place in the oven and roast for 30 minutes, flipping sausage and vegetables halfway through.

Protein- 34, fat- 28, carbs- 49, calories- 539

Per 326 gram serving

Macro friendly baked ziti

 1 box protein pasta

1 pound ground turkey

1 cup diced onion

2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 cup water

1 can- 14.5 ounces- diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano

1 (24 ounces) jar Raos homemade marinara sauce

1 (15 ounce) container cottage cheese

2 Tablespoons parsley

1 egg 

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9X13 dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cook pasta according to package, drain and set aside.

Cook turkey and onion in a skillet until meat is cooked through. Drain liquid, and add Italian seasoning, water, diced tomatoes and marinara. Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. 

In a mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, parsley, egg, salt, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, and parmesan cheese.

Spread 1 cup tomato sauce mixture on the bottom of the pan. Top with half the noodles, all the cheese mixtures, and half the tomato sauce.

Top with remaining ziti, sauce and 1/4 cup mozarella cheese.

Bake for 25- 30 minutes or until the top is lightly golden brown and cheese is melted.

per 368 gram serving- 34- protein, 47- carbs, 17-fat, 460-calories

Brownie bites

 

• 1 cup peanut butter
• ▢1/2 cup maple syrup
• ▢2/3 cup cocoa powder- I like the Hershey dark cocoa powder
• ▢1/2 cup chocolate chips- optional

• In a large mixing bowl, add all your ingredients and mix well.
• Using your hands, roll into small bite-sized balls. Place balls on the lined plate and refrigerate or freeze until firm.

Notes

TO STORE: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to four weeks. 

TO FREEZE: Place the bites in a ziplock bag and store them in the freezer for up to six months.

Homemade breakfast sausage

 1 ½ pounds ground pork

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ Tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage

1 ½ Tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Mix all ingredients until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least one hour. Overnight is best if you have the time. Portion the sausage into 12 equal pieces and form into patties. Place a large skillet over medium heat. Brown the sausage on each side for about 4-5 minutes until an internal temperature reaches 165°F. Serve immediately.

Tortellini with cream cheese alfredo and peas

 1 1/2 cups milk

8 ounces cream cheese

1/2 cup grated parmesean cheese

2 cups frozen peas, thawed

1 cup diced ham

18 ounces cheese tortellini, or other plain noodle like bow tie

1/2 tsp salt

Bring salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the water and cook according to the package. Drain the pasta. 

While the pasta is cooking bring the milk, cream cheese, and parmesan cheese to a simmer in a large saucepan, whisking vigorously until the cram cheese is dissolved and the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/2 tsp salt. Stir in the peas and ham and remove from heat. Season with salt and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.

Fried Chicken

 Ingredients

13 oz chicken breast 2 pieces skinless and boneless; use skin-on if preferred; bone-in chicken requires longer to cook

1 Tbsp paprika

1/2 Tbsp black pepper

1.5 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp dried oregano

1 egg

3/4 cup buttermilk

3.7 oz flour 1 cup; or a gluten-free all-purpose flour

1.3 oz cornstarch 1/3 cup

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp salt divided

6 cups vegetable or canola oil for frying - adjust the amount based on the size of your pot

Instructions

Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise for thinner pieces. If they are uneven, use a mallet to flatten one or both until even.

I find these thinner pieces much more manageable within sandwiches, burgers, etc. Note that the thickness of the chicken will affect the cooking time of the homemade fried chicken.

Marinate the Chicken

In a small bowl, combine all the spices (except the salt), then add half of the seasoning blend to a large dish (large enough to fit your chicken pieces).

Add the buttermilk, egg, and 1 teaspoon of salt to the dish, whisk well and then place the prepared chicken breasts into the marinade.

Allow the chicken to marinate covered in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to 6 hours total.

How long to marinate chicken? If your marinade contains an acid, I recommend up to 4-6 hours for the best flavor and texture and no longer. If it doesn’t contain an acid, you can leave it to marinate for up to 24 hours. Marinating chicken for too long can break down the meat and cause mushiness.

Prepare the Dry Batter

Combine the baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, cornstarch, flour, and the remainder of the seasoning mix in a large shallow bowl or plate and mix well. This makes a "dry" batter.

Once the chicken has marinated, allow it to return to room temperature and dip into the flour cornstarch mixture one piece of chicken at a time. Coat well, firmly pressing the seasoned flour into the chicken to ensure it stays on while frying.

Fry the Chicken Breast

Add several inches of oil to a large heavy-bottomed saucepan/Dutch oven (or use a deep-fat fryer) and heat it over medium heat until it reaches 350ºF/176ºC (up to 375ºF/190ºC maximum).

Carefully lower the chicken (just 3-4 pieces, depending on the size of the pan) into the hot oil using a slotted spoon or tongs.

The time to fry chicken will depend on the thickness of the pieces and whether they’re boneless or bone-in. This recipe takes just 4-5 minutes in oil when the pieces are fully submerged (no need to flip them).

If you're shallow frying them with an inch or so of oil, you'll need to flip the pieces when the underside is crispy and add an extra few minutes to the cooking time for crispy fried chicken breast.

If you leave the pieces whole (not halved lengthwise), they'll take 10-14 minutes. Bone in chicken can take up to double the time, so monitor it carefully.

To check the chicken is ready, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken. It should have an internal temperature of 165ºF/74ºC to be safe to eat.

Allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes before serving. Season with additional salt and pepper if preferred.

Store: Either store the chicken in shallow, airtight containers or wrap tightly with foil and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Make sure to store it within 2 hours of cooking it.

Never leave the chicken out for longer than 2 hours at room temperature.

Freeze: Spread the crisp fried chicken breast across a tray, not touching, and freeze solid. Then transfer to a Ziplock bag and freeze for up to 4 months.

Notes

Always brine or marinate the chicken: Either method tenderizes the meat, keeping it juicy. Marinating also adds depth of flavor to the fried chicken.

Use batter: A well-made batter means a super crispy fried chicken breast recipe. This can be a wet or dry batter.

Don’t overcrowd the chicken: It will reduce the oil temperature and lead to a soggy fried chicken recipe. Instead, fry it in batches.

Ensure the oil is at the right temperature: Keep an instant-read thermometer nearby to monitor the temperature and adjust it if needed. It shouldn't go below 325ºF/163ºC.

Allow the chicken to drain correctly: Ditch paper towels, which can cause steaming and soggy fried chicken. Instead, set the buttermilk fried chicken on a wire rack, allowing air to circulate. To keep it warm, tent the cooling rack loosely in foil and/or pop them in a low oven (200ºF/95ºC).

How to reheat fried chicken to make it crispy again?

Avoid cooking methods that lead to foods becoming soft/soggy (like microwave cooking). Instead, I recommend first allowing the fried chicken to come to room temperature and then oven baking it.

Reheat it for 15-20 minutes at 350ºF/175ºC on a rack rather than a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet to allow for airflow.

Alternatively, try 5-7 minutes in an air fryer at 375ºF/190ºC, flipping halfway.

If you're reheating it from frozen, allow it to cook in the oven for 15-18 minutes at 450ºF/230ºC.

Alternatively, remove the chicken from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature, then re-fry it until it is crispy. Be careful not to overcook the crispy chicken breast.

Check the blog post for more tips, serving recommentdations and asnwers to top FAQs!